Jordan is 12 Months Old!

Such an amazing, busy, awesome, bittersweet month with our baby girl. Or should I say, big girl? Jordan took walking to a whole new level this month - running all over Charleston as we tried to soak up every last bit of our time there. She developed a whole new love of beaches - especially a fun time with friends at Carolina Beach. Jordan was excited to have her Burgess/Bonus family visit just in time to have an early birthday party. The Heffners also visited from St. Louis - which was such a great time for all of us.

Doug coined a new phrase that we are loving for her this month. She is always so busy - picking up a blocks, moving things around, playing so well by herself or others. Doug started calling it her "baby work". And it's such a perfect way to describe it. The way she tackles each task, does make it seem like she is doing a job.

Walking/Running
Do you remember the scene in Forest Gump where he says, "Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere,I was running!" That is a great quote for Jordan this month. She wants to walk (run) everywhere. We struggle to keep up with her baby energy.

Stacking Blocks
Jordan has always loved to play blocks - usually knocking down any structures Doug or I would build. But this month, on her own - she started stacking blocks. It was so fun to see her doing it all by herself.

2 - It's the Magic Number
This month carrying things around the house became a big pastime. But it is always two things. And if possible, it's two matching things. In fact, one day, Jordan went into my messy closet and found a flip flop. She then went back in and found the match to the pair and walked around with them for an hour or so. So funny.

Words
Da (Dog), Ge (Doggie/Willie), Mama, & Dada are her words this month. Although she isn't saying a ton of words, I am absolutely amazed at how much she understands what we are saying. She really comprehends so much of what is going on. She throws away her own diapers and with very few gestures really follows commands very well.

Opposites
Someone gave Jordan an opposite book and she really loves it. This month - she was very into opposites. Up/Down, Asleep/Awake. It was so much fun to see her throwing her arms in the air for up or laying her head down to be "asleep".

Books
Although we have always read books, Jordan became very, very interested in holding and opening them this month. In fact, changing her diaper is so much easier now. When you lay her down, she points to her shelf with books and I give her one. She lays back while her diaper is changed, quietly turning the pages. It's too funny.
Teeth
Jordan's bottom two teeth got really big this month - prompting us to teach her how to "show us your teeth" as explained in this photo. She also cut her top two teeth - which are looking big, a little spaced out and completely adorable.

Other fun photos from this month:

Fun with Grandma & Grandpa at Middleton Place Plantation

Loving her new tent from James, Kim & Will

Dinner with the Moses & Heffner Families

Jordan was playing Hide and Seek...

Boxes, boxes. We are never moving again!

Beach babe on Memorial Day

On her birthday on the steps. My big girl.

Playtime with Chloe, Will & Parker

Sandcastle fun at Carolina Beach

Happy Valentine's Day

We had fun celebrating Jordan's first Valentine's Day. She got flowers and a card from Dad, went to her first Kindermusik class and opened presents. We had so much fun!

Gimme the flowers Dad!

I love my book and swimming lessons, Grandma Ceil!

A red boat for more bath time fun!

You are my valentine

Baby's first Valentine's outfit - having fun at music class

Thanksgiving

So much to be thankful for this year - as usual. My mom, grandfather and aunt visited us in Charleston to celebrate the holiday. What a fantastic visit - from Thanksgiving dinner to sightseeing around Charleston. We loved every minute of our time together!

Dinner downtown on our last night - celebrating my birthday :)

Jordan loves the horsey

After our fantastic carriage ride through the city. The people behind us didn't sightsee, they spend the whole ride watching Jordan!! She was sooo good.

Best turkey EVER!

At the USS Yorktown - sightseeing one afternoon.

Jordan and mom in the jet

View of the bridge from the Yorktown - so beautiful.

Happy Halloween!

Labor Day

We had a wonderful 3 day weekend at our house. We enjoyed a great day at Sullivan's Island - which is quickly becoming our favorite beach. We had so much fun with the Moses family - and are excited that we have a few more weeks of beach season left to enjoy. Lil' J continues to be a beach baby - loves the water and usually naps well in the ocean breeze (don't we all!)

Doug & Justin with Parker - pretending to eat a crab

With J in the shade :)

Christmas in St. Louis

For the first time since we moved to North Carolina, Doug had the holidays off! We were so excited to have an extended time to travel back to St. Louis, spend time with his family over the holiday and see some friends.

We made the long drive in order to have our own car and bring Willie McGee. I lucked out and Doug drove every second to and from St. Louis. Willie and I slept most of the way.

We packed a lot into the nine days we were back. Lots of family time and get-togethers with friends. We also took a short side trip to the lake house and Columbia for a basketball game. On the way down and back, we got to see April & Sara - along with their families.

Our plans got a little sidelined thanks to the stomach bug that I got toward the end of vacation - but we were grateful for what we were able to squeeze in! Thanks to everyone who fit us into their holiday schedules.

Willie hanging with his cousins Chubbs & Lucy.

The Burgess brothers with their pups.

The whole family on Christmas Day

Doug & Willie

Christmas dinner. One of our two Turkeys...

Smart dogs, hanging out in the kitchen

Opening my new HD Flip Cam & tripod from Doug :)

Willie is getting really good at opening his own presents.

He is also willing to help others unwrap theirs. At the Mizzou Game - so fun to be back in Columbia for a few hours.Fun day with the girls (and babies)! So great to see so many friends!

Happy Holidays

We are back in North Carolina after a fun trip to St. Louis - I'll get some photos from our trip up in the next few days. Hope you and your families had a wonderful holiday season! May 2010 be a great year for everyone!!

Mountaintop Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful this year. Doug & I were so lucky to stay in North Carolina this year for the Thanksgiving Holiday - my mom, Grandpa John and Great Aunt Evie traveled to come and see us! What a treat.

We spent a day in Durham before packing up and driving to the mountains for a four night retreat in a log cabin. Such a great way to spend Thanksgiving with our family. Our friend Chad also joined us, so we had a full house.

We spent our days cooking, eating, playing games and sitting cozy by the fire. It was a perfect holiday! Plus, our visitors stayed a few days longer - so our we didn't have to say goodbye. Hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Me with Mom and Willie by the fire.

Grandpa kneading the dough for our homemade rolls - yum!

The dogs wresting on the couch

On the hill, in front of our cabin. This is a really bad angle, but yes I'm starting to look pregnant :)

From the road where we fried our turkey - what a view we had!

The cooks in actionOur first Fried Turkey - it was so good!

Right as we finished eating, it began to snow - it was beautiful!

Doug and I took a walk after dinner in the snow. View of our cabin.

On our walk with Willie
Disclaimer: I am holding Doug's alcoholic beverage in this photo so he could take the picture. I was not drinking. I swear. You can ask my mom.

On the way back to the cabin, we heard a deer in the woods. We were peering into the darkness as Willie stood on point. All of a sudden, Doug said, "I hope it's a deer and not a bear." At that point, I grabbed Willie and took off. A few seconds later, he saw the outline and said it was a bear! When he turned to tell me not to panic, I was halfway up the hill - running all the way home. I think it was my first mother's instinct kicking in.

Cozy Thanksgiving evening

The dogs wrestling in the snow

After our trip to Blowing Rock, we took a quick drive on the historic Blue Ridge Parkway

On our last day - Mom & Gpa on the porch.