Maybe next year...

We knew Tanner's first trip to see Santa might be a quick one, and we were right. The fact that Santa kept calling her Chandler probably didn't really help the situation. I'm proud that she actually sat there for a second for the picture.

TaDaaa!

Snugglebug

We're walking... we're walking...

After taking her first wobbly steps in my parents' kitchen over a week ago, Tanner has decided that it's time to move!

Sunbonnet Sue

Saturday, Tanner and I got to spend time with my grandmother, two of her sisters, my mom and her two sisters. There was lots of squealing and pinching of cheeks ... mainly Tanner's.

I was so excited and honored to learn that they are completing a quilt that my great grandmother began many years ago. She assembled the top layer of the quilt with Sunbonnet Sue girls. Tanner's Great, Great-Great Aunts and Great Grandmother will all work to finish it. Lots of love has and will go into the final product. I'm pretty sure she won't be allowed near it until she is old enough to understand the permanence of magic marker and nail polish.

180 Weeks

I've been a full time freelance designer for 180 weeks. Weird way to count, I know. I've been using a 60 week perpetual calendar from Paper Source to keep track of my time and today I completed my third.

Things I've learned by thumbing through old calendars:
1. I went to Birmingham A LOT that first year
2. I have spent my fair share of time at the Genius Bar
3. I doodle. A lot.
4. I love my job
5. I have a tendency to spill

Now on to my 4th, and curry colored, 60 week perpetual calendar.

The fastest crawler in the Midwest

Tanner was fairly late to the crawling game, but she's perfected the art ... and she's like lightning on the hardwoods. She is great at walking while holding on to things. Why should I rush her, she's got her whole life to walk, right?

Her first tooth arrived late as well - just like her Daddy's did many years ago. It busted through on her 13 month birthday with lots of fanfare ... and by fanfare, I mean screaming, sleepless nights and an ensuing cold. Here's hoping the rest of them are a far less dramatic.

Shorter hair = fantastic bed head

First Hair Cut

I knew it would take a professional to intervene for the first hair cut because Tanner has already become resistant to having bows and barrettes put in her hair. Ryan at KidOCuts did a great job (his copious tattoos were a nice distraction) and sent us home with a certificate, lock of her hair and a pink balloon.


Before: a skeptical T is trying to figure out what is going on and why she's "driving" a car.


Halfway through: Generally ticked off.


Looking to Daddy to save her.


After!

Tanner Takes the Cake

Tanner had no fear of the cupcake or the icing. Taking after her mother, she enjoyed every bite. Thank you to Uncle Skipper for stepping in with a fresh camera battery when mine died!


Take that, cupcake!


More please!


We all survived the first year!

Happy 1st Birthday!

We traveled to Charleston, SC to celebrate Tanner's first birthday. Her cousin Hunter's birthday is May 21st of the previous year, so they are 364 days apart. We had a joint shindig for the two of them at a beach house in Wild Dunes.

Tanner loved the sand, hated the pool and devoured her birthday cupcake. The way she handled the icing would have brought a tear to her namesake's eye.

During the big birthday cake feast, my camera battery died, so I'll post those when my sister sends those my way.

Happy Derby!

We were super excited to be invited to go to the Kentucky Derby. We spent the day watching horses, drinking mint juleps and most entertaining of all, people watching.

My parents came up to take care of Tanner while we were at the race. They loved spending the entire day with her. It was the longest I have been away from her - 12 hours! I was definitely ready to see that crazy hair and big smile when we woke up this morning.

Happy Easter!

We've had quite the rainy Easter, but I managed to get a few pictures indoors. If the the rain clouds ever clear, I plan on taking some outside shots of her in her Easter dress.

Tanner wore her super special smocked dress from the fabulous Marcia Strickland this morning. She got many compliments as we passed through the halls at church.

She had no morning nap in the nursery at church, so it's been a fairly rough afternoon at our house...she went to bed at 6:45 p.m. (an hour early).

Bed Head

This is our "I just woke up from a nap where I was squished into one corner of my crib" look.

Outside fun is here!

We are so excited that warmer weather has arrived (except for the random 50 degree day here and there)! It is has been so fun to begin to break out the spring/summer wardrobe :)

Our fabulous neighbors bought new swings for their swing set and while they were at it, they bought this one for Tanner. She loves it!

Bowhead

I finally gave in.

The ratty bangs hanging in her eyes pushed me over the edge. I've begun pulling Tanner's hair back with bows. I have nothing against bows, just preemptive bow use that requires adhesion to the head - mainly, because I don't have time for cleaning up that kind of mess. Thankfully, she doesn't even notice that it's there and doesn't try to yank it off her head (like I probably would have done).

If I had a dime for every time I've heard a stranger say, "Look at all that hair - she needs a bow", I could buy a grande vanilla soy chai latte at Starbuck's.



P.S. Shortly after I took this photo, she squished up all the remaining bites of avocado on her tray making a very interesting form of guacamole with small bits of puffs and cheese mixed in.

Spring has Sprung!

We are so excited to have warmer temperatures and longer days. We've already spent some time in the yard...

Now We're Cookin'!

Thanks to a friend from BSF who lives one street over, we are now the proud owners of a free Little Tykes kitchen. In the deal, we also acquired a grocery cart and a very random assortment of plastic food.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my friend's sister has another boy, because if so, I get first crack at her daughter's smocked dresses.

Sweet Home Alabama

We made a quick trip to Birmingham this past weekend. Here are a few highlights:


Tanner got to hang out with her great grandmother, GiGi.


We got to meet Walker Simmons and have breakfast with old friends that we miss terribly.


Walker's feet are already as big as Tanner's.


Worn out from the exciting morning.


Tanner was so excited to see her Aunt Tanner, she could hardly sit still.


The Tanners

9 Months

Even though she's officially 10 months old, I thought I'd share a few of Tanner's 9 month portraits. It's getting harder to get good shots since she's moving around!