Market Monday

Monday is our grocery shopping day.  It's the day that we don't have any weekly activities and don't usually have much going on.  So, Caitlyn and I head out to the store, after lunch, with our list in hand!  I've started to plan out our dinners for the week and only buy what I have on my list.  This is starting to really help with our budget and saving money.  It's also nice to know exactly what we are having for dinner and I'm not asking myself the "What's for dinner?" question at 4:30p.m.  I think it also helps us to eat a little healthier when I'm not throwing something together from whatever I have in the fridge.  Here is a link to the blog that has helped me to get organized, in case you would like to try some of the tips.  She has many different home organization ideas.  http://www.theprojectgirl.com  

Caitlyn, riding in the grocery cart.  I'm so happy that she is such a happy baby!  She just smiles and giggles at everyone that we pass in the store.  

I do have to strap her into her cart cover so she can't get out!  Otherwise, she would have her foot on the seat trying to get out and get those yummy gerber treats for herself!  

Pulling Up and Standing Up

Caitlyn recently started pulling herself up using the furniture and now she is always doing this!  It's become something normal in this house and not a surprise to me.  

Showing off her adorable dress that Grandma & Grandpa Martens gave her for Christmas.  I love her cheesy grin! 

Nate held her up so I could get a good picture of her dress and she ended up standing on her own!  Nate's face is priceless!  You can tell it's almost nap time since she has her thumb in her mouth.   Playing with her friends at church is tiring!  

I found her getting the t.v. remote yesterday!  Putting them up onto the end table used to be a great place but not anymore!  For some reason, she loves to play with the remote more than her toys.  

Yes!  I got it!  Look at me Momma!  

She's not a big fan of her play gate because she enjoys being where ever we are.  But, when I'm putting groceries away she has to be behind the gate so I can get the bags from the car.  I can just hear her saying "Get me out of this jail, Momma!"  

Dedicated to God

On March 4th, we had Caitlyn's Baby Dedication at our church, Grace Community Fellowship.  We have been wanting to do this with Caitlyn for many months now and finally had it done at 10 months old.  Life has thrown us many cards in the past few months which has caused us to put off this special event that should have been more of a priority to us.  If your wondering what a baby dedication is, let me first say that it is not a baptism.  A dedication is just that, dedicating Caitlyn's life to the Lord.  It is also Nate and I publicly saying that we are making the commitment to raise Caitlyn in a Christian home so that she will decide to be a follower of Christ.  We are praying that Caitlyn will someday be baptized when she is older and can make the decision herself to be baptized because baptism is making the personal choice to accept Jesus as your saviour.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.    -Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Now when the time came for their purification, according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.  - Luke 2:22

Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.  - Proverbs 22:6

Grandma Mason and Aunt Nichole

Grandma and Grandpa Oeming and Nichole

Grandma and Grandpa Martens

Dedication Ceremony

Pastor Steve praying for our family.

My beautiful baby girl that God blessed me with!  I'm a lucky mommy to have her as my daughter.  

Uncle Jeffy was ofcourse there but he was the one behind the camera so unfortunately he didn't make it into any of the pictures.  After the church service, we all come back to our house for lunch.  My mom helped to put together a special lunch to celebrate Caitlyn.  After lunch we had cupcakes and opened presents.  I was so surprised that Caitlyn made it as long as she did without getting cranky and needing a nap.  She quickly went down for her nap after lunch and was one tired little girl.  We are so proud of her!

10 Months Old

On March 4th Caitlyn turned 10 months old!   Not too much has changed since 9 months.  She is still a great eater and sleeper and really just a great baby over all!  Although, she does get a little cranky any time she is unable to move.  So that makes things like diaper changing a little challenging.  Now that she is another month older, she does have 1 new trick!  She is now able to pull herself up to her feet by herself!  She has also started to become very interested in the tupperware drawer in the kitchen and loves to pull everything out.  When I am in the kitchen, she likes to be with me so the tupperware drawer is a perfect place for her to play while I cook.  Caitlyn has also started to say "mum-mum" but I still haven't heard "mama"!  When she gets excited you will hear her say "ooo-ooo" and wave her arms.  What I love the most is when she crawls over to me and waves her arms so that I will pick her up.  I can't believe how much she has grown and developed in 10 short months!  

The first time she pulled herself up to her feet!  She's only half dressed because she really didn't want to sit still for me to get her dressed.  

Tupperware drawer!  This was once very organized.  

This family photo was taken at exactly 10 months old.  

Snow in March

We woke up to snow one morning last week and it actually stuck around for a few days.  Nate wasn't able to get to work for a day and a half so we had some fun family time together at home.   We took Caitlyn outside for just a little while to see the snow.  We bundled her up to stay warm and the only mittens we had were toddler size so she looks a little silly!  She wasn't sure what to think about the snow and eventually just laid down in it.  But, that made her little face cold so we headed back inside.