What About Chuck?

Layla went to Chuck E. Cheese for the first time today! We were invited to the second birthday party of the daughter of a guy that Joe works with. Layla loved it! I'm so mad that I didn't bring my camera along! She clapped excitedly and flailed her arms and squealed with delight as Chuck sang happy birthday (actually he just danced while his fellow employees sang). Seeing a large character walking around was good practice for Disney, I thought. Hopefully that means she won't be scared of a giant Minnie:-). Actually, so far she doesn't seem to be afraid of too much--she doesn't show much fear in anything she does--that could be trouble in the future! She did spill an entire glass of water on herself while we were there (I left it too close to where she could grab--oops!), but thankfully I had back up clothes! She wasn't fazed at all by the ice water soaking her clothes she was having to much fun!

Since I didn't get a pic of them together, just use your imagination to picture Layla right there next to him:-).


Had it been this Chucky, I think she would have been scared:-). Remember him??

Such a Big Girl

I like helping Mom with laundry!

So does my brother Elvis...

I try to be just like my cousin Gavin...

I like helping Gavin fix the ark even though he doesn't always want my help...(yes, this is how messy my floor is when Gavin is over)

Ok, I am not such a big girl here...big girls don't try to eat others' hands.

I LOVE eating...especially things I can feed to myself. I even grabbed a lemon off the table at On the Border the other day and liked it...for about a minute, then it made my whole body twinge!! I am pretty much a human garbage disposal--whatever you stick in my mouth (aside from broccoli--but then Mom hides it in my bread and I eat it), I'll eat. Even after my morning bottle, some yogurt and some oatmeal, I sometimes still have room for an entire pancake! If this keeps up, I'm sure I'll make it on the growth charts at my 1 year appointment!!

4 Years!!

It is Joe and my four year anniversary today! In some ways it seems hard to believe that it's been four years already, but in other ways I can't believe we've only been married four years! I can't imagine my life now without Joe. He is an amazing husband and a great dad. I have loved getting to know him better and better over the past nine years and I love him more and more every day. We've been through so much in the past nine years together and it's crazy to think how much more our lives will change as we grow old together. I hope we have many more happy and healthy years ahead!

Guns N Roses

It's been so great to be able to spend some time outdoors over the weekend! Saturday night after Layla went to bed we practiced some target shooting in our backyard.

This is where Elv spent most of his time as he doesn't like guns--even if you're not shooting them, he knows what they are and starts shaking.

We took Layla for her first walk of the year yesterday afternoon. She loved being able to sit like a big girl in her stroller (not in her carseat like she normally is).

I took her and Elv for a walk today too and it was even nicer out!! I think she couldn't see half the walk because her sun hat kept falling over her eyes, but she didn't seem to mind--she would just get really excited when I would move it up so that she could see:-). She still likes sticking her tongue out at times. She's going to have to learn to keep her tongue in her mouth during walks or she's going to swallow a fly during one of our walks!

Ok, so I realize that wasn't exactly about guns and roses...but it was about guns and the outdoors and roses grow outdoors:-). Oh, I know, this fits better with the title...

These were part of my b-day gift from Joe last week:-). He is normally not a flower guy and that's fine with me b/c I think flowers are a waste of money, so it was sweet that he came home with these last week.

9 Month Pics

Layla had her 9 month pics on Saturday at Tracy's. I think Layla just doesn't like photo shoots. I guess she probably won't ever be a model:-). She hasn't been real happy for any of her pictures, but as long as there are a couple good ones that's all I really care about. To see a sampling of her pics visit http://tracyvdmphotography.wordpress.com/. Tracy always does a great job despite Layla's moodiness!!

Little Dutch Girl

Last week Em and I waited in line at the Dutch Costume sale at the Civic Center to get a costume for Layla to wear at this year's Tulip Time. We were the third group in line so we had our pick of costumes for Layla (and for Gavin for next year). I would imagine that people further in line didn't get one if they were looking for a baby girl costume as there were only maybe 5-7 of them there. Well, I showed Joe's mom the cute little costume and she told me that she thought she still had one from Joe's sister. So now we have two! She's going to wear Joe's sister's old costume this year, but wanted to try them both on since they're both so cute!!!

I clap b/c I'm so excited to dress up in my Dutch Costume!!

Poor little Dutch girl:-(...

I want the camera!!

This is the one we bought at the sale...

I had thought that Layla would be able to wear some of the costumes that I wore growing up once she gets older, but unfortunately we can't find them:-(. Em looked at my dad's house the other day and they are nowhere to be found. My mom was ultra organized, so I don't think we're overlooking them in the house. I don't think my mom would have gotten rid of them, but she may have loaned them out to some people or something. There are three of them that I can think of that are missing:-(. It is times like this that I really wish I could ask my mom where they went!!

Little Drummer Girl