Lucky #7

Happy Anniversary to us! 7 years, wow!
Well, we celebrated by driving down to Anna Maria Island for the afternoon. It's a beach off of Bradenton, south on I-75. Very quaint, rental cottages, lots of senior citizens, and a quiet, natural beach. We sat in the sand for awhile, then had an early dinner at the SandBar restaurant on their back deck right on the Gulf. Then drove to the county park to watch the sunset on a picnic table.





Friday night we asked our friends Cayla and Tony to come watch Meredith for a few hours so we could go out for the night. We met up with Dave, Chris, Clay, Kevin and Rachel for some Westshore Pizza, then bowling. I didn't bowl, just wasn't in the mood, but Rachel, Susan, and I had fun watching the guys and laughing at them and the other interesting characters playing (women with mullet hair styles, the really serious leagues, etc.) I got in trouble by some teenage worker for my flash photography. Oops, guess I didn't realize that a flash could really mess up the leaguers games! We stayed out a little later than what I wanted (12:30 I think), but had a blast. Tony and Cayla said the baby was o.k. for them, cryed a little and probably went to bed later than usual, but probably because she wanted to stay up and hang out with them longer, haha! Thanks guys! We owe ya one! (John will help Tony fix a door frame in their house I think)
All for now...

Video!

Here's Meredith babbling:

Little Miss Personality

Wow! I can't believe this month is almost over already... well, our little one is certainly starting to get a little personality of her own. She'll be 6 months in February! She bashfully smiles, giggles when John swings her up and down and when we sing "head, shoulders, knees, and toes" and "the wheels on the bus", is grasping toys and her pacifier more, kicking her legs up high and grabbing toys with her feet, rolling from her tummy to her back, staring and more interested in our cats and other "new" things she's noticed, and is "talking" alot more. We even noticed two days ago she all of a sudden starting saying different syllables than what she's been saying for the past 2 months (now saying "dee" and "da" in addition to the "goo" and "ga"s). I think she's almost saying "da-dee", but John said it's not until she really means it that it counts. But it's really cool to see how she's discovering how to use her tongue more to say things. We haven't done much this month, just enjoying time together. We've been on a healthy diet and exercise kick since the new year, so hopefully stick with it! My Mom and Dad came down for a short visit and stayed with us for 2 nights, which was nice. John made great chili for us, yummy, and it was the week when it was literally freezing here, so it was great to have! Meredith went for her 4 month (actually she was 5 mos. old) well visit for shots. She's 18 lbs. 11 oz. and 26 inches. Fitting well into her 6 month old clothes now! Getting ready to start her on cereal and 1st foods next week! We got to spend time with my sister and her family last week, and visit with my grandparents. Jennifer and her son Dominick's birthdays were both last week. Happy Birthday!! My Mom's is February 1st. So happy birthday to you too Mom!
Here's some newer pics. We can't seem to get a great pic of her smiling big because every time I get the camera out she stops and just stares at it!

5 1/2 mos. old

John put her bloomers on her head.

Out for a walk in our neighborhood

I can't seem to turn this one around (it's normal before I post it, oh well)...great one with her half-smiling!

Videos of Meredith babbling soon....it takes so darn long to upload to YouTube, then onto here!

It'll be a busy week this week: baby play group, John's rugby practice, hopefully see a few friends, then a day & night to spend as a family and celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary :)

Good night!

A.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! We hope this year will bring you so much joy and peace. We had a wonderful year last year, and are looking forward to all the fun that 2010 will bring with our new little one.
We traveled up to Panama City for Christmas. I took Meredith about a week before, while John worked, and stayed with my Mom and Dad. Then John flew up on Christmas Eve and we stayed until that next Monday. We had such a fun time seeing our parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and family friends! Some of the activities and great memories included: taking Meredith on a stroller ride through a park with Christmas lights and figurines; eating alot of good food; shopping with Mom; sitting around Mom and Dad's fire pit and making Smores; exchanging gifts with about 30 family members at the Rocheforts; seeing all the little kids ripping open their gifts; going to Christmas Eve church service at Forest Park (Meredith crying midway through so we had to leave, haha); going out on the town with my best friend Kelly and her husband Matt (and seeing Amy, Rick, and Kim Wilkes and "Grandma" Betty); dressing up Meredith in a pretty fancy dress and her crying because it was uncomfortable and itchy, then trying to put her in a Santa Suit, and her crying in that too...hopefully our niece got a few good pics; playing the new foozball game at Mom and Dad's with Jennifer and Phillip; playing in the park with my nephew Dominic;, the gift exchange game at John's Granny's on Christmas morning, the wonderful dinner afterwards, and the 3 (!) hour nap John, Meredith, and I took (too much turkey I presume); watching Meredith and her new cousin Jude stare each other down and talk to each other in their baby language; and all the gifts Meredith received that loaded down our car on the drive home! What a fun Christmas it was!!
Mom (Nana) with Meredith

M. with Amy
Poppy & Nana
M. & Jude

Alexis
McKenna
Me & Rochefort sistas

Cute pic of Dominick looking at ornaments
My Mamaw
Papaw & Mamaw

Phillip & John's Foozball Tourney
Not happy in Santa suit

Go Noles!! (Had to put this on for Bobby's last game)
My BFF Carly with M.
Got too cold after bath, not happy, but very cute bear suit (thanks Kelly & Matt)!
Dipping into a warm bath