So Much to Share...

Clearly I've been more than lax with my blogging...
So much to do, so little time - and now with so much time past, so much to share!

In the time it's been since I've last posted we've acquired more teeth (finally!); learned to walk with greater strides and more independence; eaten pizza, tomatoes, french toast, cucumbers (to name a few!); been swimming, shopping, to camp and everywhere else!; learned how to put our own hat on and fancy wearing others' shoes; discovered the art of blowing into a horn and a straw; and most importantly, have been talking and melting hearts like crazy.

We'll let the pictures tell the stories best...

What's French toast without your hat?!

Pawpaw gave us this great pool for our own backyard!

Shopping at home ~ oh what fun with my own cart!

Mama's shoes fit great!



Sometimes a girl has to rest...





This little flute/horn came with her drum set!

 Checking out the front porch at Grammy & Pawpaw's...



The Next Step

Well, it's official...we have a trotter. Not exactly a walker, yet, but definitely a trotter. Ally Girl took her first solo steps Friday evening. Daddy was gone on a little trip, but luckily I was able to catch several little video clips of the action.

It's amazing. I really don't know who was more excited - her or me! I'll apologize now for my animated narration in the video. To see my baby take her first steps (yes, we've been cruising along and walking while holding the fingers of someone else for several weeks - but this is so different!) just sealed the deal...we are definitely approaching the next step of life.

It's gone so fast, like lightening speed! But to see her face light up with that (now with the beginning of several teeth!) beautiful smile, I'm back to the first moment I saw her little face. Which is why with every day and every new sign of growth, it is the most surreal feeling - the miracle before me is really becoming a little person!

And then, just when I'm nearly sad because she's growing and changing so fast, she'll come over and sit on my lap and offer a quick snuggle. Perfection. If that comes with it, I'll handle every next step with a lot more ease! (Sorry the video's orientation isn't vertical!)

And Another

I've barely been able to do a post a day - but today so many things happened, I find myself needing to get some more memories down...

Ally and I traveled to Living Springs today for a little fun in the sun with Pawpaw. Our time in the pool was fairly short lived, but so many things happened before and after we hardly missed splashing around. First, it makes me sad to even say it, but  my baby is really becoming a toddler. Ally rode in the "Bob" (our big stroller) without her car seat -- a first. A control issue for me, clearly, but one that I wasn't sure she'd adjust to happily. Boy was I wrong. With room to stretch and lounge in a more comfy manner, Ally no doubt was more ready to ditch the "mama-facing-car seat-ride" than I could have imagined.

And second, as if that wasn't enough! Pawpaw let "The Baby" play on the concrete at the pool. With only one slightly scraped knee, it's clear that Ally quite liked the freedom of exploring (in her ever so limited surroundings!). I on the other hand, once again found myself hurting a little inside with the realization that she's turning into such a big girl - SO FAST! Some days I hardly notice, but today, with so many "firsts" I'm wanting nothing more than to just snuggle her so she'll stay my baby.

Ah, the roller coaster of motherhood -- stay tuned, tomorrow I could be a raving lunatic about anything and everything. But today, I'm grateful that God continually blesses me with an enormous love I have absolutely no control over!

Egg-cellent

We're a little behind with the whole table food thing. A lack of teeth really influences chewing, you know? But today, we've had another first. Scrambled eggs.

Ally actually liked them, a lot. Tiny fingers pinching the little bites I placed in her bowl. And each one placed in her mouth with a smile and the "ummm" I've grown to absolutely melt when hearing it. Our new found nibbles were enjoyed for a reasonable amount of time - then yogurt and puffs were called upon. But not before the remainder of the bowl of egg-bites were dumped into the floor, of course for Murphy to enjoy. Which, he was readily waiting. And yes, I did let her lick the spoon - what's a new cooking/eating adventure without it!

I have to say, this first was just an egg-cellent way to start the day!

Popsicles, please

Remember the fun of eating a popsicle on a hot summer day? Your lips turning red from the dye of a cherry one. Your teeth cold from biting into it? And even the major excitement when you were finally big enough to get both parts of the twin pack? Well, I guess the fun has officially started with new chapter of popsicle possibilities in our house.

Ally enjoyed her first icy treat this morning. A friend told me to get organic juice and dilute it for homemade treats. So I found a cute little set of (yes, BPA free and super-cute colors) popsicle sticks and went to town making some strawberry-mango ones. She did pretty good with it - the popsicle was quite small to start with, so her biting and slurping fun was fairly short lived! She loved it at first, but then the constant cold and sudden drippiness was a little confusing! But a success all the same!

Now if I could just get other Big Girl foods to go down so easy! Happy popsicle loving on this summer day!

Here Kitty Kitty

It's no secret we have a fondness for kitties at our house. From the beginning, Ally was sure to be part of our "cat craziness". We had her nicknamed Ally Cat before she was even here with us. A year ago we were worried that Max and Lucky would have a hard time adjusting to her presence. And now, after a year of so many adjustments, I think it's safe to say that life without Ally isn't imaginable for any of us.

With passing of our beloved Max, and our newest adjustment to the addition of Murphy, the Lair Kitty Kingdom has certainly not been short of great photo ops. Our Lucky rolls with the daily punches, remaining the loyal lover cat. And Ally and Murphy seem to be duking it out on a fairly friendly level to see who can be the true Alpha Cat.

Sharing isn't easy. So space and toys are on constant rotation with the two youngest members of the pride. Some of the favorite times we see, whether it be napping or playing or even racing, are no doubt being added to the bank of memories revealing all the splendor of our home's unique cat-atude...

Pawpaw's Pool

We've had swim lessons (more on this another day) and now we've had our first outdoor pool experience. Ally got to swim in Pawpaw's Pool at camp today!

Though tired and a bit hungry, she rose to the occassion like a natural. Kicking her feet and splashing her hands and then cruising around in her new float (Thank you Aunt Mimi and Uncle Pawpaw!). On this 94-degree day the pool felt great and even though we were chased out after only a brief visit to the watery wonderland because of some thunder in the distance, I think you'll agree that this little water bug enjoyed it all the same! And why wouldn't she? She was sporting a new suit and hat, had perfect water temperature and even had her own paparazzi crew there snapping shots of her every move! Happy splashing!

The Comfort of ... a Cracker

Over the past few months we've seen several foods rise to the top of the favorite's list and then fall after a couple of weeks. First there were flavored rice puffs - sweet potato/mango were always the most preferred. Then there was bread. Next came yogurt puffs. And now, we are right in the middle of saltine crackers.

It should come as no surprise since at the young age of seven months old, Ally instantly became fascinated with individual packages of saltines. We used to collect them at restaurants and stash them in the diaper bag. The crinkling sound and crunching feeling that was made as she chewed and man-handled the wrapper covered crackers brought her great delight.

We let her have small bites of a saltine several weeks ago - love at first taste! Since, we've gone through boxes of organic saltines, packages of oyster crackers (thank you Steak & Shake) and Ally is yet to tire of them! She still likes bread, yogi puffs and occassionally the rice puffs, but it goes without saying that our "go to" snack/diversion comes in the form of a crunchy cracker!

Just a couple pics to capture the Comfort of a Cracker! At Dr. Erika's office (waiting for shots); at Grammy & Pawpaw's - just hanging out!; and this morning at the restaurant!

 

Great Balls of Fun

You know those Ball Pits found on playgrounds or playzones? The ones that are always said to have nasty things lurking in them or germs the size of a cat in them? The ones I swore I'd never let any child of mine play in? Well, just one day shy of our 13-month mark of Life with Ally, I found myself face to face with the infamous Ball Pit.

We tried another church in Canton on Sunday and let's just say that our time in the sanctuary was brief. Lucky for us (and really for Ally!) there was a quaint little nursery just around the corner. With only one other child present, the smiles and a quick "Hi" took little time. Enter, the Ball Pit. Mind you it was a small, and said to be rarely used Ball Pit, but it was the very kind of place I'd hoped to avoid for a long time!

Not Ally, she was drawn to it like a moth to a flame! We first just leaned in and grabbed a ball and threw it for Daddy to fetch. The fun in that lasted a short amount of time and with a huge smile across her face and a loud, "Mama!" - how could I say no. So into the Ball Pit my beloved girl went. She enjoyed every minute of it, laughing and smiling with squeels of delight. And I sat close by ready to wash hands as soon as we vacated the premises! And isn't that just the way it goes? Those who fear and can truly miss out on the most fun, and those who are seemingly fearless can show others the most wonderful possibilities!

Smiles, Slobbers and Sandals

The saga continues with the anticipation of Ally Girl's first teeth. While two have broken the surface on the bottom, four bumps on top seem to just be teasing us. Teasing us, and tormenting The Baby! I have to say though, for all the slobbering and no doubt the pain, Ally has been nothing short of all smiles.

 Add a new pair of sandals to the mix and how much better can life be? Pink, plastic sandals. Something I remember fondly from the early 80s! Thank goodness Ally won't have to worry about the blisters that have been encountered by all the other girls who parked their posies in a pair of jelly sandals! Regardless, she is enjoying them in small spurts and has even cruised around in them a bit!

And while these cute little fashion statements will soon be outgrown, no doubt the slobbering from the impending arrival of baby teeth will also subside. But if ever the sweet smiles that grace my days and nights of life with Ally ever fade, well, that would be nothing short of a pain far greater than anything I could imagine...

Moving to the Beat

I've always liked music. Always considered myself to have good taste in music. And always had good rhythm (something I can honestly say without it being criticism that my dear husband does not have!). So you can imagine my delight when at a very young age -- seriously she was probably three months old -- Ally showed signs of enjoying music.

We have music playing via an iPod all night in her room (the scoffers need not respond to this, I know it might not be the best habit, but hey, you do what you have to!); we have Disney Jr. and Nick Jr. on as background noise at home; and we have CDs in the car that are filled with sweet voices singing melodic tunes for all our traveling needs. She waves her hands in the air or jumps about when she hears any of her favorites. We even get some "singing along" from her when she's really jazzed about the song (or the characters singing it). And of course there is her "sleepy song" that she mumbles/groans when she's just about ready to fall asleep!

A few months ago when my dad (aka - Pawpaw) was watching her, Ally was introduced to snow globes. A couple from my Gram's collection find their resting spot in my parents' bedroom and on one of their many treks around the house Pawpaw wound them up to let her have a little show. She loved them and started waving her little hand -- resembling a conductor in a funny way!

Two nights ago I was doing my best to help Ally get to sleep in the midst of teething woes. Her eyes were slits so I stood to put her back to bed. She opened her eyes slightly and raised her left hand to wave her index finger to the music! She was barely awake, but her beloved night night music had her attention. I worked hard hide a series of giggles to keep from waking her completely, but my body jiggled from the stifled laughter. Just one more thing to add to the "So Stinkin' Cute" list.

Our great friend Jen got Ally a drum/band set for her birthday. This pic is her the day after her party, just drumming away! All the joy of moving to the beat and rhythm of life...

Two in One

The reality of having a 12-month old captivating your attention is this...while life goes on in every direction, sometimes (most of the time!) my wheels are just spinning! As is the case with this post, I've attempted to write and post it three times! I guess the third time is a charm!

We've had a couple of new revelations on our home front over the past few days. First, Ally really likes to drink ice water out of a grown up glass! Keep in mind I use the word "drinking" in a very loose sense. It's more like she sticks her tongue in the water and laps it up, much like a cat. We've played with this "Big Girl Drinking" a couple times before, but Grammy sealed the deal with ice and an actual glass. Ah the joy of finding new things to amuse The Baby! The "ahs" she gives after each slurp is pretty cute, too...

And the second of our new revelations...teething biscuits! Who knew a hard cookie-like-treat could not only captivate the attention of a child, but also make the most enormous mess possible!We kept the first treat in play for at least 15 minutes - perhaps a record in our attention span. Since the first encounter, we now refer to them as "The Big Cookie". Today, Ally not only wanted to enjoy a Big Cookie, but wanted to share with dear Murphy. (At least the sharing continues! Well, in between the leg, ear and whisker pulling!)

After countless trips to and from the sink to rinse the cookie-laden washcloth, we finished the first treat with what we'll call great success! Such fun, trying new things and learning all the way! Life goes on, wheels keep spinning. And in my case, my head keeps spinning!

Have Your Cake & Eat it, TOO!

When Ally was about two months old, a friend asked how I was doing. I simply said, "I'm tired." She smiled - a mother of four, she could relate instantly. She told me of how before children if someone had asked her if she had a choice would she rather have a piece of chocolate cake or a nap, she would always say the cake. But after the birth of her first child, cake took second place to a nap any day. I remember saying to her, "Heck no, I want a nap and when I wake up, the cake better be waiting for me!"

Life is rarely full of "having our cake and eating it, too". I realize though with my dear Ally Girl, that every day I have with her, I've been give the gift of having cake and eating it, too (some days the cake really does show up  -- if you know me at all, you know I LOVE cake!). Today has been no exception to this.

After a long night of tossing and turning (thank you, teeth that have yet to come in!), we were both tired. But she woke in her normal cheery state and was excited to play with her kitty brothers. Sharing isn't something a 12-month old is very good at, whether it be toys, space, food or people. Ally has been learning the concept of sharing with her great buddies Cora Jane and Pauly, but certainly isn't a great fan of it. But this morning, with her newest buddy, Murphy the Cat, she was sharing toys! First a ball and then a block. And then even her beloved "softy" - blanket and closest pal.

What a sweet potato, watching her not feeling her best, but playing and learning, and...Having her Cake and Eating it, too!

Stairs & Big Girl Jammies

This marks day two of a couple seemingly insignificant events...

First, Ally has discovered the stairs that lead to our upper level. Initially it seemed like an automatic "No No", but after two seconds of consideration I figured what was the point of another "No No" when this was inevitable. Two trips up and I think we are in business. Much like her brothers would conquer a tree, she wants to go up quickly and on her own, but coming back down requires an intervention...like a cat not wanting to come out of a tree, my Ally Cat squawked at our departure from the upper rooms of her now expanding house!

Tonight we donned Big Girl Jammies for the second time. Funny how placing two-piece pajamas on my little bundle made me keenly aware of the fact that she's really outgrowing the phase of Babyhood. Is it crazy that something as simple as jammies can make me a little sad?

In the midst of stair-climbing and jammie wearing, bellows of "Mamaaaa" and "MOMMY" graced my day and I find that while when I'm hearing either or both (as most of the time my titles are back to back) for the 100th time, I can't imagine hearing anything else could make my heart smile quite as much. Well, maybe the words "Love you" attached to it! I'll keep you posted on that!

Maiden Voyage

After a year of being a mother to my sweet Ally Girl, I decided it might be time to get some thoughts down. Or out or whatever! My name is Amy and I spend my days (and nights!) as a full-time juggler. My juggling isn't in the sense of throwing balls in the air...I'm definitely not that coordinated ...but rather in handling all my life has to offer. A husband, a child, two kitties - one a 5-year old tabby (Lucky) and one 13 weeks old (Murphy), a career as a school counselor, a part-time job (though full-time commitment) as a program director for the camp my parents have run for 24 years, and all the joyful extras life throws into the mix! My Ally Girl is now a year old and I find my 38th birthday approaching rapidly. With this, my mind is sure to start slipping and memories in the making could no doubt go unnoted. So humor me and jump on board to share in all the blessings that find their way into my mess of a nest!