9 month update...

I was a little off on my nine month measurements.....

18lbs 5oz (50%)

29 inches (92%)

Not sure where the tall and thin came from but we'll take it as long as she's healthy!!

Happy Monday!

Bulldog babe

As most of you know, we have a very expressive baby...she has made hilarious and sometimes hideous faces since the day she was born. Here is the latest face 'o' Claire (fondly named, the bulldog by our friend Chrissy). We mostly get it when either the camera comes out, or she hears the word "No!"
                     Man, are we in trouble with this little miss sass.a.frass....

 

and if that face wasn't enough, the tongue is back as well...

{What We're Drinking}

Abby's Skinny Margaritas

1 cup tequila
1/4 cup triple sec
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 tub lemon-lime crystal light (actually, I've only found it in Kroger-brand light drink mix)
Enough water to fill your pitcher...this makes a half-gallon/two-quart pitcher. Double the recipe for a crowd! Serve over ice.

Sweet, tart and low cal!

nINe MoNThs

Hard to believe that in just three short months, I'll be celebrating my first birthday....but for now, I'm nine months old!!

Here's what I've been up to....

*Weighing in at 19.5 pounds, 28 inches tall (more accurate measurements next week after my check-up)

*Working REALLY hard on crawling....I've got the arms down, but having a hard time getting my chubby thighs to move the way I want them to. Almost every time I try, I end up in a belly flop, and very frustrated!

*Pulling up to my knees (on anything and everyone!)

*Have a mad pincer grasp and it comes in very handy with all of this table food (I get it three times a day now!) I can gnaw on almost anything mom and dad give me and baby food is soon to be a distant memory.

*I have two teeth!

*I went on my first boat ride and loved every minute. Mom can't wait to teach me to swim at the pool this summer!

*Still taking two naps a day and sleeping 12 hours at night.

*Taking steps forward all by myself while holding someone's hands.

*Nursing 3-4 times a day and drinking water out of my sippy with my meals.

*Started waving and imitating the tone of mommy's "hiiiiii,"and mastered the signs for "dog," "more," and "all done"

*I definitely have my frustrating days...still wanting to be a little more mobile than I am but still a very happy, giggly, and increasingly silly girl. Can we say, class clown??

Boo for sour blueberries...

Laughing? Crying? Who knows these days!

(See my teeth?)

We are the luckiest parents alive!

We are Family

For those of you who watch Modern Family, was it not absolutely gut-busting hysterical this week?? Spencer even threw in a few chuckles, which says a lot considering his hatred for most sitcoms. I mean, where do they come up with this stuff? Here was one of my favorite parts:



If they had only showed thirty more seconds, you would have been able to witness the bike chain breakage....so freaking funny.

{What We're Eating}

This is my go-to dish when I have leftovers in the fridge and/or veggies that need cooked. Easy and quick!

 Fritatta ala Leftovers
6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups diced vegetables, rice or potatoes
1 roma tomato, sliced
3/4 cup shredded cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In oven safe skillet, heat olive oil and add vegetables, rice, and/or potatoes. Cook until vegetables are tender. Mix eggs, milk and seasonings and pour over vegetable mixture. Cook on stovetop for about ten minutes (eggs will still be runny in the middle!) Add slices of tomato and shredded cheese to top and bake for 10-15 minutes in oven, or until eggs are fully cooked. Here are some examples of veggie combinations that I use:
*chopped spinach, broccoli cuts, zucchini, yellow pepper
*corn, black beans, green pepper, onion, brown rice
*potatoes (cooked), carrots (cooked), peas, onion
*mushrooms, rice, broccoli cuts

Happy Tuesday!

Sun hat sort of day

C.E. and I enjoyed a leisurely afternoon on the deck one HOT day last week- we....

ate a stick...

laughed at mommy's singing...

played fetch with Lucy...

looked for bugs....

practiced our standing...

and made my day!

Yellow Thumb....

This is what I did during C.E.'s morning nap.....the hubs built me these beds for Mother's Day but I'm a complete gardening amateur, so I guess we'll see in 45-60 days whether or not I can actually call the thumb green! I'll keep you posted...

Aiden

S.J. completed his latest project...a cool, distressed, new-but-looks-old, farmhouse table for our family room. I ADORE it and can't believe (Ok, I can) that he was able to do this...for less than $75, mind you! He built the bench and we bought the banana leaf chairs from World Market- we've been eyeing them for a few years now and I have to say, they are perfect with it. He's also going to add a leaf that detaches on one of the ends so eventually, we can seat 8 people.  One of my girlfriends even made the comment, "He's like Aiden, from Sex and the City."

Call me Carrie...

Show off...

This girl just won't stop! Rocking on her hands and knees AND pulling {partially} up all in one week.....man, are we in trouble. Watching her grow and develop amazes me everyday!

Baby must-haves

By no means am I a mommyhood expert, but here are a few of the things that I'd like to think make life with an {almost crawling!} eight-month-old, just a little bit easier!

Munchkin Easy-Squeeze Spoon

This genius invention holds 4 oz of baby food (three of my thawed food cubes!) and is amazing for moms on the go. Just fill it up, give it a squeeze and lunch is served.  Less mess is less stress if you ask me! Boon also makes one that I've heard is fabulous as well. Why didn't I think of this??

Balboa Baby Nursing Cover

This cover is awesome....reasonably priced, holds up to MULTIPLE washes, adjustable neck straps, and is really big, which is extra helpful now that C.E. is extra wiggly. Makes for minimal peep shows!

Cuisinart Blender/Food Processor

I love this food processor...it's not huge so you can mix perfect batches of baby food very easily (and doesn't take up tons of counterspace), plus it's very quick, powerful AND after a long afternoon of baby food-making, wiz yourself up a margarita with the blender!

Kodak Playsport Camera

This is so easy to use (there are only five buttons!!), hand-held, can record in HD, and has really helped us capture some amazing baby memories that with a big bulky camcorder, we surely would have missed. Bonus: only $100 and waterproof!!

Praise Baby DVD's

Similar to Baby Einstein "style" with baby faces, bright colors and crazy shapes whirling across the screen, BUT with contemporary Christian music....this keeps her occupied for 20 minutes in the morning when I'm  getting breakfast ready, doing dishes, having a cup of coffee, etc. Thanks to the Schoenefeld's for the baptism gift!

Hope some of these products become your favorites too!