52:50 Going to Vegas

I Want to Remember

Going to Vegas

 I want to remember bringing you to Vegas. I know, Vegas isn't your typical first born destination, but it definitely held your attention! Your Auntie A and Uncle Ty wanted to celebrate their 30th and 21st birthday, so we decided to make a big family trip out of it - of course! I wasn't sure how you would handle the time change, the heat, the busy lifestyle, and the airplane. But you were such a riot! You spent the days splashing away in the pools, walking the strip, taking in the busy casinos, trying new foods and dancing to the music! You seemed to make people smile wherever we went and we couldn't have been more proud! We didn't win any money while we were there - but we sure felt lucky having you there for the journey! 

Getting on the Plane to Head to Vegas! Show me the Money!

A view from the top!

At the Venetian Hotel just before our gondola ride! That Accordian player sang songs specifically to you! He was so sweet!

At dinner with Auntie A!

One of Nick's Elevators in the Cosmopolitan Hotel! 

Nickolas in an MEI elevator!

On the gondola! 

He sang Anniston lullabies!

We went out for dinner at this fun restaurant! You loved trying all the new foods!

 What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas
Well, I don't think that phrase was meant for me to leave my purse containing my iPhone, credit cards, and camera. Unfortunately, they were all left on the taxi as we were getting dropped off at the airport! Terrible timing right?! So my pictures of this trip are VERY limited, which really saddens my heart! I had to go through some ridiculous security and even got felt up - why not, isn't that what Vegas is all about?! 
Crazy enough I was able to track my phone until 4:35am, when it actually died. iPhone has this amazing feature that your phone can go into "Lost Mode" and you can track it to the exact intersection every 30 seconds. Unfortunately, Vegas is the land of taxi cab drivers, so they wouldn't notify the particular taxi that we were in, saying they had my phone. So, long story short, I knew where my iPhone was, I watched it drive around Vegas all day and night,and enjoy another day in Vegas! But, I couldn't do anything about it. Infuriating actually! But oh well, I guess those are just memories that I will have to hold onto. And to think, I ALMOST survived Vegas, with a baby, and without shenanigans!
So Close!

Oh yeah, and I spilt coffee all over my arm on day 2 in Vegas! This is the aftermath. This baby blistered, leaked white stuff, and peeled.
So Unattractive and So Not Cool. 

52:49 Your Brave and Busy Body

I Want to Remember

Your Brave and Busy Body

I want to remember your brave and busy body! You aren't even walking yet, but you are all over the place! Crawling up stairs, climbing on top of anything and everything, rocking things, and opening and closing doors. There is never a quiet or dull moment. You are fearless in the way that you love to be up high and fall down fast. You purposely roll off the edge of bed, just so you can do an upside down somersault. Luckily for you, we have always caught you, but you make your momma's heart flutter every time you do it! I guess that is what happens when you have a mom that likes to be flown in the air and a daddy that likes to fall out of planes! I think we are going to have a future full of bumps, bruises and owies! 

Be Prepared to hold your Breath! 

Exploring things up High!

Dancing on her play table!

Upside Down Fun!

 Crawling on Boxes

 Right before she crawled right off the box!

 Flying in the Sky

Climbing up the Stairs

52:48 Summer Days

I Want to Remember
Summer Days 

Our Winning White Ducky!

We went to the duck races this weekend in St. Peter. It was this cute little event set up to raise money for the Children's Museum in St. Peter. It was a perfect day and we went with some of our friends! We enjoyed some pizza, sunshine and water! We didn't win the grand prize, but our duck was actually the 8th duck in - out of hundreds! Talk about a lucky charm! We won a free family day pass to a great watermark! We can't wait for the weather to stay warm enough out that we can actually use this pass! 
Cheers to it ALMOST being summer! 

Getting ready for the Duck Races

Watching the ducks take off!

Playing with Ava!

Fun with neighbor Laura (baby due any day now!) and Ava! 

You are 11 Months Old!

52:47 Your Love Bear

I Want to Remember

Your Love Bear

I want to remember your love bear. This is the first animal/toy that you have actually attached yourself to. And you actually say bear quite well. It is always this high-pitched "Brr!" sound, but it is too cute! You give it hugs, kisses, pat it and snuggle with it before you go ni-night! We love watching how sweet you are with your bear. I am sure you will attach yourself to many more things throughout the months, even years. But this one is special because it was your first lovey and your first snuggle buddy.

Shopping with Bear!

 Shaking your Bear

Peek-a-Boo with Bear!

Playing Games with Bear

Fun With Foods

I know I've already posted about foods, but this was too fun! 

Doing her sign language!

52: 45 Eating our Foods

I want to Remember 
Eating our Foods 

I want to remember the week you started eating all our food! I knew the time was coming, but man did it happen quickly! And you were so smart about it from the start! I would try to trick you and mix in some of her previously pureed vegetable cubes and you knew instantly! You would pierce your lips shut, shakes your head no and scowl whenever I tried to give her something that is less desirable than what we are eating! 

The first meal we tried was actually to feed you was spaghetti. You were reaching and talking to us about the food. So we finally gave in and decided to cut some of it up, into ridiculously small chunks mind you, to see if you'd be interested in trying it. And you just went to town!  It was hilarious to witness. We even facetimed with Grandma and Grandpa Parr for them to enjoy a bit of the mayhem!

I think you have my love for noodles. Since then, you have eaten portions of all of our dinners! Meatloaf, pizza, mashed potatoes, and chicken have been a few of your favorites! I hope that you will keep eating anything and everything! 

I love you,  Messy Munchkin!

52:45 Mother's Day

I want to Remember

Mother's Day

I want to remember Mother's Day. I was so excited for this day! We went up to Minneapolis on Saturday and hung out with friends and then dad took us to Craftstravaganza! It was awesome! Then on Mother's Day, some of Mommy's family came up and we had such a fabulous day together. We grilled out, opened gifts, went shopping and ohhed and ahhed over how adorable you are! I cannot tell you enough how much you have filled my heart with happiness and love. I am so blessed to be your Mommy and you have been such a wonderful gift to us.

Waiting for Family to Arrive!

Helping Grandma Open Gifts

Practicing Walking

Laughing with Family

Stop! 

 So Anniston is definitely talking now! She knows a few words and other times she just rambles on and on. It is hilarious listening to her "talk" to her bears and babble on in the bathtub. She knows her daddy well, and always says "Dadda and Dad" whenever he walks into the room! Her latest word is also Stop! She says it all the time. I don't think she precisely knows what it means yet, but it is very pronounced and so sassy! 

Anniston's Words

Dad = Dadda

Mom = Mum or Mama

Bear = Brr

Stop = Stop

No =No

What's That = Wus At (pointing) 

  

52:43 Swimming Lessons

I want to Remember

Swimming Lessons

I want to remember your swimming lessons. We went to swimming for 6 weeks. I wasn't sure how you would like it or if you'd be that child that just screams the whole way through. Like I have said before, you LOVE your bathtime, so I was hoping you would just think of this as a giant bath. And did you ever! From night one, you were like a little guppy in the water! Kicking, splashing and smiling away! On the last night we got to put you under water. Mommy was very hesitant to do this, but you came up smiling and wanting more! I am so proud of you for completing your first swimming session and I cannot wait to get you out in the hot summer days!

52: 42 Sleeping Solo Style

I want to Remember
Sleeping Solo Style 

 I want to remember you sleeping solo style. This was your first sleep where we didn't use a swaddle/zippadee/sleepsack! It took you a long time to get used to not having anything holding you throughout the night. We just think that you liked the idea of someone hugging you all night! You come from quite the cuddly parents, so that doesn't surprise us! We finally decided to just wean you off the swaddle very gradually and it seems to have worked for you! Now that you aren't restrained you are quite the mover at night! We love watching you through the video monitor to see how many times you have moved it one night. It is quite impressive! You don't even wake up - you just roll, turn, ball up, lay out and flip. The best part is waking to you in the morning. You don't wake up crying like I expected, we actually wake up to the monitor and hearing you coo and ahh. You always sit up and start playing with your heart bear. It is the sweetest thing. I'd like to think that you are just telling "bear" all about your sweet dreams!

Finding a Great Baby Monitor

Ugh...baby monitors can be a pain! The first one we got was a Summer monitor. We really loved it until our screen just blacked out randomly. So we set out looking for another baby monitor! Sounds easy right?! Well it isn't! It's actually quite frustrating! We got one that went into "sleep mode" after 10 minutes and made this terrible beeping sound because it kept losing signal. Not pleasant when you are in a dead sleep at 3am. Then we got another that said it was for your iPad/iPhone and it was a joke.  The second that you closed out of the app, the monitor shut down and the app kept logging us out. So in order to see Annie in the middle of the night, we had to literally log back on! Not smart. So FINALLY we are on our 4th monitor. Maybe I am being too picky?! No...

Regardless, we LOVE it and it is exactly what we wanted out of a Baby Monitor! Oddly enough, it is set up to be a Security Camera, but it does just want we wanted! It is a Foscam and it is awesome! It took awhile for Nick to set up, but once he figured out the set up, it is the bomb! It is set up through our iPhones and we can move the camera, zoom in, change the lighting, and the audio is so great we can hear her breathing! Ri.dic.u.lous! So there you go Mommas-to-Be! That is the Baby Monitor that I would highly recommend!

Tossing and Turning all Night!

You are 10 Months Old!

52:41 The Never-Ending Winter

I Want to Remember

The Never-Ending Winter

I want to remember this never-ending winter. It is almost May and we still have yet to take a decent walk outside in our stroller. I cannot wait to take you outside and set you in the grass! Spring will come. It has to. But until then, I will have fun dressing you up in your wonderful winter apparel! 





 

52:40 This Beautiful Mess

I Want to Remember

This Beautiful Mess

I want to remember to week you started getting into everything! It's nearly impossible to keep things organized with you! And it's not even your toys that you make the most mess with. You love to get into everything you're not supposed to - mommy's shoes and makeup bag, the Ziploc bags, Tupperware, pantry items, measuring cups, etc. In this picture I was folding laundry in the bedroom and I walked into the closet and you had pulled out several of my shoes. It was such a Kodak moment. A girl, a tutu, and shoes. You are definitely my daughter!  You were so proud of yourself and the beautiful mess you made! 

Oh so Pretty!

Digging in Mommy's Bathroom Drawers

 Anniston loves her tupperware toys!

 Making a mess from the Pantry!

Spice Rack...This Could be Fun! Or not...Time to Baby Proof Better!

Mommy's Girly Girl

Another Not-So Beautiful Mess

We are working on finishing the basement and I am so over it. I know I shouldn't complain, because Nick has literally done ALL the work! It started as one big cement room and it has been so fun to watch it transform. Nickolas has literally done every little thing, he even taught himself how to do the electrical! So impressive. But, I am over the clutter, the dust, the boxes, the tools, the paint cans. It is a constant mess! We are finally to the painting point, so I know the end is in sight. Here is a sneak peak of the basement...

So. Very. Close.

Can. Not. Wait!