Just a Swingin'

We got the swing out again this week and she was loving it!
She had lost interest in the swing and we had stored it in the garage for several weeks. We had several nice days and I suggested trying it out. Daddy set it up on the porch for us and she had a ball!

She was totally content in the swing for about an hour! Watching the neighbor's dog, squealing at our cats, playing with the swing toys and just watching/listening to the sights & sounds around us. We decided to leave it on the porch for now and cover it with the beach blanket. Then we can use it any day that the weather is acceptable. (The past several days have been warm in the sun, but the porch is shaded and with the wind blowing it hasn't been conducive to a baby being out there for extended periods of time).

She is such a ham. I took about 20 pictures and got about 18 different expressions!!

Bath Time Fun

While her hair was soapy, I asked Martin to give her a mohawk for my pictures:

You don't really notice the mohawk, but the adorable expression just steals my heart! I absolutely can't wait to scrapbook this picture!!!

She does love her bath time! My bathroom is not very big and when you put Daddy on the floor doing the actual work, there is not much room left for Mommy to get in and get in position for photo taking. I usually have to just stick the camera out to the side and shoot and hope for good shots. Got two great ones this time!!

Our Morning Workout

This is what I walked in to find at 7:20 this morning:

Emma sitting up in the crib. All by herself-sitting up! I was so shocked! I went for the camera to grab a shot or two, of course. Emma was totally pleased with her self! Mommy was saying "Good girl" and clapping her hands and had tears in her eyes at the same time! My baby is growing up!!!

Then, she proceeded to reach up for the top rail and pull her self up to standing!! WOWZERS! 2 skills in one morning! Sitting up and pulling up. And this was all done while wearing her sleepsack! What a clever little girl!

This meant that Daddy had a job to do before her next naptime! That mattress had to be dropped down to its lowest setting. Can't have her pulling up and then toppling over the side! Daddy looks like he is in crib jail. :)

You can also see the completed toy box over on the left. I got her name painted finally, and Martin glued the dragonfly & her name on for me.

Now we are at naptime and she refuses to sleep! She is so into her ability to sit up, that she just wants to sit up and play! I tried laying her on her tummy, but she just rolls over and sits back up! They say that babies don't nap well for a few naps or even a few days when they learn a new skill, but we haven't really experienced that till today. We'll see how it goes...

Valentine Happenings

The night before Valentine's I made a heart shaped pizza for dinner:

Martin was busy in the office (creating my card) and Emma was happy playing in the floor, so I made the heart shaped pizza. I overlapped 2 tubes of pizza dough and pressed them together and then used the pizza cutter to make the smooth edges of the heart. ( I pressed out the scraps of dough and made a 2nd one with all of the leftover bits & pcs.) I saved the pineapple tidbits for the top and spelled out "LUV U". But being yellow against the white cheese, you can't see it in this photo. (I did take a close up) Martin came out for dinner and started chuckling. He had no idea what I had been up to!

Sat. morning I made heart shaped pancakes. I have never made my own pancake batter (always use a store bought mix), but today I made a recipe found on Foodnetwork.com that had whole wheat flour & white, honey, buttermilk... I also tried making the egg in the heart shaped metal mold, but it wasn't worth the effort, as it distorted the heart when you flipped the egg over. (There is a piece of Friendship bread on the plate, as well. It has craisins, dried pineapple & pistachios)

We spent all day in Hobe Sound, as they were having a lot of yard sales. The Soundings was having their annual affair and I found a new baby gate for $5. Mom & I hit all the sales and ended with FEA's half price sale. I walked away from the thrift store with 2 bags of kid/baby toys, adult & baby books, etc... and paid $1.65! Gotta love it! Then, we had a birthday party to attend. Amanda Cook turned 21 on the 14th and Gene & Melissa threw her a big party. Melissa always outdoes herself! Just look at the dessert table!! Plus all of the other yummy foods.

Here are our cards: I made the more bluish looking one that says "love". Martin made the "I Love You" card. This is his first attempt at card making and he did a super job! He co-ordinated his ribbon, paper, cardstock, ink, dimensional heart... He used about every scrapbooking technique that he has heard me talk about! He used ribbon, tore paper and inked the edges, used dimension, used the Cricut to cut out his "I Love You" title, and on the inside he "stitched" around a heart with a pen, used a brad in the center of a flower and in order to hide the ends of the brad and to hide the ends of his ribbon from the front of the card- he used another pc. of paper and attached it. I told him THIS is why he needs to scrapbook more! He said something like "I'm at the top of my game. Can't get any better. So, no need to try". :) He told me that he HAS been listening and absorbing when I talk about new scrapbook techniques or I watch a craft show. Well, it shows! He did a great job! Thank you, Martin!

I didn't post the picture of it, but Nana & Papaw sent Emma a cute card and she got a new book from Mommy & Daddy "I Love You All Of The Time". Very cute story!

Valentine's Week w/ Emma

Here is Emma in her valentine's dress. I did not get any really good pics. for some reason. She had on a pink headband and pink shoes that went with the pink hearts on her dress, but we have not one single photo of that complete outfit!!! Later in the day, I plopped her hat on her while we were playing at Nana's and finally thought to pull out the camera!!

Here she is the day before, wearing Halie's outfit from last year. She was playing on the dining room floor while I made dinner (photos to follow in the next blog).

She had footy jammies to wear that had hearts all over. It was warm enough at night that she needed the jammies only, and not her sleepsac.

We had one other outfit that fit in with this Valentine/heart theme: A pink & grey skirt and top that said "My Heart Belongs to Daddy".

She has such an everchanging array of facial expressions these days! Most of the time she will ham it up for the camera, but occasionally it just seems to interrupt her day when I pull out the camera and she just doesnt cooperate very well. With her bouncing movements and her total curiosity, I have shot a large volume of pictures of the top of her head ( as she is looking down at toys or the floor or her feet or....................).

WHAT??!!??

Miss Emma was supposed to be napping earlier this past week and instead she was playing. I had been listening to her for about 20 minutes and finally went and took a peek. Here is what I saw:

Silly goose was talking and playing with her bear and blanky. She was pulling the bumper down and looking out at the world. I went and got the camera and snapped these.

I guess it is about time to remove the bumper. I can't have her getting caught in it. It is almost time to lower the mattress, as well. She is moving around in her bed more and more with rolling over, pivoting around and moving from side to side and end to end. She can't sit up on her own yet, although she tries, and no standing yet, so we have a bit more time yet before we have to move the mattress down.

We have just given up her third nap about 5 days ago and she is slowly acclimating to it. She has always been a super sleeper, so giving up that nap is not exactly easy. It is making her other 2 naps a bit longer and has eliminated any playing around that she might have done previously!

Martin Baking Muffins

It was time to bake the next batch of Friendship Bread (actually on Friday) but we were too busy and did not get it done until Monday! When asked, Martin willingly agreed to do it. We made some new changes and tried making a chocolate version.
Here he is measuring out the ingredients.

And scooping out the batter using my Pampered Chef medium scoop. Perfect for making muffins.

With his finished product. They tasted quite yummy. He forgot to sprinkle the cinnamon & sugar on the tops, but they are quite good and not so sticky without it!

He does like to cook & bake, but doesn't actually do it that often. Although he does help me with it once-in-awhile, especially if we are entertaining. Last night I was tired and ready to just eat microwave popcorn for my dinner, but he realized that and he made dinner. Thanks Babe!

Amish Friendship Bread

Here is the recipe that is circulating in Florida and probably other places as well. You can make your own "starter" by mixing 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar & 1 cup flour, place in a zip top bag and then follow the directions.

**Do NOT use metal spoon, whisk or bowls!
**Do NOT refrigerate starter.
**If air gets in the bag, let it out.
**It is normal for the batter to thicken, ferment & bubble.

___Day 1 This is the day you may receive that starter. Do nothing.
___Day 2 Squish/squeeze the bag.
___Day 3 Squish/squeeze the bag.
___Day 4 Squish/squeeze the bag.
___Day 5 Squish/squeeze the bag.

___Day 6 Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk (not skim). Put in a larger ziptop bag and squish the bag to mix.

___Day 7 Squish/Squeeze the bag.
___Day 8 Squish/squeeze the bag.

___Day 9 Squish/squeeze the bag.
___Day 10 In your large ziptop bag, add 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ cups sugar and 1 ½ cups milk and squish/mix well. Pour (4) 1 cup starters into 4 ziptop bags. Keep one for yourself and give the other three to friends along with the instructions. It is helpful to mark what day is DAY 1 on the bag.
*****************************************************
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 large loaf pans (or muffin tins-makes 2 dozen).

1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup milk
3 eggs, whisked
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 Tbs cinnamon
1 large box instant vanilla pudding

*You will want to use 2 mixing bowls ( I use a large one for the dry and my large 4 cup glass measuring cup for the wet)
*Mix your wet ingredients together very well. Sift your dry ingredients together in a seperate bowl. Slowly add the wet batter into the dry, stirring as you pour. Do not overmix, as your bread/muffins will not rise well (you create gluten).


*Mix an additional 2 Tbs cinnamon and ½ cup sugar in a separate bowl and sprinkle half of it into the bottom of your pans, then pour batter into pans. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture over the top of each loaf.
*Bake at 325 degrees for 45-50 minutes (bread) and 23 minutes for muffins; or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or cool.

*Options: add 1 cup chopped pecans, &/or raisins or dried cranberries.
*******************************************************************************

Just a few tips & hints for the Friendship bread, after we have made it for about 2 months now:

*You can add 1/2 cup of milk, sugar & flour on days 6 & day 10 (instead of the larger amounts) which will keep the amount of starter down if you don't have any more friends to pass it on to.

*You can replace the sugar with Splenda.

*You can use the sugar-free pudding.

*It calls for 1 cup oil. Applesauce is a good replacement for oil in baking, if you want to keep the calories/fat lower. I use 1/2 cup applesauce & 1/2 cup oil. Haven't been brave enough yet to just do all applesauce, as I think it might be too dry.

*I use silicone pans and you don't really need the sugar & cinnamon mixture in the bottom of the pan. It makes them sticky if not eaten asap.

*I make them as muffins rather than a loaf of bread. It makes 2 dozen. It takes them about 23 minutes to bake.

*You can use just about any "add-ins" that you like. Here are some I've tried:
*2 Mashed, really ripe bananas, walnuts and replace the vanilla pudding with Banana pudding.
*Craisins & pecans.
*Macadamia nuts, golden raisins, candied cherries & dried apricots. (I had leftover fruits from fruitcake at Christmas) Really yummy!
*Pistachio nuts, coconut & dried pineapple. DELISH! (I left out the cinnamon) (Tasted tropical)
*Chocolate chips, walnuts, replaced the vanilla pudding w/ chocolate and replaced the 2 tbs.
of cinnamon with 2 tbs. of cocoa powder. (We just made these today and they are really tasty. Chocolaty without being fudgy and heavy. Just needed 1 cup of chips and 1 cups of nuts and we used 1/2 cup of each) If made again, I would double the cocoa used.
*Fresh blueberries.

*Can be frozen. I usually freeze a dozen muffins and save for later. If they are all left out, a certain someone who I am married to would eat them all NOW.

My original recipe left me with some questions. I guess the way it was written out. So, I had to call my Mom and verify some things. Then, I retyped it. One thing that bugged me to death was how lumpy it gets when you add all of the dry & wet ingredients into the same bowl AND then can't use a metal whisk or mixer. I wore out my arm trying to get those stupid big lumps out! Finally after about 3 or 4 times of making it, I remembered to put my dry ingredients in one bowl and my wet in another and slowly add them/mix them together. TAH DAH! No lumps!

I'm a Big Girl Bottle Holder Now!

WOW! First time to hold her bottle by herself for the entire time. She has occasionally helped me hold it, even for as much as 2 minutes, but never has she tried to hold it alone. If I tried to make her help me, she refused and always pulled her hands far away.

This morning, she was ecstatic when I walked into her nursery and she saw the milk! She was laughing and squealing and reaching. So, I handed it to her (still on the changing table with Daddy) and she got it into her mouth and started drinking. I went for the camera, expecting it to not last too long, but she ended up holding it by herself! She drank all but 1 ounce. Hmmm... another first for my baby girl!

P.S. She can also make a sign for "milk", as well. We have been showing her the sign for milk since she was 4 months old. This past week she made the sign herself when the bottle/milk was presented to her! She doesn't know to use that sign to ask for milk yet, but she associates the sign with the item. I guess it is time to teach her another sign or two!

My Grandparent's Anniversary

My Delamarter Grandparents will celebrate their anniversary this week, so we had a special lunch & dessert with them today.

Robert & Verna Delamarter

Mom had the table set with red & white and valentine napkins. Mrs. Dorsett came to celebrate with us. She was their pastor's wife in NY for many, many years. Mom made a meal that they would totally love (especially Grandma): Ham, Baked Beans, Scalloped Potatoes, Broccoli-Cauliflower casserole (I made that), cheese biscuits and a sinful chocolate/brownie/peanut butter/mousse dessert.

Grampa was opening the first gift and after ripping the curly bow off the package, he plops it on his head!!! Totally unexpected! I poked Martin in the side and told him to take that picture now!! Grampa is serious most of the time and when he goofs or jokes around, it catches me off guard.

Martin & I gave them a mug that is collaged with photos of Emma & us. I ordered it from Walmart.com. It says "Happy Anniversary 2009" on the bottom edge. When Gramma realized what it was...

Here is her reaction! She can be a tiny bit of a drama queen sometimes! :) Don'tcha think?? :) I told her it was to use, and not just put on a shelf! :) Mom gave them 2 new red leatherette photo albums.

Escape Artist in Training?????

I went in to get Emma up from her morning nap and as it had still been chilly in our house, she was wearing her jammies and the sleep sack. Look at what I found:


I unzipped the sleep sack and found that she had somehow got her jammies unsnapped, her feet & legs out of the jammies- and all of this took place inside her sleep sack!!!

I immediately went for the camera( and she started crying, thinking I had left her)! :) I hollered for Martin to come and see and snapped some pics, all the while cracking up!! What a little stinky!

Eight Months Old

As of Sunday the 1st, Emma is eight months old! I can't believe that the tiny 5 pound baby I brought home is now 8 months old and approx. 18 pounds! She has matured and changed so much just this past week or so. She is making several new sounds ("ma", "da", " K"...); She is using her jaw more when she "talks" and when she eats; Her hair has grown quite a bit; and the scoot/bounce thing she does to get around. My baby is growing up on me!

We bought Cheese Puffs this week so she can hold on to them and get them into her mouth. I had tried the little rice puffs last week and she liked them, but they are too small for her to grasp with her whole hand and get into her mouth. She is beginning to develop that pincer muscle but its not developed enough to feed herself yet. The cheese puffs being longer, make feeding herself successful.

Daddy bought her a new Einstein book filled with colorful pictures, as well as some "Look At Me!" concept cards. It was ironic that I had a 15% off coupon for Babies R Us this week, they had an Einstein sale and it was her 8 month birthday. Happy 8 months baby girl!