Belle and Cooper

My good friend from Tufts Alex had her first baby- little Cooper David- two weeks before Belle came along. Though Cooper and his parents (both Jumbos) live in Virginia, Alex and I have remained close, as we're experiencing similar parenting ups and downs.

When Cooper and Alex were at his grandparents' house in New Jersey, Belle and visited! Here, the two future-Jumbos play:



I had visited Alex at her in-laws in NJ last July when we were both hugely pregnant. We swam together then, enjoying the relief from the heat and the weightlessness while immersed in water. Just over a year later, when we reunited; this time, the babies were not in our bellies but out and playing together! Here, Cooper and Belle splash and play in a whale-shaped kiddie pool next to the adult pool, in which they later played.

A late-afternoon visit to the park

Walking in the fountain with Daddy.

Standing

Saturday afternoon, we were walking in Central Park from visiting our friends' new apartment on the East Side. As we passed the Great Lawn, we saw our friends and their daughter Katie, so we stopped to say hi. Belle and Katie played in the grass for a few seconds before Belle showed off a new skill for the first time. She was seated in the grass and stood right up. She wasn't holding anything and wasn't supported by anything. She then proceeded to climb Katie's stroller going from grass to foot pedal to seat without any help. Unfortunately for Belle, it wasn't her stroller and she had to get down. Belle's stroller doesn't have a foot pedal so she isn't ready yet to climb into it.

Belle is 11 months old today!

Where does the time go?!

Belle as Charlie Chaplin

Tonight Belle enjoyed prunes for dessert. She missed her mouth at one point, which looked to me as if Belle were doing a Charlie Chaplin imitation (see prune as mustache below).





Additionally, while the break in the heat wave felt lovely, the rain prevented us from getting out this afternoon. Stir crazy and tired of staring at the four walls of our apartment, I called our awesome neighbor Dawn to see if she was up for a walk. She counter-offered and invited us up for a play date with the twins and their first cousins- lovely (and helpful!) five- and seven-year-old little girls. Here the oldest cousin plays with Charlie and Belle:



And here, the younger cousin "read" to Marielle and her father:

Belle laughs and spits :)

Spitting is so funny to Belle:

Daddy-daughter time

Craig plays with Belle most early mornings so I can sleep a bit more.  This Sunday morning, he took Belle for a walk along the Hudson River.  I packed her breakfast so he could feed her and they could spend some quality time together.  Here's Belle walking with Craig along the path next to the River.

Precious cargo

We did this on our way home from Florida in January. I don't think it's a "Parent Fail."

Staying cool on a hot day

In the interest of the super hot weather, a few of us moms met earlier than usual and in Riverside Park, where it's shadier and there's a breeze from the Hudson River, for a walk.

Post-walk, Belle, Marielle, Charlie, Sawyer and Gemma (only pictured in the second photo) enjoyed a visit to the River Run Park in Riverside Park where we stripped the babies down to their diapers and sat them in the shade in the cool water.

Moms took off their walking sneakers to cool down, too:

Nice try

Belle and I were playing and laughing this afternoon when she suddenly turned very serious. She looked at me with great intent and then reached out and grabbed my nose stud. In fact, she pulled it right out of my nose! She had never before paid it any mind but today pulled it out of nose. I suspect someone (my mother or father-in-law) had something to do with it. But don't worry, Mom and Richard, I put the nose stud back in easily. Nice try, though putting your granddaughter up to the task is pretty sneaky.

No more excersaucer

It's now an "activity center" she can walk around. And this little Mets fan (see her t-shirt) loves it!

Post-music class play date with Katie and Lucy

Story time with Lucy, Kate and Belle:

Snack time, of course with Belle, Katie and Lucy

Four generations: a serendipitous video

I accidentally left the camera on video mode when I asked my father to take a four generation picture last weekend. The result is a beautiful four generation video. The highlights are me telling my father what to do (what a bossy daughter I am!), Belle getting Grammy's attention, and the four us preparing and posing for a photo. How lucky we are to spend time together!

Belle plays with Grammy

From Peek-a-Boo to mint-box-as-rattle to "If you're happy and you know it," Belle enjoys playing with Grammy.



This video captures the essence of Belle's playtime.

"It's just a phase"

Remember how much Belle enjoyed her bath? That is no more. She suddenly one day hated bath time. She screams in the tub, and even tries to climb out of it (which feels quite dangerous). I tried a few tricks to see if I could help Belle remember how much fun bath time is. I bathed her earlier, thinking she was perhaps too tried- overtired- which made it hard for her to enjoy the bath. Nope- she still screamed as if I were trying to cook her in the tub. I made the water cooler figuring that she likes the swimming pool so maybe she'd like a pool-like bath. She screamed so loud, I worried the neighbors would call the Department of Children and Family Services.

I finally called Belle's pediatrician to get some new ideas and was comforted to hear that this anti-bath protest is "just a phase," meaning it's not so uncommon and it will end. The doc gave me a few new tips, one of which I tried last night. I bathed her while holding her in the shower. She screamed, of course, and I learned that babies are quite slippery when wet. The doc suggested just giving her a sponge bath, but Belle's hair is so long and gets so dirty with sweat and food that a sponge bath seems inadequate.

I guess I'll continue to patiently and carefully bathe her while wait out this phase. Thank goodness it is just a phase.

Belle discovered gravity

Belle is a just like Sir Isaac Newton: she has discovered gravity. She enjoys dropping items and then looking down to note that they've fallen. Yes, Belle, that's gravity!

In the booster seat while eating, it's fun for Belle to toss food and the burp cloth onto the floor. She peers over her booster seat tray to see where everything lands after she's dropped them. When I hold her and when she's in the stroller, she gets a kick out of dropping her toys and watching them drop to the ground.

Belle discovered gravity, I get a workout picking up what's dropped.

Happy birthday, Grampy!

How did Grampy want to celebrate his birthday? With his granddaughter, of course! Here Grampy holds Belle while she enjoys her lunch outside of Joe on Columbus Ave.

Take-your-daughter-to-work Day II

Part I in Bridgeport.

Today in White Plains:

Belle and Great-Grandma Maxine

Foxon Park White Birth Beer: a delicious taste of Connecticut!

Belle's nearly walking

Belle is on the verge of taking her first few steps. Friday morning, we visited a friend who has a 22-month-old daughter and 3-week-old twin sons. Belle was excited to see the babies and crawl and play! Well, she crawled over to this shopping cart-like toy, pulled herself up to stand, and started pushing it to walk around.

Later, at my parents' home in Connecticut, Belle was excited to get her hands (and walking feet) on this baby doll stroller intended for 2-year-olds. With only a little bit of help from her Grammy, Belle walked laps around the family room. She wore herself (and her Grammy) out big time with this new interest in assisted walking!

Belle is now able to pull herself to standing and stand holding onto to nothing for a few seconds. She walked well with assistance, and appears to be eager to take a few unassisted steps soon.

Not so fast, little girl...