baby led weaning


penny has been seeming hungrier then usual lately so we've begun introducing solids over here... and it's a messy endeavor to say the least! we decided to offer penn her first foods by doing baby led weaning, and though i'm not sure how much is actually making it into her belly, she's having one heck of a time exploring those sweet potatoes. she picks it up, mushes it between her fingers, smells it, and occasionally takes a lick. for a gal who puts EVERYTHING in her mouth, she's certainly timid about these taters! it's been a week now of just sweet potatoes, so next we're giving bananas a go!


a day at the park...


yesterday, much to mama's dismay, penny decided that she only needed an 18 minute afternoon nap. so after she woke, we packed ourselves into the car and headed to our favorite park. we ended up having the best afternoon together. she's getting to this great age where she's actually fun to be with. i know that may sound a little weird, like shouldn't she always be fun to be with, but it's different now. she's not just fun, she's really funny too! she got a kick out of sitting in the big kid swings, and watching the older kids play on the swings next to her, she loved looking at the ducks, and the highlight for both of us was definitely the surprise nap she took on our blanket. it was all i could do to not zonk out next to her. afternoons like this are what it's all about!

NY... as seen from my iphone

penny's first trip to NY was a pretty darn good one if i do say so myself... and yes, i do! she did really well on the plane, with the exception of some really bad gas caused by the pressure on the way home. sorry to the folks traveling with us who just wanted some peace and quite. penny needed to get the farts out, and y'all were gonne hear about it from her! she got to meet all of her cousins on my side of the family, and even a second cousin too! she had lots of firsts, like sitting in a high chair for the first time, and her first nap in a pack-n-play! my heart was quite full watching her with all of my family, and it makes me a little sad that she doesn't get to see them all more often.

here are some favorite moments from our trip. naturally i forgot my camera, so these are all iphone shots...


 until next time ny... xoxo


20 weeks...


20 weeks... booya!
penny slept in her room by herself for the very first time the other night. we've been co-sleeping since she was born, but last friday night she refused to fall asleep in our room. she'd been taking naps in her room by herself so well for a few weeks now, so i decided to see if she would go to sleep in her own room, and she zonked out in 2 minutes. since then we've been putting her to sleep in her room and she's now sleeping longer stretches and even sleeping a little bit later too! i'm so so happy about this because i was one seriously sleep deprived mama. she had been waking about 3 or 4 times a night before that, and would then also get up pretty early. i was dragging myself through the day, and couldn't even catch up with a nap because she was only taking 30-40 minute naps. well we're still not winning as far as naps go (though yesterday there was one fluke 2 and a half hour nap in there), but i think we're all much happier with how our nights are going. i even get to snuggle evan for the first time in months. before penny was sleeping between us, there was a pregnancy pillow there! yes, we're very happy to have our bed back. it's just as important for mama & papa snuggles, as it is for baby snuggles!
this friday penny and i will be flying to NY, with my mom & dad, to visit the rest of the fam for memorial day weekend. i'm really excited to fly with penny, but also a bit nervous about flying with an infant. if anyone has any tips or helpful suggestions feel free to send them my way. the great thing about breastfeeding is that if she starts to get a little hairy, at least i can put her on the boob! fingers crossed for an uneventful flight!