Time, time, TIME?

The birthday girl pre-chipped front tooth.

New puppy.
Vivienne's chipped tooth.
In-laws in town.
Full-time work.

Not a lot of time for blogging... but I have so much to say! (Story of my life.) Stay tuned.




--

Meet Millie.

This is Millie (Mildred) Mary-Lou.

She's our new dog.

She arrived today, on Vivi's 1st birthday.

She's from a high-kill shelter in Tennessee. She was surrendered because her previous owners, "had a baby" and was fostered by two of our favorite people in Ohio who are helping the world by saving one dog at a time. I saw a picture of her several weeks ago and thought, "Hmmm... maybe we need her."

All the stars aligned and the logistics worked themselves out and she arrived to us safe and sound.

She's great.
We think she's about 10 or 11 months old and we think her name has always been Millie. (We have no intentions of changing it.) However, we added the Mary-Lou. Mildred was Craig's great grandma, Mary Lou was my Grandma.

We're not too sure of her breed. Maybe some Havanese, a bit of Affenpinscher and possibly some shih tzu? Whatever it is, it works.

I think she's part ewok.

So far, so good. She's fit in to our chaos quite well and she and Ferg seem to be fast friends... well, except for a skirmish over a dog bone.

She's pretty cute, huh?

We love her already.


--

Happy 1st birthday, Vivienne Kate

Dear Vivienne,

I've been thinking about this blog post for a while now. I knew I had to write it, but I didn't want to. Not because I don't like writing about you, sweet, precious girl... oh no, it's just the opposite. If I write this love letter, then it surely means that you're growing up and that soon you'll soon be a toddler, a girl, a tween, then a TEEN, then off to college... and oh Holy Toledo, it's more than I can bear.

You see, sweet Vivienne -- you are amazing.

You are my little sweet pea. 

You are a baby above all babies. (It's true.) Your babyhood has just been so easy and so enjoyable and just so fun and smile-inducing.

You came into this world on January 24, 2011 at 12:46 p.m. and when I saw you...

...oh, when I saw you...

During those first 24 hours I just kept trying to place you. To figure out just who you looked like. "Whose eyes are those? How about that nose? Look at her fingers, now whose fingers are those?"

Here's what I found out very early on: you are nothing like anyone else.

You, my sweet Vivi-cakes are your own person. Your own baby. And even though before you were born I was a Mommy to your older sister, that experience is nothing like our experience and you are nothing like your sister and she is nothing like you.

Sweet Vivienne.

You are perfectly you.

Let's talk about those first few months.

Your entrance into our lives was seamless. What's that? You weren't always here? Here's why it was so smooth: because you... this... it was all meant to happen when it happened.

You moved in. You took up residence in our space and in our hearts. Lila was thrilled to have you. Never, not once did Lila have an issue with your presence. I think it's because she knew what your Dad and I knew: that you were cool.

Maybe it was because parents are naturally a little more laid-back the second time, but sweet Vivienne, you have been easy. You immediately showed us that you were different by preferring the opposite of everything your older sister liked. You were a belly sleeper. You liked cuddling. You hated accessories... except stickers...

 You are perfectly you.

Let's talk about your personality. At this point in your life, you're calm and collected. You're an observer. You have distinctive preferences: you love this little plastic fake bottle of perfume that came with your sister's-stuffed-animal-cat-carrier-thing and you carry it everywhere (totally random), you love TV remotes and cell phones, you adore blueberries, you despise having your diaper changed, you love attempting to eat Ferg's food, you crawl outside through our patio doors on a regular basis in an attempt to escape, you love to swing, Lila must constantly be in your view and you love books.

Upside-down books.

You're also my partner. You really like me and I really like you. (I'll remind you of this when you're 13.) You cry when I leave the room... but in all honestly, shhhhhh..... don't tell anyone -- I love it.

Sweet Vivienne, when you were a newborn in the hospital, I would hold your head to my face and shush you and sigh out loud; a sigh of pure contentment. I continued to do that each time I've held you. Then, sweet baby... you started sighing back. I'd hold you, or your Daddy would hold you and you'd gently rest your head on us and sigh. You still snuggle into us on a daily basis. You snuggle with your baby dolls, too. We hand them to you and you hold them, rest your head on them and sigh and pat their backs.

You are a snuggle muffin.

You are perfectly you.

You weigh 18 lbs and are about 26.5 inches tall. You have four teeth (two on the top, two on the bottom) and you're absolutely walking. You clap. You smile. You say Mama, Dada, and Lila. You laugh and laugh all the time. You have brown hair and brown-ish eyes. You love Ferg's kisses and like to play with her. You're neat; you like to put toys and other items away again and again. You climb, oh boy do you climb. You're always climbing on something. And you're quite the dancer. You shake it on a regular basis.

Oh, Vivi... you are perfectly you.

Sweet Vivienne, I wish for you so many things. But most of all, I hope and wish and dream and pray that one day, you will hold your sweet baby in your arms and that you're filled to the brim with love for your baby in the same way that I am for you.

I am so pleased that I am your Mommy. And for forever, sweet girl, you will always be my baby.

My sweet Vivienne Kate, happy birthday.

I am so happy you were born.

love,
your mommy

more about vivienne kate
• • • • •
Pictures from Vivi's first year -- just a few -- click here to see
When I announced my pregnancy -- click to read here
Vivienne's birth story -- click to read here
Vivienne's birth announcement here -- click to see it


--

Four things.

1. This fourth drink on this list... Oh, I can't even tell you how badly I wanted Craig to order it. I need to hear my husband order a "Spicy Latin Lover."

2. This weekend I go to the grocery store to get a toothbrush for Lila. There's a limited selection in Cabo of EVERYTHING. Colgate had two toddler toothbrush options: Sponge Bob or Barbie. SHOOT me.

I bought neither.

3. I had basil ice cream this past weekend. It was gross. I didn't order it, it came with the hot lava cake. Pass. Who wants basil ice cream? (Why didn't they use mint?)

4. My daughter turns one tomorrow.


--

My princess.