Best Year EVER!

That's right. I am having the Best Year Ever! I am honored with this award (and probably will receive it for the rest of my life) and am so pleased to share with you why 2008 has been the best year for me! 2008 in review:




01.08

My girl smiles. And babbles. And loves Brown Bear, Brown Bear. We walk. We watch basketball. Gegs visits. We doctor Spence through a painful tonsillectomy. And my girl smiles.





02.08


We visit ND. She rolls! (For Grandpa) She tries cereal and green beans (and whatever she can grab off our plates). We "cake" (I'll explain later) the cows with daddy. Loves her daddy and his piggy game. Witnesses her first calf being born. More smiles and laughs and walks.





03.08


A month of culinary firsts: sweet potatoes, prunes, bananas, and holding her own sippy cup. First fever; first tooth. She cheers on her mom in some stellar volleyball games (in ND). Second fever, second tooth. Listening to the sweet sound of her auntie singing in church. Singing with her mama. More calves, smiles, laughs, and walks.





04.08


Sound discovery (gurgles, growls, sings, screams, babbles, coos, mmms, ddds). Flapping the jaw. She feeds herself puffs with her chubby fingers. We watch the production of the "Sound of Music" with J as Liesel (Bravo!) More "caking", hiking Sugar Loaf, and fetching with Leroy. A zoo visit for a special birthday boy. "Sooooooo big!" We all sleep through the night. More independence: she sits alone! Our kitten madness begins (10 reasons to listen to Bob Barker's advice). Again, lots of laughter and smiles and outdoors and cows.





05.08


An official cowgirl: a ride with Grandma Mary. Scrunchy noses and head banging. A very special Mother's Day weeding the flower beds with my baby girl. Mama and Daddy are the hot new words. Branding! Snakes! Dancing and singing to silly songs. Girls trip to Minneapolis. A game of peekaboo taught by the very talented aunts. More horse rides. More branding, smiles, and cows.





06.08


Apple trees planted in honor of Miss Ella. Grandma Karen visits and helps us all sleep a little more soundly. And she paints and cooks and cleans and paints some more. Baby food is so last month. More days of branding. Waving bye-bye. A Father's Day roping for a wonderful daddy! (he places!) Scooting and twisting around. Swimming in the inflatable pool... and loving it. A ride on the tractor with Grandad. Leek Lake time - sun, boat rides, rope swinging, tubing, and time with Grandma and Grandpa Kost. Our roping arena is set up at home. Smiles. Joy.





07.08


Horsey makes his debut. He and his tail are now a permanent staple in our family. She dances and hauls hay with daddy. And claps, cheers, waves, sings, and copies. More ropings. We sing the Raindrop song. Swathing. Grass volleyball at the Big Sky State Games (Ella watches and plays with her aunt and uncle rockstars). Family golf outings, Ella sits on the greens. The three legged crawl. Baseball and ice cream with Grandpa Scott. Smiles and love.





08.08


Swimming at the Leek Lake. Boat rides. Bon(d) fires. Watching the waterskiiers, some good, some not so good. Cuddling on the dock with Grandma Karen. A week of fast development: crawling to sitting, sitting to crawling, and pulling herself up on furniture. More swimming in our inflatable pool (which has deflated one layer thanks to Mr. Leroy). Teeth. Bathtime follies. Reading books. A family dinner date. Golfing. Sharing toys with Paige. Sleeping in. Smiles and sunshine.





09.08


Standing alone, taking steps. Emily visits. Watching Rocky football. Watching junior high volleyball. Jenny visits. Cows say "Boooooooo". Conquering the first step in the stairway. Loving the kitties. Celebrating one year with Kade and the Cooney crew - spaghetti and chocolate cake. Everything round is a "ball". Grandpa Scott babysits while Mama coaches. Beautiful first year portraits. A mouthful of teeth. Salt and minerals to the cows. Climbing up the steps and out of the tub. Smiles and laughter.





10.08


The kitty obsession intensifies. Snowmen in the sunshine. Surfer "woahs". The blog begins. Dancing to everything. Walking turns to running. Learning a plethora of animals sounds. "More" in sign language for anything and everything. Playdates with Paige. Grandma and Grandpa Kost come to visit. They bring us back to ND to watch some Squirrel volleyball. Playing with the daycare kids. Carving Great Grandpa Kost's pumpkins. Dressing up as a cow and trick or treating, then cheering on J in the district championship. Lots of love and smiles.


11.08



Ella's first plane ride (and search at security!) She votes with mama and daddy. More playing outside in her boots. A camera ham. More salt and minerals to the cows. A party for Paige. Thanksgiving celebration at the ranch. New bookshelves and a desk in the future playroom. Playing with aunts. Rides on the rocking horse. Speed scrabble. Evenings walks with Grandma Karen. A piano! Love, laughter, smiles.




12.08


Walking to running to climbing. Watching Barney on car rides. Feeding horses and sheep and cows. Moving cows. Picking out the perfect Christmas tree. Playtime in the snow. Christmas baking. Reading books. Dancing to Christmas music. More words: book, yuck, thank you, ho-ho-ho. Touching her nose. Special time with family and friends. Rythmn band with Great Grandma Marjorie. Celebrating 50 years of marriage. Big girl swims in the big pool. Coming home to eager kitties and pup. Ringing in a new year with those we love the most. Lots of smiles.

As for 2009, we'll be ready for whatever it throws at us. Lots of celebrations: a brand new cousin, a sweet baby in the midwest, many weddings of the best of friends. You can bet there will be more calves, cows, cake, branding, horses, sheep, and maybe even chickens. Of course the kitties will be there. And trust me, there will be some surprises along the way.

I've never been much of a resolution kind of gal, but I do wish for me and for everyone to continue to see the joy in everyday. More patience in the process. And remember for every yucky day, there will be many more sunny days. And of course, lots of smiles.



Wishing you the merriest of celebrations and a happy 2009!