Catch up Time

I am going to quickly bring you all up to date so I can use this again instead of spamming you all. We moved from Newport to Grandma and Grandpa Birds the day before Thanksgiving and stayed there until 10 December when Mom and I flew to Gram and Grandpa Farringdon’s until the day after Christmas. Dad had a two week class is sunny San Diego and joined us in Washington when he was done. Mommy aquired a new Johney jump up that fit in her suitcase - with a zillion other things of dubious necessity. The day after Christmas, we all flew to Sasebo and got settled in the Navy Lodge for a little over 2 weeks. We are now living in Hario Navy housing in a town house with loaner furniture and our express shipment. Dad is underway for about two months and Mom and I are playing house alone.
We are doing fine and I am growing bigger every day. I roll around, scoot backwards and rock back and forth on my hands and knees. I like lap dancing and can hold on to something and stand up on my own. I haven't started trying to pull myself up on stuff yet. I had my 6th month appointment a little late, so when I finally went in at almost 7 months old, I was 19lbs 5 oz and 28 1/2 inches long! If 100% for height was marked on the graph, I would have been there. I started eating solid foods and haven't turned anything down yet. I just stare at what I want until Mommy gives it to me. I have started sleeping through the night sometimes, just for fun. I still like most of my food from about noon on, but now I eat well in the morning after sleeping through the night.

Looking toward Thanksgiving

In which I roll over, laugh, start jumping, explore my toes, and move to Grandma's house.

Somehow, Mommy didn't think she needed to update this for almost two months. I finally convinced her to continue my story. At least she has been cataloging it with pictures and short videos. (The video clips are too long to upload. I will have to figure out a different way to share them.)

I have changed so much. I don't mind being on my tummy now because I can look all around twist myself and grab things and roll over if I am tired of playing on my tummy. Mostly though, if I am tired, I either just lay my head down or holler until someone flips me on my back. Then up go the legs, I grab my toes and then I can really move. I can twist over 90 degrees and turned on a mobile by pushing buttons with my feet. I used the uprights from my tummy time mat to steady my leggs. It was also great for twisting against. After I mastered the buttons on the mobile with my toes, then I pushed them with my hands too. If you look in the background of this picture, you can see the buttons I pushed.

I can't forget about my favorite new toy. The Jump-a-roo is excellent fun. I can bounce so high, the springs are not stretched at all! I try to get some air time several times every day. One day, my neighbor, Dotty May came over to play. It looks like she is eating my fingers, but she is just watching me.

This is so fun, Mommy and Daddy are going to mail my Jump-a-roo across the country so I can use it at Gram and Grandpa Farrington's at Christmas time. I suppose that is only because we are in the middle of a move. After Christmas we are going to some place called Japan. All I know is it is a long airplane flight away.

One of my favorite activities is bath time. I grew out of my infant bath and graduated to a big girl bath, and at Grandma's the whole tub. I sit up and play with my toys or toes for a while then, when I am thirsty, I lie down for drinking (cleaning) time. I steal gulps of delectable bath water and kick water out of the tub while Mommy tries to clean me. by the time I get out, my toes feel funny. Mommy calls them pruney toes. Because it takes two hands to give me a bath, you will have to be satisfied with a picture of me grabbing my toes on the bed.

I like studying myself in the mirror. I haven't figured out which my best side is, but it is nice to be able to look at the person holding me whithout having to turn my head. When I smile, the person in the mirror does too. I am pretty sure that is because it is me.

This is Syndey and I. We are only four days apart, but I am much bigger than she is. What I can't figure out is how she sleeps for 10 hours every night. I still like to get up at LEAST once a night and normally more than that. The disadvantage is I am sleepy during the day more frequently than she is and I need more naps.

I just checked the video files and all the movies are too long to upload. Oh well. Pictures will have to do.

Yesterday, Mommy and Grandma Bird went Christmas dress shopping. Then came home with a red one that I drooled on and a white one I spit up on. Soon there will be a picture of me in at least one of them.

My Second Month

In which I laugh, go back to New York, go on my first cruise, and stay with Daddy for the weekend.

Now that I am getting big, a whole five weeks old, Mommy left me with Daddy for the first time. Daddy used a big girl bottle and poured the milk down my throat. I paid him back by spitting up all over him. I must have gotten enough though, because when Mommy came home with newly painted toenails, Daddy and I were sleeping.

The following weekend, Daddy had a class trip to the USS Constitution. I went with him, but got my own tour because I was too busy eating when Daddy went aboard. I got my picture with the Officer of the Deck! I was soo excited to be aboard, I slept through the whole thing.

We continued on to Clifton Park were we visited with Mommy's friends. Friday night we had a yummy dinner with Eleanor and some other members of the bell choir. I was hungry from the car trip and ate through most of our visit.

That night the lights went out at Julie's house where we were planning to stay. We stopped for a couple of flashlights and stayed there anyway. Her daughter was having a slumber party, so we all partied. A camping trip inside! I was a perfect angel and slept a lot that weekend. Sunday Daddy held me while I slept through church and we went to the church picnic. I ate through the whole thing. Mary got to hold me while I slept at the very end. I was too sleepy to be excited by Mr. Twisty and the yellow jackets didn't bother me at all.



What a busy month this has been! The following weekend we went to Grandma Bird's house and went on my first cruise. I was a doll. I ate my dinner before Mommy's was served and slept during her dinner. I got my picture taken on Great-Grandpa's lap. I smiled for everybody and made lots of friends. I made up for all the excitement by eating several times that night.

The next day we went to church and Grandpa held me while I slept. After church we went to a picnic. Once again I was an angel and even took my nap. What a good girl am I.

Mommy got her ginger baby. I was born with brown hair, but everything has grown in red. I am changing fast. I was 12lbs 2oz at 8 weeks old. I turn my head to follow lights and like to pet white kitty when she goes on walks with us. I have a favorite book, T Rex and Friends, and like the bunny rattle best. I can even entertain myself with a rattle for a short while. I started laughing at about seven weeks old and daily have new nice cooing noises. I like to sit up and look around. I also like to stand up and bat at your face. Just this week I not only look at lights, I watch branches sway, follow people with my head, and am so interested in what is going on around me, I don't like to fall asleep. My favorite place to sleep is still on someone. I am not picky. You will do.

Mommy had her first drill weekend and I stayed with Daddy. He fed me while Mommy was gone. I let him know I prefer Mommy by crying and spitting up all over him. We both learned a lot about using a bottle that weekend. Sunday we did a little better with the bottle. I was on my best behavior all weekend and took all my naps so I could be happy when I was awake. Both days when Mommy came home, I was sleeping like a baby and she had to wait until I woke up to feed me.

Daddy took me on a trip to Mystic Aquarium. I stayed awake for the fish, took a cat nap, and woke up for the penguins and the walruses. So ends my second month. I am so tired, I think I will take a nap. . . Right after I renew my energy with a heafty meal.

My First Month

In which both my Grandma's visit and I attend Great-Grandpa's 80th Birthday party.

My first month I taught my parents how to satisfy my every desire. I ignore most toys and prefer eating over any other activity. I initiated the idea that sleeping is best done on someone instead of any mattress. More on that later.

Daddy got my first smile at about 2 1/2 weeks old. My favorite time of day is late evening when Mommy takes me for a walk. Well, actually, our neighbors Fawn and Frank take me for a walk and Mommy tags along. I used to sleep during the walk, but now I try to stay awake.

Gram Farrington stayed for two whole weeks and took me on the Cliff Walk and took me to church the very first time.

She made a lot of yummy food for Mommy and Daddy and took me to church for the very first time. She convinced my mommy to read to me all the time and found me a big library of the very best children's books. I'm told we went out to eat too, but I don't seem to remember that.

I coerced Grandma Bird into driving up to see me not once, but twice. She is a comfortable mattress and takes the very best pictures of me. I smile at her to thank her for holding me and bringing me gifts. She is the reason I have girly onesies on.

On the way to Great Grandpa Shatwell's birthday party, we stopped at Sydney's house. She is four days younger than I which makes me much, much bigger than her. She is cute as can be and also prefers sleeping on someone. Sydney and I like to sleep and play at the same times, but Sydney sleeps longer at night then I do. Marlene and Hal are her parents. Marlene was Mommy's roommate at college.

Great-grandpa's party was fun, but I ate most of the time. Grandpa held me for the very first time and so did a lot of other people.

New Arrival

Hello all,



Look at my big blue eyes and full head of hair. My parents are really proud of me and I am a wonderfully good girl. Newport Hospital was a nice place to be born. It almost looked like a hotel room. The nurses swaddled me up and Dad held me for the first hour and a half. I just looked around and looked around with my big blue eyes.

I have Dad's ears and facial features and Gram Farrington's big feet. I hardly fit newborn socks. My hands are big and I have piano fingers, long and tapered. My cheeks are perfect for pinching. I can even do it myself.

From day one, I was a good sleeper. While in the hospital, Mom tried to spoil me by holding me all the first night and half the second. (That was only because I was soo interested in my suroundings, I wanted to stay up, be held and look at them.) The hospital window had a beautiful view of Narraganset Bay and the victorian roofs of Newport Harbor. When I got home, Dad stepped in and straightend me right out. I now sleep well in the play pen down stairs during the day and in the cradle upstairs at night.