Women are like lionesses at the gate of the home. . . . She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her. . . . Sisters, you are each like the lioness at the gate. This means that there has to be some prioritizing. I was taught years ago that when our priorities are out of order, we lose power. If we need power and influence to carry out our mission, then our priorities have to be straight.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Happy 2nd Birthday Shaelyn!

Today our baby girl turns 2 - and I turn nostalgic. As amazing as it was to see Shaelyn grow from newborn to 1 through her first year, it has been even more amazing to watch this little person emerge - a person with her own likes, dislikes, opinions, and personality. She has become so independent and is a true joy in our home. It will be fun to see what this next year will bring, as Shaelyn starts to transition from being a toddler to a preschooler and becomes a big sister. It can only get more fun, right?

Now for our walk down memory lane...

Here's Shaelyn at Christmas last year, just barely learning how to ride her zebra. She has a hard time even getting both feet to touch the ground. Amazing how much changes in a year!

And as the year went on, I think she got more and more beautiful. You know, in my humble Mommy opinion...

1st Birthday

January


February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

All grown up at 2 years old!
And these are a few of her favorite things:
Cars, coloring, pretend talking on the phone, Sesame Street (anything with Abby, Elmo, or the Cookie Monster, which she calls "Cookie Nun-kers"), Max, going to the store, swinging, playing with Play-Dough, going down slides, throwing and kicking balls, Curious George, "Erke's" house, anything at the playground, sand, going outside to turn on the Christmas lights, Clara, her daily talks with the "snowman" (our Christmas lawn ornament), Super Why!, signing anything she can, telling you what color things are, singing, building towers, rocking in the green chair (wrock-a-chair!), "Nana's" house, chasing the kitty, going to gymnastics (nah-sticks), Addie, going to nursery, playing on the computer, "guck" (the purple duck-billed platypus), reading her books, cleaning up (kween up!), snowmen, pretending to blow out candles, jumping, cotton balls as snowballs, saying her shapes (twy-angle, quares, suh-cuhl, wreck-tangle, die-mond, haht, ooh-vahl), taking showers with Mommy, Christmas lights, going to the mailbox, taking walks, eating french fries, dancing, watching herself (on camera, in the mirror, in videos), washing her hands, licking Mommy's face, "dwagon," Christmas trees, stickers, waking up with Mommy, when Daddy comes home, P.U.!

Cleverly written by shelley