Look...I can stand UP!

So much for keeping my baby a baby! Today in the blistering heat, cranky from teething, she stood up on her own...several times! She even had a cheering section complete with Auntie D. and Auntie Christy! Grandma and grandpa are anxiously awaiting the video so here it is! Oh, and it really was hot here so excuse the outfit, or lack there of :-)

The Zaela Chronicles

One of the main reasons for my Blog is to be able to document Zaela's first years of her life and then to be able to give it to her as her own keepsake one day! So this post will be dedicated to her little personality and what she is doing at 11 month young!
Also, Grandma and Grandpa bought us a Flip Video recorder so I am going to try my luck at uploading Z's first video!! Yay,, thanks Grandma and Grandpa:-)

So here is what little Z Rose is up to:

1. In the morning I can hear her soft baby babble as she plays in her crib. When I go to get her
she is usually jumping up and down with a big smile on her face to greet me!

2. She loves Sesame Street and the Baby Noah-Einstein Video!

3. She is not too fond of diaper or clothing changes. Her latest way to pass the time is to
throw everything she can get her hands on behind the dresser/changing table!

4. She wanted nothing to do with pacifiers: UNTIL I gave her the First Years Soothie! Now I
have created a monster!

5. She now picks out the Graduates from the Cheerios and eats them first!

6. She can cry and giggle in the same moment when she is tired!

7. She eats anything!

8. She loves her musical toys...especially her Learn-n-Groove!

9. She loves being outside. She spends a lot of time pointing at the trees and babbling. She also
likes watching all the kids and cars during school drop off and pick up.

10. She has been crawling and pulling herself up pretty much since we got home. She crawls on
her feet and hands and looks like a crab!

11. She weighed 23 lbs. and was 28 1/2 inches at her first doctors appointment! A week later
at her second appointment she weighed 21.5 lbs, putting her in the 75% range for height and
weight.

12. She is a great napper and has started sleeping through the night:-)

13. She loves to wave and patty cake! She often starts waving while I am feeding her!

14. On that note, she will also cry in between spoonfuls if I am not feeding her fast enough!!

15. She does great at restaurants! The only problem was at a restaurant on a pier...she did not
like the pigeons and seaguls flying close to her head! But really, WHO does??

16. She plays good on her own and overall is a wonderful little girl :-)

Now for some video!!! This is the "Z Crawl!"

Video Montage

It took a few nights of little to no sleep, but here it is! My last hurdle was trying to download music (so be prepared Karen!) LOL! Zaela even celebrated its completion with me by letting me sleep the ENTIRE night! YaY,,, With any luck there are more of those to come :-) I hope you enjoy the video of our journey!

Happiness is...

spending my days with Zaela!!! I really could not feel more blessed with my sweet daughter! Although you try to capture all of those special moments,,,,even with all of the technology these days...some moments are only meant to be etched on your heart forever! I was baking cookies and felt a little tug on my pant leg...only to look down and see her smiling face. No picture, no video, just us in the kitchen with me wondering how I could be so lucky to be able to pick her up and squeeze her. Life is good :-)

Some moments I did capture....here are some of my favorites...
A smiling face to greet me EVERY morning :-)

Another front yard pool day :-)

Proud Grandpa!

Her first Ethiopian Celebration in "Little Ethiopia LA"!

Hanging out in front of our house!

Eating by herself....hmmmm where are my rice crispies???

Making new friends!

My first swing ride! YaY

Zaela's Announcement

It was a wonderful feeling to be sending out Zaela's announcements! I still look at her and can't believe she is actually home!! She has such a personality already, the perfect mixture of serious, silly, and yes of course... sassy! Unfortunately, grandma and grandpa had to go home to Wisconsin so us girls are on our own. So far so good and I will post some pics soon to show you what we have been up to!

A special thank you to my friend and professional photographer who took such beautiful pictures to memorialize Zaela's homecoming announcement!... So well, in fact that the card company asked permission to use the photos! THANKS D. and if anyone wants gorgeous pictures,,, I can not recommend her enough...the photos speak for themselves:-)

Zaela meets Grandpa!

Little Z got to meet grandpa on Wednesday! Now she gets to be spoiled by grandpa and grandma!!! She is doing really good, just some teething issues which are causing some sleep problems at night :-( Still having fun outside on the porch and in the pool! Lovin' all the attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun in the SUN!!!!!

I seriously wonder what I did BZ (Before Zaela!) Well it was a fun day out in the front yard again! Playing in the pool while grandma did the gardening and my neighbors admired my little cutie pie in her pool :-))

Hanging out on the porch....

Does this bikini make me look fat??? LOL

Serious girl!

Still serious about pool time!

... And here is me NOW!!!

Here's what we have been doing....

Zaela's first stoll on the beach.... it seemed to have a calming affect!

She LOVES playing under the trees in the front yard!

PLAYING hard with her pots and pans.... I may have a chef or a drummer on my hands!

Not liking the prickly grass!!!!

My first shopping cart ride at VONS Supermarket! WOW sooo much to look at!