Like 2-3 weeks ago.

As already mentioned Ali slept through the first part of her party. And it was her third nap that day. She woke really cranky and was so, so unsure of all the people when I brought her down. All the people = Tony and I, George and Martha (Karen and Georgia were at a swim meet and came later), Uncle Jim and Aunt Connie, thier son Todd and his girlfriend Meredith, and Grandma and Grandpa Carroll.

We’d gone the day before to the party store to pick out some decorations. We endedup getting an array of stuff; some "First Birthday," some Elmo/Sesame Street, and some Dora. We got to keep it a surprise because Ali let Karen, and even Georgia, hold her while we shopped. So she was super happy to see the Elmo platesand Dora napkins. She actually took an Elmo plate with her on the flights home and is still playing with it. She likes to fold it in half and then open it like she’s playing peekaboo with Elmo.

Sometime during dinner Ali spotted the presents and wanted nothing else than to be able to get to them. She was obsessed. Finally it was time and everyone headed in to watch. Tony set her down, expecting a beeline to the gifts and….nothing. She got scared and hid behind the rocking chair! Also notice that once she does come into the room she gets scared again and tries to climb on who she thinks is her daddy but is actually her great uncle Jim. It’s kind of shaky because I was laughing.

The next video is her opening her first present and then one of her opening her last, the "bike" Tony got for her. As good as she’d been for the past few days, at the farm, at the mall, everywhere, she wasn’t fully herself at this party.  Not as outgoing, not as friendly, not as funny. So that was kind of sad because it was the only time she saw all of the Carrolls.

Can you tell I was holding the video camera (well, actually Tony’s phone) instead of the camera during the present opening? Then it wastime for cake and ice cream and the unveiling of the final surprise:

The singing basically terrified her.

We have a one-year-old in the house!

Afterward we were supposed to do some sparklers but the mosquitos were out and people were starting to leave so it was brief. Then we came inside and Ali watched her new DVD and played with her new toys. Then it was to bed because we had to be at a memorial in Madrid (thirty minutes away?) at 8:00am the next morning.

A rare picture of Auntie Martha.

Chatting with the lid to her new toy.

The remains.

One morning last week:

It’s short. Sorry for the video overload as of late. Busy with Wii Fit and trying to get outside and keep the house picked up and doing usability tests (Tony). Thinking about prepping for Iowa. Also tonight Ali has woken up five or six times since 7pm when she went to bed.  So frustrating I could cry or throw something. Beyond that, I am so stoked about this heat wave that it supposedly coming our way!!!

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

I have been wondering forever how kids fall asleep while eating. Today Ali got up at 8am and didn’t really seem tired at 11am (she usually is awake three to four hours) or even noon. Finally, around one we decided to give her lunch, even though by then she was tired but it was that or have lunch whenever she awoke. And, for the love of God, I am desperate to get on a one-nap-a-day schedule. Today, for example I could definitely do:

Ali awakes at 8am. Sleeps from 1:15ish until almost 2pm. Wakes up but I put her back down, though it takes awhile and I wonder if it’s worth it. She sleep until after three!! Then, to bed at 8pm and has yet to wake up! Lately she’s been going two-three hours after first being put down which, sadly, is not usual. I hope it becomes as such.

This is Tony reading Ali this library book (123 by Elmo) that she’s loving right now. This is the lead up to yesterday’s big event, the long awaited standing alone which she randomly started on the grass at the farmer’s market and is continuing. If you watch you can see her getting so, so close the night before last. Also, about midway through the first video is a "no-no" head shake. Also a lot of shrieking as she’s very excited.

She speaks! Actually, I think she’s probably been "talking" for a while now. I mean, she began babbling "mum mum mum mum" when she wanted to nurse at, like, three months. So I think I’ve been writing a lot of early words off as babble. Three of her earliest and favorite babbles: Mummum, Dadadadada, and Nigh-nigh.

But, the past week or two things have really progressed. And, if you’re a regular reader, you know this is true in oh so many areas. Is this the way it always goes?!?! It started with a "No"ish sound that sometimes went with the head shake. There’s also some sort of "B" sound she makes that almost always means nursing. I think it’s "Baba" but I forget. The cincher was a "Yesh" is response to questions. Sometimes we can get an "Elm" in reference to you-know-what. And then, two nights ago, out of the blue….

BWAP!

It means block (though since she got so much praise for saying it, it’s now being applied elsewhere. Anyway, see the whole thing transpire for yourself:

This pic is from a post Tony made about a year ago. It is a mash-up of two of our (his and my own) baby pics. I think it actually resembles Ali pretty well. Kinda well? I dunno, you can’t stare at it too long…but check the post out and weigh in on who she’s lookin’ more like this month.

Tomorrow morning we’re headed to Portland from Trista’s graduation. Drop us a line if you will be out and about and want to get together. We added an extra day to hopefully fit in some more seeing of people.

The subject is talking about this video:

Today Tony not only let me sleep in (until nearly ten!) but brought me breakfast in bed! Though I got up and ate downstairs with Ali. Then we went to Tillamook to see some of these garage sales. It’d been raining earlier but had stopped, though the weather was far from nice. Cloudy, cold, and breezy. Most of the sales were canceled.

So we went to the library and there were two kids there. A little girl a few months older than Ali and her older brother, about three. Omg, Ali was SO CUTE. She loved every minute of playing with these kids. Especially Clark, the older boy. He obviously knew how to entertain his little sister! In the fall they’re going to start back up with toddler story time (16 months and up I think) and Ali will BE A TODDLER. Ok, scary thought, but that is very exciting. She/we can meet other kids. So necessary.

After stopping at the store (after lunch at McDonalds…someone was loving chicken nuggets) we came home and it was partly sunny. It’s very sad how exciting partly sunny is this June.We went for a walk and played at the park and a little "basketball" and then stopped in this new gallery-type shop and talked to the owner for a little bit.

Then, came home and hung out and I made dinner (chicken curry cinnamon stir-fry stuff) and Ali had a bath and went to bed. Last night she was until until past ten! So glad that doesn’t appear to be a trend.

There are a couple videos I’ve been meaning to upload but haven’t gotten around to, but this one has yet to be posted. It’s from about a week ago, just Ali messing around during lunchtime. Kind of a spoiler…in the middle of it she chokes, which any mother knows is totally routine and you know they’re most likely okay but there’s still that moment of panic. And, yeah…it’s on tape:

Edit: I thought this video didn’t have sound so I just re-uploaded it only to find out it’s only really quiet. So turn your volume up. Also, because now I have this too, this video is from the same day, just before lunch. She was being such a chatterbox.

Re-edit: I just realized Tony had his headphones plugged in. Leave your volume alone!

Quickly… one from Lumberman’s Park yesterday, as we were out enjoying the sunny afternoon.

And a couple from today featuring Ali’s adorable laugh: