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June 2010
June 16, 2010
Forgive me for not updating you sooner. We've been busy, busy! Last week we traveled to visit my dad, so preparing for the trip, traveling, visiting, and trying to catch up after the trip have eaten all my time.
The weekend before we left to visit Dad, we visited a little local nursery that has a play area for kids, plus some farm animals. Zane adores any type of animal, and he loves the little peddle cars at the place. Anastasia loves all the attractions, too - especially feeding the goats.
Often, we check on Zane before we go to bed and discover his bed sheet partially off. In the picture above, it was almost entirely off. I always thought he was just pulling off his sheet for "fun," but because I slept in the same room with him on our trip, I discovered he's an incredibly restless sleeper.
Anastasia riding on a horse swing, and playing in Grandpa's orchard.
The Miss and Zane playing at a little farm near Grandpa's. Zane's thumb sucking is nearly constant these days.
Anastasia ate better than expected throughout the trip, but it's a good thing there was always ice cream around! In fact, after several meals, she just assumed there would be, saying: "I'll take my ice cream now, please."
Top: Anastasia feeding the animals - with some trepidation. Bottom: Zane chewing on pebbles. He also had a wonderfully positive experience with some dogs here, and said, for the first time, "Doggie!" Later he told his Auntie "Bye!"
During this trip, we attended my nephew's wedding. The Miss tried to make friends with some girls there, but they were slightly older than her, and she had little luck. But she did find this little boy to hang out with. Here they are watching the wedding speeches. Later, he asked Anastasia to dance - and they did. He swung her around so hard, she fell repeatedly - but she didn't seem to mind. Once another little girl "cut in," but Anastasia made sure to cut right back in.
Anastasia grooving with her uncle. Here's a video, too. Behaviorally, she did very well throughout most of the trip, but I did swat her bottom once at the wedding. She replied (very loudly, making all around us laugh), "That's not appropriate behavior, Mommy!" Unfortunately, she only had one night where I didn't have to medicate her in order for her to sleep.
Zane fussed and cried all through the wedding. It turned out he was hungry, but finally, at the very end of the ceremony, I put him down and let him play in some straw. This kept him happy until dinner.
Eating carrots we brought for the horses and goat.
Poor Zane was too tired to enjoy the wedding much, but he did sit here for quite a while and watch the dancing.
The Miss experiencing her first banana slug.
Playing at the Boardwalk. The Miss always looks so serious about these things, but she had a grand time.
Top: The kids geared up for a boat right. Bottom: Miss A. driving the boat.
Wading in the ocean for the first time.
Having fun with her cousin.
Zane mostly rested on the boat, but he did perk up when we fed sea lions.
Playing at Grandpa's house.
Miss A's first swimming lesson, with her Auntie. She was scared at first, but soon proved herself a fish. By the end of the session, she was doggie paddling all over the pool by herself.
We visited a fancy restaurant, and the waitress was astonished to see Anastasia eat a large piece of flourless chocolate cake nearly by herself.
Enjoying Grandpa's garden.
Enjoying all his pretty cousins.
We all missed Daddy very much. (He stayed home.) Miss A's pining was pathetic, but look at the bliss on her face once we got home. Upon arriving home, she said, "Now I can be in my own bed and dream my regular dreams."
According to the Miss, she's ready to go fishing.
June 23, 2010
Zane really seems less like a baby and more like a little boy every day. He is protective of his sister, often running to her and hugging her when she cries, and is quite the brave little soul. For example, he's still terribly fearful of having his hair cut, but last time we did this (shortly before our long trip to Grandpa's house), he never cried or complained. He did, however, shake violently and was happy to hold my hand.
He's also proving himself quite the gadget guy. His arms and hands shake when he gets his hands on a new gadget - whether it be an automatically dispensing measuring tape or his daddy's digital grill thermometer. (My hubby says he still shakes inwardly when he gets his hands on a new gadget, too.) And he often tries to take apart toys - seemingly to see how they work. For example, we have a toy caterpillar that teaches music, letters, and such, but he doesn't seem to see it as a music box or a pretend animal. He seems to see it as a machine. And a few days ago he spent at least 45 minutes trying to open up the bottom. I'm sure he would have succeeded if he'd had the right tool, but he was using the only thing on hand: A plastic fork.
Last weekend, when Zane saw his cousins riding a go cart, he was all eyes. He stood back and made little noises until I told him it was okay to go up to the cart. Then he ran as fast as he could, making hyperventilating noises, and climbed inside, sitting on the bottom of the cart. He seemed to know exactly what it was - without being told - and he couldn't wait for a ride. (Contrast this with the rides at the Boardwalk, which he showed no interest in.)
After he saw Anastasia take a ride in the go cart, Zane climbed in.
Daddy strapped him properly into a seat and put a protective arm around him for his first ride. He sucked his thumb most of the ride and when the engine stopped and the seat belt was removed, he climbed out quickly. But then he tried to climb back in - as if he was thinking: "That was really scary. Let's do it again!"
Anastasia was pretty thrilled with the go cart, too.
Her insomnia continues to be a problem. Even when she goes to sleep on her own or with medication, she wakes up frequently. Sometimes she complains of nightmares, other times that she simply can't sleep.
Perhaps all that laying in bed, unable to sleep, is what inspired her to name her hands and feet. For quite a while now, she's called her hands Elkin and Delkin and her feet Socket and Rocket. One day she even told me an elaborate story about Elkin and Delkin's bird becoming ill. She has quite the imagination!
Anastasia with one of her cousins....And so proud of a book we wrote together about animals we saw near Grandpa's house.