Princess Zoe

Our New Site

2010-03-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

Here is the new and improved Bush Family website!

Daddy, We're Coming Home!

2009-08-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

On the road back home to Tallahassee...

Family Reunion - Take 2

2009-08-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

More pictures from the family reunion - you can't fit this much cuteness in one post!

Masiah and the boys hamming it up for the camera.

Zoe and her boys - they followed her around all weekend long.

Zoe riding the Metro into Washington, DC.

Zoe and Jonathan - I called him her kissing cousin!

Jonathan teaching Zoe to ride the tricycle.

Zoe, Jonathan, Carla and Charles playing it up for the camera.

Uncle Keith and Masiah hanging out after dinner.

Zoe tackling her big cousin Charles.

Family Reunion - Woodbridge, VA

2009-08-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Thomas's father's side of the family has a family reunion every 2 years. This year it was at Aunt Belenda's house in Woodbridge, VA. Zoe got to spend a lot of time getting to know her cousins and playing around the house (and on the stairs - eeek!). We had a great time visiting and the weekend was over much too soon.
Grandma teaching Zoe to ride the tricycle.

The Bush Family minus 1. (We miss you, Daddy!)

Zoe and Grandma chasing after Jonathan.

Zoe and all of her cousins.

Grandma and Granddaddy hanging out with Zoe.

Zoe and Mommy: Road Travelers Part 4

2009-08-14T23:49:00.000-07:00

We made it to Woodbridge, VA at last! Zoe was a little weary of all of her family at first, but once she warmed up it was on.

Zoe and Mommy: Road Travelers Part 3

2009-08-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

Our next stop was in Greensboro, NC to see Thomas's Aunt Beverly and his cousins' families. Zoe had a great time playing with her cousin Carmen and by the looks on both of their faces as we left they will miss each other a lot.

We had a lot of fun meeting the newest addition to our family: Corey Jahmier Cole who was born on Monday, 8/10/2009. He weighed 6 lbs., 4 oz. and was 20 inches long. Welcome to the world cousin!!!

Zoe and Mommy: Road Travelers Part 2

2009-08-14T14:40:00.000-07:00

Our next stop was Gastonia, NC to have lunch with Aunt Patty and cousin Ashley. I haven't seen them in 17 years, so it was great to play catch up and talk about our lives.

Zoe was excited to be out of the car, but also very excited to have so much attention! Aunt Patty gave Zoe two very cute gifts - a book about textures and shapes and a very cute, very soft monkey.

We had a great lunch, and I plan on staying in touch with them, since we do go up that way quite a bit.

Zoe and Mommy: Road Travelers Part 1

2009-08-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Zoe and I are on our way to Woodbridge, VA for the Cokaer-Bush-Wells family reunion. Our first leg of the trip was a stop in Alpharetta, GA to visit Aunt Beth. Zoe knew who she was from the get go and even played nice while I combed her hair and got her ready for breakfast.

We had delicious french toast and sausage at a wonderful little deli before getting back on the road. Yummmy!

My Excuse for Work

2009-08-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

I was late to work this morning because I sat down and read stories to the coolest almost two year olds in the world - Zoe's class! I got lots of kisses and some hugs and that just made my day.

Pillows for the Babies

2009-07-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

Zoe's class is ready to move from the baby room to the toddler room. In the toddler room, they will no longer have cribs to sleep on but will take their naps on mats on the floor. I really wanted the kids to have something soft to cuddle up with so I made them all their own pillow, personalized with their names on them. They won't see them until mid-August when the "graduate" but I am very excited that they will love them.

The Great Outdoors

2009-07-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

This is Zoe.

This is Zoe and her horsie.

This is Zoe, her horsie and her doggie, Andie.

This is Zoe and her Daddy playing in the dirt.

This is Zoe playing with dirt.

Aah...what a lovely sunny summery day!

Little Red Riding Hood

2009-07-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

Just a picture of me living vicariously through my munchkin.

Fun in the Tub

2009-07-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

Zoe loves bathtime and loves to keep herself squeaky clean. Here is the video of Zoe playing in the tub.

Zoe's Artwork

2009-07-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

So the assignment was to catch my little artist hard at work. I caught her. She's in time out. Here is her art...

Dancing Queen

2009-07-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

I was looking through my camera and found this video of Zoe dancing. I think it was very cute and funny, so I am sharing it with all of you.

Happy Fourth of July!

2009-07-04T23:37:00.000-07:00

It's Independence Day! Check out my super duper Miss Independent.

Today we went to the flea market and then drove down to Wakulla for some shopping and lunch. Later we had barbecued chicken, pasta salad, corn on the cob and garlic bread. Sara and Blake came over for dinner and fireworks. It was the first time that we have done the 4th of July at home and a great time was had by all!

Daddy's BIG 3-0

2009-07-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Thomas's birthday is today and to celebrate we took the weekend off. It all started with a very special birthday message from Zoe and I:

Later in the morning, after a nice breakfast of blueberry muffins and fresh fruit, we went to the beach.

Zoe loved the beach and kept trying to make a break for it. As you can see, the beach was mostly vacant so it was a nice peaceful time with our family.

When we left, all that we left behind was our footprints. (Thomas's on the right, Zoe's center, mine on the left)

Later, after we had cleaned all of the sand and salt from our bodies and ate lunch (mmmm...okra)! We headed over to Grandma and Granddaddy's house for a visit.

My name is...

2009-06-30T10:52:00.000-07:00

apparently, it's Heather. Zoe calls me Heather, just like all of her buddies and her daddy. And just like her daddy, she calls her Grandma "momma". Sigh. What am I doing wrong?

I Wear My Sunglasses

2009-06-28T15:45:00.000-07:00

Zoe loves sunglasses. She puts on any pair she sees (which is a lot of fun in gas stations and at Wal-Mart).

I had a party this weekend for my new business (www.mommasnitein.com) and Zoe raided my guests purses for keys and sunglasses. Laura caught this picture of Zoe just before she ran off with the goods.

By the way, have I mentioned lately that my daughter has the best curls on the planet? Just thought I would mention it.

A Zoe Pillow

2009-06-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you Wendy for the great pattern, Zoe loves her pillow and Thomas is jealous that he doesn't have one. Shhh...his birthday is next week.

A New Perspective

2009-06-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

Through the rear view mirror while sitting in late afternoon traffic.

18 Months Old

2009-06-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Really. I can't believe it either.

Need a New Poster Child?

2009-06-17T22:37:00.000-07:00

Hey Publix (or other large chain grocery store)!

I have the cutest child in the world who is more than happy to smile at anyone walking by, loves balloons, fruit and vegetables. She is extremely personable and loves to talk. May one day be a great spokesperson for your company. I would like to submit her to be your campaign poster child. We can barter our services (free groceries for a year, perhaps?) or will work for future education (four year scholarship?).

Serious inquiries only, please. Just comment below.

Baby Showers and all that jazz!

2009-06-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

Our friend Amanda is expecting a baby girl in August. Zoe, Thomas and I attended her baby shower yesterday. I made her a diaper bag that was brown with pink polka dots on the outside and pink with brown polka dots on the inside. Very cute. I loaded the bag with some gently used Zoe clothes and topped it off with a few bottles of baby lotion, some diapers, baby nail clippers and a disposal bag dispenser for throwing away those little baby diapers. We had a good time and Zoe thought that the food was just awesome.

Welcome Home, Mommy

2009-06-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

Here is the sweet greeting I get in the afternoon when I get home. Such a sweet girl, so good to come home to.

Our Daily Bread

2009-06-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Zoe and I eat dinner together every night. Thomas usually works nights so we are on our own for dinner. I try to always include something green in our meal, so on this night we were having broccolli florets and taco salad with corn, black beans, tomatoes, ground beef and cheese (yummy!). Right now, Zoe thinks I am the best cook in the world and that makes me happy.

Every night is a home cooked meal, I do not allow Zoe to have fast food yet, so I have to be imaginative in the things that I make so that she does not become bored. I make my dinner schedule for two weeks in advance and then buy all of the groceries at one time so that we are not wasting time in the store everyday. It works for us.

At dinner time, Zoe and I say a prayer, I turn off the TV and she and I eat and talk until we are both satisfied. Then we take a bath, and watch a famnily friendly movie (last night we watched Aladdin), at 9:30 she is off to bed and I am off to the sewing room.

Time to Color

2009-06-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

I picked up some end rolls from the Democrat the other day. (End rolls = when newspapers print they always use new rolls of paper, what is left on the roll at the end of the day gets put out back in the loading dock area at 3:30 for people to pick up. If it is not picked up by 5:00 PM, it is thrown away. Oh, and it's free!!!)I thought it would be a good resource for Zoe to color on (and a good thing for me to trace patterns out on since it is not that thick, but thicker than pattern paper). I broke out the paints and let her go wild. I am not sure if we were painting on paper or on a baby. Hilarious.

It's Potty Time

2009-06-07T17:07:00.000-07:00

When we got home from dropping Daddy off at work tonight, I told Zoe that I had to go potty. She grabbed at her diaper and said "potty, potty." I took her diaper off and sat her down and sure enough she peed in the potty! I am so proud.

An Apple A Day...

2009-06-05T19:39:00.000-07:00

Zoe loves apples, in fact she say the word as clearly as you or I. Everytime we visit Daddy at work she races over to the Shell Station (there is an entrance in the restaurant) and grabs an apple from their basket. She chews all of the meat off of the skin and then spits the skins out which is pretty funny.

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

It has rained and rained for what feels like forever lately. There was some sunshine in between though and our air conditioning was out, so Zoe and I went outside to play in the sprinkler. She loves the water, sometimes I wonder if I am really raising a dolphin. :)

Eating from a Spoon

2009-05-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

Zoe is now feeding herself from a spoon. Time has gone by so fast. She is so amazing.

Swimming Lessons Day 2

2009-05-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of the day 2 swimming lesson. Zoe had a lot of fun learning how to be a little swimmer. She is doing great!

Swimming Lessons

2009-05-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Today was Zoe's first day of swimming lessons! She learned how to blow bubbles in the water and how to splash. She really seemed to enjoy the lesson and was all tuckered out when we got home.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T14:38:00.000-07:00

We worked at E3 Kids for Mother's Day and then took communion at church. It was a nice relaxing day for all!

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

Here's how I celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I think it's better than anything else you may have to offer.

Curly Hair and A Good Tan

2009-05-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

I only had two dreams for my child before she was born. That she have curly hair and a good tan, but I have struggled with her hair because it is so hard to get the tangles out in the morning and keep them out throughout the day. Then Tanna told me about Mixed Chicks, I finally got my order in from them and here is what Zoe's hair looks like now. I am very pleased with their products and will probably be a loyal customer for many more years to come. Check them out and recommend them to your friends.

Life is Messy

2009-05-02T20:32:00.000-07:00

So I took two days off from work this week to clean the house, steam clean the carpets and baby proof everything. (Now that Zoe knows how to stand on her tippy toes, there is a whole new realm of stuff that needs to be out of reach). When I left the house this morning there was absolutely nothing on the floor and clothes and towels were folded in baskets to be put away. This picture is what I returned home to only three hours later.

C'est la vie, life is messy and my life is just a beautiful mess. (But why is my child curled up with a wire hanger like it's a teddy bear?)

Raccoon-Y's Birthday

2009-04-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

Sara had to bake cupcakes for Blake's stuffed friend Raccoon-Y's birthday. She brought a bunch of them over to our house because you can never have too many cupcakes - right?

Zoe likes cupcakes... A LOT!!!

Water Fun

2009-04-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Blake came over this afternoon and since I really have nothing to entertain a four year old with, I decided to pull out the water hose so the kids could play in the water. Zoe adored the hose. You would've thought that someone had told her that the secret of life lay in that hose the way that she played and played with it. I also think that she looks particularly cute in her little bathing suit.

Child Labor Laws?

2009-04-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

What are they? Blake and Zoe had a great time washing my car.

Birthday Bash Giveaway

2009-04-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Enter to win at: http://www.wondermommy.wordpress.com

Daddy, The Horse

2009-04-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Zoe's new favorite game is to pretend that daddy is a horse. She bounces up and down on his back while he groans and whinnies.

Easter Bunnies are Scary!!!

2009-04-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Zoe, Grandma, Daddy and I went to the 50th Annual city-wide Easter Egg Hunt for Easter. She found 5 eggs, including one prize egg (she got a stuffed bunny for her prize). The Easter Bunny was there too, but Zoe was not very happy about it.

School Pictures

2009-04-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

Zoe's new school pictures are back with her wearing the outfit I made her.

New Skirt for My Girl

2009-04-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

I made this skirt for Zoe to wear to school. She really didn't want to take a picture in it though.

Swing Time

2009-04-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

Zoe loves her old swing and is convinced that it still fits her. Hmmm... not so much. I can't believe how much she has grown, for proof go to December 2007 and look at her first day home. It's the same swing!

Momma needs new fabric!

2009-03-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

Check it out! http://wondermommy.wordpress.com/

We LOVE Mondays

2009-03-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Because it is the one day of the week that we all get to hang out and just be a family. Thank God for a Monday!

Playing with Dirt and Friends

2009-03-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

Zoe had her first real experience with dirt today. I think she loves it. we walked over to the neighbors house so that she could play with DJ. DJ thought her car was awesome, too bad she doesn't know how to share yet.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

Today is school picture day at Zoe's school so I made her special outfit for the occasion. I stayed up until 2 AM to finish it, but I don't think I have ever been more proud of anything that I have made!

New Outfit for Zoe

2009-03-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

I made Zoe this shirt this week. I am extremely proud of it and myself for having figured out a pattern!

Lunch with Friends

2009-03-08T15:30:00.000-07:00

Our friend Laura's son, Brandon, has returned from college for Spring Break. We all went out to lunch after church at Famous Dave's. Zoe loved the food and all of the extra attention!

Hangin' with my Peeps

2009-02-18T18:38:00.000-08:00

Just me and my girl!

Someone's in the Kitchen...

2009-02-16T20:32:00.000-08:00

Fun in the kitchen with Zoe Jayne.

Ball!

2009-02-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

The word is ball, Zoe says "Bow".

Daddy - Daughter Dance

2009-02-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

Every year the Tallahassee Rotary has a Daddy-Daughter dance and it has now become our family tradition. When Zoe and Thomas got there this year, there was a picture of the two of them from last year hanging in the entrance. As they were about to leave one of the ladies from the rotary gave them the picture. It is now proudly displayed in our living room.

Are You Really Taking ANOTHER Picture?

2009-01-15T21:46:00.000-08:00

Ha Ha Ha!!!!

A Land of Discovery

2009-01-12T22:37:00.000-08:00

Zoe has discovered a way to escpae the barracades that we have put in place. We don't have a baby gate long enough to separate our living room and kitchen so we have moved the sofa and then sealed the area with our coffee table. Now she knows she can just go right on through the coffee table. Drat, what should we do now?

Playing Dress Up?

2009-01-10T08:37:00.000-08:00

Wendy (one of our favorite people in the world) sent us a box of outgrown clothes for Miss Zoe. In it were a pair of pink cowgirl boots. They are too big for Zoe, but that does not keep her from putting them on. She also hates wearing her diaper these days and will rip it off at any opportunity she sees. On this particular morning, I was cooking breakfast and looked up to find this naked cowgirl in my living room.

What Makes Me a Good Momma

2009-01-06T06:57:00.000-08:00

Straight out of bed

The after shot

As you can imagine, Zoe's hair is pretty frightening in the morning, but I find a way to tame it every day. I think that this is part of what makes me a good momma.

She Walks!

2009-01-04T20:27:00.000-08:00

Yep, folks, you read it right, our girl is now a full fledged member of the Toddler Club. Next thing you know, she will be graduating high school. Okay, maybe not, but she is walking, as shown in this video.

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T23:58:00.000-08:00

Naked ballerinas are the best way to usher in a new year - wouldn't you agree?

Neighbors and Friends

2008-12-27T21:58:00.000-08:00

Our family was invited next door for a barbecue dinner. They have a grandson that is 2 days younger than Zoe. The kids got to play and we got to enjoy the mild temperatures with some good food.

Day after Christmas BBQ

2008-12-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

Jolene's family does a barbecue for the day after Christmas. Everybody gets together then and enjoys a good time with lots of food, treats and gifts. They also do a white elephant exchange that yields tons of excitement. As an adopted member of the family for the last 14 years or so, Zoe and I were invited to indulge in the day's festivities. Zoe loves her barbecue and now that she can sit at the table with the other kids, she loves it even more.

Ahh...Christmas!

2008-12-25T20:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas has finally arrived and Zoe didn't know what to do with herself. I do have to say that I am not sure how "Christmasy" it felt here this year with the temperatures being at a balmy 80 degrees (hence the sundress) but Santa did arrive, on time as expected. Zoe had some trouble understanding the idea of unwrapping but after the first two gifts, she definitely got the idea.

The bear in this picture is wearing the dress that she wore last year for Christmas. My, oh my, has she grown!

Later in the day we went to Grandma and Granddaddy's house for a great Christmas dinner.

Merry Christmas!

Zoe at Work

2008-12-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

I had to work all weekend and Zoe came by for a little while to keep me company. I let her answer some e-mails and the phones while I ate my lunch.

Zoe's First Birthday

2008-12-17T15:14:00.000-08:00

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Could it really be? A year has already gone by? I feel like a missed a few months in there somewhere, but according to the calendar, it has indeed been a full year since our baby girl was born.

The first that Zoe did this morning is the first thing she has done every morning since she was born, she ate breakfast. She had a nice breakfast of a waffle and a cup of yogurt washed down with a sippy cup of milk. About 20 minutes later, she fell back asleep and I worked on her birthday cake.

About an hour later, I was waking her up to get her dressed for her one year doctor's appointment with Dr. Brafford. The nurses there love her and none of them wanted to be the one to have to give her the shot. They flipped a coin to see who would have to do it. She is now 29" long (tall) and weighs exactly 21 pounds. Her normal pediatrician, Dr. Sule, had her baby on December 16. He weighed in at 9 pounds 2 ounces (just one ounce, one day, and one year short of our Zoe).

Once we left the doctor's office, we headed over to Homes.com so that all of her favorite people could say Happy Birthday to her. Apparently, we crashed the annual Holiday Potluck, so Zoe was lucky enough to get a few snacks.

When we were all done there, we headed over to her daycare with her birthday cake to have her first ever birthday party with her classmates. Oh, how they loved the yellow cake with chocolate icing that I made!

Finally, Zoe and I made our way home for a nice relaxing nap. What a good day.

Zoe in Action

2008-12-09T21:56:00.000-08:00

I keep hearing that you all want more shots of Zoe in action. So as a special gift to all of you, here she is in all her glory, please disregard my messy house, I have a full-time job and a toddler that loves to "help" by unfolding all of my folded laundry and unpacking the toy box everytime I get it all picked up.

Mondays at Home with Momma

2008-12-08T23:56:00.000-08:00

I don't have to work on Mondays so Zoe and I have a day all to ourselves. We play games and watch a lot of Noggin. I think that Mondays are Zoe's favorite day of the week.

He Sees You When You're Sleeping!!!!

2008-12-07T15:14:00.000-08:00

Santa is so SCARY!!!

Celebration of Lights Parade

2008-12-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

We thought that Zoe would love to see the Celebration of Lights parade, so we went downtown to see all of the action. Zoe had a great time! All of the kids that were in front of us were running out and getting her candy, beads, and toys that were being thrown from the float. She also seemed to think that she was the parade because as we strolled her down the street she was sitting up and waving to everyone saying "Hi, Hi, Hi." It was too cute! Her favorite part of the parade was the fire truck when it came down the street with the lights and siren on.

After the parade was over, we went to see the Enchanted Forest and the Celebration Village and we found Grandma. She wanted to take pictures with Zoe and the Gingerbread Men but Zoe wasn't really digging them. We walked downtown a little more to one of the musical stages and Zoe and Grandma got to dance in the street.

Girls Night Out

2008-12-05T23:03:00.000-08:00

Getting all dressed up with Grandma

Hanging with the girls.

After dinner conversation.

We had a girl's night out to celebrate some office birthdays. I got Zoe all dressed up in her little black dress and we went to Wendy's favorite Tallahassee restaurant, Osaka. Zoe is such a good eater! She loved everything they made and ate a lot (maybe I should start ordering her a kid's plate). It was a a great night out and Zoe loved all of the extra attention. Who knew that 11 month olds would love Japanese hibachi so much? She especially loved the hibachi chefs and their creative cooking styles.

The Music I Dance To

2008-11-29T18:38:00.000-08:00

This is the music I dance to, I love it.

Our First Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T22:37:00.000-08:00

Today is Zoe's First Thanksgiving. Since she can't tell you what she is grateful for I will tell you what Thomas and I are grateful for.
1. Grandparents that are as helpful and wonderful as Thomas's parents have been to us this year. They have changed their schedules around to be able to pick Zoe up from school every afternoon and spend time with her.
2. Friends and family that have supported us and helped us cope with this difficult year.
3. That God has provided us with a home that we can have our friends and family over to to celebrate the day.
Thank you everyone for holiding us in your hearts and prayers everyday. We are truly grateful.

(and no, that child never wears any clothes)

My Camera Died

2008-11-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

I had a bad day at work on Tuesday. Everything I touched went bad. So, it was no surprise to me when I accidentally drowned my camera and my phone in a plastic bag full of Mountain Dew. Ahh, the sadness of it all.

I can't go into the holidays without a camera, so I was on a mission. Luckily, one of my employees has a boyfriend who just so happened to recently purchase a newer flashier camera. His "old" camera, which is just a year old, happens to be the same kind of camera that I recently drowned and takes the same battery and memory card (good thing since I had two memory cards and two batteries for the drowned one). He also did not want much money for the "old" one, so his "old" one has become my new one. We are so happy!!!

Talking on the Phone

2008-11-17T20:39:00.000-08:00

If you have called me recently, you may have heard Zoe in the background saying, "Hi, Hi, Hi". She does that when she is playing with the phone (or pretending that the remote, or grandma's keys are a phone) as well, but if there is really someone on the other line and I give her the phone she clams up and will not speak. She loves to play with my phone because it lights up and has sounds, the old phone that I gave her does not do any of that.

A Little Girl with Curls

2008-11-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

I have long heard it said that you get what you ask for. When I prayed for a baby, all I asked God for was a little girl with curly hair and a good tan. Man, I got that in spades, but I never understood the challenge of such curly hair. I wanted to show you a picture of what Zoe's hair looks like in the morning when it is all combed out, before humidity and toddlerhood hit it.

The North Florida Fair

2008-11-15T21:16:00.001-08:00

Grandma provided us with free tickets to the North Florida Fair so that we could take Zoe. It was so cold out that she had to be strapped into the stroller with a big fluffy blanket the whole time, but she did enjoy the lights, music and activity all around us. She wasn't as interested in the animals as I thought she would be, except for this goat that was trying to eat her shoe through the fencing. She was pretty excited about that.

Autumn Days

2008-11-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

I love autumn. It's my favorite time of the year. I love being outdoors and in the late afternoon sun that Florida autumn days have. On this particular day we were over at John and Heather's house to watch the FSU - Clemson game and to eat some yummy BBQ. Zoe loves going to John and Heather's because they have three children that adore her whenever she visits.

Playing with Dad

2008-11-05T23:35:00.000-08:00

I usually have Zoe fed, bathed, and ready for bed by the time that Thomas comes home. In fact, she is usually just beginning to close her eyes when he walks in the door and it's as if he has set off an alarm. She is wide awake and ready to play when dad comes home, so he takes her to her room and they play together for about an hour before she starts to be sleepy again.

Learning to Walk

2008-11-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

Zoe is taking great strides to learn to walk, everyday she pulls herself up just a little faster and a little stronger. She cruises around the furniture as though she has been doing it everyday of her life. Even her teachers say that any moment she will just jump up and take those crucial first steps. Oh, what scary days lay ahead!!!

November's Here

2008-11-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that it's already November!!! I guess it is true, once you are parent time just flies. Zoe will be a year old next month and soon we will celebrate her first Thanksgiving - amazing.

She eats more and more table food everyday and every day we learn something new together. It's remarkable to me the difference of how you look at life when you look at it through a child's eyes. Everyday is a new adventure, a new experience, a new glimmering ray of hope.

Fall Festival - Take 2

2008-10-31T23:35:00.000-07:00

Our church, Element 3, has a fall festival every year with games and bouncy houses for the kids and dinner for the whole family. Zoe and I went this year (Thomas had to work). Everyone loved her costume. I called her a spring chicken!

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from the biggest little chicken you have ever seen!!!

Fall Festival - Take 1

2008-10-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

The Fall Festival at Jack McLean Community Center was a few days before Halloween this year, but that did not put a damper on the Halloween spirit. Our silly little chicken definitely made an impression on everyone. Grandma was all decked out as the "Psycho Rabbit", fun was had by all and Zoe had her first taste of chocolate. I am sure she liked it, although she won't get anymore for a while (at least until her birthday). She was a tired little chicken by the time we got home and she slept most of the night in her own bed (yay!!). Stay tuned for the next Fall Festival coming up on Halloween night!

A Busy Saturday

2008-10-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

This morning we attended the Delta Sigma Theta Pancake Breakfast. Zoe had a half of a pancake and some scrambled eggs. She enjoyed the food and all of the extra attention from her Granddaddy.

Afterward, we met Kelly (my former co-worker) who dabbles in photography. She has been wanting to get some pictures of Zoe for a while now and since I finally had a Saturday off, we decided that it was the perfect time to do it.

Later, we came home and relaxed for a while before I cooked dinner. Zoe is pulling herself up on everthing, everyone and the dog!!! Not too much longer until this girl will be off to the races.

Breakfast and the Rain

2008-10-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

We woke up to a lot of rain this morning. Zoe had her normal breakfast of cheerios, bananas and yogurt. She eats them in the order of how she likes them (bananas, yogurt, then cheerios), such a funny independent girl.

I wanted to make sure that she didn't get too wet getting into the car and going in to school so I fashioned her a little bonnet from a scarf. She looks so festive this morning.

Happy Friday, momma doesn't have to work tomorrow!!!

Funny Face

2008-10-23T04:23:00.001-07:00

This face is just too funny for me.

Yummy!!!

2008-10-19T22:32:00.000-07:00

Zoe loves to eat what we are eating for dinner. On this particular night we were having chili, so I made her a milder version that included rice, ground beef, kidney beans and tomato sauce. Apparently, to this face, I am the best cook in the world!

It's Been Awhile

2008-10-19T19:04:00.001-07:00

As you all know, I changed jobs. So between getting a new schedule down for the baby and I and her quickly approaching toddlerhood, I have been a pretty busy momma lately.

In the middle of all that we have had going on, my memory card reader went on the fritz. I was able to get a new one for my birthday though and it actually works with my computer without me having to rig up a process the way I used to have to.

At any rate, I hope that you all feel caught up with what has been going on with us and I will make sure to add more pictures as they come.

Playing in the Park

2008-10-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

I got off from work a little early tonight, so I decided to play in the park with my little monkey. She loves the swings.

Nine Months Old

2008-09-17T21:57:00.000-07:00

Man, I am going to miss this. I can't believe she will be a year old so soon!!

Big Girl Takes a Bath!

2008-09-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

Zoe loves bath time. Especially if she has gotten really yucky eating her dinner. She makes the funniest faces when she gets water in her eyes.

Walkin and Rolling

2008-09-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, she's not really walking, in fact she has yet to figure out that it moves, but it looks like it, doesn't it?

Fun at Sunday School

2008-09-07T12:32:00.000-07:00

Thomas and I volunteer at our church's childrens program a couple of times a month and this Sunday was one of those days. Normally, I do preschool but on this particular day, I ended up in the nursery with Zoe. She and Paden really had fun together, even though he was obsessed with hugging and kissing on her.

Waking Up in the Middle of The Night

2008-09-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

For the most part, Zoe sleeps in her bed all night long, but occasionally she will get up in the middle of the night to hang out with me. If you know me at all, I look for any excuse I can to haul out the camera and get some pictures of the little one.

Where is Time Going?

2008-09-03T15:16:00.000-07:00

Zoe looks like such a big girl these days, it makes me miss the fact that she will only be this small and containable for a little while longer. I just want to protect her from the big bad world for as long as I can before it turns itself loose on her. Ahhh, time, where does it go?

First Day at A New School

2008-09-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Zoe got accepted to First Baptist daycare! They have a very long waiting list and I put my name on it while I was still pregnant. They finally called, just in time for me to start my new job which is right down the street. Today is her first day, so I made sure she looked extra adorable when we got ready this morning. Here's to a happy first day for both of us!

Sunday at the Park

2008-08-31T15:03:00.000-07:00

After church this Sunday, we decided to take Zoe to the park to swing on the swings. I think it makes her feel like such a big girl. Thomas took her down the slide, but claims that the slide is more narrow than he remembered so, they inched their way down it.

Zoe's New Ride

2008-08-19T23:35:00.000-07:00

Last night before I left work there was a post on Freecycle for a Little Tykes Cozy Coupe. I called and the car was still available so I drove over on my way home and picked it up for my munchkin.

We had to take it completely apart for me to get it in my car, but I was able to put it all together (with my Zoe audience cheering me on) in about a half an hour.

It's still too big for her, she can't reach the floor to drive herself, but she loves it. I push her all around the house and she squeals and reaches through the windows to grab at things. She holds the steering wheel and honks the horn everywhere we go. The dog is afraid of it so she thinks that's pretty funny too.

Her new favorite toys are the car and my old cell phone (no worries, I took out the battery). Apparently, I have been a bad role model because she is trying to text while driving...