Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Missing out!

** I wrote this post about a month or so ago and never got the time to post it... but now that we are at the new house, I have internet... hurray!





Well, you have been missing out... oh wait, that's my fault? Sorry about that. We don't have internet at the house any more and so when I do get to check the internet and things, it's usually brief and I only have time to check emails, do school work and get back to the mommy business!
Stella is one. This is crazy.
We had an awesome fall festival for her birthday and we had a great turnout and a great time. I have some pictures but they are somewhere...dunno. Stella wasn't the typical birthday girl who is shy about diving into her very own cupcake. Nope. She picked up that pink little sucker and stuck it straight in her mouth. A few bites later and it was gone and she was signing "more". Don't think so. She didn't seem surprised by the sweetness or overjoyed at the pinkness... just simply glad we were feeding her grown up food and she wanted more... she got more but not of anything sugary! She definitely didn't nap that afternoon after all that excitement and sugar. It was great having my entire family and some of Drew's in town for a long weekend. We were spoiled with a lot of Starbucks!
Stella is pulling up and standing on her own and has taken a step or two but mostly only walks with assistance. She isn't very excited about walking b/c she is so much faster at crawling. She is able to point and say "dis" (this) about things she wants you to either say or give her. Sometimes this leads to tantrums when we say "no" but I am still excited about a new level of communication with her. She can say mama but prefers to say dada. She loves to say hi and bye "ba". She knows how to sign more and all done and is learning "baby" and can wave hi, bye and night night. She also blows kisses, gives kisses and hugs on command! She is learning eyes, nose and mouth but still gets them confused. She is enjoying reading books more and more and every now and then will stay still long enough to get through one. Usually she prefers to just flip through the pages. She is the most energetic and vocal one year old I have ever met.
Her favorite food is cheese and she is eating all big girl meals these days and only nursing twice a day.
We are currently fixing up our new house and really hoping to be able to move in soon. It always takes longer than you expect and it's been really hard on Drew and I with him working so hard and then going straight to more work at the house. He doesn't get a break and neither do I and then we literally crash like dead people until the next day. We are so thankful for all of our wonderful friends who have recently been so great to watch SJ and help on house work and even give us a date or two!!
It's funny that I never blog these days because I am literally blogging in my head all the time. I've thought about telling you of the beauty of fall and the special fall smell that I adore. Drew says it smells like s'mores and there is definitely a sweetness to it... but it's indescribable to me. It's my very favorite smell in the world and it only comes in the fall. Something to do with crispy leaves and tree sap or something. I am blown away by the colors of fall each year and am continually amazed that these trees that completely die on the outside for the winter will come back to life with flowers and leaves again in the fall! God is truly a creative genius! Lately, especially today, it's been getting colder and wetter and I find myself dreading the winter months. It's a lot harder to get out in the cold with a wee one along and the gloomy clouds really put a damper on my spirits if I don't continually check myself.
My mom is coming in to town this week to love on SJ and go to a women's conference with me and then next month is Christmas with family and then after that is my sister's wedding reception. I am thankful for more opportunities to see family and for Stella to see them as well. She'll be spoiled completely rotten by spring I'm sure.
That's all I've got for now... hopefully I'll get to be more regular about pictures and updates once we are moved in to the new place (with internet...hurray!)