Retreat and Rice Cereal!

This weekend we had a great weekend at our church's fall retreat at Camp Doniphan. We played games, took walks in the woods, looked at the pretty lake and Courtney got tons of attention! We started her on rice cereal about a week and a half ago and finally on Friday she started opening her mouth for it and liking it! We were so proud of her! Before she would only squeeze her lips shut and grunt. Tonight she was so happy she was cooing and babbling and blowing raspberries, which only made the cereal go everywhere, but it was so cute! Playing with all her church friends.

Some pretty pictures by the lake!

Here is how Courtney enjoyed her first few days of rice cereal.

And here she is liking it and helping mom with the spoon!

We are transitioning Courtney out of the swaddle and she can now roll over with that hand out! This is how she took her first "free arm" nap...I thought it would be scary when she slept on her tummy, but it was too cute!

Courtney is 6 months!

Our baby girl turned 6 months of September 11. Yesterday at the doctor, she weighed 15 lbs, 4 oz and finally reached 2 feet tall (plus 1/2 inch:). She is sitting up pretty well, rolls from back to tummy to get things she wants and is overall a darn cute girl! Below are some of her 6 months pictures we had taken last weekend and a few from her 6 month birthday I took.

Please note: we decided to wear Chiefs wear before last weekend's game.

Just keep that in mind.


Ashley: "I can't watch."

Courtney: "I know, it will be alright."

Labor Day and other random events...

With school starting and Dan and I back to work, we've slacked a little with our posts! Also, all of our time at home is now so precious with Courtney! She is doing good at the babysitter's, but also very smily and happy to see us when we pick her up! For Labor Day, Dan and I took Courtney to Burr Oak woods for a picnic and to walk on the trails. We also went to a picnic on Sunday with Grandma and Grandpa Hicks and the Allen family. Grandma Jody came over on Saturday for a Labor day barbeque (and I guess to play with Courtney, too). Amidst all the family we also tried to fit in a little landscaping. Dan loves to dig up sod, especially on a holiday weekend, so I decided it would be great to also wrap that into our 3 day break.

A stroll in the woods.
Picnicking at Burr Oak woods.

shhh...not now Uncle James.
This is Courtney's great, great, great, super awesome Uncle Al (yes that is 3 greats)!

Courtney was a HUGE help with the landscaping.We made two triangle planters in the back corners of our yard.

It doesn't look like much, but it took a long time!!Courtney had to earmuff it when this beast crawled out of the mulch - yikes!

It was a good 6 inches long!

A few weekends ago we went to Stewartsville for the fall festival. We didn't want to haul the bathtub so we used this tote...which I think Courtney liked better according to her "I'm just chillin' " pose.
At the parade!
Having fun with mom in our white hoodies!

Courtney is really starting to sit up well now. We sit the boppy around her "just in case"
but she doesn't fall back against it too often! Meghan and Kaitlynn came to visit yesterday! They haven't played together in a long time!

Of the 20+ pictures I took that night, this is the only one where they are both facing the camera at the same time!