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We’ve introduced Allison to whole (organic) milk. I can already see some people rolling their eyes at the word organic, but it’s one small easy thing I can do to try to counteract some of the other crud she’ll get from foods. And I could go off on a rant at how I believe all the hormones and antibiotics in chickens are what’s causing my friends 8 and 9 year old little girls to wear A and B cup size bras but it could be a long rant. So anyway, a few things in our house are organic, and Target sells it making it easily available. Up until a few weeks ago Allison had only had water out of sippy cup and formula milk from a bottle. She would chug both, but doesn’t seem to chug milk from the sippy cup now. I’m not sure why. She seems to like it ok. And we’ve gradually mixed part milk and formula together and even warmed it up a little. So anyway, we’re still working on that. For the most part, she just gets one actual bottle at night time just before bed.

On the solid food front, let me tell you, that girl can eat! Jeff made some Italian meat loaf a couple nights ago and mashed potatoes and Allison ate a slice and half, with a big scoop of mashed potatoes and green beans. (It was the same amount of food that I ate!) And then she followed it up with a 7 oz bottle an hour later. She doesn’t seem to like potatoes in baked or fried or hashbrown form, but likes them mashed with butter and milk. She’ll eat green beans straight from the can, but not frozen reheated ones, and doesn’t care for other beans or carrots (frozen or canned). She didn’t like baked chicken one night, but the next night when we mixed the leftovers with cream of mushroom soup she ate it right up. She’s eaten every kind of bread and pasta we’ve given her and especially likes tortellini. I have not been successful with getting her to eat many fruits though.
I’ve been told she’ll eat most everything at daycare so maybe it’s just peer pressure there. Who knows. It’s so cute to see the kids eating at daycare. They have a table that is maybe 18” off the ground and miniature chairs where the kids all sit down at the same time, patiently waiting for food and look like civilized shrunken adults. Till a kid screams because they want their cookie now and it’s back to reality!

We’re both still a little surprised at how she’s smaller than we thought she’d be. And not that I want to comparing her to others, but all our friends with babies seem to be ranking above the 75% or off the charts. I ran into another friend on Sunday with a 6 month old boy that weighed 20 lbs (1 lb less than Allison at 12 months). And I can’t wait to get up to Indiana to see cousin Jerod who is 4 months younger and already bigger. Though in that case it’s expected with a 6’ tall mom and 6’5”+ dad. Then I think how Jeff started out at 3 lbs and I was a 6 lb baby and we both certainly sprouted up later, so it’s coming. I’m ok with her being small and manageable right now.

I took Allison over to my friend Dana's house (of Sunshine Images) for her 1 year photos. To me photoshoots are still a little stressful, so having a friend do it easier. (maybe not for her though :) Allison definitely has some stranger anxiety now and cries when I walk out of sight but she did pretty good - for maybe 30 minutes. I was hoping she'd be on the toddler schedule they started the week before, where they just get one nap. Instead she was completely wiped out for the weekend (and her daddy can play pretty hard with her keeping her laughing for a long time). So our tentative 1pm appt was not the best time when she woke up from nap #1 at 10:30 am and was ready for another one by 2. I think there will be several photos where Allison has a look on her face like what is this lady trying to do. Very similar to her party photos where she had to have been wondering why all these people were staring at her :)
The other benefit from having a friend take the photos - instant gratification! Check out this teaser. I'll have to wait like a good customer for the rest of the photos though.
(photo trouble on picasa... hopefully this will load soon)


And check out the video link above this entry for a recent example of Allison playing with her daddy.

Allison has moved to the front half of her classroom with the kids ages 12-18 months. Some changes are that she eats at the same time with all 7 other kids at this miniature table, she’ll get one nap on a foam bed on the floor, she gets outside playtime (or in the gym when it’s raining) twice a day and there are lots more toys. And they no longer give her bottles. Since she’s still on a milk/formula mix, they just put that in her sippy cup. Her first primary care-giver is still in the room just other side, and Allison was so spoiled that she’s still having withdrawals and will cry out when she sees her. I guess that’s good and bad :)

Last week when I was holding Allison on the new side and talking to her new teacher, Allison and another boy kept reaching out to each other and smiling. Mrs. T told me that’s her boyfriend and she’s happy to see him since it’s been about 2 weeks when Chase moved to the other side of the classroom. So that was my warning. Yesterday when I went to pick Allison up I was early (for her dr appt) and the kids were at the playground. Soon enough they were coming down the hall. It’s so funny – they have a 6-seater stroller complete with red and white striped canvas top that looks like it belongs at a circus. Since there are 8 kids in the class, 2 get transported in a crib on wheels. Who was in that crib… Allison and Chase. I had caught my baby in bed with her first boyfriend! Normally she smiles when I come get her, but this time, no reaction. I picked her up out of the crib and she started crying and Chase was sticking his arm out again trying to grab her. All I can say is that she has good taste – Chase is the cutest boy in the class. Hehe.

Her 12 month appt was yesterday where she got 4 shots and finger prick to test for anemia. She is 21 lbs and 29 ¼ inches which are both about 50th percentile. Her head size is leveling off but still huge at 90%. I wondered if she remembered that place because as soon as she left our arms the screams started. She calmed down soon enough and now we typically keep her on Tylenol for 24 hours after shots. I mentioned her not sleeping well the past 2 weeks, which was the same time we started milk and she was congested. Both ears were red and fluid behind one, so she’s back on antibiotics. I hope the regular Amoxicillin kicks it so we don’t have to have the stronger stuff that causes atrocious diapers. The dr also told us that starting at 12 months some kids start dreaming and getting nightmares, and it’s best to not pick them up! Just go into their room tell them it’s ok and not pick them up or feed them which would just reinforce that behavior. I’ve tried the cry it out a few times and it’s hard! Jeff and I are still alternating nights of who gets the baby monitor, so we get decent sleep every other night. This keeps the mis-communication and mumbling turning to yelling down in the middle of the night trying to figure out who’s going to get her. I often wonder how most parents deal with that.

After the previous weekend’s disaster and the small family party falling through, I emailed a couple friends to see if they’d want to come celebrate Allison’s birthday with us. When they said yes, I figured we had to invite the rest of the friends. I think we ended up with about 20 people there, a few being kids. Jeff and I were worried since Allison just had one nap and she was getting fussy about 3pm, but when people came over she was just mesmerized and checking everything out. I baked cupcakes and made a bigger 4” double layer cake for her with some star sprinkles on it. When we set her in the highchair with hat she screamed, but once the hat was removed a few silly faces from daddy she was ok and back to wondering why all these people were looking at her :) She was dainty at first, just picking off the stars, so we had to help her get a little messy. The sugar kicked in about an hour later and she was all screams and giggles and loved having new people to play with. My friends Trevor and Jenny were there with their 10 month old girl Amelia, who is a little bigger than Allison and even willing to show Allison to walk with assistance. (Allison wasn’t interested in trying though). My friend Janet brought her granddaughter who is 20 months and then the other kids were a 4 year old girl (Jeff’s boss’s daughter) and the Vader kids and JE who automatically go up to the pool/ping pong table upon arrival at our house. So, to my sister – we had a house full of adults, 2 babies, a toddler, a 4 year old, two 9 year old boys and a 11 year old girl. You can’t tell me you’re still scared to bring your kids over to my house now can you?!

Jeff started the smoker late Friday night and left the Boston butts going all night. Then he smoked 2 chickens Saturday. I’ve never been a fan of shredded pork bbq, but the stuff this weekend was wonderful. I love being married to a good cook :)

The party was fun, and I think people had a good time. I think they were like me, glad to finally get back to the land of the living after a long dreary winter. These are the friends that I’m used to seeing every couple weeks at Keith and Angie’s house during the summer, only we hadn’t seen each other since new years and maybe Halloween before that. I had been going into withdrawals, so I was glad to see everyone again. In the invitation I sent out I tried to stress that gifts weren’t needed since this whole thing was thrown together in a matter of days, but ofcourse the good friends that they are brought gifts. Allison got some really cute toys and books and even some red converse. I can’t wait till she grows into them, I’ll get a picture of us and me with my red All Stars. I think it was soon after the gifts were open and different noises were radiating from a few toys and new birdies on wheels were getting rolled all across the room and 2 other kids were playing with her new huge house, that the sugar kicked in. Allison showed off her ear piercing squeals and a had a good time going back and forth mainly between Cheri and Erin. I think Erin is about 11 and starting to get groomed to be a great babysitter :)

Sometime during the night I realized it’s not always so much fun to the be the hostess. When I have a lot going on, I tend to forget plenty of things I had intended to do, like… to introduce people, tell people where the drinks are, to pull out the mac n cheese from the oven, oh yeah and to participate in conversations. Time just flew by too quickly. Kind of like this whole first year with Allison :)

I have survived the first year with a baby! This is monumental people! Yes I was that lady that had never grown up around babies and was clueless with most everything baby related who decided to go ahead and procreate at age 32. And one year later I can say that I'm no longer terrified of my child's screams, life has some rhythm to it, and I'm not quite so clueless or tired.

Yes the year has had many ups and downs and as much as I've let my emotions get overshadowed by sickness (thanks to all the daycare germs) that sickness has not been major so I guess the downs were really not that bad. Am I typing that? No, all I've wanted to do was scream at the top of my lungs for the last few months at that daycare for keeping my family sick. But in the grand scheme of things, she hasn't seen the hospital since she left it and she's still growing and happy so that should count for more. Did I say happy - yes I mean happy, who knew a kid could smile and laugh so much! Man, have we been blessed in that regard. I do have to agree with most of those people that give you advice when you're pregnant, as much as having a child changes life to becomes hectic and chaotic, all her smiles and giggles have made it worth it.

Along those lines of wondering if I'll ever have a kid, I do remember saying I wanted one just to see what s/he would look like. Well I'm still looking for some resemblance of me in Allison. So far the brown hair, brown eyes, short legs and small feet are nothing like me. It's a little disconcerting to think I carried this being inside me and it's practically a replica of the other half. Thank goodness I picked a good looking, smart sperm donor :) Ok, I'll give more credit - that sperm donor has also made a better father than I could have imagined.

Here are some of Allison's Milestones and other interesting points:
* Is pulling up to standing, though not officially cruising around furniture
* Still is a wonderful eater. Loves green beans! And most anything her mommy or daddy are eating
* Will point and say "Kah" at the cats.
* Doesnt stack blocks, but will for sure knock yours down
* Has 2 bottom teeth in, 2 top ones have broken through
* Has a little bit of hair, enough to stick straight up in the back/top/middle
* Will giggle when her daddy crawls around in a circle like a dog chasing his tail
* Has learned the fake cry for attention - this is complete with a scrunched up face and open mouth that makes you laugh
* Started some high pitched ear curling screams of excitement
* Opens the kitchen cabinets and drawers that are within reach
* Sleeps on her tummy with butt up in the air
* Is very good at peak-a-boo
* Waves bye-bye

Fair warning, I think this is going to come out sounding like a pitiful sob story on my part, but oh well, because I did cry about it.
Back in December, we planned a fun get-a-way weekend to go up to Franklin, Tn (outside of Nashville) and the four of us were going to take a cooking class at night and Claire and I would go shopping during the day. Before leaving we were going to celebrate Allison’s 1st birthday a little early with a small family party. The cooking class was really a Christmas gift for Jeff and Greg, but his parents were generous enough to give it to the four of us, so we signed up for the romantic date night dinner. Skip ahead a couple months, lots of dr visits, sickness, missed work, probably 28 snow days, winter blues setting in, and then comes the prospect of Spring and a night away. Oh how I was looking forward to it! Really, I’m not the type of person that shows a lot of emotion, but the thought of a night away and morning off had me close to jumping up and down like a 6 year old kid opening up presents. Doom is about to happen – can you feel it… The night before Jeff’s parents arrive Allison throws up (we just had the warning on the class door about the virus the day before). Sure enough Friday it’s progressed to diarrhea. Friday afternoon Jeff’s parents parents arrive, but Greg and pregnant Claire wisely decide to skip over Huntsville and go straight to Franklin. Saturday morning, I get sick. I was hopeful that Immodium would kick in and maybe I could make it, but it just got worse. Seemed like it was 1000% times worse than Allison. How had she remained a relatively happy just tired baby while exploding out of so many diapers? I was curled up on the bed wincing from the cramps or the head rush from the mad dashes to the toilet. So at 9:30 am, it was decided (not sure who decided this) that Jeff’s dad would go with him. The class and hotel were already paid for. I will say the look on Jeff’s face was full of sympathy when he went to tell me bye and I’m sobbing on the bed ready to die.

The 4 of them met up for lunch, and then I think went to an Irish Pub, and then relaxed in the hotel before the class. Poor Claire was part of a dude’s weekend. Karen and Bruce had planned to explore Huntsville some more so that part of their weekend was ruined. I apologized and thanked the most wonderful grandma I now know for having to take care of sick Allison and the awful diapers, but she seemed ok just getting the baby time in. (There really must be something to that grandmotherly love that is indescribable till you have a one.) And Sunday the boys got back and Jeff was showing symptoms. But wait, his seemed even milder than Allisons. What the hell?! How did I get the worst of it all.

So that’s the pitiful sob story. And thanks to facebook I know that SEVERAL friends have experienced that same damn virus in the last few weeks. Knowing that still doesn’t make me less angry that I missed out on the one thing I was looking forward to. Am I allowed to be a little selfish after having a kid? I’m sure this entry sure seems that way. I think I might have to poll my mommy friends on that question.

I’ve heard the stories about life with a baby will make your life revolve around poop, and that is just amplified when you get a stomach virus. In the last week our house has revolved around poop. Yuck! It’s just a long cycle of baby pooping too much, try to stop her up, yep that worked now when is she going to poop again, she’s in agony with stomach cramps. I need the magic formula that tells me how many bananas to feed her according to how many bad diapers :)
I need to look back on the calendar but I think it was just December we had the last stomach virus in the house. When is the germ-o-phobic society going to come up with a prevention for the spread of that damn virus.