Photos of the Day

I think that these photos pretty much say it all. Today turned out to be a really good day! It started off rocky because the weather has been pretty cruddy (yes, welcome to Seattle in Spring) and I am NOT enjoying it one bit. This afternoon, we met up with some friends [Shanda and Greyson] and headed to the Arboretum to see the ducks. As you can tell watching the ducks ended up in playing in puddles.

Mae and Greyson

Great Trip, Worst Flight EVER

Being able to spend 10 days at home in Alexandria, VA was, in one word, fantastic. The flight back to Seattle, was in one word, hell. First, the hell. All I can say about the flight since I refuse to dwell on it is that Mae did not sleep the entire five and half hours, despite it being her bedtime two hours into the flight, only taking a 20 minute nap that day, and going to a playground for 2 hours that day. I was exhausted, sweaty, and beyond patience when we landed. Thanks to the very kind man next to us. Your karma will be good for awhile. Second, the fantastic. There were so many highlights of the trip, including:

• The weather. I forgot how great Spring is in DC.


• Mae spending lots of time with her cousins, Grandma & Papa, Aunts, and Uncles.


• Going to see a play with my mom.


• Rides in the red wagon (thanks to my parent's next door neighbors for letting us borrow it).


• All the cool new toys at Grandma and PaPa's house, including the bike and the basketball hoop.


• Getting to see friends.

Here are some photos from our time at home. I didn't bring home my camera so I had to rely on photos from my mom's camera.

Aunt Julie & Mae

My Name is Mae

I know this is the third video that I have posted but I can't help it.

As you can see Mae knows her name and loves to tell people it. She also loves looking at pictures of herself.

Another Video

Running the Halls

Since being at home, I have taken a bunch of videos of the cousins spending time together. This is one of my favorites. As you can see, Mae loves her cousins.

Firsts

Mae has had a lot of firsts in the last 18 months (comes with the territory of being new to the world). Some of these "firsts" have been more notable and memorable than others. For instance her first steps, her first word, her first tooth, the first time she slept through the night, and the first time she smiled have all ranked pretty high. Despite me not keeping the best track of all these moments, such as chronicling and detailing their exact date, my reactions, Mae's reactions, and my feelings about it all, I am happy that I was by Mae's side getting to experience them with her. The other day Mae had one of her firsts that I will never forget because it was the picture perfect of pure adorable and delight. She had her first ice cream cone ever! It was a beautiful Spring day - temperatures hit the 70s mark. We wheeled Mae and her cousins over to McDonald's near my parents house in the wagon. All kids were silent enjoying their ice cream cones on the ride back.

Cousin Time

We made it to DC early evening yesterday. Things went relatively smoothly. There was an epic meltdown on the last leg of our journey (Philadelphia to DC) over a water bottle of all things. I was able to diffuse the situation pretty quickly with offering up an Elmo video. However, probably not soon enough for the Frenchman that sat next to us in First Class.

Today, was a pretty low key day. I wanted to allow a day for Mae to get adjusted to our surroundings and recuperate from the big travel day. We were lucky that Mae's cousins came over in the afternoon to bring some excitment to the day.

What is more cool than hanging with your cousins?!? All getting in a bath together. We look forward to logging many more hours with the guys (and of course with Grandma, PaPa, Aunt Heather, Aunt Julie, Uncle Beef, and Uncle Matt).

The photo is a little blurry because it was taken with my phone.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

We [Mae and I] leave tomorrow morning for Alexandria for 10 days. I don't need to say how excited I am to see the family and to go home. We have been talking with Mae who we are going to see. She has mastered everyone's name pretty well, except she calls her Grandpa, PaPa. I think it is pretty cute and am going to encourage her to call him it from now on.

Wish us luck on our flight tomorrow! As always, I am nervous about wrestling a one and half year old. This time I am coming armed with a DVD player. Here's hoping that Mae likes Elmo and sitting in my lap for five hours.

Always On My Watch

Does this series of photos look like anything bad could come of it?

You are probably smarter than I am and could have seen the disaster around the corner. I, of course, thought about it for a second but was having too much fun taking photos and watching Mae smile. Of course, Mae fell off the bed. You might be thinking that Ditka decided to jump up instantly and buck her off. Nope it didn't happen. (I am responsible enough to tell Ditka to "stay" repeatedly while Mae is sitting on her). Mae got excited like she was riding a horse and fell to the floor. In that split second, she went from extreme happiness to extreme hurt and sadness. And I went from extreme joy in watching her have so much fun to extreme concern and worry that she was ok. To make matters even worse, Pearson has warned me time and time again about allowing these type of activities. He has explicitly told me they will end in disaster. To make it double worse, he was home when it happened and came running out of the shower when he heard the huge thud, followed by Mae wailing. He was upset at me for taking photos while this was all happening. To make it triple worse, Mae fell off the bar stool a week ago. Of course all these falls happen on my watch and never on Pearson's. Thank goodness Mae has been fine after all the falls, albeit a little shaken. I know that this is all part of toddlerhood but you would think that Mae wouldn't have such a bone head of a Mom.

Photos from PDX

After downloading the photos from the weekend, I realized I didn't take that many photos and I only took the camera out of the house once. Anyway, here are a few shots from our weekend at Grandma Cumming's house.

Mae styling a new hat.

Mae with Pearson's bear from childhood.

At the Children's Museum.

Already knows when to fold them.

A new hiding place?

A Trip To Portland

We got home late this afternoon from four days in Portland. Thanks to Grandma Cummings for hosting Mae and I while Pearson went skiing with his "boys" in Bend, OR.

Highlights of the weekend:

• Reading a new nursey rhyme book that Grandma C. bought about 600 times. I think I am going to be saying, "hickory, dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock..." in my sleep tonight.
• The Portland Children's Museum. I will have to say it beats Seattle's. And the rotating exhibit was Curious George. Mae loves Monkeys.
• Me eating my way through the city, including Pok Pok, Bunk, and Papa Hayden. All I can say is yummy.
• Grandma C's and Mae's first outing to the zoo without either Pearson or I. Mae's favorite thing was getting to see the monkeys.
• Relaxing in someone else's house (that is also bigger and cleaner then ours).
• Long walks with Ditka and Mae.
• Mae taking a three and half hour nap one day (unheard of).

I will post pictures tomorrow.

My Dearest Mae

My dearest Mae,

Happy 18 month birthday or happy year and half old day!

I guess the thing that has most been happening this month is your speech. It seems that everyday you learn a new word or repeat a word that I have said. Your mom and dad are in full on "watch what we say mode," because who knows what word you will decide to repeat next. You still continue to continually ask, "what is that?" when we are reading. You point to a picture and say, "what is that?" You have done this for some time but now I turn the game back around on you when I know you know what it is. You have also started to play the game, "who is that?" when we are out with people or looking at a picture. It is pretty cute when you point to someone and say "who is that?"

A good thing has happened this month and you have become pretty interested in babies. You acknowledge and exclaim when you see a baby in a carrier, car seat, or stroller. I am hoping that this bodes well when we bring home your new brother or sister. You also sleep with your baby doll every night and at naps. You give her kisses, feed her, and give her a paci. You are already a natural nurturer. Again, hope this continues when a REAL baby enters the house.

I also was struck the other day that essentially whatever you say or do is because I (or your dad) have taught it to you. It is a little scary and a little exciting. For instance, I think that I must clean the house constantly because you now enjoy making a mess (dumping your milk everywhere). ) One day I told you, YOU had to clean it up and handed you a towel. You did just that! Now, I believe you make a mess just so you can clean it up.

I joke with your dad that you are either going to be a truck driver, a bus driver, or marry a truck or bus driver because you are fascinated with both of them. If you see one, you exclaim, "bus!" or "truck!" like you haven't seen one before. Your dad has fueled your love for buses even more by starting a little outing for you two. He takes you on the bus! You ride it to the water where you go look for boats and birdies (also two of your favorite things). Your dad has also taught you this funny trick, where if we ask you "what do you do when you look for birdies?" You reply in a whisper, "shhhhh, birdies." Since your dad was so successful with the whisper part I expanded it to, "what do we do when the baby is sleeping?" You whisper, "shhhhh, birdies." Pretty funny.

Your love for songs and nursery rhymes is insatiable. You could have me sing or say a nursery rhyme for most of the day. You also demand, "more" quite a lot when it comes to this department. I both love and loath it. I mean really how many more times can one person say, "hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon..."? You think countless.

As for physical development, you are still Mighty Mae. You love to go to the park where you go down the slide (totally on your own) - even the big one. Another thing that totally surprises me is that you STILL only have six teeth. All the kids we know, pretty much have a full set by now but you only have six. You haven't even had any new ones come in, in months. I just am waiting for them to come in with a vengeance.

I guess that is all for now my curious, independent, confident, lovable one and half year old. Cheers to the second half of your second year. I am sure it will be as great as the first.

Love Always, Mom

18 Month Stats

Today, Mae had her 18 month checkup with Dr. Sheridan, even though her 18 month birthday is tomorrow. Her stats are tracking pretty much the same - lots of brain and a smaller than average body for her age, among her peers. She is holding true to being Mighty Mae.

Weight: 22 pounds, 9 ounces (25th percentile)
Length: 30 and half inches (25th percentile)
Head Size: 47.5 cm (75 to 90th percentile)

One thing to note about today's examine. After the examine (checking her ears, heart, eyes, body, etc..), Mae asked for "more." Dr. Sheridan said she had never heard a kid ask to be examined more. She then commented how relaxed Mae was and understanding of everything for her age. I, of course, puffed up my chest very proud of my daughter. It didn't last for long....five minutes later she was getting shots and screaming bloody murder.