18 months....and lovin' every second

My Little Mama is officially 18 months old today.

Old enough for Nursery, old enough to push her own stroller, old enough to walk the dog, old enough to fly a kite, and old enough to go down the big slide.

Sarah is amazing and great and smart and such a good kid and I have no idea where she gets it because I was and still am a brat and well Jimbo was and is a trouble-maker so how we ended up with a peach is beyond me.

Sarah and I get a lesson on kite flying from Jimbo who gives Sarah
the string, she lets go like 2 seconds later and
he has to go to the neighbors to get it from their back yard.
Texas is windy silly boy...don't let go or Elmo is gonzo!

A good shot of Sarah's mullet blowing in the wind. Remember all of the
whining I did about wanting my kid to have hair? Well now she does
and I have no idea what to do with it...it figures!

Because of my stellar back Jimbo has been in charge of bath time
from the beginning and it is the dang cutest thing to watch ever!
They have songs and games and she puts up with all of his splashing.
I am jealous but I do love just to get to be a spectator.

A shot of the hot-shot on the big slide.

I know a picture is worth a thousand words but this just isn't cutting it.
She was so excited to get to walk Roxie and so they went for about 1/4 of a mile
before they both got bored and wouldn't stay on the path anymore.
My kid and my dog have the same attention span!

Sarah and Roxie
Zoom in on this one because nothing is more
adorable than chubby knees...except for when they are mine!

ummmm we thought this trail was a loop but it turned out to
be a dead end. By then both Momma and Sarah needed a piggy-back ride.

Sarah mugging on Buster. These two are best buddies and I can't believe
how much Buster puts up with her loving torture!

Who's that kid with the Oreo cookie?

All in all she is growing up too fast. I turned around the other day and
she was reading the For the Strenght of Youth booklet to Roxie and though
I was impressed I am really not ready for that just yet.

Love you little girl...Big Kiss!

I get by with a little help from my friends.

Or in my case – a lot of help from my friends. Let me address my blogging hiatus by telling you that sitting in a chair hurts. Really bad. You see, I have a bad back. I am among the ranks of many of you with chronic back pain, however, I am gigantic and pregnant and can’t really do a dang thing to relieve the pain. Of course little baby boy Larsen is my first priority and so I suffer but not in silence and so for all who have put up with my complaints and tears – thank you.

I have read many a blog post regarding amazing husbands and I have to add my spouse-man to the list. To say that I have been out of commission for the past few weeks is a huge understatement and Jimbo has become in his own special way a single Dad of 2 baby girls (the one not in diapers being much more work). I am not going to go on about every thing he has done to keep our house running because I would run out of space and I would be embarrassed to admit all he has had to do for me personally. I am usually an extremely stubborn do-it-yourself-er so to have to ask for so much help is just about as painful as the actual pain. I love you Jimmy, thank you for picking me and for putting up with me!

I am improving each day and for that I am grateful. I can hold my baby again but not for too long, I can sit on the couch for a while with lots of strategically placed pillows and I can dress myself – wahoo!

My next goal is church but the thought of those wooden benches makes my left leg go numb – literally! Many of you would say sit by me I will help you, if you hurt lay down – who cares? That’s the problem, I do. A lot. I would be mortified in fact. Did I mention this has been a humbling experience?

A month has gone by and I have not gone to church, I have been released from my calling and to take me back to my Mississippi Mission, I am backsliding. (no pun intended) The irony of it all is that without my amazing ward I would not be doing as good as I am. There have been countless really yummy meals, visits, and funny gifts of encouragement including flowers, chocolate and Ben-Gay. You have lent me the talents of your spouses and you have kept my spouse fed which if you know Jimbo you have to admit is probably the most important.

I don’t know how to adequately say thanks. I can send cards and I can tell you how much you have done for me and my family but I don’t really think you will ever know. Maybe that is the secret behind selfless service. You think you provide a simple meal that maybe you just whipped up but to me you nourished my family, body and soul and I hope to someday repay your kindness.

Big Kiss,

Angel