NC & SC Part 1

Addi, Scott, and I came down to SC last weekend. Scott had to go back to FL so mom and I took Addi to NC to see family and friends. We visited with Aunt Libby, and Srs. Michel, Boo, and Sol. We also visited Carrie and Mary Elizabeth and Carrie's parent's Linda and Reed. The visit was great but it was too short!

Sweet Mary Elizabeth. She is the snuggliest and smiliest baby I've ever met!

At 6 months apart, they are only a couple of pounds apart :)

Addi playing with ME's toys

Getting ready to head to lunch with Linda and Carrie

Riding Aunt Libby's scooter at the Convent. By the end of the trip Addi new how to make it go faster!?!

Addi loved the Christmas lights at the Convent.

Addi loved the tree at Convent as well. Luckily, she was nice to it.

Addi loved BeBe! She is one of the nurse's dogs at the Convent infirmary.

Addi didn't sleep well at night while we were in NC. She napped a lot though! Turns out she has double ear infections. Only one was draining (the drainage tipped us off to the infection) - her tubes are coming out it turns out. So we are on antibiotics and a decongestent for the upper-respirtory infection. She is starting to sleep better and seems to be feeling better, which is great since it is Christmas Eve! She is still really clingy though, which I understand since she is sick. Addi doesn't seem to understand Christmas, but she can say "Santa" and knows that Santa says "ho ho". She was obsessed with the baby Jesus at the Convent as well.

Addi also made Michelle's day the other night by calling for her in the night. She did it again this morning but Michelle wasn't here. So cute!

Here are a couple of pictures from this morning.

We had to block off the tree and presents. Before we put up the gate, Addi climbed the presents to get to one on top with a white bow!

Playing with a Christmas present she got in NC. Don't you love the owl shirt/dress! Vintage, I think - I picked it up at a consignment sale and adore it. It has a label but I can't find anything about it to get more like it.

Trying to get on Sitti's computer

Pictures - Pictures - Pictures

Scott had a nasty stomach bug late Saturday night and all day Sunday so Addi and I just hung out and played. She was an angel all weekend and we had a blast!

Sitting quietly reading her books. She did this a lot on Sunday.

After removing the books 1 by 1 and then reading each one she carried the basket around. She just wants to work out her mind and body.

Her new hat

This is her "I know I'm not suppose to touch the tree but I really, really want too" I guess mommy should have been redirecting her instead of taking a picture :) Another gate went up after this picture so she no longer has access to the tree - removing the temptation.

Just sitting and watching

"Dylan, why are you sleeping? Play with me, okay?"

Rolling on the floor laughing.

"Hmmm...how do I get over this gate?"

Appetite for destruction

ADDED LATER: Santa visit

The Terrible 1.5s

So Addison has started her stage of being possessed by a crazy monster independence and getting upset over well everything she can't control early - the so called Terrible 2s have begun! We are encouraging her to use her words/signs and are ignoring (trying too - this is really hard) the whining, screaming, and tantrums (fortunately those aren't too crazy yet). Our goal is to be consistent and show her that we are there for her but that she can't get everything she wants and that we are in charge (haha - she doesn't seem to think so :)). We only want to use time-outs for harmful behavior and her getting use to them will take a while, I think. We tell her to stop/no when needed and redirect often explaining why we are redirecting. It is really hard and frustrating because she knows so many words and signs but she gets upset/mad and doesn't want to use them. So we will see. We have many months of this to come so hopefully Scott and I will come out on top :)

We got Addison her own little tree. It helps us to redirect her from the big tree, which she has almost pulled onto her a couple of times. The big tree no longer has ornaments on the bottom...the less to entice her with the better. We put candy canes and toys on her tree. She likes taking them off and putting them back on.

Addison helped me make brownies the other day...her job was to clean off the spatula.

Dylan of course just sits there looking at Addison as if something has possessed her and as if to say "Ummm...I can't talk as well as you can and you don't see me acting like this" and "Seriously, can't I get any sleep around here" and "where are the cheerios?"

She is enjoying the tree as well...or at least sleeping beside it. Now if only we could train the munchkin to curl up beside the tree and sleep.

Visit to SC for Thanksgiving

We were able to spend a week in SC over Thanksgiving, which was a lot of fun! We were able to spend time with family and friends. Good food. Good times.

Here are some pictures of the week.

Addison and Elise playing with Granddaddy

Thanksgiving day

A visit to the calves at the farm

A visit to the week old chickens- Scott said she really enjoyed running around with them.

Elise and Addi calling for Dylan and Molly out the window.

Scott and I made a chocolate pecan walnut pie - it was yummy!

Our little chef.

Throwing the leaves at Grandpa and Sitti's house.

This picture was taken right before the cow licked Addison. She thought it was funny.

Running around the yard.

Addison's first Clemson tailgate

Well...it was a combo FSU-Clemson tailgate, but Addison was excited to show off her Clemson gear even if we haven't had the best season.

Our trip to the fair

We've been busy these last several weeks. Here are some pictures from our trip to the North Fl. Fair in early November. We spent most of our time enjoying yummy fair food and visiting (and feeding!) the farm animals.

Her first time feeding the goats

She is already a pro!

The cows wanted nothing to do with her carrots. She didn't like that.

Addison LOVED the goats!

16 Months!

Addison turned 16 months this past Saturday. She has a couple of new words ("cookie" and "gone" - as in "all gone"-) that she has been using often. Usually, she points to the cabinet and says "cookie" when she wants a snack. We've found that "cookie" means any snack from the pantry - cereal, crackers (although sometimes she will say cracker), cookies, and so on. We are excited that she is constantly learning more words and signs to communicate with us.

She can now complete her wooden puzzles (animals and shapes) by herself without as much frustration when she can't get the piece to fit just right. She has been doing this for a while now and watching her progression is fascinating. She started out chewing on the pieces. Then pointing to the pictures and getting excited over the animal pieces. Then placing pieces on any hole. Then correctly placing the pieces on the holes. Finally, she correctly fits the pieces in their holes. She has a letters and numbers one, so I need to pull those out for her to play with.

She still loves to read and constantly signs and talks to her books. She follows more instructions (when she wants -ha ha!). She loves giving hugs and kisses when asked, and she will also give them when we tell her, "I love you" - it melts my heart each time! She also still loves stacking cups (and nesting bowls and dishes), putting things on her head (like bowls), and her new favorite is to turn the bowl over and sit on it. Why buy toys when you can get metal mixing bowls! Bath time is much better, although getting water in her face is still upsetting. However, she usually gets over it quickly.

It's been a couple of cold mornings.

Fire chief on the run!

Showing off the hat from the fire chief last weekend!

Smiling for the camera

Realizing a cup doesn't fit - it is hidden under the yellow cup. She has a really cute look when she is thinking or contemplating something. 

She found the orange cup and is re-stacking them

Almost finished with these cups!