no new pictures

sorry. I don't have any new pictures or video to post. But we're still here and still doing well.

We have officially closed the alameda brick and mortar Kite Wind Surf. We are keeping the website active for a while longer as we go throught the last bits of remaining inventory. Unfortunately, most of that remaining inventory is in the apartment... thank goodness there's not much left.

Jeff is in Oregon these 2 weeks for boiler inspections. Sounds like a rough job this time, small boiler (lots of tight spaces). we are looking ofrward to having him home!

Here's the Liv update:

She's stil not jumping/hopping. But walking & running like a champ.

And still can't reach the pedals on her new trike. However, she is learning to steer (or at least turn the handlebars occasionally - when prompted).

She is getting much better at using a spoon to feed herself.

She is starting to make more word-related context-appropriate sounds ... but it would be a STRETCH to say she's talking. :) However, we bought volumes 1-3 of Baby Signing Time (http://www.babysigningtime.com/) and she has soaked it up like a sponge!! She often asks to watch them by tapping her wrist (the ASL sign for "Time") and pointing at the screen. Here are some signs she uses:
milk, more, all done, eat/food, hat, where?, sleep, bike, car, fly/airplane, cat, dog, please (sometimes), thankyou (sometimes), down, help, book, boat (although these 3 all look the same the way she makes them!)

She points out every person she sees that is wearing a hat or helmet - in books too.

Ditto airplanes, everytime she sees one, or even hears one, she points and flies her hand around making a vrooooo sound. it's adorable. but also pretty much constant part of our day considering we are in the direct flight path of two international airports!! LOL If she hears it & can't see it she cocks her little head and waves her index finger up by her shoulder (ASL: Where?) and makes a sound that could be "where?"

That's also a favorite game... along the lines of peek-a-boo: She'll take a toy and hide it under a blanket/pillow/book and ask "where?" and then find it!! and grin! and od it again!

She's a pretty normal sized kid... Clothes fit the way you'd expect, she wears some 12mo. and some 18mo (she's 15 mo.) ((btw: I can't wait until I can stop counting months, it seems so... idk, obsessive?))

She's a good little eater... will generally eat what ever Jeff and I are eating. We had an Indian lamb curry at the farmers market yesterday. Mac and cheese for lunch today.

Sleeps pretty well most of the time, too. Goes to bed about 8pm. Usually sleeps about 8 hours, wakes, has a little milk, then back down for another 3-4 hours. I can handle that. Right now we're between 1 & 2 naps. It's either one in the late morning & on in the late afternoon, or a biggie in the early afternoon. It depends a little on what time she gets up & a lot on what kind of stimulation she has.

We've started working with a babysitter for a few hours 3 afternoons a week. It seems to be working Great!

Well... I hope I have some pictures & video to post soon, I'll see what I can do about that!
love & hugs,
~e.

Mom & Liv

crappy cell-phone shots from a moment of play with Em & Liv rolling around on the floor together.

New Trike

Our generous neighbor Paul, cleaned up his grandkid's tricycle & gifted it to Liv! She can't really reach the pedals & refuses to steer... but LOVES to be pushed around the store riding on it anyway! Very fun stuff! And something to look forward to!

cheers!

Another Kind of Bubbles

We're packing up & clearing out the shop.

Poor Liv is trying hard to entertain herself.

The nice guy in the shop next door to us gave Liv this great little tricycle... she loves it... but hasn't really figured out steering or peddling yet; not to mention she can't really reach the pedals, even. I'll get some pictures up here soon, promise!!

On the Way Home...

Liv encouraged me to stop & let her out of the backpack on our way home from the park. Here's what we did...

We stopped and admired the flowers.

And walked to the beach to watch the kites!

(and play in the sand)

And then we took a nice little stroll, hand-in-hand, the rest of the way home for dinner!

Slides

Liv spent most of the day with us in the KWS shop while we sorted through the remaining inventory.

At the end of the day we made a trip over to the park to let her run around & do more age appropriate stuff! :)

Her first mission was to climb to the top of the highest structure and then debate a while if she wanted to slide down or not... eventually, yes.

But not entirely successfully, I think she ended up going head first at some point in the spiral down!

Then she decided to go back to the toddler-size slide.

Here she is getting a "high-5" from her buddy Thomas.

I have some more pictures - & hope to post soon!

Canoes, Kites, & Clean-up

Liv spent some time at the beach this afternoon.


In her exploring, she found this "canoe" washed up on the beach. She climbed in grabbed the sides & started rocking fore & aft & looking at me expectantly... "What, Liv?"... more of the look... "OH... wait, I think I know!"

So, I started singing:
"Row, Row, Row your Boat..."
and got a big grin & nodding & more fore-aft "rocking"

We camped out in a protected spot behind a little beach sage bush to play with our shovels & buckets until Liv noticed someone out kiteboarding.

These next couple shots are Liv trying to say "kite" it comes out "Kai, Kai"

She's great at finding garbage.
And generally speaking, identifying it.
And even knowing what to do with it on occasion!