Back to the Arboretum

Yesterday Cort and I headed back to the Arboretum with Mia again. We started out by checking out Xanadu-a crazy twig sculpture. Then we walked around and Mia hung out with a cicada friend. Finally, we took a break, fed Mia, and played on a blanket.

Cort and Mia inside "Xandadu"

Xandadu
Do you see it?

Mia was not doing her usual "posing" today

She is very mad that I put her in the grass here. :)

Life is much better on a blanket

My goofball

Mia and Daddy

Today Cort celebrated his first Father's Day as a daddy. Mia is so lucky to have such a wonderful dad. I know Cort is and will be as wonderful of a dad as mine was to me. Seeing Cort with her reminds me a lot of my dad-he is just so playful like my dad. Mia just lights up when Cort is around-she knows he is the fun one to play with.

Sarah's mom was nice enough to invite us over to her pool today, so we spent the morning there relaxing. Then we headed home to meet up with Cort's parents, who were kind enough to watch Mia while we worked on some yard work. We picked the wrong day to do it though-it was so disgustingly hot outside! After that Sarah and Ian came over with Aidan and Ava to have a BBQ with Cort's parents.

Mia floating in the raft

With Daddy

Happy Father's Day

Catch-Up

I have been a bit of a slacker the last week or so and haven't updated. School ended, so I have been busy enjoying my Mia. We have hit the waterpark twice, went to the Arboretum with Ava, had a garage sale, and have been going on lots of runs and walks. I am so happy it is summer! Here are a couple random pictures of Mia

Enjoying eating grass

Checking out a cicada

Sitting in the flowers at the Arboretum

Visiting with Auntie Ness

Annoying Zip

More Milestones

The past couple of days have seen Mia hitting some new milestones. First off, she is still not really happy to bear weight on her legs. But we got her a Leap Frog Learning Table and she has been a little more agreeable to it. Unfortunately, I think she is just stubborn and will do things when she wants to or when it is advantageous to her. Case in point-the last couple of times I have gone in her room in the morning or after naps to go get her, she is standing up in her crib, peering out. We lowered the crib tonight because we were afraid she was going to topple out. Crazy girl!

Although Mia has been sitting up for awhile, she hasn't been able to get herself into a sitting position until just the other day. Now it's like she's been doing it her whole life. Mia has also started to wave goodbye. Whenever we are someone else is leaving, I always take her arm and wave it goodbye. Yesterday though when we were leaving Sarah and Ian's, we were saying bye to Mike and Tonya and she did it by herself. The funny part is that she gets confused and sometimes when we say to wave, she claps instead. :) Also, her new word/sound of choice is "Wow!

Mia checking out the world outside her crib

Good morning!
Mia's new learning table

Noah's Birthday

I can't believe it, but my nephew Noah is going to be turning 1 this week. A year ago he was born, just a little over 3 pounds, and now he is such a big boy and doing so great! Here are some pictures from his birthday party this weekend.

Noah with Grandma

Jen with her nephew Stefan
Aunt Cathy with Noah

Noah with Aunt Cathy and his Great Grandpa

Noah playing

Trying out the cake

Opening Gifts

First Trip to the Waterpark

Mia made her first trip to the waterpark today. She loved the water and would giggle when I brought her into the deeper part. She also got to wear the cute little Gap swimsuit Rick and Jill gave her at my baby shower. We had a pretty quick visit because the weather got bad, but we have a membership, so we will be back all summer long!!

Relaxing in the water

Taking a break from the pool to get some lunch

Too Many Pictures and Too Little Sleep

Mia's Reading Buddies

Being a teacher, I am thankful at this point Mia loves to "read" or be read to. Here are two of her latest reading buddies...


Yes, that is Mia naked reading with Zip. I took her upstairs tonight to change her for bed and the second I took off her diaper, she took off. Where did she head? Well, see for yourself.

Exciting News!!

I am so excited to share that I have a new job!! Next year I will be working in the same district, but different school. I have taken a part-time job as a Reading Specialist at Georgetown. I am so sad to leave Kendall, which has been such a great place to work at, with such a great staff, but this opportunity will give me more time with Mia, and much less work to bring home. I will work Monday-Friday from around 9-12:30 or so.

Mia also had her 9-month appointment today. She is 20 pounds, 4 ounces (75th percentile), and 28 5/8 inches long (80th percentile). Mia's head is still measuring large-the 95th percentile! What we always say is "big head-big brains!" :) We are going to be working more on standing and eating more table foods as we approach 1-year-old-can you believe it???

I don't have any new pictures, so in honor of Mia's 9-month appointment, I will post some pictures of her as a newborn to show how much she's grown in such a short time!

Minutes Old

3 Days Old

Mia-9 Months

Memorial Day Weekend

How nice it is to have a 3-day weekend!! Bear with me, there are quite a few pictures!

On Saturday night we headed over to Mike and Nic's for a BBQ. Here is Mia with Pat and Steph...

Sunday, I headed over to my mom's to hang out with her, my grandparents, and aunt. It was such a beautiful day and so nice to relax!

Mia looking out the glass door

Sitting with grandma at the new picnic table

Watering Grandma's tomato plants

Mia has recently started to clap when she gets excited. It is very cute even though her hands don't always make contact!

Even though Mia didn't appreciate the grass last time, I am determined to get her to like it! She did seem to tolerate it a bit more this time....

Baby in a Bucket

Yes, I know! I love to torture my little Mia by taking a zillion pictures of her and sticking her in random objects. She just so darn cute that I can't resist! Here are a couple from today.

Look at the silly faces!

Today I also sat Mia in the grass. Either she is not a big fan of the itchy grass or our lawn really needs to be mowed. It is probably a combination of both. :)

Yum!