Lyla's Hog Ride

After a fun day in the sun, we were hungry and I didn't feel like cooking so we headed to Baton Rouge for dinner. I love Cajun food and since we might not be here much longer, we are enjoying it as much as possible. We went to Boutin's. If you are in the area, it is a great restaurant to experience Cajun cooking and music at the same time. They have a live Zydeco band playing while you eat. They also have a big dance floor in front of the stage. Lyla liked watching the older kids dance around. I can just see in her eyes how badly she wishes she could join them! She is starting to eat more and more solid foods. She ate most of my baked potato and even tried some of my fish. My favorite dish of the evening was the Barbequed Shrimp. This is NOTHING like Texas barbeque, but still delish. Tons of butter, garlic and a hint of rosemary, what more could you ask for! As we were leaving I saw a great photo opportunity for Lyla. They had an antique mechanical hog. Her face is priceless. I crack up every time I see it! Enjoy!

Sprayground

Lyla and I had a water day on Friday. It was so nice here so we took full advantage. Our first stop was the Jambalaya Park Sprayground. She loves to watch the big kids play and get a little wet herself. It was pretty crowded so we only stayed for about an hour, which was long enough. It was nap time and she did not even make it out of the parking lot. After a good nap and some lunch we were ready for more. We spent about 2 hours hanging out in and around the pool. TJ got off early so he joined us in the shade. What a perfect Southern Louisiana afternoon!

Lyla's Week in Review

Here are a few random pictures from the first week in May.My little Lyla loves to shop! This was her first time to sit in the buggy and she loved it. She was never a big fan of sitting in her infant seat and I could never see over the monster. I was constantly running into things/people. So this was a big day for both of us!

Lyla can now stand up on her own with a little help from a chair. She has been standing up in our laps for a while now so we tried this pose for her cute big girl outfit. I like photographing her this way, rather than having her lie down. Especially since she tends to roll or army crawl away!
We had to pack away all of our 6 month clothes this week. I cry every time we do this! She is just getting so big. In fact, our 9 months clothes are getting pretty close. Nino sent this cute outfit to Lyla for Easter, but because she had so many it kind of got hidden in the closet. I wanted to snap a few pics in it before it got boxed up. She loved the dangling chicken feet. It was hard to get her to stop looking in the mirror while I was taking these. She LOVES to look at herself. Wonder where she gets that?!?!!?

First Swim

We took Lyla to the pool yesterday for her first swim. She LOVED it! Bath time is her favorite so I thought she might like the pool. We have been getting our face wet in the bath tub for about 6 weeks just to be ready for splashing and she did great. She splashed herself pretty good and only paused for a moment and then went right back to splashing. She has the cutest swim attire for this summer. I found a pink with white polka dots terry cloth cover up on sale at Gymboree and a white with pink polka dots sun hat for a $1 at Walmart!! I love a bargain. She has 3 swimsuits - a baby pink one with sheer ruffles, a two piece bubble suit (what she is wearing in the pics) and a cute hot pink and orange one piece that my best friend Brandi bought her. We also have several matching hats and pink sunglasses. Fashionista in the making!
TJ bought her a shaded float and she had the best time lounging around the pool. It looks like a Lily Pad so we had to bring our Froggie hooded towel. I loved the fact that the shade is adjustable. She would lean forward and rest her cheeks on the padding or kick back and sunbath. So cute! Caked in sunscreen, we stayed out for about an hour and then headed home for dinner and to get ready for bed. Taking her on these outings is really helping her sleep longer. Thank goodness!

Just a swingin'

I took Lyla to Jambalaya Park for her first attempt at swinging. She loved it! She would laugh every time I gave her a little push! She would use her doorway jumper as a swing so I figured she would enjoy the bigger ones at the park. Jambalaya park is so pretty, with lots of flowers, a great fountain and lily pad pond and even a sprayground. There are big jambalaya pots everywhere since we are living in the Jambalaya capital of the world. I love how each little town here is "famous" for something, usually a food.
Lyla had to wear a necklace since Mommy had one on. It keeps her from strangling me and she loves all her pretty Mardi Gras beads. We also went to look at the fountains. Lyla loves water! She squeals whenever we get near it. I hope she is a waterbug like my sister and me so I will have someone to swim with! We are waiting on her daddy to make our first trip to the pool. That should be very exciting!

Holding her own

Lyla has been holding her own drinks for a while now. She's still a little shaky when sitting up but if you lie her down she is a pro! I love her independence but it makes me a little sad. The milestones are reminders that she is growing up. And too fast for mommy!

My Actual 29th Birthday

Sunday was my actual birthday. Turning 29 is weird because everyone thinks you are just lying about being 30. We slept in and went to brunch at the Court of Two Sisters. Brunch is my favorite meal! The perfect combination of sweet and savory and it is completely acceptable to have a drink! I love mimosas! Other than Brennan's, the CoTS has one of the best brunches. Unlike other places, they have a big hot and cold buffet with a made to order omelet/eggs Benedict station, so you can try a little of everything. I forgot to pack Lyla's portable highchair so we had to try the standard wooden chairs that the restaurant had. After a wipe down, she plopped right in. As silly as it seems, it amazes me how quickly things change with her. A few weeks ago this was not an option. She loved the sweetpotatos and grits. That's my Southern lady! She also became quiet accomplished at playing the spoons. She was trying to help the Jazz band out.
After brunch we wandered the streets. I love Sunday afternoons in the Quarter! It doesn't seem as crowded and you have the chance to really appreciate the architecture. We came upon this group of street performers. The woman had an AMAZING voice and it filled the streets. The swing dancers were a nice touch.
We went to Lush so that I could finally spend my gift certificate from Valentine's Day. I love their products. They are handmade, mostly organic and use fair trade ingredients. After that we headed back home. Lyla and I took a few pictures with our hats on. TJ got me a new summer hat for the pool. I love hats and this one is great!I have a such a wonderful husband! It was the best birthday and a great way to start out my last year of 20's youth!