Princess and the pea...

Ok, so I'm not a princess, and no, it is NOT always peas that are bugging me. Let me step back for a moment. Prior to kids, I was pretty, shall we say... anal (mainly in my own private world), about keeping dirt and crumbs off the floor. Ever since I left home, I decided no shoes in my dorm, apartment, house etc... I actually would have to get after my dad when he would come over, to take his shoes off. So, what do I hate?????? Crumbs, dirt, etc under my feet!!!! Now, many of you have been over my house may be saying, "Sarah's house was never spic n span???" Well, it may have gotten messy at times, but then I would wear slippers or socks to disguise my disgust :-) The other day while practicing a flute duet at my dear friend's house on her carpet sprinkled with crumbs (from goldfish crackers that Elle dumped onto the floor), I was so distracted by the crumbs that I could hardly focus!! Shoes back on!

Sooooooooo....What happens now that it is summer and I am not wearing socks, slippers or shoes in my house and I have a little one who loooovvvveeessss to walk around carrying cheerios in her hands, drops them, then MOM STEPS ON THEM...GRRRRR...... I feel like I am going to loose my mind! with every cheerio I hear crunch!?! Ok, so maybe not entirely loose my mind, but I certainly find myself sweeping and vacuuming constantly! Sweeping is actually not very effective seeing that a pile of dirt, crumbs, etc... is loads of fun to walk through and try to grab out of the dust pan!!! Hmmmm....testing my patience..... I think I will prevail and not loose my mind. Maybe I should teach Elle how to sweep?

P.S. At this very moment, while I am bearing my soul (or strange annoyance) Elle is pulling each and every book off of my bookshelf....I happily ignore her, knowing I will have to pick up once I am done typing, and hoping that the bookshelf doesn't fall on top of her... :-0

I captured it! The flower blooms before my eyes!

I love flowers...

Elle reading her "Nnnnn, Nnnn book, (meaning there is a car in the book) her new found favorite activity! She even goes to sleep in her crib with books to read!

The title of my post has many levels of meaning, and yet they are all connected to growth Some of the most beautiful of Gods creations: children & flowers/gardens. The first level being, the 1 yr. old flower, that is my daughter who daily inspires my awe. In my previous post I commented on wanting to be able to capture learning in a photo. Well, how does a video work? We spent the week at hubby's family cabin and Elle's little neurons were firing rapidly...zoom, zoom, SPARK...CONNECT...I can almost hear it (if that was what neurons sounded like:). Well, I was watching her move around and make her little car noise with her lego car (Nnnnn, nnnnnn... Apparently that is was cars sound like to her). So I got out my camera to catch the sound, and this is what transpired, learning in the making:

OKAY, I CAN NOT GET THE VIDEO TO ATTACH!!!

She made the connection between sound, object, and picture. So far this stage of learning is my favorite (not that I didn't love the things she did before, but her developments didn't happen so quickly before)! I think about the developmental levels of so many of my music therapy clients and that Elle is already accomplishing many of the same motor & cognitive objectives that I work so hard on!! Here comes my therapy education coming out in my parenting! It really does add an amazing perspective, and I'm sure that my awe is only going to increase from here.

So many 1st's...So little time!!

Wow, I have wanted to post for so long, but where does my time go?!? By the time evening comes around and I think about posting, returning e-mail (mostly long overdue, sorry everyone!), or selling on eBay (my side job...to support my shopping/thrifting habit. Check out my listings, my seller's id is flute-er), or practicing my flute, I'm too pooped to post :) Well, I am going to at least start a post while Elle is napping, and then throw laundry in the washer!

Major 1st I can't wait to post about is Elle's first birthday!!! Yes, my little peanut is 1 years old. AND, to compliment her first birthday, she got her FIRST ear infection most likely on her birthday, and we made our FIRST trip to Urgent Care the day after her party, where she got her FIRST antibiotics prescription. In her party photos she looks less than interested in partying! She half ate her cake and opened her presents half-heartedly. Poor baby girl :(

Legos from Daddy of course! He has been talking about getting legos for our future children since we were engaged!

Now, for Elle's first trip to the ocean!!!! Elle and I went with my parents to Florida to visit family...and to spend time at the ocean and swimming...and just being WARM :-0 Lets just say that this was a Loooooong, Coooooold, Minesooota, winter...brrrrrrr! Welcome home Sarah and Bernhard! As you may recall, Elle went sledding on Easter (yikes!) Anyway, onto the warm, warm, sands of Cocoa Beach!

The ocean through the eyes of a babe! Pretty amazing...sigh....


Elle with Grammy and Papa and Great Uncle Dallas.



Oooooo, the pebbles were so much fun on my little piggies!

Went to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa and had a wonderful time, even though we sweat buckets! Elle cooled herself off by eating her first slushy...very messy and colorful :)

Beautiful flower at the zoo...I'm obsessed with photographing flowers :-) Thank goodness Summer is almost here!

Elle's first ride on the carousel...fun at first, then a little scarry!


See this giraffe...


see his loooooong tongue?


Yep, it kissed or tried to EAT Elle!!!


Weeee.....Elle's first ride down a waterslide :)



"Whoaaaa! What just happened? Can I do it again?"

Other firsts that I so wish I could capture with my camera lens (Oh, I so wish I could keep these memories in pictures...): Elle was crying with her eyes closed while lying on her changing table (in the middle of the night, of course) and I was trying to make her stop crying, so I tickled her. Through her tears, with her eyes closed, and a big smile on her face, Elle reached up and tickled herself saying, "gicka, gicka, gicka." I couldn't believe my eyes! We haven't even tickled her that much. So cute :-0 Also, I love to see her wheels turning in her little brain. If I could capture it on film you would be able to see the synapses firing like wildfire! While in Florida Grandma hid a toy under the dust ruffle of the bed. Elle caught on immediately and began hiding EV-ER-YTHING, EV-ER-YWHERE! Now, we find magnets and legos in shoes and many different things pushed under the couch. She loves to get down on her belly and look under the couch and laugh.

When I see her learning happening, I can't help but thank God that she is developing well. All the developmental milestones are happening as they should (even the annoying ones like throwing toys on the floor to see how many times mom and dad will pick them up, OR SCREAMING when I so much as walk 2 feet away from her...). Yes, I will take the good with the bad, or shall we say challenging, if it means that she is on target!