Some Family Pictures...

Just Caroline with some of the family... Sitting with Gran and Grandad at Lake Guntersville State Park in early November; Sitting on Daddy's lap at Karen's wedding reception on November 18; With Aunt Sara, Mommy, and Uncle John at Thanksgiving.

A Very Cool Trip!

My friend Kara and I took our toddlers to the Creative Discovery Museum in Chattanooga... and we sure found a winner of an attraction! There was a lot of stuff for all ages, and also a lot that held the attention of our little ones! The most notable places were the Toddler Room (which had a huge kitchen, a train table, dress up clothes, and more) and the water tables. Now, these aren't your ordinary basic water tables! they have fountains and waterfalls and plenty of cups for pouring and boats for floating! Caroline could've played here for hours, I think... and that's not like her at all! So here are some shots of them playing in the water... and Caroline tasting the water - yuck!

Happy Halloween!

Caroline had a fun day this Halloween. She wore her clown suit all day long. we had a playgroup party in the morning, complete with indoor trick-or-treating and an inflatable slide! Caroline played with her friends Matthew, Alex, and Alexandra. That evening, we went trick-or-treating with Alex (who was dressed as Spiderman). Here is a photo of the two toddlers by our jack-o-lantern. Caroline had fun experiencing doorbell-ringing, although she didn't eat any of the candy herself! Chris and I ate a piece each, but we actually had to give some of it to trick-or-treaters - we'd never come even close to running out in years past, but there must have been more kids out this time! And then he took the rest of the candy to work, so we wouldn't be tempted!

Potty Success

I had been asking Caroline if she wanted to sit on the big potty. "No!" was her emphatic answer. I just thought I'd ask, since she'd been telling us when she pooped recently, and when I asked her, "Where does poop go?" she would point to the potty. Well, somebody gave this little potty to Gran, so she brought it to us. Since Caroline was so adamantly opposed to sitting on the big potty, I wasn't even going to bring this one out for awhile. But she found it and began to play with it... so I told her it was a little potty for her. She opened it and sat down , and I said something along the lines of, "If you were going to go pee pee on the potty, we would take off your diaper." Well, she started pulling at her diaper, trying to get it off... so I went with her cues. Surprisingly, she wasn't wet at all (she'd just gotten up from a nap, and supposedly this is a good time to get them to pee in the potty anyway). She was fascinated with sitting there, standing up occasionally, then carefully sitting back down, all the while holding little bits of toilet paper. And after ten minutes, what do you know? She actually peed in the potty! Not bad for her first try!

Pumpkin Patch

Caroline enjoyed hugging the pumpkins at the Pettit Creek Farms pumpkin patch. We went with Gran and Grandad, who had come to visit. Caroline also enjoyed the hayride and looking at the animals (we weren't about to pay $5 for a 3 minute pony ride, though!). I am also including a photo of our little anal child picking up pumpkins that were purposely spread out on the ground... she thought they needed to be cleaned up, apparently! We had nice weather that actually wasn't too hot for an October day in Georgia! After the pumpkin patch, we all went out to eat at a new restaurant, which was quite yummy!

Pensacola Beach

Well, I haven't posted anything in quite some time... We went to the beach recently (Sept. 10-15), and I thought that warranted an update!
We waited until September, hoping for fewer crowds and bravely facing hurricane season (which didn't happen - take that, people who say last year's hurricanes are a sign of horrible results from global warming!)... and Chris couldn't take off until August anyway, so we just waited the extra month. We had rain a few mornings, but it cleared up by mid-morning each day and was beautiful the rest of the time!
Caroline had never stood in sand or touched the waves before. She loved throwing things into the water as a wave came in, and then turning and running back up the shore as the water got her feet wet! She also liked playing in the sand with shovels and buckets, especially when I dug a big hole that she sat in as it filled with water. For a child so concerned with being dirty (she sees a speck of something on a toy and automatically kicks into obsessive-drive, saying "Duh duh duh!" (meaning "dirty") or "Beeeeee!" (meaning "bee," of course - she remembers her wasp sting incident quite clearly!), she sure didn't mind sitting in wet sand! She also liked chasing the seagulls, although it frustrated her when they wouldn't stay still, much like the neighborhood cats who run out of the yard when they see Caroline coming!
A big highlight was the pool - of the hotel next door. No, we didn't crash the other hotel; there was a sidewalk joining the two together. The next door hotel was a Hilton, which is owned by the same company that owns Hampton (which was our hotel), so guests can use both hotels' pools. The Hilton pool area had a kidie wading pool with fountains in it. Some were way too powerful for an 18 month old, but Caroline enjoyed the small fountains in the inch-deep water.
She didn't get sunburned - just a bit pink. Wish I could say the same for her daddy, who had the telltale line across his shoulders proving that I apply sunscreen more obsessively (and therefore more effectively) than him. His back was fine - the part I did - but his front was burned after the first day. Caroline did end up with a fever on our last full day there - so maybe a little too much time in the heat. But she was fine by the following afternoon.
And in case anyone cares *(I do because it involves food!), the continental breakfast at this Hampton was extremely generous. Hot items every morning! Caroline was pleased to have eggs several mornings.
Perhaps I should go back a post-date some entries so there will be something on here in between June and September!
So in the photo, do you think she has a crossbite? I had one that had to be corrected, and Caroline's smile very clearly isn't quite lined up in this photo!

Busy!

Some random pictures of Caroline "helping" around the house... sorting cookbooks at Gramma's house and vacuuming in the sunroom! Dates on these are September 3rd and 1st (sorry, they're not in chrono. order).

Labor Day Cookout

We had a backyard cookout for Labor Day weekend and invited several families with babies around Caroline's age. In this picture, she's splashing in the pool with her buddy Alex, who lives right down the street from us. He's just 2 weeks younger than her. She also had her friends Matthew and Alexandra over as well - they were all so active that we never got a shot of all four of them together! We had the sprinkler going as well, and Caroline's swing was another main attraction.
The adults just got to hang out and watch/help the babies play while eating burgers and hot dogs and yummy side dishes brought by everyone. Caroline's Aunt Sara and Uncle john came, whi she hadn't seen in awhile - but she warmed right up to them! She really is becoming so much more outgoing in the past couple months.
The fun lasted from 3:00 in the afternoon until after 7:00 when everybody decided that the babies were getting cranky! It's so much fun to watch them all together at this age!

Make Believe

Caroline is in the very early stages of make-believe play. She carries her stuffed animals around the house all the time. Each has a name: "Bah (bear - there are two of these)," "Bee-Bah (Pink Bear)," "Boo-Bah (Pooh Bear)," "Me (Piglet)," "Bah... Dee (Bear from Uncle Stephen)," and "Dah (Cat)" are among her favorites.
I thought it was just too cute when she started sharing her snack with "Bah" in this photo! She also lays her animals down and says they are "Eeee (sleeping)." What fun it will be when she can pretend even more and make them talk!

I made a plain frozen yogurt popsicle for Caroline on day. It was really hot, and I had to do some things in the kitchen. I was hoping that this would keep her occupied for a while... and she loved it! I made it in one of those Tupperware "Ice Tups" molds. She made quite a mess of herself and the floor, but most of it ended up in her mouth. I gated her in so she wouldn't leave the kitchen and drip anything on the carpet. I will be sure to do this more often on hot summer days. I only hope she will always think that plain frozen yogurt is what a popsicle is supposed to taste like! if not, I'll have to add some pureed fruit to it to make it sweeter! 

Laundry Baby

No, we did not dry the baby in the dryer along with the diapers! There is a photo of Caroline's Daddy in the dryer when he was a baby, so he suggested that we take a similar picture of Caroline. She thought it was a very interesting place to be... she was particularly interested in the light that comes on when the dryer door is open. I took several pictures of her pointing at the light with an inquisitive look on her face.

She is very helpful with the laundry, too! she likes to push the laundry baskets from the kitchen into the den, and she knows exactly where I dump the laundry... on the couch. She will often go and point out the spot on the couch when we have a basket of unfolded laundry, as if to say, "Get to work, Mommy!" She likes to hand me laundry to fold, and will pick up a piece and hold it up in the air, looking at me, so I will come and get it from her. I typically stand behind the couch and she hands stuff to me from in front of the couch... that way, I can keep the folded things on top of the couch back, out of Caroline's reach!

We went to the La Leche League conference in Atlanta this past weekend. it was great! The speakers and topics were wonderful - lots of good information about parenting in general. There were so many fun things to buy - cloth diapers, various carriers, toys... I managed to only spend $28! The conference was at a hotel downtown and lasted two days. On the second day, Caroline wore a shirt displaying the message: "Breastmilk - the real comfort proteins." We rode MARTA both days to get there to avoid the gas money and outrageous parking fees (that's what we're doing in the photo). Caroline LOVED the MARTA train! When we said, "We're going to ride the train!" she would respond with, "Eeeeeee!" That translates to "Wheeeeee!" Sorry the pic is out of focus... I guess that's just how fast those MARTA trains go! 

Finally - A Tooth!

Caroline got her first tooth at almost 13 months of age. Here is a photo of it about a week after it broke through the gum. It broke through on April 17, but we'd been able to see that it was just under the surface for a couple weeks.

I know the photo isn't very flattering, but it's the best way we could get a clear shot of the tooth! So now we expect that she'll have several more teeth in the next few months, and soon she'll be able to bite and chew a variety of foods. 

First Easter Worth Noting

This is really Caroline's second Easter, but the first wasn't good for photo ops since she was only six days old. We went to Gramma and Granpa's house in Atlanta and went to Mass. Then Caroline walked around the yard, carrying her basket of eggs, dropping them occasionally, putting them back in... not really hunting for eggs, but it's as close as we could get this year. next year, I'm sure she'll enjoy actually searching for them!

She is wearing the dress and bonnet I wore on my first Easter - my mom made it herself! The basket also belonged to first my mother, then me and was used throughout my childhood Easters. Caroline will carry on the tradition and maybe pass the basket and dress on to her own daughter one day!

Caroline's First Birthday

Caroline turned one on March 21st, but we celebrated with family on March 19th. I made Caroline her own special applesauce cake for her to destroy. It was made from two little 4 inch cake pans. She only tasted a couple bites, and she smushed the rest of it and dropped it on the floor!

Caroline had lots of guests for her special day. Gramma and Grampa came from Atlanta and brought Uncle Mike and Uncle Stephen with them. Uncle Stephen brought Dutch, Caroline's favorite dog! Uncle Tim had a play, so he couldn't come. Gran and Grandad came the day before from Nashville, and then Gran stayed with us a few more days to visit more with her favorite grandbaby! Aunt Sara and Uncle John wanted to come, but Aunt Sara was sick :(

Caroline enjoyed all the attention and excitement. She happily roamed the den as we ate, going up to her guests and showing off her new skills - she is walking quite well now, and she's fast! She especially liked hanging around Uncle Stephen - maybe because he brought the dog! Caroline also had lots of fun opening her presents. She got the Fridge Farm magnets from Mommy and Daddy, a wooden farm puzzle and The Very Hungry Caterpillar book from Gran and Grandad, and two outfits and college fund money from Gramma and Grampa. What a lucky girl!

She's growing up so fast... one year old already!!!

Walking!

She's walking! Caroline took her first unassisted step in mid-February, just before she was 11 months old. By the time she was 11 months, she was taking a few steps at a time when we encouraged her... maybe up to five steps before falling down.
About a week later, Caroline could take several steps at a time - around ten or so - when we encouraged her. And now she will take steps unprompted.... for example, if she's pulled herself to a stand by the couch, she might take a few steps from there to the coffee table all on her own, without us prompting her. Occassionally she will walk partway across the room, just because she was standing when she decided that she wanted to go somewhere. So, she is still using crawling as her primary means of transportation because it is still faster for her, but she clearly enjoys walking and is pretty pleased with herself about doing it!

About to Walk...

Caroline is getting ready to walk. She's been able to stand on her own (not stand up from a seated position, but pull to a stand and then let go) for a couple months now. But lately she's actually remained standing for more than just a few seconds, and so I was able to get this photo of her standing the other day. Before, she would sit down so quickly that I never had the chance to snap a shot!
A week ago, Caroline took two steps and then grabbed onto my leg while we were at a La Leche League meeting. I was so excited! Since then, she's taken a few more steps here and there. Over the weekend, Chris and I were encouraging her strongly, and she took FIVE STEPS IN A ROW! And then she fell backwards, startled by my maniac-sounding laughter and other delighted sounds. We got a few steps on video.
So our little crawler will soon be a walker! I am now watching EBay for soft-soled shoes! 

Dishwasher Obsession

Caroline LOVES the dishwasher! Whenever she sees it opening or hears us putting dishes in, she shrieks with delight and races across the kitchen. Once she has reached the dishwasher, she will pull up on it, examine the Jet Dry dispenser, pull the bottom rack out and then push it in and out (repeatedly), taste the rubber gasket, walk around the open door, and practice opening and closing the dishwasher door. All the while, she is squealing excitedly, a big smile on her face. She acts like we've given her the greatest gift ever - o wondrous dishwasher, love of her life! And when we have to close it, she cries until we've distracted her with something else. What a weird kid - but hey, she is my daughter, after all.

Cloth Diaper Obsession

Who would think that cloth diapers could be so much fun? I was so excited when my first package of prefolds and covers arrived, and we've since added to the collection. EBay is great for getting a few of different varieties to try out without breaking the bank... but it's easy to overdo it! Caroline has plenty of diapers in her current size now, but she will outgrow them eventually and need larger ones. We get most of our new diapers from Baby Naturale - free shipping on orders over $50!
Currently, my favorite dipes are Kissaluvs fitteds. We have the pretty color ones! They are the blue, green, and yellow diapers in the picture. We use them with a Bummis Super Whisper wrap cover, and they contain messes wonderfully! I'm hoping to try Growing Greens fitteds soon, as they supposedly fit babies 5-35 pounds!!! We wouldn't need to buy a variety of sizes if those work!
Okay, it's probably a little weird to get excited about diapers, but I've always gotten excited about lame things. And based on her face in the photo, Caroline loves her cloth dipes as well!

Little Explorer

Caroline is getting so confident in her explorations! She can now climb down the step from the den into the sunroom without any hesitation or assistance. She will play alone for as long as an hour, checking in with me from time to time, but then continuing with her adventures. She enjoys opening the cabinets where her toys are stored, and ususallu she ends up in the cabinet herself! You can tell she's had an active day by the number of toys scattered beyond the cabinets and across the den.
She's getting so self-confident, she will even crawl all the way down the hall and into her room all by herself. I will go after her, where I will almost always find her pulling books off her bookshelf. She'll also go into the bathroom on her own if we've forgotten to close the door! Basically, anywhere with cabinets she can open is interesting to her. Caroline is definitely on the move!

First Words!

Caroline is quite a chatterbox lately! She repeats many words and says some things unprompted as well. She says, "Ma" for Mommy (which becomes "mamamama" when she's upset!), and "Dad!" for Daddy. When we read her family book that I made for Christmas, she repeats, "Ma" on the page with my picture, and then "Dad!" on the next page with Daddy's picture (although sometimes she gets so excited that she skips me and just says, "Dad!"). Then on Grandma's page, Caroline repeats the end of her name, "Ma." On Grandpa's page, Caroline says, "Bob!" which is very funny because that's actually his name! Sometimes it sounds more like "Bop," and lately she is making more of a "Pa" sound, so I think she's really trying to say Grandpa now too. Then we get to Gran's page, but Caroline doesn't know how to make the sounds for that yet. But on Grandad's page, she says the ending sound, "Dad" after we read his name. Then we get to the uncles and her aunt, but Caroline doesn't know how to say these yet, although sometimes she will say, "mu" after we read, "Uncle Mike."
Other things she says are "dak!" when I turn off the lights, and "aaaaah!" (ice) when I use the ice maker or hold a cup. She also says something that sounds like "dog" when we see dogs on our walks. Recently, she saw one of the cats at my parents' house and said, "Dog!" But when I say the word "cat," she will repeat, "Dat." She makes a "bu" sound for blocks, ball, and book. She says "ba" when we get her bath ready. She says "bap" when I am saying "snap" as I snap up her clothing. Caroline says "ha" when I put a hat on her head, and she says, "haw" when we get near the stove... unfortunately, I don't think she fully understands what it means for something to be hot even though she knows the word!
What's even cooler is that she understands a whole lot of words. If I say, "Caroline, sit down," she'll generally sit. Also, if I says, "Where's Daddy?" she looks right at him. If I say, "Wave, Caroline," she'll wave her hand, as well as when I say, "Say hi," and sometimes when I tell her, "Say bye." She also knows to hide her face and play peekaboo when I tell her to "hide." The other day I asked her to get her sock, and she did! And she knows what I mean when I say, "Not for Caroline!" She'll also turn pages in a book when asked.
And of course, she likes to squeal and make other loud noises with her voice... especially during church!
(Note: Photo was taken on December 21)