13 months

May 20th- Today Addie turned 13 months and I can't believe it. She is growing up way to fast in my eyes. To celebrate, Grammie came and watched her swim lesson at the YMCA and every time Addie saw her, she just wanted Grammie to come get her. Addie wasn't into the swim lessons as she normally is since she had an audience! One thing Addie does now is watch the other class and also just enjoys jumping in the water and crawling out of the pool. If we did this the whole class she would love it!

Later that afternoon, we went to visit Dzie Dzie. Again, Addie is the hit of the nursing home. Everyone knows her there and it is so cute. She brings a smile to so many people there. It is great to see the joy that she gives to others by just having a little one there.

Addie used her potty 3 times today!!! Go Addie go!!!

May 23rd- Today Grammie and Gramps joined us at the zoo. This was Addie's 4th trip to the zoo already this year! We didn't take the stroller in as Addie likes to walk now and she pretty much walks about 65% of the zoo and then gets carried the rest of the way. She did really good with her sippy cup today too...thank goodness because it was 90 outside....it was a hot one. (She really doesn't get a bottle at all during the day and just really at night time for bed or I nurse her.... weaning her on both of those at the moment.

After the zoo, we went to Culvers and Addie enjoyed eating a pickle, some mashed potatoes, roast beef, bread and cheese all from our plates. I thought she was going to pass out as soon as we left the zoo but she didn't and was still awake to join us for a late lunch.

She fell asleep on the way home and we decided to go over and see Jeremy's parents, well on our way we got a phone call from Jeremy's mom asking for us to come over with a bathing suit so we turned around and got her a bathing suit. Harrison and Addison enjoyed the baby pool that Grandma had. Addie loved the water and getting in and out of the pool. She loved playing with Harrison too. It is so cute to see them play together! I am sure there will be many summer days like this ahead of us for our little ones.

Addie went twice today in her potty!!!

May 24th- I decided to do some shopping with Addie today and we got a giraffe swimming pool and sprinkler for her. When we got home, my neighbor blew it up with his compressor and Margie carried it across the road for me to fill it up with water. What would we do without neighbors?! So after it heated up alittle and I got Addie changed, we went and had some fun. William came over and enjoyed the pool with Addie. Once school was out, Tommy came over and played with Addie too. So Addie has been swimming with 3 boys already... Harrison, William and Tommy... do we have a theme going on?!

So today when Jeremy got home from work, Addie and I had a present for him. We told him he couldn't go upstairs until Addie was done with dinner. When it was time, Jeremy was looking at the walls to see if I hung up new pictures...he was really trying to figure out what it was. He then noticed that our bathroom door was shut. He opened it, walked in and looked at her potty chair. He yelled "GROSS". I looked at him and said you need to tell her good job. He then looks at Addie and says "Good Job Obbie (her nickname) you pooped" she started to clap as he was clapping. It was so cute. Gotta love it that the high light of your day is when your baby girl goes #2 on the potty chair for the first time. I took a picture of it too! It's a big moment right?!

May 26th- Addie is doing good with her potty chair. I am not forcing it every hour or anything. If we are upstairs then I try it out. Today Addie and I played in her pool outside for a little bit.

May 27th- Addie had her last swim class today with Ms. Andy. She did really good. Daddy also came and watched her class. She enjoys watching the older kids swim than she does in our class now.

Later at nigh, we went to see Dzie Dzie and celebrate his 85th birthday. We had cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday to him. Addie also had fun by going out to the courtyard and daddy took her around and looked at the 14 baby ducks, climbed the bridge, went swinging on the swing chair.

May 28th- After I got home from work, Jeremy, Addison and myself went over to his parents for a cookout and also joined Elizabeth, Adam and Harrison. Harrison and Addie played outside by the pool, but didn't go in. they had tons of fun checking out the deck and going up and down the small tiers to it. After dinner, we played in the basement with the pool balls and the kiddo had fun. They even had time to fight over who was going to be in the car. They did good though as no one cried. They will have many of these moments where each one wants what the other one has and they will have to figure it out! I am proud of the two of them for learning to compromise!

May 29th- Today we started off by doing a little shopping, then going to Grandma and Grandpa's for Addie to have her first swim in their pool! She had to show off her swimming lessons that she has taken since she was 8 months old! She did great and loved it. I am so proud of my little fish. After we had some fun in the pool, we headed home and got ready to go Jenny's 30th Birthday party at Kelli's house. We had alot of fun hanging out with some old friends as this was long over due. Addie and Jeremy left early as it was getting to be her bedtime and I wanted to stay and have some adult time with my friends.

May 30th- We went back and swam at Grandma and Grandpa's today and Harrison joined in the fun today too. We tried doing all of our songs that we learned in class together. The kids had lots of fun, but it was getting alittle crowded for Addison and we were getting splashed by too many of the big kids so we got out of the pool. After we ate, we headed home and went to Mitch and Lorissa's for a Memorial Day party.

May 31st- Today Addison had her 5th trip to the zoo and was joined by Grandma, Grandpa, Adam, Elizabeth, Harrison and Aunt Lisa. Addie did great in the beginning and was walking and showing the way from each exhibit, but then she started to get tired and after we went through the butterfly exhibit, she fell asleep in my arms.

After the zoo, my parents came over for cookout and Addie fell asleep in her high chair, but then we transferred her to my mom's arms and she slept on my mom for awhile. It was too cute that she slept on 2 people today. Those days are numbered on when my little one wants to be held still. I don't want those days to come.

June 1st- Today Jeremy had off so we did a little shopping and just relaxed at home.

June 2nd- Today, we decided to visit Aunt Joan and Uncle Joe. Addie did so good with Kojak and was all over the place showing off how well she walks and communicates too.

12 months

May 17th- Today Addie and I went shopping today and I decided to get her a potty chair. We didn't use it though. We had fun playing outside with the dogs today. Addie had so much fun playing with her big red ball.

May 18th- I tried when I got home from work today and she went!!! It was so exciting!!! Jeremy wasn't home, but I saved it for him to see!!! (nice present huh) I even took a picture of it. When Jeremy got home later that night, I tried again with her at bedtime, but nothing. That was ok...no pressure, just kinda seeing how she reacts to it.

May 19th- This morning, as I was getting ready to take a bath. I was on the big potty and Addie was on the little potty. After about 2 minutes, she went!!! I was so proud of her!!! In the middle of me taking a bath, she decided to go to her chair (I let her walk around naked in the bathroom), she tried to sit in it, but got her foot stuck in her seat, so I got out of the bath tub and sat her on her seat (not thinking she was going to do anything). After about 2 minutes she got up and played with her toys. As I was toweling off, I looked to see if there was anything in the potty and sure enough there was a little. I couldn't believe it. She went to the potty all by herself!!! She went twice in the potty chair today!!!

Later on, Addie and I went to the zoo. She got to touch a goat today and also enjoy the kangaroos. Those exhibits were finally open now.

Tonight for dinner, we joined David, Becca and Annika at Hacienda. Addie did ok. She was good for about the first 30 minutes and then when she was done with her dinner, she was ready to be out of her chair. I was almost done with my dinner. Jeremy walked her around a bit and was able to get her to settle, but she was tired. As soon as I got in the car about 2 minutes down the road, she was asleep in her car seat.

1 year!

April 19th- Daddy put in her big girl car seat in my car and his car tonight!!! Addie is officially a big girl now and can ride forward facing now. Daddy did everything by the book on this one and wasn't taking any chances at all. He said there is a reason why they have guidelines and we are sticking to them! I wasn't challenging him and totally agreed. Safety first for our little one!

April 22nd- Since a lot of the family members were sick, we had postponed her party with the immediate family until tonight. On the menu was chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit, and salad... oh yeah and cake. Addie's cake came from my old volleyball Coach Jen. It turned out awesome and tasted wonderful!!

So as people arrived, I was making the grilled cheese to order and then after everyone ate, we sat Addie down in her high chair and did Jeremy's family tradition of her picking between the shot glass, rosary and silver dollar. She took her time and touched all of them before deciding for a good minute which one she wanted to pick up. She is just like her daddy in this manner... analyzing everything! She finally picked up the shot glass and proudly smiled and waved it around. I hope to think that this will mean she will be a little social butterfly and not a drinker!

So after we did that, we sang to her and then put her cake in front of her. I thought she would dive into the cake, but nope... she just took her pointer finger and picked at it. She really didn't get messy at all. I decided to cut out a piece of cake for her and let her pick at that, but she really didn't want anything to do with the cake.

After cake, we did presents and she was more interested in showing off her walking skills then presents. She did love her build a bear dog that she got from her cousin Lisa, Paul, Paulie and Lauren. She got lots of clothes, toys, investment in her college education and she got her first car from Grandma and Grandpa. I joke with Grandpa and said you know what this means... you started a tradition.... when she turns 16 does she get a car then too?!!!

April 24th- Today we went to the ND Blue and Gold game and Addie was inside the stadium for the second time now! I can't wait to take her to a game, but I know that will be a few years down the road. After the blue and gold game, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house and visited with them and had hamburgers with Adam, Elizabeth and Harrison. It was good to visit with them and have a family day.

April 25th- Today was Addie's big party with the family and we went to Bruno's pizza. I rented out the facility and it was alot easier to entertain 80 people there than it was at our house. Good thing to because it rained! So her party worked out great. Tons of family members were there. Addie is very lucky to have all the love from the family! She is one lucky girl!

So after everyone ate, we did the tradition thing again and this time Addison picked the rosary, after she debated for a few! Finally it was time for her second cake, again she didn't dive into it at all. She really didn't want anything to do with it, which was fine. It was her day!

April 26th- Today Addie had her 1 year check-up. She weighed 21 pounds 4 ounces. I was surprised by this as I thought she was 23 pounds. She weighs less now than she did at 9 months. Yikes! So far Addie is 1 oz away from gaining 15 pounds since she was born! The doctor wasn't too worried as he said nursing babies tend to lose the weight between 9-12 months, she is walking and active now, and we had just gotten over a sickness. So with the combination of those items, he was ok with her weight. Next was her height. She was 29 inches. So she has grown 9 inches in 12 months.

Addie is right on track where she needs to be. She is walking, talking...well babbling, a good eater...etc. So after our check-up our doctor order lab tests to be done. The test would be for lead and just normal blood work. He wanted us to go to a lab where they were used to seeing smaller children and had tiny needles. We had to go to the place right by the hospital. I called Jeremy on our way as I wasn't very happy about this as Jeremy wasn't able to go to this doctors appointment. I was mad and let him know that he was a bad daddy as his daughter was getting shots and now had to get blood work. I had to give him the guilt trip that his baby girl wasn't going to be happy! So I get the place and it was like "take a number" I wasn't very comfortable at all. I texted Jeremy and said get down here now. Well in the process of me filling out paper work, one of Jeremy's uncles was there getting blood work done, so then I was at ease. So I called Jeremy and said no worries as he was walking to his car. I am one who is not comfortable with new places, especially with my baby! They did good with Addie on her blood being drawn. It took 2 nurses and me to hold her. She sat on my lap. One nurse held her arm out straight and the other did the rubber band thing on the arm and then looked for the vein. After about 30 seconds to find the vein, they got it. I was worried that they wouldn't be able to find it, but they did. We were out in about 20 minutes. I was happy to get it over with and the results were normal too!

April 29th- Today Grandma came over to watch Addie after work because daddy and mommy had a political fundraiser dinner to attend. We got to meet Governor Mitch Daniels, Jackie Wolarski, Dan Coats, Dick Pfiel... among many other Republicans. It was an awesome experience and we can't wait to get Addie involved with benefits like this. Grandma said she did good and ate really good!!!

May 1st- Today Jeremy and I celebrated 6 years and we celebrated by taking Addison to the zoo for the 1st time! She loved it! Jeremy took about 580 pictures! After the zoo, it was time for Jeremy and I to celebrate and decide what we were going to do. My mom offered to watch Addison for us to have a date night and we took her up on it. We really appreciated it. So we basically had a game time decision and we went to Four Winds and gambled. I won!!! So now Addie will have her own CD player for her room so she can listen to music now. While we were away, my mom said Addie did great.

May 2nd- Today we celebrated Uncle Joe's 85th birthday!! We went up to the lake and Addie got to see her "big" swimming pool. She enjoyed visiting with Aunt Joan and Uncle Joe. she got tons of kisses from Kojak. She also showed off her walking moves and was all over the place.

May 9th- Mother's Day. Today I celebrated being a mom for the second time and its the best gift in the world!!! We had everyone over to our house to celebrate.

May 15th- Today we visited Grandpa Totten with Gramps. Addie showed off how she likes to investiage and she got into Great Grandpa Totten's desk drawer and tv buttons. She also found the remote when it was on the shelf! She knows what she wants and when she wants it.

During the day, Jeremy decided to share his sandwich with Addie since she was curious of what he was eating and she tried a pickle and she liked it. Jeremy was very happy about this.

Later that day we met up with teh Bechinski's and both sets of grandparents and Adam, Elizabeth and Harrison at Redamak's. Addie did really good in the high chair and when I was done with my dinner so was she and she wanted out so she bacame the social butterfly and was passed all around the table.

May 16th- We went to church today and Miss Addison wasn't having anything to do with it. I had to take her out of the church... all she wants to do is walk around since she knows how to walk now. My little girl wasn't very good today in church. We need to keep working with her and let her have a fit, but not during church. It will have to be after church that we work on this.

So after church, Jeremy wanted McDonald's .... so Daddy dediced to give her some of his McDonald's breakfast. (I wasn't so thrilled about this, but I knew this day was coming) She had a sauage& egg burrito and liked it.

After lunch, we went to the zoo with my mom. This was the first time to the zoo in forever for my mom and she had a great time with Addie. When we got there, we ran into Elizabeth, Adam, Harrison and Grandma as they were on there way out. Our schedules didn't meet up for us to go together today, but there will be many more opportunities this summer to get together and go to the zoo. I am sure Harrison loved it just like Addison did her first time at the zoo.

Addie at 1 year:

*She is a walker. She can get up all by herself and take off. She has done this since she started walking!!!

*She has been going to bed later... (because of the time change) It was 9:00-9:30, which I wasn't very happy about, but now it is 8:00. She usually gets up anywhere between 6:00-7:00 in the morning.

*I haven't gotten the courage to give her a blanket at night. I am scared about this one for some reason, even though our doctor said its fine....just as long as its not a big comforter.

*Addie is starting to eat table foods now.

*She is starting to use her fork and spoon. She is better with the fork because if she flips it over, the food doesn't fall off like it does the spoon. We are working on it. It is very messy at times, but worth it!

*She loves to climb the stairs. I finally taught her to go down. It's been hard to do this because we have the gates closed to the stairs immediately so for her to go down, I just carried her... now I let her go down and she giggles... she loves it!

*She has found her private parts.

*She loves to dance now! She bounces to the music. It is so cute!

*She loves her doggies. They are so funny to her. She will go to them when they are on the couch and she smacks them, but then we say PET and she does. So she is learning, but we still need to watch her. Riley is the best with her. She let's Addison do whatever she wants to her.

*She loves her bath time. We are still in swimming lessons and she loves the water.

*She loves car rides.

*She loves going around the bottom circle in our house and likes to chase the dogs, me or daddy. She is getting her surroundings.

*She has 4.5 teeth right now.

*Her smile lights up the room and its the best smile in the world.

*She babbles alot... we have no clue what she is saying, but it sounds like "Apple, Boo-ga-dee, O'Boy, O'Boy, O'Boy"

*She loves it when people sneeze...she cracks up

*shows off her 2 bottom teeth when she walks....especially when she gets excited.

* She loves peas, watermelon, fruit cups, cerel bars at the moment!

*She loves to ride in her car and she even goes to it and sits in it and waits for us to come get her to give her a ride.