Tag Queen

Lauren has always had a love for silky things. At the beginning, she loved a stuffed lamb (that we named Lala) because it had a ribbon around its neck that she would feel and rub between her fingers.

Here is 7 month old Lauren with Lala and Great Nana (Nick's Grandma)

Lala used to go with us everywhere. Which was great in the summer! Instead of carrying around a heavy blanket, we carried around Lala. That was until she started loving her blankie.

Lauren has like 7 blankets that were either made for her as an infant or given to her at my baby shower. And she only likes two. Yep, two. This is because they have very large tags. (Big props to Babies R Us for making large tags on baby blankies). Here is another picture of Baby G starting to like blankies.

I was talking with my Mother-in-Law, Robin, one day about how she only likes two of her blankets. Which most of the time isn't a problem, except for when they are dirty or she was sleeping with both of them and they got pee'd on during the night (she frequently wakes up wet, stinky diaper leakage). And plus, one tag was loved on so much it started ripping off! Anyway, she had this brilliant idea of sewing on a piece of ribbon...why didn't I think of that? Now Lauren enjoys the blankies she didn't like so much anymore. All because of a piece of ribbon. Oh, and, by the way, she has a lightweight "summer" blanket that now has a tag thanks to Robin. Summer is no longer an issue. Genius, I tell you! Genius! I have the best Mother-in-Law!

Here is Lauren loving the "ribbon tag" Grandma Robin sewed on. Thanks Grandma you're the best!

Now that we got that out of the way and you understand my child. Here she is carrying around a bib. Enjoy! :)

Spring? In February?

Today was a wonderful wonderful day. Not only because it was Valentines Day but the mounds of snow are melting and the weather was BEE-utiful for February (temp in the upper 40's). So after we ate our heart-shaped pancakes we headed outside to enjoy the spring air.
Last fall, Papa and Grandma Christy (Nick's Dad and Step-Mom) gave Lauren this little tykes gym/slide type thing. Well for the entire winter its been stored in our backyard (under snow) so today we uncovered it and she played on it for the first time....she LOVES it! Thanks Papa and Grandma :)


I especially love being a stay at home mom now that Lauren is starting to play. Don't get me wrong I love babies and I don't want to wish her life away but she's interacting and she understands what we say and most of the time she will respond in her own version of mumbo jumbo. But its great because most of the time I understand her (nobody else does but I do)!

Another gift that Lauren got last year (for her Birthday) was this fisher price lawnmower. Last fall she wasn't able to play with it because she didn't start walking until 13 months (she was a little behind, but its okay:) and by the time she was steady on her feet it was well into winter. Here are some cute pictures of her "mowing the concrete" as we called it. The grass was icky and slushy and still full of snow. But instead of "pushing" the lawnmower she "pulled" the mower. So for those of you who are wondering how to mow the cement.... that's how we do. :)

Cheek Update

If you have been around Lauren lately you know that she has developed some (or what look like) bumps on her cheek. They developed before Thanksgiving and almost look like pimples or baby acne.

This is Lauren at Christmas and you can see the two bumps on her (left) cheek.

At her 15 month checkup we asked the doctor about them and she thought it was some kind of bacteria. So we were instructed to put some sort of ointment on them for ten days but that yielded no results. Wondering what in the world these things were (because they were not moving, changing in size and had been there two months) we made an appointment with a dermatologist.
We learned that they really aren't "bumps". They are flush with the skin, you can't feel "a bump" it just looks like there is "a bump." They are actually the result of a dilated blood vessel that is close to the skin. So I guess we could call them two little red spots. There is no treatment unless we want to get them lazered off (which would require her to be put under anesthesia). Um yah, no thank you. Fifty percent of the time they disappear by age 15 and at that time if she still has 'the spots' she can choose to have them lazered off (since she would be able to hold still for the procedure it wouldn't require anesthesia). So for now, it just adds to her uniqueness...and maybe they will go away on their own... or maybe not. She's still the cutest little chunky-munk that I've ever seen! :)

Newest Family Member

We took our first road trip as a family of three, one week before Christmas this year. It was quite the adventure but traveling with a toddler does have its perks. Number 1, you don't have to stop every 5 minutes for them to go to the bathroom. All you have to do is put an overnight diaper on them and they are fine the whole ride! And number 2, cheerios still make them happy.
We started driving around Lauren's bedtime and drove through the night. It was amazing! Lauren is not a lover of her car seat but when she's tired, she doesn't care.
We had a great time in Colorado. We visited with some of my cousins, aunts, and uncles, some of which we had never met. It was wonderful.
On our way home from Colorado we stopped in North Platte, NE to pick up our new furry friend. Nick and I had been wanting to adopt a larger dog...he wanted a German Shepherd but I really wanted a Chocolate Lab. They were just so cute and family friendly and I dreamed about teaching him to swim, fetch and catch frisbee's. Well, Christmas was fast approaching and Nick asked me what I wanted...a Chocolate Lab, of course!

Nick and Diesel moments after we picked him up.
7 weeks old.

Diesel at Christmas, 8 weeks old

Lauren loves Diesel. She loves to hug him, pull on his extra skin, and take his bones away. We are constantly saying, "Lauren, leave him alone, he's sleeping!" Diesel is very patient, he is going to be a great dog. One thing we find hilarious is she loves to sit right next to him while he is sleeping and flip his ear back...and then forth. Back... and then forth. I don't know, maybe you'd have to see it, but it is hilarious!

New Blogger

Starting off 2011 one of my goals this year is to create a blog. We want to keep our friends and family (both near and far) updated as to what is going on in our family. I have no clue what I am doing so... come along, as I learn. :)