BRACES

Although she won't let me take a picture of her yet...its official. Jayden has braces to which I am very grateful! (She thinks she is unattractive now so maybe less boy drama?) Hopefully I will get the picture soon and post it. Thank you Oracle and your awesome dental insurance!

We have a serious Dora problem at our house. Annabelle is OBSESSED. I use this word alot I know...but with Dora and Annabelle it is total truth. As much as I hate to admit how much tv watching my 2 year old does....we watch at least 4 episodes a day. Sometimes upwards of 9 or 10. It is terrible. (I am waiting for the DSFC call.) We are starting to branch out to Diego and Max and Ruby but Dora is still the favorite. On just one tv alone we have over 35 episodes tivoed.
Anyhow...back to the reason for my post. A few mornings ago I asked Annabelle if she wanted to come wake up Chloe with me. She got very excited and started down the stairs. We got to Chloe's room when without prompting Annabelle said, "Buenos Dias Chloe!" (I don't speak anything but Dora spanish so pardon my spelling.) At least Dora is doing something for my kid, right?

Wow time flies when you're having fun....or something like that. I can't believe my baby is 2! Annabelle has truely made our lives complete. She is the child that I never knew I wanted/needed. Getting pregnant with her was a complete shock to me. We were not trying to have a baby but lo and behold I came up pregnant. I was angry for a very long time when I first found out. I thought I was finished with my family and I was ready for the next stage of life to begin (i.e all day school=heaven). I never really wanted a big family but here I was pregnant with my 4th child. But as the shock and anger wore off I became excited to have yet another girl (more hair...more pink...more clothes....I love girls!!). Two weeks after she was born my mom was diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoma. I knew without a shadow of a doubt our Heavenly Father brought her into our lives at that specific moment to help ease a very difficult time in our lives. He had a larger plan that I was obviously unaware of at the time. Now I cannot imagine life without my dear "Pickle".

Some things I never want to forget about my 2 year old Annabelle.

1. She calls herself Annie....sometimes Annie pickle. ("I Annie....or I Annie pickle.) Do not call her Belle or Bella or Anna. She will correct you. If you call her Bellie she will promptly pull up her shirt to reveal her "bellie". (And p.s. I used to dislike the name Annie...We named her Annabelle to call her Bella...it just doesn't really fit. Annie does.)

2. I can't believe I am admitting this in public but Annabelle loves "that". If you don't know what "that" is, I will spare you the details. Just know that we now fall in to the category of "wierdos" that I once referred to. Maybe by the time she graduates from college she will have given up on "that". I don't see it coming any time soon.

3. She is such a snuggler.

4. Along with #3, she is a HUGE mama's girl. I LOVE IT! (Most of the time...)

5. I think she will grow up to be a dentist one day. She is obsessed with teeth. Actually she is obsessed with sticking her hand in our mouths and feeling our teeth. I think she likes the ridges on the tops. No denying it...this girl is unique.

6. She has the best cheesy grin. She will randomly throughout the day squint her eyes and flash that large cheesy grin.

7. She loves Dora, Diego, Max and Ruby, Franklin, and Little Bear. They are on tivo at our house and constantly playing.

8. She has been my sickliest child. 8 kidney infections, 2 cases of pnemonia, 1 hospital stay, anemia, as well as the occasional ear infection or virus. When she is sick...she goes all out.

9. She loves our family to be together. She cries most mornings when we take the kids to school and asks all day long where they are. ("Chloe...school? Bubba...school? Jaydie...school?)

10. My favorite thing she says right now. "Where did _____ go? Fill in the blank with Bubba, sissy, maisy, etc. Then she will say I don't know? But she says it so cute you just want to eat her up. She is talking so much now.

11. I love that she doesn't want to grow up. She wants to be the baby. That's just the way I want it for now!!!!

I will upload some more pictures when I get them on my computer...I am a slacker!

My 14 year old Jayden

This is a week late but....Yikes! Has it really been that long? It seems like yesterday I brought her home from the hospital... There was so much drama surrounding her birth. My dear sweet grandma passed away the day before Jayden was due. Although she was living with us at the time her funeral was in Arkansas. Of course everyone in my family was heading for the funeral. Everyone that is but me. I was not allowed to attend. I was terrified that I would go into labor while my parents were gone and I would be left alone to deliever Jayden by myself. But instead the very day my parents came home I went into labor. I ended up being in labor for a very long time and had her early in the morning on January 3. The next day we came home with a voicemail message letting us know that my mom's oldest sister passed away. My mom left again and went to her funeral as well. My grandma was such an inspirational person in my life and I truely believe that she and Jayden spent that 10 extra days in heaven together. Jayden's birth could not have had a better timeline and I know that our Heavenly Father sent her at that exact moment.

Sometimes it is hard to remember all the good things about a teenager but some things I don't want to forget about my 14 year old Jayden:

1. She is full of life. Anyone who knows her knows that she is bubbly, boisterious, and the life of the party. You always know when she walks into the room. To know Jayden is to love her. She has an infectious laugh and uses it often.

2. She puts everyone at ease. She is great about helping people feel comfortable.

3. She has a wacky sense of style. She can wear zebra, with polka dots, and bright pink and still pull it off.

4. She makes friends easily. (See both one and two.)

5. She has a great smile and laughs constantly. She laughs constantly even in the face of adversity. She has learned to fake a smile until it becomes real.

6. She is a great example to her siblings. She is a great peace maker. She is constantly helping me referee fights between Coleman and Chloe.

7. She is a great example of faith. She goes faithfully to church each Sunday. Even though there are very few young women in our ward she goes to all her meetings even if she is the only one.

8. She wants to do what is right. Her testimony is growing so rapidly and it is so heartwarming to listen to her testimony as she shares bits and pieces with me or her friends or her siblings.

9. On that same note, she is willing to take her problems to the Lord. She is willing to truely pray and fast about problems or questions she has and do all that she can to find the answer to that which she is seeking.

10. She almost always does what she is asked and without too much grumbling.

11. She talks freely to me about friends, boyfriends, school, etc. I know she doesn't tell me everything but I appreciate that she does talk to me about most things. I like that we have a fairly open line of communication.

I love Jayden with all my heart. Without her, I would not be the person I am today. I look back at who I was when I was pregnant and who I am today and they are two totally different people. We are so similiar in so many ways and many times I catch myself feeling like she is the better version of me. I pray that as she grows we will continue to remain close. Happy Birthday to the best 14 year old on the planet!!!

Sledding Fun

Alas, I am resigned to the fact that I am a terrible blogger. I am not even going to make it a new years resolution to be better. Many times I even forget to bring my camera places and I am forced to use the camera on my phone. (Hence the blurry pictures above.) Oh well....even if it is not documented fantastically we had fun!

Future make up artist? Or Kiss fan?

You decide!

Why I love this girl

She already knows that the shoes make the outfit!!!