Tiny Dancer

Violet getting her groove on at Santa's Village... (the best move is at :22)

Christmas Card Photo Shoot

Earlier this month (or was it last month?), we did a "mini" session with Stacy of Cloud Dust Photography when she came to Dallas for the day. We had learned Cloud Dust and the 20-minute mini sessions she was offering through a friend. The price was right and the final take away was 5 digital images that we had full rights to (which if you've done any photo sessions, this is a pretty great deal, assuming you get 5 prints you are happy with). We were very happy with the results. We had a fun time 'posing' down in the Dallas Arts District and Violet loved the open space. The top image is the one we ended up using (though we had a tough time deciding...)







Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

17 Months - Bath Time!

A Few Tricks (16 Months)

Your Dad Concurs

50 Rules for Dads of Daughters

Fifteen months

Dear Violet,
You're 15 months old, which means it's time for quarterly update time! And so much has changed since your last update.

- You walk everywhere on your own, and you seldom crawl now. When we go places, you would much rather walk by yourself. But at home you like to be carried around still.
- You are very interested in shoes. You call them Suze, and they are the first things you ask for when you wake up in the morning. You also bring Mama and Dada their shoes if they aren't wearing any. 
- Your dad and I have counted, and we think you say around 20 words consistently. Our favorites are Ahbee which is your word for Airplane, Meena (banana), Helper and Up, Please.
- The weather is nicer now that it's fall, so one of your favorite things to do is walk around on the driveway in the back yard. You love to look up in the sky and pick up things on the ground.
- You are a tall girl, and you're wearing 18m clothing. You are growing like a weed! But the doctor says it should slow down a little now that you are over a year.
- You have four front teeth on the top, two bottom front teeth, and now you have molars too! You chew on your thumb when they bother you.
- You like puzzles, books, and playing with the tupperware, and you love your Gymboree class each week.
- You do a great job signing Hungry and Diaper.
- You like to eat meenas, yogurt, cheese, crackers, and sometimes turkey and raisins.

You are more and more fun to be around every day, and I can't believe how lucky I am to be your mom.
Love,
Mama

Fifteen month stats

Fifteen months

First Haircut

14 Months

Happy 14 Month B-Day!

13 Months

one year stats

one year

Dear Violet,
This post is a little late, as your birthday was last Thursday, but we've been busy around here celebrating, so cut Mama some slack!

- You are cruising around with no problem, and just this evening, you took 18 steps across the living room. You still crawl to get from place to place, but I fear it won't be long before you are taking off on your own two feet!
- We bought you some fun toys for your birthday, but you'd rather just put a wooden ball in a cup, or play with mama's old strawberry shortcake cup. You love your pink Teddy, and you've just started to put books in our hands so we will read them to you.
- You have two teeth on the top, and two teeth on the bottom. I love them.
- You can eat most anything that an adult can eat, as long as it's cut in small pieces. Mama and Dada still haven't given you meat though. They are nervous too for some reason.
- You imitate a lizard, do what sound a snake and frog make and you've just started giving kisses and hugs, which makes Mama and Dada very happy.
- You've taken trips to the beach and the big city, and you were such a great traveler! This makes Mama and Dada relieved, because they love to travel and can't wait to take you all over the world.

You're a year old. A toddler now and not a baby. It's bittersweet for us though because even though we can't wait to see what kind of person you turn out to be, we'll miss the little baby you used to be.

I love you more than you'll ever know.
Mama

52 Weeks!!!

51 Weeks

50 Weeks

"Violet, what does a lizard do?"

49 Weeks

48 Weeks

47 Weeks

46 Weeks

45 Weeks

44 Weeks

44 Weeks

Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma...

43 Weeks

First airplane ride to Tybee Island, GA for a first look at the ocean and a little beach time.

42 Weeks

We're on the Go, Go, Go!

41 Weeks

40 Weeks

in the house of tomorrow

"your children are not your children,
they are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.
they come through you but are not from you,
and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
you may give them your love but not your thoughts,
for they have their own thoughts.
you may house their bodies but not their souls,
for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
you may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
for life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday."

-kahlil gibran

nine month stats

nine months

Dear Little V,
You're already nine months old??? It's time for your quarterly update, and so much has changed in the last three months!
- You crawled for the first time when we were at Grantama and Grandpa's house in late February, and by March you were pulling up on your own. Your dad went and bought you a big gate to put in the living room so you would have a safe place to roam.
- You like to play with your toys, but you really love grown up things like remote controls, calculators and paper.
- You have two little teeth on the bottom, and the doctor tells us you have some coming in on the top.
- You love to eat fruits and veggies, and you've started eating puffs too. You crunch the puff on your bottom teeth, and we love to listen to it.
- You have lots of tricks - so big, bravo, high five. We're trying to teach you to blow kisses, and Grantama is trying to teach you beautiful eyes.
- You are a trooper everywhere we go - we've taken you to your first concert, a basketball game with Mama Lou and Papa D, and an outdoor street fair, and you just rolled with the punches!
- You had your first ear infection, and Mom and Dad were so worried, but you bounced back pretty quickly, and were never very fussy. We're so lucky.
- You are trying to say Mama and Dada, and you go through spurts where you are very talkative. I only wish I knew just what you were saying.
- Just last night, you fell in your crib, and got your first (and I hope only) black eye! Poor girl.
- You've now been in this world as long as you were in my tummy, and that's so hard to believe.

You are curious, and determined, and beautiful, and you teach me so much every day. I love you.
Mama

39 Weeks

38 Weeks

37 Weeks

We Call It A "Bronx Cheer"

cowgirl!

Week 34

"How big is Violet?" "Soooo Big!"

Week 33

A Weekend of "Firsts"

Violet had a very busy weekend. We travelled to Wichita Falls and had lots of QT with Grantama, Grandpa and extended family. On Saturday, we noticed her first tooth had (finally) broken through. A few moments later, she crawled for the first time in front of a large audience. :)

Then, on Sunday, she sat up. All the way. Full on. Not balancing on one arm. ...and I just happened to be filming. She did a full-on repeat performance for her Mom (who you'll hear in the video missed part of it) just moments later.

Week 32

her future's so bright

Violet's New Trick

She's got a new noise and apparently FUN FUN FUN to make...

Week 31

She's Perfected Her TV Watching Pose

(for when TV watching is finally allowed...)

Week 30

Week 29

sing us a song!

She's a natural!

Week 28

Feeling under the weather...

: (

Today, I Leared to SPLASH!!!!

Week 27