HECK YEAH, WE HAVE VIDEO

Thank you, Auntie Cyndi and Kraybear for previewing the video clip! Thanks to you our blog beta testing is complete and we have the green light to post more clips.

How about this one, of our wee Hurculena crawling towards her Number 1 favorite toy, Alley Cat. Poor Alleykins is perhaps not long for this world. "She's on hospice," I tell people. The poor old kitten. She weighs about as much as a stick of butter.

Vanessa and Alley love each other. It is quite a sight.

ADVENTURES WITH GRANNY

Welcome, Granny Ernestine! We were thrilled to have Granny take the train/bus to visit for the weekend. Vanners, ever the hostess, made sure we could greet her with some new fun thing to do. This trip involved the ultimate in monkey-proofing for our little Hurculena or should I say Hurculesa?

What's the ultimate, you may ask yourself? Well, for Daddio and me, it's not rearranging furniture and putting things up high out of reach, it's moving. Yes, we're moving. Our 1978 multi-level home on a terraced lot with a steep driveway is turning out to be far more inhospitable for our budding toddler than I can stomach. So we signed a lease on a tiny house by the sea.

We picked up Granny from the train station and schlepped her directly to the new home. We don't move in until mid-September, but we could show her inside while it's empty.

Granny was with us when we bought the house we own now, on a two day layover from Spain. She was with me when I adopted Milo and helped me get him on the plane to transport him home to Seattle. She was our hostess when Jack interviewed for this job in California. She housed us coming and going from our embryo transfer last year, and, along with Grandma Patty, was present when Vanessa was born. So it seemed entirely fitting she was on hand to witness this next twist in our life's plot.

The new place has monkey-friendly features such as one story, an open floor plan, a grassy front yard and a fenced in back yard, a level driveway for her trike, and a short walk to a kiddie park. Well, and then there is the matter of the sea. It's visible from our backyard and accessed by our back alley. We're not by a sandy beach, it's a bluff and a surf spot. [Maybe Van is a surfer: did you know "Hang Ten" means hang your ten toes off the edge of your board? She certainly has grippy toes...]

Also visiting this weekend were Granny's older sister, Aunt Betty, and Uncle Wally. They were also very supportive and enthusiastic. This older generation (they are in their 80s) makes us feel we can do no wrong. Aunt Betty just this summer retired from teaching inner city Los Angeles kids. Uncle Wally is going to start his own blog. No moss on these stones.

Vanessa continues her teething and exploratory creeping. Yesterday she investigated the perimeter of our living room for two hours so I could get some paperwork done for the move. This morning she pulled herself up to the coffee table then smashed her noggin into it for her first forehead bruise (and dent). We expect tooth number 2 any minute now.

Somebody please tell me if you can see this video. It's a new feature of the blog.

EIGHT MONTHS TODAY!

Oh yes, it's the 22nd of the month and that means Nessers is aging rapidly. My gosh, she's practically a toddler! That little creepster is keeping us so busy I may not get a photo posted here today.

Last Thursday her monkey cousins Daniel and Matthew left and took Auntie Cyndi and Grandma Patty with them. We miss the bonfires, dune jumping, deep sea barfing I mean fishing... the list goes on. "Good Times."

Friday morning Vanners woke up with a brand new TOOTH! Sorry, no pics of that yet, but let's just say she had been a wee bit touchy the two days prior. Poor dear.

Unfortunately I spent the weekend sick as a dog. I knew I wasn't pregnant again so, as I spent the night on the bathroom floor, I had to fight to not be scared cancer was making me barf. Luckily I just got clean results back from an MRI of my liver and uterus and all 4 skin biopsies. Phew! Even so, Jack and I did say some prayers together to the effect of, "Please let us both live a long time together to parent this Vanessa child." Jack added he'd like to see her grandchildren. I was mighty relieved to feel better on Tuesday. Thank you, God!

Sunday we took her to the same beach where Daddio and I went when we first decided to move to California - Montana del Oro. She watched the surfers from her UVA/UVB "cabana," then had her first bites of sand.

Today I saw with my own eyes my baby daughter pull herself up from the floor to STAND momentarily, holding onto the coffee table. I snapped a picture! I was so proud! In fact, as I attempt to type this out, that little monkey is pulling herself up to stand by using the computer cord as a vine.


Vanny's dad says she is so strong. She stiffens up when she's protesting something, as if to say, "You can't bend me!" and sure enough, we can't. For play, Daddio holds her by the sides and swings her up - she stays stiff as a board. He calls that trick "superman." Van loves it.

When Grandma Patty was here she commented that VH1 has a great ability to concentrate on one toy for a extended period. Auntie Cyndi noted that Nessa's eyes track an object then her head turns, too, only Cyndi used a big term to say that, since she's a pediatric physical therapist. Cousin Daniel said he heard Van say, "Peek-a-boo." Matthew said, "She looks like a boy." (That may have been a compliment.) Daddio is very impressed with his daughter's strength and is pleased she has learned to catch herself as she falls, to lower herself in stages. My major observation is she looks good in turquoise.


I want to laugh and cry whenever I try to change her. Nanners is in constant motion - feet punching, torso twisting, arms flying, grabbing anything - the stack of diapers, a strand of hair, her dirty unmentionables... Just when I get one leg into her pants, the other won't bend. "Bend! Bend! Bend your leg!" I shout. Sure enough, the second leg bends, but as I jam on her pants, the first leg scoots out like lightning and we're back at square one with her kicking so fast I can't catch either leg. "This is not a game! Dressing is serious business!" I shout. We bust into giggles every time over this, Van and I.


For the life of us, Daddio and I cannot keep Milo's chew toys away from this baby. Those pet toys are far more attractive to our little teether than her own. Several times a day I've found her gnawing on Milo's raw-hide bone. I've lost my ability to worry about it. Milo actually offers Vanessa his bone now, and waits patiently to see how long she will enjoy it. He's like Gandhi Dog. If she can't reach the raw-hide bone, she goes creeping after one of his tennis balls or the ever delicious rubber chicken. Are they considered solids, you think?


Last night we visited the triplets who are home and keeping their parents very entertained. Parents Mark and Kelly are unbelievable - the place was so organized and calm. They had three bassinets lined up 1-2-3 and three bouncy seats 1-2-3. They make having triplets - they brought home three preemies - seem easy. See Cordell checking out the older woman, and baby Audrey telling Nanners she eats every three hours, then sleeps for five. (Marlee slept through the hubub.) They were born May 12th but were due July 25th. So none of us has any idea how old they are.

Tomorrow Granny Ernestine arrives for the weekend. Wait 'til she sees how Vanners can cruise around.

CREEPY-CRAWLY-KINS

This week the fun has been non-stop, especially with our cousins visiting. Nessers is creeping a little bit more each day and blows us away with how much more mobile she is this week than the first week of July when we were together with Jack's family in Santa Cruz.

Now wee Nannerkins regularly demonstrates her newfound ability to form an infant tripod - either two knees down or two arms down. She also gets into push-up position on her monkey toes and, if I'm nearby, can do a modest wheel barrow. More recently, she's pivoting all around to access objects within a sizeable radius. Her Daddy noted Vanny's tongue hangs out when she's concentrating - "A Gene Simmons tongue," I think he said.

It used to be Nessa could only creep backwards unless she was trying for her #1 toy, Alley Cat. Alley drapes herself on the carpet near Van and then waits for her to huff and puff her way over to rip fur off her skinny sides and squeal in delight. This is the highlight of Alley's day.

Vanessa's #2 favorite toy is sand, glorious sand. Too bad we can't flop her down at the beach and let her go wild, but she's still putting every blessed thing into her mouth. [Milo continues to impress us with his ability to differentiate between his toys and Vanessa's when they are all over the living room floor. Vanners cannot tell the difference however, so yesterday I caught both of them nibbling on either end of one of Milo's chew toys.]

Daniel and Matthew have provided unlimited entertainment for all of us, Vanessa included. We took the trolley downtown to the Farmers Market and bumped into Baby Kennedy and her mom, Andrea who we've known since last fall - we met in our birthing classes. Andrea is one of the moms I meet for a weekly stroll.

In addition to VanNestle having her two closest cousins visit from Connecticut, my littlest cousin from Connecticut visited with his wife and two children. Cousin Pete, Becky, Molly (3) and Daniel (13 months) made the trek from Sacramento to visit the clan.

They tested our efforts to baby proof the living room like a couple of master-level ergonomists. Baby Daniel was up on the coffee table in two shakes of a monkey's tail, and Molly got herself trapped in the spare room under the desk behind three big boxes in under 15 minutes. VH1 can't wait to walk so she can try some Houdini tricks of her own.

Later we went to the Avila Farmers Market and sampled the local fare and the Pacific Ocean. Little Molly had bumped her upper lip climbing a wall, so she soothed it with some chocolate ice cream. See her here, looking a bit like the Les Miserables logo...

We thought nobody but nobody loved and pursued Milo like Matthew, but it was quite a sight to see Ye Olde Family Dog swarmed by Vanessa, Molly and Baby Daniel. The babies were drawn to him and he clearly loved them like they were his own puppies. He's so patient.

It has been very um, endearing to see my husband in action with some older children here at home. Somehow I believe his taking nephews Daniel and Matthew around hiking, surfing, dog walking, fishing, roasting marshmallows, tossing the football, and playing cards is a preview of Vanessa's future. Lucky girl! See the males cluster at the end of the day, here:

Daddio takes Van into the sea with her wetsuit and she comes back to me cold, hungry, sleepy and mute. I must admit, I love to receive her this way, beliving my job is to bundle her, feed her and coo her to sleep. This apres-surf nap is now my favorite time of all with her.

She has been having so much fun this week, she's been awake until 10 PM and sleeping in 'till 9 AM. All this stimulation is going straight to her generous-sized noggin. We already knew she was a party girl and an action monger... See her here, ending her day at the beach with Auntie Cyndi, playing a rousing game of swing and "Wheeeee!"

SEA MONKEYS

It is a very special time indeed! Vanessa's "youngest" cousins are visiting from Connecticut, and boy! is there a lot of (boy) energy for her to take in. Yahoo!

Auntie Cyndi and wild monkey cousins Daniel (10) and Matthew (8) have been teaching Nessa how to body surf, ride bikes, build sand castles, chase Milo and Alley around the living room, whistle at Chica, root for the Red Sox, play poker, and make fart noises into their hands and under their arms.

Mama is behind the lens where she belongs. See snapshots of what Vanners has been taking in these past few days. When she's taking in the new sights and sounds she doesn't make a peep but those ankles sure do twirl.

We don't have a photo of Daniel and Matthew practicing with WORLD CLASS high jumper Sharon Day at the track, but Nessers was watching and she also saw Daniel run against Sharon in a 400 meter race. They finished in 85 seconds. Sharon's fastest time is 55 seconds in competition. Daniel's is 85.

Daddio has been riding the nephews around in the Big Daddy Caddy, which really looks fun with a 9 foot surfboard riding shotgun down the highway and through the town. The tow-headed monkeys look like wicked cool Californians, let me tell you.

Their mom, Auntie Cyndi, is what I call the Jackie O' of Soccer Moms. See her enjoying a bit of las brisas del mar and vitamin D as her babies frolic in the surf? Not too shabby.

GODSISTER

We weren't home one full day before Vanessa's visitors began arriving. Just what a party girl loves!

Our goddaughter - Nessa's godsister - DeLancey came to visit for a day with her parents Derek and Jo. We had just enough time to get to the beach - twice. Daddio took Vanners, DeLancey and Derek in the ocean for a body surfing lesson. Everyone had a blast.

Vanny got so tired in the surf she could barely keep her eyes open in daddy's arms. She was also stiff with cold, despite her purple and pink wetsuit. Once she was bundled in a towel in my lap she slept a whole hour without moving a baby muscle.

It was funny to see DeLancey right after we flew on a plane with Nanners for the first time, because one time we flew with DeLancey across the country. She was only two, and a hurricane and cancelled flights turned our trip into a 24 hour ordeal, yet she was the model traveler.

A year before Vanessa was born Daddio was the best man at Derek and Jo's wedding. At that time we had just been given the green light to thaw our embryos. It was great to get to introduce Vanessa.

DeLancey has left for home now, but we miss her (and her parents) already.