Addison Turns 3! (And What Have You Been Up To)??

Well here is our Little Lady!  About time, huh?!  So, this is a huge post with lots of pics and there is a reason for that.  I have been wanting to do everything in order on the blog and we still haven't posted your injury story.  Because of that, I have had all these pics backed up in our computer waiting their turn to be posted.  The injury post will take a lot of work and I just figured I would go ahead and put these on here.  These are all post injury and from the last 2 months. 

Here you are being your true self- organizing and categorizing your foam letters.  Daddy and I were making dinner when we noticed everything was really quiet.  We looked in the playroom and this is what we saw!  WOW- color coordinated and everything!  We had no idea you even knew how to do this!  Even after the injury you still are the same, bright little Addison!  Your attention to detail, precise way of saying things and memory has always amazed us......but I am even more amazed knowing what you have gone through and how none of it was affected!  God is so good!!!!
Here we are eating at Chili's.  This has always been Mommy and Daddy's favorite- but it has now become one of yours!  You are IN LOVE with chips and salsa!  Smart little girl:)  We still are very careful with any restaurant we go to and ALWAYS have to ask waiters and kitchen staff about peanuts.  We just can't take the risk- we don't eat out much since it does make us nervous. 

 

This was at the neurologist checkup.  We had to wait FOREVER to see him but it was worth the wait.  I think the biggest comment that stuck out to us was, "I hope no one has been too negative or has said bad things to y'all because she is going to be just fine.  This isn't bad."  Wow.  We know things are great now but we sure could have used that reassurance at the beginning!  

Being my little cuddle bug!

When you were in the hospital you came up with your very own word.  This would be KEE DOO.  At first we were sure it was some form of Spanish/ Dora talk and we would catch on soon.  Not so quite!  We noticed you would always say it when you got super cuddly/lovey with us.  Out of nowhere it would be, "KEE DOO, KEE DOO!"  You still say this and it has always been very drawn out and girly sounding. 

One of the many things I love about having girls- doing your hair!!  I was squealing with delight after I did your hair that day.  So cute, right!?  Precious!

We haven't been swinging as much this Summer- because of heat and the fact that you haven't really enjoyed it as much as last year.  You will agree to swing if Melody swings with you!  You LOVE you some Melody Rose.  Let me tell you, when she starts crying for any reason at all you will completely lose it and cry.  Not just any cry- like hyperventilate cry.  I have to coach you through the situation every time and tell you that she is ok and explain why she is crying.  Bless your sweet heart!  Y'all are still hanging out like best friends.  The house is still filled with lots of laughing, squealing and screaming. (from both of you).   You just roll all over her and hug her and she just goes with the flow.  Ahhh!  I love it!!  Even though you love each other so much, y'all can have some pretty heated moments.  Lately, it is all about sharing.  That is a HUGE issue.  We have been trying to teach you to share with Melody for awhile and sometimes you get it and other times you don't.  You have a playroom FULL of toys and if Melody so much touches something that might spark your interest, you will take it from her immediately.  Then she will start crying which then makes you cry louder than she has ever dreamed of.  As much as I would love to sit back and avoid the situation and never address it at all, I have to teach you a lesson.  I will correct you, make you give her back the toy, explain that you have a room FULL of toys and that she shares with you all the time.  I will usually let you get one of her toys to show you that she shares with you.  If you see her playing with one of your favorite toys, and you know I'm watching, you will take it away from her immediately and then replace it with a toy you could care less about.  You say, "Here Melody, play with this one.  You wanna play with this toy? You like this toy Melody"?  Then you will look at me and say, "I'm a good sharer!"  Oh how you make me laugh sweet girl!   You have really stepped up and started helping me with her.  I mean, full blown diaper changes and all.  You will take her diaper off, wipe her, and unfold the clean one.  I have to set it up under her but you will then fold it in place and stick the tabs where they need to be.  When I started teaching you how to seal the tabs, I would tell you to put them on Elmo's eyes or Ernie's eyes.  Now you aim for that and like to see them perfectly in place.  You fold the dirty diaper up just right and will toss it in the diaper champ.  You are one good helper!
You still like to watch me nurse Melody.  Kinda funny.  You get really into it and curious about the whole thing.  So, I tell you what's going on and when I switch her to the other boob I tell you why and explain that this one is now empty.  Without skipping a beat you said, "It's empty, need to go to the store and get some more."  Wow!  If only Target sold this Liquid Gold!  I love how kids think!  You still say that every time and will now tell me the boob that I have switched her to is full.  You also talk to her during the process and say,"Is that good Melody?  Is that good milk? Mmmm Hmmm."  During all this there is a little lip smacking going on- hilarious!!

Since we can't play outside much right now, we have been enjoying going to Target!  This time last year you weren't so fond of it but now you LOVE it!  I tell you what we need to get and you get totally involved.  I just love talking with you and discussing everything while we shop (and at home)- your vocab and sentence structure is amazing.  I am constantly involving you in conversations and asking you questions.  This does wonders at keeping tantrums away!  Don't get me wrong........we still have tantrums ALL THE TIME.  Like, there are days where you will scream/cry 50% of the whole day.  I have really gotten good with my patience and actually being able to tune some of it out.  I know when it's bad and when it's just for show.  There are days when I am very excited to see Daddy walk through the door so that I can take a shower and have a little break!   I won't lie, it has been a very hard year!  And I'm not even talking about the injury.  I guess it's true what everyone says about 2-3 year olds.  People call it the "terrible twos."  And now they say the 3's are harder than the 2's.  Hmmm, we shall see.  You just like things to be done a certain way and in a certain time frame and if they are not, then it goes down hill fast!  The time frame thing is very typical toddler stuff.  I want, I want, I want!  You will get something in your head and insist on it being done then and not later.  This has been a great lesson about patience.  I almost always can't give you what you want right when you want it because I am busy taking care of Melody too.  I think having a sibling is very important in any child's life.  It is definitely teaching you some important lessons!  Sometimes you can love a new toy TOO much that we will have to take it away until the newness wears off.  This sounds funny but very true.  Instead of you having fun with it and keeping you occupied for hours, it can cause a massive meltdown that will result in time out or a spanking.  We have to be VERY careful about which toys to give you and I always find myself weighing the pros and cons of the toy.  We always have to remind grandparents that she's throwing a fit and flipping out because she LOVES the new toy y'all got her!  Y'all didn't do anything wrong!  So that's how to tell if you chose something perfect for her...........if it causes a MASSIVE MELTDOWN!  You have a love/hate relationship with any little figurine toys.  You love to gather them up and keep them with you at all times but it is sooo easy to lose one of those suckers!  You will constantly be checking in on them and making sure they are all in their place.  If ONE is missing or slightly out of sight, it is over!  This kinda drives my blood pressure up and causes me to have anxiety towards any small toys.

Heart of gold!

We are really into making silly faces.  We have taught you how and you get the biggest kick out of it!  We also use it as a distraction method during your toddler meltdowns.  It works like a charm!  Once you see that face, you snap out of it and we have avoided a time out!  Another thing we do to avoid your meltdowns is to tell you not to smile.  You will be in the middle of a fit and you can't help but to smile and laugh.  Works like a charm every time!

Here we are flying like a Bee (buzzing and all)!  Not sure why we decided it was a bee but it works and we just run all over the house and yard like this with your arms out.  You also like to fly in the kitchen and pretend to eat bananas.  Who knew bees liked bananas?

Hanging in the tree house looking through the telescope.  We are looking for PIRATES if you must know!  See, Dora and Diego are her favorite right now and there is a video where Dora and Diego go on a pirate adventure.  This is BY FAR her favorite video.  Only seen it a million times......close to as many as Nemo.  I don't think any video can touch Nemo.

Oh yeah, and big thanks to Dora as she has taught you Spanish!  You have been saying Spanish words a few months before the injury.  Once you started talking again, they just picked back up where you left off and then you started learning some more.( Dora was the only thing that kept you happy in the hospital for 6 weeks)!  Yes, you know more Spanish than we do!  I remember before the accident I came into your room to get you up from your nap and as soon as I opened the door you said, "VAMINOS Mommy"!  Wow- you are one big sponge!

These fun, mesh things were intended for Melody but you love them just as much!  You prefer the frozen blueberries.  It started to get so out of control I just had to quit giving them to y'all.  I mean you were OBSESSED with these things!  You would bite so hard and just devour those suckers.  A BIG MESS!

Here you are sharing chips with Papa.  You love to feed him.  He will put something in his mouth halfway and you will push the rest in.  You get so excited over this.  OR you just force feed him anything.  You like doing this to all of us and sometimes we just can't eat anymore and have to tell you no thanks:)  You are very polite though......feeding everyone before yourself!

I wanted to post this pic of you feeding yourself- it may not seem like a big deal but it is AMAZING after what you have been through.  Put it this way, right after the accident, we were super excited when we got you to squeeze our finger and now it's as if it never happened!

Oh, the potty........well lets see what I have to say about this.  We bought this cool little potty right after you turned 2 and you were suppose to be trained before Melody arrived.  THEN you got salmonella and my OB told us to be careful with potty training cause salmonella is contagious and she didn't want me getting it while preggo.  Sooo, we didn't go there.  Fast forward a year and we try again.  By the way, we were set up to do the 3 day training system- we hear it works wonders.  So we had to have 3 days straight to devote to this and only this.  When we started a few weeks ago you were recovering from tonsillitis and the antibiotic you were on was known to cause diarrhea.  Well, as luck would have it you got diarrhea the day we started!  So, we delayed again.  Now, we are just doing a more relaxed version of the 3 day plan.  It's working just fine and I just don't feel the need to push.  Let's let you get over your injury first!  And yes, those are Christmas pajamas you are wearing in the middle of July- it is Christmas in July at our house:)  Nah, I just believe in wearing these expensive pj's year round rather than for 1 month!  We can get AT LEAST 3 more months out of them!

This is the night of your "real birthday".  Totsie went to Outback with us and then when we came home we ate chocolate sheet cake.  Mommy and Daddy made that yummy cake the night before just for you.  I knew you had a Dora cake for your party the next day but you needed some cake on your actual birthday too!  Sooo, we had LOTS of cake floatin' around our house for awhile.  You absolutely adored this cake (so do I) and still ask for it! 

Here you are totally excited to eat your cake AND have us sing Happy Birthday!  *We have been practicing singing that song for about a month prior to the b-day.*  We probably sang it 100 times that day!  Anything for the birthday girl!!!

Ready to eat cake!

We worked and worked on those candles.  You kinda blow through your teeth (super cute by the way).  It really works up some spit! 

Look at that face!

FINALLY!  I think it was worth the wait!!!  You had been begging for it ALL day!

Sister wanted in on the action.  It won't be long Melody!  Just a few more weeks!  This little girl would devour some cake if we let her!

We opened a few gifts after cake and ice cream.  You were good and hyped up by that point. 

You loved your Dora Birthday crown!

This was your present from Mommy and Daddy.  We knew you would adore it because our neighbors had something similar.  When you were learning to walk again, this was the only way we could get you to walk down the driveway and cross on over to the neighbors house.  You didn't like to do much walking at the beginning.  It was very hard and you were kinda fearful for awhile.  It was great exercise to go to their house and you would almost forget you were walking because you were so focused on the prize at the end!  Sometimes this would be the most walking you would do in a day!  That didn't last long though- soon enough you took off!

I'll tell you something great about this sand/water table.  It requires NO BATTERIES!  That is wonderful!  You have been so use to things with batteries that anytime something doesn't work right or you have problems with it, you state that "It needs new batteries."  Funny cause we have used this statement MANY times to get us out of sticky situations.  Say if we don't want to play with a certain annoying toy or if we just can't figure something out we will announce it needs new batteries.  Because of the overuse of this phrase, you think EVERYTHING operates on batteries.  Toilets, cellphones, etc.

The Dora cakes!  You LOVED these and we made the mistake of showing them to you the day before.  Yikes!  You wanted them right then and there!  Mrs. Nancy (one of my neighbors growing up in Ruston) makes amazing cakes and made her frog cake last year.  Well, since finding out about the peanut allergy we would never be able to go to any regular bakery and have a cake made (high risk of cross contamination).  So, we were pretty prepared to make her cakes every year.  WELL, I learned that Mrs. Nancy's daughter had the same allergy since she was a baby and therefore has a peanut-free bakery!  Her bakery is out of her very own home and it is such a HUGE weight off of our shoulders to be able to trust this lady as she fully understands the risk.  She is also a nurse!  I am so glad that Addison will be able to experience the fun, cute cakes that a child should be able to.  We will forever be going to Mrs. Nancy!!!  (Did I mention they are delicious)?!

Getting ready for the big Birthday party!  I cant' believe you just turned 3.  Not sure how that is possible.  Your birthday was different this year.  Not bad different, FABULOUS different.  Typically birthdays are just a fun party and cake, presents, ice cream, friends....you know.  This year I saw what a birthday means in a different light.  On July 29th I wasn't too focused on last minute things for the party, or silly to do lists.  I found myself just spending alone time with you and soaking you up.  I was truly praising God for your life and for the miracle that you truly are.  Three little candles might not seem like a lot to some people.  It means THE WORLD to us.  You are here, you are healthy, you are strong and determined and will always be our amazing miracle!!!!!  WE LOVE YOU AND ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!

You loved your Dora and Diego balloons.  They are still standing over 2 weeks later!

Checking out the fire

Totally thrilled everyone is singing to YOU!

Taking a deep breath

Oh my goodness this is good!

See that sparkly paper?  Mommy picked that out in Dallas just for your birthday.  I would be lying if I said I didn't adore it.  It caught my eye as soon as I walked in the shop and I knew immediately it would be used for you birthday.  That's Kirsten helping you open gifts.  She is Mr. Bill and Mrs. Charlotte's grandaughter.  She was just as obsessed with it (so she kept that used paper) and she asked me to get her some when I went back to Dallas.  I was happy to do it- we got her hot pink and blue.  I have never seen her so happy! 

Melody helping a sister out

Here you are swimming with Claire.  Y'all loved going back and forth to the pool and sand table.  Your friends at the party were Catherine, Lilly, Claire, and Baby Sophie.  Y'all were very entertained and had a blast!

Here you are saying "Hi" to the Guinni pigs at Petco.  You still love this place and I still stand by my view- it is a free zoo and maybe around 70 degrees inside. 

Here you are getting your haircut with Mr. Brian.  This was your 3rd haircut and you were so into it.  You still talk about him and can't wait to go back.  We had to wait around 20 minutes but you were ok with that.  You stayed busy watching everyone and listening to me describe what was going on at everyone's station.  I could tell everything I said was being filed away somewhere in that sweet head of yours!  You SERIOUSLY remember everything we say and hear every single word- even when you don't appear to be listening. 

We've gone to the park a few times this Summer and you really enjoy sitting up top by the slides.  I think your favorite thing about this is the little holes in the floor that you love sticking your fingers in. 

Deep thoughts

Here you are in therapy riding a tricycle.  These are assistants who are working with you.  They have learned that you will do anything for a sucker!

That's Ron.  You love when Mr. Ron makes Elmo voices!  He is strangely good at it too!  Here y'all are working on the steps. 

We've been painting with you when Melody naps in the morning.  We try to do it outside since Melody is such a light sleeper!  You LOVE to paint!

TICKLE MONSTER!  This is something Daddy does with you and gets you sooo excited!

This is on your actual birthday.  Totsie came to take care of Melody so you and I could have a Mommy and Addison day.  It was so wonderful.  We went to the park, Starbucks (I promised you your very own), Petco and Chili's with Daddy.  Here you are with Swiper.  Swiper is part of the Dora clan and you LOVE him!  You carried him with you all day on your birthday.  It was precious:)  Y'all are hanging at the park in this pic. 

You were so pumped that you got your own Starbucks!  You always try to drink mine and I figured this would be a nice surprise.  We actually sat inside in one of the cool chairs and just talked and drank our coffee.  Such a fun memory.  You are very serious about your Starbucks! 

Showing the fish some love at Petco!  You also had to show Swiper what they were up to.  I think you favor the regular old goldfish and these black fish.  You always seem to be drawn to them.

This was the first time that they had cats here.  You were thrilled!  You held Swiper up to the cats and they just pawed at him over and over.  You got the biggest kick out of it.  I surely hope you don't want a cat anytime soon- Mommy and Daddy strongly dislike cats.

Eating at Chili's with Daddy.  Right after this, you were laughing and threw your head down and hit the edge of the table.  That made for a huge mark in between your eyes.  It was a nice mark that went away after a few days:(

Dance Party in your Dora dress!

I decided to paint our toes the other day.  It was kinda tricky convincing you to stay still- BUT you will go for anything when you realize we will match later on!  You tell everyone that our toes match and that Mommy painted them AND that they are HOT pink.  Not just pink, HOT pink!  That's my girl:)
Speaking of matching.......you are obsessed with it.  You have such an eye for things that we would never catch and then you will announce the objects that you have found that match each other.  You still love to wear the same shirts as Melody and will always tell us throughout the day that y'all match.