Vianney's 2nd Birthday

To my Lovely.
To my Vianney.
You are still my baby. You still have retained your baby chub so you still seem small to me.
You. Where do I start with you? We found out we were expecting you a month after I lost our baby, Margaret to miscarriage. We were thrilled. I had a great pregnancy with you and was convinced you were a boy and so was everyone else. With your pregnancy, I remember knowing and convincing myself you were twins. I had never done that with other babies so I knew this was true! I remember asking the ultrasound tech. to keep looking because I KNEW there was another baby. We didn't know if you were a boy or girl.

Immediate love.

When I was pregnant with Dominic, we had your name picked out for a girl. We forgot about your name for several babies. One day about half way through your pregnancy, I remember it. Your full name is Vianney Jean-Marie after St. John Vianney.
Going home from the hospital.


We always laughed at this picture of Zellie. She was thinking that this was nice and all, but when is the time you give that baby back.
One of my favorite things in the world=fat babies. I crave them. I obsess over them. I covet them. You were my fattest! I love to squeeze. You weighed 8lbs. 7 oz.


You came a whole week early. I think I am still shocked. I remember going to my weekly OB appointment and telling the doctor my contractions were 1-2 minutes a part. I was also 5 cm dilated. He said, "Lindsay, you are in labor. You need to go to the hospital." I kept saying that I can't be in labor, I'm not due until next week. I had never gone early.
You were born 4 hours later. When I heard the words "It's a Girl!", I couldn't believe it. I spent the first whole day of your life saying, "I can't believe I had a girl. I can't believe I had a baby." You were my biggest baby by a whole pound. It was a great day full of surprises.

At your Baptism, Msgr. Nemec asked if we knew the Pope had declared this the "Year of the Priest" naming St. John Vianney its patron. We didn't know that! It was crazy. God's perfect timing. Funny to think that I had had other girls, but hadn't used the name until my fifth baby and then the Pope declared the same year "The Year of the Priest." Perfect.
This is your Great-Grandpa Hart. He was one of a kind. A true saint on this earth. He got so excited about every grandchild and great-grandchild. Your cousin, William was born the same day in the same hospital. Your father looked down the hall only to see his uncle in the hall with his wife. It was a great day! Later that day, we also found out our friends the Clark's were at the hospital also having their baby Louis! So fun.
This is me with you and my cousin and sister-in-law Emily with her baby Aileen. She and I are 16 days apart in age. We grew up together. She married John's brother, Matt and we had our babies 16 days apart. Wonderful. I am holding you and my cousin/niece.

You went through a crazy tripod stage. Constant tripods all over the house. I remember looking under your legs to make you laugh.

Starting to stand.

We love this picture. We say that you know you are cute and are so sick of the constant attention.






























I started blogging when you turned seven months old so the above pictures captures moments before then.
I took this picture today of you and your new friend. sigh. Stay small forever.



You are definately talking more and more everyday. Today at breakfast we heard, "Amer-ki-ca, Amer-ki-ca God shed his grace thee..." You scold "Dom-bin-ic for this or that."

Excuse your runny nose, but I had to capture "your cigar." Your "fire" (pacifier) moves with you like it is a part of you. You talk with it. Sing with it. Everything.

You've got Lego fever.

My mom just told me that I've always loved hair so it is fitting that God gave me a bunch of girls with a bunch of hair. Yours though is up there on my favorites. Blond. Wavy. Cute.

We have a candy jar that your siblings pick from everytime they finish a book. Rose was the designated reader this day, but true to herself she shared with everyone.
Your personality is easy and sweet. You just follow me around most of the day like a little shadow. You would love if we sat and read all day. I have to clear the couches several times a day due to your books.

You are going through the "lining-up" phase. You line anything/everything up and want to show me all day.

I love this picture of you and Lillie looking at each other.

Your nicknames are vast. Irene, Holdren, Holdy, Chubby, etc., etc. The kids call this "An Irene Hug." You are a hugger by nature so you willingly appease every request for an Irene Hug.


My girls wear dresses 99.9% of the time so to see somebody in jeans was a great treat.


Where will you go Vianney? Where will your little legs take you?

Vianney, my love for you is deep. You are such a good little girl. I read today something that I want to say to my children everyday.
"You are a child of God. A child of the Most High King and HE thinks you are great!"
You are the apple of our eyes. Your father and I look at each other 100 times a day to make sure each other caught the cute things that you do. Thank you for existing. Thank you for being lovely and agreeable. I told your father the other day that I love how you just do as your are told. You wake up. If we get in the car, you get in the car. You don't know where we are going, you just go. If we lay you down for a nap, you lay down. If we eat dinner, you crawl up into your little chair and eat. I love, LOVE to watch you eat. I love the evolution of spoon/fork to mouth. Precious. I watch it. I really do. I felt often this past year that I have had two babies. I have enjoyed you so very much. Thank you for being my little girl. I couldn't love you more.

This was the cake for your 1st Birthday! We celebrated today by going to the Big Zoo in Omaha and to the IMAX. It was a perfect day!