The Birthday Girl in pictures

My baby is ONE!!

The first year goes by too fast! So to celebrate, I'm going to take a look back at my baby month by month. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful child in our family. She is truly the best baby I have have ever had. she is quiet and watches everything and everyone around her. She adores her brothers and sister and they all love her right back. The other day Jake said "Mom, can I play on your phone?" I said "sure" he said "Thanks!" "I love you so much! I was taken aback and said "OH sweetheart, I love you too!" he then replies "Oh, I was talking to Alyssa mom." They all lover her THAT much!

Alyssa at birth

 2 Months

 3 months

 4 months

 5 months

 6 months

 7 Months

 8 months

 9 months

10 months

 11 Months

1 YEAR!

I love you baby girl!

Valentines Hair

 Happy Valentines Day!! Lily asked me to 'make a heart' in her hair today. It turned out pretty cute no?

 Here is the front, though you can't see anything. She is on all fours because she is a dog today. I've been calling her "pup pup" and when I do, she pretty much does whatever I ask.  It's not fair that she can be a dog, but when I do it, people think I'm crazy! Oh to be three again! :-)

 Also, we had a cookie decorating party and I got to try my cricut cake again. I have to say that making valentine cookies is a lot more fun with a cricut cake on hand. Thanks again Mom!

I hope everyone has as good a day as I have had!

Not Great

Today is just one of those days. If you are a mom, then you understand what I'm talking about. Most days as a mom are filled with smiles, giggles, stories, cuddling, pretend, fort-building and princess saving fun. Unfortunately, there are some days, that make mothers rethink their being a mother at all. This was one of those days for me.

 The morning was going fine, I got the boys off to school. I got myself, Lily and Alyssa dressed and ready for the day all by 9:30 am. That's impressive for me. I put Alyssa down for her morning nap and everything went off without a hitch. Lily was quietly watching Daniel Tiger's neighborhood (her favorite right now) and I was cleaning up the kitchen from breakfast. I looked at the clock and it was only 10:45 and I heard Alyssa playing in the crib. I thought "Shoot, she didn't sleep very long." I finished the clean up quickly and opened the door to Alyssa's room to get my adorable baby. But what I saw next, was anything but adorable! 

You know that moment when you open the door to your kids room and you immediately regret doing so? Yeah, that's what happened. I walked in and saw my chubby faced girl smiling up at me. I also noticed the strong poo smell I have grown accustomed to smelling. But the poo itself wasn't actually contained this time. And OH THE HORRER! I glanced at the sheets and saw poop everywhere. I mean everywhere! on the blankets, sheet, baby hands, up her back, up her front...everywhere! I involuntarily backed away slowly. I actually closed the door again,bowed my head in despair and thought for a few seconds "how can I get out of this situation." I soon realized, however, that resistance was futile. 

First things first, I told her how much I loved her but that I really didn't like her right now. Second, I snatched her tub and started filling it up. Next, because the mess proved to be on everything, I undressed her down to her diaper in the crib and wiped down around the diaper where diarrhea like poo had seeped from every conceivable part of the diaper. Then, I took off the devil diaper while she stood there. After I took the diaper out to the garbage, I came back into the room and found her again cooing and smiling up at me.  But this time, as if to kick me while I'm down, she said "Ma. Ma." and proceeded to pee all over the crib bedding.

I have seen my fair share of poopy diapers. I've seen my fair share of blowouts even. After all, Alyssa is my fourth child. But I have to admit, in all my days as a mom, totaling 3,339 days so far, I have never seen anything so grotesque or smell so bad!
Yes, it was that bad. 

I hang out with moms. I hear stories about how their children like to "dig in their diapers" and smear poo all over the crib, walls, etc. But I had prided myself in never having had a child do that. Alyssa didn't do anything wrong though. No 'digging' occurred.  I know that. After all, she didn't even know anything had happened. She just sat in her own mess, and every time she moved, it spread like wildfire.
I finally got it all cleaned up, laundry going, baby cleaned and Alyssa's room cleaned from top to bottom.

P.S. I would like to add that while I sat down to write the first part of this post, Jacob (5) and Lily (3) proceeded to take all of the toys out of the toy boxes, haul them upstairs and spread them out all over Alyssa's room. It's like they say "Oh look, a CLEAN room! let's see how fast we can mess it up!"  Then, after finally getting Alyssa's room back in order, they aren't playing nicely anymore. Jake hit Lily with a light saber and both of them started screaming at each other.

Then, while I was helping Lily calm down, Alyssa found a green marker and got it everywhere! It's all over her hands and her mouth and the floor. It's been a WONDERFUL day.

I was going to say "Pray for my sanity," but I'm afraid it is too late for that. How about send all your "serenity nows!" my way. That may work.