Our little strawberry

This isn't a costume- it's Addie's fall jacket!! I found this sweater and hat set on ebay and got a terrific deal on it! I think it's my favorite item of clothing for Addie - and that's a hard pick!!

We've been fighting a cold and we had a really big weekend so by Monday Addie was all tuckered out... She's a very sweet baby almost all of the time, but I always think she's extra sweet when she's sleeping. She just looks so precious and innocent. I can't figure out where my tiny baby has gone...now she's an on the go girl!!

Halloween

Halloween isn't actually until tomorrow, but our town always does trick or treating on Sunday afternoon so it's safer for the kids, and then our church does "Trunk or Treat" and "Hobo Night" that evening.
This year Ryan's sister, Amy, and her family came over and the kids celebrated together. We had a lot of fun (especially after the kids went to bed and we raided thier stash...)!
My sisters hooked Addie up with some really cute stuff -Meagen sent an adorable outfit (I think I'll put it on her again tomorrow and go show her off to the people I used to work with!)
and Maureen found this aodrable hot dog costume. It was perfect for Hobo Night since we all roast hot dogs for dinner...!

Bubble Bath Baby!

I'm not sure who loves bathtime more- mommy or Addie! No matter how hard the day has been - and this week we've had quite a few hard days - bathtime is usually enjoyable. Addie loves it when we turn the jets on in our tub and the water swirls around her making bubbbles float everywhere! I'm pretty sure there's something wrong with my nine month old getting more use out of our whirlpool tub than I get...oh well. I'll get a leisurely bath in about 18 years - maybe... :)! She is turning into such a little ham - she rarely misses an opportunity to pose for a picture!

No, No! Let me IN!!!

Okay, so these aren't the best pictures of Addie, but the story behind them is pretty funny... We have a gate that closes off the kitchen area and Addie loves to stand at it while I'm cooking or doing dishes. Once in a while I let her in to play with the Tupperware cabinet, but most of the time it's easier to keep her out. Our laundry area as well as furnace and water heater are just off the back of the kitchen and there is no door to keep her away from those things. So anyway, I was cooking dinner and looked over to where Addie was standing at the gate and noticed her sticking her tongue through one of the holes.
Then I saw her pull back and look at the gate rather quizzically and then stick her tongue through the next hole. Then the next hole. Then the next and the next. It really was hilarious to watch as my darling little girl stuck her tongue through as many of the holes of the gate as she could reach, all the while oblivious to everything else around her. Wouldn't it be great to know what kids are thinking sometimes?!!

Let me out!

Addie has discovered the front door - it's her new favorite place! She spent almost 1/2 hour yesterday standing at the door and looking outside. She watches the cars go by, the neighbor work on his motorcycle and the bunnies chew on our bushes. I'm glad I didn't plant flowers this year because I don't think they would have survived the family of bunnies that live in our front yard! They are great entertainment fro Miss Addie, though!

I'm Nine Months Old!

Ok, actually Addie is a little past 9 mos. now, but we just had her pictures taken on Monday. We had to wait for a couple of nasty bruises on her forehead to heal - the joys of learning to pull up to things!! I love getting new pictures done of Addie and always have the hardest time picking the poses I like best...here are a few of my favorites!

I've found that sometimes it's just easier to strip Addie down to her diaper for meal times! She loves to play with her food and pretty much won't eat anything off of a spoon. If she can't pick it up herself she won't eat it. What we end up with is a very messy little girl happily smearing food all over her high chair and herself. It's easier to clean up if clothes aren't involved, so sometimes I just give up on the clothes while we eat. I've actually found a reason to be thakful she doesn't have a lot of hair - it's so much easier wiping off a bald head!

Just because...

I posted these pictures today just because they make me smile - and I hope they'll make you smile, too!
There isn't much new at our house today. Addie and I grocery shopped - fun, fun! - and now she's down for her nap. I'm trying to do some picking up around the house and catching up on laundry. Today is a very ordinary day, but it's a wonderful day because I have a Heavenly Father who sustains me, a husband who loves me, and a beautiful little girl who smiles when she sees me. I couldn't ask for more than this!
I hope you all know how much we love you and that you are finding something to smile about and be thankful for today!

Storytime

Storytime is quickly becoming one of our favorite times of the day. The book Daddy is reading is Addie's favorite one - it's called "Baby Says Peekaboo". Addie loves to find the babies hiding behind the flaps and gets so excited at the end when she gets to find herself in the mirror. She pulls the book toward her and kisses her reflection when we get to that page! Quite often when we try to go on to reading another book, Addie will look for this one and want to read it again!

There shall be messes wherever she goes!

Since Addie has become so quick at crawling and pulling herself up, I have found her surrounded by all sorts of messes. She loves to pull every one of her toy bins down and dump all the contents - she doesn't play with the toys though! Once they are all on the floor she usually leaves them behind to go look out the sliding door at the birds on the patio! She is starting to babble a lot now and it is so cute to see her try to engage the birds in conversation!
Another favorite is Daddy's office - there are all sorts of cords and books and papers to get into in there! She has started to get sneaky about the office - she knows there are things in there that she can't have, but loves to get to anyway! Guess it's time to invest in a gate!!

Addie's Buddy...

Our good friends, Rich and Tish, very generously gave us a ceiling fan for our dining room, and Rich took pity on us and installed it. (Those of you who know us well know that neither of us are at all "handy" around the house!) Addie just loves her "Uncle Rich" and was glad he came to see her. She is always excited to see him and she had fun hanging around with him today - literally!!

Pumpkin Patch

We spent Saturday evening with Aunt Amy, Uncle Grant and cousins Olivia and Noah at the Pumpkin Patch!! Addie had fun laughing at Olivia and Noah feeding the goats, but was less than impressed with the hay bales and pumpkins. She'll probably get a little more into the spirit next fall

Go Greenwave!

Addie attended her first Greenville High football game on Friday night. Her St. Patrick's Day headband came in very handy since our colors are green and white!
Around halftime she decided she was finished and put her head down on Donna's arm and went to sleep! Up to that point she was the best little cheerleader at the game!
GO GREENWAVE!!

My new trick

Addie has become quite good at pulling herself up to her feet! I usually find her on her feet in her bed in the mornings and at nap times. The last few nights I've found her that way screaming her head off at around 2am! (It's not so cute at that point!)
She has even started letting go of things a little bit and trying to stand on her own - that usually last about 2 seconds! I can't belieive how fast the days are going by... it's just about time to start planning her 1st birthday party already!! Ryan just shakes his head when I say I'm planning her birthday party already, but with all the holidays between now and January 9th I've got to get ahead of the game...

Not every day...

is a good day. In fact today is the type of day I'd like to forget. Addie has cried most of the day and has been very tempermental. She doesn't want to eat or play or be held and is protesting sleep. I think it's because of tooth number 6 - I can see the white under the gum and can feel one edge of the tooth right beneath the gum - but it hasn't broken through yet. I feel bad for Addie and wish there was something more I could do to make her comfortable, but I'm at a loss. Hopefully tomorrow will be better...

Playing peekaboo!

Our days are filled with games lately - peekaboo, pat-a-ckae, so big! - Addie loves to laugh and we love to make her laugh! Today she initiated peekaboo for the first time. She pulled herself part way up on the ottoman and jabbered until I looked at her and then she hid and giggled! We did this four or five times before she decided it was time for something else!