Steps in the right direction

Today was day 3.

The third day that binkie, aka the paci, was left in Ansley's bed when she woke up.

I've heard mixed opinions. My moms have told me that she's fine, she's still a baby. But the glances I get from people in the grocery store say otherwise.

Yes, my child is in the mid 90% for height, and upper 80s for weight. She doesn't looks like she should be turning 3 instead of 2... in 4 months non the less.

So, no, you aren't seeing a pre-k kid with a paci. And her teeth are fine. And she talks all.the.time.

But, nonetheless, we decided to phase out the binkie. So far, so good. Today, she didn't even ask for it! And we've been binkie free since saturday. With the exception of a few hours this morning because the hubs had to work a double last night and decided it was necessary for him to catch a cat nap on the couch while the kiddo played "box" (or, blocks. whatev.)

I guess I've been stalling because I honestly can't believe that in 4 short months, she will be 2. That means its time for me to stop keeping her age in months. It's time to potty train. It's time to transition to a toddler bed. It's time... to take deep breaths...

I let my child eat McDonald's

And, frankly, she liked it.  Of course, her favorite part was the French fries, so we paid special attention to that and only let her enjoy just a few.

It was her first Happy Meal. And, regardless of the fact that she will rarely *enjoy* another one, she had her first, and it was certainly a happy meal.

A first

This weekend was possibly the best ever.

Friday, despite the hubs picking up an extra shift (like he really needs to, working 6 days a week) on Friday, we were able to meet my sister and her hubs for dinner. And, I did something I swore I would never do.

Now before your mind starts wandering to places it shouldn't, I must say that it was completely G-rated, and in no way or fashion could have gotten us kicked out of Sears. I've simply said for many, MANY years that I was totally against this, but, I found myself right in the thick of it, enjoying every second of it on Friday night.

I looked at Christmas decorations. And it isn't even Halloween.

I know, awful, right?  I just couldn't help it. It was all twinkly and flashy, and so festive that I looked. And even talked about decorating. And even almost bought new decorations! And totally forgot that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!!

After doing what should be illegal until the fourth Friday in November, we went home and had an awful night with Ansley.  Waking constantly, and not easily going back to sleep. Which, led to one of my fits of anxiousness, which, I may discuss later. Just know that once we got Ansley to sleep, Paul then had to work to get me calmed down.

Saturday was new and exciting, despite being exhausted from the night before. It was gorgeous outside, and our spontaneity from our dating days returned, and we decided to tailgate at the Tennessee/Alabama game, and eventually decided to stay for a most of the game.

Here are some pictures from our first UT game!

Ok, so I'm a total band geek and was most excited about the band. Nerd.

Ansley's first tailgate! and a super cute bow from her aunt.

I flippin' love.this.face.

Investigating. No teeth at this point, but it poked a shiny little top through the next day.

Rocky Top, you'll always be, home sweet home to me (even if you are having a horrible season).

 

Ok, so, a ton of pictures, I KNOW! I'm so sorry, but I couldn't pick just one.  So, if you don't want to look, just skip to the next post. Or, whatever. But you know you like it.

I'll have to put Sunday in a post of it's own. Because Saturday was just that awesome.

Overnight

A lot of things can happen overnight.

Like, you can go to bed living in a peaceful country, and wake up to your nation being attacked.

Or, you can settle in for a late night with a month left to go in your pregnancy, and wake up to your water breaking.

Or, you can go to bed with your baseball team winning, and wake up to realize that they were knocked out and won't make an appearance in the World Series.

Or, you can go to bed with a completely gummy baby, and wake up to one that has a tooth! And, I might add, a second one quickly behind.

That could possibly explain the torture that was the last few nights.

I think I'm going to miss the gummy grins though... But, at least Paul will stop practically chewing her food for her.  I'm over the whole baby bird thing.

Yay for Ansley!


disclaimer: Paul doesn't actually chew Ansley's food for her. Instead of cutting or tearing things, he bites it off for her. Still grosses me out though.

Let's go for a walk.

That's what I can say now, in my house. And it happens.

Because, I have a walker! Not one of those plastic and metal things to push in front of me, but a walker! Not a crawler, or a cruiser. But a full blown, take a walk from the living room through the dining room, past the kitchen and into the laundry room walker!

Thankfully, Ansley hasn't been like most toddlers I've heard about. You know, the ones that skip walking and seemingly go straight to running.  She is still a little uneasy and wobbly, but she loves walking. She gets such a huge grin on that chubby little round face.

Last night, I just watched her as she toddled around the house.  No particular goal in mind, just enjoying a little more independence.

And she is enjoying it to the brim.  Today, Ansley was in the bathroom while I got ready for work. I heard a few things being shuffled around in an ::gasp:: un-baby-proofed drawer, then she walked out as quickly as she came in (Yikes. So weird to say Ansley walked).  I heard a splash and knew something ended up in the dog's water bowl.

Paul walks in and hands me a compact of eyeshadow. Dripping wet (the eyeshadow, not the hubs, just in case you were confused). And I laughed. Because we've entered a new stage. And I love it.

However, in an effort to keep her within arm's reach, and to keep her blocks of ice (better known as feet) warm, I bought her some of "you know, those shoes for the house with the soft bottoms" (Paul, dear, they're called house shoes. Much easier than calling them "soft bottomed shoes for the house").

Ansley now sports these big, red, fuzzy ELMO slippers! Complete with googly eyes!  She isn't a big fan, but they are too stinkin' cute to just pass up, even if I'm not a regular on Sesame Street.

And, this new adventure we're on?  Love it.  It seems that I'm always saying "this is my favorite stage."  Even though she's moving from one to the next without looking back, it's still my favorite each time we get there.  And the best part? I'm being led by a little hand connected to a very curious little girl.

A Walking Book of Words

Ansley may not have any teeth. She may not be able to really walk. But her vocabulary is quickly expanding.

It seems like every day, we get a new word. And, they're not just random words either. She will point to something AND NAME IT.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm watching Adam in the Garden. Ansley will look at an object, turn her head, and I can actually see the wheels turning. Then, she'll name it, and be pleased with herself.

A few days ago, she was sitting in the floor of the bathroom while I was getting ready for work. I stopped to watch her as I was certain she was about to dump everything out of the magazine rack. Instead, she picked up a magazine, turned it over a few times, said "book" and put it back in the rack.

I didn't know what to do! And, it keeps happening.

We've had "Momma" and "Dada" for some time. And, not just the random babbles, but actually reaching for us and saying our names. Then, we added "dog." Granted, anything with fur is currently a dog, and when we try to correct her to say "cat," she just starts laughing. We added "book," "nana" (which, means both "banana" and "want), "Nan A," "Poppa," and "blue."

I know that if I had "My Baby Can Read," Ansley would already have the Declaration of Independence memorized, but, we're going on what we've got here. And, honestly, I think we're doing good.

What a hoot!

The celebration is officially over. Ansley is a whole year old!

We celebrated 3 times! Three times I sang happy birthday, and three times Ansley looked at us like we were stupid.

The first celebration came a few days before her birthday. As we celebrated with close family friends, Ansley enjoyed her very first Twinkee (and, if Daddy has anything to say about it, that will also be her last!)

On September 21, we worked our way into her room at 7:20 in the morning, and woke her up singing "Happy Birthday." I discovered that Ansley is just like her momma in one way: if she's sleeping, don't wake her up unless you are ready to deal with the ensuing wrath.

Not the best picture, but she's obviously not very happy. But, I came offering gifts of chocolate chip muffins, so that should have made the early wake up worth it. I guess the mind of the 1-year-old couldn't quite grasp that.

But, we celebrated. We celebrated that evening with a trip to Nana and Poppa's. Not too exciting, because the real celebration was to come.

We have not had rain in nearly a month. But as we got closer to the day of the party, the chances of rain increased. And increased. And continued to increase. We had a special fundraiser that morning for work, and we were rained on periodically. I debated changing the date.

And the sky was dark. And her party was planned for 3:30 in the afternoon, right smack dab in the middle of the rain cloud. But, I stood strong. We were having her party OUTSIDE, and it was going to be perfect.

I had debated for several weeks on what the theme should be. Princess, out. FOREVER. Hopefully, Ansley will appreciate the fact that she's not a princess, and that doesn't mean we love her any less. She can enjoy princess movies, but the moment she is seen in a shirt that says "I'm a princess," call the authorities and report a kidnapping.

I also knew I didn't want to simply do a theme of the number "1." Though she's not a princess, Ansley deserves more than just that. After much deliberation, and fighting the urge to go against the grain with something completely obscure, I decided to go with owls. Because it was so.stinkin'.cute.

I mean, look at that! Absolutely adorable. And, those big blue eyes reminded me of Ansley's, so I had to go with it.

So, I had the decorations, including a pinata. (Yes, I bought a pinata for a 1-year-old's birthday party. And I filled it with candy. And little party favors that my mom yelled at me for giving to Ansley.) I couldn't just make other plans. It wouldn't work. No one had RSVPed, so, if I moved it, I had no idea who to contact to let them know. So, we finished up our cake, packed up the car, and headed to our destination. And, by cake, I mean totally awesome, homemade and decorated piece of brilliance.

I know it isn't professional quality or anything, but it was so outside of my comfort zone to even attempt this. Normally, I solve problems by throwing money at them, not by picking up a tube of frosting (though, honestly, that could make for some very interesting debates.).

We kinda took the "K.I.S.S." method when it came to her party. I knew I wanted it to be something special, because, honestly, I feel as though I've dropped the ball a lot as a first time mother. But, I knew anything too extravagant was just a waste of resources, since she wouldn't enjoy being outside at one park anymore than outside at another. But, I have dropped the ball a few times. I don't have her feet prints in her baby book. I don't remember exactly what day she started crawling, or even when she started standing on her own. I don't know the date of the first time she said "momma." Though she wouldn't remember, I wanted something fun for my memory bank.

So, we kept it simple, but made some great memories. We had family and friends there to help celebrate, and I'm pretty sure Ansley got more gifts than she really knew what to do with.

And, there was cake. Rather, cupcakes. And, Ansley devoured it.

Yes, Ansley had a matching bib, thanks to my bestie and one of Ansley's "Aunts." She also had a matching shirt that I managed to save until her birthday, and now she can wear it whenever! Hoot!

All in all, it was a very special day, despite the fact that some very important people were unable to share in the celebration. And, at the end of the day, when Ansley was tired and finally curled up in bed, I was able to sigh a big sigh of relief. The rain held off, people showed up, and my little girl enjoyed her first birthday party.

Little Lady.

My beautiful little Ansley,
I don't know how we've gotten this far. But, we have. And we'll keep moving forward.
This is where I'm supposed to write all that sappy stuff about you no longer being an infant and becoming your own little person. About how you've said goodbye to your bottle, developed your own personality, and have even taken a few steps. But despite your increasing independence, I know you are still my baby girl.
You don't stop moving very long. You aren't very cuddly. But tonight, right in the middle of play time, you crawled over to me and snuggled. It was just a few seconds before that need to explore kicked back in, but it was just long enough for me to catch that now familiar scent of Johnson's Baby Shampoo, mixed with the sweet smell of clean pjs. My heart leapt, and I remembered that day a year ago.
I remember that first cry, especially because it didn't come right away. I remember that first kiss, though, I'll honestly admit, you hadn't been cleaned off yet and it grossed me out to kiss you still covered in mommy's baby juice. But, I did it. Because you were my baby.
The next few hours left mommy so weak and disoriented that she couldn't get down to the nursery right away. But daddy had pictures.
And then we brought you home. And you grew. And you are still growing. Each day reveals a little more of who you are, and what you are becoming. You are happy. Despite the fear and anxiety that often surround you, you laugh. You smile. And, most of the time, it's at the UPS men.
You love your puppies. You share your kisses with them almost more willingly than you do with us. But that's ok, little girl. Because Mommy knows that at the end of the day, when the house is getting dark and sleep is closing in, we retreat to your room and cozy up in the big chair, without the puppies, and I get all the kisses.
We rock. I don't mean that we are cool, though that's true, but I mean in your chair. Sometimes we'll rock a little longer than other times. And you'll cuddle in, for just a moment. And, in that moment, I know that no matter how old you are, and how big you get, you'll always be my little girl.
I love you little girl. Happy Birthday to you!

Love,
Mommy

I'm not ready for this.

I just put my little baby girl to bed for the night. A little early because she skipped her afternoon nap.

When I get up in the morning, I'll have a 1-year-old.

And I can say that, because she was born at 6:20 a.m.

Goodnight baby girl, and good morning little lady.

Oh my.

My child likes to shake her booty.

More specifically, she likes to shake her booty to rap music.

And the theme song for "Bones."

What a cute little weirdo.

On the Horizon

It's almost here. I can tell.

Ansley is on the verge of standing on her own. I mean, I've caught her in the act a few times, but as soon as she notices I'm looking, she quickly grabs the couch or whatever else is nearby.

This morning, Paul was eating a bowl of cereal on the couch. Ansley was STANDING on the couch beside him. As soon as I walked into the room, she smiled at me and leaned back against the arm of the sofa. She's playing me as a fool.

The day I bought her a little pool, she decided she didn't like to sit in water anymore. Her last 3 baths have consisted of her standing, holding on to the edge of the tub, and picking up her rubber duckie in her mouth. What an entertainer.

I feel as though she knows she can stand, and may even be ready to take those first few steps, but she simply doesn't want to. She isn't ready to gain a little more independence.

And I think I'm ok with that. Because right now, she still holds my hands if she wants to walk around. But once she's going, I'll have to make her hold my hand just to cross the street.

So, maybe she's waiting. Maybe she thinks everything is happening too fast as well. Maybe she isn't ready to let us in on her little secret. She does seem to have a sneaky little grin.

Little Girl

Dear Ansley,

Today, you turned 9-months-old. Do you know what that means? It means you have been an outside baby longer than you were an inside baby. Yay!

I am amazed at how much you've grown over these past 9 months. Not only in size, but in personality. It seems that each day you are trying a new thing to make us laugh. And, it works.

On Saturday, you started playing Peek-a-Boo. You put your arms up over your eyes, and quickly bring them down with a smile and giggle. But, sometimes you fool us. You start to bring your arms down and decide to go with a fake out, and laugh when we say "boo" prematurely. You're going to be a little jokester.

You've been an all-out crawler now for about 2 weeks. There is no stopping you. We've baby proofed the house, but you still somehow manage to find things that you shouldn't have. Like dog food. And diamonds that you happen to find in the floor (please feel free to continue to find those, btw). You love playing with my mixing bowls and spoons, though, honestly, I think Daddy enjoys it a little more than you do.

You are pulling up on EVERYTHING, including the dogs, chairs, legs and your crib. You prefer to have someone hold your hands and let you walk around, rather than just crawl where you want.

You are growing up, kiddo. I've tried to remember all the details of the day you were born, but some things are fading, and it makes me sad. But those memories are being replaced with new ones, that I'm pretty sure I won't forget.

Like when you said "ma-ma" and I knew you wanted me. And how if Aunt Crystal is holding you, sometimes you won't even come to me. And how excited you were when you first crawled. And how you would not stop yelling and blowing raspberries on my arm while we were in Victoria's Secret. You're supposed to be subtle in that store and not draw attention to yourself!

Sometimes, I'd like to know what's going on in that head of yours. You can have the most serious expression on your face, and nothing we do can cause you to crack a smile. What are you thinking during those times? And other times, the cat can simply walk by and you will roar with a big belly laugh.

Everyone told me that you would be grown before I knew it, and I didn't believe them. But, it's happening. And it's happening right before my eyes.

So, slow down, little one. You don't have to be in such a rush. Take your time, and give Mommy and Daddy time to enjoy each individual milestone instead of piling them on top of each other. Keep playing Peek-a-Boo. Keep giggling when Daddy blows raspberries on your neck, even if it's pity laughter. Enjoy the kitty, and the puppies, but don't chew on their ears.

Soon, you'll be walking, and then you'll be running out of the door for school. But just remember, that on the day you turned 9-months-old, your Daddy was your hero and Mommy was your best friend. Well, except for maybe that darned cat that you love so much.

I love you Ansley! Happy 9-months!

Mommy

Ansley Reese, 2 days old, 9-23-09

Ansley Reese, 9-months-old (minus 2 days), 6-19-10

Epic day of Failure

It finally happened. All of my education could not prevent it. I've fought it and said "Oh, that'll never happen to me." And, it did. And it won't let go.

I am talking about "Mommy-brain." Walk with me through a day, just a week and a half ago, almost 6 months out from D-Day (that's Delivery Day, not the day the Allied troops landed in Normandy, just FYI).

The day started out wonderfully. Ansley and I were at the in-laws, since Paul was working all weekend. Ansley's clothes were ironed, my clothes were clean, and we were both fed and ready to go to church ON TIME (pretty sure it's only happened about 3 times total since she's been born. Yeah, it's that bad). What ensued was a day full of failure. An Epic Day of Fail, if you will.

So, I strap a bib on the kid since she is notorious for puking on herself in the car as we drive or as we are walking into church. I get to church and start to get her out.

Fail #1: She had on a bib that said "Handsome like Daddy" Luckily, I caught it before we left the parking lot.

Fail #2: AFTER church was over, my MIL looks at me kinda funny, and says, "I think your cardigan is on inside out." After quick inspection, I humbly agreed, and quickly switched it around.

Fail #3: Playing with Ansley. Apparently, since she didn't puke that morning, she had been saving it for the afternoon. And, she shared it with me. And the inside of my shirt. Which, led to...

Fail #4: While cleaning up the puke off my chest, I noticed that my camisole was on backwards.

And, you know what? It hasn't let up since then.

Two days ago, I was sure I knew a back road to get to Walmart from my parents house. Yeah, I ended up in the next county over.

And, before that, I was filling out a mileage sheet for work. "Hmm, that trip was 33.5 miles one way, so it was 67 miles total, times .5 per mile..." AND I USED A CALCULATOR, which gave me the answer of 33.5!

And, I couldn't figure out why my hair straightener wasn't working. It wasn't on.

But, the biggest fail of all? When I got excited because A rolled from belly to back, and the hubs said, "Oh, I haven't seen her do that one yet..." You mean you've seen her do another one? "Yeah, she rolls from back to belly all the time. For about 2 months now."

Which, just to point out, I have yet to see. But, letting that slip, that was his fail. And it's so much worse than mine, right?