Lake Quinault Retreat

 Last weekend Annika and I drove out to the Olympic Peninsula to stay at a cabin on Lake Quinault.  The weekend was organized by the intern pastor at our church.  I had been seriously debating if bringing Annika along to an adult retreat would be okay for her and what kind of impact it would have on the other adults.  Everyone really encouraged me to come, so I packed our stuff and left Tacoma after work on Friday.  I decided that it would make life easier if I came home first after work to play with Annika and then hit the road around the time that she would normally be going to sleep.  My plan worked out nicely and she slept the entire 2 and a half hour drive.  She woke up when we got there and ended up staying awake quite late, but she was happy to play with everyone for a little while.  I especially enjoyed having some time with other adults.  The cabin we stayed in was really a huge house along the lake with an amazing view and nice hot tub.  It was great to have conversations and spend time with friends that I hadn't seen in a long time.  On Saturday we drove to the southern end of the Olympic National Park, walked along the beach, and soaked up the sun.  I'm happy that the weekend went smoothly and everyone seemed to enjoy having Annika there.  I'm thankful for friends that are so welcoming.

Our retreat at Lake Quinault

Annika enjoyed sitting in a high chair for the first time!  We put her next to the table with the adults and she was happy to play with her toys and be close to the rest of us.

A beautiful sun room and where we had our bible study and discussions.

Gorgeous view from the lake front.  So happy to have a sunny day!

We took a day trip to the Pacific coast at Olympic National Park.  Annika's first time at the Pacific!

Group shot on a giant piece of driftwood.

Walking out into the surf.  I'll dip her toes into the water another time when it's warmer.

St. Patty's Day

Annika and I completed our first 5k run together on the morning of St. Patrick's Day.  The race started and ended in downtown Tacoma.  I was hoping for some sunshine but woke up to find cold and rain.  A few years ago I ran the Seattle St. Patty's Day 5k in the snow (with my good friend Brooke), so I guess we can be thankful that it wasn't that cold.  I did learn from that experience to have dry clothes ready for an immediate change following the race.  I had been looking forward to my first running event post-baby.  Our BOB stroller is great for this sort of thing and I have taken Annika for a few runs over the last couple of months.  I'm not running nearly as regularly as I used to but I suppose that is to be expected.  I'm trying to get out at least once every weekend.  I was curious about how Annika would do and if I would be successful in timing when she would want to eat.  I didn't need to be worried because she did great!  She was warm and content in her snowsuit and I tried to shield her from the rain as much as possible.  She slept for the actual race and didn't cry at all before or after we finished.  I may have shed a few tears.....pushing a stroller up a hill at the end of the race was brutal!  My friend Annie ran with me and helped push the stroller a few times.  Running with a stroller is a whole new ballgame.  A 5k is quite as easy as it used to be but I'm hopeful that with more training, it won't be as challenging as it was last Saturday.

 Posing with the Racing Rockettes!

She's a wee bit Scottish not Irish but was a good sport :)

My day may not have been filled with green beer but I did feel lucky for being able to run and having a baby that was happy to go for the ride :)

4 and half months

Our sweet girl had her 4 month check-up this morning.  At 19 weeks old, she's really more of a 4 and a half month only baby.  The nurse had me fill out a developmental checklist and it helped me realize the skills that Annika has.  She is now able to track people across the room and small objects, she can reach for and grasp the toys that she wants, she has rolled several times from her tummy to her back and is just about able to go from back to tummy, she enjoys sitting up with assistance, and other fun skills.  Getting the immunization shots today wasn't very fun but I think she tolerated it much better than at 2 months old. 

Annika is one happy baby, with bright blue eyes.  She is really only fussy when hungry or tired.  Notice the blurry hands in so many of my pictures?  Those hands rarely stop moving!  She is also a talker, with many sounds and squeals.  I took her to church and she "talked" almost the entire service!  Luckily, all the people around us enjoyed the happy baby sounds.

Showing her more serious side.  When meeting new people Annika can be very serious and studies each new face.

Lately she has begun grabbing at her legs and feet.  This has made diapering more challenging and entertaining (for both of us).  She enjoys spending time in the kitchen with me while I prepare our lunches for the next day and make dinner.

4 Month Stats

Height:  25.5 inches (75th percentile)

Weight:  13 lb 2 oz  (can't remember this percentile)

Favorite Food:  Still on a milk-only diet

Favorite Toys:  Sophie the Giraffe, plastic chains, colorful monkey, her own hands :)

Favorite books:  Jamberry, There Were 5 in Bed, Is Your Mama a Llama?

Favorite songs:  Your are my Sunshine, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Mary had a Little Lamb

Annika still falls asleep nearly every time we take a ride in the car.  If only sleeping at night were so easy!  She is getting bottles at daycare and but is also saving herself for me in the evenings.  This has lead to many feedings during the night.  We're working to change this slowly but surely.  I reintroduced a pacifier, something that she hasn't really gotten used to.  I'm hoping it will help her get back to sleep.  I wonder what the next month will bring in new skills and language?

Weekend Outings

Weekends are the time when I really notice that it's just the two of us here.  I try to plan activites to keep us busy and seeing friends.  My school district had a five day weekend for President's Day and I took advantage of the time off.  It was nice to come back from maternity leave and only have to work one full week and then have a two day work week to follow.  Easing back into the routine.  On President's Day, Annika and I met up with some friends at the Point Defiance Zoo here in Tacoma.  It's about a 10 minute drive from my house and really a nice setting for a zoo.  There are good places to run out at Point Defiance park and I plan to return on a sunny afternoon. 

 Annika was not yet impressed by the peacock.  She did want to be out of her stroller and able to look around.  She doesn't normally complain about being pushed in the stroller but she wasn't very happy unless I was carrying her while she looked forward.  I think she especially liked seeing the fish swimming in the aquarium.

 We stopped for a picture by the penguins.  I think my favorite was watching the walruses swimming in their tank.  We didn't make it to all areas of the zoo because it started getting rainy and pretty cold.

 Here is our little bear looking out at a polar bear.

We went up to Seattle later in the week to meet up with fellow St. Olaf Alumni for happy hour.  It was especially fun because we met in our old Eastlake neighborhood.  Annika created a bit of a challenge because we were originally meeting in the bar area of the restaurant but no babies were allowed.  Because it was the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday, the seating in the restaurant wasn't busy, so the group moved over to where we had to sit.  Every place should offer family friendly happy hours :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Annika and I celebrated her first Valentine's Day with a lot of love!  It was a regular work day for me but Annika commemorated the day by wearing a new onesie :)

 It seems as if all of my pictures of Annika are slightly blurry.  She moves her head and arms so fast!  Mostly I've had to settle for pictures that are as good as they can be and captures her cuteness :)

 I felt the love from afar.  Kyle sent me a dozen beautiful tulip buds at work.  So fun to be surprised by flowers!  I should have taken a picture of the gorgeous blooms that I had at home for the next week and a half. 

 Later that week Jonathan, Brenda, and the kids came by for dinner and to deliver a few baby items.  We love to see them and Annika is fascinated by her active and loud cousins.  She's becoming much more aware of other children these days.

This is one of the toys that Brenda and Jonathan are loaning to us.  Annika enjoys tummy time on the colorful mat and also likes to lie on her back and look at the animals or in the mirror.  I'm pretty sure that the monkey is her favorite.  Have I mentioned that we spend a lot of time playing on the floor here?

Starting Daycare

Annika has started going to a daycare now that I've returned to work.  I found this daycare last Aug. through a good friend of mine who is also bringing her son there.  These two women decided to stay home with their daughters and watch a few other children.  Annika is already enjoying being there.  Of course, she hasn't quite gotten used to the idea that she needs to eat from a bottle during the day but I have faith that she will adapt.  Every day is a little bit better.  Karinne and Felicia are diligent in getting her to eat. 

 Karinne and Felicia have been wonderful so far and I am thankful that they are willing to use our cloth diapers.  Annika has always been happy when I drop her off and pick her up.  Felicia worked as an RN before deciding to be a stay at home mom.  That makes me feel very secure in leaving Annika with them. 

I was happy to pick up Annika after the trial daycare day before I started work.  After dropping her off in the morning, my mom and I went out for a great breakfast and then spent the morning doing a few more errands and refilling Annika's dresser with clothes that fit.  Every evening after Annika goes to bed I repack her diaper bag, get bottles ready for the next day, get my lunch ready, do laundry (luckily not every night), set out clothes for myself, exercise (trying to do this every other evening), shower, make food, etc.....  Then go to bed by 9:30 :)  By getting everything ready the night before, our mornings have gone very smoothly and I haven't felt the need to rush out the door.  That gives me time to play with Annika in the morning and get in some good time with her before dropping her off.  The days go by very quickly and I'm thankful for daycare providers that respond to texts within a few minutes and often send me pictures of Annika.