Spring Fun!

 Easter Fun at Grandma's House...

 Canaan was on Grandma's lap first and Aria had to join!

 Aria was too interested in the Easter Bunny to pose for a picture!

 The Necedah Egg Hunt 2012

 Aria and Momma on Easter Morning...

 Aria lets me hold Canaan now, only if she can sit too!

 Egg hunt at Grandpa and Grandma's house...It was cold, cold, cold.

 We celebrated Grandma's birthday in March...

 Aria figured out how to pull the cute bows out of her hair...

 Snuggled up in her recliner...

 Hanging out...

Aria and Daddy before church...

This is the bow from my bridesmaid dress for Alicia's wedding.  Aria is putting it to good use.

Aria all ready to go...

How One-derful!

Dear Aria,  Today is your first birthday...how can it be?  It has been 365 amazing days since you were brought into this world.  You have changed our lives, in so many ways.  

These past months your personality has just overwhelmed us.  You must be the center of attention in any group.  Whether it’s just at home or in a crowded store.  You will wave and smile at anyone if it means you’ll get a smile back.  New Year's Eve eve,  you took your first steps.  Not long after that, you started walking around. And now?  At times you almost run, especially if you have something in your mouth that we are trying to get or the TV remote in your hand.  You giggle when you try to get away and have such a sassy look in your eyes! Everyone comments on how you look so much like your daddy.  You have figured out how to get on and off of your pink chair, the ottoman, and the couch.  You love music, your favorite song at this moment in time is, "Sexy and I know it". When you hear it, you start bouncing up and down and moving your arms. 

You are so in love with your talking puppy Violet and your pink and purple polka dot blanket.   As for food, you love pizza, green beans, bread, and yogurt.  You are very willing to try new foods.  You spend your week days with some of your favorite people.  Mondays you are with your daddy.  He always sends me pictures of all the rough housing and playing you do.  On Tuesday you are with grams, and I get many more pictures throughout the day.   You enjoy her holding you during your naps, reading so many books, and getting dressed up in all your cute outfits.  The rest of the week you are at Daycare with Ellen.  You love her so and you have so much fun with your little friends.  At daycare is the first time that I have been referred to as Aria's mom.

When I was pregnant,   we thought we knew what it would be like to be parents.  We thought we knew what it meant to love.  Then, you arrived and taught us that we knew so very little. You taught us that once you have a child, you are more vulnerable than you ever dreamed possible. We thought the worrying would be over when you came out and we heard your first cry, but that was just the beginning...  You showed us that watching you sleep was the most important thing that we could do on any given day. Loving you has shown us that we can’t control everything….  You bring so much joy into our lives.  You are so precious and so loved.  We cannot wait to see what happens in the next 366 days.

Love Always,

Mom & Dad

11 months and counting!

    Aria had a big month, her cousin Canaan was born and on New Year's Eve she started walking!  Jerrod and I both cried when she took her first steps and we managed to get it on video too!  I have mixed emotions as we get closer to Aria's first birthday.  So happy she is growing up and getting more independent....but that means she is no longer my little baby:(  Jerrod told me not to worry, because she is my daughter, she will always be a baby!

 

These are Aria's first steps!

 Nothing cuter than watching Aria do the naked walk to the tub!

 Jerrod and Canaan!

Having fun at Uncle Marker's birthday dinner!

 Aria is very curious about her new little cousin...

 Please pick me up!

 Aria loves her new rider!

 Trey feeding Aria yogurt. 

 So happy to be home!

Still such a babydoll...

 New Year's Eve, quite the little diva in her leopard outfit.

10 Months

    December flew by and here we are about to ring in a new year.  I can't help but think back to last year at this time, when we were just waiting for our little miracle to arrive.  Pretty soon we will welcome another precious little one when Cristina and Mark have their baby.  Cristina is due January 15th, but we are hoping for an early arrival! 

Marissa and Aria playing away with refrigerator magnets, who would have known they would make the best toys?

Aria found the steps...

One of her favorite things to do is to race around the ottoman.  She has taken about four steps, but then reverts back to crawling.

In this picture, Aria is holding an ornament I made in Third Grade.  It is still mostly intact, just missing the googly eyes after this photo shoot!

Can I be done yet mom?

The princess towel....

Check out Aria's new hat from her Auntie Heather...

Aria became a cheesehead...

Racing around with Daddy.  I think the hat kind of looks like a helmet in this picture.

Aria and Grams in their Santa hats...they are always up to something when they are together!

Aria and Uncle Marker wrestling on Christmas Eve....

Guess who won?

Aria waiting patiently for Santa with Grandpa...

Aria clapping for Santa....

And then crying, when she got into his arms....

Christmas morning breakfast...

 Aria matches perfectly in her new pink chair!

All the presents....