None

I'm terrible with thinking of titles so this time I didn't waste my time, ha.

I realize its been a while since I've written! I haven't had many chances to update and when I do have the time I don't feel like being on my computer; I'd rather spend that time with my husband. I'm also trying to cut back on my electronic usuage during the day and am trying to give Layla more of my undivided attention. I don't want her grow up feeling like she isn't important enough for my full attention or that I don't have time for her or whatever. So...those are my excuses for my absence :)

Anyway, Layla has two little teeth now! I haven't quite been able to tell if the second one has poked through completely yet but I think it has. Its right at the surface either way. Man is this teething stuff tough! It has not been fun and we've all lost a lot of sleep, haha. Thankfully the last few days have been better. Her tooth/teeth came in last Sunday so she's been sleeping much better!

Our little lady also turned 8 months old this week! That means only 4 months until her birthday...HOLY COW! It has flown by! I have loved each new stage and it is so fun to continue to watch her learn new things.

She's quite the little stinker, too. She is kind of shy around certain people but around others she will let herself be free. I think it also depends on where we are, too. 

Tuesday we had our life group and one of the couples has a little boy just a month younger than Layla and she was really cute with him. She smiled and talked to him and was so sweet. She also really likes her cousin Kolton...so maybe she's a fan of the boys, haha. Uh Oh! 

***************************

Our next few weekends are jam packed! We were originally going to Arkansas today and come back first thing Saturday morning but decided to wait until another weekend when we can stay a little longer. Saturday afternoon we have a huge family photo shoot (afloydphotodesign) and Sunday, of course, is Easter! I'm helping out in the nursery at church for the first time and then we're going to my grandma's for lunch. Next weekend we're helping out Kourtney and Chad with their garage sale and Saturday we have a birthday party for a little guy at church (we're just attending) and then a senior photo shoot that afternoon. After that we'll probably head to K & C's to help clean up after the garage sale because we'll have some stuff there, too. 

If anyone in the KC area needs pictures taken we're running a special right now! Spread the word! Antony also just re-opened his etsy shop and has a couple wedding invitation designs for sale (more to come) and will probably add some pictures at some point, too. Go like our page! (link above) 

Sleep Problems

It has been a week (or more) of fighting sleep for Layla. Antony and I are going crazy trying to figure out what's going on but we've learned that things like this are just trial and errror. You've gotta just keep trying things until something works. And then by that time your baby is probably on to another stage and you've gotta start all over again. HA! Thankfully Antony is on Spring Break this week so he's home all day with me so I don't go toooo crazy. Suggestions are welcome! (Just FYI, we're not fans of the "cry it out" method).

We've realized that we have gotten out of our naptime routine so I'm hoping that if we get back into that it'll help. We're also wondering if she needs to nap more often so instead of waiting until she's noticeably tired, we're going to try putting her down before those big signs start showing.

On a little more positive note, we're working on night weaning and she's doing a LOT better than I was expecting. Thank goodness!

This past week we finally got some relief from the cold and were able to spend some time playing outside! I'm so excited for summer now! We enjoyed some water play and I played around with the 50mm lens.

Organizing

It's so nice to be organized! My days feel like they have a little more structure and meaning to them, other than the important feeding and playing with Layla :) This week I created a menu board and scheduled cleaning for each day of the week. Now if we can just keep up with both they will be successful! So far I've stuck to the menu...the cleaning is a little harder to get to but hey, we're eating! haha. 

This was really easy to make. I just used a frame I had leftover from decorating Layla's room this summer and cut some fabric to fit, also leftover from Layla's room, and tada!

And here's a picture of the cutie just for fun :) 

Have a good weekend! 

Wedding Weekend

We had a fun, busy weekend as Antony got to be apart of one of his close friends wedding. We got to see some old friends from college and Antony got to spend lots of time hanging out with them. Layla was such a trooper at the wedding! She only made a few sounds during the ceremony and was perfect during the reception even though we stayed out past her bedtime.

The wedding was so pretty and lots of fun...although I wish I could have stayed for the whole reception :/  Couldn't keep Layla out too late so I had to leave early. But dinner was amazing! The cake was beautiful! The bride's and bridesmaid dresses were gorgeous and I'm sure they got some really pretty pictures in the snow!

During this past week we also enjoyed some time in the snow at my mom and dad's house. Antony had a lot of snow days off work so we stayed with my parents for a couple of nights (snowed in!). It was fun being able to get out in the snow and to be snowed in with family in the country instead of stuck at our place in the city. Antony built a snow fort and I built my first snowman by myself. It was fun to be kids again. And it was very nice to have full time babysitters :)










We have also discovered a food that Layla seems to enjoy. Bananas!

7 months

Layla is 7 months old today. I can't believe how quickly these last 7 months have gone but I've enjoyed them so much! Life is much more exciting and eventful and stressful and fun with a baby around and I'm so excited to continue to watch her group up!

At 7 months old Layla can/loves to:

*Sit up very well on her own - her balance is amazing because she kicks her legs constantly, even while sitting, and she doesn't (always) fall over
*Clap! She loves it when we clap and loves to clap our hands more than her own
*Smile, smile, smile! She is such a happy girl and she smiles all the time!
*Be sung to
*Read books
*Stand with help or while leaning against something. She's not pulling up yet but I have a feeling she's getting close
*Roll over both ways - this is a new accomplishment for her because she has never been one to like being on her tummy so never was able to practice rolling over much
*Swim! ha - she is a natural. Obviously she can't swim by herself but she kicks her feet constantly while in the water and has gone under twice!
*Has learned object permanence - she's very smart and knows that if we take something away (like our cell phone, for example) its not gone. She will look for it after we take it away.


Layla is a sweet little girl and a big time Mommy's girl. She loves to play with Daddy and gets excited when he comes home from work. She's slightly attached to me and will hold her hands out for me to pick her up. She still will not take a bottle but has tried some food for fun and likes to play with a sippy cup. I think she likes banana but doesn't seem to like avocado or carrots. Still figuring that out :)

Here are some pictures from this week at Grandma and Grandpa's. We got snowed in there this week so we didn't go crazy being stuck in the city with no yard to play in :)

Discovering Your Love Language

    For some reason I've been thinking a lot about love languages these last few days so I decided to take the test. I've always known that quality time was my biggest thing (to receive) but since being married I hadn't taken a test so I wanted to see if it had changed. This test Discover Your Love Language is very simple and would be very beneficial for everyone to take. It is specific to married couples but I'm sure you there is a version for those of you who are single as well.

   Unfortunately, my top love language is one of the hardest to have met. Quality time is very important to me and it is hard to get that time from my husband sometimes. Not because he doesn't care or doesn't try but just because he is usually busy designing, helping around the house, helping with Layla working, etc and I'm busy taking care of Layla and other things around the house.

    Fortunately, I tied with another top love language and acts of service is almost as important to me. Antony is very good at meeting this love language of mine. He helps with so much around the house without complaining and even does many things without me having to ask. That's a huge plus! He was especially helpful with things when Layla was first born and I was unable to do things like cook dinner or clean up. I'm very, very thankful for him!

  I highly recommend that everyone take this test and have your friends/family take the test as well. Its very common to show love to others in the way that we prefer to receive it but that may not be the way that your spouse (or friends) feel loved. For example, I like to show others that I love them by giving them my time but that may not mean as much to them as it does to me. Antony is a very physical person and needs physical touch and that's something that I've had to learn to give him because it doesn't mean as much to me as it does to him. Learning these things about your spouse can really change your relationship. Thankfully this was something we established before we got married :)

  Below is the description of each love language, if you're interested:

Quality Time

In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there – with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby – makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful. Quality time also means sharing quality conversation and quality activities.

Acts of Service

Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter. Finding ways to serve speaks volumes to the recipient of these acts.

---

Physical Touch

This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face – they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive. Physical touch fosters a sense of security and belonging in any relationship.

Receiving Gifts

Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous – so would the absence of everyday gestures. Gifts are visual representations of love and are treasured greatly.

Words of Affirmation

Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important – hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten. Kind, encouraging, and positive words are truly life-giving.

Teething Remedies

Did you know that celery was a natural pain killer? I wonder who figured that one out! This website has some great tips for helping your teething baby. http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/2012/08/baby-teething-tips-and-remedies.html One thing she mentions is the Amber teething necklace. Layla's just came in the mail yesterday! I'm hoping it helps.

I took Layla to the chiropractor on Friday and it has helped her sleep so much better! When we got home that afternoon she slept for 2 1/2 hours! That never happens. Well, it hasn't happened in a really, really long time anyway. Yesterday she took at least two good naps, too, and I link that to her visit to the chiropractor. I consider 45 minutes a good nap for her but these were both at least an hour (with help from me to stay asleep). I don't know how normal this is, but she wakes up after 30 minutes of sleep, always. So most of her naps only last for 30 minutes. Sometimes we can get her back to sleep but not always.

Anyway, I'm hoping she's got a tooth about to poke through soon! Soon as in within the next day or two. 1. because I'm excited to see her with teeth in her mouth :) and 2. because having an extra needy/fussy child is tiring and stressful. I just have to accept that I'm not going to get much done during the day.