More fun with cousins!

Well, I'm finally writing all about the fun visits with cousins! It is wonderful bc within 2 months, Aria will see every single one of her cousins!

Sydney and Christina came to visit Aria over the 4th of July. They had SOO much fun. Of course, Adam and Sarah came with too. Christina wanted to celebrate her birthday with us (HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!) Here they are playing when they first arrived at our house:

On Friday, the 4th of July, we spent the day at the beach club. In the picture, Aria is watching Christina make herself into a sand mermaid. We had so much fun at the beach. There was a DJ there for the 4th, and they played fun music, and had a sand castle building contest (which we did not win...) We were there for the entire afternoon.

Afterwards, we went to downtown for the 4th of July festivities... and found out that everything closed down at 5 pm. oops. But, there was a carnival in a soccor field, with fireworks to follow. So, we went there... almost. On the way there, we stopped at Boston's Pizza and ate.

We then changed our minds, skipped the soccer park, and we decided to go to the ball park across the street from our house, and watch fireworks there (secretly I think it was a baseball vs. soccer thing, and if you know Matthew, baseball wins every time) We went home and got Zig (we couldn't leave him all alone to miss out on the fun!) and then headed over. We had a great time there! There was a park with TWO big slides that Aria could climb up. She went straight for the big slide, and climbed all the way up. Monkey!!

The fireworks began, but we couldn't see them! They were covered by trees. There were several people there, and everyone was upset. Then.... another show started, and we could see them clearly!! YAY! Aria fell asleep, however, and missed the fireworks. She slept through them last year, too. Must be a tradition.

I have no pictures of us at the ball park. What is wrong with me?? So here is one of Sydney and I right before we left. Yes... I am wearing my PJs, but I wanted to be comfy! And, yes, it is about 100 degrees and I'm in long sleeves and sweats, but I am still thawing from MN winters. And finally, yes, Aria is being closely supervised in the background. Haha, she looks like she is wandering away.

The next day we celebrated Christina's birthday. Christina and I made a cake together, which was very fun (the first cake I have ever made from scratch, and I was very surprised at how easy it was. Almost as easy as using a box mix!) Sydney and Christina decorated it afterwards. They did a great job!

That evening we had her party. Christina wanted to share her party with Aria, since she wasn't able to be there for Aria's 1st birthday. I thought that was awfully sweet of her to share her day. After the party we played in the new sprinkler toy, and then broke open the Pinata. It was a perfect day! Excuse my dear brother in the picture.... (although you might start to understand why Aria's phrase of choice the whole time was Uh OH!)

It is funny, bc Aria didn't say much of anything the whole 5 days (except uh oh... again, I don't blame her) It must be because she was playing so much. She really loved all the play time with her cousins. Usually it is just her and I all day, and I am working, so she is exploring and playing on her own a lot.

All I can say is how much I miss them, and how much I wish they lived nearby again. It was hard to believe that it had been an entire year since we had been together. We won't let that happen again!

Cracking me up!

I still have a lot to write about the visit with all the cousins!! But, I had to tell you that Aria is cracking me up today!! She has been silly all day! Her clown hair is very fitting today (in fact, the hair around her head is getting longer and longer.... and the rest of the hair on her head isn't! Oh dear... ) She is good at entertaining herself, which is a good thing. She plays with her toys and gets into everything (good thing we've baby proofed the downstairs!). We've officially turned off the TV, and only listen to music now. Every once in awhile I will put on Sesame Street but, not every day.

Today we went on errands over lunch. Aria loves taking rides in the car. She is still rear facing in the car in her new carseat, and looks into a big mirror. She makes faces at herself and plays and laughs. Today she was pinching her nose, blowing out and then laughing and laughing. Then she'd do it again. She thought it was hilarious (so did I). Then, she was wiggling all around (as much as she can in a carseat), and then grabbing her feet. She kept sucking on her big toe and then laughing at herself. She was doing this in the drive-through at the bank, and the person in the car next to us was laughing so hard. It really was funny. As we drove away I hear her making all sorts of noise back there, and I look into the mirror (to see into her mirror) and she was trying to get her knee in her mouth. She did succeed. Then she started to kiss her knee. She was having all sorts of fun.

At the store, she kept doing the sign for "eat" and "drink". I guess I shouldn't have taken her to the store when she was hungry! She was being a big flirt at the store, and waving and smiling and saying hi to everyone. She is usually friendly... but today she was just silly friendly.

She used to give hugs and kisses when we asked, but, as of last week, it all changed. Now, when someone asks for a kiss or hug, she vehemently shakes her head NO. And if you try to give her a kiss, she will put her hand out to stop you. Somestimes you're lucky and she puckers up and gives you a big smooch. She almost always gives daddy and Grampa kisses and hugs, though. Oh, and Zig... he gets kisses, too.

Today she said (signed) Please and Thank You a lot. She asked for food when she was hungry, and drinks when she was thirsty. She no longer says Cheese. When I ask if she wants Cheese, she says Please...

One sign Aria hasn't done is "help". I will ask her if she wants my help (and then do the sign), and she shakes her head NO, and tries to do it herself. She is already a "I want to do it myself!" girl. Oh boy! I think we're in big trouble!

The next signs I'm working on with her are Stop and Go. I was showing her stop and go at the store in the cart. She tried to do "go". I think she'll learn that one quickly because she likes to "go"!!

We got to see the newest addition to our friend-family today. Her name is Lauren, and she is soooo beautiful (delicate features) and so alert! The look on her face... it's hard to describe, but it's as though you can see her taking it all in, and learning about her surroundings. I wonder what she is thinking when she is looking around like that. She is so tiny (she is only 15 days old!). It's very hard to believe Aria was that tiny 1 year ago! Lauren and Aria are 1 year and 2 days apart.

We went to dinner with our great friends Jenn, Chris and lil' Mia. I think Aria said Mia 2 times today. I don't know if she learned it from people calling me Mia, or from all the times she's been around her friend Mia. I am not even sure she meant to say Mia.... we'll see if she keeps it up. Aria had a breakdown at the restaurant from being so tired. She fell asleep in my arms at dinner.

Baby Mia already knows how to say All Done in sign language and she is only 8 months old! She's been doing it for about a month now, too. Ummm...can we say baby genius? She also pants when she sees a dog, or a picture of a dog and quacks when she sees a duck - at 8 months old! By the time she is a year, she will be reciting Shakespeare.

I made a Mung Bean Casserole 2 days ago. Aria loved it - I mean REALLY loved it. So, if you are looking for something new and interesting to make yourself or feed your baby, let me know and I'll send you the recipe. It's really good for you and I was surprised at how yummy it was!! I'd never even heard of a Mung bean before.

I love you!

I always tell Aria I love you... and sometimes when I say it, I point to myself and say "I" and then cross my hands in front of me and say "love" and then point to Aria and say "you". A few days ago, she started crossing her arms over her chest when I say it ;-) So sweet!!

Today she walked into the living room, and stuck her arms straight out behind her, bent at her wrists, and started to turn around in circles. She kept doing it and made herself dizzy and she'd fall. I don't know why she started to do this, but she thinks it is fun! Funny baby! She did this several times throughout the day... wonder where she got it from?

Aria is starting to really watch my face as I say words. I said OH boy the other day, and she puckered her lips and started to say Boy very slowly, like she was trying to do it just like I did. If you do it yourself (I mean say the word "boy") you will notice that you stick your lips out slightly in sort of a kiss face when you say it. She tried to mimic my mouth motion for a few other words, but I can't think of which they were now.

She has figured out how to blow into her water flutes... she was walking around playing her flute today. Then she'd tip it to see if she could drink the water out of it (there was no water in it).

If you ask Aria what an elephant says, she will make the elephant sounds. When I do the elephant sound, I move my arm as though it were an elephant trunk (Ahna showed Aria this, and says cousin Caeden also did this). Aria is doing the arm motion now, too. Problem is... I asked her what a doggy says, and she did the elephant sound, too... but then I tell her a doggy says Arf Arf, and then she does the right sound. She doesn't quite get it yet, but she's getting there! Also working on a kitty saying Meow.

Aria got a new Sesame Street chair this week. She LOVES it. I had no idea she would have so much fun with a chair, but she does! She doesn't appear overly excited about the chair in the picture... but she really is ;-) Can you believe how dark her eyes are getting? I prayed for a brown eyed baby! You can sort of see her little curls coming out of the sides of her head. Parts are starting to spiral as they get longer. If only the rest of her head would catch up with the sides and back ;-)

I was thinking today... pretty soon, I won't be sharing with you all the new words Aria is saying, bc she adds so many new words, that soon she will be putting words together. Soon, my updates will change from being the updates of a baby, to the updates of a toddler and the funny things she says, and then it will change again and I'll be telling you cute stories about things like what happened at Gymnastics today (or whatever activity she ends up doing)... It is really hitting me this week how big she has gotten, and how much she has changed over the last year. She is a toddler now, and I just can't believe it! Where did the time go? This last year has just gone by SOOO fast. If it keeps up this way, it will seem like seconds and she will be in kindergarten!

It is interesting bc each time I think that THIS is the best age and it just can't get any more fun, and I couldn't possibly enjoy an age better than this age... she gets a little older, and I enjoy it even more, and am again convinced that the age she is right now has to be the best age there is. I just love that little girl!!!

Two cousins, one birthday!

Aria slept GREAT last night. She fell asleep on the way home from the store last night at about 7:00 pm. She didn’t get up until 11:30 pm. I knew she’d have to get up to eat. She usually doesn’t go to bed until, at the earliest, 9:00 pm, but usually 10:00 pm or later. She got up one time at night, but she didn’t actually wake up. She just cried a tiny bit in her sleep. When I woke up this morning, she was in her crib saying “da da” and then clicking her tongue. “da da” click click “da da” click click.

I looked at my phone to see what time it was and it was 8:00. I had already gotten 2 missed calls and 2 texts. I thought I missed something at work, and panicked a little. Then I saw the texts!! They were from Alethea and my mom in law! Alethea had gone into labor in the early morning, and went to the hospital! She ended up having a c-section at 8:24 am and had a BABY BOY!! His name is Colton Maximus and he weighs 9 lbs 9 ozs. BIG boy! The doctor had told Alethea after her ultrasound on Friday that the baby was about 7 lbs 8 ozs. What a SURPRISE baby! We all thought for sure it was a girl. We can’t wait to meet him!! Here is a picture of baby Colton.

Colton Maximus - born 02/18/08 - 9 lbs 9 ozs



As I was trying to talk to Kat this morning, we kept getting cut off. She said “it’s a boy” and the phone cut out. So I tried to call her back at her home number and it went to voicemail. The phone was on speaker and Aria was lying next to me (yeah, we were still in bed) and she heard Jake’s voice on the phone and she looked and said “da da”. Too funny.

Today is also AJ’s birthday – my other nephew! He is THREE today!

Today Aria watched her 1st Veggie Tales. She is so funny. It’s the Silly Songs DVD. She is in her exersaucer piano, and she is leaning all the way back and looks up at the ceiling. She is babbling/singing along. She laughs when I clap. She is amazed at how I make that sound, and wonders how I do such a fun thing that makes such a cool sound. I think Veggie Tales is a hit!

She had corn for the first time today. Corn mixed with butternut squash. Yum!

Today we went to the mall for lunch. Aria had soooo much fun. She loves being around people! We met Jenn and Mia. Mia and Aria are so cute – they look at each other, and smile. Aria gets excited and bounces and squeals when she sees her. Mia gets more animated every time we see her. She is 4 months. They are looking closer in age now.

Aria went to bed at 8:30 tonight…. We’ll see how tonight goes!

Feeling better!

02/09/08

Aria had a tough night last night. She fell asleep in bed with us, and when I tried to transfer her to her crib, she cried and cried …. And cried. So, needless to say, she slept with us last night. She woke up several times crying. Poor girl!

We got up at 8:30, and so far so good. Aria is being her regular self, only she wants to stay really close to me (I don’t mind!) and she is biting me more (I mind!)

She’s been saying da da da da and ba ba ba ba ba last night and this morning. In the last couple of days she has said Bob two times, and we really want to know who Bob is. Maybe she thinks I’m Bob? ;-) ha ha! Sarah tried to teach Aria to chant “Sarah, Sarah, Sarah” on the phone the other day, to get back at me for teaching Christina to do that 6 ½ years ago ;-) Christina was just a baby, and not really talking much at all. I used to babysit her a lot, and I tried to teach her to chant Mia, Mia Mia while moving her arm to the beat. She’d just look at me like I was strange. One day my brother, Adam, was at the store, and Christina started moving her arm the same way and chanting my name. Ha ha ha! They couldn’t stop the “Mia” chanting.

Aria was playing in her walker, and she rammed into the doggy door. Then she backed up and did it again. I think she thinks she can get out the doggy door like her puppy, Zig, does. Hmmm….

Aria is in a size 3 diaper. I can’t believe it. I remember looking at Sydney’s size 3 diapers when Aria was just born thinking that Aria would be at least 1 before she was in that size diaper bc they looked so big. Now I look at newborn diapers and can’t believe how TINY they are!

Aria loves baths! She started playing with her bath toys a couple of months ago. She loves the little tiny rubber duckies the best. She plays and chews on them when she’s not in the bath, too. It’s her favorite “teether”. I bought some other bath toys that had a shape that would be easier to hold and chew on, but she still just loves those little rubber duckies!

Today we went to Central Market to go grocery shopping. We met our friend, Ashley, since she is cooking the same kind of meals we are these days. It was fun! Aria hung out in the sling. She always straightens her legs when I put her in there, so it makes it rather difficult to get her in! I did get her legs bent and got her all tucked in the sling. Then, she popped out her leg and started to bounce it up and down out of the sling. It was pretty funny. She spent the whole time with her leg sticking out. She ended up falling asleep in it by the end of our 2.5 hour shopping excursion.

Now we’re home and just ate some berry cobbler (all natural, fat free, and super yummy!! Want the recipe?) Well, I ate berry cobbler, and Aria ate sweet peas (her fave) and some apple pears and some antibiotics ;-) I snuck the antibiotics inbetween the peas and the apple/pears. She really hates the antibiotics!!
She is rolling all over the floor in the office. She has rolled and scooted all the way to the tile, and is sliding around. She seems to like to slide around on the tile. Good thing I just cleaned the floors!

She was asleep by 9:00 tonight, which is very early. She’s usually up until 11:00. Wish us good luck on a good night of sleep! I need it!

Ear Infection

02/08/08

Aria went to sleep at 11:30 last night, and was coughing a little bit. Then she got up at 1:15 crying hard. She felt hot, but she usually is warmer when she sleeps. She was up again at 2:15, and felt even warmer, so I took her temp. She had a temp of 102, so I gave her some baby Motrin. This morning she has a very runny nose, and her eye (just one) is watering. Poor baby! She’s watching Sesame Street in her bouncy seat.

We went to the doctor, and Aria has a double ear infection. Poor baby! She is now on antibiotics. Her cousin, Diella, also has an ear infection. Poor babies! She is napping well, today. She just looks miserable. She still smiled at the doctor and the people in the pharmacy. She looks miserable, though. Her nose is running, and her eyes and cheeks are red.

The doctor also said that her top teeth are going to come through ANY time. The last time she told me that (about her bottom teeth) they came in shortly after. Wow, that is going to hurt worse when she bites me. When I hold her on my side, she bites my shoulder and pulls my shirt in her teeth as far as it’ll go before it pulls out of her teeth.

Matthew is feeling better, and went back to work today. Finally he isn’t miserable in bed with the flu! Aria’s ear infection and Matthew flu aren’t related.

So far, I’m the only one escaping sickness!

Aria wanted to be held the rest of the day and night. She slept a lot. Matthew and I had a very interesting time trying to get her to take her antibiotics. It will be a hard 10 days if it goes the same as it did this evening! The doctor and pharmacist both said that babies like this kind of antibiotic, and they don’t hear complaints about it. Well, Aria is complaining!