Abs of Steel

What can I say...when you've got an AWESOME physique, you have to wear a bikini!! But it's not just the great body, it's the savage tan as well!! Watch out swim suit models, here comes Allison. I'm sure that once these pictures hit the web, we'll be getting calls from all the top agencies :)!

Canadian Invasion

Our friends the Andersons (Paul, Heather, Patrick, Sean & Collin) visited last week. We had a great time visiting museums, going to parks and just hanging out together. The boys were great with Allison!! Big brother Patrick asked to hold her several times. He was so gentle with her. Younger brother Sean provided the entertainment for the week! Allison loved to watch Sean and listen to his stories and songs. Little brother Collin inspected Allison's room to make sure we weren't keeping all the "good toys" up stairs. The truth is, we just don't have many toys yet. Especially, toys that would interest little boys. Maybe we'll have a better selection for their next visit.

Sweet Potatos, Peas, Pears & a Tooth!

As promised we added some new "solid" food to Allison's diet. She has been pretty tolerant of the new foods. It usually takes her a day or two to warm up to the new foods but she hasn't refused anything so far! So, she is already a better eater than Mommy and Daddy (we are both picky and we have very different taste in food). We've been taking the semi-natural approach to baby food. I've bought some "fresh frozen" baby food and I've made some, which I freeze into little cubes. Then we just put the little cubes in the microwave for a few seconds and she has a nice warm meal. But if it is hot out. I let the food (like pears) thaw at room temp and it turns into a sorbet! It is fun and easy to make the food. Plus, you can just use whatever fruits and veggies you have around the house. I went to a "starting solids class" and they recommended two books for making the baby food {Blender Baby Food by Nicole Young & First Meals by Annabel Karmel}. They have lots of great info, sample menus and meal plans that can be used for years to come!

As of last Saturday, Allison has a tooth!! She was chewing on my finger and I felt something sharp. Sure enough, a little tooth has broken through. She just turned 7 months old, eats food, has a tooth and is trying to crawl!

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.