WEEK 15 – September 2 – September 8, 2010 – 14 weeks old

My Daddy’s here! My Daddy’s here! Mommy and I were so glad to see Daddy this week. He arrived in NY safe and sound. Daddy came to NY to celebrate Mommy's family's annual get together - Wardapalooza. All my Mom’s crazy Ward family and cousins converge on this tiny town in upstate New York, called Candor, and spend a weekend of fun and frolics! In addition, Daddy came to celebrate my Mom's friend Polly at a big party for her called PollyFest. While we spent most of last week with my Mom’s “Strong” cousins, much of this week was spent with the “Ward” cousins.

So, you ask, what is Wardapalooza and how do so many people come together in a tiny town? Well, we have a place in NY – it’s 150 acres – called the Tree Farm and that's where everyone goes! Here’s what I found out about the Tree Farm:

• It’s the place to go to sit around a really big bonfire.
• Sometimes they have fireworks there; though the noises are scary, the colors are wonderous!
• There are a lot of frogs that talk at night.
• There is a lot of food consumed around the bonfire.
• Most of the adult boys don't even use their diapers, they pee in the woods!
• There is a cabin overlooking a big pond that is pretty spectacular.
• When the sun sets, it gets cold, but everyone wants to hold you, so the cold doesn’t really bother.
• The annual Ward gathering, “Wardapalooza” is a lot of fun!
• Everyone you meet there is family or friend and they are all truly wonderful!

  

  Great-Aunt Val & Me on the Tree Farm

  

Great-Uncle Doug & Me on the Tree Farm



Grandpa Ward & Me on the Tree Farm

In addition to spending a lot of time on the Tree Farm, I also went to my first two Memorial services – on the same day! The first service was for my Mommy’s Uncle Hoot and Uncle Donnie. They both passed away last fall when I was in my Mommy’s belly, but the whole family couldn’t get together until the summer for a Memorial. After the Memorial, Mommy and Daddy walked me around the Candor cemetery so I could “meet” all my Ward and Strong relatives. It was a nice place; there is a lot of family history there. The second Memorial service that day was for my Mommy’s friend, Polly, who fought Cancer like a girl! It was a spectacular event with a lot of love in the room. I was very very good at both Memorials. Mommy said I should get an award for the best-behaved kid!


After Polly's Memorial service, Mommy and Daddy took me to PollyFest. PollyFest was an event planned to celebrate Polly and help raise money to cover her medical expenses. PollyFest was planned before Polly passed away, but everyone realized that Polly was so special, they should still hold the event; over 500 people from the community came out to show support! It was a really spectacular time with lots of raffles and special bands. My Mommy’s cousin Jodi’s acapella group, Seredipity, even sang! Mommy says Polly showed up at PollyFest too…there was a HUGE double rainbow over the field where it was being held. It was the brightest rainbow I’ve ever seen (not that I’ve seen too terribly many of them!), but Mommy says that was Polly letting everyone know she was with us. Here's Polly's Rainbow:


Unfortunately, our visit to the East Coast had to end and the day after the Wardapolympics (a series of challenges that occurred at the Tree Farm Wardapalooza celebration (have I mentioned these family members of mine are NUTS?!)), we had to hop on planes to come back to Seattle. I got to fly on TWO different planes for that part of the trip! I decided NOT to sleep hardly at all this time around, so I could really get a good look at all the people around me and experience the plane ride. Fortunately, though I was awake and wiggly, I was really quiet and very good. Mommy and Daddy think they’re very lucky!

We did have one incident on the plane that made for an exciting trip. I had a “blowout” and needed to be changed into a new outfit. While Mommy was changing me, somewhere over Montana, we hit such bad turbulence that even the Flight Attendants had to sit down and put on their seatbelts! Unfortunately, it all happened so fast that Mommy couldn’t make it back to her seat, so she strapped me into the ErgoBaby and sat on the toilet in the bathroom with me, holding onto the handrail in there for over 10 minutes. Her knuckles were white and she ended up having to have one of the flight attendants help her back to her seat when they could finally get up. After that, she told me I’d have to “sit in my own stew” if I had any more blowouts…she wasn’t going back in that bathroom! Fortunately, it didn’t come to that!


So, we made it home safely to Seattle. I was sure glad to see my puppies and especially my Sister when I got home. The time change doesn’t seem to be affecting me too terribly much…we’ll see as the week progresses how it goes!


New folks I met this week: Great-Uncle Bruce, Great-Aunt Cindy, Ward Cousins: Johnny, Heidi and little Siri; Tim and Jess; Dave, Summer and little Ashlyn and Lucas; Saralyn and Tom; Jodi and Andy; Beth; William; Rob and Katie; Faith, the Tompkins Clan, the Van Scoy ladies, Jenny, and I think about half the town of Candor, NY!

WEEK 14 – August 26 – September 1, 2010 – 13 weeks old

Wow! What a whirlwind! I’ve been to four states and the District of Columbia this week! We flew into Virginia, then Mommy and I spent the first part of the week at Uncle Kevin and Uncle Tommy’s (Uncles Kevinommy! J) house. One thing I can say about this place is it is HOT. Way hotter than at home. Mommy ispretty excited about that though because I am able to wear many summer outfits I couldn’t wear in Seattle because it’s so cold! I look awfully cute, if I do say so myself. While here with Uncles Kevin and Tommy, we went downtown to the monuments and out to eat a lot. I also visited my first dog park! Uncles Kevin and Tommy have a dog named Aiden who just loves to go to the park and kiss on me!

The first night we were here, Mommy let Grandma Linda and Grandpa Ken babysit me and she and the Uncles went out to a fancy dinner. I’m not sure who had more fun – Mommy and the Uncles, or Grandma Linda! She was a really nice lady and she smelled good too! :)

During the first part of the week, we also went to Maryland to see and meet many of my Mommy’s friends. We had a barbeque at Aunt Jacqui’s house where I got to meet Aunt Liz, Uncle JP, Julia , Jack and Grandma MopMop along with Aunt Jacqui, Uncle Jack, Alex and Erin. At the BBQ, Mommy asked Uncle Chris if he wanted to hold me and he decided I was too “breakable” to hold, so instead, I spent a little time with Aunt Jen, Uncle Rob and Luke, who gave me some fabulous books that we read all through the weeks we were gone. The next day, I got to meet Aunt Angie, who is pregnant and will have a baby very soon. So, I patted her belly a little and told the tyke inside that it really is a pretty neat place out here!

Mommy seemed a little sad to leave the DC area. She didn’t get to see as many people as she wanted, for example, her work folks, but we had to head out to NY a little early to go visit some really special folks. We drove to NY and stopped a couple of times so I could eat and Mommy could make more food for me, all in all, it was a 7 ½ hour trip. I really only seemed to mind the last 15 minutes of the trip. By then, I was bored and ready to get out of that car seat!

When we got to NY, it was a regular homecoming. I’m not sure what’s up with Mommy and crying, but she did her fair share when we arrived at my Great-Aunt Val’s house. I got big hugs from my Mommy’s cousins Nisey and Aunt Kristin and some special hugs from my Great-Aunt Val, Great-Uncle Bob, Great-Aunt Jean, Great-Uncle Alan, and my Gramma Ward. I also was really excited to meet my Great-Uncle Douglas, who has an extra chromosome like me and who turned 56 years old while we were there! My Great-Aunt Val is fighting a nasty disease they call Cancer, so it was really special to get to see her. When we left her house, I got to see my Great-Aunt Nancy, Great-Uncle Bob, Great-Aunt Ro, and Great-Uncle John. They were very excited that I finally arrived.

Grandma Ward & Me

Aunt Kristin & Me

On the second day we were in NY, my Mommy’s cousin Rhiannon had a baby girl named Emma. Emma came a little early, so she was really tiny – only 4 lbs, 11 oz! It turns out, Emma was born extra-special like me as well - God gave her an extra chromosome too. Fortunately, Emma’s Mommy couldn't love her much more…she’s a great Mom! We felt like we were in the right place at the right time so Mommy could pass on information to Emma’s Mom and help her out just a little bit. We even got to go visit Emma in the hospital! She’s VERY tiny, so Mommy sent Emma some clothes that would fit her! Here's Baby Emma:


Baby Emma

While Emma’s birth was a blessing and surprise, one of the reasons we had gone to NY early was to try to see Mommy’s friend Polly. Polly was also battling the evil Cancer. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see her, as she passed away the morning after Emma was born. Mommy says that Polly is Emma’s Guardian Angel. Sounds like she was everyone’s Guardian Angel to me! Mommy and lots of Mommy’s family were very sad about Polly, but so glad she was out of pain. I wish I’d gotten to meet her…she sounds like she was an amazing woman and I think we would have gotten along quite swell. I did get to meet her sister, Ms. SarahJo and I think she's pretty fabulous!
So, the week has been a whirlwind – flying and driving all over, meeting dozens and dozens of new folks. A lot of really fun parties with people, and then some sadness as well. I really like the East Coast though! Next week will be a big one…PollyFest and Wardapalooza – it doesn’t get much better than this!

WEEK 13 – August 19 – August 25, 2010 – 12 weeks old

What a busy week I had! I went to school and met Ms. Audrey and Ms. Kathy and Ms. Elsa, who will be my teachers at school. They are very excited about having me in their classroom. I also met Ms. Dawna, who teaches 2-year olds there. She has a daughter with Down Syndrome, so she was really looking forward to meeting me. She says we are going to play a LOT on her lunch breaks! I can’t wait!! J I’m going to get to start school early too, which works out perfectly for Mommy – I’ll start the week of September 20th so Mommy can go back to work.

I met some new people this week as well. I met Daddy’s boss, Ms. Marilyn. We went and had lunch together. She’s very nice! I also met Mommy and Daddy’s friend Camille. We got to play and talk. When I grow up, I want to play sports like Camille. She does all kinds of fun things from kickball to golf! Someday, she’s going to show me how to play all these things!

I had a photo shoot this week for pictures of me at 3 months old. I felt like a regular model! I got to wear three different outfits and have pictures by myself, with Sissy and with my parents. The photographer, Nathania, was the same lady who took pictures of me in the hospital. She was really nice and even didn’t seem to mind too much when I had a meltdown because I was hungry. I did end up getting tired and a little bored with all the photos, so I fell asleep for the last ½ hour she was here. Mom says the pictures are going to be fantastic.

Mom spent a lot of time packing this week because yesterday, I got to take my first plane ride!! We flew overnight on what is called a “redeye”. I’m not sure why it’s called that…my eyes weren’t red…I got LOTS of sleep! In fact, I didn’t even realize we took a plane ride until suddenly we were someplace warmer and Uncle Tommy was there ferreting luggage around for Mom! Mom had me in this contraption called an “Ergo Baby” and I slept the entire flight! I hope I get to be awake for the flight home so at least I’ll see what an airplane looks like! I hear we’re going to meet a lot of Mom’s friends and other family members inthe coming weeks…I’m very excited!

WEEK 12 – August 12 – August 18, 2010 – 11 weeks old

I was accepted to the Boeing Family Center this week! Mommy is SOOOO happy. I start on September 27, which is later than she wanted because she’s supposed to go back to work before that. But…she says she’ll work something out because this is the best place for me. Yep, that’s right. I’m goin’ to school (daycare). I hope I like it!

In other news, this week I got to go to a work meeting with Mom! It was all fun and games while I was sleeping, but when I woke up, I put a big stinky in my pants in front of everyone in the meeting; I think Mommy was slightly embarrassed!

After the big work meeting, Mommy and Daddy pulled up the stakes and we went CAMPING! Oh how I love the fresh air (it does make me tired though!). When we got there, there was one small incident wherein I was bitten by a black fly. Mommy used some words I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to hear, telling those flies to stay the heck away from her baby. You go Mom! I got a little cold the first night, but I just snuggled in with my Mommy and Daddy. The second night, Mom remembered she’d brought gloves and made sure I wore them. I stayed snug and warm in my little bed and all went really well! Aunt Rachel (Olmsted) came with us as well and had a really nice time…she even kept watch over me a couple times when Mom had to go to the car to pump and Daddy was playing with the dogs or working on the fire! All in all, the venture was highly successful and loads of fun!

You might think after our camping adventure, we’d stay home a little…ahhh, no. Mommy likes to go out and about too much! After camping, Mom and I had another playdate at Gene Coulon Beach Park. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, but got to be in the 90’s and I got pretty hot! I also went on my THIRD trip to the zoo – we went with Holly and Kayla. We had such a nice time with them! Finally, we got to go out with Mom’s friends from Sila to a picnic! I got to meet lots of Sila families and their kids. It was a really awesome time.

Ms. Colleen came this week too. I showed her my snazzy roll over skills and she was really impressed. She gave us some other things to work on…I am following people around the room now, but not so interested in toys and grabbing them, so we have to work on that. I’ve almost got my feet up to my face on my own, but not quite, so we’ll continue to work on that too! I think my belly is getting in the way just a little – I’m up to 12.5 lbs now!!!

I’m a busy, busy girl! I tell you what, I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks hold for me…next week I get to take my first PLANE RIDE! WOO HOOOO!!!