Baby Power!

You never really know what is going through a baby's mind. Well, that is definitely the case here. About 4 months ago, my mom noticed Avi would tense up, raise a fist or hand in the air, clench her jaw, vibrate ever so slightly, while grunting and looking at you intensely. I guess I had seen it before, but when you live with someone day-after-day some things just pass by you. Well, when my dad saw it, he promptly (and aptly) dubbed it "Baby Power"!

Since it comes without warning, and usually doesn't last more than 30 seconds, it has been extremely difficult to capture on film. Here are a few shots that don't do justice for the Baby Power pose.

This is Just to Say.

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

-William Carlos Williams

How else should one hold a plum?

Oops. I need a bath now.

All clean!

Onto blueberries!

Eating - Avi's favorite new sport

As Avi grows older and bigger, food is increasingly becoming a big (and fun) part of her life. She is still (at 13.5 months) breast-feeding for about 60-80% of her calories, but food is fun!

Avi's favorite food - warm, fresh milk. (Picture has been edited for safe public veiwing.) Here she was enjoying the aftertaste of a sushi dinner.

Discover the fun, and slippery side, of spaghetti noodles.

She hasn't mastered "chewing with your mouth closed" yet.

Mimi-love and food. What could be better?

Trying out cabbage. Avi always gets a serious face whenever she tries out something new. It makes her mommy and daddy laugh.

And, though she may kill me for this when she's older, things sometimes get backed-up. Daddy is the best at holding her and rubbing her little back to help get things moving. Daddy is the best!

Traveling Canada

Near Desolation Sound on the Sunshine Coast. Maren's parents took Avi while Michael and Maren had a nice sit and chat on this rock while the tide rolled in. We had to jump from rock to rock to get back to dry land. This area was inhabited by First Nation People (Native Canadian Americans). What a beautiful place to live with the land. The water we were standing above was home to thousands of oysters. We could have picked enough for dinner - if we had a fishing permit!

Biking back from the Laughing Oyster - the best restaurant around!

Our first night alone without Avi should have been spent in style - so we booked a sphere (http://www.freespiritspheres.com/) and had an ethereal experience. Mommy, though she loved the time alone with her hubby, dearly missed little Avi).

Swimming the warmest waters on the Island (near Quallicum Beach).

Bath time!

Traveling & bathing - not Avi's favorite combo. But she's done pretty well. Here are some pics from the last couple of months.

Bathing in Mimi's new sink in Fresno.

Bathing in Mimi's new shower within a large Tupperware container.

Bathing in the yacht in British Columbia, Canada.

Bathing outside our motor home after a little swim in the nearby ocean. Yes, the water is warm that is coming out of the motor home, but that doesn't mean she liked it!

Walking - It is ALL about the Journey.

With Aveah, walking is all about the journey. What destination? As she's progressed in her amazing, new-found skill of putting one foot in front of the other she has taught us a few things about walking and life. For example, she takes on a proud and purposeful air when walking - as if she was the coolest person in the world. Shouldn't we all be that happy we can be mobile? She also sometimes laughs uncontrollably (often causing herself to fall down because she is so punch-drunk with happiness). I think she thinks walking is as cool as we would think flying were if we were suddenly able to start flying. Wouldn't we be laughing up a storm, smile ear-to-ear if we could fly 10-feet (even if we did stumble to the ground at the end)? Aryn, Avi's Aunt, pointed out that Avi must feel like she made an evolutionary leap when she started walking, as if she finally feels like she is one of us (those awesome bi-peds). This week Avi has mastered the pivot and turn. She no longer falls when she wants to change directions. It really is amazing (have I overused this word?) watching a human learn to walk! Thanks, Aveah, for this opportunity!

Nursing Bras - You don't have a choice.

We live in America - land of the shopper. You can buy anything you want: a paperclip shaped like your dogs face, a car that costs more than someone else's house, cheese from around the world, a star in our galaxy (and have it named after you), over a million books on a million different subjects, and approximately 8 different styles of nursing bras. Wait. There are only 8 different styles of nursing bras? In a country where you can pick from 15 different animal skins to protect your car seat with (zebra, sheep, cow, etc.)? This doesn't seem right! But it's true. There are an extremely limited selection of nursing bras, and though this may not seem a tragedy, when you consider nursing your human baby the ONLY practical function of these lumps of heavy flesh that hang on the front of every woman's torso, you may reconsider the slim selection of nursing bras. You may consider it a tragedy - just like I do. Take Victoria Secret's for example. Possibly the most popular underwear store of our current time. Thousands of bras to choose from (leopard print multi-ways, fuchsia satin demi padded push-ups, bio-fit nude collection, to name a few). But how many nursing bras does this lingerie super house carry? Two. Exactly two. But, wait, let's not knock VS too quickly, they do carry them in a wide-array of colors. Two colors to be exact: nude and black. Walmart carries nursing bras that look like they are made for horses teats they are so large and unappealing. Target carries about 4 nursing bras. And there are a few websites that do have more selection, but prices start in the $60+ range!

Now how are we supposed to be encouraged to breast-feed our babies if we can't even look decent for our husband underneath our food-stained mommy-garb? America, you've gotta do better than this!