B and Her New Tricks

B is pulling up constantly and loves bath time so much. She loves mirrors and ceiling fans more than ever. She also likes touching the tv and staring at her reflection in the oven door. She tries to climb up the walls while I'm standing or sitting. She talks all of the time. She has discovered my ears and likes to pull them while she drinks her bottle.

On Thursday afternoon we went to playgroup at the Parenting Center. B loves that place, but sometimes the toys gross me out because a lot of them are really dirty. I wish they would raise the yearly fee to belong to the Parenting Center and use the money to hire a toy cleaner. We went to Katherine's and she played with Lola and her Uncle Peter. Aunt Attie stopped by too. B does a new trick where she opens and closes her mouth whenever the three of us sing. It's like she's trying to sing too.

On Friday morning we went to the Park then we met Jenn C. for lunch at Sun Ray Grill. While we were eating it started to pour and of course I had parked 2 blocks away. Since I was pretty soaked and the weather was awful we went home instead of going to see Krista and the babies. We're going to visit them tomorrow. Attie and Katherine came over in the afternoon and Betsy and I performed our new trick. I scream then she screams. It sounds lame, but it's really cute. On Friday night we went to see Katie C.'s new house; it's so pretty. Then we went to eat dinner at Fellini's. B ate hummus and pita bread and feta cheese.

On Saturday we went to the Mid City Art Market with Marme then later we went shopping with the sisters. I am searching for B's birthday decorations and I haven't found ones that I love so far. Peter and Grandpa worked on the downstairs all day yesterday and P continued working today. Last night I stayed up until 1:30 to finish Harry Potter. All last week I was so paranoid that I would somehow find out how it ended. What a relief.

Today I brought B to Bee's and she and Papa Vic took B swimming at Camp Pleasant. It was nice to have time to get some things done at home and B had a blast. Tonight P and I had pizza and we discovered that B loves pepperoni. She sat at P's feet and he fed her bits of pepperoni--there is a pic of it below.

Late Nights

This week has been crazy. I stayed up till past midnight on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday because I was reading Harry Potter. Last night I made myself put it down at 11. Peter woke me up at 1, because B had been up for an hour and he was exhausted. Well, she didn't go back to sleep until 230. So I'm sleepy again today, but this time it wasn't Harry's fault. I'm not sure if she's teething or what, but she woke up on Tuesday night while Peter was up doing work and seemed to be having nightmares. Poor boo.

On Monday we went to Target. I was looking for 2 of B's presents, but I couldn't find them so I ordered them online. On Monday night I made lentils and B really liked them. On Tuesday morning we went to the Park then to Story Time at Latter. B talked very loudly the whole time so we had to keep stepping out of the room. Afterwards we went to Little Laughter, Magic Box, and PJ's with Ticia and Will. In the afternoon we tried to go tour the modular home designed by Cottage Living with Andrea, but it was closed. so went to Fuel for coffee instead. When we got home Aunt Maggie stopped by to visit. And later Papa Vic stopped by. Yesterday we were very busy. Aunt Attie stopped by in the morning to visit. Then we went to Gym Rompers then met Rene for coffeee. He had never met Betsy and she pulled out some of her best tricks for him. I had an appointment with Papa Vic at noon then we went to lunch with him at Vincent's. It was so good. I ordered B her own meatball and she really loved it. She was so good even though she hadn't taken a nap all morning. She ate breadsticks, crackers, and bread so by the time her meatball and hard boiled egg yolk came she didn't eat too much. She was so tired that after she had one big bite of food she rubbed her eyes, yawned, then fell forward in her highchair because she had fallen asleep. Papa Vic carried her back to his office and she fell asleep off and on during the walk. Last night B took her first bath in the big bathtub (without her little tub inside of it). She had a blast and liked that she cook kick and move around a lot more. She's all grown up.

We went to the Park this morning. The plumber came and did some work downstairs--now the renovations can truly begin. Hooray!

Videos

Thursday



Sunday--eating blueberry pancakes

10 Months Old

As of July 21, our little Betsy is 10 months old. I can't believe how quickly time flies. I know everyone said it would, but it really has.

On Thursday morning we went to the Park then later on we went to playgroup at Karen's. The babies are just starting to fight over toys--especially Betsy. She is constantly grabbing the toys from the other babies. Let's hope this little phase doesn't last.

On Friday Momma Lady came in town to watch B while I had a fun day with Katherine. We had many, many adventures and I was gone from 945 till 9 pm. Peter relieved his Mom in the afternoon. I missed my baby by the time I got home.

On Saturday morning Peter A. picked up the new Harry Potter for me and for Attie. Yay! I've only read one chapter; hopefully I can read some tonight before bed. After I got the book B and I picked up Attie and we went to the Farmer's Market and the Camp & Girod PJ's. There was a jazz band and they played "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" and "Old MacDonald" for the kiddies. B smiled and clapped. We bought beautiful blueberries, bell peppers, cucumbers, baby eggplants, and tomatoes. We also bought a rosemary plant, a basil plant, and this awesome butter from a local dairy. Last night Marme, Attie, Beau, Katie, and Peter A. came over and we grilled. My husband was the chef of the evening and everything was delicious--baby eggplants with rosemary (they tasted like artichoke hearts--yum!), portabello mushrooms, corn, and I heard the chicken, sausage, and steaks were delicious too. B ate chickent, steak, eggplant, and mushrooms. We put B in the pool in the backyard. At first she wasn't sure if she liked, but she soon discovered that she did like it.

This morning P woke up with B at 7 and I slept until 9. Wow!!! I haven't slept that late in a really long time. By the time I got up B was already napping. P made blueberry pancakes, which were divine. B and I went to Julie's for B to play with Lucy and her cousin, Edward. B loved all of Lucy's toys and Julie lent us some adorable clothes and a cool, big toy that B can pull up on and play with. Chris brought B a precious outfit from Nicaragua--too sweet! In the afternoon we went to Jama & Pa's for a birthday party for Taddy. It was so much fun getting together with the family. We missed Papa Vic and Bee; they are in Montreal. B was exhausted when we left so she fell asleep in the car and slept until 715. Yikes--it's gonna be a loooong evening.

Happy Birthday, Taddy (7/20) and Cal (7/21)!!!

Back to Her Old Tricks

B is asleep right now and Peter is at softball. I'm so tired. Last night B was up from 12:30 until 2:30. It was so weird, because just yesterday I was reflecting on how Betsy hadn't gotten up in the middle of the night in ages. It's like she can read my mind. I made a lame Harry Potter joke to Peter about this and Peter groaned. I won't even mention it here.

Yesterday Aunt Attie came over in the morning. We skipped Story Time again. Evelyn is out of town and Ticia had to skip so I decided that we would skip too. Instead we went to Pier 1 and bought a rug with the gift certificate Momma Lady and Grandpa gave us. It's really pretty and B loves the way it feels. In the afternoon I dropped B off at Marme's house and went to the gym. Last night I was very domestic and made lima beans and cooked a pork tenderloin for Peter.

Today Aunt Attie came over again then we went to Gym Rompers then Barnes & Noble then Babies R Us. B fell asleep right before we got to Babies R Us and I ended up walking around the store while she slept for an hour. We had visits from Aunt Attie and Aunt Katie today. Ooops--she's up. Pics tomorrow.

The Weekend

Betsy is making the cutest smiles these days. Her newest one involves her closing her eyes, smiling big, and throwing her head back. I captured the smile in a couple of pics below.

On Friday we met Evelyn & Georgia at the Parenting Center. Betsy loves playing there although sometimes there are bigger kids who take toys away from her. Luckily she doesn't seem to mind too much. We brought B to Vacherie in the afternoon. She didn't blink an eye when we left. She was in her Momma Lady's arms and was laughing at Corky (the dog). We went to Baton Rouge. We stopped at Neila's and Cal's house and visited with them and precious Camille and Mimi. Next we went to Hal's to get ready. It was kind of weird staying at his house. The last time we slept there was right after Katrina. Things have changed so much in these past two years. The wedding was nice, but the a.c. in the church was broken so it was really, really hot. Peter was in the wedding and was therefore standing on the altar in a tux under bright lights. He looked very handsome despite the fact that he was burning up. The reception was fun. I got to visit with law school friends whom I haven't seen in a while. After the reception we headed to Hal's porch and hung out with Judson and Jaime till 1:30. That is VERY late for me.

P and I woke up Saturday and went to see the 10 am Harry Potter. It was so good and I loved being at the movie theater; it had been over a year since we had been to see a movie. I drank a latte and ate a scone; I'm very fancy. We went to lunch then stopped by the Stone house for a bit before we went to Vacherie to get B. She had a blast in Vacherie and got to visit with family, swing, stroll, and swim. We were exhausted on Saturday night.

Yesterday we woke up and had a family pancake breakfast. We want to start having pancakes every Sunday and we decided that we want to have pizza and video nights on Friday when B gets older. We're wild. We hit Sam's and then I went to visit Kris and the babies. Ryan is so cute and Lauren was so lovey with me. She's always sweet, but she sat in my lap for like 30 minutes--she doesn't usually do that. When I got home Grandpa and Uncle Tim were over. They are going to help us renovate downstairs and we are so grateful.

Today we mostly hung out at home because the weather was really gross. We left home just to go to Walmart. The rest of the day we read books and played. My attempts to do some organizing were thwarted by my very curious and very mobile 10 month old (well, almost 10 month old) baby. Papa Vic and Bee stopped by with Toddy coffee and red beans. B ate some red beans for supper and really liked them.

Wednesday and Thursday

Yesterday we went to Gym Rompers. Betsy really enjoys it. She clapped after every song. Then we went to visit Krista and Ryan. He is so precious. They went home from the hospital today. Betsy didn't pay too much attention to Ryan; she was more interested in seeing her Krissy. We stopped in to see Taddy and her friends. Betsy was pretty shy, but she did manage to give a few smiles. Jess and Reed went to the hospital and we went to lunch with them afterwards at Caffe Caffe. I ordered B her own lunch--a hard boiled egg yolk and sliced avocado. She ate that and some wheat tortilla that I brought. Last night B ate smoked turkey breast and cheddar cheese. She really likes the turkey. She had it today for lunch and for dinner too. I know I need to mix it up a bit. B has also started to really like bananas.

Today we went to Katie's and hung out with her and with Attie till Attie had to leave for work. We met Evelyn & Georgia at New York Bagel and we planned to go to the Parenting Center, but it was pouring and B was sleepy. B napped for about 2 hours this afternoon. Uncle Larry stopped by with homemade soup and watermelon sorbet--yum! Then Katie, Peter A, and Lola came over and we went to Hansen's and B tasted her first snowball (nectar cream--my favorite) and she went crazy for it. Peter is at Tim's Rehearsal Dinner so it's just the two of us. B had a good bath tonight and last night too. She gets to play and hang out in the tub now that her cast is off. B is asleep so I need to go pack our bags for Baton Rouge.

Update

Yesterday when B's cast was removed I was really caught off guard and surprised that her leg wasn't perfect. Therefore, I did not ask as many questions as I should have. I usually arrive to B's appointments with a notepad and pen and a list of questions. Since I've been so concerned about it I called Tommy and he called Dr. Warren. Dr. Warren assured him that he was pleased with B's progress and that he believed that another surgery would not be required. He said that her tibia was strong, which was great because the tibia is the weight bearing bone. Dr. W. believes that the fibula will follow the tibia and straighten out. I feel so much better about things. Thanks, Tommy.

The Big Day

Yesterday Ryan Gregory Saunders was born. He is 8 lb., 6 oz. and 21 inches. He is absolutely precious and he and his mom are doing well.

Here's a pic:

Betsy's cast was taken off yesterday, but unfortunately the result of her surgery and nearly three months of being in a cast did not completely correct the bowing of her leg. It looks a lot better, but there is still a somewhat significant bowing near her ankle. Dr. Warren wants us to manipulate her foot and watch how she uses her leg and foot over the next month. I really wanted to leave her appointment with a huge sense of relief, but I did not. The issue with her leg has plagued us since before she was born although I may have never really addressed it in this blog. I am disappointed, but we'll just do what we have to do. I'm not sure what the next step will be. Our next appointment is August 14. On a lighter note, Betsy is fascinated with her newly freed leg. After her appointment she kept touching her leg then looking at me. She's still dragging her leg behind her when she crawls and not really using it when she pulls up. I know she'll get used to it soon enough.

Last night Peter and I went to dinner at Restaurant August and it was delicious. It was so nice to spend time with my wonderful husband of three years.

A big thanks to my awesome babysitters yesterday--Aunt Katie (and Lola), Aunt Attie, and Marme. I appreciate y'all's help!

Pic from B's first spaghetti dinner and from right after her cast was taken off:



And here's a video from right when we got home from Dr. W's office:

Pics & Videos

Today was low key. We went to the grocery then did a couple of errands with Katie. The rest of the day I cleaned the house and made my first meat dish--spaghetti and meatballs. Both Peter and Betsy loved it--hooray!

Here are some pics and a few videos from Saturday (first one) and today (second two):

Can't Wait Till Tomorrow

Last Thursday and Friday we pretty much just hung around the house because Betsy had a bad cold and I caught it too. On Friday Aunt Attie stopped by in the morning and brought us lunch and we saw her a third time when we went over to Katie's. On Friday night we were supposed to go to a party, but my throat was killing so we couldn't make it. Our wonderful babysitters, Papa Vic and Bee, stopped by anyway and brought dinner, which was very nice. On Saturday Betsy spent the day with her Daddy and they went to various sports and home improvement stores. I did some shopping with the sisters. I'm so happy Katie has more free time now to hang out! On Saturday night we went to Theo's with the sisters and the boys. B loved the pizza bits that we gave her--sausage, mushrooms, artichoke hearts. She was reclined in her highchair the whole time we ate and was so calm and quiet. At the end of the meal we noticed that there was a TV right above our table in her line of vision. We discovered that she's a fan of Canadian football! On Sunday morning we met Papa Vic, Bee, Mr. Pratts, and the sisters and their boys at Audubon Clubhouse for breakfast. B ate scrambled egg yolks, corned beef hash, grits, cantaloupe, and shredded cheese. I know, I'm still obsessed with her food intake. Peter spent the rest of the day working on ripping up carpet and tearing down ceilings downstairs. I can't wait till it's done and B has a playroom and we have a guest bedroom and study. Yesterday we went to Katie's and she got to play with her cousin Lola. Last night we went to visit the Mahfouz family and little William (who was born on the same day as Betsy)walked across the kitchen floor. It was very impressive--especially for a 9.5 month old! Peter made ground turkey for B and she ate that with feta cheese. She has such a sophisticated palate! This morning Aunt Attie stopped by for a visit--we love her visits.

Tomorrow is an exciting day for 3 reasons--all 3 are very important:
1. Krista is having her C-section and Baby Ryan will be here
2. B is getting her cast off
3. Peter and I will celebrate our 3 year anniversary

B is sleeping so I'm going to get some stuff done. I'll post pics later!

Last one--from March 30, 2007

Video from June 21, 2007

Another video

I posted a video a few months ago. After that I couldn't post any more videos. My computer had a virus and now it's repaired and the Drop Shots software is working so get ready for some videos!

This is Betsy in the pool in Gulf Shores on June 30, 2007:

Playgroup at the Aquarium on 6/28/07

Back from the Beach

We had a nice time in Gulf Shores with Peter's family. Betsy really enjoyed the swimming pool; the Gulf was a bit too scary for her. And it turned out to be too scary for us because there were tons of jellyfish. B ate lots of new things--pineapple, mango, lima beans & rice cooked by Momma Lady, and smoked gouda.

We got back yesterday evening. We stopped by Aunt Attie and Uncle Beau's on our way in and Attie gave B the most precious dress and jacket----that she can wear when she's 4. My sister really thinks ahead! Today was rainy so we just hung out at home. Attie, Beau, Papa Vic, Bee, Marme, and Aunt Penny came over to visit and we went to visit Katie. Papa Vic brought over two beautiful rocking chairs that he had made for us; B is going to love rocking on the front porch. I made cupcakes for our new neighbors and to bring to Bee's. We went to Bee's this evening and the boys ate various types of meats and Bee made lots of yummy treats for us all. We also got to visit with Katy F. and chat about her upcoming wedding--so exciting! B ate her first and second cupcake today. The first one was without icing and was all her idea--she grabbed it and stuck her hand in it. She ate the second one tonight at Bee's and it had lots of icing. We got home not too long ago and I'm exhausted.

New tricks include: waving and saying what sounds like "bye bye," giving kisses, and pulling up on anything and everything.