crawling and laughing

Laney "scoots" more than anything, but it's really cute and you can tell she's right on the edge of going all out! Although, she seems to like walking better than being on all fours.



It's so funny to me that she laughs without changing her expression.

This next one is of Gramma and Laney, it was taken a while back... almost two months ago. Laney looks so big in her arms! She loved being there, and always smiled around Gramma. I hope we can go again soon.

10 months

Laney is standing a lot these days, but only when propped. She can hold on to furniture and things her size for a really long time. She prefers it to sitting. She walks really fast when you hold her hands and giggles a lot when you play "ride little pony."

Getting her to just sit was a bit of a difficulty. She scoots a lot... hopefully I'll be able to post a video soon. She can work her way to the other side of the room, but still hates to be on all fours.

9 months

So, she's officially been in the real world as long as she was alive in me! She's so big now, long and still so adorable. We're not sure where she gets her height from, but we'll take it.


She can stand up really well when we prop her against toys and furniture. She is learning to pull up by herself.
She gets on all fours and rocks, but doesn't to any crawling. She just rolls onto her back and "asks" to get up.
We still love that smile! She gets "teased" or embarrassed when you make sounds that she is making. Lately, she's been clicking her tongue a lot and screeching when she's happy.

Dad's Birthday

Going to Birmingham again at the end of February when we had just been a month before was so good for our family. Barak and I got to stay at Uncle Jim and Aunt Witt's, which involved old family movies, AND we got to see Gramma with the rest of the crew. Best of both, if you ask me.


Cassie had a great idea a while back to make Dad a memory book with pictures and things people have said about or to him. It came out better than expected. People came out of the woodwork to share something they loved about him. It really made me appreciate what an impact he has made on so many people, and how valuable investing in people is.

Louisville

I love the memories I have of playing with our cousins. I remember thinking Meredith HAD to be the smartest girl in the world, and Christopher was the coolest guy I knew. Every one of the Parker kids made it fun to do anything, including picking weeds out of the garden. So that's what my expectations are for Samuel, Corrie. No pressure :) He totally lived up to expectations this time. Laney laughed out loud at him every time she saw him, especially when he would start talking. She couldn't get enough of him.

She's still the star of the show, cuddling up to anyone who wants to take her. She fell asleep in Leslie's lap AGAIN (she can work magic, I tell ya). And was a real crowd pleaser.

It was an abnormally beautiful day in the middle of February, so we walked around some familiar streets with shops and restaurants. We stopped in a bookstore and wheeled the kiddos around with Samuel saying "DOG! DOG!" the whole time. Barak did some hard core hanging out and reading; which, evidently are the same thing to some guys?

Barak and I were able to visit Bethany and JC with their new addition! Henry has an amazing story. We visited the day before his due date, but he was already 7 weeks old!


Thank you, Kiels, Davidsons, Mojicas, and Hodges(es?) for allowing this visit to be, by far, the best one we've had.

8 months!

Eight seems so much older than 7. Eight is closer to a one-year-old than I think I'm ready for. Laney still isn't crawling, but stands a lot when propped on something her height. It's like she never tires of it. But, when we put her on all fours, she just reaches out with one hand, then rolls to her tummy while giving you a smile. It's like she KNOWs I want her to start moving and she's just playing with me.


I posted this picture of her 8-month mark because she has those crazy stacking cups in her hands. Since she was little, she doesn't stack them, she doesn't scoop them, she clangs them like cymbals! I think her grandmother taught her that :) It's extremely cute, and she does it EVERY single time we give her two cups. Then she looks at you, like, "ok, I'm doing it, why is this so cool for you guys?"

Here are some other pictures of her just playing... With a frog her same size.

valentime's

I thought for Valentine's Day I'd try some cute girly pink stuff for us to say, "Awww" over. My sweet mother-in-law was the one who suggested the tutu. Instead of only putting that on, like the photographer did (remember? that was NOT what I wanted), I gave her a white onesie and some pink leggings. She tried to eat the tutu the whole time. It was so precious, but I had to move quick, since I wasn't sure if the little hearts would come off and into her mouth.

This one is my favorite. Barak always says something about her ears, but I can't help but see those cute toes and big eyes. Today, as my facebook status says, was the first day she wore a bow. It's been impossible until now, since she pulls off head bands and has had no hair to hold anything with a clip. But now the fuzz is longer and supported the little pink thing quite nicely.

This one makes her look like a dancer, to me. I love it. It's my favorite I think. She was looking at these...
The beautiful tulips my sweet husband gave me! I LOVE them. When he gave them to me, they were closed up, and then, in only a few hours by the window, they magically opened! They make me so happy.

But she wanted to eat them, too. So I had to put them away during the photo shoot. They came back out during her nap and are now on the tv/coffee table by the front window. They still make me happy. Barak makes me happy. He's my valentine.