Happy New Year 2008!

Happy New Year to you all. We certainly had a VERY busy 2007. It's hard to believe that our little baby is almost a year and a half. She's transformed from a little baby to a "self sufficient" toddler overnight. Of course being a toddler has put a new spin on parenthood. I think that Casey and I would both agree that this has been Ayla's BEST stage yet! She cracks us up on an hourly basis. Let me tell you a few things that Ayla has picked up...
1) the BONK- anyone who has met her will know what it is
2) Prancing around on her tip toes
3) Laughing when she "toots"
4) Feeding herself ( and ONLY feeding herself will do)
5) Having Tantrums when she doesn't get her way!!?!?!? ( I suppose that was to be expected - hahah!)
6) Some sign language & an obsession with her "Baby Signing Time" Dvd
7) An insatiable love for apple sauce
8) Spinning in circles and dizzying herself (especially while watching her Sign Time DVD)
... the list goes on and on.
Ayla is still ONLY saying DADA... actually almost everything is DADA. She's getting SO close - and i have to admit I can't wait!! I know I say that now...and will eat my words once she doesn't STOP talking.

We're all very excited to see what 2008 will bring!! I am very much looking forward to having some sun and putting this long COLD winter behind us. Cheers to a New Year - wishing you all health and happiness :)

Santa Claus is coming to town...

... and Ayla is the least bit interested in meeting the big guy! We weren't surprised that our little one would be scared to sit on his lap for a picture, but didn't expect her to cower at the mere sight of him!!! No picture with Santa this year!!
Ayla does however love to see ornamental Santa's, snowmen, raindeer and all things Christmas. She even does her own very high pitched "ho-ho-ho"! (still only Saying DADA for words but learning some sign language - Thanks jen!)

Not only has Ayla had to face the trauma of encountering santa, but she also came down with her very first full fledged Flu. Poor girl has been out of it for days on end. It's so hard to see such a teeny little thing become so vulnerable. It seems that the flu is thanfully making it's way out! Now we just need to keep mom and dad healthy over the next few weeks. We're looking forward everything the holiday brings... Including the FOOD! We'll need lots of fatty goodies to put some meat back onto Ayla's skinny bones.

Wishing everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS! We'll be sure to post more in the new year!!

15 Months and Counting

Just thought I'd post a quicky on where our little one is at this month!
She's graduated from walking all over the place to RUNNING! She never stops. It's a rare sight to see Ayla in one spot. The girl likes to MOVE! Whether she's dancing to her favorite music ( the Dixie Chicks) or running after her new Buddy Hurley - she's an active one! Now that I type that out I remember just how active she was in the womb.
Still no words - but it seems that she's become more vocal over the last few weeks. I can't wait for the day she can chat back and forth with us. I know I will be swallowing my own words when I can't get her to STOP talking!!
The Holiday Season is fast approaching and I can't wait :) It should be lots of fun this year. Ayla already seems to enjoy seeing all the Christmas decorations and she of course loves tapping her knee (and bouncing her head) to all the Christmas tunes we hear. We'll see how much she likes Christmas when I sit her on "santa's" Lap in a few weeks!! Post to come....

Fast.

Sometimes I get the sense thats just the way life is going. Fast. Everything happening at a rate of speed that you try and control. I look at my daughter now and wonder when did she grow up so fast. How did that happen one day I was putting her in her very first car seat ride. Now I taking her out of that very same car seat because she's outgrown it.
The other day I came home from a long day at work. A day I didn't think I would ever remember. I put the key in the door and opened it only to see my daugher walking towards me with her arms wide open saying "Dada". I'll never forget it for as long as I live but it's all going by so quickly.
I don't want to stop time. I don't want to stop watching her grow up. I just don't know how I'm going to remember all these times together. Alyson stopped by today with her beautiful baby girl Kate. I held Kate in my arms and I think Al asked me if it made me think of doing it again having another child. I think I answered I'm not sure but if I said what I was thinking at the time it would have come out like "I just wish I could remember like it was yesterday what it felt like to hold Ayla when she was this small". I don't want to turn back time I just want to remember every single moment I have with my daughter for the rest of my life. Not possible but I'm going to try.

Say "hi"

Thought I would post another funny pic.
If you ask Ayla to say hi - she simply opens her mouth as wide as possible and pretends to say hi. . . she just can't quite figure out how to get her words out?!

A few of Ayla's new faces

A friend of mine recently posted a few pics of her little girl doing this "face"...I thought it was funny that they were both into this "look" at around the same time! It cracks me up... let's just hope it's a phase!! Jen (my friend) refers to it as the "what the F___K are you talking about" face.

Cold house

We were so used to the warmth of our little Condo we didn't know what hit us when summer dissapeared. Here Ayla is eating her breakfast in her hooded sweater. She also LOVES her new hand me down toque from her cousin Hayley... she kept this one on for over 1/2 a day!!