Visitors are Required to bring Cameras!

Last Saturday Heidi came for a long over due visit. DesmondJones gets so excited when he knows AuntieHeidi is coming -- his jaw drops and he makes an audible gasp and then it all turns into a big smile! He loves her!! This time he actually greeted her with a big hug which made her so happy -- he usually plays shy for awhile. She brought her camera (hooray!) and we took lots of pics -- see how goofy we are!

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Zoe at 7-months

Zoe is now 7-months old and had a recent doctors visit. She weighed in at 18.5 lbs and 26 inches!! She received 2 shots which rattled her world but for a moment. Ugh! Those crys!

She's begun creeping across the floor. This morning she crept with real vigor trying to reach my rain boots with Desi shouting, "No! Zoe! Not mom's rain boots!!" I've begun placing her in a standing position in her pack-n-play and she'll hold onto the sides and stand quite independently for several minutes. She hasn't pulled herself to standing yet, or gotten up onto her feet while creeping, nor has she figured out how to get into a sitting position by herself. Which is to say… she’s still very much an infant! :):):)

She loves to eat!!! She figured out the open mouth routine: i open it and mom sticks the yummy spoon in. Sometimes she just sits there in the highchair with her hands clasped together opening and closing her mouth prettily. I love it.

Zoe has also discovered her lower registers. Every once and awhile a deep, raspy growl will build in octave levels till it's quite astoundingly loud -- esp. for such a doey-eyed little babe! When those sounds are transformed into a more emotionally charged cry or yelp, Nate calls her a little wildcat! eeeeks!! The sound is a bit scary!

Here are more pics taken when Ini and Vanessa were visiting.

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Weekend with Ini and Vanessa

Bathtime Blunders

I've had this rather funny footage of what Miss Zoe D.K. Jones has to endure with her rough-n-tumble brother and mother who loves seeing them together!! Both these videos were taken within the last couple of months.

Disclaimer: Not to worry, no injurues were sustained!!

August in New York

Zoe's enjoying playing with her friends. This is little Ava Turley who is a month younger. She's a sweet baby!

We met them in the park last Friday and Zoe&Ava both enjoyed the swings together. Fun times! It's so thrilling to see them squeal such happy squeals.

I'm beginning my second week off work. It's been soooo lovely to be with mylittlefamily fulltime. We've been alternating days with Dadda and days with friends. We've had many play dates with friends and many trips to museums with Dad. We particularly love those suggested donations venues in the city!! Des has seen a lot of modern art, sculpture, African artifacts, and animals behind glass-- he loves the Natural History Museum.

Zoe has begun to wake during the night again so my latest strategy, I've had a string of them, starting this week is to move out fulltime to the livingroom. We'll keep this up for at least two months and then slowly move back in. It worked with Desi, though he was much older, but I'm hopeful!!!

About two weeks ago Zoe's little personality suddenly seemed to emerge fulltime. We don't know if it had to do with having Vanessa around for 4-5 days as an adoring companion or that she simply had surveyed enough of her surroundings and was ready to join in. She's been markedly more smiley and vocal. She has this cute little squeally/squeaky laugh (will try and get it on video soon) where she will throw her hands up in the air then double over with delight and squeal into her belly. So cute. When she sees me she will usually welcome me with a large smile and laugh and reach out happily and when I come to her she grabs onto me desperately and pulls me too her laughing. I love to do this on the bed with her where we can bury our faces into each other and kiss and cuddle. I love her so much!!

Desi has been playing ring-around-the-rosies with her. We do it on the bed where I hold Zoe around the waist and Des takes her hands and they sway back and forth while DPJ&I sing the song. He usually lets go when he falls down but even when he doesn't she actually loves it!! She loves him so much and he, more often than Nate and I, is the one that produces such interest and laughter from her.

Zoe Eats!

This is video from one of her first sittings with rice cereal. She has now become quite the epicure. Her array has grown to include sweet potatoes, green beans, bananas and prunes. This week she will try peas, peaches and oat cereal!! I love this part of my job!

Bronx Zoo

We took a trip to Bronx Zoo while Vanessa was visiting at the end of last month. It was a great afternoon and we paused here on this green patch for a bit of a rest..

Storytime