down on the boarkwalk

2008-03-20

today we went down to the bay and had some lunch and fun down on the boardwalk. there were lots of activities goin on..... live music, roller coasters, an aquarium restaurant...... it was warm and fun. we definately felt like we were on vacation and enjoyed seeing the nearby sights!

we tried to take a few daphne doggy pictures.... meredith is in love with the doggy kisses that daphne serves up right and left!!!

houston space center

2008-03-19

we are on our family vacation now down in texas. today we are bein astronauts and discovering shuttles, rockets, astronomy, and all that cool stuff. we got to ride a small bus around the campus and get out and see some of the actual space craft that nasa has used. there was always something to see when you looked up, and we had fun with the indoor exhibits tooooo.

it is fun to be in texas with cousins danny, shelby, brady, and jacob!

got ruby red slippers???

2008-03-15

today was the perfect day to get out the ruby red slippers that meredith got from nana and papa for her birthday. everytime we go to pick out shoes she likes to grab them and eat 'em. they are just so sparkly, who wouldn't eat 'em right?

we also tried on a few jean jackets.... sadly the first one has already been outgrown! how did that happen?

it is fun to chase meredith around the apt in her cute shoes. she squeels with delight as you follow her. today she wore out a little quick and i caught her on camera standing next to my leg and you can see her just starting to sign for nursing.

later in the evening meredith took her first steps on her own!!! we didn't get those on camera but they were pretty special for me and daddy to see!

got milk???

2008-03-12

meredith is full of surprises! today daddy taught her how to drink water out of a straw when we were at a restaurant today and then this evening at dinner she drank out of a big girl cup all by herself! i didn't know she could do it already! she has been interested in her sippy cup but really just seems to hang onto it and tip it only occasionally. but this evening she wanted some of my milk out of my glass instead of water from her sippy..... after a few happy slurps and backwash..... i got out the big girl cup and put a little milk in there for her. she just went right for it like a pro and as you can see in these pictures she is definitely impressed with her new found ability too! so we must have played with the cup for about 5 minutes or so before she tipped it upside down (to look at the bottom) and then threw it onto the floor :) awwww isn't she cute????

my matching dolly

2008-03-10

got a cute sweater that got all shrinky in the dryer????? i had one of those and aunt fran made it into the cutest dolly and outfit for meredith. they match! have you ever seen such a cute and soft pair??? meredith adores the eyes and hair especially on her sweet turqoise dolly.

science center

2008-03-09

today we took a family trip to the kansas city science center. it was sooooo neat to see meredith mesmerized by the whole experience. she interacted with quite a few of the displays and enjoyed touching and feeling her way through science just like a natural! there was so much to enjoy together, we were constantly pointing and discovering new things to talk about and see. meredith even enjoyed the train area of the science center so much that she will be anxious to share it when her cousins come to town (they are the real train buffs!) kansas city is really proud of it's train heritage and we are thrilled to take it all in!

what a wonderful start to our exploration of the city.....

happy birthday!!!

2008-02-23 birthday day

today we had the most wonderful party for meredith's first birthday. she was showered with lots of love and attention! she had a ladybug themed birthday party and was very lady like and enjoyed everyone at the party wearing their ladybug antennae and having a fun time.

meredith was entranced as we all sang happy birthday to her.......... she was somewhat stunned as we watched her at first with her cake. she then quickly snapped out of it and dove right for the ladybug! after sampling the frosting she just stuck her hand right in the cake and had fun from there......... she reached out a little to daddy to offer out some chocolate cake and just had fun being messy. she really became animated toward the end when nana was taking photos! i had always heard that the birthday girl usually doesn't eat much cake on her first birthday but that was not the case with meredith! she really got a lot in her mouth and she loved every mouthful! as you can see in the photos, she was a bit nostalgic at the very end and ready to crash! it is a lot of work being the birthday girl!

thank you to everyone for making such a happy girl!

morning celebration

2008-02-23 birthday morning

on the morning of the party we had fun eating the fun raspberry cake and enjoying some intimate cake eating.......... of course this is the best breakfast ever!

birthday fun

2008-02-22

today was a difficult day..... full of reminiscing about our little little baby already being one! it is a wild thing to think about how much our lives have changed and how special and complete our world now seems. where were we before? how could we not have meredith in our lives? she is our little sunshine. she is our punkin. she is our princess!

today is a beautiful and sunny day, just like i remember the actual birth day. meredith is adoring the extra attention and singing of her birthday song throughout the day.... she is thrilled to get an 'elmo' present today and per daddy's request we have a special cake and ice cream today for her. somehow we just don't get the cake eaten today though..... the birthday girl gets too upset after choking on some spaghetti at dinner and so we postpone the raspberry cake for tomorrow morning. birthdays are so unpredictable!

got nana and papa

2008-02-20

it is fun to play with nana and papa. they like all of the new expressions that i can make now..... especiallly 'ooooooh' we get to play with piano and all my toys!

back in mi

2008-02-19

it is fun to be back home again! we had a quick flight home and are busy getting ready for the party and visiting!

pretty in purple

2008-02-18 big fruit

today we were busy getting some last minute play time in before our big trip home for birthday fun....... and today was one of those days where i had to dress miss meredith up in her pretty purple outfit and try to catch the fruit plate fun area at the nearby zona rosa shopping center before it got crazy with kids. well it was crazy with kids, and i tried to get us in there with some photos without getting kicked in the head or knocked over. wow! kids can really be quick! it is almost like they can spot us from a million miles away and they come tumbling and kicking their way over to see us and touch meredith's face. whewh! i am getting myself all worked up just trying to describe the mad house fruit plate! well we survived, and meredith enjoyed every minute of it...... including the almost hugs and near misses with bare feet..... she thinks all those big kids are just the coolest!

a little art

2008-02-17 fun art

time for some messy art fun! it was a little interesting to start off because meredith wanted to taste the pretty colors..... but soon we were on a roll just smearing and swirling and just really enjoying fingerpainting for the first time!

i was unsure about posting the 'clean up' photos but hopefully they are all in good fun and meredith gets to show off her cool water fountain ducky from linens and things. that ducky can really spray! it requires 3 AAA batteries!

crayolla day

2008-02-16 crown center

today after my nap we headed downtown to a special place known as the crown center. they had a big hallmark store and special crayolla crayon store. we had fun looking at all of the neat stuff and when i got home i got to do some drawing! when daddy got home i got to show him my craft stuff and we played some more :) one thing i like to play with on my music table (here in the photos) is the purple door. i like to break it off of the table and mommy and daddy get all excited. it seems like the taboo thing to do, so naturally i go right for it. it is great fun! i also am teaching mommy and daddy a new game recently. it is called 'where did it go?' it goes a little something like this..... i get to toss an object that i have in my hands onto the ground and then with a look of suprise i put my hands in the air and hint that something is missing so 'where did it go?' it is also great fun! it has worked like a charm except when i threw my plate onto the floor. mommy didn't like it and i guess i got food on the wall. she says and signs 'no' when i do that now. she is silly!

got cookie?

2008-02-15 valentines

i started getting teething cookies this past week. i guess it is because the number of teeth in my mouth has doubled since we got to kansas city. the cookies are taste-y! mom took photos of me playing today.

happy valentines day

2008-02-14 valentines and presents

today i got to open a few birthday presents early..... mommy and daddy got me some wooden toys from the internet. they are the puzzles, wooden books, and snail that you see in the pictures. i even got a little ladybug stuffed toy for valentines day!

walking with daddy

2008-02-06 walking with daddy

i really enjoy learning how to walk, especially with daddy. he helps me go fast and i like to take him to my toys so we can play. i like to cruise the furniture, but walking will be fun by myself sometime soon tooo. i think mommy and daddy need lots of practice helping me learn how to walk first though.

my music

2008-02-04 my first ipod

mommy dressed me in my overalls today to be like the farmers in the area down here in farmland. i haven't seen any farmers yet, but overalls are sure comfy! i am missing my music from home too so mommy and daddy decided to get me an early birthday present........ an ipod! they placed it in this cool pink case so that i can hear the music and not break it! ipods are so neat. i love music. i love mommy and daddy for making my music so pretty!

a little treat for zoo zoo

2008-02-02 feeding zoo zoo

zoo zoo kitty is my bestest friend! he usually is taking naps or is just out of reach but somehow when it is time for me to eat he comes running too! i think it is because he loves me sooooo much. mommy says it is gross to feed zoo zoo and that he gets his own food but i don't really understand that yet. it is neat when he sniffs and licks my fingers at the table. he is such a great kitty!

bigger coat

2008-01-28 coat

here i am in yet another winter coat. this one is a little bit bigger than my pink wool coat but it is easier for mommy to get over my sweaters. i am swimming in it a little but at least i can still put my arms down and i can give nana and papa hugs and kisses before our trip down to kansas city soon.

my ball

2008-01-24

see my ball? see me have fun with the ball? i like to watch it roll. i like to catch it. i like to roll it myself and throw it. me and my ball. it goes fast. i can go fast too. my ball has many colors and i like many colors toooooo.

got piano?

2008-01-22 piano

today nana and i played piano! she knows the good songs and when i play she even knows the lyrics! i thought that my music was so good that i even had to taste the piano too see if it was true. i have learned a lot in my first 11months! it is fun to grow up!

our little lady bug

2008-01-21 ladybug

it is not everyday that you get to dress up like a ladybug! nana and papa are over helping me get things ready for the trip to kansas city and we are also getting ready for meredith's first birthday party...... can you guess the theme? ladybugs!!! somewhere along the way i have realized that i favor nature-minded toys for meredith and have found some really neat bug stuff. it just seems like the cutest thing for our little girl and for *future* kids too (we hope!) so a ladybug themed first birthday party is the way to go! yes, yes, i know what you are thinking. it is too early for *future* kid talk but someday i will be fertile again and it will be time to make more precious babies! just not yet!

my little fur hat

2008-01-17, 1-17

here is meredith in the cute little spotted jammies that i luv (she looks like a little fawn!) and wearing a fur hat that i got from my godfather when i was little. meredith is starting to feel so much better.....

since the last post we have went through a lot! meredith was to the doctors 4 times or so and the hospital 3 times.... it was all very tumultuous. her week long cough just got more crazy and she started having a fever. it seemed to be bronchiolitis for a few days but she must have picked up something more at the doctors office because she just got more wore out and started loosing her appetite and was only nursing for comfort. it was a difficult time and we ended up at the hospital er and was escorted directly up to the pediatric floor for 24hr supervision and hydration. they found pneumonia in her lungs and she started getting iv antibiotics. it was difficult to see her so sick. she really tried to stay positive. when we first got to her room she was pointing with both hands in two different directions.... just trying to take it all in. the room was very creative. her iv arm was all taped up to a big board and we nicknamed it 'the whammmer' because she could really hit us and herself with that thing! it was something to see! well she ended up getting lots of energy quick and we were sent home to relax without 'the whammer.'

dr. jean visits

2008 01 06 jeans visit

wow last time jean visited meredith was in my belly and now a lot has changed!! she has earned her doctorate and is getting ready to start a post doc at some famous lab in the country......... whooosh!! meredith was so excited to play and show off her new crawling skills. she tried to be on her best behavior for one of momma's dear dear friends :)

happy new year!!!

2008 01 01, new years

we had a fun celebration over at cousin jacob's house! we had fun partyin' and eatin' and i almost stayed up late enough to see the ball drop..... what a great start for the new year to be held all snuggly warm with a belly full of love and family!!!

Up North

2007 12 29 up north

whenever i was little we always went up north at christmas time to visit family. it was a true white christmas every time..... the snow, the fun, the family all around! how fun it was to take meredith up north during a snowy snowy weekend during the christmas time! next year we will get a chance to really enjoy the snow!

the day after

2007 12 26

Merry Christmas! The fun doesn't end on Christmas day! There is still more family to visit! We hope everyone is having a safe Holiday!

Merry Merry Christmas!

2007 12 25 christmas

What a wonderful Christmas! We hope that you and your family also had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed celebrating Jesus' birthday!

Meredith especially enjoyed her first visit from Santa and having a fun time at Grandma and Grandpa Shooks' house. Wow, baby's first Christmas!

family party

2007 12 23 family party

we got together with family on scott's side today to do some Christmas celebrating and have a fun day out. we started off at the local bowling alley and meredith enjoyed her first time bowling. she was a real natural. she was all interested in the social side of bowling and we thought it was great how the bowling alley had 'bumpers' up so the 'kids' didn't get their bowling balls stuck in the gutters. at first i had meredith in the baby wrap that i am wearing in the photos.... but she much preferred being held by all of her extended family! we celebrated back at aunt linda and uncle tom's house with great eats that included a great Christmas cookie spread and Jesus' Birthday cake. oh yes, and meredith got spoiled with lots of presents tooo..... including her first dolly!