Sometimes I think she should be a Baby Gap model the way her legs so perfectly fill out her jeggings

Some of the new things she is doing this month: She is suddenly starting to give great big neck hugs and the gummy, open mouthed equivalent of a kiss. And I’m obsessed with them 🙂 She has hated tummy time ever since I could remember. But now she loves it: up on all fours, rocking back and forth and scooting backwards down the hallway, giggling the whole way. She has also learned to take ALL of the toys out of her toy bins. She methodically takes out her favorites first and then proceeds to dump the rest of them out on the floor around her. She is, by far, the cutest mess to clean up after. On more than one occasion, she has grabbed onto one of our legs or the spindles of her crib and pulled herself up all alone – only to stand up for a few seconds and plop right back down. So down a level the crib went. I may or may not have cried while Eric did this. I was instantly brought back to the night that we put her crib up together when I was pregnant with her. I sat there blubbering like a baby rocking my squirmy 7 month old girl, remembering what it felt like sitting there feeling her move in my tummy, what seemed like just yesterday. Oh, it’s just going by too fast.

She finally figured out that she actually likes to sit like this in shopping carts. We are all pretty thrilled that she has come to this conclusion. Happier shopping for all!

Avacado and carrots are officially the bees knees in our home. She kicks and squeals every time she sees them coming.

Our new favorite toy is our big pink ball. $1.50 at price chopper, of all places. We were passing by and she reached both arms out and started flailing around like a wild woman. Whatever pleases her polka dot majesty 🙂

 

Who needs baby sign language? Whenever she is tired and ready for a nap, she sticks her arms up and grabs the hair on the back of her head, as modeled above. We have named her the “little armpit model.” It’s kind of her way of letting us know she tired. Rule of thumb – if the arm pits aren’t showin’, baby isn’t nappin’. Speaking of napping and sleeping, we are FINALLY back to our 11 hour straight sleeper and consistent napper, after 2 weekends of traveling. And the skies opened up and the angels sang, “Halleluiah!” Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

We lost a very beloved part of our family this week – Eric’s precious space heater that he has had since college finally bit the dust. Luckily, he already had another one that Patrick had bought him for Christmas. Eric has raised this heater from the dead on many occasion, but this time, it was for real. Alas, it is time to move on…

 

There is nothing quite like a good Kansas spring storm. But before the storm comes those beautiful, deep blue skies with big billowing clouds. The sky seemed to match Nora’s eyes perfectly, so of course I tried to grab a few pictures before the rains came.

Giggle, giggle, giggle!

Nothing like feeling the wind in your pony tail

Now that spring is here (or coming, depending on the weather that the midwest is having that day) we are planning our summer schedule in full force! Not only are we going to Colorado and Canada, but Eric and I are also planning a weekend away, just the two of us, for our anniversary in June. We’ve decided to take a camping trip to our favorite campground, Compton Ridge, in Branson. Hooray for tent living, fire making, griddle cooking, smores and bug bites. I can hardly even wait!

My Auntie Rhoda (my dad’s sister) and Uncle Karl are coming into town from Winnipeg this week – I am sure that there will be much to write about after their visit. Auntie Rhoda was diagnosed with and treated for uterine cancer this past year and I have not had the opportunity to see her since. She is CANCER FREE and we rejoice that she is doing so very well! It will be a special reunion and a FUN and long awaited meeting of them to Nora. I’m planning on making some goodies before they come, specifically some Rolo Cookies and Ranger Cookies. Happy baking!