Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Rose has LOTS of stuff

Packing for Rose's day with grandma or nanna takes multiple bags and multiple trips to load up the car...because let's face it, Rose is a girl who doesn't travel light :) 

So instead of fighting all of Rose's stuff, mommy just got a bigger bag!


It's even big enough to hold Rose!



Saturday, August 27, 2011

Pre-Fall Preview...

So I think Fall is the BESTEST time of year...I mean there are pros and cons about every season, but overall Fall comes out waaaay ahead of all the others (it helps that my birthday is in October...on a side note, since Rose and Justin share birthday months [April] we will also be celebrating her 1/2 year [October 24] because then she and I can also have fun parties together!).

Ok so anyway, I am anxious to start decorating for fall and since most kids in the area go back to school on Monday, I thought this weekend I could get a {few} things out and just start to show that Fall is coming :)

Here are some decorations from around our house...






I have to get some pumpkins and gourds and maybe a few more decorations to add to my mix...

Here are some cute finds from Etsy.com




BUT my favorite fall decoration...


is Rose in her pumpkin hat made by gramma :)


AND Fall is not Fall without some yummy cookies. Here is one of my favorites:


Brown Sugar Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

Ingredients:

2/3 c. butter, softened
1-1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sour cream

Directions:

Blend together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time; blend well. Add vanilla; beat until light. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto non-stick or lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; cool. Frost with Browned Butter Frosting. Makes 2 dozen

Browned Butter Frosting
1/4 c. butter
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. Milk

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns golden. Watch carefully as this will happen quickly. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make a spreading consistency.
http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/2011/02/gooseberry-patch-cookbook-giveaway-with_21.html

HAPPY FALL!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

4 MONTHS!

WOW! Where has the summer gone? I know according to our funky system most of September is still considered summer and winter doesn't really start until around Christmas, but our practical system says that summer is just about done and so is your first 1/3 of a year :) You, like most mammals and your daddy, were a spring baby...but fall is almost here!

Everything seems to have started to happen much faster now. Each week you seem to be mastering or refining new skills. You are working on the rolling thing. You have started rolling from your tummy to back, but this is still an emerging skill. When we place you on your tummy you are just content to be there for while and look around and then you start to get upset. This is when we try to let your frustration motivate you to roll, but if you are too upset we still help you out :) You are so into your hands. You love to move your fingers all around, stack them on top of each other, and grab for items. You have even transferred items from one hand to the other. And everything in your hands, including just your hands, is going into your mouth (in another month or so maybe there will be some solid food)! Even with your feet you are experimenting on how to use them and those little toes of yours are SUPER strong when you clench them around something. You are also much more interested in other living things; all the dogs you get to see during the week (Tahnee, Glacier, Harley, Murray, Dexter, Toby, and Dixie). You watch them run around and try to find them when they bark.

You are doing TERRIFIC with your Gramma and Nana.They have spent enough time with you to know you {almost} as well as your mommy does. They have both bought you new toys this month...spoiled? it hasn't even begun yet! Now if only one of your aunts or uncles would hurry up and get married and give you a little cousin to play with OR your Virginia cousins would move closer...

The only {compliant}I have is that you have decided to take only bottles, except for your first feeding in the morning (so I treasure this time). You take your bottles very well and I am happy not to have to worry about your eating when you are with your grandparents, but I actually miss those 45 minute nursing sessions we used to have. So now I pump, pump, pump, pump, and pump! Cows got nothing on me and I will keep feeding you breast milk until at least a year, maybe more :) Soon we are going to have to tackle some solids...the suggestion is at about 6 months, but you are already watching us eat and {we think} you are teething. I have read some books and websites...not sure yet what that first food will be.... Just like with breast milk, we are committed to starting your life with nutritious foods to aid in your development and health (it must be working because so far you have not been sick for a day!). So while the grandpa's will have years to sneak you over processed, sugar loaded foods, you are stuck eating what mommy makes you, at least for your first year.

You are also still sleeping A LOT! Since around 6-8 weeks you started sleeping from about 8pm-6am and you take naps every 1-2 hours you are awake during the day. Naps range anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours, we just figure you know what you need :) Although hopefully you will start taking more regular naps, so we can plan more fun activities as a family. This past month we took you out to eat, a couple walks, to a family picnic, and shopping at the mall. All of those went pretty well, but by the end you let us know that you were tired and wanted to go home and sleep! You mostly nap in a swing or being rocked, what can we say, you are a motion junkie! You are also still in our bedroom and we have no plans on moving you. You sleep in your crib right next to our bed where we can reach you in a second if you need something. You also still sleep swaddled, but this might not be going on too much longer... the other night you got an arm and both legs out! When you don't need to be swaddled you can start rolling into bed with mommy and daddy in the morning to snuggle :)

We so look forward to each day with you and discovering the new abilities you are mastering. Each month has been getting more and more fun as you are able to interact more with us. You really are such a fantastic baby, now don't let that go to your head, you also have your moments...but we love those too! When we are not meeting your needs fast enough you have started yelling at us...kind of like a grumpy whining, but we think it's kinda cute anyway! And my goodness, you have become such a talker. I warned daddy that you seem to be taking after me in this area and I have already apologized profusely because once you have words, there won't be a moment of peace and quiet...I definitely remember being offered money to be quiet when I was little. I think right now our favorite thing is when you laugh. There is no better sound on earth than your sweet laugh, it makes all those around you laugh too! You are so special and loved little girl :)




Sunday, August 21, 2011

What will Rose be like as a Teenager?

This weekend we had aunt Kate and a friend (Maggie) stay at our home, kind of like a B&B for the weekend...they slept here and I fed them breakfast :) They also did get to hang out with Rose a bit, seeing them all together made me think about what Rose will be like when she is a teenager...
Will you like sports or take dance classes?
What about an instrument? Grandpa would like if you played the violin, he is still kind of upset that I quit that...
Maybe you will be really into working on cars with your daddy.
I hope you will like to cook and bake with me... or at least do my dishes ;)
YOU have to love Fiesta with Nana and me so we can take a girl trip to visit the factory.

Here are some pictures from Rose's weekend:

 Rose and the teenagers :)

 Doing some GREAT tummy time...for those who are not 'friends' on Facebook, Rose rolled over for the first time on Thursday night from belly to back and she is SOOOO close to rolling back to belly...

 Looking cute in her hat from daddy!

 Lots of lovin' from mom

 We finally went for a walk at the Reading Museum...but you fell asleep...

 Then you woke up for a little bit!

And you were such a big helper folding the laundry (that is a CLEAN sock)

And just for fun here is a video of Aunt Kate making you laugh :)

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Change of Plans

Sooooo we had thought we would go to the Reading Museum to walk around the park this afternoon, but then in rained. So we headed to the Berkshire Mall instead :) It worked out pretty well too, Rose got daddy a new iPhone case and mommy a new Vera Bradley eye glasses case. Then, as if she wasn't already the best kiddo ever, she thought we should have dinner at Chick-fil-A!


Cooler weather and such...

So the last few days have been a bit cooler in the morning, this means a chance to try out some new outfits! Unfortunately I was a bit unprepared and had to do some shopping yesterday, but now you have a good start on some fall clothes!
 Cute green sweater
 Some ruffly pants
 Eating your dress as we wait for your bottle...
Tahnee got a squeaky toy today...it lasted about 20 minutes :)

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Inchy the Worm




Rose has a new toy from Nanna :) She loves Inchy and is starting to use both hands in play...she is also trying to put everything in her mouth (she could be teething, not sure yet). Rose didn't do it tonight, but yesterday and this morning she was also wrapping her feet around the worm. And doesn't she just look huge? We won't have her weighed until early September when she has her 4 month well visit, but I think she has already doubled her birth weight (obviously I produce heavy cream!).

Monday, August 8, 2011

new look

So it has become evident that 99% of our posts are now about Rose, I guess this is how it should be anyway! While Justin and I know we are loved and cared for by our family and friends who read this blog; most of you most of the time, really just want to know what Rose is up to :) SO we have updated the title and look of the blog to reflect our lives as parents.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Oh how life has changed…

So it was the day after our Bechtel Family Clambake last year that I took the pregnancy test… (the Clambake was a week earlier this year, but this is how I will always remember this historic event).

I had an idea I was pregnant and Justin and I decided to wait until Sunday to take the test…for some reason he woke up early and went to the bathroom connected to our room, so I was awake and went to the other bathroom…ahhh, and it was POSITIVE!!!

SO we went back to bed and kind of just laid there in disbelief…as stated before we really were not planning a baby, maybe we would discuss it in a couple years... but as often happens the best things happen when you least expect it. ;)

Laying there in bed I don't think either of us knew HOW MUCH our lives were about to change. Honestly, we were very happy together and each enjoying our own interests. We could pretty much make plans at the spur of the moment or blow a bit of money on something frivolous and not worry. I had really little contact with newborn babies and just thought they would sleep in their crib unless they were eating…(as you know Rose slept nowhere but in our arms that first month!) 

How life has changed…it was sooooo fun to have our little secret for the first few months before telling friends and family.  I loved my pregnancy and don't think it could have gone better. I felt great 99% of the time; except for being more tired by the end of the day, really not much changed. The little flower growing inside made the cutest little bump! Even birth was a wonderful experience. Honestly, when thinking about having a baby, this was what scared me the most…getting the baby out J But it was GREAT!! Never have I felt more emotions at once, I just can't describe everything I felt as I met my little girl for the first time. AND I was thrilled when our parents came and to see how in love they were with the newest member of our family.

EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT NOW…but great {BIG SMILE}. 

There is baby stuff in every room in the home, each vehicle, and all over the grandparent's homes. Life revolves around producing milk, changing diapers, and ensuring Rose is happy when awake and getting enough sleep. We have gone out a couple times, but mostly are happy to be at home and relaxing as a family. We are so impressed with how our little flower is growing and just don't want to miss anything!

Just a year ago we could never have imagined what life would be like now…what will it be like in another year? 

Pictures from Bechtel Clambake 2011 :)






Rose and her first clam! 

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

HAPPY 100!

Today Rose is 100 (days old)! To celebrate we took some pictures, enjoy :)