Day 31 - Smart Girl

We are blown away by how how adeline continually picks up on so many new things! She are saying words that we didn't even know she was hearing (which is a little scary!) and understanding questions that we ask!

Tonight when I got home, we were sitting in her room playing and she pointed to my eyes and clearly said "eyes" and pointed to my teeth and said "teeth." She also said "nose" and pointed to my nose! I am so proud of how she is learning to really communicate what she wants. The things she is most fond of asking us for are; keys, paci, badle (bottle), cheese, baby. It's just incredible to communicate with her in this way!

Also, tonight she pulled out about 12 different books and gave each one to me to read. Then as they were laying in a pile, I ask her to get the "night, night pookie" book and she looked at the pile and immediately picked up the right book! Then I did the same with the "goodnight moon" book and she knew exactly which one it was! It's amazing that she is learning words so well.

Day 26 - All Things Adeline

Dear Adeline,

You are now 14 months old! Every month you grow in height, intelligence, personality, and love. You are the sweetest most cuddly little girl I have ever known! Few things make you happier than giving big hugs, patting backs, and giving big open mouth kisses. At any given moment while you are playing, you will stop what you're doing, take off running to me, wrap your arms around me and await a returned hug and kiss. Once you have that - you head back to play. I love to think that you will be busy doing something and suddenly it pops in your head that you want to come love on your mommy. I hope you do that for many, many days to come.

Here are some of the things your are doing these days:

* Words: bite, cheese, hi, bye-bye, momma, daddy, dada, gigi, maggie, bird, uh-oh, more (mah), vroom-vroom (when you see a car of truck), please (peace), jake, jess, bath, baby (bah-be), Jesus (chee - sus), and paci.

* You are starting to get good at running. When you think I'm going to put a diaper or pj's on you - you take off running through the house hoping we will chase you. I can't wait to go outside in the spring and play!

* You are really good with your toys. You know how to put your big farm puzzle together, put some shapes in their correct slots, rings on a stick, stack bowls, sort toys in a bowl, and much more!

* You love baby dolls. You carry them around on your shoulder and pat their backs just like they are your baby. You are a little mommy!

* You LOVE books! Mommy and Daddy have been reading to you since you were first born. We both love books and we hope you will share the same passion. You are well on your way! Throughout the day you bring us different books and want to sit in our laps while we read them and you turn the pages.

* You are a bit obsessed with necklaces, cell phones, keys, remotes, and water bottles. If we try to remove any of these objects from your hands you act as if we have stolen your best friend.

* Any time we go near the back door, either to let maggie in or out or just to go outside, you hear the door and take off running because you want to see what's out there.

* You seem pretty fearless. It doesn't matter how many times you fall, you just get back up like nothing happened.

* You like to have your teeth brushed! I think it must feel really good because you open your mouth like you are excited for this task!

* You get more and more funny every day. You will babble something and then laugh at yourself, which in return makes us laugh, too!

* You are drinking great out of your own sippy cup (only with a straw) and you finally started holding your own bottle at the beginning of January.

* You babble/talk all the time. I have no idea what you are saying, but you are constantly jabbering.

* You love Sesame Street Beginnings and Barney. So far, nothing else on TV has caught your attention, besides the theme to "Olivia."

* You like to find cloths and then put them behind your back and on top of your shoulders and run around the house.

* We can't keep you away from cabinets. This may be your favorite thing to do at this point - open, close, open, close...

* You still adore bath time! After dinner I will say "bath time! bath time!" and you will go running towards your bathroom screaming "bah! bah!"

* You love food. YOu are a great eater who is not afraid to try anything. Your favorites are cheese, pasta, bread, turkey, chicken, chocolate, oatmeal, and yogurt.

I'm sure there is so much more that I could think, but I wanted to get some things down so I wouldn't forget.

much love and kisses, mommy

Day 25 -sick little girl

Our poor baby has been sick for four days now. Today she visited the ENT who told us that he strongly recommended tubes for her constantly infected ears. This was hard for us to hear because we have no desire to see her go under anesthesia, but if this will make her feel better - then we are going for it. Especially because the hearing these they did today showed that she does have mild hearing loss in one ear. Please pray for her! We are looking forward to this sickness passing an our little laughing, smiling, sassy girl emerging again.

Day 24 - Princess Feet

My dear friend, Emily, went to New York over Christmas and brought Adeline back princess feet slippers! They are so cute! They are pink, with little tutus and hot pink toenails. Adeline had so much fun running around the house in them. This is a picture of my mom trying to hold her in place so I could get an actual picture of the feet! She was running so fast that all my other shots weren't so good.

Day 23 - 14 Months Old!

Our little girl is 14 months old today. It's so hard to believe how the past months have flown by since her birthday. This year seems even faster than the first! She has been really sick this weekend. Not only is she on antibiotics for an ear infection, but she caught a virus somewhere as well! She has been running a fever since Friday. But, I managed to get a 14 month picture and she gave me a little smile. I also stuck a bow in her hair because she looks so stinkin' cute with it, even though she rips it out within 10 seconds of me putting it in. Stubborn little thing! I love her so much it hurts.

Day 22 - Addie and Maggie - BFF

Addie loves our dog Maggie. And even though she is old and cranky with other dogs, Maggie has been very good natured when it comes to Addie. She lets her pull on her fur, try to ride her and pretty much do whatever she wants. I personally think it because Maggie knows that Addie provides her with a lot of extra food because she throws a lot on the ground for Maggie to find. Lately Addie has taken a fascination with getting in Maggie's dog bed, especially when Maggie is in there. Last night she even sat on her head! Poor Maggie!

Day 21 - Another snow day!

We had another snow day on Friday of this week so Addie had another opportunity to play in the snow. This time we figured out that out front yard was much better for playing because it is mostly flat and easier for her to walk on. Even though it was a little colder than we wanted, she had a ball chasing her mother and Gigi around the yard. This kid loves the outdoors!

Day 20 - Bath Time!

One of my favorite activities is giving Adeline a bath. She loves bath time! After we eat dinner, I sing "bath time! bath time!" and she tries to say "bath" which comes out "bah" and then goes running to the bathroom! After I take off her clothes she goes running through the house naked - it's hysterical. And then after bath is over, I cuddle her in a huge towel. These simple tasks are so perfect.

Day 19 - Our Child the Eater

Tonight I made a delicious dinner of chicken thighs with a dijon mustard, garlic, and lime sauce; asparagus; and basmati rice. Adeline was in the mood to practice with her spoon, so Gigi was holding her in her lap and letting her practice in her bowl. Then she started reaching for the leftover chicken thigh, so Gigi held it up and she went to town on it! She also ate the asparagus and the rice! This kid really enjoys a flavorful meal.

Day 18 - Dinner with the Street Family Ladies

My mom has been in town this week keeping Adeline, so she decided to have some ladies from our family over Tonight Addie got a chance to visit with her Great Aunt Bu and Great Aunt Laurie, and her third cousin Debbie. She was in a very social mood and spent the night showing off by talking, laughing, playing peek-a-boo, letting everyone take turns holding her (except Laurie who for some reason scared her!) I really adore seeing her with my family and seeing how much they care about her. And it was great for me to spend time with these awesome ladies as well!

Day 17 - Playing with daddy

Adeline loves it when Jeremy swings her up and down in his arms. She just giggles and laughs the whole time. Because we are both at work all week we try to play with her as much as we can when we are at home.

Day 16 - Another UT fan in the family

Jeremy is a lover of hats. He is so particular about selecting each hat that he owns. And for Christmas he got a new Tennessee hat that he had been wanting for a while. He found out that the company also makes hat that looks similar to it in Adeline's size so he bought her one too. She isn't as excited about it as he is (she hates it when we put hats, bows, etc. on her head) but he's hoping she'll grow to like it.

Day 15 - Photo Shoot Day for Cousin Avery

We spent the day and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law's house taking pictures of their beautiful 3 month old daughter (and my first niece!). It feels so good to spend time with family and dream about these two littler girls being best friends one day. I'm hoping that they will go on many adventures together! Today was a good day for Adeline since she didn't try to throw anything at Avery's face! That has been a problem in the past. I am pretty sure she never really understood what she was doing, but it always made us feel awful! Adeline also did really well to share mommy today as she tried to take many photos. Then, we all went out for delicious barbeque. It was truly a wonderful day.

Day 14 - Mission Accomplished

She finally started doing it about a week ago - she's holding her own bottle! We are still in awe. She had such strong determination to never touch the bottle, much less hold it. And now, she reaches for it, pulls it to her mouth, and gets irritated if you try to help. I know many moms are thinking about how their children were holding their own bottle at 5 or 6 months, but mine had some real issues with it. So excited for this step! However, she still holds true to her desire to be cuddled in a comfy lap while she eats!

Day 13 - Willis Day!

Today our friend Jessica helped us out by keeping Adeline since Adeline's nanny couldn't come in. Since Adeline had very little sleep today, we are pretty sure she spend 90% of the day in a tired gaze. However, she had a really good time playing with Jonah and loving on Jess. According to Jessica, Adeline and Jonah walked their baby dolls around the house for a long time. They look like a little family! Then tonight we went to dinner at Chili's with our friends, the Dixon's and their daughter Annabelle. Both girls alternated throwing fits at the restaurant. Then we went to their house to play and I think Adeline maybe had about 30 breakdowns. Today was the first time I have ever seen her act this way! We think this may be a good time to start socializing her more as she seems a little afraid and jealous of other kids. Hopefully tomorrow will be better, but I do appreciate having so many amazing friends in our lives. Hopefully Adeline will grow up continuing close relationships with Jonah and Annabelle!

Day 12 - Johnson, Johnson, Willis Dinner

Tonight our friends Jessica and Allen hosted a dinner party for us and our some of our new friends, Adrian and Michael. Adeline got a chance to place with Jonah and Cole - she had a blast! She really is doing so great around other kids. I love watching her as she follows them and tries to play with toys the way they do. The kids are all at different stages so it was really more of playing near each other, but it was still adorable. Jonah showed us how to drive his truck, Cole sang us a couple of his original songs, and Adeline just ran around the entire house continually and showed everyone her passion for cell phones. We are very blessed to have such special friends around us. I believe that you should have friends that feel like family - and these friends are just that. We are looking forward to many more nights of sharing meals and laughs.

Day 11 - Return to the Snow

Because of Adeline's new found love for the cold fluffiness that is snow, today when Jeremy got home from work we braved the cold again. I will say that bundling her up is not the most fun task in the world. I don't know if she just hates it or if she is so anxious to get outside that she can't stand the process of putting 4 layers on. Maybe it is a little bit of both. Either way, it's adorable to watch her eyes twinkle when she is outside looking around at the winter wonderland. Everything feels new through those eyes.

Day 10 - A Snowy Day

Today was Adeline's first day to play in the snow! Due to icy roads, I got to stay home and take her out. There are so many great photos from this day, but because I'm a stickler for cohesion - I will stick with one photo. And even though she really loved the snow, fit-throwing was the theme for the day. This picture shows one of her three falls. She went face first into the snow, and even though her face was freezing - she did NOT want to go back inside. She loved being out crunching the snow under her feet and kicking it as she walked.

Day 9 - For Love of Computers

This little girl absolutely loves a computer. She could bang on the buttons for hours, and she is inconsolable when you try to take it away. Somehow, every time she gets her hands on it she manages to change the home screen. We don't know how she always gets that screen up. I'm really beginning to believe that kids don't even need toys - give them a cell phone, remote control, tupperware bowls, and a computer and they are good for the day. Or at least mine is!

Day 8 - Our Little Chef

Aunt Manda got Adeline this ADORABLE owl apron for her 1st birthday. This morning while I was making pancakes, I thought it would be fun for Adeline to wear an apron and pretend she was cooking as well! She got in the cabinets and pulled out bowls. I am really looking forward to teaching her to bake cookies and use seasonings to create delicious meals. I sense a creative spirit in her and a very feminine nature. I'm getting really excited for our future kitchen memories!

Day 7 - A New Friend

Tonight we had our friends Dan and Alissa Saylor over. Adeline has been taking her time getting use to new people, but tonight there was a breakthrough! She recognized Alissa and Dan and actually gave Alissa a hug and laid her head on her. Then she played with her at bathtime and let Alissa read her a book. I love seeing her comfortable with the people that are important in our lives.

Day 6 - Stacking Blocks

Usually Adeline prefers to take the blocks and either scatter them throughout the living room or hide them in odd places such as the drawer underneath the oven... However, tonight she decided she'd try stacking the blocks on the pegs as they were intended... She is such a clever girl!

Day 5 - Working with the Spoon

Recently Adeline has really enjoyed trying to eat with her spoon! And she usually does a pretty good job of doing the correct motion of scooping and then putting the spoon to her mouth - now if she could just get some food on it!

Day 4 - Clinging to Mommy Night

For the past couple of weeks, Adeline has been extra clingy to me. Tonight was no exception. And i'll admit - I love every second of it! She gives me the best hugs and kisses. I'm seriously addicted to kissing her cheek and smelling the top of her head. I love my little mommy's girl. And I really love when we actually get a picture together since I'm the one normally on the other side of the camera.

Day 3 - Just like Daddy

Tonight as Jeremy was walking around the house talking on his cell, Adeline decided to take my cell and follow him around and pretend to talk like he was. He tends to pace the hall when he talks, so she was pacing right behind him. She even gave a few laughs for whoever she thought she was talking to. It was adorable! The kid is going to be a talker.

Day 2 - Still No Bottle

Adeline is such a smart girl. She does just about everything herself. She wants to brush your own hair and teeth, help put her clothes on, drink from a big cup and a straw, but she REFUSES to hold her own bottle when it's time. Here is a great example of that. Hopefully one of these 365 days we will feature her holding it! But for now we were excited that she would allow us to prop it up because normally we have to be cuddling her and feeding her. Progress!

Day 1 - A Hug

The purpose of this blog is to document all 365 days in 2011 by showing one picture of a special moment in each day. 2010 went by much faster than I expected. I'm so thankful for this world of blogging because even if it entertains no one else but me, it's something that I can forever keep and look at as a reminder of precious days that pass quickly, but all contain the most powerful little moments.

Today, the first day of the year, I want to start with a picture of my sweet adeline giving her granddaddy a loving hug. She really adores him and moments like this will be so special to have as she grows older.