Kindermusik

Iris has been in Kindermusik classes for several months now. She loves it! Here are a few pictures from our class this morning. Our friends Joy and her son Hank are in these pix right above Iris.

Mrs. Carol, our teacher, is using Iris to show the others how we are going to pull our babies around during the next song.

Iris is playing with a cloth hammock below. A few minutes before this we had her in it and were swinging her back and forth as she laughed and laughed.

Iris: "Why does mommy do this to me?"

Weaning....

As some of you that have received my desperate calls know, Iris REFUSES to take a bottle. I have tried a dozen different types of botttles, nipples, and sippy cups and nothing seems to work. Her pediatrician said to not nurse her and just give her a bottle and eventually she will take it. They said it may take a while but she will not get dehydrated she will eventually take it. Well, that is easier said than done. Anyway, I tried it and I did not feed Iris all day except for offering her a bottle which she swat at and refused. I decided to put her on the couch with no toys and two types of sippy cups filled with a bit of formula to see if she would eventually figure it out herself. Here's how that went.... Iris: what in the world is this thing?

Iris: oh, a chew toy...yeah!!!

Iris: Ok, I can't get the milk out but these handles are good. ( Yes, we somehow lost a sock) Iris: Pretty please mom?

Iris: Ok, fine, I give up but only because you took the handles off and I have nothing else to do!

I wish I could say that was the end of it but it wasn't she will still not take a bottle. It has been very frustrating especially because she use to take one just fine. I think she's refusing because she senses that mommy has an alterior motive for wanting her to take a bottle this time. She's a smart little thing!

Self Portraits; By Iris

Ok, I pushed the button but she was holding the camera....

For Aunt Netty!

This one is for you Jeanette. Iris loves her T-shirt and can't wait to visit you and J.J.!

Playdate

Iris had a playdate with the Buxton Boys on Thursday. We went to the Alhambra Hall playground and had a oicnic and played on the swings for a bit. Iris and Jules are a little small for the swings so they each have a beach towel stuck in their back--it was pretty cute!

I call this the "Molly Look." I swear she looks just like her cousin Molly when she makes this face!

Iris: "Higher Ma Ma higher!

8 Months Old!

Iris is 8 months old and cute as ever.

Trip to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge

We went to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge March 20-22nd to meet Brad's sister and her family. It was agreat trip. On Saturday we walked the town of Gatlinburg. Iris got her first picture with a Grizzly Bear and daddy. That night we went to the Dixie Stampede for dinner. I had not been in years and it was pretty fun. Iris watched a little but of the show but it was past her bedtime so we were struggling a little to keep her amused until the end of dinner. Overall she did pretty well.

On Sunday we drove through the Great Smoky Mountain National park and stopped at one of the visitor areas to see some sights and take a few pictures...

Iris was thoroughly entertained by her 3 nieces. If only they lived closer and could babysit!

Ball of Fun!

In my never ending quest to find new and interesting things to entertain Iris I decided to buy her some balls and a little pool. At first she was a little overwhelmed and not quite sure what to do...then she fell back and was a little worried...then she thought it was funny... and then as usual, she decided that eating the pool was better than playing in the pool...

All activities end this way. I have put her in it several more times but now she bypasses the balls and goes straight for the edge of the pool to eat it. I'm worried she'll pop it so for now we might put this up. Maybe this summer we can try again with some water! ( Note the hair on her head--I still can't get a bow in it but I'm hoping it won't be too long!)

My Garden

I decided that I wanted a garden this summer. I was thinking just a few raised beds. But of course, Brad had another idea. Dad brought some old railroad ties over (do all dads just have those lying around the yard or is that just mine?) and Brad and I got to work. Here's a few pix of the project in progress....That's not easy work. Brad must really love me.....

Iris was cute but completely unhelpful.

I've planted a few vegetables but then the weather turned cold again so I'm not going to plant anymore right now. I'll post some more pix once the garden is complete and full of veggies!

7 Months!

Iris turnned 7 months on February 25th. Again, I attempted to take her 7 month picture by myself. Again, It did not go well. She becomes focused on the sign and there is no stopping her. As usual, it ends up being crumpled and stuffed in her mouth.

After several failed attempts to take her picture I became creative...

Next month I'm going to wait for Brad to get home before I take her picture. Maybe he can keep her distracted long enough for me to get a good shot. The T-shirt she is in above and the one below are T-shirts that Brad's cousin, Sean, made for Iris. The top one has an iris flower on it. They are adorable! This month Iris has really developed a personality. She babbles more and more, she constantly wants to stand (of course you have to support her) and is always moving somehow even though she hasn't figured out how to crawl yet. Last week in church she was literally climbing on top of us, pulling my hair, eating my necklace, pinching us, wanting to stand in the pew and play with the straps on her cars seat etc. etc. She never stopped. We kept having to pass her back and forth to keep her entertained and give each other a break. Luckily she was quiet though. That's pretty much how she has been lately----non-stop. I don't know what I'm going to do when she figures out how to crawl and then walk!!! Eeekkk!

Lordy, Lordy, Daddy's 40!!!

Another reason I'm so behind on this blog was due to Brad's Surprise 4oth Birthday Party. Brad turned 40 on February 20th but I knew there was no way I could surprise him ON his birthday so I decided to try to throw him off and have a surprise party for him a week earlier on Febrauary 14th---it worked and was a huge success! I told Brad that we were going to the annual TKT law firm Oyster Roast. They have it every February so he believed it (the real one was a week earlier). I even mailed an exact duplicate of their invitataion to our house, with the wrong date of course. The party was held at Bulow Plantation. Our friends, Lenna and Jesse Kirchner, live in Bulow and were very generous in letting us use the party barn out there. Brad and I arrived approx 30 minutes after the guests and Lenna greeted us outside with some excuse about helping us park or something ( I forget, it's all a blur now) then Lenna and I stepped in front of Brad and pulled back the barn doors as everyone yelled "Surprise." It was great--he had no idea and just stood there for a second before it registered.

Guests awaiting Brad's arrival...

My Mother "peeking." She has no patience....

Brad trying to figure out what's going on as the doors open....

He gets it now.....A gift from my Mom and Aunt Pat to commemorate our last trip to Costa Rica ( see previous post for inside joke)...Yes, that is a picture of Brad on his cake dressed up for Halloween when he was younger...Happy Birthday Honey, I LOVE YOU!!H

Cutie Pie!!

This was Iris' first time sitting up in the grocery cart. Before she would be in her car seat which would be in the basket. It was challenging trying to fit everything in the buggy that was so this was much easier. She loved it! ( 1/27/09) Avery likes treating Iris like her little baby doll. I think the picture says it all....

(1/30/09)

Six Months!

Hello...... hello??? Is anyone still out there???? I'm sure many of you have given up on me since I have not updated Iris' blog in over a month but just take a look at the pictures below.....can you really resist looking at that adorable face?

Well, now that I'm home from Kindermusik class, the United Airlines guy just delivered Brad's luggage from his ski trip last week, the repair man just left after fixing the heater upstairs, I just finished with my homemade baby food recipes for today (anyone have a 6-9 month old and need pureed apricots? I literally now have a years supply!!), I've taken my second dose of cold medicine for the day and Iris decided to give me a break and take her afternoon nap (she skipped the morning one) I finally had a few "free" minutes and decided I should get caught up on the blog. I'll start with posting her 6 month pix......

Yes, technically Iris is now 7 months but I have to post this anyway. I did take it on January 25th so she was 6 months in this pix. As you can see, taking her monthly pictures has become more complicated. This one was an all out fight and as you can see---the sign lost. Do not worry, all chunks of paper were retrieved from her mouth before swallowed.

Iris is doing great. Her 6 month check-up was on February 6th and these were her measurements:

Weight: 16.3 lbs (44%)

Height: 26 1.2 inches (67%)

Head: 17 inches (64%)