LETTERS TO LIA | 4 MONTHS

April 29, 2010

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Happy 4 months old, baby girl!

Honestly, it really feels like me + daddy just brought you home from the hospital. I can't believe you're changing and growing so fast. You're doing new things everyday. You're unstoppable!

Mommy has had the biggest pleasure in my life being around you. Your smiles and laughs brighten even my worst moments. Watching you figure something out for the first time is thrilling. Helping you learn new things is amazing. I'm so happy that we finally have you here. I love daydreaming (when I get a free moment, you keep me pretty busy little lady!) about all the things you'll learn and get to do. We've seen your first smile, we've heard your first laugh and last night, we saw you eat cereal for the first time. There will be birthday parties, playdates, imagination + dress up times, your first words, your first steps, first heartbreak, first kiss, your graduations + wedding. I know, those are all very far into the future, but still I think about them. I couldn't be prouder. I am your mommy - and nothing gives me more bliss + happiness.

Mommy (and daddy!) love you so very much, bug. We always have and we always will! Keep growing into that amazing little girl you are...

So I know everyone wants the latest stats..

Your 4 month checkup isn't until next week so all that good info will come later.
You're still eating 6 oz every 3 (sometimes 2 1/2) hours.
We gave you rice cereal for the first time. You weren't quite sure what to do at first, but I have a pretty good feeling you're going to love it. Take 2 will come tonight!
Your smile gets prettier every day + you've officially mastered the laugh. You love laughing at mommy. And sometimes, you look at me or daddy and you have this smile that says "I know something you don't know" and it's ADORABLE!
You are an excellent bumbo sitter. You can sit up great anytime you have a little help.
Those legs of yours have amazing strength. You'll stand (with help!) for minutes + minutes at a time without getting tired. Mommy + daddy like to think one day you'll be a runner or a soccer player...or maybe a dancer like aunt ashley!
We think you may be starting to teeth. You never drooled before and now it comes out like a waterfall sometimes. Okay, yes, mommy is exaggerating a bit, but seriously baby, it's some major drool. Just something else to get all over mommy, huh?!
You still throw up after your feedings. Not as much, but still enough to warrant a bib on you most of the time. People keep saying it should stop around 6 months...we'll see!
You're a good sleeper. You recently figured out days from nights and you so sweetly sleep all night. You don't always go to sleep easily at night but once you do fall asleep you don't wake up until around 6-7 am. You'll take a bottle then sleep in your swing for another 3 hours! Usually. Naps aren't your favorite but sometimes you participate easily. And when you don't, mommy + daddy have the car. It always works!
3-6 months clothing is what you are in...although, an occasional 0-3 months onesie will fit and a hand-me-down carters 6 months dress fits you great.
You're moving into size 3 diapers.
You love playing with the baby in the mirror!
You love new faces + new places.
You LOVE Yo Gabba Gabba.
You've learned how to hold your toys + rattles and will play with them.
You're doing good with tummy time. And, when you are on your boppy during tummy time, you push yourself right off over the front of it!
You found your feet and LOVE playing with them! It's only a matter of time before those piggies are in your mouth.


Until the next letter, keep smiling and being amazing!
XOXO,
Mommy
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I've slunk into a funk.

April 28, 2010

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For the past couple days, I've sat down to post something. It never happened.

I've been in a funk lately. I'm tired, alot. I'm not really in a good mood. Little things irritate me to no end. I'm at my wits end with the dog + cat. I'm just blah.

I started the week off good. Sunday + Monday, I cleaned the house and everything was put away where it was supposed to be and on Monday, I hit the gym with Manny. It felt good. But, only for a little while. I don't know what is going on, but I'm tired of it. I don't even feel like posting a blog right now. I'm doing it so I can post pictures of L since I missed quite a few daily photos.

L has a cough and her nose is runny sometimes. I think she's teething too. She's got major droolage going on. Like, bucketloads. And getting ready for solids. We've got some rice cereal. I think we're going to try it out this week. She takes a 6 oz bottle every 3 hours. But lately, she'll eat more often or she just won't seem full when she's finished her bottle. I don't want to start giving her 7 oz so I am hoping cereal is the anwser. I know her pediatrician recomendends waiting until 6 months but I think she's hungry. She isn't really miserable lately, but she isn't as playful as she usually is. She slept for 3 hours on my chest this morning. And wanted to be held all day long. I shouldn't complain, she's so sweet-looking when she's sleeping or cuddled up on me. But then she wouldn't sleep. And, I had to drive around for a while to get her to nap. It's okay though, as long as she's happy at the end of the day, I'd do anything for her. I'm just hoping I come out the other end with some sanity and a better understanding of patience!

Now, fast forward hours later. All of that (minus the last few sentences) was written earlier this morning. L got wind of me posting a blog and would have NO such thing! I'm just now (9 pm) getting back around to it. The end of this will be jam-packed with pictures + videos!

I've had a shower + a chocolate ice cream cone + M started the dishes, so I'm feeling a small boost in my mood. My mom also gave me some good insight on why Toby pees on the floor (and I ALWAYS step in it) every day, multiple times. So maybe I can put that to a stop real quick. I really just need to tell this funk where to stick it and just do something! Laundry, dishes, post this blog...something, you know? I don't know where funks come from, but they don't usually go away by themselves. The week is halfway over though. And, tomorrow L turns 4 months old! AND, Flashforward comes on and M + I are expecting a good episode. So, that's something to look forward too.

Back to L + the rice cereal. We tryed it! And, I think she liked it. (I had to use some kind of Yo Gabba Gabba reference, she LOVES them...as much as a 4 month old can love a cartoon.) We gave her a normal bottle feeding then I mixed up 1 tbsp and a little extra with some water. She wasn't sure what to do at first. Actually, she was more preoccupied with her bib (the plastic kind what wipes off easily), she's never used one like that before. Once I thickened the cereal up a bit more, she seemed to get the hang of not sucking but actually eating it. I think we'll try a little each day until she gets the hang of it. Hopefully, she'll start getting fuller. Then we tryed to have her sit up. She's getting better, I think her head is still a little more-than-average heavy for her body! She's just growing up + changing so fast...

I've got some pictures of L + her daddy playing and videos of her holding her bottle + eating cereal!
Enjoy!


First, I'm uninterested. Then, I'm happy. Then, I'm mad! But, then I'm okay again.

I think i'll do some roaring!
And, then I'll ignore Daddy because he's looking away.

The face of Lia.
Seriously, those eyes get me EVERY time.


Lia can hold her own bottle! Sort of. And sometimes!

L eating rice cereal for the first time!
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A little favor

April 23, 2010

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Please, vote for my friends adorable son!
It's for a Parent's magazine cover shoot. He's #28 and we only have a couple more days left to vote!

Just click the link below, enter the text you see in the quotations, then hit submit my vote. Easy peasy!

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grandma + poppa's daily photo

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Little girl was happy.
Then she got sick ):

I took this yesterday and L was happy + content. I noticed she woke up during every nap coughing, like something was in her throat. I just didn't think too much of it. Last night, we went to the Bronx for a birthday party and Lia was acting funny. Just different than her usual ways. I rocked her and kissed her and just did what I could since I had no idea what was wrong. I took her temperature once we got home and it was 100.2. We gave her tylenol and put her to bed after she fell asleep in my arms. She seems to be more alert and happy this morning so i'm hoping it was just something last night. I still have no idea what was wrong. But that feeling of knowing something is off with your child but having no idea what to do is horrible. This parenting thing is the best, but most scary thing i've EVER done!

On a side note, I have to tell you about my stroller mishap. L was in the stroller at the time (!) and it ruined a Target shopping trip. So, I was MAD! My stroller (pictures are posted back in the archives somewhere) was almost $300. I got it on sale + with coupons (because I never buy stuff without coupons) so I didn't pay that much, but still. You would think it wouldn't give me problems 3 months into using it, right? Let me set the scenario....

I'm in Target, cruising along. Making a wishlist in my head of all the lovely items I want to buy. Checking out the clearance on some of the Liberty Of London line. And I make my way over to housewares and start browsing the plates + cups. Next thing I know, my stroller is crooked so I look down. The. Wheel. Fell. Off. What the crap?! My very pretty stroller I was once in love with is failing me...it's breaking my heart! L, luckily, was strapped in her carseat so I popped it out of the stroller and set her down along with all the stuff I had. The wheel went back on but I knew it wasn't for long. So here I am, putting L's carseat back in the stroller and putting all the stuff inside it. I carried L and pushed the stroller to the registers to pay. The second I try to push the stroller after I payed, the wheel falls off again. This time, it wouldn't go back on. I looked like a wreck trying to carry everything. I finally put L back in her carseat + put her carseat and all the bags in a cart. Then, very slowly pushed the cart and the stroller all the way to the BACK of the parking lot because hey, I was trying to fit some excercise in my day. Of course, it had to be the day my stroller breaks...isn't that always the way the cookie crumbles?
I called the company today and they said they'd send out a bag of parts (washers, bolts, etc.) but still, i'm mad.

I want a new stroller now...
But, I won't get one.
Unless, my stroller breaks again. Then, it's really over between us.
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Where to start?

April 22, 2010

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Oh, where to start?
I've been lacking a bit on my blog. Life is just whizzing by and I haven't stopped to smell the blogs. And I know grandma + poppa are missing their daily photos...

We've just had parties galore, grocery trips to make, errands to run, never-ending laundry, stroller mishaps, a dirty house, a crazy cat who lives in her litter box + a tired mama!

And, I've no idea why I am SO exhausted these past couple days. Lia has (knock on wood b/c I'll be LIVID if I jinx it) mastered the art of sleeping through the night! She goes to bed around 10ish PM and doesn't wake up until 6-7ish AM. She get's a bottle and goes back to sleep in her swing for another couple hours! I guess I've just been doing alot lately. I should master the art of napping...

In other Lia news, she'll be 4 months old in 1 WEEK! Can you believe it?! She's starting to become this adorable little person. She greets us with a grin everytime she wakes up from a nap. She's finding her voice and she screams + coos, it's so much fun to hear! And, she LOVES the other baby in the mirror. When she sees her, her eyes twinkle and she breaks out a grin from ear to ear. Then she'll lean in towards the mirror to get the baby and bonk her head!

Now for you're viewing pleasure...


Lia is very loved around here!

We look good with 3 kids, huh?


In the city for the auto show.


Playing with the baby in the mirror!

It's bright outside!
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BABY GIRL

April 18, 2010

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My good friend Sabrina did these photos. She just started her business, you should check it out!
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a little something on friday

April 16, 2010

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It's Friday!

This week flew by. It was easy and not-so-easy all at the same time. L didn't do great with naps this week unless we were out in the car. But, she is taking one now (knock on wood) so it's making it easier for me to get things done (like baking brownies + cupcakes....and laundry + dishes, too). M + I also had some good time with some great friends this week. It's the start of some beautiful times.

I've realized this week that family + good friends are an amazing part of life. Without them, life wouldn't be as beautiful. It may be hard to find the time to develop those relationships, but it's so worth it. So do it. Take the extra minute to give your hubby a proper hello. Spend a few extra seconds hugging your kiddos. Kiss their chubby cheeks an extra time or two. Take the time out of your day + life (no matter how hectic it gets) to relish in those people and those moments.



I'm baking brownies for a charity stand this weekend.
Proceeds go to childrens cancer.


That's me + L. She's my little something everyday.
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grandma + poppa's daily photo

April 15, 2010

1 comment
She learned to suck her thumb. Seriously, it's THE cutest thing ever!
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grandma + poppa's daily photo

April 14, 2010

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RECAP OF THE WEEKEND

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Weekends are what I live for. I immerse myself into my family during the weekends. M + L are the proud owners of my attention those two wonderful days. Blogs, facebook, family phone calls. All of those are stored neatly in the back of my mind. It's kind of the way I like it.

This weekend was FULL! It started out rough on Friday night but that wasn't a hint to the rest of the weekend. Saturday, we went to a birthday party for our friends' son. We ended up at their house after the party hanging out until about 1 am! Friends, laughter, some drinks, girl talk + silly husbands. It was a good night! M + I spent Sunday in the city at the auto show. Orignally we had plans to leave L with a friend BUT I couldn't. All day is too long for me to be away from her. She did AWESOME. She did better out all day then she does when we're home all day. Everything catches her eye. I love watching her take in the sights + sounds of the world. Seeing everything for the first time. It's amazing. She even got in a couple naps. Monday was a special treat. M had the day off so we did a little Target shopping (I only bought kitty litter, a broom + a door mat...shocked?!) had some yum-o lunch at Famous Dave's then headed off to the park for a walk and a game of putt-putt. It's free for military. FREE! It makes how bad I suck a little better.

And guess what L learned this weekend?! How to....play with her feet! She figured out where they were and now she's always grabbing them. It's too cute. I know, if you aren't a parent you won't get why I freak out about this but it's my baby girl. My little 3 month old baby girl who is learning everything for the first time. Everything is a BIG deal! She's finding her voice too. It's loud. She has this high-pitched squeak she likes to make. Not because she's mad or laughing, just because, well I don't know. Because she's a learning baby, I suppose!


Oh, will you vote for my kiddo? It's the Parents magazine cover contest and well, mirror mirror on the wall who's the cutest of them all? L, you say? There you go, right from an experts mouth err, glass. Click here to vote, please! Feel free to do it more than once, if you think she deserves it! Because you know that I think that...

BTW, my weekend recap is coming midweek because of a long weekend then a busy start of the week. I started writing the post yesterday but never got back around to it until now!
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A LITTLE L(NESS)

April 10, 2010

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A few snapshots of L in the past couple days.




It's finally the weekend! I'm off to do some tidying up, laundry (i'm always saying i'm doing laundry...), putting away the groceries I didn't get around to last night and then we're off to a birthday party! M suprised me last night (I was having a bad night and he wanted to cheer me up) by letting me know he doesn't have to work on Monday. 3 day weekend, here we come!

Hope it (and yours!) is chock full of weekend fun!
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a little something on friday

April 9, 2010

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some more of my little somethings are...
homemade sweet tea
corn dogs + fried chicken
homemade caramel sauce
street fairs
my "m + l" necklace
flowers
scarves
getting L out of her crib in the morning and being greeted by a huge grin
walks in the park
ice cream
sun streaming through the blinds early in the morning

I'm thinking of opening this weekly post to my readers too. Anyone want to have their "little somethings" featured on this weekly post? Let me know!
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grandma + poppa's daily photo

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it's a blog party!

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Ultimate Blog Party 2010

It's officially time for the Ultimate Blog Party 2010 hosted by 5 minutes for moms. It sounds like a heap full of fun. You meet new blog friends, find great new blogs and  have a chance to win some prizes (who doesn't like prizes?!).

There's some great prizes too!
My top picks if i'm so lucky to win are...
16 - A custom made tutu for my little girl
USC 3 - $50 giftcard to Target
USC 60 - $200 gift certificate for any Wall Slicks.
If my top 3 are taken, i'd love 7 (tupperware) or 12 (netflix) or anything for babies (my daughter is 3 months old!) or Target /Bath + Body works giftcards.
It's simple. Just write up your party post, post the link over on 5 minutes for moms and start commenting on everyone else!

So without further ado...

Hello other UBP bloggers! I'm Kristy, a 23 yr old wife + mother. I started blogging about 2 years ago to keep our family connected to my hubby (we'll call him M) and I. We have family all around the world, literaly. The furthest are in Germany + Mexico (but i'm pretty sure we don't have any followers in Mexico!) I met M four years ago when he was stationed at a marine corp base about an hour from my hometown in North Carolina. We hit it off, got married a year later and have been inseperable since. Our daughter, Lia, is 3 months old. We are constantly amazed by her. I'm a SAH mom to Lia. We're lucky enough (still clueless how!) to be able to afford me staying at home with her and I really enjoy it. Of course, blogs + twitter help me stay sane when the only other human interaction I get is Lia! We're currently living in Long Island until it's time for our next duty station. M has been in the marine corp for about 6 years and until he decides he is done, Lia and I will follow + support him everywhere it leads us.

As for me, I'm pretty easy-going. Give me a pretty day, a book, + a tall glass of sweet tea and i'm set. I love family + reading. The beach is where I spent all summer at back home (LI beaches just aren't the same). I tend to leave most of our bank account in Target everytime I go (who doesn't though?!). And, i've got the coolest weiner ever (my dachshund, of course!)

My blog is about my family and our military life. Most posts are all about Lia + chock full of her photos! Seriously, one look at that adorable face and you're hooked!  It's called "A Little Something" so I like to add a little something every week. Usually just a photo of something fun or inspiring or those "little somethings" in life that are extras that make life more exciting (like the nuts on a chocolate sudae).

Can't wait to meet you party bloggers!

P.S.
My twitter is mama2lia - Love to meet all you other "tweeters" out there!
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grandma + poppa's daily photo

April 8, 2010

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She's finally grasping toys in front of her!
+ I think she may roll onto her tummy pretty soon!!

This one is for yesterday! I took it + got so busy with cleaning and getting ready for the party that I forgot to post it. I'll try to get another one for today.


P.S. Thanks aunt shell for the quilt. It's too stinking cute!
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CUPCAKES, DECORATIONS AND PRESENTS. OH MY!

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It was a very happy 25th birthday to M yesterday! The last couple weeks leading up to his birthday he's been saying how "old" he's getting. I keep telling him 25 isn't old. Let's freak out when we get to 30, ya know? Not that 30 is old but it's still a ways away! I wanted to cheer him up and make him realize he isn't old. I decided to throw an actual party. He knew I had invited his family over and I was ordering pizza and making bread. Usually they just come over and hang out and we eat and chat. I ended up buying kid-like decorations and balloons and those sqauker things that make lots of noise when you blow into them. I thought maybe it would make him feel a little younger. I think it worked! He told me at the end of the night "this was a lot more than I expected, I expected my family and just dinner but this was way more". He spoils me to death, I like returning the favor and showing him what he means to me and Lia. I made him strawberry cupcakes and brownie per his request. We ordered a few yum-o ny style pizza's and I made some cheese bread. It was a good night, a very good night. Lia got her daddy some nice plaid shorts + a tee. His family got him some new shoes. Which so oddly happened to match his new shorts perfectly. I got him the hid headlights for his car he's been wanting since I met him. Four years ago. Seriously, for four years he has pointed to every car with those lights we see and says "see those lights? those are the lights I want". It's kind of funny now - we both do it, still. But four years? Past time for him to get "those lights". Issues with figuring out where to order them + paypal + the website tricking me into not knowing if I ordered them or not meant Manny ordered them for himself last night after he figured out if I had or had not ordered them. I really should learn paypal...

Anyways, great food, great times, great presents, great brownies (i'm not tooting my own horn, I know they are great when our brother-in-law walks in, goes into the kitchen, and starts eating the crumbs out of the pan!) and great 'birthday boy with his wifey + daughter' family time. This weekend M + I will be heading to the NYC car show he's been wanting to go to since he's been old enough to go to car shows. I'm getting a friend to watch L for us. The car show will be too much for her to handle (it's an all-day thing) and it's not often M + I get some alone time.

Happy Thursday!

Oh, to all the other bloggers out there, tomorrow kicks off the Ultimate Blog Party 2010.
Ultimate Blog Party 2010
Come blog it up with us!


Now for some birthday pictures!

what's a party without hats + noisemakers?

cupcakes!

those brownies.

make a wish + blow out your candles baby!

happy birthday to YOU!


our very happy little family
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easter weekend

April 5, 2010

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We had a great Easter weekend! I hope ya'll did too.

Breakfast with M's family, then hanging out at their house while the kids dyed eggs and opened their baskets. Between me, aunt Aris, abuela + grandma - L got 4 baskets! Of course, mommy + daddy ate the candy.



Everyone was all smiles!


A was thrilled that L had bunny ears too. She insisted they model them together for a picture!


Then, we headed off to the park for an easter egg hunt + lunch. It was a beautiful day for the park! We enjoyed some ice cream and a few walks. The kids loved the easter egg hunt! L even found an egg. Okay, mommy + daddy found an egg and gave it to her.

thanks to Jasmine for the picture!


L loved being outside in a onesie only. She's bringing back the "one-eyed bandit" from my childhood.


She had her first go at a big-kid swing. She LOVED it!


After an exhausting, fun-packed day we headed home. L opened her baskets from us + grandma. Our first attempt at pictures didn't work out.



So, we decided to feed her and take our chances with her throwing up on her baskets. Our second attempt was so much better!


How much cuteness is stuffed into these photos?!


It was a great day. Don't let the great pictures fool you, we aren't perfect and neither was the day. But in the end, it's being with people you love that matter. I don't think we could have had a better 1st Easter for L!
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yardsale diva

April 3, 2010

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Does anyone else watch Clean House? M hates that show but i'm addicted! I just love the way they take a cluttered, disgusting house and make a beauty out of it.

Our yardsale kicked some serious butt. We were so busy almost all day. Everything was crazy cheap, but it wasn't about the money as much as getting rid of the stuff. We sold most of what we had (and there were 3 carloads of stuff). We had about half a carload leftover and we took it to Goodwill. I feel like a huge weight is gone. I really despise clutter even when everyone picks on me for buying what I don't use in the beginning.

We had a little issue with some ladies who wanted to practically take everything for nothing and try to confuse me but no such thing! I stood my ground and lost my patience a bit but it's all good.

M and I are exhausted after all that and then running errands. It was the perfect day for a yardsale (I even got a small sunburn!) and L was so good. She slept almost the whole time. We couldn't have asked for anything better than what we got.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Easter weekend!

P.S. I know I promised a picture of "the masses" but I forgot. No kidding, the minute I started setting up 1 of my gajillion boxes + hampers of stuff, a man came buy and bought almost all the mens clothing I had (of course, I had to dig around for all of them!). Just imagine my chevy equinox overfull x3!
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grandma + poppa's daily photo

April 2, 2010

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Lia hanging out on her new tummy/playtime/gym mat!

I picked it up at Target (of course!) yesterday and she seems to really like it, so far.
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