Biker Chick

Hanging Out

We've been doing a lot of hanging outside on the blanket. Especially as it's gotten warmer, it's refreshing to take Layla to the park or the backyard to relax.

All Ducked Out

Beaver Brook

Layla and I brought Daddy back to Beaver Brook Reservation this morning. The rock/water playground was super crowded, but Layla was thrilled to just cruise along watching all of the dogs. It was better than the zoo! We brought a small picnic and hung out under this shady tree.

Bathing Suit Video

Here's the video from a while back. Cute chatting.

Pull to Stand!

Today while Layla was playing out back with Chris, she used the legs of his folding lawn chair to pull herself up to stand! I missed it and would have found it hard to believe if she hadn't repeated the act for me just a few minutes later. She still seems nowhere near crawling, but maybe we'll be baby-proofing sooner than we thought!

We also played with bubbles for the first time today. Layla loved to watch them soar and, even more, she loved watching the kids at the park try to catch them.

Pool Party!

We were so lucky yesterday! On one of the hottest days of the year a mom in our playgroup hosted a playdate at her house, complete with Layla's first dip into a big person pool. Boy did that feel good!

Cuteness

Layla says, "Thanks, Auntie, for the adorable dress. I was the star of the supermarket today!"

Strike 2!

Layla and I just got back from the park around the corner. And guess who we met?! Another Leila! Any suggestions for a good nickname? :)

Sarah!

Chris is traveling again this week...what else is new? Layla and I decided to head to NH for the day to visit Aunt Trish. Here's Layla playing with cousin Sarah.

Layla, meet Leila

So Layla and I had a playdate today with a family we met at our local park. They just moved here last week from Tucson and they have 3 little girls, including a 9 month old. We planned to meet up today at a great park in Arlington (complete with slides built into the hillside). While I was waiting for Danielle and the kids I started chatting with another mom...you know, the usual, feeding and sleeping schedules, playground recommendations, etc. At one point I said something like "Well Layla loves blah blah blah". The woman looked really confused. It took her a minute to realize that I was talking about MY Layla, because her baby is Leila, too. A few weeks ago I met a different Layla at a playground. So much for choosing a semi-unique name!

Tonight I had a soccer game. With Chris in San Diego I decided to bring along a helper for Layla. Often the girlfriends/wives on the sidelines push her around and play with her, but I don't want to take advantage of them. There is a middle school girl, Linae, in our neighborhood and she really wants to start babysitting. Tonight was a perfect first try, since I was there to help if needed (well, I would have been had we had more girls show up and I didn't have to play the entire first half!) Layla was surprisingly good for Linae, and only lost it at around 7:00, which was to be expected as she neared bottle and bed time. On the way home Linae said she'd like do it again and we also talked about having her come over to the house and play with Layla while I get stuff done. Babysitter-in-training at $5/hour....good stuff!

No pics of any of this.....sorry!

New Meal Plan

We've been mixing things up a bit lately, giving Layla more and different solid foods. With this, I'm experimenting with changing her bottle schedule, too. We're almost completely on formula now. We'll see if this sticks, but we're trying to move to 4 slightly larger bottles a day, instead of the five 5 or 6 ounce bottles we were doing. Layla's also doing at least a small amount of solid food three times a day. In the mornings and evening she gets something like pears or peas mixed with cereal. At noon I have started some baby yogurt and some Gerber puffs. The puffs are hilarious because they stick all over her hands and face and she tries hard to get them into her mouth (often unsuccessfully!). The great thing about the puffs is that she works so hard at them that they keep her quite busy while I'm cooking my lunch or cleaning her bottles.

Here she is trying to grasp a puff.

A Visit to York

On Saturday we drove to beautiful York, Maine to spend the day with cousin Curt and his family. We celebrated Pam's bday with a delicious cake that Curt made...complete with 2 layers AND hand-decorated. Pam's parents were so kind to welcome us and our constipated baby into their home. Layla's feeling better today, but has a diaper rash that makes me hurt just looking at it!





Cousin Ally is such a great helper. Whenever Layla needed a diaper change, Ally was quick to get all the necessary supplies. Then, while cleaning up from dinner, Ally was certain to wipe down each of Layla's toys. Thanks for the help, Ally!

Company Picnic

Layla enjoyed the Slip 'n Slide at CRA's annual picnic (catered, this year, by Redbones....yum!)





















There has been a major baby boom at CRA this past year. Here's Layla playing with twins, Natalie and Lucas, who were born just 3 days before she was. They had a "fun" time stealing toys back and forth from one another.

Fun in the Grass

Upside Down Girl

Here's another pic from vacation. Layla just LOVES to be tossed upside down. We're pretty sure she's gonna love roller coasters.

A Few More....

Despite all of the rain across New England the last two weeks, we had surprisingly decent weather. Chris got to golf most days and Layla even had her first dip in the kiddy pool.

































Layla finally grew enough hair to sport her first (very mini) faux-hawk.


















On the way from the camp to the cabin we stopped at Pat's Pizza in Orono. We happened to run into Chris's mother's good friend, Billie, and her son Ward....small world since Billie now lives in Maryland (I think).

Vacation Summary

Our family vacation to Maine was full of lots of firsts for Layla.





Layla's first time north of Portland. She was such a great car rider!












Layla's first time at Mimi and Bumpa's camp in Sinclair, ME. Did you even know there was anything north of Caribou?!
















First time at the Acadian Festival, in Madawaska.
First moose, too!



















Here she is swinging at the park during the festival, before the rain hit.

























First missed campfire, complete with s'mores. Our friends Joe and Natalie came up for the weekend with their kids, Mia and Owen. We had a blast, but Layla slept through the boat ride and the marshmallows.










Layla playing with her buddy, Owen.

















After a week in the County, we headed south to Grampa's cabin in Stockton Springs.

Here, Layla plays with Bella for the first time. Layla LOVED all the kisses that Bella gave her.

Grampa was kind enough to let us drill a hole in one of the beams on his porch so that we could rig up Layla's bouncer. First time bouncing outside. Score!




Layla enjoys more kisses from Bella and Grandpa.




















Here's Layla enjoying her first walk along the river in Bucksport, with the beautiful new Penobscot Narrows Bridge in the background.












We also enjoyed a visit from Aunt Jen and cousins Katie and Jake....the first time they'd seen Layla since she was one week old! We celebrated the 4th with them a day early, since they were occupied on Saturday cheering on Dana at the Jonesport-Beals lobster boat races.

Katie

Jen



Jake















During our time at the cabin, we were able to visit Chris's maternal grandfather, who is living at the Maine Veterans' Home after a nasty fall and head injury last fall. He is a bit confused some of the time, but we were able to have two nice visits and we're happy to have some pictures of Layla with her great grandfather.

Home Sweet Home!

We made it home from Maine at about noon today. Lots of pics to follow soon!