Happy New Year - Anniversary Edition

Three short years ago Matt and I had a rockin' New Year's Eve. We had a lovely wedding ceremony, followed by a party where the adult beverages flowed, the dancing didn't stop, and everyone looked gooooooooood. For our first anniversary, I got a diamond watch. For our second, we spent a long weekend partying in Chicago. For our third, we treated ourselves to a 4-star restaurant that accepts babies: Chez Maio.

Dinner at home...the times, they are a'changing!

Genevieve went down hard at 7 (hallelujah!) and from there Matt and I tag-teamed in the kitchen. We started with mixed greens with warm goat cheese, followed by steaks with garlic butter and a fantastic penne ala vodka, and ended with fresh strawberry gratins and champagne. The marsala sabayon in the gratins was enough to clear anyone's mid-winter cold, so if you're feeling stuffy just c'mon by and I'll whip one up for you. After our gastronomic adventure we watched our wedding video and by some miracle were able to stay up until midnight (was anyone else feeling a little sorry for Dick Clark??). So while it wasn't a swingin party, it was fun to re-live the memories of our wedding and then head upstairs to see our little sleeping Squish.

Fortunately Chez Maio does not have a dress code

One of my New Year's Eve traditions is putting my wedding dress on. First to make sure it still fits (it does), and second because I am still totally in love with it and firmly believe it should not spend its entire life packed away in the closet. Although not that apparent in the pic, Genevieve was smiling and talking when I asked her if she liked it. Smart girl.

Happy 2009 to you all!

Tis the season

Genevieve spent her first Christmas traveling here, there, and everywhere, and getting totally spoiled with presents ('atta girl!). Matt put his fancy sheepskin to good use by expertly packing the Pilot several times over the last week, starting on the 22nd when we headed to Rochester. Genevieve was very good on her first long car trip. She slept only part of the time but kept herself entertained when awake. Grandma and Grandpa Martin got tons of baby time and Miss G met her uncle Grant for the first time. Grant could work for a sound effects company, and his crazy noises kept Genevieve pretty entertained. On Monday night Matt went to hang with Kyle (of Kyle & Robin fame) and baby and I went to my mom's department party. The baby was hijacked from me and paraded about. Everyone there said, "Oh, I know you from your pictures". For those of you who are reading this now, you are wonderful colleagues for politely pretending to care.

Holiday ensemble 1 of about 20

Tuesday night brought a little party at my parent's house so all of the neighbors could meet the wee one as well. Kyle & Robin came over with their tot, Miles, and it was amazing to see how fast he is growing up. He's rolling like a champ so we tried to get Genevieve to watch and learn...no such luck. Miles has two itty bitty black dogs at home, and was quite taken with Ralphie. He wanted to crawl toward him so bad...just a few more days and he'll surely be motoring all over the place.

Trading babies


Auntie Robin helps Genevieve open her present


Hey, a pic of me and my buddies!


Dude, who needs blocks when there's paper to chew on?


Seriously mom, this is so uncool


The glorious Bumbo!


Checking out her new piano with daddy

We came home on Friday and spent Saturday at the Maio family Christmas, where Genevieve got to meet yet another pack-o-family. She behaved very well and was once again loaded down with gifts from Grandma & Grandpa, including a Baby Einstein bouncer seat which I can't wait for her to use.

Sporting a gift from Uncle Ken


Hanging out with cousin Dylan


Goodnight Gorilla - you get one guess who that's from

Three Months

Genevieve is three months tomorrow. She's growing like a weed and getting more chatty every day. Her little voice is so cute, and she babbles in a very conversational way. She has gone from accidentally sticking her hands in her mouth to very deliberately chowing down on her fingers, and we are getting thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to consistently sleeping through the night (emphasis on the word consistently). She is a lot more smiley than even just a few weeks ago and let me tell you, that smile busts out every time she sees her daddy. So sweet. I think her eyelashes have quadrupled in length and when she bats them at dad, it's game, set, match, Genevieve.

It feels like if we stare at her long enough we might actually see her grow. The only down side to her turning three months is that it means I have to go back to work soon. Noooooooooooo! The idea makes me ill but we are fortunate that Matt's company offers paternity leave so he will be home with the baby for January.

Anyhoo, here's our girl

Mmm, mmm good

The hair bow was a Christmas gift from auntie Jen. Alltogether too cute


"Good god my belly is huge"

Winter Wonderland?

Ahh, the midwest. Since last year's record snow fall was nothing but fun, fun, fun, Mother Nature seems hell bent on handing it to us again. We had a huge storm dump at least a foot on us between Thursday night and midday Friday, putting us 5 inches over the same time last year. Fortunately Matt's company shut down on Friday so he was on snow patrol. Genevieve and I took these from the safety of the house (hence the screens)...good times!

Buddies

Before the flood of three month and Christmas photos comes through, I thought I'd post a few shots of Genevieve and her friends:

The owl-ies


Ralphie, of course

And for anyone who thinks we're crazy for saying we have a four-legged son, look at these and tell me our dog isn't a person in a furry coat

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Baby Genius

Genevieve continues to amaze us with baby milestones almost every day. At our two month appointment the pediatrician told us that she'd like to see the baby rolling by 4 months, so we've been practicing a little bit every day. Then last Saturday Genevieve shocked us by rolling from her tummy to her back, both to the left and to the right. I understand that most 11 week olds find this challenging so clearly she is way ahead of the curve (don't mind the fact that her rage at being forced to do tummy time was likely what propelled her). Next we look forward to her filing our 2008 taxes (complete with dependent - take that, Uncle Sam!) and splitting the atom.

Until then, here are a few random shots over the last week or so.

Helping mom cook dinner


Hey, smells pretty good


Mmm, food makes me happy


Wait, I don't get any? I am appalled!


Testing out the Baby Bjorn our friends Brian & Jen generously loaned us. Genevieve LOVES it and is currently conked out in it as I type.


Reaching for her buddy, Mortimer the Moose, during play time


Nothing like a little moose hoof for the discriminating palete


Our Tannenbaum

Christmas Came Early...

...in the form of sleep! Genevieve went down like a rock at 7 last night, had a snack at 10:30, and didn't get up again until 5:45. After a quick nip she went back down until 9:45. Is my baby a bum? Who cares, if I could figure out how to get Handel's Hallelujah Chorus to play as you read this, I would. The funny thing is that I told Matt as we went to bed that it was supposed to be the night she slept all the way through. Perhaps I have missed my calling as a baby psychic.

Maybe some of the sleeping is due to the discovery of a fun new toy

Hey, who put this here?


It's a little tricky fitting it all in this way


Ah ha! Much more convenient


With one little gesture, our hopes of having a well mannered child are dashed

Or maybe it's from working so hard during the day

Feel the burn!

Or maybe it's because the daddy-recliner is so cozy

Where's the remote?

Whatever it is, here's hoping we can replicate it all again tonight, and the next night, and the next...