Yummy

Why don't you tell us how you feel about your lunch today, Afton?

Afton is adding some very expressive faces into her cuteness routines. It is entertaining to watch her try to show us with her face when she feels happy or sad or surprised. Well, it is moderately entertaining and mildly terrifying. I'm not sure how I really feel about a two year old girl already having emotions play such a big part of her life. That is going to just diminish from here on out, right? Right?!?!

Watching Mom

This is the girls sitting on top of the washer, watching Stefanie do some ironing. She had taken Mya in and set her down in her bumbo chair. Afton came in the room and just had to sit in Mya's car seat so she could be involved. We both hate to iron, but apparently it is pleasant to watch because the girls sat there for a while.

6 month update - almost 1 month late

So not quite that late...maybe only two weeks. Our little girl has passed the halfway mark of her first year. Stefanie took Mya in for her check-up, where she weighed 15 lbs 1 oz. The doctor also gave official diagnosis of darling face, beautiful eyes, and best baby disposition ever.

On Mya's "birthday" we had made lemon bars, so that is what she got for her birthday cake.

Reaching for everything around her, especially while she's sitting in her bumbo chair, is a recent development for Mya. And unlike Afton at that age, everything that Mya touches goes right to her mouth. Taste it first, look to see what it is later. A few other updates on Mya and her developing personality:

- She has started to eat solid food and continues to want nothing to do with a bottle. At first Mya wouldn't eat any rice or oatmeal cereal, so Stefanie was justifiably alarmed given Mya's complete disdain for bottles. Stef tried to give her grean beans next, and much to my surprise (yeah, right) that was rejected too. Finally the magic food provided a glimmer of hope: squash. Everyone knows that with a picky eater you go ahead and give them squash. Since then, Mya has also started to enjoy certain fruits mixed in with the cereal, as if the fruits themselves are too sweet.

- For a few weeks Mya would laugh every time I whistled. It wouldn't work if someone else whistled, didn't matter what tune I used, or if I was close to her or across the room.

- Her favorite item to grab is easily the DirecTV remote. She now realizes when something is taken away from her, or if something is close by and she can't have it. We have to be especially careful to hide the remote if she's sitting on our lap while we change channels or she absolutely has to have it.

- Mya has three teeth in, and just about has her two top teeth. She's munching and slobbering on everything, and has had some difficult nights. She hasn't gotten too sick yet, just a mild fever and runny nose, but it is pretty obvious that she has a hard time settling down and sleeping comfortably.

- She still loves being around Afton, who at times can just walk in the room and get a giggle out of Mya.

Talking With Afton

Just wanted to make a quick post about some of the funny sayings or phrasings that Afton has been using lately when we talk with her.

- "I need to tell you a sucker." (meaning a secret)

- "Can you wink, daddy? One eye is on, and one eye is closed."

- I picked Afton up by her feet and she said, "Hey! You upside-downed me!"

- She likes to do everything "all togever" now. If we ask her to sing a song for us, her reply is always, "No, let's sing it all togever."

- When trying to get the timing right so we can do something "all togever", Afton will do the counting for us, usually like this: "1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, GO!" She always skips 4 and almost never goes past 9.

- We were having family home evening one Monday night and asked what song she wanted to sing. In a very excited way she said, "Twinkle Twinkle Row Row Child of God."

- During last night's FHE, she was pretty emphatic about the song she wanted. "Care-a-wot, care-a-wot!"

4th of July...just a few weeks late

Recounting our 4th of July in photos...

Mya grinning...of course. Someone must have made eye contact.



Afton was all about her umbrella at the parade. Isn't she beautiful?!



Afton wondering, "Is there going to be anything but fire trucks and horses in this parade?"



Mya smiling.



"Too loud!" Afton had to be wondering why the noise didn't get any more quiet...when she put her hands over her cheeks instead of her ears.



How 'bout the off-the-shoulder look?



Thanks for the pics, Aunt Sharon.



Afton got to play outside in the water after the parade. Regan and Afton showing off their patriotic swimsuits.



Yeah, you're starting to get the idea.



Emily and Mya.

Hide and Seek

I came home for lunch one day and Afton was covering her eyes and counting. I followed her down the hall and into her bedroom, and saw that she was playing Hide and Seek with Stefanie. Afton was loving it. I got there at the end of the game, but Stefanie had been taking pictures as they went along because of the funny places Afton picked to hide. And based on the # of pictures on the camera, Stef was clearly being quite the good sport...they did it over and over and over.

Afton hiding behind the pillow.



Afton hiding behind her chair.



"If I don't move nobody will see me."

"Mississippi Queen"

Afton has always loved music. So it wasn't a surprise when she loved to be around anyone playing Rock Band. We'd get a little stage made with the Rock Band box, and she'd get right up next to it and dance to the music as if she was attending a concert. But apparently now she's not satisfied just being a fan...

Getting ready for the tour.




She really would try to strum along with the beat...and was super serious the entire time.




Adding in a little lean...eventually she got some serious hip movement and toe tapping going too.

"Paddle, paddle, paddle"

We took the girls to the pool yesterday. When Stefanie told Afton where we were going, she wouldn't stop talking about it (I doubt Stef tells Afton about any plans before nap time in the future). Afton kept saying, "Swim, swim, swim...paddle, paddle, paddle", as she'd make swimming motions with her arms. She wanted to carry her swimsuit, towel, and sandals all over the house.

Our little diva. As soon as we got to the pool she wanted to lay down on the chair and soak in some sun.

Afton has started to put her hands on her hips more and more. So cute.



This is now how Afton smiles. It used to be a smile with a head tilt, but apparently that required too much effort. Again, total diva.



She loved being in the water. Stef and I took turns, with one of us watching Mya while the other took Afton into the water. It was pretty cold and Afton's teeth were chattering, but she had a lot of fun. Stef walked her around, letting her float while she practiced kicking and paddling. She was pretty adventurous, showing no fear walking out into the water up to her chin, and she'd jump off the edge with one of us catching her.




Do you think Mya had fun? These pictures were all taken minutes apart. As soon as we'd peak into her seat, she'd just start grinning and laughing. We've got it pretty rough with this one.

Kryptonite

What does it take to make the happiest baby ever unhappy?

Mya is not a fan of her stroller rides. She is either crying or sleeping...there is almost never any middle ground. This has been an obviously surprising development given her generally terrific nature, and the fact that if Afton so much as looks at her she starts to giggle at her older sister. We figured being able to ride alongside Afton would make the rides something Mya would love to do. We tried another walk last night, and after laughing and smiling in the house, as soon as she got placed in the stroller she started to cry, and kept it up until she fell asleep.

So much for walks being some sort of break for Stefanie.

First Food

I think the first attempt at getting Mya to eat solid foods went just about how we would have guessed: she didn't eat much and she smiled a lot.

Trying really hard to watch the spoon.

As per usual, all giggles and smiles with Mya. She has got to be the happiest and "smiliest" baby ever.

Walk With Mom

Afton used to love her stroller rides when she was a baby. They were a regular occurrence since we were living with my parents while building a home, I was gone to work all day long, and Stef would need some type of break from the everyday routine. Well, we finally got a double stroller so Mya could start to partake of the fresh air. Afton still loves going in the "stwoller", and since Mya isn't complaining much we'll assume she does to.

Afton is all about her sunglasses. At least this time she's wearing them outside instead of to bed.




It's rough work sitting and waiting for Mom to push you home.