Happy First Birthday Reese!

Dear Reese,

Happy Birthday! Today you are one year old and I wanted to capture some things about you that you (and maybe Dad and I) likely won't remember but will want to:

• You are currently living in Show Low, AZ where Dad is building a cabin for your great Uncle Tom and Aunt Jane
• Your favorite book is Brown Bear but you love looking at most any book
• Your favorite toy is the karaoke piano player that Nana bought you. Well, that was until today when it stopped working because you've been playing with it nonstop since you got it.
• You are crawling everywhere, pulling yourself up on everything and everyone, but not yet ready to stand on your own or start walking. That's ok, pretty soon you'll be running all over the place.
• Your favorite song is still Little Cottage thanks to Grandma Jan but you like any kind of music and even "dance" when you hear a good song
• I don't think you have any idea that in 3 months your whole world is going to change when your brother/sister arrives. However, you do point to my belly now when I say "Where's the baby?" but I don't think you really know what it means.
• You just got your first two teeth about a week ago. You're a drooling monster trying to get the others to come in :)
• You're just starting to understand how to drink from a sippy cup but you still refuse to hold a bottle on your own. Mom and Dad spoil you because feeding you (and doing anything else for you) is so much fun.
• You're a great eater. There haven't been any baby foods that you won't eat. You're still a bit skeptical of eating anything with too much texture but you'll happily scarf down anything that's pureed.
• You are an extremely happy baby. You only cry when you're hungry or tired. You wake up happy and usually "talking".
• You don't put much in your mouth besides your food, your binkies and your fingers. You pick things up, especially the littlest piece of dirt on the floor. But you just look at it, turning it over in your hand, trying to figure it out. It's fun to watch you learn so much so fast.
• You can say "Mama" and "Dada" and a version of "What's/Who's that?" (probably because we said that so much to you) but you also have a language all your own; you're very verbal, talking to yourself and your toys so I think you are just one day going to start forming real words and sentences
• You give wonderful kisses. They're slobbery, open-mouth, drool-filled kisses but we love them anytime, anywhere.

This last year has been such a wonderful adventure for all three of us. We can't wait to see how much you change and grow next year and the year after that. We love you and hope you have a very happy birthday and many, many more to come.

Love, Mom and Dad

Teeth!

About a week before her first birthday, Reese finally has two little teeth poking through her bottom gums. She has been working on these for about the last 6 months, drooling everywhere, and finally her hard work has paid off! She's doing great, sleeping well (and, consequently, we're finally sleeping well) and eating more and more. While she's added some pureed meats to her menu, and will make a complete mess of a teething biscuit after dinner, she still won't each much in the way of table food or anything with too much texture. With her new teeth, though, maybe she'll start warming up to the idea.

Reese is pulling herself up a lot more now and "walking" down the couch with only one arm. She's much more confident in her ability so I'm sure standing on her own and walking aren't far away.

We're in Show Low this weekend by ourselves and realized yesterday that this might be the first weekend we've spent alone (just the 3 of us) in a long time. That's kind of the territory when you're homeless and squatting in everyone else's house :) The cabin is looking great. They put all the drywall up on Friday and Saturday and will start mudding on Monday (post inspection). CK's waiting on decking and siding to arrive so he can finish the exterior.

Reese and I did some walking around Woodland Lake yesterday and everyone there seemed to know her! Guess the morning walks with Jane, Jan and Carolyn have turned her into quite the celebrity.

I'm 25 weeks today, getting bigger every day. I realized we haven't taken any belly shots this time around. Guess a lot of things change with the 2nd one, huh?

Misc. August photos

Here are some miscellaneous pictures from the last few weeks. CK and Reese playing in the cabin in Show Low

Reese in her old school highchair at Tim's wedding reception

The drill for our well on our property in Helena. We now have water and septic (maybe someday we'll have a house?)

Reese watching the busy streetlife in Malta

Steve, Carolyn and Tom. Three Joynt siblings together.

Reese during her first guitar lesson

Signs that my body is "acting" pregnant

besides the obvious growing belly...

1. my lower back is aching. started yoga again and that seems to help temporarily
2. ran into 2 different walls today
3. missed my mouth and dripped salsa all over my shirt. seriously, getting food from my hand to my mouth is becoming increasingly difficult
4. can't seem to remember anything without writing it down
5. craving chocolate at least twice a day

ok, maybe that last one has nothing to do with being pregnant, but still...

22 weeks

Below are some recent pictures of Baby LaFond #2 at 21.5 weeks. The baby weighs about a pound and everything is looking good.
These are the feet (sideways pressed together from the bottom looking up)


And the leg (heel up on the left), a little butt cheek on the right. Maybe a future soccer player?

We're up in Malta for the weekend celebrating Jan's birthday. Happy birthday Jan! Next week it's back to Arizona for a few months to try and finish Uncle Tom's cabin (yes, I just kind of like writing that).