Talia's Busy Week

This week has been quite busy for our family. I will fill you in on some of the highlights. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures at our various events. Some photos from home will follow.

Sunday: Talia makes her nursery debut. We waited for this event for two reasons: We wanted Talia to have her immunizations and she was often sleeping through church so it wasn't necessary. We chose not to wait any longer for two reasons: We wanted her to be comfortable with the nursery before she reaches a clingy stage and it was too tempting for us to interact with her rather than listen attentively.

Talia did well by all accounts. She was pleasant, outgoing, and even fell asleep in the arms of one of the helpers during her usual nap time. We also took Talia to Safeway for one of our longer shopping trips. She has gone to the grocery store before, but it is usually a quick trip.

Monday: Talia and Mommy spend time with friends at the mall. We hung out with my friends Sarah and Kristi and their babies Anna (pictured on previous posts) and Tate.
We window shopped and I believe we spent less than $2 between the 6 of us (minus lunch). It was quite an adventure balancing the routines of three little ones.

Tuesday: Talia goes to kindergarten (and other grades, too). We had a great time visiting my old school. Talia was a big hit. She was passed around during the staff lunches, smiling and talking as she went. We also strolled into a few classes. I was greeted with hugs and squeals from my past students. The kids loved looking at, but not touching, Talia. Later that evening Jon, Talia, and I went to the Sanders' house (Jon's relatives). We enjoyed a great time with them and a fantastic dinner.

Wednesday: Talia and Mommy went to Stroller Strides. That evening we went to Grandma and Grandpa T.'s house for a wonderful dinner and some catching up time.

Thursday: A friend came over in the morning. Our family enjoyed a nice walk along the canal. I got caught up on some housework.

Friday: The plan is: Bible study in the morning and getting together with our fellowship group in the evening.

Saturday: The plan is: Stove shopping. Some of you know that we got rid of our hideous old propane stove (our main source of heat) when we got new carpet this summer. Now that winter is approaching we figure we better not procrastinate any longer. Besides, Grandma and Grandpa were eager to babysit.

Talia's Landmarks:

This last week has been so fun for us. Talia has really been learning. She is now deliberately reaching for things. It is fun to watch her look at an object and slowly reach for it. She is also able to break out of her swaddle without waking up (some of the time). This is a big break through for Talia and a big relief for Daddy and Mommy. Now she is sleeping an average of 11 hours at night without any interruptions. Talia is feeling and holding things. She will move her open palms over various surfaces and grab onto objects in play. She even had the stability to hold her bottle for short periods of time tonight. The best landmark (in my opinion) is laughing. Talia has been giving occasional simple chuckles, similar to a catch in her throat and a bright smile. But, now, there is no denying her laugh. Yesterday she giggled several times before and during her bath. Today I was nearly in tears as her laugh was loud, long, and very spirited. And, she kept laughing sporadically for several minutes. It is amazing how she went from a quiet giggle to serious laughter in one day! Jon caught both her giggle and her laugh on video. Hopefully we can post it soon. Because Jon is working from home, he didn't miss these milestones. Okay, here is the part you have all been waiting for (or scrolling down to find), pictures!

Here is Talia trying on her new hat. Notice that she is holding herself upright with just a little help from Mommy.


Here is Talia sleeping, clearly out of her swaddle.


And again :)


She is actually supporting her bottle.


Like I said, this has been an amazing week for Talia. I hope to post Talia's laugh sometime in the near future (but I will need Jon's help as I clearly botched my previous attempt).