Then and Now

Then: Mom and me

Now: Sydney

Then: Mom, Kirsten, me, Barb
Now: Matt and Sydney

Then: Mom and me

Now: SydneyThen: Grandma (Liz) Hassler
Now: Eric and SydneyThen: Roger and Eric
Now: Sydney

Then: Eric
Now: Sydney

Merry Christmas

We wanted to take a photo for our Christmas letter and decided to try using the timer feature of our camera. Timed photos are always a challenge - but add a baby and pet to the mix and the results are disastrously comical.

This one could have been really cute, but for some reason the camera took it all fuzzy.

Not too bad either, but Sydney wasn't looking at the camera and Richard is covering Eric's face.
In an effort to get Sydney to look at the camera I tried shaking toys in front of her face. But I didn't get it down in time and that may have caused the overexposure.

So close...this one would have been perfect except in a effort to get me to smile Eric was making innapropriate comments* and so I'm trying really hard not to laugh which makes me look really angry. :)

In the end we ended up having to simplify the picture (sorry Richard). View the final shot in our 2009 Christmas letter.

Rocky Road Cookies Take 2

After seeing my cookie disaster earlier this fall my friend Kyra sent me a silicone baking sheet...so I'm either tenacious or insane and decided to try the rocky road cookie sandwiches again. I followed the recipe to a tee and made sure I creamed the butter and sugar until it was light and fluffy (a step I didn't do as thoroughly last time). It worked! The cookies turned out just like the picture. :) View the original recipe from Rachael Ray.

Milestones

Sydney is growing up fast! Below are a few milestones from the past month:

She has much improved head control...

She can sit up with assistance...and yes, I am a horrible mother with no regard for her safety and allow her to sit on an elevated surface in her Bumbo. I also let her play with fire. :)

One day while driving back from breakfast, Sydney "found her voice" and just starting jabbering away...every since she's been much more vocal and talks to herself quite a bit.

She also ate her first solids (rice cereal) a couple days ago! (thanks for the cute bib Auntie Amy!) The first day she didn't seem too thrilled, but the second day she was very happy and ate up every bit. I'm thrilled as she has always been on the small side and I'm hoping this will fatten her up. :)

Three Month Photos - Behind the Scenes

We are a tad late in getting Sydney's three month photos taken as she is almost four months - but I doubt the baby police will be stopping by anytime soon. I have to keep reminding myself that there are no rules here - if we take photos at four and seven months the world will not come to an end. Ah, the perfectionist in me shines through once again.

Dana and Tammy Swanstrom of Swanstrom Photography came to the house last Friday to get some shots of Syd. Aside from a few boughts of fussiness she did really well. I was so excited to get some shots of her in her legwarmers, but apparently that was the outfit she liked the least as we only got a few that were half way decent.

Our efforts with the tutu fared much better. The hardwood floor was a little cold at first, but it must have warmed up a little because she started posing and we even got a little smile for a few shots. I'm not much of a foo foo girl, but I just couldn't resist the tutu when I saw it; and while some people have likened her hat to a swim cap, I think it’s adorable. :)

We also tried the whole "baby in the basket" shot, but Syd wasn't feeling it...she didn't cry, but looks incredibly uncomfortable in almost every picture. We tried everything to get her to smile, but she wasn't interested.

We did however get a few close ups that turned out great.

In the end the last few "poses" we took (which were totally unplanned) ended up being my favorites. The one below with her hat might be my favorite of all - it makes me smile every time I look at it and as mom put it, she looks like a happy little gnome.

 

You can view more shots on the album on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=336377&id=612750724&l=21923f9758

A Little Laugher Goes a Long Way

Last weekend we had Sydney dedicated at church. We were so blessed to have our family celebrate with us (except Amy who was dearly missed!). Syd wore the same outfit I wore when I was baptised - she was so cute in her little bonnet. :) She also wore a tiny gold cross that my mom wore when she was baptised.


On Sunday right before my parents left my dad did one of his signature moves where he does a super fast pitter-patter underneath a baby's chin. It's usually done while a baby is making noise so their voice sounds all choppy...well, he did it to Sydney and she thought it was pretty funny - we got the closest thing to a giggle we've heard. So last night we decided to try it ourselves. Neither Eric nor I are as good at it as my dad, but Syd didn't seem to mind.

Roll Over!

Sydney has officially figured out how to roll over - from her tummy to her back at least. She did it four times tonight - I caught a few of them on camera. You will also get a glimpse of her love affair with her hands. :)