Whoa!!!!!!!!!!

Last night you felt your baby brother move for the very first time. We were sitting on the couch snuggling before bedtime and you decided to sing Baby Phoenix a song. You were singing the ABC's and he started kicking around a little bit. I asked you if you want to feel Baby Phoenix move, and you excitedly said, "Yeah!" Now, you have tried to feel him move several times before, but your impatience caused you to give up before he did any noticeable kick. This time, however, he really did a huge kick/punch/roll that caused my whole belly to move. Shocked by this, you quickly moved your hand away and said, "Whoa!!! I felt that!" Then be both giggled and giggled. The realization that there is truly someone growing in my belly is becoming more and more real to you. I loved your reaction and loved that we shared that moment together.

The Sun'll Come Out...Tomorrow!

One of your favorites to sing.....

Stella in 2011

It's not easy being green, but it sure looks like it's easy being you! What a fun year you have had! Daddy made this movie that captures a variety of entertaining moments from 2011.

Marbles Museum!

On Friday, we took a family trip to Raleigh for several reasons. I had to do some paperwork for a job, and since it was my 30th birthday, we decided to make it a family fun day. After doing paperwork and getting finger-printed, we spent the rest of the afternoon at The Marbles Museum. You had SO MUCH FUN playing in all of the exhibits, and we were all very impressed with the museum. They had everything from different medical exhibits (ambulance, hospital, vet's office) to different types of transportation (boats, cars, buses, trains). They also had a stage for imaginary dress-up and performances, a water exhibit with a pirate ship, a ball exhibit, and a healthy & fit exhibit. You built a giant lego tower, participated in a performance on the stage, took care of some animals at the vet, peered through the telescope on the pirate ship, practiced your skills on the rings, and surfed some gnarly waves!





I think your favorite part of the day was when you had your own private dance party! You were so excited that there were tutus, music, and mirrors!

At the end of the day, you were not very excited to leave. You had missed your nap and were a bit resistant to going home. But, isn't that a sign of good fun?

Dental Health!

This past week, you went to the dentist for the very first time! Though, I was a little nervous about the experience, I was assured by many friends that your pediatric dentist was awesome, and that turned out to be quite true!

Upon walking into the office, you were instantly in awe of the underwater aquarium theme. The fish tanks featured exotic fish and the walls were covered in sea murals. The pillows on the couches resembled Nemo and Dori from Finding Nemo, and the sight of many children having fun put you at ease.

After a few minutes of playing the hygienist came back to get you. One thing I loved about this office is that they let me come back with you. Sheri, your hygienist, was so awesome. She showed you all of the tools that she would use in your mouth, made sure you weren't scared of the noises, and allowed you to pick out your own toothbrush. She was so sweet and patient. Before long, you were in the chair wearing your green shades and watching a cartoon on the ceiling tv! You cooperated throughout the entire visit: cleaning, flossing, fluoride, and exam. Dr. Weinberg was very impressed with your pearly whites and told us to keep doing what we're doing: little to no juice, lots of water, and brush twice a day. He also encouraged us to try flossing two or three times a week just to get in the habit. Since your teeth are spaced out, there is really no dental need for flossing, but it is important to get into the habit!




At the end of your visit, you earned a cool t-shirt, a new toothbrush, a sticker, and a prize from Dr. Weinberg's treasure chest! All in all, I'd say it was a VERY successful visit!

Storytime with Stella

You love books. You love to be read to, and you love to read to us. We love this about you. Here, you are reading your current favorite, Knuffle Bunny Too, the second book in the trilogy about Trixie's best friend.

First Sunrise of 2012

This morning, your Daddy woke up at 6:15 a.m., got you out of bed, grabbed some milk and a granola bar, and took you to the beach in your jammies. Why? Because he wanted to watch the first sunrise of 2012 with you, his favorite little lady. I know I've told you several times, but you are so lucky to have such an amazing father. He will do anything for you, and is always thinking of new ways to have fun with you. When the two of you got home (I was still in bed), you were so excited to tell me about your morning. Daddy said that you sat quite calmly on a piling while watching the sun rise over the water. You also commented on how beautiful it was. After some lyrical dancing on the beach in your socks as well as some seashell collecting, you ventured home. I think this may be a yearly tradition between you and your daddy, and I have to say, though I wish I would have made myself wake up, I'm so happy that you shared the moment with him.