Happy Accident

Anna went poo poo in the potty for the first time today!

Cold Turkey

No, this is not a post about a holiday meal-gone-wrong.

Anna slept without her paci for the first time last night!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. . .

On Sunday, we took a trip to High Star Christmas Tree Farm in Hockley, TX with our friends Ashley & Paul, and their 1-year old son Charles. It was a real treat getting to hang out with them, and we had a great time riding a cute little train, walking around the farm, visiting with Santa & picking out fresh wreaths. We didn't cut down any trees since we both have fakes ones already, but I might consider getting a smaller one next year just for Anna.

Meet Charles. He's gorgeous. And a ham!

Charles had a great time chillin' with Santa.

Anna? Not so much. Cracks me up how even Santa looks stressed out!

Makes me want to run right out and waste an hour of my life in line at the mall so we can do this again.

Exploring on the farm

Helping Mommy pick out a wreath at the Wreath Barn

Can't help but notice that Anna is either screaming, ignoring me, or has a sucker hanging out of her mouth in every picture I took that day. This is getting challenging, but fortunately, I'm up to it :)

Honesty

Mommy [Excitedly]: "Anna, do you want to go shopping with Mommy?"

Anna [Enthusiastically]: Ya!

Mommy: "Are you going to be a good girl?"

Anna [Matter-of-factly]: No.

We repeated these questions several times with the same responses. You have to admire her honesty.

Who Knew

This is Derek. On the roof. Putting up Christmas lights. Derek doesn't like heights. Perhaps the high altitude was leaving him oxygen-deprived. He did, after all, come home from our last ski trip with a "Got Oxygen?" tee shirt.

Santa Claus Derek

Hippie Derek

Who knew that putting up Christmas lights could be so entertaining?

Overheard

[Derek and Anna playing with building blocks]

Derek: "Let's build Mommy a house."

Anna: [Plays with blocks]

Derek: [Begins building tall structure] "Don't you think that Mommy deserves a big house?"

Anna: [Plays with blocks]

Derek: [Continues building until almost all blocks have been used]

Anna: [Begins removing blocks from the center]

Derek: "Anna! You're going to compromise the structural integrity."

Jennifer: [Laughs hysterically...every single time she thinks about it]

Maybe you had to be there, but at any rate, it was a great laugh for me (oh...um...and a valuable architecture lesson for Anna...yep, that's it).

So Thankful

We had a crazy Thanksgiving holiday as per usual. Started off with lunch with Derek's family in Harahan, then we headed across the river to my Aunt's house in Avondale for more food, then (even though we were about to burst) we drove to Lafitte to visit with my Grandma...and ate a little more. Lots of driving, lots of food, lots of dragging poor Anna around from house to house. But despite it all, we are so thankful that we have so many wonderful people in our lives to share this holiday with. Thanks again to all of you for your hospitality and for inviting us into your homes and hearts this Thanksgiving!

While in Baton Rouge, we were also fortunate to catch up with some old friends that we see far too seldom: Michele, Matt & their son Ryan, and Allison, David & their son Dylan. It was so wonderful getting to see you all, and it was so much fun getting to see Anna interact and play with Ryan & Dylan. I'm already looking forward to the next time!

On another note...During our road trip to Louisiana, Derek inevitably inflicted his country music on me, and I caught this little gem: "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney. I don't know if it's being a mother and seeing Anna grow up so ridiculously, impossibly, mind-blowingly quickly, but I just want to cry *thinking* about this song. It's wonderful. Check it out if you've never heard it, and have your tissues ready.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that the buttons on your pants are still intact!

Too Early for Christmas Jammies?

No way! If the mall can setup Santa and stores can start playing Christmas music the day after Halloween, I say there's nothing wrong with bringing out the Christmas jammies the weekend before Thanksgiving!

That's all I have to say about that.

A Weekend at the Park

We recently made the decision to get Anna a playset for the backyard for Christmas. But since we have to wait for the HOA to approve it before we can get it installed, we spent a lot of time at the neighborhood park this weekend.

Here are a few pics that show why a playset is going to be such a good investment for our little monkey...

Nutcracker Market Finds

This past Friday, I took the day off and went to the Nutcracker Market with my mom. It was just a girls day for the two of us, and we had a great time.The Nutcracker Market is a fundraiser for the Houston Ballet where hundreds of vendors bring their goodies to the Reliant Center to get people to empty their pocketbooks while getting a head start on Christmas shopping. There's so much to see (and eat!), you could literally spend all day there. And we did!

Anyway, I wanted to share a few of our fun finds from the Nutcracker Market:

• Play Clay - A better alternative to Play Dough. It even smells great!
• Sarah Janes - Really cute minkee & oil cloth products. I got Anna an art apron, a splat mat, and a little minkee pillow.
• Crayola Doodle Bags - Great little tote for crayons and chalk. This will be a diaper bag staple to keep Anna busy at restaurants or anywhere else we need her to stay in one place quietly.
• Hedge Farms Candles - Wonderful-smelling candles in cute little pots and urns.

Pictures, Anyone?

This past weekend, my super-talented longtime friend Jennifer Craft Hensley of Jennifer Anne Photography made a trip to Houston. In the course of the weekend, she did 4 other sessions in addition to Anna's, but she still managed to get some great shots of our sweet little girl.

Check out the Sneak Peek Here!

The first shots were taken on Saturday at the most adorable little cupcake boutique ever, Sugar Baby's. The cupcakes were equally as yummy as the decor, and even the names of the cupcakes were good enough to eat: Va-Va-Vanilla, Velvet Rouge, & Chocolate Covered Strawberry!

We had planned to get some family shots later in the afternoon after Anna's nap, in hopes that she would be most photogenic if she were well-rested. Much to my disappointment, Anna was not cooperative. At all! We got lucky with the last shot of the afternoon, but ONLY after we allowed her to take off her shoes and put them in a fountain. (Oh, the determination of a toddler!) So at least we have the ONE family shot, special thanks to Jen's persistence and to Carlynn & Danny, who weren't afraid to act like total idiots to get Anna's attention.

Sunday afternoon, we set out to get the pictures that Christmas cards are made of, and Miss Anna completely redeemed herself (at least in my opinion). She wore a huge red/white pettiskirt and had a ball with a gigantic candy cane swirl sucker. And my keys. But that's our little secret.

Thanks again Jennifer for once again capturing Anna the way we see her. I'm already looking forward to the the next time, although I bet you're exhausted just thinking about it!

First Dentist Visit

This morning, Anna went to see Dr. Joe Pierce, DDS for the very first time.

Mommy and Daddy both went along for moral support, and it really wasn't too traumatic. They took her weight and her picture, then "Dr. Joe" took a look at her gorgeous little pearly whites for a whole 10 seconds (if that). And for all of that pain and agony, she got a new toothbrush, a sticker, and a pair of sunglasses!

If only Mommy's dentist were so generous, and the quality of the gifts were in direct correlation to the amount of pain inflicted. I might be on to something! lol

Zoo Boo 2008

On Saturday, October 25, we took Anna to Zoo Boo at the Houston Zoo. They had lots of activities for the kids including trick-or-treating, a pumpkin patch & coloring animal masks. Anna dressed as a ballerina to get in on all of the fun.

Even the Zoo Entrance was Festive for the Occasion

A Little Shy at First

Picking out Her Pumpkin at the Pumpkin Patch

Coloring a Lion Mask with Daddy

Checking Out the Elephants with Mommy

Quick Family Shot (Anna Refused to Pose By This Elephant Alone)

First Haircut

We took Anna to Sweet and Sassy in The Woodlands for her very first haircut on Sunday, October 26!

The salon was super-cute, but as with most things involving toddlers, things didn't go quite how I had envisioned it in my head. I had this picture in my head of Anna sitting in one of their cute little chairs, looking into one of their boa-draped mirrors like a little princess. She'll always be OUR princess no matter what, but that day, our princess got her hair cut sitting in my lap in a huge hot pink chair.

This sucker was the perfect distraction.

Getting Her Trim

All Done

A Failed Attempt at a Picture Sitting Alone in the Big Pink Chair

Ahhh, Compromise

Halloween 2008

A little late with this post, but hey, better late than never, right? (I'm afraid this is becoming my theme song).

Anna was an LSU Cheerleader for Halloween this year. She got to start the fun at school at their Halloween "parade", then we finished off the night at MawMaw and PawPaw's house with some gumbo and trick-or-treating.

Yummy Halloween Treats for Anna's Teachers and Friends:Tootsie Pop Ghosts & White Chocolate Mummy Pretzels

Mommy & Daddy came to school for the Halloween Parade

Trick-or-Treating at the Halloween Parade

At MawMaw & PawPaw's House

"Helping" MawMaw Give Out Candy

What Did She Say?

We've all been there. Some kid is talking mile a minute, and all you can do is look at their parents helplessly, praying that they can translate. I may never speak another language in my life, but I do speak "Anna". lol.

Here are some new ones to add to the Anna-English Dictionary:

1. I Git-chu! - "I'm gonna get you!" Most frequently heard with hands cocked and ready in the tickle position.
2. Oppy Oppy Oppy - "Open this now!" And no, the fact that an object is not capable of being opened does not save it from this request.
3. Ply-eee - "I would like to play tea party"
4. Jews - "Any kind of drink" Milk, Juice, Water, Capri Sun. Even Daddy's beer on occasion. You name it, she calls it "jews".
5. Lellow - "Crayons" Which I guess isn't way off since yellow is a color, and crayons are sometimes called "colors".
6. Peas - "Please" Typically accompanied by her version of the sign for please as well.
7. Tain-Chu - "Thank You" Cute when prompted, but heart-melting when spontaneous.
8. Owwww - "You're doing something I don't like" Not to be confused with "You're hurting me". No pain needs to be involved to elicit an "Owwwww". Things that frequently get this response are diaper changes, hair brushing, and leaving a playground.
9. Pusssch - "Push" Usually referring to the doorbell as we're coming or going.
10. Ah-Sai - "Outside" Bring me there. Now. Preferably with some bubbles.

Dewberry Farm 2008

Guess who's hiding in the Pumpkin Patch at Dewberry Farm...

Check out more pictures from our trip to Dewberry Farm this past Sunday on Anna's Shutterfly Site:

http://AnnaGraceFernandez.Shutterfly.com

Password: angel

Baby Mozart?

This was after dinner at Maw Maw & Paw Paw's house recently...

For the record, we took her clothes off so she wouldn't ruin them when she ate. So for those of you who were asking yourselves - yes, there is a good reason my child is playing the piano in nothing but her diaper and her shoes. lol.

Daycare Terror

Anna has been bitten several times, not only at one, but at both daycares she has been to in all of her almost 19 months. Every time she has gotten bitten, I hated that she had to endure it, but I was at the same time so thankful that she at least wasn't the one doing the biting.

Today, when I picked Anna up from daycare, I discovered that Anna apparently decided that it's much more fun biting than being bitten. And it was over a chair. The chair they sit in to color. Because apparently it's a good idea to only let two toddlers color at a time while the others play elsewhere. Then when the ousted toddler comes back to find someone else in THEIR chair (because let's face it - everything is MINE!), chaos ensues. Good plan.

So much for being thankful. My child is now the "biter" in the class. At least she didn't break the skin! Here's hoping that Mommy doesn't have to sign any more incident reports...

My Boo-tiful Birthday Surprise

Alternate Title: Congratulations, you're OLD!

My wonderful husband and parents threw me a surprise party for my 30th birthday this past Saturday. It was Halloween-themed because it's October and well, I've always loved Halloween and the fall, ever since I was a child.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not huge on surprises. Because I'm a planner, and it's really hard to plan on something that you don't even know about. But I think that was the point. And after I got over the initial shock, I was really grateful.

My mom handled most of the details, and in true Schober fashion, she went over the top (in a good way, of course!) There was a jumper for the kids, a snow cone machine (because yes, it is still hot in Houston in October), bobbing for apples, a HUGE cake, lots of balloons, fun decorations and some really great treat bags.

I got to see lots of friends and family that I don't get to see as often as I would like, so that was probably the best treat of all. So thanks to everyone who came and to everyone that worked so hard to surprise me. It was a great cushion to the blow of turning OLD, and it's not something I will forget anytime soon!

Mommy's Night Out

What happens when Mommy and Maw Maw go to the "So You Think You Can Dance" Tour for the evening and leave Anna with her daddy?

Enough said!

First LSU Tailgate 2008

The LSU vs. Mississippi State game on Saturday, September 27 was Anna's first LSU tailgate of the season. We met up with our good friends Matt & Michele and their 2-year old son Ryan and had a great little visit under the gorgeous oak trees on LSU's campus. Anna even took her first swig of beer when no one was looking - I caught her just as she brought the bottle down from her lips and let out a big "Ahhhhhhh!" I'll be waiting to receive my "Mother of the Year" award anytime now. Waiting. Still waiting. . .

Ryan giving Anna a sweet kiss

The Gang: Daddy, Mommy, Anna, Matt, Ryan & Michele

Michele and Anna

Hey, they DO look alike!

We didn't stay for the game, but we did watch it on TV later, and LSU won. This was really good for Mommy since she was taunting her Miss State Alum neighbor with the chant, "Tiger Bait! Tiger Bait!" as we pulled out of the driveway the day before to head to Louisiana.

Geaux Tigers!

Au Revoir, Bon Voyage & All That Good Stuff

Like a lot of things in my life, this blog post is long overdue, but what can I say? I do what I can when I can. . .

Back at the end of August, "Aunt Katie" left us to go to school for a year at the Université Pierre-Mendès-France in the middle the French Alps. The only thing that exceeded our excitement for her was our sadness in saying good-bye for so long!

She flew out of Houston, so we went to bid her a respectable farewell. Here is a picture of Anna & Aunt Katie before she headed to her gate:

It's only been about a month and a half, but we miss you so much already, Katie! We hope you're having a blast, and we can't wait to see you for Christmas! (But only if you promise not to brag too much about skiiing in the French Alps!)

The Wheels are Turning. . .

Normally, when I pick Anna up from daycare, she's smiling. And happy. And playing. And she runs up to the door to greet me. And as we leave, we pass the infant room and say bye-bye to the babies. Every day.

Yesterday afternoon, when I picked Anna up from daycare, that was not so much the case. She was crying. And whiny. And unhappy. And she continued to cry as I came to the door and kept saying "assy, assy, assy" over and over again. (Mom translation: "Paci" or Pacifier). Anna doesn't use a pacifier at daycare. All day long. Not even for a nap. So they had no idea what "assy" even meant.

So I proceed by explaining to her that I didn't have a pacifier and that we "gave them to the babies". I thought that reasoning with her might help the situation as it has before, but instead she broke out into a wail. So I did what any mother would do...I held her tight and high-tailed it out of the room.

And as we passed the infant room - instead of waving bye-bye to the babies, like we do every day - Anna points at the babies and says, "assy, assy, assy" as if to tell me she wanted me to get her pacifier back from the babies.

Oh yeah...the wheels are turning. Mommy's going to have to get smarter!

18 Month Checkup

Here are Anna's stats from her 18 month checkup:

• Weight: 28 lbs. 2.0 oz. (90th percentile)
• Height: 32.5 inches (80th percentile)
• Head Circumference: 18.75 inches (80th percentile)

She only got one shot (tetanus), and she didn't even shed one tear.

Love Letter #3

Dear Anna -

When we walk out of the front door to our house, I love how you always stop at the step and wait for me while I lock the door, usually without even a reminder. Then, as I catch up with you, you always look up at me and reach up with your hand so that I can take it in mine and help you down the step even though you're really big enough to do it by yourself.

I don't know if you don't know you can do it by yourself, or if you just like the extra reassurance. I really don't care why. I would never pass up an opportunity to hold your perfect little hand.

Love, Mommy

Ike

I'm talking about the one that beat up on Houston, not the one that beat up on Tina Turner. Just in case you had any confusion, I figured we'd get that out of the way right away.

In all seriousness, though, because so many people have been sending me emails after seeing news coverage of not-my-neighborhood, I wanted to let everyone know that we are doing okay. We were very blessed to have very little damage beyond a few leaning trees in our yard, and we were only without power for about 12 hours. Derek and our neighbor Danny had literally just setup the generator and were about to turn it on when I noticed that a lamp was on in our house. Considering that there are so many people that are STILL without power (and water for some) with no promise of getting it back soon, we are extremely grateful for our fortunate situation.

It's a bit overwhelming so close on the heels of Gustav, with so much of our family and friends in Louisiana affected. But we are just so relieved that everyone is safe. Maybe a little hot and covered with mosquito bites (where are they coming from?!)...but safe.

Please keep the areas and people affected by Gustav and Ike in your thoughts and prayers.

How We Roll

Here is Anna on our last trip back from Baton Rouge...

...with her blankie

...and her "baby"

...and her paci

...and her Elmo.

See? A girl doesn't need much to be happy in this life.

Monkey See. . .

Monkey Do!

And since I'm sure I'm dancing along the fringe of a serious overshare, I'm not going to tell you which monkey our little monkey saw doing this :)

The Cheapest Toys...

...can sometimes be the richest form of entertainment!

This Chik-Fil-A fruit cup top allowed Mommy & Daddy to have a rare uninterrupted dinner. Thank Yoooooooooou Chik-Fil-A!

Blessed

I'm feeling very blessed because this was my car Friday morning, and I walked away with just a few bruises and scratches...

God was definitely watching over me and everyone else involved, and I thank Him that I was able to go home that day to my family and kiss my Anna.

Time Flies

I can't believe it's now been over a month since my last post. We just get so busy, and time flies.

Anna has been doing and saying so many new things lately.

• Words: Puppy, Paci, Please, More, Bite, Drive, Bubbles, Bath, Outside, Cheese
• Animal Sounds: Puppy (Woof!), Cow (Mooooo!), Monkey (Ooooo, Ooooo, Oooooo!)
• Songs: ABC's, Baby Bumblebee, If You're Happy and You Know It, Itsy Bitsy Spider

She'll say (or at least *try* to say) just about anything we ask her to, and she's usually pretty close if not right on. She's even starting to pick up on some of the sound effects I do when I read to her at bedtime. Particularly with our favorite: "I Love You Through and Through". Now, she does them before I do. It's so amazing seeing how sharp her little mind is.

She also now clearly understands the concept of time out and the fact that she doesn't want to go in it. She'll stop in the middle of a full-out fit to answer "no" to the question, "Do you want to go into time out?" I think any parent would agree...It's a beautiful thing.

About Me

Photo Credit: Jennifer Anne Photography

ABC's and 123's

Anna has been surprising us lately by starting to say her alphabet and numbers by herself!

We'll start counting and she'll go to six, seven or eight even after we stop. And just today, she was sitting in her high chair playing with one of her sippy cups that has her name on it. Of course, her name starts with "A", so she'll say "A" often while looking at the cup. But this time, she went on with "B, C, D, E..." all the way to F! Derek and I were just looking at each other in disbelief.

I do need to note that she does not do this on command, so please don't think me a liar if you're at the house and Anna is just picking her nose. She does that too ;)

Barnum & Bailey Bellobration

This past Sunday, we took Anna to her first circus with Maw Maw and Paw Paw! I LOVED the circus as a little girl, and I was super-excited to share it with Anna. Anna had a great time, but my mom says she *still* thinks that I'm the one who enjoyed it the most...and she's probably right. Barnum & Bailey is no Cirque Du Soleil, but there's still always something magical about the circus.

But enough about me. This journal is supposed to be about Anna, right?!

Anna seemed to like the elephants the most. She went nuts over them! (Get it? Nuts! Gee, I am so funny). She would light up when they would come out and start waving vigorously and saying "hey, hey, hi, hey". Then, she'd repeat the whole scene as they were leaving, but would say "bye, bye, bye" instead, of course. Anna even got to watch an elephant named Asia painting at the circus preshow. Yes, I said an elephant. Painting! I personally think Anna could have out-painted the elephant, but for some reason, people were amazed. (Totally kidding...kind of!)

Anna's favorite clowns - Mommy & MawMaw

Clownin' around with MawMaw

The animals seemed to hold Anna's attention the most - the elephants, horses, tigers, dogs. I think she'll enjoy the rest more when she's a little older and can understand the difficulty and danger a little better.

She started getting seriously tired about halfway through the second half of the show and had a total meltdown, after which she fell asleep. Hard. So hard that she slept through the blast of the human cannonballs! I guess you had to be there to understand just how loud they were - but trust me, she was reeeeeeeeeeallllllllly tired. It was a very pleasant end to a great first circus experience - the first of many!

Then we stuffed our face at Luby's. The end.

Fromage!

I took the camera out tonight because Anna looked so cute sitting at her new little table (which has yet to be painted) and cuddling with her "baby".

But then she got up and started mugging for the camera. I jokingly told her to say "cheese", and she did - clear as day! Over and over again! What a ham!

I'm convinced that there isn't much she couldn't say with the right motivation at this point.

Viva La (New) Mexico!

This past weekend, we took a trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico, with our friends Ross & Nicole to baptize our beautiful new Goddaughter, Olivia. Olivia was a superstar during the christening. She slept for most of it, and she didn't even make a peep when the priest poured the water on her head.

Ross, Nicole & Olivia

This trip was Anna's first time on an airplane, and she did pretty well during the flight to Albuquerque. She was quite active, as most toddlers are, but we were able to keep her quiet and busy with Elmo DVD's, snacks, and sticker & coloring books. The return flight didn't go quite so smoothly; it ended in Anna throwing up on me. But why ruin a nice story with the details, right? ;) So, moving on...

We stayed with Ross' sister Marjorie and her husband Sam in Placitas, right outside of Albuquerque. This was the view of the mountains from their house - can't complain much about that!

Placitas, NM

Here's a pic of Anna after her bath our first night in Placitas. She had a lot of fun playing with all of the rocks in her jammies and crocs.

We did a lot of running around visiting with Ross & Nicole's families, and we even got to make a trip to Seboyeta, where Nicole grew up. There's not much in Seboyeta except dirt, horses, beautiful scenery, and some really great people - Anna had a blast with all of them!

Here we are with Domingo. Anna thought he was pretty cool from far away but was scared of him up close, so we couldn't get the picture we wanted of her sitting on the saddle.

Domingo, Mommy, Daddy & Anna

And here's Anna with Gabby, Ross & Nicole's niece. She's almost 3, and she and Anna are the same size, so it was funny watching them together. Anna loved holding Gabby's hand, and chased her around all weekend wanting to mimic her every move. Thanks Gabby for being such a good sport!

Anna & Gabby in Seboyeta

Notice that they're holding hands even while Anna is going for a ride!

And one last picture from Seboyeta, just because I can't help but feel the whole "Where's Waldo?" vibe when I look at it...

Can you find Derek on the mountain?

Thanks again to Ross & Nicole for giving us the honor of being Olivia's Godparents and for treating us like family while we were in Albuquerque! I know it was "interesting" traveling with two babies, but we all survived it!

16 Months Old

Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Anna

About a week and half ago, I bought this little training potty for Anna...

I had read that it was good to just let them get used to the chair with no potty talk for a while, so at first, we let her sit on it fully clothed in the living room. Then, we moved it into the bathroom and would sit her on it after she was undressed while we were running her bath. We wouldn't force her to sit on it, but for the most part, she was happy to be there. And I we figured something might "naturally" happen.

Well, tonight it did. Anna tinkled in her potty like a big girl! I'm not sure that she even understands what happened, but we made a huge deal over it and she seemed pretty pleased about the fuss.

We're so proud of you, Anna! I guess now it's time to officially start potty training! Bring on the Elmo "Potty Time" DVD!

Hanging Out at the Bar

Since Anna will be 16 months old tomorrow, we figured she was now old enough to hang out at the bar - in our kitchen, that is. Here she is feeling like hot stuff after her bath sitting on one of our barstools...

We'll wait until AT LEAST next month to bring her to a REAL bar ;)

How To Know When Your Infant is a Toddler

When they can go from this. . .

To this. . .

. . .in a span of 10 minutes for no reason whatsoever!

And yes, I just kept taking pictures. How horrible am I?! Can't wait for the "terrible twos"!

Love Letter #2

Dear Anna -

The best part of my day is when I pick you up from daycare - that exact moment when you catch a glimpse of me through the glass of your classroom windows. Your whole face lights up, and you run over to me as fast as your little feet will move. Your little arms are outstretched, and I know that you want to be held just as badly as I want to hold you.

I cherish that moment every afternoon, and I will as long as it lasts because I know there will come a day when you may instead beg me to let you stay just five more minutes. For now, it just doesn't get any better than that.

Love, Mommy

Maternal Instincts?

In true little girl style, Anna has now discovered the world of baby dolls. All of her stuffed animals are "baby". She holds them and sways, saying "baby" over and over again. She puts them on the ottoman for the glider in her nursery and pushes it back and forth saying "rock, rock". She was even trying to share her milk with one of her teddy bear "babies" last night. It's really sweet.

I would say that perhaps her maternal instincts were kicking in if it weren't for the fact that she'll drop them on their heads and ditch them in a second for a bite of banana. Good thing there is no CPS for baby dolls - they'd be knocking on the door!

15 Month Checkup

Here are Anna's stats from her 15 month checkup:

• Weight: 27 lbs. 1.0 oz. (95th percentile)
• Height: 31.5 inches (80th percentile)
• Head Circumference: 18.5 inches (80th percentile)

Safe and Sound

I recently came across the song "Safe and Sound" by Matthew West. It was so perfect that I decided to make a video with the newborn pictures I did of our Goddaughter Olivia Grace. Enjoy :)

Her Lips are NOT Sealed

Despite the fact that Anna is still very attached to her pacifier, it has certainly not delayed her speech any. (I'm sure she largely has her daddy to thank for that!)

Things Anna has said recently that have surprised and delighted us:

1. "Tay-Too" - Translation: Thank You
2. "Ny-Ny" - Translation: Night Night
3. "Hao? Hao?" (With the phone up to her ear) - Translation: Hello? Hello?
4. "Eh-Mo" - Translation: Elmo! Who Else?!

Kelly's Kids Fall 2008

For those of you that do not know, I have decided to become a rep for Kelly's Kids for the Fall 2008 season! I bought several Kelly's Kids outfits for Anna from the Spring line last season. It was my first encounter with Kelly's Kids and not only did I fall in love with the style, but I was also very impressed with the quality of the clothing. I'm very excited about becoming a part of it all and sharing it with all of you!

For those of you that have not heard of Kelly's Kids, it's a line of children's clothing that is very classic, fun and high quality, and it's sold mostly through trunk shows. You can see a little preview of the Fall 2008 season HERE.

Keep in mind that it's just a small sample! There will be lots of really cute options for those of you looking for the perfect Christmas outfit for the special kid(s) in your life as well!

In anticipation of the start of the Kelly's Kids Fall Season in July, I'm looking for people who are interested in hosting a trunk show or catalog party. There are lots of benefits to being a hostess for Kelly's Kids including FREE CLOTHES! What a great way to save money on adorable children's clothing while spending time with your girlfriends!

Please let me know if you (or anyone else you know!) are interested so that we can discuss the details. Of course, if you're not interested in being a hostess but are interested in attending a trunk show or buying clothes, I'm more than happy to help with that as well!

Squeaky Shoes

Some people talk just to hear their own voice. Thanks to her new Mooshu Trainers, Anna now walks and walks and walks just to hear her shoes squeak!

We got Anna a pair of these adorable white Mooshu Trainer sandals this weekend, and she has been wearing them out ever since:

It's a really cute concept with the slogan "Encouraging toddlers to walk, one squeak at a time". Not only do the shoes squeak when she walks so we always know where she is (and she's always amused), but the alligator clip bow can be removed and replaced with different colored clips to perfectly coordinate with any outfit.

Does it get any better than that?! Very cool. Check 'em out.

Summer Fun

It's been a really long time since I've journaled. Almost a month. So have I fallen off the face of the earth? No! Life just got in the way a bit. But that's what it's all about right? Life.

We've been doing quite a bit of living in the last month with our sweet Anna, and here's some proof:

Check out more like this one in the new "Summer Fun" album in Anna's shutterfly collection:

http://annagracefernandez.shutterfly.com

This collection is password-protected with the case-sensitive password: angel.

Love Letter #1

All parents love their children. That goes without saying. But there are lots of different reasons why and lots of different ways we show it. That's why I've started the "Love Letters" series.

So, here's the first...

Dear Anna -

Sometimes, after you've fallen asleep and are off in dreamland, I still feel like I haven't gotten enough of you for the day. So instead of tucking you into your crib right away, I'll hold you for hours while you sleep and watch the rhythmic rising and falling of your little chest. I'll breathe your sweet little smells, kiss your cheeks, and run my fingers through your soft hair. And I'm in heaven because there is no place else I would rather be than right there in that moment - holding you. My sweet Anna.

Love Always, Mommy

Name-Calling

Anna is very good at imitating actions or sounds, but last week for the first time, she said the name of something that we didn't say first.

Derek was holding Anna in the kitchen with his back to the window one afternoon, and Anna was looking over his shoulder. She started excitedly kicking her feet and pointing out the window, and then very clearly said the word "bird". Derek was thinking he had to have misheard her, but he turned around anyway, and sure enough! There was a black bird on the lawn right outside the kitchen window!

I wonder what she'll say next!

One Year Checkup

Anna had her one-year checkup on Tuesday. She got a few immunization shots (one in her leg, and one in each arm), so that made her quite upset - but nothing Mommy's hugs & kisses couldn't cure.

Here are her official stats:

• Weight: 24 lbs. 9.4 oz. (92th percentile)
• Height: 30 inches (75th percentile)
• Head Circumference: 18 inches (55th percentile)

Dr. Leonardo was quite impressed with all of the words and sounds that Anna is making and assured me not to worry about the fact that she's not walking yet. She'll do it all in her own time.

We should be making the switch to whole milk soon as well, so we'll see how that goes!

11 Months Old

Overdue, I know...but here is Anna's 11 month update. . .

• Stats: Anna weighs around 25 pounds. She just made the switch to size 5 Pampers Cruisers diapers, and her clothes are now ranging anywhere from size 12-24 months.
  
• Feedings: Anna has continued to try lots of new foods this past month. She rarely refuses anything completely, but she definitely shows preference for some things over others - like mandarin oranges, diced peaches, bananas, green beans & graduates raviolis. She still loves feeding herself, and she manages to shovel it in quite fast. Sometimes both hands at once. She still drinks around 24 oz. of formula every day, but we've made a lot of progress with her sippy cup. Thankfully, but by accident, her teacher at daycare found that she will not only drink from, but also HOLD this Nuby sippy cup! After buying soooo many different kinds trying to find one she liked, I of course ran out and bought a whole slew of these!
  
• Favorites: Books. Getting chauffered around the house & neighborhood in her "Annalon". Bathtime (with bubbles!). Peek-a-boo (now SHE plays it with US). Getting tickled. Sesame Street - especially Elmo. Telling EVERYONE "heeeeeeeeeeeeey" & "hiiiiiiiiiiiiii".
  Least Favorites: Having her diaper changed & getting dressed is still number one. Having Mommy do her hair is pretty high up there too - I'm sure that will just get more fun as she gets older!
  
• Issues: The separation anxiety is getting so much better for now. Most days, I leave a very happy, smiley Anna at daycare, and that makes a HUGE difference in my day.
  
• Personality: Friendly. Strong-Willed. Persistent. Cuddly. Curious. In that order :)
  Areas to Work On: Limiting the use of the pacifier. Getting on a solid schedule. Walking.
  
• New Things:

1. Holding Her Own Bottle - Not every time, but on occasion (usually for the first morning feeding) Anna will hold her own bottle for the entire feeding.
2. Sippy Cup - Now that we found the Nuby, Anna is drinking from her sippy cup like a pro, even holding it herself most of the time.
3. Hiiiiiii - Anna loves to tell everyone "heeeeeeeey" and "hiiiiiiiii". It's her new way of making sure everyone in the room is paying attention to her.
4. Sound Imitation - She's starting to imitate sounds a lot more now - like if we sing Elmo's song, she does the "lalala", etc. I guess now would be a good time to really start watching our language!
5. Monkey See, Monkey Do - Our little monkey loves to copy everything we do, like slapping her hands on the table, hitting two toys together or clapping her hands.