17 Months Old-February 9, 2013

Wow!  You have had a very "growing" month!  You completely amaze your Daddy and I and others that see and know you.  You know WAY more than we thought you would at this age and we are so proud of all you have learned! 

17 Month Stats:

• You are talking so much more and know so many more words.  I originally thought you knew around 50 words but when I added them up and wrote them down, you are saying almost 150 words!  WOW is all I can say! 
• Here is your word list
• Dog
• Cat or kitty cat
• You are CLIMBING ON EVERYTHING!!!  And I mean everything!  I come around the corner and you are standing on the kitchen table, climbing from the chair to the couch....this drives Mommy crazy but you just won't stop!
• You know your sounds for cat, dog, bird, camel, sheep, and chicken.  We are working on a horse and pig.  You know what a horse and pig look like, but you won't make their sounds or say them for anything. 
• You love sliding down your slide in the den.
• You love playing in your playhouse.  I find you just sitting in the corner or playing with the doorbell, saying "Ding-dong."
• You love getting mail in your mailbox of your doll house.
• You love to stack blocks and tear them apart immediately.
• You love your bathtime still!
• You love having your teeth and hair brushed.
• You love helping Mommy unload the dishwasher.
• You like to be outside and swing and slide and play in the yard with Mommy and Daddy.
• You get up around 8:00, eat breakfast, we read, you play.  You watch a little Seasame Street at 10 and have a little "nack."  At 11 we watch Price is Right and you play more.  We usually go outside if it's pretty around this time as well. We have lunch around 12:30 and you are down for a nap by 1:30.  You sleep around 2-2 1/2 hours during naptime.  You'll sleep the first hour by yourself and then you wake up, call for me if I'm not in there and want me to lay down with you the rest of the time.  If I don't nap, I usually read while you sleep. 
• You play with all your toys on a weekly basis.  I divide your stuff out by days during the week so there's not too much all at once. 
• You love helping Mommy fold clothes...or rather, unfold them after I have them neatly folded. 
• You still love going and pulling out my sock and undie drawer and wearing my undies around the house.  Silly girl!
• You love laughing and being tickled.
• You adore Lulu and Elsa, although we have to keep them up because you like to hit them and we just don't trust that!
• You can put together ANY chunky puzzle there is with no help.  Simply amazes me! You match the pictures up like there's no tomorrow and you are done. 
• You love helping Mommy put on her makeup and pulling out and pretending that you are putting on make-up as well.
• You will eat anything we put in front of you....anything!  The only foods we really haven't tried so far are shrimp and peanut butter, or nuts in general.  We'll get there, I just don't want you to have them until you can talk better.

We are having so much fun being your Mommy and Daddy.  We love taking you places and people commenting on you.  You are such a go with the flow girl, even though you are on a schedule when we are at home.  You eat up attention when we are out and about.  Everyone just adores you. 

We went to Hilton Head this month with Daddy for a meeting.  You LOVED the beach.  It was warm and we were able to play on the sand for most of the day!  You LOVED it.  You loved the beach last summer so I was hoping you would continue...and you did!  I can't wait until this summer.  We have plans to be at the beach every Friday since Daddy is off on Fridays!  And we may have to go one other day a week as well! Both your Daddy and I love the beach and we are so glad you do too!

We also made a trip to Walhalla for another meeting Daddy had and for Cak's birthday.  We had a great time visiting and celebrating!  We always love going "home" because we get spoiled and pampered while there....well, I used to get spoiled and pampered, but now, everyone flocks to you, but that's okay!

We ended January with a belated Christmas dinner with the Bellamy side of the family.  Some were sick the week after Christmas when it was scheduled so it got postponed.  We enjoyed having everyone at our house.

We can't wait to see what all you will learn and do this next month!  We are going to begin working on shapes and colors, so we'll see how well you pick up!  And...we are starting potty training!  Here's to being diaper free sooner rather than later!

Love you Princess to the moon and back and all the stars in between!

Mommy and Daddy

16 Months Old-January 9, 2013

We have had a busy busy month!  This past month, we celebrated Jesus' birth and your 2nd Christmas!!  You were in awe of the decorations.  You would just stand at the tree and look at the ornaments and just touch them...sometimes yanking them off.  You were so sweet walking up to the tree and saying "twee."  You're going to love Christmas as much as I do, I'll make sure of that!  I was hesitant to set my dining room table with my china this year but you didn't touch it at all!  You have learned very quickly not to mess with Mommy's decorations.  They are some of my prized possessions.  You managed to endure another all day Christmas shopping trip.  Your Daddy and I have made it a tradition to do all our shopping in one day.  This year was no different.  You did so well last year and we weren't quite sure what to think this year with you mobile, but you did wonderful!  Your Daddy even got you out of the stroller at Belk.  He quickly realized that was a big mistake.  I told him not to, but he thought you would stand right there and after running through the clothes racks to get you, lets just say, you were back in the stroller quickly. 

We intend to instill in you the true meaning of Christmas, but I must admit, seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child is so heartwarming.  Last year you were way too young to open any presents, etc, but this year, you quickly realized that the paper pulls out of the bag and rips off the presents very quickly.  And you realized there are prizes inside of the bag and boxes!  You didn't play with anything for an extended period of time.  You might have briefly touched the present and then you were on to a new one.  You were very overwhelmed to say the least!

We enjoyed a full week before Christmas with Mommy's side of the family.  We flip years that we are in Walhalla.  This year, it was the week before.  This gives us time to see everyone and spend lots of quality time with everyone.  You do so well when we travel there, thank goodness!  While it is hard at times living so far away from my family, the moments and time we share together are very well worth it.  And I will mention that you were a little spoiled with gifts this year.  You didn't know what way to turn. Too cute and it is all mostly stuff you will grow in to learn to play with!

We came home on Christmas Eve morning.  We are going to try to start spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at our house for you to have Santa at home and then if we need to travel afterwards or before like we did this year we can.  PawPaw and Cak came back from Walhalla with us.  We want your Grandparents to be here with us on Christmas morning.

We spent Christmas Eve at your Nanna and Papas house.  We had a yummy dinner and opened presents with them and your Aunt Kati.  Needless to say, you were spoiled again!  You got a little rocking horse, clothes, books and toys! 

We came home on Christmas Eve, took a bath and got ready for Santa.  I had to wait to set out Santas cookies and milk after you were in bed because you kept wanting to eat them!  Miss piggy!

Christmast morning was a BLAST!!!!! We got up and Daddy, Myself and you opened our presents just the 3 of us.  Then, when Cak and PawPaw got up and Nanna and Papa got there you got your Christmas from Santa!  Normally we won't make you wait for everyone to be there because you will be too excited, but this year we did because you still don't know any better!  When you walked out of our bedroom door into the den....you were so excited.  You ran straight to your new playhouse!  Then you found your other items under the tree.  You got a little piano/keyboard, doll stroller, books, a few clothes, a little stuffed deer, and a few puzzles.  You were again overwhelmed with everything and couldn't decide what way to turn!  So worth every minute!  Seeing your excitement is worth more than any present I could ever get on Christmas.  I can't wait to see that excitement as you get older and begin to "anticipate" Santa! 

We had breakfast, played and then went to Great-Grandma Pauline's for lunch.  After lunch we came home and took naps.  Woke up, and played some more!  You got your last present of the day when the rain quite.  Nanna, Papa, Mommy, Daddy, Cak and PawPaw all went in together and had another section of your swingset added on!  You now have a little play house, a slide, and a sandbox.  You LOVED it!! 

One of my favorite moments of Christmas this year was seeing you play with your manger scene.  Your Great-Gran bought you the Little People manger scene last year and you fell in love with it this year.  You can baa like a sheep, spit like a camel and my favorite, you learned to say "Jejus!"  If we asked you to bring us Jesus, you'd walk right to the manger scene and bring him to us.  SOOO CUTE!

Other things you learned this month:

• You can now say "deer" and point to a deer.
• You can say PawPaw
• You can say Cak
• You can say Nanna
• You can say Papa
• You can lift your shirt and find your belly, as well as anyone else that's around.
• You can say Jejus
• You love just about anything we give you to eat.  The only thing still so far that you aren't fond of is mashed potatoes. You will eat them, just don't prefer them.
• You said your first 2 words put together.  "Shoes On."  You are obsessed with shoes and having them on your feet.  I have no clue where this came from because I don't like to wear shoes unless I have to, and definitely not around the house. 
• You still sleep with Daddy and I and I LOVE IT!  I love waking up to you in the mornings and snuggling with you at night.  The only part that drives me nuts is you like to pull and rub my hair....and pull my hair until it hurts.  You do this as you are going to sleep and sometimes in the middle of the night.  This will be the next thing we bgin working on is breaking you of my hair. 
• You love to be outside.  You cry when we come back inside.  Thrills my heart.  We don't intend to raise you to like the TV and electronics but prefer to do alternative things instead. 
• You know sounds of a sheep, puppy, duck, and bird.  You can point to the others but can't say them yet. 
• You can say pink and yellow and purple.
• You can say bubbles.
• You love bathtime still!  You would play in there all night if we would let you!
• You built your first tower with blocks by yourself.  You stacked all 12 blocks together on your own.  I was amazed because they are not the chunky blocks.
• One of your new favorite toys is your doctors kit.  You love walking around giving shots and checking peoples hearts.  You say "ba boom."  Too cute!
• You love playing with all toys from Christmas.  I give you a new basket of toys every day.
• You LOVE to read.  You bring me books all day from the time your feet hit the floor and say "re re." 
• You have begun liking to watch Sesame Street.  You'll watch about 10 minutes straight and then you just check the TV occassionally to see what's going on. 

We love watching you grow and learn.  You amaze us at all you do know and learn every day.  We adore you, cannot imagine life without you.  You are the apple of our eye, our reason to get up and live each day.

We love you our princess!
Mommy and Daddy

15 Months Old-Sunday, December 9, 2012

You are officially 15 months old today!  Time surely needs to slow down just a little.  You have grown so much this last month developmentally to me.  You continue to amaze your Daddy and I at things you understand, can say, and do.   We took you to sit in Santas lap today.  We started out at Bass Pro Shops for a free photo just to see how you would do.  You walked to within 3 feet of him, stopped and wanted to turn around, but I picked you up and put you in Santas lap.  You gave a quick glance to him and turned to the camera.  No smiles, no nothing.  You sat as still as you could....like you were scared to death to move.  We then went to the mall a few hours later and thought you may do better...not so much.  You sat as still as possible, again no smiles.  Oh well, at least you didn't smile.  And don't worry, You've been a good girl this year, so I'm sure Santa is going to show up.  Last year we went shopping on your December 3 month birthday, and again this year we did the same.  I think that will be our new tradition to go on a family outing to finish our Christmas shopping on December 9 every year.  We had a very enjoyable family day!

You are EVERYWHERE.  You like to cuddle when you first wake up for about 20-30 minutes while you drink a glass of milk.  Then, you want down and the moving begins.  You are in to everything.  You touch everything in the house at least once on any given day.  You travel from room to room as if you have no fear of going anywhere alone.  I constantly have to chase you down to watch you because you are a sneaky little princess!  Your newest adventure is climbing.  Oh my...tears my nerves up.  You have learned that you can climb into one of the shorter chairs in the den and then onto the couch.  You now like to jump and run around on the couch and think it is a game to do so.  You just laugh.  It's cute as long as we are standing there.  I'll pat the cushion for you to sit down, and you'll bend over, pat it and start running again. 

You can now say MOMMY! and DADDY!  For the longest it was Mama and Dada, which was fine, we LOVED it, but it has now developed into the actual MOMMY and DADDY....and WE LOVE THAT MORE!  I didn't want to be Mom or Mama...I wanted you to call us Mommy and Daddy and you do!!!!  It's so sweet!  You'll come up to us and say, Mommy or Daddy and it just melts our hearts.  You can also say "Ba" for sheep and although we call your paci a Doodle Bug you call it a "ba" as well.  We think you are trying to say "bug" and it just comes out "ba."  Regardless, when we refer to it as a Doodlebug you know exactly what we are talking about and reply "ba" in return.  You can say purple, Ali, shoe (which is probably your favorite word), no no, uh oh, pea, tee tee, puppy, water, "ring ring" for the phone, "re re" for read, "teet teet" for a bird, deer which usually comes out dea, and you can say Jesus.  ADORABLE!  Of course, if you are in a mood not to say any one of these words at any given time, you don't.  You are stubborn and if we try to get you to say one of them in front of people, sometimes you like to make us out to be fibbers and you will hold your tongue.  Silly girl!

You still sleep with us at night.  We get some funny looks from people about this, but we love it and it doesn't bother us.  You go to bed between 8:30 and 9, wake up around 8-8:30, which is between 11-12 hours of sleep for you and at least 9-10 hours of sleep for us, so we don't mind you being in the bed with us one bit!  The way we see it, one day you will not want to sleep and cuddle with us, so we are soaking up all we can now. 

You still take one nap a day. I have started putting you to bed between 1 and 1:30 now so you are up around 4 and go to bed early.  If you sleep much past 4, you tend to want to be awake until 10 or later and that's not an option...unless it's a special occassion! 

You love to be outside to run and play.  You are all over the yard. 

Your favorite books right now are Go Dog Go, and several of your Christmas books.  You LOVE to read.  In fact, we spend 3/4 of our day reading.  You come up with a book, say "re re" and we read.  I love the fact that you like to read and hope that continues. 

You are amazed at all the trees and lights.  When we turn on the trees each night, your eyes just light up and you smile so big.  Everyone told me last year there is no way I'd have 7 trees this year and have all my decorations up...well, I"ve proved them all wrong.  Everything I normally put out is out....even the china set on the dining room table.  YOU HAVE DONE GREAT with everything.  You take an ornament off the tree here and there but nothing major.  The only decoration you haven't done so great with are the presents.  You think you can unwrap them the second I put them under the tree.  I tried for over a week to work with you on this, but didn't succeed so the presents are now piled on the guest room bed. 

You love to pull open drawers and play in them.  Your favorite is my underwear drawer.  You can open it by yourself and will walk out of our room with bras and undies around your neck.  Silly girl.  One day, you got quiet and I found you in your room, having emptied ALL of your dresser drawers.  If only you could pick up your messes. 

You are a wonderful eater. The only thing so far you haven't been fond of us mashed potatoes.  You will eat a few bites of them and then you are done.  I'd say your favorite fruit is kiwi, favorite food would be pork chops or BBQ, baked beans, and bananas. 

We still go to music one day a week.  You are doing great.  I love seeing you learn new things in there and interact with the teacher and other kids there.  Music is just an all around good way to learn. Usually our treat after music on Thursdays is to take a little lunch trip to Chic-Fil-A.  We aren't huge fast food eaters, but you love CFA! 

Your favorite toys right now are your dancing dog, snowmen, and your Little People nativity.  You wear the batteries out of them and love talking to your nativity set.  You move the little people around just like you know what they are doing.  TOO SWEET! 

You love to play my piano.  You love to chase Lulu and Elsa.  I have to keep them up most of the time because until you learn to back off, I'm just not confident either of you wouldn't make the other aggravated. 

You have learned to flush the toilet and do so about 10 times a day, even when not needed.  When we go to the bathroom now, you say "te te." I"m thinking that after Christmas, we may begin trying to get you interested in potty training. 

You love bath time.  You play, and play, and play.  You love having your teeth brushed. 

You never cry unless you are just overly tired or overly hungry.  Can't blame you for either one.  And if you don't want to do something, you let it be known. 

We do pop your hand for certain things.  We don't believe in yelling no for every little thing you shouldn't do.  You know what you are allowed and are not allowed to do.  When we do have to resort to popping your hand, we tell you 2 times.  On the second time, we pop our hand.  Usually that's as far as it has to go.  You know on the 3rd time, your hand is getting fried.  You actually have gotten to wear on the 2nd time, you pop your own hand and that's the end of it.  It's actually quite funny.

You still hate pictures.  Well, posed pictures. If we capture candid pics of you, you usually will smile.  But if we do posed pictures, you stare at the camera, no smiles at all. 

You are our pride and joy.  Life was so boring without you.  I am so blessed to be your Mommy and your Daddy is blessed to be your Daddy.  We love you with our whole heart.  I am so blessed to be able to stay home with you.  I just can't imagine it any other way.  You are a Mommy's girl and I'm so glad for that. 

We love you our princess! 

First Birthday In Walhalla-September 1, 2012

In one week and one day, you will be a year old!  We decided to have 2 parties for you, one in Walhalla and then one at our house the day before your birthday. 

Your cousin Harper has a birthday 2 weeks before you, so we combined together and had one joint party for you and Harper at Great-Grans house.  We also had a little cake time at your Great-Grandma and Great-Papas house too! 

On Saturday for lunch, we grilled hamburgers and hotdogs at Great-Grans.  You had such a good time opening your presents!  You would stick your head down in the bag like you knew something was in there for you!  And then you'd pull out whatever it was and be done.  So much for stopping to reflect on what you got!  After presents we had cake.  I didn't want you to have a big cake until your actual party, so you had a piece of the smash cake shared with Harper.  You LOVED it.  You had cake everywhere and did not hold back one bit from diving right in for a piece.  After your piece of cake was gone you even licked the plate!  Needless to say, bathtime was in order after you got done!

Later in the afternoon Saturday, we went to visit Great-Grandma and Great-Papa.  We had cake over at their house as well and of course you thought you were something that you got 2 pieces in one day!  I'm sure you wonder why we held back from all this good food until you were a year old!

We had such a good day with family celebrating your birthday a week early.  We don't get to see your Walhalla family near as much as I would like so when we go our time is precious! 

One more week before the big O-N-E! 
We love you to the moon and back and all the stars inbetween!

11 Months Old-August 9, 2012

I cannot believe you are 11 months old today!  Where has the time gone...it is flying by and I wish it would slow down just a little.  With that said, I am so thankful that you are growing and developing as you should and could not ask for a better little girl!  You are, well, just PERFECT!!!

This past mont has been busy!  We had a great trip to Walhalla to visit family, another 3 day work trip with Daddy, which was anything slight of miserable.  You were tired from being gone 2 weeks to Walhalla, we were cramped in a nasty hotel room, so needless to say, I called your Daddy, got him out of a meeting and we left a day earlier than we were originally supposed to.  After a few days at home, you were a much happier baby! 

You have gotten so much busier this month!  Whew!  You are more in to everything than you were before if that's possible.  Your favorite thing to do is pull all of my socks and underwear out of my drawer and pile them in the floor.  Yes, I could close the drawer and save myself some time, but it's just too cute watching you crawl as fast as you can in there and start your destruction!  You think it's funny to make us chase you.  You'll take off and then turn around to see if we are coming!  Too cute!  You LOVE going into your bedroom and playing in your closet.  You will pull every stitch of clothing out of the little hang up thing in there, pull off all the hangers with nothing on them, thus, creating another mess for me to clean up! 

You are eating more "whole" foods.  I still won't give you meats, but pretty much all your vegetables and fruits are in chunks that I make myself.  You do quite well with them.  It is so much easier to take you out to eat now because I only have to carry one jar of meat baby food (YUK!) and then I can order stuff for you to eat or you can eat veggies of mine or Daddy's plate.  

You graduated to your convertible car seat this month!  I'm not so sure you are a fan of it. The sides are higher, making it a little harder for you to see out and you are too nosey to be confined without a view! 

You are still only saying 3 words, mama, dada and bye bye.  You will wave at people when you feel like it. Most times, it's when we are away from them, you decide you would like to be polite.  You don't pitch fits much unless you are overly hungry or tired. 

You LOVE LOVE bathtime still.  You play until your skin is schriveled up! 

Your favorite daytime activity is reading. Whether I am reading to you or you are reading to yourself, you love books.  You are constantly pulling more out of your toy box and flipping through them.  I hope this trend continues because I love to read, although it's been over a year since I completed a whole book...wonder why?

You are still sleeping 11-12 hours at night...yes, you are still in the bed with Daddy in I, right in the middle, but I refuse to let you cry it out.  I just can't take it.  You wake up every 30 minutes when we put you in your crib, whether for naptime, or bedtime, and I'm sorry, but I like my sleep too much to be getting up all night with a fussy baby.  So, sleeping with us is what works for us and we aren't concerned with it.  Eventually we'll move you when we think you're ready, but getting a GOOD night sleep is more important to us! 
You have dwindled down to one nap a day.  When you were taking 2 naps a day, it was a late morning nap for about an hour, thus you wouldn't go down for an afternoon nap until late and then want to sleep 2 hours.  Sometimes it was after 5 getting up and then you'd be up until 10-11.  Not happening...around 9pm starts my Mommy time!  I devote over 12 hours a day to you and well, at 9pm, I want a little time to do what I'd like to do for the day!  So, I keep you awake now until after lunch, you eat, go down for a nap around 1 and sleep until 3:30-4.  I usually don't let you sleep past 4-4:30 because that just means you're later going to bed.  Yes, I don't mess with naps and bedtime, and yes, I'm picky over it.  If you are off a day on your naps or we aren't home for them, I don't wig out, we're back on track the next day.

You have developed quite an attitude....yes, you have.  I forsee a few pops in your future when you actually know what they are.  I took a toy away from you the other day and well, you came up to me and bit me.  Yes, bit me, as in left your 2 little bottom teeth marks in my arm.  I was so stunned.  Next time, I will pop your hands and/or bite you back.  Beware!

Also this month, I started your birthday planning.  I only have a few more projects to complete and I will be completely done!  I'm so excited.  I think it's going to be so precious and not rushing time, but I can't wait! 

On your 11 month birthday, you cut your 3rd bottom tooth!  I'm convinced you have no top teeth and will just have gums up there the rest of your life.  I also started weaning you from nursing on your 11 month birthday.  I'm done with it, I did it a year and it's a part of life that I"m looking forward to not doing any more.  I know it was healthier for you, but I'm not one of these people that's been overly passionate about it. I basically did it because of your benefit and it's cheap and I like cheap! 

And the big story of today....you took your first STEPS!!!!  We've been working with you and you haven't been the least bit interested but today, I set up the ipad in the recliner and turned on "Small Potatoes" and then stood you up at the coffee table and you took 6 steps to get to the ipad.  You don't watch a lot of TV or shows, infact, after 30 minutes in the morning, the TV stays off the rest of the day until Daddy comes home, but you love the little small potato clips.  I"m so glad I was able to get your first steps on video!!!  Here's to you walking by 1 year! 

You are our pride and joy, our everything!  We love you to the moon and back and all the stars inbetween our princess!

10 Months Old-July 9, 2012

Another month has come and gone!

Happy 10 months baby girl!  As predicted, you have taken off even more this month!  You are still crawling and into everything!!!  I have to watch you even more closely now!

You have started turning those babbles into words.  You will now wave and say bye bye.  I didn't really want that to be your first word but we'll take it I guess.  I didn't have much control over that. 

You still wave to yourself, clap when you do things or you hear someone say "yay."   You are still pulling up to everything.  Your favorite thing to pull up on this month is the piano.  You will sit there and play until your legs have to be tired.  It is so precious!  I hope that you will love music as much as I do and will learn to play the piano one day. 

You are not very fond of your bouncy or walker anymore!  I know you think they keep you too contained and you are too much of a big girl for that now!  You will still get in your walker when I'm cooking dinner, but you prefer to just pull up on the side of it and your bouncy and play with the toys that way. 

You have discovered the bathroom off of our den.  I have to now keep the door closed because you immediately go in there and try to move the curtain to pull up on the tub or toilet....gross! 

You haven't grasped the concept of no no and so we just don't say it much.  It REALLY bothers me when we are around people and they are constantly telling you no no for doing things.  You will learn but I've read in several places where constantly saying no no isn't the way to do it.  Trust me, you'll be a disciplined child, I assure you of that because it bothers me when kids are not, but constantly fussing isn't going to be our method, or anyone elses with you for that matter. 

You moved from your infant car seat to a convertible car seat this month!  There was a place having a really good sale on them and I decided you were probably ready.  It was a bitter sweet day taking your infant carrier out of the car!  You look like such a big girl in your new ride! 

You are now saying "mama" when you want me, mainly at night when you're ready for bed or you are cranky before nap time.  You'll say "mamamama" and come crawling my way.  PRECIOUS!  Melts my heart in all ways! 

We went with Daddy to Charleston for a work trip at the end of June.  You did great! You were totally off your schedule, but you slept like a champ at night, despite being up until 11 each night and not getting a full nap each day. 

You still sleep with us at night.  I know it's time to move you to your own bed, I know you are going to fuss, but I just can't do it yet.  I love waking up in the middle of the night snuggling with you and having you wake up beside me each morning.  Some of my favorite moments.  I have it in my head that you will be in your crib by a year old....so I better get moving!

We took you to the pool for the first time this month.  We have been twice.  The first time you were not so fond of it.  You didn't want me to put you in your float or little boat.  It was a little chilly so I think that played in to the factors.  I know you will be a little fish one day and it will just take a little coaxing.  You were fine as long as Daddy or I were holding you.  The second time we went, the water was warmer and you did much better!  You floated around in your float from Cak and splashed around.  I am going to try to find somewhere to put you in swim lessons next summer! 

We also have been to the beach just about every Friday the month of June.  You LOVE the sand.  I mean, LOVE IT!  You don't eat it was much as you once did the first time we took you.  But you will dig your hands all in it.  And you have no fear of crawling from under the umbrella straight down into the water.  Everyone on the beach just thinks you are precious in your tutu bathing suit and well, Daddy and I don't deny it!  You are just adorable!  We have so much fun taking you, aside from having sand everywhere when we leave!
We left on your first July 4th to head to Walhalla to visit for 12 days.  I love how we don't see my family but once every six weeks yet, you immediately smile and reach for them when we arrive.  I hate that we don't live closer, but we spend good quality time together when we are together!

Since pulling up on everything, you haven't showed any signs of wanting to walk on your own or stand up unattended, however, on your 10 month birthday, you did let go and stand for about 20 seconds by yourself.  I know walking is coming and I must say, I welcome it.  I hate being out places and you want to be down and I refuse to let you because you aren't going to crawl on the nasty floor! 

We love you to the moon and back baby girl!  

9 Months Old-June 9, 2012

Another month has past and you are now three quarters of a year old!  Where is the time going? 

HIGHLIGHT of this month....you said MAMA!!!  We went with Daddy on a school trip to Clemson for the state FFA convention June 5-8.  Your Daddy has caught you trying to say mama a few times but I havne't heard it.  Anyway, I put you in your high chair for lunch at Tiger Town Tavern, and you said...mamamama.  AHHH!!!  YAY!  Finally and it was so worth the wait.  Music to my ears!

This month has been a big month for you!  I celebrated my first Mother's Day on May 12.  You and Daddy treated me like a queen!  We spent all day at the beach on Saturday.  My present was a new hammock for us to enjoy in the yard in the evenings!  Although I am sure you will not be still long enough to stay in it long. 

On Sunday morning, Mother's Day, we got up and you and Daddy brought me breakfast and you gave me another gift....a Mom charm for my charm bracelet and a card with your hand print and foot print inside!  So sweet!  I am so honored to be your Mommy and you are truly turning in to a Mommy's girl!  You want me when you feel bad, when you're ready to go to sleep and I LOVE that! 

This month you decided you were finally ready to get your first tooth!  You had a few bad diapers the days before, which didn't clue me in to anything because otherwise you acted like you felt normal.  I had been checking every other day to see if one had come and just happened to put my finger in your mouth on the morning of May 30 and felt a little prick....and there it was, your first tooth had popped through!  That's the only time you would let me see it.  After you knew I knew it was there, you'd clamp down on your lips the second I started coming for your mouth.  That tooth is your little prize and you are bound and determined your Daddy and I are not going to see it or take a picture of it. 

Your Daddy also successfully taught you to wave hi and bye bye and to clap this month.  I am home with you all day and try to work with you on things and he spends 15 minutes with you and you do what he wants. Silly girl!  It is so cute though.  You wave to yourself because you haven't figured out how to turn your hand around the other way and it is just precious!  When we say "yay" you just clap and grin.  Adorable, plain and simple!

You also decided this month that you were going to crawl "normal."  While we were in Clemson we stayed in a hotel room with carpet.  I wasn't all about you army crawling on the floor, so I put down as many blankets as I could but you still managed to get on the carpet.  I guess with the softer floor than we have at home, you decided you would crawl on all 4's instead of army crawling.....and boy can you move!  You are so cute!  We managed to sneak away a few of the days and visit family in Walhalla and they managed to come see you a few nights in Clemson.  As always, we love spending time with them! 

You also decided that you were going to start pulling up on things this month.  You began by pulling up on one of your toys that stands.  You'd sort of walk your way up it because it slants and then come back down.  One day, I came around the corner and you were pulling up on the couch.  After that, you were un-stoppable.  You pull up  on EVERYTHING! You will stand at the couch, chair or coffee table for forever it seems just pulling everything off and looking around. I am determined I am not baby proofing the house and aside from a few breakables, I havne't.  You seem to just know what not to touch and if you do touch it, I just move you to something different.  Needless to say, my days of getting anything done are OVER because y stiou are in to EVERYTHING!  I have to keep my eye on you at all times.

You still like to get in your bouncy seat and walker, you can really scoot in that thing!  You cry when I am out of sight (which I secretly love that too!).  If I leave you in your walker or bouncy when I go to take my shower, you scream until you can see me again.

You have the cutest personality.  You smile all the time, unless I put a camera in your face.  I do capture you smiling, but  you have to do it on your own time....stubborn.  Wonder who you get that from?

I know this next month is going to be filled with even more surprises of you growing!  Your Daddy and I are having so much fun watching you grow and learn. You are so inquisitive!  You still love to swing every night and your favorite cartoon every morning is Micky  Mouse  Clubhouse.  We don't watch much TV during the day, but every morning as we cuddle in bed I turn that on and you are glued! 

We are so blessed to have you!  We love you our princess and look forward to another month of watching you grow!