6 Months and a Day

Dear Lynnaea,

I simply cannot believe you've been with us for half a year.  On the one hand, it seems like longer -- like I've known you for so long and you've been a part of us for forever.  On the other hand, it seems like it can't possibly be this long.  We can't possibly have brought you home longer than a couple weeks ago... 

Oh my sweet baby girl!  Every day is a new adventure.  But every day you bring me so much joy. 

You've had a big month!  You, Daddy, Grandma, and I all flew down to Alabama so you could meet your grandpa.  You did amazingly well on the airplane!  You are a traveler!  You met so many people in Alabama and you did a lot of traveling by car while we were there.  And you were a trooper the whole time!  You helped our trip be awesome, and everyone that met you just thought you were the sweetest baby! 

You've pretty much figured out sitting up.  Usually we use your boppy to help support you; but you can even sit up without it for quite a while now!  It is amazing to watch you grow and develop.  And very exciting!  You still haven't rolled over.  I guess you just aren't that interested in that yet.  We know you'll get there eventually :). 

As for food...  We introduced you to squash while we were in Alabama... and you LOVE it!  So Grandma and Grandpa here in Washington gave us a big squash they grew in their garden, and we turned it into a lot of baby food for you!  You get very excited about eating it.  You are a great eater!  You also still like your rice cereal and, most recently, green beans.  We've given you raw carrots -- and you like to suck on those.  We also gave you a ritz cracker, but you managed to chomp some of it off and then proceeded to gag on it and puke.  So, mommy took that away.  We'll save that for a later day.

You are still such a happy baby.  Your smile makes my day.  And Daddy's too!  And oh how you love your daddy.  And he loves you too!

It's true:  I can still remember what it was like before you came to be with us.  But I can't imagine life from here on out without you.  And I'm so glad you're here and adding so much joy and fun to our family. 

I love you so much, sweet baby.  Happy 6 months. 

Love always,

Mommy

So There Was This Squash...

The day after we got back from Alabama, Jeremy headed out to his parents' house for a little visit.  And when he got home that night, he was hauling a humungous squash.  Hubbard or winter squash.  I don't know how much it weighed.  Easily as much as Lynnaea (which is probably close to 18 pounds).  It sat on the floor by the table for a couple days and I accidentally kicked it a couple times.  And it didn't budge.  If that tells you something about the massiveness of this squash. 

So we knew we had to use it up pretty fast.  And I figured I could roast it all and make it into baby food (Lynnaea loves squash) and "pumpkin" for pumpkin pies.  But I told Jeremy he needed to bust that bad boy open, because I didn't want to attempt it.  I'd seen his mom go after these in the past with a butcher knife.  And perhaps that should have been a lesson to us...

Because this is what happened to the knife Jeremy tried using first:

It was crazy!  I watched it snap...  I wish I'd taken a picture of this squash.  Because it takes quite a squash to kill this knife!

In the end, Jeremy had to break out the big guns:  his hatchet.  And he took it out back on the porch.

The end result -- after cooking and everything -- was this: 

And those aren't even all the pieces.  Just some that I put on one of the pans.  But on the left you can see my home-made baby food :).  Lynnaea loves it.

And she also loves eating in her high chair.  I think she feels like a big girl.  And she is!  I can't believe how much she has grown.

These were this morning.  She likes to sit up.  And smile at her daddy when he plays with her.  I so love this baby.

Now That We've Flown...

Let me just say that Lynnaea was awesome.  On the flight from Seattle to Atlanta, she slept the whole way, only waking up every hour and fussing a very small amount until we put the pacifier in her mouth and she would go back to sleep.  Then the flight from Atlanta to Panama City was golden.  She fell asleep before we were in the air and slept until we landed and we roused her from her sleep.  What a good baby she is!  And even on just 5 hours of sleep, she managed to still be happy. 

So I'll mostly just upload a bunch of pictures to tell the tale of our vacation.  But I will say this:  it was awesome.  I managed to do everything I wanted to do -- and more!  The weather was beautiful.  We got to use some of the short-sleeve cute outfits we otherwise wouldn't have been able to...  Yep, just a wonderful time.  And I got to see almost everyone I wanted to.  It's so sad that the trip had to be so short...  But I'm uber-happy that I got to go.  It was such a nice break.

Here we are...  Ready for our first flight!

Lynnaea's new pastime...  Sucking on Grandma's chin...

Here's our cutie, out for a stroll with her grandma and grandpa.

Those walks wear her out!  So she needs her naps -- even on vacation.

She likes to be included in the fun (of course), so she hung out at the table with the rest of us.  With her bug.

Here's one of her outfits that I'd wanted to see on her, but that wouldn't have happened without a trip to Alabama!  Isn't it cute?  Rolls and all ;).

Her first Halloween...  We borrowed the onesie from a friend in Washington!

After lunch in Tuscaloosa at Swen's Chinese with Virginia and Annie...  I sure do miss them!

 Hanging with April and Julie and Alysha and all the family :)!!  Such a great night!

Juliebean and Nilla Wafer and all their kidlets...  Oh how we've grown (or gotten old...)

After lunch with Julia-Ann in Montgomery.  Chick-Fil-A YUM!

 Sitting up like a big girl and chewing on her toys!

We had to pose with the golden peanut after church on Sunday :)!!  You know, for the Christmas cards!
 

Enjoying the nice Sunny day with Mommy outside!

Definitely one of the best nights ever!!  Hanging with so many of my wonderful Dothan friends at Becky's!!  After a really delicious dinner of Alice chicken (I think that's right) over rice, salad, rolls, green beans, applie pie, and apple nachos.  Oh my goodness.  And so much laughter! 

I should do a "before and after" thing here, but I'm too lazy.  These two fabulous women are the two with whom I served in Young Women's in Dothan before I left for Tuscaloosa.  I love them.

Jeremy should be more tolerant of my picture taking, because then I wouldn't have to post his goofy face pictures.  Oh well...  He carried around Lynnaea all night while I was gabbing with the girls, and she got tired and fell asleep like this.  She really is a good baby.

Here's that sweet baby girl in a high chair playing at Italian Express.  While I snarfed up a slice of heaven in the form of the roast beef sub.  With gravy on the sandwich and on the side, as always ;).

Isn't that just a little bit of awesome?

And while Anne and I were eating at Italian Express, in walks Kristin!  How crazy!  So she joined us too :).  And that was awesome.

Me and Anne with a delicious menu in the background :)...

Lynnaea playing with her grandpa.

I got a special tour of the new library being built!  Now that was awesome.  And isn't it great that I always have a burp rag on my shoulder these days?

Had to make sure I visited Miss Hilda!  I miss her.  She still makes me laugh :).
  

We introduced Lynnaea to squash.  She loved it.  Daddy was unimpressed that Mommy was trying new things on vacation.

All of us before heading to the airport to head home.  Sigh...

Lynnaea hanging in the airport with Grandpa before our flight.  We miss Grandpa!!!

Anyway, it was awesome.  I want to go back.  Sigh...  Until next time...