She

She is so responsible, every morning when she wakes up she gets dressed, brushes her teeth and hair and makes her bed before coming downstairs, seriously.

She is affectionate and has been since birth. The first six months of her life I couldn't put her down or she would cry until I picked her back up again. To this day she is the one that comes to snuggle, to get a quick kiss, to run after a sibling before bed or nap time for a kiss good night.

She is cautious, a rule follower (and she freaks out in a major way if one of her siblings starts to break a rule or do anything semi-dangerous). This summer she finally gathered enough courage to ride without training wheels and she is swimming like a little fish mermaid all around the pool.

She has a hard time speaking up in some social situations but it's getting better. I don't want to change her, she's an introvert and I have no problem with that but I do want her to be able to speak up when it's necessary. We're working on it and she's found a little loop hole, a way to get what she needs without asking for it...she gets her sister to ask for it for her. Resourceful yes, but not exactly what we want.

She is all quiet and perfectly behaved away from home and then steps in my door and the floodgate of words bursts open and doesn't stop until she falls asleep. All her observing of limit testing in school or at the neighborhood pool gets tested out on her sister or on me.

She is the best little helper. If I ever need anything she REALLY wants to be the one to do it. She runs to get diapers, locates my sunglasses, will empty the dishwasher, whatever needs to be done she wants to help.

She is compassionate, she is incredibly creative and she is really smart. She makes me laugh, she fills my heart, she challenges me, she makes me proud. I thank God for her, for all she has taught me and for every single day second with her.

She

She has really changed this last year. She is still incredibly laid back but also really sensitive. She's so go with the flow and social in group settings but has no problem whatsoever playing on her own. Lately she'll get her feelings hurt at the drop of a hat and the waterworks will start.

She has more personality than she knows what to do with it. Really, personality out the wazoo. I love that she is so unconcerned by what others will think and I really hope she can hold on to that as she gets older.

She, like her sister, loves music. It's not uncommon to see her with headphones on and singing at the top of her lungs. 

Tangent: I have so many fond memories of growing up that involve music. My mom would sing songs in the car that her parents had sang to her, my dad used to pull out his guitar and sing ridiculous songs. Every trip to our extended family involved bands and stomping dancing, the monotony of every day cleaning was broken up by a dance around the kitchen. I think back on those times and count those as gifts from my parents. It's a gift I plan to pass down to my kids. Those songs that my grandmother sang to my mom can now be heard in my own house, two little girls that belt them out at the top of their lungs broken up only by their giggles. Dancing around our kitchen is not uncommon, although I admit it's not the waltz my kids are doing, there is far more bootie wiggling involved.

With that said, I'll repeat that she loves music. I love that she loves music, even if it means that occasionally she will belt out (in a very public place) an embarrassing line from a country song.

She has the most expressive face. You know exactly what she is feeling at any given moment because her feelings are written all over her face...usually she's feeling extreme happiness and she has the smile to prove it.

She can make a mess like no body you know. Her bathroom mirror is about three feet above her head so I have no idea how she gets water marks way up at the top. Brushing her teeth usually requires a blow dryer and a change of clothes afterwards and don't even get me started on her room.

She has learned a lot this summer. Her swimming really improved these last couple of weeks, she has become really independent, it's crazy how she can get around on that scooter and her handwriting has surprised me. 

I'm so excited about her future. I actually can not wait to see her as a teenager, as an adult. I think that she is going to be someone that I will always want to be around. I'm also selfish in that I want to keep her as she is. Right now I know she's loving and accepting and laid back, she's joyful, funny and fun. Can she keep all that, will she grow to be self-consciousness? I pray for my girls all the time, for their health obviously, but also for their confidence, their humility, for compassion and for grace during hard times. I pray every day that He makes me a better mother to them, to give me patience and the right answers to all those hard questions. I pray that He makes me a better example for them and I thank Him for every day second.

He

He turned two this week.

He is quite possibly the yummiest thing on this planet. Every day I ask him, "I need to eat you up, where should I start?" He'll point to his neck, after I've gobbled there a bit he'll point out another spot.

He is fairly social. Any time I'm on the phone or someone comes to our house Jack will look at me, point at the phone or guest and ask, "I hi?" He's asking to go say hi to them. After I give permission he'll walk over and say hi or just walk over and wave to them.

He is SO easy. My easiest kid by far. At the pool I can sit on the lounge chair and he'll sit and pour water back and forth the entire time, or roam around outside the pool looking for treasures (rocks). I finally took his pacifier away, he had been using it for naps and bedtimes. The first night of its absence I anticipated a loooong night, I didn't hear a peep out of him. Why did I wait so long?

He seriously has one of the greatest smiles. I can't handle his little teeth. Can.Not.Handle them.

He was reeeealy slow to talk but it's all coming to him now. His standard answer to any question though is "Sissy." This is really funny when we ask questions like, "Who made this mess? or "Who pooped your pants?"

I love to see him run. I get the opportunity a lot. His legs, they're just so short, so his steps are ridiculously small. It's amazing how fast he can get them going though. They spin, like the road runner did in those old cartoons and his tiny little arms flail around to keep his body upright. I laugh every time. We laugh a lot.

He's our last baby, our last toddler. I have SUCH mixed emotions about this. I rejoice over getting rid of a ton of baby gear, I cringe at the thought of my arms being empty of little baby legs and smelly toddler feet. I can't think about it, instead I just inhale the scent of sunscreen and sweat from his hair any time he's anywhere near me. I take snapshots of him running and imbed the image in my brain. I make a deposit in the savings account of memories and thank God for each day second.