Six Months Old!

Hard to believe it's been 6 months already!

Just Playin'

Just another day playing on the floor

Blocks

We received a gift card to Target for Serena, so I thought I'd get her some blocks. Every kid should have some blocks, right? ;) I found a cute little set of 10 blocks that are rubbery, squishy, squeaky, and all different colors. All the edges are raised, and each side has raised images (stars, butterflies, etc.); and the blocks are numbered 1-10. She loves them! I just give her 2 or 3 at a time, since she's not really into stacking them yet. ;) She picks them up (currently preferring them over her other pick-upable toys) and studies them and feels them all over; and then of course puts them in her mouth! :D

No, she's not growing antlers...that's just Mom's bad photography! ;)

Thirty-Second Thursday

My ladybug

Serena's last Size 2 disposable diaper

(Don't you love this expression? "Seriously, Mom, you're taking a picture of this?")

Daddy and His Girls

Enjoying some Daddy time after supper

TAGS!!!

Do you have any idea the FASCINATING properties that lie within a simple tag?!

BIG Mouth

Serena's 'new thing' the last couple of days has been this great big wide-open mouth! She does it when she's really excited about something. Here's a montage of her BIG mouth:

As you can see, it really would be nearly impossible for her to open her mouth any wider! ;)

I just thought this was a cute picture!

Looking out the window like Macy does

The Business of Rolling Over

Serena: "Here I am, posing for yet another photo shoot."

Macy: "Can I get up now?"

Yesterday, Serena rolled over from her back to her stomach for the first time. To be honest, she might have cheated a little bit by pulling on a computer cord; but neither Jordan nor I were actually watching, so we're not really sure. Today, she cleared up all remaining doubts by rolling over...oh, at least 15 times in about a half hour! I decided to get a video of the phenomenon, but by then she was getting so quick that she would roll over before I could get the camera ready! It cracks me up how more often than not she accompanies the exercise with 'sound effects' like her motor mouth or just huge grunts. Also, a note about the toy...she hasn't figured out yet how to get the animals to pop up, but she loves closing them!

A Smattering of Shots

Serena...still asleep a little after 10 this morning!

11am - Finally awake and ready to embark on a new day of discoveries!

Why, you ask, did you take this picture? Simple. Because I'm a mom now :)

Still trying to figure out which way to hold the paci

"Mom, should I be worried?"

Today, the plastic seahorse rattle...tomorrow, chase Macy around the house three times, then turn the pages of every book I can find, then hang on Mommy's leg while she makes supper, then figure out how to open doors, then sit in the laundry basket and slide down the stairs. Or not.

Heehee, look at me on the table!

Hahaha, Daddy is SO funny!

By the way, Serena rolled over from her back to her tummy today! :)

Thirty-Second Thursday

Happy Girl

Baby Face

Foot Cleaning & Push-Ups

Serena getting a foot-bath by Macy

This evening, Serena was enjoying some tummy time on the floor. All of a sudden, she put each of her hands under her shoulders and pushed her upper body straight off the floor! She was so pleased with herself and looked around at her surroundings from this new vantage point with great interest. By the time I thought of getting some video footage, she was getting tired so her push-ups weren't quite as good, but you get the idea! :)

Mommy 'n' Me

Sitting Up Is SO Fun!

Serena is really enjoying sitting up during playtime. I can leave her and she'll stay up for quite a while on her own. I do usually put a boppy pillow around her, though, because sometimes she gets excited and kicks her legs out and then she loses her balance and falls backwards and it upsets her even though she's not hurt (Wow, that was a horrible run-on sentence!). But, if I'm sitting next to her when she falls backwards, I clap and cheer for her and she smiles or even laughs because she thinks clapping is really funny; and then she forgets all about the fact that she was going to get upset about falling over. :)

It's Friday!

My little cutie-pie after her nap this morning

"I only manage to get my paci in my mouth the right way about a third of the time!"

Such a pretty little face!

Grandma Tuecke gave Serena a black-and-white Beanie Baby puppy and Serena loves it! I think it's because it looks like Macy. :)

Serena's getting better and better at sitting up unassisted! She ends up leaning really far forward as she tires out, but her balance is pretty impressive. ;)

Thirty-Second Thursday

Bows and Bonding

Serena hanging out with Daddy & Macy. She finds them both very fascinating.

As I was cleaning up the present-wrapping mess in the office this morning (yes, that mess was still out!), this blue bow caught Serena's attention and became the coolest toy in the house for the day!

Big Smiles

Serena still loves playing in her Exersaucer. I get a kick out of watching her play with each of the toys. She tries to put the tall ones in her mouth, and then she pulls back and studies them as if to say, "Why don't these taste good?" There's a button on one of the toys that plays a song if it's pushed, and she's finally getting to where she hits it once in a while...though still not on purpose. ;) When I come over, she gets all excited and starts dancing around with a big grin on her face. This evening, I ducked behind the peninsula in the kitchen and then would pop out and say, "Boo!" Serena thought this was HILARIOUS and laughed and squealed at me!

Spitting Is SO Fun!

Serena really loves to spit these days. Tonight when I had her on the changing table to change her diaper and put her jammies on, she was so happy. I let her lay there naked and she happily played with her feet and spit for at least 15 minutes while I sat in the rocking chair and read a book, haha!

Home Again!

Grandpa Time

Grandma has been suffering from some very bad sciatica pain for the last couple weeks, so she has been trying to take it easy with hopes of getting some relief soon! In the meantime, Serena has been getting in a lot of Grandpa-time!!!

Serena looks kinda tired in this picture, but I still think it's a really cute one of her and Grandpa!

Discovering the World Upside Down

Serena is now fascinated with looking at her surroundings upside down. If someone is behind her, for example, she would much rather arch backwards to look at them upside down than to turn her head around and look at them straight on.

Looking at Macy upside-down

Whoops!!!!

So, I'm staying with Jordan's family this week while Jordan is in Texas hunting wild boars. I think that must be the reason that Thursday came and went without my realizing it! To make up for not posting my normal Thirty-Second Thursday video, I am posting this special little treat...a video from Serena's birthday! She was about 5 hours old here:

PS. Don't worry, I'll still post a picture tonight! ;)

Boo!

This is the look Serena was giving Anna today while Anna was playing "Boo!" with her! Pretty cute!

Bathtime

Is there anything cuter than a naked baby? Seriously. Just can't get enough of that soft chubby body!!! And those long wet eye lashes are just about too much for my mommy-heart!!!

Hawkeyes Win the Orange Bowl!

Serena and Daddy watching the Hawkeyes

100th Post!

Today is the 100th post of Daily Serena! It's so fun to look back over the last 100 days...I've enjoyed keeping this blog!! Hope you enjoy today's special addition featuring a new video! :)

Home from a date night with Daddy & Mommy

Good Morning!

Family Photos

We took these after church this morning.

An attempt with Macy...I think she was distracted watching Kaden! ;)

At the Bowling Alley

Hanging out on Daddy's shoulder trying to mess up Mommy's sweet bowling game

Opening Presents

Serena wants everyone to know that there is more than one right way to open a Christmas present! ;)