Saturday, April 30, 2011

11 Months!!

Annabelle turned 11 months old a few days ago. I can hardly believe there is less than one month left until she hits the big ONE! What's she up to these days?

She is eating more...about 10-12 ounces of baby food, some solid food, and 22-28 ounces of formula a day. It helps that she now has 5 teeth (three of which came in about a week ago) and she's working on a few more. Much to our chagrin, she is still waking at least once a night to eat.
Not sure how tall she is or how much she weighs; we'll find out at her one year appointment.


Annabelle loves to be outside; we've spent many afternoons "weeding" (she looks at rocks, I weed), playing on the playground (I think the wood chips are her favorite part), and watching the neighbor boys play on their bikes and skateboards (you can just see her trying to figure out how she can do the same things they do!) She also likes to take baths (and splash!); pull things out of drawers, boxes, bins, etc.; "run" from couch cushion to couch cushion grabbing her toys off the couch; and inspect anything new or different.


She has been in a pointing mood lately. As we walk around she points and things and says "ooh" or "uh", wanting to know what everything is. She has also become quite the babbler. Still no official words, but it seems that she says "mama" and "dada" purposefully at times.


Last, but not least, Annabelle is a stander! She has been able to stand for a few seconds at a time for about a month now, but she now stands whenever the mood strikes. She can even stand, crouch to pick up a toy, and stand back up without assistance!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Sitting in Boxes

Annabelle has been climbing into any boxes she can find. And, as I am on an organizing kick, boxes are plentiful.

Today, while I was in the kitchen getting lunch ready, I heard a complaint from Annabelle in the hallway. She had climbed into this box and was upset she couldn't get the lid on while she was sitting inside.


Ahhh...this is the life... (how can that be comfortable?!?)

A few steps here and there

So, I've been trying to decide when to write this post, just waiting for Annabelle to "really" stand or "really" take a few steps. After Mom's visit this weekend, she convinced me that the things Annabelle has been doing "count." She can stand on her own for about 5 seconds. She now tries to walk from place to place rather than crawling all the time. However, that walking is more of a run and she ends up on her face after 2 or 3 (as many as 4 or 5) quick steps. She just never slows down enough to get a good balance before taking that step. Kris and I are thinking she's going to go straight to sprinting! Here are some pictures of Annabelle trying to walk on Sunday...

She usually starts by holding on to furniture, but I was holding her to begin in these pictures. A wobbly start...


And, she's down! (with a smile on her face)


Woooooaaaahhhhh!

Fun with Her Easter Goodies

Annabelle loved the pool...even without water!




Reading her new book all on her own.


And, with Mommy's help.

Egg and Basket Hunts

On Saturday, we brought Annabelle outside for a quick egg hunt and her "outside" Easter basket. So glad we got at least one break in the rain this weekend.

She had three animal eggs to find...




And her sand pail with pool, bubbles, giant chalk, and bath toy...


Then, on Sunday she looked for her "inside" basket. Not here...


There it is! (with book stuffed bunny, and soft book)

Happy Easter

Annabelle on Easter Sunday


With Mommy and Daddy after the "egg hunt"


Daddy looks so funny in Annabelle's bunny ears!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Revisiting the Botanical Gardens

The botanical gardens in St Louis have an amazing Children's Garden. We took Annabelle there again on Saturday (yes, the 92 degree day).

"Mommy...this one doesn't look like the other flowers!"



Thank goodness they have a splash park to cool off! :)




She's recently been crawling like this at some times. Maybe she knows she wants to get up on her feet, but can't figure out how to get from crawling to standing?



All tuckered out...first time (since she was a newborn) she has fallen asleep in her stroller.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Copy Cat

Annabelle has been trying to copy us more often. Earlier I posted about her "cell phone" use. Now, she's trying to make funny noises. Well, she makes plenty of funny noises, but not this particular one...

Monday, April 4, 2011

More Fun at the Magic House

No joke, Kris had a "holiday" on Friday, so we went to the Magic House in St Louis again with Annabelle. It was really neat to see how much more she could do in just the few short months it's been since we were there last.

We played at the water table again. One of her favorite things to do right now is figure out how things can be put inside one another. She loves her nesting cups at home...and at the Magic House. Mostly, though, she just wanted to splash in the water.


What in the world? She really didn't know what to make of this...



Annabelle has a nice, warm hand print.



It was daddy's turn to try the static ball.


We discovered there are complete replicas of the Oval Office, Supreme Court and Congress on the ground floor. Future president?