Monday, August 27, 2007

*Birthday Girl*


Seriously, just yesterday I finally realized just how cool it is to have a girl. Not that I haven't enjoyed Megan this whole time, but oh my gosh....After dressing her up yesterday and doing her hair...Well, I just can't stop gushing over her and how cute she is! And how fun it is to dress her up. Tomorrow she turns one. I can hardly believe it. The year has FLOWN by so fast. But at the same time, I can hardly remember her as a newborn. It seems like just yesterday, but because it's all been so fast, it's like...where did my baby go? She started walking last week...and this week she's saying stuff. She screams when she wants more food...so we tell her "say 'more please'" so she says "mo-mo". Today we were at the Dr.'s office and she dropped the sticker they gave her. I said "uh-oh!" she repeated and said "oh-oh, oh-oh!" It was cute, but it's crazy how once they hit 12 months it's like their brain development just takes off. Crazy. Crazy good and crazy bad all at the same time.
Here are some more pics from the weekend and the cake-eating:




This last one just cracks me up. She's like, "what is this stuff all over me?
Ok, now I'm going to talk about Jake. Well, Jake and me really. Do you ever feel like you're holding your kid back? Like you're holding them back from experiencing things, or being who they want to be? Ok example: Me? For some reason I've got social issues. I'm really shy. At first anyways. I've always been shy, but it just takes me a few minutes to warm up. Sometimes I make plans and then I end up "flaking" because I just feel like hanging out in my jammies all day. Or I want to do something, but I don't call because I feel like I'm intruding or something. Or sometimes, if for some reason I feel like I can completely control the environment or situation, then I can be completely outgoing. (there really is a point to all this...i think) Anyways, so we're at my best friends house on Saturday. Her little girl is turning 4. (Jake and Emily are only 10 days apart!) Kari and I have known each other since we were 3, but we haven't lived near each other since we were 7, nor did we ever go to the same school except for one year...she was in first grade and me in 2nd. So we've never really had the same group of friends. She and I have remained friends all these years, but we don't really have any mutual friends together. SOOO me, Jake and Megan are at this party, but we don't really know anyone there or any of the kids. So me, being my shy self, just kind of meander through the back yard...Keeping close tabs on Megan as she crawls around, and there's Jake....He's practically glued to me. He followed me everywhere. I said, "why don't you go play with the other kids?" Jake: oh, they said I couldn't play. So not true. All he wanted to do was go inside and watch Sponge Bob. (he doesn't get to watch that at home cuz we don't have cable) Then it was time to play games. Jake really wanted to play, I could tell he did. But I could also tell that he was nervous about the whole thing...and I could sense that he thought everyone was looking at him...and he didn't like it. But he LOVED playing the games. The thing that got me was this is SOOOOO EXACTLY what I would have done..and basically DID do and DO now. I kept looking at him and saying to myself "oh. my. gosh. He is ME." He is SO me. Did I do this? Did I make him anti-social? Have I showed him to hold back? I feel like I need to be a better example to him. I already know he's WAY more outgoing than I EVER was. I need to encourage THAT behavior. It's so hard being a parent sometimes. You just want your kids to have the best life and be good people. Jake is good people, that I know for sure. He's very well behaved and a really nice kid. I can see it when we're around other kids. Chrissy was talking about it on her blog...She has good kids too.
The good thing about the whole party was after the games, Jake really opened up. He found a buddy and they played tag and ran around together and I could see he was really having fun. Whew, that made me happy. I opened up a little too. I just dug in and helped Kari with the party. Took pictures for her, helped serve up cake and ice cream...that sort of thing. I had fun too :)
Ok,this has been a long one! See ya :)
P.S. Mom, or anyone else that's interested, there are more pictures here.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh - my - gawd! That little girl is so dang cute! She was just adoreable in her little bikini playing in the dog dish on Sat! I can't believe she's already 1. For that matter I can't believe you're 30! Seems just like yesterday you were just starting to walk. Where have the years gone? Speaking of being shy . . . well, Miss Corey you were PAINFULLY shy when you were Jake's age! You always wanted gum when we went to the store. So I decided if you were going to get any gum you had to pick it out and make the purchase yourself. Most of the time you went home without any gum because you wouldn't give the cashier the money. You'd put the gum back on the rack and go home empyt handed. Jake will come out of his shyness sooner than later. He's a wonderful little boy with a great sense of humor and a heart full of love thanks to you you....mom

Anonymous said...

Aw, she IS adorable. I love having girls too. You never have to stop playing dress up. It DOES fly by though! Happy 1st birthday!

nicole said...

She is so cute Corey...Hope she has a great 1st birthday!!!
And I totally hear you on the shyness- I am the same way - and really see it in Lauren - but do you know shyness is hereditary ...it's in the genes - so maybe for Jake it is how he is - at least a little...

camport said...

wow. You are me! Simon is Jake! I absolutely don't want Simon to be as introverted as I was at his age, b/c I felt like I missed out on so much.

The older I've gotten the more I've openned up and I push him{sometimes a little too much}to be more outgoing or at least participate. In the last year or so, he's totally come out of the shyness. He's still a little reserved but not like he was at 3.

Also, how stinkin' cute is she?? In the floppy hat pics, Megan looks just like Jake! In the thumbnails, I thought, "Why is Jake wearing a floppy teal hat?" She's adorable! Felix's b-day is on the 6th, so when I win the lottery and we all move into the same neighborhood, we can celebrate their b-days together.

:) You are a very likeable person and you should force yourself to not be so reserved. If nothing else, think of it as leading by example for your kids. People will totally accept you. You're one of the coolest chicks I know.

:)

Jude said...

Happy Birthday to Megan!! She looks so cute in all those pictures! I hear about the kiddos being just like us... of course this means Lincoln is not shy, but he does talk waaaay to much... I wonder where he gets that from??? ROFLOL...

Melissa said...

I go in these spurts with who I talk to. When Tanner was a baby, I would talk to the wall if it talked back. And we would be best friends for life.

Now, I have turned into a little bit of an introvert. partly b/c I work all day and partly b/c I dont' have the guts. But, I am slowly coming out.

Tanner is shy, but only in certain situations. I encourage him to play, but deep down he is a mommy's boy...

:) Cute birthday pics!