I've got a crush on you...

Amillia has her first crush on a celebrity. Every morning while she's (sometimes) eating her pears and cereal, we watch Super Why! After she nurses at 7:00 we lolly about and watch my favorite which is Sid the Science Kid. Both come on PBS. Now before you get too critical, these are the only two shows she watches all day... well until the Ellen DeGeneres show... both of our guilty pleasures. So every time Super Why (a.k.a. Wyatt) looks "at the camera" she squeals and kicks. It's very funny. She gets all gaa-gaa. I sure hope this girl isn't as boy crazy as I was if she already has a crush at 6 months!

On other news... she has been a finicky eater over the last month. This week, she's eating, but who knows what the future holds. Right now her menu is butternut squash, acorn squash, zucchini, peas, sweet potatoes, pears, apples, and rice cereal. I'm about to branch it out some more. Her favorite things are the sweet potatoes and the pears. Here's a pic of the face she makes on days she doesn't want to eat and I try to feed her. She can be a tad stubborn. Also, she, as of yesterday, can slightly drink from her "Sipster" cup. She's getting big fast!

I always feel like somebody's watchin' me....

I'm so thankful for my sister for suggesting this baby accessory. It's our monitor and it costs around $100. If you are reading this and you are going to have a baby, you MUST use one of those many gift cards that you'll get to buy one of these. I love it. I'd probably pay $200 out of my own pocket for one, and most of you know how frugal I am! I can check on the baby without even moving off my butt! I love being able to assess if she's OK without walking in her room and risking waking up her light-sleeping self. Such a good invention!

Visit with Gigi, Grandpa, Chris, & Grandma Elouise!



We had so much fun last weekend during our Saturday visit with the Smiths. When they arrived we got some pizza and had lunch while listening to the rain outside. It was a downpour and a perfect opportunity to hang out inside and visit. Millie had fun playing and showing off her new backwards crawling skills. She loved to laugh at Grandpa's fake sneezing and riding on his shoulders. She smiled and talked to Gigi and Grandma. It was such a fun visit. And... of course the grandparents have to spoil the little baby. She got a new activity center thanks to Gigi & Grandpa, and she LOVES it! Thanks so much!

Baby Proof by Emily Giffin



I am writing a little review of each book I read so I can remember them all. This review will be short because I didn't really like this book. I was thinking this all the way through, but this author is a NYT best-seller, so you would think I would like it. Anyway, the plot run-down is this: There is a woman and man in their 30s who are married and very carefree because they both agree not to have kids; man changes his mind; they get divorced; she sleeps with her boss; she changes her mind; they get back together. How's that for a predictable and boring plot. So... 1 star out of 5 for this one on my goodreads.com page. Up next... TWILIGHT!

P.S. I was really excited to see the last book I read My Sister's Keeper is being released as a movie with Cameron Diaz and Abigail Brezlin (from Little Miss Sunshine which I LOVE!) I think it will be really good. I love that casting duo. I'm excited to see Cameron Diaz do such a dramatic role. Also Alec Balwin, Jason Patric, & Joan Cusack. It's also directed by the guy who did The Notebook. Should be good... Here's a link to the trailer: http://www.mysisterskeepermovie.com/

More Easter Weekend Pics!

Easter Egg-stravaganza!

What a dreary but happy Easter Sunday it was. Everyone I know talked the Easter bunny into hiding eggs in their house instead of in the mud. We started a new tradition (I hope) with the whole family coming over for lunch at our house, dying eggs and doing crafts that afternoon, going to PM church service, then out for dinner. It makes for a long Saturday, but it was sunny and pretty to play outside. Our neighbor even brought one of her ponies over for Charis to take a ride. It was the highlight of her weekend, I'm sure. On Sunday we hid eggs at mom and dad's cabin and had Easter dinner at Mema & Pepa's. The evening rounded out with a visit from my childhood best friend and her family. Her little boy is so sweet, so tall, and very advanced. He'll be 2 in June and he was almost taller than Charis who is 3 1/2. They had fun playing chase while we all caught up on each other's lives.

My friend Melanie and I were talking the other day about how Easter really should be even more important than Christmas. We commercialize this religious holiday almost more than Christmas. I am reminded of the promise that comes along with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. It gives me hope in these tough times. Though we have been blessed and are not as highly affected by the economy, there are so many hurting people out there. I hope that they too will find some hope and faith in the newness of spring, and learn to rely on the only provider. And even as a now-parent, I am more struck by how hard it must have been for God to watch is son suffer. What an amazing and unmatchable gift!

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult





I recently finished this novel which is about a 13 year old girl who has a 16 year old sister with leukemia. Her parents conceived her to be a donor for her sister and she decides that she wants to file a suit for medical emancipation from her parents. At first, I was intrigued by the plot line of this story. I like the literary layout where each chapter is in a different character's point-of-view. Something that kept me reading was the fact that in my mind I kept jumping from side to side on the controversial issue in this book. I'm such a fence-rider! As a mom, it kept me thinking. What would I do in this situation? I'm still not sure. I enjoyed the two major twists towards the end. I'd recommend this book if you like books that make you question ethics. And yes, the waterworks do flow. Most of all, My Sister's Keeper made me feel blessed and very thankful to have a healthy child. Here's a link to my GoodReads.com site: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2113997