Valentine's Day Weekend

For the past few years me and Nick have pretty much stopped celebrating Valentine's Day. It really had more to do with watching our budget than anything else. We'll still go out to eat or something, but that's about it. I had a walk through to do and houses to show that afternoon, and then we ended up ordering pizza and just having a family night. It was great! After Bailey went to bed we did make some chocolate covered strawberries (yummy!) and had some wine. It was a wonderful evening!! Sunday was another great and relaxing day. We played with Bailey all day and Nick made us a wonderful meal: grilled salmon with an orange jalapeno sauce, steamed broccoli & baked potatoes...for those of you that don't know me this is a big step for me, eating both fish AND broccoli!!! :) We also worked with Bailey on her words a lot this weekend, and it really paid off. By Sunday evening she managed to string a few words together! I got her to say "Beach please"...I'm dying to go on vacation this year!!!! And this morning when we were leaving the house she said "Dog bye", which is a little backwards, but she's getting the idea of it :)

Thankful Thursday

1. A healthy girl!! We had our 15 month check-up today and Bailey is growing like a weed :) She is 31 3/4 in. tall (85%) and she weighs 22 lbs (50%). She had grown 1 1/4 in. since her last appointment and she hadn't gained any weight, but they said with her height being what it is that's very normal.

2. New tires. I HATE having to spend money on these type of things, but I needed new tires and had them put on today. I can't believe how much smoother my car rides now! I think this is the first time I've ever put 4 new tires on my car. I highly recommend Bumper 2 Bumper for any car repair you need.

3. Warmer weather! I have been loving this Spring-like weather we've had the past few days. I know it's just a tease, but it's making me very ready for Spring!

Happy 16 months!

Bailey enjoying a little treat on her 16 month b-day! This was a yummy red velvet cupcake that we had left from the cupcakes that Michelle and Greg had brought over Saturday night.

Bailey turned 16 months old yesterday...it just seems unreal to me that time is passing this quickly!! Yesterday should have been her 15 month check-up (yeah, that doesn't make sense to me either!) but I rescheduled it for Thursday so Nick could come. So, I don't have any specifics to share, but here's what we're doing at 16 months...

Favorite Food: Just about anything. She LOVES fruit!

Favorite Book: Mama and Me (only when we do the funny voices for the animals!) Favorite Songs: If You're Happy and You Know It and Itsy Bitsy Spider Favorite Toy: Blocks Favorite thing to do: Take a bath! We can no longer say the word "bath" in our house unless it is time for her to take a bath. It doesn't matter what she's doing, if you ask her if she wants to take a bath, she'll throw down whatever she's holding and RUN to the bathroom screaming "Bath, bath!" She has such a good time! Talking: Bailey will try to repeat most words we say. Everything is still pretty much one syllable though. The best word she can say is "teeth". She grins real big when she says it and it's so cute! Mommy's favorite thing about 16 months: How much fun it is to play! She is pretending more and more, and she'll feed me with her spoon and then she'll take a bite and make an "Mmmm" sound :) It's much easier to get certain things done now that she can understand and follow some directions. For instance, no matter where she is in the house, if I tell her it's time to eat she'll come in the kitchen and wait at her high chair, she'll go to the bathroom when we tell her it's time for a bath and when it's time to brush her teeth she goes to the bathroom and points to the sink saying "Teeth".

Fun Filled Weekend

This last weekend was great! Saturday afternoon Nick and Bailey got to spend a little alone time together while I went house hunting with some of my clients. Then Saturday night we had a play date with one of the teachers Nick works with. Her and her husband and their little girl, Emily, came over to play and to have dinner with us. Emily just turned 19 months, so she's not too much older than Bailey. The girls were both pretty shy at first, but warmed up pretty quickly.

They both enjoyed watching the dog run around outside...and I guess Bailey was trying to find a way for them to escape :)

They played with these soccer balls a lot! It's so funny to watch them pack them around!!

They were both dancing to the music of the chair :)

Sunday I painted mine and Bailey's toes...she LOVED it!!

Sunday night Brooke and Clay came over for dinner and as soon as Bailey saw them she squatted down and kept saying "Toes" until Brooke came over and looked at her pretty toes :)

Why I Love My Husband!

Yes, this is an old picture...this is from our wedding rehearsal.

1. Where we met - We first met in elementary school at St. John's. I was in 3rd grade and he was in 4th, but our classes were in the same room. I remember one day my friend and I kept bugging him about who he liked. He gave me a note and told me to go in the bathroom to read it. When I opened it, it said "I licke you", how sweet is that?! After elementary school we didn't see each other again until high school. My freshman year we had Career and Family planning together and became best friends.

2. Our first date - We went to go see Bicentennial Man and got hot chocolate after. I was so nervous, this was my first date! I barely talked to him at all. And it kills him because I'm the only girl he ever went on a date with that didn't kiss him goodnight :) This was our first date, but didn't actually start dating till much later.

3. How long did we date before we were married? - 5 1/2 years

4. How long have been hitched? - 2 1/2 years

5. Favorite feature - His eyes and his nice soccer player legs :)

6. Favorite quality - How laid back he is. I get so worried about every little thing, and Nick just takes everything in stride. He really brings me back down when I start to stress out.

7. His nickname for me - I never thought about it, but I don't guess we ever did nicknames!

8. His favorite color - He really doesn't have a favorite, but I guess blue would be closest to his favorite.

9. His favorite sport - Hands down, soccer. He's played since he was 3. He's been coaching since he was in college, and currently is the head coach for the middle school girl's team at Scott County middle and he will be coaching the high school girl's club team this spring. However, he will play and watch just about anything. I hope our kids are blessed with his athletic abilities!

10. Who said I love you first - He did. We said it pretty early on, and I know I always roll my eyes when I hear teenagers talk about being in love, but I knew since my freshman year in high school that we would get married one day. Even when I wasn't ready to date him, I knew he would be my husband one day.

11. Our first kiss, when and where - In my house my junior year. We weren't even dating yet, he had taken me home from school and we shared our first smooch...we did start dating soon after :)

12. Favorite couple thing to do - We like to watch cooking shows together.

13. His hidden talent - I don't think he really has any hidden talents. He's a great cook, makes a mean cheesecake, and (when there's no TV on) is a great listener. Several of our friends have come to him for advice because he is good at looking at the situation and not taking sides, hence why he wants to be a counselor!

14. His favorite music - He likes a hodge podge of music...it seems like just about anything I don't like, he does like.

15. What I admire most about him - What a good father he is. I love to watch him with Bailey. He's just a big kid himself, so they have a really good time together!

16. His favorite pastime - Playing video games and playing basketball on Saturday mornings.

17. Will he read this - Probably not, but he's sitting in the room with me right now, so he already knows most of what I've put!

Brittany, Shana, Maria and Laura, tell me why you love your men!

Thankful Thursday

1. Snow days! Not being in the teaching profession, I am not blessed with many of these. It was so nice this week to have a little extra time at home with Nick and Bailey!

2. Not losing power. We had a few friends who lost power due to the ice, luckily we did not. The only problem we've had is our cable going in and out, which is nothing compared to sitting in a dark, cold house! However, our furnace did quit working at the office, so they ended up sending me home early again today. The hour I spent there was FREEZING! It was 58 degrees!

3. My husband. Yeah, I'm always thankful for him, but today he has been great. We have a steep driveway and it's a pain in the winter! He spent quite a bit of time outside today trying to clear it off. Thanks honey!!

"Picking" up bad habits

Yes, I'm afraid Bailey has learned to pick her nose. I'm not exactly sure when this happened, but one day I looked over at her, and there she sat with her finger up her nose! No, this isn't a pleasant topic, but one every parent deals with at one time or another (or at least that's what I'm telling myself!). This grosses me out big time, but I try not to make a big deal out of it, because I know the worse I make it seem, the more intrigued she will become with the whole thing! So, I try to just tell her "No touch", when I see her digging for gold. Most of the time it works. However, my daughter has somewhat of a brazen streak in her. One day at lunch I had already gotten on to her for this, and the next thing I know she is staring me down while slowing putting her finger up her nostril, almost as if she was thinking "What are you going to do now, mom?" I had to turn my head to laugh before I told her "No" again. And this isn't the only time she has tried to test me. Lately it seems like she is seeing exactly what she can get away with. She'll do something that she KNOWS is not allowed, and just watch me the entire time!!! I can only imagine what the teenage years are going to be like!!