7/31/2011

Wow...barely making my goal of 4 posts a month again.  I guess time has just got by me over the past 12 days since I last posted.  I am sure you have been checking daily wondering what is going on.  Well here goes nothing...I will warn you now, I have lots of updates and pictures!  I'll start with 2 Wednesday's ago and my last swim lessons. It was a really hot week, so I must say the pool felt quite good.  Dad decided it was time that I take the dive and fully go under water.  I really didn't think it was too bad...well for a while at least.  You know a girl can only be dunked so many times before it starts to get a bit old.  Here is a video of some proof.  Dad thinks it is funny that I come up like a fountain spitting out the water I took in.  Better than the alternative, I don't want to swallow down that water.  God only knows what is in there!

Yes, Marley and I are the same height!

As it has been so long, I don't remember much from the rest of that week.   I'm sure I had a blast at school.  I know I got a bath one day because I got a little too messy with my lunch.  I think I am over the whole 'baby food' thing.   I now want to eat what mom & dad eats.  I especially like all things protein.  Love chicken, salmon, hamburger, turkey, even shrimp.  Breads and pastas too.  But if you throw vegetables on my plate they usually quickly find their way to the floor.  When we are at home, Marley finds that quite enjoyable.  Last weekend was pretty fun.  Friday night I hung out with dad all night, while mom went to a Royals game with people from work.  She had good seats, so we looked for her on TV...but I got bored and tired so went to bed.  Saturday was good, we got the whole house cleaned up so some guy could come look at it and see if he wanted to buy it (I guess the answer to that was no) and then I was surprised again by Miss Heidi (from school) showing up at my house.  I let her know again when she got here that I wasn't so keen on the idea.  I LOVE her there...but this my zone with mom & dad.  Of course we then got to playing with my toys and I quickly decided it was OK that she was here and barely looked up to say goodbye while mom & dad went off to a party for Stephanie & Deron.  I think this getting married thing sounds good, especially if you get all these parties!  Dad says to not get too anxious.  Anyway, I had a lot of fun with Heidi yet again.

Checking out the action

Sunday started off like most Sunday's with church.  I was really tired so pretty much slept through everything..we came home and went to the deck to find a monster big branch of the neighbors oak tree dangling over our deck.  Over the next 30 min's we watched it slowly lower itself on our deck/furniture. There was a lot of excitement that followed....talking with neighbors, tree guys, and just checking it all out.  After all the drama on Sunday, I did play with dad a bit.  It may look like I am out of control here...but I have a blast playing with dad.

Before we even went to the park

Monday & Tuesday of last week were pretty normal...then Wednesday came.  Yep, I had heard about the big biennial Steffen family trip and the day was here.  My first official vacation!  We got packed up in the car and made the 3 hour drive to Adventureland in Iowa.  It was a pretty easy drive, straight shot on I-35 (well at least I think so...as I of course slept through most of it).  I guess our drive was better than others, we beat Grandma & Grandpa there as it took them almost 7 hours - darn, OnStar.  Shout out to Grandpa though as it is his birthday today.  Yay!  We got checked in to our room and immediately went to check out the pool.  That's right our balcony walked out to the super sweet pool (and bar - that dad enjoyed).  Right away we saw lots of family.  I think my cousin Gabby and Aunt Rhonda were the first ones to come say hi.  That was per the usual most of the weekend, dad said Gabby was like a fly always buzzing around us.  Maybe, but I didn't want to slap her away - well most of the time.  It was SO hot in there that I soaked my clothes through and through.  Needless to say, we decided to put on our suits and join the family.  Can you believe by the time everyone got there on Wednesday there were 23 of us?!  Watch out Adventureland!  It has been a while since I have seen everyone, so that coupled with my whole 'separation anxiety' made seeing everyone a bit intimidating for me.  I definitely know everyone is cool and nice, but you see it just takes me some time (preferably 1-on-1) to warm up.  Once I would get comfortable with someone holding me, someone else would come and swoop in.  I learned that if I let a little cry out, I would quickly be handed back to mom or dad.   They all got bored with me and wanted to head to the park, but I was told it was too late for me so mom, dad, and I went to have some Mexican and then headed to bed while they all went and played.

Thursday was a whole new day though...I slept like a rock till the usual wake time (6:30ish) and was ready to go.  We had some breakfast and played some and then grandma came down to spend some quality time with me for a little while before some others started waking up and came to say good morning too.  I did go join Grandma and Gabby for a 2nd breakfast downstairs....I'm quite the fan of scrambled eggs.  I even saved some in my cheeks for later!

Grandpa & Grandpa with all their grandkids

Aunt Rhonda and me enjoying the pool.

We eventually all piled into Molly the Trolley to head to Adventureland for the day...but not before stopping to take a ton of pictures of the whole family, the grandkids, grandkids with grandma...you get the picture.  We got to the park all wearing our bright pink shirts by the way and it was off to the races.  I had a good time hanging with dad and watching people ride some crazy scary looking rides.  I eventually got hungry for some lunch so we found a place for me to knock down some food and sing and yell for those around me.  I then rode around for a while in the stroller while dad rode some coasters.  Next thing I knew, I woke up a couple hour later at an awesome water park!  Can I tell you, I had a BLAST.  Especially once mom, dad, and Aunt Rhonda took me to the lazy river.  We chased each other all around the park.  It was so much fun!  Eventually the fun had to come to an end...I was a total prune and I started getting pretty hungry.  Everyone else was having too much fun to leave so we headed back to the trolley solo.  I may have got a little TOO comfy on the ride home and accidentally peed all over mom.  But really how bad can I feel...she should know that a swim diaper wasn't going to hold anything in!  I was all amped up when we got home so crawled all around the place singing (aka. squealing) before heading down for some dinner.  I ate lots of dad's pasta and goldfish!  My favorite.  For some reason everyone found it entertaining how excited I get when I see the goldfish bag come out.  Apparently they have never tried them themselves, otherwise they would have been jumping up and down (and over me) to get their hands (mouths) on some of that golden goodness.  The more for me.

The whole Steffen clan!

Our little family picture!!

Enjoying the waterpark with Bailey

Friday morning we did a lot more playing and swimming...both of which I got pretty good at over the few days.  I really did have a good time seeing everyone, the time went just too fast.  Hopefully, despite me being my shy self, they all still liked and had fun too.  I got a chance to play with most everyone...and although sometimes through tears was held by them too.  Even Will.  Will always comments on how little "Baby Amelia's" (that's me) hands are.  He even pet me again.  I think he liked me....i wonder if he will call me baby Amelia when I'm up and walking?!  By the way...I am getting closer to that.  I pull up like a rock star...and can walk around with help.  I still haven't decided if it is my cup of tea.  I figure I can get around fine crawling.  Plus, I don't really want to start putting shoes on.  Sorry, sidetracked.  All in all a good first vacation, I did good in the hotel so hopefully dad and mom will be open to more trips in the future!!!

Being silly with grandma!

This blog is long enough so here is the short recap of the remainder of the weekend.  I slept the whole trip home, we had some Indian for dinner, Saturday grocery shopping, playing, dinner at Olive Garden (YUM!), Sunday church, turkey burgers, nap, swimming pool, etc....Ahh....I live the GOOD life.

Enjoy all the pictures (I am sure there will be even more and better pics to come once I see Aunt Rhonda's photos - she is a better photographer than mom & dad!)

A little nap before the water park.

Mom and me enjoying the water.

Enough said!!

Amelia OUT.