Chloe is Eleven Months Old!

This month seems to have flown by like all the others. I guess that the biggest thing is that we started weaning on the 7th. I think that she isn't even missing the nursing. It will probably be harder on me than her. I know that it really doesn't matter, but I'm so excited that I never had to buy any formula. I've been dropping a feeding every fifteen days and then I will nurse her for the last time on her first birthday.

I am trying to keep signing with her, but I seem to keep forgetting to practice. She has started pointing and grunting, especially at her cabinet where I keep all her snacks. I feel like I need to remember to sign with her more so that she can communicate more effectively with us.

Chloe is also walking all over the place. I'll be glad when she's even steadier on her feet because maybe then Sawyer won't be able to knock her over twenty times a day. We talk to him until we're blue in the face, but it doesn't seem to be sinking in with him. I keep telling him that it isn't fair because no one knocked him down when he was eleven months old, so why is he doing it to his sister?

I had to use the car as a prop to get Chloe to go along with the picture taking experience. She definitely has other ideas of what to do with the Aggie bear. These generally include throwing it and/or chewing on it. The thing that she wants to do the least is actually hold it for a picture or two.

I took this picture to show her ladybug T-shirt. It is one of my favorites.

I love how she's holding on with her feet.

I got an action shot of her throwing the bear.

She looks so excited to have her picture taken.

With All the Frills Upon It

I bought this Easter bonnet for Chloe so I thought that I would start early and have her wear it around the house from time to time. I'm thinking that if I do that there may actually be a chance that she will keep it on for her pictures in a few weeks. I had a blast taking all of these pictures of Chloe and Sawyer. They were playing really well this particular afternoon so that was a plus.

It is so difficult to take Chloe's pictures these days because once I bring out the camera she starts trying to attack me. This results in lots and lots of close-ups. I can't seem to be able to get far enough away from her.

Chloe drives this car around like she's been doing it her whole life.

Chloe had a blast pushing Sawyer around the game room.

I can't tell you how many times she tried to take off her hat.

Here's one of those close-ups.

Chloe AKA Minnie Pearl.

I think that she had forgotten about the hat by this point.

Valentine's Day

Sawyer and Chloe had a happy Valentine's Day. They each got a book and Sawyer got some M&M's and a marshmallow Pooh Bear lollipop. He also got some conversation hearts, but I don't think that he was very impressed with them.

I made chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans for supper. That is one of Lorne's favorite meals. I hardly ever make it because it's so bad for us, but I figured this was a special occasion.

Sawyer took one bite and said, "Save it for later?"

Chloe didn't get any sweets, but I don't think she missed them!

Sawyer got a Thomas card with sound and he didn't want to put it down.

Chloe loves lift the flap books!

Random Thoughts and Pics

I always try to take time to get pictures of the kids, but it always seems to end with lots of crying and carrying on and then there's the kids' reactions! :) I did get a cute one this afternoon that I wanted to share:

I'm not even going to say how many attempts it took to get this one picture of the two of them.

Chloe is walking these days, but I will post more on her "Chloe is Eleven Months Old" entry which I am hoping to post before she turns one year. LOL

I think Chloe wants to be an acrobat. And we thought Sawyer was a climber!

Lyndon, Laura, Logan, and Luke were in Dallas a few weeks ago and we were able to meet for lunch at Freebirds and then head to a park. I really miss Laura and I hope that they will be back in Texas soon.

Luke and Lorne at Freebirds. Luke was born on September 25.

Chloe and Luke didn't get much out of the park, but Logan and Sawyer sure had fun. They didn't sit still long enough to be photographed.

I finally got this picture scanned. Mom said that I was about six months old in this pic. This is proof that Chloe looks like her momma and NOT MARK!!!!!! :) I swear all anyone can tell me is how much she looks like him! I'm here to say that she definitely got his temper, though...love you brother! :)

Here is Chloe at six months.

I know what y'all are all thinking; she STILL looks just like Mark!

Kenneth took this picture of Landon and Lorie with us at Nanny's at Christmas. This was another one that I scanned so it took me forever to upload.

I wish that we lived closer since our kids are so close in age...that and a lot of other reasons!

We interrupt this entry for some random thoughts:

I have decided that there will always be something about which I will feel guilty. When I go to the gym after the kids go to bed I'm thinking I should be spending time with Lorne. When I'm hanging out with Lorne I'm thinking I should be at the gym. When I'm cleaning the house I'm thinking I should be playing more with the kids, you get the picture.

I wanted to share something that I saved from when I graduated from high school. Aunt Net read it at my graduation party. It was taken from Ann Landers, The Phoenix Gazette, February 21, 1986. I listened to the passage as a daughter those many years ago, but now they really touch my heart because God has made me a momma:

The baby is teething. The children are fighting. Your husband just called, "Eat dinner without me."
One of these days, you'll explode and shout to the kids, "Why don't you grow up?" And they will.
You'll straighten their bedrooms all neat and tidy, toys displayed on the shelf, hangers in the closet, animals caged. You'll say, "Now I want it to stay this way." And it will.
You will prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't had all the olives picked out and a cake with no finger traces in the icing and you'll say, "Now this is a meal for company." And you'll eat it alone.
You'll yell, "I want complete privacy on the phone. No screaming. Do you hear me?" And no one will answer.
No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti. No more dandelion bouquets. No more iron-on patches. No more wet, knotted shoelaces, muddy boots, or rubber bands for ponytails.
No more Christmas presents made of library paste and toothpicks. No wet oatmeal kisses. No more tooth fairy. No more giggles in the dark...scraped knees or sticky fingers to clean. Only a voice asking, "Why don't you grown up?"
And the silence echoes: "I did."

*I'm off to find a Kleenex...*

Valentine's Day Crafts

There were lots of things I looked forward to being able to do once I became a mom. One of the activities that topped my list was cookie making. I have so much fun with Sawyer while we are making cookies. I love to watch him decorate and see what types of cookies he creates. I look forward to each holiday even more now so that we can get in the kitchen together.

I think he's been watching how I take pictures!

He ate a ton of those sugar decorations.

Sawyer made his valentines on Monday. I bought all sorts of decorations so that he would have some variety, but all he wanted to do was use the glitter. It got all over the place and I even thought to steal a coke flat from Wal-Mart so that he could put the valentines in it while using the glitter. I think it reminded him of using the sprinkles when we make cookies or sprinkling cheese. Either way he is crazy about the sprinkles!

Next time he has a project with glitter we'll be doing it outside!

He keeps asking me if he can make more valentines.

The finished products.

That's Amore

Aunt Jamie bought Sawyer a kid-sized pizza kit for Christmas which included a pizza pan, pizza cutter, and a rolling pin. She also got him a cookie-making kit. I bought a pizza-making kit the other day and so Sawyer made his own supper. That worked out pretty well! I'm always looking for ways for him to be able to help me out in the kitchen.

Good grief, could I get any cheesier?

The sauce comes next.

I love to see him smile.

Finally the cheese.

Chloe is always close by, never missing a thing.

Santa's Second Stop

I probably shouldn't even blog about this since it has been so long ago, but the pictures were too cute! Santa made a second stop at our house in Wylie when we got back home from Christmas since he had some large presents that were too big to drop off in Van Vleck. Sawyer got the Little Tikes Inside/Outside Cook 'n Grill Kitchen and Chloe got the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning Home. Sawyer is really enjoying playing in his kitchen and making us all sorts of meals. Santa also brought 101 pieces of food so it's lots of fun.

The inside.

The outside.

I don't think that I've been able to get him to wear the hat since.

Sawyer gets to grill just like Daddy.

Sawyer has so much fun in his kitchen.

Chloe loves to wave.

Sawyer and Chloe are also both enjoying the Fisher-Price Learning Home. I have to watch really closely to make sure that Sawyer doesn't whack Chloe with the door. It plays lots of neat songs and has a shape sorter and a mailbox with letters.

Chloe loves crawling through the door.

I should send this one to Fisher-Price.