Shelby

So I really need to write down a few things about Shelby. She is already 13 months old! She is still our pipsqueak - and has actually been nicknamed "Scooter" since she has mastered her but scooting. Our wood floor at the cabin is perfect for sliding on....and she can get where she wants to go fast! I actually got down on the floor and attempted the "but-scoot" - let me tell you, it is NOT EASY. How she does it all day is really amazing. The first week we were here we really tried to get her to crawl. My brother worked with her and we saw some major progress in her strength and ability to pull herself up on all fours....but the little stinker that she is, still doesn't crawl. She instead has used her new found strength to push herself up (from her tummy) on to her but into a sitting position. This in itself, is great - but she now goes straight into sitting from her tummy and off she goes scooting on her but again! Did I say she is a stinker!!! And stinking cute too with her silly little grin....she knows mommy wants her to crawl and she just prefers to but-scoot! She has really progressed in the past weeks and also will pull herself up to standing when she is in the pack 'n' play, and I even found her standing by the toilet (not sure if I should encourage that one). If we stand her up by furniture - she will stand for quite some time (holding on for dear life) and still on her tip-toes, but we are getting there. She knows what "NO, NO" means - and when she is reaching for something she is not suppose to have she will look at you, smile that cheeky smile of hers and then turn and reach again...typical one year old! She is eating more table food (she really likes oatmeal and chicken nuggets) but I'm still giving her baby food (out of jars etc...since its just so easy). She mostly likes grean beans, and her new favorite is squash. We are still working on getting her to take a sippy cup - she mostly just plays with them yet. As for sleeping - she is finally getting better again - but the first weeks after getting to the US she was awake WAY too much in the night. I think of course her time schedule was obviously off - and I was spoiling her by getting up with her (in the middle of the night) basically any time she made a peep. I would just pull her into bed with me and nurse her and she'd go right back to sleep...and so would I - but not a very restful sleep. Now that I have been at the cabin this week (the previous weeks we've been here, there and everywher it seems) I've moved her out of my room and have been trying to let her cry it out....I say trying, because I'm not very good at this at all, I'm such a softy! She is doing better. If I put her to bed at 8:30 she is usually up again between 11:30 and 12:30. I'll nurse her again - put her back in the pack n' play and then I don't hear her until 4:30 or 5....I'm trying to really hold her off until 5...so we are getting there...someday she will sleep through the night again...someday! Okay - I'm sure I could write more about little Shelby - but I can't remember anything more off the top of my head right now. And I honestly don't even have a recent photo to post...I'll have to try and capture her standing soon.

Another Beautiful Sunset

No matter how much rain we get, no matter what the temp is, no matter how windy it may be....not much can top a beautiful sunset at the lake to end the day. Thank you God for reminding me how awesome you are, and for your awesome creation!

Rain, Rain, Rain

So yesterday (June 14, 2011) we had rain, rain, and more rain. Today the lake is way higher than it was yesterday and it appears to keep rising! I've had to use our sump pump to keep the basement dry! Let me just say that I'm very thankful for that sump pump....let's hope it keeps working!!! Water is standing everywhere - I'm not sure how much we actually got - but it was probably close to 4 inches or more. It just rained and rained - sometimes pouring, other times drizzling, but basically non-stop!

We had some nice sand on our beach - and now our beach is completely covered in water! I do hope that it will go back down again in the next week or so, and that some of our sand will actually still be there and not get washed back into the lake. Hopefully the beach will be nice again before family and friends come in July. But if anything the lawn is nice a green! I've even enjoyed mowing it...I had forgotten how fun it is to mow (on a riding lawn mower). Shane is old enough now that he can handle the riding mower -and so he did it the last time. But this week I was going to start it out, go around the edges and such...but I was having so much fun that I didn't let him finish. He was busy building/playing in the sand (this was before the rain yesterday) and he didn't mind (at least this time).

So where was I....oh all this rain - and chilly weather. I could really go for some nice warm weather. (Mid 80's would be perfect, and with no wind please - since I'm asking.) It has been so chilly here in MN since we arrived (almost a month ago now). We've had maybe 4 days that it has been over 80 - and 1 of those it was like 95 all of a sudden- talk about a drastic change in one day. Go figure that on that day I was NOT at the lake - but at the farm working in the heat! Ha, Ha, Ha....someone is laughing down on me! Anyway, I just wanted to write about this because someday I'll look back and want to remember these first weeks back in the US and all that we did etc....so bare with me as I journal a bit randomly!

The View From Here

Playing Dress Up

While at my folks yesterday - the girls and I went up into my old room and pulled out my wedding dress, and some other fancy dresses to try on. Shaylee was excited to try on my wedding dress - isn't she sweet! She did however tell me that she liked aunt Kerri's wedding dress better (it resembles Kate's dress a bit more than mine) and hoped that someday aunt Kerri would let her wear her dress. I'm not sure if in say 20 years Shaylee will still be excited to wear our old dresses...time will tell. Sydney also liked this red/black dress that my sister wore back in her Western Chamber Singers days. They look pretty cute together...I remember dresses up with my sister way back when too...fun times!

Sydney also tried on my old cheer leading uniform - now if that doesn't take me back....

I also put on my wedding dress - after 14 years - it still fits - and I'd marry Jer all over again! The girls were loving it that mommy was playing dress up with them too!

Who is that kid???

We also had a deal with Shane that he didn't have to get his hair cut until we moved back to the US. Well - his day finally arrived this week. Yesterday we again went down to see my sister - and it was Shane's turn to get his locks cut off. He didn't have 10 inches to donate - but close (ha!) I think he was a bit sick of all the comments on his long hair - he was finally ready to have it cut off. Just when his mom was starting to like it long!

Before.....

During....

And after!!!!!

He looks awesome with his new cut - I can hardly recognize him though....who is that kid???