Paid vacation for daycare turns into HAPPY BABY

What the heck??!! You're not supposed to be getting older!? (July 26, 2014 - 1 year + 3 weeksish)

We are so lucky to have had Grammy come and babysit for 3 days this week. Our daycare provider was on vacation, but it turned out to be a forced good thing for everyone! Sierra was able to hang out with Grammy for 3 days, Dad for 1 day and me for 1 day. It was actually a really nice thing for all parties (except for the us paying for the week of non-daycare). Auntie Lyn came over one night and brought us all dinner too! We ended up playing a game of fake volleyball with one of Sierra's beach balls in the driveway after she went to bed. It was actually a lot of fun too.

I got out running with Sierra and the dogs a couple of mornings before work (Gus even joined me once). It is so nice to be able to run off the roads where cars drive (especially when I have over 150 pounds of dog strapped to me and a baby I'm pushing). We were able to spend some quality time with Grammy (Anne) before we both went to work that week too! Sierra and her had fun hanging out together. We also took an excursion to Costco to help buy items for my best friend's wedding. Sierra didn't mind:

Gus and Sierra had fun on their day off together: hanging out around home and going to the pool. Gus couldn't have been happier after spending the day with her. I was equally elated with my day with her on Friday. We hung around home, went to the arboretum to see the horses, played at Roos' indoor play cafe, went to the Raptor Center, the pool, and the library.... phew... maybe too much? But, hey, we had a great time doing it! 

Saturday was a well planned trip to go mountain biking (Gus has been repaying me with some of the mountain biking lately). I mountain biked for the majority of the morning while Gus and Sierra hiked around the reservoir. I did shuttle Gus twice at the end too, but really Gus made sure I was able to get some quality ride time in! I only ate dust once-ish. 

 I gave Sierra a chance to play in the water when we got home.

Gus captured a great shot of "God rays" (a.k.a. there was a fire close by). Beautiful shot.

On Sunday Sierra and I went to Fairytown Land in Sacramento for a friend's 4 year old birthday. We got there when it opened so Sierra could take it all in. She really seemed to enjoy the party although most of the kids were a bit older than her. I did give her cake and a juice box (hey she's going to have sugar sometime plus she does have 9 teeth now!!!).

We all got out on our bikes this morning before work, and generally had a great time (minus a few helmet refusals).

P.S. THIS IS POST 100!!!!

I'm surprised I kept it up this long!

A Quick Post

July 21, 2014 (1 year +)

It's been a short time since my last post but getting back on schedule always feels good. Sierra's one year shots ended up giving her a low fever for a few days, and her temperament has seemingly shifted. She is exerting herself much more lately (read... Meltdowns). Although we know she is getting more teeth in, she's skipping one of her two naps more often, and the house has quieted down a bit we're still pretty surprised to observe her new behaviors especially the tantrums. It's making me think more about working on sign language again with her.

My dad flew out on Friday morning and I'm sure both Sierra and him will miss seeing each other. Until next time! It would be great if he moved out here for a part of the year.

On Saturday morning we took the bike trailer to the American river bike trail for an outing. Sierra took a little nap but mostly just looked out the windows and called mommy mommy at us. I think her shortened vocabulary has to do with separation anxiety a bit. When she feels most clingy I hear her say it much more.

This little photo shoot was before we headed out. 

Sierra helped us pick out a few DVDs from the library that afternoon she choose two about the universe. She wasn't much interested in them though. 

There was an overcast on Sunday which made great weather for a ride downtown to the playground to hang with our mom and baby friends.

We ran into Lyn on our way home 

and decided to have a group dinner when Grammy Anne got to town. Our daycare provider is on vacation this week, so Grammy said she would help us for the majority of the week. 

Besides learning to throw tantrums she had also learned how to throw, and is now throwing all sorts of things but mostly balls. I was pretty happy when I saw that! She fa

vors her left hand currently. She loved going over to Auntie's place. It was new and exciting for all of us really.

Sierra was able to explore a whole new place, it looks like we'll be hanging out over there more often!

It'll be another quick week, since I have to take off Friday to watch Sierra and Gus has to take off Thursday. Hopefully as the week progresses she starts feeling better!

I'm in denial... my baby is a 1 year old toddler now

July 16, 2014 (a few days over a year)

Baby girl is now over a year... we've made some milestones so far! I've breastfed up until this point (not exclusively, but at night and in the mornings so, hey, at least I made my 'goal'), she's been walking now for almost 3 months, she eats a ton of different 'adult food', she co-plays and parallel plays with other kids, her vocab is constantly shifting (although we've entered an everything is 'Mommy' phase), I see her becoming more engaged with us and her surroundings on a daily basis... geez... It just goes so fast, I feel like there are "new things" happening every day.

Through out last week we got out and about in Davis as much as possible. Having three kids' schedules to manage did make us condense our plans a bit, but we were able to do a surprising amount of activities.

Amy, Sierra, Keta, and I got out for another run. Neal got one in too. We all lifted together while one or more kids were napping. There was a lot of playtime in the driveway. Racing the push toys, having a pretend marching band, watching farm equipment drive by and Sierra began to get some serious play time in with Owen. It really seemed like she was solidifying her friendship with him, and became more aware of Elaine and how to play with her. She also was in World Cup spirit and started kicking around her beach ball with more coordination. On Wednesday evening the crew headed to the farmers' market. Sierra became enchanted by the ponies there, just seeing them was entertainment enough.

On Thursday I babysat Owen while Amy, Neal and Elaine headed out to explore Davis a bit more. Owen, Sierra and I had a pretty good time hanging out. Reading is a favorite activity around our house, so between that and playing in the driveway they stayed pretty content. After they got back we all headed out to the pool. All of the kids truly love the water. Given the heat, I'm really not surprised. My dad came to town on Thursday evening, and Grammy Anne stopped in to drop a few things off too. Grandpa Jer Bear blew up and framed a photo I took, and Sierra was extremely happy he did. I wanted to show Amy and Neal the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg; we all decided traveling any farther would be rough with the kiddos. Neal hung out with Sierra and Owen while Amy, and I brought Elaine with us for some tastings. It was a good quick trip and we were all happy that the kids did so well. That evening our friends headed home. It was sad to see them go but we were all thankful to have spent so much time together.

Sierra's first birthday barbecue was Saturday, and our family members were huge in making it all happen. Lyn made veggie kabobs and peach cobbler, Anne made appetizers, frosting for the cake, and little Quack (duckling) sugar cookies, and my dad helped pick up drinks and items from the store. Sierra seemed to enjoy her birthday dress that Grammy Anne brought home from Vegas with her. Gus and I felt that she somehow knew it was a special day for her. She liked opening her birthday gifts... playing with the paper.

Grammy Anne, the recently retired librarian, read a birthday story to all of the kids! The bigger kids sat contently as they ate the little duckling cookies that she had made.

 

I've been hanging with Pop Pop Mickey over the past few days when I had off. I showed him around Sacramento in search of a potential home for half of the year or at least an area that he found to be suitable. We also stopped at IKEA and he gifted us some furniture - at least I don't have to worry about the fabric peeling off our old couch (and Sierra possibly eating it) anymore! The living room feels really nice actually and we're very appreciative for the upgrade. Sierra was bombarded with her one year shots on Wednesday and she seemed fairly upset about it, almost mad at us. "Why would you allow such a thing?!" Later in the day Pop Pop, Sierra and I headed over to the pool for one of her most favorite activities (besides dancing). We watched the sunset later that evening.

My cousin Rikki and her babies Celise and Mac came over tonight to see my dad, Sierra, and I. It's hard to believe we haven't seen each other in a year! Mac even crawled for the first time while he was over. He wanted to be like the big kids. So cute to see the personalities blossom. I said goodbye to my dad tonight, and I have plans to go to sleep early! We'll see what happens!