Christmas with a One Year Old

This Christmas season is already completely different than last year's Christmas. For one, we've got 10 tiny fingers that love touching and removing tree ornaments.

Ohhh, so shiny! I can just hear her saying, but really it's more like yabbbyabbbyabbybeeeboobeeboo. We've asked our Nepali friends if they understand her, hoping she's actually speaking Nepalese. They don't, so we're thinking she must be speaking Burmese, naturally.

The other night I had every good intention of reenacting our Christmas card photo session from last year. I should've known that a 2.5 month old is going to sit still much better than a 14.5 month old. I thought things were going well in the beginning. Anna was all smiles around the Christmas tree. Until the camera came out. The smiles went away, the ornaments started coming off one by one, her movements were too quick for the camera to focus, and, oh, she was more interested in trying to put the stockings on her feet like they were socks. Again, naturally.

So there were a few pictures that were just precious but not necessarily Christmas card worthy:

 



















I think it'll still be another year before Anna really starts to understand even a little of this whole Christmas thing. I set up an Advent calendar with readings and fun activities for us to do everyday. You know, the usual: singing Christmas carols, driving around to see the lights, watch Christmas movies, bake cookies, visit Santa. Anna couldn't care less. And actually we're skipping Santa this year. Again, Anna couldn't care less, she'd most likely just be terrified of the jolly man. She really isn't into presents either. She'd rather play with the wrapping and tissue paper (except when our good friend Abby brought over Anna's Christmas gift the other day. After playing with the tissue paper Anna saw the gift, and I've never seen her so excited for the actual gift! It was perfect for this little doll loving girl: a baby doll stroller and a baby doll. It hasn't left her side since Sunday, it's even gone on a car ride with us, stroller and all). She's not exactly into helping bake cookies or behaving well because of an elf on a shelf. She hasn't written out a wish list or sat even for two minutes during a Christmas movie. And I'm okay with all of this. It just gives me another year to prepare myself for when Christmas becomes Anna's favorite time of year. Of course, naturally.

Ok, Grumpy Greta Goose, we're done. 

Like Mother, Like Daughter

So many thoughts and images run through my head when I see my daughter holding her baby doll:

1. Memories of when I was little and I would do the same. My baby dolls were very real to me and I knew from an early age all I ever wanted to be was a Mommy.

2. My baby is growing up. That she even knows to hold her baby doll, say "ahhh", pat her doll on the back, and give her doll a kiss blows my mind! Just a few months ago I was doing that to her (and still do) and now she's doing it to her own baby. When did my baby girl grow up?!

3. My baby knows how to love. Even though she can't say the word yet, she knows what it means to love. When I tell her I love her, she leans into me for a hug and then an open mouthed kiss--it's slobbery, yes, but those are the best.

4. She had to learn that from someone! On top of being blown away by the knowledge our little girl already has, I'm also very humbled. The only reason she knows how to treat her baby doll that way is because she has also been treated that way from her own Mommy (and Daddy). She has started mimicking us, and this is by far my favorite!

5. She's going to be a good Mommy. Now this one I'm hoping is a very long time before I witness but she's already getting in some practice. I mean, what is more important from a Mommy than her love, hugs, and kisses?

Seriously, this whole parenting thing...yeah, it's only getting better.

Miss Independent

So it's been a while. We've been pretty busy. Doing what? You know, everything and nothing all at the same time. Not anything to really blog about. Except for maybe the fact that our boys won the championship(!!!), they went on a camping retreat last weekend, and oh, Travis' car got stolen! But no worries, it was left on the side of the road just a mile away from our home when the cops found it and came banging on our door at 11 pm while I was home alone with Anna. Again, no need to worry. We're safe, our car's back in its proper parking space, and the next thing on our to-do list is buy a club.

Aannyywayy...on to more important matters like the fact that we have a little miss independent on our hands. Yeah, we guessed it might be that way, what with both of us being first borns, we kind of suspected our first born would inherit the dreaded first born attitude that sounds something like this: "it's my way, I'm always right, I can do it by myself, etc". And she can't even talk yet! How at just shy of 14 months do we already have a child who wants to do everything on her own? I guess this is only the beginning.

Do you wonder if you have an independent child? You may if...

1. She tries to grab her toothbrush from your hands while you're trying to brush her teeth. Of course she wants to do it all by herself.

2. She lets go of your hand at the exact moment you're trying to cross the street. She can be safe all by herself.

3. You pull her away from something she's not allowed to be in (i.e. her trashcan full of poopy diapers, a medicine cabinet that should have a child lock on it but you haven't had time to fix it) and she flails her arms only to make a bigger mess than if you would've just left her alone.

4. She wants to dress herself. Ok, so she can't actually put her clothes on by herself just yet but she hand picked these shoes all by herself (or maybe this is more of a creative child, which I don't mind one bit!)

5. You take her to the YMCA or church childcare and she could care less that you're leaving her. See ya, Ma, I've got toys to play with and people to see!

6. She refuses to eat unless she's doing the forking or spooning.

7. She says "no" to everything! The good news for us is Anna can't say "no" yet but I know it's just around the corner!

8. You've contemplated getting a child leash so when you're outside walking or in public she can still explore while still being close enough in case you need to run after her. Because an independent child will not sit in a stroller for very long.

**Ok, that last one you may think I'm crazy, but I'm totally serious. If it weren't for Travis I would definitely put Anna on a leash!

So do you have an independent child? I'd love to hear advice on how to handle one. You know, so I'm not tempted to pull out my hair and at the same time crying on the inside because she doesn't need me anymore while also letting her be free to safely explore the world around her.

A banana, a monkey, and a few heroines

I loved Halloween growing up and it's not much different today, especially now that I have a child. Like I said in one of my previous posts, activities are so much fun with a kid in tow! Last night we did it all: dressed up, went door to door with a few of our little friends, and passed out candy. The night was concluded with a pot of white chicken chili, Hocus Pocus, and a few bites of Anna's candy that we collected (shhh, don't tell!) 

A lot of you know one of Anna's many nicknames is "Anna Banana" so I thought it'd be cute to dress her as a banana and Travis and I as her monkeys. However, my costume changed entirely once my two volunteers for girls nights and I decided to go as a trio. You'll see below who we chose!

Cutest banana I've ever seen! She saw an airplane. She loves them!

Here's the thing, she didn't like Travis' monkey mask and mullet (I mean, who would?!) Like, she hated it. Wouldn't even look at him. So we improvised and got her one of her monkey stuffed animals to take pictures with. And the hairstyle below, we call that the "pulled hair bow out of hair" look.  

Look at that Zoolander pose!

Yes, I made her costume. Yes, it may look more like a fairy or a flower but hey, homemade costumes are always the best! My mom used to make ours, Travis (the creative one) used to make his, so I felt it only necessary I make Anna's. I think these shots below make her look most like a banana.

Our girls night girls are obsessed with the Powerpuff Girls. Do you remember the show? 

When I was in middle school my friends and I loved the Powerpuff girls, so much so that my AIM name was "blossom503". I guess you could say I was a little obsessed too. When our girls started calling us by the Powerpuff Girls names we knew exactly who we were going to dress like for Halloween!

Well, what do you think? 

Yours Truly as Buttercup (she just fit me better this time around)
Susan as Blosson
Emily as Bubbles

Too bad most of our girls were confused and it took a few tries for them to guess who we were! But we did get a random group of adult women ask if we were the Powerpuff Girls, so...YES! 

Anna refused to let Travis hold her or be within 5 feet of her when he had that mask on so he kind of had to sneak into the family shot. And just look at that nasty mullet. He seriously wears it every chance he gets (a lot of you already know this from previous Halloweens and dress ups!) 

Don't worry, Anna, Mommy and the Powerpuff Girls will save you!

Whelp, here's to hoping Anna won't be as scared next year! How was your Halloween? Did you and/or your kids dress up and get tons of candy to make you sick for the next year like we did?! I hope we're not the only ones :)