10 months

Sadie~Rose
She is such an immense measure of joy in our life.
I never thought my heart would be able to love another child like I love Olivia
but some way it is possible and in a totally different way.
She is a light and a joy.
Her smiles are what we live for and compete with each other daily
to see who can coax a smile and a giggle from her precious lips.
We are past the hard months and into some of the most fun ones that will ever exist.
Want to hear about what she fills our days with?

She is Olivia's shadow. She crawls fast a lightning and tries her very best to keep up.
Their love for each other knows no bounds. Even though Olivia thinks she should be able to "be the boss" Sadie~Rose doesn't seem to mind - yet. Together they explore and look at books, watch TV, and spill multiple drinks. They search each other out first thing in the morning and like for us three girls to stay in bed and snuggle for as long as possible.
Sunday evening Olivia got stung by a caterpillar (weird, I know) and just cried and cried. I was talking to her and trying to figure out how to best treat this unusual wound when Sadie~Rose laid her hand on Olivia's shoulder, leaned down in her face and with the most earnest expression began "talking" to Olivia. As soon as Olivia looked up at her, Rose kissed her and reached both arms towards her for a hug. It was one of the most dear expressions of their love for each other that I have ever seen.
There are two "men" in Sadie~Rose's life and Daddy is #1! On the days when he doesn't get to come home for lunch she gets very lonely for him around 3pm. She'll crawl to the gate at the top of the stairs, and stand there rattling the gate calling "Dada! Dada!" for 15 minutes or so before finally giving up.
As soon as we mention the word "Dada" her eyes light up and if she hears the front door open she is at the stairs waiting for him to come scoop her up and cover her with kisses.
Her delight in him knows no bounds. "Da-da" was her first word and continues to be her favorite, even though Mike works hard every day to get her to say "Mama" (which comes out "maw-ba.")
Can I even describe how incredibly cute it is to hear her whisper "dada, dada, dada" over and over until he looks at her and she breaks into giggles of delight?
They seem to have their own special way of communicating. Clicks and grunts and whispered sounds. She "shushes" him a lot. Where that comes from, we do not know. But her constant "shuuuuush. shuuuuuush" is adorable.
I fear I will run out of adjectives to describe her, so please forgive my repetitiousness. :)Hello Mr. Ellis! You must be Rose's very good friend!
The other day, Rachael and I were at the mall. Both our babies in their slings, oblivious to each other. But, while we were standing in line we both happened to turn and the babies came face to face. "Oh! Hello! You are here too!" they seemed to say. Smiles and kisses and gurgles of talk ensued and they had to lean over and touch heads for some love.
When we meet at the park, Sadie~Rose makes a beeline for Ellis, wherever he may be. On the ground, in his Mommy's lap, on any one's lap. She proceeds to kiss his cheek or head, which ever is most available. They smile and pat each other and Ellis tells her the most outrageous stories accompanied by the silliest of smiles. Aren't they so cute together?

You love ice cubes on the floor.
You are our little vacuum cleaner. Nothing is safe from your little pincher fingers.
You throw the occasional temper tantrum. (only about 4 or 5 a day)
Music is your favorite. Dancing is what you do.
We can't keep you inside. If is door is open to the outside, you will go through it.
You love mightily.
Let's play Peek-a-boo or "I'm gonna catch you" every day, all day, except for when your ready for a nap.
You love clapping. Any accomplishment is a good enough cause.
You're balancing by yourself for very short periods of time. You usually fall because you try to take a step.
You have started "singing" to yourself. More like a crooning, than singing. But it's sure sweet.
You like to talk, we just can't figure out what your saying. "Dada" and "nay nay" are the most understandable, but we often get "ba ba." For what we are not sure. "Oh!" "ra ra" "naw wah" and such are common words. Please let us know soon what they mean.
Until then, we're working on your sign language.
We have no scale and we never go to the doctor, so I have no idea what you weigh. Somewhere around 20lbs.
You wear a 12mo dress and a 6, 9, and 12 mo. everything else.
You have petite little hands and feet.
You hate socks and shoes and as a result, never wear them.
You are a hot little body. Your head is sweaty all the time, but most of all when you sleep. The bed is soaked from where your little head lays as you sleep.
All this sweaty head stuff makes for the most delicious curls. So soft and baby fine, but you do have the curls. Olivia says they remind her of Annabelle.

She loves to play. It is very rare that it will be with her toys though. If it belongs to Olivia, if it belongs in the trash, if it belongs in a wallet, if it's paper, plastic, makes noise, is red, shiny, or colorful, it is hers.
Balls are a particular favorite. Anything round that rolls will do, thank you very much!
Magnets are also a great source of enjoyment. Please watch your step as you walk across the kitchen floor because you will be sure to step on at least one number, button, or animal magnet guaranteed!
She enjoys a nice soft pillow at any time. Her favorite being Olivia's "smooshy." It is a pillow made from horrific neon purple shiny stretch lycra filled with tiny styrofoam beads. It smooshes when you lay down on it. (Hence it's name) Rose loves to find that thing and bury her head in it.
But not for long. Anything longer than 5 second is too long for anyone to rest their head. It might actually require sleeping then! :) She is like a little weeble-wobble. She puts her head on the pillow and then pops up! Lays her head down, pop up! Very cute and giggles are sure to ensue.

Reading/looking at books is another much enjoyed past time. The United States book in the picture above is her most favorite (Thank you Grammie! I know it's not actually who you intended it for, but it's much loved nonetheless.) We keep a basket of books in the bedrooms, in the school room, and in the bathroom. Reading material for all family members is now in every. single. room.
How can a single little person cause such a stir in the house? I'll tell you how.
By disappearing completely while the parents of the family are cooking dinner and the older sibling is outside playing. Where did she go, you ask?
Very simple.
Up the stairs.
And into the bedroom.
And not a peep to be heard.
Yep, that's how we figured out that she could climb the 17 stairs in 15 seconds flat.
We now have a chair across the bottom of the steps.
I don't always leave it up when Mike's not home. It's the cutest thing to see her racing up those steps giggling all the way because she thinks your going to "catch" her.
Once she achieves her goal of making it to the top, she'll sit there and hold out her arms to you (at the bottom of the stairs) and whine at you to pick her up.
Pick her up and bring her back down to the kitchen with you, and she immediately takes off for the stairs again. This can and will be repeated a million times over until you put a block at either the top or the bottom. This is my exercise for the day. Jog up, jog down, wash a dish, jog up, jog down, wash a pot, jog up, jog down, wash a skillet, well, you get the picture.
And Mike wonders what I do all day.
I'm still holding out on food, baby girl. Occasionally you'll get a taste or two. A week or so ago we let you munch on a raw potato wedge. You didn't seem to mind. And the other night, Daddy gave you the cucumber slice from his salad. You thought that was pretty awesome. Are you going to be my raw baby?
You aren't the marathon breast-feeder that you sister was. You've started this new thing when your kind-of-hungry-but-kind-of-bored nursing. You'll nurse a second, pull off and talk, spit smile, laugh and then go back to nursing. Nurse nurse nurse, pull off and blow a raspberry or two, giggle, and then go back to nursing. Nurse nurse nurse, pull off and lean over backwards to see if anyone else is in the room. If they are, you'll talk to them for a few seconds (still upside down) then flip upright and go back to nursing. Daddy and I find this quite amusing.
Tooth #2 is through. It's still small, but definitely visible when you smile and always apparent when you bite.
I'm starting to think about "birthday." Daddy says nothing besides just the four of us. But friends are already asking to come. Maybe, my love, maybe. It's still to difficult for me to accept. I want to hit the freeze button for a few months. Let's just stop right here for a while.
Life with you is precious and amazing. We can't imagine life without you. You are growing so fast and so big. Before long you will be my big baby, not my little baby.
I love you with all my heart.
Always,
Mommy