Christmas memories

It's funny-a lot of my friends have babies that are a little older than Stella. They tell me stories about what their kids are doing and sure enough, Stella starts doing it. It must be a developmental milestone to cover your face and try to do things. She loves to put a blanket over her head and try to walk/rock/crawl. This caused a pretty bad fall out of her rocking chair while playing peek a boo with daddy. The other night she decided to put on this hat and run into things-giggling when she would hit something. Christmas morning presents-she's very focused.
I don't know what she is saying, but she has become very opinionated in her babbling baby talk. She points and yells and has a lot to say.
Taking a ride in her new wagon-we love it!
Taking a walk with dad at Grandma Polly and PawPaw Johnny's house

Seven

days to go! I told my students today and they seem to be taking it pretty well. I even had one student say "YES!" when I told them I wouldn't be returning in January. Nice. Anyway, I am so excited! Whoo hoo!!!

'Tis the Season...

(December 2006)

...to take a lot of pictures of a squirmy 1 year old! Last year's photo was so much easier to take. Trying to get her to cooperate was a real test of patience and the three of us are not very patient people. We managed to get a few, though.

She is addicted to spaghetti....I think she might have the same taste in food as her dad. I was looking forward to having someone to eat vegetables with, but she is quite the picky little one.

She's 1!

Here's a picture of Stella and dad around this time last year...sniff, sniff

Swinging with Cousin Grant at Papa and Grandma Newman's house
Hanging out with Aunt Tonya at her birthday party
Opening presents is fun!
A little tired after all of the festivities

Stella's birthday party was wonderful! We had a great time watching her open presents and entertain the crowd. She is growing so fast. She is still not walking, but she crawls at lightning speed and is starting to climb. Stella loves to empty out cabinets, so I guess it is finally time to put locks on some of them. She plays peek a boo, dances, and is starting to really understand what you are saying to her. It's amazing to be able to tell her to do something or ask a question and she knows what you are saying. She is such a wonderful gift and we are so thankful for her. Can you believe that a 1 year old could be the funniest person I know? (yes, even funnier than her dad!)

Seven Acre Wood

We went to the Seven Acre Wood last Saturday with Papa Mike and Grandma Sandy. The pumpkins were almost gone, but we managed to get a few good pictures. What a beautiful day!
Walking with Grandma Sandy is fun!
Stella loved the llama-it's the only thing she would willingly pet.

She's got a way about her...

One of my coworkers bought this rocking chair for my baby shower at work. My mom stained it and made the cushions for it. Stella has fallen in love with it and she loves to rock her lamb (or anything you put in her lap gets "rocked"). She also enjoys looking out the window or pressing her little cheeks up against them when they are warm from the sunshine.

A new trick she learned this weekend is pulling kleenex out of the box (she had a cold, so they were on the coffee table) and shredding them. Look at the concentration on that face! She's wearing her sick clothes-can you tell?

Pushing the laundry basket around the house. Everyone always told me that they don't play with their toys. She has a fancy little pushing toy with all the bells and whistles, but she prefers the old laundry basket to get where she needs to go. Does this mean that one day she will want a Honda instead of a Lexus?

Fashion show for birthday pics-no, she has not had her first birthday yet, I was just playing around for birthday invitations.
And this is enough of the photo shoot...
Save me from her, daddy!
Playing in the laundry basket after taking out every piece of clean clothing and dropping it on the floor. Don't we all have a picture of ourselves like this circa 1970's?

Can flowers be "cute"?

This is Stella's Halloween costume and she seems to really like it. After trying on several costumes and not wanting a witch, a pirate's winch(who dresses their baby up as a winch?), an M&M, a cheerleader, and a bumblebee, we decided on a flower. She is striking a pose like a cover girl, isn't she?

She is so much fun. She is laughing at everything-which makes her parents feel like they are hilarious, babbling endlessly(saying things like "ca-cow", "da-bull", and other incoherent things) and acts like we should know exactly what she is saying. I have always known moms who know exactly what their babies are saying when they speak, but I am not one of those moms. I have no idea what she is saying, so I just repeat it to her as if I understand completely. She loves reading books, dancing, and she is quite the copycat. I have never known someone so entertaining! Kristi (super baby sitter) is teaching her how to sign and she is signing "all done" (waving her hands in the air) when she is finished eating. I'll try to get a picture of this. She's a genius!

Stellars

Stella loves to feed Maybel her cheerios

Anyone remember Ed Grimley from SNL?
OK-I tried to get a picture of Stella's weird tooth on top, but she won't be still! She's getting "Dracula teeth" instead of the middle ones. ;-)

Labor Day Weekend

We visited the river camp for Labor Day weekend. Stella got to spend a lot of time with Grandma Polly, Grandpa Johnny, and GiGi (great grandma Beulah). She went swimming in the lake (no pics of that venture) and kept falling asleep in the float. We had a great time!

Oh yeah-good news! I am going to work until December and stay home with Stella starting in January. I am so excited and I hope this semester goes by quickly. I just can't get used to leaving her and the thought of being away from her until May was killing me. Now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Can't wait for Christmas!

Fashion Show

A new hat from the Thompson girls-LOVE it!

Offering soggy cheerios to mommy


Amy & Sophie (Whit and J.D.'s precious baby!)

Weekend fun

Swingin' with the Thompson girls -
Dharma had to explain the ropes to Stella





Parker and Dharma

Relaxing with Daddy on the couch on a Sunday afternoon