The Girls are Growing Up

It continues to hit me harder each day that I am so lucky and blessed to be their mom. They are such awesome little spirits and I can't believe how they are learning, growing and what big girls they have become.  

3 years ago. It seriously amazes me that these peanuts can grow into these characters I have around here now!

Last July. Only one year and they have grown in so many ways.

Still taking care of each other and best friends.

Now these are pictures from the past few weeks. They had a lesson in Nursery and learned the song Turn that Frown Upside Down. So this is Rachel's frowny face. Quite a character we have on our hands. She speaks so well and has quite a memory and an imagination. While talking about being baptized like Jesus because we follow his example, she said "OK, I will get baptized like Jesus but I don't want to go on the stick like Jesus." The cross she was talking about. But pretty smart and pretty funny this munchkin is. She is always cracking me up with just how grown up she sounds when she is talking.

And Livy's frowny face while trying to contain her cracker. They are so fun and quite entertaining. They still need me a million times a day and it is still tons of work but it is awesome. I love having two little girls that are best friends. They love each other and are so concerned with one another it is so sweet. They are becoming little moms. They always pretend they are their stuffed animals moms and it is so funny just to listen to the things they say to them. They have great memories and like to say to me stuff I say to them. If they ask me where one of their toys is and I say I don't know, they tell me "well you just have to look harder." Livy is especially concerned about Rachel's safety. She listens to me if I say stay near me in a parking lot. I tell them they car can't see you. If Rachel doesn't come hold my hand right away Livy screams at her and gets teary, "Rachel, the car can't see you, the car can't see you." It is funny, sad, and sweet all at the same time. She is always watching out for her when she can get hurt or doing things that Rachel asks her to help her with.

Update news: Rachel is potty trained!! Yea!! She has actually been potty trained for 3 months. I should have made a big announcement when it happened but I was done talking potty. She just decided one day when we were in NY in March that she wanted to wear panties. It took a few weeks to get good at it but it has been smooth sailing ever since. Livy is still wearing pull ups but is poop trained to the potty at least. We just have wet pull ups which I can deal with. We are working on it but not pushing her, just letting her decide when. But, Livy has gotten rid of her paci!!!!

It has been two weeks now since the "Paci Fairy" has come and taken Livy's paci. I prepped her all week that the paci fairy was going to come and take her paci while she slept and leave her a present. She wanted a Lightning McQueen remote controlled race car for the Geo Trax we have. She was so excited to get the toy that she didn't even ask for her paci until bed that night and we told her we didn't have it, the paci fairy did and that was the end of it. Two other times she has asked for it but we just tell her that again and it is no problem. I am still in shock that it has gone so well. She was so attached to it and carried it everywhere with her when we were at home. She did awesome giving it up and the paci fairy would have came a long time ago if she would have known it would go so smoothly! I am so proud of her and so happy she wasn't distraught. Now we just have the thumb to work on with Rachel. One thing at a time around here!

They have developed a love for their ballerina costumes. They wore them for a few days straight everywhere we went, even to the movies! They make such adorable dancers, can't wait for them to take classes.

Rachel dancing with her bear named Show Girl. We went to build a bear and they loved it. So fun to listen to them talk to their animals and their animals "talk" to them.

The love the move Snow Buddies. It has all these puppies that pull a dog sled so almost everyday they tie all their dogs up to the wagon and pretend they are in the movie. Or the other movie is Space Buddies with the same dogs in it so they also put all their dogs and themselves on the couch or the table and pretend it is a space ship going to the moon they say.

I really love these girls and kind of want their growing to slow down. I want to try and keep a better record of things they say and do so hopefully I will have more posts soon. They are so imaginative, sensitive, loving, funny, entertaining, and sweet little girls. They say what I say, they do what I do. I realize more and more that I am their example. I this is my motivation to try and do better. Although I don't want them to get too big too quick, I am really excited to continue to watch them become who they will become. Keep going girls, you are wonderful!!