10 months: European Vacation

A week before Squiggles turned 10 months old, we left for a two-week vacation in Europe.  Well… it wasn’t all vacation.  I had the opportunity to go to an RSV conference and of course I couldn’t leave my cute little squishy baby home without me!  Tim took care of the baby while I was at the conference (which thankfully was in the same hotel where we stayed so that I could pop up during breaks and feed the baby.  The conference lasted a few days, and we spent the rest of the time playing.  First stop: Amsterdam. 

We went to an Eetcafe near a canal (that really goes without saying).  Squiggles likes to pretend to read, so she carefully considered the sandwich menu:

Squiggles was an angel the entire time we were in Europe with the exception of the Anne Frank museum.  She got really bored in there, and didn’t seem to realize the gravity of the situation.

So we took her on a canal cruise.  This pacified her – she loves being outside and looking at stuff.

Next stop: Bruges, Belgium.  We walked around a lot, without a squeak from Squiggles.  She just loved walking around, waving at people, and looking around.

Squiggles was delighted to pose for our garden-gnome Travelocity-commercial-ripoff photos.  We took them everywhere we went.

Next, we drove to Switzerland.  Tim and I read The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo on the road – Squiggles was content for the most part to listen to me read the grownup book while she looked at pictures in her board books.  Of course we played games and sang songs, too.  I sat in back while the baby was awake, and in front while she was asleep (to keep Daddy company).

Squiggles really liked the pattern on the high chair at our hotel’s restaurant.

In fact, she loved it so much she tried to eat it.

She loved the cable car rides up and down the Swiss Alps:

And seemed duly impressed by the Schilthorn peak:

She played with Daddy at the awesome rotating restaurant:

And once again studied the menu carefully.  She tried to order a beer but got turned down because she forgot her ID.  Just kidding.

On the trip, she took naps while strapped to Tim in the Baby Bjorn whenever she felt the need.

She was an angel on the hike we took in the snow from one mountain village to another.

And really enjoyed the trainride back because the windows are like mirrors at night. 

On our way to France, we stopped at Chateau de Chillon. 

We arrived in Southern France very late.  Mommy and Daddy were exhausted, but Squiggles was ready to keep partying.

The next day, we went to Pont du Gard.  We put Squiggles in the stocks for being naughty at the Anne Frank museum.

We ate a rather fancy restaurant (by accident… we didn’t know it was fancy until it was too late).  Squiggles delighted the waiter and other restaurant guests by smiling and clapping at them.

During the trip, Squiggles and Daddy were best friends. They went everywhere together.  It was cold (December) most of the places we went, so we bundled the baby up accordingly.

Southern France was extremely windy due to a winter wind called Le Mistral.  Squiggles didn’t mind; in fact, she seemed to find the wind hilarious.

This is at Mommy’s favorite restaurant, even though it was all pink. 

And this was Squiggles favorite waitress – she played with the baby for nearly two hours while we ate. 

Daddy let Squiggles pretend drive while Mommy took a restroom break.

Daddy and Squiggles after a long day walking around Paris:

Hey, look!  A tower thingy!

We rode to the top at about 10:00 pm.  Squiggles fell asleep so we decided to call it a night and go home. 

9 months

Time flies!  It seems like yesterday that I posted Squiggles’ 8-month photos.  Hee hee.

Squiggles is a champion at eating phase 2 solids (sitter), and occasionally tries to feed herself.  Ummm… she’s not very good at it.

 

Daddy often plays with Squiggles before she goes to bed.  He starts out with appropriate nighttime activities like reading books and sing songs, but things often escalate and pandemonium ensues… tickling, giggling, squealing, squiggling, and other shenanigans.

For some reason Squiggles has become quite fascinated by mouths.  She often wants to put her hands inside and check things out. 

Daddy’s shenanigans earned him a special Squiggles kiss:

Tim’s sister’s family visited for Thanksgiving.  Tim’s sister really, really, very much loves the baby.  The baby loves all of them.

And of course Nana is her BFF:

Uncle Tim (seriously) met Squiggles for the first time on this trip.  They had a grand time playing with trains, cars, helicopters, and action figures.

Squiggles tried to help Gus play his DS games. 

And she tried to steal Jen’s hat.

We went to some kind of Christmas fair, where Squiggles met Santa for the first time.  She was not that impressed.

Otherwise, she finally fits into the cute outfit Melinda gave her:

And bounces like a champion in her exersaucer thing-a-mabob.

She has started waving to people when they walk in the door or when we pass them walking. She’s so social and loves interacting with everybody.

8 months

I can’t believe Squiggles is already 8 months old.  She is such a happy baby – she is always babbling, giggling, and smiling – especially if she has an audience.  She is curious about everything, and wants to hold everything in sight.  She puts everything in her mouth, and often gives us a surprised sour face when objects don’t taste very good.  She recently sprouted tooth number 3:

And can finally touch her toes!  She was so rigid for the first several months.

She just keeps getting cuter,

And happier:

She has recently begun sticking her tongue out at everybody she sees – especially when she’s happy.

In October, we took Squiggles on her first leaf-peeping outing in the Berkshires.  The first day, we went to Old Orchard Farms, where we drank fresh hot apple cider and strolled through the apple orchards.

She also takes after her mother in that she sticks out her tongue when she’s concentrating on something… like getting to that delicious-looking apple!

Squiggles has no idea what apples actually are, but the second she saw them on those trees, she was determined to own one.

She had a great time at our hotel.  She kept pulling off her socks and trying to eat them,

And had a great time playing with Daddy.  She gives really good kisses (meaning, she puts her face, nose, open mouth, etc.) next to our cheeks and then smiles as though she is the most generous baby in all of history.

The second day, we went to October Mountain.  Squiggles loved looking at the rocks and trees.

She always enjoys going for walks outside…

She enjoyed rock hunting with Daddy, but seemed quite disappointed that she couldn’t eat them.

We did a lot of things with friends this month.  Squiggles loves being around other people, and they love being around her!

We had dinner with Erin and Julie:

We hiked around Walden Pond with Kendall (during which she jabbered the entire time and smiled at every body who walked by),

We hung out with Joanne and Joe one night.  At around 8:00, I tried to put her to bed, but she could hear Joanne and Joe out the door laughing, and wanted to be part of the fun.  She kept diving for the door, so finally I gave in and let her stay up with her friends.

We went on a picnic to Walden Pond with Julie and Alejandro.  We walked around the pond, and once again Baby Girl tried to get the attention of every passerby and generally exuded joy and love and transcendentalism.

This baby loves being outside!

We were mother-daughter witches for Halloween.  Squiggles tried really hard to eat the sparkles off her dress.  Cutest witch ever!