Christmas with the Bidney's, Higgins and Sutton's

Christmas with the Bidney's
The weekend before Christmas we went to my parents house to celebrate Christmas a little early

Oma holding Mallory




















Aunt Sandy helping Mallory unwrap her Christmas present...she was more interested in the ribbon















Great Grandma holding Mallory















Cousin Giana helping Mallory roll over















Uncle Drew rocking Mallory to the music




















Uncle Drew and Great Grandpa















Oma and Grandma w/ Mallory
















Christmas w/ the Higgins
On Christmas weekend we went to Josh's moms to celebrate

Mallory in front of the tree after Santa Claus came




















Mallory in her new wagon




















Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas















Christmas with the Sutton's

Great Grandma holding her two newest great grandchildren















GGma with all of her great grandchildren




















Mallory's 1st introduction to her new cousin Makala (she was born September 1st)














Mallory trying to hold Makala up














On Sunday Uncle Aaron, Grandpa and Josh went squirrel/rabbit hunting. Mallory just HAD to get in the picture because she had her camo bib on.

so much has happened

Oh, so much has happened in the last couple of weeks. Two Saturdays ago Josh sprained his ankle pretty bad. He did it playing basketball. I ended up taking 1/2 of Saturday off and Sunday off of work. Monday we went to his dr office for a follow up and he prescribed a boot that he has to wear around so his ankle doesn't move. He is getting around pretty good and can actually walk around w/out the boot on. I need to start making him do the alphabet w/ his foot so he'll build up those muscles again.

Mallory is trying to crawl. She's really getting up on her hands and knees and rocks. Before I know it she'll be crawling around, agh!!!!!!! She gets frustrated because she can't go anywhere and when she tries she just face plants into the carpet.

She is also eating a wide varity of solids. We started her on them after her 6 mo checkup. She had just been eating cereal. She loves her veggies but isn't too big on fruits...who would've known. She LOVES juice...of course we dilute it w/ water so it isn't so sugary.

She is FINALLY 15 lbs. She's really starting to fill out a little more (rolls on the legs are so cute and her big cheeks). I think it's because she is eating more solids. She loves peas and mashed potatos. Every morning I usually have a bagel and she opens her mouth like a little bird for some...so I sneak her little pieces. Oh we tried a food teether...you put solid fruit or something frozen in this mesh thing and she chews on it. She ate almost 2 peeled apple slices and LOVED it.
Wedding plans are going strong...it's crunch time now. Less then a month. I still have to get a couple more decorations but other then that we're good. I'm going to Hy-Vee on Tuesday to verify the food and flowers. How exciting. I can't believe it's so close.

Well that is a short update from our household. Hope everyone has a Safe and Happy Holidays.

Here is a picture of all the kids in our playgroup. Unfortunatly this is the only one I got where all of them are in it...maybe not visable but in it. From left to right: Preston, Lucy, Mallory, Ethan, and Zach (he did not want his pic taken)















Josh and I went to the store the other day and Mallory fell asleep on the way home. She looked so cute and cozy that I didn't want to move her.















Mallory is a BIG girl now and she gets to take BIG girl bath in the BIG tub. Sometimes instead of giving her a bath we let her take a shower w/ us. She is one slippery baby:)















I know this is a really close and out of focus picture but it's too cute. Look at those pinchable cheeks...just like her dad.















The adventure of Mallory and peaches...watch the video below. Basically she made the worse face when we were giving her peaches but as soon as we got the camera out she was all smiles.















Mal drinking her beer, I mean juice:)















The adventure of Mallory and peaches...


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Visits and growling

Last Wednesday Mallory and I made a long trip down south (just an hour) to visit my friends Jennifer and Aaron and their little girl Addison (I posted a pic of her a month or two ago). We had a great time. Addison is so beautiful and Mallory had a fun time being entertained by other people:) Addison is 2 months old now...man time flies. She is healthy and happy.

Here is Mallory and Addison...I swear Addie is just as long as Mallory. Addie is trying to get Mallory w/ her finger toes:)















Addison in her swing. Jennifer says it's a life saver. She would sleep in that thing all day if they let her.















Aaron walking w/ Mallory. She thought Aaron was the funniest thing.



















Addie and Mal laying next to each other. Luckily Mallory didn't try and pull her eyeball out.



















The other day I set Mallory in the laundry basket to see what she thought. She was pretty entertained until she fell over and couldn't get back up.

Chewing on the laundry basket...surprise. Still no teeth, but she's working hard on them.















Happy Mal















I know you probably won't be able to see this video very well (it was dark in the room) but I had to post it. Instead of laughing sometimes Mallory growls. She sounds like a character from Star Wars. It's pretty funny.


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Dr. appt, rocking, real food, winter, Christmas Tree, Santa and Bridal Shower

It's been busy here at the Sutton household. Well last Monday Mallory had her 6 month checkup. She is doing great. Here are her stats:

height: 24 1/4 inches - 5% (for children her height) Thank you Nana and Oma
weight: 14 lbs 8 oz - 25%
head: 16 5/8 inches - 50%

So she is a typical Sutton...Big Head...but small in size:) Just kidding. The dr gave us the ok to allow her table food (aka jar food). She had just been eating cereal (when we remembered to give it to her). She is doing great on solids. 1st we tried carrots and she wasn't too hot about those. She loves peas and the next day she gobbled up almost the whole jar of carrots. Next I think we are going to try sweet potatos. She isn't too sure about mashed up bananas, but we'll keep trying. So far no allergic reactions...so that is great. She sure loves food though. In a way I feel scared because I'm not sure I'm ready for her to go to this next step...1st baby food then real food then the next thing I know she's 18. She is growing up so fast and it seems like every day she changes so much. Oh well, I'm just glad I'm able to stay home w/ her and see all this stuff.

Here is Mallory NOT enjoying carrots for the 1st time. Now she loves them...I think she was just shocked that it didn't taste like cereal and wasn't to sure what to think about it.















The other day I was eating lunch and everytime I would take a bite Mal would open up her mouth like I was supposed to feed her. It cracked me up so I had to take a picture.
















Last Wednesday we got some nasty weather (freezing rain and then snow). So I decided it was time to break out the snowsuit. She doesn't exactly love it but at least I know she isn't going to freeze to death.



















I tell ya, she'd be walking before Chistmas if I let her:) Here she is on the changing pad in the crawling position. She has tried to do some rocking...but usually her legs just kind of plop out from underneath her when she tries.






























Mallory's 1st Christmas tree. We picked it up on Friday. The house smells great... nothing like cold weather and the smell of pine when you walk in the door.




















On Friday Mallory and I meet up w/ Candi and Avery Keown. We had lunch and the girls just about pulled each other down...of course Mallory went straight for the hair:) Poor Avery, she has quick reflexes and did a karate move to get Mal away:) Mallory and Avery also saw Santa. I would post a picture but the nazi charged an arm and a leg and won't let you take your own picture. Let me tell you the girls look thrilled...at least they didn't cry (we'll save that for next year)














Yesterday was my bridal shower. It was wonderful. I can't believe how many people braved the cold and came. I think the babies almost out numbered the adults. It was a great time and very relaxing. I didn't have to dress up in toilet paper or do any crazy things...I think they are saving that for the bachelorette party:)















Things are going great here. I started my new waitressing job and it is helping out a lot. I really enjoy it and it's nice to get out of the house. I really miss Josh and Mallory. I am working evenings so we don't have to get a sitter...so Josh and I get to see each other for maybe 10 minutes before I have to take off and I usually don't get home until after 10. Josh gets to put Mallory to bed; which also makes me sad because that was my job. Josh is doing great. He is so wonderful w/ Mallory. I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful family and loving finance. I can't wait for January when we get married. Oh yeah, the wedding plans have kind of been put on a hold for a while ($$ issues...weddings are expensive; just elope). but the date is still in January:) We will get it done one way or another.

BIG girl

Mallory from day one has HATED (with a passion) her car seat. So when Josh and I go shopping we try to sneak one past her and just set the car seat in the cart...well it has never worked, so we either end up carrying her or I put her in the front carrier and that is how we get our shopping done. Well now that she is sitting up like a big girl we can do this:
















My Aunt Carol made this for us...its called a cootie cover. It's perfect because we don't have to worry about her getting germs off the cart and we can wash it. I never thought by the time she is 6 months that we would be able to use this. We have to stick a blanket behind her so she doesn't fall back. The whole time she was in the cart she didn't fuss once. She loves looking around (and secretly I think she likes being looked at).




















So lately Mallory has been playing w/ my hair a lot...especially while I am nursing her. If my hair isn't down then she'll play with her own hair. Well I came downstairs after I got ready this morning and this is how I found her.















Adorable...She has to have one tuff head because she can really pull hard.















This is from the other day...the swing has 2 settings...one sets up a little more then the other. Well I decided we would try the one that sets up more...this is what she looked like when she fell asleep.















Needless to say I put it back the way it was. That position can't be too comfortable.

Happy 6 Months Mallory

Yesterday Mallory turned 6 months. She is growing so much. She gained 5 oz last week. She has been waking up in the middle of the night to eat...which I'm not used to but is fine because she wasn't gaining weight for a while.

She has been so active lately. She is getting more and more tolerant of her exersaucer and stays in it for longer periods of time...which allows me to get things done.

She is teething like crazy but no teeth yet. Everything goes into her mouth. When I look at her binkies I see teeth marks...so they are coming soon.

She is really starting to sit up like a champ. I have some video of it at the end. I have to be careful because if I look away for 1 second she leans back and conks her head. Sometimes she does correct herself so she doesn't fall over.

Oh, she has noticed her hands. I know it sounds a little late but she'll stop what she is doing just to look at her hands. She moves them around and then either pokes herself in the eye or tries to eat it off. it's too funny.

Teething
















Naked baby...I had to throw this one in. She loves to look outside. This was taken after her bath which is why she has crazy hair.
















She's a natural for the camera. Look at that smile:)




















One happy baby...before I know it she'll be crawling.




















I had to put this picture in because this is a rare moment. Mallory was so tired one night that all Josh had to do was hand her to me and she fell asleep. I usually have to rock her to sleep and sometimes swaddle her...so this is very rare.















Big Girl Mal sitting up...


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She's a skunk

Sorry, I forgot to tell everyone that her costume is a skunk. I ended up starting and finishing it on the Monday before Halloween. Nothing like saving things until the last minute...that is the Bidney way:)

Things are going great. Mallory weighs 13lbs 13 oz. So she gained 7 oz in one week. I'm so happy because she hadn't gained anything in 2 weeks. She is so active right now. She is getting the hang of sitting up on her own...well right now it looks more like a yoga pose then sitting but sometimes she sits up really straight. I have learned not to let her try and sit up right after she eats because she spits up.

She is still just eating cereal...sometimes she loves it sometimes she isn't too interested. We will probably move onto real food in a month or so.

The wedding plans are going well. I can't believe it's 3 months away. We are pretty much done planning...just trying to get the little things done now.

Oh yeah...I got a job as a waitress. I start next week. Hopefully it will help us out in the financial state of things.

Here are some cute pictures:

Mallory playing w/ the pillows on the couch. She loves the fringe. I am finding out she loves soft things (she gets that from her dad). If she is fussy and won't settle down for a nap all I have to do is give her a soft fleece blanket and she snuggles it up to her face and falls asleep.




















This is the Monday playgroup. Some of us mothers get together every Monday and let the kids drool all over each others toys.















It's actually a nice break for us moms because we can just kind of hang out and let the kids stare at each other.
















Mallory chilling in her exersaucer

HALLOWEEN COSTUME

I know you have all been waiting for this:

YUM fake fur.

Nana holding Mallory up for a full body shot:)

Mal says: Alright I'm done

Daddy (w/ his cheesy smile) holding pumpkin head Mal

My sister got Mallory this sleeper w/ a matching hat. She almost doesnt' fit in the sleeper but she'll be wearing the hat for a while