Crawling

Whitney learned how to crawl while we were gone!!!! She took her first crawling "steps" on Dec 22. She has started out pretty slow, just taking a few steps at a time and only going a few feet. She is unsure of her newfound freedom. She is getting less robotic about her movements, and just yesterday she is starting to figure out that she can go where ever and when ever she wants. Last night I was picking up and put her books away in a basket and she had to crawl over to get the books back out. It is a relief that she has finally learned to crawl. You could tell that she wanted to go, and she would get so mad, but her brain just didn't know how to tell her to go. Well, it all finally clicked, and she will just get faster and faster every day. I still haven't figured out if crawling is something they learn through teaching, or something they just get on their own. I spent over a month enticing her with toys, moving her arms, giving her little pushes, crawling around on the floor for her to see- she really liked it when I did that! Maybe it was watching her cousin Brynna go? I don't know what did it, but she is going! Our baby girl is getting so big!

Christmas Vacation

Oh..... Christmas vacation with babies!! Christmas was a lot more interesting this year, for both sides of the family. We started out on Friday Dec 18th and went to Wade's sisters. The Christmas celebrations started with Wade's Mom, her husband Roger and Grandma Audrey. Grandma Audrey got all the kids a Wii, so we all (especially the boys) had fun playing Wii all week. By the time we got to my sisters Wade was playing it in is sleep! We did a white elephant gift exchange this year and Wade's last minute throw together gift ended up being a hit, which included fire works. Yes, fire works for Christmas! Sunday evening Wade's Dad came down to celebrate with us. We were worried about the weather but still made it to Davenport just fine on Wednesday to head to my sister's. Wade of course had to set up the Wii there and continue to play and play and play. Like I said, he was playing it in his sleep! Wade got up and I thought he was on his way to the bathroom, but then he started bowling by the side of the bed. My parents came to Davenport and my mom's sister's family came sunday for a Christmas dinner. We had lots of family time, and it's nice that we are able to see everyone when we travel. A little overwhelming at times, but overall nice. Wilson and Michelle were even able to see Whitney for the first time and we got to see their new house too! We also ended up getting a little more than gifts this year. Whitney picked up a bad cold from her cousins, not easy keeping chew toys away from babies. It was funny watching the babies take toys away from each other. And I got the flu from my sister's house. I almost died. Really. Okay, not really, but I swear I was close to dying from hypothermia at one point during the night I had the chills so bad. I spent Christmas recooperating on the floor or couch or bath tub. Any place that I could lay down! Thanks everyone for hosting us and Happy Holidays!

Grant loves his baby cousin!

Girl talk?!?!

Brynna, Grant, Whitney and Owen

The babies taking a bath together was HILARIOUS!! Whitney was all excited and screeching and splashing, Brynna was all over the place like the wild animal that she is, and Owen was in the middle crying to get out! I don't blame him!

I think Brynna and Whitney will be two little trouble makers together! Watch out Owen, they may gang up on you!

Let me at her, let go mom!

My big Chistmas present, Whitney- not the box!

My cousin Emma and Whitney

Callie, Alaina and Whitney

Brigade Ball

Pajama party after the ball.

Last night was the Brigade Ball, and it was a huge ball. Like a thousand people huge. My first reaction to the ball was that I didn't want to go. I didn't want to leave Whitney. Wade wouldn't take no for an answer, and deep down I knew I had to go. For myself, Whitney, and to regain that feeling of being husband and wife, not just a mother. We asked Wade's cousin Jody to watch her and it was really nice to be able to have family watch her. I surprised Wade and myself by not checking in during the night. I enjoyed the evening and had a great time talking to adults about things other than Whitney. I even momentarily forgot about Whitney, which tells you that I really did have a good night. It did feel a little strange to not have her to worry about the entire evening and that she wasn't in the back seat for the ride home. We got home around 11 to a happy Whitney playing on the floor with her sillytown, so I was happy too! She did sleep three hours for Jody, but wouldn't go back down, but that was okay because it was nice to see her when we got home. I'm glad I went and it felt good to be out without her. I can't believe I just said that!
Good thing for holding on to old dresses. Last time I wore that dress was in 2001 to an ROTC Ball in college.

Ginormous Tree

tree last night


And tree today

The last couple of weekends we didn't get around to getting a Christmas tree, which was fine because we are leaving for Iowa for Christmas next friday and we wouldn't get much enjoyment out of it anyway, and I still put up holiday decorations so it at least felt Christmasy at home.
On post they give away free trees to Soldiers, so Wade surprised us last night with a tree. It is freakin' huge. We couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculously enormous it is! And then as the branches fell it just kept getting bigger and bigger! Wade said the way he picked it out was to grab the tallest one there, and they are all bundled so you can't tell the width. Well, it's six feet across at the bottom and at least eight feet tall. Way too freakin' big for our living room! Decorated pictures to come.

Christmas Photos

Christmas Party

Our FRG had their Christmas Party last night. I baked 7 dozen chocolate star cookies yesterday. I remembered why I don't like baking, I hate the time it takes to make little cookie balls! I put Whitney in her high chair and pulled her into the middle of the kitchen and thank goodness she sat there and played for like 35mins. I don't know how many songs I sang to her! The Christmas party had a great turnout and someone even dressed up in a Santa suit. I feel better about leaving Whitney next weekend so Wade and I can go to the Brigade Ball. Whitney's stand in Grandma (one of the lieutenant's mom) watched her so I could eat, and she did great, as long as she couldn't see me.

7 Months

Today Whitney is 7 months old. She is getting more of an attitude and personality every day. My mom thinks it is pretty funny and I am getting a little taste of my own medicine. Oh well, what goes around comes around I guess! Whitney is still working on crawling, and it has become a major frustration for both of us. I hope she figures it out soon. And please, no comments on how once they get mobile it get harder. I personally think it gets easier, I always thought that when I watched Alaina that the more she could do herself the easier it got. I noticed this morning that one of Whitney's top teeth is poking through. I didn't actually just notice, she seems to get a little cranky and clingy so I knew something was up so I layed her down and pried her mouth open to check, and sure enough there was a tooth there coming through. She really enjoys eating finger foods and anything else that is small enough for me to put in there. Yesterday we had banana and this morning she had some cinnamon toast. Getting her to eat baby food now has become more of a challenge and she refuses to eat unless she gets to hang on to her own spoon too. Whatever gets her to eat! She is getting bored with me by the end of the day and she is really happy when Wade gets home at night. She cried for the first time when Wade left the room last night and kept looking at door he left through. She still loves bath time and now makes a huge wet mess from splashing so much. She really is becoming a hyperactive little ADD baby, it will be interesting to see what her personality is like as she gets older. We went to Bass Pro on sunday and all these other babies her size/age were just sitting in their stroller or sucking contently on their pacifier. Not our baby, she was trying to climb out of the cart or twist out of our arms. My little stinker is up from her nap, gotta go......