a perry trip

Last weekend Addelyn and I spent time in Perry to put on a baby shower for Trae, Addelyn's new cousin. Mark was supposed to drive down after work but because of the nasty winter weather, didn't make it. Sorry Mark, we had fun without you! We got to see lots of the fam and friends.

We tried to get a picture of Great-Grandpa Quinlan & all of the great-grandkids. These were the BEST of the pics we took. :) It was one, two, three...throw them on the couch and quick try to get a picture! Pretty hilarious!

Addelyn finally met her buddy Carter (Nick & Jen's little guy). Mark & Nick have been friends since they were kids & were roommates in college. We definitely don't get to see their family enough. Carter is very sweet and cute. Can you believe we got a picture of them both looking at the camera? Two smiles was probably too much to ask though. We'll take what we can get!

Mark still hasn't met Carter. We're hoping this can happen before Carter turns one!

Grandpa Hoskinson changed his first dirty diaper this weekend. (Okay, first one of Addelyn's.....I am assuming he did a few back in the day....??? ha ha!)

13 months

Hopefully this gives you a glimpse at her personality!

Right now one of her favorite activities is to take all of her clothes out of the drawers. She throws them back over her shoulders. She also takes all of her books off the shelves too.

She loves this learning center that she got for her birthday. She dances ALL the time.

Throwing all of the clean, FOLDED clothes onto the floor. She threw them out, carried them around the house, and put some back into the basket. Who needs toys?

Another classic look...

Addelyn has taken off in the past few weeks. She is walking EVERYWHERE, quickly, often with things in her hands. Almost running! It is changing our life. She doesn't sit still, doesn't stay in one room for long, and moves from one activity to the next.

A few other things she is doing at 13 months:

*Carrying things from room to room and stashing them in various places (my brush in Mark's hat basket, magnets in the crib, tampons in her toybox, books from my bookshelf EVERYWHERE in the house, etc. etc.)

*Communicating!...she says Mama and Dada a lot. Other words she says...more, baby, bear, and then often tries to copy other words we say. She also communicates with signing - more, water, book, sleepy.

*She will walk to the highchair when she is hungry, to her room when she is tired.

*She can grab things off of the table and other "high" surfaces that we thought were safe. We found out the hard way the other night when Mark saw her walking around the house with a steak knife in her hand. I'm so sorry to say, I'm not joking. No worries, she didn't cut herself but it could have been BAD! We now have realized we need to "toddler-proof" our house. A whole new world again.

*She likes to take my brush and brush her hair.

*She loves throwing the pillows off of the couch and running around with them.

*She is starting to show some signs of toddler-ism. A bit of arching her back and crying when she doesn't get her way.

*She is done with the bottle during the day but still takes one at night right before bed.

She isn't too excited about the whole milk yet!

*She still loves to eat. Favorites right now are: crackers, peas, black olives, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, pretty much any veggies. And then it really depends on the day- one day she loves yogert, another she won't touch it!

*She spends a lot of time on her little pink chair she got for her birthday. She will go from her chair to the couch and back again. It is almost like a "home base" for her. She has also discovered that it is fun to stand and jump on the chair or sit on the side arm and bounce. All of these things make Mom NERVOUS.

*She likes to be chased. The "I'm gonna get you!" game.

*She points out her hair, eyes, nose, ears, & mouth when asked. She usually gets it right!

This is fun. Never knew I would enjoy this so much.

dancing and playing- it is what she does best!

Number eleven....

Did you know in the first year of a baby's life- they on average grow ten inches in length and often triple their birth weight?

Addelyn is right on track. At her 12 month appointment (that happened at 12 months, 3 weeks old)- she was 20 lbs, 8 oz and was 29 & 1/4 inches long.

At birth she weighed 7 lbs, 2 oz. and was 19 inches long. Kinda funny how the statistics line up well. She is still 50th percentile for weight, height, and head. An average size from day one. But oh not an average little girl!

She has also gained a few more teeth. On her birthday, she cut her first molar. The other side came along a week later (that one is still peeking- not completely through). She also just started getting another front bottom tooth last week. She now officially has eleven teeth!

2008 in review

I saw this on a few blogs I read and thought it could be fun....so here we go....

1) What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Watched my little baby grow during her first year. A lot of learning as a mom. I actually made a few recipes from scratch. Yes, be impressed. We bought a Ford Focus WAGON. Yes, laugh now...a wagon. Oh and turned 27. I'm sure there are many other things too. I can't really remember. I would say I also lost some brain cells during this year. ha ha

2) Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I am pretty sure i didn't make any last year and didn't this year. I am more of a "i'll start on monday" type.

3) Did anyone close to you give birth?
Seriously, about 20 friends. ha ha

4) Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, Grandpa Kramer passed just a few weeks ago. We sure will miss him. I'm so glad Addelyn got to meet him, even if she won't remember. At least we can tell her stories and have pictures of them together.

5) What countries did you visit?
I have to say the United States was it for me this year. I went through the AIDS Village at Orchard and that was the closest experience I had to leaving the country!

6) What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More peace. More love for God, my family, my neighbors. More time with Mark and Addelyn.

7) What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
This whole year will be forever etched in my memory. So many "firsts" as a mom and Mark & I experiencing so many milestones becoming parents and watching Addelyn grow. November 4th- Barack Obama being elected- definitely a huge milestone in history. I will also never forget losing my Grandpa Kramer the week that Addelyn turned one.

8) What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I would say I don't like this type of question. I guess maybe putting others first for once. I think having Addelyn really helped me to see my selfishness.

9) Did you suffer illness or injury?
Does recovering from childbirth count?

10) What was the best thing you bought?
Um Ford Focus?? Wow that is sad....We did get a really nice camera for Christmas.

11) Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mark for sure. He is an amazing dad and husband. He is very hands on and is so helpful with Addelyn. He makes life so much easier for me day to day by the way he serves our family in so many ways.

12) Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Honestly, during the elections, some people showed such hatred and ignorance (on both sides) & it truly made me sad. I usually keep my mouth shut but here is my moment.....Seriously people- no matter where you stand politically- show some respect!

13) Where did most of your money go?
Paying for the three hours of pushing Addelyn out of my body, baby care- who knew?, bills, giving, savings, oh and of course eating out. WAY TOO MUCH convienience food. Although we improved throughout the year, we still eat out a lot. Okay, I take back my answer to #2. I do have a New Year's Resolution. Eat out less.

14) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Maternity leave, Addelyn's firsts, a night away with Mark after we had our babe, each time I could fit into pre-baby clothes (yes I danced around the room everytime a pair of jeans would fit again), being able to take Addelyn with me on Caravan, hanging out with my sister Jiller when she would come stay during her nursing breaks, visiting friends I don't get to see often

15) What song will always remind you of 2008?
I hardly listened to new music in 2008. Pathetic huh? Okay, another New Year's Resolution! The song I think of though...go to this link on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxlwYP0HNdc
They made "You Can Do Whatever You Like" into a voting song and these kids performed it. Too cute. It sticks in my head and every time I hear the real song I sing the voting one.

16) Compared to this time last year, are you:
Wiser? I hope, maybe a little?
Healthier? Maybe a bit. I've lost a little weight since this time last year! (I'd hope...I had just given birth!) Trying to eat healthier these days too. I'm not really more in shape though. New Year's resolution #3.
Richer? nah

17) What do you wish you’d done more of?
Living in the moment

18) What do you wish you’d done less of?
Running around, too busy to live in the moment

19) How did you spend Christmas?
Our first year of starting our own tradition as a family. Church at Orchard on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day home with Mark and Addelyn. We celebrated with our families and had quality time with them before and after Christmas. Oh and I sat on the toilet with a sick stomach Christmas Eve too. That was the only bad thing about our holiday season. Hopefully that isn't a new tradition!

20) Did you fall in love in 2008?
Grew in love with Mark. In a new kind of way. And definitely fell in love with my little girl.

21) What was your favorite blog post that you wrote?
Not sure....blogging is more about recording memories and moments for me than about having cool and catchy posts. Sorry to my readers! :)

22) What were your favorite TV programs?
Okay, being home a little more this year after having Addelyn, I watched more TV than I have before. So...here we go...The Office, DHW, Law & Order: SVU, and Brothers and Sisters.

23) Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I'm just not a hater!

24) What was the best book you read?
The Shack I would say. It is a fiction book but it helped me to see God in a new way. Oh and I read the book before I heard all of the controversial talk about it. Just remember...it is a FICTION BOOK! Take it for what it is!

25) What was your greatest musical discovery?
Again, I hardly listened to new music this year. Sad. But I did like my new Alli Rogers Christmas CD!

26) What did you want and get?
After six months of climbing in the back of my 2 door Grand Am to attach Addelyn's car seat- I got a four door! Ahhh....much better!

27) What did you want and not get?
I can't think of anything!

28) What was your favorite film of this year?
I have to say I didn't see too many memorable movies this year. Baby Mama was cute.

29) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 27. Although I told a few people that asked this year that I was 28. Because I honestly couldn't remember how old I was. The brain cell thing again, I told you. And no I really don't remember what we did on my birthday. I think we may have gone out to eat? Oh and I just remembered, my high school small group was so sweet and decorated my office and brought me one of those big chocolate chip cookies! Yum.

30) Which celebrity/public figure did you like the most?
I have to say that I was intrigued by Rick Warren and his involvement with politics and also how he tried to be neutral but yet get people thinking.

31) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I would say my concept focused on finding clothes that fit and flatter without buying a completely new wardrobe!

32) What kept you sane?
Focus on my mission and purpose right now in this season, probably my sane husband too!

33) Who did you miss?
My friends that I never get to see and hang out with anymore. Life is so different now (in an amazing way) but it makes it harder and harder to just get together and have fun!

34) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
You can't understand and plan what life will be like once you have a child. I had all sorts of ideas of who I would be and how I would live as a parent. I really had no clue. Oh and still so much to learn. Huge life lesson.

35) What did you gain this year?
Deeper love. A different view of who I am. Desire to raise a family that is boldly following Christ.

36) What did you lose this year?
Some poundage. Yeah yeah. Some freedoms of coming and going as I please (having a kid does change life a lot).

37) Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Hold on to me
when you are so tired,
when you are so tired
of holding up your hand.
Steady on your feet
I will not let you stumble,
will not let you stumble,
I will not fall asleep.
When you go out,
when you come home,
like a hedge,
like a shield,
I’ll be your guardian.

Here’s to ‘09…