18 Months and a New Cousin!

I'm not sure which is better, 18 months or 1 1/2 years old. I'm thinking 18 months, the other sounds so old. I can't believe another month has passed and I've not blogged once since that month. So a little recap of our month:

-You couldn't be any cuter. You are however the master of temper tantrums. You can throw them over the smallest things.
-For a long time I was worried you'd never walk, now, now you RUN and fast. Your favorite game right now is chase, you love to run as fast as you can when Daddy and I say "I'm gonna get you...."
-You love to be sung to. Your favorite song is If You're Happy and You Know It and the theme song to Yo Gabba Gabba which I also heard you say tonight for the first time. You pointed to the TV and said what you wanted to watch and I understood completely. I was shocked, you just smiled.
-We're working on identifying things still. You can now point to animals in your book and easily recognize and say cat, dog, and duck. The duck came about after a trip to the Cottonwood Festival in Richardson, you LOVED the ducks. You've also picked up 'uh, uh' or 'no' and then you throw your arm up and the air and down again to REALLY make your point. You've also picked up on the word ball.
-You now follow many simple step instructions. "Shut the door, open the door, put it in the trash, bring it to Mommy", etc...
-I still think you're going to be left handed :)
-You still love your baths. Even in the middle of a tantrum if asked if you want to take a bath you stop crying and head to the bathroom.
-We went to the doctor last week for pink eye, it was a mess. It seems when you get sick you really get sick. You weighed 22.6lbs at that time.
-Your eye teeth are now coming in, the bottom ones have already broken through.
-This past weekend we went through a paci detox 'program'. You are now paci free. I thought it was going to be harder than it was. After day two of a five day program you were done with them. I think it's been harder for me and your dad than it really has been for you.
-Nights have been the hardest to get you to sleep. Two nights ago you didn't go to bed until midnight. I finally took you to your room, turned off the lights, laid down and fell asleep. You continued to play, at midnight I woke up and you were asleep with a pair of shoes in your hand. The next night you slept in your sandals. Tonight a pair of house shoes. You are CRAZY about your shoes.
-We stopped in and visited your old babysitter, Debbie, the other day. She couldn't believe how much you had grown. I don't think you really remember her but I could tell you remembered her house a little bit just by some of the familiar places you went to in her house. It was a fun visit and we'll go back just to stay in touch.
-You started a new daycare today. You are now going to school with Olivia. I'm able to watch you on the camera at school and it looked like you had an okay day. A few tantrums here and there but nothing too bad.

You are growing so fast and you've mastered so many things this past month I can't even keep up (shame on me). I love you and the little girl you've become.

Love,

Mommy

P.S. You're no longer the youngest cousin on the Hardgraves side. Austen Gibson Aylor was born on October 3rd. Christmas should be lots of fun this year!

Plano Balloon Festival last year.

Plano Balloon Festival this year.



Carnival at Firewheel Mall

First ride on a ferris wheel.

Chasing the duck at the Richardson Cottonwood Festival.

Best of friends, sometimes :)

17 Months Old

Dear Astoria,

This weekend you turned 17 months old. We spent the Labor Day holiday up at Nana and Pops house in Oklahoma. Over the weekend I finally got the time to slow down and watch you. It seems like the past month with school starting back I've missed some of the things you have learned. You have become even more independent than I remembered. You still love your Mommy and Daddy time, but you don't mind playing by yourself. There are times I pick you up from daycare and you are simply watching every one else...soaking it all in.

You love to dance. Anytime a song is played on the TV or even Mommy's horrible singing you are dancing or kicking your feet in the car seat. You love to clap your hands and turn in circles, almost to the beat. Your favorite songs right now are 'If Your Happy and You Know It', the Yo Gabba Gabba entrance song and the 'Hot Dog' song on Micky's Clubhouse. This weekend for the first time I watched you walk backwards. I'm not sure what started it, but you just all of the sudden started going that way. I laughed..another skill mastered.

You are a very happy toddler. You love to smile but also love to have your own way. This weekend with the help of your older cousin you have started using the word "MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE". If you don't get your way it's an automatic fit on the floor. Whaling, rolling, and throwing yourself around. Many times I have to walk away because as much as I love you, you have to learn that it's not all yours. I hate to see you hurt and upset, when your done I love to pick you up and rock you, apologizing, all at the same time. You are my little girl becoming a toddler.

You make some of the funniest faces and sounds I've ever heard. You have learned to smack your lips and let out a big sigh when you get tired. We are still trying to break you from your paci and I believe we're getting closer. You hardly had it at all this weekend. A month from now you will start daycare at the same place Olivia goes. They don't allow pacis..it will be a long day for all of us I'm sure. You will likely be the youngest in your class but I have a feeling you won't be intimidated by many..you are very sneaky and as I've said before, very independent. You are my little girl.

There are many times I now see this side of you...you are often walking or even running as fast as your little legs can carry you away from me. You seek your independence like I seek you being in my arms cuddling at night. For the past 17 months you've followed in my shadows, now it's going to be hard for me to follow in yours.

First Day of School

It's amazing what a difference a year can make! Last year at this time I was leaving her for the first time and this year she's an old pro at daycare. Last year I was able to leave her on her playmat and know she'd be there when I returned. This year I'm lucky I managed to get her sitting long enough to take the picutre. Last year I cheered when she cooed and smiled. This year I'm loving the words she's using and can't wait for more (lately it's been 'kitty'). Now if only I could get those horrible pacifers away from her, but, at least this year she's not sucking her thumb :).

Motherhood is a blissful thing!

See another great smile hidden behind the paci!

Cousins on the first day of school.

How Meredith and I manage to cook dinner. They watch Mickey's Clubhouse eating whatever we rummage up while we cook.

Does it get any better than this? I stepped out of the car this morning and said "REALLY???" "Are you kidding me, we'll never live this one down!" Well, at least we both look good in this color :)

16 Months

Another month has come and gone..this month however, I'm on time in writing. You have mastered so much this month. You are clearly on your feet and moving in all directions. You still like to play peek-a-boo and color (on everything if I'm not careful). Your favorite words are still uh-oh, juice and shoes. I'm starting to hear you say 'did it' and 'all done' though no one would understand you except me. We've spent a lot of the past month hanging out with the Webb's. You and Lorelei love to play peek a boo in the car and the two of you giggle harder than I've ever heard you at times. I can tell you two are going to be very good friends!

You are a very happy baby unless you don't get your way, and well, then it's as if the world has ended. Tonight for instance you wanted your shoes on, mind you we had just taken a bath and were ready to go night, night. Well, mommy was ready for you to go night, night. You just laughed and giggled. I put your shoes on and you ran away from me. When I finally corralled you back to the room and removed the shoes...OH BOY..you kicked, screamed, and cried until you couldn't breathe. Daddy finally got you down, Mommy did not win.

Aunt Mere and Cousin Olivia moved down here this month and you have had a ball playing with Olivia, unless of course she tries to take something then, well, see above, lol. The two of you hugged for the first time the other day and it brought tears to my eyes.

This past week you started back to daycare. I was a hard day for you and me both. Having spent the past month together has made seperation hard on both of us. I know you do fine during the day but drop off and even pick up are hard times for us both. I think your dad and I have figured out it's better if he drops you off and I pick you up. You seem to do a little better with him in the mornings than you do with me.

These pictures are from tonight, you were so happy playing with my camera cord and eating cheerios. I can't imagine my life without you my love.

Mommy

ABC's of Me!

I found this fun little quiz on Megan's blog and thought why not!

A- My AIR CONDITIONER is set on: 77. It stays there all night but goes up to 79 during the day since I'm home right now, during the school year it goes up to 82.

B- My BEDROOM theme is: dark burgundy, black and dark woods.

C- The CAR in the driveway is: a Ford Focus, love my car for quick little Uies I do all over Dallas.

D- My DESK looks: like a mess..covered in bills since most of the time I'm on my laptop and don't need a desk.

E- The EXACT time I wake up daily is: Usually around 7:40 if I'm lucky..during the school year about 6am.

F- The FIRST thing I wash in the shower is: my hair

G- My GARAGE is filled with: right now lots of stuff for the JBF sale. Usually just odds and ends.

H- My HOUSE is: usually pretty neat..I don't like too many things out of place.

I- If you peeked INSIDE my bedroom you'd see: an unmade bed and Rex's clothes on the floor where they always are!

J- My favorite JUICE is: Orange

K- The best part of my KITCHEN is: my fridge and my NEW dining room table.

L- The LAST person who visited my home was: My whole family just left (Dad, Mom, Mere and Olivia).

M- The last piece of MAIL for me was: the electric bill

N- My NEIGHBORS think I'm: not sure..Rex talks with them more than I do.

O- If you OPENED my fridge you'd see: lots of leftovers.

P- My last house PARTY was: Memorial Day...we had an end of the year BASH!!

Q- A QUICK meal I like to fix is: Mac and Cheese

R- My favorite ROOM of the house is: Astoria's room..I find it very peaceful in there...since I made most of the decorations in her room it also has a 'just how I like it' feel.

S- The SHAMPOO brand I use is: NO FRIZZ

T- My largest TELEVISION is: 30 inch I think..Rex wants bigger, I'm good with what we have.

U- UNDER my bed you will find: winter clothes in tubs.

V- The last time I VACUUMED was: Rex vacuumed today..me? Three days ago.

W- Looking out my WINDOW I see: my flowers

X- I wish I had X-TRA: money for school clothes.

Y- My YARD is: good sized with a kid sized pool and my favorite spot, the swing!

Z- ZZZZZZZ My bedtime is: anytime from 12-1 in the summer..9:30 or 10 in during the school year.



If you do this quiz too leave me a comment so I can come read yours.

Once Again I Needed To Cook Dinner....

It had been a long day, she'd only taken an hour nap and wasn't willing to let me out of her sight. I needed to cook dinner, Rex was on his way but not close enough.

Let the water games begin!

I love how she's looking at this bowl like she's never seen one before and not sure what to do with it. It's even cuter because she's sporting my favorite cloth diaper :)

Quickly she figures it out!

And in the end I had a beach towel on the floor moping up the water but, I did get dinner cooked! I love motherhood, really I do :)

15 Months

Well my little girl, you have made it to 15 months. You currently weigh 20lbs 15oz and are 30 inches long. You have 6 teeth in completely and another 2 are breaking through each day. You have finally started walking on your own, when you choose, which is not as often as mommy would like, but I know now that you will get there. You have developed a beautiful personality; you are talkative, always smiling (unless someone tells you 'NO' and then you cry like the world is ending), and love to blow kisses and raspberries on me. You know the words 'Uh oh', 'mama', 'dada', and 'juice'. You love to take things apart, but you are also really good at putting things back together, including shape puzzles. You love for Daddy and I to play with you, yet you are also perfectly content to play by yourself. You still eat like a horse but have chosen foods you like a lot more than others. You LOVE green beans so much you can eat an entire can in one sitting. You also love Mandarin oranges, black beans, mac and cheese, hot dogs, cheese sticks, and guacamole. You love to be outside and if there is water involved well, that's even better. Your attachment level to me has increased greatly over the past month and I'm already betting starting back to daycare next month will be heart wrenching for both of us. I love spending so much time with you even if you do wear me out beyond my wildest imagination. You have become a beautiful toddler and I cannot wait to see what the future holds!