Take Me Out to the Ballgame!!

If you know the Deibel Crew at all, then you know we are huge baseball fans! So, we recently ventured out for a family day of baseball...well, we went to the Ranger's game - we'll take what we can get. LOL

It was the perfect day for a game!! It was in the upper 60's when we got there, mid-70's when we left. Our seats were in the second level, towards the back so we had a great view of the field, as well as a large cement area behind us where the girls could roam when they got antsy from sitting in the seats. They, of course, charmed everyone around us and inherited at least 5 sets of grandparents! We all shared hot dogs, fries, nachos, and ice cream. Cailyn got her first tastes of fries and ice cream and couldn't get enough! We slathered the girls in sunblock and Cailyn managed to keep her hat on the whole time! Check back later and we'll have videos of Cailyn eating ice cream and Hammerin' Hannah taking some shots at the ball!

The Deibel Girls enjoying the game!

Cailyn contemplating the philosophy that baseball is life....

Hannah sharing her philosophy that snacks are life....

Cailyn exploring the stands and flirting with everyone in sight...

Possibly the coolest part of the game - we got interviewed by Fox Sports Network b/c it was Cailyn's first baseball game! And, yes, we're being interviewed at a Ranger's game all of us wearing Diamondback's gear!!!

The Birthday Party

This past Saturday we had Cailyn's birthday party. It was GREAT! It amazed me how calm I was; I was a basket case and totally overwhelmed at Hannah's 1st birthday party!

Anyway, we had about 25 people here (including us) and had a blast! We did a tea "theme" and had tea pot decorations, tea-themed favors, and a tea pot shaped cake - which I HAVE to thank Kathy at Target for pulling off an AMAZING job!!

Cailyn and Hannah both did great at the party as well! Hannah was a huge helper and was very gracious - she even got a few gifts herself! Cailyn walked around, played with the other kids and sat with several people - which is NOT like her if Mommy is in the building! LOL Hannah has been asking for about a month now, every day, "Mommy, is Cailyn 1 yet?" "Mommy, is it Cailyn's birthday yet?" So she was very excited for it to finally be here - and to finally eat the birthday cake!

So, enjoy the pics and if you haven't seen the post below with the little video/slideshow we did, be sure to check that out as well!

Practicing her "waif" look

Hannah's excited about friends coming over to eat CAKE!!

Cailyn's little photo shoot

The AWESOME cake - from Target no less...and it was tasty!!

Before the presents were done: note the lack of children and mess....

Towards the end of the presents - as time went on there was more and more paper, and children, surrounding me!

Cailyn's turned one!

Here's a video we put together of Cailyn's first year. We love her so much! It's been interesting watching her grow, seeing her learn, and we are amazingly blessed to have her. We hope you enjoy!

100 Things

Ok, so Wallace (from our Wallace and Dee link) tagged me, so now I have to list 100 Random things about myself, so I'm going to do my best to do it...I really should be cleaning out my car, but I'll do that later. LOL Some of these things may be things you already know, some may not, but here we go:

1. I'm left handed
2. I'm a natural blonde
3. I always thought I'd have 2 boys, not 2 girls
4. I secretly wanted girls
5. I could've been named Mona Adabelle or Adabelle Mona if my parents hadn't loved me as much as they do
6. The boys name I would've been was worse...I refuse to publish it on the web!!
7. I secretly (or not so secretly) want to be a singer
8. I love to write....I started writing a novel when I was pregnant w/Hannah and still need to finish it.
9. The biggest compliment someone can give me is to say I'm like my Mom
10. I'm still terrified at the notion of being a mother, even though I've been one for over 3 years so far
11. I've been married to Seth for 7 years, 10 months today!!
12. I had a list of 22 characteristics I wanted in a husband that I wrote in high school, before I ever met Seth and he fits every single one of them.
13. I once played my bother's wife in a video for one of his school projects
14. I envy my brother's musical ability/creativity
15. I'm the least-tidy person I know...maybe tied w/Seth :o)
16. I'd sleep until noon everyday if I could...and go to bed at 10pm
17. I require at least 8 hours of sleep at night in order to function in a halfway decent mood
18. I dream in Gaelic at times, even though I've been away from Ireland for 4 years
19. I'm terribly afraid of spiders
20. I have a degree in education and a valid teacher's certificate though I haven't taught formally since 2002
21. I have little to no athletic talent
22. I wish I had athletic talent
23. I love a clean, tidy house, but hate working to get it that way
24. Being a stay at home mom is 10,000 times harder than I ever thought it would be
25. I never knew being a mom could hurt so much and feel so good at the same time
26. I miss living in Arizona terribly
27. I hate hot weather (ironic, given #26, I know)
28. I like sheep
29. My favorite coffee drink is a peppermint mocha
30. My favorite color is lavendar
31. I have scoliosis, pretty severely
32. When I eat small candies, like M&M's or Skittles, I have to put even numbered amounts in my mouth so I can chew the same number of candies on each side of my mouth
33. If listening to music when I walk, I have to step with my left foot on the downbeat, thanks to my marching band "training"
34. I LOVE TV...I'd have it on when nothing is on just for the noise...but I don't do that anymore b/c of the kids
35. I love many reality TV shows and have applied to be on several, including Wheel of Fortune (though that's a game show not reality TV)
36. I still want to be on The Price is Right even though Bob isn't the host anymore
37. I hate fish
38. I love fresh steamed broccoli and asparagus
39. I love the smell of cinnamon scented candles
40. I love to bake, but hate to cook
41. I hate doing dishes more than I dislike cooking
42. I like the idea of gardening but have no idea where to start
43. I've always wanted to lear how to paint
44. I fear having to bury my husband/children
45. I'm a sucker for a good romantic comedy
46. I'm addicted to the Yada Yada Prayer Group books and don't know what I'll do once I finish the last 2.
47. I tend to take the things most important to me for granted
48. The older I get the harder it is for me to be upfront about my emotions/thoughts...and it drives me nuts
49. I wish I was less pessimistic
50. I sneak a few Skittles from Hannah's treat bag when she gets some for using the toilet
51. I don't let my girls play outside as much as I should
52. I play the flute
53. I get carsick, but don't puke
54. I'd go to the mall just to walk around/people watch everyday if I could
55. I love maternity clothes and wish I could wear them even when I wasn't pregnant - they hide a multitude of flaws!!
56. I can't believe I'm barely halfway through this list!!!!
57. I have to be careful how much coffee/tea I drink in a day
58. I've never been to Hawaii
59. It still seems surreal to me that I've been to Ireland, England, Wales, Paris, Rome, Venice, Amsterdam....
60. I've lived in Texas for 4 years and have never been to the Alamo - and I"m ok with it
61. I absolutely hate living in Texas in the spring...tornadoes terrify me
62. Even though I roll my eyes and make fun, I love watching Seth get fired up over a sporting event
63. I love hearing Seth preach/teach the Bible
64. I started out in college wanting to be a physical therapist
65. I envy organized people
66. I want to learn to sew
67. I've had a wonderful giftcard for sewing lessons for 2.5 years and haven't been able to get to the lessons yet
68. I liked subbing more than having my own classroom
69. I hate politics
70. I haven't voted since the first time George W. was elected president....we went out of the coutnry and were never able to get absentee ballots and never registered for vote in Texas
71. I'm embarassed about #70!
72. I love to play games (Nertz, Uno, Phase 10) but rarely do
73. I'd eat pizza everyday if I could
74. I drive a mini-van and I'm proud of it!
75. I like to wait for someone to walk by my van when I'm not in it and activate the automatic doors and watch them freak out
76. I hate horror movies or anything scarey
77. I do not like roller coasters (only a select few)
78. I've not been to a regular doctor in 4 years
79. I've been to the dentist more in teh past 6 months than in the last 6 years combined
80. I hate going to the dentist
81. I still love to check the mail - and still get disappointed when its all junk/bills
82. I can't ever seem to get birthday cards in the mail on time
83. I'm a be-there-15-minutes-earlier-than-you're-supposed to kind of person
84. I think everyone else should be like #83, too
85. I love Easy Cheese
86. I really don't like hot dogs but HAVE to eat one when I go to a ball game
87. I rarely write using a pen/pencil anymore that it takes little more than writing out my shopping list for my hand to start hurting
88. I'm a cheapskate when it comes to buying shoes/clothes and don't want to pay more than $10 for ANYTHING
89. I have no idea what to get Cailyn for her birthday - and feel guilty about that for some reason
90. I read http://cfhusband.blogspot.com several times a day even though I've never met them
91. I would rather email than use the phone to conduct most business
92. I can't believe that I"m almost 30...it doesn't seem old at all, but just feels very odd
93. I overuse commas
94. I type "and" as "adn" almost everytime
95. I'm running out of things to list
96. My feet grew 1/2 size in pregnancy - and never went back
97. I still have a chicken pox scar from when I was 4 on my tummy
98. I have never broken a bone
99. I have to wear sunglasses whenever I go outside, even if its overcast/rainy (except at night, of course)
100. I bet you're singing "I wear my sunglasses at night" now. :o)

PHEW! Ok, now I tag Charity and Jenn S. ...dare I tag Basha's Mama??

Signs a 1 Year Old Lives At Your House

Note the Cheerios scattered on the floor, the blinds and curtains stylshly raised out of reach of tiny hands, exposing the hidden hazzard of the windowsill. Note, also, the laundry basket strategically placed out of reach of "helping hands."

Good times, Great oldies

Ok, we're going to try updating a little differently today...we'll do it by "category". So, here we go.

HANNAH:
Hannah never ceases to amaze us. Her current phrase of choice this week is, "That's hilarious!" Though sometimes it comes out more like "ih-yair-yee-yous". hehehe She also is getting more and more active. She has this bouncy ball that she bounces around the house on. She'll bounce across the living room, and down the hall; Cailyn will run after her pushing her piano toy. Then they'll come back with Cailyn in the lead. Hannah also LOVES sports - she is her father's child! So, everyday we play some sort of "ball game". The other day it was football:

Hannah throwing to Daddy while Cailyn looks on in desperation


Hannah catching:
(note the closed eyes - she gets that from Mommy!!)

"Yay!!!"

She also is taking more interest in mothering her toys, Easter eggs, rocks, a sock, whatever she decides to mother. She puts them to bed, prays for them, sings them a song and tucks them in with her beloved blankie. She also has decided her new bed is the fireplace hearth. She'll lay there and just hang out. I think she likes it because it feels cool and she gets all hot and sweaty playing football and bouncing around the house!

She got another haircut the other day. I've started giving in and taking her Kool Kuts for Kids. Yes, its a bit overpriced, but they always do a good job, and her hair is straight (something I always have trouble accomplishing). And included in the price (thank God!) is a simple style. Hannah was so proud of her two bows!

Is it just me or is she just growing up too fast??


She also is loving dress up, an influence from her cousin Rachel and her friend, Amanda. But, we saw this adorable dress up dress (and shoes!) on sale and we just had to get it. She wore it all afternoon, and then when the dress got too itchy, she took it off and literally spent the rest of the day in her undies and the shoes! LOL (sorry, no pic of that :o) ).

Good grief - she's too big!!!
Look at Cailyn - she looks JUST like my baby pictures!

A Royal Snack

They play together really well now (most of the time)

This pic reminds me of ones of my brother and I when we were this age

SPAGHETTI!

I don't know what it is about spaghetti, but both my kids LOVE it! Cailyn's at this weird age/phase. Since she only has 2 teeth (yes, still ONLY 2!!!!), its difficult to feed her because she sees us eating and she wants what we're eating...but we dont' always eat food that is condusive to gumming! And the other morning Hannah and I were both eating Cheerios for breakfast. I had given Cailyn some dry ones on her tray, but she kept making a fuss. Finally I figured out she wanted a spoon, too!!

So, anyway, I always love when we have spaghetti because it always makes for some good pics!

"Would YOU like some?"

Hannah's "creative drinking" technique

"What?"

CAILYN:
Well, it seems Cailyn changes more than we can keep up! She can now say "Dada" at the right times, as well as Hannah. She CAN say "Mama", but finds it yee-yar-yee-yous when I ask her to say it to shake her head and say emphatically, "DADA!!" She blows kisses to say "I love you" and she is really getting into books. She points to the pictures and bellows, "DA!" Not sure what it means, though I have a feeling that it means a plethora of things.

She's walking really well and is getting more and more adventerous at walking on her own. I've finally gotten her to wear shoes without screaming, so now she's more free to walk when we're out in public - which creates interesting scenarios for mommy!

Her main mode of communication: screaming. She screams/screeches when she's happy. She screams/screeches when she's sad. She screams/screeches when she's angry, bored, tired, excited... and when I say "screech" I'm talking almost dog-whistle caliber. It is soooo shrill its literally painful. We spend 10 minutes of screaming (well, her screaming, me staring at her) trying to get the concept that if she'd sign "please" (which she knows how to do) she can get up on the couch...she finally got it. She's just extrememly stubborn and refusing to change HER way of doing something....I have NO idea where she got THAT from!!

Trying out the new sippy cup
"SCREECH! I'm a big girl just like Sister!"

Having some bubble bath fun with Daddy and Hannah

Mommy snuggles

Cailyn LOVES babydolls...well, basically anything with a face. She loves these two soft babies we have. And lately she's starting to imitate grown up behavior (holding a toy phone up to her ear and saying, "IIIIIIIII!"; shaking the toy hair drier at her head; blowing her nose- yes, I said blowing her nose!). She's also starting to "take care" of her dolls:

Putting baby in the bumbo seat

Joining baby in the bumbo seat

She also LOVES to play in the bathroom. We never had this issue with Hannah. But Cailyn, she will have all the cabinets cleared out and the toilet paper off the roll in seconds!

Please pray!!!

Back in January a made this post asking for prayer for Nathan and Tricia and their baby girl, Gwyenth.

Well, Nathan posted on his blog a few minutes ago that Tricia is being prepped for her double lung transplant as I type!!! This is a HUGE praise!! Please pray that everything will still go smoothly (there's always a chance they could get to the OR and everything be called off) adn that the lungs will be a perfect match and that she would astonish the doctors with a miraculous recovery! You can check out their story at http://cfhusband.blogspot.com I know they appreciate all the prayers. Theirs in an amazing story of love and faith that blows me away daily!