Baby D in the City

The Plane! The Plane!

2011-07-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

This summer is flying by! The sun is shining brighter, hotter, and longer. The daylight runs into 8 pm making afternoons and evenings longer and more fun. More time to spend outside running in the park, taking long walks, and playing on the rooftop deck.

B has been on hiatus from work for about a month and a half and I love every minute of him being home with us. I love my time with D alone, but life is much more fun with him around! We are doing a lot right now to prep for our move, as well and pack boxes and just soak up the summertime with D. I hate to see summer go and want to take full advantage of the time together as a family.

This morning we packed up some toys, a blanket, and some snacks and headed to LAX to watch the planes come in.

Free, easy, and hours of entertainment!

And we had SO MUCH FUN!

There is a small park across from In N Out (where we were going to grab lunch for a picnic) and the airport and it is designed for just this. Grab a blanket, lay back and watch the planes fly overhead! D ran around, watched the planes come in, said 'Doup-a-day' (his word for airplane) a million times over and had a perma smile on his face! This kid was in heaven.

This truly was a fun morning with him and B and one of my favorites. It was easy. Not a lot of fuss. Not a ton of stuff required to keep him busy, and most of all it was something we did as a family.

For a little boy who loves planes this was a great day! And for a mom who loves to see her little boy smile, an even better day.

oh yeah...

we also found a puddle and splashed for a good 15 minutes!

boys will be boys!

Bento Box - Meal 1!

2011-07-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

We are headed to Jazz Night at LACMA tonight with some friends.

It is hot, sunny, and a beautiful LA evening and we are headed out to enjoy some time with friends, jazz and fun!

Also, we're FINALLY using one of the Bento Box's I bought for D.

Here is what is in it and what D will eat tonight.

And yes, that says seaweed snack.

HE IS OBSESSED! LOVES THEM!

They are basically seaweed paper that is used for sushi, but it is a flat, thin piece of sushi with a little olive oil and salt.

I had him so I know he is mine but really?!??! I don't know too many kids that eat seaweed. I know I sure didn't!

March For Babies Weekend.

2011-05-02T13:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday I woke up bright and early to a gorgeous morning full of sunshine and cool temperatures to take part in the March of Dimes March for Babies walk in Los Angeles.

There have been so many people in the blog world taking part in this walk/race and I have loved reading everyone's stories on v how inspiring the day was. I agree 500%! The day was so inspiring and all I was hoping for when I signed up to race.

I did not have a premature baby. No one in our family was born prematurely. In fact, we all have huge babies! However, I am friends with many who weren't so lucky and had babies born way before their due date. They are all thriving, beautiful children now and are so lucky to be here. I chose these friends who were truly blessed with a miracle baby to honor and walk for.

The day was full of joy and love for people that I didn't even know. Such pride was seen in so many people's faces when they loaded their premature baby into the stroller and took their place at the starting line. Their shirts proudly displaying their child's name, birth weight, and the gestation week they were born. To read the back of a shirt and not have a lump in your throat immediately was impossible. Many displayed pictures of a tiny, almost unrecognizable, baby hooked up to tubes and IV's. Immediately you invision this baby fighting for his or her life, and a family at the time not knowing if they will make it. Many don't and there were a lot of people there walking for their "angels." Their faces were brave and they smiled as they saw others with children who had made it but your heart couldn't help but ache for them and their loss.

As I looked at Baby D, I realized how lucky I was to have a healthy baby who was born 3 days after his due date. So many mothers and families can't say that. This fact breaks my heart and makes me realize how lucky I truly am. Yes, children can be difficult and I would be lying if I didn't say that D can be a handful and there are times when I think "this is tough!" It is a reality though. I would take a million bad days over one of the days those people live without their child. I can't even imagine the pain of a loss like that.

We finished the race in 45 minutes and D was a total trooper! The energy of the walkers was contagious. Balloons filled the air, sun shone down on everyone, people raised their banners and flags all for one common goal, to raise money and awareness for the March of Dimes. Too celebrate the babies that were there in person and in spirit.

After the race we walked around and checked out some of the booths, listened to some music, and celebrated the day!

A long stare fest with a firetruck for D and Chick-Fil-A for mama was the topper to an already amazing day.

I walked 3 miles and burned some major calories only to add them back and then some I am sure, BUT it was worth it!

This was a day I will never forget and I am already rallying the friends together for a team next year!

The weekend fun continued into Sunday, as well.

We hit up the beach and pier in Santa Monica for an early morning stroll and coffee. The weather and beach were gorgeous!

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching a marathon of The Killing while D slept! I am addicted to this show!! Once awake we played with some trucks, Skyped with family, listened to music and I got to sneak away for an hour long massage! It was heaven!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

Easter Weekend.

2011-05-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

Last year we celebrated Easter with a 4 month old who didn't know what was what! He cooperated and kept the celebratory bunny ears on and didn't fight me on them!

We had a small celebration as a family and it was perfect.

Skip to one year later, and I have 15 month old who FOUGHT me on the ears and didn't cooperate! Such is life with a toddler!

We still had a great Easter and spent it with some friends and their families.

The Easter Bunny was good to D this year with some cool finds from the dollar bin at Target, some truck books, a bath book, and a handmade bunny I found on Etsy.

Huge hits in the basket this year were soccer ball eggs I found at Target, as well as a truck book and the bunny.

We had a nice Easter breakfast courtesy of Trader Joe's sweet rolls and Starbucks coffee.

I had grand plans to make The Pioneer Woman's rolls and take some to the party we were going to at noon.

BUT who am I kidding! I had zero time to get it all done.

I made one roll without icing for D. He hated it! Threw it and only wanted fruit! This kid is bizzare!!

I did manage to make some Easter treats for the party though!

Zomg! Easter Bark was to die for!

So most of my friends are parents now. Everyone has babies or kids and they all played and ran around together and had a mini egg hunt! It was really fun but D wasn't too into it. He was more into the steps, the Ipod, the BBQ pit. You know things that are totally dangerous!

My little bunny....

and the other little bunnies, June and Avery....

It was a fun day full of great friends and Easter eggs, candy, and yummy food.

So much fun was had that these two crashed....HARD!

I'm looking forward to next year when D gets a little more into Easter and the whole egg and bunny thing.

Hope everyone had a great Easter. We missed you all very much! xoxo

Weekend Amusement!

2011-04-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

We had the best weekend!!!

After a few weekends of doing so much stuff around our house, Brandon working crazy hours, and just the general not enough time to do things, this weekend was actually a nice change of pace!

Saturday we spent the morning lounging in PJ's, sippin coffee, and playing with Baby D.

We read books and played with trucks! My back has been bad again so I took it easy.

I also got a haircut! YAY!

After contemplating the shortness of my hair every other day, I finally bit the bullet and just did it! Not that my hair was ever super long to begin with. I was just getting sick of the same look and mostly the same ponytail. I needed a change and this was perfect for me!

After the haircut I went to Trader Joe's to get some yummies for dinner. We made carnitas tacos and black beans! It was so good!

Sunday we got up early, the norm around here, and went to The Farmers Market for breakfast and to pick up some stuff for dinner that night.

I am a big fan of Phil's Deli and their breakfast. The hash browns are so good!

After breakfast we walked around The Farmer's Market and let Baby D run around The Grove and get some exercise and burn off some steam! We were there so early! The Grove was pretty empty. Makes it much easier to run around this way!

This picture melts my heart.....

D napped and B went to play soccer. I did a few things around the house waiting for the little guy to wake up. Thank goodness for long naps!

We spent the evening on rooftop deck. We took some trucks and balls out for D and we played while the hubs BBQ'd.

It was such a beautiful afternoon.

We had some Sangria, soaked up the sun, played with D and enjoyed the evening.

B made a yummy tri-tip and some corn on the grill.

Add hericot verts to that and I am in a food coma!

I love weekends like this! Yes it is exhausting chasing a toddler around all week and when the weekend comes there are times when you just want to hang out and not do much. Those days are great. But the days where we spend time together as a family and have so much fun together out weigh the other days hands down!

Earth Day Festival.

2011-04-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we headed down to the Culver City Eco Station Earth Day Festival! Say that 3 times in a row!

I really wanted D to take part in this day and festival to expose him to new things and people. We had such a great time and it was nice to spend the day as a family. Brandon has been working crazy hours and doesn't get home till late in the evening, often times after D is in bed. This day was a great one and what we needed as a family!

I am sure next year will be a little different for D and the festival and activities. They had a few animals, lots of games, face painting, and some kid performers.

This year he was content with the drum circle!

After the festival we headed up the street to the park and played for a little while. It was getting dangerously close to nap hence the no smiles.

It was a fun day that ended with a nice nap and an early dinner at The Grove and Baby D got some walking in and some exercise! He is so independent now. Where did my baby go?!?

He has that look!

2011-04-15T13:19:00.000-07:00

Some things never change!

Baby Bookworm.

2011-03-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Baby D and his love for books is about the cutest thing ever.

That and the kissing of the books!

Books are now part of the meal, as well.

Whatever gets him to eat these days is fine with us!

Declan says Mama and Dada

2011-03-15T13:26:00.001-07:00

Baby D has become a little talker these days!

This weekend we caught him on camera saying mama and dada!

A Valentine's Day and birthday in Texas.

2011-02-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

The morning started with heart shaped pancakes!

And beautiful flowers sent from Brandon all the way to me in Texas!

I made dinner for mom, dad, Rebecca and David and on the menu was Penne Alla Besty from The Pioneer Woman's cookbook. It was so yummy!

Rebecca bought a Chocolate Blackout Cake for dessert and it was amazing! So, so good!

The birthday girl and Baby D!

Rebecca, David and Baby D!

Dad was here this night but I didn't capture a picture of him!

It was a really great dinner with everyone an even better birthday celebration for my mom!

The Day I Meet The Pioneer Woman.

2011-02-09T21:07:00.001-08:00

I got to meet TPW Monday night at The Grove she was AMAZING!!!!!!!!

You all know I love this woman. I aspire to be here. She is an amazing mom. A fabulous cook. An artist in the form of a photographer and she home schools her kids....on a farm!

I read her blog obsessively and have made numerous recipes of hers. I have even read her cookbook. Yes, I read a cookbook from cover to cover. This is slightly obsessive, I know.

Those of you who I gave the cookbook to know how wonderful and beautiful the book is. Not only are the recipes great but her stories and photography are so pretty to read and look at.

I was at The Grove at 9 with Baby D in tow to get my book and bracelet. I knew I would need to be there early because I wanted a bracelet that would put me in the front of the line since I would have Declan with me.

I scored a pink band which only 20 were given out and was 3rd in line!

I stood there longer waiting to see her than I actually did once she came out to meet everyone.

This book signing is all I have been talking about since last week at my house.

I make TPW's recipes quite often in my kitchen so being able to say that I met her was a huge honor for me.

She was beautiful, gracious and so polite. Everything you hope for when you meet someone you adore.

I told her I loved her blog, I have read her cookbook (she kinda giggled at that because really who reads a cookbook?!?)

The problem with going to a signing like this alone is you get this kind of picture below!

A jacked up photo that you have to photo shop the heck out of because the person taking the picture kinda sucked at it.

Either way, I met her and I have proof!

She signed every book her fans had.

She promised to stay until the last person in line got their book signed and picture taken. AND there were A LOT of people there!

I got my cookbook signed, as well as her new book which I can't wait to read!

I was so nervous to meet her I forgot to show her Declan! Poor kid went with me to this signing, no idea what was going on and the least I could have done was show him who he was there for!

It was such a honor to meet her and to tell her what a huge fan I am.

Now I am on a mission to make those Cinnamon Rolls of hers if it's the last thing I do!

Weekend Amusement!

2011-02-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday we hit up the Farmer's Market for some breakfast, a stroll around The Grove and to pick up some yummy stuff for our Super Bowl Sunday get together.

It is no secret I LOVE The Farmer's Market and The Grove. We are there almost every weekend picking out produce, meat, etc and eating breakfast. The crepes there are to die for and I found a great diner that serves amazing omelette's.

We occasionally pick up Famous Bob's Donuts that you can't walk past without drooling.

Produce is always so amazing and so good!

We never leave without picking up some good fruit or veggies.

Baby D is infatuated with the water fountain at The Grove. I like to call it "The Mini Bellagio" fountain if you will.

Nothing brings a smile to this face quicker than saying "do you want to go see the fountain?" Seriously, he knows this! Genius!

It honestly was a perfect Saturday that ended with Thai food and Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt!

Sunday we had some friends over to watch the Superbowl.

Brandon made The Pioneer Woman's Pulled Pork.

It was AMAZING! So. so good and so easy! I highly recommend this recipe to you all. It will not disappoint.

from left to right : pulled pork, margaritas,

pulled pork and shrimp taco fixings,

and a huge mess thanks to babies!

We had some cocktails with friends, played with our kids, and "watched" the game. Honestly though, I couldn't tell you who won the game or what commercial was the best. The Super Bowl is not the same anymore with a baby!

Preparing for The World Cup in 2030!

2011-02-03T13:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Brandon came home from work early and we went to the park to enjoy the beautiful afternoon.

D is loving soccer right now! He can kick the ball really good!!

I think we might have a future soccer star on our hands.

A dose of sweetness.

2011-02-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

A boy and his truck are easy entertainment during bath time.

A First Birthday at the LA Zoo.

2011-01-31T13:42:00.000-08:00

We went to the LA Zoo on Declan's actual birthday.

I know he had no idea what a zoo is. What animals are. Or better yet, what each animal is! I just wanted him to have that experience early on.

It was a hot day in Burbank! We are having some crazy "winter" in LA. I think the temperature that day was 78!

We had a late start to the morning because we had a leisurely breakfast at home.

Baby D had french toast and fruit for his birthday breakfast.

We decided to skip nap and head to the zoo in hopes he would sleep in the car. Well he did for all of 20 minutes! I guess a cat nap is better than no nap.

The zoo has changed a lot since I was there a few years ago with Ashley. It's a really nice zoo!

We started off in the petting zoo. D has been in one other petting zoo before when we went to the Pumpkin Patch in October. I was expecting a lot more animals! There were a few goats, a pig, one donkey and a few sheep.

We saw some Prairie Dogs up close and personal......

And the rest of the animals we saw.....

We had a great day full of fun memories.

We will be back again soon. BUT we will not go when it is hot AND when the animals are sleeping. Late afternoons are not the best time at the zoo!

After the zoo we headed home for a quick nap and then out to a sushi dinner!

The sushi chef made this for D and they sang Happy Birthday to him. It was the sweetest end to a great day!

Who hates cupcakes?!?

2011-01-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

Baby D does.

He wanted NOTHING, I MEAN NOTHING to do with his cupcake on his birthday!

We bought a Crumb's Cupcake...only the best dessert on the planet....and he didn't want it. Like threw a fit and cried about it!

Honestly, it was pretty comical. I have never seen a kid hate sugar! Much less a cupcake. I guess we are lucky he doesn't like it. Crumbs is an expensive habit!

Imagine this in a flip book style. It makes perfect sense if you do!

And that was the end of the cupcake.

B and I enjoyed it!

Baby D turned ONE! Part 2!

2011-01-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

The idea for a Winter ONEderland party was the last on the list of ideas but I kept coming back to it! In the end I am so glad we went with this theme. It was so fun! I don't know if I will ever have another winter baby so I knew I needed to do this.

Lots of food and drinks were on the menu.

Veggies, dip, fruit, various cheeses and crackers, as well as "warm" and "cold" foods like Mac-N-Cheese, Pigs in a Blanket, and Cold cuts were on the table.

I found the snowman trays at Target and the red and white snowflake bowls I bought at Crate and Barrel on clearance after Christmas.

Homemade Mac N Cheese and Pigs in a Blanket were the "warm" foods.

"Keep Your Piggies Warm"........

"Cold" Cuts.......

I bought deli meat and smeared Laughing Cow Cheeses in different flavors on them.

The drink table had wine, sparkling soda, regular soda, and juice for the kids.

The wine scarves were from Crate and Barrel and were actually gift tags but I used them for the bottles!

Winter would not be complete without hot chocolate.

The idea for a Hot Chocolate Bar came to me one night when I couldn't sleep (per usual) but I contemplated the idea because LA weather can be a bit persnickety. Well I was right! It was 80 freakin' degrees that day, but we had all the fixings for a super fab Hot Chocolate Bar AND people actually drank it!

Ghiradelli Hot Cocoa mix was used, as well as a bunch of different toppings.

I had Peppermint Stirrers that melted in the cocoa and lots of different sprinkles, peppermint syrup, mini chocolate chips, crushed animal crackers, and peanut butter cups.

For the grown ups, Peppermint Schnapps and Baileys!

The super amazing sugar cookies are from The Cookie Jar. They were so good! I am not a huge fan of frosted cookies but I saw these on their site and they went with the theme so I went for it. I was sweating out the arrival of these cookies! They were being delivered from Long Island during the big snow storm and sat on a truck for a day or two. They arrived on Friday night at 8 pm!

A candy/dessert buffet was part of the take home treat for people.

I had cellophane bags to stuff with candy. The kids loved this!

I bought some candy via a wholesale online store and some at Target. I stuck with the colors of the party. Lots of reds, whites and blues.

The containers for some of the candy were from the LA Flower Market and are actually vases.

Others were my dinner bowls and appetizer plates.

The table cloths are from Target, as well.

Although I am sure I could have made a cake for the party, I didn't want to be in charge of this on the day!

I knew I wanted an igloo with some little penguins and went to a few cake shops around LA asking if they could make something like that. 225 dollar quotes were being thrown out at me like I was Tori Spelling and could afford that non-sense!

In the end my friend who is a chef made the cake and cupcakes. I was so happy with the way it all turned out! The cake was amazing and everyone loved it!

The cupcake toppers were part of a package I bought on Etsy.

We used a dye cut to cut out the toppers and glued them to toothpicks.

The cake was a banana bread type cake with a buttercream frosting. The cucpakes were vanilla, chocolate and red velvet with the same frosting.

The take home gift for the family was a Mason Jar of Moose Tracks I made on Friday.

Baby D turned ONE! Part 1!

2011-01-23T12:16:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Baby D's 1st birthday with a Winter ONEderland type birthday that will forever be in my memory bank as one of my favorite days ever!

Thanks to my dad for peeling off all the labels on the water bottles!

Thanks to my mom for hanging a bunch of snowflakes on the ceiling!!

I made these little snowman from frappachino bottles. I glues buttons on, cut a scarf from felt, and stuffed them with fake snow. The head is an ornament from Target!

The search for things with Baby D's name on it is never ending. I wanted something with his name on it on the cake table so I went straight to Etsy for the cutest baby blocks on the planet! The super talented Amy from Tiny Giraffe Shop came up with the design for these blocks. I LOVE THEM and will use them every Christmas. They are perfect! So well made and so pretty in person. The picture doesn't do them justice at all.

No party is complete without a gift bag for the kids and babies! There were a lot of the here that day, too!

I bought the felt snowman pails from the dollar bin at Target, as were the gifts inside.

The boys got a book and a toy truck or train and the girls also got a book and some barrettes.

Each kid also got a snowball water bottle that my cousin found in Texas at Wal-Mart for 25 cents! Steal!

The fun and love that was shown this day could never be put into words. Baby D had so many family members and friends in our home to help celebrate this wonderful occasion. We are truly blessed to have amazing people in our lives that love Baby D so much and were here to show that love and help celebrate this momentous day!

This will forever be one of my favorite parties I planned and worked on and it will always be one I will never forget.

I could never have done all of this without everyones help! I appreciate al the help I got that day and the weeks before. I am so lucky to have so many people willing to pitch in and make sure Baby D had such a wonderful birthday!

The birthday boy!

And if I never see snowflakes, packing tape, and fake snow till next year I will be ok with that!

The Year in Pictures has come to an end.

2011-01-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

Well I have managed to take a picture of Declan every day for a year!

I am not too sure how I managed to do it especially now that he is so mobile. I guess this is why there are so many pictures of him in a stroller and high chair!

I have enjoyed every single minute of doing this. Yes, it has been a labor of love but one I would never trade for anything. I am looking forward to going back and looking at each picture to see how he has changed and grown over the year.

I will keep up the blog! It will not be an every day picture thing, but probably a once a week in pictures type post. Declan is on the go a lot and I don't have much down time these days!

When I do I am trying to keep my house in order, dinner on the table and spend time with Brandon!

Thank you all so much for being a part of this experience!

I love you all very much!

xoxo

51 weeks old and 52 weeks old......

2011-01-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

Somehow the numbers and weeks are all messed up here.

I blame the lack of keeping up with the blog in the past months on this.

Apologies.

The numbers are off BUT the pictures are correct as far as the days that I took them though!

xoxo

353 days old.....

Not a giant booger! Just a banana!

354 days old.....

355 days old.....

356 days old......

357 days old....

358 days old.....

Birthday Party Day!!!

359 days old.....

360 days old.....

361 but really 365 days old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY D!!!!

50 weeks old......

2011-01-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

50 weeks old......

346 days old.....

347 days old....

348 days old......

349 days old......

350 days old.....

351 days old.....

352 days old.....

Videos of Declan Walking and Eating AND Jammin To Some Tunes at Breakfast.

2011-01-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

Baby D is walking!

Here is proof!

http://vimeo.com/18487737

Also, he likes to eat and listen to music!

Here is proof!

http://vimeo.com/18488160

49 weeks old.....

2011-01-03T20:35:00.000-08:00

49 weeks old....

First steps
If your baby isn't walking already, she's likely to take her first independent stepssoon. (If she doesn't, don't worry. Some perfectly normal babies are 16 or 17 months old before they start walking.)

You can encourage your baby to walk by standing or kneeling in front of her and holding out your hands. Or hold both her hands and walk her toward you. If she's like most children, your baby will take those early strides with her arms out to the side (for balance) and bent at the elbows, her feet turned outward, and belly out in front while her bottom sticks out behind (for balance).

As always, make sure your baby has a soft, safe environment in which to hone her new skills. Follow standard childproofing guidelines and never leave your baby unattended. Most important, keep the camera ready!
Pass on the pacifier
You might feel like it's mean to make your baby part with something she's grown so fond of, but experts say now's a good time to start weaning her away from her pacifier.

The longer your baby uses a pacifier, the harder it can be for her to stop, but another reason to make the break now is that it's the beginning of an exciting speech development phase. Your baby may be less likely to chatter away with something in her mouth all the time.

Taking away a pacifier can be tough. Go gradually: Limit daytime use and then work your baby up to not using it at night. You can also try exchanging her pacifier for a stuffed animal or toy.
New kinds of play
Around now your baby's play will probably start shifting from mastering her fine motor skills (she's got that thumb-and-forefinger grasp down pat) to exercising larger muscles. Some children this age have an attention span of two to five minutes for quiet activities — though your baby's favorite games may not be all that quiet.

Your baby probably thinks it's fun to push, throw, and knock everything down. She'll give you a toy as well as take one, and she likes games where she can put things in containers and dump them out again. This works well with blocks in buckets or boxes and with pots and pans, which she can nest inside one another. She'll thrill to the loud sounds of those pots and pans banging together, too.

339 days old....

We are in Dallas and it is cold!

We went out to get some coffee this morning and bundled up Baby D. This is the first time he has been in cold weather like this. Didn't phase him at all of course!

Tonight we went to the Gaylord Hotel in Dallas for some late Christmas cheer!

This hotel is amazing! So, so beautiful and festive. Baby D loved the lights and the train! I think a train set is in our future!

I will post the pictures in a separate post!

340 days old....

We went out to dinner tonight with Honey and Pops! Baby D was so good. He ate chicken and pasta. This boy can eat!

341 days old.....

We are headed back to LA today. We will miss everyone in Texas so much! BUT are so happy they will be there for Baby D's birthday!

Catching a nap before the plane ride.....

342 days old.....

343 days old....

We are adjusting to California time and are very tired!

344 days old....

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

345 days old.....

Christmas at Casa de Lott!

2011-01-02T18:03:00.000-08:00

Little late...BUT better late than never!

This year I decided I didn't want to mess with a big tree, worry about ornaments being broken, a tree knocked over and most off all I didn't want a freakin baby gate around my tree. Our place is SMALL and add a baby gate around a tree and we are talking claustrophobic.

So I dug out our small little "Charlie Brown" tree, as I so lovingly call it, and fluffed it up and made it a tree for Baby D!

I bought cheap, soft ornaments at Target and covered the tree with them in case we had a tree incident! I also had a few ornaments I bought when we found out we were having a baby.

I love owls and D's nursery is owl themed so there are a few of those on the tree, as well!

I will always have a tree for Baby D and any other kids we have. I love this tradition and want to keep it around for as long as they think it is cool! I am guessing the teen years will be hard to sell!

Baby D and his tree.

As you all know we called Baby D "The Peach" until he was born. I read Baby Center and The Bump while pregnant, and they always compared the baby week to week to fruits and veggies. I could never keep up with what he was from week to week so I went with "The Peach" from week 16 to week 40!

Target finds.

Emily from Uff Da Designs on Etsy made this owl ornament.

I was so excited when she agreed to make a little owl for Baby D!

More owl finds.

The little red owl on the left I found on Etsy.

The one in the middle was from Target in their big bin of cheapo ornaments. I think this guy was a dollar.

The owl on the right was made by Robin also on Etsy.

Baby D got Elf on the Shelf for Christmas. I am so stoked to do this next year.

48 weeks old...

2010-12-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

48 weeks old.....

Learning more about language

Though at this point his vocabulary likely consists of only a couple of words besides "mama" and "dada," your baby can probably babble short, fully inflected sentences that sound like he's speaking a foreign language. Act as though you understand.

Your baby may be able to respond to simple questions and commands, especially if you give him some clues with hand gestures. For example, ask "Where's your mouth?" and point to it. Or try "Hand me the cup" and point to the object. He may even answer you in his own way, using his own gestures, such as shaking his head for "no."Help him be helpfulBecause he's receptive now, it's a good time to begin to teach your baby how to help out. Emphasize "please" and "thank you," and make toy cleanup time fun by turning it into a game. Though he probably won't get the idea just yet, it's not too early to start. Break the task into very small parts. At this age, he'll need you to work with him by his side.Name that itemIt's up to you to help your baby make connections between objects and their names — the more you do, the faster your child's vocabulary will grow.

Keep talking to your baby and labeling things. Count stair steps as you climb them, and point out the names and colors of the fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. Read your baby a picture book and ask him to point to or name familiar objects.

Solicit his opinion once in a while: Ask him if he'd like to wear the red or the blue socks, or if he'd like to play with his blocks or his stacking rings. Give him only two choices — both of which are right in front of him. He may not answer, but then again, he may surprise you.

332 days old....

Waiting for Pops to pick us up at the airport in Dallas! We are spending the night in Dallas and the heading to Mission for Christmas. We will be back to Dallas on Sunday for a few days visit with Honey and Pops!

333 days old....

We were lucky enough to have an empty seat between us on our flight from Dallas to Mission.

Made life a little easier with Baby D and flying. He is a good flyer but wants to roam a lot and he isn't always able to, therefore we get a little fussy!

334 days old....

Trying out the new tub at my mom and dad's!

The new addition to the house is amazing!

335 days old....

Declan loves the fountain at my parents house. We sat outside tonight and enjoyed some "Cool" weather and playing in the fountain.

336 days old....

One of the many Christmas bibs Baby D had to wear for Christmas.

337 days old....

Christmas at Rebecca's!

Sitting at the table like a big boy.

338 days old....

We are back in Dallas and Baby D has a new booster seat to try out!

So far, so good. This boy doesn't miss a meal. Pops is blown away by the amount of food he eats. I say he has a hollow leg. He can shovel it in, that's for sure!

47 weeks old....

2010-12-20T21:08:00.000-08:00

47 weeks old......

Very easy readers

Your baby probably enjoys looking at books and leafing through the pages, though she won't always turn them one by one. Indulge in great picture books, likeAnno's Journey, by the great Japanese artist Mitsumasa Anno, Tamara Hoban's Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue?, which introduces primary colors through photos of everyday objects, and The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs, a full-color cartoon book about a snowman who comes to life. Or stick with sturdy and inexpensive board books that can stand up to small fingers.

To add variety to your baby's reading time and to find out what appeals to her the most, try your local library or the kids' section at a family-friendly bookstore.

It's hard to say goodbye

Your baby has probably been wrestling with bouts of separation anxiety during the last several months. This is natural: She loves and depends on you, so she's distressed when you leave.

To ease departures, make them short and sweet. Be matter-of-fact when you leave your child at daycare or with a babysitter at home, and don't prolong the agony with extended goodbyes. Your baby's tears will subside soon after you're out of sight.

You can help your baby feel more independent by not hovering over her all the time. Of course, she still needs to know that you're around and dependable. So if she toddles to another room, wait a couple of minutes before following. If you go to another area of the house, call to her when you're in the next room — but don't come running every time she squawks.

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We went to see Santa today! No tears!

329 days old....

11 months old!

330 days old.....

Someone tried spaghetti tonight and liked it!

There was spaghetti EVERYWHERE! Thank goodness for a drop cloth!

331 days old.....

46 weeks old......

2010-12-13T12:38:00.000-08:00

We are back in LA and getting back to normal. At least we are trying!

We are still struggling with sleep at night. Naps are good, but we are battling the wakeups in the middle of the night and not being able to put himself back to sleep. We are exhausted to say the least!

I am also in full swing for a first birthday. I can't even believe I am typing this out. Ideas are a flow and it will be a wonderful day for all. I am so excited about everyone being here for the big day, too!

Talking up a storm

Words and wordlike sounds are now spilling out of your baby, and he's able to use them meaningfully. As his brain continues to develop, so does his ability to reason and speak.

Encourage his interest in language and his understanding of two-way communication by being an avid listener and responding to his sounds. To polish his memory skills, play games like patty-cake and peek-a-boo.

At this age, your baby can probably imitate word sounds and inflections. He may be able to follow simple one-step directions, such as "Please bring me the ball" or "Pick up the spoon." Help him learn by separating multistep commands into easy-to-follow single steps, reinforcing them with gestures.

Remember to cherish this brief but remarkable period when your baby's communication skills are emerging: They're perhaps his most important skill!

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Getting ready for Christmas!

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Someone is standing really good on their own now!

45 weeks old.....

2010-12-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

Becoming her own person

Your baby may now assert herself among her siblings and begin to engage in parallel play — contentedly playing alongside (but not with) another baby. Informal baby playdates can be a great way to encourage your little one to develop social skills. Just remember that babies this age are still too young to understand the idea of making friends.

Think of these playdates as helping your baby build a foundation for learning how to interact with others. And she may get new play ideas from these first buddies. A bonus: You'll have some help and support from the other babies' parents.

Time to start setting limits

Your baby now understands simple instructions, though she may purposely choose to ignore you when you say "no." (To help the word carry a little more weight, use it sparingly, for setting important limits.)

Even though your baby may not always remember tomorrow what you've said today, it's not too soon to set certain boundaries and start teaching her some important distinctions, like right from wrong and safe from unsafe.

Use your best judgment as a guideline. You're not being mean if you don't let her devour a second cupcake, for example — you're setting a healthy limit. If she pulls the cat's tail, move her hand, look her in the eye, and say, "No, that hurts the cat." Then guide your baby's hand to pet the animal gently.

Her desire to explore is stronger than her desire to listen to your warnings, so it's up to you to protect and teach her. What seems to be defiance is just her natural curiosity to see how the world works.

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Erika's wedding

317 days old....

Playing at the Dallas Airport!

44 weeks old.....

2010-11-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

We are in Austin this week for Thanksgiving, as well as my friend Erika's wedding on Saturday the 4th!

44 weeks old.....

Growing physical independence

Only a few weeks shy of his first birthday, your baby's no longer a helpless infant who can't do anything without you. He still needs plenty of care and support, but his growing independence — evident in his solo standing, stooping, and squatting — is becoming apparent.

Your baby may walk while gripping your hand, and he'll hold out his arm or leg to help you dress him. At mealtimes, he may be able to grip a cup and drink from it independently (though some children may not do this for a few more months) and hand-feed himself an entire meal.

Once your baby's able to drink from a cup by himself, you may need to start ducking, because he's just as likely to toss it when he's finished as to put it down gently.

Your baby will also purposely drop objects for someone, probably you, to pick up. If you get tired of this dropping game, take away the object for a few minutes and try to distract your baby with something just as enticing, such as a fun game of peek-a-boo.

304 days old......

Today we went to a park down the road from GrandDonna and GrandDoug's house.

Declan likes the swing, but loved the trucks they had out to play with!

305 days old.....

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307 days old......

Happy Turkey Day!

This little turkey was a good eater, but was in such need of a nap he didn't make it through all of lunch.

He took a nap and was ready for the game later this evening.

308 days old.....

Today we went to the park again and IT WAS COLD!

Perfect weather for a hat!

309 days old.....

We went to see my uncle in Lago Vista today. He works at a gold course and Baby D got to take a ride on his cart!

310 days old.....

Baby D is loving all the crawling and room he has here! I will have to take him to the park a lot more so he can crawl and roam!

Thanksgiving Then and Now

2010-11-27T18:14:00.001-08:00

What a difference a year makes......

7 months pregnant!

We missed you Honey and Pops!

We will need a Red Raiders Jersey for Declan soon!

43 weeks old.....

2010-11-22T20:10:00.000-08:00

43 weeks old......

At this age, your baby can sit confidently and may even walk while holding onto furniture, possibly letting go momentarily and standing without support. She'll take steps when held in a walking position and may attempt to scoop up a toy while she's standing, too.

Those magical first steps toward independence — and lots more exercise for you! — are just around the corner, if they haven't arrived already. Most babies take their first steps sometime around 12 months, but some start much earlier. If yours isn't walking yet, don't worry — it's still early. Some babies wait until they're 18 months old to make that move.

297 days old.....

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Declan tries Rudy's BBQ Brisket

42 weeks old....

2010-11-15T15:37:00.000-08:00

42 weeks old.....

Talking to your chatterbox

Your baby is just beginning to understand many simple words and phrases, so it's more important than ever to keep talking to him. Give your chatterbox a head start on good speech patterns by repeating his words back to him using adult language. If he asks for a "bah-bah," for example, gently reinforce the correct pronunciation by asking, "Do you want a bottle?" At this stage of the game, it's best to try to avoid the tendency to use baby talk — it's fun, but hearing the right words is better for your baby's development.

Though it may sometimes feel silly, having conversations with your baby is a great way to encourage his language skills. When he rattles off a sentence of gibberish, respond with "Oh, really? How interesting." He'll probably smile and keep chattering away.

Soon you may notice some words or gestures you actually understand, as well as other forms of communication, such as pointing and grunting. It's important to name the objects he points at — or point out objects of your own — to help him learn the names of things.

Give your baby a play-by-play description of what you're doing — whether you're dicing onions for dinner or folding the laundry. As you put him in his stroller, say, "There you go, into your blue stroller. Now, let's buckle you in and get you comfortable. Okay, we're off to the park."

You can also sing nursery rhymes, demonstrate actions that go with words (saying "bye-bye" and waving, for instance), and play games, such as ring-around-the-rosy, so he learns to identify key words and phrases.

He'll soon start to make the connections. Before long, he'll be clapping his hands together when you do and may begin to say "mama" when he's looking at Mom and "dada" when Dad comes into the room (though at this point he's still more likely to use the two words indiscriminately).

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41 weeks old.....

2010-11-08T15:17:00.000-08:00

D went to his first wedding and spent the night in a hotel for the first time this weekend!

We had a great time at Courtney and Adam's wedding. It was a wonderful day!

We did our usual park, Gymboree, and playtime and Declan is really getting good at sitting for a little while and playing by himself. He keeps himself entertained for a little while which is good for me. I can get a few things done!

41 weeks old.....

Blooming personality

Your baby's personality is really emerging now. She may be very social, granting broad smiles to everyone she meets, or a little more shy, hiding her face when well-meaning strangers try to engage her. Your baby may charge ahead boldly or assess the situation carefully before accepting others. She might be even tempered or switch her moods quite dramatically.

She'll gesture for your attention and may even wave goodbye when she sees you head for the door. She's also developing a mind of her own, which you may run up against when you try to put her in her car seat or stroller.

283 days old....

Oatmeal face!

284 days old.....

The pumpkins are still out and this one is a favorite!

285 days old....

Today we went to Gymboree and ran some errands.

All pictures have tot be taken when he is still for a little while which isn't too long! You will see a lot of them looking very similar these days!

286 days old.....

Eating a snack!

287 days old....

It has been so nice and cool here! Perfect for the hats and jackets I LOVE!

Today my parents came into town so we could all got to Courtney and Adam's wedding on Saturday!

288 days old....

Playing before we leave for our roadtrip to San Luis Obispo for the wedding!

289 days old.....

We stopped for breakfast on the way out of town!

San Luis Obispo is such a pretty little town. We had so much fun at the wedding, too!

It was a great evening for all of us and for the bride and groom.

Everything was so pretty and so well planned out. It was a beautiful wedding.

Honey and Pops Came to Visit!

2010-11-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Honey and Pops came for a week long visit last week and we got to spend some great time together!

We went to the park, Gymboree, shopping and played a lot.

Brad and Stacy, I am so thankful that you all made the trip out here to see Declan. It meant so much to all of us. We had such a great time and I know he did, as well.

Thank you!

I am trying to catch up!

2010-11-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

I am so behind on posting weeks. I am so sorry! I have last weeks almost done.

Honey and Pops were here and we had so much fun with them!

We have been a busy household and it is about to get even more busy with holidays, travel and weddings but I will do my best to keep up with everything!

xoxo