Grandma & Grandpa Shives took us to the aquarium today! We saw so many fish and had so much fun. Amy's heart was racing the whole time we were there she was so excited.




Mike said that when she was inside this cylinder looking at the penguins, Amy kept saying "cluck, cluck".

When I was a kid I used to follow my dad around with my toy lawn mower when he was doing yard work, to be just like him. Skipping to the end of this story...my mom made him stop taking his shirt off in the front yard.


Here is Amy and her lawnmower:

Amy and I went to Moe's for lunch and then to the park that we had her 1st birthday party.
I don't think the swing is her favorite anymore...

Amy has been hand feeding Gretchen kibble all day long. She gets it from the dog bowl and delivers it to Gretchen in the living room. Gretchen takes it from her gingerly, but every once in a while Amy teases her and runs away. Gretchen follows her around and nuzzles her hand until Amy laughs and gives it to her...and then she goes back to the bowl for more.

Things that make me a happy mommy:

1) When I carry Amy up the stairs to bed and she falls asleep on my shoulder.
2) When I put Amy down for bed or a nap at just the right time, and she doesn't cry or whine.
3) When Amy starts to get fussy and I know exactly why, and am able to fix the problem (she usually wants her sippy cup or a nap).
4) Watching Amy get so excited she shakes when her daddy gets home from work.
5) When I think Amy is sleeping in late in the morning, and I go to check on her and she is playing quietly in her crib.
6) When Amy pulls me by the hand with excitement around the playground.
7) When we are able to leave the playground without crying.
8) When Amy squeezes her nose and makes a honking noise.
9) When Amy lets me pull her hair back in to a ponytail without pitching a fit.
10) When I see another toddler behaving badly and Amy looks at him like he has two heads. (Not that Amy isn't ever the two headed toddler).
11) When Amy reads a book aloud to me. She makes the cutest noises!
12) That Amy gets super excited to have her teeth brushed at bedtime.
13) Watching Amy climb on a step stool, eagerly hoping to get to wash her hands.
14) When I ask Amy a question and she adamantly answers yes or no. (She doesn't know the difference between yes and no yet).
15) The way Amy walks with her chest out and her head high and swings her arms energetically.
16) Seeing her dance.
17) When Amy gives me a big hug around the neck and then plays with my hair.
18) Figuring out that a sound Amy has been making is actually a word she has learned to say.
19) When I ask her if she has a stinky diaper and she runs and hides while laughing at herself.
20) When I can tell Amy is proud of herself for doing something new...like walking or jumping or using a fork.

Here she is proud of herself for drinking water out of a cup:

This is Amy's "Howdy Hat".

Mike taught her to say howdy when she puts it on and takes it off.
It takes a trained ear to understand what she's saying. It sounds like "huhDee".

Amy loves her Gretchen!

28 Pacifiers For Sale!!!

As proud as I am of Amy's accomplishments, I wish she would just stop growing up so fast! She has kicked the pacifier. Amy has been pacifier free since she had gingivostomatitis a few weeks ago. I guess that is the silver lining to the horrible virus she had.

She also now fits in to her size 12-18 month jeans...now that she is 19 1/2 months :). Here is a picture of her after she fell asleep at lunch today sporting her jeans i bought her almost a year ago:

Amy and Michael's trip to Ohio:


As Mike was loading up his truck for the drive, I brought Gretchen out to get settled in for the ride. She jumped straight over the blanket Mike had arranged for her in the front seat and into Amy's car seat. I guess she still wants to be the baby.

Amy in action:

Great Grandpa Griffin and Amy:

Great Grandma Griffin, cousin Elizabeth, Great Grandpa Griffin and Amy:

Mike, Amy and I had adventurous 4th of July weekends. Mike and Amy (and Gretchen) drove to Clyde, Ohio for the annual Griffin family reunion. Mike hasn't shown me any pictures or told me any stories yet, but Amy now knows that a chicken says cluck cluck, a bird says tweet tweet, and a duck says quack quack. Mike says that that's what a farm teaches you.

As for me, I went to the Bahamas for Kim's bachelorette party. I didn't take many pictures myself, so I am crossing my fingers that the other girls share their pictures. This is Kim, me and Liz on the Stuart's Cove snorkling adventure. I had never seen water as clear or as blue as on this trip. It was like snorkling in an aquarium!

Spaghetti Photo shoot...

I am oddly very proud of this...

Amy is finally feeling much better, and has started eating solid foods again. Thank goodness!!!