Violet's first birthday {ONE}

I heard myself finally say it this week.  I have a two and a half year old and I also have a ONE year old.  Oh my.  

I had plans for a low key birthday party at the pavilion in our neighborhood, but after a cold halloween night in the wind, we decided to move Violet's party to our house.  A friend let me borrow her bounce house and my dad brought his corn hole set up for me.  I also convinced my dear husband to make a fire pit in the backyard and I made a pumpkin craft station in our living room.  Our home was full with family, friends, and sweet little pumpkin decorators!

I will never forget watching Abigail's frightened face and look of confusion as we all sang Happy Birthday to her.  She looked at all the faces staring back at her and as we blew out her candle, she started to cry.  We couldn't even get her to taste her cake for a few minutes, because she was so upset!  This is the picture I have of my little Abigail crying and reaching for me to save her from all the singing people!  Sweet girl.  Just like her mommy!

Violet, however, is not my shy child.  She is not scared of a room full of people, and she laughed as everyone sang to her.  She loved her cake and I almost didn't get the candle lit before she reached for the icing! 

Dee Dee has perfected her craft at making yummy cakes and cupcakes!  She even made the sweetest shade of purple icing just for Violet!

This is what Violet is doing at ONE: 

* Pushing toys around the house and cruising along the furniture 
* Hasn't found a food she doesn't like... she loves it all!
* She has the cutest little belly laugh
* She can't stay away from the dog bowl
* She learned to crawl up the steps by herself
* She says mommy and daddy
* She learned to drink through a straw
* She is still a mommy's girl...for now anyway!

We had fun celebrating your first birthday Violet!  You are one loved little girl. 

Violet {11 months}

Sometimes I can get the sweetest pictures of Violet for my blog.  She'll sit still and the light will come in the window just right.  Sometimes she looks right at the camera and gives me her best grin.  And then there's this post...

I love Violet's personality.  She is spunky and has a deep laugh that is all her own!  So for her eleven month post,  I thought it would be perfect to show what our little "photo shoots" are really like.  She basically laughs at me as I try to fix her headband AGAIN and stack those stinking blocks AGAIN.  I think she knows whats up and refuses to play along! 

Little stinker.  This is her mischievous look.  Right before she tried to stand up...on the bed and give me a heart attack! 

This is what Violet Anne is doing at 11 months old.  

* Standing up and cruising on all the furniture
* Saying several words.  She loves to say " uh oh" over and over and over!
* Her laugh is amazing 
* She claps her hands when I walk in the room 
* She is down to two naps a day.  Teething and dropping a nap...me no likey. 
* If you whistle, she will scream really loud.  I think she thinks she is whistling back :)
* Favorite foods are still spaghetti, blueberries, and cheese

Still laughing...definitely NOT looking at me for a picture.  After many failed attempts, I called in my special helpers.  We may not have gotten the perfect eleven month photo for my blog, but they sure are the cutest helpers I've ever seen. AND they smiled for my picture!  

I may be typing my next post through big tears because my little girl will be turning one year old.  I love her so much and I can't imagine our family without her.  I got her little birthday onesie and tutu in the mail today.  It's a good thing it was so adorable, because looking at the box made me want to cry on my kitchen floor.  

Violet, you continue to teach me so much.  My favorite memories of you to date are watching you scream and scrunch your nose while you snort.  I love to watch your eyes light up as Abigail sings to you and see you clap for me when I walk in the door.  I also love that you snuggle with me and play with my hair.  I hope I have many more years of that sweet girl.  

Violet {10 months}

Violet is definitely my easy going, adaptable baby.  She can get off schedule, endure chaos, and surprisingly stay cheerful when she misses a nap.  I dare say she may be like her daddy which is a good thing since Abigail and I are so structured and easily thrown off by changes in our daily routines!  

In the last two weeks, Violet cut six new teeth and though she has needed her mommy in the middle of the night, she has been a trooper and barely fussy.  We also took a trip to Memphis packed with play dates, adventures around the city, and dinners with friends.  Slightly sleep deprived and always on the go, my sweet girl continued to smile and look for the next adventure!  

It's hard to believe that I will be planning her first birthday party soon.  This year has gone by so fast and though I want to freeze her right where she is, I am excited to see her personality continue to come out! I have realized in the last few months, that Violet is a hugger.  It is my favorite memory of her at this age and melts my heart every time.  Mike and I will joke with each other that "Violet just needs a hug", because she will occasionally whimper and crawl over to me with a desperate look on her sweet face.  When I pick her up, she wraps an arm around my neck and nestles in by my face.  She will snuggle for a good minute or so and then she is off to play again.  Those are the moments I treasure.

This is what Violet is doing at 10 months.  

* Pulling up to standing 

* Laughing at herself and when she does something amusing 

* Waving and trying to say bye-bye and hi

* hugging

* She has 8 teeth

* Spaghetti, blueberries, and cheese are her favorite foods

* She waves her arms and dances with music 

* She is figuring out how to open and close toys

* She is screaming and trying to project her voice

* She loves any toy that will sing to her

Violet, you are a breath of fresh air and a joyful reminder to slow down in a noisy world and hug the ones you love.  I am so thankful to be your mommy and I adore watching you explore and learn new things.  I have a feeling I will need to keep a close eye on you one day with your adventurous spirit!  I pray that God will continue to lead us and equip us to be the best parents for you that we can be.  I also promise to teach Abigail to stop snatching your toys and throwing princess shoes at your head...

We love you Violet Anne!

Harder Family Vacation {Gulf Shores 2014}

Last week may have been my favorite week of all time.  Mike and I were blessed to travel before we had our girls and I remember thinking that vacations would look a little different once we had a family.  What I didn't understand, was how much joy and laughter would fill my week as I watched Abigail and Violet explore new things at the beach! 

We decided to leave around 3:00 in the morning which I have to tell you is the BEST plan ever with little travelers.  I told Abigail that I was going to come get her in the middle of the night and put her in the car so we could go to the beach.  That morning, I slipped in her room and quietly woke her up. I whispered that we were going to the beach and just like her mommy, she whipped those covers off and got a huge smile on her face!  

The beach is my happy place and watching Abigail's face light up as she explored the ocean and the sand was priceless for me.  Each morning, we started the day down by the ocean finding shells and chasing after the seagulls. She was not afraid of the sand at all this year, but the waves breaking definitely rattled her.  This picture is my favorite and I will always remember her little arms reaching up at me saying "Hold you Mommy, hold you."  I will always hold you sweet girl. 

Violet also enjoyed her time down by the ocean.  We tried to get down to the beach before her morning nap.  While Abigail danced around in the sand and made castles with her daddy, Violet rocked away to the sound of the ocean waves. Praise the good Lord for the beach swing!

So many sights and sounds were new for Violet and watching Abigail learn about stingrays, crabs, jumping fish, dolphins, and sea shells was a joy to watch.  

Mike and I were also super lucky to have his parents join us at the beach! I love that they were able to enjoy the girls and it was a wonderful treat to have time in the mornings to run and a little alone time each day to sit under our umbrellas and stare at the ocean! Thank you Dan and Alice! We love you!

Not only did they spoil Mike and I with date nights and morning runs, but they also hopped around and sang little tunes so that Abigail and Violet would look up for pictures.  That's a job y'all!

I'm pretty sure Abigail had the best week ever.  Every morning we took her down to the beach to play and each afternoon after her nap, we headed down to the pool for what I like to call "jumping hour".  She is getting brave and my sweet husband tossed her around and caught her as she jumped in the water until I think he needed a nap!  Violet loved the kiddie pool.  We had a little ring float that supported her enough that she could walk across the shallow pool and splash the water as she went!  This was epic fun for a nine month old!

We enjoyed a few nights searching for beach treasure in the sand and filling Abigail's bucket with beautiful shells.  I was also surprised at how brave she was with her little flash light looking for sand crabs.  She even tried to help pick a few up which is more than her mommy will do.  I will hold the flashlight...that is all. 

Violet just smiled and tried to follow Abigail on every adventure.  She is trying so hard to pull up and walk and I can see in her sweet face that she just wants to take off and follow her big sister.  Slow down sweet girl!

I think this probably makes twenty plus years of memories in Gulf Shores and this week goes down as my favorite.  Of course I have wonderful memories of my family vacations, girl trips to the beach and my pre-kid years with my sweetheart on this sand, but watching my babies see and do things for the first time is a joy that has been beautiful and unexpected!  See you next year Gulf Shores!

9 Months

Well, it's official!  I have one adorable little explorer.  I hope I enjoyed all the snuggles and kisses because this little one has places to go and things to do. She is very curious and fast! I love how babies figure out the fastest way to scoot along.  This is Violet's go to move.  Left leg up, right knee down, and take off! 

She is also trying hard to communicate with us which can be pretty funny at times.  For instance, she apparently has strong opinions about what she prefers to eat as there are times she will hold her breath and scream until pears magically appear on a spoon!  True story.  This girl loves pears.  Abigail would open her little mouth like a bird and let me feed her anything until she was a toddler, but Miss Violet is not having it!  I have discovered she will NOT eat parsnips or green beans unless you give that baby a few bites of pear.  

Here is what Violet is doing at 9 months old: 

* Trying to pull up on anything near by.  Tears...
* Working on her pincer grasp to eat table foods.  She gets a few things in her mouth and Miller gets a lot of food falling from the high chair.  Everybody wins!
* Favorite foods are pears and spaghetti noodles 
* Figuring out how to get puffs out of her snack cup
* Her Favorite toys are her baby doll and her drum
* She has two teeth!  Abigail only cut her new teeth while family visited us so I'm sure Violet will have more teeth next week since we will be with Mike's parents at the beach.  Oh you just wait!
* She is still the sweetest, happiest, curious little baby
* Her hair looks like it may be darker and straight like her mommy's!

Abigail is being such a good big sister for Violet.  She doesn't exactly have the whole sharing thing down and she seems to push her over at least once a day, but I also see the sweetest moments when she hugs Violet and tells her " Mommy loves you" and " It's okay Violet".  Sweet babies.  My heart is so full!

We are headed to the beach next week with Mike's family and I am so excited for good family time in the sunshine.  I love making memories with these sweet girls!  Here's hoping that Abigail is a fan of the sand and Violet sleeps in her beach swing all day!  

Baby giggles, sunshine, and worship

Last week, Mike and I attended the Acts29 Pastor's Retreat in Miami, Florida.  I am so thankful for the relationships I have been able to make with other pastors wives and I feel that time away with my honey to recharge and be encouraged is vital to lifelong ministry.  This is the book from my welcome packet this year and I'm pretty sure someone has been following me around, because it is absolutely perfect for me in this stage of life! I love the author and her book Glimpses of Grace, Treasuring the Gospel in Your Home really ministered to my heart so I am eager to see what God will teach me through this book!

I also had the joy of hearing Jani Ortlund teach one morning.  Her message was about the desert and how each of us at some point in our Christian lives, will enter a desert season.  She spoke about how God meets us there and sometimes, it is only in the desert that he can draw us closer and shower us with grace.  It is often where he grows our character the most and definitely where he reveals his heart and provision for our lives.  It was such a blessing to me and as I took notes that morning one line stood out to me the most.  

"The desert is the only way out of your Egypt".

I am so thankful that when I am weary and discouraged, my God is there.  He has a plan that I can't always see and when my flesh doubts his goodness and my heart leads me to anxiety, I can be reminded that he is for me.  It is in the desert that he scorches the idols that pull my heart away and shows me that really he is ALL I have.  Grace is beautiful.

The retreat also offered childcare for children under one year old, which means little Violet made the trip too! She was such a good baby and an easy traveler. Where better to celebrate your eight month birthday than in South Beach, right? 

This sweet girl is my little adventure baby.  Here is what she is doing at eight months old. 

* crawling EVERYWHERE and getting faster
* loves to splash and play in the water
* giggles and tries to follow Abigail through the house 
* laughs when you tickle her or kiss her belly 
* trying to stand up in her crib 
* started taking her bath with Abigail at night.  This is probably the highlight of my nights.  Two sweet giggling babies playing and laughing in the tub is precious!

After two refreshing days of worship and teaching, Mike and I got a car and made our way down to Key Largo.  We stopped at a quiet little beach and let our water baby splash around.  Baby giggles and sunshine are just good for my soul, y'all! 

Of course, I married a Colombian so after a quick dip in the ocean, we were off to find a spot to watch the World Cup.  We ended up in Isla Morada at a somewhat hidden treasure known at Morada Bay.  Fabulous. We watched the World Cup with a few locals at a quiet beachside bar.  The food and views were fabulous.  We will definitely be back!

I think we are both feeling rested and excited to see what God will do through us and our church this year.  Sometimes all you need is a break from your daily grind so that you can be still with God and let him love on you. 

Violet {Seven Months}

Oh my word.  I love little baby feet!  I tried to sit Violet on her pretty quilt and take a few pictures, but she was much more interested in trying to eat the grass so I snapped a few pictures of those pretty toes!

Sweet Violet turned seven months old this week.  I'm pretty sure I may have a crawler in the next few weeks which I am not ready for.  She is spending a lot of time rocking in quadruped and has figured out how to sit up from being on her belly.  Watch out world!

This is what Violet is doing at seven months:
*She has two new teeth!
* She LOVES the water.  Bathtub, river, baby pool.  Loves it all!  She splashes and squeals as loud as she can!
* Her favorite foods seem to be sweet potatoes, squash, and pears
* She smiles and squeals at her baby doll 
* Loves to pull my hair
* Loves to pull Abigail's hair
* Sitting up by herself and almost crawling 
* Loves for you to sing to her 
* And...she still looks like Mike

We welcomed summer a few weekends ago with a trip to the pool.  The YMCA has a zero entry baby pool so I sat with Violet in the water and laughed as she splashed and squealed like a pterodactyl!  Abigail played on her belly right in front of Violet most of the day trying to make her laugh and splashing along with her.  It makes my heart smile just thinking of the memories we will make with our two little ladies. 

I'm pretty sure my next post will have a very mobile baby.  This may be the last shot with those fun little blocks.  It took a village to get one good picture! With a doll on my head, Abigail yelling "cheese", and Mike standing close by to make sure Violet didn't roll right onto the floor, team Harder managed to get this picture!  Happy seven months baby Violet!