Turkey Day-Belated

I thought that I didn't really get any good pictures at Thanksgiving Dinner, but I did get a few. =)

Pax REALLY enjoyed being awake this year during the eating, of course. She was so tiny last year, it was always nap time. She loved the turkey and I also forgot how much she used to love sweet potatoes. I swear she ate her weight in sweet potatoes.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner in OK with Cody's family and then that night with my family. We kept the road hot. (As usual...)

Little Mommy

Cody & I bought Paxtin a little stroller for her babies on our huge shopping expedition, but I wish we would have waited! My parents have a great neighbor, with a little girl outgrowing all her baby toys, and they gifted P this neat little stroller and a cute highchair, too (which we ALSO bought, but will be able to return....). I guess we will use stroller #1 at Nannie & Poppy's and the other can live at our house.

As you can see, she LOVED the stroller. She pushes them inside/outside...all day long. She's figured out how to turn it around, get it over the things she bumps into, and how to stuff as many babies in there as possible! I think she is really moving into the "imaginative playing", so I know what I am going to exchange the highchair for. =)

Still rockin' & rollin'

We're still here!

Like I mentioned, we have just been very busy and I have little time to sit down and type out a good blog. I also noticed I was lacking in some good pics (FOR SHAME-I know!)

The weekend before last (actually before her last kindermusik class), we all went to Branson and completed ALL our Christmas shopping. YES-you heard me right. We are DONE. I didn't think we could actually do it-buy for everyone on our list in one day, but we hit every store we could find and all the outlet malls. I even came home and wrapped my goods. I am so relieved to be done with our shopping-we've got the tree up and it's starting to feel a LOT like Christmas. =)

Paxtin has been her usual silly self. Playing, growing, and loving life. We couldn't ask for more. Her little friend, Cady, is here from Houston for 2 weeks, so we are looking forward to doing something fun with her (and Court) while they are here.

I'm going to try and do a better job this week and next of blogging. Pax has gotten some cute new toys that friends donated to her and I took some cute pics with those. We will be going Oklahoma bright and early Thursday morning to meet up with Cody's family for Thanksgiving lunch. We are going to try and make it back home that night in order to eat with my family-just crossing our fingers our tiniest traveler cooperates. :-/

Have a great week everyone.

Goodbye Kindermusik

I can't believe how fast our little music class has flown by! It just seems that I was all excited about starting it and meeting new baby friends for Pax.

Today was her last class and I noticed that the last few classes (especially since she is now walking), she really came out of her shell. She was still a little unsure about the activities and things, but I know she enjoyed it.

She made a new friend, Audrey, who was by far the life of the class! I loved her energy and she was always ready to give Paxi a hug as soon as we got to class!

Pax was still a little unsure about all this hugging. LOL.

But they got along well, which made me so happy to see that she is great with other babies.

This is me, Pax, Audry & her mommy, Amanda.

And a SUPER big thank you to our Kindermusik teacher, Ms. Beth. She did so good with the girls and I learned some fun things that Pax and I will FOR SURE continue to do at home.

I wish I would have taken more pics throughout the session, but I was always too busy dancing or swinging Pax around. =)

When we got back into town-KM is 45 minutes away-we decided that we would go take a tour of her new school that she is going to be starting ONE day a week in January. I worked at this church based Mother's Day Out type school, so I am not worried about their reputation at all. I wanted Pax to see the room she would be in, where they eat lunch, and their toys. I know one of the teachers well, we went to high school together, so I know she will be in good hands. I am just spazzing because for the first time in 17 months, I will give control to someone else for one whole day. I know she will LOVE the social play and interaction, but it is just my nature to want to control what goes on in her day. I have NEVER been this way in my life, but with Pax, it is different.

It will be a good thing for us both and I am looking forward to seeing how she does.

We have LOTS AND LOTS of things coming up and it seems everyday is busy with something. I am so ready for Thanksgiving-Pax will actually get to eat with us this year and not nap through it. =)

17 Months Old

I think this is my favorite picture we have taken. Well, besides the 1 month old pic, where she is all little and squishy. =) This one shows off her personality SO good. She has gotten good at posing-as you can see-and I LOVE her scrunched shoulders look.

So, Pax at 17 months:

We have an official walker. Pax hardly ever crawls anymore and very rarely even sits down for that matter! She is all over the place and everyone is reminding me that I got what I asked for. I love being able to get her out of the car and let her WALK to the door-doesn't sound like much, but when you have 4 bags from Wal-Mart and a huge diaper bag-it helps tremendously!

We have since been able to do more fun things with Pax-go more places. Cody took her to the marina aquarium yesterday and she got to walk around and look at all the turtles and fish. He said she loved it. I am looking forward to December and a visit from our favorite cupcake. =)

I hate to say that this is my favorite age, because each month gets better, but right now, this is BY FAR my favorite age. We can have conversations and we play more pretend type games. It's such a blast. She has recently really gotten into coloring and after Christmas, when we get her easel, I hope to do more painting with her.

Cody & I are so blessed and so happy to have such an amazing little girl.

saturdays with nannie

So, ever since Cody went to work an extra job on Saturdays, Pax & I have been left to our own imaginations, as to what to do with ourselves all day. =) I clean pretty intensely throughout the week, so the weekends I am able to spend a ton of time with Cody, Pax, and my mom.

The highlight of my Saturdays with Nannie usually consists of a yummy local lunch and stroll through Wal-Mart (try not to be jealous.) =) This particular trip, Pax scored herself a sweet new ball to play with in the yard and after nap we decided to try it out.

She hasn't quite got the kicking down, but the running with it-she's all over. I can't say that any sports related ability will come from me-I was terrible. Like, worse than terrible. So, I'm praying she got some of Cody's athletic genes.

I think she just enjoyed watching it roll!

It was an absolutely AMAZING day today and we both got some great shots together with Pax.

My little ham.

The 2 Goobs.

No one should be concerned when she turns up super goofy one day...she comes by it all natural.

=)

crazy driver (s)

These two are a pair, let me tell ya. The trouble they are slowly discovering, scares me immensely.
; )

And I have to say, I love it. That laugh makes any day suddenly perfect. =)

falling leaves...and hair

Pax very rarely gets to rock a down hair 'do...with two cowlicks in her hair, it's next to impossible. For some reason this day, I hadn't put her hair up first thing that morning, so we just went with it.

It was a GORGEOUS day on Sunday and definitely worth spending lots of time outside. Now that Pax is walking so well, I like to take her out front and walk our sidewalk. She is learning how far she can go and tests me, of course. But with a house in the middle of town, with no yard, we do what we can. She adores the outdoors (definitely a Daddy trait!) and we've been getting into all these leaves everywhere. Literally. =)

I can't believe November is already here and Thanksgiving/Christmas is right around the corner. I am so anxious to get our shopping done for everyone. Especially our gifts to Pax from Santa...since he will be making his first "official" stop at our house this year!!

For now-we'll enjoy these gorgeous trees and leaves. =)