Sixteen week river dancer

Twelve weeks has come and gone and I'm already late on my sixteen week update!  We spent the weekend in northern Idaho with Heather and Nick.  The Great Samoan Hunter has been bitten by the steelhead bug. He ties wildly colorful flies that look like art pieces to lure the willy creatures into his grasp.  He's has landed one this season, which was a day as exciting as Malia's birth for him, but his fever has not abated.  He and Nick spent sun up to sun down in the drizzly cold weather while Heather and Malia ate ice cream at the WSU creamer, snuggled up to watch Pretty Woman, and baked. Yes, we baked pies.  From scratch. Crusts even. More on that later.

Alas, our road trip waylaid my update on our sweet girl.  She's snuggled into our bed right now, cozy in the covers, her little hands tucked under her face. I'm hoping to finish this post and my coffee before she joins us for the day. 

At sixteen weeks old, Miss Malia already thinks she's a big lady. One of her favorite activities is to stand and squat and stand and squat.  She stomps her legs like she's a river dancer.  If you try to place her on her bum she straightens her legs and stiffens up.  This child is freakishly strong!  She clearly has her father's endurance and strength because I get winded just watching her.

Bath time is Malia's jam.  She loves it.  If I wasn't opposed to the Internet seeing my child's naked body, I would post a video.  (I will gladly share with loved ones so if you would like to see it, please let me know!). She kicks and kicks and kicks and kicks.  And kicks!  There is hardly any water left in her hot pink tub by the time she's finished!  She has this tickled little look on her face that I'm sure comes from moving with the freedom she so desperately wants.  We keep joking that she's going to skip crawling and go straight to walking.  Her little legs want to move!  Bath time is daddy's time, too.  The Great Samoan Hunter bathes her and I gaze over his shoulder as he sings to her, washes her with such delicate care, and Eskimo kisses his baby.  I love that my manly man is such a soft, sweet, loving father.

What else, she's sleeping longer stints, which makes all of us happy (except my rock hard baby feeders). She loves to chew on her giraffe Sophie.  We all get a kick out of the little rubbery sound her gums make.  She's becoming increasingly interested in food.  She watches with great interest as we take bites.  I'm curious if solids are around the corner.  She's enjoying tummy time more and more.  I place a menagerie of animals in front of her and invariably she gravitates towards something non-toy like her burp rag.  I'm becoming keyed into the concept that babies like everything but their own toys.  She's discovered her voice and her giggle and chatters away like she's having a conversation.  Poor kid doesn't have a moment's peace, as I'm constantly narrating my every move.  Looks like she'll be a chatter box just like her mama.

What I'm enjoying right now is she's gets more interactive everyday -- it's less of a one-sided conversation. Baby M gets sweeter and more loving, too.  She snuggles into you when you pick her up. She grasps your arm and neck while holding her.  It's spectacular watching her become a little person!

Everyday I wonder who she looks more like. Some days (most days) I think she is a carbon copy of her dad, but occasionally I get a look that reminds me of myself. I dug out some baby photos of the Great Samoan Hunter and me to compare.  

My food photography has reverted to horribly lit and stylized.  I suppose I am enjoying my new muse too much lately.  I'll have Heather and my pie adventure on soon!

Until then, enjoy the sixteen week slideshow!  Remember, turn on the volume :) Thanks Heather for the cute song inspiration! xo

Love big

Having Malia has reinforced how blessed I am to be surrounded by loving family and friends.  One of the primary motivators for our move to the city was to be closer to family.  We even coerced my sister Julia to live with us.  Living in the same city wasn't enough -- we had to be in the same house.  It's been great fun seeing aunts, uncles, and cousins and catching up properly, more than just a quick hello/goodbye.

Since Baby M was born, we've seen my grandparents three times.  That's more than I have seen them in the last three years.  The first time they visited Malia was only three weeks old. I was elated to introduce our girl to her great grandparents. It was pretty incredible watching my Gran snuggle my baby and reminisce about me at that age.  I was at the height of my battle with breastfeeding (this topic deserves its own post), and my poor nipples were wrecked.  My baby-drunk Granny looked at me with such pleasure and said, "I just want to nurse her!" If only she could have, as I would have gladly accepted her offer. It was such a charming, delightful moment, one that will forever be sealed in my memory bank.  

Sunday night as we were cringing watching the Super Bowl with friends, stuffing our faces eating an array of wild game appetizers -- antelope seven layer dip, chukar and pheasant satay, elk teriyaki  -- my attention was drawn away to a family emergency.  My Granny was in the ER. The last several years she's endured horrendous headaches resulting in several surgeries, facial numbness, loss of balance, among other icky side effects.  My beautiful Gran persisted and toughed out the pain with grace, class and bravery.  

We hustled down to the ICU where we met family bedside.  With lots of hugs, tears and prayers we said goodbye.  I watched in awe as my Grandfather said goodbye to his wife of sixty years.  He looked at her with such peace and love knowing full well where she was headed.  When the nurses made the final call that she was gone, he looked up at all of us, smiled and said, "She's just changed her address."  

Baby M now has an army of grandmothers watching over and protecting her.  I am certain that Granny Laree delighted in telling Grandma Joyce all about our sweet baby. Both of my grandmothers loved big. They reminded me each time I saw them, spoke to them or received a letter/email how much I was loved.  I won't be surprised if Malia's first words are I love you, as I tell her all day/night long.  Thanks to those lovely ladies I too love big.

Life is short and fragile.  Love big. xo

                                I love you Gran. xo