ZzzzZzzz

 Sometimes eating lunch can be a little bit tiring! 

Poor little adorable thing. This teething thing is hard!

Baking Up A Storm

 Something is wrong with me. I've been baking up a storm and I just love it! I'm usually good for a batch of cookies every 6 months but over the last 5 days I've made 9 dozen cookies, fresh blueberry muffins for man nights, blueberry lemon mini bunt cakes with a lemon glaze and my very first loaf of bread in my new to me bread maker! I just adore the delicious smells and the warmth from the stove! Tis the season.

Even more than that I just love my little helper! She is the perfect side kick! I totally think I need to make us some matching aprons once she's walking. So cute!

Just One of Those Days

 Love days where I get to hang out with my most favorite person ever! I just love being this little girl Mama. Life doesn't get much better than this!

Digging for Gold

One of Ethnie's new favorite pass times. So disgusting but at the same time, so cute. Whenever I tell her no and take her finger out she looks at me with a furrowed brow and shoves it up farther. It's safe to say we have a nose picker, only 2 years early. Thankfully she hasn't connected her nose and mouth!

9 Months

• Height: 28 inches
• Weight: 19 lbs 
• Head Circumference:  45 cm 
• Nicknames: Peanut, E, Boo Bear, Muffin, Monkey

• Ethnie is still not sleeping through the night. She wakes up once at 4:30 a.m. and then again for the morning around 6:30 - 7:00 a.m. I would try to sleep train her but I know once she starts to teeth that she'll be up all over again.
• She's found her nose and loves sticking her little fingers up there. I'm not sure she realizes there is any gold up there but it is both hilarious and disgusting! (Novemeber 16th)

• She STILL has NO teeth. It's okay, I just love her little toothless grin!
• Ethnie is quite the independent eater! She has gotten really good at spitting out food she doesn't like and spraying it everywhere. What a girl! She is usually pretty good if I give her a cracker or something to distract her while we sneak in bites of baby food. She knows what she likes and doesn't like, that's for sure!
• She has become very attached to her tape measure. A girl after her Grandmother's heart. Both Gramma and Oma love to sew. I'm sure she'll be crafty just like them and Mommy!

• She has started to furniture surf and she's pretty quick! 
• She knows that Skype comes from the laptop. When she sees the laptop sitting on the coffee table she starts trying to open the screen and screams at it hoping for Oma, Opa or her Uncles to talk back to her. She loves being able to see everyone and will stand and "talk" for quite awhile!
• She can pull herself up on almost anything. It amazes me how strong she is. She also is quite good at figuring out how to operate things (ie. ripping off the cardboard that ha been taped onto the bookcase.) 

• She learned how to give high fives this month. She hasn't got the speed yet but if you hold up your hand and say "high five" she'll reach out and touch it. (November 17th)
• She now crawls around on all fours and totes things along with her (ie. her tape measure, blanket or a spoon.)

• If you ask Ethnie where a certian person is she'll look at them. She sure does love her Gramma and Grampa! She has so much fun at thier house!
• When Jakob goes to shower Ethnie and I play on the bed until he's done. As soon as she hears him turn off the water she starts screaming and booty scooting towards the door until he comes out.

• She's getting pretty good and walking while you hold her fingers. I'm not practicing with her very much. I'm loving this stage of growth. She is so much fun!
• Ethnie loves to "help" in the kitchen or computer room by tearing things apart. She is such a good "helper." It makes things go by a little bit slower but I love seeing the smile on her face after she rips all of the Tupperware out of the cupboard.

• Ethnie is SUPER independent. She will play by herself while I bake or clean. She's super busy and doesn't like to rest if she knows there are things going on. Church is a nightmare and I am not looking forward to switching to 12:30.
• She figured out how to go up the stairs so I blocked them off. he still has no interest in going down them yet and while I was trying to teach her she stiffed up and arch her back. I suppose we'll cross the bridge when it comes. 

• She loves the mistletoe ball that hangs over our stairs. Daddy is tall enough for her to reach it and she just loves it!

 Can it really only be 3 more months until she's 1?!? Christmas is going to be here before we know it! I am just loving this stage with Ethnie. She is turning into a little girl and it is both wonderful and sad to see her growing up so fast! We sure do love you Peanut!!

A Thankful Birthday

 It was both Ethnie's first Thanksgiving and my 23rd birthday yesterday! We started out the day by cuddling with our adorable little turkey. These jammies are too a bit too small contrary to what this picture would have you believe but I couldn't resist putting her in them! So cute!

 We headed over to Aunt Nancy's and Uncle Lorin's for a Thanksgiving feast! It was sooooooo good! Best birthday dinner EVER!

 Thanksgiving eve I decided Ethnie needed to have a festive little outfit. It was 8:00 p.m. and there was no way I was running out to try and find something. I jumped on Pinterest and happened to find a few pins I had pinned earlier. SCORE! I know, I know, she's super cute!

 I got the idea for the turkey here. I really liked her's but I wanted E's to have more traditional colors. I had all of the supplies on hand so it was free!! I just LOVE how it turned out! Jakob even got involved by suggesting we add feet and the little red gobbler. (What is it called?)

I got the idea for the little turkey headband here. It was free! All made with supplies I already had as well! Super cute!

Ethnie and Daddy had to take a little nap before dinner started. Poor E was so tuckered out she slept through dinner.

 Like I said earlier it was my birthday and Mom was nice enough to make cheesecake just for me! I couldn't have asked for a better birthday with family! Thank you to the Palmer family for having us! We love you dearly!

I have so much to be thankful for this year. I find myself being overwhelmed with love from our Heavenly Father. Being a parent I can now understand just a fraction of the love that he has for each of us and I am so thankful for that love. I am so very thankful that he trusted me to take care of precious Ethnie. She just glows with a happiness that spills from every essence of her being. She is my sunshine and I couldn't imagine a better life. I am thankful for my job and for all of the people that watch Ethnie so that I can work. I am thankful for a wonderful and loving family both near and far. Last but most certainly not least I am thankful for Jakob. He is my rock, my security blanket and my best friend. Words cannot do him justice. I am beyond spoiled. I am so incredibly happy! I once heard a quote; "What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday." I have so much to be thankful for.

A Late Witch

 This witch was finished a few weeks ago but we just got around to taking pictures of it. May I just express how much I adore this dress. It came out better than I had imagined. Gosh I love creating things.

This is was the original dress that I was after. I love the look. Feminine and spooky but still appropriate for younger children. Of course I still wanted to change a few things.

 First we added some festive fabrics. Nothing says witch like spiderwebs. 

 We made this top twice. The first time I made it WAY too big! Ooops. Note to self even if it claims

 it's only a 36, measure, since I'm a 28. So Mom being the saint she is redid  the entire top. She also added extra corsetting up the back so I could add layers and gain some weight ;).

 I also didn't want draping sleeves. Too often I am face painting and draping sleeves are just a nightmare! I just love these skin tight spiders. They add so much to the costume. I also wanted a little somethin' somethin' for the shoulders. Mom set to work and came up with these beauties! LOVE THEM!

 And what would a witch be without a cape to keep her warm?

 I didn't get to wear it for this years festivities but I am super excited for next Halloween! As always I am anxious for my next project!

A Few Phone Favorites

 E has been using a sippy cup for several weeks now and it is WONDERFUL! She had it pretty well figured out the first day. I just think she looks so grown up whenever she has it. 

 Peanut just {loves} the laundry basket. She is particularly fond of unfolding the laundry instead of just playing with the ones in the basket. What a good helper I have! 

 Ethnie got her "very own" iTouch from Uncle Chris. (Thanks Uncle!) Now instead of her attacking our phones we have this full of baby apps and we'll be loading a few movies to it too! How did our parents manage without all of these gadgets? ;)

 She loves having her feet braced under her chair. It makes me smile!

I am almost positive we are teething this time. Cranky, drooling, gnawing on anything and everything. At 8 1/2 months with no teeth it's about time. Here she is with her medicine syringe. She really like her medicine now that we switched flavors. Grape was a no go. Any advice in regards to combating an irritable teething baby? Do(s)? Don't(s)?

It's A Party!

 I love parties! I love hosting a parties, decorating and having friends over. What I don't love is when I'm cranky and spoil things. Good golly, I ruin everything. Nevertheless people just ignored me and my cranky behavior and the party went on.  Here are a (*ahem*) "few" pictures of the evening half of which consist of us just because I'm vain like that. ;)

 Bane! What a guy! I think secretly Jakob and I both want to get all dressed up again. We had so much fun being Bane and Cat Woman.

 And who could forget little Bat Girl?

 Here's a better picture of her little wings. Good golly, I can't get enough of her! Halloween should happen twice a year!

 When Jakob first came down the stairs with his head shaved and his contacts in Ethnie started to freak out a bit. He sounded like her Daddy but he totally didn't look like her Daddy. She kept a close eye on him for the rest of the evening but she had no problems with us in our masks. Further evidence this is no girly girl!

 The Batman family.

 This is how the movie should have ended ;).

 Mom and Dad were nice enough to stop by and help with things before our guests arrived. We sure do love and appreciate them!

 There were LOTS of snacks which included monster apples, sand "witches", bean dip, duffle (truffle with only two layers), and the prize winning Halloween colored bunt cake. Silly me I forgot to take pictures.

 I did snap a shot of my Skeleton bones though. Love them!

Our guests: Ryan was Spongebob only he grabbed the girl one? I couldn't tell the difference.

David and Britni. He was the companion cube off of the game Portal and Britni was the player. 

 Steven and Amanda were Maverick and Goose.

 Funny thing was Steven and James showed up in the exact same costume only James was Goose and Steven was Maverick. They didn't even coordinate either. Jakob and I won best costume but we passed the prize onto Steven. :)

Then it was Haunted Mansion Time!! This is my favorite!

 Jakob made a hamburger and fries. Lame. Totally NOT a Haunted Mansion!

 Chuck and Emily came as eachother. Thier house looked pretty quaint from the front but in the back there was a decapitated gummy bear who was being eaten by a zombie. Graphic I know! 

 The winner of the Haunted Mansion competition was David with his "Rise of the Peasants" theme.

 

 A closer look at the winning house.

 Everyone's final product. I love Stevens tower! Ligit!

It was a fun evening and I loved having everyone over. I can hardly believe Halloween has come and gone. It's time to bring on the turkey! Thanksgiving is on my birthday this year. Best birthday dinner EVER! I just love this time of year.