Rochester Road Trip

Mom, Libby and Dad at the zoo

Libby made her second road trip to visit Uncle Tony in Rochester this weekend. Overall, this trip was a much better one for Libby. She slept very well in her little-used pack and play, and she got to spend lots of quality time with Uncle Tony and Nellie.

Libby and Dad checking out the elephant

And, oh yeah, she got to go to the zoo and see all the animals. Saturday was a great day for the zoo--the sun was out, it wasn't too cold, and there were not a lot of people there. All of which made for a good time for Libby. She got to see--way up close--rhinos, elephants, sea lions, and all sorts of monkeys, cats and snakes.

Libby and Mom watching the sea lions

The Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester is the perfect size for Libby. She was able to see all the sights in just a few hours. And, since it wasn't very crowded, she got to walk all over the place. She was so excited to be able to walk around and see the animals. The pure wonder and excitement on Libby's face--repeatedly--made the whole trip worth while.

Uncle Tony, Libby and Nellie

Libby was very good on both car rides; but by the end of the ride on Sunday, she was officially done with being in the car. And she didn't care who knew about it. But, she got to chase Uncle Tony's cat all over the apartment, have all sorts of good meals, and catch a few more episodes of "The Muppet Show." Sounds like a pretty good weekend!

These Shoes Are Made For Walkin'

With the arrival of the spring weather, Libby has been spending much more time outside. This is very exciting for her, since she really is walking pretty much on her own. The biggest obstacle to Libby's being able to walk outside wasn't so much her ability to maintain her balance, but rather her unwillingness to wear shoes. Once she finally figured out that she had to have her shoes on to go outside, her stubbornness quickly faded. So Libby has been spending some quality time out of doors, looking like a movie star, no less, rocking her new jacket and her sweet shades. Unlike her shoes, Libby had no problem keeping on the shades. Actually, she would probably wear them all the time if Mom and Dad would let her! Just this weekend, Libby also started making some new sounds--different from the ones she already has. The way she is growing and developing so quickly, it won't be long before she is talking a mile a minute! Libby is also gearing up for another road trip to visit Uncle Tony in Rochester, so that should make for an interesting weekend--not sure how kindly she will take to sleeping in her pack and play...

I Can't Believe It--A Year of Blogging!

It's hard to believe, but the Yandek Family Blog has been up and running for a year! The first post last March was all about Libby's first St. Patrick's Day. As you can see, she has changed quite a bit since then. In that first picture posted on the blog, Libby is just over a month old and really couldn't do much of anything but eat, sleep, and you know... But now, totally different story all together!

In the last week alone, Libby has started walking completely on her own. It's a little wobbly and Frankensteinesque, but she's slowly getting the hang of it. She's using words--"hi", "ball", "Daddy", "blue" and "Diddy" (translate=Libby). And her personality is all her own! But, the biggest change, of course, is that the Yandek Family Blog will soon be just that--a blog about the Yandek Family, since Libby is getting ready to be a big sister!

Thirteen Months of Libby

Libby turned thirteen months old on Sunday. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a terribly significant milestone for her, other than emphasizing how fast the time is going. It is noteworthy, however, because in the month since her first birthday, Libby really has changed quite signficantly. While Libby is not walking on her own yet, she has taken her first official steps. She really does get around quite well using furniture, walls, or anything else she can get her hands on. Her preferred method of travel is still crawling, especially since she moves at a pretty good clip. Simply put, she's like Night Ranger, because she's motorin' (sorry, I couldn't help myself). Libby has also cut two more lower teeth, which made for some sleepless nights, and she is using those teeth to eat all kinds of food--hamburgers, hotdogs, meatballs, pancakes, ham, eggs, Cheerios, nuggets, veggies, sherbert, etc.

Along with all the physical changes, Libby's personality has continued to develop. She is quite fond of her shocked face (just like the kid on the commercial!), and she is all about giving kisses. As far as the talking goes, Libby will pretty much say hi to anyone and everyone, which means she's either the nicest person ever, or she has not quite grasped the concept of stranger danger. We're still working on that. Libby's hobbies include staring at herself in the mirror, rummaging through cupboards and drawers, and swimming every opportunity she gets. She really is growing up quick!