"Solid" Foods

So right before my adorable outfit put an unexpected jinx on the Yankees - I turned 5 months old. And you know what that means? "Solid" food time! First up - rice cereal. I don't know what Mom and Dad are thinking! The stuff smells awful, it's a terrible texture. I feel like we had just really mastered the bottle thing - and now this throws a wrench in everything! (And yes, my bib does say, "If you think I'm cute you should see my dad." Don't look at me - I didn't buy it. Dad scanned it while mom went to the bathroom while they registered.

Here's the first flaw in the rice cereal plan: the spoon. Seriously? I want to meet the guy who invented this "spoon". He (she?) has a lot more work to do...

If you're going to make me eat this garbage, hurry up already. Let's get it over with!

I TOLD you that dog would start to listen to me when I started my solid foods! Don't drool on my head, Callie.

See, Callie, I told you - it smells gross! It tastes worse. But if you want it - go ahead. I'm watching my figure anyway. See, here's the funny thing. One of the very first days I had my rice cereal - before Callie realized what an active role she could now play in my daily feeding - mom left me here in my bouncy seat to go get a washcloth (hose) to clean me up. When she came back - Callie had it under control! I was half clean! Mom was horrified and hopes none of you tell on her for her lack of parental foresight... while Callie was in my face, I realized what a fun game it is to pull on her beard and her ears.

Pay no attention to the dog behind the tablecloth.

In other Abby news - I saw my pulmonologist last week. He thinks my lungs sound beautiful and he sent an order for my oxygen tanks to be picked up! They're coming tomorrow and my house will be medical equipment free! He doesn't need to see me again until July. I also saw the pediatrician - I weigh 12 pounds now (I finally made it onto the growth chart!) and he says if I keep gaining weight like this - maybe I'll only have to see him every other month from May on. Gosh, I'm good.

Next week starts green vegetables. The doctor says if mom can puree it, I can eat it. Callie and I are organizing which foods we want to see next.

What Daddy Doesn't Know...

What Daddy doesn't know is: Mommy bought me this adorable cheerleader outfit at the big baby consignment sale last weekend. He has no idea Mommy has this outfit or took this picture or is helping me to post this blog. I look so darn good in it there's no WAY Daddy can keep on hating the Yankees. Daddy thinks he's a die hard Red Sox fan - but I think he'll have a bit of love for the Yankees after seeing me in this. Tonight is the opening series between the Yankees and the Red Sox - it is also the beginning of the end at my house. Not to worry - they always kiss and make up in October. And the last thing Daddy doesn't know is: Mommy changed the password to my blog.

Spring Break 2009

Whoo Hoo! Vacation!! Everyone smiles big for Spring Break, right!? Well, first I should tell you that my nurse, Aida, was taking care of me for 2 weeks before Spring Break. She's so great. She is from Senegal, so she speaks French (and English, of course). But she talks to me in French, and calls me princess, and tells me I'm cute - all of which sounds so much fancier in French. She takes very good care of me - and she even seems to like (tolerate) Callie. Mom and Dad love her. I'm pretty sure I had her under my control by her 3rd hour with me... so I like her too.

After being back at work for 3 weeks (1 week with Grandma Howe - 2 weeks with Aida), Mom got SPRING BREAK!

Callie and I spent vacation catching up on sleep. When we work together - we can monopolize Mom and Dad's bed to such an extent that we kick them out!

More sleeping/resting after a long walk.

For part of Spring Break we went to Connecticut to visit Grandma and Grandpa Howe and Uncle Charley... and of course - my friend Lila! Look at us wearing almost the same clothes - again - without planning! That girl has such good taste. I've stayed peanut size for so long - Lila gave me a bunch of stylish hand-me-downs. Boy, will I (continue to) be good looking!

Lila's almost 1 now - so she's all about accessories. She wears this helmet now - they say it helps the shape of her head... but after spending a day with Lila and her brothers and sister - I think her helmet has many benefits. The way those boys play hockey in the playroom - everyone should wear protective equipment. They shoot as fast as the people on TV!

Once again, Lila couldn't get enough of me. Once again, who can blame her?

We went to New York City to meet my Uncle Charley for lunch. I didn't really like the restaurant he picked - so I screamed a good portion of the time. I'm not sure all those Wall Street people in their suits on their business lunches with their blackberries really new what to make of a baby screaming during their lunch. It was downright funny (to me - stressful to my mom).

How embarrassing! Spring Break gone awry. Mom said usually it takes until High School or College for Spring Break to end like this.

After that little "episode" - we went back to Virginia. I saw my cardiologist on Friday. I weigh 11 pounds! She said she doesn't want to see me get fat (seriously, does she get to worry about me gaining too MUCH weight?!?!) So she took me off high-calorie formula, and she said Mom and Dad could get rid of my food journal and I can just eat what I want when I want it and they don't have to record it every day. She told me my heart looks and sounds great - and that the chance of anything going wrong at this point is very unlikely. So the pediatrician is boss - and she doesn't need to see me for FOUR MONTHS. (I'm sure this had her all upset on the inside - because while she may not need to see me - I'm guessing she downright enjoyed seeing me every 2 weeks. She'll be in serious Abby-withdrawal come August.)

The Easter Bunny came to my house. I wasn't really sure what to make of this guy.

Everyone eats lamb on Easter, right?

Check out this sheer genius...

Up...

Out...

In. Child's play! Did you see me master those stacking cups? Don't think we're not sending that series of pictures to my physical therapist... not to mention Harvard. Harvard will definitely want to be saving me a spot...

Happy Easter, everyone!

(Oh - and for those of you who are thinking, "When Abby goes to visit her Grandpa in Connecticut, he always takes pictures of her and puts them on his web site - I'll go look at those so I can see more Abby"... Grandpa pulled a fast one on you and got himself a new website. Grandpa loves his toys... and he found a better website for his pictures. His new website is http://www.craighowe.com/ and yes, he took more pictures of me. But GRANDMA took the one of me smiling at the top of this post!)