Hannah Claire

And Then You Turned Four

2011-06-24T21:08:00.005-05:00

Wow! You've kept me really busy the past year! I hope that one day when you grow up and see that your Mommy did not do a very good job documenting your childhood, you'll know it was because I was too busy embracing each day I got to spend with you.

Every day you grow and change, and I just love you more and more. You amaze me with all of your questions and the things you want to understand. You are a bright, funny and beautiful little girl, and you're growing up faster than I'd like. You've been writing your name - Hannah B dot - for six months now. You have such a sweet heart, and I love hearing your little voice singing each morning when you wake up before your clock is green.

I am so so thankful that God chose me to be your Mommy. I think you've taught me as much as I've taught you. You show me how to look at things through your eyes - your beautiful big brown eyes.

You often ask me if I will be your best friend, and I always say, "Yes." Because now matter how old you are, I will always be your best friend. I will always love you, and I will always be proud of you.

I love you more today than I did yesterday, but not as much as I will love you tomorrow.

Happy birthday my sweet baby girl.

Love,
Mommy

Are you really 3 years old already?

2010-06-24T20:15:00.009-05:00

Happy birthday my sweet girl! I can't believe you are already 3 years old today! It seems like every year just goes by faster and faster. You are such a sweet, beautiful and smart little girl. You love your big baby doll, playing the "letter game" with Mommy & Daddy, swimming at the pool and writing the letter "H" with your crayons. You make me laugh every single day.

You have no idea how much Mommy & Daddy love you. Maybe someday when you have a little girl, you will finally understand our love for you.

I can't believe how much you've "grown up" in the past year. You are so independent and love to do things by yourself. Sometimes it feels like I just blinked my eyes, and suddenly you can do so many more things. I love watching you learn new things, and you are constantly saying sentences that sound so mature.

I'm so thankful you still let me rock you every night. I love the time we spend together in your room after we've read your books, said your prayers and sang your favorite songs ("ABCD," "Itsy Bitsy Spider, " "Rock-a-bye Hannah" and "Jesus Loves Me"). I run my fingers through your soft hair and trace the outline of your face with my fingers. You giggle when my fingers go under your chin and down your sweet neck. I rock you as you close your big brown eyes and start to fall asleep. Then I tiptoe over to your bed and lay you down gently. I kiss your sweet head and whisper, "I love you."

I am so very proud of you, Hannah Claire. Can you make the next year go by a little more slowly? I want to hold you in my lap a little while longer, OK?

I love you with all of my heart,
Mommy

Kids Say the Funniest Things - Part 2

2010-02-01T16:37:00.002-06:00

While at my mom's house a couple of months ago, I was putting Hannah to bed in my room. My mom has pictures from my wedding day in my bedroom. Hannah was studying the pictures and pointing out faces she recognized. "Dat's Mommy?" she would ask.

"Yes," I replied.

"Dat's Daddy?" she questioned further.

"Yes," I answered again.

"Dat's Day?" Another question and Hannah's version of "Gran."

"Yes."

"Where's me?"

I laughed so hard, but I'm sure she had no idea what was so funny. To her, the world didn't exist prior to her birth.

My Little Snow Bunny

2010-02-01T14:22:00.005-06:00

We don't get much snow here in Nashville. Sure, maybe a few flurries a couple of times a year, but 4" - 5" inches? Not likely for us. So when it snowed all day on Friday we were super excited. We waited until Saturday afternoon to try out the snow, and then we got all bundled up in our coats, hats and gloves and went sledding. In a laundry basket. Like I said, we don't get much snow here in Nashville. There's never been a reason to invest in a sled. But I sure wished we had one on Saturday.

Kids Say the Funniest Things

2010-01-20T13:34:00.007-06:00

Potty training Hannah has been a much lengthier process than I'd imagined. I guess I thought she would “get it” a little sooner and without much training. Weaning her off the pacifier at six months was a breeze. She’s a good eater and doesn’t refuse most things on her plate. She does well obeying me and Steve. But this potty training is sure taking some work.

She misses no opportunity to tell you she’s a big girl and even knows that “big girls pee pee in potty.” She usually follows me when I use the bathroom, so the other day I decided to use it as a training experience for her. She watched me sit down on the toilet and then asked, “You pee pee on potty?”

I responded, “Yes because I’m a big girl.”

“No, you Den-fer, I big girl.” Apparently, there can be only one big girl at our house.

********************************************************************
While we were having Christmas at my mom’s house Hannah started to get a little cranky about 30 minutes before dinner was ready. I thought maybe she just needed a little snack to tide her over until the meal was ready. I asked her if she wanted something to eat, and she said she needed a cracker. So, I asked, “Do you need an appetizer?”

“No, I need a cracker.”

********************************************************************
While lying in bed with me the other day, Hannah poked me in the chest and said, “What’s that?”

“That’s Mommy’s bosom,” I replied. “Where’s your bosom?”

Hannah pulled out her shirt, looked down at her chest and said, “I got lil' bosoms.”

Aren't two year olds hilarious?

Santa Claus Progress

2009-12-18T11:34:00.008-06:00

Last year we took Hannah to see Santa Claus completely unaware of how she would react. We stood in line for 45 minutes while she watched all of the other children walk up and climb in his lap. When it was finally our turn, Hannah held on for dear life and screamed bloody murder while I tried to take a quick picture.

See?

So this year we decided to try the Santa experience again fully prepared for a complete melt down. While Hannah had no interest in sitting in Santa's lap, she agreed to stand in front of him while I took a few pictures. I think the candy cane, pencil and rubber bracelet Santa gave her might have had something to do with it. Instead of learning that Santa is really a nice man, I think we may have just taught her that strange men give you presents if you don't scream.

Elmo's Party

2009-12-16T13:55:00.006-06:00

Since Steve and I have been together, we've always spent Thanksgiving with his family. My family has never really done anything special for the day except enjoy a day off of work or school. But since it's a long weekend, and my mom's birthday is November 25th, we always go visit her for her birthday more than Thanksgiving. So, this past Thanksgiving when Hannah saw my mom's birthday present wrapped in pretty pink paper while we were in Georgia, she informed us she was "reh-reh go to the party." For four and half hours while we drove from Columbus to Pulaski she talked about going to the party. About half way through the trip, it went from just a party to Elmo's party. I'm still not sure where the idea of Elmo having a party came from, but Hannah was adamant that we should be going. We made it to my mom's house, and my mom unwrapped her birthday presents. I think Hannah may have been a little disappointed in my mom's gifts and that Elmo didn't show up for the "party."

So when we heard that Sesame Street Live would be coming to Nashville, we decided Hannah would love to go. I worried that the adult size characters would scare her since she'd only seen Elmo on TV, in books or the doll size version. We tried to prepare her by telling her we were going to see a BIG Elmo so she wouldn't be too freaked out at the show.

For the first 15 minutes of the performance, Hannah didn't move. She stared in complete awe at the stage. But as soon as she realized the child in front of her had some sort of toy that could spin and light up, her attention quickly shifted from the stage. She still enjoyed the characters, but she constantly pointed to the child's toy and said, "I have that." The toy didn't look particularly safe to me, so I didn't jump at the chance to spend $15 so my child could poke her eye out. Even without the toy, I think Hannah did very well and really enjoyed her first musical.

Madison

2009-10-27T12:53:00.003-05:00

After 15 years of being my faithful companion, Madison is no longer with me. He still longed to play and jump into my arms, but his little body was giving out. Steve and I were with him as we let his body relax, and the pain went away. We took him to his Gran’s house to be reunited with Maggie.

Steve, Hannah and I miss him terribly, but I am so grateful I was able to keep him as long as I did. He took care of me when I was sick or just sad. He was with me as I grew from a dependent college student to an independent adult, wife and mother.

I will always love my sweet baby boy.

End of Summer Vacation

2009-10-08T19:36:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago, we were able to take a family trip to Gulf Shores for a little relaxation on the beach. This year’s vacation included the whole family with Gran, Daddy B, Steve, Hannah and even Madison joining me. Nashville was in the middle of a two week rainy season, so we were glad to get away and enjoy some sunshine and sand!

I’d been a little apprehensive prior to the trip since Hannah doesn’t have a very good track record with long drives in the car. Last year’s trip does not bring back happy thoughts when I remember the drive home from Ft. Walton. Maybe she’s just a little older and her attention span has gotten a bit longer, but she did really well travelling both to and from Gulf Shores. We were grateful for her love of Elmo since his books and movies helped keep her occupied for several hours.

During last year’s vacation, Hannah didn’t seem to have the same love for the beach as her Daddy and I do. She didn’t want to go near the ocean and couldn’t stand one grain of sand touching her which meant she spent the entire time on a sheet playing with toys and bird watching. This year she decided to be a little braver and even took her shoes off to walk in the sand. She let us cover her feet with sand and didn’t seem to mind when we even got it on her face. And the ocean? Well, we’ve got to save something for next year.

Each day was spent soaking up the sun, finding sea shells, tickling our toes in the ocean, swimming in the pool and taking naps. We ate fabulous meals of seafood with my favorite being the crab and shrimp au gratin at Louisiana Lagniappe. The weather was gorgeous every day, and going in September meant the beaches and restaurants weren’t quite as crowded.

We’ve been home two and half weeks, and Hannah is still asking to go back to the beach. I know I’m ready.

Like Mama Too

2009-09-24T09:45:00.002-05:00

The day after I posted Like Father, Like Daughter, Hannah reminded me of my own OCD tendencies. After her bath last night, I heard her playing in the living room with her blocks. I assumed she was building another one of her four block high towers that she would then knock tumbling to the floor. Instead, she had organized them into a very neat and straight line. And she even had the patience to line up 17 blocks!

I guess there are plenty of my quirks in her little DNA.

The only difference is I would have organized them by color. Or alphabetically.

Like Father, Like Daughter

2009-09-22T20:49:00.004-05:00

I smile when I see Hannah doing little things that remind me of myself. Like when she straightens the top of her hamper after tossing her clothes inside or when she mindlessly twirls her hair between her fingers. But leaving her shoes next to the stairs? That's all Daddy.

I Yuh You

2009-08-10T16:01:00.001-05:00

To anyone else, “I yuh you” probably doesn’t sound very exciting, but just a few nights ago Hannah said this completely unprompted to me when her daddy was putting her to bed. She’s heard both Steve and I say, “I love you” to her since the day she was born, and she would even repeat it to us when we asked. But this was the first time I heard her say, “I yuh you, Mama” without either one of us asking. Since then she’s said, “I yuh you, dog,” but her daddy is still waiting for his turn. :)

Hearing those words and seeing this sweet face makes all those sleepless nights and temper tantrums totally worth it.

Her Social Calendar is Full

2009-07-17T10:38:00.010-05:00

Who knew a 2 year old could have such a busy social life? Lately we’ve been very busy keeping up with Hannah’s calendar.

Hannah’s friend, Brady, turned two just one week after her birthday. We were invited to go bowling for his birthday. I wasn’t sure how a group of two year olds would manage to throw a 10 pound ball down a bowling lane, but at the Franklin bowling lanes , kids are invited to go mini bowling. Doesn’t she look like a professional as she concentrates on her form?

In late June, she began taking gymnastics (also known as "na-nacks") at Let It Shine. While she’s not a fan of the trampoline, she likes to swing, slide and climb. She’s doing great at circle time, and she’s getting better at completing the obstacle course properly. Of course if she could, she’d bounce from one obstacle to another completely out of order, but she’s learning to follow directions and complete tasks as instructed.

The annual Riverwalk Fourth of July parade is a chance for Hannah to ride in her decked out wagon, but it also gives her daddy a chance to make her some cool spinners. Isn’t she cute in her star spangled shorts?

Finally, last week we took Hannah to her first baseball game. She would’ve much rather run the bases with the boys since she kept pointing to the field and saying, “I play. I play.” A player from the opposing team was kind enough to give her her very first baseball from a game. I think her daddy was more excited than she was. She enjoyed the hot dogs and ice cream as well as the people watching (just like her mommy).

We’re enjoying our busy summer even though Hannah’s social schedule keeps us on our toes!

Happy Birthday Hannah

2009-06-24T21:52:00.004-05:00

Do you know how proud I am to be your mommy?

The past couple of years I’ve been blessed to watch you grow from a tiny baby to a sweet little girl. I can hardly believe it’s been two years since Daddy and I brought you home from the hospital. I love seeing things through your eyes and watching you discover something for the first time. I’m so glad I get to be the one to show you things.

Your favorite things right now are Elmo, reading books and playing ball. You can’t stand to be still. You’re a busy little girl who is always on the go. You love to read about your ABC’s. You take such good care of your baby dolls. You love to play outside and swing at the playground. Your sweet little giggle lights up my whole world. Your teachers at day care always talk about how sweet you are.

Every day you’re growing and changing, but so am I. You’ve taught me how to be more patient and kind. You’re teaching me not to worry about the little things.

Happy birthday my sweet baby girl! I love you! Do you know how proud I am to be your mommy?

Child Dedication

2009-06-11T09:31:00.002-05:00

At Cross Point, we practice baby dedication instead of baptism since it is our belief that baptism should be completed when a person is able to make a conscious decision to follow Christ. During the child dedication, Steve and I as parents made a commitment to raise Hannah in a Christ filled environment. The congregation also promised to support us during our parenting journey. Here’s the commitment we made on May 10, 2009.

We acknowledge that our child is a miraculous gift from God. We also acknowledge that our child is a unique person created in the image of God and we understand that raising our child is both a privilege and responsibility.

Therefore we promise to love, train and support our child looking to God for divine guidance and support. We, in the witness of these people, publicly place our child into the care and protection of our great God, asking our church community for their support, guidance and encouragement in the days ahead.

Hannah let me hold her in front of the entire church while we made our commitment. Steve and I selected Jeremiah 29:11 to be her life verse. The verse reads, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Hannah even waited until we got home from church to have her meltdown (see last picture).

I Doh

2009-06-11T09:16:00.001-05:00

Hannah has recently begun using short sentences instead of just words to speak. Her first sentence began when she was trying to express to us that she was ready to leave the house. “I doh” translates to “I go.” When she tries on my shoes and prances around the house, she likes to tell us, “I Mama” which means, “I’m Mama.” When her daddy is outside working in the yard, she’ll tell me, “Dada mow dass” which is her way of saying “Daddy mows the grass.” For 2 years, we’ve been waiting for her to be able to verbally communicate with us, and we’re so excited that the time is finally here.

Here’s a recent picture of our big girl ready to “doh.”

Noooo

2009-04-24T14:31:00.008-05:00

Hannah has been a little slower to speak than some children, and I’ve tried not to be too concerned. At her 18 month doctor’s appointment, the nurse asked if Hannah could say 6 – 10 words. We really couldn’t think of that many, and I was afraid she had flunked one of the questions. Around 20 months, Hannah started saying a few more words, and it has been so cute and so much fun to hear her use each new word. Until now. Her most recent word is no. I guess I should be thankful that she’s been saying yes for a couple of months now. I’d kind of gotten used to her being pretty agreeable to things. Just recently she learned about no, and I think it’s been her most used word yet. Even when she disagrees, she still sounds cute when she drags out the word into nooo. After all, she will be two just a couple of months from today. In addition to no she’s also saying

apple, baby, ball, bar, Bible, bird, boo-boo, book, boots, cheese, choo-choo, church, dada, dink (drink), doggie, ears, Elmo, eyes, fish, mama, moo, nana (banana), peez (please), purple, shhh, shoes, that, yes

And since I can’t write a post without a picture, here’s the one I just put on my desk.

Same Sweater, Different Dress

2009-04-15T11:56:00.003-05:00

When I purchased Hannah’s Easter dress for this year, I was hoping since the holiday fell in mid-April, the weather would be warm. It was a tad cool Sunday morning, and while it was an opportunity for Hannah to learn sometimes looking good comes with a little sacrifice, I still felt the need to provide for her. I’ve saved a few of my favorite outfits of Hannah’s, so I searched the attic for last year’s Easter cardigan. I was hoping if she just had something to cover her little arms, she would survive from the car into church. But our dainty little girl was totally able to wear her 6 – 9 month sweater from 13 months ago! At this rate, we’ll be lucky to have her in a 3T by kindergarten.

My Little GPS

2009-03-24T11:43:00.002-05:00

Hannah may not know her telephone number or address yet, but she can show you exactly how to get to the neighborhood playground ½ a mile from our house. Last Sunday, Hannah and I were outside helping Steve in the front yard. I ran inside for a second to check on the laundry, and when I returned Steve and Hannah were holding hands and walking across the street to the sidewalk. I caught up with them and asked where we were going. Apparently, Hannah had taken Steve by the hand and begun leading him across the street. I assumed she just wanted to go down the sidewalk for a little bit, and we would turn around after a couple of houses. Pretty soon it was apparent that this little girl was on a mission! She followed the sidewalk to the 4-way stop, and when we suggested a turn, she was adamant that we continue her path. We went through the 4-way stop and crossed over the bridge. When she caught sight of the playground, I think her gait picked up a little speed. If I would have known our destination when we began our travels, I would have taken the camera. Since I don’t have a picture from this Spring yet, here’s Hannah about a year ago in her favorite spot on the playground.

She’s Not a Baby Anymore

2009-03-10T09:45:00.005-05:00

My baby girl is becoming such a big girl. As if time wasn’t flying by fast enough, I lost an hour with her due to daylight saving time this past weekend! Last Sunday at church, she pointed to her classroom and was ready to go in when we arrived at Kidz World. She walked right into the room without as much as a tear.

Bedtime is usually when we snuggle for a few minutes while we rock in her room. We say our prayers and sing Jesus Loves Me and Jesus Loves the Little Children. The past three nights she has wanted to go straight to her bed without even rocking. No matter how much I tried to hold her and snuggle, she wiggled and squirmed until I gave in and put her to bed.

For the most part, she is capable of feeding herself with a spoon now. She gobbled up her dinner last night with minimal help from me.

Last night was too warm for her fleece pajamas, and I've not started shopping for summer sleepwear yet. Since she's so tiny, I held on to her 12 month pajamas from last summer, and she wore those just fine last night. It was even more obvious how big she's getting when the pants that used to drag the ground came just below her knees.

Since the weather was so nice over the weekend, we spent lots of time at the playground. Hannah has always been a fan of the swing, but this weekend I introduced her to the slide. After I helped her the first time, she figured out how to climb up the ladder and slide down all by herself. If she went too fast, and her bottom landed on the ground, she just jumped up, brushed herself off and went back for more.

Remember when she looked like this? I guess I’ll have to figure out how to stop blinking.

They Call Me the Fireman

2009-03-10T09:26:00.001-05:00

Last week at school, Hannah learned about community helpers such as police officers and firemen. She came home Monday with a police badge that was nearly as big as she is. On Tuesday, her class learned about firemen, and she made this adorable little hat. Can’t you just hear her on top of a fire truck shouting “Wheee” just like they do on Wonder Pets!?

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-20T09:05:00.002-06:00

This year was the first year Hannah got to take Valentines to school for her friends. Her party at school snuck up on us, so we were scrambling the night before for cards to send. We took a quick trip to Walgreens the night before her party and selected Abby Caddaby cards for her friends. I guess it’s been awhile since I watched Sesame Street because I had never heard of this character that was new to the show in 2004. I thought Abby was cute enough and girly enough to suffice.

We took a quick picture the morning of her party before her clothes were covered in cupcake icing.

Payback

2009-02-13T16:23:00.000-06:00

Since Hannah has become mobile, we’ve occasionally had to put our dog, Madison, in his cage. Madison sometimes wants to play too rough or just needs a break from his baby sister. When we’ve put him in his cage, I’ve often wondered if he was thinking to himself, Why do I have to be the one to be put away? Even if it’s his choice to be in his cage, Hannah usually never leaves him alone long enough for him to rest. Finally, it was Madison’s turn for some peace and quiet.

Look Out Danica Patrick

2009-02-13T16:13:00.003-06:00

Hannah is learning to drive! She doesn’t even mind crashing into things. The weather was so gorgeous this past weekend, so we took Hannah outside to enjoy her 4-wheeler. This was a birthday gift from her mommy and daddy on her first birthday, but Sunday was the first time she was able to drive outside. Previously, her races were held in the bonus room which didn’t allow for the high speeds she could experience in the front yard.

If her vehicle started to slow down a bit, she knew just how to pop the hood and survey the engine. Then, like lightning, she was off again!

Of course, when she couldn’t steer her vehicle exactly where she wanted, she had no problem hopping off and giving it a push.

I’ll remember to let her do that if we ever have car trouble!

Sticks and Stones and Fractured Bones

2009-02-02T14:41:00.004-06:00

About a month ago, Steve, Hannah and I were upstairs in the bonus room, and I noticed Hannah’s pants were dragging the floor. I asked Steve to pull up her pants, so he reached down to roll up the cuffs a bit. Hannah’s latest game is running just as fast as her little feet will carry her in the opposite direction from her mommy and daddy – especially when there is a chance we might make her sit still for more than one second. Before Steve could finish rolling her pants, Hannah tried to dart away. She turned and fell face down on the carpet. Steve and I have done a really good job of not making a big deal out of Hannah’s falls. It’s usually just a simple uh-oh, and she’s on her way. This time was different, and I could tell immediately by the sound of her cry.

For the next hour Hannah did not want me to put her down. For her to sit still in my lap for more than five seconds is a miracle, so I knew she must be hurting pretty badly. She didn’t want to walk on her left leg and cried at each attempt. We couldn’t see any swelling or bruising, so I felt a trip to the emergency room wasn’t really necessary just yet. We managed to keep her comfortable for the rest of the night and gave her some Motrin to help her rest. We would assess the situation again in the morning.

The next morning came, and Hannah still didn’t want to walk on her left leg. It was time to go to the doctor. Our wonderful pediatrician at OHPA had an opening first thing, so we took her in. Dr. Betts examined both legs and determined it was her tibia/fibula that was painful. He explained that sometimes these fractures might not show up on x-ray and we might think about waiting a couple of days to see if there was still a problem. I suggested that “while we were there” we wanted to go ahead and see if there was a glaring problem. As it turns out, the pediatrician’s office does not take x-rays. We would need to go to Vanderbilt for this procedure. While Vanderbilt is a wonderful facility, spending 6 days there with Hannah in May was enough for me.

The x-ray didn’t show any fractures, so our pediatrician suggested we give it a few days to see if she recovered on her own. Another couple of days went by, and Hannah still wasn’t back to running around the house. The pediatrician then suggested we visit Dr. Gregory at Vanderbilt for a better evaluation. Dr. Gregory examined her leg while lots of other kind people distracted Hannah with toys. With each press to her shin, Hannah started crying. Dr. Gregory determined she had a toddler’s fracture which likely occurs just exactly how we described. Steve and I had recounted the story several times now between all the nurses and doctors we’d seen, and each time I felt a little scrutiny from the medical staff. Maybe I imagined it, but I was sure there were a few raised eyebrows when we told our story. I just prayed they would believe it was too weird to be made up, and if they looked at our call log to OHPA, they would see that we panicked over every sniffle with Hannah.

Finally, a couple of weeks ago, we went back to Vanderbilt for follow-up x-rays. This time, the doctor was able to see the new bone on the x-ray and confirmed his earlier diagnosis. He drew an arrow to help us see where the fracture was, but to my eye, it all looks the same. I guess that’s why he can charge us $1,000 to point it out to us.

I’m just glad our little monkey is back to climbing her way around the house again.

Too Tired to Chew

2009-01-02T08:54:00.003-06:00

I don't know about you, but there are very few things that keep me from eating. When I was pregnant, a friend once told me that during those first few weeks with a newborn, I would chose sleep over food and personal cleanliness. She was right about the exhaustion part, but I don't remember ever choosing not to eat. It looks like Hannah is trying to balance the two as well.

Bible on Christmas

2008-12-29T08:31:00.005-06:00

We got Hannah The Jesus Storybook Bible for Christmas, so that I can start teaching her early the true meaning of Christmas. We've heard Hannah say mama and dada and even baby, but on Christmas Day she actually said bible. What a perfect day to learn this new word! I haven't tried video taping her saying bible yet since most of the time she's pretty reluctant to perform on demand. In the meantime, here's a video of her on Christmas morning checking out her goodies from Santa.

Can you hear me now?

2008-12-18T12:52:00.013-06:00

It's amazing to me how toddlers can be such little imitators. I never see Hannah focusing on what I'm doing or studying my every move or action just so she can replicate it later. Yet still she manages to copy actions exactly as she's seen her mommy and daddy do them. For other parents reading this, yes, I do realize that a large part of what children learn is through imitation, but I guess I didn't realize how young that actually began.

For instance, several months ago shortly after Hannah became mobile, she found 2 pitchers in my kitchen cabinet. Now while I've never known myself or Steve to wag these around the house like she does, I have seen Steve drink directly from one that was in the refrigerator. When Hannah is playing with them in the kitchen floor, I'll occasionally see her turn one up as if to take a sip.

So, when Hannah started "talking" on the phone, I'm not sure why I thought it was so funny. Maybe it's because she's just so darn cute (a little biased, I know). Not only does she understand she's supposed to put the phone up to her ear, but she even has the appropriate inflection in her tone when she says, "Uh?" Her vocabulary is still pretty limited, and although she's not saying the words it's obvious there's a question mark at the end.

Public Displays of Affection

2008-12-18T07:49:00.006-06:00

Just after Hannah's first birthday, she started showing "love" to those around her. Her version of showing love included laying her head against the person or thing. It was sort of like a hug, but only her head was touching you. She would often lay her head against Madison to show him her love. He was never too thrilled to be the object of her affection.

Eventually, she actually started hugging and incorporated her arms when she gave love. Recently, she has learned how to give kisses. We started out with the typical open mouth slobbery ones, but she has now mastered puckering. But watch out! Hannah will not give kisses on the cheek. She plants her love for you right on the lips!

Scary Men with Beards

2008-12-09T20:38:00.005-06:00

We've been gearing up to take Hannah to see Santa Claus and have been preparing ourselves that it might not go so well. When we put up our Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend, I put the ornament from Hannah's first Christmas last year near the bottom so she could see it. The ornament holds a picture, and in the little frame I have a picture of Hannah at 5 1/2 months sitting on Santa's lap.

Every night before bath and reading time, Hannah and I would look at the picture on the tree. I would remind her that it was a picture of baby Hannah with Santa. Just mentioning the name Santa prompted her to point to the tree where the ornament was and smile.

When we arrived at Green Hills mall on Sunday Santa was on break, but the line was already forming. Steve, Hannah and I did a little window shopping while we waited for Santa to return. When Santa's break was over, we took our places in line to wait our turn. Most of the time was spent with me holding our place while Steve walked around with Hannah making sure to get close to where Santa was sitting. Hannah would point and smile, and I actually began thinking it might go smoothly after all.

Just as we got close to Santa, the little boy in front of us took his turn on Santa's lap. The little boy was probably about a year old and wanted no part of the whole Santa experience. When the little boy started screaming, we quickly tried to divert Hannah's attention to something else so she wouldn't get any ideas.

After 45 minutes of standing in line, it was finally our turn. We had a game plan. Steve was going to slide Hannah on to Santa's lap, and I stood ready with the camera. Just as he bent over to put her down, she locked a death grip on Steve's arm. He managed to wiggle himself free just as her bottom lip started to curl. I yelled for Steve to get out of the way and snapped these two pictures before he grabbed her back up again.

Oh well, we'll try again next year.

Jen the Tool WoMan

2008-12-05T10:09:00.015-06:00

I’ve been admiring this Adirondack chair from The Company Store for quite sometime, but I felt like the price was just too high. The last magazine I received from them had the chair on sale, so I just had to get it for Hannah. I’ve always loved Adirondack chairs, and Hannah really needs a seat of her own. Besides that, it was a bargain! Steve has been in “bargain shopping” training since we met, so this was just another opportunity for me to show him how it’s done.

The chair arrived yesterday, and I was a little overwhelmed when I saw all the nuts, bolts and screws that came with it. I really wish I would’ve taken a picture before I got started so you could truly appreciate my accomplishment. After we finished dinner, I sat down in the floor with the chair parts and my screwdriver.

The Company Store did a good job of putting labels on all of the wooden pieces, so it made it pretty easy to figure out which pieces I should be using where. After about 30 minutes of using my screwdriver, I remembered we had something else.

I’ve enjoyed making fun of Steve since we got married because I brought more tools to the marriage than he did. Since we’ve been married, Steve has acquired a power tool – a cordless drill. He’s even used it a few times! Well, last night it was my turn to show off my skills. Sure, I had a little challenge trying to get the screw bit to stay in the drill, but I figured it out and away I went assembling Hannah’s chair.

I think the total assembly time was almost an hour and a half, but I persevered. I figure this is just the beginning of putting together toys for Hannah, so I might as well hang in there. Besides, it was good for practicing patience – something else that I’ll need plenty of in the coming years.

Just before Hannah’s bedtime, the chair was complete. Ta da! I think Hannah really liked it was well. It’s a good thing the weather is cold outside right now because I don’t think she wants me to put it on the front porch.

Communication Skills

2008-12-02T12:43:00.009-06:00

Hannah is still developing her language skills, but thanks to her teachers at NCS, she's learned to sign a few words. Her teachers have taught her to sign the words please, more, all done, and thank you. The ability to sign these words has really helped Steve and me communicate with Hannah as well as saved some screaming temper tantrums when we didn't know that she was still hungry or would like a drink of milk.

At about 9 months, Hannah would say mama repeatedly even when her Daddy tried desperately to get her to say dada. Shortly after her first birthday, a switch flipped and dada was the only word she would say. Steve has gotten her to say baby a few times, but other than that, there's really not much to her verbal communication skills just yet. She does manage to say mama and dada in the correct context now instead of just babbling the words without any knowledge of what she's saying.

About a week ago, she learned how to respond to the questions Where is something or Can you find so-and-so. She may not be able to verbally tell us that she doesn't have a clue, but her body language says just that.

The Tree Is Still Standing (For Now)

2008-12-02T12:21:00.008-06:00

We put up our Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend, and Hannah is just mesmerized by the lights and the ornaments. She has a small tree in her room, and she makes sure to point it out to us whenever we go in there. Of course, last Christmas she wasn't crawling or even sitting up by herself, so we had no worries. This Christmas is a little different.

Steve and I managed to get the tree itself assembled while she was napping on Sunday. Unfortunately for us, it's not a pre-lit tree. It's one of those where each branch has a colored tip, and you have to insert the branches one at a time. I'm usually in charge of calling out which color is next, and a couple of years ago I got a little ahead of myself and skipped a row. It wasn't until we were almost finished that I realized what had happened. You would think we would notice the drastic difference in the length of the branches from one row to the next, but not so much.

Just as we began to hang the lights, she woke up from her nap - just in time to help. She's in this phase where she likes to drag things behind her. She drags her Lil' Snoopy around quite a bit as well as Madison's leash or any piece of clothing she can find. So, having about five strands of lights in the living floor was Heaven to Hannah! We offered her a snack and managed to keep her confined to her high chair for much of the light hanging event.

Once the tree was finally decorated, we let her loose to check it out. I think the picture of her sitting on Santa's lap last year is her favorite ornament. Mine too.

Hannah Is a Multi-Tasker

2008-12-02T12:08:00.003-06:00

She can't even say the word, and I'm sure she wouldn't recognize it if I said it to her. But there is no doubt in my mind that 30 years from now, she is going to make a fabulous mom. She's already learned the skill of multi-tasking! It's almost like she wants to see just how many items she can carry at once. She exhibits this skill not just with my pitchers but also with her toys, my shoes or pretty much anything she can get her little hands on. So, she'll either be capable of carrying babies, diaper bags, a purse, snacks and toys or an excellent waitress!

My Little Indian

2008-12-02T08:21:00.006-06:00

Hannah attends daycare at Nashville Christian, and we are so thankful and blessed to have so many awesome teachers influencing her life every day. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child, and I'm glad everyone at NCS is in our village. The teachers are very creative at NCS and have already given us so many works of "art" I will keep and maybe even put in Hannah's scrapbook one day. The day before Thanksgiving, Hannah came home with her own little headdress. This artwork will be nice to save as Hannah grows, and we can always be reminded of how little her head once was.

Visit to Cross Point

2008-12-01T12:04:00.001-06:00

Hannah had her first experience attending Kidz World at Cross Point Thanksgiving weekend. Steve and I were very nervous about leaving her. In fact, several weeks ago we talked about going back to church and letting her stay at Kids Place at BCC. I got nauseous just thinking of it then!

My mom was able to stay with Hannah a couple of weeks ago so Steve and I could scope out Cross Point. We really enjoyed pastor Pete and felt like she would be OK at Kidz World. She was a little apprehensive at first, and I had to give her a little nudge in the door. To my surprise, she let one of the teachers pick her up and became distracted by all the toys on the shelves. Steve and I were able to slip away and didn't even hear screaming as we walked down the hallway.

After the sermon, neither Steve nor I could wait to go see Hannah in her classroom. She was busy carrying the toys around and didn't even notice us at first. As soon as she saw us, the toys fell to the floor and she came running with tears streaming down her face. She seemed to do well in the classroom, but she was definitely ready for her Mommy and Daddy! That's OK, baby girl. Mommy was ready to see you, too!

We're going to try it again this weekend and hope we both make it without any tears!

Hannah's Daddy

2008-11-26T08:04:00.000-06:00

I think Hannah's daddy, Steve, was feeling a bit left out of this blog (see comment under Hannah has a website). So here's a picture of him too.

And just so I'm not leaving out any other members of our family, here's our first child, Madison with his baby sister.

Hannah has a website!

2008-11-24T16:11:00.000-06:00

OK - So since I'm not the scrapbooking type I decided to create this website to hopefully document some of the precious moments with my baby girl. She's 17 months old today, and I'm just getting started. Everyone says that people do all those baby books for their first child and by the second or third, there's barely a picture. I think I must work in the opposite direction. I think I would do a better job with the second child because I wish I'd done a better job for Hannah. The first year of motherhood, I was just trying to survive! Hannah didn't sleep through the night until she was about 10 months old. I spent most of my free time up until that point taking naps. I feel like maybe we have a routine now, so things seem a bit easier.

So, to begin her website, here's a picture of the star of the show!