Weekend in review

This guy is still doing a lot of sleeping. I can't remember when this stage ends so I'm trying to enjoy being able to get some things done while he's sleeping. I am also enjoying watching him sleep and holding him a lot. I know the day will come when he's too busy to cuddle with me so I'm especially enjoying holding him.

When we ventured out this weekend, we bought Canaan her first board game...Chutes and Ladders. I have to say it was a bit frustrating trying to play with her. She was excited about the game, but she was not able to sit still to play it. She was running around and wanting to move the board pieces all over the place. She did enjoy spinning when it was her turn and she remembered whose turn it was each time. I think she'll figure it all out as we continue to play with her.

A trip to the farm

Last weekend we used a coupon I recently purchased to go to a local farm. We got a later start than I expected, and this place was BUSY! For a child who loves animals as much as Canaan does, this was a perfect place to visit. This huge pig was just wandering around like you would see a dog wander around. Canaan got to pet this pig, a chicken, a miniature horse, and baby pigs.

This is what I've been getting lately when I ask for a smile (at least when she's cooperating).



She also got to go on another pony ride although this one wasn't as good as the first one. This time a young girl led the pony around the pen one time. Canaan still really enjoyed it. I think the wait for this one was more than an hour. Matthew was nice enough to wait in line while Canaan and I walked around and looked at all the animals.

This place had little tractors that kids could drive around, a huge fire pit for roasting marshmallows, a hay bale maze, a rope to swing on, a train to ride, a garden to play in, and plenty of animals around.

I think it might be fun to go back during the summer when it might be less crowded.

Pops Visited

During September, Pops came to visit. While he was here, we took the ferry to Whidbey Island and drove around. He may have been here the best weekend of the whole year. The weather was perfect! We drove out to an old fort and looked around. He and Matthew also went to the Flight Museum and to Alki Beach.

Evergreen State Fair

Over Labor Day weekend, Matthew, Canaan, and I went to the Evergreen State Fair. Canaan LOVED seeing all the animals. She got to pet this huge horse, a baby goat, and some other horses while we were there. The pigs and some of the cows were being shown while we were there so she didn't get to pet them.


She wanted to go on all the rides we saw, but the only thing she was big enough for was the carousel. She likes the carousel but really wanted to do the other things. I guess when she gets bigger and older, Matthew will have someone to ride roller coasters with.

More of these days

While eating dinner out with the Bells, Canaan entertained us with her monkey and elephant (do you see her trunk?) impersonations. She is even better at her monkey impression now as she has added a shriek to the end of the "oohoohooh". We really need to get this stuff on video.




We visited the dog park for some exercise and to get out of the house on President's Day. Matthew and I were both home for the day. Neither of us actually had the day as a holiday, but daycare was closed. I had planned to stay home with Canaan, but after my weekend trip to the ER with a kidney stone Matthew stayed home too to make sure everything was ok.




Canaan is quite the fashionista with this new outfit from Grandma. When I asked her to give me a smile, this was the best I got. Clearly she is not impressed with getting her picture taken. We'll just call these action shots.

We've moved!

I haven't posted here in a very long time and hope to remedy that soon with recent updates on the Merritt happenings. I would like to get caught up with my postings about Canaan, too.

After 19 months of unemployment, Matthew got a job in the Seattle area. I was able to get a job in the area as well with my employer in Colorado. So we moved 1400 miles across the country. Our very good friends the Bs live nearby which has been awesome. We lived with them for quite a while until we found a place to rent.

And the even bigger news...as of October 1st we are no longer home owners. We got a call from our realtor during our drive through Montana that we had two offers on our house. What a blessing! We are so thankful we are no longer financially tied to Colorado.

This picture was taken on one of the most humid days we had experienced here so far back in September. We joined the Bs at a church event at a nearby farm. Canaan was not very cooperative with the photo as she was missing her afternoon nap.

34 Weeks (as of Jan 16, 2010)

• This week Canaan tried bananas. They are super sweet. So far, I would guess this is her least favorite by the look on her face. She will still eat them though.
• She took her first bath in her tub without the infant sling.
• She started making what resembles a fish face.
• We had a follow-up visit with Canaan's gastroenterologist this week. We are supposed to use a less hypo-allergenic formula for supplementing and to continue to add solid foods every 5 to 6 days.
• She weighs 16 pounds 3 1/2 ounces. She has gained almost 10 pounds. She was 6 pounds 4 ounces when she was born.
• When sitting in your lap, Canaan will push with her legs to a standing position.
• When interested in something, she very purposefully touches it with her index finger and has almost a scowl on her face.
• Matthew took Max to the park on Tuesday. When Max would run back to Matthew with his ball or toy, Canaan would laugh. Last Saturday was her first stroller ride without her infant carrier. I'm sure she enjoys being able to sit up and see what's going on.
• Canaan almost always smiles when she sees Max come into a room.
• She is very interested in Max's paws.

26 Weeks

This was a busy week.

• Canaan had an appointment with her gastroenterologist. He gave her the ok to start rice cereal. I, however, cannot add anything to my diet until her next appointment which will be when she is 8 months old.
• So we gave her rice cereal this week. She did not know what to think of that.
• We put up her high chair this week.
• Canaan has started waking up a couple of times each night. I hope eating solids will change this. I got spoiled with her sleeping through the night so early.
• When you suction Canaan's nose with the aspirator, she will generally smile at you.
• When she is on her tummy, she is getting her knees under her belly.
• She has started sticking her tongue out all the way.
• Canaan has one hair at the crown of her head that is 2 to 3 times longer than all her other hair.

Matthew had his ACL repaired on Friday of this week so Grandma and Grandpa came to stay with us and take care of Canaan. You can see in one of these pictures that they had Matthew working on his knee the day after his surgery. I couldn't believe how quickly they started that.

25 Weeks

This week Canaan started rolling onto her tummy in bed. Sometimes this makes her upset because she cannot roll back onto her back from her tummy. And other times she just decides to sleep on her tummy. It seems that most of the time she rolls over onto her tummy after she wakes up in the morning.

While she is not even close to crawling at this point, you can see that Canaan can move around. She started on her play mat in the middle on her back and ended up on her tummy on the carpet.

Matthew attended a job fair this week so Canaan spent 4 days at 4 different houses.

• Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday she stayed with ladies from our Sunday school class. Each of them have other children. I think Canaan enjoys watching older children and came home tired each night. One morning I had to wake her up in order to get her to someone's house before work. It was a bigger task than I expected to get her up and ready in the morning and to someone's house before work. I am thankful that I generally get to leave her at home with Daddy.
• Friday she stayed with a couple that Matthew used to work with.

We are thankful for so many people who were willing to help us out and take care of our sweet girl.

24 Weeks

Canaan is getting more fun all the time.

I have the hardest time trimming her fingernails. No matter how tightly I think I am holding her fingers, she can always wiggle them.

She has been splashing more in the bathtub. One night this week she splashed soap on Max's nose.

She likes looking in the mirror but mostly looks at who is holding her rather than noticing herself.

She gets excited when she sees her bottle.

She is really entertained by other kids.

I forgot to mention that I started eating nuts when Canaan turned 5 months old. I have really enjoyed being able to eat peanut butter. Thankfully, she has not had any reaction to the nuts.

This week I got some pictures of Matthew reading to her, Canaan playing on her play gym/mat, the day we thought she was getting a cold that thankfully only lasted one day(wearing the green polka-dot pjs, doesn't her nose just look stuffy?), what happens when Max wants to be included in floor playtime, and Canaan with her bunny. I just can't get enough of this girl.