I heart photoshop

 Over Thanksgiving my sister-in-law Karen introduced me to the world of digital scrapbooking.  She showed me one of her albums that she completed recently and I was in LOVE.  After telling me how easy it was compared to traditional scrapbooking...I was sold!  No more spending time hauling out all the scrapbook stuff.  Woo hoo!  So, the past few months I have been building my gallery of graphics and playing around with photoshop.  (If anyone knows a great graphics site, please share)  I designed a new blog header for me and after talking with Lisa, one of my best friends from college, I decided to give her a total blog make-over.  Go to her blog and check it out.  It was fun and helped me learn a lot about photoshop.  I plan on making myself a new background soon.  

I am also working on Brynlee's 1st year album.  I plan on having this done before her 1st birthday party.  It will be neat to play a slideshow of her scrapbook on our TV during the party.  Do you love technology as much as I do? 

Is it July yet?

I bought a swimsuit for Brynlee about a month ago.  When we were snowed in, I decided to get it out and snap a few pictures.  I was quickly falling deaper in love with her and so will you! 

It cracks me up when she skydives! 

I am IN LOVE with this picture!

9 months picture...the rest of the story

For the last 8 months, I have dressed her up, put her in her bed, set a sign next to her, and took her picture.  That was...until now.  I can no longer put the sign next to her because this is what happens. 

no sign = great picture

wanting to hold the sign

looking at the sign

Grabbing the sign

Grabbing her feet

Try to imagine that I am acting like a complete idiot trying to get her to look at me. 

Momma, you are acting so silly! 

Can you tell her momma used to be a teacher?  She already knows how to raise her hand. 

Playing with her feet

feeling her crib sheet WHILE grabbing the sign

Still acting like an idiot! 

Tore down the sign

Finally a game of peek-a-boo! 

Whew!  I am exhausted all over again! 

9 Months

Time is something that is flying by at the Dietrich household.  Someone please find me a pause button.  This is the first month that I am getting emotional typing this post.  I stare at her everyday and think "how did I get this lucky?"  If you have been around Brynlee the past few months you know that she is one of the best babies ever.  I can put her down awake in her crib for a nap or to go night night and I never hear peep out of her.  She lays her head down and goes to sleep on her own.  Sometime she wakes up from her nap early and I don't even know she is awake.  She just hangs out in her crib and plays with her blanket until I come and get her.  She sleeps 11 hours each night and takes two naps totaling 3-4 hours during the day.  She never crys and smiles at everything. 

Here are some fun things you learned this month:

• you are finally crawling...well your own version of it 
• You cut 4 teeth this month.  Jan 12, 15, 16, and 29.  (did you notice that 3 of them were in the same week, I know I did)
• When you see something you want, you hold your arms out and open your mouth really wide 

• 
  
  You always want the cell phone, laptop, remote, or my cup 
• 
  
  You are 100% sitting by yourself 
• 
  
  You learned how to smack you tongue
• 
  
  You love to play peek-a-boo.  You are now the one who covers your face with the blanket.  It is so cute! 
• 
  
  You love to play with your socks, tags, and small blankets.  Here you are playing with the tag on your boppy forgetting about the fun ball popper in front of you. 
• 
  
  You are up on your hands and knees rocking away.  You haven't figured out how to crawl this way but you will soon.  Sometimes I think you enjoy dragging yourself around.  Looks like alot of work to me. 

Here are a few more fun pictures from this month. 

I love to watch you sleep

Happy 9 month birthday Brynlee bear!  You are so loved. 

Please note that the sign is taped behind her.  The next blog post will explain that.  I'll give you a preview...she has a huge curiosity button!

Snowed In

We had another awesome snow storm at the end of January.  When Duane got home from work it was snowing really hard.  I quickly put an extra layer of clothes on Brynlee and brought her outside to take a few pictures.  We had to be quick because she didn't like the snow coming down on her face. 

When we first set her down she fell back.  This is when she got the snow on her face. 

She looks so cute checking out the snow. 

New High Chair

I have used a bumbo as a high chair since Brynlee started solids at 4 months.  It was one of the best gifts I received.  Now that she is very curious about everything, it became really hard to keep her attention while on the kitchen counter.  Even for food.  She was more interested in the blender sitting next to her than eating.  Even if I moved her down, she would try and try to get to it.  The tray was snapped in so she couldn't get out but I am positive she thought if she tried hard enough she could.  

In mid Jauary, we went and bought a high chair.  I wanted to be smart about what I bought.  I hate it when I buy something only to find after a few weeks I hate it.  So I did my research and read reviews on Amazon.  I asked for help on facebook but didn't get much.  Most people said it doesn't matter, just buy one.  I was disappointed I didn't get much help.  I almost bought a Boon.  The best thing about this is that the chair is all one piece and is super easy to clean.  There are NO cracks for food to fall in.  I have seen some nasty high chairs and it really grosses me out.  The biggest negative was the round base. I wasn't too crazy about it and not sure if I could get it into my kitchen.  I also couldn't find it in any store.  I have learned my lesson with buying heavy items online that I can't look at in the store.  So, in the end I deicded against it. 

We ended up buying a Chicco and so far I like it.  It does have tons of crack where food has already started to collect.  I will just have to be faithful about cleaning it really good each week. 

These are a few of my favorite things

Brynlee has been spending alot of time playing with toys lately.  She will play independently for awile but she is soon crawling around exploring.  I thought I would post about some of her favorite toys. 

Blocks

She loves rings but this one is her favorite

cups

She loves her excersaucer and so do I.  An excersaucer + sunrise earth = a shower for me! 

Mr. Blowfish and Mr. Jingles

Busy Ball Popper

This is Little Noses.  She MUST play with this while I change her diaper or I am in for a wrestling match. 

She loves shapes

Piano...I am teaching her early.

Donuts...shhh don't tell her the real ones are much better. 

Grow with me kitchen

Photo Shoot

Last month after taking her 8 month picture I decided to take some more pictures since she was in such a good mood.  I can really see her personality coming out in these pictures.  Can you?

Patty Cake

I'm sleepy momma

I don't know...

Yummy...toes! mmmmm

Hi mom

Hiiiiiii...ya!

I'm ready to just chill momma.