On the go...

Where has the time gone.... Winnie turned 9 months on the 14th and is now on the go. On Monday she had her 9mos check-up and weighed 18lbs 6oz, and was 27in long....both in the lower %s (maybe she will take after her mommy and Nain). This past Saturday she started crawling forward and hasn't looked back since...loving to explore and get in trouble. Time to baby-proof the house!!

Here she is on the move... (poor girl, I should've put her in some comfy pants!)

Playing Catch-up...

WOW, there is SO much to catch-up on...its been awhile since I've been on here, but here goes nothing... WARNING: this is a LONG post...

Two weekends ago we went to PA to visit Tom's family and celebrate our nephew, Ben's birthday at Idewild Park and a party. We had a blast at Idewild, enjoying rides and the usual fair food... I think Landon had ice cream twice that day! The boys went from ride to ride in kiddie land, their favorite was the bumper cars and planes. Winnie liked Storybook Forest where each childhood nursery rhyme/story was depicted....so cute to walk through and read the story as you go. I can remember going through it as a child too!

On Saturday we celebrated Ben's 3rd birthday a few weeks early.... He was so excited when he opened up his big present and it was a vacuum cleaner....yes, no joke a vacuum... It was a Hoover and actually does pick up stuff!! Now he can truly clean at home for his mom, what a big helper!! Winnie loved meeting her Aunt Shelby and Aunt Cheryl, they were tickled with her too!

We got home from PA Sunday night and I turned around and went to NY on Tuesday evening for work. I had a great opportunity to join some other early career IBMers for 2 days, meeting with IBM Executives and trip into the city. Wed night we walked through the UN then had a nice dinner near Time Square. Hard to walk away not fired up!! I couldn't get a flight home early, so on Thursday I drove up to CT to see my good friends (the McGowan's), the area and eat some lobster. If you are ever in Westbrook, CT (just 20min up 95 from New Haven) you have to eat at Lenny & Joe's Fishtale restaurant...they have amazing pulled lobster in butter sauce. I devored mine while sitting alone, which was hard as I kept wanting to talk to everyone around me...I don't know how people do it....guess I could've brought a book like the older man in the booth next to me. Before I headed to see the McGowan's I went up to see my old friend, Jim's mom. I was a little worried that I would remember her home but luckily I passed her walking the dog...small world! We had a good time catching up, she is such a sweet woman. After our time together I finally headed over to the McGowans, practically running up to the front door to see Alicia and her brother J.P. Its been 8-9 years since I've seen J.P. and can't believe how much he has grown up!! That evening we sat on the back deck catching up and then off to dinner...of course I had lobster again (in a salad). Oh, Ilona works for a start-up company that makes all-natural products, check them out... http://www.seasidenaturals.com/ .

Friday I headed home and on Saturday we had a full day....fixing/replacing/washing the vinyl white picket fences in our neighborhood. What a task! The best part of the day was watching the boys help out, especially this one, Izak... he hung out with Tom all day...

Eden was a big help too!!

One last update...the bonus room is coming together quite nicely. While I was gone the sheet rock (walls) were installed and now it resembles a room. Hopefully this weekend we can start the trim and paint...cannot wait till its all done! Here are some before and after shots...

And, for those who read the whole blog some final exciting news.....On Saturday Winnie sat up on her own (to my amasement and worry in the crib!....the lady who watches her during the day said she started doing it there a week or so ago) and took her first forward crawls!! Check back soon for some videos of her in action...

Push-ups?...

Winnie has a new trick that she unveiled last night...sort of looks like she is getting ready to do a push-up. (Sorry the pic is a little blurry, it was hard to capture this moment as my camera battery was dying.) She really does want to move so maybe her push-ups are only making her arms and legs stronger...Thanks mom for the cute "Winnie" hat, she is so cute wearing it! Glad she can grow into it a little bit and she can wear it at the beach in Sept!! (oops- the string is up in it, argh...)

We Passed!

Good news, we passed the insulation inspection...wooohooo. They are coming next week to hang the drywall!! PTL that I will be out of town during all that craziness, would stress me OUT!

She's Gotta New Do & Insulation In...

I couldn't take it any longer....Winnie couldn't wait 3 more months for a haircut! The poor girl had three different shades of hair, all very distinctly different, and was mostly all up top. So, this weekend my mom and I took her to get her first do!

Here is a look back at her hair since birth...the change is outstanding!

Her hair at birth....she practically looked oriental with her dark dark hair...

She had curls galore when her hair was wet...

Here she is on Friday....don't let her fool you, she is "trying" to crawl but hasn't moved from the crawl position....she has other ways to get around and does...(check out that hair!)

Getting her new do...she was such a sweet girl sitting in the chair...her hair before snip snip...

Check her out....hehe...we couldn't believe how light her hair really is...what a difference!!
While us girls were out and about, Tom & Tony worked really hard in the bonus room putting in the last of the insulation.

The boys were so happy to their wings, nachos, ribs, etc on Sat night!! Thanks Tony for all your help!! Mom, thanks for all your help with the draperies!!

The drywall is going up in the bonus room next week!!