Almost Christmas!

It's the most wonderful time of the year.... unless you have a baby getting 4 teeth at once.  Ugh.  Okay, it's still a great time of the year and we've had a fun time getting ready for Christmas, but poor Miss Aberly has been having a rough time this past week.  Luckily two have broken through and the eye teeth are almost through. 

Since I just realized I don't have our most recent pictures uploaded yet, I'll summarize the last month.  It was an exciting one! 

First, Miss Aberly turned one on November 21st!  We had a drop in party for friends and family with snacks and mini-cupcakes.  Aberly was a bit overwhelmed by it all but warmed up after a while.  She wasn't interested in her gifts at all, so mom and dad took care of them for her.

Thanksgiving was right after Aberly's birthday.  We packed up and headed to the valley for a Johnson family get together.  The trip started out rough with Aberly catching a bug (all of us eventually) and not feeling well, but Thanksgiving day itself was great.  We got to see relatives we hadn't seen in quite some time.  This picture is of Aberly with my cousin Melinda's kids.  None of them were in the mood for a group shot!

The rest of our trip was spent with my parents and Andrew who was home from college in New York.  Colin and I had a great afternoon out wine tasting while my parents watched Aberly.

Our last event of the trip was visiting Colin's grandmother Diane in Albany.  Aberly loved going up and down her stairs.

Since then, we've been gearing up for Christmas.  The snow has been falling.  Aberly isn't sure about playing in the snow since she has a hard time getting around. 

 
Aberly still loves her bath time.  The second picture is of her trying to get in the tub.  She does this most nights.  Patience is not her strength!

What happened to the last two months?

Oh my goodness.  My mom reminded me the other day that I hadn't updated my blog in awhile.  I was like, "Oh, I know.  It's been crazy".  I didn't realized how outdated it was.  I don't know what happened to the last few months.  They have flown by.

Well, first we'll get the boring "adult" news out of the way. 

I am back to work!  I found a part time job at Fincham Financial Group (they do New York Life Insurance primarily) working in the office.  I do Mon/Tues/Thursday 11-4 and Friday 11-5.  Twenty one hours all together and a day off midweek to be home with Aberly.  It's been a weird transition back to the working world and I admit I got used to being a stay-at-home mom, but bills call and we aren't quite in a place for me to be home full time.  That day will come!

Colin's big news is finishing his program!  After a long haul through summer and this fall, he has finished his manuscript and been granted approval for graduation.  He is so excited and thankful to be done.  Most of his evenings and weekends were taken up with writing and he was getting very burned out.  Aberly and I missed him too! 

Now the fun news!

Aberly is almost 1 years old and already turning into a little girl.  She has lost her baby look and now toddles around like a champ.  She picked up walking at 11 months and never looked back to crawling.  It is so fun to watch her interact with, learn about, and understand the world around her.  She hasn't learned any words yet besides "mama" but babbles all day long and yells at us when unhappy.   We often have her underfoot, trying to get out attention (she isn't quite an independent player yet). 

Her two bottom teeth are full in  and her top two teeth have just broken through.  This has made for some grumpy days and not so great nights of sleep but we're pushing through and know there is light at the end of the tunnel.  We've heard it gets easier after the first four teeth.  We hope that is true.

Here are some pictures of our love!

 Aberly got food in her hair so we had some fun with it!

 Go Beavers!

 Aberly loves pulling books off her shelf!

 Cutie pie with her bottom teeth!

 Halloween is coming!

 Pumpkin patch!

 Aberly loves bathtime.

 Halloween outfit.

Our Halloween ballerina.

80 degrees in September?

The above average temperatures are sure a surprise!  Aberly's summer clothes are getting a last hurrah.

I start my new job on Thursday, which is very exciting.  As much as I've come to enjoy being home with Aberly full time, there is a part of me that needs adult interaction and an outlet for my energy (besides household chores).  I'll start at two days a week, part time, and move up from there.

Aberly is on the verge of walking as she cruises the furniture and has become very good at balancing while standing and doesn't need something to hold onto.  The other day, she actually pushed up into a stand unaided (by a prop).  She is enjoying playing on her own more and is discovering how to use many of her toys.  She loves stacking the wood rings on her toy.  She also has become a climber and wants to get up on anything she can.

Crazy hair!

Practicing walking!

Playing in the neighbor's sandbox on a hot September day!

Our beauty!

A few new photos

Welcome Fall!  I plan to decorate for you tomorrow...

Before uber cute pictures of Aberly, I have to rave about my 24-hour vacation to Corvallis BY MYSELF while Colin took care of Aberly at home.  I enjoyed a wonderfully QUITE drive by myself, an evening without playing/entertaining a child, and a day of shopping and exploring the Farmer's Market and Fall Festival without a child.  IT WAS BLISS.  Thank you, my fabulous husband!

Okay, now cute pictures of Aberly:

Aberly loves her foam books and chewing on the removable pieces from them.

Looking at the animals at the Bend Fall Festival

Trying to climb up the slide at McDonald's

Looking out the window in one of the playrooms at McDonald's

Laughing while playing with Mommy

Good news!

It looks like I have a job!  I was referred for a part-time office job at a family-owned financial firm here in Bend by a former teacher's husband (who works there).  I met with the office manager today and as long as the boss confirms everything next week when he's back, I'll be good to go!  It's a great fit for us schedule wise.  I'll work 1-5 daily and they are super flexible if I need to change my hours one day or Aberly is sick and I can't make it in.

Besides that good news, Aberly is much happier today.  I think I've figured out the cause of her super grumpiness.  The last two days I've give her a little bit of Activia yogurt to help get good bacteria back into her system after the tummy issues the past month.  After a little research online, I found out that Activia can work the opposite in some babies/kids under 3 and disrupt their systems.  Good to know!

Baby for sale

Don't get me wrong, we love our child.  We do, really.  But she has been a pain in the rear end the past couple of days!  After a stellar end to last week and wonderful weekend visiting Grandpa and Grandma Schwartz in Corvallis, Aberly has decided to turn into Miss Grumpy Irritable Pants.

Everyone keeps telling us it's probably teeth but we don't see ANY sign of them.  I thought she must have some coming based on some "symptoms" last week, but nothing at all.  No irritated or swollen gums, no nothing!

Oh well, between her moodiness, she is still super smiley and fun.  It's not like she terrible all of the time!  Here is our sweetheart cheering on the Beavers last weekend!

It's been a rough couple of weeks...

Our poor little girl.  After a stomach bug, Aberly has struggled with unending loose bowels at the same time as having a bad yeast infection which then turned in to bad diaper rash.  The doctor thinks she has had a temporary lactose intolerance due to the stomach bug so she is currently on a special formula to let her digestive system get back on track, and we are also putting her back on a jar-baby food diet with small amounts of regular food.

For her diaper rash, we are doing baking soda baths, naked time to air out, and keeping her skin covered with creams and ointments to minimize irritation.  With her poop getting back on track and "firm", this should relieve the extra irritation she was experiencing from the runs and frequent poops.

And, on top of all of this, we think Aberly is getting her upper teeth which adds to her crankiness and discomfort.  We haven't seen them yet but her restless nights are a good indication.

Despite it all, she is being a trooper and continuing to play and explore.  She's getting into her foam and board books and loves to flip the pages back and forth.  Her foam books have pull out pieces which she loves.

And summer comes to a close...

Yes, it's back to work for Colin!  And me?  I'm still looking for a new part-time job.  My job at HDMS went back to full time so I had to resign.  Oh well.  I have an interview next week for another position in the district and have my application in with the county for an office position.

Our summer will close quietly.  No big sends offs, per se, although Colin and I are going to the Garrison Keillor show tomorrow night in Portland with my parents which should be a blast.  I grew up listening to his radio show and love his humor.  Besides that, we really have spent the last month at home and taking care of projects and chores.  Colin also spent a hefty amount of time finishing the rough draft of his manuscript.   A few more months to go and he'll be done with his masters!

Besides us, Aberly is keeping us on our toes as she races around the house (crawling), pulls herself up on everything, and getting in to new things (like the pantry).  Luckily she hasn't been interested in too many things she can't have.  She loves her play table, any car keys, remotes, our cell phones, and her pop up toy.

Becoming more adventurous outside, Aberly has been exploring the plant beds and of course, enjoys grabbing dirt. The other day, she discovered a pot of dirt I had dug up from planting a bush and thought it was a great time. She threw the dirt around and in the end, finally took a sample of dirt.  She wasn't too pleased.  

Overall, things are grand and we are looking forward to the fall and heading towards lots of significant dates.  Colin being done with his program and Aberly's 1st birthday!

Summer fun.

You would think that because it's summer, I'd be better about updating our blog.  No such luck.  Here's a run-down of what's happened since our Port Townsend vacation.

1.  Aberly figured out how to crawl on our PT trip and since that time (three weeks), she has figured out how pull herself up on her feet against anything that will support her.

2.  We have been preparing to have a garage sale, so we've been going through our house and storage boxes to downsize.  Aberly enjoyed the day we went through the boxes and played with my old award ribbons.

3.  GeeGee Nancy bought Aberly a pool which has been wonderful for Aberly on hot afternoons.  Since she's in our backyard, she goes in her birthday suit!

4.  Besides crawling all over the place, Aberly has learned how to clap and loves having us "play" with her.  Colin has become her favorite play partner since he will rocket her up and down and fly her around.

5.  When we can all find time, I have a couple moms and their babies that I get together with.  Aberly is the oldest with Jake and Emily at 4 and 6 months.  We've exchanged babies in this picture.

6.  Me and Colin have been doing lots of house and yard projects that we did not have time for before summer.

7.  We went out to Peterson's Rock Garden in Redmond.  What a place!  

8.  Aberly has spent a few afternoons with her GeeGee Nancy and Uncle Connor while we took time to ourselves.

I think that's about it for now!

Port Townsend Vacation!

Well, I'm not sure if you can totally call it a vacation.  We're here in Port Townsend because of Colin's residency week for his masters.  He normally comes alone but since it's summer break, we thought, "What the heck?  Why don't we make it a family affair?"

Luckily, Colin's isn't busy all day, so we have time to do things as a family.  He normally has meetings/sessions in the morning, and then one in the afternoon or early evening.  Between sessions, we have hit the beach, hiked and explored the bunkers, and shopped downtown (well, I have done that, primarily).

We are staying in a great studio "cottage" in a large home right across the street from Fort Worden park where Colin has his meetings.  A bit small, but it's a great deal and perfect location.  Aberly's bed is tucked in the "hallway" (pretty much a 3 x 4 space) between the main room and the bathroom.  It works perfectly since we can close both doors and she can sleep without distraction.  Slipping by her at night when we need to use the bathroom is careful event, but we manage.

While on vacation, Aberly figured out how to crawl.  We knew she was close but the 2nd day of being here, she figured it out and is continuing to expand her movement.  She's still a bit hesitant and seems to get tired of having to do it, but overall, it's broadened her horizons for sure!

On our way up, we stopped by my aunt Kathy and uncle Gary's place in Gresham so family could see Aberly.  She was a bit vary of the new faces, but got comfortable after a half hour and played till we left.  

It's continued to be a busy summer for the Price's.  Once July hit, we hit the ground running!  Yard and house projects, walks/hiking, gardening, and visits with friends just to name a few.

We've spent a lot of time with Colin's family.  We've had birthdays, the 4th of July, and Colin worked with his brother Connor to build two new retaining walls for his mom's yard.  The boys lucked out and got most of the work done before the 90 degree weather hit this week.

For the 4th, we started out at church for an early service, and then headed to the annual Bend Pet Parade followed by a church BBQ/Potluck.  Aberly got worn out by the Pet Parade and needed her morning nap, but she fought it trying to watch all of the people.  She finally lost to the nap.

For 4th of July evening, we had a BBQ at Nancy's.  Connor, Kevin, and Chrystal (Kev's girlfriend) all were in town and we had a great time!

Our special friend visit was from Paige and Anna Heacock.  Anna and her husband used to live in Bend and were great Young Life friends, but they now live in Roseburg doing Young Life.  Paige is a month older than Aberly and it was fun to see them together.

Besides all of our busyness, Aberly has changed a lot in the last month.  She is champ at eating all kinds of foods and loves feeding herself finger foods.  She has figured out rolling over and practices going back and forth around the living room and her bedroom.  Besides putting everything in her mouth, she has advanced to trying to bang them on things or together.  Her newest challenge is figuring out crawling; right now she scoots backwards (which makes her mad getting further away from things) but is starting to push up on her knees and hopefully soon she get the forward movement.

We hope your summer is going as well as ours!