Monday, February 21, 2011

Where have I been?

Vail

Has it really been over a month since I updated? Wow. Time is going even faster than I thought!
To keep this from being about a 3 hour read, I'll condense as much as possible and add lots of sweet pics. Lord knows I have plenty of them!

Since my last post, Annabelle has made her first and second trips to Vail. I know that one day she will grow up and be as crazy about this little town as her mommy and daddy. Who knows, maybe she'll be the next Lindsay Vonn (or Julia Mancuso considering she wears a tiara)! It was really nice for her to get to meet our instructors, Dick & Pokey, who seem more like extended family so we've decided she will have a "Grandma Pokey" in Vail! She spent her days with her great-grandparents the first week we were there while Steve, Mom, Dad and I all skied. She had great days with them, especially her Pawpaw. She just loves him to death!
Annabelle & Pawpaw
Granny & Pawpaw on the gondola up the mountain

During that week, Annabelle found her feet. Several times. I just loved the look on her face when she realized there were little toes down there and they were hers. It was even cuter that she continued to make that face the next several times she checked and they were STILL there! How wonderful it must be to have such joy in finding toes!
Annabelle's first time on top of Vail Mtn

The week after that trip, on her 20 week birthday, Annabelle had her first taste of rice cereal. Her Nana & Grandpop gave her a beautiful set of Tiffany & Co china for Christmas along with a silver spoon that both Mom & I used which made her very first meal even more special! It's pretty obvious that she's going to enjoy food just as much as the rest of her family. She just couldn't seem to get enough! Let's hope this ease of feeding continues as she tries more and more yummy foods once she hits the big 6 M!
Just before my first bite of rice cereal
Gimme more! Hurry!
She also had her first real roll over that week. She had gone from belly to back a few times, but it seemed to be more of a fall over than roll over. She had 3 consecutive, purposeful roll overs in one night and suddenly "got" it! Now we often find her in the opposite position we left her in for naps, etc. She thinks she's a little Houdini as she doesn't do it when we are watching, only the second we look away. Although I must admit, she is a pretty magical little baby in our eyes!

Me & Daddy at the
very top of Vail Mtn
We have now just returned from our second Vail trip, which was a big week for us all! Those same toes that Annabelle found in Vail in January now go into her mouth. All. The. Time. She has to maneuver just a bit around her squidgy tummy, but she started chewing on them last week and it just tickles her to death. Again, how nice to have such joy from such a thing! She also had her first Valentine's Day, finally touched snow for the first time and turned 5 months old. She wasn't really sure what to do with the snow this year. I look forward to little snow "Annabelles" maybe next year! Thankfully she's an easy traveller considering at 5 months she's been on 12 flights and hasn't had a problem yet. Let's hope and pray this never changes!
As for me, I {finally} started skiing blues! I felt like it has just taken forever for me to really learn, but I then realize that although I started 5 years ago, I skipped a year for surgery and another last year for pregnancy, so I guess 3 years isn't so bad to go from a never ever to blues! I'm just thankful for a wonderful, incredibly patient instructor who always takes care of us! One of our days it snowed over a foot while we were on the mountain, so we had some pretty great powder skiing, too. What a fabulous week! Fingers crossed that next year, maybe I can dip my toes into a black diamond. Never thought I'd even consider wanting to do that, but it sure would be great if I could!  I figure that if my amazing hubby can do it-in 12 inch powder nonetheless, so can I!
5 Month Birthday!

Annabelle has changed so much in the last month that I can hardly even remember it all! She is now copying some of our movements like sticking out her adorable little tongue and trying so hard to blow raspberries which we find crazy entertaining. She can sit up for ages if she is just a little bit supported and for a very short time all on her own. She also finds it loads of fun to put her paci in and out of her mouth and make it "pop" a little when she pulls it out. She really enjoys standing with our help and often goes on the attack while doing so. Noses and chins seem to be her victims of choice right now! She has a great time shaking rattles, grabbing anything she can and loves loves loves her Einstein chair. She has been known to creep a short distance on the floor with her little face buried in the carpet and is even sipping water out of cups. As I said, time is passing!
21 weeks
Other than these little things, I can't think of any other earth shattering news to tell, so I'll leave everyone with some pics of our favorite subject! Until next time....





Playing dress up with Mommy
Sweet Cheeks!
Snugglin Grandpop





With Nana & Grandpop
At the bottom 


Happy Baby with her Nana


Happy Valentine's Day

Beaver Creek

Me & the fabulous Pokey Brewer!

Group Shot!


I love my big sis!
NOSE!

Herro!
Yummy toes!