Kimber Anne

Today marks a big milestone in Kimber's life thus far. She turn the ripe old age of 1. Really has it been that long since she joined our family?

I have been feeling particularly nostalgic about her birthday. I haven't felt quite like this with any of Benson's birthdays so this is kinda odd for me. I suppose it is because she is my little girl!

She has been such a delight to have in our family. She has been a relatively good baby and we always knew if she was crying it was for a reason! Now that is starting to change as she has found that whining can get what she wants.

Kimber loves to give us hugs, especially when she gets up from naps and in the mornings. Sometimes she will go up to smaller babies (aren't most smaller than her though?) and give them hugs as well. She has developed an interest in putting things away. She sat for about 30 minutes the other day putting Bens' blocks back in his bin for him while he kept taking them out!

Kimber has been a great eater! She didn't enjoy solid foods at first but after about a week she would eat whatever she was given... even if she didn't want it! To date she will still eat an entire jar of food if you feed it to her even though she isn't that interested in it. Although sleep will trump that once in awhile and she will conk right out in her high chair!

Here are a few pictures of her over the past year. I don't even know when she grew up so much! I will post her birthday party pictures and videos soon and you can see how much she has grown up even since the last picture on here that is about a month or so old.

If you can't tell, I really love my Kimber girl!

Weighing in a year ago at 8 lbs 12 oz.

Wrapped up in the hospital. To be honest when I first saw her I didn't recognize her. Now all I can see in this picture is her... with a bit of Gramps thrown in!

Mommy time. One of my personal favorites!

Bens has been in love with his sister since day one! He always wants to play with her and help her, sometimes to a fault! He was protective of her right from the start as well and would try and stop people from looking at her at first... then he realized they were just looking and not taking!

Tummy time. Pretty well only happened if she was asleep. Kimber looks a lot like my sister in this picture!

Starting to grow up. This was the first time I actually did her hair.

About 4 or 5 months old here and looking Pretty in Pink!

Our second chunky monkey. She got to wear Bens' Halloween costume and she made it look so good!

Sitting up so well by herself around 8 months or so. I miss putting her somewhere and knowing she was still there! She started crawling around 10 months old and hasn't stopped. She is working on walking with furniture!

Her grumpy face! It is still so cute!

Kimber is so beautiful and serene here. She is content like this a lot so I could not ask for more!

On more of a side note, I was planning on giving Kimber a "present" today of nursing one last time. I have felt done nursing for a few weeks if not more than a month! We were so close to her birthday that I thought I would keep going. On Thursday night she gave me a present instead by refusing to nurse. She drank her sippy of milk and went to bed quite nicely. I have freedom at last... for a few more months at least! So Thank-You Kimber!

So I have been having trouble keeping up with things lately, blogging being one of them. I have mounds of laundry that needs to be folded and put away plus mounds of laundry that needs to be washed and then folded and put away. I just don't feel like doing any of it.

About a month and a half ago our Relief Society was given the challenge of earning a "Degree of Self Reliance". Yes I am about a month and a half behind on most of it but I figure this might give me the motivation to get that laundry washed and put away.

So let me explain a little bit about my degree I will be earning. We were given a booklet that had 12 "Colleges" in it with goals in each of the colleges that we would have to set and achieve by November. I am working towards getting my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. To get this degree I will have to complete 8 goals in the College of Psychology, 5 goals in the College of Theology and 3 goals in each of the other colleges.

To some that know me really well you may be surprised I am actually doing this as I am not one that will do this type of thing usually. When in Relief Society I usually sit there and listen but not participate other than playing the piano when needed. I am going to be using the blog as a measure of how I am doing. It will be a way for me to be held accountable. Please bear with me as I list each of my goals and in later posts update on the progress I am making. So sorry there are no pictures this time...just a lot of words!

College of Psychology
1) Strive to be patient, kind and understanding to everyone in our home for 1 week
2) Take on weekend or day out of town with just Daniel.
3) Read a moral, motivating self-improvement book.
4) Change something about my appearance (dye hair)
5) Go out of my way to do something special for Daniel.
6) Accept 5 compliments without apologizing or minimizing and/or give 5 heartfelt compliments
7) Overcome a fear I have... making phone calls
8) Read and article from a church magazine that addresses some aspect of good personal, mental and emotional help.

College of Theology
1) Read 6 articles from recent Ensign magazines. Write 3 new or important ideas I gained from these articles and discuss them with someone.
2) Do 5 or more temple endowments or other temple ordinances.
3) Hold Family Home Evening weekly for 2 months.
4) Pray twice a day on my knees for one month.
5) Read the scriptures for fifteen minutes at least 3 times a week for 2 months.

College of Applied Arts
1) Create a container garden. (get some planter boxes for our back yard)
2) Repair something broken in my home.
3) Clean car inside and out.

College of Business and Economics
1) Clean out and organize at least 2 closets.
2) Have a family calendar posted and use it successfully for one month.
3) Have a family council to determine 1 way each member could help to maintain or improve home conditions. Write 1 goal for each person.

College of Fine Arts
1) Attend a live symphony, music recital or dance performance.
2) Practice the piano more frequently and consistently than before.
3) Memorize 10 new art terms.

College of Home Economics- Cooking
1) Plan a weekly menu, in advance, for 4 weeks and follow it as closely as possible.
2) lean 3 new ways to use the crock-pot
3) Make a 2 crust pie
4) Have a special candlelight dinner using our nicest dishes.

College of Home Economics- Sewing
1) Sew something for myself or someone else.
2) Make curtains for living room.
3) Sew an item for a child.

College of Language Arts
1) Update our family history for the last year.
2) Write in my journal at least once a week for 3 months.
3) Spend 15 minutes a day reading to myself or a child for one week.

College of Physical Education
1)Exercise 15 minutes a day 4 times a week for a month.
2) Floss my teeth 3 times a week for 3 months
3) Go swimming

College of Social Science
1) Travel to another town and visit a historical site.
2) Read a biography or autobiography on a famous individual.
3) Buy a globe for my home.

College of Career Development
1) Get ready for my day when I get up.
2) When a conflict arises, be the peacemaker.
3) Schedule individual time for Daniel and each child.

There we have it. There are all my goals that I have set to accomplish by November. Wish me luck. Next time I am on I will let you know what I have done and what I am working on... it may be a bit much for this post!