Happy birthday two you!

Two years ago right now, I was sitting up in bed, trying to flex my toes.  They were starting to regain feeling, but were tingly, and my legs heavy.

Two years ago right now, I was frustrated at my inability to clear my throat, due to a lack of functional abdominal muscles.

Two years ago right now, the spinal from my C-section was wearing off.

Two years ago right now, I was holding my new baby, loving on her, and loving her name.

Two years ago right now, I was trying to help Robyn nurse for the first time.

Two years ago, my Robyn was born.

I remember how gentle Julie was, when she came to the hospital to visit.  I remember that she wasn't afraid, even though I was still hooked up to an IV (nervous yes, but not afraid).  I remember that she was so interested in her new baby sister, and not at all jealous.  I remember how loving she was toward her, right from the start.  I remember that Robyn gave Julie a gift, and Julie promptly shared said gift with Robyn, selflessly.

The things I know now are different.

My heart melts when I hear Robyn say, "I love you!"

I giggle a little when Robyn runs, because she crosses one foot directly in front of the other, causing her little bum to wiggle back and forth.

I am astonished at how polite she is.  Please, thank you, you're welcome, excuse me, no thank you, bless you, help, and "you okay?" (whenever someone coughs).

Sometimes I tear up watching my girls play together.  Julie loves being a little teacher, and Robyn just dotes on her.

I get nervous when I see Robyn trying to keep up with Julie and other big kids, whether it's on the playground, climbing something, playing on/around the stairs, or neighborhood kickball.

I smile that Robyn knows our neighbors' first names, and uses them.

I relished that, from the start, Robyn was a Mama's Girl.  Julie was always attached to Ben, so I finally got my turn.  (Though Robyn is starting to be much more of a Daddy's Girl lately, while Julie is taking more to me, finally.)

I laugh, out loud sometimes, at her expressions.  She is so emotive, and her face makes funny looks a lot.




So while my pregnancy wasn't emotionally the easiest, I wouldn't trade my Robyn Bird for the world.  My family was not complete without her.

In the spirit of celebrating the twos, here's some fun Robyn trivia:

2 favorite foods: chips and milk
2 favorite movies: The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything and The Magic School Bus (TV show, not movie)
2 favorite people: Julie and...probably a tie between Mommy and Daddy, right now
2 places she goes most often: school and nursery
2 favorite books: Peek-a Who? and anything Little Critter
2 favorite things to do: ask Daddy for chips when he gets home from work, and identify school buses wherever we go
2 favorite things to play with: puzzles and balls
2 big milestones this year: speaking in complete sentences (believe it or not), and first camping trip
2 biggest physical changes: walking and talking (very exciting, right?)
2 things she looks forward to every day: getting Julie from school or the bus, and Daddy coming home

I LOVE YOU, BIRD!!!

Happy birthday.

 

Winter 2012-2013 photo dump

December 2012
We built and decorated a gingerbread house -- my first time ever, and hopefully my last.  My hands were cramped for days afterward!  We started going to mini model building workshops at our local LEGO store.  I weaned Robyn, after she bit me so hard one night that she drew blood!  We had a really great tree, and put our nativity on the new piano.  I made TARDIS ornaments out of salt dough, and painted them.  The world didn't end.  We visited my parents for Christmas.  Ben and I went to Maine for a couple of days.  By ourselves.  Without kids.  For our anniversary.  First non-kid trip ever!  Well, since we had kids.  Sometime this month, Robyn discovered Ben's existence.  She'd always been a mama's girl, which of course I loooved.  But sometime in December (maybe November...I'm not sure), she started lovin' on her daddy a little more, which of course he loooved.

Another self-portrait

Cool cat

Hanging birdseed bread, made at school

Our tree!

Sister love

Our gingerbread house

Another ice cream date (more mint chocolate chip)

Christmas wreath

Homemade TARDIS ornaments

Shipyard Brewing Company, in Portland, Maine.  We bought a case of root beer and a case of blueberry soda -- both are actually brewed, and not carbonated.  Pure cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.

Nutter Road.  South Portland, Maine.

January 2013 
We drove home on New Year's Day.  We came home with lots of cute new clothes, including several matching dresses from my mom.  Fortunately, Julie is young enough that she loves being matching with Robyn.  I chose a word of the year: DO.  Julie went back to school after our long break.  We all got sick.  We caught a nasty stomach bug -- a norovirus, I think.  First Robyn, then me, then Julie.  Ben had a day or two of feeling tired and weak, but nothing more.  But it had us girls throwing up, having diarrhea, no appetite, weak, sleeping a lot, achy muscles all over, and no energy whatsoever.  Robyn lasted about five days, I lasted about five days, and Julie lasted about seven or eight, poor girl.  She missed a whole week of school, and two birthday parties.  Ben started blogging.  Robyn's hair got long enough to put in a ponytail!  Ben and I started dating again.  For Christmas I gave him a year of dates -- one planned date per month.  January was fondue night at home.  I watched a webinar given by the author of Right-Brain Business Plan and felt very motivated to create my own (but in typical "me" fashion, haven't yet followed through).  Robyn began walking with help, holding our hands.

Developing her own sense of style

LEGO building playdate at the mall with neighbors/friends

Ponytail!!

Better style

Swallowing her toy maraca

Date night

Bath hair

Walking attempts

February 2013
Went went building at Home Depot, as always.  Robyn tried to get in on the action this month.  We got a surprise package in the mail from a friend who used to be in our ward -- a TARDIS cookie jar!!  So fun, so we had to make cookies for it.  I found out that a See's Candies shop -- not cart -- was coming to our local mall!!  I was so excited, I jumped and clicked my heals in the middle of the food court when I saw the sign.  I'm not even joking.  We started talking with Julie about Girl Scouts and Kindergarten. After nearly six years of wearing the same pair, I finally got a new prescription and new glasses.  Julie got excited for Valentine's Day.  I got an award for Valentine's Day.  We observed Lent as a family, by choosing to give up meat.  We didn't make it the whole time, partly because of visitors and travel.  Robyn discovered the stairs, and only fell down them once.  Ben and I went on our second date of the year: to see Blue Man Group at Playhouse Square!!!  I was sooooooooo excited.  It was awesome.  We all got haircuts.  Well, not Robyn.  We went to the temple and visited an old mission buddy of Ben's who lives in Columbus now.

Ready to build.  That's not a toy hammer.

Our TARDIS cookie jar

See's!  Aaaahhhhh!!!

Stairclimber

Julie as a cookie

My new glasses

How Robyn sleeps.  She's particular -- she'll only sleep in her bed, or if she's really tired in the car.  You can't rock her to sleep, she won't lay down and take a nap wherever she is.  She lays down on her back in her crib, puts her hands under her head, and waits for you to cover her with a blanket.  If she's tired in the car, she puts her hands behind her head like this to fall asleep.  It's pretty funny.

Valentines!

Getting ready for my big date.

Rockin' out!  I did not pose her for this.

Fall 2012 photo dump

September 2012
Robyn was blessed and we went to the Great Lakes Science Center, both over Labor Day weekend.  We visited the Greater Cleveland Aquarium a few times, including on International Talk Like A Pirate Day.  Benjamin even came with us once.  Julie started preschool, the "real" kind, not the mom-run kind.  Julie also did soccer, which entailed sitting and crying on my or Ben's laps for an hour because other kids didn't let her get the ball.

Robyn in her blessing dress.

Olive fingers!

Robyn is not impressed.

Sweet girl, waiting for a checkup with the doctor.

Daddy came with us to the GCA.

Jellyfish!!

Another visit to the GCA a few days later for pirate day.

First day of soccer

Doctor Julie.

Ben gave me these pearl earrings as a wedding gift.  My earlobes got infected about six weeks after we got married, and I never had a chance to wear them, until almost seven years later.  I feel a little giddy and twitterpated when I do get to wear them

October 2012
Robyn started to become more fun.  She became interactive, deliberately comical, and much more responsive than ever before.  We had a Halloween party at church, with a costume parade that Julie participated in.  Halloween was also delayed a few days because of a huge snowstorm.  (The cities around here have specific trick-or-treating hours, so they all rescheduled.)

Mountain girl

Bathtime fun

Twinners (we planned this picture back in July, but then we were each out of town for different reasons for almost two months before we were able to do it!)

I did a really deep de-cluttering in the basement and a couple other areas in the house.  Every time I found a hair decoration, I put it in my own hair.

More bathtime fun!  (Glowstick bracelets + turn out the lights!)

Dinner at a local pizza place for a fundraiser for Julie's school.

Costume parade

What the girls wore on Halloween

November 2012
Julie moved up to a booster seat in preparation for Robyn to graduate out of her infant carrier.  Election day.  Ben wore a tuxedo for an event that only required jeans (he did it on purpose).  We went to a bar mitzvah celebration for one of Ben's scouts.  We got to eat, chat, bowl, and play whirlyball in the court that wasn't being used.  Robyn turned one and we did absolutely nothing to celebrate.  We skipped stake conference one Sunday and went for a family hike instead.  I went out to dinner with some girlfriends to celebrate one of their birthdays only to find out that it was also for my birthday.  Julie got her very first LEGOs and immediately fell in love with them (as did Benjamin).  We celebrated Thanksgiving with some friends.  We got our first snow.  We had a quick overnight visit from Grammy and my sister (Auntie Candice).  Probably most exciting was that we got a piano!!

Not a very helpful picture, but Robyn was a skunk for Halloween.

The Halloween haul.

Election day -- patriotic colors!

Julie took a nap in the chair, and Robyn was rocking her.

Whirlyball

Bowling

Robyn, on her birthday, wearing the dress I wore when I was blessed as a baby.

Thanksgiving food, including a lemon cheesecake that I made!!

Silliness!

Pruny feet

Just chillin'

Sistersbutnottwins

Our piano!!!