12 Months

Sierra's first fair experience.  The following were her two

favorite things -

Funnel Cakes

And the moo cows

Eye....

Nose.....

Ear.....

Our garden finally took off!

Sierra enjoying a sunflower

Why do I put this child in white?

Helping mama water

Enjoying the last bit of sunshine for the day

My happy girl

Walking, check.  Climbing, here we come!

Sierra had a cold this month.  She can blow her nose with gusto:)

Being a silly girl

This is how daddy woke up on his birthday:(  Sierra was sick and woke at 3am. 

She doesn't ever sleep with us but I thought I'd give it a try.  No luck

just a kick in the face.  Happy birthday daddy!

After a rough night it is VERY hard to wake up from your nap.

Blowing out daddy's birthday candle

Helping mama get ready

She LOVES slides

Swings are just OK

She used to look tiny in her crib, now she seems like such a big girl.

I can't believe my little munchkin is another month older.  Time is flying!  A few things she learned to do this month: give a high 5, blow her nose, nod her head yes as well as say yes (she learned to shake her head no  months ago), blow kisses, point to her ear (she has had ear and hair confused for a while but finally got it figured out this month), she learned to neigh and woof as well.  Her vocabulary has taken off.  She tries to say everything.  A few examples: eye, juice, yes, chair, dog, pillow, up, and so many more. 

Some other big news is that Sierra was weaned this month.  I had surgery on a vein in my leg a week after her birthday.  We had cut nursing down slowly and so about 2 days after her birthday we quit cold turkey.  She was AMAZING.  It was obviously the right time for both of us.  She really never protested.  It made me a little bit sad in a way, but also extremely happy that it didn't cause her any distress.  And I'm quite proud that she was nursed for a year and two days.  My goal was a year and we made it!

Sierra got her first pair of molars this month.  She now has 6 teeth on top and still only two on the bottom.  Those teeth caused some serious crankiness (for mother and child) but she actually has handled all of her teeth quite well.  She was hit with a double whammy though because she also caught her first real cold.  It was a clinger and lasted weeks.  Luckily there was no fever involved.  We discovered the value of a humidifier and used that nose suction tool that we were sent home with from the hospital (when she was born) a little more than we would have liked to.  Sierra actually handled everything like a trooper because that's exactly what she is. 

Every month I try to imagine what's in store for us in the month to come and my imagination never comes close.  She's just so bright and she learns so quickly.  It sure is a blessing to watch her grow.

Sierra's First Birthday!

Is all this really for me?

She was quite excited about her new shopping cart

Not so excited about the birthday hat

Loved Great Grandma's blueberry birthday cake but it took her a

while to really dig in

Party #2

Sierra takes a little bite of Auntie's fruit and her finger:)

Opening Aunt Helen and Uncle Kevin's gifts

So many Grandma's!  A very lucky little girl.

A special cake from Grandma Shelly

This is what happens when you eat too much cake.....

"I think there's room for a little more"

You are allowed to skinny dip on your first birthday.  It's a known fact.

Getting some love from Grandpa Buck

A little sprinkler fun with daddy

Our big girl is a year old.  It's incredible the way our lives have changed in one years time.  It is impossible to predict the way that a baby can turn your world upside down.  Every extreme feeling of love, fear, protectiveness, and pride that you have felt in the past seem like nothing once you hold your own baby in your arms.  Every emotion and feeling magnifies a hundred times.  It's scary and amazing all at the same time.  Having that much love in your heart is almost heartbreaking because you realize how much you have to lose in life but also how much you have gained.  What a gift it is to be a parent. 

I find myself talking about how tired I am and how hard it is.  And it is!  It's exhausting and trying because you want to be the perfect parent and you never will be.  None of us ever will be.  Good thing that we have the Perfect Heavenly Father to fill us with his Peace and Grace.  There are some days I need those things more than others:)  But above all of the trials, there is such joy.  Unspeakable joy.  And I am so proud and in awe of my beautiful gift from God.  Happy birthday Sierra May.  You make my heart sing.

11 months

Creating a masterpiece

A play date with Beatrice

This is a hug/Sierra's choke hold

Mom, can't we please go outside?

Daddy leveled out an area for a swing set!

Sierra got in on a little tractor time before bed

In GG's garden

Picking rasberries

Her first ever daisy chain lasted about 2 seconds

Zoey always follows close behind

Not sure what this face is all about

Bet you can't catch me mom!

Proud daddy

One hand on the wheel

Picking peas in the garden

Eating peas in the garden (she won't eat baby food peas or frozen peas,

but she'll gobble them up straight from the garden)

The beginning phase of our garden

A girl's gotta have a purse!

Her new best friend, blanky

Awww, daddy luvs

I love this picture!  It makes me smile no matter what:)

Who needs a kiddy pool?

Zoo trip.  Big Elephants!

This one she could ride

Her first taste of a snow cone and her favorite part of the trip

More!

A trip through the mister with Auntie

Happy girl

Whew, a day at the zoo is tiring!

It sure was a busy month!  It's hard to believe that my baby girl is about to turn 1.  Sierra is at an amazing stage right now.  She is learning every day and it takes my breath away.  She's such a smart, active girl that it's all I can do just to keep up with her.  We went from walking to running this month and for how tiny she is, she sure is quick - especially when she has something she's not supposed to:)  A majority of our days are spent outside and we both love it.  When she decides it's time to go out and play she asks for her hat (ha) and shoes (shhh) and walks up to the door.  Outside I mostly follow her around while she picks up sticks, rocks, cherries, and whatever else she finds on the ground (we do have a doggie so I have to watch her very closely!).  She loves berries and can eat a ridiculous amount of blackcaps, rasberries, and blueberries from the garden and she loves to pick peas.  I think having a garden is so important as children grow up.  They learn how tasty fruits and veges are and it's so great to know the things I'm feeding her aren't full of chemicals or sprays.  Yay for gardening:) 

Sierra has some new words this month: up, tickle, tickle, tickle, owie, blanky, cheese, and I know there are more but it is late and that's all I can come up with:)  She can make the sound of a cow, horse, cat, chicken, bear, bunny (hop, hop, hop) and sheep.  She can point to her hair, eyes, nose, mouth, teeth, hands, tummy, and feet.  She is VERY good at letting you know exactly what she does or does not want.  She doesn't always get her way and sometimes that makes her angry but she is a very obedient girl.  Our house has definitely been baby proofed to an extent but I didn't put everything up and we have no baby gates even on the stairs.  She has learned what to touch and not touch, and it is nice that way because when we go to people's houses that aren't baby proof she generally understands what is okay and not okay to touch. 

Ever since her biopsy she has been a total mommy's girl.  She is still quite a social little creature but definitely prefers to only be held by those she knows very well.  She will play, smile, and talk to new people, but if they try to hold her it usually isn't pretty.  All very normal for an 11 month old. 

We had her first visit to the zoo this month.  She did great!  I think us adults may have had more fun than she did though!  She wanted to ride and touch all of the animals.  When we went to the petting zoo, the goats were all laying down and she didn't really want to touch them she just kept trying to swing her leg over them and ride them.  She's a little cowgirl in the making.  Overall her favorite part though happened to do with food.  She got to try a sno cone and elephant ear for the first time.  She loved them both. 

Another month has come and gone already!  I'm excited to see what next month has in store for us.