Happy Holidays!

We're about to begin our crazy Christmas travel schedule, but before we go, we want to send along some holiday cheer in the form of pictures. Here are two of the many great photos we already have of this first Christmas with Myla. Click on each to enlarge and really see them. I promise a full slide show from the holidays once we're back in the Bend. Until then, Merry Christmas to all our wonderful family and friends!

Myla meets the Big Guy:

A quiet moment under the tree:

Tree Lighting Wrap Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

I might win this dress if I link to it on my blog. It's kind of Cindy McCain, but how adorable would it be on Future-Myla?

Tree Lighting Wrap Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Turkey Fest 2008!

It's almost Christmas, which means it's about time to put the pictures up from Thanksgiving! We spent the holiday with Kasey's family in Elizabethtown. Myla loved spending time with her grandparents, Aunt Kelly and Uncle David, and the rest of the Buckles/Highbaugh gang. Here are some pics:

Dinner at Granny Buckles', with Aunt Kelly. Gimme some mashed 'taters!


Myla in the high chair that my grandfather Highbaugh sat in when he was a baby. Not exactly up to government safety standards!


That tryptophan will knock a girl out!


At Nana and Pop's, I have to take a bath in the sink. How undignified!


Pop took me to his basketball practice. Give me a basketball and fourteen more years, and I'm ready to go!


That Granny Buckles sure is funny!


Nana and Pop are ready for Christmas--me too!

First food

Last Monday we gave Myla her first solid food (rice cereal, mixed with so much milk that it really stretches the definition of "solid"). The pictures really tell the story.

First, Myla carefully considers her options for her first solid food. Braised pork with cranberry chutney? Pumpkin risotto?



Here comes the first bite!



And the reaction . . .




Okay, maybe this isn't so bad after all. More, please!

Six Months!

Wow, we can't believe Myla is six months old! She's doing all kinds of new things, like eating solid food (or more accurately, spitting solid food at Mom & Dad). She's also rolling over like crazy, but only in one direction. This sometimes gets her into some interesting predicaments, as seen here:



We'll have several new pictures in the next week from Thanksgiving and other occasions. Until then, Happy Half-Birthday, Myla James!

Sitting Up with Dad

Here are a few videos showing how Myla likes to hang out with her dad and practice her sitting up. I know they are long, but they sure are cute.

Photo #7

"It's Sunday, and you know what that means--watching football with Dad!



"Don't give me any lip!"

Photo #6

"The first person that makes fun of my outfit gets it!"

Photo #5--Bonus!

"It's Friday, so let's celebrate with four pictures!"

Photo #4

"That's right, I'm naked in my high chair. Admit it--you'd eat naked too if you could."

Photo #3

"My 5 months picture. The sign was delicious!"

Photo #2

"Seriously? Tights on my head? One of these days I'm going to call Child Protective Services on you two."

Photo Week begins

We just downloaded a couple of weeks' worth of pictures off our camera, and there are some great ones! To share them, we'll do a new picture a day, every day this week. That's right--we'll have a new post, seven days in a row. Check back daily for the update!


Photo #1: It's starting to get really cold in the Bend!

October Photo Extravaganza

Who knew October was such a photogenic month? In addition to the great Halloween and pumpkin patch pictures you've already seen, we have a whole host of others to share. Enjoy!

First, Myla turned four months at the beginning of October. Here are some pics from our monthly photo shoot:

Then, she cheered the Red Sox in the playoffs:


She worked on her favorite hobby (drooling):


In October, Myla really started moving around in her crib. Unfortunately, this sometimes gets her in a bit of trouble:


We made a trip home to Northern Kentucky for a Bengals game and to see some family. Myla especially had a great time with her great-grandma Wanda, whom she found hilarious for some reason!



Grandpa Blaze, on the other hand, she found . . . I'm not sure. What is that face? Surprised? Confused? Adorable?


We also got to see cousin Anna and her Mom and cousin-to-be-named-later:



Nana and Pop came and visited us and had a great time playing with Myla:


The cold weather meant a new wardrobe additon: hats. I say this one makes her look like an old-school football player.


Finally, here's a shot of one of Myla's last baths in her little tub. She's moved to the big tub, where she kicks up a storm! Stay tuned for pictures of that in the coming weeks!

Yes We Can!

Regardless of your feelings about the outcome of the election, I believe everyone should see President-elect Obama's speech from Tuesday night. In case you went to bed early, here it is. If you're short on time, I think it really gets good at around 12 min. 30 sec.

This one's for my dad

I was counting the money Myla collected for UNICEF (thanks Johnsons, McNallys, and Amy Hill!) and it looks like she got $11.00. According to the information UNICEF sent us, $2 buys nutrition for 1 hungry kid, so her collection will feed five-and-a-half kids! I mention this because it instantly made me think of my favorite scene from the Andy Griffith Show, when Andy is trying to get Opie to give more to the local children's charity. He tells Opie that there are one-and-a-half poor boys per square mile in their county. Opie finds this to be quite upsetting, though not for the reason Andy intends. Here is a sound file of the scene--once you're on the site, click on "Poor Horatio." If you're impatient, skip to about the 1:36 mark.

Pumpkins and Penguins

Happy Halloween! The Blaze-Buckles family loves this holiday, and this year didn't disappoint. First, Matthew and I went to the Kinnucans' annual Halloween party last weekend. The theme this year was movies. Matthew was the Karate Kid, and he had a crane kick that would make Jackie Chan jealous. Sweep the leg! I was Juno, from the movie of the same name. I don't think you can appreciate the accuracy of my costume without seeing the picture from the movie poster:



Of course, we know you don't log on to see pictures of Matthew and me, so here are a couple of delightful pictures of Myla on Halloween. She was a penguin, and was just unbelievably cute. She was in a great mood all night, the weather was spectacular, and we made stops at a few friends' houses. I thought I loved Halloween before, but having her to share in the fun makes it so much better.

To see a slide show of more awesome Halloween pictures, click on the title of the post or on the link at the bottom.

CLICK HERE FOR SLIDE SHOW

Photo Shoot with Aunt Maria

While Matthew and I were at the Bengals game on Sunday, Myla was having a much better time hanging out with Matthew's Aunt Maria and Uncle Kevin. Maria is quite the photographer and managed to capture some fantastic pictures of Myla. Thanks for babysitting and for capturing these adorable faces!

Myla and Maria

Myla and Kevin watch the Bengals. Myla's expression pretty much sums up their performance.
I couldn't decide which of these four to put up, so you get them all!