Hole in One, Cruising, More teeth..........

Wow, I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted - time just flies by. Since my last post a lot has happened. Jerad was very proud of himself one Sunday morning playing golf when he called me to tell me he had got a hole in one. I guess that means he needs to keep going back to play each weekend to see if he can get another one! I had another week away for work this time in Atlanta and I'm heading back there again tonight. So Amy and Daddy will have another week together.

Amy is certainly growing up more and more each week. She is crawling all over the house and pulling up on furniture cruising around the living room. Buka of course likes having a playmate who is more active :-) Amy has also started to get more teeth - she has 10 now and is of course enjoying biting into her food and mummy's finger sometimes. She is still going to the Little Gym each Saturday and enjoys seeing her friends. She seems to really like exploring all the different gym equipment and following the other kids around. She particularly likes to music and songs they play - she does like to "dance".

I have also gotten with the times and actually bought myself an iPod nano (of course I got the pink one). Since then I have had fun downloading songs from our huge box of CDs. Now I just need to workout how to make playlists etc - I'm sure it's not that hard. I can't believe how much fits onto such a small device. I'm also looking forward to downloading some of the audiobooks (particularly Harry Potter). I remember when I was little and had a Walkman (i.e. with cassette tapes!!) I'll be taking it with me tonight to Atlanta so that should make the trip go by.

Bubbles are fun

Sorry I missed posting last week - I meant to do it Sunday night but then time got away from me. It's been another fun 2 weeks in the household. Amy is certainly getting better and faster at crawling. We need to put up the safety gates now so that she doesn't "explore" up and down the staircase. We of course have kept taking her to the Little Gym where she seems to have come out of her shell more and more each week. You can see her getting comfortable with the other kids and their parents. She is also starting to use some of the sign language she has been learning. Now when she has her meals in her high chair she will use the sign for "more" if you stop feeding her. It is so cute to watch - especially with her little hands.

Nothing new for Jerad and I. Just the usual working and Jerad playing golf on the weekends. We did all go out on Friday night for a nice dinner at a local Thai restaurant though. Amy and I went out this weekend to Babies'R'Us to get a gift for a girl I work with. There is a group of us from work who all pitched in and since it is her first baby she had a lot of stuff to choose from on her registry. I have some work to finish up tonight so nothing exciting planned for the rest of the weekend.

I have added a new video as it was just so cute last night we had to tape it. Amy was getting ready for her bath and before I took her up we were playing with her bubbles. For some reason she thought it was hilarious to see Buka chasing and eating the bubbles. She gets a real little belly laugh going.

Happy Valentine's Day

Another fun week in our household. Amy continued to receive birthday gifts this week - a package arrived from Uncle Tim and Aunty Deb with more clothes and toys, a package from Grandma Mary-Ann with more clothes and her first doll, some money from Grandpa Traynor and Granny-Ra and a gift from Jackie with a toy pony and Babies'R'us gift voucher. So more shopping to be had next weekend!

Wednesday was Amy's actual birthday and she played a round of golf with Jerad then played at night with mummy. On Thursday Jerad had a delivery to Fredericksburg so we all drove up in the afternoon and had dinner at the Brewery. It was a nice drive and Amy got to have some of Daddy's dinner. On the weekend we had the gym on Saturday where Amy learned to do more front rolls and play on the air-track. She really enjoys going there and playing with the other kids - I am so glad we enrolled her in the class. On Sunday Amy and I went to have a late brunch with Jackie at Mimi's then we went and did some shopping. In the afternoon I went to the gym and Amy played in the Kid's Club. She seemed to enjoy that too. After her nap in the afternoon while we were playing downstairs Amy has finally started to crawl. She seems very pleased with herself and was clapping when she was done. She is also getting better with 'walking". When we hold her hands she can now take bigger steps, seems steadier on her feet and walks a little faster than before. In no time we'll have to put up the safety gates.

I have today off work because of President's Day so this afternoon I am taking her to get her 12 month photos done. Then on Thursday I will be taking her to the doctor to have her 12 month check-up and vaccinations.

Amy's 1st Birthday Party

Another pretty quiet week in our household. Although Amy does have 2 more teeth (one on the top and one on the bottom, both on the left side). The three of us did go to Little Gym yesterday where Amy learned how to do a wheelbarrow handstand and how to do front rolls. She did really well - some of the little boys there were kind of scared about putting their hands out in front of them and tucking their head under - but Amy did great! She of course got to explore while she was there and played on the mats and with the balls. Then we all went grocery shopping (mainly to buy party supplies).

We just finished celebrating Amy's first birthday party. She was such a good girl and had so much fun with her birthday cake. Jane Martin did a great job ordering the cake and the little polka dots matched her birthday invitations. It was just a small gathering (Mr & Mrs Young, Jennifer, Roy and Nicholas Garner, Stephen Eckert and Jane Martin - Irma and Jackie couldn't make it). She had her own miniature cake to eat and at first wasn't sure what to do but then she got the hang of it and ended up with cake in her hair and everywhere. She got some really nice gifts too - another collectible Barbie Christmas ornament, Gymboree clothes, Laugh N Learn Piggy bank, book and ride on pony with a cowgirl hat!!

After everyone left I was talking with Jerad and commented how I can't believe how quickly this year has gone by. It doesn't seem that long ago I was pregnant and now she's 1. She of course gets cuter every day and I can't imgaine life without her. We are truly blessed to have such a little angel for a daughter. She may not remember much of her first year but we sure do and I have taken plenty of pictures to show her and also kept up with her baby journal. Hopefully one day she'll appreciate it.

Amy starts at The Little Gym

Today was Amy's first morning at The Little Gym! She had a great time. There were 5 other little kids there ranging from 9 - 18 months and she was fascinated watching them all. Hopefully by watching some of the others crawl and walk she will pick up what to do. During the morning they sang songs, played on the gym equipment (hang from the cross bars, partner log rolls, played with balls and bells and blew bubbles). The semester lasts 20 weeks and we'll do something different each week. Apparently next week they teach the kids some basic sign language. I've attached a picture of her before we left this morning. She was all ready to go in her track suit and sneakers! Unfortunately Jerad had to work this morning so he couldn't make it but we'll see if can get there next week.

I am continuing to plan for her first birthday party. One of the ladies I work with (Jane Martin) has offered to buy Amy's cake. So we will have a large cake for all the guests and she will get her own miniature version to eat (smash, play with ....whatever).

Our little girl was sick during the week with a cold - she of course shared it later in the week with Daddy. Even though I'm sure she felt crappy with her runny nose etc, she was a real little trooper and didn't get that fussy. The main difference in her behaviour was that she wasn't eating as much. She seems back to her normal little self now so that's good.

The rest of our weekend will be pretty quiet as I have some work to do this weekend and I'm assuming tomorrow Jerad will go somewhere to watch the Superbowl. He's cheering for the Giants (my brother will be too). I don't really care either way but it would be amazing to see the Patriots go undefeated.

Mummy's first week away from her little girl

I am back from Boston after being there all week and it was so good to see Amy and Jerad waiting at the airport. I have traveled a lot with work in the past and it is always great to get home but it seemed like I was away so much longer with not seeing Amy each night. It was fun though because Jerad would call each night as he was giving her a bath and he would have me on speaker so I could still talk to her and hear her playing in the bath tub. From what I hear she was a good girl for Daddy and slept through the night for him too. When I arrived back in San Antonio both of them were there to greet me at the airport and she was full of smiles and cuddles!!

While I was away her dresses arrived (pink/white birthday dress and a red/blue dress for 4th July). I didn't realize the bottom of her birthday dress was white but it is very pretty. So on Saturday Amy and I went out shopping (of course) and bought birthday shoes to match. After that Jerad met us once he finished his golf game and we just did the grocery shopping. Not much else exciting this weekend - Amy and I went to the Washtub to get the van washed and then all three of us went to Babe's for lunch. Amy and I also delivered her first birthday invitation to Mr and Mrs Young (neighbors across the road).

Yesterday was Australia Day - so I guess I should have done something Australian to celebrate but I was slack. So I'll have to make up for it and have a vegemite snadwich for lunch tomorrow :-) In the week that I was away Amy has also learned how to "feed herself" with her spoon. When I say feed herself I mean help you hold the spoon, take a bite and then hand the spoon back to you.

On the trip to Boston I read Iris Johansen's "Stalemate" and then I have started Jodi Picoult's "Plain Truth". They are both OK I guess but I definitely prefer Plain Truth so far.

We can't believe she is nearly 1

I didn't get a chance to update the blog last weekend so I'll try to remember what we have done for the last 2 weeks. Work has been pretty busy for me but not too much for Jerad. He hasn't had too many long distance deliveries lately but has had a few local ones all over San Antonio. He has also been able to fit in a few games of golf (from his Christmas gift - we bought him 21 games at Alamo Golf Course). He took Amy a couple of times in her stroller and pushed her around the course. Grandma Liz thinks his game was improved because other players were distracted by how pretty his caddy was ;-)

I am getting ready to go to Boston for the week next week for work. From what I hear it is bitterly cold up there at the moment but I am hoping there is not any snow as my plans are to walk from the hotel to the office each day. I'll certainly miss my little girl and this will be the longest I have been away from her since she was born. I'll be calling home every night to say Hi of course. It will also be the first time Jerad has had her all day and night on his own too. I'm sure Buka and Domino will enjoy Mummy being away as they can share my side of the bed.

We've also spent a lot of time over the last week starting to plan for her first birthday. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some cardstock and ribbon etc and have hand made her invitations. I have also bought her a pretty pink organza party dress. (see picture). I still have to get her some little shoes to go with it. Next we will be choosing which cake to make. I'm thinking of buying a "1" pan but we'll see what other ideas I come up with over the next week. Today Amy and I are off to have her 11 month photos done and then next month I'll get photos done in her party dress. She's growing up so fast - I can't believe how quickly the months have gone by.