BBQ Time

I have mixed feelings about this time of the year. I never did, until I moved to Mississippi. OMG, the summer's are dreadful, I always feel so sticky and hot! But we still love to BBQ, so I'll just have to deal with it. We've actually had a few bbq's already, but I decided I better break out the camera for this one. Of course, the weather didn't work with us, but we made the best of it and still had a good time. I tell you what, these southern boys sure do know how to grill. (Derrick you better be ready!)

That sausage is to die for.

Poor Lance. He gets tired of taking pictures. I just remind him that he'll thank me someday.

One of our cousins just got re-married and this is his wife's little girl, Natalie. She's such a sweetheart and we're so glad that they're in our wild and crazy family. Layla just loved her! She sat on her lap for about 30 minutes, then Natalie was ready to get up and play.

Notice she's starting to like her binkie. But only sometimes... she decides when.

Layla's first boyfriend, Ethan... I don't know like the sound of that. He wasn't to interested in her, but she just kept touching and starring at him.

These next few pictures are just random. I'm telling her to "say cheese..."

Now she does it while she's awake, and laughs. Silly girl. There isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't put a big grin on my face.

I love this. She just sits next to her daddy and watches TV. Priceless...

Mother's Day

I told my mom I never knew how special Mother's Day was until I had Layla. And it's so true. I felt so privileged to have a day all for me this past weekend. Lance and Layla made it so wonderful. To start it off, Lance woke me up at about 6:45 and told me to "come look at something.." I was thinking..."I still have 15 minutes more to sleep!" Anyway, once I got up, I could smell a yummy breakfast waiting for me in the kitchen. It was so delicious and very beautiful. And yes, he did this all by himself. (watching Food Network all day pays off!) He made me a delicious omelet with toast and avocados, oatmeal, and some fresh fruit! It was a very delightful presentation.

Lance and Layla got me a food processor and a beautiful card.

Happy Mother's Day Mommy

Then... after Sunday school Lance told me he was going to go home and take a little nap, since he had worked all night. So I was off to Young Women's. When I got home, I had another meal waiting for me! He started me off with a salad. It had avocados, cabbage, carrots, salad toppings, dried cranberries, cheese, hard boiled eggs, and diced tomatoes. Ah, it was so yummy. He topped it off with Honey Dijon Dressing.

For the main course, he had me a medium rare ribeye, twice baked potatoes, green beans, and rolls.

After dinner Lance needed to get some zzz's for work that night so I fed Layla and tried to get her to take a nap so I could. Of course she didn't so on the way to grandma and grandpa spiers' house she fell asleep. Imagine that! She loves to sleep on Uncle Greg like this.

This is what her little outfit said. After I put her in it what did she do?! She had a blowout. So I stripped it off of her and washed it so she could wear it the rest of the day. She's so silly..

My first Mother's day was wonderful. Thank you love for making it so special for me. And Happy Mother's Day to all you mommy's. You deserve it!

This is what Lance's card said, I have to admit, I did shed a tear or 2.

"Being at your side

as our baby was born,

I realized

that you are a part

of the miracle of life

in ways that I can only hope

to understand...

So, if you catch me

quietly watching you

and our little one,

know that I'm searching

for the words to tell you

what a beautiful mother you are

and how very much I love you..."

That Time Again

Today was Layla's 4 month check-up. And yes, she had to get more shots. So so sad. She did so much better than her 2 month check-up. She's way stronger than I am, it was so hard for me to watch. She's weighing in at 14 lbs. 12 oz. (75%) and she's 24 1/2" long (75%). Such a big little girls! So far today, she hasn't ran any fever, but I've kept tylenol in her little system. She has been really sleepy though. She's taken 4 naps this afternoon! Is that normal?!

The breathing treatments are going really good. She loves playing with the nebulizer. The doctor said her lungs sound alot better, so I must be doing something right. She's almost back to herself, so happy and talkative, just a little congested.

We did it again, but this time she thought it was funny too! I need to remember to take off her headbands when she's napping!

A Milestone

On Sunday afternoon Layla and I were practicing rolling over. With the help of my little nudges, she's do really good and flip right over. Then she'd squeal like she just did something awesome. Well.. than after bath time I put her on her stomach to lotion her little back and she rolled over! Twice in fact, all by herself! I was so proud of her, and still am. Needless to say, she hasn't done it since. Maybe cause I always have the camera out.

Practice makes perfect!

Layla - 4 Months

Our little girl is just getting so big and has the most adorable personality! I know I say it every post, but time is just flying. She's had a lot of "firsts" this last month and I've really enjoyed being with her for everyone. She brings so much joy to me and her daddy.

This past Monday I could tell that something was wrong with Layla. She woke up at 4 that morning, and that never happens, then she slept all day, that never happens either. She started running fever on Tuesday, and by Wednesday she was really congested and was having a hard time breathing. I couldn't take it anymore and called her doctor. So on Friday morning I took her in and the doc didn't like the sound of her lungs, therefore I had to take her to get x-rays and get some labs done. I was really hesitant about exposing my little baby to radiation, but the doctor assured me that she'd be ok, and wanted to make sure that she didn't have influenza. So, she's already had her first bout of x-rays and I'm so sad about it. She's only 4 months old...

Come to find out she only has bronchitis. I'm so relieved. Being a mommy is hard when your little baby is sick and they can't tell you what's wrong. I wish I could take all that pain for her. Doesn't she look so sad and miserable in this picture?

She has to do breathing treatments every 12 hours and is taking an antibiotic. Hopefully she'll be back to her happy self pretty soon.

{she loves holding onto the nebulizer and gnawing on it}

First bath with Daddy

Things to Remember...

-I love peeking into her bassinett in the morning and she'll give me her biggest grin.

-When me or Lance walk into the room she'll start kicking her legs really fast and squeal.

-She LOVES her fingers and goes cross eyed facinating over them.

-The Little Mermaid is her all time fav.

-Sometimes she'll have a big sneeze on it's way and it won't make it, she'll sigh afterwards like it's hard work.

-When I nurse and hold her she'll rub my cheeks.

-She curls her toes.

-She loves to be naked.

-Bathtimes at night is the only way to get her to sleep.

-Sitting up on the table and watching me and Lance cook amuses her.

Rice Cereal

Yesterday we started Layla on rice cereal. It was pretty funny and a very long meal. This is all I made her, and it took her about 45 minutes to eat it. Hopefully she'll start to enjoy it soon.

First bite!
Her little faces say it all.

After I'd give her a bite, she rub it all over her face. I almost used a whole thing of wipes! I'm going to have to learn to just let her be messy!

She finally gave up fighting me about 40 minutes into it.

Where's Layla...

After putting Layla down for a nap the other day, I went into our bedroom to do a few things. About 15 minutes later I could hear her whimpering and cooing, so I went in the living room to get her and this is what I found...

So sad, but so funny.
If you look close, she's looking right at me in this picture. She's probably wondering why the heck I'm taking a picture of her instead of getting the darn head band off her eyes.