Look Who's Talking

Romelie has started talking. A lot. Friday afternoon, we picked her up from day care, and she was making the same vowel-heavy sounds she always makes (aaaaaah, hi-yaaaa, etc.), when all of a sudden, she busts out with "dada."

Chason looks at me. "Did she just say da-da?"

"No," I say, "of course not."

She looks at me. "Mama."

"Oh, my gosh - she said mama!"

She also got out lala, and blah blah blah - which she has now shown a preference for. But yes, ladies and gents, Romelie officially babbles. She doesn't know what she's saying yet, I know, but we have reached the babbling milestone, and it's super cute.

On a different note, allergies have taken over the household. Romelie's nose is forever crusty, I slept for 12 hours last night, and Chason and I both sneeze up a storm everywhere we go. The fun part is that we started summer camp yesterday at work, and it's proving difficult to keep a clear head with 27 little 6-8 year olds running around. There are lots of counselors this year, though, so plenty of people to step up in my feeling stinky-ness. Of course, I'll be outside for 3.5 hours tomorrow in the woods teaching girl scouts - let's see how I'm doing after that!

I haven't taken any pictures since Texas, sorry...I'll get on it soon, I promise :)

Gross. Ick. Blech.

So I was sorting Romelie's laundry, pre-treating stains (on clothes, not bibs...that's what they're for, right?), when I came across one of the bibs she'd worn late last week when bananas were her new food to try. They were mashed, with a bit of breastmilk added to thin them out. Smelled pretty gross when she urped a bit up, but she seemed to like it. Well, the banana that had landed on her bib had turned brown and really gross looking. Too bad, hope it doesn't get banana on the rest of the laundry. Then I come across another banana bib, also pretty brown, but wait - what's that? What's that GROWING on the bib? Oh my Lord...it's MOLD. A bib, and a washcloth I had used to clean her face afterwards, had both grown MOLD. In her laundry hamper.

And we now have one less washcloth and bib. Luckily we have thousands more, but still - gross. Ick. Blech.

Minneapolis...we've returned

The stars at night are big and bright (clap clap clap clap) deep in the heart of Texas! Also, it’s hot there. They forgot to put that into the song.

Texas trip was fantastic. Gotta start off with the flight, though. So we’re at the gate, waiting to board the plane, when Chason notices a guy who looks an awful lot like Brian Robison, football player for the MN Vikings. I couldn’t tell you who’s who on the team, so I’m not super helpful in figuring out if it’s really him or not, and Chason doesn’t want to ask in case it’s not him. So whatever, we board the flight, and who sits down directly in front of us? Robert Ferguson, also a MN Viking, and former high school classmate and teammate of Chason! So they got to chat and catch up, and it turns out the other guy was Brian Robison, also going home for the weekend to visit his family. So Chason was just being cool, hanging out with a couple of Vikings on the plane. Nice.

Romelie got a little sick during her vacation (coughing and stuff), so she was a bit fussy for the first day or so, but that cleared up by the time she went to meet her aunt and uncle and cousins. Greta is such a cutie! Big round cheeks, very strong baby, seems super coordinated compared to Romelie! And then on Sunday, Steve and Angel hosted the family for a big barbeque and swim party – which was awesome. She met her great grandma Nona and her great aunts and uncles and second cousins and lots of friends – she was pretty well-behaved for everyone, went swimming, bounced in a horsie-thing, and generally had fun. Mom and Dad had a lot of fun, too!

Since returning from Houston, we’ve been super busy. Crystal and I ran an activity tent this weekend at the International Children’s Festival in St. Paul, so there was a lot of prep work going on last week, and my mom came down so she could help Chason with Romelie while I was away all weekend. Have I mentioned that I started working at a church daycare on Sundays? If not – I’ve started working at a church daycare on Sundays. Just a couple hours in the morning, but it’s a little extra income to cover expenses. Between that, the activity tent, some palm reading gigs I’m doing at senior graduation parties this week, and our economic stimulus check – we’re raking in the dough! Yay…putting the money into savings. Thrilling.

Last note – Romelie wouldn’t sleep in her crib last night. Every time we laid her down, even if she was sound asleep, she wake up and start scream crying. Kept rolling onto her tummy and couldn’t figure out how to get back. This went on for over an hour until we finally just took her to bed with us for the night. So I’m a bit sleepy today. Every send good prayers that she doesn’t do this again tonight.