Fun with Cousins!

This weekend the Babe got a lot of cousin time–cousins Scottie (3)and Danika (7 months) on Saturday, and Anna (3) and Noah (2) on Sunday. It was so much fun! Now that she can move around, it’s very cool to watch her interact with the other kids. Danika isn’t moving around yet, so I got to see that the Babe is somewhat of a bully already–just taking whatever was in Dani’s reach, leaving the poor child there, looking as if to say, “Um, excuse me, I was using that?!?” While the Babe crawls off with her trophy, pleased as punch. I know that 7 months is too young to expect sharing, but wow. That would be the ultimate example of egocentric, I suppose.

She wasn’t quite as easy going this trip as in trips past–much more resistant to napping in strange places, not so thrilled at sleeping in the pack and play, not totally sleeping the entire car trip—things, they are a changin’, unfortunately, just in time for Summer Car Trip season. Yikes!

The Babe also go to see, for the first time, I believe, Uncle Jon, “out from under the bushes” as Great Grandma would say. Uncle Jon was bribed , a ridiculous amount of money to shave off his crazy facial hair. In hindsight, he probably would have done it for much, much, less–like probably for less than $10. But it made for wacky family fun.

I’m just realizing that our new camera needs a USB cable that I don’t currently have . So much for posting pictures. Maybe next time.

Who is the Toddler Sleeping in Her Bed?!?

The ticker on this blog is sliding toward the Babe’s 1st Birthday just a little too fast for my taste. Where, exactly, did my baby go?

I mean, one day just 5 months ago I was sitting on the floor in her room, talking to a friend on the phone, watching her sit in her little butterfly seat. For the first time ever, she reached out a grabbed at a toy. She was amazed, I was amazed and it was beautiful. It was SO exciting–SHE REACHED FOR A TOY!

Today she reached for (and got) the fire extinguisher in the school kitchen, her sippy cup, the water supply under the toilet, and torch lamp behind her changing table.

She’s banging toys together. She’s working on waving, clapping and pointing. The girl eats her weight in Cheerios. She’s close to 20 lbs, wears a size 4 shoe, and size 12 month clothes.

She’s EVERYWHERE. Tuesday we learned that the Dr.’s cabinets aren’t baby proofed, and he keeps lots of freebies from drug reps under there. He commented that she’s trying to stand on her own–and how sometimes it seems unnatural for a child her size to be walking. But to post the Poison Control # by the phone because she will be exploring even more in the near future.

She responds to NO and STOP with a look like, “Are you talking to me?” But she responds. Nothing can hold her back when she sees a ready bottle. Or cracker. Or anything I offer her on my index finger.

And now as she naps, I see how big she really is. Which is why I ask–who is this Toddler sleeping in her Bed? And WHERE did my baby go?!?!

Did I Do That?

This past week I received my collegealumni magazine. I was excited, because the Babe’s birth/adoption announcement was printed in the “Class Notes” section. L teases me about the “Class Notes” because really, it’s the only section I read every single issue. If there’s something interesting posted, within minutes of reading it my phone starts ringing–my Marian friends are ALL dedicated “Class Notes” readers. So we dish about births, weddngs, promotions and what nots.

But here’s where it gets cooler, and I think I played a part in it happening. In every issue of course, is an envelope so you can donate more money to our alma mater. On the envelope, there’s also a “We’d Love to Hear from You” plug–this is the section on which you can write your Class Note and send it in (preferably with a donation) if you don’t believe in email or whatever.

I happened to be glancing at said envelope and looking at the categories that qualify under “Class Notes”: New job/promotion; Weddings; Birth/Adoption!!!

This caught my eye because never before was this an option–it was always just birth. So now I am taking the credit for inspiring the magazine to add Adoption as something to submit to Class Notes. Who knows if it’s really how it happened, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.