9.19.2011

The Day with Uncle Tim & Auntie Rel

Uncle Tim was home visiting this past week. I was afraid he wouldn't be able to see his little Goddaughter, but he did ! We also got to see Auntie Rel (Tim's fiancee and Layna's Godmother.) At first, Layna didn't know what to think of Tim. She sat, in silence, on Mommy's lap and leaned against Mommy. I had never seen her act this way before. She just stared at Tim, and if I tried to get her to go say hi or try to move, she would be right by myself. After some time - when she had to be left with him for a few minutes - she got used to him. This same thing happened with Ariel.

On Saturday, Layna and myself went to the park with Uncle Tim and Auntie Rel. While I sat and chatted away with Ariel, Layna had some quality time with her Uncle. She was all smiles and running around the park: swinging, sliding, and see-sawing ! She would be at the top of the slide and shout "Mom" or "Momma" and wave before going down; she also did this in the swing. I wish Uncle Tim could be around more because she would absolutely adore her Uncle Tim ! When we had to leave to go back to Marlborough, Layna was more than willing to give hugs and kisses to Uncle Tim and Auntie Rel ! Matter-of-fact, she ran to Tim to give him a hug !

There is something about men (not boys) that Layna loves. She absolutely adores her grandfathers, uncle, and the most important man in her life: her Daddy ! (she loves us women too, but just something about her and men...)

9.12.2011

Talk-Talk-Talking and Layna's First Trip into Boston

resting in the middle of the wharf area in Boston

The summer is just about over and Layna is almost 21-months-old ! I can't believe how fast this year went by ! My infant went to being my toddler but she will always be my baby.  (I - Mommy - am going to be writing in first person for now on, just to let you all know)

Layna is talking these days! Not quite perfectly clear, but enough that I am not the only one who knows what she is saying. She says Momma now - woohoo ! She just needed a weekend away from me and a weekend with Daddy to accomplish that. She tries to copy everything I say, too, and does a good job of it. She isn't saying any form of Grandma yet, but definitely copies me when I call for my mom. I will yell or say "mom" and there will be this little echo, loud and clear saying "mom".  All of her signs are becoming verbal words - yay ! She still says some words backwards but they eventually come out the correct way. She used to say "caaa" for truck, and now says "trrraaa". Even better she says "Papa.... traaaa". Her words include: cookie, cracker, more, Momma, Mom, Papa, Sam, dog (gog), book, more, keys (says it all mixed up though), house, car, Aus-Aus (for Uncle Austin) and all the other words she knows... and the other day she called her bottle "baba", which could've been a coincident because we never call it that.

She has an amazing memory along she knows what she wants and doesn't. I would be upstairs sleeping, and an hour or so later, she will come up stairs to get me up. She doesn't have to search the house for Mommy anymore. If she wakes up in the middle of the night, I will put her in my bed, and she will hit my pillow and say "Momma..." and hit it again. She knows that that is where I sleep and wants me to go to bed  with her. Speaking of my bed, she could cry forever in her crib sometimes and the second her head hits my pillows, she is sound asleep again. She somehow got into this habit again... as long as she doesn't want her bottle in the middle of the night.

On Friday September 9th, Layna got two surprises: first she woke up to Daddy looking down at her. She had the sweetest expression on her face: confused and elated yet still sleepy. And second was Layna's  first trip into Boston to the New England Aquarium with Mommy and Daddy. She behaved very well, and seemed to enjoy the new sights ! She enjoyed looking at all the marine life and fish. She liked the wharf area where all the boston cruise ships and personal boats were docked, and looking out into the harbor. It was a pleasant afternoon/everning with the family.

harbor seal saying Hello to Layna


FISHIES !!
Daddy trying to get Layna to look;
Layna trying to snap her fingers like Daddy
- in front of the HUGE fish tank -
penguins - oh so stinky

Layna kept informing Mommy that he was sleeping


checking out the shark

Mommy&Layna looking at some more fish
in front of the N.E. Aquarium
dining at Cheers at Quincy Market
she LOVES pushing her stroller

 
The 80-year-old sea turtle that's been there since they opened