21 Months and Growing

We have had more moments lately where we find ourselves saying, "where did our baby go?"  I am getting choked up just typing this.  I broke down at the dinner table the other day just because she said something so cute and grown up and I looked at Davey and made some comment about her growing up so fast and...it was over.  Thank you, pregnancy hormones.  I haven't done a post for awhile just about my Lailey Bug, so it's time.  Especially since what used to be "her blog" will be expanded to make space for the newest Akin and all the pictures and videos that will come henceforth.  

Lailey is delightful.  There's no other way to put it really.  She's hilarious, goofy, sweet, and affectionate.  Of course, don't let me fool you, she is a toddler, and we definitely have our "toddler moments," as I affectionately call them.  Just so no one gets the wrong impression, she throws a good tantrum (occasionally), her word of the day is commonly "No!", she wants what she wants when she wants it, and when she is unable to adequately express her feelings she hits, bites, screams, etc.  Okay.  I feel like I just ratted out my kid.  But this is a blog about life, so there it is.  I will take every "terrible" toddler moment because the terrific ones outweigh the terrible ones by a landslide.

Cuddling with Daddy and Miney (her blanket)

Some of Lailey's Favorite Things (or things that fascinate her) are...

- Miney, or Mineyboo, as it has been called occasionally.  As long as the blanket is crocheted, it's a miney.  Thank goodness, because we have so many beautiful handmade blankets, and she'll take any of them.  One in the bed, one sometimes two to drag around the house, one in my car, one in Davey's car, one at Grammy's house.  I still have several blankets for the next baby that are still new, which is nice.

- the moon, still a top fave

- Books: Llama Llama Red Pajama (Llama Llama Read 'Jama)

Because a Little Bug Went Kachoo ("Achoo")

Barnyard Dance

Narnia Pop-up Book ("Lion book")

- Spiders

- Airplanes.  She can hear them from inside the house and will proclaim "I hear airpane!" well before I would have ever noticed.

- Songs: "ABC's" 

"Itsy Bitsy Spider" ("Bitsy Bider")

"Oh Mister Sun" ("Sun Song")

"Jesus Loves Me" 

"Jesus Loves the Little Children" ("Chewdren")

"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" ("Twintle Dars")

"Frosty the Snowman" ("Fwosty Newman")

"Hot Potato" by The Wiggles, as of yesterday when she requested it many times in the car and then remembered it this morning on the way to church.

"The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music, but she calls the movie "Mia" for Maria. Yes, she can yodel already.  It's adorable.

- Milk and water, she loves both and drinks a ton every day.  There are always two sippy cups floating around wherever she is.

- Mommy.  Yep, I'm still her favorite most of the time.  Although her aversion to Daddy that went on several months ago is over and sometimes she would rather go to him than me.  In fact, last week when I went to pick her up from church nursery, I walked over to where she was playing, crouched down, and held out my arms to greet her.  She grinned, began running...and went right past me toward the door squealing "I see Daddy!"  He wasn't even standing there yet!  She just meant she wanted to see Daddy.  I just laughed.  I told him his day would come.

-

Enjoying "colors" [aka crayons] at her new table and chair set she got from Grandpa for Christmas

When did you get so big?

Funny or unique things about Lailey:
- She gives us "tisses" (kisses) by puckering up her lips and sticking them between the slats of her crib at bedtime.  She has to alternate between Mommy and Daddy.
- She still loves naps and willingly goes to bed most of the time.  We've already had a talk with the new baby about continuing this tradition.  I'm sure there are those of you who don't have good sleepers who are about to stop reading this blog right now.  Sorry!  All I can say is:  BabyWise.  Oh, and Lailey has definitely had phases of resisting naps and bedtime.  It happened about a month and a half ago and lasted 5 days.  We're back on track now.
- Her memory is incredible.  I can tell her something one time, and she'll amaze me days later by repeating it.  I know toddlers are little sponges for information but mine came with extra absorbency built in.
- She sees and notices things in obscure places.  A ball, an apple, Jesus, a moon, a boo-boo.  She might see it on a billboard, or in the case of the boo-boo, a random dude's elbow at the grocery store.  Thank goodness he didn't notice!
- She thinks every person, real or fake, with a white beard is Santa.
- She calls the new baby "Baby Tummy."  Sometimes it's when I ask her "what's this?" while pointing to my stomach, but often spontaneously as well.  She lifts my shirt to see my stomach and touches and occasionally kisses it.  And I'm not even showing yet.

I have some great videos to post but still having problems with my camera and uploading videos.  Have to wait for my tech support husband to fix it.

I will think of more things I'm sure, but I am totally wiped out.  My eyes are barely open.  I exercised today and skipped a nap, so double whammy to the energy supply.

I am so in awe everyday of the gift I've been given in my daughter.  Every hug, every kiss, every song, every giggle, is such a treasure.  Love you, Lailey Bug!

Guess What?

Snowpocalypse 2011

I heard that term the other day and loved it.  You'd think the world was ending here in GA.  Stores were bought out of milk, eggs, and bread.  Schools shut down.  Then everything shut down.  News people are extremely entertained by all this crazy weather.  I said they were entertained, not that the news was entertaining.  I actually saw one dude try to use his mic to broadcast the sound of the icy rain hitting his hood.  And then proceed to use his mic to pick up the sound of him crunching through the snow.  And one news station was saying they had 20,000 + Facebook friends since the blizzard started.  Remind me again how this qualifies as "news?" They did slightly redeem themselves with great stories about people helping travelers stranded in the airports for days by buying tons of groceries and one man giving a mom some money for her and her baby to eat after he heard her story on the news.  It was nice to hear about the ways people actually do help each other out and there are decent folks still around, we just don't often hear about their stories..  I appreciate the positive stories very much since I am not a news watcher for the very reason that it is so rarely about anything good.  Go 11 Alive!  Moving along...

I am going on my 4th snow day home from work tomorrow.  FOURTH!!!  I'm enjoying the time off wearing pajamas, sleeping in, and hanging with my family.  I'm not enjoying the thought of making up those days.  Grrr.  Oh well, every time I think about it, my little munchkin finds another way to make me laugh and once again I'm having a blast.  The dogs have been happily living in the garage (with a heater!) the last few days since their pen is still iced over.  They think they're ready to be back outside but once they're out there for a little while to eat and do their business, they're can't wait to get back in.  Rudy in particular.  They've been very good boys.  Still getting along great.

The result of telling her to smile

Sunday night the snow fell late.  I was woken up several times after that to the sound of icy rain hitting our windows.  I thought, "Man!  That's going to ruin the snow!"  Yes, even half awake I care about the quality of the snow.  I love playing in it!  Well, I was right.  The next morning we were greeted by a white wintery wonderland, but upon walking in the yard discovered that it was ice.  Yes, we slipped and slid all around the yard.  Not hard to do when you're being dragged by Hank.  Still working on training him, but weather and holidays have slowed us up a bit.  Anyway, I was not to be discouraged.  After a good breakfast, I layered Lailey up in clothes like only someone who has lived anywhere north of GA would know how to do.  Then I layered myself up, and before we (I) passed out from heat stroke we headed out into the fluffy crunchy white snow ice.  I didn't know how Lailey would like sliding around, but even if she fell she was so bundled up it was like falling on pillows.  She's her mommy's daughter.  She LOVED it!  I asked her if she wanted to go see Nick and Julie (4 houses down) and she enthusiastically squealed "OTAY!!!  Nit and Chulie's House!!!  OTAY!!!"  After a little visit, we walked back, but she thought we were going back to go in so that was met with some resistance.  I told her she had two choices: walk or be carried, but either way we were going back to get a "sled."  Walking it was, and we were on our way.  I entered the garage to find, much to my happiness, that a boogie board was easily reached.  Thank you, Davey, for recently cleaning the garage.  Off we went again.

How do we sled in Georgia?  That's right.  On a boogie board.  Of course, she loved it.

How to get a good picture...run (aka slide) toward her and pretend I'm going to "get" her.

 We slid down neighbor's driveways which were steeper than ours, I pulled her up and down the street, and she couldn't get enough.  She even learned to lay on her tummy and hold the rope she would be more stable.

"I pull Mommy!  Pullin' Mommy!"

Finally, I had Davey go get a belt to secure her so we could go fast without her toppling backwards, which was my main concern.  It worked like a charm.  And please don't worry.  She was safe.  And we live in a cul-de-sac and almost no one was even driving that day.  I do think about these things.

'Tis The Season

To be late uploading Christmas photos.  Here is a photo recap of all the holiday festivities.

Picking out the perfect tree at the tree farm known as Lowe's

I told her to smell it...so she did.  

We found it!

Davey got his old Pepsi Santa (origin unknown) out of the attic and Lailey fell. in. love.  She carried him around the house while grunting the whole time.  She then kissed and hugged him daily.  Actually, she still does since he hasn't gone back to his place of hibernation yet.  

She didn't actually get it, but I still love the picture.  And the jammies.

Dancing with Santa- apparently pants were optional that day.  Mommy's hat was not.

Visit from "Aunt" Kathryn

CHRISTMAS AT GRAMMY AND GRANDDADDY'S HOUSE

CHRISTMAS WITH SARAH'S SIDE OF THE FAMILY

  3 Girl cousins Sadie, Abby, and Lailey

Cousin Jen

BONFIRE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Amy (sis), Hannah (friend), and me 

The men at the bonfire

Aunt Amy

CHRISTMAS AT GRANDPA JIM'S HOUSE

"You guys got me a BOX???  Yaaaaay!"

Kitchen set!

Uncle Tim and Aunt Amy

The little chef

For our own little Christmas morning, we used our video camera and forgot to take snapshots.  Davey loves watching his old family videos and wants to make sure Lailey has plenty of the same to enjoy someday.

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas and feel truly blessed.

Merry Christmas!

Due to the upcoming holiday festivities, I wanted to make sure to wish everyone a Merry Christmas before I forgot.  Thanks for keeping up with the Akin family.  We hope you know personally the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  It's the best Christmas gift we'll ever receive.

We wish you the best Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Drop me an email sometime if you ever want to comment on the blog but don't want to publicly comment.  I'd love to hear from people who enjoy it.  sarahkakin@gmail.com

Merry Christmas!!!
Love,
Sarah, Davey, Lailey, Rudy and Hank

Holiday Videos

What happens when Daddy feeds Lailey





Lailey's song repertoire is expanding, even if it's just the first lines.  She is singing into the broken antenna of our portable cd player that Davey uses while he works out.  It's her microphone.





The songs, in order of appearance, are
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Jingle Bells
Row Row Row Your Boat
Jesus Loves Me
ABC's

Every Since That Day Back in December...

We stood out in the cold as I remember

And I knew that you were different than anyone before

So I prayed and trusted Jesus even more

Thank you Jesus

For the greatest friend you've ever given me

Thank you Jesus

For my husband and my friend

I will love you 'til the end of time

From "End of Time," music and lyrics by Sarah Akin

9 YEARS AGO this past Wednesday (December 15th) was the day Davey and I officially began our dating relationship that would last four and half years before we got married on May 20, 2006.  9 YEARS. For us, that seems like an eternity.

Thank you, Davey, for being my best friend and sticking with me through the good and not so good times. We've seen some of both, but mostly it's been a wonderful journey.  I really will continue to love you until the end of time.