Back it up, back it up: Christmas 2012

Christmas 2012 was a little spread out and a little sad but overall still my favorite holiday! Since we would be going to Iowa for the actual Christmas holiday (my first spend without my mom in my LIFE) we opted to celebrate early with my Mom and Mark in South Carolina. It would also be our last Christmas at our Spartanburg house. The day after my 30th birthday (thanks for letting me sleep in Mom!) we spent the day cooking and opening presents and enjoying each others time. Holidays (specifically Thanksgiving and Christmas) have always been a big deal to me and my mom, we LOVE putting on some music and spending the day in the kitchen cooking. We usually play a few board games and relax in the evenings and it is always wonderful. This year was no different, it just wasn't on Christmas day. Amelia loved opening all her presents. Since we would be flying to Iowa and we knew there would be no shortage of presents for her there we let her open her gifts from us as well. This year we didn't go to crazy, we got Amelia a Pottery Barn Anytime Chair in red with her name in white and a Fischer Price Apptivity Case for the iPad.

We traveled to Iowa for the actual Christmas holiday. We carried on the Wagner tradition of appetizers and presents on Christmas Eve. Amelia had so much fun opening a big box and pulling paper out. The Wagner's gave Amelia her big present when they were in South Carolina in November. (At that time it wasn't decided whether we would move or not) For her first Birthday/Christmas the Wagner's got Amelia her very own swing set! We are very excited to make this purchase and set it up in our new backyard when we buy a house in Wisconsin. 

We also got to attend Beck Christmas. This year it was hosted by Pat and Louis. I hardly took any pics but got a great one of Abby and Amelia. 

This is basically the only picture I got of Amelia in her ADORABLE holiday dress! 

Merry Christmas! (4 months late! ha!)

Munchkin Meals: 16 Months

Oh how I wish I could rave about what a good little eater Amelia is...she's not a bad eater per se... but she's not the good little eater she was a couple months ago. She used to basically eat anything I put in front of her... and I tried to put everything in front of her and expose her to all of the good fruits and veggies out there. But alas, she has grown into a picky little toddler! She still eats good things but she pretty much refuses to try most new things and doesn't like when things are mixed together. She still loves some old favorites...shout out to black beans and chickpeas... and she will eat any fruit. 

Breakfast is usually our best meal of the day. (Seems to be a trend among the toddlers on Munchkin Meals!) We rotate between coconut milk yogurt (we don't drink cow's milk) and fruit, PB Toast, Pancakes and Oatmeal. I keep trying eggs but so far she is not interested. She eats a banana with breakfast regardless of what else I serve. She loves na-na-nas! She also drinks a little coconut milk and sometimes water if she asks for it. 

Today I served up vanilla coconut milk yogurt, banana and a little PB Toast with Coconut milk to drink. 

We are working to master the spoon and doing pretty well at it! She ate everything you see here and then some. 

For lunch today we had a favorite, black beans, plus a cheese quesadilla and leftover garlic green beans from last nights dinner with a cutie for dessert and coconut milk to drink.

As you can see Amelia ate the black beans first. This child loves black beans! She then offered me her quesadilla, that is her favorite thing to do if she doesn't want to eat something. I took a bite then convinced her to take a bite. Once she did she remembered she liked it and ate a few pieces. She only ate a couple green beans unfortunately. She loved green beans last month...ugh. 

Today was a little unusual as we were out and about for snack time. We left to look at houses as soon as Amelia woke up from her afternoon nap. I packed snacks and water for the car to keep her happy during the showings. Amelia snacked on a Clif Kid Z Bar and GoGo Squeez Apple Cinnamon Pouch. We LOVE pouches for snacks and dinners out. 

So this is where my pictures end. Amelia had an epic meltdown at the last showing. We were planning on eating out at Milwaukee Ale House to celebrate some good news but one look at the tiny terrorist and we knew that wasn't happening. Instead we went home and I tried to get Amelia to eat a few things I know she loves....chickpeas, peas and carrots and cutie oranges. She picked at her plate and demanded that she was all done... with words and sign language. 

So that is a look at Amelia's Munchkin Meals at 16 Months. It could be better but it could be worse. Just the other day Amelia was eating mini bell peppers whole...

 I'm going to keep offering Amelia new and healthy foods and hope for the best. Happy eating!  

Thanks to Brittany for hosting Munchkin Meals. Head over to her blog, A Healthy Slice of Life, to see what other Munchkins are eating!

Easter Fun 2013

Although this was technically Amelia's 2nd Easter she was so young for her first (and we were still pretty tired...) that we didn't really do anything special. This year however was different. She wasn't quite old enough to understand all of the Easter activities but we got to have a lot of fun. 

We started off our Easter fun with a visit with the Easter Bunny. There is a fun cafe/indoor children's play area in Bayside, WI that we have been frequenting with our new friends Shannon and Aidan and every year they have the Easter Bunny come out for (free)pictures and visits with the kids. I wasn't sure how Amelia would feel about the Easter Bunny, she usually isn't very shy but historically kids are very scared of this big furry friend! Not the case with Amelia...she immediately went to the Easter Bunny and didn't want to leave! She actually got very upset when I finally removed her from his lap as other children wanted a turn. Her newest trick is pointing out facial features like nose, ears, eyes, etc... so she kept pointing to his nose, saying "What's that," then answering herself by saying "nose!" She loved it!

Aidan and Amelia (and The Easter Bunny)

Amelia and I decided to make cupcakes for Daddy and our friends. (Thanks Grandma Wagner for the mix and decorations!)

Amelia helping in her Learning Tower

I think she liked it...

Easter weekend we headed out for Amelia's longest road trip to date to Iowa. After an interesting car trip (there was some yelling...) we got in late Friday night. Saturday morning Eric, Lindsay and I hit the road for Kansas City for a Baby Shower for Ashley Adrianse and some long awaited quality time with some of our best friends.

The Whole D Crew!

Meeting Baby Jack Bednarz for the first time

Amelia stayed behind in West Des Moines with Grandma and Grandpa. I'm told they explored Lowe's and the Mall, visited the Easter Bunny and Amelia even rode the Mall Easter train all by herself!

Sunday morning after very little sleep we drove back to Des Moines to drop off Lindsay then hit the road again for Blue Grass, IA to Wayne and Kathy Beck's house for an Easter Meal. Amelia enjoyed herself outside with Grandma and Grandpa. I tried to get a family shot but apparently she wasn't feeling it...

Kathy was so sweet and gave Amelia an Easter Basket. She loved it! She is already sporting her new shades on our walks!

Happy Easter! 

Our new (temporary)home

So you all probably know by now but Eric got an amazing job opportunity with Charter Steel that would take us to Milwaukee, WI. He wasn't exactly looking but engineers are often recruited and that is what happened with us. The recruiter contacted him back in October and by the end of December we accepted the offer. It was quick and a little bit scary but we felt like it was the best decision for our family. Eric moved to Milwaukee in mid January and Amelia and I stayed behind in Spartanburg for 6 weeks. It was a LONG 6 weeks...I have a new found respect for single parents...let me just say wow. It didn't help matters that Amelia was diagnosed with RSV the actual day Eric left for Milwaukee! It was a rough start but we made it and I worked until the bitter end! My last day at the Solicitor's Office was March 1st. Eric flew in from Milwaukee that night, we packed the car ALL day Saturday and had a goodbye dinner with my mom and Mark Saturday night. :( Eric got on the road Sunday morning in my car and Amelia and I spent the day with my mom. Monday morning Amelia and I headed to the Charlotte airport and flew to Milwaukee! It was a whirlwind!! Our house is on the market in South Carolina so we are living in temporary housing in Milwaukee. (thank you Charter!!) Our apartment is in downtown Milwaukee in the 3rd Ward. Its a cool revitalized warehouse district with lots of shops and restaurants right on the water. Once our house sells (prayers please!) we will buy a house in the North Shore. Amelia and I have already started getting out to play groups and the library and meeting people in the North Shore and scoping our neighborhoods. So far we love it here!

12 - 16 Months in Pictures

16 Months Old

So I planned to write a 15 month post...instead of racking my mommy brain for what was happening a month ago Ill just write a 16 month post. :)

A LOT has changed since my 1 year post. (I realize I only posted it a week or so ago but I actually wrote it when she turned 1...) There is no denying it now, Amelia is a TODDLER. She has her own personality, she can communicate...for the most part and she is a blast(and a handful!).

She has so many words now. Many that anyone could understand and a lot more that aren't exactly right but we know exactly what she means. On top of the words she knows she will try to say any word you ask her to and most of the time its pretty close if not right on.  New words and phrases since 1 year include: No, eat, more, hi, bye bye, ball, baby, paci (she doesn't use one but her baby doll has one), please (sounds like peeeeeees, so cute), thank you (almost always used appropriately),"nye nye" (night night), love you, na-na-na (banana), black bean, blueberry (sometimes it comes out clear), are you? (said when looking for someone, like "where are you?"), shoe, sock, snack and orange. It seems like every day she says a new word, I know I am forgetting some. They aren't all perfect but she works so hard. She can also sign a handful of things including: milk, sleep, eat, more, all done and baby.

She has recently started "singing" her ABC's. Her current favorite book is "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" (thanks Aunt Abby) and the last page is the alphabet and we always sing it to her and lately she has randomly started signing it to us. Its obviously not quite there yet but the tune is right and she gets the occasional letter right so we just keep doing it with her. She will have it down in no time!

You would think with all these words communication wouldn't be a problem but it is. She has started throwing TANTRUMS. Who knew the "Terrible Twos" actually started at 16 months? Amelia is still overall a happy child but sometimes she flips the switch and screeches! Sometimes it happens in a grocery store...its not pretty! Hopefully this won't last until she is 3...

Happy for the moment with Mommy's sunglasses...this only works for so long...

Along with her tantrums she has also started refusing to eat things we give her. This causes me high levels of anxiety. She used to basically eat anything we gave her but no more! Everyone assures me this is very normal for this age but it stresses me out none the less! Again...I'm just hoping this doesn't last for years...

Working on our spoon skills

Amelia LOVES Baby dolls! She has a cabbage patch doll from Nana, a Bitty Baby from Aunt Sarah and sleepy Baby that Great Grandma Beck gave her before she born. She is never without one of these babies! If for some reason she puts baby down she will run around the room shouting BABY until she finds her and then is very happy once baby is back in her arms. If it were up to her Baby would go everywhere that we go.

I mentioned that Amelia says "nye nye" when going to bed. She also uses this to communicate to us when she is tired. Its quite amazing. When Amelia is ready for a nap or to go to bed for the night she grabs baby, heads to her door and says "nye nye." We are very blessed to (usually)have no trouble putting her down. Sometimes Amelia plays "nye nye", she will put her head down on the couch or on my shoulder and say "nye nye" but then immediately pops back up, smiles and runs off. We can usually tell the difference between real "nye nye" and play "nye nye."

Speaking of naps. We are in a bit of a transitional period. Some days Amelia clearly needs a morning nap and others she is fine staying up and playing and taking one nap in the mid day. Most times she skips morning nap we are out and about so she is distracted. If we are home she almost always takes a morning nap. Nap lengths vary day to day...she has never been consistent with that. Oh well!

Amelia LOVES: opening and closing doors, walking Elle, taking lids off things and putting them back on, phones (or making everything into a phone), reading books (by herself and with Mommy and Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa and strangers...lol), snacks, play dates.

Our new besties Shannon and Aiden

Amelia HATES: being washed during bath time, she loves playing in the bath but as soon as I bring out the washcloth she freaks out until I'm done. Same story with diaper changes, she freaks while I clean her up but is fine the minute I put the wipe away, not immediately getting what she wants...

Stats:

Weight: right around 22 pounds according to a recent doctor visit, no idea on height

So many teeth, at least 12, working on Eye teeth

Clothes: Mostly 18 month with a few 12 Month and a few 24 Month/2T 

Diapers: Size 4 and some cloth 

Nursing: done! (full update to come!)

Our little baby is a toddler and is growing up every day. Eric reminded me the other night just how quickly its happening...I told him to stop!  :)