18

18 Months

Stats

Weight: 24.10 - 60%

Height: 34" - 97%!!!

Head: 47.5 cm - 70%
She is very tall!

Cassidy is now 18 months old, officialy 1 and 1/2!! Wow! She is a full blown toddler now and she has that toddler tantrum down solid. lol Besides a few trips to time out daily, she is doing wonderful. She is so smart and sweet. She gives hugs and kisses and is talking so much now. She can say so many words. Her newest ones are "this way" or "that way" to tell you where she would like you to go or where things are located. She also says "ginky" which is really binky. She also says "don ven" which is Donovan. She also nods yes or shakes her head no correctly to what she is feeling. Does she want her binky is always a yes whereas does she want to go night night is usually a no. :)

She still loves to be outside, loves to dance and loves to be sitting on the couch or chair like a grown-up. She can also point to pretty much all the body parts as well as most common animals and things outside like the grass, trees, airplanes, trucks etc.

OH and I almost forgot. She is 3 teeth now!!!! Both molars (lol) and one of the bottom front teeth!

Admiring the backyard!

She was showing her knowledge for the camera.

First I asked where her ear was. (I dont know why the tongue)

Then I asked where her hair was.

Then I asked her to show me her teeth.

Lol. Maybe she is used to not having any teeth that she thinks her toungue will have to do. At least she knows where her teeth should be. That makes me laugh so hard.

She sure loves her daddy.

The other day at work, she was refusing to sleep in her pack n play and so I finally put her in the bouncer which I have just never brought home from when she was a baby. I didnt think it would work but it did! I couldnt believe how big she looked in it.

Then.

Now.

At the end of the photo session, she was done with it and wanted to know why I was still taking pictures. :) We sure love our 18 month old!!!

25

Yesterday was my birthday. I really think I am going to like 25. It sounds like a good number to me. Each year I feel more professional, when I was 21, 22 people think you are so young you must not know too much at work. I feel lucky to be 25 have a wonderful husband, sweet daughter and loving friends and family. I have a great job that I love where I have a lot of responsibility and get a lot of professional statisfaction and reward.

I had a great birthday! Aaron let me open my gift first thing and I was thrilled to see that Aaron and my family got me this.

A Kindle!! I love it. I am not reading the New York Times like it shows. More like the new Tori Spelling book and my favorite book of all time When Crickets Cry. (If you havent read it, you should!)

At work, I was lucky to open my new gift from my boss. He got me this.

A Nikon D5000! Well technically my other work camera broke so he gave me permission to buy a new one. I bought it a couple days ago but waited to open it until my birthday so I could pretend it was a birthday gift. :) By the way, I love it!

Then after work, we dropped Cass off at our friends and Aaron and I had a date night! It was so fun. We went out to eat where I had this.

As well as some pesto pizza. Then we went to the movies and saw this.It is very Will Ferrell which if you like him is a good thing. I laughed a lot and thought it was good.

Then I went home and did this.

Thats me and Aaron cuddling and sleeping. LOL LOL LOL I crack myself up.

Anyway, it was a wonderful birthday!

Trip #2 in 2 Weeks

I went back to CA just two weeks after I was home because my beloved Grandparents were visiting from Chicago. Plus my uncle, aunt and cousin all came from Chicago as well! It was so great getting to visit with my mom's side of the family! I was DREADING the plane rides but I am thrilled to say it went better. On the way down the flight attendants were so nice and let Cass sit on the seat next to me. Plus there happened to be a little boy behind us who Cass was in love with and played with the whole flight.

Aren't they so cute? Grade: A-

Everyone picked me up at the airport and we went to see my brother James, my sister-in-law Melissa and my ADORABLE SWEET niece Sage. We went to the park and then out to lunch. Cassidy and Sage had tons of fun together. Cassidy was teasing Sage, pretending to feed her but then would snatch the cracker away as soon as Sage went to eat it. Silly girls.

Taking turns playing with this car.

When we got home, my other brother John, sister-in-law Laurie and my HANDSOME nephew Donovan came over. Donovan and Cassidy are definitley best friends. They chase each other around and always want to be doing whatever the other one is doing. They are only 3 months apart after all. :)
Waiting to eat together.

Playing ball with the dogs.

Riding side by side horses.

Playing on the slide.

Going on a walk. Double stroller, double trouble. :)

On Sunday, Sage came over!!! We had a lot of cousin swimming, playing and bonding. :)

On the last day I was home we went to feed the ducks. Well it turns out we feed the ducks and geese and there was a TON of them. I was slightly afraid!!! Good thing Laurie was not scared at all and helped Cassidy feed them lots of bread.

Look how brave Laurie is just standing there surrounded.

I had a great trip. The flight back was late and I thought for sure Cass would sleep but NO. I guess big girls only sleep in cribs and not on laps anymore. Luckily she was tired though so sat on my lap decently well. Grade: B

I feel blessed that Cassidy and I got to spend time with my grandparents and extended family who came all the way out from Chicago. My grandparents are celebrating 60 years of marriage next year. They are my inspiration in every way!

Camping

I went to CA a few weeks ago for my family's annual camping trip. However, the plane ride down was very very rough. I had the worst flight attendant who seriously watched my every move to make sure Cassidy stayed on my lap since she is technically a "lap child." Even though there was an empty seat next to me, she HAD to stay on my lap. So needless to say Cassidy screamed bloody murder and I gave the lady dirty looks. Overall I give Cassidy a D. I would give F but it wasnt entirely her fault.

It was my family's 25th year! Cassidy LOVED camping. I mean she loves to be outside so she was like in outside heaven! It was not exactly relaxing for me since I had to follow her around the entire time (she doesnt believe in sitting, sun bathing or napping breaks). It was totally worth it and we both had a lot of fun. I will say though that I was happy when 8pm rolled around and I got to sit down and play cards with my cousins!

Sage my niece.

Cousins.

Was my grandma really doing this beer bong? Hmmm.... I will never tell. Though I will say she is awesome regardless!



This is how we all felt after the trip. It was fun but we were all tired! I am already looking forward to next year!
By the way, the flight back was practically as rough as the way there. Another mean flight attendant. Luckily it was a late fight so Cass was tired. Did she sleep.... NO but at least she didnt have as much vocal fight in her. Grade: C-

(Grades are meant in a loving way of course.)

Landscaping

We have been redoing our landscaping at our house now for awhile. We had a sprinkler system put in which is awesome! I love not having to move the sprinkler around all the time. (Well I guess I should say I love Aaron not having to move it around, I never did. lol)

Plus we have been watching our new grass grow, moving our shed to the corner of the yard instead of right in the middle of it, planting a vegetable garden, planting flowers, laying bark down and planting bushes. Aaron loves it and it is definitley his current passion.

Before. Notice the big shed in the middle of the yard.

After. Notice no shed in the middle of the yard which has caused our yard to feel soooo much bigger!

Before. Our old grass. Notice the weird trails that didnt grow grass.

Before. Ugly.
After. Garden and nice grass.

Before. Weed mess and ugly grass.

After. Pretty. No weeds, new tree and bushes/flowes. New rail with more sections Aaron built. Still needs to be painted but looks great.

Before.
After.

Before. No retaining wall or sidewalk.

After. With retaining wall and sidewalk.

Anyway, we are excited to have a nice yard to be proud of and to enjoy.