Mommy returns!

It is time to catch up again. I feel like that is what I am always doing:)

Grandma and Grandpa (Nancy and Bryn) came for a visit from 6/19 to 6/23. We all wandered around Newport, ate lobster (and a lot more)and of course the main focus for them was playing with Kaia. They left on a Monday and Tuesday morning Kaia walked into the guest room and kept saying her version of Grandma and Grandpa. I am pretty sure that they were pretty excited to hear that! While they were visiting Bryn and I got a full night out and both big and little Bryn got some good runs in around Newport. One of our highlights was strawberry picking. It took a matter of 2 seconds before Kaia was covered in strawberry juice. She just sat by the plants eating strawberries. Luckily we brought an extra outfit and lots of baby wipes.

So our guests left on Monday and I left on Friday for NYC. The actual leaving was a little difficult. I pulled away and watched Bryn and Kaia still sitting there in the car. So I cried a bit, but after I was moving for a bit it was OK. I hit the city and headed for the hotel to check in. Leigh met me there soon after and we started our girls weekend. I somehow had thought that I was going to get more sleep in NYC that at home with Kaia waking up. But when you go to sleep at 2 and 3am that doesn't really happen. We wondered the city and hit a bunch of tourist spots, ate some great food and got to see an old friend of mine in A Chorus Line on Broadway. Bryn and Kaia had a great time without me. Bryn did say that Kaia would do laps around the house saying "Mommy, Mommy" and there were moments that hearing my voice on the phone was less than helpful. It was nice to come home to smiles and kisses. Bryn is napping now to catch up from the weekend:)

Kaia is still adding more and more skills to her repertoire. She is also signing music and thank you. She is walking around the house more independently and wants to have music on all of the time. She has been drinking more than eating, but it has been hot and she is working on some other teeth. Her bottom two aren't all of the way up yet, but you can definitely see them. She can also successfully climb our long flight of stairs with no assistance at all. Usually the gate is up at the bottom of the stairs, but sometimes we follow her and let her go up. Some other favorite activities include chase Squirt (the cat) and playing ball with herself. She will push the ball away and then chase after it. Some other tricks include: blowing kisses, giving hugs and kisses (a personal favorite), so big, peek-a-boo (with her hands and with other objects), waving hi both by open and closing her hand and by doing the princess wave, say hi to everyone and everything and giving high 5's.

It is hard to believe that one week from today Kaia will be one year old!!!! We have the doctor's appointment scheduled and the photographer too. We will be heading to CA on July 15th and Grandma gets to throw Kaia's first birthday party. We were talking about doing a little BBQ here, but everyone is traveling and it is so close to the 4th we decided to skip it.

I think I hear someone waking up from her nap so I should bring this to an end for now.