Miracle Baby Reunion 2009

Last week was The Miracle Baby Reunion.  This is a party the NICU nurses and doctors throw every year, and they invite all the children who have "graduated" from the NICU.  It is nice for the parents to see other families they got to know during their stay, and I'm pretty sure the docs and nurses get a kick out of seeing all these healthy kids that they spent so much time with when they were small and sickly.  Without their assistance and expertise, Tori would not be here today, so I was grateful to have another chance to say "Thanks!" and of course show off how far Tori has come.  They all remember her, probably because she was there for so long!  This year, there was face painting and circus games and little prizes for the kids- Tori thought is was great.  And of course lots of cake to eat! We didn't stay the entire time because it was during her naptime and she started getting cranky, but we packed a lot of fun into an hour.  The transition from 2 naps to 1 hasn't been the smoothest, but we are getting the hang of it, I think!  

My budding musician!

Kris captured this adorable footage of Tori playing piano.....she is such a ham!  If this girl does not grow up basking in the limelight.....I will be very surprised.  She is happiest when all attention is on HER!  And she is so adorable, it's not hard for her, no matter where we are.  I wonder what it will be like when she gets a sibling......

She Walks!

Okay, okay.....she really started walking about 2 weeks ago.  But it is the hardest thing to capture on video!  Or maybe it's just me. She'll walk when she doesn't think anyone is watching and think nothing of it.  But the instant she hears my camera click on, she drops to her knees to crawl.  So this isn't the best footage, but it's something:-)  She can now walk across the room quite well and even in shoes!  It's all very exciting, and now she officially toddles as a toddler.  This footage is from 5 days ago, so it's amazing to me how far she's come in even a few days.  I think by the time Halloween rolls around, Miss Tori will be pro enough to do some trick-or-treating!  

First (and maybe last) Camping Trip

This wasn't my most stellar decision as a Mom, deciding to take Tori camping.  It was just 1 night at a state park in the Redwoods.  She enjoyed exploring our campsite on all fours, and then after i had to completely change her outfit and give her a bath with wet-wipes, we decided no more crawling.  Unfortunately that was ALL she wanted to do.  We went for a hike along the river and she liked that, she really liked the camping food...who doesn't like hot dogs and baked beans and marshmallows?  But around 9 or 10 pm she lost it....really we shouldn't have embarked on that game of Yahtzee with my sister Joanna....anyway, screaming ensued that could only be pacified by nursing, and this was screaming that had the whole campsite wondering, What are they doing to that baby?  We decided to wait on camping until she was 2.

Peek-a-boo! II

Peek a boo continues to be among Tori's favorite games.  She'll play peek a boo with ANYTHING almost....a dish towel, a curtain, a blanket, hiding behind a sofa or a dog.... it's really quite hilarious sometimes.  And to think there was a time I was worried because she hadn't started liking peek a boo yet!  I suppose moms will find anything to worry about when it's their own bebe!  Enjoy this peek a boo video!

Babies in the Library

We're so glad we were able to participate in several sessions of Babies in the Library (and that our library was open and had the program available!)  Tori loved it, although by the end of our last session, she was more interested in playing and visiting than sitting still for clapping games and rhymes.  But she still loves the books.  And she made some new friends!   They are starting a Wobblers program in September, and we will probably take part in that one, designed for toddlers.

Tori liked to get up and move during much of the program- here she is standing by a chair.

She also liked to crawl to the middle of the parachute and read her books, but sometimes she would hold still so I could read them with her.  It's just so hard to sit still with so many babies!

Our Babies Group!

Tori takes a snooze after all that reading and playing:-)

Playing Around

This is Tori swinging at Bear Creek Park.  I was trying to get her to do her cute wave, but she was really distracted by my camera and the kid swinging next to her.  Still pretty cute though!

This is Tori playing with her Alphabet Pal.  She loves it on music mode, where each of his little feet play a different song.  She also recently discovered how fun it is to drive it around on the kitchen floor.  Toys with wheels are pretty fascinating to her right now, because she can make them move!