we're headed out...

Sorry for the lack of photos... we are headed back East for a visit with G's family, as his sister is getting married. Wish us luck on the 5 hour flight with the four month old. Much to share once we get back.

Enjoy summer, now that it is finally here!!

oh June, so far you're a good one!

It's been blue skies and summer temperatures here for the last few weeks... so much so that I can't remember the last time it rained! And this week in particular has been pretty fantastic... Fiona has had three firsts so far... her first real laugh on Sunday, a boisterous thing, full of delight and joy. And then she figured out how to roll onto one side. Not all the way over, mind you, but enough so that she turns about 90 degrees. And today, well, I let the picture speak for itself:

Yes, dear readers, she found her feet.

In other news... the week in review:

She is a happy girl, except when she isn't...

Her first Golden Gardens kayak beachfire. She hung out with our friend B:


And, of course, with her papa...

Rhe sunset was phenomenal that night... I think it set at 9:01pm!!

Seriously, the only way this could be better is with a blended drink in hand...

Last weekend we helped our friend D install a tigerwood floor at his house. As you can see, Fi supervised.

And finally, another foot grabbing shot... it looks like a pilates move to me...
So that's our story for now. We are headed to the San Juans this weekend to visit an old friend and take in the island life.

month four and counting

We are approaching the year anniversary of when we found out I was pregnant. Which means that Fiona has been alive (I know, dangerous territory here, I'm not really getting into this political/theological argument, just speaking from a purely biological perspective) for a year. So amazing, the changes she has gone through in that time. I read somewhere that if we continued growing at the rate that she grew in the womb, we would be the size of a football field by the time we are three. Yeouch.

Speaking of growing... Fi is out of her 0-3 month clothing, and even out of some of her 3-6 month clothing. She didn't even get a chance to wear some of clothing given to us... we simply had too much of the smaller sizes. So crazy. There is no need to buy anything new for a baby - so much of it already exists. And we live in a very generous community.

She is so alert and awake – she sees everything going on around her. She is vocalizing/talking all the time at home and in the car, but not so much when we are out around other people. Shy, maybe? I wonder how many of the things she does now will she do in the future, as a young girl and then as a teen and then as an adult… will she always stretch her arms and curve her back when she wakes up? Will her smile always be so big that it makes her scrunch her shoulders up to her ears? Will she rub her eyes when she is tired? Will she raise her eyebrow when she is thinking? I am so excited to meet her, to see who she becomes. And I am cherishing these moments too…

We are falling into a good rhythm around here... she sleeps in and then we have awake time and eating time and nap time... and then the cycle repeats a few more times throughout the day. I've gotten to the point where I can put her down for a nap when she gets tired (eye rubbing and red eyebrows) and she fusses for a few minutes but then crashes for an hour/hour and a half.

Since I am back to countdown mode about returning to work, I have a list (big surprise!) of things I want to do before July 7th. I doubt I will actually get to any of it, but if I do, I will post photos. My list includes some sewing, some printing, some cleaning, some organizing. Oh, and hanging those darn tiles in the hallway!!

the very end of May

The end of May means many things. My birthday, for one. Well, I guess that is the major thing in my world. But this year, it also marked another interesting milestone - I became a permanent telecommuter. That's right, no more office for me! I am working from home from here on out, except when I travel.

So to commemorate the event, I took a couple quick pictures of Fi and I packing up my office...

I will never see this view again!


Fi helped pack boxes. She told me what to keep and what to throw out. From her throne.


We also had the birth class reunion brunch at our place... It was great to see folks with the babies on the outside, and hear all the birth stories. Here's a couple snaps of that craziness:

The babies!


Again with the babies, proud parents in the mirror...


All the mamas...


All the papas...

The weather is delightful in Seattle right now... nice and sunny and we have to get outside. So more soon!

the end of May

So we had some more adventures. This extra six weeks off has changed my outlook, at least for now. My best friend M came up from SF for a visit... we took a road trip down to Portland to visit with A & T and their boys, E & L. Here comes the bragging part... M read books to Fi in the back seat – and she almost turned a page by herself! (and M scolded me for not reading to her more!). Then, M came into our room one morning to sing a good morning song to Fi… she tickled your sides and said “Hi!” in a big voice… and Fi looked right back at her and said “HI!” back… we almost fell over. It wasn’t repeated though… so we’re pretty sure you don’t know what it means yet. Soon though…

Photos to prove it happened...

Fi and her papa in our host's backyard:


Fi and her future boyfriend, the darling L:


Serious blue sky outside of Forest Grove:


Tia and Fi in the backseat:


Mom and dad up front:


We stopped by the Saturday Market (on Sunday, yeah, it confused me too) looking for a doll maker, but alas, could not find her...


and on Monday morning hit the Portage Bay Cafe in South Lake Union, lovely spot!


Hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend!

another week goes by

Good news first - due to a relatively new law in Washington state, mothers get an additional 6 weeks of protected maternity leave - and I am taking it! It does mean that we will be eating beans and rice (no money for those extra six weeks!) but at least I get a little more time with my sweet Fiona. Delaying the inevitable, I know, but you would take it too, wouldn't you?

Also, we have been the recipients of so many amazing gifts, and we don't always get the chance to say thank you... so THANK YOU!! I am looking at you, fWaMu employees, down in Chatsworth CA... you guys are awesome. Particularly Ms Gigi... you are always looking out for me, I appreciate it!! And to everyone else, I am so touched that you would take the time and effort to send along a little something... Fiona is the greatest gift I could have ever asked for, all these extras are just icing on the cake!

Speaking of Fiona.... (and I do tend to go on and on about her...) it's the only bit of bad news I have this week. Since I thought I was going back to work in two weeks, G and I decided we better get her going on a bottle (full of mama milk)... yeah, she wasn't so into it. In fact, she will have nothing to do with it. Turns out the magic window for introducing a bottle was between 4 and 6 weeks... gosh, pediatrician, it would've been good to know that BEFORE the window passed... so as it is, we are trying once a day to get her to take to the silicone. The only way G can get her to take any of it is in the shower, when she's all relaxed and half-asleep. Otherwise, it's all tears and crying.

Here is the shot of G and Fi on the first night of bottle introduction:

(Yes, that is his shirt absolutely covered in spit-up. Fun! Parenting is awesome and smells great!)

Here she is at 10 weeks.


And here we are on my first Mother's Day, just after brunch.


And here is G, out in the backyard, attacking the invasive blackberry bushes...
(He is wearing a black shirt, if that helps you spot him. We had some Mother's Day inspiration to start working in the yard...)

And this is a pic of me and Fi on the beach.


And the whole family!

(Remind me to get G some sunglasses...)

So there you have it. I am so relieved/excited to be able to hang out for another 6 weeks with my babe... maybe it will inspire me to post more often? No promises. But I won't be back at work until 7/7/09... yahoo!!

Hope you are all having a lovely May. The sun is starting to make regular appearances here, it was 68 and sunny today, such perfect weather. We walked the lake and had a picnic (of sorts). Hope you all get to do some of the same!

E.

May is here!

And so is Fiona's ninth week. It's incredible how fast she changes, and how strange this new life is - completely normal, but absolutely abstract at the same time. It's not just me and G anymore - our lives orbit around this amazing baby girl. Our little family is learning how to weather the daily rhythm of this new reality. And we're doing quite well, if I don't say so myself. So enough blabber, here are some new photos...

We got a BOB. It's awesome. Fiona is modeling her new hat, which reads "crabby" on it. It has octopuses and fish and crabs all over. I think it's hilarious.


How awesomely sassy is this little one? We were waiting for our final midwife appointment to begin. Sassy, sassy, sassy. Then happy.



And finally, the light coming in this morning was so beautiful I had to snap a picture - Fi sleeping on her papa's chest.


I am trying to savor every one of these moments, as I only have three weeks left of maternity leave. I really wish I could stay home with her for the next year - she is learning so much and growing so fast - I am really afraid of what I will miss when I go back to work. I wish our country valued families and mothers more. It is criminal to me that women only get 6 weeks off (I'm lucky, I get 12) - actually, I can't finish this paragraph, it's too depressing. Sorry to leave you on a down note. I'm off to make friends with my breast pump.

E.