I can't believe my little baby is ONE already! This has been the fastest year of my life! I certainly don't remember Owen's first year going by this fast. She is still on the small side, so maybe that's why I think of her as so much younger. I feel like I just brought her home from the hospital! Yet, she has developed quite the personality in this past year. 
This is what she is up to these days:- Watching Owen's every move (scary that she's learning the good AND bad from him).
- Still just has two bottom teeth, though we can see the top two threatening to come through, but haven't yet.
- Loves her baby doll and it is definitely her favorite toy.
- Loves music and bounces up and down to dance.
- Loves Elmo.
- Likes peas, chicken, salmon, veggies, all fruit, but especially loves watermelon. Sometimes she likes banana's, sometimes she doesn't. Not much a fan of baby food and likes to eat what we are eating.
- LOVES dogs.
- Standing on her own, but not quite walking yet.
- Signs "All Done" with her hands. Says Momma, Dadda, Nana, Duh (for dog), and Bah (for ball)
- Still completely a Momma's girl and will only let me, Adam or Nana hold her. I am the only one she will let put her down and night, and soothe her in the middle of the night if she wakes up (which she does at least 3-5 nights a week).
- Makes motor car sounds when holding a toy car, truck or motorcycle. Loves playing cars.
- Loves clothes and pretty things. She lights up when she sees new clothes and tries to put them on over her head. (We are in trouble when she hits those tween years!)
- Will only go down for a nap (once a day usually) with Daddy when he drives her around in the car.
- Favorite time of day: Bath time.
- Gets excited for the beach too.
- Has the most beautiful soft curls I have ever seen (in my modest opinion ;)
So her first Birthday was really mellow, and really perfect. Our Princess slept in (thank you) until after 8 AM. We started breakfast with home made her whole grain waffles topped with sunflower butter. She had a plum (off our yummy tree), an apricot and a banana smoothie. Big breakfast for a little girl! My Mom was gone this morning, and Adam had to work tonight, so we decided to celebrate with presents and cake at lunch time after her nap, when I got home from work. This was a great idea, except Owen was BEYOND excited to have her (him) open her presents from the second he woke up. He was whining about it all day.
She also got some new clothes, rubber blocks that squeak and a new baby doll! Her face lit up when she saw that doll! She hugged it and squeezed it for the rest of the day. So cute. 
After lunch, we got out the cake I made the night before and let her blow out her candle. It was a yellow cake made the traditional way (nothing healthy this time unfortunately) with butter, flour, sugar and eggs, no wheat germ or chia seeds ; ) I put lemon curd between the two layers and frosted it with a lemon cream cheese frosting. Yum. She was gnawing on a lemon the day before and loved it, so that's why I chose that flavor. Her favorite part was having everyone sing to her. She knew that the whole day was about her (even though Owen tried really hard to make it about him). She was so happy all day. It was a good first birthday.
After Dad went to work, I took the kids for a little neighborhood stroll in their new wheels! They had a blast and got lots of waves and smiles from the neighbors. It will be nice to take them to the beach in this from now on. Thanks Nana!
He has become quite the artist these days. He loves to color and paint. He makes these cool tie dyed looking pictures with lots of color. I love them. I love him.
Here is our little Jack Johnson. He LOVES this ukulele that Adam brought back for him from Mexico. He stands on the kids table outside and makes up songs and has the cutest little moves you have ever seen! 
Owen is always picking wild flowers (or weeds) and giving them to me. So sweet. 
Today he picked one and gave it to Dad to hold for me. I thought this was a cute picture : ) 
Three is a pretty funny age I must say. Owen always has something to say about everything. He can't wait to grow up. It's sad really. He asks me every day, "Mom, am I a grown up yet?" I know that one day before I know it, I will have to reply "yes." Boo hooo. For now, I answer him with a "no, not yet. Just enjoy being a kid right now." He thinks that grown ups have more fun. I tell him that grown ups have to work and don't get to play as much as he does. He says, "Daddy's work is fun!" (It's fun for him because he gets what he wants when we walk in). 
Speaking of Daddy, Owen asks for margaritas ALL the time now. Adam makes them for Owen with fresh lime juice, water and agave nectar. Basically limeade. In fact, yesterday we went to Endless Summer for dinner while Adam was working. Owen decided to yell across the restaurant/ bar "Hey Dad! Get me another margarita!!! Please." Good thing Child Protective Services were not hanging out the same night! At dinner when he wants something to drink, we say, "would you like water or milk?" He says "how 'bout beer or wine?" We are in trouble!
Owen is a hard worker at home. He loves to do his own laundry. I am not kidding. He likes to "do it himself!" He will huff and puff and drag his big laundry basket out to the garage and load up the washer. We put in the soap and he pushes the buttons. He also folds (sort of) and puts them away! Lets hope he is this helpful as a teenager!
His first year of Preschool is now coming to a close for summer. This is a mixed blessing. He loved it and enjoyed going, but the past few weeks he has started hanging out with the older boys who are starting kindergarten next year. To my dismay, Owen has picked up some potty language from these boys. He now says things like, "Mommy, you are a butt" or "Emily, you are poop." If he gets in trouble at home I hear him mutter under his breath, "Stupid Daddy" or "Stupid Mommy." This just lands him in more trouble.
He is has a major fascination and phobia of skunks for some reason. A good reason I guess. Who wants to be stuck outside with skunks (who do live in our yard, and in the yard in our last house)? He must ask us a minimum of 100 times a day, "Are the skunks out yet?" followed by, "are they going to spray me?" It's rather annoying answering this question all day long. We have taken advantage of this phobia and gotten some pretty good results. For example, if we need him to get inside the house, we just have to say that "the skunks are coming out" and he is in like a flash! It works for just about anything we need him to do, like brushing his teeth or cleaning his room and going to bed. A little fear never hurt anyone. Right? 
He is still eating non stop and burning up energy like wild fire. I just bought him some new shoes and I have to report that my little boy is wearing size 11/12 already!! The 10's were too small. He has some pretty big paws he has to grow into. Those feet do give him good balance though, I must say.
In the past two months, Emily has gotten her first bottom tooth (9 months), learned to crawl (8 1/2 months), and is standing pretty well on her own without support. It won't be long before she is chasing after Owen on her two cute feet. It's all going by so fast.
Emily's favorite toy right now are a Sponge Bob soft baseball bat (was a Christmas present for Owen)...I think she is getting ready to defend herself against her big brother who plays a little too rough sometimes. She always has to have something in her hands, whether it's a ball, bat, matchbox car or blanket. Her hands are rarely empty, she even crawls with things in her hands. Sometimes she will get frustrated because there are three things in front of her that she wants, but only has two hands to grab.
Her favorite food is Trader Joe's O's cereal. LOVES IT. Her feet start dancing and her whole high chair starts shaking when she sees the box. She just started eating more solid finger foods lately. She will eat just about anything if she can pick it up by herself. She is still not a fan of bananas yet. I am sure that will change at some point, we keep trying. 
She has a laugh like no other baby. It's similar to Woody Woodpecker. I am not kidding. It is extremely contagious and gets all of us laughing when she does it. Owen is still her number one comedian. 
She is quite the explorer these days. Today she discovered the Tupperware cabinets in the kitchen. If she is anything like Owen, this will be quite a long phase of putting away Tupperware 20 times a day! She also figured out how to peel and eat a mandarin while no one was looking! 
She just started humming to herself recently. The humming is pleasant, her shrill squeak when is happy is not. She is very LOUD and gives Owen some true competition. Overall, she is a happy baby and we are all in love with her and her baby doll eyes and soft wavy hair.
Owen better watch out, he has a very strong little sister who can hold her own!
Though she has a big personality, she is still a tiny little girl. She can still wear some size 6 month clothes, but is pretty comfortable in 9 months. When she was born her pediatrician said, "she is so tiny, she will probably grow up to be a size 4." My Mom and I laughed and said, "not in this family!" But maybe Dr. Vic was on to something....
Posts
