Thanksgukkah

This is our first family vacation!  On Tuesday night, we drove to Socal.  We didn't leave until around 8:30, when Cordelia had gone down for the night as part of her regular routine.  I know it was a late start, but it seemed like a decent idea to go while she was normally asleep.  It worked out well in that Cordelia slept the entire drive.  The bad point was hitting horrible traffic when the Grapevine was closed down to one lane, adding over an hour to our journey as we crawled along.

My dad (writer who keeps weird hours) was up to let us in.  He started to be playful with the sleepy Cordelia right away and brought out the cat Chrestomanci to see her.  We put Jason to bed (he was amped up on coke) and I nursed Cordelia so she would go back down for a few hours.  My mom got up just as I had put her down in the pack n play and admired the baby before heading to the school where she works.

Late we all went out and joined her at the school.  I saw her new library and visited my old teachers, who were so excited to see the grand baby.  Cordelia was being her usual charming self and bounce and beamed at everyone, leaving them in awe of her joyfulness and her beauty.

Wednesday night was the first night of Hanukkah.  Yay! Cordelia's first Hanukkah!  I am very glad she got to spend it with her grandparents and aunties and get to be there as my dad lit the menorah and said the blessing.  I've been doing it myself the last few years; this was our first time being together during Hanukkah in quite some time!

Thursday was Thanksgivukkah!  My mom and Rebecca did all the cooking.  We hung out around the house enjoying family time.  At dinner, Cordelia joined us for the meal.  We gave her rice cereal mixed with breast milk for the first time.  This was her first solid food.  She was intrigued by the experience.  Much of the cereal went on her My First Hanukkah bib, as her tongue pushed it back out of her mouth or it dribbled down her cheeks.  But she definitely ate some.  It seemed to go well.  But I was a little concerned that she did not have a decent poop for almost two full days..... She has gone without pooping before, but I had read that rice can cause constipation.  Then on Saturday, her cheeks also looked a little rashy, but that may have been from drool or rubbing against something unfamiliar.  Eventually she did have a nice poop, so I gave her more cereal today (Sunday).  And she pooped promptly after it, even though she'd already pooped today.  So I don't see an immediate connection to the constipation, if it can even be called that.

On Friday, Renie gave me a lovely hair cut that it turned out my mom had paid for as a Hanukkah present.  She was so sweet and said Cordelia was a doll.  We stopped at the $10 or less bookstore and also shopped for some more nursing bras for me.  It was raining off and on and we walked with C through a light drizzle.  She started laughing in surprise.  Later someone pointed out that that was a great reaction... maybe another baby would cry.  But not Cordelia.  She looks at the world and takes delight in everything.

Saturday was baby day.  C had a playdate with my high school friend's baby.  He is 3 weeks younger.  They are similar in size, but he is much heavier......solid torso!!  I really enjoyed getting to talk with a mama of a baby at the same stage as my own.  We then went to LosCon.  My parents loved telling everyone that I went to my first LosCon at 6 months.  We saw a 7 month old and an 8 month old.  Sitting up and crawling are in our future!   For dinner we saw some of my socal friends for dinner.  The waitress loved Cordelia and gushed over her so much.

On Sunday, Cordelia got to meet her great auntie Cassandra, Travis, and her cousins Ashton and Mason (six and three).  We had a yummy brunch and saw their new house.  That night, Rebecca blew bubbles at Cordelia for the first time and she was so excited.

We drove back on Monday and Cordelia ROCKED IT.  She was happy in the car, playing with me or her toys or taking her regular naps.  I was afraid she would sleep the whole time and then be up all night.  But no, she did amazing.  I had to nurse her at In and Out, but that was ok.  She started to fuss lightly when we were a block from home, but that does not count!

Such a nice vacation and so wonderful to share some special moments with my family!