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Christmas Day Wrap

So as it turns out, Christmas Day was very busy. Imagine that! I really wanted to have a post marked 12-25-07, but it just didn't happen. So, here's the deal: I'll give a brief summary and embed a slideshow. It's all I can do to get this post in tonight.

Summary

We spent Christmas Eve night at Christie's parents' house and woke up at around 08:00. The gifting was underway by mid morning with highlights like Willa's Jumperoo stealing a lot of our attention. A good time was had by all with a few surprises (if anyone needs a carpet steam cleaned, just talk to Christie's mom!). Willa's Christmas Day outfit was a hit. One year ago I wouldn't have dreamed of dressing the baby like a mini Santa Clause, but somehow it just seemed so right when we bought the outfit from the clearance rack in Burlington Coat Factory. I mean, how can you say no to "$11.99 - Original Price $19.99" That's like, $8 dollars we saved!!

Anyway, we had our afternoon at my mom and step-dad's house (you'll see some of those photos in the slideshow as well. Watch out for Bonnie) and had a proper mahem like time. This might have been the most exhausting (but most fun) Christmas I've had in a long time and the cliche perhaps is true in that it's more enjoyable with a child of your own. Willa is extrasuper cute even without the Baby Santa outfit... but with it, she is deadly. We love her so much.

Merry Chistmas and Happy New Year

Christmas Eve!

We started the day with our own little celebration. Christie and I always open our gifts on the morning of Christmas Eve Day. Willa mostly enjoyed ripping the paper, but eventually realized there was a new toy for her in the mess!

Some new balls!!!

Our plans then took us to Christie's grandparents' house where Willa sported her fancy black dress to pose in pictures with her Great Grandparents Pat and George.

After a few hours over there, we returned to Christie's parents' house for more celebrations - and of course, photos!





After sitting through more than 2000+ photos in various poses, Willa had soaked her dress with drool and it was time to prepare for bedtime. Her Christmas Eve romper with matching skull cap made everyone laugh!

Things are looking better

This is Christie posting, I was just too lazy to sign out of Markus' account...Willa seems to be returning to normal. We only have coughing spells in the mornings, she's napping again, and her nose isn't quite as runny (though we still have tissues strategically placed all over the house!). As proof that life is returning to normal, we have some pictures. It's been a while, I know. I'm also making up for lost time - when I imported the pictures from our camera, I saw that we had a few weeks' worth of photos. Enjoy the slideshows!

Pictures of Willa on Saturday, December 8. We were doing her favorite - Dancey, Dancey, Dancey. If you're curious, we can show you in person if we see you...



December 9 - Willa finally has enough (but BARELY enough) hair to wear the bows she was given back in the hospital! Yay!


December 10 - Playing on the bed, looking festive in a Christmas outfit (No Mom, I still don't make the bed every day. Now you just can't yell at me for it!)


And then there were no pictures, because who wants to see a sick baby? And what sick baby is agreeable enough for pictures?

Then, last night Willa was so cheerful after a day full of naps! Hooray!

One more thing...

How about the weather these past few days??!??!

Feeling tired

I have no music update to offer this Sunday. Here's the deal: Willa's been under the weather for about 5 days and this was one of the most exhausting weekends we've had so far (over 7 months). I think she's feeling better and the fingers are crossed for a more restful night tonight. I guess this is what parenting is all about, right? Attn grandparents, don't worry. We do have a ped appointment for tomorrow at 09:00 to be extraspecialcertainly sure that it's not infectious etc.

We'll do a proper update this week. I promise.

The Sunday Music Post

So, here's my pick for this week... Nothing else is really talking to me and I think this guy deserves to be recognized. Josh Wink with Higher State of Conciousness. It's sitting at 13 (dropped back from 6 a week ago) on the BBC Radio 1 Dance chart. What you probably do not know is that he is a Philadelphia native! Give it up for...



OK, WAIT! I have two picks this week. Lily Allen covers Kaiser Chiefs' "Oh My God" and it's a wicked collaboration with Mark Ronson - NYC CelebriDJ. For some reason Mark doesn't want anyone to embed this youtube vidio so you're just going to have to click a link to view it. It's worth it and honestly out of the two songs you will like this more (unless you like Josh Wink and/or house/trance/techno).

LINK

Mini Milestone

On the weeks when Christie travels, I don't often have much time to think about blogging. Today is no exception. However, I do feel the urge to share about a recent mini-milestone. For the last few weeks Willa has been more aggressively been putting things in her mouth and sucking or chewing on them. This includes her pacifier. However, up until a few days ago, her movements lacked precision. Although she's not perfect now, I have observed her reorient her pacifier so she is sucking on the nipple - instead of the handle or the edge... This is exciting for someone who has watched her struggle to figure out how to fit various items into her mouth in the most illogical ways. Progress comes in increments.

Seeing Red

If you checked the blog yesterday, you read about our trip to Oley and probably wondered how everything went. Well, the proof is often in the pictures, and based on this small sample set we can conclude Willa enjoyed the 10,000 Pointsettias. It certainly provided the appropriate backdrop (if not coincidentally color coordinated) to photgraph our little girl in her new hat and mittens. Also, if you wonder why she's not wearing a coat, it's because we're in a GREENHOUSE. Yes, I was about to die of heat stroke since I had noplace to stash my coat.

Anyway, enjoy!

A few of Glick's 10000 Poinsettias

Ride the shoulder and you will get caught

So we're driving on 76 and traffic comes to a dead stop. KYW tells us it's because the road goes down to one lane for tree trimming. This guy decides he wants to exit in Manayunk but he doesn't want to sit in line and wait until he reaches the exit so he decides to ride the shoulder - he'll get there faster.

What he doesn't realize is that police have been stationed at each exit to ticket just this kind of driver. So our impatient friend rides the shoulder until he finds himself blocked by a police car on the shoulder and most likely, extremely unsympathetic drivers to his left. By the time we reached the exit, our friend was pulling ahead of the police to receive his ticket in proper fashion. He just had to wait until the other car that was being ticketed pulled away. Our friend really saved time by riding the shoulder, didn't he?

And now his Christmas shopping money has been drastically reduced since he'll have to pay a pricey PA fine!

Mommy likes it, too!

This is Christie, posting under her own user name this time. Everyone who reads this knows Markus would never do a stats post like that - he's good for a short blurb and lots of visuals. Never a text-only post - boring!

Anyway, I'm rocking out to the Bloc Party song now. And though Markus thinks he was ascribing his tastes to Willa, I have to say I think she likes his picks. I like them, too, so this is what we listen to at home. Therefore, these are the songs that Willa and I dance to in the kitchen or dining room. Sometimes I sing to her, too...poor girl, she doesn't know any better so she doesn't hold her ears yet. God knows what the neighbors think when they see me flailing around with her. But hey, Willa laughs like a fool so it's worth it for me.

I'll do anything to make her smile and laugh - Markus and the grandparents can vouch for that. I think my family, especially, probably never expected me (aka, tightly wound) to act like such a lunatic with a baby (babbling, making up new words like my dad's mom is famous for [hunna bunna, hickle pickle to name a few], shaking my head like crazy and saying, "Boogie boogie boogie" because even though it's a yucky word, it's your daughter's favorite, so you'll do it!). Ah well, it feels good to let my hair down and shake it out, both literally and figuratively.

Now, back to Kanye West, Daft Punk and Timbaland (we slow dance to the Timbaland one, by the way). We've got some dancing to do to get ready for Sunday. Markus was just fibbing - baby does love the weekly music picks!

What we like this week...

Haha, I see the post earlier today was probably Christie IMPERSONATING me!! I need to be more careful and log out when I leave the computer, lest she stumble upon some incriminating e-mails...

Anyway, I've decided to stop claiming that Willa likes the music I post since many sceptics have voiced their disapproval of both me ascribing such taste to a baby and for the content of said music. I have no problem claiming I like it so I will continue to do so.

Here's the list:


Bloc Party - Flux


Timbaland feat. One Republic - Apologize


Kanye West feat. T-PAIN - The Good Life


Daft Punk - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Willa's 6-month stats

November has been a month of visits with all the specialists, and the last one was her 6-month physical this afternoon. Here's what we have:

Weight = 14 lb, 15 oz
Height = 25.75 in
Head = 43.8 cm

She did well with her immunizations and thanks to being doped up on some infant Tylenol, she took a good nap this afternoon and is sleeping again (in her own crib, by the way!! Another milestone!).

Results from the other November visits:
Hips = Good
Eyes = Good
Brain = Good. So good that she doesn't have to get any more EEGs!!! That deserves a SUPER and a gold star. She was an angel at the most recent EEG, which was last Tuesday. She didn't cry at all. And since the EEG results were fine, she's finished with them. She'll continue to be followed until she's two, since the myelination (development of the fatty tissue that's responsible for your brain power) finishes around 18 months. After 18-24 months, it's just your skull that's growing. These neurology visits have been very educational...At two, she will stop having her age adjusted for development (all the physicians record her as five months now, since she was a month early) and hopefully our girl will continue to thrive as she's done these last six months.

Milestones
Sitting up = You saw it in the video
Rolling over = Not yet...she hates tummy time, but she's getting more of it to strengthen those core muscles
Weight-bearing = She loves to stand, and is quite strong (we think, anyway)
Eating = Like a champ! Her repertoire now includes bananas, apples, pears, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, strawberries, peas, and peaches, in addition to the breastmilk. Coming up, blueberries and mango - yum!
Sleeping = In her own room, not through the night...we're working on that...
Teeth = Not yet, but she's a drool monster and is always chomping on something - her hands, our hands, her tongue, anything that she can get into her mouth

I think that's about it. No exciting pictures, but these are exciting times for us. I'm especially excited that our specialist visits don't have to happen again until she's a year old; we get a small break from having appointment after appointment.

Hopefully we'll have more fun or funny pictures and video soon. Stay tuned!

Oh, we're heading to Baby Loves Disco (yes, a dance party for children held at a nightclub, but on a Sunday afternoon) this Sunday so we might have something good to post early next week. Baby goes clubbing!!!

Sitting Up - The Movie

Thanksgiving Day in Green Lane Park

View of the lower lake

The "Green Bridge"

Three Trees

Daddy and baby.

The upper lake

And a few pictures of mommy and baby.

Milestone: Sitting by myself

Today is a great day.

I have decided to sit.

on my own,

for as long as three minutes,

or

until i start to

laugh!!! (wheeeee)

Baby's first Wanamaker light show!!!

Willa in the crowd...

The show starts!

"This is the best day of my life!"

FINALE!!!

Chicago Theatre

Baby loves luxury

Westfield Mall, Magnificent Mile

LEGO Santa!!!

The View

Track our progress (Chicago 2007.11)

Using the new google map embed feature, we bring to you a map showing the locations we have covered during our trip!


View Larger Map

Picture from the bus!

Here's our little girl abouit 2 hours ago on her first city-to-city bus ride. She will have all modes of transport covered by one year. We need to figure out how to get her on the TGV in France by 5/8/08...

On the bus to Chicago

Baby's first flight was for the most part uneventful. She did cry on landing but was then elated to see mommy.

Today she met some of mommy's co-workers and lived up to the myth of supreme cuteness.

After dropping off the rental car in downtown indy, we hopped on the Megabus bound for Chicago. Right now we are about 20 minutes from arrival and looking forward to dinner somewhere nice - right after we all change out of spitup stained clothes...

Samim - Heater

I enjoy sharing music that I like. Here's Samim's "Heater."

Playtime III

Stronger, Faster, Better, Smarter. That's our Willa.

Baby loves this activity center / excersaucer so much!! a little too much perhaps.

3rd Floor Progress Shots

The baseboards and trim are now installed. The next step for us will be staining and painting. We're thinking of painting the baseboard in the hallway and staining in the bedroom. We will see...

Landing on the way to the 3rd floor

3rd floor hallway

Not sure why I took this... the paper is there to protect the floor

Lot's of patching. Also the horizontal line is the guys solution to a mistake they made with electrical.... sheesh