Busted!

Look who got caught at the ol' oasis. Why it's Emma, of course. The baby bee bellied up to the watering hole, to the general dismay of the feline population, and started splashing around. I don't think she's ever had so much fun. I am still trying to get the carpet to dry. The cats have not been near the water bowl since.

Where There's A Will...

Emma has not quite started crawling yet, but that's not to say she isn't mobile. To wit: I caught her wiggling her way up to the cat foot bowl two nights ago and hurriedly cramming a fistful of kibble into her mouth like it was going out of style. This leads me to suspect that she's been eyeballing it for months now...watching...waiting...plotting...scheming for just the right moment when I had my back turned...Gah! I was so surprised that I didn't recognize a golden photo opportunity when I had it. Oh well, plenty more to be had, I'm sure. Just this afternoon, Emma dragged herself on her belly to the toy basket in her room and picked out one of her lovies. Then, after she had found what she wanted, the baby bee promptly replaced the basket to its upright position. Hmm. Boy, am I in for it.

L.A. Story

Last weekend, the baby bee and I flew to Los Angeles to visit with some dear friends. Thank you to Lindsay, John, Peachie and Danny for making it the highlight of our year, and to Peachie and Lindsay for making it possible. It was a great trip, with many firsts for Emma including: Emma's first plane ride, first time sitting on a sheepskin rug while listening to Ike and Tina Turner Revue, first time eating pumpkin pie, first time seeing a horse, first time riding a dog, and first time in a real swing at a park.
I also had some firsts: First time flying with a baby; first time drinking one of John's Rusty Nails, which will put hair on your chest; first time drinking one of Danny's special Pina Coladas, which will make all sorts of things happen; first time in Santa Monica; and the first time seeing a herd of water buffalo rescue one of their young from a pride of hungry, ferocious lions (you had to be there).
We got to reconnect with old friends and made lots of new ones. Thank you to everyone for making us feel so welcome!
Inevitably, when one is taking public or private mass transportation, there are going to be some hiccups. So, I also want to take this opportunity to thank all of the kind souls out there who helped us during our odyssey: from the man who hoisted my luggage on and off the airport shuttle, to the kind grandmother who held Emma when she was bored during the flight, to the flight attendant who gave us what turned out to be the best toy ever - a mini-bag of peanuts.
We can't wait to come back!

New Shoes

I can't speak for all girls, but, in my experience, there are few things that rival the joy and freedom that come with a new pair of shoes, whether they be running shoes, kitten heels or stilettos. Emma is no different. She got her first pair of big-girl sneakers at 8 months and has been loving every minute in them, so far. She is kicking up her heels and enjoying the sensation of soles beneath her feet. The Velcro is also a big hit. Minutes of entertainment.

Taking A Stand

Emma surprised me tonight by reaching one of those long-awaited, treasured milestones: She pulled herself to a standing position all on her own.
During bath time, I had placed her light-up ducky (thanks, Peachie!) on the edge of the tub, and forgotten all about it. Well, Emma didn't forget about it and decided to go for the gold. Sure as a baby fawn, she pulled herself up onto her sturdy legs and grabbed the duck. I, of course, did not have a camera within arm's reach - Cripes! - so I posted some equally cute pictures of her doing something completely unrelated...but, don't despair, dear readers! More bath pictures are to follow!
Once the baby bee got a taste of the upright life, she decided to do it over and over again, which made bath time interesting, to say the least. I didn't want to discourage her from her newfound talent, but I was growing concerned that the combination of a huge ducky tub full of water, shaky legs and slippery plastic bathtoys were a recipe for disaster. Ah, well, we shall have to practice on terra firma from here on out.

Through the Looking Glass

There's nothing like a picture to show how something or someone has changed over a period of time. Emma, pictured in a pink monkey suit given to her by one of my coworkers, has shot up - like Alice in Wonderland after she eats the magic cake - during the last few months. The first picture was taken when Emma was only four weeks old; the second photo was taken at 8 months. Oddly enough, she is crying in both, similar to Alice after she grows too tall to leave the house and cries with frustration, wondering if she's still the same person she was before. Is Emma wondering the same thing?

Mom! The blog!

We're back! After a brief hiatus, which included a trip and some other shenanigans, Emma and Emma's mom have returned to the helm. Stay posted for, uh, more posts. Heh.

On the Ball!

One of our favorite things to do at Casa de Mija is play on the giant exercise ball. And, as with most things that have a more functional and serious purpose for adults, it becomes so much more fun with a baby. Instead of worrying about reps and strengthening your core, you are instead teaching a new little person basic things, such as how to balance, hold on for dear life and hoot with laughter, all on a rolling, topsy-turvy stage. We started off doing basic "roller coasting" with Emma on her stomach, and have moved on to her standing against it, while rocking back and forth, and sitting on it and learning how to right herself. While there have been a couple of heart-stopping moments that consisted of her rolling backward off the ball Olympic-style, it's been a rock-and-rolling good time! It's also a good way for her to bounce with very little effort, which she heartily enjoys.

Happy (Belated) 8-Month Birthday!

The baby bee has been with us for 8 months, now. Congrats, Emma! You're doing so well at this crazy and wonderful thing called life. May the good times only get better! P.S., I love your new hat.

Studies in Light

Happy Halloween! As Emma nears her 8-month birthday, she is becoming more and more interested in light. So, in the spirit of Halloween, I put Emma in pumpkin onesie and gave her a flashlight to play with. It was a hit! She loved following the light with her eyes and then got so excited that she tried to eat it. Of course, when I tried to play little bee got very upset and territorial. Yikes! Well, you'll see.