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    10 months

    June 28th, 2009

    Would you believe that in 2 months we’ll be celebrating G being a year old? This still boggles my mind — I swear that he can’t be any older than 4 months of age. Where did the time go? None-the-less, here we are.

    This past month has been relatively uneventful. We’re preparing for a lot, but not much has officially happened.

    G chatters a ton now. Over the last 2 weeks he’s become a lot more vocal. He has a very expressive grunt when he wants something. Actually it’s more like a straining grunt — if you didn’t know him better you’d think he was hosting a party in his pants. But no, that’s just my man telling you he wants something. And mercy on your soul if you take something away from him. Whether it’s an actual toy he can play with, or any other object of interest, if he’s not done with it, you’ll hear about it.

    His personality is certainly coming out more. He’s stuborn, and knows what he wants. He’s serious and doesn’t give smiles away lightly, especially to strangers.  When he does smile though, his whole face lights up and you can’t help but smile back at him.

    He’s reaching out now when he knows he’s about to be picked up. Kinda handy really.

    He’s also teething again. I feel his top incisors awaiting liberation from the gum line. He’s taking it like a champ though with minimal fussiness, but lots of chewing on stuff.

    Motility wise, he’s still some ways away from crawling, pulling himself up, or taking any steps. There are days that I wish he’d jump over these milestones, and others that I enjoy not having to chase a 2’3″ rug-rat around the house.

    His coordination is improving, but he’s yet to consistently get food up to his mouth. He has a pincer grasp, but he reserves it for special occasions — he’s more of a fist grabber.

    With all this “prep” work, I have a feeling that next month will be one to keep up with.

    Stay tuned!


    Sand: B+; Ocean: D-

    June 27th, 2009

    We took G to the beach for the very first time this past Wednesday.

    Given his ultra-pale skin tone (that one’s my fault), after half an hour of slathering him up with a generous layer of SPF50, we stripped our little man down and headed to the VA Beach shore.

    It was an interesting experience.

    Let’s start with Sand. I’m coming to the realization that G is a pretty cautious kid. It’s obviously a trait he picks up from S because I’m not defined by patience, self-control or caution. He spent awhile staring at the sand, even while seated on it. Even while I poured some over his legs. He took his time with it, but once he figured it out, he was enjoying letting it pour out of his hand.

    Water on the other hand wasn’t a winner. I don’t know if it’s because he’s spoiled with the 90+ degree baths and swimming pool, while the ocean was cold; or the waves, but he wasn’t a fan. He flat out refused to put his feet in the water, so I had to result to trickery — putting him off to the shore waiting for the water to come in. The result? Well, see for yourself:

    One displeased baby.

    Overall rating? Sand: B+; Water: D-. I guess we’ll be sticking to the pool for awhile.

    Here are some pics of the day though.

    “You put me in the noisy, cold water!”

    Dads and kiddos (Note: G’s still mad)

    Getting a hug from E

    One tired baby

    “Not the water again!”

    “They call me G…”

    “…G5, that is!”

    Is he the cutest thing that side of VA Beach, or what?

    “All this sand, for me?”

    The end


    Foto Friday

    June 27th, 2009

    Another big one to wrap up our week 🙂

    My friend Daisy Mae — she’s a funny lookin’ cat!

    Coasters have so many applications: hat, chewy toy…

    Chillin’ w/ Daddy and Daisy. She has pullable ears.

    Cousin G

    Cousin J

    Holding Great-Grammie Piper’s hand

    Grammie is fun!

    Cousin G had a tea-party for her birthday. I didn’t go — I’m a boy.

    The ladies who take tea


    One expensive vacation

    June 25th, 2009

    The cost of our most recent vacation just took a drastic (and unpredicted) increase.

    We came home to one pissed off kitty. Pun is intended. You see, he decided that to show us how mad he was about being left behind and peed all . over . the . house. I mean ALL over the house. I have images of him prancing through the hallways weeing all the way home. This is something he has never done before, so obviously we’re concerned.

    We spent the afternoon cleaning up. I called the vet and made an appointment for Neko, just in case there might be something more beyond a  kitty protest.  S meanwhile called the professional cleaners to come in and take a pass of our floors. They come in on Saturday.

    Needless to say, I’ll be giving Neko lots of cuddles tonight.

    Meanwhile, let’s count:

    3 plane tickets +
    vacation incidentals +
    Neko sitter +
    Neko vet appointment +
    carpet cleaners =
    one expensive vacation

    I’m starting to think it’s too expensive to go away 🙁  But I’m sure we’ll get over it after we get through the next round off picture edits and see the fun we had.


    Motility-Ho!

    June 23rd, 2009

    G might crawl after all! It won’t be in the next few weeks, to be sure, but there’s hope for him yet.

    He is on all fours, he rocks back and forth, is able to support his weight on one arm, and slides backwards (which I’m told happens before moving forwards).

    I was really hoping that he might make those first steps forward in the presence of S’ family, so they can join in a “first” with us, but alas no! On the other hand, having a stationary baby on a flight is a good thing, as spending 8 hours cooped up with a baby wanting to explore their new-found mobility is not my idea of a good time.

    Still… exciting things to come…


    A lesson in elocution

    June 23rd, 2009

    G has a new favorite phrase. It stuns you with it’s eloquence. He does it so crisply too. Ready for what it is? Ok, here goes:

    Pfffft!

    It goes well on it’s own:

    Pfft!

    With prolonged performance:

    Pffffffffft!

    In a row:

    Pffft, pfft, pffft!

    Or in combination with other key phrases:

    Dadadada, pffft!

    He does it with just the right amount of spit bubbles too. Over dinner, it goes especially well with a full mouth of carrot (or whatever is being served that evening). That way he ensures that everyone looks stunning in orange (or yellow) spittle.

    Yes, my son is an excellent orator.

    PS. Oh, and to the little girl at daycare who’s taught him to do this while eating — there’s a special place in my heart for you.


    Happy Birthday, Daddy!

    June 23rd, 2009

    We love you!

    PS. The doggie is borrowed from Grammie and Pop. She has very pullable ears.


    Caught on camera

    June 20th, 2009

    Ha! Guess what I saw yesterday? My “screams-bloody-murder-while-on-my-belly” child sleeping on what? That’s right — his belly! If this isn’t belly sleeping then I don’t know what is!

    You little stinker!


    Excuse me? Size what?!?!

    June 19th, 2009

    As it turns out the East Coast in the summer is a bit on the toasty side. Toasty an humid. This means hot-weather clothes. Now being a Northen CA girl who spends most of her days indoors, I’m quite comfortable in jeans. That’s right — full legged jeans. I do own a few pairs of shorts, it’s just a rarety to see me dawn them on.

    However, after S brought up how hot it would be out East, I figured “Eh, I might as well as throw a pair or two in my bag”. This I did.

    Well, come yesterday as I acknowledge that it is in fact hot, and it is in fact shorts weather, I decide to put one of said packed shorts on. Now, I should note that I packed shorts that I last wore 2 years ago. Being pregnant, and “larger than usual” last summer, I had no need (or ability) to wear those particular pairs of shorts. As I put them on I noted how snug they were. And then came the velcro fasten. The pair I dug out of my luggage had velcro instead of a zipper. I velcroed on, took a breath, only to immediately hear the velcro undo itself all the way down. Yeah, that’s when I realized that my lovely blue shorts no longer fit and that I don’t quite look the way I used to.

    That same afternoon as we did a quick Target run to pick up the common baby supplies we decided to just buy after we arrived (and spare ourselves in packing weight) I looked for some new shorts. I went into the fitting room not once, but twice, because it took me awhile to figure out what size I was.

    Let’s just say I am not pleased!

    I can’t say this is pregnancy’s fault though. I’ve regained my pre-baby weight, but the flab that accompanied the poundage has stuck around, and my dietary habits are certainly not encouraging it to pack it’s bags. Worse yet, I’m not working out and live a happily sedentary lifestyle. I blame it on the nursing, as I am very paranoid that weight loss and exercise will tank my supply to obscurity.

    In a few months though I will have no more excuses. I want to look at myself in the mirror and see my abs again. I miss those! I don’t know that I’ll ever have those again, but can I please get close? I’m not loving my acquired love handles 🙁


    Foto Friday

    June 19th, 2009

    Lots of fun = lots of photos 🙂

    Hanging w/ Cousin J

    Check out my new toys!

    Sugar from Auntie K

    Cousin G

    Great-grammie P

    G-grammie, check out Nubbs. He’s tasty! Want some?

    Upside-down kisses!

    Yum, giraffe butt! Tasty!