Santa brought me a new lens for my camera and I tried it out today while Lainey was taking a bath. It may just be me but I think she's even cuter!! This marked the first time that she looked at the camera AND smiled without me having to make noises or sing songs to get her attention! I hope she continues! I like the first one the best but her smile in the second one is just irrestible (like the rest of her little body) to me.

Christmas morning

When Lainey saw this big package in the living room she said, "No, no, nooooo!" But since it took Santa and his elf 4 1/2 HOURS to put it together, by golly she was going to unwrap it!!! After I put the first rip in the paper she dug right in and has been playing with it ever since. She really wasn't interested in opening any other presents after this one. It's been a treat watching her make coffee, use the mixer to make soup and hang up her utensils. Maybe she's develop a love of cooking that her mother definitely doesn't have!

Oooooooh! What's this?

Making coffee

Taking a break from cooking to chat with Grandma Reid

Our backyard this wonderful white Christmas. I love having snow for Christmas morning but I'm ready for the rain to take it away! Never thought I'd be hoping for rain!
That's a definite first!

Top 12 Memories of 2008

It was really hard to narrow the list down to one for each month. We are thankful for all the new friends we've made, for all the old ones that have stuck with us, and all the fun times we shared with all of you.

January

Lainey and Daddy enjoying their music class together. This is where Lainey officially took her first steps

February

Lainey started standing up all by herself

March

Probably our most memorable month, but I think the biggest experience was Lainey's first birthday

April

Lainey started walking!

May

We took a family vacation to Maui

June

We officially entered the adoption wait pool. June 19th I mailed our portfolio.

July

Got the call that a birthmother wanted to meet us on the 23rd. That was fast!

August

The Davis family drove all the way from North Dakota to visit us.

September

We met Jennifer in Spokane and learned we are getting a boy!

October

Lainey's first time trick or treating with the neighbor kids and her two best friends, Ellie and Paige

November

We took the train to North Dakota to spend Thanksgiving with the Davis family

December

Watching Lainey play in the snow

2009 is looking to be another exciting year for the Reid's. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Beau Davis Reid, the fourth member of our little family. I'm looking forward to experiencing the baby thing again while Robert is excited to have a son and another male in the house finally. Lainey on the other hand, really has no idea what's coming but I have a feeling she's going to love having a real live baby in the house. She'll probably think he's hers!

We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and very blessed 2009.

Lainey, Nicole & Robert

Our favorite photo from 2008

Snowman

While Lainey munched on snow (no yellow stuff I promise), I added a member of the family. I haven't made a snowman since I was about 12 and had a hard time finding something to use for his eyes. He's a little beady eyed devil but I think his hat makes up for it.

First he had blue eyes and cowboy hat but it just wasn't "him."

However, his eyes kept falling out and that wasn't going to work.

Then I found some leftover berries on one our bushes and my gold hat.
Not perfect but much better!

What a difference a year makes

Last year

This year

Latest Milestone Achievement-UPDATED

I knew this day was coming but I had hoped it wouldn't be for awhile. After putting Lainey down for her nap yesterday, Robert and I settled in on the couch, all comfy with blankets and a movie when we heard a clang come from somewhere in the house. We looked at each other and at the same time, said, "No way!" and headed for the stairs. About halfway up we were greeted by Lainey! She figured out how to get out of her crib and silently I might add! Her face and feet were red from the physical exertion of her attempts. After a mad dash to the store (in the middle of the biggest snowstorm to hit Seattle in ten years) to get babyproofing supplies for our budding gymnast/acrobat. We turned her crib into a toddler bed and frantically tried to figure out a way of convincing her to sleep in it. Robert spent 2 1/2 hours reading, holding and singing to her and finally got her to sleep. I was QUITE impressed with him! He's got some major talent when it comes to this child let me tell you! At 2:30am we were awakened by crying and Daddy went to try his magic a second time. No such luck so we moved her pack and play with a crib tent attached to the top into her room. We are attempting to get her used to her bed but she's not interested in the least and until we wear her down, it's the cage for this one.

As for the video, I wanted to see how she was climbing out and wanted to document the milestone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGhwPRXSyLo&feature=channel_page

Update: Lainey has been starting out the night in her bed and when she wakes up in the night we put her in the pack and play. Today I put her in the pack and play for nap and of course she didn't sleep. After a little while I went up to check on her and had a funny feeling she wasn't in it anymore. I opened the door to a crying child and all I could say was, "OH, MY GOSH!" She got into everything that wasn't bolted down!

She not only got the crib tent (attached by clamps I might add) off the pack play, she tossed it across the room! Robert put bungee cords on it tonight so we'll see what happens. I am quite possibly going to lose my mind before the week is over.

Meeting Santa

Did not go well for Lainey

But we fooled her long enough to get a family photo. I think it's my favorite photo of all us.

Snow!

It has been quite a couple of weeks for the Reid family. We have all been sick and laid up in the house like hermits it seems. We managed to go and get a Christmas tree only to take it back to the lot and get a new one so we are now on our second tree. We're only putting lights on it this year due to Lainey's intense fascination with the tree and the lights. Every morning she looks over and says, "ooooh! Lights!"

Snow was forecasted for yesterday and today and when we went to bed last night it was just starting to stick to the ground. We woke up to about 2 inches on the ground and couldn't resist bundling up and going outside. Lainey had a great time playing snowball catch with Daddy and got to be the first person to go down the slide at the playground since it snowed. Now if the Seahawks can pull out a win, it would be a fantastic day!

Catch!

Two sickies sharing some soup

Overdue North Dakota Trip Pics

I'm way overdue in posting pics from our trip to North Dakota for Thanksgiving with the Davis'. I love visiting my family. Nobody gets me like they do. Even though I never lived in North Dakota, when I visit my dad, I feel like I'm home. I started missing them before the train pulled out of the station and now looking through the photos I'm starting to miss them all over again.

Robert and I both got our fun out of North Dakota by going flying with my dad and pheasant "roody" hunting. Robert actually killed one whereas I drove the getaway vehicle. I did get to see 8 moose from the plane though.

Lainey had a great time and seemed to put on quite a show for us all. She's decided she likes climbing onto the top of the table, wearing glasses but not hats, sharing cinnamon sugar popcorn (soooo good!) with Grandpa, fish tanks, playing the piano with Grandma Mary Liz, playing with Kid E, Buddy and watching Hi-5 with her best pal Lacy.

Lights

So Lainey is all about looking at Christmas lights this week but I'm not sure who is enjoying this more-her or me. While she oohs and ahhs over every house we see, I can't get enough of watching her ooh and ahh. She has a look of such pure joy and sweetness. I've made it my goal to get a good shot of her looking at lights but it's not happening thus far. I either get a clear shot that has none of the feeling I'm going for due to the flash or I get a fuzzy shot without a flash. It's fun trying either way.

I hung a string of lights in her room and she just loves looking and touching them. Naptime and bedtimes have been a breeze! I just may leave them up all year!!

21 months

My sweet Lainey,



I would love to write you a heartfelt letter on this anniversary of sorts however, I simply do not have the time. You are one busy little girl and keep me busy from the minute you wake up til the moment you fall asleep! How fitting then that this will be more of a brainstormed list of all that you are doing at this point in your life.



Dancing dancing dancing! Favorite songs: Elmo's Song and Wheels on the Bus

Hi-5-Mesmerizes you!

You love saying new words and most of the time will repeat what I say

Putting on shoes (doesn't matter who they belong to) and walking around the house all proud of yourself

Taking off all your clothes

Song! You ask for me to put music on for you so you can dance

Counting 1-10

Stacking blocks and counting them until you squeal and knock them over

Achoo! You also say Bless you

Climbing on EVERYTHING

No! Big surprise there! You also hear (and say) "Lainey!" and "Get Down!"

Pointing your finger and saying no

Books all the time-in bed, at breakfast, in the house, when you change your clothes, all over the house

Favorite books: A Mother for Choco, Bear Wants More and your favorite part is when he "eat, eat, eats!" I like how you find a book and read it to yourself, saying different parts of it.

Going to the stairs and yelling, "Robert!" which Mommy finds hilarious but Daddy...not so much

Your laugh makes me laugh and then we're both laughing

Biting-so far just Mommy and Daddy but we're hoping this is just a phase. I know it's completely normal for you to be doing this but you bite hard!

I took you to see some Christmas lights last night. You kept pointing at them and talking. I couldn't understand a word after you said, "oooooh!" but I think it's safe to say you liked them.

You have started paying more attention to Cooper and love giving him treats.



You are always on the go and keep us on our toes Laineybug. But I love how your whole face lights up when you smile and how you fill my heart with joy with one of your hugs. You are my heart sweet girl and I couldn't love you more.



Love you