2nd Christmas!

I am soooo done with presents!!!!

Christmas was great for us this year...it was Linnea's second Christmas and mine and Derek's second Christmas together...kind of crazy. We had a great time

at my parent's house. We went up on Christmas Eve and had Enchiladas? What? Ok so since it's Dane's last Christmas before his mission he got to choose dinner on Christmas eve and he picked to have a south of the border Christmas...ok whatever works. Anyways we had fun we played games then Katie and Eric arrived and we watched A Christmas Story... Linnea took her first steps on her own, well like she took her own steps without me having to urge her she just got up and started walking...she still for some reason prefers to walk on her knees, but we're working on it. On Christmas morning I was awakened by my over excited sister who was wandering around at 6 in the morning asking if she could wake up Linnea...I told her it is never a good idea to wake up a sleeping baby :) anyways I got up and talked with katie until like 7 then we decided it was time for everyone else to get up...I'm pretty sure my parents were hoping their kids had grown up and wanted to sleep in, but I'm afraid we've all gotten worse as we got older. Anyways we had fun and opened presents.. Linnea was

Auntie Katie!

spoiled rotten, she got a vaccum, a barn, a rocking horse that neigh's and makes galloping noises and wags it's tail, Derek got he princess bride audio book (he's obssesed with the movie) and I got a RUNNING STROLLER from my hubby...o man I love it I can't wait for warmer weather no more excuses for me not getting into shape. Anyways I hope everyone had a spectacular holiday and has a great new year.

Derek and his new book

Playing with her new barn, it has shapes animals and letters

Black eye anyone?....

Ok another advice post. So my adorable, sweet Linnea enjoys...well hitting, scratching, and pinching...it's not cause she doesn't know what she's doing, I ruled that out real quick. She does do it out of frustration or she thinks it's a game. So anytime I don't give her what she wants she'll go straight for the face or now the neck ( who knows why she likes to pinch my neck) I'm a little torn on how to handle the situation...how do you disipline a 1 year old without doing the "NO, NO, NO," all the time ( I've just been told being negative is not always the best way to go), but obviously that is my first reaction everytime. I have tried to show her the correct way to touch, by slowly moving her hands on my face, or I've held her hands and said " no" of course. I've tried to set her on the ground and ignore her for a few seconds, but it doesn't really seem to be doing anything...I know kids do this, I know she is little, but I also want her to know that it is not ok to hit others, animals, but especially mom and dad! I don't know I'm pretty big on not letting your kids hit you. Any good tips would be great, she's little, but she does hurt. She likes to honk our noses, I don't know if maybe that is where the pinching came from because we made it seem like that was ok, so anywhere else must be ok, I don't know. Anyways we'll see how it goes.

Bye for now Louie Louie!

Sad day...My family's puppy of 9 years had to be put to sleep...he had kidney failure. Louie was a unique dog, but so loyal and part of the family. It always seems like our dogs like to leave the world around Christmas, our last dog, Abner, died on Christmas eve...it may seem silly to some people that I post about a dog, but I loved that puppy and it's not ever going to be the same when I knock on my parents door and don't have him rushing to see me!!! I'll miss my lucy-goo!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

Happy birthday Nea!!!

She loved the candle so much and kept reaching out for the flame My enemy...the lady bug cake!


Pushing her school bus...

My baby is a year old today!!! Unbelievable. One year ago she was so tiny, so helpless and she slept all the time and didn't move hardly at all...now she is a bouncy, outspoken, independant red-head who has the entire world to conquer!!! She is such an adorable baby, I'm not biased I just say it how it is. She loves everyone and she LOVES to learn and discover. It's so funny to watch her see something new and then try to duplicate it herself. I love it when she does something and she knows she did something great you can see her face light up because she knows she succeeded. She has taken about four steps by herself up to this point, we've been a little slow going, she loves to walk alone and loves the praise she gets, but is just a little nervous to let go all the time, but we're getting there. She loves to dance, sing, throw everything, she loves peanut butter and bread, rice cakes, she loves spaghetti, mashed potatoes, kiwi, bananas, carrots, and now of course she loves cake and ice cream!!! She loves to give hugs, she'll reach her little arms up and wrap them around my neck just to give me a hug, she waves bye-bye, walks on her knees everywhere, she loves to read stories, she loves jingle-bells and the ornaments on our trees!!! We love her so very much, I can't explain how much she adds to my life. Derek and I were talking the other night about how different our life would be if we hadn't had Linnea so fast, I can't picture it, what would I do all day? Kind of crazy. We love her and hope she always knows that she is our joy and happiness!!!

She had a great birthday party, I attempted to do a bug theme, since she is out "little bug" don't judge the cake I spent a long time on it...it didn't turn out like the picture I had, but it tasted good. She got so many wonderful toys, she got a school bus, a push car, a new carseat (front facing baby, yay!!!) blocks, books, clothes, a puzzle a huge teddy bear so much...it was funny the night after she had all these new things, but she wanted to play in her carseat box, Derek made it into a tunnel and she would chase him through the box, I decided I'm never buying any more toys she more in to like tin foil and stuff like that :)