St. Louis

Friday night we decided to drive to St. Louis and see the Arch and then we would only have an 8 hour drive home on Saturday instead of 12. We thought that maybe the Arch would still be open and we could look out over the city at night but we got there at 9:00 and it closed at 6:00. We walked around by the Arch and then took a carriage ride around downtown St. Louis. It was a nice evening and we enjoyed our last night of our vacation.

This is us down by the river by the Arch. ( I didn't get a very good picture of the Arch because it was dark)

Scott and I in the carriage.

I will leave you with a couple other pictures of Chicago.

Navy Pier

Me on Navy Pier with Chicago in the background.

Scott and I by a boat dock on Lake Shore Drive.

Friday in Chicago

Friday was the day we decided to do everything. We got up fairly early and went to the Shedd Aquarium. They had dolphins, whales, sharks and lots of other small fish and sea creatures, some of them very interesting.

These are huge crabs! We couldn't use the flash so some of the pictures are dark.

This was a bright pink star fish!

After the aquarium we walked to the Navy Pier. It was about a 3 mile walk. After the walk we were starving and decided to eat at Bubba Gump's on Navy Pier.

This is us infront of Bubba Gump's. It was good. We both had a "Bucket of Trash". It was shrimp, lobster and Mahi Mahi.

Then we walked around the Navy Pier and were going to take a boat ride out on Lake Michigan but it was sold out. We decided to take a cab back to get our truck. We had parked at Soldier Field and they were having a high school game there so we asked if we could go in. They let us in for free since we parked there. It was cool to see the stadium.

Inside Soldier Field (Home of the Chicago Bears)

I have a few other pictures to post but I will do it on my next blog. We went to St. Louis Friday night so look for that tomorrow.

Chicago

Scott and I left for Chicago about 10:15 am Wednesday. We took Cheyenne out to my parents' and then left from there. It was hard to leave her but knew she was in good hands. We got to Chicago about 10:30 that night. The flow of traffic was 85 mph and people were still passing us! So we made pretty good time! We found a hotel in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we got up early and headed down town to watch the parade. It was a nice parade, a little cold, but ok. The blown up characters look a lot bigger on tv than they did in person. Here are a few pictures of the parade.

This is the biggest rubberband ball in the world! The snow man and Christmas tree are made out of rubberband balls too.

The Nutcracker on horseback.

Miss Illinois in her pink Hummer.

After the parade we walked down on the Navy Pier but most things were closed. So we went back to the hotel and decided to go back on Friday. We did a lot on Friday so I will post that info. later.

Shopping

Saturday Cheyenne and I went shopping with my mom and sisters. We had a good time and I was able to get a few Christmas presents and some new jeans for our trip. We had fun shopping. Here are a few pictures of our day!

Aunt Brittany thought she needed to try on the slippers!

She loved the baby section! She is sitting in a bin of little girls panties I think. We got some Christmas gifts for her too! She won't be lacking presents under the tree!

New way to get around

When Cheyenne was at work with me I put her in the bouncy seat when I needed to take her in the other room to clean up and stuff. Well, one day she leaned over the side of it when she she dropped one of her toys. She didn't fall out but I figured that was enoughf of that one. Then I used the Bumbo thinking she woud sit in it and play. That didn't last long at all. The first day I had her in it she arched her back and about tipped her and the Bumbo over backwards. Now I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Staci K. suggested a stroller. So, here is our new way to entertain her.

It works pretty good. She sits in it while I clean and I can push her around when she gets fussy and can also push her and leave my hands free to carry other things.

Here are a few pictures of her at work with me the last couple days.

Someone paid for their membership and Cheyenne took the money. That-a-girl! Go for the big bucks!

She was excited about something!

Is she winking?

Nursing

We've decided to leave Cheyenne with my parents while we go on a little vacation over Thanksgiving. Since I am still nursing I was concerned how Cheyenne would do without being nursed. So yesterday I didn't nurse her at all. I gave her cereal and a bottle in the morning and then my mom fed her lunch. My mom said she was really good at her house. When I got to my mom's at 9:30 to pick her up, I gave her a bottle. She fell asleep on the way home and stayed asleep. She didn't get up until 8:15 this morning. Now if she can just do that for 4 or 5 days while we are gone.

Of course, the down side to this is that I have to pump more often. I think I pumped 3 times yesterday. It will be fun to try and fit in pumping while we are gone. The morning and night one won't be bad, the middle one will be the tough one. I can usually go about 9 hours or so. We'll see.

Don't get too excited with this picture! I got her to stand up sort of leaning against the bed so I could get a picture of her cowgirl shirt and boots!

She will stand up very briefly if you put her in that position holding on to something.

Teenagers

We had some excitement at our house about 8:40 Saturday night. We were watching tv and heard some kids talking outside. They were in the alley by our house. I didn't turn the porch light on to see who it was. Then all of a sudden they hit our front door. We jumped up, opened the door but no one was there. Scott went to the end of the porch and could see them running down the alley. So, reverting to the cop he used to be, he grabbed his shoes and chased after them. They had gone in different directions so he chased some of them down the alley going North. He caught one of them and made him come back to our house. Then one of them was riding a bike and rode back by our house. Scott told him "In my hard, NOW". He told them that they had woken Cheyenne up and they didn't need to be hanging around here and made them call their parents to come pick them up. I knew both of the boys through the rec. They said they didn't do it but didn't know who did. You can't tell me that they were all together and they didn't see who came up on our porch and hit our door. One of the boys' mom came and picked him up and Scott took the other one home. His parents weren't at home so he took him to his mom's work. He had the boy show him where the other kids lived and Scott went to talk to their parents. None of them were at home. Most of them were at the bar! That's why these kids are out causing trouble!

When Scott got to one of the kid's house the other boy was there too. Scott said they were pretty scared. He told them he would be back Sunday evening to visit with their parents. When I found out who these kids were I knew them too from the rec. Scott asked them if they knew his wife. They didn't. He asked them if they've ever been to the rec and they said they had and Scott said that I was his wife. One of them was like "Oh, man!"

Scott found a couple cops sitting up town and talked to them about it. He told them that he had advised the boys of trespassing (he had a cop word for it). If they step foot on our property again they will go to Bob Johnson's (I didn't know what that was and neither did the boys). It is the boys' home.

I don't know if they were playing Ding-Dong Ditch or if they just thought it would me funny since they were standing there. My guess is they won't do it again though. I bet they never imagined someone would come chasing after them and show up at their house! Some of them may not come up to the rec for awhile either!

Cheyenne laughing

Cheyenne was helping me hang up clothes yesterday and thought it was petty funny!

Sleeping Comfortably?!

Yesterday Cheyenne was sitting on the living room floor playing while I was trying to pay some bills. She started to get fussy and I just talked to her and told her I was about done and we'd go bye-bye. (We had PAT playgroup at LRC) She got quiet so I thought she was just playing. I looked up and she was asleep! She was sitting on the floor and leaned down on her toys and went to sleep. Can you sleep like that? I had to pick her up because it didn't look comfortable at all. Who knows how long she would have slept like that!

Momma's Girl

Lately Cheyenne has been a little fussy. We think it is mainly because she is teething again but she has also shown us that she is a momma's girl. She is with me all the time, at home, at work, when we go anywhere. If she can see me and talk to me she is usually ok. I have to put her in her chair in the kitchen a lot when I am cooking so she can see me. It is very evident when someone else is holding her and she is crying and as soon as I take her she smiles. It is kind of funny but really isn't because now we are going to have to break her of just wanting momma.

Here is a picture of her wanting to be picked up.

Bumbo

A couple people have suggested putting Cheyenne in a Bumbo. We actually have one but she doesn't fit in it very well. Ever since we got it several months ago, she has been too chunky or something. Her thighs just don't fit right. It says it is for like 4 months to 14 months or something like that. We got it out and tried to put her in it again this weekend. As you can tell, he left leg just doesn't fit in it. We put it down in there but it was a little tight. She sat in it for awhile but not real long. She did have fun playing with her toes while sitting in it though!

Do you notice the teething ring she is chewing on? We had a rough weekend with her drooling a lot and being fussy. We were up once in the night Saturday and twice Sunday night. Orajel and baby motrin seemed to help some. She liked the cold teething ring too but it just doesn't stay cold very long.

I thought maybe I could take the Bumbo to work for her to sit in when she goes with me into another room to wipe down machines or something. Her ability to sit up has outgrown the bouncer. Maybe we just need to get a walker. Any suggestions?

Mess

Yesterday I fed Cheyenne baby food while she was at work with me. She was hungry and then got excited when I started feeding her. She kept talking and spitting the baby food. It was all over her! On her nose, forehead, in her hair and all over her clothes. It was kind of funny but it made a little bit of a mess!

Can you see it on her forehead? I tried to get a picture of it in her hair but there wasn't enough for it to show up.

This shows it on her clothes. You can't see it all on her white shirt...there's more!

One of my friends posted a video of her little one on her blog and I had recently uploaded all of the videos to a website off of my camera (hoping to get a video camera for Christmas) so I thought I would try to post a video on my blog. Here is one of her after a bath talking to the fan. She loves the fan in our bedroom.

Cheyenne talking to the fan

Cheyenne's first Halloween

Yesterday was Cheyenne's first Halloween. She was a rooster. We took her out to a few places to see family and friends. She didn't get any candy but did get some money. I think Scott was hoping he would get some candy! I think he had a couple pieces!

Scott took her out to the salt plant in the afternoon and then brought her up to the rec.

This was after trick-or-treating. It was cold so she had a stocking hat on. It doesn't really go with the rooster thing but it kept her warm. Notice the socks on her hands!

Reading the Halloween card from Grandma and Grandpa Clark, Aunt Brittany and Aunt Staci.