Do all parents think their kids are geniuses?

Its seems that time has been moving at light speed and Westyn is going to be 15 before we know it. She is talking now - she tries to say I love you (her way is I-I-I in 3 syllables), she says Hi all the time with the cheesiest grin, she recites E-I-E-I-O at random and we just figured out what she was saying yesterday, she says eye and points to her eye, says Uh-Oh every chance she gets, and the list goes on and on. I'm sure all 1-year-olds are advanced in their own special way but Troy and I are enjoying our 5 minutes of fame thinking that she is the smartest baby that ever lived. A few days ago she started playing soccer. Yes thats right, soccer! Last week she was into tossing the ball back and forth with her hands but that was so yesterday; now she prefers to use her feet. And when we ask her to kick the soccer ball, she puts it on the ground and starts kicking it (Jen, I think Mark would appreciate this) - see... genius. She is at such a fun age and I can tell it's only going to get better.

To sum up the last couple of weeks (since it has been that long since I last posted), we initiated Spring by celebrating Westyn's Birthday on a perfect Saturday afternoon with friends and family. On Easter we went to Newcastle Golf Club for brunch and Westyn was able to meet the Easter bunny for the first time (last Easter she was only weeks old). And today we spent a few hours in downtown Kirkland looking at the ducks, getting the old eyebrows waxed (me not her), running around in the grass staining our pants, and looking at some crazies tossing fireballs. All in all the last 3 weeks have been wonderful, how could they not be when we have a little perfect being to share our days and nights with.

Oh one more thing before I start the horribly long task of uploading some pictures - here are her 1-year stats.

Weight: 24 lbs 11 oz - over 90%

Height: 32 1/2" - over 97%

Head: BIG!!! 47 1/2 - 95% She takes after her Daddy, I know most would think me but my heads' deceiving, I just have loads of hair. At least her head is consistantly getting larger with the rest of her body - right?

I gave birth to a cheeseball

Westyn and Chloe enjoying an afternoon snack at her birthday party - on a side note, I have given up breastfeeding during the day (she drinks whole milk at every meal) but still nurse in the mornings and at night. It's nice to have the freedom throughout the day but I'm having a hard time giving it up completely

Westyn enjoying her Birthday cupcake from JOAT's cupcakes - they were hands down the best cupcakes I have ever had and were decorated to perfection. She even came and set them up at my house! I will be ordering these in the future and I know several of Westyn's guests will also.

Figuring out what to do with her and Daddy's Easter basket

My little family in our Sunday best - It was very windy, hence the 80's do

Not a baby anymore - such a funny shirt though.

on a mission in her cute little yoga pants and converse

My little peanut turned 1 today!

Eating her first bite of cake. Of course it was carrot cake from Hoffmans - but thats how we roll

It still hasn't hit me that Westyn turned 1 today. To think that 1 year ago we welcomed this little human into our lives is unfathomable to me. It has been the most amazing year of our lives and I will always keep this year close to my heart as it was the year that I think I finally grew up. You always think that you're going to be a Mom someday but when you really become one you actually take a step back and think My God, what am I doing, somebody help me, I have to be responsible! But without Westyn in my life, well, I don't even know that life anymore. She has made me a complete being - being a Mom has been such a blessing and I can't wait for the upcoming years with this perfect little girl.

We celebrated today by going to the park with her cousins and spending time with Grandma and Tata. Then we had family over for dinner and the infamous 1-year old cake extravaganza. This weekend is her party so we will hopefully have some fun pictures to show come Sunday.

This little girl makes my heart melt.

Our happy place

on top of Blackcomb


at the Peak of Whistler with Black Tusk in the background



The symbol of the Olympics - the Inukshuk. Just in case you were wondering what this symbol means - it is a traditional structure of the Inuit people of Canada and it stands for generosity, hope & friendship; a perfect trifecta of the meaning of the Olympics. Troy and I were educated on the peak chair.



The best day we have ever had in the 20 years I have been going to Whistler.

Our little snowbaby walking around the village.

This last weekend Troy and I headed to Whistler (without Westyn for a day) and had the best 4-day weekend we could have asked for. We had all Friday to ourselves to roam the village and have a fun dinner and then Saturday morning we were treated to bright blue skies and perfect snow. My parents got there Saturday early evening (with Westyn) and we were able to show her the amazingness of Whistler. My family has been vacationing there for about 20 years now so of course Troy and I were so excited to experience it with Westyn, especially 6 days after the Olympics ended and the village was still in full force.

Our little stunner

Lucky for us that Westyn loves getting her picture taken as I can't stop. Everytime someone pulls out a camera and says smile, she looks right at you with the prettiest little grin that just melts my heart.

Her hair is becoming the perfect little stylish do, and we've been noticing some little curls pop up here and there. Her Aunt Keri would be proud of her 'side-swept' bangs look that she has been sporting lately.

I can't pass up a photo-op of the dogs being lazy

Deep Breath...

That's really all I can do these days in order to keep some of my sanity at a safe level. Why can't you get paid overtime if you're a Mom to an 11-month old? We think Westyn is walking but she will take about 5 steps and then sit. When do you officially have a walker?

I'm sitting here trying so hard to think of something interesting to blog about but to tell you the truth I am beat. My family has been hit with one blow after another these last couple of weeks and it sucks. The only happy part about this last weekend was my Birthday and Valentine's Day.

For my Birthday we celebrated by renting out the loft at a really fun restaurant in Kirkland called Lucia (http://www.iloveluciakirkland.com/) I was able to celebrate with all of my friends and family and it made me realize how truly blessed I am to have the support system I do, in good times and bad. Valentine's Day was very relaxing and we capped it off with Troy making a wonderful flank steak dinner for the 3 of us.

Westyn is 11 months tomorrow and I welcome the distraction of planning her birthday - any fun suggestions for a first birthday party theme for a little girl who deserves the world?

Westyn taking a ride on Ryan

Getting dirty at Paint Away in Redmond Town Center. Westyn & I made a coffee mug for Troy for Valentine's Day.

My A.MAZ.ING family.

Our week in pictures

In the last 2 weeks Westyn has learned how to hug....makes my heart flutter when she hugs me, and pointing.

She points at everything.

she will crawl through this end table 10 times a night

She will empty out each little toy cubby and then plant herself right on the shelf

Digging through her toy bin


Hanging out naked before bath her bath

This is what I came downstairs to after I was done with the dishes - Troy had set up a makeshift fort for him & Westyn. Possibly the best Daddy in the world

Nothing new to report except that we had a great week and ended it last night with a great night at EL T's. Met our new renter last night who signed a 24 month lease for our rental property; always nice when that happens as we won't have to worry about a tenant for 2 years. Westyn has been sprouting into this little girl every day and her hair seems to grow an inch every night. I gave in and bought her some hairclips as her bangs are so long they are constantly in her eyes. I was never the headband, hairclip, frofro type but it was getting a bit out of hand. She is doing great with normal food and I would love to stop baby food altogether but stil want to make sure she is getting all of her meats, grains, veggies, fruits. Sometimes she will chew on a piece of chicken for a few minutes but then spit it out, so until this stops I have to spoon feed her also. Kenai has learned to sit under her highchair and wait for food to drop - Westyn has learned that Kenai does this so she will pick up her food from her tray and feed it to him. They are becoming fast friends. Nursing has become a challenge in every sense of the word. She loves to nurse in the morning and at night but throughout the day she can't even be asked to sit still. I think she may be telling me something. If I had it my way I would breastfeed her until she was 5, to some that may seem unbelieveable but I have loved every second of it.

Time to go, going to Skype with my in-laws.

LET ME OUT!!!!

I think she sometimes gets sick of Troy and I smothering her with 1,000,050 kisses that she just wants to skirt on out. Even Kenai was partaking in the Westyn kisses tonight and he is definitely NOT partial to Westyn (although her is getting better). This was pretty funny as she was banging on the door and trying to grab the door knob.

Today we went to Henry's 1st Birthday party and of course I had to buy Westyn a new outfit for the event, I think Kelly Green is my new favorite color on her.

It was so much fun to see all of the kids playing together - they really are all growing up so fast and I love that they can finally interact. Westyn was taking Henry's pacifier out of his mouth, grabbing Izzy's Nuby cup to drink her water, and dominating the toys... will I have my hands full with her?

Tomorrow Westyn is 10 months old,

and she is quite literally my little slice of heaven. I never thought in a hundred years that I would be given the honor to be a Mother to a little girl as wonderful, intriguing, beautiful, funny, entertaining & smart as her. It's funny how having a baby makes you cheesy. I'm thinking of the cheesiest things I could write right now but I suppose I will save you all from my cheese vomit.

Sorry for my lack of pictures. This week was stupid. My busiest week since well before I had Westyn. As I do love being busy, my heart breaks a bit when I'm still in an appointment at 7pm knowing that Troy is getting Westyn ready for bed, and I missed out on the night playing with the two of them.

I'll leave you with this little peanut - who just so happens to adore rubbing food all over her face.