Happy 7 months!

My sweet Heidi,

For seven months now you have been our precious second daughter and Ansley's little sister. You are such a joy and your personality is becoming more evident. What you're up to these days:
-You have your first two teeth (which explains the lack of sleep a couple of weeks ago)
-You crawl crazy fast and love to explore the house all by yourself. I find you playing in Ansley's room often.
-You started pulling up to standing about two weeks ago and have had a few crashes since your balance is not great. But, you're getting stronger each day and more coordinated.
-You eat cereal and a fruit for breakfast and a meat and veggie for dinner. We will begin lunch this week.
-Your sleep is still unpredictable. You usually wake twice in the night to eat, but have started waking up a third time in the last few nights and I've had to let you cry yourself to sleep. I hate doing that, but I want you to learn to soothe yourself back to sleep and that it's not okay to get up to play in the middle of the night.
-You absolutely will not take a bottle or be fed by anyone but mommy. We found out the hard way when Daddy and I tried to go to a football game a couple weeks ago. You refused to eat even the baby food you're used to. You definitely know what you want and refuse to give in.
-Car rides are much easier now. You like to watch Ansley sing and talk to you from her seat next to yours and you even sleep sometimes.
-Your personality so far seems to be that you like to be in the middle of everything. You love to explore, learn, try new things early, and be independent. i think that you and Ansley will be great friends because you both have this in common.

My favorite things about you:
-Your smile absolutely melts my heart. Your eyes twinkle, your dimple is the sweetest thing ever, and your two new little teeth peak out when you smile. I love walking into your room in the mornings and after naps because that's when you flash a big one. Or when you're nursing and you pause to look up and grin at me. Or when I catch your attention from across the room and you smile at me like I'm the best thing in the world.
-I love the way you play with your sister and that you absolutely adore her. You still think she's the funniest person ever.
-I love the way you like to hold onto my fingers when I reach back to your carseat to put the paci in your mouth.
-And I love the way you chase me around the house and pull up on my legs when I'm standing in the kitchen cooking. Even though it's difficult not to trip over you, it's so precious to have you in there with me.

We sure do love you, sweet little girl. I especially love having two daughters and a wonderful husband to share these holidays with.

I Want to Remember This

Someday, when my girls are older and in school or are grown and living on their own, I want to remember this. I want to remember being so tired from waking up with Heidi six times in one night, five times the next, and so on. I want to remember the tiny call from Ansley in the middle of the night, saying, "Paci, Mommy. Paci, Mommy. Paci, Mommy. Paci, Mommy. Paci, Mommy...." until I finally get up to find it for her. I want to remember Heidi crawling after me everywhere I go in the house. Remember hearing Ansley tell me she needs to go potty in the middle of our shopping trip with a basket full of groceries. Remember the trip to the doctor's office today when I was convinced Heidi has been crying and not sleeping because of some terrible ear infection and hearing the doctor tell me that her ears and everything else look perfect. And then walking to the front door of the doctor's office to leave and seeing that it's pouring rain. Having a complete stranger (who worked at the clinic) walk up to me and ask if I would like for her to take my children around to the covered area while I got my truck and taking her up on it, but wondering if this decision made me a terrible mom. Feeling like I have nothing under control and that I'm sinking. Feeling like I'm going to burst into tears if I hear Ansley yell at Heidi one more time, or hear Heidi wake up way too early from a nap, or if Ansley has another accident. Feeling like I never want to leave my house again. Wondering when I'm going to have time to take a shower.

Yep, it's been one of those days. Or few days.

But, I know that this time is flying by and that soon my girls won't need me for these things. Instead, they'll need advice on boys, clothes, makeup, homework, and college. And who knows where I will be. Maybe I'll be working, or maybe not. Right now I just can't imagine doing anything other than what I'm doing and it's such a wonderful feeling to know that the Lord is right here with me and is giving me the strength I need to be the mommy these girls need. How encouraging it is to remember that He chose me for them. He knows I can do it, even when I don't. And, when I wonder if I'm doing anything right and am discouraged because my tireless work isn't as apparently fruitful as I think it should be, Ansley walks up, wraps her arms around me, and says, "I love you, Mommy. You're my sweet girl."

By the way, I'm crying as I write this. I'm a wreck. And, I love it.

Cameron Park Zoo

Some photos of our trip with our friends to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco: