July

Enjoying a Redbirds' Game on July 3rd in the LRK Suite
With Daddy at the Game
Flower
Playing in the Pool in the Backyard
Siler
Just Cute
Her little tootsies were crossed like this in her sleep.

Just Cute
Up to Something
Loads of Giggles
I love a snuggly, clean baby
Jacob went to Lake Taho for work...surprise, surprise he spent his off day hiking

Play time at a friend's house
First time on a slide...not so sure about it
First time in a BIG pool...she was skeered
Snuggling close to daddy
Ms. Monica and Ms. Madie, Dakota's teachers at school. They have been such a blessing to us over the past year...and the best caretakers I could have asked for. Dakota graduated from the Infant I class (Little Lambs) and starts the Toddlers (Caterpillars) on her birthday. It's been an emotional month realizing that I no longer have a "baby".

Get Your Blog On

Jacob said that I needed to get my blog on so sorry for the multiple posts. June was a good month.

Highlights:

Visiting Oliver in Greenville
Going to Colorado and New Mexico with Dad and Martha
Visiting my best pal Ryan in Carbondale
Garage Sale ($$)
Blueberry Picking - Dakota LOVED it. She understood the concept of picking the berries and eating them and LOVED the way they taste. Sorry no pictures of that.

July Events:

4th of July Redbirds game with work
Dakota turning 11 months (wow...a year is just around the corner!)
Finishing up our guest bedroom
Design-a-Wish 5k (July 19)
Jury Duty (July 21-25)
Me and Dakota going to PA for my Cousin John's wedding celebration (July 25-July 30)

Colorado - New Mexico

The Solemates completed 2 more highpoints a few weekends ago...and these were big ones. New Mexico (#37) then Colorado (#38) in a 4 day trip out west. We had a great time with Dad and Martha who took care of our little bug while we hiked. Given that these mountains were above 13,000 feet...we didn't want to have to worry about her getting sick or us carrying the extra weight. It was nice for Jacob and I to have some alone "date" time on the mountains. Enjoy the photos.

#37 New Mexico - Wheeler Peak
Glissading is WAY easier than walking :)
Granddaddy, Grandmommy and Dakota at Great Sand Dunes NP
My Daddy makes the BEST marshmallows.
She's telling stories.

#38 Colorado - Mt. Elbert
The snow was over his knees in places. Tread lightly!

Visiting Olive[r] Oil

We had a great time visiting little Olive Oil a few weeks ago (ok...almost a month now since I'm so behind). Enjoy the pictures from our trip to Greenville...

Cousin Oliver

We are so excited to announce the arrival of our nephew and Dakota's cousin…

Oliver West Rowland
May 31, 2008 – 6:18pm
8lbs 6oz – 19”

Congratulations Lauren and Chad!!!!

More pictures to come after we meet him!!

Here Comes Trouble...

She is getting into EVERYTHING but I can’t help but laugh about it. She is not yet walking on her own but is cruising from furniture to furniture like a champ. She’ll be 10 months tomorrow.

In one evening I…

Partially re-rolled a roll of toilet paper.
Wiped up a bottle of bubbles (somehow she figured out how to unscrew the lid).
Played 52 card pick-up
Fished Jacob’s car keys out of the toilet (shh…don’t tell him).

She is so much fun these days…except for her temper tantrums. She doesn’t like getting in her car seat or having her diaper changed or going to bed at night. We love every bit of her though and love seeing who she is and how God made her just for us. My biggest frustrations right now are her eating habits. She is SO picky. I was really looking forward to table foods but she doesn’t like new textures. The doc said she is very independent and to put it on her tray and let her try it on her own…and keep offering it because it could take 9 times before she will like it. So far she does love blueberry puffs, animal crackers, cheese and deli turkey. We’ll keep working on the veggies and fruit but until then she is eating her baby food fine.

A Walk in the Woods

A few weekends ago (May 14-18 to be exact) Jacob and I took Dakota on her first overnight backpacking trip. She had been camping and she had been hiking but this was the “real deal”. We drove to Damascus, VA to enjoy 24 miles of hiking along the AT and Creeper Trail. She loved being carried in the backpack and really enjoyed snuggling in the tent (so much that she hasn’t been able to go to bed on her own since…YIKES!!!). We can tell that she is going to be an outdoorsy gal because she loves picking up bugs and dirt and isn’t afraid of much. Although, as you’ll see in the pictures…she is quite fond of her baby doll, even in the woods! After our hike we enjoyed a 16 mile bike ride (which she snoozed during) and the company of fellow AT enthusiasts during Trail Days. We really had a great time and are looking forward to some more upcoming adventures.

Almost Walking!!

When I first got this toy for Dakota she was a little scared of it. This weekend though, she really got the hang of it and we laughed so hard. She was running around on the driveway. Can you tell how much fun she is having??? I sure hope her driving skills get better throughout the years!

9 Months!

Dakota is a big girl now. 9 months old as of Cinco de Mayo. She had her check up and she is just perfect. She weighs 16lbs 6oz and is 28” long…tall and skinny. The doc told me that she is more active than most kids her age so he is still not too worried about her weight which is only the 10th percentile. She is pulling up on EVERYTHING wishing she could stand and walk on her own. I think she will be walking in another month because she has mastered the “crab” walk which is an upgrade to crawling. This week we also got to start “real” food. He said we are free to try anything except eggs, honey and peanuts. So far she LOVES to feed herself turkey (deli meat). She is so cute when she puts her little pincers in her mouth and gobbles it up. She likes cheese too. She also learned two new “tricks” this week…playing peek-a-boo and blowing her nose. Last Monday, Jacob and I were driving in the car and I was sitting in the back with her and she started pulling the blanket on and off her head. I would yell “peek-a-boo” and she would laugh and laugh. I bet we did it 30 times. Then, Tuesday morning I was wiping her nose which she normally hates and I realized she was blowing it. I kept doing it and would say “Blow” and she did! I praised her for it and now she thinks it is a game when I put the tissue up to her nose. SO CUTE. Anyway, I can’t believe she will be a year in 3 months. I have loved every bit of the past 9 months…

Speaking of 9 months…I feel like I need to toot my own horn for a minute. It’s amazing how in 9 months I gained 30 pounds and swelled to a ginormous size but in the past 9 months I have lost 40 pounds and this past Thursday I ran/walked 6.5 miles to my friends house. My girlfriends and I have been running a lot and I feel so good and active and healthy. I still eat like a hog (thanks to the breastfeeding) but I am exercising which is something I enjoy. Dakota loves strolling too. On April 19 several of us ran a 5k and I got 5th place in my age group with a time of 27mins 35secs. Still nothing compared to my high school days when I could run a 21 min 5k but hey…I’m almost 10 years older and I’ve had a baby. Maybe if I keep at it….

Well, enough about me…here are some recent shots of our sweetie. Can you tell how much she loves life?? She is almost always happy and giggly.

Oh...we celebrated a friend's 30th birthday with an 80's party. It was TOO funny. For pics of Jacob with a mullet and mustache check out our friend Tracy's blog.

I love those blue eyes!!!

Sutton Button joined us for a swing date.

This was in our front yard and I thought it was perty. Anybody know what it is?

She pretty much has the sippy cup mastered and I am so thankful that water pleases her!! I don't want her addicted to juice too early. And can you tell she is ready for football season??
She wanted you to see her top toofers. I started bathing her in the kitchen sink because it is easier than bending down in the tub. She loves it. Thank goodness for deep sinks!

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