Look out...Bodee's 1!

You were born weighing 8 lb 12 oz on November 23rd, 2008 at 1:20 am

And now, at one years old, you are 20 lb 7 oz and growing by the minute...
You couldn't breath very well when you were born so they had to help you out with all this junk...Hard to even imagine that your left lung was smaller than your right...especially when you throw one of these fits...it's music to our ears (most of the time)

We had to teach you how to eat...and tried every way to convince you to do so...

Now you'll eat anything in front of you...(except peas)...

like dirt... and especially CAKE...

You were in the hospital for 3 weeks...so we wondered how behind you would be developmentally...

But you've been right on track and even took your first steps at 11 months on November 12th.

We are daily amazed with you little guy...you are such an great baby with a fun personality. You go to sleep at night so easily...and wake up in the morning ready to go at 6:30am SHARP (NC time or TX time...doesn't seem to matter to you LOL) You are into everything and love to explore only the places we tell you to stay away from...and each time, you turn back and give us the cutest little look...I'm guessing this is how you plan to get away with things when you are older. For now, it works...! You will forever be our little miracle baby and you will be an inspiration to us for the rest of our lives. You fought so hard when you were born and you continue to amaze us with each milestone you reach. We love you!!! HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!!

USMC Ball 2009

Mark and I have made it a habit to go to the ball every year. The only year we missed was when Dakota was born and that was only because I got sick right after. I even went last year and waddled around at 8 1/2 months prego LOL. I always enjoy getting to go with Mark all dressed in his blues. We had tons of fun and the pride of being the wife of a United States Marine is strongest on these nights :). Here are just a few pics!

Here's the cake...they cut a piece for the guest of honor, one for the oldest Marine there and one for the youngest...who by the way was born in 1990. WOW!...felt pretty old LOL

Mark and I...and the pic was taken on November 10th...Danny's camera is still set on Iraq time so it thought it was the next day :)

Lovin on my hubby!

We actually danced at this one...
Quite a bit actually...it was amazing!

The guest of honor was the Commandant of the Marine Corps General James T. Conway...they got to chat dogs for a few seconds :)
And for the sappy part...Mark took me out to the beach afterwards and brought a change of clothes and some blankets. We layed out on the beach and watched a movie together while the sis held down the fort back at the house with the kids. It was an amazing night altogether!

Double Birthday Celebrations

So I have to tell something funny Dakota said before I explain anymore. We kept telling Dakota that on her birthday, she was gonna turn 4 years old and be a big girl. Well yesterday someone asked her how old she was and she said 5. I told her no sweetie, you are 4 now...you'll be 5 next year. She said no mom, on my birthday we went to Chuck E Cheese's and I was 4. But then I had another birthday with Scooby-Doo so I am 5 now. SMART TURD! Not sure how we'll convince her otherwise but for now, she thinks she is 5. I guess that's what we get for doing two different birthday celebrations for her.

The first thing we did was that we took her to Chuck E Cheese's on her actual birthday. She has been so excited about her daddy taking her there and playing all the games with her. We had tons of fun and dad couldn't believe how grown up she was. When he left, she couldn't play most of the games without help. She's officially a gamer :)...and for the record...VERY LUCKY!

Then came the birthday party. I always ask Dakota each year (well I guess for 2 years now LOL) who she wants to have at her party. And I start to write the list as she names the people. Well, this will probably be the last year that I actually invite everyone she names :). Let's just say there were 15 kids there by the end and as many adults! She had also decided that she wanted a Scooby-Doo party so I got to work. I showed her tons of pictures of cakes and she kept pointing out The Mystery Machine complete with "the gang." And that's just what she got. She also told me that we had to solve a mystery...and that "maybe we could have clues on dog paw prints." So, here was the party. The guests arrived and a "ghost" made the presents disappear. You should have seen the look on the kids faces when they saw them missing...then the rest of the party was spent finding clues to where the presents were hid. They bashed in a ghost pinata...played musical paw prints...and stomped ghost balloons in the front yard. Yes, it was as crazy as it sounds. We then had her open the presents after the kids found them in the trunk of my car and then sang happy birthday to her. Dakota isn't a big fan of being the center of attention...so when it came time to blow out the candles...she wouldn't do it. She decided that she would just wave out the candles...but it worked...so whatever.

I really enjoy trying to make birthday's special for Dakota...she is always pretending she is having a party or serving cake...so it's the one chance I have to actually bring her imaginary world into reality. Trust me, with her imagination...this is a toughy!

Here is a slideshow of the pics that were taken from both times :)

Halloween

The kids got dressed up twice this year and that is one too many times when you are spraying Dakota's hair red...what a mess...but Ariel didn't have blonde hair so it was a must :)

Dakota went as The Little Mermaid and Bodee was Kung Fu Panda. We went to the Fall Festival at church the Saturday before Halloween and then went Trick or Treating on Halloween with Johnny and June...Dakota's favorite people from Wilmington :). Both kids sat in the stroller while we chauffeured them to the houses...so much for working for your candy. Dakota was super cute this year and didn't mind having to say "trick or treat" for her candy. There wasn't much of that going on last year :). Bodee was totally content sitting in the stroller and munchin on a package of whoppers...they weren't opened and he just likes the crinkling noise! Well, a few houses into it we noticed him waving his arms and kicking his feet...so I knelt down and felt the wrapper. Two of the three whoppers were missing...guess he has quite the sweet tooth. Dakota was so cute and at the first house, she said "I need some for my brother too"...and in my mind, I'm thinking...that little stinker :). But at every house she got candy for her brother too...and put it into his bucket. She is such a great big sister! After a little bit, Dakota said, "mom, I don't want any more candy...I wanna go home." Hmmmmm, didn't know what to think of that but definitely didn't argue with her.

We had tons of fun just getting to be together as a family and watching our kiddos get so excited.

Dakota wouldn't stick her hand in the bowl to find the eyeballs...but Bodee sure did enjoy it LOL

Dakota wrapped Bodee and I up like a Mummy ;)

Guess what she had painted on her hand? A kitty cat of course!

Showin off the candy he scored!

This is how we "roll" :) Bodee eatin his whoppers...the look on his face says "guilty"Dakota doin her thing... She was very particular about the candy she chose..even for Bodee The greatest big sister ever!

My Beautiful Girl

Well the day has finally come...Dakota is oficially 4 years old. Not sure how I feel about this...super excited on one hand that she is growing up to be such a fun, smart, beautiful little girl but then on the other hand, I wish I could stop time. Mark and I watched her 1st year video the other night and couldn't believe how little she was and it only seemed like yesterday that some of the pics were taken. I am daily amazed at the amount of imagination that she has. The things she comes up with and the stories she tells keeps us giggling all the time. Since Mark's been home, I am totally seeing where she gets it all. They could make up an entire world for themselves and be perfectly content living in it :). Looking back through all of the pictures made us realize that she has lived in several different places and has experienced tons of fun stuff. She's been to all but one Hawaiian island...mostly in my belly but it still counts...she's been 4-wheelin, tubing in the snow, hunting, camping, fishing, hiking, body-boarding...just to name a few :). We are really excited to see what the next 4 years holds for this little girl. She is such an amazing girl and we are so blessed to have her as our daughter!!! It was tough to pic but here are a few pics from her 4 years LOL.

Dakota Michelle Maikalani Vierig

Born November 3rd, 2005 1:11am...6lbs 14oz. Living in Kailua, Hawaii

1 years old and living in Eagle Mountain, Utah Two years old and living in Wanship, Utah

3 years old and living in Jacksonville, North CarolinaAnd here's our beautiful girl now...it's amazing to look back and see the transformation :). She keeps saying that someday, she will have brown hair like mommy and daddy! I'll be prayin it stays exactly the way it is :).

We love you sweetheart! Happy Birthday :)

Tough Guy

Bodee is such a cool baby...he hasn't even skipped a beat since his surgery yesterday. He came home a little groggy and slept quite a bit yesterday but the medicine they gave him didn't leave him much choice. Today? Well, you wouldn't even know he had anything done. He's back to his happy, silly self....

Here are a few pics from yesterday...he was super playful while we waited for them to take him back. He even made time to flirt with the nurses, watch Special Agent Oso, and played with the bed pan, denture containers and pee cups that the nurse thought would keep him occupied. I know I know...heaven forbid he play with the 10 toys I brought for him...

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

This shirt's kind of breezy mom...check out my polka dot britches

Yes, that's a denture container...and he's watching Special Agent Oso so he didn't realize I put the hat on...
didn't take him long...
"Recovering" :)