Dear Olive,
This last month I have been overjoyed, and yet, terrified. Our time as a family of three is quickly ticking down, and I cannot help but feel really emotional. I look at you and wish we could spend the rest of our lives together, just the three of us — sharing nighttime cuddles, and early morning butterfly kisses. But in the next instant I can’t help but think what an amazing big sister you are going to be. Our family of four already feels perfect. I know you are going to have no problem adjusting to having a new baby in our house. I know I am the one who is going to have to do the adjusting. I just don’t know how I am going to share my Olive time.
Dear my sweet baby Olive… You will always be my baby. You will always have my heart. Please know that even though things will be changing, and my time will be shared, I still love you more than words can say. I promise to always have time for you. I promise to always take you on our special “Olive and Momma dates”. Please know that welcoming this new baby into our lives will never change how much you mean to me. Our family is growing in wonderful ways. I know we will all have our ups and downs as we adjust, and those ups and downs will continue as the years pass, but I know you are going to love having a someone just like you to make so many wonderful memories that will last long past Mommy and Daddy’s lifetime. I can picture you and your siblings far off in the future sitting down for a visit in between your own children’s hockey practices and swimming lessons, reminiscing about the days when you ran wild through the fields. I know you will love your little brother or sister from moment you say hello. Please know that this little addition to our family does not change anything between us. I will always have time for your big squeezes, and your silly jokes. I will always have time for your nighttime “momma cuddles and eskimo kisses”. Things are changing, but all for the good!
Today is August 9, 2015. In (possibly) a few more days we will be welcoming our new baby into our family. You know that there is a baby in my tummy, and you know that the baby will be joining our family soon. When we ask “who is coming to our house?” You always answer “Baby soon! Momma’s tummy”! I don’t think you completely grasp the concept that he or she will be here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but you are excited. I am trying to get over this guilty feeling from deep down inside. I pray that this transition will not be hard on you. I doubt it will be… It will probably be harder on me. You are such an easy-going little girl. You always roll with the punches and never seem to get (too) upset with changes! I’m so proud of you!!
This past month has been a whirlwind! I have been off work for just over a month enjoying my time with you and getting some much needed rest before the baby arrives. We have been busy swimming (both lessons in Perth and in the lake and Uncle Dave’s pool)! You love swimming this year! For the past 2 summers it has been pretty hard to get you in the lake, but this summer is completely different! On Saturday mornings when you wake up I ask you “where are we going”? and you jump up, bright-eyed, and say “SWIMMIN’ LESSONS” in a magical, excited voice. You can never wait to dip your toes in the water. Daddy has been going in the pool with you, and I have been cheering by the sidelines. Daddy loves spending this time with you. You are learning how to paddle and kick your legs, float on your back and blow bubbles. You have started putting your head under water (however its more like Daddy is pulling you under and you are coming up with a shocked looked on your face!) Never-the-less, the first thing you say when you get out of the pool is “HEAD UNDER THE WATER”! I always tell you how proud I am of you and you, in turn, tell me how proud of me you are in a high-pitched-scrunched-up-nose kind of way! It melts my heart. Following swimming lessons we usually head downtown to the café to get a coffee and a breakfast snack. You usually pick out a muffin, and never want to share!
You are quite the cook in your kitchen. You always make sure to put on your oven mitt when using your pots and pans. Lately you have been cooking hamburgers in your frying pan and then re-heating them in the microwave. You have also been making triple-decker sandwiches. Your always-classic ice creams are getting yummier and yummier. You are also really good at making sure your dishes are always washed and your floor is always swept. You are so smart and resourceful!
At the beginning of this month I would have went on a rant about how you still aren’t potty trained… But over the last week you have proven me wrong!! You went to G and Popa’s house for the long weekend after swimming lessons and you went three whole days without an accident! You were telling them every time you had to go tinkle tinkle and ran to the potty! By Golly! I think you’ve got it! I was so hoping to have to trained before the baby arrived, and I think its safe to say that you are now ready and willing to go without diapers (during the day)! I can’t believe it. Just like everyone said… When you are ready you will let us know. I’ve definitely learned that you can’t force it. When you are ready, you are ready! I think we have to give G and Popa the credit on this one! Lets just hope you don’t regress once the little one is here! Good job Olla!!
Other notable things from this month:
- Your language skills are becoming noticeably better on an hourly basis. The questions you ask and the observations you make are so well-thought-out.
- You are still clocking in around 28 pounds. Even though your weight isn’t going up, you height sure is! I’ve noticed a huge difference over the last month. You are getting so tall!
- You are very in to matching things. Colours mainly. When two colours are the same you say “same-same”! Grandma was wearing a red and white striped shirt during a walk in town. As we passed an American flag you said “Same-Same!! Matches!!” You do not miss a thing!
- This month you learned that Momma and Daddy have other names. You proudly tell people that this is “Stacy and Scott”. I thought that calling us by our first names didn’t happen until well into your teen years… I guess I was incorrect!
- Before we leave the house you always make sure to “tidy-up tidy-up”. This usually involves cleaning up your kitchen or sweeping, but sometimes also involves putting your books and other toys away!
- Popa installed a new swing at his house. It is hooked to a branch “way-high” up in K9’s tree. For the first few visits you were not daring to go anywhere near the swing because it was “too high”, but it didn’t take you long to want to try it out. Now you yell “HIGHER POPA” and giggle as he pushes you for hours on end! You also like to get some “wiggle wiggles” as you turn around backwards. I love watching you and Popa play! He is so proud of you!
- You are the youngest back-seat driver ever (or maybe you have just been listening to Momma when Daddy drives). As soon as we get on the road you always tell Daddy to “SLOW DOWN!!! TOO FAST”! Always my cautious girl! Popa also taught you that whenever G is driving you have to “hold on”! We all laugh, except G… but she is a good sport!
- On July 16 we went on a road trip to Momma’s work. You thought it was “way far away” (and you are right)! We went to my work for a strawberry social. Your eyes lit up as soon as you saw all the strawberries on the table. It was like you had won the jackpot. You filled your plate with strawberry salsa, chocolate covered strawberries, strawberry scones, strawberry pavlova… and just plain old strawberries. I think you out-ate everyone at the party. All my colleagues were very excited to see you again.
Over the last month I have really been trying to explain to you just how much I love you. I want you to know that my love will never change. Now when I ask you “Do you know how much Momma loves you?” you always reply “A WHOLE BUNCH”. I really do. I love you a whole bunch… bigger than the universe. We always whisper secrets to each other. It goes like this:
“Olive, I have a secret. I love Olla”
You say “I love Momma” , “I love DaDa”!
This is our thing. The only secrets we will ever have.
As I look at you cuddled in my arms, I can’t believe you are going to be a big sister. Where has the past two and half years gone? It feels like I was holding you in my arms, cuddling a baby Olive, thinking I wish I could freeze time, and then I blinked and you turned into this wonderful, incredibly smart, and ever-beautiful little girl. I am trying to cherish these little moments and remember each stage of your life, but I can’t help but feel a little sad that time is going by so quickly. I hope you learn to step back and really enjoy each day as it comes. Life goes by so quickly. Before you know it you’ll have so many important responsibilities. Just remember to always take a moment every day to appreciate the time you have been given in this beautiful world.
I love you to the moon and back Olive,
Xoxoxox,
-Momma
