Glad Fredag!

That's Happy Friday in Norwegian. Of course, that got me thinking: What's my Norwegian name? It turns out that it's Ynde. Naturally, that fascinating discovery led to further exploration, so here's my name in other languages:

• Gnade (German)
• Graça (Portugese)
• Gracia (Spanish)
• Gunst (Dutch)
• Tolleranza (Italian)

And my favorite:

• Kalake/Kalakie (Hawaiian)

I wonder what my many nicknames translate into. Hmm…

So, I am officially a roller now. Last Saturday, I rolled from my back to my tummy for the very first time. (Well, that’s what my parents think. What happens at day-care, stays at day-care, right?) Because I love all the attention, I do lots of encore performances. Plus, at day-care, they have this cool exer-saucer thingie that I absolutely LOVE! I can “stand” up in it and everything! I’m doing all sorts of fun things to build my core strength and develop gross motor skills. It’s really just a matter of time before I’ll be climbing Mt. Everest.

We’ve totally been spoiled by all the visitors lately! Grandma Jan came last weekend. We went to a new farmer’s market on Saturday, then to the zoo for Mom’s company picnic. I saw an elephant, tiger, warty hog, and mountain goat. I also got to go on the Zoo Train. Most of the animals were hiding and/or sleeping because the picnic didn’t start until after the zoo closed to the public. Oh well. Dad said we’ll go to the zoo many, many more times as I get older.

This weekend, Rubie and her parents are coming to see me. We are finally going to the butterfly garden at the park by our house. We have wanted to go for weeks, but haven’t prioritized it. So get ready butterflies because here we come!

Other things to report:

• I recently learned how to clasp my hands.
• I sleep for at least eight consecutive hours through the night.
• I can easily grasp small toys, stuffed animals, and books (plus noses, beards, long hair...).
• I received my second pedicure. This time, Grandma Jan chose a light pink shade to compliment my rosy complexion.

Although we finally have faster Internet access, it is a general lack of time that prevents my parents from updating this blog more frequently. Their goal is to post something at least once per week, so please check back regularly. See you soon!

I'm Baaaaack...

Top five highlights of the past two weeks (in no particular order):

• I giggled my first giggle (it turns out I’m quite ticklish).
• We went to Rubie’s first birthday party and saw many family members, including my cousin Brenden. (He was in Utah visiting his mom for six long weeks.)
• I had my first solid BM in over a week.
• I got to see Grandma T at my third cousin, Hannah’s, ninth birthday party. (I haven’t seen her since the day I was born!) I also got to meet several family members for the first time.
• I can grab my own foot with my hand!
  

Yes, it has been an eventful couple of weeks. I am on a pretty structured routine, which I seem to be responding to very well. Babies love consistency, right? I get up at 5:30 a.m. every morning, even on the weekend. Daddy gets up to change, feed, burp, hold, clothe, and play with me. Sometimes I take a little snooze while he showers and gets ready for work, then he takes me to day-care. I have even settled into a feeding/sleeping schedule at day-care. Mom visits me during the day and picks me up when she gets off of work. When we get home, she showers me with kisses and tells me how much she loves and misses me. We play together for awhile before bath time, then it’s dinnertime followed by story time. I’m pretty much wiped out by the end of the first story, so I typically sleep from about 7:00 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.

So, after I had been sick with that nasty stomach flu for over a week, my parents took me to see my favorite Dr. Jan. She weighed me to ensure I wasn’t losing too many ounces, and it turns out I’ve gained quite a few since my last checkup. I’m now a whopping 11 pounds, 7 ounces! I knew I was growing at a nice pace because all of my three-month sized clothes fit perfectly, but I had no idea I had gained nearly five pounds since birth.

Well, it looks like August will be a very busy month for me. Auntie Nina is staying with us this weekend; Grandma Jan is coming next weekend (we’re going to the zoo); Auntie Noelle and the gang are coming the following weekend; and I get to meet my Pee Paw and Gma Bee for the very first time the weekend after that! It will be an eventful month, for sure.

We just got Verizon Fios installed this week, so that means we can download pictures much, much faster. Check back soon to view recent photos of me – you’ll be amazed at how much I’ve changed/grown!