Helen and Wyn July 8, 2008

We have been lucky having so many people come to visit us since Hayden’s birth! Our friends from Basingstoke, Helen and Wyn, took a trip to Canada a couple of weeks ago and carved out a few days to journey south and visit us. We had such a lovely visit with them. Straight from the airport we went off to the zoo. Hayden had been recently with his granddad and Jean, but I hadn’t been there in years. It was really nice and we all enjoyed strolling around in the beautiful weather. We had a few funny moments along the way – Wyn wandering off in the middle of one of my fantastically short stories to see a walrus which blew his mind, a volunteer at the eagle exhibit who had a talon, skull, and feather for people to look at and feel but who seemed not to know the answer to the smallest of questions pertaining to eagles, and of course Wyn detouring us to the most amazing and exotic of all animals… the sheep (this is funny when you realize that Wyn is Welsh, and the Welsh are rumored to have a romantic affinity toward sheep).

During the course of their visit we also went to a baseball game, took a picnic to Symphony on the Prairie which featured Abba songs, went swimming, had some nice meals, introduced them to sushi (Wyn was a fast fan – Helen, not so much), and the boys enjoyed a round of golf. We were also in the throws of the Euro cup, so there was plenty of football (soccer) to watch during any down time. This gave me and Helen some chances to catch some shut-eye. 🙂

So Helen and Wyn have been together for years now (I think six), and have all been waiting for Wyn to pop the question. And their trip to Canada seemed like it would be the perfect backdrop for such an event. So when I picked them up at the airport the first thing I was looking for was a shiny ring on Helen’s finger! And when I didn’t spot one I thought maybe she wasn’t wearing it so they could make the announcement to me and John together (John was working when I picked them up). And then as their time with us drew on it became obvious that it just hadn’t happened. 😦 And so it was a brilliant surprise when we received an email from Helen the day after they left saying that they had gotten engaged on their way back to England!! 🙂 They had a 6 hour layover in Toronto, so they went to a castle for a few hours and he asked her there! He got on his knee and everything…. awwww! We are so thrilled for them!

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Hayden and Granddad May 31, 2008

I was really thrilled that my dad got to meet Hayden! They seemed to get on very well and he got to see how nice of a boy he is!! I think we had a very proud granddad on our hands. He was very funny because he has his beard he was worried what Hayden might think of it, but Hayden is so laid back he didn’t care!!!

It was great having him here but it went so fast!! We went to the track to watch Indy 500 practice, got to play golf a couple of times, and took a fun trip to the Zoo. I’m not sure who enjoyed it the most – my dad or Hayden. Hayden was very animated during the Dolphin show though. It went on for like 15 minutes with very cheesy dance music, and he was jumping up and down on my lap the whole time. I just held him up so he was standing on me and he was loving it!!!!

Next time I’m going to make him stay for two weeks!

Granddad! May 27, 2008

I’m sure John will elaborate when he gets time, but his dad Jim was here visiting for a week with his friend Jean.  It was the first time they’d met Hayden.  We had a really great time!  We went to the zoo, Indianapolis Motor Speedway to watch a practice, Lake Monroe to see Dad and Gretchen, Connor Prairie (a living museum, where everything is set up as a little town circa 1836 and 1886 and the employees all dress of the period and talk as though it is that time period), and had some nice meals.  We crammed in quite a lot in a short time.  The guys played golf a couple of times and we girls got our nails done as well.  But best of all it wasjust great that Hayden got to meet his Granddad.  They seemed to get a kick out of each other!

I love Nanny Mad!! March 16, 2008

Nanny Mad and Great Auntie Deirdre have been here for about a week and a half now!  I love having them here soooo much!  They play with me all day, and they watch me while Mommy and Daddy are at work so I get to stay home instead of having to go away to day care.  I like day care and everything, but you can’t beat being home!  They take me and Lucy on long walks while it’s nice out and I get to be in the fresh air and look at everything that we pass by like trees and houses and cars.  We have done a lot of shopping since they have been here, and they like to buy me fun things.  Today we went to the toy store and I got some presents for my birthday, even though it’s not for another few months! 🙂  How great is that!  Soon we get to go to Florida and I will see my Auntie Michelle, plus my girlfriend Avery (one of them anyway – don’t think I’ve forgotten about you Bella and Claire, wink wink) is going to come to Sea World with us and I will get to meet my buddy Jaden when he and his mommy Steph also come to Sea World.  It’s going to be the greatest trip!  I’ve had to get some warm weather outfits for the trip and for when the weather gets warm enough in Indy.  I am growing so fast that Mommy has even gotten some 18 month clothes because she didn’t think I would stay in the 12 month clothes long enough to make them worthwhile.

Mandy November 9, 2007

My cousin Mandy came to visit last weekend.  It was the first time she had seen Hayden.  She is by far the busiest person I know.  She teaches middle school Spanish full time, is getting her masters, works part time at a hotel, and is doing an internship.  I need a nap just thinking about it all.  So it was very nice of her to come from the Chicago area to visit with us.  It was a really nice weekend.  Because she is so busy she didn’t mind just hanging out, catching up, and playing with Hayden.  We went on a nice walk in the afternoon and had a lovely meal out at a place we hadn’t been to before.

We started Hayden on a bedtime routine this week.  We tried this a few weeks ago but he wasn’t really ready for it then.  He’s taken to it pretty well so far!  We started on Monday.  He gets a bath, then baby massage, then feeding, then if he is still awake he gets a story.  But he has only gotten a story one night so far as he keeps falling asleep during his feeding.  Fine with us!  Daddy is in charge of the bath and baby massage.  He loves his bath but cries his head off when he gets out because he’s cold/tired/hungry.  So baby massage might get phased out since he doesn’t really seem to enjoy it – he just wants his pajamas on and to be fed!  Anyway, he’s done brilliantly so far.  For the last three nights he wakes up about 20 minutes after he’s put down and needs to be rocked back to sleep, but then he stays asleep until he needs to eat again.

I don’t have anything more to write about Halloween, but I just had to get a picture on here with Lucy in her outfit.  She just makes me laugh!  Too bad Abbey wouldn’t stay in her outfit long enough to get a pic of them both dressed up together.  They are two peas in a pod anymore.  The sleep in Lucy’s dog bed together.  It’s hilarious.

Gemma October 29, 2007

Gemma was here last week.  She got here on Saturday and left Wed.  Unfortunately we picked her up from the airport about an hour before we had to say goodbye to Jude.  I can only imagine how she felt walking into that situation.  She was very kind though and watched Hayden for us while we went to the vet, and then gave us big hugs when we got back.  It was really nice to have a close friend here during that time.  I probably would have spent my days moping around, but because she was here we got out and walked around Indianapolis, shopped, ate, and went down to Bloomington, my old university town.  She definitely helped us feel better.

We’ve been so lucky having so many visitors.  We love that so many people from England and other parts of the US have gotten to meet Hayden already.  Just need to get Jono and Maz and Helen and Wyn over now!  And Faith, are you still coming in Dec?  And of course John’s dad needs to see him still.  My cousin Mandy is coming in from Chicago this weekend to meet him, so we are looking forward to seeing her.  Then that’s it until Christmas when John’s sister comes out.  So if anyone else fancies a visit we have openings! 🙂

Today was my first day back to work.  I am working from home three days a week throughout the end of the year, when I am supposed to go back full time.  I am still working for IBM although for a different department that has very limited travel.  Even though I work out of the house, Hayden still has to go to daycare so he can get proper care while I’m working and I can likewise actually get work done.  I don’t think it would give my clients a lot of confidence if I had a crying baby in the background during conference calls!  Fortunately there is a day care center with infant care just down the road from our house.  It is literally about a 40 second drive from our driveway to the center.  It is an easy walk as well but I don’t know if I will ever not be in such a rush to see him that I would take the extra time to walk.  Anyway, it is so near that I can go feed him during my lunch time.  That is huge while I am adjusting to being apart from him, because it only ends up being two 3 to 4 hour blocks of time without him, instead of a long 8 or 9 or 10 hour stretch.  I don’t know if I will always go there for lunch, but it is perfect right now.  I went today and he was so tired he was completely zonked out while he was eating and probably didn’t really register that I was even there!  Oh well, I know I need to see him more than he needs to see me.  I never knew I was such a wuss. ;-P