Gracie {age 2} and Nator {age 4}
Serving as pastors, and a mom of two precious littles, life was very busy. {still is} This mom managed to jot down a few memories in a notebook, she recently re-discovered...
January 2004
"Gracie started sitting on the potty. I'm not sure, but it just might be an excuse to take her diaper off. She's beginning to speak understandably."
"I always tell the girls I'm going to eat them and nibble on their neck, bellybutton, armpits, ribs... always good for a belly laugh. Today, I was 'eating' Nator's armpit and neck, making her laugh, so I asked her what I could eat next? Her bellybutton? She said, 'You had enough.'"
"I just rocked both of my baby girls to sleep for their much needed naps. (Monday is usually a recovery day from Sunday.) Time is going by so quickly. I wish I could keep my little girls little for a little bit longer!"
{library fun}
"I was getting ready to leave for worship practice when all I had to do was get Gracie up and dressed... only to find that she (at some point) took her diaper off (as usual). She was sound asleep, bed wet, and her onsie still snapped between her legs. Funny!"
{hugging her baby, she couldn't sleep without}
"Nator kept giving me hugs and kisses all through dinner at Olive Garden. Gracie put her finger over her mouth and told Daddy to 'be quiet'. There was a baby in a carrier next to our booth. These girls are just precious, and I'm glad they are ours."
"Nator has hearts on her shirt with the words 'Old Navy' underneath. She says that it says... Loves Mommy."
"I cannot get Gracie to keep her diaper on! Ugh!"
"Nator's famous saying right now is... In 10 minutes."
February 2004
"This has been an exciting month! Gracie proceeded to color all over herself with a marker. Not once, but twice. Then...
{insert a stinky mess only a mother would clean}. Boy, you can't turn your back on this one for a minute!"
{finger painting with mom's favorite lipstick. she stares at me to see what my plan of action will be. grab the camera, of course! ha.}
"Nator somehow flooded the bathroom with toilet water using the plunger. Water was even soaked in the carpet a couple feet into our bedroom."
{their innocent looks}
"Nator squirted Gracie's pre-measured medicine on me. She was so sweet about it, it was hard to be upset."
"Gracie likes to pat people on the head and start playing Duck, Duck, Goose... by herself. Too cute."
April 2004
"Nator said, 'I say I love you, Mom, and you say I love you, too, okay? I love you.' I replied, 'I love you, too.' Nator responded, 'You did it, Mom! Very good!'"
"Using plastic Easter eggs, Nator wanted me to help her make a Barbie cake. The ingredients were: sugar, fruit snacks, oatmeal, grape-nut flakes, milk, strawberries, cool whip, and candles. Oh, and she just remembered the icing!"
May 2004
"When Nator awoke, I asked her to go potty. She said she couldn't because her pee-pee was sleeping..."
"I was holding and rocking both girls in my lap. Nator was being a bit fussy, so I asked Gracie to go make Nator some (pretend) tea. She said, 'No.' Nator, starting to cry, said, 'Gracie made my heart broke.' Later, I heard Nator tell Gracie to sit in time-out because her heart broke. Sad, but cute."
"While Daddy was tucking Nator in one night, she asked Jesus to live in her heart. A week later, while I was tucking her in, I asked her where Jesus lives. She said, 'He's stuck in the clouds.'"
{really... is there anything sweeter than sleeping babies in footy pjs?}
"I took the girls outside to swim. Nator found a feather. After I explained what it was, she held it up and said, 'Here bird!' She wanted the bird to come get it. I love the way she thinks."
{gracie's famous "cheeeeeeeese" camera pose}
June 2004
"The first time the girls saw a beautiful rainbow, Nator was so excited. She wanted us to go catch it!"
"For one little girl who used to hate clothes and shoes, that is now the first thing Gracie wants to do in the morning."
"I took the girls to the movies today. One character was sad because they didn't have a mom. Nator leaned over and said, 'I'm happy I have my mommy.'"
{when we could all fit in a basket}
"Last night, tucking the girls in bed, Nator grabbed my face and kissed me on my cheek, forehead, nose, other cheek, chin, and all over my neck. She was too cute."
"I put both girls in time-out for about 3 minutes. When they got up, Nator gave me a big hug and said, 'Thank you for getting me out of time-out. When I grow up, I'm gonna be a mommy just like you are.' If she was trying to butter me up, it was working!"
"During a day of taking the girls to the movies to watch Ice Age and run a few errands, I thought I might lose my sanity! While waiting in line at customer service, both girls were in their usual spots in the shopping cart. They fought over who got to hold the umbrella. Nator bit the fire out of Gracie's arm, arguing over who got to hold the seat-belt on the shopping cart (probably learned that from Gracie). Gracie spilled her Ziploc bag of cheerios all over the check-out aisle floor. With sweat running down my face, I found myself on my hands and knees picking up scattered cheerios. I'm thankful no one was waiting behind us. I finally decided to just take the umbrella, which left both girls in tears. I wanted to cry, too, but didn't want to draw even more stares. They also decided to re-arrange the shelves and play hide-n-seek at the health food store. I usually make it in and out of that store a.s.a.p. Between all of this, the light rain, and the logistics of getting them in and out of the van, I was a bundle of nerves. As soon as I unloaded the van, it was rest time! I think I'm ready to retire the grocery shopping!"
August 2004
"Gracie buckled herself in her old car seat in the living room. She dropped a cheerio out of the cup she was eating from. No problem. She picked it up with her toes, brought her foot to her hands, then popped it in her mouth!"
September 2004
"Nator said (when I gave her echinacea) this morning, 'When I get medicine, my sore throat runs away. It says... ahhhhh!'"
{starting pre-k}
October 2004
"... I just found the girls coloring their toes with colors, as well as the table."
{snow white twins}
December 2004
"Just getting in from our family vacation from Branson, Missouri. Nator told Gracie, 'I love you. You're my little sister and I'm going to take care of you.' Since then, Gracie has been telling everyone that Nator is going to take care of her. Too sweet!"
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This young mom, her children (and husband) survived the tales written and {many} unwritten of 2004. They even lived to tell of adventures they would have in 2005... but that's a post for another day.
This young mom also learned the fine art of popping just enough popcorn into Ziplock bags, to entertain busy hands, while whisking through the grocery aisles... at speeds exceeding store limit, I'm sure. There was no time to read labels. If possible, that had to be done online, beforehand. In the store, she was too busy finding room for groceries among toddlers taking residence in the cart.
She also learned the value of masking tape. Yes, she got puzzled looks, as church nursery workers tried to figure it out. An explanation would always follow, but she eventually got used to telling people that the tape was for the 2 year old's diapers. It turns out, the diaper just needed a little reinforcement to make it 'strip-proof'.
This mama is also extremely grateful to {now} have a much better camera, less flowery comforter set, and the choice to homeschool. ;)
Hahhh... Sweet, sweet memories of 2004. Sometimes, I wish I could revisit those girlie days of baby-dolls and dress up.
sweet, yes? but all is better when skates are off and friends are in tow.
What is the best thing that ever happened to you? 
I tell her that we are not selling her artwork in the front yard. This is her reaction...
Instead, I tell her that I will put them on my blog and see what comes of it. ;) Here's a few of her 20+ pictures she's made today. As I post this, she's still hard at work in hopes to buy the Jack Russell Terrier & Arctic Fox Webkinz. 
Teddy Bear.
Gracie's personal favorite.
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