Maesyn 7 and 8 months old

Maesyn this is you at 7 months old!

Here is your sister at 7 months old :)

Here you are at 8 months old...getting bigger every day and SO smiley!!!

Here is sissy at 8 months old...can't believe she was ever this little!

Maes -
Mommy has really been so awful at updating your monthly milestone blog.  I feel terrible about it and I also feel like there is no way that I am updating months 7 and 8 and you have already passed months 9 and 10.  I can honestly say this year has been the FASTEST year of my life.

Here are some of the amazing things you were doing in month 7 and 8:

• You weigh 19.4 lbs.
• You have both of your bottom teeth.
• You started rocking back and forth on all fours and we just knew crawling was sure to happen soon!
• You are the smiliest baby on the planet and smile SO big in the morning when you wake up and we pull you out of your pack and play.
• You still sleep in our bedroom right next to Mommy...I can't seem to handle letting you sleep in your own room yet.
• You started saying Dada and Daddy could not have been more excited.  You have not stopped saying it since!
• Your hair is starting to curl up a little, and even though you have a lot less than your sister did at this age I know it is going to be just as long and thick as your sister's!  Mommy's arms are going to be very tired brushing all of that hair every morning!
• You discovered Elmo and I think those people at Sesame Street must really have that voice down to a science because as soon as you hear Elmo on the TV/computer you immediately turn to see it. You are captivated by him!
• You LOVE your sister and smile the biggest and laugh the loudest when she is all up in your face trying to be funny.
• You are not a fan of getting into your car seat and you always try and sit up and roll out the side when I am trying to buckle you in.
• You haven't developed stranger anxiety yet and will pretty much still let anyone hold you or talk to you. You are such an easy going baby.
• You have about 100 nick names: Maes, Mae Mae, Booze, Boozey, Boozerelli, Boozarino, Maesers. The list goes on and on...even Say joins in and calls you many of your nick names. You are going to be so confused once you understand the concept of what your name is.

I love you more than I ever thought possible my Mae Mae Doss.  You are just the best baby and have brought so much joy and laughter to our already amazing life.  Things are only better with you!!!

Love you most,

Mommy

Sayler is 3!!!

Sayler Jaye Doss...today you woke up and you were 3 years old!!!

  I'm not sure how that happened as just yesterday you were this little nugget...

I am very emotional about you turning 3...tears are streaming down my face as I type these words. I'm not sure why it feels different this year...but it most surely does.  Maybe it is because 3 seems like you are no longer my baby, but rather my big girl. Maybe it is because I feel like it is all going so fast and just speeding up with each day and I want it to SLOW.DOWN for just a moment so I can catch my breath. Maybe it is because I am just so filled with pride to be your Mommy and it is just overflowing as I look back on this most precious of years we have shared with you.

Last night I tucked you in to bed and we snuggled for a long time and sang many more songs than we normally do.  I felt you all warm and sweet and soft pressed up against me as I rubbed your little back and I could have stayed in that moment for an eternity.  I kept taking deep breaths and closed my eyes tight trying to create an impression of that moment to burn into my memory forever. You and me snuggled up next to one another without an inch between us just as we were 3 years earlier on the eve of your birthday.

You have had your biggest year to date me sweet girl.  So many changes and milestones that I can hardly believe it has only been 1 year. You have gone from a chubby cheeked toddler to a long legged preschooler and I just adore the little girl you are becoming.

Here are a few highlights of your 3rd year and I hope someday you look back on these precious memories and cherish them as much as I do!

You are my little baker!!!  You LOVE to help Mommy bake cupcakes, cookies and brownies!  You can be heard telling your Daddy, "Me and Mommy are bakers...not fakers Daddy!!!"  I love passing on my love for baking to you and can't wait for the holiday baking to begin with my little assistant by my side.

You are my silly billy for sure!!! This year your sense of humor has developed so much and your Daddy and I are always saying, "That girl is FUNNY!  Like for real...funny!"  You make us belly laugh (sometimes even when you aren't trying to be funny) and we get the most joy life can bring when we hear you throw your head back and just laugh and squeal with delight.  Best.sound.ever.

So the biggest event this year has been you becoming a Big Sister to Maesyn!  From the minute we brought your Mae Mae home from the hospital you have loved her, worried about her, kissed her, scolded her, laughed at her and made her laugh like no one else can.  No one can make Mae smile like her sister can.  She is in love with you and I can't wait to see you grow together and become best friends. Mommy doesn't have a sister and I have always wanted to experience that sisterly bond. Now I get to through my sweet sister girls!  Here are a few pictures of the Doss sister's that just melt my heart:

(For the record I am full out ugly crying at this point in the blog writing process...seriously how I will make it through Kindergarten drop off without Xanax is beyond me!!!).

You just continued to have new experiences and stretch yourself over and over again this year and I can't express my pride in seeing you venture out of your comfort zone and grow into a more confident, self assured, outgoing little girl.  Here are some of the big things you have been doing this year:

Riding your brand new tricycle for the first time with Nana

 First Mommy and Me Swimming lessons

 First gymnastics class

Don't have a picture of this event...but you were fully potty trained in like a hot minute!!!  Seriously, we started potty training on  Friday morning you had one accident and from that point forward you have been going potty without fail!  In the 7 months you have been diaper free I think you may have had 6 or 7 accidents total. You were a ROCKSTAR pottier!!! Can you teach your sister? ;)...no,seriously.

First (and last :) ) dance class...we're going to try again this Summer to see if you are more ready.

First play date with your BFF Marley

Gulp...no more crib. Big girl bed for this 3 year old!

We haven't had your 3 year appointment yet, so I don't have your official stats but I do know that you weigh 32 lbs. and are around 37-38 inches tall.  You are tall and skinny...we're not sure how that happened but I sure wish you would pass some of that over my way!

You are the queen of dropping one liners that make my sides hurt from laughing so hard.  Here are a few of the things you have said that are hilarious:

• You walked into the bathroom after Daddy had "spent some personal time" in there. You came running out and say, "I can't go back in there. I gotta take care of myself!!!"
• You saw one of those ceramic churches that people put out at Christmas as a decoration. It had a steeple and was all lit up and you said, "Mama look!!! It's Santa's castle!!!"
• You are obsessed with Disney Princess movies right now. OB-SESSED!!! Namely Cinderella. You are very focused on the Stepmother and stepsisters as you cannot believe that they are so mean. You said to me a few months ago, "Mama...why da Sep-mudder and Sep-sissers wanna go to da bawl?" I replied, "Well babe...because they wanted the Prince to dance with them." You looked at me in complete shock and said, "Oh NO!!! If you talk naughty...nobody gonna wanna dance wit you!!! Right Mama?" 
• One night a few months ago you marched over to me, hands on hips and said, "Mama...Daddy is ruining my life!!!" I wasn't expecting this revelation until at least 2022!!!
• You came in while I was rocking your sister to sleep one night and said the following, "Mama. I have to tell you something. I didn't do anything."Ha!
• "Mama...Daddy be cray cray!"
• So you always tries to find something very important to tell me as I am getting ready to leave you at daycare and one day you left me with this: "Mama....ummmm don't let Daddy in the house today OK? Make sure you "wok" all the doors and be careful so Daddy can't get in OK Mama?"
• "Mommy...you need to take that shirt off. That shirt is weird." 
• You and I ran a few errands and while browsing I picked up something and looked at an outrageous price tag. I said, "these people are crazy!!!" We then went to checkout and there were 3 older women in front of us speaking to one another in Russian. You turned to me and says (loud), "Mama...dees peopow are cwazy!!!"
• "Mommy...I need to go potty training!" 
• "Mama...me, you and Mae are the winners. But not Daddy. Daddy's not the winner."
• "Mama you and Mae Mae have orange legs. Me and mine Daddy have brown legs."

(Still crying)...

Sayler Jaye Doss... you and I have been together since March 3rd of 2009 . That is 1357 days. The first 261 days were spent growing inside me...the rest were spent growing beside me.  I can never express to you the miracle that these 1357 days have been.  You will never understand until you have your own children.  You are the best thing I have ever done...and the depths of my love for you...my first born...my sweet Say Say can never be adequately expressed. 

Until your Daddy placed you in my arms 3 years ago today I never fully comprehended the emotion of the following poem written by E.E. Cummings...now I do...all because of you:

I carry your heart with me

I carry it in my heart

I am never without it

anywhere I go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling

I fear no fate

for you are my fate, my sweet

I want no world

for beautiful you are my world, my true

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

here is the root of the root

and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart

I carry it in my heart

You are my game changer sweet baby girl of mine...can't wait to spend the next 1,357 days with you. And the 1,357 after that, and the 1,357 after that.............................

I love you to the moon and back.  

Happy 3rd Birthday

Love,

Your Mama

Maesyn is 5 months Old!!! And 6 months old...oops!!!

Maesyn...You are 5 Months Old!!!

Your Sister at 5 Months Old

And through the power of the internet...you are now 6 Months old!!!

 And here is your sister at 6 months old

Mae...Mommy is a loser!  I am so sorry I have fallen behind on your updates.  It's not because they are not important...it is because I am a loser!!!  So here is a little bit about what you have been up to for the last 2 months of your sweet little life!!!

Weight:  17.8 lbs. - 70th percentile

Height: 27 1/4 inches - 90th percentile.  You are going to be a string bean like your sissy :)

Eating: You still eat small amounts at shorter intervals than your sister did.  You take several 4 oz. bottles during the day and then a larger bottle at bed time.  We have tried giving you solids a few times and you are getting much better about actually swallowing the food instead of spitting it out...but we have not have been on top of it like we should be.  Mommy needs to start getting you on at least 1 meal a day with your veggies. There is no doubt about one thing though...you LOVE your puffs!!!  You can feed them to yourself and when they run out you holler like someone stole something!!!    It is hysterical how mad you get when we are not delivering the puffs fast enough for your liking.  We have also switched to giving you oatmeal cereal as there has been an arsenic warning with rice cereal here in the states.  I spoke with Dr. Marx about it and though the risk is remote she said if you could tolerate the oatmeal we should try that.  So we did and you have seemed to like it.  I will be ready for you to be able to eat "normal" table food as jarred food is messy and kind of a pain.  But that is where we are for now...I know you are going to love trying all of these new yummy treats!

Sleeping: So I am just going to call a thing a thing here baby doll...it's pretty bad these days. You are sleeping like a 6 week old rather than a 6 month old. Some nights you wake up every.hour.on.the.hour.  Help me baby Jesus!!!  I talked with Dr. Marx about it and she thinks you are to young for full on sleep training...but that we need to start putting you to sleep drowsy and try and let you fall asleep on your own.  The problem is...you don't!  You just flip over on to your back and flail around playing with your feet.  If you are sleeping through the night by the time you are a year old I will be doing a happy dance.  Good thing you are so stinkin' cute ;)

What you like: We already talked about the obsession with puffs.  You also have started loving your "bee-bee" a pink chenille blanket you love to hold on to when you sleep. You LOVE your sister and love when she pays attention to you and gets right up in your face. Unfortunately you pull her hair most every time she does...so she is gun shy from getting to close to you these days. Can't say I blame her!  You also love chewing on anything you can get your hands on.  You had been working on your two bottom teeth for months and they finally both popped through around September 15th.  You look so cute with your 2 little teeth popping out...but those bad boys pack a punch and my fingers have been taking their abuse!!! We have just started putting you in the walker Nana bought for your sissy.  We call it "the car" and you just love that you can make yourself move places and aren't just stuck on your back lying down or in the jumperoo.  You aren't sitting independently yet, but you can balance yourself for a few seconds so I know it won't be long.  I don't want to try and push these milestones any faster as I know one day I will look up and you will be running around the house chasing after your big sister and I will long for the days when you were just my little chubby baby sitting on my lap.

What you don't like: You don't like getting strapped into your car seat.  And when you get tired or hungry you fuss a little bit but honestly you are the happiest smiliest baby most of the time.  You love hanging out with Mommy and Daddy and being in the mix with your big sissy.

                                      

The past 6 months have been the fastest of my life and I just wish I could push pause for a couple of weeks and catch my breath. I am so in love with you Maesyn Sidney Doss...and I can't believe God picked me to be your Mama.  I am blessed with the 2 most amazing, beautiful, sweet, lovely daughters and I am just so grateful.  You are the light of our lives and we can't wait to see what the next 6 months bring.

Love you to the moon and stars Maesey...

Love,

Mama

Maesyn is 4 Months Old!!!

Your sister at 4 months old

Maesyn Sidney Doss...  You are 4 months old!!!

Weight:  15.6 lbs. - 75th percentile

Height: Not sure...we will have to wait to get you measured Thursday at your 4 month appointment. (So you measured 24.75 inches! 75th percentile)

Eating: 4 ounces every 2-3 hours. You take around 6 oz. in the middle of the night...we have been putting rice cereal in your night bottle (gasp!!!...Mommy war types...resist your urge to comment on how terrible it is for her...we're good). 

Sleeping:  You are getting into a groove at Ms. Dana's house taking about an hour nap in the morning and a 2 hour na in the afternoon and then a few cat naps in between.  You are exhausted when I pick you up and almost every night you have fallen asleep in the car on the way home and then sleep for about 20 minutes in your car seat once we get home.  I have no idea what is going on with your night time sleeping but you are all over the map girl!!!  I told your Daddy last night that I thought you were trying to kill me via sleep deprivation...you were up like 4 times in the night!!!  Not sure what was troubling you muffin...but from now on let's try and get all of your grievances worked out during business hours kay?

What you like: You still love for people to get right up close to you and talk to you.  You  love when your Daddy talks to you and calls you his Boozer girl...you smile from ear to ear.  We just put you in the jumperoo for the first time last weekend and you LOVE it!!!  And I am so surprised at how long you will play in it without getting fussy.  You will play contently for up to 30 minutes and your Daddy and I just laugh at how strong you are.  Your legs and neck and back are so solid and strong!!! You have also started attempting to hold your bottle...so funny!  You are serious about your food girl :)

What you don't like: Anyone walking away from you when you are lying on your Boppy pillow/Mommy's bed/bouncy seat etc.  Having your diaper changed at night and getting re-swaddled.  You do not care who's sleep you are disturbing...you scream to the high heavens.  Your sister never cried in the middle of the night...she would just fuss a little bit...so I can't wait to see how this personality trait develops :)  Not sure if I can handle much more diva than your sister is bringing to the party!!!

You are such a sweet and easy going baby.  You love being around people and are so curious about everything.  We could just eat you with a spoon baby girl...and can't wait to see you every morning where you greet us with the biggest smile God ever created!!!

Love you Maes,

Your Mama

Without You

A year ago today...this happened

And a year later...this is what we have because of that little digital word up there

How could we have ever known how we would be forever changed by this baby girl...

I heard a song today and it made me think of my love, my life, my Channing.  Without you babe...this life would still be a part of my dreams, and not my daily reality

I know the lyrics aren't a 100% fit...but the main stuff...it's how I feel about you (disregard the parts about being a famous country singer that is a dude :)

You're just my favorite thing...thanks for a great year.

Love you more...

Steph

Out of the mouth of Say!!!

Sayler Jaye Doss...you.are.funny!!!  here are some funny things you have been saying and doing lately:

• You always want to make sure we know what emotions you are having. So the other day you walked up to me arms crossed across your chest and face all scowled up and said, "Mommy...you make-ah me mad!!! See my face?" then you pointed in between your eyebrows to show how furrowed it was and said, "my face is mad at choo!!!"
• Sayler "Mama!!!  I got an owe-ee!!!" Me: "You did? How?" Sayler: "Ummm...Maesyn pushed me down the stairs."
• "Daddy...I got booty shorts on!" Then her Dad almost had a stroke.
• You have trouble saying words that have double o's (book, cookie) and I love to hear you say these words.  They sound like this: "Mama can you read me some burkes?" Or "Mama...can I have a curkie?"  Nothing cuter than 2 year old speech impediments :)
• "Mama...me and you are in charge and we da boss. Daddy not da boss...Daddy doesn't know. Right?"
• "Maesyn Sidney Doss...you're not gonna do any of dat fuss-a-fuss-a-fuss!!!"
• You love to know who gave you things and are always asking, "Who div me dis?" The other day you asked your Dad and he said, "Your Aunt Bunny gave you that." (we all call my Aunt Vonnie, Aunt Bunny...always have). So you came running out to find me carrying this bear and said, "Mama!!!  Mama!!!  My honey bunny div me dis!!!" Heart melted for sure.
• "Mama...let's get some Mickey goin'."  You say this when you want me to turn on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
• Whenever you go to open the door to the toilet in Mommy and Daddy's bathroom you put your hand over your nose and mouth covering them completely.  I asked you why you were doing that and you said, "Cuz Daddy stinks!!!"

I really need to write these down when they happen because there are a million more.  Your Dad and I just laugh and laugh all day long at the funny things you say and do. You are surely our entertainment and we just love you to pieces my sweet, sassy 2 and 1/2 year old drama queen :)

Love you birdie,

Mama

Maesyn is 3 months old!!!

Your Sister at 3 Months

Maesyn Sidney Doss...  You are 3 months old!!!

Weight:  14.6 lbs. 

Height: Not sure...we will have to wait to get you measured next month at your 4 month appointment.

Eating: 4 ounces every 2-3 hours. You take around 6 oz. in the middle of the night. And I keep waiting for you to give up your nightly "snack" but for now we are still meeting for some girl talk every night around 2:30 or 3:00am :)

Sleeping:  We are getting you prepped for going to daycare but it hasn't been to successful!  You will not sleep for more than 20 minutes unless you are lying on me (the only exception being at night). So I guess we will see how it goes at Ms. Dana's starting next week. One lesson I learned going through this same thing with your sister is that you will act COMPLETELY different at daycare than you do at home. So fingers crossed that you won't be a complete fuss bucket the entire time you are at daycare every day!  

What you like: You love to be talked to face to face. You are always trying to look at everyone and turn your head to follow us when we walk around the room.  You have started cooing and squealing and I cannot get enough of it.  You mimic your Dad and I when we make high pitched noises and it is the sweetest sound I have ever heard. You also now recognize your bottle and what it means.  When you see it getting prepared you get so excited and start flapping your arms all around.  Today I fixed a bottle for you and then I sat it down while I walked with you to another room to get something.  Once we got into the other room you lost your mind and started screaming to the high heavens!  It was hilarious.  You were like, "Oh you're gonna tease me like that? Not cool Mama!!!"

What you don't like: Anyone walking away from you when you are lying on your Boppy pillow/Mommy's bed/bouncy seat etc.  You get so mad until I get back in front of you and then you smile from ear to ear.  You also have decided you hate driving in the car (praying to sweet baby Jesus you will out grow this before we take an 8 hour road trip to Little Rock in September). It isn't your car seat that is the problem as I can buckle you in and you are happy as a clam. But the minute I snap that seat into the base you start to fuss, fuss, fuss!!!  Good thing we aren't in the car for very long each day!

Maesyn you are my little "boozers" (not sure how you got that nickname but you did and it has stuck...though Sayler calls you "Beezers") sending you to daycare next week is going to be so tough for your Mama (I'm tearing up and my throat is tightening just typing it out right now). These 16 weeks I have spent falling in love with you have been some of the most precious of my life. I have spent days on end with you lying on me sleeping so sweetly your chubby little face getting all sweaty against my chest and your sweet little baby snores made my heart melt. I just can't begin to tell you how much I am going to miss spending my days snuggling you and smelling your sweet babyness.  You are my sweet little ray of sunshine and I will never forget these sweet days nesting together.  I know the new chapter will be special too...but it is hard closing this one. I love you Mae Mae Doss and am so lucky to be your Mama.

Love you Boozers,

Your Mama