A New Day Every Day

Friday night we went over to my parent's house for pizza and volleyball. Scarlett decided to show off for everyone and started creeping across the floor for the first time! It was really exciting! Shouldn't be too long until she's crawling. I guess the easy breezy parenting days (plop the kid on the floor, she can't go anywhere) are over!

For those of you who haven't been around me lately, you don't know that I've been complaining about work a lot lately. So, in order to defend myself against the vicious charge of whiner (and, coincidentally, in order to not grade papers) I will now make a list of reasons why work ain't so bad: 1. No one poops on me. 2. No one cries when I need to take a ten second bathroom break. 3. I can tell my students, "I'm not your mom. That's not my problem." 4. I can have a conversation about something other than slow-flow versus fast-flow nipples and Ferberizing. 5. I can surf the internet during "group-work." (Group-work is a teacher's best friend!) 6. I can stop at the store on my way home and not have to pull a two hundred pound car seat out and try to hoist it on a cart that doesn't quite fit it, so that it continually slips and I have to walk down the aisle with one hand on the carseat and one hand steering the cart. 7. I can we...

Last week one of my favorite cousins, Aaron, came home to Sacramento from North Carolina. (And we're all trying to convince him to move back!) Scarlett had a great time meeting him. She really wanted to grab his nose! what a catch!! he cooks too! This is Scarlett's new cousin, Parker William. He's very new and very cute!

Scarlett's sleeping the whole night in her crib now. She doesn't always look like this while she's in it, but at least she has a nice place to go. Juan brought home a big piece of construction paper from work. It was like he'd brought home diamonds for as much Scarlett loved it! Our little meditating baby. And she does make a kind of "OOOOM" sound. We like to play with how freaky flexible she is!! Luckily, she doesn't mind

Last weekend we went on a quick trip to Bodega Bay. It was a lot of fun-- we definitely love camping and it's great to pull out the ol' tent trailer every once in awhile. It was chilly on the coast, but what a great respite from the hot hot valley weather! Plus I got to put Scarlett in cute sweat suits. She's going to look VERY cute this winter! Stay tuned! The "Hood" sisters! What a cutie! Look at her little red nose! This beach is a lot different than Maui! Family picture in front of the rock in "The Goonies" Juan and baby by the fire The whole set-up! You can't hold someone accountable for how they look on a camping trip!! but it was fun!

I'm ready for my peaches, Mom! Hook it up! Give me MORE. NOW! Scarlett turned six months old yesterday. Or, as I like to say, she turned the big point-five. We celebrated with a dinner of peaches and apple sauce. She really liked the peaches! I can't believe we've had her for six months. I can't remember how life was like before her--- I have a vague recollection of long stretches of sleep, clothes without spit-up stains, long novels that I could read in an evening and, of course, restaurant meals that didn't have to start at 5:30 so they won't run into bedtime and leave us trapped in a restaraunt with a screaming, tired baby. Wouldn't go back to it for the WORLD!

This is how Scarlett cruises through the airport! Similar to pictures on Shana's blog-- but still cute! The girls, completely unaware of their beautiful surroundings! A sippy cup is much more entertaining! Shana and Chloe The boys Juan and I took a quick hike on the West Maui bluffs-- we were surprised how much it looks like Northern California! The drinks do NOT belong to Scarlett! Nana, Mom and Baby Snuggling up to her dad's shoulder Phew! A hard day swimming! Family picture Grandpa and his girls! Look how much fun everyone's having! We spent a LOT of time in the pool!