18 months

(Caroline at 6 months and 18 months)

Hard to believe that last year around this time, Caroline was a toothless, bald little babe just starting to sit up all by herself. Now she is a busy, piggy-tailed toddler who runs around the house unraveling toilet paper, biting the erasers off all the pencils, climbing on the table, splashing in the potty and trying her hardest to keep up with her two older brothers. What a difference a year makes. Love this little one to pieces.

2011 Highlights and Pictures

January

Highlights: a visit to Amish country, snow days and chubby legs in polka dot leggings

February

Highlights: color on gray winter days, bundling up for a walk in the sun, a Valentines' party and cut out cookies (let's be honest. the real highlight was when the month came to and end!)

March

Highlights: Signs of spring, Jared's birthday, a day that required sunglasses and Caroline sitting up

April

Highlights: Marietta in bloom, warm days spent at the park and Uncle Austin's farm, Easter Sunday and egg hunts

May

Highlights: Mother's Day, a pet turtle named Sparky and a lost tooth

June

Hightlights: Pool days, Jared and I's whirlwind trip to North Carolina, a canoe trip to Hocking Hills, a SafetyTown graduate and Caroline's first birthday

July

Highlights: fireworks, Jared's graduation, family visiting from out of town and celebrating 8 years of marital bliss

August

Highlights: A trip to Columbus including a stop at COSI, a day at Idlewild amusement park and Mitchell starting kindergarten at home.
Low lights: A babe with a broken arm

September

Highlights: A Labor Day trip to Lakeside, Mitchell's birthday, my birthday, homemade applesauce and a trip to visit Grandpa B. at the T-county fair

October

Highlights: Spencer's birthday, fall foilage, family portriats, tricks and treats

Lowlights: A weekend spent at Children's hospital with Caroline

November
Highlights: moving to North Carolina, visiting the beach

December
Highlights: warm weather, gingerbread houses, a ride on a firetruck and Christmas in striped jammies

Christmas Eve Firetrucks

On Christmas Eve we partook in a fun tradition in a little town just up the road. Every year they get out the city fire trucks and let all the kids (and adults) ride. The trucks go up and down main street with the lights flashing and sirens blaring. Santa rides on a vintage fire truck at the end of the line. This first photo was taken toward the end of the ride, just as we were about to get off but I'd say a good time was had by all.

The Beach

After we left Ohio, we had about a week to get settled before Jared started work and the weather was sunny and pleasant so naturally, one of our first stops was the beach! On our

way, we made a quick stop at the home of "Grave Digger" for a photo-op and then we went on to Jockey's Ridge State Park. Jared and I both agree, it is the best place to let kids run free. It is a huge sand dune so they can't get lost, they can't drown (or get hurt really) and there is nothing

for them to break. After Jockey's Ridge we went to Nags head to see the ocean and our last stop was an Aquarium on Roanoke Island. It has since cooled off but I'm excited to make some more day trips to the beach when the weather warms up again!