Memoirs from Grandma #4

May 8, 2013

To my sweet little Eliza – You are 15 months old! Oh my! How time flies… and we certainly have been having fun! Your smiles, your awwwwwwwsssss when we talk on the phone (indicating that you are kissing me), your wide mouth surprised expressions, your unending “yeah!” to just about every question asked… except “do you wanna go peepee on the potty?” Then there’s total silence... like the other day when you made a stinkastoo and I told Mommy to ask you if you made a stinky. You smiled, "Yeah." Then she asked if you would like a clean diaper. You responded, "Yeah!" But! When she asked if you'd like to go peepee on the potty, you were totally silent! LOL! You definitely know what "Yeah!" means!



Now you’ve started giving the biggest hugs when there’s something you don’t want to do… like get into your carseat. It is so cute and it really works! It makes me NOT want to put you down! Of course, you’re far too grown up for Grandma to put you in your carseat anyway. I think I’d hurt my back probably. You’re such a big girl now!

I love just sitting and watching you… reading a book to yourself (out loud, I hear now), watching George, snuggling with Eleanor or your new little blankie bear that Auntie Carolyn gave you.

You are just a joy to me, little baby girl. I love being with you! I duss wuv it! (I duss hafta tok baby tok sometimes! I duss hafta!)

the month of April

April was a stressful month mostly for me. Eliza was going through some serious teething and sleep frustrations. But it's nice to be able to look back on the fun we had still ;) Because even though life can be tough, there is always a silver lining and that's what I like to look at!

1. We began the month with a free swim class at the YMCA. It was every morning 9am. So much fun! But it was tough getting there each day ;) So coffee was a must. Mornings are so much better with coffee, why is that?!

2. Little Miss drying off after her class :) She learned so much that week. It was surprising really. She was very hesitant the first day, but as the week wore on she got much more comfortable in the water. The thing that was hardest for her was laying back on my shoulder, but she got more relaxed and I definitely saw improvement!

3. I finally cleaned out the front room and made it into a play room. It had been WAY too long of me just talking about it... oops! But I am very pleased with it now :)

 

4. Sarah bought me a juicer and boy did I have fun juicing pretty much everything at first ;) Now, I'm trying to cut back on things to lose some weight and drinking juice every day doesn't fit into that. Boo! :P But man, that fresh juice is so tasty!

5. Steve and I got to go out for the night all by ourselves :) It had been awhile!

6. Eating some mandarin oranges at Bill Gray's. And then later, Mommy and Daddy's ice cream ;)



7. We had a few nice days but only 1 that coincided with diaper wash day, so I took advantage and hung them out to dry!

8. Baby Girl watching Baby Neptune ;)

9. In the mornings, Eliza often goes up to the attic to play with the toys up there. There are several books and random toys that I've stashed away so the downstairs isn't always a complete explosion. Well, there was a little doll stroller up there and I heard it come crashing down the stairs. I jumped up quickly to see what had happened and when I got there I noticed that not only had the stroller come down, but Eleanor in the stroller and Eliza was standing at the top of the stairs looking proud ;) So for the rest of the day she was pushing Eleanor around in the stroller and still often does :D

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10. I found these old pictures of me in an album one day and then realized that I had taken a series of several pictures of Eliza around the same age trying to mimic them... But I had forgotten them! So when I found them, I had to do a side-by-side comparison :) She's my baby!

11. I got a new divided plate for the little girl, I think I thought it was cooler than she did ;)

12. Her sweet snuggles absolutely melt my heart.



13. On a walk one day, she started out facing the world, then on the way back, facing me ;) It's nice to have options.

14. Her antics just crack me up. Seriously.

15. Baby Neptune on the phone to the rescue! After 4 hours in the car on the way to Grandma and Grandpa's she'd had it. I gave her the video to watch and she was very happy... until she pushed the home button and it went away. Then she was very unhappy... rut ro. Ah such is the life of a little baby girl. Rough I tell ya!

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16. On the way home from G & G's house, we stopped at Krispy Kreme. Mmmmmm! Eliza got to have her first very own donut since I wasn't willing to share mine ;) She loved it!

17. Since stopping that the Krispy Kreme has kinda become a tradition, we had to document with some silly family pictures.



18. Then, Monday morning comes... and  no more donuts. :( But man, that salad really is about as good as it gets :)

19. Eliza's new summer shoes! She LOVES them!

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20. While at Target, Eliza wanted to hold my hand even though she was in the stroller. Thankfully Aunt Sarah was there to push it so we could hold hands. So presh!!!

21. The daffodils in my yard were beautiful this year! And then they were beautiful on my shelf ;)

22. The hyacinths as well... so fragrant. They made the house smell so good for several days.



23. We usually hang out with our friends once a week. Here are all the kiddos at the table. I just love it!

24. The last Sunday in April we decided not to go to church and get some much needed sleep. Well, after we were all up we decided to go for a morning walk and ended up at a park we hadn't been to yet. It was so beautiful! There was a bridge about a half mile long that wound out and over the river. We walked almost the to the other side and back again. We saw a swans nest with 7 eggs and 2 swans! There were also a ton of turtles everywhere. It was really so cool!

25. Eliza's favorite thing to do right now is read books :) So when her Grandma S was on vacation she bought her a couple books... and upon receiving them she wanted them immediately read to her ;)

the month of March

Sometimes I think that I'm a predictable person... but then reality sets in and I remember that basically nothing about me is predictable. As much as I'd like it to be, it just isn't so. I mean I like routine and all, but at the same time, I am happy to change it all in an instant if a better option comes along ;) Monday is laundry day and someone asked if we wanted to go to the park and play? Um, obvious answer...

When I sit down every so often to sort through pictures and try to make some sense of them, this realization hits me even harder. I have no idea where to begin or what to do next! But it's all good and turns out being better than not doing anything at all :D

So my latest idea is to do these monthly catch ups with my phone pics (most all are instagram) and replace my old ig phone dumps with this. I was getting bored of those... and I think this is fun to read anyways :) so here we go. The numbers correspond with the description of each picture.

1. Last year when the car show came to Rochester we went to the Dinosaur for lunch and Eliza joined us. This year, however, she did not join us. So I was remembering a pic from back when ;)

2. We got her a little baby girl potty to start getting used to!

3. These little green pouches are awesome! You can fill them up with any puree, yogurt, soup etc anything drinkable essentially... well not really like a runny liquid like juice. but you get the idea. I don't use them as often as I thought I would, but I do love having them around! Eliza likes yogurt in them best :)


 

4. Eliza copying my big smile on command ;)

5. just being silly while we did some laundry

6. learning how to eat big girl cereal

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7. We decided spur of the moment to make a day trip to Bass Pro shops and to visit family in Syracuse. Road trip!

8. Saw this Jeep parked on the snowbank at Bass Pro... why not?

9. Eliza and Uncle Hoa making a fishy face... standing in front of a huge fish tank




10. Playing Great Grandma Boss's piano at Aunt LoryJean's house :)

11. Playing with Aunt LoryJean's necklaces, yep, she's my girly girl :)

12. Trying on some summer clothes hoping that will bring warmer weather... it didn't work. Well not right away at least ;)

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13. naps all around...

14. the pictures on my fridge... some of my favorite people :)

15. Baby girl got a new plate!

16. She was whining and fussing and I told her that I thought she should go take a nap... this is what I found about 5 minutes later...

17. Easter goodies!

18. Trying on her new swimsuit for swim classes the following week... it was a little small...

Letters to Liza (15 months)

Dear Eliza,

  

Right now you are about to turn 15 months. To say I don't know where the time has gone is a gross understatement. It literally feels like last week that we brought you home and began our lives. But at the same time, there are SO many memories that fill that time. It's hard to even remember them all. Lately though, you've been growing into a toddler :) It's quite fascinating... here are some of the things you are learning and doing as well as some stories :)

- We were playing with a wind up hopping chick on the coffee table when I recited the line "Mimi sees a baby chick, Hello little chick!" from one of your books. You stopped playing with the chick and walked over to your bookshelf, picked out that exact book and brought it to me to read!

- You regularly answer the questions I ask you (usually appropriately too) with a head shake or nod. The nods are often accompanied by an affirmative YA!

- I ask you a LOT of questions. Usually things that have to do with making choices. Seems you are catching on quite well. And when you want things you usually whine, but I will ask you to ask nicely and you squeal in a pleasant way and rub your chest saying "please." 

 

- You are a pretty good walker now. You often ask to exert your independence while we are out at stores and get quite upset when I don't let you. Or if I do let you and then we have to move along. Throwing yourself on the floor to have yourself a good cry is not uncommon... and I have to admit, slightly embarassing!

- You can climb up onto a lot of things now if they are the right height. Little chairs for example and low stools. You can also climb up on the picnic bench!

- When walking by yourself, you usually stop when you come to a crack or a change in level. Even if it's just the change in level from the driveway to the sidewalk. You will stand there and stare at it and then ultimately reach your hand out for some help :) 

 

- That's another thing. You have just recently learned to say "help." It sounds more like "hep."

 - Other words you say are:

Mama

DaaaaDEE

EEEEEE (please)

dittee (kitty)

uh oh

YA!

Boppa (Grandma or Grandpa)

- You make an "oo OO oo" sound for a monkey and also a blowing sound with your lips for an elephant.

- You have 12 teeth now and all 4 of your I teeth seem to be working their way through.

- You ask to watch George by walking into the living room and sitting down in your anywhere chair ready to watch. You are slightly obsessed with George currently and would probably sit there and watch for over an hour if I let you. Usually though, I put it on when I have some things I need to get done quickly and without interference because you are sure to stay right where I left you ;)

- The other day Daddy was making dinner and he heard the tv turn on. He walked in to find you sitting in your chair with the remote in hand. Naughty!!! :D 

 

- Very recently you have taken a serious interest in the remote for the computer. The other day Daddy heard the tv start playing and came in to find you sitting in your chair remote in hand HA! However, I've had to discipline you for messing with the computer too much as you have screwed it up on several occasions :(

- You have been doing a lot of hitting lately. And while I know that it often starts because you are frustrated it is still intentional. I try to help you talk to me and communicate but sometimes you are too caught up in your tantrum to listen and continue hitting me... 

- You eat pretty much everything now! Especially now that you have some molars to help you along. You still don't care much for meat, though you DO love hot dogs ;) I can't say that I blame you, because even though they are terrible for you, I love them too :) The other night you had a whole plus another half and when your Daddy was getting you ready for bed you burped and it smelled like hot dog. He said we needed to get you some stronger toothpaste ;)

  

I'm loving watching you grow Baby Girl and I'm loving being your Mama :)