11 months

Caroline is now 11 months! I can't believe my baby will be 1 in just a month! Ahh! It went too fast. I miss cuddling with her...now she just wants to walk around and explore and is not as interested in me. Sad. But, last night I picked her up out of her crib and she laid on my chest asleep for 10 minutes. I loved it. But, then she woke up and it took me 1/2 an hour to get her back to sleep...so worth it!

She has changed so much this past month. I may be biased since I am her mother...but she is just absolutely beautiful! I think we will have to be careful to keep her away from the boys when she is older. *One of the biggest things is she started walking! She took a couple steps at 10 1/2 months and slowly started taking more. Now she is all over the place. In the past couple days she has started to get back up and walk after she falls instead of crawl. *She doesn't really have any new words. It's still mostly dadda and once in a while we will get a momma. I say "uh-oh" to her every time something falls and she has said the "uh" part of it a couple times. *I now know that she can understand some of the things I say to her. If I say hi or bye she will start to wave. If I say YAY or sing "If You're Happy and You Know It" she will clap. *She is starting to learn to be soft with little babies. I watch a little girl that is 4 almost 5 months old a few days a week. Caroline would really like to clobber her so we are working on being soft and not hitting the baby or pulling her hair. I have to watch her like a hawk because the minute I turn around she usually goes to pull her hair. Not that she is being mean, she just doesn't understand yet...but she'll get there. *As always she is a water baby. She LOVES to be in the water and wet! She likes splashing herself in the face and then screaming. :)

I tried to take just one picture of her at 11 months....but it tuned out to be a lot more. I bought her this tutu for her 1 year pictures. We decided to try it on. I couldn't believe how happy she was when I put it on her. She knew she was getting dressed up pretty!

Officially Walking

Caroline started walking a couple weeks ago. She is practicing every day and getting better and better! I finally caught it on video! (*Sorry, those who get this in an email won't be able to view it unless you log into my blog. It's worth it!)

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Happy Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day! Caroline is so lucky to have such a great Daddy...2 wonderful grandfathers and some awesome uncles! Happy Father's Day to you all (a little late)!

Caroline got her daddy a cute little mug with pictures of her and daddy all over it. He LOVED it, and it's now sitting on his desk at work!


Tom is such a wonderful daddy...he is always so concerned about Caroline and her comfort. The other night he watched Caroline while I went to book club. When I came home she was asleep, but still in the same clothes from that day. He didn't want to make her sad (she cries when we change her clothes) so he just left them on. He spent 1/2 an hour holding and rocking her until she fell asleep just so she wouldn't have to cry alone in her crib...what a great daddy...and a spoiled baby! She is so lucky to have him. But, I think I better watch out when she gets older...I think every time I say NO she is going to go strait to daddy! Guess that is a talk we will have to have down the road. She loves when daddy comes home from work...pretty much the only thing she says is "dadda" lately. Thanks for being such a great Daddy Tom! Every day I watch you with Caroline and love you more and more!

We went to a BBQ at Nick and Denise's house for Father's Day. Great fun!
Finally a picture with all the Gounaris cousins!

Uncle Angelo and little Louis

Caroline and I with Papou

Papou, Anthony and Nicholas

My cutie patootie
Little Giorgia


Christopher!

Caroline was so tired, but refused to go to sleep! She slept well the next day though!

I've been neglecting my blog. So many other things to do...

Here are a few random pictures of Caroline from the past couple weeks.

She LOVES Mac & Cheese...AND feeding herself! It's a very messy process that always ends in a bath...which she also loves!

She's got curls


Love this girl!

She likes to feed her baby, but she also likes to try to feed herself. It's very cute.

She got her first pedicure (by me). LoL. She could care less, but I thought it was cute. I did it while he was distracted eating in her high chair. She even got a cute little butterfly.

Hoyt Water Park

The other day I took Caroline to play at the water park with some of our friends from church. She really enjoyed watching the water and the kids run around. She didn't even mind getting wet...my little water baby! I can't wait till she can walk by herself. She wants to walk around, but is too scared on her own. My back is really starting to hurt from having to bend over and hold her hands.

Friends

Caroline had a play date today with her friend Isabella (12 mo). We went to IHOP and then to her house to play with toys. They mostly just hand each other toys and then get mad when the other actually takes it...but I enjoy hanging out with Isabellas mom while they play. Caroline is really starting to voice her opinion. She did not want to sit in the high chair at IHOP and she let me know!!! She tried so hard to get out and when I told her "no, you have to stay in the chair", she started kicking and screaming!! Oh well, guess we won't be eating out much anymore. I guess it will save me some money and some weight!

Compassion

Caroline just did the cutest thing--it made me so happy!

She was crawling away from me towards her room...so I pretended to cry. She looked at me and came right back. She gave me a hug and 4 licky kisses!!! This from the girl who will NEVER give me a kiss when I ask for it! Ahhhh...Such a sweet girl. I'm so happy she has developed compassion for others at such a young age...I hope it sticks.

10 Months! (updated)

My little girl is now 10 months! She goes to the dr in a couple weeks, so I don't actually know how much she weighs...I'm guessing about 17 lbs-ish?!

**We went to see Dr. Tara today (6/10) and Caroline is...

Weight: 17lbs 9 oz (10-25 percentile)
Height: 28 inches (25-50 percentile)
Head: 17 1/4 inches (25-50 percentile)

Caroline has changed so much this month! *She is crawling around like crazy, walks around while holding onto something, and stands up on her own. She seems like she is going to walk any day now. *She babbles things like she is talking in sentences. So cute! *She says hi dad...I don't know if she knows what she is saying...but she says it. She says momma, babba, dadda, and shhh...same stuff as usual. *She claps, waves. *She has 8 teeth. She actually had 8 teeth last month, but I forgot to write it. *She enjoys looking at her books and playing with her toys. *She pretty much only eats table foods now. She really doesn't like it when I feed her, unless of course I have something really yummy like ice cream! *She is getting a little more clingy with me...she doesn't like it if I am not 2 ft from her and playing with her. *She likes to go on walks in her stroller with our friends...she has lots of new little friends in the neighborhood that are her age. That's about it!

I recently met a lady from Michigan who was looking for a nanny! She has a little girl named Jolina that is 5 months old. Starting July 1st she is going to be spending 4 days a week with us! I'm excited to have a little friend for Caroline to play with and some extra money. Plus, it's pretty convenient that she doesn't mind me watching her in my home. I wish I had found something like this a long time ago!

Here are some pictures from the last month.


I often find her sitting here looking at her books and clapping :-)





She loves spaghetti and carrots!

Daddy is her best friend!



Caroline and her little cousin Giorgia.

Swimming!

We finally went and bought a hose and filled up the little pool. It was a big hit! She spent over 1/2 an hour just playing in the water with toys. She probably would have played longer if she hadn't been hungry.

I love this picture! You can see all 8 of her cute little teeth!

Playing in the Tub

Caroline really likes to swim...so I let her play in the bathtub every day. Today was actually warm enough to get out the kiddy pool, but then I realized I don't have a hose!

Her hand isn't actually missing...she was just waving at the camera really fast.

Finished!

I finished making the little quilt for Caroline! It's so much fun...I need people to have babies now so I have an excuse to make more! :-)

Thanks Andrew and Sarah

We're back! Thanks for the great trip Andrew and Sarah!

"Walking"

Today I got out the push toys for Caroline. She seems like she wants to walk so I decided to give it a try. She loves them! She hasn't quite figured out how to steer around doors and walls...so she screams until I come help her. Pretty soon she'll be walking...ahh!

Crafting Away

After the kids go to bed at night, my sister in-law Sarah and I have been working on some crafts. Last night I decorated my diaper wipes case (idea from Make it and Love it). Silly if you are a man, but cute if you are a mom wanting to add a little fashion statement to poopy diapers. I want to make the diaper holder too sometime. Here's a picture...



Tonight I cut out pieces of fabric to make Caroline a little quilt (pictures to come).

I love crafting! We went to JoAnns today...I wish I had A LOT of money...I would buy the store! It's probably easier to just buy half the things I make, but it's fun trying to learn new things and making something pretty...."it's a girl thing" as I tell Tom.

I am running out of titles for all my blog posts....

You know me...I like to take pictures of Caroline. She's always doing something cute that makes me want to pull out the camera. The sad thing is, she always stops whatever she is doing when she sees the camera. Oh well...here are a couple random pictures I've taken over the last couple days.

This is what a lot of my baby pictures look like...I didn't usually smile, haha.


Caroline and her cousin, Andie


She really likes to crawl and get to whatever she is not supposed to have :)

Feeding the Ducks

Yesterday we took a stroll to the water so Allen could feed the ducks...really we ended up feeding seagulls because there were no ducks. But, it was fun none the less.

Caroline all bundled up...it's so cold here!


Cousins: Caroline, Andie and Allen


Me and my Sweet Caroline

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers who are in my life or ever have been in my life!

Mothers Day for the past few years has been a little sad...not so much because I didn't have a baby (I've always felt like a mother since I have been taking care of other people's kids for years....I was blessed with a mothering heart, just as most women are)...more because I didn't have my mom with me anymore. I miss her.

But, this year was awesome! I got to take care of my sick baby all day! I just love her and can't even remember life without her. Even though she's been a bit fussy these past few days (poor baby was puking yesterday and runny nose and slight fever) I couldn't think of anything I would rather be doing then taking care of her.

Plus, today I got a really sweet E-Card from Tom and Caroline. It was the best and most thoughtful gift...I loved it. Yesterday my sister in-law, Sarah, and I got pedicures which was also wonderful...nothing like freshly painted toes and a foot massage!

Thank you Caroline for making me the happiest mother in the world! I'm so happy I am your mother!


Oh, and just for laughs (I stole this from my friend Brittany)
-Whoever said "there's no point crying over spilt milk" obviously never pumped 4 oz of milk from their boob and then spilled the bottle.

This afternoon we went swimming at the YWCA here with the kids. It was fun. Caroline sure loves the water!
She actually took two naps today! Swimming made her so tired that she fell asleep on the way home and I was able to transport her from the car to bed without a peep from her. :-) Now lets hope she sleeps tonight!
Here are a few more pictures for you Tom. The video should be on facebook in a few minutes. I'll tag you!

Hi Daddy!!

Tom wanted a video every day that we are gone...but, sadly, it's not uploading! I will try again late, sorry. Here's a picture though! Hope you have a great day...and just fyi Tom, your child is not sleeping and I need a whole entire day (well, maybe just until 12) off to sleep when I get home. That's what I want for my late Mother's Day preasent :-) Love you and miss you!

Here she is with her cousins Allen and Andie.

My New Life

I know this is pretty much going around on EVERYONE'S blog...but I love Stephanie...I first heard about her on the Today show last year and have been reading her blog ever since. She has such an amazing outlook on life despite the tole this accident has had on her life. She's amazing...I don't think I could ever be that positive in her situation. She has something to teach all of us. This video is a great tribute to her.
Now, back to packing. I just needed a little break. Caroline and I are leaving to Wisconsin for a week tomorrow morning to see my brother and his family. :)