Developmental Milestones, Temper Tantrums, and Honey Boo Boo

And we're back... 5 months later from the latest blog. Hey, at least it wasn't 9 months like the previous time span I went without blogging. I have really been impressed lately with some mommies who blog like every other day... literally. Wowzers, there are some super mommas out there!

Okay, so where to begin in catching everyone up? Well, Paysli is now almost 23 months. She is still just about the most amazing thing I get to lay my eyes on every precious day God blesses Tim and I with.

Here is "trouble" with her daddy "Mr.  Trouble". What a pair!

Don't get me wrong, she has had her moments of being "that kid" in the middle of Target or during our brave trips to a restaurant. We even realized she reached a gross motor milestone during one of those tantrums that every parent fears.

Give me a moment to explain... I am a avid subscriber to the website Babycenter, which sends this momma updates every week on developmental milestones I get to worry myself over if Paysli hasn't quite reached yet. A few weeks ago I received an email saying we should expect Paysli to start jumping where both feet come off the floor at the same time (versus the awkward gallop most kiddos start out with for "jump"). I wasn't quite sure if Paysli had reached this milestone yet, but by golly I would be looking for my child to stick a gold medal jump with two feet coming off the ground at one time. This is where I stop and think how God has such an amazing sense of humor... which makes me love Him that much more.
This same day, Tim and I had to get our family of 3 out of the house.  So we decided to take Paysli to a local public library. While at the library Tim wanted to get a library card (my husband has turned into a book worm this Summer). Our family of 3 walked up to the desk to get one and we could see "the look" in Paysli's eyes. You know... that look of you better entertain me in 3.2 seconds before I embarrass you in this very quiet and public place. Tim quickly looked down at anything in his hands, which at that time was his wallet that he just got his driver's license out of, and handed it over to Paysli.
You see this is a perfect example of how men only think about the present, whereas my thought the whole time I watched my well-meaning husband pass over his wallet full of the most valuable documents/cards/etc. over to our 22 month old was "Wow, I am the one that is going to have to get into a wrestling match with my daughter when she begins passing out cash, credit cards, and every other important documents in your wallet to complete strangers! Really?"
Paysli was immediately satisfied with daddy's wallet. I slowly started backing away from the front desk with Paysli as she quickly went for each plastic card she could possibly get her hands on. And then I just went for it. I snatched it, hid it behind my 8 month preggers body, and tried being stern but pleading at the same time that she not lose it on me. Well, my daughter has officially met the developmental milestone of jumping with two feet coming off the ground... and she is actually really good at it. Especially when she is extremely angry and in silent public places such as a library. She pitched an all out fit and in a sick way I just had to stop and think "wow, baby girl you have got that milestone down!". To make this tantrum even more messed up, in the background of Paysli jumping up and down screaming, I see my husband, who is still up at the front desk, turn around and... wait for it, wait for it.... he began laughing at the mess that was happening 25 feet away from him which was in actuality all his fault. I felt my pregnancy hormones surge from my toes to the top of my head. He eventually got his library card (I hope it was worth it!) and came over, grabbed our roaring lion of a child, and walked out the front doors as I waddled behind him.

I think we have to this day laughed about this "family outing" every time we get in the car to try a new adventure. We have definitely learned that in a sick way our favorite memories of our growing family thus far are those that are ugly, dirty, embarrassing, but humble us in the moment and slowly bring us to laughter.

Here is Paysli and her cousin Luke at a 4th of July Celebration. She loves "Guke"!

Here is Paysli stretching at gymnastics

But in all seriousness, Paysli is awesome. No really she is! This summer she has learned to spell her name out loud, count to 12 or 13 (skipping a few numbers here and there but we'll take it), singing to toddler songs (and Darius Rucker's "Wagon Wheel"), dancing to any and every song she hears, and starting gymnastics in the last few weeks. I love her personality. Her eyes are filled with joy daily. She is very much independent, so much so when people try to run to her side to help her when she falls she tells them "I okay!". She isn't a clinger, but needs her mommy and daddy just enough to let us know we are her security. She is adventurous and has little fear but needs someone to laugh at her jokes and to talk to sometimes.

Is it possible to look up to a toddler? I probably shouldn't ask that out loud... what does that say about me? Ha! But, I truly love how she wakes up excited about the day, is passionate about her beliefs (a little too much sometimes), and looks to us for her every need. What naturally comes to her, I pray for on a daily basis; to not ever fear the day ahead but look to my Father for my every physical, emotional, and spiritual need. I pray for that child like faith in Christ and to not be moderate in sharing the word of God but to instead kick and scream (and even jump with two feet off the ground) until every child of God hears His Word and dies to himself to take up His cross.

Here is a glimpse of Paysli's "Big Girl Room".  She loves sleeping in her "Big Girl Bed"!

In other updates within the Matthews' Household, Tim graduated with his master's in educational administration in May. I cannot put into words how proud I am of him! It has been so amazing and such a blessing to watch this man from the time he was 16 to now turn into the husband, father, leader, and provider he is today. I could go on and on about Tim but that's for another blog later down the road.

So ready to meet my Molli Grace!

I am now 9 months pregnant and just have 3 more weeks to go before we are scheduled to meet Molli Grace! I think this is the part that I am supposed to tell you how much I have cherished pregnancy and everything it brings, how I feel beautiful in this growing body, and I have embraced every day of it. Well, I'm just not that girl... at least not at 9 months pregnant (Maybe I should have written about this during my 2nd trimester). The best way I can describe it is I feel like I look like Honey Boo Boo. I miss seeing my toes. I miss my regular non maternity clothes. I want to put on my running shoes and run like Forest did. I want to be able to eat tex-mex without feeling like my esophagus is on fire from heart burn. And most of all I want to hold this precious baby that I have been blessed to carry all these months. I want to know the similarities and differences between her and Paysli. I want to see Paysli's reaction to Molli, and I am ready to go at this new chapter at being a family of 4. Wow, that felt good to vent a bit!


I do want to take a minute to thank all of you that have prayed for Tim and I consistently and diligently over the last few weeks, months, or years in creating our family. We have felt everyone's prayers and will never be able to thank every person that has taken a little bit of their time to pray for us. Both Paysli and Molli were prayed for before they were ever created in my womb by hundreds and what an amazing gift and blessing that is and will always be to them. Continued prayers are appreciated over these next few weeks with Molli's delivery and next few months of us transitioning to a family of four.

Love you all more than you will ever know!

-Kati-