The past year has been a whirlwind of emotion, love and learning. I am still trying to figure out where all the time has gone and how my precious newborn so quickly turned into the beautiful little girl that she is.
Esme is a breath of fresh air. She has taught me more in the past year than I had learned in the previous 24. Mostly, she has taught me that little things and moments in life are the most precious. I never knew that I could love someone so much and so completely. Esme has taught me that the love of a mother is unconditional and all encompassing.
Everyone who encounters this little girl is charmed by her personality and instantly falls in love with her. Everywhere I go I hear that she should be in commercials. She has more energy and personality than any other little girl I have met. She may be a little bit of a diva (hey, I've always said that there are worse things a person could be!) but this little girl is full of spirit and completely owns my heart.
Esme Jean, thank you for everything you have brought to my life. Daddy and I are very proud to call you our daughter!
A blog dedicated to all things Esme, Noah and Baby!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Esme at 1
Esme had her one year appointment a couple of weeks after her first birthday. Everything went well and she is growing right on schedule. She weighs 21 pounds 4 ounces and was 30 inches tall. That puts her in the 50th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height.
Esme is an extremely particular baby and she likes things to be a certain way. She enjoys taking items out of one container, moving them to another and then putting them back where they belong. She is also getting good at helping during clean up time. She is especially good at cleaning up when she is in her music class or at little gym. Maybe she got the tidy bug that skipped her Mama's generation!?
Esme is also saying a few more words. In addition to Mama, Daddy, kitty and baba, she is saying hi, bye bye, no and uh-oh. She doesn't say "meow" but she makes a noise similar to a cat meow every time she hears them meow. So cute! She also does her own version of sign language. She does the touchdown motion and the incomplete pass motion. The incomplete pass motion is when she wants to make an emphatic NO! She loves to wave hi and bye and does it to everyone she meets in passing. Esme points at everything and has a particular fondness for lights and ceiling fans!
Dancing is one of her favorite things. She will dance to anything but definitely has her favorites. The current iPad commercial is an absolute favorite of hers and she goes crazy every time it comes on TV.
Here is a video of her reaction to the commercial. This isn't the best example but it is the only one we have caught on camera- excuse the hair in her eyes! Her first haircut is just around the corner!!
Esme also enjoys riding on her tricycle and in the wagon that she got for her birthday. We have had to start storing them in the spare room because if we don't, she stands next to them and screams all evening- even if she has spent an hour riding them already!
Esme being pulled around the hallway in her wagon. Daddy and her spend a lot of time this way!
Here is short video of her first time on her tricycle. We were planning on getting her a harness to hold her on but she is very good at balancing herself and even likes to do moving dismounts! Now, when you say "ding ding" she will ding her little bell on queue.
Everything is a hat. From her ball that the cat accidentally popped to undies out of the clean laundry pile. She also likes to take out her bows and try to put them in herself.
Esme will fall asleep anywhere. She doesn't like being "put down" for a nap so I have been letting her put herself down. A bottle and a soft blanket and she usually falls asleep wherever she feels most comfortable.
Nothing is off limits to Esme. If you have something she wants, you better be ready to hand it over. If you don't there will be a full on meltdown. I know I should be more strict but sometimes her tantrums are really hard not to laugh at.
Although she is a diva, she is also the most loving, caring little girl. She snuggles with daddy every evening always wants to be held. She is always putting her arms in the air to signal UP! I can't imagine my life without her and I know that Stephen feels the exact same way. She is a daddy's girl and Stephen loves every minute of it. He looks forward to getting home in the evening and hearing her little feet patter towards the front door, ready to greet him with a hug.
One year with this little girl has completely rocked our word and we couldn't be happier about it.
Esme is an extremely particular baby and she likes things to be a certain way. She enjoys taking items out of one container, moving them to another and then putting them back where they belong. She is also getting good at helping during clean up time. She is especially good at cleaning up when she is in her music class or at little gym. Maybe she got the tidy bug that skipped her Mama's generation!?
Esme is also saying a few more words. In addition to Mama, Daddy, kitty and baba, she is saying hi, bye bye, no and uh-oh. She doesn't say "meow" but she makes a noise similar to a cat meow every time she hears them meow. So cute! She also does her own version of sign language. She does the touchdown motion and the incomplete pass motion. The incomplete pass motion is when she wants to make an emphatic NO! She loves to wave hi and bye and does it to everyone she meets in passing. Esme points at everything and has a particular fondness for lights and ceiling fans!
Dancing is one of her favorite things. She will dance to anything but definitely has her favorites. The current iPad commercial is an absolute favorite of hers and she goes crazy every time it comes on TV.
Here is a video of her reaction to the commercial. This isn't the best example but it is the only one we have caught on camera- excuse the hair in her eyes! Her first haircut is just around the corner!!
Esme also enjoys riding on her tricycle and in the wagon that she got for her birthday. We have had to start storing them in the spare room because if we don't, she stands next to them and screams all evening- even if she has spent an hour riding them already!
Esme being pulled around the hallway in her wagon. Daddy and her spend a lot of time this way!
Here is short video of her first time on her tricycle. We were planning on getting her a harness to hold her on but she is very good at balancing herself and even likes to do moving dismounts! Now, when you say "ding ding" she will ding her little bell on queue.
Everything is a hat. From her ball that the cat accidentally popped to undies out of the clean laundry pile. She also likes to take out her bows and try to put them in herself.
Esme will fall asleep anywhere. She doesn't like being "put down" for a nap so I have been letting her put herself down. A bottle and a soft blanket and she usually falls asleep wherever she feels most comfortable.
Nothing is off limits to Esme. If you have something she wants, you better be ready to hand it over. If you don't there will be a full on meltdown. I know I should be more strict but sometimes her tantrums are really hard not to laugh at.
Although she is a diva, she is also the most loving, caring little girl. She snuggles with daddy every evening always wants to be held. She is always putting her arms in the air to signal UP! I can't imagine my life without her and I know that Stephen feels the exact same way. She is a daddy's girl and Stephen loves every minute of it. He looks forward to getting home in the evening and hearing her little feet patter towards the front door, ready to greet him with a hug.
One year with this little girl has completely rocked our word and we couldn't be happier about it.
First year photo shoot
We had Esme's one year pictures taken while we were in Seattle. The very talented Holly Aprecio took our photos and we couldn't be happier.
Here are a few of our favorites:
Baby brother was there too- notice the big bump!
Pearly whites...
This one is going in a frame. It is a work of art!
Stephen and I both adore the next picture. We both cracked up when we saw it and knew we had a good bribery pic for the future! Even with the tears she is an absolute doll!
We love you, Esme! You are our everything. And you're pretty cute, to boot!
Here are a few of our favorites:
Baby brother was there too- notice the big bump!
Pearly whites...
This one is going in a frame. It is a work of art!
Stephen and I both adore the next picture. We both cracked up when we saw it and knew we had a good bribery pic for the future! Even with the tears she is an absolute doll!
We love you, Esme! You are our everything. And you're pretty cute, to boot!
Friday, January 7, 2011
Esme's 1st Birthday Party (Dec 19)
We had Esme's first birthday party at her Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Kennedy's house in Snohomish. Even though her birthday is smack in the middle of Winter, we decided to have a BBQ and made sure that the theme was as far away from Christmas as we could get! Her decorations were purple and pink and there was a slight princess theme.
We ordered her cake from Costco and we think it turned out pretty cute!
We estimate that about 50 people showed up to her first party- not a bad turn out. A lot of the guests were adults but there were a few kids for her to play with.
Jennifer and her two children, Cooper and Whitney, were there along with my friend Tiffany, her husband Chris and their son Alexander. Michelle, Greg and Avery also made it!
Esme's favorite part of the day was when everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. She was grinning from ear to ear!
She also enjoyed digging into her cake. Making a mess is one of her favorite things...and she is so good at it!
The balloons were a big hit with the kids. Esme loved them but didn't like it when they floated away!
Happy with balloons:
Not so happy when they float away...
The end result of the cake eating was a messy baby and a wardrobe change. We changed her into her Seahawks outfit because it was Sunday and her team was playing!
We really felt blessed to have so many friends and family present to celebrate Esme's special day. There were important people who were unable to make it but the overall turn out really touched me. It is nice to know that our family means as much to others as they mean to us.
Esme scored an amazing amount of presents. Here are a few photos of the gift opening.
We really want to thank everyone who came and made this day extra special. Esme is lucky to have you in her life. We would also like to thank the party hosts, Great Grandma and Grandpa Kennedy, for the use of their home and all of the time and energy they put into the planning and preparation. We love you all! xx
We ordered her cake from Costco and we think it turned out pretty cute!
We estimate that about 50 people showed up to her first party- not a bad turn out. A lot of the guests were adults but there were a few kids for her to play with.
Jennifer and her two children, Cooper and Whitney, were there along with my friend Tiffany, her husband Chris and their son Alexander. Michelle, Greg and Avery also made it!
Esme's favorite part of the day was when everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. She was grinning from ear to ear!
She also enjoyed digging into her cake. Making a mess is one of her favorite things...and she is so good at it!
The balloons were a big hit with the kids. Esme loved them but didn't like it when they floated away!
Happy with balloons:
Not so happy when they float away...
The end result of the cake eating was a messy baby and a wardrobe change. We changed her into her Seahawks outfit because it was Sunday and her team was playing!
We really felt blessed to have so many friends and family present to celebrate Esme's special day. There were important people who were unable to make it but the overall turn out really touched me. It is nice to know that our family means as much to others as they mean to us.
Esme scored an amazing amount of presents. Here are a few photos of the gift opening.
We really want to thank everyone who came and made this day extra special. Esme is lucky to have you in her life. We would also like to thank the party hosts, Great Grandma and Grandpa Kennedy, for the use of their home and all of the time and energy they put into the planning and preparation. We love you all! xx
Putting up the tree at Grandpa's (Dec 18)
Christmas just isn't Christmas without a tree! We went over to Grandpa Gordy's house and helped him trim the tree.
Esme was extremely interested in the baubles and was intent in taking a few off of the tree. Somehow we managed to get the job done and I think it turned out pretty well.
The Tree: Before
Grandpa Gordy prepping the lights
Doesn't Grandpa look great?! Since his heart scare, he has been on a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle and has lost over 50 pounds! We are so proud of him! We need him to take care of himself so he is around for years to come.
The Tree: After
We also discovered that Esme adores moving Christmas decorations or anything that sings. She took a shining to this vibrating snowman that talked to her.
Esme also uncovered one of her Christmas presents a few days early! Grandpa Gordy and Grandma Julie got her a little rocking chair and she LOVED it!
A dark video of Ez in her rocking chair. She would climb out and then cry when she couldn't get back up!
Esme was extremely interested in the baubles and was intent in taking a few off of the tree. Somehow we managed to get the job done and I think it turned out pretty well.
The Tree: Before
Grandpa Gordy prepping the lights
Doesn't Grandpa look great?! Since his heart scare, he has been on a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle and has lost over 50 pounds! We are so proud of him! We need him to take care of himself so he is around for years to come.
The Tree: After
We also discovered that Esme adores moving Christmas decorations or anything that sings. She took a shining to this vibrating snowman that talked to her.
Esme also uncovered one of her Christmas presents a few days early! Grandpa Gordy and Grandma Julie got her a little rocking chair and she LOVED it!
A dark video of Ez in her rocking chair. She would climb out and then cry when she couldn't get back up!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A few updates... (early December)
On December 9th Esme got her third tooth! It was the bottom middle tooth on the left. She now has three teeth, all of which are on the left hand side!
Esme also received a Rody from Grandpa Gordy and we were able to get a great picture of her riding it to use on her birthday invitations.
Ez has spent the beginning of December battling her first major cold and her first ear infection. She has been put on antibiotics and should be better in no time! New teeth, fever, runny nose, cough and ear infection...the poor little darling just cant catch a break!
Esme also received a Rody from Grandpa Gordy and we were able to get a great picture of her riding it to use on her birthday invitations.
Ez has spent the beginning of December battling her first major cold and her first ear infection. She has been put on antibiotics and should be better in no time! New teeth, fever, runny nose, cough and ear infection...the poor little darling just cant catch a break!
Early Christmas (December 12,2010)
We received surprise packages from (Great) Grandma and Grandpa Bajema for Esme's birthday and for Christmas. As instructed, we opened them a little bit early (December 12th) and had our first slice of Christmas!
Stephen and I received lovely gifts but it was Esme who stole the show! She was very excited about her soft new clothes- she adores anything with a fuzzy fabric! She also liked her dream catcher- sweet dreams from here on out!
Esme preparing to open up her packages
I spy something soft...
Parading around with her new duds
She also helped Mommy and Daddy open their gifts!
We look forward to seeing Great Gram and Gramps in the new year!
Stephen and I received lovely gifts but it was Esme who stole the show! She was very excited about her soft new clothes- she adores anything with a fuzzy fabric! She also liked her dream catcher- sweet dreams from here on out!
Esme preparing to open up her packages
I spy something soft...
Parading around with her new duds
She also helped Mommy and Daddy open their gifts!
We look forward to seeing Great Gram and Gramps in the new year!
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