The Zoo… Oh I Meant Camp…

Lisa July 8, 2009 2Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

Yes, I made a boo boo, and called Camp a Zoo… but come on… can you blame me…

We have Uncle Nick’s cat Mr. B, the old kitty Kozette- from when Mommy was small, Layla Bear and the Prozac Cat… Grizzy… which keeps Nana busy in de-matting kitty fur, or picking up hair balls… (GROSS) and random kitty chases at any time of day.. where usually Mr. B is stalking one of the kitties.   Just not Ms. Kozy, since she is the big boss and no one messes with her.  We also enjoy the constant nervous energy of Justice, who barks just to hear himself, and never lets a squirrel or flying leaf pass by without a barking frenzy that could wake the dead.   Lady Liberty, is probably the worlds easiest dog, unless she sees Poppy in which case she whines and cries for him to pet her… and then the big beastmaster… MR GRIFF who needs no introduction or explanation… and thinks he is a toy poodle, who weighs in at 200 pounds.  Personally, I don’t find it fair that they can call me DROOLIANNA,  WHEN MR. GRIF TAKES THE CAKE IN DROOLING… I mean, have you ever seen his slimy drool come down from his humungus head and touch the floor… (GROSS).    When it comes to being one of Nana’s campers, well let’s just say, I am a piece of cake, a walk in the park and any other analogy you can think of.   After all, there is nothing I do that is GROSS, a princess like me, well you know…ROSES!

Today at the zoo, we pretty much just hung around.   I am still trying to sit up on my own for more than a few seconds, but this takes time and some strong back muscles. 

I haven’t heard but think my Mimi is moving this week closer to me, from CA to TN.  

No really big plans ahead. Other than plans to spend a week up in Northern Michigan in August if we can.   Nana may have to tidy up loose ends for Great Grandma Sally.   Before the unexpected trip here, we had planned to visit Great Grandma Sally in Washington in September but we’ll see now.   Uncle Nick is waiting to see if they will let him attend law school, since he just got back from the South Pacific in June, and applications were due in April… it’s a longshot, but he is trying.  All my Aunts have registered for school in the fall, and it seems summer is flying by already.   Before you know it  – it will be fall and then, we will be on our way to your R&R… woo woo!

Hope you had a nice day, I know I did… I ate really good this morning a new food called Strawberry Pear Granola… it was ‘yummo’.  Want me to send you some?

I will write again tomorrow, and let you know how I am, until then, I am your LITTLE MISS ADORABLE,

Guillianna!

How many babies are like me?

Lisa July 7, 2009 1Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

I had a good day.   I ate oatmeal with peaches and pears today.   I also am eating about six or seven ounces of formula at each feeding.   I am growing, and according to my doctor, I am doing just great.  According to Nana and the rest of the campers, I  AM TOTALLY AWESOME AND JUST PERFECT.    I am in the next size diapers now.   I am quite a scooter, and wiggle worm, but no crawling just yet.   I am so busy looking around that I love to be sitting up to eat my ‘bob’.    My favorite thing to watch is still ‘ Baby Bach’.    I really love that DVD.   When I am outside, either in my stroller or being held, I am so happy.    I just love the plants, the colors, and even a little teeny tiny bit of wind in my ‘hair’.   I am still on the medicine for my tummy…. but the doctor says this is okay too.  I go to the cardiologist  at Children’s Hospital on July 16th for a check up, but have had no problems so I am thinking they too will be happy.

I like to see Barney on television, and Elmo is a total fav.   I like when Nana makes her Elmo voice, and sings Elmo’s World.   Aunt Mikayla makes me laugh too, as do all the campers here.   They are entertaining me all the time.   Nana is reading as much as she can about babies with deployed parents.   Nana says she read FROM MANY SOURCES that it is impossible to spoil a baby… so she has thrown caution to the wind, and I am lovin’ that.   You should hear me laugh… I do it often, and sometimes I laugh so hard I have to stop to catch a breath. 

I am without doubt happy most all the time.   Just don’t be late with that ‘bob’ and I am a HAPPY CAMPER.

If I could I would take off running…. any second… but they say I MUST CRAWL BEFORE I WALK…

I may try to prove them wrong!

But once I do get to get up and go, chances are you will not be able to catch me!

  H   A  P   P  Y         B   A   B   Y  ……

I am not a sleeper.   I do not nap much, a wink here or there… but I am NOT into taking naps.   At night I am tired but fight going to sleep and about 9:30 I will zonk out, but still awaken in the night briefly.   Nana pats me back to sleep and I no longer get a feeding in the night.   (usually)  I wake up anytime between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m.   When I wake up NANA SINGS  HER VERSION OF A  “Good Mornin’ song… and yes, I am a very happy baby in the mornings despite this singing ritual. 

I love Sid, or Curious George when taking my morning bottle.   My best “rest time” or “power nap” is around 10 a.m .   20 minutes or so… and then after that there is no telling when or if I will rest again.  I hate to break it to you but the one draw back for you two is that I am in love with Neil Diamond.  Yes, I said Neil.   Nana and I listen to him quite often, and I LOVE HIM.   Not so much into other musical genres yet, but who knows… maybe I can learn to like the music you and mommy like… we may just have to slip a little Neil in every once in a while. 

I still hate when the sun gets in my eyes.   I still love tubby time,  and I have been learning about reaching.   When someone holds their arms out to reach I am learning to reach back !  Cool huh!   I also am learning that up means UP.   When Nana says up after changing my dipe, I atempt to situp … When hungry… I will grab at my ‘bob’ with both hands and try to get it into my mouth.  Usually quite successfully.   I prefer when someone else holds it for me, and when I am not so hungry I prefer to hold it and play with it.   Still no sign of teeth.   I am happy to report no sign of an problems anywhere.   Drooling I have down…and putting EVERYTHING POSSIBLE INTO MY MOUTH, got that too.  Working hard on siting up by myself for any length of time.  

So that is what is happening in Michigan.    People may read this and say, “boooooring’, or what is the point, I mean really I am surprised Nana isn’t describing how often I get changed, or giving you details on  baby “pooping”…  but the truth is there is a point… the point is, life.   These little things,  us, the everyday person, the day in day out mondain things, it is the simple and common things,  they are all so meaningful, and they are meant to be shared with you.   I told Nana, let’s tell Mom and Dad, what is going on these days in my life.   Today the world said it’s goodbye to a ‘star’… and it was all over every television broadcast, and radio news cast.   It was huge, it was millions of people mourning loss, and celebrating a life.   Yes, it is always truly sad when life ends… and even more sad, when life passes us by without having enjoyed it’s most simple treasures. 

 Nana looked at me and smiled, she says she understands something now,  that she didn’t understand when she was young.  ( Lucky me … since we are inseparable, I am getting an education early. )  She wondered how many babies there are like me,  babies who are at Auntie Camp or with other FAMILY CARE PLAN camps?  How many soldiers have missed a high school or kindergarten graduation?  How many little things are slipping by….in a heartbeat.   The world is a complicated place… where there are so many things that make us worry, or there are so many difficulties to face, but the one thing that she knows for certain, is love for each other, caring and helping each other, telling people you care, or most important of all telling them that we love them, that is what makes life worth living.  That today – as always –  I AM TELLING YOU I love you mom and dad, I am proud of your efforts – your sacrifice, for me,  for our country, you are and always will be my “stars”,  my heros,  you and mom, all of us here at camp, we are all trying to make the world a better place…THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, how many babies are there like me, is ONE.  While there are many who eat oatmeal, and love their ‘bob’, and many whose parents are overseas in a war, there is only one me, and only one who has you two for parents.   I don’t know if alone, any of us can change the world, but together, we can definately make a difference.   Today, as always,  am your Little Miss Adorable, the one and only

Guillianna! 

P. S.  Love you Mom,and xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoox!

Daddy, don’t you worry one little bit, Nana and the gang here at camp will make silly faces and I will take pictures, and send them to you to cheer you up, Nana’s silly face makes me laugh all the time…  no rough days… only happy GuGuBear Days!

Monday at the Mall…

Lisa July 6, 2009 4Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

Nana took me to the mall today when everyone finished work.   We all met there because Nana cannot get the stroller and carseat out by herself.  So all the campers came… EVERY SINGLE ONE… and you know what I did?   At the mall is a food court, and in it, is the carousel.  Do you remember it?  Well, Aunt Arrianna took me on it, in the PRINCESS CARRIAGE, and all the other campers, like Uncle Nick and placed themselves around the carousel so that no matter which direction I went there was a familiar face.   Here I am on my first carousel ride.  I am too small for horses, but I sit just fine in the PRINCESS CARRIAGE ON THE CAROUSEL, doesn’t that just figure.  (Fit for a princess!)

We just got on, and here I am before the ride started…. I am so excited, and it is full of lights and pretty things for me to look at….

Ready set GO!

I liked this very much… and hopefully we will go back to the mall soon so I can ride it again.   But, it’s funny, we came today for jammers, the next size up, and even though this is the coolest ride ever, Poppy seems to get nervous when Nana comes to the mall, do you think he might be afraid of the carousel…. Hmmmmm…. this was not scary… don’t worry Poppy there is nothing to be ‘SCARED OF AT THE MALL’.  Right Nana?  I don’t know it is something about when I say “Nana” and “Mall” together.  Here I am on another ride at the mall… it goes around and around and up and down…

I am fascinated…. truly fascinated…. Maybe I really will be a pilot.  Who knows…

Or a race car driver…

I do not know… so many choices, and so many things to learn and do …but what I do know is this… I love you very much, I am being very good at camp, and all the campers here, well they are always giving me the ROYAL TREATMENT.   I truly feel several pairs of hands, pampering my pampers… every day.   I am today as always, your LITTLE MISS ADORABLE, your daughter,

Guillianna!   By the way, Nana found the ‘jammers’ she was looking for too.   I am now a 6-9 monther!  Woo woo….!

A picnic..at my Great Aunt and Great Uncle’s home!

Lisa July 5, 2009 2Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today I went to a picnic at the home of my Great Aunt Kris and Great Uncle David.  There were so many relatives there who say hello to both you and to daddy.  They wanted you to know we all were thinking about you. 

Some of mommy’s relatives got to meet me for the very first time.   Cuz Micheal, AnneMarie, and her daughters were there.   Great Great Aunt Shirley and Great Aunt Ida, hadn’t seen me since April.   So that was way cool.

Cuz Nancy was there, and so was Great Aunt Kris’ mommy and daddy Ms. Syd, and Mr Larry. 

So we had a nice visit with them all, and then, I was ‘tuckered out’, ha ha so funny huh daddy, but I was and we came back to camp for a little R&R of our own. 

So here I am, looking adorable for my picnic photo op.

How was your Fourth of July?  Nana is still sad they won’t let Mommy see my photo shoot or read my letters and that if she is to go on line it is so hard for her to  do so.   I try to tell Nana, hey let me join the Army so I can go hang with them, but she is pretty strict and says..NO !   My own little drill sarg… here at camp keepin me on my toes… and making me follow all the rules.   ( ha…. did I say rules?   oh yea, thats it, camp Nana, rules number one… GUILLIANNA MAKES ALL THE RULES)

Me sharing the spotlight with my Aunt, who by the way says, HI, to both of you!   It was a very pretty day, and I love being outside as you know.

More of the day… hoping they make you smile, and see me happy and doing just fine… don’t worry about me, start your list of things to do with me when you are home.   I LIKE TO STAY BUSY AND EXPLORE!

I am definately a curious little girl, sometimes so curious  that I won’t even look at Mr. Nikon…

Nana say’s she doesn’t mind, she wants to you see me as often as possible,  and that this way you can see me from every single angle.

Just when I think she is done, she wips that thing out, and snap snap snap…

More photos, than you can ever imagine… and good news…

Only sang, Oh… say… a bazillion times today..

as opposed to the 3 and yes I said 3 bazillion times yesterday…

My Aunts and Uncle say… enjoy this, and appreciate that it is dwindling … as the holiday’s are only 6ish months away…. and something about there is a local radio station that begins holiday music in October sometime… they have forewarned me this MEL-O-DICIOUS SINGING FRENZY is just a downside to camp… a ‘hiccup’ or ‘an excess baggage’ if you will… well… I have my own hiccups, who needs Nana’s too?

Me… and more me….

Wondering, is there a record for most photos of a baby?   I may win this event!   I will still send you photos and love letters, and hope you can get a computer so you can see me ANYTIME you want to.

Sereiously, tell me, when you look at this face, how do you stop yourself from kissing the screen?   Until tomorrow, please remember, I love you both, and send big hugs and kisses to you in the land of sand.  As always, your Little Miss Adorable, your daughter,

Guillianna!