New Blog

I started a new blog today.

Rosie's Visit

My sister Rosie stopped by today. She is moving to Canada and was here in Utah getting some things squared away for her immigration.

Sandy had a lot of fun with her Aunt Rosie and got lots of tickles!


Here's a picture of Sandy. She found a "purse" that she likes to fill it with dog food. It is really a bag for a pair of shoes, but she uses it as a purse.

No!

Sandy has a new word.

No!

She says it very emphatically when she doesn't want to go into her crib or doesn't want the food I'm offering her.

She also tells herself no. Yesterday she was sitting in front of the CPU as Bill was working on the computer. She held her finger up to the power button and was telling herself, "no, no, no" as she shook her head. She did press the button, but Bill has now rigged it so the power button doesn't turn the computer off. (After some very unpleasant experiences of her turning off the computer and us losing work.)

I have been really conscious of the times when I tell her no because I was hoping to postpone this day. I try to give her specific instructions instead of saying no. When I do need to say no, I try to say "No, thank you."

Ah, well, at least she is better able to communicate with us.

Birthday Dress & Backpack Carrier

Today Sandy wore the dress she got from her Grandma & Grandpa Buhler for her birthday.


After church we went for a walk and Bill carried Sandy in her new backpack carrier.

Sandy's Birthday Party

We had a very small birthday party for Sandy today. Bill did a great job of recording it and if I can figure out how to cut out clips, I'll post some. However, we didn't get very many pictures. So if you have pictures - especially of Sandy blowing out her candles and eating her cupcake - will you please email them to me?

Last night I made cupcakes and left them cooling on the kitchen table. This morning Sandy found them.


I was surprised she could reach them. Bill came around the corner and got this picture before she fed the cupcake paper to the dog. Getting rid of the evidence?

I had fun decorating cupcakes. I learned this rose design from an online tutorial. I used a 2D tip.


Last night Bill made several butterfly chocolates using a mold.

Here are the finished cupcakes.

I also made Sandy a party hat. I got the idea from another online tutorial. I used scrapbook paper and curling ribbon. It was really fast and easy.

She wouldn't keep the hat on and tore it before the party started. Here's a close up.

We set up chairs in our backyard. Sandy's high chair was under the beach umbrella. I was worried about it raining. It didn't, but it was very hot!



Here's a picture of Sandy playing with a toy cell phone she got for her birthday. She thought the presents were a game of putting them back in the bag -- until she got some toys and then she just wanted to play with the toy she had just gotten.

Bill set up a monitor in the kitchen on the food table. I had fun going through pictures from the last year to make a slideshow to play during the party.

We're so glad for those that came and shared Sandy's birthday celebration with us. I found this cute poem online and made up some little bags of Hershey's kisses for favors.

Bee Sting and First Step

Sandy's new favorite fruit is watermelon. We went outside for a few minutes and she still had some watermelon juices on her shirt. The juices must have attracted a bee because she started crying and I found a dead bee in the bucket she was playing with. Her finger swelled to double its size almost immediately. After some Tylenol and a paste of meat tenderizer and water she was feeling much better. I'm glad she didn't have an allergic reaction.




















Sandy also took her first step today. Bill and I were both sitting in the living room watching. Sandy was holding on to Sage and walking when Sage ran to see something at the door. Instead of falling down like she usually does, Sandy took a step before grabbing onto the windowsill.

Videos from Sandy's Birthday

Here is the video of Sandy picking an item on her first birthday. Thanks to those that ventured guesses on what she picked!



Here is a video of us singing Happy Birthday to Sandy and blowing out the candle on her pancakes.



Bill's family has a tradition of singing three verses to Happy Birthday. I had never heard more than one verse to Happy Birthday before I met them, so here are the words for those readers that may also be unfamiliar with them.

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Sandy,
Happy Birthday to you.

'Tis love brings us here,
'Tis love brings us here,
Happy Birthday dear Sandy,
'Tis love brings us here.

You're now 1 year old,
You're now 1 year old,
Happy Birthday dear Sandy,
You're now 1 year old.