Pictures!

I am happy to announce the arrival of new pictures on the flickr site. If you can't get onto the flickr site email me at cynthia.greathouse@gmail.com and I will invite you again. Most of the pictures are of John and Annika because I'm the one who remembers to take pictures.
John was called as Assistant Ward Clerk. We'll see if he gets to do any actual clerking, or if we'll move just as he is finished getting trained! We'd be sad to leave, but all the houses we've liked are in neighboring wards.
We expect lots of visitors!

Funny

A few days ago I had a really frustrating day with an unusually fussy Annika and a number of other things and was quite worn out when John got home. I rested on the couch for a few minutes before we ate dinner while John changed Annika. He called for help which meant it was especially dirty, so I thought. He called for a spit up rag and came out to the kitchen as I was getting one. I looked for the spit up on his shirt, but he interrupted my shirt with a sheepish, "my head." I looked up and he had goop on his forehead and down his face! He had played airplane with Annika, her up high over his head and she had played her own game with Dad! I laughed and laughed and laughed! That made my day. What goes around comes around, so I'd better watch out.
Annika can now flip over both ways quite well and she can scootch on her back, which means that if I lay her on the floor, she is usually far from her original spot when I turn around. This can be unnerving, especially when she has her head wedged under the fan. Or coffee table. She can't move because she can only scootch backwards and she can't go any farther. I just turned around again, and she's comfortable lying feet first under the coffee table.

6 Months Old!!!

Annika is 6 months old today and I'm having a little bit of twilight zone moment. I know she is 6 months old, but she was born a few weeks ago, so how can this be? At the same time, she's been my baby for ages, decades at least. What is going on?!!
Really, its just been a wonderful time. We have so much fun with her everyday, though her wardrobe is getting a bit bedraggled in appearance. Think yellowish, orange-ish or greenish hues to the neck of all her clothes. Her dark silky hair has been replaced by lighter, thinner and oddly wispy hair. Depending on how the mood strikes it (the hair) it can sweep to the west or reach to the stars or swing both ways at once, channeling Grandpa Munster. I haven't stopped smoothing it down every few minutes, but I'm trying to let go.
In other momentous news, we are going to see two houses tonight, each for the third time and we expect to pick one and make an offer early next week. I'll keep you updated. Both are wonderful houses and we are so lucky to be in a position to buy a house. (This does mean, however, that we are, effective immediately, enforcing strict budgeting and luxury forgoing. If you come to visit, and please do, we may not be lavish, but you'll have a place to stay!)
John is getting settled at work and I think feeling more and more comfortable. I'm so grateful that he works so that Annika and I can stay home.
Other great news is that Gran Mary and Gramps (?) Greg are coming to visit in October. I'm sure Annika will put on her best shows and keep every one very entertained. (Greg will have to let us know his official title. It should be something in keeping with Gran!)
We haven't posted pictures lately but we are planning to soon. House hunting has taken a bit of our time! Thanks for you patience.
All my / our love,
Cynthia

Squash Nose

What did you do today?

As the Asst. Director of an adoption agency, a common answer might be, "I was a birthing coach for a dear birth mom. I helped as new life entered the world." Or, I testified in court on behalf of the adoptive family and witnessed the official start of their life as a new family."
As the mother of a 5 month old little girl, "I cleaned squash out of Annika's nose."
(And yes, I love it!)

humorous anecdotes for Michelle

As Michelle is probably the only reader I have, and as she has left the only comment, I will honor her request for humorous anecdotes.
Unfortunately, as usual, all I have are "stories" of my latest humiliations. For instance, in my latest attempt to be frugal in this whole baby thing, I am attempting to buy an "exersaucer" for Annika. (Sounds like aerobics for Martians.)
Anyway, I unwittingly win a bid for something I had lost interest in and had thought I'd already lost but honor my commitment and attempt to pay. I had NOT checked the ratings for this seller because I am an unexperienced ebay-er and in John's unspoken opinion, should never be left on the Internet alone. So, it turns out this is this seller's first sale, has no rating at all and is based in Poland. After finally successfully paying (seller's fault, not mine) I get a message saying that the seller is no longer a registered user of ebay. Now I've left a stern message expecting satisfaction, but not really expecting any. But at least my non-existent exersaucer cost $25 less than a real, new one.
Not really a humorous anecdote, more a cautionary tale.

More Pictures

We added new pictures last night. If you can't access them, email me and let me know.

I worry about Annika's perfection. She seems too easy to take care of. She sleeps through the night, rubs her eyes to let me know she needs a nap, plays happily by herself, likes to read with me, is patient while we finish something else before we feed her, etc. We are never awake in the middle of the night with her. She is never screaming in public. She smiles and smiles and laughs and snuggles. She wakes up happy and falls asleep content. What is awaiting me when she is a toddler. Or a teenager. Or the next child? It seems too perfect!

Also, good news to Greathouses who thought she looked too much like me. Her hair is turning a Greathouse-ish reddish. It is still a dark color, but is on its way.
(Yes, Joshua, she probably gets it from you too, but I'm skeptical!)

Well, off for an exciting day of registering our car! At least I can count on Annika to be good company!

Cynthia

More Annika

Annika's favorite (and first) game is to pull a diaper cloth over her head, make a noise as though she's having an asthmatic attack, and wait for us to come find her. Then we play peek-a-boo for 10 minutes and she laughs and laughs and laughs. She's been playing with or sucking on these burp cloths for a while now and often we'd find that it had gotten onto her face and she didn't know to reach up and grab it. She'd get anxious and we'd take it off. But now, it has turned into a game and we love it.