Christmas 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Bailey woke up Christmas morning to find a huge ball pit that santa brought for her. It is really for outdoors, but we figured we could use it here and there until the weather gets nice.


This is our favorite video: Note how Bailey says, "kitty" & her pose for the camera...TOO CUTE!!

Opening Kitty Book @ Yahoo! Video

After Bailey unwrapped all of her presents, Grammy, Grandpa Wendell & Great Grandma came down. Bailey got to unwrap even MORE presents!! Mommy struggled a bit with operating the video camera and my "NEW" camera at the same time all while making sure the casseroles didn't burn. I was pretty successful, however it was quite the challenge! Bailey loved everything and was showered most of all with BOOKS! She absolutely LOVES books & everyone even Santa knew it! She likes her new toys too, but always goes back to the books.

New Basketball Goal @ Yahoo! Video

I am not sure who is enjoying the basketball goal more, Daddy or Bailey. Bailey loves it when daddy picks her up and she can dunk it. She is just tall enough to "tip" the ball in when he holds it on the rim. But when Bailey is off playing with something else...you guessed it....Daddy is still dribbling around and shooting on the 3 foot basketball goal. It's hilarious! This gift has definitely brought the KID out in him..:)





Then it was time for mommy's famous brunch. I started that tradition before Keenan and I were married. We really look forward to getting our families together then. I make a tasty french toast casserole & a breakfast casserole. Keenan's parents joined us too. Great Grandpa would have come, but he is receiving home health services and is unable to leave the house.
Grammy is staying up with Great Grandpa & Great Grandpa so that was the only thing different this year vs. the rest. Bailey was sad that she didn't get to wake Grammy up as she did last year for Christmas, but she understood. Grandpa Steve came over later Christmas day to celebrate with us too.
Bailey was even the best girl Christmas Eve at her Aunt Tracy & Uncle Dan's house, then after that we went to Grandma and Grandpa Hape's house to open presents with her cousins. She was out a bit past her bedtime, but did well.

Bailey was so much fun this year. She actually participated in unwrapping most of her gifts & would get so excited when she saw that it was new & different! She is starting to say a few new "Bailey" words! I need to write them all down!! It is so neat watching her grow up.

Christmas Spirit

I FINALLY somewhat figured out how to do neat editing with my paint shop program. I have been wanting to do this for ages. It is nowhere near perfect, but it's a start! I've always loved color on black and white photos....I'm gonna keep practicing!!!





We finally got to play around and take some holiday themed pics of Miss B. It was quite relaxing after the stressful event with SANTA at the mall. That will probably be the LAST time for that, as I do NOT see the point in paying $20.00 for a pic that looks like the one we got! YIKES! He isn't even dressed like SANTA! Bailey of course screamed when I sat her on his lap.



In desperation to get her to smile (knowing how much this pic was gonna cost) I started playing peek a boo with her coat in front of my face. It worked...FUNNY THING IS, my friend from where I use to work called me and we talked awhile. Santa at the mall came up & she said, it's amazing the lengths some parents go through to get their kid to smile. I saw a mom playing peek a boo with their coat!!" Long story short, it was ME and she didn't realize because she just glanced over and was talking on the phone! So, that's a little embarrassing! Brooke, one of these days, YOU WILL understand! :-D



IN OTHER BIG NEWS: Miss Bailey has been putting herself to sleep for naps ALL BY HERSELF ALL WEEK! We finally came to the conclusion, after how long now?....That her room was too bright. Sunday evening, Keenan put up a room darkening shade in her room and...PRESTO...it was like magic every nap since she has done awesome. It takes her between 5-15 min to fall asleep and she is quiet as a mouse. It is wonderful!! No more rocking. She is officially down to one nap per day.

Please pray for my grandpa, he has been in the hospital since Friday with a bad case of pneumonia that he has had WAY longer than just Friday. He is getting a little better day by day with IV antibiotics, but still has a long way to go.

1 Year Pics & Family Portrait

We purposely scheduled her 1year pics on her birthday so she would be sure to get birthday cake on her REAL birthday since her party was 4 days earlier. We absolutely loved all of the pics that Walker took for us, but this will probably be it for them as I have found a friend who will do them A TON CHEAPER.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Keenan and I had Thanksgiving lunch at our home this year...kinda been tradition since we moved here. We have MORE than enough good food to choose from. This year was a little easier on me since Keenan bought us all new kitchen appliance a few weeks ago. It really sped up the cooking process. Thank you, honey! Keenan's mom & my mom also helped make food to take the work load off of me. THANK YOU! I did a first this year, I made my 1st ever pie! Boy was it GOOD! Sawdust Pie using Patti's (in Grand Rivers, KY) recipe. ---Thank you Gloria for that. Now I have had a couple of requests to make that my trademark pie every year at Thanksgiving...I think I will..It was EASY!

(In the pic: Great Grandma, Grammy, Mommy & Bailey---4 Generations)

After we had our bellies full, we traveled up to Bailey's Aunt Tracy & Uncle Dan's house to celebrate her Grandpa Wendell's 46th birthday. Even though we were too full to eat birthday cake, we managed to squeeze a piece through the cracks. We had a great time visiting with everyone.


When we got home we went ahead and got the Christmas tree put up after Bailey went to bed and I decorated it the next day while Keenan went fishing down at Barkley with his buddy. As you can see from the pic, he had a good time.

Keenan's 30th!

Keenan celebrated the BIG 30 on Friday! I think I was more freaked about it than he was! He said he feels like he is 26 still! Ha! He started off his day with birthday wishes from his staff. He told me he hadn't told anyone of his bday so, on his way to work, I called and told them!!!! They put up signs, got cards & even a big cookie cake!! Then we went to K's mom & dad's Friday evening for a little surprise pizza party & a cheesecake from Piece of Cake. I had a cookies & cream cake from Cold Stone awaiting us when we got home too...afterall, I had to have some birthday cake since I don't eat cheesecake. :) Saturday for lunch, Keenan's mom babysat Bailey during her nap while we enjoyed Biaggis. We hadn't been there since his birthday last year!!! We don't get out much! :) We enjoyed our date and maybe even hope to get another date while grammy is up for Thanksgiving! (wink wink).

Sunday afternoon we all enjoyed playing outside in the leaves. Sunday evening, our friends invited us over for dinner. We had a great time! Thanks Kim & Gloria....delicious food!---And the COLTS WON!!!----

Bailey NOW has a cold (what a way to kick off being 13 months old & the Thanksgiving holiday). It started when we got home last night :( I took her in to see the doc this am. She was up all through the night coughing and snottin! We had to rock her back to sleep at 9pm & midnight. We hadn't done that since the days of the ear infections, so we panicked and called the doc. Plus, her chest was congested when she woke up, but cleared by the time of the appointment. We unfortunatley might have to thank Aubs for the illness. Bailey said she enjoyed her playdate a LOT, but is sad that they are both now sick. :(

Bailey is doing a tad better with finger foods. She now loves grilled cheese and eats 1/4 of a sandwich for lunch and another for dinner. Since that is all she wants, I started getting whole grain bread & have been sneaking broccoli, fresh spinach & chopped up shaved ham in there. She gobbles it all up! (she was going to town on the grilled cheese, the next thing I knew there was a big piece of broccoli on her nose. I had to take a pic!!) She has recently tried pineapple & craisens. She loves them. She also ate carrots the other night & a few bites of little smokies, but that didn't last long. She still wants baby food too. So, sparingly I am still giving her the veggies just to get some nutrition in her until I run out, then I am not buying any more. I HOPE!
Last Thursday we had a little "flurry" action outside. Bailey was quite fascinated. It was her first "snow" she's gotten to actually see since all last year she slept during the day! She was quite excited.

A Breath Of Autumn's Fresh Air

Bailey hasn't been outside to play since she's learned to walk. I decided I would brave the cold temps (46 degrees) & wind to see how she would like playing outside from a whole new perspective. ( I am a wimp when it comes to cold weather!) Bailey, LOVED it! Thank you cousin Amy for the birthday coat & shoes to keep Bailey warm on days like today. We didn't stay out long, because I am paranoid she will catch a cold. WHY AM I THIS WAY? AHHHH! When I brought her in & got her outerwear off, she started crying while standing at the back door & pointing outside. :( It made me sad. It was time for her nap anyway. Maybe I'll brave the elements and go out after nap & snack time. BTW, this is the 2nd day of 1 nap/day. I am not a big fan of it (due to crankiness in the evening) but this has been on her terms, we'll see how it goes.

Grammy has already informed me that "Bailey looks just like ME when I was her age!" He he he he. :)

And She's Off.....

It's official! Miss Bailey Paige is WALKING! Even though I was warned at how fast it would all happen, Keenan and I are still both amazed at how fast she took off. She's doing great and is walking from room to room, from toy to toy... all over the place. She still has to pull up to stand, I am sure that will be soon to follow. I can't get over how cute it is to see her turing a corner from another room and see her walking toward us with a big smile on her face. It is so cute....Once again, my baby is growin up!!! I can't believe from Thursday night walking several feet to Saturday walking everywhere. AMAZING & I am glad that Keenan was home to witness her first steps and the first time she was "walkin."

Do We Have A Walker?

Friday Pics













I don't know what exactly determines a walker, but Bailey is pretty close! She took her 1st steps on Oct. 15, a week before her birthday, did great for a week. Then, on her actual birthday, that was the last time she took steps for us.

We try and try, usually her just getting into crawl mode. We had tried this evening, same thing, then, after her bath, she decided to walk across the living room floor from our couch to the TV, not only did she do that but kicked the ball 3 times in a row without falling on her way to the TV!!!! Were we surprised/shocked? YES!!!! Did I have my camera, oh no! I got excited and called my mom. She said, why aren't you video taping???!!!! OOPS! So I hurried up and got the camera rolling, and this is what I got. She went to bed shortly after these vids were taken! Knowing B she'll either "take off" from this point, OR she will not walk at all for another week. Pretty dramatic, my girl! :) Enjoy!!!




Bailey gets so "tickled" when we give her kisses....TOO CUTE!


Bailey a little too tired to play "Pat A Cake!"


CHECK OUT BAILEY'S SCRAPBOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF BLOG IN THE SLIDESHOW!!!!!