As I was tucking you in tonight, we were talking about Jesus and how he came to earth to live among us. You are VERY interested in His death and for months now ask to read that story in your Bible every night or at least see the picture of Him on the cross. You study each of His wounds and run your little fingers across His side where they pierced Him with a sword. We talk about the scoffers, and the men that spit on Him. Your little mind needs to know every detail, and when we ask you why he died you answer in a matter of fact tone, "To wash our sins away!"
This month, I have made it a point to read an equal amount of time about His birth before moving on to His death. You are very intrigued by the Angels and the fact that he was born where the animals sleep. Tonight as I was asking you who's birthday it is we celebrate on Christmas, our conversation went like this:
Me: "Who do we celebrate on Christmas?"
You: "Jesus' birthday!"
Me: "Why was Jesus born?"
You: "To save us"
Me: "How did he do that?"
You: "He washed away our sins...Hey, Mom! Just like Tinkerbell!!"
Me: "Huh? What do you mean?"
You: "When Zarina takes away Tinkerbell's talent. She washed it away and took it for herself! Just like that Mom. Like our sins!"
Me: "Yeah, baby. Just like that."
My little love, your heart continues to amaze me. You understand things in such a deep, meaningful way. Wise beyond your years. I pray as you grow your desire to know and understand the fullness and goodness of our Lord and Savior and the meaning of His birth, life, death and resurrection will become real to you in a mighty way. My love for you is so much bigger than I could have ever imagined, and yet somehow HIS love is far greater than even that, my Zaylee girl. Know that!!
You my girl, love anything and everything that involves dressing up and dancing. While we were up in Lake Geneva for Thanksgiving, you and Remington took every opportunity to dance together always pretending to be prince and princess, sometimes both lovely princesses :) It is so fun watching you with your cousins Cohen and Remington, and the fun you three have when you are together. Lately, you have even started pulling Marcel into your play time pretending he is your prince as you dance together around the living room floor. He loves playing along and even brought you your "glass slipper" in hopes you would ask him to dance! I love your imagination and even more that as Marcel gets older you are finding fun ways to play WITH him and are becoming such a sweet, mothering big sister to him.
Paul to Zaylee: "Who's the strongest man in the world?" Z: "MARKY!!!"
Bedtime prayer last night after eating a delicious but tart Lemon Pie ala Marky:
Me: "...and thank you for Uncle Marky and all the blessings he has given us this week," Z: "and for the lemon pie. and I didn't like it." (You wanted chocolate!)
"You're funny Marky!"
While we were on a date and you talked him into letting you out of bed because you were so hungry and he so kindly made you pasta, "Thank you for making me these. They are really good Marky!"
My charming little boy, you are ONE year old and I can hardly even believe it to be true. The days go fast and time moves quickly (this I have come to know well!), but the past year has seemed to fly by in record time. You have seen so much in your first year of life, and although you won't remember any of it I pray your life will always be full of adventure and excitement. You are curious and observant always taking in the things around you while grunting the sweet, "ohh!" with your little pointer finger showing us what it is that has caught your big, almond shaped eye. Seeing the world through your eyes is one of the greatest joys, and I'm so thankful to be the one to watch you learn and explore.
You continue to be all sweetness, smiles and snuggles winning hearts wherever we go! Your eyes light up when anyone acknowledges you as you tuck your chin into your chest while flashing the most tender, too cute for words, irresistibly charming smirk. It is in those moments I nearly burst while exclaiming, "Oh my!! You are TOO cute!!" Truly, your Papa and I say that at LEAST once a day. Even with your extremely sweet, laid back personality you definitely have a fiery side and have started making, arguably, the worst shrieking sound when frustrated or mad that you can't have every little thing your heart desires. We do give in to you far too often, but soon and very soon we will have to start laying down the law as your Papa and I can't handle that sound or attitude much longer. You don't make it easy to be stern though, because of your extreme cuteness.
You continue to find Zaylee to be the very best thing there ever was and follow her where ever she may lead. She is becoming a little mother to you these days, and although you take to her older sister bossiness pretty well, you vocalize when she has crossed the line. You snuggle up to her a lot always planting big wet kisses on her, and always want to be near her. She is your biggest fan when it comes to watching you begin the walking process, always cheering you along and putting her hands out for you to fall in to. You don't seem to be in much of a hurry to master the whole walking thing yet, but that probably has to do with the fact that you can do all the big kid things with great ease at surprisingly fast speeds. This past week you have started taking greater risks letting go of things and walking up to ten steps, but on average closer to five before slowly lowering yourself to the ground and taking off on all fours! Soon enough you will be running laps with Zaylee girl, but for now I am in no hurry of losing your last baby trait before you are fully a toddler.
The other day we were skyping with your Mamie and Papi in France, and as we were saying goodbye you blew them your first kiss! They of course felt honored and loved, and we were so touched by your sweet little gesture of your hand on your mouth as you made a little kiss sound. You have also been saying a few words more regularly and started signing "all done" just yesterday! You share your first official word, hot, with your sister and say it any chance you get. It sounds more like, "hhhaaa!" and is always said with your little pointer finger reaching towards whatever it is that is hot. It is absolutely adorable. "Nah nah" is your way of saying night, night and you have started to sweetly lay your head down while patting me saying it in that sweet, raspy deep voice of yours! Every day it seems like you are learning and discovering so much and it is fun to see you relating to your sister more and more.
You are into EVERYTHING, always making messes and getting into things we never dealt with when your sister was little. You are much more interested in things that are off limits than Zaylee ever has been, and it is keeping us on our toes and taking us by surprise in new ways! We joke that you will be an engineer when you grow up as you have to figure out how everything works, always fidgeting and studying things until you either figure it out yourself or shriek in frustration leading us to help you through it! No matter what you become, I pray you always bring people joy the way you do now my boy!
We Love you little Marcel Gray, and are enjoying ever minute of watching you grow.
Fun Facts:
Sleep: FINALLY sleep a full 12 hours at night, and we are so very very thankful! Two naps most days, but can survive on one if needed.
Food: Your appetite has increased a lot this past month when it comes to actual meals. You have always loved snacking, but with full time nursing being your main preference you didn't have a huge meal time appetite until more recently and are beginning to really NEED it. You prefer to feed yourself and hate peas.
Little things: You fall asleep twisting your hair ever so softly, and still love to play with mine. You have to touch everything with your little finger and then gently pinch it. Every time music comes on you bob your head, and hold a pretty good beat with the music. You love talking on the phone.
Teeth: 6 with two more very close to popping up!
Weight: 19.5 lbs with the tiniest little body and a big, beautiful Tabailloux head :)
We hit up three parks this morning while Marcel took a morning nap in the car. Freezing but oh so fun!
"How is dues, Mom?" or "He doesn't know how it dues!" Dues = how does it work or referring to how someone does something.
"What you said, Mom?" When you didn't hear me, or when you overhear me talking on the phone and you are been nosy :)
"That's funny!!" While belly laughing at the latest thing that makes your all giddy with excitement. It is the best and most joyful thing.
"Oh! I choomed!" In reference to you sneezing and the fact that Mamie and Papa both say "choom!" after you sneeze instead of "bless you".
"Darnit! Oh, it's ok Mom. We can say that one!" When your crayon slipped off the coloring book causing a mark on the table.
"I'm pooping!" Every single time you push the entire time you are pooping (usually a minimum of TEN minutes!) you have to let us know with great enthusiasm.
"It's ok Mom. It's ok!!" In response to me telling you not to do something.
A few sad, but sweet things you have said in the past few days:
After I had to discipline you for being disobedient I asked if you understood what we had talked about and your replied while wiping the tears from your face, "Understood Mom. That was awful!" Indeed it was my love, more awful for me than you to be certain!!
"I don't want a new tooth!" While I was looking at your FOUR big molars popping through after you expressed something was going on with your teeth.
"I want you to stay wiff me, Mom. There's too many people and I have to make a new friend but I don't have one. It makes me feel bad." On our way to Bible study on Wednesday. Broke my heart!
"I don't like my rest today. I saw Mamie but she isn't here!" In response to me asking how you slept over breakfast. You miss her every day.
"I want Grandma! I need Kendrick. Everyone leave me. It makes me sad!" In a moment of pure emotional drama after being told you couldn't have candy because you were talking back to me.
(Pictures from an impromptu drive by visit to the horses with Uncle Marky this afternoon. Being outside does us all good, and Marky just makes everything all the better! You and Marcel both are extremely fond of him.)
The two of you have always loved each other, and have always found the other to be hilarious bringing out the deepest of belly laughs with the simplest acts of silliness, but over the past couple of weeks there has been something sprouting from the roots that bind you two. It is a joy I am not sure I can put into words.
Marcel wants to be near you all the time, always stealing kisses and tackling you with his arms wrapped tightly around your neck as you shriek in both happiness and irritation, "Ah! He dripped on me! I'm soaked." He wants everything you have whether it be your toys or snacks (which you are always willing to share), and gets extremely vocal if you take something that he is playing with and will not stop until it is back in his grasp. Your bed is his favorite place to be, and he wishes so badly to have your beloved teddy bear as his own. He has started to play tricks on you and it might be one of the best parts of our day watching him snag your nuk and bunny and bolt across the floor as fast as he can crawl, looking over his shoulder, and simultaneously holding his breath our of anticipation and giggling in pure joy that you are chasing him. It is wonderful and I love it!
It has never been a secret that Marcel is your biggest fan, but lately it has become more and more apparent just how much you adore him as well. Every time Marcel does something new or exciting you are the first to draw attention to him exclaiming with great pride, "MOM! He's dancing/waving/clapping!! Good job Marcelly!" You love making him laugh, and never grow tired of keeping him entertained while we are in the car, at the store, or while he is squirming in the midst of a diaper change. I am so grateful for your helpful attitude and willingness to assist me when I am in need. You aren't the most affectionate little girl, as far as hugging and doting on others, but you are smitten with your little brother and are very protective of him in your own ways. I have started to find you leaning into him, draping your arm around his little shoulder, and loving on him in new ways. In those tender moments, even if only briefly before gently pushing him away again, I am hit with the realization that I am blessed far more than I could ever deserve. I am your mother. You are my babies. My biggest blessings and greatest gifts.
