The Millers: She's 2...sad...but true

Our sweet baby girl is turning 2 today!!! Yes, you heard me correctly...2. I just cannot believe it. I cannot believe how fast 2 years has flown by. I still remember every single detail of when I got pregnant with her, my pregnancy, her birth, her first day home, the first week home, the first months of her life, all of her "firsts"...everything...as though it was just yesterday. On July 7th, 2008 at 8:11am, when that sweet baby girl (after 3 hours...but it was all worth it) came into our lives, I never thought I could love her more (sniff sniff) but I do (sniff sniff). The tears are not because of the reasons you may think. Sure, there is a part of me that is a little sad to see her get bigger but I also am so excited about that so that's not the reason. The reason is because I am immensely proud of Ansley. In her short 2 years of life, she has been through a lot. She was premature, and her first day of life, she was not held like most babies are. She was placed in an incubator and could not be touched, held, or loved on for 24 hours. She was 4 pounds 15 ounces when we brought her home, which could have been hard, but she did pretty darn good. Her daddy was gone traveling for work 5 days out of the week for the first 2 months of her life. Although she was a baby, babies need their parents around, but she got through that like champ. She then had to go through moving out of her home and moving all the way to Florida into another home. During our time in Florida, she must have been on 8 or 9 airplanes...and this is all before she turned 10 months old. She had to make new friends and adjust to a new area. Now, I realize that it's not like she was 18 and had lived in the same house forever and had to leave all of her friends, but babies need consistency, and she didn't have that at all. We were dragging her everywhere. We were building a house and every time we had an appointment for anything...she had to come with us. We had no family and were just meeting friends so that was hard to. Once life was starting to get normal and she had a group of little friends, that comes crashing down when we had to move again due to some very difficult circumstances. So, she goes through yet another move and back to Memphis, but not to her original home, but into another temporary house. Then things start to get a little normal and then boom!...her world is turned upside down AGAIN. Her little brother enters the world when she is just 1 year old. Not only is she trying to adjust to things that every 1 year old has to (such as: getting off the bottle, eating "real" foods, etc) but she also has to adjust to this new little man in her life. Now, I realize there are so many kids that face far worse situations than what I have just described and I am so thankful that Ansley is healthy...but with that being said...for a healthy 2 year old...she has been through a lot in her short 2 years. Through all of this...she has been a dream. She has adjusted every single time, she has been a loving, sweet little girl and I am just so thankful to her for that. I can honestly say that with everything that we have had to go through and put her through...she has truly been an angel. I know that I am her mommy but she is SUCH a joy in our lives and my heart is FULL of love for her...more than I could ever put into words. She is an amazing, beautiful, joyful, smart, funny, witty, happy, loving, sweet (I could go on and on and on and on) little girl and we love you so much Ansley...so very much. Happy birthday baby girl and always know how much love we have for you.

Her first time in her "big girl" car seat

With her favorite guy...Daddy

Her first day at the zoo with Mommy

I haven't been walking long...but I'm getting good

My favorite snack...goldfish!

My first sip of beer...thanks Daddy

I have a new found love for exercise

The real stuff tastes way better than that baby food

I'm a big sissy to my little brother Ty

...and I'm not quite sure what I think about that

One of my very favorite things...

...being outside...

...and it makes me so very, very...

...happy!

I'm getting good about walking in this grass

I LOVE my Daddy...he gives me rides way up here

Yeah...I'm not sure how I got these blonde locks either

My first bubble bath with Daddy

Trying to pick four leaf clovers...good luck with that

I have about 11 teeth right now...cheese!

I love getting into small spaces

I love taking pics with my Daddy...

...and by myself too!

Yes, it's the same costume...Daddy wanted me to be a spider again

I've been going to "school" and I love it

Yep...I still love goldfish

I love my buddies Archie and Parker

Okay Mama...what's next?

I LOVE a box!

I love high spaces...like my little shelf in my closet

I'm bringing back the 80's

My first pair of snow boots, but if I know my Mama, it's not my last

...oops...did I say that out loud!?!?

The holidays are coming...

Baby got back...yeah right!

Waiting patiently for Daddy to get home...hurry, hurry, hurry!

I love being outside...even when it's cold

If you haven't noticed...I love a snack

She's just beautiful...takes after her Daddy

Pushing her baby around in her shopping cart

Okay boys...what can I make you for lunch?

It's hard to believe how small she is with how much she eats

She REALLY loves small spaces

She also loves her elliptical machine...aka...playground

Mama, you crack me up! You have to be the funniest person I know!

On our way to "school"

Baking something delicious for Daddy in my kitchen

Daddy, I love you but this chic is hungry

A special trip to the zoo with Nanny & Pappy

No one loves their Daddy as much as I do

I love to multitask...playing and eating at the same time

That smile can turn any frown upside down

Sometimes she is so...focused...

I love Veggie Sticks!!!

It might be big but I love a swing...I don't discriminate

I love going to church...come on Mama!

My first pigtails

I love to draw at my table

The first cake I made for Daddy...by myself...well kind of

And he loved every bite

Another one of my favorite things...a slide

...and I love a chair too...

...and definitely sunglasses!

Posing for her Daddy outside on her swing

She loves her Daddy...

...but loves her Mama too

Precious...I want to kiss those lips!

I love to climb anything and anywhere

I also love any accessories

Going for a stroll outside

My all time favorite thing to do...swimming

Let's take this pic so I can get in that water

I am a water baby...this is the life

I also love my baby dolls

It's hard to be so cute when you have had fever for 5 days...ugh!

Give me a slide and I am all smiles

Bikini...check, sunglasses...check, floatie...check

Okay...I'm ready...let's blow this pop stand!

Ansley loves her little "Ty Ty". When he first came home, I think that she really didn't even notice. She was only 1 but she really didn't mess with him even though he laid on the couch right by her all day. She went through a phase where she didn't want a whole lot to do with him but that quickly changed. She started wanting to help me out with him and was very interested. Even so, she wanted to do things on her own time which was completely okay with us. We were just so glad that she was acting like normal and not being mean or ugly towards him. As time has gone on, she has really grown to love him. She started bringing me his diapers, throwing his dirty diapers away, feeding him his bottles, feeding him snacks, playing with him, hugging him, kissing him...loving him. It's just so sweet to see her be a good big sister. Now, there are times when Ty just wants to be around his sissy and she isn't feeling like it...and she has her moments...but that's okay. Those moments are going to happen. Overall, though, she is really good with him and is gets better and better the bigger he gets. She loves him so much that she has her own little name for him..."Ty Ty" and it's super sweet.

Ansley visiting Ty in the hospital