Bath Time

On the dining room table, in a tiny tub.

Busy day!

Complete with Sophie, banana mush, and EJ!

Who is driving car?

Zara is driving car! Those crazy Korean animators. Today is Zara's 1/2 birthday!

Merry Claremas

Picture Clare with a red hat and long white beard. No, strike the hat. Hee.

The bee's knees

Heroine, with aforementioned knees.

Doggie Basket

Our heroine and her trusty hound.

Zebra Ball

And a one, and a two, and a THREE!

Where are you going?!

The incredible escaping baby!

The Baby That Rocks The Cradle

I'm spotting her in this picture, not holding her. We didn't get a picture of her turning to the left and stepping over to the coffee table. Yow!

Cradle

Zara in the familial cradle, surrounded by the neighborhood sheepskin.

Cup

This isn't her first-first water, but it's close. It is her first cup, tho.

Backpack

Our new baby backpack, purchased with our REI Dollars. Very comfy.

Sitting

Yes, that's right! Sitting with both hands on her rattle. Now that's a developmental milestone.

Rabbit, Rabbit, Bear!

Just in time for bitter cold and snow, we got this great new wind proof bunting for the Baby Bjørn.

Scha-wing!

[Establishing shot]
[Serious look]
[Comic relief]

Sweetwaters

Thought bubble: "Gosh I'm cute..."

Happy Birthday!

Happy 5th month birthday, my Z! 15 1/2 lbs, 26 inches. Note the developmental difference just a month makes.

Second Thanksgivings

We went to Attica for second Thanksgivings, a la second breakfasts of Tolkien's Hobbit fame. We made stuffed bread, blackened green beans, cranberry sauce, baked sweet potatoes, french lentil salad, and poached pears. Pictures are of Excellent Aunt Mary and Grandpa Arthur.

Fresh Pond Park

J & I took Z to the park across from Marmee & Phil's condo in Cambridge. Z tried the baby swings, apparently enjoying them.

Abuelo Phil

Here are Phil & Zara at Fore Street, a lovely restaurant in Portland, Maine. M went to middle school with the chef-owner.

Thanksgiving in Cambridge

J, Z, and I flew to Boston for Thanksgiving with Marmee (pictured here), Phil, & Bri. Gratuitous upside-down Zara image thrown in, just for fun.

Shoulders

Zara's learning to sit and does quite well when given a little hair-assist.

Sitting

Look at that excellent posture! And she's reading, already! (That's not a bald spot, just some sort of flash reflection.)

Tongue

Zara has discovered her tongue, as recorded here.

First Snow of the Season

Today is was the first snow of the season, so we thought we'd give Z a go in her Nanny suit. I bet it will fit better in January, when it gets really cold here.

Dirty Baby

What a timesaver our Automatic Baby Washer is! Just pop Z in, and 45 minutes of agitate-spin-and-rinse later she's all clean! (This is a JOKE. Zara knows ... she learned to laugh today!)

Klor & Say Cheese

Klor & M were guest chefs at The Winking Dog. We had Brooklyn Summer Rolls, Butternut Squash Bisque with Toasted Sage Leaves, Beet & Pomegranate Salad, Panko Crusted Salmon with Rosemary White Beans and Wilted Spinach, and Poached Pears with Vanilla Ice Cream. Zara had Nu-Nu.

Boobs

In case you're having trouble reading, the tee shirt says "breast fed baby / stick around for the show!"

The Winking Dog

Here's Zara with our restaurant's eponymous mascot, who she loves.

Donuts

Gosh is takes us a while to rip, mix and burn these videos. Well worth it, tho.

Reading

Here's Grandma Bonnie reading to Z and Z in the chair Stu, Chris & Fiona got her. But not reading in the high chair, because we do not read at the table.

Sly

Oh, the look in Z's eyes! What must she be thinking? "Where are the nu-nus?!" "I want to pull hair!" "Here comes some more spit-up!"

Favorite Restaurants

In an effort to show how we've integrated Z into our lives, you see her here at two of our favorite Ann Arbor restaurants: Red Robin and The Winking Dog.

J loves Z

And I'm sure Z loves J, too!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 4 month birthday, you 14 1/2 pounder, you!

Like "Blank," Like Daughter...

Where "Blank" is "Mother" or "Father" depending on Zara's relative cuteness.