Halloween Fun

Sorry for the delay in posting but we've been busy celebrating a first birthday at our house!!! Tessa enjoyed her first Halloween this year even without getting to try the candy. She was a pink leopard. She got to see her friends and some of her family, and of course everyone thought she was so cute. I think her favorite part was handing out the candy to all the kids, she would put it in their bag and then shake more at them as they left to try to lure them back! She understood that each time the door opened there would be another kid, and as you know she is obsessed with kids right now!

I thought this look was funny..."what? I wasn't doing anything!" Grandma said she was trying to figure out why all the kids like this stuff so much!

Aunt Natalie and Uncle Josh - they still have the spirit!!

Great Grandma Henderson sent her a Halloween card and for some reason she thought it was really funny. I was able to capture a picture of her laughing at it. If that doesn't make you laugh who knows what will!

Mommy and Daddy took her to the Headless Horseman at Conner Praire to meet up with Grammy and David. It was a pretty nice night and we were so happy Daddy could get off work and go with us! Tessa's favorite part was seeing the baby animals and watching all the kids!

Tessa's and Mommy's friends Abby, Ella, and Cole had a Halloween play group a couple days before the actual day. It was a fun chance to dress the kiddos up an extra time. Abby had cookie decorating, lunch, and good bags for all the kids. We love to go to this so Tessa can play with some other kids, she really enjoys it!

If you haven't been around her lately this is her favorite whiney face to make. She will just hold her mouth like this and OAHHHH away. It is actually really funny, but maybe laughing encourages it!!! Anyways, it looked so funny when she was in costume because it looked like she was roaring or growling! I'm telling you this girl is hilarious in so many ways!

Fall on the Monon

Today we went to Janelle and Matt's house in Broadripple for brunch. We also got to meet their newest addition RUFUS!! He is so adorable and seems to be a perfect fit for them. They like everyone else didn't plan on getting a dog so quickly, but this just seemed to be fate for them and Rufus. They have a great story of how they were connected to each other!

Once the Colts game started us ladies thought we would rather go to the park by the Monon. We were so pleasantly surprised by the gorgeous fall weather today and happy to get some fresh air before winter begins! Tessa and Rufus were in heaven. He got to run around and sniff everything and Tessa got to see kids, go on the teeter toter, walk, swing, and explore. She is so curious and independent, it is really entertaining to watch her. She was screaming and laughing at everything. She is also Miss Social; everyone she sees she must go right over to say "hi" and also gives them her little piggy nose face. If you've been around her lately you know exactly what I'm talking about! It was a great day spending time as a family and enjoying Fall.

Janelle and Rufus (First Halloween)

Little mind at work

She was playing "monkey in the middle" and kept escaping to the other side when you tried to grab her! You can see the mischeif in her face!

She loved this teeter toter! She also loves her Grandma!!

Skeletons...

I guess skeletons aren't scary for a 11 1/2 month old. She danced with him, hugged him, and even was giving him kisses. I bet this will be different by next Halloween!

Amazing Mommas

I am actually going to blog about something besides Tessa, I know shocking right?

In my field of nursing we are constantly working with families who have suffered with infertility and who are trying to cope and learn how to take care of a preemie. I always try to be compassionate and understanding for them, but can't truely relate on a personal level.

Well, this is changing somewhat....

although it is not me directly I have both a friend and a cousin experiencing these things in their life. Hopefully you guys don't mind me talking about you!

My friend delivered her adorable baby boy last week when she was only 32 weeks in her pregnancy. After weeks of worry and praying Gabriel entered the world at 3lbs 14ozs, and in just one week is growing and make amazing progress. I think he has been listening to his Mommy at work so he is a pro at all this preemie stuff! He is a very lucky little boy to have a Mommy and Daddy that took such good care of him both on the inside and out and will get him strong so he can come home soon!

Gabriel Wetherbee Johnson

(I stole his picture from his blog)

At the same time my cousin and her husband have been enduring the challenges of infertility. After multiple procedures and painful tests they are doing invitro. They implanted their eggs this past week and are now in the waiting process to hopefully get the + pregnancy test! You hear about people having these procedures done, but I don't think I really ever realized the pain, emotions, and dedication that this process takes. She has to get a shot every day with a HUGE needle for up to 16 WEEKS, and is on multiple prescriptions. Again, this is one lucky baby to have a Mommy and Daddy who already had such great love for them that they would go all measures to welcome them into the world! They are always so positive about everything and I am amazed at their strength and courage! I absolutely can not wait to hear the news of a baby on the way and maybe even two!

I know weird pic, but this is my cousin (on the left) drawing up her shot. I can't imagine this every day!

Doubled....

The other day while I was again switching out clothes for a bigger size I came across Tessa's newborn clothes. I started to go through the box and reminisced about when she was so tiny and how different things were compared to now. I remember how sweet, completely dependent, and sometimes challenging a newborn can be; but also am beginning to think about the fantasy of having another newborn in our house. Although it will be challenging in different ways (Tessa running around) it will be just as amazing. And hopefully I will get to use all these cute clothes one more time. :) Don't get the wrong idea though... it will still be a bit before we have another!

So...this is the reason for the title Tessa has DOUBLED in size based on clothes!! Here is a pic just to emphasize :)

Big Fun for an 11 month old...

"I think this is how you get up here?"

"O.k. now I have both feet off the ground!!"

"Mommy always tells me to sit, but now I can do it all by myself!"

"What are these for? My thumbs look funny!"

"But I think are pretty fun anyway!"

How entertaining it is to watch an 11 month learn something new atleast once a day if not 10 times, her mind absorbs everything you say and do! I try to capture everything because time flies by!

11 Months Old

I just finished putting my beautiful, funny, independent, ADORABLE baby girl to sleep and was thinking about how much she has changed over the months as she drifted off to sleep in my arms.

Here is what our girl is up to these days....

-She has started to take some steps!!! She is taking up to 8 steps at a time and it is so unbelievable! We estimate that she will be walking pretty good in another week.

-She can crawl at lightning speed

-Loves to be chased and for you to "get her"

- Will rock her baby and sing to her

-Loves to chase the ball and will throw it and try to bounce it

-She loves to get into the toilet paper and eats any paper she can get her hands on

-We are down to nursing once a day in the morning, so still on track to wean around a year.

-She can understand EVERYTHING, you ask her a question and she will answer with actions. some of her faves....Do you wanna....go get the mail? take a bathtub? go "night night?" Where is your....baby? doggie? ball? Are you all done?

-taking 2 naps a day usually around 9 am and 2 pm

- we just started to introduce some Vitamin D milk in her sippy cup with her snack and dinner. She atleast takes a couple drinks of it. She wouldn't drink formula from a cup AT ALL.

- As far as talking. She is saying most of the usuals mama, dada, doggie (dgee), ball (ba), all done (a da). But also what I have noticied is she is repeating the cadence of what you say. She makes noises that immitate how you just said something.

She is just a bundle of energy, has SOOO much to say, the happiest and most loving as they come, and brings a smile to my face every hour of every day! I'm definitely at the point where I don't remember what I used to do with my time before she was here.

Only about 3 weeks until she is one year old and the preperations are in progress for her celebration. I just recently started looking back at my blog entries that were the same date a year ago. Here is a pic of us then...

And here she is now!!! I can't believe what a big girl she is. It is getting much harder to take pictures because she is on the move so I was chasing her all around trying to get these! :)

Standing all alone. Her balance is really good now.
(she kept picking mums and trying to eat them)

This look is priceless, she is always so aware and so curious and this just captures it perfectly!!