Pretty in Pink

List for one year olds

I have been pretty slack about my "lists for moms" suggestions over the past year. The main reason for this is that once baby starts walking, all bets are off. However, with the upcoming holiday season I find myself wondering, "What will make a good gift for Baikal now that she is 2?" Searching the internet and hounding my friends for recommendations, I decided to post what Baikal really played with over the past year. Hopefully, this list will be helpful for any of you looking to get a gift for a child from the 1-2 year range.

1. Stackable cups - I really like these from The First Years because you can teach colors and numbers with them (they are numbered on the bottom)
2. Wood Blocks
3. Ball toys - Baikal has really enjoyed this toy
4. Musical instruments
5. Board books - Heavy on the pictures, light on the text
6. Water/sand table - We used this everyday in the summer, until the state declared a ban on outdoor watering
7. Bubbles - Not all bubbles are created equal. Believe me, this bubble kit is worth the cost! These are the BEST bubbles, hands down.
8. DVD player - If you are looking for a high dollar item and you don't mind turning your kid into a zombie on long car rides, this has really saved Matt and I on several occasions. Get one that has a long battery so that you can use it in a car or plane.
9. Car seat - Around the first birthday, most babies have grown out of their car seat, but still need to be rear-facing. Our pediatrician recommended the Britax Marathon, which is a behemoth. It has been great, but pricey.
10. A red wagon - Always a classic.

Sugar, spice, and everything nice

Baikal has become really interested in helping out in the kitchen recently. Pretend cooking is of no interest, this girl wants to get her hands dirty. I think this is partly because they do a bit of baking with the kids at her preschool. Today we made chocolate chip cookies. Baikal's favorite parts are the mixing and the eating. When Matt came home from work, he took her and some of the cookies and made his way around the neighborhood to deliver some of them. Who wouldn't love some nice, warm, gooey cookies after a day's work?

Latest update on the next Miller baby

Everything is going well for little Miller. Next Tuesday I have my pre-op visit and the c-section is scheduled for the afternoon of the 6th, next Thursday! I am so excited to see our little boy! We have decided on the name Rybolt Baier Miller. Rybolt is my mother's maiden name, and Baier is a family name from Matt's father's side of the family.

Thanksgiving

We had a nice, relaxing Thanksgiving. We decided to buy our turkey and sides already prepared just in case we had to make a quick run to the hospital. It turned out to be a great idea, since we woke up this morning and we didn't have any power! It finally came back around 10:30 am. It was great to have Cousin Bill and Courtney come over to break bread with us. Baikal wasn't much interested in anything other than the rolls. After a nice meal, we rested a bit and then went on a walk through the park. We stopped at the playground for a bit, but it had turned really cold so we didn't stay too long.

Latest on the next Miller baby

I am in the final stretch! At my doctor appointment yesterday it was confirmed. Baby Miller is still doing great. The c-section is on for Dec. 6th, unless I go into labor before that date. Today I was officially given the OK to go off of the Terbutaline, but I decided to stay on it until after Thanksgiving. I want baby Miller to experience turkey from the inside.
Baikal is a bundle of joy. She has really expanded her vocabulary and now speaks in short sentences. She also loves to sing and dance, although sometimes I am not quite sure what song she is singing. She can use a fork, knife, spoon, and cup. Although she says, "Help with this?" if she is having trouble. Baikal is always on the move. This has made picture taking a difficult task, since my digital camera does not have an adjustable shutter speed.

Baby showers and other ramblings...

This weekend I got to attend the baby shower for my friend Laura. She is due on Dec. 10th with her first baby, a girl. We are both looking forward to seeing our little ones on the outside. Our husbands have already arranged the marriage between our two. I took some pictures of us, but luckily blogger gave me an error when I tried to upload them. I have been saved by a technical error! I am REALLY against pictures taken of pregnant ladies after the second trimester. Believe me, you do NOT want to remember those last months! Best to take pictures in the second trimester when your maternity clothes still fit and you face isn't all bloated.
Interestingly, I was able to upload this picture that Baikal took of her babysitter, just fine.




On a separate note, we are now out of all of the Halloween candy. Of course, we ran out of all of the "good stuff" a week ago, but eventually the rest of the bunch has made its way into either Baikal's stomach or our trash can. Halloween really made a big impact on Baikal. Occasionally, she will request to wear her Halloween costume or point to her candy bucket and say, "Happy Halloween." Just wait until she gets a load of Christmas!

Susann's wedding

Matt and Baikal had a wonderful weekend in Charleston for Susann and Shawn's wedding. I have been getting lots of pictures and even some video of the event. I only wish that I could have been there too!