Rice Rice Baby!

Today we started rice cereal, and I think it was a success!  She loved it and ate everything that I had made.  Hopefully this will lead to longer nights like we used to have!  

This is how we roll

Mike is currently doing a rotation in Lake City, which is about 45 min away which leaves Allie and I at home without a car frequently.  So, in order to not go crazy, we frequently go on walks and also go to the pool.  Recently, Allie has been kicking her feet up on the tray of the stroller and this is how she rolls....

Grandma Meldrum's 90th Birthday Bash!

At the end of June, we were lucky enough to head out to St. George for Mike's Grandma's 90th Birthday Bash!  Allie and I, along with Mike's parents flew out a couple days early to go hang out with Grandma & Melanie with Mike following a few days later.  We got the whole gang together up in the mountains and ate, played, mingled and had a fun talent show.  It was great to see Grandma and some cousins I have not even met yet.  We had tons of fun!   

One of the best parts was the flight to Atlanta.  Allie was laughing the whole time while we were descending, she thought it was so fun.  She is going to be a roller coaster girl, just like her parents!  

The 4 generation picture

Allie with GG's hand

Cheese ball family picture

She loves watching kids play, and would not make a peep all day

Hangin' out with Aunt Mel

The whole Gang

The boy cousins in order of bald spot size.... note mike is at the hairy end!

We decided we should get a shot of their faces too

We put together a book of memories from all of Mike's cousins and Aunts & Uncles, some were a little more colorful than others

Meldrum's talent show

Mom & Mel

4 Months!

4 Month Stats:

Weight - 14 lbs 6 oz   56%

Head Circumference - 16 1/2 inches  67%

Height - 26 1/4 inches  100%!

Yes, we are going to have a really tall daughter, but that is not a huge surprise.  I was always off the charts for height as a child.  We are totally enjoying our little girl and it is so fun to see her personality come out.  She is such a social butterfly; Allie loves to be out with people and in new places.  She will smile at anyone and smiles often.  Here are some of our favorites things about our Alligator right now:

- Her whole face smile with her half-moon eyes

-How she rolls over every time I lay her on her back but then squawks until I come and roll her back over, then does it again 5 seconds later

-Her laugh, which is quickly followed by a set of hiccups

-How she now (after much effort) falls asleep by herself! 

-How when she sucks her thumb, she pokes herself in the eye.

We love our little Allie!  

Real Simple

For anyone who is a Real Simple Magazine fan or who would like to be, right now at amazon.com, a full year's subscription is only $5!  That is a savings of $49!  I LOVE this magazine and would recommend it to anyone!  

The Yummiest Coconut Macaroons Ever!

My mom and I have been on a search for good coconut macaroons and we have found them! They are so good, I have to share the recipe which is from the Lion House Desserts cookbook.

Coconut Macaroons

14 oz sweetened coconut, chopped in the food processor

1 tube almond paste (7 oz), grated (we did in food processor)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 egg whites, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325*. Line baking sheet with wax paper (we use Silpat). In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except egg whites and stir. Add egg whites and mix together (should be very thick). Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake for 25 min until lightly browned but still soft in the center. Cool on a wire rack.

These are Delicious! Enjoy!

Thumbs up!

Like Mother like Daughter (I sucked my thumb until I was like 5). Allie has recently found her thumb and it as been the best thing ever! She now peacefully goes down to sleep as soon as I lay her down. We used to have struggles of her binkey falling out and having to go put it back in, but now she can do it herself. We were going to start the binkeyless sleep training once we got back from Utah, but she did it even before. Now she will go down still awake and just suck herself to sleep. Not only is it very useful, but I think it is also very cute!