Play in the Snow Day

Well we had our first big snow here-well at least in the past 10 years Michael has been here. It was so much fun dragging Amaya around on our homemade sled (top with shoe strings). She had a lot of fun as did Mommy and Daddy. Grandpa got into the action by building a German town-no kidding-check out his blog =)

http://olehere-olethere.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html#8383322374750687398

--Amaya took her first solo steps today =) She is a very cautious little lady.

Amaya and Panama love playing. Amaya follows her everywhere. Panama is sure one smart little lady. Shas taught Amaya how to push her around =)

Princess Amaya

She still only had 2 teeth-we finally got a picture of them

(Notice my shirt-hand made in Africa-from Nana's Medical Mission Trip)

Orange tights, Velvet pants, Striped sweater

(Grandpa let her pick her clothes)

Wow-the time really flies by...Amaya is now 11 months. She continues to amaze us. She went to her first birthday party. A friend of ours turned 3 years old. She had an adorable princess party filled with crowns, wands, and a dragon (the dragon was destroyed with swinging swords). Amaya had a blast chasing the big girls. Michael and I had a great time watching her interact and play. I know I have said this before, but we are so lucky to have my parents here to care for Amaya during the day. She comes to visit me for lunch everyday. With that though comes Grandpa's fashion =) I have learned to just smile and hope that it doesn't 'sink in.' Amaya may end up with a style 'all her own.'

Happy New Year!!!

Amaya turns 10 months! She loves her 100% fruit popsicles =) 

She is a Daddy's girl in her Raiders shirt

(I need to take a pix in her UCSB sweatshirt)

Avery's Baptism

Hello All! It has been a few weeks since I have been on-we have been running around like crazy since Michael's graduation. We started our Christmas break with the beautiful baptism of our God Daughter Avery. Then we were off to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. It was a fabulous holiday weekend-we could not have asked for a better 1st Christmas for Amaya (we know Grandpa Cleveland is watching down from above). Amaya had a special Christmas with her two cousins. It was so much fun to see the little girls together playing-Amaya was a trooper keeping up with her two older cousins. As always, we all had a wonderful time. She turned 10-months on the 21st-she is not quite walking on her own yet, but she is clapping, high-fiving, and waving 'hello' & 'goodbye.' 

Smiles all around in pretty Christmas dresses

Who would have thought that Big Girl Pants were the best gift!!!

Panama was so excited when she saw them, she put them on right away!

Michael, Amaya, and I went to visit the Gestautas Family-we hiked, ate sushi, and played on the floor with the kids. Alicia is a trooper! At nine months pregnant she is hiking 4 + miles (there were many pee breaks though).

Megan's Birthday and Garth Brooks!!! My little sis turned 27-WOW!!! The big kids left the babies with the grandparents and went out on the town. **Garth was unbelievable!!!!!! It was so much fun to see him at the Encore. It was a very intimate performance-better than I ever dreamed** It was a long time coming-Thank you Michael for making it happen for me =) You are still making my dreams come true-one of the many reasons why I married YOU!

Graduation Weekend

Michael's Pinning Ceremony

Michael's Graduation

Green's Gluten Free Beer! Hard to find-from Belgium 

(One day Gpa and I will visit the Distillery!)

Well, it is official...Michael has graduated from Austin Peay State University.  It was a crazy week, but we all made it through smiling =)  We could not be more proud of Michael! He had his final assessment (final) on Monday and on Thursday was his Nursing Pinning.  The Pinning ceremony was beautiful-Megan, Eric, Panama, Nana joined the two Cleveland girls to cheer Michael on-he was awarded the Sigma Theta Tau International Award (yes, I am bragging on him!).  It was really awesome-of course, Nana says that is the best award! STT is the National Honor Society for Nursing and it is awarded to the student who has maintained the highest GPA and demonstrates impeccable leadership in Nursing. 

Graduation was on Friday-it was a small graduation in comparison to the UCSB graduations our family is used to. We arrived 1/2 hour early with no parking problems (I worked half a day) and we got great seats.  After graduation, Michael and I went into Nashville for dinner and celebrating with friends.  We went to a wonderful sushi restaurant, the Flying Saucer, and stayed at the Historical Union Hotel.  Amaya had a party night with her Nana-I hear they had a blast =) 

The weekend ends today with the Baptism of our God-daughter: Avery.  It will be a beautiful baptism. We are looking forward to a fabulous ending to a very special week.

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes-Yum!!! (Notice her 'bull snort' face-she does sound effect too!)

Thanksgiving Night Pictures-I will get the entire family picture on here soon =)

Her first Christmas Decoration Morning

She enjoyed putting the first ornament on the tree

Rocking at school-Playing Patty Cake!!!

Thanksgiving weekend came and went so very quickly-we find ourselves so blessed! Amaya and Panama looked beautiful in their Holiday dresses. Amaya was thrilled to eat a mixture of sweet and white potatoes...she likes to grab her food by the fist full (unlike her dainty cousin).  

On Friday morning, Michael and I had a early morning date-shopping all of the best sales.  We had a ton of fun! Not to mention we finally went to one of Nashville's famous breakfast spots-Pancake Pantry-guess what-they had gluten free pancakes!!! Go Pancake Pantry!

Michael and I decided to get a real tree this year for Amaya's 1st Christmas.  She had a blast pushing the boxes around and hanging her first ornament on the tree. 

Last week Amaya started playing 'patty-cake!'  It is the cutest thing-she will clap whenever we sing the song.  I am trying to get her to clap to 'Yeah!' so that she can clap at Daddy's graduation =) She also finally has two bottom teeth =)

Our family has been busy, busy, but we are loving every minute of this crazy life.  

Sitting with Santa

Michael and I went to Borders to get some new books and we ran into Santa at the mall!!!  Amaya is not quite sure if she likes him yet or not =)

9 Month Princess

Pretty Ladies

Chasing the Kitty

The months continue to fly by...Amaya continues to enthrall us with her delightful personality, beautiful smile, and sparkling eyes.  She continues to pull herself up and walk around everything-she loves holding our hands and 'running.'  We cannot imagine that it will be too long before she is walking on her own-she has stood on her own, but then realizes that no one is holding her and she sits quickly =) Luckily, she is very cautious on the tile floors. She also loves chasing Lani -our kitty- around. Lani enjoys teasing Amaya and lettig her get within hairs of touching before she runs off. It won't be too long beore Amaya gets her hands on Lani. 

Our household continues to be a fun and crazy place.  Michael has started his preceptorship and the 12 hour shifts (14 hours if you include travel) are not much fun for Amaya and me...he goes to work while we're sleeping and gets back when we are sleeping...at least we are getting our beauty rest =) He is enjoying it though! School days are flying by for me. I am still really enjoying work, but I am also very much looking forward to taking time off to be at home. I am freaking out a little bit, because I am going to have to start cooking on my own again! I better watch Nana and learn all of her tricks. Michael will official graduate in less than a month and then the craziness will really begin =) We will keep you all posted...