So here's the scoop on the BIG race weekend..

I found out about two weeks before the race that I had to pick up my packet in downtown Charleston in order to run. In the past they have mailed the packet to me but I guess when I went online to register they didn't have that option. Well, those that have been reading this blog know that running the Cooper was my New Year's Resolution. So I was determined to run this race, so I just said to Kyle, this is no big deal we will just have our things packed and go downtown before heading to Kiawah. To make a very long story short and gross one at that, our Allie-Ann got car sick and threw up everywhere!!!!! We intended for this to be only a 2-hour trip, but there was so much traffic (I guess everyone had to pick up their packets) the trip was coming close to 3-hours. Needless to say this was NOT the right time to travel with a 1.5 year old. I was so afraid that she would get hungry that I kept feeding her goldfish and juice in the car. I NEVER give Allie-Ann juice in the car, but I felt so sorry for her that I thought some juice would suffice. Well she showed me by throwing up all over the place. As a first time mommy, I had no clue that throw up came out of babies like that. It was HORRIBLE. But my fears were even worse, cause I didn't know what was happening to our little baby. All I remember was screaming at Kyle to pull over (we were in the far left lane). I told him, "I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO HIT EVERY OTHER CAR IN THIS LANE, PULL OVER." He did and I managed to pull her out of the car seat in just enough time for her to go into round 2, all over her mommy. It was terrible and I guess this is what parenthood is all about...I get it now!! And I was supposed to be calm, I always thought I would be in these situations, but I lost it. I can only imagine what the passing cars thought. This story is not turning into a short one, like I promised. So to let you know about the race, we didn't get to Charleston that night, we just took Allie-Ann to Kiawah instead, since it was closer. And knowing these series of events for us, I unfortunately did not get to run. Without my bib number, I couldn't run on the course, which is okay because there is always next year. Plus, I'm setting my eyes on another race, stay tuned...

So the moral of this story, don't overfeed your baby on goldfish and juice while driving in a car nor try to tickle baby at the same time because mommy feels bad for baby, not a good idea. Allie-Ann is much better now and that's the most important thing.

Easter Pictures to come!

First Official Haircut!!!!

she doesn't look to happy here..



Allie-Ann had her first official haircut today! I did it the first time, which was no big deal until I kept noticing the bad work of uneven edges. It drove me nuts, so I decided it was due time to take her to a professional. So we went to my dear friend Kathy for help. Kathy has been doing my hair since I was 12 years old, imagine that, so she knows me well and I think she will know my daughter well too. When we got there I didn't know what to expect from Allie-Ann, would she have a melt-down, be uncooperative or worse just throw a fit which results in leaving immediately. To my surprise, she was a champ in the seat. Kathy did wonders on her and she just sat there like a big girl. I brought in reinforcements, like her juice (which she never gets in the morning, except for some orange juice), her books she loves, toys, snacks (variety), blocks, just about everything to make it through a five minute snip. She did great and the best part was that I didn't even have to hold her, which made for better pictures of this momentous occasion. So here are some pictures of Allie-Ann's first, and many more to come, haircut.


When is this beautification thing going to be finished, I'm ready to roll around in some dirt.
Ahh, the hair dryer at last, I'm familiar with this part.

Bring on the Shorts!

This Saturday was so beautiful!! After recovering from a nasty cold & sinus infection, it was nice to get out and enjoy the awesome weather this weekend. We took Allie-Ann to Saluda Park. We bought a season pass, so it's nice to get in the car and go when you want, it will especially be nice when I can take Allie-Ann in her bathing suit to the water park. With the warm weather on Saturday, I finally got to pull out Allie-Ann's shorts this weekend. The only problem (Grandparents, close your ears) is when Allie-Ann falls, which she did this weekend, she gets skinned knees. I didn't have this problem last summer because Allie-Ann wasn't walking yet. But now since she is walking and running, causes booboos when she falls wearing shorts. I have to be super mom and try to catch her before she tumbles. Well at least I can buy those adorable band-aids and start using my first aid kit. Hopefully I won't have to use it a lot but knowing our daughter, this will be just the beginning of many falls to come. Here are some pictures of Allie-Ann enjoying the weather outside.

Columbia Marionette Puppet Theatre

Today Allie-Ann and I went to the Columbia Marionette Puppet Theatre, www.columbiamarionettetheatre.org. It was a lot of fun and surprisingly Allie-Ann stayed on my lap for the entire show. Which if you know my daughter, you know that this doesn't happen very often. The show was about dinosaurs, which caused a great commotion when the puppets appeared on the stage with all the boys. Allie-Ann, however, was right there with the boys roaring when she saw the T-Rex. After the show we went backstage to see how the puppets were used. I enjoyed that part but I don't think Allie-Ann got a lot out of it. Here are some pictures.

The big T-Rex
The puppets behind the stage

On another note, I've found another hobby, if I don't have enough already. With school, blogging, scrapbooking, gardening, cooking...why not add another to keep me busy. I'm learning to knit. My church offered classes to teach you how to knit so that when you learned how you could make a wool hat for the troops in Afghanistan. I signed up because I thought that would be a good thing to do for our troops. Well the class was on my birthday but I went anyway and had a really good time. I will say that I was the youngest one but I learned to knit nonetheless. So now I'm working on trying to make a hat to send overseas. While looking up patterns online, I found some really cute things you can knit for babies that I might venture into. Kyle thinks my work looks like a dead rat. But see for yourself in the picture below.

Here are just a few pictures I took of Allie-Ann the other day, playing and reading her books.

18 months old, 1 and a half years old

I can't believe our Allie-Ann is a year and a half. It seems like the months are going by faster and faster. I must say that today was an emotional day for me. The last time Allie-Ann had to go to the doctor for being sick was when she was 9 months old (she had an ear infection). We've been very lucky I guess and she really hasn't even had a runny nose or anything. I kept telling Kyle "don't all babies get sick during the winter months?" But, to our surprise and thankfulness she has been one healthy baby......except for today! I noticed that Allie-Ann just wasn't acting like herself so I decided to call the doctor and make a visit just to check. I'm still a little scared of RSV since she was hospitalized at 3 months. Well come to find out, she has an ear infection. But that's not the emotional part, the emotional part came when I found out that I no longer need to put her on the scales in the doctor's office (you know the one they use for newborns and the one I've been used to for 18 months), she now stands up like a big girl on the adult scale. It just tore me to pieces. I told the doctor, can't she just go back on the baby scale please. It's those moments that hit you in the face when you realize that she is leaving the baby stage and growing up. We made it back home and she has some antibiotics in her so hopefully she will rest a little easier. Here are her latest developments:
*Can do all the motions for "If you are happy and you know it"
*Knows itsy bitsy spider hand motions, patty cake, and simon says
*Can point out all her body parts (eyes, nose, cheeks, lips, teeth, tongue, ears, chin, head, hair, hand, fingers, toes, feet, legs, knees, shoulders, belly, belly button, neck, elbows, back)
*Loves giraffes
*Can point to pictures that match what I'm telling her to point to(shoes, socks, juice, milk, apple, grapes, etc. all the animals, farm, wild, domestic)
*Is saying Mommy like she wants something (instead of mama, it's, maaaaaaaaamaaaaaaaa)
*Is becoming a picky eater, I was hoping she would be more like Kyle on that one.
*Loves to eat with a fork and spoon. Waits for me to give it to her instead of using her hands.
*Can take her shoes off and somewhat put them back on
*Can take socks off and put socks back on
*Is becoming attached to her pink cow. She loves all her "stuffed friends" but grabs cow when we go places.
*Can say "Hooray"
*Still loves Barney and Friends, dances when Barney dances.
*Is starting to hug Rusty around the neck and loves to lay in the dog bed.
*Likes to brush mommy's hair

Here are her pictures today, doesn't really look like she is sick, she's a good baby!


Did you know that I have a double ear infection in this picture????
I'm getting so big!

You Don't Get Many Days Like This...

so we headed to the zoo! For Christmas we got a zoo membership pass that allows us to go anytime for free, thanks to Grammy. It's wonderful on days like today when you can spend all your time outdoors while watching wild animals. Grammy went along with us for the fun and afterwards we took Allie-Ann out to eat at California Dreaming. I've been aching for their house salad and croissants so we went and it was soooo GOOD. Here are some pictures to share.




At California Dreaming, waiting for some veggies!

Tree Farm Fun

Yesterday we took Allie-Ann to her Kampa's and Dadda's tree farm to walk around in the woods. She had such a great time trampling in the leaves and splashing in the mud. But her favorite part was playing in the creek. Grandmama and Kampa taught her a neat trick with sticks. They used them as little boats for Allie-Ann to put in the water and watch flow down the stream. She had the best time, plus we had a picnic in the woods which was super fun. It was such a beautiful day and when we finally got her in the car to go home she was worn out. She slept the whole ride back home and apparently recharged her batteries for when we got home she was running all over the house once more.







oops!!
Boy do I love lunch time!

Happy Birthday to Kyle, big 33!!!


Bought these cute shoes for Allie-Ann at Target for trekking in the woods and of course when we get another huge snow storm they will come in handy.


Here are just some cute pictures I took of Allie-Ann playing follow the leader, she of course was the leader.

*Touch your ears
Touch your head


Clap your hands above your head

Happenings around the Crotwell house

Being a stay-at-home mom this year has been a blessing with the time I am able to spend with my daughter but I will say the weather has been the pits. Staying indoors requires a lot of energy and creativity on my part to keep a 1.5 year old stimulated. I find myself more tired now than when I was teaching a bunch of 7/8 year olds. It's so hard being stuck in the house because of the weather, I get cabin fever very easily. But, this time spent at home with Allie-Ann I will always treasure; rain, cold, snow and all. I'm just ready for some warmer weather so that we can do a lot more outdoor things. So here are few things that we have been up to lately being stuck indoors.

Our latest game, put Allie-Ann in the laundry basket, dump clothes in and pull around the house with a rope attached to the basket.
Playing dress up with Daddy's stocking hat

Enjoying snack time
Yummy yogurt
Playing with puzzles, she is actually pretty good at fitting the pieces into the puzzle board
Toddler Time, her favorite part is getting a book from the box.