Dress Like a Cow

Once a year Chick-Fil-A has a day that you can dress like a cow and get free chicken.  We decided to participate this year because lets be honest, we like free food and if we can make a memory and maybe start a tradition while getting free food, it all the better! 

This year I found out about it last minute so I didn't have time to make us something to wear, but Clint's cousin and my friend, Meagen and  her family participate every year and she was nice enough to let us borrow the shirts thats her family used. 

 Cute little baby cow

 With Mama

 With Daddy

A Rainy Day

It has been raining.  A lot.

Last year we had a very severe drought.  Pretty much the whole state of Texas along with many other places saw very little rain.  So far this year hasn't been as bad in our area, although I think we were still below average.

This week there has been a lot of rain.  Today is day 6.  I am very thankful for the rain and I love cloudy days.  They are pretty much my favorite kind of day.  I am not sure Chloe would agree, at least not yet.  She loves to be outside.  We usually take at least one walk a day.  Many times we take two or three.  This week we have been stuck inside for most of the day and I think she was starting to go a little stir crazy. 

 Mama it's still raining

 On the move

 Doing some exercise

 Looking for a book

 Helping mama take sheets off the bed

 Practicing for Christmas

 Playing with Daddy

 Come here, Daddy

 Time to eat!

 Teething

 Playing peek-a-boo

 Piggy back with Daddy

 Redecorating

 Eating some ice

 Now what?

 I got mail!

 Sitting in the box

 Helping mama put sheets on the bed

 Are you still taking my picture?

 Playing with some toys

 Investigating the furniture

 Finally a walk!

 Time for bed

I think we still have a few more days of rain ahead and I plan to enjoy every one of them.  The clouds have brought some cooler weather with them which is wonderful this time of year.  One day Chloe will appreciate the rain too. :)

8 Months Old

You turned 8 months old in July.  What a busy month you had too! You learned so many new things.  There are days you don't even seem like a baby any more!

You started crawling this month.  I am not sure how it happened.  One day you just got up and did it.  You are so good at it already and can get any where you want.  Crawling opened up a whole new world to you.  You have found so many things throughout the house to play with.

As soon as you started crawling you were ready to start standing.  It didn't take you long.  About a week after you started crawling you started pulling up on stuff.  You try very hard to stand by yourself, but your little legs are just not quite strong enough.  You think that standing is just about the best thing ever.  I do have to keep my eye on you though because you are still a little unsteady even though you don't think so.  I have found you on your head in the toy box a couple of times because you stand up and try to bend over and just topple in.  You aren't a fan of that at all!!

You started taking a bath in the big girl bath tub this month too!  You have so much fun crawling back and forth chasing your toys and splashing in the water.  You keep trying to stand up in the bath tub though and that is very nerve racking for your mama!

You celebrated 4th of July and Father's Day.  You started babbling a little bit and "talking" almost non-stop some days.  You also started teething.  You have two bottom teeth trying to come and they are making you super cranky.  They are taking their time coming in too!  We have been waiting for them for over a week now!

You recognize the camera now and as soon as I get it out you stop doing whatever cute thing you were doing that I wanted a picture of and you put on a big grin and pose for a picture.  You crack me up.

You no longer like to be rocked to sleep for naps or bed time.  You drink your bottle and will play all night long until we put you in bed and turn on your little bug that shines the stars on the wall and plays music for you.  You might cry a little and play for about 30 minutes and the you lay down and go to sleep.

You still enjoy eating your baby food.  You prefer the vegetables over the fruit.  Squash is your favorite so far, although you do enjoy oatmeal with a little fruit mixed in.

You also learned the word "no."  You are still learning what things you can and cannot play with, but most of the time if I tell you no you will immediately remove your hand.  

This month all of a sudden you are getting so grown up.  You are learning so many new things and exploring.  I can see you growing in to a little girl right before my eyes and I am not sure that I am ready for that!  You are so cute and make your Daddy and me laugh almost every day!

 Finally big enough to ride on Daddy's shoulders

 Such a big smile on such a pretty girl!

 YUMMMM.  FOOD!!

 Reading Books

 Trying to stand up

 Standing instead of sleeping

4th of July silliness

 Playing in the toy box

 Sweet Sleep

 Helping with laundry

Silly girl

Happy Independence Day!!!

4th of July was low key this year.  We had lunch with Steve and Cindy and spent some time in the air conditioning away from the mosquitoes  playing with Chloe.  This year it is pretty hard to keep Chloe up past time to go do anything to festive so we just chilled at home.  We are looking forward to next year when we can take her to experience the fireworks.  I think she will love them.

Happy 4th of July!!!

Happy Father's Day and Chicken Enchilada Soup

Happy Father's Day to my hubby!  He is the best daddy to our Chloe!  He works so hard during the day and comes home and hangs out with us and plays with his little girl.  They love going on walks together, he takes her swimming and he gives her a bottle and rocks and cuddles her to sleep at night.  He is so patient with her.  Chloe adores him!  Her little face lights up with joy anytime she sees him.  We think he is a pretty special person.

Clint asked for Chicken Enchilada Soup for Father's Day so I thought I would share the recipe.  It has become on of our favorites.

6 corn tortillas
1 sm. onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
2 tsp. oil
1 (14 oz.) can chopped green chiles (undrained)
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can beef broth (undiluted)
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can chicken broth (undiluted)
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 (6 3/4 oz.) can chunk style chicken
1 1/2 c. water
1 tsp. steak sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 c. (12 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese
Paprika

Cut 6 tortillas into 1/2 inch strips (set aside). Saute onion and garlic in oil in a Dutch oven. Add all ingredients except cheese and paprika. Cover, heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add tortillas and cheese. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 8 cups.
 

I found this recipe on cooks.com.  I usually make a few minor modifications to suit our tastes.  I usually double the amount of tortillas, and I usually use a big can of chicken because I just think it needs more meat.  I have also started just adding the cheese to our individual bowls of soup.  I found if I add it to the whole pot, when I reheat the cheese tends to stick to the bottom of the pan.   

We also want to wish a Happy Father's Day to our dads, Chloe's grandpa's.  They helped shape us into the people we are today.  Happy Father's Day to Steve (Poppa) and Ricky (PawPaw)!!  We love you!

7 Months!

You are growing and changing so fast these days!  I can't believe all the new things you are learning.  Every day you discover something new. 

You are so good at sitting by yourself these days.  Sometimes you get excited and start bouncing and that makes you fall over.  You learned to sit yourself up without help on May 28th, Memorial Day!  Daddy and I both got to watch you do it for the first time and we were so excited!

You have started trying to figure out how to crawl.  You are pretty good at going backwards which I think is pretty cute, but it makes you mad because you can't go where you want to.  You have learned you to get places by alternating between your tummy, sitting and rotating yourself around in circles.

 We started teaching you to put yourself to sleep this month too.  It has been stressful on mommy, but I think you might be getting the hang of it slowly.  You started sleeping on your tummy and now I can't get you to sleep any other way. You have also started taking better naps.  They are longer and more organized now.  I love it!  Nights are hit or miss but I am hopeful that eventually we will both have a full nights sleep.

You celebrated mothers day, baby dedication and Memorial Day this month.  It was a busy month!

You started sitting in a shopping cart and high chair all by yourself this month too.  You look so tiny doing that, but you feel so big!

You are figuring out the camera and love to give Mama little poses when she tried to take your picture.

We also had your last visit with the hematologist this month.  Everything came back normal and we don't have to go back any more!  Mama is very excited about that! 

You are starting to get a little tan because you like to be outside so much. We take a walk every evening and you are becoming quite popular around the apartment complex.  All the kids love you!


Your Daddy and I are having so much fun watching you learn new things and seeing all the ways you are growing and changing. 

 Certificate and Bible from Baby Dedication

 Practicing sitting

 Going places

 Happy Memorial Day!

 Playing in my pool at Grandma and Poppa's

 Summer Baby

 Pose

 Pretty in Purple

 Working hard with an owie

 Supposed to be sleeping

 Big Stuff

 Such long black lashes