Flippin' Great

Rollin'
We found Arlo outside his tent the other morning. I had put him in to chill for a few minutes when Markus called me in. He had not only rolled, but pulled out and over the scooped opening and onto the newly cushioned floor. A day later, he's not on his back for less than 5 seconds without flipping over. Ahh, power.

Techno
He watches my finger on the pad on my computer. He mimics the movement with his hand and stares at the screen- like a zombie-mouth agape and eyes blinkless. Scary. We used to call the TV the Boob Tube. I propose this new child/techno world as the Computer Coma. I gave him raspberries yesterday, today he gave them back. Mimicry has begun.

Hipstamatic
As if having a bambino doesn't make you nostalgic, the iPhone is going to make you love your childhood all over again. For like $5 the Hipstamatic app is just as important to me as a child safety seat or fresh wipes. You see why, samples below. Filling good phone pics with emotion and romance to last forever. That silly camera phone is silly no more.

Going...going...

GONE!


Plan and Side Views


At dog training class



and the Farmer's Market....



At a birthday party chilling with a cold one.


Sleeping in. What a weekend!

Rainy Days and Blogging Always.....

...makes me sleepy and want for nap. So I drank some coffee to help the day last a bit longer.

Something fun that work friends and I started while spending much time in Vegas, awaiting for "magic" to happen,we'd take pictures in off-hours of us sleeping, or pretending to sleep. This became known as the "Sleeping Series". I noticed my cheeks always fell dramatically like a waterfall. Not at all flattering. Arlo's cheeks though, however large they may be, are like ripe heirloom tomatoes and defy gravity.

Here's just a few of our Sleeping Series from way back in Dec '09 to present:

Birth, ok, a good excuse for a nap.


Fireside Friends


Dreaming of sharing toys


I never seem to sleep as deep as them. How is that?


I am happy to report my boobs are no longer bigger than his head. Viva le leche!


subliminal Kung Fu moves


Power to the people!


After his first flight and nice walk through town.


A siesta


suspended sleep and face-plant


Should be an album cover for a soft rock band.


Special old school FX courtesy of iPhone app Hipstamatic. All the best technology in the world to make life appear as simple as it once was.


California Dreaming, in a car seat in traffic, duh.


We've been fortunate to have such a sleepy babe, almost 10-12 hours each night, except for last night, of course. Worst night ever, hence, my blog about sleep. Maybe I shouldn't drink coffee in the afternoon.

What goes in...

Doll faces

Bottles


Knuckles


Boobs


Dog tongues


Shoulders


iphone covers


Chins


Feet


Fingers

I look up and another one flies by.

The months are now whizzing by me. How is it that I am failing to keep up with the simple task of recording a child's first year with thousands of dollars of technology at my fingertips. I did very good 2 weeks ago on a rainy Sunday and printed out 30 pictures for his baby book.

Arlo has found his laugh!

The best thing in the world, this past week at least, is the bouncy swing. I wish they made them for adults. Arlo actually wore little bruises onto his toes from the heavy duty bouncing and spinning. Val likes his new proximity to her mouth when he is squealing with delight. Open mouth, insert tongue.


In the past 2 weeks we have been to the beach 3 times- once to see Gloria fire hoop and a second time when we went to Santa Cruz to share an un-Easter with the family, and in Santa Barbara to blow off some steam on our long ride home to LA. Arlo still has yet to dip his toes in the Pacific, it's very cold still.

On our way to Dockweiler's to watch Gloria

Big lipped family.

Sunday, February 28th 10 weeks old

Arlo enjoying his patio suite in Mazatlan.

A playa tambora


We are down in Mexico for 2 weeks to visit the family. Arlo is a supreme traveler as we knew he would be after over 30 pre-natal flights. I am in a melancholy state, just for tonight. As Markus’ family IS Escuinapa. On this visit, I thought I’d try to record everyone’s names and relations, which sent me online to buy a family tree software program. This is fantastic and the software is very cool, but it reinforced what I had been thinking a lot of recently, how small my family is getting. I broke into tears tonight after doing 3 hour of data entry of all of our family I could think of, and after a video chat with Mom and Dad and Abulita, then thinking of Grandpa Kemp and how he’d dig Arlo and how I wish I could be with him for just 5 minutes. Today Arlo was smiling while sleeping in the car as we went to a beautiful little town North of Mazatlan for the afternoon. Felipe, Markus' cousin, said when babies smile and giggle while sleeping, they are talking with the angels. He is a doctor, so I’d like to think he is has more insight. In my heart now Arlo is getting advice and sweet whispers from Grandpa somewhere out there while he naps.

There is a sweet superstition here. Arlo had the hiccups and Milka pulled a red thread from a scarf and wadded it up and stuck it on his head between his eyebrows like a bindi. When it fell off, she sprayed some Aquanet on it to make sure it stuck.


Today Arlo found his feet. It was after a scary/funny incident at the market when one of Markus’ Aunts came over and took off with Arlo for at least 10 minutes. It seemed funny she was taking him around and introducing him to all, then after 5 minutes, and some looking around, my heartbeat became more desperate for him. They turned up, and with a fresh pair of blue knit booties on, and a big smile. We came back and he sat there and tried endlessly to kick them off. By the end of the day he was able to reach down and grab them and put them in his mouth.

Arlo in his travel tent. He liked it so much, it's his bed at home now.


First swim in a nice warm pool

Refraction fun...weird mini-me collage

A Lucy's en Mazatlan


First taxi ride in Mazatlan


The tourist naps


Con Abulita


Con Abulito. He called Arlo "Catachflas"


Con Tia Dora


El Quilite, muy bonita

Primo Emiliano


Lavanderia