1 year pictures!

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A year ago.

So, I'm feeling a bit nostalgic and emotional these days. A year ago at this time, fall was in the air back in Kansas. I was finishing up my last few days at Garmin. I remember being very large, very pregnant and very uninterested in work. I could hardly make it through an 8 hour day at my desk and would have to go home early to take a nap. That office chair was killer and I didn't think I could make it much longer....

Little did I know my life was about to change for the better, forever....

Yep, you guessed it. Dakota is about to turn 1. On September 28, she will turn the big 1. And while I am extremely excited she is about to meet this big milestone in her life, as a mother I am extremely...I don't know what the word is. Not sad - that's not it. I'm not sad she is turning 1. Maybe bittersweet. My little girl is growing up.

She has changed so quickly right before my eyes. I can't believe how big she is getting and how fast she is learning. It's amazing to watch her see new things in the world, and I just want to shelter her forever and never let her grow up. Yet, I want her to grow up and turn into a woman I am proud of. I want to see her play her first t-ball game. I want to see her first ballet recital. I want to get her all dressed up for her first day of school. But I don't want any of that to happen too fast. As a mom, I want to see her hit milestones, yet I don't. For instance, last night, she stood unassisted for about 15 seconds. I sat there in awe and couldn't believe this little petite 17-pound girl was standing all by herself. At times, I can't wait for her to walk and can't resist thinking about how cute it's going to be to hear little pitter-patter of feet in the mornings. But that means growing up is hard to do...for mom, too.

Giving birth to Dakota tops my life list for all-time best ever events (besides getting married, of course!) I have a feeling her 1st birthday will be a close follower. My mama always made sure my birthdays were so special, with the coolest cakes decorated by her, the presents I dreamed of and a special day with the most talked about parties. I hope Dakota's 1st will be one to remember, too.

I love you Dakota! You will always be my baby girl.

The life as a stay-at-home mom.

A man came home from work and found his two children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door. He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls. As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?" She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?" ''Yes," was his incredulous reply. She answered,"Well, today I didn't do it."

New layout.

As you will see, I have a new fall-themed blog layout. I am ready for fall! The heat has FINALLY laid off a bit (80s all week) so I am ready for pumpkin season! (Not so much the football, though.) We took a walk tonight and it was so beautiful. We realized we need to start spending more time outside and also realized we have some very friendly people in our neighborhood! BRING ON THE CANDY CORN.

Another week begins.

This weekend was really good. Jared worked a short day Friday and was off Saturday, and had a short morning again today. We were able to go out to dinner Friday night with some new faces from Jared's residency at a delicious Mexican restaurant in Uptown, Uncle Julio's. Yesterday, since Ike was upon us and brought crazy rain and wind, we stayed in and got some stuff done around the house. I am cleaning out Dakota's room, organizing toys and packing away "baby" clothes to make room for the new toys that are coming in just a few short weeks for the big birthday. I had her 1-year pictures scheduled, but with the rain, I decided to postpone them until next week. I have a lot of projects ahead of me this week. I am trying to finish Dakota's 1-year scrapbook in time for her birthday, but this is going to be a huge challenge. We shall see if I can accomplish it. Wish me luck!

Maroon 5 Concert.

Last night, Scott very graciously volunteered to babysit for us so Jared and I could attend the Maroon 5/Counting Crows/Augustana concert. It was nice to get out with the hubby and enjoy a date night. We shared a meal at our favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, Pancho & Lefty's and then hit Fair Park. $15 later for parking (insane), we found an open spot in the grass and parked on our blanket. Augustana was pretty good, Maroon 5 was awesome. Counting Crows was the headlining act and while Jared and I enjoy their music, we aren't huge fans. So due to the insane amount of smoke and Jared having to wake up at 4 a.m., we decided to head home. It was a nice evening, though! Next time, we probably will think twice about an outdoor venue like that. While it's nice to enjoy the weather and sit in the grass, it's awfully hard to concentrate on the bands when everyone is talking and walking all around you.

Ben Folds is coming to Dallas October 23. We are dying to go (my favorite artist, hands down) but not sure if we can swing a sitter. We shall see!

dog days of summer.

We ventured to Target this morning to buy a few home goods. They were having some great sales (shocking!) and almost everything I bought was on clearance, including this PRECIOUS strawberry doggy bed. I felt like there needed to be two in the office, since when I'm working, they both fight over the one that's already in here. Layla appears to be a little large for the bed, but doesn't seem to phase her. At all. Besides, she likes being able to look out the window. Notice closely her collar. It has strawberries on it, too and matches the pet bed. Too cute for words.

A good day.

Today, Dakota and I ventured up to the Allen Outlets, my favorite spot in Dallas to shop. They have great stores there, all outlets which is even better. Nike, Baby Gap, Gap, Carters, Coach, J Crew, Fossil, Banana Republic, Childrens Place and the Cosmetics Store are my favorites. As you can see, there are lots of good stores there. I managed to buy Dakota a really cute outfit for her birthday and a few tops for me at Gap. It is nearly impossible to find tops I like, for some strange reason. I guess I am just picky.

We had lunch with Uncle Scott at Tin Star, a fabulous tex mex restaurant. I've never been there before, but with the salsa bar and amazing tacos, I'm sure to go back real soon.

On our way home, we stopped off at Toys R Us to see if I could wrap up D's birthday presents. Well, as I was pulling in, I noticed the store was closing. Bad news: it is the closest store to us, still almost 30 minutes away. Good news: there was a great sale today. I managed to pick up a pink princess see and say, a pink medical kit (can't wait to show Daddy!), a pink corn popper and a great deal on a disney princess toy organizer. Notice a theme here?

I got home and was determined to put this toy organizer together myself. Jared and I had just discussed how we needed something for her room because the living room was getting a bit out of control with all the toys. Dad, you would be proud! I put it together all by myself with a very curious and interested baby trying to help. Pictures below. So, today was a success. I managed to find some great deals to wrap up Dakota's birthday presents and organize and clean up the house a bit.

I think we are done with Dakota's birthday. Yesterday, on Daddy's day off, we went to Target so he could pick out a toy for her birthday. Of course, he picks out the biggest Mickey Mouse airplane rider there. It is really cool, though. So as the guest room is piled high with goodies, it's safe to say we are D-O-N-E. (Famous last words.)

Dakota and the Carousel.

We took Dakota to the carousel for the first time this past weekend. She wasn't really sure what to think. But we had fun, anyway!

Might as well be a zoo.

Please tell me every homeowner encounters this many animals in their house.
I am beginning to really wonder about our house....and wonder if this is normal.

Last night, around 11:30 p.m., I started packing Jared's lunch and meal planning in the kitchen for the week. As I was making my grocery list, I noticed out of the corner of my eye something race from the sink area under the fridge. Great. I thought maybe it was just my imagination, since it was so late and I was tired. I hear some rustling and it comes out, and goes back in again. It appears to be a HUGE "frog". I scream. Natural reaction, I suppose. The dogs are in the bedroom with Jared, who has to get up at 4 a.m. for work. They start barking. I run into the bedroom and politely scream at Jared to get up, get up, there's a "frog" in the kitchen. He's not the happiest camper. In a trance, he crawls out of bed and walks out to the living room. The dogs immediately think there is an animal under the entertainment center and start hunting in that area. Probably because we have had, oh, 15 animals hide out under there in the past 2 weeks. I swear to Jared it was under the fridge, so he calls Layla and goes over to move the fridge. No "frog".

All of a sudden, we see something scurry from the kitchen into the dining room and camp out under the corner bookshelf. The "frog" was on the move. Jared politely, calmly and quietly tells me a bit of shocking news. His words: "Hun, I hate to tell you this, but that's not a "frog"."

You are now probably wondering what kind of creature it really is.

Well. I can not-so-calmly tell you. IT. WAS. A. MOUSE.

Great. I start freaking out and Jared's moves the bookshelf. The "frog" (aka mouse) runs across the living room and into the laundry room, with Addie and Layla right on its tail. Jared enters the laundry room with a cup in hand, being the great, courageous husband he is. I hear a LOT of banging, sniffing, scuffing and moving of items. I am now standing on top of the couch, literally saying a prayer that they catch this nasty rodent. A few minutes pass and they exit the crime scene. No mouse. Jared thinks it went into a duct. GREAT. So now there is a mouse. In our house. As soon as Dakota wakes up from her nap, we are going to get mouse traps. YUCK.

Of course after that I can't fall asleep because all I am thinking about is how this mouse is going to jump up in my bed and gnaw me with its evil teeth all night.