margaretyagan

Well, I haven’t quite figured out my schedule yet, that’s for sure.  I woke up at 5:20 and hung out in the bathroom while Mom showered and played in her bedroom while she got dressed for work.  We took lots of breaks to read books.  I really like this quality time with Mom in the mornings!  We left around 6:30 and took of for pre-school.  I wasn’t quite as patient, especially at the end after we got off the highway.

Shockingly, Mom was worried that I’d have a harder time the second day at pre-school, because I’d know that Mom was leaving for the day.  Mom, you misunderestime me!  As soon as we  walked in the door I went to say to hi to my friends and when Mom said bye, I just waved and said “bye bye.”

Probably the most shocking thing about today is that I ate Cheez-its for my morning snack.   Cheez-its?  Really? Does Dad know?  I needed a bit more TLC than Tuesday and Miss Mimi gave me plenty of hugs and cuddles, which was great.  I also discovered that pre-school has a whole lot of kitchen toys to play with — just like the ones I keep in my cabinet at home.  I also had a really good time playing on the outdoor climber.  Mom didn’t come by at lunch, but Dad called in the afternoon to make sure that I was doing okay.  Guys, really, I’m a big girl now!

I was exhausted and irritable on the  ride home but was much happier once we got home.  I ate really well, read books with Mom, and got a bath.  I barely made it through Goodnight Gorilla and was asleep the instant my head hit the crib.

So, if my pattern-recognition skills are worth anything I’ve noticed that I go to pre-school every other day, so Friday should be a day with Nana — and sure enough, it was!  I woke up in a great mood to match the great weather outside.  I ate really well and then Nana and I spent an hour outside in the yard and then on a walk across Division.  I played until 11:30, had lunch, and then napped — which is not my usual home schedule.  I think Mom, Dad, and Nana are still figuring out what’s up.

I slept until 3:15 (!) and was so excited to see Grandpa Yagan!  He hasn’t been over to our house in so long.  Mom was here, too (she gets early dismissal on Fridays during the summer!) which made it even better.  I had a great time playing with Grandpa’s head and hat.  He also really likes feeding me, so he gave me my snack.

After he left, I played with Mom until dinner, which I ate pretty well except for the fish.  Then we played, read, cleaned up, and I was asleep by 7:15.  What a week!

Last year, I decided to wake up really early!

So, I woke up today figuring I’d be going back to pre-school, right?  Wrong!  Nana was waiting for me downstairs!  I was a bit more tired than usual when I got up (remember that I skipped a nap yesterday).   I was also hungrier than  usual and devoured a huge breakfast. Nana tried to keep my up until 10:00, but I didn’t quite make it.  I took a really long nap and woke up rested, with a huge poop, and with a huge appetite.

I ate and then I got to play with my new markers (which reminded me of the painting I did at pre-school yesterday)!  I had a good snack and then Nana put me down for my nap, but my schedule was a bit messed up, so I didn’t fall asleep for over an hour!  I was confused when Rachel woke me up at 5:30, but I finally perked up.  I’m still not sure why anyone would wake up a sleeping baby!  Maybe I’m not a baby anymore?

I gave Rachel a hard time at dinner (spitting and throwing food on the floor) but fell asleep very easily at 7:45.

Last year I lifted my head!

Today started out like any other Tuesday, with Mom getting me out of my crib when I woke up, but it would turn out to be a whole new chapter in my life.  Instead of getting me ready for a day with Nana, Mom got me dressed and we got in the car around 6:00!  We sang all the way to … pre-school!  We got there at 6:30 and Mom met Miss Mimi (Mimi and I are already friends).  Mom and I played until about 6:50 when Mom left!  (Dad never left the two times he brought me to pre-school!)  I could tell Mom was worried when she said goodbye, but I had no idea why.

I went into the infant room until breakfast at 7:30.  I ate breakfast and then had fun painting (which I had never done at home!).  My morning snack was pretzels (another new experience!) and then before I knew it Mom came to check on me (and take my picture).  She was so proud that I was doing so well on my own (but could tell I was getting sleepy).  Lunch was cheese ravioli, pears, green beans, and milk.  It’s not as good as the food I eat at home, but I ate most of it anyway.

By nap time (12:20) I was soooooo tired!  I don’t get a morning nap at pre-school, so I have to get used to this new schedule.  After I woke up we got to go outside for play time, which was fun.  Mom came to pick me up at 4:30 and we headed back home, singing all the way.

We got home, read books, ate dinner, took a bath, and finally fell asleep, exhausted.

Last year it was cool to be cooing.

Despite the fact that I went to bed half an hour later than usual last night, I still got up at my usual time (5:30).  So, whatever genius strategy Mom and Dad had seems to have backfired!  I hung out with Mom until Dad got up at 6:30 and Mom took off for work.  I played with Dad (well, mostly I made him read with me) until breakfast at 7:30.  I ate really well and then just after I finished up, Nana came.

We played until my new nap time (10:00) and then I went to bed.  Dad got me up out of my crib  because he happened to be walking by room when I got up.  Nana was getting lunch ready and then the cleaning ladies came by.  Since Dad was working downstairs, we went up to my room and played for a while.

After a gloomy morning, the weather got nicer and so we went outside for a couple hours. I had a really good snack and then my nap at 3:40.  I got up and  read more books with Nana until Dad came home from his meeting.  Nana went home and I played with Dad (including football!) until dinner time.  At one point Dad  took me upstairs so he could change and while he was in the bathroom I hid from.  He started freaking out when he couldn’t find me.  Turns out I had gone into my bathroom (with the lights off) and closed the door behind me!  Good thing I’m not scared of the dark!

I didn’t do great at dinner and ended up throwing food on the floor.  Then I played with Mom (more reading, actually) until bathtime.  It was later than usual, so I got a bit cranky in the tub, but I was exhausted and  was happy to get to bed.

Tomorrow I start preschool!!

Last year I saw famous people!

I woke up at 6:00 today and again both Mom and Dad got up and came downstairs with me.  (I hope I don’t have Mom’s allergies!)  We all played together until breakfast.  I ate pretty quickly and then we headed out to Target.  Mom and Dad let me run around the store a bit, which is always fun.  We bought several things for me: a swimsuit, sunglasses, two sippy cups, a bath mat, and a pair of shorts.

We got back just in time for my nap, which was pretty long again.  I got up and ate lunch and then a few minutes later, Mom’s and Dad’s friends Sean and Monica came over with their kids Finn and Mage.  Finn is 20 months old and Mave is 6 months old.  It was so fun to have friends to play with!  We ate snacks together, read together, and played together.  I was actually pretty good at sharing my toys and books, too.

Enjoy today’s videos:

By the time they left I was exhausted and more than ready for my nap.  When I got up Mom came to get me and we went to the garage, where Dad was turning my car seat around to face forward — I’m officially a big girl now!  Technically I could have ridden facing forward two and  a half months ago, but it wasn’t until the trip to preschool (sun in my eyes both ways!) that facing backward became a big deal.

After Dad got the seat installed (and passed Mom’s inspection!) we all went for a walk to the park.  I really love the slides and watching the birds and other kids.  We got back at 6:30, which seemed pretty late for dinner, but little did I know that Mom and Dad pushed my bedtime back to 8:00 — further proof that I’m a big girl!

Last year I went to sleep at 8:00, too!

I woke up really, really early today — before 5:00 am!  Surprisingly, both Mom & Dad got up with me and we all went downstairs together.  I was expecting to have some kind of family outing, but apparently Mom was up because she had allergies and Dad was up because he can’t go back to sleep once he gets up.

Dad and I made our trip to Dominick’s even earlier than usual.  Since the store was so empty, Dad let me roam outside of the cart for about two-thirds of the trip.  We had a big debacle – he handed me a bad of chopped pecans to amuse myself.  Apparently I don’t realize how strong I am, because I tore the bag open and sent pecans flying all over the floor up and down the aisle!  Dad hurried out of the aisle, but there was evidence of pecans all over my seat in the cart!

We got home in time for breakfast, which I devoured.  Mom still wasn’t feeling well, so she went downstairs (escaping the allergens upstairs!) to take a nap.  Dad and I played, but I was a bit fussier than usual.  I went to sleep at 9:15 and slept for a really, really long time — until about 11:45.  As soon as I got up, Mom and Dad whisked me into the car and we took off for brunch at the Old Oak Tap with Mom’s and Dad’s friends Chris and Monica.

We ate, but I got restless and Mom and Dad had to take turns chasing me around the restaurant.  Mom, Monica, and I left early and went to a park (the Commercial Club Playground).   Dad finally picked us up and we headed home to see Mom’s and Dad’s friend named…Chris! I showed him a bunch of my new tricks (I hadn’t seen him since his super bowl party).  After a while, Dad and Chris left for a walk and I hung out with Mom.

Mom gave me my snack earlier than usual, which I ate really well.  We played for a while but I was pooped, so I got in bed around 3:00 — about half an hour earlier than usual.  I didn’t sleep that long (about an hour) and when I got up, Mom had an awesome adventure planned for us!

We got in the stoller and headed toward the park, like we usually do.  But instead of stopping, we kept right on going and made a left at the Starbucks, which we almost never do.  A couple blocks later, we were at the library!  Mom and I hung out in the children’s area, where there was a whole wall of board books.  A couple of the other kids came up to me and told me how cute I was — that was nice!

I picked random books off the shelf and Mom read them to me!  Then the coolest thing happened — we took four books home with us!  I couldn’t even believe it!  I can’t wait to go back and get more.  We ran a few errands on the way home (the bank, Blockbuster) and when we got home Dad was there waiting for us.

I played with Mom until dinner time, which I devoured all of.  Then I played with Dad until bath time. He started doing this thing where he “eats my face” and I laugh really really hard.  It’s kind of like a really big, wet, slobbery, ticklish kiss! Dad took me up for my bath and then Mom took over for the real work — cutting my finger nails and reading me my bedtime book.  What an awesome day!

A year ago Mom and Dad made my first photo album!

I woke up with Mom, but like last Friday there was an awful lot of action upstairs as Dad got ready while Mom played with me.  The three of us went downstairs and pretty much went straight into the car.  Mom built a contraption in the back of the car to keep the sun from shining in my eyes and she even came and sat in the back to entertain me along the ride to Oak Brook.

We dropped Mom off at work and then Dad pulled over at a soccer field and held me in the fresh air for a while to help me get settled before heading to preschool.  We walked in behind another family (good security!) and went straight for the toddler room.  I think I’m going to be one of the first kids in school, which will give me a chance to play with whatever toys I want and get the first crack at breakfast.

My visit to preschool went a lot better than last week.  Dad shot way too much video, so I won’t bother to say too much. (If you’re worried about my safety outdoors, check out the video called “Conquering the scary stairs!)

We picked up Mom and I napped in the car on the way back.  When I got home I was happy to see Nana.  We played, read, ate and went to the park.  Nana left after just a few hours when Mom got home.  All I wanted to do with Mom was to read books, which she was more than happy to oblige.  I got kind of fussy around 2:30, so Mom gave me my snack early (including my prunes, which I don’t get for breakfast at preschool).  We played with the alphabet blocks and then I went for my nap a bit earlier than usual (2:45).

I woke up around 4:45 and Mom and I went to visit Dad down in the office.  Then we went to the park (Dad joined us after a while) and then I ate a great dinner.  AND I FINISHED THE  PARSNIPS!  I played with Mom & Dad (actually, mostly just read with Mom while Dad tried to distract us) and then Dad put me to bed at 7:30.

Last year I wasn’t having nearly this much fun!

As usual, I woke up in a great mood and was happy to play with Mom while she got ready to go to work and excited to see Nana when I got downstairs.  I wasn’t  nearly as tired as I was yesterday morning, so I didn’t take my nap until 10.  Nana and I read a lot of books and she was really impressed with my attention span.

The afternoon was shorter than usual due my long morning nap, but I still had plenty of fun.  I devoured my lunch (Nana’s zucchini again) and then we went out to the yard to play.  I’m definitely getting less scared of the emergency sirens that seem to go by several times a day.

Instead of going to the park, Nana and I took a walk down Division, making sure to admire the blooming flowers in the planters along the street.

Mom got home and we had a good dinner together and we read a ton of books.  I was very excited and enthusiastic (some may say hyper) until bed time.

Last year Mom and Dad shot one of the first videos of me!

It was a rainy day today, but we made the best of it and had a great time.  Nana was here when Mom brought me downstairs and took off for work.  We spent a lot of time in the morning reading books.  My current favorite is The Mitten. (Dad absolutely hates it!)

I was more tired that usual (maybe because of the cloudy day?) and so I went for my nap at 9:00.  I played in the crib for about half an hour (Nana was sitting in the hall way to make sure I was ok!).

When I got up I had a huge diaper that got my clothes and sheets all “uck.”  Nana congratulated me on my success and cleaned everything up.  I got to have Nana’s zucchini for breakfast and I think she got a special kick out of my enjoyment of her food.

We didn’t get to outside in the afternoon, either, but I had a lot of fun with Mom, especially letting out huge “ahhhhhh”s after each gulp of milk with dinner.

Last year was much fussier.

Mom got me out of  my crib and brought me down to see…Aunt Claire!  I was so excited that she was hanging around to play with me today.  She fed me a great breakfast and then took off for the train station when Nana got here.   To make things even crazier, when I woke uo from my nap, Dad was home because his flight was canceled.

I ate a good lunch (Nana made the lentil burger really good by immersing it the yogurt sauce!) and then we spent more than an hour in the park.  We would have stayed longer, but I had a poopy diaper and walked around the park saying “cuck” and pointing to my behind!

After we got home and changed, Nana read me a lot of books, fed me a snack, and then put me down for my nap.  I was exhausted from all the running around and slept for almost two hours!  Mom got home soon after I got up and I was excited to see her — and to see zucchini on my dinner menu!

A crazy thing happened when Mom was getting ready for bed: she flossed my teeth!  She’s so weird!

Last year I took a subway ride!