Happy Friday!!!

Happy Friday!!! What a beautiful week this has been. We have had some really nice Spring weather. It has been great to leave the windows open and to take AnnaLynne outside. I absolutely love this weather. Although I like the change in the seasons, it is nice to say goodbye to the winter and all the snow.

ONE

This past Sunday, AnnaLynne and I had a play date with my friend Jenn and her little girl Caroline. Jenn and I work together, but she is still out on maternity leave, so I don't get to see her everyday. It is nice to get our little girls together to play when we can, although it is not always as often as I would like. Caroline is about 3 months older than AnnaLynne, as she just had her first birthday. Can't wait for the summer to get these girls together more often!!!

 

TWO

We went to the park this week on Wednesday and met up with my friend Meghan and her little guy Noah. Noah is older than AnnaLynne, but it is still nice to have the kids out together. We headed up to the park in Warren after I got out of work. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and although my mom had AnnaLynne out for a walk earlier in the day, I felt it was still really nice when I got home so we headed up to the park. The park is not far from our house and it has 3 different sections for the various ages in kids. I will definitely post better pictures next time. This time I focused on AnnaLynne going on the swing for the first time. I even was able to get a quick video.

THREE

Watermelon!!!! AnnaLynne tried watermelon for the first time this past week and absolutely loved it. I am trying to look for some new foods that she can eat, being that she has no teeth. She though the watermelon was so good and I couldn't keep it on her tray!!!

FOUR

Recipes!!! So I have been checking out some new lighter recipes now that the weather is getting warmer. With the spring here and summer right around the corner, I love all the produce that is in season. Here is a recipe, I'm planning on trying soon!!

  1 ripe mango cut into small cubes

  2 medium to large strawberries diced

  3 raspberries quartered

  2 thin slices of red onion diced

  5 fresh mint leaves chopped

  10 fresh basil leaves chopped

  1 tsp lime juice

  1 pinch of kosher salt

  4-6 Tilapia fillets, depending on how many you are feeding

  Kosher Salt, garlic powder, onion powder and dried parsley

Mix the mango, strawberries, raspberries, onion, mint, basil, lime juice and salt together. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

When ready to make dinner, sprinkle both side of the tilapia with a bit of kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried parsley.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with a bit of non-stick cooking spray. Cook each fillet about 4 minutes a side, based on thickness. You’ll know it’s time to flip them when the ends start to turn white.

Top the cooked tilapia fillets with a scoop of the salsa.

                                

FIVE

Swimwear!! I picked up these great finds on Zulily the past week for AnnaLynne for the summer. I love that the bottoms are swim diapers. I read a lot of reviews on reusable swim diapers and iPlay got great reviews. If you can't find them on Zulily they have some in Target and on the iPlay website as well. If you have a chance to check them out, I totally would!!! You will not be disappointed.  Below are just a few that we  ordered, but they have so many more on their website, both for girls and boys.

 

Happy Friday!!! This week I am linking up with Darci, April, Christina and Natasha's blogs

for their Five on Friday!

I'm also linking up with  The Farmer's Wife and September Farm for "Oh Hey Friday"



Oh Hey Friday

Five for Friday!!!

Happy Friday!!! What a great week this has been!! It has been so nice to be home with AnnaLynne while school is closed for spring break. Although I did have to go back to work today for a half day to make up a snow day, the rest of the week was fun.

ONE

We celebrated AnnaLynne's first Easter this past Sunday and it was really nice. The weather was absolutely beautiful, we were even able to get some outdoor pictures taken. We celebrated Easter at my Aunt and Uncle's which we do every year. It was so nice to get together with family and for AnnaLynne to play with her cousins. My aunt did a wonderful job with dinner as she does every year. Before we went for dinner though AnnaLynne opened up her first of 3 Easter baskets and she loved all the toys inside. We think she loved the remote control the best. We decided to get her, her own remote control and cell phone as she is always putting our in her mouth.

 

 

1. Cell Phone    2. Secure Buddy    3. Easter Hunters   4. Night Before Easter  

5. Remote Control   6. Easter Bunny NJ

TWO

Playtime!!! AnnaLynne had an enormous amount of playtime this week with Mommy, which was nice since usually I am at work. She got these new squirters from her Aunt Erin and cousin Nate for Easter. They are so cute and she loves putting them in her mouth. I have to say they are possibly a good teething toy as well.

Squirters

THREE

Garlic Chicken. I tried this new chicken this week which was absolutely adorable. My sister belongs to this group Frontier Co-op which is absolutely wonderful for organic products. They have food, baby items, household items, etc. If you have the privilege to join this I would highly recommend it, the prices are good and its all organic. We have so many products from here and the company is just wonderful!!!

Chicken

FOUR

I have been looking for a couple new pieces of spring clothing to update my wardrobe. I usually stick to basic pieces like cardigans, t's, jeans, etc. I try to find things that I can interchange between work and weekends. I saw Old Navy had some cute spring pieces as well as the gap. Plus Old Navy is running a great sale.

                                                              

FIVE

I am in search of a good travel bed for AnnaLynne for the summer. We are spending a week at the beach in July and then another week in the Outer Banks in August. If anyone has any suggestions I am interested. She does not like the pack in play, and she will be one in July so something that is not to small would be awesome!!!

Happy Friday!!! This week I am linking up with Darci, April, Christina and Natasha's blogs

for their Five on Friday!

I'm also linking up with  The Farmer's Wife and September Farm for "Oh Hey Friday"







Oh Hey Friday

Photo Shoot

We were so lucky to have a great friend do pictures of AnnaLynne and our family. We were thinking spring with our colors, although the weather outside was not cooperating and thinking spring.  Kristen did an amazing job taking all of the photos and keeping AnnaLynne's attention. All of the photos came out beautiful, it is impossible to pick a favorite. Although AnnaLynne didn't smile in all the pictures, Kristen did an wonderful job capturing our little cutie.  If you live in the New Jersey area you should totally check her out, you will not be disappointed. I can't believe how big AnnaLynne is getting!!!

Please check out Kristen Boylan Photography.

 

7 Month letter!!

Dear AnnaLynne,

You are SEVEN months old!! Mommy is actually on time this month with your letter. You have had an amazing month so far and you are growing up way too quickly. I am amazed at how much you have changed over the months and the little personality you have developed. Spending time with you is just priceless and Daddy and I just can't get enough.

This month we celebrated Valentine's Day. Although we didn't do anything fancy, we did go to the mall and out to Olive Garden for dinner. All of the waitresses loved you and were talking about how cute you are. I have to say you are an extremely cute baby!!! We read to you the Night Before Valentine's Day and you liked it. We read it on Valentine's Day though because you were sleepy the night before. Daddy got you 3 beautiful pink roses and a little monkey with a heart that you love to chew on.

 

We tried some new combinations of food this month and I have got you to start liking carrots. We mix it with applesauce and you can't get enough of them. We also started Mum Mum's and Yogurt. You are really enjoying both of them. One of your favorite combinations is yogurt with mangos. Mommy is still making all of your food, which I do enjoy doing, plus I know everything that you are eating which makes me happy.
 

You are moving around so much more now!! You are not quite crawling yet but you do the army crawl, to get what you want. I think it will be super soon when you start crawling and boy are we going to be in trouble.

 

You are still enjoying your crib and are sleeping more and more in there. We even put you in there for naps on the weekends. Mommy and Daddy are even able to get more sleep now that you are sleeping in the crib. We usually put you in no later than 8:30 and you usually sleep until 7:30, with one waking during the night.

Below are some of your favorites this month!! Please stop growing up so quickly!!
 

Happy 6 Months Baby Girl!!!

Love You,

Mommy

6 Month Letter!!!

Dear AnnaLynne,

You are SIX months old!! Mommy is very late this month with you post. Things have been so hectic and I just want to spend the time with you, and not sitting at the computer. You are doing a wonderful job with Mommy being at work. You love staying with GiGi!!

 

You are doing a great job with eating!!! You love to eat applesauce, pears, bananas, sugar snap peas, sweet potatoes, parsnips and peaches. We have tried Avocado again and now you don't like it at all. I don't know what happened!! It is amazing in a month how much you are eating. You also love your banana holder. It's very messy but you absolutely enjoy eating from it.

You started this new screaming thing this month, not quite sure we like that part. You do it though when you are happy or sad. You can get very loud as well when you are doing it. You are making more sounds and talking up a storm in your baby language It is going to be amazing when you actually start talking. We can't wait.

 

You are enjoying your crib more as well. Although it's hard to keep you in there all night, you will take naps in there and will sleep in there for part of the night. Usually until 2 you will stay in your bed and then you come and sleep with Mommy and Daddy. We have plans though to stop that. Hopefully you will get better at sleeping in your own bed.

I can't wait to see what the next month will bring!!  Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!!!

Happy 6 Months Baby Girl!!!

Love You,

Mommy

Four Month Letter!!! -Delayed!!! Forgot to Post

Dear AnnaLynne,

You are four months old!! This has been an exciting month for you. You got to celebrate your first holiday... HALLOWEEN!!! We spent a whole week wearing different Halloween outfits and celebrating this fun holiday. You were so cute!! Pics in previous post Halloween. 

Mommy and Daddy are amazed on how much you have really developed a personality this month. You have been smiling like crazy and your face just lights up a room. We have been doing lots of tummy time and you enjoy sitting up in your Bumbo. You still enjoy the tummy time but you would much rather sit up, with assistance. You have good head control but you are still a little floppy when it comes to sitting by yourself. My guess is by Christmas time you will be sitting up. 

We celebrated two Baptisms this month and another birthday for your cousin John. In the earlier part of the month we went to Amelia's Baptism and then Caroline's Christening. You were so well behaved at both of them. You slept almost the whole time at Amelia's and for part of Caroline's. Then we went to John's Birthday party and you were so well behaved there as well and you loved seeing all of your cousins. You slept most of the way to their house up in Newton, but you stayed awake the whole way home!! I was shocked because you always fall asleep in the car. I guess you weren't very tired. 

TALKING & TEETHING!!! You have started talking to us in addition to all of your smiling. It's so funny to listen to you talk. I think when it actually comes time to talk you are never going to stop. It's so fun to listen to you!! We definitely
think you are beginning to get teeth. You have been drooling like crazy, rosie cheeks and fussy at times. Mommy keeps feeling for the teeth, but I don't feel anything yet. Hopefully they will come in soon so you don't get so upset. 

We have finally started a bedtime routine and you seem to be doing pretty well with it. In the beginning you were a little fussy, but I think that had to do with you fighting a little cold. Now we rock you in the chair and give you a bottle and you are usually asleep by 8:00 sometimes a bit earlier. You are still waking up between 1-2 times during the night but you take a bottle and go right back to sleep and then wake up are 6:30-7. Daddy usually takes you in the morning and let's Mommy sleep in a little bit longer until he leaves for work. Then we start our day!! 

I can't wait to see what the next month will bring!! It will be exciting though because you will be celebrating your first THANKSGIVING!!! Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!!!

Happy 4 Months Baby Girl!!!

Love You,

Mommy

AnnaLynne's Christening

On October 12th, we had AnnaLynne's Baptism at Christ Church in Summit, NJ. It was important to us to have her baptism at this church, because it is where Tom and I got married almost 5 years ago. Reverend Rush is such a wonderful man and I felt so comfortable having her baptised here. It is a very welcoming and has a homey feeling. The church service was beautiful;  and AnnaLynne did a wonderful job, until just about the end when she got sleepy and a bit fussy.

 

After the church we had brunch back at our house. My mom and I had prepared most of the food earlier, and my cousin and aunt were so nice to come over in the morning while we were at the church and finish up getting the hot dishes ready. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family who is close and is always willing to help out.

For brunch I kept it pretty simple, for me. Although there was a variety, I didn't go overboard which I sometimes tend to do. I have to say I would rather have too many things then not enough. My mom and I worked on the cross cake/cupcakes that I had seen on Pinterest. It didn't quite turn out the way that we wanted, but it was still really pretty.

 Another Project that I worked on was a wish tree. I saw this idea also on Pinterest. Each person was to take a card and write a special wish or blessing on it for AnnaLynne and then hang them on the branches. I thought this would be a nice way for people to write their blessings for AnnaLynne. Although not everyone filled out a wish/ blessing it was nice to read the ones that were placed on the tree. AnnaLynne is very lucky to have so many people in her life that love her.

After we ate and mingled around, we posed for some pictures. My friend Meghan was so nice to take pictures throughout the day for us. Meghan and I have been friends since Middle School, and it is nice that our little ones are going to grow up together.

The day was very special and one that I will never forget. We are very blessed to have this little girl in our life and we love her more and more everyday!!!