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!

A Laughing Matter

First thing's first...we have a laugh! Sweet Annabelle has been cooing and gurgling and squealing for a while now, but yesterday was her first big belly laugh! She gave her Daddy a {very} small chuckle in the  morning, but when I was playing airplane and kissing her neck last night, she let out a huge, precious laugh! And then again before bath time, we both had her nearly in stitches laughing at us. It's incredible how everything is constantly changing for us. At one time, I didn't think there could be anything more precious than the sound of her cry, and then it was her "aa-goooo" and now it's her laugh!

16 Weeks

Actually, yesterday had multiple firsts for Annabelle. Although it did snow for her first Christmas, we didn't really take her out into it until yesterday. We sort of did a practice run for Vail and bundled her up in one of her little snowsuits and out we went! We didn't stay out too long, just enough for the required photo ops, then back in again to get cozy and warm before our big playtime.

Our first time in the snow

Between the snow and laugh, she also had her first go in her Baby Einstein chair, which she loved. I expected Annabelle to be a bit of a musical baby since her Daddy is quite musical, but I had no clue! She will just sit and stare at the iPad when Steve plays music on it, she stares at him when he plays guitar, and now she goes nuts with the music in her little chair. She even figured out on her first spin in it that she can hit the buttons and the music plays! I would love to know just what spins around in the sweet brain of this 16 week old as she constantly experiences something new; and we are both totally loving experiencing it with her!

In my new chair

L-O-V-E baths!

Just a few days after Christmas, just being cute!

Our first family New Year's Eve

2010 Wrap Up

I cannot believe this month is nearly over and we haven't said a word about all we've been doing! I'm not really sure if I can get it all in one post, but we will see!
First of all, Steve is doing really well. He has been healing fantastically from his surgery and is almost ready to go back to work. Annabelle and I are not ready for it. It's been so nice for him to be here with us the last several weeks as he's been recovering, and I know his baby girl is going to miss him terribly. She's been a Daddy's girl since the day she was born, but that has reached a whole new level while he has been off work!















We started off this month with Annabelle's 3 month/Christmas pictures. Most everyone knows I have a fairly healthy love (obsession) with Christmas, so I wanted her pictures to reflect our favorite time of year. I thought she was just absolutely precious, as always, but that was mostly thanks again to Brandi Pitts for her amazing talent in photography.

In her little airplane bed

The first weekend in December, we tackled our first trip with Annabelle. I think we were pretty brave to make the very first one a transatlantic, 14 hour ordeal, but that sweet little girl handled it beautifully! She didn't make a peep on her very first flight, was an angel during the layover in Philly and then snuggled into her bassinet shortly after takeoff for a nice night's sleep. She had no problem with jet lag, totally loved meeting all of her family in England and was a total sweetheart again the whole way home. It was so nice to have such a long time in England this visit. We usually only have a week to spend, but we were able to stay a few extra days on top of what we had planned before his surgery since Steve couldn't work anyway. I think it was wonderful for him to spend some time recuperating with his family and of course showing Annabelle off to everyone!

Dressed for the Chelsea match

Annabelle's first pub!

With Nanna

TV with Aunt Ali & Uncle Rob

Cuddling with cousin Jazzi

We returned home just a little more than a week before Christmas. That time completely flew by, with last minute shopping, wrapping and preparation for Annabelle's very first Christmas, which was even more wonderful than I had hoped. Rather than go over all the details of this Christmas (which I love, but I'm sure do not matter to anyone else), I'll just post photos to tell the story of our first Christmas with sweet Annabelle.

Annabelle with big sis Kimmie & bro in law Clay

Presents @ Granny & Pawpaw's

With Granny, Pawpaw, Nana, Grandpop, Dustin, Uncle Stephen, Aunt Tracy & Darby

Just before bed Christmas Eve

Christmas Morning

                                          

I suppose an update about Annabelle alone would probably be good, too. She is now almost 15 weeks old and still totally perfect! She sleeps through the night nearly every night. She smiles and chatters and coos constantly. She hasn't rolled over yet, but she is very close and she has 2 tiny little white spots that I know will become her first little teeth in the not too distant future. She truly makes life above and beyond anything I ever imagined. I know everyone thinks their baby is the best and the brightest and sweetest and the cutest, but Annabelle really is!!

As 2010 is drawing to a close, I look back at just how much has happened in these last 12 months. This time last year, I was pregnant, we just didn't know it yet. Steve had cancer, but we didn't know that yet, either. Kimmie and Clay have gotten married. My Pawpaw had a stroke. I spent 40 weeks with a precious baby kicking and wiggling and growing inside. We went on some wonderful vacations. We spent quality time with family. Steve had a huge surgery to remove a kidney. And, of course, Annabelle made her grand entrance into the world. I wouldn't have believed anyone if they tried to tell me all of this would happen in only 12 months, but here we are. This was far and away a year full of ups and downs, but we are so blessed to be able to say it's coming to a close on an "up". I wish everyone peace and happiness as this year ends and a new one begins.