Newborn Pics

Mandy Stansberry took some pictures of Roslyn a couple of weeks ago.  She did cooperate somewhat (Roslyn, not Mandy) for the photos so we got a few good ones.  I think she is just precious but that is because I am her Mama.  We also got some good ones of Liesel.  She is a little beauty too but you already knew that.

Something Crafty

So, I decided to whip out a fall wreath last week one day during nap time.  Seriously it only took me 10 minutes.  I had a spare leaf garland in my fall decorations and I bought this wreath for $4.99 at Hobby Lobby.

I used twine that we already had to tie the garland onto the wreath and it turned out like this!  I think it is great for $5!  And it satisfies my desire for a new fall wreath.

{18} Month Pictures

So, last week we had Lesley Proctor take some pictures of Liesel.  They turned out so great!  I think she is just so beautiful but I am her Mama and that's my job.  Here is a sampling for your viewing pleasure.

Go Thunder!

No matter what happens to the Thunder in these next few games we will still support them.  Here we are in our Thunder gear yesterday.  Liesel was the cutest of the three of us of course.

{18} Months

**Update- We went to your 18 month check up and you are sure growing.  You haven't gained much weight since your last check up.  You still weigh 25 lbs but you are now 34 inches tall (95th percentile)!  

 
I can't believe you have been around for a year and a half, L!  You have grown more that I imagined you would in this time.  It seems like you have only been with us for a few months, not 18!  You think you are so big but you are still so small to me.

You are saying so many words I can't even count any more.  You love to just say all the things you know.  You are getting into everything.  You can reach the kitchen counter tops and most other things now.  You are climbing on all chairs/couches you encounter just because you can.  I let you climb on most things but the rule is that you must sit on your bottom.  We are having some battles over that.  You love to get into the computer armoire which is also a definite no-no but there is just something about touching the keyboard and mouse. 

You are getting more affectionate with us and we love to get a Liesel hug and kiss whenever we can.  You love to play chase and for us to hide and jump out and scare you.  It is so fun listening to you scream and giggle.  I love it so!  You are fast too and only getting faster.  You are beginning to try to take the steps without sitting down or holding on to anything on your way up or down.  You are quite the daredevil.

Playing outside is one of your favorite activities.  You don't have to be entertained.  You just like to walk around and look at stuff and add to your rock collection from the backyard.  You are amassing quite a collection which you like to bring inside and carry around with you.  You always like to carry around something small in your hand.  I guess it is a comfort thing.  You have to have your blankie or "Na-Na" as you call it and your sheep "Ba Ba" to sleep.  You are such a great sleeper at night time and naps.

You are such a delight and I love being your Mama!

 

A Late Happy Easter

So, yesterday we returned from our long Easter weekend in southern Kentucky; Russellville, KY to be exact.  We met up with Tarren's younger sister and her family from South Carolina and this place was just about in the middle.  Tarren's dad researched and chose this vacation rental house here.  It was built in 1811 and was pretty cool.  It more than accommodated all of 12 of us.  There were even beds to spare.  We didn't break many of the antique items in the house.  They were repairable a least.  Everyone had a blast.  Liesel got to meet three of her cousins for the first time.  She loved them of course and learned so much from them over the weekend.  Here are some pictures of the fun.  It did rain the whole time but we still managed to have fun.  This first picture is from when we made a pit stop in Metropolis, IL.  And, no, Liesel did not get that Nerf gun in her Easter basket.  It was just in the picture and belongs to someone else. 

 

 

 

 

 

Income Taxes

I have to commend the Oklahoma Tax Commission.  We just sent in our tax return last week and already got a refund check in the mail.  Talk about fast!  I am impressed with the deadline being tomorrow and everything.  Way to go OTC!

Friends

 
Finally, something worth posting about!  Haylie came over for a visit today and the girls had tons of fun.  Liesel kept trying to give Haylie her cup of milk  It was almost compulsive but Haylie was always gracious and took her milk every time.  Thanks, H!  Then they fought over who would get to sit in the child size rocking chair and thankfully took turns in the best one year old fashion.  Then they played chase around the couch which is one of L's favorite games.  You can watch here.  It is kind of bad video but at least you can see how cute they are!  

Spring cleaning / garage-sale-prepping fever

We are participating in a garage sale at the end of April (courtesy of the Cornell fam).  I am going crazy going through stuff that we need to get rid of.  It is so weird how this desire to purge and organize just hits me.  It is also crazy that even though we had a garage sale just last year that we still have more stuff to get rid of.  Does anyone else do weird stuff like this besides me?  My only hindrance is a certain toddler that won't allow me total concentration on anything except her until she goes to bed.  Thus there are only a few truly productive hours in the day but we make do.

Hi again

I want to start posting on here again but it has been so long I don't know where to start.  So here is my start.  I am sorry to anyone who actually reads this.  I will try to think of some good stuff to blog about.  Don't worry.  It will include Liesel.  I am sure it will be mostly about my sweet Liesel.

Happy Thanksgiving!

One year ago today

I almost can't believe I am sitting here typing this.  At this time one year ago today my body was working to deliver a gift so amazing that nothing could have prepared me for it.  I remember at this time in the morning, around 7am, my midwife, Charlee, came over to confirm that I was in active labor.  She told me to go for a walk to make things progress more quickly.  So off Tarren and I set around the neighborhood.  We would walk a few paces and I would have a contraction so I would hang from Tarren's shoulders for support.  People would drive by on their way to work and I can only imagine what they were thinking.  Hopefully they had babies of their own so they understood.  Still, how often do you see a laboring woman on the street on your way to work?  I finally decided I had had enough walking so we went home.  Plus, I was getting cold.  We went back and the next several hours are kind of a blur to me.  I went from laboring in bed to the pool in our room to the shower.  Charlee and Tarren were the only people there with me and they took such good care of me while I concentrated on relaxing while my body worked.  Finally around 2pm it was time for a baby to be born.  We worked and we worked and finally at 310pm Liesel Carmen Condict was placed on my chest; all 9lbs 4oz of beautiful, slimy, wiggling baby.  It was such a miracle.  We had no words to express our awe.  Charlee cleaned us up and put us in bed.  She helped us nurse for the first time.  Liesel was a champ!  She checked Liesel out and weighed and measured her.  Everything went just perfectly.  Tarren went and got us dinner from Sonic.  Then our new family, exhausted from a long day, went to sleep in our own bed.  We knew it was the beginning of a grand adventure.

This is how much she has changed in just one year.  

Liesel, we are so blessed by God to have you as our baby girl.  I never could have imagined that I could have so much love for another person as I have for you.  My heart overflows with it.  You are such a gift to us and I love being your Mama.  Happy Birthday, baby!

Flying

Ahh the 80's...who whould have thought Bernie could be so inspirational?

This is hilarious.  The guy in the purple shirt is the best.

My Halloween craft

I actually made this several weeks ago for my friend Sallie.  I wanted to do a post about it so bad but had to wait until I could give it to her so as not to ruin the surprise.  Well, I finally gave it to her on Saturday so here is the big reveal.  I got this t-shirt at the thrift store (Sallie thinks this mean bunny character is really funny so I had to get it for her).  The shirt was too big for her so I decided to turn it into something else.

 It went from this:

To this (complete with zipper):

I already had the pillow insert.  This was my first pillow cover with a zipper and I think it turned out pretty well for the first time.  I will always make them with zippers from now on.  It is easier to do than I thought it would be.

My favorite little pumpkin

Liesel was your basic pumpkin for Halloween but I think she was the cutest pumpkin I've ever seen! She even surprised me and left her hat on all night.  We went trick-or-treating just to say hello to the neighbors.  Liesel can't eat candy after all but she did get into picking candy out of the bowl for Mommy and Daddy to eat later.  Then Mr. Grant Cliburn came by to say hi.  He was a train engineer.  Liesel loves Grant and chases him as he runs away from her.  Liesel, someday Grant will be more interested in girls.

Unaware of the impending Liesel attack

The many faces of Liesel

Liesel's {1st} Homecoming

On Friday night we went up to Stillwater for the walkaround.  It is OSU homecoming tradition to walk around and look at all the fraternity and sorority house decs.  I was in a sorority so I participated in this while I was in school.  When you think about it now it seems like such a waste of time but what would we do without the walkaround every year?  It is so fun!  Tarren graciously even wore a shirt that had some orange stripes on it.  He is not Cowboy fan, mind you, but he did try.  He opted not to wear his Chiefs hat because he did not want anyone to think he was a Nebraska fan.  That would have been a real tragedy.  I forgot my camera so I had to take pictures with my cell phone.  I apologize for that.  I didn't take any pics of the house decs but I did take a picture in front of my sorority house with my little future A Dee Pi.  Isn't she cute?  She looks really interested too.  She did have a good time though.  The walkaround is good for lots of people and dog watching.

Here's one of the family too

{11} Months

11 Months

Liesel, you turned 11 months last week.  As usual I am way behind.
-You finally decided you would let us feed you baby food this last month.  You are eating a lot of other finger foods now but occasionally I still feed you some baby food.  You were only 4 or 5 months behind all the other babies your age!
-You love your protein.  You will eat any piece of meat or cheese we set in front of you.
-You LOVE drinking water out of your sippy cup.  You would walk around with that cup all day if you could.
-You are standing by yourself and taking a few steps.  Some days you walk more than others.  Sometimes you will walk with me holding your hand but usually drop to the ground to crawl.  You still crawl for the most part because that is much faster for you.
-You are talking a lot more the past two weeks or so.  You don't say anything we can understand but still you have a lot to say.  Sometimes you just crawl around talking about stuff.  It's pretty cute.
-You do say Ma Ma and Da Da and you know what those mean.  You can say Bye Bye and that is still about it.  Sometimes you try to say Amen after a prayer.
-You love to play hide and seek with us.  You either hide behind furniture and pop up or cover yourself up with your blankie.
-You do love your blankie.  I wondered if you would ever become attached to something since you didn't take a pacifier.  It is a blanket that your Aunt Randi gave you and you can't go to sleep without it. 
-You are very social and love other people and babies.  Sometimes you love them a little too much when you try to steal the other babies' pacifiers, cups or Cheerios.

We love you baby girl and try to cherish each magic moment we have with you as you change before our very eyes.  Your Mommy

{4th} Anniversary

Tarren and I had our 4th anniversary yesterday and the day came and went without much ado.  We did exchange cards.  Don't worry.  We are going to dinner tonight though.  Thanks to Liesel's Aunt Meggie and Uncle Tyler.  Tarren and I are excited about our date.

We can't believe how fast these 4 years have flown by; especially the last due to our sweet baby girl.  It has been a great year!  I have an amazing, God-loving, faithful husband.  He is such a good leader for our family and a terrific daddy.  I couldn't have picked anyone better.  Good thing God was in charge of that anyway.  I guess He knew what kind of spouse I needed. ;)