19 months

At 19 months old, Blaykleigh …

• got to decorate her first round of Christmas cookies with her friend Jade! Although, there was more eating of the sprinkles and raw dough than decorating but she had fun nevertheless. 
• spent a good chunk of the month of December in Colorado visiting family; it was our second trip there since she was born. 
• joined in on a little "tacky Christmas sweater" partying! 
• stayed in a cabin up in Silverthorn and got to experience snow and sledding firsthand. 
• was sick a lot - cold, double ear infection, another cold and then got a nasty virus while we were in Colorado. We even had to make two trips to the Children's Hospital ER in one day -- that was definitely a first! 
• had her first ER visit x's 2. 
• loved getting to spend so much time with her cousin Kailyn while we were in Colorado! Those two together were so darn cute … until they fed off each other's tantrums, that wasn't so cute. 
• took her very first trip to a Children's Museum while we were in Colorado. Had it not been New Year's Eve, perhaps it would have been slightly less crowded and more enjoyable. 
• was completely spoiled from all who love her for Christmas, she got so many wonderful gifts from all of our family and friends! Definitely blessed. 

Colorado Christmas

It's official ...

... we're moving!!! 

Des Moines, Iowa here come the Stowell's! 

(courtesy of pinterest) 

Yup. Our little family of three + our four fur children are taking a leap of faith and starting afresh in a brand new state! Jason was offered a really great promotion (I am so proud of him) within his company and after weighing the options we feel this is where we are supposed to be. It is definitely going to be hard to pack-up our lives here in Corpus Christi and say goodbye to family and friends that we've made along the way (hardest part by far!); perhaps we will leave it at a "see you later" because let's face it, everyone knows goodbyes stink! With that said, it is merely an understatement when I say that there is SO much to be done between now and January 21st - Jason's first day! Nothing like a little chaos to spice things up. These next few months will undoubtedly be a whirlwind of crazy but we've got each other and the grace of God on our side. 

As hard as it will be to say our "see ya later's", there is also a lot that we are looking forward to in this new chapter of our lives. For one, we will be closer to more of our immediate family than we are now, which means a lot! Jason will get to eat Chipotle as often as his heart desires and me, don't even get me started on how many SuperTargets there are to choose from! I am only slightly kidding. No, but really, after our short visit to Iowa we really fell in love with all it has to offer! 

OH! and one more thing, whether it was a mere coincidence or a sign from God, this may or may not have played a little roll in our final decision process...

In the midst of our decision making process this little piece of paper was torn out of one of my decorating books by our naughty sweet daughter! After getting myself ready for the day, I came out of the bathroom to Jason and Blaykleigh in the living room. Jason watching t.v. and Blaykleigh doing what she does best, getting into stuff she shouldn't. After fussing at her and then Jason for not watching her, I grabbed this piece of paper out of her hand. Of all text that could have been written on that torn page, there it is folks, printed clear as day ... Des Moines, Iowa. 

Just a little odd don't ya think?! 

Well there you have it. 

We will soon be "Iowans". 

18 months

At 18 months old, Blaykleigh ....

• weighs 24.15lbs and is 31 inches in height.
• is really starting to develop quite the personality, we've got a little miss priss on our hands!
• knows several letters (o, m, d, b) and can identify them when you point and ask her what they are. 
• loves her bathtub crayons.
• is all about "dipping" her food in sauce. 
• has had 3 double ear infections (that we know of) within the last 9 months and if she keeps getting them will most likely need tubes put in. 
• can climb on and off the couch without any assistance, miss independent.
• is starting to get rather familiarized with her "time-out" spot and ends up there the majority of the time for throwing things she shouldn't, i.e. - her toys and food off of her high chair tray. Such a pill! 
• got her very first set of Duplo Legos from her granny and grampy for Christmas and boy does she l-o-v-e them!!! 
• would eat bananas all day everyday if I let her. Whenever I ask her if she is hungry her response is "eat, nana" ... it's never a pretty sight on those days we're banana-less!
• loves playing and cuddling Mannie which is really cute, especially since Mannie seems to hate all kinds of affection except from Blaykleigh. 
• loves getting her "boo-boo's" kissed and then kisses yours. 
• still gives me eskimo kisses and butterfly kisses! Melts my heart. 
• is definitely going through an attachment phase. She gets so sad when her momma leaves! 
• started sticking her finger up her nose!!! Gasp. So was not looking forward to this bad habit. 

                   Her words

                       dada

                       mama

                       uh-oh

                       tenk you (thank you)

                       ba-ba (bottle)

                       kee kat (kitty cat)

                       choooose (shoes)

                       maaaow (meow)

                       baiiiiii (bye)

                       haiiiiii (hi)

                       no, no, no - yes she already knows the word "no"!

                       po-pol (purple)

                       naaan (nani)

                       doooug (dog)

                       bau-bo (bubble)

                       turt-o (turtle)

                       jeh-jeh (Jade)

                       nan-na (banana) 

                       bay-bee (baby)

                       yewwo (yellow)

                       doooous (birds)

                         -not sure how she got "dooous" from b-i-r-d-s?

                       peaz (please)

                       ha-ha (hot-hot)

                       nuna (nuni aka paci)

                       eye

                       mous (mouth)

                       aer (hair)

                       ear

                       yet meh seee (let me see)

                       sou <insert chinese accent> (sock)

                       tenkle s-kah-i (twinkle in the ski) 

                       boo-boo

                       buffly (butterfly)

                       ya-yee (huggsie) 

                       buh-bee (beep-beep)
                       oh wow

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Day twelve ....

drink. 

nothing like a good dinner and a glass of vino with the mamma! 

sure do miss her -- 32 days and counting!!! 

****

I am thankful to have such a close relationship with my mother. She is my person! <3

Day eleven ....

night. 

a little bit of sparkles. 

****

I am thankful that there are so many opportunities in life and that you never know where the road might lead you. 

Day ten ....

can't (won't) live without.

coffee.

lovin' the french press.

****

I am thankful that I received my nursing school acceptance letter!!! 

(doin' a little jig)  ;)

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Day Nine ....

small.

crazy how such a small flame can delight the senses. 

beautiful jar. 

one of my most favorite scents. 

capri blue - aloha orchid. 

****

I am thankful for good conversation. Had a wonderful evening sitting out on the back patio chatting it up with my Great Aunt and cousin! Family <3

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Day Eight ....

something you do everyday. 

study. study. study. 

****

I am so thankful for "quiet hours". They are few and far to come by with a baby but when I get them, I utilize them -- library study time! 

Day Seven ....

reflections.

****

I am thankful for my church family! They are simply amazing. 

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Day six ....

a favorite 'thing'.

the iphone. 

sad to say but i would be lost without it. 

****

I am thankful today for the freedom to vote! {fingers crossed}

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Day five ....

5 o'clock.

dinner time! 

****

Today I am thankful for a loving husband who goes to work each day in order to provide for our family. 

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Day four ….

t.v.

juno was on oxygen last night. 

need i say more?

****

I am thankful to have a wonderful church where I can go and freely worship my God! 

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Day three ....

breakfast. 

****

I am thankful for my friends. 

Good friends are hard to come by.

November Photo A Day & Thankfulness

Last year I participated in November Photo A Day as well as listed what I am thankful each day. I really enjoyed doing it so here I go again ...  

Day one ....

something beginning with 'C'

cats! two darling black cats. 

****

I am so very thankful for the love of my family! 

Day two ....

colour

seafoam and red!!!

can't get enough of these colors. 

it's making me super excited for Christmas. 

****

I am thankful that this year, we get to spend 3 weeks in Colorado over the Christmas Holiday with my family!!! can.not.wait. 

17 months

At 17 months old, Blaykleigh ….

• is all about going "grocery shopping" in our pantry and putting small canned goods into her pink wire "grocery" basket, then carrying them around the house.
• still loves reading books, most days she brings up one after the other to be read to her.
• always wants to have a sip of your drink, once she gets one, she ends it with a smack of her lips and an "awwww" -- so refreshing! 
• anytime she sees me getting undressed or dressed she automatically thinks it's time for a "baas" (bath) and attempts to pull her shirt up. 
• has a new fascination with her belly button. Her finger is always in it! 
• will not allow me to unload or load the dishwasher because she is constantly trying to either take the loaded dishes out or climb into it. That is a nap time task. 
• still loves to color! When you ask her if she wants to color she will walk over to the cabinet where the coloring books and crayons are and sits down, waiting ever so not patiently.
• is not good at sleeping in our bed. On those nights when she refuses to lay back down in her crib I bring her into ours … it always ends with an anatomy lesson.  As I am laying there trying to sleep, she hovers over me pointing to various body parts "eye, mous (mouth), aer (hair), ear" and so on ... (she is fascinated with my eyebrows lol). And if it's not that, then she is fiercely trying to shove her nuni into mouth -- she's a share-er.
• likes to get her groove on! Dances her little heart out as she twirls around in circles. 

                      Her words

                       dada

                       mama

                       uh-oh

                       tenk you (thank you)

                       ba-ba (bottle)

                       kee kat (kitty cat)

                       choooose (shoes)

                       maaaow (meow)

                       baiiiiii (bye)

                       haiiiiii (hi)

                       no, no, no - yes she already knows the word "no"!

                       po-pol (purple)

                       naaan (nani)

                       doooug (dog)

                       bau-bo (bubble)

                       turt-o (turtle)

                       jeh-jeh (Jade)

                       nan-na (banana) 

                       bay-bee (baby)

                       yewwo (yellow)

                       doooous (birds)

                         -not sure how she got "dooous" from b-i-r-d-s?

                       peaz (please)

                       nuna (nuni aka paci)

                       eye

                       mous (mouth)

                       aer (hair)

                       ear

                       yet meh seee (let me see)

                       

a pumpkin patch trip!!!

Last weekend we ventured to Hondo, Texas to participate in some fall festivities - spent the majority of Saturday morning at the South Texas Maize. It's a darling little pumpkin patch tucked back off of the highway and there is a ton to do there for all ages. 

Here are some pictures of our trip 

…. Enjoy!