Letter Month Nine

Dear Sena,
What a whirlwind the last week- and month- have been. You just celebrate your first holidays (both Hanukkah and Christmas) with both sets of grandparents, which didn't appear to be as overwhelming to you as it was to me. Thank goodness. Your favorites of the holidays appeared to be shiny bows, giant boxes, and the lights of the Menorah. Your least favorite? Your afternoon nap. Evidently, nine-months is when you can decide for yourself if your tired or not.

At the doctor's office this month, he told us you can eat what mama and papa are eating, specifically mentioning salsa to your father's delight. But your overly-cautious mama hasn't ventured that far yet. Since your doc's visit, I've added beans and cauliflower to your diet. (A recipe for gas? Sorry about that!) I promise that this week we'll try some pasta with tomato sauce and perhaps even salmon. I'm not sure why I'm so hesitant to break out of the pureed foods and give you more chewable foods. You've made it quite clear that you know how to cough- and in fact you think it is quite funny. (It wasn't that long ago that your papa's cough, however, would be a cause for some pretty big tears.)

Outings are even more fun these days. You love to go outside and see everything, whether it be on a walk, or standing in a long line shopping for last minute holiday gifts. Your patience must come from some distant relative that I've never met. Or, I suppose, your grandma Sheree. You love the weather- and for some reason- love the wind. It makes you kick and smile with glee. Again, I'm not sure where you get this from, as wind is the one weather phenomenon that your father and I both think is the major downfall of Colorado, which is otherwise a pretty perfect state.

You have NO interest in crawling. The books say babies crawl anytime between 6 and 10 months, but I'm pretty sure you're going to skip crawling (hey, its for babies, right?), and go straight to walking. You prefer walking and standing so much that we went and purchased your first pair of kicks. Stylish, huh?

Looking forward to all of the adventures we'll have in 2009. Here are some more pictures.




love you,
mama

Letter Month Eight

Dear Sena,
I promise that I will be less tardy in the future. I do realize that you officially turned eight months on Monday, which was a very exciting milestone.

In the last two weeks, you've cut a few more teeth, but because you won't let us really "see" in there we're not sure how many are coming through. We do know, however, that they are not in the center, so it appears you're going to have a nice toothy-gap for awhile. You enjoy placing your new favorite food, "O's", (aka cheerios without the sugar) in between your teeth and smiling. Yes, it is quite endearing.

Food is still an adventure for you and your repertoire is quickly growing. In fact, I'm certain on most days of the week you eat better than your parents combined. That's love.

One of your other favorites is seeing pictures (mostly of yourself) around the house. You squeal with delight whenever we pass one of these pictures, and kick as if you're about to do a jig. Speaking of dancing. You love it. I had said in my pregnancy journal, which I was reading back through the other day, that you were quite the dancer and apparently you were not just a dancer in utero. The other day I took you to Nordstrom Rack (to buy a johnny jumper that you don't seem to like but that's another story) and an old seventies tune came on and you started kicking like you were on stage. I guess you do have a little bit of your mother in you. The best part about you liking dance so much is that I can dance as funny as I want, and you think it is the best thing in the world. I wonder how long that will last.




Ahh... now for the embarrassing updates. You found a new noise this month- grunting. Yes, you sound like you're pooping, but you're not. You're just having fun. And you think this is an even more exciting thing to do in public. When one of us is holding you and can't do anything other than smile at the onlookers who think our daughter must be constipated. I told your papa that we should do this to you when you're a teenager... just follow you around the store, grunting. And he very quickly reminded me if we were to do such a thing that you would never speak to us again.

One last delight of the month. We took you to the toy store to look for holiday gifts for you and your friends. (I do realize this is probably the last year we can take you to a toy store without you throwing a fit over toys you can't have, so I figured we should enjoy this time.) Anyway, papa was carrying you around the store and every time you saw an interesting toy you'd shriek in delight. Yes, shriek. So, we decided we'd buy you the toy (within reason of course.. ) that you found to be the most interesting. And guess what? You picked out an Ugly Doll. I mean the UGLIEST DOLL in the store (aptly named ugly doll). It basically is a gray, stuffed animal without eyes. Yes, it is hideous. I was convinced we could at least persuade you to have a more colorful ugly doll, so I placed a few options, including purple in front of you, and you still wanted the gray one. So, we left the toy store with the ugliest stuffed animal and when everyone on Christmas morning wonders why we picked out such an ugly doll, we'll let them know that you actually chose it yourself. I guess that's what we get when we let an 8-month-old pick out her gifts. I can only imagine what outfit you'd put on if we let you choose.




It has been getting cold here, which means more layers for you. (Although as I write this it is 60 + outside.. got to love Colorado.) You don't like your mittens, but you seem to endure your winter coat. You look like such a ski bum. Your grandma Deborah would be proud.



Every month I'm amazed at how much you've grown, and how interested and aware you are of everything going on around you. You continue to captivate me, and fill my heart with such joy. I love you.

love,
mama

A few more pics

The Great Pumpkin

Sena celebrated her first Halloween as a pumpkin. While she didn't seem to think the costume was all that fun (especially since it was nearly 80 degrees on Halloween), we thought she filled the role quite well. Her buddy, Will, was a Monkey and came over for dinner with his parents.



Although Sena didn't get to go trick or' treating, or even see one trick or treater for that matter (she was in bed at 6), we think her first Halloween was a success. Hey, next year we might have to deal with the whole "I want to eat the candy" bit... or maybe that won't happen til she's 2. Who knows. With her mama and papa's genes, she could be asking for candy shortly after she learns to say mama and papa.

Such a little girl

pictures speak louder than words.

Letter Month 7

Dear Sena,
I'm not sure how you came to be seven months old already. But here you are. Eating up a storm, smiling, and showing more and more personality every day.

Fall is officially here, and we've been able to get out and enjoy the fall colors. You seem to find your walks a bit more entertaining these days; I'm sure you like my narration of everything that's going on, too. (I can see it already, "Mom, I see the birds myself. You don't have to tell me every detail as if I wasn't here!") Since the weather has turned a bit cooler, we've pulled out your "winter" wear. Please note: Although all of your coats have little ears on them we did not do this on purpose. It truly is just a marketing ploy.




These photos were taken in our backyard...







Oh, joyous food. After only a few weeks of uncertainty, you seem to have adapted to your new job—eating solids—quite well. Favorites? Peaches for sure. Unfortunately, I only made you a few peaches from our farm share this year (yes, as bad parents we ate the rest), and am now scrambling to figure out how to get you organic peaches (not from Mexico) in the middle of the winter. Hmm. Otherwise, you like sweet potatoes, squash, pears, and even tofu! Over the next month, we're hoping to introduce you to peas, carrots (again), potatoes, and yogurt. You're absolutely hilarious when it comes time to eat. For the most part you're very serious about eating.. not allowing whomever is feeding you a moment to pause between bites or you're "eh,eh,eh-ing" at us, which we've come to assume means "more, please." We're trying sign language with you, but I'm not sure that I'm teaching you much other than how to make a bigger mess with your hands after they're full of pureed food.




Grandma Sheree bought you a Cowboy's cheerleader outfit (size 12 months), that you're already fitting in quite nicely, so you've been wearing it on Sunday's while you watch football with papa and grandpa. (This is the only day we allow t.v.- we have our limits!)



You love to dance, or to watch us dance in front of you. Oh, how I wish I could know what you were thinking. It cracks me up to think that right now our dancing is the funniest thing in the world, but in just a few years it will be cause for hiding your face in your hands. Oh, parents.



You've been playing with your friends Will, Tristan, William, Natalie, and Reed every week or so, and see Will quite often as his mommy, Juli and me try to find every opportunity we can to get out of the house and explore with you two in tow. The picture here was after an afternoon of shopping with Juli and mama. I think we may have shopped too long; you and Will just konked out on the way home.



Finally, we've pulled out the pack n'play for you to play in while we try to make dinner, go to the bathroom, blow our noses, etc. We figure that its better to try this now than when you're older and really think we're putting you in jail. Thus far, no attempts to break out. In fact, you seem to think it's pretty funny being in there. You're always so delighted when we pop our faces above you. "Ahh, there you are!" I love this photo. You've got bedhead and such attitude. We love you.


love,
mama

Hey, Hey, Hey

This weekend our friends' John & Lauren held their wedding reception at Red Rocks, which was a pretty stellar venue if I say so myself. Anyway, kiddos were invited, so we dressed miss Sena up in her little blue dress with some tights and headed down there. She did wonderfully, and we got quite a few great photos of the family, and of course Sena.







Afterward, we looked at the clock and figured that she'd probably end up taking her nap en route home, so since we were going to be in the car anyway, why not take a trip up into the mountains to see the Aspen's changing colors? Great idea- right? She napped pretty much until we got to the top of the peak and then woke up. Temporarily, she was happy, and then it became quite evident that it was time to, uhh, grunt her way through a bowel movement. Hoping it would stay contained (and feeling lazy), we decided to take a different route and start heading home. About five minutes on this new road, Sena began to really let us know she wasn't happy- it was either her diaper, or her growling belly- but she was saying 'ENOUGH ALREADY MAMA AND PAPA. STOP THE $#$% CAR!' Well, at this point we got stopped alright- by a train passing, which gave me time to check her out, and her tights were barely containing her lovely poo. As soon as we could, we pulled over. Where were we? Not sure. Signs everywhere said, "No dumping," though. Ironic. Steven climbed into the backseat and proclaimed, "Shit!" And, I said, "What?" And, he replied, "There's shit everywhere!" And, sure enough it was down her back, over her leg, and on Steven. It took us awhile, but we finally figured out where to change her in the car- in the front seat. (Yes, she's six months old and has never to my recollection been changed in the car.) But, this plan quickly backfired as our seats are slightly bucket-style, and she kept rolling toward the back, which just happened to be toward the poo. At this point, we're laughing, and Sena is looking at us like, "Seriously? You guys are this slow?" She never cried, just let us take our stupid time while she was probably freezing a bit in the alpine weather.

After finally getting her changed, I moved to the back to feed her and Steven moved to the front. When Sena was finished and she realized her papa was in the front seat, she was pretty pleased...