FOOD UPDATE....

So I kind of left you guys hanging on the edge of your seats...what does Taylor like to eat!??!?! Well, the green beans never really grew on her. But peas, she liked.The sweet potatoes gave her a little rash. And as for the carrots and squash...well, as you can see, we couldn't shovel them in fast enough.These past few days, we have attempted to introduce Stage 1 Meats. Don't be fooled, this isn't filet mignon or chicken a la king. It is a mush that resembles in both consistency and scent something that we might choose to feed Fido or Fluffy. Within seconds of the spoon entering her mouth, Taylor furrowed her little red brow with, I am sure, only one thought, "WHY? WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS?" In an attempt to please her parents, Taylor pushed the pureed beef to the back of her throat and attempted to swallow. But the moment the mush touched those tiny little taste buds, she gagged. Taylor has tried so hard these past 3 days to let the flavor grow on her....no luck.

So, tomorrow we start fruits! Yum!!!

PLAYTIME...

For the past couple of months, Taylor has been spending an hour or so a day in the nursery while I work out at Elmwood Fitness. I have LOVED it for several reasons.

A) it has helped me shed the last few pounds of my pregnancy weight

B) it has given be some much needed 'me' time during the day

C) Taylor has begun 'socializing'!

She loves the nursery and those who take care of her in the nursery, Ms. Flor, Kristina, the whole bunch. The ladies are always telling me what a wonderful baby Taylor is, so happy, so easy. She swings, she watches the big kids play, she giggles, she naps, and then one day, she did something brand new. She was put in a exer-saucer/bouncer toy. Apparently, Taylor just went crazy with giggles and smiles. For the past 3 weeks, she has played in the bouncer every day in the nursery. This past week, we made a roadtrip to Shreveport. Taylor's cousin Braylin is now too big for her exer-saucer. With Braylin's Mommy's permission, we brought the giant contraption on back to NOLA with us. For those of you that know how I am with keeping my house in order, you can only imagine the fear I had regarding baby toys being strewn about the house. And this huge, hunk of plastic with bells and whistles of all sorts is now smack dab in the middle of my living room. But does that matter? No, because I am having way too much fun watching Taylor pull, twist, tug, gnaw, and exercise those little hams of hers!

THROW ME SOMETHING MISTER!!!

In true New Orleans fashion, Ray and I toted our little 4 month old to Mardi Gras. Well, we felt it was only fitting, being that she was born in New Orleans, that she experience the craziness and amazement that is New Orleans Mardi Gras!!

So...we bundled up, headed to the heart of Uptown, strolled up St. Charles, and finally settled into a family-friendly spot on Napoleon...

We people-watched (And trust me, even in the family-friendly zones, there is plenty to see!)...

We broke it down with the marching bands (I am definitely considering getting Taylor a pair of boots with tassels!)...

We caught some beads...

And by the end, we were exhausted! Taylor was asleep before we could get the straps buckled.

All in all, is was a wonderful 1st Mardi Gras! And... she is already a natural. We had been at the parade for around 2 hours and we were teetering on that fine line between happy baby and fussy, sleepy, hungry baby. Ray and I had finally decided it was time to pack it up and head on home. As we began gathering our things, another float approached. We had been so careful to protect
Taylor from the flying beads, doubloons, and random throws. But, one got through from this float. And like slow motion, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flashy, red, string of beads hurling toward the baby-bjorn. Before I could react or Ray could jump in the line of fire, Taylor opened her tiny little hand. As if the beads were meant for her only, they landed right in her tiny palm and she quickly clasped her fingers shut. That's right, folks, she caught herself a Mardi Gras bead!!!

YUMMY, YUMMY TO OUR TUMMY....BABY FOOD!

Oh goodness, what a mess was made. At the pediatricians direction, we began feeding Taylor baby food. We started this new adventure with green veggies. On the menu for Supper #1: Green Beans. What a sight!!! Out of 4 ounces, I would say about 3.75 ounces ended up on the bib, the bumbo chair, well, everywhere except in Taylor's tummy.

There were giggles...

There were tears...

and in the end, all three of us were completely exhausted.

This evening was Supper #4, and there has been some improvement. Ray and I have wised up. We now strip Taylor down to a diaper, use a disposable bib, and keep the tub of WetOnes at an arms length. We also have moved on to yummier, yet still green, veggies...Sweet Peas! This evening, Taylor ate all four ounces! Only a few more days of the greens and we will move on to yellow veggies and after that, orange veggies. The doctor recommended we introduce Taylor to veggies, then meat, and lastly, fruits (save the yummiest for last). I will keep you all posted on what are Taylor's favorites.

THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING...

I know what your thinking...Jennifer is a HORRIBLE blogger. She has let 2 months pass us by without so much as a picture, a video, a single sentence to keep us entertained.

Well, I promise I haven't been slacking. Between holidays, freezes, sicknesses, and, not to mention the general everyday tasks with Taylor, I have been short on time. I know, excuses, excuses. Lets just say I was letting the suspense build!

So, yesterday was Taylor's 4 month birthday!! I know, right...4 months!?!? And in these last 2 months, missed by the blogging train, we have had MANY "firsts"....

-We had a wonderful first Christmas as a family. And with her first Christmas, Taylor had her first visit from Santa! We spent Christmas day in Shreveport with Gammie & PopPop and the rest of Taylor's maternal family. Then we went to Houston to celebrate with her paternal family. We had tons of fun and took tons of pics. Here are a few...

-Back around Thanksgiving, Taylor saw her first snowflake. But more recently, she experienced her first FREEZE!! And let me tell you, she was a trooper. Many of you have been to our house, but surely ALL of you know about most New Orleans houses...off the ground, drafty old windows and very little insulation. Apparently, they were not built for freezing weather. Our house was like a meat locker. So, Taylor and I stayed all bundled up and she never lost her smile. New Orleans managed to thaw out after 3 or 4 days.

-Following the freeze, I caught a terrible cold. And, sure enough, shortly thereafter, Taylor had her first cold. I know we have to see our child get sick eventually, but Taylor's mom was not ready for this milestone. Trust me, no one found it easy to watch a three month old coughing, sneezing, screaming crying, and unable to eat because of congestion. It lasted 2 days. The fever finally broke and she seemed like her old happy self again. The cough is still sticking around, as is the snotty nose...yuck.

-She's done it. Taylor has found her foot. AND, her foot has almost managed to make it to her mouth. She also finally figured out how to roll from her back to her tummy!!

-Last night, on her birthday, Taylor had her first evening with a real babysitter!! Up until now, Ray and I have only gone out when Taylor's grandparents are around to keep her. But last night, Taylor had a fabulous time with Miss Erin. (And Mommy and Daddy had a fabulous time at dinner!)

-Today, was Taylor's 4 month appointment. And while this was not her first time getting shots, this is the first time she will get a 'I-Got-A-Shot-Today-Treat' and this treat will be a BIG first...BABY FOOD!!! That's right, folks, tonight Ray and I will offer our baby girl Gerber, Stage One, yummy-to-my-tummy, pureed green beans. I am not sure if mushed up veggies count as a treat. So, she is also getting a new toy) The results of this experience will get its on post!

Its definitely a something new every day time in our lives. Our little baby (now 25.5" and 14lb, 8 oz) makes a new noise all the time. She loves sitting up, especially in her bumbo chair! She reaches for toys and shakes those that make noise. And, geez, she is fun to dress....and in shoes almost every single day! :) I promise to keep up with the blogging from now on. But here are a few pictures to catch you up on how much she has grown and changed!