Holiday Hoopla

Here are the rules, as decreed by someone higher up than myself.
1. List 12 random things about yourself that have to do with Christmas
2. Please refer to it as a ‘hoopla’ and not the dreaded ‘m’-word
3. You have to specifically tag people when you’re done. None of this “if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged” stuff is allowed…then nobody ends up actually doing it. The number of people who you tag is really up to you — but the more, the merrier to get this ‘hoopla’ circulating through the blogosphere.
4. Please try and do it as quickly as possible. The Christmas season will be over before we know it and I’d like to get as many people involved as possible.

Here it goes...

1. I have a fake tree...don't want to have to water a real one.

2. I have been going to my Grandads on Christmas Eve for the past 30 years????  I think.

3. I LOVE Christmas music.

4. My sister and I usually make Christmas candy and cookies, but this year we didn't get to.

5. I buy way too many gifts!!!

6. I used to care more about how my wrapping looked, but now I just do it to get it done.

7. I still have one more gift to buy...

8. I wish we would have a white Christmas!!!

9. I have never left Santa cookies.

10. I have never bought egg nog.

11. I love spending time with family for the holidays.

12. I hope Summer likes her gift from Santa.  She never did ask for anything so he is getting her a doll house.

I tag Amy. 

5 Days 'til Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is only 5 days away.  I really need to finish up my wrapping.  I need to buy two or three more gifts and I'll be set!  Summer is having fun with the 12 days of Christmas we are doing.  The only problem is she likes to go pick a present under the tree herself.  The past two days she has done just that.  I am lucky because she just so happened to pick the present that was for her.  Two days ago, she wanted to open someone else's gift, but of course I didn't let her.  I guess I waited to late in the day to give it to her that day.  I was doing it in the evenings, but now she is pretty much trying to get it in the morning or early afternoon.  So far she has gotten a singing and dancing Santa, box of Little Debbie Christmas trees, 2 sippy cups, 5 books, bathtub crayon play set, and today a Hokey Pokie Elmo.  I only have two days of gifts left - magnetic numbers for the fridge (if I can find them - I think I am going a little insane because stuff keeps disappearing around here, like the magnets :)  ) and a coloring book with crayons.  I'm not sure if I want to share what else she is getting since you might tell her...LOL. 

Well, I've got a million things to do so I better get off here. 

I hope all my readers have a Merry Christmas!!!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

I decided to do the twelve days of Christmas with Summer this year.  Meaning that she will get one present a day up to Christmas day (for the most part anyway).  These gifts are just some cheap things I found while out shopping...or going through my junk at home. :)  Her first one was a singing and dancing Santa that I found in the attic.  I wrapped it up and gave it to her on Thursday evening when Clint came home from work. (that sounds weird - Clint coming home from work.  If you didn't know he has worked from home since I met him, but now he goes to the office almost everyday.)  Anyway, she was a little freaked out by it and would not go up to it and touch it when it was singing and dancing.  Nor would she sit down by him, without screaming that is...LOL.  She did, however, like the box he came in.  Go figure.  You can see for your self, just look at the pics.  I know, I know.  I am a horrible mom to make my child get her picture taken with her first present of the year.  Let's just hope this isn't an indication of the rest of our Christmas pics. 

Earlier this week we went to visit Santa for the 2nd time.  She would not sit on his lap and didn't even want to give him a hug this time like she did before.  I think we are regressing in the Santa department.  I will try again next week because I really want to get her pic taken with Santa.  Maybe Clint and I will have to get in it too if we can't get Josh and Amanda to meet us that the mall for the pic.  We will see.

We also went to Chuck E Cheese this week for my nephew's 5th birthday.  It was fun for everyone I think.  The kids all enjoyed playing games, even Summer.  They did have some that she could play and she enjoyed it.  Even the adults played some to try to use up all the tokens so we could go eat.  We went to Ryans and pigged out before calling it a night.  Summer ate very well - green beans, pinto beans, broccoli, cheese, cottage cheese, and cherry tomatoes.  Of course that was followed by a cookie and some ice cream.  She knew to save room for the good stuff.  She gets that from me!  Clint starts eating cookies the minute he fixes a plate when we go there.  He too makes sure he has plenty of yummy cookies before we leave. 

 

16 Days 'til Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is almost here.  This past year has flown by.  I just recently finished the Christmas album from last year and it is amazing how much Summer has changed in the past year.  She is talking all the time and becoming so independent, well kinda.  If she wants you to come in her room with her, she will let you know. LOL  She will tell you where to sit and may or may not share her toys and blankets with you. 

She is stacking blocks now until they tumble and fall.  If you stack the blocks, she knocks them down.  She is able to put shapes in the openings where they go so they will drop into the bucket although sometimes she cheats if she gets frustrated.  :)

We went to the Christmas parade last weekend which was fun.  My sister and parents came along with a few other family members.  It was really nice.  I don't remember going to a parade with everyone ever now that I think of it.  But, I guess that is not really uncommon.  Does anyone do that as like a tradition?  I guess it is a tradition I would like to start.  It always good to bring the family together so we can spend time together and celebrate special occasions.  We'll see who shows up next year. 

Today we went to a birthday party for one of Summer's friends.  Mason's 2nd birthday was on the 6th and he was all boy at his party today.  Well mostly....  Anyways, it was fun.  Summer kept coming to get me to go in the playroom with her.  After a while, she warmed up to going without me or Clint.  She was a cutie as usual.  She really liked this singing and dancing reindeer that Mason had.  Oh and the stuffed donkey he got.  We saw a stuffed animal at ToyRUs a few weeks ago that she loved.  But, it was $50 and I just can see paying $50 for a stuffed animal.  I saw a similar one at Wal-mart for $20, but I still can't cough up the dough.  If it was as big as the other one, I probably would though.  :)  I am being good so far though and not going crazy on her Christmas gifts.  I have only bought two or three gifts which I think is pretty good.

Summer also loves to play outdoors or"walk" as she calls it sometimes.  Her favorite thing to do right now is play on steps.  She is trying to master them, but she still has a way to go.  She holds onto the handrails (when she can reach them) and uses them for stability.  Sometimes she holds my hand instead.  It really is so amazing to see her grow and accomplish new things.  She it truly turning into a little girl.  I am still trying to hold onto my "baby" for as long as I can, but she is getting so big.  I can hardly hold her in my arms like a baby anymore.  She is tall which I guess she gets from her daddy....along with her brown eyes. 

Here are a few videos for you to enjoy:

Playing with a bear and a blanket:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLVnCjTNEAY

Eating broccoli:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb-QtttHWs8

It's been a while

Summer is at the other computer right now pretending to type.  She is getting so big.  She especially loves to play with the mouse.  The other day I let her click through some pictures on the computer and she loved it.  The only problem was she wanted to start pushing all kinds of buttons rather than the one that clicks through the pics.  So, I had to put an end to her fun before she messed something up.  I tried to tell her to just push the one button, but she is 1 1/2 so that didn't go over very well.  :)

She is saying all kinds of words and sentences now.  Unfortunately I can't understand it all.  She can pretty much say anything, but she is not too good with S's.  She said her name for the first time last weekend - "ummer."  One of her favorite things to say is "I on play"  (I want to play).  I guess she isn't to good with W's either.  It is cute to hear her talk though.  She's a rowdy girl.  I guess she gets it from Clint - NOT.  She definitely gets it from me.  I'm not sure if it is a good thing or bad thing, but probably the latter.

She's climbing too - on everything.  She is my little monkey. 

My dad moved out last weekend.  I was sad to see him go, but I guess it was time.  We sure do miss him, but he doesn't live too far away so I'm sure we will still get to see him a lot.  He is watching Summer tomorrow while Clint and I take our real estate exam so we can get our licenses.  I can't wait until that is over.  Yesterday was our last day of school.  Thank goodness!!!!!  I thought it would never end.  I hear some noise in the other room, so I better go see what she is into now. 

18 Months Old Today

It is hard to believe Summer is a year and a half old now.  The time has gone by so fast!  She caught a stomach bug or something Sunday night.  When she got up on Monday morning, just before my first day in real estate school, she had thrown up in her sleep sometime.  It wasn't really bad, but I could smell it on her and it was on her shirt and sheets.  Just great, huh?  I got her bed stripped and the laundry started before leaving.  She only spat up once while we were gone that day.  My dad kept her for us and had dinner almost ready when we got home.  She was in a good mood when I walked through the door and I played with her a little bit.  Then it happened - projectile vomiting!  Did I say gross?  Because - GROSS!  Clint helped me clean it up and then we ate.  A little bit after that, there she went again.  Except on the hardwood floors this time and not the carpet - thank goodness!  She didn't eat or drink very much at all that day, but since then she has been fine.  She ate well today and has not thrown up anymore.  YEAH!!!!!!!!  Well, I didn't mean to gross you out, but I wanted to document this since it is the first time she has really been sick...at least that I can remember.  I am just glad she is feeling better.  I am hoping my dad will be able to baby sit more this week because my sister and her son (who was going to help out) are also sick.  :(  I hope everyone gets feeling better soon...especially my sister. 

I am not going to get to take her for her 18 month shots for another week since Clint and I are both in school.  I am anxious to see how much she weighs.  I am also curious as to how tall she is and I need to make sure to mark her height on the wall tonight before I put her to bed. 

Well, I am off to my first belly dancing class.  It should be interesting!  To say the least....

Trick or Treat

Last night we took Summer to the mall to Trick or Treat.  She had a good time and didn't even mind wearing her costume.  She wasn't too sure about walking up to people and getting stuff put in her pumpkin until she realized it was candy.  Then she got really excited.  She would sit down in the floor when she wanted to pick out of piece of candy for us to open.  It was so cute.  People kept saying, "Look at the bunny!"   She was scared of the witch at the Hallmark store and Clint said she jumped when she saw her.  I was busy trying to capture her trick-or-treating their and missed it.  It was fun for us all and I am glad we decided to go. 

Of course we let her play on the playground before we left.  She kept saying "play" when we were going through the mall.  She knew what was coming.  She really enjoys the playground they have there and I must say it is really nice.  I can't wait until Wednesday.  We are going to a friend's neighborhood to let Summer trick-or-treat a little more.  Not that she needs anymore candy... 

Tag! I’m it!

Sunny tagged me for a meme!

4 jobs I've had: 1. Lifeguard at a state park.  2. Subway  3. bartender at several different bars  4. Contract specialist at UnumProvident

4 movies I could watch over and over: 1. Dirty Dancing  2.  Tombstone  3. Shag the Movie  4. Legends of the Fall

4 TV shows I watch:  1. Desparate Housewives  2. Brothers and Sisters  3. Grey's Anatomy  4. Sesame Street...LOL

4 places I have lived: 1. Trenton, GA  2. Kennessaw, GA  3. Soddy Daisy, TN  4. Chattanooga, TN

4 foods I love: 1. Lasagne  2.  Bean burritos from Las Margaritas  3. Chicken wings from Outback  4. dessert - preferebly chocolate  ;)

4 favorite colors: Pink, Purple, Aqua, Black

4 places I would love to be right now: 1. Mexico   2. On a beach   3. Las Vegas  4. Movies

4 names I love but could/would not use for my children: 1. Caprice  2. Romeo  3. Casanova  4. Reita

I am tagging: Amy

My little thinker

Summer is really into figuring things out right now.  She has figured out how to open doors...even the door to the balcony from the outside which is higher than inside....MUST LOCK DOORS NOW!!!  She also likes to buckle things.  Such as my camera bag, her stroller lap belt, highchair buckles -- pretty much anything that buckles or snaps into place.  She can buckle them, but she can't unbuckle them yet.  We are working on that, but she will need a little more strength to get some of them unbuckled.  It is not unusual to walk up on her trying to buckle or unbuckle any of these things.  She is very curious as to how things work and does a pretty good job of figuring things out.

She knows where the tissues are kept and loves to take them out one at a time and then shred/spread them on the living room floor...LOL.  Oh yeah, and I have a garbage full of toilet paper too from where she keeps getting a roll out and then "rolls" my house.  Too bad there are no trees in our condo! 

I have found her on two separate occasions with ink on her belly.  Yes, my girl's an artist!  I'm just glad she hasn't started on the walls yet.  She will scribble on any piece of paper she can get her hands on.  Oh, and let's not forget books.  Oh yeah, and CARPET!!!  Luckily it does not show up on our carpet.  :) 

She really gets into everything.  But, lucky me, she is also a happy and good spirited little girl (yes, LITTLE GIRL) when she is not testing me.  I have noticed the past few days she has started to test me to see if I really mean what I say.  And I am proud to say, that I am sticking to my word.  I did put her down for a nap the other day when she spilled all her ponytail holders out on the floor a second time and would not pick them up.  I told her to pick them up and even tried to help her, but she didn't believe me.  Hopefully, she will learn to obey sooner than later.  I know she is not even 1 1/2 yet, but she does understand what I say.  That I am sure of. 

She knows how to throw things in the garbage and obeys most simple commands.  She knows what ice cream is - of course.  It is funny to see her reactions when you tell her or ask her something.  It is easy to see if she means Yes or No.  I am still reinforcing the "Yes Ma'am" and "No Ma'am" and she tries to say them.  She did learn the word no about a week and a half ago.  She has not used it repeatedly yet though so I am still feeling good about that. 

She really is a good girl.  And I love her so much.  I don't know what I would do without her in my life.  She is truly a source of happiness that I treasure every day.

A Windy Week at the Beach

We are at the beach this week in Savannah, GA.  It has been windy every day and it actually rained a bit today.  There is a play ground about a block away from our townhouse which has been really nice for Summer.  We have taken her to play on it every morning and she is really enjoying it. We went to the library today for story time which was a first for myself and Summer.  She did not really pay attention to the book, but she did like the songs.  It was the first time she actually stomped her feet during the song "If You're Happy and You Know It."  She is still not a big fan of the beach.  It doesn't help that it is windy as can be, but I did finally get her to sit on her towel and play with the shell-covered sand (broken shells...).  She did that for a good thirty minutes or so before we decided to head back in.  Actually the reason we headed in was because I noticed sand in her ear from all the wind blowing I guess.  I tried to get her to wear a hat, but she refused so we headed back to our rental.  She will not put her feet in the sand at all.  Oh well....

My best friend and her family are down here so there are two other kids Summer's age for her to play with.  That has been fun for Summer too.  I, of course, am happy to just be at the beach.  I wish we were able to get in the pool for a bit, but so far the sun has not really been on my side.  We are going sightseeing tomorrow so that should be fun.  My in laws are down here with us and they, along with Clint, have been enjoying the bikes that came with our rental.  We went for a walk tonight after dinner and it was nice.  We even walked out to the beach even though it was dark and still very windy.  I hope tomorrow brings the sun, but the weatherman is calling for rain.

Everyday there are so many precious moments with Summer.  Today we sat on the porch and had a snack.  She tried to get some of my granola bar, but was not successful even though she did say please.  I know she was just trying to eat mine before she ate hers so she could have more.  She did eat her own and it was cute to watch her take a big bite and then not really be able to chew it up since she does not have back teeth (although her 1st molar did pop through yesterday).  So, she would suck on it and try to backwash into, I mean drink my tomato juice to wash it down.  LOL  Her upper lip had a mustache from the juice which I, sadly, did not get a picture of.  We were both sitting in our own chairs at the patio table, and she tried to prop her feet up on the table which she must have seen me do before....TOO CUTE!!!  Her legs barely reached the table.  Then she decided to show me what a big girl she is, so she stood in her chair.  It made me a little nervous, but I try to let her be herself unless I know she is in direct danger.  I don't want to constantly be telling her NO, so I pick my battles.  But, I do tell her NO when she needs to hear it.  Thankfully, she still has not learned to say the word no yet.  Maybe it is because I say "No Ma'am" and that 2nd word is a little tricky....maybe she's just good like that.  She did shake her head at me the other day for the 1st time.  She has only done it the one time so I am not bothered by that.  It was just another cute thing I can add to my list that she has done. 

She seems to do cute things all the time.  Clint and I are so lucky to have her to brighten our day.  Even when he is not feeling good, she can bring a smile to his face.  When I am frustrated, she can change my mood completely with just a little silliness.  Of course, sometimes she is the one frustrating me....LOL.  But, I guess that is just part of being a mom.  As your child grows up, they will test you and see what they can and cannot do around you.  They will see if you really mean what you say or not.  They will try to get their way with whining and sometimes clever tricks.  It is so important to be consistent, and that is my goal with Summer.  I want her to know I mean what I say.  I want her to obey and respect me and Clint and other people.  I hope I am going about it the right way, but it is hard to know.  It is hard to always do what you know it best, but I try.  Only time will tell how good of a job I am doing.

Summer likes to go on walks and/or outside.  Sometimes Clint and I take her out together, sometimes we do it separately.  My mom and Tre also like to take Summer for walks at times.  We will live in a nice place for walking.  Pretty much everything is within walking distance so we can go to the park, playground, aquarium, ice cream shop, or wading pools on a whim.  Summer and I go strolling some mornings when I feel like I need some exercise.  We walk up the hills and run down them which is fun for us both.  On the way down the hills, I will yell "Wheee" and Summer will kick her feet and laugh.  She is usually eating some breakfast and drinking milk during our morning trips. 

She is still eating good.  About the only baby food she still really likes is Delmonte Spaghetti.  Today she had a half a plum and pop-tart with milk for breakfast.  We had our snack of granola bar and tomato juice a little later.  Then she had green beans (one of her favorite foods), diced tomatoes (also favorite), corn, part of a porcupine (Nona's special recipe w/ ground beef and rice) and a little of a broccoli/carrots/cheese jar wiashed down with strawberry milk.  One food she still will not eat is mashed potatoes.  Other favorite foods are cantaloupe, cheese,  and cookies/cake/ice cream -- of course -- she does take after me.

I think she is looking more like me...at least every one keeps saying so.  Her hair is about 5 different shades of blonde and it is getting longer so I can pull it up into little pony tails or waterfalls.  She usually pulls the ponytail holders out shortly after I put them in if I don't distract her right away with something more interesting.  But, if I do, she still discovers they are there before too long and pulls them out.  She is just too cute to get mad at, so I just try and try again. 

Oh, I hope I never forget all these precious moments, but I'm sure I will forget at least a few. 

*************************

This would not update yesterday when I tried, so I have more to add now.

Swimming in the pool with Summer is always fun.  Well, maybe not always.  We have made some good memories though.  She is not afraid of the water which is good and bad.  She likes to stand on my aunts steps and go up and down them, but she gets brave and sometimes tries to go a little too deep.  If I don't keep my eye on her constantly, she will be under the water in seconds.  The funny thing is she isn't really scared when you pull her up out of the water...I guess it's not that funny.  She likes to jump off the side of the pool, I just have to make sure I am there to catch her.  Sometimes she likes to play on the float, but ONLY when SHE wants to!  She is still not too fond of floating on her back, but she likes to "swim" around with my hands supporting her.  She's a little fish!

I might have mentioned this before, but I can't remember.  We have a membership at the aquarium which is about a block away from our condo, so we go there a lot.  She likes to run through it now that she is a big girl.  No more stroller dwelling for her there.  She wants to be able to go look at what she wants, when she wants.  She especially likes the tank where you can pet the sharks & rays.  She doesn't pet them though.  Probably because she scares them off with all the splashing she does...LOL.  Last Sunday we went with Willow and her parents which was fun.  The girls held hands through parts of it....it was TOO CUTE!  Summer also got to hold a butterfly which was neat and a first for her.

Her latest thing is shoes...the girl MUST have her shoes.  She tries to put them on herself and is even successful with one at times.  It is really cute.  SOMETIMES.  She gets frustrated if she can't get her shoes (or mine) on her foot.  Then the whining starts, but if I don't buy into it she will stop.  The shoe thing is cute though.  I'm glad she is like that now especially since the cooler weather is on its way and we won't be able to go outside barefoot much longer.

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> 

"I wanna talk"

That is Summer's first sentence.  Everytime she sees a phone, she says "I wanna talk."  It is really cute except for when I am talking and she does not need to talk to the person I am talking to.  She does get to talk to her Memaw or Auntie sometimes.  They are about the only people who have enough patience to talk to her since she really doesn't talk back to them.  She does babble, but it is impossible to make out what she is saying except for a few words. 

She is attached to my hip today so I gotta get off here.  She wants me to hold her and will scream until I pick her up...I need a glass of wine!  The sad thing is I felt that way at 9:00 this morning.  I don't know why I can't deal with her whining, but I guess I better learn how.  It doesn't seem to stop when I want it to.  Oh well....

Catching up

I have a lot of catching up to do picture wise.  I have not been organizing them when I upload them so now I have a bunch to do.  It is amazing to look back over the pictures from the last few weeks.  Clint was caught several times not taking it as easy as he should've been, but that's a man for you.  When you want them to rest, they gotta play basketball with their little girl.  When you want them to take out the trash, they want to watch TV (he did take out the trash once since he's been home - bad boy!).  Of course he did plenty of resting in between so I guess he did follow those orders from the doctor.  He has also been caught picking up his little girl numerous times which is a no-no for at least 3 more weeks.  He is not supposed to lift anything heavier than a phone book, but sometimes he just can't help himself.  Not that I blame him, she is a little doll and I can't imagine not picking her up for one day let alone 6 weeks.  She has been climbing on him which is not very comfortable for him, but I think he enjoys it despite the pain.  She really does bring so much happiness to our lives.  I is almost impossible not to smile when you are around her unless it is one of those whiny days.... 

Well, my little angel just got home from her Memaw's.  Clint's dad had surgery yesterday, so Summer and I went to the hospital to sit with her Nona.  My mom called around 1:00 and said she was coming through town if I wanted her to pick her up.  It was perfect timing because she was just about to be ready for her nap and hadn't gotten whiny yet.  So, I grabbed her stuff and met my mom outside.  It was nice not to have to sit in the waiting room with her getting upset and having the whole room giving me dirty looks.  She left on a good note, and I think the other people in the waiting room might have actually missed her a little.  She was putting on a good show for them, reading her books, coloring, rolling around on the floor (gross I know), pushing her stroller, climbing on the chairs...she is very entertaining! 

I better go change her diaper.  I think I smell something...

My pride and joy

We have had a pretty good week except for the whining that Summer has started doing.  It is frustrating sometimes because she can't tell me what she wants and I can't figure it out.  So, we have to go from one thing to the next until I can correctly guess what she wants or distract her by finding something even better than what she wanted in the first place.  Either is fine with me as long as the whining STOPS -- which it does not usually when I want it to.  I still haven't figured out how to stop the whining, but maybe it is just a phase and she'll move onto something else soon.  If she gets too whiny and won't stop, I will just put her in her bed until she calms down.  Sometimes she is just tired and needs a nap, but other times she will just calm down in a few minutes and play in her bed.  It has music and a light she can cut on.  She really likes that I think.  Sometimes she will hum the songs if I start singing.  I don't even know the words to some of the songs, but it doesn't matter to her.  She likes music a lot. 

Today we were dropping her sister off at the hospital, and Summer was dancing to the music when we pulled up.  The kids were telling her good-bye and trying to get her to say their names, and she just said "Bye" and started moving her head to the beat.  It was cute.  She did say her sister's name for the first time today.  It is probably only the 4th or 5th time she has seen her in the past 4 months so she does not really know her.  Amanda does seem to enjoy Summer's company more now that Summer has a personality and can talk.  I did not hear her say one mean thing to her this morning which was nice.  Amanda used to get very frustrated with Summer when she would make any noise at all in the car.  It will be interesting to see how they interact in the coming years since there is such a big age difference (16 years).

Summer is such cutie.  I guess she gets it from me...LOL.  She got her 8th tooth last week...12 more to go!  I think her molars will be coming in soon.  I felt some knots on her gums a couple of weeks ago, but she hasn't let me back in in a while.  She is very much in control of her body and mind and will not do anything she does not want to.  For example, if I want to feed her some yogurt, she will not let me unless it my yogurt and wants a bite.  She often clamps her mouth closed when I try to feed her because she is a big girl now and wants to do it herself (very rarely does she not actually want the food).  If I try to put my finger in her mouth, clamp down and head turns to avoid my finger.  If she does not want me to do something or a I suggest something she doesn't like, she does not say no.  She shakes her head and makes this noise that starts with a "M."  It is very apparent she means no when she does this.  I don't mind it when she does this since I really do not want her saying no yet.  Plus, the fact that she does communicate with me and others is something I am very grateful for.  I am so lucky to have such a healthy, smart and beautiful little girl.  I love her so much! 

On a lighter note...

Summer has started sleeping until 8:30 or 9:30 everyday.  YEAH!!! Yesterday, she actually got up at 9:40.  This is so awesome compared to 7:00 or a little earlier.  She also went to one nap a day sometime while she was at my moms which is perfectly fine with me if she is going to be sleeping later.  Anyways, I just thought I would share the good news that I have right now.  I better get some stuff done before she gets up.

A Big Surprise

Last week, two days before we were supposed to go to Mexico, Clint went to the doctor for some pain he was having.  We found out that he has kidney cancer.  So, we canceled our trip and checked into the hospital on Wednesday so that he could have his kidney and some lymph nodes removed on Thursday.  We came home from the hospital on Tuesday in time to have a pizza dinner for our 3rd anniversary just before bed.  It came as a big shock and I really don't know what to say, but if you are reading this, please pray for us.  I am having a hard time dealing with this...there are so many emotions going through my head right now.  I hope they got everything while they were in there, but we will have to wait a couple of months to see when Clint goes back for another CT scan. 

Summer stayed with my mom the entire time since my mom had already taken off of work to keep her while we were in Mexico.  We did get to see her a few times during the week, but I was really starting to miss my little ray of sunshine and was ready to get her back by the time Clint was released from the hospital.  She was sooo happy to see her daddy.  He made it in the condo before I did, so I did not get to see the look on her face, but I wish I did.  While I was gone to get his meds that evening, he said she sat on his lap and laid there.  So, they put her to bed before I got back.  Clint is not allowed to pick up anything heavier than a phone book for 6 weeks, so that means no picking up Summer.  But, she can climb up into his lap if she wants.  She has been giving him lots of kisses which I know makes his day.  I just hope and pray she can do that for years and years to come.

New PJ's

We are leaving for Mexico in less than 24 hours!!!  Okay, so needless to say I am excited!  Summer is going to be staying with my mom & Tre while we are gone.  I think she will be fine since she really likes both of them a lot.  I am sure they will be spoiling her the whole time we are gone anyway. 

When we get back, Clint's parents are going to be here waiting for us.  They have not been to visit us since Summer was born so I am glad they are finally coming to see us.  I think they will have a good time seeing Summer because she is so entertaining at this stage in her life. 

I got Summer some new clothes a couple of weeks ago.  Most of them are for the summer next year.  I bought her 3T so I hope she is able to wear them.  She wears 18-24 months right now so I am sure they will work out fine.  I did get her a couple of long sleeve shirts and a pair of pants for this fall and winter.  I also get her several sets of PJs.  Before this trip, she only had one pair of PJs which were shorts and a tank top with elephants on them (silky).  As you can see from the pics, she is as cute as a bug in them.  Well, I need to get this house semi-clean  before we leave for Mexico.  I better run.

Oh yeah, she says almost everything now.  She is really imitating a lot of what I say or do so I better be on my best behavior...LOL.

A Family Portrait

Yesterday we went to get our family portrait made at Olan Mills.  Summer was immediately distracted by the rocking horse next to the door on the way in.  Darn Rocking Horse!!!  Needless to say, she was not a bit interested in getting her picture taken.  She wanted to ride the horse.  She barely sat still long enough to get a few pictures snapped...none of which were great.   But, we gave up on getting a good picture with her, and the photographer snapped a few pics of me and Clint.  We ended up getting the picture where she is grinning and biting her lips at the same time..LOL.  She is such a cutie.  It was not the best pic of me, of course, but I looked good in all of them...not.  I had one eye closed in at least one of them.   We got two sheets of just me and Clint since they turned out really good.  Overall, our mission was accomplished.  Family portrait taken.  We were just missing one member of our family...who obviously had better things to do. 

Summer did get to ride the horse while I was picking out which poses I wanted.  She loved it!!!  Clint came in there where I was and told me Summer was going to scream when we got ready to leave because she was having such a good time.  I told him she would get over it.  It really was not bad when we left there...not nerely as bad as when we left KB Toys the other day without the shopping cart she was playing with.  I hope she remembers to ask Santa for one.

5 minutes in Summer's afternoon

Summer is sitting in the floor reading some books.  She really loves to turn the pages herself.  She gets upset when I try to help...the nerve of me!  I think her favorite book right now is called "Honey Bunny."  It only has about 6 pages and twice as many words, but she really likes the pictures in it...especially the picture of the little boy.  I hope that is not a sign...LOL.  She has now found the remote control and is trying to use it as a phone....laughing at what it is saying to her.  She really is a silly girl.  She is also watching soaps with me right now which is about the only thing I watch other than cartoons.  Okay, now she is blowing on the top of the couch making funny sounds....laughing at herself.  There are the coasters she loves (to throw in the floor) so much!  It is amazing that I have only been writing for about 3 minutes, and she has gone from floor to couch and back to the floor.  She really does not sit still for very long. 

Yesterday, she was in my glider playing.  She ended up making it fall backwards and tumbled onto the kitchen floor.  She didn't even cry.  She still falls a lot when she is walking, especially on concrete (not sure what is up with that).  Maybe she is trying to walk to fast or run.  Either way, she just gets back up and moves on.  She's is pretty tough. 

She is trying to figure out how to ride her Peek-a-boo block rhino right now.  She does know how to push it and stand on the seat.  But, she can't seem to roll herself across the carpet when she sits on it.  Wait....is that another poopy diaper I smell?   Oh the joys of being a mom!

Summer went for her 15 month check-up and shots on Monday.  She weighed 24 lb. 9 oz. and is 31 3/4 inches tall.  She is in the 80th percentile for both height and weight.  She has stayed pretty much consistent in her percentile (70-80)since she has been born.  I think her 7th tooth finally came through today.  Her nose is running like crazy and there is drool so I wonder if there are more to come.

Did I mention she is climbing onto everything she can?  The couch, chairs, toys, stairs...no trees yet though. :) 

She talks all the time too.  Her new word for today is Pawpaw.  She saw a picture of my dad and I said Pawpaw and then she said it.  Now I will have to try to teach her to say Nona and Nono.  Two weeks ago, she said Memaw and Nanny.  Last weekend she called my sister Auntie.  She is really good at picking up new words.  I was trying to get her to say pillow.  I could see her trying to get the "P" sound out, but she didn't/couldn't do it.  She said balloon and ball last week.  Please and thank you are two words she uses all the time.  Hopefully it will stay that way as she gets older.  

She loves blankets.  Especially soft blankets.  She does not like to share them.  I am trying to teach her that they are not all hers, so in her play area, we each have our own blankets.  She tried to take mine from me today and claim it for herself, but I wasn't giving in.  I can't always give her what she wants.  She needs to learn to share and the sooner she learns that, the better off she will  be...and all the unsuspecting kids who might have something she wants.  Wish me luck!

***UPDATED TO ADD CLIPS***

Playing in the loft aka her bedroom:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrD3OI_aPiM

Making duck noises:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWj3ksLj-Io

 

Home Again

Clint and I made a last minute trip to Detroit to visit my dear friend Christina---FINALLY!  It has been almost 3 years since she moved up there and she has been bugging me for a while to come and visit her.  So, we hopped on a plane and partied like a rock star all weekend (LOL).  We had a really good time, but it is good to be home.  I really missed Summer.  I was away from her for 4 nights which is the longest I have been away from her since she was born.  I did get to talk to her on the phone for the first time while we were gone.  She actually said Momma and a few other words (some clear and some not).  It was cute.  She also left me my first voicemail from her one day.  She said Momma  and that was all it took for me to fall in love with her all over again.  Such a doll she is.  I replayed it many times while I was gone. 

She seemed so happy when I got back which  made me really happy too.  She has been such a joyful little girl since we got home.  Silly and always ready to laugh and play.  I really did get lucky with her.  I hope I don't do anything to screw her up...LOL. 

I have come across a few pictures which have jogged a few memories out of my head.  It seems like I am forgetting to write so much, but it is happening so fast that I can hardly keep up myself.  She is growing up.  She is not really a baby anymore, but she doesn't really seem like she is old enough to be a little girl yet.  Where is the time going?

1.  We went to Playworld Down Under with Alicia, DJ, Liliana, Kelli, Justin and Katelyn a few weeks ago.  It was Summer's first trip there and she really had a good time.  She especially liked the slides, but usually wanted to climb up them to get back to the top.  Eventually, she did accept that she had to go up the steps to get to slide.  The girls all got to ride on a little Merry-Go-Round type ride after they played.  Then we cashed in the tickets that the parents won (LOL) and got them prizes.  I got Summer 2 bracelets and a plastic frog.  Needless to say I didn't have many tickets....unlike the other parents.  We all had a good time I think.

2.  I was repotting some plants at the condo on my balcony and Summer came out to "help" me.  If adding to the mess I was already making is any help...hmmm.  Anyway, there were a few shallow puddles of dirt/water on the concrete.  Summer was immediately attracted to these and decided she needed to put her face in them.  She loves to blow bubbles in the pool or bathtub.  Oh yeah, did I mention there was dirt involved?  If you have seen the pictures, I am sure you already know there was.  It was quite a site to see and if I remember correctly, I had Clint clean her up afterwards so it was actually worth the pictures I got from it. 

3.  Clint and I have taken  Summer to Coolidge Park several times this summer.  She likes to play in the small fountains, but she is not too keen on the big fountains yet.  It is okay though because the water in the small fountains tastes good....LOL...she doesn't seem to mind the taste anyway.  I don't let her sit there and drink the water out if it.  If I really did that, I would be constantly scolding her which means there isn't really much of a point in taking her to the park.  So, I let her play and have fun and do her own thing as long as I know her life is not actually in danger.  Clint tried to get her to go in the bigger fountains with him the other day, but they ended up not doing that.  This past week, I had my niece and nephew with us and they had a good time too.  Before we got in the fountains, we rode on the Merry-Go-Round.  Summer and I rode on a cat.  She liked it, but was ready to get off by the time the music stopped.  At least she wasn't begging to stay on!!!

4.  Summer also loves the playground at the mall.  Sometimes I play with her, and sometimes Clint will stay in there with her while I go shop.  We also have play dates there with Liliana every once in a while. 

5.  Suckers ~ Summer loves suckers.  We got one at the bank the other day and another one from somewhere else.  I usually let her eat them when she is sitting in her stroller b/c then she can't get too much stuff sticky.  We have not really had any sticky issues yet, but I am sure they are headed my way.  It is cute to see her reaction when you hand her the sucker.  She has this look like she is so happy/surprised/grateful...like the sucker really made her day.  So, they are a nice treat for her whenever we get them. 

Here are a few videos that I came across today when I was going through my pictures.  I will try to do this more often for all you grandparents who don't get to see her much.  I must admit I do love showing off my little angel.  She makes my world go around.

Sliding  --   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn06LeSFraY

Eating breakfast  --  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AMxQU6bltk

 

Our summer vacation

We had a great time in Panama City.  We traveled down in three cars.  My mom and Tre took the granddaughters.  Clint took the guys in his truck, and me and my sister rode in my Corvette with the top down until it got too hot.  We had a good time listening to some old tapes I found from high school and some country music which we sang our hearts out to. 

When we got there, we headed straight to the beach because our room was not ready.  But, we didn't have to wait long to get in.  After we settled in, we had dinner in the condo and enjoyed our first night as much as we could.  We went to the beach and pool every day.  Some mornings I took the kids to the beach and/or pool which was fun for me.  Summer was not always an enthusiastic partner, so she didn't get to go every time we did. 

We tried to swim out the the sand bar a couple of times so we could get some sand dollars, but we had no luck.  We did encounter a few jelly fish which was not a highlight of our day.  We got to see sharks, rays, and dolphins swimming down the coastline several times.  It was pretty neat. 

There were more fireworks on the 4th of July than I have ever seen in my life.  It went on for over 3 hours.  It was pretty awesome.  We watched them from the balcony for a while, but after the kids went to bed we went to the beach to join my brother.  Summer did not get to see any fireworks since they started after she was in bed....maybe next year. 

It went by WAAAYYYY too fast.  We did not get to do all the things we wanted to do like go deep sea fishing or play miniature golf.  But, we didn't really miss them.  We had a good time just being together.

Momma, Momma, Momma

Yesterday, on the way to work, Summer said, "Momma, Momma, Momma."  She has said my name before, but it has been a while since she has actually called me by name trying to get my attention.  She has never done it like this and I don't think I will ever forget that car ride.  It was so sweet.  She also started saying "please" yesterday too.  So now when I tell her "No ma'am" to something, she is smart enough to say "please" so that I will let her have/do what she wants.  It is cute, but I am still gonna have to stick to the no when it is absolutely necessary.  I would update more, but I gotta get ready for work.  I'll try to add pics later tonight.

Busy, busy, busy

I have been really busy since we got back from Florida.  I thought I would take a minutes to add some pics for the grandparents out in Vegas who don't get to see Summer often.  She is growing every day and doing new things too.  She asks for her (my) toothbrush now when she wants to brush her teeth.  It sounds something like brush.  She says bite when she wants a bite of your food.  She signs eat all the time.  She loves to eat!  She can say "bear" now which is one of her must have items.  She goes to bed with bear, she gets up with bear, she gets out of bed with bear -- if she sees bear, she wants bear.  It is cute.  She said belly button this morning when she found hers.  She is saying so much now that it is hard to remember what I have already told you and what I haven't. 

Clint and I are in Nashville for the evening, so I must get ready to hit the town.  I will update more on our vacation next time.  I will save those pics for that update.  In the meantime, enjoy these.

Florida here we come!

We will be heading to sunny Florida tomorrow.  I am soooo looking forward to this trip.  I just hope it is not too hot down there, but it is hot here anyway so at least we will have the ocean & pools to cool us off.  I am about 99% packed, but there is always something I come across that I NEED to take with me.  I'm not sure if it will ever end.  I am trying to get everything done this morning before I go pick up Summer. She spent the night with my mom last night and Tre is watching her today.  I have talked to them a couple of times and they say she is being an "ANGEL" as usual. 

She has finally mastered the word "Bye-bye."  She says it all the time when we are leaving somewhere or when she wants to leave...LOL.  She will say "Bye" and walk up to her stroller meaning that she wants to go out for a ride.  I am happy she likes her stroller because she spends a good deal of time in it.  It is our downtown "vehicle."  We walk a lot down here, so anytime we leave on foot, she is in the stroller.  It is well equipped with toys and all the necessities - diapers, wipes, jars of food, hats, a blanket, water bottle, chapstick, sunscreen, bathing suit.  Needless to say, I don't think we would be able to live without the stroller and it was worth every penny I paid for it...obviously!

There is another baby sale coming up at the end of July.  I hope they will have some fall clothes because that is about all we need right now...that I know of.  I might try to get a few Christmas presents there too for my nieces and nephew if I see something they would like.  You can get brand new stuff in the original boxes for pretty cheap.  If you've been reading this journal for a while, you already know I love me some consignment sales!

I've got to get ready to get Summer, so I better run.  Here are the only two pics of Summer on this computer...wish I could share more, but they are on the laptop.

She likes the pool!

Summer really likes swimming!  We have been at my mom's pool and my Aunt's pool a few times this summer and she really likes to get in.  Sometimes she wears a swimsuit with floats built in and sometimes we just put her in/on her own float.  Yesterday, I let her get on my float with me and she really had a good time.  She fell off a few times, but did not get scared once I don't think. 

Clint got in the pool to play with us.  We were letting Summer "swim" back and forth to us.  She loved it!!! She would giggle and smile and clap.  Then my mom got in and we were all passing her around.  Sometimes she swam (with a big push of course) and sometimes we threw her out of the water.  She went under about 3 or 4 times I think.  Although she was a little startled by the water, she did not make any big fuss about going under. 

This morning I got up and read about teaching babies/kids to swim so I have a few new things to try out today.  It is so much fun teaching her new things and watching her grow.  Everyone is saying that they think she is getting taller, but I have not measured her yet.  I did get a thing to hang on the wall where we can measure her as she grows.  I will have to work on getting Clint to hang it  (wish me luck!!!).  I'm sure I could do it, but I really like seeing him be a part of raising Summer so I don't want to hog all of the duties...LOL. 

She really loves us both I think.  When I put her down for her nap this morning, I sang "Go To Sleepy Little Baby" or whatever it is called.  Actually, I hummed most of it.  Summer started humming with me.  It was SOOOOO SWEET!  What is more precious than a little girl laying over your shoulder holding her bear and humming "Go To Sleepy..." with Momma?  Nothing.  That's one of those priceless moments that you hope you never forget...or lose.  Of course, there are many of those moments....

Summer was the only person at Playgym last week which was not as bad as you would imagine.  We still sang the songs, rode the train, rode the see-saw, painted a picture, played with stuffed bees, made music, blew bubbles, and rode on the parachute pretty much as usual.  I had a good time playing with her, but I did miss the other kids.  Summer had full rein of the room which she crossed many times.  She found my purse once which took her off task, but we were able to distract her rather easily and get her back to the organized fun they plan for you.  Have I ever mentioned she loves my purse?  LOVES IT.  Well, she is up so I guess we are going to leave.  I will have to finish my story later.

She's SOOOO big!

Summer loves it when we say, "How big is Summer?  Sooo big!!!"  It is one of the things they do at the playgym, but I think we were actually doing it before we started going there.  She is walking everywhere and saying more and more words every day.  She actually started saying "Momma" last week before my Pepaw's funeral.  We were doing the last viewing and she was squirmy so I put her down.  That's when it happened....FINALLY!!!  She has said it every day since then, so it wasn't a fluke.  And, I LOVE IT!  She also says "bite" and "cat" which I am not sure if I ever mentioned.  She will say random people's names when she hears them which drove me crazy when she wasn't saying "Momma."  It is actually more like "Momma Momma Momma" when she says it...music to my ears.

She is such a swimmer too.  She LOVES the pool which is good and bad.  At the rate she is going now, she will be swimming by the end of the summer.  We go to Florida in less than two weeks, so I am anxious to see if she will still dislike the sand like she did in March.  She is getting a little tan despite all the sunscreen I put on her.  Her hair looks like it has been highlighted about 4 different shades of blond.  I must say she gets more adorable every day.

She loves to clap for herself...LOVES IT.  She will do something and start clapping and then look around to make sure everyone else is going to clap too.  She likes the clapping.  A lot.

I was going to add some pics, but it is not working right now....

Life Goes On

We got home from my Aunt's house a little while ago.  Summer was ready for bed, so that meant we had to leave.  I wasn't ready to leave my family, but I'm sure they will all be ready for bed early tonight.  My Pepaw passed away yesterday evening.  I had been at the hospital for most of the day, but I was not there at the end.  It is hard to let go of him, but I know life will go on.  The days will still go by and we will continue to live our own lives. 

When we would visit him, Summer always gave Pepaw (her great-grandfather) a kiss when we got there and when we left.  It was sweet.  I know Pepaw loved us, and we loved him too.  He was a very special man and I just wanted to take a minute out of my day to remember him.  He will always be in my heart.

New teeth & a birthday party

Summer has two new teeth that I know of.  It is very possible that there are more, but she will not let me investigate for too long.  She also bites me when I feel her gums.  It was cute when she just had two teeth, but now she has 6 teeth.  I know they will probably be popping out left and right over the next few months.  I have to make sure to write them all in her baby book as I notice them.  Wish me luck!

Liliana's 1st birthday party was this afternoon.  It was a lot of fun.  They had a swimming pool and slide set up for the babies which was fenced in.  They all had a pretty good time in it.  When got all 5 babies in at the same time, it was very interesting to say the least.  They also had a double slip-n-slide set up and an inflatable slide with a pool at the bottom (which was Summer's favorite of the day--she did NOT like the slip-n-slide).  She slid down the inflatable slide at least 10 times and would play in the water until other kids came over and she had to let them have a turn.  She did pretty good taking turns.  She is still too little to climb up the steps on the little slide right now...at least she did not/would not do it today.  I got soaking wet carrying her around from one side of the yard to the other.  It was a lot of fun and we were all exhausted when we got home a little while ago. 

We will probably go to bed early tonight since we have been child free for the past two nights which means we have been staying up way too late....

I was up early this morning anticipating Summer's arrival.  She got here about 8:30 and was very clingy.  She leaned on me and I loved her and tried to soak it all in while she is still so precious and innocent.  I hope she will always be this way, but I realize she will change immensely as she ages and grows over the next 17 years.  I hope they are happy years for us all. 

Utilizing Nap Time

Can you say post deleted???????

I have dedicated Summer's nap this morning to getting all my pictures organized into their appropriate folders.  I am almost done, but not quite.  I wanted to share some with you so I decided to update this journal.  There are quite a few good pics of when my dad was here.  We will get to see him again at the end of the month when my whole family is going to Florida.  We are all so excited!!!  I know we will have a good time.  I just hope Summer likes the beach this time.  If not, there are 3 pools, so I think we will be okay.

We went to Coolidge Park last week with Alicia and Liliana after the girls' Play Gym class.  We let them play in the fountain and also rode on the carousel (the pics have mysteriously disappeared...or they didn't take).  Summer really liked it and we will probably be taking her back this week.  Selena and Willow are going with us, and Mason & Melissa might too.  I am anxious to see how Willow and Mason react to the water.  Hopefully it will be pretty so the water will not be too cold and the kids will be warm enough to enjoy it.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Today I am performing at a dance recital downtown.  I am excited, but I will be glad when it is over.  I am looking forward to watching the little boy break dancers after we perform.  I think they will be good.  I got to see most of the dances before ours the other night at dress rehearsal.  So, all I am really interested in watching is the people after us.  Hopefully Clint will get a few good pics of us so I can show you what we looked like on stage.  Wish us luck!!!

I just finished organizing all my pics to date.  YEAH!!!!  I will save a few of them for the next post.

She's Everywhere!!!

Summer is all over the place now that she can walk....and so is EVERYTHING else.  She drags things from one side of the house/condo to the other.  It is amazing how quickly she can make a mess.  I didn't realize what a big difference her walking would make.  She is very mobile now, and I can't remember the last time I saw her crawling.  It almost makes me cry not being able to, but life goes on.

This morning she broke a glass.  I was on the couch watching Curious George and she was roaming around.  Then I heard a glass shatter.  Clint said he had just seen her with the glass in her hand and was on his way to get it from her.  I guess he got to her a little too late.  So, he picked her up and held her while I swept up the glass.  When I got her, there was a little blood on her hand, but it was not bleeding.  I am not sure how it got cut, but it was not bad at all.  I gotta run, but I wanted to share the following videos with you.  I will try to get caught up soon since these were taken mid-May and I have many, many more.  But, in the mean time enjoy these.

In this video I think she says Aunt Deborah, but I could just be reading it into it.  What do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y60-JIgrIZE

In this video, taken on May 15, she is walking on the back porch.  These are some of her first steps.  Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyZa2s6HQ9Y

 

She's All Better

Summer's fever broke Monday night at 10:00...in case you were wondering. 

I am SOOOO behind on posting new pics....maybe I am taking too many.  I'm not sure that is possible, but I have several folders uploaded that I haven't even looked at yet.  The pics today are from Summer opening her gift from her Aunt Deborah.  She got her clothes which she loves to carry around the living room and tries to put them on herself.  It is cute to watch her carry them and roll around the floor with them.  I let her play with the box before we opened it.  I couldn't really get her to open it, but she did stand on the box...LOL.

There are also some pics from her play area on our back porch.  She likes to crawl through the toy (???) and also likes to push it around.  She just melts my heart every day.  I am missing her this morning, but it is giving me a chance to catch up this journal a little bit.  I am going to my mom's house later and will probably get in the pool this afternoon.  Summer went in it yesterday, but I was not there so I don't know how much she liked it.  They got her a small pool which I think she likes better than the big one.  I will get to see this afternoon.  Enjoy the pics.  I gotta run!

 

Summer Fever...Literally

Summer has had a fever since yesterday.  When she got to my granny's house after church, her skin was hot to the touch and her cheeks were red.  I didn't think a lot of it because my sister said she had slept on her chest during church.  But, after her nap she was still hot.  Her cheeks, arms and shoulders were all red.  I gave her some Tylenol and looked for my thermometer, but it was not in either one of her bags.  I took her clothes off .  We decided to get a cold rag and put it on her.  She was having NONE of that.  So, we tried to give her a cool bath.  She wasn't having that either.  We got my niece to get in with her, but she did not like it one bit.  I guess it didn't help that I kept dipping the rag and putting the water all over her body.  She only stayed in there a few minutes, but her body was much cooler when she got out.  That lasted a little while.  My dad told us that he saw the thermometer in the back of my car.  We had already got her calmed down though so I decided to wait until I got home to take her temperature.  I did and it was 102.4.  So, I gave her more Tylenol and put her to bed in a diaper only.  I checked on her at 10:00 and she did not feel that hot so I went to bed.  At 2:00, her temperature was 102.2.  I gave her more Tylenol and put her back to bed.  When we got up this morning, her temp. was 100.4.   At 1:00 this afternoon it was 101.  Before she went to bed it was 101.4.  I am almost out of Tylenol.  I have another bottle somewhere at the condo, but I let her play with the other day and I can't find it.  We should be going home tomorrow, and I know I have more there. 

I was really wanting to go home today, but it did not turn out that way.  I have not been there since last Thursday.  My dad was in all weekend, so I spent the last two days at my granny's house.  It was nice to get to see him and a lot of my other relatives.  My pepaw and dad had a lot of visitors today.  Two of Pepaw's brothers and one sister came by.  I think he has a couple more sisters, but there are so many I can't keep track.  It is crazy how big families used to be.  I guess some still are.  I can't imagine having 5 kids!!!  I think I might go insane.  Summer might be enough for me, but I might want one more.  I always thought I wanted twins, but after Summer I think that would be very hard.  She was not that difficult, but the first few months were pretty tiring.  I can't imagine having two babies to feed...especially if they had different schedules and Summer was on a completely different schedule.  That doesn't sound like fun to me.  I hope I am not jinxing myself, but I don't really believe in that kind of stuff anyway.

I am going to go spend some time with Clint before we go to bed.  I just wanted to got on here and write about the fever. 

On brighter note, we had a great weekend.  Amanda graduated from high school which was the BEST graduation I have ever been to.  Short and sweet.  It lasted about an hour and that's it ( I wish I could say the same about my graduation last December).  We took her and a few friends out to eat before we went which was nice.  So, we just have 17 more years with Summer to go and we are free again.....that sounds like a long time.   I am sure it will be fun though.   For the record, I am not in a hurry for those years to pass by.   I want to cherish every day I have with my family, and I already do.

12 Month Check up and stuff

I am not sure what is up with the pictures on this site, but it is definitely not the way it used to be.... :(  I guess I can't complain though, it is free. 

I forgot to write about Summer's check up last week.  She went on May 7.  She weighed 22 lb. 12 oz. and was 30 inches tall.  She is in the 75th percentile for both weight and height.  She has continued to maintain a pretty steady percentile since birth.  She is bigger than Willow and Mason are right now and they are 6 and 5 months older than her.  But, the doctor does not seem concerned.  She is a healthy little girl who likes to eat.  She does not eat all the time, but she will eat almost anything.  She'll even try shells and toilet paper and dog food....I could go on and on. 

She has been getting into my plant by the back door.  It is inside and sitting on tile which is a good thing because she likes to pull the dirt out onto the floor and make a big mess.  I may have to put the plant outside or somewhere else if she keeps getting into it.  She also likes to play with the water cans that I water the plants with.  She puts her toys in them (even when they have water in them....LOL).  She will even put trash in them  if you give it to her.  I even found some shells which were on my bathtub in my bedroom in one of the cans which was in the kitchen 30 feet away.  She is definitely a putter inner.  I don't know if I mentioned it before, but she puts all kinds of things in her laundry basket.  Or, the trash can.  Luckily, she has not got the toilet yet.  I am trying to make it a point to put the seat down so she does not see the water waiting for her to put her hands into it...YUCK!!!  It has happened a time or two so she knows how to wash her hands.  Well, she can't do it by herself, but she will go along with you if you help her. 

She is pretty good at helping...in her own little way.  I am trying to teach her the words "please" and "help" now (I have given up on Mommy).  I am doing the sign language too when I say the word hoping she will at least pick up on one ofthem.  She knows how to sign "more" and "eat" when she wants to.  She also knows how to sign "I don't want that"....LOL...she pushes things away when it is not what she wants.  Like her sippy cup or the spoon in my hand. 

She can be a very messy eater at times; mainly when she feed herself.  Tonight we had ravioli (with a jar of baby food carrots in the sauce ;)  ).  I mixed some cottage cheese and diced green beans into hers.  She ate two  plates--TWO.  She fed almost all of it to herself.  She was so dirty (she had rubbed her hand in her hair) that I had to give her a bath.  She enjoyed the bath.  She even laughed when I poured water on her head, after I had wiped her face with the towel.  I always hope for that reaction when I end up having to do that, and I usually can get it if I put a positive spin on the whole thing. 

It is amazing the tricks you learn as a mom.  If you want your baby to be happy, you have to be happy when you are with him or her.  They definitely pick up on any negative vibes around them.  So, I am always laughing and smiling when I am with Summer (most of the time anyway).  We roll around in the floor and play and laugh.  She likes to be silly like her mommy, and I can be silly for sure!

She's Walking!!!!!!!!

Summer has really started walking over the past few days.  It is amazing how now she can walk all the way across the room without falling.  That is not to say that she does not still fall.  She does.  But, she is getting more and more confident in her abilities.  She's really turning into that little girl I was talking about last week. 

Today we  put water into the little pool we bought her for her birthday.  After her nap and walk around the neighborhood, she was ready to take dip in the water.   First, Clint put her feet in the water and  she was not really into that.  Then he put her down beside the pool and she started putting her hands in the water and splashing.  She was trying to drink the water off of her hands.  Adorable, as usual.  So, Clint took her clothes off and let her climb in the pool on her own.  I did video tape it since it is her first pool and the first time she has been in the pool this spring.  She was charming. 

Now, I just need to figure out how to get the video to a DVD.  That would really be awesome because I have several tapes of her already and they need to be transferred before the video camera breaks....yes that has happened to me.  I am pretty good at using a camera until it gives up/dies on me.  I take A LOT of pictures now that I have Summer.  She is not a very good model as far as posing goes.  I will have to work on that.  When I was a little girl, my aunt taught me how to pose for the camera.  Of course, I have forgotten all that.  I do have the pictures where she captured me as I grew into a little girl which are priceless.  It is amazing how much a little snapshot can mean years down the road.

Back to Summer.....yes, she is walking and talking too.  She can say "Thank You" now.  I am working on please, but she has not said it yet.  She does say more and more words every day.  I am still the nameless wonder who is there for almost every moment of her life, yet she refuses to say my name....hmmmm.  I try not to focus on that.  Chances are though that she would say your name...that's the game she plays. 

We had a good Mother's Day.  We got up and did her usual morning bottle ( I know I gotta quit soon) in the chair in the living room.  Then we played until it was time for her nap.  After the nap, we went to my mom's house for spaghetti.  It was good.  I took the ice cream cake left over from Amanda's birthday and we also had brownies that my nephew made--YUMMY!!!  Oh yeah, and tea...sweet tea.  This is a must when I go to my mom's.  After we played in the yard for a while and Summer got a short nap, we went over to my sister's house and then to my Granny and Pepaw's house.  It was a fun filled day...not stressful at all.  After making all our visits, we went back to the condo for a nice evening together.  Clint got me a card and some tulips.  They are really pretty.  I am not sure how they are still blooming since the ones I have outside our gate are long gone, but I am not complaining.  They look good on my deck at the condo. 

Well, I need to go get ready for the evening.  Clint is off of work, so we are all going to go out for dinner.

1st Birthday Pictures

I have been so busy this week that I have not really got to look through Summer's pictures until today.  She is taking her afternoon nap.  She is still taking two naps a day for a total of 3-4 hours of sleeping/bed time.  Sometimes she just babbles in her bed or plays with her toys.  She knows how to cut the music and the light on in the pack-n-play at the condo.  Sometimes when I go in to get her, she is just sitting there playing happily.  When she sees me, she immediately smiles. Then she usually stands up or grabs her bear and hands it to me so I can give him some love.

She loves to play in the floor with me.  I tickle her, "get her," throw her up in the air and whatever else comes to mind.  I can pick her up and turn her upside down and she will laugh.  She gets me too when we are playing.  Sometimes I will look over at her and she will be rolling on the floor acting silly.  It makes me want to get in the floor and act silly with her...which I usually do (ask Clint).

Summer and I played at Amanda's school today while we were waiting for her to do her final presentation for one of her classes (she graduates from high school in a week).  I got some toys and a blanket out of the car and took Summer under a tree in front of the school.  We played with the dump truck and read her puppy book.  She wanted to sit on the blanket with me.  I put her in the grass when we got under the tree and laid out the blanket.  When she saw me sit on it, she decided she wanted to as well.  She was so cute.  After she got tired of playing with the toys and my purse, she wanted to try walking.  She took a bunch of steps and tumbled after about 4 or 5 each time.  She kept trying and trying and trying.  Grass is definitely the best place for her to learn to walk.  She does not get hurt when she falls down like she would on concrete.  She did want to venture into the parking lot when she finally made it that far, but her mommy wouldn't let her.  What a good mommy...LOL. 

We have a busy weekend this week.  Tonight I am having a girls night with Selelna.  Tomorrow we are celebrating Amanda's birthday.  I am hoping to go to a play tomorrow night with Clint.  Sunday we are going to my mom's for lunch.  I think we are going to have a good time.  I know I will at least. 

For everyone reading, I want to wish you a Happy Mother's Day! 

Details

I feel as though I have not been sharing enough details of Summer life lately.  She is taking more and more steps every day.  She started a week before her birthday and can take about 3-5 steps at a time.  Then she falls down.  It is really cute to watch her try and to cheer her on.  I try to make a big deal of it even if she only takes a few steps so she will know she is doing good even though she hasn't quite mastered it yet.  She has mastered crawling both on her knees or just with her hands and feet.  She wants to take steps and tries often, but she knows that it is just quicker to crawl.  So, if she does not succeed after a few attempts, she drops to the floor and crawls.  She does fall down quite often, but she has not really gotten hurt yet.  I try not to make a big deal about her falling down that way she doesn't think she needs to cry every time she gets a scratch.  She very rarely gets hurt enough to get her attention, but I have to stay on top of my game watching her and making sure she does not get into things she is not supposed to.

That is another thing that she is starting to do more and more -- getting into stuff she does not need to.  So far it is not too bad.  She will rifle through the trash can every once in a while.  She LOVES to get into my purse.  That is a sure way to keep her attention for a while.  I often let her do it at Wal-Mart to try to keep her occupied while I shop.  I have sort of been avoiding Wal-Mart the past few days.  It seems like I am always there getting something.  I have put if off as long as I can, so we will be venturing to a Wal-Mart in our area sometime this afternoon. 

First, we have to get pictures at 3:30.  Then I have to teach a Jazzercise class at 4:30.  After that, we will visit Wal-Mart and hopefully not find a million things we just can't live without like we usually do...LOL.  It is crazy just how many different things you can get there.  Anyways, that is what our afternoon is looking like as of now.  Summer is taking a nap getting all rested up for those 1 year pictures.  We were supposed to get them done yesterday, but we had a full day so I rescheduled for today.  We have already been to Playgym this morning, so we have already been on the go today.

Yesterday we went to the zoo with Selena, Willow, Melissa, Mason and Teresa (their mom/nanna).  We had a good time.  Summer really liked all the different cats they had.  They got to see monkeys and lizards and birds and goats and all kinds of animals.  Summer got to pet a goat, a dog and a donkey.  I think she enjoyed it as much as I could expect from a 1 year old.  She was pretty good and said all kinds of animal names.  She growled like a tiger when she saw the bobcats and lions.  She was cute, as usual.

She is definitely becoming more independent every day.  She will still let me feed her at times which is good.  I am glad she sees that sometimes it is okay if Mommy feeds her.  She does love to feed herself and I let her whenever the food we are eating allows.  

She did not eat much of her birthday cake.  Mostly it was just the icing.  She got to eat some chips and strawberries with her cake because it didn't seem like the cake was her favorite thing.  Maybe the icing was too sweet for her; it wasn't for me (I ate all the rest of both cakes by myself except for the 4 pieces I put in the freezer).  She wasn't really into opening her gifts.  What she was into was putting the toys back into the bags after we were done.  I let her cousins help open a few gifts at the end when it was apparent that she had no interest in doing it herself.  She did love the toys she got.  Her favorite is probably the ball popper which blows balls out a hole and then they make their way back to the bottom only to be blown up and out again.  SHE LOVES IT!!!  She also got a Weeble tree house with tons of accessories that she plays with a lot.  She got several bubble blowers.  She has not got to play with all of them, but they will all be used numerous times over the summer.  She got a couple ofreally cool books, a magnetic easel, and some clothes.  Her Nona and Nono gave her her first porcelain doll which is really adorable.  Her Memaw and Nanny gave her some fridge magnets which I hope she does not sneak into the garbage can thinking she is putting them up. 

It is crazy the things I find in my bags (and bathtub) sometimes--puzzle pieces, toys, clothes, books.  I hope this desire of hers to put everything into something turns into a desire to clean as she grows up.  That would be awesome.  I am thinking maybe we will get her a toy box for Christmas.  I really want to get her a room set up that we can keep all her toys in.  So far she does not spend any time in her bedroom unless she is sleeping, so it does not really make sense to put the toys in there.  Plus, she does even really have a real bedroom yet.  This is something I really want to get done.  We are in between moving/selling our houses and will be for an indefinite period of time.  This has been going on for a few years, so why not a few more???  I don't want to wait until we move to set up her room, but I don't really have a great place for it at the time.  I am patiently waiting for the day when I can create a little girl haven for her (at least this is one thing I can be patient for...LOL.  I never said I was perfect.).

I'm not sure what else I need to say about her right now.  But, I am sure as soon as I finish this something will pop into my head.  Oh well, I feel a little better having said all this so you all can stay up-to-date on my little girl--Summer Julianna.

I knew I forgot something.  She is really into pushing things around the house.  Chairs, her highchair, her booster seat, her walker, trashcans...whatever.  She loves to move objects to places where they do not go.  If only I could get her to put them back where they go; I'll have to work on that.