Mmm. Boppy.

What began as boppy tummy time ...

Quickly became boppy snack time.

Pickle. Check.

Boppy. Check. Zinc Oxide. Check. Dresses, Onesies and Jams. Check. Diapers and Duck Towel. Check and Check. The Little Miss and I just about all packed up and we've managed to fit it all in two (kinda giant) bags (plus car seat and carry on).

In order to keep it to just these two bags we're packing a small camera instead of our usual gear. The quality isn't the best but I'm pretty sure we won't be the only ones happily snapping pictures over the next three weeks. Here's a test shot of the babe in her pickle suit (her little green swaddling blanket).

She's been napping for two hours. For the middle of the day this is a hands-down record and I hardly know what to do with myself.

In just twenty-four hours we'll be setting foot in Ottawa. Although we're a bit nervous about the half-cross-country journey, we're absolutely looking forward to markets and sushi and sunshine and sweet friends.

Closeted

I cleaned out my closet today. R took the wee one downstairs for an hour and I cleaned my closet. Instead of sleeping or eating or reading. There's something about having a clean closet that can pull you (okay me) through even the most dense chaos. Cat just spilled berry ice tea on the white sheets - that's okay my closet is clean. Baby puke on my freshly washed shirt and already ten minutes late leaving the house - no problem did I mention my closet? Almost as powerful as fresh school supplies in September.

The Stuff of Dreams

Lights, Camera, Action

Frances aced her second doctor's appointment yesterday. It was her one month check up and she is gaining weight like a tiny champion sumo. She was 7 pounds 8 ounces when she was born but dropped to 6.12 before we left the hospital (a seemingly huge drop but we were assured by everyone that is was all very normal). At her two week check-up she was back up to 7.5 and in the last 14 days she has gained a whopping 13 ounces!

She should be gaining between half an ounce and an ounce a day and so is definitely tipping the top of this formula. It's so nice to know that she is officially on the up and up and that its not just us conjecturing on what we think are her increasingly chubby cheeks and fingers.

Also on Friday (well Thursday) ... Grandma went home. After a whole month of wonderful help with laundry and dinners and dishes and baby and so much delicious baking ... now there really are three. We've survived our first few days flying solo and even managed to wash some sheets and blankets (although dinner tonight was undercooked hot dogs since I didn't have time to relight the bbq after it blew out and I'm learning to choose between going pee and brushing my teeth).

This means too that its time to dust off my camera and take over the hefty task of documenting the early days of Miss Moon. Eek. I may need to enlist the fur brothers as assistants (and build them tiny wagons for toting about the lighting equipment and backdrops and teach them about the rule of thirds).

It's a Girl ... No Really

Hi. Nice to meet you. My name is Cuteness.

Firsts

Although Frances isn't walking or talking yet (can't be much longer now) we have had a week of important baby firsts:

(1) First trip to the mall. She slept soundly for our leisurely three hour trip (probably trying to entice us into bringing her again and again).

(2) First time nursing in public. When we're out and she gets antsy and I think she might be hungry it takes much strength not to plop myself down on the sidewalk and get feeding. But I resisted and she lasted and although I wasn't the coolest mama cat on a mall bench that day I think we passed.

(3) First sling ride. We gave our sling a test run in anticipation of our upcoming plane trip and it worked like a charm - as good if not better than all the online instructional videos promised it would. We are fully set to be jet setters now.

Baby Feet

(Photo by Grandma)

This Weekend in Pictures

Friday night balcony fireworks (photo by R)

Great gifts from the Great Northend Yardsale

Baby balds (photo by Grandma)

What are You Pointing at Me?

(Photos by Grandma)

Happy Birthday to Me

This year my birthday feels a little more like thanksgiving - looking back and looking ahead I am bubbling over with gratefulness for this lovely life:

For the pretty little girl sleeping in my arms

For being able to stay home and drink her in

For R who is a naturally exceptional father

For our family and friends who have been so generous with their time and love

For this house that keeps us safe and warm in the howling night time winds

For the sun that has started to shine after a long wet spring

For the travel and adventures that lay ahead of us this summer

And so, in celebration, I am giving myself many gifts this year:

More picnics

More fresh wildflowers

More outside and more sunshine

More evening peppermint tea

More deep breaths

More homemade

More love

Happy birthday to me indeed!

Old and New

Brand New Frances (So Sleepy)

Two Week Frances (Who Needs Sleep?)

Mellow Yellow

(Photo by Grandma)

Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

In the last two days we've ventured out three times. Although I still feel all thumbs trying to gather everything we now need and get out the door, Miss Frances has been a dream. Yesterday she slept through an hour walk in the afternoon and then just kept right on sleeping through a bi-election candidates debate in the evening (though this may have been a reflection of the quality of the debate and not just her sweet disposition).

Today she slept on the walk to and from the doctors office and tolerated our detour to the marina to see the clipper ships. So even though I'm still in a pretty anxious state from the time we leave until we return we are slowly getting our outside legs. Also we are loving the deep sleeps that our outside time induces.

Daddy Chair

(Photo by Grandma)

Teddy Chair

(Photo by Grandma)

Happy One Week Birthday Frances Moon

Dear Frankie

You are here! In fact you are one week old today. Your Da and I have spent much of these last seven days in a state of quiet amazement - that you have indeed arrived and that you are so utterly perfect. On this note sorry for all of the staring.

We have learned so much about you in this short time: you smile a great big smile right before you fall asleep and you like to eat. A lot. Sometimes for the better part of two or three hours. This comes as good news since in your first few days of life you didn't like to eat at all. While the doctor's and nurses at the hospital assured us that this (and your sleepiness) was completely normal we were, to say the least, worried. Now that you've caught on kid there is no stopping you.

You have soft brown hair and big grey eyes and the longest fingers and toes I have ever seen. We think this means you are going to be tall like your Da. You get the hiccups at least twice every day - just like when you were in my belly. You like (or you tolerate) your baths without fussing and you have a funny little inhale snort when you are crying. Despite how much you like to curl up in a tiny baby ball you have quite a powerful kick when your little feet get going.

While we are looking forward to all that lies ahead - your first trip to the beach, first Christmas, first steps - we are trying to breathe in every moment of you knowing that you have already begun to change and grow before our eyes.

So Much Love,

Your Mom

You Know You're A New Mumma When ...

You feel rested after three hours of sleep.

Just Ducky

(Photo by Grandma)

Milk Mustache Sleep

(Photo by Grandma)

Welcome to the World Miss Frances Moon Calabrese

(Photo by Grandma)

Born: May 30, 2010

Weight: 7lbs 8 ounces