Faux Birthday

Having your birthday on Christmas would be the pits.  Richard’s Birthday comes in second place for the crumbiest day to have your birthday, New Year’s Day.  Everyone is off work, which you think would be awesome.  Not awesome.  It is too close to Christmas so you don’t need anything else as far as gifts go and basically everyone forgets it is your birthday because they are trying to recover from the night before.  I feel bad every year when Rich’s B-Day comes and goes like a regular old day.  Trust me, I have tried to make it special and it never pans out.  This year I decided it would be a fun tradition to celebrate big when his half birthday rolls around (July 1).  Unfortunately we aren’t going to be together at that time therefore I chose a random day that worked best for him and I to celebrate.  March 29.  That day happened to be the last school exam he will ever take!!  Two birds with one stone.  I got him some fun little cheap things he needed and re-wrapped his Ipad that he got on his actual b-day.  He has been talking about trying Shepherd’s Pie for a very long time.  I have been avoiding it because this dish seems like a bunch of crap thrown into a casserole dish.  I was pretty spot on with the description and he loved it.  I also attempted to make these little cakes (http://ohhappyday.com/2012/02/mini-cakes-diy/).  It was a total fail.  Two of them overflowed in the oven, causing A LOT of smoke and our fire alarm to go off.  One made it through the baking stage and came out resembling a slouchy hard piece of fudge. He tried to make me feel better by taking a bite.  That made me even more mortified, afraid he was going to crack a tooth or something.  We ended up going out for dessert.  Thank you McDonald's chocolate dipped cones.  I think I will continue with this tradition and hope it makes his Birthday a little more special than it has been in the past.  Happy Faux Birthday to my hubby!

Where's Henley?  Wrapping paper is the ultimate baby gift.

He loves it when I take a picture of just him :)

6 Months & Easter Time

Six months have come and gone and I cannot believe how fast time flies.  Every stage Henley goes through, I find myself saying that I don't want this stage to end.  The greatest part about it is every stage gets better and better.  Currently Henley is in to:

1.  Sitting up by herself

2.  Holding her own spoon while being fed with another spoon

3.  Saying ba-ba-ba-ba and ma-ma-ma-ma (too bad she doesn't link the ma-ma to me)

4.  Loves fighting naps

5. Hates getting dressed.  She would live in a diaper if I let her. 

6.  Sticking her tongue out is her new favorite pastime, along with playing with her binky

7.  Side sleeper at heart.  We finally grew out of swaddling (rough, rough transition) and she will only sleep on her side.

8.  Loves her jumper bumper.  In fact she enjoys anything that allows her to move on her own.

9.  Mesmerized by watching other kids play.  We thrive at play groups.

Her first Easter was pretty uneventful.  We went to church which would have been enough, but our neighbors were having an easter egg hunt and we decided to join.  It was deceivingly cold and windy.  Once snot started running into Henley's mouth, we called it quits.  She had picked up one egg which tells you how long we were there.  

 Freezing our buns off.

 Thanks Grandma Hanks for the adorable Easter dress.  

 This picture cracks me up.  She was very busy talking.

Escapades With Dad

Might I preface this post with a disclaimer.  I promise we get dressed every day and I do put headbands on the babe.  However, whenever Richard is home it is typically on the weekends or late in the evening and she has had enough of regular clothes and something on her head.  Moving on.

These two are little buddies.  I swear every time I turn around the hubby and Henley are attempting a new trick, a dance move, somewhere new in the apartment to sit, etc.  She goes along with it like a champ and is as content as can be.  Below are a few examples.  (All events were highly supervised).   

Twinners.  They look so much alike.  He ruled the gene pool with this child.  PS...loving 3rd year of podiatry school.  I have seen him more this year than the other two years combined.  

 Let's just see if she fits in the diaper bag.  In case of an emergency.

 Giving kisses

 She is ready to bring her A game.  I can just see her saying "Bring it on."  Skills to pay the bills.

 Rolling around in the office chair

 Got out of the shower one night and Rich was putting her on top of the fridge.  Just because.  

 Their most favorite trick of all.  Quite masterful.

And sometimes she likes me too.