Recently in Photos Category

Baby Update         (Jul 04 2011)

Dana is now 10 months old. How could two months go by without an update? I'll tell you how. Teething, crawling, and cruising. These things make for a very busy mama (and papa of course)!

Olivia's wedding in Memphis was April 30 at Lichterman Nature Center. Dana was such a good little traveler - one of us carried her in the Baby Bjorn while the other got the luggage. She didn't complain when I realized that I had forgotten the carseat and my cellphone in the car, causing us to make a return trip. Fortunately we had arrived early to drop off Laura for her flight, and had plenty of time to spare.

Dana did really well on the flight, falling asleep shortly after takeoff and waking about 20 minutes before landing, refreshed and smiling. We were in the front of the plane, in the bulkhead, so when she stood up on my lap, she could see over the seat behind us to all the other passengers. She made happy quiet noises at them and ate the Cheerios we gave her.



We had a really good time at all the wedding festivities, and Dana behaved very well during the ceremony (while Big Poppy carried her and let her yank on the tree limbs at the back of the clearing area) and only made one peep that I noticed. Everyone admired her at the wedding, and she got to meet the Spanish department (Doyle, Henager, Tucker) from Rhodes, who were in attendance.







We had a good flight back to Chicago as well, though Dana's nap was a little shorter. Again, she awoke well-rested and feeling happy and adventurous. On the tram ride back to economy parking, I spotted a little point of white on one of her gums and took a closer look. It was a tooth! Dana's first tooth! Just shy of eight months. She must have been teething during the wedding, but remained in generally high spirits, because of all the company and distractions. Not many days later, her second tooth came in, but she was less delightful for that teething session.

Generally the weather in Chicago at the beginning of May is pretty nice - sun and 50s - but we had some unseasonably chilly and nasty days in the first half of the month. We had to bundle her up almost every day, until the middle of the month.







Mother's Day had some very pleasant weather, and after having breakfast at Blackberry Pancake House in Tinley Park, we spent a few hours lying around in the sun on the Promontory Point with Olivia, Laura, and Rory. Rory in particular attracted Dana's notice and admiration. Must have been the accent.









Around this same time, Dana gotten really good at cruising. She wanted to cruise everywhere. The couch, the bookshelves, the coffee table, the entertainment console with a glass front. She also loved power cords -- it's like babies have a sixth sense about the things they are forbidden to have, and they go right for those things. We realized we had to do major babyproofing. We hid as many power cords as we could (even getting a bed skirt for the couch to hide the cords underneath), and put away the rest. We blockaded the entertainment console with pillows in case she fell against it. Will anchored the bookcases to the wall, so they wouldn't tip over. And we stowed the coffee table in Dana's closet, both to prevent her from cruising and potentially falling on it, and to free up some floor space for our little crawler. We also bought her a lion toy, which was specifically designed to encourage cruising on it. Initially she thought the jingly ball underneath was the best part, but she soon discovered all the fun features and cruised all over it.

Also, around this time, Dana started clapping and discovered that she could clap things together. We took her wooden blocks (Christmas gift from Nana and Grandpapa) and she really loved playing with those and banging them together. I don't know anything that sounds as nice as two pine blocks being clunked together by a happy baby.





At the end of May, we hosted a little Memorial Day get-together with Olivia, Laura, and Evan. Will made burgers and hot dogs (veggie dogs for Evan) and G&Ts. There was also potato salad, which Will was very excited about. Dana had a new little denim romper, which she debuted at this get-together, and also demonstrated her crawling/cruising skills and hand-eye coordination by going over to the cat food dispenser, breaking into it, and scooping several pieces into her mouth. I dug out several pieces from her mouth but missed one, which she happily gummed until it too was discovered and taken away.









Dana's first bathing suit - bought for our trip to Florida in July. Hopefully it will still fit!





In early June, Tyler and Daniel came to Chicago for an overnight trip. They stopped by the morning after they saw a Glee performance. Tyler read "Doggies" and "Moo Baa La La La" to Dana, who was very happy to sit in her uncle's lap.



By the first week of June, Dana could climb from a standing position on the floor onto one of the low chairs near the air conditioning intake vent. Once on the chairs, she would clap her hands against the vent and flip the light switches.

Because the weather really improves in June, we started taking Dana out to various places. We found she really enjoys being in a highchair at a restaurant, though she despises her highchair at home and struggles and screams not to be put into it. We made numerous trips to playgrounds, and she likes being in the baby swings. At the Bixler playground over by old our apartment, she found a pushtoy (looked kind of like a lawn mower) and slowly pushed it around. We also took her to the zoo one beautiful Saturday morning, and her favorite thing was a box turtle. She was not impressed by the big cats, I guess she gets enough of those at home.













The past two weeks, it has been a challenge to get her to take naps during the day. She will sleep between 10-12 hours at night, and until recently, would take two naps during the day. Now she keeps trying to drop  a nap. I've read that it's normal for 12-18 month olds to do this, but 9.5 months seemed a little early. She is determined, though.

She is so smart these days and is getting better at using her hands and communicating. She points at things a lot and makes little comments, usually calling whatever she is pointing at "baby" or "dada". She also loves doing pat-a-cake, and is beginning to do the hand movements along with us. She claps when we clap, and is getting the hang of rolling and kneading. So smart!

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (0)

Baby Pictures         (Oct 11 2010)

As promised, many baby photos. Happy birthday, Dad!


Brand new baby, about one hour old. Looking pretty cheerful overall, if a bit tuckered out. She was not bruised, that's just a little leftover blood on her temple. The green fabric on the right is my very stylish hospital gown.


Will and I with the baby in the delivery room.


Dana with her Big Papi and Grammy Kay, in the recovery room later that evening.


Our little family, the next morning. I'm very puffy in these recovery photos because of all the IV fluids they had given me the day before. Also, note the teddy bear/balloon courtesy of Tyler and Daniel. Apparently when they purchased these from the hospital gift shop, they had to ask the checkout person to inflate the balloon.


One of the gorgeous photos that Nan took on Saturday morning for the birth announcement.


A little smile from baby Dana on Sunday morning, before we were discharged from the hospital.


Dana looking really tiny, in her carseat for the first time.


At home with Grandpapa Béla and Nana.


Back in the carseat, waiting for our appointment with the pediatrician.


Naptime.


Ditto.


Dana hanging out with her Papa, during a thunderstorm. This photo is actually a frame from a video, in which Dana has a loooong set of hiccups.


Notice the height between the baby's chin and my shoulder. She was holding her head up pretty steadily - not bad for 3 weeks old!


This was the day Auntie Olivia taught Dana to count to 20, en español.

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (0)

Very Accomplished         (Aug 27 2010)

In addition to working a half day today, I did a lot of work on this website. It's been a while since I played with Movable Type enough to actually make it work for me, but I figured it out! Links to archives and individual entries work, and you can now post comments. Whew!

Also, we had the changing table delivered yesterday, and Will got it all set up (including a safety wall anchor that will keep it from being tipped over). Now that the last element of the nursery is in place, I thought I'd post some photos.


View of the nursery from the entrance door.


View of the futon, shelving, and window plants.


We received this baby blanket, cross-stitched by my aunt Linda. Thanks Linda - it's beautiful!


Pooh and Rabbit on one of the shelves over the futon, along with children's books.


End table in the corner near the window. Olivia bought us the Golden Gate photo from BlurboMat.


The other corner, with Ikea chair and nursing pillow.


That's catnip growing in the planter on the window sill.


Corner chair with changing table and bear prints from ZukZuk.


Lastly, changing table and crib, with Dana's baby quilt hanging up.

So we're all ready to go - Calapitter's back up to snuff and the nursery's done! Now all we need is the baby.

 

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (0)

Valentine's Day Update!         (Feb 14 2008)

It's been about five months since I last updated, and about two weeks since the last big piece of news, and I thought today (Valentine's Day) would be a good time to break the news: I'm getting married. :) :)

Will and I in his Chicago apartment - November 2007 Will and I outside the Art Institute in Chicago, at night - November 2007 Will and I in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico - Christmas break 2007 Will and I in Guanajuato, Mexico - Christmas break 2007 Will and Rosco in my Iowa City apartment - December 2007


Will proposed to me the morning of Friday, February 1. It was about 8:00 in the morning and there was a knock on the door, which Will answered as I continued to doze. He came back to bed and we started having a brief conversation about FDIC and the improbability of bank runs in the U.S., until there was a pause, and he said, "Becky, I have something I want to talk to you about."

I asked what it was, and he presented me with a small box, which I opened...

I looked at him, and he said, "Will you marry me?" I think I smiled at him and put the ring (originally his Gram's and then his mom's) on my finger and said yes and kissed him about one million times. We lay there in our PJs, all cozy and happy, and snuggled and enjoyed the moment for a few minutes, but then it was time to get up and start calling family to tell them the good news. Everyone was very happy for us, and then I went to teach my class at 10:30.

I was bursting with the news, and when I was using the document camera while teaching, I wondered to myself if any of my students were looking at my ring, but I think they were all busy learning accounting. :)

The next morning we (Will and Tyler and I) got up REALLY REALLY early to go to St. Louis to check out the chapel, where we decided to have the ceremony. Will was pretty pooped when we got there and while we were waiting for the coordinator to show up, but then he perked right up when we got inside the chapel. It's really so beautiful, with all this golden light, and .. I had been hoping for some time that Will would ask me to marry him, so the fact that he had asked me, and that we were starting the planning process.. it was all kind of moving and just lovely for me.

The next day (Sunday), Will and I trekked out to the 9th Street Abbey in Soulard, to see whether it would be a good place for a reception. We looked at it the day after a Mardi Gras party so it was a little cluttered, but here are some photos: (this is on a grey day so the light isn't the best)

So basically we thought it was beautiful. I went back and visited with my parents the next Friday and met with Susie from Patty Long Catering, and loved it, so we booked it. By the way, the wedding will be September 12, 2008, in the afternoon, with the reception in the evening. We're planning to have breakfast for dinner, but there will also be chicken in a white wine caper sauce for those people who are offended by the idea of breakfast in the PM. We're still setting the menu, but wouldn't mini-waffles just be an adorable 'horse doover' (as Grandpa K once called it)?

Then, last Saturday, Will and I went to The Enchanted Bride bridal shop, on Olive. People (Mom included) were scandalized that I brought him with me, since there's that superstition about it being bad luck for him to see me in the dress before the wedding day, but.. nevertheless, we found The One there. It was only the third dress I tried on, and it fit like a dream, and I felt like one million dollars in it, especially with Will looking at me with love and admiration in his eyes.

So those are the big things we've done so far. We've set the color palette as ivory, dark red (crimson/burgundy, not wine/purple), and gold. I've also basically designed the invitation. I also have found some ideas on flowers and stuff from theknot.com, and my favorite so far is:

Any other information you want about our wedding will (eventually) be found at www.willandbecky.org, which my dad bought for us so that we could share information and details about planning and the actual big day with all the guests. :) So go there and check back often.

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (0)

Tim Cunningham.         (Jun 10 2006)

Last night, my parents, Rob, Kelly and I went to see Tim Cunningham at the Finale, over in Clayton. I knew it was going to be a good time, because both Rob and Kelly are appreciative of good music, and my family really enjoyed seeing Tim when we went for my mom's birthday in March. But this time, we had tables right at the front of the club, center stage. I was expecting him to interact a little with us young people (it's part of the show anyway, to play to audience members near the front), but no one expected him to sit down at our table.

Tim sits down, Rob is amused. Tim is playing to us, I look fondly at him, Rob is still getting a pretty big kick out of it, Kelly looks wary. I make a retarded face, Rob too. Tim!

I hope Kelly wasn't too embarrassed. :)

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (0)

Picture Post: June 2nd & 4th.         (Jun 05 2006)

Friday morning I went to All American Hair Salon for a cut and color. I didn't know quite what I wanted when I went in, but Paige did a wonderful job and I came out with something lovely.

hahaha

Friday afternoon I took Ty shopping for dress up clothes, because that evening was his graduation.

Congrats, Class of 2006!

And just for good measure, a picture of Rosco, who has taken a liking to nesting in piles of laundry.

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (0)

Awards Ceremony.         (May 13 2006)

Pre-ceremony car ride. Tyler giggling at 'Lexicon of Stupidity.' The FRENCH teacher giving Ty his SPANISH award. What a gyp. Tyler clapping for the French kids while the French teacher prattled on in praise about them. This was funnier when the curtain looked black. Then Ty was in black camo. Ty and Mrs Taylor, who gave him lots of praise for being the best Calc student. Ever, in the history of history. Tyler practicing for his role as dictator of the world. The clock WHS gives for getting a 4.0 cumulative GPA. A more serious clock picture, Napoleon. Smiley won the Spanish Award. Deep thoughts about Calculus, part 1. Deep thoughts about Calculus, part 2.

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (3)

Saturday.         (Apr 15 2006)

This afternoon, we went to the baseball game in the new stadium, and the Cardinals won, 9-3. It started to rain in the 8th inning, and that wasn't very pleasant, but it was a fun experience overall. I was afraid I was going to get a sunburn because it was so sunny (before it rained, obviously), so I wore sunblock, but I might've picked up some color, yay.

Well, this evening started out as kind of a disappointment. Rob and I had had plans to hang out this evening, but he ended up not being able to go. I text messaged Joe, but didn't get any answer back, even though he called Rob to talk about going to a movie -- or something. So I just kind of sat around talking to Kelly until I decided to go to Walmart with Ty to get a new case for my CDs. Ty brought the camera, and this is what we ended up with:

Oh, and as I was waiting for Ty to use the restroom, Joe walked into Walmart. It was pretty strange/confusing, but I was happy to see him. After that, Ty and I went to S&Js for ice cream and we talked, and it took me probably 20 minutes to tell a story about throwing up at band practice. It totally wasn't worth the 20 minutes, but Ty listened dutifully. I like that kid.

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (3)

Fall Foto Frenzy.         (Nov 04 2005)

Gotta love alliteration.

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (1)

Pictures of the Dorm.         (Aug 23 2005)

Posted by Rebecca at | Comments (2)

« Make Me Upset | Main Index | Archives | Registry »