I Don't Believe it!!

Our little girl is growing up!! Today Lilibug climbed up and down our little step that separates our living and dining room. She climbed up and down the step all by herself!! We have been teaching her to turn around to go down the step but today she actually managed to do this herself without our help! It was truly amazing!! Such accomplishment for our little bug. And....during her supper Lilibug grabbed the spoon (which she has often done in the past but today was different) taking the spoon handle in her left hand she shoveled the food into her mouth all by herself! She continued to shovel her food into her mouth by using the spoon for the rest of the meal, it was so adorable! Of course, she was covered in sweet potatoes by the end of suppertime. Is this the start of Lilibug's independence? It was all in all a very exciting day for our little bug!

Baby Love

Well, Mama Bug witnessed baby love today and yesterday. Lilibug and Mama Bug went over to our friend's home for a birthday brunch for another mutual friend yesterday, and Lilibug seemed entranced with Monica's little boy Aiden. Today Monica and Mamabug, along with the babies got together for a playdate, again the two wee ones seem absolutely enthralled with each other, screeching, hugging, and holding each other's hands. It was such a cute moment! Mama Bug tried to snap some pictures to capture the moment, of course, the babes were moving quickly and the pictures are blurry...still it was truly a sweet time.

Lilibug's 1st Halloween!!!

Here is our little bug dressed as a baby elephant, she was so adorable! Mama Bug and Lilibug went to the Kaiser Mother's group dressed in her little costume, it was so cute seeing all the other babies dressed up. Lilibug had a fantastic time. On Halloween Mama Bug and Lilibug met up with Maggie and her new little baby boy Jordan, who was sooooooo lovely in his sweet little giraffe costume. What cuties!! Jordan was only 3 weeks only when the photo was snapped!

Playdates

Last week Lilibug and Mama bug went over to Baby Alex's home to play with him, visit with his mom, and meet his big sister Zena (the family dog). It was a time of exploration and play. Last week Mama Bug and Lilibug also ventured to San Francisco to try and attend the new Academy of Science on the museum's free day, but upon arrival their was a three hour line-up around the block. Mama Bug and Lilibug were also present with other Mommies and babies, we all decided to have picinic in the park instead of waiting in the line. After lunch the babies took to the tot-land park and Mama Bug snapped some photos. It was a beautiful day in Golden Gate Park, and may be we will try the museum on another day.

Pumpkin Patch Visits

Last week the bug family ventured to Clayton Pumpkin Patch for chosing the first celebratory pumpkin. Mama bug has never been to a pumpkin patch prior to the bug family's visit, but it was great fun! As you can see the Lilibug had a wonderful time playing in the pumpkins, throwing Lima Beans, and driving the farm's school bus. Of course, the family also chose a perfect small pumpkin for the front steps of their home. It was a sweet outing for the bug family.

Picture Updates

Pictures from our Mini-Vacation at St. Orres, Gualala, North Coast of California. We rented a rustic cabin from a swanky tourist rental spot, the cabin creaked and swayed when you walked across the floor but it had the most amazing view of the ocean and a fireplace. We spent our days hiking around, hot-tubbing, and just relaxing. Daddy Buggy took us for the most amazing meal at the St. Orres hotel wear I ate wild boar!! The drive up the north coast was pure magic with breath-taking views, where we of course had to stop along the way to admire nature's beauty. We also explored the village of Elk, CA which was just as beautiful and hopefully our next vacation stop (Mama Bug has her finger's crossed). The little Lilibug had a blast, as you can see she is napping on our second day away, and it was a reallllly LONG nap....a two hour one, not her usual 20 minutes! It was absoultely a wonderful mini-vacation exploring the CA coast, we highly recommend it.

You may ask....

Well, you may ask why does Mama Bug not post more often....the truth be told besides being very tired these days is that Mama Bug is a little lazy with typing up the days of Lilibug. BUT....Mama Bug is going to try and be more mindful of the blog reporting on the days of the Little Bug.

Tired is right....the wee one sometimes has difficulty falling asleep and taking naps, to which the Mama Bug over time becomes exhausted with efforts of getting the wee one to sleep. Speaking to the Mama Bug's Mum today (Grandma Perswain Bug) it appears Mama Bug was similiar when she was a babe, no naps and not sleeping through the night for a few years!!! Yikes! Mama Bug also did not take naps as a toddler (what are we in for if genetics follows the same course???).

Aside from the naps, the wee one is becoming more and more mobile, crawling faster and getting into everything! It is sweet - she is turning into a tot right before our eyes!! She pulls up on furniture and attempts to walk around it, she loves exploring the musical instruments, and tonight she spotted a friendly dog that got her soooo excited she could barely contain herself!! It was delight to watch, but again all of explorations has got the Mama Bug feeling pooped out at night!

Tomorrow Mama Bug and Lilibug will be going to a Mama and babies brunch in support of Obamo, it should be lots of fun, then on Tuesday a Gymboree class, Wednesday a day in SF at the Science & Nature Museum, Thursday nursing group, then Friday a day at home! Mama Bug is so excited about the prospects of being out of the house all week long! Yah, no more cold and back into the Mama and Baby socialization world again!!!!!

That's it for now....more pictures to follow....promises Mama Bug.

Back by Popular Demand

Yup, been awhile again since our last post and sooooo many changes with the Lilibug in the last few months. She is crawling around, and bum scooting everywhere! Of course, she is into everything and wants to constantly stand up holding the coffee table. This is great fun, but a lot of work for the Mama Bug watching the Little Bug and making sure she is safe and not acquiring to many bumps and bruises.

To update, the Little Bug crawled, or rather bum scooted (she scoots on the floor with one leg under her bum....it is to cute) around 7 1/2 months, now at 9 months she will crawl normally and when she comes to a place she wants to examine closely she will stick her leg under her bum quickly and sit up on her foot. She is an efficient little thing! Within the last few weeks she is now pulling herself up on the living room furniture and walking around it. Walking Mama Bug says! She also babbles Mom, Mom, Mom, and Dad, Dad, Dad....it is so adorable, AND she waves bye-bye with her little adorable hand in the air! We are in love with our Little Bug! So many new motor skills she has mastered, and every day both Mama Bug and Daddy Bug notice new changes and developments.

As for eating, she prefers the breast and it sure has been hard to get her to eat solids, although she loves yogurt, pears, and O's. It's a start, but she is a mommy's girl, and of course the Mama Bug loves the closeness! Still no teeth but they are going to break through the gums any day now, however, the bug family has been saying she is teething since she was three months old. Some day they really will break through, honest!

Sleeping and naps have been a struggle for the bug family. After a visit to Nana's in So-Cal where Mama Bug was so afraid the Little Bug would fall out of the giant bed the family was sleeping in, the Little Bug fell out of the family bed the first night at home. A loud thud was heard by Mama Bug, Daddy Bug, and Opa Bug visiting from Germany, as Lilibug let out a huge cry. Mama Bug found Lilibug on the floor in the crawl position (she barely even had a bruise on her head.....thankfully she was only scared), so the next day Lilibug was transition to the crib for the first shift of her sleep schedule at night. It began a horrendous two week deal of constant crying for our Little Bug, she hated the crib. Almost a month later she has got used to the idea of the crib, but she still needs lots of emotional support and tactile touch before she drifts off to never-never land. As for naps, we are still working on it.......she is a tough one on getting on a schedule.

The Bug family just returned from a mini-vacation up the Northern California in Mendocino County in Gualala. We rented a cabin with a goregous sea view, had a fireplace, and use of a hot-tub. It was a beautiful little getaway, where Liliana had free reign throughout the cabin. She spotted wild turkeys, and deer as we walked around the meadow where the cabin was located. The coast drive itself was just magiestic, the well-rested family returned this afternoon thankful for the beautiful weather. The Little Bug also took a two-hour nap the first day away....what a little lovely!!!! A true vacation for the Bug Family, lots of rest, good food, and goregous views. Pictures soon to follow!!!

Thanks Melanie for kicking Mama Bug into action......more updates to come and lots of PICTURES!!!

Lastly, Mama Bug wants to welcome Jordan to this plane of existence. Maggie and Chris had their baby on Sunday night, he is a little cutie pie!! Our first friends in the bay area who also have a child. Lilibug now will have a playmate, although, right now he just sleeps and eats, oh and poops. May be in another few months he will be a little more ready to play! :)

Vacation Finally Begins!

Well...the bug family is leaving tomorrow for a weekend adventure and summer fun. First off we will heading about a two hour drive north into the heart of the redwoods for a BBQ at a friend's house, then after the BBQ we will set up camp at Bullfrog Pond in the Armstrong Woods. It will be the first camping adventure for our wee daugther, Lilibug. We are set and ready to leave first thing in the morning and what fun it will be. She will get to see her first forest of ancient redwoods, basking in their tall shadows. We have a big tent and a giant sleeping bag for her comfort......I can hardly wait to be out of the city and into new territory with the bug family. Pictures to follow the BBQ and camping adventure.

The many faces of Lilibug

Here's our beauty.

Time with Tupperwear.

Feeding Time

Updates

I know I have not updated for awhile, so here a picture is worth a thousand words....

What a sweetie! These pictures have been taken in the last two months...can you spot the changes? She has really grown, especially in length, and man is our little bug verbal! She coos and smiles all day long, it is so darling!

Unemployed Mama!

That's right.....the mama is unemployed officially starting this week! I quit my job and now I'm a full-time mama again. Ahhhhhh......I can breath a sigh of relief and update the blog were my first thoughts!. Liliana has got her mama back....no more stress of a 40 hour a week job, just relaxing time together again, except now that she is 7 months old (WOW how time flies) we have lots of play-dates and outings planned. We have three birthday parties to attend, a baby shower, BBQ's, and camping planned for my first month off of work, and then in September we are thinking about a family vacation to Hawaii! This is going to a fun way to wrap up the Lilibug's first summer.

Well....more to follow as I start my first week of unwinding and relaxing with the little bug. Pictures and more updates to follow.

By the way....she is sooooo ready to crawl......and she is sooooo vocal, what a little cutie pie~!

A day at the Conservatory of Flowers in SF

Fun at home!

Here is Lilibug in her new Exersaucer......as you can tell she loves her new toy!

Her's the little Lilibug sitting and reading in the sunny afternoon.

What a little traveler bug!

Well, the Lilibug proved to be quite the little traveler. She journeyed all the way from San Francisco through Edmonton, Alberta onto to Winnipeg, Manitoba where she then met part of her Perswain family who drove her to the Ladybug's childhood home in Carberry. During this leg of the journey the Lilibug slept like and angel and when she was awake she was just being cute smiling at the other travelers. Comments were made about the world class traveler who was barely four months old, it was an amazing journey.
Once in Manitoba the Lilibug settled in nicely to the Perswain family home meeting all kinds of new relations. She met her grandfather for the first time, and her great grandmother. It was a fantastic time had by all. Lilibug also visited the reserve of Long Plain First Nation, as she acquired her tribal enrollment card.
During the journey home Lilibug also was able to experience snow for the first time. She was bundled up in a little snowsuit and was pulled around the yard in a sleigh. There was not much snow but she still seemed to enjoy herself watching the snow blow around the yard. Of course, the snow melted rather quickly.
On the journey back to the bay area Lilibug again proved to be quite the little traveler with nothing smiles to all her fellow travelers. Once we arrived home both the little Lilibug and the Ladybug were completely exhausted and missing the Perswain family, along with dear sweet Aunite Gwendolyn. It was a beautiful journey to Manitoba.

More Family Fun!

Here are more pictures of home.

It's a four generations picture. The Ladybug is on the left, great grandma, grandma, and of course the little Lilibug looking sweet as ever! What a beautiful picture.

The next picture is of the Lilibug visiting with her cuz, Zachary. She had a great time trying out his swing and exersaucer, not to mention playing on the floor. What cuties!!!

The Ladybug got to visit with Zachary's mother Kimberly. Since Zachary was six months old, and Lilibug is four months old during this time, it has been a great bonding experience for the Ladybug and Kimberly to discuss their love for their beautiful children.

O'Canada

Here's some fabulous pictures of the Lilibug's first trip to Canada to visit the old homestead of the Ladybug and to meet all of the Perswain family. The above picture shows the beauty getting ready for her first sleigh ride. Oh what Fun!

At the Beach

Last Friday the bug family and Uncle Chris went to the beach in Santa Cruz. It was the Lilibug's second time to the beach, the first time was in Mendoccino at the beginning of March but this was the first time she really was on the beach close to the water. The day was glorious and a beautiful experience for our little bug! She was captivated by the water and soothed to sleep in the car ride home. Our little bug.....what a cutied! Don't forget...the bug family all wore their hats for the day at the beach. Thanks Aunt Sally!

Friends Visits

Jim, a friend of the Daddy bug came by for a visit and met our little Lilibug. She had a fabulous time.

Here the Little Lilibug is visiting with Uncle Walter, he dropped by the bug home for a visit. It was a swell time as always catching up with Walt.

Teething?

It appears that the Lilibug may in fact be teething, either that or she has a cold. Daddy bug went out last night and retrieved a homepathetic teething gel, which seemed to do the trick and after applying to her gums last night and this afternoon she seemed to fine (stopped crying and today she slept for almost two hours after application to the gums). Only time will tell, she will either get over the cold (stuffiness, and slight fever) or else she will cut her first tooth. Whatever the case it has been a bit of turmoil in the bug household this week, sleepless nights and some irritability, but still our little bug is holding up well and she has so much charm even when she is feeling a little ill. What a trooper she is! After a few minutes of crying out in pain she can turn on that charm with a wee grin which works her magic and warms everyone's heart who is present in her vicinity. What a charmer!

Mama bug is still waiting for the roll-over that Daddy bug observed yesterday, but Mama bug did see several side turns, along with lots of amazing tummy time. Lilibug is getting really good at holding her head up while on her tummy for longer and longer periods of time. Mama bug wonders if this the first step towards her upright posture?

The rest of the week appears to be full of plenty chill and relaxed time, plus two other potential visits to other day cares in the area. Let's keep our fingers crossed on what will happen during these visits.

That's all for now!

Roll-Over

Did or did not the Lilibug roll over today from her back to her stomach? Only Daddy - Hairy bug really knows!!! More news to follow.

Hats

Here are the bug family sporting their new hats that Aunt Sally Bug knit for us. That's right Hairy Bug's Great Aunt Sally calls herself a bug too! Thanks Aunt Sally Bug! We Love You!

Aunt Sally is actually Lilibug's Great-Great Aunt! Lilibug looks sooooooo adorable in her new hat!