8 months.

I know I say this every month, but really, this month has flown by! I think this has been the one month of the most "firsts". T is a sweet girl full of life! She will study your facial expressions, try to copy your actions, and gets so frustrated when she cant keep up with her super energetic brothers! She has mastered crawling and boy can this chick move! She is a pro at it and within the past few weeks has been pulling up on everything! She can get up quick but once she is up, she has no idea how to get "down", and usually ends up letting us know she is stuck by a quick scream. She will get you attention by her "dying cat call", seriously, you think she is dying, then you look at her and she flashes you the biggest grin. What a turkey! She refuses to eat cereal in the morning. Must be bananas, but will eat cereal and fruit or veggies for lunch and dinner. Oh, and the princess will ONLY eat with a metal spoon. Forget those plastic coated things, she like the feel of the metal on her teeth. I told you she was high maintenance! She started saying da, da, da and her favorite person in the whole world is her big brother Noah. Her favorite finger food is Rice Krispies and she has started to be 100% on formula. She loves the stuff. I don't get it, but she does great with it. She weighs about 17 lbs and just graduated to 6-9 month clothes. She is a daddy's girl and whenever he is in the room she just stares at him. Doesn't love to be held by him, but lights up whenever he gets home and he talks to her. We had to lower her crib (again!) because she loves to stand up in her bed and began pulling herself over. Crazy kid. We love our sissy! Happy 8 months baby girl!!!!!

Banana Bites

Okay, Miss T is 7 months old now. She is crawling all over the place, starting to pull up on things, and has 2 1/2 teeth (one of her front top teeth has been crawling it's way through, she looks hilarious because it's only one and it's not all there yet). Anyway, you would think she has mastered eating baby food! I mean, she IS almost 8 months old. My boys at her age were eating 3 times a day, one jar at each sitting, with Jacob I had to make his food thicker and add oatmeal because he was so hungry. WELL, Miss Priss has decided that she will NOT not not eat her baby food. I have tried everyday since the day I felt "she was ready", thinking, okay, today is the day. Nope. So, all that to say, I have tried to get creative when it comes time to feed her. She will not eat anything off the spoon, won't even open her mouth, but if you break small pieces off of whatever you are eating, she opens wide enough to park a car in there. The trick is, getting the pieces small enough so that she doesn't choke, and big enough so that she can see what I am putting in her mouth. So, every morning I cut up a banana into small, tiny little pieces, then I take a plastic bag and smash cherrios, or rice krispies, or corn chex (it really doesn't matter), then put the tiny bites in the plastic bag and shake it up. This coats the bananas so that they aren't quite as slippery, then I place all the "bites" in a bowl or on a plate. You can do it with any mushy slippery fruit or even cook vegetables. Sissy also wants "to do it all by herself", but she can't because she hasn't developed the pincer grasp, so I have to feed her by putting it on my finger and she pulls my finger in her mouth. High Maintenance I am telling you! It will be alot easier when I can just put the bites on her tray. Anyway, just wanted to share our little trick with the mom's out there who wanted to try something a little different. Happy Feeding!!!

frugal frugal frugal, cheap cheap cheap

For those of you who know me, know that I loooooove a good deal, and don't like to spend money! Often times if it is a Saturday morning, I am out garage saling (although I haven't been since Taylor has been born) or running over to Salvation army or the Goodwill. Occasionally I will also pick up something I may find on the side of the road. Don't judge me. I am not a hoarder. In fact, most times I will pick it up, clean it off and then sell it. So, you see trash, I see cash :) Anyway, I have been so happy lately with some of my findings, I thought I would share and post some pictures. I love looking at Goodwill for clothes for my kids. What's great about it is you pay the same amount for a Walmart brand shirt as you do a GAP or Ralph Lauren shirt AND if you take that GAP shirt to Once upon a Child, they give you $ for it. Amazing!!! The best thing about most Good Will stores is, all clothing 24 months and under are $1. One Dollar! So, you are really making a little bit of $ for your kids to look good. Don't get me wrong, you gotta hunt, and is hard especially when you have a fussy baby with you or a three year old running through the racks, but most times it isn't that hard. Also, kids clothes are $2. I found 10 pairs of GAP and Old Navy pants and shorts for Noah for next summer and school year. Clothes aren't the only thing to look for resale. Sometimes all the furniture needs is a good cleaning, or even a decent paint job. I know there are some people who "can't" do it, and must buy new, but for those of you who can, there are deals to be had!!! Happy Treasure Hunting!!!

Imaginarium (Thomas) Train Table with tracks $15. Sold $40

Butterfly Chair (you will see this later in a photo shoot :)) $6.00

Toy that plays different instruments and is currently running on the same batteries that came with it. $1.99

Coach Purse $3.00

(I don't like it, but bought it to sell)

GAP sweater dress, Old Navy jacket, Genuine Kids jacket, Carters dress, 3 Old Navy skirts (yes those are tags still on them!), Old Navy shirt, Gap pink pants, Children's Place jeans, Drum roll please $10.00

FREE (minus cushions and pillows): found this sofa, love seat, and chair on the side of the road. Painted it and enjoyed it for almost 2 years. Didn't make it hard to leave behind in FL.

FREE: Just needed a good wash with the pressure washer.

Sold for $35

FREE: Josh thought I was nuts when I came home with this thing in my car.

Sold for $50

FREE: found this guy outside a Storage Unit facility by the dumpster.

Sold for $20 (FAST)

$35: Found in Salvation army. Just needs some new bottom knobs. (Did I mention it matches her crib perfectly?!?!)

$20. Okay, this crib cost $180, however I bought a crib at a yard sale from some very organized grandparents, found out it was recalled, took it into Walmart with the receipt (the people had put the receipt in with the directions) and they gave me $180 cash with which I drove right over to Target and purchased this lovely crib. But, it still only cost me $20 and my time.

Leather Love Seat (without the two knuckle heads) $55

$5.00 BEFORE

About 6 more dollars and some time.