We've set out on the first leg of our 2 week road trip! On our way to the cabin for a few days!

I wanted to blog today about my yard or about Korra's favorite books but she has a meltdown if she sees me us my phone or computer (because she can't touch it).

Bar Soap

Korra's current favorite bath toy: a bar of soap.  I just have to make sure she doesn't put it in her mouth!

Self-Feeding

Korra insists on feeding herself now- even from the pouches!

Girls' Day

Nate's leaving this morning to help his parents unload their moving truck so it'll just be Korra and me for the next 24+ hours.  Maybe I'll paint her little toenails...

Swim lessons canceled because of bad weather. Got slathered up in sunscreen for nothing.

Photos from Callaway Gardens

Here's 2 of the photos our friend and neighbor Laura took of Korra today at Callaway Gardens.  Laura is so talented and Korra was such a good model!

Rose Cottage

Lunch at the Rose Cottage in Pine Mountain- roasted turkey sandwich and chocolate torte! Yum!

Spending the morning at Callaway Gardens being photography models for my neighbor Laura. So fun!

Indecision Paralysis

I know I should be grateful for all of the choices I have in life, but sometimes I just don't want to have to make decisions.  Then I remember that not doing anything is actually a decision (with consequences), too.

Went up to school to meet MY NEW ASSISTANT!

Neighbor's Calls

My new across-the-street neighbors talk on their cell phones while sitting on the front porch.  They speak so loudly (about rather personal things) that I can hear them in my kitchen.  It's weird.  

Swimsuit Love

I am in love with these swimsuits.  I will be checking back regularly until they are back in stock!

Spoon Strike

Considering how long it took for Korra to catch on to baby food, I was more than a little surprised by how soon she started her spoon strike.  She only wants to eat what she can feed herself.  Unfortunately, that limits her options.  Enter the squeeze pouch.  On a whim we tried one of these pouches and she slurped it down happily.  Since these things can be a bit pricey, I found some reusable ones on Amazon.  Today she refused even a bite of yogurt off the spoon, but then ate the whole cup in under 2 minutes once I put it in the pouch.  Looks like she is going to be just as stubborn as her parents.

Bucket Hat

Sewed Korra an adorable bucket hat using this pattern, but she won't keep it on her head for even 15 seconds.

Korra Riding Appa

Labwork Results

All of Korra's blood work and urine analysis came back completely normal (as we were pretty sure it would).  She's just a small baby.

Missed It!

Not only did we miss the guy walking across the Grand Canyon, but it's too cloudy to see the Super Moon.  Boo.

Monsters U was quite a fun movie. So glad I had a date who enjoys Pixar movies as much as I do.

Monsters University

Nate and I enjoy seeing kids' movies, but don't especially like seeing them in a theater full of children.  Hence why we are going to the 9:15 showing of Monsters University tonight.

Grilled Peaches

Tonight's dinner: tilapia, sliced potatoes, green beans, and peaches- all cooked on the grill!  Yum!

Blockus is the only board game that I ever beat Nate at. This probably is a significant factor in why it is one of my favorite games.

Boys Cook

Nate and our neighbor Ben cooked us dinner tonight.  It was quite a feast: burgers, salmon, frog legs, greens, cucumber salad, guacamole, brie dip, and bread.

Getting a new roof is loud! Korra and I are both having trouble taking our afternoon nap.

New Roof!

Getting our brand new roof today.  Thanks, hail!

Self-Portraits

Korra learned how to take photos of herself on the tablet.

Breakfast Buddy

Coffee and Muffins

The plus side to waking up at 6:30 even though Korra, for once, is sleeping in: a leisurely breakfast of coffee and muffins and NPR.

Lane Peaches

Enjoyed my first fresh peach of the summer for dessert tonight.  I was so excited to see Lane peaches in the grocery store this week because they are always sweet and juicy and never mealy.  Yay for peach season!

Flowers and Flour

Our Kitchen Aid stand mixer was mixing our pizza dough for tonight's dinner and since I had 15 minutes to kill, I took Korra outside to pick flowers and make a flower crown.  And while I was out, the mixer wobbled itself off the counter, gouged a hole in our linoleum floor, but thankfully did not dump the dough on the floor.

The Urine Saga: Part 8

Sat Korra on the potty again today.  Right after she pees, she drops my iPod (which I was letting her play with to keep her on said potty) between her chubby little thighs and into the purple bucket below that is now full of her pee.  So we have the urine sample (in the fridge, of course, because everyone knows that's where you put cups of pee), my iPod has been wiped down in alcohol wipes and is drying out, and hopefully we are at the end of this insane quest to acquire a urine sample from my 9 month old baby.

This baby stayed up (and happy) for the entire game! Great game with great friends.

On our way to our first Braves game of the summer!

Refrigeration Required

Did you know that urine specimens need to be refrigerated?  Well, I didn't.  So we still don't have a pee sample.  Trying the potty chair again tomorrow.

Urine Acquired!

So after our 6th urine collection bag fail, they nurses suggested we take her back to the pediatrician for a catheter.  Not good.  So I decided to try something else first.  We borrowed our neighbor's potty chair and just sat Korra on it.  And... success!  Maybe we can try super early potty training, too?  That may be a little overly optimistic.

Summer Reading

Here's what I've been reading lately...

I've REALLY enjoyed all of these books.

Swimming lessons took Korra's mind off the tramatic bloodwork experience. 1 hour, 2 nurses, and she got stuck in 3 places. Poor baby. Oh, and still no urine.

Going to get Korra's bloodwork done and to pick up yet another urine bag. Stupid pee bags...

Korra took a 3 hour nap!

Black Beans

Korra liked swimming lessons, but not as much as she liked the black beans we gave her for dinner.  So glad we found a finger food she likes as much as Cheerios!

Korra is enjoying playing in the neighbor's inflatable pool before her first swimming lesson!

Korra must know we plan on taking her to get blood drawn after her nap- she's been asleep for 2 hours!

She Understands!

When I ask Korra to wave, clap, or give a high-five, she does it!  It's so cool that Korra understands some of what we're saying!

Urine Bag- Take 4

This urine bag has been a pain in the butt.  She peed all around the first one.  She filled the second one at 5:30 on Friday so we couldn't use it.  Peed all around the one this morning so I had to go to the lab and get another one.  And THAT one she pooped all over.  Ugh.

Compassion Kid

Nate and I sponsor a child through Compassion International.  His name is Joel and we love to get drawings and letters from him (as much as I hope he enjoys the letters from us).  My in-laws got to meet him today while they are in Ecuador on a mission trip.  I can hardly wait for them to come back and give us a first-hand account of what this little boy is like!

Chocolate Lava Muffins

Made Alton Brown's Chocolate Lava Muffins for dessert tonight.  YUM!

More Raspberries

Korra's been blowing raspberries on my legs and arms all day.  Silly girl makes me laugh!

Happy Father's Day!

Afternoon and evening with some of my college friends. So much fun!

Urine Bag

So the pediatrician is slightly concerned about Korra's height so (just to be extra cautious) she wants Korra to get a bit of blood work done to check her thyroid and to have her urine checked for protein.  Which brings us to the self-adhesive bag that is stuck to my baby's crotch.  Good thing she doesn't seem to care.  Here's hoping she fills it up soon so we don't have to keep it on all day or keep a cup of her pee around the house until Monday.

Korra's 9 month check-up: she weighs 15 lbs 15 oz (12th percentile) and is 26 in long (1st percentile).

An accident AND road work are making this car ride drag on and on.

On our way home. Wishing, once again, that teleportation was a viable transportation option.

Korra learned how to pull up the plug on the bathtub drain!

Helped my mother-in-law make a facebook account. Surely this is a sign the second coming is nigh.

Got my wedding ring cleaned. Sparkly!

Korra had a blow-out poop right as we were leaving. Have fun, Grandma and PopPop!

NoJa

Nate and I are taking advantage of grandparents who are willing to babysit and are going to try a new restaurant for dinner.

Words With Grandpa

Korra's trying to help her PopPop play games on his iPhone.

Waving

Korra has mastered waving.  She waves (princess style) both hello and goodbye to everyone and everything!

Korra thinks my dancing is very funny. Guess being a terrible dancer finally has it's uses- making my baby belly laugh.

Mmmmmmm

Delicious meal cooked for us by our friend Ed.  Today has be a good food day.

Vietnamese food for lunch!

Just Perfect

Tonight we went to a farewell party for Ron and Gail that was thrown my their church members.  It was so nice seeing everyone (and really, we LOVE the people here) but the best part of the night was when I was trying to get Korra to sleep.  I walked across the yard to a swing under a huge tree.  The sun had almost set, there was a slight breeze, the sounds of people talking and laughing in the background, and I swung on a tree swing with my sleepy baby nuzzled into my shoulder.  It was one of those perfect, quiet moments.

Packing

Helping my in-laws pack up their house today reminded me just how much work moving is.  It kind of makes me want to sell all our stuff before we move.

This baby could eat her weight (about 15 lbs currently) in puffs/cheerios if I let her. I think she likes feeding herself more than she likes the taste.

Korra likes to blow raspberries on the leather sofa.

Korra likes to blow raspberries on the leather sofa.

Visit to Wilmer

We're heading to visit Nate's parents for a couple of days with the intentions of helping them pack for their move.  Not looking forward to a 4 hour car ride with a teething baby, but I am looking forward to time with family and friends in Wilmer.

Not Food

Things Korra has eaten today:  a piece of cat food, a clover flower, a small bit of a receipt.

Teething

Korra's cutting at least 4 teeth right now.  She's one whiney baby.

Anniversary Milkshakes

Perfect way to end a nice, quiet anniversary- Chick-fil-a milkshakes.

Korra took her soggy teething biscuit and rubbed it all over her face with special emphesis on her eyelids.

Anniversary lunch at our favorite LaGrange restaurant- Mar e Sol!

8th Anniversary

8 years ago, Nate and I tolerated thousands of pictures...

and began our lives together.  Totally worth it.

I love this video

I love OK Go music videos.  I love NPR.  So I love THIS double!

Shopping

Nate, Korra, and I are headed out to Opelika for an afternoon of shopping.

Silver Linings Playbook

Watched Silver Linings Playbook with Nate tonight.  Not sure if I enjoyed it, mostly because I found it to be incredibly stressful.

Swimming: Take 2

Took Korra swimming again today and she liked it better.  I think we're going to enjoy swimming lessons!

Morning Nap

Second favorite part of summer break: Korra's been taking a 2 hour long morning nap, so I've been taking a morning nap too.

Morning Walk

My favorite part of summer break so far?  My 2+ mile walk every morning.  I forgot how much I love walking in the morning.  It makes me feel good all day!

9 Months Old