Daddy Daughter Day

Since we've had child care in our house once a week Bill hasn't been home with Reina as much (our old arrangement was for me to work on his day off, great for his Daddy skills, bad for family time). He and Reina recently had a day together and remembered their mutual adoration. Hope this contents you for a while since we're going on vacation...no more posts until September!

Reina giving Bill a facial, and eyeball gouging

No, don't pull out Daddy's eyebrows please.

An aspiring dentist?

Dancing with Daddy, a little Shirley Temple!

Scootie McScooter

Alright, alright, here's some more pics for you're viewing pleasure. Little Reina is developing her scooting skills, very little forward movement, can't seem to get the motor going in the back. She did get up on hands and knees a few times in the past 2 days, however. Probably not long before she's chasing the dogs around and playing in their water!

A visit from (aunt) Katie and Gina-Mom

Scooted herself under this chair to fill her diaper with some privacy! We're so proud.

Almost ready to crawl, just enjoys looking at things from this view

Super baby! How long can you hold all your apendages off the ground? My pilates class does this move.

Shh. I'm concentrating.

Proud Grandpa

Reina is not only "Daddy's Little Girl," she also happens to be "Grandpa's Little Girl." This past weekend Reina and I went to see my parents for Dad's tri-weekly baby fix and we attended the Dublin Irish Festival. Bill, of course, was working, story of our lives. Poor guy...I always get out of town for fun without him when he works! Anyway, Dad didn't want to go walk around in the heat but he sucked it up and we went. He told us he counted 82 people who knew him (some names he couldn't remember) and came up to talk to him while we were there for 3 hours. Now, I'm not so sure of those numbers, but for a guy who wasn't feeling very social before we left he sure nabbed the opportunity to drive the stroller pretty quick...

Reina and Grandpa watching TV, note the glazed look in her eyes. Who says TV isn't good for kids!?!




Proud Grandpa marching through the crowd, clearly avoiding contact with anyone he might know and possibly need to introduce to Reina.



Grandpa and a gaggle of church ladies, all enjoying basking in Reina's glory. Not-So-Proud Uncle Matt is avoiding this area like the plague until old ladies depart.

Tiny Little Person

Reina is a person. Not just a lump of wobbly baby goo. She makes jokes, is manipulative (whines until I turn to look, then grins), she has likes and dislikes and is becoming very curious...about hair, buttons, shiny things, dogs, squishy baby food in between her fingers.

Reina has 2 bottom teeth with a dracula fang on the way soon. She can scoot in all directions but is not yet a coordinated crawler. She understands the signs for milk, more and cereal. She can pick up cereal with her fingers and charm the pants off any old lady in a 50 yard radius. She has also started to babble a little. Only one vowel sound so far, if you couldn't guess ISN'T mamama. Nope. Dadadadadada all day long. With the occasional gurgles and coos. Bill is very excited. He's conviced she's doing the sign for "daddy" as well. I'm not sure either of them know what they are talking about! She's generally pretty friendly with anyone who looks at her but just this weekend at my parents' house she started looking for me when playing on the floor with someone else and crying when I would leave the room. I can't say it isn't a little ego boost being such an object of desire to such a desirable object, but sheesh, a break is nice sometimes! It wasn't like these were strangers, either.

There have also been some late night snacks recently, tons of fun for parents spoiled by a baby who slept through the night since 7 weeks old. I guess she's growing. Although if she would actually take some solid food from a spoon she may stay full longer, but she doesn't seem to mind waking us up. She actually hates eating from a spoon so much she has learned to make noises without opening her mouth!

I love hearing her talking to herself in the morning before I go to get her up, she'll lay in her crib and talk for 30 minutes without crying. She'll study a toy forever, intently turning it over in her hands, tasting it, seeing what noises she can make by slurburting it, all with a look of concentration on her face. I wonder what is going through her head?

Big smiles in her (used to be mine) sundress.

Tummy time with her puppies.

Whoa! Is that a dog, too? Reina met Riley the Irish Wolfhound at the Dublin Irish Festival.


New shoes and a ponytail, what a big girl.

Two new teeth! Ready to chew on your fingers!