Film Debut

When June was two weeks old I received a phone call from a representative of the hospital where I gave birth. They were filming a promotional video and were hoping that June and I would be willing to be in the video. In the proud throes of new parenthood, I quickly said "WE'RE IN."

Five months later, I received notification that the video is up!

CHECK IT OUT!!

I'm only now remembering to blog about it. I particularly like my expression of utter overwhelmment when being told "how to care for yourself following childbirth." Michael's bummed that he had to work the day of filming, causing me to appear to be a single mom. I love how beautiful and tiny June looks.

Was this girl...

...ever this small?

The Walk is Coming!

Less than a month until the Walk to End Alzheimer’s! The time to join is now!

I have currently raised $300 and my team has raised $400!

And I currently have 2.5 people on my team! That means that, come walk day, it might just be me, my mom and June. The good news is that June LOVES her stroller so it could be supercute to decorate. The other news is that I’m buying an Ergo baby carrier and might be a little obsessed with it and need to carry her. We’ll see.

I was sort of counting on Michael to anchor the team but he’s getting his other bunion correction surgery this Friday (!!) and we don’t know yet how he’ll feel about walking by Nov. 5th. Best case scenario: he walks. Worst case scenario: he provides coffee and donuts and motivational sign-carrying to the team.

I'd love for you to join or donate. Links:

Go to my personal page (to donate)

Go to my team page (to join or donate)

Fountain Frolic

The Fountain Hills Fountain: it's world famous!

That's one tall fountain!
We took a stroll around the FH lake with my mom after spending the night up at my parents' house this weekend.
Dad sat the 1.2 miler out due to a heel injury, so we joined up with him and all his friends afterward.
The lake, Dad and about 300 ducks.

Foodie?

Parenthood is like one big question of "Am I doing this right?" Sometimes I think I'm an obvious rookie and other times I consider the people who leave their babies in the car and I think I'm pretty good by comparison. (Maybe there should have been a question mark at the end of that sentence.)

June started solid foods around 5.5 months. We waited longer than many, shorter than some. So far we've given her avocado, peas, carrots and zucchini - all made at home for nutritional assurance, convenience and cost savings. She was so into it in the beginning. She'd eat half an avocado without batting an eye, opening her mouth over and over until my little bowl was empty and her face was covered in green goo.

She's kind of lost her feel for the solids in the past week. After about 10 bites she turns her head away, starts staring out the window, starts babbling to herself and starts blowing raspberries. (This has led to a kitchen floor covered in multicolored splats of baby food. It's actually kind of pretty.)

I'm not going to push it...I don't want meal times to be stressful for her or me and I know we won't get anywhere by forcing her to eat. The thing I'm unsure of is whether or not to continue offering the food. Do I give her a break from it and hope she comes around

She's obviously getting all the nutrition she needs (chubby thighs and pediatrician say so) so I think we'll just continue on as is. Breastfeeding is still going great, as is pumping at work. June's developed this little habit of stroking my chest from armpit to mid-chest region while she nurses. If she starts muttering about "the precious" I might worry, but for now I think she's just cute and funny.

Fall is Here

At last! (While the title of this blog post is true, it is so featured because it is the first line of the White Stripes song "We're Going to be Friends" which I was singing to June just this morning.)

You know how I can tell that Fall is here?

First of all, pumpkins. Michael bought a couple a week ago, but when I took June out to get some coffee on Saturday morning (Starbucks is about a 5 minute walk away) I came across these bad boys. I bought two. Michael also bought three on his way home from the gym, so our living room currently looks like a pumpkin patch.

Second: my need to consume all pumpkin things. Such as pumpkin spice lattes.

Third, it has gotten chilly. Not all the time - I still wore a tank and shorts out to run errands today, but the mornings and evenings have definitely been sweater weather (my favorite weather!). That meant getting the babycakes bundled up!
The snaps on her size 6-month sweater were quite strained. Time to start looking into more sweater-type baby clothes.
God bless you!
Unrelated: I'm a little concerned that someone has planted an explosive device in our neighborhood:
What is that?!?! Should I be reporting this to someone?!?!
It looks like it has the power to take out at least all of Arizona and parts of California. Or might be a pool chlorinator?

This was my first time taking June in the stroller while not in her car seat attachment. I know that might sound odd but the truth is that it's just so hot in Arizona that we don't spend much time outside and when we are out I'm usually carrying her in one of my carriers.

Asleep?
Yep!
Happy Fall to you!

6 Months Old!

Our little Junebug is a half a year old! Can't believe it!

She's at such a fun age. She:

• Has said her first word. Turns out that she really likes avant-garde musicians because she keeps saying "Gaga." No really, it might not count as a real word, but she definitely knows how to make sounds.
• Rolls all over the place.
• Is great for your self-esteem. She thinks everything is so fascinating and smiles at all of your jokes. And you just have to nibble on her side chubbs and she'll let out the most adorable gigglesqueal.
• Loves hugs.
• Loves playing with toys.
• Can grab her pacifier, switch it between hands, move it around so it's in prime hand-to-mouth positioning and then plop it in her own mouth.
• Is getting up on her knees, but crawling is probably a ways off since her giant head and heavy torso are still beached.

She had her 6 month well baby check up today. She is the image of health and clocks in at 19 lbs, 5 oz (97th percentile) and about 27 inches long (75-90th percentile).

This is the first month where her monthly photo shoot was not capturing her full attention because, Hey look, I can roll over this way!

Michael and I are loving this stage of babyhood and I don't want her to grow up ever.

Think she'll oblige?

Yeah, me neither.

Close Up

June and Einstein

The last time June and Einstein saw each other June was a couple weeks old. He was curious about why the small bundle was moving and making noises and she was mostly concerned with things like stimuli and hunger. Not prime friendship-building circumstances.

All that changed on Friday night when the two were re-introduced.

Einstein provided June with some intrigue while she practiced her standing up! (Check it out - I'm not holding her up!)
The next morning, they got some good face time in near the hot tub.

They were able to bond over their mutual interests. Both of them like to chew on things and both also like to take over the entire bed while snuggling between parents.

Pretty soon they were buds.
I can see that this is the start of something good.

Vivi and Papa

Those are Kai's names for my mom and dad, so June will probably use them too. Can't wait 'til she can call them (oh, and me) by name!

We went out to dinner Friday night and got to spend some quality time before my folks head out for a week in Cabo. Other than being incredibly jealous of their vacation, I was so happy to see them with June!

Possibly the cutest picture of all time:

We went in the hot tub the next morning:

I just love seeing June surrounded by people who love her so much!

Two BAMFs

So yeah, you could say I've been having a pretty good Saturday.