Here are the 10 things that I discovered/re-discovered on our recent trip to the Garden of Eden (aka Oregon) over Easter weekend:
1. Stranger anxiety is (basically) gone!
Having just been liberated from the 8-hour captivity of her carseat, Afton crawled over to her grandpa, tugged on his jeans, and beamed when he pulled her onto his lap. 2. You really can be bounced for hours on an exercise ball.
After her first experience feeding the cows, Grandpa Reed and Grandma Debbie worked on her "moo." At the moment, it sounds either like, "uhmmmm" or "um-m-bf-oo-a." Close. Very close.
3. So help us, Afton's first word may be "moo."
After her first experience feeding the cows, Grandpa Reed and Grandma Debbie worked on her "moo." At the moment, it sounds either like, "uhmmmm" or "um-m-bf-oo-a." Close. Very close. 4. My mother has a few sweaters that my Great-Grandma Mandy made for me when I was a baby.
or drive you 8 hours from Zion to the Garden of Eden?
Afton got to wear one with the dress that Grandma Debbie got her for Easter.
5. Uncles really are the greatest.
Seriously, who else would let you explore the inside of their mouth?
6. Afton loves kids.
At my cousin's wedding reception, another cousin's little one discovered Afton, crawled over to her, and lovingly mauled her with a kiss. Although momentarily overcome with shock, not much later Afton saw the baby's older brothers wrestling their way out of the door. She scurried her little body after them.
7. Babies really do make the best show-and-tell.
Before we left, Afton and I visited Grandma Debbie at the grade school where she works. We interrupted every class -- and the reading specialist, and the assistants, and the front office staff. Second grade was particularly enthused about her.
You can't see it very well, but Afton is wearing her visitor's badge around her neck.
When we got home, Tony had an Easter basket ready for Afton. (Yes, he had heard about how much she liked big bouncy balls.) Just before this picture Afton had escaped mid-diaper change to scuttle toward her awaiting presents. I figured, what could happen in a minute or two? When we picked her up, there was a wet circle on the carpet where her little bottom had been. And thus Tony's weekend (three whole days) of a clean house came to an end. He didn't complain. Instead, he just got a sponge and some carpet cleaner. We love him--very, very much.
At my cousin's wedding reception, another cousin's little one discovered Afton, crawled over to her, and lovingly mauled her with a kiss. Although momentarily overcome with shock, not much later Afton saw the baby's older brothers wrestling their way out of the door. She scurried her little body after them. 7. Babies really do make the best show-and-tell.
Before we left, Afton and I visited Grandma Debbie at the grade school where she works. We interrupted every class -- and the reading specialist, and the assistants, and the front office staff. Second grade was particularly enthused about her.
You can't see it very well, but Afton is wearing her visitor's badge around her neck. 8. You must have a copy of your kid's birth certificate to haul them onto a plane. Whoops.
If I had a picture for this one, it would be my panic-stricken face. As we checked our luggage at the airline counter, the conversation with the airline lady went like this:
Airline Lady: You're traveling with a child?
Me: Yes.
Airline Lady: Okay, let me see your verification of the child's age.
Me: Uh, like a birth certificate?
Airline Lady: Yes.
Me: Uh...I don't have it.
Airline Lady: Immunization records then.
Me: Um...I don't have that either.
Airline Lady: [looks at me]
Me: I don't have anything. [half-hearted smile]
Airline Lady: [peers around the counter at a not-so-patient Afton still strapped into her carseat]
At that point my stomach dropped. It's no mystery that Afton looks nothing like me. After showing her to some coworkers once, one of them actually asked, "Did she get any characteristic from you?" I thought about saying, "Well, she doesn't have a blue bottom." But I didn't think that was too convincing, and I certainly didn't think the Airline Lady was going to buy that either. I waited for the Airline Lady to tell me "tough luck" or to summon security ("ugly white lady attempting to kidnap beautiful half-Asian sensation"). In the end, we were given a boarding pass for Afton after a stern warning.
9. Afton likes the window seat.
10. Tony is a great dad.
10. Tony is a great dad.
When we got home, Tony had an Easter basket ready for Afton. (Yes, he had heard about how much she liked big bouncy balls.) Just before this picture Afton had escaped mid-diaper change to scuttle toward her awaiting presents. I figured, what could happen in a minute or two? When we picked her up, there was a wet circle on the carpet where her little bottom had been. And thus Tony's weekend (three whole days) of a clean house came to an end. He didn't complain. Instead, he just got a sponge and some carpet cleaner. We love him--very, very much.
7 comments:
What fun! Will we meet Sweet Baby Afton this weekend?
Well actually it was first grade that surrounded Afton. We had the best weekend with almost everyone home. And I was glad that it waited to snow after everyone had left. Afton was a delight!
Afton is just so adorable! I bet you're having the BEST time!
I think "moo" is an essential. It was Elsa's first animal sound too. You will have to get her one of those animal noise toys. That really solidified the sound for Elsa. We are sad we missed the festivities! What airline did you fly btw? We have flown tons of times and have never been asked.
I decided to get a gmail account so I can put my two cents in. When that cranky airport lady lectured you for a while, my first thought was Afton doesn't really look like you. She probably thought you stole the Asian baby.
She must be pretty much over her stranger anxiety if she let Rob hold her at the Open House! I believe Ky's first word was "cow."
Is Afton going to help with branding? That's the next step to making her a cowgirl!
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