11 Months Old & 1st Visit to the Beach!

Our beautiful, smart, funny, sweet baby is 11 months old!!!!  I can't believe she's already almost 1 year old.  We had to download all the video from our video camera, which included vids from before Marlee was born up until last week.  Soooo we had to watch a few clips...starting on her birth day...so many awesome memories.  I am so thankful to have been home with her for most of them!  Hopefully we won't go too overboard planning her 1st B'day party. ;)  We're thinking bubbles/polka dots & stripes & frogs. 

Most of the good beach pics were taken with my moms camera...but I got a lot of good video.  Marlee loved the beach!  Wanted to walk in the sand, splash in the water, and play with her squirt toys.  She could never last more than 1-2hrs once we finally got to the beach, from getting ready to nap again, but it worked out well.  We went along with my parents on my dad's annual medical meeting trip to Sandestin Resort.  We picked up Uncle Jon on the way from Nashville (Aunt April was in Oregon with her sister, who is expecting...they found out it's a boy while Ape was there).  Uncle Matt Matt and Aunt Ashley were there too!  Dad rented a beachside villa...which was awesome!  Wish we could've spent more time there, but I'll take any time.  It didn't rain until the day we left, and we had some awesome food!

Unlce Jon & Daddy at the beach!  Thank goodness we had our 10x10 canopy tent...it was sooo hot!

This is THE stinkface!  It started when she didn't like us wiping her face after eating, we labeled it "stinkface", and now we can say show us your stinkface...and she does it...so funny! 

And, she's walking/cruising all over the place.  Still no solo steps, but is standing without holding on for at least 5 seconds at a time.  She'll be taking off soon!  Such a big girl!

She is definitely looking like a Nelson in this picture with Uncle Matt Matt and Aunt Ashley and yours truly.  It was so good to all hang out together!

Happy 4th of July & Happy Birthday David!

Well, since it's still summer, guess where we went for the 4th of July?  The lake of course!  We thought Dave was gonna have to work on Sat, but got off at the last minute, so we headed in Friday night after traffic died down & after dinner with Marlee in her pjs.  She slept the whole way after falling asleep 20mins into the ride, and there wasn't much traffic.  She woke up when we exited the interstate, was in a good mood when we got to Gama & Papa's house, then went back to sleep.  :)  However, since she's sleeping in the pack n' play in the same room as us, when she stirred at 5am, she could see us, so she protested to get out of her crib and into the bed with us.  She never went back to sleep, but we stayed in bed til almost 8 before going down to eat breakfast.  At least she took some good naps!

Later at the lake, Dave took Boda to the lake for swimming.  He swam great, but he was not a fan.  Kept swimming right back to shore, and when he's wet he's sooo skinny!  My dad grilled ribs & chicken and everybody came over for dinner...yum!  Then Sunday was when we had different ribs & chicken with all the family (including Maw Maw & April's parents too) over for lunch.  We celebrated Dave's b'day too with a cookie cake, pound cake with whipped cream & blueberries (Marlee finished off most of the blueberries...good thing they have their own bushes), and presents!  More lake time and hanging out.  My brother was in town and came over on the jet ski, and it was a fun hangout day.  We even got a boat ride.  Marlee still loves the water, but she wants to be inhibited by a float less and less...fearless!

Last night for Dave's b'day (July 7),  I hung a b'day banner before he got home from work, we had tacos for dinner (his favorite), blew up balloons (which Marlee loved), and had a summer flavors sampler in of Sam Adams in the fridge.  Tonight we are hanging out and watching a movie, knowing that Dave doesn't have to work tomorrow, and we don't plan on traveling this weekend.  We are going to Atlanta for a Braves game next weekend, then the beach the next...bout to get busy!

Just found out friends Ryan & Carrie Mussato are expecting their first baby...so exciting!!!!  And Ruthann R. & Tony Hendon just had Reid recently.  Babies are in the air!

Speaking of babies, I guess Marlee is about to be a toddler....she is all over the place.  Pulling up on everything and speed-walking with the walker.  She stands up and lets go of support for a few seconds at a time...it won't be long now!  I barely get any good pics of her anymore b/c she moves around so much, but I try to get some good video.  We'll have to compile it soon since she's approaching her 1st b'day...can't believe it!  I love her soooo much!  It's amazing how much she is learning and how much fun it just keeps getting!  She's a rockstar!