Our Favorite Visitors

When Anna woke up from her nap the other day, her Grandan was there to greet her. He brought her downstairs and, even in her sleepy fog, she was so happy to see her Grandma.

And, well, I think her Grandma was pretty darn happy to see her!

Her Great Grandma was, too!

Anna just snuggled.

We love having my parents come visit.

And GG too. Here are the Anna's!

Anna hammed it up for her audience.

And cuddled on demand.

No one reads quite like Grandan.

Great Grandma Anna got a rare opportunity to take a picture with 4 of her 5 great grandkids!

Special, special days!

Post-Church Photo Shoot

For the first time in quite a while, we brought Anna to the church nursery. I volunteer there, so I get to go in with her and get her settled before leaving. When I brought her into the room, I sat her down next to another baby, and she gleefully squealed, "hi!" to the little girl.

After church, she was still all smiles!

We had such a gorgeous fall...

...making most days ideal for photo shoots with the new cam!

Though she's not crazy about posing. She'd rather cruise.

Even dad got his hands on the new camera!

Fun stuff!

New Wheels

The gorgeous fall had us outside frequently enjoying the gorgeous weather. I came across these cars on sale at the end of the season...

...and decided, on a whim, to grab one for Miss A.

Turns out, that was a good move.

We're thinking she's enjoying it.

And, of course, on her first ride dad decided it was the most fun to chase poor Oggy with the car.

Anna

and Oggy agree.

The squeals and sheer glee were SO cute!

Now, we've had it for a few weeks...and she LOVES going down street toward our house because it's downhill and she goes fast! She grasps the steering wheel (at 10 and 2 o'clock) and flies while bobbing back and forth trying to go faster!

Whatever are we going to do this weekend?

Life Through A New Lens

A few weeks ago, my DH decided I needed a camera upgrade and bought my early Christmas/birthday gift: an SLR!

Needless to say, the clicking hasn't stopped.

Know what else hasn't stopped? Little Miss Perpetual Motion.
But now, I have a fast action lens to catch her:

The first night I had the new camera, a couple of Anna's friends came over to play...

Giving me the chance to catch them posing..

and being boys!

It was fun to start playing around with different shutter speeds...

...and just generally watching them play through the lens. I'm thinking she can hold her own.

These little guys adore her and are so sweet!

How cute is this??

Sweet Ty gave her several squeezes (if you ask him who he's going to marry, he immediately responds "Anna"! He's three.)

This is a pretty common look for her. Intent with some snack in hand.

Love these kiddos!

1 Year!!

Wow, how a year has flown. Seems like we were just taking the first big bear photos in the hospital and here we are.

I do intend to write a well-thought out, reflective one year post, but this isn't it. This is to share our Month 12 big bear photo!

Here it is!

These got harder the older she got, since sitting in once place pretty much never happens.

The day Anna turned one, we spent the day home together.

At one point, she ran into the living room, grabbed the remotes, then brought them to the kitchen and threw them in the dog's bowl.

As I was retrieving them, she flew through the kitchen, into the bathroom, then back through the kitchen in a matter of seconds.

Something told me (that 6th momsense, perhaps?) that I had better see what she did in the bathroom.

It's going to be an exhausting year.

Anna loves to play, loves to run, loves to eat. You wouldn't know it, though. Stats from her one-year check up show:

18.8 lbs (6th percentile)

20 inches (40th percentil)

I knew those legs had gotten long! She great 3 inches in 3 months!

We are really adoring this bundle of energy...

and can't wait for what year two has in store.

One-derful

It was a day I knew would come...and I as much as I willed it not to...I was sort of looking forward to it.

I knew she would love a party. She's an active, social little gal and lots of people and kids and snacks are right up her alley.

We prepped the house and iced the cakes and put her in the perfect outfit and she was a doll. Our little one-year, 12-month, 365 day-old doll.

Mama sniffled and reminisced and spent a good 36-hour period thinking, "a year ago at this time, I was feeling my first contraction."

"A year ago at this time, we were in recovery."

"A year ago...."

And on it went.

Until I snapped out of it and into celebration mode.


'Cause when the good Lord blesses you abundantly, I think that's a cause for celebration! Praise and thanksgiving of course. And celebration.

She sat still long enough for ONE photo, then was off and running.



After ample playtime, we did cake. Dad did the honors...

...and she enjoyed several handfuls of buttercream icing, before I decided it was time to stop.

The "Happy Birthday" singing crowd caused her eyes to widen a bit, but she took it in stride.

There were lots of cuddles...

and friends and presents...

... and during the chaos of gift bags that were taller than she and big(ger) kiddos clammoring "Anna, open mine!" she bolted.

Just up and left and went outside to play...

...while the other kids enjoyed opening her gifts! :)

The party also happened to fall during a certain game (we won) so the re was a wardrobe change mid-party so the birthday girl was game-ready.

Here she snuggled her little buddy. Lately, she gives hugs. Seriously solid, open-armed, head-resting on your chest for a second embraces. It's adorable and she was generous that day.

It was a great day to celebrate our girl, the blessing that she is and the fact that we've retained our sanity after a year of parenting!

This life? It's fun. I can't wait for many more years of party's celebrating my sweetie.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His
face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you
and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

October 5, 2011

This time a year ago, I was checked in, wired up, numbed and shell-shocked.

Cherry Limeades, noodles and “I don’t want to panic you, but those are less than 5 minutes apart and have been for an hour.”

How could it possibly be year? A YEAR?

I knew it would be great. I had no idea.

Tonight “deep breaths, deep breaths” is taking on a very different meaning.