Sisi is 8 Months (and a few days)

Although we didn't have a chance to do a formal 8 month photoshoot on our Gloucester trip, Joe captured some lovely shots while we were out and about.  Sadly, I didn't get a chance to finish the headbands I was making for her.  Next month, I guess!

What's new? 

• tongue is out 90% of her waking hours 
• can clumsily crawl on hands and knees
• can barely pull up on furniture to standing position
• making lots of syllables, especially babababa and mamamama
• newest cullinary adventures- black olives, dutch gouda cheese, sips of beef stew and chicken soup, bulgarian yogurt with cinnamon
• can fake cry (anytime mommy is more than 5 feet away) and fake laugh (when daddy cracks bad jokes)

I love this little lady! I really do!

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Greetings from Gloucester

Wish you were here!!!

So far, I've read two non-self-help books (Bossypants and My Hollywood), had my first Dunkin' Donuts coffee (wayyyy better than Starbucks!), started a puzzle, and stared at the harbor from the bay window.  It's been divine, all this "time wasting."

The view from our little bedroom.

I was a little nervous watching Joe play with Siena on this grassy balcony.  You know, the one with no railings that leads straight down to the rocky shore.  Yikes!

  

This video would be a lot cuter without my annoying commentary... I would mute it, but then you wouldn't hear Siena's excited panting. 

 

He was delicious, by the way! 

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Coffee Shop Family Outing

Joe sipped espresso and read theology books.  I ate a warm cinnamon roll and watched Sisi play happily in the kiddie corner.  It was blazing hot outside but nicely air conditioned inside.  Everything was peaceful, everyone was content.   And I realize, THIS is how I imagined parenthood would be.

Most of the time, parenthood is nothing like my fantasies.  But there are moments that far exceed my wildest dreams, like when Sisi awkwardly puts her mouth on my face- her first attempts at kissing. 

I love that this coffee shop has a wonderful kid's nook with toys and books.  Wish Peet's had something like that!

Then back to reality.  After leaving the coffee shop, Sisi was in a horribly grumpy mood. She also woke up screaming from 10:30pm-12am, crushing my hopes that she was now officially sleeping through the night again (after 5 glorious days of 11+ hours straight).  Like all pleasant dreams, it was great while it lasted :) 

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Traveling with Bebe

Joe booked our tickets to Gloucester, Mass!  In a few weeks we'll spend 10 days out there in his parents incredible historical bungalow.  Our first real getaway since we became a trio. 

You can see their house in this painting on the right, with it's bright red roof.  Not bad lodgings, eh?

Even though some people say traveling with an infant is not worth it, we will consider this our trial run. It's our chance to see how resilient Siena can be, and how flexible and Type B we can be.  Plus, we'll have lots of helping hands, and won't have to schlep around from hotel to hotel.  It's an ideal first trip, I think.  I have a super brave pregnant friend (you know who you are :) who is planning a trip to Europe when baby will be 5 months.  Now that's ballsy!  Although I don't doubt they can pull it off, I do hope their tix are refundable, just in case :)

I'm being super Type A in my attempt to be Type B on the trip.  I like to do my research, and  I've gathered many (hopefully) helpful tips for flying/traveling with a baby.  The ones I'll be trying for sure:

• wake baby up 3 hours early the morning of the trip so her bedtime can be easily adjusted to East Coast time. On the way back, offer a short nap at bedtime but keep baby up 3 hours longer to get her back on California time.  I think this is genius, but it could definitely backfire.  I pretty much trust everything this lady says, though.
• nurse upon takeoff and landing to relieve ear pressure (we'll be offering diluted coconut water in a bottle b/c Sisi usually refuses to nurse outside her normal feeding times.)
• post it notes and painter's tape make excellent airplane toys
• order diapers, baby food, and other essentials on amazon and have them shipped to the destination instead of lugging them in the suitcase.  

I'll let you what works and what doesn't! 

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