Where have these last 7 months gone?

Sometimes I wish we could start all over with Lyla just coming home from the hospital in her lil' bitty newborn clothes, but then I remember getting up with her every 3 hours at night to feed her and suddenly I'm content with her being 7 MONTHS OLD.

A note to Lyla:
Daddy and Mommy enjoy every second we get to spend with you. You define the word 'happiness' for us and we just can't get enough of your sweetness.

Anything new with you?

Always! I think you've finally figured out that the people in the mirror are actually Mommy, Daddy, and you! You are getting your whole torso off the ground and then some but haven't quite got the crawling thing down yet. The words 'dancy, dancy' or music makes you want to rock back and forth. You LOVE putting both of your hands in the air and then slamming them down when we say "BAM, BAM". You're eating all sort of things now including turkey and chicken (baby food or course--no drumsticks yet). You have one toothy on the bottom and one coming in. They caused and are causing you plenty of discomfort : (. Have I mentioned that you've said mama a few times???

I'm posting pictures with Santa because that was right near her 7 month birthday.   She did really well on Santa's lap.  First she stared at him for while like she does and then she decided to smile for the man taking the pictures--no crying :)!!!  I was allowed to take some pictures after they did.  I didn't get a smile from her but I'll post what I got.

Waiting in line:

Santa and Lyla!

A Christmas Photo Shoot

So I thought I did a good thing by scheduling our Christmas pictures in enough time to get our Christmas cards out, but low and behold, Texas weather wins again. My sister, Mandy, was kind enough to take a few shots of us in the not-so-perfect weather so we could have a couple of pictures for our card. Below are a few I thought were cute that did not make the cut for the card.

Thanks again, Mandy!

Christmas Parade

This time of year is one of the many reasons I love Brenham.  Each year in downtown Brenham they host a Christmas parade along with the lighting of downtown and late night shopping festivities. The floats are actually quite creative and detailed.  Lyla loved them and proceeded to yell and wave her hands at them.  The obnoxiously loud sirens didn't seem to phase her but they scared the blonde off of me.  Our friends, Justin, Laine, and Jamison, were also there enjoying the fun!

The Hejls

Ly's 1st Halloween! (a tad out of order)

So I went a tad overboard with pictures.  She wasn't the happiest Honey Bee around because it was past her bed time, but she was a good sport and even smiled a few times!

This little bee loves to fly!

Mom, this is getting ridiculous.

Okay, I'll smile one more time...

Lyla's friend, Jamison, came over to trick or treat.  Isn't he just the most adorable lion?1?!  The cute clown holding him is his Lala (don't quote me but I think that's what he calls his grandma).

At this point, they would NOT cooperate.

Okay, so they sat still once Jamison got a light stick (or whatever it's called), but still no smiles.

Staring Jamison down.

Lyla's 6 months? No way!

Well it seems like just yesterday that I was posting about your 5 month birthday and now here we are at 6 months.  You are the light of our lives and just growing like a weed!  We went to the doctor yesterday and you were in the 97th percentile in height and weight.  I can't even imagine that you were a tiny (well not so tiny) baby just a few months ago!

What's new with you?
You can sit up with no hands and we can really see you working at balancing yourself!  You love sitting up because you can play better and really observe things around you.
You're back on rice cereal.  We had to take a little hiatus from it because you had tummy trouble for about a week.  Now that you're better we're also going to start baby food next week!
When you try to crawl you lift up your entire torso and yell really loud as if it will help you move.  So funny!  I know you'll figure it out soon but for now, I'll enjoy you staying in sort of one place.
You know that when you move your fingers along your rattle, it makes noise.  So, now you do that for everything.  It kind of looks like you're scratching things...you do it to your head, mommy's face, daddy's face, in mid air.  It's pretty hilarious and hard to explain obviously.
You took to a sippy cup really fast.  I handed it to you, you grabbed it, and immediately started drinking out of it--plus you're holding your own bottle!

On a sad note, you've decided that you're going to start waking up in the middle of the night again.  Mommy and Daddy just don't have the heart to let you lay there and cry so we go soothe you.  My fingers are crossed that it's just a phase!

There is really something new everyday and it's just one of the many gifts of being a parent.  We love you, Lyla Bee.

Lyla's Christening

I'm so relieved we were finally able to have Lyla baptized.  Since we got married in the Church I grew up going to, we chose to have Ly baptized in the Church Matt was baptized in to make the occasion extra special.  It was a very nice service and our baby girl didn't cry once!!!  Afterwards, we had a nice celebration at her Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

Lyla in her Grandpa's Christening Gown

Lyla and her Godparents

Lyla wore the gown my sisters and I wore when we were baptized!

She LOVES being lifted up in the air