My Crappiest Post Yet....

I'm starting with the full disclosure that this post should not be read on an full stomach, or when you're hungry, or if you have no sense of humor.... it's about poop... yep, number two- so don't say I didn't warn you. 

Being a parent means that you are going to deal with bodily functions quite often- projectile vomiting (not yet, thank goodness and knock on wood), dirty diapers, snotty noses, spit-up- a definate right of passage when you are a Mommy- or in this case, a Daddy.  On Monday, after a fun and free (thank you Sacramento Zoo!) afternoon hanging out with Grandma H, we decided to go out to eat dinner (never mind the 400 lbs. of food left over from the birthday bash....) we went to a local pizza/ restaurant- a nice one- cloth napkins and two forks even.  So the three and a half of us settle in for a leisurely dinner and the dinner convo rolls around to poop (somehow reminds me of the family dinner table during high school) after my dear hubby- who is holding the 'half'- states that he feels a bubbling on his leg and thinks she's 'makin' a present.'  I confirm just by looking at her- she has the cutest little poopie face that you could ever imagine (sometimes accompanied by fists of fury too).  After the childish giggles subside, he slings the diaper bag over the shoulder and ventures to the bathroom for a change.  Usually this is a quick turn to let me know that there isn't a changing 'table' (I use that term loosely for those annoying but necessary plastic contraptions attached to walls in public bathrooms) and passing the girl over to me (I will hold the rant for lackof said changing tables in most 'family' venues to another post).  I instead suggest that he go out to the car- the empty trunk, or the stroller is much more convenient.  Kiera HATES those hard changing tables, so I try to avoid using them if possible- I'm becoming so proficient at 'car' changes!

After a few minutes, being the loving wife that I am, decided to go help knowing that she can be a handful when you try to re-dress her and am surprised to see him heading back my way.  Much to his surprise, her 'present' had somehow 'bubbled' out of the side of her diaper (pull out the ruffles!) and right onto his white shorts.  Don't ask me how I managed to not laugh out loud because I was ROFLMAO inside!  Yep- there was a ginourmous pea poo-green streak across his shorts at mid-thigh level. And me? I'm worried that she got any on her.... nope- none on her OR even in the diaper really.  It's all on Jason... who goes inside to clean up.

So, I change her, and return to a nearly empty (thank GAWD for Jason's sake) restaurant to finish dinner... sort of.  We were still a bit childish and couldn't help but laugh at the sheer talent of the mini one of how she could position herself to miss the diaper and hit his leg.... thankfully he wasn't wearing his running shorts with the shorter inseam!!!  Or worse??  Ewww....  Well, it was so bad, and I'm such a crappy (ha!) wife, that I made him walk home. (Just kidding!  Kiera had fallen asleep in her stroller so he decided to walk her the 1.5 miles home instead of having to wake up the birthday hung-over sleeping babe).

As  you very well know that 'fun' stuff always happens in pairs or sets, so leave it to 'Mr. Murphy' for Kiera to pick the moment that we set her in a bath (perfect storm- she usually gets the bath in the evening but since she was so tired from a day at the zoo and playing with Grandma, we put her straght to bed; I had a fleeting thought to wait a few minutes as she's pretty 'regular' so we didn't have to give the bathtub a bath also.  Yeah.  Not sure which one of us noticed the poopie face first.  So, what do you do?  Grab a diaper and try to patch the hole?  Empty out the water (yep, full of water)? Aim her over the toilet?  Nope- fish the bath toys out of the water and wait.  And yes, the bathtub and bathseat also got their own bath prior to Take Two.  Er, no pun intended....

And for the trifecta?  Instead of peeking into the next diaper- he sticks his finger down her back.... yep.  Surprise!  Oh, they joys of parenthood and learning the hard way! ( :

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET, SWEET GIRL!

I can’t believe that it has been 365 days since you were born- from the first tentative days that we spent together getting to know each other to today where I cannot imagine my life without you in it , each has been a blessing. Your Daddy and I had to work so hard to have you and every second of that emotional journey was worth it a hundred times over.


You have brought so much joy to our lives! Each day you wake us up with an infectious, sleepy little smile and in essence changing Mommy into a morning person (sortof!) We never know what the day will have in store, but as long as you are our little ‘partner in crime,’ it doesn’t really matter because you make us laugh and smile and allow us to view the world from your little viewpoint- full of wonder and delight. And we’ll continue to do our jobs as parents to protect you so that you can experience being a child for as long as you want!


This past year has been such an amazing time; just yesterday I went through hundreds of digital pictures of your life to pick out my favorites (impossible, by the way!) and was in awe of how quickly you’ve developed into an awesome little person. My heart swells with pride just thinking of you and the accomplishments that you are going to make in your life; right now it’s going to be mastering the ‘walking’ thing, but hey, that’s overrated, so you go on crawling with your bad little self! You have though mastered the usual baby-development stages: holding your head up (7 weeks); sitting up (3 months) holding your own ba-ba (6 months); rolling over (also 6 months- you took a bit of encouraging on that one!); crawling (8 months); first word- although it’s pretty much been your ‘only’ word (10 months) and charming the socks off of anyone (Day 1). You are a smart cookie- it didn’t take you long to learn patty-cake or that your little sqwunchy smile would get you whatever you wanted. And cute? Check, check.

I could go on forever and ever about you…. It’s easy to do. But the point of this is to tell you that we love you so, so much. I could have never dreamed how you would change my life for the better. Being a Mommy is the best job in the whole world. I’m so in love with you and your little spirit. You are amazing. Thank you for letting me be your mom. Happy First Birthday sweetheart. I’m looking forward to spending so many more with you.

NOTE: Kiera's Bday was actually August 18th, and her party was the 22nd.... with all of the preparations and family in town- this has been sitting in "draft" mode but I had to post for prosperity's sake......  you know, fellow Mommies, what it's like!!!! LOL

Are You Freakin' Insane?

I think its official- I've lost it.  Thinking that I could singlehandedly pull off a First Birthday Party Blowout could've been one of my wackiest ideas ever.  So what's the big deal?  It's just a party. For a One Year Old.  Yes, but we have 65 people coming (only 21 children!)- it's almost as large as our wedding although thankfully not as expensive- yet.  (Just kidding, honey)  And I'm a corporate events planner.  It's a cinch planning a medical conference for 200 people, or an awards luncheon for 700;  however it gets mighty interesting when it's for your own little one and you want everything to be perfect. 

The invites were handmade (I just couldn't seem to find a commercial butterfly-themed one that I liked) and sent weeks ago; it was exciting to get the first non-family RSVP (they really like us!) and then I watched the list grow, and grow.  Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy that there are going to be so many people sharing in such a wonderful occasion for little Kiera.  It means alot to us.  It also means that the house has to be in tip-top shape, digging up enough seating and tables for everyone, and trying to NOT go overboard with the menu or the budget.

We're now at T-minus 31 hours until the big shindig; last night before bed I decided to glance at the "to-do" list one more time and had a coronary that I wasn't going to get it all done.  I popped a few Motrin (should've been a Valium) and decided to get to work- washing baseboards, sweeping- redecorating. REDECORATING???!!!  At 12:30 a.m. my insane twin decided that my house wasn't up to par and decided to re-hang and accessorize and move stuff around.  The list said: "Hang Kiera's Frame" not repaint the candle holders, et cetera.  I did get all of the blinds dusted, the cobwebs down, fixtures dusted though.  It was just accomplished on the Type-A side.

Who does this for a birthday party?  I Googled it and found out that I'm the norm and really NOT insane, just a bit of a Martha when it comes to entertaining.  (Don't worry, I am using disposables, but the all had to match and although it is burgers and 'dogs, I want to make sure they are super tasty.)  So, I'm off to go bake a cake, finish cleaning, wrap presents, get the guest room ready for mom and have a stiff drink.  Kahlua in the latte at 8:30 a.m. isn't frowned upon in some parts of the world........

Trade in and Trade up at Consignment Sales

I discovered my first baby/ kid’s consignment sale last March when I was early in my pregnancy but would soon need maternity clothing. A friend of mine had told me about it and I saw a few local television shows doing a live segment, so I thought I would check it out. I happened to stumble by on the last day of this local sale which coincidentally is also ‘half-off’ day and I hit the mother lode for maternity clothes. I managed to get a wonderful work and 'play' wardrobe for around $80- about the cost of two or three designer pieces. I was hooked! The next (there are two sales during the spring/ summer and fall/ winter sales in this area- well, now three- Wahoo!) sale was going to be right after I found out the baby’s gender and I was going to check out clothing, gear, etc. Since then, I’ve attended about eight of the sales and have participated as a consignor at four. It’s seriously addictive. So stop reading NOW if you don’t want to save money on your gently used clothing, toys, gear and more; or better yet perhaps make a little money too!

There is some preparation that does go into making your items salable, but it’s worth the effort, especially when you get your consignor check a few weeks after the sale! The first part is cleaning and de-cluttering your house and yard- when you are changing out seasonal clothes, go through them and inspect them for rips, tears and stains. If they are free from all of the above, great- it goes into the “Consign Me” Box. A good rule of thumb for what to sell is to ask yourself the question, “would I buy this myself” (yea, you’re getting rid of it now- but why? Is it just too small or is it because it’s not usable or completely out of style- think older than five years. If it’s just small, great, sell it, if you said yes to the other questions, pitch it in the garbage.) If toys are broken, missing pieces or have been recalled than those are not acceptable items either. You can certainly try to consign them, but it is either going to get rejected at inspection at the sale (and you’ve wasted the time prepping and tagging) or they are going to get pulled from the floor, or worse a happy-go-lucky buyer is going to purchase it, get really mad and contact the consignment sale management and you’re going to get a bad mark as a consignor. Remember, if you wouldn’t buy it in its current shape, most other people won’t either.

Once you have your “Consign Me” box nice and full and you’ve registered for whatever sale you are going to participate in, it’s time to prep items to take to the sale! I’ve researched the most popular ones on the internet and they all have a computerized tagging system for consignors to use, so you will need to have ready access to a computer and printer. Additional supplies include: Cardstock (60# or 67# stock- in WHITE or pastel color only); Safety Pins (#2 size <1-1/2”> and #1 <1-1/16"> are good sizes to start with- the really small ones are a pain!); Clear Packing Tape in a dispenser roll; Clear Plastic Ziptop Bags in Gallon size; Zip Ties or Heavy String (for securing shoes/ packages); Hangers- lots of them, and NOT metal ones (the metal ones are horribly inconvenient for organizing, shopping and breakdown at the sales- some sales prefer metal, but not the ones I’ve done- so check with the management to be sure); Scissors; Batteries (for toys- they have to work to sell) and optional is a “Tagging Gun” and Plastic Barbs to tag clothes. (Please note: Only use the tagging gun through clothing tags to avoid damaging clothing- it’s inevitable that the barb will make holes in garments if tagged elsewhere.) Also handy: a lint roller; rolling rack; steamer; Magic Eraser (for toys and ‘solid’ items to remove scuffs); tubs and plastic to store your wares until time to pack up and transport to the sale.

Clothing should be sorted into seasons- my particular consignment sale only allows clothing for that particular season- so heavy jackets, winter holiday, rain/ snow gear and such are only allowed during the August/ September sales. The same would go for shorts, bathing suits and water toys for April/ May sales. However, there is still a need for some lighter type clothing for Fall (it’s often warm here well into the end of October) and layering clothing for the Spring (we get some chilly breezes in July too!) Maternity clothing is usually all season as are any type of children’s school uniforms.   Now that you’ve sorted seasonally, time to size! Sort items into gender and sizes and then the fun begins!

What to price your items: There are a lot of variables. Knowing that you are selling to a bunch of other like-minded budget savvy moms; your best reference will be to think: what would I pay? (Yes, it would be nice to garner $10 for a set of two onesies, but it won’t happen, so use your own frugality to set your price point.) Also, quality of the item; desirability; name brand and quantity. If you are selling new items (not newer, new- like in a box or with tags) it’s safe to price your item at about 70% of retail. If not, I think that a good deal is when I find something about 50% or retail value. Also, remember that the goal is to SELL the item and get rid of it and not have to lug it back to your home and possibly store for next season’s sale. That’s money gone. You also have the option to have your items as those that go at 50% of ticketed price on the last day- so if you have a pair of jeans that you’d like to get $4 for, but you’d happy if it just sells, period, then select the half-price option in your tagging software. Trust me, it’s much better to get some cha-ching in the end- the quantity that you are selling makes up in the end. (If you live in an area that has multiple sales in a season with the same consignment outfit, you may be able to roll your items over to the next sale at that full price- it all depends on your preference) Most hanging items should start at $3; also only mark in full or half/dollar increments.

DESCRIPTIONS: I know that tagging can be monotonous, but taking a few seconds to type in a more detailed description of your item is of a huge benefit to you AND the volunteer staff if your item and tag is separated- it happens and if after doing a Boolean search for “Carter’s” in the computer and 1000 items come up, it’s a crapshoot if the tag gets remarried to your item. However, if you have a description that say: Carter’s 9-12mo 3pc set: Pink Butterfly onesie; striped pants and matching pink butterfly socks, there is a very good chance that your item makes it back out on the floor and off to a new, loving home. Additionally, if a piece goes awry, it can be tracked down.

ATTACHING TAGS: Tags should be on the right hand side of clothing (the opposite side of the hanger opening) or through the tags (not fabric itself); on flat part of other items (particularly the top) and secured with tape on at least two sides, but NOT over the barcode; if you are bagging items, the tags should still be attached to the outside. When printing tags, use a printer setting above “draft” mode to ensure clear barcodes for scanning.

CLOTHING:
I’m only going to ‘hit’ on the items that I can offer good tips on- there are so many categories and these are where I’ve often overheard people asking questions.

HANGING GUIDELINES: Use only one hanger- hang your first item with the hanger neck facing left (like a ?) and then pin the item at the shoulders to the hanger- this prevents the item from slipping off of the hanger and being tossed about and not visible to sell. You can then pin other items to the front and back in a nicely merchandised fashion- think like you see sets of children’s clothes at a retail store. Most sales have a minimum price point for hanging items- $3- due to space issues. I’ve seen consignors even go as far as to tape the safety pins, but in my experience, it hasn’t been necessary.

PANTS: Sets are always nice- secure to the hanger with safety pins. Even better- if you have a full outfit (pants, shirt, matching socks and/ or shoes, and even other accessories) bundle them all together on one hanger (include small items in a plastic bag secured to the hanger) and value price- these items are very popular!

COSTUMES/ DRESS-UP: Although seemingly more popular during the Fall sales, dress-up items are accepted at either sale. The more complete, the costume, the better- remember to include special accessories or even make-up if you have it. I went crazy here for BabyK- bought a very mini Minnie Mouse and an adorable fish costume- she had several “set” changes for her first Halloween last year and will probably never be the same. LOL Use a search engine to find out what the retail price is and go for about 40% of that.

Shoes: shoes should be free from scuff marks and as much dirt as possible; clean shoelaces are good too. You don’t want to go “Ewww” when you pick them up. If there isn’t a shoe box, use a zip tie through the eye holes to loosely secure them together and tape your tag against the zip tie. If there is a box, I would suggest putting it in a clear bag and taping. If you just tag the box, and not the shoes, your item will probably end up in the Lost Tags section and not make it to the cash register.

Books/ CD’s/ DVD’s/ GAMES: Tagging books is precarious- you don’t want to damage them, so just use your best judgment- if you are going to bag books together, the bag might get opened anyways. I’ve seen many consignors tie bundles together with twine or even wrap them in food quality clear wrap. All levels of books are popular- from parenting and pregnancy to baby soft books, chapter books, etc. Using regular office-style tape instead of packing tape lessens the chance of damage.

If you have smaller games with plastic coverings that won’t damage if taped, secure the smaller game to a large piece of cardboard (think something too large to ‘fit’ into a purse or bag) with packing tape. Receipts are checked on the way out, but using your own ‘inventory’ control is very handy!


I recommend that you only sell media with original covers- I’ve seen it either way, but some sales are more strict.


TOYS:
Anything goes here- it’s amazing to see what sells! Larger outdoor toys usually sell quickly for around 50% if they are in good condition. If you can use a zip tie to secure your tag, I would recommend that you do that and reinforce the top of the tag prior to hole punching; your toy will keep its tag until the register. Additionally, printing out multiple tags (1/3, 2/3) for a toy set (table and chairs for example) is also a good idea. Most importantly; install batteries and test (and then turn back off until you get to the sale)- if they don’t play, they go back home with you until it “works” again. (Carry extra batteries in your vehicle on your way to the sale!) If you happen to still have the user manual, include that with the toy and you can possibly increase your value (worst case, Yours will sell when compared to five others since it has a manual!).
Secure puzzle boxes (please, count the pieces- it’s annoying to NOT get a full puzzle!) in a clear bag and tape.

BEDDING: include as many pieces of the set that you can and put in a large bag or wrap with a clear plastic. Include a concise description on your tag so that curious shoppers are tempted to open the bag.

FEEDING GEAR: Popular items: clean bibs (sell in sets); sets of utensils; tableware; bottles (again, sell in sets- Avent and Dr. Brown are good sellers if priced correctly! I just buy new nipples for the bottles); even breast pumps sell! I’ve even purchased new, sealed formula or baby food.

POTTY TIME: High end fabric diapers are hot! As are any disposable diapers- we had a batch leftover when K transitioned to the next size and those all got snapped up on the first day of the sale. Wiper warmers; changing pad covers (changing pads or any type of ‘mattresses’ are not accepted in California); lap pads; diaper disposal systems (clean and deodorize please!) range from $8 to $15.

INFANT ITEMS: Toys/ rattles/ pacifiers- it’s all game- items sell best when packaged into ‘sets’ and still have lots of life left. This is one of the best places to score discounted infant gear.
Car seats usually have to be the complete travel system (base/ seat/ stroller combo) and less than five years old- you will have to sign off on a waiver prior to consigning. High chairs/ booster seats should have all straps and safety pieces.

OTHER STUFF: You are selling to moms- so think what do moms love? Craft items (you know that you have extras!) Party gear; new in box ‘regifting’ things- time to clean your house and make a little money!

If you have any questions that I haven’t answered or have your own tips, please feel free to comment!  (I am not affiliated with the Just Between Friends organization other than loving the concept and being a bargain-minded mommy!)


Happy Consigning!

That's Gonna Leave a Mark....

See the "boo boo" above her eye??

The small one is not yet walking (well, a few little steps here and there, but then she gets this panicked look and sits down...) but holy cow, she is still ever so mobile and faster than  you can imagine.  And of course, she is testing her limits and curious about how everything works.  For example, "Even if I shake it really fast, will the kitty's tail still remain attached;" "How would this little piece of (insert random thing) taste;" "How hard can I patty-cake Mommy's head before she says 'owww'?"  You get the picture.  Keeps Daddy and I on our toes for sure, and of course, she is always so amusing.  The reactions are priceless!

Being mobile and curious also means that there are tears and cuts and bruises to go along with it.  This is a shitty part about being a Mom.... having to remain calm and collected while you are trying to soothe boo-boos and stop the bleeding.  Yep, that's fun.  And seems to come in sets.  (Her first fall from a high object happened on July 4th, followed by a spill off of the couch the next day and not a hour later: bumping her head on the tile floor (she managed to find the very small spot that wasn't covered to touch down at!).  I know I'm not the first nor last parent that it happens to, but talk about making you feel like a horrible parent!  She's no worse for the wear.....  and then this weekend we had actual injuries complete with bleeding. 

Friday night she was crawling around in her room and while trying to use the glider ottoman for support, she fell down and hit her head on the corner.  When I picked her up, there was blood above her left eye;  fortunately it was a very small abrasion but I was worried on how hard she hit and if she was going to get a shiner.  A little infant ibuprofen, a cold pack and lots of kisses must have worked wonders because, the cut is almost healed already and BabyK doesn't hardly remember what happened! (So, I'm so bad: I was secretly hoping that there would be no evidence for her Birthday on Wednesday and of course the big party next weekend!)

This morning she was up at the crack of dawn... of course on a "sleep in" day.  (I know, everyone told me that those no longer existed as a parent of young children, but a girl can hope!) I decided to be nice to Daddy and took her downstairs so that he could go back to sleep and get some rest.  We had such a nice time playing and eating a lovely waffle for breakfast.... you know that it would have to be interrupted by a boo-boo.  Kiera bumped her mouth on an edge of her high chair when she was going to sit down..... I picked her up to comfort her and a few seconds later discovered blood everywhere down the front of me, her face, clothes... "Poor Kiera, what did you do to yourself?"  I couldn't see a wound through the bleeding.  I thought about getting Jason, but decided to just handle it on my own even though a baby writhing in pain and confusion is hard to contain to comfort and 'fix.'  A few minutes later Jason came down to see what all of the commotion was about and helped me to get Kiera calmed down after some mild compression, a little "boo boo" juice and Dusty kitty to coax out a smile.  I'm assuming that she cut her gums on the down-ward fall.  Ugh. 

Both were minor incidents, but make you feel horrible none-the-less.  I'm not squeamish around blood, but the sight of it on your own child makes you feel raw and irresponsible.  Short of padding our home in bubble-wrap, there's not much that we can do to shield Kiera from minor injuries- it's a part of growing up I imagine.  My outward reaction is to remain calm, but I still feel a bit nauseous- probably from the momma-bear endorphins kicking in to help my little cub.  One thing that does make dealing with this easy is to know basic first aid and have readily available a first aid kit stocked with age-appropriate essentials in dealing with accidents and injuries.  I received some of the items as a gift at one of my baby showers and it was a wonderful gift that keeps giving even now.  I just have to go find some fun themed bandagess for it now and perhaps a bottle of rum for mommy....

Fun with Baby Kiera- "Kiss the Baby"

Our sweet girl loves giving kisses-  to inanimate objects and stuffed animals!! Her family, on the other hand, definately has to work for kisses from Kiera!  Mommy finally thought to grab her trusty FlipCam Slide (luv it!) and actually shoot a video.  And I have to say that I'm proud of myself for getting it off of the camera within a day- yay Mommy! 

Kiera obviously loooooves other kids- she squeals with delight upon first sight of any random child when we are out in public.  And even in pictures, she is enamored (wish I would have captured the one of her and the mirror!) and then  her other favorite thing (next to food) is our cat, Dusty.  He helps keep the peace when we have a fussy girl.  Watch her react to both in this cute (so I'm biased!) little clip:

Fun with Baby Kiera- Food Style and HER First Word

Brain Freeze! Brain Freeze!

The past few days weeks months have just flew on by; each day seems to come to a close much faster than the previous one and I often go to bed at night thinking, "Exactly what did I get accomplished today??!!"  Aside from the 9 to 5, household organization is finally coming to fruition (thank you, thank you flylady.net!), I'm feeling more balanced, and I think I'm getting the hang of this "MOM" thing (it's only taken 350 days plus prego time??? LOL)!  Now if I can finally balance momblogging, viola!  ( :  Well... 4 out of 5 isn't bad, right..... 

I've neglected to take the advice of my dear friend Katie and have not written down the daily events of life with Kiera and have had to glance over my Facebook page to see what we've been up to (and even then, I'm inclined to leave off some details... like her falling twice in one weekend... )  Don't worry, I won't forget- yeah... so, Kindle, dear so-pregnant friend- I know you are reading this (and probably the only one who does!)- please make sure that you note the days' events with your two (yes, two!)  bundles of joy when they finally make their blessed appearances in November- you will get mommybrain and forget the little details that will be important to you later in life!  Looking back it seems like the only thing that we do is eat (posts on donuts: 9 in the last 2 months; posts on pancakes: 5; coffee:  um, decline to state as the price tag might be shocking!; fun pictures of Kiera eating- well, those are PRICELESS and hence, good blogworthy fodder!)

Me likey pasgetti Mommy!

Kiera loves to eat- she gets that from her dad- and has been "mooching" our food for months... a sure sign that she's ready for 'big girl' food!  And the next sign? That her first recognizable "word" was MORE. (07/11/10) Yep, not 'mommy,' but more.  (I'm sure that she's been saying 'dada' for awhile, but it's interchangeable to both of us) However, her use of the word 'more' is clearly an attempt to ask for what ever we are currently eating/ drinking.  It's very comical!  Except for when it is followed by a "Heeeeyyyyy" in a larger-than-life-'outside'-voice inside of a restaurant.  (I'm a huge believer in table manners- but ask me that when she's two!)  On her yumm list so far: pasta (she gets that from me); cauliflower (I know- right?!); french toast; pancakes; crumb donuts (hey- she ate them when she was bakin' in the belly, why not now in limited sample sizes??); eggs; mac-n-cheese; watermelon; bacon; pears; applesauce; carrots; corn; beans; cereal; hamburger.  I'm-so-gonna-get-shit-for half of the stuff on the list so I might as well:  but she also loves soda and ice cream too, and certainly didn't make a yucky-face at Mommy's frappacino.  (Yep, peoples, I'm dosin' her up with massive amounts of sugar and caffeine, call CPS on me...). 

Mmm... Popsicle. (07/04/10)

We basically let her try our suitable food... and she's lovin' it; the downfall is that she wants NOTHING to do with the store-bought baby food now (read: save money!).  The added benefit to Kiera's dinner time, is that Jason and I actually sit at the table to eat now; previously it was just another unused flat surface!  Dinner time is family time and definitely chock full of entertainment value- those faces are priceless.  And to watch her contemplate whether she likes a new texture/ taste or not is also quite amusing.  There have been quite a few 'lemon- faces' too, and now when she doesn't like something, she sticks her tongue out until you wipe it off.  (Not spitting it out yet- thank goodness!)   I love watching her pick up the pieces and put them in her mouth; she then uses the side of her hand to ensure it's completely in her mouth and give her six little teeth a workout.

No honey, that's not an edible bowl!

The family dog is also beginning to love her- rather her leftovers- the ratio of ingested food to what winds up on her, in the high chair or on the floor is about 1:4.  A tasty puppy treat indeed.  Clean-up is always an adventure as well- shake the baby off over the sink and wrestle with her to clean hands and face!  Fun times.  Amazing- before I used to love to catch a movie or dinner with friends, and now I treasure feeding time with the little one.... ahhh.. mommyhood!

One of her first "finger food" experiences.. pureed carrots!