Halloween

Dear Briana,

We don't normally do anything for Halloween, but this year we decided to take your sister to enjoy some church festivities. Grandma pitched in to buy her a cute little princess costume, which I can't wait to see her in, so the plan is to dress her up and take her out for a short night of hay rides and games, which she'll most thoroughly enjoy watching other children participating in. She is walking (almost running) now, so she'll at least wear herself out by running around the place. The place we're intending to bring her won't be overcrowded so it'll be perfect for her little legs.

We took her to a pumpkin festival last weekend, where she enjoyed a hay ride and running around to pick out her own perfect little pumpkin. It now sits in our living room on her playmat, where it gets tossed to and fro.

Your sister is getting big and playful. She now dances to music, screams on the top of her lungs when excited, and continuously runs backs and forth across the living room retrieving books for me to read. We read books all day long; she absolutely loves books and words.

Sometimes I can't help but think of you when looking at Avalyn. I wonder how you would have looked at her age and what different activities you would have enjoyed. When I see her so happy and smiley, her own most incredibly unique personality exposed, I so wish I could see you like that. That's when it hurts the most.

Missing you, as always...
Mommy

Things are getting busy

Dear Briana,

Your sister turned one last week and she's taking her first steps! I can't believe I'm going to be chasing her around the house in the next few weeks, once she achieves some more balance on those feet. She is growing cuter by the second and is a lot of fun. Mimi bought her a toy car for her birthday and we took a ride this morning. We went up and down the driveway with Chase in tow. She enjoyed it a bunch.

Her birthday party was a lot of fun. She watched her cousins play and break open the pinata. She ate her first cake (yummy!), which mommy made from scratch. She went for a nice boat ride. She got to see everyone she adores. What a blast!

Daddy is keeping very busy with work, at home and abroad. And now I've decided to do a little bit of school, for the first time in SO long. I am excited but a bit nervous about having enough time for study. I am so busy without school! But it's about time I begin a career for myself, so it starts now.

I can't write all of this without telling you how much I miss you. My heart feels so sad when I think about it. We had such a short time together and the more I watch your sister grow, the more I realize I missed out with you. I wonder how you would be at your sisters age. I am sure you'd be running, possibly climbing trees by now; you were just so advanced for your age and so energetic and full of life. And then I wonder how you'd be at 2.5 years. I live a life of wonder. I can't help it. One day I won't have to wonder anymore.

Until then,
As Always

Love, Mommy