Kansas Thanksgiving

We've just returned from our trip to Kansas for Thanksgiving. This trip was the end of an era because it will be the last thanksgiving we spend in Paola Kansas. Ryan and his family have been eating turkey dinner in Paola for over 36 years (Ryan's entire life) at his grandparents house. But now the house will be sold and Ryan's grandparents are living in a retirement home. So we will have to find another venue.



This of course was Fay's very first visit to Paola, so it seemed like the beginning of an era to us. Fay has such a WONDERFUL time playing with her best bud Sparky (I can't believe we don't have any photos of Spark!), and her favorite cousin Sam. It seems within minutes of arriving at the house, Sam was playing cards with Fay and it was her new favorite activity.



Grandma and Grandpa Janssen were kind enough to take Fay off mommy's hands (literally), several times throughout the weekend. This was no small feat as Fay has taken to being very opinionated about what she does or rather DOES NOT want. She seems to have learned her own form of baby sign language which is frantically shaking her head side to side when she DOES NOT want something. This works for feeding time, holding time, changing time, when someone tries to touch her...pretty much everything. And it seems the affirmative is just a blank stare. Perhaps we can get her to nod her head in the future.

Fay got to visit with her great grandma Jane and Grandpa Bud several times throughout the trip. We visited them at their new home and also Bud came for dinners at the house. Its pretty amazing to see 4 generations in one room.

And we looked through a ton of old photos of Jane's and Bud's. There were several of Ryan at the exact age of Fay (13 months). Boy if they aren't spitting images of one another. The stick straight hair is a match, as are the quizzical expressions.



We had what we are calling Fay's "first steps" at the Paola house. Granted Fay has stood on her own, and she has taken some wobbly steps between her mom and dad after much prompting and pushing. :) BUT, on Friday evening Fay stood at the coffee table and I asked her to walk to me. She turned her little body, let go of the table, stablized herself, AND took TWO steps towards me. The fact that she let go and did not immediately sink to crawling position was a big deal. There was much cheering and hand clapping and a proud look on Fay's face.

The flights overall, OK. The trip to Paola was difficult. The flight was at 11:20 in the morning which meant we left the house before Fay's 1st nap (she takes two). Fay was too excited to sleep in the airport or on the plane, so we didn't get any naps in all day except for about 20 min in the car when we arrived. So the flight was really taxing -- Fay was cranky and mom was out of ideas. But surpringly she was a good girl when we arrived in Kansas and had fun meeting everyone. The flight back was a bit better as Fay slept in her daddy's arms for at least an hour. I actually read a book on the flight home, which seemed like such a luxury.

burst of activity

Fay's play activity seems to have changed a bunch recently. Its so fun to watch her play. I think she has mostly discovered *containers*. She likes to put things inside and take them out. She's been playing with her shape sorter by putting the shapes in (through the large opening, not through the matching slots) and taking them out.

And yesterday she played with the nesting cups that she has played with soooo many times. Only this time she was having fun putting the small ones inside the larger ones. She didn't always get it right; she tried to put the bigger one in the smaller one. But she worked it out eventually.

I caught a video of her playing with kleenex. She luuuuuves to pull the kleenex out of the kleenex box of course. But after pulling about about 15, she decided to play with the kleenex and her toybox. Its pretty darn cute.

Last weekend we took part in our annual "Friends Thanksgiving". Usually we go out of town and rent a house with 4 couple friends and their kids. But this year we stayed in town because one of our dear friends has been diagnosed with brain cancer. He's deteriorated pretty rapidly in the past couple months, so we decided a while a go that it would be best to stay in town so we could all enjoy his company as well as each others.

It was a great day full of kids and cooking. Fun yet stressful as usual. It was really fun to see the kids one year older and how they interact with one another. Fay was hanging a lot with mommy though she did hang with the kids for a few brief moments. She was having too much fun to take her afternoon nap, so that made the early evening a bit difficult. But overall she was a trooper and even went to sleep in another baby's crib (Beck's).

Tomorrow we leave for thanksgiving in Kansas. We are really looking forward to Fay meeting her great aunts and uncles, and her great grandma and grandpa. Fingers crossed that the plane travel will go well. With Fay's new found interest in containers, I think if I bring a box and some items to fill it, it may just keep Fay entertained on the plane.

telling first word?

OK, I'm not going to certify today as Fay's "first word" day. But I SWEAR I heard her say a word this afternoon...

We walked to the changing table. I was telling Fay that I was going to take off her diaper so she could take a bath. As soon as I set her on the changing I was about to say something like "lets get this diaper off..." Fay interrupted me and said

"NO!"

Now, Fay has been babbling a lot. She does ma ma ma, and ba ba ba, and da da da. But I've never heard her use the N sound. And yet, it was as clear as day.

"NO!"

I'm afraid if that was really her first word, I've got trouble ahead.

one handed assisted walking

Fay has been using my hands to help her walk for over 3 months now. When it started, I thought...."she'll we walking any day now!" I remember in August when we left her with Grandma Sandy for 4 days, I was afraid she would walk for the first time when I wasn't there to see it.

Fay, however, had a much different schedule in mind. This week I finally got her to walk with ONE of my hands. I've tried it several times in the past and she would either get mad and scream at me, or just let go and start crawling instead. She's gotten so good at practically running while holding my two hands that its quite a difference to walk with just one. She has to sloooooow down and be careful.

But she has now accepted the one handed walking challenge and she's quite good at it. It looks almost as difficult as walking on her own, so now I'm convinced she'll be walking within a couple weeks. I'm sure I'm right this time.

intrusive comments -- flashback

ok, since I can see my readers like the couple of posts about the intrusive neighbor comments, I HAVE to tell you about the one from 2 weeks ago. And this one doesn't involve a baby or cold weather.

I am returning from the laundry room with a full bag of clean clothes. The bag is pretty big and heavy, but I am not having trouble carrying it nor am I grunting or making strained facial expressions. I approach the elevator to go back up just as a man come out of it.

Man: You know, the dry cleaners down the block does laundry.
Me: (cocking my head like a confused dog) Yes....?
Man: Well, I mean, I think it might be worth the time.
Me: (what the?...) ...I don't mind...doing the laundry.

OK, so here why I'm slightly perplexed. Did he really mean it was worth the time? Because in some ways it saves time to do the laundry myself. I don't have to wait 8 hours to get it back from the drop-off laundry. Perhaps he just assumes that everyone hates to do laundry and there is no benefit to doing it yourself. Its not *just* about saving money, though that is a big factor. Its also about control. I can separate the laundry as I choose. I can take some things out of the washer and NOT put them in the dryer. Not everyone wants to haphazardly throw their laundry into one big machine and one big dryer.

Also, does he think I am the only person living in NYC to NOT know about drop-off laundry services? They only have them on EVERY block because usually you don't have laundry in your building. I consider it a perk of owning my own apartment to have laundry machines that I can use 24 hours a day. Even if they are not in my apartment but on the ground floor or my building.

Jeez!. Who makes comments like that? He doesn't even know my name let alone my laundry situation.

snow flakes

This morning I went for my morning run. Fay has been accompanying me on these runs for about 2 months now. But this morning I decided it was too cold for baby and left her to play with daddy.

Good thing. I saw snow flakes. Imagine the comments I would have gotten!

intrusive comments -- take two

Later that day...

Fay is bundled in her winter coat. She had knee high socks on, red sweat pants. Mommy MAY have been a little underdressed. AND I was carrying Fay in the Ergo sling carrier (which adds extra warmth from mommy/baby combined body warmth).

Old man (with a capital O) coming into apt building: Its too cold for babies.

Me: Soooo, she can't go outside all day?
Old Man: Nope, its too cold out there for babies.
Me: Wow, sure will be hard to be confined to our apartment all day.


OK, I should not have been snide. He was just looking out for us I'm sure.

Oh and it was FORTY FIVE DEGREES outside. What happens when it gets even colder. Am I supposed to stock up and retire to the fallout shelter NOW?

intrusive comments -- a weekly occurance

I may have to start a second blog dedicated to all the intrusive comments I get in my building elevator. Mostly these comments are triggered by the fact that I have a baby with me.

Yesterday I went jogging in 50 degree weather ( windy too ) with Fay in the jogging stroller. It was about noon on a Sunday. I was wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and long pants. Fay was wearing a turtle neck, winter coat, long pants, socks and a blanket over her legs. For part of the run she was wearing a hat, until she yanked it off.

When I returned to the apt a woman who was heading out helped me with the door and then stopped to comment:

Woman: Thats all you're wearing? Isn't it cold out there?
Me: I was running, you get hot when you run.
Woman: (motioning to Fay) Was she running too?
Me: (trying not to show annoyance on my face) She was riding with me. But she's wearing a lot more clothing.

Thats the second time someone has moved from commenting on my skimpy running clothing to commenting on Fay's clothes when she is dressed completely appropriately. Its like they project my running outfit onto Fay's little body.

Wouldn't that be awesome, if I dressed Fay in a little Nike running outfit to match whatever I am wearing? Maybe I could give her little headphones and a pedometer too.

the dress!

I've recently expanded my craft repertoire to include sewing. I took a class last month on basic sewing; we completed a wrap dress over three classes. The class made me feel fairly confident because the wrap dress was pretty easy. I just need to improve the quality and consistency of my stitches. But that simply takes practice. SO, I attempted to make a little dress for Fay and I've just completed it!

It was hard to get a photo of Fay standing up in the dress, since she is not walking yet...



It fits pretty well, I have to take the shoulder straps up a little. And I may wait to do that until xmas time. I made this dress as a summer dress because we are going to Jamaica in December. So I don't know if she'll grow a little before then.

On other news, we have Fay's one year old shots this afternoon. I think it includes the flu shot, so that is probably a good thing. I'm still amazed that she did not catch it from her parents when we had it several weeks ago.

Today is our last "Toddler Yoga" class at the Educational Alliance (community organization). We've been going every Thursday for about 8 weeks. Fay only moderately likes the class content, but she enjoys being around the other babies and being in a matted room. But this means we will not have a scheduled class for a couple months. It seems most groups startup the baby classes again in January after the holidays.

I'm wondering how winter will go -- whether Fay and I will feel cooped up in the apt. But I'm optimistic. Our co-op has a playroom that I've joined for the year. Its a room in our building on the main floor filled with toys and more importantly -- other children.

Also, I have a decent size network of stay at home moms that frequently want to get together in our living rooms to let the kids play with new toys and get out of their own house. Our number of "playdates" have definitely picked up over the past couple of weeks as it has gotten colder and rainy.

And, lest I forget, the holidays are practically upon us! Next weekend is Friends Thanksgiving (we get together with friends and cook a bird), and the following is real Thanksgiving. We will travel to Kansas to see Ryan's family. Fay will meet her Great Great Grandma and Grandpa Shaver for the first time! Not to mention some aunts and uncles that I think are eager to see our little baby Ryan (she is still a spitting image of Ryan as a baby I think).

halloween

I'm a little late getting my Halloween post up with photos of Fay in her costume. Of course Sandy and/or Andy never fail to remind me when I've been remiss in my blogging duties! I shouldn't make fun though, because its nice to know that there are people eager to read Fay's baby blog.

Last Friday was Halloween. I spent Thursday preparing Fay's costume. I didn't have to make it but I did have to do some alterations and I had to dye some tights. I didn't search long and hard, but I kinda assumed that it would be difficult to find black baby tights. So I used some white tights and dyed them black. Fay was to be a pumpkin! Last year Grandma Sandy gave us a huge pumpkin costume when Fay was just a week old. It was made in a sleep sack style, so all I had to do for this year was cut out some legs and sew up the edges!

Daddy invited us to his office during the day because he and his staff usually dress up for Halloween. Fay was being a bit of a pill for the entire visit. She didn't want to be held by anyone but mommy, and she didn't want to eat her lunch but she was clearly starving. So it was not much fun for anyone.



However, things changed dramatically that evening. We met up with our neighborhood friends and babies and brought Fay to the co-op kiddie parade. Afterwards we did some very brief trick-or-treating (at ONE apartment) and then went to a friends house to gather with the kids. Fay is normally a little skittish when it comes to homes or environments that is she not familiar with...



But she LUUUVed being at Ella's house. She went right over to the toy stack and started digging in. It was really fun to watch and also quite a relief from holding her much of the day.

one year molars

It seems Fay is right on time with the arrival of her one year molars. She's been teething for about two weeks now. At first I thought she had a wicked cold. We were on our way to a friend's baby's first bday party two weeks ago and Fay had the rosiest cheeks I've ever seen. Also snot seemed to be pouring out of her nose. I questioned even going to the party because I didn't want to get the other babies sick. But then the social butterfly in me took over and I just couldn't miss the party. I'm sure Fay would agree with the choice if she had any words.

But now I'm certain she never had a cold, she's just been teething for two weeks. When it finally dawned on me Fay was busy sticking a soft stuffed toy waaaaay to the back of her mouth and chomping/sucking on it for 15 minutes. Her eating habits have been somewhat erratic too. Sometimes at lunch time shes just not hungry for anything. And she has a little cough a night which I think is from the drool draining down her throat.

I think she's about done...the symptoms are letting up. She's sleeping through the night again without any wake ups (except for some cute little coughs occasionally). But I have yet to see the molars. Maybe I'll have to do a little inspecting tomorrow.