Double Digits!

Yesterday, Katy hit double digits, turning 10 mnths old! I can remember turning 10 yrs old... it somehow seemed so much older to be 10 than 9, to be double digits. :) And now, saying my baby girl is 10 mnths old sounds so big!

So this afternoon I took Katy back to the breastfeeding support group to see what her weight would be. Drumroll please... from being 15-3 at 9mnths, Katy jumped over a pound to 16lbs 5oz! Guess all that chicken & yogurt is starting to stick! For those keeping track (which I realize is probably only me), her typical weight gain for months now has been a 1/2 lb per mnth, so this time she over doubled the norm.

Katy has many new talents, all which started almost 2 wks ago. Katy's most recent accomplisments, which my parents got to see her demonstrate MANY times, are clapping and stretching. For months I had been singing and signing to the song, "If you're happy and you know it...", but with multiple verses for all the emotions. So starting almost 2 wks ago, if I say, "clap your hands", Katy will smile & clap. I sing a verse, "If you're tired and you know it stretch & yawn." I used to stretch & yawn, and she would laugh. Now all I have to do anytime is say "stretch!", and Katy will lift up both hands over her head. Very, very cute. We also think we may have our 1st word. One afternoon Katy was sitting playing on the floor, and then got fussy. She saw me, stretched out her arms, and out came, "Ma-ma-ma-ma." The "m" sound is not one she has typically done, and this seemed quite purposeful. And while I realize I have a bias to her first word being "Mama", I am not the only one who has since noticed her do the same thing, and it's the only time you hear that "ma" sound. And while Katy is still not yet crawling, she is getting quite mobile by scooting around our hardwood floors on her butt. She also will grab on to things like the coffee table and try to pull up. She can't quite get herself all the way up yet without a little help, but she's getting there!

So on to mnth 11! I imagine it's going to be an eventful month. And we need to do some serious baby-proofing!!!

Mom & Dad's Visit

My parents came done for a visit last week, from June 8-15th. Months ago, I had realized that for interleague play, the Giants would be hosting the Toronto Blue Jays for the first time. I grew up watching the Jays with my mom, so when I told her they'd be here in San Francisco, she planned a trip down here to coincide with it. All 5 of us went to the game last Tuesday night. It was a beautiful night in the city, and we had great front-row seats in the viewbox section, which is directly above all the company boxes, between home and 1st plate. Unfortunately (depending on whose perspective you are taking), the Jays just missed coming back in the 9th inning, when the Giants centerfielder lept at the fence to bring back what would have most definitely been a game-tying homerun. Before the game we were also able to meet up for lunch with a family friend, Muriel Campbell. It was nice to spend some time with her, and finally introduce Katy.

That Tuesday was a fun day off in the midst of the usual big home-improvement projects that are the norm whenever my parents are in town! We had originally planned to put in a picket fence out front. But Benji decided that before doing that, it would be a good idea to tear up the ugly crabgrass we had out front, put down a sprinkler system, and lay some new sod. So our picket fence was put on hold while my dad and Benji were hard at work pulling up grass, digging trenches and laying sprinklers underground, and hauling heavy new sod. The sod company ended up providing almost double what we had ordered, which was both viewed as good and bad news. The good news... we had more than enough to also do the backyard. The bad news... the boys had more than enough to also do the backyard! Not wanting to waste the sod, which they picked up early Wed morning, they laid it down out front and then scrambled to get irrigation pipes laid out back and the extra sod laid down over it. It was physically exhausting work, but very satisfying when it was all said and done! The boys did a great job. Benji finished connecting up the backyard sprinkler system to the timer on Saturday, and now we have automatic sprinklers everywhere, and beautiful-looking grass. It's SOOO nice not to have a million hoses running everywhere, trying to water everything. Excellent work boys!!

Amidst all the hard work, Katy loved having her Nanna & Papa here with us. As you can see, she spent alot of time hanging out playing in the backyard on late afternoons. My mom delighted her by bringing out the hose and buckets of water to play with. And Katy always beamed with delight any time she spotted my dad. I think she is wasting no time making sure they are both wrapped around her tiny cute little fingers!





Mom & Dad, thanks once AGAIN for all your time & energy & generosity in helping us improve our little home. And even more importantly, for demonstrating your love & devotion to your granddaughter, by making it such a priority to see her so often, in spite of the LONG distance (and of course your love for us!). We love you very much, and are looking forward to the next visit.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Before the day is over, I wanted to wish the two most important men in my life a very happy Father's Day. My dad, along with my mom, spent this past week with us, so the picture of him with his beloved granddaughter was just taken a few days ago. Katy always had lots of big smiles for her grandad! My parents left early Friday morning, so we took him out for a Father's Day dinner Thursday night. This morning, Katy and I treated Daddy to breakfast in bed, along with some cards & gifts. Father & daughter are both napping now, so when they wake up, we'll take Benji out to eat.

Katy and I are both blessed to have such wonderful fathers. Thanks so much for always taking such good care of us. Not to mention the underground sprinkler system they both just worked extremely hard to install at our house! We love you very, very much.

And, of course, wishing a happy Father's Day to all the other dads we know & love!

Memorial Day Weekend with the Northern Tittles

The 3 of us flew into Portland to spend Memorial Day weekend (the weekend AFTER Victoria Day weekend, for the info of all the Canadians) with some of Benji's relatives. His Uncle Keith, Aunt Debbie, & his two cousins Nathan & Karalee live just across the bridge from Portland, in Vancouver, WA. This was our 2nd year in a row going to see them for this long weekend... however, last year all they saw of Katy was as quite a big bump in her mommy's tummy, so we thought they might enjoy getting a bit of a better look this year. :) In spite of being in the middle of cutting her first two teeth, Katy had a wonderful time with the Northern Tittles, as did Benji and I! Katy seemed to especially take to her great-uncle Keith... she just beamed everytime she saw him, and was adorable cuddling with him. The Portland area is just beautiful, and we enjoyed the scenery on several outings: wine-tasting one afternoon, and touring the Japanese Gardens the next. We are looking forward to seeing them all again when they spend the 1st week of August down closer to our neck of the woods, in Sonoma. Thanks guys for having us!!


The bib is a long-standing Tittle family joke, so our visit wouldn't have been complete without it!
Uncle Keith, Karalee, & Aunt Debbie relaxing in the Japanese Gardens
One of the many beautiful views from the Japanese Gardens
What could be more fitting than a diaper-change on a wine barrel while wine-tasting??
Katy enjoying a cuddle with her Great-uncle Keith
Marking Katy's 1st height measurement on the kitchen wall
All the cousins having fun together just before it's time for us to head back to the airport
Katy & Nathan in a stare-down at the dining-room table

Belated 9-mnth checkup

Today I took Katy for a somewhat belated 9-mnth checkup. This was Katy's first checkup with our new pediatrician, who I am very happy with. In no time, Katy had charmed all the office staff, and elicited comments such as "She should be a baby model!" She weighed in at 15lbs, 11oz, and is now 28" long. Head size and length put her right about at the 50th percentile, but by weight she's just a little thing... at the 5th percentile. But no reason for concern about her being such a lightweight... one look at her tiny narrow feet and it's obvious she's a petite little thing!

And anybody who has visited with her can attest to the fact that she eats incredible amounts, so Katy was apparently blessed with a great metabolism. Who knows where all that milk & food goes?

Everything else checked out great. She's as healthy as they come! Still no crawling, although she does seem to be trying. With fine motor skills she's ahead of the game... typically the ability to pick something up with the thumb and index finger, the pincer grasp, comes along around 10 mnths. But Katy has been quite deftly picking up cheerios and even smaller objects for almost 3mnths already. And socially... well, we all know what an extrovert she is! It's so much fun to hear her talk now, like when she's sitting in her carseat, alone in the backseat, looking at a book or playing with a toy. It definitely now sounds like she is having a deliberate conversation, rather than just aimless babbling.

Just had to post the picture of her drinking from her rubbermaid drinkbox. That has been *the* thing since hitting 9mnths. She just loves it! (And any opportunity to drink water, even if it is leaning over in the bath and lapping it up... what a silly girl!)

Auntie Samantha's Visit

Ok, ok... so it's been almost 2 wks since Samantha flew back to Canada, and I'm finally getting some pictures up here. But Samantha *is* at least partly to blame for the delay, since she got me sidetracked on Facebook! In any case, we had a really nice 4-day visit from her. Those of you who are very observant may notice some similarities in the background to pics from my Aunt Gwenda & cousin Natalie's visit... since I also took Samantha to Capitola. We hit an absolutely beautiful day there, as you can see... clear blue skies, and it warmed up nicely by the afternoon. We enjoyed a very yummy lunch at Benji's and I favourite anniversary spot... The Fogbank. Poor Benji always was stuck at work during our daytime fun, but we tried to at least bring him back a treat!















We also strolled around Santana Row one afternoon, a ritzy shopping area, where first we enjoyed lunch at Maggianos, a great Italian restaurant. Here are the beautiful girls sitting outside a little pastry shop where we just had to share dessert! (Except poor Katy got nothin' but milk.)

Samantha took this great picture below of Katy sitting on the grass on our front lawn. Katy gave her Auntie some beautiful smiles, as she was very happy to have her here with us. Thanks for coming to see us Samantha! We hope you'll be able to come back again... and maybe even bring that silly guy... what's his name? Uncle Brad???

Facebook!

If you are visiting my blog for the first time because you found me on Facebook, welcome! I just joined Facebook two days ago, after both my sisters tried to insist that I do so. I was hesitant, because I already had this blog and figured I didn't need another thing to take up my time. However, I'll admit it... Lauren & Samantha, you were right. In only a day or so, it has been awesome to reconnect with friends I lost track of years ago. There were many of you with whom I so wished I could share the good news of the birth of Katy, back in August, but had no idea how to track you down. If you are one of those people, I hope you enjoy my blog, and please keep in touch and let me know how you're doing. And if you've ever out here on the West Coast, there's a spare room with your name on it!

Take me out to the ballgame...

Katy went to her first Giants game (not counting ones in-utero) on May 4th. For those of you not from the Bay Area, the home of the San Francisco Giants, AT&T park, has got to be the most beautiful ballpark in the country. It sits right on the bay, so on a nice day you have the most incredible views, including even the Golden Gate bridge. We're going to another game in June with my parents against the Blue Jays, so if the weather cooperates, I'll try to get a good pic of the view to post here.

It was the most gorgeous night we have ever experienced in SF... once the sun goes down, nights in the city are usually COLD. And I do mean COLD... even for a Canuck! But this night, it stayed warm... 85 degrees at night is UNHEARD of in SF. We were all decked out in Giants attire. Even Katy was wearing a cute Giants Nike outfit, courtesy of her Titi Lisa. Although we didn't win, it was an exciting game, and Katy seemed to enjoy herself. When she is surrounded by people, just like the engagement party, she managed to stay awake for the entire 9 innings. She did startle and cry momentarily a couple of times when everybody suddenly yelled out after something happened, but she recovered very quickly. And, of course, she spent a good part of the game flirting with the guy sitting next to us. I think, however, she was slightly puzzled as to why all those people in the stands were staring down at the field and not at her!

Katy's 1st formal party

We all went to an engagement party for a friendn of mine on April 29th. They are getting married in Maui in November, so it was Hawaian themed. We knew nobody other than the bride, but it was alot of fun, thanks to Katy, our little social connector! We arrived at 6pm, left after 10pm, and she went strong the entire time. She kissed the boys, smiled at everyone, watched the entertainment in fascination, and loved the music & dancing. She will still smiling and waving at guests as we left and walked out to our car, but the moment we drove away, the cries began. Fortunately, it was a short drive home, because she cried the entire way. As soon as she was changed into PJs and fed, she conked right out, exhausted from her night out. And we did not hear a peep out of her until 8am the next morning!