Birthday Party!

Courtney had a great time at her party on Saturday. She had a lot of friends and family here to celebrate with her. We ate, watched a video of her first year, opened presents, watched Courtney eat cake and played outside. Our house was full of people, cute little girls, food and love for little Ms. Courtney! Courtney's cute party clothes!

Our only family pic of the party!

All the party decorations!
Beautiful cookies made by a friend from Stewartsville. Thanks Marilyn!


Courtney's cake later to be destroyed:)

Courtney and Ashley were getting a little restless waiting on the party...so we had to get some books to stay occupied! Everyone watching a video that Dan and I made of Courtney's first year. Opening presents...a skill Courtney needs some practice at! She was not that much into it!

Lyda and Ashley (but probably not Brian) made Courtney a picture book! The pictures are Ashley and Courtney and the story is about 2 friends - wonderful! If I was by myself, I might would have cried! Yum! The cake! At first, Courtney was daintily licking the frosting, but then dived right in!

Here is Courtney's audience as she ate her cake!
The weather was so wonderful that we got to play outside in another of Courtney's presents - a big wagon!

Courtney's gifts! All these springy gifts gets us excited about the spring and summer she will get to enjoy them in!

Happy Birthday Courtney!

Courtney is 1 today! I can't believe my baby is now a toddler! She started really walking everywhere yesterday. It was like her little walking lightbulb went off and she said, "today I will walk." I get weekly emails titled "your baby this week: 3 months, week 1" for example. Today I received my weekly email and it said "your toddler: 1 year". WOW. My toddler? It is bittersweet to feel like your little baby is growing up, but with it comes so many wonderful changes. I will miss the cuddles, bottles, cute way her mouth moves with a giggy (pacifier)...but I will also love her running in the grass, saying first words, playing, singing, dancing and all those wonderful toddler moments.

Here is Courtney on her first day - one year ago...

And here is Courtney today!

Here is Courtney walking all the way across the living room, through the kitchen to her drawer!

I love you Courtney! I can't wait to see what this next year brings!

First steps and reading

Last week Dan and I were playing with Courtney when she took a step! It was one of those things we will remember forever as we started laughing and hugging our girl. Then, of course, we had to see it again and again. We have some grandparents who are dying to see those little steps even though she is a long way from being an independent walker.

Here is another video of Courtney reading her books. I know the book is upside down, but it is a wordless book so it shouldn't matter:)

Courtney turns 11 months tomorrow and this past month has been all about exploring her world! She has found many new play places around our house (which led us to finally have to babyproof the kitchen). Once we put a gate up to prohibit her from the front hall, she made a beeline for the kitchen. Take a look at what she found! The pantry...

The table and chairs...

and a draw of her very own! We created this drawer for her a while ago and it only led to her exploring all the other cabinets...

We left this cabinet "unbabyproofed" since it was just tupperware and she thinks its fun!Ashley came for a visit (in her cute hat!) on a beautiful January day! Can't say that very often!

We visited grandma and grandpa in Joplin. It must have been a quick visit since this was the only picture I got.

We visited Megan at MU for dinner and a little playtime at Meg's apartment.

Courtney is eating a ton of table food now and I gave her a whole strawberry just to see what she would do. She gnawed on it for quite a while, but would also shudder every now and then from it sourness - but went back for more!

Last weekend was GORGEOUS weather for February so we had a meal outside. Courtney just sat on this blanket and munched on her food for about 20 minutes. I wish she would sit that still inside!

We have had this car toy for awhile, but it wasn't getting much use so I stored it in the basement. I just got it out thinking Courtney might start to practice walking on it. This is literally her second push around the living room and we grabbed the camera. I thought it was hilarious how quick she had to walk to keep up! You might also notice our barricade into the kitchen and tv of the coffee table, ottoman and carseat:)

Videos! and Courtney turns 10 months!

Tomorrow Courtney turns 10 months! Here are some of her best videos over the past month!

Courtney has the best laugh! It is my favorite sound in the world! Who knew taking a bib away from a baby could be the most fun game?!

Here is Courtney riding her new horsie! It makes her excited and she always opens her mouth when we start the noises!

Courtney got a kitchen for Christmas and here she is pretending to wash dishes and pick out what's for dinner in the fridge?

When we went to Joplin for Christmas, grandma Leslie was practicing her piano for church and Courtney joined in on "Angels We Have Heard On High" with the glorias - pretty cute!

Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Whitmer's!

We rounded out all of our holiday celebrations in Stewartsville for Christmas. Courtney actually got her first cold which turned out to make her very miserable and us very sad for her. The worst is when we were attempting to clear her nose and she is babble crying something like this: "wah dadada sniffle sniff aaaahhh dada da da waaahhh". Heartbreaking. But, from the pictures below, she seemed to still have a great time on her first Christmas!

I like grandpa's hat!

Checking out grandma's snowflakes.Where's Courtney? Having fun with family!

Playing cards...Courtney won.

Courtney is the same age I was when I had my first Christmas. My mom had to put the tree in the playpen because I kept getting into it and so I wouldn't tip it over...Courtney seems to have my same mischievious spirit!