Memorial Day Weekend

Much much to report - where to begin...I guess at the start ;)

...To Ohio for the 3rd annual OHIO Memorial Day weekend. This year we decided to jazz the weekend up and add in some family fun time in Cincinnati. We desperately were in need of a long weekend so we decided a "stay-cation" was perfect. To make the long weekend really feel like a vacation we checked into the Westin around the corner from the Schneider's. And for those of you that have not stayed at a Westin - the "Heavenly Bed" is just that!! And after a really long road trip it was just what we needed.

Saturday morning:

Louie & Michael could not have picked a better family fun-time occasion...a race with their daughters - how sweet. Look at how proud they are!

Lyla was so excited about the race that she decided she had better get in a quick nap....

Josie, on the other hand, would not dare to miss crossing the Starting Line...

And off they went - the first of 2 bridges to cross...

Big bridges...

And the last bridge - The Purple People Eater Bridge - to The Finish Line. Which I must pause for a quick note...you will not be seeing the expected picture of them crossing the finish line because....we were SO exhausted from watching them run that we had to stop for iced coffee at Starbucks...Yep...and we missed the big finale!!!!

The finale ending just opposite of how things started with Josie napping and Lyla ready to party!

Saturday afternoon:

Question: After a long hot race - what would you want to do?

Answer: Go swimming!!!!

So that is exactly what we decided to do.

Lyla LOVED LOVED the water...she is our little fishy!

And Josie - my goodness was so brave - she was blowing water bubbles with her mouth and leaping off the side into her parents arms. We are all going to Florida for a family trip the end of July so this was the test of how things may go...I think the girls passed with flying colors.

Saturday late afternoon:

...after a 2 hour nap in the "Heavenly bed"....

We headed over to the Taste of Cincinnati for some beer and yummy Cincy food. Michael and grandma could not pass up the opportunity for a friendly competition - who would be the one to "win" Lyla her first carnival stuffed animal...drum roll please!!!

And the winner is GRANDMA - Sweet - I love it!

There will now be a lapse in time...this is when drinking and eating became apparent and photography quickly became not as important :)

After a Mexican dinner and margaritas we decided that it would be a great idea to have grand-daddy and grandma take the girls back home to the Schneider's for bed-time. Which left The Austin's & The Schneider's to do what...ummm that would be drinking and chatting. So after a few more beers, martini's and Makers Mark...we all decided that we should really go to bed.

The Austin's headed to the Westin heavenly bed for our first entire night away from Lyla. The Schneider's headed back home to make sure the Grandparents were able to get the girls to bed---no doubts of course!!! We woke early Sunday morning - wondering what Lyla was up to....

Thank goodness Grandma captured it on camera...

How sweet is this!!! They played, played and played some more....

The day I have always dreamed of....

So our time in Cincinnati was ending - it was time to head back to Xenia for some good ole' relaxing and some of mama's/grandma's home cookin'!! We managed to find enough energy to walk down the street to the park...which always leads to lots of reminiscing. Folks - here you have it - this is where "Mandy and Michael" aka M&M met ...long ago in 9th grade at Central Junior High School.... And I just had to end the post with this...it sums up the weekend perfectly in my eyes. Michael and Mr. J having one of their talks. I will always wonder...and will never ask what they really talk about. I am comforted knowing how much they appreciate one another - it just warms your heart...

Pay close attention to how they are standing (their legs) in each of the photos below...

Can you say "in sync"..... So here's to another great Ohio Memorial Day weekend - the perfect "stay-cation" spent with family!!!

Missin' with "fatha"

Grandparents:)

Dear Grandma & Grand-daddy,

I had SO much fun with you this past weekend...so much fun that I didn't even realize my mommy and daddy weren't around. Thank you for sticking to my schedule because I am such a happy girl when I know what's going on! I am sorry I fell asleep during my night-time bottle...I guess I had too much fun during the day to stay awake any longer. And sorry I got up so early Sunday morning...I was just so excited when I remembered you were in town. Gosh I had so much fun with you both - I love you so much and look forward to many play weekends in the future!

Love you & miss you much,

Lyla Anne

The Grandparents to the rescue. Our great friends Casey and Levon got married this past weekend - CONGRATS!! The wedding was absolutely beautiful and we were so honored to be a part of the big day. The weekend was jammed packed with fun wedding activities so we called upon the best possible babysitters - The Grandparents! Grandma & Grand-daddy arrived Friday afternoon around 2pm. We handed Lyla off to them around 6pm and it was smooth sailing from there. With Lyla's schedule taped to the refrigerator and a couple helpful hints - we headed out for our first real night out on the town since Lyla's arrival with not one worry in the world - Lyla Byrd was in GREAT loving hands.

We returned from the rehearsal dinner to find Lyla fast asleep and the grandparents cleaning up the kitchen :)

Saturday we left around 1pm - grandma & grand-daddy couldn't get us out of the door fast enough. During Lyla's long afternoon nap, grandma managed to make a chocolate pie, 2 chicken pot pies and lasagna...WOW dinner for the entire following week. Honestly, can it get any better!!!

Saturday night Lyla went out to dinner with grandma & grand-daddy...one of Lyla's favorite things to do...be in public - in a highchair - with a mum-mum cracker - looking at the world around her - and the best added bonus of all: grandma & grand-daddy!!!!

And here we are dressed to impress....

What a fabulous weekend...and I didn't even cry when the grandparents left...but only because we are headed back to Ohio this weekend for another adventure:):):)

THANK YOU GRANDMA & GRAND-DADDY

You are the BEST!!!!!!!

Around the house

Lyla is fascinated with herself...absolutely fascinated!!! She'll study herself in the mirror until we take the mirror away...

That darn "binky" - I decided to graduate Lyla to the Stage 2 binky...hoping she would use the sides to chew on more so than sucking - yeah that didn't work out so well. The girl loves her binky. We will hide it under all her toys and she will sort through them all until she finds her binky - and then right into the mouth it goes. How obnoxious is this thing - but with those big brown eyes staring back at you - yeah I dare you to try and take it away from her. We are such suckers - I love it!!!!

And here is Lyla "helping" with laundry....

Next up...The Grandparents were in town this past weekend!

CONGRATULATIONS to the newly married Mr. & Mrs Hooks.

Michael and I had our first night out - Grandma & Grand-daddy had Lyla for basically 2 days...much to report - stay tuned!!!

Mum-Mum

Our lil' byrd is growing - Look at her go! Just yesterday she started to actually chew and swallow. She was just biting and spitting it out but now she's really getting the hang of it!! Look at that determination to grab a Mum-Mum cracker...the tiny little piece that she must eat before the large piece in her other hand ;)

Ya got it Lyla?

And just because she is such a big girl...I couldn't resist. I won't be trying this again anytime soon.

Carri, I had flashbacks of Josie when she was visiting and spitting it down the front of shirt - haha!!

And just so everyone knows I am not making stuff up - here is Lyla learning how to clap:) Enjoy - I just can't get enough of this - she is so darn proud of herself!!!

Click link for video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVVxnjU0x-A

Freedom!!!!!

What's Freedom? To our sweet Lyla Byrd it means she is HARNESS FREE!!!!

Today Lyla had an ultrasound which was supposed to be followed by her getting fitted for her new night brace. Well...the ultrasound confirmed that her hip is secure and stable. To expand - her right hip is at a 68 degree angle and her left hip is at 61. We were aiming for the 60's and we are there. As the orthopedic explained - it's now time for nature to take it's course. Her being in a harness or a brace is not going to do anything more than her body can do on it's own!

So after asking the orthopedic again "Does she still need to wear her harness at night?" and him looking at us like we were crazy...it took one more time to hear she was completely harness free and we were finally believers. Out the door we went - shocked and overjoyed for Lyla. And what do you know - right before getting into the elevator there was a trashcan conveniently located - the harness was placed in the trash to never been seen again!

She has to go back in 2 months for an X-ray - She is still too young and her bones won't show up on an X-ray now. After her X-ray she will need to be seen once a year. The chances of her hips being a "problem" in the future are slim to none - but I think we'll still play it safe and follow the doctor's orders and schedule an annual appointment.

Now onto NIGHT PANTS!! Babies in night pants - how sweet! Lyla hasn't had on night pants for over 3 months. The funny thing is I had bought these pj's a few months ago not knowing if she would really ever be able to wear them. But I thought - hey I'll keep the tag on and re-gift if need be:) So the excitement I had when I realized I had the perfect nightpants for Lyla to wear on such a special occasion....Lyla's first night sleeping without her harness...pink giraffe pj's -PERFECT!!!!

And there you have it...FREEDOM!!!

6-month photo shoot!

6 month milestones!

I've always heard that at 6 months there would be alot of milestones - but I wasn't prepared for so much to happen within a few weeks time.

* Lyla started sitting up unsupported one day before her 6 month b-day.

*Lyla is in full-fledged teething mode and within the last week has sprouted 2 lower teeth.

* Recognizes her own name.

* When asked, "Where's daddy?" She will keep looking for daddy until he appears.

* Switching toys from one hand to the next.

* Pinching her thumb and pointer finger.

* Recognizes sign language for: milk (she gets upset when we sign "milk" and do not produce a bottle of milk)

* Trying so hard to clap - doesn't quite connect hands - but so close.

* Eating peas, carrots, apples, pears and apple butternut squash.

* Eating baby mum-mums...yep Lyla can pick up and eat a baby cracker. You go girl!

* Communicating sounds: ba ba -mmm mmm

* Blowing raspberries

* Just learned to push the "animal noise maker" buttons on her exercauser.

* Book of animals: she has a favorite monkey. She doesn't make a peep until we get to "The funky monkey."

...and there is no stopping her - here we go!!!!!!

I took this picture on my camera phone - not the best quality:(

...Hard at work to capture a picture of those teeth!