Evie 22 months

I feel like I just wrote Evelyn's 21 month blog.  Anyway,  Oh girl, are you a pistol.  You still bring so much joy, even though you are very impish.  You are sneaky, silly, and showing indications that you are getting ready to be 2.  In fact, a couple weeks ago at the grocery store, you were acting up and starting the beginning of  tantrum and an older lady looked at you and asked me, "Is she two?"  I told her you were going to be in a couple months and she said, "Yea, that's a two thing!"

You are very independent and certain things have to be done certain ways with you.  Some things have to be done at certain times.  You are a bear when it comes to brushing your teeth.  You LOVE to "bru teef." But you don't think you need ANY help.  You say so many things and your little voice and phrases remind me so much of Ava when she was your age.

You are the worst at sharing toys and will scream a shrill scream when someone takes a toy away from you.  But it doesn't have to be a toy taken from you that causes this deafening scream to protrude from your mouth.  Your sisters can just look or walk near a toy you like and there she blows!

You like to sit at the table in a chair like the rest of us, but I still try to keep you buckled in your booster seat.  You have learned how to take your chest strap on your carseat further down to your belly and get your arms out.  You know how to open all the doors in our house, cabinets, drawers (you name it).  You can make several calls on my phone by somehow figuring out how to get through my locked screen.  You like to turn Netflix on all the time on the tv.  You like baths.  You like to tell us when you have a poo-poo and you will touch the back of your pants while you say it.  You like to play peek a boo, play piggy back rides, and all other forms of running around games.  You love our Saturday Pancake nights and will sit in your chair for the length of time it takes to make the pancakes repeating the word cancakes over and over.  You like to read "dories" and will also bring me my books and say, "Mommy's dories."  You often sneak off with other peoples drink and food.  You love to get into my school stuff and you are super sneaky about it.  You love to take your socks and shoes off in the car as we are going somewhere.  You have no problem throwing your water bottle across the car when you are done and saying, "all done!" Hopefully you won't ever knock me in the head with that thing when I am driving.  You are a disaster to put into a carseat on most occasions.  You are a tornado that strikes our home a kajillion times a day.  BUT....
I WOULD NOT TRADE ANYTHING ABOUT YOU FOR EVEN A SECOND.  
You are wonderful just the way you are!

You are wearing 2t clothing, size 5 diapers.  You still love milk and eat any fruit given to you.  You are not a fan of vegetables, meat, peanut butter sandwiches.  You like it when I make pancakes, pizza, and cheese quesadillas.  You love a breakfast bar, banana, and milk in the morning. You are pretty routine with that.  You go to bed at 8 and wake up around 7.  You usually wake up happy and play with your horsey in your bed.  You do so well, I often won't get you until 8.  Then I put you in your seat to eat and (maybe I should not admit this) but I let you watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or (your favorite movie) The Boss Baby while I take your sisters in the other room to do school.  You make it impossible to do school with them, otherwise.  I even try to include you, and right now, you will have NOTHING to do with it, unless it involves tearing everything to shreds.

Evie, I said it 22 months ago and I will say it again.  There is a joy that radiates from you.  I hope that you live your life in God's presence where there will always be fullness of joy.   I love you, pumpkin!

Ava's 5 Year Letter (picture overload, but you will be happy you looked at them, I know I loved it! 😉)

 Dear Ava,
It seems like just yesterday I was holding you in my arms for the first time.  I can no longer hold you like that anymore.  You are more than half my size now.  It is insane how quickly you grew from a tiny infant (if you consider 9lbs. 6 oz. tiny) into this beautiful 38 pound young girl.  Your daddy and I prayed and prayed for you.  There was a time I lost hope of ever having a baby.  BUT GOD.

God knew exactly what He was doing!  Shocker, I know, right?!  He knew exactly what we needed and when we needed it.  I wish I could take back those years where I didn't trust and lived in sadness and doubt.  When I found out I was pregnant with a baby I was the happiest I have ever been in my life.  I could not wait to meet you.  And I just knew you would be so special.  And you are.

You love God with such tender love.  You know how important He is and love to talk about Him.  Since you are only 5, you don't understand everything you need to or behave in the ways I know you know you should, but I know that your heart wants to know, love and serve God.  He is going to do great things through you.

He has made you a compassionate and caring sister.  Just the other day, your littlest sister who is showing signs of terrible two's, lost her mind and I left her screaming and throwing a fit in the parking lot of church.  You were crying because you were so worried about her safety.  I had to reassure you over and over again that I wouldn't have left her there if she were in danger.  The parking lot had no-one there and no-one coming.  And we were close to her.  (So don't think I abandoned my child in a busy, dangerous parking lot, please.  I would never do that.)

You love to help cook and the other day you wanted to help get the house clean for me when I came home because you know I love a clean home.

You work hard at your schoolwork and love to be around people.  You have always been so gracious as you have had to share toys since you can remember.  Last year we went to Disney World during your birthday.  You never once asked for a toy the entire week we were there.  The last day we let you pick out anything you wanted.  You picked the Cinderella Castle.  Well, of course, Sally wanted in on that and you have shared that with her lovingly and graciously ever since.

YOU are going to do GREAT things for GOD.  I just know it.  We are so very proud of you.  We love you so much.  You have blessed my life so much it can't be described.  I can't wait to watch you grow physically, socially, emotionally, but most importantly, in your relationship to Jesus Christ.

Always remember He is Number 1.  Always put Him first and serve Him only.  He loves you so.  And I thank God that He chose us to love you here on this earth.