Stroller naps under the Christmas tree

2013 vs 2014!

Phoebe is one!

This year went so fast, I can't believe our little girl is one!!  We celebrated last weekend with family and friends.  I stayed up until 2am making a marzipan forest for the cake, and I'm so glad I did.  I hope Phoebe felt that her birthday was special, because it was for us.  What a year it was, it feels like yesterday that we were at the hospital with our newborn; it also feels like a very long time ago.  "The days are long, but the years are short."  I'm feeling pretty nostalgic now that Phoeb is a real toddler!  We love you times infinity bagillion, Phoebe!  Happy Birthday!!

Phoebe is doing so many amazing new things: cruising along the furniture, walking with support, just starting to stand unsupported, pointing, recognizing words (especially the pets' names!), taking naps in the stroller and car (finally!), drinking cow's milk, doing the "come here" gesture with her hands... she amazes us.  She continues to be an excellent waver, waving at any friendly face -- or anything interesting that she sees!  We go on at least two walks each day and we get really excited when we pass another doggie or a blow-up Santa.  I'm a little embarrassed to say that Phoebe also gets really excited when we pull into the Target parking lot and she recognizes the bullseye - or the red carts - or both.  A trip to Target usually  means we share a grilled cheese sandwich at their Starbucks.  Phoebe was an excellent Christmas shopping side kick.  We thoroughly investigated the North Jersey retail scene together, we even made it to Walmart (hopefully not again soon - yeesh).  Phoebe has four top teeth and two on the bottom.  We go to a local music class and a puppet show each week.  I am so lucky and grateful to be Phoebe's mom.  We love you beyond words, Phoeb!! 

Nine & ten months

Nine and ten months!  This has been such a sweet and precious time.  Phoebe is officially crawling, pulling up to stand, has two bottom teeth, and is clapping and waving like crazy.  She waves at almost everyone and everything, as if to say "hi, I see you."  We can't get enough.  We just retired the jumperoo, only to be replaced by the "activity garden."  We're starting to feel really nostalgic as Phoebe approaches one year.  How is it possible?!  She's babbling so much and saying "baba" and "nana" and "dada."  She graduated to a bigger convertible carseat, and I don't want to jinx it, but is crying much less and has started falling asleep (finally!) in the car.  Phoebe loves her kitties and doggie, but has started giving them some sneak attacks and squeezes... which don't always go over well.  Now that Phoebe is pretty mobile, she loves making a bee line for the dog food.  We love you, love you, love you, Phoeb!!  We can't believe how unbelievably lucky (and a little tired ;) we are to be your parents. 

Our fourth anniversary!

Happy fourth anniversary to my husband and best friend!  Today we celebrated by welcoming home Ducky from the hospital.  Poor guy had a tampon obstructing his intestine (???!?!?!?).   Serendipitously, the wine store next to the animal hospital had the white wine we served at our wedding!  Of course, had to have.  We enjoyed our Blue Apron dinner tonight, fed Duck lunchmeat in his doggy bed, and best of all, enjoyed our little chub.  I couldn't imagine a better fourth anniversary.  Thank you for marrying me, Chris!

Eight months

Wow, eight months.  We've started casually daydreaming about Phoebe's first birthday, less than four months away.  I say this every day, like every parent does: it's gone so fast.  New this month we have: sitting in the shopping cart (!), eating more chunky foods, eating "puffs" with her pincer grasp (= lots of puffs on the floor, dog is in heaven), splashing in the water, and doing a backwards wave/come hither gesture with her hand.  We've been going on lots of walks around our new neighborhood and last week we drove back and forth to Brooklyn three days in a row, doing a lot of schlepping.  Phoebe was so patient while we got the old apartment ready for new tenants.  Girlfriend is wearing 12-18 and 18-24 month sized clothing!  We used to say that Phoebe is an "enthusiastic" eater, now Chris has started calling her an "aggressive" eater.  Spoons go crashing and if the pace isn't fast enough, we hear about it.  We love everything about you Phoeb, we are SO proud of you!!

Seven months

Phoebe is doing so much big kid stuff: sitting in a high chair, moving around on the floor (every direction except forward!), taking the train to swim lessons, trying lots of new foods, going on the swings, grabbing the tv remote!  Every morning, we go to the dog park and playground.  Needless to say, I could probably fill a hundred of these blurry swing collages :)  Phoebe is loving her food - she loves sweet potatoes, guacamole, and gnawing on a juicy peach.  We can't get over you, Phoebe.  Smooches!

Six months

Now that Phoebe is almost seven months, I shall post her six month update.  A lot has happened this month!  I took these pictures the day before we moved(?!).  Once Chris and I decide something, we move pretty fast.  We needed to be closer to Chris's new office in North Jersey, so we started looking for apartments.  Within three weeks, we found a great little apartment with private backyard, and moved in.  It was overwhelming and exhausting, but it was the right move for us.  Phoebe is doing amazing things every day.  She is getting so BIG!  She's in the 75th percentile for weight now and 58th for height.  The girl loves her solids.  We got our Beaba baby food maker working and Phoebs looks like such a big kid holding her pouches:

Phoebe starts swim lessons next week, we're looking for a new music/sing-along class (hard because our old one was perfect :/ )... oh - and Phoebe's baptism is this Sunday.  Life is so full and so good.  We love you so much, Phoebs!