daddy time.

Quinn loves her daddy.

Most of you know that Todd's schedule is rather busy, especially in the fall and the spring when he is coaching. We savor every minute of time we get as a family during these seasons. In the fall, Todd would go 4-5 days pretty regularly without seeing Quinn. The spring seems to be a little better. She is at an age where if we know daddy will be home close to bedtime, she stays up just a little bit longer to see him. She loves when he comes home. (So does Lucy! - Lucy goes a little crazy when Todd gets home, an extra person means equal attention for her.) Daddy time always consists of animal noises practice, her nightly lesson in sign language, some chasing & screaming, and sometimes there is enough time for Daddy and Quinn to read a few books.

signing with daddy.

Hopefully Quinny and I will be fluent in sign one day too.

Looking forward to summer coming soon and a lot more daddy time!

baby love.

She loves her baby these days.

She takes such good care of her baby. With squeezes, smiles, giggles, and feedings...

...we are working on the occasional tossed to the floor moments as she runs off for something else, yeah, babies don't usually like that. :)


And, I realized today that the living room officially became a little less safe.

I was putting dishes away and turned around to see her up there all by herself.  There is much to be said about the baby stage where you lay them on the ground, turn around, and they stay there.  In fact I'm pretty sure Quinn's baby doll is doing a great job of that in the spot she was last dropped. :)

a Free batch of cookies! - update

First come first serve!  ***Winner is Jill R.!***

One batch of 3 dozen fresh-baked, scrumptious chocolate chip cookies for free!

So if you have a gathering this coming weekend that you need to bring something to, have a party that could use something extra on the dessert table, or would just like a treat to enjoy at home - you may want to jump on the chance to enjoy some delicious chocolate chip cookies!

So there it is...
3 dozen chocolate chip cookies
Can be picked up Friday evening or Saturday.
Free!
The first person to e-mail me at simpleandsweets@gmail.com will get them!

Our little nephew Liam makes a good little cookie model doesn't he?

If you haven't checked out our Sweet Things page, hop over there when you get a chance.
Have a great day! :)
Lisa

something sweet anyone?

photograph and cake pops done by Lisa

I love to bake and I most definitely love myself a good sweet treat every now and then (more emphasis on the now than the then). :)

I enjoy all things that go into baking and seeing the enjoyment tasty treats can bring to others' faces.

examples:

So I'm adding just a little something to the mix of my stay-at-home mom capabilities.
I'm increasing my joy of baking for family and friends that would like some tasty bites for their next party, family gathering, work event, or even just for yourself. :)

If you are interested in something sweet for an upcoming event check out our updated "Sweet Things" tab at the top of the page.

Enjoy something yummy!

Lisa

14 months and sweet as can be.

Quinn is 14 months, yikes! 
For some reason this was a big number for me and she seems so much older.

This little girl is sweet as can be. And we are seeing all of her personality really start to come out. The expressions are priceless.

Every once in a while we joke that the even months she looks like daddy and the odd months she looks like me. Well this picture is a lot like her daddy, and an even month it is.

She dances, has her own version of singing, is starting to make animal sounds, gives great high-fives, and will get a little sad when anyone leaves the room (she even did this for a stranger the other day at the doctor's office). She is still our sweet, kind, patient, fun, easygoing Quinn.

Quick 14 month Stats:

- weighs exactly 20 lbs.

- takes two long naps a day

- bedtime is 7:30 and sleeps till 7:30am

- eating just about everything

- 16 teeth (bottom two eye teeth are poking through slowly)

- her hair is getting much longer, we have a little version of a mullet going on, but it is a pretty mullet :)

- scrunches her nose a lot (like mommy does, so funny)

- walking everywhere (but will still fall to her knees to crawl when she knows it will be faster)

- some animal noises she will attempt

- goes to find things we ask her about

- is pretty gentle with babies (we learned with cousin Brynn and other babies this past weekend)

- talks all the time, but still only saying a few words

- LOVES a good cake pop!

Happy Weekend!



love & hate.

I absolutely hate to see our bubbly sweet little girl looking like this...

...but I love to take care of her even when it's sad. This is the mom part that is hard and you feel a bit helpless but also like the most important person in the world when another's care rests solely on you.  But the little smiles that poke through amongst all the endless hours of snuggles are the best.

How sad is it?  Even when I hop up to get something and she slowly slides down my side she was resting on, she just slumps over and doesn't move.



and she stays cozy on the couch for hours and hours.

and still somehow shows you what a big girl she is.

Our little Quinn is fighting her first high fever and her first real illness.

An ear infection that will hopefully leave soon.

For the first time in 14 months we had to call the doctor.  We feel pretty grateful for that. 

I can't handle these sad eyes all that much. :(   For our sweet little girl that arrived into the world a little early, we are extremely grateful that this is a first.

Quinny, I hate to see your sad eyes and our girl not quite herself, but I will love caring for you forever.   Extra snuggles and many episodes of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is just another sweet day with my girl.



family.

This weekend we were able to get all the babies together. 
All the Dalton babies that is. 

What an adorable group of second cousins!
Quinny was definitely the tear starter. She got a few of the others going. A big group of adults all looking at her is not her cup of tea.
Grandma Ginny is officially home and we are excited! This group of babies is one grandchild and 10 great-grandbabies for her. 6 of them born within the last year!
It worked out great to get all of the babies and family together for a get together. (All minus my parents and Drew, but still a pretty big accomplishment since it's been a few years.) And we always love get togethers at Aunt Jodi and Uncle Gary's.

The farm is such a great place to be.

"Are the cows in here?"


and of course my favorite...

so many memories as I now watch these little ones doing the same exact things we did.

Liam loves animals just like his auntie. :)
A wonderful day! It was so great to see everyone. :)
Looking forward to seeing everyone again in July!

what a difference a year makes.

Our little bunny.

what really happens on holidays.

When you have children you can't wait to start those holiday traditions we all know and love.  We learn quickly that it really doesn't go as expected.  I've learned from previous holidays not to put too much expectation or pressure into those traditions during these early years.

This is how egg decorating really goes.

This is the closest the bunny ears will ever get to staying on.

Imagining pictures in adorable Easter dresses playing with the new toys, in turn ends up in diapers.

A good start to a family painting activity and how you imagine family time together.

But really she was way more interested in playing in the water bowl.

So it really looked like this.

We only halfway model the new vintage style swimwear (that mommy loves) from the Easter bunny.  And we sport a runny nose in every picture. :)

We picture the kids getting along.
But really one is loving and the other one hisses. :)

But it still turns into a WONDERFUL day.
And these are the memories that matter.

Lucy loves this new gift from the Easter Bunny too.

and this tops them all and we really wonder why we do this to our kids. :)

(she was there for literally 5 seconds, I got this one picture and snatched her up.)

holy teeth.

We are a little off this week. 
A little preoccupied and a little out of sorts.

Someone is breaking in her eye teeth, and those hurt!
And I've realized our 13 month old is breaking in teeth numbers 15 & 16 right now. 16 teeth!! That is a lot! I guess at least we are getting through all of them quickly.
Teeth have come early and come fast for this girl.
First tooth at 4 months and had all front 8 by 8 months.
Add 4 molars at 12 months, and now 4 more eye teeth (those pointy ones) at 13 months. The top two have appeared and the bottom two are making their way.
16 teeth. It's crazy. And it makes her look like such a big girl.

From those two little teeth...

...to sixteen little teeth.

I would have taken a new and better picture of the new munchers, however I am sparing future Quinn from pictures of runny nose, red face, and sad little "my teeth hurt" eyes.

So, we are a little out of sorts here.
Lots of cuddling in the middle of the night watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. :)
After 12 teeth taken like a rockstar, she deserves as many late night Mickey Mouse Clubhouse shows as she wants.

Hopefully this teething pain subsides soon. Todd and I hate to see her as not quite herself.

and with that, our little napper has just woken up.
back to boogie wipes, bottles, orajel and lots of snuggles :)