Big Girl Bed

Last Monday, Addie's new bunk beds were delivered. She and I spent many hours over the past week in in her new room. Bringing toys in. Reading stories. Admiring her new blankets. From the start - she loved the beds and the new room. So last night, after tethering the dresser to the wall, filling in all the electric sockets, and baby-proofing the side-railings on the bed, Dan and I decided it was time to let her move in officially and sleep in the new bed.

Perhaps like many transitions we will face over the next 18+ years, I had much more trouble adjusting last night than Addie did. Addie climbed right into bed, took her pacifiers, and fell asleep without a peep. I cried myself to sleep, clinched Dan's hand, and woke up several times thinking about how grown-up Addie has become.

Now don't get me wrong - I feel so blessed that the Little Miss slept from 9 pm to 9 am without even skipping a beat. (And that she is back in the bed now napping.) I know few 21-month-old toddlers can just go from their cribs to their beds without any question. But I just can't believe how independent she has become. Ultimately because we are now less than a month away from number 2's arrival, I know this will help a ton. So hopefully I can take a cue from my daughter, and go with the flow!

I'm incluidng a video of Addie when she woke up this morning. Poor thing was barely rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and I was trying to make her perform. Ah well, she'll thank me someday, right?

My grocery helper

With a little over a month left before the new baby arrives, I am trying to think of ways to adjust normal chores so they won't be impossible with two children. One task I know will change is grocery shopping. Up to this point, Addie has rode along in the cart I push, helping count apples and bananas; helping pick out her favorite cereals; and helping to make sure we remember Dan's bagels for his lunch.

The supermarket we go to actually has mini-shopping carts for children to use, so a couple weeks ago, I decided to let Addie give those a try. I figure this way, the new baby can sleep in the car seat in the big cart I push, and Addie can go along side me with her own cart.

As all who know her can imagine, she loves the independence and ability to have her own cart. Of course I hear over and over: "Addie's cart;" "Addie do;" "Follow Mommy." She has run into people a couple times going a little reckless and fast, but all in all, she has done well. Now if I can only control what she puts in "Addie's cart," I will be all set for the end of October!

Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame...

It is hard to believe Dan and I started dating eight years ago at Notre Dame. Because we met there, we both share a love for Fall and the start of college football season. For the past two years, we have been able to go back to campus with Addie and share this love. While the weekends are hectic and exhausting, they are so much fun. We both have a lot of friends who come back, so each weekend is somewhat of a Homecoming.

Addie has had a lot of fun this year as well. Her best friend Evie was at both games we attended, as were other children of Dan and my college friends. Addie loved tailgating, playing outside, and eating rice krispie treats! She especially loved going to see the band at the second game - you can see from the videos, she did a very good attempt at the Irish jig.

Due to Soldato number 2 arriving in late October, we will not be attending any more games this year - but I can hardly wait to take Big Sister Addie and the new little one next Fall!

North Carolina 2009

Growing up we took family vacations to many locations throughout the United States: Utah, Arizona and New Mexico; Idaho and Montana; Boston; New York City; Ocean City, NJ; Ocean City, MD; and Washington, DC. You name it, we've been there. However, the past few years, my parents have settled on renting a beach house in Oak Island, North Carolina, and I couldn't be happier.

It truly is beautiful there. The beach is uncrowded. The water is warm. The seafood and vegetables are at their freshest. It is a very relaxing week, and gives us a chance to catch up on each other's lives, that with each year seem to be more and more busy.

Of course this year was a little less relaxing for Dan and I, mainly because we were chasing Miss Addie around. Despite the fact that the ocean waves knocked her down a few times, she still showed no fear, running right out into the sea as if she could swim fully by herself. Needless to say, she also loved digging in the sand. She occupied herself for hours filling buckets, digging holes, and collecting shells. Honestly, it is the perfect vacation for a 19-month-old.

Dan and I both said the week gave us some time to reflect on just how far Addie has come since our last trip to North Carolina. Last year she was crawling and barely pulling herself up on furniture. This year, she ran and jumped with ease. Last year she'd babbled "Da da" every once and a while. This year, as you can see from the video, she can count to ten. Last year, she showed little independence, clinging to and crying for me at times. While this year, she was too busy exploring and hanging out with Uncle Don (John) to know if I was there or not. Honestly, I cannot believe how much she has changed - but it is all good change, and I look forward to seeing just how far she'll go over the next 12 months.

Music Class

Throughout this summer, Addie and I have tried out a couple of new classes. I decided to have her take a break from gymnastics (although we start back up in September) to try out swimming and the Old Town School of Music's "Wiggleworms" class. She has loved both!

On Wednesdays we go to swim and gym at the YMCA. For 30 minutes she runs throughout the gym, playing with various toys and balls put out by the teacher. Then we change into our suits, and head to the pool for another 30 minutes. And believe me, this is her favorite part of the week! She loves the water. In fact, the teacher said the YMCA no longer teaches that it is a good idea to dunk kids at a young age to get them used to being underwater. They used to think if babies would go under, if only for a split second, they'd be more likely to jump in as children because they'd be used to water in their face. Addie's teacher explained that this gave 90% of children a fear of the water, and it only worked for the 10% that were dare devils. She then looked at Addie and said, "Addie, I'm sure you'd be part of that 10% - you don't mind water on your face at all!" So sums up our first experience with swimming lessons. When the other children are crying because they are forced to jump of the wall, Addie is saying "more, more." When the other children are barely splashing with their hands and feet, Addie is kicking and splashing away. I'm very glad we did the lessons this summer.

Beyond swimming, we have also loved the "Wiggleworms" class. My cousin Sarah and her son Nate went with us, which was nice to spend time with them. The class has given me some new songs to sing to Addie, instead of all the old staples I (and perhaps she) was getting sick of. Addie loves to sing and dance, and while at the beginning of class she is usually shy, by the end, she is in the center of the room dancing with all her new friends. I took a few pictures of Addie and Nate at music - as you can see we have future music stars on our hands!

Addie's First Cousin!

Thanks to the birth of my sister's first baby Patrick Joseph, Addie is getting some good practice as a big sister before her younger sibling arrives in October. She loves Baby Patrick - and from their first meeting on this day in July, she has wanted to "hold 'em" "hold 'em" "hold 'em."

Here she was helping push him in his swing - of course not knowing this was an automatic swing, not a regular one like those she sees at the park. But all in all, she is very sweet with her little cousin, and I can't wait until they can truly play together!

Pheasant Run 2009

Every year since our engagement, I have gone with Dan and his family to Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles IL for the Fourth of July. The tradition was started by Dan's Grampa and Grandma Soldato to ensure the entire clan got together and spent quality time swimming, golfing, and catching up. Addie has joined in the fun for the past two years, although I must admit, she was much more engaged this year.

She loved swimming (of course) in the various pools throughout the resort. She loved playing on the putting green and watching her Dad golf. She loved the dinners of choice - pizza and pasta. She was in heaven!

Of course one of my favorite parts as always was seeing Dan hang out with his brothers. No in the world understands Dan as they do, and the boys always have such a great time together. They have inside jokes that go back decades.

All in all, a very fun and relaxing weekend!