Funny Faces

Darby has quiet a personality. Lately it's been showing through in some of the pictures I've snapped. Here are a few!

The "I've been caught totally emptying the stuffed animal bin" look:

The "Are you seriously going to keep taking pictures of me?" look:

The "Papa hurry up and come inside!" look:

The "What's that?" look:

The "I thought Elmo's foot would taste better" look:

The "Uh-Oh I fell" look:

The "I stink" look:
(she seriously needed a diaper change!)

Memorial Day Weekend Adventure

For Memorial Day weekend we went on a camping trip with our friends - Mark, Rachelle and Jackson! It was a GREAT time and the babies had so much fun playing together! It worked out so nicely because Darby and Jackson are pretty much on the same schedule with naps, eating and bedtime - and Mark and Rachelle are on the same sleeping schedule as us! We were all in bed by 10:30 every night and up with the babies between 6 and 6:30. It was perfect! We went on walks, attempted to rent a pontoon boat (but never did!), played games, enjoyed the sun, went to the park to set up the baby pool so the kidos could splash around, played boccie ball, sat around the campfire and enjoyed lots of beer and lots of laughing. It was a perfect weekend!

Between all of us there were a TON of pictures taken - mostly of Darby and Jackson - but we ended up in a few. Here are a few of my pictures to tide you over until I can get ALL the pictures loaded up to Shutterfly!

A True Story

Everywhere we go, I am always getting stopped by people commenting on Darby. This is one of those stories, that took a dramatic turn! I was approached by a lady at the grocery store recently. This is what happened.

Lady: Ooooooh look at that baby. She looks sort of like the Gerber baby!
Me: Oh thank you. *smiling*
L: My 2 girls looked EXACTLY like the Gerber baby.
M: Oh? Wow.
L: Yes, blue eyes, light hair. Now they are grown up. Are her eyes blue?
M: Yep. Definitely blue.
L: Sometimes they don't stay that way, they might still change.
M: Oh we are pretty sure they will be blue.

(she moves a little closer the shopping cart)

L: Oh, I have laryngitis. I went to the doctor today. I wont touch your baby don't worry.
M: Ok. Not swine flu, right?? (said in a joking manner!)
L: No, just laryngitis. Well my daughters had the most beautiful blonde hair. Now the older one dyes it black with a light streak by her face and the other dyes it red!
M: Oh?

(Hopelessly wanting this conversation to be over so I can finish my shopping!)

L: *reaches for her cell phone*
L: Here let me find some pictures. Now how do I do this?? *after a few seconds she finally figures it out and shows me - like I care!*
M: Oh they are pretty. (what was I supposed to say!)
L: Yes they are SO pretty and SO smart.
M: Oh that's really great.
L: So, you're expecting another? Or you just haven't lost the weight??

(wondering first of all, HOW she thinks she KNOWS what I looked like prepregnancy and secondly I have a bit of a belly, but seriously, PREGNANT??)

M: Oh, I haven't lost all the weight...
L: Oh yes, loosing the weight is so hard. Well I can't wait to have more of my own one day!

(I give her a confused look)
L: Grandchildren!
M:Oh yea.
L: Ok, I better go. Bye.
M: Bye. (Quite honestly wanting to cover Darby's eyes and give her the finger)

I guess if I look pregnant still, at least it's because I have THIS to show for it:

Such a BIG Girl!

When Darby started grabbing the spoon from me while I would be feeding her baby food, I decided it was time for her to learn how to use a fork! She has taken to it pretty quickly - still needs help loading it up with a bite of food, but got the concept right away! She is such a good eater too (we always knew that!). Here she is enjoying some macncheese, chicken and watermelon for lunch the other day! She makes some funny faces these days!!








P.S. If you are a mom and you have a little one that is still bib-wearing age, and DON'T have one of the kiddopotamus bibs D is wearing in the pictures, (or something like it) GET ONE. I looove it! It is super easy to clean, catches pretty much EVERYTHING that misses her mouth (saves me time because before I would have such a huge cleanup to do between Darby, the highchair and the floor!) I like this one in particular better then anything else I've seen because its heavy but soft plastic and the pouch doesn't close!

My 1st Mother's Day!

I had a GREAT first Mother's day! All I wanted was a fun day with Eric and Darby and I definitely got that! After we brought a yummy breakfast to enjoy with my mother and father in law, we headed off to a surprise destination! I had no idea where we were going, all I knew was that we would be outside, and it was a perfect day to be outside!

We arrived at the LA Zoo just before noon and I was so excited! I hadn't been there since I was a child - and that was also the only time I had ever been there! We had a great time exploring the zoo and enjoying the beautiful weather!

My favorite animals are the gorillas, chimps and orangutans. Darby loved watching them too! There was a mother and child orangutan, and it was so cute - and appropriate for the holiday!



We took a break to give Darby snack - we saved her leftover pancakes from breakfast, and they came in handy! We laughed about giving Darby pancakes at the zoo, but she loved them! We enjoyed a cold drink and some shade and checked out the map!


(you can click on the picture below to make it bigger and see it better)

We browsed the shops on our way out and got a cute tshirt for D and I got an Ed Hardy LA Zoo mug! I drank a cup of coffee out of it this morning!

Darby and Eric also got me some pretty flowers, an adorable card and some new shoes. I have been talking about wanting MBTs forever. If you aren't familiar with them, they are shoes (that are unfortunately horribly ugly) with a purpose! They strengthen your core, tone your leg muscles and improve your posture, among many other things! I was very surprised and excited that I get a pair! Here are my pretty flowers:

... and here are the cards I received from Darby/Eric (center, isn't it cute?), my brother&family and my parents! I also got some pretty crocheted washcloths (I use them to clean Darby up and LOVE them!) my Mom made and a gift certificate for a MASSAGE!

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect Mothers Day! Being a Mother is amazing. I love everything about it! I could use a little more sleep, but hey there is always something no matter if you are a Mom or not! It's worth it! Thank you Eric and Darby for making my 1st Mothers Day PERFECT! xoxo

I hope ALL you Moms out there also had a fabulous day celebrating with the ones you love! Happy Mother's Day!!

9 Months Old!!

WOW. I can't believe our little Darby doo is already 9 (quickly going on 10!) months old! Time is flying and she is growing! At her 9 month check up she weighed in at 20.3 lbs (75th percentile) and was 28.5" long (also 75th percentile). The doc said she is right on track, well, if she was a 13 month old!! No wonder our little amazon is wearing 18 month sized clothes!

Getting a picture is getting much more challenging now that Darby is on the go - to put it mildly! But even so, here are a few 9 month shots in the pink chair!

Kissing the pillow - she even makes the "mwah" sound now!




As a 9 month old, Darby:

• Pulls herself up to stand, wherever she can! When she's done she plops herself down on her bottom.
  
• "Cruises" - walks holding on to something like the couch or the ottoman.
• Has 2 teeth and at least one more on its way in!
• Says - "Hiiii", "uh-ooooh", "Mama", "Papa", "Buh" (for Billie, our dog), and "Elmo".
• Loves to feed herself (picking stuff up) like chicken, beef, macncheese, bread, watermelon, grapes, peaches, crackers veggie sticks ... the kid loves to eat, and she loves to feed herself!
• Points, with her pointer finger, at EVERYTHING!
• Loves to read/look at her books. She turns the pages all on her own! Her favorites are "Where is Spot" and the Baby Einsteins "Mirror Me" - she still kisses the sun, now with her "Mwah" sound.
  
• Is into everything. Pulls the dvd's off the shelf, turns the volume knob on the sound system, turns on the PS3, ejects dvds, tries to get into Billie's dog bowls, if there's something on the ottoman - she wants it. Keeps Mommy on her toes!!
• Loves the park - and the swings. I try to take her a few times a week.
• Has such a little personality. One time recently, I was kissing on her a little too much and she hit me!
• Dances! She sways from side to side and puts her arms up! I need to get it on video! It's adorable.
  
• Loves our neighbor friends Kaeli and Zane. When they are over, she is constantly by one of them, poking their arm, or pulling their hair. She loves playing with those two!
• Still doesn't sleep through the night, but is such a good baby otherwise. Even though it can get rough, I just remind myself how happy she is all the time, how easy she is to take everywhere with me and how it could be so much worse! I know she will eventually sleep all the way through - right!??

Here is the updated slide show for comparison!