Merry Christmas/Happy New Year/Happy Birthday Lizzy!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas was so great this year! The whole family flew/drove in from all over the America's to Michigan. All 22 of us stayed at my parents house! It was a bit tight, but so fun. Grant came home from his mission. Welcome home little brother. There was food cooked and eaten, sledding, games played, gifts given, more food, movies watched on the wall, family pictures taken, all day shopping marathons, wrestling with the nephews...merriment to be had by all!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dave and I rang in the new year with my old friend Heather and her new husband Adam. We had so much fun! We stayed up playing games (Cranium-Loved it!) and eating good food. After midnight we went sledding down the hill down the road. It was so cold seeing as we weren't propery dressed for the activity. Also, I want to give a shout out to Care for babysitting for us that night, thanks again!

In Between...

We are now in Utah! We came out for Dave's training and will be here for the next little while. The drive out was awesome! the weather was perfect for the most part and we made it in only 2 days! We expected to take 3 because of Lizzy, but she was such a trooper! She didn't really whine except for when she needed a diaper change or when she was hungry. She pretty much hung out with her teddy the whole time. It was so sweet to see her sleep with him, she just wouldn't let him go.

We stayed up in SLC for the first couple of days here with Dave's grandparents. We took Lizzy to Temple Square for the first time and she got to ride the UTA Trax down town. It was such an adventure can I even tell you? There are some interesting folks who ride that. But all in all, good times.

LIZZY'S BIRTHDAY!

Today Lizzy turned a year old! Can you even believe it has been that long? It's a bitter sweet thing. I am so glad that she is growing and learning and developing like she should, but sad because she isn't a baby anymore. Yes, true, she will always be my baby...but...ehhh....you know what I mean. It's just the time is going by so quickly! We are so amazed by that little sweetness we have.

Right, anyways....So. Today I baked Lizzy's cake and decorated it. It was not pretty. We (Lizzy's Hastings family and uncle Grant) sang her "happy birthday" and let her try to blow out her candle. It was so cute! She couldn't quite figure out what we were all doing. Then we gave her her very own cupcake. We stripped her down to her diaper because we were expecting a big mess, we got the opposite. She would just pinch her frosting between her pointer and thumb then neatly place it in her mouth! She only ate a bit of the cake part and then she was done! Seriously!

Just a few pictures for you

Winter Wonderland

It's officially winter up here. It's been snowing loads and we all love it! Lizzy has a bit of an issue with her coat though, She really doesn't like to put it on. Once on, she's OK, but the process of getting it on....whew! That can be quite a production. Lizzy is getting to be more like a little girl than a baby every day. (It's a bitter sweet experience...anyone who's a parent will understand.) She amazes everyone she meets! She is so smart and friendly. I am so proud of her! She is such a little squish. She loves to smile and wave to everyone she sees. Grandma Carol sent Lizzy some toys and stuffed animals a few weeks ago. Lizzy loves them all except one. It's a *purple haired fuzz ball that makes a "boing" sound when thrown.
*Video to follow.

Dave has been aching to build a snow cave. We finally have enough snow to make one. So we did. I say "we" when really I did nothing but lay on my back and look at the snow fall. I did, however, try to catch some on my tongue, unsuccessfully.

Both, I think.

Gift of Gab, like her mother? or Brilliant, like her father? I think, both! Lizzy has been a talker as long as I have known her. 10 1/2 months! (That's her whole life) It's so fun watching her make new sounds and figure things out. I love watching that little person think! Anyways...recently her words have been getting clearer and clearer to understand, even for those who aren't her parents. Thus far I have counted 8 words that she says pretty darn well! EIGHT*! No joke! Here they are:

1. Mama
2. Dada
3. No
4. Ya (Yeah)
5. Hi
6. Na Nigh (Good night)
7.Grandma/pa (they sound the same)
*8. Yellow (Rarely said, but still...)

I will try my very hardest to capture them on video to show the world. In other news, Lauren visited for Thanksgiving, it was good fun for everyone...but Lizzy. J/k, Lizzy likes her uncle.

New Video!

Just wanted to share some of the many faces of Lizzy. Please note her changes of expression.

Promised pictures

Here are the pictures that I promised a while ago. Since I wrote last, Lizzy tooth has gotten bigger and sharper I think. She is getting really quick at biting when you have to fish something out of her mouth. She tries to stand and walk places. She is good at walking while holding onto people or things, but lately she has been trying to stand on her own. It's so cute!

Last night, mom, Dave, Lizzy and I went shopping to get ideas for mom and dad's house. Dave took Lizzy to the toy dept. and she picked out her very own My little Pony! Dave said he would just walk with her down the aisle till she'd point at something. He followed her finger till it stopped on her newest toy. Thanks Grandma!

She got one!!

That's right! Lizzy finally has her first tooth! It made it's apperance last sunday around 4:30-ish. (I know that becuase just before I was fishing something out of Lizzy's mouth and felt nothing.) It's so cute!! My little girl is getting so big! We have yet to take a pic of it, but when we do, I will for sure post it.

Lizzy is the sweetest girl ever. I say girl now, because of the tooth :o( She is so funny with her fake laughs and funny, albeit weird faces. Again, I don't have any pictures at this time. Sorry.

Two weeks ago Dave's Dad and his wife came to visit us! It was so much fun seeing them. Glen and Ann live in California, so it's rare when we see them. Lizzy just loved them both! It was so cute how she was always crawling on them and wanting their attention. I'm pretty sure they enjoyed it too. They came at a great time of year, when all the leaves are changing. Unfortunately, it rained most everyday they were here. But still the farm looked amazing! So, we'd take them for rides on the golf cart, Dave picked a few wild apples, we went to Lake Michigan, bought some fudge in Suttons Bay.....Glen being the adventurous man that he is, rolled up his pant legs and went into the lake! Yeah! I touched it and it was freezing!! Ann gave a great recipe for Pok egg rolls! If anyone wants it, just ask and I will email it to you. They really are the best I have ever had!

It was great seeing them! We were so glad they came to visit. Miss you already!

Let me tell you a little something about Lizzy. Just now she wanted me to pick her up, she did her fake cry for a moment, then I got her. She was so happy, she gave me some cuddles! Oh! She just did again! She must know I am writing about her. AH! I think I will have to finish this later. In all of 2 seconds, she has stuck her finger up my nose and pulled my hair then laughed about it! FYI, it was the hair on top of my head, not in my nose. It felt like I needed to clarify. She really is sweet, but I think she needs some attention.

oh yeah, our camera is broken, that's why we have no pictures right now. Stinky eh?