Anna Elizabeth is 10 months old

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anna Baby!  You are 10 months old.  10 months too big and THE DELIGHT OF MY HEART!

This month has been super exciting for you.  You can stand up from a seated position and hold the pose for awhile before you loose your balance.  You discovered two push toys in the house and YOU LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE to walk around the house while driving the toys.  The smile on your face is priceless and oh my goodness, you howl and laugh in pure delight of this new trick.  You are SO pleased to discover your legs can move!  William and Adeline think your walking talents are fantastic.  You can keep up with them and you are so fast!  Adeline doesn't like it when you want to push her doll stroller, but that's ok.  You get over it pretty quick when I give you another toy to push around the house.  The giggles and the belly laughs are music to my ears.





You love to stand up and cruise furniture, toy baskets, bed rails and whatever else gives you an "edge" to hold onto. 

Bebe taught you to clap your hands too.  If we say,  "Anna, clap your hands!" You immediately clap your hands and smile ear to ear.  It's precious to watch.

I am unsure of your weight because we didn't have a 9 month doctor's appointment.  You wear a size 5 diaper and your clothing is anywhere from 9-12 months.  You can still wear some 6-9 month things too.  Your eyes are as blue as the ocean and so many people stop to admire them.  Your hair is coming in slowly but it is getting thicker on top.  So far, the undertones are red but the ends of the hair strands are blonde. 





Your teeth are coming in swiftly!  This past month you have had 2 bad colds and I attribute them to your teeth coming in.  One cold led to the start of an ear infection but we quickly got you on some medicine to ease the pain.  Because of the congestion, there were many nights when you didn't sleep well at all.  Bless your heart.  You couldn't breath, your teeth hurt, you were just clearly uncomfortable.  Dada and I were up a lot in the night trying to help you!  Once you started your medicine and I began giving you teething tablets, we started to see results.  Thankfully, the worst is behind you.  Your top two front teeth came in together (big and painful) as well as a couple teeth in the back of your mouth. 

This month you also have shown interest in table food.  You still eat baby food, but you like to serve yourself.  Often times, this idea leads to a very dirty Anna Baby!  So, I have started giving you the squeeze packs of fruits and veggies.  You like to hold these and feed yourself.  The squeeze packs have cut back on the mess!  I have also given you bites of bread, black beans, cheese, cheerios, a plum, a banana and some mac and cheese.  You like everything but the banana.  I think you have been talking to Adeline about bananas because to this day, your sister hates them. 

Summer camp is over now.  Your teachers loved you and said you are very active and curious.  You hardly sleep a wink at school but when I pick you up, you are still so happy.  Sometimes you fall asleep on the car ride home and other days you go the distance until bedtime.  And oh my, that is a long day for you!

Another favorite activity is swimming.  You love the water.  I don't have pictures of you in the water because I tend to take you to the pool without Dada.  Or when Dada comes, I totally forget to bring the good camera.  But, by summer's end, I will document your pool time!  You sometimes like riding around the baby pool in your boat.  Other times, you prefer standing up by the side (with my right by you!) and splashing in the water.  At the spray park, you LOVE to sit up close by the fountain and reach out to touch the water as it sprays you.  You laugh and laugh!

10 months also marks your first airplane flight!  We are flying to CO Thursday for vacation. William is SUPER excited for you to ride on an airplane and he is going to video your first plane trip.  He's even reminded me to ask the pilot for your first flight certificate.  I'll be sure to let you know how you like plane travel.

10 months Anna Baby.  10 months.  It's gone so fast.  I know, I know.  I say it all the time.  But truly, the days disappear as quickly as they begin.  It feels like yesterday I met you and I can still feel your tiny body on my chest during those precious first hours of your life.  But at the same time, it feels like years ago that we set up shop together on an air mattress in the guest room of our new house while workmen hovered nearby. 

The last 10 months have been an adventure my Anna Baby.  I remind myself every single day to stop and soak up the sun with you.  I find myself leaving laundry in huge piles, dishes stacked in the sink and week old cheerios on the floor.  I don't care about those things because they will always be there - stacked, piled, and spilled.  But you are only little for a short time and I want to savor the seconds of your "littleness," study your tiny toes, and hold you for hours on end.  So that is what I try to do.  I make it a point to stop during the day and just BE with you. I hope with all my heart that you will feel a small part of me holding on to you.  And I pray that some of these moments are tucked away in your heart for you to feel when you are older. So you really do KNOW the depth of my love for you.  It's just that simple.  If I could keep you my baby, I selfishly would.

You are the delight of my heart.

Kanakuk Kampout!

William spent last week at Kanakuk Kampout at Kirk of the Hills church.  Both of us looked forward to this camp experience all summer.  Kanakuk Kampout is the day camp spin off of the Kanakuk overnight camp in Branson, MO.  Kampout travels across the Midwest and hosts a week long Kanakuk experience at various churches.

I first learned about Kampout when I took Adeline to summer camp at Kirk last summer.  I noticed the parking lot was covered in bounce houses, water slides, a zip line, archery targets, a bungee trampoline and obstacle courses.  I remember thinking "What in the world? How fun!" and then I learned Kampout was in town!  I was so sorry that I missed the sign ups last summer because I knew William would LOVE it.  Especially since it was not an overnight thing.  So this year, I was quick on the trigger and enrolled William the minute the camp opened. 

William had THE BEST time.  He LOVED every single activity.  I was holding my breath that he'd even try the zip line or the bungee trampoline....he is not first in line for those activities.  But, I am telling you, the kiddo stepped right up and gave it a whirl.  He told me how exciting it was to do a back flip on the trampoline and he told me he was kind of afraid when the zip line started but it was really cool to fly through the air.  I was so proud!

The camp was 9-4pm and each day William was a sweaty, tired mess at pick up!  He never stopped moving and played his heart out.  He told me his favorite parts were the skits, the worship songs and time on the water slides.

Friday was the awards ceremony for each "tent," or group of kids with a counselor.  William was in tent 2 and his counselor was Austin.  Austin awarded William the MIGHTY IN SPIRIT award.  You should have seen William's face.  He was SO thrilled to win a ribbon.  Austin presented his a certificate that read:

Wise and Gentle, MIGHTY IN SPIRIT awarded to William Barron.  "William is a sweet, sensitive young man.  He always tried to help others and encourage them.  He answered all the questions during Bible study and was very respectful.  Matthew 5:16

Way to go William!  Kanakuk Kampout, we'll see you again next summer!

Happy 4th of July from Maple Ridge

This post is a few weeks late because the day after the 4th, we headed out for a family vacation.

 

What a difference a year makes!  Now we have our Anna Baby in our 4th of July pics!

 

 

 

 

 

 This year was our first time to attend the Maple Ridge neighborhood 4th of July parade.  It was a lot of fun and we had the chance to meet lots of families in our area.

William decorated his rip rider bike and the double stroller for the girls.  He was very specific as to where he wanted the flags and crepe paper.  I helped tape everything down, but William did most of the design work himself.  When the masterpiece was completed, William was more than pleased!





The parade and neighborhood party was at 9:00 am at Owasso Park.  We only live about 3 blocks from the park, so our family walked to the event in our decorated fanfare.  The neighborhood association set up a water slide for the older kids and handed out horns and bells for the little kids. 

There was watermelon, ice cream and a petting zoo as well.  Our kids had a really fun time.  Adeline LOVED the noise and the big fire truck that led the parade.  Anna slept her way through most of it and William was first in line for the bounce house water slide!





After a few hours of celebrating, we walked home.  Adeline and Anna took long naps after being in the heat for awhile.  About 9:30 pm, William and I walked over to the park off 21st street and got a fantastic seat for the fireworks show.

Our 4th of July was a success and so easy since all our activities were within walking distance. 

My Three Amigos

William - 6.5 years old
Adeline - 2.5 years old
Anna - 9 months old

Anna Elizabeth is 9 months old!

 

 

 

 ANNA BABY!

 

 

You turned 9 months old on June 25th. 9 months! The days are flying by and you are the delight of my heart. Every single day with you is full of smiles, belly laughs, cuddles and screams of delight. I cannot imagine my world without you, and I am just so thankful to hold you and love on you all the days of my life.

 

 This age is just the best. You are engaged in the world around you, love to eat grass and crawl towards mysterious new objects in your path of understanding. You respond to your name and look up when I say, "Anna!" or "Anna Baby!" I just love that you know who you are. You even get a kick out of looking at yourself in the mirror.

You smile and when I pull out the camera, you open your mouth wide to "smile" for me.

YOU SAY MAMA! It's music to my ears and the sweetest little voice. "MAMA! MAMA! MAMA!" is what I hear when you first see me in the morning and anytime throughout the day when I walk in a room. It's the most joyful sound to my heart!

At 9 months old, you are 18 pounds 6 ounces. You are my smallest baby. You are long and lean with petite features. You wear a size 5 diaper and your clothes are 9-12 months. The dry skin on your face is gone now. Your hair is coming in slowly and seems to be blonde, not super light blonde, but more like William's color. It still shows a reddish tint in the sunlight. Your eyes are such a pretty shade of blue. You have received more compliments on your eyes than I can count.




  You still love to eat most baby food combinations and this month you welcomed Puffs! Your dexterity is impressive too. You can pick up tiny servings of table food and get them right in your mouth. We got you a new high chair that attaches to the dining table and you LOVE it. You no longer scream and holler when it's meal time. I think this new chair is more comfortable and you are sitting directly at the table just like William and Adeline. You get such a kick out of watching them during meal time and you will sit in that seat for a long time. It has worked really well when I need to get things done in the kitchen because I can stick you in your seat and you will play at the table with your toys.

Anna, you love baby dolls just like your sissy. You love to pick up your babies and kiss their faces. You smiled so big when you look at your baby dolls' faces and you will study them and hold each one for a long time.






Sometimes, you give out a big ol' belly laugh while you play with the dolls. Adeline thinks it is really fun when you play babies with her, but the second you steal her dolly, she gets mad and asks me to take you away. I cannot wait for you to get a little bigger so Adeline will have an easier time playing with you. I just know you all will have lots of adventures!

Toys with lights and music seem to grab your attention this month. You will push buttons and climb all over toys to get them to make noise. It's funny to watch and entertains you for a good 5 minutes.

PULLING UP! This is your new trick this month. You crawl like a pro and grab hold of anything in front of you that will help you climb up to a standing position. One of your favorite things to do is climb over Dada when he's laying on the floor. You laugh and laugh and laugh. It's so funny to watch you play this game with Dada. Dada even thinks you may walk early because you are solid on your feet.

 After you pull up on an object, you will sometimes let go and stand up for a split second. You crawl everywhere and move SO fast. If you hear William and Adeline, you will frantically crawl across the room towards the sound of their voices. I have to watch you like a hawk!

June was the beginning of summer camp for you and Adeline. Summer camp is at Kirk of the Hills where you both attend Mother's Day Out. So far, you like it. I think you are still too little to really express any separation anxiety, so when I drop you off you are just fine. All the teachers love you and tell me that you are VERY observant and rarely settle down because you are so BUSY being social.

Your sleep patterns are improving and naps are a little more predictable. 9 months marked your first illness - an ear infection! Once we figured it out, you turned a corner and the medicine helped your mood so much. You are also teething and your top front teeth are coming in. These two teeth have been a horribly uncomfortable phase for you.

Oh my goodness, you would wake up in the night screaming and crying. If I held you, you seemed to quiet down but it didn't last long and the screaming returned. We've worked our way through the pain and found you some medicine (along with the ear infection meds) which seem to have kicked most of the discomfort. So now that we are over that hump, your sleep pattern at night is much better.

 Most of the time, you go to bed at 7:30 pm and wake up around 5am for some milk. We give you 2-4 ounces and you return to sleep after you finish the bottle. You are usually awake for the day between 6 and 6:30 am.

Your personality is infectious. Anna Baby, you are just so happy. You smile and laugh constantly. Your tiny little body fits perfectly in the nook of my arm and we spend hours locked together. You love for me to hold you! Sometimes you turn in towards my chest and give me hugs or just look up at me with those big blue eyes and smile ear to ear.

You are my Angel Baby. My heart yearned for you and I just knew I needed one more precious soul to complete our family. God hear my fervent prayer and he gave me you. You are practically perfect in every single way. Anna Baby, I stare at you in complete awe and never in my life have I felt so lucky.