Anjali's First Trip to Kentucky

Anjali went on another plane ride. This time to Kentucky. While there, she went to her first tea ~ to celebrate Nanna's birthday, and visited with so many welcoming and smiley family and friends.

Tea was at the Green Tree Tearoom in Lexington, Nanna and Mommy's favorite. Anjali got passed around from adoring adult to adoring adult.

with Papa

with Grandpa

As Nanna held her, Anjali reached out eagerly to share Nanna's cup of tea, so Nanna let her put her mouth on the rim of the cup. Anjali gummed in satisfaction. Then Nanna recounted how, when I was several months old, I stayed with my Granny and Papaw ~ my grandparents. Much to Nanna's dismay, she learned afterward that Papaw let me drink coffee. As adorable as baby reactions to new sensations are, I can partially understand how Papaw might have thought this was a good idea (partially ;-) ). I bet he laughed as much as we all did to see Anjali gnaw on the side of that teacup.

Nanna, Anjali, and the teacup

The way home from the tearoom, it seemed like a great idea to the adults to take the scenic route. But Anjali had a different assessment. She became very familiar with Gramma's rendition of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" as it was sung to her over and over, the only thing to keep her from voicing her distress. At Nanna and Grandpa's house, the whole living room floor was open for Anjali to roll around and play. She would start in the center, then, with a toy in hand and mouth, roll and roll and roll and roll until she got to the edge of the rug. Then an adult would turn her around, and she'd roll roll roll to the other side! Back and forth, back and forth.

 

playing on the floor at Nanna's

playing with the baby in the mirror with Gramma

On a sunny Saturday at Aunt Tiff and Uncle Josh's house in Lexington we had a barbecue with many good friends and many babies. Anjali had a great time socializing with so many interested people.

Aunt Tiff and Cousin Stella, and Rachel

Papi with Granddad Henkel, Calder, and Leslie

Uncle Josh and Cousin Stella 

  Anjali wanted to try out this new-found sociality in every situation.  On the plane ride home, and again on BART, she made interesting (to her) noises ~ squeals and coos ~ and then looked to our neighbors with a smile to see if they would engage in conversation.  No one was interested.  This was Anjali's first introduction to the concept of "friend" vs. "stranger".  I sympathized for her.