Dearest Blog,

I can't believe my lack of blogging. It is unacceptable! I need to keep up with these moments in life!! I LOVE looking back and reading all of this. One day, I am eventually going to make books out of this for my kids. I am on book 3 so I really need to print at least one! ;)

We have been busy! Our current status is a non-potty trained little boy. He still loves that diaper. K is quickly learning her letters and numbers which I am so proud of! She is finally interested in that stuff! For so long she didn't care at all!

We are in the baby Prosser waiting game right now. We all can't wait to find out what the baby is! Fun times at the Prosser/Olliff compound.

I have a million pictures to download. I promise to do that in the next few days. Shame on me. I promise to be a better blogger this month! I am so sorry for neglecting you blogspot. I promise to try better.

Sincerely,

The busy mom of two with a husband who is out of town way too much in January.

Thankful....

Well, this weekend was a whirlwind! We got to see the cousins and Blake and Tonya. Holly got to meet the entire family and for a few hours ALL of the Sartins were under one roof. I love that. I love it almost as much as my mom does. Being the girl in the middle has always made me the glue part of the family. I like to stick us all back together. I know it sounds cheesy to say it that way, but it is my job. I take it seriously too. :)

I also learned this weekend how much I appreciate my friends and family. I think sometimes God just needs to make us stop and see why we are thankful. I was given that clarity this weekend. I am thankful for all of you. I have friends that are more like family. I have family that is closer than we have ever been before. I have a husband that loves me unconditionally......I am so thankful. I just needed to document it on paper....or the internet. I am thankful for each and every one of you.

Could they possibly be....FRIENDS?????

On the Olliff/Prosser compound, our firstborns are best friends. Kennedy and Drew would do anything for each other. They have one of the sweetest friendships I know. Our second children have always had a love hate relationship. For a long time they didn't even notice each other existed. Then they hated each other. They fought worse than the phrase, fighting like brother and sister. Although, now that I think of it, they did fight like that. There was always love behind every argument. Like they knew just how far to take being mad. Lorelei is a feisty one. Whit is the calm one. Although, one of Whit's favorite things in the entire world is to make Lorelei mad. I think Lorelei feels the same way. It is quite hilarious to watch. Lately, they are having more and more sweet moments. I said something to Lorelei the other day and she says, "Ka-deeeee...I talkin to WHIT!" Well, excuse me! ;)

They laugh together.....

Get forced to spend time together.....

And then sometimes...SURPRISE.....they do love each other.

Oh, sweet babies, Mommy (aka Ka-Dee) loves you both. You are going to have to start spending more loving time than fighting. I am just saying. And I am talking to you and Whit, Lorelei! ;)

Potty Training a Stubborn Boy

This post is all for you Whit. Or maybe it is for your future bride, when someday she talks to me about potty training your son. I'll just hand her this. :)

You are 2 1/2. You speak in paragraphs and use words that I didn't even know you knew the meaning of! So, I your mother, who has been changing diapers non stop for 4 years now, decides to try to potty train you. You hate it. You hate the potty. These are some of our recent conversations...

Me: Let's wear a pull up today.

W: NO! I want to wear my diaper. I love my diaper!!

Me: Don't babies wear diapers?

W: Yes, but I like my diaper. I am a big boy and I like my diaper!

I lost this arguement! Another day...

Me: Whit, do you have poop?

W: Just a little bit.

Me: Seriously? It stinks! You really need to use the potty!

W: Well, you can change it, then the garbage man will take it away. It's ok mommy.

I think he is going to wear diapers until he is 10. I give up.

Oh, and he is wearing a diaper today....in case anyone cares.

FOUR!!!!

Well, she's FOUR!! December is a hard month for having a birthday. I always want to make is special for her. It wears on me having a party and Christmas in the same week, but it is just my life now. It comes with the season. We have always had her party the week before Christmas. Friends tend to scatter after the holidays so I found it easier to have it before. She had a Fancy Nancy party at Monkey Joe's. We had the party planned for our house, but the weather took a turn for freezing cold and rain so we decided to move it. Then came Christmas, and then finally her big day. You would think that all the pre-celebration she would not make a big deal our of her day. You don't know Kennedy if you think that. :) My precious child, enjoyed every minute of her day. The day started with chocolate chip pancakes. It is what we always do on their birthdays. They get sung to at breakfast. Whit wanted us to sing to him too. He had a hard time the entire day with letting her have a birthday. By the end of the day, he was telling everyone his birthday is in July. :)

It has kind of become a tradition for us to go to a movie on her birthday. She loves the movies. Last year, we saw The Chipmunk movie. I told her we could do whatever she wanted and the movies it was! We saw Yogi Bear, which I would totally not recommend to the adult viewers, but she and Whit loved it. Then we went to El Som, her favorite restaurant, and had dinner. She had such a good day. Her big gift was a big girl bike. She is getting pretty good at it. We had to ride around in the house because it was so cold outside!!

My favorite moment of the day......We are watching the movie, she leans in to me and says, "Mommy, tell me Happy Birthday again." I love the innocence. I love that their was nothing that would make her happier than to hear that again and again. It was truly HER day. So, December birthdays don't suck around here. In fact, they last longer than the normal birthday. :)

I adore you, my little girl. You have spunk, you are feisty, you love with your entire heart, you adore your family and friends, you laugh uncontrollably, you can pitch a serious fit and stick to you guns about how you feel, you are passionate about your opinions.....and you are only 4. FOUR. That would be 1,460 days of me being your mommy. I am loving every minute of it. Thank you little girl, for all that you do for me. You are truly a miracle and I am forever grateful you are here on this Earth. You make us so proud. We love you so much, Kennedy Susan!

Mommy

Dear Kennedy and Whit,

This is by far my favorite Christmas ever. I love the excitement in your eyes. You are both so excited about Santa coming to our house. Whit is dying for Robot Train Tracks. Santa is busy working on those since they don't exist in stores. Not to worry, my dear son, I am sure he can make them. :) And Kennedy, you are dying for the girly things in life, Barbie, Barbie car, and Polly Pockets! I wonder what tomorrow holds. :) Sheriff, our Elf, has been a fun part of the family this Christmas. Each morning, you guys barrel out of bed and go in search of his new hiding place. I hope Christmas is always this magical. I hope you spend your entire lives with the joy you have right now. I am forever thankful for you both. A "Whit" song will make my heart truly happy. A "Kennedy Hug" is one of my favorite things in the whole world. You are both growing and changing. I will forever say I can't believe how fast time flies. I am enjoying each new phase you take. I love you both so very much. I would love to make time stand still. Instead, we will spend each moment cherishing what we have together. I am so blessed to be your mommy. There is no greater gift in the world than the two of you. You make this mommy incredibly proud.

Love and Kisses,

Mommy

A MAGICAL MOMENT

You have those weeks when you think you might not make it you have so much to do! This week, I have taught wild and crazy sixth graders, prepped for a party, changed the party location after calling a million places, made 11 fancy bows, called a million parents to tell them the party was changed, hosted a birthday party, and threw in her first recital to end the weekend. I did not have time to be at work this week. I am exhausted. Actually, exhausted doesn't quite cut it. Then the recital prep began........and I got my second wind.


If you grew up with me, you know I danced. It was a huge part of my childhood. I think I started when I was 2 and went all the way into high school, where I decided cheerleading was much more important. It was just something I loved. I still adore the sound of pointe shoes on a stage. I always wanted a little girl. Then came Kennedy. She was girly from the start. I waited a year to start her in dance. She could have gone last year, but I thought it would be better to start at 3. I didn't want to rush her into something that I loved just because I loved it. She loved it from the moment she set foot in the dance studio this summer. I, of course, was overjoyed that my daughter loved it. Which leads me to today.......

We actually go her hair in a bun. I dolled her up in make-up. I have never put real make up on her. She looked beautiful. I kept saying, "She is beautiful!" I have never seen her look so grown up! I think it was the combo of her up-do and the make up. She's just beautiful....

Then the recital started. I starting thinking about all those times I sat behind a stage waiting on the curtain to go up. I loved it so much. Then my daughter, my precious 3 year old, walked proudly onto the stage. Her head was held high and she had a huge smile on her face. Then the music started. She danced her heart out. She did it like she had been on stage her whole life. She sang and danced. She smiled and blew kisses. I tried to soak in the moment. I guess it is what a dad feels like when their son makes the winning touchdown. This was my moment for her. It was her shining moment, but for me it was so much more. It was truly one of my dreams come true. So sappy, I know, but for me, to see my daughter shine, in front of so many people, doing something that I love so very much, made me so incredibly proud. And so, as she danced and sparkled, I wept. I wept like a baby while trying to take pictures. I wept like I would at her graduation. She doesn't get it. Greg doesn't get it. My mom does though. All those times she sat in the audience and let me have my moment, I know now how proud she was. That was me today. What a precious gift she is, my Kennedy. She sparkled and shined, just like I know the person that she is. I am proud and happy today. I am exhausted. I am happily exhausted. What a magical moment............