"For the First Time"

What a great week of "firsts" we have had!  Carly has been developing rapidly...too fast for us to keep up with!  I really think she is just weeks from crawling...so I've got a lot of work to do before she takes off!  She regularly goes into the crawling position and will rock for a bit and then flatten out.  I think next week she will begin lunging and then it's really just a matter of time before she is really crawling.  She gets so close some days...its exciting to watch!   While we were at a friends house this week, she also showed us that she can nearly pull herself up!  That was literally frightening to watch...one because of the potential "ouchie" she could get from falling and two because my 6 month old is not allowed to be pulling herself up!  Not yet!  She didn't quite make it, though, she got up on her knees and brought up one foot but couldn't figure out how to apply all her weight on her right foot in order to move the left one. :)  She can, however, stand without the help of another person while leaning against something for a 3-4 minute period of time.

Another first was about a week ago when she decided to yell out "mama" when she was playing with her toys and wanted me to come pick her up.  I figured it was just babble at first, but it has continued for a week now, so I think she is really saying it.  Many times when I lay her down for a nap or when she is playing by herself and needs my attention, Mama comes out very clearly.  Our Monday babysitter texted me while I was at work and said..."She is quite possibly crying "mama" from her crib."  Haha...I think she might be right!

Besides for near crawling, pulling up to her knees, standing unsupported by us and perhaps speaking, Carly has had some fun firsts in her activities, too.  She loves to "do."  So if there is a project I want to get done, Carly is all for it.  She is most entertained by watching me do something rather than playing by herself.  So this week we took up re-potting some plants and decorating the heights we have in the house. 

I'd like to re-decorate the entire house but we don't really have the disposable income or time to get that done, but at least I've built up some motivation for "doing" this week!  I've eaten pretty healthy and worked out a bit more...and I've lost another few pounds.  I decided to try on my pre-pregnancy jeans and I was pleasantly surprised that 4 of the 13 fit...so not terrible.  They are tight, but hey, it's a start.  I am beginning to feel "pretty" again and am comfortable in my skin for now.  I was standing with one of my coordinators at work this week and after a guest walked by my coordinator said, "He totally just checked you out!"  Haha...I was so excited.  I will lose these last 13 pounds...but not right now. I'm tired of dieting at such an extreme level and at least I have some clothes that fit and my wedding band to wear now.  Maybe a more realistic goal should have been "9 months on, 9 months off" rather than thinking I was going to shred the weight in a matter of months.  Actually, even more realistic would be at a year.  Even still, if I could keep my weight gain under 40 pounds like most women, I could probably shred it pretty fast.  Challenge accepted. ;)

Sorry for the side bar...back to Carly.  We spent a day with Brenna at Magic Kingdom on Wednesday and Carly had many characters give her attention while we were there! This was also Carly's 20th time entering a Disney Park!  Wohoo!

Brenna carried Carly around nearly the entire day.  They had a great time together!

While we were at the park, we let Carly try some of our Citrus Swirl (orange concentrate and ice cream).  We only gave her a tiny bit on a spoon and only of the concentrate...so it doesn't count as her first time having ice cream.  She really didn't like the sour taste, but kept asking for more.  It was pretty funny.

Going in for a bite...

Ooooo...I don't know how I feel about that...

I'll let it set for a while and swish it around in my mouth

May day, may day...it made its weigh to my sour taste buds! Help!

We took a boat from the Magic Kingdom to Disney's Fort Wildreness Resort where we ate at Trail's End (not to be confused with Wilderness Lodge, where we ate a few weeks ago).

 After lunch we played at the playground and Carly had her first swing ride!  I think it's safe to say she LOVED it. :)

She also hula-hooped for the first time...kind of.

Well goodness that's a lot to report.  We live a pretty exciting life in Florida and are blessed to have such fun days as a family!  We will be venturing to Iowa next week and couldn't be more excited!  We get to spend time with close family and friends, watch the Cyclones play at Jack Trice, visit two new babies who were born THIS week and feel the cool Iowa air.  YAY!