Back to Sea Girt!

After our visit to the Hamptons, we stopped in to visit Jim's parents again. We had another great stay with Mr. & Mrs. Tuite. Mrs. Tuite always takes great care of everyone...she cooks, helps with laundry that piles up during our travels and watches Allison when I go to the beach. Mr. Tuite & Jim watch Allison as well, but she usually ends up back in Grandma's arms :).

As you can see Allison hung out with her Dad and got to spend some time playing with cousin Connor. Connor lives in Cranford, NJ with Mom (Sue) and Dad (Rich, Jim's oldest brother). We were happy to see cousin Connor and uncle Rich. We missed aunt Sue this visit(she has a long commute in/out of NYC everyday), hopefully we can see her in the fall. We are hoping to get all the grand kids together for the first time in October. Joe (second oldest brother) is coming to NJ and bringing cousin Camille and Aunt Leah (who is caring the newest Tiny Tuite, a boy due in December!).

West Hampton, NY

Allison went to West Hampton, NY to meet "Aunt Samantha"!! Allison was nice enough to ask her Dad and I to accompany her on the trip. We had a great time visiting Samantha and her baby Jordie (in the picture above). The weather wasn't great, so we didn't get to enjoy the pool or the beach. But we did get to enjoy spending quality time together at the upscale shopping outlets!! (I think that is what most people in the Hamptons do most of the time.) We also ate like we would never be offered food again once we left the Hamtons! Samantha cooked us a great meal, we ate at wonderful restaurants and visited a local bakery each morning.
Samantha and I have been friends since highschool. She was an exchange student at a different school, we were introduced by a mutal friend. I agreed to show her around town one afternoon( in Lancaster, PA) and we've been friends ever since. She is from Edinburough, Scotland. She married a great guy in NYC and move to stated about 11 years ago. It's great that we are both on the East Coast and see each other from time to time!

Solid Food

Allison is officially eating solid food. We added rice cereal to her diet on August 1, she seemed to like it. I started letting her play with a spoon in her highchair at grown-up meal time (aka mommy & daddy meal time) a few weeks before. I would give her a spoon full of air and she would make a silly face, like it tasted sour. I never knew air had a taste but apparently it is sour. We were amused by the face, she made it with every spoon full of air for weeks.

I was curious to see what face she would make when I gave her the first spoon full of cereal...in went the spoon full cereal and she didn't make a face. She ate it and looked at me like she had been eating it forever.

She has worked up to two rice ceral meals a day. I know I should add other foods (fruits &veggies). Maybe we'll try something new this weekend!

Little Lamb

Allison was baptized today at St. Marks Episcopal Church, Washington DC. It was a wonderful ceremony and Allison thought the whole event was exciting. Allison loved all the attention and didn't mind the water or oil on her forhead. I hope she doesn't expect the entire service to be devoted to her each Sunday from now on. She smiled at the congregation and the alter girl behind us through out the ceremony. She is already known as "that happy baby" around the church (hope it stays that way).

St. Mark's is known for their community out reach programs and wonderful childrens programs. We look forward to being a part of this Church in the coming years as Allison grows and learns through their programs/teachings.

This Week's Favs: Amelia & the Jolly Jumper, Judge Allison

This week Allison got to hang out with her friend Amelia who has a "Jolly Jumper"! This jumper is the mother of all jumpers. I bought a cheapo jumper at Babies R Us but I took it back. It just wouldn't do. So, maybe we'll order a Jolly Jumper from New Zealand? Allison had a great time jumping around and was very glad that Amelia was so kind to share with us! (Sorry the video is sideways. I'm still learning...I can rotate pics but not videos.)

We are planning to start feeding Allison some solid foods in the coming days. We have started pulling her to the table at meal times. So she can get use to being in her high chair (from cousin Conner in NJ) during feedings. She likes being at the table and banging her toys on the tray. She especially likes to bang her phone toy on the tray. Probably because it makes the most noise! Jim and I decided that she looks like a crazed judge demanding order in the court room.

Out to Dinner & More Bath Time

We went to dinner at one of our favorite places in DC, Zaytinya. http://www.zaytinya.com/ Here is there website check it out if you get a chance. We love the food and the atmosphere. We promise (Allison and other children permitting) to take anyone who comes to visit us to check it out for themselves! Allison hasn't been the best restaurant patron lately but she was good at Zaytinya. The color scheme is beautiful and there are multiple levels to the dinning area. And since it is topas style, the food comes quickly. Which is good when your out with a little one that can decide dinner is over at any moment. Zaytinya is just a short metro ride from the house and it is across the street from the National Portrait Gallery. We took a photo in front a large sculpture out side the restaurant.

I know I've posted bath videos before but Allison kicking and splashing makes me laugh during every bath. These were taken Saturday night after trekking all over the city in 95 degree weather. I hope they make you smile and laugh!

Sea Girt, NJ

We visited Jim's parents at the shore in NJ last week. Mr. & Mrs.Tuite have a beautiful house only few blocks from the ocean!! I got to enjoy some beach time, while Allison hung out with her grandparents. Mr.& Mrs. Tuite both put in some serious stroller time to keep Allison happy!!
Allison didn't get any sand between her toes on this trip. She is in her stroller on the boardwalk in the picture above. I did take her for a walk in the sand but she was in the ergo baby carrier. Maybe next trip she'll get to be a real "Jersey Girl" and play on the beach. We also got a picture of Allison with her Dad in her great, great grandmother's rocking chair.