JoJo returned today from California! She spent a week at Grandma and Grandpa Geldreich's house, with her aunts and cousins from mom's side of the family.
It's the first time since Christmas I've been away from her for a week, so she looked a little different when I saw her. Her hair had grown, so there's no more cute bald girl pictures! She has a tooth that's almost completely in on top and a second one that's starting to show.
When I picked her, mom, and Cedar up at the airport, she wouldn't stop turning around in her seat looking at and talking to me. I couldn't wait to get her home and hug her.
The number one question I was asked while she was gone was whether she'd be walking when she returned. Turns out she still prefers holding both hands, although if she has a toy she will walk with one. She can, and has, walked on her own. I tried making her walk with one hand today, and she cried, even after I took her second one. Then I had to ask myself, "why am I pushing her?" So I figured she'll walk on her own when she feels like it. That's fine with me because it gives me more time to babyproof the cabinets.
We took our usual walk to Gaiser Park, played on the swings and slide, and as is becoming the habit, she fell asleep just before we got home, so daddy had some reading time out on the porch while she slept in the stroller. It's amazing how quickly we get back into old routines....
Hopefully some pics will be available tomorrow!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Can you believe it's been a year already???
JoJo's birthday was a wonderful and LONG day.
She got a cold the day before, and we were all up until 4 am trying to help her fall (and stay) asleep. She awoke for good at 9, and we sang Happy Birthday to her. We spent the morning at home with mom.
Around 1 we set out for grandma's house to set up for the party. Since JoJo had not had a nap yet, she fell asleep in the car, and since I didn't want to wake her, I took out my book. A hour later, grandma came home and found us both sleeping in the car!
My whole family was there except Robert D. (at work) and Nana (sick). Joining us also was Phyllis Taylor and her granddaughter Briyanna. Bri is one month older than JoJo.
The party was fun, from JoJo covering her face with frosting to Nathan attacking the camera whenever I tried to shoot him to JoJo and Briyanna "trying" to play together - that is a work-in-progress. JoJo loves her presents, especially the little basketballs from the bath set given by Aunt Tina: She carried the red one with her all the way to the health club today and played a little basketball with mom this evening.
I received the pics from Dorothy today - I forgot my camera, but she brought hers.
JoJo's birthday was a wonderful and LONG day.
She got a cold the day before, and we were all up until 4 am trying to help her fall (and stay) asleep. She awoke for good at 9, and we sang Happy Birthday to her. We spent the morning at home with mom.
Around 1 we set out for grandma's house to set up for the party. Since JoJo had not had a nap yet, she fell asleep in the car, and since I didn't want to wake her, I took out my book. A hour later, grandma came home and found us both sleeping in the car!
My whole family was there except Robert D. (at work) and Nana (sick). Joining us also was Phyllis Taylor and her granddaughter Briyanna. Bri is one month older than JoJo.
The party was fun, from JoJo covering her face with frosting to Nathan attacking the camera whenever I tried to shoot him to JoJo and Briyanna "trying" to play together - that is a work-in-progress. JoJo loves her presents, especially the little basketballs from the bath set given by Aunt Tina: She carried the red one with her all the way to the health club today and played a little basketball with mom this evening.
I received the pics from Dorothy today - I forgot my camera, but she brought hers.
Monday, July 16, 2007
I've been in more of a writing mood lately, so here goes.
One day until JoJo's first birthday (party at grandma's!), and we had three big events: Birthday pictures, a new crib, and mommy's return from California.
The times on the picture appointment were changed, and instead of 11 o'clock, after morning nap, our time was moved to 10, in the middle of nap time. The pictures turned out great, but the girls at Flash had to work extra hard because every time we got JoJo set up, she would either start crying or crawl/slide over to me. But, as usual, she looked very cute (www.flashportraits.com - search for my last name, password is her first name).
Mom returned around 8, and JoJo hasn't let her go since. She's walked to me, but she keeps going back, and she's smiling ear to ear.
The crib was given to us by Jon and Jenni Burgess, friends of my brother and his wife. JoJo has always cried when placed in the playpen I've been using as a bed, but she wanted to go into the crib and loved pulling herself up by the bars UNTIL she jumped up and down too much and the crib door bounced with her! It scared her so much she cried and wanted out, but she soon recovered and went back in (without as much bouncing!).
JoJo is also developing some fun food habits. As mentioned below, she has come to love blueberries. The last few days, however, she has started to eat the meat of the berry then spit the skin out. She loves pieces of chicken, bread, and chips, but she did not like the roasted garlic hummas that she helped herself to! Daddy was eating the hummas with pita bread, and all she was getting was bread, so she reached out and took some. She could not spit it out fast enough!
She has stopped protesting when I put her in the high chair, and she has gotten really good a putting her hands up to be picked up instead of whining (which is very nice!). We're working on "all done," "hungry," and other baby signs, but "pick me up right now!" is the only one she's caught on to.
One day until JoJo's first birthday (party at grandma's!), and we had three big events: Birthday pictures, a new crib, and mommy's return from California.
The times on the picture appointment were changed, and instead of 11 o'clock, after morning nap, our time was moved to 10, in the middle of nap time. The pictures turned out great, but the girls at Flash had to work extra hard because every time we got JoJo set up, she would either start crying or crawl/slide over to me. But, as usual, she looked very cute (www.flashportraits.com - search for my last name, password is her first name).
Mom returned around 8, and JoJo hasn't let her go since. She's walked to me, but she keeps going back, and she's smiling ear to ear.
The crib was given to us by Jon and Jenni Burgess, friends of my brother and his wife. JoJo has always cried when placed in the playpen I've been using as a bed, but she wanted to go into the crib and loved pulling herself up by the bars UNTIL she jumped up and down too much and the crib door bounced with her! It scared her so much she cried and wanted out, but she soon recovered and went back in (without as much bouncing!).
JoJo is also developing some fun food habits. As mentioned below, she has come to love blueberries. The last few days, however, she has started to eat the meat of the berry then spit the skin out. She loves pieces of chicken, bread, and chips, but she did not like the roasted garlic hummas that she helped herself to! Daddy was eating the hummas with pita bread, and all she was getting was bread, so she reached out and took some. She could not spit it out fast enough!
She has stopped protesting when I put her in the high chair, and she has gotten really good a putting her hands up to be picked up instead of whining (which is very nice!). We're working on "all done," "hungry," and other baby signs, but "pick me up right now!" is the only one she's caught on to.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Went to a funeral today for a co-worker's daughter, while JoJo hung out with Grandma and Nana. The daughter (40 years old) has a 4 year old daughter herself, so she recorded a video of her with the 4 year old so she (the kid) could remember her mother. I had never met the woman who died, so I was fine until that part. Then I thought of JoJo, and I got a little teary-eyed. I've been a dad for nearly a year now, and it is still sinking in how powerful an experience it is.
Speaking of powerful, I arrived at Grandma's around 4:30 PM to a quiet house. Grandpa napping in his recliner, and Grandma and JoJo power-napping on the porch swing:
Speaking of powerful, I arrived at Grandma's around 4:30 PM to a quiet house. Grandpa napping in his recliner, and Grandma and JoJo power-napping on the porch swing:
Thursday, July 12, 2007
No pics today, just some fun observations. WARNING: Potty talk ahead!
I never thought I'd see the day that I wanted to see a poopy diaper, but it happened this week. What do you do when the baby is eating and eating, but nothing's coming out? From Sunday afternoon until Tuesday morning, nothing (very little). I considered breaking out the castor oil again (see Archives from last July!), but then it finally happened - twice in the same morning, and life is back to normal. Yeah!
Fresh from her Hummer rides with Christian in Bend, JoJo went to grandma's house on Monday and rode on the dolly with Matthew holding her, grandma or Nathan pushing. She loves to ride, especially in shopping carts at stores.
The heat has been getting to her a little bit. She was very cranky Tuesday afternoon before going to grandmas. She slept a lot more than usual, drank everything she could, and was still sweating a lot, so we played in the indoor pool for a while (commonly known as the bathtub). She splashed around with the foam letters and numbers and had a great time in there.
JoJo spent Tuesday night with grandma, and she loved it! She ate a lot, played with the boys (Hudson seems to be her fav), and slept alone in her crib - she doesn't do that much at home, but we're working on it. When I went to pick her up after a fun day of housecleaning, working out, and giving blood (aphoresis), she was very excited and didn't want me to put her down.
Her favorite summer food is turning out to be blueberries, or maybe it's just because we have so many of them growing in the yard. She loves to be carried out to the blueberry / raspberry area. She points at the bushes and says, "na," which is her new way of saying she wants things. This is much better than whining, so I highly encourage it. She loves people food now, berries, bread and butter, etc., although she has been known to down a jar or two of baby food in one sitting!
Next week is her first birthday!
I never thought I'd see the day that I wanted to see a poopy diaper, but it happened this week. What do you do when the baby is eating and eating, but nothing's coming out? From Sunday afternoon until Tuesday morning, nothing (very little). I considered breaking out the castor oil again (see Archives from last July!), but then it finally happened - twice in the same morning, and life is back to normal. Yeah!
Fresh from her Hummer rides with Christian in Bend, JoJo went to grandma's house on Monday and rode on the dolly with Matthew holding her, grandma or Nathan pushing. She loves to ride, especially in shopping carts at stores.
The heat has been getting to her a little bit. She was very cranky Tuesday afternoon before going to grandmas. She slept a lot more than usual, drank everything she could, and was still sweating a lot, so we played in the indoor pool for a while (commonly known as the bathtub). She splashed around with the foam letters and numbers and had a great time in there.
JoJo spent Tuesday night with grandma, and she loved it! She ate a lot, played with the boys (Hudson seems to be her fav), and slept alone in her crib - she doesn't do that much at home, but we're working on it. When I went to pick her up after a fun day of housecleaning, working out, and giving blood (aphoresis), she was very excited and didn't want me to put her down.
Her favorite summer food is turning out to be blueberries, or maybe it's just because we have so many of them growing in the yard. She loves to be carried out to the blueberry / raspberry area. She points at the bushes and says, "na," which is her new way of saying she wants things. This is much better than whining, so I highly encourage it. She loves people food now, berries, bread and butter, etc., although she has been known to down a jar or two of baby food in one sitting!
Next week is her first birthday!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Too many things have happened since the last entry. Mom became a Doctor! We visited Scottie in Bend! We saw Chris play football! And... JoJo took her first steps!
We spent most of the graduation ceremony playing in the lobby!
With Dr. Mom! (Notice the dress is gone! Put that together with "why was Daddy's shirt wet?", and you'll figure it out!)
With Dr. Mom and Aunt Cari
Marti with Dr. Mom - Marti will graduate next year.
JoJo wasn't too impressed with football camp at PSU!
Sitting with Christian in Scott and Amanda's front yard.
In Tumalo creek with me!
Riding with Christian in his toy hummer.
Another pic with daddy. JoJo's typical pose - elbow on daddy's shoulder, body half-turned out.
JoJo and Christian sporting their swimwear at Tumalo State Park.
She only walks a few steps, and only from mom to me (so far). Otherwise, she loves to climb up something (or body) and stand up, looking very proud of herself for a few seconds before either face-planting (into a person) or sitting hard on her bottom. Good thing it's a padded diaper!
So, enjoy the pics, and I'll try to post more frequently.
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