Monday, August 31, 2009

Do I Have A Blog?

Yes.
Do I write on my blog?
No.
I will make up for lost time soon, or not so soon.
I will write again, when it is all done...which will probably be never, so I will write again when I abandon it all for a few minutes of writing time and photo editting time wasting. Until then here is the Little just hangin' around in B-town

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

For The Record

I am the worst baby book keeper. Well maybe not the worst since I know people who keep no record of the AMAZING things their babies do. On the other hand I know Erin, who has kept a detail record of Hope's accomplishments and when we discuss these things it puts me to shame. So I must rely on this space to keep up with what we she did, and how we felt, and all that has gone on in her life so far. You can imagine the disappointment I felt when August 15th came and went with out even remembering that her 11 month birthday had in fact arrived. Maybe it was because we were at the beach, or maybe it was because she didn't nap once that day, or maybe it was because she recklessly slept on my chest the night before depriving me of any sort of good sleep. Whatever it was I forgot, and knowing that I would not recount the turning of 11 months old anywhere else, I am all set to do it hear 4 days late.So what can I say about 11 months old...I love this stage, as I have loved every stage of her life. I can only assume that I will continue to love every stage all while wishing that I could go back for just a few minutes of the last. This will probably end around puberty, I'm guessing.


But for now she is my Libby. So sweet, so strong willed, so tender- hearted, and so full of life. We babysat this month and when I tickled the baby's belly, she did the same, when I pat her bottom to sooth her at nap time, she pats Bernie, when we laugh, she laughs, when other babies cry, she cries. She is just what I always pictured and more.

Libby, can you clap?

Libby, where are your ears?

Libby, is Dad-a so funny?

I hope she makes you smile too!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

It's All Sandy

We spent some time in VA beach this weekend. The Little still hates the water so I kept the torturing and the stares to a minimum by steering clear of the water. Our first day someone forgot the camera. I don't want to mention who forgot the camera, but if you remember my post about packing bags, you will understand the camera is just one more thing. Our second day there we took lots of posed shots of the Jones family enjoying themselves at the shore to make up for the lack of pictures the day before.

Oh, this is clearly not us but it is the Mason's who made our beach trip possible. Thanks Mason's, welcome to the blog.

How 'bout that smile Mrs. Jones
Drop it like it's hot Libs

I like when her hair gets hot and humid...it goes all curly

Hands Down, Funniest Girl I Know

11 months old came around with out me even realizing what the date was, so if you're looking for an 11 month old post, that installment is not here yet. Maybe we can do a photo shoot with Daddy tomorrow night. Until, then, here she is making me laugh, thought maybe she could make you laugh too.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

A Great Idea


Libby wanted to wear this hat at breakfast...a practice that I think more of us should do!

On One's Birthday

Instruction's on celebrating your birthday.

1. Give thanks
2. Open cards
3. Open gifts
4. Eat cake, ice cream, and if your like me steamed crabs, however you may insert whichever food you like
5. Finally, in this day and age, check your facebook page

I was OVERWHELMED by birthday greetings on facebook yesterday.
Wowzers, it was like a window into my past.
To be honest, when I look back on my life, I easily can think of things I've said or done and wish so badly that I had done some of them differently. However, yesterday reading my birthday greetings, from literally every stage of my life from birth (thanks Mom) until now (VA friends!) I came to realize mingled through those ..ahem 21 years of life, there are some bad choices, embarrassing moments, and things I wish I hadn't said out loud. There is also, a life, my life, in which I have met hundreds of interesting people, who have in some way influenced me into who I am in this my ...what was it, 20th year of life.
So today I stand, a mere ?19 years old and am thankful for those people who have shown great love and friendship over these tumultuous, exciting, and well lived years.
Thanks dear ones, I am grateful to you all.
Big, all caps locked, LOVE!

Here are some pictures of me practicing step 4 in the birthday instructions!




Friday, August 7, 2009

Just Try And Stop Me



....And those my friends are pig tails, piggy-wiggy's, whatever you want to call them. They are in and she's not taking them out!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

It Must Be Said....




....Happy Day Mom!

Today is my Mother's birthday, and I have to say these things that are on my heart, if I can articulate the words. If there are even words that are enough.
You see, I love my mom...okay that's really not as articulate as I wanted to be.
My mom loves me...that still is not quite right.
I've always known that she loves me, I just never knew how much until this year.
I catch myself, almost daily holding, no wait, smothering Libby, and in turn each day she pushes away from me, wanting to get down and play and I just want to hold her tighter.
This daily scene makes me wonder, if every time my Mom(affectionately know as Babette) sees me or my sister, does she want to throw herself on top of us and squeeze us till we pop?
It also makes me remember all the hundreds of times when I was, let's just say less then sweet, to her, and helps me understand how she was still able to love me back despite my ugliness.
When I'm rocking Libby to sleep and she looks oh so peaceful, I remember things like, when my mom walked into the delivery room and saw me holding Libby and just sobbed, or the picture of my mom right before my wedding sitting in a chair with her eyes closed, and when she dropped me off at college and came back to give me an apple, and when she was so mad at me when I was little because I got lost at a store in WV...her heart must have been battling so many feelings during those times...happiness, pride, nostalgia, loss, fear.
So, yes, I've never had any doubts about my Mom's love for me....it's just now I understand the depth of it, the ache of it, and the pure joy of loving with a Mother's heart.
I heart you Mom...Happy Day!

Insignificant Importance

What a failure I have been in terms of blogging and keeping track of my Little's first year of life. It just seems like each day just goes by, with every day happenings taking place, minus a camera to document them. Not to mention that blogging requires my full attention and I still have grammatical errors and my full attention has been required other places as of late. Taking a camera everywhere with me is hard, b/c it's just one more thing I have to pack. I'm learning to be prepared for every situation possible with a little girl, so I often have quite few things to remember...
extra diapers, check
wipes case filled, check
snacks, check
swim diaper...just in case, check
toys, check
sippy cup, check
nursing cover, check
and the list goes on and the camera never seems to be on that list.
So here are some pictures to fill the void (Grandma, Aunt Ju-Ju, and Cousin Jill). Please note these pictures are completely staged and do not reflect what we really are doing on these sunny, summer days which include, but is not limited to
learning to walk,
learning to talk,
growing teeth,
throwing temper tantrums,
playing with toys,
reading books,
swimming,
sewing(if you're nice to me I'll show you what we have made!),
wearing food on our face not matter how much I wash it,
and trying to stay on some kind of a schedule.

In these first three pictures she thinking about something,
I don't know what it is,
but I'm sure it involves a snack.
Here she is trying to get the lantern that is on the floor, that I moved so that she couldn't get it,
obviously I didn't move it far enough.
This was taken before I moved the lantern, she is looking at it and planning her attack on how she can get and break it! Gus is thinking, "if she doesn't break it, I will"
When I stared this photo session, I stuck this chair in the middle of our back garden and sat her down in it. She did quite well for a few minutes and even provided me this pensive look which made a very pretty picture of her I think.
Moments later, she was reaching for something and tumbled off into the bushes, reminding me of this day. I thanked the Lord that He made babies bounce, then I picked her up and dusted her off, and then stepped in a pile of well, you know, and decided it was time to go back inside.

By the way...do you like what I've done to my dinning room chairs???? I also used this fabric plus red polka dots to make a kitchen curtain....a little bit of the sewing I mentioned!