Let it be known...

Today, Sept. 7th 2011 is the day that Miss Beatrice woke up and decided the following:

• Sleeping through the night is for suckers!
• Separation Anxiety exists!
• Pacifiers are grrrrr-eat!

Oddly enough, all three of these new behaviors just started - right on target developmentally. Infant development is SO fascinating!

Sunflowers

Our first summer with sunflowers has come and gone. Josie is settling into the new routine of being back at school, going outside suddenly demands long sleeves and socks. And somehow it is September! I have a lot of catching up to do on the blog, so expect updates throughout the week.

The sunflowers really were the icon for our first full summer at the house. The seeds that started off in Josie's curious little hands grew to exceed all of our expectations and now lay drying out in the bathtub so we can harvest the seeds for replanting next year. {Cue the "changing of the seasons" song of your choice.} There's a fuller blog post on this swirling around my head should I find the time for it. Hope you're all doing well - and that time is passing more slowly for each of you than it is for us (although I somehow doubt that it is).

Ohio Weather

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday? Sprinkler! Today? Hoodies!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Last day of August...

...in the backyard

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Turning Four: Our Little Girl

So there was the party, the big surprise, and the presents. It was all fantastic! And in the end we are left with our little girl. Our beautiful, wonderful, amazing little girl.

Each year since her first birthday Josie has donned this birthday crown. Each year we are amazed at how much we have to let out the velcro so it will fit her a year later.  Our sweet, incredible four-year-old Josephine Marie.

Sweet Josie - every day you amaze us with your kind heart. You are so unbelievably empathetic and although that big heart of yours will undoubtedly cause you trouble as you face the world, it is such a joy to watch that huge open heart of yours loving anything and everything you experience!

So many people who have the pleasure of knowing you comment on your infectious smile. If we had a dollar for the number of times we've been asked if you are always this happy...

 The people who know you best, know that you are truly fearless.  You may be scared of the things that go bump in the night, but you daydream about hand-gliding, zip-lining, flying in rockets and swimming with sharks.

Your imagination and your curiosity are probably the reason you've never been such a fan of sleep. That little mind of yours just never shuts off. You are always wondering, wondering, wondering. And while this wonder sometimes leads to worry, you mind is always put to ease by hearing the real explanation (even if we think it's too hard to explain).

Never stop asking those questions! Even the big ones that are really hard (in fact impossible) for us to answer.  Never let anyone silence you. And if someone isn't listening, find someone who will.

You are growing into such a big girl. And there are definitely moments when we miss the little version of yourself that you used to be. While we certainly don't want to stop you from your own evolution, there are times we would give just about anything to freeze time and keep you this little forever.

But, the more we give into to nature and just let you grow into yourself, the more we realize that you are simply an amazing little person - with your own unique style - head to toe - inside and out.

And even on your bravest, most 'big girl' days, you surprise us by wanting to spend a little extra time cuddling or (as has been the case recently) still asking if you can sleep on my chest like you did way back when we measured your age in days instead of in years.

And I see your sweet little face and look into those huge blue eyes, and I can see all the moments of the last four years flash before me.

And I wonder how the face around those eyes will change over the years. And I wonder how the rest of you will change too. And the thought of that breaks my heart and melts it at the same time. 

So in the meantime we will just continue to soak up every ounce of you and your perfect four-year-old self. The little girl who always has a new trick to show us, a new word to show-off, a new song to sing and a new story to tell.  The little one who tells us things are "complicated" instead of "hard" and wants to turn everything into a race or contest.

The little girl who doesn't just tell us she loves us all, but shows us that love every single day. From the time you wake up and insist on all cuddling in one big bed to the final cuddles at night as you drift off to sleep.

We are SO lucky to be your family! 

And as a sidenote, you aren't just a wonderful daughter but you are certainly the best sister that little Roly could ever have hoped for. We're convinced that you are the reason she's here! That sweet little soul just couldn't pass up a chance to be your little sister. Thank you for sharing so much of the amazing little girl you are with her.

 She adores you!

And so do we!  

I kid you not...

...the little one now sits!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

First sister bath!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Her Highness

We are all super excited that Roly is big enough now to rock a restaurant high chair!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

"fancy nancy"

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Back to School Party

It was the perfect way to ring in the new school year, meet the new three year olds & soak up the love of our little school.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

Turning Four: The Presents

While we work hard to emphasize to Josie that birthdays are about more than just gifts, we are grateful for the generosity of friends and family that wrapped up lots of fun new games, toys & activities for Josie in honor of her fourth birthday.  Here are some photos of all the unwrapping and all the oohing and ahhing that goes along with being four and getting presents!

You'll notice that she is wearing lots of different outfits in these pictures, because presents were unwrapped over the course of several days - between her party, her actual birthday, gifts by mail, etc.  It was definitely a whole birthday week!

She loves playing dress-up!

Here she is opening her new cowgirl boots that topped her list of birthday wishes. They had to be "real" according to Josie. Lou & I weren't exactly sure what that meant, but apparently we got it right because she was beyond-thrilled with these!

"ooooh" she said, as she tried them on, "very cowgirl-ish"

"take my picture in THESE"

Grandma & DD make another birthday wish come true with her new favorite spot in the house - a zebra chair! (Zebras are kinda her thing right now.)

Topping the list of this year's birthday gifts - books! Our little lady loves reading, being read to, and doing activity books. We all get SO excited to get new books and this birthday yielded some great new ones for the Schneider Library!

These are photos of "the box from Tia".  Josie knew it was coming and kept checking the porch over several days hoping it would be there. We get lots of boxes so it was easy to trick her to get the following reaction.

Before the box, "Mom, I think this is the Tia box.  READ IT! Is it?"  I told her it was probably just diapers for Bea...

And when I went over and read it and said it came from Chicago, this is the reaction I got -

I took a great video of this whole thing, but it took her about 4 minutes to get through everything which ended up being too large of a file for youtube. She was so excited by so many things in that box - and this explorer kit was her favorite. (Tia, you know Josie SO well!)

Last but not least, some presents from us. We got her more activity books (because she can't get enough of them at the moment) -

And - a big box -

With her very own DESK -

All in all it was a wonderful, wonderful birthday. Thanks to everyone for all the lovely cards and surprises. Thanks to everyone who made it to her party and helped us celebrate our big girl turning four. We Schneiders sure are a lucky (and very grateful) bunch! xo