I still can't get over this!

Ashley's Almost One!

Lately

I haven't been writing too much lately, mostly because I'm too busy chasing a small walking whirlwind around the house...Ashley walking is still intermittent (I guess it IS only the second full day...), and she's MUCH faster as a "scooter" and crawler, but I love looking over at her and seeing her just standing there, drinking her bottle or reaching for Jill (who lets her grab), or Ella (who stays just out of reach at all times...).

Plans for her first birthday are in the works...we'll have it at Gramma and Granpa White's house in Wise River, and have invited mostly family and a few friends.  My folks will be here, as will Jonathan's.  Unfortunately, her Godmama Emily, Jonathan's sister, won't be able to come due to finals starting the final Monday...
And it's possible that her other Godmom Lori Stevenson won't be in attendance either, as she may or may not be giving birth to her first baby (little girl Kooper) right around that time.  I suppose that's an excuse...
But, her Godfather Matthew, Jonathan's brother, will be there with bells on I'm sure, along with his gal Dallas and Kelly, Nikki, and Tye...their three great kids. 
Jonathan and I are making her cake and we've ordered supplies and are getting ready to get it done...should be an interesting feat! 
My mom will be here to help with the rest of the food, and it should go off without a hitch.  I know first birthday's are for the parents, but I know Miss A will have fun, too, since she LOVES being around people!



A lil family photo



She will be expecting a second dose of that whipped cream stuff at her birthday, I'm sure...
Thanksgiving Day

Sunday the 11th we'll be baptising Ashley at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Butte, MT.  It's where her Daddy was baptised, though at the time the church had not been built so his was in the rectory.  They are super nice folks there, I can't wait!  Gramma Sheila got Ashley a beautiful dress, bib, and hat, and Gramma Malla got her matching shoes...she'll look gorgeous!

Otherwise, Ashley's been inducted to the White Family Hunting Club (not an actual organization, just one that I've made up of course...but it's quite accurate).  She's been "hunting" three times already, and she's not even a year old!  We went with Matthew, Dallas, and the kids, as well as with her Granpa Martin, and today, just the three of us.  Unfortunately, the elk gods were not smiling on this sector of the White family this year, as we didn't end up with an elk....it's the experience, right?

"Hunting for elk"
from the comforts of the cabin of course...

Ashley's first Turkey Day!
With two of her godparents, Aunt Emily and Uncle Matthew

My girl

Thanksgiving 2011

It's official in our minds:  on the day after Thanksgiving, while Jonathan and I laid on the floor of our house playing with her, Ashley took three steps on her own! 


Our sweet girl in her birthday outfit



We are pretty sure this should be used for an ad or something...

photo by Kristina Larson, click on it to view her website!

It was pretty neat!  She walked from me to her dada, and as far as I'm concerned, she's a walker!

Thanksgiving was a very nice day as well...we always go around the table and say what we're thankful for, and Jonathan almost got tears when he said he was thankful for Ashley and me. 
Today we made povitica and Mamie's fruitcake as a memorial to her...with Kay, Keely, Kelly, Emily, Dallas, and me.  I'm not a huge fan of either, but they sure smelled great!

November 5, 2011

I can't belive Ashley's first Halloween has come and gone!


Our little kitty cat

 She had a great time, even if Mommy was limping from her ridiculously sprained ankle and Daddy wasn't able to be there.  We'll get her all nice and dressed up again when he gets home tomorrow!

She is basically walking on her own.  Today she was walking along, dragging her walker behind her like it was nothing, but she HAS to hold onto something.  For now.  I think she'll be walking before Mommy can walk normally again!

She has SIX teeth!
And...she is trying very hard to use a spoon and feed herself.  So far, it's mayhem, but practice makes perfect!

Getting revved up for her baptism on December 11.  I can't wait for her party either, it should be fun! 

Trying on her baptism gown, with her jammies underneath since we still have a month to go!  It fits for now!

10 months and 10 days...

10 months and 10 days old

As Ashley takes her afternoon nap, I wanted to update what she's currently doing.  She is sooooo close to walking....I think if she would just let go she would take off.  It's terrifying! 
She just learned to shake her head no...and she means just that.  She loves doing it, it's funny to watch her hanging out with herself and practicing her headshake. 
She is also doing this hilarious face that makes her look like such a snotty little kid...and when her dad makes it back at her it's pretty obvious where it came from! 
She's pointing at specific things...especially the animals on the wall in the living room.  Dada has spent quite a bit of time teaching her what's what!
Still not saying Mama the way she says Dada.  Only when she's crying, which is a little depressing!
At Lori's baby shower she was the hit of the show.  Everyone said they couldn't believe how good she is, she got passed around while Mommy and Aunt Mandi helped Aunt Lori open presents and keep everything straight.  Darlene, our neighbor, even came over the next day to say what a great little kiddo she is.  And she's right!  We feel so lucky, even on the nights (like last night when she woke up every hour) when she keeps me up all night!

October 17, 2011

It's been forever since I've posted.  I've had lots of changes, lots of new possibilities lately, and my little girl is sooooooo big!
Lori's baby shower was this weekend, and it was wonderful.  Mandi Wick is the best co-host ever, and Lisa Cummings did the most amazing food, I can't even begin to describe it.  Photos here:
https://www.facebook.com/katey.brandenberger?cropsuccess#!/photo.php?fbid=2097849969429&set=a.2097839969179.2113353.1340781605&type=3&theater

Jonathan and I have been thinking of making some changes...but no description yet til we make an actual decision.  It could be exciting though!

And as for work, I've decided to take a little step back, focus on the Big Hole Valley solely, and really concentrate on Ashley, my family, and myself.  I can't wait!

My pretty girl, sideways!

September 27, 2011

So it's been a bit of a bittersweet 9 or so days.  Big Mama and Big Bob came to visit, and we had a great time!  They love hanging out with Ashley...and seriously, it's not the baby that gets spoiled, it's the Mama!  They did laundry, cooked meals, fed Ashley, bathed her, brought her clothes and toys...and I was able to work and get lots of things completed that I hadn't been able to get to! 

 

This morning, however, after a long struggle, Jonathan's grandma Mamie passed away.  She was 97.  The funeral is on Friday, and while I know she is in a better place and getting to see her husband and loved ones she hasn't been with for a very long time, I still feel so much for Jonathan's mom, aunts, and uncle.  She will be missed.

Took a short break!

I haven't been able to sit down and write anything for some time, but I have a minute right now so here goes!
All is well in the White household...Jonathan finally returned from his fire assignment and we are settled back in...he couldn't believe the changes in Ashley!  He's working hard right now, from about 7-6:30 every day, 6 days a week, but it should slow down soon, I hope!
Ashley and I are gearing up for our trip to Seattle!  We are going on the 3rd to visit Aunt Meagan and Uncle Jeff and Gracie Mae!  I am so excited to meet their baby and just spend time with my friend.  While there I am also throwing a shower with Sheila for Jonathan's cousin Keely, and we're going to her wedding.  Since Jonathan can't go Meagan is my date!
Ashley is working hard to bust through her top four teeth.  Poor thing, last night she just needed a cuddle so she could go back to sleep with the pain.  I feel so bad for her!

9/10/11

After the longest roll EVER (I think because Ashley is changing SO quickly), Dada's home!  That was her new word as of Thursday...her first word!



On her 9 month birthday, 9/8/11 with Ryker Lyndes



Big Mama's Birthday Video, August 17, 2011

Since Blogger won't recognize Ashley's birthday video for Big Mama, here it is!


I can't get Blogger to find Ashley's birthday video to my mom...for some reason it's not updating my new videos.  So, I finally just put the link up!  It's cute, but Ashley's cute, so are you really surprised?

Lately

Ashley is doing her best to walk.  She pulls herself up on EVERYTHING....I think if Jill or Ella would hold still she would even try on them.  I am praying daily that she doesn't do it a)when I'm at work (I mean, she crawled at Desi's...I only go to work 1 or two days a week...just hold off til I get home, kiddo!) or b)before her dad gets home from his fire assignment in Phillipsburg. 
Ashley's favorite person, I think, is Kaden Krist.  They have so much fun together.  He's almost 6 months old (born March 4, 2011), and is almost sitting up on his own, rolling around quite a bit, and wanting more than anything to do things with his friend Ashley.  On Monday Ericka brought him over and Ashley took the opportunity to take a bite out of his foot.
A little on me...I am finally feeling like a human being.  The thyroid problem I have been having for the past 10 years has finally been addressed, and my doc and I are working on my dosage.  I have also changed the way I eat in a major way...paleo here I am.  I am really enjoying it, though my sweet tooth attacks me every once in a while and it's a huge struggle.  But, I've been walking a ton and am starting to drop some lb's...it's pretty great!  I plan on continuing, and hope that I stay on track!

Can someone please tell me why my photos are always the wrong way?

Snort Face

with her dog Jill

Daddy hard at work

Mommy and Ashley hard at play!

Ashley's puppies

Sweet girl with her sock monkey

 

August 25, 2011

As August comes to a close (I can't believe it), I've been thinking about the summer and how different this one has been from any other summer of my life.  I mean, duh Katey, of course it's different, you have a baby...that's what you're thinking, I'm sure.  But, no matter what people say or tell you, you simply don't realize how much a baby changes your life, for the better....it's simply the best. 

I've never really LOVED what I do for work, never really had a passion for a career like some do, and I've tried every job under the sun it seems like sometimes.  I do enjoy selling real estate, because I love helping people get what they want, explaining to them what's going on, the ins and outs of a transaction.  But it's not something I'm passionate about, by any means. 

6 months preggo

I do however, love being a mother.  I truly feel as though I finally found the career I've been searching for in my adult life (and to think I only had to carry it around for nine months and have major surgery for it!) 

I love cataloguing and experiencing her changes right along with her, I love her snuggles, when she grins while she's sleeping, reading books with her, helping her stand up, walk, eat...I love making her food and seeing what she likes or doesn't like, taking her on walks, and watching other people react to her because she is SUCH A HAPPY CHILD. 

I never in a million years thought I would have this much fun as a mom...it was always this vague "in the future" thing to me, never something I spent a lot of time thinking about.  I mean, I think I always knew I wanted to have children, and especially after meeting Jonathan I knew that I would love to be a parent with him, but I wasn't planning on having one for a while longer.  And now that she's here...how many times have you heard "I can't remember life before (s)he was in it".  That is the truest sentiment I've ever known, now that I've lived it. 

Thank you, Ashley, for helping me find my calling. 

And it begins...



8 months old.
Why does Blogger turn my photos?



August 23, 2011

I'm sitting here watching my girl in her jumperoo...amazed at how big she is, and I remembered this video from her first time in it.  I can't believe how vocal she is now, and how much more interested in all of the toys attached to it...She's such a bouncy big girl!

Our girl learns to crawl!

We are in so much trouble now...
August 15, 2011, Ashley finally gets crawling...as in, she's no longer only scooting backwards, rolling and shoving, and monkeying from place to place.  She always got to her destination, now it's just that much faster!

Oops...forgot this one!

Martin's 70th birthday video...

8/7/11

Almost three teeth...two fully in on the bottom front, one coming in on the top right.  At this rate, she's going to have a full mouth of teeth in about two weeks.

Ashley just mastered laying down to sitting.  She is now doing it over and over again to get my reaction.  LOVE IT.  We're still not crawling forwards, but she is SO close to doing that too...last night she went about two feet then collapsed.  She can, however, make it anywhere she wants to go by rolling over, pushing off with her heels, then rolling again.  It might be roundabout, but she gets there! 
When she finally gets the crawl, I fear for my sanity...she already gets into everything just rolling!  We're off for a bike ride in the cool weather, hoping everyone else is having a great day too!

8/2/11

Two teeth!  She's changing so dang fast...

My gorgeous, skeeter bitten little girl...

Ashley waves!

8/1/11
Ashley can wave.  Hello and goodbye.  It's awesome!

Milestones

Ashley cut her first tooth yesterday, July 26, 2011.  She literally had drool running all the way down to her toes, so I opened up her mouth and there it was!  She's been teething for MONTHS, so this was super exciting for us!

Ashley: July and so far...

It amazes me how long Ashley has been in our lives.  It feels like just yesterday we greeted her, and now she's doing so much...she's a little two foot tall tiny human, not a baby anymore.

Accomplishments to date:

Smiling, of course.  She does it all the time.

Attempts at Mama and Dada

Rolling.  Everywhere.  Quickly.

Combat crawl...backwards only

Eating...she loves it all

Teething....for months.  With no result, yet.

Pulling herself up to standing

Snorting

Giggling

Hiding her face in our shoulders...this is new, and so cute

She is truly my joy. 



Big Bob's birthday!

4th of July Weekend

All I have to say is thank goodness for camper air conditioning.  We had a great weekend camping over in Idaho...it was really nice to get away and spend some time together with Ashley and our friends.  Jonathan has so much fun with her, it's absolutely amazing to watch.  She is completely enthralled with him...he's like a big jungle gym.  Friday night we arrived and set up and had a great meal cooked by Matthew and Dallas.  Saturday the guys went hunting and Shawn and Dallas watched Ashley while I went on a bike ride...it was so nice to get out and ride, I forgot how much I loved it.  I hadn't been outside on a bike since October of 2009, thanks to winter and wedding and pregnancy and winter and baby....the list goes on and on.  I really missed it!  We went down to the cabin for dinner for Sheila's birthday, but were back at camp early enough to get a good night's rest!
Sunday the guys went hunting and then Jonathan came back and we turned on the a/c and hung out in the cool of the camper.  Ashley and I took a really nice nap, it's amazing how great you sleep when you're cooled off!
After getting home yesterday, we all took naps and relaxed, drowsy from the heat.  After Ashley woke up, we were sitting on the floor and I held my hands out and she reached out and grabbed on, and with a little help, stood up.  Unbelievable.  My baby girl is getting soooo big!

Relaxing in the sun with my Daddy

Jonathan is home!

YAY!

Saturday

Quiet day at home with my favorite girl and the pups.  Went on a bike ride with her to get out for a while, and planned on going to Idaho to see everyone camping but I didn't want to drive.  Driving to Dillon twice a week makes me not want to go anywhere on the weekends!  Cleaned house, hung out, played with the cutest girl...it was a nice day overall.  After yesterday and the water debacle (broken o-ring on the water filter housing, made for a huge mess) and all the stress over trying to get the State ground/Bear Gulch closing going, it was really great to just chill out.  I really miss Jonathan, I can't wait for him to come home... 

Real Estate

 I'm back in the office again after dropping Ashley off with Ericka and Kaden this morning.  I am so much more productive while in Dillon, but I still really hate leaving her. 
We had a great weekend together, even if we missed Jonathan and Big Mama and Big Bob.  Saturday we went to the Snowmobile Association dinner, where it was the majority agreement that Ashley is the happiest baby anyone has ever seen.  Sunday we walked a property in Wise River with my buyers, then went to the cabin and hung out by the pond.  We tested out the bike trailer as well, and Ashley loved it!  It was a good Father's Day, even without her daddy there!

Friday

I miss my husband.

Baby food-alicious

So my mom and I spent a lot of last week (ok, to be honest, it was mostly my mom) making baby food for Ashley.  She is a foodie already...she is a big lover of all things orange...carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and has also fallen for green beas and peas.  Asparagus might take some getting used to, but apples, pears, and prunes (yes, prunes) are high on the list of loves.  Up next are avocadoes, mango, apricots, and peaches, not to mention chicken as her first meat. 

yum yum

faster please!

Mom and I (again, mostly Mom) roasted, steamed and boiled ourselves into a baby food frenzy, and call me a dork, but I love looking at the result in the freezer!  We used ice trays with covers (thank you Amazon mom and Evo), froze everything and then freezer bagged them.  We might have gone a wee bit overboard though, as Ashley's doc said to only keep it for 4-6 weeks.  We're on three times a day now, so I think we'll use most of it up!

On a side note, at Ashley's 6 month check up (and last appointment with shots for quite a while), Ashley's doc was SUPER pleased with her development.  So much so, that at times when I would ask him a question, he was so wrapped up in watching and interacting with her that he would completely ignore me. 

He said her weight and height were perfect (90% each), but to not be surprised if both went down to 75% or so at her 9 month appointment.  As he said, neither Jonathan nor I are very tall people, and he's seen our families, so we can't really expect Ashley to maintain the high percentiles.  That's fine with me, the most important thing was how healthy she is!  He also said he wouldn't be surprised if she tried walking around 9 months, as she's already so mobile.  I really love Ashley's doc.

Had to tell mom and dad bye today, but we can't wait to see them again soon!  We really did have a blast these last few weeks, the only dark spot was that Jonathan had to be gone for work....but I can never thank them enough for all of their help!

Big Mama and Big Bob



This little girl has had a pretty special time of it lately

 My parents arrived a week ago Monday to visit for a week and ended up staying an extra four days because their fly fishing lodge was flooding.  Ashley and I were thrilled...no fly fishing meant more grandparent time!

Jonathan has been away from home a lot for work, so having them here was a humongous help.  They took care of Ashley while I was at work, Mom cooked a ton and made lots of yummy nutritious meals, and Dad put diesel in my gas truck...but I got a free oil change out of it!  (Look at the bright side, right?!)  I took them to Idaho and showed them where we go camping, we went and looked at some of my listings (including a four wheeler ride for Big Bob to look at a 30 acre property), and we spent a lot of time listening to Ashley laugh!

I can't describe how much fun we had with Big Mama and Big Bob...they made a lonely time without my husband into a laugh filled couple of weeks!
We love you!

Gracie Mae

My insta amiga Meagan Ramos had her first baby last night, and I can't believe we are both mommies now.  It seems like yesterday that we were running around Costa Rica, having a pura vida time, acting like fools and living it up.


That's Meagan to the left of me...Las Brisas, Portrero Costa Rica

Then we were getting married...

August 2009

April 2010

...and now we're mommies.



Gracie Mae Ramos
6/13/11 11:30pm
8lb 2 oz 21 inches



Ashley Sue White
12/8/10 6:55 pm
7lb 14 oz 21 inches





I am so happy for her, and excited for the journey ahead.  Even though we live a few states apart, Meagan will always be my insta amiga, my hermana Tica, and hopefully our girls will have friendships like the one we have.  There is no friend like the kind that you can talk to everyday, once a month, or once every six months and have it feel like no time has passed at all.  

Saturday

What a crazy couple of days.  Got my husband home from four days teaching new firefighters how to, well, fight fire, and got a few hours with him before he left for New Mexico with an engine crew.  Sigh.  It's his job, I know, but I've gotten sooo spoiled over the past few years with slow fire seasons.  Less money = more husband.  The hardest part for me, though, is knowing how much he misses Ashley. 

Reminiscing

I just looked through all of Ashley's photos starting from birth.  Here are a few of my absolute favorites from right around when she was born

:

Snowy June Day

Ashley had a great night, though I had a minor scare when I snuck into her room around 11pm to just take a peek at her...she had rolled onto her belly against the front of the crib and was hidden from view by the bumper until I was standing right over her...granted, there was no way she could have been missing from the crib, but it still gave my heart a pause!
Woke up this morning to rain, which quickly deteriorated into snow.  A lot of snow.  My broker Chance and I went to look at some property outside of Dillon and couldn't see it for the white...this global warming is just brutal!
Seriously conflicted about my time away from my little girl, though I suspect that once I make a few sales and get some money coming our way I'll relax about it.  For now though, the money it takes to get to Dillon twice a week is really adding up quickly.

It's late

I decided this evening to start a blog.  I have really only one reason for doing this...in this hectic thing I call life I don't always stop and think about my day, my week, the last hour.  I want to start doing a little bit of that, just a touch of reflection every once in a while.  If other people decide they want to start reading this and maybe get some enjoyment out of it, that would be great.  But, really, it's for me, and maybe my daughter (or all my kids (?!)), and my husband if he wants.  But for now, it's gotten late, and I'm going to bed. 


I live in a beautiful place...