Smile, Baby

I don't remember it, but apparently having sharp teeth move through your gums hurts like a mother.

Smacky has been having a hard time of it lately as a lone upper tooth fights its way through her tender, virgin gums. We have plenty of things she can chew on, homeopathic gum gel (which is much tastier than orajel, I tell you what), icy bottles and delicious cherry flavored children's tylenol (most of which she spits out).

Thanksgiving was her worst night yet. She awoke from a nap to find herself surrounded by strangers with mom nowhere in sight, mouth hurting, and groggy to boot. After everyone left for the night her pain increased and she spent several minutes screaming in Gary's lap before we thought to give her the tylenol.

This morning she was a little fussy but by the time I left for work, she was all smiles. Gary captured this photo in which she shows her team pride for one of those college football teams. (I forget which is which.)

Onesies and Diapers and Bibs, Oh My!

Babies sure generate a lot of laundry, don't they?

This Hat Was Made For Walkin'

It's been in the 40s lately, but Gary and Aurora still take their daily walk on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Here is Smacky fresh from a walk to World of Sausages (I swear that's their name) to get some triple smoked bacon.

True to her Japanese roots, Aurora likes rice! She likes it in her mouth, on her chin, all over her bib and (of course) on her clothes.


She was quite curious at first. . .








Then she thought maybe she liked it. . .















Then she knew she liked it.

Carmen Penguina

Sometimes a baby goes straight from the shower to a meal, and sometimes she doesn't have her extra hair towel handy. Then she is forced to use her Halloween costume hat to keep those stray hairs in check.

You can kind of see the penguin's face all mashed up on the upper left. Nice work there, Granny!

Nom Nom Nom

What a delightful (and delicious!) Saturday we had. Here is Smacky having a little nosh on her fist as she waits for breakfast to be served. Luckily she'll always have those little appetizers handy, although they're not very filling.

Ready to go Golfing

This jaunty ensemble was put together by Gary, after a splashy bath he and Aurora took this morning.

She sure loves baths!

Hopefully she'll learn to swim young (it's an essential skill, I think) and we can go river and lake swimming when she's older. And blow-up boating, too.