10 Months Old!

 Quincey is now 10 months old and taking her picture on her blanket gets harder every month.  Seems like just yesterday I could lay her there and she would just stare at me, not moving at all.  Now, things don't go that smooth but, out of all of her monthly pictures, this one is my favorite of them all.  

She is such an angel.

Things Quincey currently likes: BABY EINSTEIN!  Quincey always likes her Baby Einstein.  She likes to feed herself.  Quincey likes playing chase with papa.  Quincey likes taking her nightly bath.  Quincey likes baby cheetos.  She still loves her Brown Bear book.  Quincey still loves taking walks in her stroller.  Quincey LOVES being outside.  Quincey loves to play with rocks.  Quincey likes to swing.  Quincey likes to play with her books.  Quin

Things Quincey does NOT like:  Quincey does not like being fed.  She does not like baby food anymore.  She does not like getting her diaper changed.

I honestly can't think of anything else she doesn't like.  She's a really good baby.  She pretty much goes with the flow and takes things in stride.

Quincey is full blown walking now and starting to really string sounds together.  Soon she will be talking.  I'm so excited for the day she says, "mama!" and reaches her arms out to me.  

We continue to soak up every moment with this little princes.  She is our pride and joy.

The Funny Faces Quincey Makes When Eating

 Quincey does not necessarily enjoy eating.  In fact, it's a little bit of a battle at every meal.  Her first reaction is always to refuse and hesitate but, after trying a bite she usually realizes that things aren't as bad as she thought they were.  She makes the funniest and cutest faces during meal time that I had to try to capture them.  Recently, before every bite, she stick her lips out and blows out like I'm feeding her poison but then gladly opens her mouth to take a bite.  Such a silly girl!

Baby Seat To Big Girl Seat

 I CAN NOT believe that I had to get Quincey a new car seat already.  We intentionally got her an infant car seat because we didn't want one that was going to last through her first few years.  I heard that they get nasty and dirty way to quick and you want a new one before they even grow out of it so, I figured we would just get an infant car seat.  I also figured that Quincey would be my little sidekick as I ran errands.  I thought she would be in it daily- running to the grocery store with me, scavenging secondhand stores to score a treasure, traveling to friends houses for playdates, etc. etc. But, none of that has happened.  Quincey has barely ventured into public because of Covid and... before we realized it, she no longer fit into her infant car seat.  The last few times I went out with her I thought she seemed awfully snug and uncomfortable.  After researching it, Quincey is just too tall for her age and outgrew the seat before the age restriction.  Now, she has a big girl seat and she likes it SOOO much more.  Crazy to believe that her original car seat is already headed to storage.

Her in her infant car seat.

And her new Big Girl Seat!

Quincey Meets and Sees LOTS of Aunt's and Uncles

 On our way to Wyoming to see my mom, of course we had to stop at Auntie Grace's house for a day or two.  Grace is OBSESSED with Quincey and one of my favorite things to do is share her with her.  It feels me with so much joy to see my sisters love my daughter so much.  And, since Grace's kids are so much older she gets to devote a lot of attention to Quincey.  Of course, when we arrived Grace was, as always, standing outside waiting for us to pull up.  Quincey instantly warms up to all her Logan family.  She has Uncle Jason, Uncle Gideon, Auntie Afton, and... Auntie Lou Lou was home from college too so she got to see her as well!  Obviously Gideon, Afton, and Abby are not her actual aunts and uncle and but we call them that because it's really the role they play in her life.  Last time we were at Grace's Quincey was just learning how to crawl.  This time, Grace did not have a baby proofed house and Quincey was into everything.  She especially liked taking all the shoes out of the crate and dumping rice krispy cereal on the floor.

She also loved Auntie Grace's orange julias'.

We always love being at the Logan's house.

But then we made out way to Newcastle and Quincey got to meet her Aunt Jami and Uncle Martin.  She got lots of snuggles from them and warmed up to the right away.

And then... Auntie Dessa arrived!  Quincey loves to play with Auntie Dessa.  And like a good Auntie, Dessa indulges her.  It's so fun to watch Dessa be silly and love on my daughter.  She's such a good Auntie to her.  And, it's almost like Quincey can tell who my sisters are.  She takes to them more than anyone else.

Isn't Dessa So Pretty In This Picture!

And then...  Quincey's Great Uncle Ed, Great Uncle Henry, and Great Aunt Helen all came from the colony to see grandma.  So, Quincey got to meet them as well.  She really warmed up to Great Uncle Henry and had a great time playing with him.

It was great for Quincey to get to see and meet so many.  A baby can never be loved enough.  

Quincey Can Walk!

 A couple weeks ago, at age 9 1/2 months, little Quincey Schroeder decided it was time to take her first steps.  And now, she is walking across floors.  Not too fast yet, but nonetheless, she is using her walking feet!   It's so fun to watch her accomplish this.  She is so deliberate about it.  I know some babies just all the sudden take off walking but, initially, with every step, she thought about it before taking it.  She is still a little shaky but improving every day.

Quincey Meets Grandma Esther

After 10 long months, I finally got to take Quincey to meet her grandma.  I knew it would be a bittersweet week with lots of emotions but, I wasn't going to waste one minute getting up to Newcastle to introduce my mom to her newest grand baby.  

 Even though grandma couldn't talk, couldn't see, and couldn't acknowledge our presence I know that she knew we were there in her spirit.  

A letter to Quincey:

Dear Quincey,

I want to tell you what it would have been like if you would have met grandma without dementia.  

The minute we got there grandma would have been waiting at the top of the stairs.  She would have snatched you right up into her arms and held you so tight against her.  You would have been able to feel her warm and fierce embrace against you as she swooped you into her arms.  

She would have commented on your little curls that are forming and talked about how my hair was the same way when I was little and that she's sure you're going to have my curls.  She would have talked incessantly about how cute you are.

She would have loved to have played peek-a-boo with you.  She would have played the game until all your giggles had come out.  She would have elaborately hid behind the corners in the house and popped out yelling, "peek-a-boo!" loudly in her German accent.  She would have grabbed any towel or blanket she could find to throw over her head and finally pop up and out of it in the hopes of making you squeal with delight.  She would have done it until every last giggle was captured.

She would have also loved to play chase with you.  She would have been on hands and knees with you playing chase around the living room just like you love to do right now.  I'm sure you would have heard her complain about her hips hurting but it wouldn't have stopped her.  She would have chased you up and down the hallway and all around just as long as she could.  

She would have gone on a walk with us out back just like grandpa did.  She would have asked endless questions about you through the whole walk.  

She would have woken up early in the morning with us every day.  You would have seen her walking down the hallway in her ever present bathrobe with hearts on it and sit in her favorite place with her legs crossed commenting on every little cute thing you did.  

She would have picked you up to snuggle you any time you came near her.  Grandma's snuggles have anyways been the best.  She would have snuggled you as long as you would have let her.  

She would have read your Brown Bear book to you just as many times as you would have wanted.

She would have been so proud to see your walking feet.  She would have been so animated as you stood in the living room taking your steps- loudly encouraging you with every one you took.  And, she would have talked non stop about how advanced you are and how smart you are. She would have said over and over, "Man, she is just so smart!"  I can hear her right now in my head as clear as day.  (She always said this about every single grand baby she had.)

She would have wanted to rescue you with every little cry you made.  She would have done anything she could to make you happy.

When Spuddy nipped at you, she would have yelled, "Bill, get that cat out of the house!" and then she would have talked about how much of a nuisance that cat is to begin with.  (Although we all know how much grandma loves that silly cat.) 

You would have heard her comment on the weather obsessively, every day, fretting about if it was going to be safe enough for us to travel home.  

And finally, as we left, you would have seen grandma standing at the window waving until we were completely out of sight.   

Quincey, I want you to know that grandma would have adored you.  

And, grandma would want you to know that she loves you.  She loved you before you were even formed.