Desi Candor VI

Desi and I were in the kitchen: I was fixing dinner, he was avoiding picking up toys in the living room. He said finally, “I’m gonna go see how my mess is doing.” He left and returned in 3seconds saying, “Its fine.” I wasn’t sure I heard him correctly and I asked him, “What did you say?” He looked at me sheepishly, “My mess is not fine.”

Sorry, maybe next time, bye-bye!

Mommy? I LOVE Daddy!!

I’m a marching band boy.

Mr. Jones drawed in my book!

Des was eating lunch and squishing it through his fingers and said at one point, “Really cool dude, crashin’ dudey!”

We were eating baked ziti the other night at home and remembering the last time we had it, a month ago, at our friends Kendra&Lexi’s apartment. Desi was remembering particular details like: eating it on a plate (that night we were eating it in a bowl) and playing with a couple of cows there on the table. Then he offers up this memory, “She has a wonderful sink!”

I’m a beautiful neighbor.

While taking the train home one evening Des shouts, “Mom! You’re a superhero!”

After finishing a joint effort of picking up toys in the living room and kitchen Des brushes his hands together and says, “Mommy, that was hard work to do.”

After placing a pretend crown on my head and his head, DPJ declares, “I’m gonna marry you!”

While digging through a box Desi finds a random toy and exclaims, “Oh! I’ve been looking all over for this toy!” He then promptly drops it and forgets about it.

Zoe Turns 8 Months!

MyZoeMyZoeMyZoe... still besotted. :) She turned 8-months on Sunday (along with Auntie Holly who turned... shhhh... it's a secret -- Happy Birthday!;))

Zoe's now pulling herself to standing. In fact, this a.m. after waking up and happily laying there for a bit, talking and making sweet sounds, she decided to pull herself up for the first time and take a look! I've been draping a blanket over one side of the pack-n-play so that when she wakes she wouldn't be able to see us from her reclining position. Well, now she can simply stand up and look over. She laughed her raspy little laugh when she saw us over on the bed and I couldn't resist her. It was 5:45a.m. :::sigh:::

We've discovered her ticklish spot -- the ribs. Her laughter is still a bit rusty, not a lot of practice yet so we hope to tickle some hardcore guffaws out of her soon. :) She certainly squeals with delight though. Love that.

A couple of weeks ago I introduced *cheerios* to her! A big hit. She takes it very seriously and focuses and works quite hard to control her little fingers to get the small round 'o' to the small round mouth. I love watching her long delicate fingers make their maneuvers.

Her hair is continuing to grow and I continue to massage (a-la-grandpajones-style) it along. It's a light brown, golden in the sunshine. She's startled us by losing all her darks locks and replacing them with a lighter shade. Her brows are still quite dark as well as her eyes. It's a nice contrast.

She has said "mamamamamma" a couple of times which is sooner than Des ever said it -- I think he was 10 or 11mos.

In the Bedroom

Zoe was about 7mos in this footage. I thought I'd include it here on the blog because I'm often asked how we all fit in our 1-bedroom apartment. Take a tour!

Three thousand flags fly in tribute to those lost in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks at the NYC 9/11 Memorial Field, which opened to visitors this weekend in Inwood Hill Park, on the upper tip of Manhattan. The Flag of Honor exhibit will remain open through today as part of New York's commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the attacks.

We've been taking the babes to the Memorial everyday since it was errected (Friday afternoon). The lovely Inwood Hill Park is in our neighborhood -- about a 10-minute walk from our apartment -- if you've been to visit we've taken you down there. Nathan took Des&Zoe on Friday afternoon and they walked into the middle of the feild of flags sat down and Nate began to tell the story to them. Des was fascinated and Nate said that he was asked to tell it three more times. When I took them Saturday and Sunday Desi wanted to repeat what he did with Nathan, he lead me into the flags picked a spot and invited me to sit down and "tell the sad story".

Howdy Partner!

At high noon we gathered at the church on Labor Day for a Opening Social Ho-Down. We all (well, some of us) dressed as western as we could. There were varying degrees of cowboy gear, flannels and jeans and redneck attire. Professional Callers were located somewhere in CT and brought into the city to lead us all in square dancing, line dancing, and hoolahoops!

There was a Chili Tasting Contest judged by Bishop Billy and the gang (yes, aka nate jones -- HA!) My award for the chili I threw together that morning was, "Chili Most Likely to be Eaten by a Real Cowboy". Others given out were, "Chili Most Likely to Wake You Up at 1:00AM" and "Best Roadkill Chili". My favorite was the award given for the, "Most Chilean Chili" to a new move-in from Chili. Ha!

Click on the above images for a reel good time!! yeeeehaaaa!

PattyCakePattyCake

More updates on little Zoe -- trying to keep up with her -- last week she began clapping her cutelittlehands!!! So sweet! She claps when she's happy, she claps when she's upset, it's her emotional conduit. In fact, I'm playing basketball with Des right now and she just clapped for me when I made a basket!! When she claps she's usually saying something that may translate to, "yeahyeahyeahyeah!"

Other news -- ZoeDKJones has her top two teeth arriving, one ahead of the other. Her Daddy affectionately calls her snaggletooth. She's grinning so much more. Whenever Nathan or I or Des, in fact, enter a room she recognizes us and gives a happy little smile usually accompanied by a squeal.

Desi Candor V

Desi’s new friend Thomas was over playing. Thomas held up his batman and said to Des, “I save bad people.” Des held up his Buzz Lightyear and replied, “I save happy people!”

I’m thirsty for my arm.

I wear my basketball jammajamma’s. I can play basketball with the guys!

“Johnny’s little babysister is a boy?” Des likes to engage in these conversations every once and awhile; going through family and friends and identifying gender and roles. I thought this little mix-up particularly cute.

“And here is the best shirt I’ve ever met!” Presenting his new superman action figure wearing a white poncho made from a wipe.

“Babyzoe want to live on the floor!” In protest to Vanessa picking Zoe up.

“What are you doing?” Desi asked Vanessa, she replied, “popping a zit.” Desi giggled, “that’s funny!”

“Hi Zoes! We’re family together!” I’d just told him he could hold her – it was the first thing he wanted to do when he woke up this morning.

Yes Mother.

Upon entering our building a young woman holds the door open for us to get babes and stroller through. I thank her and when she’d left I remarked to Desi how nice that girl was to help us. He replyed, “That’s a spicy girl”. I couldn’t get him to explain what he meant.

Super Zoe to the rescue!

In the park late one afternoon, Des held up a stick to me and said, "it's wood, our favorite breakfast"

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

Zoe's First Party

Saturday we went to Emilia Fugal's Welcoming Party. She was recently adopted by our friends Cori and Jayson. Emi is just a few weeks older than Zoe. Her older brother, Ayden, is one of Desi's little friends and they are also the same age (there are pictures of them on Desi's baby blog) It's perfect!

WELCOME EMI!!

Tour Guide

Drummer Boy!

Summertime Weekend

Finally got ourselves out of the city to Garrison, NY for a weekend in a very lovely house in the woods with tons of amenities!!

Bathtime Chat

Des Jones getting chatty in the bath.