My baby is 8 months

Hali is such a fun girl at this age and she is learning so many new 'tricks'. She goes off and on with saying "Mama" and "Da." She has learned how to open and close her hand as if she were waving and she does it constantly. We try to say 'hello' or 'bye bye' whenever she does it so she associates it with waving, but she hasn't quite got that yet. She is so close to crawling, but isn't quite there yet. She still loves to eat everything, and we haven't found one thing she doesn't like (we are hoping that continues). Her favorite food right now is Graham crackers. Hali loves to stand, so much that I wonder if she'll walk before she crawls. She loves to stand against the couch and pound on it with her hand. One of my favorite things she does now is she pants like a little puppy when she is happy or excited. I just love when she does this because she kicks her legs and waves her arms like she is going to fly away. Hali loves it when I am talking on the phone (not really sure why) but whenever I answer she gets so excited (probably because she thinks it is her Daddy calling to talk to her). Just yesterday (7/28) she learned how to sit up by herself from laying down. I was quite surprised to go into her room and see her sitting up like such a big girl in her crib after I had just laid her down. She now has her two bottom front teeth, and if I ever get a picture of them it will be a miracle. She LOVES to swim and kicks like crazy. She will even hold herself up by holding on to the side of the pool. Baby Einstein is still at the top of her list, and she gets so excited when the Disney preview music comes on. She had her very first ear infections all last week. Not a fun first, but a first none the less. Luckily with the antibiotic she is healing quickly. We had some VERY long nights with painful ear aches. When we took her to the doctor for ear infections they weighed her and she has officially hit the 20 pound mark, 20lbs 10oz to be exact. She is starting to get into everything, and is finding out that everything else (cups, necklaces, bowls, boxes, paper etc.) is much more fun than her toys. We just love her so much and can't imagine our life without her!
Here are some recent pictures of Hali, enjoy!

4th of July

We had a very fun and traditional Fourth of July. It just isn't the fourth if you aren't in Richfield with the parade, races, fish grab, fireworks, friends and family. I have always loved this holiday and was very excited to share it with Hali. During the parade she fell asleep, but she loved being at the park. She enjoyed watching the fireworks and loved playing with the glow sticks. As always Hali absolutely loved being around her cousins and family.

Hali was sure concentrating on watching the parade

She is such a cute girl!

Our little family watching the parade

She didn't even make it through the parade before she fell asleep

This girl LOVES the grass

Mom and Hali in the shade at the park

Here we are at the Lions Park watching the fireworks (as you can see Hali was not excited about getting her picture taken)

Hali and I watching the fireworks at my parents on July 5th

Our silly girl

Since I haven't posted in a while I thought I would just put up some fun pictures of Hali and what we have been up to.

I curled her hair with a curling iron and she looked just like a little grandma

She fell asleep in the swimming pool with her aunt Shellee

Just hanging out in the Huggies box, she loved playing with it

Lounging around watching her Baby Einstein

Hali loves to try to drink from a straw

Helping her daddy study

Trying to crawl - she'll get up on all fours, but she doesn't go anywhere

We just love her chubby little rolls!

Hali with some of her cousins

Helping mommy do the laundry

Swimming with Aunt Shellee

All ready for bed with her straight hair

Hali and Mommy just playing on the floor!

Barney Family Reunion

Here is Hali with her grandma and grandpa Barney (my parents)



We had a fun time at the Barney family reunion. It is always fun to get together and visit with aunts, uncles, and cousins that we haven't seen in a while. We had a great lunch, and played some fun games. Hali loved playing with her cousins and rolling around in the grass. We even had our sweet t-shirts with pictures of my grandma and grandpa as kids on them. From the picture you can see how worn out Hali was from the big day. She never just falls asleep like that, it was too cute!

The new do...

It was finally time to just chop it off. Hali just loved pulling on it a little too much. Not only for that reason, but I've also learned I don't have nearly as much time to get ready as I did before Hali so I needed something easier to do. Instead of it taking fifteen minutes to dry and ten minutes to straighten, it now takes eight minutes flat to have it completely done! It took a little getting use to, but I really like it.

The reasons for my lack of blogging...

I have finally jumped on the band wagon (a little late I know). I, like many others, have become obsessed with the books. What can I say I am a hopeless romantic. I just wish I would have waited until August to read them all because I am having a hard time waiting until the fourth book comes out. Now I am very behind on my blogging so stay tuned there will be a lot of new updates!