Walk Like a Rory Bear

I'm just way too excited to wait to post this, so I'm doing it right away. Rory took her first steps today!!!! I still can't believe it and keep watching the video over and over and over. She'll be ten months old in a week! I guess the doctor was right. Thankfully she's not running around the house yet and is still a little hesitant to walk without some coaxing.

Unfortunately our video camera wasn't charged, so I just had to use the video setting on our regular camera. The picture is a bit dark, but at least we caught it on camera!

Nine Months!!!

I cannot get over the fact that Rory will be one in three months! It's just too crazy. I can still remember the drive home from the hospital like it was yesterday. It was raining. I remember sitting in back holding Rory's head. She was so tiny and fragile. I wanted to slap Landon every time he hit a bump. He made a slight detour to get me some sushi. I cried when I saw the super cute welcome home sign my cousin and her kids made hanging on our front door. It was a beautiful, scary, emotional day.

I'm slowly watching that baby disappear. Every day there is something new and more mature about her. I'm so thankful for the opportunity I have to stay home and experience the world with her.

Rory just had her nine month checkup yesterday and she's such a big girl. She's in the 88th percentile for height and the 81st for weight. The doctor says she's pretty advanced and is doing things that an 11 month old should be doing. She predicts that Rory will be walking before a year. She's cruising quite a bit, but I still have a feeling it's going to be a while before those first step are taken. Maybe I'm just hoping for more time before she's racing around the house. She has eight teeth and some super swollen molars. I just bought her a real toothbrush and she's starting to really like it. She used to always bite my finger when I used a finger brush, so I love it. She giggled while I brushed her teeth last night. It was too cute. I hope these next three months go by slow.

She's such a goofball!

Our New Nephew

Congratulations to Crystal and Brian! We were able to go and support them as they adopted their son Hayden. He's a perfect addition to the family! They needed some more testosterone in that house. :) It was a super fun day! We're so thankful to have been a part of it.

No Doubt!!!!!!!!!!!

My mother's day was amazing. I got to sleep in and Landon served me heart shaped pancakes in bed. I love him sooo much. Another great thing was that I got to pick out a gift for myself. I always love every gift Landon surprises me with. He's a really great gift giver, but I kinda wanted to pick something out this time. I chose No Doubt tickets. Best decision ever!!!!! I saw them about five years ago and they were awesome. Because they're my favorite band of all time, I couldn't pass up pit tickets this time. We were literally three feet from Gwen at one point. (I love her, but she really cakes on that makeup.) The night just plain ROCKED! The Sounds were great and Paramore was even better than the last time we saw them. I don't even know that I have words to describe how incredible No Doubt was. They even closed with my favorite song. It was hands down the best concert I've ever been to and I've been to quite a few. Thank you No Doubt for rocking my world!

We weren't able to get any good pics of Tony. :(

Water Baby!

Because it's been a million degrees outside, I though it would be fun for Rory to play outside in some agua. Also, my mom bought her the cutest bathing suit and I wanted to put her in it. Landon was awesome enough to blow up the hippo pool we got her. It was the cutest day ever!!! She loves water and loves being outside, so naturally she had way too much fun. It was a bit of work getting her in the suit, lathered up in sunscreen, getting the pool ready, and then undoing it all, but it was soooo worth it. I can't wait to do it again.

This is my favorite.

She was so giddy!

She was checking herself out in the mirror after.

The Bear

So Rory is getting to an age where she is becoming a terror. I really don't know what I would do if I was working full time. Most likely I would be tearing my hair out. Don't get me wrong, she is cuter than cute, but I just can't keep up. She's crawling (super fast... like lightning speed) and she gets bored super quick so I have to constantly be thinking of new activities for her in order to keep her out of cupboards and drawers (we're a little behind on baby proofing). Despite the non stop curiosity and occasional tearless yet not soundless fit she is still the most amazing thing EVER!! I love everything about her - even the stuff that makes her a terror. It cracks me up. Maybe not always in the moment, but always after. So for those who don't get to enjoy her company often, here is a tribute to Rory...

Cow Bear

Smiley Bear

Mustang Bear

Ballet Bear

Blessing Bear

Rolling Bear

Rubber Ducky Bear

Messy Bear

'Let's go!' Bear

Morning Bear

Again...

Okay, so I'm going to try this again and hopefully keep up with it.

We are all good in the Stewart house. We just got over the cold that has been going around. Rory was sick for the first time (we've been super lucky) and she really wasn't that bad. Just a bit boogery, but still happy. She's such an amazing child.

Landon is still working at Union Pacific and his job is secure as of right now. He FINALLY has weekends off!!! But he's still working nights so it's lonely here most nights - luckily I'm sleeping. He's really into this HAM radio thing right now and is currently planning a trip to some desert race in Mexico (yes, despite the swine flu). He has also started a garden that we're all looking forward to. He took Rory and I to our first gun show not to long ago which was interesting to say the least.

I quit my job teaching abstinence education at the end of February in order to spend more time with Rory. It was hard, but I left it in good hands and even get to visit occasionally. Most of my time is spend playing with Rory because she doesn't like me doing much else. I get out of the house about twice a week to substitute in Benson and have conversations with words. I have come to the conclusion that teens suck and I'm really dreading Rory ever hitting that stage. My old job just contacted me and want to contract out to me during their busy season. Hopefully it will be fun. I'm scheduled once a week right now and get to work with an old friend that they're also contracting out to. We're headed to Willcox tomorrow.

Rory is now crawling!! And pulling up on everything she can, bonking her head when she falls, and getting into everything she shouldn't. I don't know what I'm going to do when she can walk - I can barely keep up with her now. She is a super cheeseball and loves to make you laugh. She sings, she screams, she babbles like crazy. The one thing you can always count on to calm her down is Jason Mraz "I'm Yours." She start fussing when anything else start playing. I can't believe she's going to be one in four months. It's rediculous.

Till next time...