Our Weekend

Our weekend can be described in one picture...

Thumbs up from Addison!

Pots & Pans Kitchen Band

Addison received a wonderful surprise in the mail from Mimi this week!  Among other things, Addison got a little set of pots and pans.  They are so cute, they look like the real thing -- John even asked if we can really cook with them.  I think he was eyeing them for his next camping trip...anyways...she just loves to sit and play with them and they make the most delightful noise :)

We've been cooking and drumming up a storm!  Thanks Mimi...

Booty Booty!

This is how Addison slept for most of her second nap today!

Too cute, I had to share.

I kept waiting for her to adjust and lay flat, but nope...

apparently she is comfortable with her booty in the air?!

I think we are ready to think about crawling...

Monday Randoms

We had a pretty uneventful weekend here at the Dougherty house.  I'm not complaining at all, just saying there isn't much that is blog worthy...

Saturday evening (out of sheer boredom I think) we decided to venture out for dinner.  We decided on Red Robin (even more random, I know) and it ended up being the perfect place -- there was no wait and it was louder then all get out so Addison looked like a little angle playing contently with the few toys we brought for her.  We brought her little chair with us too so she was a happy little camper sitting at the end of the table playing and looking at everything that was going on around us.

We've moved on from the rice cereal and are now trying oatmeal with bananas and banana yogurt.  The banana yogurt is hands down the winner.  She licks her lips, looking to get every last bit.

This morning, Addison and I ran out quickly and hit up a local consignment sale.  Its a huge one in the area that happens 2 or 3 times a year.  Anyways, the last thing my daughter needs is probably more clothes but whatever that didn't stop us.  We found a couple of really great deals...I got her some baby Gap skinny jeans and black and white dress for this fall, a Maggie and Zoe sundress that still had the tags on it and a swim suit and cover-up.  There was sooooooooooooooo much stuff and lots of it was good brands and looked to be in good shape still.  For as few times as I know Addison has worn some of her things, I don't mind buying some things second hand.  Its probably the only way she is going to get Gap skinny jeans -- cause this mama isn't paying full price :)

And lastly and possibly the most random...
Emily has been spending a lot more time inside these days then she ever has.  Her favorite hiding spot has been in the master bath toilet room.  Well this morning I shut that door and the next time I went into the bathroom this is what I found!?!  She is laying in our shower -- I think she is trying to send us a message... "PLEASE GIVE ME A BATH JOHN, I SMELL!"

Is it already Friday!?

The week kind of got away from me, I can't believe its already Friday!
We've had a pretty low-key week but there were a few things I wanted to share.

First, we made a quick trip out Wednesday evening to run some errands and Addison sat in the cart like a big girl...I know, I know -- but its the little things that get me through the days.  And yes she is in a red cart so that means we were are Target, shhhh -- don't tell anyone!  But her cute cart cover is from Walmart so that makes up for it.

Addison has been rolling around like crazy lately.  We can start her off at one end of our bonus room and she can make it almost to the other end.  For someone that doesn't crawl yet, she can sure get where she wants to go -- and in a hurry!

I know I am a proud mommy but I think she is saying "Mama" -- What do you think?





And lastly, I made some razorback cookies yesterday and I think they turned out soooo cute.  I'm thankful that John happily takes all my creations into work or we would have a serious problem with our waist lines here at the Dougherty house. 

And like most of my good ideas, I can't take credit for this one either...I Googled razorback cookies and found this website. I do own a razorback cookie cutter but I took a little inspiration for the icing from the site.



Rice Cereal Update

So we introduced a little rice cereal into Addison's routine over a week ago!  I wouldn't say she is a huge fan of it, but can you blame her...its like wall paper paste mixed with breast milk.  But we stayed the course and I think she might have actually ingested a few teaspoons of it of the course of the week. 

We haven't invested in a highchair yet (still in the process of narrowing down our options and picking the perfect one) and have just been feeding her in her Bumbo, but last night we changed it up and brought out the suspend-a-seat.  It was gifted to us before Addison was born by one of my best friends from college, Abby.  I think Addison liked it because in between batting away the spoon she was able to slap the granite...ha!

Here are some before and after shots from last nights attempt.  My favorite is the upper right AFTER pic...

BEFORE

AFTER

Chocolate Malt Cupcake

John needed to bring a sweet treat into the office again last week, so it was a perfect excuse for me to make a mess in the kitchen.  I've been playing with this chocolate malt cupcake since my sister got married almost 2 years ago.   I've made them about a half dozen times but I've never had a recipe to share because I've always just made the frosting to taste, so it ends up being a pinch of this a dash of that.  I made sure to actually measure things this time...so here ya go... 

Chocolate Malt Buttercream Recipe

2 sticks butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup to 1 cup malt powder

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 tablespoons of milk

5 to 7 cups confectioners sugar

I like it REALLY malty so I used a full cup of malt powder but you can adjust based on what you like.

The chocolate cupcake is just a standard cupcake, you can use a box (I usually like to use devil's food cake) or make one from scratch.  This time I used a chocolate cake recipe from the Taste of Home cookbook.

And of course, top it with a malted milk ball!

6 Month Update

In a blink of an eye 6 months have past and my baby girl is growing up!  We went to our 6 month doctor's appointment today and Addison did great.  She is a little peanut though, now falling below the 50th percentile in weight at 15lbs and 10oz and only coming in at 24th percentile in height at 25 inches.  All other areas checked out good except for a little (or maybe a lot of) extra ear wax in her right ear...it doesn't seem to be bothering Addison but the doctor wasn't able to even see her eardrum.

This past month has just flown by and it seems like Addison is doing something new every day.

• She can sit up (unsupported) and only if she gets really excited does she topple over
• She can roll from tummy to belly and belly to tummy
• She has started to make tons of different faces, including biting her bottom lip
• She now sleeps on her tummy (that is a relatively new development but she is sleeping soooo much better)
• She is still feeding every 3 to 3.5 hours and only has had a few servings of rice cereal
• She is getting up at 7:30 and usually goes to bed for the night after her 10 o'clock feeding -- which is a major improvement for our night owl
• She is still taking 2 to 3 naps a day

For years I have tried to institutionalize the Half Birthday with John, probably for almost as long as we have been together.  I haven't been too successful but I will admit I've gotten flowers a couple of times.  Well, in 6 short months Addison has managed to wrap her daddy around her finger and when John got home last night we headed to Walmart to pick up a few Half Birthday gifts for Addison.  She is a lucky little girl...Daddy picked out a little keyboard that sings songs and does colors, numbers and animals and Mommy picked out a little giraffe that kicks balls and a purple adirondack chair.

Happy Half Birthday to our precious Addison!

6 Month Comparison

My baby girl is 6 months old today!  I can hardly believe it...

I'll do a full update tomorrow after we have our doctor's appointment but today I wanted to share pictures of us at 6 months old.  I still think Addison looks like her daddy -- even if I dress her in the exact same outfit I wore.

Addison at 6 months in the dress Great Grandma Malaney made.

Mara at 6 months in the dress Grandma Malaney made.

John with Grandpa Hull in September of 1977

Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful Easter celebrating as a family of 3 and as a larger group with our family and friends.  It's picture overload....sorry!

The Easter Bunny came and left baskets for John and Addison and there was even a little treat for Emily in John's basket.

Emily insisted on being the first to enjoy her treats!

Addison got a new bowl and spoon set for all that rice
cereal she is going to be eating!

We went to 10:30 mass on Sunday morning.  We got there 30+ minutes early because we wanted to make sure we got a seat.  Addison was sleeping when we got there and when she woke up we still had 15 minutes before mass was even going to start.  But she did great!  There was a little girl, probably about 3, sitting in front of us and they kept each other occupied for most of mass.  At one point Addison gave the little girl a huge smile and she whispered to John "I think she likes me!"  It was soooo cute...

John and his girl before mass on Sunday morning.

After church we headed over to Grandpa Doc's house for Easter lunch.  He had lots of goodies for the kids...big and small.  It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon.

Big boys and little boys raiding the Easter baskets at
Grandpa Doc's Sunday afternoon.

Getting ready for the egg hunt!

Lindsay helped Addison find a couple of eggs too

Addison and Uncle Chris in their Easter pink.

The big winner of the egg hunt was Landon!

When we got home and after a little nap, I took Addison back outside for a little photo shoot.  She is wearing a dress that my Grandma made for me when I was 6 months old.  I am so glad that my mom kept it and Addison was able to wear it for Easter.  She looked just adorable in it!  I think I took about 100 pictures of Addison but I'll just post a few of the cutest. 

She was getting a little silly towards the end...

And when she decided she was done, she just threw herself to the ground
and tried to get away.  She forgets sometimes that she doesn't know how
to crawl yet.

One last picture with her Easter basket before we took off the dress.

Addison is such a lucky little girl and got so many sweet gifts from
family and friends for Easter.  THANK YOU!

This picture isn't from Sunday but she got a wonderful Easter surprise
from Mimi and Peep in the mail too!  THANK YOU...

Super Saturday

I've been told I'm slacking a little on the blog...so I'm going to try and make up for it with TWO great posts recapping our weekend.

We started off bright and early Saturday and headed to Fayetteville to watch our nephew play soccer.  It was a beautiful morning!  Addison enjoyed watching everything that was going on and Landon had a great game.

Addison cheered on Landon from Uncle Chris's arms.

Landon is #4

Saturday afternoon, John went back down to Fayetteville to watch Landon in the helicopter Easter egg drop (sorry no pics) while Addison and I decided to stay home and take a nap and decorate some Easter cookies.


I went neon with the color palette for the egg cookies...apparently it's all the rage these days with the kids, ha.  My sister tells me neons are trending for the Spring -- thanks Ab!

We capped off the evening with a big event for Miss Addison.  With her 6 month birthday just around the corner, we decided to give rice cereal a try.  I'm not sure any actually made it into her mouth, ha!

The Easter Bunny Came Early

Addison got a couple of cuddly friends when the Easter Bunny came early last week.
Great Grandma JoAnne sent her this cute pink giraffe and Grandpa Doc brought over a little blue bunny.  She is a lucky little girl...

"THANKS Great Grandma and Grandpa Doc for the new friends!"

March Picture A Day

I was much, much better about using my real camera to capture a picture of Addison each day this past month.  Only one sleeping picture this month...pretty much describes the month :)

The Dogwood Trail

Today, on this beautiful first day of April we ventured out to Crystal Bridges Museum for a little nature walk.  We have yet to actually go into the museum but we'll save that for another day, because it was BEAUTIFUL outside today and needed to be enjoyed.

Since the dogwoods are in full bloom we thought it was only appropriate to go down the Dogwood Trial.  Supposedly they are 500+ dogwoods along the trail...we did not count them but that is what I'm told. 

John was nice enough to carry Addison on the walk.

We let Addison frolic in the flowers.



We had to take at least 1 picture with
dogwoods in the background.