7 months

Sienna,

Another month has passed. Besides having a big growth spurt (1 inch and 1.5 pounds!!), you haven't changed a whole lot. You've been continuing to work on rolling all around and making high pitched squeals. You had your first ear infection this month. After taking penicillin, you decided that you don't want to eat anything off a spoon in case it's the same yucky stuff. Even if you love the taste of the food, as soon as that spoon gets near your lips you clamp your mouth tightly shut. Instead we've been experimenting with some solids. You love the flavors and textures but just aren't sure how to get them in your mouth. However, it's very fun to smash them all over your tray. Conner found his new spot and plants himself at your feet whenever meal time comes along.

Unofficial Measurements

Weight: 18.5 lbs (77%)

Height: 26.5 inches (55%)

Zoey is becoming your pal and always lays on your blanket as you play.

Full of smiles.

Lots of squeals.

Vote for Sienna!

We entered Sienna into a cute baby contest. I'd love it if you could help us out and vote for her! It is a slight pain in that you have to register on their page and then get a confirmation email before you can login to vote. From what I can tell you can vote once per day so you'd only have to register once and then you can vote every day you remember! We would appreciate any votes you can help us with. I mean she is the cutest baby so you really are voting the right way. ;) Thanks!

Click here to vote!

Ariana Kay Hwan Park

I'd like to introduce everyone to my new niece! Ariana was born at 11:05 last night (3/20) She was 6 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches. Mom and I went and saw her over lunch today. She's sooooo tiny and sooo cute. She's perfect looking with lots of dark hair. Congrats to the happy parents! They are smitten already.

Sister Sense

I woke up this morning and started thinking about the dreams I had just had. I didn't remember many details but one thing I knew for sure was Cari had gone into labor. I didn't think too much about it and shrugged it off thinking I had just seen her yesterday so it was bound to be in the back of my head. When Justin woke up and I told him about my dream and nothing more was said. Fast forward 6 hours later I get a phone call from my mom saying there's a baby on the way!! Cari's water had broke around 3 am and they were in the hospital. My mouth hung open for a few nanoseconds and tears instantly welled up in my eyes. This was not the first time something like this has happened. Even though Cari and I have no blood relation we have always had some sort of mental connection. Growing up whenever we'd play Taboo or some similar game if we were on the same team, watch out. She'd say one word that didn't make sense to anyone else and before she could speak again I'd shout the answer. So even though I was shocked to hear she was in labor, deep down I wasn't at all.

And now that hardest part. I have to sit here and wait for any news!!! I am having a hard time not bouncing around with excitement and not calling her or my parents every hour for an update. It also brings back all of my memories from 7 months ago and being in her position. At this moment I'd almost rather be in labor...hmmm or maybe not. But I hate not knowing.

Cari, I know you are going to do great today no matter what happens. I can't even tell you how much I can't wait to meet that little baby of yours; to see if she has lots of dark hair like I have in my head or to hear what her name will be. To watch her and Sienna grow up together and hopefully become more than just cousins - lifelong friends and who knows, maybe they'll have some kind of a 6th sense like you and I have. Love you!

Smiles

Saw something similar to this today on my walk over lunch. Tulips!! It brought smiles to my face. Love seeing the first glimmers of spring. It can't come soon enough. I am ITCHING to get in my garden. We have a long ways to go, I know. Maybe I should've started some plants indoors this year to get my fix. Think it's too late?

Pictures Can Be Deceiving

Enjoying some sun

Taking a swim

Lounging after the pool

Hamming it up on the plane ride home

Looks like we had a great time doesn’t it?? Too bad those are the only pics I have from our vacation since those were the highlights. I started feeling achy and weak Sunday morning. Sienna had a runny nose the previous week so I figured I was coming down with a cold. I powered through the day and we arrived in FL. Come Monday morning I woke up with a temp of 101. Our plans to Disney were canceled and I didn’t move from the couch all day. By Tuesday Sienna and Justin were both sick as well. Doh!

Sienna spent most of the rest of her vacation like this

The only good part to all of this was Papa Rick got in lots and lots of cuddle time which was really the whole point of the trip. We did enjoy a few moments of sun and nice weather here and there.

Sienna did great on both plane rides, despite not feeling well. She is such a little flirt. Anyone that met her eye was greeted with huge grins. Everyone around her just ate it up. Multiple times she got referred to as “The Gerber Baby”. You’d think those chubby cheeks would start to hurt from smiling so much.

Our house is finally on the way to recovery. I had to take Sienna into the doctor this morning and found out she has a double ear infection. Explains why she wouldn’t let me put her down yesterday! Let’s hope by the end of this weekend we can rejoin the world again.

Hi from FL

This was one of the very few moments Sienna got to enjoy the FL sun. Justin and I decided we are done taking vacations or making any plans because it seems to always end up in illness. We return home to snowy MN tomorrow. More details then...

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Cooking Club VI

We had another successful Cooking Club. Jeff and Jenny were up to host again. They went with a Spanish style theme (NOT Mexican). Brent even [attempted] grew a stash for the occasion.


Cocktail
Sangria Tradicional (Traditional Sangria)


First Course
Berenjenas fritas con miel, menta, semillas de
sesamo (Fried Eggplant with Honey, Mint and Sesame Seeds)

These were delish!! Maybe my favorite part of the night. The honey on top made the flavor.

Main Course
Paella Valenciana (Mixed Valencia Paella)

The Paella was also excellent. Everyone agreed they'd make it again but only for a special occasion since it's so big and laborous. We had a hard time determining when the rice was going to be done and when to add the seafood so the calamari got way overcooked. The shrimp, scallops, and mussels were better. This was my first time trying mussels too! I was proud.

Ensalada con garbanzos, pimientos asados, y
alcaparras (Chickpea, Roasted Pepper and Caper Salad)

This dish was alright. Not a lot of flavor besides the chickpeas. We thought it would make a great hummus if you blended it up.

Dessert
Flan de Almendra Leche y Caramelo (Carmel and Almond Milk Flan)

Flan that everyone including our dairy free friends can eat? Perfect! We didn't realize that flan takes a long time to cool and made it at the end of the night. Even after throwing it outside for awhile, we ending up eating it warm. (Hence the melted carmel all over the plate) I love warm puddings so to me it was still wonderful and had a great almondy flavor. It would probably be even better cold.

Gmail is so cool

For all my techy (or not so techy) friends read this article! If you have a gmail account this is really sweet.

In breif it's saying that if you take my email address:
kristen.jovle@gmail.com

it's the same as:
kristenjovle@gmail.com or
k.r.i.s.t.e.n.j.o.v.l.e@gmail.com

You can add the periods wherever you want. Also you can use the "+" sign onto your address to help filter your emails. So say I'm on Amazon placing an order. I give them this email address:
kristen.jovle+amazon@gmail.com

Then I can set up a filter in my gmail to always look for that address and do whatever I want to filter it. So cool. I love Google!