August 23rd - Week 19 - Grabbing feet, movies in the park, Grandma Etcheson

Mom had a hard time putting me to bed on Sunday night because she was in denial that she was going to have to go back to work for a second week. She hates thinking that about all the 'firsts' that she'll miss seeing me do while she's stuck at work all day. So I had a little surprise for mom to brighten her Monday. For the past few weeks, I had been getting really close to grabbing my feet. I had grabbed my knees, my legs and even the bottom of my pants a few times but on Monday morning when mom went to get me dressed, I found my feet for the first time. Once I got my hands on them, there was no turning back. I love being so flexible and having a new way to entertain myself. It also made mommy feel good that there was one other activity she got to witness me do 'the very first time'.

This was my first full week at Talia's house with the nanny. Mom and dad quickly learned how much easier it is for Monica to come to our house rather than having to drive me up to Talia's everyday. I did pretty well though. Monica said I was a little cranky on Monday but by Tuesday, I was adjusting well to my new surroundings. I did let mom and dad know I knew some things were different. I woke up between 12:30 & 3:30am 3 different times this week. I wasn't hungry, I just needed mom to come in and either rub my back or occasionally pick me up and rock me back to sleep. I think I just wanted to make sure that she was still there when I woke up.
On Tuesday night, we met Mindy, Riley and her dad Scott for the last of the outdoor movies in the park. We had been talking about going all summer and it took us until the very last movie to finally get there. We brought big blankets, food and wine and enjoyed the beautiful summer night. Mom and dad had us sit towards the back thinking Riley and I might be loud but we both did great. I didn't care much for the movie though; I entertained myself most of the time by sucking my thumb!

The weather was beautiful this week so Monica took Talia and I on a number of walks and to a few new parks around Talia's neighborhood. I've also grown to love playing peek-a-boo with mom and dad. If you're ever looking for a smile, just have mom hide behind her hands. I love that game and will even give you the occasional laugh!

On Saturday, Grandma Etcheson and Uncle Matt came up for a visit. It had been over a month since the last time I had seen them so I had a number of new tricks to show them. Grandma Etcheson babysat me while mom went out to her friend's bachelorette party on Saturday night. On Sunday, Aunt Beth came over as well and the whole family had brunch at our house. It was so good to see everyone but especially Uncle Matt. He was teaching me all about how to be a Bears fan in preparation for the pre-season game we're going to see next week. He was even going to let me borrow his hat, but it was too big.

August 16 - Week 18 - Back to work

We survived this week and therefore, I would call it a success. This Monday was mom's first day back at work and it turned both our worlds upside down. I think it was a very good thing that we did a few 'introduction days' with Monica and Talia last week because it helped make the transition a little easier this week. We started the nanny share at my house which was also nice. Monica got to our house around 7:45am on Monday and mom had just finished feeding me. I was still pretty tired so I ended up going back to sleep which made it easier for mom to get out the door in the morning. Her first day back at work wasn't so bad. The first few hours flew by as she caught up with old friends but by lunchtime she was ready to get back home to me. She managed to make it until 4:30 at work before taking off and boy did I give her a big smile when she walked through the door on Monday night. It was strange because I was so happy to see her but all my smiles did was make mom cry. Mom was so happy to hear that the only time I cried on Monday was when Talia woke me up from my nap. She had left the hairdryer out for Monica in case I got fussy but she didn't need to use it at all.

Tuesday was probably the worst day all week because I was awake and wanting to play when mom was suppose to leave for work. Dad finally had to drag her out the door at 8:30am...but at least I was in a good mood and not crying. It is so hard going from having the entire day together to only having 3 hours between when mom gets home from work and when I go to bed. Monica said Talia and I were good enough that we got to go out for our first walk together on Tuesday. By Wednesday, Monica said both Talia and I had our routines down and it was such a nice day that she took us on a long walk all the way to the Lincoln Park zoo.

I've been doing much better reaching for things this week. I have no problems grabbing my toys when I'm sitting up in my bird chair and have even been able to pull the rattles to make the music play a few times.

I am also getting better about reaching for things while I'm laying down but I'm not quite as good at that yet. Ever since I've been able to grasp items with my hands, I've been putting things in my mouth but now, there isn't anything I wont eat! I was taking a nap while we were out on a walk and when mom checked on me under the sun-shade, I even had put my bib in my mouth before falling asleep. Mom and dad are hoping I'm not getting any early teeth.

This is our only free weekend for the next 2 months so we took advantage to catch up with some friends/family. We went over to Mindy, Scott and Riley's for dinner on Friday, had brunch with Beth and her friend Kendall on Saturday and had lunch with our friends Beez and Christine on Sunday afternoon. The rest of the weekend we just spent time playing together as a family. My legs have gotten so strong that at certain times, I'm able hold all of my own body weight. My balance isn't quite there yet but every once in awhile, if I'm positioned just right, I'm able to stand a second or two without any help from mom or dad.

We've also started working on my sitting up skills. Once again, balance is my biggest issue but there are moments when I sure do look like a big girl!

August 9th - Week 17 - Nanny, Jenna, Cubs games, Hot Doug's

Boy was my Monday and Tuesday confusing! Mom woke me up at 6:30 on Monday morning, packed my bags and took me to Talia's house. My new nanny, Monica, was there and I got to explore Talia's house and all the new toys/swings that she has to play with. Monday was suppose to be a dry run with the nanny and to see how I'd do at Talia's house for 10 whole hours without mom and dad. It took mom 45 minutes to finally leave me. She kept making up excuses not to leave because she wasn't quite sure how to fill her day when I wasn't with her. She realized she drove around aimlessly for 15 whole minutes once she left me at Talia's before realizing what she was doing. She did her best to avoid a lot of tears until she picked me up that night. Monica told her I only slept 20 minutes all day and cried for 40 straight minutes in the afternoon. I've never cried like that for mom but I was pretty overwhelmed by my new nanny and all the new surroundings. Mom hadn't told Monica about the hairdryer trick and how it calms me down but Monica finally turned on a big fan that Talia had at her house which got me to stop crying. Mom was hoping that I'd do better on Tuesday when Monica and Talia came to my place for the day but I still had a tough time. I was much better about sleeping during the day but I'd cry each time Monica came to pick me up from my nap. I'm just not use to waking up to someone other than mom or dad. I'm usually really happy when I get up from my naps. Mom says her favorite part of the day is coming into get me and being greeted by my big smiles. She took a quick video so she can remember those smiles when she's stuck at work all day.


As scary as Monday and Tuesday were it was made better by the fact that my very first cousin, Jenna Suzanne Reeves, was born on Monday. She was 6lbs 13oz and I can't wait to meet her. Mom thought it was ironic that my Aunt Amy was spending her first day with her new daughter when mom was spending her first day without me. Hearing about my new cousin brought back so many good memories for mom of our first few days at home together as a family. We were all very excited for the Reeves family and can't wait until Labor Day when we get to go meet Jenna in person! Mom met her friends for her last 'movies for moms' on Tuesday but she had to go by herself since I was with Monica. It helped to make the day pass by for mom but it was so hard for her to have all her friends there with their little babies and be sitting all by herself. At one point, mom's friend Mindy looked over and saw how sad mom looked during the movie and let her hold her little girl Riley. It did cheer mom up for a little bit but then it just made her miss me more.

On Wednesday, we went for my 4 month check-up with Dr. Norwood. I weighed in at 11lbs 13oz and am 23 inches long. Dr. Norwood said I'm perfectly proportioned. I'm at the 25th percentile for my height, weight and head circumference. I also had to get another set of immunizations. I did pretty well with the shots. I only cried a few minutes after they stuck me with the needles and then I settled down. Wednesday night, we went with Mindy, Riley and her dad Scott to the Cubs game. I can now say I've been to as many Cubs games as White Sox games...phew! Unfortunately, even my being there wasn't enough luck for the Cubs. They played terribly and ended up losing 12 to 5. We still had a good time and Riley and I got all kinds of attention for being two young girls dressed in our Cubs outfits. Dad ended up taking Thursday and Friday off of work to spend with mom and me before she goes back to work. Dad got up early on Thursday and played 9 holes of golf before mom and I even got out of bed. For lunch, we went to this famous Chicago Hot Dog restaurant called Hot Doug's. People line up and wait for hours to eat at this place so we went for an early lunch. You can order all types of specialty hot dogs. Everything from a traditional brat to a rattlesnake dog or a chicken sausage with goat cheese and berries (that's what mom ordered). Mom and I had met some of her friends at Hot Doug's early in the summer but this was dad's first Hot Doug's experience. In the afternoon, we took dad to some of the parks mom and I had visited over the summer. My legs have gotten really strong over the past week and I showed off my standing skills to dad in the sandbox at Adam's Park. On Friday, dad's friends from Tremont, IL came to visit and had 2 extra Cubs tickets for us. It was a day game and they were giving away Dora the Explorer dolls so I had to go. This game made up for the terrible game we saw on Wednesday night. The Cubs ended up winning 17 to 2 and scored 10 runs in one inning. It was also the weekend of the air and water show in Chicago. The F16 fighter planes kept doing fly bys over the ball park during the game. They were really loud but they didn't scare me. It was a beautiful Friday afternoon and after the game, we got to hang out in the outdoor areas around the ball park. I was being so good, that mom didn't take me home until 8:30 that night. On Saturday, we got to meet the newest baby in our group of friends. Austin Nicholas Kolentus was born on August 5th. He is one big boy. He was 9lbs. 15oz when he was born and they think he's almost 11 pounds now that he's two weeks old. It won’t be long until he's bigger than I am! In the afternoon, we headed over to a friend's rooftop BBQ to see the air and water show. It was a little too hot for me to be on the roof the whole day so mom and dad took turns watching me inside until there was enough shade on the roof. I helped entertain everyone at the party and I even got to meet another little girl named Ava.

On Sunday, we were suppose to meet some friends at the Bucktown baby pool but the weather didn't corporate. That was ok with mom because we were able to spend one last relaxing day at home together. Sunday night was pretty sad and mom didn't want to put me to bed but there was no avoiding that the summer we'd enjoyed together for the past 4 1/2 months was coming to an end.

August 2 - Week 16 - rolling over, park, swimming

Since I was about 6 weeks old, dad has been calling me Houdini. He gave me the name because no matter what they try to swaddle me in at night, I manage to wiggle my arms free. Even the miracle blanket and kiddopodimus with their Velcro straps are no match for me! Well this week, I've added to my Houdini routine. At various times throughout this week, when I'm sure mom and dad aren't looking, I turn myself over from my back to my stomach! It started on Monday when mom was suppose to be playing with me in my play gym. She was down on the floor with me but I saw her watching the Today show instead of giving me her full attention so I pulled a fast one on her and rolled over to my stomach. It didn't take her long to notice because I almost immediately started crying because I hate being on my stomach. Boy was she surprised when she looked back down at me! Mom and I were both pretty tired on Monday from all the visitors we had over the weekend. I was so tired I slept for 3 1/2 hours in the afternoon. I gave mom enough time to not only clean up and do all the laundry, but she also got 45 minutes on the back deck all by herself before I woke up.

On Tuesday morning, when mom came to check on me, I had once again rolled myself over onto my stomach at some point in the night and she found me sleeping on my stomach. For the past few months, I've been doing great sleeping through the night. Mom and dad usually put me down around 10 and I don't get up till around 7 the next morning. Well, I had another little surprise for mom; she went out to a concert on Tuesday night for her friend Kelly's birthday. She stayed out too late and wasn't there to put me to bed so I wanted to make sure she remembered me throughout the night. I rolled myself over to my stomach at 2:30, 5:00 and 6:30 and woke myself up each time. I couldn't quite get myself rolled back over off my stomach while I was swaddled so I needed to wake mom up to turn me over. That will show her not to stay out late with her friends again...I had to remind her she now has a kid a home!

I continued to be allusive with my new rolling over trick. On Wednesday, after mom found me on my stomach in the morning, she tried to put me on my stomach for more tummy time once I woke up. My attitude continues to be the same regarding my stomach, I hate it! Mom tried to be stubborn with me but I just scooted myself right out of my play gym and rolled myself over from my stomach to my back. Mom actually caught that one on video but she'd seen me roll from my stomach to my back before.

Wednesday afternoon, mom and I took our last walk down by the lake together. With our crazy schedule over the next week, it doesn't look like we'll have another chance to make it back before mom goes back to work. We ate lunch at the lake side cafe and mom took a picture so she could always remember it as 'our spot'. On those days when she's stuck in her cube at work, is battling a nasty Chicago winter or maybe when we're fighting when I'm a teenager, mom is going to think back to this peacefully spot and this summer and remember how much fun the two of us had here.

By Thursday when mom came into check on me in the morning, not only was I on my stomach, but I was pushing up with both arms and looking around. Mom commented that I finally look like a real baby! I guess all the tummy time mom has forced on me is finally starting to pay off. We spent the rest of Thursday with mom's friend Jessica and her little boy Jacoby at the park. Jacoby is 8 months old and has just learned how to give everyone kisses! Jessica gave up her job at CIGNA to stay at home with Jacoby full-time. She's been a great friend and support system for mom. Funny enough, mom also ran into her friend, Suzette at the park. Suzette's last day at Mercer was July 31st as she decided to stay at home with her two girls as well. It's helpful for mom to know that there are other sucessfully women who were able to walk away from their careers and be happy being a stay at home mom.

On Friday, we met mom's friend Mindy and her daughter Riley at the pool in their condo building. I actually got to wear my girlie swimsuit that Grandpa Etcheson and Kathy purchased for me since we were inside. I got in the water for the first time and really seemed to like it. I spent 30 minutes in the water with mom and was kicking like crazy. Every time mom and dad give me a bath now I remind them how much I like kicking in the water and they end up getting a mini-bath of their own! After I was done swimming, Riley and I entertained ourselves for 20 whole minutes by the side of the pool while mom and Mindy got to take turns swimming laps.

Over the weekend, we met some of mom and dad's friends for brunch and then we all headed over to the Lincoln Park zoo. I was the youngest of the kids there so I didn't get to play in the water or get as excited about all the animals as the other girls but it was still fun. Mom and dad spent most of Sunday cleaning out the closet/storage area to make space for some of Talia's clothes and toys. Talia is 5 weeks younger than me and is the little girl who I'll be sharing a nanny with when mom returns to work. We'll be doing a trial run with the nanny and Talia next week to help ease me in to the transition. While it was a sad day for mom,thinking about having to go back to work, we were all cheered up when we heard that my aunt Amy had gone into labor and was headed to the hospital. It brought back so many good memories for mom and dad of the day I was born. I can't wait for my cousin Jenna to finally be here! We already have our plane tickets to go and meet her over labor day.

July 26th - Week 15 - Wrigley, Sox game, laughing

I'm starting out with my own comments this week. I think this might be one of the best weeks we've had since Ava has arrived. Not only has the weather been amazing, but Ava continues to become more and more interactive with family and friends. We started the week off with some mother daughter time down by the lake. It was 80 degrees and sunny and the perfect day for a walk by the lake. Ava loves being down by the water and feeling the breeze while we're in the shade. She must have watched the leaves blowing in the wind for 20 minutes, breaking into the occasional smile as if she was trying to get their attention. It was one of those moments when you look around and truly appreciate how great life is right now. The only thing that could have made the day better would have been if Andy was there with us. With my time off of work growing short, I'm doing my best to take advantage of every moment with Ava and savior all the memories! While I know she is too young to remember these early days, I'll have plenty of stories to share with her when she's older.

On Tuesday we went to our weekly movies for moms and on Wednesday we had a playdate with the ladies from my prenatel aerobics classes. I think the moms had more fun with the kids all being together than they did, but it was cute to see all the other little ones. Ava is the oldest of the group by 2 days. Denise's twins, Gavin and Alexandria, were born on April 20th and Riley was born on June 26th.

I had told everyone how fun it was when Ava went to her first Cub's game on father's day so we attempted to purchase some walk up tickets to the game that afternoon. Unfortunately, we couldn't get enough seats together so we ended up just taking pictures out front of the ballpark and watched the rest of the game from Goose Island. Ava had already been to her first Cub's game but I felt bad for Riley and Ben for missing the true Wrigley experience.

On Thursday, we were lucky enough to be able to join daddy at his second work outing at Cellular field. It is hard to admit that Ava's been to 2 White Sox's games and only 1 Cubs game but we'll fix that soon enough. Daddy thought he was funny taking pictures of Ava as a White Sox, but she must be good luck as the home team has won every game she's been to!

On Friday, my college friends, Megan and Jill came over to visit in the morning and then we met Riley and her mom over at the Bucktown baby pool for a little swim. Ava likes the water a little more each time and is now splashing everyone as she kicks her feet in the water.

Our weekend was filled with family activities. On Saturday, Grandpa Etcheson came up to celebrate his 60th birthday. Great Grandma Etcheson came along as well to check out our condo and to see how close we live to Aunt Beth.

Ava put on quite a show while they were here. Aunt Beth got her laughing out loud for the first time. We told Grandma and Grandpa Hadank all about it when they came to visit on Sunday but Ava wouldn't do a repeat performance for them since Aunt Beth wasn't there. She did stop by later in the evening and got her laughing again...Ava sure does love her Aunt Beth!