6 Months Old

HAPPY 6TH MONTH BIRTHDAY

LAYLA NOELLE!

This month I thought it was a good decision to go for the natural look.
So, no bows or ruffles just her sweet little pjs. 

Layla Noelle you weigh 18.1 pounds.

You wear a size 3 diaper.  Those size two diapers did not last long.

You still wear a size 2 shoes.

I'm loving all your cute summer sandals.  I'm glad we have our beach vacation this coming month so we can get some use out of them.

You are still my little plump princess, but I figure that will come to an end soon.  I know you will begin moving around a little more from being in your jumper to learning how to crawl.

Look at those piercing blue eyes!

It's so hard to believe that you are 6 months old.  That means you have been in my life for about 180 days, 180 wonderful days.  So for 180 nights I have been the only one on night duty.  I find that quite impressive and I'm extremely proud of myself.  I actually love night time with you.

You are such a sweet, little cuddle bug!

You are still sleeping in your pack n play in my room.  I like being able to look over my bed and watch you sleep all safe and sound.

In 180 more days we will be celebrating your 1st birthday.  I know the next 180 days will come and go just like the first half.  

Every night I pray that time slows down just a bit.  I don't want you to be a big girl just yet.  I love the way you fold into my body when we snuggle together and I'm just not ready to give that up, along with many other things.

This month I watched your cousin, Kolby, walk across the stage at his high school graduation.  I just kept thinking that's going to be you and your brothers before I know it.

I cherish the time I spend with all of you!

Layla you are just about sitting up on your own.  I prop you up and you stay for a bit then slowly fall to the side.  I figure by the end of the next month you will be a pro at sitting up.

Layla you love to jump in your jumperoo, so much that when I pull you out your still jumping.  Also, you think it's a blast to play on the floor with your two big brothers.

Your brothers adore you more then you'll ever know.  They are always checking on you and helping entertain you when I'm a little busy.  

You always want to be right in the center of them.  Your little head is constantly following them around the room.  Once you are crawling I foresee you will be right there with them at all times.  

Triple Trouble!  Yikes!  I'm scared!  

 No tears in the basket picture this time!!

Layla I finally started you on baby food.  

You like to eat rice cereal, applesauce, bananas, squash, peas, and green beans.  You really didn't like the peaches.  So far I see no signs of food allergies!!  Yeah!

Also, you are still working on your sippy cup skills.  You love to drink out of it and laugh when the juice rolls out of your month.

Look at those little toes!

Layla you are still my little thumb sucker.  I do not foresee it going away anytime soon.  I think that is why you are such a great baby. You are able to soothe yourself; a built in pacifier.

This next month I will probably bump you up to stage 2 foods.  I'm thinking you will be sitting up pretty good and I will probably start hearing lots of talking from you.

I look forward to visiting B.B and paw paw for the summer, our Florida vacation with your cousins, and just lots of stress free fun times.

Below are all our fun activities from this past month.  We celebrated Mother's Day, crawfish boil for my birthday, Memorial Day, fun in the sprinkler, etc.

Night time soccer

Yucky stomach bug

The man of the house.  Protecting his mommy.

Mother's Day Weekend in Dallas with Nanny & Uncle "C"

Enjoying your baby food.  You love to sit in your highchair and play.

Wonderful kid

Love

Enjoying lunch in their pajamas...yep still in pj's at lunch.  Gotta love summer!

Crawfish boil 

Having fun with the slip n slide one slide a t a time!

Brothers

Best Friends

Thanks to the Millhollon Family they gave the kids a swing-set.  These two boys were the happiest kids on the block.

My little trooper!

Right before we went wine tasting at Napa Valley...sorry I mean Messina Hoff.
A girl can dream!

Loves his mommy and his mommy loves him!

Memorial weekend
What is going on with Blake's hair?

Memorial Day Princess

sister and brother

Graff Kiddos

Beauty

Messy girl...Yummy!

Nothing says, "summer" like playing in the water hose.

I'm so in love with them!

Chalk time!

Up, Up, and Away!

Blake puts so much thought into everything he does.  

Toes!

The Implosion! BOOM!

It was there and then it was gone!  

Blake and I talked about going to see the The Plaza Hotel implode for a couple weeks.  I told Blake way in advance we were going to have to wake up very early.  So when 5 a.m. arrived and I went to wake him he quietly said, "Mom don't you think their going to show it on t.v."  I told him to watch it in person is going to be way better than television.

After Blake I went to Chase slid him out of bed, and whispered, "It's time to go watch the building fall to the ground."  Chase-bug looked at me, "I'm ready, mommy."

My little Layla was sound asleep in her pack-n-play.  She was really easy.  I dressed her in a little, cute, pink dress and buckled her up in her car seat.  I'm pretty sure she knew it was early, but that little smile peaked out and I knew she was ready for an action packed event.

Good thing my mom is here with me because she help me load the car, pack the donuts, remember to bring the jackets and the stroller, etc.

My good friend Jane got their super early (4:30 a.m.) to save us a spot on the corner of University and Polo and she saved us a really close parking space too.  Thanks Jane!  You are always great to my family.

When I was in college The Plaza Hotel was called the University Towers.  The towers, as they were known to us back then, were the "it" place to live.  

It was located on a major intersection, the corner of University and Texas.  It's very strange to drive down University and the big hotel not be there anymore.

You can read more about the towers here.  There really is lots of history behind this building.

Early, Early morning.  Blake kept asking, "Mom, so if we were not here would I be getting up for school, yet?"  Nope still in bed.  I think he thought it was way cool to be up that early.

My sweet girl.  She was a little trooper. One day I'll be able to tell her that she went to watch the big building that once stood there fall to the ground when she was only 5 months old.

Our comfy spot on the grass, thanks to Jane.  Donuts, pancakes, and juice for our early morning picnic.

In our little area we had about 50+ people.  Thanks Jane policing everyone we didn't have to worry about anyone getting in front of us!  

Jane with The Plaza to the left.

One last picture before the big implosion.

One last picture of the crowd.  It was suppose to implode at 6:30, but there happen to be a 10 minute delay.

Layla did so great!  

Helicopters circling!

The polo field (bonfire once stood) was packed, along with surrounding businesses.   I think I heard there were 4-5000 people that watched it. 

Jane had a ladder for the boys.  You see the Towers?

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Gone!

And the crowd goes wild!!

Given it was a very early morning to get us all up and ready to watch the implosion.  I did lay in bed for a couple minutes and think, "We could watch it on television." I knew in the long run I would regret not bringing the kids.

How many kids get to watch a building implode?  

Until the kids are bigger our lives are just going to be a little hectic, but I don't want that to hold us back from doing anything.  I want them to look back on their childhood and think, "Man...look at what all my mom did for us."  I don't want them to think that since their dad left that our lives stopped.  That we kept moving forward and enjoyed all fun things!

What's next on our list...