Wise beyond her years (6/24/13)

Heard tonight as we got ready for Baby Tait's 2nd bday dinner:

Mommy to Quinn, holding her purple butterfly purse: "what's in your bag?"

Quinn: "my lipstick." 

Mommy: "are you treating to dinner, too? Got your wallet ?"

Quinn: "mommy, no! I'm just a little kid. I will buy dinner when I'm 4 cuz now we are just little kids." 

So awesome. 

You've also said, "mommy, you are the best ever. " followed by a big hug.  I also loooove when you tell me you love me to the moon & back! And to the sun, too. 

I simply cannot get enough of you. You look so grown up (& silly - see pic) ...

(I also love how Tait hangs on my like a little monkey & sticks his little fingers down my shirt.)

Time is flying & I just want to make it stand still so I can soak up every second.

 ... because look how much you have grown & changed!  I found the photo below searching for the one above taken on Tait's 2nd birthday.

Sniff, sniff, siiiiiigh ....  My fave Jim Croce song comes to mind ... I held you in my arms as a babe & danced with you to this ...

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day till eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do, once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with

If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty, except for the memory of how
They were answered by you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do, once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with

All my love for always! ... To the moon, to the sun, & back !!

Mommy

Quinn in the spring of 2013

• You have your shoes out all the time & always changing throughout the day
• You pretend by making up names & ages of characters/dolls you are playing with
• You gets all fired up with Tait when he doesn't do what you want
• Callsus "fah-zer" & "muh-zer" (father & mother)
• your nickname for me is "mamba tumba"
• You tell me your favorite part of each day is when "you came home, mama".  <3
• you love to shop like Mommy - today at Great Lakes Crossing, you showed a purse you thought I'd like (a punchy coral cross-body small shoulder bag in super soft leather ... it came in electric blue, too! you have great taste!) & when i explained that Daddy would not be happy if i bought another bag, you replied, "we'll just put this in the 'Maybe Pile'."  Ah, that is a Mommy-Shopping-Ism if there ever was one.
• You love to tool around the driveway & neighborhood sidewalks on your tricycle ("try-ka-cill"), so so so proud that you can go fast & get yourself unstuck upon uneven sidewalk squares.  "Look at me, Mommy, look at me!  I'm really doing it!!!"  The pure, genuine, unbridled joy & pride could not be sweeter or bring a bigger smile to my face.
• You can translate what your baby brother is saying if Mommy cannot make it out.
• "Mommy, you are the queen of love, because you love people best of all!"

... And this is just a cute video taken around this time ... =)

 Shoes, shoes, fabulous shoes! 

I love everything about you!

All my love for always,

Mommy 

Kind soul (April 2013)

Q: Mommy do u remember when u were crying?
Daddy didn't want you to cry.
Daddy wants you to be happy.
I want you to be happy too."

It hardly seems possible, but I literally love you more & more every day.  You have a huge heart, the kindest soul, & compassion for miles.

I am so proud of you & so in love with you!

All my love for always,
Mommy

Quotable Quinn @ 3.5YO (April 2013)

Your vocabulary is growing by leaps & bounds & you say the cutest things.  Not only is your vocabulary growing, but your imagination is surpassing that!

Here's a sampling of the adorable things you have said recently ...

At bedtime when LuLu perches at the end of your bed to sleep with you: "Mommy, LuLu's my gal", as you put an arm around her & lay your head on her back.

You love to pretend, whether it is Strawberry Shortcake or Doc McStuffins, you are very creative.  You make yourself & the rest of us the characters.  If it's Strawberry, then BabyTait is Puck (really, the character is Huck like Huckleberry.  But, you think it is Puck & there's really no reason to correct you =).  You always play Strawberry &  you are always 5YO.  If you are playing Doc McStuffins, you also 5.  Then, Tait play Donny, Doc's little brother.  You like to assign a variety of characters for Mommy & Daddy to play.

Daddy is currently hooked on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives on the Food Network.  He had it on tonight.  You were pretending to redecorate your own restaurant with Bitty's tools. When I asked you what your theme was, you replied, "Pink, stickers, & butterflies.  It's hard work!!"

All my love for always,
Mommy

Cute Quotes (March 2013)

"Mommy what are these lumps?" Pointing to my boobs.

Mommy: "They are boobs."

Q: "Why do you have boobs?"

Me: "Because ladies grow boobs when they grow up."

A couple mins later you're just standing there.

Me: Quinn, what are you doing BabyLady?"

Q: "Waiting for my boobs to grow."

Daddy: "let's change the subject."

Q says the cutest things ... (March 2013)

While we were attempting to play "living room bowling", "Mommy, BayTait is bwaking the rules!!!" as Tait knocked down the pins (empty water bottles) before we could even stand them all up.  Repeatedly.

"Mommy BabyTait is taking a gi-gas-tank nap!" (Gigantic =)

"BabyTait & me have different interests. I like dolls & he likes trains."

I love you SO much!
Mommy

Someday (February 2013)

Tonight you kissed my tears as they ran down my cheeks while we read this story. It's a bittersweet & nostalgic story of a mommy & her newborn & the child as she grows. You precious child, you cupped my cheeks in your hands. You'd kissed my tears like I do yours & you wiped my tears away. Then we said prayers & cuddled & talked about your day, as is our custom. I'm so proud to be your mommy. I love every age & stage w go through!

I love you a bushel & a peck, a bushel & a peck, & a hug around the neck! Your great grandma Ryan used to say that to Mommy ... I've been meaning to post about that. You're so sensitive & empathetic. You often tell Mommy that you miss Great Grandma. You never even had the opportunity to meet her because she passed away soon after Mommy & Daddy got engaged in August 2004. You know that she is Guardian Angel to you, me, & Tait. There are many times when I see Great Grandma Ryan shining through you. After all, you are named after her, Quinn Ryan Patterson. She was an amazing person. I love her & miss her.

All my love,
Mommy