Stovall Family Fun

HELLO, 2011

2011-04-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

My name is Roxane, and I am a slacker. I can't believe I haven't blogged in so long!!! I have no excuse so I'll just get to it.

2011 has been full of ups and downs. Let's get the downs over with - Miker and I both lost Grandmothers within 2 months of each other. My sweet Grandma passed in November and Miker's unforgettable Nannie passed in January. Chloe was so lucky to have had these 2 women in her life even for such a short time. They are missed.

We have just really been trying to enjoy each other and remain so thankful for the life we are living. Miker is excelling at work and I am keeping the house and the kiddo in order.

This year I turned 35 and that is pretty surreal. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was celebrating my 30th with all my pals out in LA. My what a difference 5 years makes.

Now let's get down to the most important topic...CHLOE!! That girl! I am so amazed daily by that childs ability to keep me on my toes. She has turned into such a "kid". She is so articulate and inquisitive. She is still very tiny but because she's so lanky, it makes her look taller. I am having such a blast watching her grow.

Chloe just celebrated her 4th birthday and let me just say, it's been quite an event. My parents got us season passes to Six Flags so we headed to Arlington with them last weekend. We all had a great time. Chloe rode her first roller coaster and was completely unfazed. ( I, on the other hand, was about to pass out as I watched her!) After the park, we had pizza and presents with my folks. Chloe got a bunch of cool stuff but the one gift that sticks out to me is a super cool karaoke machine. She LOVES it!!

The next day, Miker participated in the "Warrior Run". It's basically a bunch of people drinking beer in crazy costumes and at some point they run a 3 mile obstacle course filled with fire, mud and sweat. Miker did a great job and Chloe and I were at the finish line to cheer him on.

Later that night, we gave Chloe the present from us. We got her a super girlie princess bike. She flipped out and has enjoyed riding it since.

Tomorrow will end the birthday celebration with a full blown Chuck E Cheese party. Chloe can't wait!!

Today we headed out to do some birthday/Easter shots. I've included a few.

Hope everyone has a great Easter!!!

MY OPERA

2010-11-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR79ESMOVW0

Enjoy!

3 1/2!!!!!!

2010-10-19T09:11:00.000-07:00

Chloe is officially the big 3 1/2!!!!!! Time is just flying. I decided to look at some pictures of her that were taken this time last year and I was floored by how much she's grown and changed!!!
Chloe then:

Chloe now:

Not only has she changed so much physically she is just so amazingly smart and funny.

I really couldn't ask for a cooler kid. Love you baby koala!!

I THINK I'M IN TROUBLE.....

2010-10-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

Chloe: Mommy, how do I look?
Me: Really cute!
Chloe: (pause) Adorable?
Me: Yes! You always look adorable.
Chloe: Like a model?
Me: What does a model look like?
Chloe: You know, all stylish.
Me: Then yes, you look like a model
Chloe: Thanks!

Chloe is quite the girl. I tell ya, this little lady lives for fashion. I documented one day all of her different changes. She changed before I could get her in her morning pjs, so I had her hold up what she had worn (aka the Dora night gown). Here ya go!!

Just your typical day. Now, I have to go do laundry...;)

OOMPA OOMPA

2010-09-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

WOWIE ZOWIE its been so long since I posted on here!! I felt the need to after the fun fun weekend we have had. The highlight has been Oktoberfest in Addison. It was super hot but super fun. Lots of interesting people and enough Polka music to last a lifetime. Chloe hit up all the cool kid activities. First stop - the Bungee Jump (I just made that name up). It's a place where kids get strapped in and jump on a big ol' inflated thingy. They were afraid they weren't gonna be able to get the harness tight enough, but alas, all worked out! She just kept wanting to go higher and higher and higher!

Next we headed to the Spiderman Bouncy House. WHile there I ran into a friend from high school! Totally random. It was so cool to see her. We hung out a bit and then the fam hit up the carnival. Ahhhh, the carnival. It was exactly what you think. Dad and Chloe rode the carousel and afterward mom and Chloe rode the tea cups.

So, the last stop at the carnival was the crazy ride that takes you up super high and then drops you down. If you know me, you know - I HATE RIDES. However, after some pressure from the hubby and kiddo I decided to give it a try. Try not to envy my white legs in the pic.

Chloe didn't really like seeing me up that high.

The day ended with a great surprise. We ran into a friend of ours from Austin. We haven't seen her since the day before we moved to LA. It was so fun to catch up!!

It was such a fun day!!! Here are some random shots from our adventure:

PS - That pic of Chloe sitting in the tree is my favorite that I've taken in a long time!! She looks like such a big girl.

EVIL ASPARTAME!!

2010-08-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

So, I normally like to keep it light on here and talk about cute stuff that Chloe does. I am compelled today to pass on some info that I find completely disturbing. I have recently cut out diet sodas and while it sounds like no big deal I have been drinking them pretty much on a daily basis since the 6th grade. It was tough!! I took a 2 1/2 month break and one day decided to have a Diet Dr. Pepper. About 30 minutes later I had a horrible headache (that lasted a solid 24 hours), my back started hurting, I had awful stomach cramps.... it was bad! I told Kendra about it and she sent this link to me. I was shocked and saddened. I can honestly say - I will NEVER drink another diet drink again. It's just not worth it. I'm not trying to be preachy, I just wanted to share this info.

From 10,000consumer complaintsthe FDA compiled a list of 92Symptomsreported fromaspartameuse, including death.

FDA list of 92aspartame-relatedsymptoms:

Abdominal Pain
Anxiety Attacks
Arthritis, Asthma
Asthmatic Reactions
Bloating
Edema (Fluid Retention)
Blood Sugar Control Problems (Hypoglycemia or Hyperglycemia)
Brain Cancer (Pre-approval studies in animals)
Breathing Difficulties
Burning Eyes or Throat
Burning Urination
Can't Think Straight
Chest Pains
Chronic Cough
Chronic Fatigue
Confusion
Death
Depression
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Excessive Thirst or Hunger
Fatigue
Feel Unreal
Flushing of Face
Hair Loss (Baldness) or Thinning of Hair
Headaches/Migraines
Hearing Loss
Heart Palpitations
Hives (Urticaria)
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Impotency and Sexual Problems
Inability to Concentrate
Infection Susceptibility
Insomnia
Irritability
Itching
Joint Pains
Laryngitis
"Like Thinking in a Fog"
Marked Personality Changes
Memory loss
Menstrual Problems or Changes
Migraines and Severe Headaches (Trigger or Cause From Chronic Intake)
Muscle spasms, Nausea or Vomiting, Numbness or Tingling of Extremities
Other Allergic-Like Reactions
Panic Attacks
Phobias
Poor Memory
Rapid Heart Beat
Rashes
Seizures and Convulsions
Slurring of Speech
Swallowing Pain
Tachycardia
Tremors
Tinnitus
Vertigo
Vision Loss
Weight Gain.

AspartameDisease/Toxicity MimicsSymptomsor Worsens the Following Diseases:

Fibromyalgia
Arthritis
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Parkinson's Disease
Lupus
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
Diabetes and Diabetic Complications
Epilepsy
Alzheimer's Disease
Birth Defects
Chronic FatigueSyndrome
Lymphoma
Lyme Disease
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Panic Disorder,
Depression and other Psychological Disorders.

I don't know about you but, this freaks me out. I'm stickin' to good ol' fashioned tea and water.

THE POTTY CHRONICLES

2010-06-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is kind of old news but, I still wanted to share. This whole potty training thing is so weird. Chloe was doing really great and then out of nowhere she just sorta stopped wanting to use the potty. So, I created what we called a "Potty Chart". Every time Chloe used the potty she'd get a sticker. Miker thought of the magic number of 20 to be her goal. Once she hit that she got to pick something to do. She immediately said she wanted her prize to be a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's. As soon as this "contest" started she didn't have any accidents and to Miker's surprise she hit her goal in 3 DAYS!!!! So, the minute she got her 20 stickers we loaded up and hit the pizza place.

It was so much fun. We played SO many games, ate gross pizza and Chloe walked away with some sweet cheap jewelry and a Tinkerbell purse.

Now we have a new potty chart but we haven't really set a goal number yet. Chloe's not sure what she wants her prize to be but I'm sure she'll think of something cool.

AWWWW, SHUCKS!!!

2010-05-30T10:38:00.000-07:00

Chloe helped prepare the corn on the cob that we put on the grill last night. MMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

LET'S GO TO THE MOVIES!!!!

2010-05-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

We took Chloe to the movie theater for the first time this past weekend. I got a little teary when we pulled into the parking lot and and Chloe could not contain herself. We walked up to the ticket counter and I said "3 for Nightmare on Elm Street". I am SO funny!!! I corrected myself as the ticket girl looked at me horrified. We got our tickets to the newest Shrek movie. It's in 3D so we all got cool glasses to wear while we watched the flick. We got all the fun stuff - popcorn, drinks and of course, candy. We waited in the theater with all the other little kids waiting for the movie to start. I loved over hearing all the little chatter of excitement. When the movie began Chloe was glued to her seat. The 3D was so awesome. She kept reaching her hands out to try and touch the characters. She got a little spooked a few times because the movie had some "scary" moments. Over all she did amazing. It made my heart feel so good when, in the middle of the movie, she turned to me and loudly exclaimed " Mommy, the is the greatest adventure ever in the whole wide world!!" I agreed...having this little love in my life IS the greatest adventure in the whole wide world.

SMILE

2010-05-23T10:44:00.001-07:00

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing ~ Mother Teresa

Happy Sunday!

HIPPIE CHIC

2010-05-21T18:37:00.001-07:00

PINKARIFIC!!!

2010-05-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

I've always thought that the stereotypes of " boys like blue" and "girls like pink" were because that's what they were taught. Well, NOPE!!! (at least not in Chloe's case) I've tried to force Chloe into rocker concert shirts and the occasional pair of camo shorts but...This chick can not get enough pink. I can honestly say she will not wear anything other than pink ( I can get her in an occasional purple shirt but VERY rarely). Now, I know this sounds cute and feminine but it can get VERY frustrating. She has a closet full of cute clothes but refuses to wear anything if it's not her favorite color. I finally had to bite the bullet and make the decision to do some summer shopping for her and all I bought was...PINK. Luckily, I have found an awesome kids consignment shop up the road. I got Chloe tons of stuff and didn't pay more than $5 for a single item.

Sometimes the "pink thing" can be really cute. Miker and Chloe hit the grocery store last Saturday and when they returned they announced that we were making cupcakes. As they pulled the frosting and mix and whatnot out of the bag I was not surprised to find...Pink cake, pink frosting and pink hearts. I must say, this really worked in my favor. I am not a chocolate lover but I can dig on some strawberry cake!!! They turned out so cute and we all had a blast making them.

Cheers to my little girlie girl.

THREE AMAZING YEARS...

2010-04-15T11:58:00.001-07:00

AGE 1:

AGE 2:

AGE 3:

GOING GREEN

2010-04-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

It's been so beautiful lately. Every weekend we find ourselves spending the entire time working outside. All 3 of us really enjoy it. Miker's main project is the veggie garden and the grass. He's planted carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and all sorts of different types of lettuce. He's growing some from seeds and some he bought already grown a bit (which I think is the way to go). They are just getting started but here is what they are lookin' like:

My project has been an area in the backyard. The people that lived here before had a huge bird atrium in this area so when they moved out and removed it left was a big area of dirt. This has been the first opportunity for us to do some planting so I decided to turn it into a mini jungle. Here are some before and after pics:

I've planted some beautiful succulents, lilies and a variety of shrubs and other greenery.
We also discovered we have a gardenia bush!

We are really diggin' this home owner stuff!!

THEN AND NOW

2010-04-09T08:58:00.001-07:00

I snapped a couple of pics of Chloe this morning and I total flipped out. The day Chloe turned six months old a took a set of pictures that are eerily similar to the ones I took today. Pretty cool considering she turns 3 next week. She's growing into such a pretty big girl.

Check it out:

Pretty cool. Happy weekend!

FIERCE!!

2010-04-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

So, ever since Chloe was a baby she has had a super expressive face and loves to smile for the camera. We were hanging out in the backyard yesterday and she looked at me and said, "Mommy, get the camera. You need to take my picture". I grabbed my camera and as soon as I pointed it she struck a pose. She kept going and going. This made me laugh really hard. Here's the many faces of my little actress.

BUNNY TIME!!

2010-04-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Chloe and I had such a great morning!! When I woke up today I went right to the computer to look up things to do in my area. There wasn't much but I saw that the Easter Bunny was gonna be at the mall. (I mean, of course he's gonna be there but, I just hadn't even thought about it.) I knew Chloe would flip out if she got to meet the big guy so I got her all dressed in a cute Spring sundress and told her we were going on an adventure. She looked right at me and said , "are we gonna go see the Easter Bunny?". I tried not to really answer her so she'd be a little bit surprised. We pulled up at the mall and she said, "Oh!! This is Santa's house!!". We went in and just around the first corner was a large, slightly creepy brown bunny. Chloe flipped out! She ran over and patiently waited in line for her turn to sit on his lap. When it was time she walked up to the standing rabbit (he had to have been 7 feet tall ears included) and just stared at him. He sat and motioned for her to sit on his lap. She just stood there frozen. He finally picked her up and sat her down. As this was going on the girls working there were trying to sell me way over priced pictures. I declined and just snapped a few on my own camera.

After that we hit up the choo choo train.It was really cute. The last time she rode it she cried and cried but this time she LOVED it.

We headed to the food court for some yummy pizza. What is it about mall pizza that is just so good???(Just thought I'd ask)

Of course we couldn't leave without some sort of "surprise". Chloe, of course, picked out princess make up. (you can see in one of the pics how much lip gloss she managed to put on in the short car ride home)

We got home and headed to the backyard to paint nails and water our plants.
I am so shocked how big and independent Chloe has become. She's so much fun.

Happy Easter!!

SPRING IS HERE!!

2010-03-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

So, we decided to change the color of our front room. We (um...Miker) chose a color that he swore was green ( I told him it was yellow but...) After taping, and putting the tarp down (about 2 hours of work) we began painting. First stroke in he looks at me and says - um...this is yellow. We decided to just keep going. After it dried it did darken up and turn a shade of green. By the end we totally agreed - WE HATED IT!! So, we hit up Home Depot once again and chose something completely opposite. The color is called Pepper Spice and it turned out so warm and pretty. Here are a few pics. We have the before, the bad and the after. Today we did a ton of yard/house work. We planted a bunch of new stuff. It was a blast but also a lot of work. We're beat!!

Well, off to have a nice home cooked meal and a well deserved bath!!

Happy weekend to you all!!

THE MANY LOOKS OF A GROWING GIRL

2010-01-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

I was going through pics from the last couple of months and it really brought a smile to my face to see just how expressive and fun Chloe has become. All these pictures are from right before Christmas until yesterday.

Enjoy!

She's quite the little poser. Happy 2010.

I HEART YOU!

2009-12-16T11:19:00.000-08:00

Me: Good morning!

Chloe : Um...um...Mommy....I love you. I love you with all your heart and my heart and daddy's heart and Snow White and blue elephant and Christmas puppy and my princess book.

Not a bad way to start the day!

FRIDAY

2009-10-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

Where should I start? We had a super fun weekend. Miker decided to take Friday off so we got an extra day together. We started the day with some house work. Miker and Chloe worked out in the yard while I took care of the inside. We met Mike (Cearley) for lunch to celebrate his last day at IMC2. After a nice long lunch, we hit the mall. Chloe and Miker played at the indoor playground while I did a little shopping. Before we left we noticed that they had an area set up with these huge trampolines. Chloe got all strapped in to a little harness and away she went. The harness was attached to a cord that the guy running the place held on to. As she jumped he would pull the cord and she would go higher and higher. She had a blast!

She's so brave. Definitely doesn't take after me in that department.

We got home and had dinner. Chloe was so beat. She took her bath, watched a little tv and was in bed by 7.

PICS BY CHLOE

2009-10-23T17:59:00.001-07:00

YES....We are dorks.

CHLOE'S FAVORITE BABY

2009-10-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

Notice the pink "lip stuff" (that's what Chloe calls it) next to Monko. He is so good with her!

READY FOR THE PARK

2009-10-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pics I took yesterday. Enjoy!!

2 1/2!!!!

2009-10-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Chloe,

I can't believe how fast you are growing. Having a beautiful, funny and smart daughter like you, is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I love you with all my heart. Thank you for making me smile everyday.

You make me so proud.

Love,

Mommy

FALL HAS ARRIVED!!

2009-10-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

The weather here in Dallas is absolutely amazing right now! It sure puts all of us in a great mood! Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!!!

POOR MONKO

2009-09-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

The make - up bandit strikes again!! Her latest victim? A poor, defenseless, fat kitty.

MOMMY LEARNS TO BOX

2009-09-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

So, lately Chloe has been picking out her own clothes but I think things may have gone too far this morning. Now she's trying to tell me what to wear!! Outfit one is pictured below. I must say, it is very sheek, but I would maybe prefer a warmer color. Watch out Rachel Zoe.

PHOTO FRIDAY

2009-09-18T09:20:00.001-07:00

Chloe insisted on wearing leg warmers today. Before we left for the gym she said, "take my picture". So....

This girl knows how to pose. She's got her own little style that I hope continues as she grows. Love it!

JUST YOUR AVERAGE MONDAY

2009-09-14T14:32:00.001-07:00

So, Chloe and I have been discussing Halloween lately. In turn, this has sparked an insane interest in playing dress up. Well, today I brought out a box of old costume pieces that I've acquired over the years. Here's what we got...

She also put on about a pound of lip gloss. She kept saying she was Snow White.

CHLOE GOES GLAM

2009-08-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

So, a couple of weeks ago our friends Dan and Edi had a lengthy lay over at DFW on their way from LA to Spain. Chloe and I made the drive out to visit with them. Edi had picked up a few little gifts including ~ A Spongebob purse, a Scooby Doo dvd and most importantly... MAKE UP!!!! She's also very in to getting her nails painted.

That last pic is of the little diva doing my make up. Oh, my...

AUGUST

2009-08-10T10:46:00.001-07:00

AUGUST 2007

AUGUST 2008

AUGUST 2009

Can someone please tell her to slow down with this growing business???

STRIDE RITE

2009-07-31T07:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Chloe headed up to Daddy's work and shot a little something for Stride Rite shoes. His agency is trying to book their company as a new client so they put together a photo/video shoot to show what they can do. It was really fun and Chloe got a cool pair of shoes out of the deal. There were about 6 or 7 other kids there. They were all SO cute. I snapped a couple of candid pics of the video shoot. Miker got some GREAT shots of each of the kids. I'll post those when I get a hold of them.

Chloe was definitely the comedian. She went up to each of the kids and said "Nice to meet you. I'm Chloe."

I ENJOY BEING A GIRL

2009-07-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

SO, last week I wasn't feeling so hot, so I called up my doc (insert eye roll) and made an appointment. I quickly decided to call back and cancel. I chose, instead, to drop Chloe off at day care and treat myself to a nice relaxing mani/pedi. I figured it should be a slow time for any salon considering it was a rainy Monday morning. I found a really nice place. I was the only one there. Well, I was just until the point of rolling up my pants. In walks 2 ladies and 3 KIDS!!!!! NO!!!!!!! I wanted a peaceful, kid free, calm hour. The girls were bouncing off the walls picking out their colors and giggling up a storm. The place was really tiny so once they sat down all the chairs were full. I decided to just close my eyes and meditate. This was quickly interrupted due to the non stop talking by a certain 6 year old named, Zoe. She asked so many questions and in a typical 6 year old fashion asked question after question after question. In the middle of it all Zoe became very adamant (in a very sweet way) about the color she wanted on her toes. She said she wanted the darkest, lightest green. She must have repeated the words "darkest, lightest, green" a hundred times. The lady doing her nails, who obviously didn't speak much English, even said "she never quiet". After the 3 girls were all finished with their bright colors and flower decals the conversation went something like this:

Zoe : Mommy this is the BEST " caterpillar" I've ever had!

Mom : You mean pedicure?

Zoe : Yeah, pedicure. This is the BEST pedicure I've ever had.

Mom : Well, Zoe, this is the first pedicure you've ever had.

Zoe : Thank you Nana for bringing us here and paying all that money.

While listening to these girls, and especially Zoe, I just thought to myself - I am so lucky to have a little girl.

So, what I thought was gonna turn into a loud mess, ended up making me walk out of the place thinking to myself "that was the best caterpillar I've ever had".

Love you, Chloe.

MORE PICS

2009-07-17T08:22:00.001-07:00

TGIF!!

NEW DIGS

2009-07-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

Wow!! Things have just been crazy around the Stovall house. We have finally started to settle in to the place.

Here are some pics I've taken over the last couple of weeks.

Chloe LOVES the new house. When you enter her play room she always announces "Welcome to my play room!". It's pretty cute!

We've had so much fun making this place home. We're almost completely out of boxes!!

I want to say thanks so much to Mike, Brian and Cameron. It was so awesome to have their help on the move day. It, at one point got up to 113 degrees!! We couldn't have done it with out you guys.

Hope everyone is having a great summer. Look forward to having you all over to the new pad!!

Slice of life (with music)

2009-06-27T00:06:00.000-07:00

pickles...

FLOWER POWER

2009-06-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

PUTTIN' CHLOE TO WORK

2009-06-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

I know she's young, but we thought it'd be a good idea to give Chloe a "chore". Her job everyday is to fill up Monk's food bowl. She does a great job. Here are some shots of her in action.

And here are a few goofy shots just for fun...

SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE EVERYDAY

2009-06-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

CHLOE IN A DRESS!! She actually told me when she woke up that she wanted to wear a dress today. The she couldn't decide between a cute little hand me down Gracie dress and a fun little number that the Parson's picked up for her.

Needless to say, this is what she finally chose by lunch time.

RESEMBLANCE???

2009-06-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

CHLOE AND HER BED HEAD.

ROBERT PATTINSON FROM "TWILIGHT"

GIRLS WEEKEND

2009-06-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

MIKER WENT TO HOUSTON THIS WEEKEND TO HELP POPS MOVE. SO, MY MOM AND MAMAW DECIDED TO HEAD UP HERE TO SEE CHLOE AND I. CHLOE WAS SO EXCITED AND ANXIOUS BEFORE THEIR ARRIVAL. TO TAKE HER MIND OFF THINGS I ASKED IF SHE WANTED TO DO A PHOTO SHOOT. SHE REPLIED "SURE! I LOOOOOOOOOVE PHOTO SHOOTS". (AND THEN RAN AND GRABBED OUR SUNGLASSES)

I HAD THE BLACK AND WHITE OPTION SET ON MY CAMERA, I GUESS. BUT, I THOUGHT THAT IT ADDED A LITTLE BIT OF "FIERCENESS AND DRAMA" TO THE PICS. :)

HELPING MOM PACK

2009-06-13T07:40:00.001-07:00

HERE ARE SOME CUTE SHOTS OF CHLOE HELPING ME PACK. IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING SHE DECIDED SHE NEEDED TO BRUSH HER TEETH...

HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL WEEKEND! OFF TO PACK, PACK, PACK!

THIS IS ALWAYS FUN....

2009-06-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

June 9, 2007

June 9, 2008

June 9, 2009

SLIDE TIME

2009-06-09T06:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long since a post but my camera broke!! We had to send it in to Cannon and I got it back yesterday. Of course I feel like Chloe did so many cute things while I didn't have the camera and it was driving me crazy. But we're back!! Here are some shots from a late night park trip.

It's already been so hot here that we either have to do early morning play or after work.

Chloe is just growing so quickly! I am so amazed by how smart she is. I just overall feel really blessed.

Now back to packing! Hope everyone has a great week!!

2 YEAR CHECK UP

2009-05-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

Chloe had her 2 year check up today. Dr. Berry was shocked by how much she's grown and how animated she is. They played "tea party" and blocks. She did a great job.

Her stats are:
Height:34 1/2 Inches (55 percentile)
Weight:25 pounds , 4 ounces (27 percentile)

They also did a lead test which was a simple little prick on her toe.

She was all smiles on the way home.

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE

2009-04-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

I just came across this pic and it really made me smile. I think she was 6 months old...no maybe 9 months. I just love it!

AWWWWWW!!!

PRINCESS CHLOE

2009-04-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

these pics make me laugh...

THIS IS AMAZING

2009-04-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

CHLOE'S FAVORITE WORD

2009-04-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

AWESOME!!

2 YEAR PHOTOS

2009-04-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

I know most of you have seen these but I thought I'd post them just in case!!

What a cool little girl. She's talking up a storm and is just so entertaining.

Thanks for bringing so many smiles to so many faces, Chloe. You are truly a blessing.

FUN WITH MY FAM!!!

2009-04-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

We had a really great weekend. On Saturday morning Miker mowed the lawn while Chloe and I did some laundry. We went out to lunch (Chinese - Chloe's fav) and then decided to head to Denton. We had never been there before and Miker had heard good things about it. They were having their annual Jazz and Arts Festival. We packed up the umbrella (which we didn't end up needing) and hit the road. We had a great time. Here are a few pics of our adventure.

They had clowns, food, music and LOTS of people.

After the festival we went to watch the very end of the Spurs game...not pretty...not pretty at all.

CHLOE TURNS 2!

2009-04-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

Chloe had a great birthday weekend. Enjoy the pics!! (I didn't get many of the actual Birthday "party" but Miker took a lot of video - I'll post it soon.)

The cupcake tower was a little crooked - but they sure did taste yummy!!

Chloe had a blast at the park!

By the end of it all - we were all pretty beat..especially the Birthday Girl.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET GIRL!!!

OUR AMERICAN IDOL

2009-04-14T18:00:00.001-07:00

We haven't kept up with American Idol this season but, decided to put it on tonight while we ate dinner. Chloe disappeared for a little bit and came back with this "prop". I think even Simon would love her....

AHHHHHHHH!! Too cute!!

NEVER JUDGE A BOOK

2009-04-13T08:26:00.000-07:00

Check this out. So great.

http://perezhilton.com/2009-04-12-susan-boyle

Hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Happy Monday.

LOOKING BACK

2009-03-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

I've been uploading pictures to our Shutterfly account over the last few days. It's been so fun looking back at old pics. I thought I'd post a few that I came across that were taken about this time last year. They put a smile on my face and hope they do the same for you.

Hope you guys are all having a great week!

33

2009-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

So, I remember being a kid and the thought of your birthday was one of the most exciting things in your life. You were never just 8 - you were 8 and three quarters. I guess as we get older we have so many other things to think about that our birthdays just become another day and a reminder that your just another year closer to being "old". As my birthday approached this year it was just as insignificant to me as ever. I'd been sick for the better part of a month, we had all the house closing hoop la going on, Miker had been out of town most of February and so the thought of a day dedicated to the birth of little ol' me seemed unimportant. Miker worked late on Wednesday and so Chloe and I just had dinner by ourselves. He got home and immediately had to open up his computer and start working...I was bummed. I went to bed and at 7:30 am the alarm went off. Miker jumped out of bed (much quicker than usual) and threw on some clothes and left the room. About 15 minutes later I heard the garage door open as he left. I dosed back off. About an hour later I bolted up. I looked over and the monitor was off. Oh, my gosh - had I forgotten to turn it on the night before?? Was my little girl in her bed crying and wondering why no one had come to get her?? I ran and opened up the door and was greeted by the smell of coffee and yummy food. I heard Chloe in the kitchen talking with her dad. I was very excited that Miker was able to stay home and have breakfast with us. I went into the kitchen and was handed a cup of warm greatness. I said "thanks for taking the morning off! Are you gonna have time to eat with us?" he replied "I think so". As we sit down to eat I casually ask when he has to leave for work. His response was ....MONDAY!!!! He had taken Thursday and Friday off so he could spend it with me!! He told me that he thought the best gift he could give me was time. I agreed!!! Four days with my whole family! How great. We didn't take a minute for granted. We ate lots of delicious food, went to the park a few times, the museum, took a hike, took lots of naps, went shopping and oh, did i mention all the yummy food:)?

So, I have to say this was by far the best birthday I've had in a long time. It was actually the best weekend I can remember having in years!! I was so touched that Miker thought my birthday was important enough to take time off work in this busy season. I sure am a lucky kid. Yes, I said kid! Bring on the birthdays!!!

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

2009-03-05T14:09:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent pics of the soon to be two year old we call Chloe. She has a new best friend named Sesame Street Live Elmo. I have to admit , he's pretty cool. He tells jokes, stories and dances. Chloe continues to talk up a storm. She's so much fun.

I would also like to announce that Miker and I have officially purchased our first home!! We just adore it. It's in a cool little town called Allen. It's surrounded by parks. It's exactly what we were looking for. We'll let everyone know when we're ready to have a house warming bash!!

UPDATE

2009-02-17T07:36:00.000-08:00

So, here's where things stand:

Chloe - starting to feel better but has a nagging cough. Being very lovey.

Mom - Has strep and scarlet fever. It sounds scary but it's ok. The scarlet fever is treatable with antibiotics as well as the strep. Unfortunatley, that's what caused this horrible itchy rash that I continue to have on the better part of my upper body.

Dad - CLEAR!! The doctor went ahead and gave him a prescription for an antibiotic just in case he gets sick while he's out of town.

Thanks for all the well wishes!

THE STOVALLS GET SICK

2009-02-16T09:37:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday Chloe was playing just like usual. I went to give her a hug and noticed she felt really warm. I thought, "well, maybe she's just hot from playing." Later on I noticed she seemed a little crabby and I couldn't really get her to eat. So, I made her a doctor's appointment for the next morning. Come to find out - she's got strep. Ugh. At least I took her in on Friday because I would have hated to deal with a sick baby over the weekend. She's seems to be feeling much better today.

However, I woke up yesterday morning with a sore throat. Bummer. As the day went on, I started to feel yuckier and yuckier and I developed this crazy rash all over me. It was not cool. I itched so bad. I took some Benadryl and caught a short nap. I woke up this morning still feeling pretty bad so I'm going in to see the doctor this afternoon.

Now, I just got a phone call from Miker. He said he's starting to feel bad. OH NO!!! The bad part is, he is leaving for a business trip on Wednesday. So, he's going in to see the doctor tomorrow morning.

So, please just keep us in your thoughts. A sick household is just no fun. Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day.

CHEESE AND MOMMY

2009-02-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, I was thinking Chloe looked extra cute so like usual I grabbed the camera. As soon as I went to snap some shots she jumped in my lap. I said "Chloe, can you sit over there so mommy can take your picture?" She just stayed and said "cheeeeeese". I asked her again and she said "no mommy. cheeeeeeeeese". I said "you wanna take a picture with mommy?" Her response (once again) was "cheeeeeeese" So I stuck my arm out and took a few of the two of us.

So here ya go. She was so cute. She was being such a silly girl. I just love that little girl.

GETTIN' WARM

2009-02-04T11:08:00.000-08:00

I just thought this was the cutest pic. We got Chloe out of her bath last night and it was so cold Miker wrapped my robe around her. Then we let her watch Blue's Clues before hittin' the hay.

Man, she has a hard life...

SUNSHINE DAY

2009-02-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

Chloe and I wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather today so we spent an hour or so running around in the backyard. I grabbed the camera just for fun. She looked so pretty in the sunshine. It reminded me of a photo shoot we had had a while back. When we came back in I decided to look at those old pics. To my surprise those pics were taken exactly one year ago!!!! I was floored. I can't believe how much she's grown. Here are some shots from today and some of last year. Awwww....she's such a sweetie.

One big difference - she can't sit still!! She kept looking at the sky and saying "moooooon". I finally looked up and sure enough, there was a little slice of moon hanging out in the middle of the beautiful blue sky.

I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I did...Happy February.

FUN WITH AUNT KIKI

2009-01-29T10:44:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday Kendra made the trek half way across the country to pay us a visit. We were so excited. We picked her up on Thursday and immedeatly headed to a mexican restaurant for some good Texas Queso. We sat outside because the weather was gorgeous! (we actually got a little hot - crazy because yesterday most places were closed because of an ice storm - loco Dallas weather) Even though Chloe has not seen Kendra in about 7 months she immeadately was smitten. For 2 whole days Chloe, non stop, walked around saying "Hi, KiKi" (this is a nickname we borrowed from Kendra's nephew, Jayce. Just a lot easier to say than Kendra). Miker was in Miami so we just had a full day of girlie shopping, eating and playing.

Friday, we went and had lunch with our pal Blake. It was so great catching up. After that we did more shopping. (good thing she doesn't live here or I'd go broke!) That afternoon Miker got home. We ended up going out for sushi that night. Chloe did great! She had chicken stir fry. She ate with chopstix and for the first time, sat in a booster seat instead of a high chair!!

We took Kendra to her sister's on Saturday morning. We hung out for a bit. Crystal is always so great and she has the two cutest boys. The three kids played for a while and then we left. I was so bummed that our time with her was over. For the next couple of days Chloe went around knocking on doors around the house saying "hewwo? KiKi?". We can't wait for the next time we see her. We just might have to make a trip out to sunny California later this year.

This last pic is Chloe rockin' in Kendra's high tops. May just be my favorite picture ever!

21 AND SO MUCH FUN

2009-01-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Chloe turned the big 21 (months).

She's such a cool little thing. Here are some some pics of her doing what she does best - being cute!!!!

'TWAS THE MONTH AFTER CHRISTMAS

2009-01-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

And I'm FINALLY getting around to posting some pics. We had such a great time decorating and spending time together.

Chloe was so funny opening presents. She got all sorts of fun stuff. Lots of babies and a brand new stroller to push them in.

She also got a couple of puzzles, A Dora and Boots bath toy and a table she can sit and eat or color or have a tea party at. We were so excited for Christmas morning that Miker and I both got up super early. We sat and waited for Chloe to wake up. We waited...and waited...and waited. She decided to sleep until after 9!! Here are some pics of Christmas day. Hope everyone is having a great 2009!!!

CHLOE HENDRIX

2008-12-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

I promise to post Christmas Day pics soon but I just had to share these with you quickly. Miker got Guitar Hero from my parents for Christmas. All I can say is .... it was a hit with a certain little "rocker chic".

SYMPTOMS OF INNER PEACE

2008-12-21T07:56:00.000-08:00

I love this. Thanks, Mimi.

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences
* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment
* A loss of interest in judging other people
* A loss of interest in judging self
* A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others
* A loss of interest in conflict
* A loss of interest in worry
* Frequent overwhelming episodes of appreciation
* Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature
* Frequent attacks of smiles
* An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen
* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it

A LETTER TO MY FANS

2008-12-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I know my mommy normally writes these things but she's so busy getting ready for Christmas that she asked me to handle this one. Today I turn 20 months old! I know, I can't believe it either. I'm a great kid, if I say so myself. I love getting into EVERYTHING!! One of my favorite things to do is steal Mommy's phone and prank call people. I'm really good at it. I also love playing with my kitty and best friend, Monko. I've posted some pics of he and I exactly one year ago and some of us today - look how much I've grown!!

I have also taken a liking to the harmonica. I love to play the Blues.

My hair has really been growing SO much lately. I was on the computer looking at some old pics from last December and I must say, I sure have changed!

Overall, life is good. I'm having such a great time. I love running around and being silly. Hope everyone enjoys the pics I've posted.

JOE COOL

2008-12-15T10:22:00.000-08:00

Chloe has recently become OBSESSED with these sunglasses. The way she bends and pulls on them, I'm surprised they are still in one piece. I thought I should get a couple of shots of them before they completely fall apart. Enjoy!

DEAR SANTA,

2008-12-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

I found the perfect Christmas gift!!

I hear it is sold out at Toys R Us but I'm determined to get my hands on one!

Music, Monko, Sammich

2008-12-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

Chloe rocks

2008-12-07T15:15:00.000-08:00

MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES

2008-12-03T06:26:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when I say:

HAPPY FACE

This is what happens when I say:

SAD FACE

HAPPY HUMP DAY PEEPS!!

PUCKER UP

2008-12-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

So, Chloe got a hold of my lip gloss this afternoon and decided that her and her "baby" needed a make over.

She went with a light mauve. Looks stunning...don't ya think?

Needless to say, she's really starting to feel better.

MWAAAAAAAA!!!

WHAT MY KID TAUGHT ME ABOUT THANKSGIVING

2008-11-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

This past Tuesday, Chloe woke up with a bit of a runny nose. This didn't really concern me because just like her mom, we think she has allergies. I called the doc and she said to give her some Claritin befor bed. Our day went on as normal but around 6pm I noticed she looked like she really didn't feel to hot. I gave her a bath (because that is probably her favorite thing in the world) and tried to give her some dinner. She just kind of layed around. Finally, we decided to give her the Claritin and put her to bed. She really fought us when trying to put her down but finally gave up around 10 (and so did I).
About 11, through the monitor, I hear Chloe begin SCREAMING! Both Miker and I run in and find her just crying and shaking. He picks her up but she is just hysterical. I take her and decide her and I will sleep in the guest room. Well, as the night goes on (she's not sleeping fyi) I notice that she is breathing really hard and she begins to cough. Now when say cough it's like the most horrible sound ever. The doctor describes it as a "goose honk". She rolls over and lays on top of me and falls asleep. Now at this point her breathing is very labored and I can tell she has a fever. When she wakes up Wednesday morning I immediately call the doctor and when I discribe her symptoms they tell us to bring her over right away.

At the doctor's office they check her oxygen level, take her temp (which was 103.6 YIKES) and listen to her chest. It was awful. They gave her a breathing treatment which was torture and 2 steroid shots. Apparently she had cought a virus whch was causing her wind pipe to swell making it hard to breath. With this particular virus, it also causes "bronchitis like" symptoms. Just bad, bad, bad! Thye said she was contagious and we should keep her energy level down if possible.

We had planned on heading to my Aunt's house the next day for a Thanksgiving feast. Well, of course, I had to call and cancel. I was super bummed because I had been dreaming of swimming in mashed potatoes and stuffing and ham and....you get the point.

So, for the rest of the holiday weekend we were pretty much held up in the house with a really unhappy toddler. As for me, well, I was beginnig to feel increasingly more jelous of everyone elses Thanksgiving. I heard stories of turkey and pie and kids running around and funny relativess and AHHHHHHHH!!!

Then Saturday morning I was up around 6am with Chloe (after being up about once and hour the night before). She was lying on the floor watching a movie and I was folding laundry. Out of nowhere she turns and looks at me and in her little horse voice she says "cheeeeeese". I look at her and say "what?" She again says "cheeeeeeese" and points to the table. I look over at the table and notice my camera. I ask her "do you want me to take your picture?' She just smiled, never lifting her head from the floor, and says again - "cheeeeeeeese". I snapped a few shots and then she went back to watching her movie.

At that point i realized how silly I had been. What is Thanksgiving really? Why was I so bummed about not being able to go stuff my face and watch football. I think a lot of us have really forgotten what Thanksgiving is all about. We shouldn't specifically save our thanks for the last Thursday of November but count our blessings EVERYDAY. I am so thankful that we got Chloe to the doctor when we did and that she was able to avoid the emergency room. I am also thankful that MIker was around all weekend to help out and give Chloe the extra attention she needed. I am just all around thankful.

SO, really, who needs turkey when you've got cheeeeeeese?

PS Chloe seems to be feeling much better today. YAY!

HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

2008-11-24T10:50:00.000-08:00

I was recently inspired by a blog that my pal Kendra posted. She introduced me to this excercise a while back but I just didn't take the time to complete it. This time I was determined. So, what you do is list 100 things that make you happy. I found this very theraputc and fun. Here is my list in no particular order.

1. making "to do" lists
2. taking pics of chloe
3. getting tagged on the leg by monko
4. splenda
5. miker getting home early from work
6. my mornings to sleep in
7. my wedding dress
8. sushi
9. crazy thunderstorms
10. a good hard workout
11. diet dr. pepper
12. weekends with no plans
13. fitting into pre pregnancy clothes
14. chloe in footed pjs
15. the memory of my grandma and grandpa at my wedding
16. spongebob
17. reading other people's blogs
18. outdoor concerts
19. a clean house
20. date nights
21. sending thank you cards
22. a charged cell phone
23. make-up
24. miker's curly hair
25. playing american idol on the wii
26. halloween costumes
27. scary movie day with edi and kendra
28. inside jokes
29. pangea organic pyrenees lavender body lotion
30. house hunting
31. making dinner while sipping wine
32. listening to mamaw gossip
33. watching my dad play with chloe
34. lake lanier
35. going on walks with emily and elizabeth
36. showtunes
37. hard wood floors
38. chloe's face
39. polar bears
40. riding the train to hollywood and highland with miker
41. hot bubble baths
42. project runway
43. voting
44. saturday outdoor lunches
45. the spurs
46. being on time
47. key lime pie
48. catching up with people on facebook
49. cute and comfy shoes
50. playing top 5

51. my marc jacob's perfume
52. npr
53. mimi's cards
54. being tan
55. miker's bbq
56. baby concert t-shirts
57. gerber daisies
58. texas summer nights
59. queso
60. my ipod
61. open minded people
62. a good massage
63. cute pics of miker and chloe together
64. steam rooms
65. a big warm scarf
66. napolean dynamite
67. fairies
68. christmas decorations
69. queen
70. when chloe naps
71. a good sale
72. bad tv
73. sticker books
74. having a full tank of gas
75. mr. gatti's pizza
76. green tea
77. the old people that workout at my gym
78. cute jeans
79. facials
80. "for no reason" gifts
81. ordering appetizers
82. flying first class
83. my engagement ring
84. long voice mails from my mom
85. when miker does the dishes
86. funky coasters
87. korean karaoke
88. playing the guitar badly
89. when kids call me "chloe's mommy"
90. a hu la la
91. my fuzzy green robe
92. watching mom and mamaw wii bowl
93. too much coffee
94. being a pisces
95. the outlet mall
96. the muppets take manhattan
97. santa barbara
98. uncle rob's gnome paintings
99. touchmaster
100. my dvr

So, there it is. Wow...I sure am happy. Happy Monday, folks.

ODE TO MY CHLOE

2008-11-20T10:45:00.000-08:00

Chloe, you are 19 months old and Mom can not believe it. You're growing SO fast and are so much fun to be around. Here are the top 5 cool things you do to make Mom and Dad smile. (in no particular order)

1. You finally have a new favorite song. "Make it Mine" by Jason Mraz, makes you smile and clap and we could watch you jam all day long. Cutest thing ever!!

2. You can open doors. While this is a bit annoying for Mom, I am so proud of you and just thankful that they sale little gadgets to go on the door knob so you can still be contained.

3. Okay, I may have mentioned this is an earlier post but, you, hands down, are the BEST at animal impressions. I've never met anyone who could do a better piggy.

4. Lately you've been walking around the house saying "I go, come on". You say this over and over and over and....It never gets old because well, for some reason you make it work.

5. You can count to 3. Well, if I say 1, you say 2, then we both say 3!! (it usually comes out sounding more like free but you know what's up)

Well, this is just a few things from a long list of cool things you do. I just needed to cut it down to 5 because I really need to get some laundry done. Mom and Dad love you like crazy and are so happy you're our roommate!!

I've posted some recent pics along with some that were taken this time last year. I can't believe what a difference a year makes. Love you baby girl.

BIRTHDAY,BLANCO AND BBQ

2008-11-11T06:29:00.000-08:00

WOW!! What an amazing weekend we had. First, Friday was Miker's birthday. The two of us went to a great little restaurant called Asian Mint and enjoyed a yummy feast including tons of sushi, awesome chicken spring rolls and a nice bottle of wine. My Aunt Tammy kept Chloe over night so we were able to relax and get a good night's sleep which was important because we were planning on heading to a family reunion in Blanco the next morning.

Saturday morning we picked up Chloe and came back home to finish packing. Well, this took a bit longer than expected. We finally got on the road around noon. Traffic ended up being pretty bad so we arrived much later than we had planned. When we got to Blanco we went over to Miker's Grandparents house. We visited with the family including Mimi (Miker's mom) who had flown in from Georgia.

After that we headed to the adorable little house that we had rented to stay in along with our cousins Eli and Emily and their daughter Elizabeth. Chloe and Elizabeth had so much fun together. They put on their matching monkey pjs and ran around laughing and playing until almost 10pm!! We finally got the girls to bed and shortly after we all hit the sack too.

Sunday was a great day. We went to church and afterwards we had a catered bbq at our rental house. We also had a photographer there snapping candid shots of everyone as well as a few posed family pics. I have to say a special thank you to Emily for organizing the whole thing. It was really great. That evening we actually got the girls to bed at a reasonable hour and so we were able to hang out with Eli, Emily and Mimi. It was so nice catching up with everyone. We only see Eli and Em about once a year so we have lots to talk about. They are both such awesome people and we always enjoy seeing them.

I have posted tons of pics of everyone. My favorites are the ones of Elizabeth and Chloe. Those two girls are going to be such great friends as they grow up. They are very lucky to have eachother.

ELECTION 2008

2008-11-05T13:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a very emotional day for me. I think it was for the whole country. After months and months of grueling campaigns, election day was finale here. I loaded up Chloe's stroller, completely expecting to have to stand in a long line for hours and hours but was pleasantly surprised when I pulled into The Thomas Elementary School parking lot and only saw a few people. I grabbed Chloe, got her strapped in and headed towards the door. As I got closer, my heart started pounding and my eyes welded up with tears. I just couldn't believe how much my life had changed in the last four years. I just felt so proud to share this voting experience with my daughter.

Yes...my DAUGHTER...that sounded so crazy in my head. I know this sounds dramatic but look who you're talking to. I don't care who you supported in this election I think we can all agree that it was historic and so exciting. I'm just so thankful to live in a country where people from all walks of life can live the American dream.

JUST A BUNCH OF HALLOWEEN PICS!!

2008-11-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

Halloween was super fun for us. Chloe dressed as Snow White. We went over to my Aunt Tammy's house and let Chloe run up and down the street. She had a blast.

Later in the night she helped hand out candy to all the ninjas, firefighters and zombies. We left Tammy's at about 7:45 and within 5 minutes Chloe was out like a light. So much excitement. Enjoy the pics.

TOYS

2008-10-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

First thing in the morning and already ready to play. It's so funny - no matter what kind of cool toys we buy Chloe she is much more content playing with "non toys". You can see in the pics she's playing with an empty roll of toilet paper and in the other a mini size bottle of shaving cream ( thank goodness there was nothing left in it!!). I just think she looks so big and sweet in these pics.

Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween.

18 MONTH CHECK UP

2008-10-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Chloe had her 18 month check up today. She's doing great. She weighed in at 23 pounds 3 ounces and is 32 1/2 inches long. She did awesome when the doctor asked her different questions (she is quite the little ham - I have NO idea where she gets that). She got her flu shot along with her hepatitis A. I just hate watching her go through that but I sure don't want her to get the flu. I'm so proud of her. Hope everyone had a great weekend. I can't believe October is almost over. I haven't even bought Chloe's Halloween costume yet!! YIKES!!

Oh, the picture I posted is of Chloe being spoiled. I let her have a little snack picnic after we got home.

Mom can't think of a clever title so....

2008-10-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

So, I know I'm a few days late with this post but as most of you know this has been a "sick household" on and off for about the last 3 weeks. Between allergies and stomach bugs things have been a little rough. But, despite all the hard times we remain happy and laugh often. So, without further ado I present 18 things that make Chloe well, Chloe!!

1. You love to be outside. When we go for walks you always have to grab (what Dad calls) a "mascot". Your "mascot" is usually a leaf, an acorn or whatever else you find on the sidewalk.

2. The words you seem to say the best and the most often are Mom, Dad, Hello, Wow, I go, juice, Monko and your favorite - NO!

3. Your obsessed with Belly Buttons. Your own as well as others. You even try to find Monko's but haven't had any luck yet.

4. You could stay in the bathtub for hours. Mom swears you are part fish.

5. You know where your head, eyes, nose and teeth are.

6. For some reason, everytime you say "kitty" you put your hand on your cheek and say awwwwww.

7. If I tell you something is "hot" you are very good at blowing on it.

8. You are very sneaky. You love to put your finger over your lips and say shhhhh right before you pounce on your target and begin tickle torture!

9. Boy, oh boy, are you good at animal noises. Your best ones are cow, piggy, puppy and duck.

10. When Mom and Dad play American Idol on the Wii, you love to join in and sing with your mic. Rock on Chloe!

11. You love for Mom to tell you secrets. Usually the secret is that Daddy's a dork. You always think that's pretty funny.

12. Goldfish are your favorite snack!! You could eat your weight in them.

13. You crack up when Mommy grabs your foot and says pee-yoo!!! Mommy actually caught you grabbing your own foot and saying pwoo.

14. Your favorite song is still Viva La Vida. No matter what kind of mood you're in, if that song comes on, you start groovin'.

15. You are getting SO much more daring with your food!! Mom loves that! You've actually been really into salads lately.

16. You're obsessed with turning the tv on and off. This drives Mom and Dad absolutely crazy!!!!!!

17. You do a mean patty cake. You like to clap really, really fast.

18. If we ask you for a hug we usually don't get one - but if we ask you for a squeeze.... WOW super tight with an added pat on the back. Love it!

Um....You Look a Little Green...

2008-10-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

So, last week was no fun!! Chloe caught a stomach bug, passed it to me and I passed it to Dad. Now, let me just say, I would not wish this on anyone!! Thank goodness Miker was able to work from home on Wednesday because I couldn't get out of bed. After having it myself, I felt even worse for Chloe because I knew exactly how she must have been feeling. Luckily, Miker only had it for about a day so we still got to have a fun Sunday.

Here are some pics of the little lady that I took on Friday when she was feeling better.

FAB FRIDAY PHOTO FUN

2008-10-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

So, Chloe and I were feeling a little bored today so what better way to spend the afternoon....PHOTO SHOOT!!!!!!!!!

Better watch your back, Nigel Barker (noted Fashion Photographer).

CHLOE SHARES HER PICKLE WITH...

2008-09-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

CUTE PINK ROCKING PIGGY

HER LIGHT UP RIDING LION

DORA AND OF COURSE BACKPACK AND MAP

HER BOUNCY GREEN TWEETY BALL

HER FAVORITE OGRE, SHREK

MOMMY, KENDRA AND EDI

MONKO, THE WONDER CAT

AND YOU!!!

SURE TASTE GOOD!! THANKS CHLOE!

Name Game

2008-09-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

SWEET STUFF AT 17 MONTHS

2008-09-18T12:55:00.001-07:00

1. You are officially a "daddy's girl". When he gets home from work, you like to run to him and say "Hi Baby!".

2. You have created a new craze. It's called "The Chicken Wing" dance. I think it will be catching on in dance clubs world wide very soon.
3. You drink apple juice like it's going out of style.
4. You've gotten really good at throwing fits. Bummer.
5. In Mom's opinion, you have a BEAUTIFUL singing voice. You are quite a little performer.

6. Not a day goes by that you don't get a bruise, bump or bite.
7. Spinning in place and then attempting to walk is a favorite past time.
8. Going to the park makes you SUPER HAPPY!

9. Every morning you lead mom around the living room so she will open the blnds to let the "sunshine in".
10. Your kisses are getting better and better.
11. You can do the "head and knee" part of "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes".
12. You are, for the most part, very gentle with Monko. He won't admit this but, he really likes you.
13. You LOVE shoes. It's pretty cute when you grab your shoes, bring them to mom and say "Go". And boy do you go!!!

14. You hate getting your diaper changed. You just do not want to sit still.
15. While shaking your booty, you like to say "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle".
16. You're a very good helper. Especially when it comes to checking the mail.
17. You're just the coolest kid and we love ya like crazy!!!!

Singing In The Rain

2008-09-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

Oh, my....where to begin. This past weekend was quite exciting. As Ike threatened to hit us with some pretty bad weather, Miker and I decided to buy a new game for our Wii since we'd be spending most of Saturday inside. This is where it gets good - we bought the American Idol game. Let me just say, we have been having SO much fun with it. On Saturday alone, we played for over 4 hours. I'm not ashamed to tell you people this. My name is Roxane and I am a huge dork.

I've also posted some new pics of Chloe. She had a green shirt on yesterday and she looked so great. Her eyes are just amazing.

BREAKING NEWS!!!

2008-09-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

Chloe Rayne Stovall is finally growing hair!!! Miss Stovall was born nearly bald and after 16 months her mother is happy to announce she has discovered that her once shiny headed kiddo is now sporting some pretty sweet little blond locks. The mother reports that she really noticed this miracle of sorts after towel drying Chloe's hair after a bath on Saturday, September 6th. We were able to obtain photos of this glorious mane taken only moments after this momentous bath. Her hair appears to still be wet. We also have exclusive photos of her before this extremely earth shattering event.

We will be sure to post updates as this incredible story unravels.

Lookin' Good

2008-09-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

So, Chloe got a super neat gift in the mail from the Parsons. It was a nifty "No Doubt" t-shirt that they picked up at the Farmer's Market in Silverlake. I LOVE it!!! I can always count on Kendra to keep my girl looking cool.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2008-09-02T11:09:00.001-07:00

It's just crazy how fast this year is flying by. I just can't believe how much Chloe has grown. Here are a few pics that I've taken over the past year. She's like a different kid. Enjoy...

TGIF and All That Jazz

2008-08-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FRIDAY!!! I'm so excited to have a long weekend with no real plans. Woo Hoo!! I've been a little under the weather this week so I've put off a lot of work around the house. It'll be nice to have Miker's help catchin' up on everything. We got some bad news yesterday. Our favorite YMCA day care worker (Brittney - I've talked about her in an earlier post) quit!! BUMMER! I really hope that we can keep in touch with her because Chloe really digs her.

I snapped some pics of the Little Lady yesterday so I thought I'd share. She was being extra cute.

Hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.

A MILESTONE!!!

2008-08-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe not a milestone but still pretty cool...

As I talked about in an earlier post, I have really been working on getting Chloe to branch out as far as her food is concerned. She's been doing much better lately. Last night I decided to give ketchup a try. I've tried this before and she just did not get into it. Well last night I made her a hamburger, some nuggets (just in case) and some french fries...WITH ketchup. At frst she just looked at it and then looked at me and looked at it and...you get the picture.

After a couple of minutes she stuck her finger in and tasted it. Her eyes got huge. I wasn't sure if this was a good sign or a" I hate this, mom" sign. Well, SUCCESS!!! She kept sticking her little finger in and licking it clean. After a while, she figured out that she could dip her fries in too. She ate a whole plate of fries WITH ketchup!!! I don't know why I got so excited by this but I did.

I need to get a life...geez!

16 Super Stats about You at 16 Months

2008-08-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

1. You love being outside!! I know you're looking forward to the fall when we can actually go to the park in the middle of the day without having a heat stroke!!
2. You've gotten a lot more curly blonde hair.
3. Your vocabulary has really grown. Some favorite words are go, rock n roll and you've even said your name a couple of times.
4. You are pretty finiky when it comes to food. Lately you've been doing better. Your favorites are grilled cheese, hamburgers, crackers and of course chicken nuggets.
5. You have been sticking to your night time schedule for about the last 3 months!! Bed time is 8:30 and you usually wake up between 6:30 and 7:15.
6. You do not like to sit still. You love to run!
7. You've officially been to 3 states. California, Texas and Georgia.
8. You have allergies just like mom!!! YUCK!!
9. Viva La Vida by Coldplay is your favorite song. You laugh everytime it comes on.

10. You give great kisses. Especially to lamby but sometimes mom and dad get lucky.
11. You're over your fear of cows. Now instead of crying when you hear "moo" you smile.
12. As of one month ago you weighed in at 22 pounds and are 31 inches long.
13. You like brushing your teeth with your Baby Einstein tooth brush.
14. You really love "The Little Mermaid". After Ariel sing "Part of Your World", you clap and blow kisses.
15. Your favorite toys are your Fisher Price "doodle- pro" your Tweety green ball and your Backyardigans Tea Set (thanks Aunt Kendra).
16. You make mom's heart melt everytime you run across the room to give her a great big hug. Ahhhhh!!!

We love you, little girl!!!

Georgia Adventure

2008-08-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday we hopped on a plane and headed for the beautiful state of Georgia. Miker's mom and her side of the family are there. We hadn't been since 2000 and so it was definitely time. Miker's brother and dad also joined us. It actually turned into quite a family reunion. Miker's cousin Scott and his wife and daughter flew in from Austin and the rest of the family drove in from all over Georgia. It was lots of fun. Mostly we just swam in the lake and relaxed. Chloe absolutely LOVED being in the lake. We hardly spent any time indoors. The weather was awesome. It was such a nice break from the 108 degree Dallas temps.
One of the highlights of the week was Uncle Steve's Harley. Chloe took quite a liking to it. Miker and I both took a ride on it and I must say it was really cool.

On Thursday Miker and I headed to South Carolina to visit our friends Dave and Susan. They own a restaurant called American Grocery. It's really nice. We went and had drinks and sampled all sorts of food. YUMMMMMMY!!! I am so proud of them. The place is beautiful and the industry there has really taken notice.

So, overall it was a nice trip. I won't go into the plane ride home because I want to end this on a positive note. Let's just say when we finally made it home Miker and I were in need of a vacation. Here are some more pics from the trip. Enjoy.

Thanks to the whole family for making this such a great trip.

What a Week!!

2008-08-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

These past few days have been really interesting. As you all know, I stay home with Chloe so you would think that it wouldn't be that much harder having Miker out of town. WRONG!!! I don't know why but I am so much more tired than usual and have been going to bed pretty much right after Chloe. Maybe it's the heat?? Maybe it's just mental? I don't know. I guess it doesn't help that Chlo-dawg is teething like a maniac and is quite crabby. She has only been taking a 15 - 20 minute nap a day too. Normally she is fine playing on her own but since Miker left she doesn't want me out of her sight. Poor thing. I think she really misses her daddy.
So, thankfully Tropical Storm "Edouard" is giving us a little break from the 109 temps starting today. I think the high is 95. We may even get some rain!!!! I am really looking forward to getting out of Dallas for a little bit (we're going to Georgia next week for a family reunion). I just miss being able to go outside. I was in my car last night around 8:30 and it was still 104!! YUCK! So, hopefully Georgia will be a pleasant break.
We are also looking forward to visiting South Carolina next Thursday. Our good friends Dave and Susan have a restaurant in Greenville. Ahhhh, a nice date night with good friends and yummy food. SO NEEDED!!
This weekend should be nce too. I'm getting a much needed haircut and maybe even a pedicure! It's the little things, folks.

Well, that's all I got. Mommy mush brain syndrome has kicked in. The pic I posted is an example of how Chloe and I are both feeling lately.

Stay classy.

Our Hen House

2008-08-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

So, Miker left this morning for a week long trip to Philadelphia. So, you guessed it - GIRLS WEEK!!! Chloe and I are hangin' solo and are in need of some suggestions. We want to get out and have some fun but we don't want to spend a bunch of money and with the temp getting up to around 104 degrees, outside activities are pretty much out of the question. C'mon peeps - we need some help!!
Hope everyone is having a great weekend. We miss you already, Daddy!!