I did not title this post.

There are no words for this face.

Julia, Julia, Julia.

My dear, sweet, daughter.

It's been a week and I'm still laughing.

Friday Football Fun

Julia attended her first football game with Daddy last Friday. For those that don't know, (although, I don't see how you couldn't know, he makes it very clear) John is addicted to prep football. He was excited to be off for the first game of the season. Julia made it until half time, and then it was bedtime. The mosquitos were also coming out, so she and I headed home and John hitched a ride with a friend. (Thanks Brian!)

I love the way she tilted her head for this picture, just like John always does. They are priceless.

Standing Tall

I still remember the first time I thought to take Julia and stand her up next to the coffee table. I plopped her there, stood back, and got tears in my eyes. She just looked so big and so much older standing up, it was unreal. And now it's impossible to stop her. She pulls up on everything, grabs everything, and still eats everything. My living room looks so clean because I can't keep anything on the coffee table, end table, TV stand, or least of all, the floor. That's one way to declutter! (Of course there are dozens of toys scattered corner to corner, in a minefield of sorts.) In addition to standing, she even climbed some stairs on Wednesday. Jules always comes to Worship Team practice with me (us), and this week she was down in front, playing with toys, Auntie K, Missy, half the youth group, and anyone else who happened to wander past. (This is her usual routine, she likes to be the main 'dis'traction.) She was kinda fussy and kept trying to crawl up toward the musicians. Would you believe she actually made it up the five steps to the stage?! (With Missy watching her closely, thanks Mis!) It's good to know she acquired the skill without ever trying it because we don't have any stairs she can climb. I'll have to catch a video next week. Her tongue was out the whole way, very cute!

Waving hello to my peeps on the blog. One-handed, now that's talent!

I can even stand in the bathtub. That's means water on the floor, too! I am a master messmaker, you know.

Yeah, I Cried

10 1/2 months old

8 days old
Admit it, you cried, too.

Slaphappy Laughing

Moments like this make life worth living, and I am not exaggerating. I'm sure any mother would agree that this is payday. This is why we do all that we do. There is nothing more beautiful to my ears in all world. Thank you so much, God, for this beautiful girl that I did nothing to deserve.

Pause the music at the bottom and turn your speakers up!

I was feeding Julia one last time before bed, so she was sleepy and giddy. I stuck her spoon in my mouth backwards to go get a second jar, and she thought that was hilarious. Then I moved in closer to her face, and she laughed even harder. I was so glad she kept going after I left to get the camera. It's dizzying camera work, but I tried. Keep in mind I still had the spoon in my mouth, shaking my head back and forth!

Shopping Day

We had a full day of shopping at the outlet mall, just the girls. Julia and I went with my Mom, my sister, and my my Grandma Hankla. I needed some new clothes more than you know, and can you believe that John transfered me some fat cash just for the occasion! (Maybe he was just glad to pay as long as he didn't have to go! Hee hee) We went in armed with coupons, and I got want I needed at rock bottom prices. That kind of shopping is so fun. Julia amazed me. She has been super crabby lately, and she was up so much the night before our shopping day that I considered not going. I seriously think she is cutting at least three teeth at once. The top two in front are really swollen, but not visible yet, and I just caught sight of the one next to her right front spot a couple days ago. Poor thing. Anywho, she seemed fine that morning so I decided to go, and she was better than fine. Happy in her stroller all day, she ate when she was hungry and slept when she was tired, all without a fuss. What a trooper!

In the Gymboree kids store they had a little TV and chairs just for kids to watch. Kristen plopped her in there and I thought it was too cute.

Auntie K, always trying on sunglasses!

Peacefully napping in the "touch down" sleeping position. She's been doing that since she was born. (Come to think of it, I remember a picture just like this when she was a few days old. Now I'll have to find it to compare, and I know it's going to make me cry. Geez.) I digress. Thanks for pushing til she dozed, Grandma!

These flowers were out in the walkways. I set her up on the brick edge, and she loved it.

This is one of her new faces. She wrinkles her nose and smiles, so funny!

Julia the Jeep Driver

We found this ride at the Lighthouse Place Outlet Mall. We got so excited, put money in it, but sadly, it didn't work. Luckily, Julia is too young to know or care. She loved turning the wheel, and Kristen even shook it to take her "off road"! I was so sorry that Daddy missed it, but I'm glad I thought to take a video.

Fireworks!

We also went to Western Days in Griffith last week. We went Sunday night after church so we could see the fireworks at nine. They are so awesome, and I think they get better every year. It's a free show they put on at the end of the last night, and there aren't a ton of people there. You can get really close, and they're better than the 4th of July.

Julia did so well, I was proud. She made this funny face the whole time. It looks like a smile, but I'd call it more of a wince. She had a grip on both my hands and would reach around frantically for it if I pulled one away. That's the only way I could tell she was scared, though. She never made a peep.

She watched the tail end of it with Papa.

This is the finale. The pictures don't do it justice, of course. You should come next year!

Lake County Fair

Yep, we made it to the Lake County Fair one day. Of course, Jules is too small for any rides, so we really just walked around and ate food we shouldn't have. Julia loves to be outside, though, so it was a fun outing.

Peek a boo!

Mmm... thanks for sharing, Daddy!

She said the sun was in her eyes, but I think she just wanted to wear Daddy's shades!

She's saying bye-bye, it's time to go.

It was a busy afternoon, as you can tell. Zzzz...

An Army of One

Julia has been officially army crawling for a few weeks. She does get up on all fours and rock, but she hasn't figured out how to get forward motion that way yet. But the army crawl gets the job done! She is pretty fast now and she absolutely can't be left alone in a room unrestrained because she is into everything. And my genius child knows exactly what she isn't supposed to have and targets that first, naturally. We're doing the best we can, but a room never really is totally baby proof unless it's empty and the walls are made of rubber. Hee hee. The "fun" stage has arrived, and it truly is that. I can't list all the new things she's doing... something different every day, I swear... maybe in some posts to follow. For now, she's mobile, so watch out, she could be right behind you!