Stomach Flu

Christmas 2010 will be the year we all got the stomach flu. It started with Rosalie at 10pm Christmas Eve. We were worried about her, so I let her sleep on my chest instead of the crib. Several times through the night she would awaken, throw up, then her head would fall right back down, passed out. Thankfully, she was better for Christmas Day mass. But after Mass, the flu hit Mary and me.

It took some serious effort to rehydrate everyone, especially Rosalie, but we're all better.

Is it love or just "taking one for the team" when you let your 11 month old 'spray' on you and your clothes, rather than the floor, to minimize the mess?

Christmas 2010 album

This year, we spent Christmas with the Nutters and got some great photos.

Click on the image to see the entire photo album.

Happy New Year!

I'm planning on cracking into the Champagne we never got to last year, since Mary was in labor.

Rosalie meets Santa

Click the image to make it huge.

Beer Box Ride

Brian Wallheimer gives Rosalie a ride in a beer box.

Rosalie loves books

Rosalie reading.

Lost at birth?

Putting out fires

There's a new Chief in Champaign!

Rosalie's First Snow Angel

We had a beautiful 8 inch snowfall in Champaign Friday night, so we took the tags off of Rosalie's snowsuit. Here are some photos of her first snow adventure:


We were very surprised she didn't eat the snow!

Boots

Motorboat mouth

Merry Christmas

We've created a Christmas gift perimeter to keep Rosalie off the tree. Too bad the boxes are empty.

Rosalie's helping with the tree

The Anderson's Family Tree

We went to Hardy's Reindeer Ranch on Sunday to cut our Christmas tree; we plan to decorate it, perhaps, Thanksgiving Eve. The tree we REALLY wanted had a perfectly formed bird's nest inside, so we went with this one instead. While there, of course, we got to see some real reindeer with the gnarliest horns you can imagine.

CLICK EACH IMAGE TO SEE IT BIG

Rosalie vs Pinkeye

It's a battle for the ages... just in time for Thanksgiving and travel, Rosalie comes down with pinkeye. After just two days, she's already doing better.

Uh Oh Easter Bunny!

Something ate a rabbit on our deck this morning. How did you spend your afternoon?  I cleaned up the gross parts I didn't photograph.

Rosalie playing with leaves

New Tricks pt 2

New Tricks pt 1

I haven't posted Rosalie's Illini game predictions lately - they're always at WIXY.com... nnut here's Rosalie putting an object inside another.

She'd never done this before - she's usually Rosalie The Destroyer (emptying every contaniner and knocking down every stack).

Cupcake!

Rosalie was a strawberry cupcake for her first Halloween, and couldn't have looked any cuter or sweeter. I'll cut right to the chase-- here are a few pics to tide you over.

Rosalie and a rusty wagon

Click the image for more pictures.

It's official!

We have a summer home! We signed the papers over the weekend. Click here to see some new (and old) pics of the place.

Come on loogie!

Rosalie's First Disease

I've been home with Rosalie the past two mornings because of a new rash she contracted. Her pediatrician diagnosed her with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease yesterday. Rosalie is doing fine, but between the sores in her mouth and her second tooth poking through on top, she has been fussier than usual. She wants to be held and isn't eating as much either. Here are some photos of the blisters on her feet. She doesn't sit still, so it was hard for me to focus the camera right on her sores. If you're ever so inclined, you can click on the photo and see larger, more detailed images.







And just so you don't leave this blog thinking about blisters, here she is in her new monkey pajamas:



And with big smiles from a few days ago:

Asleep at school

Bah bah bah bah

I'm not sure Rosalie can tell the difference between a Cabbage Patch Kid and a real person.

Torn-up Thumb

Mary noticed Rosalie's thumb was looking red. Upon further investigation, it turns out Rosalie's tooth is scratching it up! That's a side-effect no one tells you about.

I guess we'll have to get her a pet

Thanks, Pankau.

What's new

Rosalie waved bye to Mary on two occasions today.
Before bed tonight, Rosalie said "Mama." Maybe she was just making noises that sound like Mama, but it sure sounded deliberate.
Rosalie loves to climb up the stairs (video to come soon).

Rosalie's starting to understand us

Our New Baby

On our vacation to Michigan, we found a beach house and put in an offer. It's a modest place, right on the water. After a little work this winter (by little work, I mean total gutting), we'll be able to enjoy it and rent it out the rest of the summer.



Right out the front door is a small beach in a no-wake zone, so there are not many waves. Over the sand dune is Lake Michigan, which at time feels like the ocean. Check out the map and other pics here.

Place your bets!

At work, we're letting Rosalie pick the winner of Illini games

Big Girl

This is before we ate at Big Boy. We'll never eat here again (bad service; not clean; bad food). But we got a cute picture.

In the grass

Ready for a walk

She's actually smiling because we're home from a walk.

Help with dishes

I was cleaning out the dishwasher yesterday and when I turned around to find Rosalie standing up, looking inside. This is the first thing she's found that she can truly pull herself up on; everything else is too high up or too low for her to use.

Squishy Face

Rosalie has started giving us this funny face in leiu of giggles.

Who needs toys...

When you have cords. I think I the next 'toy' our kitten might get is a ball of string.

Greta's Baptism

We had a wonderful weekend in Madison with Mary's sister, Sarah, and her family of 6. Greta had a beautiful baptism yesterday!

Here is one of the best videos from the weekend, taken on Rob's new Droid X. You have to giggle out loud watching Evan (now 2) playing peek-a-boo with Rosalie!



We have tons of photos to upload, and will do so soon.

Rest area rookie

I took Rosalie into the rest area bathroom for a diaper change. I removed the old diaper, wiped Rosalie clean, but when it was time for the new diaper, i realized i had left it in the car. I had to send a guy out to find Mary to send one in. Ugh.

Rosalie impersonates the greatest of all time

There are worse things to love

I want a rematch!

The finish line was never agreed upon!

A few giggles

This video is from early June... It's amazing how much can change in a month!

Rosalie at School

Rob took a picture of Rosalie enjoying an activity at school today. Her teacher, Bertha, was singing and playing music for them. She's so studious!

Just like in the Army

She may not be on her hands and knees, but she can move anywhere she wants. Our new priority? Gotta get gates.

Rosalie is not vegetarian...at all

Here is a video from a few weeks ago of Rosalie eating animals of all kinds:

Orange, pink, and blue

Rosalie is enjoying carrots on the 4th of July!

Growing Girl

Today Rosalie had her six month checkup. She weighed in at 15 lbs, 15 oz and is 26 3/4 inches long. She is healthy, and even handled her shots like a champ! We came home afterward and celebrated with her second food, carrots. Mmmm! Either she liked the carrots better than the avocado, she is getting better at eating from a spoon, or a combination of both.

Have a great 4th of July!

Half Birthday

Can you believe Rosalie is 6 months old today???!?!

Here is a quick photo of her wearing some 4th of July gear.

More avocado....

Holy moly guacamole!

Rosalie tried her first food today, smashed avocado! Yum! She really didn't ingest much, just a little that she sucked off her fingers, but she definitely had a fun time playing with it!

What if 'Twilight' starred Rosalie?

Rosalie would live in Forks.

And she would have to choose between Edward (vampire, left) and Jacob (werewolf, right).

Edward would transform Rosalie into a vampire, turning her against werewolves, and she would attack Jacob.

Cutest. Vampire. Ever.

This girl loves America

First Father's Day

This was my first Father's Day as a dad, but also my first Father's Day without my father.

Mary let me make all the decisions - what we ate, what we did, when we napped...

The highlights include a walk at Lake of the Woods, playing with Rosalie on the deck, a 2 hour nap, and an hour cleaning out the garage (it's my belief every man enjoys spending time "arranging tools" in the garage).

And the day ended with ice cream. A perfect day.

Ahhh... Vacation

Mary and I had last week off from work for a relaxing week. We spent a few days with Ryan and Amanda in Southern IL (90 degrees, no air conditioning, played card games, swam in the creek, and dodged ticks) and a few days in Nashville with Kathy and the Fornes family (90 degrees, AC set at 65, played card games, and dodged vegan food).

We spent a few days at home preparing for a big cookout on Saturday (which means we spent the rest of our vacation cooking). A lot of friends showed up!

Rosalie Firsts from over the vacation:
* 1st swim - Hutchins Creek by the Pankau's
* 1st swim in a creek
* 1st 6+ hour road trip
* 1st Size 3 diapers - she moved up!
* 1st gunshot - she was inside while Ryan shot at a beaver
* 1st trip to Costco