Looking Sharp!

Keeley decided she liked shoes. In early July, she started trying on other people's shoes and tromping around in them.

So cute! Cousin Rhys is visible in the above photo, and he had to leave later this same day.

 A closeup of her cute little toes.

She was very determined to wear them.

A little later, she got hold of a sharpie marker and colored all over her face with it.

 Such a silly little face!

She really was quite pleased with herself. Even when we held her in front of the bathroom mirror, she just grinned and didn't seem to notice anything amiss.

That sweet little face. But oh so mischevious. Anytime she gets a marker of any kind in her little hands, she immediately goes to color all over her face with it.

 Love that girl!

We went swimming right after this occurred, and poor Keeley had to go out in public like this. I thought maybe it would teach her a lesson, but while at the pool we made the discovery of the century that the stick sunscreen will actually remove permament marker from skin. So she didn't have to be embarrassed after all.

Can you hear me now?

I love the silly little grin Keeley is making in the above picture--it's so cute when babies tuck their lower lips behind their teeth!

 I mentioned in an earlier post that Keeley turns everything into a phone--here she decided to check out what kind of reception she could get from a saltine.

 "Hi?"

 I'm having a little bit of trouble hearing you, my cracker isn't getting very good reception.

Then she seemed to have both a cracker phone and a sippy cup phone. It was so cute.

I love this girl.

Cute LeeLee

 I'm sure parents the world over think their offspring is the cutest ever, and we are no different.

  I love her cute little baldy head.

 And her bright blue eyes.

 And the way her eyes get scrunched up when she smiles.

 I love her devious little personality.

 I love her biggie teeth.

 And her stubborness.

Sometimes she likes to watch the washing machine going, and I like watching her watch the washing machine, if that makes sense. :)

The best picture ever

This is the best picture ever, because it completely captures the way my days go a lot of the time. This little tyrant wants attention, and she is going to make darn sure you know it and if you don't give it to her immediately, you won't be able to move.

If I'm just sitting there watching TV or doing nothing, she is usually fine playing. But if I dare stand up to get a drink of water, or go to the bathroom, or, heaven forbid, make dinner--this little girl comes running and screaming and pulling on my legs. It's been kind of hard, but I have to admit that I even love these little naughty faces to pieces. She's so cute and sweet and I just can't hold her neediness against her. And also, to be fair, these pictures were taken almost a month ago and she has been a tiny bit better the last few days, so I guess we'll just keep our fingers crossed. But yeah, a teeny-tiny small part of me is going to miss seeing that scrunched up, desperately angry face that wants me so badly.

A Special Outfit

 Grammy Jo made this cute little outfit for KeeKee's birthday. She looked so cute in it!

 Grammy also made her this little pink elephant, which she loves.

I love how at 12 months old, she is already so aware that someone is taking her picture, and she is supposed to smile pleasantly.

 A cute little outfit for a cute little girl!

Patty Cake

One of Keeley's favorite activities is playing patty cake, and I think Keith plays it with her more than anyone else.

Sometimes if she is being grouchy, I can distract her and make her happy by playing patty cake with her.

It is especially cute when she grabs your hands to clap them for you. It makes me smile when she is a helper girl.

Baby Girl

 Keeley is just getting to be so big! Here are a few pictures of her that I think one of the kids took.

 She likes to sit in boxes. We went to Costco and I put the boxes on the floor to be recycled, and she climbed right in and made herself comfortable.

 I love this silly little grin!

  And this one! She takes that little purple music player with her everywhere.

 What a cute little girl!

KeeKee gets into mischief

A baby and a box of tissues. Need I say more??

Keeley loves getting into the cupboards. We have locked up the ones that we can, but some of them are just free game.

On this day, she was actually climbing right in and sitting down.

Which was all fun and games until she decided she wanted out, and that six inch ledge was just a little too frightening.

Her poor, sad little snotty nosed face! Sadly, this is the face I see more often than not, because lately she just is not very happy. If I stand up, she is right there with me crying and pulling on my leg. If I sit down, she cries for me to pick her up and as soon as I do, she is squirming and trying to get down. When I let her down, she immediately starts crying and wants me to pick her up. And this cycle repeats All. Day. Long. She wakes up grouchy and she goes to bed grouchy.
Last night when I went to rock her before bed, she actually snuggled in on my shoulder and layed there. I was like, what the heck?! Usually, I sit down to rock her for a minute and she is arching and pushing and struggling to get away. After a couple minutes of this, I lay her in her bed and she goes to sleep. Which is nice, but she does not snuggle or hug. Ever. Very rarely, she will give kisses.
Then this morning came another shocking moment. I was laying in bed feeding her and she sat up and looked around. Then she decided she was done eating and she lay down by me and snuggled up to me. And she stayed there and let me hug her! That hasn't happened, like ever. Usually, as soon as she is done eating, she is sliding off the edge of the bed and running.
I realize this sounds like I am complaining, and sure, I am. But I also thought it might be helpful to remember this info for when Keeley is all grown up and taking care of her own difficult, fussy toddler, and I can remember a little bit what that was like. And also I can say, "Hey, if anyone deserves it..."

First Babysitter

A couple of weeks ago, I had to go to the dentist and needed someone to watch Keeley. My friend Deseret said she would do it, and I realized that it was KeeKee's first time being watched by someone other than me, Keith, or Lexi. I was a little nervous about how she would do--I worried that she would scream the entire time I was gone.

Fortunately, she had a fun time playing with Max. He was so cute with her!

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that she did so well while I was gone. Here she is when I went to go get her--perfectly content with Deseret. I expected her to burst into tears and come running at me when I came in the door, but she was quite happy. Yay for nice friends and happy babies.