Here are some more pictures of my new little beautiful. They were taken a few days after she was born, I believe on the 22nd.

Hannah's New Little Doll

These pictures kind of depict how Hannah treats her doll. I gave her a doll a while ago so that she could practice taking care of and loving it. That way when the new baby came Hannah would not be as jealous since she'd have her own baby to play with. However, I quickly noticed that Hannah's favorite thing to do with her doll was to give it a hug, sling it over her shoulder, take a few steps and then drop it, head first, onto the floor. I guess that gave me a good idea of how she would treat Evelyn when she came! Hannah is really a good big sister, although I watch her VERY closely and don't leave my two little girls in the same room. Hannah gives Evelyn multiple hugs and kisses a day. (She just learned how to give kisses and they are very involved. Anyone who has had a baby learning how to kiss will know what I mean.) At first Evelyn (who is a lot more expressive than Hannah ever was) complained a little bit. She didn't really like being mauled. (Can you blame her?) But now she gets this expression on her face that says, "Oh well, what can I do?" and she just lives with it. She is turning out to be a good little doll for her big sister!

Evelyn's Fourth Day

Here are a couple more updated pictures of Evelyn. Mom took them. For those of you who don't know, Mom has come to spend a few days helping me adjust to having a new baby. Isn't that sweet of her? Evelyn and I got up this morning and Mom said Evelyn already looks different. (Today is Wednesday, and Evelyn was born on Saturday). I guess it could be true. She kind of looks different to me, too.

Our New Little One

So, everybody, pictures, like I promised. I really think that the pictures speak for themselves. I am the Mom in green (obviously) and Hannah is the sweet little beautiful girl gazing in awe and wonder at her new sister. The new sister is Evelyn Jane Hildebrandt, born October 18, 2008, weighing seven pounds and one lonely ounce, and both of her Grandmas appear in the pictures too. Alas, you can only see my Mom's arm, but there is a lovely picture of Ben's Mom, Jane. Enjoy!

Hannah's Second 1st Birthday

Although Hannah celebrated her first birthday on her birthday with the Hogenson family, we celebrated with her again when her Dad was home from working in Castlegar, B.C. Ben and I gave her some late gifts ... a doll and some blocks, and her Grandma Jensen gave her a book. These were some cute pictures of the event. I know you can't see Hannah's eyes when she first looks at the doll, but look at her mouth anyway. She was really excited about it. She wasn't sure how she felt about the baby having a bottle though ... She wanted that for herself!

So, everyone, lots of immediate family members (mostly doting uncles) have been asking to see this video, and it sure is cute. Ben had said that he didn't mind missing Hannah getting her first taste of icecream, as long as he could watch her eat her first bite of cake, but Mom convinced us to wait anyway, and Ben was very glad we did. It was a lot more fun to watch her get her first taste of icecream than it was to watch her eat her first cake. Since then, Hannah has delighted in eating anything cold. She'll down a whole popsicle in just moments. I guess in some ways she's just like her Daddy!

Hannah's First Birthday

I've got lots of pictures for this one, but I couldn't help it. Hannah was delighted with all of her gifts, especially the little picture book Linda, my sister, made her. She still loves to touch the soft spots on the book.

Hannah was so spoiled on her birthday. She received a lot of gifts from her aunts and uncles and her Grandma and Grandpa Hogenson. It was a really big birthday party for such a little girl. She got lego and a Fisher Price phone and books and electronic toys and all sorts of things. We chose Stephen to help her open the gifts because he played with her the most during the summer while we were in Calgary, and they became pretty good friends.

I think Hannah is so lucky. There are so many people who just adore her, and love her, and cuddle her and spoil her. I don't think she'll ever have reason to think that she isn't loved with so many people around "loving her" all the time!

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Hannah Walks

See my Hannah baby? This first video is an earlier video of her walking. These aren't her first steps...I don't actually think we got them on video, since by the time I'd see her take a couple of steps, it was over. This is one of the first times she'd taken more than a couple of steps, though. However, she's usually more careful about falling. It's not as often that she just goes ker-plonk. Grandpa broke her fall and saved the day.

The second video is kind of funny. We took it today (the 30th of July). She's getting better at walking and has taken over twenty steps now. However, she usually chooses the shortest route to get somewhere, as you can note since she headed for the couch first. Mom was holding the video camera, and a "kazoo," (incentive, you know), and half-way through her Grandpa suddenly rushed out seemingly from nowhere, and this video is the result.

Growing Up So Fast Part II

The picture of Hannah sleeping is really cute. My brother David babysat her and when I came home I found her asleep and took a picture. Ever since she learned to roll over she's preferred to sleep on her stomach, usually with her face planted into the sheets. The picture of Hannah standing up is the most recent one of her, at about eight and a half months. I was working on the computer and when I turned around I found she had pulled herself to a standing position to get the books on the second shelf (which she isn't allowed to have.) That's the first time I saw her do that, but she did it again today, although she propped herself up on the toolbox instead of on her walker.

Growing Up So Fast

Just thought this picture was cute and had to add it.
This was a picture of Hannah and I when we went to the Devonian Gardens in Calgary. There were lots of turtles and fish in the water behind us. Hannah didn't honestly seem to be that impressed, but it was a peaceful place and we enjoyed ourselves.
Here's Hannah with a baseball hat Ben and I got her. For those of you who don't know, Ben has about fifteen and he wears a different one almost everyday.
I think Hannah looks cute even when she's upset.
Ben took this picture. It was the first time Hannah discovered that she could find us by leaving the room we had left her in. It was kind of a cute peek-a-boo picture.

Hannah Changes

Well, I've thought about it and decided that a better name for this blog might have been "Hannah, in the Hildebrandt Family." Ah well. I just can't get over talking about her and showing pictures of her. She's the pride of my life. She is my life. I spend all day with her, every day. That's a lot of time.
So, the first picture is of Hannah wearing a headband her great grandma sent her, and the second, obviously, is of Hannah playing with her feet (it's been her obsession for quite a while, every since my Mom pulled her feet up and bonked them on her nose), and the third picture is of Hannah with a spoon, which she also loves, since she loves to eat and that, to her, is what the spoon represents. Back to the second picture. It's funny that Hannah really likes to be undressed nowadays, because she can get at her feet better. The first thing she does when I take off her sleeper or change her diaper is grab her feet. It makes for an interesting diaper change.






Okay, so this is a video of Ben playing with Hannah. (The funny thing is Ben is the one making the most noise.) But I would definitely say we have a beautiful little girl. She learns so much every day. She's so happy. She always coos and laughs and plays and it's impossible not to catch her joyful spirit.

I am Bragging

Here's the latest dress I made Hannah. It turned out really cute. I made it in exchange for one of my old skirts, if you get my meaning. Isn't Hannah so beautiful?

So, Ben and I went to the inagauration of Honorary Colonel, Art Smith. It was held at Ben's school, the SAIT aerocenter, and Ben received a personal invitation from Mr. Smith, having interviewed Mr. Smith for a report he wrote for an English class at school. It was very kind of Mr. Smith to invite us, and likely it is the only time Ben and I will ever attend such an event again.

The air force brought in a couple of their fighter jets, which we were able to see and take pictures of, and they are so cool I wanted to share them. Cool, huh? Look at this jet!

Hannah was really good, too. She hardly made any noise, and fell asleep during the reception.

Christmas and New Year's Celebrations

Ben and I spent Christmas in Cardston with his family. Hannah cuddled a lot with Great Grandma Jensen, which was really unusual for her. Christmas Eve, Hannah slept in a chair we pulled up to the bed we were sleeping in. She really liked it, and I discovered that I did, too. It felt really nice to have her sleeping right beside me. Since then I have sometimes wished I could pull her crib over to our bed and take off the edge, but that would be just silly. Hannah really liked the toys she got for Christmas. Both Great Grandma and Grandma Jensen got her beautiful dresses for Christmas, and she liked those too. It's funny how much she likes to be dressed up in cute clothes. I have so much fun with her, and I'm always grateful I got to have a baby girl first since they are so much fun to dress up and "play house" with. (Sometimes, as a mother, it seems like really I am just playing house. It's hard to believe that I really am "grown up" and that I have a family of my own. Sometimes I catch myself saying, "When I grow up I...".)









Ben and I had a really good New Year's Celebration, too. We spent part of the night at a friend's home talking and playing games, but, ultimately, we had decided that we had never spent a New Year together, with just the two of us. So we did. We drank a sparkling grapefruit cider or something akin to it (Ben was really excited since he could drink pop, having made a New Year's resolution the year before to abstain from it for the year), and we played Skip-Bo, which is my favorite card game. No matter how often I play with Ben, or which card games I play with him, he always wins. It's uncanny really. But that was that. Very romantic. I hope we do it again someday!

Hannah, My Beautiful.

Okay, here's Hannah again. (I have a lot to put up right now, since I haven't for so long.)

Hannah's so cute, I just can't resist putting up pictures of her. Sometimes I get carried away. I know more isn't always better, but sometimes it sure is more fun! I love how Hannah is learning to be more interactive, and how she is learning to like playing on her tummy (she used to hate it), and I love how cute she is, and how expressive and beautiful her eyes are. I love everything about her. Of course I do; I'm her Mommy. And just to show how cute she is, and to prove my point about her enjoying to eat everything, I have a kind of funny video following this text. Ben started taking it just as she grabbed onto her chair and started to eat it. I'd tell all about it, but it really is more fun to watch it, so just click below! (Sorry about all the background music...I really wanted to capture Hannah, but you have to listen closely to hear her...).

I also have a story to tell. Well, it's sort of a story. I think one of the times I've loved the most with Hannah is when she figured out who I am. I breastfeed her, and one day she kept breaking her latch and looking up at me, and she would suddenly smile or laugh or try to start talking to me. Sometimes I'd catch her looking at me in a calculating sort of way. After a couple of days I realized she was starting to figure out there was a person attached to her dinner. Now whenever she sees me preparing to feed her, she gets really excited. She rarely breaks away anymore, as if in surprise, to look at me. She's figured out I'm there. It makes me feel really special. What beautiful moments!

Hannah, The Scholar

I was given this baby book as a gift about a month ago, and Hannah has just started to play with it. Mainly she's interested in eating it, just like she seems to be preoccupied with sucking her fists for hours and hours at a time, but sometimes she does look at it. I thought these were cute enough to merit sharing.

Hannah is starting to get a lot of personality. It's obvious if she doesn't want to do something, or if she wants to do something else, and sometimes she complains about it. She's generally a very good and very quiet baby, though, with an easy going personality. She's easy to pacify or placate, and she's generally very happy and smiles a lot. I really enjoy this stage of her development, since she's starting to communicate with me (or at least I'm starting to understand her when she tries to communicate with me), and I absolutely love seeing her laugh!