So many firsts

Wow guys...I am just as surprised and disappointed as you are about the lack of updates this past month. Big apologies. It's not for the lack of exciting stuff happening...there is no shortage of that. I'm going to skip the excuses and get right to the good stuff. Since the last post Olivia enjoyed a wonderful Christmas. She is loved very much and it definitely showed in all of the wonderful gifts she was given. Thank you all very much! On Christmas day, in the middle of all the holiday frenzy, things got quiet as everyone started to notice that a certain little someone was standing in the middle of the living room all by herself. That's right. Olivia was standing with new toy in hand with out a care in the world. I believe Marco and/or a sister may have pictures of the event. I myself did not get to my camera in time so I don't have a picture of it to post. Now we are just waiting for the next "step" (all puns intended) On a not so happy note .... in a freak accident (you wouldn't believe it) .... Olivia pulled (not knocked) out a tooth. What a terrible experience. I can't imagine how much pain our little girl was in. Mike originally thought it (bottom right tooth) was just loose and he would be able to pull it all the way out and stop the bleeding but once he got a good look I was told "this is much worse...this is not good...pack a (diaper) bag for the hospital". The hospital, after inspection, sent us out of town to a pediatric oral surgeon. It turns out that the tooth was firmly in the gums but when the tooth was pulled forward the gums along both sides ripped and the root of the tooth was still attached to a piece of jawbone. It reminded me of when a tree falls over in a heavy rain and while it lays even with the ground the roots are all up out of the ground. Too much information? Ok, i'll stop with the visuals. The pediatric oral surgeon let Mike hold her while he pulled the tooth and sewed the gums. On the way home i just wanted to scream "isn't it enough that she looks like you (Mike)? does she HAVE to be just like you with all the stitches and emergency room visits too!!!???!!" So it has healed wonderfully and it certainly isn't stopping her from eating anything she wants. At this point we are giving her little bits of just about everything we eat. (minus the real spicey stuff) She likes stuffed peppers, chicken parmesan, pasta, green beans, black beans, pancakes, yogurt, cheese, buttered toast or toast and cream cheese....etc etc etc. The doctor said the only things we should not give her just yet are peanuts and honey. They actually want us to start giving her whole milk now that she's one.... Now that she's ONE.... She's ONE.... That is the biggest news since the last post. Olivia turned ONE! Yay! We didn't do a big big party or anything yet since not everyone could be with us to celebrate in January but we did have a family dinner and some cake.

Just when you think she's only going to keep smooshing it between her fingers...she dives in!

I think it's obvious that O (and I) is coming down from a sugar high in this next picture...

Luca was very into it being Olivia's birthday and even made a special Happy Olivia Day T-shirt!

Below is a picture of her rubbing her tongue in the hole where her tooth used to be.

Mike went to Dallas for some training and invited Olivia and I to join him. While we were there we visited Stockyard Station. It was a fun place (probably really fun in the summer!) where the streets are lined with cowboys (and a cowgirl) and they parade the cattle down the middle of the street as if bringing them to market.

The original Texas Longhorns.

We saw some people paying to sit on this beast and have their picture taken. I've watched too many episodes of Amazing Videos where folks get impaled by those horns in the most inappropriate places and I wasn't having any part of that.

Now one would think ~yeah, I can see how Tamara wouldn't want to be near that big mean bull w/ those intimidating horns so she opted for visiting this harmless, average, every day horse~

Well you'd be wrong on both accounts. Tamara did NOT want to be near this horse any more then she wanted to be near the bull and the horse was not harmless. Oh, it appeared to be when it kept walking up to us all insistant that we pay it attention...even though i was telling the woman riding it that I really did NOT want it near us. I think the sentence she started was "i've been riding this horse in these streets around people for eight years and she's never....." and just like that she couldn't finish. She was going to say it never bit anyone....but at this point that would have been a lie because right then and there it bit Olivia. Her little fingers bruised and swelled but thank goodness didn't bleed. Do I have to say it....AGAIN LIKE MIKE! From what I understand, horses weren't real fond of him either. Not long after we got home the weather got crazy and we got several inches of snow. Olivia's first snow.

To combat the cold weather Savanah made us an excellent soup. It's called X-ray Vision Soup and it was delicious. Lots of carrots (hence the name), onions and tumeric. She made it entirely by herself from begining to end! Below are two random pictures that just show how tall she is getting and how sturdy she has been on her feet.

I want you to know that I have been taking daily videos...lots of videos....over 100 in the last month to tell you the truth....however....i am still trying to figure out how to convert an .MOD file into something my computer will recognize. If anyone knows how please send me an email. I'd love to post some of them. In the meantime I took two quick videos with my old camera today just to have something recent to post....

The new place to play is inside the laundry basket. She even brings her toys inside.

The next video makes me laugh because she moves real quick when she wants to get her hands on the camera.