We just returned from our 3+ week stay in Arizona with my parents. It was wonderful to see aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. and then have some time alone with Grandma and Grandpa. We went for golf cart rides every day (Lilly LOVES the golf cart) and I was able to run every day as well. Lilly was especially sweet with my mom and called my parents ‘MOM’ and ‘DADA’ or ‘BA’ (she says it differently than she does for me or Bill). The weather was colder than usual but I was completely happy with mid-sixties and sunny every day! It was a wonderful time and we are looking forward to heading back there soon!
Sabino Canyon
Sabino Canyon
Bill and I just got back from a two-night trip to Tucson. We spent the first day walking around downtown and ate vegetarian pho for lunch near the University of Arizona. We checked into the Westin La Paloma and then toured Sabino Canyon. We were only able to walk about a mile and a half into the canyon because the bridge was flooded (for the first time in years apparently). It was very overcast – what we thought were storm clouds were actually just dust in the air! That evening we ate at an Indian restaurant and watched The Time Traveler’s Wife in our hotel room.
On Friday we went to the Sonora Desert Museum and ate at a local vegetarian restaurant for lunch. We walked downtown a bit more and went back to the hotel to run at the fitness center. We had dinner at J Bar and went out for gelato, then watched The Invention of Lying.
We headed home on Saturday just as Lilly went down for her nap. We were greeted with big smiles when she woke up and couldn’t believe how much she had changed in just two days!
Lilly had 2 teeth just barely poking through yesterday. This morning she woke up and you could really see them!
Yesterday Lilly took ‘the inchworm’ to a new level. She began reaching for objects while she scooted her butt up in the air. She’s on her way to crawling!
Squaw Peak Hike
Judy and Bill were in town this past weekend. We spent Saturday with them at my parent’s – started the visit out with lunch at the clubhouse, showed them around Pebble Creek, played with Lilly, and had veggie lasagna for dinner.
On Sunday Bill, my dad, and I met them for a hike to the summit of Squaw Peak. It was quite the hike – 1.2 miles to the summit with a gain of 1200 feet. My dad even made it to the top! We ate lunch at Ajo Al’s and were greeted with a big smile from Lilly when we returned. It was nice to see Grandma and Grandpa Gray!
We have been in Arizona since Christmas Day and are enjoying our time here. It was so nice to spent time with my brothers, cousins, and niece. Lilly adjusted to the time change immediately – I was actually surprised. Her naps were on schedule and she slept right through them. She was also mostly sleeping through the night. I’m certain that watching Leela wore her out!
Leave it to our little girl to change her sleep patterns on us once everything settles down! The past three nights she has been up several times a night. She isn’t hungry – just needs some help settling back to sleep. We think she has hit her 6 months growth spurt or has a little bug (Todd and Bill have both been sick. I’m sure it will work itself out shortly. Meanwhile I’m sleeping better than I have since she was born, which is wonderful.
We have taken advantage of the weather each day. It doesn’t get any better than 72 and sunny – which it has been every day this week! Bill & I visited Scottsdale Sunday and sat by the pool and Lilly & I have taken daily walks and even played pickle ball. I have made it to the gym every day and started running again. Bill has done a lot of intense bike riding as he continues to heal from stress fractures. I have been riding bikes a lot as well. Actually, I’m kind of upset that I let my mom take my old bike to AZ with her!
Today we took a day trip around Goodyear. We started out with lunch at Ajo Al’s, saw the Biltmore Hotel, and went to the F.O.E. for drinks and a few friendly rounds of butt quarters (don’t ask unless you really want to know). Good times!
Lilly’s first Christmas was a huge success. We started things off with Christmas Eve dinner at Grandma Judy and Grandpa Bill’s house. Great-Grandpa Bill, Grandma Peggy, Uncle Mick, Uncle Jack, and cousins Jessica and Gordon joined us for dinner and a gift exchange. Lilly was a natural at opening her packages – she went right for the bows and tried putting all of the wrapping paper in her mouth!
Christmas morning was spent at our house with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Martha. The grandparents continued their tradition of spoiling our little one 🙂 and Aunt Martha had fun playing with Lilly while Bill and I finished packing for Arizona.
Our flight to Arizona left at 5:45 on Christmas Day. Thankfully the airport was dead and the plane ride was mostly uneventful. Lilly slept for the first 20 minutes and then was up for the rest of the 4 hour flight – grabbing on to the poor guy next to us and ‘talking’ to the people who passed by.
Lilly quickly adjusted to the time change with no problems at all. Christmas morning in AZ (26th) we opened stockings, had a lovely brunch, and opened packages. We were thankful to spend the time with Uncles Mark and Todd, Aunt Pinata, and cousins Leela, Jason and Billy. The past few days we have spent relaxing, going for walks, and playing pickle ball. We even went out to a movie for the first time since Lilly was born – Avatar.
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Bill and I woke up at 6:25 this morning to Lilly crying out for us and quickly realized this was the first time she woke up! Normally she wakes up once between 2 and 4 and then is up for the day around 7am. This meant that I got 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep for the first time in 5 months! It was absolutely divine. She has definitely been sleeping better in general – still has the occasional night where she wakes up and wants to be soothed several times (once or twice a week), but she is always easy to put back down.
I thank Heidi Gee for the fact that Lilly slept through the night. Just before putting her to sleep Jerry, Karen, and Heidi were over (Ethiopian carry-out…yum!) and Lilly was absolutely enamored with Heidi. She became really quiet and didn’t want to take her eyes off of her. I think watching a toddler run around really wore her out!
The past few days I have been trying to push her schedule back by about an hour so that the transition to Mountain Time is easier on all of us. She now goes to sleep around 8:45 and has been waking up at 8am. The plane ride will likely mess up all the advanced work we are doing, but hopefully she will adjust to life in Arizona quickly!
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