Busy Bee

The past couple of weeks were very very busy. Daddy came to visit before his deployment. The first week I had to work so Anna and Daddy got to spend a lot of quality time together. I think it was great. She took right to him, like he never missed a beat.
Grandma and Grandpa Shoemate also came at the end of the week and spent some quality time with Daddy and Anna. Then Nana and Poppop Durrette came!
On Saturday 23 May. We celebrated Anna's birthday with a cookout. Although it was a

little early we couldnt pass up the chance with everyone there! It was great. Anna at first wasnt too happy about the hat! But quickly took to opening presents. It was adorable. She is already hitting that stage of excitement when she see's her gift. She would open something (with Daddy's help) and look at it, then point and say "look!" If you didnt acknowledge her she would say it again or if she really liked the gift she would say it again! After presents it was cake time. Anna really enjoyed her cake and let us know by saying "mmmm!", "mmmm!" However, she did have some kind of reaction to the cake. We think it was the blue coloring in the frosting because her cheeks (which had frosting all over them) were bright red for a couple hours after. I am really glad that everyone got to be there. Oh...and me and Anna will do something small on her real bday!

On Sunday 24 May we all went to church where Daddy and Anna were baptized. I was so proud standing there beside my husband and baby. All the grandparents were there to witness this occasion which made it even more special.


Then on Monday we went to the zoo! Anna loved the zoo. She kept pointing and saying "look"! Anna even got to ride a merry-go-round! I wont lie in the beginning it was tricky. Anna almost slid off the side of the elephant when the elephant went up (I was almost too short to hold her on). I am soooooooo happy that we went while Daddy (and Nana and Poppop) were here.


Anna has started walking more...ok...trying to walk more. She will be playing across the room and hold something out to me. I usually say "bring it to mommy", she will smile, step away from what she holding onto and attempt to walk to me. The most steps she has taken at one time is 7 steps. She is really trying. If she is standing up facing away from me and sees something she wants, I will let go of her hands and she will try to walk to it. I can tell she is still nervous...or maybe she just gets so excited because when she gets close to whatever she was walking to, be it a toy or me, she will just fall forward and laugh.
Anna has started a new thing in the bathtub. She will take the cup and put a little ball in, still holding the ball (and only the ball) she will turn the cup over. I will then pull the cup off and she will giggle her little head off. Tonight she tried cramming the rubber ducky in the cup. However, she wasnt so happy when it got stuck.
I dont know where she gets it from but she has the most outgoing personality. She waves and says hi to almost 90% of the people she sees. Its so cute, walking thru the store holding her, all I hear over and over is "hi! or hey!".
We have gotten rid of the bottles...ok...not completely rid but she doesnt get them unless she is going down for a nap or bedtime. Now she only gets water in the bottle. Somedays she does really good with the sippy cup...somedays, well, she throws the cup at me...yea...we are working on that one.
Oh...and I have figured out that she thinks that anything bad is my fault. If she gets mad at something she will come over to me and hit me! YEA, we are working on that one too!