Sunday, April 29, 2012

11 Months Old!

Dear Haven,

Gosh, where to begin without crying.  I will try to save the tears for your 1 year post.  Even the thought of that makes me want to cry!  You have a nostalgic, emotional mother, I hope you know.  I am not sad that you are getting older because I ADORE you and know we have so many exciting times ahead, but I am sad that your baby time is flying by so fast.  I really would relive the past 11 months if I could.  Ok, get it together Mommy.  You. Are. So. Fun.  I know I've said that before, but I can't say it enough!  You have the cutest smile in the world and it melts my heart every time I see it.  You have been so sweet this month - laying your head on my shoulder a lot, giving me big wet kisses, and squeezing me like you know exactly how to give an awesome hug.  I feel like you have done lots of growing up this month b/c you got mobile!  You finally figured out downward facing dog wasn't doing you very many favors, put your knees down, and off you went.  You love computer cords, dog bones, and any tiny spec of anything you can find on the floor.  You use your little index finger to pick up lent, leaves, etc.  Lucky for me!  Ha!  You love to crawl over to the back door and look out the window too.  You are also pulling up on everything - your crib, toys, and just in the past few days the coffee table which was just a bit too tall for you at first.  You can walk while we hold your hands, but you are still pretty wobbly so I think we have a bit before you'll walk on your own.  You love your Johnny Jump-up whether you are jumping like a normal child, or winding yourself up and letting go and spinning like a crazy girl.  Both are so fun for us to watch.  The jump-up is right by the back door so you also enjoy pulling Copper's hair when he waits at the door to go outside. Ha!  Thankfully he is sweet and doesn't get mad at you.  You love being outside whether it is in your swing or on a walk in your stroller.  You actually get upset if I approach the door with you and then don't take you outside.  I have to be strategic about that nowadays.  Gammie calls you a clown b/c you have what seems to be an unlimited number of different faces and sounds you can make.  You still bob your head to music and if I know rhythm, you've got some already! :)  Future dancer, anyone?  I hope so!  You are also saying ma-ma and da-da.  Da-da is usually said more often and in a sweet, half-whisper at times.  You have seen his picture a couple times and said it and then you get upset when the picture doesn't come to life.  You love him so much and I love watching him play with you!  Ma-ma is mostly LOUDLY said when you want some attention.  You can be playing in the exersaucer, jump-up, etc and start loudly babbling ma-ma-ma-ma-ma, sometimes followed by a shrieky yell.  It's quite comical actually!  You also do this in your highchair when I am not fast enough with the food!  Speaking of which, you are still nursing which I am so happy about!  I am hoping to continue that at least another month.  You are still doing great with baby food, and even eating more fruit now!  You LOVE yogurt melts (which to me taste like nasty chalk), cheese sticks, and puffs.  As for more natural, healthy, finger foods... you're not quite there yet.  Although you did actually eat some grapes today and loved them!  Hoping this coming month you will start eating more substantial food.  Still just the 2 bottom teeth, and 1 top tooth barely poking through.  I'm kinda dreading the day the next one decides to make an entrance b/c you are not a happy girl at nighttime when that happens!  You haven't quite figured out the sippy cup either.  You love to chew on the spout, but it is rare that you actually tip it up to drink it.  You'll get it eventually!  You are wearing 12 months clothes, but can still squeeze in some 9 months stuff.  You are still very petite!  To me, you are so big, but we get around other babies your age and you are tiny!  That's ok with me though.  I just reassure people that I do feed you.  Ha!  You have been spending more time with Grandma & Poppy lately as my work schedule got a bit more hectic.  You go to them so easily now and don't cry when I leave anymore. :)  But you better believe you are one excited baby when I return!  And I love that!  You are so cute with Skype too.  Gammie or Bozzy's voice comes over the speakers before their face shows up and you just shake with excitement.  Then when you first see them you have the biggest grin on your face and kinda contract your body with glee.  It's so cute!  Gosh what else... I could obviously go on and on about you forever.  Oh!  You have 2 different toy phones and I can say "Hello!" when you have them and you immediately hold them up to your ear with a big grin.  It's adorable!  And if you don't have a blanket nearby for peek-a-boo, you will hold your hands on each side of your head to "hide."  We say "Where's Haven?" and you put your hands there, then we say "peek-a-boo!" and you take them off and smile.  It's precious.  Ok, I will wrap it up now!  Your birthday month is going to be sooo busy.  The last few weeks of dance class, 2 Aunts' and 2 Uncles' graduations to go to, and your first Tippi Toes dance recital (where I will show you off b/c you were the reason I wasn't there last year!) are all on the agenda!  Then as soon as all of that is over, we leave for Orlando with Poppy & Grandma and all of your cousins!  We will celebrate your birthday there and at your party when we get back from vacation!  I'm sure this month will fly even faster than the rest with so much going on.  I have already cried twice about you turning 1 year, so I'm sure I'll just keep a running tally as it is bound to happen again in the coming weeks.  I cherish every moment with you, Haven Jane!  Daddy and I love you so much!









           

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Barking Is Funny?

Pardon my video kick, but who can resist these giggles?!  She doesn't laugh when Copper barks, but apparently I am hilarious when I bark like a dog!


Thursday, April 19, 2012

And she's off!

Haven has moved on from yoga poses to full-on crawling!  On Tuesday, she came from across the room to get my computer cord.  I took it away from her to film her crawling again and she was NOT happy about that!  But it worked!  Here's Haven's 1st crawling video!  I promise happier crawling videos in the future...

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Look What I Can Do!

Dear Haven,

You are approaching 11 months and you can't quite crawl yet, but you are certainly mobile.  You just get around in an unconventional way.  You go from sitting to your knees and then you may take one little step with your knee if something is out of reach.  Then you do what I like to call the downward-facing dog, and go back to sitting.  You do this in several different directions, thus making you travel around the room!  It is too cute and I finally got some pictures!





Later in the day, I put you in your crib to play for a minute while I put some things away.  I came back to find you standing up!  You have been trying to pull up on different things for a few weeks now, but you were finally successful all by yourself in your crib!  Where is my baby going?!  I love you!



Thursday, April 12, 2012

Animal Imitator!


Monkeys and dolphins, she's got them DOWN!

Haven's 1st Easter

Haven's 1st Easter was such an enjoyable one!  Since Russell previously worked at the church, our past 4 Easter Sundays (and the days before) were always crazy busy.  This year, we decided to make it a family affair and go to church with his parents at Southern Hills Baptist Church.  This is also where we met and got married so it holds a special place in our hearts!  We enjoyed a wonderful message from our old pastor, seeing many familiar faces, and worshipping alongside my sweet in-laws.  Haven did great in the nursery as well!  Here's some Easter pics of our sweet girl all dressed up!  There's too many good ones to decide between... so be prepared for several variations of Haven's adorable smile.  (As usual?)






We spent the rest of the day at their house eating too much, watching the Masters, and enjoying each other's company.  Uncle Tim came over too!  We ended the day with a fun Skype with my parents.  What a wonderful Easter Sunday!  I'm so looking forward to future Easters filled with egg hunts, baskets full of goodies, and teaching Haven about the real reason we celebrate - He is Risen!







And if any of you are like us... get done with pictures, and get comfy!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Impromptu Cousin Visit

My sister-in-law and her family were randomly in town one day last week so Haven got some impromptu cousin time!  She's finally old enough to sit on the floor and play with them.  We just have to remember to tell Grayson that Haven does NOT play tackle football. Ha!



Garner was rocking that nap outfit!



Brace yourself... they are ALL looking at the camera!  That must get some kind of award or something!

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Swimming!

Haven and I visited Daddy at work at the Y on Friday and I took Haven for her first swimming experience in their indoor pool!  She LOVED it.  Giggled and splashed and kissed me more than ever.  I let her sit and stand in the kiddie pool area and then we went a little deeper where I could pull her through the water.  She even kicked her feet a little bit!  I think we will try to make this a normal thing from now on b/c we both loved it so much!



10 Months Old!

Dear Haven,

Just the fact that you are in double-digit months boggles my mind and is a tad bit depressing.  You are more fun than ever now, but it's all just going by too fast!  I wish I could re-live the past 10 months over and over again.  So this month was the month of tricks!  It's so neat to watch your little mind work and attempt something we have shown you.  First it was waving and clapping and bobbing your head...to music or not.  Then on our Spring Break trip, Gammie & Bozzy taught you how to put your hand over your mouth while making noise and it sounds funny.  You do this all the time now!  Sometimes you forget to make the sound so you're just hitting yourself in the mouth, but it's too cute.  You also use your little index finger and put it in little holes on your toys, and last week...my belly button!  Ha!  I'm trying to show you that you have one too, but you haven't quite figured that out yet.  You aren't crawling, but are so close.  Somehow you manage to scoot around on your bottom and you still push yourself backwards on your tummy.  But in the past few days you have started going from sitting to your knees and back to sitting, so I think it won't be long!  You show an interest in pulling up, but can't quite do it yourself yet.  Your favorite thing to pull up on when sitting on the floor is me!  You grab my shirt and work so hard to pull yourself up.  You love to give kisses and I love receiving them!  On to some other info... you are still eating well, but not a big fan of finger foods yet.  You like puffs, but we had a couple scary gagging episodes on those so we've now started cutting them in half.  I tried bananas, strawberries, turkey, etc and you just mush it around on your highchair.  I wonder if it's b/c it's cold or mushy or both?  We'll try again with some of those soon.  You can still wear some 9 month clothes, but have moved into 12 month clothes mostly.  You are typically under the weight of what 12 months should fit, but you need them for the length.  Sleeping... what an interesting month.  We decided to try Daddy going to get you in the middle of the night if you wake up so that Mommy wouldn't just give in and feed you...bad habit.  That worked and you started sleeping better, waking only to need the paci or be rocked by Daddy once and sometimes making it through the night without any help.  Then we went out of town and surprisingly you slept all night 3 nights in a row.  But the next week you were up for a couple hours every night...sometimes happy and wanting to play and sometimes screaming and fighting sleep.  Absolutely exhausting for Daddy and I.  Still not sure why... thinking your teeth b/c you have a top one coming through.  Then the past 2 nights you have slept all night!  So you definitely know how to keep us guessing.  You are fighting naps too... I think you just don't want to miss anything!  I understand the feeling, b/c I don't want to miss anything when it comes to you! As always, we are having so much fun with you and look forward to many more months and years of joy! I can't believe I am starting to plan your 1st birthday party! Where has the time gone? We love you so much Haven Jane!!