More and more words!

This girl is a chatty baby! First seven, then twelve, and now we're up to 20 at fifteen months! She talks all the time now, but here are a few of her understandable words.

baby

car (cahr -think Boston)

Jesus

sock

hi (hiee)

coat (coot)

cheese (chees)
thank you (tan too)

Love this adorable monkey!
(Those are my words)

More words

A few weeks ago, Annalise could say about 7 words. Last week she said her first sentence. Here are some new ones!

cracker

please (pees)

thank you (tatoo)

Stuart (too-ert)
backpack (baa-pak)
sister (ss-ssr)a
jacket (j-kt)
hug (hag)
snack (snk)
potty (pah-e)
bow
bye-bye


She's well on her way to fitting in with the high-density verbal space that is the Whitmer household!

New shoes

Hey, I put some new shoes on,
and suddenly everything is right,

I said, hey, I put some new shoes on and everybody's smiling,
it so inviting,

Oh, short on money,
but long on time,
slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine,

and i'm running late,
and i don't need an excuse,
'cause i'm wearing my brand new shoes.

The One Year Old and her feats of glory

Ok, so maybe the title is a little over-reaching, but I need to record for myself some of things Annalise is doing now. Since the poor child doesn't have a baby book (yet?), this is all I've got.

She takes one or two steps at a time, usually toward something like a remote control. She uses said remote control as a telephone (ahem, I'm not sure what this says about my phone time. I'll say it's her big sister because she likes to play phone. Right. That's better.) After talking and jibber jabbering for a moment she shows me her phone. Or anything she picks up really. "Here ya go, Mom. I found this for you."

Her other favorite things are shoes. Ah, that's my girl! She loves shoes and tries desperately to put shoes on her feet. And anything that she doesn't pretend is a phone, she uses a shoe. Sometimes the same thing. It's quite cute.

She also will give lots of love now. She'll kiss and hug you back and even give "ougga mougga" (rubbing noses).

Whenever there is music shes dances and tries to sing and clap her hands. Doesn't matter how bad everything else is going, that will always make me smile. She starts clapping her hands if anyone hums the tune "Clap our Hands".

Words she says:
mama
shuh=shoe
Chs=Chase (really any brother, but mostly Chase)

If you correct her, no matter how nice the voice, she bursts into tears. I pray her will continues to be this malleable! A mother can dream, right?

She lights up when her sister, brothers, dad, or me come into a room. Strangers, still not so sure of those, but she's getting better.

She's a dream!

Annalise Week by Week

It's a long slideshow, but amazing to see a year of growth by weeks  (well, months at the end!)






http://www.flickr.com/photos/20605118@N08/sets/72157622940742187/show/

Annalise's First Birthday

Annalise continued the Whitmer tradition of sleeping through the first part of the First Birthday Party! We had to wake her up, and our sweet, shy girl would not let me put her down for the first 20 minutes she was awake. She continued to give "the stick eye" and dirty looks to all the people who came to celebrate her day! It was very funny. Just a few pictures from a fun day.

The Invitation


The purple cake


The Birthday Girl


Ready for Cake


Grandma Barbara made this dress and bought this awesome hat!


 

 

 

Not Me! Monday

Have I avoided Not Me! Monday because of insane busyness? NO! Not Me!

If you were at Deirburgs on Sunday night while I was waiting for the slowest deli clerk ever, you DID NOT see me wipe my baby's nose with a Starbucks receipt. Nope, I am always prepared with tissues and would never risk ink schmeg all over the baby's face. No, that was another woman. Not me.

Also, that trip to Deirburgs was NOT a last ditch effort to make it before the 10 for 10 sale was over. I absolutely DID NOT procrastinate the trip to the grocery all week. I DID NOT make my list from the circular on Monday.

I DO NOT allow my baby to climb on our brick hearth. Nope, I would never allow that kind of unsafe behavior. I absolutely would not take photos of it or nick name it her "perch."



This child is NOT still obbsessed with call his sister "The Chewer."

More funniness over at MckMama's Blog

Have a great week!

Two Three on Tuesday

I know I've been a slacker blogger, but Real Life has overtaken this!
However, since I want to remember this Real Life, I'm giving myself (y'all) a cop-out "Two on Tuesday" b/c that's all I can muster today!

1. Annalise is officially a sitter! Albeit wobbly, but she can sit on her own and almost crawl. I'm really in no hurry for her increased mobility. If she's like to go straight to walking, I rather that, but that still means babyproofing the scary stairs and keeping the big kids' little toys out of Annalise's sweet mouth!

2. Annalise can say "Mama." Yes, really. Almost "I love you, Mama," but that may be only to my ears.

This just in! (3:00PM)
3. Annalise waved bye-bye to Stuart before nap.

Wordless Wednesday Weeks

Ten on Tuesday

1. Michael and I are looking a really busy January. He is working Saturdays just to keep up. He has 3 trade shows in January. He will be gone in Atlanta the entire last week of January. More on that later.

2. I'm contemplating getting family pictures taken this spring. We've not had family photos since I was pregnant with Sabrina. Any suggestions for family photos in St. Louis with kids our kids' ages.

3. We've taken down the Christmas tree, but not finished putting away all the decorations. My goal is MLK weekend!

4. My 4 hours of sleep from Saturday night is really catching up with me. I'm a touch crabby and trying to hide it.

5. I've been studying a small bit on missionaries that go to Islamic nations. It's no surprise that this has been a much debated topic for centuries. I read an two contrasting positions on the topic. Charles Foster writing in 1845 said that we shouldn't hold Mohammad to the standard of Christ, but rather Moses. I found this argument a complete fallacy. Why should we not compare Mohammad to Christ? He is the standard by which we are all compared; therefore, we all fall short because of Christ's standard of perfection. Without his sinless divinity, there would be no gracious salvation. Romans reminds us "there is no distinction [among people]: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Moses was judged by the standard of Christ, therefore; so should Mohammad. Just a little something deep for y'all.

6. Samantha has been playing a game she had as a kid with the children. I don't remember the name of it, but it has to with fantasy monsters and ambushes and my kids love it. Sabrina gets bored of it and walks away about half way through.
7. Chase typically is quite grouchy when I pick him up from school. I don't know why this is and bothers me; however, I am not responsible for his attitude, and I can't really change it. But today he hopped in the car and said, "I'm in such a good mood I want to tell you all about my day and all my others days!"

8. We've decided Chase is not going to participate in chess tournaments this year. With what our January is like (it' s only 6 weeks) and having a 4-month-old, it's just a bit much. But I grieve a bit for him. Being an only child until I could drive (yes my sister just graduated from high school), sometimes it's hard for me to make choices where one child has to sacrifice for the good of the family. I know he's only 7, and he has many years left to compete, but it's hard for me to ask him to give up an opportunity.

9. Sabrina is totally into Fancy Nancy books. We have to read Fancy Nancy everyday. Sabrina can tell you that a fancy word for shiny is iridescent and aubergine is a fancy word for purple. Also that RSVP means "Répondez s'il vous plaît" or please reply.



10. Stuart is really learning how to read. Chase was so different. He could read a book by himself without help at 3 1/2. Stuart is 5 1/2 and his journey to literacy has been so different. His education is such a group effort! And in some ways, more satisfying because of the greater effort. But it is just as exciting to listen to him struggle with a word and finally succeed!

Just a bonus picture

Not me! Monday

Yep, Monday, Labor Day, and a week of things I did NOT do!

While feeding the baby, I did NOT discover that size 1 diapers are much bigger than newborn diapers. I did NOT discover this leak by a huge wet spot on my shorts. I did NOT continue to wear the shorts the rest of the day. I certainly did NOT wear those shorts the next day.

Stuart does NOT insist that whenever Annalise cries, that she needs to burp. When she cries really hard, he does NOT say that Annalise wants him.

Chase has NOT discovered that he can play games on our iPods and Michael's work phone. One of those games is not Ms. Pac Man. This was NOT my favorite game as a child!

I do NOT not remember when I showered last. I am NOT using the excuse that I'm doing laundry and don't think that there will be enough hot water.

I am NOT totally eating up these girls together!


My youngest baby is NOT 2 weeks old. It does NOT feel like she's always been a part of the family.



Leave your own "Not me!" antics in the comment section!

Friday Funnies

While changing Annalise's diaper & cleaning her cord:
Sabrina: Mama, can I help?
Me: Sure, baby.
Sabrina: (Handing me the rubbing alcohol) Here, Mama. Here's the dry up juice.


While Stuart is playing and Annalise is hanging out on a blanket:
Stuart: Mom, has her raisin fallen off yet?
Me: Raisin?
Stuart: (Pointing to her cord) You know, her raisin.

Sabrina was dropping food on the floor while she & Ruth were eating at the table:
Me: Sabrina, don't drop things from the table. That makes a mess on the floor. If you drop something on the floor, you will need to pick it up.
Sabrina: Na, mom, Miss Lisa will get it.

Not me! Monday

Oi vey! It's Monday! Time for a little fun...

This past week I HAVE NOT been reveling in a dreamy baby girl. She is NOT sleeping almost 5 hours already. I DO NOT know how amazingly wonderful that is. (Really—a-MAY-zing!)

My older kids DID NOT start a great school year the day before Annalise was born. They DID NOT LOVE it. I DID NOT hear about how great school was.

Chase DID NOT confess that he doesn't really like the baby. That same night he DID NOT get out of bed when I was getting ready to feed her "just to check on her". He did not get up 20 minutes later to ask me this: "Is Annalise left or right handed?" It was not 3:30AM.

I have NOT gone a little coo-coo for this free mug from the hospital.

I have NOT been mercilessly teased by people, including the baby's nurse for getting excited about the mug.

I AM NOT feeling so good that I want to go running. (Reminder: I hate running). I am NOT getting frustrated because I feel I should be able to do more and then I realize I spend 8-9 hours every day sitting in a chair feeding a newborn.

Hope y'all have a great week.

Wordless Wednesday