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The tradition that started on the day she was one month continues.  On the 20th of every month for the first year and then on the "big" ones after that, Lauren has gotten her picture taken in the rocking chair.  What a way to see her grow.  But it only shows her outward growth.  You can't see how she has grown in her thoughts, her actions, her words and her love.  The things she thinks of amaze me.  Everything she does amazes me.  The words she can say amaze me - my current favorite it flamingo.  Her love amazes me. 

Lauren's New "Baby Song"

The two year old wasn't as asleep as I thought.  She came out with her Bunny Bunny and blankie in tow and said, "You rock me and sing the baby song me?"  How could I not?

While rocking her and singing "Rock-a-bye Baby" and realized how much I don't like the lyrics.  So, as I rocked my two year old for the last time, I started messing with the lyrics.  Here's what I came up with:

Rocking my baby, long as I can.
Where the time goes to, no body knows.
For now I will take all that you give.
You are my baby as long as you live.

I like mine much better.

The Last Day of Two

My two year old is asleep.  When she wakes up, she’ll be three.  Well, not technically until 2:45 p.m., but that’s a technicality.  Lauren has been in this world for 1,095 days.  When she is 30 it will be 10,957 days.  All day today, I thought of what those next 9,862 days will bring.  It is kind of mind boggling, especially when it makes me stop to think that I will 62.  I think I stick to the next year when I wonder.  So here is what I wonder about the next 366 (2012 is a leap year remember)…

…I wonder if she’ll be going pee pee on the potty full time.  Yes, I know this will happen, but it seems like a long way off as we are in the potty training trenches.

…I wonder if she will know all the letters of the alphabet.  She already knows m, d, c, j, r, g and l.

…I wonder if her counting pattern will change from, “one, two, tree, pive, beleven”

…I wonder if she’ll still dip her hot dogs in ranch.  My guess is yes.

…I wonder if she’ll still tickle the phone when she is talking to her daddy.

…I wonder if she’ll still call my dad “Hampa”.

…I wonder if we’ll still share a bowl of Lucky Charms on weekend mornings.

…I wonder if she will still want to take her Bunny Bunny with her where ever she goes.

…I wonder if she will still want to watch Wow Wow Wubbsy every night before she goes to bed.

…I wonder if she’ll ever pick up the toy room by herself.

…I wonder if she’ll ever add the word “with” to her sentences, although I love to hear “Mommy, I lay you?” when she comes in my room in the morning.

…I wonder when she will stop thinking she is being sneaky when she takes my pop can and drinks it “all gone” when it was already empty.

…I wonder when she will sleep later than me.

…I wonder if her hair will be long enough to donate to Locks of Love.

…I wonder if she can get any cuter.

…I wonder if I can love her any more.

On the last day of two, she got to hang out and play with Lexi.  We had a party with Grammy and Hampa, Mommy Juju and Uncle Ry, the boys, Lexi, Aunt ‘inda and Uncle Joe and Aunt ‘ouann and Uncle Nyle.  I went back in and gave her that last two year old kiss five times…just because I could.

What Could Have Been

Three years ago today, we got up extra early and headed to the University of Nebraska Medical Center to get the birth process started.  There was so much excitement at the unknown of what was coming.  We were one of the few holdouts who didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl, a Quinn or a Lauren.  Either way, though, we were beyond excited for what the day would bring.  Little did we know that the day wouldn't bring anything...and neither would the next day.  For those of you keeping count on your fingers, today is July 17th and Lauren didn't show up until midafternoon on the 20th.  That would be FOUR fingers you're holding up.  One for each day we had to wait to meet our little Lauren Kathryne.

Vacation

Our annual family vacation to Minnesota has come and gone.  We went to a new-to-us resort this year near Alexandria, MN.  It was awesome to be back in the area again after an absence of many years.  We first came to the area in 1981 to go to Ironwood Resort, which friends of my parents owned.  We went there for 20 some years until it closed.  We have been search for a new home away from home since then...we think we found it this time.  Our cabin was literally feet from the water.  There was no traffic and good neighbors, so the kids could run wild.  Most important - we were all together.  I am 35 and go on vacation with my parents.  I can only dream that Lauren will go on vacation with me when she is 35.

Lauren and Cody share a moment during our packing.

Taking a potty training toddler on vacation was an experience,
but she was wonderful. 

We're on Vacation

Wish you were here.