10 Months.

Savannah baby, how are you already 10 months old? My dearest little girl, time is flying so fast and I'm trying my best to keep up, it goes way.too.fast these days. Wow, have you learned and grown and stretched your sights high this month! There are so many things you have excelled at. It's been a blast watching your cute self do all these things. You are really showing me that you're turning into a big girl, and not so much a little baby. {cue tears...} It's been a very adventurous month, and your momma is trying hard to take it all in... the realization that you'll be turning 1 year old in less than 8 weeks, is kinda freaking me out. Seriously. One already? You may be ready, but I need more time! Let these next couple months go slowly, so mom can call you her little baby girl just a wee bit longer....Mmmk?

Here's what's going on with you sweetie!

1. Anyone who knows anything about you will call you out on your crazy wiggle-ness! You are all over the place. It can get pretty tiring while holding you because you are such the wiggle worm! All you want to do is explore while walking-now-turned-running.
2. You still have those 8 adorable little teeth. The blasted teething has returned along with the slobbering, occasional grumpiness, and the obsessive chomping. Poor baby...
3. One of your favorite things to do is go through the diaper bag and toy box and pull every.single.item out! I find myself cleaning up that mess at least 3 times every day. You especially love to open the lids off your snacks and dump them all over the floor because, let's get real, that's the best way to shove the most into your mouth.
4. I love how your personality shines wherever we go. My favorite is the first few moments of walking outside or getting out of the car. You'll spread a grin from ear to ear while having this irresistible cute scrunchy face {don't know where that came from.} Love all your little quirks!
5. This month you have become so much more cuddly! My heart nearly explodes when you walk up to my knees and nuzzle your head onto them. Those moments have been some of my favorite momma times. It lets me know that I'm doing something right and that you do find comfort in me.
6. Even though you're still loving baby food, we've started to give you some of our food too, which you love! Especially Daddy's naughty little habit of giving you M&Ms and cookies and anything else yummy he's eating...
7. You've started to throw things on the floor and you think it's funny. {not so funny}
8. Your hair is growing! To even out your new baby hairs and the ones you were born with, your Grammie gave you your first hair cut 2 months ago. Now, your bangs are back to reaching the bridge of your nose. To trim or not to trim....I haven't made up my mind whether or not I'll like your bangs swooped to the side or not. What do you think??
9. Books are a big deal and you LOVE to read them. You love to bring us books during play time and wait for us to invite you on our laps to read. Turning the pages is your favorite part. You especially get excited whenever you spot yourself in a mirror in a few of the books! I hope that you will always love to read.
10. I can't believe that I haven't said this before, but you love the details! You will find a teeny string or crumb within a 10 foot radius of where you are sitting.
11. For nap time, you are obsessed with your small Winnie the Poo blankie. It's so cute how much you love it. You wrap your arms around its body and bury your face into it and give it the biggest squeezes. The ears and arms are a little bit harder and you just chew the heck out of them. I was laughing so hard the first time I saw you searching the blanket for them. So funny! And so random.
12. Daddy taught you to play fetch with your new ball. It's insanely cute watching you waddle over to the ball, squat down to pick it up, and come up with the biggest grin ever and run back to hand it to him. You even squatted down to try to play fetch with a pumpkin this weekend. Maybe one day Tiny Girl!
13. I don't know who taught you but you picked up Chinese this month. You talk ALL.THE.TIME. And you know exactly what you are saying, it's hilarious. And yes, it definitely sounds like Chinese. Typical Savannah is chewing on a favorite toy while walking in figure 8's while getting your Chinese on.  You can be such a HAM!

8:00- milk & food
10:00- nap
12:00- milk & food
2:00- nap
4:00- milk & food
6:00- food
7:45- milk & bed.

Always chewing on something. Getting ready for her photo shoot. She ruled out the crazy-large bows.

I'm pretty sure I heard Savannah say, "Get me off of this chair before I throw my body off it!"

Why, yes! I'll pose for the picture if I can chew the head of something delish!

My sweetie-baby, I feel blessed every day to call you mine! Your daddy and I truly do love your spirit and smiles. You have him wrapped around that little finger of yours. He wants nothing more than to keep you happy. Thank you for being such a ray of light in our home. We are constantly on our knees asking to see the way the Lord would have us change so that we can be the best parents you need us to be. I want to be so good for you, hunny. Love you more than words can say.

Yours truly, Me

8 months.

Hunnybuns! You are growing up toooooo quickly. You spend your days walking & walking and I love it!. You are so interested with the world around you. Such a curious little girl. I have evolved into calling you 'Sweetie Baby' and your daddy still loves to call you 'Tiny Angel', 'Little Foot' and 'Fatness Face'. Don't read too much into it. I mean, whats not to love about the chub? Sadly, it's still diminishing. You are so playful and happy. You are easily entertained by your daddy, you love to play games with us and especially love music!

1. Babbling is your thing now. You are definitely expanding your jabber vocabulary. You kept saying Ma-ma-ma for the longest time. I'll stick with that as being your first word ;-)
2. You love playing games! You're anticipating the excitement of pic-a-boo and other tickling sessions. Especially when daddy is holding you and I'll creep up towards you to tickle you. You crack up over that!
3. Bath time is still a favorite of yours. But for the life of me, I cannot get you to sit in the tub. Then again, when do we ever find you sitting anywhere? Why sit when you can slide all over the tub and potentially damage that pretty face of yours? I bet you would stay in there for hours if I let you. Maybe if you start sitting... we could work something out ;)
4. You have become very interested in everything 'girlie'. Like headbands, necklaces, earrings, etc. If someone is holding you and has one of those accessories, you must have it in your mouth! I always feel the need to let them know that it's you ... and not them. 
5. The rest of your teeth came in which makes a total of 8! No more slobbery bibs. Until the next round of teething comes back to haunt us.
6. You are such a happy baby. Flirting with smiley strangers has become your specialty. Unless they touch you. Then you release your stranger danger scowls. I secretly love it. It keeps the nasty fingers off those cheeks of yours.
7. You are walking up a storm! A week before your 8 month birthday is when you took your first few steps. Your wobbli-ness (yes, new word) is improving each new day. Like your Aunt Marlys says, you're the most stable drunk person around. Your pivoting is clean. We're so impressed.
8. You're not a snuggler by nature, but this month you have given me a few moments seconds? of laying on my shoulder. My heart just dies when you do. My favorite is when you moanfully chew on my nose, knee, or shoulder. 
9. You were loving the nursery at the gym. Then suddenly, you up and developed classic separation anxiety. It's been hard on the both of us. You haven't really gotten any better with it. I guess you and I just hang out too much or something ridiculous like that. And so, I turned to the pages of my trusty Babywise book. It recommended that I should've been giving you daily "alone playtime" in your playpen. It looks like we'll have another adventure ahead of us!
10. You have protested your late evening naps long enough for us to know that you have phased them out. This is your new schedule, which varies on the days we go to the gym.

8:00-milk & food

10:00- nap

11:30- milk & food

1:30- nap

3:30- milk & food

6:30-milk and food

8:00-milk 

8:10- bed time

You and your daddy make my life complete, and sometimes I think my heart could burst because of the love I have for the both of you. I love being a mom, but I especially love being your mom. I just love you sooooo much girlie.

Yours truly, Me

4th Wedding Anniversary

Our marriage turned 4 today. Aren't we getting old? ;-)

After scanning through our engagement and wedding photos, I didn't think my heart could feel any fuller, but it did. I have never taken the chance to remember what it felt like. What it felt like to be a bride, and to be Aaron's fiance and then wife all on the same day. The indescribable feeling of being sealed forever to my best friend. To be surrounded by an incredible group of people who love and care for us. (Endless sweating courtesy of Houston's humid summer, I'm surprised anyone made the trip.)
Just gotta say it, I love this guy more than I ever could have imagined. There are a few thousand reasons why I love him. And spending this evening remembering what our wedding felt like will only triple that list. Fast forward nearly 50 months later, we're playing pic-a-boo games with our baby girl in our very own home.
You are by far, the most gracious, kind and affectionate-natured man I know. You are the best dish-cleaner, bottle opener of things with too tight of lids, and cooker of yummy dinners when I am too lazy to do it myself. This morning, with my mouth full of retainers and drool smeared on the side of my cheek, you made me feel beautiful. You have not only been a husband to me, but a confident, a friend, and a support system.
Husband, this thing we have going on... i think it's pretty great. And if the next million years are as good as the last four, well I say bring it on. You definitely are my favorite person ever. Happy four years Sweetheart.

Yours truly, Me

7 months.

(she was drooling and lunging for the dangling lens cap)

(look at this cheesy smile?! it was nap time... she was just humoring me)

our beautiful baby girl is 7 months old! how are you closer to a 1 year old than a newborn?!
here are some new things you've learned and things we've learned about you!

1. you have 4 new teeth that just popped in on top. 6 = total. it was such a fun discovery to see so much going on in your gums but it kind of makes me sad. i haven't managed to cope with this growing business quite yet. 
2. you are communicating more and more and i feel like you are understanding what i say to you. we've been working really hard since you were 4 months on signing to 'milk', 'momma', 'da-da', 'up', 'down' and 'more'. You understand the words but i don't think you know that you even have hands.
3. since you have become the moving machine, we've had to create some 'no zones' around the house. top of the stairs, vases, blinds, etc... your obedience is shining through hunnybuns! we are amazed at the way you avoid touching the objects even though you are obvious with about how badly you want to play with them. occasionally your body will be flailing with excitement as you're a foot away from a tall floor vase. your giddy eyes are scanning up and down the zebra colors. slowly, you'll lean closer with your finger stretched out. but pshyc! you'll fall back and crawl away. sometimes, you forget about it being off-limits, and you'll lean closer in to touch it. we'll say, "savaaaaaaaanah?" 99% of the time, you'll fall back and go on with your exciting life. i'm so impressed... please stay that way. k?
4. your favorite book is brown bear, brown bear. but you're still partial to the 3-paged red, yellow, and blue book.
5. you've gotten a little feisty this month and have shown a few moments of frustration. you'll fuss and fuss and then let out a quick, loud scream. you sure do know how to protest! a sign of things to come? i hope not.
6. i have yet to lie you down on your back and for you to stay on your back. you are such a wiggly worm! the moment i put you on your back for a diaper or clothes change, you will swing your entire torso over to quickly crawl away. i've resorted to embarrassing measures to get the job done. you're not happy if you're not crawling or side-scaling the couches with something new in your hands (or mouth!) You've mastered the 'falling' technique. ouch!
7. you're wearing up to size 12 month clothes. you're a long little thing! your rolls of chub are slowly diminishing. as long as you're standing (on the tippy-toes!) then you're a happy as a ham.
8. you're a great little eater. you will basically eat everything we give you. the trick is to keep your attention. you're so enthralled with the world around you that food quickly looses its appeal.
9. you're still rocking the ear infections. poor baby, we'll occasionally (10x/month) hear you awake in the middle of the night with a short bout of crying. we know you're hurting but you've handled the pain so well.
10. sleep is still your friend. you have the same schedule as last month. sleeping about 11 hours a night. you're waking up a little bit earlier but you just play and chat with yourself in your crib until i come to get you at 8am. 

i've said it before and I'll say it again, savannah, having you here the past 7 months have been the happiest 7 months. you have made our lives and hearts so full! you are such a blessing to us. we're so lucky to have you as our daughter. it's the most fun thing ever to see your sweet, bright personality. we couldn't imagine loving you anymore than we already do. xoxo

Yours truly, Me

Independence Day!

Even though the fourth was quite a long time ago, I still feel the need to record our activities. For future generations, ya know? ;-)

We always have such a fun time on the fourth! The last four years we've been invited to go over to Grandpa Earl and Nannie's home for a family BBQ, fireworks party, and the celebration of Nannie's birthday. 

This year we had story-telling with Grammie

Cousin cuteness. Annabelle sure does love her new addition to her baby dolls.

Girly pampering

Swimming with the cutest baby girl. ever.

Becoming more socially acceptable...

Yummy food and cute desserts

My sister-in-law Brittany has a beautiful and delicious cupcake business. Check her out at Blissful Bites

Birthday spotlight and singing for our dear Nannie

Fourth engaged-versary! 

Auntie lovin'

And lots and lots of fun fireworks! The Hunnybuns was petrified during the entire show but I loved the cuddle time and she eventually warmed up to the explosions. I'll pack the mini earplugs next year. It was a wonderful vacation!

Yours truly, Me

Like Mother, Like Daughter

We love these cute matching maxi's that my momma helped me make! She cut and sewed. We wore them. Hooray for team work!

Our summer has been flying by so fast that I can barely keep up! We've been road-trippin', lots of play dates, and to the pool and back nearly a thousand times. Each time I swear Savannah looks bigger and does things differently. I'm trying to savor each moment the best I can. The way she'll let me hold her as she falls asleep (which in the past few months she has only done like 5 times), the beaming smile she flashes my way as I walk into her room after she's woken up from a nap, and the way she'll let me smother her neck and face in kisses... and she just takes it. Poor baby girl doesn't know any better.

Aaron and I can just sit there and stare at her. She is getting so big, my heart is excited and sad all at the same time. I'm wondering if others must feel this about their growing little ones. I love this not-a-newborn-not-yet-a-toddler stage. Let's get real, I know that I'll love it all. But I assure you, life isn't always a walk in the park. It can get hard. Like, really hard. Whoever says, 'Ohhh, just wait until they get older and then you'll see how hard it is' must have forgotten what it's like to have an infant. We had one of those melt-down moments today. You know, when they're screaming with all of those vocal chords. And it's the cry that tells you they are in dyer pain. Completely heart-breaking to listen to. And it happened while we were at church during sacrament meeting. Where else, of course.

In other news, I am simply trying to make all of her wildest dreams come true with endless peek-a-boo games, baby pool visits, and unlimited toys to eat for a total of 25 seconds each.

My world is my daughter. She's changed my life and made it clear that love truly is unconditional. Her happiness is my happiness. And in all honesty, I now understand why my own mother must love me so much. Something about becoming a parent makes the whole "parent-child relationship thing" work. All of this reminds me to try and be the best person I can be, I don't ever want to forget that she is watching me. The thought of my purpose for her as her hero has softened my immature heart so many times. The way I am will greatly determine the woman she grows up to be.

(her eyes just sparkle in the light...they are so gorg!)

Truly, a daughter is a blessing and could quite possibly grow up to be your best friend. What a wonderful thought!

Yours truly, Me

Half of a Year.

Sweet cheeks is growing up sooooooo fast! Just too fast. We are already celebrating her reaching half a year--it's hard to believe. Each new month brings on additional quirks and tricks that she is exploring and developing. Savannah is becoming FULL of personality and has her daddy and I laughing and smiling all. the. time. We couldn't imagine adoring her anymore than we already do.

6 Month Stats:

weight: 17.3 lbs (60th%)

height: 26.4 inches (60th%)

head: 16 inches (3rd%)

1. You are an official sitter! You're getting better and better each day with suppressing the infant twitch-i-ness that would always cause you to topple right over onto the floor. I love how independent you are becoming.
2. It's not often that you'll stay sitting up now that you are crawling! Emotions in the home are on much happier grounds now that you can go and get whatever your adorable little heart wants! Crawling has been the best thing ever. It is so fun to watch you zip around the rooms to grab a toy or when you spot the shiny tile or marble floors. We can't get over it. We thought you were so funny when you crawled off the carpet and onto the chilly marble floors. You didn't like your knees to touch the cold floors and so you held the plank position the entire time. 
3. You have become the pull-up-to-stand, side-scaling, drawer-opening queen of the house all of while getting your slobbery raspberry-blowing on. Now.... if you can only learn to sit down after realizing you're freaked out from standing up so high. Oh boy.
4. You are very into yourself. Seriously. Mirrors, pictures and video clips (not of everyone... just you.) Quite often will I find you coo-ing and smiling while you're crawling on my bed, only to see that you have found your reflection in the bathroom mirrors 10+ feet away. Perhaps a slice of humility will be coming your way ;-)
5. You're getting awesome with holding your own bottle. You're pretty much a rock star.
6. Your personality has evolved so much this past month. You are so full of love already. You aren't shy to express your likes and dislikes. You have become quite feisty this month! If you like it-you want it. If you don't like it, you let everyone know about it. With all of your new skills and tricks I have to remind myself that you are still a tiny baby! 
7. We took a road trip to visit your Crossley family and you had such a ball. So much love and attention. They couldn't believe what a smiley baby you are. But I think you just get so bored at home that when we go out you're flirting with anyone and everyone interesting. You are very loved baby girl!
8. You've started eating little puffs and yogurt bites. You love them! You've also been inhaling oatmeal and your jars of fruits/veggies. You haven't shown a preference to any flavor quite yet. It all depends on if you're in the mood to focus on eating. 
9. Blasted ear infections! You had one at your 6 month visit and you still are rubbing your ear in an irritating fashion.
10. You're still rocking the sleeping schedule with 11 hours a night. You know how much momma appreciates a good night's sleep. And I love waking up to your songs and growls! You aren't falling asleep for your naps as easily but you eventually give in. Schedules have not been a breeze to establish but you have proved time and time again that it is the best thing (for all of us!) and totally worth it. Your typical schedule has evolved to this:

8:00- milk. play

10:00- nap

11:30- milk. play

1:30- nap

3:00- milk. play

5:30- nap

6:30- milk. play

8:20- milk

8:30- bed.

Oh, I just love this stage! You act like you are excited about life- and it's so fun to be around you! Thank you for being such a good girl, Hunnybuns. I'm so grateful to be your momma. Nearly every time I leave your room after putting you down for a nap, I'll have a mild 'freak out' moment. It's quite humbling to realize that you have utterly stolen my heart. I would feel broken if I ever lost you. You are such a joy in our home! I hope you are always happy, baby girl. Happy doesn't even begin to describe how your daddy and I feel about you. Love you forever and ever.

Yours truly, Me