Smooch!

Happy Valentine's Day! Lauren had a fun first Valentine's Day. She got a cute Valentine's card from one of her teachers, and also brought home a fancy laminated red heart doily with her picture in it for Mommy and Daddy.

Standoff

Earlier this week, Lauren figured out how to stand up in her crib. There's a little less napping at nap time now, since she likes to practice her new 'skill'. Daddy is going to have to lower her crib mattress to the bottom rung before the weekend is over... Amidst all the fun, Lauren has managed to get sick yet again. Her cold from two weeks ago never quite went away, so the pediatrician suspects it probably turned into a sinus infection, and prescribed an antibiotic for her. Plus, today she had her first fever. Poor little Lauren! Hopefully she licks this, and remains healthy for our upcoming vacation.

On the Move

Lauren is now officially mobile. She's not a proficient crawler yet, but she does get up on all fours and go forward. She is especially attracted to the tile floor (good traction), and the cats' scratching post.

Lauren has also been working on her push-ups - to ensure she remains trim and slim. Bikini season is just around the corner! Unfortunately, she's also caught another cold... Hopefully it won't last very long.

Biscotti Bliss

I've never had biscotti - since nearly all the biscotti sold contain nuts, and I'm allergic to nuts. But over the holidays, my mom brought me some (nut-free) lemon/white chocolate biscotti that she'd made. It was delicious. I tried the recipe (from Cooking Light) last weekend - though I used orange zest/semi-sweet chocolate chips instead (the recipe suggested this as an alternative). It was not only easy, but delicious, and only 55 calories a piece. I think I am addicted now; I want to try a combination of lemon, dried cranberries, and white chocolate next.

Pizza Pizza

This month's issue of Everyday Food had a quick and easy recipe for a Two-Cheese Tortilla Pizza. It uses whole-wheat tortillas, brushed with olive oil, and sprinkled with canned diced tomatoes, kalamata olives, mozzarella, and parmesan - with a touch of fresh basil at the end. Liked it so much (and had so little time) that we made it twice this week. It paired nicely with some simple homemade tomato soup, another recipe from Everyday Food.

Baby Sniffles

Well, it was inevitable - Lauren was going to get sick sooner or later. Last weekend, she caught her first cold (first me, then Lauren and Stew). It was so hard to see her sick, with her stuffy/runny nose and red swollen eye. We kept her home from day care for 2 days, so she could get some extra sleep and TLC. But as I hear from many moms, colds and day care go hand in hand. Well the good thing was that Lauren didn't seem that bothered by her cold - she logged some additional time practicing her reverse scooch - all the way under our TV stand. After a week, a lot of tissues, some antibiotic eye drops, saline nose drops, and our trusty nasal aspirator (which she isn't too fond of) - she's doing much better, aside from a lingering cough.

Happy New Year!

Hard to believe 2008 is here! Lauren had a fun first Christmas. Not sure what she thought of the Christmas tree, but she did have a good time pulling on the branches. She had lots of fun playing with her grandparents, and meeting her uncles, aunt and cousins. She got many great gifts - fun toys, books, stuffed animals, and adorable clothes - she is one lucky girl.

Lauren liked wearing her santa hat and jiving to the Christmas tunes. She also spent part of the holiday practicing a new move - the reverse scooch. She is beginning to get up on her knees, but hasn't figured out how to move foward yet. In any case, let the baby-proofing begin...

Rain, Rain Go Away

'The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So I sat in the house All that cold, cold, wet day.'

It has been downright cold and rainy these last few days, we miss the sun! Lauren still manages to have lots of fun playing indoors though. No crawling yet, but she somehow manages to cover a fair distance simply by rolling. Not entirely efficient, but she gets points for creativity.

Eat Your Veggies

These sweet potatoes aren't half bad! Lauren tried her first flavorful food today. She didn't offer much reaction, but nearly all that went in stayed in. However, about half way through, she decided she'd had enough and scrunched her face all up every time the spoon came near her mouth. We'll see what she thinks about tomorrow's menu.

Tipping the Scales

Lauren tells Teddy all about her 6-month check-up last week. How she weighed in at 14 lb 9 oz (finally surpassing Chester), measured to 25 1/2 inches, set a new personal record for number of shots at once (5!!), and learned she now gets to eat real (?) food. What a day.