Fall 2013 Family Photography Session

It's easy to look back and be especially grateful for the little things in my life, the small blessings God grants daily in the simplest of acts. This photography session will, forever, be one of these blessings. It was an afternoon of laughter, smiles, friendship, and family. I'm so thankful for Laura Stiller and her eye behind the camera...to capture a very busy almost eighteen month old Annelisa, her daddy, and me!

Here are few of my favorites..and yes, they will be making their way into our upcoming Christmas card! :)

Photos courtesy of Still: Life Photography
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Parker Rose Garden, Parker, Texas

18 Month Well Baby Exam

This is the simplest, easiest, most joy filled well baby exam Annelisa has had since she was born. I had NO concerns, Dr. Linh Ho had NO concerns, it was simply glorious! All Praise Be to God! I am so thankful that there's not more to write about this exam! Annelisa is growing in every way! So so so thankful!

The two big headlines from the appointment:

1. Annelisa has been growing like crazy! (see below!) 
2. Annelisa can stop taking Zantac for reflux! (Update: as of late October...she's off of Zantac completely!) 

18 Month Stats (79 weeks, September 26, 2013)

Weight: 25 pounds, 5 ounces, 75th percentile

Height: 34 inches, 97th percentile

Head size: 19 inches, 90th percentile 

Where Annelisa's been by the Stats! 

15 Month Stats (66 weeks, June 27, 2013)

Weight: 22 pounds, 4 ounces, 50th percentile

Height: 31.5 inches, 80th percentile

Head size: 18 inches, 50th percentile

12 Month Stats (52 Weeks, 5 days, March 26, 2013): 

Weight: 19 pounds, 8 ounces, 40th percentile

Height: 29.75 inches, 70th percentile

Head size: 17.50 inches, 35th percentile 

9 Month Stats (42 Weeks, 1 day, January 11, 2013): 

Weight: 18 pounds, 13 ounces, 50th percentile

Height: 28.25 inches, 65th percentile

Head size: 17.50 inches, 60th percentile

6 Month Stats (27 Weeks, September 27, 2012): 

Weight: 16 pounds, 11 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 27.5 inches, 95th percentile
Head size: 16.75 inches, 50th percentile

4 Month Stats (18 Weeks, July 26, 2012):

Weight: 14 pounds, 7 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 25 inches, 75th percentile
Head size: 15.75 inches, 25th percentile

2 Month Stats (9 Weeks, 1 day, May 25, 2012):

Weight: 11 pounds, 10 ounces, 60th percentile
Height: 23.75 inches, 90th percentile
Head size: 15.25 inches, 50th percentile

2 Week Stats (2 weeks, 4 days, April 9, 2012 (the day before my due date)):

Weight: 7 pounds, 10 ounces, 25th percentile
Height: 21 inches, 75th percentile
Head size: 14.14 inches, 50th percentile

4 Days Old Stats (March 26, 2012): 

Weight: 7 pounds, 2 ounces, 35th percentile
Height: 20.75 inches, 85th percentile
Head size: 13.75 inches, 50th percentile

Birth Stats (March 22, 2012):

Weight: 8 pounds, 0 ounces, 70th percentile
Height: 20.5 inches, 85th percentile
Head size: 15 inches, 99th percentile

Annelisa is 18 Months!

My dearest Annelisa,

This month was filled with so many events. As I write this, I'm looking back on this month with a smile and a tear...it was a hard month for your mommy, Grammy, GP and aunties, too. Despite the hard things of this month, you have been a daily delight and joy! Your precious hugs, snuggles, smiles, and love for us have been a bright reminder of the life we have been given here to live to the fullest glory of God!

Your first "selfie" a worthwhile documentation of your love of technology! You think that the baby monitor is 'your iPhone'....and take my iPhone at every opportunity! It's funny because all you do is tap the screen or talk to Siri, although someday soon you'll having lots of conversations with family without my assistance! You've also grown to love Face Time with two of your aunties and Grammy and GP.

Dinner with Dada

First coloring project

Afternoon snack with Farley

We brought in your Great MeeMaw's folding table and chairs that are the perfect size for you. You have enjoyed eating some dinners and snacks at this table as well as starting some crafts like coloring. It's especially sweet that MeeMaw gave this table and chairs to us when you were just a little baby, after she got to meet you for the first time. I know that she would smile and chuckle watching you navigate getting into the chairs and coloring your first pictures here. Your Grammy has memories of using this table when she was a little girl, so it's a special piece of furniture that we'll be utilizing for years to come! 

You love the water! This picture was after bath time one evening and I love that it captures you and I together. A happy moment of going about our daily routines...speaking of routines, Annelisa you are proving to be a LOVER of routines! You like knowing what to anticipate and what is coming next. I guess it's a good thing that I love routines too, so we work well together! 

This month our routine changed BIG time! With the start of school, all Fall activities started. This is your lunch container that I got for you to use once a month for our Bible Study Fellowship Lunches. Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) started in early September and it's keeping me plenty busy! I'm excited about what God will do this year as we go on Mondays for leaders' meetings and Wednesdays for class. I'm so excited to see what you'll learn from the lessons each week, and to that end what I'll learn too! You loved the songs and your children's leaders last spring! I am very expectant of what this year will bring! We also have Bible Study at church on Tuesday mornings. These first few weeks of being busy and out the door early have made nap time very important, but I think you and I are finding our rhythm for this semester! I know that I value our slower Thursdays and Fridays a ton! Just getting to have you and me time! 

This month you discovered that sitting on the stairs was a great seat for you! One particular afternoon I caught you playing with gate and having a seat! You were quite proud of yourself, and very cute too!  

We've also seen the start to the 2013 Aggie Football Season, here you are in one of your many game day outfits...it's funny to me how last year you had one "lucky" onesie and this year you have a whole maroon section in your closet. This little jersey is just too cute! These pictures are from Labor Day weekend when we celebrated Caleb's birthday! We had a full fun Saturday of swimming and playing with the Wilkerson's! 

This month you and Daddy have spent a lot of time building Legos together after dinner and on the weekends. It's hard to say whose enjoyed the time more...we'll just say that Daddy has built you some pretty incredible things to play with during these sessions! 

As it's started to cool off ever so slightly, I've loved dressing you in leggings! You are soooo cute in them! You have become very long and lean! This outfit is in 18 month size, but you are quickly outgrowing it! You are moving right on to 2T items...you need the length! You are still in size 4 shoes, size 4 diapers, and 18 month pj's. 

Singing on the front porch with mulch in hand! 

Annelisa, this month we also faced one of the most difficult processes in this life, saying goodbye to a dear loved one. I have struggled to write this monthly update letter because I know that this is the only way you'll remember what happened during your 18th month. You are so full of life and love and I am so saddened that your Great-Grandma Clark won't get to share in it with us. I am so thankful that she got to see you and meet you three times, but on the same token am so saddened that it was only three times. I wish that we would have shared more moments just the three of us, I wish that I would have taken a picture of her holding you when she first met you when you were a little baby! Saying goodbye to her has been so hard because I have so many "I wish" statements for her! The lost relationship is so hard. The coming months will be hard as I am sure that there will be many things that remind me of her and then to remember that she's not here. 

She passed on Monday, September 16, and you attended her funeral with us on Friday, September 20. You were a great trooper! You brought many smiles to those that attended and I was so glad to have you with us! I am sure that I'll tell you about her and the many memories I have with MeeMaw as you grow! She was a very active Grandma in your Aunties and my life. God has been so good to us in this process, we had a sweet moment with MeeMaw in her hospice room to have quiet conversation and watch her light up at getting to see you again! I also had the chance to tell her how happy I am that she is one of my grandma's and how much I love her. God also blessed me with an extra measure of peace in knowing she would be spending eternity with Him. September 16 was the most exciting day in her life as she got to meet Jesus face to face! 

In the midst of all of these things, Grammy, GP, and your aunties were here a couple of times and stayed with us! I think you enjoyed all the extra cuddles, stories, and playmates! You also got to meet your Great Aunt and Uncle again and see your Great Grandpa Clark, too. 

All in all, your 18th month was one that won't be quickly forgotten. It has left me with a multitude of sweet memories! Annelisa, you are such a sweet blessing in my life and I am beyond grateful to God for giving you to us as our daughter! I'm so glad to celebrate your half birthday and all that you are! 

I love you to the moon and back again! 

Mama 

Friday Five: Remembering MeeMaw

Remembering MeeMaw, where do I begin...MeeMaw is my mom's mom...one of my grandmothers. She is one of the most significant relationships I've had the blessing of having while growing up. She will be meeting Jesus soon, perhaps today. I've been consumed with a hopeful grief for her. She was placed in hospice care Sunday evening late and I had the blessing of getting to say goodbye on Monday afternoon. Nothing could have prepared me for seeing her at this place in the scope of life; however, I'm so thankful for the sweet moments God granted she and I in the quiet of her hospital room. This post is my attempt to capture five memories of her in my life.

1. Stride-Rite Shoes: I remember the store perfectly, it was narrow and somewhat small. It had these perfect kid sized bench seats that looked like stairs on either side. MeeMaw took us there to get shoes several times as children. It was always fun being waited on by the clerk and getting to sit on the benches. MeeMaw loved getting to buy us shoes. She would always smile as we tried on various pairs and walked around the store. 
2. Mothers' Day Out: I don't remember this personally, but I've heard MeeMaw tell the stories enough times that it's easily one of my memories now. When I was under the age of three, we lived in Carrollton, Texas, about an hour from her house in Arlington. Each week MeeMaw would make the drive to give my mom a "Mother's Day Out" and she and I would spend the day together. She would take me for walks around the neighborhood, feed me lunch, and spend the time with me. This was the beginning of a special relationship between she and I. 
3. Broccoli: MeeMaw loved to tell the story of broccoli and me! Apparently my love of broccoli goes WAY back...to toddler-hood! MeeMaw would tell this story anytime we were eating broccoli...picture me as a little girl, strapped into the high chair pleading for "mo...mo...mo!" I couldn't get enough of the green stuff! I can picture her sweet face smiling as she would mimic my toddler voice in the story. 
4. Quarterly Visits: Our family moved away from Texas when I was three and with that move began quarterly visits. Almost every quarter, we saw MeeMaw and Papa. They would drive to us in Oklahoma or Georgia or we would come to them. These visits are fond memories now of my sisters and I in a flurry of activity preparing for them to arrive. The anticipation of what we would do while they were there. On one particular visit to Georgia, we created a "hotel" that we wanted them to check into upon their arrival. MeeMaw and Papa were good sports playing along with our plan. I'm so thankful for the time spent traveling to see us throughout my childhood! 
5. College: College was a special time for MeeMaw and me. She sent me notes and cards every other week my entire four years at A&M. It was always fun to see her handwriting waiting for me in the mailbox. Each note carried basically the same message that she loved me, was thinking of me, and wanted me to have some fun money. God provided for a lot of my "wants" through this fun money! She and my Papa also had season football tickets with my parents during my sophomore, junior, and senior years at A&M so all of my roommates had the pleasure of really getting to know my family! It was always fun hosting everyone for game day weekends and tailgates. I look back now so grateful for those times of suffering through sweltering heat or cold nights yelling for our Ags to BTHO whoever we were playing, there are lots of memories of surrounding those games and our shared love of A&M. My last memory of MeeMaw from college was the weekly phone calls between she and I. Each semester she and I would arrange a time to chat and catch up week to week. I knew her best during those four years of my life. I think she enjoyed getting to hear about all the things I was doing and learning while at A&M. Again, I'm thankful for the time spent investing and loving me. 

MeeMaw, 

I love you! I'm so glad that you are one of my grandma's! I am going to miss you terribly! I love you! I'm so thankful for everything you are to me! 

Love,

Allie 

VEGAN BAKING! Oh My!

I've been learning some new tricks in the kitchen the last week or so...I've finally decided to try my hand at some vegan recipes to begin to expose Annelisa to the glories of baking!

Vegan as defined by Merriam Webster: a strict vegetarian who consumes no animal or dairy products.

Although we do not abide by this definition in our household for most of our food consumption; for baking, vegan recipes are winners! NO EGGS!! I'm truly terrified of what eggs may hold for Annelisa at her next exposure, so I have decided that I'm not buying them anymore. Why have a food in the house that only I can eat?

I've taken a pretty significant vacation from baking this summer, partly because it's summer! It's easily 90 + degrees each day here in North Texas; wait, who am I kidding...it's closer to 100 + each day! I really don't have much need to make the house any hotter than necessary! But this whole egg avoidance issue has really gotten to this mama. Thanks to Pinterest and my friend, Google, I am slowly overcoming my fear and diving back into baking...but for all of us! If we can't all eat it, than I won't be making it!

Since last weekend, I've made three "breakfast" breads. Each has been enjoyed more than the last. AND each has been feed to my little lady!

First up!

{Photo credit to the blogger at Prevention RD}

Zucchini Muffins found at this link. These were a great way to use up my lone zucchini from the farmers market. I cut the recipe in half as I only had one cup of shredded zucchini. I then chose to bake them in my mini muffin tin. I also only used unbleached all purpose flour as I don't tend to keep any whole wheat pastry flour on hand. On the whole, these were thoroughly enjoyed! Gone in about three breakfast. You really wouldn't have known that they were egg free! :) Next time I need to use up a zucchini, I'll be headed back to this recipe to make more of these!

Next....

{Photo credit to the blogger at Charlotte's Kitchen Diary}

Cranberry, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread found at this link. This was delicious! I think I enjoyed it more than Annelisa! I opted to add gooey chocolate chips and the sweet tang of Craisins, yum-yum! This recipe required some additional math for me as it has the temperature in degrees Celsius...the conversion chart I used recommended 320 degrees Fahrenheit, I opted for 325 as it seemed more "normal"  with my baking experiences. The bread turned out beautifully! This loaf lasted about three breakfasts (and snacks) as well. I didn't make it truly vegan as I used whole milk, however one can easily switch to a soy, rice, or almond milk if desired. It was a really tasty recipe!! I highly recommend it!

The last bread was Pumpkin Bread! I married into a family with a wonderful pumpkin bread recipe. I really struggled with replacing the recipe with one that just wouldn't hold up to a pretty tough critic, my husband! I turned to other recipes for egg-less inspiration, I Googled away to find egg replacers and decided to use ground flax seed and water to make a gel like slurry that can replace an egg. The two worries I had in doing this were: 1) that my ground flax seed slurry would change the flavor of the bread due to the flax seed oils going rancid in the freezer, 2) that replacing all three eggs in the recipe the bread wouldn't turn out as well as the past. So with many a prayer I followed the tried and true recipe: 

Pumpkin Bread 

Mix: 

1 cup vegetable oil (I used a blend of Canola, Sunflower, and Soybean Oils from Crisco) 

3 cups sugar 

3 tablespoons ground flax seed (mixed with 9 tablespoons water, let sit for two minutes before using in recipe) {Or 3 eggs} 

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 15 oz can pure pumpkin

Add the following to the wet ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

(I sift all of these together before mixing with the wet ingredients.)   

Blend until just mixed, pour into prepared (greased and sugared) loaf pans (use powdered sugar instead of flour)

Two bread sized pans bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours 15 minutes, begin checking at 1 hour 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

or 5 inch loaf pans, makes nine (great for gifts!) bake at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour 30 minutes, begin checking at 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pan for twenty minutes, then cool completely on wire racks. Store well covered and refrigerated. 

Great toasted and served with butter or cream cheese. 

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It turned out perfect!! You couldn't even tell a difference between the egg version and the egg-less...granted we operated on memory, but you get the idea! This was by far Annelisa's favorite of all the breads I've made this past week! 

Now, I need to start thinking about how I'll manage to do my Christmas cookie making this year...there are a lot of recipes to evaluate! Yum....just starting to think about all the "research" I might need to do! :) 

Friday Five: Thankfulness

Five things I'm so thankful for today!

• Friendships that go beyond proximity, that are able to start where they last left off. Friendships that are familiar and comfortable, yet still challenging. Friendships that are old, new, and everywhere in between. Life is too hard to not have a community of friends! 
• Parenting a darling toddler little girl. Discovering her quirks, her spunk, her JOY! 
• Family: that I was born into and that I married into...I am very blessed! 
• Anticipation of a busy week to come with lots of new adventures for Annelisa and me! 
• Growth!  I am so thankful for how God has used the last 12 months to move me, mold me, grow me into a woman more dependent on Him for every detail of our lives, yet still needing to be more dependent on Him in each detail of our days.