Slow Down!!

I had to leave town for a couple days for a quick work trip and I swear, when I came back, Shelby had a whole new big-girl vocabulary! In reality, I am sure these are things she has said before, but in the 48 hours I have been back, I have heard quite a few, new, 2-syllable words come out of her sweet little mouth. Honestly, I feel like she can communicate almost anything that she wants or needs - it blows my mind.

• Zipper
• Earring
• Dirty
• Sleepy
• Maggie (our neighbor's dog)
• Remote (previously - 'mote')

I know I am missing a few, but you get the point. She amazes me everyday and warning - the Schenk house is a swear free zone - my little parrot is in full effect!

Her new favorite phrase: "want it" or "I want." That is all fine and dandy, but I am trying to work in an Excuse Me and a Thank You in there too :)

Good Morning Las Vegas!

I would say that I am a morning person and always have been, but when it comes to morning spunk, this little fireball has me beat. This is a very familiar scene at our house almost every morning while I am getting ready for work :)

BuGGgGgG

If you visit the Schenk house right now, it's likely you will hear Shelby talk about "Bugs!" It started overnight....I put a poster up in her room with four small frogs but to a toddler, they look like bugs! The moment the poster went up she started blurting out "bug," "scary," owwwie." Hilarious, cute and sad all at once. Ever since that moment, everything is a bug and deserves careful examination and often an approval from Daddy - lent, leaves, flies, insects - they're all BUGS!

Case in point....

All Packed Up

Today I closed another baby chapter. I packed up the Pack 'n Play. The little play-yard has been in our bedroom since before Shelby was born. There for a while, we would put it downstairs on the weekends, but for the most part it has stayed in our room.  For the last several month it has mostly served as a toy box though, housing a half dozen or so random toy and on rare-occasions has served (sadly) as a clothing rack :) I think I kept it up because I liked the notion of having an area where I could corral Shelby if needed, but let's be honest - she has no interest in hanging out in there.

I am confident that she'll still sleep in there while we travel for a bit longer....sure hope so anyway!

A trip down pack 'n play memory lane:

My Miss Piggy

Between Jack and I, we must have looked at a couple hundred Halloween costumes. We realize the window of time when we can choose a sweet costume for Shelby is narrowing. I would imagine by next year, and certainly the following year, she will have quite an opinion about what she wears.

Our next door neighbor is a photographer and specializes in families and small children. I shot her a text and she did a "mini session" with us for a reasonable price in our neighborhood. Shelby was tired, so there are not too many smiles, but I just love these just the same - especially the first one:

Sometimes....

You just feel like eating yogurt for breakfast. Especially on the morning you turn 18 months. I love every photo of the bunch - all similar yet so different. Happy 1.5 years baby girl.

A Pod Tradition

For the fourth consecutive year, we got together with our neighbors for our Pod Halloween, Pumpkin Carving Party.  We actually had a "babysitter" come over to the house for Shelby, so Jack and I could enjoy together for a few hours. I use quotes there becuase Shelby just snoozes upstrairs while she watched TV:)

I think the photos speak for themselves. Jack made a visually stunning and totally yummy drink for everyone. It was so much fun!