turkey and cheesesteaks

Well...wow. It's been a hectic week or so in Simonton-land. We had a great Thanksgiving, marked by copious mimosas, football, and feasting at Jen & Dan's house. Avery, Sophie & Sadie were angels---aside from a little hair-pulling and toy-grabbing, everything went smoothly---a monumental feat considering we were there for almost 15 hours. The girls ate their requisite sweet potatoes and went to bed early, allowing the adults to hang out (like adults!) for a while. Next thing we knew, it was 2:30 in the morning and what we were most thankful for was that we live only half a block away. Aaaah, good times.
Two days later we departed for Pennsylvania on a redeye flight through San Fran. In theory the redeye seemed like a fabulous idea: we would board just past Sadie's usual bedtime, she would sleep the entire flight, and when we landed in Philly at 7 am the following day, we would be exhausted but she would be just fine. The reality of it was that we didn't sleep, she didn't sleep, and although she didn't really cry either, we were all crabby and sleep-deprived when the plane finally touched down.
And thus began the bizarre sleep cycle that she's been keeping all week long. Go to bed at 9 pm, wake up at 10 am (or noon!), little to no naps, and repeat. The lack of any real schedule combined with the constant shuffling to and from various family member houses has all of us completely drained and, worse---sick. Sadie has a monster case of the sniffles. It doesn't seem to be bothering her too badly, except that she can't really breathe through her nose, which means she can't really suck her thumb, which in turn means she has trouble soothing herself to sleep. Poor little girl, this trip has been rough on her. If she never sees her carseat again I'm sure it'll be too soon.
All the sleepiness and sickness aside, it's been a wonderful visit---we got to spend a few days in Philly eating cheesesteaks and going to a Flyers game; a few days in Scranton showing Reid and Sadie all the landmarks of my youth (and the more recently famous landmarks from "the office" TV show); and finally, a few days in Bethlehem where we'll go to my cousin's wedding and experience what has to be the most beautiful city in the US at this time of year (as you can imagine, Bethelem really embraces the Christmas holiday). We'll return home on Sunday totally exhausted, looking forward to at least a week's worth of staying inside and ordering takeout.
For what it's worth, this vacation has taught us all sorts of things about traveling with an infant. If I had to narrow it down to one piece of advice, it would be: find a house that's relatively baby-proof, make it your home base, and let everyone come to you. Not that you asked.

Pictures to follow upon our return...

nine month stats

Sadie passed her 9-month checkup with flying colors. She's performing all of the developmental milestones (using a pincer grasp, imitating sounds, standing and cruising) and has graduated on to a more diverse menu of table foods. Our homework: to buy a toothbrush and start brushing twice a day. Should be interesting...

By the numbers:
Weight - 20 lbs, 5 oz.
Height - 28 inches

We had such a long list of our own questions this time that we forgot to ask how those measurements compare to percentiles, or what her head circumference is. D'oh! Well, let's assume that if anything were out of the ordinary, the doctor would have told us.
The best part of the 9-month visit? NO SHOTS! Hooray!


See my spaghetti? All gone!

happy birthday sadie AND kaia rose

Sweet Sadie,
Yesterday you turned nine months old, which means you've now been out in this world longer than you were in my belly. It's fitting, then, that you should seem like such an individual these days. You've outgrown the label of 'baby', and although 'toddler' doesn't quite fit you like a glove either, it's certainly a more accurate description of your abilities.

When you stand, you can now stand on your own---without support or leaning of any kind---for up to 20 seconds. You've taken one unassisted step from the coffee table to the couch, but seem reluctant to go much further for now. It's as if the moment you realize you're standing without help, you plop yourself back onto your bottom. Fine by us, really. Things are moving quickly enough already!

It's difficult to remember what those first few weeks were like: you were so helpless, we were so clueless, and everyone was so sleepless. I guess that's why it seems so hazy now. But this weekend, we glimpsed the past a little again when your new friend Kaia Rose was born, to our dear friends Jeff & Rachel! Kaia Rose arrived early Saturday morning, healthy as can be at 7 lbs, 5 oz and 20 inches long. Congratulations to the happy family!

Somehow, hearing the news of Kaia's delivery made us relive the excitement, the emotion, the exhaustion, and everything that comes with being a brand new parent. It was hard work, fraught with constant worry and concern, but interspersed with immeasurable joy and amazement. Today, the worry is still there---but over smaller things like bumps and bruises---and the joy and amazement are tenfold. We never imagined it could be this good. Every day we thank our lucky stars that WE, of all people, won the baby lottery!

Happy 9-month birthday, Sadie Rain. We love you!

2 + 2 = 4

Teeth, that is.

I guess that explains why little miss woke up crying three times last night. This morning, the two top-and-center ones began poking through. Just in time for her 9 month birthday!

a monkey, a bee, and a duck

Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.

(click on image to view the animation)

Apparently the joke's on us, since the bee wants nothing to do with it...

isn't technology cool?

Now you can find out where I'm at and what I'm doing even when I'm not at my computer. Check out the live updates (via my cellphone) to the right...

Be the first to know when I'm grocery shopping! Watching Monday Night Football! Eating ribs! Or maybe all three at once!

bumblebee

In true bumblebee fashion, Sadie decided she wouldn't stay in one place for very long. Out of roughly 80 pictures taken on Halloween night, this was the only one that came out.
Let's hope one of our friends with a camera had better luck!