Bananas of the world. . . .Unite!

Today, Marin graduated from the world of rice and oatmeal baby cereal to . . . bananas! She will be 6 months old this week, so the time had come for some real food. And boy was she ready! Just within the last week or so, she has just been DEVOURING her cereal, literally lunging for the spoon. Not only is this funny, but it makes for a messy baby. She had also gotten to the point of whimpering for more food as you went to get another spoonful for her, we just weren't fast enough I guess! So this morning she had some banana, and she did pretty well, the only wierd face we got was for the first spoonful, and then she was ready for more. Oh my, I just can't get over how quickly she is growing up. Now that she's taking solids, I'll need to start weaning her within the next few months!

This week Kris and I went out on our first real date all by ourselves. We had his friend and his fiancee come and hang out at the house (Marin was in bed) and we went to see a show on the strip. It was really nice, and oddly enough, I didn't feel as wierd about it as I thought I would. We went to a buffet for dinner beforehand and at te dessert bar they had these little desserts in different shaped miniature plastic cups. They were so cute I took 4 of them home with me for Marin. She won't appreciate them now, but if she's anything like her mama, she'll use her vivid imagination and appreciate them in about 4 years. :)

Work went well this week, pretty busy, but manageable. On Friday I let my manager know that I was going to head up the commitee for policy review (which, she had asked if I might be interested in doing earlier), so that meant I had a whole bunch of homework to take home with me. It's going to be a big job, and I don't really
know what's entailed exactly and what to expect, but in the back of my head, I still wonder what I got myself into. It will be good for me though, a good place to channel some energy.

Saturday was Valentines Day! And I was working! We had all decided at work to bring in food for a potluck, and I made some pasta salad with roated chicken, fresh basil, red peppers, raisins, chopped dried apricots and my special spicy dressing. It was super yummy! Kris brought Marin in for me to see and I got to show her off to everyone and she gave them all BIIIG smiles. She is such a flirt.

Today I taught in YW, and I gave a lesson on homemaking. It went well, and I brought in the little porcelain statue Trine gave to me after Marin was born of a women carrying a basket and a book. It represents the responsibility I have as a wife and mother to teach and nurture my family and I thought it would be a good thing to have on display. I can't tell you how much more I appreciate my own mother now, knowing how much sacrifice and effort she (and dad) put into raising me. I know how much of a sacrifice it has been on my part to raise Marin so far, and she's only 6 months! The "best" is yet to come I suppose. ;)

Picture Time!:

Marin enjoying the card grandma and grandpa Owens sent her in the mail, with a cute oufit.


She reeeeally liked the card, in all it's deliciousness. She actually almost gnawed off one corner of it!

The roses my hunny got for me for Valentines Day.

This is a dress that my grandmother Elaine Brown wore when she was younger. It was given to me for Christmas, and I just tried it o the other day. A pretty tigt squeeze, especially around the top, but it was amazing to know that she had worn his dress 50 years ago!

Marin is not usually a snuggler, there's just too much going on for her to do that, but daddy had played hardwth her and she was jut taking a quick rest.

Our little birdie all ready for a spoonful of worm. . . I mean, cereal.

Delicious!

Ahhh the swing. I love this pic. Kris rigged up her Jenny-jump-up with some climbing rope (way cool husband I have!) and we can swing her around which she LOVES! we get such big smiles!

Getting ready to swing!