Lilah's Take: October 2010

Boy oh boy, have we been having fun this month. It has been busy but the weather is finally cooler and we have been spending so much more time outside. I REALLY like to be outside in the sunshine. Of course there are always the exceptions in Arizona. Take last Wednesday for example. We had a special "orange" class at Stroller Strides and then all went to the pumpkin patch together. Sounds like a great October activity right? Not when it is 98 degrees outside! And to make it worse Mommy found me an orange shirt with long sleeves! Apparently Halloween means long sleeves for everywhere else in the world but here. So it was hard for Mommy to find anything that was more appropriate for the hot day. But we made the best of it.

What is this hay stuff?

The whole Stroller Strides group

Lunch break!

Playing in the corn box

Mommy and me in matching orange

After the pumpkin patch Mommy was really busy. She told me we were going on a trip the next day. Daddy had already left and Mommy and I were going to drive up the next day and join him. Mommy packed all my stuff and her stuff. On Thursday, we went to Stroller Strides in the morning, came home, had lunch and were off to Palm Springs. Mommy explained to me that this was a big meeting for Daddy's company and that Daddy and she would be really busy. So that meant that Grandma Miaja was coming to stay with us and watch me. We got there late and Daddy helped us up to the hotel room and then left for an event. Mommy fed me dinner, gave me my bath, and then got me to bed. She put me in the bathroom to sleep! Can you believe that? Oh well, I got over it soon enough and fell asleep.

The next morning Mommy and I spent the morning in the hotel room and after my morning nap we headed down to the pool. It was a pretty pool and had a shallow end with a sandy beach area.

I had fun swimming that first day but had even more fun playing in the sand. After lunch, I went down for my second nap and when I got up Grandma Miaja was there. We all hung out for a little while and then Mommy and Daddy left for an activity. Grandma and I went exploring after they left and found them starting their activity. Here they are getting their instructions. Daddy is in the red shirt and khaki shorts and Mommy is next to him in jeans and a black jacket. She was overdressed for sure, but she was so excited to be out with adults that she didn't care.

Grandma Miaja and I left the resort that night and went exploring the area and did some shopping. I had fun hanging out with her and didn't miss Mommy and Daddy at all. After dinner, it was bath time and bed time and another day was done. The next morning I woke up with Grandma. I had a lot of fun playing in her room with her.

Mommy, Grandma and I all went to breakfast together. I ate lots and lots of yummy fruit. I must be growing because I have been so hungry. Then Mommy went off to the gym and Grandma Miaja and I went back down to the pool to play.

Grandma and I headed back up to the room for lunch and nap. As soon as I woke up we headed back down to the pool again. Daddy was done with his day meetings and wanted to show me off I think because he swam me all around the pool and let lots of strangers hold me.

We were there until I got bored and then Grandma took me back up to get dressed. We got to see Mommy and Daddy getting ready. It was their formal dinner night and they looked nice.

We once again headed off the resort to get some dinner. And it was the end to another fun day. Once again I woke up with Grandma Miaja. I had lots of fun with her. I don't think I ever heard the word "NO" the whole weekend with her. I can't wait until I get to stay with her again. After a late breakfast we got in the car to head home.

The first couple of days after our trip we were all pretty tired and grumpy. But once we got back into our routine I felt better. All the sleeping and eating I have been doing have been giving me the energy I need to walk. I have decided that it is time to just walk. If I need to get somewhere really fast then I crawl but otherwise I am on my feet. It sure is fun to walk. I can carry all kinds of stuff around and it is a lot easier. Now my bedroom toys can be in the living room and the living room toys can be in the kitchen. Mommy thought I made messes before, but she hasn't seen anything yet.

The other day she left the dishwasher open for a few minutes and I was all over it... literally. But I made sure to get down and run away like nothing had happened before she could get mad.

Mommy has been feeding me more and more finger foods. They are trying to feed me what they are eating too. I feel like such a big girl and love when we all eat dinner together. Here I am eating deconstructed dinner of potato, chicken, brown rice, tomato, and carrot.

It was yummy! I really like to eat this way, but they still insist on giving me pureed stuff too. When are they going to realize I am a big girl! My guess is soon enough because Mommy started getting ready for my 1st Birthday party next Sunday. I thought I would mention that I already have lots of gifts! I am not really sure what they are, but Mommy is excited about them and I am excited about ripping and chewing on all that paper. I can't wait!

I will leave you with some pictures from today. We had beautiful weather and Daddy let me come outside and play while he worked. It was so much fun.

Wow, I am almost one year old! This year has been a roller coaster and October so far has been no exception. But I am loving life, happy, and playful. There is not much else an 11 month old can ask for.

So the big news - I am walking. Sort of. I am taking steps on my own, therefore I walk! However, I am such a terrific crawler that I don't really see the advantage yet of walking. I feel very unstable and it takes me a long time to move each leg. If I think about it, it goes even worse. But at my best I have taken about 10 steps all on my own (usually when I have a toy in both hands and can't put them down to crawl). Here is a video that was taken on September 25th - the day I took my first steps all by myself. Mommy and Daddy sat down with me and I would take steps between them. They were very proud of me!

And this is three weeks later and the extent of my walking. Notice how fast I am when I get to my knees. It is no wonder I like to crawl better.

The last week of September Mommy had finally had enough with my getting to sleep process. She would get angry when I refused to nap. I was usually exhausted, but I can't let her win, right? So I would fight and fight. And eventually I wouldn't have to nap! Great arrangement I thought. But Mommy started putting me in my crib, AWAKE, and let me just sit in there and cry until I fell asleep. What the heck! The first couple of naps I cried for over an hour. Nightime took much less time because after crying all day I was exhausted. Over the next couple of days it slowly sunk in that I can cry but I might as well lay down to do it. So now when she leaves me in there, I cry to let her know I am mad, but then fall asleep in 5 to 10 minutes. To top it all off, she decided that I was no longer going to get bottles in the middle of night. Man she had it in for me. So now she makes sure I have enough during the day and I have been sleeping much better at night. I am now napping around 8 AM for 30 minutes to an hour and around noon for an hour to two hours. I am going down between 6:30 and 7 for bed and sleeping until 5:30 to 6. I am feeling much better now that we have a schedule. When I am up I am happy and playful. And I only cry if I am hungry or it is time for bed (unless I am sick, which I was this week, but you DON'T want to hear about that!). Mommy thinks this is the best thing that has happened to our relationship in a long time.

Cranky is a rarity these days - unless warranted of course.

I thought I could escape, but they caught me.

I thought I better share some recent pictures because I know that is what you all want to see anyway. Mommy bought me my first bike helmet but it doesn't quite fit yet. Man, kids can't have any fun anymore. Here is the trial run we had in my helmet the other morning...

The helmet is for the bike trailer, but Daddy takes me out anyway. I like to sit back and hang out as we cruise along. Yesterday Mommy came with us and we got to stop at the park and play for a while! I loved the slide and wanted to go again and again!