Christmas in Cleveland

We had a wonderful Christmas with the Millers. There wasn't any snow, so Baikal never did get to use her snow suit. However, it was nice to be prepared.


Matt bringing the necessary items for the trip. He is wearing Baikal's car seat on his back.



Baikal got to watch her grandmother at work.


Christmas Eve dinner.



Christmas day dinner.



Where do I start?


Having fun with great grandmother Miller.

December 18th, 7:19 PM

One year!

This picture was taken today around the time of Baikal's birthday. She is really enjoying her new gifts from Great Grandmother and Great Grandfather Garvin. The bunny was made by her Great Great Grandmother, Eva Young. What a special gift.

When she was first born, she used to hold her finger in a point. I like to think she was saying, "I'm number one." I can not believe it has been a whole year. I read through my blog today and it is just amazing how much has happened. We have had our share of sleepless nights and screaming fits, but it really is all worth it. Today in the park, Baikal and I met a mom and her four week old baby boy. She said that she was still in the three hour feedings stage. I told her it would get better, because it does. It does not get easier, but it does get better.

First Birthday

Baikal turns one tomorrow! What a wonderful year it has been. We had some people over for cake and company today. It was a nice time. Baikal is feeling much better, however the stomach bug moved on to bigger targets: me and grandmother. Despite feeling not our best, we still had a great day.


"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Baikal...."


She wasn't sure what to make of the cake or her mom.


I put some cheerios on top to help her figure it out.

She was very careful with the cake and did not like getting her fingers sticky from the frosting.

Thank goodness for grandmothers

Baikal has been up all night throwing up. Stomach bug? Food allergy? I am not sure at this point. I feel a bit guilty because when she first started crying around 1 am, I figured it was the usual "waking up in the dark all alone" crying and not the "I am projectile vomiting all over my crib and self" crying. So I waited a bit before checking on her. Ohhh mother's guilt. She finally fell asleep around 6:30 am and slept until 9:00 am. At this time she had some liquids and only threw up a little bit. She is now smiling and crawling around the house, looking for mischief. Thank goodness for grandmothers! My mom is in town and was a big help last night. She has also graciously volunteered to watch Baikal while I shower and catch up on my sleep. Wonderful! All of you moms out there who have spent the night holding buckets and washing sheets deserve a pat on the back. A sick baby is hard work.

Bath time with grandmother.

Friends

Baikal had her friend, Tejas, over to play. He may only be four months, but he has the disposition of a man twice his age. Fun times!

New phones

You all will be happy to know that Matt gave me an early Christmas gift. New phones with a built in answering machine! Finally, we will be able to complete a conversation without being interrupted by a low battery signal.


It was a two person job to set up the phones. Baikal enjoyed taking them out of the package.


Paul pushed the buttons to make sure the phones worked.

St. Nicholas

Baikal had a good time at the St. Nicholas dinner. She left her shoes outside the sanctuary and after the service they were filled with chocolate. Since she can't have that yet, it was great news for mom!

Shoes lined up, waiting for something good to fall in them.


Here are our friends, the York-Simmons, looking festive in their holiday wear!

Aunt Susann's visit

We had a wonderful visit from Aunt Susann. She had fun taking Baikal to the park and babysitting while mom and dad went out on the town.


Good times!



I took this photo of Olive. She is my sister's new dog. She decided that this was the best spot for sleeping. I guess this breed isn't known for its ability to hide from preditors.

List for new moms 6 months to before walking

It has been a while since I put out any product reviews and with the holidays approaching and several of my friends expecting I thought I would add to their lists.
Once Baikal started crawling her world got bigger and my recommended toy list got smaller. The reason? Anything and everything is a toy now. Toilet paper rolls, pots, cell phones, she sees them all as a toy. Some things I have let slide, but others get a firm "no" when she approaches them. Sure she pitches a bit of a fit now and then, but you've gotta start sometime. Here is my list for things that are helpful to know from the 6 months to before walking stage.

Robeez shoes- These are the only shoes that stay on Baikal's feet. There are similar brands out there, but these worked for her. She still has not grown out of her 0-6 month ones.

Dresses- Yes they are cute, but until walking, NOT practical. Better to have pants instead.

Playpen, walker, exersaucer, etc.- You need something to contain baby once they get moving.

Carseat- Our Graco Snugride had a limit of 20 lbs and 27 inches. Baikal outgrew the length before hitting the weight. So we had to buy a new carseat that is still rear-facing since she is not 1 year. We got the mother of all caseats, Britax Marathon. It is a behemoth. So far it has been OK. It just takes up a LOT of space.

Stroller- Once babies can sit up and look around a stroller is the way to go. No more travel systems needed. We have the Peg Perego Aria stroller. It is a good stroller, but I recommend getting the kidapottamus shade extender.

Diner covers/grocery cart covers- I don't use them because I have enough stuff that I am lugging around. I just try to give them a good wipedown and hope for the best.

Diaper bags-I just got a new diaper bag that I LOVE. It is made by Skip Hop and I give it two thumbs way up. I busted my first diaper bag from carrying so much stuff. This one has really held up. Way to go!

Restaurants- I found a WONDERFUL place to take Baikal when it is just the two of us. The Picadilly! I am sure K&W and Morrisons are also good. The pros? Overcooked veggies are soft enough for baby to eat and escape proof high chairs. Now this is fine dining!

Thanksgiving at the Garvins

We had a great Thanksgiving in Winston-Salem. It was over before we knew it! The turkey was so good that I forgot to take pictures. Don't worry, I did get video of Baikal's first Thanksgiving. It will be out in theaters this spring.


The Grandparents introducing ice cream to Baikal.


Meeting Santa.


Baikal telling Santa what she wants for Christmas.


Playing in the sun.

Baikal's new cousin

Baikal has a new baby cousin, Olive. Olive is going to be moving to our neighborhood soon. It will be great to have regular play dates.

Fall: A Series

It is fall here in Grant Park. Leaves the size of dinner plates are falling from the sky. Bright reds and yellows pop out against the blue sky above. It is a great time to be a kid. Even a baby snake had to come out to play.

Paul's Birthday

Baikal's friend Paul turned one this past weekend. We were invited over for some cake and playtime. It was great to see Eli and mom Noelle out and about also.

Halloween

Tomorrow is Halloween and we are getting excited for trick-or-treating! Matt and I are having a hard time resisting eating the candy we have already bought for the neighborhood kids. Matt said that I wasn't allowed to buy candy this year, because I would just get healthy stuff. Here is one of the best costumes I have seen so far. This is our friend Tejas dressed as the 80's rapper Flava Flav.

Baikal meet Sippy Cup, Sippy Cup meet Baikal

It has taken a bit of practice, but Baikal can take water from both a regular cup and a sippy cup. Way to go girl! She still spills quite a bit from the regular cup, but I just use that to clean up the already messy highchair.


You want me to drink out of what?


Err....I'm not so sure about this.


Gulp, gulp, gulp...


Piece of cake! What next? Chopsticks?

Cuteness Multiplied

My cousin Lisa recently called and accused me of trying to kill her with cuteness. She said the bee outfit had pushed her over the edge. I figure I might as well push the envelope. What is cuteness multiplied? Babies AND puppies! My sister recently got a puppy named Olive. I think Baikal and Olive will become good friends.

Secret Life of Bees

Today I followed a little bee. It opened the gate, climbed up the stairs, and played in the garden.