I have decided that I am going to blog about the kids over the next few days! Today is Danica's Day. For a project at school Danica needed a baby picture and me to tell her about how she was as a baby. After 3 moves and the kids endlessly getting into the pictures and coloring on them or tearing them and MULTIPLE computer crashes. I came to realize I had no baby pictures of her. OUCH! But what was worse is that time in my life was so hectic I couldn't remember much of her being little. Bigger OUCH! Since we have had Dalton the kids are full of questions about what they were like. I really should learn to like scrap booking. So until then this will have to do. I would like to thank grandma Sharon for saving my behind with the pictures. She sent me a HUGE file and I could not be more grateful.
So here we go. Dear Danica, the day you were born was one of the most exciting days of my life. I was so tired, the night before we drove to Maryland to pick up your grandma Amy and your Uncle Clay, and when we got home your big brother JD knew something was up and refused to go to sleep. I remember sitting in the waiting room and there were 3 other c-sections before us. (they told me to come early and it was who ever got their first would go first, We got there first but they changed their minds) The C-section itself went good, and once they took you out your daddy was right there at your side. You were screaming your head off! You quieted down when they gave you to daddy. and I kept telling him to bring you to me. I knew I wasn't going to be able to hold you but I needed you near me. When daddy brought you over to me, he kind of laid you on my chest so I could kiss you and as soon as you touched me you quit crying. I knew you were mine and I was yours. I also knew how hard it was going to be once we got home. You and JD were 16 months apart....Not as close as you could have been but still close enough to make for a lot of sleepless nights. When we brought you home your brother love you immediately. My friend Brandy came over to give you a cute cute cute new outfit and see you and you were screaming your head off. Big Brother JD came running over and kissed you on the head and kept telling you shh dana, shhh. It was right then and there that I knew you and your brother would be the best of friends and he would always stick up for you. You were our "odd" child. You got on a schedule right away and there was no changing it. You wanted to go to bed at 8 pm and wake up at 8 am. Which would have been nice for most people. But your daddy worked nights and wouldn't get home till 2 am and that was when we were used to going to bed and not get up till noon or later. I think you knew that if you were going to get any alone time with me you had to get up early and get it while everyone was still asleep. I loved that time with you, it didn't matter how tired I was, I loved to hold you and play with you. I remember the first time i put your hair up in a ponytail. it was so cute1 you had barely enough hair for the rubber band but you sat there and giggled. I remember the first time you sat on your own you were so proud of yourself and thought it was SO funny that mommy and daddy were sitting next to you clapping and smiling. I remember the first time you ate "real food" We were having dinner at a friends house and they made mashed potatoes. They kept teasing me because I refused to let you try them. I eventually gave in and gave you some and you gagged! It scared the life right out of me. But what scared me worse was when you reached on my plate to "help yourself" to more. You loved it! It wasn't long till you were a pro with eating and would sit on my lap and help yourself to what ever I was eating. The only catch was you had to be on my lap otherwise you would not eat. When you were a baby we lived in Virginia and we would go to my dads house, it was about a 2 and a half to 3 hour drive and you would scream the whole way unless daddy would hold you foot while he drove. Before I knew it and all too soon you were a walker. Soon you were joining your big brother and getting into EVERYTHING. He was your best friend and you wanted to do everything with him. You two have always tag teamed me. You get into stuff and one would run one way and the other would go the opposite way. Then your daddy got transfered to Hawaii, but first he had to go to school in Washington. While he was there we lived with Grandma Amy and Grandpa Jerry. You loved it, grandma had kitties and puppies and horsies. You loved to go out and help feed the horses and peek in at the chickens on the farm. You were always our social child. Where JD didn't like to go anywhere unless mommy went with him. You loved to go with grandpa places. Soon we were off to Hawaii. You were so good on the plane. we got to Hawaii and had to live in the Lodge. While we were living in the lodge Daddy got deployed. Your mommy was a mess, she didn't have any friends, a car, and was a million miles from all her security. We waited till we had a house and all of our house stuff and then mommy packed you back up and we flew back to Utah and we lived with grandma Amy and Grandpa Jerry. Mommy bought you and JD a trampoline. You guys love to go out and bounce. You also loved to go and pick all grandmas flowers. The day before Daddy got home from deployment we flew back to Hawaii to see him come home. Mommy bought you these very cute shirts that said I love my daddy. And boy did you ever! You were such a daddy's girl. And you had him wrapped around your little finger. We made friends with the people across the street and you loved to go over and play with Landon and Matthew. We used to go to the park and play you loved going down the slide. I remember one day you and JD escaped out the back gate and ran over to the mini mart in your diapers because you wanted a candy. I was so mad, but all I could do was laugh at the two of you running down the street in your diapers. Next came potty training. I wasn't trying to potty train you, I was working with JD and you just kinda picked it up. In fact you did better then JD and caught on a lot quicker then him. Things like that seem to come easier for you then him. After a while the Dummars moved and Mommy had your baby brother Kaden. 
You were NOT happy about him. Daddy told you mommy was having a puppy and you wanted a puppy not a brother. As a matter of fact you walked in looked at him and said "ok I saw him, can we go home now" You eventually gave in and decided he was pretty cool. 6 weeks after mommy had Kaden, daddy had to deploy again. Mommy did much better this time. We stayed in Hawaii the whole time. We went to church and play group and dinner with our friends who's daddies were also deployed. We did everything we could to keep busy and take tons of pictures of things we were doing for daddy. After Daddy got home from deployment it was the summer. We had lots of fun going to the beach and playing with our friends. You loved to play with Julio and Maddi and of course JD. You guys love to ride your bikes on the sidewalk in front of the houses. Then it was a new school year and JD had to start kindergarten. You were mad! Not because you would miss JD, but because you wanted to go and it was fair. JD hated school, he used to cry all the way to school and you would look at me and say "mommy why is JD crying if I could go to school I would be so happy I would be running away from you to get to class." I kept telling you that next year you would be going. But it wasn't good enough, you would spend the whole day home "playing school" with mommy or your dolls if mommy was busy. You loved to help mommy make cookies and anything that involved a spray bottle and a rag. At Christmas time we found out we were having to move to a new house because they were tearing down our house and building new ones. You were so excited we loved the new house, but we were moved away from Nicci, Joey, Maddi, and Nick. That was really hard for us, they had become our best friends, we used to spend all of our time playing outside with them. But we would still go to their new house and play and have bbqs. In March grandpa ED and Grandma Melanie came to visit, it was their yearly thing. You always love that time. You loved having a Grandma and Grandpa to spoil you! Plus it meant we would go to the Hale Koa and spend all day at the pool and beach and go to fancy dinners. Before too long it was summer and you and JD would spend most of your time running around the neighborhood with Tahani,Jayden, Kayla, Kolby, and Koen. We also found out mommy was having another baby and this time you were so excited. You hoped it was a little sister because you already had a little brother. Way too soon the summer ended and it was time for you to start school. You had the BEST teachers anyone could ask for! You LOVED school!!!! I knew that it would be hard on you when we had to move to California later in the year. You made lots of friends and everyday would come home with a huge smile. We made friends with the crossing guard, Shantel and her girls Cai and Col. You loved to stay after school and play with them for the hour while Shantel did her job. Over Christmas grandpa Ed and grandma Melanie came to visit. boy oh boy did you get spoiled. They stayed at the Hilton and they would come pick you up in the morning and take you to the pool and mommy and daddy and Kaden would come later in the day. You had so much fun hanging out at the pool. In January mommy had your baby brother Dalton, you were so sad you didn't get a sister. But you loved him anyway and made me promise you could hold him everyday. Bet you regret that one now huh? You were so proud of him you made mommy take him to school when he was 2 weeks for you valentines day show and tell about something you love. You said "this is my new brother Dalton, and he like to cry a lot" it made the whole class laugh. At the end of March we started another adventure in our lives we were moving to California. You were so scared to get on the plane. But you were very brave and did very good. We have finally gotten you back in school, its only half day and you don't seem to enjoy school as much as you did in Hawaii, but I know soon you will be all caught up with the rest of the class (Hawaii schools are SOOOOO behind) and you will be in first grade and going all day again and you will love school again. I love you Danica and I am so proud to be your mommy. I will write about you again soon, but until then I hope you are glad to know mommy hasn't forgotten everything about you growing up.
All my love, mommy
