Palm Springs Vacation

We ended up having a wonderful time in Palm Springs with the family, but the beginning of the trip was nothing short of awful. It all started when we awoke to Addison's cries at 3am (not typical for her) on the Friday we were to fly out. We entered her bedroom to find the poor thing covered in vomit - gross! She's never thrown up or had the flu before, so we weren't quite sure what was going on. After checking for a fever (none), a bath and a change of all the crib bedding, we put her back down around 4am hoping that it was just a strange fluke. Well, an hour later was like groundhog day - more puke, more laundry, another bath. By this time we were kind of freaking out, wondering what to do about our pending trip, because Addison was definitely not feeling well. We tossed around 3 ideas - cancel the trip altogether, change our flight by a few days and fly out later in the week (to the tune of another $500 or so) or say screw it and just go. We went with option 3 and moved forward with our plans, hoping that we were making the right decision and also praying that neither DJ nor I caught the bug.

There was another vommiting episode RIGHT before we boarded our first flight, but nothing beyond that as far as the plane went. However, 2 blow-out diarrhea diapers with a toddler on the lap and teeny tiny airplane restrooms was enough to almost put us over the edge. Long story short, we made it, Addison was ill for the next day or so, but then bounced back nicely. Unfortunately I, then Grandpa Allan AND Grant and Stacy all came down with whatever bug she had, so the beginning portion of the trip was kind of unpleasant. Sorry everyone!

The sickies finally got well and by Tuesday things were back to normal and the weather was gorgeous. For the remainder of the week Addison had a great time playing in the pool for hours on end, taking walks around the property and picking flowers galore, visting Grandma Pam and seeing horses for the first time (she even took a ride!), wandering the Palm Springs street fair, eating lots of yummy food and generally making everyone laugh at her spunky, funny little personalilty. DJ golfed each morning and loved every minute of it, and we enjoyed a day at an awesome spa together on Tuesday - pretty much my idea of heaven!

We're back in MN now getting ready to start a work week and even though it's good to be home, we miss everyone and the sunshine - thanks for everything, see you all soon!

New toy - Elmo Bubble Machine!

Love the shades

Horsey time - she's a natural!

Kissing Daisy the pony

First pony ride

The pool at Miramonte Spa

Scary!

Pool time!

Hmmmm......

Strawberry pancakes, oh boy!

Zonked out on the plane ride home

The most bizarre man - an electric cellist at the Palm Springs street fair. I couldn't resist a short clip - what a dork! Addison was mesmerized by him though :)

Pigtail Princess

Addison is finally allowing us to put rubberbands or barettes in her hair without ripping them out immediately. How cute is she in pigtails? This is the first time she left them alone and actually realized there was something different about herself - she checked herself out in the mirror for about 10 minutes and loved what she saw! She really looks like a little girl now vs. a baby. Kind of sad, but at least we have another on the way to fill the void. ;)

The only way Addison holds still while getting her diaper changed is if we sing to her the whole time. Usually it's some version of "wheels on the bus" except she dictates what's on the bus (always animals and Elmo) and then we all make the noises. I tried to catch one session on film below. Enjoy!

How cute!

Checking herself out - looking good!

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope the video clip below is viewable - not sure what's going on with the uploading process lately, but it's been taking longer and they don't always get posted completely. Maybe I have overloaded this blog with video clips! Nothing too exciting to report, just in awe of Addison growing and changing every day, turning into quite a funny character. She's now singing her "ABC's" and saying "OKAY!" a LOT! We had a baby shower for Natalie on Saturday - a few pictures are posted below.

Getting bigger...25 weeks

A few pictures from Natalie's shower

The cake matched the invitations

My co-host Mara

1,2,3......

Addison's been practicing her counting and can get to 10 by herself! She's really difficult to capture on video these days, as she always wants to grab the camera. I have a weak attempt posted below...you can hear a few numbers, but it isn't the most indicative snapshot of her talents. :)

Baby Barat #2 is doing well, moving alot. This is me at about 24 weeks below. Only about 3 more months to go, and so much to do still!

Clowning around in Daddy's reading glasses - scary picture!

Fruit fiend

Go Vikings!

It's been an exciting Sunday in Minnesota. The Vikings are trying to make it into the Superbowl, and even I'm giddy! What a game against the Saints - poor Brett Favre is taking a beating, but we still have a chance. I'm posting this as the very nerve-wracking 4th quarter comes to an end. Although Addison is long asleep now, she was in the sprit for the first 1/2 of the game and even learned to say "Go Vikings"!

Her newest passion is for necklaces - any and all kinds. She walks around putting them on, taking them off, putting them on and taking them off. Her walking skills are improving daily and she rarely chooses to crawl anymore. She's also really enjoying swimming at the YMCA. She's got the hang of kicking her feet and semi-blowing bubbles. I've gotta get some pictures of that. She's saying "please" and "thank you" very well these days too - so cute!

Today we did what every true Minnesota family on a cold and icy day does - we went to the indoor playground! Very odd, but good for little kiddies to burn off energy. We topped off the afternoon with a thai food lunch, which Addison enjoyed very much. She chowed down on calamari, potstickers and chicken satay with plum sauce. This girl can eat! She starts 3 classes this month - Library storytime on Tuesdays, Music Class on Wednesdays and an Early Childhood Family Education class on Fridays. It's going to be a busy spring for Addison!

Helping with the dishes


First chop sticks

Morning happy face
Here's me at 21 weeks

Go Vikings!

Little Addison has had a rough couple of weeks. She had what we thought was a cold for some time and we kept wondering why it was hanging on for so long - the cough, runny nose, everything was getting worse by the week. Well, we finally took her in to the pediatrician, and lo and behold she had a double ear infection. A few doses of amoxocillan later she was feeling SO much better. We were to give her the amoxocillan for 10 days, but by day 7 she broke out in the worst rash either of us had ever seen, all over her body. Big red welts were covering her from face to foot! So....back to the doctor we went and it turns out she's allergic to the amoxocillan. Good to know! Regardless of that, the ear infections are gone and now that she's been off the medicine for several days, so is the horrible rash.

Despite all of this, Addison has been in relatively good spirits. Her newest favorite word is "princess" and all that is associated with that. She also loves her stickers and coloring books, and a cardboard house DJ made her from a box left over from Christmas. She also loves bath time even more these days thanks to a fun toy from the Grandpas! Tonight she is going over to the neighbors house to hang out for dinner and to play with Abbey, Alice and Anna.

Addison Land

Koo-Koo Face

Addison's new big girl table in the kitchen

Bath time is fun!

A White Christmas

What a Christmas! We've had more snow in the past 3 days than we've ever had at this time of year, and it's beautiful - big, fat, fluffy flakes of snow covering everything and putting you right into the holiday spirit. Gramma Pam is in town for the week and has experienced her first white Christmas ever...and she survived. :)

Addison had a wonderful time today. The morning started with her coming into the living room to see her Pottery Barn retro pink kitchen set and opening gifts that went along with that (play dishes, play food, a tea kettle and toaster) and opening her stocking. She went down for a nap before DJ's parents (Ba and Nana) arrived, but woke up just in time to eat a delicious brunch of roasted vegtable quiche with gruyere cheese, homemade Belgian waffles with fresh whipped cream and berries, fresh squeezed OJ and crispy bacon...well, she didn't have any bacon, but everything else she loved. Then it was time for more gifts and play. It was a long day of fun, and now it's time for a little dinner, a bath and bedtime.

Thanks, everyone, for the wonderful gifts and Merry Christmas to all!

Sledding on Christmas Eve Day

Christmas Eve at Ba and Nana's

First things first on a snowy Christmas morning! Luckily our neighbot came over and bailed DJ out with the snow blower.

Presents!

The table is set for brunch!