All the Right Moves

Would it make me a bad mommy if I said I didn't know the exact moment Fiona made her momentous first crawl across the room? I'm trying to remember when and how she really got moving but I can't. Between early October to Thanksgiving she went from sitting, to rocking on all fours, to a shimmy, to peeling out and heading toward every electrical outlet she spots. It's a blur. Once she got the hang of it there was no learning curve; She's crawling like she's been doing it for the past eight months. At Gymboree she bolted up the padded incline to the shock of the instructor and classmates, all to proudly capture a worn, white wiffle ball.

Jim realized the crib had to be lowered- immediately -when he found her hanging out like this one day.

She's honing fine motor skills like picking up wee bits between fingers and studying textures--One usually expects to see that by a year so I guess she's a super star brain surgeon in the making.

With such pleasant fall weather we load her into the BOB for runs. So, here I go again, it must mean she's going to be an elite runner because she happily finger sucks while taking in every bit of trail scenery. Sunday she grabbed a front row seat at the 10 mile mark watching marathoners run through Old Fair Oaks Village (Some day daddy & I will be one of them again!).

Babbles have transformed into distinguishable "ma-ma-ma-ma..." or "da-da-da-da."

It was bittersweet when she cried specifically for me at the doctor's office Friday as the medical assistant and I held her tight to administer a little albuterol via face mask for her icky respiratory bug :( too soon, we get to mark off cold #2 in her baby album...

Vegan baby

Jim and I worried about what meat would do to Fiona's already stinky diapers and blissfully regular "habits," so it was with hesitation we introduced her to turkey. After all it was Thanksgiving and what American baby shouldn't take part in the traditional, colonial deep fried bird? We cheated since frying takes place in a vat of peanut oil--a no-no for babies under a year due to potential allergic reaction- and opted for the safer Gerber all-in-one feast--meat, peas, potatoes, carrots, and squash pureed into one neat 4oz jar. I thought it sounded too good to be true...too good to, well, be good, and I was right. Rejected. Fiona's pretty open to new flavors. She may react with dramatic pucker or classic wet dog but it's not often she out maneuvers mommy's heat seeking, heaping spoon unless she really dislikes something. Cranberries produced a pucker, a shake, but she came back for more; mashed potatoes, a little odd, a little slow but apparently worth trying a few bites. Turkey puree dinner was a definitive "no." We give thanks her diapers remain vegan.

We kicked off her premier holiday season with visits from great grandpa Al followed by nana Joan & grandpa Bill. I got my first taste of managing monster baby, working, house guests, and meal preparation. Oh, and our house is for sale so at any minute an agent can call to say they're coming over to show. "Are you cleaned up?" they ask. That's why I've been an absentee blogger lately. I've been cleaning cobwebs I guess never noticed and pretending our mirrors are smudge proof.

Here's our little devil, rolling through Nevada City on Sunday afternoon.

Typically town is decked out in holiday cheer, but as of the weekend only parking meters were festive.

It's the Great Pumpkin Fiona...He really came!

I gave her a knife and told her to go wild but this is what seven month olds do with large squash. I'm kidding, no carving tools.

Shocking, she just wanted to bite it and investigate that belly button?

You'll notice I fell behind on blogging. We were busy around here with baby showers to attend (there's a run on baby boys), random fall parties, and a visit from Jim's mom. First Halloween--my 32nd Halloween which immediately became first again, as did all other holidays, when Fiona arrived--was uneventful at home. I actually went into work where it is a big, HUGE deal complete with pro basketball players, local celebrities, and an awesome amount of celebration for the hospitalized kiddos. After surviving the chaos dressed as, at last minute, a green M&M (green scrubs with M painted on tee-shirt) I returned home to find our candy bowl was still nearly full from low treater turn-out and my little pumpkin, literally, was sound asleep in her crib. She stayed snug indoors, showing off her crawling ability, happy scream vocals, and utter cuteness for visiting grandma. Next year she'll walk the streets getting candy for mommy.

Bewitched

It's a little known fact that when I was young I could turn myself invisible. Yep, by putting one hand over my mouth, one to my ear, holding my breath and counting to eleven little Kelley could disappear for minutes, to even hours. I'm certain it worked--my brother told me it did. Success was a matter following instructions to a T and concentrating super hard. Then, poof, I'd be gone...free to sneak as many Chips Ahoy as I wished, stay up past bed time, escape punishment, eavesdrop...the perks were endless. Also, I learned people could then easily ignore me...hmmm?? Fiona's exhibiting early signs she too has the gift...

Speaking of disappearing, uncle Mike & auntie Marlo escaped to New Zealand for a bit. Although it's not as exciting as Fiona, Mike's blogging on their trip. If you've wanted a taste of kiwi lifestyle... http://www.mikeandmarlo.blogspot.com/