Wowza, we’ve been on a post drought of late, huh? OOPS! Since we left off, Mama had a couple client births, Ada got a touch of stomach bug, and the Cali-Jukis came to visit the Jersey Jukes! (You like that?)
First we had a week with Grandma Nikki, and then Grandpa T came to join us for 5 more days. They weren’t expecting a vacation per se, but surely they didn’t expect to work as hard as they did. While they were here, we moved Eric’s home office into his new studio work space in Manhattan. And then we got a huge new bed, moved our old bed into the now-guest/kid room and then had to shuffle everything else around to make it work. Purging, organizing, shlepping, carrying, driving U-Hauls to Ikea, buying (and returning) a million pillows and other pieces of home decor. Holy moly. We could not have done it without the help. But it’s coming together nicely, and (**fingers crossed**) will be more or less in place by the time Lisa of the JuKiwis joins us on Monday. (I could do this all day, really.)
So here is a slew of catch-up photos dating all the way back from the last post. Ada is growing and changing so much right now that some of these already feel dated. But we’re having so much fun. Among her most recent accomplishments are the word “NO,” which she figured out just today, climbing onto and off of the bed unassisted (made much easier by the new, low family bed – OMG, love it sooo much) and pushing her own damn stroller, thankyouverymuch. Other words include “mae” (for Mable), buh-buh (which is one of my many nicknames for her), “nana” for banana, and “go!”
OH. AND…. AND. Sleeping through the night. (See note above about the great big new bed.) Angels singing, bells ringing, harps playing. The noisy Puerto Rican bar on the corner is playing a celebratory song just for us. The first night with our new family bed, she slept from 10-6, by far a record. And the nights since have been either straight through or nearly. We can’t overstate how much this means for a mama who hasn’t slept through a night since January 30, 2012. But who’s counting? 😉
Running through Newport Park just as our new friend Benjamin Siditsky was born today. =D
We have a hard time living up to the 2-to-3-walk-per-day precedent the grandparents set.
The hard knock life: being hand-fed chocolate croissant in a cushy chair at a little french cafe in Hoboken.
Gramps’ kiwi hat!
Grandpa T bought Ada this big blue ball from Target. It may have begun as a diversionary tactic to keep Ada in sight at Target, but it’s become her new love.
Lunching at the Cali-Jukis’ rented apartment.
Could not get to the ice cream shop fast enough. Must. Keep. Going.
Ensuring Daddy is bedazzled enough for Griffin’s 2nd birthday party at a playground near the seaport in Manhattan.
Giving our new Siditsky friend some love before his big arrival. Ada loved to rub Carly’s belly!
“Come here, pigeons. No, come HERE! Bird! BIRD! Why are you running away? I looooove you! Plaaaaay with meeee! PIGEON! PIGEON!”
(Yes, she has a way with birds.)
Her growing-so-fast friends Landon, Miles, Miller, and Owen. I texted Eric, “This is what quintuplets would have looked like.” Oh boy. And boy and boy and boy.
Climbing a tree with our big friend Noni!
“These damn paparazzi follow me everywhere.”
Seriously too cool for (pre)school.
And speaking off too cool. She’s getting a slice of pizza with mama and daddy… Ray Charles style.
… and celebrating Grandma Barb’s birthday from afar. Happiness is eating cupcakes on other peoples’ birthdays. We think this works out well for everyone involved.
The start of the front-curl. She’s been getting more and more tiny curls on the back of her head too. So sweet!
Nerdy bird! This poor kid is doomed to a life of bad eyesight. But maybe for her generation laser correction will be no big deal.
What’chu talkin’ ’bout? I’m eating bolognese, fool!
Yes, the baby hips don’t lie.
“This $h!t is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S!”
No, that’s not how we taught her the word.
But tell me it wouldn’t be funny to hear her rocking some Gwen Stefani. Tell me.