Praaaaaaaaaaaise Jesus!

Ah, the joy of teaching your child something. Life with a baby is more and more fun as she interacts with us every day. Since Lailey was a little bitty newborn, whenever she would stretch her arms above her head, I would say "Praaaaaaaaise Jesus!" It became a fun little habit. Well, last week sometime whenever she put her arms up in the air and I said it, she started doing it again and smiling. I was thrilled. My favorite part is that she cocks her head to the side and gives this cute proud smile because she's figured something out. By the way, in the video, I wasn't raising my arms at all; she did it all by herself.

You know, having her imitate something is quite an eye-opener. As any parent of a toddler will tell you, it's quite convicting having a little person repeat things you say. You really get a glimpse of your words and attitudes. Well, we're not to the toddler stage, but I guess I tend to think ahead. We try to keep our words and attitudes in check now so we're not backtracking later. Of course, we'll make a zillion mistakes, but that's why it must be a daily activity of prayer and self-control.

This was from my birthday dinner in October, but I love the picture so I posted it.

She kept putting her feet on the table and it was so funny.

Sound asleep after a car ride home

Enjoying her new afghan from Great Aunt Carla

Grandpa with his grandkids

I have a picture of me like this when I was little which I will have to find.

Funny kid

Hanging out in her play pen

Our Busy Little 7 Month Old

Today Lailey is 7 months old. Hard to believe it. She's changing so much every day. She loves playing with her feet now. She tugs at her socks and rocks back and forth. She almost independently rolled from her back to her belly tonight, but I helped just a little so I can't say she did it all by herself. Rolling over just doesn't seem to be on Lailey's priority list. She's clearly strong enough, just not interested enough. That's because scooting around is much more fun! Of course, only our child would learn to go backwards first. Check out Lailey's new method for mobility... (as usual, Rudy always has to get in on the action when I have the camera out. I think he's jealous.)

Lailey is sitting up very well and can go from sitting to her tummy. It's sort of an ungraceful flop, but she makes it. She is grabbing at things a lot more, which means we have to watch out for our phones, camera, utensils, and anything else she can grab and stick in her mouth. I love watching her curiousity bloom. She also has a newly found interest in Rudy. She talks to him, laughs at him, tries to grab him sometimes, and loves it when he licks her hands and feet. I wonder what he will think when she starts crawling after him and chasing him? Guess we'll find out soon.

Last week we went to see Davey play at a church about an hour away. I made Lailey's shirt that says "MY DADDY PLAYS BASS" for the occasion. With a red bow and her little cowgirl boots, she looked adorable.
It won't be long before she'll be singing on stage, according to Grandaddy.

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Today we went to Chuck E. Cheese's with my cousin Christy, her daughter Sadie (pictured), my aunt, and my other cousin's boys, Noah and Ethan. It was Lailey and Sadie's first time there. Lailey had fun watching all the excitement. It was SO packed when we first got there, which seemed a little overwhelming, but she did great.
Sadie and Lailey enjoyed sitting in next to each other in their high chairs. They were even holding hands at one point. It was so cute!

Lailey liked to sit on top of the table and watch everything. Afterwards, we all went to Toys 'R' Us for fun and to get Christmas ideas. She was so content and happy to be out and about.

This was the pulling at the socks thing I was talking about. It drives me nuts because I don't like socks to be bunched or hanging off or the heel in the wrong place, etc. (don't ask - it's one of my weird quirks), but she loves it so I get over it. Of course, I fix them when she's finished. Hehe. I can only stand it for so long. :)
7 Months old with Teddy. We was not so nice to him while we were taking pictures. She was biting his ear, slamming his head, etc. Good thing he doesn't mind.
Okay, last but not least, we have more news...Lailey got her first tooth! Make that TWO teeth! Sure enough, she's been drooling a bunch today, and it just occurred to me while I was feeding her dinner to stick my finger in her mouth and check. I couldn't believe it when I felt a sharp little tooth, which I later discovered was actually two sharp little teeth, bottom center. I never realized how difficult it is to look inside a wiggly 7-month-old's mouth while she is trying to lick, bite, and suck on your fingers. It was pretty funny actually. So far she hasn't been terribly fussy due to teething, so hopefully it won't be a horrible process. I can only hope.

Rockin' Lailey

Thanks to Grandpa Jim, Lailey has learned a new game on the couch.  I hope you enjoy this delightful video.  

Do I look smart, Mommy?

Every morning when I first nurse Lailey, she likes to pull my glasses off.  So I put them on her just for fun.  Gotta love that kiddo.

2nd Place!!!

Hooray! My Minnie Mouse pumpkin carving won 2nd PLACE in the Chick-Fil-A carving contest! That's a free combo every week for 6 months (not every day). Not bad at all. Davey gets honorable mention from his wife because I think his pumpkin deserved to place too. The judges should have seen it lit up with a lava lamp bulb (like the picture above). It looks the best like that. Great job babe.

My favorite Halloween picture of the year!

Halloween Traditions

One of our little family traditions that we've done since we got married was each carve a pumpkin at Halloween.  This year we plan to enter them tomorrow in a local contest at Chick-Fil-A just for fun.  Of course, we decided this before we actually carved them, hoping they would turn out good enough.  But happily, both turned out pretty nice.  Wish us luck for the contest tomorrow!  Free CFA for a year if either of us wins first prize!  Okay, I'd be so chickened out if I won, but it would still be cool.  ("Chickened out" as in tired of CFA, not scared.  You probably knew that but just in case.)

I just realized how bad the backs of those pumpkins look in the picture.  The fronts are fine, but I guess that's just where they sit on the ground.  I love how big the pumpkins look and how little Lailey looks. 

Fun textures - had to watch her so she wouldn't stick it in her mouth

Mine with just the nose cut out (you can't see the pattern in this picture)

My Minnie Mouse for Lailey

Davey's "No Ghost" sign (betcha didn't see that one coming)

Tomorrow I'm going to bake the seeds hopefully.  This is a tradition too.  Half salty the other sweet.  

That's it for now...I need to go to bed.

Happy (early) Halloween

This is our first Halloween together as a family. Davey usually travels on Saturdays and we have never been to our church's fall festival together in our 8 years of knowing each other. Plus, it's Lailey's first Halloween so we had to do it up right and go all out. Soooo, here is our little family last Saturday decked out as Ghostbusters characters. For those of you unfamiliar with the movie, Davey is a Ghostbuster, I am the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, and Lailey is Slimer, a funny little green ghost who is a sort of "bad guy" in the movies but ends up being a good guy in the cartoon. Yes, I'm a little ashamed to admit I know this much about it all, but that's what happens when you live with the craziest GB fan ever. There's a part of me that just can't believe that I actually dressed my adorable little girl as a slimy green ghost for her first Halloween, but she makes it look cute. A couple of people have commented that it looks like "Slimer ate the baby!" I got a kick out of that one.

Could Daddy be any prouder of his little Slimer?

My Ghostbuster

So, I must include a little section in honor of "The Proton Pack." In the movies, a proton pack is the Ghostbuster's weapon. Jokingly, "an unlicensed nuclear accelerator." (Davey, you should be beaming with pride right now because this proves that I actually listen to you and pay attention to your movie ranting. Love you!) The weapon is fictional of course, but very cool to any Ghostbusters fan. Little did I know, but people make these things and sell them on Ebay for crazy amounts of money. Thousands. Literally. It's been a childhood dream of Davey's to build his own, so when he found out we would be home for Harp's Harvest and have the opportunity to dress up, he did everything short of beg, borrow, and steal to make it. He searched every dollar store in town, craft stores, online, and everywhere else to find cheap parts to look like the pieces on the pack. His brother Eli has a band saw, and that's really what made the whole thing possible. They got the plans online, cut, sanded, glued and painted, and made what I think is a great replica of the movie prop. And they did it pretty cheaply. Oh, by the way, this is Davey's Christmas present. In his words: "You can put a bow on it and stick it under the tree on Christmas morning because this is what I've wanted my whole life."

So, now you can see why Lailey and I had to go with the theme. I made her costume and mine and it was really fun to be able to do this all together. Happy Halloween!

Besides spending her time as a slimy green ghost, Lailey tried to eat her toes the other night. It was so cute!

In the morning I let her play on my bed while I get ready for work, with me nearby of course and lots of pillows. She looked so happy and grown up sitting there.

Lailey continues to be a happy, growing, delightful kid. Sometimes it amazes me how easy going and adaptable she is. We are a very blessed family.

Num Num Nanners

Lailey has eaten vegetables very willingly since I started her on them a month ago, for which I am truly thankful.  She was hesitant about carrots at first but now gobbles them down like everything else.  This week we added corn "mashed up real good" (pureed) to her veggie repertoire of peas, green beans, avocado, and carrots.  I'm not sure when I'll start her on fruits.   I don't think there's a need to rush since she's satisfied with cereal and veggies right now and is still nursing great.   Plus I was allergic to some fruits as a kid, mostly citrus, so I want to be cautious as to how much I give her.  Fortunately I wasn't allergic to bananas so I didn't worry when Lailey started going after Davey's banana this week.  As usual, we always have the camera nearby to capture those priceless - and hilarious - moments.   

Tonight is Harp's Harvest (our church's fall/Halloween festival), and Davey is so excited about dressing up you would think it was Christmas.  I finished my costume last night and Lailey's this morning.  Davey's has been finished a while now.  I will try to get a post up tomorrow with pictures when we're all dressed up together.  I know...the anticipation is killing you.  (just kidding, it's only killing Davey.)  He would probably wear his costume every day if I'd let him. Gotta love him!