Halloween 2009

The family on Halloween with our cute little butterfly!!

Rayna was practicing "fluttering". haha!

Her little wings were adorable!!

I need to give my pumpkin a kiss momma!

She was all smiles around her pumpkins that Grandpa painted for her!!!

My favorite shot of her!! Is she not the cutest butterfly you have ever seen?

We decided to throw on our jackets and spend the evening outside because it was so nice out (one day in October). Grandpa had dropped off some pumpkins that he had painted a couple days before - are they cute or what? Thank you Grandpa (Dad)!!!

Rayna Lynn went to the doctor on October 29th - she is growing great! She weighed in at 22.5 lbs and was 32 1/2 inches tall. The doctor indicated that she is in the 39th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for height! Poor little girl had to get 4 shots in the leg (routine + flu) and then had to get blood drawn for the first time from her arm (routine @ 15 months + lead testing because our house was built before 1960). Poor Rayna is scared to death of the doctor, so you can imagine it was a LONG half hour for her! I had brought her favorite lunchable and Dora cup, and snacks and water made her feel all better. Plus, we got a new "Dawg" at the store, which has been her most current obsession, along with clocks. She is saying the following words: dawg, clock, down, diaper, stinky, kitty, daddy, mommy (which is a rarity), Di-Di (which is Dora) and bi-bi (which means bite to her). There are some other words that she's starting to put together, and she seems to know everything you ask her! To me she seems soooo smart for a 15 month old, but maybe that's the prejudice mother in me :). She is ALL over the place, and is crawling up on EVERYTHING these days! Life is good and even better with her!!!

It's Fall Time and We Celebrated at the Pumpkin Patch!!!

This picture was taken a few weeks ago. Doesn't she look so grown up? It's hard to believe she'll be 15 months this month!!!!!

Rayna in her Halloween jammies!!! Trick or Treat :)!

We went to the pumpkin patch with our friends Michael, Heather and their daughter, Riley. We of course wanted to get a picture of the girls together, and this was the best we could come up with. Neither of them would look at the camera for anything! Also, Riley and Rayna both walked away with "treats" - Rayna a piece of Indian corn and Riley a gourd.

The family at the pumpkin patch. I am so excited for Fall!!! I LOVE the holidays, and am so excited to celebrate them with Rayna!

I just love pumpkins!! If I could afford it, I'd decorate with all different kinds of them! I just couldn't resist taking pictures of them!

Rayna with Daddy and her beloved piece of Indian corn!

Rayna picking out her pumpkin. Will this be the one???

Trick or Treat

Rayna running around the pumpkin patch. Of course she had on her light jacket, and it took me a while to realize that when she looked up the hood would cover her eyes (hence the reason she is walking with her head down). haha...I felt really bad that it took me about 5 minutes to catch on to that.

So many choices, So little time!

Go Irish!!!

Rayna and Bear Bear sitting patiently, collecting their thoughts and cheering strategy!!

She was getting excited just thinking about the game, as you can see!!

She was apparently clapping her hands in this one, but it almost look like she was contesting a Purdue touchdown! "No way ref - they did not have both feet on the ground!!!"

She loves to point her finger. We figure she must being doing that here to symbolize that "Notre Dame is #1!!!"

Rayna Lynn went to Grammy's last Friday dressed up in her Notre Dame gear to support the Irish!!! Grammy took some super cute pictures that I just had to share!!! Can we say future Notre Dame Cheerleader???

Fun at the Zoo with Grammy!

Grammy loved her shirt that I sent her in that day. It says "My heart belongs to Grandma." Rayna sure loves all her grandparents though!! Her face just lights up whenever she's around Grandma and Grandpa Werner or Grandma and Grandpa Long.

Grammy said that Rayna was singing to her sheep the whole time they were swinging. haha! I can just imagine!!

Grammy was trying really hard to get Rayna to stand by the butterfly so that she could take her picture, but as you can see, she kept trying to run away. But what a cute picture!! Kind of shows her mischevious nature!! haha!

And she's getting ready to take off again! haha! I can only imagine that she's laughing at Grammy and saying, "Can you catch me?" haha!

Fun at the Lake

A couple of our friends are getting married in October, and they had a couples shower at the lake. It was a beautiful day, and Rayna really enjoyed herself! She played the maraca's (sp?) and played "bags" with the other little kids. It was a great time had by all!

Kaden and Rayna playing their maraca's together! They were so cute!

She was awfully proud of the music she was making!

Chewing on her blanket, as usual!

Rayna was reaching in to get the bags back out to play again! haha!

Rayna and Daddy walking around at the lake. Doesn't she look like such a little lady?

Supporting Uncle Spencer

Last week Uncle Spencer played in the Colt World Series. He played great, and Rayna was there to support him in her custom made shirt! It was slighty big, but VERY cute, and I think that Uncle Spencer really appreciated her support!

Uncle Spencer, can you get that for me (notice the pointing finger, which she loves to do these days)!

Too cute that I got a couple shots of their backs. Had I tried to plan it, she would have never stood still, but surprisingly she just stood there like this for a couple shots! GO 24!!

This will be one to remember when she's older!

We got home way past her bedtime, but she was running arond like a mad woman (rubbing her eyes the whole way, too)!

Rayna's Birthday Party(s)

Rayna had a great couple of birthday parties! She got a ton of toys and books, which she has enjoyed playing with everyday since her birthday. It was so nice to be surrounded by such great friends and family, and it was also fun to see everyone's kids running around and playing. Rayna went to the doctor on Monday, July 20th and she checked out healthy as a horse. She's growing like a weed and weighed 19lbs 13oz and measured 30 1/2 inches. This time the doctor said she was in the 25th-50th percentile for her weight, and around the 90th percentile for her height! She is saying a few words, granted they are not a 100% clear yet, but you can still tell what she means. She is saying "dawg", "dow(meant to be down)", "bo", and "go-go". She's also started pointing at things in the last week or so. She looks so funny pointing that little finger at something so you will give it to her. She still loves her books, and almost prefers those over her toys. But let's not be silly, she LOVES her toys, too! As I mentioned in some of the posts below, she is walking around and becoming an old pro at it. It's just so funny to watch her toddle around. It has truly been an amazing year, and I look forward to celebrating every year to come!! Thank you to everyone that has enjoyed the year with us! We love having the opportunity to raise our daughter being surrounded by such great family and friends!!!

The aftermath of her birthday cupcake at mom's house.

haha...she's got a bit of a cupcake mustache.

She really liked cupcakes! I think she might have liked them so much more than her actual cake because she could pick them up and hold them in her hand.

Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday to you...Happy Birthday Dear Rayna...Happy Birthday to you!

My little baby is growing up so quickly!

Mommy and Daddy got Rayna her very first Radio Flyer Wagon for her birthday. She just LOVES taking rides around the yard in it!

My cousin Michael's beautiful daughter Ella. It was SOOO nice that they came to Rayna's birthday party, and we really enjoyed visiting with them. Rayna and Ella really seemed to enjoy playing with each other, too!

I decided to carry on a family tradition we had growing up. From this point forward, we are getting the kids together at least once a year (hopefully more) and each time we can get together we are going to get their pictures (and how ever many more might come along in the future) together. Although it didn't seem like we could get the two of them to look at the camera at the same time. haha!

Awwww...Ella was giving Rayna a kiss!

Rayna with her 1st birthday cake. She didn't really tear into it as I thought she might have. Maybe next year, when she really understands it's ok to get dirty and has more of a taste for real food!

She just kept poking at it. haha!

Rayna's very own birthday cake. I just loved the design that they did on it!! A crown for the princess, ya know?

The cake that we had for the party was decorated equally as neat (and tasted GREAT)!

haha....I think that she got a bit carried away. But it sure made for a great picture!

hahaha...she could not stop smiling! I don't know if it was the cupcake or the sugar high. haha!

What a little ham!!!

She really enjoyed eating her birthday cupcake! And this has to be my favorite 1st birthday picture of her...hands down! haha!