OH, BABY! : Say Cheese!

Okay, so on my last post I had really planned on coming back and simply appending a few pictures. However, given the lapse in time, I feel obligated to make our photo frenzy a stand-alone entry.

But first a few highlights. Miss Paisley is a super good eater. (An attribute on which I never intended paying a compliment...) However, I'm quite impressed by the amount of food she eats and actually keeps in her mouth. I make a noble effort to pin her aggressive little arms to her side so my clean-up is minimal. And yes, this goes directly against what all the books would say one should do... You're supposed to ****let the children explore their food**** (I feel like I'm channeling Doug Henning, the goofy magician with the long hair and buck teeth). So, let the record show, I GET it, I realize I'm supposed to hose off the child and change her clothes after every feeding, but I'm too busy engaging in the real world and trying to teach Paisley how to say "dog" in Spanish (thanks, Baby Einstein...). In the meantime, our little tulip will be receiving, not only her first taste of sweet potatoes, but also that of my controlling nature. Eventually the arm-pinning will only be a metaphor for how I've ruined her life and won't let her express her true self....blah blah blah...

But I digress. Let's see what else exciting... OH, we got an astounding BELLY laugh last night. It took us so off guard. Every time she did it, I stopped doing the inane head bobbing thing I was doing and cracked up myself. To which, she reacted by stopping the laughter and observing my new "thing" [laughing]. SO then I had to continue the head bob and she would of course, resume her laughter. It was so funny. She'd been doing this cackle thing for a few months now, I wasn't quite sure if this was her laugh or if it was just a laugh with training wheels. I now see the latter to be the case. She is squealing like crazy now and it is too funny. I have a new goal (in between showing her how to roll over from her back to tummy, teaching her how to say Mama, and of course the Spanish dog thing...) and that is to make this kid laugh at least once a day. Doesn't that sound noble??? Ask me in a year how that's workin out...

And our wonderful Parents As Teachers parent educator, Miss Andrea came by again. We sat out all the obligatory "parenting" books and magazines so we'd look like real good parents..... and I think she bought it hook, line and sinker. Actually, the night started when all hell broke loose. And I sorta mean that literally, because our small schnauzer broke loose. She snuck out the door and ran like a crazy squirrel when Miss Andrea arrived. SO, I handed off my child and chased my dumb little black squirrel. Got her back in one piece (threatened to send her to the place where they make paste) and upon my return poor Andrea is comforting a visibily distraught, but now calm Paisley. And of course, when Paisley sees me this ignites her all over again. She sobbed nearly the entire visit. I'm sure Andrea was taking copious notes and rehearsing her dialogue wtih Family Services. (Thank goodness we had the parenting magazines sitting out...) Ultimately, Andrea indicated Paisley is doing quite well and appears to be progressing exceptionally well for her age. To that, Paisley and I give a collective, "Eat THAT, other babies!!!!!"

Okay, enough of my blather. Alrighty, here are some fun pictures!!!

My Easter Bunny!!

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My avid little reader (well, okay, Mimi's a good reader too. Paisley ALWAYS loves books that are read by Mimi!)

Fancy ballerina skirt that came around Paisley's Easter basket at Mimi & Poppa's house

Our first successful meal of warm mush!!

Baby's first Rocking Horse. Oh, the pains we took to get this little darling to SIT on the frigging rocking horse!!! I won't even tell you what we used to stick her in place. Wait, NO, I'm SO kidding.

Okay, indulge me -- a few bath time photos. This is what Josh and I affectionately refer to as "Popeye Face" And for the next few pictures, if you could, ignore the bad skin of the rough looking old woman in the picture. She just had a BABY!!! You couldn't possibly expect her to exfoliate every now and then COULD YOU?!!!!