And who also happens to have extremely crazy-wacky-out of control hair!!!
I forsee lots of bonks and bumps in the near future :/
Look who’s pulling themself up…
February 4, 2010 - 9:25 pm - Hahahaha! I LOVE that hair missy! :) xoxo
My go-go girl
These pics give you an idea why there has been a greatly reduced number of quality O-shots these days 
Seriously, how cute is that diaper butt??
January 27, 2010 - 9:52 am - She's so cute! You are an awesome mom!
7 month letter
Finally
To my big girl, who is and will always be my little baby,
This cant be right, in 5 months you will be a year old?? I know the first day I met you, I fell totally and completely in love with you, but trust me when I say that every day, that love grows leaps and bounds. Our bond grows so much stronger as we get to know each other better (even at the end of a bad day when we are both exhausted and yelling at each other, trust me this does happen, you yell at me way more than I do you and daddy will vouch for that!). You know without a doubt that I am your mommy, and will do anything and everything for you. You also know that when you let our an ear piercing screech, the louder and louder it gets, the quicker you will get what you want. It is a pretty funny to watch actually.
I know it probably gets boring for me to tell you the little new things you do, but trust me, being a new momma, this stuff is exciting!
At 7 months you are:
Finally all grown out of your 3 month clothing, I think you chunked up maybe a little bit with adding solids
Eating twice a day, usually a stage one fruit or veggie with “puffs” (these cereal like finger foods that dissolve quickly). You LOVE that you can feed them to yourself, and sometimes will only eat puffs and nothing off a spoon
Drinking water out of a sippy cup
Drinking 4-6 six ounce bottles of formula a day, and for the most part, you cant stand when we hold you to feed you, you are always on the move
Crawling around like a mad woman. You quickly learned that the little “worm” crawl you were first doing is rather slow, you get there much faster on your hands and knees and now are a pro! If we let you loose in a room, we quickly have to tie up all the cords (your most favorite things to grab) and anything that is baby size that you could possibly choke on, because you put every single thing that can fit into our mouth.
Are in love with the little coils that prevent the door from slamming into the wall. You hit them and just love the “booooiiiiiinngg” sound they make. Mommy quickly learned that the little rubber pieces on the end are not glue on very well!
Love going on walks outside
Still have just two bottom teeth, maybe all the rest will come in at the same time because you are drooling and biting up a storm
Your most favorite time of the day is when you first wake up, you coo and crawl around in your crib, laughing and smiling. Its mommy and daddys most favorite time with you. It is still our morning routine for one of us to go and scoop you up, bring you back into our bed, and all play together before we start our day 
Are in love with all things electronic, remotes, phones, cell phones, the laptop…you go crazy for them all. We web cam with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Bean and Jose all the time and you just love chatting with them. You and aunt bean usually have a shouting match, which is the only way you know how to communicate so far
Are repeating the sound “aug” over and over, and we are starting to wonder if you are saying dog. It is highly likely, considering Kobe is your most favorite friend
This month you had two baby sitters that weren’t family for the first time. Mommy’s friend Mo from work came to watch you, and you had so much fun. You made her rock you on your horsey forever, and you loved playing with your new bubble gum machine. Our sweet neighbors came over one night with their little girl who is one, and you guys had a blast together. We are trying to plan it out so you guys get to spend more time together, and so we can switch off date nights
Grandma and Grandpa were here to visit you on your 7th month birthday, we had such a fun visit together, they are amazed with how much you are growing and changing
Will NOT let us change your diaper, the second we lay you down on your back you instantly flip over onto your tummy to crawl away. We must burn 500 calories each time we have to do it because it is not fun. We quickly learned that zip up jammies and easy to put on clothes are the only way with you, you have no time to fuss with snaps and buttons
Are still working on sitting up by yourself, which is funny considering you are a pro crawler. You love doing this little side lie when you get tired of crawling, but not quite sitting up
Anything and everything goes into your mouth
Love pulling hair, ouch!
Are still up twice at night to eat, we are working on that part, we have realized now you are just doing it out of habit and not really needing or wanting the bottle
Use a binky occasionally, but its not really your thing, you can fall asleep with or without it
Still love bath time
Stopped letting mommy take pretty pictures of you, there is just not enough time in the day for your busy work
Are the single best thing that has ever happened to us and we love you with every inch of our being
Thank you for the changes you have made in my life Olivia, while I still do miss that little baby that you were 6 months ago, this month I have started to get so excited about all of the growing and changing we have ahead of us. I was so proud of you the day you started crawling, and to think how many more milestones we have to hit in your lifetime. I hope you always know how proud I am of you and how grateful I am that you made me a mommy.
I love you Olivia Bea
Just so you know what its like now to take her monthly pictures, this was my attempt at the piggy pic
Ever feel like your just not good enough?
Excuse me while I pout.
I am having a moment, day, week, month, no wait a year where nothing I ever seem to do is good enough. I feel like I have all these intentions, plans, ideas, whatever they may be, and none of them go as expected or wanted.
I want to snuggle my baby, hold her all the time, shower her with kisses and hugs and love. I want her to crawl over to me, pull at my pant leg, and look up at me to swoop her up and just snuggle. If you have ever met my daughter, you know this is impossible. She is a busy, BUSY baby, always on the go, cant be tied down, hates being confined more than anything in the world. The only chance you may catch a snuggle session is if she is completely exhausted. I want so bad to hold her and sing her songs, or read her books, but she wont sit still for 2 seconds to even hear one word! I want to rock her to sleep, and have our special quiet time together, to be able to lay her down in her crib without any crying or fuss. The last week, she has fought sleep so bad, she screams her head off, refuses to let you hold her to give her a bottle. (I just put her down a minute ago, and am planning on drinking a nice big glass of wine with dinner tonight!). I want to feed her all different types of baby food, to be silly and enjoy watching her experience new things, nope. She takes 2 bites of food and throws anything on her tray on the floor. If you dont take her out of her high chair in 2 seconds when she is ready, the entire neighborhood knows!
I want to be a good home maker, to have my house be clean (or at least clutter-free most days), to have dinner prepared and my fridge always stocked. I want to cut coupons to save my family money, and have our meals planned out. To have a monthly budget, and take the time weekly to balance it all out.
I want to be a good friend, one who calls people often, just to see how they are. Who makes time to spend quality time together, to do fun things and make memories. I feel like there is not enough hours in the day to even call to say hello some days, and I hate that.
I want to be a great nurse, one who takes the time with my patients and their families, who meets their physical and emotional needs, who is more compassionate. Lately I feel like I am too busy or just exhausted and I hate that.
I want to be a better daughter and daughter in law.
I want to be a better sister, one who can spend more time with my sister during her pregnancy, who can shop for baby clothes together, and talk about what my nephew will look like over a salad at Red’s. I want to throw her the best possible baby shower, with lots of thought and effort, and time is seriously slipping away from me 
I want to feel better about myself, to start exercising more and putting more time into me.
I want to do about 247 different craft projects and there is just no time.
Maybe if I pray reeeeeallly hard tonight, God can put just one more hour in the day??
January 21, 2010 - 1:00 am - Oh An....don't beat yourself up. That crap only exists in the movies. Everything you are doing, everything you have, and everyone you touch makes a difference for the better. Don't EVER think otherwise. I know I am a better person for you being in my life....and pretty darn lucky!!!!!!!
January 21, 2010 - 3:08 pm - Most people slide thru the day and don't think twice about not being compassionate enough, or spending more time with their loved ones, or thinking they can give more at their job. You do. That already makes you BETTER. :) You should strive to be better to YOURSELF starting now. Give yourself more credit. Drink a glass a wine more often. Don't worry about your house a day or two. Just relax and enjoy your time with Olivia, Mike and Kobe just as you all are because that time is precious. I love you cousin.
January 24, 2010 - 10:16 am - All I can say is you are all of these things. Don't beat yourself up over them .Just do what you can do and be happy. As we know, life is too short for regrets! Love ya!
February 8, 2010 - 6:04 pm - I gave up worring about those things long ago. First it was the kids and through the years all their activities, now their families and the grandkids. Also, having a large extended family that loves spending time together adds to having less time for other things. I know my messy house will always be there waiting for me when I have time. If having a clean house and time for crafts means that I would have to miss spending time with my kids, grandkids and family then I don't want a clean house or time for crafts. Love you lots!! Try not to worry about the little things.
The “other” side of O
I just had to share these. I dont know how this little girl has such a little ‘tude at only 7 months, but she sure does. She has no idea what she wants most of the time, and makes sure to let all of us know!!
My favorite “fit” is the second to last image, this is the “I am so mad but I cant talk or tell you what the heck is bugging me, so I am yelling through closed lips, and so mad I just start spitting!” face, classic O right there
Ahhhh, the joys of parenthood
January 25, 2010 - 1:42 pm - I am waiting for a picture with a red face, runny eyes and nose where you know she is saying "I am mad as hell and I won't take it anymore!"
Playing catch up
Seriously, can she get any cuter?? I am sure the answer to that is yes, I feel like every day I find something that makes me love her more!
Had a busy couple of weeks, my parents were in town for a few days, which was soooo nice, I LOVE having family here (hint hint to anyone who may be reading this!), and of course, O just eats up the attention. I cant believe she is 7 months old, where does time go? I think there is some rule that God made, the second you have children, the time in each day is cut in half, maybe by even more. You sleep way less, but have way more things to do, how is that fair??
My cousin gave birth this week to her fourth child, and after 3 girls she finally got her boy. Jacob Anthony was born on January 11th and I cant wait to meet the little guy. We haven’t had a boy born into our family in a really long time, so its a welcomed change. Love you guys so much and cant wait to see you all! My sister is just a few weeks behind her with another baby boy, my nephew is due the second week of March. I am planning her baby shower that me and my mom, aunts and cousins are all planning, its going to be such a fun time. We are doing co-ed and I am super excited. I am trying to figure out what to do for the favors, aside from that everything is thought of or taken care of. I maybe forgot to put on the invite where she is registered (ooops), so if you are planning on coming she is at Target and Babies R Us
I have to catch up on some laundry and things around the house, so her 7 month letter that is almost done will just have to wait. The older she gets, the harder it is to take pictures of her I swear. I have to have someone behind be holding toys over her head or doing something silly. She is a busy busy baby and is always on the go. We are enjoying this age so much, I think this last month has been just so fun to watch her grow!
Yes, it does say I love daddy behind the 7 month decal. I am having a major shortage of plain onesies with no hearts or flowers or cute sayings!
January 20, 2010 - 1:35 pm - You need to enter a pic on regis and kelly's cutest baby contest!
101 in 2010
Lets be honest, who really is all that great at resolutions anyway?
For 2010 (which is going to be a fabulous year by the way), I made a list of 101 small goals I have, nothing that is too huge of an undertaking, just small things that I have either pushed to the back burner, forgotten about, or have never made time for. This year will be different, I refuse to keep making lists and never completing them, so instead I will blog about them The span from little things around the house I have been meaning to do, personal goals, books I keep meaning to read, etc. And, what better day than to post this, 1-10-2010!
So, here’s to a new year!
1. Blog more
2. Take more pictures of our every day life
3. Go on a date with my husband at least twice a month
4. Make a real budget (I have never once stuck to one in my entire life!)
5. Buy a jogging stroller
6. Make a birthday calendar with all of our friends and family members birthdays
7. Convince my parents, sister, and brother in law to move to Arizona
8. Paint and decorate the downstairs bathroom
9. Join a mommy and me group
10. Drink more water
11. Finally finish decorating O’s room (i.e. put up all the pictures and shelves and nick nacks I have had for 9 months!)
12. Get our carpets and couch deep cleaned
13. Buy nice makeup, and wear it more often
14. Spend the rest of the gift cards from our wedding
15. Use more coupons
16. Send more snail-mail
17. Paint my nails once a week, and stop picking at them!
18. Find a storage system for all O’s bows and headbands!
19. Do some type of landscaping in our backyard, I cant take the dirt anymore!
20. Sell something on craigslist or ebay
21. Read at least 2 photography related books
22. Love my husband more
23. Grow my hair out
24. Create a cleaning list for daily, weekly, and monthly chores
25. Start studying for my CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse)
Books to read:
26. Crazy Love
27. Finish the twilight series
28. Love Dare
Movies to see:
29. Fireproof
30. New Moon
31. My sisters keeper
32. Transformers
33. Avatar
34. Food Inc.
35. Start making some of my grandmas old recipes in her honor
36. Pray more
37. Eat more fruits and vegetables and include more in my cooking
38. Learn more about Photoshop
39. Have a family night more often, with no cell phones, internet, or TV
For Olivia:
40. Take O to the zoo
41. Take her to a gymboree class
42. Start making her baby food
43. Try one new food a week
44. Work more on her baby book
45. Whiten my teeth
46. Paint master bedroom
47. Organize my pantry
48. Organize my garage and all the closets with random things stuffed in them
49. Organize my office better
Gee, do we see a trend here???
50. Paint our master bedroom
51. Go wine tasting
52. Buy a treadmill for Kobe (yes, the dog!)
53. Spend Christmas 2010 with my moms side of the family, parents, sister, brother in law, and new newphew no matter what it takes! I have missed it the last two years because of work and wont miss it again!
54. Do some sort of physical activity at least 3 times a week (starting small here people, I have a long ways to go to get to where I was on my wedding day, and then some after that!)
55. Be a better nurse
56. Spend more time on photography message boards
57. Learn how to sew
58. Finish the process of changing my last name on all my documents (still have one bank, and all nursing documents to go!)
59. Find a church to go to with my hubby
60. Use my slow cooker
61. Cut down the tree in our front yard that drives us bonkers!
62. Spend less time on the computer
63. Floss
64. Refinish one piece of furniture, preferably my parents old round kitchen table!
65. Finish painting my kitchen…we did it a year ago and its still not done!
66. Buy a Kitchenaid mixer
67. Have more “girls nights out”
68. Start making freezer meals to make work nights easier on everyone
69. Have a skin care regimin and stick to it
70. Wax my own eye brows
71. Be a better mommy
72. Make more bows for O
73. Crochet a hat
74. Spend more time with our families
75. Plan and start saving for a trip to New York
76. Catch up with old friends more often
77. Sew Christmas stockings for my entire family
78. Document our family life more
79. Buy a new purse
80. Create a weekly menu each week
81. Listen to more Christian music
82. Donate to a charity
83. Persue my dream of being a NICU nurse
84. Do the “couch to 5K” program
85. Be able to zip up my wedding dress
86. Get to know our neighbors more
87. Start a family tree project
88. Learn Lightroom
89. Put more of myself into my photography and seriously persue a real business, not just doing it for fun
90. Take a weekend trip, just me and my hubby
91. Catch up with old friends more often
92. Attend one photography-related educational event/seminar
93. Watch my Photo Vision DVD’s
94. Take a family picnic
95. Buy the piece I have wanted forever to hang above my kitchen sink
96. Be more patient
97. Eat out less
98. Shave my legs more
99. Make more “me” time
100. Take my hubby to a nice steakhouse and dont worry about the bill!
101. Enjoy the little things life has to offer
What are your goals for the new year?
January 10, 2010 - 9:38 am - Hey girlie, great list! I did notice some duplicates...are you cheating? ;)
January 10, 2010 - 4:24 pm - I'm curious, where do you plan on buying this dog treadmill? Or are you just going to buy a regular treadmill and put your dog on it? You've been watching the Dog Whisperer haven't you!?
Happy 2010!!
Dear Family & Friends Santa,
Thank you for all my toys, books, and clothes, I still don’t know what to do with them all.
xoxo,
Miss O
January 2, 2010 - 8:49 pm - miss o scored this christmas! i'm impressed! and i LOVE this picture, so awesome!
January 4, 2010 - 12:00 am - No way! Can you say SPOILED! Ha ha. Can't wait to see yoU!
Holiday Letter
Hi Family & Friends,
We hope you all are enjoying every moment of this holiday season, we sure are over here! This last year has brought so many changes to our lives, and while we have embraced every one, we still have to pinch ourselves from time to time to remind ourselves that this is our life! We apologize that this letter is not coming to you in its normal fashion in your mail box, we are pretty sure someone hit the fast forward button on our lives and we have no way to slow it down. (We also figured we would jump on the ‘going green’ bandwagon and save a tree or two!). We have received so many wonderful and thoughtful holiday cards, we love getting them and hearing how everyone is doing, so we promise next year you will get one in return
Everyone says how quickly time flies once you begin your family and have children, I never believed them until this June. It is so incredibly hard to believe that our sweet baby girl is already six, yes, S-I-X, months old. I feel like it was just last week that we announced we would be having a baby, and just yesterday that we met our perfect angel for the first time. We are enjoying every second of being parents and having Olivia in our lives, she has been such a blessing in so many ways. If you do not follow our blog, you may not know that:
She is rolling over and has been since about 3 months
She is sitting up
Almost crawling (she has gone about 3 steps/scoots but has yet to really figure it out)
Is 13 pounds 1 ounce, and 27 inches. That’s the 8th percentile for weight and 75th for height, possibly a model on our hands??
LOVES Kobe (the dog), bath time, snuggling with mommy and daddy, and listening to music
Her favorite toys include giraffes (she has 5 of them), soft blocks, and just about anything that rattles and lights up
She spends most of her days jumping furiously in her jumperoo, napping in her swing, or scooting around on her play mat
She is eating pureed foods now, her favorites are prunes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and pears.
She has TWO TEETH!!
Has found her voice and LOVES to screech and scream to get our attention, it seriously cracks us up!
She is a huge people watcher, any where we go, she is mesmerized by people of all types, it cracks us up
Is quite the drama queen, but so full of personality, and she keeps us laughing all day long!
Aside from getting the hang of being parents, we have been busy with other things as well. I am still working as an ICU nurse here in Arizona. I love my job and am so grateful for all of my amazing friends and co-workers. I have been pursuing my photography here and there (when there is time, which is rare these days) and am hoping to build up my portfolio in 2010. I am also going to be an auntie for the first time and am soooo excited. My nephew is expected to arrive in early March and I cant wait to meet him. He and Olivia will be 9 months apart and I am so excited to watch them grow together and to have the opportunity to watch my sister become a mother.
Mike has been busy with his business, Snapbooth Entertainment. For anyone who doesn’t know, in March of this year him and his step-father opened up a photo booth rental company for weddings and other special events. After all the fun we had with the one we rented for our wedding, they had to have one for themselves. We are happy to report that his business is going awesome, with a total of 44 events completed in 2009, and 28 already on the books for 2010. It has been a huge blessing for our family and we are hoping to see huge growthfor the business in the coming years. I have to put my hubby on the spot here and say that he also has been an almost full time stay-at-home-dad. He watches our daughter for 14 hours straight, entirely by himself, and has never once complained. She is always fed, bathed, and happy when I get home from work, and there is almost always dinner on the table (bonus!). I am so SO proud of the dad that he has become, it has been so awesome to sit back and watch the beautiful relationship he and Olivia have formed with each other. I cant wait for the months and years to come!
We hope that you all are doing well, we think of you all often, and even if we don’t keep in touch as often as we should, just know that we love each and every one of you and are thinking of you this holiday season!
Bookmark our blog, I update it all the time with family stuff and photos!
6 Month Letter
My beautiful, sweet, loving, funny little girl,
How could this be baby? You are halfway to a YEAR?! I don’t believe it, it feels like just yesterday you were a brand new wrinkly and squishy little newborn that I held in my arms all day long. You are such a different baby now, its amazing how fast time goes!! I know I say this often, but watching you grow is so bittersweet, I love cheering you on as you reach each milestone, but each one that passes sets in the reality even more that you will grow up, and there is nothing momma can do about it. I always joke around when friends ask how you are doing, I usually start with telling them a milestone like “She has two teeth now!” and follow that with “I may as well just send her off to college!” Silly, I know, but each day that passes, makes me miss and remember the first day I spent with you.
You are so special to your daddy and I, every day we talk about how incredibly lucky we are that God chose YOU to be OUR baby, it really is a miracle. (We think he chose the most perfect baby in the world by the way).
You are so loved and spoiled by your family, they love you so much! Grandma Val and Papa Kent, Auntie Bug and Uncle Haris (lovingly named Uncle Harry which I am sure he just loves) live here in Arizona and we try to see them as much as we can with our hectic schedules. You get a real kick out of how silly Kent can be, and you love when Grandma Val sings you songs. Grandma Suzanne and your Bumpa are still in California, but we see them all the time, and you love to see them on the web-cam and hear them on the phone (although all you ever want to do is eat it). Auntie Bean and Uncle Jose are in California too, baking your baby cousin who will be here in a little over 2 months. They all will be here on Christmas morning this year to celebrate with us. (Mommy is still plotting for them all to move here to be with us, lets hope before your one year letter they live down the street!). Speaking of Christmas, it will be our first year all celebrating together and we are so excited. You have been such a sweet girl this year and I know Santa is going to bring you lots of fun things
This month you are: yelling/screeching like crazy, loving eating your pureed foods (especially prunes, carrots, pears, and sweet potatoes), have learned to “buzz” your lips which you think is so funny (and it is, except when we are feeding you, makes for one HUGE mess!), starting to sleep on your tummy with your face nuzzled right into your crib bumper, any other way and you just wont sleep. Still love when momma rocks you to sleep, still up twice in the night to eat, loving picking up toys and throwing them, and you also learned to put a toy from one hand to the other (a milestone according to your pediatrician). You just love your daddy, whenever he is in the room, your eyes are glued to him with a huge smile on your face, I think we have a daddy’s girl on our hands. Kobe is just about your favorite thing in the entire world, you could just stare at him all day and especially love when he gives you kisses (when really all he is doing is looking for any food or spit up, gross), you still love the jumperoo and exersaucer, you love falling asleep to classical music (you loved that when you were in Mommy’s belly too), and love when we sing you songs. You are showing a big interest in crawling, you have scooted quite a few times and have the right technique down, I think you are just extremely determined to get to your toys that we make sure to place out of arms reach. You are starting to not like being confined, whenever we try to hold you you immediately turn the other way to see whats going on around you, I think you are very observant, especially when we are out shopping, you just love people watching! You really love toys that are bright and colorful, the more noise the better. You will hold your own bottle now, but only if I am holding you. If I prop you up with the bottle, you are flipped over and scooted 3 feet away from where I put you in about 2 seconds. The morning times are your favorite, you are so funny and playful and full of laughs, mommy and daddy really get a kick out of it. You still take about 3 naps a day. Still loving bath time, we got you a cool new bath chair and you still are unsure if you like it or not. Your hair is still long and crazy just like when you were born. I think there are some ringlets coming through, which makes momma SO happy! Lately I think your hair will be a light brown/red color, but that could always change. You are just about the best thing that has ever happened to us and we love you more and more every second!
I know that in the coming months, you are going to start really crawling, furniture cruising, talking/babbling, walking…I just want to freeze us in this moment in time, today, at 8:32 am on Wednesday December 23rd, because I love the baby that you are at this moment so much, I hate to think that you will change so much. I thank God every day for the blessings he has brought to our lives with you, we are so lucky to be the parents of such an amazing little girl.
I love you baby girl,
Momma
by Alex
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