Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The Return of An Old Friend

When people ask what we couldn't live without when Quinn was a newborn, I always say the Nap Nanny. She had reflux, so sleeping on an incline was a life saver. She slept so much better and I can't say enough about how much we loved that thing.

Q slept in her Nap Nanny for about three months (until she learned how to roll over) and then we let some friends borrow it for their newborn. We recently got it back and Quinn was cracking me up. It was like the return of an old friend. She climbed all over it, rested on it, laid down to read a book and sat on top of it. I guess we won't pack the Nap Nanny away for a while...cheap entertainment for a 10-month old!


Daddy came home from work to find Q lounging in the Nap Nanny.









Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Ten Months and Growing

 Your precious outfit from Great Aunt Kerri!

Quinn Margaret,

All of a sudden, you are becoming a little toddler right before our eyes! You aren't walking yet, but you are all over the place exploring and you are the wiggliest little wiggle worm ever! Here are some fun things we have enjoyed about you growing up...stop going so fast!!

Almost Walking
You are really close! You pull up and walk along things really well and you LOVE to push things. I mean love. Your rocking chair, a bucket at Nannie Mae's, your car, your push toys, etc. Sometimes you would rather be outside your pink car pushing around rather than inside rolling. Little Miss Independent! One funny thing about your walking is that you walk with your feet turned out. Oddly enough, your great grandmother (and your namesake) Margaret used to walk like that too.

You love walking around w/ your rocking chair, but you get so mad when it gets stuck. This is your angry face!

World Explorer
Well, you found your video monitor camera. Daddy and I died laughing one night when we heard a bunch of noise and looked over to see a big fat face right next to the monitor. Then it was a big hand and then nothing. Oh dear! You like to explore everything that you aren't supposed to! You also found the stairs and you can fly up those things so fast. We've had the baby gates installed since you were born (mostly for the dogs) but now we better start locking them! Another thing you discovered is the dog water bowls at our house and Nannie Mae's house. You are so funny because you know you aren't supposed to play in them so you look at us first. You like putting things in the bowl. Gross! Finally, you are starting to look around more and your new favorite thing is to sort of reach/point to everything. You really like lights and you are trying to say the word as well. You always love going to see the pretty waterfall at church and Daddy lets you put your feet in. You are mesmerized by running water...even when we hold you up to the sink to wash your hands.





Who knows...maybe you will be baptized here one day too!

For some reason you love the scale in our bathroom. You were just chilling out on the scale reading what you call a "gook" instead of book.


Food
You are such a good eater. You will literally eat anything we put in front of you. You have done a great job lately at school eating the school lunch and we are all so proud of you! It's nice to be able to send you to school w/ just some breakfast, a couple of bottles and a sippy cup of milk w/ your snack. This is just one more reason I feel like I'm losing my baby who's turning into a toddler. :(


Chatty Girl
You have really started to talk a lot more! You wake up and go to sleep talking/singing. You also let us know when you aren't happy about something. I would love to know what you are saying! We are saying your official first words are "book" (even though you say "gook") and Ella! It's so funny to hear you say Ella...so sweet! You two will be best friends even if that means Ella only loves you for the food you can give to her. You sort of say "bye bye", but we aren't 100% sure you are associating it w/ saying goodbye. You also say a lot of "dadadada" but we aren't sure you are associating that either. No "mama" yet, but I'm just waiting!

You and Ella watching Daddy mow the lawn.

Fun and Games
Oh my goodness. The swing is your favorite thing in the world. We really need to get one in our back yard...goodness knows we have enough trees to hang it from! We have been taking you to the park up the street since it's been a little cooler and you are in heaven in that swing. I told Daddy it's your happy place for sure! You also love to play peekaboo now. The funny part (or maybe not so funny) is that you like to play at dinner when you happen to have food all over your hands. Let's just say we have been washing your hair every night. You also continue to love books more than any other toys. You love to open and close them and your favorite thing in the world is a book w/ open and close tabs inside. Where's Spot is your favorite right now. You are so smart! I have a feeling you will be one of those little girls who memorizes all her books so we won't be able to cheat and skip over any parts. :)





Sweetest Girl I Know
You have such a sweet disposition. You love to "love" on Mama and Daddy. When we pick you up we say "ahhh, love Mama/Daddy" and you put your head on our shoulder and pat us. You have the sweetest little love pat. You do it to your toys sometimes too. You also like to share with us. I think all babies do this at some point, but you like to try to give your food to us when you're eating. Sweet girl!


A Few Other Things...
-You still just have eight teeth, but you have a very toothy grin now. It's too cute!
-I'm SOOO excited about the Fall! I am already preparing for your pumpkin patch photos and of course your b-day party!
-Your Halloween costume is ready to go!
-I think Mama is just about ready to wean you from breastfeeding and pumping. We'll see how it goes and at 11 months we might start breaking into the frozen supply
-You still love to dance when you hear music. Your little bounce makes us laugh every time!

Daddy and I decided you look like a little girl in this photo and not a baby! 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

In Denial

I am officially in denial that it's 100+ degrees outside. I've decided to will fall to get here by pretending. I haven't quite starting wearing sweaters, but there are other ways to trick the weather, right?


I made these DELISH pumpkin snickerdoodles from a recipe I found on, you guessed it, Pinterest. They call for a lot of flour, but they had a really interesting consistency...sort of like a thick cake rather than a cookie. They were really good. Like, I might have eaten five in one day at one point.


I also made these Weight Watcher pumpkin spice muffins for breakfast on Labor Day. They are the easiest muffins in the world. Two ingredients: 1 can of pumpkin and one box of spice cake mix. Done and done. Bake at the temperature the box says and viola...you have super-moist, delicious fall muffins! If you're feeling crazy, put some cream cheese frosting on top and you'll just die from the yumminess!!

And finally, I pulled out all my fall decorations and put them around the house. I LOVE the colors and smells of this season! 

 I didn't have a fall wreath and I found this one at JoAnn Fabric for $15!!

I am not really into Halloween decor, but I think I might need something else in the middle of the mantle. When November gets here I'll put up my "Give Thanks" sign seen in Q's newborn photos here.



I guess it's time to replace Ella's photo w/ Q's. Poor Ella, she gets the boot even in photo frames! Maybe I'll leave her in this one.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Quinn Memes