Traditions

Last weekend provided an opportunity for some traditions, both old and new. First, on Saturday we went to Nate's Butt Farm....I mean, Bates Nut Farm.....to pick a pumpkin from their pumpkin patch. We got a few pumpkins and tried to take some pictures, but Kate was asleep most of the time. When we woke her up for picture time, she was either half-asleep or the sun was too bright....she basically laid there like a lump. We also weren't the only ones with the same idea, so most of our pictures had crowds of people walking around behind the pumpkins. I don't know that it was worth the drive to Valley Center, but I think a trip with Kate to some pumpkin patch is definitely going to be a tradition.

On Sunday, we went to the annual Hallowiener Picnic in Balboa Park. There are four dachshund picnics every year, organized by the San Diego Dachshund Club, but this is the only one at which the dogs wear costumes. There were a couple hundred doxies, and we had a fun time looking at all the cute puppies. We've been going to these picnics since Willow was young, but this was Kate's first multiple-dog experience. She was definitely curious, and started looking around a little more than normal. Willow also behaved really well....I was worried that she would get defensive around so many dogs, now that she's blind, but there was nothing to worry about.

Kate wore a special onesie for the occasion. Everyone knew who she was with. The outfit was actually a gift for Andrew from K&K, but we're happy she got to wear it.

The weather turned cold a couple of days ago, dropping almost thirty degrees in a single day. We went from needing the air conditioner to being all bundled up, which gave Kate the opportunity to get snuggly as well. I love the hood!

We haven't been getting Kate enough tummy time as we should, mostly because she doesn't really enjoy it. She was happy when lying on our chests, but she didn't appreciate being flat on the floor. Yesterday D decided to flip her over while she was on the couch, and all of a sudden she pushed up and looked around like she'd been doing it forever. It was by far the most she'd ever done while on her tummy.....looks like we've had a breakthrough.

A lot has happened since I posted last, so there are lots of new pictures....32 to be exact. Take a look, because there are some nice family shots and some from Kate's first attempt at a jumperoo. Plus lots of smiles!

While you wait...

I've got cute pictures and stories from this weekend, but I'm very tired and have to drive up to LA tomorrow monring.....so, I'll just mention a couple of unrelated subjects and save the good stuff for later.

First, I realized after my last post how crazy Kate's growth has been....I wrote the numbers, but didn't really think about what they meant.  She initially lost weight after birth, so by August 21 she was down to 8 pounds, 2 ounces.  When she was measured at the pediatrician's on October 21, she came out at 15 pounds, 12 ounces....we then estimated at 15 pounds 8 ounces since she was wearing a (clean) diaper and a shirt.  That means that in exactly two months, she has almost doubled in weight.  Looking back at pictures, I can see the progression, but it's really difficult to see the incremental growth when you're with her every day.

Second, a belated thank you for all the birthday wishes.  I got to eat some yummy dim sum and hang out with the family....then we went and bought a new couch.  The two events were completely unrelated, but it's a sign of 31's relative unimportance.  I actually feel older than I did last year....I didn't mind 30, but this one kind of sucks.

And, last but not least, today is the anniversary of when D and I started dating.  It's since been replaced by the anniversary of our wedding, so we're not really celebrating, but it's still a great milestone because it's the "big" number.  We have been dating since October 26, 1997 - that's 12 years!  Good and bad, we've gone through them all together, but the last year has definitely been one of the best.  It started with us living in a small condo and trying desperately to get pregnant.  It has ended with a beautiful new baby in a big, fantastic new house.  Here's hoping the next year will bring the same kind of joy.

Long Overdue

I've got a lot of updates, so let's get right to it. First, the pictures. There aren't a lot, but they include the first picture of Kate actually smiling. Most of her cutest moments are either while I'm holding her, when it's hard to snap a pic, or while Mommy's holding her, when I don't want to intrude.

Kate's recently taken her longest-ever trips, first to Orange County for lunch, then to the Bay Area for a long weekend....she handled both beautifully. She slept in the car to and from the OC, and got to visit friends and relatives while we ate. Then last weekend, we drove up to Danville and stayed with Kate's great-aunt and great-uncle (ha!). We took a side trip to Calistoga to visit Kate's aunt and uncle on Friday. Kate practiced her winemaking (see the picture below), we got a great little tour of Napa, and we had a really enjoyable time. On Saturday we went to my cousin V's soccer game and had a great family/friend get-together afterward. On Sunday we drove into San Fran to watch the Nike Women's Marathon and cheer on our close family friend. She did a great job and Kate slept almost the entire time. That actually seemed to be a theme....she slept on the five hour trip to Danville, she slept to and from Napa, she slept through the marathon, she slept through the seven hour drive home (aside from a dinner stop). Of course, with all that sleeping, she was a little more active at night. All in all, though, she was a great baby all weekend.

On Wednesday Kate had her two-month checkup with the pediatrician, though Saturday was the actual milestone. She got her first big set of vaccinations and handled it like a trouper. After a big injection in each thigh, she cried for about twenty seconds and then recovered quickly. She was a little cranky last night, but a dose of Infant Tylenol did the trick. The pediatrician was happy with her progress in all other areas, and her measurements were particularly noteworthy. She's now 25 inches long, which is in the 99th percentile. It's a good thing she's long, because she's also 15.5 pounds, which is in the 100th percentile. Her head circumference is in the 98th percentile, giving her the big girl trifecta.

Aside from objective measurements, Kate's also come a long way in the two weeks since my last post. She's hit some great milestones, but most don't show up in pictures.

• She can now hold her head up consistently....it's still a tiny bit wobbly, but it makes it much easier to carry her around.
• She's also smiling, and the difference between gas smiles and real smiles are now very obvious....I think the gas smiles are still a little bit cuter.
• She still doesn't enjoy "tummy time" that much, but she's pushing a lot and bearing weight on her legs....it's like she's going to walk before she crawls.
• She's not very vocal, but she can make some basic non-cry vowel sounds, which is all that's really expected at her age.
• She's discovered her hands, and will routinely suck on her fist, swing her arms around, and (gently) hit anything in range, including herself.
• She'll hold onto anything within reach, including blankets, pacifiers, and our shirts.
• She can roll from her back onto her side, but she hasn't made it all the way over onto her tummy.
  

She really changes from day to day. We never know what she's going to do next, but we're looking forward to finding out.

Isn't this outfit awesome? She looks like a dramatic New York retiree, but she's darn cute. She's also demonstrating how she can sit up (when propped against something) without needing her head supported.

While in Napa, we stopped by and checked on the next batch of the family wine. Kate's learning how to do punch downs so she can help the next time she visits.

Here's the family at V's soccer game...Kate slept through most of that as well.

This is one of the first real smiles I've captured on camera. They get cuter, and she's getting better at it by the day, but it's nice to have photographic evidence.

Tidbits

Diapers- Though we do have the occasional blowout, overall I'm very impressed with how dependable they've been.  I've seen what comes out of this little girl, and it's incredible that every diaper isn't a blowout.  Between the force of expulsion and her constant squirming, I'm amazed the diaper can hold it in.

Hiccups- I know that it'll be awful the first time Kate gets sick, and heartwrenching the first time she hurts herself, but right now the thing that bothers me most is hiccups.  She gets them all the time, and I hate it.  I know she's not as bothered by them as I am, but I can't help putting myself in her position...empathy sucks.  Her whole little body gets into the hiccup, and I find myself counting the minutes until they go away.

Fussy- Kate's been a little fussy the last two days.  Her morning grumpiness has turned into morning-noon-afternoon grumpiness, and she's been restless every time we put her down to sleep.  We think we may have it diagnosed (the Internet is a wonderful thing) and it's nothing to worry about.  Aside from the grumpiness, she's perfectly fine, but it's made for an extra-tired Mommy and Daddy.

TV- There's a lot of new TV on....an almost overwhelming amount.  I'm trying to narrow down the shows that will be DVR regulars.  A few have already made the cut, and some others have gotten the axe.  The rest will get at least a second chance before I make a final decision.  "the forgotten" and NCIS: LA have gotten the thumbs-down, with Hank soon to follow; Modern Family, Community, and Glee (among others) have gotten the thumbs-up.  Still on the bubble: FlashForward and Eastwick.

Cuties in Booties

Several more pictures here, and a few below. Not much to report, and I'm very tired (early mornings and no naps), so I'll keep it to pictures tonight.

First, a very intelligent look directly into the camera.

It's been cooling off a bit, so now we can try out all the outfits with booties.

Willow likes to stay involved, even when it means sleeping in uncomfortable positions.

Kate's the only one getting plenty of sleep in this household, and even she's yawning.