Lady Layne

What a sweet little girl we have. She is a lover, that's for sure. All she wants is to talk and smile and laugh and be held. The connection she makes with you when she looks at you and smiles makes you feel like she's transported you back to heaven for a few minutes. She has the most intelligent, happy gaze. She can melt you with her slow blinks and dimples. Her little face is so beautiful, I can't get over it. Her raspy laugh is to die for! I think I could go without food or water and be sustained by that laugh alone! Her chubby little body is utterly scrumptious. It screams cuteness. And when she smiles it's like it consumes her whole body. Her first four months of life have gone by so fast. Cruise's seemed to go much slower, giving me more time to enjoy them. She is SO ticklish! I barely lay a finger on her ribs and she squirms and grunts/giggles. She also seems to be dealing with teething already. She wants to chomp on everything and I think her gums are hurting her. Her hair, or what she has of it, continues to be a strawberry blonde--lighter on top and redder on the back. She's doing a lot better with naps. Her night sleeping is still awesome. She's been sleeping 9 to 7:30 since 10 weeks. Gift from heaven. You'd think I wouldn't feel so tired. =)

It was so wonderful to take her home to Thousand Oaks and have her baby blessing. I loved having all my family oooh and aahh over her. They just adored her, which is the best thing to a mom. Her blessing was beautiful, even though she cried the whole time! I knew she would. Not enough one-on-one attention for this girl.

I'm hoping that soon the world will "get" her name. I still receive the most perplexed looks when I introduce her. But we love it!

With cousin Alexis

Those thighs! Too much!

Yum - ay

Mammoth

After the oral surgery match craziness and prior to one of Eric's important board tests we grabbed the opportunity to go to Mammoth for a long weekend. It was gorgeous and there was tons of snow. Now, you know I'm not so huge on snow activities, or anything cold, but Eric showed me how fun it can be. Cruise LOVED it. The second he'd wake up in the morning it was, "Outside, snow, can we go, put on my shoes, build a snowman." The hardest part of the trip was getting him to relax for naps and stay in his bed all night! And I'm pretty sure little kids are immune to cold, because he never wanted to come in--even when his face was completely numb. We had a fabulous time, but I have to admit I think I enjoyed warm Hawaii more ... (pictures to come).

I'm carrying McLayne in a sling under my jacket. =) She kept me toasty warm. I look like the abominable snowman.

Cruise and his good friend, Gunner. We decided that socks worked just as well for their little hands as gloves that wouldn't stay on.

See what I mean about immunity to cold?

Good times and good memories.