*

I'm taking care of a new little one a few days a week. It's been interesting so far trying to juggle 2 at once, but I think it's going to work out. She's a really easy-going, happy, cute little baby [6 months old - we'll call her *baby*], and it's fun watching Vera interact with her. She loves to tickle her toes and give kisses, hugs and pats on the head. She also likes to take the binky away and play older sibling, dictating who gets what toy when.

I'm pretty sure she was trying to be loving here:

After kisses and hugs, Vera goes through the diaper bag:

Poor baby doesn't know what to think:

*did you know

...that her name rhymes with SARAH? You may have noticed our friend Sarah conveniently spells it Varah. Anyway, VEEra is a Russian name that means gift of faith. Varah is an Italian name that means true. Just thought I'd clear that up.

....adding this later: Coincidentally, this afternoon we were walking through the park with our friends and met a very sweet Romanian couple who wanted to meet all the babies. When I said her name was Vera, he said [in a very adorable accent] Veera - like the Russian name? Yes I said - with older people I usually just go with that since it's what they know. But then I asked him if there was an equivalent in Romania and he said Ve-ra, just like we say (well with a Spanish sounding Ve-da). Anyway that made me happy - I like confirmation that this whole thing isn't something I made up in my head. :)

[tamara, i was trying to get a flower-petal picture...]

*

We have a possibly teething, runny-nosed, stuffed-up needing 2 naps but only taking 1 [25 minutes!!], grumpy little bebe on our hands.

I just wanted to get a picture of her adorable little outfit [thank you - you know who :)] - but she just wanted the camera. This is Vera-sign for please put that in my hands:

This was as good as I could get before she melted. Still pretty cute:

*13.5 months

I don't have to wait for a round number to give an update :) Vera is literally learning and understanding new things every day, leaving us ever amazed. I wanted to write some things down before she moves on and I forget:

She loves helping me with things - turning out lights, closing doors, holding something for me, helping me cook [telling me that it's "(h)ot!!"]. If the gate to downstairs is open she'll responsibly walk up and close it. If I say, Vera what's in your mouth? She'll immediately take it out and hand it to me - or if there's something on the floor I wouldn't want her to have, she hands it to me before I ask. I love her little smile when I thank her and give her a kiss: the I'm-trying-not-to-smile-smile. I encourage her little servant's heart as much as possible, it's so sweet to see. [Of course she's not all sweetness and her little temper flares quite often. Don't you try to take that pen away or bring her inside before she's ready...]

In her own little way she's now saying banana, hot, flower, ouch, shoe and apple. She can tell you what a cow, monkey, cat and dog say and she signs milk, eat, bird, fish, sleep, ball, baby and sign [meaning she wants to watch the baby signing dvd].

We love being a mom and dad - watching this little person develop!!

*oh, and she gives us lots of kisses now :) - "ba!" she says because she can't make the muaa sound. we can't get enough.

*etsy!

Ok, some of you may know that I've been working on this. Hard to believe how long it's taken me [original opening date was in June I think], but I have started an Etsy shop! Yes I did!! I'm having a strange reaction to typing this and am finding myself kind of nervous. Anyway, please have a look if you'd like. Don't feel obligated to buy anything - unless you really pity me :) Do feel obligated though to tell anyone you might think would be interested. There's birthday cards and thank you cards and some notecards with my most favorite inspiring hymn. Also, I welcome any [kindly worded] constructive criticism as I'm still a little unsure of how it all looks and how this all works.

paperlove.etsy.com

*dinner

Normally we don't let her have at it with dinner. The other night though we just sat back and watched...

I always used to think, "ohh brother..." when people had framed pictures of their kids in dad's baseball hats or with food smeared all over their faces. It seems like the must-have picture of your baby, doesn't it? Well when it's your baby, it is the cutest thing ever. I mean just look at her - she's crazy, hilarious, what on earth is she doing??! I might not share our pictures of Vera in Ben's bball hats [we do have them...] but I do have an understanding now.

[and um if you want to see her cute
little expressions close-up, click on the picture]

*la manzana

I love apples [..ah pink ladies...], and I thought this Vera-sized apple was adorable.

¿remember this apple?

*outside

Ben went camping with a friend Saturday night - taking advantage of the quickly retreating summer. Apparently Joel was better prepared with a top-of-the-line sleeping bag and two pads. Ben had an old skimpy bag and slept on Boone's carpet :) Perhaps it's time to invest in the good stuff. Anyway, sounds like they had some good bro' time.

. [I had a nice time too in case you're wondering: watched a girlie movie, ate ice cream with dulce de leche and almonds and slept diagonally across the bed. not too bad.] .

*1-2-3-4

This is Vera:......

......:watching this video:

*el jardìn

To be honest, the garden is a little sad this year. I thought we were off to a good start, but I think we didn't prepare the soil enough, didn't water enough and weren't back there tending enough. The tomato plants are a third the size they should be, the beets never came and the radishes were too hot. We ate a few and then left the rest sitting there until they were literally the size of cucumbers with 2 foot tall spiney foliage. It was disgusting. We are getting some tomatoes though and the butternut squash seems to be okay. Ben harvested an ear of corn which was really tasty and sweet. Our little apples trees produced this year too. Ok, it's not so bad.

The herbs have done well too - good because they're my favorite anyway.

***

Vera loves to go out and pick tomatoes, dig her thumbs in and then eat them like apples.

Here she is smelling the corn, making sure it's ok to eat.

We'll try again next year - hopefully remembering what we learned this year.

*outside

Monday there was a definite turn towards Fall in the form of a fabulous thunder/hail/rainstorm. Isn't it amazing how slow summer is in coming and how quickly it passes by? And how we say the same thing every single year?? Anyway, I love this perfect warmish/coolish weather and wish we could have a few straight months of it [perhaps why I loved San Diego?]. I'm feeling the need to be outside as much as possible before I start complaining of it being too cold.

* ¡sientate!

Sit down please was one of the first things Vera understood. She still understands but now thinks it's a real fun game to stand up and wait for me to tell her, sit down and then stand up again. I think she's even mimicking me and is starting to say "sit." Anyway, she looooves chairs and loves to feel like a big girl climbing into them [at least that's what the look on her face tells me]. This adorable little wooden one was a birthday present from our-friends-the-twins' grandpa! So nice :)

*

I can't even remember when she started doing this, but I'm so glad I finally got it on video:

*six things

o-kay, my friend 'tagged' me to write six things about myself on my blog. I think ben would agree that this is my blog :) I won't tag anyone else, but if you want to you can do it too. I love reading these things about my friends....

1. I love Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, but I spit out all the chocolate chips.
2. I wish I could have a celebrity stylist take me shopping and do my hair/makeup. I pretend I don't want to be a girly girl, but sometimes I do.
3. Most people know this, but I really really want to work behind the cheese counter at Whole Foods or other such fantastic store.
4. I used to have a real-deal obsessive compulsive issue with collecting pennies.
5. I love Latin and Latin-roots and Latin-based languages and Latin music and Latin dancing and Latin American Literature. and food from Latin-related countries.
6. I hate lotion on the palms of my hands.

*one more

I can't get enough of these 1 year ago pictures. A mix of I can't believe it's been a year and wow she has changed so much. This is one of my all-time favorites. Man it was hard to transition her from sling to crib - sometimes it was easier to just do it this way. I had to roll up the blankets and keep it as snug as possible lest she realize she wasn't next to momma:

*old friends

:1 year ago:

:3 days ago:

*blocks

I just love how babies pick things up and emphatically toss them aside. I think it's the cutest thing ever. You should have seen her here - it was classic. She sat down though afterwards and stacked the blocks for the very first time. This was a couple weeks ago - now she's a pro.

[also note our shiny newly re-finished floors :)]

*new favorite photo

*a few more...

:a little hike with grandpop:

:watching the boys skip rocks with lola:

:snugglin' with uncle matty:

:laughing at the bubbles:

... and some more scenery ...