What a Great Year!

Words just can't describe how blessed I feel today.  I look back on 2010 and think, Wow...what a wonderful year!  With the new arrival of baby girl Tia, I became a new mom and enjoyed all the blessings and surprises that comes along with motherhood. I've been able to watch Tia grow from a tiny 6 lb 8 oz baby to an almost 20 lb one year old. I have laughed, cried, been more worried that I can describe, and the most thankful I've ever been in my entire life.  She is a true miracle and I love that I get to be her mom!  Of course, we all know that I'm married to the perfect man for me. Chris has not only been an amazing husband (as always), but he has really proven that he is meant to be a father.  He stands out from the crowd on fatherhood and I am not just saying that...I have heard numerous people say the very same thing from family and friends to nurses and teachers. I can attest that it is very true.  Chris is an amazing father.  There was a point when I thought he was even more exited about my pregnancy that I was and for me, that was hard to think that anyone could be more excited.  He talked to my belly every night, he was there for every sonogram, he wanted a piece of every decision made. From the moment Tia was born to today, he has stepped up and done his fair share of duties when it comes to parenting.  I have had a crazy busy year and Chris has been there to care for Tia and know what she needs.  I can honestly say that we both have our touch in certain areas and his is truly putting her to bed.  I used to love rocking her to bed, but now that she's grown a bit, he is the go-to person for bedtime.  I love that!  We have helped and taught each other about parenting but the best thing is that we've grown closer because of it.  We made a pact when we got pregnant. That Chris and Angie would be #1 and our kids would be #2.  Of course, we will love our kids to no end, but we will not let our kids come between us in our marriage.  We will make decisions together, be on the same page with parenting views, and talk about things with each other.  I have seen many friends go through marriages where the kids put a wedge between the mom and dad and only because it seems natural to do anything you can for your kids...not even realizing how it affects your marriage.  Of course, it is always easier said than done, but our pact is going strong and although my love for Tia is greater than I could have ever imagined, I want it to impact my love for Chris in a positive and nurturing way.  So we will strive to uphold our pact for all of our kids (wink wink) and ensure our foundation of our marriage is strong so our kids can have a happy home.  Chris and I are both from divorced families and I think we both can agree that we don't mind it at all. We are who we are because of our family growing up and we both feel that you live life one time and should ensure you make it right whether that is getting divorced or working through things.  I am divorced and had it not been for marrying my ex, I would have never met Chris.  I believe everything happens for a reason and I thank God every day that my life is the way it is by design.

Chris and I worked hard to get our house on the market this year and it has been up for over 4 months now.  We have so many showings to count and all have the same result, 'home is like a show home, but not a fan of the backyard'.  We've been told we are doing everything right and the right buyer will come along at some point. What makes it difficult is keeping the house clean every day with a baby around.  We have our house in show condition meaning, we have glass tables, iron wine racks, glass, and really an un-baby proofed house. We do have a play gate for Tia so she has room to play with her toys, but we have done our best to keep the house as tidy as we can for our over 40 showings.  Today, we may have a breakthrough and I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying that it may be the person we've been waiting for. The girl scheduled to see the house today is for the second time and is a very serious buyer. She had two houses she has settled on and needs daddy's approval, so she is bringing him buy later today.  If all goes well, we may have an offer! But even if she isn't the right one, I have a good feeling it will be sooner than later and our persistence will pay off. The reason we want to move is first and foremost, location.  I work in Chesterfield and my commute with dropping Tia off at school is about an hour and 15 minutes on a good day and longer when traffic is horrible.  By the time we get home at night it is 6:30pm or 7pm and we feed, bath, and play with Tia and put her to bed. It will be 8pm or so by that time and often we forget to eat.  I have to go to bed pretty early so I can get up at 5:30am to get the day started and me and Tia out the door. It would be nice to get some more time with my family back.  The other reason is that we are an expanding family and soon (we hope), we'll need more room.  Our 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home is perfect for us right now and if we could just pick it up and move it to a better location, we would...but for the long term, we need a slightly bigger home. Soon enough and hopefully some time in 2011, we'll have the house sold and onto another place to call home.

All of you know that I have the best friends any girl can ever ask for.  I moved around a lot when I was younger and so it was a bit hard to have solid friends through childhood, because of college I have three of the most amazing girls who are still close with me today, and then when I moved to St. Louis I had to find new friends.  It has taken about 10 years to really find the girls who have been there through it all and have stood by me through thick and thin.  I am truly blessed for you girls and you all know who you are!!! Of course, I do have to say that Lisa, my BFF, has really been there for me the past couple years and of course she knows why I'm so grateful,  my life is much better because she is in it. I do have to give a shout out to Lisa and Leslie for really surprising me earlier this year. I have really never been surprised with anything in my entire life - I blame myself! But they pulled something off earlier this year and I smile every day thinking about it!  Thanks girls - you two rock!  Of course, there are about 5 or 6 other girls that I rely on. Some who I get to see all the time and others who I talk to once in a blue moon but we are close as ever.  Thank you girls for another wonderful year!  Needless to say, Chris knows where he stands and I love our friendship.

When I came back from maternity leave, I really decided to dive into my work life.  I have always been a go-getter in the business arena and have excelled in all of my positions. After working for A.G. Edwards for 5 years and Spartech for 3, I landed at Technology Partners, Inc. where I've been for almost 5 years now. I love what I do, I love the people work with, and the people I work for. I wanted to be with a company I believe in and have the ability to be creative, as well as have decision making power and I'm able to wear many hats at work.  This year I've focused on my Marketing Manager and Corporate Communications Manager roles, but seasonally I have been the Hiring Manager for 4 years now.  Earlier this year, I gave up my Tech Support Manager role to focus on other things and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love being needed in so many different areas and am looking forward to continuing my growth at Technology Partners.  I did score my very own private office fully furnished with a brand new desk, credenza, and filing cabinet.  I was also able to attend the Women's Business Enterprise National On other work related endeavors, I signed up as an independent consultant for Thirty-One Gifts in May.  I came across the faith based company through Tia's daycare and I fell in love with the products.  I initially signed up to get the discounts, but some how started selling and made almost $5000 in extra cash for our family.  It was a nice bonus to our savings for a few extra hours a week of time. I have met so many wonderful girls through Thirty-One and have a lot of fun.  Professionally, I signed up for several organizations including the National Association of Professional Women.  In June, I became the first President of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Association of Professional Women. I have been working hard to launch this chapter and with several monthly meetings under our belt and our Board of Director elections in January, we are off to a great start.  I've always been an entrepreneurial spirit and my first official business is the Halloween Bus Party. Even though it is a party event, I made it a Limited Liability Company in 2003 and celebrated 10 years of successful events in 2009. With the arrival of Tia, I felt my urge to focus on family more than the social events and sold the Halloween Bus Party to another person.  I did not attend the HBP 2010, but was happy to hear it was another success by the new owner and organizer. 

There is so much more that happened in 2010 and for all of it, I am grateful for the new experiences, fun times, and good people.  I am looking forward to a great 2011 and I wish everyone a safe New Year's Eve and wonderful beginning to another year!

Tia doing the Ape Walk

At Tia's first birthday party, I had her in a embroidered pillowcase dress that had a cupcake with Tia's name on it.  She didn't like it so much because she wasn't able to crawl around very easily. We had to pull it back and put it in a rubber band so she could crawl freely.  On Christmas, we put her in  Christmas dress (that was darling) and it didn't take her long to figure out how to crawl. Chris called it the ape crawl because she would keep her legs straight and crawl on all fours like an ape.  It was soooo hysterical. Then, we felt bad, so we pulled the dress back and pulled it back in a rubber band so she could crawl easier and she still would crawl with her legs straight out and her butt way up in the air.  Too funny. It was an hour or so before she figured out that her knees hit the ground and she didn't need to crawl like that. But I have to admit, it made me laugh out loud every time. She is so darling and she doesn't even know it yet!

Tia is Loved

Tia has so much to be thankful for and she probably doesn't really realize it quite yet, but she will.  With her first birthday and Christmas, she had so many friends and family give her nice toys, clothes, money, and other gifts.  It is so nice having such a wonderful network of people who love and care for Tia!  Her daycare is also a haven where she is very much cared for and the teachers all love her too.  When we walk in every morning, they all say hi, talk to her, and sometimes when they hold her, I see them kissing her too.  I love that they feel close to her and can love on her.  Her teacher Ms. Lesa is so sweet and made her a blanket that says Tia for Christmas. It is super cute and is a patchwork style blanket. We love blankets at home and I can't wait to get it washed and usable.  Ms. Lesa made her a cute Halloween bag that had her name embroidered on it too.  Most of you all know that I love making and creating gifts and it is always nice to see others who have that same aspiration. Although, Tia may not remember her first teachers, I hope that by reading this blog, she'll be able to feel like she remembers how much she was loved her first year of life!

Take me There...

The latest gesture that Tia does that makes me laugh is she extends her arm out and points with all of her fingers where she wants you to take her. It is so cute. It is like she is raising her hand like you would in a class, but instead she is aiming it towards whatever object she wants you to take her to.  If she wants you to take her to the stairs, she'll point that way. It if is an object, she'll point (with all of her fingers) to the object. To food, to people, to places. It is so darn cute!  I just love it!  She had all of her family taking her all over the place no matter what house or venue we were celebrating. She was in control and loved telling whomever what and where to take her.  She's a little girl that knows what she wants and has no problem telling you what it is (does that sound familiar?).  I just love her so much.

Her First McDonald's

Now that Tia is one and the doctor says she can eat anything except nuts. I wanted her to have her first Happy Meal from McDonald's. I got her a Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal ($2.40 in 2010) and cut up the nuggets into bite size pieces, cut the french fries in half, and watched Tia go to town. She did so well and you could tell she loved it!  I let her sip on some orange soda and she loved the toys too. She received a tiny stuffed animal that was a puppy. She would put it on the ground and lay her head down on it giving it some love. It was darling.  I loved watching her have her first of many happy meals.  It won't be that often, but I know throughout her childhood it will be many many times she wants Micky D's for meals.

The Holidays were a Blast!

Our holiday season was a blast and was six days full of family gatherings from Aunt Jenny's to The Norris gathering to Katma's to the Gulledge gathering and down to Ste Gen.  Tia got a lot gifts and got a lot of money for her savings account.  We ate a lot and although the three of us were somewhat under the weather, we had a great time at every gathering.  Tia did very well. She acted shy during the Thanksgiving holidays, but for Christmas, she went to everyone willingly.  She had a blast and was her happy little self. It is amazing how big she has gotten. I don't realize how big she is until I see someone else holding her. Then I think, 'wow, that's my little girl!'

Tia's One Year Doc Appt

Tia went to the doctor yesterday for her one  year check-up.  She weighs 19 lbs and 3.5 ozs which is in the 20% percentile. Doc said not to worry though because she is a highly active baby and her metabolism is super high. Her height is 29.25 inches which is in the 55%.  Everything looks great and she got her shots as well. I wasn't able to be there so daddy had to watch her get them. I think it is by far one of the most painful things to see.  He said she did great and was a trooper. When she woke up from her nap later she was really bubbly and playful. She even walked to Daddy several times!  So we are going to start whole milk and now that she can eat anything, we'll probably try some other foods in the near future.  She is a great eater and loves her chicken and turkey sticks. She eats a lot of baby food veggies. She LOVES mac-n-cheese and yogurt. Of course, she loves icing and cookies too.  I think she is going to be a chocolate girl and every time the girl spots food, she starts her pac-man sounds with her mouth. She must have some good eyes too because this morning, at daycare, she spotted other kids eating cereal across the room. The teacher and I both had to look twice to see it.  She instantly started doing her pac-man sounds and wanted some too.  She loves food!!! But I'm happy to hear that she is doing great and right on the mark.  She is definitely growing like a weed and hitting so many milestones.  The next few days with Christmas festivities, I'm sure she'll hit some more milestones. I need to introduce her to my Granny's mash potatoes and noodles....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Holiday Card from the Norris's

Being a graphic designer as one of my duties can be very advantageous.  I get to design holiday cards and other things for our family.  So I present our Holiday Card for 2010.  I was able to use the free pictures provided by Tia's first modeling shoot with CPI Corp.

Her Name is Justice...

So Tia has many nicknames and most of them make a lot of sense. However, we came to find out that Tia's Uncle Brandon has been calling her Justice for the past year. The rest of us aren't quite sure why, but my theory is that she reminds him of the children's store in the mall called Justice...perhaps. I haven't asked him why because I think it is cute. I love that he has given her his own nickname. My Uncle Rich has always called me Angelina for as long as I can remember. The funny story about Justice is that Uncle Brandon must have told his friends that Tia's name was Justice because he had a friend who came up to Tia and said 'Hi Justice' and then proceeded to say that he loves the name and how unique it is. SO cute! I am sure she'll have many many nicknames over the years from TiaPotPie when she was all balled up in my belly to Peanut when she was first born to Tee Tee at Daycare and not to Justice.

Happy 1st Year Birthday Tia!

Wow, when they say that time flies when kids are babies and to cherish every moment, they weren't a kidding. This year seemed to have flown by with Tia and although there were moments that seemed longer than others, it almost seems like a blur. I have done my very best to cherish every single moment with Tia and to be thankful for every time I get to rock her or hold her or when she says mamamama. I just can't believe she's one and I am sure I'll be saying the same thing on her two year birthday. She has had a great first year and I just am excited to have my little angel in my life and I can't wait to help her celebrate all of her birthdays to come. May God bless her with a long and full life with all the good things that life has to offer and some. I just love my little girl! I can't imagine my life without her.

Pac-Man

Tia cracks me up sometimes with her little mannerisms. My latest favorite is what I call Pac-Man.  It seriously sounds like she is Pac-Man when she wants to eat. She started doing it a few weeks ago, but lately she will do it every times she sees food, every time she sees us eating, or just when she is hungry. I love that we have a means of communication for eating and it is super cute.  Yesterday when we were leaving daycare, there was a big bag of pretzels sitting at the front and Tia spit her pacifier have walk across the room, started moving her mouth and sounding like Pac-Man, and then lunged for the pretzels. It was so funny.  Everyone at daycare has been noticing it too.  My little Ms. Pac-Man!

Mommy & Daddy Movie Night

So Chris and I hadn't seen a movie at a theater in over 2 years (maybe longer) and recently we've decided to start going a little more now that Tia is getting out of the infancy stages.  So a couple weeks ago, while Katma was watching Tia on two different occassions, we decided to go see a couple movies including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. We just went to the Arnold theater since it was close to home.  Last night, Aunt Jenny watched Tia so we could hit another movie. We have a few on our list of would-like-to-see, but the one that sounded the best last night was Narnia (3rd). I was worried because we passed by the movie theater on our way to grab a quick bite to eat and the parking lot was packed.  The new Gravois Bluffs theater in Fenton looked nice and it was our first time seeing a movie there. We also chose to see Narnia in 3D to see what that was like.  We got to the theater a little early and walking into the theater we realized that we were the only people watching this particular movie.  I don't recall every being the only ones but it was a first time for both Chris and me.  We had our nerdy Clark Kent glasses sitting mid level in the theater in nice cushy, reclining leather seats.  We were taking pictures of ourselves and making jokes. It was actually pretty nice. We even took our shoes off and propped them up on the seats in front of us. Aw - what an experience. So we have decided to try to do this at least once a month. One thing is for sure, ticket prices have gone through the roof!  $9.50 per person plus a $3 3D up charge.  We didn't get any food or drinks, but we did at our last couple movies. It is insane, and I'm sure by the time Tia reads this one day, the prices will be around $50 per person or some unbelievable amount.

Baby Einstein

I know about the time when Tia was born there was a big stink about the Baby Einstein videos and how studies have proven them to be non-educational. But, I have to admit that I love them.  Not just because it entertains Tia, but because she loves them.  We have "First Signs", "Neighborhood Animals", "Baby Mozart", and now "Nursery Rhymes" and Tia just is amazed by them. I can see that she is learning too. In fact, in one of the videos, she predicts what is going to happen before it does.  For instance, one scene will be an elephant (that she isn't a fan of) and then she'll start moving her head from side to side like a tick-tock clock and next thing the scene changes to a metronome that is going tick tick tick back and forth. Then she'll start dancing and the next scene a song will come on. And I noticed that one on the video we got last week.  I have tried other videos, but she doesn't keep engaged in them and is uninterested. I do love that she plays with her toys more and even though she isn't watching, I can tell she is still listening. It just goes to show why the Generation of kids these days are multi-taskers.

Tia's First Birthday Party

Yesterday was Tia's first birthday party at her Great Uncle Chuck and Aunt Brooke's house in Edwardsville. It was a family event with about 40 people in attendance.  The weather was horrendous and at one point, I even called off the party because I didn't want to take the chance of any accidents or worse. The snowfall looked like a foot high but it was the wind that was making it really hard to travel.
I went out early to Wal-Mart to get supplies for the party and I can honestly say, I was all over the road. After talking with several family members, we decided to go ahead and have the party. (1) When could we even reschedule...we probably couldn't (2) Christmas is just two weeks away and everyone is busy with the holidays (3) We already paid for the cake, food, and supplies (4) Tons of people will still make it (5) Those who know it is too dangerous can stay home and they'll know we will understand. To my surprise we had almost 40 people there. I was amazed.  Tia made out like a bandit.  She had so many presents that I was overwhelmed opening them all. I had to enlist the help of Tia's cousins Janelle and Juliean who had no problem opening up the gifts.  Of course I loved all the clothes and videos and Tia loved all the toys. She was a trooper all day long. She had a few spells where her temper came out, but for being passed around constantly to people she may or may not remember, she did well.  She had her own little birthday cake to demolish and she was so dainty about it.  She LOVED the icing and just kept eating it and was mad when we took it away. We did give her the Dora figurine off the top and she just ate on that until poor Dora had no icing left.  Tia was mad if we even tried to take her away from her.  When we got home, we opened a ton of her toys to play with and she went to town. 

Chris and I decided that she knew exactly what it meant because she acted so excited. She kept crawling up on Chris with an excited scream with a big old smile. She just played and played until bedtime. It was super cute.  So her first birthday party was a hit and being two weeks after Thanksgiving and two weeks before Christmas was perfect.  Thanks to Chuck and Brooke for their home and big thanks to Leslie and Alyssa for their help facilitating the party....I would have been a mess without their help!  So Tia knows who was all there when she reads this one day: Great Grandpa Dan & Great Grandma Tena Merli, Great Grandma (G.G.) Stella Merli, Great Grandma Billie Gulledge, Grandma (Katma) Kathi Spears, Grandpa Mike & Grandma Marsha Norris, Grandpa Donald Paul & Grandma Tharinee Gulledge, Aunt Amber Chappell, Uncle Dakota Chappell, Uncle Brandon Pritchett, Aunt Dolor Gulledge & Cousins Juliean & Janelle, Great Uncle Chuck & Great Aunt Brooke Gulledge & Brock, Chase, Beau, Great Aunt Kina & Great Uncle Evan Jones & Garryt, Drew, Great Aunt Jenny & Great Uncle Dave Dawson, Great Uncle Dennis & Great Aunt Debbie Merli & Dierdre, Great Aunt Fran Cain, 2nd Cousin Jamie & Larry Butkovich, Leslie Schultz, Alyssa Smith, Daddy, Mommy & Tia.

Maybe She's Over It?

The past few weeks, Tia has had some major diarrhea and then she got a yeast infection. Honestly, didn't realize that babies can get yeast infections, but she is a girl, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.  They suggested putting jock itch cream called Lotramin for a few days and if that didn't work, then we need to get a prescription.  Well, it worked or at least it looks like it did.  I just felt so bad for Tia because she had a sore bottom and was teething. The poor kid seems to have had a rough year with sickness. Although, the tubes have helped significantly.  She is still in good spirits and she still warms my heart with her smiles. She is really starting to show her personality!

Our Little Soccer Player

Most of you already know that Chris and I are big soccer lovers. I played soccer my entire life including 15 years as the only girl on the guys soccer team. Of course, I was a huge tomboy growing up and didn't really grow into my own until later high school.  I played soccer in college and the minute I moved to St. Louis, I signed up to play on any team that would take me. I had my own team for years and it wasn't until a few years ago that I stopped playing. I even played at the Show Me State games with a select team and every year, we were in the top three.  Chris didn't have the luxury of playing soccer until later in life, but he played several nights a week as an adult for years prior to meeting me.  When we met, it was always a dream of mine to be married to someone who I played soccer with on a regular basis.  And although we did get a few leagues in together, ultimately, we both have been soccer-less for the past couple years.  I tore my PCL (posterior knee) playing kickball in 2008 and Chris tore his ACL (anterior knee) playing soccer in 2009.  We were definitely a match made in heaven. But we have both talked about possibly getting back into it one of these days.  In the meantime, we have Tia to tend to and I think she is already developing a soccer forte.  The minute we found out she was a girl, we drove to Babies-R-Us to buy our first item for her and we decided on a pink pair of puma soccer shoes as her first official shoes.  Boy did she look cute in them, but of course she's too big for them now.  In Chicago, earlier this year, I bought her a big plush soccer ball from IKEA. She loved that think, but probably too big to really play with. The other night I saw a softball sized plus soccer ball and I had to get it for her.  I never thought it would be her new favorite toy, but she loves the thing. She'll throw it and then chase it down. She chews on it and she loves on it (so cute).  Yesterday morning, I accidentally let her keep in when I put her in her car seat. Normally, I'll take it away from her and put it back in the car, but she must have snuck it from me.  Apparantly, the teachers were saying that it was the HOT toy and Tia would get mad if anyone played with it.  She was guarding it with her life and ultimately, they had to take it away because it was causing such chaos amongst the classmates. My first thought was...yeah, she is going to be a defender like her mommy! lol  But I just love that she is loving the soccer ball. I told her the other night that she may now realize it yet, but her two requirements from Momma-bear are (1) playing soccer and (2) playing the guitar!

She's Definitely Teething

Our poor baby girl was in some major pain last night.  Her pain is two fold, but I believe the major hurt is from teething.  For months, she's been teething and has an irk here or there, but I have never heard her whine in pain like she did last night. I have heard other babies whimpering, but not Tia.  Chris had her by himself because I was at my bowling league when he called in worry wondering why she wouldn't stop crying, wouldn't eat, and wouldn't calm down.  I could hear her on the phone and my heart just ached. I hated hearing her like that I felt helpless because I wasn't there (and she always wants her mommy ;) Chris was worried, but I made a couple suggestions and he tried them.  I did call him back after while and he said he finally got her to eat, but that two things (1) she has a yeast infection and her bottom is very blistery...which it has been for a few days now, but we just thought it was the aftermath of her diarrhea stage.  (2) her teeth are bothering her.  Tia finally had two teeth break through on the bottom and when you feed her, she'll stick her fingers and feel her new teeth. I don't think she quite knows what to think.  So it is inevitable that she'd start the whimpering part of teething and thus she has.  Chris was all torn up last night and said he just couldn't get the image out of his mind of his little girl not acting like herself. Not reacting like she normally does, not playing, not eating, and being a bit lethargic. He was worried, but he knows it will all get better. So I went and asked the pharmacist what we should do for her yeast infection and we are supposed to put this jock itch creme (starts with an L) for a few days and if that doesn't help, then call the doctor.  I also bought Baby Ora-gel and tried to give her a binky with some smeared on it, but she was in too much pain that she didn't want anything.  I did get her to finally take it and she knew something was up with the binky because it tasted funny to her...but hopefully it helps.  My poor baby!

Let's Go Bye-Bye

I just love how Tia opens and closes her hands gesturing bye-bye.  Any time someone says the word bye bye, she'll make that gesture.  Or sometimes, I'll be in the other room and I'll wave to her. She'll instantly wave back. I love it.  The other thing I love is when I put her in the pumpkin seat, she'll hold on to the handles like she is ready to go.  Lately though, because it is so cold, I'll take a blanket and tuck her in, so her hands are under the covers and she's nice and nestled and warm.  I have been trying to sneak a hat on her lately. She'll instantly take it off, but then try to put it on herself.  It usually ends up sitting on her head, but not properly. I guess I have to give her credit for wanting to do it herself.  So I do like that she is understanding what it means to go bye-bye, etc. 

My Little Singer?

So most people know I love to sing and play my guitar...although I may not be the best in the world, I do enjoy trying. I have written a few songs and the one I wrote for Chris is my favorite one to sing.  Chris loves to chime in and it is my old standby for the time being.  A couple nights ago, we were in the guest bedroom and Chris was holding Tia up on the bed, so I grabbed the guitar and started to sing.  Tia started to gently dance and then all of a sudden she made this horrible face.  Her eyes went squinty, her forehead got all wrinkly, her lips became circle like almost pointing down and she started to make this low sound almost like she was in pain. But she kept doing it and she was still gently dancing. At first, I thought, wow, she's one and already is a critic of my singing...but what we soon found out was that she was singing.  She just looked so sweet and she was just a howling away.  The next morning, we were driving to school and I was signing to some song on the radio and I looked over and saw her in the back seat with the same scrunched up, painful looking face, making a deep howl. She was really getting into it too.  This morning, I just said the word sing and she started howling. I'm telling you, I had to warn the teachers that she is not in pain if she makes that sort of face or sound, she's just singing a long! lol

Eating Like a Big Girl

Thankfully, Chris was patient and tolerant enough to force Tia into eating some of her foods that she acts like she doesn't like.  He would speed feed her and she'd cry and moan at the first several bites and then finally give in.  Of course, Chris would feed her the worst foods first and then her favorites later.  She loves Chicken and Turkey and will eat four chicken/turkey sticks at a time.  She loves macaroni with cheese, although we've been putting that one on hold to feed her some of the more nutritious foods. But I have to say that because of Chris she is now eating like a champ.  Now that she has two teeth coming in, I think she'll become and even better eater over time.  I think because she eats well, she sleeps very well at night too. She has always been a pretty good sleeper, but sometimes if she didn't eat much of the hearty foods, she would wake up hungry mid-night.

I See Teeth...Finally!

We've been waiting patiently for some teeth to come in, but to no avail....nothing.  I have been checking and I am positive I even glanced last night. Although, she won't let you look willingly, but when she laughs or looks up, it's a perfect time to steal a peak.  This morning, when I dropped her off at First Academy, the Director said 'she's got those two teeth coming in...' and I said 'WHAT?!?, Really?', because I thought I would have noticed, so I peaked in her mouth and yep, there sits two bottom front teeth that are barely peaking through her gums.  They almost look clear, but sitting perfectly side by side are two TEETH! Finally!  I see all of her classmates have had teeth for months and Tia has had zero, but after thinking about it yesterday, I'm really not surprised.  I didn't have my first baby tooth fall out until I was in second grade and according to some coworkers, that is super late because most have theirs start falling out in Kindergarten.  But this is not necessarily a bad thing if Tia takes after me.  My teeth are super strong, I didn't have cavities until I was out of high school, and although they recommended braces, I've never had them to this point.  I LOVE Chris's teeth and would love for her to have teeth like him, but he begs to differ saying he had a major overbite and had nick names growing up about eating corn and being bucky... I have been told that my teeth are more evolved because I only have 2 wisdom teeth on the top that never came in.  So I don't even have wisdom teeth on the bottom at all. Having only 2 possibly wisdom teeth is a sign that is more evolved and therefore may be a reason why I was a late tooth bloomer, as is Tia.  No matter how we theorize...I'm so proud of Tia for finally getting some teethers!

Only a Matter of Days

I predict that Tia will be walking in a matter of days. By the weekend or definitely by her birthday.  She is as close as you are going to get. She will take a few steps confidently and fall, but she knows exactly what walking is and it is so close.  She'll hold on to the railing, then no hands, she'll dance or teeter back and forth, then sometimes she'll take a few steps before falling.  Like I mentioned in my last post, she took several steps to Chris.  She was at her Katmas yesterday and she said she stood straight up from a sitting position with no help from railings or something to pull her up. Chris and I witnessed it that same night and she takes steps almost as if she is going to keep walking. She'll even almost run...so only a matter of days and she'll be on the move. She is going to be a fast kid. I ran track and have been known for my speed in all the sports I played. I even broke some records and may even have one at the high school. Chris is also super fast as I witnessed playing soccer and kickball with him and so if Tia inherited speed from either of us she'll be a fast kid and if I'm thinking what I'm thinking that she inherited speed from both of us, then we better watch out.  Just crawling, she covers lots of ground quickly. At Thanksgiving, she trucked up stairs, for the first time, as fast as a 2 year old. It was crazy.

So Much to be Thankful for

Thanksgiving was a lot of fun this year with having Tia so interactive.  We were down in Ste Gen for a night, then in Ballwin, then Edwardsville, and even at home for one get-to-gether. I think everyone enjoyed seeing Tia and I think she enjoyed playing with everyone else.  She was a little under the weather and had several yucky, loose stools, but she was still very happy.  We are just so thankful to have Tia in our lives and it seems like everyday she is doing more and more things from saying bye bye, to shaking her head no, to even walking her first several steps just yesterday.  She's just so fun and too smart for her own good!  Thank you God for blessing us with a healthy home, beautiful family, wonderful friends, and all that we need for our well being.  We are truly grateful.

Finally a Goodbye

For months when I wave goodbye, Tia will just stare at my hand. When others wave goodbye, she'd do the same thing. She's picked up on so many things so quickly, but for some reason waving goodbye or hello just hasn't happened. I finally noticed a few days ago that her fingers would do the wave. Her hand wasn't extended or raised, but she'd do the wave with her fingers...so it is slowly starting to happen for her. So cute.

Tia Missed Her 9 Month Appointment

My excuse is with the chaos of Tia being sick frequently during her first 6 months, I barely remember which appointment was her 6 month and which appointment was just another day we brought her in because she caught a cold.  Shortly after is when she got her tubes put in and I remember the doctor saying she'd have her next shots at a year, but I just really don't remember anyone saying anything about a 9 month appointment.  Like I said, it was sort of a blur since we were up at the doctor so often.  So needless to say, Tia missed her 9 month appointment.  I guess in retrospect, it is a great thing because she has had no reason to go back in the past 5 months. She's been happy, healthy, and growing like a weed. So her next appointment will be her year apppointment which sounds as crazy as her first birthday coming upon us quickly. 

Our Routine

One of my favorite things is my mornings with Tia.  Yes, I have to get up a couple hours before I did prior to having Tia but it becomes habit and just part of the routine.  I never know how the mornings are going to go...I really just let Tia dictate what happens. All the same tasks take place but the order is set by when she gets up.  Some mornings she sleeps until I wake her up. This is my most ideal time because I can get all of my stuff done and all I have to do is feed and change her and we are out the door. However, sometimes she gets up early and I usually feed her in the dark and try to put her back to bed.  Most of the time she goes right back down, but sometimes not so much. So I sometimes put her in the swing in front of the TV with Baby Einstein on and she'll doze off.  Other times, if really early, I'll bring her in bed with me and feed her and let her go back to sleep on my chest. I'll put her next to Chris and go get ready. Every morning my alarm goes off at 5:15 and then 5:30. I usually get up and make her a warm bottle so it is ready to go.  I have her monitor nearby and when she lets me know, I'll go feed her.  I jump in the shower and get ready, then I'll get my bags packed for the day, her diaper bag packed, and have everything right by the door ready to go. I'll go into her room and sometimes if she's still asleep, I'll turn the light on and while I'm grabbing her clothes and putting stuff away, she slowly wakes up and she stands up in her crib and is super excited to see me. I scoop her up and take her into the guest bedroom and prop her up on a pillow and give her the bottle. She'll hold it while I take off all of her pjs and change her diaper. I'll interrupt her here and there to put her shirt on but she doesn't seem to mind too much.  Then once we are ready to go, I'll bring her in to see Chris as he is rolling out of bed for the day.  We'll play with daddy and give kisses goodbye and then we are on our way to school and work. She is super clingy in the morning and becomes a mommy's girl sometimes not even going to Chris and she hardly ever wants to go to any of her teachers. She watches my every move and whines if I make a effort towards leaving. The only thing that keeps her distracted is food!  But I do enjoy spending those bonding moments with Tia.  I talk to her in the car and kiss her cheek when she eats. I give her some 'you're so silly' and 'you're so sweet' in the morning. We giggle, laugh, and she'll crawl around the house while I chase her.  Just so fun.

Peak-a-Boo

Tia never ceases to amaze me.  A few weeks ago, Chris was playing peak-a-boo with Tia by putting a small blanket over her head and then taking it off. Of course, she loves it and when Chris stopped, she kept going. So cute to see a baby do things on their own and so she'll hold the blanket above her head and then pull it down. What is cute is her big gummy smile when she pulls it down with her squinty eyes and her belly laugh just waiting for you to react. So cute.

Yes and No

Tia is so cute when she shakes her head no.  If she sees you shake your head no or she hears you say no, she'll automatically shake her head too.  After a few days, we emphasized the nodding yes and now she can do that too.  The cutie patootie tries to multi-task and shake her head while standing and she loses her balance.  But it is so cute to see her say no or yes. I really do think she knows what it means too.  What is funny is when Chris will say 'give daddy a kiss' and she'll shake her head no.  So cute!  I am sure she'll be hearing NO a lot and I'm sure she'll want that t-shirt that says 'Hello, my name is no-no'....I guess all parents go through saying no to everything, lol

Only One without Shoes

So everyday I drop off Tia to daycare and I never really noticed it until today.  She is the only one in her class that does not wear shoes. Or at least amongst the kids that were there this morning at 7:00am.  There is a baby boy who is a lot smaller than Tia who was wearing shoes and I think it hit me that maybe I need to start putting shoes on the girl.  I don't even know what shoes we have for her.  Perhaps, for her 1st birthday, she'll get lots of shoes to wear.  I just wonder when babies are supposed to wear shoes everyday...wouldn't it be when they are walking? I guess, I was waiting for her to be officially walking, but maybe I need to get her some shoes and it would help.  I'm going to start paying attention when I drop her off to see if she really is the only baby without shoes.

Moving?

We have had our house up for more than 90 days and although we've had over a full page of showings and every one of them love the house, but they all hate the backyard. Our backyard is not the best, but it is not horrible. I have definitely seen worse.  It is very large because essentially, we are on a corner lot on our street. It is baseball diamond shaped and is a huge incline from our house up the hill.  I honestly will say that when I moved in, I thought bad things about our backyard too, BUT it wasn't until this year that I actually went up to the top to take pictures and realized it was a nice back yard. There is a level spot in the middle and it is a gorgeous view. Now, getting takers to wall to the top of the yard and take a good look at it, is a challenge. We had hoped to move by now, but it looks as though we will be staying at least through this hard winter until Spring time when the housing market is much better.  Only time will tell. I would love to say that all the mornings of cleaning and tidying up have paid off, but to no avail - it hasn't.  With a baby, it has been extra hard and I really do think she has more stuff that I do, but we'll get there one day...just have to be persistent and patient.

One of Daddy's Babies is Gone

So Chris has had a Cavalier Z24 for years. So long that the car is still in somewhat good condition for being a 1998 vehicle.  It has over 170,000 miles on it and has its share of slight problems, but all in all it has been a great car for Chris and he definitely considered it one of his babies for a long time.  In fact, when we met the Cavalier is the car he was driving around and not too long after we got serious, he went and purchased a nicer vehicle so we could ride around in a bit more style....you know, power locks, air conditioning, etc.  But when we found out we were pregnant, the nicer vehicle was only a two-seater and we soon realized that it was not going to do the job. Especially, since there would soon be three of us and a two-seater was not going to cut it. So Chris sold the Nissan 350Z that was in mint condition with pretty much zero miles on it because besides a few dates with me here and there, he typically drove the Cavalier around. I designed a website to showcase the 350Z and we posted a link on Craigslist..within a week, the car was sold.  So I've been telling him for a few years now to get rid of the Cavalier, that I wanted him to be safe, and that he would NEVER let Tia ride around in it. In his eyes, the car was fine, BUT he did understand my worries and has been meaning to sell it for a long time.  Finally, a month or so ago, he took pictures and I was able to post them to my website and put direct html jpgs into the Craigslist posting.  Within minutes, the phone started ringing, the text messages started coming, and the emails were filling up the inbox.  Over 50 and more interested parties...Chris put above book value because he knew how much he had taken care of the car and that it was worth more than the average for sale by owner 98 Cavalier Z24.  Within a week, the Cavalier was sold! A buyer came with cash in hand and signed all the paperwork for the Cavalier to have a new home.  I do think Chris was a bit said and I can understand why. I was the same way about my old Ford Explorer that I had for years that eventually exploded, literally. I sold it to a friend and whenever I see the same model, I get those nostalgic feelings back. I'm sure Chris will be the same way, although a part of him is relieved as well.  Glad she's sold - one more thing we have crossed off our list before the move, if that ever happens!

Is She Teething?

Back when she was about 3 or 4 months old, I was confident she was teething because she would chew and drool on everything, but no signs of teeth that that time.  Still today, at almost 11 months old, Tia has no signs of teeth coming in. She has several classmates will a few to a full set of teeth, but nothing for baby girl. But the past couple weeks, she has been a little out of sorts, has had an intermittent diarrhea here and there, and she seems to want to chew on anything metallic.  Daycare and others all seem to think she may finally be getting some teeth?  But I guess time will tell. I just want to to be her normal self again. I've seen babies in major pain from teething and I hate for Tia to go through that, but I know it is part of growing and getting big.  She's such a cutie, but you already knew that.

Our Little Sumo Wrestler

I wouldn't say Tia is the best eater in the world. She eats when she is really hungry, but she is not consistent in how much she'll eat from night to night.  She'll chow down on the chicken pieces and will pass over the carrots one night and then the next she'll pass over the apples and go straight for the carrots. Lately, she has only wanted her bottle and eats a bit of solid foods, but nothing like other babies I know do.  She did chow down on my mac-n-cheese the other night and she LOVES cereal. If that was a hereditary thing, she'd definitely get that from Chris. However, I don't think that is the case but rather she just loves cereal.  One thing is for sure is when she is done eating and is ready to get down.  She slides way down in her high chair, makes a double chin type face, and puffs out her cheeks.  Her eyes become super squinty and she makes a sort of grunting noise.  You'd think she was making a poopie, but we now know it is her way of letting us know she is done.  She seriously does look like a sumo wrestler. We haven't decided if we think it is cute or not.  One thing that is not cute is her recent love of putting all of her food, piece by piece, on the floor.

So Big...

Tia is just the cutest thing when someone says 'How big is Tia?' and she'll put her hands straight up in the air and we'll say 'So Big'. Then she'll keep doing it and we'll respond every time with 'So Big.' It is seriously so precious.  She definitely responds and knows what we are talking about.  The other thing she does is clap her hands. If you say Patty Cake or clap your hands, she'll pull her hands out and clap them.  What Chris loves about it is how sweet it is. She barely claps them together but does enough to where the sound is just a tiny clapping sound. It is so cute and she'll do it often for other reasons too.  I just love it.  She dances when music comes on and she has been shaking her head at certain things too, although we haven't quite figured out what that means yet.  All of her little actions are just awesome to see and to watch her grow so big!  Love it!

She's Walking (with help)

My brother and his wife gave us a walker when Tia was born but we instantly noticed how quickly the wheels went and both said wouldn't a baby get hurt. This walker looked dated which meant it has gone from generation to generation so for sentimental purposes we kept it. When I was picking up Tia from Kathi's, her landlord was there and as a proud new dad he had to show off his 9 month old son walking using a walker on video. Of course Katma had to prove how her grandbaby is so smart and said, Tia patty cake...clap and Tia, as if on cue, pulls her hands out and claps them together. Her landlord said, now that's cool. When I got home that night I decided to pull out the walker my brother gave us. Tia saw it and it was as if she knew exactly what to do. She uses the handle bars to pull herself up and uses it to walk across the floor. Of course, it did go a little too quickly for her but for her first time she did great. It reminded me of an adult pushing a motorized pushing lawn mower but they can't keep up and fall to their knees and are dragged. That is what happened, but Tia loved it and she was determined to figure it out. We were amazed. But it made me realize she will be walking soon!

Tia's School Pictures

I have to admit that her school photo is awesome. I can't remember many of my school photos ever being any I truly loved, but I do think she's off to a great start. Of all of her classmates in the class photo, she definitely looks the best (of course I'm biased), but what I mean is that she is smiling and many others aren't.  I love her gummy smile! So cute.
 

Won't Sleep When She Needs To

Tia has been out of sorts lately when it comes to sleeping.  She does not want to be put down in her crib, on the floor to play, in her swing, or even rocked. She is just not happy when it is bed time.  It is amazing that she does not sleep much during the day and you'd think she'd be exhausted when she gets home - nope. Last night, she was up until 10:00pm and refused to go to bed. Chris was at his wits end because she was high maintenance too...she wanted to be held. Even jumping on the bed wasn't good enough for her.  I think she is a bit under the weather and is just having a hard time settling down. At daycare, they said that she refuses to sleep in her crib lately too.  When I came in this morning, they said - did she crash hard last night because she would not nap all day yesterday and when I told them she wouldn't go to bed until 10:00ish, they were amazed.  They also said that she will fall asleep in the high chair table they have and will bob her head and actually fall asleep sometimes but the minute they take her out and put her in her crib, she wakes right up.  I knew exactly what they were talking about. I would love to hear suggestions on how to change this...of course being a new parent, I'm clueless as to how to get good sleeping habits down.  We do let her cry it out for a short while from time to time and then pick her up and try to rock her, etc...and then put her back down. She'll fuss but eventually go back to bed. I am just not sure how to get her to go in her bed willingly, let alone go to bed on her own. Have I spoiled her with rocking and putting her in the swing?  I just really enjoy bonding with her while I'm rocking her to bed sometimes...it reminds me of when we first brought her home.

She's Standing Like a Big Girl

Last night, I was on the couch, Chris was on the sofa chair and Tia was in her playpen just playing along. I hear Chris say 'look at her' and when I did, she was standing up and clapping. She was trying to hold her balance and I counted 10 seconds and then she leaned in towards the wall of the playpen and held on. She looked at us with big smiles and she was proud. She kept doing it and would last about 10 or so seconds before losing her balance.  It was so cute!  I really do believe that the playpen has helped her learn to stand and pull herself up much faster than if she didn't have it.  I bet she'll be walking by her 1st birthday, but I can't say that for sure. We really haven't tried to get her to walk much...maybe we are afraid of what comes next, lol Boy is she stinkin cute!

Tia loves her Aunt Liza and Aunt Weswee

At daycare, they do this gesture with their hands above there head and opening their hands wide while saying 'how big is Tia...soooo big' and it is funny because she doesn't do it much for Chris, doesn't do it at all for me, but when Lisa is around, she'll do it. It is super cute. Lisa wasn't sure at first what she was doing...it almost looked like she was trying to fly like superman, but she was showing Aunt Liza how big she is...'I'm soooo big'. She also loves her Aunt Weswee (Leslie) too...she was making Tia laugh uncontrollably and even bought her some bloomers with a big T on the booty. So cute!

My Name is Definitely Momma

Before when Tia was saying Momma, she was just saying it and really not directing it to me. But the past few days, if I leave the room, she'll say momma as she is whining and as soon as I come over she'll stop saying it.  Even this morning, I picked her up and she said momma while leaning in for a hug and then again when I tried to put her down at daycare and at first she went willingly to the teacher, but as soon as I started to walk away, she said momma in her oh so sweet little voice. She even had real tears so of course I had to scoop her up and ease her tears. I did distract her, however, with cheerios.  I put her in the high chair/table and put some cheerios out and she could care less about me.  She did look super cute in her lady bug costume for her Halloween party at school.  I guess things never change for humans - food is always at the forefront of our wants.

She's a Smartie

That Tia is something else.  I know she is going to be a clever little thing because she watches me intently as I do something and then tries to do it herself. Before you know it, she is going to figure out how to unbuckle herself from the car seat and the high chair.  Last night, she was in her play-yard watching some baby Einstein and I was on the couch working on some stuff.  I watched her dump out all of her toys from this plastic container, drag the container over to the play-yard's side that was closest to me, put it up side down, and then make her way on top of it and she was the proudest little girl ever. She was holding her head over the top, smiling from ear to ear at me, and just waiting for me to clap my hands and say good job.  Then, she decided she wanted this toy too, so she crawls back down and grabs this clothespin rattle and is trying very hard to pull herself back up onto the box. She couldn't quite figure it out until she put her hand and then use that same hand to pull herself up because she knows she needs both hands to accomplish such a feat. So the little smartie, but the toy in her mouth, used both her hands to pull herself up onto the box and then when she got to the top and was stable, she pulled the toy out of her mouth and waved it in the air. I was so amazed...10 months old and clever as can be.  I'm sure she is going to outsmart Chris and me over the years - we better get prepared!

Does Tia Have a Boyfriend?

I dropped Tia off at school today and unlike most days, she went down and played with the other kids without protest.  She was crawling around on all fours and another baby named Jackson (Chris's coworkers' son) was also crawling around on all fours. They sort of came face to face and were doing the 'Uh...uh' at each other and Tia leaned in and gave him a big kiss on the lips.  Jackson looked up at me as if he done something wrong.  It was seriously a flash forward about 16 years!  But since she is only 10 months old, it was rather cute.  I wonder if that is her first boyfriend?  Besides Daddy, Grandpa, and Ed, of course!

She's Definitely Asian

So Lisa brought over Chinese food this weekend and on Sunday we decided to re-heat some of the left-overs. Tia was having her carrots and apples and I was eating some fried rice.  She became not interested in her food and was staring at my every forkful of rice. So I decided to give her a little spoonful and she loved it. She opened her mouth really wide and wanted more and more. She probably ate about 10 or so spoonfuls.  She is Asian!!!!

And the Winner Is...

I hosted a Lia Sophia party for my friend Ashley at our house. It was well received and a great time. As an extra incentive to making the trek out to Arnold, in addition to shopping/mingling/eating/drinking, a couple of my friends, Leslie/Alyssa, offered a $300 Limited Shopping Spree that includes your own personal stylist to help you shop. After all the orders were in, I decided to let Tia pick the winner. Here is who won...




And for those that can't see the video:
http://www.onecreativediva.com/Norris/Video%2022.mp4

I Wonder What She's Thinking

Tia does something that is so intriguing to us.  Whenever I pick Tia up, she'll grab a hold of me and then turn around and look at Chris. The looks she gives him is just a blank stare as if she is waiting for him to react. Of course, Chris thinks she is thinking 'ha ha, mommy's got me', but I'm not so sure. But every single time I take her from Chris, she immediately turns to look at him and just gives him this look. It is rather funny and I always wonder what she is thinking.  She doesn't do it for anyone else and poor Chris says 'you stinker giving me that look'...I guess babies do the darndest things!

Giving Hugs

I noticed a few days ago Tia leaning down and laying her head on this teddy bear on the floor. At first, I thought she was just tired, but then a few days later a doll was on the floor and I saw her lean down and lay her head on the doll, then pop up and start playing. Since then almost every time you put a doll or teddy bear near her, she gives it a hug. Super cute!! I just wonder where she picked that up or is that an instinct thing.  Daycare doesn't have any dolls or stuff animals and I even asked them about it. They just said 'it is the darndest thing where they pick these things up.'  I know I give Tia hugs all the time and when she is laying down, I put my head on her shoulder and kiss her cheek, but I just don't that she got it from watching me, but I could be wrong. She is just so darn cute with her little mannerisms. Makes me think she is going to be a lover and not a fighter.

Happy 10 Month Birthday!

Tia is 10 months old today. Amazing how quickly a month went by as it felt I was just writing happy 9th month birthday.  The milestone today is following her first major temper tantrum I have seen thus far. Last night, I fed her some cheerios in her high chair and when I took her out, she wanted to play with the buckles.  Well, I just put her on the ground while I cleaned up the tray of the high chair and she went over and pulled herself up and started playing with the buckles.  If I wasn't watching her, she could easily fall since there wasn't much holding her up, so I kept taking her down and she started wailing as if she was going to die if she couldn't play with the buckle on the high chair.  I took her into her room and tried to feed her a bottle since it was her bedtime and she just bucked and curled all the while crying with real tears. Her voice is a bit horse so she'd do that 'I can't breathe' cry and seriously I was saying 'baby girl, you are breaking my heart', but she kept on. So I took her out of the room and as we passed the high chair she tried to leap out of my hands and I put her down in her playpen and took the high chair over to the kitchen and stowed it away. She just looked at it and cried her eyes out. It was amazing to me and I wondered if this was the first of many temper tantrums.  It took her a while to get calmed down and finally she was fine. It did pain me not to let her do what she wanted, but for safety reasons I couldn't let her. I just kept saying to her that she can't have everything she wants but she just gave me those puppy dog eyes.  I was stern and prayed I'd always be able to be stern in those situations.  I am sure tonight when I got to feed her, it will happen all over again.  But maybe after a few times, she'll understand that she is not allowed to play with the buckle on the high chair.

The one thing she is doing that is super cute is she is standing with no hands. She'll be standing up and she'll push off and have no hands for a second or two until she needs to hold on again.  It is pretty neat to see her testing that out. She does try to multi-task and hold on barely with her forearm while her hands are free to play with whatever is around or whatever she is holding.  She cracks me up.  Happy birthday to Tia and many many more months to come.

Tia's First Wedding

I was so excited for Tia to attend her first wedding that I went out and purchased this cute little mauve, gray, black, and white polka dot dress. She looked super cute.  This wedding was Tyler and Libby Bechtold's.  Tyler is my first cousin on my dad's side and he is 8 years younger than me, so seeing him get married just made me realize that we are all getting older.  Weddings are always good to see family too because we really only see the entire family at one time a couple times a year, if that.  Of course, when we got to the church, my cousin Jamie (Tyler's sister), ran over and snatched Tia up.  Tia instantly put her head on Jamie's shoulder.  It is super cute, but I know that is a sign of her being shy.  In the past few weeks, she has started to have the mommy separation anxiety. So when she leaves my sight, she gets very frantic. Sometimes she won't even go to Chris.  Well, she napped on the way over and she woke up when we were pulling up to the church. When she has anxiety the most is when she first wakes up, so we knew she would need some time to warm up.  Within a few minutes, as she started to get passed around, she started to get frantic wondering where we were and when I came over, she had tears welled up in her eyes, but she hadn't cried yet. So I took her outside and we rejuvenated a bit. Then daddy took her and we were on our way back in. During the ceremony she was super cute, she played and looked around. She smiled a lot and when there was singing, she stop and stare.  She was mesmerized by it all.  The funny thing was that every time we were in prayer, Tia would yell out Dada or make some sound. One time, she tooted...which Chris was trying so hard not to laugh out loud.  But she did great and after she was passed around a bit and she loved it. She did great at the reception too. She again was passed around from family member to family member, but what we noticed is that she was drawn to little kids. My nieces, other babies, and just kids under the age of 10.  It is as if she recognizes the innocence of other kids...the innocence that most of us adults have lost along the way. She tried to go to sleep one time, but every time she was asleep, she'd wake to the clapping of when they announced each wedding party couple.  She'd try to close her eyes again, and then she'd wake to clapping. She gave me a look of, what is going on!  She got a second wind and was passed around again. Then later, my Aunt Brooke was able to get her to fall asleep just before we were leaving for the night.  She was just too cute. Was a great baby the entire time and without a nap.  So darling.

She's Dancing

Last weekend when we went to Ste Gen, I took my guitar so I can play some songs around the campfire.  When we came home for the weekend, I decided to play it before stowing it away.  I played a song I wrote for Chris and Tia was mesmerized. She was sitting on her knees and started clapping her hands together and dancing. It was seriously so cute. There were also a couple other instances where she heard music and started to dance.  I'd like to say she has a lot of rhythm, but can't tell just yet.  She just smiles, dances, and stares back. So cute.