November 27 Edition of Being Thankful

Today, I am thankful...

• that my parents came out for visit. Thanks Dad and mom!
• for the sweet moments between momma and baby, like when she reaches up and touches my face while she is eating.
• for the pile of laundry waiting to be done because it means 1) we have more than we need and are well clothed and 2) we went on a wonderful vacation and I am still playing catch-up on laundry. 
• for opportunities to share with others.
• that the Christmas season is upon us!
• for the reminders of the Christmas season of all that God has provided for us in the way of salvation through sending His Son, Jesus, to save the world!
• for high-quality, delicious chocolate chips. Ha ha, but seriously. :)
• for our new refrigerator with the water and ice in the door. We missed that when we moved into our new house. Fortunately and unfortunately, the existng fridge died and we had to get a new one. So, once again we have the water and ice and it's amazing how much more water I drink.
• for music that encourages and uplifts my soul, drawing me closer to God.
• for coupons to save a little money here and there.

8 Months Old!

Briella turned 8 months old on November 12th. (I'm finally caught up...woohoo) 8 months already...unbelievable!

Life in General
You're bottom two teeth have barely popped through! Your first teeth! Yeah!

You are getting more and more mobile, rolling all over the place in whichever direction you want to go to reach whatever it is you have your eyes on.

You are quite the little jabber-er now. "Da da da da" is your favorite sound. I'm working on getting you to say "ma ma ma ma," but you always answer with "da da da" no matter what. Ha ha. At church, whenever there is music and singing, you like to "sing" along.

This month, we have started feeding you solid foods regularly 2-3 times per day. Yum, yum. So far you have tried and liked squash, sweet potatoes, pears, apples, mangoes, and prunes (which are your favorite). However, you tried and refused green beans. I can't even hide it in other foods. If there is even a drop of green beans in something, you will not eat it.

While you are eating food, you often stop to suck your thumb in between bites. I haven't quite figured out why because you really enjoy eating. I guess you just aren't in a hurry. :) It is really cute, but also sometimes frustrating because you'll take a couple of bites and then suck your thumb for a minute or two, then take a couple more bites then suck your thumb and so on. Guess you are just trying to teach momma patience. :)

You love clapping now and have finally mastered doing it with both hands open. You clap when you get excited, if you like something on TV, and sometimes just because you are happy. Fun to watch!

Firsts

• Sitting in the shopping cart! You really enjoy being up and seeing everyone and everything in the store.
• Halloween! Grandma Karla made you an adorable purple flower costume and you look so cute in it! (Still waiting for the pics auntie Ash took of you in your costume...hopefully soon)

Pictures from Month 8

 

Just chillin' on the floor

First ride in the shopping cart as a big girl!

The hood part of your Halloween costume. So cute!

First Halloween

Sucking your thumb...taking a break while eating. :)

 

 

7 Months Old!

Briella turned 7 months on October 12th, so still playing catch-up. Sigh...oh well.

Sweet Briella, it is such a joy to watch you grow and learn! It is amazing how quickly time flies and how quickly you change.

Life in General
You are sleeping much better now...yippee! We finally got the new carpet and you were able to move into your own room. You go to sleep every night around 7:00, sometimes you are ready a little earlier and sometimes we aren't the best at getting you in bed by right at 7:00, but overall that is the bedtime you have chosen. You were still waking up once or twice a night even though I knew you could sleep through the night since you had been doing so before we moved. You had just gotten out of the habit of being able to put yourself back to sleep during the night because while you were sleeping in our room, I didn't let you cry too long so as not to wake up daddy on work nights. One difficult night of listening to you cry for about 30-45 minutes around 3:00 in the morning and you started sleeping through the night once again. Your momma really appreciates that. :) I feel so much better getting solid, straight sleep even if it's only 7 or so hours than I did getting 8 or 9 total hours that were interrupted. And I only have myself to blame if I'm not getting 8 hours because I'm going to bed too late.

As quickly as you discovered you can put your toes in your mouth, you have lost interest in them for the most part. Instead, once you are laid on the floor, you'd rather roll around. You roll all over the place now, usually rolling off the rug and blankets no matter how big the space is that I give you.

The day you turned 7 months old is the day that you officially could sit up without tipping over. Of course you have been sitting up for a while, just not for too long without tipping. It was like overnight your balance increased and you sit so well now.

Making high-pitched noises is your new favorite thing. They aren't really squeals, but more like jabbering at as high-pitch of a sound as you can make. So cute and kinda funny!

As well, your cousin Jayla taught you to click your tongue, which you find fun.

Firsts

• I gave you your first hair trim. I wouldn't call it your first official haircut, but you definitely needed a trim off the top. The hair on the top of your head (aka your mohawk), never fell out unlike the rest of your hair, which means that it has just kept growing and was quite long with a few rough ends. So, a little trim you got. :)
• We went camping for the first time during the Elk Hunt! Yep, we waited until it was cold to go to the mountains and stay, but it was fun anyway! We stayed up there for two nights. The nights were a little rough because I couldn't sleep well without a place that was very good for you to sleep. We ended up putting you in the bed with us, which was probably the best place, but I totally freak out with the whole sleeping in the same bed. So, that's where the lack of sleep came in, but we made it through and it was fun. You were all bundled up in a full body fleece outfit just to go outside, which made you look a little bit like the little boy from Christmas Story. Ha ha!
• Daddy even put you on the 4-wheeler with him while we were camping and went for a little drive around the camp. He's been waiting to do that for a long time! At one point when you were very little, he had even told me that he'd figured out a way to put your car seat on the 4 wheeler. I think the look on my face let him know that wasn't going to happen. Ha ha! But at this age you could sit with him holding you for just a little ride.
• You and I surprised daddy by visiting him at work! He thought that was pretty cool!

Pictures from Month 7

 

Happy Birthday, Daddy! (Daddy was out of town so we sent him these pictures)

 

 

"Nope, it's not too big to put in my mouth!"

 

Mmmmmm....peas!

 

Visiting Daddy at work.

 

Daddy feeding you in your new high chair.

 

Sometimes your hair still goes a little crazy in a mohawk. Ha!

 

With Momma

 

First camping trip! Yep it was cold, but it was fun!

 

 

 

 

 

Daddy has been waiting for this since you were born. :)

  



6 Months Old!

So, I know that it's been almost 2 months since Briella turned 6 months, but I'm going to write about it anyway. :) It's not going to be as detailed as if I had written it when it was a little fresher, but oh well.

Life in General
Just two days after you turned 5 months old you started rolling over, first from you back to your belly and then both ways.

You've always liked to stick your tongue out, but now you like to curl up the tip when you stick it out, which is adorable.

Last month you found your toes and enjoyed grabbing them and playing with them. Well, now, you love to stick them in your mouth and suck on them.

Shortly after your 5 month birthday, you moved into size 3-6 month clothes.

Firsts

• Rolling over
• Longer trip with momma alone. We travelled to Price, which is 1.5 hours away, to see daddy who was out of town for work. We stayed for a few days and hung out and did a little shopping.

Pictures from Month 6
 

Playing in the Bumbo

 Playing in my bouncer

 

Yes, I know I'm cute! Ha ha ha!

 Mmmmm....toes! :)

 

Hanging out in the mountains with daddy!

 

So sleepy!