1st Time Eating Carrots

It is so much fun feeding Brylie solid foods.  We are trying to stick with one type of food for a week to give Brylie time to adjust to the new flavors and textures and also see how her body reacts to the new food.  The first week we gave her rice cereal and this week we gave her carrots.  Below are some pictures of her first experience with carrots.  She didn't seem to like them very much at first, but warmed up to them after a few days.  

 Daddy seems very focused feeding his daughter.  It is a beautiful thing to see Nick's love for our daughter.  What a special relationship already.

 Her face here says it all... "Yuck"  (Bella is in the background looking for the bunnies)

 She is getting the hang of it.

 Brylie with carrots all over her adorable face.

Allyson's Baby Shower

Brylie and I were thrilled to honor my sister and the upcoming arrival of her baby.  We hosted a baby shower at our house despite the rain and cold weather.  With some last minute adjustments we moved all the furniture from the dining room and living room into the garage.  It turned out really well and was so much fun to do.  I love my sister so much and can't wait to share the joys of motherhood with her.

 Shelden, Mommy to Be, Brylie and I.

 The tables set in our living room.

 The candy topiary centerpieces I made.

 Allyson's gifts and baby clothes.  I was able to find a lot of cute "I love my aunt" clothes.

Iced tea, pink lemonade and "mamaritas."

 The dessert table.

 The wine table.

 Brylie decided to take a little rest halfway during the party.  Too much partying for her.

 Dessert table.  Shelden helped me to make the cupcakes and cake pops.  They were a big hit.

 Flowers that were sent by Uncle Michael and Aunt Cheri greeted people at the front door.  They were placed next "Words of wisdom" cards.

 Ally opening all her wonderful presents.  There were so many people who came to show their support and love for Ally.  She truly is an amazing woman.

Brylie's 1st St. Patrick's Day

We celebrated Brylie's 1st St. Patrick's day with corned beef and cabbage, shamrock shakes, and green cupcakes.  I decorated the table and Beto, Tommy, Tom and Bonnie joined us for dinner.  Brylie looked very cute in the St. Patrick's day shirt that my mom got for her.  I have always loved celebrating all the holidays and now I enjoy them even more with Brylie.

 Just a few of my green cupcakes.

 Brylie has her green on, so she can't be pinched.

 This picture reminds me of Nick.  When he is focused he too has his tongue sticking out.  It must be a family trait because Bella does it as well :)

 Her hands are very yummy.

 Sitting up all by herself.

 A foot can be very fun.

Such a cute shirt.  I made sure to give her lots of kisses.

 Sitting in her high chair as I prepare dinner.

 The table all set.

A Girl After My Own Heart

Many of you reading this are well aware of the hypnotizing effects of "crobbling".  For those who have not been introduced to my family's word of "crobbling" let me explain further.  Ever since I was a child my family has always called the soft tickling of the arm that soothes you and makes you beg for more "crobbling."  It was always the thing that helped put us to bed, made us feel better when we were sick, and relaxed us.  Even to this day I hear this word thrown around our family as if it is everyday language.  I say it often enough that I forget that there are others are unaware of the definition and have to take the time to explain what is meant to "crobble."

Enough of the backstory....

The last few nights as I was nursing Brylie and getting her ready for bed I could feel her little hand reach up to grab mine and move it against her little belly and leg.  At first I thought this was simply a coincidence, but now after three days of her insisting that I "crobble" her to sleep I am well aware that she has become a huge fan of being "crobbled."  She is definitely a girl after me own heart.  I love that there are pieces of my childhood that will be carried into Brylie's.  It makes me appreciate all the times I have been "crobbled" in my past and all the "crobbling" that is still to come.  It is just a small reminder of all the fun things to look forward to.  I love my Brylie girl!!      

1st Time Eating Rice Cereal

We decided to wait until after Brylie's 6 month birthday to feed her solid foods.  After her birthday I got excited about the idea of being able to feed her.  We started her on rice cereal and had so much fun.  She seemed really interested in it.  She would grab at her spoon and reach for the food.  I don't know what she thought of it at first, but I think she started to enjoy it by the end.  Looking forward to seeing how she responds to other foods.

 Mommy giving Brylie her first bite.

 She doesn't quite know what to think of it.

 Oops Mommy forgot the bib.  Good thing we remembered to put in on halfway through her feeding.

 Bella watching Brylie eat solids for the first time.

 Daddy wanted a turn feeding Brylie too.

 She had it all over her face.

Reaching for her spoon.  She wanted to feed herself.

Girl's Night Out for Shelden's Birthday

Brylie and I went to San Diego with Kathy and Mom to celebrate Shelden's birthday.  It was her first girl's night out and we had a great time.  On the way to San Diego we stopped to have lunch and to look at the Ranunculus at the flower fields .  We had a great dinner and got to see Shelden's fabulous apartment.  Brylie loved all the attention.  The next morning we had a great breakfast and headed back home.  It was a nice getaway.

Brylie loves Shelden so much.

6 Months Old

Brylie weighs 20.14 lbs and is in the 99.9th percentile for weight.  She is 27 inches long and in the 96th percentile for height.  She is growing so fast.

Brylie loves:
Taking long walks in her stroller and being outside.

Brylie doesn't love:
Getting her shots.  She did very well with her 6 month doctor visit, but she cried a little when she got her shots.  It made mommy very sad.

Tender moments:
When Brylie said "Dada" and "momma".  Even though she is babbling it is so fun to hear her try and communicate.

Lizard Tongue

Brylie has been having a lot of fun playing with her tongue.  She is such a funny girl.

Dada Video

It is hard to capture Brylie saying "momma" and "dada" on film, but below are my best efforts.  More to come in the future.  When the camera is not rolling she is certainly practicing her new words with more frequency.  So cute.

Big Day of Firsts

Yesterday was a BIG day of firsts:

1.) Mom and I went to Cheesecake Factory for lunch and Brylie sat in the restaurant high chair for the first time.  She loved sitting at the table and being part of the action.  It was so cute to watch her try and grab and play.

2.) While on the phone with Ally I put Brylie on speaker phone so Ally could talk to her.  I was trying to encourage Brylie to say "momma" when she blurted out "dada." I thought I may have been mistaken, but Ally said she heard it as well.  Later on in the day she continued to say "dada" so others could hear.  Being the loving girl that she is she said "momma" later on in the day.  I know that she is babbling and doesn't associate the words with people, but it is so fun to know that she is in the beginning stages of language.  What a big girl :)