Brian's Birthday!

This year for Brian's birthday I decided to use this as an opportunity to try dome new things.  This year I also had some help from an adorable little girl!  Elizabeth loved helping me with the balloons!  She had to try them all out to make sure they worked properly.  It was fun watching her roll all around chasing them.

I loved the expression on Elizabeth's face that I had captured when I was just testing some lighting in our apartment.  I had a great time quickly putting this simple card together for Brian using the picture.  I think it turned out great!

And what's a birthday celebration without any gifts!  I loved using Dad's way of gift wrapping for the really big box...NEWSPAPER!!!  Elizabeth couldn't wait to help Brian tear into the wrapping!

Since Brian's class ended a little early, and it was such a beautiful day, we decided to walk the river tail that is near us.  We has a great time being outdoors, and just spending some time together as a family.  Afterward, Brian put Elizabeth on top of the car, while I put the stroller in the trunk, and she got a hold of his hat {and did not want to let go!}

We then went home to have cake.  I made an ice cream cake with fondant icing.  These were first for me, but they are some things that Brian liked so I gave it a try.  The fondant was to hard to get twenty-seven candles in it, so we simplified with just one {we had to use a toothpick to make a hole for it}.

 It was just wonderful to make the day special for a wonderful guy!

Happy Birthday, Brian!

Seven months

My little Elizabeth is now seven months old, and I wonder where the time has gone.  She is growing and learning some much everyday!  Here are some of the things she has been doing this last month...

Started eating solid foods
She loves to say Dada all the time
Working hard at crawling
Can get onto her hands and knees for a little bit
Starting to move forward bit by bit
Backwards is easier for her by pushing
Can get around really well
Found that when she rocks side to side on her tummy she moves forward
She is learning how to wave, and waves goodbye to Brian in the mornings
She started to do a Caterpillar crawl backwards
She calls me Nana {which is her way of saying Mama with her tongue sticking out}
She can do full body push ups with her feet pressed against something

Pictures from this month...

First time eating solids {she wasn't sure about it to begin with, but Elizabeth soon decided she liked it and finished it off}...

Still enjoying her toes...

Inched forward to get her toy...

 Ready to go to Grant's birthday party...

Pictures taken today for seven months {she's got personality!}...

Her size~
Length~26 1/2 inches
Weight~17 pounds 10 3/4 ounces
Clothing~Some 3-6 months, and 6-9 months
Diapers~Size 3

My new unexpected name

For quite a while now Elizabeth has been saying Nana, over and over.  I just recently realized what it was...it's Mama with her tongue sticking out!!!  I always expected that my baby would call me Mama first, but Elizabeth doesn't like doing things the normal way, and if she can keep her tongue out, all the better!  I love that she has a name for me, and I love that she calls me Nana!

Here is a video that I got of her this morning calling to me after her morning nap...

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day started out with a green bath for Elizabeth.  She liked it so much that she wanted another one {or something like that}, so she had two St. Patrick's Day baths this morning with her green cup to play with.

I made her a four leaf clover bow to wear today {isn't she cute!}

The sun was actually shining, so I took her out for a little outdoor photo shoot

During Elizabeth's nap I got to work...

I made some Sheppard's pie for dinner, and dyed the potatoes green, then served it with a green salad for dinner...

I also made some rainbow cupcakes from scratch for the day...

Before Brian had left this morning, I couldn't let him leave without any green so I made him a four leaf clover to pin on, he put it on his netbook cover...

I had also made myself a matching four leaf clover like Elizabeth's, just bigger, to wear in my hair...

So, all three of us were armed with our four leaf clovers today...

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Coming out of Hibernation!

I love it!  The weather has finally been warm enough to go outside!  So I have been taking advantage of this with lots and lots of walks...

I usually will go out in the middle of the day with Elizabeth, where we sometimes meet up with some friends that live nearby.  Elizabeth loves to watch the other kids, and she loves being out in the sun too.  Elizabeth almost always sneezes as soon as we get outside, and then whenever she sees the sun.  Most of her life it has been dark days of winter, so the sunshine is a nice change.

Often after Brian gets home we will once again find ourselves outside for another walk as a family.  We have really enjoyed the longer days that make it possible to do this.  We have found some new places to walk around as we have explored the neighborhood near us.  My favorite time was when we found the horses...I was surprised when Elizabeth didn't get scared when one got right up in her face, and she even reached out to it.  Such an adventurous girl!

I love Spring!!!

Accepted!!!

Brian got some great news today.  He was told that one of the research papers that he had done has been accepted by one of the Conferences for this summer!  This is a great step in the right direction.  It will hopefully be followed by acceptance to a top marketing journal.

The conference is going to be in Boston, so I am trying to talk him into letting Elizabeth and I tag along.  It's not for sure that he will go, but Boston is someplace that I have always been intrigued with {in 5th grade I did a report on Massachusetts}.  Plus we aren't to far from there, so driving is even a possibility.  The conference is in August, just before Elizabeth's first birthday.  I think it would be a great pre-Birthday trip for her!

Here's to hoping!