Down on the Farm

Dear Quinn,
If I did a survey of all your books and toys, I'm willing to bet that half of them are about farms.  You love looking at pictures of the different animals and learning their names and the sounds they make. So when my good friend, "Aunt" Kelly, gave you a farm-themed birthday present with an invitation to see the real deal, I knew we had to take you. 

Yesterday morning we got up early and drove an hour into New Jersey to see the farm at Rutgers University, where Kelly and her boyfriend Anthony live and work. Your friend Benny and his Mommy and Daddy came too, and we all had a wonderful time. 

Note: I had picked out the perfect farm-appropriate outfit for you (pink osh-kosh's with a long-sleeved shirt and furry boots), but you got a little carsick, so you toured the farm in your pajamas.  

Here are some photos from our day: 

First we went into the house, where Kelly and Anthony gave you each a farm puzzle - and you ate all their blueberries. 

Thank you for the awesome farm puzzle, Kelly and Anthony!

Quinn and Benny!

 Then we bundled up and went across the street to see the horses: 

Kelly and Anthony with one of the 30 horses

Mommy, Daddy and Quinn

The Cruz family

After the horses, we moved on to the goats:

Look at this little guy...

...and this little guy!

 Then we got to Benny (and Daddy's) favorite part - the heifer barn!  Benny ran up and down the building saying, "Mooo!" and Daddy couldn't stop petting them. You just stared the entire time - totally fascinated by the cows!

Quinn in the cow barn

 

 

Next we checked out where the piggies live - they were huge!
 

After that, we moved on to your favorite part, the sheep!  For weeks you have been telling us that the sheep says, "Baa!"  It was amazing to watch you connect the dots when you heard the big sheep and the little lambs saying it over and over.  You said "baaa!" the whole time we were in there, except of course when the video camera was rolling. 

The sheep says, "baa!"

Anthony picked up a lamb so that you could pet him. You reached right out with your little mitten and did it very gently without any fear at all.  We were so proud of you, Quinn!

Nice, nice, lamb

It's so much fun to take you to new places and watch you learn, Quinn!  You were so well-behaved and interested. Thank you for giving your Daddy and I a great memory that we will hold onto forever.  

And thank you, Kelly and Anthony, for an unforgettable day on the farm!

I had so much fun!

One Year Checkup!

Dear Quinn,
You are officially walking.  You went from taking 5 or 6 steps to strolling across the kitchen floor in about a week.  You picked it up so quickly - way to go, Quinn!

You are communicating a lot more as well.  You answer questions with your sign language or by pointing, showing enthusiasm, and talking. You say "yes" by clapping and your favorite signs are "eat," "milk" and "bye-bye." 

These days you are no longer drinking out of a bottle at school.  You take all your milk in a sippy cup except for the first bottle in the morning and the last one at night.  Daddy says it's time to cut the bottle out completely, but I am having a hard time accepting it. 

We have our little routine every night after dinner.  You get your bath and then we sit in the chair and read a couple of books.  After that I turn off the light and hold you and sing to you while you're drinking your bottle.  After you burp, you often point to the crib as if to say, "put me down, Mommy - I want to go to sleep!" 

This quiet time is the only part of the day where you will let me hold and cuddle you like a baby.  I'm going to miss it so much!  I'll be very happy if we can continue this little tradition without the bottle, but you and I are both very set in our ways.  We will get through it together, little girl. 

Last week you had your one year checkup at the doctor's office.  You are nearly 30 inches tall and twenty four and a half pounds.  Because you started out unable to gain weight properly, I cheered when they told me that you are in the 93rd percentile for weight.  This concerned the doctor and she said that we are not to give you any more cookies.

You sat on my lap in the exam room and together we answered all the doctor's questions.  "Is she clapping?"  Old news!  You immediately clapped for her.  "Is she walking?"  You took about six steps, followed by more clapping.  "How about talking?"  I turned to you and asked, "Quinn, what does the sheep say?"  "Baaa!"

You got four shots, 2 in each arm, but only cried for about 20 seconds.  You are such a tough little girl!  You forgave the doctor right away, and even blew her kisses and waved bye-bye when we left.

As soon as we got home, I gave you a cookie for being so brave. We love you so much, Quinn!

Hugging my monkey

Daddy and Me selfie!

Mommy and me selfie!

Err...bad selfie of me!

Football time!  I want some nachos, Daddy!

Yum!  Thanks, for sharing!

Halftime! Reading my football book from Uncle Mike and Julie

More school pictures!

 

Dressed like Daddy - grey pants and a Stonhard shirt.
"Tech service, this is Quinn!"

I bit my basketball...Daddy threw it out.  :(

This is why there aren't a lot of new picture of me - they all look like this!

Our Little Toddler

Dear Quinn,
You may have noticed that there has been a lot of pictures on this blog lately, and not a lot of words.  The truth is that I have been avoiding writing anything about you turning one because I wasn't ready to admit that you are no longer a baby.  It makes Mommy sad that you are growing up so fast, but there is no denying it - you have now officially reached toddlerhood. 

Along with this milestone has come all sorts of exciting things.  You are increasingly mobile.  You climb all the way up the stairs and have taken a bunch of steps on your own.  Your current record is five steps - way to go, Quinn! 

Your vocabulary is expanding by the day.  You constantly point to objects and say, "Dijou?" (What's that?) and then try to imitate the sounds when we tell you the word.  In addition to Mama, Dada and uh-oh, you say words like diaper, hello, thank you and turtle. 

You mimic our actions all the time. You wave bye-bye and blow kisses. You pick up our phones and hold them to your ear, often saying, "Hellooooo, Mom-Mom!"  In the mornings you sit on the floor next to me and we brush our hair together, which you think is hilarious. Speaking of hair, yours has gotten so long that I use the blow dryer to dry it after your bath.  You stand at the mirror while I chase you around with it.  You love the baby in the mirror and always look behind it trying to find her! 

Now that you are one, we have made the transition to cow's milk. You love it!  You hold the bottle to your mouth with one hand and sign the word for milk with the other.  You're so smart, Quinn!  You are also eating people food and enjoy all kinds of different tastes and textures.  You love Grammy's chicken soup and Mom-Mom's baked beans.  You aren't always so keen on my cooking, but I'm working on it. 

While we are on the subject of food, I must tell you that you have the worst table manners on the face of the earth.  Each night, the three of us eat dinner together and your Daddy and I try to hold on to our appetites while watching you shovel food into your mouth by the fistful.  We've been listening to music while we eat, but it doesn't even come close to drowning out the Mmmms! and nom-nom-nom! sounds that you make.  You let us know when you would like more by using your sign language, and you let us know when you don't like something by carefully picking up chunks of chicken or broccoli and dropping them onto the floor.

You are truly back to your old self and show no signs of having ever been sick.  The whole ordeal is still very upsetting to think about, but it makes each moment with you even more special. 

We love you so much, Quinn!

Happy Halloween!

Dear Quinn,
Yesterday you celebrated your second Halloween.  We took you back to our childhood homes to do some trick-or-treating and surprise the grandparents.  You loved it!

Daddy and Tinker Bell

What are you supposed to be, Mommy?  An obscure video game reference from the early 90s?

Chun Li from Streetfighter II

 Here you are in the Halloween parade at school...but where are your socks???

Can I help you give out treats, Grammy?

I don't like the ghost Pop Pop put on the porch!

I can fly!

 

...and stand up by myself!

Pop Daddy and "Fat Fairy II"

 Thanks for making Halloween fun again.  We love you, Quinn!