california calling, pt. 2

This next installment takes us south to San Diego for the second leg of our journey. We spent a few sunny days on the beach, and spent an overcast Saturday at Legoland California. I was hoping we would be able to take Lil to the San Diego Zoo or Sea World, but she was battling pink eye for a few days, so we stayed close to our home base. Mostly we just lounged on the terrace, basked in the sun, and enjoyed the oceanfront view.

insane cuteness

super insane cuteness

post-nap yogurt, beachside

beautiful Beco baby at Legoland

aboard the Legoland tour boat

and one more of Baby Sista. Just cuz.

laughter (VIDEO)

I've been trying to get Bitty to laugh for weeks. I can get a chuckle, or a "heh heh" and lots of smiles, but I just have not gotten a good hearty laugh out of her. I really did not expect it after a morning of shots and measurements for both girls, but after a nap marathon (cue angels singing) everyone was in a good mood, and a bit of dancing spurred on by big sis got the reaction I've been waiting for. I will warn you all— it does get a bit loud somewhere in the middle, so you might want to turn your speakers down a touch.

(Yes, that's me dancing with a towel over my shoulder. Cuz you know, be prepared or whatever.)

 How much do you love Piggy's cameo there at the end?

And here are some pics of Lil sitting still, taken right around her birthday. She's wearing a little sweater dress with black bows with matching tights and black Maryjane's which ended up being a size too small, much to Lil's dismay. Last week she got a pair of red Hello Kitty Maryjane's which I hope will fit her for a month or two.

Yup. Them's my girls.

where parenting fails, sistering succeeds.

obviously, this go against all the manufacturer's safety warnings.

Quick story— Lil and I were cleaning up this evening while Bitty was chillin' in her bassinet with the Sleep Sheep. When Bitty started to fuss, I ignored her and continued picking up, but Lil walked right into my room where Bitty was stationed. I caught up to Lil just as she hoisted herself into the bassinet with Bits. "Lil? What are you doing?"

"I need to see my baby sah-sah!" Lil responded, and lay down next to her. While I was trying to calculate the maximum load of the bassinet and make sure she didn't crush Bitty's tiny rib cage, Lil put her arm around the baby and whispered, "don't cry, baby."

And Bitty stopped crying.

"my work here is done."

another cross-dressed infant

I don't really care if people mistake my baby girls for boys. If it matters less now, maybe it will matter less down the road when they're older and choose their own outfits. It's important to keep an open mind, even in (baby) fashion. Besides, infants have no idea there's a difference between boys and girls, and they have no idea at all what gender they are. So if navy blue happens to bring out Mariel's eyes, then I'll dress her in it. Admittedly though, I didn't choose this outfit, but it's got a nice print, so I quickly got over the color. The sweater was one of Lil's, and it's one of the best baby sweaters ever. Yup. As long as they keep making awesome baby and kids' clothes for both genders, my kids will wear awesome baby clothes for both genders. *shrug*

the many faces of mah-nah-nay

"mah-nah-nay" is Lil's name for Mariel. 

Mariel is now 6 weeks old, and very expressive. For the first few weeks of her life, she mostly looked serious, and we assumed this was normal for an election year baby. But after the devastation of hurricane Sandy,  she's got some things to ponder. For instance, "Is Mike Bloomberg really wearing a salmon pink sweater—again?" and, "Why did it them take so long to cancel the Marathon?" and, "When will Fresh Direct come back?" possibly even, "Why is Ali Velshi still standing out there?"

It's anyone's guess what that little face is trying to tell us. Probably something about boobs, The Cat's tail, dada's chest hair, or Lil and the paci, since that's pretty much all that comprises her sphere of reality. Lucky girl.

By the way—you should do Lil and Bitty a favor by donating to The Red Hook Initiative, so that they can continue to provide comfort to our neighbors in Red Hook, Brooklyn, who are still without electricity, hot water, or heat. For one thing, RHI has been bring hot meals to the residents stuck in high rises— without elevators! We're humbled by their exemplary service to this underprivileged community.  

my one and only

It's nearing the time when Lil will no longer be my one and only. I adore her so much, but sometimes think that the next few months will be hardest on her. I fear that I'll neglect her in certain ways, that she'll lack for attention and affection. All the strength and independence she showed as a baby is harder to see now, at least for me. I just see this little girl who needs guidance and patience, and within days her mama will be short on both (not to mention mental clarity, emotional fortitude, and sound judgement).

So in these final days of Lil's Only-Childhood, I am giving it my all. And I'm soaking up every moment, every word, every smile, every tear. Every time I successfully hoist her into her high chair, or lay her in her crib without dropping her. I take extra time putting her to bed, rocking her just a few more times even as she tries to wiggle free. I get hugs and kisses more often. I give her cookies whenever she asks. I bend to her whims with ease even though I cannot bend to reach the floor. For now she is my only baby, my only child, and I will love her like no other.

I only have eyes for you (maybe)...