Baby vs Toddler



It's so strange having a toddler.  I think back to when Abbie was a baby and how it just seemed like yesterday.  This past year has gone by in a flash.  I remember when Abbie could hardly hold her head up and now she is running around the house getting into EVERYTHING!!  The only way she used to be able to communicate with us was by crying.  Now she is using sign language or actually forming words to tell us what she needs/wants.  I remember using my fingers to form a little curl on top of her head and now her hair is almost long enough to pull back in a ponytail.  I started many traditions last year when Abbie was just a baby.  Back to when she had no clue as to what was going on.  Now she is at that age where she can actually enjoy and participate.  I have put together a collection of pictures documenting Baby vs. Toddler.  Most of these pictures were taken a year apart from each other.  It's so amazing to see how much things have changed over the past year.  I just hope that in 2011, we will make many more wonderful memories together as a family. 



Birthday Family Photo



Birthday Girl

Rhema Christmas Lights

Christmas Cookie Baking

Photo by the Christmas Tree

Bathtime

Getting ready to go to Work/Daycare

First & Last Bear Picture





12 Month Check Up

Disclaimer: I have been a bad mommy blogger. I had typed up all of these posts in Word while on the road for 16 hours traveling over Thanksgiving and had great hopes to get them all posted last week, but it just didn't happen. So this week I will be flooding my blog with all sorts of great updates and stories. I hope you don't get tired of my ramblings by the end of the week!! 

On Friday, November 19th, I took Abbie in for her 12 month check up. I picked such an awesome Pediatrician and office. During the first couple years of life, we made a lot of visits to this office to check Abbie’s weight so we became familiar with the nine physicians in the office. But we always enjoy it when it is Dr. Zetik who we get to see. He is such nice, caring man and he isn’t bad on the eyes either. I also found another reason to like him so much. In an effort to save the planet, he no longer uses exam paper on his exam tables. Being one that started doing a better job at being green this year, it just excites me when I see others doing the same. Although they did still need to use the exam paper to record Abbie’s length.

 

Here are her 12 month stats: 

*Length: 32 ½ inches (greater than 97th percentile)

*Weight: 21 lbs, 10 oz (60th percentile)

*Head Circumference: 47 ½ cm (97th percentile)

She is now old enough to stand on the scale to get her weight checked. It was so cute seeing my little girl standing all alone in her diaper on the big girl scale. She also had to get four shots on this visit. Hepatitis A, Chicken Pox, Measles, Mumps & Ruebella, and the 2nd round of her Flu vaccine.


She was not a happy camper after being stuck in the leg four times but once the nurse put some Band-aids and Mommy got her dressed, she was back to the smiley, adorable little girl. I gave her some Ibuprofen before her shots to help with the pain and then took her to daycare after her appointment. Her sitter said that she did just fine all day and wasn’t crabby at all. I’m such a lucky mom to have such a tough little cookie.

Another year older

Well, yesterday marked the 31st year of my birth. Remember when you were younger and you used to count down the days to your birthday? I remember one birthday in particular. It was at the Roller Rink in my home town. I invited all my friends and we had a great time skating. Then afterwards, we headed across the street to Dairy Queen for an ice cream cake and to open presents. Who wouldn't love having a birthday with a party like that?

First of all nice hair Michelle. She is my older sister in the middle of the group shot at the Roller Rnk. You know the girl with the awesome hairstyle? LOL Of course I can't say much with my yellow goose sweatshirt with a Garbage Pail Kid sticker that I had stuck on my chest. Really Mom, were we that poor? LOL And a purple Frisbee? Is that something a girl that age wishes to receive as a birthday present? I think I saw that Frisbee last time I was home. It was sitting at the bottom of the toy box covered with dog bite marks.

Ever since I turned 30 last year, I despise birthdays. Something about turning another year old just sends chill down my spine. Charlie always tells me that age is just a number. This is also the man who still gets carded for alcohol and can't grow facial hair. So why should I listen to him when he talks about aging.

I think back over the year. So much has happened. Last year, I received the best birthday present ever.

Two days before my 30th birthday, I found out I was "with child". It wasn't a planned pregnancy but it wasn't a whoops either. If it happened, it happened. But with a trip to Colorado to go skiing that following weekend, I was hoping that it didn't happen this month. Definitely didn't get to do that birthday shot of Tequila like I was hoping.

The next nine months were filled with emotions, food cravings, weight gain, swollen ankles, doctors appointments and preparing for the arrival of our little angel. I was so anxious to start our life as a family. I found out in July that we were having a girl and I couldn't be more ecstatic. I would finally have another girl in the house. Someone that I could take shopping and paint her fingernails and style her hair. I also was scared to death to become a parent. All of the responsibilities, the sleepless nights, the constant crying. Could I really do this? Well I was going to have to learn somehow. And with my family being 8 hrs away, I really didn't have help besides Charlie. But I managed and now with Abbie 4 months old, I feel like I have this parenting thing mastered!! Abbie is on a schedule & when her schedule is thrown off, it throws me off. Last night my mom came into town and Abbie knew that with Grandma comes snuggling so she did not want to be put in her bouncer, her swing, her bumbo, her activity mat...nothing!! She just wanted to be held!! "I'm sorry little lady but when Grandma goes back home, you are not going to be in momma's arms 24/7. I love snuggling with you but I also have things to do.

So as I guess my 30th year really wasn't as bad as I thought. I may gotten older but with the birth of my daughter, I believe I also got a lot wiser.

And even though I despised turning 31 yesterday, it was actually a pretty good day. I got to have my favorite cuisine for dinner...Mexican. I also spent the evening with the man who loves me with all my heart, the woman who gave birth to me and a little girl that lights up my world. That present is by far better than any purple Frisbee I got as a child.