Naked Baby

 Svea hasn't been feeling the best the past few days. Today while Dan was doing a wedding I took these pictures.  Little girl wasn't the happiest this afternoon, but when I was changing her clothes and diaper she got so happy that I let her stay naked wrapped up in a blanket for awhile. She babbled, talked, and flirted....what she does best!

 Look Ma, no clothes!

 I'm not watching tv!  Little stinker is quite drawn to it.  Good thing is we watch less:)

Sweet little profile:)

6 Months Old

Svea-we are totally in love with you. Your little personality is starting to come out. You love to flirt with us and snuggle into our necks. We love you sweet girl! You're already half a year! It goes so fast! Here is what you have been up to!


-You are either taking four short (1/2 hour) naps a day, or one long nap (anywhere from an hour to two hours) along with one or two short naps.  It all depends on what we've been doing, how well you slept the night before, etc.
-You are wearing 3-6 month size clothing and size 2 diapers.

-You are still rolling from back to tummy, but now when you get there you like to hang out for awhile and play. You can push yourself up a bit with your hands and reach for the toy you would like to play with.

-Some nights you only get up once a night and others it's two or more.  I think you are close though to getting up only once a night consistently.
-If we put you to bed on your back you either roll to your side or tummy. We'll let you sleep on your side, but usually turn you back over if you roll to your tummy.

-Your babbling and cooing in starting to sound like more pronounced sounds. You love hearing your own voice and sometimes to get our attention you shriek and scream just a bit louder. You sometimes have this super soft high pitch voice and it is so incredibly feminine and cute.

-You've rolled from tummy to back, but only in your crib. We're not counting it yet because we think it was a fluke and you had gravity and some momentum on your side. We'll wait until you can do this on the floor at any old time.
-You've eaten cereal a handful of times and we'll now start some vegetables...yum!

-You always wake up happy and all smiles when we come in to get you out of your crib. You also like to snuggle just a little bit after your naps. You'll nuzzle our necks and we just melt. We love these precious few moments with you everyday.

-We're not sure how much you weight, but we have an appointment next week. Mom and Dad are guessing high 15 or low 16 pounds.
-Laundry! Whoah...we do a load of laundry for you twice a week baby drooler.....no teeth yet though, just lots of wet bibs.

-You still like to smile and laugh at us, but you are still selective. Paper ripping still gets the best giggles out of you, however this past month we discovered you like to watch us dance. We'll throw on online radio and start dancing for you. You love it. No, we do not video tape this for our viewers pleasure:)

-Walks! You went on your first walk(s) this past month. It took forever for it to finally hit the 50's when we felt comfortable taking you out. You babbled and coo'd and onetime fell asleep. We think you love it!
-You now drink 5 ounces at a time six to seven times a day.
-You have settled into more of a routine with bedtime...going down to sleep anywhere from 8 to 9 and getting up anywhere from 7 to 8.

We love all of the changes that you go through each month!  We can't wait for what you'll do next!

Baby's First Easter

 Happy Easter! Yes, today we celebrate Christ's love for us! Nevermind the Easter Bunny bib that Svea has on. It was too cute to pass up, but we know that isn't what today is all about. Ha! Svea's tutu is from Paisley and Poises on Etsy.  Dan at first wasn't for getting her one, but guess who ended up picking out  the colors?  I think I already posted about the tutu, but she'll take her 6 month photos with this one tomorrow sans the tights,sweater, and bib.



 I'm curious as to how much longer church will be easy with her.  Again, she just sat and looked around at all of the people.  I know pretty soon it'll turn into a marathon and be a small feet to even make it through half a service:)  Notice the wet spot on my dress?  I think it might be from a blow-out that little miss left for us in her pants!  Woops!

 Mom came for the long weekend and I've been so thankful.  Dan has been swamped at work and has barely been able to make it home.  I love the company and help around the house.  I think Svea likes it too when Grandma is here.  Who is that Grandma that sounds just like Mom? It's Grandma Beth!

We hope everyone is having a blessed Easter Day!  The sun is shining for the first time in a week here so as soon as Svea is up from her nap we are all going on a nice long walk!

Daddy and Me

  I caught Dan and Svea reading together the other night.  They are reading one of Dan's favorite childhood books, "There's a Monster at the End of This Book"! Dan even delivers a great Grover voice.  As you can tell Svea was quite interested.

Immediately afterward she fell asleep in her Daddy's arms.  I heart both of these two:)

Sunday Best!

And we have another cute little dress....and a little pouty face to go with it!

There's her smile! This little girl has places to go and people to see in her Sunday dresses.

  She was so amazing today at church.  She had eaten and slept and just sat around and looked at all of the people while gnawning on "Sophie", her little giraffe toy. 

Sneak Peak....I Couldn't Wait!

I'm horrible...I couldn't wait.  Here is Svea in her Easter and 6 month picture outfit!  More to come in about a week:)

We Have a Reader

 We've been reading to Svea since she was only days old.  I was amazed that at times she would calmly sit and listen for up to a half hour.  Of course, as she's gotten older she won't sit and look at pictures and listen as long, but she has started something new.

 For the past week or so, every time we open a book in front of her, she will start jabbering and talking in her own language loudly and above our voices reading to her. At first we thought it might be a fluke, but it's happening every time. Maybe the reading to her has actually paid off and she's made the connection to books. 

Each time we open one now, she bursts into her own little monologue of thoughts.  We wish we knew what the main idea of her story is, but for now we love listening to her little voice reading to us!

ROCORI Gun at School

Yes, it's my school district again that's in the state news.  We can't seem to stay out of it whether it was the school shooting in 2003, a chlorine leak, the first school to have the H1N1 virus, and now a loaded gun found in sudent's locker.  The news said they didn't know if the gun was loaded, but it was.  I just pray that whatever is going on in our schools that compells students to bring guns to school can be figured out.  WHY is this happening?  I have so many ideas going through my head, but they could all be a combination of things or just a serperate incidence with this student's life.  I won't get into it or else I'll just bore myself to death talking about how toxic the adults can be at my school district...blah, blah, blah! I'm just praying right now for this kid and all of the teachers and students in my school district.  Who would have thought that the teaching profession is one to be fearful of.  SO many student's lives were at risk...being a mom now that is so much more scary.  This student's life has no completely changed.  Anyway, just asking you to pray for all involved.

Run Like the Wind.....or Not?

Run like the breeze would be more like it! Do you have something in your life that 90% of the time it makes you feel blissful and the other 10% is pure agony and pain?  Running is that for me. Trust me, I have no idea why, but for some reason I love it.  I love getting into a rythmn matching my steps to my breathing and listening to my ipod. Then again there are those days that I set off on a run and nothing in my body works right and I feel like a hot mess.  I haven't run in over a year.  As soon as we got pregnant with Svea I stopped and started walking under the doctors orders to take it easy.  I've missed it and have forgotten how hard it is to get back into.  I still have what I call "elephant legs" (no it's not a major put-down), but where you're not used to picking your legs up high so when your out there hitting the pavement your legs literally feel like elephant legs.  I've now gone three times and I'm so excited to say that I only had to stop briefly twice during my short run while Svea napped last night.  My lungs also don't feel like there going to burn up at any moment.  Anyway, it feels good to be back out there.  I had this secret fear that my body would never work again enough to do it.  I'm so pumped up about it I asked my friend Krista if she'd like to team with me in a triathalon sometime this summer to get me warmed up for my goal. My goal is do one by myself again...it's been two long years and I miss it!  Maybe by writing it here it'll motivate me to actually do it:)

Sunday Nap Day!

I am missing my little girl....all of the sudden today she decided to hang in there and not nap after three hours.  She made it four and a half, but now she's been sleeping for a little over two hours!

 I miss her and want her to wake up:)  Here's a few pictures I took of her playing today in her Sunday dress.  Is this the beginning of longer/fewer naps?

 She had a great time today playing with my scarf.  I would drape it across her face and she'd coo and laugh and talk about it. 

I love this little girl so, so much!

Spring Has Sprung

 The leapord outfit was perfect for keeping her nice and warm for our walk.  She looks so excited, doesn't she!  Ha!  I think she enjoyed herself once we got out there though.

You know it's finally spring when you can open a WINDOW in the middle of the afternoon and let a little bit of "real" air in!  It finally hit 50 degrees this past week so we took Svea out for her first and second real walk.  She sat and played with some toys and babbled at us.  Thursday we went for another walk and it was in the 60's!  Heavenly!  She fell alseep so we walked and walked until she woke up.  The only icky part about this spring is we are all sick with sore throat, congestion, and we can't stop sneezing on each other.  I love baby snot:)  Ha!  It's a little clouded over today and looks like it might rain, but I can still hear the birds, so I'm still happy!  Happy Spring!

Snow Leopard

Svea received this little jumper from my Step-Uncle and Aunt.  There's still snw on the ground so we can technically call her our little snow leopard!  It's supposed to be in the 50's this week. If it does get there I might bundle Svea up and go for a walk. Today (Tuesday) our daycare provider, Linda, called in sick.  Dan was going to stay home another day with Svea, but last night we had a really rough night and I didn't get much sleep at all.  So, I stayed home....darn!  We're wondering if the teething is really kicking in...we'll see!  At least she's smiley today!

Dad's Bald Head

Dan received this book from a congregation member last week!   Quite fiitting:)

Weekend Recap

 My Dad came this weekend to see Svea for the first time.  He just got back from Mexico for the winter.  Svea put on a show....jumping in her jumperoo more than she ever has.  I think taking her socks off helped so she could feel better. Something else that is new for her is she really found her thumb this past week.  When she's had enough to eat she stuffs her thumb in her mouth...it's really cute.  We also tried cereal and she did much better this week....it actually made it to her belly we think:)

 Svea and my Dad right before he left this morning....such a sleeping beauty!  Thanks for coming Dad!

All dressed up for Daddy's 5th Ordination Anniversary Party.  A congregation member made her vintage looking skirt.  You can't tell, but her onsie says "I love daddy"!  She woke up this morning at 8:30 and didn't fall asleep all morning and most of the afternoon....she was too busy watching all of the people at the potluck.  The church did and "awesome" job today.  They really appreciate Dan and showed just how much by having this get together in his honor.  As always they were hilarious....it does feel more like home and was very humbling.  I actually let people hold Svea today too.  She's bigger and we're out of the height of cold/flu season.  At first it was hard, but I took deep breaths!

New Bows

 I figure since I have a few Moms of girls that read our blog I should start sharing where I get some of her cute bows and other things.

 These bows are from a company called ZUZII and they are located on etsy as well as have their own website.

I love how modern these are.  I got six for $10.50, which I thought was a great deal being some of her other bows are usually $4 dollars a piece.  I'll keep playing with this color effect on my camera...I know these aren't the best since you can see my shadow on Svea on each one, but I just had to quickly shoot a few pics of her in her new bows!

P.S. Happy 5th Ordination Anniverary Daddy! We look forward to celebrating this occasion this Sunday.  Svea has a cute outfit planned in honor of her Dad:)