I'm REALLY a mom

It's official- I'm a mom! No I mean a real, legit, actual mom. I have a cookie jar!

I don't know why but for months I've needed a cookie jar. It is like I felt something was missing (at least from my kitchen!) until this beauty was found. It was worth the wait to find the perfect jar.

*Those are my $.05 yard sale coffee signs on the wall!

Goodbye

I've been putting off mentioning on our blog that last month my Grandpa Lopez passed away. We knew it was coming, but even still the news was sad. My Grandpa only spoke Spanish so I wasn't really able to communicate with him, so as soon as I learned he had died I started crying that I didn't know for sure if he knew the Lord. The weight of that thought, and the guilt I felt- even though I know there wasn't much I could have said- was pretty powerful.

I couldn't shake those thoughts, and was so thankful when my mom told me the following day that she heard that the nurse who had been helping out in his home and given him the opportunity to repent and he had! Thank you Jesus!

It is near impossible to get all my cousins together for a picture since we live in different places. Here is our best attempt, only missing Brian!

Help!

I want this:

For less this:$$$$

Anybody seen any cubby/storage systems at a good price? Why, oh why is Pottery Barn so expensive?

Nesting

Nope, not in the pregnancy sense, but I definitely am obsessed with nesting. I looooove to make our house (nest) comfy, welcoming, and pretty. I'm constantly tweaking things around to adapt to the seasons and am always on the lookout for good deals on home accessories.

The challenge lately has been to do this economically because the choice to quit my CWS job to stay with Aubriella has severely limited our budget. About two months ago I got the urge to wake up early to go to yard sales. Jose was game, and after filling up on doughnuts and coffee (a must do for any yard sale morning) we were off! After he scored on two marshmallow shooter guns, and I got 2 vintage coffee signs for $.05 each- we were hooked! About every other Saturday we are hitting the sales and finding some great treasures!

My new mission is to tackle DIY projects. I'm not very crafty, but after adopting The Nester's philosophy of "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful" I have decided to take some chances. I spent $4.25 on these little finds this past weekend. The $1 picture/plaque thingy (it is made out of a hard foam!) seemed about the right price to attempt to paint. If it didn't come out perfect- who cares? $1 wouldn't break the bank if it was wasted. I painted it with a metallic blue I already had, and even got daring and bronzed it afterwards. I am happy to say I LOVE IT, and it worked out perfect in our room.

Monday morning as I was reading The Nester's secrets to thrifting, I decided to stretch my treasure finding horizons. Even though I don't mind second hand from a yard sale, I still have a hard time liking thrift stores. I get so overwhelmed and feel so dirty. But I decided to go for it, and my mom was more than happy to accompany me. I am so glad I happened to see this post a couple of days before, because I walked in and found my own version! It was priced at $14.91, but the worker said he'd give it to me half off! Check out where he crossed the price off. He started to write $7, but couldn't figure out how to divide 91 cents, so instead gave it to me for $6.96.

I painted it to match my last project and am so happy with how it came out! As soon as I get the Hubs to help me hang it (it is heavy!) I'll be happy to show off how well it works in our room!

Daddy's Girl

I couldn't resist posting these pictures I took throughout the last week! When he walks through the door at lunch and after work she gets a huge smile! After he changes out of his work clothes, she just wants to be with him!

She had a very stinky diaper, and she wanted him to change it (ok, mommy wanted him to change it!). Aubriella thought it was very funny though that he had to do it!

I love these of them hanging out on their favorite chair.

This day she even convinced him to take her on a walk- facing forward like a big girl!


Aubriella loves her daddy and he loves her! And I love them!

Bathing Beauty

Since her first bath...ok maybe not the first sponge baths when Jose and I were miserably nervous and bumbling around...Aubriella has loved being in the water! Bath time is so fun for all of us, and Jose and I love to watch her enjoy her bath.

I think she looks so cute with her hair plastered down, and her eyelashes clumped together with little water droplets. Even though she has learned to splash the mirror it is still worth it to see how much fun she has!

She was making a funny face because we got water in her eyes!



We recently started finishing her bath with her on her tummy. She likes it!


She loves to talk to the pretty little girl in the mirror!

I love how she smiles at her daddy!

Look how long her hair is!!



I love my little wet ducky!

Aubriella 5 1/2 month update

Aubriella just had her 4 month shots yesterday (we delayed a bit!). She weighed in at a whopping 16lbs 15ounces! They didn't ask us to take off her clothes so I think that is a little off. The doc said that put her at the 75percentile for weight, but when I looked it up it was between 50 and 75th percentile. Either way she is a chubster! But most surprising is her height! She is 27 1/4 inches--that is the 95th percentile for height! Are you kidding me? Where is she getting this height from.

She is getting more advanced every day. She is sitting up for short periods of time unassisted. She easily rolls from her stomach to back, and back to stomach now- and two days ago figured out how to roll all around the room! She tries so hard to crawl! Right now she can get in the plank (push up) position, can get on all fours, lunges forward (sometimes face plants!), and yesterday started showing signs of moving the knees forward.

She smiles ALL the time, giggles often, and really laughs when being tickled or playing with the Whitaker's puppy Obie. When she gets really excited she waves her hands together and "claps." EVERYTHING she grabs goes in her mouth, and her little grasp is strong! She doesn't mean too, but she loves to grab and yank my hair- ouch!

She is a very happy baby, but she makes her wishes known! She is a wiggle worm in our arms now, constantly lunging and diving for things out of reach. When she can't get something she wants she whines.

Aubriella is good in the car most of the time, and when she isn't turning the music up really loud does the trick. She gets to suck on her pacifier on car rides, when going to sleep, and at church. She takes her toys Crunchy Bug, Love Bug, Elefun, and blankie bear with her everywhere.

She still exclusively nurses, and is doing great. She used to wake up once a night, but for some reason now wakes up a lot- sometimes every 3 hours! She naps and sleeps in her crib now.

We love her so much, and so does everyone who meets her!