Strong Museum of Play Plus Dagny

Today we took Dagny to her first museum outing to the Strong National Museum of Play. For anyone thinking that that name sounds familiar, it might be because this is also the home of the National Toy Hall of Fame. We also ended up getting our very first family membership to anything. It was such a neat thing to do.

Dagny LOVED it, Craig loved it, and I loved it. Craig and I wanted to be a kid again, but since we can’t we are at least glad Dagny is so young and we will have many years of enjoyment. It is really a neat place with lots of neat things to offer. Dagny seemed to really enjoy all the colors, exhibits and kids. So, once again I will post MANY MANY photos to show you all what a wonderful day we had as a family.

Barbara and Dagny

Funny Mirror

We walked over to Sesame Street.

Let’s go Mama

We arrived at Sesame Street.

Craig and Dagny in front of the famous 123 Sesame Street stoop

Barbara and Dagny in front of the famous 123 Sesame Street stoop

It’s Big Bird!

We went to Wegmans afterwards to do some shopping.

We Arrived

Lets start

Lets get a lemon

a tomato

and an apple

We then drove to see the Berenstain Bears.

Driving Mama

Here we are with the Berenstain Bears.

Dagny with Papa Bear

The whole family

No More Hands and Knees for Dagny

On January 19th Dagny took her very first steps. That was exactly one month from when we flew home from Russia. It’s so funny to see her walk. When she gets close to the person she is walking towards she dives at them. Then she giggles like there is no tomorrow. Absolute cuteness.

It blows my mind how much Dagny has developed in so many ways in such a short time. In fact, I sometimes forget she only has been home a little over five weeks. It seems like she has been here forever. She is truly a little sponge soaking everything new up.

Last weekend Dagny got a chance to show off her walking skills to Grandma and Grandpa Johnson in Ohio through SKYPE. She also showed off her dancing moves to what else but The Wiggles. It was so adorable.

I realize this is a long over due post about our little walker but better late then never.

Here are a few photos of her walking. I have to put a video together for all you.

I’m coming Mama

Yeah

Here I come

Wiggles Mania Has Arrived

We have another first with Dagny. She now has a favorite music band, The Wiggles.

At my work shower Dagny received a DVD of The Wiggles. With going to Russia and bringing Dagny home I totally forgot about it. This past week I was cleaning out her closet because she has outgrown so much of her clothes already. Sigh. As I was packing away her old clothes and putting her new ones away I found the DVD. I was so excited to find it and be reminded of it because Dagny LOVES music. I was so curious to see how Dagny would react to it. She LOVED it. She stopped what she was doing, which was playing, and was fixated on the TV. She started to laugh and shake her booty.

I captured on two separate days Dagny’s Wiggles time.

Here is our Wiggles Head watching her band.

Our Wiggle Head

Yeah, The Wiggles

Still watching and not moving

Yeah, a baby.

Wiggles Time

Mommy, I love them!

This has been the cutest thing so far and what makes this whole thing even cuter is that she has a favorite song, its Dr. Knicker Bocker Song Number 9. She goes bonkers for it. I must admit it’s my favorite too on the DVD.

Long Weekend = Long Post

This past weekend we went on our very first road trip with Dagny since we have been home with her. My brother and his family have a “weekend” house in Binghamton, NY. They invited us down for the weekend to celebrate Emeric’s birthday that was a couple of weeks ago.

I have been preparing Dagny for the long ride (which really wasn’t that long, it was right under three hours) by taking her along on errands around Rochester. I wanted her to get use to the car and the car seat. I think it definitely made a difference because she did well until the very end of the trip both ways.

How cute are they?

Almost nap time

Nap

When we arrived we had the whole day ahead of us before we all went out to dinner to celebrate. We weren’t sure how Dagny was going to react to her new surroundings and if she would remember the family. I honestly believe that she did remember her cousins, aunt and uncle. She felt comfortable in their arms.

Dagny hanging out on Uncle Emeric’s knee

Erika and Dagny

The following morning before we put her down for her nap Craig, Erika and Emerson took Dagny on her first sled ride. Dagny was so small they ended up putting her in a laundry basket which was then put in the sled to keep her from falling over.

Here is Craig taking a test run.

Craig paving the way

Here is our little bundle enjoying her very first sledding experience. (WARNING: LOTS OF PHOTOS)

WEEEE!

WEEEE!

YEAH!

YEAH!

YEAH!

Erika and Emerson, what a team effort

Craig and Dagny

Look at those rosy cheeks

-Barbara

Oh, yeah… Dagny took her very first step today. A month ago today we were flying back home from Moscow.

Happy 14 Months Dagny

Dear Dagny,

Today you are 14 months old. I can’t believe how fast time seems to be going. In the month that you have been home you have changed so much. You have grown physically, mentally and emotionally.

You are getting so big. You’re starting to grow out of your 12 month old clothes. You seem to want to walk more and more every day. You seem to crave us to hold your hands so you can walk. I just can see you are going to take off one of these days.

You love to eat. You will not eat anything out of a jar, it has to be all homemade. It seems you’re not a fan of sour things. You love your organic milk every morning with breakfast. It seems like you drink it all in one breath. I keep telling you to slow down but you love your milk.

You are still sleeping 16 hours a day. You still are craving your morning and afternoon nap. When I see your thumb in your mouth I know nap time is coming soon. When I go into your room to get you from your nap we play while you’re in your crib. You hand me almost all your stuff animals and you point for me to kiss them and when I hand them back you laugh and hand them back to me. We do this until you’re ready to get out of your crib, you let me know by asking me to pick you up. You are so sweet.

You are so smart. Whenever we show you something new, I can see you processing it in your head and trying to duplicate it. It is so wonderful to witness. You like to mimic us both with sounds and gestures. When you play with your toys you look it over and it seems like you’re trying to figure out how the toy was put together. You love music. Whenever you hear something that you like you start to dance and laugh out loud. Maybe you will have a double major at college and become both an Engineer and Prima ballerina. Just be happy.

You love to be held by us. When your Daddy comes home from work you can hardly contain yourself. You start to shake with your arms in the air for Daddy to pick you up all the while laughing. It melts my heart when I see the love you have for your Daddy. You now sit in our laps for minutes at a time and you put your head on our chest and just listen to our heartbeat. I can cry every time you do this.

You are starting to get more independence. You can now play by yourself for longer periods of times. We still need to be near you but we don’t have to be engaged with you. It’s wonderful to see how you’re feeling so much comfortable in your home.

You are fascinated with your cat, Maxie, and she has been wonderful with you. She allows you to go up to her and pat her. Your dog, Lily, is becoming more your buddy. Your getting use to having her in your face all the time. You try to share your toys with her, even though that might not be the best idea. In the past couple of days you have started to share your food with her. Lily is making out like a bandit.

There isn’t a day that we don’t laugh with you. You are such a fun child. You seem to be happy with us, which is great because we are the happiest we have ever been. I can’t wait to see what the next month brings.

I love you.

Mom