11 Months

You are 11 months old today, Paislee. That means in one short month I will be the owner of a TODDLER!  I can't believe how fast this year has gone by, sweet baby girl. It makes me so sad that you are getting so big, but so glad that you are healthy and beautiful and sweet as can be!

You are on your last box of size 3 diapers, they are not fitting so well anymore :( You are growing much faster than I anticipated and I am worried that all of the summer clothes I have bought you are not going to fit you by the time summer rolls around. If we lived in NC where summer comes sooner--they would. Maybe we should spend the summer in NC? :) You are wearing size 12m and 18m clothes right now, and your shoe size is a 4.

Since my last monthly update you have gone from taking zero steps to WALKING ALL OVER THE PLACE! You took your first steps on January 28th, 3 days after you turned 10 months old, and you were walking all over the place by Valentine's Day. Crawling will soon be a memory, as your primary way of getting around is walking, you only crawl when you can't fit into tight spaces ;)

You are such a talker! Let's see if I can remember all of the words you are saying: Hey, Bye Bye, MaMa, DaDa, MeMe, Kitty, Meow, Baby, Ball, Banana (Nana), Mooooooooo! (Cow), Wow!, Bubbles, Dog, Duck, Bath.....I think that's it? You are getting to the point where you can repeat almost anything we say--you little Parrot! My mom says this is payback because I was a big talker and told everything to everyone when I was little, but I like it :)

You still aren't a great eater, but you are getting better! We discovered that you LOVE macaroni and cheese and for a few days you ate it up, then you realized how to suck the cheese off the noodles and spit the noodles out. Ugh! You still eat your vegetables pretty good, but not great.

In the beginning of February you went to the grocery store with me and daddy and daddy showed you the bananas. By the time we left all you could say was "Nana! Nana!". You kept saying it after we got home so the next time I went to the store I got you some Nana's to see if you would eat them. Of course you wouldn't but you did carry it around with you alllll day long until it was brown and mushy! Finally I threw it away when you weren't looking, but I felt terrible because every time we walked through the kitchen you looked for it and ask for it. So, I went to Walmart and bought you a plastic Nana. You were SO happy and carried it around for days. You don't carry it around with you as much now, but you still ask for it and point it out when you see it.

Your fake banana....

Your real banana :)

Your sleep schedule is pretty dependable, but you aren't sleeping as well as I would like. You nap 2 times a day, morning and late afternoon, and you are usually ready for bed by 10, which is fine with me. You aren't sleeping well at night though. And I know this because, YES, you are still sleeping with us. Well me, because daddy has been away a lot this month with work. You wake up all through the night and sit up and start talking then you fall back down because you are SO tired. HA! It is pretty funny but not when I am trying to sleep :) You are usually awake by 7:30 most mornings, but SOMETIMES you let me sleep till' 8 or so ;) I am being told by numerous people that I HAVE to get you into your crib. Daddy really isn't pushing it much, although I know he wants to have his space at night, but he knows it is hard for me. You keep me company when he is gone, and I like having you in my bed because I know you are safe. Hopefully soon though I can get tough and get you in your crib :( :).

You are into EVERYTHING and you get SO mad when I pull you away from something you are not supposed to be into. You're goal every day is to get into the laundry room, where the cat food and litter box is. I close the door when I see you head that way and you throw a FIT! You also love to go into cabinets and have recently started gaining interest in the toilet. Daddy caught you about a second before you stuck your hands in the toilet a few weeks ago :) You like to play with electrical outlets that are being used and you like to push your luck and see how far we will let you stick your hands in the trash can, too. While you are doing these things you are saying "No no!". It's so hard to get on someone SO cute but tough love is best, baby!

We love you so much and are savoring these last moments with you as our 'baby' girl! Although you will soon be 'Miss Independent' you will always be my baby girl--no matter how old you get! Happy 11 Month Birthday, sweet baby girl!

XOXO,

Pretty Girl

Here are a few photos I snapped for Paislee's birthday invitations. I have a few more that I like but I don't know which ones I want to use yet, so some of you might be seeing these again ;)

XOXO,

Paislee's 1st Valentine's Day

I know, I haven't done this for any other holiday and I pick the most important (not) to post a blog like this. Oh well, this is the first V-day I have spent with Jason since....oh I dunno....ever? So I'm feeling a little mushy even though I normally hate this holiday. Plus, he got me an edible arrangement--something I have wanted for oh....forever!!

Happy Valentine's / Single's Awareness Day!

Absolutely LOVE this face. Isn't it the cutest?

Really getting into photo editing....kinda want to start my own photography business....I know, big dreams :)

Yummmmmy!

XOXO--especially today!

10 Months

I can't believe you are already 10 months old! You weigh ~21 pounds and are 29 inches long. You are wearing size 12 month clothes and size 3 diapers. Can we stop time for a while? I'm not ready for my baby girl to be 1!!!

You are into EVERYTHING! Everything you are not supposed to be into at least. You go into any cabinet that you see and pull everything out of it. We have baby proofed most of the cabinets in the house but sometimes I will open them and let you play with pots and pans. I can't resist that perfect face :) You also love to play in the blinds at the sliding glass door, and will sit there for a good 10-20 minutes just playing. Your favorite place of all though, is the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs. You want me to leave it open for you and you swing on it! Little monkey!

You are just the smartest thing, I can't believe you are MINE! I am wondering if it is a normal thing for you to be talking so much at your age. You say: ma ma, da da, kitty, bye bye, heyyyyyyy, baby, ball, duck, dog, more and meow (MOW!!!!). And you know what they all mean, if I ask you to get your duck or baby or ball--you will find it and get it! And anytime you see a baby, whether its a cartoon, a real baby, a picture or a doll you say "Baby!!!!". I love it and I just can't get enough!!!  

You are THIS close to taking your first step. You have started standing up with no help, and are really thinking about taking a step. Your Grandma Jan (Me Me) is coming up this week for your Dedication at church, and she swears she will have you walking before you leave....yeah yeah Me Me, we'll see!

Your sleeping is pretty regular and dependable now. You go to bed between 9:30-11:00 and wake up around 9:00 am either way. You take 1-2 naps a day, usually an hour or so a piece. 

You are getting a little better at eating solid foods. We pretty much just give you some of what we are having every night unless it's something you can't have or I can't adapt to fit your needs--then I boil some potatoes and you eat them pretty well. :) You love cheerios too! 

You have the brightest personality! Also the strongest, most stubborn. You are my little 'mini me' that's for sure! You are so happy as long as you are getting your way, and you squeal a LOT! I was talking to your Aunt Heather earlier and she said you sounded like one of those tropical birds squawking! haha :) 

Well, we are down to the last couple of months of your first year. It has flown by and it can slow down, anytime! I am still preparing for your royal birthday party, it's going to be extra extravagant ;)

I love you little Princess! 

XOXO,

Oh, I forgot I had a blog....

Hello Everyone :)

If there is anyone still out there?

Man, life can get busy. Not that that is my excuse for not blogging. I have a lot of time on my hands since I stay at home all day, every day. I just don't have any time for myself.  And when I do have time for myself, I eat, do laundry, use the bathroom, shower, and occasionally get ready. And all usually with a baby hanging on my legs. And since that is all I ever do, I don't have anything exciting to blog about! Hence my absence from the blogging world. I guess I could blog about Christmas, but everyone already knows what we did for Christmas, so that might be boring :)

I am in the beginning stages of planning Paislee's very first birthday party, and I am so excited. I am going to go ALL out. At least as much as possible. We are having her party at my mom's house, so I can't invite 5,000 people like I would like to. And we are not rolling and the dough so I can't buy everything that I want to, but I sure am going to come as close as possible :) This is a big occasion, not just for Paislee but for Jason and I as well. We made it through the first year without any major happenings!

We had a baby in Alaska--I know, you people are wondering "HOW did she have a baby in Alaska? They don't have hospitals, all the have are igloos, etc, etc." After that, Paislee and I flew from Alaska to NC when she was 3 months old, Jason drove from Alaska to NC--all with no major happenings, which I am very thankful for! THEN, we moved to Maine. Again, with no major happenings. We moved into a new house, visited NC, joined a fabulous new church and met some wonderful friends that we can call family while we are here in Maine. We survived a long 4 month separation from Jason, and went home for Christmas-which we didn't get to do last year. We have made 3, 13 hour trips from NC to ME with Paislee, and no meltdowns. Now that, is a miracle. Paislee cut her first tooth and is now working on another. She is crawling everywhere, and pulling up and standing by herself and trying her hardest to figure out the next big thing--walking. Lord help us. All of this with no trips to the hospital, and no therapy. AND we all still love each other :).

I would definitely say that this is cause for a celebration. And a big one. Paislee has (almost) made it through her first year, and so have Jason and I. It has definitely been a tough year, but I am so thankful for everything that I have. The military life isn't always easy, I don't see my husband as often as I would like and he isn't around for Paislee has often as I would like. BUT, he is a wonderful husband and I wouldn't trade what we have for anything. Not even a house on the beach in NC. Yeah. I love him a lot :) We are lucky to be able to see the country and meet new, wonderful friends every time we move.

So here is to a new year. I hope it is just as good as last year, but much less busy so we can enjoy Maine, and each other before 2012, when it all happens again-a big move. I will post little things here and there (or at least I say that now, it probably won't happen and you will probably just hear from me every month on the 25th, Paislee's b-day, ha!) about Paislee's birthday planning. I have already done quite a bit of planning but I don't want to post it all because I want some surprises for the big day and Paislee likes to read my blog so. I guess those of you who will be there will just have to wait until the big day, and those who won't will have to wait until I have time to post after her 1st birthday. You will probably be waiting a while. Happy New Year!

XOXO,

9 Months

Paislee, you are 9 months old today and oh yeah, MERRY 1st CHRISTMAS! Your 8 month birthday fell on Thanksgiving, and your 9 month birthday falls on Christmas--how fun is that?!? :)

Oh my goodness girl, you have changed SO MUCH this month! You are ALL OVER THE PLACE! You are constantly on the go, I have to keep a close and constant watch over you, and can't get anything done! You have become a really good and fast crawler, and you like to pull up on everything that you can. You fall a lot--and hit your head quite often too. I hate it--you hitting your head so much, but I can't stop you from standing up all the time, and I would feel bad trying to make you since that's how you learn, so I just try my best to catch you when you fall. You are also my personal little human vacuum cleaner! You pick up anything you can find and it goes right to your mouth. You have even started 'pretending' to pick things up and eat them, I guess to get a reaction out of me. Little turd. Wish you were that good at eating things I actually GIVE you to eat. We still aren't having much luck with that. We completely gave up on baby food, and are now giving you diced vegetables, mainly carrots and green beans, and some cooked apples. You also snack on 'puff puffs'--veggie dip flavor, and cheerios. You love snacks the best, you really don't care for food.

Your bedtime has changed, and not because I wanted it too. You have decided that you would rather go to bed between 10-12 instead of 7-9. The good part about that is that you sleep until after 9 most mornings. The bad part is that I am usually ready for bed before you are!

You are starting to make me wish I had been nicer as a little girl, I think I am getting payback for my brattiness now ;) You have got a STRONG personality, little girl. You have the attitude of a 16 year old, and you are stubborn and strong willed! I told your daddy that we wouldn't have anything to worry about when we get older because you will be a lawyer and will be able to take good care of us :)

You can stop growing so fast any day now. Before we know it, you will be doing everything on your own, and won't want mine or daddy's help for anything. Like I said, slow down :) We love you sweet girl. Merry Christmas and Happy 9 Month Birthday!

XOXO,

8 Months

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Paislee Marie, you are 8 months old today! You weigh 19.3 lbs, and you are 27.5 inches long. You are still wearing mostly 9 month clothes, most 12 months are too LONG! You are still in size 3 diapers.

Girl, you have been on the MOVE this month! You have gone from rolling, rolling, rolling to crawling! You started crawling on November 23rd, and now you are all over the place! The biggest surprise this month was you pulling yourself up to standing. You just decided you would do it one day, and surprised us! You are also STUBBORN as a mule. Where did you get that from?? You aren't eating solids very well anymore, and I'm starting to get a little concerned. I don't know if this is okay or not? I sit you down for lunch and dinner and at least TRY to get you to eat baby food, diced peaches, mandarin oranges--anything! You just don't care for it. Your naps have dwindled down to 2-3 times a day, 30 minutes a piece. Lucky me! This means a very fussy baby come bedtime. You fight sleep too, so bad! When I finally do get you to sleep at night, you usually sleep about 12 hours, so that's nice! You still wake up in the middle of the night to eat, but since you are sleeping with us (ahem), it's no big deal. You do have to get in your crib soon though. I am praying that the Lord will give me strength to do that. You have started getting very mad when we take things away from you. I know that is a normal milestone and a good sign of development, but it's hard not to worry that you are going to be very hard to get along with. I pray every day that you will be a sweet girl, and a very caring and selfless one too! What more could a mama ask for? 

You talk a lot too! You say "ma-ma" "da-da" and "bye-bye". You also growl back at me when I growl at you. You are going to have such a personality! You have also started dancing and clapping your hands, which is my FAVORITE! I can't get enough of it! You dance most of the time when you hear music and you clap randomly and when I say "yayyyyyyy!!!!". 

This month has been a tough month. For whatever reason you have been super cranky. At first I hoped it was teething just so you would have an excuse but you have shown NO signs of teething. I haven't been able to leave your side without you crying and you want to be held a lot. You have also developed a little attitude! When can we start the disciplining? If we don't start soon, I think we might have a little problem! ha! We still love you baby girl!

XoXo,
Ashley