February

Meredith said animal for the first time on February 2nd...it comes out "amal"...it's adorable!!! She also said "andaddy" for grandaddy :)

Mere's still having to go to time out...mostly for standing on the furniture. She makes us so nervous!!!

She started disliking bath time this month...it used to make her so happy, it was one of her favorite things!! She cries and keeps standing up now.

Mere had some of an orange for the first time on the 6th...she loved it!!!

Mere stayed in Sunday School for the first time on the 8th. It's usually her nap time, so we don't usually stay. But we want her to know that it's very important. She didn't handle it very well today. She cried when we left her, but what broke my heart even more was when we picked her up...she was asleep in the nursery workers' arms and woke up crying as soon as she heard our voices. She was so upset...she cried the whole way out of Church and the whole way home. I guess she thought we weren't coming back for her.

Her eczema on her face has been really bad, so we've started putting Crisco on it...we heard that it works really good last time we were at the doctor's office. We'll try just about anything!

She loves coloring with crayons!!! I love seeing her sweet little drawings hanging up...I've got several at work, and they're all over the fridge.

Mere said banana several times on the 13th...it was adorable!!! Most of the time she just says bu for banana.

Happy Valentines' Day!! Mimi watched Mere so we could go out for lunch together (we don't do that very often)...it was wonderful!! Matt took me to the Chop House...yummy!! Gigi Connie visited that afternoon...it was so good to see her!! She brought Meredith the cutest little outfit...she loved it, and kept carrying it around the house :) She seems to really like clothes lately...she loves touching them and carrying them around...so cute!!

Meredith held onto one of my fingers and led me around the house on the 16th. It was so cute!!

She said Elmo tonight...so incredibly sweet!!! It kinda sounds like Elma, but we definitely knew what she was saying.

I fell down the first flight of stairs with Mere on the 21st. I ran 6 miles that morning and my legs were stiff...not really sure how it all happened. I tried to hold on tight, but she still flew out of my arms when I hit the stairs...I felt awful about it all, but am so thankful she's ok!! Once we both had recovered from the experience, I pulled Mere's finger paints out...Mimi and Grandaddy got them for her for Valentines Day. She put it in her mouth first, bu then did great when I showed her what to do with them! She had so much fun, and I love looking at her artwork!! :)

She says "du de" for duckie...how cute is that?

Mere said Mimi for the first time on the 27th :) Mimi and Grandaddy wanted to see Carter's glow in the dark pajamas...so they were taking him to the bathroom. I said Mere wanted to see them, too...well, it apparently scared her when they turned the lights out. She stared screaming and said mama and mimi...poor baby!! But we were so glad to hear another word!

I love that she lets me read to her!! I love listening to her talk and scream!! I love it when she walks up and hugs my legs!! I love her sweet kisses! If you can't tell...I just love that little girl!!! :)

January

Meredith has started talking so much more!! We love it!!! She has the sweetest little voice!! She still loves being read to. Some of her favorite books are Knuffle Bunny, Baby's First Bible, No More Paci for Piggy, Pinkalicious, The Big Red Barn, and Llama Llama Mad at Mama. She loves having her teeth brushed! She's becoming so independent...she tries to get in her highchair by herself now. She wants to do everything by herself...my baby's growing up so fast!!!

We let her take a blanky to bed for the first time on the 21st. She was very excited about it!!! And we let her take a stuffed animal to bed for the first time on the 25th. She slept with one of my favorite animals when I was a little girl...a little bunny named Pinky :)

Mere started throwing more toddler temper tantrums this month...not really sure what's the best way to handle them. We've been using her time out spot lots, and we've putting her in her bed some.

She shudders a lot when she thinks things are yucky or they scare her...fuzzies, bugs, and the clock mouse at Shannon & Matt's are just a few things that make her do it.

Every day with Meredith is a blessing! She is so amazing...I'm so thankful I was chosen to be her Mommy!!

Meredith - 17 month checkup

Mere had a checkup at Dr. Baggott's office today. I was so excited to spend the day with Mere (I was off work today). We woke up to a little bit of snow, so I took Mere out. I think she really liked it...she kept yelling "no"...It was adorable!! They didn't schedule her for a 15 month appointment (like she should have had), but instead scheduled her for one at 17 months. Our precious little girl weighs 20 lbs 11.5 oz (her weight is now in the 10th percentile), and her height is 31 (42nd percentile)...she's so tiny now!!!! She had to get 3 shots...it makes me so sad that she has to get them, but I know it's best for her. She did so well, though...just a few tears. She got 2 of the shots in her left leg, and it was really swollen this evening.

Shanda

Happy New Year!!!

Yesterday was my grandmother's birthday, so we went to celebrate with her last night! We had a wonderful time!! We got home around 10, and put Meredith in bed...and decided we were ready for bed, too. I think that's the first time in many years that I didn't stay up to ring in the new year...I always look forward to it, but was so exhausted last night that sleep sounded so much better!! Have a wonderful day!!

Love,
Shanda

We took Meredith to the pumpkin farm on Saturday, October 11th, and had so much fun!!! We decided to wait till next year to go on the hay ride to the pumpkin patch. There were still so many things to look at...lots of animals, huge pumpkins, and kids everywhere. We let her out of the stroller for a while to just run around in an open field...she really liked that!!

1st Birthday

Meredith turned 1 on Saturday, August 16th!!!

This first year has gone by so fast!!! It sure has been wonderful, though!! She is such an amazing little girl...she's beautiful, smart, and so sweet!!! Our lives have been so blessed!!

We celebrated Meredith's birthday on Sunday, August 17th at Two Rivers Mansion. We decided to go with a princess theme...perfect for our little princess!! The pictures below were taken by Andrea from Krista Lee Photography...they're so good!! The cakes were made by Patty Russell, owner of Patty Cakes...and they were so yummy!! We had such a wonderful time celebrating, and Meredith was such a good girl!

Enjoy!! And thanks to all the family and friends that attended her party!! You all are such a special part of our lives, and we can't thank you enough for all you do for us!!!!

July 05, 2008

It's been so long since I've added a journal entry...our little girl is getting so big, and is into everything now. She has to be supervised at all times :)
Here are some monthly updates on Meredith:

January:
Jan 18th - Mere sat on our bed all by herself; Jan 20th - Meredith's Dedication, Jan 22nd - Put her paci in her mouth by herself (she just likes biting on it), Jan 25th - Mere had cereal for the first time tonight, and she loved it!, Jan 31st - Mere's first tooth has broken through

February:
Feb 1st - Mere had Sweet Potato babyfood for the first time (We decided we were going to only give her organic babyfood, and mostly organic when she starts with table food, made sour faces), Feb 5th - Mere's second tooth has broken through, Feb 6th - Mere had Applesauce babyfood for the first time (made lots of sour faces), Feb 10th - Mere had Peas babyfood for the first time (she loved them!), Feb 14th - Mere had Carrot babyfood for the first time (made more sour faces), Feb17th - Mere had Banana babyfood for the first time (no sour faces), Feb 21st - checkup, more shots :( Feb 24th - Mere had Prune babyfood for the first time (made faces, but not sour faces), Feb 27th - First time Mere splashed in the bath, she had so much fun...she's always loved bathtime, but now it's even more fun for her

March:
Mar 1st - 6 month pics taken, Mar 5th - Mere is now in size 3 diapers, our little girl has moved out of the swaddlers and into the cruisers, Mere had Pear babyfood for the first time (liked them ok), Mar 7th - Mere started crawling backwards, Mar 8th - Mere played in the snow and we helped her make her first snow angel, Mar 10th - Mere had Green Bean babyfood for the first time (she liked them), Mar 16th - noticed that Mere is jealous of Carter, Mar 22nd - Mere snorted for the first time (when Matt was tickling her), Mar 30th - Mere's third tooth has broken through, has recently been sitting up by herself from being on her tummy

April:
Apr 5th - Mere's fourth tooth has broken through, & has recently been scooting over to me when she's playing and laying her head on my leg - so cute!!, Apr 6th - Mere had a teething biscuit for the first time (organic barley, seemed to like it), Apr 10th - Mere crawled for the first time (so cute!!), Apr 11th - bit off a piece of her teething biscuit and choked on it, so she's not getting any more of those, wrote on her face with a pen (right by her eye - she was so dangerous tonight), & sat in the grass for the first time (didn't seem to mind it), Apr 13th - Carter's dedication (Mere kinda screamed out during the prayer), Mere's been hitting a lot lately (and hitting and biting...mostly me), Apr 14th - Mere started crawling really good today (went after Annabelle and then her laptop), Apr 24th - Mere is starting to pull up on things, loves going on stroller rides (she sticks her feet straight out and smiles the whole way, so cute!!), Apr 31st - Mere crawled up the first step today and was going onto the second when I got her (she was so proud of herself)

May:
May 5th - Mere's 6th tooth has broken through, May 7th - Mere pulled up in her crib tonight, May 8th - Mere (with the assistance of her sweet daddy) sent me flowers at work (early Mother's Day; I was so surprised!), May 9th - Mere bit on her crib...so there are lovely teeth marks all in it...wow!, May 10th - went to the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cafe with the girls (and Carter)...we went last year for the first time, and we're making it a Mother's Day tradition...I love mommy-daughter time!!, May 11th - Mother's Day!!, May 13th - had so much fun playing with a paper towel, loves tearing it up, May 15th - Mere said dada for the first time (and she pointed to Matt when she said it...we think it was just a coincidence), May 17th - Mere had Gerber Graduates puffs (sweet potato) for the first time (first non-organic, and first finger food)...she wasn't sure about them, and acted like she was going to choke on a whole one, & she got attached to her paci today, and barely took it out of her mouth, May 18th - Mere's first Biker Sunday, looked so cute in her pink motorcycle tank (& pink shades), May 21st - 9 month checkup (no shots...yeah!!), May 22nd - Mere had noodles for the first time (she loved them!), May 24th - Mere had banana puffs for the first time, May 25th - Mere said mama for the first time, May 26th - our first family vacation with Mere began today, May 29th - Mere's 7th tooth has broken through, Mere went on her first ride today (it was a Bert & Ernie firetruck...and she loved it...she fussed after it quit, so she rode again :) May 30th - Mere said puff tonight...she pointed to them and said it, May 31st - Mere rode on the firetruck two more times (got it on video), and rode on a carousel (I had to hold her on and walk around with it...she loved it)

June:
Jun 5th - Mere had whole green peas, Jun 8th - Mere took her pajama pants off, not sure how she did it, but there they were, Jun 13th - Mere stood for the first time by herself, she just got up off the floor by herself, Jun 14th - Mere's 8th tooth has broken through, Jun 15th - Father's Day!!, Jun 16th - got attached to the Father's Day cards that she got for her daddy...kept wanting us to give them to her, and she threw tantrums when she couldn't have them, sat toys in front of Carter today so he could play with them, Jun 17th - Mere ate Cheerios for the first time tonight (I was so nervous about giving them to her, but she did really well with them, and seemed to like them), Jun 18th - really sweet to her babies, she has recently started hugging them, and she'll crawl around holding onto them & she will point to her head when you ask her where it is, Jun 19th - throws toys under the couch, and then looks under it for them...started doing it this week & Matt asked her where her ear was and she pointed to it, Jun 20th - noticed that Mere prefers the color yellow (we were playing with 3 balls (red, yellow, and blue), and she only wanted the yellow one...and she prefers her yellow baby over her pink one), Jun 23rd - Mere had a great day with Meep, and was so sweet (she gave Carter toys to play with, and handed Meep clothes out of the basket to fold), Jun 24th - Mere stood up by herself several times at Nana's, Jun 25th - Mere chewed on the sides of her bed this morning...thankfully, it wasn't much, she tried to give her baby some of her bottle today, Mere kept dancing tonight (so super cute!!!), Jun 28th - 9 month pics, Mere had juice for the first time (Organic apple carrot, very watered down - she wasn't crazy about it, I wasn't surprised), Jun 29th - Mere had pieces of baked sweet potato rolled in rice cereal...she loved it, and made a huge mess :)

I'll try to do better about keeping this updated...I just don't have much spare time these days.
We're planning Meredith's big FIRST Birthday bash!!! I have mixed emotions about the upcoming event...every day with her becomes more exciting, and it's great watching her grow and learn. But, I'm also a little sad about it...I can't believe how fast this year has gone by...it seems like she just arrived. I'm just not completely ready for it...but I guess it's coming whether I'm ready or not :) We're having the party at Two Rivers Mansion (we were wanting to have it the day of her birthday, but they were booked, so we're having it the next day...Sunday, August 17th). Patty Russell (the lady that made our wedding cake (Patty Cakes)) is making Meredith's cake and a cake for all of the guests (it's a Mad Hatter Cake...so excited, her cakes are the best!!!) We have a photographer from Krista Lee Photography that is coming to take pictures...her pictures are amazing!! You can check out her website at www.kristaleephotography.com. We decided on a princess theme...cause she's our little princess :) I'll try to keep the website updated with more party plans.

Since every day goes by so incredibly fast, we just try to make the most of our time together with Meredith. She loves for us to play with her, and especially loves being read to. She has favorite books that she brings to us to read her. And she loves looking at pictures...especially ones of herself :) Recently, she's been getting into cartoons...we don't let her watch a lot, but she seems to really enjoy it :) And she doesn't just watch...it has to be interactive...she points and talks, and makes sure that we're watching, too. And she has recently started dancing, which is the most adorable thing I've ever seen!!! There is one song that is by far her favorite...she dances almost every time she hears it. It's precious!!!

Hope everyone had a very happy 4th!! Have a great weekend!
-Shanda