eight months

i am really wishing time would just slow down some.  my baby girl is growing up way too fast for my liking.  she is already acting like a "big girl" with her standing up, trying to walk (yes, she is trying to walk) and becoming more independent.  she is definitely keeping me on my toes at all times, maybe making my heart skip a few beats each time she bangs her head or gets into something that's a "no touch."  

she is eight months old and she is so active.  i sometimes find myself wondering if other babies are as active.  she loves to get into anything and everything.  she is crawling like a mad woman around the house and i have surely been getting some good exercise.  she has a total of six teeth (the top four are still coming in).  she loves most all of her baby food and is starting to learn to use her sippie cup.  she is mostly just saying "dada" and working on waving bye-bye.  the cutest thing she is doing now is clapping.  she loves to clap and a lot of times after nursing, i will stand her up and she will clap with the biggest smile on her face.  i feel like she is already starting to look more like a little girl than a baby.   we just got back from the beach with family and she loves the water!  she is mainly just taking one nap a day but sometimes, if lucky, i can squeeze in two. 
here are some pictures of the little monkey at eight months doing what she loves...climbing, standing, crawling, going, going, going....

clapping girl

more clapping

 

on a mission

standing

climbing

what mom???

and just for laughs, this is how she fell earlier today....

 

happy eight months love!  you are my heart!

 

going out in style...

...of my twenties that is.
yep, i turned the big 3-0 the end of june (told you i was behind on my postings and this one i've been working on for days it seems so i'll keep it short and sweet).
it was a little crazy and we pretty much celebrated the whole weekend.  complete with fireworks and sparklers (thanks to the 4th of july celebration being on my big surprise party night).
 the morning of my actual birthday started out as sweet as ever thanks to my husband and baby girl:

nothing like some eggo waffles to start your day ;))

 the three of us had a fun day together and maybe between the two of them, i got a little bit spoiled! :)  for dinner, we went out to eat with some friends to a nice restaurant here in town.  as simple as it was, we had a blast!

                                                                        
i told russ from the beginning that i in no way wanted a surprise birthday, that i just wanted to go out to eat with some friends.  so, my birthday was a great day!
but, who was i kidding...
i guess it was payback time from his surprise party.
i knew my family was coming to town in a few days so i thought something might be up since we are all big on birthdays but had no clue as to what.  my mom and sister took me shopping (hmmm) and i came home to a lot of friends eagerly awaiting to surprise me.  whata ya know....

don't mind the hallway...paint job in the very near future

they were practicing my "surprise face"

stole these pics from friend mandy :)

russ in just an hour made a low country boil and grilled hamburgers/hotdogs for the party!  pretty amazing!

the cake my mom brought for me

their main concern: cake and ice-cream!

 ***thanks to robert for taking these pictures since i wasn't at all concerned with the camera.  and, thanks to my sweet husband, family and friends for celebrating my big 3-0 with me!  whether by message, phone call, cards, or being with me to celebrate, you all helped to make it such a special occasion.  and i have to say to my husband, you out did yourself!  thank you for everything you did for my surprise party even though i told you not to do anything...little sneaky you!
later that night, after some sparklers on the back deck, we all walked down to the river for the 4th of july firework show.  great way to end the night (unfortunately i took no pictures).
a lot of people have asked me how does it feel.  well, not much different.  i just feel grateful for the past thirty years and look forward to what's to come.  i wanted to make sure i made time to reflect and think about all  the blessings and all the ways the Lord has provided in my life.  in simple words, i am just very thankful.

catch up: amazon & 7 months

It's so hard to find time to blog these days.  I always think of things I want to share/blog but never make the time.  Goes to show why I'm just now posting on baby girl's 7 months when next week she will be 8 months.  Oh well.  She is napping so I will blog.  Sounds better than doing the laundry or cleaning the bathroom anyway.  But first,  in June, Russ went with a team to the Amazon for two weeks.  It was a different trip than any we had been on before.  The team stayed on a boat for the two weeks in the Amazon and traveled down river to serve different villages.  I asked him to take pictures for me...

love this girl!

 

While Russ was gone, baby girl turned 7 months!  She is such a funny little girl.  She has her two front teeth coming in.  She is saying "baba" and sometimes "ma" and "da" without meaning though.  At 7 months, although not stable, she was learning to crawl a little.  Eating like a champ.  She is pulling up in her crib to which we had to lower the mattress.  My mom was with me for a week while Russ was gone and we attempted her monthly picture.  This was no easy feat, as you can tell.  This is the best we could do with a busy girl wanting to chew and pull on her sticker.
The many faces of baby girl...

this was my little dress