Walking Fool!!!!

Molly has finally figured out she can walk all by herself without the help of furniture, walls, walkers, or another human being!! She did this last week and she has been on the go since - and in a much better mood, might I add, because she realizes she can now chew on both hands (her molars are coming in)

YAY for Molly!!

Pine Park

Molly and I went to Pine Park last weekend - she of course had so much fun. I also just got photoshop from Tim as my early birthday present, so I have been playing around with it a little to see what I can do!! She was saying hi to another little kid there

I would put her on the middle of the slide and she would go down all by herself....she would sit there and push herself down and scream and laugh the whole way down. I was surprised how well she did with this - and we slid down the slide about a million times!!


And of course our favorite hobby....picking at woodchips

Socks & Spaghetti

She loves to have her socks on her hands. Pop does this with her and now she wants to wear them like this all of the time.... so she walked/scooted around the house with them on her hands, and then she will rub her hands all over your face!

Because we are a big girl, I let her eat from a bowl or plate and give her a fork or spoon to use. Molly will start off pretty good, but then we get tired and decide to make a mess. I am actually pretty good, believe it or not, with allowing her to practice and figure out how to use the fork and spoon. This is usually what the meal ends up looking like....
After so many tries, we resort to the hands. She is getting better though! And forget about spaghetti - first she LOVES spaghetti. I mean she would eat this stuff it I gave it to her for breakfast lunch and dinner and in between meals. She gets this from her PopPop Winkels!
She thinks she's funny. I tell her to say "All Done" but instead we flip the bowl/plate over and start smeering (you can't see it, but i had applesauce all over my wall)

Allaire

Saturday, Molly and I went to Allaire State Park. We had fun. Molly played in the playground for a bit, and went down the big slides with her, which she loved... she's becoming braver with trying to take her own steps. We're not quite there yet fully, but she will take a couple on her own. She is also becoming more daring in trying to climb on, off, and into things, which is nice to see!!
she thought this bubble thing was so funny ... goober

Below is a picture of the old town of Allaire which is in the park. It's actually really pretty. They have the old bakery, schoolhouse, church, ect. The park has a train, which was not opened that day, and then trails and stuff.

Allaire

It was so pretty...i really wanted her to look at me, but i thought that this was a cute shot too. her little buddha belly is sticking out.

Peek a boo!

The Bottle Woes

So Molly is currently down to one bottle a day, which is given to her before she goes to bed. Then after her bottle we brush our teeth, say prayers, put on our music and go to bed. Well, she is now almost 15 months old, and Mommy is ready to say "bye-bye" to the bottle. I thought this would not be hard, because she did really well with giving up the bottle during the day. She drinks great from pretty much any cup that you give her. So I was ready - tonight was going to be the big night - I even told Molly throughout the day, "Big girls drink from big girl cups at night."
Well, it did not go as smoothly as I had predicted. We were at the regular routine. Molly had taken her shower, we had finished playing. I went to warm her milk (yes, we must drink warm milk before we go to bed) and put it in her big girl cup. I attempted to offer this to my little girl, and she put on a show like I've never seen before! The tears, the kicking, the screaming, the hyperventilating....oh poor little girl! She was so upset that she only wanted Daddy.
So RELUCTANTLY, I went for the only bottle we had.... (this is after 15 minutes of gut wrenching tears). But what I have to say next is the best part, yall. This is what makes my heart melt as only a child could do their mom - this is what makes Molly who she is, my little sweet pea. We are now in our rocking chair in her room, and she has finished her beloved bottle. She takes the bottle and hugs it to her face and kisses it, "muah" and turns to me and falls asleep in my arms ... (awww) - as if saying to her bottle, "don't ever leave me again like that"
Then now I start to think. She loves that bottle. She went crazy at the idea that someone would take that bottle away from her. Her comfort. Her rock. Her stability. Her routine. The bottle is what she knows. I would hope that my life would reflect that with the Lord (I know that this is a stretch for those reading it. I'm terrible with analogies, but try to follow me...) I pray that I would fight for MY comfort, rock, stability... that I would do anything to keep the Lord near me, and find comfort in Him the way that my daughter did with her bottle, and that I wouldn't allow anything to stop me from that.
Now, that doesn't mean that she gets to keep the bottle forever folks.... because Molly gets her strong will and stubborness from 2 very stubborn people, Mommy and Daddy. And like I said earlier, Mommy is ready for the bottle to go "bye-bye"
Good night yall and enjoy the pictures below!!

This was before the bottle drama..... she can push her baby in her stroller all day long. Here she is getting brave and will take a couple of steps on her own to the ottoman.

Again, with the bunny chair ...

Molly's House

OK, I have been dying to take some pictures of her playing in her "house". I found this Fisher Price house at a yard sale, so we bought it for like $15. Let me tell you, it was one of the best investments that we have ever made!! Molly loves the house ~ she runs around it, opens the doors and windows.

Here Daddy is showing Molly a Daddy-long-legs. ughhhhh. I could barely stand to take the picture because I was grossed out. Molly thought it was so cool and wanted to touch it. Of course, after Daddy gave the Science Lecture, Daddy stomped on it!
oooohh aahhhhh....

Daddy took this picture. Molly was reading me this book. She loves loves loves books.

Molly was playing with her bunny chair. She's always liked the chair, but recently she has a new found love for it. I also think that she has become braver, and will now try to climb, jump and fall off of the bunny without crying or getting scared. The bunny does a good job in entertaining our little wild one!

Hugging the bunny ....
Just being Molly