SHE'S GROWING

Caroline had her one year Wellness appointment this morning. She is growing and the doctor says she is doing great. 50th percentile for weight, 75th percentile for height and her head growth is significant. The doctor says that the head growth is due to nutrition - so sad but so glad that she is home with me - I know that brian development is dependent on this. She is 30" long and weighs 21lbs 3 oz. She is getting so big.

The doctor game me his "mommy pep talk". He advised that at this age she will start to assert herself and have her little temper tantrums - I let him know that it has already started. He said that I should be putting her in time out for 2 minutes when she is not behaving and that time out should be in her crib or her playpin. Needless to say she will be spending a lot of time in her crib. She does not like the word no and often asserts her aggression on mommy. He said this is totally normal and to be prepared for this for a few years. This is the beginning of teaching her right from wrong and it will continue until she is 18. Our goal is to teach Caroline to be a respectful little girl and to be kind and caring to other people. She is a little angel and I don't think we will have much trouble doing this.

We are headed out today to have her 1 year pictures taken. I hope that the 3 shots she had today do not make her crabby for picture time.

Love to all!

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

Well, she is starting out by a multiple day birthday celebration. Thursday the 17th - actual birthday she went to daycare and I made cupcakes for all the kids. Of course she had one there and then we had to have one at home with a candle so that I could help her celebrate (she didn't sleep too well that night - maybe too much sugar). My friend Marci arrived from San Diego on Thursday night to help celebrate.

Friday afternoon my girlfriend Kristin arrived from Denver for the rest of the weekend festivities. We had a cookout and party on Saturday afternoon - Caroline enjoyed herself and was spoiled with gifts. My living room was bad enough - now more new toys. She is such a lucky girl to be loved by so many.

I thought of her birth mother so much during the last several days and my heart ached for her as I can only imagine how she was feeling on Caroline's birthday. I thank her everyday for the decision that she made as I am so blessed to be the mother of this beautiful child. I pray that God is sending her birthmother messages comforting her and letting her know how much she is loved and how happy she is.

Enjoy the pictures.

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY CAROLINE

Good Morning Birthday Girl!
Birthday Morning

Bday treat with Grandpa & Grandma Kathy

Presents from Grandpa

Thanks Grandpa

Riding high on daddy's shoulders

Cuddling with daddy

I can't believe that she is a year old today! She is growing up so fast.

Here are a few pictures from this morning when she woke up on her birthday and from the past weekend. Presents from Grandpa and Grandma Kathy and pictures from Junior's visit.

I took her to daycare this morning and made cupcakes for all the kids for her birthday, such a mom thing to do :).

There will be many more pictures to post after her birthday weekend.

She's almost 1 year old!

Caroline will be 1 on Thursday the 17th. I can't believe it. We have been home for 6 1/2 months and now her first birthday is already here. Time is flying by and my baby is getting so big.

Junior came to visit last weekend from KC and we had a GREAT time. She loves him and he feels the same! He is moving to Phoenix in about 4 weeks - we can't wait! Soon I'll have my whole family together - this is what I have been waiting for. Life always works out how it is supposed to, sometimes it just takes a lot of faith and patience.

I have two girlfriends visiting this weekend for Caroline's bday. We are having a little cookout with some friends and family on Saturday. Grandpa and Grandma Kathy will be in Chicago for a wedding so they will miss her first birthday - Grandpa is so bummed out. They came over Sunday night and took her out for frozen yogurt - Grandpa loves to feed her icecream.

I have pictures from the weekend with Junior and from her night out with Grandpa for ice cream. I'm in a hotel right now in Boston but will post them tomorrow and then will post after the birthday festivities this weekend.

XOXO

Rocky Point Mexico Trip

Little Senorita
Crawling on the beach

Love the beach

Love the beach

That's cold mommy

Feet in the ocean

On the beach with Grandpa & Grandma

This is fun

Playing in the sand

We took a family trip to Rocky Point Mexico this past weekend and had a wonderful time. Caroline loved the beach and the sand. She only tried to eat it once and decided that it didn't taste so good so no more in the mouth after that.

We all decided that this will be a yearly trip and hopefully we will all continue to add more babies to the trip - which means we will need to rent a bigger house but we are good with that.

Tangeman Phoenix Trip

The sisters & the babies
With Grandma at the train park

Grandma is in heaven

Having fun at the pool

Tom and the kids

Wagon ride

Ready Set Go

Bath Time

My sister Julie, brother in law Tom and nephew Bo came to Phoenix for a visit 2 weekends ago. We had a great time. This was the first time Caroline and Bo meet and the cousins enjoyed each other. We hung out at home, went swimming at Grandma's pool and went to the train park one day which was so fun.

We loved having them here and can't wait until Julie and Bo come back in May for Amy's wedding.