Jayna's Secret Recipe

"My mom has no idea how to make good cereal!"
First you take a big handful in each hand.
And you squeeze it together really hard.

Then you have to rub it together for a few seconds.

Finally you squeeze it just a little bit more.

Then you lick it off your hands, it's delicious!!

Oatmeal Explosion

We decided it was time to let Jayna start feeding herself. Everyone tells us that the only way for her to get the hang of it is to make a mess, which is why we've waited so long. I pretty much had to put the bowl down on her tray and leave the room. This is what I came back to...

At least she managed to get a few bites in there with the spoon. But she loved feeding herself, she was so excited and proud of herself. I guess there's no turning back now.

Nothing like the real thing

Jayna found this soother in her room today and thought it was the funniest toy. We tired to give her a soother when she was a baby and she never really liked it, and then a month or so later she found her thumb and has never looked back.

"What is this funny looking thing?"

Not quite...

that's better!

Maybe we should try giving her this at night so she could stop sucking her thumb...I don't think she'd go for it.

Playing in the Snow

Gibb keeps telling me to take Jayna outside to play in the snow, and I keep telling him that we're hibernating. So he got home from school early and decided to take her out himself.

She lasted about 20 minutes or so until she decided it was too cold and she couldn't really move around at all so they came back inside. I think it took us longer to bundle and un-bundle her than the time she was actually outside.

First Steps

Jayna FINALLY took some real first steps at 16 1/2 months. She has been furniture walking and walking holding our hands for at least 5 months, and everyone kept telling us that she was so close to walking and would just take off any day...
Well 5 months later she finally got the courage to take some real steps!!

Jayna has been so scared of walking, anytime we tried to get her to take a step she would grab onto us for dear life or drop down to the ground. She's also really stubborn so once she realized we wanted her to walk there was no way she was going to try.
But for some reason this day she decided she would give it a try, but it had to be her idea!

Jayna coming to give me a huge hug!!

It's been over a week now since Jayna "started walking", but she really hasn't started walking at all. She will only walk to and from Gibb and I when she's in the right mood, never just around the house. She's such a funny girl, maybe she'll actually be walking in a few more months...

A Day at the Spa!

Jayna and I have been getting sooo spoiled while we've been at my parents. Not only have I not had to lift a finger to do any cooking, cleaning, dishes, laundry, etc., but we also have gone shopping, out to eat and basically just gotten pampered. Jayna has gotten so much attention I don't how she's going to handle being home alone with me again. I think the icing on the cake for me was a couple days ago when my mom sent me to the spa for a Facial and Massage!

I went to a spa called Elche, it's a Hungarian spa that uses all natural and organic products. The facial was 2 hours long and was so amazing. I had cucumber and avocado cleansers, apple, grape raspberry mask, a hot paprika mask for 15 minutes that is so hot on your face that they have to fan you the whole time it's on! Then I had a 20 minute face, neck, shoulder massage, another mask with steam, some more cleanser and finally moisturizer. It was so amazing, I don't even know how else to describe it. My face has never felt or looked so good. This is definitely something every girl should have done, ideally once a month!! Then I finished off with a relaxing back, neck, arm shoulder massage. It was such a relaxing morning, and a nice break. I think I might have to make this a tradition. Anyone up for a spa day when I get back to Cleveland?

Quadding

Gibb, Sami, Olya and I went quadding in the sand dunes in the desert. Of course Gibb and Sami had to get us the fastest, most powerful quads. I wanted to share one with Gibb, but he quickly vetoed that idea. Apparently he would have no fun if I was on the back of his quad.

Getting a crash course in driving a quad. Gibb reassured me that it would be almost impossible to tip it over.

I was a little nervous at first, but got the hang of it pretty quick.

Gibb and I

My brother Sami

My mom kept taking pictures of this funny camel that was right beside her, I think she felt sorry for him!

It was super fun, especially after I got brave towards the end. Gibb was trying to show off for the camera and fell off his quad. I'll have to add that video when we get home!

Wild Wadi

We went to this really cool waterpark here. Most of the slides are tube rides, but you start at the bottom and then water jets shoot you up to the top of the slides and then you choose which one you want to go down. They also have a big wave pool and of course the lazy river.

Jayna got her own tube in the lazy river, what a big girl!

My Mom and I took Jayna on the family water slide, her first water slide, and of course, she was scared and hated it. I didn't think it would be as crazy as it was and you get splashed a lot with really cold water. Poor girl was so sad by the end, I hope she's not traumatized.

The best view of the Burj Al Aarab at the top of one of the slides

Digging for Treasure

Jayna had so much fun playing in the sand. She loved collecting the shells and would try to hold as many as she could so she didn't have to put any of them down. She didn't want to leave her treasures behind when we left so maybe she'll have to bring a couple home with her to Cleveland.

Santa Baby

One of our friends gave us this cute little Santa outfit. Jayna hates having hats on so she wasn't very happy when we put that on. She just kept pulling it right off. Good thing she didn't see herself in the mirror, she probably would have been terrified.