9 months

Lydia turned 9 months last Sunday. I was waiting to do this post until we had gone to the doctor and had all her updates stats.

Weight: 19 lbs 12 oz (yup she's a CHUNK!)
Height: 28 inches

She's in the 65%tile for both height and weight.

This little 9 monther is a bundle of joy. She is surprising us every day with new things.

Here are a few of the things she is doing lately

-She is a fast scooter. Every once in a while she'll actually get up on her hands and knees and crawl the normal way, but I think because she is so fast at the other way she wont ever really get the "crawl." We'll see.
-She is pulling up on everything.
-She still has two teeth but I think she's cutting more. Normally I think kids get the top two teeth but it kind of looks like Lydia may be getting her lateral incisors (the ones right next to her bottom middle).
-She is taking a bottle and I am weaning.
-Part of her pulling up on everything is her pulling herself up in the crib. This has been a fun trial for nap times. Suddenly her naps have not been so great. BUMMER.
-She says Ba Ba (for bye bye). She sometimes adds a arm wave.
-When she wakes up or comes into the room she'll often say Ha (Hi). I love it.
-We've started disciplining her (by smacking her little hand and saying "no") for touching cords. She is learning. I can now say "Lydia don't touch that...mommy said no" and she will sometimes touch it but other times she'll turn around and come to me (or go to a toy).
-Lydia is still really friendly and happy. She'll generally go to anyone. She is very flexible...even if she is totally messed up on naps and her routine, she'll usually be happy and offer smiles freely. We are thankful for this chilled baby.




Her schedule has been changing (because of us going through the weaning process). Here is what it basically looks like.
7:30-8:00 she wakes up and has milk
8:30 solids
9:15-11:30 nap
12:00 solids and milk
2:30 nap
6:00 solids
7:00 milk
7:30 bed time

So in the weaning process the first feeding I dropped was her dream feed. I was worried she'd wake up hungry but she didn't...she was just chunking up on that dream feed.




Happy 9 months Lydia!

jon and lindsay: engaged

Lindsay is a sister who is super dear to me. She has been a constant in mine and Patrick's small group at our church. For practically 3 years now we have had the privilege of getting to know Lindsay. She has graciously spoken truth into my life over and over again. We have been blessed to share in life's trials and joys. One of the sweet joys that we have been rejoicing with her in recently is her and Jon's engagement. We are so excited for them. Jon doesn't go to our church so sadly she will be leaving our small group. This is probably the only sad thing about their getting married. She will be greatly missed at our church but will be a huge blessing to those where she's going.

















Thanks you guys for letting me capture these! I loved hanging out with you. Can't wait till 9.30.11 !!

weaning

A week ago today (aug 12) I started weaning Lyds. It was a hard decision to make but because of the importance of me getting on medicine soon to treat my RA I need to go ahead and do it now.

My original plan was to start dropping 1 feeding a month starting around 9 months. That way by the time she was 1 or so, she'd be weaned. Now I'm dropping 1 feeding a week so that she'll be weaned by 9 1/2 months.

The thought of weaning really made me sad. I was fine with the thought of it after a year but earlier was just too much. It wasn't what I wanted. Lots of things that have been happening lately aren't the way I wanted. I really struggle with being out of control. It makes me feel weak and I don't like that. Patrick kindly reminded me that seeing our weakness is good because it reminds us that we need Jesus.
I'm comforted that the Lord knows all my days. In fact He wrote them out for me.

Psalm 139:16b in your book were written, every one of them,the days that were formed for me,when as yet there was none of them.

It is also a good encouragement to see that He is strong when I am weak and that His grace truly is sufficient.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

So how is the weaning process going??
So far I've dropped the dinner feed (She eats four times: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dream feed). So now that dinner feeding is with a bottle. I'm going to drop the lunch one today. She has taken the bottle fine as long as it was still breast milk. I didn't have a ton of that stored so I am now having to give her formula. She refuses to take formula. Some people have suggested to try it in a sippy cup. I'm going to try that today. Hopefully it works. So far when she refuses to take the bottle I just let her skip that meal. I mean I know the girl isn't starving. Have you seen her? I don't know what we'll do if she still wont take it out of a sippy cup. Maybe I'll call the pediatrician and see what she thinks about whole milk?

sewing

I've been sewing lately. Now that my machine is fixed it's so much more fun. Tons less frustrating.

So one night when Patrick was out with a guy friend I got an itch to sew Lydia a dress. I didn't want it to be complicated. Our printer is out of ink so I didn't want to have to use a pattern that I'd need to print. I wanted simple. REALLY simple. And I found it. Googled for an easy girls dress and this one popped up.

I had an old t-shirt of P's that had a hole in it. I like the color and it's really soft. So I cut it up and made a dress. I like the idea of this dress because it works as a dress now and later can be a tunic top or a skirt. I took a few pictures of the process.


This one of Lydia isn't the best. She's not looking and the dress was slipping down her chest... You get the point though. Oh and the dark spot on the right corner...SPIT UP. Right after I put the dress on her she spit up all over it.

I'm not thrilled with my dress but it'll work. I made it really quickly...didn't iron anything down so it's a little sloppy.

More recently while kids (this was a day I was watching my niece and nephew) were napping I got out Anna Maria Horner's book "Handmade Beginnings" and made the Henny Penny and Six Chicks.
I had never sewn using a pattern so this was my first time. I thought it'd be an easier start than a dress. My next thing is going to be a dress. Lydia likes holding on to the chicks and crawling around.


the chicks (3 blue 3 pink) fit under the wings.

food

I've been the happy recipient of veggies from my sister's garden this summer. It seemed pretty easy but I'm still scared to try my own. I would love to be able to walk out into the back yard and grab some of these. Nom nom nom!! Thanks Bek, they made some tasty fajitas!

I've been gluten free for 7 weeks now. I had been craving some of my favorite summer desserts but they all had wheat in them. Then I found this recipe (thanks Laura!!). DELICIOUS!! Banana pudding is one of my favorites so I was kind of afraid that using this substitute for the wafers would be yucky but it wasn't. Not at all. I love the nutty taste the pecans add.


I used the same crunchiness for a make shift blueberry cheese cake. I layered the crust, cream cheese (with powdered sugar, vanilla, and sour cream), and blueberry filling (with freshly picked blueberries YUM) in the same trifle and it was super yummy.


Along with these I've made gluten free banana bread muffins as well as regular gluten FILLED banana bread for Patrick and a few of our neighbors.

What have you been making this summer? Any delicious treats you'd like to share.

$7.00

Went to pick up a prescription from kroger this morning and saw a sign for a yard sale. I was then in the mood to go look for more. I went to the first one and found a few books, a mr. potato head, ABC caterpillar and a Pilates video for muah. $4

(forgot to get out the pilates video and books for pictures...now I'm too lazy to redo them)

At the second one I found two more toys and a pair of Limited shorts (perfect fit!!!). $3 total.


So I really wish I would have only spent maybe $5 just because its a yard sale and I like to be cheap. Today for some reason I felt bad low balling it. If I would have paid what they were asking I would have spent $17 so I guess $7 is still a pretty good deal.


I washed up those toys and let Lydia have at them. She loved em. Patrick hated them (haha only because they make annoying noises)

other news: went to oldnavy looking for a new bathing suit and just happened to find one that I really like for $5!!!