12-31-11

Had a marvelous day today! Went to Ichiban--she kept wanting to get out her chair. Dad told her to sit down in a firm voice. When she didn't he tried to swat her little hand...to which she grinned at him with her little wrinkled up nose and that was all he could take....you can't help but grin back!

Didn't like Ichiban.  Don't plan to return anytime soon.  Expensive and mediocre.  Nice atmosphere though.  Almost like something in Vegas.

After lunch, Anna Claire ran all around Barnes and Noble and we went into a few more stores just to kill time. She's a doll!

12-30-11

Playing at the playground with Daddy.

12-29-11

Anna Claire is playing a new game - she will say "uh" then we respond in kind and then she gets a bit louder, and then one of us will yell "UH!" The loud surprise is what she likes, I think!  Then the game starts over again!

12-29-11

Listening to Andy play dolls with AC is worth a million bucks!  I'm tired and in bed right now and I love hearing them play together. Apparently Brobee, Foofa, Elmo and Cookie Monster are having a party! I am very tired. Hoping I'm pregnant! Keep my fingers crossed! ;-)

12-28-11

Oh man, how expressive Anna Claire is!!

She can say "somefing wong"

She makes a LOT of faces and wrinkles her nose mischievously!!  (Adorable, even when she's causing trouble!)

Also, she will tell you to "shhh!" When she does it she puts her little finger right up against the front of her nose and says it more like "ssss" (like a snake!)  The first time she did this, Andy had taken her out of church for being noisy and she was running in the vestibule - he started to scold her and she spun on her heels to face him and said "shhh!"

What do you do?!!  ;)

Christmas in Jax

We decided to go back to Jacksonville for Christmas and spend it with our families.  Always an interesting experience.  Love for Anna Claire to get to spend time with them though.  Sometimes it's just easier on "their turf" so-to-speak. :)

Spent a good bit of time with Nana and Pawpaw!  They had a cardboard tunnel for her and she LOVED it!  Such a little roughneck - the rougher you play, the better she likes it!

 

 The on Christmas Day we had the privilege of getting to go to the ER for Andy - he got choked while eating dinner on Christmas Eve.  Fun, fun, fun. :)  He got to be put to sleep and have it removed.  Made his Christmas, I'm sure! He was sweet about it though!  Listening to him talk to the nurses after being wheeled out of the operating room while he was still dopey was priceless!

 One night during our visit we went to Adventure Landing with Nana Laurie, Aunt Leslie, Uncle Nate, Dylan, Emily and Chandler.  Wasn't a whole lot for the little ones to do, and there were a TON of people running around, but it was fun just to be together for a little bit.  Anna Claire enjoyed being around Emily and Dylan----Chandler is still too much of a "baby" for her taste!  We stopped by McDonalds afterwards.

Another night during our visit, we went to St. Augustine to see the lights.  She was pretty unimpressed, but Andy and I always enjoy taking a stroll through the Old City.  Lots of memories there.  Happy times!

The harder she plays, the harder she falls...

12-21-11

Me and my sweet, crazy-haired girl!

12-20-11

Baby girl just went to Andy and said "hey, Dada" and kissed him!! :-)

12-18-11

Nana came to visit this weekend - always a wonderful time together!

See the pretty stocking that Granny Jones made for Anna Claire!

Played outside for a long time with Nana!

Cookie Monster is a valued friend...

12-15-11

Last night after church she wanted to play the drums (which she wants to do EVERY Wednesday night!!) Noisy child!!

12-11-11

AC didn't stay in nursery well today--her number flashed up in both services.  I didn't mind though....my baby needed her mama today. Such precious time. Daddy said when she saw him she said "Hey!" so he knew she was really okay! Haha!

Check out the set prop that was tribute to Andy in the children's musical:

Each one of the staff had their own "shop" - very cool!  I thought they did a GREAT job!!

12-10-11

Anna Claire loves to take items out of one container and put them in another. It's so cute--she's so industrious! Mrs. Gail Christensen says this is a normal developmental phase. :)

Playing with Daddy...

12-9-11

Helped w a bridge party tonight--Sarah Smith spoke and was such an inspiration. She comes from a family with a Christian legacy and it was amazing to hear! I am so thankful that we can start a family legacy of our own, but boy do I wish that I had that to draw from! She talked about having everything "in order" for our children so that they would know their legacy and I liked that.

12-7-11

Anna Claire is growing so much and is such a blessing to our family! She is a little wild girl and loves to rough play with us. She wears me out!! Sometimes she gets carried away and will hurt me! She doesn't mean to though--just doesn't know her own strength.

She woke up one morning last week and got bored in her crib and threw absolutely everything out into the floor!

She's so beautiful though--such a pretty little girl, inside and out!

She loves to meet people and play with other kids. Today at Michaels she saw three children, probably between 3-4 years old, walked up and said, "Hey!" she says it so cute--almost breathless--almost shy, which she is NOT!!

12-3-11

Went to a downtown festival today.  A bit of a dud, but they did have fake snow!

12-2-11

Our regular Doctor's Office picture - we always take one!

11-29-11

Something else that Miss Priss has started doing that I have to watch out for!

I was in the kitchen trying to clean up - I noticed that I couldn't get any hot water to wipe the counters down with. I thought - "Great - water heater is out..." So I called Andy to go check it. He discovered the problem - NOT the water heater, but the fact that some little person had gone into our bathroom and turned the hot water on in the jacuzzi tub and then left without saying a word! HAHA!

She's just learned how to work the handles within the past couple of days, so it's still a novelty to her!

So, now we have to keep the bathroom door shut! :)

If it's not one thing its another!

One of the perks of Daddy's job is getting to go to fun events to watch the "kids" - tonight we went to a basketball tournament - she loved the noise and excitement!

11-26-11

A game that she thought was funny, but I WAS NOT going to encourage!  (Hiding between the jeans on the clothes rack).

Pure mischief!

11-24-11

Man, she took to Mama Betty this weekend---didn't even want me or daddy!

Baby in a box!

Now who could have done this?

11-21-11

11-19-11

Anna Claire had her first time out today.  Didn't much appreciate it. :)

11-17-11

Anna Claire loves to eat!  I try to take her to eat with the Senior Adults at our church once a month. They so enjoy seeing her run around.  They love the way that she is such a good eater!  She has particular ones that she is quite taken with - Mrs. Sue McNeal, Mary Ann Miller are two of them. 

Today she quite enjoyed a blueberry torte:

11-14-11

Went to the Peanut Parade on Saturday!  Anna Claire didn't have a lot of interest in the floats - but there was plenty of activity to keep her busy!

Taking a rest...

She loves this stupid bear at church - a lot of the toddlers do.  It "sings" (croaks, really, because the batteries are dying) Jesus Loves Me.  It's slow and pitiful and soooooo annoying!!  We keep hiding it, but they keep finding it! (If it were up to me, I'd hide it in the trash can! haha!)

Enjoying the fall leaves...

She really likes Davidson Granberry.  Even more than his sister, Marilaine, which drives her crazy! :)
 

11-11-11 - first time using a spoon

I am finding things EVERYWHERE......so how do you think that cup ended up HERE? :)

11-10-11 - first time to National Peanut Festival

Ate boiled peanuts, pet a goat, watched pig race, had fun even though it was cold!

11-9-11 - dancing along with praise band

She loves to listen to the praise band on Wednesday nights as they practice!  Will bounce up and down - "dancing" to the music!

11-3-11 - messy eater likes spaghetti!

11-2-11 - first lollipop

Well, I'd say her first lollipop was a hit...

10-26-11 - Changing so fast!

As much as Anna Claire learned and grew physically her first year - the way that she seemed to ALWAYS be doing something new - she now seems to be growing mentally and interactively!  She is developing a spirited little personality, and it's just the most fun to see her develop!

Just the past week she's learned to climb on the couch by herself (scary!), spin in a circle, try to jump (adorable because she bounces, but won't leave the ground), try to write in a book with a pencil, say "thank you", give a real kiss and try to drink from her bowl.  (Truthfully, there's probably more, but that's all I can think of!) 

She's also developing a will - I do not look forward to the days when we have to start disciplining her, because they are coming quickly!  If she doesn't get her way - boy, watch out!  We try to say "no" and restrain and/or redirect her, but sometimes she is just very persistent!  You certainly don't have to teach them to get mad!!  :)  Lauren Malphurs calls toddlers "precious little sinners" and that is certainly appropriate!

10-25-11

My baby is learning! 

Last Thursday (the 20th) she tried to write in a book - understanding apparently that we write on paper. 

Yesterday we played with dolls and she kissed her baby.  Then we had to spin in a circle repeatedly!

Today, she brought me her baby upon command.

Overall, this phase she is entering is so sweet - she loves other kids and lights up when she sees them!

10-25-11 - Kisses

Today was precious!  One of those extra special days!  All because of one little thing - Anna Claire kissed us for the first time!  Not an open mouthed slobber - but a real, sweet, little baby kiss - complete with the pucker sound!  :-D  I had run to town to deposit Andy's check since he hadn't felt well, and when I got home she grinned as big as possible and ran to be picked up - and then kissed me!  Dad saw it and came over and she planted one on his cheek too!  Oh, how precious she is to us!!

10-22-11 - MID OF NIGHT

I haven't blogged as much recently - not because Anna Claire hasn't been growing and changing, but because I've been undisciplined.  She hasn't hit any major milestones lately, but man, that doesn't alter the fact that she is the greatest blessing to her mom and dad.  We absolutely adore her.  I never knew how much you could love....

She's sick today.  Been fighting it all week really, but has a super bad hacking cough tonight.  She slept from 11 until 2:30, and I've watched an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba with her, and soothed her back to sleep despite the cough and congested nose.  But then I thought about Vicks BabyRub.  Looked it up and it it looks like exactly what she needs.  So, I pushed past my better judgment and got it from the storage cabinet and tried to put it on her back while she rested.  Nope.  So, I've just come back from my second round of soothing her and getting her back to sleep.  I think it was worth it though.  I think it already has helped her breathe better.  I read online that you can put it on the bottom of their feet with socks on and that helps a lot.  So that's what I did.  We'll see how it works, but I think anything helps a little.  Poor baby.  I would so rather me be the sick one!

Anna Claire tried to write with a pencil this week - She tried to write in her Jesus Storybook Bible - NO MA'AM!  :)  So I got some spare paper and she spent about .05 seconds trying to write on that.  Neat to see her trying though.

She's mimicing like crazy.  I sweep with the broom, so she takes the broom outside and tries to sweep the back porch.  I brush my hair - she tries to do the same.  I jump - she jumps.  It's precious to see her imitate the world around her and learn.  I still have to fight concern - I don't know if every woman does, but I think worry is one of our "acceptable sins" ....maybe even a "righteous sin" - yes, I know it's an oxymoron, but I can't tell you the number of women who act like it is good - even holy - to worry about your kids.  I'm not talking about real possible problems, but even imagined ones that they create.  God tells us to cast our cares on Him - to not be anxious about anything but to pray!  (I'm preaching to myself!)  I may know these truths, but I still have to fight not to be overly concerned with every developmental step she approaches.  She says, "mama," "dada," "bye-bye," and "hey."  ("Hey" is the CUTEST!!!) But of course, I'm ready for her to say another word, just to assure me that she is still developing well.  I get concerned that we may be letting her watch too much television, that it might cause ADHD or ADD later or some other developmental difficulty. I know in my brain that God has it all under control, and that she will be exactly what He created her to be, but sometimes it is difficult to rest in that - to trust His goodness and to know that He will also give us the grace to deal with whatever we face.  To know that she may not be perfect (and won't be!) but that she is perfect for us - our little James 1:17 gift! 

Other cute things that Anna Claire is doing....well - she loves the hearth.  She discovered it at her Nana Laurie's house this past trip, and she loves to sit on it like a big girl seat, to walk on it (makes me nervous!) and even to crawl up and down on it.  :)  I've got protectors on the edges of the hearth, but I'd still feel better if she'd stay off of it!

Oh, and she is into EVERYTHING!!  I have only put locks on the cabinet doors where poisons are, so she's trying my resolve thoroughly in that department.  My bottom drawer is where we keep plasticware, paper cups and plates and almost every day she wants to strow the entire drawer EVERYWHERE!!  Or she wants to empty my bathroom drawer.  Or she wants to unfold all the clothes and strow them.  It's very difficult to maintain a house - let me tell you!!  It's cute though and I try not to get frustrated, but this week has been hard with us both being sick.  There's a certain basic standard of cleanliness that I prefer in order to feel sane, to feel ordered and this week we just haven't met that standard.  That's probably not bad though - I need to learn to chill a bit, but even so - it's soooo hard for me to deal with not being able to find things, for the countertop space to be taken up completely so I can barely cook, etc.  It was BAD, I'm telling you!

But her little expressions are so joyous!  She smiles so easily - she greets people so well!  She loves to play with Joey and take his ball away (and he LETS her!! Go figure!).  She loves to be outside in the sunshine and walk around - playing in grass, or pinestraw or whatever.  She likes to dance to music and will clap when the song ends.  Andy plays for her on his guitar sometimes - he will make up songs about her and how special she is and she will clap in response.  It's precious.  I'd love to have it all on film, but sometimes you just have to enjoy the moment and the bonding. 

Better get to bed.  I'm exhausted and tomorrow's a-coming.....

10-13-11 - Ready to see Mama after Kim's house

Anna Claire stayed w Kim tonight. She played very well there - so much so that she barely acknowledged her daddy when he came to pick her up. So he walked to the door like he was going to leave and said, Wanna go see Mama?"   He said she stopped playing, and seemed to realize suddenly that I wasn't there too, and started CRYING!  It's pitiful but oh, so sweet!  She loves her Mama and her Mama loves her!

9-22-11 - Shower time!

There is ALWAYS something new to report around the Hunter Household these days!!  And I know that if I don't write it down, then it will slip my mind and into the ether of forgetfulness!! 

Monday morning as Andy was showering, Anna Claire woke up and I brought her into the bathroom so that I could put on makeup. He stuck his head out to say hello and she just waltzed right in!!  I didn't really think she would do it - but she did!  She walked in and just sat down!  So, that was the first morning shower with Dad this week. 

We thought it was a one time thing.

Apparently we were wrong.  This morning, he was showering and she woke up just in time to realize it.  She drank only a bit of her bottle then walked by herself all the way to the back of the house, straight to the bathroom, without a pause, and walked right up to the shower door.  He realized she was there, and again stuck his head out.   She walked straight in AGAIN!!  I bet she played and babbled in the shower for thirty minutes and was still content when he had to get out to go to work.  :)

9-20-11 - cranky baby=new teeth!

Working on two more top teeth!  Noticed them this morning when I changed her diaper.  They look like they are way farther back than the next teeth should be, but what do I know? This IS my first rodeo!!

9-14-11 - Distraction at church - but so cute!

I had Anna Claire upstairs visiting with the youth before service started tonight.  I was going to let her enjoy the music (she does SO enjoy the music!) but unfortunately as Andy started trying to pray and open up the service, she saunters right up the aisle - stops two feet ahead of him and grins at him and in her loud whisper voice says, "hey!"  Of course the kids thought it was a hoot.  That killed the serious atmosphere!  So, I had to go ahead and take to the nursery and let her visit later!  She LOVES her Daddy!!  And you know, the teenagers really love her - lots of them want to hold her and play with her.  She has her favorites, and her not-so-favs, but it's cute to watch her interact with them....and vice versa!

09-07-11 - Wed. night church with Ms. Gail

I'm so glad to know I have nursery workers that care about my child and work hard to see that she is happy and well taken care of.

Ms. Gail is the best!

9-6-11 - Playing together during bathtime

Today was a fun bath day!  We played peekaboo in the tub!

And then we played in front of the mirror afterwards! (She's learning to be a little monkey and mimic everything!)