Growing Up!

So last night was a momentous occasion at the Bowler home.  Allison decided she didn't want to go to sleep until about 12:30 which is pretty unusual.  She was totally happy and playing the whole time so it was nice because Ryan could play with her.  However, when we put her to bed in her cradle (still in our room because it was so much more convenient for me to get her during the night) she got out of her blanket (which is become more and more common) and her foot got stuck between two slats so she was not happy.  We decided that although it is clear across the house, she needed to start sleeping in her own crib.  So exciting, but kind of sad because it means she is growing up and it is happening so quic

kly!  I said she was becoming a little independent and Ryan told me just wait a few years.  What will I do? So I don't know if I had put pics of her room up so here they are.  Sorry if you already saw them.  The picture of her there is her nap this afternoon, she doesn't sleep with a bow at night :). 

     

     Anyway so instead of a separate post I am putting everything together.  We are trying to put a yard in!  I am really excited.  Ryan was scraping the yard to get rid of all the weeds and some of the weird topsoil the builder left for us.  We are getting the trenching for the sprinkler system done on Friday and then we can start putting the pieces for the system together.  Doesn't he look so handsome as a farmer??

     

     Another bit of news is we are trying to garden.  Since we are trying to do our yard the garden is right up by our walkway, we feel kind of white trash to have it there, but o/well.  As you can see, it is also in planters on our deck.  Maybe next year it can look a little nicer :).  We are just hoping something grows so all of our creativity is worthwhile!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. . .

So I started this post last Friday because when I was shopping and trying some clothes on (finally things fit a little better!!) Alli started laughing and smiling when she was looking in the mirror.  We have showed her the mirror to see if she recognized herself before, but it never clicked until then.  She was so happy to see herself in the mirror or to see the baby, I don't know how much she understands yet.  O/well either way it made me laugh and she was very happy!  Also I set her on her back on the floor in the living room on Sat. and I went into our room for a minute and when I came out this is what I found (except in the picture she looks like she is on her side).  She had rolled herself over and was on her tummy just jabbering and playing.  

Another find, not as happy, but I was uploading some pictures and I found some of when Alli was in the hospital and I realized I never put them up so just so I have them on here these are when she had her iv the week after she was born.  So she is three days old in the pics.  Obviously she is not happy about what was going on, but for the most part she just kind of hung out when she was in the hospital.  This is the night we were admitted and she had just gotten poked a bunch of times when they were trying to get the iv in.  Through this ordeal though, I felt so blessed to have the greatest family and friends.  Everyone was so supportive and understanding throughout this.  Without all of the calls and visits wondering how we were doing and giving us encouragement, I really would have lost it.  You can see in the picture I was having a really hard time.  Anyway, thank you to everyone who was so helpful!! We love you all!

However, she is great now and just to prove it the next pic is of her ready for church yesterday.  I thought she looked really cute so I had to put it up.  

And just because her hand is her new favorite thing, another pic of her sucking on her hand.  

Random

So there are a few things I have been thinking I should write about, but haven't yet so here you go along with some pics that I have been meaning to put up, but I couldn't find the cord.  A few mornings ago Ryan was playing with Allie and she was laughing and talking so I wanted to put the video up.  My mom went to NYC a few weeks ago so we had to show the cute onesie she brought back for all of the new grandbabies.  

I also wanted to show these cute headbands that my mom, brother Bryan and his wife Annie made when my mom was in Ohio.  They are so cute with a big flower on them.  Alli has been wearing them all week!  Thanks guys!  I also realized I never gave Cori credit for the way cute bows she gave Alli.  So pretty much all of the bows "featured" on the blog were made by these talented people.  It is good they gave us bows because although I have attempted, mine aren't nearly as cute and in Ryan's words "I am sure they will get better as you make more" meaning mine really aren't cute enough for her to wear so only 1 bow I've made is on here.  Thanks a ton.  Another little milestone is that last Saturday (sorry I am so late) we were eating dinner and Ryan put Alli on the couch so we could eat and her pacifier fell out so she turned her head to try to get it back and she rolled over- pretty much off the couch.  Luckily she made a noise when she was trying to get the pacifier and I looked over, about had a heart attack to see her halfway off the couch, and hurried to get her.  So- she now rolls over occasionally!  No more couch time for her!  I am excited, but kind of sad she is growing up, because it seems time goes by too fast.  Gotta enjoy every minute!

Happy Birthday Alli!

I started this post on Tuesday, because I realized Allie is three months old!  I can't believe how quickly time has gone by.  I have loved watching her grow and change and become a responsive little person.  I just wanted to write a few things about her that I don't want to forget because it seems like each day she changes just a little bit.  The first thing is that since she was born I have loved watching her eat because she gets this determined look on her face like it is a challenge she has to conquer or something, but at the same time she still looks so dainty, like she is taking little "bites" or something.  It is such a cute combination.  The second thing is how fun it is when she smiles, which is happening more frequently so it is almost all the time.  She brings everyone around her so much joy with her big smile and her little smile and her cute little laugh and sounds!  I love how when most anyone smiles at her she will smile back and if you talk to her she will jabber back like she is having a conversation withyou.  I am also enjoying all of her facial expressions.  She definitely has a lot of personality because she will give me these looks that tell me exactly how she is feeling whether it is happy, upset, or confused by what I am doing.  The other thing I love is that sometimes lately she will hold onto both of my hands close to her chest like she wants me to stay.  Overall she is just such a sweet, happy baby.  I think I love her more each day and now I don't know what I would do without her.  When she is not with me I feel like I am missing something or that I am not quite all there.  It is amazing how quickly life changes, and how even though I miss some things about my "old" life, I would not go back for anything.  I feel so blessed to be her mother and truly love it, hard work and everything.  We are so glad Alli is part of our family and are excited to see the new and exciting things ahead.  

Carpenter Ryan!

We were going to finish the basement so we could refinance our house and have more equity so Ryan bought some tools and was testing them out.  He found some scrap wood in a dumpster in the area he was working so he brought it home and made a workbench.  It is actually pretty impressive.  He is so good at figuring out how to do things.  I don't think he has ever taken a woodworking class of any sort, but he had a lot of fun making this.  Every night when he would get home he would go tinker around on the table until he had everything he could think of.  There is a spot for the drill bits to hang on one side, a box for random tools in the middle, a shelf, and holes for tools to hang from.  And of course I couldn't resist the chance to put up some more smiling pictures of Allie.