A long, long time ago...

This is what we looked like. Adrian still looks like Adrian. Grace still looks like Grace. And I have that expression Zoe has from time to time.

Eating Technique

Zoe is pretty good at feeding herself these days. Well, she is good at feeding herself things like pasta, rice (though they get everywhere and makes for a giant clean up job after), Cheerios and toasts. She isn't too good with the slippery items like peach however.

Nostalgia

Dennis and I were looking at some of our older pictures and we are - can it be possible - even more helplessly in love with our baby. We are so lucky to have her and every day we pray for her health and happiness. It also makes us very appreciative of all that we have and that we live in relative peace and security.

Anyhow, here is a picture of baby when she was just a day old (I think she was just a day old).

I can be neat when I want to be

"See, I can be a proper lady when I want to be."

"But really, food is best when everywhere!"

Firsts

There were many firsts this past weekend. There was the first sail, first pulling/standing up, first swim/dip in the pool. About the first, we went out sailing on San Diego Bay on Saturday. Actually, can't really say we sailed since all we did was sit on a boat and allowed the hired skipper to do all the work (but who's keeping tab?) Anyhow, Zoe did pretty well considering how the activity was a total disruption to her usual schedule - she missed both her naps that day. Luckily for us, she was a real trooper and in fact seemed to have enjoyed the wind and sun very much.

Then yesterday, we finally took her into our newly replastered pool. We expected some resistance or even complaints, but baby took to the water readily, much to my delight. Perhaps in another 12 year's time, we can go scuba diving together!

At Quail Gardens

We visited the Quail Gardens over the weekend with our friends Kirsten, Ronson and toddler Caroline. We had a great time. The above picture is my new favorite.

Pasta Monster!!!

I shared my leftover Pasta lunch with Zoe this afternoon and I believe she loved it. Well, if intrigue, interest and a healthy appetite for it qualifies as love. First, as soon as I put the little pile of angel hair on her tray, she put her fingers into them with great gusto. Then, she handled them as if she was trying to understand its characteristics - a pull here, a stretch there, then a good many pats. She opened her mouth quite readily when I put some into her mouth. Then, she gave me one of those appreciative "thanks, mom" look. I think Zoe especially enjoyed the pasta because it was clearly my lunch too. Zoe likes to eat what we eat. Now, we just have to wait to see if there is any consequence to this rather laissez faire way of introducing food to her. It should be one new food per week and no compound food that contains more than one new ingredient at a time. The sauce contains four new foods, namely red pepper, garlic, pine nuts and basil.

Uncle Paul

Uncle Paul came to spend some time with Zoe yesterday. After a short period of cautiousness, Zoe took to Uncle Paul like a charm.

Spying on Zoe

So, the question is why we took so long to get a video monitor. No answer to that other than that we didn't think it was necessary and that we were trying to be "good" about not buying everything. Luckily for us, our friends Karen and Marcus convinced us that it is a very good thing to have and that we would probably get plenty of mileage out of it. Mileage or no mileage, we love it the minute it was rigged up. It is a lot of fun spying on Zoe - well, minus right now because baby is protesting nap time in the most vigorous manner possible. It is so sad to see her so very upset! But here is a video of her when she was a happy trooper. Actually, this video shows Zoe checking on this new device in her room. She was most curious about it.

Yappity Yap!

Zoe 2, Dennis & Jackie 0

Well, so laughs Grandma and Grandpa after we told them about our trip to the Eastern Sierras over the July 4th weekend. This was truly more a misadventure than adventure. For the first time in my life, I lobbied to leave early, and to even skip a short day hike to a supposedly lovely alpine lake so that we can leave first thing in the morning. Pronto!


As it turns out, even after major upgrades - a much, much larger tent (see the giant 6 person car camping tent above, an air mattress for ourselves, and a lovely baby "PeaPod" for Zoe - baby still had a hard time sleeping outside of a crib environment. The first night was actually not too bad. Even though she took a long time to fall asleep, she didn't cry or fuss. In fact, she played and played. She even woke up in the middle of night to play. And even though she woke up crying at 3 in the morning, she was at least able to fall asleep in my arms. It was very sweet actually, seeing her so solaced simply by being held be me. The second day (Friday) was not so good. I think it was the accumulated fatigue. Zoe became more and more fussy as the day went. And as it was an immoderately hot day, we worried about the effects of the sun and heat on Zoe. We couldn't call it quits and simply return to camp to chill as we had a lousy exposed campsite and it would be worse to return than to be on the trail - at least till the late afternoon/early evening hours. All in all, it was not a good day, even though the lakes were beautiful and the landscape glorious (once we were in the shade). That night, baby was extremely difficult to put to sleep. She fussed, pleaded, and then cried when we put her into her pea pod to sleep. It was heartbreaking hearing her cry like that. Anyhow, to make a long story short (or shorter), it was probably one of the longest night we have ever experienced. Zoe woke up many, many times crying. She ended up sleeping with us on the air mattress. I'm not sure how much we slept in the end, we were just glad when morning came.

It wasn't all bad, of course. The first night (Thursday), Dennis built a nice fire and we had lovely dinner with wine in front of it. Then, we sat out for a long time just looking at the starlit sky. It was quite, quite wonderful and we talked about how camping is so nice! It was also nice to see Zoe's excitement at touching the water in a running brook, feeling a tree bark, and watching butterflies dance in the air (what surprise!). But alas, it might be awhile before we attempt to take her out like this. Perhaps the next time, instead of car camping, we can "base camp" at a hotel and then do day hikes instead.