A few weeks behind, but better late than never, Week 1

In an endeavor to keep me a smidge more accountable (haha) with blogging, I am really, really going to try a new weekly format to hopefully capture all that year 2 has in store for us.  Its funny to say year 2, when Mary Eloise is only 1, but the funnier thing is she has picked up counting.  When you ask her how old she is and say "Are you 1" and hold up 1 finger, she will hold up one finger and reply "two".   It is very cute how sequentially she says it because she drags it out a bit and you expect her to keep counting. 

Her first week of being 1 she is beginning to master walking.  We had a wonderful day the Saturday before her birthday and took smash cake pictures at my friend Darci's house.  Darci is a budding photographer that I have known since she was a little girl, she was one of my campers at Camp Coleman, she went to UNA, and pledged my same sorority (although we weren't there at the same time) and we have stayed great friends.  I kept her little girl off and on when she was a baby and Mary Eloise loves Darci.  I made Mary Eloise's smash cake, not a Wilton masterpiece, but fit to be photographed and destroyed.  ME dove right into the cake like she eats cake everyday and did so well for the camera. 

That same night we had a bit of unfortunate luck with my car.  I was on my way in to work (I was on call that weekend) and my car died on me.  Fortunately a friend came to my rescue and got me to work on time and Mim came over and listened for ME while Jason tried to CPR my Volvo.  Needless to say, she couldn't be saved :( But it didn't rain on our parade because we had a wonderful reason to celebrate our weekend. 

We celebrated Mary Eloise's birthday with a dinner at our home and ME entertained them with her cake eating skills again that night.  The rest of the week she has spent mastering walking and enjoying her new gifts.  We are going to get her a new swing set for the back yard, but have yet to find the right one. Until then, she got her first Barbie doll, her "Bobbie" as she calls it and some other toys.  She also has become very interested in her baby dolls and pictures of herself, calling out to her "Baby".

Instead of my week in photos, I'm going to share a year photo montage.

Introducing Mary Eloise 7#8oz

1 month

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

7 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months

Happy 1st Birthday!

mmmm cake!

And we have lift off!

This has been a busy week full of firsts at the Scoggins house!  I noticed Mary Eloise had not been sleeping as well at the beginning of the week and just blamed it on teething, but took her into the pediatrician and found she had an ear infection :(  Poor gal, you wouldn't have really known it by the way she was hamming it up and showing her tricks to the nurses and Dr. Sester and playing peek-a-boo behind the exam table. She is feeling better now :) 

M.E. is also beginning to get into the school groove and her teachers say she is so sweet!  We were eating dinner at Del Toro ( a super yummy local Mexican restaurant) and a lady walked past our table and said "Is that Mary Eloise?" Startled and puzzled, I replied "Yes" and she went on about how sweet and cute M.E. is at school.  Needless to say, a proud mama moment ensued and then M.E. did her royal princess wave for her fans. 

As we rapidly approach her birthday, she is expanding her vocabulary and will identify some animals and their sounds and really sounds like she is counting.  Mary Eloise is also no longer taking a bottle!  A big feat I was nervous about was a quite seamless transition. She loves drinking from a straw now.  She loves her cups with a straw and will also get yours too!  A new food she loves is Jello.  She will squish it thorough her fingers, eat it with her spoon and hands, and  lick it out of the cup to eat it.  She has also figured out how to eat the Buddy Fruits or the squeeze pouches of food; I'm happy for this accomplishment because she really likes them, but would squeeze the contents all over and laugh when it would squirt out everywhere.

Our biggest and most exciting news is Mary Eloise is walking!  Saturday, she took a long nap with her daddy in the morning, we went to the pool that afternoon and then she came home and crashed.  Once she woke up from her nap, we played in the den and she stood up and walked to me from across the den!  I was super excited!  Then when I was preparing dinner, she walked from the den into the kitchen.  Jason had been out running errands and when he arrived home, she toddled over to the gate to greet him!  What a wonderful Father's Day present. 

For Father's Day, Mary Eloise gave Jason a new fishing tackle box and then a sweet hand print picture she made at school.  I'm pretty jealous of the sweet handprint because I don't have one, but I know she'll make more things at school for us :) I called my Dad to wish him a happy day and M.E. got on the phone and said "Hey" to him. So sweet; she loves to pick up objects and hold them to her ear like a phone (I guess she comes by that one honestly ;)  ) 

What a wonderful week we have had!  And please excuse the mounds of clean laundry in my pictures :/ (super embarrassed)

Drinking from a straw

Walking around the den

Yummy, yummy Jell-O!

Back on the bandwagon

Okay, so I have many excuses as to my 2 month hiatus of blogging. It seemed that for a while, I would sit down and begin to write and it wouldn't fail that ME would wake up and by the time I would return I would realize I was tired and stop and go to bed. So there are a few make up your own adventure for Mary Eloise blogs. I'm really going to try to be better. 

When you last read about the life and times of Mary Eloise, she was almost 10 months old- these past 2 months have been BUSY!  

Mary Eloise is about to walk- busy mommy! She can now stand up and bear crawls around if she is not being walked or pushing her baby stroller or the kitchen chair to walk. She took 5 steps by herself today-- such an exciting and tear jerking moment for me. Each day brings something new and fun. Mary Eloise is using more and more words and also points to what she wants. She can say about 15 or so words- dog, Mama, Dada, and baby are her favorites. She loves to get a picture of herself and hug and kiss it and say "Behbe".  This week she has begun to pick up objects and hold them to her ear and say "hey" and "heyo" (hello).

Fun times at the Zoo! (And quite worn out)

Saying "Hey" to the fish at Bass Pro Shops

Deciding what to have for dinner with Nana J

Visiting with my Great-Grampa Speir

I also have changed my work schedule.  Mary Eloise loved her time with Allison and Vivian, but with a new baby on the way for them we knew the time would come to an end and when we got the opportunity to get ME into a private Christian program, we were excited.  ME goes to Kingwood 3 days a week and is adjusting well.  She really likes her teacher and likes to play with the other children.  I no longer work evenings! I am working days-- I feel myself returning to normal (slowly but surely).  I miss all the time I did spend with ME, but I really do enjoy being home at night and spending the weekend hanging out and having fun, rather than trying to catch up on sleep.

Mmm, Oreos

My first day of School

Mommy's best helper

Fun Saturdays at Pepper Place

 Riding through the misting tent

I can't wait for all the fun that this summer will hold. I am enjoying having fun with my family.  I even squeezed in some fun time this weekend with my BPW friends at a fun summer dinner!  Hope all of you have a wonderful week!

A few weeks later....

So I have let life get in the way again, ahh it is bound to happen from time to time.  We have had a pretty exciting past few weeks!  Lucky #7 tooth has cut through and now we are working on # 8. Oh the joys of teething.  We had a wonderful Easter, in which Mary Eloise went to an Easter egg hunt with her best pal Vivian (www.rollingwiththeroneys.blogspot.com) and got an egg.  She also ate her first chocolate chip cookie and LOVED it!  She met the Easter bunny and studie d him pretty well.  I also bought her first pair of shoes- they are littile pink with white polka-dot Mary Janes.  ME adored them when I tried them on her feet, so they came home with us.  ME can pull up to stand very well now and grabs onto people, she tries the dog, but Millie won't allow that; she pulls up to tables and on her activity table, but her favorite thing is to pull up on and stand behind and push around is a large diaper box. She is too interested in what is on the front of her push behind car and stroller that she won't stand behind them (she also is a bit taller than them and has to lean down to grab the handles).  The diaper box is just right, and I think if she had a little old lady walker with some tennis balls on the bottom, she just may push that around.  We also went to mommy and me Boot Vivian and her mommy, Allison.  We had a fun time and ME was worn out from crawling around chasing me and the other babies and mommy was worn out from the amazing workout (www.mommyandmetime.com.) ME's Aunt Pammy and cousin Julianna also came to visit and we had a fun few days of playing and going to visit our grandparents.  Julianna was showing my grandparents how she can color and ME just cozied next to her to watch, so sweet.  Julianna loves ME so much and is always asking to come down to visit her baby cousin and Aunt Nise :).

As far as some other favorites are concerned, trying new foods is always something we're up for.  As I said earlier she had her first chocolate chip cookie.  She is also eating more solids.  Feeding herself is very important to her and she does not care to be fed pureed baby food.  With 7 teeth I guess I can't say I blame her.  She loves cooked vegetables, sweet potato fries, green beans and butter peas seem to be some of her favorites.  She also loves a grilled cheese sandwich or a cheese and chicken quesadilla.  After reading my friend Ali's blog (www.thegarretsaregrowing.blogspot.com)
(her son Fitz just had his cleft palate repaired) and seeing that he loved popsicles, ME got her first one and she loved it! Subsequently she also tried a push pop and loved it too! Last Saturday, we went to St Elias Lebanese food festival.  It is one of mine and Jason's favorite events that we eagerly anticipate each year and we were excited to share the tastes, sights, and sounds with ME.  She tried falafel and liked it, but she LOVED the pita bread and hummus. 

We are loving spring and all the outside time it has afforded us, not like the winter was harsh (for which I am thankful) but it is so nice to see everything blooming.  It is really fun to watch ME grow and her personality develop and begin to play and do new things each day.  Just this month she has mastered standing and waving bye -bye.  She can also sign "All Done" when finished eating and occasionally will sign "Eat".  

ME's Easter photo session with Amelia and the baby chicks that she loved!

A pre-surgery playdate with my friend Fitz

Looking to see if Vivian has anything good in her basket

My First Chocolate Chip Cookie!

My precious Goddaughter Vivian

ME and the Easter Bunny



My first Easter Bunny loot

Happy Easter from the Scoggins

Standing at my activity table

First push pop!

First popsicle- soo good on sore gums

Coloring with my cousin

I am going to blog this week, I am going to blog this week, I am going to blog this week.... perhaps if I chant this over and over I will remind myself to do so....hold me accountable friends.

Oh yes and for the love of Pinterest!

Ahh, I have forgotten to add my Pinterest projects I have tried!

For Debs party I created some stick canisters to keep with the LumberJack and Jill theme.  If you follow me on Pinterest, you'll find these under my "Green Crafts" board.  They were really quite simple, the only time consuming parts were collecting the sticks, breaking them to size of container, but its great because the random size made them look charming, and gluing them on.  They stayed together well at home and I meant to tie them with raffia, just ran out of time to go to the craft store.  Note, if you make them and intend to travel with them, tie the raffia or some type of ribbon around them.  2 out of 3 made it.  The third pulled out of the bag with most of the sticks glued together to look like a raft and there was my can. ; / 

Tonight I made the ranch taco meat for dinner. Most of the recipes you see will call for chicken - I was out but had some frozen pork roasts, so carnitas is what it became.  Super easy- I cooked the roast in the crock pot, about 12 oz water with some cracked sea salt and garlic to taste and about 2 teaspoons cumin.  Once cooked (about 3 hours later) I added one packed of dry ranch seasoning and 1 packet of taco seasoning.  The recipe said to cook about 30 mins +, well we went to the park and then Publix and ate afterwards, so they simmered on low for about 2 more hours. Super delish and easy!  Jason enjoyed them and if you're watching your weight these are tasty and satisfying (the sodium content may be an issue). I'm looking forward to my leftovers for lunch!


I'll keep you posted as further projects are created!

Busy Week!

I will post pictures super soon, but have to get the software re-installed. 

Last week was full of activities!

Monday we took my oldest nephew Reed shopping for his birthday- that "kid" (he turned 17) loves clothes!  Mary Eloise did so well and enjoyed looking at all the clothes and trying on some shoes.  I tried a precious red and white polka dot pair of puddle jumpers on her and she loved them.  She kept looking at her feet, but her feet fit well in them and I really hated to spend money on shoes when she doesn't even walk.  Then I put some pink crocs on her feet; she got this funny look on her face and tried to shake them off!  What can I say, she has style and taste like her mama!  On Tuesday, we went out to lunch with our besties Allison and Vivian.  Mary Eloise and Vivian insisted on sitting on the same side of the table and it was precious!  They fed each other chips and cheese dip and shared a quesadilla!  They even gave their mommies enough time to eat and enjoy their food and talk.  We then ran errands to pick up a gift for the shower we hosted this past weekend.  The girls were so precious asleep side-by-side in the car.  We also traveled out to Vivian's Paw-Paw's pharmacy- there is always a treasure to be had from Vacca Drugs, so each girl got her very own light up bunny rabbit fan toy to play with. On Wednesday, our friends Ali and Fitz and Amy came over to play.  Mary Eloise and Fitz are only 3 weeks apart in age.  Fitz sits up very well and has been for quite some time, it has just been in the past month and a half that Mary Eloise has mastered this task.  Mary Eloise was crawling all over Fitz trying to get him to look at what she was doing and playing with.  They both settled for some empty puff containers (Mary Eloise thinks they are megaphones) and remote controls.  Once they left, she was zonked out! We always have the best time when they come to visit and it was so nice to have Amy visit too!  Mary Eloise adores her daughters and watches every move they make.  Thursday was my work day, so it is always visit with Vivian and Allison day.  She has a wonderful time over there and I am so very thankful to have Allison in town and able to watch Mary Eloise.  It has saved me so much heartache from having to return to work.  On Friday, Mary Eloise got to go over to her Mim and Pops (Jason's parents) house and show them all of her new tricks.  Her favorite is dancing; when she hears music she just sits there and bops back and forth- it is too cute! 
Saturday was her 9 month birthday!  My how time has flown!  We went up to Florence visit Ya-Ya and Poppy (my parents) and for me and Jason to help with a wedding party for our friends Deborah and Tyler.  Vivian got to come over to my parents house during the party and she was so excited to play with M.E. and Julianna (my 4 year old niece).  Juls said Vivian is way more fun than Mary Eloise because she is not a baby. Too funny, but Juls adores M.E. and M.E. follows her every move.  On Sunday, we played with Julianna and then went and took pictures with my friend Amelia.  She does wonderful photography and had live chicks. I wasn't sure how M.E. would be with them, but she loved them!   She petted them very sweetly and sat up and watched them flap around-- it was so precious and I cannot wait to see them!  My friend Hayden came down to the park to see Mary Eloise and she was so excited to see Uncle Hay-hay!  After pictures, we strolled down to UNA (where I went to college) to see the lions.  Such a neat thing to have 2 lions on campus.  We have Leo and Una.  They were out sunning and playing and we got to see Una play with her ball and then chase after Leo!  Mary Eloise loved it!  She flapped her hands with delight and kept looking for them to come back out (they ran inside their habitat for dinner).  She then rode the lion ride on, like the horses that used to be out in front of stores when we were little that you payed a quarter to ride on.  She seemed to enjoy it and looked around.  We then went down to the river and watched the boats.  She got very excited when one pulled up close and then did circles.  Afterwards, my parents took us to dinner at Ricatoni's. It is a super wonderful Italian restaurant in Florence.  M.E. loved the bread and ate some spaghetti noodles, but mostly made a mess.  On Monday, it was my birthday and M.E.'s present to me was to sleep and snuggle until; 8:15!  So nice and it is so heartwarming to wake up and see her sweet grin :)  We got up and went for a walk with Ya-Ya and the dogs and then for lunch went to Trowbridges.  Trowbridges is an old soda fountain with wonderful ice creams, actually their Orange Pineapple is listed as one of the 100 foods to eat before you die and they have been listed in many magazines!  Afterwards we returned home, M.E. was happy to pick up Mille and we all had an early bedtime last night. 

We're also on lucky #7 tooth watch for M.E.  2 weeks ago, she cut 3 upper teeth so easily, but this one is keeping her a bit fussy.  We go for her 9 month well visit tomorrow and I am anxiously awaiting her length.  So far she has been 95+ percentile in height and weight for her age- she is about as big as most 1 year olds.  Can't wait to see where she is now. 

I promise to update with pictures soon!