Allie just turned two months old.  In addition to her rather apparent weight gain, we’re seeing more smiles, salutes, and neck control.  Of course Allie is also experiencing colicky crying, blown-out diapers, and very conflicted relationships with her stuffed animals.  Nevertheless, we’ll gladly take the bad and the ugly with the good.  Two months flies by crazy fast!  It’s like the Baha Men’s fame strapped to Usain Bolt.  

You can see some of the highlights of month two in this video thingamabob.  

Viva la Allie!

Thanksgiving doesn’t really seem like the most equitable holiday for infants.  We had cottage cheese loaf, veggie turkey roll-ups, mashed potatoes, green beans, fancy salad, bread, cranberries, and pumpkin pie.  Allie got milk.  

Despite this inequality, Allie surprised us by sleeping quietly through the whole meal.  This is a rarity for her, as she usually wakes up just as the food hits the table.  She must have been particularly preoccupied with her plans for world domination that evening.

Unfortunately, you’ll notice that the pictures below are devoid of any images of her Uncle Kevin or Aunty Amanda.  This was due to a nasty illness that knocked them both out the day before they were supposed to come up.  Thankfully, we were able to get a couple of Skype sessions in.  I believe Skype is originally what brought the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims together.

Lots to be thankful for this year.

It was a big weekend for Allie.  On Friday night, her first bottle feeding was a slurpy success.  She whooped that drink like a pro.  No spills, no spit-ups,and manageable gas.      

Then it was off to church for another chance at ruining the worship experience of others.  Panic set in when she started to fuss and we realized we had shown up binky-less, but she calmed down and even made it through the postlude.  

After that, we got brave and decided to take on a brave new world–the first restaurant.  The venue was Tra Vigne Pizzeria, a family restaurant where noise is no problem.  We nestled her infant car seat in the booth nearest the bathroom and enjoyed a quiet and cry-free meal.  

She still screams at night and rarely sleeps without being held, but she’s given us an early start to our Thanksgiving season.  Here’s proof:  

Day 1

OMG I have an elephant head.  That is messed up.

Tonight I tried to calm Allie.  For my efforts, she flipped me the bird.  This was immediately followed by a peace sign, which I thought to be an adorable juxtaposition.  She then proceeded to flash about five more peace signs within a one-minute span (with a few gang signs in between).  

This gets me to wondering if Asian tourists can even help themselves.  Are random peace signs part of our DNA?

The incident kind of reminded me of the time that one of my students was throwing out every Japanese stereotype in the book.  At one point, he went way too far, so I karate chopped him and took a picture of myself flashing a peace sign over his unconscious body.  Then I giggled into my hand and drove off in my Toyota.   

If I can take credit for the peace sign predisposition, I guess that means her birding finger can be attributed to Sara’s side.  It’s that biker DNA she’s got.

Like a turkey on a farm, our lil’ pilgrim is plumping.  More Allie pics here.

To nobody’s surprise, I have been getting very little sleep lately.  However, in the moments of blissful unconsciousness I have been having some rather vivid dreams.

The first happened a few days before Parent Teacher Conferences.  I dreamed that a parent who has been nothing but positive while I’m awake, came in for a meeting and just ripped me apart for not being tough enough on the students.  She also skewered my teaching techniques by saying, “And you know the ‘fun’ stuff you do?”  (At which point she actually held up quotation mark fingers while saying “fun”) “We would just prefer that you stick to actual teaching.”

The dream was so vivid that the next day I saw the parent and felt awkward.

The other dream came from anxiety over a movie night fundraiser that my class is doing.  I dreamed that the class had decided to do some fancy dinner at a beach.  The only problem was it was winter and so it would need to be inside.  I was apparently suppose to rent a yacht, but it slipped my mind.  So the fundraiser was planned and I was driving to the beach praying for unseasonably good weather and unusually classy picnic tables.

You may have noticed from these stories that little Alice did not make an appearance in either.  And the truth is that I can’t recall a dream involving her yet.  This seems very odd, seeing as how she is always the last person I see before going to bed, usually spending 2-3 solid hours in my lap before the clock strikes 12.  

I have two theories behind this.  The first is that my dreams obviously unpack my anxieties, and Allie gives me none.  That sounds nice at least.  The second is that in order to appear in my dreams, one needs to talk.  This checks out with my dearth of dreams involving Marlee Matlin or mimes.  And believe you me, I would remember if a freaky mime was in my dream.   

I’ll be sure to write about my first dream involving Allie.  Sara has them all the time I guess.  If you haven’t, maybe these pictures will help.  They are mostly from a visit with Allie’s uncles and aunties.

From Washington to Southern California they flock to see her.  They bring gifts, adoration, and a willingness to stay up in the late night and early morning hours.  A photographer was there to capture it all.  

My personal favorites are the pictures where she is in her ducky outfit looking pleased and remarkably like a LEGO person.  Also, be sure to find the special bonus Tess picture which should have the following caption: “Putting up with a baby is exhausting!”

Since the in-laws have arrived, I’ve had this incredible thing called “free time”  This has resulted in some serious blog bingeing.  I’m positively giddy about my Flip camera (my first Father’s Day present from the wife) and its video sharing capacities. Behold:

The First Sink Bath

You’ve seen her still.  Now it’s time for Allie in motion.