2-year check-up

Belle is 35 1/4 inches tall and 28 1/2 pounds (with a BMI of 16, which is the 40 percentile). Belle is in the 85 percentile for height and 73 for weight. She looks healthy and was surprisingly cooperative for the PA and the pediatrician. The PA said he wished all 2-year-olds were as well-behaved as Belle. My little angel.
Hep A vaccine in the arm and blood drawn from her finger (hence the lollipop reward). She was very brave.
Stay healthy, Belle!

Mommy and Belle

"Hello, Baby!"

Belle is 2!

Belle's birthday ice cream cake from Carvel. Belle was thrilled that she was eating cake that was also ice cream! Carvel ice cream cakes helped me celebrate all major milestones when I was growing up, so I'm especially glad Belle enjoyed it.

Goodnight, birthday Belle.

Belle is 2!

Taking baby for a walk

Yummy!

Belle's NYC (Walking Mom) friends enjoy cupcakes in celebration of Belle's second bday. Belle enjoyed her cupcake a little later and in peace and quiet.

Kermit

Happy Birthday, Belle! Nice job on the special Kermit cake.

"Go, Daddy, Go!"

Belle and I went to part of Daddy's softball game last night. I suggested that Belle could support her father by cheering, "Go, Daddy, Go!" Well, I created a cheering monster, as Belle screamed this constantly throughput the three innings we watched.

To further support Craig, Belle and I walked downtown to his office today. We saw the new office, met some colleagues, and had lunch together outside. A fun day!

Go, Daddy, Go!

Royalty

The head of the table at Grandma Helene's birthday dinner (with the chefs in the background).

Go the F*@% to Sleep

There is a reason why the parody children's book Go the F*@% to Sleep is so popular. Not sure where we wrong tonight, but it's 10:15pm and Belle is still awake. We've exhausted our bag of tricks. We're considering contacting Samuel L. Jackson: Please go to sleep, Belle.

So many fun books!

With Aunt Carla.

A budding Celtics fan

Uncle JoJo reads Belle "Let's Go, Celtics!"

Happy morning

Pool day!

We joined our neighbor Joey at their pool club today.  What fun!

The two kids had a wonderful time in the enormous kiddie pool, and the two burritos warmed up before nap time.

The New Associate

A photo from Grandpa Richard's office from last Thursday.

Belle in a basket

Happy birthday, Daddy!

Opening Belle's card to Daddy for his birthday.

Oh Dam!

At Kensico Dam Park.

Hat modeling

Five Years

It's the little things you do together,
That make perfect relationships.
The hobbies you pursue together,
Savings you accrue together,
Looks you misconstrue together,
That make marriage a joy.

It's the little things you share together,
Swear together,
Wear together,
That make perfect relationships.
The concerts you enjoy together,
Neighbors you annoy together,
Children you destroy together,
That keep marriage intact.

It's been five years of an adventure.

Note: Lyrics from "Little Things You Do Together" from Company by Stephen Sondheim.

Say Goodnight Gracie

As we're leaving a Shabbat afternoon party (oneg) today:

"Say good night Belle."
"Good night Belle."

Tree Climbing

A Walk Around the House

Belle was very impressed by Grandpa's tomatoes and can't wait for some gazpacho.

August 2, 2012, 7:42 pm

Tonight, I put Belle to sleep in her baggie (i.e., sleep sack).  I just checked the monitor and her baggie was folded over the side of the crib.  She escaped it.  Our little Houdini.

"Everything she thinks blows her tiny mind"

My first favorite line from the song is "Everything she thinks blows her tiny mind."
The wonder with which Belle sees the world is simply beautiful.  Today we spent ten minutes at the sink: the hand soap and the faucet were pretty cool to Belle.  A few months ago, Belle first discovered a puddle.  The progression from looking at it funny to having fun splashing was more fascinating for me to watch than an Oscar-winning film.  Everything is interesting and new and exciting to Belle.  It's pretty awesome to experience the world through her eyes.

"I lost everytime I fought her"

"That's my daughter in the water, I lost every time I fought her. Yea, I lost every time." From Loudon Wainwright III's "Daughter"   Belle balked at the bath again two nights ago, after I thought her year-long bath-strike had ended, and she fought be at bedtime, though she'd be going into her crib nicely for a month.    But she can count to ten on her own and knows her ABCs and she can even join in with the solfege in the "Do- a deer" song.  And she remains a pretty awesome hugger and she is starting to give me kisses ("mwah!")