Dada's Girl 2.0

Maybe she's a Dada's girl because he lets her do cool things, like enjoy her first sucker...

And she did enjoy it.

Boston

Chad had business in Boston in October, so Addi and I decided to tag along. The first few days were spent sans Dada, so we just kind of wandered the city and relaxed at the hotel. The weekend was fun, as we were able to spend a little time together exploring and eating the yummy Boston fare.

Addi and I spent quite a bit of time at the Boston Commons and Public Garden (basically a big park)

We found the Cheers bar and no I did not take my baby into the bar

We enjoyed picnic lunches at the park

We admired the pretty buildings

We went to Harvard, which has a really pretty campus

These gates greeted you at every entrance to campus

This is how Addi felt about Harvard

We walked the Freedom Trail and visited the Old North Church and Paul Revere's home

I ate a lobster and it was delish

The site of the Boston Massacre

Addi was a trooper and caught naps in the stroller when she could. Nothing like being on vacation to really mess up a kid's schedule.

On Saturday (two weekends before Halloween, mind you) we went to Salem.

This was a mistake of epic proportions. We were meeting our friends, the Williamson's (they had moved to Vermont a few months ago), and thought Salem would be a nice place to do that.

We couldn't have been more wrong. Apparently Salem has a huge Halloween-type festival going on every weekend in October until Halloween, you know to celebrate the witches. People come from all over to dress up and hang out in this weird little town. Needless to say, it took both of us hours to get into town and find each other. In the end, I'm so glad we got to see them and we had a good time just eating a very late lunch at a little cafe. (I'm even more grateful they decided not to turn around and go back home) =)

We sure do miss you guys!

Addi and I waiting for the train back to Boston.

It was a fun trip. I wouldn't mind going back without children to do all the things you can't really do with kids there (go on all the tours, eat at the fancy restaurants). It would also be nice to have a kid that can sleep in a foreign bed. My baby, bless her little heart, kept us up most of the night, most nights we were there. It was still enjoyable, and maybe we'll get back there one day!

11 Months

11/8/2011

Bug,

You are seriously full of so much sass and sweetness, which in my book are two wonderful qualities. I’m not quite sure how you’ve done it, but you’ve made us love you even more now than we did the day you were born. You constantly have us chuckling at your little antics and our world pretty much revolves around you.

11 months had you doing all sorts of things:

You can now say Mama and Dada (and can accurately look at who you are talking about), but if we ask you to say one, you say the other. Like I said, sassy.

You can identify several body parts: toes, mouth, tongue, and teeth. What a little smarty pants you are!

You started dancing when music comes on. It’s so fun to watch you move your shoulders and wave your arms to the music.

You are officially sleeping through the night (8-8), and it is wonderful. Incredible. Fantastic. I don’t know why we waited so long to sleep train you. You picked up on it in just a matter of nights, and I think all of our lives are better because of it.

Every night at around 7 PM, we have what’s called nakie play-time. Basically, you get stripped down to just your diaper and you play. This is without a doubt your favorite time of the day. You love it. You just jabber and crawl everywhere and climb on your Mama and Dada.

You have four teeth! Your top two chompers finally came in. Your little smile is so cute with those teethies.

You have learned how to turn the pages in a book by yourself. I get a kick out of watching you tilt the book up on it’s end and use your chubby little thumbs to turn the pages.

You are seriously the best eater. You eat almost everything we put in front of you (besides watermelon and canteloupe). I count my blessings that you have decided to love food as much as we do. I also have a feeling that you won’t be the kid we will have to ask to clear your plate before you can leave the table. You have to eat everything on your tray before it gets taken away, and then when the tray is gone, you check your bib and high chair for remnants. So funny.

You are pretty much weaning yourself. You no longer take a bottle before bed, so we’re down to two feedings. You’ve made this weaning thing look easy.

Usually you draw a lot of attention wherever we go. This month we went to Boston on a business trip with Dada. We were out and about a lot, and you got lots of attention, but everybody thought you were a boy! It was a little bit frustrating, considering you had at least a pink pacifier clip and a pink stroller the entire time. Really, people? Just because you were dressed in navy or gray didn’t mean you had to be a boy, right? We think you are the prettiest little gal we’ve ever seen, though, and that’s all that matters.

Next month you will turn one, which completely blows my mind. How about you stop growing up for a little while, Sweets?

Loves to you,

Mama & Dada

Motorboating (all. day. long)

Digging for treasures

You looooove to swing at the park (Look at those teeth!)

Love/Toler-Hate

Here's how it goes down:

Oliver lies unsuspectingly, just feet away from Bug

Bug crawls over, Oliver quickly relocates

Oliver is lazy, sees Bug coming, and decides to stick around

Oliver is attacked

(Why is it that Bug rarely cuddles with humans, but give the kid a cat and she gets all squishy with it?)

Oliver wants to escape, but alas is pinned by a creature who is quite a bit heavier and isn't afraid to lay on him with all of her weight (Karma because this is exactly what Olive does to the other 4-legged in our house, Mokie)

Bug offers Olive a kiss

Kiss was not received warmly, Olive runs away

This happens at least once a day in my house. Bug loves. Cat tolerates.