The Justice Family: Fun Firsts

We have had a great Memorial Day weekend! I'm totally dreading Travis going back to work tomorrow. It's so much more fun (and easier) when both of us are around. We've had a lot of "firsts" this weekend. Our grocery cart cover and restaurant high chair cover came in the mail...so Campbell rode in the grocery cart like a big girl and also sat in a high chair at a restaurant! It's really padded and gives her enough support to sit up very easily on her own and she's well-supported. Might not sound exciting to you, but trust me, it is. I'm SO happy to shop now without having to pile groceries on the baby. Or to have to lug that big baby seat into restaurants. She thought she was something else sitting up at a table in a restaurant - and there was a TV overhead - she was in heaven! We were having dinner with her Uncle Alex, Aunt Sonia and cousins Emerson and Peyton. The cousins LOVED seeing Campbell eat baby bananas and get them all over her face! As we were leaving, a nice man jokingly says, "Wow, did he eat a steak all by himself?" hahahaha This time I wasn't offended and just laughed. I mean, not only did he call my child a boy, he was also pointing out how big she is. But hey, she's big, and she's absolutely adorable, and she was wearing green so I won't get mad. :) Campbell also got a new high chair and stroller this weekend. So at home she eats in a big, cozy high chair now. And the stroller is an umbrella stroller - no infant seat needed anymore!

Campbell went to her first storytime. Saturday morning we took her to storytime at Barnes and Noble. We didn't know what to expect, but it was an excuse to go do something as a family - and it's FREE! Campbell seemed really interested - not so much in the book, but she absolutely loves being around other kids. She was grinning ear to ear watching the other kids. Storytime lasted less than 10 minutes! By the time Travis got his Starbucks and came to the children's area, the lady was on the last page! Now we know that maybe we won't make a special trip to the store just for storytime - but it'd be nice to plan a shopping errand so we could stop in for a quick story. Very cute, and we agree that it's REALLY important for her to be around other kids as much as possible. Since she's at home with me most of the time, we want to make sure she grows up in a social environment and learns how to play well with other kiddies.

Campbell tried a new vegetable this weekend - peas! Another first! She has liked everything we've given her. She now gobbles up peas, bananas, sweet potatoes and applesauce, along with rice cereal and baby oatmeal. We're working our way through all of the stage one baby foods and she is doing really well with it all. (Big shocker there...)

This is not a "first" but important to note that Campbell is dangerously close to sitting on her own! In fact, she does it for short periods of time. Of course she's on the floor with our hands inches from her back, ready to catch a spill. But she is really figuring out how to balance. And in all seriousness, it can't be easy to balance and hold yourself up with a big ole baby belly like the one she's got! She rolls over really easily from back to front now.

We spent Sunday afternoon in Greensboro visiting our friends Bob and Melissa. They have a little girl, Peyton, who is almost 15 months old. Peyton came to our wedding when she was only 10 days old. Wow. I have told Travis on numerous occasions - now those are true friends right there. I know now how hard it is to get out of the house with a baby. And I'm talking about a baby who is a few months old. They traveled to Asheville for our wedding with a 10-day old! We were very touched. Now Peyton is walking around and adorable...and seems to like her new baby brother too! That's right, she has a precious little brother who is almost a month old now named Evan. It was great to see their growing family and fun to hold a new baby again. I forgot how tiny they are!

Now...for the most fun "first" of the weekend - the pool!!!!!!!!!! My mom likes to tell stories about how when I was a kid, it didn't matter what the weather was doing, I HAD to swim on Memorial Day weekend when the pool opened. She tells me she remembers sitting at the Elks' Club pool in a sweatshirt on a cool May day while I swam, probably freezing to death, but happy as could be. I LOVED the pool, still do actually. I just love water in general. I was also quite strong-willed and nothing was going to stop me from the much-anticipated opening day at the pool! Not a lot has changed...I was still itching to get out there all weekend. We have had an overcast and drizzly weekend but I was still determined. Finally, around 1pm today, the clouds parted long enough for us to take Campbell to the baby pool in our neighborhood!!! I had thought we needed a one-piece for her girlish figure, but I think you'll agree she looks fierce in her red bikini! The baby pool was ridiculously cold - cooler than a polar bear's toenails. So we didn't stay but for just a few minutes. We held her and dipped her in up to her waist and let her stand on the bottom. She wasn't mad, but she wasn't really super happy either. She was just kind of indifferent! The water was so ice cold and she didn't cry, so I'd say it was a really good sign that she'll enjoy it when it's actually warm. Soon after we got her in, it started to pour down rain so we raced home. I'm very excited to get back on a nice day when the water is warm. I also can't wait to take her in the big pool and pull her around. I just know she'll be a little fish like her Daddy and I are.