stories

I've been helping my mom clean out and pack up her house as their move is approaching and quite often I've had Julianna with me. This poses a variety of, um, challenges. One of the things we were packing early this week was some of the Christmas decorations and Nanna gave Jules part of a small Avon nativity set that she had found. As these things go, she of course couldn't immediately find the whole set, but Julianna entertained herself with the three wise men for quite a while. On the way back to my parents house yesterday morning Julianna politely inguired, "Nanny find Jesus?" and then demanded, "Nanny find Jesus!"

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During another cleaning episode, Julianna was found rummaging through a bag of bathroom toiletries and such that we have put in the "toss" pile. When I asked her what she was doing, she came straight across to the room I was in and when I looked up I saw that she had her hands in her pockets and two Q-tips hanging out of her ears.

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One day recently I was sitting on the couch working on the computer and I heard the door open to the garage. I thought someone had come in so I called out, "Hello?"

No answer.

Then I heard the pitter patter of Julianna's feet and she came running up to me and said, "Jules let Simon out."

She's been able to open doors for a little while now, but it's getting very fluid now to where the sound of it could be anyone opening and closing the door. I just can't believe she knew to open the door for the cat.

22 months

Dear Julianna,

Hey Doodlebug!

I’ve so enjoyed all the hugs and pats on the back you’ve given me this month! You’ll come up close to me and press your check up against mine and say, “Hey!” I’ll stop and hug you tight and say, “I love you” and you’ll pat my arm and say, “I wuv you, Mama. Jules’ Mama.” You used to only sign it, but now you’ve found the (adorable) words.

And Oh My Goodness have you found the words! Since I last wrote a letter to you you’ve learned not just nouns, but you’ve learned verbs and pronouns. You’re speaking regularly in four, five, and six word sentences! You say, “Sess gave it to me,” and “Jules help Mommy,” and “Get a cookie a-Nanna’s house.” It’s amazing how much you actually sound like an adult now and not a toddler anymore. I’m so impressed still with how quickly you learn.


You have been learning names this month. You can say your name and I believe it is perhaps the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. You sing, “Jesus Loves Me” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” all the way through with no help from anyone. You say the whole alphabet (with the exception of J and N) and my personal favorite letters are Q and W, pronounced “ko” and “double.”

A few of us have asked you about your birthday and you tell us that you’ll be two and that you want a “monkey cake.” I can’t wait to party with you!

We’ve battled quite a bit of sickness over the past few months, but this last one was the worst. Because you had a 105 degree temperature and were a pitiful acting little girl, we took you to the doctor for a lengthy round of tests followed by a shot of strong antibiotics and another office visit the next day to check lab results as well as your progress. You got a second shot of antibiotics and since your body was responding well to that we went home happy and able to sleep for the first night in a while. I can’t explain how sick with worry it made me to see you so ill. I told the doctor that I didn’t care how many tests she had to do to get you well, I was just tired of bringing a sick baby to their office every two weeks (you see, we’d just been there the day before Christmas Eve as well). Anyway, through all of her testing she determined you didn’t have the flu, didn’t have a UTI, didn’t have RSV, bronchitis, pneumonia, or a number of other things. When I got strep throat two days later and the first round of antibiotics didn’t clear it up, we were pretty sure that’s what had made you so sick. I had to go back and get a shot too. Hopefully the sickness will stay away from us for a while now. It’s awful having a sick Doodlebug.

We’ve been working so hard on your potty training lately. You’ve been happily wearing your “monkey panties” and “hoppy toads” each day and will go several days (even a week) at a time without getting a drop of pee where it shouldn’t be. But then for one or two days in a row you’ll have an accident or two or three. It’s ok though. I really feel like you’re almost fully there and because a lot of times you’ll start in your underwear but then wait for the main event to happen on the potty, I know you’re trying hard. I’m super proud of you.

You haven’t been sleeping as great lately as you always have. Your daddy gets up with you usually once a night and just tucks you back into your big girl bed and you go right back to sleep, but it baffles us what causes this because you’ve never been this way. It’s been taking you quite a bit longer to fall asleep for naptime and I know it’s because you just want to stay awake and play, but still, it’s different and we’re all having to adjust to you growing up.


You’ve begged and begged to go swimming this month. We finally got in the car one weekend recently and took you to the beach although we had to explain how you wouldn’t be able to swim because of the cold. We promise to take you back when it gets warm, Jules. And we know it’ll be lots of fun.

Because while sometimes I long for time without you, Doodle, everything I do with you is cherished.

Love,
Mama

notes from Jules

Dear Seth,
Thank you very much for the Mickey Mouse toy you brought me from your travels. I tell my Mama every morning that Sess gave it to me and she reminds me how nice you are. I love you and I can't wait to come to your house and see your motorcycle again!
Love,
Jules

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Dear Uncle Trasis,
Can I help you work on the deck again soon? Even though I never would talk to you much I still miss you now that you're done.
Love,
Jules

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Dear Baby Addison,
Thanks for coming to play with me the other day! I had fun reading books with you and I hope you come back again soon and I promise I'll share my toys and we can play in my room!
Love,
Jules

i’ve been tagged

Here are the rules for this meme:
List seven habits/quirks/facts about yourself. Tag seven people to do the same. Do not tag the person who tagged you or say that you tag “whoever wants to do it.”

1. I'm right handed, but I have a hard time driving with my right hand. I can do it, but it just seems more natural to drive with my left hand only.



2. I check my email as soon as I wake up in the morning. I know. This is a bad habit to have and I try not to be too obsessive over it, but I just like to do that first thing.



3. I would rather sleep on no pillow at all than sleep on a too-fluffed pillow. Yick.



4. It is really hard for me to not read a magazine or newspaper from top to bottom, front to back. I may skip some things, but I always read in order. If I don't, I feel like I should start reading the whole thing over again.



5. If I don't shower in the mornings I feel hot all day. Although I can't always, it's much nicer when I get a chance to shower in the morning instead of at night.



6. I adjust the radio volume constantly while I'm driving. It bugs me to no end when I'm riding with someone who doesn't turn the radio down slightly when they get off the highway.



7. I can live with snakes and spiders, but don't show me a cricket or other hoppy things. Those things can get on you in a split second and they're hard to catch and kill quickly.

I probably can't think of seven people to tag, but I'll do my best. Some of the people I'm tagging will be a long shot at participation. Nevertheless, I tag Amy, Emily, Corinne, Sarahsouth, Whitney, Jonathan, and Ashley.

oh the joy of watching a toddler dance

We've basically been in a constant state of sickness here in my house since about October. You think I'm kidding but I'm not. We decided at the last minute to pick up and go to the beach for the weekend to try to get out of the house without really getting out and about. We didn't do much at all, but that was nice.

Julianna watched about 15 minutes of "Happy Feet" while we were there and my sister (who had nothing better to do for once so she decided to come with us) encouraged her to dance with the penguins.

And dance she did.

Lucky for you we were able to capture it on video. Here's Jules as she dances, drums, and generally just breaks it down with the penguins.


Untitled from c525600 on Vimeo.

to my sister

I've eaten all but the almond one. Come and get it.

my new fun space

My Dad had a nice pool table that he gave to us when we moved into our house. Over Christmas we passed it on to my sister's house and created a craft room out of the now available space. Some people would say my husband is nuts for letting me get rid of a game room to make a crafty space, but I... well...*swoon*

The hubs ordered some cabinets and a countertop from work to create this work area.

We've had the curtains for a while, but finally got them hung. My MIL gave me these work tables for Christmas.

I got these shelves on sale on Black Friday.

I decided to put Julianna's little desk in there so she could do her own "crafts" while I played.

Here's one more view of the new room.