Dear Olivia,

Can I tell you how ironic it is I talked about you walking in my last letter to you on 09-08-14?? So September 9th rolls around. I am sick. Your Dad is sick. We both have the flu, thus we both have to call out of work. Your Dad tells you "Livvy, today is the day to walk. We're all home." I guess you listen to your Dad because you walked! We were all lazing around on the couch watching a show. You were standing holding onto your little green chair. Suddenly your Dad starts saying "Kayla, Kayla!!" I look down and you just start walking. You took 3 steps before you fell down! We exploded into cheers! I couldn't believe it! Your Dad said he just had a feeling you were going to walk! My smart girl! :) It just goes to show you, God really does work in mysterious ways! I didn't think he was going to answer my prayer by giving me the flu, but because I did, and your Dad did, we both called out and were home to witness you walk! I didn't miss your first steps and I am so incredibly grateful! Seeing these little firsts happen mean so much to me! I love you baby girl! Thanks for waiting for us all to be home!

Love,
Mom

P.s. There has been no change on the walking front since that day. You have absolutely refused to even try. I have no idea what's going. Feel free to keep walking! :)

Dear Olivia,

I just realized I never wrote to you about your very first camping experience! Okay Daddy always tells me you went camping with the White side of the family but I don't think sleeping in a cabin counts as camping! This was your very first in a tent camping trip! Let me tell you, I was nervous. Going camping with little kids is never easy. I was especially worried about you falling asleep, and your lack of walking. Both fears turned out to be true. You were so frustrated being in the playpen all the time but quite honestly, I didn't want you crawling on the dirt. There was bugs and sharp rocks and other nature type things! ;) You actually did better than expected at the sleeping part. You threw a fit for about 20 minutes but as soon as I nursed you, you conked straight out!

Camping was fun, and I think you enjoyed it over all. You loved all the food, but that was no surprise. Me and you, we like our food! :) I think the food was probably your favorite part! It was also fun watching you interact with your cousins! Henry was there and so was Gunner! You loved them, sometimes a little too much. At one point you and Gunner were in the playpen together and you started smacking him. He didn't seem to mind and you were laughing, so we let it continue! ;)

You fell asleep on your first hike and it was pretty adorable! I was worried you wouldn't like being in the hiking backpack but you didn't mind at all apparently!

I love you Olivia Beth! I love experiencing all these firsts with you! It's so much fun to watch you explore the world!

Love,
Mom

Dear Olivia,

Your Dad called me at work on August 9th to tell me you did something amazing! You guys, Dad, You, and Bently were having a dance party in the kitchen. Suddenly you were standing there in the middle of the kitchen bouncing up and down on your feet! You got to standing all by yourself with out any help! I was so jealous I missed it! Later that night Grandma Kay Lynn came over and your Dad of course began to brag about your new found skill. Grandma then informed him while we were in the temple for Valerie's wedding (8/8/14) you did it like 3 times! She thought it was something you had done for awhile so she didn't mention it to us! So I guess your Dad and I both missed your first time that you got yourself to standing! ;) I love you beautiful girl! I cannot imagine you walking! I feel like you are getting so old so fast! I can hardly believe it!

I love you with all my heart!

Love,
Mom

Dear Olivia,

We celebrated your last first holiday! The 4th of July! I love the fourth! It's one of my most favorite holidays in the whole entire world! It was a bitter sweet celebrating your last first holiday. I can't believe you'll be one in less than a month. Where did my baby go!?!

Fourth of July was a little rough for you. We stayed up too late the night before and you were a wee bit cranky for the parade. Not horrible, but slightly cranky. Mostly you just crawled around while I kept pulling candy out of your mouth! You did clap and dance to the music. You love music! I loved watching you dance! You were just grinning from ear to ear!

Fireworks were really REALLY rough. You were done. Cranky beyond reason by this point. You really could've used a second nap, but you refused to nap at Aunt Shawna's. We got to the firework spot and you started doing what you normally do when you are overly tired. One second your smiling the next second you are arching your back screaming flailing around. I couldn't wait for the fireworks to start. I was hoping it would distract you. Your Dad and I took our customary lay down and watch the firework stance. We soon realized you didn't want to lay down and you didn't want to sit up. A couple minutes in, I realized if I wanted to see any fireworks, I was left with on option. With no cover available I silently prayed everyone would be too distracted by the fireworks and I nursed you right there in the middle of a huge crowd of people! It worked though. You would nurse and then stop and look up at the fireworks than nurse some more.

Unfortunately I ran dry before the fireworks were done. I was left with no choice but to give up our tradition and move to a lawn chair. Luckily your Dad and Bently joined us so I still got to watch the fireworks with my family. Mid firework show I couldn't help but cry just a little. Not because I was so, but because I was so incredibly happy. There I was celebrating my favorite holiday with my own little family. I felt so incredibly blessed because I am.

I love you so much Olivia Beth! I love celebrating holidays with you! I can't wait to start celebrating all our second holidays together! :)

Love,
Mom

Dear Olivia,

You have been so close to standing. I kept waiting and waiting for you to do it! Well you finally did it! You were just sitting there in the bathtub and you pulled yourself up! To say I was proud was an understatement. I was ecstatic! My little girl is getting so big! Now walking is just around the corner! Okay not really because you haven't done it since. But you did it once so I'm counting on it! I only had my phone so the pictures are blurry and sorry our naked. I didn't tell you to stand up for the first time in the bathtub! ;) Love you Livvy!

Love,

Mom

 

 

Dear Olivia,

For the past couple days your Dad and I keep catching your crawling on all fours. You only do it for about 10 seconds before you lay flat on your tummy and army crawl again, but I think you're getting close! Then twice today you tried to stand up while holding on to something. I wouldn't be surprised if you started doing both those things within the next couple days! It's so exciting to watch you grow and change! You'll be walking before we know it! Ahh!

Love,
Mom

Dear Olivia,

Monday 02/17/2014 you got your first ride on a park swing. Your brother and I hiked over to the park and I was letting him play when it hit me that you've never been on the swing before. Your Dad was on his way so of course we had to wait for him! Once he was there we plopped you down in the swing and gave you a tiny little push. You loved it! You smiled and smiled. And laughed as Bently went "Weee Weee" over and over again!!! I loved watching you so happy! I also loved that it was February and we could be at the park! :) I love watching you experience new things little girl! :) You are adorable!


Love,
Mom

Dear Olivia,

Yesterday, October 11, 2013 you did something incredible. Something amazing! Something I didn't think would happen for a couple more months! You giggled! That's right I got to be home and witness your very first baby giggle! You have to understand how much I stressed about missing your very first giggle. Working 40 hours a week plus is a lot of time to miss that giggle. I had just changed your diaper and started smiling at you and making a weird noise. Low and behold you giggled! I wasn't sure though so I kept at it and it happened again! It was the most incredible little noise I've ever heard! :) I nearly cried with happiness! I got to hear it and I am so grateful for tender mercies! :) The bad thing is your Dad missed it. :( He was so sad! Then when he came home you wouldn't do it again! We got to get you to do it for your Dad! I love you beautiful happy girl! :) Thank you for making my whole week better!
Love,
Mom