We carried her or she walked the entire time. She wouldn't have been able to see anything if she was in her stroller. We spent about 3 hours there, and for a zoo that size, we saw most everything.
Thursday morning I spoke to Gram and she asked if Autumn had hurt herself yet today. Well, I spoke too soon! That afternoon she took a couple falls on her knees, but the last one she actually skidded and this happened. She didn't cry one tear, which further enforces my belief that she has a high pain tolerance. I brought her inside, cleaned it up, put a bandage on it and she was fine! We've kept the bandage on during the day, especially at gym class on Friday to keep it protected, and she doesn't mess with it at all!
We took Autumn to see the bluebonnets off 290. We had planned to go all the way into Brenham, but stopped outside Chappell Hill instead. There was a huge field right there, so why go any further? The first picture is my favorite from the trip!
Here is a slide show of the rest of the best pictures:
What a painful past 3 days we've had. On Friday she fell off a swing at gym class. We were swinging and swinging and she was having such a good time and then she FLEW off the swing. Right onto a wooden dowel climbing thing. In the midst of all her screaming I noticed a red mark on her neck but couldn't tell if that was the major impact point. The next day a small bruise showed up on her neck. Poor thing.
On Saturday after lunch (and after Autumn fell over and hit her back on the wire loop on the kitchen table) we took Autumn, Luke and Phoebe out in the backyard.
We had been meaning to get rid of the prickly pear cactus for awhile now. It doesn't have big spikes, but it is ugly and damaged from falling over a bunch of times. We put the cactus family with the huge spikes up on a shelf. At one point Autumn kept walking past the prickly pear and at one point she put her hand on it. It didn't seem like she was bothered by it.
After chasing all three around the yard I started noticing that Autumn kept grabbing her hand with her other hand and pinching up her face. She also kept waving her left hand around a lot. I called her over and noticed some red dots on her palm and wrist. Here she is pinching her face and grabbing her hand.
We gathered everyone up (no easy task) and started trying to get the spines out of a very upset, snotty, wriggly. Richard was trying to hold her down while I used tweezers to try to get the one spine I could see out. I think I might have gotten that one out, but there was no way I could get the rest at. We gave her some pain reliever and then she and I took a shower in the hopes of calming everyone down and cooling us off. It was her first shower since she was a bitty baby, so I wasn't sure how she was going to handle it. But after the initial getting used to the spray she really had a lot of fun. It really went a long way in calming her down and distracting her.
On Sunday we took Autumn to see the bluebonnets. After we left Autumn really started getting upset and grabbing at her feet. I took her shoes off, but then she started grasping at her ankles. That's when I noticed the scrapes and scratches on her ankles. The grass/hay/whatever that grows in between the bluebonnets had cut her up. Poor, poor little girl.
This past month has just flown by. It really seems like a blur. You did see your cousins, Jacob and Sophia for the second time. You really enjoyed running around with them and being a little kid. When we were putting you in the car to go home you were sweaty, sticky and dirty and your Momma sort of fell in love with you all over again. All of a sudden you were a Little Girl, and not a baby or a toddler. You kept up with the older kids, held your own, and charmed the adults. There are many moments when the Little Girl appears and I can see into the future as to how I think you might act in a few years. Then there are times when you are all toddler. Getting into everything that you know you shouldn't. And I know you know because when you see me looking at you you immediately shake your head "no". After months of leaving the cat food alone and pointing to it and shaking your head "no" you have suddenly become unable to resist those little nuggets (or worse yet, Phoebe's plate of moist cat food). Most of the time you bring the piece to me, but sometimes I'll catch you picking one up and I shout, "Autumn, NO!". If I catch you off guard you throw the piece down and shake your head. But sometimes there is a stubborn streak in you and you will start to walk away with the piece in hand, usually still shaking your head. I know you know, but you do it anyway.
You have at least 2 more teeth, bringing your total to 10. The two new ones are on the top, and there are spaces skipped on each side. I can see at least 4 new places that look like bumps are starting to rise. The two new teeth came in when you were sick with lots and lots and lots of snot. The sickness lasted on and off for about 3 weeks. It would go away and then come back with a vengeance. We missed our playgroup and a gym class.
We managed to get rid of the bottle right at the end of February. We realized that you were having some bowel issues only having one bottle of formula at night. We'd bathe you, put you in your nighttime diaper, get your pajamas on, give you a formula bottle and then you'd POOP! Thereby undoing all our relaxing bedtime routine. So one day we just gave you another cup of milk at bedtime and that was it! You now drink 4 6oz cups of milk a day, sometimes 5, but that is rare. You still call it "bach" and when you notice the cup of milk you say, "bach! bach! bach!" all the while pointing frantically. You say "chee" if you want a crunchie, which is different from "cheeeeze" for cheese. You have a word for cracker (craw-kerr) and cookie (cook-cook) which is also the same for Cookie Monster on your diaper.
I'm working on teaching you "please" and "thank you". If prompted, you will say "plah". You love putting your shoes on because that means you get to go outside. You even sit and try to put them on yourself. I can ask you to "go get the other one" of something and you'll look around and find it and bring it to me. You've discovered the animated show Curious George on PBS. I used it as a distraction technique when you were sick. You'd sit on my lap and say, "Geor, geor!" and point at the screen. That was how I was able to put your hair in pig tails. I have also been known to sit you on my lap, schooch down on the couch, turn on George and take a little doze. Just closing my eyes sometimes for a much needed refresher really helps.
Car rides are fairly stress free these days. You are content to sit and just look out the windows. I sometimes give you a toy to hold, but for the most part it just stays on your lap.
Wednesday morning I was reading you a book about a gosling that forgets to take a nap. You waved your hand and said, "bye!" It took me a second to realize that you heard "take a nap". When I put you down for a nap we have a routine. I open up the gate to the bedroom so Luke can get through. We say, "Good nap, Phoebe" to the already napping Phoebe on the media center, we say "Good nap, Luke" to the already napping Luke on the guest bed. We say, "Good nap, Sully" as he guards your door. All the while you are waving and saying, "Bye!"
Here is a series of pictures from March 16. I clearly misjudged the weather of the day. When I got you dressed it was 65 outside, but sunny. The previous day it was rather cold, so I put you in long sleeves and pants. I love this photo of you walking, you seem so determined!
So when we got outside it seemed a little hot. Your pants are too long, but I figured they'd be okay.
Before we left for our errand I changed your top. Much better. Pants are still okay, but the long sleeves had to go!
When we got back home from the errand and nap I was changing your diaper and decided that the green pants were just too long, so I grabbed the pink ones laying nearby. It took a whole day to come up with the perfect outfit.
March 17, 2009 - St. Patty's Day
March 19, 2009 - Waiting for Daddy to come home
March 20, 2009 - Playing in the back yard
Retrospective Perspective:
March 18, 2006 - Looking for a house to build!
March 22, 2007 - Back when Lucas ruled the roost
March 23, 2008 - Easter
I am sure I left somethings out, but I have to end this now. You are waking up from your nap (30 min early!) and we need to get ready to go take pictures in bluebonnet fields!
I took Autumn to the play area at the mall for the first time. Mostly it has taken me this long because I HATE malls, so I had no desire to ever stay in one long enough to let her play in one. But we were coming up on nap time and I needed to tire her out before putting her back in the car for the ride home. As it is she didn't fall asleep in the car, but did when she got to her crib. One little boy, about a year older walked right up to her and chest bumped her. That was the first odd thing. She kept trying to climb up the fire truck slide and there was a lady with her daughter that started using the slide while she was going down it. I tried to make a joke to her, but she ignored me and kept making her daughter run into Autumn. Finally, there was a set of 3 sisters who sort of adopted her. They kept putting their faces about an inch from hers and smiling and laughing with her. She'd get up to go somewhere else and all three of them would hover around her every step of the way. At one point I saw the older one pick up a small toy or something and put it on the ledge of the play area, so I thought that was nice. I was trying to find a balance between interfering and letting her play. She seemed to really enjoy herself and even kissed the giant turtle on his head a few times (ew!).
She started getting upset when we left the sea lion enclosure. It was our first stop and I kept telling her there were more animals ahead!
We carried her or she walked the entire time. She wouldn't have been able to see anything if she was in her stroller. We spent about 3 hours there, and for a zoo that size, we saw most everything. 
And then later on I caught this adorable picture!
Here is a slide show of the rest of the best pictures:
After chasing all three around the yard I started noticing that Autumn kept grabbing her hand with her other hand and pinching up her face. She also kept waving her left hand around a lot. I called her over and noticed some red dots on her palm and wrist. Here she is pinching her face and grabbing her hand.
We gathered everyone up (no easy task) and started trying to get the spines out of a very upset, snotty, wriggly. Richard was trying to hold her down while I used tweezers to try to get the one spine I could see out. I think I might have gotten that one out, but there was no way I could get the rest at. We gave her some pain reliever and then she and I took a shower in the hopes of calming everyone down and cooling us off. It was her first shower since she was a bitty baby, so I wasn't sure how she was going to handle it. But after the initial getting used to the spray she really had a lot of fun. It really went a long way in calming her down and distracting her.
So when we got outside it seemed a little hot. Your pants are too long, but I figured they'd be okay.
Before we left for our errand I changed your top. Much better. Pants are still okay, but the long sleeves had to go!
When we got back home from the errand and nap I was changing your diaper and decided that the green pants were just too long, so I grabbed the pink ones laying nearby. It took a whole day to come up with the perfect outfit.
March 17, 2009 - St. Patty's Day
March 19, 2009 - Waiting for Daddy to come home
March 20, 2009 - Playing in the back yard
March 18, 2006 - Looking for a house to build!
March 22, 2007 - Back when Lucas ruled the roost
March 23, 2008 - Easter
