Lobster Love

I uploaded these pictures forever ago, but never had time to come up with some semi-clever caption(s).  Now, since we're getting ready to fly to SLC, I'm trying to get everything cleaned up and organized first.  And this was easier than actually cleaning or packing.  So here they are.  I just loved these pictures.  Almost as much as she loves her lobster.

Not clever, but at least I can check them off the list.  

Another Good Week

Our friends Brian and Heather, who are currently enjoying a child-free weekend in Chicago (at least they were when I started writing this post) sent Rich a shirt (and rum, of course) for his birthday.  I'm sure he thanks you.  It is, undoubtedly, Rebecca's favorite shirt in the universe.  "Pillsbury Doughboy.  Pillsbury Doughboy.  Pillsbury Doughboy."  Rich must have said it twenty or so times over the course of the first two minutes he wore it.  Teach him to try something on at bedtime.  (I'd like to point out the quality construction of his pajama bottoms . . . one of my pre-baby sewing projects.  I pretty much only made pajamas.)

Wednesday afternoon we headed over to the park where I did summer camp for those 3 weeks before the house flooded.  It's got tons of shade, and someone was smart enough to put the baby swing up at parent-pushing level vs. the standard back-breakingly-low level.  

Even though Rich tried to make the bouncy animals look appealing, Becca wasn't really buying it.

The smile is because he's taking her off the horsey.  

Thursday we finally visited the Cedar Run Animal Refuge.  It's only a few miles from the house, down a bumpy road--Becca's first off-roading experience.  We saw lots of birds, plus raccoons and foxes.  

Another great day.

9 Month Check-Up

Weight: 20 lbs., 11 oz.  (90-95%)

Height: 28 1/4 inches (75%)

Weekend Update

On Friday Rebecca showed some real crawling progress, making it most of the way across the room on her hands and knees before dropping into her army crawl.  

Sunday we went with Uncle Brian to the beach, where Brian did an excellent job of keeping sand out of Becca's mouth.  Believe me, this no simple feat.

Grandmom Ellie met up with us for a little family time, 

as did Aunt Michelle, Uncle Jason, and Cousin Jay.

Poor, deprived child . . . 

Sand toys without sand.  She tried to get to it, but Brian, with lightening speed, flew out of nowhere and stopped her before she could cause any damage.  My hero.

And, of course, there was a little late-night dancing with Daddy.

Monkey Jams

When Rich picked up the first of Becca's "Big Girl" jammys, he spent forever deciding whether or not the animal ones looked too boy-ish. He bought them anyway, and we're sooooooo glad he did. Not only are they adorable, but they glow in the dark. Even better, Becca LOVES to make a game of them.

She'll study the animals on her sleeve VERY carefully

and then choose one.

We immediately name it and do a (in my case particularly terrible) impersonation, evoking the shown response.

And then the cycle starts all over again.

Daddy's Girl

She just started doing this when she woke up from her nap Tuesday morning. And has continued since.

You May Not Survive to Pass This Way Again . . .

Such a sweet face, right?  Don't let that innocent smile fool you, 

she's been terrorizing the place lately.

"Who me?"

Yes, you.

On Monday, she used her walker as a battering ram to force a bar stool over the lip of and into the kitchen so that she could get in there with me (I try to block her out when I fill/empty the dishwasher to keep her away from the knives--and my toes).  The girl is persistent, though; she had to have slammed into it, at full force, five or ten times, backing up between each, to move it that much.   

And you saw what she did to Rich.  

Happy Anniversary!

40 years!  Wow.  

Congratulations, and we can't wait to see you later this month.  

They say it's all about compromise . . . here's Dad compromising:

(If only I had a picture of Mom camping, but that hasn't happened since well before I went digital in '02.)

Visitors From the East

Okay, technically Hammonton's only about 30 minutes southeast, but it's still an event when Grandmom Ellie and Cousin Jason come to visit.  I must have taken 30 pictures last Thursday, but Becca was on my lap eating a bottle at the time, and kept trying to pull the camera away.  She loves the wrist strap.  Anyway, here are the best three:

Best Invention Ever

Even though Rebecca sleeps in our room at night, she takes all her naps in the crib.  And this invaluable monitor has kept me sane.  I can see her wiggle, hear her breath, and even watch her blink.  If it's light enough, the screen's in color; if not, it's black and white.  We haven't tried hooking it up to the TV, but supposedly that works great, too.  

One of my favorite things is to watch her when she wakes up.  She usually rolls over and tries to turn on her crib toys.  And then, when she's ready for visitors, she crawls toward the door and calls out.

She's Going Mobile

I gave Becca free-reign of the living room last Friday, and she loved it.  Sadly, I took all my pictures before Rich came home and made her little kneepads, but I'll have some shots of those sooner or later.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

"Where's Mommy's nose?"

Kisses my nose.

"Where's Mommy's nose?"

Kisses my nose.

"Where's Mommy's mouth?"

Kisses my mouth.

"Where's Daddy's nose?"

Kisses his nose.

"Where's Daddy's mouth?"

Kisses his mouth.

"Where's Daddy's ear?"

Kisses his nose.

Just Another Morning

On an average morning, Becca will go in her jumper.  Usually she jumps like crazy.  But all that exercise tires you out and makes you thirsty, so once in a while she chills with a little Sesame Street and a nice cup of water.

On this particular morning she noticed me taking her picture.

Sunday Morning