Remy Noelle:: Six Months Old

Sweet baby girl, you are already half a year old! Your smile is becoming more and more contagious and you love to smile at just about everything. You laugh out loud at me and make me feel like i'm the funniest person ever. I love the 'huff and puff' sound you make when you get excited, and the crazy look you get in your eyes when you see your aunts Paige and Piper. They are both afraid of your 'kisses'. You already love them so much and I can't wait to see how your relationship grows over the years.

You have started to practice your 'worried' face, it cracks me up every time.

You still don't want to roll from your back to your tummy, but that's okay. I will enjoy the time you aren't as mobile because i'm sure I will miss it soon enough.

You still want to eat every three hours--around the clock--but I have come to the realization that I am okay with that. The quiet time we share is so precious, and the smiles you give me when you reach up to gently touch my face is so worth getting up for in the middle of the night. 

You are VERY expressive. We always know how you are feeling and I hope you stay that way. I want you to be an open book with your dad and I, especially during the hard middle school and high school years. 

Your elephant toy is your favorite. You have mastered pulling it to make it play music and you usually pull it the entire time we are in the car. It is so cute to hear you giggle and laugh at it.

Your legs are SO strong! You love to stand, kick and push against everything---all the time. 

You coo and smile at the evening sunlight that dances through your bedroom window. That is something I never want to forget, it is so precious.

We have started some solid food and you are a pro at eating from a spoon. You always try to do it yourself, and sometimes I let you, even if it means I will have a huge mess to clean up later.

You have discovered our iphones and reach for them whenever possible, even if they are off! This worries me a little--it is crazy to think that you will never know a time when there weren't smartphones.

You can almost sit up all by yourself. You are still a little wobbly but you are learning to correct yourself quickly and it won't be long until you master it!

You have started to give kisses but they are pretty aggressive and you usually scratch our faces off in the process--but we don't mind because those gummy, slobbery kisses are the best kind :)

You love to watch puppies. You will crank your neck until you see Willow, Dexter and Marley and will watch their every move. Dad lets Willow lick your hands and feet--even though I tell him not to. I know you guys will be best friends. Willow always wants to be around you, even though you pull her hair. 

You LOVE to go places. You think going to the grocery store is the best thing ever. You smile and look at everything in the aisles. 

Still no teeth yet, but you chew on absolutely everything, so i'm sure it won't be long. I'm not sure i'm ready for you to have teeth, I love your toothless smile.

You've started blowing raspberries, especially when you're crying hard---which is funny and sad at the same time!

This is already a long list but I could go on and on. I'm allowed to post a long one since you're half a year old now. 

These past six months have flown by. I'll blink and you will be a year old; I'll blink again and you'll be in high school. You are such a precious gift and God has so much in store for you. I'm happy I get to come along for the ride :) 

Love, 

Mom and Dad

Remy Noelle:: Five Months Old

Better late than never...

I can't believe you are almost 6 months old. You still look so little but act so big! Your dad and I can't get enough of your squishy legs and cheeks--we kiss you ALL the time, and you turn your head to reject us without fail. :)

You love to be outside. If you are cranky we 'go somewhere' and you get excited. You still look all over when you hear your dads voice---he can't talk when i'm feeding you otherwise you stop and smile at him! 

We celebrated Clint and Kara's wedding up in Omaha and you did great! You were happy the whole time and smiled whenever anyone spoke to you. It is so fun to see you interact with people and make silly faces. 

We got your first swimming pool this month and you were a little scared. You didn't like the cold water so dad had to bring buckets of warm water from the bathtub (he'll do anything for you).

You LOVE to be naked...probably more than anything else. Laying in the shade without clothes is your new favorite activity (I hope this changes when you're a teenager, but for now it's really cute).

Your hair is still crazy. Some parts are curly, others are straight...and it's started to thin on the sides. I am excited to see what it looks like when you're one!

We also got you a swing and hung it in the tree in the back yard. You were so content to hang out in there and feel the wind in your hair. :)

You are growing so fast. You love to grab things and put them in your mouth, and you are constantly 'talking' up a storm. You smile all the time and we love to make you laugh. You are looking more and more like your dad---which is fitting because you are definitely going to be a daddy's girl. 

We love you so much and can't wait to see what the next month brings!

Love, 

Mom & Dad

Homemade Wheat Tortillas

Does anyone else think it's scary/gross that a bag of tortillas can last about a month before they go bad? It just doesn't seem right to me...and it's because they fill them with nasty preservatives! Same thing with bread and just about everything else we eat, but we'll save that for another post :)

For lunch I usually have a hummus and cucumber wrap, so instead of eating tortillas filled with junk I found a recipe to make own. I was worried these would be dry and wouldn't roll up nice---but I was wrong! They are SO good, and they only last a week in the fridge (which is a good thing).

                                                

Whole Wheat Homemade Tortillas

1 1/2 C. white flour

1 1/2 C. wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 C. oil (I used canola)

1 C. + 4 Tbs. boiling water

(Compare these ingredients to the list on the back of store bought tortillas--Much better for you!)

• Whisk (or sift) the flours, baking powder and salt together in a big bowl.

• Add the oil and mix with your hands until evenly distributed.

• Add the boiling water and mix with your hands--it will be hot so let it sit for a few seconds before you start (duh, I know...but I started mixing right after I poured the water in and it was not fun).

• Knead in the bowl until well combined then move the dough to the counter and keep kneading until its all smooth.

• Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit 30-45 minutes.

• After the dough is done resting heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

• Sprinkle the counter with flour and form a ball of dough the size of a tennis ball for 12 in., or the size of a golf ball for 6 in. tortillas. Roll it out into a 6 or 12 in. circle with a rolling pin--the thinner the better.

• Lay it in the skillet and flip when it has formed little bubbles. It's done when both sides are browned slightly.

• Store in a ziplock bag in the fridge for up to a week. :)