1st Birthday Party

We celebrated Sylvia's 1st birthday on Saturday with a family birthday party at our house. Here's some pics from the festivities...

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What's a birthday?

Thanksgiving Birthday

My baby girl turned one today. It seems impossible to look back over the last year and remember all the things I have loved about being her mom.

Here are a few favorites (in no particular order)...

Looking down at her face while she is nursing.
Going in to comfort her in the middle of the night.
Seeing her hands reaching up for me to pick her up.
The look on her face when she tries a new food that she likes.
The way she sneezed when she was a newborn and the way she laughs at her sneezes now.
How much she loves to look out the window and be outside.
Listening to her laugh and watching the look on her face when she plays with her daddy.
Taking her for walks in the park.
When she lays her head down on my shoulder.
Singing her to sleep.
Listening to daddy read her books before bed.
Watching her play in the tub and pool.
When she plays with her voice and all the new sounds she can make.
The way she smiles at herself in the mirror.
Watching her walk around with her hands in the air.
The way she held my hand when she was learning how to walk.
When she dances and claps her hands to music.
When she carries her drumsticks around and beats her drum.
Playing games like peek-a-boo, this little piggy, and pat-a-cake.
When she first started scooting around on the wood floors in our family room.
The way she got lint stuck in the creases in her hands and feet.

I thank God for my Sylvia every day and ask Him to help me be a good mother. I feel so blessed to be her mommy. Although I miss her newborn baby days, I cannot wait to see what the next years of her life will bring.

One year stats...
weight - 22lb 8oz
length - 29.25in

Here are two of my favorite pictures from the day she was born...



If you want to see more hospital pics click here.

Dusting

Two thirds of the bamboo floor in our family room is finished. Sylvia has enjoyed being able to venture out there. We think she likes the sound of her voice in the empty room.


I think I'm going to put her and Dan in charge of the dusting in our house.

Pink Paisley Nursing Cover

My sewing machine has been acting up recently. Something was wrong with the tension, and I have been intending to take it in for a "tune up." However, after loosening and tightening all the screws I could find, I fixed it myself. So, I was able to finish this for a friend who was looking for a baby gift. I bought some extra fabric this time so I could make a matching burp cloth. You'll also see, I added a piece of terry cloth for small clean ups while nursing. Pink is not my favorite color, but I liked this fabric when I saw it.

Children's Museum

Sylvia took her first trip to the Children's Museum this afternoon along with her friend, Henry. The museum normally costs $6 per person, but we had a buy one get one free coupon and both of the kids are free for one more week. So, we only paid $6 altogether. I love a good deal. Sylvia just learned to walk, and she enjoyed making her way around the museum.

We first checked out the cichlids and painted turtle.




I'm not so sure about taking Sylvia to the grocery store now that she's learned how fun it is to throw the produce on the floor. I don't think they'd appreciate her crawling on the shelves. But, it was lots of fun to do at the museum


I'm adding a shopping cart to Sylvia's Christmas list.


We also enjoyed heading upstairs to the farm. Both kids happily crawled through the unlit tunnels as long as Linda or I were in them too. I also took both kids down the slide one at a time...and then together.






Both Sylvia and Henry turn 1 next week so we'll have to pay more next time we go to the museum. But, I think it may be worth it after how much fun we had today.

A Baby that Walks

When my nephew, Ben, was little, his sister said he was a baby that walks...not a toddler. So, I guess we've got ourselves a baby that walks. Sylvia took her first step last Wednesday and now she's cruising around. She really picked it up quickly but she's been walking holding only one hand for awhile now. She quickly realized that the kitchen table is within her reach and I quickly realized that the kitchen table is no longer a safe place to keep things (at least not right at the edge). For those of you who need video proof, here is a shot of her second time across the living room. She wouldn't walk from Dan to me so the video is from the rear as she walked from me to Dan.



It has been less than a week since she started walking but she has already improved so much. I will be sad to see the crawling stage end. She's so cute crawling around. But, this walking is pretty cute too.

November Bible Memory

24-23

Sylvia celebrated Iowa's win over undefeated, 3rd ranked, Penn State. Sorry JoPa...no national championship this year.


It was a little tense at times but she kept her composure and never lost faith...even though her daddy said it was over with 6 minutes left.


I think she has a crush on Ricky Stanzi.

Fall Leaves

Sylvia and I enjoyed the last few warm day of fall while doing some yard work. A lot of our mulch floated away in the river so Sylvia followed me around the yard while I spread new mulch around the trees and in the beds. We finished up the afternoon by playing in the leaves. She had so much fun crunching them, tossing them in the air, and crawling around in them.

Front Door

As you know, Sylvia loves standing at the front door. On Saturday she stood and watched Dan mow the entire front lawn. I really don't know how we'll entertain her once winter hits.