At the Homestead

It's been a semi-quiet couple of weeks at the homestead but we've had a few adventures: my dad's surprise birthday party, trying out some new foods (avocado was most decidedly NOT a hit), and a solo trip to San Francisco with mom - we had to go check out a big ol' crafty craft fair where our friend Norah was peddling her wares. Speaking of which, if you need some adorably rad baby goods like onesies and bibs, you should check her stuff out at sheriffpeanut.com. It is adorable and rad, like I said.

Sody is starting to scoot backwards now. She has managed to get herself a little stuck under a couple pieces of furniture. And she has two bottom teeth coming in! Cute but sharp. I need to watch out, eh?

New Jersey, Part 3: The Messy

The last thing I want to tell you about our trip to NJ was that we gave Isota her first real vegetable while we were there: baby food carrots. Messy as predicted and she seemed to really like them. Since then, she has added to her repertoire: green beans (thumbs up), zucchini (she gave me "gag face"), sweet potatoes (she warmed up to it) and frozen grapes and frozen peaches in her mesh feeder (VERY popular). She is pretty good at the eating thing so far, except that she seems to enjoy chewing on the spoon more than anything. I am having a hard time waiting a few days between introducing a new food because I want to puree everything in sight now. Fun times!

I know some people get grossed out with messy baby food pics but I can't resist posting these. Welcome to the mess, folks.

New Jersey, Part 2: The Bad

Ok, so there was one bad thing that happened on our trip, and it was all my fault: I TRIPPED and FELL while carrying Sody. Waaaaah!!!! You can imagine my horror and tears at the situation. We were at the zoo, having fun, and I had Sody in the baby carrier strapped to my front so she could see the animals. Walked down a small set of stairs and missed the last one or something (I still can't figure out what happened) and all of the sudden - splat! We were on the ground. (Note to self: steps + Dansko clogs + 18 lbs of baby attached to you = bad combo) My knees thankfully took the brunt of it but she did bonk her head at some point of the mess because we found a pink mark on her head. She cried for a couple of minutes, got over it, was acting like her normal happy self...but since head bonking and six month olds and nervous mothers don't mix, we headed to the emergency room to get her checked out. She's fine! We all survived the first fall and first emergency room visit and I would be perfectly ecstatic if that was the last one too.

Feel free to send me any dropping-your-baby stories because it makes me feel better to hear I am not the only one!

New Jersey, Part 1: The Good

Our trip was fantastic and already feels too long ago. Highlights: Sody doing great on the plane flights (mostly sleeping), veggie strombolis almost as big as the tray they sat on, going to the shore, amazing weather, getting coffee at the Wawa, many custard stand trips, Philly, Sody's 6 month birthday, soccer games, swimming, Joe falling in love with a Wii, watching movies, taking walks around the neighborhood, talking and debating and hanging out around the house, and most importantly: just being with family. We miss you guys terribly.

Pictures below: 1) on the plane, 2) with Cousin Ryan and Pop Pop, 3) Mom Mom, 4) Uncle Jason, 5) Aunt Courtney and her boyfriend Kevin, 6) going swimmin' - she actually had so much fun in the water but this face cracks me up, 7) her 6 month birthday cake - she was already in bed when we celebrated so we sang happy birthday to a cell phone picture Pop Pop put by the cake, 8) record shopping in Philly.

Fun with Uncle Cory

First of all, we are back! New Jersey was fantastic and fun and busy and there is so much to say that I am going to have to write it all up in installments to catch you up. I have been behind on the updating because as soon as we got back, Joe's bro Cory came to stay with us for a visit. Lots of fun and tennis and Risk and mini golf and pizza eating and Baby/Uncle time. Come back soon, Cory!

Father's Day

Joe celebrated his first Father's Day by getting a cold. What a gift. (I didn't give him that one.) We also went out to a lovely brunch with my parents - yummy food, yummy company, and a yummy (if I do say so myself) raspberry cream pie I made for dessert. Unfortunately what I didn't do was bring my camera to record the special day. Oddly enough, this happened on Mother's Day, too...funny how I take a zillion pictures most days but on the actual significant holidays, I forget to snap pics.

On a similar note, I also managed to forget to bring diapers to brunch. DIAPERS! The one essential element to the diaper bag! So essential they named the diaper bag after it! Unbelievable. Normally it wouldn't be that big of a deal but of course the day I forget to bring diapers is the day Sody has a major blowout that leaks through her cute pink panties that match her cute little Father's Day sundress. Ick, I know. Luckily my mom saved the day by rushing to the store in the middle of the meal and all was well again.

Lastly, Baby Sody Headquarters is headed out on a summer break to go visit Joe's family in New Jersey. Baby's first plane trip! Wish us (and the other passengers) luck. We won't be updating this while we are gone but I promise lots of pictures from the East Coast when we get back. Here are some recent pics of Miss Cutie-Patoots to tide you over while we are gone. Happy summer, y'all!

I Might Eat This Kid

OMG COULD SHE BE ANY FATTER AND CUTER?! The beer belly, the sausage arms, the big doughy cheeks...everything about her screams "food" and I wanna take a bite. I LOVE IT! My retinas are going to explode from the cuteness one of these days.

Social Butterflies

Ok, so, our social calendar isn't exactly raging these days. Not complaining, just stating fact. Playing with sock monkeys and plastic rattles takes precedence at the moment, and I love it. But life is admittedly a little slower these days. So it was a very big deal to have not one but TWO sets of friends from Oakland visit us two days in a row this weekend. Both were spur of the moment trips...don't you love when you have nothing planned for the weekend but it suddenly turns into Something? Both couples have sons too, so we are already stockpiling boyfriends for Isota when she grows up (if she likes boys, of course). Thanks to Dan and Alice and Lenny and Jeff and Thea and Remy for all making the trip over here! It was a treat to see you all.

Eatin' Good in the Neighborhood

We started rice cereal this week! Really runny of course, but she is a pro so far. Most of it goes in her mouth so she is obviously a genius.

What's Up, Doc?

Cold peeled carrot as teething device. I think she dug it.

Two Birthdays

Last Tuesday marked both Joe's 34th birthday as well as Sody's 5 month birthday. Since her idea of a good time pretty much revolves around breastfeeding and perfecting the art of sitting up, we let Joe pick the activity for the special day. And he chose to do what any normal, red-blooded, 34-year-old man would want to do: head straight to Chuck E. Cheese. So we got the babe and my parents and did just that. The place was near empty, the pizza was greasy, the tokens were a-plenty. We hit a lot of the games and took far too many pictures, as per usual. Sody Lou got her first taste of skee-ball when I packed her in the sling when I played. In a word, it was Awesome. Joe and I wanted to stay longer and play but Isota needed a nap. Wouldn't you know, the kid had to leave Chuck E. Cheese and the parents cried for more...

Oh, My Darlin'...

How awesome is my husband? I did not expect that last post and it made me swoon. And cry. I looked like this (minus the abject terror Sody is displaying here):

Tell me, Mama!

A lot gets written on this blog about a certain adorable, well-behaved, genius little child named Isota. Hell, even I've received a couple mentions. However, the person who deserves the most recognition for handling the bulk of the work raising this beautiful child is this person pictured right here:



I'm certain that without Alicia's hard work setting up a sleeping and feeding schedule, researching and reading a million baby books, and simply giving so much love to our little girl, there is no way Sody would be as mellow, happy, and developed as she is. This is a 24 hours a day, 7 day a week job and she does it superbly and without complaint. She deserves more credit than a little blog post, but I thought she'd enjoy the praise anyway.

Alicia is the most amazing mother a little girl could ask for and an incredible wife. Marrying her is easily the best decision I ever made.

To Alicia: Sody and I love and appreciate you more than you know!

- Joe

Memorial Day

Headed out for a long walk and some time at the park. Dad shot hoops, Mom enjoyed the fresh air, and Babycakes debuted her Iggy Pop onesie. Rock and roll, baby! Also, that last picture is Isota showing off her newest trick: blowing raspberries. She is getting a little too good at it.

Sody Goes A-Swimmin'

It hit 102 degrees here last weekend so it was prime time to stick the kid in the pool. First time! She rocked her bikini for the event and seemed to dig the pool. Once she got used to the water she was super mellow and chilled out in her little floaty.

Showing Dad Who's Boss

You Big Baby

Another doc visit yesterday, went great. Isota is in the 81st percentile for weight, 76th percentile for height, and 82nd percentile for head size. All of which means she is doing wonderfully and we have ourselves a big baby. I should have known that from all the comments I get from strangers when they find out how old she is: "Wow, she's BIG for four months!" I somehow find it in me to refrain from responding, "Yes, we spike her protein shakes with steroids..."

Weather is getting warmer here so I got Sody her first swimsuit. Actually, I got three. A little overboard, yes, but teeny swimsuits have to be the cutest of all the teeny baby clothes out there. (Plus, I ended up returning one.) Here she is, doing her first and hopefully only swimsuit modeling. There is a bikini too but we haven't tried it on yet. But I know her chubster belly is gonna look awesome in it. She should live it up - the only time in one's life when a potbelly is so adorable!

Best Time of Day

One of my favorite moments of my day, each day, is when I go to get Isota out of her crib (well, technically it's not a crib, it's a portable play yard thingy in our bedroom...we have a crib but we haven't put it together yet. And also I am still not sure *I* am ready to move her into her own room yet! It's too easy to just lean over in the middle of the night to the Pack N Play, make sure she is breathing, then go right back to sleep) first thing in the morning, when I hear her little baby cooing that seems to say, "Ok, guys, I'm up, let's get this party started!" When I lean in to say good morning, she gets this insane smile like she has never been happier to see anyone in her whole life. The little legs start pumping and the fists go waving and she is just SO excited. Even if it's waaaaay too early to be awake and all I want to do is fall right back into my nice warm bed, it's never a nuisance. It's pure sunshine. You hear people say stuff like that before you have a kid and you're like, "Yeah, right...I'll take my sleep instead, thanks..." but here I am, succumbing to all of it. I'll take her happiness over my own sleep any day.

And while we are on the subject of awesome things: can we just focus on my daughter's cheeks for a sec? How great are these?? Look at 'em - I am sure she could fit at least a couple of ping pong balls in there. I dare you to find something else on this planet that is so soft and squishy and kissable. I need to figure out a way to bottle them up and save them for when she grows out of babyhood but I still need a cheek fix.