Mardi Gras Parade

Last weekend, Layla and I attended our FIRST Mardi Gras Parade, with a couple of our friends. No, not the one on Bourbon Street. In fact, it wasn't even in Louisiana. It was at a little down called Diamondhead, MS. Somewhere where we didn't have to worry about a bunch of drunks and women showing body parts for beads! We loved every bit of it!

{patiently waiting for the parade to start}

{her first, few, beads}

and she didn't even have to flash anyone

These parades make my home town parades seem pathetic. (Sorry Vernal) There was music, candy, beads, stuffed animals, balls, and toys being thrown in every direction. I had to really pay attention so we wouldn't get pegged. Did I mention it was 2 hours long?!

{just a few of the floats}

My beads, which were infact quite heavy...

..and her beads, along with stuffed toys and animals. She was quite excited.

No More Bottles - Nights 3 & 4

Night 3:

Sadly, I missed it. I was in Gulfport at a dance for the youth in our ward. But grandma and papa took great care of her and she went down with no problems.

Slept the whole night through.

Night 4:

loved.Loved.LOVED her sippy tonight.

Ah-Oh, am I starting something that I will have to battle with at a later time?

Mothers out there...help me out.

I think we've got it nailed [sigh].

Such a great baby girl!

Gets It From Papa Spiers...

A couple nights ago, as we were watching the Olympics, Uncle Greg said, "Look Layla! Papa's doing the funny face!" Poor Papa, he was just so tired that he feel asleep sitting up! It was so funny that we had to get a picture to compare. Because after all this time, we thought she got it from her Papa Toxie, but really, I think she gets it from her Papa Spiers!

We sure do love you Papa!

No More Bottles - Night 2

Last night was just as easy if not easier than the night before for Layla. This time, she actually drank her milk, then again, put her head on my shoulder and fell asleep. Such a big girl! (that's all I'll say, I feel I'm setting myself up for a horrible night)

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Results for both nights: Slept all night through!

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In fact, yesterday morning I woke up at 7, just waiting for her to wake up. Finally I hopped into the shower at 8. By the time I was out and dressed, she still wasn't making a peep. So I opened her door to check on her and this is what I found...

Baby Powder Fiasco!

Gotta love that bed head!

No wonder I didn't hear anything! So so funny...

No More Bottles - Night 1

I think this next step in Layla's life is actually going to be harder for me than her.

Layla stopped nursing at 6 months because my milk supply was so low, and that was extremely hard for me, so I turned to giving her a bottle and rocking her all the time. It was my way of filling that void of not being able to nurse anymore, and having that "bond."

When she turned a year old I stopped giving her her "nap" bottle. Taking it away for nap and bedtime was just way to much for me. So we (or I) took baby steps. And what do you know? It really wasn't all that bad. She had 2 days of melt downs and boom, she now takes wonderful 2-4 hour naps.

Well, last night we had just enough formula to make her one more bottle, and I told myself I would not go and buy another can of it. I guess, I just feel like taking her bottle away means she's not my baby anymore. When really, no matter what, she'll always be my baby. But now, I don't have that one on one time with her, where I can rock her to sleep, while she sips on her bottle and I sing her lullabys. (sigh...) 

So tonight we've started another milestone? Is that what you would call it? I made her a special dinner, we watched the olympics (Sean White did awesome), gave her a bath, let her stay up a little later than usual, then I filled up her sippy with warm milk. We went to her room where I sat down with her in the rocking chair, we said our prayers, she took a couple sips out of her sippy, then looked at me like I was crazy. She then, layed her head on my shoulder and went to sleep! What? No fight?

I guess I'll take it.

Really, why am I so sad about this? Why is this so hard? I thought I'd be jumping for joy when I wouldn't have to wake up to dirty bottles in the sink. I guess for now, I'll just sit on my pitty pot while our precious baby sleeps peacefully in her bed.

Night night Layla...

Our LOVE Day

Valentine's was a quite the LOVE day. Cupid didn't miss our house!

This year, I got Lance a box of clay pigeons and a very pretty Saints mug. I know it sounds lame, but it was right up his alley. And it will go perfect with his birthday present!

All the gifts from Daddy, to Layla and Mommy

She's loved her bear from Daddy

Opening her Valentines from Mommy and Daddy...

Cute new kicks.

I love tulips! Aren't they so pretty!?

Layla's Valentine outfit was a little to big. By the end of the day it was just falling off of her, but she didn't mind one bit.

We just love little holidays at the Spiers' home, and try to go all out! For breakfast we had pink eggs, heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes and bacon. After church we all came home and enjoyed a nice, long, very much needed nap, then made a delicious dinner which consisted of: Pork tenderloin, creamed corn, and twice baked potatoes. For dessert Sue made some yummy Cranberry Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream!

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Lance, being the wonderful husband that is he, got me a heart felt card, some beautiful tulips, a new sifter, an orange peeler, and something else in the mail!? He got Layla a teddy bear and a heart filled marshmellow. (she loves marshmellows) Then, we both got her 2 pairs of shoes, books, and card.

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So, I'd say that Layla and I are some pretty lucky gals.

We love you daddy! Thanks for making Valentines such a special day in our home!

A Little Miracle..

I've been following this story for quite sometime and have been meaning to do a post on it, but I'm just now getting to it. All mothers, fathers, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, babysitters, etc. really need to read the story of little Bronson Staker. He's a miracle.

After you read his mother's blog, you will never again: rush, worry about the silliest things, get easily distracted, or take a tiny, fragile little life for granted. I don't know him, his mother, or his family personally, but they have all touched me in ways I can't even explain. This story has truly been an eye opening, testimony builder for me. Witnessing a miracle, that only our Heavenly Father can make possible is miraculous.

Go to stakerzxposed.blogspot.com or Youtube were you type "Bronson's Miracle" in the search engine.

You won't regret it.

Valentine Fever

I just love Valentine's Day, but it has totally creeped up on me this year! This past Sunday I was talking to some of the sisters in our ward about a play date and I realized that Valentines was a week away. So I decided to throw a party for the little ones so that we mom's could have an excuse to get together!

For Layla's Valentine to her friends I got a cute idea on http://www.makeandtakes.com/. We took a few of Grandma Spiers' old crayons and recycled them! We made chuncky valentine crayons! I think they turned out pretty cute.
Crafts for the little ones...
Valentine bags...

For the main course we had heart shaped pb and j's. Just perfect for the kiddos.

Natalie, decorating her bag..

Layla, going to work on hers...

Decorating sugar cookies...

Jennifer, Jody, Savannah, and I

A little story behind these:

My Grandma Marcia Critton makes us all giant sugar cookies, with our names on them, that look just like these, every year for Valentine's Day. (talk about a run on sentence!) She's all I could think about while I was baking and icing them. I sure have missed getting my cookie these past 3 years. Maybe she'll make me some when I go home for Catlin's wedding ;-). Anyway, mine were yummy, but not the same as Grandma's cookie. It's such a special memory I'll always have of her.

Happy Valentine's Week!