Happy Halloween!

Cap's Bird of Terror and Sarah's Powerlines of Terror

Visiting my Family

Location: McHenry and Chicago, Illinois

Timeframe: October 18-22

Cast:
Super Cute Baby - Adelaide P.
Mommy - Sarah Q.
Gran - Cathy Q.
Uncle Brother - Andrew Q.
Auntie Snorg - Jennifer Q.
Pop Pop - Rod Q.
Nana - Nanci P.
Uncle D - Drew P.G.

I've FINALLY put all of the photos together from our trip to Chicago to visit my family. I want to say we went to Chicago, which is true; we did go to Chicago but only for 24 hours. The rest of the time we were at my Mom's place in McHenry which is located in the farmland of Illinois over 50 miles from Chicago. Can I still say Chicago? Anyway, there was family galore. My brother and sister were there and then Dad, Nanci and Drew drove down from Detroit to meet us in the city and for Drew to tour DePaul. I selfishly would love for him to end up there because the more family I can get in one place, the happier (and easier) it is to visit them. I still haven't made it to Alaska to visit Brother, nor have I been to NY in 2 years. Bad me.

I had such a wonderful time and Addie was spoiled (even though I don't believe you can spoil a baby) by all of the love and attention she got. We had lots of time to hang out at Gran's house, do 3 jigsaw puzzles, have amazing Gran-made food and drink lots of wine. I loved seeing Andrew and Jennifer read her books, feed her bottles and play with her. Of course, she loved it.



In Chicago, Gran took Addie and I to the Shedd Aquarium, and Addie was transfixed by all of the different yellow colored fish. Addie has excellent taste because yellow is very hip this season. Mom headed back home and then we met up with Dad and crew and my siblings. Addie shopped Michigan Avenue, had Chicago stuffed pizza, drinks at the Hilton and then slumbered somewhat peacefully at the luxurious Travelodge.



Dad and Gang had to head back first thing the next morning, so Andrew, Jennifer, Addie and I spent the day at the Museum of Contemporary Art checking out the Bruce Mau/Massive Change exhibit on sustainable design.



After that we drove back to McHenry to have a Thank-mas (Thanksgiving and Christmas) dinner complete with a turkey and all the trimmings. With all of us in different places, this was the chance to celebrate all of the holidays together. On Saturday, we cruised the antique shops in Richmond. Uncle Brother and Auntie Snorg took turns strolling Addie around while I checked out milk glass cake stands and creepy dolls - all around an awesome day! I'm not sure when I'll have the chance to be with all of my family again making this trip extra special.

Ahoy!

First Mate Squainti here. Friday afternoon NBBJ kidnapped all 800+ of their employees and took us on a surprise half day holiday. Why? Do I need a reason to go sailing? The LA studio took to the seas on a four hour sailing adventure. We had three boats racing from Marina del Rey to the Santa Monica pier and back. I was one of the Helmsman of the Carefree, but when I wasn't keeping course and telling my crew to watch for luffing of the sail, I was the Winch Wench (aka Winch Op). If anyone needs something winched, I'm your gal.

Usually on Fridays I have Addie at home with me, but in anticipation for the hush-hush event, Cap worked from home in the afternoon. He had to go to a Dustin Hoffman/Will Ferrell Unscripted interview (you know, typical Cap day. check moviefone.com on 11/6 to catch the interview) for a couple of hours and three of his co-workers volunteered to babysit her in the office.

After the sailing trip, everyone reconvened at a big party at a co-worker's house down the street from our apartment. Despite my fear of messing with her bedtime, we took Addie and she slept in her car seat and stroller in the middle of their living room while a live band raged 15 feet away. Impressive!

Didi Gets Schooled

Didi is a good sport. Addie actually has her by the collar.

Didi has come a long way since those first weeks when we brought Addie home from the hospital. Poor neglected and stressed out Deeds hid under the crib, or the bed, or in the closet eventually stopping eating and drinking. This ended up with an overnight stay in the Kitty Hospital. It cost $200 to give birth to Addie, and $1,000 for a feline enema. Oh the irony.

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Cap and I (okay, as the planner in the family it was really just me prompting this discussion) were thinking what we should get Addie for her first Christmas. I have it in my head that since it's her first, it needs to be extra special - translate: extra expensive. Even though she won't remember it and she has no idea what is going on, I still feel like i need to get her a special gift. Buying her a gift even seems foreign to me since we buy her stuff all the time and i don't really feel like it's a present.

If we had a boy, I have a feeling I wouldn't be able to resist those red flyer toys. Even though they should be gender neutral, they just didn't seem right - until i found this. It's pink. It's chrome. It's just so darn pretty. However, Cap tells me that this wouldn't actually be fun to play in. So, maybe we won't get this. After all, where in the heck would we put it? If I had a nursery, a back yard, maybe, big maybe. Instead she'll probably just get more clothes and a little $$$$ towards her college fund. (note to self: set up college fund)

Happy Birthday (5 months)

Darn it if she ain't the cutest lil' thang around. Sometimes I just want to spread some cream cheese frosting on her and eat her up like a yummy cupcake.

This birthday we didn't celebrate with vaccinations - or cupcakes even. Instead we just said, "Hey, today Addie is 5 months old." 4-5 months is an amazing time in babyland. She is so cute, active and animated I can't believe it. We have such fun together, and I'm looking forward to this next month and seeing what new tricks she comes up with. Right now she's practicing sitting up, and she loves sticking out her tongue in a little point like a pink candy corn.

Speaking of candy corn, I made this ridiculous, but oh so festive, wreath. Yes, I did individually glue gun each candy corn to a foam wreath base. Yes, it does look like a sea anemone. And yes, I will not do this again next year.

Flight No. 4

Addie is quite the frequent flyer although she isn’t racking up the miles. We returned this morning from visiting my family in Chicago which is her fourth trip on an airplane. Cap stayed at home to take care of Didi while Addie and I hopped on a plane for 5 days of fun family time. Of course, I left my camera cord at my Mom's so stay tuned for more photos and tales of my trip. We had an amazing time and Addie was smooched and snuggled and admired by all.

Flying with an infant is a little bit of an ordeal but flying solo with one requires much patience and the ability to ask for help. There is no way I could have done this if countless strangers hadn't come to my aid from curb side attendants, TSA workers, flight attendants and a handful of passengers. Juggling all of our luggage, the stroller, car seat, the diaper bag and of course the baby is multi-tasking at its best. The simplest task like closing the overhead luggage bin is complex and forget trying to go to the bathroom yourself or struggling to change a diaper on your lap in the restroom because the plane is so old they don't have changing tables.

On our way to Chicago, we lucked out and had the entire row to ourselves. Addie could nap in her car seat by the window and play in the aisle seat. We had no such luck on our return flight. The plane was packed and I ended up in the bulk head seat which was awful because I had to put her diaper bag above me and then stick everything we’d need in the tiny sliver of a pouch tacked to the carpeted wall in front of our seat. It didn’t help that I forgot to close the top to my water bottle and when I got up my entire seat was flooded. I sat for 3 hours on a pillow and a blanket.

There was one attendant today who was in love with Addie, calling her “Tiny” and walking her around the business class section giving her plastic cups and crinkly packets of peanuts to use as a rattle. She also felt it necessary to give out advice including telling me which link on Addie’s teething toys she liked best and how to use the football hold to relieve her tummy of gas. I guess I can take a little unsolicited advice if it comes with the chance for me to use the bathroom solo.

Addie is really a pretty good traveler and everyone was very kind. No one even looked at me askance despite the periodic fussiness, not even the poor guy next to me who kept getting kicked in the arm when I was nursing her. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers.

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How sweet and lovely is this fused glass owl night light?

Jamie was telling me how much she liked this night light featured in this month's Cookie magazine that I had to check it out. It turns out I'd actually seen this before maybe a year ago on Daily Candy. I love everything that the company makes including super cute pendants and badges all with charming animals from their trademark owl to reindeer and kiwis.

We used a clip-on night light on Addie's bassinet which I don't think I could have lived without those first months. I could make sure she was safe with just the quickest glance, and scoop her up for her middle-of-the-night feedings without having to turn on a bright light. Now I want one of these for our bathroom. Hoot Hoot.

Weekend with Grandpa Mit

This weekend we were honored with a visit from the Grand One, aka Mit. We hung out both days at Great Aunt Karen and Great Uncle Peter's place chowing down on munchies, drinking beer and wine, and chat chat chatting the day away. Addie is a lucky gal to have so many wonderful people around her.

Mit babysat on Saturday night, while Cap and I ducked out for a date. This is the first time we've done that since Addie was 6 weeks old, and we went to see Superman in the middle of the day. Afraid that I couldn't stay up late enough for dinner and a movie, we decided to just catch a movie - The Departed. Awesome movie. You have to go see it (unless you absolutely hate violent movies). Cap and I used to go see movies all the time, and we have really missed that luxury. While I was on maternity leave, I saw a movie once a week in the theater thanks to the Mommy Movies. It didn't even matter what was showing, I'd be there at 11 am on Tuesday, usually with Jeannine and baby Jake. We have got to find a regular babysitter.

Check out more photos from this weekend here.

UPDATE: I was just reminded that Cap and I have been on one other date back in July when we were in Tucson. Props to super Grandma Janne for babysitting on more then one occassion that trip. She even got Addie to snuggle up and nap on her shoulder which is a rare, but always wonderful, occurance!

Thrasher

This is deliberate thrashing, deliberate. Don't get this mixed up with the random flailings of a younger infant. Amazing. Really. Really.

A transcript:

Thrash

Chew

Thrash

Chew

Thrash

Chew

Ritual de Habitual

As Addie gets older, I've found that we need to cling more to a routine then we did when she was a very tiny little tot. Over the summer, we'd be out having dinner at the Farmer's Market or with friends without much regard for the time. With both of us back at work, the routine is integral. I just took the Myers-Briggs personality test (I'm an ISTJ) and it says that I like schedules and routines so I guess this is okay by me.

Before I get home from work Cap and Addie's routine is to take a long walk around the neighborhood with Addie in the Baby Bjorn. Cap points out all the flowers and the neighborhood kitties, returning home with at least one Cute Baby compliment from a passerby.



When I get home, she gets fed, has some mommy cuddle time and then it's into the bath followed with a massage with some heavy, hypoallergenic lotion. I keep meaning to get a video of massage-time because she loves it - especially having her face massaged. After all, she does use those sucking muscles a lot!


After her bath, it's into her PJs and then one of us will read her a book. Since this photo was taken a week or so ago, she's decided that eating books is just as fun as reading them. Thank goodness for board and cloth books, or we'd have a digestible library and a lot of paper cuts.

It's into bed at 8:00 pm and then Cap and I get to eat and watch season 3 of 24. Since Addie doesn't get fed again until around 5 or 6 in the morning, I get to down half a bottle of wine making up for lost time. Glug glug glug.

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I must pay homage to the mighty Winkel. When Sara F. gave it to Addie she said it didn't look like much, but she swore that it was most beloved by all babies, and it has certainly proven so again with Miss A. It's the perfect shape for grabbing and gnawing and when they start teething you can pop it in the fridge. No baby should go without.

Have you winkeled?

while i was away

In case you want to know what I was up to in Washington State sans Addie (or you just want to look at 72 photos of strangers in a gorgeous Pacific NW setting), here are the photos from the NBBJ Market Studio Retreat. There might even be a few shots of me doing some ridiculous dance moves.

Playstation

To the untrained and uninitiated, this just looks like a video of an infant playing in a very unattractive plastic entertainment unit. So what? Well, there is a lot going on here, let me tell you! Addie, you see, is developing important motor skills and is starting to understand cause and effect. And she's just plain cute no matter what she does. This is the natural progression to earning her pilot license and taking control of Starfleet Command.

Other things to ponder in the video:
Is Addie left handed? [only time will tell]
Does Didi have fleas? [wouldn't be the first time]
Are those polka-dot and striped socks? [why, yes. isn't that cute?!]
What's up with that hair? [she's giving Maddox a run for his money]

TarFest

Music and methane? We're there! It's TarFest 2006 at the La Brea Tar Pits, baby.

Shopping List

• diapers
• toothbrush
• candy corn
• cat food
• formula

(torn straight from a page in our life)

So Last Week

Addie discovered this new talent last week practicing it all day. Now however I haven't seen her do it all. That was a quick trend.

Back with my Baby

I'm back at home. With Addie. With Cap. With Didi.

3 nights away from my baby. How did it go? There were some tears, some guilt, several glasses of wine, a glass of scotch with one ice cube, more wine, some work, some laughter with my colleagues, a nap on the plane and then I was home again.

I picked up Addie from daycare as soon as I was back. It took her a few seconds to register who I was but then a big grin and a coy giggle. My heart melted.

I'm home again with my beautiful baby girl. I'm so lucky.

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Addie will have to wait three years before she can play with this super fun wooden sushi set. According to the description, "when you slice your sushi rolls, the velcro keeping them together makes a realistic chopping sound." How delightful!

I grew up eating sushi and as long as we don't continue to poison our oceans, I bet Addie will be an early convert. I lived in Japan when I was pre-school age and I remember my mom bringing home octopus to munch as a snack. I would eat the suckers off and leave the rest. Poor octopi.

Addie Duck

Saturday we took Addie for a dip in Aunt Karen's pool. Addie seemed to take it all in with mild curiosity, at one point even sucking her thumb like she does this everyday.

Tonight I have to fly to Seattle for a work retreat and leave my little duck with Papa. I am going to be one sad and lonely Mommy Duck.