Hello Lunch!

For the majority, I plan all of our meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) out over the weekend and so I can easily execute during the week.
*Sidenote: I used to "execute" alot in the office. In fact, cover your sensitive ears Mom, my slogan used to be "B*tches get Sh*t done!"...seriously, I used to say that then Jim, Lisa and I would crack up! Ohhh, I can't get the grin off my face now. I think I just heard a whip crack in my head*
Fun times...but back to "executing" my meals now. I like to change it up a bit as Chad won't eat the same thing over and over like I could easily do. So I recently found out that my friend Christina has a cooking blog, http://www.cmariecook.blogspot.com/. She cooks awesome recipes EVERY day then blogs about them! Her fiance has it made.

I saw a recipe for Fired Up Chicken Pitas , http://cmariecook.blogspot.com/2009/09/fired-up-chicken-pitas.html and decided they were easy enough for me to make. This is getting long winded so I will just post a cute picture of the food and Summer, as I know a post about me cooking would be boring without Summer in it somehow.
There will pretty much always be a stack of Summer's clean clothes on the kitchen bar as I only get to fold them when she is asleep and therefore cannot put them up. Then when she is awake we are playing and cannot be bothered with housework, right Summer?
The pitas were healthy and therefore as flavorful as they could get while still being healthy (no cheese or mayo).
Sidenote about Christina's blog: the stuffed figs wrapped in prosciutto are DELICIOUS! I went to her house when she made these and the combo flavor of goat cheese, fig and prosciutto was melt in your mouth good.
Hope your week has started off with a bang!

In the works

Excuse my background for the next few days. I am in the process of finding one that I love and I am struggling. If you have any blog background sites that you like please leave me a comment. It is so easy to find cute summer looks but fall is tough.
I am surely wasting enough time searching and testing so hopefully I will settle on one soon.

Blah Blah Blah + Cute Pictures

Miss Personality has arrived!

From the smiles, smirks, coos and funny faces, Summer is beginning to let her personality shine bright. I tell you folks, she is funny and happy.

She is thrilled that mommy isn't freezing her out anymore. No ma'am, this girl is bundled up in the chilly early morning.

And check out this collar! I wish I had a top like this.

Oooooohhhh, and check out the back! Summer is self conscious about her bald spot so don't mention it when you speak to her next!

We went to our Mommy and Baby class today and Summer weighs 14 lb. 4 oz.

Cool Mornings

Temperatures where we live have begun to cool down in the mornings and we can begin to see Fall just around the corner. In fact, this week it has been in the 4o's when we wake up and Chad and I have put on jackets (inside our house). Point of this story is...Summer has only a few long sleeve clothes and so I was determined that I wasn't going to allow her to be cold while Chad and I layered up.
Therefore we went SHOPPING!
Here is one of the cute play outfits we got.
Smiles are BEAUTIFUL Summer,but give me a pose with some PERSONALITY!

Summer - 4 Months

We CANNOT believe it was 4 months ago that our lives changed forever. Chad and I are so in love with our baby girl that our hearts are overflowing.

Summer's most recent development has been more of a maturity than a major physical change.

• She is overall more content.
• She loves watching tv. We can hold her in our laps on the sofa and she will sit there and watch football with us. We were at church and she actually watched the preacher on the tv monitor in the cry room the entire time.
• She can stand up with our assistance.
• She loves sitting in the bumbo.
• She still loves Baby Mozart and watches it every morning after breakfast while I pump.
• She still hates it when she is riding in the car and I stop.
• She loves the baby bjorn and faces out the majority of the time.
• She is not into toys yet.
• She notices the dogs but doesn't seem amused by them, yet they can keep her visually entertained (we throw the ball for Lucy alot).
• She wears clothes size 3-6 months but doesn't wear shoes yet.
• Still NO BOWS but I am warming up to the idea! I have a prerequisite for hair before the bow (no tape).

And now for the pictures...

"Look Mommy I am standing up!"
"Ok, I think I can do this by myself...focus, focus."

"Mommy, scoot that pillow over. I am a big girl now and I feel crammed."

"This was me when I was a little girl...last month."
We want to wish Grammy a Happy Birthday!

We also want to wish cousin Lacey a Happy Birthday!

We love you both.

Flower Power

Cute as a Flower!

Sweet as Pollen!

Summer in her Flower Halloween Costume.

That's right folks, we didn't spend $7 for this adorable flower costume for nothing:) We are going to wear it out! Plus it is so comfy.Who can resist a sleeping flower?
Smiling Flower

Summer's new used exersaucer. She is sitting in it now watching football. She loves watching football. I think it is the colors and movement...or maybe her CRIMSON Blood.

Bumbo Love

Summer is loving her bumbo seat now and I am thrilled. I no longer have to wash dishes while she sleeps. Instead, she is my little kitchen partner.

By the way, at almost 4 months (on Sunday), Summer weighs 13lb 12 oz.

Daddy took a break from work this afternoon and we all sat outside and enjoyed some family time.

Daddy and his girls.

The Martin girls.

The crew.

Wonderful Wednesday

Today was overall a wonderful day. Summer and Mommy started it off nice and early at 5:30. However, by 7am Summer had a bottle, tummy time, watched Baby Mozart and was asleep in her swing all while Mommy drank coffee, pumped, did 2 loads of laundry AND cooked bacon, eggs and biscuits! Now THAT is a good start to the day. Wait a second - did I just say waking up before the Sun to cook and clean was a good start to your day? Where did my youth go?

After Summer woke up from her little nap in the swing she and Daddy loved on the dogs together.

Summer will be 4 months on Sunday and we have been practicing using a spoon so when we start to eat it will be familiar. I put some drops of milk from her bottle and she sucked it down.

PS - Please let me know what brand of Rice Cereal your babies liked or which you thought were the healthiest - thanks.

We are finding the afternoon times a little challenging as she takes a 3-4 hour nap mid-day and therefore doesn't lay down well even though she is rubbing-her-eyes tired. So after 2 attempts at a nap in her crib I told her she could sit up with me while I wash dishes but she had to be happy (I really did say that).

And for the record, this smile came as a result of me repeating ma ma ma ma!

It's proven - she loves me!

Not a Fan

Summer is not a fan of riding in the car.

She really gets annoyed when Mommy stops at red lights! Ironically she is happy before we drive off and after we stop. When I open the back door to unbuckle her she stops crying and stares at the light that comes on because the door is open.

Today we were running errands (lots of stop, get out, back in...). After one of our stops we decided to just take a break and play "ride a little horsey" in the back seat before the tears started again.

Here is a photo of the calm before the storm.

Thanks to Grammy and Papa for the cute outfit.

Can't help myself

I simply cannot keep these cute pictures to myself. I know I am bragging but since it is about Summer and not myself I think it is completely OK.
What a happy smile!
I can't help but think that Summer's Alabama Spirit is the reason behind the Tide's win today.

Growing Up!

My teeny tiny infant (5 lb 9 oz at birth but left hospital at 5 lb 2 oz) is growing up into a sweet baby (13 lb 6 oz)! Here is a look back over her life.

On her Birthday

About 1 month old
About 2 months old (fun times:)
About 3 months old
About 3.5 months old

Wow, in looking back I can tell my hygiene has really taken a hit. I don't think ANY of these pictures have fresh hair! Maybe the last one, ok that is progress I guess.

Another Fancy Day

Summer had so much fun dressing FANCY yesterday that I wanted to join in the fun!

I figured why not add FANCY to my everyday activities.

Doing dishes (compliments of Nelson/McLaughlin wedding)

FANCY TIP: Always match your FANCY dress to your dishwashing gloves and scrub brush!

Sweeping (compliments of Little/Savage wedding)

This is what I will be wearing when I am admitted into the nut house for obsessive compulsive sweeping!

Sitting in the Sun (compliments of Burr/Coleman wedding)

Don't let a FANCY dress hold you back. You can still play ball with the dogs in a FANCY dress!

Showing Spirit for the Tide (wore this to the Wood/Levine wedding - cutting off blood circulation in this one)

FANCY TIP: If you feel that your "overdressed" just toss on a baseball cap to tame it down a little.

I pulled these dresses out of the garage as they were already hung in preparation for my garage sale BUT I have changed my mind. Summer and I will have plenty of fun playing dress up together in years to come.

Fancy Day

Yesterday was a sad day once I dressed Summer in these cute yellow polka dot pants only to realize they were cutting off her blood circulation at the waist. So many of Summer's cute 0-3 month clothes no longer fit...it IS true-babies grow up:(

So today I wanted Summer to wear Mimi's hand smocked dress just in case it was our last chance. Every Thursday we go to our baby class and today she was way overdressed but that's ok...it is Fancy Day! In fact, I wore an old bridesmaid dress just so she wouldn't feel out of place...just kidding, but wouldn't that have been funny!

At 3 months 3 weeks Summer weighs 13 lb 6 oz.
She was a little upset that Mommy was snapping photos instead of catering to her every wish.

The little Angel, back at home.
Getting sleepy
Taking comfort in wadding up her fancy dress and eating it!

Cue to Mommy - the Angel is over having her picture taken.

Sampson's Labor Day

Our gentle giant, Sampson, had a seizure last night. I was about to return to bed after feeding Summer and washing her bottle when I heard him fall off the bed (he sleeps on the guest bed) but the crashing noise kept happening. I quickly went in there to help him as I figured he was asleep and stumbling to get up. When I turned on the light I saw his head was between the chair the desk and the wall and he was seizuring. I yelled for Chad to get in there and I quickly tried to move the furniture out of the way. It seemed like every time he kicked the furniture it only prolonged the spasms. I would guess it happened for 2 minutes. It was so scary for Chad and I. We thought we were going to watch him die right there as he was breathing so heavy, foaming at the mouth and urinating. It was traumatic!

However, he did recover and we let him sleep between us for the rest of the night. He has been spoiled with love and carbohydrates today...his 2 favorite things!

We are not allowing him to sleep on the guest bed anymore as we think it was triggered by the fall and he regularly kicks alot in the night and can easily kick himself off the bed.

But he has been back to normal today and we are happy again.

Summer played with him and Lucy outside this afternoon...wearing her shades of course. I can't believe she doesn't mind having these on her head.

Go BAMA

The Crimson Tide kicked off another season this weekend with a WIN.
Summer attended her first Alabama football party (pre-game only). She was dressed in her stadium attire. As most of yall know that would be her fancier dress rather than her Bama onesie...we wouldn't start her first season of her life out any other way!
Thanks Grammy and Papa for the red & white polka dot dress.
Our "other" sweet girl in her Bama jersey...sorry Bud and Jen for not sending the jersey to Sadie. I will soon:)
PS - If Lucy looks unhappy it is because she freezes up when I dress her in doggy clothes! It is hilarious to see the change in personality. You would think we put a straight jacket on her...which isn't a bad idea. She is quite the "active" one:)

Gramma's visit

Gramma has come to town to help me love on Summer this week.

We have had a fun and active time.

We have been strolling...

And we saw these on our walk. They are wild horses that come down from the mountain to eat the manicured landscape.

Gramma is very cautious of Summer's vision and wants her to wear her sun shades. I laugh every time I look at her with these on.

PS - Thanks Rachel for the popsicle onesie...I was sure it would be too big but once again I misjudged her size!Gramma and Summer played in the backyard with the dogs.

Gramma went to the Mother/Baby class with us.

It took us 3 attempts to get Summer's weight as she was a little unhappy on the scale and therefore you can't get a good read. However the best estimate is a whopping 13 lb 2 oz! Wow!

PS-Thank you Grammy and Papa for this cute pink dress. Summer looked adorable in it!

In the park outside the hospital where the baby class is.

Summer relaxing in the swing outside. It's like a baby hammock.

Summer loves Gramma
Gramma and her grandchildren

And a visit blog wouldn't be finished without a picture of all the hard work Gramma has been doing. But I think she is enjoying it.