Cousins Part 1 (the Butterfly Gardens and Museum)

Aunt Ashley, cousin Matthew, and cousin Audrey came for a visit in July. Miri had a big month, she started sitting on her own, clapping, giving kisses, and saying Mama. She seemed to just decide that she was ready to sit alone all of a sudden, she did it one day, and by the next day she could sit alone for 20 minutes with no problem.

We had friends over for an Iron Chief competition between Dustin and I (I won) and Miri decided she couldn't live without Mama. She was crying if anyone else held her and said Mama for the first time that night. It got clearer and clearer as the days passed that she meant it when she said Mama, and it became easier to understand. A few days before the first saying of Mama, Miri gave Daddy a big, open mouthed kiss. He didn't mind the drool.

Miri had a lot of fun with her cousins. We went to the Natural History Museum one day and visited the shark jaws (since Matthew is into sharks) and the butterfly rainforest. Audrey was crazy about the butterflies, which she calls badubadubs for some reason (very cute). Miri liked the butterflies, but was most interested in the fish in the pond.

A long two months

It's been a busy, crazy two months! Miri is 7 months old now and has had her first mother's day, her first father's day, has been dedicated at church, and had her first trip to Houston. The baby dedication was on Mother's day at our church, it was a very sweet time to see how many people love and pray for Miri. There were 5 babies dedicated that day and three of them were from our one another group; there must have been something in the water. Our good friend Steve Doorman was the elder assigned to us for the baby dedication. When I tried to hand Miri to him, her lips started to quiver and she got tears in her eyes. The whole church "awed" over that one. So she stayed in Mommy's arms for the dedication and the prayer.

She thinks her cousins are absolutely hilarious, especially Matthew. He was playing peek-a-boo with her while she was in her high chair at Nana and Papa's house- she was giggling like mad. She also had a great time in the pool with Matthew, Audrey, Daddy, Papa, Uncle Joel and Aunt Ashley. As you can see below, we got family pictures taken while in Houston- that's a good looking family if you ask me (Erin). Unfortunately, I got sick and went to the hospital a few hours after most of the pictures were taken, which resulted in surgery. So Miri had another first- spending the night without Mommy or Daddy. She stayed with her Aunt Ashley, Uncle Joel, Matthew and Audrey. I think I missed her more than she missed me.














Miri did great on the plane rides to and from Houston; she loves to watch people, so the airport is a treat. Once we got home though, she missed her cousins. It took several days to settle back into a routine and get used to not being held all of the time.




















Miri has been eating two meals a day lately, though the meals are very small. Peaches are definitely her favorite, but she also really likes sweet potatoes. We have discovered one food allergy she has though. Amazingly enough, she seems to be allergic to rice cereal, which is the first food they tell you to try, since almost no babies are allergic to it.


Miri also is rolling around a lot. She really wants to walk, but can't quite figure out all that balance. She still hates to be on her tummy, so Dustin and I are wondering if she'll ever crawl or it she'll just go straight to walking. She loves to watch Reagan (a one year old I watch sometimes) as she edges around furniture and stands to reach for things. She has also started to develop a case of stranger anxiety. She likes to look at people and even interact with them, as long as they don't touch her.

Even more pictures

Miri has started sleeping with a lovey, she especially likes her chickie, though usually the chickie is in her mouth while she sleeps. She also likes putting the blanket over her head while she sleeps. Pretty cute! Miri loves her Daddy a lot- and apparently his nose is rather tasty.




We took Miri for her first swim the other day, isn't her suit cute? She enjoyed looking at the water and kicking her feet in the water, but the second her little bottom hits the water she starts to cry. She also has gotten to like sitting in her high chair- no solid food yet though. The doctor wants us to wait until she hits 13 pounds before we start, and since she is 12 lb. 3 oz now, that will probably be another month. She sure seems like she wants to eat though- she is fascinated by people eating and likes to steal my spoon (or fork or whatever else she can get her hands on).









Scout Kotecki is one of the other babies in our Bible study group (we also have Lincoln who is 4 1/2 months younger). She is 7 weeks younger than Miri and very cute too. She definitely is more mellow though- she'll sleep through the study a lot of the time.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

Well, Miri is 5 months old and full of sass! She went to Dallas to visit Aunt Danielle, Uncle Mike, and cousin Drake right before Easter and we had her picture taken in her Easter dress, some with cousin Drake.

Yaya made her the cutest bow (it's as big as her head!) and we found an adorable pair of sunglasses, not that Miri will let me put them on for more than 5 minutes.
Miri was very happy to have her picture taken and kept smiling at the camera lady.

Drake was being a sweetie and kept holding Miri's hand. Aren't they cute together?



































We also got some pictures taken in Gainesville about a month later- all the ones in red. Miri was only happy for about 5 minutes, then decided she was tired, so we only got two good ones. We ran an errand after pictures and a lady came up and asked if I had taken her picture in that outfit because she was "just too cute!" I was happy to tell her we had just come from the picture place.

4 months (and cuter than ever)

Miriam's 4 1/2 months now and I swear she gets cuter every day! In the last few weeks we've had even more firsts. She set foot in Texas for the first time (probably the most important first) and had her first plane ride. She met her cousin Drake, Aunt Danielle and Uncle Mike. She also got to see Yaya and Grumps again. She loves her cousin and had a great time in Texas. We had our first set of professional pictures taken (I'll try to add those later). She's graduated to sitting in the bath instead of laying down, and she is totally entranced by the rubber duckie. Miri's also started skipping naps and seems even more alert than ever. She loves to be naked, in fact we sometimes let her lay naked on her changing table to let her play.
She likes to wrap the towel up around her and eat it after bathes.
I'm not sure what Drake was doing here, but Miri did NOT like it!

She really likes to sleep with both hands behind her head, isn't it cute?

Almost 4 months old!

Well, Miri is almost 4 months old and I am just now getting around to posting her 3 month pictures. She is developing so fast and growing so big that neither Dustin or I can believe it. She is now reaching for toys and putting them in her mouth and has started rolling from her stomach to her back. I have no doubt she could go from her back to her stomach if she had the inclination, but since she usually hates to be on her stomach, this hasn't happened. She "talks" alot and sighs, grunts, squeals, burbles, mutters, and laughs. She even makes this hilarious growling sound sometimes. Dustin is trying to get some video up on the blog soon. Despite the lack of smiles in the pictures, she is a very smiley baby, she only gets serious when the camera comes out. She also has developed a distinct preference for being carried facing outward and doesn't like to sleep much during the day anymore. We think she is afraid she'll miss something. Miri loves to stand, either in our laps or on the floor (supported of course) so she can see around better.

We try to keep hairbows on but she usually manages to get them off by turning her head back and forth rapidly until the bow sort of slips off the back of her head. Of course sometimes this backfires and the bow drops over her eyes- then we get to hear what healthy lungs she has. She does the same with hats, fortunately, it is getting warmer and she can go without a hat sometimes.

She isn't sure what to make of toys just yet. She likes her rattle (the one in the picture) and most other hard toys that make noise and have small handles for grabbing. Absolutely everything ends up in her mouth. She isn't sure what to do with stuffed animals yet, but she enjoys looking at their faces if I hold them up.

Miri has discovered other babies- she loves to look around at the new Mom's lunch we go to weekly and is fascinated by Scout (a little friend who is about 7 weeks younger than Miri). She's still not sure about older kids though; they are fun to watch, but freak her out if they get too close. She is also interested in dogs, but I don't usually let those get too close since the dogs usually want to lick her and she usually wants to lick the dogs.

I know every mother thinks her baby is the cutest in the world, but I think Miri must really be extra specially cute. People stop us everywhere we go to comment on how adorable she is. Even men comment on her cuteness- a stock boy at the grocery store told me that she was the cutest thing he had ever seen the other day. Of course the fact that she will smile at anyone who smiles at her helps, she especially smiles at boys (we might be in for a rough time in about 14 years). But Daddy is still her favorite. And I'm pretty sure the shirt in the picture the the right is true).



Isn't she cute while she is sleeping?