Happy Ten Months Adelaide Penelope

May 23, 2013

Dear Adelaide Penelope,

Happy Summer, Baby Girl! Today was the last day of the school year. We have 10 weeks together with lots of plans to play at the park and the pool.

Since last month, your speech has really taken off. You babble with inflection--like a real conversation. I love creeping into your room after your nap and watching you chatting contentedly in your crib.

You are also mobile now. No crawling yet, but lots of scooting and rolling. You will scoot across the room if there is something you really want, like daddy's lunch box or the sound machine in your room.

We recently got our first family photos taken since your birth. It was a beautiful afternoon in Forest Park.

We also celebrated Mother's Day with lots of family time. Making breakfast together, napping, walking in the cemetery. My favorite.

Happy Ten Months, Bugaboo!

Happy Nine Months Adelaide Penelope

April 23, 2013

Dear Adelaide,

Today you turned nine months old. Your Aunt Jessica was here babysitting you today--she's here every Tuesday--and she stayed and helped us cook dinner. Chicken cacciatore. YUM!

You helped us in the kitchen by being your cute self. You sat in your chair and ate orange yogurt bites and super purple puffs. You kicked your feet in your chair, twisted around to try to grab anything within reach, and chatted away with yourself, and us, and anyone else who would listen. When you got antsy from sitting in your chair, we put you on the floor and you showed us your new skill of rolling back to tummy. You've become quite the log roller lately. Put you on one side of the room and you will roll your way to the other side.

However, your FAVORITE new skill is clapping. Your daddy was the first to witness your claps, but you wouldn't show the rest of the world until just recently. Now you won't stop. The funniest is when I am changing your diaper and you are cranky and fussy because you just want to be playing with your toys, when, mid-fuss, you clap your hands. The wrinkle never leaves your brow, and yet you clap.

This past month, we visited Chicago. It was your first stay in a hotel. We went to Shedd Aquarium and you loved all of the brightly colored fish. You also enjoyed watching the jellies swim around. When we visited the Beluga, you and Daddy stood next to the underwater window and a beluga swam right in front of you. We thought it was so cool, but you got kinda freaked out and started crying.

Your mama also turned 30 years old this month. To celebrate, we visited Ted Drewes. No ice cream for you yet, but only three more months and you'll get your taste of sugary sweets.

Now that spring has finally started to make an appearance, we have been spending a lot more time outside. Often, when the weather is nice, we sit on a blanket in the backyard when I get home from work. Then, when Daddy gets home, we all go on a walk together, oftentimes in the cemetery, our favorite walking grounds. Much as we are enjoying spring, we can't wait until summer.

Happy Nine Months Laidey Bug!

Happy Eight Months Adelaide Penelope

March 23, 2013

Dear Adelaide,

Playing with you is so much fun. Daddy's loves to copy all of your sounds. You two get into yelling matches. You will say, AHHHH, and then Daddy repeats it. Then it's AH, and again, Daddy mimics you with his AH. You think it's great. Daddy's favorite sound is when you say "Da da da da da."

You and Daddy also play a game called "Let's get Mommy!" where Daddy holds you facing out, and then pretends he is going to throw you to me, saying "Let's get Mommy!" He never actually throws you, but you have fun "getting me."

Along with the games Daddy plays with you, you're good about playing by yourself, too. You have a purple bin where we keep a lot of your toys. Any time I need to get something done, I just set you on the floor with your purple bin and you are quite happy to entertain yourself. You love to play with your laptop from Granny (opening and closing it is your favorite!). You also enjoy taking all the different shapes out of your shape box. The best is when I peek in on you and you are curiously peering over the side of your box of toys, trying to figure out which toy to pull out next. If I leave you for long enough, you will have all of your toys spread around you and your bin will lie empty on its side. Then you will notice me watching you and your face will break out into a smile that lights up your whole face.

Although you love to smile, you don't give away belly laughs easily. Early in February, we visited Grandma and Grandpa for the weekend. At church on Sunday, Grandma took you back to the nursery midway through the service because you were being too social for the rest of the congregation. During your time with Grandma in the nursery, she was able to coax your first belly laughs. You thought one of the nursery toys was the funniest thing--for about five minutes. By the time I came back to pick you two up after church, the toy was old news. We still haven't been able to replicate that laugh.

You do, however, enjoy a good game of peek-a-boo. I have a great video of it, but my phone is not cooperating.

Earlier this week, you and I took a nap together and you reminded me of one of my favorite habits you have. When you really struggle to fall asleep, you do the cutest thing. You turn your face and push it right up next to mine so that our foreheads and noses are touching. Sometimes you lay your hand lightly on my cheek, too.  It's the most comfortable feeling in the world to lay with you, face to face, as you sleep peacefully.

Happy Eight Months, Sweet Laidey Bug!