16 Months!

Let me start out my sharing the most exciting development: Rose's expressive language! Well, she has some ;) At Rose's 6 month review for speech therapy this month we listed 20 sounds/words approximations/words that Rose has used at least a few times. Here is a sampling: daddy, blanket, go, 'I got it', and cracker. Rose also signs for eat and me. She is just babbling and jargoning throughout her day, it is so wonderful to hear her little voice!

Here's some other fun stuff Rose is up to:

-climbing onto the couch

-loves peanut butter

-rotating the knob to turn the fan on and off

-playing longer with pretend toys such as her dollhouse

-shy with strangers

-draws parallel lines with chalk

-points to several identified items in a book

-knows her head, tummy, hands, feet, ears, and mouth
-enjoys cleaning up with dust cloths and brooms

-loves to turn water on and off and have her bath in the sink

-can pull her shirt over her head and pushes arm through the sleeves

-and can put a hat on her head

-enjoys sitting in small chairs and putting stuffed animals in chairs (I do not like her standing on them!)
-stacking pegs, she has made it to 10 high with no help

AND because I can, Rose and I wore matching skirts to church on Sunday :)

We enjoyed lunch with Papa and then after Rose's nap went to Grandpa and Grandma's pool (maybe the last time for the summer...)

In just two more weeks Rose can stick her little toes in the ocean :)

Another week!

What a week!

Justin and I had not one, but TWO adult only outings this week :) I think the last time we were out together without Rose was for our anniversary in June...so to get two dates in this week was amazing.

Last week I *begged* aunt Kate to stay with Rose one evening after she was in bed so Justin and I could go out for dinner. Kate came up on Tuesday, and although, Justin and my first choice for dinner was closed due to having no electricity, our second choice of Texas Roadhouse was delicious and we just enjoyed the time out together.

Sunday, my parents asked for more Rose time, so we had them watch Rose while we went and did some shopping.

Really bad quality pic...but the gist of it is: Rose with Nana's necklace on, relaxing with her cup. in an outside chair she just carried into the kitchen. WOW, she has it rough!

In between these happy dates, Justin, Rose, and I had Joe, Rachel, and Ethan over for a play date and dinner on Saturday. This was our first gathering with everyone, but it went TERRIFIC! Ethan and Rose played well in the same area together and even had moments of sharing :) We let Rose up past her bedtime because we were all just having so much fun.

Oh and I don't want to forget another fun day of the week: Wednesday! Nana comes to watch Rose at our home and in her *free* time she weeds my flower beds :)

Sunday...

Soon it will be football season on Sunday, so the posting may have to move to Saturdays, just a heads up in case :)

Anyway, this weekend was much more relaxed than last weekend *sigh*. Don't get me wrong, we all loved last weekend with the extended family, but it is exhausting. This week Rose was back to her normal routines with Nana and Grandma, although both report that she seems to be teething and a bit unhappy at times... Since she still only has the one tooth, some more would be welcomed :) And as far as unhappy goes, Rose knows how to turn on the tears if she is not getting what she wants! I am sure she is in some pain with teething and we give her lots of cold things and even some Tylenol if needed, but she is mastering the art of a tantrum. She is not even 18 months yet, I can't wait till we hit 2 (sarcasm, just in case you missed it)!

This is Rose sucking on some frozen blueberries in a mesh-paci kind of thing that she really loves when her gums are sore. 

Even if she is working on more teeth, nothing slows this child down. Rose is that child who is constantly on the go. She is happiest when she is on the move. Rose also seems to have incredible strength and will carry her table, chairs, and other items around like she is The Hulk :) But she does have her favorite play items that will hold her attention for 10-20 minutes, such as playing in the sink and dumping her ball pit. She will play a game on the ipad for about 3-5 minutes and she watches about the same amount of TV for us (not that I'm complaining, I really don't want her absorbed in computers or TV, it would just be a nice break for 10 minutes).

It makes me worry more and more about the 6-8 hour car ride to the beach in a few weeks.
I am planning on getting a couple new toys for the trip in hopes that they will keep her occupied for a bit. I made her an alphabet picture book and will reveal that to her on the trip down :)

She also LOVES to be outside. Days it is too nasty outside she bangs on the door wanting to go out; I don't know what it will be like this winter...

We did have a terrific Sunday morning enjoying breakfast with Nana and Papa. Rose LOVES pancakes with just a touch of real maple syrup :)

I also made Rose playdough...yes, I really made it from scratch! It's super easy and then I know exactly what she is touching and possibly putting into her mouth :) Here's the recipe I used: http://musingsfromasahm.com/2012/02/easy-homemade-playdough-recipe/

It took about 5 minutes to make it and then I just had to let it cool before Rose could play with it. I had all the ingredients, except for food coloring on hand, so this batch is just plain, I will have to find some natural food coloring to try. It was hard to take pictures once we started to play with it, but I think Rose enjoyed it. We buried toys and stacked balls, which Rose then smashed!

I am sure there will be much more playdough in Rose's future :)

What a Weekend!

Rose had a VERY busy weekend! Here cousins came up on Thursday for the annual Bechtel Family Clambake on Saturday. Rose enjoyed all her time with her cousins and can't wait until September when we all go to the beach :)

Friday we took Rose to a park, there was a really HUGE slide she went down with daddy and I didn't get a picture, mommy fail :(

Yes, Rose is eating a Dorito...her cousins also gave her chips. I did pull the Hershey's Miniature out of her mouth though, I have to draw the line somewhere!

Rose also got to play with sidewalk chalk for the first time and loved it!

So did daddy :)

Clambake 2011 (look how Rose has changed in a year!)

Clambake 2012: