Helping Mommy Pack

So we are getting ready to leave on Wednesday for Branson Missouri to visit my parents. This will be Jay's first time on a plane and the first time she will be meeting her Grandpa Skorstad! This will also be the first time in 7 years that I get to share in Christmas with my parents. It has been way too long!!! My sister and her family live in Bloomington Illinois and are making the 7 hour drive down to my parents as well (here's to crossing my fingers for good weather so they can acutally make it). I am so excited to see everyone and for Jayla to meet her cousins Erin and Tyler!

It has been a hectic couple of weeks trying to get all the holiday shopping done, get ready for my finals for school, and also getting ready to leave. I hate to fly so mentally I have to prepare for this months in advance. It doesn't make it any easier being a mommy and now having to worry about a child. Poor Jearel, every time we fly he ends up with bruises on his arms when we hit turbulence.

~On to the helping mommy pack-

Jayla was so cute sitting on the floor as I get all her stuff together in the suitcase. She was really trying to help even though she has no clue what is happening. I bought this hat for the COLD, COLD weather we are heading to. Mind you the size is 3T (she has an extremely large head). She wore it for most of the time we were packing until I went to grab the camera. I still can't stop laughing at how cute she is in it!!

Little Miss Avery

Jenni and I made it up to the hospital yesterday to meet Avery Mae Keilman. Here are a few pictures of the beauty!! Jayla can't wait to meet her new friend

~if they are anything like us Camille we are in for some trouble ;-)~

Congrats to Camille and Brandon and welcome to the parenthood club!! We love you!

10 months old 12/12/08

~This ones for Candis and Jenni~

Well as of yesterday Jayla turned 10 months old. It's hard to believe she will be a year in just two more months. As Jayla turned 10 months she got another friend, Avery! One of my best friends Camille had her baby girl last night. It's ironic that Lola, Jayla, and Avery will share in birthdays on the 12th of the month. Seeing the pictures of Avery and knowing their excitement of seeing her for the first time, brings back so many memories with Jay. It really does seem like yesterday that we too were experiencing that for the first time. I think that I am officially ready to start trying for baby number two! Thanks little Miss Avery! Just not til after the holidays pass and maybe Jayla's first birthday!

Jayla's milestones for this past month:

~started crawling, it's more like a crippled craw, she leaves one leg completely limp and drags herself across the floor. But hey it counts.

~switched from soy formula to regular. Her doctor thought it would be a good idea to see how she tolerates cow's milk, since in just two more months she will be on whole milk.

~started eating real foods. She lost all interest in jar foods, so her doctor said go for feeding her whatever (except, eggs, peanuts, and fish). This has been a disaster, for one it is extremely messy, and two we have found she only likes french fries and graham crackers. She takes after her mom.

~she also can pull her self up more now than not. She has gotten so strong on her feet I have a feeling she will be walking real soon, probably before she masters that crippled crawl.

~she officially says: baba, mama, dada, and ny ny when she is mad or tired.