Sixth Month!

Lyla passed the 6th month mark with a week full of rolling as her main mode of transportation, trying to cut the bottom front teeth (ouch!) and her 6 month well baby visit.

The stats: She's a big, healthy, observant baby! 22 lbs, 12 oz; 27 3/4 inches long. Lyla has met and surpassed all the expected development goals of a six month old, with one exception: she isn't showing any stranger anxiety. In fact, she will reach out her arms to anyone who smiles at her. She wakes up with a smile in the morning, and rarely stops throughout the day.

Six months means swim class with Dad starts, solid foods (sweet potatoes and rice cereal, so far), baby proofing the house and a renewed effort to sleep through the night.

This last month was busy, spending most Wednesdays with Grandma Carol; Auntie Chris one Friday for a mom and dad date night and Seattle cousins last weekend. The weather has been relatively nice, and we usually get out for a walk each day. I've also been going into the office 2 or 3 times a week for a couple of hours. Lyla entertains us with her attempts to get off of the protective sheet and onto the "dirty carpet."


Her first time swimming was quite cute (of course); she was very timid, but not scared. When she started to relax, she would surprise herself with splashes.
















Lyla still thinks all the animals are her best friends; she now rolls across the living room carpet to get to Ray lying in his bed. The black cat is smart enough to stay away, but George actually lets her "pet" him.















She tried crawling for a couple of days, but then realized that rolling was much easier. She is now a rolling machine, with no recent attempts at crawling (though rolling seems to be quite an efficient mode of transportation).

First Christmas

Luckily we didn't have any travel plans for the Christmas Holiday, although running a delivery business during a winter snowstorm is probably less fun than traveling during one.

The black cat has crowned herself Queen of the Christmas Tree. She has daily ornament beheadings and everything.

Christmas morning started out with a feast at our house with Auntie's Liz and Chris and Grandma Carol.

Then we went to GC's house to open presents and eat dinner. Lyla got her first doll from Santa. It's an adorable rag doll with a dress that matches one of hers, and she was immediately captivated by it.

Christmas is fun! Lots of people to entertain, paper and ribbons to play with, food to try to grab...


























...and then Dad and I get to take a nap together after the long, long day.

Milestone Series

Tacoma Winter Wonderland

Thanksgiving Holiday

We spent Thanksgiving in Park City, Utah with Dan's family. Lyla experienced her first (of many this winter) snow and got to meet some of Dan's extended family, as well as spend time with her cousins,Grandma Judy and aunt and uncles.

Here we are visiting the cemetary where Grandpa Carlos is buried, as well as both Dan and Lyla Grace's namesakes, Daniel and Grace Hulse.


I think most of the snow on the slopes was manmade, but that didn't stop everyone from enjoying a few winter sports.




Lyla started rolling onto her stomach and pushing up at the beginning of November. She strongly prefers rolling to the left.










There's nothing like Lyla love at the end of a long day to help make everything better.

Halloween

Change we can believe in.



























Dan dressed up as "The Government Bail-Out," I was pregnant (with twins, which is why I was so big at 3 months...) and Lyla was, of course, a sweet pea.

Dan did a belly cast of me 3 days before Lyla was born, so if you didn't see me when I was pregnant, this is a pretty realistic photo (without all the water weight!).

Cousin Daeli came over during the day on Halloween with Grandma while I went to work for a couple of hours. Lyla loves playing with Daeli!

Baby for Obama - VOTE!

Joe Biden had a rally in Tacoma a few weeks ago to support Governor Gregoire's campaign (and his, of course). It was a beautiful day and fun to take Lyla to her first political rally, although it was a bit noisy for her.





























The same weekend was a farm-y one for us - we had some friends come into town who are interested in partnering with us on a farm purchase in Orting. We showed them part of the farming community in Tacoma - here picking apples at Terry's Berries.