Walkie-Talk

As you get more mobile, you are starting to use things as "walkers" to get around. Whatever can slide across the floor while you walk behind it is a good walker. So far, we've seen you use toys, chairs, laundry baskets and boxes as walkers... Pretty soon, you won't even NEED a walker to get around... that's when we are REALLY in TROUBLE!!

"I am Katy, hear me ROAR!"

Yesterday, Daddy and I noticed you growling. We're not sure where it came from but you were growling at your toys, growling when you were upset and growling when you were happy...

So much for Babyproofing...

This morning while we were in the kitchen and you were crawling around, Katy, you figured out how to take the child safety lock off of the cabinet doors. Also, Daddy and I both caught you opening and closing the bathroom door by yourself. Like I've said before, we're in trouble...

iCarly

Granny Petruzzi with her girls, Carly and Katy (Katy was more interested in Grandma's necklace and Carly was interested in what Katy was up to).

Amy with Katy and myself with Carly

Sitting Pretty

Molly Dolly, aka "Katynip"

Content to be in Grandma Tinkey's arms

Smooshie Face Molly and her favorite Auntie Heather

Grandma Tinkey and her girls, Molly and Katy

One HAPPY Great-Grandma Tinkey

Thanksgiving Road Trip (Including 40th Week Birthday)

On Saturday, November 20, 2010, we left for our whirlwind road trip to visit family and friends in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. While I was picking up Grandma Tinkey up from the Charlotte airport, Daddy got you ready, Katy and we met up at Starbucks to start our adventure off right!

You were very good in the car on the way up to Pittsburgh, PA. We stopped only once (a major feat considering we had a nine-month old in the car!) for a Cracker Barrel lunch and to fill up on gas. I was able to navigate the West Virginia mountains and the car ride was smooth and merry thanks to the free XM Radio sampling of holiday music. We were forty-five minutes away from Auntie Hope and Uncle Eric's house when you decided that you had had ENOUGH of the car and no amount of yogurt melts, bottle, toys or Grandma could console you- YOU WANTED OUT of the car seat- YOU HAD HAD ENOUGH! So, we spent the last little part of the car ride trying to navigate Pittsburgh with a screaming child, unfamiliar roads and nighttime darkness. Fun times.

We spent Sunday at Auntie Hope and Uncle Eric's just relaxing and getting to know your newest cousin, Molly. Molly is a cutie- all cheeks and chub- you just want to pinch her (which I did, of course!). We kept joking that Molly was "Katynip" because you loved, loved, LOVED Molly! Anywhere Molly was, that's where you want to be, Katy! You couldn't get enough of Molly and the feelings were mutual as Molly kept following your lightning-fast crawling tush all around the house!

Monday dawned and we hit the road for Grove City, PA, to meet Great-Grandma Tinkey with Auntie Hope and Molly in tow. So, we had two babies under the age of one-year and three adults and all of the gear that goes with them in one car.... and a partridge in a pear tree... You pretty much screamed the whole way to Grove City. Molly, on the other hand, was an angel and slept through most of your howling, Katy. We met Great-Grandma Tinkey at Hoss for a Birthday lunch for Auntie Hope. Great Grandma Tinkey was so happy to finally get a chance to meet you, Katy!

After spending the night at Great-Grandma Tinkey's house, we hit the road for Hazleton, PA, to visit with Great-Grandma Petruzzi. You were PERFECT for the three and a half hour car ride- napping for half of the trip and playing with Grandma in the backseat. Great-Grandma "Granny" Petruzzi was very happy to see you and called you her Birthday present since we arrived at her house on her birthday, November 23. My cousins Beth-Ann Petruzzi, Poge Petruzzi and Amy Hindson, her new baby Carly came by to visit, bearing the one and only Senape's Pizza. Never a dull, quiet moment at Grandma's house, that's for sure!

The next morning, just you and I hit the road for Tabernacle, NJ, Katy. I was really nervous about this car ride since I'd be by myself with you the car for an extended amount of time on unfamiliar roads. However, you slept for part of the way and only started to cry when we were twenty minutes away from Nana and Grandpa Jones' house. Other than a wrong turn that somehow led us directly through downtown Philly (EEK!!), the car ride went pretty well. Though, you and I were BOTH glad to get out of the car once we arrived at our final destination!

Once we got to Nana and Grandpa's house, we let you play, play, play. It was a new house to explore and lots of adults to dote on you, Katy. Nana and Grandpa were prepared for you visit, Katy, with electrical covers on the outlets, Katy-snacks and toys. We had a good visit with the Jones side of the family relaxing, catching up and of course celebrating your first Thanksgiving, Katy (separate post).

The car ride home (separate post) went smoothly after the first hour and a half of non-stop crying. We arrived home in North Carolina after a nine and a half hour car ride through the middle of the night. Needless to say, Daddy and I were both a little tired this morning! It was great to visit with all of our friends and family.

You came down with your first official cough, this past week, Katy. I'm sure that you were kind enough to "share" your germs with those that came across our path (I'm sorry!). You've been congested causing you to wake up at night.

Speaking of nighttime, napping was sporadic throughout the first part of the trip but you did manage to take some solid, long naps at your Grandparents Jones' house. You also slept twelve to thirteen hours several nights, last week- personal record!

Your balance is getting so much better, Katy! We caught you standing all by yourself (!!) while you were distracted by Nana Jones bouncing a ball in front of you. We counted over five seconds of you standing all by yourself! Before we know it, you'll be WALKING!

Speaking of walking, you were cruising all over the place, this week! You would walk along sofas, chairs, tables- whatever you could get your hands! Because we were in a new place practically every day, there was so much for you to explore (and get into)!!!!!

You showed your excitement for things by clapping, this week. You no longer seem to arbitrarily clap. Now you clap when you are excited and happy or if you want to do something over again. You love waving and once again, it seems that you are waving at specific people, pictures of people or things that make you happy.

A big accomplishment of the week is the fact that you FINALLY figured out how to sip from a sippy cup. We were starting to get quite the collection of sippy cups that you either don't like or cannot seem to figure out how to sip from. However, we took the doctor's advice and bought you a sippy cup with a straw and you can manage to sip from it (not all of it goes in the mouth, mind you, but we're taking baby steps, here).

For a full album of pictures from our trip, please see the attached link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=579436&id=771535393&l=218b36ad2a

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig...

After a nine and a half car ride in the middle of the night, we arrived home safe and sound, Katy. We left Nana and Grandpa Jones' house at 7PM, last night and arrived home today at 4:30 AM. The first hour and a half were a little dicey as you decided that you did NOT want to be in the car seat and you let us know by wailing hysterically until you finally calmed down enough and fell asleep. You slept most of the way home, only stirring occasionally. Since we left the Saturday night after Thanksgiving, the traffic was pretty light and no major problems. We had a good trip but (for me as much as for you) no more long car rides for awhile!

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving, November 25, 2010

Meeting Mrs. Eckert


Meeting Justin Eckert

Katy with Uncle Jason and Aunt Megan

Katy with Nana and Grandpa Jones

"Weeee!!" Katy loved riding on Hobby Horse

Exotic Farm (including tiger, giraffe, girl dressed as bunny...)

Grandchildren Spoiled Here

Apple Cider Donut for breakfast- only at Nana's!

Daddy's in the Doghouse (hee, hee)

"C" Is for Cookie

Happy First Thanksgiving, Katy! We're spending the holiday with the Jones side of the family in New Jersey. The Thanksgiving table included Mommy and Daddy, Nana and Grandpa Jones, Aunt Megan, Uncle Jason, Uncle Jason's friend, Marco, Mrs. Eckert, Mr. Eckert and Justin Eckert. Your Thanksgiving plate including turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and lima beans. Of course, no Thanksgiving meal would be complete without a taste of pumpkin pie!

Gobble, Gobble!

Stuffed

The car is packed and we are ready to go! We will be picking up Grandma Tinkey at the airport, tomorrow morning and then we are off to PA/NJ to visit with family and friends! We'll be meeting cousin Molly for the first time and Great-Grandma Tinkey will finally get to meet you. We will be gracing Great-Grandma Petruzzi with our presence on her birthday and then we will end up at Nana and Grandpa Jones' house for Thanksgiving! Turkey, here we come!

**Picture blog posts will be postponed until our return. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Nine Months Well Baby Doctor's Visit

Today we visited Dr. Guerriero at Suburban Pediatrics for your Nine Months Well Baby Doctor's Visit. You are 19 lbs. 13 oz. and 28 1/4" long. This puts you in the 75% for height and weight. Dr. Greg that you are perfectly symmetrical and gaining in all the right areas- weight, height, language development, motor skills, dexterity, etc. He commented on your balance, Katy, saying that you seem very steady on your feet. Dr. Greg also checked to make sure that your thrush had cleared up and it has. No shots or immunizations necesssary during this appointment. The doctor recommends trying out a sippy cup with a straw since you don't quite seem to get the hang of drinking from a regular sippy cup, yet.

Dr. Greg ended the appointment with the comment, "No dating till you are thirty," and "Babies like you, Katy, make me want to have another (he already has three children) but my wife says stay away!" :-)

39th Week Birthday

Puffer Fish Face
"Hey Santa, whatcha up to?"

Peacefully sleeping on the Big Bed...

Today you are nine months old, Katy! Where did the time go?! My baby is growing up and discovering and achieving new things each and every day! It's amazing to see the transformation from helpless, crying newborn to active, crawling, exploring, into-everything nine month old!

This week, you learned to clap your hands (separate blog post). We've been working on getting you to clap in rhythm to the song, "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" (I'm probably not the best person to be teaching rhythm, I admit). You do tend to clap your hands spontaneously when you are happy or excited.

You love to wave and will greet me each morning with a floppy hand wave (right hand), a smile and sometimes even a, "Hi!" Waving is so much fun that you like to wave at pictures and even the computer screen if you see a face on it (like when I check Facebook and see all the pictures of my friends and family's cuties). I've caught you more than once waving to pictures of cousin Molly or friend Henry.

You sat on Santa's knee, this week (separate blog post). You were a champ and not even scared at his beard or costume. You told him in your own special Katy way what you wanted for Christmas and of course, you charmed Santa. No naughty list for you, Katy!

Your two bottom teeth are getting bigger and more noticeable. You still enjoy eating by yourself but I have found that if I distract your hands with something that you sometimes eat what I have for you on the spoon. Also, I've started mixing plain vanilla yogurt with veggies so that you will eat them- sounds kind of yucky but it works.

On Saturday, we will be leaving for our grand PA/NJ road trip. I'll be picking up Grandma Tinkey from the airport and then we will be driving north to visit Auntie Hope, Uncle Eric, Molly, Great-Grandma Tinkey, Great-Grandma Petruzzi and then finally arrive at Nana and Grandpa Jones' for Thanksgiving! I'm sure we'll see other family and friends during our trip, too. I'm praying for good weather, good driving conditions (me, driving long-distance- you should be scared!) and good health for the trip.

Just recently, you've started to protest going in your car seat, Katy (does not bode well for the before-mentioned road trip). When I start to put you in the car seat you straighten out your legs and make your body very rigid so that I can't get you to sit in the seat. You cry and holler, protesting the seat. Eventually, once I get you in the seat and you cry it out for a couple of minutes you are a fine. Usually...

Shutterfly Christmas Cards

Have your ordered your Christmas cards, yet? If not, I would highly recommend heading on over to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery and peruse their wide selection of holiday cards! There are so many designs to choose from and no matter what design you choose, you end up looking like a rock star with the finished product!

We designed two different cards this year, using our family Christmas 2010 pictures. The first design http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/family-wall-red-christmas-card-5x7-flat?sortType=1&storeNode=93476 is more graphic and sophisticated, incorporating the use of six different pictures. The second design http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/cards-stationery/ho-ho-ho-christmas-5x7-folded-card?sortType=1&storeNode=93476 is playful and fun and can use up to five different pictures. You'll have to wait and see which one shows up at your doorstep! ;-P

Since this is Katy’s first Christmas, we want to take lots of pictures and share them with friends and family in a simple format. We’ve ordered Father’s Day cards, Mother’s Day cards http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/mothers-day-cards-stationery and Birthday cards in the past and the quality has always been top-rate.

Without sounding like a salesperson for Shutterfly, Shutterfly truly does make it easy to make personalized cards for all occasions without too much hassle- just upload your picture, select a card, personalize and voila! You’re done! You even have the option for Shutterfly to address the cards for you! Now, it doesn’t get much easier than that, does it?

Rub-a-dub-dub, Katy in the Tub!

Tonight while Daddy was giving you your bath, Katy, you found the bar of soap. You started lathering your tummy and it was pretty darn cute! You looked just like a little adult washing up.

"If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!"

Clap, clap, clap, Baby- you've learned to clap your hands, Katy! We've been singing "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" all morning and clapping at the appropriate places.

Santa's Little Helper- Katy meets Santa for the First Time

Littlest Elf

Tonight, we took you to meet Santa for the first time, Katy. Being the social butterfly that you are, you weren't scared a bit at Santa's suit and beard. You went right to his lap and charmed your way into two free pictures for the memory book. I wonder what he's bringing you for Christmas?

Where Have All The Rolls Gone?

The rolls are (almost) gone. It was inevitable. I knew that once you started crawling and moving, Katy, that you would work off all of those cute baby rolls but I must admit that I'm sad to see them go.

"Hello... Good-Bye..."

It could be my imagination, but I do think that you are learning to say, "Hi!" and "Bye!" on a regular basis, Katy. The other day while in bed, both Daddy and I thought you said, "Bye, Dada!" two different times as you waved your little hand in the air. I think you wanted to get out and start the day.

38th Week Birthday

38 Weeks, November 10, 2010

Conte's Cider and donuts from Nana and Grandpa!

Katy eating with a spoon

Today you are 38 weeks old, Katy!

You continue to grow and develop, this week. Your personality is evident more and more each day as you exert your independence and push the limits as you explore and figure out how the world around you works. For example, Tuesday, you figured out that if you step on the kitchen trashcan, the lid opens and you are just tall enough to reach inside and pull things out.

You finally figured out how to feed yourself small bits of food off of your high chair tray (i.e. puffs, Cheerios, small bits of cheese, etc.). You've become so adept at doing so that you don't like for us to feed you with a spoon. Though you'll gladly take the spoon and try to "feed" yourself like a big girl.

You are waving like a madwoman, now. Wherever we go- shopping, grocery store, out for a walk- you love to wave to people and pets passing by. If they don't respond, you "talk" louder to get their attention. Of course, everybody thinks that you are pretty cute so you usually elicit a smile and wave back.

Katy, you are beginning to show preferences for toys and books. Currently, you seem to like the book, Peek A Who. You like to stand at your Katy shelf and pull it out to read, each day. Also, you seem to favor the small Curious George stuffed animal up in the Art Room. And of course, unraveling the toilet paper roll seems to be a favorite hobby of yours.

We are starting to get ready or our big road trip to Thanksgiving PA/NJ. There is a lot of gear to pack and a lot of stops to make before our final destination at Nana and Grandpa Jones' house for Turkey Day.

Finger Foods

Now that you have learned how to pick up small pieces of food off of your tray, Katy, you do not like to be fed by spoon. You are exerting your new-found independence by only accepting puffs and melts that YOU can pick up by YOURSELF off of YOUR tray. No to rice cereal! No to baby food! The only exception to this rule seems to be ice cream.... I think we've created a monster.... ;-P

Hello, Nana and Grandpa Jones!

Nana and Grandpa Jones came for a visit, this weekend. They rolled in this morning and have been playing with you ever since, Katy! This allowed me to get my haircut and run some errands while you were being well taken care of (spoiled :-) by your grandparents. While this trip is short, we'll be seeing them later this month for your very first Thanksgiving and first trip to N.J.! We're excited!

37th Week Birthday

37 Weeks, November 3, 2010

(If you look really close, you can see Katy's two bottom teeth!)

Scrunchie Face!

Up!

Down! ("Do it again, Daddy!")

Innocent

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"

Today you are 37 weeks old, Katy!

This was the week for teeth!! Both of your lower front teeth broke through the gums and you have a beautiful toothy grin! You are also learning to feed yourself small pieces of food such as Cheerios and Puffs. Since your new found skill of feeding yourself, you get frustrated when I still try to feed you from a spoon- you want to do it yourself- Little Miss Independent!

You celebrated your first Halloween on Sunday, by helping Daddy and I pass out candy to 700 trick-or-treaters! You loved all the activity and didn't want to go to bed Halloween night- too much action going on and you didn't want to miss a thing!

You are into EVERYTHING, Katy! I spend a good part of the day chasing after you and putting things off of the floor and redirecting your curious fingers from cords, anything technology, trash, etc. You are becoming very FAST at crawling and I believe that you will be walking by Christmas!

Self Feeding

Yesterday, you finally figured out how to get small pieces of food from the tray to your mouth. You've been pretty adept at picking up pieces of food such as Cheerios, puffs, etc., but didn't quite have the small motor skills to get the food into your mouth. That is until now!

"All I Want For Christmas Are My Two Front Teeth..."

Santa delivered early this year, Katy, as both bottom teeth have officially broken through the gums! Forget baby food, pass Katy a steak! ;-P