Best Pics from Month 14 July 14, 2008

We’ve been spending lots of afternoons playing outside lately.  Cameron loves her wading pool and playing with the hose (and drinking out of it):

She sees Daddy standing in the back door here:

She can sit in her lamb chair now:

She LOVES shoes:

Outside before a big storm blew through. She got all excited because the wind start blowing really hard:

Cameron and the “Tickle Monster”:

Being silly and sharing spaghetti dinner together:

Cameron and Momma swimming at Grandpa’s on the 4th of July:

Playing on the front porch with her water table — she loves this thing!

Mr. Octopus, her favorite water toy:

Daddy taking a break from the yard work to be silly with Cameron:

All Quiet July 14, 2008

I’ve been MIA on the blog front lately.

Five weeks ago I started a 4-week bootcamp from 5:30-6:30am every morning. I hadn’t gotten up that early since Cameron was a newborn. Needless to say, I was also going to bed MUCH earlier at night, leaving me less “free” time to blog/etc. The bootcamp went really well and I feel great. We joined the gym in my last week of bootcamp, so now I’ve been doing the group classes there, mostly spinning so far. I’ve stuck with the early morning schedule because once my body adjusted, it has really worked out well for me. I have energy all day; although, I am ready to collapse by 9:00-9:30pm. It’s worth it though. My goal was to use the bootcamp as a jump start to being more active and to make a major lifestyle change. I feel that I’m really on my way; I’m hooked to speak.

In other news, unfortunately my Aunt Anna passed away last week. She had a severe stroke, struggled all last week in the hospital and passed away last Friday night. Keep her and our family in your thoughts and prayers. I’ll be headed to Arkansas this Wed-Fri for the memorial with my Dad and brothers. Hal will stay home with Cameron. This is the first time I’ve left her, but I feel OK with it. With the circumstances and an 8-hour car ride there and back, I think it will be best for them to stay behind. I have all the confidence in Hal, but worry that Cameron might start to wonder where I am come Thursday. Hopefully I’ll be back in time to tuck her in on Friday night.

As lives are lost, new lives are also born. Our friends Christy and Joe welcomed their little boy, Jude, on Monday night! We’re so excited for them and can’t wait to see the little guy!

Well, I have Cameron’s 14-month picture post all lined up so expect that today. I’ll try to do her 14/15 month update before I head out Wednesday, or when I get back.

Best Pics From Month 13 July 2, 2008

Cameron loves to play in the laundry room, and now, she can actually reach the buttons on the washer/dryer… not good. She’s left us a surprise or 2 in the washing machine that we didn’t discover until AFTER we washed the clothes!

Hal and I have always had breakfast tacos one weekend morning. Now that Cameron is pretty much eating alongside us, she LOVES the potato/egg/cheese taco!

Memorial Day BBQ at Grandpa’s house:

Cameron really likes her Snack Trap now… especially sharing with Duke:

She looks SO ANNOYED in this picture; it cracks me up!

Every now and then I sneak in with the camera before I know Cameron’s awake. She looks so big in her crib now… it’s crazy.

Cameron + Duke = Best Pals

Cameron likes to grab her sippy and drink upside down to be funny… anything for a laugh with this girl. I think we might be in for trouble when she starts school.

Oh my gosh… how did she get up there???

Mommy’s little girl is really growing up:

We’ve been practicing a lot with the spoon lately. She’s gotten better, but it usually ends up like this:

First Steps… June 3, 2008

Cameron took her first steps this past Saturday!  She was holding on to the door and Daddy was sitting on the floor a couple feet away brushing his teeth.  She reached out to him and then took 2-3 steps toward him.  Since then she’s taken a couple more steps.  Grandma Schmelzer came for a visit this weekend; her and I think she’s probably about 10 days away from really taking off!  We’ll see!

Aside from that, Cameron’s been a little out of sorts the past 2 days.  Her nose is running, her right eye keeps tearing up and she’s sneezing.  And, along with that, not napping very well… which leads to GRUMPS!  We don’t feel anything, but it seems like maybe another tooth might be coming through.  This is exactly what happened when her bottom 2 teeth came in.

Camzilla June 3, 2008

Credit to Hal’s buddy, Derek, who is also a designer.

Gymboree May 29, 2008

We started Gymboree classes about 2 months ago and Cameron really loves it.  She’s starting to understand and remember what’s going to happen next in class and gets really excited.  She’s getting more bold on the gym equipment — maybe a little too bold!  Daddy was able to go to class with us today so we took some pics.  Her and I both really look forward to this every Thursday.

She likes to crawl through the tunnels now:

Here she’s getting excited b/c the teacher is jingling her bells letting them know that class is about to start:

Pushing the “air log” with the other kids.  This is one of her favorite parts of class:

The teacher brings out all these “busy boxes” and the kids crawl toward them and pull out all the “new” toys:

Getting silly with Daddy when the teacher is blowing bubbles:

Enjoying “bubble time” with the other kids on the parachute:

All tuckered out and ready to go home for a nap!

Photo Studio Pics - Hal & Jess May 27, 2008

Photo Studio Pics - Family May 27, 2008

Photo Studio Pics - Cameron May 27, 2008

We got some pictures taken about 10 days ago, to mark Cameron’s first year.  It was also a nice chance to get some pictures of Hal and I together.  And of course, a picture of all three of us. It was nice because they gave us all the files on a CD, even if we didn’t order that particular pose. Here are some of Cameron’s best pictures.  I’ll post the others in separate posts.

13 Month Update May 27, 2008

Cameron has done a lot of new things the past month:

• She points at things and says, “Tha”
• She’s not walking by herself, but can if we hold one of her hands.
• Even though she’s not walking, she’s not afraid to CLIMB!
• She share things now, like her food. She understands how to give and take.
• She’s always loved her books. Now she’ll crawl over to us and hand us a book to read to her.
• She’s started imitating things. She’ll comb her hair or take my hair clip and try and put in in her hair.
• She’s discovered she can put her finger in her nose.  Fun stuff.
• Some of her new favorite foods are:  mandarin oranges, strawberries, blackberries and potato/egg/cheese breakfast tacos.
• Grandma Saville played patty cake with her over and over recently and Cameron started clapping on her own for the first time.  It was so cute.
• She likes to make fish lips… a lot.
• She’s still sleeping great.  I say a little prayer every night that the tide won’t turn!
• She still just has the bottom 2 teeth.  I’m savoring the break until the top 2 come in!
• Last, but not least, she started saying “Mom” about 10 days ago! 

Thanks for another fun-filled month Cameron!  We love you!!