Bristol is 1!

We had a wonderful first birthday celebration for Bristol. My mom flew us up to HR to spend a long Mother's Day weekend with the whole family. It was awesome! Bristol is way too spoiled, but what do you expect when your the first grand baby and first great-grand baby! It was great seeing everyone and spending time together. Tom and Tracy made the trek up to HR as well to celebrate in the festivities. My grandfather Kelly and Harriett hosted the party and it turned out perfect. Sam said I should be on the TLC show 'Outrageous Kid Parties' with the way this one turned out. I think he was not anticipating how big of a celebration we were making out of this little girls first birthday. She only turns 1, once, right?!?!

05/08/11

Dear Bristol,
   You turned one today! How did this year go by so fast? I have the most vivid memory of the day you were born. I remember holding you for the very first time. You were so little and so very precious. I remember your daddy getting the chance to hold you for his first time. These moments are so special to us. You are so loved by everyone around you and so lucky to have the amazing family you were born to. Your grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and great-aunts and uncles care for you so much. You have been a blessing in all of our lives.
    We are so excited to celebrate this day with you. You are one year old and it is a big moment in your life. You have changed a lot this past month. You still aren't walking, but you are sure trying!

Weight: 19.3                        Height: 32.5in      

•  This month your head did not grow. We are a little concerned, but your doctor said it is okay because you are obviously having no neuro issues. She wants to check it again in a month.
• You love shooting hoops with daddy- Nana bought you your first basketball hoop and you love dunking the ball when daddy lifts you up- You look to mom for a cheer and then you cheer!
• You still love the bath- we need to get you into swimming lessons soon!
• You still hold tight to your rag and bink- they are your comfort zone.
• You are learning to like the foods we eat- it is taking some getting used to, but you are getting there. 
• When you don't want something, you stick your hand out too it. I love that you can now communicate some things to us.
• You are learning Spanish and getting it- Ms. Monica, your teacher, speaks Spanish to you and she says you understand the commands better then when they are in English. Our little bilingua!
• You are still a Mommas girl. And I love it!!
• You have been trying to walk for a month now, still no success. You have taken 1.5 steps on your own, but then you fall. You act to silly when we are practicing and the giggling makes you tumble.
• You are getting your taste of being a little sibling in school- the other kids like to pick on you because you just sit there and take it. You don't fight back at all. 
• You are still the most easy going, happy baby. People tell us ALL the time how you never get upset and cry and how you are just so happy. I guess they don't see you when we leave you with someone else to care for you. You definitely are going through the separation anxiety thing. I guess it was unavoidable!
• You love your books- any book! I love that- you are going to be so studious!!
• Your personality is really starting to show. These are the characteristics we think you have thus far:
• A little more on the shy/timid side- that's more of your father in you.
• Quiet and reserve
• Very sweet
• Giggly and happy
• Independent
• Assertive
• You are saying a few words now:
• Momma
• Dada
• Duck, Duck
• Ahh-da (All done) You can do this sign too!
• Bah (Ball)

    We love you so very much. You are such an amazing daughter and we are so grateful you are in our lives. A whole year has gone by and it feels like a day. Watching you grow and learn is the most rewarding feeling ever. You are a smart little girl and love to learn. I can't wait for the next year and being able to see you grow. I love being your mommy!!


Love always and forever,


Mommy

Bristol is 11 months

                                                                                                                                 April 8, 2011

Dear Bristol,

            You are 11 months!! Oh my! You are growing into little toddler so fast. You are everywhere in the house, crawling like crazy and jabbering as much as you can possibly get out. You are so sweet with your kisses and hugs and we love you so much.

          
This month:

                        Weight: 19lbs 13oz          Height: 31in

·      You are so socialable when it comes to playing. You are really good at playing side by side with other little ones.
    You love meeting new friends. It is fun so see you interact and jabber with other little kids. 
    You love balls! As you can see in your pictures they make you giggle. You are so good at throwing them, I think it is natural.
    You still love your stuffed animals. It is so cute to see you around them because you hug them so tight and giggle.
    You are still very attached to your rag and bink. You love having them everywhere you go. It is nice to have something that comforts you besides your momma!
    You are starting to say words that associate with the actual object. You still say duck duck for bath, which is all my fault because I always say do you want you duck duck when you go to the bath. But, you are saying dada for dad and momma for mom. You try to say ball, but it's not quite there.
    You love following us around the house. You are very fast at crawling.
    Your first sentence is "Who's that?" and that is because I would take you around to the pictures in the house and ask you that question. It's pretty cute. Sometimes that is the very first thing you say when you wake up. I love it! And, so does everyone else.
    You are very attached to your momma. It makes it hard when you won't even go to daddy.

·      You are learning to use a spoon all by yourself. It’s quite messy when you do so.

·      You are a very picky eater. I wish it wasn’t true, but you will refuse food and just want to snack.

·      You snack a lot! And that is all you like to do.

·      You are loosing all your baby chunk. It makes me sad.

Bristol, we love you so much. I cannot believe in a month you will be 1 already. It is crazy how fast you are growing and how big you are getting. We love you so much and are so grateful for you in our lives.

Love always and forever,

Mommy

10 months.. really?!

I always say this, but honestly 2 more months and I will have a 1 year old. I'm in the midst of party planning and it is just too hard to believe. Bristol is really starting to act so much older, like a little person! It's crazy how that just happens.

Weight: 20lbs        Height:30in

March 8, 2011

Dear Bristol,

What a fun month this has been. So much has happened and you are really starting to become a little girl. You are slipping out of that baby stage so fast and I'm holding on so tight. It's hard to just let it happen, but I guess I don't have a choice. I feel that you are changing and growing so fast. It's just too fast. 

This month you have had so much happen:

• Your great grandma Flory sent you a Valentine's bear and you are inseparable with it. It is so cute, it just makes you feel so much better. You giggle whenever you spot Mr. Bear and then when you grab him you hug him and giggle so hard. I love that!
• You are starting to reach to us so we will either take you from the other or pick you up. That is fun to see.
• You had your first sucker this month. You loved it. You kept taking it out of your mouth and grabbing it then sticking it back in. It was so sweet for you that you were a little overwhelmed. Needless to say it was a huge mess. 
• You are now wanting to only feed yourself. You shake your head when you are done or don't want that food. You are becoming a picky eater.
• You are going through that separation anxiety thing. We were dreading this and hoping you wouldn't, but it's here. I can't even go to my class at the gym without them coming to get me. I hope it goes by soon. I do love that you miss me, but I want you to have fun with other people. 
• You love watching Finding Nemo. I think it is all the colors that are in the film.
• This month you had RSV. It wasn't a horrible case of it but you were still sick for 3 weeks. Then after that you caught a stomach virus that I had which made it go for another week. Poor thing!
• You are starting to show you personality so much now. It is fun to see how giggly and cheerful you are. You are the BEST baby!

Bristol, we love you so much. Your first birthday is right around the corner and I cannot believe it. Where have these 10 months gone? It just goes way too fast. You are turning into a little girl and it is so fun to see this happen. We love you always.

Love,

Mommy

Bristol is 9 Months

February 8, 2011

Dear Bristol,

            You just turned 9 months. You are changing at such an accelerated rate now it’s hard to keep up with you. I can’t believe my baby girl is doing so much now. It is amazing to see how fast you have progressed to this point. I love how you have come into your personality and really started to show who you are.

            You are still our sweet girl, who loves to play and be loved. I love the cuddle time we get together. Daddy loves it too. I hope you stay this way forever! Here are your changes this month:

Weight: 19 lbs 3 oz    Height: 29 in

• You are crawling everywhere and getting into everything. You love the crawling up to the TV stand and walking around it.
• You are pointing, clapping and dancing all the time. When ever you want something or someone you point to them. You love dancing to the music.
• You are now saying dada, momma, and duck duck. Finially you said momma. I’ve been waiting for this time! Duck duck is the duck you play with in the bath. You love that duck and you get excited for your baths because of it.
• We went to California this month and you played on the beach for the first time. You loved the sand and of course you wanted to eat it. I didn’t let you.
• You love paper- you rip it to pieces and can play with it for hours.
• You are such a good eater- growing fast and getting big.
• You have such a sweet personality. You know how to get your way with us, already at such a young age.
• You have loved going to the gym daycare. You have fun playing with the other kids.
• You love boys. You get really shy around them at first, but then you start to play and have so much fun.
• You have started to play and interact with other kids. It is fun to see you like this.
• You love pointing at our pictures and giggling. It is so cute that you recognize us.
• You love the mirror and being able to see yourself. I think you now recognize yourself. 
• You still have a small head, 17th percentile. We still love you though!
• You had your very first haircut! I turned out so cut and you hair is getting so thick.

Bristol, we love you so much. You are a wonderful little girl and a blessing in our lives. Your mommy and daddy love you so much and are so grateful for you. We love watching you grow and are excited for the future.

Love always,

Mommy

Bristol is 8 Months

01/08/11

Dear Bristol,

    You turned 8 months today and we couldn't be more ecstatic. We love you so much and are loving this time with you. You make us smile every time we look at you. Your personality is showing through now and it's so fun to see. This month brought so many changes-

Weight- 19.1 lbs    Height- 28 in

• Your 7th tooth came in on December 23rd. You have been teething a lot lately.
• You are scooting around so much now.
• You took 2 1/2 crawls on this month and are so close to crawling away.
• You broke your first item in our house- a lamp- that was the same day you crawled for the first time!
• You are so cudly this month- We are eating it up!
• You make this shy face when we catch you doing something- It's so stinking cute- You put your hand up to your mouth like you are trying to hide something!
• You had your very first Christmas- You loved the wrapping paper and bows, of course!
• You are so close to pulling yourself up to stand.
• You are rolling around everywhere- this is your preferred mode of transportation.
• You are clapping your hands now and get excited when you do so. 
• You love playing patty-cake with mommy.
• You love to sing songs and clap your hands.
• You are now in a toddler car seat- no more infant carrier for you- your legs were hanging off.
• You are a great sleeper and eater- you love all the new foods you are getting to eat.
• You give great slobbery kisses- I love them!
• You are starting to dance with the beat- It's amazing that babies just innately know how to dance.
• You are not shy with anyone- we can hand you off and you love to get to know new people.
• You still jump with loud noises- sometimes you cry. 

Bristol, you are changing so much as each day passes. You are growing up way too fast, but this is by far the most fun we have had with you. You love to interact with us and be in on all of our doings. I love that you are so in tune with us and your surroundings. This month has brought so much joy to our lives, especially spending your first Christmas together. You are such a sweet girl and we love you so much. 

Love always,
Mommy

{Thanks Nanna for the Ducks outfit- too bad they lost}

7 months, already!

12/08/10
Dear Bristol-
You turned 7 months old on the 8th of December. It's hard to believe that our little girl has grown up so fast. I feel like, and I always say this, it's just zipping by and she will soon be a teenager! okay that's a little dramatic! She has changed so much this last month that it seems like she is so much older then she really is. Here is how you have changed this month:

Weight- 19.1lbs; Height- 27in

2 new teeth on Saturday November 13, 2010. Daddy saw them first- We knew they were coming- your middle incisors

You grind your teeth now that you have top and bottoms.

Top 2 lateral incisors- 1 week after your middle incisors came in you got these two- Saturday November 20, 2010- poor thing. You have 6 teeth now!

You love to rock while you are sitting on your bottom- we think you are about to crawl..

You jabber all the time- I’m sure you are about to say your first word.

You have so much personality already. It’s so fun to see you interact with the world around you.

You love to be held, even at this age you are so cuddly!- this makes me so happy

You are good at entertaining yourself. You can sit on the floor with a few toys for hours and be content. We love this!

You love controllers and our cell phones- I think it is because the lights on it turn on when you push a button. We can’t get them away from you!

You are eating close to 3 meals a day now. You still prefer breast milk, but you are getting better at eating ‘food.’

You love bath time- Now that you can sit up you are able to grab the ducks and play in the water.

You also love to drink water- We give you a sippy and you are a pro.

Bris- Your daddy and I love you so much. You are such a joy in our live and we are so blessed to have you with us. I can't wait to watch you grow and change through the next month and years to come.

With all my love,

Mommy

Bristol is 6 Months!

I can hardly believe my little girl has turned 6 months on the 8th. It just seems like time is going by way too fast and that she is growing and changing so much. I love seeing her grown and learn new things. This stage has been so fun and I am excited to see what is next. I just adore this girl and love her so much, she is so fun!

November 8, 2010
My Dear Sweet Bristol,

You are 6 months today. How does that happen so fast? I just can’t believe my little baby girl is growing up so fast. I am taking it to heart that you will be 18 before I know it because it is so true! I feel like I was just in the hospital holding you for the very first time, and yet you are now a half of a year old. I adore you so much and just can’t get enough of you. Here is what you have done this month:
•You weight 17.4 pounds and are 27inches tall. You are in the 90-95% for weight and 95-100% for height.

•On Saturday October 16th you sat up for the very first time. It was about 5 days after we had family pictures and we were trying to get you to sit up by yourself and you just couldn’t do it then. But, now you can and it is so fun to just let you sit up and play. You love it!

•You love your stuffed animals. It is so stinking cute when we had you one, especially your doggy, and you get so excited and coo and giggle and put him straight up to your mouth and nose.

•You are always feeling your teeth, now that you have 2, with your tongue. You will sit there and roll your tongue over your teeth.

•You are so good at rolling over now. When we put you to bed you love to roll over on your tummy and sleep that way. It is so nice because you sleep longer.

•You had your first teething episode on October 23rd. It was really hard on me because there was nothing I could do. I had daddy run to the store to get you teething tablets to make it feel better. You cried for about an hour and a half before we had those to give you, then you fell asleep. Poor baby!

•You no longer suck your thumb. I really cannot believe it. Your doctor said it would happen by 12 months and I didn’t believe her. But, she was right and you are over that stage.

•You love being in your crib. I think it’s because you have your own space and you can roll over and sprawl out. It is fun to see you do this!

•You love reading books. We have been reading to you everyday and you can’t get enough. You love to touch the books and turn the pages. It is fun to see you enjoy them.

•I bought you a crinkle book and it has become your favorite toy. You like to crinkle in up so that it makes noise, put it in your mouth, because that’s what you do with everything, and look at the animals.

•You love plastic bags. They would be your favorite toy if I let you play with them. This is why I bought the crinkle book.

•You are still my cuddly little girl and I eat up every moment I get with you.

Bristol, this first 6 months have been amazing. I love you so much and you are such a blessing in our lives. We are so blessed to have such a healthy baby. You have really brought a new perspective to this life and we are so grateful for that and for you. You have grown up so fast and you are changing so fast. You are such a beautiful little girl and you capture everyone’s attention.

We love you with all we have.

Love always and forever,
Mommy

Bristol is 5 Months!

October 8, 2010
Dear Bristol:
You turned 5 months today. You are almost a ½ year old. I can’t hardly believe it. You are growing and changing so much. This last month you have changed and progressed more than any other month. It’s so crazy to see these milestones happen. I kept hearing about them and wondering when they would actually occur, and now they have. You are so beautiful and so sweet. You are still such a wonderful baby. I feel like this time is going by so fast and I’m just trying to soak it all in. I still love each moment we get together. Your daddy loves his time with you too.
You are a blessing in our lives. You have brought so much joy to us and we cherish each day we get with you. You are going to be such a wonderful person. I love that I can already get a sense of your personality. You are so sweet and tender-hearted.
Here is what you have done this last month:
• You weigh 17.2 lbs and are 26 ¾ inches long. You are getting so BIG.
• You got your first tooth on Wednesday 22, 2010. Grandma Flory was here visiting with Aunt Katie and she noticed something white in your mouth. She put her finger in there and felt your first tooth! You are just so little, only 4.5 months old and you have your first tooth! Your second one came in on Friday September 24, 2010. You never even made a peep. You have been drooling non-stop for the past 2 months, but we just thought you were too young to be getting your first tooth. We were wrong.
• You rolled over, tummy to back, on Wednesday Sept. 25, 2010. I was just so excited to see you do this. Right after you did it you feel asleep on the floor in the hall. It was so cute, I think that wore you out. You have been doing it ever since, but only when you want to. We try to get you to do it more often, but you are having nothing of it.
• You sucked out of a straw on Friday Sept, 27, 2010. You have loved playing with my water bottle and the straw by putting it in your mouth but you have never sucked. That day you did. It was crazy! My friend Kim said that her son, Cooper, said he didn’t do that until he was over 1 year old. Now you have your own cup with a straw and can’t get enough of it!
• You are sleeping in your own room. You did this when we moved into our home. Your first night was Wednesday October 6, 2010. Daddy insisted that we put you in your own room and I complied, but only if he would get up in the middle of the night to get you when you cried and were hungry. Daddy said he would, but he thought you would sleep so much better. Well, daddy was right; you slept till 7 am the first and have been sleeping till 6-7 every morning. I can’t believe it. You are already so independent at this young age.
• You still LOVE your thumb. We always sneak in on you when you are asleep and you have your thumb in your mouth. I think it has 2 purposes- I know it helped you when you were teething because you weren’t sucking on it, you were biting it. You still do this sometimes. This is another reason why you are sleeping through the night. You have something to comfort you and help you fall asleep. At your 4-month check-up, your doctor said that you will get rid of this habit before you are 12 months. I don’t know what plan she has, but it must be good!
• You love to reach up and touch our faces. I think it is so cute. This might be a way you are figuring out the world around you.
• You get a big smile on your face when I sing to you. You have been learning the Old MacDonald song and Itsy Bitsy Spider. It will be fun when you can sing-a-long.
• Your daddy is officially teaching you Spanish, YAY! Mommy is so happy about this. I have been trying to convince him since before you were born and he wasn’t having any of it. Finally, after talking to someone who actually has done it, he was convinced! You are one lucky girl!
• You got sick for the first time this month. It started out as a cough and then progressed to congestion. We felt so bad for you because it was hard for you to breathe. You were a trooper though and still slept so well. Eucalyptus works so well for you at night!
Bristol, you are just growing up too fast. You are so perfect and still such an amazing baby. Everyone comments on how good you are and how they can’t believe that you are just so calm and relaxed. We love spending every second with you and love this time we get with you. This last month you have changed so much. You are progressing so fast, it’s hard to keep up. I still love the moments I get to cuddle with you in my arms, cherishing every second I get. I love that you cuddle with me and let me rock you to sleep at night. This is something I will always hold dear to my heart. You are so much fun and we can’t wait to see what you will do next month.

Love always and forever,
Mommy

Look at this happy, content girl after her vaccinations.