Hooray!

I finally found a layout that doesn't cut out half of my photos! Now they can be big and complete!

This week has been crazy!!! I had to commute to Rochester (usually and hour and 15 minute drive) EVERY day for training. Training was tough - ALOT of statistics and math. I am currently working on a Greenbelt certification (Six Sigma, Lean, Process Excellence... if you are familiar). Training is 1 day (last month), 1 week (this month) and another week (next month). Then I have about 8 months to do a project, present it and have a final certification exam. Yikes!

I've been trying to work real hard at meal planning. This week was perfect! I made 4 meals last Sunday and we weren't allowed to get take out until they were gone! We ate almost everything and got some pizza tonight.

Even though I didn't see her much more than 30 minutes a day, word is that Lacey has been a crabby pants this week. Is it possible she might be getting some more teeth? She still only has two!!

Basement updates

The basement project is coming along!

Once the electrical and framing were completed...

We were able to get the drywall done!

We also had glass block windows put in... GASP, we hired a professional!!!

This weekend we will start painting and hopefully adding a ceiling!!!

This month is amazing...

It's not even my 12 month post yet and I am completely AMAZED at how quickly Lacey is growing this month! It seems that walking has opened up brand new doors for her and she is grabbing at the world to see what is next!

Lacey is just all over now... when I come home from work she sees me for a quick hug and kiss and is then back to her world. She's a busy little bee... back and forth, back and forth... she walks circles around our downstairs moving, pushing, carrying... it's a riot. I love watching her... this week has been tough because I am in training and commuting every day. I leave before she is up and I get home about 45 minutes before bed... I get my quick kiss and then just watch and watch as she entertains herself. It's the most amazing thing - I can't even explain it!

She is also totally into being a goofball. She will roll around the living room floor being silly. Or, better yet Daddy will get her giggling and giggling. I absolutely LOVE it!

I'm also sad that almost a year has passed. We only have 3 more bags of frozen milk in the freezer and then she will be on 100% whole milk. Before we know it she will be entering kindergarten (at least that's what I feel like!)

Where did my baby girl go???

1 day old!

One of the first giggles/smiles! (4 weeks)

BIG smiles! (5 months)

Happy girl! (7/8 months)

Christmas cheer! (9 months)

Cheese face on vacation! (10 months)

Big girl drinking! (11 months)

Playing outside last weekend! (11.5 months)

Weekend Fun

This weekend was so much fun and so very productive!

I took Friday off and sent Lacey to daycare because we were going to have glass block windows put in our basement. They came out great! Since they were installed Friday, the boys were able to start the drywall (and almost finish) this weekend! Our basement is going to be so amazing... we are so excited to be making such progress!

Since the boys were working in the basement, I got to spend lots of QT time with Lacey - all day Saturday and today. It was wonderful! Now that she is walking, we decided to expand her "area" to the entire downstairs (previously she was just allowed in the living room and dining room). The kitchen is now babyproof and we moved the gates to the two stairways. She loves going up the stairs but can't go down yet!

She also did fabulous with her sippy all day today! She is now at 50/50 whole milk to breastmilk. It's going pretty well with the exception of being slightly backed up and having a little spit up here and there. I expect by next week she will be 100% whole milk... I just can't believe I had that much frozen!!! It's so weird to see the deep freezer EMPTY!!!

Here's a cute photo we took while playing around with the camera! I'm so bummed it is grainy... If I had some good studio lighting this would be perfect!!

Fun things!

This weekend was so much fun! We finally had some good family QT...

Lacey helping Daddy fix the leaky sink...

Loving the balls at Toddle Town! Happy 2nd Birthday, Jake!

I made her this outfit (FINALLY did some sewing!!!)

Lacey's birthday present also came in the mail. Brian put it together while Lacey and I went to watch a gymnastics meet... she was thrilled! The weather was beautiful this weekend so we not only rode around our house, but we were able to go outside as well. It's a good thing Lacey doesn't know about birthdays yet because this was a BIG present and she won't be getting anything else (from us at least :) )

It's amazing how toddler-ish she is getting... She really is getting to where she can tell us what she wants and we can understand her. We do some signing with her, but she has been making up her own. For example, if she doesn't want something she pushes your hands away or shakes her head. When she is tired she nuzzles or puts her bear blanky on her head (sooooo cute!) Speaking of her bear blanky - it is truly becoming her best little friend. We have a white and a pink one that is getting DRAGGED EVERYWHERE! It is really grossing me out. I think I might order a third to make sure they are getting washed enough!

11 Months, Really?

OK - this week Lacey turns 11 months! In some ways, I can't believe that we are one month from a year... in others, I feel like she has been with us forever. I love this little girl and can't believe how she has stolen our hearts!

Birthday plans are in progress - we are having a bash at our house. Invites are going out this week, we've already purchased some of the food (Brian is making sauce and chicken cutlets = yummm) and I've ordered her birthday present!

Get ready for the drum roll...... At 11 months Lacey:

• Is WALKING!!! She's been taking steps for a few weeks now, but it has officially turned into a walk. She can go all the way across our living room!!! Funny - I never thought she would walk this early just because she never cared to roll or crawl until late!
• Does a "bear" crawl - this is her "I need to get there fast" move. A bear crawl is a crawl on her hands and feet with no knees.
• Is still getting EXCLUSIVE breastmilk! We have slowly started introducing whole milk because I don't think we have enough frozen to go the entire month. The transition is going great! I am totally off the pump (ahhhh freedom!) I am so proud of myself for making it this far!
• Drinking from a sippy - we have her using both a straw sippy and a classic sippy during the day. She gets her bottle in the evening/before bed.
• Still cloth diapered (of course!)
• IS SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! I can't believe it... it has been nearly consistent since the end of February. I thought the day would never happen, and when I finally accepted it, it happened!
• She's back in the pack and play... partially because she wasn't doing great in the crib again (she liked banging her head on the wood in the middle of the night and was waking up) and also partially because we tried to move it and it broke (good thing it was free from some friends!)
• She's in her new big girl room down the hall now... photos will come soon!
• Her favorite food is yogurt followed by any green veggies (something about the color - she always goes for green first)
• She is just around 20 lbs
• This week she got her first ear infection and is on antibiotics for the first time :(
• She offiicially has a "lovie" doll that gets carried around EVERYWHERE!