2 Month Check-up

Hannah's official 2-month doctor's visit had her clocking in at 11 lbs 14 oz, and 23 inches "tall," so she is growing like a weed! Her favorite activities these days include drooling and making bubbles (as you can see), gnawing on her fists, standing up (with a little help), and smiling and babbling on and on in her own made-up language. Apparently the apple doesn't fall far from the tree - sounds like mom after one too many margaritas!

French Toast Brunch with Brent & Chris

Hi Chris!


Hi Brent!

A Visit With Randall & Marci

Today Hannah put on her afternoon smiley face for her visitors, Randall and Marci. The weather in the Bay Area was stormy, so Hannah didn't have to go outside on any walks. She was very content to lounge around, test drive some new laps, chat it up, and get acquainted with some of the family. Marci wanted to hold Hannah first, and after a brief bout of fussiness Hannah found Marci's hugs very agreeable. She liked Randall's lap too, and was content to be bumped gently up and down on his knee while gripping his finger. Not a bad day at all, you guys can come back any time! Hope to see you again soon! Thank you Randall and Marci for spending the 5+ hours driving in poor weather, just for the sake of spending time your grand-niece!

Happy 2-Month Birthday!

Happy Times! It is difficult to remember what life was like before Hannah's arrival - but according to the calendar that existence was exactly two months from today. Wow! We have been living and hanging on the small and fleeting moments when Hannah makes a new movement, a new expression, a different sound, or a new discovery, and we have been happily focused on the present. Or that is just a bunch of poetic blarney and we are just too exhausted to think about the day in front of the next one or the weeks that have swiftly gone by... Hopefully this blog and other reference points will provide some dimension and perspective when we try and look back. The newness of each day is a wonder that is worth a moment of pause and contemplation. Everything Hannah does is often a "first" or smacks of newness, and we have yet to establish dependable sleeping or eating routines. Hannah is a very happy baby, and we are grateful for her demeanor! She is changing and growing every day such that she looks different to me when I come home from a day's work. That too could be the fatigue... The cliche is true for me - that the little moments are the ones special for their granularity and tangible bite-sized essence. The longer time spans have yet to be significant, perhaps because two months is really not that much time at all. Hannah is likely seeing the last of her size 1 diapers; she has started creating cute little bubbles with her mouth and we wonder if she will be early to begin teething... She likes the "assisted standing" position when she is awake. She is a very smiley and talkative baby... She is paying renewed focus on her wall decals by her changing table. And she is already growing out of those clothes which she seems to have only recently started fitting into! Her lungs are definitely getting bigger along with the rest of her, and she sounds like a pterodactyl when she stirs in the wee hours... Happy 2-Month Birthday Hannah!

Hannah Loves Jack & Kate!

Hannah's first Valentine's Day was very special, and she received many wonderful, loving cards. Her favorite card is from her cousins Jack and Kate Wollan, who live in Chicago. Here is the card:

Kate, Jack, if you are reading this, we want you to know that Hannah is very excited to meet you and she is lucky to have two older cousins to look after her and be her friends. We have told her that you both play soccer and that you LOVE macaroni & cheese and she is excited to try some when she is old enough. Here is a picture of Hannah's cousins eating "fourths" for dinner at Memaw & Boppa's house, back in October 2007. Thank you Kate and Jack for the most wonderful Valentine's Day Card ever!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Golden Gate Park

The Modern Caveman (outside the De Young Museum)

Your Favorite Children's Book: Please Share!

This list below was posted on the Golden Gate Mothers Group by Tiffany Greenfield on 2/6. I noticed some of my favorites are missing from this list, such as The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams; Where The Wild Things Are, and In The Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak; Where's Waldo by Martin Hanford; The Giving Tree and Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein... and of course anything by Charles M. Schultz! Does anyone have any recommendations? (Just click on the "Comments" link at bottom of this entry.)

Favorite Books From Age 1 +
1. Diary of a Worm
2. Kitten's First Full Moon
3. Time for Bed
4. Goodnight Gorilla
5. Ten Little Lady Bugs
6. A Time to Sleep
7. The Rainbow Fish
8. Big red barn
9. Fish Eyes by Lois Elhert
10. Frog and Toad
11. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
12. Tumble Bumble by Felicia Bond
13. Whoozit Goodnight Book
14. Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger (of print, still available paperback)
15. Jamboree
16. Hush Little Baby by Sylvia Long
17. Papa please get the moon for me
18. Each Peach Pear Plum
19. Wild About Book
20. Animal picture book by DK Publishing.
21. Hug by Jez Alborough
22. Tails by Matthew Van Fleet
23. Elmo's Big Lift-and-Look Book by Anna Ross
24. Zoom City (about cars)
25. Mouse Paint (and its companion book Mouse Count) by Ellen Stoll Walsh
26. The Adventures of Max The Minnow by: William Boniface
27.See Through Safari by: Lamaze (13 month old daughter LOVES it!)
28. The Snail and the Whale
29. The Gruffalo
30. The Owl and The Pussycat – Jan Brett version, gorgeous Caribbean illustrations

Favorite Authors:
1. Karen Katz, Ears Nose, Where is Baby's Belly Button
2. Julia Donaldson
3. Wendy Fountain
4. Dr. Seuss, everything!
5. Author Mo Willems, Knuffle Bunny, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
6. Eric Carle, The Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
7. Sandra Boynton, everything!
8. Taro Gomi, Everybody Poops

Favorite Series Books:
1. The Maisy books
2. The Babar books
3. Olivia (the pig) series
4. The Madeline series

Books Children Love When Learning to Talk:
1. Peek a Who?
2. Bear and Ball (Chronicle Books)
3. Come Here Cleo
4. Secret Seahorse (Barefoot Books)

Favorite Books Ages 2-3
1. Winken Blinken & Nod Illustraded by Johanna Westerman
2. Harold and the Purple Crayon
3. DK truck book
4. Dr. Seuss, Fox & Socks, Go Dog Go, Green Eggs & Ham, 1 Fish 2 Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
5. Cat's Pajamas
6. The Richard Scarry series. The Busiest People Ever was mentioned especially.
7. Good Night San Francisco

B is for Bob Marley

Happy 63rd birthday Bob Marley! Hannah is skipping the Jamaican beer, the sage and incense, but she is doing her best to stand and celebrate the grandfather of reggae music. Carlos, we'd like to stop and thank Jah for Hannah's Rastafarian onesie. Hannah has lately found great inspiration from her favorite Bob Marley song, "Get Up, Stand Up" (I mean, check out those gams!):

Most people think,
Great God will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. Jah!

Get up, stand up!
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up!
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight!
-1973, Bob Marley & Peter Tosh

Loving the new mobile!

Super Tuesday

Super Tuesday Primaries: We voted as parents for the first time today! For me, having a child to think about made me take the elections much more seriously. Perhaps my sense of humor will come back (and maybe Ross Perot will too!) for future elections. Hannah will likely read about the 44th President of the United States in her future history classes. Will she be reading about Barack Obama? Hillary Clinton? John McCain? Unless her history book is incredibly detailed, she will probably not read about the lengthy presidential nominating process that has made this campaign memorable. Today California is among 24 states (and American Samoa) in the biggest primary election in United states history. 42% of total delegates are required to secure a party's nomination. Across the country, delegates are awarded mostly by congressional district, with 8 Republican contests being the exception "winner-take-all" states. None of the Democratic states are winner-take-all. Some contests are open or closed, meaning only registered party members may take part in some elections. California rules award delegates on a winner-take-all basis by congressional district. Political scientists are saying that Latino and Women votes will be the key determinants for the winner of California. As with the Nevada caucus, there is an outside chance that a candidate could win the popular vote in a primary without winning as many delegates. What does the smart money say? Hannah endorses Pampers vs. Huggies and votes for the candidate with the coolest name. How far can YOU huck a bee?

Mother & Daughter

Hannah and Kristina sharing a few moments...