Caroline at 17 months

This last month has been a little rough for Caroline-  well really just one week of it was really rough.  She had what I would call her first real bug- a gastrointestinal virus that lasted a whole week.  Thankfully, she's doing better now and is back to her normal cheerful self.  The only bummer is that she's not sleeping quite as well as she did before she got sick, but hopefully we'll get back in the habit quickly.
Other things going on this past month (aside from Halloween and other festivities):

~Caroline is a walking pro.  She almost never crawls but will still occasionally do her little knee shuffle.
~ She's got four teeth on top- officially.  Still only three on the bottom, although I don't think it will be long before that fourth one is through.
~ She likes to clap her hands to "If you're happy and you know it"
~ Still not saying a whole lot of words... she talks quite a bit and every once in a while I think I can make out an "all done" or "mama" or "hi dada!"  but it's really only understandable in context.
~ Before she got sick she was getting really picky about what she wanted to eat- it was very frustrating- but since she's gotten over her illness she's a bottomless pit making up for lost time and will eat anything and everything in front of her.
~ Still taking two naps during the day and sleeping through the night (except for post-illness)
~ Likes to play hide and seek.
~ Has gotten much more social with other babies we see- unless they get too close.  Then we get tears.
~ Still plays pretty well by herself, but wants someone else with her a little more than she used to.
~ She's really cute with babydolls.  She (usually) is very sweet with them and will hold them over her shoulder and pat them.  It's amazing to me that she does that because I really don't know where or when she's seen someone doing that with a baby.
~ Is getting much more opinionated. It's not always fun.
~ Loves wearing her shoes and likes to play dress up.
~ Can follow directions pretty well... but that doesn't mean that she does follow directions.

I got lots of these this time....

When I asked her to lay on the blanket this is what I got.

Other cute pictures from this past month:

Our first foray into coloring.  She had a pretty good time.

Playing dress up in the nice Sunday coat. I put it on her to see if it fit and she took off. 

We've been given lots of toys lately.  Caroline likes them.

In her new sunglasses.

The only good thing about a sick baby is that they'll actually cuddle. 

Cute little gal!

Halloween 2014

Instead of buying a pumpkin to carve I just let one of zucchinis grow and grow so we could make a Frankenchini!  

Jaker's Pumpkin Patch

Joe's Valley and Pete's Hole

I've had a camping bug for a while (the weather has been amazingly perfect for it)  but we don't fit in our tent anymore.  Jared's parents and brother's family were going to go camping so we crashed the party and stayed in the motorhome with Jared's parents.... really roughin' it, I know :)  It's so nice though because even though it's a little chilly in the motorhome at night, there is a thermostat and I don't have to worry about Caroline being frozen in the morning.   Aside from crying out two times the first night she was a champ and slept great in a pack-and-play.

We really spent just Friday there.  That morning we went for a little ride on the reservoir in Dave's little fishing boat.  The rest of the day we spent about 10 miles away at "Pete's Hole"  a little pond where the fishing was MUCH better. The little boys and the big boys- except Jared because he doesn't like fishing- had a blast and caught lots of fish.

Going for a walk with Daddy by Pete's hole.

Caroline was in heaven playing in the dirt... I like the sock/pant lines.

Half way!

Here's the first bump picture at 20 weeks:

Comparison to 20 weeks with Caroline:

Caroline at 16 months

The pictures are from the right day- for some reason it just takes me a while to actually get them to the blog.

Here's what Caroline is up to:

~WALKING!!!  She now will go more than 3 feet while walking.  She really started taking off on the 18th of October and has just gotten better and better.  She can now stand up without holding on to anything and she can almost pick things up off the ground without falling.  

~She's got at least 5 teeth poking through.  Two on the top and three on the bottom.  There are a couple more on the top just under the surface but haven't made an appearance yet.

~Is a chatterbox!  She will just go on and on about something!!  And she'll even laugh at her own jokes- I really wish I could understand what she's saying.  

~Has discovered cabinets.  My pots and pans are no longer safe.

~Still takes two naps and sleeps like a champ at night.  Usually close to 12 hours.

~Is growing taller and taller.... I have to be careful how close I leave things to the edge of the table.

~Loves the ipad.  She actually gets a little upset when I don't let her have it... I'm such a mean mom.

~Likes to look at books.  

~Practices being really really cute. :)

 Sad news... our frog that we've been taking pictures with is missing.  I think it may have gotten left at church because it was in the diaper bag... and they just emptied lost and found to DI... :(

Video of the 18th when Caroline decided to walk- it was kind of late (after 8:00pm) and she was totally slap-happy and just going nuts-o.  It was good entertainment. :)

More cuteness from this month of her life:

Dad let her eat her yogurt all by herself...

Caroline was on mom's team at mini-golf.

She loves to climb into baskets/buckets/containers... this one is just a little small, but she doesn't seem to mind.