A few pictures

Today I took some pictures of Aubs before stroller aerobics, we had some extra time because she woke up earlier than normal. She takes her best pics in the morning because its when she is the most alert and playful. I am trying to convince Nate that we need to invest in a nice camera now that we have a little one but he isn't sold yet. I find that with the camera we have, the pictures come out great on the computer but when I get them developed they are blurry and some of the colors look weird to me.

Here are a few I took of our little Bugs...

Bran Muffins

I wanted to post my Bran muffin recipe, I ate two every day while I was pregnant. I needed a mid morning snack at work and wanted something healthy that was packed full of nutrients good for growing a baby. I think they are yummy but if you don't like hearty bran muffins these are not for you. Nate enjoys them as well but he likes everything! I am also posting a pic of Aubs from this weekend, she was the reason I started eating these muffins:)

Flax Oat Bran Muffins

1 1/2 cup unbleached organic white flour
3/4 cup flaxseed meal
3/4 cup oat bran
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup carrots, grated
1 large apple, grated
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Stir in carrots, apples and raisins. Combine milk, beaten egg and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
(I would double the recipe and freeze the extra batch)

Deployment Days

A few days ago, a friend asked for some pictures of Nate on his deployment for a military appreciation project she is working on. It got me thinking back to those deployment days, which now seem like the distant past, but were only 5 months ago. It was our first deployment and I will be honest, it was really hard. What made it bearable was the support I received from our squadron's spouse club and many close friends I have met thru flight school. These ladies amaze me every day and I am proud to call them my Navy family. I also kept busy with my former job at USAA and of course Aubrey growing inside of me! I was able to go visit Nate at one of his port calls in Dubai, UAE, so that broke up the 7 1/2 month deployment and gave us something to look forward to.

I love being part of this extraordinary group of people. Here are a few pics from Nate's deployment.

"Stray" in the jet

"Stray" on the flight deck of the Theodore Roosevelt transiting the Straights of Gibralter

Flying into A-stan

Refueling on the Tanker

Dubai

I couldn't resist including this picture. I will never forget when we found out Aubrey was a girl in Dubai!

A's Faves

As a first time mom, going into Baby's R Us was overwhelming, there was so much fun stuff, but I didn't know what Aubrey would actually need. Now that we are 4+ months into it, I wanted to share Aubrey's 5 favorite things. These baby items have made her happy for the past 4 months and in return made our life easier. Every baby is different, so take it for what its worth.

1. Bumbo Seat- I was able to put Aubrey in the seat at 2 months. At first she would only like it for a few minutes but I could tell it was helping with her neck/spine muscles and I liked getting A off her back. At 3 months she loved the seat and started playing in it all the time. She likes to watch me cook and during meals we put the Bumbo on the table so she can be in the midst of things. You can buy a tray separately to snap on and recently she learned to push her toys off so Mommy has to pick them up. How do they figure these things out so fast?!? I have to give Robin and XO a shout out for passing this down to us (along with many other items). Thanks guys!

2. Little Lamb Swing- I don't know what I would do without the Fisher Price Papasan Little Lamb swing. Aubrey takes most of her naps in the swing and if she wakes up early in the morning we put her in it and BAM she is back to sleep. Thanks Aunt Jenny!

3. Evenflo Ultrasaucer- Another pass down from Robin and XO. We just started using this toy a few weeks ago. She loves it and I can't believe how she can already move herself around in it with her feet and hands. Bugs you are growing too fast!
4. Play Gym- I started using this from day one. When she was a newborn Aubrey would stare at the toys above and work on her eye muscles. I can remember the first time she put her hands out and started playing with the toys above. Nate and I were so excited we grabbed the video camera and watched in awe. You could tell it took a lot of focus that first time to get her hands where she wanted them. That milestone has long passed but it was a big step then! 5. Baby Bjorn- I only have one pic of A in the Baby Bjorn and it was from her newborn days. Now her arms, legs, and head poke out! I use it at the grocery store mostly. Now I can face her forward and she loves taking in whats going on around her. Thanks Patty for passing this one down! (I have heard of some other carriers but we are very happy w the Bjorn at this point in her weight)Oh and one bonus item, she absolutely loves her nursery! Thanks Grands!!

Botanical Gardens

This weekend Nate and I took Aubs to the Norfolk Botanical Gardens (in between football games of course, Go Cowboys)! We went to a wedding there this summer and couldn't believe we had never been before, it is so beautiful. The weather was perfect and as we walked the grounds bands performed on an outdoor stage. We had a picnic, took lots of pics, and spent quality time as a family. The last performance was the Virginia Beach Symphony and we sat on the lawn to listen to their peaceful music. Aubrey got a little fussy towards the end and didn't want to give in to her afternoon nap because of all the fun we were having. Nate got lots of father-daughter time which is good because he is flying at night this week and Aubs will be asleep when he gets home.

Here are a few pics we took.

This is what Nate calls "Super Baby" and Aubrey just eats it up!

Aubrey in the Rose Garden

Mommy and Aubrey

Baby Well Visit

Today I took Aubrey to her 4 month baby well visit. She is right on track with her growth and development. She weighs 14 lbs 5 oz (birth weight was 7lbs 12 oz) and is 24 inches long!! She was really good for the doc and was majorly flirting with him. This past week one of Nates college buddies, Ralph, was in town for training and stayed the night with us and little Aubrey flirted with him all night! She wouldn't stop staring, cooing, and smiling at him. I think we are going to have boy issues in the future!! ha

Back to the doc apt......The worst part were shots, no fun!! At her 2 month apt I cried when she got them. As parents know you learn your baby's different cries and I had never heard that cry from Aubrey when she got the shots, it was horrible! I was a big girl Mom today and Aubrey only cried for a minute and the next thing I knew she was asleep in my arms. Actually she is still sleeping in the carseat as I type this!

Below is the picture I took before her apt.

4 Big Ones!

Aubrey is 4 months old today!! She is growing strong and changing each day. Her newest milestone is she rolled over from back to tummy at 3.5 months! Nate and I were so proud the neighbors probably heard us cheering -- we were so loud! Aubrey loves showing off her skill but she hasn't mastered tummy to back yet and gets frustrated after being on her tummy for too long.
Below is a picture that was taken on the day she was born as well as one I took today to mark her 4 month birthday! We love you Bugs!

(Aubrey's onesie says "I Love Jet Noise" she is very proud of her Daddy!!)

To Blog or Not to Blog.....

Well, I have been going back and forth about starting a blog and finally decided to give it a try. My hope is that it will keep our family and friends updated on the Michael family, especially little Aubrey's growth. I figure it will be a great online scrapbook and I can use it to share my experiences as a new Mom and as a Naval Aviators wife. Writing (especially spelling & grammer) is not a talent of mine so we will see how long this lasts!

I plan to write about Aubrey's birth story soon. I think of that day often and don't want to forget the details of such an amazing day!