More updates coming soon!

I'm trying to catch up on Arya's blog. This month has been really busy and I haven't had much time to post. But, as you can see, this is my 3rd blog entry tonight, so I am truly trying to get things up to date! Coming soon - Arya's first rice feeding ceremony and Arya at the zoo. Sounds fun, don't you think?

She's learning to sit up

Arya is getting better and better at sitting up on her own. She did it for the first time on a Sunday night - I think it was Aug 27, 2006. (She was 5 months and 3 days old!) It was a world of difference from when we tried to get her to sit up on the day that she turned 4 months! (I'll see if I can find those pictures and post one later because it was really cute and funny!

Of course, she can't get into a sitting position by herself - we have to sit her up and get her in place and then she takes over. She is till wobbly, and tips over after not that long, but she is starting to get the hang of it (even if she does often sort of lean over in slow motion until she is bent in half and her nose is next to her feet). She doesn't seem to mind though - after all, that gives her easy access to chewing on her toes, which has become a favorite hobby for Arya.

I am going to put a video here for you to watch of one of her first successful attempts at sitting up on her own. (It was taken Aug. 29, 2006.) It is kind of shaky because I was trying to tape while keeping her from falling over! Sorry! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! To view the video, click here.

TEETH!!

Arya has been chewing on everything she can get her hands on for several months now. This last week she had seemed to fuss more than usual and I wondered if her teeth might be moving up. Her nose has been running for the last week and I'd heard rumors that often accompanies teething. I couldn't really see any sure signs of teeth though.

Well, tonight we realized that Arya's bottom two front teeth have broken through the gums! I think it happened just today because she chews on our fingers quite often and today was the first day I'd felt anything different. She was chewing my finger and I felt something sharp so I started feeling and looking around. They still aren't up out of the gum much, but you can definitely feel and see where they're coming in! I can't believe she is big enough to have teeth. Time is sure flying.

Arya's 1st Visit to King's Island!!

On August 6, we went to King's Island in Cincinnati, Ohio. Our group consisted of Mom, Phil, Liz, Sara, Liz's fiance Ben, Sara's fiance Landon, our friend Robby, Rajeev, Arya, and me!

Arya was so good the whole day! She got to take her first ride on the merry-go-round, and liked looking at the lights and mirrors that decorated it.

Later, Rajeev, Sara, Landon and I took Arya to the water park! Landon and Rajeev went on some slides while Sara and I took Arya on the Lazy River ride, where you float in innertubes down a slow, gentle "river". Arya didn't cry, she just sang her semi-fussy "song" for most of it! Here is a picture of Sara, Rajeev, Arya, and Landon underneath one of the water fountains that you can play in at the water park.

I just had to include this last photo of Arya, because I think she looks so cute in it! She was just hanging out in her stroller seat wearing her strawberry bib! (She had been wearing a cute little strawberry outfit as well, but it was SO HOT that we eventually took it off and just let her wear a bib and a diaper so she could stay cool!)

Anyone up for a swim?

Arya went swimming for the first time a week ago today. I thought she looked adorable in her little two-piece bathing suit with the matching sun hat. She even gave me a big smile for the picture!

It has been SO hot lately, and I think she liked the cool water. She liked kicking her feet around, but when the water got up on her belly, she wasn't so sure about that.

We went swimming again on Wednesday evening and Rajeev got to go with us. She let him float her around on her tummy and this time she didn't mind the water on her belly. We had so much fun!

Trying to roll over!

I'm going to try to post that video of us trying to get Arya to roll over. I'm hoping you can see it if you click here.

What a mobile little girl we have!

Arya is doing well these days. She has been having very happy days filled with smiles that I can't get enough of and her colic-y evenings seem to be getting shorter as we near 4 months. (At least that's what we're hoping!) She also seems to be changing faster than ever.

On June 28, 2006 (4 days after turning 3 months old!), Arya rolled over for the first time. She tends to dislike tummy time, to put it nicely. However, because I know it is good for her and helps her build muscles she otherwise wouldn't use that much, I try to help her get through it as painlessly as possible. She seems to not mind tummy time as much when she is on her changing table - maybe because she is high and can see more. Anyway, on the 28th, I put her on her tummy on the changing table and was playing with her, and all of the sudden she flipped over! I was stunned. I kept thinking, "Did I really just see her do that?" I took her to our bed so she would have a nice big flat surface to try again. I laid her down and again, she flipped right over! I tried a few more times that day, but she had no more patience left for tummy time so we just gave rolling over a rest.

Well, we kept trying occasionally with no luck until the day before yesterday. She flipped right over when I put her down, like it was no trouble at all. Then yesterday, she rolled over three more times. I think she is starting to get the hang of it!!

Arya is also learning that she can move around in other ways too. I've put her in her bed with her head in one direction only to come back and find her sideways or sometimes even with her head at the opposite end of the bed. It is amazing that she is already learning to get where she wants! And I know this is only the beginning.

I have a cute little video of us trying unsuccessfully to convince Arya to roll over. I'll try to post it soon. I guess that is all for now though.