Friday we went to Guru India Restaurant with Angel and Marty. Sophie’s wearing an outfit Angel and Marty bought for her when she was just a few days old.
“The age of your children is a key factor in how quickly you are served in a restaurant. We once had a waiter in Canada who said, ‘Could I get you your check?’ and we answered, ‘How about the menu first?'” —Erma Bombeck
Mom and Dad finally bought me a high chair!
Mom likes it because it was rated well by Consumer Reports and it matches the sunroom.
“It isn’t so much what’s on the table that matters, as what’s on the chairs.” —William S. Gilbert
“Vegetables are the food of the earth; fruit seems more the food of the heavens.” —Sepal Felicivant
Every year we go to the Preble County Pork Festival where we feast on a smorgasbord of pork chops, sausage, ham, applesauce, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, rolls and pie.
Although Sophie technically attended last year’s festival—in utero—this was really her first one. I’ve only missed the festival twice. One year I was in Costa Rica, another year I was with Andy, who was in the hospital for appendicitis. One year, Aunt Katy, who has never missed, came in second place in the longest pigtail contest. We all thought it was quite funny that she lost to a boy.
This year we ate with my parents, my uncle Mark, my cousin Ed, his wife Lisa, and their two daughters, Autumn and Amanda.
Sophie petted a baby pig.
And as such, got a sticker!
I forgot to pack a bonnet. It was sunny, so a burp cloth had to do.
On the way home we stopped by Grandma Gebhart’s house …
… and Grandma Mangan’s. But Tucker had been home a long time by this point so we, unfortunately, couldn’t visit long.
Sophie did pretty well with all the driving. On the way to Grandma Gebhart’s house she comforted herself by sucking on her monkey’s foot. On the way home, despite stopping to nurse and change her diaper, she was pretty upset. So finally I put on one of her favorite songs, “Helplessly Hoping” by Crosby, Stills and Nash. I don’t know why she likes it so much (besides the fact that it’s a great song). But all I know is that the moment the song would end, she would get fussy. So I played it over and over and over—probably close to 20 times—on the way home. Maybe she secretly loves alliteration, like her mom.
“Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not commit adultery. Don’t eat pork. I’m sorry, what was that last one? Don’t eat pork. God has spoken. Is that the word of God or is that pigs trying to outsmart everybody?” —Jon Stewart
Saturday Andy and I spent the evening celebrating Aimee and Jon’s marriage at beautiful Alms Park.
Their vows were beautiful, as were the seven steps.
Shruti and I were both matrons of honor. We were terribly nervous before our speech.
But I think she liked it.
As I write this, they’re halfway around the world, honeymooning in the South Pacific.
“Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.” —Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Friday we attended Aimee and Jon’s rehearsal at Alms Park, and their rehearsal dinner at Sharon Woods.
“Love one another and you will be happy. It’s as simple and as difficult as that.” —Michael Leunig
Lately Sophie has really taken an interest in Tucker. She turns and smiles whenever he walks into the room, laughs when he shakes his head or tries to paw us, and she loves to reach out and pet his fur, especially his ears. Although Tucker whines a lot more since Sophie has joined our family, he’s kind to her, even when her hand accidentally strays from his ear and into his eye.
“None are as fiercely loyal as dog people. In return, no doubt, for the never-ending loyalty of dogs.” —Linda Shrieves
I finally get to wear my many bibs! Check out this one, which Karen knitted for me. It’s one of my favorites.
I’m getting pretty good at eating with a spoon.
But things still get messy sometimes.
Last night I overheard Mom and Dad talking and I think they’re going to buy me a highchair. And, when Mom and I went grocery shopping earlier this week, she bought some organic avocados—I think they’re for me!
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” —Luciano Pavarotti
Early Sunday morning I noticed it was fairly windy. Now that I know how much Sophie loves wind, I took her outside. But the trees and bushes and leaves and neighbors’ yard decorations were really blowing, so we went inside. Good thing because wind gusts topped 80mph later that day. Although most of Cincinnati was and is without power, we were lucky. We lost cable and Internet for awhile, but our lights never went out.
We did, however, have lots of yard work to do.
And I spent a good hour picking up our many, many apples that came down.
Nini and Grandpa are still without power so they visited the last two nights, stocking our freezer with their freezer food, charging up their cell phones and helping take care of Sophie.
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” —William Arthur Ward
I hung out with Kristin, Maria, Lisa, Tari and my two pals, Whitney and Lauren.
I got to stay at Nini and Grandpa’s house while Mom and Dad went to Greg’s surprise 30th birthday party. But I missed my Mom and Dad and I had the hiccups and I didn’t eat very well so I cried a lot.
I wore two OSU onesies and, after spitting up on both of those, ended up in my OSU jersey in anticipation for the big game.
I even wore my OSU bib during dinner. Unfortunately my attire didn’t help the team very much.
I also put toys on my face.
“The essential question is not, ‘How busy are you?’ but ‘What are you busy at?’ —Oprah Winfrey
