Cry it out.

Dear Jane,
  Today is night 2 that we have been successful at crying it out. I've read a lot on this method. It's just something you gotta stick with lemme tell you. It's tough. Last night (night 1) your daddy and I were laying in our bed with a fan blowing (to filter out some of your screams.... ) (BTW "cry it out"??!!?? NO. more like SCREAM IT OUT.) anywho, we were in bed facing each other, plugging each others ears, humming. no joke. 

Funny thing... You woke up this morning. hmm. . .  As hard as it was to listen to you crying screaming, you are OK! You survived. I honestly, seriously, think that it was harder on me than it was you. This is the crap that I've read and didn't believe. I love you. 

I looked at you this morning and said to myself "She will not remember that." amen!

Now, let's quickly say Hi and Bye to the month of MAY. Where did it go?!

May:

We went to your first parade.

 (You're adorable. And, that's Grampa riding in the parade!)

You got your first sunburn.

 

(mother of the year award... )

My first mothers day! (thanks for the flowerbed Janie and Daddy)

Uncle Austin graduated High School. (what the what?!) I held you out in the hallway during the ceremony. I mean, c'mon. You were getting fussy. It was hot. I will NOT be one of those moms who just sit there holding a screaming baby. No ma'am. I'll hold you and rock you and hum to you in the hallway of the high school. 


First Memorial Day. (rainy. We skipped the parade.)

You started sleeping with your butt in the air.

(oh my word.)

You started eating food. It's adorable.

I think those are the highlights.

You are the cutest kid.

I love you little one.

Love, Mommy

Wende's Wonderful Time Machine Pie

Dear Jane, 
   Today we were quite creative. 

 I dusted off the good ole sewing machine (Figuratively. Not literally. I hate dusting.) and hemmed up the edges of my homemade woven wrap. 

Simple Pimple.
It's just a 6 yard x 30 inches piece of fabric. You seem to like it quite a bit. Guess you could be so happy there cause you're squatched right up against me. I'll have some work ahead of me figuring out all the different ways to tie you to me though. 

  You always loved the moby wrap. Boy, do I miss those first few trips we took to walmart. I'd  pop you into the moby and you'd fall right asleep against me. Scratching my chest with your crazy fingernails. (remember how I quit cutting them?!?) Now with this new wrap I can tie you up on my back. So hopefully we'll be using it on a trip to walmart soon!

...

The other creative thing we did was make "Better than Sex Pie" Yuhhhuuhhuuummmy!
You were on my back while I made it. I think I danced more than I normally would have. Dancing while making it is just like working out, right?

Anywho, here's the recipe: 

 (Not sure who Bonnie is.)

Fun fact: I texted Uncle Cris to see if he'd have Aunt Beth give me the recipe. Instead of a written out recipe I got these pictures. AWESOME! :) 

Gramma Sue used to make this. Whenever I taste it I can close my eyes and be 6 years old in Waldron at her house on Bruce Court. It's a time machine. Maybe that's what I should call it... 

Wende's Wonderful Time Machine Pie 

I do like that title. But it's definitely not my recipe so I can't claim it. So, "Better Than Sex Pie" it shall remain.

"Better Than Sex Pie"

crust  :  1 cup flour
              1 stick oleo (it's butter.)                           *Mix together. Spread into a 9x13 pan
              2 Tbsp sugar                                               Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 
              1/4 cup nuts (I used walnuts)                  Cool.



filling:   8 oz cream cheese                                      *Mix together. Spread over crust.
             1/2 carton (16 oz size) cool whip
             2/3 cup powdered sugar



top:     2 packages pistachio pudding                     *Mix until thick. Spread over filling
            2 and 1/4 cup milk



Frost with remaining cool whip. Refrigerate. Can be made a day ahead.

It is soooooooooooooooooooooo good. I let it chill in the fridge for a half hour. Your dad ate right out of the pan. 


Baby girl. You just keep getting cuter and cuter.  I can (and do) look at you for HOURS. 

No teeth yet! 

THIS HAIR!!!!

Enjoying the warm weather. in a turtle.

Cutest outfit that Uncle Jon and Aunt Kelly spoiled you with!

Ready to go to E's surprise party. (fun fact: You don't like parties.)

Modeling a bow mommy made you

New PJ's cause you are a big big girl now (no more nighttime swaddle.)

Your dad likes LOVES to put you into baskets.

5 months and 5 days old and you're already so smart. 

I love you sweet one.

Love, 

 mommy

Hakuna Matata

Dear Jane,
  
   Today I realized that WE are funny girls. 

(I didn't JUST realize it. I guess I rerealized it. Made up that word just for you.)

We had a great morning hanging out with Aunt Duh and E. (they are funny too... just not mommy-janie funny.)

You let me do the dishes while just sitting in your high chair then I had to untangle Sassy's rope then I came inside and wouldn't you know it Hakuna Matata was playing on pandora so OF COURSE I sang along to you. 


It's our jam, girl.



You kicked and wiggled and smiled and drooled. Mmmm!

These are the moment that I live for. 

Fitting for such a funny afternoon are these pictures that we took from E's ipad. These pictures make me kick and wiggle and smile and drool. They are that funny!

 (Just look at that nose!)

 (and those lips!)

 (Now, you're getting the hang of it)

(yikes) 

 (Back to the cuteness!)

 (HAHAHAHA)

(1... 2... Chins? I Think so!)

Baby Child. You are such a good sport! 

I love you funny girl!
Love, 
 Mommy



P.S. This is the cutest picture in the history of pictures:

Love you.

Happy Birthday E!!!

Dear Jane,

   

   Today something AWESOME happened!

You rolled over for the first time!!!

TWICE!

ON VIDEO!!!! (score!)

Also, It's E's 50th birthday! So we called it your happy birthday present to E. 

Please note the skinny jeans. Yeah, that's right You're 4+ months old and they are size 0-3 months. Aunt Duh is so proud that you are becoming a little fashionista just like her!

It's getting warmer outside and you just love it. We've enjoyed stroller rides (you almost instantly fall asleep) and walks with you in the kelty!

(You're the cutest thing I've ever seen)

(Fun times!!)

And your eyes look bluer than blue when you're outside. 

I love you sweet one!

Love,

  Mommy!

Duh, Duh Duuuuuuhhhh!

Dear Jane,
  Today we are going to talk about Aunt Derra. Ahem.. I mean Aunt Duh.

She is basically the coolest person who isn't your mom (or dad) that walks the planet.

This picture was last summer. That's Auntie Chloe, (she's cool... 3rd 4th in line or so.) Mommy, (fun fact: you're in there!!!) and Aunt Duh. (E took the picture and edited it. gosh, she's cool too. 3rd in line or so)

Aunt Duh is my only sister. She's lucky too. Cause I couldn't have handled more than one of HER.

Anytime you do anything naughty, I promise Aunt Duh was worse. Until she got to be 12ish then she got cool. Not right away. But she started to. Then, when she was 14 she frowned in every single picture from Mommy and Daddy's wedding. Ask to see the pictures now. Go, do it. It's funny. Someone I worked with asked me, after seeing our wedding pictures, "Why is that girl so mad?" So I guess it wasn't that she didn't smile it was that she scowled.

Somehow we became best friends! As E put it, no one can make Aunt Duh laugh as loud or cry as hard as I can! (what what!)

She goes to school a few hours away so we don't get to see her as much as we'd like. She's the kind of person you want to see every.single.day. Just so you (I) can annoy her every.single.day.


Not getting to see her everyday means I have to send her pictures of you EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. Jane, she loves you LOTS.

And you love her lots! You show her by crying and pooping. She's made you laugh one time that I can recall. I honestly would have thought that you would find her funnier than you do. Maybe it just takes time. But, I think you'll learn that she is quite funny

(looking).

So, let's call this Aunt Duh Appreciation Day!

We love you Aunt Duh!!!

Jane, you're the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Love,
  Mommy!


P.S. fingernail clipping update: I've successfully clipped your fingernails lots and lots of times now! I'm a PRO!

Pearly

Dear Jane,

  Today you woke up ever so happy. We snuggled and then I got you dressed. Once dressed I realized that I had made the most perfect headband to match your outfit! (coincidence? I think not.)!! So then we accessorized. You look fabulous! So of course I took 10,000 pictures. So fun!

(I will someday post more about headbands...)

Storytime:

Once upon a time I received my very first cabbage patch doll. Oh. My. Gosh. Since then I have looooooved cabbage patch dolls. (I only ever owned 3. A regular one. A boy one. And a crimp and curl one. Where are they now? No clue. I automatically blame Aunt Derra though.)

As an adult I've been known to go down the doll aisle looking for a brown haired, blue eyed, cabbage patch doll. (My regular one had red hair (?!?!). The boy was bald. And the crimp and curl one had dark blonde/light brown hair)

The boy cabbage patch doll's name was Christopher. The crimp and curl's name was Jillian. Did they have middle names? I'm sure. But I can't for the life of me remember them. Now, my very first cabbage patch doll... She was special. And yes, I remember her middle name. Her name was Pearly Myrtle. She was my favorite.

That is until now.

Because on November 12, 2012 I was given the cutest most specialist brown haired blue eyed cabbage patch doll. We named you Jane Suzanne.

But I will occasionally refer to you as Pearly.

I will most likely crimp your hair at some point in your blessed life.

And I will never have to hand you down to Aunt Derra.

I love you sweet one.
Love, mommy

P.S. Your fingernails are killing me!

In the pictures you can see the cutest model modeling my headbands but clearly we don't always coordinate headband and outfit.