"Your Baby can read," Really??? Yup!

When Zoe was about 9 months old we purchased "Your Baby Can Read" system. I had done my research on the program and thought based on what I had found it was pretty legit with good substantial data to back up the program. One of the big things they said was that young children learn the spoken language at a very young age, why can't they learn the written language at the same time. So that is basically what this system does. Teaches both written and spoken language to small children at the same time. Plus their brains are on fire at this time so they are just eat up the information. So I thought, well it is something positive to do with Zoe so I started the program. It came with five dvd's and a serious of flash cards and books. We started and month after month I didn't think anything was sinking in, she still wasn't reading. THEN... finally about August/September time, she just blew up. She started reading and signing the words. I taught her signs for the words because she couldn't say the words and she totally used the signs to communicate that she new the words!! This video was taken a little while ago. Now she can almost say all the words on the flash cards, and she is learning more and more words every day. This is nuts, but it works. Some times she doesn't want to read the words like she chooses when she will do it, but most the time she will say the word out loud or do the sign after looking just at the word.

Library, "Dama", Fish Bowl

Zoe LOVES books! We went to the library one day and all the baby books were neatly lined up on this big long ledge. Zoe immediately went and started taking down all the books so fast I couldn't keep up with her. After she was done, she sat and "read" as many as she could before it was time to go. It was definitely heaven for her. If you put her in a room with toys and books, she will go straight to the books, she loves looking at the pictures, pointing out the animals and things she knows. She will also do the actions for example if there are characters waving, she will wave. It is hilarious. She has played with her books so much, I am afraid we will have to get all new ones for the next kid!

Grandma and Grandpa Thomas came out to visit us and watch Zoe while we went to Barbados, in September. She LOVED having them there to play with. She got their undivided attention ALL day. She did lots of fun things with them. This is the three of them at the Central Park Zoo. She learned to say "Dama" Grandma and "Papa" Grandpa!
This is our little sweet heart in the CUTE skirt my friend Katie made for Zoe for her first birthday! It is adorable Katie, thanks!!
Fish Bowel?? So one day I was busy doing something and I noticed that Zoe was playing a little too quiet. I went to my room to check on her and she was in the bathroom taking her fish bath toys and putting them in the toilet! GROSSS! I guess she thought fish shouldn't be out of water, and that they needed a new home! Well they got a new home that is for sure, it was called the garbage!

More Summer highlights- playing catch up!

The picture above was a fun day at one of the play grounds in Central Park. There are tons of playgrounds in CP and most have water fountains this day it was hot so we played in the water and the sand. Needless to say, she had a saggy diaper after she was done! Below, Zoe went to the park with her friend Hunter! They were so cute together! This was the Central Park zoo. It also has a petting zoo that Zoe loved. She fed the sheep and thought it was hilarious. She would giggle when the lamb would lick her hand and then pull her hand back super fast. She said moo moo for the cow that was there too. After the zoo we all (Zoe, Hunter, Lauren and I) went to this cute little burger joint and the kids had tiny NY style burgers which are basically mini burgers, they had mini buns and mini burger patties, they were cute!

I took this picture in Central Park by the famous Bethesda Fountain. It was so cool cause there was nobody in the tunnel except my two favorites!

Day off!

This was a beautiful summer day in Central Park. We all had so much fun running and playing in Sheep's Meadow. Scott had been working SO much, like he hadn't come home before 11pm every night and worked every weekend, so this particular day he finally had a day off and we took advantage! I actually have become used to the work hours and it is no big deal now. Scott on the other hand, well I know he would rather be with us, but that is life. The nice thing about living in NYC though is that pretty much everyone works crazy hours, so it is just the normal. You don't feel bad for yourself because there is always someone that had it worse off, it just our life. After five years of living here, there are things you just call normal now, and work hours are one of those things. Some of the other "normalities" in NYC are walking everywhere, small spaces, hearing the news 24/7, wearing heals and skinny jeans on the weekends, eating at awesome restaurants, paying more for EVERYTHING, hearing sirens at all hours of the night or day, and finally sleeping on a couch bed (which is a luxury vs. an air mattress) All you New Yorker mom's and dad's you know exactly what I am talking about!

More Summer highlights- playing catch up!

Wow I am so behind on my blog, so to catch up here are some quick highlights of our summer. We had a great summer, or least Zoe and I did, Scott worked a ton. Some of the highlights were 3rd row seats in the new Yankee's stadium to see the Yankee's play with my friend! It was so fun! Thanks Breanne! Lake Powell with my family in July, and of course Oregon Coast with my family and Scott's parents! That was amazing.

Oregon July 2010- Cannon Beach

Our first real vacation of the summer was in Oregon. After a very long over night flight (which I thought would never end), we made it! We met Scott's parents there. Cannon Beach was the first beach we went to when we got to Oregon. It was BEAUTIFUL!! SO dramatic, scenery I had never seen before. Big rocks jetting out of the sand with steep rocky cliffs rising from the sand with lush green forest. Zoe had a blast running along the very wide beach. She had just learned how to walk and was loving her freedom there on the beach. We met Scott's parents in Oregon who had driven up from SLC. This was the beginning of our GREAT Oregon adventure!

Coney Island June 2010

We took the train out to Coney Island in June with some friends. It was super fun. Good old Coney Island, it is definitely a place to people watch that is for sure!! We had a great time though just hanging out on the beach and walking on the boardwalk (dragging all our beach gear!) Coney Island has actually been cleaned up quite a bit, there is rides for kids and the old faris wheel that I think has been there for years and years (hopefully they have updated it yikes!). Needless to say we did not go on that ride! Anyway it was super fun to just jump on the subway and step out on to the beach. Zoe had a blast playing in the stand and eating messy strawberries. The water temp was nice (although I didn't get in too far for fear of what was in the water) but, it was nice way to cool off from the heat.

June 2010

The weather was beautiful in June, in New York City. We had so much fun taking Zoe to Sheep's Meadow in Central Park. We got her a little baby stroller that she loved to push it, this helped her learn to walk.

On June 22nd, Zoe took her first steps!!

Scott worked ALOT this month, so we took advantage of every minute we had with him.

Zoe's hair has grown so much, it was crazy after her bath one night so we had to take a picture!

Peek-a-boo!

Piggy Tales!!

Zoe's hair is finally long enough to put in piggy tales!! Yeah! We have had so much fun taking We took Zoe to Central Park these past couple of weekends and we have had so much fun! She loves walking with our hands holding hers. She loves standing up on her stroller and she now is used to the grass! She is a riot!! Smiles and laughs all the time.

Almost walking!

Movin and Dancin!

Zoe's First Birthday Cake!

Zoe had a little Lamb cake to go along with her Barn Yard Birthday Party at Wheeler Farm. There were little pig cupcakes to accompany the lamb. SO cute, thanks for helping me mom!

Happy Birthday Zoe!

Zoe's Birthday Party at Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake City. The top picture she is with her Aunts Katie and Kimberly and cousins. The second picture she is with her Aunt Kristina and cousin Brooklyn. The other picture is her in her birthday out fit for her first birthday party. (Needless to say, I have fun dressing her), pretty in pink, she is very girly!

In the beginning!

Zoe is 1 year old today! WOW how time flies. Seriously, I can not believe it. This time last year I was amazed at how such a small little being could change my life so much. I felt so inept though I had read so many baby books, but was amazed at how much of the nurturing just came natural. I felt a love so powerful and so real, it confirmed my testimony of God's love for us. Everyday I was amazed at how this little tiny person added such a huge spirit to our home, in fact so much so, when we had to take her back to the hospital for light therapy, both Scott and I felt a huge void in our home, and she had only been with us a couple of days. In the beginning it was an emotional roller coaster which, I am beginning to realize never really ends!

One year later, I am understanding the meaning of true JOY! I feel a little more confident about being a parent at least for now, and I am loving every minute I get to spend with my sweet Zoe. She is truly a gift from God. I love her more than words can speak and only want the best for her. The cool thing is now, I can tell she loves me too!

Zoe's personality is starting to come out. I can already tell she loves to be around people. She is very social, she will say "hi" perfectly to people in the elevator as we ride up to our 27th floor apartment! It will actually throw people off. She is curious about her surroundings and life in general, always asking me "whaz sdat?" as she points to things around us. In fact, that is the first thing she says when she wakes up from her naps, she points to some thing and says "whaz sdat?" She loves to crawl really fast and then stand up on everything! She has discovered that the shelfs and cupboards have interesting things in them to play with. She loves crawling from our living room back to the bathroom while I get ready in the morning and exploring on the way.

Zoe had four birthday parties to celebrate her first year of life. The first was in Salt Lake City with all her cousins at Wheeler Farm. That was so fun. She had a lamb cake and pig cupcakes and fun gift bags with animal noses in them. She loved seeing the animals, it was her first time seeing pigs, cows and turkeys. The second party was with her grandma and grandpa Thomas. We sang happy birthday to her and she had fun opening her presents with her little cousins. The third party was here in New York with all her New Yorker buddies. We had a combined party with her friend Ben (who was turning 2). We had lots of balloons, pizza, and cupcakes! All the kids came and she had fun exploring my friend's out door terrace, with a sand box and play ground! The last party was just with the three of us. Scott came home early (which was such a treat for Zoe and me), as soon as she saw him she started to flare her arms and scream in delight! Daddy means FUN to Zoe. She was so excited to see him I put her down and the second I did, she was racing off towards the door to greet him! Zoe loves her daddy!! She played with us and we sang happy birthday to her. What fun couple of days!

Wow what a year, I have learned SO much about so many things. Life has taken on another meaning to me. I feel I am better in so many ways since Zoe was born. She has taught me so much! I couldn't be more grateful for the first year we were able to spend with each other. It was hard and enjoyable at the same time. It was a really great learning experience, one I will always cherish.

Friends in Central Park

These pictures were taking in April with my friends and their little girls. From left to right, Kelli & Kenzie, myself and Zoe, Marne and Aubrey. We had the little photo shoot in the center of the Mall in Central Park. What a great back drop for pictures! It was so green and still is.

Easter and Central Park

These pics are a little old, they are from Easter morning and then Central Park. Easter was fun, I did an Easter basket for Zoe and Scott. I got Zoe some cute baby animal books and then I got scott his favorite limited edition coconut m&m's. I actually went looking all over the city for those M&M's. Even the M&M store didn't have them. I had to go to each little Candy kiosk on the street to find them. Once I did, I bought the whole box! The things you do for your loved ones!! We celebrated with our friends Scott and Lindsey. It was fun to hang out with them.

Later, that month my friends and I went to the park, we took pictures in the Mall area. They turned out cute. It was a little early for Zoe but it was a great day to take pics.

Zoe is crawling and talking a little bit now, she is so much fun.

Random Photos and Updates

Here are some random photos of Zoe and I taken in the past couple of months. She is a blast to be with. So interactive and hilarious! Her and I are little buddies. She goes where ever I go. Recently though she has started to get a little tired of her stroller, uh oh. Yeah, thats no good cause that is our transportation. So a funny story about Zoe, last weekend I decided to take her on an errand in the baby bjorn carrier instead of her stroller (she was sick of being in there), anyway she was right in front right below my chin. She was flaring her arms and kicking her legs in excitement. But the funny part was that she was literally yelling DA DA DA DA as we walked down the street! Everyone was staring at me and I just smiled! It was a short trip, I didn't want to draw too much attention to us, besides the fact that she was really heavy and my shoulders were killing me! But seriously, she is a chatter box! She has learned to say "HI," or sometimes "Hiya," to EVERYONE!! It is so cute. I taught her one day and she says it to everyone now! She is crawling all over the place now. She started crawling on March 26th when she was 10 months. She also is standing up on things and she pulls up on her knees and dances! It is hilarious. She also knows that we are in her same room, so Scott and I have relocated our bedroom to the living room for now, at least just to sleep in. I get much better sleep in a different room.

Update on her eyes: so she has been wearing her contact for about a month now, she is doing well with it. I have had to put it in and take it out. That is a very difficult process. Her eye always seems to be red around the edges from all the touching. It makes me feel sad, but I know it is for her own good. We go back to the doctor in May so we will see what he says. For now I am done dilating her good eye (to help her bad eye work harder), and so we will hope and pray that she uses both eyes.