margaretyagan

Today was my third day on antibiotics and I sure felt a lot better!  It was great to wake up and see Mom, Dad, and Grandma Droste!  Breakfast was a bit of a challenge because the oatmeal was a bit thicker and chewier than anything I’d eaten before.  Grandma doctored it up, though, and I got it all down.  I was in a great mood after my morning nap and ate my lunch really easily.  I crawled three strokes in a row – not sure if that officially means I can crawl or not (Dad sure thinks so).

My afternoon nap was extra fun because I slept in bed with Grandma.  We both felt great when we got up and played and sang together on my mat.  As usual, Dad popped up and visited every so often.  Late in the afternoon, he even took a longer break from work and I played with him on the floor in his office!

Mom took the day off today, so my schedule in the morning was a bit unusual for a weekday, but extra fun because I got to spend so much time with Mom.  Grandpa came over around 1:00 to hang out with me for a while so Mom could get a phone call for work.  My new food for the day was a stew made out of sweet potatoes, asparagus, and leeks.  Let me tell you, it looks even worse than it sounds!

Dad got home from work just in time to put me to bed. I finally got to wish Grandpa a happy birthday because he was here watching me while Mom and Dad went to a dinner for Mom’s work at Club Lucky.

Saturday morning started pretty much like any other.  Dad got up with me and we played together.  I was definitely in a bad mood and feeling pretty crappy.  Mom decided she was going to make an appointment for me to see the doctor.  Dad rolled his eyes (of course), but deferred to Mom.  We got an appointment for just after noon with Dr. Blade, who I hadn’t seen before.

We got there and I was in a great mood, showing off my moves and flashing my best smile.  Dad (illegally!) weighed me on the scale and I came in well over 20 pounds!  Dr. Blade came in and she was so nice!  She complimented me on my “task persistence” and said that my lymph nodes and everything else looked great.  But, she said that I had a mild ear infection, probably because of the congestion I had last week caused fluid to build up that my eustachian tube couldn’t drain fast enough.  I got my first prescription ever (amoxicillin) and took off.  In a rare event, Dad gave mom some propers for motherly instincts.

Mom had to head off to a baby shower for a friend, so Dad and I went to Dominick’s and did our weekly grocery shopping.  The pharmacist was so nice and kept complimenting me!  Finally we got home and Dad gave me my medicine.  I got to see Grandpa Yagan again on Saturday night because Mom and Dad had yet another social event — McDonald’s holiday party at the Blackstone.  (Random fact: the holiday party was in the exact same room that Mom & Dad had their senior prom!)

Sunday was pretty low-key.  We didn’t do too much.  We stuck around the house and hung out as a big happy family!  Sunday evening Dad went to Starbucks to work so Mom and I played and did projects around the house.  Did you know a laundry basket makes a great train ride?

I woke up at 6:10 this morning in a good mood – and still with a runny nose.  My diaper must have weighed 5 pounds!   I got dressed and played on the floor in her room with Grandma for a few minutes.  We played in the living room and read a book and ate breakfast at 7:00.

We played on the couch with some toys and read another book, accompanied by more nose running.  Why does Grandma Droste keep wiping my nose! We watched out the window and played with the blind cord for about 30 minutes. At lunch, I ate carrots (with garlic & dill!) for the first time ever.

By the afternoon, I was feeling much better. I quit sneezing so much and my nose isn’t so runny. I am really happy about that because I hate it when Grandma wipes my nose. It hurts!

I ate all of my lunch, and it was yummy. Grandma keeps letting me have water in my sippy cup, too; I drank almost 6 ounces of water today!  My early afternoon nap lasted from 1:10 until 2:30 p.m. Grandma sang me to sleep in her bed – after singing “Are You Sleeping, Margaret?” about 52 times non-stop.

We had such a good time after I got up from my nap. Grandma has been practicing “Pat-Cake, Baker Man”with me – it maskes me smile!

Wednesday was more of the same, except I had a total meltdown in the morning.  I think my cold is getting worse, not better.

Thursday was Grandpa Yagan’s birthday, but I didn’t get to see him today!  Grandma Droste left for the weekend, too, so I miss her already!

Wow, what a rough night.  I was so congested that I could barely sleep.  I got up at a bit after midnight screaming really loudly.  Dad tried to come in and work his magic, but he totally failed.  Then Mom came in and made an even more valiant effort — she sat with me in my bathroom with the shower on hot to try steam out my snot.  That worked for a while, but soon enough I was up again.  Well, finally Dad came in and — for the first time I can remember — admitted defeat by bringing me into his and Mom’s bed.  Miraculously, I slept a lot better.  It was fun to see Mom and Dad wage mini-battles over who got to put his or her arm around me!

I slept so well that Mom left even before I got up.  Dad and I got up together, around 6:45.  We came downstairs and Grandma Droste was right there waiting for me!  I didn’t really drink much of my bottle, and I nibbled at my lunch with what Grandma called “lackluster enthusiasm.”  Grandma and I played and read and had a really fun time together.  Dad was working from home, so I got to see him whenever he came upstairs for anything.

In the afternoon, I played with Grandma in her bed and eventually fell asleep with her for about an hour.  I got up and still refused to drink more than a few ounces of my bottle.  But, I had the best time ever in my Jumperoo!  I was getting real air — watch out WNBA!

I noticed that it snowed today, which would have been awesome had I not been too miserable to go outside and enjoy it!

Dad gave me some Tylenol at about 4:30.  At 5:00, much to my surprise, Grandpa Yagan dropped by to see me!  I hadn’t seen him since Wednesday.  I greeted him with a huge smile and he whisked me away and started playing with me.  He even insisted on feeding me dinner!  It was really great to see him and I am so glad he stopped by.

I have a question, though.  What is it about grandparents that makes them so passionate about wiping the snot off my face?  I hate it when people wipe my face off!  Dad never does.  He leaves the snot there and you can always find remnants of the last meal he fed me.  But not Grandma Droste and Grandpa Yagan.  They were militant!

Dad was hoping I’d make it to 7:00, but by 6:50, I was having a meltdown.  Dad gave me my bottle and then read me my goodnight story in my bathroom-turned-sauna.  I was so exhausted that I fell asleep mid-scream!

My Thanksgiving trip to Dow was a lot of fun, but it was exhausting and got me totally off schedule.  When we got home around midnight this morning, I had the hardest time falling asleep in my crib — I was fussing until after 1:00 am.  Then I got up around 5:30 — a time I usually am ready to get up for the day — but felt terrible and ended up sleeping until after 7:00.

Dad got up with me and fed me my bottle.  We headed out to Whole Foods, Home Depot, and Dominick’s.  This is the third week in a row that a nice cashier named Olga stopped to say hi to me and told me how pretty I am!  When I got hom, Mom and Grandma were up and so excited to see me.  Grandma fed me breakfast, but I just wasnt that hungry.  See?  My schedule is all screwed up!

But hey, let’s think good thoughts.  Here’s a video from the never-before-seen secret archive. Remember Halloween?  That was fun:

I had  a great time playing with Grandma Droste, but my afternoon didn’t get much better.  I didn’t really take a midday nap like I usually do.  I started getting a runny nose, too.  The highlight of my day was achieving a new development milestone: I use a toy lion to lift myself up into a standing position!  So, Mom & Dad, next time you try to force me to sit on my play mat, I just might decide to stand up!

I was really miserable by the time dinner came around.  At least I ate most of my dinner, but I was totally pooped (and not pooping as easily as I’d like!).  I only had about half of my bedtime bottle and could barely keep my eyes open as Dad read me Goodnight Moon.  I hope I sleep really well and kick this cold!

Dad got up with me this morning and Grandma’s & Grandpa’s house was quiet.  Dad & I tried to be really quiet, but we accidentally woke up Grandpa.  When he couldn’t fall back to sleep, he decided to come into the living room and “watch you guys have fun.”  I had my usual fare for breakfast, and then Dad and I got in bed and took a nap together.  I got up before Dad and hung out with Mom & Aunt Sarah.

I had my fourth (!) thanksgiving meal of the season (and my whole life) at Great Uncle Michael’s and Great Aunt Karen’s house.  My cousin Erika (once removed) and her husband were there, too.  While everyone else ate turkey, I ate lamb & lentil stew with rosemary.  Pretty sophisticated, right?  I got really tired and eventually Dad and I curled up on a recliner and I fell asleep.

We made a quick run by Grandma’s & Grandpa’s and then we went to GG Droste’s where Mom, Dad, and Aunt Sarah set up her Christmas tree and I hung out with Great Aunt Jackie who played with my on the floor and even fed me my apricots.  Right before leaving GG Droste’s, everyone gathered around me and dressed me up in a brand new Christmas outfit!  We headed over to Alton Square Mall to meet Santa Claus!

After snapping a few pictures with a somewhat Grumpy Old Chris Cringle, we headed back to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s, where we pretty much just hung out until 7:04, when Mom, Dad, Grandma Droste, and I hopped in the car and made the 4:40 drive back home.  Fortunately, I slept almost the entire way home.

I woke up with Dad this morning.  We had to be extra quiet in the morning because Aunt Sarah and Shelby and Hayden were sleeping in the living room.  I had my bottle almost silently, but by 7:00 I had made enough noise that everyone in the living room was awake.  Shelby, Hayden, and Sarah played with me until Mom got up and Dad fed me breakfast.

Then Peggy, John, and Stephen all came over and (while the guys tried to figure out how to make coffee) Peggy walked around with me for a really long time.  That was so fun!  Finally it was time for my nap and Dad took me into my crib and got me to bed.  I got a pretty good nap in before lunch (split pea stew & turkey).

Then we went to GG Droste’s house to set up her Christmas tree.  While Aunt Sarah, Dad, and Mom worked, I hung out with Great Aunt Jackie for most of the afternoon.  She was so much fun!  She played on the floor with me, she walked around with me, she let me crawl all over her, and she even let me play with her hair and her glasses!  I had such a good time playing with her.  I can’t wait to see her again at Christmas!

Finally, after about 5 hours at GG Droste’s, I was pooped!  I took a quick nap on the car ride home and woke up just in time for dinner.  I badly needed a bath and got a really good one from Aunt Sarah and Grandma Droste.  I finished my bottle and Aunt Sarah put me to bed!

The day started with some scary news from India, where Aunt Claire is galavanting around on an “independent study,” where terrorists bombed Mumbai last night.  Happily, we heard from A/C that she is fine and will be changing her travel plans to skip her planned stop in Mumbai.

Mom got up with me around 5:30.  I ate my bottle and then we hung out and played with Mom and Grandma.  After breakfast, we made an impromptu trip to Wal-Mart where we got some stuff for Thanksgiving dinner (and also saw my friends Don and Peggy and their whole room (!) dedicated to the St. Louis Cardinals).

When it was nap time, I got to sleep with Mom in her bed, which is the best.  I got up to find Dad hovering over the bed, ready to whisk me away.  Dad fed me lunch (split pea, parsnip, and pear stew) and then we walked all around the house.  My afternoon nap was with Dad, in his bed again!

When I got up, Great Grandpa Harris was waiting for me in the living room.  He’s so fun and he has an awesome Donald Duck voice that makes me laugh.  Then a bunch of other people came over for Thanksgiving dinner: Great Uncle Mark, Great Aunt Joanne, cousins Sam and Hunter, Great Uncle Michael, and Great Aunt Karen.  I missed Aunt Claire though!

For about three hours I got to hang out with all these people who love me so much!  Hunter was especially fun – he taught me how to take his hat off his head and he let me play with his Cardinals hat!  Uncle Michael also walked around with me for a really long time – I bet his back hurts tonight!  Mom made sure that I got my own Thanksgiving dinner tonight: turkey, sweet potatoes, and cranberries.

As soon as I got done eating and the Harris family left, we zoomed off to Great Grandma Droste’s house (after I changed into something appropriately feminine!).  It was getting to my bed time, so I took a quick catnap during the car ride over.  I had heard about the millions of people who go to GG Droste’s at Christmas, but I had no idea that there would be so many people there for Thanksgiving!

First I went to see GG Droste and Aunt Jackie who were finishing dinner.  Then I went into the living room where all the cousins were hanging out.  I especially liked sitting with Jen.  She’s so nice and she’s about to have her own baby!  And Great Aunt Jackie was so nice she even changed my dirty diaper.  It was such a special day, Mom and Dad let me stay up way past my bedtime!  Even though I didn’t get cranky my eyes started glazing over around 8, so dad gave me my bottle, put me in my PJs, we said goodbye to everyone, and we went back to G&G’s house in Dow.  I fell asleep on the way then back to sleep after we went in the house.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

As usual for a Wednesday morning, I woke to Mom’s sunshiney “good morning maggie!”  Dad was home, too, which was unusual.  I had my bottle, played with Dad, and then had breakfast – just as I usually would with Nana.  After my all-to0-brief nap, Nana and Grandpa were home.  Dad fed me lunch and then we made a quick run out to the airport to send Nana on her way to Syria!

Quick break to show you my favorite pictures from my eighth month:

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

We got back and Grandpa played with me for a few hours (and fed me a bottle) while Dad worked.  Dad got me ready for my nap around 4:00 and then Mom got home a bit earlier than usual.  Instead of my usual bedtime routine, Mom & Dad packed me up and put me in the car for a road trip to Grandma & Grandpa Droste’s!

Sunday night was a tough one.  I fell asleep just like usual but then I woke up at 10 and had a really hard time falling back asleep.  Mom tried for about an hour then Dad tried for about 20 minutes.  Then I finally went back to sleep.

Monday was my last day with Nana for awhile.  Grandpa came over to watch me until Mom got home around 6:15.  Mom helped me walk all around the living room and kitchen which I love to do.  I even figured out how to walk up the two stairs to the kitchen.  And Grandpa let me step on his feet.  When Nana came to pick up Grandpa, I waved at her through the window.  At 7 I drank my bottle and had a bath, then went to sleep.

On Tuesday I got to hang out with Mom.  We had a leisurely morning.  We even took a nap together.  We took a walk after lunch then a guy came to check out the furnace.  I fell asleep while he was talking to Mom, but I only took a short nap.  Mom was thinking about taking me to a party at her office but I was cranky so she thought maybe us sitting in rush hour traffic together wouldn’t be that fun.  So we played at home some more, I figured out how to move from my tummy to sitting, I had dinner, then helped mom unload the dishwasher, then went to sleep.  I had another rough night, after falling asleep at 7:30 I woke up at 10:15 and couldn’t get back to sleep until about 11:30.  Something seems a little off!