The Summer in a Nutshell

I have obviously been neglecting the blog...It's almost moot point to try to continue but oh well.. I'll do it anyway.

I came to the realization yesterday that Addy will be officially 19 months, one week from today. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. We have taken notice lately at how grown up she really is. In the last couple months she has really mastered a lot of skills. Rather than walking she now runs a lot. She loves to chase the dogs around, or just take a seat next to them and hang out. She has also taken up the chore of feeding the dogs every day. She opens the food container (sometimes) and scoops the food out, into their bowl. She's really quite good at it, rarely spilling any of it. She loves her doggies.

She has also taken wonderfully to the pool & swimming. We had a couple little lessons with my cousin, Rachael, who taught us some really great things to practice, including how to "wall crawl" along the poolside. If she ever were to fall in and get back to the wall safely, she would be able to crawl back to the step and get out. She even learned how to climb out of the pool, although that's a bit of a stretch for her current strength. I think she was able to complete it a time or two without much of any assistance. She loves to jump in off the side and to leap off of the beach step and swim toward us. She's surely a water baby. I begged for an underwater camera and got one as an anniversary gift so I've been getting lots of pool pictures and we even have some video of Addy swimming underwater. She's been doing really great, though I'm sure we will have to start all over next summer.









The house has officially been taken over by toys..if they can even be classified as such. Addy has her own little playhouse and a climber/slide (I plan to move outside when the weather is better), in our front room. She's very much a girl. She plays in her house, cooks in her kitchen, cleans up little messes with wet wipes, pushes her baby in the stroller (finally! She use to throw the baby out and just push the stroller, but now she enjoys pushing her baby and gets upset if she falls out-- as she should!)and she is usually toting a small purse and sporting some bracelets. It's a complete picture.. girly-girl to the max. Oh-- and did I mention that she loves shoes?? (She doesn't get that from me!)





She does however, LOVE little cars. She will spend a good chunk of time "driving" cars around the house and occasionally on Mommy & Daddy,the dog, or whatever else is in her path. She loves wearing Daddy's hat around the house and she likes "banging" things which resulted in one damaged coffee table this week. Good thing the dogs already chewed that one up, unfortunately the only undamaged surface (the top) is now damaged!

She is starting to talk a lot more.."Uh oh" is definitely her favorite saying. She recognizes and says a few animal names.

Loves Elmo, usually pronounced as "melmo" but sometimes it comes out right.

Loves to read (look) at her books.

Likes her pet fish - "pishy".

Loves to color!

Eats with a spoon, all by herself! And loves pizza! (Who doesn't??)

...That's about all I can come up with for now..but there is sure to be more by next month! Hopefully I can keep up with this a little better-- but don't hold your breath! ;)

Catching Up

It's been difficult to keep up. We were on the road for 6 days, Monday through Saturday of last week. We took every possible mode of transportation to get to Paris. Car, train, bus, plane, and subway. That was a long & interesting day. Our first full day in Paris we did a "hop-on, hop-off" walking/bus tour. It was nice to be able to do it our way. We traveled through the city, shopped, ate, a took plenty of pictures. The people in France were not as unfriendly as I had suspected, although people in Europe seem to be fairly rude in general. Strange, I did not think that Americans would ever look so polite. I'll be glad to get away from that. I could likely blow a gasket soon!


From the bottom of the Eiffel Tower




Protesters


Lunch at Hard Rock


On the tour bus







After two nights in Paris we moved onto Venice. I was very excited to get to Venice, little did I know I would practically wear the rubber sole right off my shoes with all the walking. I have been recovering since we got back. Every muscle and joint in my body was sore from all the hiking through the city. It takes about 10 seconds to get thoroughly lost in Venice. Maps are nearly useless. I'm not even sure I can explain how awful that part is, but for the first two days I endured it by enjoying all the scenery. I was pretty disappointed with the food in Venice. Maybe my expectations were too high, although nothing could excuse the reheated TV dinner I received for dinner on our second night. We ordered at a local cafe type of place that we had been getting alcohol from, to take back to the hotel with us. When I got back and took my spaghetti out of the white paper bag it was wrapped up in, i found a plastic container with a peel-away lid and the most inexcusably disgusting spaghetti I have ever seen. IN ITALY! I couldn't have been more disappointed. I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Italy and eat authentic Italian food, like the things my Grandma would make when I was a kid. I got nothing even close.

I still enjoyed Venice.. There was a lot of great shopping and of course the city was beautiful. By the time we left I was more than ready to go, since I was completely BEAT from all the walking. Rob thinks we must have walked nearly 20 miles on our last day there. We walked the entire "island" from morning to night. Part of it was shopping and walking aimlessly and part of it was getting lost, trying to find our way back. It's not hard to do, as I said before.




More to come..

Saturday morning we started our journey home, to Czech Republic. We had to walk to the water bus station and take the boat to the bus station, then we took the bus to the airport approx 40 minutes away, then flew to Prague, took another bus to a metro station and took that to a train station. We took a high speed train back to Olomounc, which is the closest city to where Rob's parents live. Everyone was there to greet us so I ran like hell to grab my Addy and smother her in kisses! The drive back to the house is about an hour and once we finally arrived it was nice!

The next day was Easter! I woke up and gave Addy her easter basket, that I brought from home and later we did a little easter egg hunt in the back yard. It was fun, Addy liked finding the eggs and putting them in her basket. She started doing it right away without any guidance! She likes to collect things lately. We went back into the city that day to go to the local malls. There were still some things I wanted to shop for.

Today some more of the family came over to visit. Robs Aunt & Uncle haven't seen him since he was about Addy's age. His cousin who is about a year younger than he is had never met him. His cousin spoke English, as most of the younger people here do, but his Aunt & Uncle don't, so of course I did not understand most of the conversation.

We haven't yet loaded the pictures from our journey so, those I will have to post later. Tomorrow morning we leave to go back to Prague, where Rob's sister is meeting us all and we will stay there for two nights before we fly home. I'm trying NOT to think about that, just yet!

That's all for now. Soon, we'll be home!!

The Weekend

Robert's aunt, uncle, and cousin came over on Saturday for a visit. His cousin is just a bit older than he is I think and she has two small children. She teaches English here, so it was nice to be able to talk with her, in English! Her husband also speaks English and her kids were doing very well learning it as well. It wasn't nearly as painful as I thought it might be, not having a clue what was being said all say.

Addy being silly


Today we drove to the Bouzov Castle in a village near Olomouc. We took a tour through it, though I could not understand what was being said of it. It was very neat, nonetheless. We got some pictures but not enough to really capture the beauty of it. They are actually strict about what you take pictures of, so it was forbidden to take many pictures inside the castle. It was still furnished with old wooden furniture and many large paintings. It was very cold inside. Spiral staircases made of cement were scattered throughout the big building. It was originally built around 1220. It's hard to believe they could build such an intricate dwelling back then.

Pictures of the castle will have to wait! I've got to go get packed up for Paris!

Exploring Europe!

Although the travel was a bit difficult for me, as I was unknowingly suffering from an awful lung infection, things have been going well since we arrived. Since I was lucky enough to get some antibiotics, I am nearly 100% recovered and feel much, much better. Addy has been doing pretty good, though she is suffering through the arrival of some new teeth. She's been getting plenty of rest and has been working grandpa over for anything in sight that appeals to her. Of course she gets plenty of attention from both of her grandparents.

I have basically declared myself entirely on vacation and have been buried in my treasured Twilight series novels that I saved for the trip. It sure made being sick a lot less depressing, having a great book to read to keep occupied. I did not however, expect to finish my first book so soon. I am now half way through the second book and I did not think to bring any more. I am struggling to find a bookstore here that carries English books so I can retrieve the rest of the collection. I will need them for our excursion next week.

We leave Monday on our trip, beginning in Paris. We drive to a near-by city to catch a train back to Prague, where we catch a flight to Paris. After two nights in Paris, we fly to Venice, which I am particularly excited about. Not that I am not excited to see Paris. It will be real tough to leave Addy for 6 straight days, the only down-side to our private getaway.

Yesterday we drove into the city (Rob's parents reside in a very small "village" outside of town) and did some sight seeing and a little shopping (for Addy..of course!!) We visited some very OLD churches and saw plenty of very old buildings and architecture. I guess I hadn't thought about the timelessness of Czech Republic & Europe in general. We climbed an ancient spiral staircase in St. Michael's Church to a lookout of the city of Olomouc & I realized that I have grown afraid of heights! We took plenty of pictures there. It's amazing to see things of such age.

This is a picture of Rob's parents house, from the backside standing near the edge of their property in the back yard.


This is a picture from a top a hill at the back of their house, looking down over part of the town.


No description necessary....she SO damn cute!



St. Michael's Church.


The view from the top of St. Michael's Church.




Today we visited a popular nearby Cave (Mladečské jeskyně)...Try to say THAT! Addy spent some quality time with Grandpa while the rest of us took the tour through the cold, wet cave. We got some cute pictures while she waited for us, when we returned from a short boat ride exiting the cave.

A picture from inside the cave..it was difficult to capture in the darkness


Addy waiting for our return.


I will be posting all of the pictures on the gallery sometime after we return home, for now, enjoy the sneak peek at our trip right here!

We have plenty of things planned for the upcoming weekend and then we are off to Paris. Check back later for more on our European Vacation! :)

Too long..

It's been way too long. Time has gotten away from me. My little girl has grown up so much. I'm happy, sad, and everything in between.

We had such a wonderful day together today. It was like some special mother daughter day- but yet- it was just another day.

We met my mother in Casa Grande this morning for a long over due visit. We started out with a little shopping. Addy had a blast walking around the Vicoria's Secret PiNK store, where they had a life sized PiNK dog that Addy would have loved to bring home. Then we ate lunch at Olive Garden (yummm!). Since nap time was long over due as well, she became a bit unruly, although I am much willing to forgive that ONE single unruly moment of the day. On our drive across the parking lot to Old Navy Addy fell asleep and we carried her snuggly limp body around the store while we shopped (mostly for her) until she woke up, happily.

On our way home I enjoyed Addy's new-found ability to "tbptbptbp" in various ways. She was delightfully entertaining, in her NOW forward facing car seat, for the entire ride home- well..not quite home.. on our way home, we..I.. received a text from "Dad" that he was not having a good day at work. So, we took a detour to Daddy's work, to surprise him (since he is working late tonight- in order to catch up on things before we take our trip to Europe). We surprised him and then let him get back to work, heading to a friend of mine's home. We played there for a couple hours, which entailed of Addy walking up and down the sidewalk outside, playing in the grass, fetching a new bouncy ball, and meeting the neighbor's two dogs.

Then we headed to yet another store, where I let Addy walk freely, exploring all there is to explore 2 feet off the ground and grabbed some taco bell for dinner on our way HOME (finally! It was now already 7pm- Addy's bed time).

We got home. Ate. (Addy enjoyed her rolled quesadilla). Then we bathed and crawled into bed and watched some baby TV. I was hoping I could get her to sleep in bed with me, while Rob was working late, but the mystery of it all has yet to pass. Addy is in explore mode on our bed, as if there is SO much to see at bed level in our room. By 8:15 I gave up and took her to her crib, where she quickly fell asleep.

This day.. not far from the norm.. was such a GREAT day! I enjoyed every minute of it, and it is a true reminder of how I am so lucky to be able to spend every day with my growing baby girl. I LOVE all of her new abilities. Just watching her WALK is an amazing thing for me (even an entire month into it). SHE is amazing! Every night when she goes to sleep..(I may be relieved initially, but..) I MISS her! WE miss her.

It's almost time that we plan on adding to the family. I KNOW I want another child. I also know, I am not alone in how I feel about it. It's almost impossible not to feel like your betraying your first born. Like you would be taking away some of the love you have for them. I know that's not how it will be, but I just cherish her so much, it's almost inconceivable to imagine how it will be with a second. The "irony" of it, is that above all things, I want it to benefit HER! We know what it's like to be (like) an only child. We grew up with much older siblings who we could not (& still do not) relate to. We have always wanted our children to be close in age and only hope that they will be "close" as well. I know all will work out and likely be even better than we could hope for. Afterall, we DID get the BEST kid on the planet! ;)

That's the most wonderful thing about being a parent. The proud-ness of it all. I never knew how much it would change my perspective of the world. I ALWAYS knew I wanted to be a mother. I WOULD be a mother....and a damn good one! I just never knew HOW much it would improve my life. I knew it would improve it, without a doubt. It's just that the extent to which it improved it, could not have been imagined.

Today was a fabulous day..... Thank you Addy...I love you!!

Priceless..

Who's Who??

Can you tell who is who?

Baby #1:


Baby #2:


One of the above pictures is baby Addy.. the other is...you guessed it! ME!

Besides the fact that one of us is a bit DRAMATIC with our smile...

It's INSANE how much this kiddo resembles my baby pictures! She keeps looking more and more like them every day. After taking this pic of her in the tub tonight I got a flashback of one of my baby photos. So I got it out and scanned it!

Wow! It's incredible. My little mini-me....