Grandma Shirley's pictures of Viv's 1st 1st birthday

It's the 1st 1st birthday because there will be a 2nd 1st birthday as well. One more for the next visiting Grandma. We figure, she doesn't know the exact date she was born yet, so no harm no foul -- we'll have the birthdays in the same month when family's in town.

On to the pictures, all taken by Grandma Shirley.


Birthday onsie from Grandma Shirley!


Amidst the presents, a very intent child.


Our girl having a good time.


A lovely photo of one of babycake's favorite activities, window gazing. Actually it is of two of her favorite activities, window gazing and stair climbing. I love the light and mood of this one.

Enjoy celebrating milestones,

Bp

Photos from beginning of February

Ok, we've had some gentle and not so gentle nudges from the Grandmas to get more visuals up on the site. Here we go.

Also, as unglamorous as it is, The Wife has set the time/date stamp on the phone to make sure that info is in the pictures. There is some small controversy about this, but photoshop in skilled hands can fix this easily.

Some photos from the beginning of February:

First, a picture of little miss "up on my knees." She loves to crawl up to things, pull up to her knees, then sit down like a good little tea ceremony participant and do whatever she came there to do. Normally, wreak havoc.



Katye found a tryptich of photos of a newly-crawling baby over at one of her favorite mommy blogs Girls Gone Child. Baby looks up at photographer, baby crawling away, baby's feet just make the last shot. She tried a few times, but could only get a dyptich due to Viv's speed and our camera's not-speed. Cute nonetheless.





The Crackberry is one of the most favored toys in the whole house. Keys are a pretty close second, but they don't blink and flash when you push on them. Unless the car is real close, then it can get super exciting.



And an interestingly different take on the same position:



Pensive? Tired? (a bit rheummy-eyed, could definitely be tired):



There we go Grandmas, a little Vitamin V for ya,

Bp

Tons of cuteness, more moving pictures

These were all taken yesterday by the sterling Canukistani Kate. Viv is still mugging for the camera, so Kate figured out that just turning the camera on would get her to crawl forward. Flashy lights = perfect bait.

I'm not holding back, you're getting all of them. Brace yourself for a cute apocalypse.















There ya go, enough Viv to last a while yet.

(Yes Povi, we will get photos up too, I know you need a re-up on your screen saver)

Bp

Kind-of crawling caught on tape, plus some waving

Hey, crawling and waving is big news. Here is the video I took earlier this morning especially for the Grandmas out there feeling the Holiday/Family confluence needs.



And the commentary off the flickr page:

Just trying to capture some of the early attempts and signs of crawling. I really believe we have little time left before she's scooting all over the house. Wanted to get this video shot and posted before she was full-tilt-boogie.

For the Grandmas, for X-mas.

Enjoy moving pictures on the holidays,

Bp

Firsts, teeth and highchair

Hello all.

So, Ms. Viv is working on her 4th tooth. They are very elusive to photograph, but our friend Kate (or Shady, or Canukistani Kate) has pulled it off. First, here are some teeth [remember, you can click the picture for a larger version]:



Another photo just because it came out well. There are very few electronic thingies in Viv's world, so anything that beeps or lights up is majorly exciting. In this case, it's the baby monitor.



And lastly -- Vivian sitting in a restaurant high chair for the first time. We went out to our favorite Indian Buffet (Namaste, there's one on 82nd and Sandy now!) and decided to give the chair a try.



Lots of love to the Viv fans out there,

Bp

Saturday Morning Video -- sitting up

Good morning folks!

Here is a nice long video of Ms. Viv sitting up and basically just hanging out on a Saturday morning.

New developmental landmarks:

Two teeth showing in her lower jaw (one on the side is coming in too, we suspect).

Sitting up nice and solidly now.

Actually eating a bit of food, instead of just mouthing and spitting out. (Yesterday, butternut squash)

New sounds, which of course didn't make it onto the video because the little black shiny thing was present which stops all novel activity.

On to the video!

11/14/09 Saturday Morning Sit Up

We thought a nice long video of Ms. Viv was appropriate this morning. Nothing crazy going on, just life -- cheeks, some verbalizations.

Enjoy moving picture updates,

Bp

[Note to self: Flickr cuts off video at 1:30 -- important information]

Grandmas, and Pears!

Two Grandma birthdays today -- what are the odds? So, I decided it was way way past time to load up the blog with a bunch of hot-off-the-presses baby photos.

We have a new camera, and the photos will now flow again. Thanks for your patience.

On to the pics:

So, first week of experimenting with solid food. We switched from butternut squash to pears (steamed) today. As you can tell by the look on her face here, this eating solid foods thing is new -- and... scary? Uncomfortable?


Ok so maybe not THAT bad after all eh?



Messy face, but cute nonetheless.



I love this look. It's beyond me to describe or interpret it -- but I love it.



"Here, let me get that"



"This substance... it intrigues me."



Ahhh, no more feeding.







My daughter doesn't look like this --- but.

Really, I don't know how I got her to look this way, low camera angle, big meal, ... she looks like a mob Kingpin. I had to post it.

Maybe this is her "'Das Riiight" look.



Happy Birthday Nana Povi and Nana Carol!

Enjoy change,

Bp

Videos instead of photos -- Papa takes Viv to the Zoo

Ok so since our camera doesn't work and needs replacing, I took the little flip video and made some talkies.

My friend Tony suggested we go to the zoo with Girlie before he lands a job (cross your fingers everyone) and isn't available for this type of week-time fun anymore. Here are the videos that I took.

8/25/09 Vivian's outfit for the zoo

This is what happens when the father is left alone to dress the daughter. I like the gangster hat, with the jaunty puffball on the top and the Lorax in the front. As for the bumblebee leggings -- stripes go with stripes, right?

Portland Zoo 8/25/09 Lorikeet Aviary

I think the Lorikeet Aviary was the highlight of this whole day at the Zoo. You can buy little dixie cups full of 'nectar' to feed the birds. The birds are outlandishly, garishly colored and really brash. They weren't wallflowers that's for sure. A number of times Tony and I would be talking, about 2' away from each other, and a Parrot would fly right through our line of vision, buffeting our faces on the way through. The people watching, or rather the kid-watching was the best.

8/25/09 Lorikeet aviary close up

Ok, so I haven't figured out how to flip the videos on my flipvideo. Sorry.

Anyway, here is a beautiful Lorikeet eating in the aviary.

8/25/09 Vivian watches a waterfall at the zoo

Again, with the sideways video -- sorry. Anyway, Viv had started to get fussy. And rightfully so, we had been at the zoo all day long, and just been through a cave full of (literally) screaming children. She had pretty much had it with us and this situation when we passed a little waterfall at the zoo and boom. Suddenly mesmerized and content. Note to self: the girl likes falling water.

Whups, almost forgot the last video -- the all important "baby passed out due to long day" video, featuring the beautiful wife and mama.

8/25/09 Vivian conked out from long day at Zoo

It was a long day at the zoo, and the kiddo was conked out. Figured it would be a good ending to this series.

There ya go Grandmas and other Vivian fans. Thanks for the patience, we endeavor to post way more often than this.

Love,

Bp, Kt, and Vv

First Dinner out and a few randoms

Went to McMenamins with Ms. Tammy last night for a good beer and burger. They have Oregon country beef (free range with no nasties in it) and the best Hefewiesen (Wheat beer they call it) in town, in my opinion. Plus it's a funky, Deadhead decorated local joint that we love to support.

The BB did great in her first official outing to a dinner joint despite the fact it was early evening or the dreaded Sundowner baby fussy McFussypants time for Miss Viv. She is getting somewhat used to the car seat. This is good since we're going to be spending a lot of time in the car seat headed to Sac for crazy Landis family gathering in July.

On to the snaps!

6/15/09


Just chilling in the car seat. Gotta love the deadhead decorations. Sheesh, you should see the INSIDE!



Auntie Tammy making eyes at the BB...such a cutie. Both of them really!

6/14/09


More belly time later in the evening for Ms. Viv. This is mere MOMENTS before she rolled over for the first time. No repeat performance as of yet, but it's great incentive to get her more belly time! Plus, she looks like Walter Cronkite...an added bonus!




(as an aside...MOM (nana povi) comes tomorrow! We are excited!)

Enjoy your Wednesday!

KT

First roll over

At 10:22 on June 14, Viv just rolled over by herself. Holy crap!

Auntie Tammy has been greatly influential in this! YA!

Go Viv!

Baby First: Bottle feeding

I was inspired to start digging out "baby firsts" from this blog and my memory by Stephanie today at Kt's work. She mentioned that her daughter recently found a "baby's first year" journal at a store, and immediately started grilling her about her first tooth, and trip to the park, and car ride, and visitor.

And, we haven't started one of these journals yet.

SO -- there is a new category of post that will enter this online journal, the Baby First. Text-only, a brief description of firsts as they happen.

Today: First bottle feeding. Viv kinda looked at me like I was crazy when I first introduced the bottle, then I hummed and rocked her back and forth and wiggled the nipple in her mouth a bit and she latched and fed. But after a little bit, she kinda spit the nipple back out and gave me a look like "what the hell is this all about anyway?"

Also, Katye's first day back at work. She went in to do some book keeping for one of her clients. Our strategy: feed the baby like crazy, get her asleep, then she and I lay down for a nap and Kt goes to work. When the bebeh wakes and isn't yet fully with it, I bottle feed her a bit, and we hang out around the house. Feed as necessary. Then, when she begins to fuss, get the Baby Hawk sling on, suit up with the diaper bag, and walk to Kt's work. With the bebeh, that takes about 40 minutes one way.

She yelled and screamed when I put her in the sling, but within the first 1/2 block of walking, she calmed down and started dozing off. Within 3 blocks she was out like a light.

Bravo, Little Viv, Bravo.

She fed at the office, got a diaper change, socialized a bit and then into the car seat and home. On a day when I wasn't still breaking in a new pair of shoes, I will attempt a walk back home and leaving Kt at work for another few hours. But this is the first trip, so we consider it a raging success.

She's still a little thing, so lots of Mama time is in order.

Enjoy being reminded of the things that will at a much later date be good to have,

Bp