Christmas here we come!

It's definately been a while since I posted, so here it goes...

My spa day birthday present was REALLY nice.  I received a little rose bowl and bud when I got to the salon and a note wishing me a Happy Birthday.  I had a pedicure, facial, haircut and style as well as makeup application before I left!  :)

In the last month Danica has starting taking steps as well, she's not walking quite yet, but she has taken 7 steps in a row.  It won't be long now!  She's is very giggly, excitable, ticklish and happy these days.  Last week she finally got Tooth #3.  We could definately tell something was going on since she was not her normal self.  I'm thinking the other top tooth will be coming in soon as well.  Maybe it already has since I haven't checked the last couple of days.

I'll start the pictures now and maybe I'll think of more to write about as I go...

Jeff bought an over under shotgun and Danica was pretty interested in it when we brought it home.  Apparently it was a big hit all around since even Penny came out to see what was going on!

Just a random picture after getting dressed for the day!

Reading reading reading, she loves to read!

DIMPLES!

Checking her Facebook page?!

Tornado Dani coming through!

Happy snacking...

My Great Uncle Tom Fogarty and his two boys along with Ryan Fogarty and Tom's friend, Jim, came out to pheasant hunt December 9th - 13th.  We had them over for supper the night before they left.  Danica loved all of the attention!

Danica and her Great Great Uncle Tom.

Lately this has become quite the fun little game.  Danica takes out all of her books from this little basket then sits in it!

1st taste of Christmas.   On the 18th, Jeff, Danica and I went to Gma and Gpa Myers' house for an early Christmas.  Danica had a good time opening up and playing with all of her new stuff.  Here she is in her new sled with her loot! :)

Danica made a new friend yesterday!  We met up with a college friend of mine, her husband and their daughter, Sophie.  Sophie is just a couple of months younger than Dani, so they played pretty well together.  Our little legacies.  :)

Here we are with our tired little legacies!

Guess that's all for now.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Turkey!

Danica really enjoyed her 1st Thanksgiving at Gma and Gpa Myers' house.  There were lots of people there...Gma, Gpa, Jon, Sara, Wyatt, Joel, Heather, Heather's parents, Jeff, Danica and I.  The only picture I took the whole day was of Wyatt and Danica in their highchairs.  Since Wyatt is a bit of a "highchair hog" we brought ours from home.  LOL!  Notice how Wyatt smiles for the picture and Dani won't stop eating her potatoes.  She had potatoes, squash, bread, cookie salad, stuffing, turkey, pie and even tried cranberries.

The next day (27th) was Dani's 10 month "birthday" and Gpa Myers' birthday and we all went to the Dickens Festival in Garrison.  We saw Milo (the Silo) Hautzenbuhler at the 2pm show, then walked around and did some shopping.  Danny scored a custard cone, Tupperware Shape-O keychain toy, fleece blanket and a new hat!  Yes, a NEW HAT.  I know I have a problem with buying her hats, but they are just so darn cute!  Here is a picture of Dani on her "birthday", pics of her new hat are further down.

I just thought this one was funny...!

Danica went home with Gma and Gpa while Jeff and I stayed at the festival.  We ate some food from the vendors on the street...knoephla soup and sausage on a stick.  We watched the light parade and hung out with some friends while waiting for the play to start.  We watched A Christmas Carol and it was very good.  Every year one of the cast members directs the play in their own way.  It was a good one this year.  I would definately recommend it!

On the 28th, we drove to Bismarck for Joel & Heather's wedding reception.  It was a good time and nice to see family and friends again that we don't get to see all that often.  Once again, Danica went home with Gma and Gpa and Jeff and I went out to eat at the Olive Garden (my favorite) for an early birthday dinner.  There isn't one in Minot, so Jeff thought it would be a good idea to go that night.  It was yummy!

Yesterday we just hung out at home.  Today I awoke to Dani delivering an envelope to me in bed.  It said "Mommy" on the front and inside was a gift certificate to a day spa.  So, I have an appointment there this afternoon and Gma Myers is coming over to babysit so that Jeff and I can go to Minot.  I'm really looking forward to it!  So far 30 is great!  :D

Nearly 10 months old!

Dani entertained some of her 2nd cousins while Gma Myers, Grammi Ide and Mommy watched the Parshall Braves play football on TV.  The girls had a good time playing with all of Dani's toys and Dani LOVED the attention!

So excited that Daddy is home from hunting trip #1.  Same sort of excitement when he came back from trip #2 as well.  Daddy's girl!  :)

Sitting in the rocking chair (same as the Easter picture) that her Great Great Gpa made for her Grandpa.  3 generations of Ide's have used this very chair.  I had my Mom and Dad bring it so that I could use it for her 1 year photos.

SOOOOO BIG!

Eating cheese puffs with Papa.

Reading is one of her favorite things to do.  She can look at her books for a 1/2 hour straight, perfectly content.

Can you just sense the naughtiness?!!!

Helping Mommy pack to stay with Grandma while Daddy is hunting.

I thought she ate her whole Mum Mum until I looked at the top of her head!  It was pretty well stuck there!

Daddy's big buck!!

We finally got a new printer at home that prints nice lab quality photos.  I made copies of her monthly pictures to put in her frame that starts at newborn and goes through 1 year.  I can't believe how fast she is growing up!  I also realized that the frame will only have two empty slots (11 month and 1 year) after November 27th.  She's getting so big, but still my little baby.  :)

Time for an Update or Two

Something I realized I forgot to mention in the last post is that Dani has been standing up unassisted in the middle of the floor now since October 15th.  So far she hasn't taken off yet.  Most people are pretty surprised when they see her do it, because I don't think they understand that we are talking about zero furniture or any items around her to help her stand up.  She does it all on her own and stands for a long time...she's got good balance.  I just realized I haven't even gotten a picture of this yet.  My work never ends...haha.  :)

I have some sad news to report.  Jeff's Grandma passed away on November 3rd, at the age of 86.  She was a really great lady and will be missed.  I'm just so glad that we trick or treated at her house on Halloween night, that was the last time we saw her.  Although it's not as good as having her around, Danica will have lots of nice photos of herself with Great Grandma Ruth to look at when she is older.

Here is a picture of Danica with the blanket that Ruth crocheted for her.  She made one for all eleven great-grandkids that were born before she passed away.  When we were at her place for Halloween, she mentioned that she wanted a picture of Danica and her blanket for her frame.  It was one of a few pictures that were stilling missing.  We took this picture of Danica the very next day, but we didn't get it to her in time.  It was added to the frame that was on display at the visitation and funeral.

Oh the suspense

So, on my last entry I said "tonight or tomorrow". As you can see, that didn't happen, but I'm getting to it right now!

Great Gma Myers and Dani the day after Joel & Heather's, so October 17th.

Showing off her new hat! So CUTE!!!!

Cousin Wyatt got one too!

Danica and I sitting playing outside in the yard the day we were leaving. Jeff was inside watching a football game, so we decided to enjoy the beautiful day.

More football, but this time we are at home and Dani is sporting her Vikes cheerleading outfit!

We picked up our new puppy, Penny, in Bismarck on October 23rd. She's been a good pup so far, goes potty outside except when we leave her too long and then she goes on a puppy pad. She really likes Dani, maybe a bit too much, they definately need their time apart. :)

I thought I would get some really cute photos of Danica and some gourds and pumpkins I picked up in Bismarck...however, she was more interested in eating them or crawling out of the picture. Oh well, I tried. Here's the best ones.

Sitting with Daddy.

Doesn't she look so grown up in this outfit?!!

Dani's first Halloween! Boo! The cutest dragonfly!

We trick or treated at Gma and Gpa Myers house, Joel & Heather were there too. Then we went to Great Gma Myers' house and Great Uncle Larry even stopped over to see the "little bug". :)

When we got home, we Skyped Grammi Ide for a trick or treat so she wouldn't feel left out. :)

Other news on the homefront is that I have an ear infection, sinus infection and mono, so I'm taking it pretty easy as I am very tired most the time. Also have a cough, not sure what that's about?! Dani and Jeff seem healthy, so I am trying to keep my distance and using lots of hand sanitizer and stuff like that.

On our way back from Wyoming we purchased a new crew cab pickup so that Jeff has something MANLY to drive around hunting and to haul back some deer or elk, not sure what his hunting plans are at this time. From the sounds of it, I am going to be a single parent for a month. Not looking forward to that, especially since I'm not feeling good. Am I getting any sympathy? I hope so, cuz Jeff doesn't seem concerned.

Busy Body

Since Danica has been crawling, she has been sooooo busy! I've pretty much just waited to see what she gets in and then baby proof what I don't want her getting in to. Here are some more recent pictures.

This is suppose to be a cute picture of the two of us wearing our coordinating hats. Mine was crocheted for me by my Gma Fogarty during my last visit to Lester Prairie. Unfortunately Dani was not up for a photo of her in a hat at the time.

Here she is the day after (9/29/09) she learned to crawl, showing off her new skills for the camera. We got video on Day #1, but no pictures. We were all too busy cheering her on! :)

This is what Dani looks like these days when we go in to get her in the morning. Very happy and staring at us as soon as we walk in the room.

This is Dani and her cousin Wyat at a bridal store in Fargo, waiting for Aunt Heather to get her dress fitted.

Playing

Still playing...luckily they keep one another pretty busy and happy.

Dani and Mommy in Mommy's new chair!

Daddy and Dani feeding Leroy the horse. Leroy lives right across our gravel road (as you can see in the picture). He likes apples a lot!

While on our way to Jackson, WY for Joel & Heather's wedding we stopped in Bozeman, MT to see a friend of mine from college, Wytni. We went out to eat and then stayed at her place for the night. She even bought us some Wheat Montana cinnie rolls and buns for breakfast. They were very yummy!

Here we are in West Yellowstone, MT (stopped for some lunch). Daddy let me drive! Look at her wave, that's probably my favorite part. :) Still on our way to Jackson.

We finally made it to Jackson on 10/15/09. Here's Dani playing in the leaves in the yard on the morning of the wedding (10/16/09).

Close leaf investigation.

Big yard, lots of leaves.

Found something else of interest.

Family picture after the wedding.

We have other pictues to post, but I thought I would end with the wedding day for now. I hope to get the rest up later tonight or tomorrow. Congrats Joel and Heather!