First Christmas

We packed up and headed to Indiana for Christmas. It was a long 12 hours in the car but at least Amelia did GREAT! We got to Deric's parents house on Friday night and will get to stay here all week. Everyone is enjoying loving on Amelia and she is loving the attention!
Christmas Eve we didn't do much of anything during the day which was nice. We did head up to my sister's in-laws house to see her and Blake. Since our parents don't live in our home town anymore it makes things a little tricky.
 We opened our gifts from them that night. Amelia got the cutest little ride-on toy from them. However, she doesn't really get the idea of it yet. She prefers to push it around. Deric did push her on it the other night and she liked it.

They got me a really neat gift! I finally am getting started on my canvas photos for our living room wall! Jen picked a great photo to start out my project. Deric got some really nice glasses with his monogram in etched in them. After we hung out with them we headed out for Christmas Eve service. Our home church usually does a 10:00p.m service but this year it was at 7:00 so I knew we would be able to make it. Amelia did pretty good in church. We did have to take her out just for a little bit. She is walking all over the place and does NOT like to sit still! I think her daddy and I were more worried about her noise than what other people were!

 Christmas morning and day was a bit different for me. Not only was it the first Christmas with Amelia, but the first not to see my parents. It is so strange to be so close to the home I grew up in but not stopping in! We did go to church Sunday morning and Amelia looked adorable! I just loved her Christmas dress and her little red shoes! She did great during church and we even got some cute photos of her afterwards. She just loves this little red rocking chair. It was Linda's when she was a little girl. Amelia has played so much with it this week.

After church my SIL and her family came over for lunch and to open gifts. Our oldest nephew,Nick, got to come home for Christmas. He just graduated from boot camp and  now a sailor!n We are proud of our Navy nephew!

Amelia's little Christmas outfit I made and Nick

  It was so much fun this year to see our sweet girl enjoying her first Christmas. Amelia was really into opening her and everyone else's  gifts. She is your typical kid... she wanted her toys out of the box as soon as she unwrapped it. Thankfully we have plenty of room left in the car to fit everything home.

sweet Kohl and her robe we got her

Nick and Nate.... 

think she liked her baby doll??

Christmas evening we went back to see my sister to take her and Blake's gifts.... I forgot to grab them the night before. Or maybe it was just a sign that I needed to go see her on Christmas night!
I sure hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and got to enjoy your families! Even though we haven't gotten to visit with my parents I feel right at home at my in-laws house. I mean I have been in the family for 11 years now so it isn't strange to just hang out here!

Merry Christmas

We started our Christmas morning with Church. What better day to celebrate Christ than on his birthday at Church!!
Amelia wanted to show you how adorable she looked before we headed to church. I will be back soon to post about our wonderful day with family!

On the road again

Amelia has been great so far! I think she likes riding in our new car! :)

11 months

Amelia, how is it that we have already reached 11 months. I just can't believe how you are turning into a toddler in a blink of an eye.

~11 Month Stats~

~ wearing mostly 9 month clothes some 12 months

~size 2 diapers and medium setting on your cloth diapers

~weigh around 17.5 lbs

~ eating all types of table food

~ 6 oz of formula every 3 to 4 hours

~napping once daily lately from about 12:30 - 3:30.... it is awesome

~bed time should be around 7:30 but you usually aren't going to sleep until about 9 sometimes

~walking EVERYWHERE

~talking up a storm, you always have something to say!

~ still smile and giggle all the time

~you make some of the cutest sounds, your new sound is growling at the dogs when they grow at you! 

~ happy happy girl but you can throw a master fit when you want :)

~love your bath time... I think it is because you are diaper free

~ you are pretty good at playing on your own but really REALLY love to "play" with the dogs

~you love books and the ipad 

~into everything... I am always amazed with things you find 

~love to be out and about still 

~of course I think you are one smart cookie, you can even follow basic commands now

you have a love for hangers... I couldn't get you to let go of it!

As much as I love watching you grow and learn it sure is bittersweet. We are 4 short weeks from your birthday.  EEEKKK  You are such a big girl and I am truly amazed with you baby girl.  You are not a tiny baby anymore but I am excited to see you grow into a toddler. You make your daddy's and I world so much brighter and happier. I don't even know how it could be more possible to love you more, pumkin!

Christmas Cards

First, I have to brag on my friend Candace. Not only does she take WONDERFUL care of Amelia every Friday while I am at work, but she does photo shoots of her! I am WAY behind on our Christmas gifting list,.  including getting Christmas Cards out!  But because of Candace's wonderful talent I now have beautiful photos of my girl to put on our cards this year! I got them done today... thanks to Wal-Mart one hour photo. I would have really loved to use an online site which I have always done before but let's face it... time is running out and I need to get things off my list knocked out.

I mean we haven't really bought anything for anyone besides Amelia! I have a ton  few sewing projects to do for gifts still. To top all of the undone things on my list I have come down with a horrible sinus infection which I have lost my voice over and feel like death..... to put it blunt. Thankfully Deric is keeping Amelia busy as much as he can but she isn't feeling her best either.  I will hopefully be back to my normal self by this week with the help of the RX  I got yesterday.  If you don't hear from me until after Christmas just know that I am in the "sweat shop" sewing like a mad women!  OH, and taking care of a almost 11 month walking around like crazy baby girl.  ;)

Amelia Walking

Here is a short video of Amelia walking. This was taken this morning while I was attempting to get  some photos of her.  I did mange to get some pretty good ones so maybe just maybe I can get our Christmas Cards started!

First Thanksgiving and Decorating

This year on Thanksgiving we had a lot to be Thankful for! Not only was it Amelia's first Thanksgiving it was our first Thanksgiving as a family of 3! We had my family here to celebrate with! I made the traditional turkey and all the fixings. This year I made a sweet potato casserole and it was so yummy!! I will for sure make it every year I cook!
I didn't take many photos while my family was here.... I know BAD mom. Deric did get some pictures of Amelia. I am usually  all about snapping tons of photos while we are around family. But this year I guess I was busier this year! ;)

My sister and I did get our Chirstmas tree up! I LOVE it! Amelia seems to really love looking at it. She hasn't messed with it as much as I thought. We had to move our living room around a bit to fit the tree by the fireplace.We have a sectional and  1/2 of it is in our bedroom! HA

We decided our Christmas will be new furniture... not just because of the tree. We have been wanting a smaller couch then a really fun pattern chair. Now that we can see the space with our sectional taken apart we really got a feel for what it would look like. I went yesterday and ordered the new couch and chair. I am super excited to get it in the house! So if any of your local gals need/ want a sectional let me know! We have one for sale! HA

10 Months and walking!

How can this be??? 10 MONTHS!!! Even bigger news is that you took your first steps on your 10 month bday!! I am so PROUD of you!! I was so happy that I got to see you take your first two steps!!  I took this mallet away from you and you stepped right over to me and yanked it out of my hands!! HA

But really.. I am not ready to start thinking about her birthday coming up in 8 weeks!! I havent nailed down on a "theme" for her first birthday... I may not even do a "theme". I am lost... I am usually one to know what I want to do MONTHS ahead of time. But I guess because I am not even ready for her to be one I don't want to think about it! Amelia, you are such a joy and a precious baby! You amaze your daddy and I every single day!

Here are your 10 month old stats baby girl!!

 ~ You wear mostly 9 month clothes some 12 months but they are too big

 ~medium setting on your cloth diapers/ size 3 in pampers

 ~size 2 shoe ~weigh about 17 lbs 26 inches tall 

~you now will drink 6 oz of milk every 4 hours

 ~you havent refused any food we have given you ye! You are an AWESOME eater

 ~you have two bottom teeth but working on what looks like 3 more

 ~ you take at least two naps a day and now sleeping MUCH better at night

 ~we have had almost a week of all night sleep.. YAY

~ happy girl most of the time ~smiles, giggles, and talks all day

 ~ can now stand up for a long time on your own

 ~you are now walking!!! I can't believe it! 

~you can follow comands ie: give that to momma or no not in your mouth 

~you cry when we tell you no, and you have mastered the fake cough

 ~playing really well on your own. You LOVE to look at books.. makes me so happy!

 ~ saying "Mama, Dada, Div,and Hi 

~signs milk, more, eat, all done

 ~starting to show you attuide more. I think we are going to have a drama queen our hands!!

 I say this every month but it holds true. Amelia you are the light of our lives! The greatest gift in the world! Our house never has a dull moment now that you are here!



 

NASCAR driver?

Amelia has found a new love for riding in the buggies at stores. Thanks to her wonderful daddy who let her ride this way a week or so ago. She loves it... And even though it scares me, it is so hard not to smile and laugh while she squeals thru the store!
I may need to come up with a standing harness of sorts.. :)

Trip Part 2

So I am a month few weeks behind on this post... sorry friends! We headed back to Indiana a few weeks ago to visit the family. I already posted about visiting with my sister. We stayed at her house till Friday and then headed to my inlaws for the rest of the visit.

Amelia had so much fun out on the Bidwell's farm! She loved spending time with her cousins, auntie, uncles and of course grandma and grandpa! It is so nice to go back to our home town and see everyone! It is even more fun now that we have Amelia.... I like showing her off! If your a parent you totally get it!

We greeted her cousins when they came home from school. Nikohl and Nate just adore Amelia and she just loves her cousins!

Saturday morning Amelia and I  got to go wedding dress shopping with my best friend since 6th grade... yes 6th grade!!!I was super excited that I got the chance to go!! Sabrina is getting married in April and she didn't have her dress or bridesmaids dresses picked yet! Well we fixed that! It was a day to just look for bridesmaid dresses but I just had to see Sabrina in a gown. Much to my surprised we both kept staring at this dress another bride was trying on. So we pulled it and it on her and OH MY GOODNESS...... beautiful! She bought it that day!  I kept telling her sister that Sabrina just needed me to make a decision! See, Sabrina had been dress shopping for awhile and nothing really sparked her fancy! I am giddy about the dress and a little jealous that I am not wearing it! HA ( I know... I had my chance but really the dress.... omg)
Too bad I am not showing you the dress uh..... sorry ya'll will have to wait! And Yes, Amelia is her flower girl and she just going to be just darling! Can you believe she will be 15 months old then?!

That night we met up with Deric, his sister, and the kids. We have this fair that comes every October in a neighboring town. It takes up all of the main downtown area. It was so much fun as a kid but now a days.... kinda scary. I would never let my child out of sight! Anyhow, we had a good time with the kiddos and I may or may not have rode on the  "Tilt-a-World" 4 times. I mean the kids made me... :)

Sunday after church we met up with Deric's best friend, Justin. Justin and his wife, Stephanie, have a little boy who is 6  months to the date older than Amelia. Ethan and Amelia will be married one day.... I just know it! They love eachother

! We enjoyed lunch at Justin's parents house and then a long boat ride. Yes, a boat right the first of October in Indiana!! It was almost 80 out the whole week!!!

 The fall leafs were so beautiful on this trip... I miss Autumn in the north. Amelia was sleeping within the first 10 minutes of the boat ride. She really loved it!

 Here is Justin and the babes after lil A woke up of course! Those two had so much fun together!

 After our boat ride we (the momma's) wanted to get the babies in the leafs. The neighbor kids had already raked up a huge pile (volunteering)  so it worked out perfect! We may have watched those kids from the window and when they go finished we ran out there really quick.... :)

E~man didn't like the leafs so much

Amelia loved them... and loved eating them

 After the leaf photo shoot became a bust we moved on to the bench and swings.... the babies liked that a lot  more!

The rest of the week was very low key. It was so nice to not really have any plans just relax and enjoy the family! Deric and I took Amelia out into the fields one day to get some pictures.  Deric loved playing with the camera and got a TON of landscape photos which are really good. But because we all know y'all just want to see the babe I will just show you a few! 

 We did get to meet up with our friend Ashley and her two sweet girls! Deric and Ashley went to high school together but her and I have become friends!  We met up for lunch at my favorite Mexican restaurant!!
Ashley just had her second girl a few weeks prior to our visit. So it was so nice to see her! Plus, I made the girls matching outfits for a gift!!

stole from Ashley's blog! thx!

 The last part of the week we spent lots of quality time with our family! Amelia got spoiled to pieces and had so much fun!!!

 It was a great week and we can't wait to see everyone again soon!