Here's some things Charli likes that I keep forgetting to post about.
1) Brian playing banjo. Sometimes while I'm feeding Charli, Brian will bring the banjo over behind me, to try to keep her looking in the right direction (e.g. mouth towards me). When he carries it over, Charli gets this huge smile on her face and watches him the whole way. After she's finished eating and cleaned her off, we let her strum the banjo a little - very exciting! She doesn't smile when I get the banjo. Maybe my playing hurts her.
2) Peekaboo! Charli likes peekaboo now. Mom (my mom) has been playing peekaboo with her since she was about 1 week old, to little effect. Now it actually makes her laugh - Mom will be so pleased!
3) Having hair in her face (other people's hair). It tickles her. Of course, people tickling her this way run the risk of having their hair pulled. Hard.
4) Her pacifier! She doesn't suck on it very much, but it's a great chew toy...
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
before you can walk...
Today, Charli started crawling. Here is a crummy example - she actually crawls better than this, but you can still see a whole leg-arm-leg-arm sequence. We kept trying to get her to crawl to get a toy so we could video her, but when she actually wants something, she still breakdances over to it - she's faster with the worm than with the crawl.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
breaking in the backpack
Today we went on a short hike in Marin to try out the new backpack.
Boy does it take us a long time to get ready! We tried to go last Sunday, but we ran out of time before we were supposed to be down in South Bay to have dinner with some friends. We were planning to leave 2 hours early so that we would have time to stop and walk around the reservoir with Charli's new ride, but instead we left right about the time we should have left in order to get to dinner on time. This might have been the first time I have ever gone to a dinner party right at the time it starts. I actually felt a little bad. No one is ever actually ready for guests right at the moment they said the party started.
Anyway, the hike was good! It was a little windy, but carrying a giant backpack sure warms you up! We didn't hike very far, but we saw a lego buddha and we had a great view of San Quentin. We had some Clif bars by the lego buddha - Charli thinks they are pretty OK. We brought her a bottle, but we cleverly forgot to bring a nipple, so we had to dump the water out of her sippy cup and put milk in there. It worked out fine, except that we felt dumb.
As far as a backpack exercise, it was definitely a success. We got a lot of practice adjusting the straps, and I realized after we got home that the reason the carrier is not "hydration compatible" is because, most likely, the person carrying the baby is not alone, and therefore does not have to be the one to carry both baby and water (and food and diaper bag, etc). Indeed, the next time I use the backpack, someone else will carry everything that can possibly be detached. Hooray!
I posted a page of pictures from the hike here.
Boy does it take us a long time to get ready! We tried to go last Sunday, but we ran out of time before we were supposed to be down in South Bay to have dinner with some friends. We were planning to leave 2 hours early so that we would have time to stop and walk around the reservoir with Charli's new ride, but instead we left right about the time we should have left in order to get to dinner on time. This might have been the first time I have ever gone to a dinner party right at the time it starts. I actually felt a little bad. No one is ever actually ready for guests right at the moment they said the party started.
Anyway, the hike was good! It was a little windy, but carrying a giant backpack sure warms you up! We didn't hike very far, but we saw a lego buddha and we had a great view of San Quentin. We had some Clif bars by the lego buddha - Charli thinks they are pretty OK. We brought her a bottle, but we cleverly forgot to bring a nipple, so we had to dump the water out of her sippy cup and put milk in there. It worked out fine, except that we felt dumb.
As far as a backpack exercise, it was definitely a success. We got a lot of practice adjusting the straps, and I realized after we got home that the reason the carrier is not "hydration compatible" is because, most likely, the person carrying the baby is not alone, and therefore does not have to be the one to carry both baby and water (and food and diaper bag, etc). Indeed, the next time I use the backpack, someone else will carry everything that can possibly be detached. Hooray!I posted a page of pictures from the hike here.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
new ride
Another day hot like balls. Man is this weird weather! Poor Charli gets so hot she can barely sleep. For that matter, I've been so hot I can barely sleep.This morning we went to the farmer's daughter's market at the ferry building for the first time in a long time. It is a LOT bigger than the last time we went. We just got all our stuff in the area where they have all the vendors outside, which is not that big, and then we were walking around some more and I saw a blueberry vendor - I was all "was that there the whole time? how did I walk right by a blueberry vendor?"
Then Brian pointed out that actually we were at a completely different set of stalls, that we just hadn't walked around. We still didn't, because by that time I was looking for breakfast. We came across another few stalls just south of the ferry building, and they were selling breakfast stuff, so we got some, and in the process of trying to find somewhere to sit, we realized that there are about a thousand stalls out in back of the ferry building, too. O well.
Check it out! In the afternoon, we went to REI to outfit Brian for his Mt. Hood trek. We also managed to outfit me and Charli, in case we want to do some hiking in Tahoe while Brian is gone, when we go to meet Kim and Brent at that part of the PCT. Charli's new ride is so cool, we might try to go hiking next weekend! Brian's got it on in this picture, but you can actually adjust where the straps attach to the pack in back, so that the pack fits me, too. How cool is that?
Friday, June 20, 2008
danger danger
Holy cats, batman! I was putting Charli to bed tonight, and it's hot as balls out, so I was moving the fan so it could blow on her a little in the crib. I put her in the crib while I was doing that, and I looked over, AND SHE HAD PULLED HERSELF UP AND WAS STANDING NEXT TO THE CRIB RAIL! As soon as I looked at her she fell back down, and she didn't do it again, but I guess tomorrow we'll be putting the crib mattress down to the lower height...
In other news, Charli has also started imitating people - it seems she imitates Maria mostly. Not me so much - I tried to show Brian, and she wouldn't do anything I did. :( I'm sure she's absorbing all kinds of cuss words, though, which she will bring out when she starts talking. We really have to get the cuss jars going. I'm thinking a sliding scale: $1 for words that aren't really cussing, but which I probably don't want to hear coming out of her, like 'piss' and 'hell'. $5 for real words. $10 for f-bombs! I mean, we really are trying to discourage ourselves here. Charli's going to be able to go to any school she wants...
Thursday morning, Maria and I were saying that soon Charli was going to be able to sit up on her own. Thursday afternoon, she did it (but it was hard work). Today, it's like she's been doing it all her life. Roll all around, sit up, roll all around, sit up.
Charli is playing very independently, although she likes to have people around, and has started crying when I (or Brian, or Maria, or whoever) stand up to go somewhere else, like the kitchen. She's getting cuddly again, too (also known as "clingy" when you're trying to put her down). For a long time (it seems), she didn't want to just be held - you had to be playing with her or she would be very wiggly. Now sometimes she'll put her head on your shoulder and give you a little snuggle. It's lovely. :) Reminds me of when she was a little baby, so long ago... *sniff*
Last but not least, Charli can really get around. Here's a long video of her doing so:
In other news, Charli has also started imitating people - it seems she imitates Maria mostly. Not me so much - I tried to show Brian, and she wouldn't do anything I did. :( I'm sure she's absorbing all kinds of cuss words, though, which she will bring out when she starts talking. We really have to get the cuss jars going. I'm thinking a sliding scale: $1 for words that aren't really cussing, but which I probably don't want to hear coming out of her, like 'piss' and 'hell'. $5 for real words. $10 for f-bombs! I mean, we really are trying to discourage ourselves here. Charli's going to be able to go to any school she wants...Thursday morning, Maria and I were saying that soon Charli was going to be able to sit up on her own. Thursday afternoon, she did it (but it was hard work). Today, it's like she's been doing it all her life. Roll all around, sit up, roll all around, sit up.
Charli is playing very independently, although she likes to have people around, and has started crying when I (or Brian, or Maria, or whoever) stand up to go somewhere else, like the kitchen. She's getting cuddly again, too (also known as "clingy" when you're trying to put her down). For a long time (it seems), she didn't want to just be held - you had to be playing with her or she would be very wiggly. Now sometimes she'll put her head on your shoulder and give you a little snuggle. It's lovely. :) Reminds me of when she was a little baby, so long ago... *sniff*Last but not least, Charli can really get around. Here's a long video of her doing so:
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
happy father's day
Who got to sleep in on Father's Day? That's right! Mom!
We had a lovely father's day. Everyone called to say nice things to Brian, and they were well deserved. He's a terrific dad!
First we tried to go to Stacks for breakfast, but we got there around 9:45 and the line looked pretty long, so we decided to skip it. Then we thought we'd try Modern Tea, but turns out they don't open until 10:30. Finally Brian thought of Le Zinc (open 9 or 9:30, never a line, and lovely breakfast - I don't know why we don't just go there every weekend), and we drove over there instead, got rock star parking, and had a great breakfast. Charli and Mambaw spilled water all over Brian - it was a chilly father's day surprise! They just wanted to make sure he didn't fall asleep.
After that we bought Charli another big bottle (orange!), and then we came home and puttered around and watched Tiger Woods play golf on tv, when we weren't watching Charli do cute things. I gave Brian a diaper vest (brilliant!), so I wouldn't have to get up early and cook him breakfast in bed (and because I love gear). Charli wasn't napping very well, so I took her on a walk to the store for some roasting veggies (and maybe some ice cream). She slept the whole time and then she was much happier and we could all watch her be cute again.
For dinner, Brian roasted a fantastic chicken (citrus brine - yes, we're trying new brines, aren't you impressed?), and we had a terrific dinner of roast chicken and vegetables and salad. It was fabulous! For dessert, we had the rest of the chocolate cake, and Bi-rite creamery mint chocolate chip ice cream AND coffee toffee ice cream (having personally determined yesterday that one pint of ice cream was insufficient). Two great homecooked dinners in one weekend... That might be a record for us.
Here is a priceless father's day trick that we were very fortunate to get on video. You will like it. :)
We had a lovely father's day. Everyone called to say nice things to Brian, and they were well deserved. He's a terrific dad!First we tried to go to Stacks for breakfast, but we got there around 9:45 and the line looked pretty long, so we decided to skip it. Then we thought we'd try Modern Tea, but turns out they don't open until 10:30. Finally Brian thought of Le Zinc (open 9 or 9:30, never a line, and lovely breakfast - I don't know why we don't just go there every weekend), and we drove over there instead, got rock star parking, and had a great breakfast. Charli and Mambaw spilled water all over Brian - it was a chilly father's day surprise! They just wanted to make sure he didn't fall asleep.
After that we bought Charli another big bottle (orange!), and then we came home and puttered around and watched Tiger Woods play golf on tv, when we weren't watching Charli do cute things. I gave Brian a diaper vest (brilliant!), so I wouldn't have to get up early and cook him breakfast in bed (and because I love gear). Charli wasn't napping very well, so I took her on a walk to the store for some roasting veggies (and maybe some ice cream). She slept the whole time and then she was much happier and we could all watch her be cute again.
For dinner, Brian roasted a fantastic chicken (citrus brine - yes, we're trying new brines, aren't you impressed?), and we had a terrific dinner of roast chicken and vegetables and salad. It was fabulous! For dessert, we had the rest of the chocolate cake, and Bi-rite creamery mint chocolate chip ice cream AND coffee toffee ice cream (having personally determined yesterday that one pint of ice cream was insufficient). Two great homecooked dinners in one weekend... That might be a record for us.
Here is a priceless father's day trick that we were very fortunate to get on video. You will like it. :)
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