9 Months Old- my favorite age...and our goings on

These last few weeks have been emotionally exhausting on us, but through that I have felt God speaking to me a lot.  Many good lessons come from the hard. 

We are still here in Lubbock.  Our buyer has had many issues with her loan, so we are just praying we will close this weekend and move soon.  (Sunday or Monday?)  Poor Grey is begging to go to the "big house" (why she calls it big is funny since it looks smaller than our current home, and is about the same size).  She and I both have difficulty functioning in chaos, which is exactly what our life has been for over a month now.  Living out of boxes is for the birds.  I know there are real problems in the world, and Christians being beheaded for their faith (among countless other atrocities), so I feel extra selfish in this entire process.  Oi.

This week our oldest princess turned 2 1/2 years old, and our youngest princess turned 39 weeks and 9 months.  9 months is my favorite baby age - Rose has truly been a little light in the storm lately.  Sadly we thought we would be moved already, so we canceled her 9 month well-check.  I can't wait to find a good pediatrician in McKinney and get her appointment as soon as possible.  I think she's pretty okay in the "growth" area though.  lol.  She is also SUPER attentive, smart and mobile, so we don't need a doctor to tell us how perfect she is.  :)

At 9 months, Rose:

• Babbles and talks all the time
• Waves and claps
• Mimics mouth movements and sounds
• Crawls at breakneck speeds
• Is almost always mild-mannered and JOYFUL
• Asserts her temper loudly the few times she does get upset
• Has two bottom teeth and two top teeth - and boy oh boy does teething suck for this princess
• Can manipulate objects and toys
• Can figure many toys out
• LOVES LOVES LOVES books
• LOVES Frozen (and other cartoons) ... much more than sister ever did or does
• Weighs 19 lbs
• Wears size 12-18 month clothes
• Adores puppies in the sweetest way ever
• Adores big sister

At 2 1/2, Grey:

• Can repeat nearly any word.  We are so proud of how far she has come!  She only lacks the "l", "f" and "c/k" sounds, but substitutes for them.
• Loves music and dancing
• Loves Frozen
• Loves to read and read back to us
• Uses and iPad better than her parents
• Has a memory that is seriously out of this world!
• Is completely potty trained
• Loves her baby dolls
• Loves learning
• Knows her alphabet
• Knows how to count to 10 (almost completely by herself)
• Adores little sister

Being a mommy to these two very busy girls is never dull, and always such a gift.

Maybe next time I blog, it will be from McKinney, Texas! :)

      “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!   “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.   “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

Matthew 6:25-34

Delay in our move

 This cutie has grown significantly this week!  She is calling out to us by using "Daddy" and "Mommy".  She is also pulling up on things and crawling like crazy, instead of resorting to scooting!  It is really amazing how much can change in just one week!

 The weather has been insanely wet and rainy this whole week.  The girls (and I) are experiencing a bit of cabin fever, especially with MOST of our home packed up already.  It just feels like a hotel here, so that has compounded to make for some loooooong days.  Oi.

I am so proud of this little Frozen-loving princess though!  She has been officially potty trained for a month now (included poo - the harder one to grasp), so we rewarded her with a new set of Frozen pajamas.  I am not into character clothing, so this was a biggie for me. ;)  She was STOKED.  She has grown up so much this year.  I feel like she's my little helper, instead of my little baby.  Sigh sigh sigh. 

We were supposed to be signing the contract on this home today, and pulling away in our Penske truck by 9:00am.  Instead, we are in limbo as the girl buying our home has had some loan hiccups (that we should have been notified about 1.5 months ago).  We are praying for a miracle and for a quick sale/move regardless.  Living in limbo definitely isn't a big problem in the scheme of real world problems, however it is certainly not easy or desirable with two little kiddos.  Add rainy weather.  We are all experiencing exhaustion and grumpiness from this transitional stage. :(  Thankful for an end to this move eventually. :)  Keep telling myself that.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100

36 and 37 ;)

Here's my two weeks in one blog. :)

Life has once again gotten ahead of me.  I left for a Nerium Leadership Academy (or Next Level Achievement) on Wednesday last week, so I never blogged for Rose's 36 weeks.  I spent the whole week in Houston since we had a baby shower for Brittney on Saturday.  Didn't arrive home until yesterday, and had an oil party yesterday afternoon.  WHEW.  It's been a little bit busy.

I missed the girls TERRIBLY while gone for four and a half days, so we have been taking it easy and spending lots of good time playing today.  (Amidst packing, cleaning and laundry...and work)

Rose just started teething again last night (of course).  I think she is cutting two top teeth.  Poor girl.  Other than that, she's still the easiest going little joy.  I wish I had the time I did with just one baby to take two hundred photos of her a day (though I certainly still take quite a few, that any follower of my Instagram account would know)...time is so fleeting.  I cannot believe she will be 9 months next week, and even crazier - two weekends from now will be a year since we learned we would be her parents. 

Rose is on the move!  She loves to play with big sister, can get to anything she wants, and is babbling all the time.  This morning I said to myself, "If I had all of eternity to snuggle her, it wouldn't be enough!"  She is simply that squeezable.  

 I have SO many wonderful photos I should be posting of these past two weeks, but I will just post one:  The girls on first game day last weekend!! 

We load up the Penske truck this upcoming Sunday/Monday, and will live at our sweet friends' home until we move to Dallas on the following Friday.   Blogging may be very sporadic for a few weeks as we move from here, stay in another home, and then move to our new home. 

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.  Psalm 143:10