Drop the phone...

I am actually posting pictures! But in my defense, let me explain... Jeremy has been gone for the last 4 months living in Houston, and while he was gone my highest priorities were not focused on taking pictures (sadly) and updating this blog--they were, simply, to keep myself and my children alive and relatively sane. The verdict is still out on how I did, but at least we're breathing, folks. Anyway, now that Jer's home,  people (ahem, my siblings) are starting to expect more of me and literally requiring that I put up some new pictures of their quickly-growing niece. So tonight I took a few pictures (and combined them with a few here and there from the last few months) and here's a little update on what she's into, I mean, up to...

Caroline has become crazified--that's the only word I can use to describe her. It happened to Bennett too, and as soon as it did, life as I knew it was over. How does that happen so fast??? Caroline used to just sit in my lap and stroke my face; she was completely content to gaze lovingly into my eyes or listen to me sing or read to her. Sadly, those days are gone... I am now the exhausted parent of a baby on the GO! As soon as she wakes up, I can hear her jumping up and down in her crib for someone to come get her out and play with her. If I try to bring her in bed with me for snuggle time, she jumps up and tries to crawl (fall!) off the bed. She yells in her high chair if you don't feed her fast enough (although it's a really cute yell :), she's figured out that crawling on all fours will get you where you want to go a LOT faster than crawling on your knees, and she has to be a part of the action. Today in Target she couldn't see where we were going (because she's facing backward, right?), so instead she turned herself around (while she was buckled in, mind you), got up on her knees, and started clapping her hands. Oh heavens, what am I going to do? I am SO not used to this heart-racing pace!

But, what a gift... When Bennett was this age, I was so worried (and so tired!) all the time, not knowing if what he was doing was normal, not feeling like I could ever relax (except when he was asleep), and just maybe a little dissatisfied in general. I admit it. Motherhood wasn't what I thought it was going to be at that point. I just had no idea what I was in for, and Bennett was a rough one to start with. Adorable and precious as all get-out, but rough nonetheless. Then I had Ethan and everything is a blur from then on...

After I resurfaced and we started trying to have another baby, year after unsuccessful year, I started to miss those crazy, hectic, exhausting days, believe it or not. I missed those slobbery wet kisses, those unabashed hugs just because, those squeals of pure joy. I actually ached for them. I found myself wishing that I had a reason to wake up in the middle of the night. The saddest part of all was just the thought that I wasn't going to get a chance to finally enjoy those things. Because I knew that I would if given the chance. I guess I was being taught a lesson... And then we got our sweet Caroline :) She'll be 1 in one month and we can't imagine life without her.

Enjoy!!!

You know she's a true Rich because mealtime is the most important time of the day...

Bath time... I think this girl has taken a bath in every sink and bathtub in the house. 

Wherever she's dirty, we just throw her in! 

All done! Look at those curls... 

It's a squeaky clean runaway baby!

Rich Family Music Hour last Sunday... Notice the tie clipped to the back of Caroline's dress. 

Poor girl doesn't stand a chance, does she???

OK, fast forward to tonight. I tried some pigtails in Caroline's hair today, and by this point they are falling out. But you get the idea.

A good (albeit one-sided) close-up...

"I'm gonna make a run for it!"  

Caroline's favorite breakaway: the stairs

 

"I made it!"

"Oh no, you mean you wanted me to come upstairs so you could 

put my jammies on??? What a ripoff." 

"Now I am downright ticked. Are you seriously going to put this cute face to bed???"

Yes, I am... Phew.

THE END.