What a deal!

I found this table toy for Lainey at a consignment sale for a STEAL and she was SOOOO excited to discover it this morning!

Look at my sweet baby STANDING!

This afternoon, she even showed off her subtle dance skills while jamming out to the music from the table!

Right or left?

Is Lainey going to be a righty or lefty?

I don't really know when these kind of things are determined in a child but Lainey definitely favors eating with her left hand. She has gotten really good at picking up and eating puffs on her own. Such a big girl!

Here she is using her right hand, but I will say that the picture doesn't show that she was holding the banana with her right hand and eating puffs with her left hand! I tried to cut up little pieces of banana for her to eat but they were too slimey so I just gave her a hunk of it and she really went to town. She was so proud of herself for eating her banana like her momma! It is such a joy to watch her learn and discover new things!

Friday Favorites

Favorite New Recipe: Minestrone from Iowa Girl Eats
I made this for the second time this week and once again, it did not disappoint! This is a great, easy "dump" recipe - dump some things in a pot, let it simmer and it's practically done. The first time I made it, I used 1/2 lb ground hamburger instead of the spicy italian sausage and it was still great. This time, I didn't use any meat and it was still great. Lots of savory veggies too so it's pretty healthy and filling! We ate it with some homemade bread courtesy of our new breadmaker thanks to Ma and Pa Johnson!

Favorite Momma Moment:
After a busy weekend, Lainey and I had a pretty low key week so she could get back on the nap track. Lainey has never been very predictable in terms of her napping in the past (no matter how consistent I was in her routines), but this week I felt like she was a pro at napping. I'm sure next week another tooth or something will throw a wrench into our schedule, but I will just revel in our accomplishments this week for now! Also, one of my favorite things to do each evening is go and check on our sleeping babe before I go to bed. Lately, she has been flipping her cute self over and sleeping on her belly with one hand up above her head and the other tucked under her cheek or chin, which is just like how her momma loves to sleep! It's so precious, but it's always too dark to take a picture so you'll have to take my word for it!

Favorite Verse:
This verse if from our scripture memorization group from a few weeks ago and it has really stuck with me...
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
(Colossians 1:16-17)

Another great weekend...

We were lucky enough to enjoy two weekends in a row with visitors. This weekend Grandma and Grandpa Wilson came to town from Minnesota! We had a great, great time! Lucky for Lainey, there is a Carter's store at the outlet mall in Minnesota on the way down so Lainey's spring/summer wardrobe has expanded greatly in the past 2 weekends. Both of our parents are so generous towards us. Up until Friday, Lainey had been wearing the same pair of capris all week due to the warm weather - they were the only ones we had and we were TOO busy enjoying the great outdoors to make it to the store to buy anything else!

Here is one of Lainey's cute new outfits (sorry, the only pics I got this weekend were from mine or my parent's phones!)

My parents got in late Friday and we visited and enjoyed some cake (more on that cake later!). Saturday morning, Lainey was excited to see 2 new faces to play with all day! We ate a big breakfast and played all morning. After Jed got done with his last Upwards game of the season, we headed to my aunt and uncles in Pella to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. We walked to the bakery for some treats, watched a ton of basketball and grilled out. Lainey was really pooped by the end of the day - she was a little more cranky than normal and I think I've concluded that her teeth/gums are bothering her. She sprouted her first tooth about 2 or 3 weeks ago and I think the others are on their way. Her sleep has been really inconsistent, fingers in her mouth constantly, etc.

Sunday morning my parents met us at church and then we headed to Panera downtown for lunch. YUM! Lainey loved sitting in a high chair like a big girl and getting to munch on an apple slice for the first time...
Will someone please cut and peel this thing for me?!
Much better! Yum yum!
Lainey gave us lots of goofy smiles and funny faces during our lunch. She's such a joy!

We can't wait to see Grandma and Grandpa Wilson again in a few weeks when we go to Minnesota for Easter. Lainey is SUCH a blessed little girl to have 2 sets of Grandparents who love her SO much!

Thursday night, FAMILY night!

Thursdays are our FAVORITE day of the week around here (besides Saturday and Sunday :) because after a long week, we get to enjoy Jed/Dad's company all evening long! This week's weather has been nothing short of spectacular. Mid 70's, partly sunny, today I think it even reached 80! I thought a picnic at a park would be the best way to spend our Thursday evening and it surely was a great time!

I packed a bag full of peanut butter sandwiches, chips, grapes and strawberries for Jed and myself, and some pureed peas for Lainey (her favorite). We met Jed at Colby Park after he got off of work and scoped out a lovely picnic spot.






Our perfect picnic spot was close to the swings. I've been dying to get Lainey in a swing this week but I promised Jed I'd wait until he could be there to see it. She wasn't so sure at first...

(I think she liked it... :)

We decided we should make a habit of this on Thursday nights, picnicking and trying out different parks around town. Anyone have any favorite spots? I bet by the end of the summer we will have hit tons of parks in town and Lainey will be toddling around the playground equipment on her own! We are in for a FUN spring and summer!

7 months!

My sweet girl spent her 7 month birthday doing some of her favorite things...

bananas at breakfast time
taking a looooong morning nap (2 hours people! epic!)
errands with momma
visiting daddy at work
feeding herself a few puff treats
going on a little walk to enjoy the gorgeous weather
eating peas for supper

Just another wonderful day with my beautiful daughter! Thankful for all God has done these past 7 months and for what is to come!

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's visit!

We were lucky enough to have Jed's parents here for part of this past weekend. It is always a treat for them to come since they live a good 8 hours away. We love their company and they always come bearing lots of fun gifts and treats, not to mention their fine handywork services. We are so blessed by their generosity. This weekend was no exception! Lainey was quite a ham and really loved all of the attention and extra people to play with and show off to.
Lainey got to show off all of her fun toys and new tricks.
There is just something about a grandpa and his granddaughter. Grandpa Paul adores Lainey!


This was HILARIOUS. He was trying to get her to take steps to the bathtub and she was practically running her feet were moving so fast. She's going to be a little speedy gonzales!
The big project of the weekend was taking out our old nasty ceiling fan and replacing it with a new light fixture. Much more complicated of a task than I would have imagined. Good thing I wasn't the one in charge and Grandpa Paul is such a knowledgeable handyman!
Naturally, Lainey supervised while sporting her new fun summer hat in honor of the gorgeous weather outside today.




Here's the final product of the new light fixture! It's SO bright and it looks great.
(Excuse the messy table :)


We were sad to see them leave but since we have another sweet niece on the way in June, it won't be TOO terribly long until we see them again!

DaDa

This is what you call...ADORABLE.

Apparently Lainey can mimic and repeat us now (well at least in terms of single syllable sounds that are easy for her to repeat...). Forgive the awkward angle of the video. We were eating dinner and I was afraid if I got up to take the video she'd get too distracted.



Needless to say, Jed was pretty thrilled. Lainey LOVES her Daddy!

The Great Outdoors! (+random...)

We were blessed with a beautiful March day today. The temps climbed to 70 degrees. Lainey and I enjoyed some time outside on a blanket in the backyard with Simon. We even got to catch up with one of our neighbors who has a daughter 8 days older than Lainey! It's so wonderful how the nice weather brings people out again...

She was so distracted by the dog and the beauty of the landscape that it was hard to get a really good picture...

She watches Simon all of the time inside the house but it was really cute to watch her track his speedy self all over the yard. I was throwing the tennis ball to him and her head would just turn back and forth, back and forth...
I had to hold the tennis ball and a rattle in one hand to get their attention and take this picture with the other. They are going to be great friends.
(Side note: I love love LOVE her chubby little arms in short sleeves...ah!)


And onto other news...

Lainey is doing a great job eating solid foods. The rice cereal only lasted a week since it caused some uhh... digestive problems. The nurse told me a few remedies and then said I could switch to oatmeal or just start on some real foods. We did do oatmeal a few days but then I started going wild with my Baby Bullet. So far, Lainey has enjoyed sweet potatoes, bananas and peas. I think peas are her favorite. She has NOT enjoyed avocados. She gave me some seriously dirty looks when I tried to feed them to her just now. She has also enjoyed some banana puff snacks which she really likes. JUST NOW she grabbed one by herself and fed it to herself! She's one talented (and hungry) little lady! When she's eating, she's quenching her thirst with some delicious h20 and doing great with a soft sippy cup!

It's so hard to believe she's going to be 7 months old next week!

Friday Favorites!

Favorite New Recipe:

Last week I made a new SWEET recipe to share with our friends the Richey's on Thursday night. I actually combined 2 recipes and created something kind of new (to me) - cake batter cookie sandwiches! If you've never made cake batter cookies, you need to try! They are SO easy and SO yummy (and SO not healthy...). I got the cookie recipe from here and the frosting recipe for the middle of the sandwich from here. AND I took pictures this time! (I'm not a food blogger, don't judge my pictures! :)

Lainey was the sweetest little helper.

Finished products!

YUM!

Favorite Momma Moment:

This will, guaranteed, be the CUTEST 14 seconds of your day...

Favorite Verse:
After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. [acts 1:3-9]
I just CANNOT wrap my mind around what this must have been like for the apostles. Jesus died on the cross. He rose from the dead and appeared to them over a period of 40 DAYS! Then he promises them the Holy Spirit and gives them their charge: BE MY WITNESSES. And then he was gone. Mind blown.

(another) Why is it...

[I guess I'm feeling very inquisitive this week...]

...that babies LOVE playing with things that aren't really toys?
(Or things that aren't theirs for that matter...?)Yes, that is baby tylenol. Yes, it's empty. Yes, I supervise my child.
(Lainey's actually only been given tylenol a handful of times, I accidentally spilled it awhile back, hence the emptiness.)


And why is it that babies LOVE remotes?!? Lainey especially loves to turn up the volume. It never fails ... every time she gets ahold of it if the TV is on, she somehow presses the volume button up, up, UP!

Finally, why is that morning time is so wonderful? I love it. Lainey always wakes up happy as a clam and we always have a great little play time in the morning. She is the BEST. I wouldn't want to spend my mornings any other way!
(Though... sometimes I do miss sleeping but I do love my morning coffee :)