Cora baby...toddler?????

It is December 17th, 2013.  Not quite a year sense my last post...opps!  Hey!  Life got busy!   A good busy!  I started working for Hope Church in Dubuque as an Elementary Ministry Coordinator and also starting this past school year I accepted a position as a paraprofessional in the Dubuque Community School district.  The two jobs are a great combination and I am really enjoying both of them.  So, life got busier, the house got a little messier (unless I have company coming), and regrettably I get to spend less time with my husband and daughter.  I feel like we don't take for granted the time we do get to spend together.   

Cora is at a childcare center now 40 something hours a week!  She loves it there!  Sheri is awesome and is nurturing and treats the center more like a home than a center, but still in a very safe and controlled environment.  Cora has so many friends.  The time she has spent there has really helped her learn to play with us and independently at home.  

Steve is doing well!  I'm not sure who has who wrapped around their finger.  I think Cora and Daddy both do!  I wasn't really sure who would take what role as the parent with it came to Cora.  But I have really noticed Steve stepping up as the disciplinary for Cora.  I find myself being a softie.  We make a good pair.  

Life is busy, but great!  I can't believe how big Cora is already.  Here is a fairly recent picture of our entire family. 

She is something crazy like 17 months now.  Just starting even this past week to really talk, copying noises and repeating things we say at times (so we have to be extra careful now...).   Some of her favorite words are 'oh oh,' 'stinky,' 'puppy.'  She likes to say "oh oh, stinky!"  Last night she was saying 'stinky kitty' much to my husband's delight and prompting.  

How did she turn into a little person!  I feel like I blinked and she went from being a baby to a toddler.  I hear it just goes faster...

Cora loves animals...like her mommy!  She is getting really good at 'nice' petting the puppy (which is always supervised!).  They are buds!  She also loves our cat Meeko, but Meeko tends to keep her distance.  If Meeko jumps up on the couch when Cora is sitting me me or something she claps her hands and laughs!  She has always been an animal lover!

Speaking of buds...at the daycare that Cora goes to she gets along well with everyone, but has a special bud.  This boy and Cora play together all the time, sit by each other, follow each other around, big grins when they see eachother...it is too cute!  Sheri even caught a picture of them holding hands while watching a show...

She really is a good girl.  Very happy and independent unless she is tired or hungry.  Yeah, she gets into trouble every once in awhile...but don't they all?

Cora's First Christmas

So, I know I am very behind in blogging, but we got plenty of great pictures during Christmas. Of course Cora had a ball this Christmas! Lots of parties! First, we we to Steve's family Christmas on his dad's side (Shea). This was on December 20^th.

Great Family Pic...of course she isn't looking!  Too much going on!

This outfit is from aunt Lesa Reimer!   She said it just wouldn't look right on her 1-year son Cruz :)

As I mentioned before, there were LOTS of kids!   Cora was the youngest.  Steve thought it would be a good idea to give Cora to her cousin Macie (who is four I believe).  She did very well, much to my relief!  

And here is a picture of Grandma and Grandpa Shea with all of the grandkids!  Too cute!

Cora loves her daddy!

Another great family picture

Bye the end of the Party Cora was getting pretty sleepy!  Mommy too!   She doesn't let me snuggle with her too much, so I was just eating this up!

We also went to another Christmas party on Steve's mom's side (Jentz).   This was also very fun with a lot of kids, but sadly we forgot our camera!  We had a great time and Cora was introduced to family she has not meet yet.  We sang Christmas carols, which she missed out on because she was taking a nap in another room at Grandma Jentz home.  

Christmas Eve we went over to our neighbors house and celebrated over there!  Kurt and Ashley Ferrel.  They have a two-year old son named Gavin and I know they will become great friends.   We had a very nice evening; watching Christmas movies, baked Christmas cookies, and had great company.  Sadly, again we didn't get any pictures.

Then on Chrstimas day we went to grandma and grandpa Shea's house for Christmas!   We had an excellent time and had some great food!   I wasn't able to get there until quite late because I had to work, but of course daddy did great!   

Here is Cora all ready to go!   Daddy dressed her :)   

Mommy stole the baby when she got there!

We found out that Cora really likes red solo cups!   

And these are just pictures from the party.

So, that is Cora's Christmas so far.  We still have one more party this weekend, so stay tuned!

More Firsts! Caught on camera!

Cora's firsts!   I know we have covered some of these, but thought I'd cover them again ;)

Cora's first time holding her bottle

First 'team' confusion.  Poor girl!

If you have not heard Cora had a first her second week.   Sorry if tmi, but she was really tooting so daddy decided to put her on the potty and she had her first poop!

This wasn't a one time thing either.  She does this every or every other day now.   She hasn't gone in the diaper for over a month now!   WTG daddy!

First wedding!

First Halloween

And first thanksgiving!

First time being used as a table.

And first nap with daddy

First party!   

First trip to the river!

Found first love!

Or maybe this is first love?

And the other night Cora had her first experience with cereal!   

I had heard that this probably wouldn't go very well, so I was prepared; towels, bib, new outfit ready to go, but it actually went pretty well!  Here is her very first bite on video

Daddy got to do the honors while Mommy had the camera. 

  

The camera was pretty distracting though, so I had to stop after just a couple of pictures because the flash was just so interesting!   She did pretty well though!  Got a good 4 tbs down, we think.   AND that night, while she usually sleeps really well for us (like 9 P.M. until 6:45 A.M. most mornings), she actually slept until 8:00 A.M. and has kept doing so.  

Not So Two Shea- A day in the life with Cora Rose

Ok, so I am going to start with the night before.  Somewhere between the times of 8:00 P.M. and 10:00 P.M. Cora Rose Shea goes down for the night.  

And...I would like to say I know how lucky we are, but I know we really don't.  Miss Cora sleeps all the way through the night 95% of the time!   Sometime between 6:30 A.M. and 7:30 A.M. she start talking.   Mornings are my favorite.  I walk in there and she is all smiles.

And she really is the most talkative at this time!  Love baby talk!  Every once in awhile she makes a sound that even surprises her.  

Cora has Acid Reflux, so she gets medicine.  What is hard is she has to wait a half-hour before she can eat.   She is a hungry girl, but is pretty patient.  I can't imagine how hungry she is though.  We change her diaper while she plays with her feet. The best toys around.  Sometimes during this time she gets a bath to occupy the time.  She loves her baths almost as much as her feet.  

Or she goes in her swing, baby gym, or walker.   As soon as the 30 minutes are up (or close to depending on how hungry she is), we eat!

Then after that Cora plays for awhile, until she gets tired or time for mommy to go to work.

Then it is off to Cora's favorite place!  Angie's!    

Where Cora gets to play, nap, play with kitties, play with the girls...great times!    

Then mom comes to pick her up to go back home.   We do lots of playing at home too!

Generally, Cora stays up for a couple of hours and then goes down for a nap that lasts usually from an hour to three hours.   She is such a good girl.

Daddy comes home around 5:00 P.M.   Loves her daddy!

Then, somewhere between 8:00 and 10 P.M. Cora is ready for bed and sleeps the night through.  :)