Tunnel of Love

Caroline got tons of fun new stuff for her birthday - and I mean tons! She got clothes, bathing suits, outdoor toys, bath toys, pool toys, books, plates and bowls, towels...you name it, she got it. She's so lucky to be so loved! One of her favorite new things is a tunnel from Mama Lou, her great-grandmother (Adam's grandmother). She pulls it out at least once a day, if not more. She just loves it! Thank you Mama Lou!!!!

Toddler Time!

This morning I took Caroline to Toddler Time at the library. We met up with a friend and had a wonderful time!! C wasn't into the songs at the beginning (she had just woken up) but she loved the story part. At the end, all the kids got an egg with some beads in it to shake. C went nuts!! It was just precious. We can't wait to go back soon!

Misadventures in eating

Up until recently, Caroline has been the best eater. She would try everything that we gave her and would eat most of her food at each meal. In the past week, she's been more picky. She doesn't eat a lot at breakfast, she falls asleep during lunch (and I've tried moving lunchtime 3 times - she just moves her naptime with it!), and she gives Daisy most of her dinner. She's been pushing away sippy cups and only wanting a bottle.

Caught!!!


Feeding Daisy again


She thought it was funny. I did not.


Although she didn't want Daisy eating her food this day. Daisy has been getting more comfortable taking C's food (and why not, C just gives it to her?) so we've started putting outside during meal time.


I thought that ravioli would be a fun food for C. I spent forever picking out the best ravioli and sauce in Whole Foods. I was so excited to give it to her...


Looks like a clean tray, huh? Nope...she just pushed it all away.


I decided that we were going to sit there and she was going to eat it. I was determined not to cook a different meal. 40 minutes later...


She was fine just sitting there, only asking to get up a couple times.


She finally started getting a little impatient.


But she still wouldn't eat. After an hour and a half I finally got her out of her high chair.



I pulled out every baby/toddler cookbook I have plus spent hours online looking for good ideas. I'm going to try some new stuff and see if that pleases her. Anyone else have any suggestions???

Proof

After I did the post this morning about C helping with the laundry, I took her to Mama and Me playgroup. These pictures aren't staged - this is really the first thing she did when we got there. She really does love laundry!!

Little Helper

Caroline is at such a fun age right now! She is learning so much everyday and sometimes that really works to my benefit...sometimes not so much. She will copy things that we do and try to say things that we say (not so much the word, but the inflection). Lately she's been helping me with laundry. I'll take a basket of dirty clothes and pour it out on the floor in the laundry room. I'll start the washing machine and put in the detergent and then Caroline hands me the clothes one my one. When they are all put in, she'll clap her hands and then I'll lift her up to see all the clothes and she'll wave at them. When the buzzer for the dryer goes off, she walks into the laundry room. I'm thinking that in a few more months she'll be able to handle it all by herself :)

The other day she was busy playing so I decided to start a load of towels. I brought the basket into the living room and went into the laundry room to start the washing machine. This is what I found when I came out.





I guess she wanted to help!! I know it seems like she's never wearing clothes - I promise that she is usually dressed! We've been outside a lot lately so she always manages to get wet in the baby pool or water table or in the dirt or drip popsicle on her so something. She's a messy little thing!

Lately...

After C's birthday party we stayed pretty busy, so blogging took a bit of a back seat... It took a few days to get the house back to normal and to find a place for all the wonderful new things that Caroline got for her birthday!! Now we're back into a good routine so I can fill everyone in on what we've been doing lately!

Caroline had a swimming date with two of her little boyfriends, Robert and Jonathan. (And she learned how to use a straw!!)





She ate watermelon for the first time. We put her in a watermelon dress for the occassion.


She didn't really want to eat it. She was more interested in rubbing it on the chair,


holding it up to show the backyard,


and sharing with Daisy.



Caroline had one of her best friends come over to play.






And then we went over to her friends house!




This toddler sure is keeping us busy!!

The Final Chapter

I started this blog when I was about 17 weeks pregnant with Caroline. My intention was to document our lives as we got ready for her arrival and then to document her life throughout her first year. Well, her first year has come and gone and I am excited to turn this blog into a book!! This entry will be the final entry in the book. I am still going to keep the blog going - I know all our readers would be so sad if I didn't :) But, in a true "final chapter" kind of way, I am going to give a (probably very long) wrap up of the past year. It's mainly random thoughts so probably not very interesting...you have been warned!!

It's strange to be sitting here looking back at the year. So much has happened. Obviously Caroline has grown - tripling her weight and adding nearly a foot in length. She has learned some big things, like sitting up and rolling over to walking and saying words. Adam and I have also changed. Somewhere along the way we didn't just "have a baby", we became parents. The "lets write our wills so we know she'll be taken care of should anything happen to us, whats the best way to save for her education, only look for houses that include a playroom and big yard" type of parents. We had a lot of growing up to do but I know that our lives have more meaning and joy because of that. Don't get me wrong - I miss our random late night food runs (what is it about midnight that makes me so hungry???) but staying home with sleeping Caroline is so much better than a big greasy cheeseburger!

On May 30, 2010 I thought that I wouldn't get to experience raising my child. I remember laying on my bathroom floor in a puddle of blood. I didn't know what was going on and Adam wasn't there to reassure me that it would be okay. I don't handle crisis situations well, he does. I just knew that something was terribly wrong and I was probably going to die. I remember thinking that I didn't have Caroline for long enough to know her and I was so mad. At the same time, I was relieved that she was so little that she wouldn't remember me so there wouldn't be any painful memories. We left for the hospital so quickly that I didn't get to see Caroline. I didn't know if I had seen her for the last time or not. Without a doubt, that was the most scared I have ever been. It's a year later and I can barely think about it without breaking down into tears. There will be times that I look at Caroline and start crying because I can remember the day where I thought all of this was about to be taken away from me. I hope that I never take my time with her for granted, not one single second. There hasn't been a day yet where I don't go to bed thanking God for giving me that day and for having the chance to be her mom.

Some of my favorite moments of the past year were the times that I would rock her. It was so quiet and sweet and I loved the time where it was just her and me. I remember dreading the day when my mom left and Adam was at work. I was so nervous that I wouldn't know what to do by myself with a little baby. It didn't take long for me to figure it out and soon I was loving that time alone with her!

I've loved watching her little personality develop. She loves to talk and be the center of attention (I'm thinking that comes from Adam...), she's stubborn (unfortunatly she gets that from both parents), independant, loving, and so funny! She keeps us smiling all day long.

When I was pregnant, people would tell me that soon I wouldn't remember life without her. It's strange because to some degree that's true. Of course I remember my life pre baby - but I find myself saying "What did I do before Caroline" all the time! I am so used to packing a diaper bag that I feel anxious when I leave the house without her. It doesn't feel right having a bag so light anymore!!

I truly feel like a different person since having a baby. I know I have more patience (being pregnant and waiting on her arrival did that to me!). I used to be the person who would roll their eyes when a child wouldn't stop crying in a restaurant, now I am the mother of that child and praying that people aren't rolling their eyes at me. Even if they are, I don't care anymore. I am just happy that a crying child is a problem that I am lucky enough to have. I am so much more thankful and appreciative of everything now. Caroline made me a better person when she made me a mommy!

Caroline,
You are the most amazing thing in the world. I hope that you enjoy this book of your first year - I enjoyed documenting it! I love you so much baby girl!

Adam,
Can you believe that we've been parents for a whole year?? I am so thankful that you are the one that took this incredible journey with me. I have loved you for so many years. I have only had the chance to love you as a daddy for one year, but I can honestly say - I have never loved you more. You are the perfect father. I love the little girl that you gave me and I hope that we will more more children. I think the world needs more little pieces of you in it. If I could choose again, I'd still choose you. xo