Our Early Christmas

As most of you know, Mary is in Chattanooga right now spending a week with Grandaddy, Gran, and Aunt KK. Mommy's is (of course) missing her like crazy! But Mary is having fun and Gran and Grandaddy couldn't be happier right now! Because of this though, we celebrated our Christmas a little early, just so we wouldn't have to tote all her big presents back on the plan! Mary has decided that Christmas is her favorite, and she made this very evident by constantly letting out a random burst of laughter and non stop smiling! She loved opening up her presents- here are a few of her favorites!!

She LOVES her rocking horse!! She'll walk up to her horse and try to throw her leg over (She's still a little to short for it!) And then she'll pat its head! And she's so good about actually making it rock without Mommy helping!

She also got a stroller to push her baby dolls in. She's such a loving "mommy" to her baby dolls and kept letting them take turns! (She then tried to climb in it herself, it took her awhile to realize she's too big!)

We also bought her a Dora the Explorer tent. It's just a little pop up tent, but she LOVES hiding out in there! (She'll even let mommy and daddy in!) It's so cute, though, how she'll take all her toys in there and then start playing peek- a -boo with each one!

I gave her a sippy cup and then suddenly, she disappeared! I found her in her tent just drinking away! (On a quick note, we are officially off the bottle! Two weeks and no bottle!! Yay Mary!!)

Getting into the Christmas Spirit!

As we were getting our Christmas decorations out, Mary came across our dancing snowman and penguins. She figured out how to push the button to make them sing and then she would dance along with them!! She was doing it so well for awhile and then, of course, as I get the camera out, she was more hesitate...I still think it's cute though!!!

The Military Ball

This past weekend we went to Sunriver, Oregon to go to the Annual Training Conference and Banquet. We had such a nice time despite the snow and cold (at one point it was 9 degrees...) Our condo had a hot tub outside, which two other army wives and I enjoyed. Mary, as usual, LOVED playing in the snow! And Richard and I got to go out while a babysitter watching Mary! It was such a nice weekend!!


Mary getting ready to go to the babysitters...

Richard and I after the ball.

Richard "showing off" his Recruiter's ring. It's an award that goes out to recruiters with good conduct and a certain amount of recruits, and Richard got his! (He actually won it last year, but didn't recieve it until this year)

Our condo covered in snow as we were leaving...

Mary playing in the snow right before we left

WE FOUND OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING!!!

So, after much anticipation...we found out today where Richard is getting stationed. (Drum roll please!) FORT BENNING, GEORGIA!! Our report date is set for sometime in August (as of right now...) We are so excited!!

SNOW!

It snowed at our house!! It just started snowing out of nowhere and within an hour was about an inch and a half. The next morning (today...) we took Mary outside to play in it!! She's our little snow bunny....





I know this picture is random...but my roses are blooming and it just looked so pretty against the snow!


Daddy stopped by and played in the snow with Mary!!

A soldier and his daughter leaving footprints in the snow....

Hurricane Ridge

Daddy, Mommy, Mary, and Uncle Allen took Great- Grandma Penny up to Hurricane Ridge to sight see. We got to the top and what do you know? IT WAS COVERED IN SNOW! (Typical of the mountains in Washington...) Mary LOVED walking around in the snow! We then toured the museum and Mary just kept walking around looking at all the pictures! She had everyone laughing at her because she would make the cutest sounds at each display!

Mary walking around in the snow for the first time! (Of course Bunny came too!)

All ready to walk around the museum!

Enjoying the veiw out the window!

Mary enjoying the displays with Daddy

"Hurry up, Mom...I want to explore!"

The veiw from the window!

Port Angeles

We spent Thanksgiving in Port Angeles visiting Richards family. The night before we left, we took Mary to the ER because she had a high fever and was vomiting. The docters told us it was a virus and gave her some anti- nausea medicine and it seemed to help! She was able to enjoy her trip... Just with a smaller appetite so she didn't eat her turkey! But she still had fun!!


Mary and her daddy and Grandpa

Mommy, Daddy, Mary and Grandpa and his house!

Dinner Time!

She's done it for awhile, but we finally got a picture of Mary feeding herself! Such a big girl!

Such a big girl...

We were trying to take some Christmas pictures while TT was here. She was in her new Christmas night gown- but she did NOT want to sit and just get her pictures taken! Instead, her and Hudson were playing tug of war! This is something they've done for awhile now. The blue mouse is Hudson's toy, and he would bring it to Mary and they would play together. NOW, Mary has decided that she wants the mouse. So, when poor Hudson tries to play, she gets mad. Poor little "Bubby"....

After Hudson took the mouse away, Mary decided she would teach herself to climb up on her toy box. And, sure enough, she did. It won't be long until she can climb out of her crib! She's close!! (Hopefully, it will take her a little while though...haha)

Her First Master Piece

We bought Mary the Crayola beginners markers. I thought maybe she'd still be a little young for it, but she actually figured it out!!!



This is her first picture! (Obviously, she didn't draw the heart or the swirley!) But the scribbles on the right side are all hers! Needless to say, the picture is in her baby book now!!

Visit With Aunt TT

Aunt Terie came to visit us for a few days- It was such a nice visit!! Mary spent most of the time showing off to Aunt TT!! We went shopping and just over all enjoyed each others company!! But, of course, there were LOTS of pictures taken, so be prepared!!


Mary showing Aunt TT her kitchen!

We were trying to take a nice picture for Gran and Grandaddy, but Mary just had to much fun with Hudson!

She's posing on the toy box

Showing off her new boots!

She had so much fun watching the new Tickle Me Elmo in Wal-Mart!!! We had to finally pull her away! But this is her watching the Elmo...

Mary and her "Pony"

I just thought this was cute of Mary and her little zebra. It was a birthday present from some friends of ours, and our little cowgirl just throws her leg right over the saddle and starts bouncing away! She is constantly climbing up the saddle and then throwing her other leg over and climbing off. Then it's almost as if she's thanking her "pony" because she'll go to its head and pet it! She's growing up too fast....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Unfortunatly, our little "princess" wasn't feeling to good on Halloween... She was still willing to get dressed up in her costume and then we went downtown where they open up all the shops and give out candy to everyone. There were HUNDREDS of kids down there and Mary had fun watching them, but we just stayed at Mommy's work and watched all the kids come in. Mary had fun with that. And Mommy even let her lick a lollipop (it is Halloween afterall!) But afterwards, I took our little princess home and she got to sleep off some of her cold....

Our little princess!!

Enjoying her first lollipop!

Posing next to her pumpkin!

A little cutie with a runny nose!!

Preparing for Halloween!!

These are just some pictures of us carving our Halloween pumpkins. Mary was such a big help- that is when she wasn't trying to eat the pumpkin seeds....

Yes, that's pumpkin on her face!!

She's having a staring contest with Daddy's pumpkin!

Daddy's finished pumpkin! (I couldn't upload my pumpkin...it wouldn't work...)

Mary's pumpkin- if you notice, Richard used Mary's name to make the face!!

This was at our friends Halloween party. Daddy and Mommy were pirates and Mary was our little princess! (She was a little tired at this point...but its still a cute Halloween picture I think!)