Daily Naomi

5 Months & First Food

2011-02-13T22:49:00.000-08:00

This is one happy baby. Even with a really bad cold this week, Cecilia was a content and smiley little darling. I caught the same cold and I was not nearly as pleasant. :)

Today she turned 5 months old. We can hardly believe it was that long (and short!) ago that she came into our lives. She rolls over constantly, smiles and talks, and is even getting ready to crawl - we are not ready to have our floors that clean, so please feel free to take your own sweet time baby girl.

Here is our smiley girl in a cute hand-me-down outfit from friend Lily:

One toward the camera:

I decided to start her on food a little earlier than we did with Durkin. Today Cecilia sampled some rice cereal. Durkin wanted to try it, so I let him. He practically spit it out as it was "so gross." LOL. That'll teach 'im.

Cecilia didn't really have a strong opinion one way or another, but she got a little bit into her tummy.

At 5 months, big brother Durkin has really gotten the hang of making his sister laugh. If she isn't in the same room with him, he asks where she is and loves to tickle her and direct her to smile if she doesn't respond fast enough.

"Smile," he says to her. A lot. I say to him, "You can't make someone smile." But as I speak these words, she turns to me and smiles. A lot.

3 months

2010-12-15T12:23:00.001-08:00

It goes by so fast. Our little girl is now 3 months old. She is a talker, loves to chat if you can catch her eye, although she is often looking around observing and soaking in her surroundings. She is beautiful, of course, and also a joy to cuddle with.

Here are some photos of her at 3 months.

This is one alert little girl (love the drool!):

She's a happy, mellow child who smiles lots and lots.

She totally looks like her father in this photo!

First Haircut

2010-11-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight I took my little man to get his first haircut. We have been loving the gorgeous, curly red locks, but it's been getting a tad unruly as of late. Too much Einstein and Don King, not enough scholarly Milici hair.

Check this out. Not a bad seat, eh?

The salon had so many kid-friendly distractions, Durkin didn't even know he was getting his hair cut until she got near his ears, and then he was all, you-don't-need-to-touch-my-ears thankyouverymuch... and where-did-you-come-from-anyway-lady?

Here are some photos from our excursion. I love my little 2-yr-old. He's so much fun!

A red airplane (that he could steer, yeah!), a pink balloon, a box full of toys... no wonder he didn't notice anything else.

Here is the don't-touch-my-ears discussion. Notice the comb in D's hands. Li'l helper.

After shots!
-- front --
-- back --

(thanks, Chiko, for the recommendation)

Introducing... Cecilia!

2010-11-08T17:41:00.001-08:00

OK, so she's not exactly brand new, but she's still small enough that this can count as an announcement, right? I've heard that parents sometimes take fewer pictures of their second children (and any after that seldom see the camera lens at all), but trust me I've been taking some photos... just haven't had the time to upload them. Busy.

Our little darling girl is such a joy to be around. She is 8 weeks old today! I did manage to snap some photos this afternoon. Hope you like them.

I love this one. She looks a lot like her brother!
See Durkin at 1 month - click here.

She smiles and talks all the time now, and if you want to speak 'Cecilia' try making a 'guh' or a 'gah' sound from the back of your throat and she'll probably give you a high five. or maybe she'll write you a check. The translation might be a little hazy.

First smile I've caught on camera!

She's wonderfully expressive and has much to tell me. I cannot wait for the day when she really starts talking. I want to know everything she has to say. =)

Thanks for your patience in seeing photos of her, and thanks, as always, for all your love and gifts and oohs and ahhs. It's wonderful to have her in our house. Kiss, kiss.

Trick-or-Treating

2010-11-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Being a homeowner makes Halloween so much more fun than when we lived in an apartment. Last year we got quite a lot of visitors and so we bought plenty of candy again. This year we still had a good amount of scary costumed folks ringing our bell, but the leftover candy tells me our numbers were down. Perhaps more house decorations next year will do the trick. Until then, I'm sending most of the candy to the office so it's out of the house (save for a few Butterfingers. Yum!).

Here is our traditional jack-o-lantern on our front steps. Durkin likes to say it's a 'happy birthday pumpkin' because of the candle inside. Apparently, candles = birthday. period. no questions, no debate.

He wasn't interested in carving the pumpkin or in sticking his hands in the messy goo, thankyouverymuch, so that delightful task was left to mama. Truth be told, I loved every gooey moment of it!

Here he is coloring our pumpkin:

Auntie Lizzie and cousin Gabriel came over for some trick-or-treating. Liz and I looked at each other with tired mama's eyes as if to say, 'do we really want to do this?' While it seemed like work before we ventured out, it was a great night and we're so glad we did it!

Here are the boys in their super hero costumes. Super Gabriel! Super D! How funny they both had capes this year. For the photo, we tried to get them to stand side by side, but D kept standing in front... vanity? Nah, just a 2 yr old.

Thanks for the cape, Aunt Sandi!!

Our first house was the most decorated house on the block and almost too scary for D, but as long as I held him he was quite interested in all the spooky orange glow stuff going on. G simply marched into the house and loved seeing all the strange and interesting decorations, complete with a table set for pirates. So brave!

Once inside the house, D was fine to walk on his own, but as soon as he saw an animated bat with red, beady eyes, he pointed and said, "no that, mommy. no that." So, we got our coloring book, pencil and candy and beat a hasty retreat to the safety of the street.

The rest of the evening was short but lively. Gabriel was patient and sweet as he waited for Durkin at each house (2 is slower than 4), and when Gabriel knocked, he loudly proclaimed, "trick or treat!" - too bad he didn't wait for the door to be opened first. He made sure to say it loud enough for them to hear through the door. So cute!

Both boys got quite good at saying the right words to yield some candy. D insisted on carrying his candy from house to house, and so when we arrived at the next house, he'd put the candy IN the bowl instead of taking one OUT. The end result? He put candy into the bowls at every other house. Talk about paying it forward, eh? Lol!

And there was lots and lots of running - good thing there were no cars in the streets that night. D is quite fast these days and will run all the time if he can. At home, he runs in between rooms. Pretty cool when you think about it. The world would be a very fit place if we all ran everywhere instead of walking. When we weren't knocking on doors, both boys were either running or chasing the circle of light made by my flashlight, jumping into the circle and yelling, "I got it!"

Here they are after the outing. They started to take all their stuff off, so we had to snap a photo pretty quickly - I guess they wanted to get right down to eating their candy.

What a couple of great sports they were!

Birthday Dinner

2010-10-20T10:46:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Durkin's 2nd birthday, and like any parent watching their child change on a daily basis, we still marvel at how far he's come in 2 short years. He's so much fun, loves to run, sing and dance. Loves tractors, cars and The Muppet Show. Loves Toy Story and calls Buzz Lightyear 'Budd Lightyear' -- do you see a beer commercial in there somewhere?

Last night I made a special dinner for the birthday boy. Pepperoni pizza, extra olives. This kid hearts olives. When Durkin got home from daycare, I turned on the oven light and asked him, "what's that?" to which he replied, "olives." You gotta love that toddler brain!

Here is the yummy pizza before going into the oven:

Viola! The finished product:

And, while it looks like he's enjoying his pizza, you wanna know what he ate? The olives. And a banana. Yes, folks, this 2-yr-old celebrated his birthday with a feast of banana and olives.

Here is the birthday boy, smiling big for the camera!

Wedding Weekend

2010-08-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

What fun we had visiting our very own wedding site to celebrate with Shannon and David. A beautiful day, a heartfelt wedding. And, with photo proof, fun was had by all. :)

4D Ultrasound

2010-07-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Holy cute little babies! What a nice surprise it was for us to get a successful 4D ultrasound this week. It's almost like looking at a real baby and she is getting so beautiful.

We can't wait to meet her. :)

Father's Day

2010-06-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my darling husband, father of my children. You are a calming presence in our lives, a great grill cook (hooray for summer!) and an all-around fun person to be with.

Thanks for being a great father to our boy. I love watching and listening to you play together, the sound of giggles echoing in my head. What a beautiful sound it is, and what a fun father you are.

We love you!

Cousins

2010-06-03T06:08:00.001-07:00

Our happy , handsome boy!

It warms a mama's heart (and an Auntie's too) to see these boys playing so well together. So much more fun in their future!

Here, they are negotiating how quickly D can fly down the slide. G is trying to be patient, but in the end 'helps' little D out. :)

Happiness!

Cali Visit

2010-05-06T22:03:00.001-07:00

We had a wonderful vacation in the Bay Area. Thanks to all our amazing friends for hanging out with us and we're thrilled that we lucked out with mostly sunshine (weather report said it was supposed to rain all week).

Here are a few photos from the trip.

Twin Peaks:
We spent some time in Napa Valley and got to visit with one of my dearest friends Tracy. Tracy, I love you and miss you and your daughter is just gorgeous!

Little D on the farm:

One of the best people I know:

I'll post more photos soon!

18 months

2010-04-20T07:53:00.001-07:00

It's been a wild and wonderful ride getting to 1.5, but we're here and oh-so-happy!

Seven

2010-04-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

I've always liked the number seven. It sounds good on the tongue; it is, or was, my sister's favorite number (mine was always eight). But to realize I have been without my darling father for seven years makes me like this number a little less today.

Most days I celebrate all I had with my dad... all the music, love, adventures and laughs. Today I am not celebrating, but instead am feeling rather melancholy as I reflect on what is missing from my life.

Sounds I miss - tea kettles boiling over and whistling rudely in the early morning hours as my starting-to-lose-his-hearing father forgot he put water on for tea. Soon after came the sounds of his slippers shuffling across the kitchen floor. I miss the turning of the paper-thin, crinkly pages of his Bible as he quietly read each morning, sometimes at the table, sometimes in a comfy chair. I even miss the sound of him clearing his throat. I miss his voice. I miss the guitar, which he often noodled around with, unobstrusively, in the background of our lives. That was so 'him,' to be out of the way and yet so present.

Sights I miss - the bathrobe, the slippers, his hands on his guitar or holding a pen as he recorded his thoughts or composed a letter to some lucky person. His little dance when a dance-worthy song came from the stereo. Hats, scarves, coats, socks - anything to keep warm. Baseball. Man, I miss the baseball, the finding of the perfect stick at the beach with which to send rocks flying into the ocean; the playing of catch in the yard and especially when he'd throw one reallysuperhigh to pretend I was catching was a pop fly.

Mostly I miss all that he is missing because he is gone. The weddings, the babies, the books to discuss, the questions I cannot ask him and the answers that will never come. I do not question why he is gone, that part has passed for me, but I still miss him.

Thank you, daddy, for marrying my beautiful mother and for giving me 3 gorgeous sisters, without whom I would not be handling your departure as well as I am. We still sing, we still laugh and we still cry. Our family is alive and well and your spirit is with us. Always.

Love, love, love,
Naomi

Mild Winters

2010-02-11T08:17:00.000-08:00

With the mildest winter I can remember, it's fun to take the little man outside to play in the wet grass and slippery deck. Maybe I can sell the snowsuit I bought (that's still hanging in the closet with the tags on). :)

Here are a few photos from a recent outside adventure in our back yard.

"Hi, mom."

Yeah! Being outside is fun!

Contemplating his next move.

Hey, dad, put me up there!

OK. Now, don't let go!

Hmm, I'm parched. Is there anything to drink around here?

Mmm, delish!

In the Name of the...

2009-12-28T20:08:00.001-08:00

Our little man was finally baptized on Sunday. It was the perfect day for it, as it was Grandpa Bob's birthday, my Aunt Kathleen's birthday and also the Feast of the Holy Family. Great homily on this topic, btw. We're all part of one, great, big family. :)

Thank you to our fantastic family for being a part of this wondrous event. It was a fun and holy day.

Jocelyn and Kevin graciously agreed to be the godparents. Hooray for us! Here the 5 of us are, hamming it up, waiting for the procession. There were 4 babies baptized that day and we were all announced just prior to entering the church (we followed the choir, and were followed by the priests). Those members of the congregation that were at the aisle took turns blessing the children as they entered the church. Pretty cool stuff.

Let's call this the "before" shot. I think he smiled way more after receiving the sacrament, as was illustrated by him dancing and clapping along with the choir. Or, OK, maybe he was just tired here...

Well, at least Jocelyn looks pretty in this one. Not so much the little dude.

Even though my son is 14 months old, I tried to convince the priest that he was just a very large newborn. Fr. Dave made a joke about the Seahawks wanting our phone number.

Baptized moment #1!
Baptized moment #2 - he really just wanted to play in the water, we think.

Here is a nice shot with both godparents and Grandma Rita. This is before Gabriel joined the group and blew out the candle (and then exclaimed, "More fire! More fire!").
Four families, 4 sets of godparents and many loved ones:

Recent Happenings

2009-12-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

New photos are here - finally, right? :) It's taken me longer than usual to get some new photos up, but I guess it's that time of year where 'busy' is an understatement. The holidays are feeling really magical this year, as opposed to last year when I could barely lift my tired head out of my cereal bowl. Newborns are cute and all, but I really like the better sleep as they get older. We are quite enjoying watching our little man grow and develop a groove all his own. Here are some recent pix. Hope you enjoy!

Today he fell asleep in his high chair during one of his i-don't-want-lunch-just-feed-me-crackers moments. I heard rumors of this trend from the daycare when he was younger, but it's the first time I watched it happen myself. I was doing dishes and I noticed some 'extended blinks' and wondered if he might drift off at some point. Next thing I knew, this is what was waiting for me in our high chair. Pretty cute.

A few weeks ago my mom was here and we ventured to the park with cousin Gabriel. I thought it was cold that day (of course, it's waaay colder now), so we bundled up to go play outside. With baby in his stroller it was easy to snap a few nice shots.

I love the colors in this one, love that he's not looking at the lens:

"Mom, lemme take one of you next." - or maybe, "let me eat the camera. again."

Gabriel cheering Baba on!

Thanksgiving was really fun this year, especially as he had learned to walk just a couple of days before we broke bread my sister and brother-in-law's new house. Great house, you guys; thanks again for hosting!

The little man was all decked out in a seriously stylish outfit, complete with button-down shirt and a shiny new vest (courtesy of Great Grandma Flora - thank you!).

Here is a great moment. My mom is an artist and she always told me, "add a touch of Cadmium Red to any painting." I think a touch of red goes along way here too. And, sigh, this was my father's beret:

Kaleidoscope "Kali" Milici

2009-11-16T22:10:00.000-08:00

Dear sweet, lovable, crazy, Kali,

You came to me as a replacement cat to Caspian, who was a sickly fellow never meant to stay here long, but you, you Kali, were a pistol from day one.

Tracy and I brought you home from that terrible breeder, hoping we could finally save one cat from a terrible fate, and you livened up our lives immediately. You, a little fluff ball, ran all over the house, and came to settle below the window blinds, watching the cord sway back and forth, and when you opened your cute little mouth to speak, nothing came out.

Soon you made noises, but your 'meow' was never quite a 'meow' - always more like a squeak or a cackle. People always commented on it.

People also always commented on your stunning beauty. A Himalayan tortoiseshell, your flattened face and lioness mane often made a great conversation starter. Comments such as, "is that a cat?" and nicknames like, "fluff monger."

You moved about a million times with me: born in Napa, CA. Then onto San Mateo, San Francisco, Colorado Springs, Seattle, Napa (again), Sausalito, and finally back home to Seattle. One flight, and 2 cross-country moves, you sure knew how to see the sights.

10:15 PM used to known as "the be-Kali hour" (think: bewitching hour), since you would sleep all day long, barely raise your little head to, maybe, get a drink of water, only to rise like Lazarus at 10:15 at night to run holy terror through whichever apartment I was living in at the time. It's like you could sense I was trying to settle down for a night's sleep and you knew better. You'd pause the sprinting long enough to give me a look as if to say, "c'mon, lady, break out the cocktails and catnip and let's party!"

This past week you became so frail, so tiny, and for the first time in your 16-yr life you begged me to hold you. And I held you. Wrapped your tiny frame in my sweatshirt, listened to your labored breathing and hoped that this wasn't the end. But 16 years is a mighty good run, and it was the end.

Tonight my beloved pet Kali died in my arms with the loving assistance of our vet. I won't say where she's buried because I'm not entirely sure it's legal, but if you happen to see a fantasticly blooming magnolia tree next Spring may you pause a moment to remember the strange and unusual and sweet, sweet girl that was my friend.

I'll miss you, little lady.

Kali the Gat

2009-11-15T21:15:00.000-08:00

Durkin started saying 'cat' today. It was more like 'gat,' but he was clearly pointing to the cat and every time Kali meowed her tiny meow, Durkin would stop what he was doing and crawl to where he could see her and say, "Gat!" and point at the cat. He'd get all excited, practically jumping up and down and I'd swoop him up to take him to visit the object of his affection.

At first I wasn't sure what he was saying, but then it was so unmistakably 'cat,' and so we kept rewarding him each time with a trip to see and talk to the 'gat.' It happened while we ate dinner too. One minute Durkin is snacking on pasta and peas and then the cat meows, and Durkin lights up and points and screeches, "gat!"

Oh, man, it was sooo cute!

Dinner of Champions

2009-11-05T22:03:00.000-08:00

Tonight's feast:

spaghetti
bananas
garlic toast
yogurt
goldfish crackers

My kid is so random. :)

Praying for Jane

2009-10-30T19:53:00.001-07:00

Grandma Jane, we love you, love you, love you. Prayers for you tonight, you darling girl.

Dear Mom

2009-10-29T07:46:00.001-07:00

Dear mom,

Thank you for being such an amazing friend. Sharing laughter, music and beach walks with you are some of the best moments in my life. Humor is omnipresent, and for that I am so very grateful.

I put together a few photos from this past year. What a fun year we had! I love you. :)

First beach 'experience' with the new grandbaby. Mom and Grandma liked it a whole lot better than baby. I think this was in January. Superbowl weekend perhaps?

And, a sunnier day at the Mariners' ballpark. We love baseball. We love beer. It's so great they keep both of those things in the same place. Very convenient.

Look at how alert grandbaby is, staring straight into Grandma's eyes (or, ya know, in the vicinity of the eyes, since he couldn't focus on day 1).

Lake Pleasant. Always a wonderful treat.

I am blessed with such a wonderful, beautiful and charming family. Love you ladies!

Aww. This makes me smile all over.

Have a great day, mom!

Love,

Orange Lump Acquisition

2009-10-28T22:01:00.000-07:00

Every year I trek to a pumpkin patch to partake in the annual orange lump adoption ritual. I adore pumpkins and their bright leathery orange skins, but didn't make it out last year as I was waddling around with my own pumpkin, so to speak.

This year we made it at last! And while we saw mostly sad, questionable and rotten pumpkins we sure had a fun family outing.

There's nothing quite like a red barn for a photo op:

Every promising-looking pumpkin turned out to have a rotten spot on it somewhere.

I think this one requires a caption:

Naomi: "Do I need to reapply my lip gloss?"

Toddler: "Hey, can someone please turn down that weally bwight light? kthxbye."

Finally, and after much searching, we found our pumpkin. Our son picked it out and we paid the 50 cents and made our way home.

"Which one, son?"

"Dis one, dad!"

Happy Birthday, Baby!

2009-10-19T21:22:00.001-07:00

For you are fearfully and wonderfully made. ~ Psalms 139

(thanks for the photo, Chiko. Your little man is next.)

Mariners Game - Griffey's Last

2009-10-04T20:31:00.001-07:00

What a gorgeous day for baseball; and what a day it was. It was Kids' Appreciation Day, so little D got a poster upon arrival. It seems no tot is too young to be appreciated.

The sun was out in all its October glory, a little chilly, but easily combated with some clever layering, hoodies and scarves.

Safeco never looked so good:

Ken Griffey, Jr. was at bat 3 times today, but it wasn't until the 8th inning that he stepped up for that final swing of the bat. See, Junior might not return next season. The crowd knew it, the team knew it and an emotional Junior knew it.

When he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the 8th inning, every person in that crowd was on their feet. You could feel the collective silent wishes, "please let him get a hit" as he took his stance in the batter's box. And, boy did he deliver! The standing ovation went loud and wild and we cheered for several minutes as a pinch runner swapped places with Jr. at 1st base. The crowd began chanting, "Griffey! Griffey! Griffey!" And, no surprise, he came out to tip his hat. We roared our emotional awe. My father would have LOVED to see that moment. And knowing that made me tear up right along with Griffey.

Here's Griffey's 'potential' last at bat with the Seattle Mariners:

The tip o' the cap. It's moments like this that make me love baseball!

After the game, the M's took a walk around the field, shaking hands and high-fiving the fans. Near the end of their farewell loop, they hoisted Griffey onto their shoulders and we nearly missed that for trying to leave the ballpark and get our tired son home. Luckily, the adoring crowd got good and loud, alerting us to the happenings on the field.

I am so grateful we didn't leave early to miss traffic. To miss this moment would have made for one sad Naomi. Hooray for sticking it out to the final out!

And, here's our little family, enjoying the game. Love, love, love the perks of my job.

What a look!

This is the new scrunched up face D makes constantly now. Sometimes when he's eating, sometimes just because... you can find this expression in our lives now. So cute. :)

Um, cute.

2009-10-03T13:38:00.001-07:00

Argyle

2009-09-28T20:15:00.001-07:00

When did this toddler move into our house?? :)

Swing Time

2009-09-21T21:56:00.001-07:00

Dude could teach us all a thing or two about how to relax.

I don't know what I love most about this photo, the cheeks, the hair, the hands or the quizzical look on his face. Love it!

11 Months

2009-09-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'll say it again... it's amazing how fast time goes by when you're chasing a little one.

D's hair is really starting to come in - look at the cute little curl in the back there. There is nothing a kid likes more than a head full of curly red hair, right? =)

Little D is now crawling, pulling himself up, and self-feeding cereal bites (like Cheerios, only a healthier, veggie-packed version). It's amazing to watch how fast he's transforming. We're already planning a little birthday party for him, and reminiscing on what we were up to this time last year.

What a difference a year makes.

Happy Anniversary, Sweetie!

2009-09-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

Gargling Gershwin

2009-09-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite Muppet Shows is the Star Wars episode, not surprisingly, and part of what makes that episode so great is the Gargling Gargoyle who gargles Gershwin.

Durkin could give him a run for his money. :)

Here is the Muppet video:

Visit from Uncle Ken

2009-09-14T08:11:00.001-07:00

A visit from Uncle Ken is always fun and exciting. We heard some great family stories and then Durkin got to drive Kenny's truck.

Thanks for the visit, Uncle Ken!

10 months

2009-08-19T07:42:00.001-07:00

Wow, I can't believe our child has grown so much in such a short time. What a trip! =)

Snaggle Tooth

2009-08-04T18:37:00.001-07:00

The little man has the cutest little snaggle tooth on the top row. :)

Katie and Matt

2009-08-03T20:50:00.001-07:00

Congrats, you two lovebirds! 2nd best wedding ever. =)

It's getting hot in here

2009-07-29T10:22:00.001-07:00

107 degrees when I got in my car on Tuesday. Of course, that was inflated a bit because the car had been sitting in the sun.

100 degrees when I got to the daycare. That's the real temp. Sheesh.

A frigid 98 degrees when I got home.

It's too hot!

Meeting Alpacas

2009-07-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

Matt and Caryn were kind enough to invite us over to their house this past Sunday to meet their new family members... 3 alpacas!

Durkin was completely absorbed and curious, as always. It's so much fun to show your child new sights, animals, sounds, smells, and everything else on this beautiful planet.

Click here for more photos. Thanks, Matt and Caryn!

This is what it's all about

2009-07-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

My little cutie pie

2009-07-01T21:16:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday To Me

2009-06-24T09:16:00.001-07:00

That husband o' mine sure knows how to treat a gal on her birthday. I woke to the perfect birthday card and a chocolate cupcake. Now, I'm off to a spa day as a treat from my man.

hippo birdie 2 me!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

To my darling husband on Father's Day,

Last October I watched you become a father, watched you worry and wonder about this terrific kid that we created together. It's been a pleasure to watch you take on the role of father.

Thank you for everything that you do for us.

Thank you for playing with Durkin and making him laugh.

I wish you a happy, peaceful, and wonderful 1st Father's Day. I hope you enjoy the gifts that Durkin and I picked out for you!

Love,
Mommy and Baby

Sleep

2009-06-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

There is nothing quite as lovely as a sleeping baby.

8 months old

2009-06-19T09:32:00.001-07:00

Eight months goes by at the same pace as always, time being linear and all that, but when you have a baby and you witness a little being develop and grow and learn and change, those 8 months feel like a tiny little blip in time. Every parent will tell you the same thing, and we're now part of that club.

Durkin is loving peas and sweet potatoes, and he likes carrots OK, but he has little love for rice cereal and apples. no thank you, mama. He has also started the first phases of crawling, which is quite exciting. Lots of rocking back and forth and this week he wiggled his way backwards across the floor about 4 feet or so.

Here are some photos taken this morning. Enjoy!

This was taken a few moments after I told Durkin he turned 8 months old today:
If you're looking for the perfect chew toy, try a pink hippo:
[check out the cute tuft of hair sticking up.]

The man of a thousand facial expressions:

And some photos look best in black & white...

Happy 8 months old, little man!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Jumperoo!

2009-05-31T22:09:00.001-07:00

We sure love our new toy. Constant bouncing as if he were a Tigger.

Boing, boing, boing!

Today We Are 7 Months Old

2009-05-19T13:28:00.001-07:00

It's pretty hard not to go visit my little guy on my lunch breaks. Today I just *had* to do it since he turned 7 whole months old today.

I love saying I have a 7-month-old baby. Gosh, that's exciting!

Zoo Excursion

2009-05-17T19:11:00.001-07:00

We had our first trip to the zoo this weekend. Hooray for sunny days in Seattle!

So many people at the zoo, everyone smiling and skipping about. Durkin and I met up with Aunt Jocie and Grandma Sarah and cousin Gabriel to see the penguins and tigers and sloth bears (oh my).

Here Durkin is in an adorable sun hat (from Aunt Katie). He sat up in his stroller and watched all the people. I think he was more into the people than the animals in cages.

Durkin just loves his Aunt Jocie. I think this is when we stopped at the penguin exhibit.

Penguin posing for the camera:

Baby gorillas are soo cute!

Of course, no zoo outing is complete without a little nap.

At the end of the day, little D and I spent some time lounging in the grassy knoll.

What a fun day we had!

Beer

2009-05-16T19:49:00.000-07:00

There is nothing in this world quite like an ice cold beer on a warm summer's day (even if it's technically still spring).

Mmm, mmm, good.

Play Date

2009-05-11T19:10:00.001-07:00

This weekend we had another one of our super, delicious, fun play dates with our friends Ethan and Chiko and Shawn.

Ethan has some great toys that made Durkin laugh, which made us very happy. It's so wonderful to see your son experience something with pure joy. Ahh, bliss.

Here, Ethan and Durkin share a Japanese book. Isn't Ethan's floor colorful?

Durkin is holding himself up a lot higher these days, pushing his arms way out and up. He also rotates sideways when he sees a toy he wants... the beginnings of crawling? Here he is getting ready to play:
And, here we are 'reading' a delicious magazine.

At one point Ethan took a short nap and I caught this beautiful mama+baby photo. Isn't that one of the most beautiful moments, a mama holding her baby?

Ethan also had a jumperoo, which is a much fancier version of the doorway jumper that I used to see around. Babies love to jump! Durkin jumped and jumped and jumped.

Mother's Day Begins

2009-05-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

While I consider last year to be my first Mother's Day (in utero as it was) it's sure a whole lot more fun to celebrate it now that Durkin has graced our lives.

The gifts from Durkin have started to roll in... today, via the daycare, I received some yummy strawberries and a lovely rose. Ate the fruit on the way to work, so no photo, but I did have an empty formula bottle at my desk, which is the PERFECT vase for a flower from my son.

6 Month Man

2009-04-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, our little man turned a whopping 6 months old. I can maybe believe it's been 4 months, but it hardly seems possible that 6 months ago we brought our little one home.

We got to visit Auntie Katie and Uncle Matt and for a special treat my Aunt Susan and Uncle Duck paid a visit too!

In prime Durkin fashion, here he is, completely thrilled with the shadows on the rug. We very deliberately dressed him in the same pants that cousin Gabriel wore for his .5 photo. =)
Who doesn't love the hungry little caterpillar, especially when it comes in the form of a delicious rattle. Sandi, that's your shirt!

"And then what happened, Aunt Katie?"

"I like Uncle Matt. He's nice."

After a grueling workout of 1 push-up:

"Uncle Duck doesn't have a beard. I didn't know faces came like this. I think I might eat his chin later."

And, here is the now famous scene, just moments before Durkin tumbled backwards on his noggin. Tiiiiimber!

Blue Eyes

2009-04-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

They say that if your baby still has blue eyes at 6 months, they will stay that way. Fingers crossed, because I'm in love with these baby blues!

Katie and I both agree that a baby is cutest in overalls. Here is one kind that Katie bought for us. He's almost grown out of them, so thank goodness we took some photos today.

6 years

2009-04-15T19:38:00.001-07:00

Miss you, dad.

Happy Spring

2009-04-06T07:56:00.001-07:00

This is how I entertain myself while mommy readies for work.

A Funeral of a Friend

2009-03-31T20:50:00.000-07:00

As I pack a bag to get ready for my trek to Forks for the funeral of Don West, I am flooded with memories of how Don intersected my life.

Don and Marsha are a set, and most of my memories involve both of them, but there are a few that stand out as pure Don moments.

It was in the West house that I first discovered a love of photography. Don had a darkroom and all the equipment that comes with it: smelly plastic bins, jugs of chemicals and a cool-looking enlarger who's meaning I didn't fully understand until I took a darkroom class years later. Don was always willing to talk about the darkroom and I soaked that up as a little kid.

Don also loved Diet Pepsi. While our household was sometimes a soda-free house and sometimes a Diet Coke house, I never quite understood the Wests' love of the dark side of the soda wars. But tastes aside, Don's favorite task with the bubbly liquid was to sneak up behind unsuspecting kids, teens, adults (or, maybe it was just me?) and slowly place that chilly, cold can on your neck, making you shriek in some combination of fun, shock and awe... how could he get away with it again and again?

In the house of West I learned of Noble Fir Christmas trees (we always had Douglas, I think) and that people really did put presents *in* their tree. I played softball in their backyard, and took a line drive to the stomach just seconds before I declared that I will never pitch again. I learned how to shuffle cards from Charlie, and from David I learned the word "soundtrack," and, more precisely, that the vinyl disc was not the audio version of the Star Wars movie.

Don, you were and are loved and I hope like crazy that you're dancing about the heavens with my father. Please send him my love and let him know that Griffey is playing for the Mariners again this season.

Rest in Peace.

My Friend the Zebra

2009-03-27T20:10:00.001-07:00

Proof that babies will eat pretty much anything.

5 Months Old!

2009-03-19T11:34:00.001-07:00

I am 5 months old today... doo-da, doo-da.

As I hope and plan to do with every little milestone, I took some photos this morning to mark our 5 months. The ones in my camera are still at home, but this one is lovely, taken in our car seat as we embarked upon our day.

Luck o' the Irish

2009-03-17T07:37:00.001-07:00

I can think of no better way to wish you all a Happy St. Paddy's Day than to share more pix of my redheaded Irish son, named after his part-Irish grandfather, who in turn was named after his 100% Irish grandmother.

Who knew I'd have a redhead?!

Instead of a green beer, Durkin likes to gnaw on his fists:

It's in photos like these that I get a glimpse of what he'll look like as a kid heading to kindergarten. He's no longer that pink, helpless infant we brought home from the hospital. :)

News From the Bumbo Seat

2009-03-15T19:22:00.001-07:00

We are finally sitting quite comfortably in our Bumbo chair, borrowed from cousin Gabriel. We have also gained a very keen liking for our toys while we sit in the chair. Frowns and tears when the toy was dropped.

Pretty cute stuff here.

Mr. Photogenic

2009-03-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit of a slacker in posting photos lately, but I know you all understand how busy a working mama is, so I know you totally forgive me. Like, totally.

Here are some recent shots!

This fluffy, blue jacket is the softest possession we own. Baby showers are good for gifts like that. Thank you, Kristin and Nate.

There is something warm and magical about a sleeping baby.

I Will Eat You

2009-03-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

Nom, nom, nom

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2009-03-07T16:49:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty sure if the Yankees trained in Alaska, this is the kind of hat they might wear.

4 Months Old Today!

2009-02-19T06:55:00.000-08:00

Wow, time flies. It was this time last year we found out I was pregnant. This morning I insisted on taking a couple of family photos to mark the occasion and even though little D is super tired he still looks super cute!

Here is the 4-month-old who greeted me this morning, in all the grainy, camera-phone glory.

Big Laughs

2009-02-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

On the eve of his turning into a 4-month old, Durkin started laughing. He started lol'ing. :)

When I picked him up from daycare today, he was chilling in a little bouncy chair and when he saw me his eyes lit up. Aww #1. I knelt down to say hi and talked in my special mama-gibberish tongue and he laughed with a hearty chuckle. Aww #2. So I kept it up for a bit and got a few more oh-so-charming gurgle-y chortles, enough to fill my heart with immense joy. Happy, happy mama.

I'm pretty sure he was laughing 'with' me, not 'at' me. But I'll take anything I can get. This baby thing is gettin' good!

3 Months Old

2009-01-26T11:38:00.001-08:00

Last week Durkin turned 3 months old. There is almost nothing cuter than a baby's little feet, so I had to make sure to chronicle the feet at the tender age of 3 months. That's my hand holding the feet and I got lucky to get one in focus since he's usually flailing about wildly with those darling piggies.

Here we are laughing at daddy, and wearing a great outfit from Autie Katie.

Blue, blue eyes make me so happy. Perfect when shown against the blue blanket made for us by Sandi.

Happy 3 months old, kiddo!

Weekend Adventures

2009-01-26T10:23:00.001-08:00

Aunt Jocie got to visit with us for a few minutes on our way to the wedding expo (for Aunt Katie, so much fun!). Here, Durkin looks like "Where's Goldbug?" from a Richard Scarry book. I love those books and can't wait to read them with Durkin. Doesn't Jocie's hair look awesome in this photo? :)

Aaron put together the beautiful crib that Grandma Sarah bought for us. It's gorgeous! We took our first nap in it too. Photo had to be taken from a bit of a distance so as not to wake baby. I miss the days when loud noises didn't startle him awake.

Here we are celebrating that fabulous nap. Hip, hip, hooray! The lovely blanket was made by Kimber. Thank you, Kimber! Oh, and the 'Future DJ' shirt is in honor of daddy, of course.

On Sunday we got to visit some of our favorite people, Chiko, Shawn and Durkin's buddy Ethan, whom you'll remember was born 5 short days after Durkin. Chiko has some great recent photos of little Ethan on her blog - click here to see Chiko's blog.

Is it me, or does Durkin's belly look a tad larger than Ethan's? :)

Altogether now, "Lean on me... when you're not strong... I'll be your friend... I'll help you caaaaarry on."

Gorgeous boys:

Chiko and Ethan, Aaron with Durkin:

"um, dude, you have a small dandruff problem back here."

Baby's First Road Trip

2009-01-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

Our first road trip as a family was out to see Grandma Sarah in Forks. I donned my new cap for the trip, which you'll see in this photo and a couple of others.

Top o' the mornin' to ya:

On Friday, Mike and Judi came for a visit. It was great to see them!

Steve, the decorative cat, is always a source of much joy and laughter. Here he is unwinding after a long day of napping:

While back home it was cloudy and yucky out, the sun shone brightly at Grandma Sarah's! We took a nice walk with the dog. Hooray for walks in the sun.

Me and my dad in our caps:

Saturday was a real treat, the band came over to play and we heard some of the best folk songs and blues we'd ever heard. Live music feeds the soul, especially this music.

Here is the band: Grandma Sarah, Dave, Peter and Roger:

Lots of people came to see me (although maybe they came to see the band too). We got to meet Bev for the first time, and were so excited we forgot to take a photo. We also saw Dave and Linda, Marge and Lonnie and Julie for a bit in the afternoon.

Here I am with Sherry. She likes me almost as much as her new puppy (who is 3 months old like me):
Of course, no trip to the Olympic Peninsula would be complete without a trip to the ocean. It was a glorious day although a bit cold.

Ahh, here I am peacefully enjoying the ocean:

On second thought... haaated it!

We had to stop in at Three Rivers for the best burgers in the world. I gnawed on my fists while mom, dad and grandma snacked on those tasty burgers. They had a Twilight menu too!

My Morning Men

2009-01-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

Hand Over Fist

2009-01-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

For the past month or so Durkin has been sucking on his right fist -- not the left, just the right. I often wake during the night to the sounds of the little man enjoying a nice knuckle sandwich. "Nom, nom, nom," goes Durkin. And sometimes, during daylight hours, he changes it up a little and opens the fist to snack on a finger or thumb.

This past week he finally located his left fist and now the nightly wakings are a bit louder due to the increased surface area available for the yummy treat.

Yesterday morning Durkin actually saw his right fist. He wiggles around plenty and I guess that fist finally came into view. He was on the changing table and staring (a little cross-eyed for the close proximity) at his right fist as if to say, "where on earth did that come from?" He studied it for a good couple of minutes and then went back to smiling at his mama.

Staring at his right fist happened again yesterday evening and once this morning. It's a whole new world and I'm sure he'll start grabbing mama's glasses very, very soon.

Day Trippin'

2009-01-11T21:56:00.000-08:00

Today we went to see Grandma Rita and Grandpa Jeff. They seem to think I'm pretty cute and can't stop kissing me. :)

Morning Bottle

2009-01-09T21:18:00.001-08:00

Sleep Position

2009-01-04T10:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a baby will only sleep while on an incline. Thank goodness we inherited this papasan chair from our cousin Gabriel.

Oh, and we sometimes like a little hood of blankets so as to block out the window light.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T12:23:00.000-08:00

From our family to yours, we hope you have a wonderful 2009.

Little Durkin donned his ducky outfit to wish you a happy new year too.

A Visit to Grandma Rita

2008-12-31T17:37:00.001-08:00

Today we made a surprise visit to see Durkin's Grandma Rita. We missed our Christmas this year with Aaron's family because of the darn snow. Our Christmas was scheduled on Saturday the 20th, which was pretty much the worst day to be out on the roads.

So, we were way overdue to visit Rita. It was such a treat and Durkin got to see his Grandma as a nice New Year's Eve surprise. Because it wasn't a planned visit I didn't have my camera... no photos to share, but we had a wonderful time.

Glad you were home, Rita!!

Little Tank

2008-12-31T09:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had our 2-month check up and all is well. Durkin has become a little tank with all his healthy eating. At his one-month check up he was in the 25-50% for weight. Now he's in the 75%!

Durkin weighs in at 13 lb. 7 oz. He's such a cutie and has finally stopped taking more food. I'm guessing this plateau will stick around for a while.

Here are some photos from our recent 'play date' with buddy Ethan. Chiko and Shawn invited us over to their lovely home - what a view of the lake! - and we thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with them. It's great having Ethan and Durkin just 5 days apart.

Ethan has a great smile!

Durkin is far more interested in his fist than in smiling at any camera:

Two very proud dads and their super cute boys:

I love how little Durkin looks next to his daddy. Aaron didn't know I was taking his photo, or I'm sure he would have smiled, or at least, ya know, looked toward the camera.

Walk Like a Man

2008-12-26T18:20:00.000-08:00

I'm attempting to organize photos on my MAC, as I seem to need more space on my hard drive with all the photos of little Durkin I've been taking.

I might post a few random photos as I go through this process. Here is a photo of my mom and Gabriel that I just adore. G's face is too cute!

It was the weekend a bunch of us went to see the awesome musical Jersey Boys and Joc and I brought home a 'Walk Like a Man' t-shirt for little G. Wear it proud, G, wear it proud.

Snow - Day 7

2008-12-24T11:52:00.001-08:00

It's another beautifully white day at our house. I was up between 3-4 AM and that's when it started snowing again. It's noon and it still hasn't let up. It's completely gorgeous and lovely, but it'll be nice to venture out of the house soon. :)

Here is a view from our bedroom:

Yes, folks, this is the 7th day I've been in the house. We get out for walks, so that's fun, but considering it's Christmas Eve I normally would have been doing tons of errands around town. Although I'm excited to leave the house, I'm also thankful for the downtime. It makes me focus on the people in my life way more than any gift we might be giving each other.

Many people haven't had their garbage picked up in over a week. Our bins have been sitting on the curb since last Wednesday night. I'm not too worried about it, I know they'll get to us eventually.

And here they sit...

Woodpecker:

Here is a shot from a couple of days ago. Our eucalyptus tree in the foreground:

And because I know it's way more fun to look at photos of people, here are my two favorite men as they were hanging out this morning:

Roll Over, Beethoven

2008-12-21T18:15:00.000-08:00

Today, we rolled over for the first time!

We were doing our tummy time, and hanging in there a lot longer than we normally do (he's getting so strong), when he leaned a bit by favoring one arm over the other and over he went. I think he was as surprised as I was to find himself suddenly on his back. I stared at him in amazement. He stared at the lights on the ceiling. He loves lights.

Cool milestone.

2 Months Old

2008-12-19T19:42:00.000-08:00

Today I am 2 months old. A lot has changed since I first saw the light at the end of...[edited for content]

Here is what I look like today:

I have tons to smile about these days:

Mom tried propping me up on my belly on this pillow thingy and I tell ya I wasn't all that thrilled with it, but I played along as best I could. I mean, the woman feeds me and all...

These are my cute 2-month-old feet:

OK, mom, stop taking my photo now. Let's go for a walk in the snow!

Ooh, pretty:

Today was really bright outside, so I hitched a ride inside my daddy's coat:

Snow Walk

2008-12-18T18:19:00.000-08:00

Today was simply gorgeous. Not in a let's-take-a-drive kind of way, but in a let's walk around our quiet and peaceful neighborhood way.

The snow is beautiful and our little one got his first snow walk today.

Baby Bear

2008-12-18T14:04:00.001-08:00

I'm so glad we snapped these photos. Little man is pretty much already grown out of this darling bear outfit.

Guy Smiley

2008-12-16T09:48:00.000-08:00

Enjoy! =D

First Snow 2008

2008-12-14T17:14:00.001-08:00

It started to snow yesterday during our gingerbread house party (see below). It didn't snow more than an inch or so. Still, it's pretty exciting to see snow at our very first house.

Gingerbread House Party

2008-12-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

This is the second year we've had friends over to create a fun and festive gingerbread house. It's always a team effort and tons of fun.

This year's house was better constructed than last year's and I'm sure next year will be even better.

Click here for more photos.

Cheers to all!

ps - the song in the video happened to be on the radio... what luck. :)

So many smiles

2008-12-13T09:49:00.001-08:00

This is more like a smirk, and while it's super-duper cute it hardly scratches the surface of the awesome huge grins I've been seeing lately. I'm too busy enjoying them to snap any photos, but managed to get a little one this morning.

I love how his eyes seem to smile!

Hopefully, when he starts to smile a lot more frequently and regularly I'll get some great shots. Can't wait!!

Antler Video

2008-12-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

Bad Sweater Party

2008-12-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

Durkin attended his very first Christmas party last night. Here he is mid yawn, but, trust me, he had a wonderful time. So much love bestowed upon him.

Katie and Matt hosted a very funny party. Everyone wore the worst Christmas sweater they could find. Some creative souls hot glued ornaments, cotton balls and jingle bells to their sweaters... as if they weren't tacky enough. I wish I'd gotten photos of all the terribly awesome sweaters, but of course I pretty much only took photos of my baby. =)

Durkin loved the antlers atop Auntie Jocie's head.

Crystal holding baby:

Auntie Lizzie and cousin Gabriel took a little break from the main party area to watch a DVD. Liz was running (and I mean running, not walking) after Gabriel for much of the night. Sometimes a mom just needs to sit down with her kid.

Katie's feet. Aren't these awesome!

Mommy Movie

2008-12-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, Durkin and I saw what I hope will be many mommy+me movies. Some of the local theaters have a time each week where parents can bring their kids to watch movies. In fact, you aren't allowed in the theater without a kid. So I guess if you don't have one, get a rental. =)

This week we saw Twilight with our friends Chiko and Ethan. What a fun outing for 2 tired moms and their adorable babies!

Big Yawn

2008-12-04T16:25:00.000-08:00

This is what I get to wake up to most mornings. So cute! =)

Thanksgiving Video

2008-12-01T14:59:00.001-08:00

Amazing how babies can dance even when they are asleep. He's so gifted. Apparently, our kid likes the tunes of Blind Melon.

Thanksgiving Part Deux

2008-12-01T14:53:00.000-08:00

We celebrated our second Thanksgiving on Saturday with Aaron's family. What a blessing to have 2 great families to celebrate with!

Here I am with baby in the Moby Wrap. This invention totally rocks.

All eyes on baby:

Auntie Lindsay holding baby:

Baby's First Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T19:29:00.000-08:00

We don't often get a chance to have a family photo taken, but being surrounded by loving family members is a great way to make that happen.

This year we went to Joc and Kevin's place and had a most delicious meal. That man can cook. I thought I took small-ish portions of each item, but my plate was still quite full of Thanksgiving yumminess. I ate and enjoyed every bite. yum! I somehow managed to make my traditional pumpkin cheesecake; quite a feat with a newborn in the house and it tasted just as good as I remember it... sinful. mmm, mmm, good.

Here we are about to enjoy our first course - the best pumpkin soup I've ever tasted!

Durkin looks like he has secret knowledge. I wonder what kind of wisdom he'll impart on us when he's finally able to speak.

Aaron gave Durkin a little mohawk while he was sleeping. Totally zonked and he didn't even have turkey.

I love this photo. It looks like he's making an effort to sleep, as if he's trying really, really hard.

Random Kindness

2008-11-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

This morning I ventured out to a nearby drive-thru Starbucks and got the most amazing gift. The woman in front of me paid for my order. And, as luck would have it, I had ordered a half pound of coffee beans too. I was moved to tears to be treated so kindly by a generous stranger.

Isn't it amazing what a little kindness can do for a person? I always say you never know how you're going to affect a person, so you should try to be nice as often as you can.

When I lived in San Francisco I would sometimes pay the bridge toll of the car behind me. It gave me a huge lift to do something small and nice for someone I didn't know with no expectations for any kind of thank you or return gift. I loved it.

About the time I was in the habit of paying strangers' tolls there was a saying that was going around, "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." I love that creed.

No one had ever paid my bridge toll, not that I expected it, but I feel like today's coffee outing was a full-circle moment for those years in the Bay Area.

Thank you, stranger!

Birthday Celebration

2008-11-24T17:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend we were honored to attend a birthday-cake-and-ice-cream party for 2 terrific young lads. Happy birthday, boys!

Also yesterday the little man turned 5 weeks old! Here I am with 2 of my aunties:

I love how he often folds his hands together. It makes my heart smile. =)

5 week walk

2008-11-23T21:10:00.000-08:00

Today little Durkin is 5 weeks old. I can hardly believe it's been 5 weeks since we had that amazing and transforming experience.

I got a little nap this morning and then took him out for a walk, which he loved even though it was a little cold.

1 month old today

2008-11-19T12:55:00.001-08:00

Today we celebrated our one month milestone by hanging out at home, taking an afternoon walk, and going to the pediatrician.

Durkin is now 8 lbs, 11 oz! He's almost looking chunky for the first time, which I think he wears well. He's 21 1/4 inches, so he's getting longer too. We had a shot today, which luckily he weathered pretty well, but it still completely sucks to watch a trusting little baby's face change to shocked horror after being stuck with a needle. I do not look forward to the next shots. :(

Here are some photos I took today. Enjoy!

A mother's love

2008-11-18T11:36:00.000-08:00

To quote Holly Hunter in Raising Arizona, "I loooove him sooo much."

A visit from Ethan

2008-11-17T17:17:00.000-08:00

On Sunday our good friends Chiko and Shawn brought Ethan over to visit Durkin - our first play date! Ethan was born just 5 short days after Durkin.

Chiko and I had a great time being pregnant together, sharing stories and wondering what it was all going to be like. It was fun to go through that together and now it's fun to be parents together too.

Thanks for coming to visit. I know Ethan and Durkin will be great friends.

Baby Bear

2008-11-17T11:20:00.000-08:00

For my Auntie Liz's birthday we wore our baby bear outfit, which Liz gave to us. So cute!

Happy Birthday, Lizzie!

Latest doc visit

2008-11-12T21:14:00.000-08:00

Today we had another weight check at our pediatrician's office. I should point out it was my first outing with just me and the baby, so that was a milestone in itself. :)

Durkin now weighs 7 lbs, 14 oz! So, we're finally at the point where we can feed him on demand, whenever he wants it. He's also been sleeping for longer stretches at night. Not every night, but once this week we did a full 5 hours. Amazing. I hardly believed we could get here and I'm so happy we did.

We took a trip to Seattle on Tuesday, to help Aunt Katie shop for her wedding dress. I have to say that Katie is going to be one radiant bride! But that's all I can say 'bout that for now.

Here are a couple of photos from our Seattle trip, all with a sleeping Durkin.

A much needed nap after our busy day of... napping:

Daddy's MVP

2008-11-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

Today is daddy's first day back at work, so we decided to wear our Daddy's MVP shirt in honor of our daddy. Thank you, Aunt Katie for the shirt!

Walkies

2008-11-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

Today we took our first walk around our neighborhood as a family of 3. It was a lovely day for a walk. :)

Here we are before the walk. At first we didn't want to get into our car seat, thankyouverymuch, but once daddy swung us around for a bit we settled in nicely.

Daddy and me:

Here we are after our walk. So content!