Changed my blog address...

Well, apparently I have used up all of my free space on this blog, and since I am too cheap to pay a monthly fee for more storage, I have changed my blog address to:

http://samandmelissabates1.blogspot.com/

(same address, just with a "1" at the end).

I figure this will not only save money, but if I somehow accidentally erase a bunch of pictures, the last 4 years of pictures will still be right here on this old blog :)

Sorry if it inconveniences you to switch my address,
*Melissa

Anything For a Banana (and some suhweeet dance moves)

Every morning when Jenna wakes up in the morning, she immediately leads me (by pointing and grunting) straight to the banana bowl. This girl LOVES her bananas. She begs for them all throughout the day and will do just about anything for one. 

Happy Halloween!

Sam made our Halloween a hit, creating this "Strong Baby" costume. We trick or treated through Pearlridge Mall (which looks empty here, but it was packed - hundreds and hundreds of people), and Jenna had people cracking up the whole night. One of the best parts of Halloween was this morning, when we laid the fake legs on the ground out the door way of the storage room in Sam's office, making it look like there was a dead body when his secretary showed up for work. We were hiding behind the door and witnessed her freak out when she arrived. 

I had a zipper glued to my face that made it look like I was an alien in disguise, but with the humidity my face paint was almost dripping off.

We stopped every few feet for people asking to take a picture. Poor Jenna just wanted to be in bed, she was yawning the whole night :)  

I Love Daddy

Jenna Walks!

A Few Favorites

No matter where Jenna goes, she is almost always carrying along something. It is always changing, but she usually picks something to carry and hangs onto it for a few hours, whether it be a stuffed animal, a leaf at the park, a spoon, her blankie, or a post it note. 

Jenna loves mirrors. Lately she has been talking to herself plenty in front of them.

She loves pushing this little car around the house. It plays barbie music, so she likes to dance (shake her bum) while she pushes.

Books are her all time favorite. She spends a lot of her time having me read to her or just looking through them carefully. I love how when I sit down next to her to read, she comes over and plops herself on my lap and hands me a book to read to her. 

Sleeping

Every night before Sam and I go to bed, we sneak in Jenna's room to get one last peek at our little girl. Lately I have been so overwhelmed with the feeling that time is flying by. Every night she takes up more and more of her crib. Jenna is a living testimony to me that I have a Heavenly Father that loves me, and knows what is best for me. I am so grateful for He trusted Sam and I to raise this sweet girl.    

Lately...

Our little baby bird :) A beautiful Sunday picnic at the temple. 

Jenna gets aggressive if you hold back fruit or bread from her. She didn't start eating food until 10 months old, but once she started, it didn't take long to realize what she had been missing out on.

Jenna loves hearing Sam play the ukulele. When he is it work she will stand under the shelf where we keep the ukulele, pointing at it, trying to talk me into taking it down for her. 

Jenna loves being around other kids. Here she saw some behind the rocks in a water cave, and was squealing over and over again, trying to get their attention.

One year old

 Our little girl turned one. That is so crazy to me, to think a whole year has gone by.  Yet at the same time, it is just as crazy to think that she has only been with us for one year.  Life has never been so good as it is with little Jenna! We love her so much.

She loves: playing on the playground, cuddling in bed in the morning, mangoes and raspberries, swimming in the ocean, sticking her fingers in our mouth, going up and down stairs, playing in the bath tub, being outside, her pacifier, bread, looking in the mirror, being chased, reading books, dogs and birds, eating sand, visiting Dad at work, and helping Mom cook. 

Nana and Papa came to visit for her birthday. We started out early with raspberries for breakfast (her favorite) and presents. She got stacking toys and clothes from Nana and Papa, skirts and a dancing CD from Grandma and Grandpa, a stuffed whale and dolphin from Aunt Ashley, the cutest dress ever from Aunt Brooke, and hand puppets from Mom and Dad. 

Then we spent the afternoon doing what Jenna loves most - swimming in the ocean. It rained almost all day, but as long as we were in the water we weren't too cold.    

We had Impossible's Pizza for dinner and Jenna went to town on the crusts. If Sam even tried to touch her crust she would freak. 

We ended the night with birthday cake. Jenna was so cute when we sang to her. She looked around from person to person, and when she realized we were all singing to her she got the biggest grin on the face. I was certain she would love eating cake for the first time, but even when Sam tried putting it right in her mouth she wanted nothing to do with it. She just played in the frosting for a bit and then she was done.

What a wonderful year it has been! We love you, Jenna.  

Jenna loves swimming...

... almost as much as she loves eating sand. It worried me the first time she shoved a handful in, but she's being eating sand in large amounts for about 6 months now and is doing just fine.