Happy 9 Months, Baby!

I can't believe that 9 months ago I was having a baby! And now I can't imagine life without sweet little Brooke. It's making me a little sad that she's 9 months old today and has now been out in this world longer than she was in me.

I don't know her 9 month stats from the doctor yet, but here are a few details about Brooke at 9 months old:

*As everyone who knows her will tell you, Brooke is such a happy, easygoing sweetheart ALL the time! We definitely needed her personality in our family!

These photos are all from her 7 month photo shoot at Picture People. I apologize for the quality, since we received the prints and had to scan them into the computer. The colors are not nearly as good when they're scanned. And my favorite photo from the shoot, the one that we framed and put on the fireplace mantle, is too large to scan. So I can't even show the blog world my favorite photo!!! Guess these other cute ones will have to suffice...

*She's not quite crawling yet, but oh so close!
She loves to be down on the floor exploring everything and finding new toys. She gets up on her hands and knees, rocks back and forth on them, scoots and rolls around the room, and wants so badly to crawl! Soon!

*I don't know her weight or length, but she still fits into size 2 diapers! However, she's long just like all my kids are, so she outgrows her clothes in length pretty quickly. She wears 6-12 month clothes still for now.

*One of her favorite new tricks is shaking her head. She'll shake her head really hard so her hair flips all over her face, and then laugh. She thinks it's the funniest thing ever, and so do her sisters!

*She really likes to connect with people. She makes great eye contact with everyone, and she loves it when people smile and interact with her. She's never had stranger anxiety yet and is happy with anybody holding her and playing with her. (Hoping that continues!)

*She loves car rides! She's usually very quiet in the car and likes to look out the windows. I'll be sad when she outgrows her infant seat, because she actually enjoys being in it.

*She also loves bath time, and she kicks and splashes violently in her little tub and completely soaks the bathroom floor and whoever is bathing her!

*Brooke sleeps from about 7:30 or 8 pm straight through the night until 8 or 9 the next morning! Maybe because of all that good nighttime sleep she's getting, she is already only taking one nap per day. She started doing that at 8 months old, which seems really young to me. But it works out well, because she often naps at the same time as Natalie and will take a long 2-3 hour nap and then be pretty happy the rest of the afternoon until bedtime. So it's young to be down to one nap, but it works for us!

*She's a good little eater! She still eats only baby food, but she seems to like all varieties we've given her except for one. . . peas. None of my babies have ever liked peas! They eat green beans though.

*She's such a sweet and wonderful baby! It makes me really sad to think of a day in the future when I won't have a baby Brooke to smile at me and laugh. I would just love to freeze her at this age forever if I could! No growing up!!!

Christmas in July Giveaway Blog Hop. . . Tea Collection $50 gift certificate!

Welcome to the Christmas in July Giveaway Blog Hop!!!
125 blogsare participating, and there are a whole ton of prizes and great stuff up for grabs! This giveaway hop runs from July 25-31'st.

I absolutely love finding high-quality and beautiful clothes for my kids, so I am super excited about my sponsor. . .

Tea Collection is offering my winner a $50 gift certificate to be used on anything in their beautiful online shop!!!

I received some Tea Collection girl's clothes from their new fall line to review, and they are gorgeous!!! I completely love the quality. The fabric is so soft and comfortable for my kids to wear. And the designs are just adorable! Modern and fun, unique and inspiring!

My very favorite piece that I received was this Bird of Paradise dress for my 4 year-old daughter. The fabric was inspired by the exotic Bird of Paradise flower that blooms all over Mexico, and I'm in love with it! I had never tried the Tea Collection children's clothing before this, and now I wish I could outfit my kids in their styles from head to toe!

The Tea Collection designs distinctive apparel inspired by beauty they discover in their travels around the world. (Just what a travel addict like me loves! I've got to check out their women's collection next!) Their new Fall 2011 line is inspired by Modern Mexico. I really have never seen another collection like it for children, and that's why I love it so much. I'm always drawn to children's fashions that are unique and have a wonderful personality to them.

You can buy Tea Collection clothing for all ages of kids, from newborn up to size 12! Their baby clothing is just the cutest, perfect for photographs, special occasions, or to wear every day.

Winning $50 to spend at Tea Collection truly would be Christmas in July to me!!!

Here's how to enter to win this $50 gift certificate from Tea Collection:

*Become a follower of my blog! Or let me know if you already follow me. Either way, leave me a comment and tell me you're a follower! (Just click 'Google Friends Connect' on my sidebar!)

Get extra entries (up to 5) when you:
1. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
2. Look around the Tea Collection website and tell me what you'd love to spend the $50 on if you win!
3. "Like" Tea Collection on Facebook here.
4. Follow Tea Collection on Twitter over here.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
5. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status, and be sure to link to this post!

*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway will close on July 31'st at 11:59 pm and is open worldwide. Good luck!!!

My Disclaimer: This is a MamaBuzz Media Review. The product was provided by Tea Company for this review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

*Be sure to check out all the fantastic prizes offered by the other Christmas in July blogs!

Fireworks!!!

If you know anyone who lives in the Seattle area, chances are good you've heard a lot of complaining lately about our un-summer. (And yes, I'm guilty of it too. Today didn't get above the 50's. In July!!!) But if there's one thing Seattle got 100% right this summer, it was our 4'th of July weekend. Perfect. Amazing. Beautiful.

4'th of July itself was SO beautiful we took the ferry from Edmonds over to Kingston.
{Yep, that's from my camera! Took it of the passing ferry going the opposite direction!}

It was Natalie and Brooke's first ferry ride! They loved it!
{Kirsten had her own 4'th of July in California with grandma and grandpa}

Mount Rainier was out in all its stunning glory!!!
{This photo doesn't even look real, it's so pretty! But it's real!}

Pulling into Kingston. . .

Kingston is the perfect little half-day trip from my house!
We ate crepes outside from a cute little crepe place, got some ice cream, and watched the Kingston 4'th of July parade!

{Yep, this is all right by where I live! Seattle's pretty underrated, isn't it? I certainly think so!}

It REALLY was a grand and glorious 4'th!!! I couldn't have asked for better!
We spent the evening at a BBQ with friends, good food, and tons of fireworks!

It's pretty new to me, shooting off fireworks right there next to all the houses, since I grew up in California where that's illegal. Our friends had HUGE fireworks that shot up right over us and around us! Pretty amazing! Natalie had been talking about fireworks for several days and was really excited, but I thought she might be scared to be so close to them. Nope. . . she LOVED them!

"Fireworks!!!!" One of her new favorite words :)

It was a perfect night! Brooke the happiest baby fell asleep inside our friends' house, and Natalie stayed up and watched fireworks to her heart's content! It seems that Natalie's a night owl who doesn't want to miss any fun or excitement. . . a little bit like someone I know. ;)

And she's been asking for more fireworks ever since that night.
Happy 4'th indeed!!!

Fun Finds: HALO ComfortLuxe Sleepwear Giveaway!

I'm so thrilled that I found some awesome new pajamas for my baby! I always loved the HALO Sleep Sacks, and now they've come up with something brand new and very innovative. . .
Comfortluxe sleepwear!

So how is it different from other pajamas?

HALO Comfortluxe is a revolutionary new fabric that breathes much better than cotton and helps promote healthier skin. It works by regulating body temperature and wicking moisture away from the skin where it evaporates quickly. This helps babies to stay cooler when it's warm and warmer when it's cool! The fabric is breathable and lightweight, and very comfortable for babies. The fabric has been awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the National Eczema Organization. Babies who wear the ComfortLuxe can have their sensitive skin soothed, since the fabric reduces the itch/scratch cycle that can lead to irritation, discomfort, and flare-ups.

This has been perfect for my baby Brooke, who has sensitive skin and has suffered from eczema for about six months now. In the past we've put her to bed in regular pajamas and when she wakes up we find scratches all over her poor little body! But she has slept in the ComfortLuxe pajamas many times and never scratched herself on those nights!

The Coverall for babies comes in pink or blue up to size 9 months, and then they also offer 2-piece pajamas for toddlers up to size 4T!

You can buy a pair for your baby or toddler on Amazon!

HALO is offering one of my readers a ComfortLuxe sleeper in any size from newborn to 4T, and in your choice of pink or blue! I'm sure you will love these pajamas as much as I do!

Here's how to enter to win:

*Become a follower of my blog! Or let me know if you already follow me. Either way, leave me a comment and tell me you're a follower! (Just click 'Google Friends Connect' on my sidebar!)

Get extra entries (up to 8!) when you:
1. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
2. Tell me which color and size you'll choose from HALO ComfortLuxe, and who it will be for if you're the winner!
3. "Like" HALO ComfortLuxe on Facebook here.
4. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status, and be sure to link to this post!
5. Tweet about this giveaway and link to me.
6. Mention this giveaway on your blog and link to me!
7. Grab my button off my sidebar and display it somewhere on your blog.
8. Leave a new comment on any of my other recent blog posts (doesn't matter which one, I just love to read your comments!), and let me know you did.

*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway is open to the US and Canada, and will close on August 3'rd. Good luck!!!

My Disclaimer: I received a product free of charge from HALO in exchange for writing an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own!

Fabulous Finds. . . Storkie Cards!

It's July and that means. . . Christmas cravings!!!
I always get Christmas cravings around this time of year. I really enjoy summer, but in July for some reason I start wistfully thinking of Christmas cookies, decorating trees, the music, the snow falling, and all the wonderful things I love so much about the holiday season.

One of these years I vow to actually get my Christmas cards ordered early! As in really early, like September, so that all I'll have to do in December is mail them out. I'm curious. . . what do all my readers do with old Christmas cards? Do you get rid of them or save them? Do you ever display them when they're a year old or longer? So far I save most of them in my closet in a drawer, wondering what to do with them. Here's one of my favorite ideas I've heard, and would love to do someday:

Get a sheet of glass cut to fit over the top of your kitchen table or dining room table. Drape a red tablecloth over your table, and then arrange all your favorite old Christmas cards over the table. Then cover it all with the sheet of glass, and voila! A great conversation starter as well as a fun way to display cards and relive memories. For the rest of the year, you could display old vacation photos that way, or any photos you're just dying to display!

I'm already on the hunt for some stylish Christmas cards this year. . .

I just discovered all the different types of cards from Storkie, and am seriously impressed by the unique and beautiful designs! Just check out the gorgeousness:

We're Having. . . Life-Changing Homemade Alfredo Sauce!

Call me presumptuous for calling this alfredo sauce "life-changing", but for me it really was! As soon as I got my first taste of it, I said "I'm never buying jarred Alfredo sauce again!" And I haven't!!! This sauce is SO easy to make and so delicious, I just make this every time!

This recipe comes from my good friend Oscar Hunt's mother, Martha Hunt. So Martha, I don't think you're reading this, but thank you for this awesome sauce!

All you need are 5 ingredients!!!

Life-Changing Alfredo Sauce:
1 cube butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup parmesan and asiago cheeses (I usually use more than this, I just buy the pre-shredded bags and then keep adding cheese until it has enough!)

Melt butter and cream cheese together in a saucepan. Add milk and cheeses, and stir until well mixed. The sauce will look very buttery, but it will taste fabulous! I love it tossed with grilled chicken and penne pasta. Enjoy!!!

Fun Finds. . . Boumy Baby Shoes!

Wow. . . baby shoes that actually stay ON my 8 month-old baby's feet!!!

Boumy baby shoes are super cute shoes made of 100% soft leather. I'm thrilled with them because they come in several bright, fun designs and colors. And the elastic around the ankle makes them very secure! My baby kicks her legs all the time, and most shoes fly right off her feet in a matter of minutes. Boumy shoes stay on!

I also love the softness of these shoes! The bottoms are roughened so they'll get a good grip on the floor, making them a good flexible, soft-soled option for new walkers. Their new collection has a bunch of fun designs for boys and girls, sized for ages 0-2 years.

Deal Alert: Get 20% off your total purchase from Boumy Shoes! Use this coupon code: MAB072011. (This code expires July 31, 2011, and can be used once per customer).
Be sure to "Like" Boumy shoes on Facebook!

My disclosure: I received a pair of Boumy shoes at no charge to provide my thoughts in this review. All opinions are my own!

Fun Finds. . . B2S Bloggie Boogie Giveaway Event!!!

I'm really excited to be teaming up with the Back 2 School Bloggie Boogie Giveaway Event!!!

This giveaway hop runs from July 17-31'st, and I'm offering a gorgeous giveaway package of $75 worth of handmade clothing and accessories from Etsy shops! Perfect for any little girl in your life!

When you enter this giveaway, you can ALSO enter to win a $500 cash grand prize (!!!!!), provided by our event sponsor, Save and Make Moola. Head over here to enter for the grand prize.

So here is my *Prize #1*, modeled by my very own cute little baby, Brooke!
A custom tutu from Social Salutations in colors of your choice, valued at $25!

Doesn't Brooke look adorable in this tutu? She wore it for her 6 month photo shoot, and it was the perfect accessory! Social Salutations makes her tutus with gorgeous accents, like satin flowers and ribbons! It's easy to see why tutus are so popular for little girls right now... they are just TOO cute! And they come in sizes from newborn up to 5T!

I love all the variety in the Social Salutations shop. Along with tutus, she also makes cards and stationary, and fun headbands in bright, happy colors like this one!

*Prize #2* $25 gift certificate to the Dayspring Dresses Etsy shop!

I'm so in love with this little damask and polkadot ruffle peasant dress. SO in love! The colors, the mix of patterns, the unique design. . . Can't I buy one in my size?

Dayspring Dresses produces handmade dresses for little girls, and the fabrics she chooses are all so beautiful and high quality! She specializes in smocking and monogramming. I received a dress for my little girl to review, and I was blown away by the quality of the workmanship and the fabric. She loves to create custom dresses for little girls, and will give each piece lots of special attention. I love this dress that I got:
Deal Alert: Get 10% off your order from Dayspring Dresses when you use this coupon code- Give10

*Prize #3* A $25 gift certificate to the Posh Lily Etsy shop!

I love the combo packs of cute girlie accessories available in this shop! Posh Lily sells handmade clips, flowers, headbands, hats, and beanies. The combo packs are such a great idea! You can mix and match everything that comes in them! The clips can be worn alone or attached to the headbands and beanies. You get a lot of bang for your buck! These would make perfect baby shower gifts!

Here's how to enter to win these beautiful handmade prizes:

*Become a follower of my blog! Or let me know if you already follow me. Either way, leave me a comment and tell me you're a follower! (Just click 'Google Friends Connect' on my sidebar!)

Get extra entries (up to 12!) when you:
1. Like me on Facebook! Just click the button on my sidebar to become a Facebook fan!
2. Check out the Social Salutations Etsy shop and tell me which sweet item is your fave!
3. "Heart" Social Salutations shop on Etsy.
4. Look around Dayspring Dresses and tell me which dress you love the most!
5. "Heart" Dayspring Dresses on Etsy.
6. Become a Facebook fan of Dayspring Dresses here.
7. Check out Posh Lily and tell me what you'd spend your gift certificate on if you win!
8. "Heart" Posh Lily on Etsy.
9. Mention this giveaway on your Facebook status, and be sure to link to this post!
10. Tweet about this giveaway and link to me.
11. Mention this giveaway on your blog and link to me!
12. Leave a new comment on any of my other recent blog posts (doesn't matter which one, I just love to read your comments!), and let me know you did.

*Please leave a separate comment for EACH entry, and make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner! This giveaway will close on July 31'st. Good luck!!!

Hop on over to enter a whole lot MORE giveaways at the Back 2 School Bloggie Boogie giveaway event! There's over $2,300 in prizes up for grabs!!!

And a big thank you to our sponsor! Visit www.saveandmakemoola.com to find the latest coupon codes and deals for your favorite online stores. Find out how SAMM can help you save and make moola!