Lauren's first baby food

We started Lauren on rice and oatmeal cereal about two weeks ago.  She was so incredibly ready to start solids!  She would grab for my fork, food, water, etc. whenever I would eat.  She was just itching for something other than milk.  At first, she was a little confused about what to do with the food in her mouth. I would put the spoon and food in her mouth, and then she would instinctively push it forward.  However, it didn't take long for her to realize that she could swallow this new found goodness!  Now, all I have to do is sit her in her high chair, and she starts to get excited!  I have pictures of her first encounter with cereal.  If you scroll down to the last of the pictures, they were taken this morning.  I incorporated a little avocado into the cereal.  This is her first "true" solid.  I took out my wonderful baby food chopper (actually pureer is more like it).  I was able to make pureed avocado in a matter of seconds.  I plan on doing bananas after this avocado four day trial is up.  She loved the avocado...I bet she will be a big guacamole fan like the rest of us!!

Seabrook Island 2011

We had an amazing time this year at Seabrook Island!  It was the first time in four years that we have all been able to go to the beach together.  I absolutely soaked up all the precious time that we spent with each other!!  My mom is an amazing cook and had every breakfast, lunch, and dinner perfectly planned out.  I hope that Dave didn't get too used to those amazing meals three times a day.  There is no way that I can even begin to compare.  

Taylor loved the pool and the sand.  At first, Lauren didn't care much for the pool, but by the second day it seemed to really relax her and it she enjoyed herself tremendously.  It was just hard to find time to take her up to the beach club due to her long morning and afternoon naps.  We took over 1500 hundred pictures of the kids over the week- that is almost embarrassing to admit!  I am trying to sift through all of them.  A few of my favorites are below.

She is marked as Christ's own forever

Lauren was baptized last Sunday, which also happened to be Mother's Day.  What a very special gift for me!  Kirk and Melissa flew in for the Baptism, and to present Lauren as her God parents.  It was an incredibly special day for all of us.  Here are just a few of the over 500 pictures we took.  We really like to document our special occasions!