Baking with Mommy, Quinten is 8 weeks, and Memorial Day fun

I have wanted to give Ryanna chances to help me bake but haven't been daring enough till now. I knew she would enjoy it and I wanted to give her a chance to use her counting skills and all that. We made chocolate cake and it was tons of fun. I just wish I didn't have to clean up or I would bake more often!

Here is the little helper "cleaning" up. She didn't mind one bit. 

During the entire process Ryanna was telling me what to do next. "That Mommy! Two more! Keep spinning!" Spinning meant stirring. She was especially on top of measuring the cocoa counting each TBSP as I put it in the bowl. 

These two adore each other. Ryanna loves to talk to Quinten, play with him , hold him, talk about it, etc. Quinten seems equally adoring giving Ryanna his best smiles, cooing at her, always turning in her direction, etc. Today in a silly moment I asked Ryanna, "who is your favorite Mom or Dad?" Her answer: Quinten. Sums it up. 

He's getting a bit big for his bassinet but it's still handy to stick him in when I'm upstairs and want him somewhere that Ryanna can't try to pick him up or injure him with love. Ryanna loved this mobile and just recently Quinten has shown his interest as well, cooing and talking to them like she did. 

I love this picture because his cheek is soooo chubby it is drooping. I love it!

Some people might find newborns boring but I've found we can spend quality time making faces, smiling, cooing, etc. Entertaining for baby and mommy alike. 

Ryanna is famous for stealing the camera and taking tons of random pictures: the floor, her shoe, an apple piece, you name it! We've never credited her with meaning to take a picture of any one thing but I this time there was about 4 pictures in a row(one pictured below) of Quinten in his carseat, all taken by her. Not just that but he is making cute faces in each picture as he is looking at his little monkey toy. Maybe she has a future in photography!

Two things I love about this picture: his outfit (Daddy's team future MVP...so cute!) and his round cheeks. Like I said earlier, I love those cheeks!

So Memorial Day was rainy and gloomy outside but that didn't stop us. Brian was the sound guy for a program at the war memorials downtown so we went by to see it and walk around. 

Close to the memorials: Ryanna always points out this "Copter"

Here are the memorials, one for each war. It was a special reminder of our blessings as Americans and the lives that have been sacrificed for our freedom. 

Here's Brian setting up. I love having the double stroller so I can get us out to do things like this, even in rainy weather. 

Ryanna was THRILLED to see a flag in our back yard. The last month she has decided she loves flags and keeps her eyes peeled for any flag, especially the American flag. As you can imagine Memorial Day was a dream come true for her as we drove and walked around. 

These videos may not be action packed but they are special to us for two reasons. 1st Quinten is our boy that we love and adore even if he is just laying on the blanket doing nothing. 2nd it catches a conversation between Ryanna and her Daddy that shows how sweet and special she is. At the very end of the first video she hears her Dad coming in the door, home from work for the first time that day. The second video picks up just after the first and captures a simple but so sweet conversation that ends in her telling him "I love you!" - We're not sure we even heard her say this at the time because by then Brian and I had started talking but when we heard it on the video our hearts melted. We are so blessed to be parents to this girl and her little brother.