Today.

Today she turned one. I don't know where the time went. I'm not necessarily saying it flew by. Perhaps it went just the right pace. But at the same time it makes me sad. I think what makes me sad is that if she is one, then next year she will be two, and in 9 years she will be 10, and you get the point. I am trying to savor every moment and enjoy her sweetness and newness. Everyday seems new. A new sound, trick, or moment of loveliness. It never gets old.

It's a good thing it doesn't get old, because it is my FULL time job. She is basically my boss. I stay home with Miss Stella and though I have searched high and low the past 6 months for a job, it seems fate has decided that her and I are meant to be together full time for a bit longer. And I am okay with this. Because, again, it doesn't get old. It does get tiring, grueling and frustrating at times, but never old.  But its the good kind of tiring, grueling and frustrating. You know, the kind that makes you realize that you yourself are growing and learning and becoming a better, less selfish version of your old selfish self.  I like the person my boss is helping me become.

Today the Hubster took the day off and we started the morning with waking up Stella to open her birthday presents. A brand new Radio Flyer Wagon! She really liked it.

All three of us were outside this morning at 7:30am trying it out.

We then ate some yummy homemade blueberry pancakes. Miss Stella took a good morning nap while the Hubster and I did some yard work and party prepping for Stella's birthday party Sunday. When she woke, we went to the Indy Zoo. She loved it. Even cooler is that she got to see the new playground at the zoo that the Hubster's company designed and built. She loved it.

Today's weather was unseasonably cooler. I think the high got up to 74. But it was perfect. This afternoon we took Stella and the dogs on a walk through our neighbor, her in her new wagon, Lucy and Linus actually behaving on the leashes and I turned to the Hubster and told him it was my third most favorite day ever. (One, the day our daughter was born. Two, the day I married the hubster. Three, seeing it all come full circle (for now).) Today was a good day.

An update on our one year old since I seem to only post quarterly:
Stella took her first steps at 10 months and was a full time walker by 11 months. She is drinking whole milk and eats great. Haven't found a food she doesn't like. Still sleeps a solid 11 hours at night, with two naps during the day that last about 2 hours each.  Has 6 teeth with another 2-4 coming in (she won't show us). She says mama, dada, nana, ball, and doggie. She also gives kisses and hugs, with a pat on the back while she squeezes (can you say heart melting?).

Her party Sunday is themed The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We have had a lot of time to work on it and make crafts for it so I am hoping it is a hit but doesn't come off as over the top. We're going for just right. I promise to share pictures from the party. I worked too hard on it not to show it off !

Other exciting happenings:
This past week my nephew was born. Owen Hathaway Schackow weighed in at 10 lbs 2 oz and 22 inches long. My sister is a champ and delivered him in three pushes. And my brother-in-law provided great support throughout the process. My 6 year old niece and 3 year old nephew are awesome with Owen and love him so much already!

(Warning: Self bragging) I have really gotten into eating healthier and working out. Yoga, kickboxing and weightlifting are a part of my rotation. And I am proud to say that I have lost 70 lbs since giving birth to Stella. Forty-four of that was baby weight but the rest was a couple of  years of yo-yoing and just not having an urgency to be fit. One look at my family now makes me want to be my healthiest self. It feels good to be more in control. I'm not to my goal weight or shape, but I am on my way and that is a vast improvement from where I was two years ago.

The house is for sale again. We need MORE space. Not sure where we will move if/when we sell, but liking the Olio and 104th area. Still Indianapolis area, actually Fishers, better school systems and a bit  further out of the city.

The Hubster's company is moving too. Not sure where either, but I am confident all will fall into place.

That's all for now.

Check back soon for Stella's First Birthday Party pictures

9 months and growing!

I am impressed with myself. I am only three days shy of keeping up with my every three month blog posts! And WOW! All the things that can happen in three months. I am sure I have mentioned how much I love Stella and how much I love being a mom. But these days its on another level. Pretty sure I do not have the ability to articulate how much this girl means to me and how much joy she has brought to the hubster's and I's life..... so instead I just will give you an update and post some pictures.

Stella is into EVERYTHING. She started crawling around 6 1/2 months and hasn't looked back. She currently enjoys pulling herself up on anything and hanging on to furniture and 'walking' from piece to piece as far as she can across the room. The doctor predicts she will be walking way before her 1st birthday in three months. If she would just take a second to slow down and learn how to stand I think she would figure out how to walk without assistance. But instead, I blink and she is all the way in the kitchen dumping the dogs water bowl on herself.

And speaking of the dogs! SHE LOVES HER DOGS. She is nonstop laughing at them all the time. She can not get enough. Sadly they really don't want anything to do with her (kind of don't blame them since she pulls their hair when she gets in reach), which makes it even more funny/sad when she is hysterically laughing at them and they are ignoring her!

Stella is finally thriving in her eating and growing. She is still low percentile for her weight. But with a head size in the 93 percentile we are already saving for Harvard. :) I think she is just going to be petite like her Nana. It also means cute clothes fit her longer, so I am okay with that! She has loved every food we have given her, and likes to be a big girl and feed herself when we let her. Except, I still can't get her to hold her own bottle. Miss Independent when she wants to be.

On Tuesday's and Wednesday's she goes to "school" at Joy's with two other little kids. This allows me to have some non baby time and help out at the hubster's office. It is the perfect break. I am looking for full time work as a school counselor and will hopefully find something by August. Right now, with it being nice outside, and her being more interactive, I am very happy with the schedule we keep as a family.

Speaking of schedule's. Stella is very predictable. She goes to bed majority of nights at 7:30. She sleeps through the night and wakes between 6 and 7. She then naps from 9:30-11:30 and then again from 2:30-4:00. She is a great napper and thrives in structured situations (hmm, wonder where she gets that from). 

She LOVES other kids. When the neighbor boys ride by on their bikes she keeps looking for them to come back by. She wants to talk to everyone when out at the store and loves people watching when we go out to eat. We have been lucky that we can basically take her anywhere.... for now, at least. I predict once she gets this walking thing down, family dinners out will be less frequent.

We started swim lessons a few weeks ago at the local Y. She liked the water. We knew she liked it at 5 months old in Florida. But I wanted to get some classes in before summer hit, and get us both more comfortable with being in the water together.

Up next is her FIRST Birthday party. I have been brainstorming and pinteresting for it for a few months now and have the theme narrowed down. Yes, I said theme. I am fully prepared for family and friends to walk away from Stella's birthday party saying, "Man, Jacque needs to get a job or something."! :)

Below is a funny dog clip where she just laughs at them non stop. And also some 9 month photos we just got done today.  

I've done it again. I've gone another three months. I know this for a fact, only because I have a sweet 6 month old to help me keep track of the weeks and months these days! Stella is growing and changing by the day! Just yesterday she sat up, all on her own, for longer than her past record of 1 minute. The day before her first tooth made an appearance. And this past weekend she tried sweet carrots for the first time and loved them! I like to think she takes after her father and I's appreciation for gourmet food by gobbling up all the yummy veggies we have introduced to her over the past few weeks! She is not picky at all and loves eating them!

A few of her other new loves are.....

Florida- We went for two weeks in January. Just me, the hubster, Stella, and Linus and Lucy. All in the CRV for a LONG road trip. As terrifying as that sounds, it couldn't have gone smoother and we are blessed to have such great baby and doggy travelers!

Stella loved everything about Florida, including the pool, the beach, ice cream and boat rides!

Stella dipping her toes in a pool for the first time, while Linus and Lucy watch!

The Thompson's in the Gulf

Picking out ice cream with dad

First time on a boat!

 Another favorite of Stella's (and who are we kidding, mine too!) is getting her picture professionally taken. Just yesterday we had our family/6 month pictures taken and here are a few of our favorites!

I just fall more in love with my sweet Stella everyday! She has both mom and dad wrapped around her finger (and Nana and Papa and Mimi, too)!

See you in 3 months!

Love, jacque