Wow, Big Girl is Almost 1!

Well it's been a while and our life is crazier than ever.

Aurora is still not walking full on; shes really taking her time with this. After her first steps a month ago, she still is only taking up to about 5 steps at a time, in areas she feels comfortable. Which means her shoes are getting all torn up going between walking and crawling all the time. *Sigh*. Thank goodness for Walmart $8 shoes.

We now have 3 teeth total, both bottom and one middle on top. The other 3 up top are bulging and ready to join the others soon. Its so nice she can actually take "bites" of food now with teeth. Its really helped what food she can eat, and that we can share with her now she can take bites of our food. She is good eating off of spoon and fork of ours, but sometimes really would like to do it herself, even though she doesnt have the dexterity to.

She has been a total champ though the teething process though, and besides just being a little fussy and drooly chewing on stuff, shes been good. We have been giving her the Tylenol, orajel and (due to the post nasel drip at night) expectorant for that bad cough. We will see what the doc says at her 1 yr apt on the 14th if she still has that cough. We felt awful on Sat at at work event one of our female pharmacists could feel the congestion in her chest just from holding her.

She is so interactive now though, shes a blast. She loves peek-a-boo, and likes to do the hiding and the peeking herself. She will hold up a sheet, paper towel, etc then back down with a big grin. Another favorite is peeking around corners of furniture or walls.

She has so much fun with her high fives, low fives, head butts, waving, clapping and dancing. She is such a big girl! Still not a ton of talking (just the same babbles) but if you spend anytime with her you do notice she tries to copy what you say every once in a while. You will say something, then are startled when it sounds like she said the exact same thing you just did!

We were lucky to get some of Ryan's old toys and books from when he was a little kid, as Cheryl recently cleaned out her attic, which was mostly full of all Blake and Ryan's childhood stuff. Shes having a blast with all her fun stuff. In the house, we finished putting in the new flooring, and the baseboards, and got some new shelving units for the new "play room". I cant tell you how nice it is to have real floors, and have clear defined spaces and things put away in their place, instead of a constant construction zone with everything out and everywhere. We still have a lot to do but at least we are making headway and each week our house is more organized than it was the previous week. A little at a time is what you gotta do to make it happen!

This weekend was a HUGE weekend. Saturday was Venissa's shower up in Temecula area (shes having a little girl, who will be named Addison!) Thanks to my Mom who joined me for the long drive up (long drives with no one to talk to + Loralyn = asleep at the wheel) and to help me take care of Aurora so I could visit with that group that I hardly ever get to see anymore. Then we had to book it back down to SD after a few hours up there to get set up for a big work event at my Dean's house that he has every year for some of the staff, the faculty, 3rd & 4th year students and alumni. This was my first year planning and attending the event. It turned out great, but it was a long day for all of us, esp Aurora, considering her birthday party was the next day!

So then the big day was yesterday, and it was great! Our best friends and family came out to celebrate with us, everyone pitched in and helped out a ton, and it was just wonderful. I cant wait to see the pictures that Pam took for the event. Aurora looked so cute in her little sunflower dress, and had too much fun with her cake, esp when all her friends joined in. (Kiera was first, then Boston then Luke. We had all the kids up there sharing this pink Sleeping Beauty cake!!!) But my favorite moment of the day was when Luke had his bottle out, and he left it to go play on the other side of the blanket with something else. Aurora reached down, got the bottle and walked it all the way over to where he was and gave it to him! What a sweet little helper. It doesnt surprise me though; our wonderful sitter Diane has 2 infant babies as well as Aurora and apparently Aurora helps with them all the time; gives them their pacifiers, rocks them in their infant seats, etc. Soooo cute! Boy is she going to come in handy with the next kid.

Anyway, by the end of the day, packing everything up for a huge picnic to the park then packing back up and to our house, plus all the gifts (that we still have yet to open!), our house is a mess, and we are exhausted but so happy and blessed. Now on to Mother's Day events, and after that Memorial Day weekend at the King's River. Cant wait for that, its going to be so much fun!!!