Learning Everyday

I wish it was just Jana that was learning everyday, but she seems to be teaching us plenty... about how we are so incredibly not prepared for an active, inquisitive, and some times devious toddler.


Lesson #1:

First, she decided that she wanted to do laps around the futon. Three out of the four sides are not a problem; it's that last side that told us we need to either block it off completely or make it passable by the squirt.


This is looking down at her. The arm of the futon is in front of her and the sliding glass door is behind her. And yes, she is kneeling in the basket full of dog towels


Now she's trying to get out of the basket on the other side by using her music table.



Lesson #2

Look very, very carefully to the side of her head by her eye and just below her eye. Yup, that's right. We learned how to take the lid off pens today!

Here are the close ups!



Lesson #3: No pics.

J has been getting on my case about being sure to close drawers. Well, after getting a knife out of the drawer, he forgot to close it and Jana closed her finger in it, slicing it open. Poor little thing has her first band-aid.

Another day, another set of lessons the mama and dada are learning!

To my wonderful daughter on your 1st birthday!

I am in complete disbelief that Jana is one. What happened to the last year? Where did it go?

At a year old, you:

* Crawl everywhere; you don't sit still anymore.
* Pull yourself up on everything - stead or unsteady.
* Cruise on anything you can get your hands on and are now starting to take bigger risks.
* Love to pull things out of your toy box and then put them back in.
* Want the dog - she is no longer safe anywhere.
* Crawl up all 14 stairs on your own and anytime we don't close the gate - little stinker!

You:
* Love bananas and cheerios.
* Love any food that is pureed, but refuse to put anything else in your mouth, unless it is a banana, cheerio or on a good day pear, apple, or carrot.
* Don't even hesitate to take your formula from a sippy cup.

You:
* Love your blankie and your Tigger in Pooh's costume.
* Love taking baths.
* Love to grab a book and turn the pages by yourself, but hate it if I turn the pages as I read.
* Pull the blanket up over your head to show us you are tired.
* Dance to any song that you hear - Daddy's singing, radio, CD, commercial, it doesn't matter.

You:
* have become a mama's girl - You yell if I leave the room, go upstairs, go to the bathroom alone.
* absolutely light up when you see Dada.
* adore your Grandpa Gary - you have him wrapped around your little finger already.
* love your Grandma Pam - you give her the cutest little smiles.
* love your Grandpa Bill's voice - you love to stare at him when he talks to you.
* love your Grandma Linda - she always rocks you to sleep.
* love to watch your cousin Tyler - the way he runs just fascinates you.
* love to smile - you smile with your whole face - your eyes glow, your cheeks get rosy. Even if you cover your mouth, we can still tell you're smiling.
* love to make people smile - you'll first smile at them. If they don't smile back, you start making faces at them. If they still won't smile, then you start talking to them.
* just started giggling all the time - it is my favorite sound in the world. You will start giggling if we're laughing.

You say:
* "Dada"
* "Mama" when you want something
* "Maiya" occasionally.

You will pant when you see the dog or if we say dog or Maiya (that's the Baby Sign for dog).

Thank you for the most amazing year. You have taught me so much, baby girl! You have shown me what's important in life and shown me a new level of love.

I look forward to the many more experiences we'll get through the next years.

Here are some pics from your first birthday, even though we didn't do a lot because we've been so sick.

The birthday girl - just a little skinnier after being so sick.




Her birthday "cake." It was banana bread in a heart shaped cupcake tin with banana flavored whip cream on top. She put her handin the whip cream and she started screaming. Then she wouldn't have anything to do with it again. Oh well!





Hanging out on Mama's lap. It's hard to scream with a binkie in her mouth! She missed her afternoon nap and she was such a crank pot!




Goofing around and giving a great big, stinkery smile for the camera!




"I see that camera. I want it."

Spoiled by the sun

Can I tell you how much I want it to be Spring?

We've had beautiful, sunny weather, but cold, for a week now and it's wonderful. The only problem that we run into is that since Jana is still crawling, it's very difficult to spend time outside with her. She tries to climb out of her stroller, gets very fussy if she is being held, and just wants to crawl around... that's difficult when it is still so cold out and she'll be crawling on the either frosty or wet ground.

I can't wait to be able to take walks again outside all the time. This last week, we've walked at least once a day, every day. It's been fabulous!

Here are some new pictures.


Hanging out with Aunt Laura and cousin Tyler.




Meeting cousin Justin for the first time.





"No, I'm not posing for the camera! What would ever have given you that idea?"





"My new favorite thing to do is to torment the dog. She's no longer out of reach, hee, hee! See, I even try to get to her when she's outside."





A trip to the park. Notice the car seat toys in her hand that she found when I was putting them into a box for the new baby. Now she won't go anywhere without them.





"I loved the swing! I giggled the whole time. Mama and I were on a swing together for a while, but since her lap is disappearing, it made it difficult. Plus, I got to be a big girl in the big kid swing... (okay, baby swing, but bigger kid than me:) )."




"Mama also took me down the slide. Good thing it was her backside that got frozen and not mine!"

New Jana Pictures

I don't sit still anymore. Cuddles? Who needs them? I'd rather crawl over Dada to get the camera.




I faked Mama out by eating peas and carrots for a few days and then no more.




I'm such a big girl - playing on my new music table. If I'm not crawling, I'm standing. Who needs sitting anymore?




See, mommy dresses me up in dresses on Sundays. Despite what people say, I can be girly.




Mama and I in the snow today. I would touch the snow and back away and then touch the snow again.




Hanging out with Dada in the snow, in front of the house.




You can't tell me that I wasn't one sick baby. Does it look like I don't feel good?




The upside to being sick is that I learned my new favorite thing to do: pull all the tissues out of the box as fast as I can.




I love my new music table that Great Grandma V gave me! Now I pull up on everything and even cruise to the couch from my table and back.




I also like my house that Grandma S gave me. One side of the house is in the inside and the other side of the house is the outside.

Catching up on Jana pics (Nov. and Dec.)

Here are some of the pictures from between Halloween and Christmas.

Here's a pic of Jana and I before the Seahawk game.



Jana playing on the floor in one of her Christmas outfits.



Hanging out in her Seahawks jammies. Gotta get the mojo going!





Jeremy, Jana, and Grandpa Ray hanging out waiting for out table at Olive Garden while we were down visiting (working) in November.





Jana ready for her dinner on Thanksgiving.




"Don't you know what "no licking" means, dog?"




Jana playing with her cell phone. She got this one after she sucked on mine and killed it.




"Dada lets me play alpha baby on his computer. All I do is bash on the keys and see what letters or shapes pop up on the screen, but it's fun anyway!"





"Here I come. I want that camera!"




"It doesn't matter what it is, I pull myself up on everything now."



Catchin' a ride from the laundry room with the clean laundry.

Christmas Pictures '06

Here are some pictures from Jana's first Christmas.


Here is our family Christmas pic this years.





This is Jana not too amused in her Christmas dress and a Mickey Santa hat.




Dada and Jana hanging out in her Christmas jammies right before bed.




Maiya with her stocking.




Our three stockings.




Our Christmas tree before the presents were opened.




Jana enjoying the mountain of wrapping paper.




Here is one of my favorite Christmas morning memories. Jana is sitting on top of my new laptop box swinging a candy cane with a finger puppet on the end in time with the music, while dancing to the music.






Hanging out with Auntie Sarah. So amused by the bow on her head!




Enjoying the rocking horse made just for me by my Great Grandpa!





Shoveling dinner in while in my Baby's first Christmas bib. And yes, I'm still in my Christmas Jammies. (Bad Mama!)




Loving her new Tigger plane!

Jana's first Christmas

For Jana, today was fabulous! She woke up around 7:30 and played in her crib unti 8. She and I got up and started working on breakfast for her. Once she was done eating, we played in the familyroom for a little while until Dada came downstairs. We opened presents and she had a blast. Her favorite seems to be the Tigger airplane, but she couldn't wait long enough for us to open her Little People.

She got lots of books, a few Christmas ornaments, peek-a-blocks, and lots and lots of little people. The biggest hit of all seemed to be the candy cane with a finger puppet on the end. She climbed on top of my laptop box, sat down and waved the finger puppet all around. Then she started swaying to the music as she waved the puppet around. I'll see if I can add the video of that later.

We then all went down for naps. When we woke, we went to my inlaws.

At my in laws, she was doted upon by Aunt Sarah, Grandma, and Grandpa - the only healthy ones in the group.

She got even more little people and a few other musical toys.

Despite Daddy being so sick that he slept through most of the day, Jana had a wonderful time. She made her great-grandpa's day by squealing and chattering with joy when her hand crafted (by Gramps) rocking horse was brought out. I could here him giggling and bragging to everyone in the room about how much Jana loved the rocking horse.

After a fun day, we returned home where Jana played with her toys and then went off to bed.

Despite both Mama and Dada being sick, she had a wonderful day.