Our Mini Winnie: 28 Weeks Old

Over the past 2 weeks, Delaney had her first Christmas and New Year celebrations! Her first Christmas was wonderful, and I'm going to list some details so we'll always remember it. We spent Christmas Day with Brad's family including her Aunt Elizabeth, Uncle Danny and cousin James. She woke up around 10am (I love this little girl's sleeping habits), we dressed her up, and went straight to Brad's parents' house. Noni (grandma Kristi) and Grandpa Gary created an incredible Christmas brunch including Gary's famous Christmas Eggs, sausage, bacon, fresh fruit, and my all-time favorite cinnamon rolls that rose overnight. Laney sat patiently in a high chair, chewing on a fabric book, and James jumped in the jumperoo while everyone ate. After brunch, we opened stocking gifts and then worked our way through the big gifts. The babies got to open theirs first, and Laney got some very cute gifts. She received toys and her first baby-sized tennis racquet from Uncle Danny and Aunt Elizabeth - let the competitions on the courts begin! She got her "Delaney" stool from mama and papa, and she got a lot of adorable clothes (a sailor dress, a Patagonia onesie and long johns, and a cute little pair of red shoes) and toys from Noni and Grandpa. Exhausted from the excitement, she took a nap while we opened the rest. After opening gifts, we played with the James and Laney until it was time for dinner. Kristi outdid herself by preparing beef tenderloin, roasted potatoes, sautéed broccoli and asparagus, and a delicious salad. We were so lucky to have such an incredible Christmas together! Laney's first Christmas was one we'll never forget.

The next day, Brad had to get back to work, and Laney, Cash and I drove to Kenosha to visit my side of the family. Chris, 5-months-pregnant Grace, Cora and Liesl were visiting and we didn't want to miss an opportunity to see them. It was their first time meeting Laney! She was still a little tired from all of the excitement the day before, so she was a little fussy throughout the day. But despite her less-than-happy mood, it was fun to see how fascinated she was with her cousins. She paid close attention to everything they were doing. Chris and Grace were SO good with her, which wasn't surprising since they have 2 incredible girls and another girl on the way! I hope we get to see them again before baby Jane makes her debut!

Delaney's New Years celebration wasn't incredibly exciting. She was in bed by 9pm and was sleeping peacefully as 2014 began. Brad and I caught up on some much-needed sleep, so I considered it the perfect New Years Eve. :)

In other news, Delaney isn't quite sitting up on her own yet. She can sit for a couple seconds before she starts to tip over, but she's getting there! She likes to sit up, supported by mama or papa, and reach for toys that are strewn around her. When she's lying down, she likes to roll over and over until she has rolled several feet away. I have to keep a close eye on her, because she can roll across the room very quickly. And her newest trick: crawling! She isn't exactly a mobile crawler yet, but she has learned the basics. While she's on her tummy, she will either pull herself forward with her arms (like an army crawl), or she will push herself onto her hands and knees and lunge forward. It won't be long before she's mobile! She never ceases to amaze me as she continues to grow and learn new things.

Just kicking back with papa.