What a big girl!

We've been talking about being a big girl for quite some time at our house! Catherine Ellis has been warming up to her big girl room for several weeks now, learning about big sisters and little sisters and practicing attributes of being a big girl (not whining, using our words to explain why we are upset or need something, etc.).

Catherine Ellis's room is finally complete - so I'm going to post a few updated pics for those of you that actually care (I realize that's a very small number!):

Final product

You can't read what the frame says, but I wanted to capture it because we had it made by a local artist - it is one of our very favorite (passed down from my mother) songs: you are my sunshine

No room is complete with out a wall monogram - right?

Completed big girl bedding

So this past weekend was the BIG weekend - we moved Catherine Ellis out of the nursery into her big girl room and she has mastered this transition beautifully!! I don't know what we were so worried about! Honestly, I've been the one that hasn't wanted to move her for months - her room has been ready for sleeping for 5-6 weeks now and I've just not had it in my heart to move her. I know that all babies grow up, but it has just happened too fast for this Mama. She is my first-born, my moon, my stars, my world. She is my cuddle bug that I love to rock with at night as we read stories and then turn out the lights and go to sleep. She is forever my baby. Being pregnant and having to move my 2-year-old has been a challenge.

For those of you who know me, you know I have a hard time letting go. I just couldn't imagine not rocking my sweet baby to sleep, not holding her every night. But, I've done it, I've let go and as hard as it is (and bittersweet!) to realize she is no longer a 'baby' - I know she'll always be my baby. I cry every time (seriously, every time) I read the book "Love You Forever." If you're not familiar with it the bottom line is that its a story of an infant growing up and in each stage of his life his mother finds him at night and rocks him and sings "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be." There are no truer words than those - so I want to document this time in my life as I'm letting go of my first-born baby and allowing her to blossom into a beautiful independent toddler - and here is exactly what I want to say:

Catherine Ellis, I'll love you forever, I'll like you always, as long as I'm living my baby you'll be!

My precious child, we adore you to the moon and back - there is not a system of measurement large enough in this world to capture just how much you mean to us. You are the joy of our lives. As we close in on the last few weeks of our time together as a family of three we want you to be able to look back and know how infinite our love for you is! May you always know how much we adore you dear child.

Okay -whew! Had to get that out of my system - thanks pregnancy hormones!! All that to say Catherine Ellis has breezed right into her big girl bed and room and has continued to show her parents that she's ready for her new role in life!

Just look at how happy she is to be a big girl!