Miss C turns 2!

Yesterday, was a much needed ray of sunshine for this family! We had the absolute best time celebrating Miss Caroline's 2nd birthday! She spent Sunday-Tuesday am at her Aunt R and Uncle D's house and we met them early Tuesday am so we could get our birthday girl! She had her two year checkup yesterday morning too and Dr. T said she was doing quite well! She's 34 inches tall (50th percentile) and weighs 26 lbs (60th percentile)!

We spent the majority of yesterday at the Riverbanks Zoo! C loved every minute of the five hours that we were there! She wanted to see everything and couldn't stop talking about the baby chicks last night when we got home. She kept saying "baby chicks" "baby chicks" over and over and so we had this conversation; M: Where did you see chicks? C: At the farm. M: Where was the farm? C: At the zoo! She remembers everything!

After our zoo trip we celebrated more of her birthday at home! She opened up her presents and we ate birthday cake that was made by daddy (the best kind).

Another yesterday favorite was how she sang "Happy Birthday" to herself all day long (when we were not). I've included a video of her singing Happy Birthday to herself (don't forget to mute the music playlist at the bottom).

Two years ago!

The Leviners two years ago!

One year ago!

The Leviners one year ago!

Miss C at 2!

The Leviners at "Two"! 

Dear Sweet Caroline,

Tomorrow you will be two years old. TWO! As I am writing this I'm thinking back to before you were born and how I imagined what you'd look like, or how your little personality would be, and what kind of baby you'd be. When you were born I imagined what you'd be like when you were three months old or even six months old. Now that you are almost two it's hard for me to imagine when you were so tee tiny or just even a few days old. My how time flies. I know that I will wake up one day to you turning 5 and being a kindergartner or 18 and a senior in high school. I'm wanting to treasure and remember all of the moments between now and then, so hopefully you will look at all of the thousands of pictures we've taken of you and/or you would take the time to read this blog!

From one years old to two you have done so many fun amazing things as well as some things that we as your parents don't find so pleasureable! You learned to walk and talk. Your vocabulary and speech amaze me! You talk all of the time and I have been writing down your words and phrases and I'll post those later. I'm guessing its from reading to you so much as to why you're vocabulary is what it is (at least I've done something right) and I hope that you become an avid reader just like your mommy!

You've become so independent with doing tasks. You don't like for us to help you, especially when it comes to tying your shoes and putting on your coat. You don't need much help with the latter but the former, I don't mind that you're too little and still need my help! You are strong willed (just like both of your parents) and you are determined to do anything (which I most love).

You are funny when you giggle, sing, play games, mimick mommy and daddy, talk, and play. You are so full of life! You just melt my heart each and everyday!

I have heard my whole life about how terrible the "terrible twos" are, I think for a while now you've been in the "terrible twos stage". I finally thought that you were done with the whole bitting thing until you bit your big cousin, Kelsey, in the back yesterday. No excuses, you don't mean any harm, but when someone's lying on their belly, you can get so excited about jumping on them that you also bite them. Your new favorite word now is "no, mommy" or while pointing at daddy you say "no, daddy". Just like recently when you slung pecans all over the kitchen floor and mommy was really upset when you began stomping them. Then you refused to pick them up even after being popped and put in time out three different times. Each time you refused to clean those pecans off on the floor. Yes, well mommy had to pick them up, I lost that battle (it might have been the first), ha!

Your favorite food is pizza and I would say that cheeseburgers take 2nd place. Some days you are a very good eater and some days you are not!

Your favorite drinks are water, milk, and juice (you really like water, you ask for it everyday).
Your favorite books are: Over in the Meadow, My Peakaboo Book, your children's Bible, and Little Piglet.
Your favorite toys are: counting toys piggy bank, the ball machine, your train, the red and blue shape sorter, Mrs. Potato Head, your baby dolls: Curly Sue, Ellie, and Salley and their strollers, and your wagon. You love wagon rides. Nothing puts a big ole smile on your face like the one you have when you are bumping up and down in your little red wagon.
Your favorite songs are: Jesus Loves Me, Deep and Wide, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Ring Around the Rosey, Five Little Ducks, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday, (I think there might be a few more and I'll get back to you on those too).
I have to say that this year has been a predominatly "well" year. You only had one ear infection last summer and one really bad cold in the fall. You did however have your first tummy bug (you handled that very well...you tough little baby)!
As you can see we love all the many many things about you. We are so proud that you are our daughter! My hope is that you see Jesus in us everyday and that your life longing is to be more like Him each of your days. We pray each day that He will help us to be what we need to be for you!
We love you and hope that your 2nd birthday is as much fun as you are!
Love you always and forever, Sweet Caroline!
Mommy and Daddy

Almost the newest Two Year Old!

Sweet Caroline!

We love you!

Be still and know that I am God- Psalm 46:10

This verse has come to mind many times during the last nine days. I'm continuing to pray for family friends that are dealing with the loss of a loved one. I'm trying to still sort and think through and I'm still full of whys. On this side of Heaven I'll never understand why things happen or God's reasons for why those things happen (I guess I'm not supposed to). I don't question Him but I think it's okay to think "outloud" and talk things through so that somehow peace can be found..the only kind of peace that He can give.


So while this is on my mind, so also are these very precious babies! Recently we celebrated the 1st Birthday of Morgan Kate's cousin, Hunter! We all had a blast! Here's some pictures from that fun and very special day!

Hunter and his sweet mommy!

Caroline and Morgan Kate! Yum..lollipop!

Heather and sweet Nolan! Isn't he precious!

He's already talking and walking at 9.5 months!

On last Tuesday, Miss C had some surprise visitors! Aunt Melinda, Keith, and Kaleb dropped by for a visit! C loved playing with Keith and enjoyed showing Kaleb her toys!

C and Kaleb

Me with Melinda- who's 19 weeks pregnant with TWINS!

She looks awesome!

We also had lots of fun this past weekend too! On Saturday the weather was great and C loved her outdoor fun time! Today, we headed to Orangeburg for some grapevine plants at Melinda's! Caroline had the best time with Uncle Keith! She enjoyed most riding the tractor (I have other pics that I'll post soon from this fun day)!

 After Aunt Melinda's we headed to Four Holes to visit Granddaddy and Granny! C got another turn at driving Granddaddy's tractor!

It's getting awfully busy as we prepare for C's 2nd birthday party! We are so excited and are looking forward to our busy week leading up to her fun day with family and friends!

Today and all this past weekend my heart has been hurting for those that experienced the mass destructions by March 11th's earthquake and tsumani in Japan. It just seems so unreal but the pictures and video clips prove otherwise. My heart aches for those that have lost family members or friends and for those that are still trying to locate relatives. I have a family member and a friend whose families live in Japan (both parties were not directly involved by Friday's events and I'm so very thankful).
Please join me in daily pray for this country as they begin to try to heal and somehow move forward.

Little Big Girl!

As we are glad it's Friday and ready for the weekend plans, Miss C is practicing putting on her shoes! She's too independent, much to my likeness. Can't believe that my little big girl will be "2" in 18 days!

This past weekend was busy but oh so much fun! On Friday night my inlaws came for their long over due occasional Friday night spend the night visit! C had the best time playing with Granddaddy and Granny! She sang to them, talked to them, played with them, and most importantly loved on them!

On Saturday, I attended my first couponing class! I have to admit it's more of a science than I originally thought, but I'm going to figure out how I can save 209.00 at the grocery store and spend only 8.39. My sister does the whole southern savers. I have friends that do it and now it's my turn to figure it out for myself. This should have been a new year's resolution, seriously. Maybe I would have worked more hard at trying to figure out all the components (scenario setting, printing off grocery lists, learning to love to eat what's on sale, etc.) I've listened to two people tell me (the Saturday presenter and a friend) that it took them over a year to figure this whole southern savers system out. I'm still grappling with the idea of how to trade coupons on line, etc. I'll get it. It might not be until this summer when I can actually read it and have time to practice it but I'm sure I'll be one of those that posts on FB, with a picture, the items that I bought and the actual price that I paid for all the items, yeah, I'm quite sure that I'll be one of those! I mean who wouldn't love having 3.00 as their target diaper price?

While I was learning how to save money, Sam took Miss C to a very special 2nd birthday party for some really cute twins! So, in the above picture, Miss C is all clad in her birthday party grear (by the way, Sam did ask if she had to wear the tutu, and of course this mommy said, um... "YES").

On Sunday, we napped (I never nap, but I think I just laid in bed to "rest my eyes", as my mother use to call it, while Sam and Miss C snoozed the afternoon away! After Sam's nap we began working on birthday party stuff for C's 2nd party! I'm so super excited! I have this "party" marble composition book that has a fully decorated party theme cover and it's loaded with party ideas, etc. I can get down all the things that I want for decorations and plan it and make it but I'm not so polished when it comes to the presentation of it all. I tend to over-due for fear that I under-did.

Anyways, I didn't mean to give a count for count of every step of this past weekend but it was fun, I learned a lot, C and Sam had fun, I enjoyed watching Sam design C's birthday party decor, and I enjoyed loving on our little big girl!

Oh, and another exciting "happening" that came about this weekend was that my niece, Courtney, decided on which college she is attending this fall! I'm super excited and can't wait to get my postcard in the mail letting us know which univeristy was of choice!

It's March...

and around here, March is a big deal! Not only does March bring signs of spring but also BIRTHDAYS! Miss C turns two at the end of this month and my twin sister and I also share a March birthday (6 days before Miss C)! There are also friends and family who have March birthdays and so we are wishing everybody that has a March birthday a very Happy Birthday!

Here's this happy girl enjoying some pre March weather during one of several early March wagon rides!