My (Addie's) New Toy

(been meaning to publish this post for several weeks now...so here it is)

I've been wanting to get Addie a "jungle gym" type toy for a few weeks now. She was so fascinated with the toy she would kick (see previous post), that i thought she'd love having something else to reach for and kick at (and she loves being on her back!). We had some credit at Storkland and found this fun toy there! We even took it to the beach and the lake.

My special ed background kicks in periodically, and I was so excited to watch Addie"cross her midline" (something a lot of kids have trouble doing) as she reached for a hanging toy and actually rolled to her side! Since then, she loves to roll to her side, and she can easily roll from front to back. She doesnt seem to ever stay in one place anymore either. She's constantly scooting across the mat or turning in circles! I'd better get used to that!

Here a few pics of her (our) new toy!

rolling to her side!

so exciting!!!

Lake Norris...the 2008 Wamsted Family Vacation

On Tuesday, we headed to pick up Jay (Paul's brother/Addie's Uncle) in Atlanta and on to Lake Norris in New Haven, Tennessee to spend some time with Paul's dad's family...the Wamsteds! We were so excited for Addie to get to meet some of her cousins (well...1st cousins once removed) and great aunts and uncles!

We finally arrived at the "cabin" late that night. I say "cabin" because it held Addie's grandpa, 3 great aunts, 3 great uncles, and 6 1st cousins "once removed." It was a beautiful six bedroom house overlooking the lake. It was intricately decorated with carved wood, iron fixtures, and hardwood floors. There was a fabulous porch where we all spent a lot of time reading, catching up, and working! I know you say, "working?" ...yup! Check out the picture below! Having a kid (and being married) graduated us to a room of our own (vs. a couch, floor, or murphy bed!). We were quite thankful!

the view looking up from the lake

that's the actual front door... & the living room

the lower deck & our bedroom

Addie was a great little traveler, having only 2 major "blowouts" and a few major "blowups" on the road! We're learning a lot about how to travel with a baby (and maintain our sanity). Of course I took plenty of pictures! So heres...

...our family!
Addie in her jeans and little hoodie waiting for Uncle Ron and Cousin Katelyn to start the fireworks.

always new faces!

and our Vacation was all about...

...having fun

Uncle Jay and Cousin Duncan

Cousin Travis and Cousin Graham

yes...this is me and i'm still paying for it!

...experiencing new things

Addie swimming with Grandpa and Dad in her new life jacket

going on a boat ride with the cousins

well...this is Uncle Tom "experiencing new things"
playing with Addie's toy

...enjoying nature

the view of the lake from the house

down to the dock




some random pictures of rural Tennessee

...relaxing

Paul/Daddy and Addie & Anna/Mommy and Addie

chillin with Aunt Jan

sitting with Grandpa

cousin Graham & Uncle Jay

sitting with cousin Graham...look at that tummy!

...sleeping!!!

with cousin Annemarie & sleeping on the dock

sleeping on the porch with daddy

sleeping on Uncle Tom
(not sure Uncle Tom is really sleeping...but he had just swum across he lake...so maybe he was!)

Addie asleep & Addie sleeping on cousin Katelyn

sleeping on daddy!

...celebrating!

celebrating the birthdays: Uncle Jay, Aunt Millie, Aunt Pat, Cousin Duncan, and Daddy!

getting ready for fireworks (we stayed on the dock though)

...spending time with family

Addie with Aunt Millie and cousin Duncan

with Uncle Jay & cousin Katelyn

with cousin Timmy and cousin Duncan

waiting to go play with cousin Timmy and cousin Travis

Grandpa...otherwise known by Uncle Jay as "Peep Pop"
(we have yet to see what Addie will decide to call him though!)

Addie with her cousins (the 2nd generation of them):
Graham, Annemarie, Timmy, Duncan, and Travis
This is somewhat of a spontaneous (not planned) reenactment of a great pictures with Uncle Jay holding Graham when he was a baby with the 1st generation of cousins (Paul/Daddy, Katelyn, and Alan) surrounding him.

...working?

wait...isnt this supposed to be vacation? well, these ARE all Wamsteds! (count the computers out on the deck...that'd be 4 with at least 2 more missing!)

...exercising???
ok...so i couldnt figure out how to shrink the video we took and it was too big to upload directly to the blog...but click on the link below to view it in google video :)
You may or may not want to watch the whole thing, but we thought it was cute...it's a little over a minute long.
(the smaller you make the screen the better "quality" the video)
this is Addie "Jazzercising" with Uncle Jay
She slept from 9:30pm that night until 5am the next morning after this...
Addie and Uncle Jay