say cheese

Well, well – look who’s smiling. Zuzu has been breaking out her grin for a while now and each day it only seems to get bigger. It makes us melt. We’ve only turned on our TV for one show a week since Zuzu was born…now that she’s smiling we may not ever need to again.

mother's day 2007

this year, i am so blessed to be able to celebrate jenn as a the mother of our beloved daughter. i could go on and on naming the many ways in which i’ve already seen her exhibit the qualities one might expect to read within a number of Hallmark cards (the really expensive ones even!) – sacrifice (of time, energy, and her body), commitment, dedication, tenderness, thoughtfulness, love, and many more – but time does not permit me to do so.

one of the things, however, i’ve been most impressed with as i’ve watched her enter into this new role is how she has been able to truly make it her own. she has found fun and creative ways to transform the daily tasks often associated with mothering a new baby into experiences that are uniquely hers… and zuzu’s. here’s one of my favorite examples: often when breastfeeding, which occurs quite often (to reuse the word), jenn will take the opportunity to chat with zuzu, though, not just by way of simple small talk – “oh, you’re just so cute.” or, “well, aren’t you a hungry girl!?” instead, jenn will use the time to tell her little one a story about the summer vacations her family would take to maine when she was growing up, recount a tale about her time in elementary school and the friends she made there, or fill her in on details about individual family members – from parents and grandparents, to siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. in a way, it’s like zuzu is new in town and jenn has made it her mission to get her up to speed on all the important things she needs to know. like a new buddy showing her the ropes.

another of my favorites is the way in which jenn continually strives to provide top-notch entertainment for her little girl. singing popular songs from the 70s and 80s has often helped to keep zuzu awake during the daylight hours. other hits have included themesongs from some of our favorite childhood TV shows. “you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and there you have… the facts of life! the facts of life!” the brady bunch, three’s company, and the wonder years are others that have made the list.

i could not have asked for a better partner with whom to parent my child. i love you, jenn, and hope your first mother’s day will remain close to your heart forever!

happy birthday daddy...

...to the best daddy a zuzu could ask for!

love,

zuzu

xoxoxoxo

danger zone

When changing a diaper there’s always a moment when disaster can strike -- when the old diaper is removed and the new diaper is replaced. Good technique is a necessity in order to minimize the opportunity for a diapering debacle. I think we all know what can happen if the diaper changer takes too long to place the fresh diaper under the baby’s bottom or fumbles getting the top of the new diaper up quickly enough. (For those still guessing, the correct answer is a huge mess.)

At our house, we call that moment “the danger zone”. “Uh-oh, we’re in the danger zone!” we’ll bellow, chuckling, while one hand holds Zuzu’s legs in the air and the other swiftly glides the clean diaper beneath her rump. Thankfully, we’ve never been able to reminisce about a danger zone disaster – until now.

Let’s just say the other morning my jaw dropped when, entirely without warning, a missile of sorts shot out from the vicinity of a very quiet, bare-bottomed Zuzu. I recall seeing a blur squirt out in an arc, narrowly missing both the lamp and rocker, traveling at a distance that can be measured in feet (feet, not inches). Unfortunately, the target was Zuzu’s laundry pile, innocent victims in the missile’s path which included a changing cover, changing pad, bib, pair of overalls, pants, two rompers, a sweater, one sock, the dresser and the floor.

It was so incredible I took a picture of the mess and emailed it to Ty at work.

Babies are amazing.

zuzu's room

Welcome to Zuzu’s room, a nest of love and creativity for our little chickadee. Lots of late nights were spent transforming the spare bedroom -- from the paint on the ceiling to new flooring, closet doors and trimwork to her “rock star” wall, plus many things in between. We hope the décor will inspire curiosity and imagination as she begins to explore the world around her!