Sydney is a beautiful 8 month old baby. Still not much hair to speak of, but it does appear to be coming in blond. She has longer eyelashes now, which make her pretty blue eyes really sparkle. She wasn't at all shy with Mike and I, which surprised me, because I'm sure she doesn't remember us. I loved holding her and cuddling her. She's really so lovable.
After we arrived, and unloaded their baggage, I left to pick up the Pack 'n Play. Sydney was pretty tired, so they wanted to almost immediately put her down for a nap. Brought it home and it took both Michael and Meghan figuring out how to unfold the thing and lock it. It turned out to be the perfect bed for little Sydney. I also brought the wooden high chair down from the attic that used to be my high chair. It's been used for three generations now, and other than showing signs of a loose leg, it's in great shape.
When Sydney was ready to play, I put down an afghan on the floor with pillows around it and pulled out the new toys I had bought for Sydney, which she took to right away. I had bought that usual baby toy of the tower of colored rings on a rocking base. I'm sure that toy has a more normal name, but it doesn't come to mind right now. She loved taking off the rings and chewing on them. When I would place one on her head, she would giggle and leave it there longer than expected. So cute. Michael took a couple of pictures of us playing with the rings. I also had a soft cloth book to give her that came in a plastic case. Guess what she liked the most? Yep...the plastic case. She enjoyed chewing on the edges. You could hear those two little bottom teeth grinding away on the case.
Along with those toys, Meghan had brought several for her as well, so we had a lot to clank together and play with. She grinned, cooed and babbled all day. I thought she was actually saying "Da Da", but I think it was more like "Ba Ba". No matter, it was Father's Day, and I think Michael enjoyed his very first one.
As the weather was cool for the most part while they were here, we sat on our deck a lot of the time. Sydney liked the glider swings. Meghan was holding her in one swing, and I was in the other playing peek-a-boo and imitating some of her baby moves. She loves to raise both arms in the air and then quickly slap them down to her legs. I imitated her and she just laughed. It got to be a game as to who would drop their arms first. She laughed every time I did it. Then, for some reason, she only put one arm in the air. I put my hand out in a high-five. She giggled and giggled. We did it so many times, that sometimes she initiated the high-five toward me. After they got back home, Michael said she continues to high-five. I really didn't realize that I prompted that. I guess I kind of thought she was doing that all along and that her doing it to me just meant she was really making up with me. So, Nana Laura gets credit for the high-five. So cute. Michael captured a couple of good pictures of the high-five when we were playing on the floor. I tried to get her to play toss with ring. Too soon for that, I think, but I do think she was trying. She would pick up the ring and then just kind of spin her hand in the air like she thought it should go.
At one point, Meghan was trying to get her down for a nap. She thought she would hold her and cuddle her, and that she would get quiet. She was quiet for a little while and then sat up on Meghan's lap from across the room and put her arms in the air and looked right at me, ready to play the game again. One thing about the wee gal, if she doesn't want to take a nap, you might just as well forget it. She does have a mind of her own.
Hum... Could that be from her dad? We took a little trip to K-Mart to get Sydney some swim diapers and a floating ring of some sort. They found a real cute one. (Refer to the pictures.) She loved our hot tub! Kind of like taking a bath, only her mom and dad joined her, and she got to be in a little pink boat. I happened to find Grandma Jo Jo's rubber ducky and included that in the fun. Michael filled it with water and squirted her with it. She loves the water. Didn't seem to mind at all when her head got all wet.
Michael and Meghan sent Mike Omaha Steaks for Father's Day, so we had a complete meal for Sunday and grilled out. Again, spending time on the deck. At one point, Sydney got a little fussy and Papaw Mike took her for a walk around the yard. They came back and had picked a couple of flowers, which she wasn't too interested in, but she definitely enjoyed the walk with her Papaw.
Monday morning came all too soon. I took the morning off work. There was a lot of scurrying around, getting packed up and ready to go. I was kind of amazed at how quickly they were able to pull everything together. I'm sure they weren't looking forward to yet another trip to the airport and the whole ordeal. On the way to the airport, I sat in the back with Meghan and Sydney was between us. She was wide-eyed and held onto my finger. Michael and Meghan laughed, because I talked to Sydney and told her to be a good girl and not give them any trouble on the way home. And, she didn't! Michael said the people at the Pittsburgh airport were very friendly and helpful and they got checked in quickly and easily. Sydney was good the entire trip. No 'Wee Beastie' anywhere.
So glad they came and so sad they left, but certainly enjoyed them being here. Michael and Meghan are very doting and loving parents for that little one. She's a very lucky little girl.
I looked at the pictures Michael put up on the website when they got back. The only thing we didn't provide for her was a bouncy thing. She loves to bounce. Obviously, she was enjoying her bouncy swing as soon as they got home.
Love to all,
Mom and Dad
