Play, Celebrate, Play

As I mentioned in a previous post, we took Meghan to Lafayette, Louisiana to celebrate her birthday with her Grandpa and Uncle. We also took her there so that she could meet some of her Grandparent's friends and swim in their pool. Meghan was really good on the car ride, although she did have a few testy moments and that was because she was tired of being in the car seat for so long. By the time we came back home, she was over the car seat completely. But she willingly got in it the next day we were back. Meghan is changing every day. It is amazing. I can't even begin to express how much fun MJ and I are having watching her move through each stage. This past week after we got back, she started eating Ritz crackers on her own. She loves them and we now let her take one from the package. She has also started taking ownership of her toys. They now have meaning to her. She tends to favor some over others now and recognizes the toys she plays with the most. Meghan has also discoverd that some toys make noise (you know, those toys that you press on them or push something and they sing a song). She will bop to them and it is funny watching her. In the past couple of days, Meghan has started giving us toys and then taking them back from us. I will ask her "Can I have your toy?" and she will hand it to me, but then immediately wants it back. She laughs like crazy when she does this. We have also discovered that she loves books. She will open them, look at them, feel them, and talk (babble) to them. We are starting to hear "Ma and Da" sounds, but it is mostly just jibberish. MJ and I do try and encourage her by responding to those sounds. She also makes many other sounds too!

Meghan and her Grampa. He took her to his work and she got to sit in a helicopter! She liked it too! Maybe we are starting too soon, but she will learn to love airplanes and helicopters, just like we do! Maybe she will grow up to be a pilot??
Meghan opening some more birthday gifts from her Nana and Grampa. She likes this toy because it plays music and she can easily grab the animals.

Meghan hanging out in her Duck floatie in her Grandparent's pool. Meghan loves to be in the water and had a lot of fun last weekend swimming in their pool. In fact it wore her out and she crashed every night! A closeup of Meghan swimming in the pool. She was busy slapping the water when this picture was taken.Meghan's second 1st birthday cake. She had to share this one with her Uncle and Grampy even though it only had her name on it. She also shared it with her Nana's friends who came over to their house while we were visiting to meet her. We recieved some really nice and unique gifts. One of them is a stuffed panda that was attatched to the Star Registry. We are going to name a star after Meghan! Now she will have her own star to wish upon every night! We also got some other really cute gifts for her.Before she dug into another piece of cake. She was really into it this time. Meghan knew exactly what to do with that piece of cake!After she smashed, smooshed, and stuffed cake in her face! We had to hose of the high chair when she was done. Cake was everywhere!

Back at home and trying to feed herself a Ritz cracker. She loves eating them, but sure can make a nice big cracker crumb mess!

Meghan finally getting a chance to pet her kitty, Catie. Catie is really good with Meghan. She has been patient and watches Meghan all the time. Echo is finally starting to come around and is hanging out with us more. She was hiding from us for a while. I caught Echo sniffing Meghan's toys earlier this morning.

We also took her to see a local daycare this week. It is very close to our house and is going to work out great for us. Meghan was very interested in the children in the room where she would be placed. There was one child who was very upset and he upset her. It was so cute because she looked at us with a pouty face and then she cried. She stopped as soon as they took her out of the room. (I guess she thought she had to be sad because he was sad. She did this one time when we were in China, too.) She will start going to daycare 3 days a week in late October. That will give me more time to sub and if an opening should materialize, then it won't be hard getting her to adjust at a minute's notice. MJ is going to stay with her the other 2 days of the week, when he is off work. Here are some photos from the week and my next post will be about things I wish I had taken to China with me and things I wish I would not have taken to China.