Smith Family Hullabaloo: June 2012

I know! I know! It's been a long time since I last posted, but I assure you I had good reasons for my absence. For starters, Caroline is all over the place. She's in the cabinets, up the stairs and on the furniture. She's constantly begging to go outside and loves helping me water the plants. She does a lot for a little girl who REFUSES to walk! I just keep telling myself that she's trying to break the Maher record. My brother currently holds the record of walking at 14 months, it was my dad before that at 13.5 months. I hope she doesn't wait much longer because my lower back can't takemuch more! I have a dull pain in my lower back that won't go away and I'm reminded how I got it each time I pick up my 27 pound daughter.

We've been pretty busy around here lately. We took a trip to Tucson to visit Luc's Dad and Step mom, Eva. We even got to see Grandma Smith! It was a great trip and Caroline did really well on the plane. She slept for most of the ride and was able to keep her shouting to a minimum. I was so proud of her!

She had her second bout with a nasty virus a few weeks ago. It was so gross, to say the least. I think she picked something up at the gym's daycare. It's amazing what she can catch in the short hour she stays there. Gross!

We took a whirlwind of a trip to Louisiana last week. For starters, my sister (Meghan) had a bridal shower hosted by my sister-in-law (Becky) and her mom on Saturday. We got a call on Wednesday saying we needed to come to LA soon because my grandfather, PaPa, was really sick and probably wouldn't make it through the weekend. Becky's grandfather passed away that day, so our trip started with sadness in our hearts for her family. We got to visit with PaPa on Thursday, said our goodbyes, and drove to Baton Rouge thinking we'd said our final goodbye to a great man. Well, PaPa decided he wasn't going anywhere! He was up reading the comics by Sunday morning! We got to visit with him again on Sunday, this time knowing it wasn't for the last time. He's back in his own home now, reading the comics in his bed instead of in the hospital. :) The rest of the weekend was great - Meg's shower was beautiful and we got to spend some relaxation time at Steve's camp at Lake Rosemound.

Other than that, things have been pretty quiet around here. Ha! Life with a 14 month old is a blast. I can't imagine it any other way!

At 14 months, Caroline Jane is:

- talking up a storm! Her current vocabulary includes up, down, baba (bottle), juice, all done, go, bubble, ball, mama, dada, bath, fish, outside (kind of), babydoll, pup-pup (puppy). She also makes the animal sounds for dogs, cats, fish, chicken and cow. It's so cute! I'll try to get it on film.
- climbing! She can't walk, but she loves to climb. It makes me very happy that she knows how to get down once she climbs up.
- eating. eating. eating. She had a fig the other day and didn't care for it. Other than that, anything is game.
- singing with her daddy. It's so cute! I'll get that on film, too.
- she pretty much begs us for a puppy on a daily basis. Poor thing! My sister is about to move down the street from us and has an adorable puppy. That'll have to do!

Here are some pictures from the last month or so:

I love it when she reads in the car. It's so cute! This book is all about a dog, so she barks from the back seat.

This was the morning after one of the nights she was sick. This was also right before she got sick. All. Over. The. Bed.

That little toy is so cute! Uncle Michael and Aunt Kat gave it to her.

Post nap lunch of pasta, berries and crazy hair!

Luc, Grandma Smith, Caroline and Mr. Wayne

She loves calling DaDa on the phone.

Ready for a wagon ride to the pool! I know she's got Cajun in her blood because she treats the wagon ride like a Mardi Gras parade. She throws everything out of the wagon!