doh!!

i forgot to take the camera out on our little adventure to the swings today! Renee loooves the swings and she looks so cute, but I forgot. I will have to train myself to take the camera everywhere everyday. today, i'm afraid you're stuck with charles and i hanging out watching tv.

photo a day

I am taking the photo a day challenge! A number of people have done this sort of photo project. It's supposed to make you a better photographer, mostly because you use your camera more often. Of course, it also serves as a kind of photo diary. I am on my second day and I am already learning a lot about my camera and what it can do. So far so good : ) Now, if I can just keep up with it. Here's my photo for today (with such a good subject it shouldn't be too difficult : )

play ball!

who knew it could be so exciting?!?!?!

ayiayiayiayai

Dear Amber,

I think there will soon come a time when Renee resists being referred to as "the meat." I hereby go on record as never having authorized any such nickname. That being said, the video below should fulfill your request for more of "the meat" although it contains no images of her roly-poly thighs. For that, you will have to come visit her, and soon because she is quickly growing out of her baby fat. The sing-song mommy voice, well, there's not much I can do about that, it just happens.

Love,

Shan

petri dish

ugh! yes, I am a complainer. I like to complain. In England they call it "whinging" pronounced (win-jing) and someone who whinges is a whinger. I don't want to be a whinger but I so enjoy whinging. Today I am whinging about being the host for all sorts of viruses unknown to me before baby. Renee and I are recovering from our 3rd cold since the New Year. I know, I know, I have little to complain about aside from minor illnesses. Can I complain some more? Now about my sweet hubby. He was going to make me soup for being sick, well I had to beg and didn't even get any soup until 10pm! I felt sick and unloved. Where's your mom when you need her? When Charles was sick once I made some special concoction soup right away and even dug up some dandelion root from the garden for its special healing power! Where's the love? It must have something to do with the over riding significance of the "man cold." (see hilarious video pasted below).

question

So, has anyone else's baby transformed into a crazy monster? My sweet little baby seems to ALREADY be throwing temper tantrums! She screams with frustration at the littlest thing, ABSOLUTELY hates to be dressed, acts as though I am trying to eat her. When I go to lay her down for bed time she arches her back and flails like a fish out of water trying to resist being laid down! I worry that she will squirm right out of my arms and onto the floor. She grabbed my finger the other day and bit it. HARD! I wasn't expecting that, and she has lots of dangerous teeth. I am worried for my safety. What's it gonna be next? Oh, and she went on a nursing strike; refused her bottle completely for 2 days! That may not sound like a big deal but she was having NO FLUIDS. I've always heard that a human can last only 3 days without water and she was getting close to that threshold. So, we went to the doctor thinking she must have a painful mouth or throat condition causing her to refuse her bottle, but she SCREAMED and cried at the doctor and nothing could be found to show a throat or ear infection. Turns out, the little princess just didn't like the taste of her milk! Can you believe that? We changed her milk and voila, she started drinking again. A hunger strike? I guess that's one way for a 9month old to assert herself. I think Charles and I are in for trouble. I better start reading the toddler years books soon.

i'm gonna bite youuu!

Wuhat?! You're gonna do what I say.

Don't believe the cute pictures or the charming smile. Help me! I'm being held hostage by a baby dictator! Okay, okay, she's still cute.

Orange juice is SO SOUR!

Return of the Blog

OK, I understand there have been crowds of angry villagers with torches gathering in cyberspace calling for Renee's blog to return. Well, here it is...

It's February and the winter has been quite mild here. Not the dreary rainy cold gray season we might have feared. Sure it gets cold but it is often sunny.

Renee is now over nine months old! You know what they say, time flies when you wipe baby's butt. She has a mouth full of six teeth.

Check out this Bath Montage:

She loves the camera.