Let me just start off by saying family time was awesome, and it is always nice to see everyone. Lol, now after that preface…
We left for home about 6pm on Thurs, Oct 27th, from my parents house and again drove through the night. The big difference was we now had two additional hours to cover in the car. To put it nicely, it was a looooong trip. Initially, I hopped in the back to entertain Ashlan for about an hour or so. Once we stopped to get gas, I went back in the front so she could get some sleep. Unfortunately, she started crying but we figured she’d fall asleep in a few minutes when we hit the highway again. Well, we were wrong! She started getting hysterical and before I could jump back there to calm her down, she threw up all over herself and the back seat of the car. That was not fun to clean. Luckily, we took the next exit to where there was a Pilot gas station and they gave us stuff to clean up her and her car seat (and boy, were we ever lucky, if she had waited just a few more minutes to throw up, we’d be in the middle of nowhere with no gas stations around without backtracking for a bit!). After getting more food in her tummy, she finally fell asleep a little while after that (with me in the back seat) and then I tried to take a nap since it was a longer drive and I’d need to drive later on. Unfortunately, I couldn’t sleep and then we had stand still traffic when we hit a part of Pittsburgh because of construction. Hours went by where I wasn’t sleeping so I finally just joined Dan in the front seat. We only stopped a few times for gas and Ashlan did great getting back to sleep then. I finally took over at 7:30 am and continued driving until we got home around noon. Poor Dan was nodding off but Ashlan was still awake so I felt really bad that he had to keep awake to entertain her but it was better I drive since he was exhausted. I found out that having a Dr. Pepper, a cappuccino, and half of a Mountain Dew kept me raring to go for hours, LOL! In fact, both times, I didn’t get to sleep until the next night! One thing we’ve learned is that Ashlan does not really care to be strapped down to her car seat for hours on end, or maybe it’s just because she is normally a VERY active baby and felt like she was being restrained. Either way, this has made us rethink our trip to Italy in the spring…we’re thinking of something a little more closer now! She is a livewire and when she wants something, she wants it now. I really don’t think this is a “learned” response from her…I honestly think it is just her strong personality (meaning she’s always been this way). She’s just very curious and though that’s certainly not a bad thing, she makes some things difficult at times. We wouldn’t want her any other way though. ;)
In other news…she’s up to about 15 steps at a time now. She's still using the fork and something new is that she now points to everything she wants! That is just awesome because she is pointing to her milk or water on the table, her binky, a toy out of reach, etc., and sometimes it can be pretty funny too. Dan put her down the other day for a nap and she rolled over and pointed at him to get picked back up, lol! I put a few pasta tidbits and chicken pieces on her tray at lunchtime yesterday. She ate all the pasta and then pointed at her plate on the table to get more pasta! I think not being able to really communicate with us is pretty frustrating for her but I know this helps a bit. And she finally started waving bye to Daddy when he goes to work in the morning so I’m sure that makes him happy! Sleeping was a bit screwy on the trip but it’s getting better. She’s at least sleeping through the night now. And still no teeth! Eats like a champ though!
My Steeler family! :)
I love this one! <3
She loved this box!
Pantless Ashlan, lol!
"Plechalevic"- I have no idea if I spelled that right...but Ashlan loved it!
Ashlan and her cousin, Rose, who is about 7 1/2 months here and Ashlan is almost 11 months.
Nana, Papa, and their two grandbabies.
Ashlan loved that game!
Ashlan walking for Gram and Dziadz.
Me and my niece and goddaughter, Rose!
Aw!
We went to Pumpkintown, USA, when we were in Erie.
Weather was a little chilly in PA!
Petting the goats.
Loves Papa's beard!
Ashlan built the giraffe in the back. Ha, just kidding...but she did help destroy it! She might have helped with a block or two on it though.
At the Olive Garden. Ashlan behaved herself, thankfully!
A gift from Uncle Gery, Aunt Lisa, and Anabelle, which was 27 hand puppets with the alphabet on them from FAO Schwarz! Now we need to build a stage for her!
