G absolutely LOVES to dance. She'll start shaking what her mama gave her to anything - the tv, the radio, or even us just clapping our hands. She was playing with the stereo the other day, as usual, but this time managed to find the volume.
Kyle & Harms: this one is just for you. Listen closely toward the end:
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
11 Months
Our big girl is rapidly approaching the 1 year mark. As usual we are shocked at how fast time has gone, and frankly pretty amazed with ourselves for making it through our first year as parents. Hobbies of this 11 month old include pushing her laundry basket around the house, climbing the stairs as often as she can (usually with a "can't catch me" grin on her face), and playing with the phone so much she's actually made a few calls. We've also started to inch closer to another milestone: saying buh-bye to both the bottle and formula. She hasn't had a bottle since Sunday night and we've been mixing her remaining formula with cow's milk. Plus she's recently figured out the mystery of the straw, so we are on quite a roll.
Here's our big girl! PS - she was so uncontrollably wiggly for the first set of shots that I had to try again the next day, hence the different hairstyles.
I will remain seated for approximately 8 seconds. Then I'm climbing - can't stop me!
Ok fine, if I have to sit then I'm taking this blanket with me
And now I shall dive off the chair. Wheeeeeeee!
Here's my foot. Have you seen it before?
Stinky!
The best shot I could grab. Hard to photograph this cheeky little monkey.
Here's our big girl! PS - she was so uncontrollably wiggly for the first set of shots that I had to try again the next day, hence the different hairstyles.
I will remain seated for approximately 8 seconds. Then I'm climbing - can't stop me!
Ok fine, if I have to sit then I'm taking this blanket with me
And now I shall dive off the chair. Wheeeeeeee!
Here's my foot. Have you seen it before?
Stinky!
The best shot I could grab. Hard to photograph this cheeky little monkey.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sketters
You may be surprised to learn that Genevieve is a fan of eating. She's now also a fan of rubbing her food in her hair. Adds that extra 'oomph' that every girl is looking for.
Mother, do you mind? I'm dining.
Watch me make spaghetti soup!
As long as I'm covered in sauce, I shall remove my bow and permanently stain it.
Having a hard time putting it back in...
Mother, do you mind? I'm dining.
Watch me make spaghetti soup!
As long as I'm covered in sauce, I shall remove my bow and permanently stain it.
Having a hard time putting it back in...
Screw it! Let's rub sauce in the hair instead.
Grandparents-a-plenty
Total times swimming this summer: zero.
We've been lucky enough to spend a lot of our August weekends at the cottage with family. Typically this means hot afternoons floating lazily in the lake. Unfortunately this summer it means bundling up just short of a hat & mittens. But we've still been able to have a good time.
We started off the month with the annual Martin/Maio weekend, a recent tradition which happens now every year during the EAA. All the grandparents were there and waiting by the time we finally pulled in, and truly I'm sure no one would have noticed if Matt and I had just dropped off the baby and the dog and disappeared until Sunday night...except for perhaps when she had a dirty diaper. We know our place.
On Saturday my dad went off to the big air show and Karl and Matt busied themselves with cutting down trees and splitting logs. We four ladies took the crappy weather opportunity to head to Princeton, a cute little town about 20 miles from Wautoma filled with charming little shops. Our first stop was for lunch, and when we walked into the cafe we were greeted by a special little hostess named Sara. She was maybe 5 years old and had Down's, and was absolutely fascinated by Genevieve. I can't say that her parents (the cafe owners we assumed) did much to distract her from us while we ate, but G didn't mind so I didn't mind. Sara was extremely concerned whenever G got some food on her face (hi, every 2 seconds) and kept grabbing napkins to clean her up. It was pretty sweet.
G with our hostess
We've been lucky enough to spend a lot of our August weekends at the cottage with family. Typically this means hot afternoons floating lazily in the lake. Unfortunately this summer it means bundling up just short of a hat & mittens. But we've still been able to have a good time.
We started off the month with the annual Martin/Maio weekend, a recent tradition which happens now every year during the EAA. All the grandparents were there and waiting by the time we finally pulled in, and truly I'm sure no one would have noticed if Matt and I had just dropped off the baby and the dog and disappeared until Sunday night...except for perhaps when she had a dirty diaper. We know our place.
On Saturday my dad went off to the big air show and Karl and Matt busied themselves with cutting down trees and splitting logs. We four ladies took the crappy weather opportunity to head to Princeton, a cute little town about 20 miles from Wautoma filled with charming little shops. Our first stop was for lunch, and when we walked into the cafe we were greeted by a special little hostess named Sara. She was maybe 5 years old and had Down's, and was absolutely fascinated by Genevieve. I can't say that her parents (the cafe owners we assumed) did much to distract her from us while we ate, but G didn't mind so I didn't mind. Sara was extremely concerned whenever G got some food on her face (hi, every 2 seconds) and kept grabbing napkins to clean her up. It was pretty sweet.
G with our hostess
We continued on to an antique shop that had some amazing old furniture, and we came across a collection of cool vintage hats. Guess who got to model them all?
A flapper night on the town
A formal affair
Tea with the Queen
Out to the jazz club
Who turned out the lights?
A flapper night on the town
A formal affair
Tea with the Queen
Out to the jazz club
Who turned out the lights?
And despite the negative windchills, we did manage to spend a little time on the boat.
There's that wiggly moustache again
Step aside friends, I've got places to go
Note to self: six adults = beaching the boat
There's that wiggly moustache again
Step aside friends, I've got places to go
Note to self: six adults = beaching the boat
We were up again this past weekend for a Maio extravaganza, bringing together sarcasm from across the Midwest. Matt's younger cousins, Dylan and Sammy, got some serious boating and fishing in, while hopefully his other cousin, Andi, got to snooze and relax. It was chilly again, but bright and beautiful so I'll take it.
Ralphie taking love where ever he can get it.
Sooooooooo close to letting go...
Dylan kicks our collective butts in number of fish caught, even if they are a wee bit petite
Ralphie taking love where ever he can get it.
Sooooooooo close to letting go...
Dylan kicks our collective butts in number of fish caught, even if they are a wee bit petite
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Wisconsin's Best
Adding to the list of things I swore I would never do, yet have done, yesterday we all went to the Wisconsin State Fair. We figured it would be a little less crowded on a week night and we knew that G's little internal clock would be a good barrier to staying too long.
Once we parked and got into the gates we started down the lane-o-cholesterol and made an immediate pit stop at a cheese curds booth. And so began our eating fest! Genevieve was a big fan and disaster was barely averted when she managed to snag the cup of ranch.
Gimmie that
We continued down the road with booth after booth of food, souvenirs, and general crap for sale (which actually serves a purpose. The House of Harley-Davidson has a booth there and we're clearing out tons of our junky t-shirts!). Matt desperately wanted to go to the milk booth but the line was insane. At just $0.25 a cup it's easy to see why it was popular, but seriously, the line rivaled the one at the gastric-bypass booth. Instead we went into one of the animal barns. Yes, even I went with, with the strict instruction that NO ONE touches ANYTHING (even though I was prepared with antibacterial wipes and gallons of Purell, props to the fair administration for having hand washing stations outside each of the barns). We saw roosters, goats, and llamas. Some of the goats were for meat and some were for milk, and a few of the girls who were for milk looked pretty full and uncomfortable. Now having nursed a baby I felt for them like never before. Genevieve seemed to like all of the new sights but was most taken with - what else? - all of the fans that were blowing about. She also enjoyed it when Matt and I made asses of ourselves by hollering "cock-a-doodle-doo!" at the rooster. When in Rome...
Hello Mr. Goa...hey there's a fan!
While en route to the cow barn (which I also entered but we stayed in for all of 45 seconds. Also, some farm girl seemed to be hair-spraying the fur on one of her cow's rear-ends. Is this some kind of judging pre-requisite? Are our bovine friends more attractive if their butt-fur stands up? I'm stumped...), we stopped for some photo ops at the animal cut outs. G thought that was great. We also stopped at the giant tractor. Matt was impressed.
Good fun
Matt telling me to hurry the hell up and take the picture. Quality family time!
We continued on in search of more calories, stopping first for an ear of grilled corn. While waiting in line I couldn't help but notice one especially fine specimen of WI WT. Mullet? Check. High likelihood that it's permed? Double check. Acid-wash jeans? Check. Earring? Check. Extra points for having a dangly nautical-inspired earring? Check. Thank god I had the camera on me.
classic!
Are you dying? I know. Anyhoo after the corn we continued our search for the famed Wisconsin State Fair cream puffs. We were looking and looking for a booth and couldn't find one...what the heck?...until we realized that there was actually an entire BARN dedicated to the baked goods. Sign us up!
What is this, mother?
Ooh yeah, give me more
Heh heh, cream puffs gooooooood
By this time it was getting late and G was starting to cash out so we headed back toward the parking lot. Lest we leave hungry, we made one last stop for a pretzel (my personal fave) and bbq turkey sandwich.
Still eating, just like at home
If the chunk of pretzel that I found in her belly button later that night was any indication, G seemed to enjoy her first trip to State Fair. And as long as the mullets continue to flock to West Allis every year, I suspect so will the Maio family.
Relaxing with a full tummy
Thanks for the lift, dad
Can't wait to go back next year
Once we parked and got into the gates we started down the lane-o-cholesterol and made an immediate pit stop at a cheese curds booth. And so began our eating fest! Genevieve was a big fan and disaster was barely averted when she managed to snag the cup of ranch.
Gimmie that
We continued down the road with booth after booth of food, souvenirs, and general crap for sale (which actually serves a purpose. The House of Harley-Davidson has a booth there and we're clearing out tons of our junky t-shirts!). Matt desperately wanted to go to the milk booth but the line was insane. At just $0.25 a cup it's easy to see why it was popular, but seriously, the line rivaled the one at the gastric-bypass booth. Instead we went into one of the animal barns. Yes, even I went with, with the strict instruction that NO ONE touches ANYTHING (even though I was prepared with antibacterial wipes and gallons of Purell, props to the fair administration for having hand washing stations outside each of the barns). We saw roosters, goats, and llamas. Some of the goats were for meat and some were for milk, and a few of the girls who were for milk looked pretty full and uncomfortable. Now having nursed a baby I felt for them like never before. Genevieve seemed to like all of the new sights but was most taken with - what else? - all of the fans that were blowing about. She also enjoyed it when Matt and I made asses of ourselves by hollering "cock-a-doodle-doo!" at the rooster. When in Rome...
Hello Mr. Goa...hey there's a fan!
While en route to the cow barn (which I also entered but we stayed in for all of 45 seconds. Also, some farm girl seemed to be hair-spraying the fur on one of her cow's rear-ends. Is this some kind of judging pre-requisite? Are our bovine friends more attractive if their butt-fur stands up? I'm stumped...), we stopped for some photo ops at the animal cut outs. G thought that was great. We also stopped at the giant tractor. Matt was impressed.
Good fun
Matt telling me to hurry the hell up and take the picture. Quality family time!
We continued on in search of more calories, stopping first for an ear of grilled corn. While waiting in line I couldn't help but notice one especially fine specimen of WI WT. Mullet? Check. High likelihood that it's permed? Double check. Acid-wash jeans? Check. Earring? Check. Extra points for having a dangly nautical-inspired earring? Check. Thank god I had the camera on me.
classic!
Are you dying? I know. Anyhoo after the corn we continued our search for the famed Wisconsin State Fair cream puffs. We were looking and looking for a booth and couldn't find one...what the heck?...until we realized that there was actually an entire BARN dedicated to the baked goods. Sign us up!
What is this, mother?
Ooh yeah, give me more
Heh heh, cream puffs gooooooood
By this time it was getting late and G was starting to cash out so we headed back toward the parking lot. Lest we leave hungry, we made one last stop for a pretzel (my personal fave) and bbq turkey sandwich.
Still eating, just like at home
If the chunk of pretzel that I found in her belly button later that night was any indication, G seemed to enjoy her first trip to State Fair. And as long as the mullets continue to flock to West Allis every year, I suspect so will the Maio family.
Relaxing with a full tummy
Thanks for the lift, dad
Can't wait to go back next year
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Off to the races
We were going to get G a push-toy for her birthday but apparently she just can't wait.
Hey check this thing out!
Who knew a laundry basket could bring such a smile to anyone's face?
Look out Pops, I'm coming through
Zoooooooooooooooom!
Hey I wonder if this thing goes down the stairs too?
Hey check this thing out!
Who knew a laundry basket could bring such a smile to anyone's face?
Look out Pops, I'm coming through
Zoooooooooooooooom!
Hey I wonder if this thing goes down the stairs too?
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Stinky
G is coming up with new faces, sounds, and moves every day which is (usually) pretty entertaining. It's amazing to think of how much new information she's learning and retaining every day. For example she's been babbling "dat" for quite a while, which we thought was just a silly baby word. But at the cottage with all four grandparents last weekend my mom figured out that she's probably asking "what's that?". Obviously we're not fluent in baby yet. But another thing we've noticed is this funny smushed up face she's been making. Perhaps it's an early indicator for a dirty diaper or something, but until we figure it out for sure we're going to enjoy the humor.
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