7 months

Happy 7 months of life, Geneva! She is our crazy little miss. She is content just sitting on a blanket and emptying her basket of toys. She holds each one for a second or two, tastes it, and then puts it to the side. Then when she's done with the toys, she plays with the basket. No hint of crawling yet, but that's just fine with me! If there's a toy out of her reach, she just stretches really far (and I mean crazy far), and if she still can't reach it, she gives up and gets something else, or makes noise until someone responds. Her favorite foods so far are cheerios and apples, she doesn't seem to be a big fan of eating purees from a spoon... so she likes those things she can eat herself. Right now we're practicing a form of medieval baby torture shown here:

One day she'll thank us... maybe. I'm also trying the Nose Frida, where I suck the snot myself, and it didn't take long for her to figure out that it was a modern cousin to the implement above.



Anyway, on to the pictures and my hilarious captions!

Trying to get Geneva to stretch for toys

Sucking on her lip while out on a walk

Daddy making Geneva laugh by kissing her tummy. She always laughs harder and longer BEFORE we get the camera out.

One of her favorite toys, spatula.

Cute heart pockets on the bum. I had to be quick to get this picture because she rolls over pretty quick after I put her on her stomach!

Uh mom... is this what you call a toy? Thanks...

Geneva's new playpen

I found them like this after coming home from choir one Sunday, but Henry woke up as I tried to take a picture.  He was sweet enough to try and recreate the moment for me.

First time in a shopping cart like a big kid! She gets scared of the fast movement, so I have to drive very carefully...

Just being cute.

Playing on her "drum". This is one of her new favorite toys, just an  old popcorn tin.

This is how she plays with her toys, out of the basket, into the mouth, into another pile.

LM = Little Miss

Mmm carrots! More fun everywhere but in the mouth...

The following are pictures that some other moms took at a picture playdate at the park (say that ten times fast). It was pretty cold, but Geneva seemed to do just fine when I held her. It was when I put her down on a blanket with some other babies that the trouble began -- see the last picture.

6 months

Geneva is now just over six months old! She weighs 14 lbs 11 oz (25 %tile) and is 26 inches long (50-75%tile). She sits up by herself and babbles a lot. She has what to me seems like a good amount of hair, until I see any other baby, and then I realize just how bald she is. Her hair is coming in a blondish-brown, but it looks really golden in the light. She loves sticking everything in her mouth, except food that is. No luck yet with rice cereal, avocado, or carrots. We've left her with babysitters three times now, and we now know for sure that she likes her parents. Maybe too much, since she cried a crazy cry like she was hyperventilating... We'll keep trying :)

Sitting like a pro

In her fancy jacket

 Blue eyes

Eating banana. The only time she'll eat anything is in that mesh bag!

Happy baby!

Surprised look, with a nice drool touch

An acrostic poem and note from a girl who used to be in my Primary class :)

Daddy putting Geneva to sleep

Playing with spoons and a bowl in her high chair

All ready for an outing - Daddy style

Baby trap! She was just playing on her playmat and I found her stuck like this.

Bewildered by the snow at Bellevue's Snowflake Lane

Another Snowflake Lane shot, we have to make fake snow here in Washington.

Sometimes she laughs for us.... other times she just gets confused...

Christmas 2012

For Christmas we went to see the Tappen Grandparents in Pueblo, Colorado. Geneva was serene as usual. She didn't get excited by presents, and in fact got a bit scared by the sounds of paper ripping... She was cute and happy most of the time, though. We had Christmas alone with the grandparents and then two sisters came in after Christmas, bringing the kid count up to 8! I didn't take any pictures with them unfortunately, probably because it was a little crazy. We had a really nice time, but I have a feeling everyone was more excited to see Geneva than us... it's ok though, how could you not feel that way?

With Grandma, wearing her Christmas outfit. We had to add the headband so she looked like a girl.

We had a white Christmas! We got a light dusting of snow overnight that mostly melted by the afternoon.

Mini Santa!

Trying to open a present with Daddy.

Stocking stuffers for parents. Henry's mom always says "Hello Luscious" when she gets KitKats, so it was worth it to get them just for that reaction.

Geneva in her pajamas. I just love her little face!

Geneva with her baby ornament. Look at those eyelashes!

Henry's favorite present. This is his Superman cape that he used to wear all the time as a little boy. He even wore it in one of his school pictures (when I find it I will put it up here!). 

Geneva's new favorite book - Introductory Calculus for Infants

Out for a walk. Don't be deceived by the sunshine, it was freezing (as evidenced by the un-melted snow I guess).

Tasty Christmas dinner

These roasted brussels sprouts were amazing! Made with almonds, raisins,  and butter.

Here is a non-Colorado picture of Geneva with our Christmas tree.

Geneva with Santa. She wasn't worried or scared at all!

Geneva with her only toy she got for Christmas, a block set from her cousin. She loves it! Next year maybe she'll be on the NICE list and Santa will bring her some presents :)