The first day of the rest of her life

Today was Shelby's first day of Pre-School. I just realized that this is the first day of the rest of her life! She will be in school for a minimum of 14 years and I can't believe it. She is the most wonderful Shelby in the world.  

Shelby went to summer camp and loved every minute. She was SO happy to be back to school today. She jumped right back in to the swing of things. She did really well and didn't have any accidents. That made me super happy. She only had a handful of accidents at camp but she didn't have a single accident today! yay! 

We recently started showing Shelby signing DVD's called "Signing Time" and she has picked it up SO quick.  I have been absolutely amazed by how much she knows now.  She can sign all the colors of the rainbow, a ton of different animals, different types of food and desserts, manners, school words, etc. She always signs please and thank you, she signs her colors when she is referring to something, if she is hungry she will say and sign hungry, etc. She is signing all the time and will randomly show me a sign i don't even know and sure enough, she is signing it accurately. We were in the backyard just playing and she signing "playing" and "backyard." It was so cute and definitely impressive.  When I want to know a sign and either don't know it or can't remember it, I will ask Shelby and she will show me. :-D Honestly, I couldn't be more proud. :-) 

Photobooth fun with the kids

Daddy and Shelby playing 

Shelby enjoying every minute with Barrett. Forte and Jackson

Shelby's FIRST day of pre-school!!!!

Shelby and Jackson playing

Shelby's first time at the Circus 

She is so cute! She fell asleep with her sunglasses on

Our little Princess

She is so silly and so awesome

Jackson is always doing what he can to terrorize his sister

She loves the carousel

Shelby on her new swing

Shelby and Daddy at the Circus

Shelby patiently waiting her turn to run on the wing

Shelby in her "fort"

Auntie Kelly with Shelby

Cutie pie!

Shelby and Jackson on the rolling slide

Pictures in the photobooth

Shelby and Adina's first day of Pre-School

Shelby, Auntie Kelly and Chase

Playing dress up at school

Shelby and Daddy cuddling

Uncle Jason and Daddy being chased by Shelby

Me and my princess

more dress up play

She's putting up her "fort"

Our sleeping angels

peek-a-boo

silly face

cutie pies

I found this picture of a newborn Shelby with Grammy before she passed away

Summer Camp

Shelby is 3 now...she is potty trained...and now she is in Summer Camp! My baby is growing up so fast! She is so wonderful. She LOVES camp! She's made so many friends and is learning so much. It makes me so happy! She still uses a pacifier (grrr....) but we're working on changing that. Our princess is definitely becoming a sweet young girl. I love you Shelby!

she speaks...in her sleep?

I seriously cannot stop laughing! Our wonderfully brilliant and halarious daughter is in bed with Jackson sound asleep. I went in to check in on them because I heard Shelby talking. I thought she woke up and was talking to Jackson. Nope! She's talking in her sleep. Of course I had to stick around and listen to what she had to say.

First off, let me clue you in to a little game Shelby and I play. I like to tell her all the things I like about her. I'll say things like "you're smart, you're pretty, you're funny, you're lovely, you're awesome." She will then say them back to me. We've had quite a few conversations that go like this: "Shelby, you're awesome," "Mommy, you're awesome," "No...YOU'RE awesome," "No...You're awesome," etc... you get the point. It's fun and I figure that there is so much to be said about telling the people you love how wonderful they are.

Okay, so back to my original story. So the first thing she says in her sleep as I'm standing at the side of the bed listening is "I'm pretty." Then she starts counting..."5, 6, 7, 8, 9." Then she says, "Jackson...I tickle you...no...that's owie...my tangled....jjjjaaaccckkkssssooonnnn...daddy home...i want my bottle...daddy...love you jackson...love you mommy...love you daddy...where's barrett....doggy..." At this point i was starting to laugh a little too much and was afraid of waking her up so I closed the door and decided to let you all in on this amazing fun! :-) That all was said within 2 minutes. It was halarious and wonderful. The sweetest part was when she started talking about Jackson she rolled over and put her arm around him.

She loves to read (well she loves when I read to her but she definitely loves to look at the pictures!)

Swings are her favorite

My and my princess

She is such a brave girl

she loves to sing and i love to take pictures

mail time is her favorite

proof that shelby loves oatmeal on toast :-)

scooter fun at the LG trail

there is no one prettier then this girl right here

Shelby and her friend Amaya

Sleepover at her cousins...Jackson, Shelby, Barrett and Forte

"Ring around the Rosie..."

She's just hanging out...

she slid down the climbing wall like a slide

Life is so wonderful and interesting and our children are all the love and entertainment we need. Geoff and I are so very lucky to have such AWESOME kids!

when did she get so big????

At Costco...looking for trouble

Always giving me Bubble Kisses

The Kids and I at the Arden Mall Carousel

The first snow trip for 2011

The kids with Grandma

our little daredevil

And she sticks the landing!

Attacking Kelly

how can you say "no" to her???

me and my princess

more bubble kisses

we were playing hide and seek and she was counting...1,2,7, ready i come!

shelby and phoenix racing

my princess loves me

they are just too cute! barrett and shelby

i can always make them laugh...and they ALWAYS make me laugh!

shelby giving me love

there is no other ride that gives her as much joy as the carousel

can you tell she loves her soy milk???

hahahaha! they are so awesome when they sleep!

must be having a great dream!

we were loading them all up and testing out the new stroller

show me your teeth!

shelby brings so much happiness, love, curiosity, and just pure fascination to this world. never a dull moment, never a moment that doesn't make me laugh and smile, and never a day i would trade for anything!

she is the best big sister ever and loves her little brother sooooo much! she will hold his hand and make him follow her and play games with her and laugh and tickle each other til someone pees. the best sound in the whole world is the sound of these two kids laughing their heads off!

shelby is finally learning and repeating and saying the abc's and 123's. if you ask her how old she is she will tell you. she can say her own name, recognize most of the alphabet in sign language and say the letters aloud, understand some spanish and french, sing veggietales songs, do somersaults and backbends and splits, smile on cue, the list just keeps going on and on! this kid is so smart and so funny and so loving.

now that i am officially a stay at home mom, i am trying so hard to focus more on the kids. we've been reading more and making forts and playing games and singing songs and watching movies and jumping and running, etc. My biggest challenge right now is consistency and creating a schedule! i really need to focus on a schedule!

anyways, shelby is quickly approaching her 3rd birthday and i am beside myself. where has the time gone???? she is amazing and i am so happy to be here for everyday!