The End of August

Here's a quick catch up on the last couple of weeks. Two Fridays ago, Phoebe and I were at YiaYia and Papou's - fighting nap time and she fell on a baby gate and bit down on her lip. So hard that there were four distinct gashes where her little teeth had gone through her lip - I had no idea a mouth could bleed so much. Honestly, I was horrified. However, she pulled through like a champ and we headed to the Fair one last time with friends.



For those of you who don't know - Phoebe LOVES wagons. Her eyes got so wide when she saw this huge display of them for sale!

We've had lovely lovely weather in Indy recently and have been taking advantage of some great parks in the city. She's not sure about rolling down hills quite yet but she certainly loves to run up and down them!

And of course, the girl still loves her swing-time!


We've also "mastered" the skill of blowing our own bubbles, thanks to YiaYia! She'll be a pro in no time!

She had a red bump on the inside of her wrist that wasn't going away so we ended up taking her to the doctor Tuesday morning to find out she had a staph infection - the pediatrician said it was probably from a hair follicle - who knew!? So we're on medication for 10 days and an ointment that I've somehow lost in the car today, but I think things are clearing up quite nicely. She's learning ALL kinds of words - including "boo boo." She's quick to repeat anything we say and is now referring to herself as "Bebe" and points to herself in pictures and says her "name."

She's still very interested in the phone but usually hangs up on the other person if it's an actual phone conversation. Usually the grandmas are pretty good sports about it and answer when we call back!

Here we're attempting to pose for photos and say "cheese!" Again, it's a work in process, but we're amazed that she even grasps the concept.

On a side note, we were trying to figure out what to do with Pita when we head to Jackson Hole in early September. It just didn't make sense to pay to put her in a kennel when she couldn't even move to drink or eat. All of a sudden, she's eating and drinking on her own. And last night, while Phoebe and I were eating dinner while Ryan was at a fantasy football draft, Pita walked in to get some "real" food. We're just completely stumped - for now, we think she's improving - perhaps she's finally on the upswing. We'll continue to keep you posted.

Weekend in Princeton

We had a real quick trip to Princeton this weekend! After a long day in the sun Friday, Phoebe was up and ready to go before 9:00 Saturday morning. We made it in time for Phoebe to need her nap and were in Patoka for about 30 minutes before Nana and cousin Lucas just couldn't stand it any longer! All things considered, she woke up in a fairly good mood and was ready to play with her Georgia family. Even Chris and Corrie came down from Kokomo with 5 month old Bailey.

It was (Great) Grandma Maralu's 80th birthday on Saturday. She said she could hardly believe she'd seen 80 years. We had a great time celebrating at Vaughn & Kay's home and got to eat lots of yummy food. We'd stopped on the way down at our favorite orchard in Bruceville for our customary apple slushie (which will explain the outfit change for Phoebe mid-day - who knew apples could do that to a 16 month old!?) and a homemade peach pie for Maralu.

Vaughn is a hunter so there was elk, pheasant, wild boar head - all hanging on the walls. Phoebe was unfazed by the animals and actually would look up to them, wave and say "HI!" Phoebe had a great time playing with her cousins Lucas and Ella.

After celebrating we headed to see (Great) Grandma Mary Helen. We took Aunt Carrie, Uncle Mike and cousin Lucas along for the visit and had a good time catching up. She'd been busy cleaning out her attic and showed us all kinds of things she'd saved from newspapers and weddings. We'd be in deep trouble if we saved the way she did - but it was interesting to see how things were done back in the good old days.

Phoebe and Ella had lots of fun outside playing with bubbles. Ella turned 3 earlier this summer and Phoebe proved to challenge her sharing skills. We heard from ALL sides of the family this weekend that Phoebe needed a sibling to work on her little stubborn streak but it's just not gonna happen - at least not right now.

Saturday night, we celebrated Papa's birthday (which is actually this Tuesday). We got him some Colts socks, a ball retriever - not that he would ever need that with his golf game - and an autographed picture of Dallas Clark that Ryan snagged at training camp this month.

We do believe Phoebe was overstimulated this weekend. Between all the animals and people at the Fair to all the family and friends she got to play with in Princeton - this is her at 11:00 p.m. Saturday night. We were laying in the hotel room, all the lights out, and the child just sits up in bed and starts clapping and putting her fingers to her face - she was doing the "If You're Happy and You Know It" song at 11:00 at night! Crazy child - she still made us laugh.

Aunt Debi brought Toby, Cousin Alecia brought Stinky and Nana and Papa brought Annie and Abby so Phoebe had lots of dog interaction while down south. Here she is sneaking a little love in on Abby in Maralu's kitchen.

We headed out around lunchtime on Sunday to try and coincide with Phoebe's naptime. We weren't on the road more than two minutes before she was out. She slept two hours in the car (which is pretty much unheard of anymore) and it made for a quick ride home. And she was still out when it was time to leave for daycare this morning - Ryan stayed home with her so she could sleep in a bit. It was too quick a trip and not enough time with family - we're already excited to see everyone again at Thanksgiving!

Indiana State Fair

So it's the first week of the State Fair and Phoebe and I have already been twice! The Wallis family just can't get enough of farm animals and tractor pulls! We went as a family last night since admission was free and Phoebe became a quick fan of any and everything Fair! I've never seen her wave at so many strangers before!

They had a small petting zoo where we could buy food to give the animals. We weren't going to feed them but after we saw the death grip Phoebe was giving the goats, we thought it only fair to let them eat a bit extra!

This morning we were getting ready to head BACK to the Fair with YiaYia while Ryan went to work and this is where I found Phoebe. Pita is still with us but not moving much. Phoebe has quite the bond with our dogs even if they can't reciprocate.

We got to the Fair before 10:00 this morning while it was still bearable outside. We got to do all kinds of fun things that we've never done at the fair before! YiaYia suggested we start in Pioneer Village and they had this cute little area where kids wore aprons and got baskets and then got to pick up eggs, feed livestock, garden, pick apples, shear sheep, milk cows and ride tractors. Then they got to turn in their wares for cash and buy something at the store. Phoebe made out with a box of Apple Jacks. We haven't tried them yet, but I'm sure they'll be a big hit!

We also got to see the world's largest boars, baby pigs, all kinds of donkeys and sheep. If you've spent any time with Phoebe at all, you know she loves her animals. She was quite enthralled! And we didn't mention anything to the pigs about our delicious lunch in the Pork Tent!

Before we made the loop on the tractor train on our way out, we stopped at the Dept. of Natural Resources building to check out the fish and ALL the water. She was mostly dry by the time we boarded the train and well on her way to a much needed nap!

Thanks for hanging out with us all day, YiaYia! We had a great time at the State Fair - and if Ryan has anything to say about it, I'm sure we'll be back next weekend! Tomorrow we're off to Princeton so another post will follow soon.

Not much...

Not much to post about but pre-season football is on NBC tonight so I might as well do something! Ryan had a successful week in Terre Haute snagging some cool autographs from new and old Colts players. Phoebe is mimicking a lot of what we do lately and very interested in repeating sounds. Here she is looking just like Daddy sitting in the big chair just surfing the net.


Friday Phoebe and I headed to my friend Amanda's house and took advantage of her neighborhood pool after lunch. Phoebe hadn't been in a pool since last Labor Day when we were down in Georgia. I wasn't quite sure how she'd take to the water, but the girl has NO fear. She was running around the pool and I was grateful to have a fast swimmer for a friend!



We did a little house shopping this weekend and toured some model homes. We also did a bit of shopping shoppin. I know we don't officially have school to go out and buy for, but fall is around the corner, so with discount offers in hand, we hit the outlet mall Saturday. Phoebe made out like a bandit. Ryan didn't do so bad himself...and all from a store he swore he'd never buy anything from.


We also hit the Colts Pro Shop on the way home today. It's in the Lucas Oil Stadium downtown right near a train track. Phoebe just kept waving to the train going by. She's a very friendly child - lately she's even been waving and saying hi to semi-trucks as we pass them on the highway.

It looks like we're going to get our summer weather all in August this year - right in time for the Indiana State Fair. Anyone who knows the Wallis family knows we love the fair so the 90 degree weather won't keep us away! We're going to try and fit in one visit before we head down to Princeton for the coming weekend. Great Grandma Maralu and Papa both have birthdays mid-August so everyone is coming to town to celebrate. We can't wait to see everyone!

Where did summer go?

It's been another couple of weeks so here's the latest on the goings on in the Wallis' house. I survived my wisdom teeth extraction - barely. Friday was the best day - Ryan and I even went and saw movie that night since Phoebe was hanging out at YiaYia and Papou's. It all went down hill after Sunday but I won't bore you with the details. Let's just say Hydrocodone and Aleve are STILL my best friends... Phoebe had a blast and got into all kinds of fun while away from us. They brought the wagon inside and the girl entertained herself!


Yia Yia and Auntie Kate took Phoebe to the park and enjoyed the lovely weather we've been having.


Saturday, since I was still feeling good, we ran errands and then took Auntie Kate with us to Traders Point Creamery. How can you say no to ice cream!? They also have animals in their barn (which we discovered you could only see at $4 a pop, so we just looked at the pretty flowers outside instead). Here's a girl after my own heart...










Phoebe is VERY much into giving high fives.



We came over this past Friday after our morning walk and hung out with the family as they were preparing for Katie's trek to Pennsylvania. We got there only to find out Katie's Explorer had practically bit the dust and she was suddenly in the market for a new vehicle. Talk about "real world" happening all at once!

Phoebe opted to hang out in the swing and Papou just pulled up a chair and pushed her to her heart's content.



Here's Phoebe trying out Auntie Kate's new 2006 Honda Accord on Saturday. Nice ride, sis!


We also helped move all of Auntie Kate's stuff out of Uncle Steve's garage - one more step closer to getting his house market-ready! Phoebe got to strut her stuff with Uncle Steve before he headed back to Chicago. The girl has an ear for music and a gift for rhythm she must have inherited from her Auntie Kate!


Did I mention she loves her swing at YiaYia and Papou's???


In fact, she likes ANY swing!

We have Pita on a new experimental drug that the vet said should take at least a week to work if it will provide us with ANY progress. We'll keep you posted, but things aren't looking to improve. Ryan is headed to lovely Terre Haute this week to cheer on the Indianapolis Colts as they begin training camp. Mom, Dad and Auntie Kate head off for Messiah College in Pennsylvania to get her all settled as she begins her first official "adult" job. It's hard to believe school is getting ready to start already! We'll miss you Auntie Kate! Thanks for taking SUCH great care of Phoebe - she won't forget you (no matter what Ryan says!).

15 Months and counting...

Sorry it's been awhile since our last post - not much to report - we're still teething and still waiting on Pita to improve - she's been coming to the table whenever we eat which we thought was definitely a step in the right direction, but I fear she's not going to get any better. Yesterday she walked down our two front porch steps and fell on the bottom one and then didn't move and just started shaking. It could be that she had just been traumatized by Phoebe "loving" on her, but we've tried to protect her from Phoebe's rough hugs and tugs. Then today, she's thrown up the last two times she's eaten - I know we keep asking for prayers but our poor little girl just doesn't seem to be getting better.

On Friday, Phoebe had her 15 month check up - hard to believe, huh? She weighed in at 20 lbs. 12 oz. (30th percentile) and measured 30.5 inches long (60th percentile). Everything looked good but then our pediatrician asked if our house was older than 1975 and when we said it was, he said she'd need to be tested for lead. So, we ran to the lab next door and poor thing, had each arm poked and pricked before they finally suggested that we try really hydrating her and come back another day. She was a screaming, tearful mess by the time it was done, and I was pretty much in the same boat. We tried milk, watered down pear juice and then finally gave her straight cherry juice Saturday morning and by 11:30, they drew blood on their first attempt. We'll find out the results later this week and hope and pray we're in the clear.

It amazes me how little girls often become fascinated with girly things, even when we've kept things pretty neutral in our house. We were at YiaYia and Papou's and she just loved playing with the sparkly necklaces. Note Uncle Steve in the background...





We also found out that Uncle Steve accepted a job offer with a new company and started today. Unfortunately, this new job is in Chicago. Luckily for us, he has a townhouse in Broad Ripple to sell so we'll be seeing a bit more of him before his move is permanent. We all met at his house after church on Sunday for lunch. It seems like Uncle Steve's dusting techniques just might secure his bachelorhood...

It was also our first attempt at a ponytail. She won't sit still long enough to get pigtails or even a fun on-top do so I bought some mini-clips to see if I could sneak a fast one in on her. I think Auntie Kate finally nabbed most of her hair for a brief minute before she grabbed it out. She looks like such a big girl!

For those of you in the midwest, you know what unseasonably cool weather we've been having. We had a birthday party at a water park on Sunday and unfortunately, had to settle for watching the water. I can't believe our little girl can eat pizza and drink a capri sun - it just doesn't seem possible. (Does that make us bad parents?!)


And just because it was a mere 68 degrees outside didn't mean she didn't try to play IN the water!

Because she's past 30 inches now, we're definitely in the market for a convertible car seat. As Ryan would say, just one more excuse I didn't need to go shopping! Woohoo! And she's finally outgrown her baby bath towels so here's her first after-bath photo with her newest towel.

On a side note, I'm scheduled to have all four wisdom teeth out this coming Friday morning. Ryan understands if he posts any embarrassing videos of me while under the influence, he'll be in big trouble! The few people in my family who've had them removed have all had poor experiences so I'm trying not to think about it. Between Phoebe getting teeth and me having them removed, we praise the Lord for painkillers!

Happy 4th of July!

I think we love long weekends at the Wallis' house! We'd love them even more if the weather would cooperate when they come! Unfortunately, most of Indiana was in the 60s and had rain ALL day long on Saturday. So what's a family to do with a 14 1/2 month old?! We put our newly purchased membership to the Children's Museum to work! Phoebe has for the last week, been waking up between 5:45 and 6:30 a.m. - we're hoping the 7:30-8:30 routine returns soon - but on Saturday, it allowed us to get an early start and beat the crowd to the museum! She returned to the costumes and the mower right off the bat.



I think she's acting out her mealtime experience...luckily for us, it's starting to pay off at home. All of a sudden you give her peas or green beans and she eats them. I stand amazed that our picky eater is slowly branching out and making friends in the process...

And added bonus for Ryan - it was Star Wars day at the museum.

And since I didn't fare so well on the carousel last time, Ryan had the honors. I think this time around, Phoebe enjoyed dancing to the music more than the ride itself.

We also hit Holliday Park with Auntie Kate this weekend when the weather was nicer.


Couldn't you just eat her up?

We all took turns going down the big kids' slides with her. She is absolutely fearless and would go by herself if I wasn't traumatized from when I was a child and fell off the top of one.

We also took a short hike so Daddy could see the water. If only we'd parked closer, he'd have grabbed his fishing pole out of the back of his car! Phoebe has definitely taken after him in her love for the water!

YiaYia left for Camp Challenge in Bedford, Indiana on Sunday and Auntie Kate left for a work camp at Camp Challenge in Alaska today. We miss them both already! I had to include this video and apologize now for the singing - I know y'all think I'm the next American Idol but I've got a good thing going at work so I'm going to have to deny my inner Kelly Clarkson or Clay Aiken...ugh, you'll get the picture soon enough. Either way, she's got the song down we just opted not to post the long version!

And, on a side note, Pita is still with us. The vet opted to try Tetracycline but she's been on it since Friday and we've seen little improvement. We'll be chatting with the vet once more tomorrow to discuss our options and then do what's best for her. We appreciate all your prayers!