Everything Gets Claps...

Aaron's new favorite thing to do is clap his hands. He started doing this just yesterday even though he's been banging objects together for quite a while. I guess he has figured out that he can make noise even without stuff in his hands. It is pretty hilarious what deserves Aaron applause (as well as frustrating sometimes). Some examples:

• Daddy going to work
• Daddy coming home
• Peaches
• Reagan barking at the T.V.
• Peas (???)
• Mommy going into his bedroom to lay him down for the millionth time and telling him to go to sleep (i.e. the frustrating part)

It is very exciting to watch him do something so human-like, for lack of a better description. He really has grown out of the newborn "blob" stage as my sister-in-law calls it, where he doesn't do much more than lay there and look at me. Hopefully waving bye-bye and blowing kisses are soon to come!

Who Needs A Rattle When You've Got Maracas?

Look At Me, I'm Trying To Pull Up Too!

This wasn't supposed to happen the same week he started crawling, was it? Auggghhhh!

Look At Me, I'm Crawling!

Here he comes...


There he goes...

How We Knew We Finally Needed To Lower The Crib...

Look what I found after Aaron's nap today!

Spoiled, Yes?

Baby's First Spring Break

This past week, Bill, Aaron and I flew down to San Antonio to visit Bill's grandparents on his dad's side. His parents also drove down to see us. We had a great time! I was so proud to introduce Aaron to his great-grandparents and we were blessed to have FOUR generations of Q's in one room at the same time. The first night we were there, we had a great dinner and Aaron's great-aunt and great-uncle, Uncle Bob and Aunt Sue, came over and visited with us. The next day we did a little shopping downtown at El Mercado de San Antonio and visited the Alamo. The third day, we stopped and played at a little playground then walked through the San Antonio Botanical Garden. It was so much fun taking Aaron on a little mini-vacation and he did great! He is definitely going to become a seasoned traveler!

The Q family at the Alamo.

My sweetie looking sweet outside the Alamo.

Future Texan?

Fun with Grandpa at a local playground.

Daddy and Aaron in front of a cool fountain at the Botanical Garden.They even plant flowers in the shape of Texas! Now that's pride!

Aaron with his Grandpa and Grandma Q.Great Gramps Q holding Aaron.Great Grandma Q and Aaron.Four generations of Q men.

You Gotta See These Pictures!

My sister Bethanie finally bought a digital camera and has been going crazy taking pictures of my nephew Stiehl, who is now almost three months old, and my niece Emilie, who is nine years old. The pictures Bethanie took are SO awesome, you have to see them. Click the link below or to your left to visit her Blog.

http://bethanieskids.blogspot.com/

Gymboree Bubbles Are The Best Bubbles Ever!

Right, Lisa?

More Teeth!

Aaron has more teeth coming in! I believe all four of his top front teeth are poking through. You can definitely see three of them; the fourth one is not as easy to see unless you're prying his mouth open and are able to look directly at it. So cool!

Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge it so that you can see his new teeth better!

My Precious

We are now four days into the Lenten season and I'm proud to say that I have stuck by my vows to give up something meaningful to me in order to grow closer to Christ during this period. That something meaningful was soda, specifically this:

It might sound rather lame to whine about giving up soda when people are starving all over the world, but this was the best I could come up with. And trust me, I'm definitely missing it! If anything, I need the caffeine fix! I am drinking much more water, however, so this will be good for me in the long run in that respect as well. Pray for me! Only six more weeks until Easter!

Pictures From Yesterday

Aaron waiting for his morning bottle. I can't get over how old he looks in this picture!

How I keep finding him in his crib in the morning. I imagine it's going to need to be lowered soon.
"Look! I can feed myself!"

Funny How Things Turn Out

This weekend, Aaron and I traveled north of Seattle to the home of my best friend from high school, Athena, and her boyfriend Tony. Athena and I have been friends since the third grade! I still can't get over the fact that we not only live in the same state, but we only live an hour apart! When she left Missouri after graduating from high school to go to college in North Carolina and with my moving all over God's green earth because of the Air Force, I thought that we would keep in touch but most likely hardly ever see each other. However, about a year ago during one of our monthly phone calls, she told me that she had just been offered a job in the Seattle area and would be moving here! Yahoo! So now we get to see each other about once a month instead of just talking on the phone! Tony and Athena are so great with Aaron; we love spending time with them!

Please, Daddy, Can We Join The Y?

I Can See The Wheels Turning...

Aaron! Leave Reagan alone!
What's that, Mommy? I'm not doin' anything!
I think I wanna grab her tail!
Maybe I'll just eat it!
Or maybe I'll just give it to Reagan to eat! Aren't I a nice boy?
I really like her tail and I also would like to grab her face! Will she mind?

See, Mommy? We're best friends!

We're Getting There!

I have decided again to try to teach Aaron how to drink out of a sippy cup. I had tried to start this a couple months ago when I started him on solids, but he thought the sippy cup was just a toy. Now he at least knows that the spout actually goes in his mouth, even though I don't think he gets that something is supposed to come out of it. I've been trying to work on it with him by first putting his pacifier in his mouth and have him suck on it a few times, then yank it out and stick the sippy cup spout in, hoping that he'll continue the sucking motion and figure out that something will actually come out of the spout. So far, this doesn't seem to be working but I know persistance is the key at this age!

The Great-Grandchildren

While Aaron and I were in Missouri, we drove down to see my cousin Wendy and her two boys, Quinton and Ethan. Her mom, my Aunt Julie, was also there visiting. All of the great-grandchildren on my mom's side of the family were together again and we were finally able to get a picture of all of them. Wendy actually just gave me the great news that she and her husband Joe are expecting their third little one! She is due in October. This will be the sixth great-grandchild! So awesome!

From left to right are Ethan and Quinton (Wendy's boys), my Aaron and Emilie holding Stiehl (my sister Bethanie's kids).

Here is the first attempt at the group picture. It belongs on the blooper reel!

Ethan, turn around and look at the camera! Aaron, let go of Quinton!!

Here are pictures of our Granny and Poppy (both holding Aaron):

I Detect A Theme Here...

Lisa and I took the kiddos shopping on Tuesday and Aaron came out like a bandit. We found some good sales on winter clothes since all the summer stuff is starting to come out (which works well for us since it's long-sleeve weather around here until at least May). I got this cute onesie at Old Navy. Can you read what it says? Yeah, and he knows it too. He likes to flash that smile at all the ladies!

Official Makeup Bag Holder

Everyday when I get ready (O.K., everyday that I take a shower, which isn't everyday exactly), Aaron sits by me and rummages through my makeup bag as if it's the best toy on the planet. Could I be scarring him for life by letting him play with makeup? Naw, I'm just teaching him how to be helpful to the ladies (said in my best Tim Meadows' Ladies' Man voice).