4 Months

I took Brynlie in for her 4 month check-up yesterday! Here are her stats:

Height: 26 in. (97th percentile)
Weight: 18 lb.s 3 oz. (97th percentile)
Head Circ. 16 1/2 in. (90th percentile)

As you can see, she's still topping the charts!! She's getting so big and strong and is changing and learning new things every day! Here are a few of her favorite things:

She loves bathtime...and she loves being swung around in her towel after bathtime!

She loves story time...and she loves looking at her bright blue polka-dot pants.

She is starting to grab and hold her toys. She loves her O-ball that her Uncle Devin bought her, and lately it goes straight to her mouth.

She loves socks on her hands...just kidding. But she still scratches herself when she gets tired so you may still see sock hands in some pictures.

Our nephew Benson is doing a project for school--his class read a book about a little boy, Stanley, who gets squished flat as a pancake. Because he's flat, it's very easy for him to travel. Their class is seeing who can send Stanley traveling the farthest, so Benson sent him to us to take pictures with him in the great state of Kentucky.

(Sorry the pictures are sideways...) With Stanley at Churchill Downs

With Stanley at the Ohio River with Indiana in the background.

With Stanley at Waterfront Park.

More sideways Churchill Downs.

Sidenote: we have only had 4 days of sunshine the entire month of February. Is it spring yet?

Projects...and projects

With the weather so cold and gloomy, Brynlie and I have been feeling cooped up in our little apartment...so I've been getting my craft on! Here are a few recent projects:Stippled some quilt blocks for spring...

Made these frames (still trying to decide where to put them)

I wanted some new accessories, so I used some old ribbons and lace that I had and made these little guys...

Then I found some hideous headbands 3 for $1 at the dollar store, so I wrapped them in ribbon to cover the hideousness.

Don't mind my hair in this picture, it was 11:00 pm and it had been a long day watching Rich's basketball play offs at the church...

I used pins to attach the do-dads so that they can be attached to other things too...necklaces, shirts, purses, etc.

We had some beautiful sunshine on Saturday and we went walking downtown Louisville at Riverfront park to soak up the rays. It was HEAVENLY!! We took some pictures for my little nephew's school project--"Flat Stanley" thatI will post soon!

A first time for everything...and using food storage.

With Valentine's Day and President's Day come and gone...I am more ready for spring than ever before!! I long to go on walks in the sunshine without 10 layers of clothing on. I cannot wait to see green on the trees again and go to the park and just enjoy feeling warm. I can't wait for short sleeves, flip flops, and for freckles to start to pop. Ahh... spring. If it weren't for the 7 inches of snow outside, I could probably dream a little longer, but I get snapped back to reality pretty quick! So I'll just keep dreaming of spring.

For a while now I've been trying to figure out how to use food storage. The taco soup I posted is one good way, since everything is from a can. We also found a great way to use the huge bucket of wheat we have in our storage:

Whole Wheat Blender Waffles

1 c. wheat

1 c. milk

1 T. baking powder

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. oil

2 eggs

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

Blend it all up in the blender! The wheat gets blended just enough to be crunchy and hearty. Top with butter, hot syrup, and homemade whip cream. Rich and I seriously live off of these things every weekend. It's become our Saturday/Sunday morning tradition!

Brynlie also had a few "firsts" this weekend. While I was at a friends house last week, Brynlie had her first experience with a high chair. I sat her in theirs while we finished up a craft and she LOVED it! So we went out this weekend and bought her her very own. She loves to sit in it and feel like she's part of the crowd at the table. We also got out her exer-saucer and she played in that for the first time as well.

Such a big girl!

Talking with a 4-month old

So I am just figuring out posting this whole movie thing...don't feel like you have to watch them all, they are mostly for my mom. This one is of Brynlie talking to me this morning...she is becoming so wiggly and chatty! She is half undressed because I wanted you to notice her ginormous legs! Also, she doesn't know what to think about the camera--everytime she realizes it's there she goes super quiet. Hence, it is very hard to take pictures of her because she just stares at the camera!!

Videos

Here are a couple videos...one of Brynlie playing with Daddy (sorry it's so long, I really just wanted to get her big squeal at the beginning...

and then there's one of her playing on the bed. She loves it when I brush my hair over her face---then she realizes the camera is there and she goes totally quiet again!

If I Only Had Today

I have it hanging in nearly every room of my house--Enjoy the Journey. But sometimes it's hard, when there's laundry and cleaning to be done, dinner to be made, that project that needs to be finished, the stinky garbage that hasn't gone out for days... These are things that I have found myself constantly thinking. And then somehow I am reminded that the laundry can wait, and we can eat mac and cheese, that laying on the bed giggling and singing with my baby is so much more important than that ever-growing to-do list. Somehow I am reminded of how blessed I am to have each and every day.
I know someday Brynlie will hate me for posting this picture of her.


This is one of my favorite songs by Hilary Weeks-- If I Only Had Today --It always puts thingsthings in perspective for me when I hear it.

It seems like I've watched a million sunsets
and stared at a thousand full moons,
sometimes it feels like I've been here forever
and sometimes it all feels brand new.
I could never count the heartbeats,
from the day I was born until now.
But not a single one goes unnoticed
by Him who brings life in me somehow.
But if there were no more tomorrows,
if I knew that I could not stay
I know how I'd spend every minute
if I only had today...

I'd hold you and listen
and I'd let the dishes sit in the sink.
I'd tell you I love you over and over,
and for once I'd just let the phone ring.
Then I'd remember you of forever,
and how our love will never change
If I only had today.

I'd wake up before the sun did
and I'd watch as you quietly sleep.
I'd pray for time to move slowly,
knowing the moment won't keep.
All the gifts that heaven has given,
every blessing that's come my way
wouldn't be anything without you,
So if I only had today

I'd hold you and listen
I'd memorize every detail of your face.
Tell you I love you over and over
I wouldn't let excuses get in the way.
Then I'd remind you of forever,
and how our love will never change,
If I only had today.

There's no time like the present
Life doesn't come with any guarantees
The sun will set, time won't wait
So while I have today,
I'll hold you and listen
and I'll let the dishes sit in the sink.
I'll tell you I love you over and over,
and for once I'll just let the phone ring.
Then I'll remember you of forever,
and how our love will never change

Because I have today.