We Have A Walker

On July 29th our little Lo walked for the first time. She had taken a step here and there but never more than one until this day...and of course, Robert was on a business trip! Luckily, we were staying at Mimi and Pappy's house so Mimi captured it on her phone. She certainly took her sweet time getting to this point, she's 16 months old! We knew she was plenty strong but she had to decide to take the plunge. She loves practicing anywhere we go!

Week and Weekend In Review

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last while you know that last week we voted.  This was the longest campaign I have ever lived through and boy did it seem never ending! I think that everyone was ready for it to be over...that might have been the only thing that all sides could agree one.  President Obama was re-elected.   In other news, a local candidate rented a bounce house for our precinct and I think it was brilliant.  I only wish that Lo could have enjoyed it.  Next time...

And, in case you missed the cutest voting duo in the history of the world-

Other than voting last week we also- worked, did lots of painting, had a successful cub scout activity, fed the missionaries (who are absolutely precious), had a triple date to go shooting and watch a movie.

We also got to spend time with Kelc, I'm pretty sure that I couldn't love another person more than I love that girl.  I can only hope that my Lo will be half as good as Kelc.  She is beautiful inside and out!

We visited with Bab and Roc's crew...including Roc's sister that lives out west now.  Our baby was given/snuck chocolate chip cookie, brownieand candy corn while at their house. Lo learned to click her tongue right before bed on Saturday night.  Maybe from the sugar high?! 

Today Robert was called to be the first counselor in the Elders Quorum presidency in our ward. I really love our ward that we are currently in and enjoy the friendships that we have made.

And, don't want to jinx it BUT our realtor called and said that we should be getting an offer on our house this week from the people that looked at it this morning.  We were so happy that we both cried.  So, pray for us people!

Halloween 2012

We started out the Halloween celebration by taking our Little Pumpkin to get her flu shot.  The nurse that gave her the vaccine was dressed as Buzz Light Year, I have a feeling that she won't be a fan of Toy Story!

Before we left to meet up with the fam we had a brief little photo shoot of the cutest little pumpkin ever.  Well, see for yourself-

 After the shoot I asked the Hubs to take a quick pic of me and my girl in case it didn't happen later in the evening.  Well, it didn't happen later and she wasn't that interested in these...oh well!

We headed over to Roc and Babs house where the whole family (except Mimi who was working) got together to go Trick or Treating.  Some of the kids took turns pushing around the pumpkin chariot.  Her stroller went with her costume!

 Then she got "saved" from her plush ride by Bab who took her up to some doors to do some real trick-or-treating.

 I forgot her basket at Trunk-or-Treat and for tonight.  Luckily I had a smaller Target shopping bag in my car.  She wasn't keen on carrying her own bag!

Then we came across this awesome house.  The pictures just don't do it justice.  There were lights and animated stuff all over.  The wind knocked some of the stuff over...it was chilly!

In the end, Gigi ended up in the stroller being pushed by a frozen Hubby.  Jas, Nell, Lou and J Man are in the background.  Boy did we have fun!

Baby's First Trip To The Zoo

We are fortunate enough to have an amazing zoo so close to where we live.  It has always been a favorite place to go...when it's not during the summer months!  Lo enjoyed her first trip.  She could not have cared less about the actual animals but she loves being outside so it was right up her alley.

Lo and her Aunt are too cool for school!

She loved the aquarium.  I think she liked that it sounded like her white noise machine and it was nice and dark.

I actually saw the zebra run for the first time in my life.

Bab trying to refresh Lo with the cold water from the fountain.

We were able to go early in the afternoon on Wednesday while the Hubs was on a business trip with Bab and the kidlets, they had early release.

6 Month Check Up

Lo had her 6 month check up at the doctor and here are her current stats:

Height-26.5 inches(73.3%)

Weight-18 pounds 9 ounces (90%)

Head Circumference-42.5(57.2%)

She is perfectly healthy and happy.  Poor girl got 3 vaccines and one by mouth so she slept a lot after her appointment. At 6 months she- rolls from her back to her stomach, has one tooth (bottom left) that has broken through, laughs and giggles, babbles up a storm, loves any and all strangers. Favorite activities include-going on walk/runs with Mama, playing in her exersaucer, any time spent with her Daddy, reading books, splashing in the tub, chewing on anything and watching clips of Curious George. Least favorite activities- being on her tummy.

First Tooth

On September 19th Lo got her first tooth...bottom right.  She has been a real trooper throughout the whole thing.  I actually never noticed that it happened, Hubby pointed out that he heard something hard hitting one of her chew toys when she was chomping on it.  And lo and behold, it was a tooth!  She let out an ear piercing scream about an hour prior to that and we assume that that is when it happened.  She got the one next to it last Friday night.

Punky Takes Ohio

Our little family and my parents took a little road trip to visit Hubby's side of the family in the buckeye state.  It had been far too long since the Hubs and I made the haul up the road to visit so we were happy to see everyone.  Some of the trip highlights included-

 Punky meeting her paternal "Grandpa" for the very first time.

 Hanging out with Uncle Neal.

 Getting the grand tour from Aunt Fran and meeting Gweny the cat.

Apparently meeting the man of her dreams. Seriously, this kid couldn't get enough of her cousin Kevin...I think I'm going to have to get a poster to put above her crib of his face!

 Amish Country- a pretty gazebo outside one of the shops.

 Browsing the Amish furniture and finding this huge chair to pose the little one in.

 The reason for visiting Amish Country- Heini's cheese!  I've got my freshly made baby swiss and parmesan in the fridge to prove it.

 A shot of one of the farms.  It really is a beautiful place...maybe it was because it was 70 degrees there as opposed to 100 degrees back here at home?!  I told the Hubs that next time we're bringing a tripod and taking some family pictures in the pastures up there.

 We had a family reunion with the family.  It was nice to visit with all of his aunts, uncles and cousins.  We wish that we could see them more often and have vowed to do better.

 Theresa loves s'mores as much as I do! That was some exciting news to me.  She and Kevin brought their fire pit so we could make some delectable s'mores that night.

And, while being cooped up in a car for a total of 24 hours over the span of a few days...the girl has decided that doing tricks with her tongue is where it's at!  Hours of fun, never gets old.

Cradle Cap Cure

At almost four months old I thought we were out of the woods with any threats of cradle cap...wrong!  I thought I felt a little bumpiness on her scalp a few days before the flakes showed their ugly face but Hubby said I was being obsessive. Who, me?!  Sure enough, a few days later I saw the flakiness of what I assume was cradle cap.  In 2 days it was completely gone and I'll tell you how-

olive oil.

Yep, I basted Lo's head in olive oil and then gently massaged her scalp with her little hairbrush then shampooed her hair.  I did this twice because, well, I'm obsessive!  Anywho,it's completely gone. The only problem is, I think I created a diva in the process.  She sure does love having baby spa treatments done!

I decided to do a treatment at the last minute before she was going to bed (hence her in jammies and a swaddle blanket). She loved having her hair shampooed over and over though and was quite relaxed for bed! 

Cereal

Lo had her first taste of cereal on July 17th.  She has her 4 month well visit on the 24th so her pediatrician told us to start her on cereal a week before the visit.  She did better than I expected,especially since she was sleepy when I realized we hadn't given her any yet..  I didn't expect that she would keep any cereal in but I think she may have gotten a tiny bit!  It was adorable, but I'm sure that I am not biased in any way.

The after math.

Yes, her first meal was served in a pampered chef bowl...how fitting!

Happy girl with a full belly.

The next time we gave her cereal we mixed a little pear juice in with it (her ped told me to give her an ounce per day) and she seemed to like that a whole lot better.  She took down a pretty good bit during that session.  Each day she gets better and better with the eating thing...practice makes perfect!

Independence Day 2012

We had a fabulous 4th of July celebration at our home.  This year we decided that we were taking over the 4th as our holiday.  All of my siblings have "their" holidays so we chose our first one.  We had a delicious spread- we went with BBQ as the main event.  We also had some wonderfully patriotic food too including salad with blueberries and strawberries, red white and blue dipped strawberries, truffles and pretzel rods, red and white pina coladas (a.k.a. Hawaiian lava flow) and blue corn chips with queso and salsa.  We also enjoyed red white and blue cake with homemade strawberry ice cream and s'mores.

 Everyone enjoyed the outdoor games- golf toss and corn hole.

 A kid and adult favorite-the slip and slide.  Pappy even took a couple joy rides down the thing.

 Red, white and blue eats.

 Roc making the ice cream

 Nell tasting the Hawaiian lava flow drinks

 The slip-n-slide champ J-Man

 Gigi, E and Pappy enjoying the swing

 Some of my crafty decor.

Our little family.

We bought a plethora of outdoor games that everyone enjoyed.  We also tried to do water balloons but that was an epic fail!  Apparently we bought the worst water balloons ever made.  The slip-n-slide will definitely be making an appearance next year.  The kids made everyone s'mores over the grill and the day ended with a pretty sweet fireworks display put on by the Hubs and Roc.  There was only one grouping that went astray and sent the entire family running for their lives.  It was also the first fireworks set off so that Lo could experience some.  She was unfazed by the fiasco but her Mama wasn't so calm as she bobbed and weaved around the yard like she was in a war zone.  Good times!

3 Months

Lo doesn't go back to the doctor until her 4 month check up but I thought I would document a little about our girl.  I weighed her yesterday and if my scale is correct she weighs a little over 15 pounds.  She has always been a good sleeper at night but this week she has started waking around 2:00AM for a feeding.  It seems as though she's going through a growth spurt.  She brings so much joy into our lives.

 She loves to shop.  Hubby says we're in trouble because the more things we pile into the cart the more smiley she gets.  She even helped her Daddy shop for new glasses and these were the ones he ended up buying.  I guess she already has good taste!

 She's had a pretty big month on the toy front.  She is a lot more interactive now and enjoys time on her activity mat.  She's only done the exersaucer once but she enjoyed it.

 On her activity mat.  There are about 3 places that you can kick and each place plays a different song.  She is a very active girl so you never her more than 3 or 4 notes of a song before she's kicked a different spot and it starts a new song.

 She's very patient with her cousins antics...

 and with them learning how to help her.

 She's become quite the drooler!

 She is a very pleasant girl...as long as she gets her nap. She is very vocal about not getting her beauty rest although she fights it to the end.

 Loves sitting up all by herself in the bumbo.

 Water relaxes her as has been evident from her love of her white noise machine...she enjoys the rain,stream and ocean noises best.  She also loves baths.

 She's got a love of vintage cars...or at least her Daddy hopes!

She loves her Daddy!  However,with the growth spurt she prefers for her Mama to put her down for naps.