Exercising with Mom

For the past 5 weeks Mom and I have been going at least 3 times a week to an exercise group called Stroller Strides.  Mom has been reluctant to share with everybody cause she wanted to be able to share results with people but I finally convinced her that this is such a big part of our lives right now, she just needs to share.  Even if she hasn't lost much weight!  On Monday, Wednesday and Fridays we head to a local park, and sometimes on Tuesdays and and Thursdays we go to a park in Surprise (30 minutes away), to join other kids and moms.   When we get there Mom loads me up in the jogging stroller, puts sunscreen on me, hands me several toys and sometimes a bottle, and we join in the fun.  From my stroller I watch as Mom sweats and breaths hard as she runs around the park and stops to do all kinds of activities with the other moms.  There are squats, lunges, stepping up street curbs, pulling on these bands that they tie around the fences, running, jumping, and more!  It is pretty funny.  They even sing songs to us sometimes.  Although I do tend to fall asleep towards the end of every class.   After class everyone gathers around and visits while all the kids (that can) run around and play.  I can't wait until I get to join in someday.   And Mom tells me she can't wait until she stops getting sore after every class.

 

 The Moms gathered after a hard workout

Here I am sleeping while Mom works hard.

Mom took this picture when she took off my hat after a hot day.  I got sweaty that day too.

Bathing Beauty

One of the best things about Daddy working so hard last weekend outside in 90 degree heat was that he was ready for a swim when he was all finished for the day.  And he decided to take me in with him.  He took me in really slowly to get used to it.  The thermometer said that the pool was 78 degrees, but that was probably just the surface cause it felt pretty chilly.  Daddy shouldn't have worried though because I loved it!  We swam around the pool for awhile and then I discovered splashing.  If I flapped my arms water would splash up and hit my face.  I just couldn't get enough of it.  Swimming is great!  I can't wait until I get to go again. 

It can only get better from here...

or so they say.  The past several weekends Daddy has been hard at work outside on the backyard.  He says that all the destruction and demo is now complete and it is time to start putting it all back together, but it looks like he has a lot of work of ahead of him to me.  Mommy and I pretty much stay inside and then wander out every hour or so to supervise and check on progress.  The first weekend he took out the playhouse from the back corner.  The second weekend he took the fig tree down to a stump.  The third weekend he had some help from CB moving the rock that covered everything that isn't grass or pool.  The forth weekend he spent almost all weekend digging up sprinkler lines and trying to figure out where they all go.  That seemed to be the most frustrating for him.  He kept asking Mommy and me to come out to look at lines that didn't go anywhere, disappeared under the pool's deck or weren't capped.  Then last weekend he had the most fun.  He rented a bobcat and moved dirt.  There were strange hills that took up a big part of the yard and he leveled them out so that I will have more grass area to play on when I get bigger.   It is hard for me to understand how he is going to get it all fixed but I am confident he will.  Here is a progression of the destruction.   I will post pictures again when it is all finished.

Easter Weekend

Easter weekend started off on Friday.  Not only did Grandma Miaja, Grandma Jeri and Danielle have the day off but Mommy informed me that Daddy was on his way driving from Arizona.  After a nice relaxing morning and a few good naps Mommy and I wandered over to visit Grandma Jeri.  While we played with her there was activity going on over at Danielle's house.  We went outside and found that they had started to move.  Aunt Danielle, Uncle Kane and Cousin Rylee were packing up to move to their new house.  They would no longer be living on the same street with everybody else.  We stood and watched them for awhile.  Mommy used me as an excuse not to help although I love to grab at things and think I would have been a good help.  After awhile I got tired and hungry again so Mommy and I went back up for a nap.  About an hour later we wandered down again and the big truck they had rented was almost full.  This time Aunt Michelle and Peyton were helping supervise while everybody else helped get everything out of the house.  They were all very busy.  That's when Daddy and the dogs showed up.  Boy was I happy to see him, but I was just as happy to see the dogs.  They make me giggle!   Daddy sure did look tired though after his long drive.  When they finished loading the truck and several other cars, everybody started heading out to the new house.  Mommy and Daddy put me in my carseat and headed over too.   Daddy put me in the carrier and started to help unload.  He let me help hold the things he was carrying.  See I told you I could be helpful.  But it wasn't long before he ran out of energy and sat down against a wall.  Pretty soon he was lying down and we were both having a little nap while everybody else was bringing in boxes all around us.   Soon we were headed back over to Grandma Miaja's so Daddy could get some real rest.  That night Mommy made dinner for everybody and I heard that after I went to bed Mommy and Daddy left me in the care of Grandma Miaja and went to visit Aunt Danielle and Uncle Kane as they settled into their new house.  Luckily for Grandma, I didn't wake up.

Saturday morning everybody got up and had breakfast.  Mommy, Grandma Miaja and Michelle headed out to do some shopping and Daddy took me and the dogs over to see cousin Rylee and take her to the park.  Papa Delbert came with us and we had a good time on the swings.   That afternoon Mommy got me dressed up in a cute little pink and white outfit that was much too lightweight for the weather and we headed over to a local park for some family pictures.  There were lots of people there and a lady taking everybody's pictures - over and over and over again.  But I thought it was pretty fun and smiled and talked a lot the whole time.  After we headed over to Grandma Jeri's and Papa Delberts for a big BBQ.  Here are some pictures from the evening. 

Here is Mommy feeding me on the way home from the park

Grandma Miaja and me - more prunes, yummy!

Papa Kelly and me - he let me play with my spoon and I knew just where it needed to go.

 Daddy, Rylee, and Michelle coloring Easter eggs

Rylee thought it would be easy to stick her toes in her mouth so here she is practicing with me.  

Grandma Jeri joined in the fun.

Here is Mommy and me.   I think she is pretty funny.

Sunday came as a dark gray day.  It was Easter morning.  Mommy got me dressed in a pretty green and pink dress and we headed out to church.  Grandma Jeri and Papa Delbert were very happy to have us there with them.  I wasn't too sure what to think.  It was very loud with lots of music when we first got there.  The room was dark but there were colorful lights and lots and lots of people.  I just stayed in my carseat looking around trying to figure out what was happening.  I started to get restless about an hour in and Daddy took me out into the entry way to walk around.  The next thing I knew were we headed back to Grandma Miaja's because Mommy had heard that we were going to have visitors.  When we got back, Gram and Gramps Farschon and Auntie Meg and Danny were waiting for us.  I had fallen asleep on the drive so it was about an hour before I finally said hello.  I had had a busy morning already and I wasn't too sure about everything so I was a little grumpy from time to time.  But I could tell that everybody was excited to see me.  Gramps never left me alone.  Grandma Miaja ran to the store after church and was busy cooking the whole time we were playing.   Here are some pictures from my first Easter with all my family!

Gramps and I playing airplane

Danny and Rylee playing with the goodies the Easter Bunny left her.

After Gram, Gramps, Megan and Danny left we relaxed for a little while.  Then Mommy and Daddy handed me off to Grandma Miaja.  They went to visit with Aunt Danielle and Uncle Kane for the evening while Grandma gave me my bath and put me to bed.  It was fun spending time with her and it was nice for Mommy and Daddy to have a fun evening out.   

Monday came and we were on the road home.   The drive was long but I slept most of the way again.  It was raining most of the way while we were in California and there were lots of accidents on the roads in Los Angeles.  It took us 10 hours to get home.  But I made sure to help out where I could.

To Grandma's house we go...

March 30th started off as a rough day for me.  Mommy and Daddy, at the recommendation of my pediatrician, had been in the process of switching formulas on me.  I had been getting grumpy while eating, spitting up a lot, and getting the hiccups every other day all day long.  So the doctor thought that I might having some reflux issues.  Mommy started me on soy formula which seemed to clear up all my sore tummy symptoms but it brought about a new symptom, constipation.  I had been progressively more backed up and on the morning we were set to fly to Visalia I was in pain.  Mommy was a wreck because she was trying to pack and get ready to go and I was crying and grumpy all morning.  She spent about 3 hours total with me in my room just trying to help me feel better.  Nothing seemed to be working but it was time to go.  

Daddy took us to the airport.  He walked us in until we got to security.  Mommy had packed light and all she had was my diaper bag, the stroller and the car seat.  Luckily it wasn't busy and the security people helped Mommy get everything up to be scanned.  We had to pause at the other side so that the nice TSA lady could check the bottles Mommy brought for me.  After we made it through security we had almost two hours to wait for our plane.  We sat and looked out the window most of the time.  Mommy was trying to show me these things called planes but I was more fascinated with the little men on the ground running around.  Mommy was also on the phone a lot with the pediatricians office to see what she should do to make me feel better.  The nurse told her that if the reflux symptoms were better then she should try to treat the constipation.  She recommended putting Karo syrup in my bottle as a natural softener and maybe start me on solids like prunes, peas, or pears.  But before we knew it they were letting us board.  It was a treat for Mommy to be able to be the first on the plane.  They took the stroller at the bottom of the jetway and we took our seats with me in my carseat.

Little did I know but Mommy had been purposefully keeping me occupied so that I would be hungry when we got on the plane. She told me it would help my ears to suck on a bottle while we were taking off.  I ate my whole bottle and fell asleep before we even pulled out of the gate.  I don't remember the lift off or the first 15 min of the plane ride but when I woke up I was confused.  Mommy kept me busy for awhile with some of my toys but the plane was loud and it wasn't long before I wanted out of my carseat.  Mommy let me stand on her and look out at the other people on the plane.   There was a young girl sitting behind us who sang songs almost the entire plane trip.  I stared at her for a long time.  When we had about 30 min left I started to get fussy.  Luckily the plane was so loud that nobody could really hear me as I started to cry.  Mommy put me back in my seat and gave me a little more to eat and I feel asleep again.  When I woke up the loud noises were gone and the people around up were getting off the plane.   My first plane trip was over!  And Mommy seemed pleased that it had gone as well as it had. 

When we got off the plane Mommy decided to change my diaper before we got in the car.  Right when she took off my diaper I decided it was time to get all that stuff out of my tummy.  Mommy bicycled my legs and encouraged me to push and I cried but eventually I felt relief.  Poor Grandma Miaja was waiting on the other side of security for us and was getting worried.  I was still a little grumpy as Grandma Miaja took me out of my carseat to give me a hug.  We went to find our bag and side note - Fresno airport personnel don't mess around, in the 20 min it took us to get out to the bag pickup area, they had pulled our bag into the back because we hadn't picked it up yet.  Once we got our bag we were on our way to Visalia. 

We got into Visalia about 8PM.  Everybody was excited to see me and I got to meet my little cousin Peyton.  I also got to see Grandma Jeri, Papa Delbert, Auntie Michelle, Auntie Danielle, cousin Rylee, and Papa Kelly.  But it was passed my bedtime so I was a little cranky with everybody.  Grandma Miaja helped me take a bath while Aunties Michelle and Danielle set up a bed for me.  Nothing makes me calm down like my baths.  Thanks to Peyton who let me borrow her bathtub for the week!

Here is my cousin Peyton.

The next couple of days were very relaxing.  We hung out at Grandma Miaja's house with cousin Rylee and cousin Peyton.  Here is me hanging around - literally.

The big event of the week came on Wednesday.  As soon as Grandma Miaja heard I was ready to start eating she she went a got me some yummy prunes.  I had my first solid foods!  Papa Kelly feed me my first bites.  I love eating solids!  So far I have had prunes, pears, and peas.  Yummy!

My First Bites!

Here are some pictures from the first couple of days.  Stay tuned for the continued adventures from Visalia...

 Here is Rylee reading to me

Here I am "playing" with Papa Kelly in one of my grumpy moments of the week

My bubble bath (Mommy is used to hard water and added a little more soap than needed)

Here I am sucking on Peyton's toes - they were a lot closer than mine at the time.  Boy that sure made everybody laugh!

 

Here is a picture that Rylee posed and took of me.  She had fun being a photographer. And yes, those are my toes in my mouth.

Finally here is a picture of me and Peyton.  One of the only times we were both awake and happy.  You can see I just finished eating!

CB's visit

The last weekend of March, Mommy had a friend come to visit and I got to meet my Aunt CB.   This was the first non-relative who traveled from out of state to meet me.  CB and I spent a lot of time together hanging out.  She kept telling me I was adorable and that I look just like the Gerber baby.  I liked the compliments!

On Saturday we took a walk around the neighborhood with the dogs and then CB helped Daddy in the yard removing a small block wall and raking and moving some gravel in the back yard.

I napped through most of that.  After, we all hung out in the back yard while CB laid in the sun.  She loves the sun!  And then she got in the pool.   It is too cold for me still but she braved it and jumped in two days in a row.  On Sunday we went for a hike to the top of Thunderbird Mountain to look out over Phoenix.  After I helped her workout!

On Monday after a morning at the park working out, we headed out for shoe shopping for Mommy, lunch, and frozen yogurt for CB's birthday.  Then we took her to the airport.   Mommy was sad to see her go, but she had a lot to do because on Tuesday we were to leave for Visalia.  Stay tuned for that story....

March Milestones

I know I have been behind on my posts but Mommy and I have been very busy.   In addition to day to day life, where I find myself very busy playing, talking, and eating, the end of March and the beginning of April were full of fun.  I am now rolling over frequently but it is still mostly on accident.  I am better at rolling from my back to my front and then usually whine until Mommy comes to help me roll back over.  My feet are still my favorite toys but I am enjoying all my toys more and more. 

I have started grabbing everything that gets close and pulling it into my mouth.  Watch out Mommy and Daddy, don't let me get too close to anything on the counter because it will either go in my mouth or off onto the floor.  I am talking a lot and giggling more and more.  The dogs make me laugh the most.  I love when they lick me and come close to let me pet them. 

I had my first bath in the big bathtub.  I had to have Daddy help me because I don't sit up by myself yet, but I had a lot of fun and am looking forward to getting into the pool this summer.

Mommy also got my high chair out.  I sat in it for the first time during dinner two weeks ago and played while Mommy and Daddy ate dinner.  Little did I know but this would be the practice I needed.

I continue to get bigger and bigger everyday.  Mommy keeps telling me to slow down because she isn't ready to be chasing me around.  I don't understand why not!