Happy Halloween

For Halloween we dressed Adeline as a lobster in a pot.
Oh my gosh was it a success! AND it only cost $1.

First, we got the idea from JD's sister Stephanie, who saw the costume last year while I was pregnant. Second, we borrowed the lobster pot from JD's parents (who boil seafood on a regular basis) Third, my parents helped buy and design the material. We took a lobster costume meant for an 18-month-old baby, cut it up and I hand-sewed pieces and parts onto a red onesie sized to fit Adeline. (Although she is 10-months-old, the outfit was a 6-month size.) It took five nights of sewing and a couple fittings. The only thing we had to buy were the red socks for $1. To make the costume complete I dressed as the chef and JD wore a lobster bib. Pictured above, bib-wearing JD pushes Addie in her stroller downtown for some tricks and treats.

We were a hit around town with people stopping us to take pictures, comments of "best costume ever" or "that is the cutest" and even "can I post a photo of you guys on Facebook?" We also won a loaf of bread for best costume at a market downtown during the little kids trick-or-treating event. Top photo at left, Gov. Schweitzer hands Addie a full-size Skittles...GO ADDIE bringing in the candy for mom and dad. And bravo to the gov for handing out full-size candy.

Not only did I have fun making the costume for her, Adeline LOVED wearing it too. She could crawl around with ease and hardly pulled on her tentacles. We dressed her up four times over the course of the week for appearances and parties. In the above photo Grandma Cathy holds a sleeping lobster after a long day of Halloween play.

Happy Birthday Ashley

Sending warm birthday wishes to my dear friend Ashley!
Pictured here, Ashley and Adeline cozy up during a visit to Bozeman earlier this summer.

October 28th

Today Adeline is 10-months-old.
Every day it's getting closer to one year...and then closer to her sixth birthday...and then she'll be a teenager...and then she'll be getting married...okay sometimes I get ahead of myself. For now I remind myself, she's just a growing baby girl.

Today also marks one year since JD and I started this blog. We have enjoyed sharing photographs and stories from our lives with all of you. And it's been fun recording them in blog fashion. Here's to another year -- who knows what we'll see in the coming posts...Adeline taking her first steps...her first birthday...camping trips...a new puppy...a trip to the ocean...a baby bump...okay now I'm really getting ahead of myself.

A teepee all her own

The summer of 2010 was quite a memorable one. Grandpa John built a teepee for Addie in his backyard just outside of Greybull. It's an 18-foot diameter Sioux style teepee, so it can hold the whole family.

Grandpa John and JD trace Adeline's handprints on the door of the teepee in the above photo. John hand-painted the inside and outside patterns and drawings.

Night and the teepee go well together. Rick fills the air with mellow guitar while Stephanie, Cathy and John lounge by the inside fire...JD rocks it by the outside fire.

Experiencing the teepee is complete with an overnight stay. Two large cots and sleeping bags make for a cozy night. Adeline surely loved it. She slept better that night than the whole weekend we were in Greybull. We awoke with a hint of campfire on our pajamas and cold noses.

A happy baby on a horse

Earlier this summer, Grandma Cathy, JD and I took Adeline for her first carousel ride here in Helena. Boy did she love it! The fun music, the pretty horses, the motions up and down and around, the lights, the ice cream...well only the adults had ice cream. She'll have to wait a couple more months for that treat.

A dad and his daughter

Learning how to walk

~ Grandpa Jim takes Addie for a walk ~

Two teeth

Two teeth.

Two new shiny white teeth.
Two sharp, bite mom teeth.
Two new ways to eat a banana teeth.
Two sharp book eating teeth.
Two teeth.

Mama drama

Mama drama...part 3: Yesterday we were in Missoula at my parent's Harvest Party (photos to follow later this week) having a great time. We were having so much fun in fact that I kinda forgot to check Addie's diaper. I'm holding her on my hip watching the older kids play with their homemade slime when I feel this warm sensation on my side...Addie peed so much it leaked out of her already-wet diaper soaking both her and me. We retreat to the house to change her outfit and mine. As I walk back outside I hand off Addie to JD and they head to the fire pit. I was standing near the back deck when out of nowhere the lower half of me is instantly soaked! My dad turned on the hose for the kids to rinse off. But what he didn't realize was his sprinkler was still on and his daughter was standing right next to it. So I retreat to the house again to change my outfit again. It's funny that I actually had two extra sets of clothes with me on this DAY TRIP to Missoula. JD usually gives me a hard time for over-packing. But this time I was very thankful at my over-prepared, over-packing, plan-for-everything self.

It's Fall and we love it

Grandma Cheryl shakes some leaves off a tree while out for a walk with Adeline. She loved it when the leaves fell into her stroller. Of course she tried to put them in her mouth...mmm crunchy snack.

Flashback photo

Our good friend Matt took this photograph of the three of us back in March. She has grown and changed so much since then!

Coffee table fort

Grandpa John shot this video this morning of Adeline playing underneath their coffee table. Too too too cute.