On the mend

After a few days following the worst of the flu, Amelia's starting to feel a little better. Slowly getting back to her playful self.

Yep, definitely getting back to normal around here. I just don't know how she could've gotten sick.

Aaaaaaannnnd another little giggling video for you...

Here's another video, it's kind of long if you have a minute, of Amelia doing something that would only interest those who melt at her every move. We're trying to restrengthen and bulk up Amelia's quads back to what they were pre-flu. I think it's working...

first time home with the pukes

Amelia woke up this morning with her first flu. Few things are more heart wrenching than watching your child throw up for the first time. Amelia puked 3 times this morning. Not knowing what was happening to her, she just wanted to hold on to me and cry while her body was doing a very unfamiliar, uncontrollable thing. I tried to lean her over the sink, but the last thing she wanted was for me to hold her little body away from me. So I just let her puke over my shoulder, down the back of my shirt and partially into my hair. I cannot believe how little I cared about how gross that is and was more upset listening to her struggle. This will hopefully pass by the end of the day, but in the mean time I've been washing soiled clothes and blankies and have made my magical home made chicken noodle soup.

As many-a-sisters have told me before, she is generally happy when she's not puking and doesn't really understand what it means when she's sick. So, what she doesn't know can't harm her, and I put her right back to work. Hey, those floors aren't going to clean themselves! And she's the one who ruined those clothes, she should wash them and put them away! ...it's good for her.

I'M KIDDING!! These photos were taken on days she wasn't sick.
(well, the last two were, anyways)

We made it, Amelia!

Amelia celebrates her first birthday today. Of course, I can't believe she's one already, but at the same time, it has been a very long year! I'm thinking back to what I was doing this day last year, and man, that was an incredible day. Now I watch Amelia shove peanut butter toast in her mouth, take a giant swig of water from her sippy cup while she watches Jake Gyllenhaal on Sesame Street. She looks over at me and covers her mouth during a fake cough, and then keeps eye contact with me while she slowly drops a chunk of toast on the floor for her drooling buddy. I'm in awe of this little soul that's changed so much already. What will she be like next year? What will I be like next year?

Grant has taken a new job in Lynnwood, which is about an hour commute. We're sacrificing a lot for his new position, but are hoping it will be well worth it. Eventually we're going to need to sell our house and move up north. Big plans for this little family, and evidently, a lot can happen in a year.

Look at that mop on Amelia!

We celebrated Amelia's first birthday in Belfair last week. Very sweet little party, lots of balloons (Amelia's favorite), mom barbequed burgers and I made cupcakes. A great time was had by all! The next day we went for a hike on Mud Mountain with our good friends Rick and Raederle. I think Amelia seemed to enjoy it, she loves them.

I finally caved and let her have her birthday cupcake.

PRESENTS!!

Amelia loves to snuggle-snuggle. Especially super soft bunnies from Gramma Stella!

Raederle the comedian.

Nothin' like a little peek-a-boo to wrap up a great day.

Amelia's personality is in full-bloom

I am loving watching Amelia's little personality and expressions become more and more apparent. She lavishes herself in anything that resembles a beautiful necklace; her current favorite is Cash's purple leash. There are times she won't go anywhere without wrapping it around herself like a scarf. It's so funny when she stops whatever she's doing, as if she's just remembered she needed something in her bedroom, and then turns to crawl quickly down the hall, breathing heavy "sssh--sshhh-sshhh's" and slapping her hands and knees down the hardwood, with a quick turn toward me to make sure I know she's doing something very important, then back to the slapping. When we tell her, "No Amelia", she looks at us and shakes her head no back at us, as if to say, "right, what I'm doing is wrong." (and then continues going for the power outlet or near the edge of the deck). Yesterday she had mac and cheese for the first time, and could not get the noodles in her mouth fast enough. She ended up eating much more than a one year old should be able to eat. Today she fell from a large mat the height of about 1 1/2 feet flat onto the side of her face in gymnastics today, her feet dangling above her head for a second. Everyone saw and was ready for a horrible cry, but Amelia just slumped her legs over and got up to quickly crawl to the next mat. These are just a few items that are expressing her little character. And I am lovin' this girl.

Life after baby

The other day I was hanging out with Meg, (whose name Amelia can say now, by the way) before her first swim lesson. Thinking out loud I said, "I am so excited to see Amelia in her little swimsuit tonight!". Meg replied, "You always have something to look forward to with Amelia. I'm looking forward to baking butterscotch cookies and facebooking tonight". Now, I'm not saying I wouldn't love a night of cookies and spying on friends, but it's true: every week there is something new for us. Fun or difficult, our new lives as a family is certainly full of "spice" since Amelia's arrival. New pigtails, sunglasses, words, friends, toys, sleep patterns, car seat upgrade, everything, it's always new. Not to mention, anything that we used to do is a thousand times more fun (and difficult) with Amelia.

Needless to say, swim lessons were a blast. Grant came too, and if you think Amelia has a cute little set of thunder-thighs with tights on, wait till I get a pic of her in her swim suit ;)

Man I love those church ladies

I love this pic.

Yep, you're seeing that right, those are pig tails.

This Sunday I completed a huge feat: We went to church. This means I dropped Amelia off at the nursery for the first time. As if it weren't difficult enough for me to leave her with my own twin sister, now I dropped her off with some smiley old lady who allowed me zero time to give my long, dramatic goodbye, let alone even see the nursery (which I didn't). She literally reached over the counter, took Amelia from me and whisked her away into the unknown. I had to tell myself to close my mouth as I watched the back of Amelia's cute little head, name tag stuck to her back, bob down the hall with the cheery, wrinkly lady. But after some thought, I realized that old lady knew exactly what she was doing: sparing us the drama and embarrassment that is created by an overbearing, first-time mom. Those church ladies, what a sharp set of gals.

I picked up Amelia after the service. She appeared to have a great time doing who-knows-what for an hour, and now we're experiencing the inevitable cold that follows her exposure to the general public. I can't help but compare the repercussions of that crazy hour at the nursery to a wild night out that we'd have in college, that we'd pay for with a hang over. Life's funny that way I guess.

Also...Amelia made the swim team. Lessons start next week, I can't wait!

sorry, Mills.

The other day Me and Amelia went to Fred Meyer for a few groceries; a fantastic activity for her right now. We leisurely wondered the store, she strained around me to make eye contact with every soul in there, and try to find anything that resembled a big shiny balloon. (As all mom's know, it's a great way to kill 45 minutes). We finished up and were heading out to the parking lot, feeling the early spring's warm air. As usual, I had my wallet in my pocket, groceries in one hand, and Amelia on the other arm. As we approached the truck, it hit me: "KEYS." Yep, I locked 'em in the truck when I was first pulling Amelia out. I called Grant who happened to be working in the area. Not wanting to go back inside the store, I opened the tailgate and Amelia and I climbed in the truck bed and waited.

If you know me well, you know I forget things, a lot. I always have. In high school our parents ALWAYS had to bring us our forgotten mit, jersey, book, lunch, tennishoes, etc.. And fortunately we were in a small enough town that anyone could find one of us and say, "uh, you left your passenger seat door wide open in the parking lot". In college Meg and I survived only because there were two of us to bring what the other forgot due to a desperate call from our cell phone, or Grant was always our savior; walking behind us in any public place with our forgotten purses, keys, licenses, coats, etc.

So, as I'm sitting in the bed of my truck in the Fred Meyer parking lot with my 11 month old daughter, I couldn't help but think, "I'm sorry, Amelia, for bringing you into my life of irresponsibility. This won't be the last time we'll be sitting, waiting for dad to bring us something I've forgotten. In fact, this is only the beginning of me stopping dead in my tracks saying 'oh crap!' and fumbling for my cell phone to call for help." I hope this is something we can all learn together, this "responsibility" thing. Who knows, maybe Amelia will be so tired of me forgetting things that she will always be the one to remember and remind us of all of our items....when she's two.