Mal's New Do

Mallory hit another big milestone today....her first pony tail! There's not much to it, so pony twig might be a more appropriate term. Whatever you want to call it, I think its pretty cute. I was impressed with how still she was for me when I was putting it in. I was even more impressed that it lasted from about 1:30 until bath time.

Mallory really like to open and close doors these days. She can't open a door that is totally closed so she gets a little unhappy when she actually shuts it.

I think she may have just discovered this drawer as I was taking her picture.

Hope you enjoyed this groundbreaking post! :)

Caught!

Yep, that's Mallory caught with her foot in the cookie jar!

A Little Mallory to Brighten Your Monday

Just in case you are needing a little pick me up this Monday morning, here are a few pictures of Mallory from the last week to sweeten your day.

Anyone think we need a child safety latch on this cabinet?

Just bein' a cutie!

So serious...I guess she didn't know her shirt said "Its GOOD to be me"!

She has not gotten over her love for getting into tight spaces. This is one of her favorite things to do each morning when she gets up. She climbs up onto the fireplace and then into the drum she got for her birthday. She really likes being there. I've taken her out a few times only to see her get miffed at me and then climb right back in.

Mallory has been having a lot of fun scooting around on her Little Mermaid car she got for Christmas from Nana. She has figured out how to get off and on it, but usually just makes it go backwards.

She really like to play on it with her Daddy. He likes to push her and then watch her zoom across the room.

10 Honest and 15 Random Things About Me

Tiffany tagged me for 10 Honest Things about Me and I've been loving reading everybody's 25 random things about themselves, so here's my list in no particular order. Enjoy!

Yes, I love my husband, my baby, and God. I figure everyone knows that about me, so I'm not counting them.

1. I love getting pedicures but really don't enjoy manicures. I like the end result of a manicure, but don't enjoy sitting an arm's length away from a stranger.
2. I would rather go thirsty than drink Pepsi.
3. I never moved growing up. After my family moved back from Holland when I was less than 2 years old, I lived in the same house I came home from the hospital to until I left for college. Since then I have lived in 4 dorm rooms, 8 apartments, and 2 houses.
4. I don't make friends as easily as I would like.
5. I love to run. I really miss running as regularly as I did before Mallory.
6. When we found out I was pregnant with Mallory, I had a pack of fertility meds ready to start. My doctor had no real reason why I was pregnant. I know why, prayer!
7. In college I majored in Nursing, Math, and Accounting. I ended up getting a degree in General Business. I had way more hours than my degree required.
8. I worked for two and a half years in an office that was so quiet you could hear co-workers clicking their mouses (mice?).
9. I worked for a year as a substitute teacher. I liked secondary jobs much better. Elementary kids are so much higher maintenance.
10. I had braces for almost 2 and a half years as an adult. I am now adamant about wearing my retainer each night. I'm not sure I would be so disciplined with it if I had worn them as a teen.
11. I think that getting my braces off may have been one of the most painful experiences in my life (childbirth and kidney stones included)!
12. I would love for Mallory to be a Red Raider some day like her mommy, daddy, and papaw. If she chooses something else, that's ok too as long as she remembers we don't like maroon or burnt orange.
13. I spent one year at Harding before transferring to Tech. It was a great year, but Harding just wasn't for me. I met Matthew one of the first days I was in Lubbock. We dated from that point until we married 4 years later.
14. Matthew never actually asked me out on a date.
15. My favorite job was working at West Houston. I don't miss going to work, but I do miss all the special people I got to spend my days with.
16. I think the Chi and DVR may have been two of the best inventions ever!
17. I have run 3 marathons and really hope I'll be able to run another before the year is over.
18. I sometime miss the Lubbock wind. I do not miss when it would rain mud in Lubbock.
19. I do not have a green thumb. I have an ivy that Matthew bought me 4 years ago. It has not grown one bit since then. I give it just enough care to sustain life.
20. I have ridden an ambulance to the ER twice. I am not looking for a third ride.
21. I started blogging because I spent so much time reading other people's blogs I felt it was only fair.
22. Every 4th of July I forget how much I love fireworks until I see them and then I feel like a little kid watching the show.
23. I LOVE sweets. We say I am an Elf. Skittles and Hot Tamales are my favorite candies.
24. I used to throw the TV remote off the bed onto the floor every night before going to bed. It bugged Matthew a lot. I can't do this anymore now that we have tile in our bedroom.
25. I watch football even when Matthew is not here. What, girls can watch football too!

Cousins

Mallory is blessed to have two cousins that love her to pieces. Now that she has learned how fun it so to play with them, she loves them too. When they got to our house for her birthday, she was so excited. She didn't quite know what to do or which one to follow. The three of them had lots of fun when they were here for her party and then the next week when we were at their house.

Here are Mallory and Nathan checking out the doggy door. I love this picture because it kind of looks like Mallory is showing Nathan how it works.

Abby was sweet enough to share her bear with Mallory. Abby always wants to hold Mallory. Unfortunately for her, Mallory isn't big on sitting still and being held.

When they were playing Mallory somehow ended up in one of the toy bins. So...

Abby had to have a turn in the toy basket, and...

so did Nathan!

Nathan always like to have a project of some sort to work on. This time he made a playscape for Mallory. See how he has made a little corral for her?

Doesn't she look like Matthew in this picture?

Its My Party

We had Mallory's birthday party a few weeks after her actual birthday. She is such a sweet girl, she didn't even complain. I hope she will be as flexible about the timing of her birthday parties when she gets older.

She had lots of fun opening presents.

Abby had lots of fun bringing Mallory's presents to us to open.

Doesn't she look smart reading her card?

Her little cake was so cute!

She wasn't sure what to think when everyone was looking at her and singing.

Hmmm...what's this?

I think I'm gonna like this.

Yep, this is some good stuff!

Any guesses what Abby was talking about on her phone during the party?

As the party was starting Nathan found a bowling ball in our back yard. During the party he and the other kids found a second one, a potato, and a milk jug. It was weird. Since he had bowling balls, what else was Nathan supposed to do but make a bowling lane. Later that day, he found a pole and used it to make a barbell with the bowling balls for weights.

Mallory had to see what was going on in her backyard.

Mallory's New Tricks

Mallory is just growing and changing by the day. Here are a few shots to show her busy with some of her new tricks.

CLIMBING: She is becoming quite a climber. Last week I was sitting at the table eating my breakfast. I could feel Mallory standing by the chair. Before I knew it she was up in the chair with me. She also loves to climb up onto the bricks by the fireplace. This week, she made it up the stairs at Anita's house all by her self. Don't worry, I was following behing to catch her.

WALKING: Around Thanksgiving she started taking a few steps. Around Christmas and her birthday she was off. Sit her down and she is gone! I wish I had some video to share, but her are a few shots of her in the act.

Children's Museum

We had a fun day between Christmas and New Year's with our friends the Beattys at the Children's museum. I had not been there since I was a kid myself, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

The girls may have been a little young for a lot of the things there, but still had a great time exploring it all.

I love this picture because it shows the big difference in the size of their little (or not so little) booties.

A couple days later when we were at the pediatrician's for Mallory's 12 month check up, the nurse asked me if she ate dirt. I thought of this day and said, "Well, no more than the average 12 month old."

It was a beautiful day and I think that everyone's favorite part was playing outside.

Mallory's first time to play in a sand box. I'm sure she ate some more dirt during this experience.

After the museum and lunch, we went to Ikea. It was fun, but insane!!! We all felt like we had visited several different countries, plus we went through the whole store backwards.

Happy Birthday Baby!

I can't believe it, but my baby girl is 1 now! We celebrated her birthday morning with Shipley do-nuts. Anita, Clay, Nathan, Abby, Alyssa, & Ryan (Clay's sis and bro-in-law) were with us that morning before leaving on their cruise so we had lots of people to celebrate Mallory Joy. Because she's only one and doesn't know better, we but off her actual party for a few weeks. But that's another post...

Mallory weighed 6 lb 13 oz when she was born and was around the 10th percentile. At 12 months she weighed in at 24 lb 14 oz. This put her in the 90-97 percentile! My long skinny newborn is gone, but I sure do love my roly poly girl.

I think Shipley could use this photo for advertising. Could these two look any happier with their do-nuts?

Mal got to experience the wonderfulness of do-nut holes. I think she liked them!

This was later that day. I had to get a picture of the mess she made. It must have been some good ravioli!

What have YOU done?

I got this from Lisa's blog. It sounded fun. The idea is to copy & paste it into your blog, then highlight the things you have done. The items in bold are things I’ve done in my life. (You’re not supposed to copy the words in italics, I added those.)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (someday)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis (i'm ok if this one is never bold)
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris (but I have been to Paris, TX)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (does green beans in kindergarten count?)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch-hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (shhh...don't tell)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke (and i don't plan to)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance (i wish this one was not bold)
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (but I've eaten at Great Wall in Lubbock)
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

So, what have YOU done?