Sara Beth's Photo Book

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     I finally finished a photo book for Sara Beth's first year. Hooray! I'm only about 5 months late. :) I used the journal entries from my monthly blog posts as the text. I wanted to remember all those sweet little milestones.

15 (and a half) Months Old

     It's been a while since my last post, and even longer since my last monthly update about Sara Beth. She is now 15 months old and growing up WAY too fast! At her check-up with Dr. Ritch this month, she weighed 22 pounds (50th percentile) and was 31 inches long (75th percentile). In the last few months she has gotten lots more teeth (all the better to chew with, my dear) and now has 12 in all. She is a great little eater, which I love! I'd list the things she eats, but it's pretty much everything now. Her tolerance for spicy foods is still pretty low, but we're working on it. She usually takes a bite and seems to enjoy it until a few seconds later the spice hits her and then she cries. A sip of milk helps put out the flames, and then she goes back for another bite.

     Sara Beth is becoming quite the little monkey lately too, climbing on everything. Her favorite places to climb are up into her highchair and onto the back of the couch so she can see outside. She can kick and run, dance and clap, but can't throw a ball quite yet. She's learning to ride her balance bike, slowly (VERY) but surely. She learned to build with blocks a few weeks ago. She was enamored with blocks for a while and that's all she ever wanted to play with. Now, she's moved on to books. Sara Beth is a book-aholic! She has always loved books, but since Adam built her some bookshelves that she could reach, she has been obsessed with books. If you can't find her, just go look in the corner of her room. There she'll be, sitting in a pile of books, quietly flipping through each one or naming every picture that she sees. It's pretty amazing, and entertaining to watch! She can even name a few of her favorite books:  There's A Wocket In My Pocket ("Pocket"), No, No, Noah ("No, no, no"), Mr. Brown Can Moo ("Moo"), Go, Dog! Go! ("Go, go, go"), and Uh Oh, Calico! ("Calico" most of the time, but occasionally she'll say the whole title).
     Sara Beth is a talker! I wonder who she got that from? Hmmm.... Anyway, she can parrot pretty much anything that you say to her. It only takes 2-3 exposures to a word before she's using it independently. Dr. Ritch asked us if she had a few words that we could understand. We said "Yes, quite a lot actually." He said, "Around 6?" Our reply. . . "Um. More like 100!" I love the way she says "happy", "yellow", "Zilla", and "Shelby". Her little voice just makes me smile! She is even starting to put 2 or 3 words together sometimes. Before we know it, she'll be spouting out sentences.
     This summer has been fun-- full of lots of play dates with friends, Gymboree classes, and swim lessons-- but it has been unbearably hot! We've been cooped up in the house for the last few weeks because it's sooo hot outside, even first thing in the morning. Here are a few pictures from the last 3 months to show you what our girl has been up to:

Watermelon was a summer favorite!

This is one of my favorite pictures. I love how SB looks like she's the queen!

Spray park fun!

Fourth of July boat ride

First time at the movie theater

Making music at the park

Watching Mommy and Daddy fly a kite

Reunited with her friend, Rivers, after way to long

Second haircut---- this time by our friend, Ashley, at her shop.

Indulge Me for A Mere 3 Minutes Please!

 I know that some people despise watching other people's kids show off on videos, so feel free to skip this post if you are one of those people. Sara Beth is learning so fast, and I am always amazed at her. I'm not the best at documenting all that I should on video, but I catch things when I can. Today, we filmed her building with blocks. When I watch this video, I find myself cheering her on. "Go, SB! Just turn the block a little to the right and it will snap on for you." Anyway, I'm a proud mama! Please indulge me and watch 3 minutes of my girl doing her thing! :)

Camping Weekend

     I am way behind on my blog posts, I know. I'll have to go back and post about some of our other summer fun, but for now, here is a little about our first camping trip with the little girl. It was a short trip, only about 24 hours total, but one night in a tent with a 13 month old is plenty for now. We headed over to Lake Claiborne State Park, about an hour's drive from our house, Saturday afternoon. When we got there, Adam set up camp while SB and I watched. It was more work than Adam expected since we hadn't touched our tent in a while. Apparently, we loaned it out and the poles got broken. There were replacement parts, but they were too long. So poor Adam was sitting on the ground, shaving down tent poles with his pocket knife for a long time. Eventually the tent was up, but then we realized that all the waterproof tape was peeling up. Um. . . I think we need a new tent! Thankfully, no rain was in the forecast.

     Later on that evening, we took the kayaks out on the lake. SB rode in Adam's lap and "helped" him paddle. She did great for the first 5 minutes, but then she started trying to get out and worked up quite a loud cry/scream. So, SB's first kayak ride lasted a total of 15 minutes, but it was fun while it lasted

    
     Next, we walked over to the swim area where they had a beach. SB loved the water and called it a pool. Yep, it's just like a pool, only bigger and dirtier and full of fish and shells and bugs. Can you tell I'm not a huge fan of lake water? The sand wasn't as big of a hit, though. I guess Sara Beth isn't used to getting dirty (my fault, I'm sure). At first, she cried. Then, she started to get comfortable. She kept saying "dirty" and wiping her hands on her swimsuit. It was fun watching her figure it all out!

     Back at camp, we had dinner and then got ready for bed. Two hours later, SB was still running around the tent, climbing on top of my face, and having all kinds of fun. Adam and I were pretending to be asleep, thinking maybe she would get a clue. Needless to say, it was a very rough night! On top of that, I've been sick for a week and I woke up with pink eye on Sunday morning. Fun times.

     The next morning started with breakfast, breaking down camp, and then meeting up with some of Adam's mountain biking friends for a get-together at the pavilion. Adam rode a lap on the bike trail while SB and I went on a hike. It was pretty short, only about 30 minutes, but in this Louisiana heat, that was plenty for me! The state park is really beautiful! The last time we visited was for my 30th birthday when I was pregnant with SB. That was in the fall so we didn't get to explore the lake much. We really enjoyed it this time! Here are a few pictures of our family camping trip:

Exploring the tent with Daddy

The first of many rocks that we had to keep her from eating

Bedtime? What's that?

Bedhead at breakfast-- yummy almond butter sandwich!

Bananas are my favorite!

Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear

Ready for our hike

Kayaking with Daddy

Where are my feet?

Building sandcastles

Dirty!





Itzy Bitzy Teeny Weeny

Here is the modest little swimsuit that I originally picked out for SB to wear this summer. She looks adorable in it and it's functional too-- the swim diaper is built in!

Here, you can see the itzy bitzy bikini that her great grandmother bought her as a birthday gift. Not as modest, huh! Well, it's too cute for words, so she will get to wear it. But the one piece will still be the go-to suit most of the time! :)

The Big "B"-day Party! (Part 2)

     I am so proud of the little bubble outfit that I made for Sara Beth to wear at her party! It's just a simple pattern, but I appliqued a cute little bird on the front, added bows to the legs, and even made a hair bow to match. She looked so pretty in it. It was even good for playing too (which is important, you know). I was one proud mama!

SB in her B-day bubble

     After all the guests had their fill of the outside activities and yummy food, we headed inside to do the traditional birthday singing and cake smashing. I expected to see SB with cake all over her face and hands, but that's not exactly how it went. We put on her birthday bib and hat, lit the candle, and started singing, "Happy Birthday to you. . . . " She seemed to be enjoying hearing us all sing to her. When it was time to blow out the candle, she reached for the flame. Adam blew it out as fast as he could, but SB grabbed the wick the instant that the flame went out. It was still blazing hot, so she burned (pretty badly) her finger. Que the song: "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!" She was hysterical for a few minutes and never really took to the cake after that trauma. We tried to stick her hand in the icing and put a little cake in her mouth, but she wasn't interested at all. Poor thing! Check out the sequence of events in the picture collage below.

Here, Papaw. You can have the cake instead!

I have to give big thanks to everyone that helped me pull this party off. I'm sure I'll forget somebody, but here's my attempt. Thank you. . .

• Adam-- for designing the invitations, building the barrels and signs, climbing up into tall trees to hang my paper pompoms and lanterns, and for everything else you did!
• Mom-- for making those delicious nests, picking up the cake, and helping me set everything up!
• Mrs. Jonell-- for the gorgeous flower arrangements, allowing us to use your home, washing all those dishes, decorating her birthday wreath, and blowing up the balloons!
• Mr. David-- for hauling all my stuff back and forth and for grilling the burgers!
• Daddy-- for helping Mr. David grill the burgers!
• Carol-- for being the party photographer! You got some really good shots!
• Diana and Stephanie-- for letting me borrow all your party stuff!
• All our family and friends-- for coming out to celebrate our little girl on her first birthday. Thank you for the books and gifts that you gave to Sara Beth! But, most of all, thank you for being a part of our lives! We love you!

              

Here are a few links to some websites that I used for inspiration:

• The Tissue Paper Pompoms that adorned the trees:  http://www.partyblog.mygrafico.com/diy-party-pom-poms/
• The Birthday Hat: http://www.tinysproutphoto.com/blog/2010/09/01/diy-birthday-hat/



The Big "B"-day Party! (Part 1)

     Sara Beth had a great first birthday party a couple weekends ago! Even though the weather was drizzly and overcast, I think everyone had a good time. I was just glad it never really rained. That would've been a disaster for this outdoor party. We celebrated at Adam's parents' house on Cross Lake. I'm so grateful they allowed us to take over their home for the weekend! It's beautiful out there! The party was "B" themed (as in the letter B). I did my best to have everything start with B, from the games to the food. The theme came about because we realized that all of Sara Beth's favorite things, and most of her words, start with B. Also, little birds have been a constant theme for her, from my baby shower, to her nursery, and now for her first birthday party. I think it came out really cute! See what you think. . .

I LOVE the invitations! Adam designed them and I wrote the wording. We must be a great team or something!

A fabulous cake by Kathy Cubley, adorable little edible nests made by my mom, and a few handmade touches by me. The pennant banner is made out of felt and ribbon. The birthday hat, which matched her outfit, is repurposed from scrap fabric, ribbon, ruffles, and a Christmas gift box. The SB pictures that hung from the chandelier were from her photo sessions with Nicole Spikes (newborn, 6 months, and 9 months).

The food, play areas, and my favorite part of the party-- a clothesline of pictures, one from each month of her sweet little life.

The Menu: 

Burgers, BBQ chips, Bowtie Pasta Salad, Berry Spinach Salad, Bean Salad (of the Mexican variety), Berry Kabobs, Baby Bites (little food for the kiddos), Beverages (sweet tea, pink lemonade, and water), Birthday Cake, and Birds' Nests

By far, the most popular play area of the day-- Balls. We borrowed Tristen's ball pit and also had other balls to throw and roll around the yard.

The Blocks center--- SB and her cousin played hard after the party. We used some of SB's blocks from home and a wooden set that I found at a consignment store in town.

Ah, the Barrels! Our original idea was for box tunnels, but we didn't have any boxes. We did have these plastic barrels sitting in our backyard though. Adam did a fabulous job converting them into fun tunnels for the party!

To round out the "B" activities, we had a little bounce house (once again borrowed from our friend Tristen) and a bubble table. My attempt at homemade bubble solution was not very successful, so there weren't too many bubbles to be had. It was really messy too! I had pipe cleaners and cookie cutters so the kids could make their own bubble wands. A good idea, in theory. . .

Happy 1st Birthday, Sara Beth!

     Wow! I really can't believe how fast this first year has gone by. It seems like just yesterday that we were holding Sara Beth in our arms for the first time and now she is one. I was never really sure that I would be a good mother. I mean, I loved kids and worked well with little ones, but babies just never were my thing. Then God allowed me the privilege to be Sara Beth's mama and every day has been amazing since then!
     I am in awe of how a woman's body works so perfectly for her baby. She grows that baby inside of her belly for 9 months (or longer in my case), its only nourishment coming from her body. Then, after being born, that baby still gets exactly what it needs from mama's body. It has been such an honor to be able to breastfeed Sara Beth for this year. For the first 6.5 months of her life, all she had was my milk and still she grew strong and beautiful. I know that nursing is not possible for every mother, but I am so glad that God allowed it to work out for us!
     Sara Beth has grown into such a precious little girl. She's smart, funny, and cute, cute, cute! At her 12 month check-up with Dr. Ritch she weighed 19 pounds, 13 ounces and was 30 inches long. That puts her in the 25th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. Everything else looked good too. We are blessed beyond measure!
At one year old, Sara Beth:

• still loves books. Among her favorites right now are The Belly Button Book, Mr. Brown Can Moo, and any book with fuzzy parts to rub or real photographs.
• can identify her head, eyes, nose, hair, feet, and her favorite of all. . . her bebo (that's a belly button in case you didn't know).
• is officially walking now! She can also stand independently for a long time and even clap, pick up a ball, and sway from side to side while standing up.
• has lots of new words to use: yay, no, bowl, thank you, whoa, berry, cracker, cheese, more, Papaw, Nana/Nonni (sometimes), uh oh, bebo, and she is working on Opa and diaper. She can say each separate syllable, but when she tries to put it together it becomes baba.
• can tell you the sound that each of these animals makes: dog, cat, elephant, and duck.
• finally has 2 top teeth to help her chew. They are spread far apart (a trait that I passed along), but they get the job done. We try to remember to brush them every day. She even got a toothbrush and toothpaste in her Easter basket.
• eats everything! She's not a huge fan of beef or baked goods (cake, pancakes, waffles), but I'm sure that will change. She loves to take a bite off of a bigger piece of food. I think it makes her feel like a big girl. We introduced strawberries this month and she loves them!
• has a head full of hair. She never did go completely bald, but she has a lot of hair now. You can barely tell that we gave her a haircut last month.
• has a fairly regular schedule, but all that will change when we start weaning this week. Right now she sleeps 11 hours at night (8pm-7am), takes 2 naps most days, and nurses 4 times along with eating solid food at the table with us.
• had a wonderful birthday party last weekend! More to come about the party. . .
  
  

  

  Celebrating Daddy's birthday on April 5



Park fun



Smelling the flowers with Nana on Easter Sunday



Loving on Nonni at her first birthday party



At Tristen's party, making the elephant noise

Birthday Teaser

I just made my very first hairbow for Sara Beth! I had to have one that matched the birthday outfit that I made for her to wear to her first birthday party. Her outfit is adorable and this bow isn't too bad either! Here's a sneak peak of the birthday ensemble. Don't worry. There will be plenty of pictures to come after the party.

Bikes, Trikes, and One Sweet Friend

     Here's the back story on Tristen, in case you didn't know already. Tristen and Sara Beth were born two weeks apart in the same hospital room. We met his mom and dad, Diana and Justin, through Adam's racing. Since T and SB were born, Diana and I have become good friends and we get the babies together as much as we can. Tristen is a sweetheart and is very energetic! Sara Beth always learns new things from watching him on the move.
     Today we celebrated Tristen's first birthday with an outdoor party at his grandma's house. The theme was vintage bicycles and tricycles. It was so adorable! Diana did a great job pulling it all together! Sara Beth's favorite part was the ball pit. My favorite part was the personalized Jones soda bottle. Here are a few pictures from the party today.

Ball pit fun!

He's famous!

The beautiful cake table

Sara Beth trying out T's tricycle

My two favorite people in the world

Flattering, I know. But, look at those two new top teeth!

Time for cake

A wagon of ice is better than any toy

Real Food

Lately, I've been trying to offer Sara Beth some of the same foods that we are eating at the table. She's not a huge fan of eggs yet, but I know she'll come around one day. What she does LOVE is Indian food. I think I posted before about her eating curry for the first time recently. That first curry was a sweet curry (not spicy at all) with sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and kale. Tonight I made a curry that has had a special place in my collection of recipe "keepers" for several years now. It was a little bit spicy, but Sara Beth loved, loved, loved it! She thought basmati rice was awesome too! Here's the link to the recipe: Black-eyed Peas with Spinach and Coconut Curry.

11 Months of Sara Beth

Happy 11 Month Birthday, Sara Beth!

    
     Sara Beth is almost one! Really? Already? She gets more lovable every day! I've started planning her birthday party and I think it's going to be really cute. I'm getting excited! This month we've been playing outside a lot since the weather has been so nice lately. Every Tuesday we go to story time at library and then afterwards have a picnic at the park with our friends. Sara Beth loves to listen to the songs that they sing at story time! She and Tristen always enjoy themselves. Earlier this month, we took SB to Gymboree for a learn and play class. Her friend, Tristen, gave us a pass for a free class. I couldn't believe how much fun she had! I thought she would just watch the other kids play, but no way. She was leading the pack most of the time. With her birthday coming up, I see a few months of classes in her future. She is growing like a weed! Even some of her 12 month clothes are getting too small. Here are her monthly milestones for March:

• She got her first haircut. We just couldn't take it any longer. Her bangs were down to her nose. It looked cute if we pulled it to the side with a bow, but once she learned the word "bow" she started taking her bow out all the time. Adam got to do the honor of cutting her hair for the first time. Her new look took some getting used to, but it's nice to finally get her hair out of her face.
• She took her very first steps this month! We've seen her take 2 or 3 at a time so far. She'll be running before we know it!
• After 4 months of having only her bottom 2 teeth, she finally has some more coming in. Four teeth are coming in all at once on the top. She's been a little cranky lately, but nothing too bad. These new teeth will definitely help with the chewing.
• We've given her table food a few times now. She ate curry and stir fry with us. She's also been eating a lot of cottage cheese and yogurt. I've been having a hard time finding finger foods that are soft enough to eat with only 2 teeth. Her favorites right now are carrots and banana, although she will eat almost anything that you give her.
• She likes to pick up the remote or a cellphone and pretend that she is talking to someone. She usually says "Yeah" and "bye, bye" while it's up to her ear.
• She's expanding her vocabulary at a rapid pace. This month she's added "hi", "yeah", "car", "flower", "bird", "duck", and "quack, quack". She can also respond correctly when you ask her what a dog, duck, or elephant says. Smarty pants!
• She started trying to feed herself with a spoon, but it was short-lived. Now she just dumps it on the floor.
• She is like a little tornado in the kitchen! While I'm trying to cook or clean, she is opening every drawer and taking all of the contents out. For those of you that know me well, you know that this is stretching me to my limit. :)
  
  
  

  

  Sara Beth and Tristen being baby geniuses at the park (1+5)



Having a blast at Gymboree



Hanging out with her cousins, Maddy and Shelby



Sunday after church at Nonni and Opa's house