Anybody else think it is weird

to drop your kid off with strangers?

Eden went to backup daycare for the first time today. It's choking me up a little and I'm not quite sure why. I went during lunch to check on her, and she was completely uninterested in me. A softspoken "teacher" was reading a book and she was actually sort of paying attention. (In between trying to grab the book, presumably so she could eat it). The teacher said they've been commenting that even though Eden is the only one who's never been in daycare, she's the only one who actually gets it... she's been an angel, apparently. She slept for them, ate well for them, and from what I could see she was playing hard too. (NEW TOYS! BABIES!)

But that doesn't change the fact that it is really really strange to have people I don't know in charge of my baby. And it's also really strange that it's not strange, it's perfectly acceptable. WEIRD.

Eleven Months!

Sweet Eden,

You're eleven months old, and you're really growing up. You're becoming a toddler, and I can't believe how quickly it happened!!

This month you learned to mimic, and it has been really fun teaching you things! You learned to put your little red phone rattle up to your ear and say "AHHH?" which is your way of saying "hello." Once you figured that out you extended it to all of your other toys. Other rattles, keys, stuffed animals... everything gets put put to that adorable little ear and gets a sweet little greeting.

You've also learned what some things are for. You'll try to brush your hair with your hairbrush (usually with the handle instead of the bristles, but whatever...) and just the other day you figured out how to put your sunglasses on your head like Mommy! So fun!

You've also expanded the "drop" game. You now drop things on the ground and wait for me to say "Uh-oh" and then say "uuuuuooooooh." When I had it back to you we do it all over again. If we count "uuuuoooh" as an actual word, you're up to two.

You are such a social baby. You really love other kids. You're sometimes a little bit skiddish around other adults, but when you see a kid you get this really serious "GIVE ME THAT" look and squeal like crazy.

You had your first international trip this month! We went to London via Iceland, and you had a great time. Admittedly you slept through much of the trip, but when you were awake you were a hoot! You LOVED B&P's little boy Michael, and I think he was a little afraid of you because you went at him full-bore upon your first meeting, and had him pinned on the floor in seconds. You grinned like crazy from the backpack Daddy had you in. And you ate your first banana like a big girl - straight from the peel, no cutting it up!

You got a new, big girl car seat on your eleventh month birthday. You LOVE it! It has all sorts of cubby holes for all of your "phones" and sunglasses! And you look like such a big girl in it. When we came home from running around the day we got it and installed it, we walked in and your infant seat was sitting in the entryway. I had a moment of sadness, realizing that you're getting so big and that you're never going back in that little seat. It was a pang, and then it was gone, because we've been there already and we're here now and I can't wait to see what's next. You bring such joy into our lives at every stage. I can't imagine it any other way. I love you so much, Precious.

Love,

Mommy

Puree in a Pouch

(Source)

When we were in England B&P had some fruit puree in awesome little pouches with a spout called Pom Potes for little M. They let Eden have some and I fell in LOVE because they're easy to take along, no spoon required, and she can actually feed herself (if you can keep her from taking it out of her mouth and squeezing it all over herself…). Anyway, apparently that brand is only available in France. Devastating, I know... But this morning during breakfast I did a little digging, and lo and behold, there are actually similar products available in the US!

The same company that makes the Pom Potes makes an American version, called GoGo Squeez.

And another company makes a version called Smashies which I can buy at Whole Foods! Yay!

I will check them out at let you know how they stack up - B&P were so gracious as to send us home with some Pom Potes, and I will certainly be heading to Whole Foods to pick up some Smashies.

Has anyone out there tried these things? M is 2 1/2 and still loves them (and asks for them by name - so cute!) so I think they're going to be useful for many, many years (I could even see putting these in school lunches).

London Trip: Unpictured

I would've posted earlier (like Saturday night when we returned) but I fell asleep face-down on the rug waiting for the computer to start up so I figured I'd better go to bed... Now I've got a little time before work but I don't have any of the pictures yet, so I will just say we're back and give you some of the little memorable moments from the trip not captured in pictoral form (but these are the things that made the vacation real):

• We changed diapers in the following places: Starbucks; the stroller; on the grass in a sunny spot overlooking the Thames and Tower Bridge; a few restaurant booths; on some steps outside Westminster Abbey after Evensong.
• I fell down the stairs in our rented apartment while trying to get downstairs to the bathroom. And proceeded to further embarrass myself by peeing a little in my pants. And proceeded to even further embarrass myself by blogging about it.
• I tripped and nearly fell down the stairs getting on the subway a mere 36 hours later.
• The second night the guys decided to have a gas-passing contest while watching a movie. Not sure who won that one, but I'm pretty sure the girls lost; we had to watch from the dining room. (Boys.)
  
• When we were just flying into Boston, Eden was sleeping very soundly in the seat next to me, but I had to pick her up for landing. She didn't even stir. I cradled her close and stared at her peaceful baby face, mouth slightly open in that beautiful triangle I fell in love with on the ultrasound before she was even born. Her sweet baby breath blew softly in my face, and I wanted to freeze the moment. Bryan came over to the seat next to me and put his arm around us and all I could think was thank you God for this little slice of perfection this side of eternity. If the entire trip had consisted of just that one moment I think it would have been a complete success.

That's it for now. If you want more details before I get around to blogging about it again, you can check out J&K's blog or B&P's blog (each with Installment #1).

I'll leave you with this beautiful picture of Eden that P took just before she got sprayed with water from the fountains behind her (another unpictured but hilarious moment):