Beach Day with Aislyn and Layna

Today I (Mommy) got to spend the afternoon with Layna and her best friend, Aislyn. We went to the Douglas State Park, and played in the sand and the water. The girls were very well behaved; there were no time-outs. They listened, played, swam, and enjoyed the weather! It was a perfect beach day. Aislyn was showing Layna how to go underwater, and before I knew it, I had two girls dunking their heads under water .... and holding their noses sometimes too ! Here are some photos of the two girls:

the girls' first beach trip together (with Kim and Nina)
they're about 7 and 8 months old

this was from the other day, it's Layna's first rainbow!
(we might have seen one or two before,
but she actually understood what we were looking at )

FIRST TIME SKATING

It has been a long winter! We have been sick through January and when we got better a week later we got sick again. Layna has had a really bad cough and runny nose, and having trouble sleeping at night with no appetite except for milk. We have had needed a few new babysitters for Layna, also, which she does fine with. We have the help of Dan's parents of course, his Aunt Bev, and a couple of my friends. Kaitlin comes with Aislyn to watch Layna, which is wonderful. The two girls enjoy each other's company and play very well together... and Kaitlin enjoys having the two of them !  They are hilarious together and fun to watch ! If you are wondering who Aislyn and Kaitlin are, this may remind you:

Layna and Aislyn meeting for the first time:
Layna is about a month old and Aislyn about a week or two....

The two girls are FAR from being little newborns and are now two little ladies.

Last weekend for Mommy's birthday we - Grandma and Grandpa Robidoux - took Layna skating for the first time. She did pretty well! We went around the rink twice, and the second time she was holding the wall and Mommy's hand and then would try to skate away from the way. Mommy is very proud of her little skater !

shes doing it ! "skating" ... walking on the ice.
I'm SO proud !

smiling for the camera and skating.... just not a good idea
to close those eyes for "cheese" Layna !

skates on and ready to go !

Ear Piercing Time !

Layna got her ears pierced today ! She did very very very well too ! No crying, no tears, no flinching ! Talk about a strong girl ! I, on the other hand, put my hands over my eyes and stood behind a sign so I couldn't witness the pain that I anticpated for Layna. I was amazed that I didn't even hear a peep along with Daddy and everyone else in the area. Even afterwards, Layna wasn't bothered by her new accessories. She would call them "booboos", but for the most part she liked her new earrings !

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

 

Happy Easter !

This past Sunday was Easter, and Auntie Rose and Cousin Connor came up to visit for the weekend. Mommy and Layna stayed at the hotel with them to keep them company. Saturday morning, Auntie Rose, Connor, Mommy and Layna went swimming. Layna loved the pool ! She would sit on the edge and kick her feet in the water. Mommy would hold Layna on her belly and say "kick" and Layna would kick her legs like a frog. Also, Layna blew bubbles in the water really well too !

So, Sunday was Easter. The Easter Bunny visited and left baskets for Layna and Connor. Layna got a Disney Princesses basket and other presents... the Easter Bunny had to make up for Christmas. Layna also did VERY well for her first Easter Egg Hunt. After finding a few eggs with Mommy, she quickly caught on and found the rest herself !

Daddy got Layna her first basketball hoop and (bubble) lawn mower for Easter !

The other day Layna got a VCUG test done, which is a test that they insert dye into her bladder to see if she has reflux or not, and she doesn't. This should be the last thing ever for her kidney. Layna didn't appreciate being held down at all for the to clean her and insert the catheter. She was screaming and crying, and pee went flying right into the doctor's face ! (like a boy !!) Mommy was in shock and apologized right  away and laughed silently with Daddy. The doctor didn't appreciate it, but realized she's just a baby...

Today Mommy, Grandma and Grandpa Robidoux had a yard sale. It was a cool day, but a good handful of people showed up. Not much of Layna's baby clothes and stuff got sold, but some other stuff of Mommy's and Daddy's did. Grandpa Robidoux made some money too.

Layna's Easter Basket 

drinking Mommy's strawberry smoothie.
once she has one sip, there was no getting it back !

first eggs she spotted by herself !

someone lost some eggs....

Mommy & Layna

Shooting hoops !

trying out her bubble lawn mower

                                   like mommy, like daughter

Ooh Splinter...

Layna got her first splinter today. Something to cheer about ? No, but something that can be noted. Mommy didn't even notice the giant thing in her itty bitty hand until Layna put it in Mommy's face a second time to kiss better. Mommy got it out, but the tip remains in... Mommy had a feeling that would happen... now what do we do? wait to see if it falls out?? sure...

Here's a video from March when Mommy dressed Layna up in her tutu and brought her outside to play. Wait until the end... This video makes Mommy laugh every time, hopefully you will get a smile on your face too !

First Swim in a Pool

Layna wakes up in the morning and doesn't want to go back to sleep for a couple more hours, so instead of being stuck inside playing, Mommy takes Layna on a walk before it gets hot. Mommy has started to get into an exercise routine and lose the extra weight, especially since her Rheumatoid Arthritis is a lot better. Along with morning walks, Daddy and Mommy and Layna takes walks in the evening as part of her bedtime routine, if the temperature has cooled off.

Layna has started getting three (solid food) meals a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner - along with her bottles of formula bottles. She is doing a great job eating solids. Mommy makes a bowl of baby rice and mixes her baby food with it. Layna's favorites include peaches, pears and applesauce, squash, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes. She doesn't enjoy carrots or bananas, but Mommy is willing to give it another try soon.

Layna got her first little bump on her head - she hit the coffee table. Just a little bruise and bump nothing big.

Yesterday Daddy had surgery on his jaw, leaving Mommy and Layna for a girl's weekend. Yesterday Layna and Mommy went to visit Auntie Libbie, where Layna got to swim in a pool for the first time. She loved it and couldn't have been happier ! She behaved so well. At first, Layna had a little stranger anxiety, but warmed up to the Howley's quickly. Layna would laugh when Mommy moved her back and forth in the water and her feet just dragged. She would stand on the first step with her toes in the water, and it was just the cutest little sight ! Mommy put Layna in her pack'N'play to play quietly, but she just wanted to get out. She somehow managed to stand up while pushing the mesh sides for leverage - she is such a little monster !! Layna took a nap in the later afternoon; falling asleep quietly even though Mommy had to carry her for 15 - 20 minutes. Layna was the most sociable and happy with strangers than she has ever been. On the way home, Layna and Mommy stopped by the hospital to visit Daddy.

After getting home, Layna got a small bottle, a bath and was ready for bed around 9. However, it was just one of those nights where Layna couldn't stay asleep. She would quickly fall asleep when in front of the fan, but the minute Mommy adjusted her hand or arm or tried to put Layna down, Baby Girl would wake right up. This went on for a good 2 hours.

taking in the surroundings

Mommy would only put a bathing suit on for her little angel !

relaxing on the steps

naptime !

Auntie Lib