Last year, this year

Exactly one year ago, our midwife painted my enormous belly with a picture of what was inside.  As we waited impatiently for our baby to arrive, she suggested we go out to dinner just the two of us, something we might not get to do for a while.  We went to the Country Cat, by our house.  There was another pregnant woman there.  I ordered a seafood stew with crab, and I was mad when it came with the crab in the shell.  I just wanted to eat.  I didn't want dinner I had to work for.  In the process of unshelling (deshelling?) the crab, I got soup all over my shirt.  It was only once we got home and I removed the shirt to put it in the wash that I remembered what was on my belly.

And this year we picked up hot dogs and fries on our way home, and ate them at the kitchen table while our little girl ate her dinner right next to us in the high chair.

Weekending

We took a quick overnight trip to Eugene last weekend, to celebrate a very belated Christmas.  Scarlett slept in a pack & play in my parents' bathroom.  She tried to dive head-first down a flight of stairs.  She played in the tupperware drawer in the kitchen because, even when there are real toys around, plastic containers are still her favorite.

I would call this picture 'Three dads, standing'

Scarlett with Aunt Kelly

Scarlett practicing being 'gentle' with Tavish.  Lately, she has gotten more excited about dogs and cats.  We practice making animal noises to her.  During diaper changes, I try to distract her with a little book, asking her to look for the picture of the cat or the duck.  She and Charlie went to the zoo this week and she was enamored with the fish, because they were near the glass so she could see them close up.

Dads and babies 

Johan and Ella in their Ducks gear. 

Here I have two babies- one who won't look at the camera, one who really doesn't want me to be holding her.  But Ella, I am your Auntie Emily!  I will spoil you with extra dessert when you are older!  One really cute thing about Ella lately is that she's at the point where she understands a lot, and is really honest.  Someone asked 'Can I hold you?' and she shook her head no.  Scarlett would wait until someone was holding her, and then start squealing.

Auntie Lauren with Scarlett
 

Two babies playing together.  Are they even babies anymore?  Once they're walking- which Scarlett is in small chunks, like a zombie, with her arms out and her feet unbalanced but still moving- I guess that means they're toddlers?

That 70s Baby

Still

Family photo

I'm sorry, Char, that your head is cut off here.  But isn't the expression on Scarlett's face is too adorable to pass up?  She suddenly looks a lot older to me.  Maybe because this is one of the few pictures where she doesn't have food all over her face.

Actually, looks like she has food all over her shirt. Sigh.

Kitchen Cousins

Happy birthday Grandmas!

Both Scarlett's grandmas had birthdays this week.  One came to spend her birthday weekend with us.

So, as a birthday gift to my mom, I would like to offer up this never-before-seen picture of me wearing a suit.  I even wore it out in public.  We've come a long way from blue hair and oversize jeans.

11 months

Dear Scarlett Ray,
Today is your 11 month birthday, and you are suffering through your first fever and an infection.  Last night you slept in our bed, something you haven't done since you were two or three months old.  You're much bigger and noisier and moving around more now, and at one point, you had your head in daddy's armpit and your diaper in my face.  This is really just the culmination of a hard two weeks, which included:

Your first bout of throwing up
Stepping on a shard of glass

But you're tough, and you like to smile and play even when feeling sick.  My favorite new thing this month is that when I come home from work, I walk up the porch steps and your chubby little face is staring at me through the door, you are pounding on the glass and smiling at me.  You're so happy that mama is home.  And baby, that feeling is reciprocal.  You have also started waving a little at us as we're leaving.  You've celebrated Christmas and New Years for the first time; eaten parsnips, apple juice, brussel sprouts, asparagus, lentils and crackers for the first time.  You've started saying b'nananana when you see your favorite food up sitting on the counter.  You weigh 20 pounds and 5.5 ounces, as of yesterday.  You were doing well at taking several steps in a row, until this fever sidelined you.  I cannot believe that your next birthday will be the big one.  I love you so much.

Mama

In the swing of things

When Scarlett was little tiny, we would take her to the park, just to get out of the house for a while.  It was spring and summer, and the park is a block away.  She was so small, I had to stuff a blanket into the swing all around her, to keep her from sliding out one of the leg holes or falling over.  But OH BOY have things changed.  We took a winter park trip and, there's certainly no chance she's going to fall out of that swing now.  And she's so happy, I almost couldn't resist posting all 50 pictures of this 10-minute trip.

How we've improved

Last year....

 This year....

Pirate baby

"Arggggggg"

Is this what 'apple-cheeked' refers to?

Grrr

Resolutions

I have not been good about blogging while on vacation from work.  But can you blame me?  VACATION!  Here's what we've been doing with my 11-days off, as I near the final day.

Scarlett climbed the stairs at Eli's house...

...to wake him up from his nap, so they could play.

And we've hung out with these kids.

Bit our nails

Packed an overnight bag for a trip to Eugene

Cuddled with Lucas

Practiced dribbling a basketball

Tore stuff apart

And took this adorable picture of the adorable Lucy.

Happy new year!  I resolve to blog better, maybe.