Sistermoons...

This is the first time I think you have ever slept in the bed together.  A few weeks back Tom & Alex from Arizona were at the lake.  We joined them and slept at the trailor next door.  You both were convincing when pleading your case to sleep together.  It worked and you did a great job.  (minue naptime)  Your relationship continues to amaze me.  I love that you have each other!  It makes my heart smile.

Littlest peanut...

Harper got a bunch of Hello Kitty stuff from Aunt Patti for her birthday.  You have taken over most items and especially love the purse.  You are so different than your sis and love more "girlie" type items.  You love babies and can be found asleep at night holding them in your arms.  You still love to carry items around and bring them to the car when it's time to go.  Every morning I have to convince you to only take 2 items from your bed and then later only one item to the car. (nothing that was from your bed) You love to fill backpacks and purses full of things and carry them around too.  You are doing great at school and have done a great job transitioning in the moring at drop off.  You name all your classmates and teachers and I love when you say your friend "Charlie's" name.  (girl Charlie-it's just so cute in your little voice)  Of course when I get home from work you want ONLY my attention and get very upset if Harper trys to sneak some love.  You refuse to share my lap with her and want me all to yourself.  In the past month of so you have been obssessed with Grandma and will verbalize exactly which one you mean..."Grandma Dorsey"  And of course you always want someone else who is not around when you are in trouble.  You want daddy or Grandma when I alone with you and your throwing a fit.  We are working on those fits of yours.  For awhile there we were working on not hitting and spitting.  For the most part that phase is over..THANK GOD!  That was enough to drive this momma crazy.  Even though I know what the "books" say to do, being consistent is always a struggle.  Now we are onto working on using our words instead of yelling and whining.  This too shall pass.  You are a little lover and sweet as pie.  Your little dimple still shines when you smile and you amaze me with your ability to sing songs and jam out.  I love you to the moon and back littlest peanut.  Thanks for being you!

Harper's Creation..

Harper has been into building things lately.  Sometimes she uses legos or lincoln logs and other times she uses random items from around the house to create things.  This particular day I walked into the room to find her contently playing with the masterpiece she had created.  She gets so proud of her creations as do I.  After I started snapping photos, she was in the mood to be silly with the camera.  Too cute:) 

Harper turns 4...

November 14th Harper had her 4th birthday.  We brought monkey cookies to school for all her friends to celebrate.  After school we headed to Chuck E Cheese for a little pizza & fun:)  This is one of Harper's favorite spots so it was only fitting to head there for her actual birthday.  We don't go here too often so it was a special treat:)  We invited Aunt Patti along for the fun.  Afterwards we had cake and presents back at our house.  After she went to bed I sat and watched her sleep...in disbelief... that she is becoming such a big girl.   

Dear Daughters...

Dear Daughters,

My two sweet, loving, and sometimes unruly daughters... how I love you so much.  I love you so much that it often times hurts.  I love you so much that I am constantly thinking of you ALL day long.  I yearn to do the best I can to raise you to become independent, honest, loving people.  I yearn so much that I often times fall short and have adult melt-downs.  As Cold Play is playing on the internet radio and telling me " no one ever said it would be this hard, lets take it back to the stars," you are both nustled in bed dreaming of puppies (Liv) and super heroes (Harper).  I have had a few recent episodes of adult tantrums lately that have left me feeling hopeless & overwhelmed.  Those moments last for a short time in the scheme of things and I'm picked up off the floor by your dad, your aunties, or your grandparents reminding me that I have 6,570 more mornings to go until you are out of the house and thats if you leave by 18.  In that moment when I was reminded of how many times, I didn't think I could do it anymore.  For a hot second I was throwing in the towel and chalking it up to being the worst parent in the world.  Dramatic?  Yes!  My true feelings of certain moments?  Yes!  Once I am picked up off the floor and brought back to reality, I know that most of the turmoil in my mind comes with how I am able to cope with your developmental stages.  Both of you are in a very fun and exciting yet difficult stage both developmentally and environmentally.  Also, we have had a lot of change this past month with you guys going to school full time and both of us working full time.  The mornings are often times tough with getting ready and out the door and the nights are fast and difficult getting everything done to get you two to bed early so that you get enough sleep for your little brains to grow.  I am somewhat of a sleep freak for kids and I KNOW that you require more sleep than either of you are getting and it shows!  We trek through and do the best we can. As your grandma Cindy says, I have thousands of more mornings to be better as a mother and to keep working at teaching you the ways of the world.  I am honored to do so and definitely take that job seriously.  (almost too seriously sometimes)  I think I need to scale it back a notch and really focus on enjoying every bit of the madness.  It will past oh too quickly and I will be sad when you don't want my constant attention whether its positive or negative.  I am choosing my attitude and I choose to laugh more and work on getting my fun side back.  I used to be fun and it has been missing for quite awhile now.  Heres to everyday is a new day!  Thank you my sweet darlings for loving me through and through and teaching me to be a better person everyday.  You both deserve the absolute best this like has to offer and I will try my damnedest to give you my best side .