Michael's Birthday

Christmas is well underway now. Thanksgiving was super early this year and it's weird that it's still November. BUT November has been awesome for the Dauberts. Michael celebrated his 28th birthday with a long weekend of fun:

Thursday: I surprised him with a date night to go see Skyfall complete with hot caramel apple cider that we were allowed to take into the theater with us (it's been a couple years, I didn't know you could do that).

Friday: We had dinner a dinner date with the besties, Ash and Devin, at our home. My killer beef stew, Michael's favorite beer, dessert and fire pit on the patio. Oh and the latest episode of New Girl.

Saturday: Michael worked all day but we got a surprise call from our VA Beach Bff's - The Andrews - who were making a quick trip to Ikea. We got in the car and met them for a mini catch-up session over dinner...with 3 sweet children mind you. Our time together is never long enough Andrews!

Sunday: Michael chose to celebrate with a paella night. We invited the Vernons and Collins and David to come over all day to celebrate Michael. It was another fantastic evening of food, spanish wine and fabulous friends.

Monday: (Michael's actual birthday) We invited our families over for dinner and dessert - we ordered Cafe Rio for everyone - incredibly delicious. I crave it every day. We got him an awesome, home defense present.

And that was a great weekend! Nevermind Michael's incredibly painful infection that caused him to visit the doctors for 3 days and a horrible day at work when Monday was suppose to be his off day - we still made him feel loved and celebrated. He is the best and I am so thankful to get to spend my life with him!

Blank Canvas

Y'all, we got hit by lightening at the end of last month and it took out so many things in our house - biggest loss being the computer. Therefore, I have no way of updating the blog with cute happenings because there is absolutely nothing on our computer. We lost everything on it. Order is slooooooowly being restored in our home thanks to Michael and my dad.

I'm anxious to browse through Carmen's birthday pictures and share some. Should be darling.

Hair Bow Holders

Look what I have made recently:

I was really wanting one for Carmen and then two of her friends (Lily and Kate) had birthdays so I thought it would be a great accessory to try and make. Who doesn't love a cute personalized hair bow holder?! I get a little better each time I make one - Lily and Kate - I still love yours, there's nothing wrong with them. :) See how great Carmen's is? It actually works! I can now keep track of all her hair bows and easily pick one out to match her outfit. Anyone want one? Send me $10, I'll send you this. I have lots of ideas for new designs. Look at me, a peddler. See ya wedding planning business! Just kidding....

On to Year 2

Carmen is 1 years old!!!

We celebrated her first year of life and our survival of the first year of parenthood last week. Or maybe two weeks ago now. It was so awesome. I will share highlights once I get the professional pictures back.

I'm also very grateful for those of you aunties who gave her new clothes for the fall. Chilly weather has set in - anything under 85 degrees is chilly as far as this summer lovin' gal is concerned - and Carmen would have nothing to wear if it hadn't been for you all. Thank you!

All the mommies out there should be glad I decided not to enter Carmen into the Gerber Baby search. She would have won, I'm sure of it. ;) Here's a picture when she was 8 months old:

See? Tell me that's not a true Gerber baby. Don't be jealous. (However, my friends Lindsay and Michelle have pretty gerberish babies too. 3 way tie.) She's even doing something funny with her mouth here and it's still adorable. I don't even have to say the whole "I may be biased but" deal because I know it is what is. A lot of our friends have cute babies right now and that's a good thing.

Talking about Carmen that way isn't prideful right? RIGHT??...The Lord is always humbling me. If I look super great in a picture my BFF takes, then in the next 5 pictures of me are disgusting faces that are just natural shots but I remind me to deflate my ego because that's the real me. Or when I bake these fantastic, amazing, super perfect cupcakes from scratch and think to myself, "wow, I'm so good. I'm a fabulous, healthy cook. AND I can bake like nobody's business when I try," then the next thing I bake is like poop and I wonder what went wrong. Or when I'm so happy because all my clothes fit me so well and I think I look good, the next day my pants are too tight. Or when I think I have the house together and garden all pretty, food splatters and all the plants die. The Lord humbles me, almost immediately. Which is a blessing. I want to be more like Him. I want ugly pictures of myself hung up on a spaghetti stained walls with poop flavored cupcakes roasting in the oven. Cutest baby or not, my identity and hope is in the Lord and nothing else. He is so faithful to teach me His truths and it is most rewarding to rest in Him and His goodness alone!

11 Months

Hands down, fastest year of our life. Michael and I find ourselves saying that a lot these days. As Carmen's first birthday approaches, we can barely seem to keep up with the changes and developments she's going through.

Our girl can walk now. She's super cute on her feet. Time to buy some shoes I guess. Can you believe she's almost 1 and I still haven't bought a pair of shoes for her? Aunt Heather, you might have a cow.

She's got 6 teeth. We've added brushing her teeth to our bedtime routine...and morning when I remember.

She babbles the sweetest little words and loves to say "mama" and "dada" but usually in triples: "mamama and  dadada." Carmen also says "woof woof woof" when you mention doggy or puppy.

Why is her favorite thing in the world dogs?! I NEVER trained her to like them. She can't get enough of them. She wants to chase them, pet them, ride them, hug them, feed her hands to them. Gross. I don't know what to do with it. Although, I generally bark every time we're out walking and we see a dog on a leash - maybe that's why?

Her favorite toy is her pillow pet. Her cocker spaniel pillow pet, of course. She wakes up and first thing, "woof woof woof." She is a major snuggler! Give her any stuffed animal and she will cuddle that poor thing until there's nothing left. I love it.

She loves a good beat. Music is front and center in her daily life. She pauses to dance a little jig whenever she hears music. Now that's my girl.

She jumps and climbs. I'll have to capture it on camera soon.

She can wear hair clips (!!!) now and only pulls them out when she reaches to twirl her hair and finds one.

We are so thankful for her. She is the best.

A Must See

I know a lot of you have seen this on Facebook already, but if not, it's definitely worth 55 seconds of your time. Carmen was so funny driving this boat:  

First Beach Trip with Baby

Last month we joined my parents and siblings for a short week at the beach. Michael was able to join us for most of the time even though it was a wonderfully busy week at work. Carmen loved the beach. The sand, the water, the kiddie pool - she's definitely a beach girl. She and I didn't spend much time on the beach this trip but when she did, her gorgeous skin soaked up those rays just like her daddy! 

Aunt Heather and Uncle Matt took most of the great pictures from this trip....maybe some day she'll send me some? But here's my little goose on her first beach day: