Anniston is 15 Months!

You are 15 Months Old Today!

While Anniston was 14 Months She: 

Started a new daycare and loves it!

Went from 2 naps/day to 1 long afternoon nap. And thankfully this was a very easy transition. 

Started going down at 7:30 every night and falls asleep right away! She wakes up every morning around 6:30. She rocks!

Walks to get the mail every day after daycare in her pink cozy coupe car or with her walker. 

Started using silverware with her foods. It isn't messy. It isn't perfect. But she loves being so independent!

Wears shoes on a daily basis now...and walks perfectly in them! She now puts on my shoes frequently and tries to walk in them! It's adorable!

Just moved up to a size 3 in shoes! 

Instead of saying "All Done" when she's finished eating, she stands up in her high chair and "Down." Time to invest in a much better high chair I think! 

She started laying on her tummy during bath time to act like she's swimming. She also kicks like crazy and loves when the water splashes!

She blows bubbles with her mouth during bath time. 

Her favorite cartoon and really only cartoon is Pororo - The Talking Penguin or "Po-Po" as she calls him.

Says book, hell-o, bye-bye, and cheese now! 

Likes stacking blocks and pegs together to build up. 

Enjoys fall bonfires outside and always says "Hot!"

She got her last two lower molars for a total of 12 teeth!

Enjoying a Picnic Bonfire! 

8 Weeks Pregnant

How Far Along:
8 Weeks Along (09/19/2013)

Cravings: 
Not craving anything as of now. And not really to the hungry point yet.

How Am I Feeling: 
Exhausted! I literally cannot get to bed early enough. I put Anniston to sleep at 7:30 and usually am in bed by 8:00pm and still feel sleepy the next day around noon! Ridiculous! 

Sleep: 
Well, I should feel well rested, but I am waking up very frequently to go to the bathroom. I just don't remember it being this exhausting with Annie! 

Miss Anything: 
Sleeping through the night. My mind is busy racing with thoughts and I am getting up to go to the bathroom a lot already! But mostly everything else is the same! 

Most Exciting Moment This Week: 
We got to see Dr. Taylor again and hear the heartbeat for the first time! I was so anxious for this appointment, but everything looked great!! And the baby's heartbeat was VERY fast! 168 bpm! 

Worse Moment This Week:
Starting to have some morning sickness again. Hoping it is just short term! 

Recent Movies: 
We watched After Earth with Will Smith. Decent movie, Avatar is much better though! 

What am I Reading: 
What to Expect When You're Expecting since I forgot a lot of things about pregnancy! 

Looking Forward To:  
We are finally going to start telling some family and close friends! Nick is also running the Twin Cities Marathon on October 6th so I am excited to go chase him around! He's going to be amazing and he's been training very hard! 

Our baby at 8 weeks along!

Baby Announcement!

The Rehder's Are Adding Another Pumpkin to their Patch!

Baby Rehder is Due May 1st, 2014!

Food Fanatic!

Anniston definitely has gotten to the point to where she will eat anything and everything! It is amazing what she will all take and want more of! Being a picky eater growing up, this makes me extremely proud that she has her daddy's taste for food! Here are a few of my favorites from recently! 

Fun in the Sun!

I have always loved my summer breaks, but this summer was completely different. 

Last summer was such a whirlwind that I don't even remember going outside. Really. So this summer Anniston and I were literally outside the majority of every day. Bike rides, playgrounds, stroller walks and most importantly - water time. We were always in the water whether it was the lakes, the city pools, a water park or the mini pool at our house!! Here are a few snapshots of our fun in the sun! 

Anniston is 13 Months!

You are 13 Months Old Today!

While Anniston was 12 Months She: 

Just Learned to Walk! It is still clumsy and you still love to cruise, but you are walking! I am counting it!

Says baby, momma, daddy, yes, puppy and okay clearly. She"talks" all the time though!

Eats pretty much anything and everything. Her favorite food is spaghetti and cut up meatballs and favorite snack is applesauce.

Loves her baby and stroller. She pushes them all over the basement. All the time. 

Started sitting still on my lap while I read you an entire story.

Got 2 new teeth this month for a total of 10! 

Had her first ever birthday party and had cake for the first time! She wasn't the biggest fan! 

Went to the pool all the time and loves the water. 

Went for daily bike rides and she loved sitting in your burley bee with her babies and riding the trails! 

These are a Few of My Favorite Things

With Anniston's birthday brought a lot of new toys to play with in our house! I've loved watching her interact and discover new things about each and every toy. She's just taken off with her talking, fine motor and we are so close to the big gross motor - walking! Here are a few of her newest favorite things!

Playing on her exploration table. Instead of sitting next to it like she used to, she now crawls on top of it!

Anniston loves her bike rides. I fill her Burley Bee with toys, snacks and blankets and we just ride and ride!

Nickolas cut holes in this box as a joke at first and now Anniston plays in it on a daily basis! She brings all her toys in and plays house. It is so sweet!

Anniston loves getting pushed around in her cozy coupe. She pushes the horn, clicks the keys and turns the steering wheel! Wee!

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

Anniston has been doing a lot of dreaming lately. We’ve seen her through the video several times talking, twitching and turning. I've always wondered what babies actually dream about. Sometimes she looks sad and I can't imagine what is going on in her head. Did she run out of milk, is a toy out of her reach, or is it like our scary dreams? Dark and unknowns. I hope not. I want to keep her World full of as many bright colors as possible! 

I was also big sleepwalker, so I hope I have not passed that trait onto my daughter! Today I was lucky enough to have a snuggle session with Annie Jean and I am certain she was dreaming of ice cream at the park, playing with puppies, or maybe just happy that her mama was snuggling her so close. 
This video just reminds me how precious she really is.

Happy 4th of July

I have always been obsessed with 4th of July. Last year, I remember holding Anniston and looking out my living room window as the fireworks went off at Riverfront Park. I had a grand plan of taking her to the parade, watching the fireworks, celebrating with family. But I kind of didn't realize how much having a baby takes out of you!

So this year, we went all out. We put on our red, white and blue, bought cute decorations, grilled out, went to the parade, ate too much candy, went to a crafts show and watched the fireworks with blankets at Riverfront Park! So I think we made up for our lack of Old-Fashioned Celebrating the previous year!

What a difference a year makes though - feeling exhausted, confused and overwhelmed with a brand new infant to going non-stop all day and watching your little one take in a holiday that you've always adored by yelling "wee" as people passed her in the parade and waving her flag to the music! Too much. Cannot wait until next year's planning!

St. Peter Parade

Madi, Gracie, Anniston and Mykah

Dress from Great Grandma Parr

Waving to the Parade

I loved how many people waved back to her!

Giggles with Daddy!

Fun in the Sun

Say Cheese!

Happy 4th of July!

52:52 Your First Birthday

I want to remember 

Your First Birthday

I want to remember your first birthday. I cannot believe that you have already been in our lives for 12 months - 365 days - 52 weeks. When I started this project I thought of some of the things I might blog about - your first food, your first Christmas, your first crawl - but I never imagined all the things that would unfold in one single year! I have spent the past few days reading through all 52 entries and it is simply amazing to see how much you have grown and changed! I find myself laughing, crying, smiling and shaking my head in disbelief. To be honest, we just had no idea what we were doing when we had you, but at the same time, it just felt so...right. There were difficult moments, sad moments, and frustrating moments - but those moments dull in comparison to those shining moments. And that is what I wanted Project 52 to be a reminder of. All those shining milestones, moments, and snapshots that occurred throughout your first 52 weeks of life.

Oh, and there were so many.

You never ceased to amaze us with your big personality, your contagious laughter, talkative ways and growing body. You have given your daddy and I so much joy and happiness. I never knew I would have so much love for one little being. But with you, it is so easy. We love you to the moon and back and you will forever be the sunshine in our lives.

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Girl. 

One Year Snapshots

The Beauty of a Child

I don't think I ever truly realized what I looked like until I looked at Anniston. I find myself studying her big facial expressions, her delicate features, and her soft movements. I examine her in a way I've never been able to do with myself before. I've always known what I look like, but since Anniston's arrival, I've noticed traits in myself and Nickolas that I've never seen before. 

It's like I have noticed my chin for the first time and the way my cheeks curve up when I smile that I share with her. I've realized her strong arms and legs must come from her daddy. And that the shape of her eyes are identical to Nick's. I can see my complexion, yet with Nick's olive skin tone. 

Nickolas says she sleeps just like me - tossing, turning and talking in her sleep. And I say that she is a heat box just like him! Since then, I've noticed how I stretch in the mornings the way Anniston stretches. Or does she stretch like me? I now notice my thousand facial expressions that I've always made that I see in her and how she can figure out how something works after one time just like her daddy - it is pretty impressive!

Anniston has led us to finally see that we have a million different features and traits. And as she grows, I know we will continue to see more of ourselves in her - the good, the bad and the hilarious! That really is the beauty of a child. 

Few of your Favorites

Book: Cheerios and Guess Who

Food: Spaghetti

Stuffed Toy:  Love Bear
Toy: Train

Song: Baby Beluga
Animal: Puppy (whispers puppy at all animals)
Activity: Taking out items and putting them back....again and again and again.

Special Moments

Funniest Moment: Watching you fill daddy's mouth with toys. And giggling as they would fall out. 
Proudest Moment: When you started crawling for the first time - we worked on it for so long. Now you are so very close to walking! You love your walker and the stairs!

Scariest Moment: Falling and hurting your new teeth. 

Saddest Moment: Your first ear infection

Hardest Moment: Weaning you off your swaddle. Oh those sleepless nights!
Craziest Moment: Taking you underwater with me and seeing you smile! 

Sweetest Moment: She give hugs. Really good hugs. With back pats and kisses.

You are 12 Months Old!