A Spoonful of Love

Breakfast of Champions

2011-01-28T08:08:00.000-08:00

Today's breakfast is a delicious one for our Baby Spoon! She gets to have some ordinary oatmeal spiced up with cinnamon and sweetened with chocolate chips. Mmmmmm, so gostoso! She's in the process of eating it all right now! If you ask me, breakfast could hardly be any tastier than this. : ) -Daddy Spoon.

No Longer a Teenager Anymore

2011-01-18T22:10:00.000-08:00

Baby Spoon has turned 20 months old today! She isn't a teenager anymore, at least in terms of the months that we've been blessed to have her in our lives. Today, she is a big girl. Plus she's the most precious little gem alive. I doubt we could have dreamt for anything better.

At this stage in her life, she loves reading. Multiple books per day. She'll start her day and end it reading books! Able to count to 8, plus she understands the Portuguese that her Daddy is teaching her. A vocabulary that surpasses most 2-year olds, and she's extremely adept at communicating what she wants or needs. On top of that... she's the sweetest little toddler you'll meet. A wonderful little gem and we can't be happier about it!

Maybe sometime soon I'll accomplish posting the various videos I've recorded of her and you'll be able to see for yourself how precious she really has become! For now, all I have is this picture from us playing in the backyard the other day! -Daddy Spoon.

Mi Casa, Su Casa, Picasso

2011-01-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

Today we're going to the Seattle Art Museum to view the Pablo Picasso exhibit before it goes down. This will be our Baby Spoon's first exposure to Cubism, 20th Century fine art and we're even topping things off by having dinner at a fabulous Mediterranean restaurant. Naturally, we're excited! More updates to come! -Daddy Spoon.

Cooking up a Storm

2011-01-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Today is an exciting morning, since Baby Spoon took her first shot at baking chocolate chip cookies. Everyone is excited to eat them. The worst part of all is happening right now.

We have to wait for the cookies to cool down.

As we do that, here are some pics from today's fun adventure! We hope you enjoy them. We'll certainly enjoy the cookies for you! -Daddy Spoon.

A New Year

2011-01-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

Well, we have been busy this past week here at the Spoon family. To the point that we've completely forgotten to update the family blog. We apologize. To make amends, here are two quick screen shots of Punkins enjoying her breakfast! (It was oatmeal with raisins. She loved it)

See?? That is one happy face. We are going to do our best to update on a more regular basis. :D
We'll see you soon! -Daddy Spoon.

Gingerbread Houses!

2010-11-28T09:50:00.001-08:00

Last night the Spoon family participated in a gingerbread house design get together. We went to cousin Cheryl's house and had a great time. There were a total of five gingerbread houses, but Mommy Spoon's gingerbread house was the only one that featured us, your adorable Spoon family! Mommy Spoon worked hard on her house, and it looks fantastic. :D

We are excited to have a gingerbread house to decorate our home for the holidays. It's one more wonderful thing that helps add to the holiday spirit! -Daddy Spoon.

(P.S. -Don't worry, no redheads were harmed in the making of the gingerbread houses)

Double the Excitement

2010-11-21T22:59:00.000-08:00

The Spoon family could hardly contain themselves tonight! Our plans for the evening were to go see the Christmas lights at a nearby park -tonight was the one night the public can walk through the park, every other night the park is a drive-through experience only.

The fun increased this afternoon when snow began to fall. So after bundling up for our excursion, we made it to the park and had a load of fun. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves! -Daddy Spoon

Look at how excited Baby Spoon is because of the snow!

After a few attempts at removing her mittens, we improvised with a clever way to keep our Baby Spoon's hands warm.

A lot of the lights were very lovely. We had a great time! Plus we'll you spare the fussy details about a tired Babykins towards the end of our trip. :D

I heard this year Santa is trying a few new catchphrases. Like, "Arrrrr!"

Starting with the Basics

2010-10-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

Today I pulled out an old film camera for Baby Spoon to play with while packing for my trip to New Jersey. We're getting her started on the basics! Doesn't she look cute, waiting to get that perfect shot? It's almost like she's in the press pit, waiting to catch that Pulitzer winning photo. A Daddy Spoon can only dream, right? :D

A Killer Adventure

2010-10-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been almost two months that the Spoon family has had time to post a blog entry on our fun microcosm of the world. Not that we haven't had anything to write about -we've been so busy and had so much fun these past few weeks- but it's almost impossible to write about all of the adventures we have.

Today, Punkins and I had a Killer adventure. Baby Spoon has watched the girl across the street take Killer on a walk so many times that she now wants to be a big girl and do it herself. Today was the second time we went on a "Killer Adventure" and I made sure that Miss O was dressed for the occasion.

The first time that she took Killer for a walk, she wouldn't let him do his business. She stayed within inches of him, following Killer every time he tried to sneak away to do his thing. Lol, poor guy! So today you can see the look on his face, "Do I have to go for a walk with her again?" Happily, this time Bunkins did a wonderful job of taking Killer for a walk! He had all the space that he needed for his business and she was full of giggles watching him trot down the road next to her. Take a look yourself! -Daddy Spoon.

A Big Step Up

2010-08-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a fun little photo to show off Babykin's new talent: Walking! She's so adorable. Each step she takes is an amazing thing to watch. It's indescribable. Seeing Baby Spoon reach this new achievement is just beyond my ability for words. Totally cool and so much fun. Another world has opened up for her. And for us. Definitely one of those things that make us glad to be parents. - Mommy and Daddy Spoon.

Quite the Handful

2010-07-31T13:34:00.000-07:00

Baby Spoon's cousin came over this morning for some play time while Mommy and Auntie J went out to work. I had my hands full taking care of two babies, but things weren't too difficult. It was so comical to see Babykins want to eat her cousin's breakfast and him eat her snacks. They each wanted to do exactly what the other was already doing. That included nap time. They both started to get sleepy at the same time! It was tricky, but I was able to get them both to fall asleep for a nap (thanks to some last-minute assistance from Grandma). Don't you think they look cute side by side? What a morning! -Daddy Spoon.

Two New Teeth

2010-07-17T09:51:00.001-07:00

Baby Spoon has been a bit fussy about eating the past few days. This morning while tickling Punkins, I discovered the reason why -she's cut two more teeth! Her precious little smile revealed a new tooth on each side of her two front teeth. Man, you'd think for every time this happens we'd learn and remember that if she isn't eating it's because she's cutting teeth. Hopefully we'll remember the next time around and save some of the mealtime drama. Let's hear it for the Baby Spoon! Becoming a big girl more and more each day! Our little sweetheart won't be a Baby Spoon for much longer, but we're enjoying the moments that we have with her all the same. -Daddy Spoon.

Dancing to the Groove

2010-07-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

Mommy Spoon and I spent part of the afternoon playing "big steps" with Baby Spoon. We've been encouraging her to walk more often. She's getting really good at it! Take a look for yourself! -Daddy Spoon.

It's Only a Phase

2010-07-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

The past few mornings, Baby Spoon has started to do something new. Whereas we usually spend 30 mins reading books together after she has woken up, Punkins has a new thing that she does instead. What we've been doing now is read books for about 10 mins and then I spend close to 20 minutes helping her to try on all of her shoes. Over her pajamas. It's so silly, but then again I am Papa to a darling little girl.

So it's official. Baby Spoon has begun her obsession with shoes. I would hope this to be a temporary phase -I'd rather she read books over anything else- but I know it will only get worse when she becomes older. -Daddy Spoon.

Another Day at the Office

2010-07-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

Baby Spoon joined Momma on the couch today to hunt through the internet for the best baby outfits and accessories. Looking cute is a full-time job for Babykins, and she makes it look oh so easy! -Daddy Spoon

"But Mom, how am I supposed to log into my blog? I don't know the password."

The Sweetest Thing

2010-07-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks, Baby Spoon's vocabulary has really grown. It's amazing because there are a lot of words and phrases that she uses which constantly surprise us when we listen to her excited baby babbling. And she is definitely a talker! Everyone knows who "Mrs. O" is when we go out and about. She's a little chatterbox.

Part of the fun of it all is hearing things like, "I ate like a big girl!" or "I did it!" and of course there's my personal favorite, "I love you!" My heart melts a little each time she tells me that when I have to leave for work. Honest. It's the sweetest thing I can hear on my way out the door.

Along with her growing English vocabulary, Punkins is learning Portuguese also. I can't wait for her to bring home report cards from kindergarten with notes from her teachers complaining that they can't understand everything she says. Mommy Spoon and I want to see her continue to develop these skills and talents because it's so exciting to watch it happen!

Leave it to my Babykins to be such a little sweetheart. We're happy to be her parents and enjoy all of the joy she brings to our lives. We happily reciprocate by returning that love & joy to her. Our Baby Spoon makes being a Mommy & Daddy the best job ever. :D - Daddy Spoon.

Feel that Groove?

2010-07-09T14:43:00.000-07:00

So Baby Spoon has finally felt that ol' skool groove. She just took a few steps on her own while playing with Mommy Spoon. I was in the other room working (and missed all the action & fun) but I'm excited all the same!
And yes, a month from now I'll be blogging about how I'm tired of running after her everywhere. I know, I know..
I'm still going to enjoy my moment for what it is. :D -Daddy Spoon.

Thirteen

2010-06-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

Today is Baby Spoon's big thirteen month day! Wow, the time just keeps flying by. Not to mention that I've been told repeatedly that tomorrow I'll wake up and Punkins will be starting high school. Or things like that. I hope that isn't the case because I'm having too much fun being a Daddy Spoon right now! Here's a few pictures of us two playing soccer after watching the World Cup today. Enjoy! - Daddy Spoon

Strong Kung Fu

2010-06-17T00:50:00.001-07:00

Here is the video I promised of Baby Spoon using her strong kung fu to feed herself breakfast. Enjoy! - Daddy Spoon.

Amazing Motor Skills

2010-06-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

So one of the great things about Punkins is that she now can use a spoon to feed herself. Our Baby Spoon can use a baby spoon! It's so amazing to both Mommy Spoon and myself. We are beyond impressed and pleased that Babykins has developed her motor skills so well. It's definitely something amazing and we look forward to encouraging more wonderful developments with her in the weeks to come. I'll be posting video of her amazing feat soon, but for now Bunkins is sending her love. Au revoir! -Daddy Spoon.

Breakfast is soooo Good!

2010-06-09T17:33:00.000-07:00

This is a video that I shot the other day of Babykins enjoying the last of her breakfast. The best part about the morning meal was that Punkins insisted on helping to feed herself. So I gave her a spoon of her own and she used it to eat. She did very well too! She understood the basics of putting the spoon into her bowl and using it to get some cereal/oatmeal, and then knew to eat what she had grabbed. She's a bit messy at it, but you can watch this video and see how happy she was with herself! Enjoy! -Daddy Spoon.

Sick little Punkins

2010-06-01T14:17:00.001-07:00

Our poor Baby Spoon was sick last night. Mommy and I were woken up in the middle of the night by our Punkin's cries and found her miserable from a high temperature caused by who knows what. After Mommy comforted her with a bottle, I held Babykins in my lap until she started to fall back asleep.. only to toss her cookies all over me and the floor. Not the best way to solve things, but I'll chalk it up something a good father endures to take care of his precious little princess. When she was done, Bunkins and I hopped into the bathtub for a lukewarm bath/shower. Happily, that made her feel better. So today she and Mommy are staying home. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers, we all appreciate it of course! -Daddy Spoon

Tiny Kisses

2010-05-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy day. I left early for a wedding shoot only to return in time to help Bunkins get ready for bed. We played with some new books I bought for her the other night, only to discover something that melted my heart each time she would do it. Each book teaches colors, numbers or animals, complete with photos to match. So what was it that melted my heart? Our Baby Spoon knows to give tiny kisses to some of the photos that she likes best! It's adorable. I feel like the most fortunate Daddy Spoon ever. :D

A Successful Birthday!

2010-05-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a wonderful time for the Spoon family. We had Punkins 1st birthday party, and it was a smashing success. Mommy Spoon planned out a fantastic day for our precious Tiny Wonder. There was cake, friends, games, presents and lots and lots of fun. I'm so glad that we were able to celebrate in such a grand fashion. I have loads of photos, so I'll be posting a few by tomorrow. Thanks everyone who came by! You helped make our party the best possible!

Baby Steps

2010-05-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Now, I don't want the title of this update to mislead you...

We have been spending a lot of time this week getting things ready for Babykin's first birthday party. While spending some time in the back yard after getting a few finishing touches together for the garden party themed fiesta, Baby Spoon stood on her own without any help. It was great!

We were walking together in the middle of the back yard, her hands clasping my fingers. I slowly pulled my own hands away and was greeted with a cute tiny Bunkins wobbling on her own two legs! And she did it twice!!

Next thing you know, she'll be walking. Perhaps even as early as her party tomorrow. Who knows? We shall see... -Daddy Spoon

Oh, My Daughter

2010-04-25T08:16:00.000-07:00

So Baby Spoon has recently begun to share something in common with Mommy Spoon -they both love sourdough bread. While our Mamacita is able to contain herself around sourdough bread, Babykins can't get enough of it! She loves that stuff. It's like turning on a vacuum in her stomach and watching the bread in front of her disappear. It's too funny.

Anyways, this morning I gave Punkins some pieces of sourdough bread along with her breakfast cereal. I had torn a large slice of sourdough in half, leaving a quarter piece on the table next to us while I spoon fed cereal to our Tiny Wonder, and as she fed herself the tiny torn pieces of the sourdough.

During the course of the meal, I noticed that Babykins was both thirsty and in need of some fluids to help flush down the runny nose she's picked up from cutting two new teeth. So I left her with a tray full of bread and Cheerios and jumped over to the kitchen to fix up a sippy cup with juice. As I was prepping her juice, I heard a tiny and exuberant "I did it!" from the living room.

When I came back to the living room with Bunkin's juice I discovered something that made me chuckle. Our Tiny Wonder had managed to extend her arm far enough to reach the quarter piece of the bread that I had left -at a distance which I had thought out of reach- on the table. She was busy nomming away at the delicious prize she successfully pilfered while I was away. Baby Spoon couldn't have been happier and it was visible all over her bread-crumb-covered face.

Moral of the story? Never underestimate the ingenuity of a child, especially when it comes to tasty food! Mine never ceases to amaze me, that's for sure! -Daddy Spoon.

Ivory Nubs

2010-04-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

So Punkins has been extremely cranky the past few days. This morning she even woke up with a runny nose. And believe you me, it was impossible to get her to eat breakfast this morning.

But guess what Momma Spoon and I discovered tonight? Babykins has two ivory nubs poking through the top of her mouth! Two! As in more than one!

Two teeth! At the same time! I'm more excited than the guy in that dumb Staples commercial. I'm more excited than Bunkins, that's for sure. She isn't enjoying the teething process, but I'm sure she'll love getting to eat new things once they come through.

I'm so pleased with my baby girl. :D -Daddy Spoon.

Kitty Meows Beware!

2010-04-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

This is only a quick little post for today, but I noticed that Punkins is beginning to raise her bottom into the air while she's crawling across the floor. That's a promising sign. She's pushing herself off the floor which means that she'll be walking soon! The only thing that I wonder is if we'll be ready for that...

I know the kitty meows won't be ready, that's for sure! But then, some exercise can do those felines some good... lol. -Daddy Spoon.

Earning my Grass and Dirt Stains

2010-04-10T20:30:00.001-07:00

Today was a very, very fun day! I did all kinds of fun things. This morning I got to go play with our neighbors across the street while Mommy and Daddy were at work. I had too much fun! I crawled everywhere and saw everything! Daddy Spoon picked me up in time for my nap. I had a nice nap.

After that, I got to play outside with Daddy! Hee hee hee, it was the best! I crawled all over the yard and earned a lot of grass stains. I even found pine cones! And dandelions! Daddy says I'm good at pulling the heads off the dandelions. I just wish he wouldn't take them away from me because I keep trying to eat them. They look tasty!

It was windy today too. A blustery day and the sun was out. Daddy took some pictures with his phone of us playing. See how much fun we had? I love playing. Especially when I can play with Mommy or Daddy Spoon. They make it so much fun! Yay!
After play time, I took a bath because I made a mess outside and inside during dinner. Daddy Spoon put me on the trainer potty while he filled the tub with water so I made potty while I waited. I'm such a big girl! Daddy and Mommy are always happy when I do big girl things like that. Hee hee hee, I do too!

And so the best part about bath time was when Mommy Spoon came home at the right moment to see me splash around in the tub! It was fun. Mommy makes sure bath time is the best time. I like it when Mommy helps me play in the tub. I love bath time. I had a fun day full of grass stains and big girl moments. Yay! I'm going to sleep well tonight, that's for sure!

Mommy Spoon's Fun Birthday!

2010-04-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

Today was Mommy Spoon's birthday! We went out to a Japanese steakhouse with Grandma. It was a lot of fun. I ate rice and peas (more, please!) and lima beans. The chef set fire to the food. It was cooooool! And I made a lot of new friends. We all had a good time, hee hee hee! I love my Mommy Spoon. When we arrived back home, Daddy and I gave Mommy a signed birthday card. I wrote, "I love you Mommy!" inside a drawing of my hand. Daddy helped me a little bit. Then Mommy and I played. I have so much fun playing with Mommy! It's the best. Mommy is the best, too. Hee hee hee!

Runaway Baby

2010-03-29T23:34:00.001-07:00

Something fun and new that Baby Spoon has been up to lately is playing a fun game with Mommy called, "Runaway Baby." It usually happens whenever Mommy is drawing water for Babykin's bath time. It doesn't matter if she's clothed or not, our Tiny Wonder will take off like a rocket down the hallway with Mommy chasing after her. Tiny giggles bounce off the walls and echoes down the hall as Mommy calls out "Runaway Baby, Runaway Baby!" Our silly little Bunkins loves this game. As do we. As do we. :D -Daddy Spoon.

Bumps on the Horizon

2010-03-12T07:35:00.001-08:00

Someone cute is really fussy this morning. Mommy Spoon had a difficult time giving our Tiny Wonder her breakfast this morning. So Mommy took a look and discovered some bumps on the top row of Babykin's gums. Bumps! That means teeth! It seems that the cutest smile in the world is about to get even cuter. :D -Daddy Spoon.

Slow Recovery

2010-03-11T20:47:00.000-08:00

The Spoon family was attacked over the weekend by a nasty 48-hour flu bug. Babykins picked it up from one of the other kids at the day care center and passed it onto Mommy Spoon, then to Grandma. This Daddy Spoon has had one busy week taking care of everyone here at home. But everyone is passing through quite well, and I'm glad that things are getting better even if the recovery process is a slow one. I can't wait to have a fully healthy Spoon family again. It will be great to play and have fun with everyone once they are better! -Daddy Spoon.

Smiles on our Faces

2010-03-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

The other day we brought Punkins to the pediatrician because we thought that she had an ear infection. Happily, after the doctor told us that she was fine. And that puts a smile on our faces.

Another thing to be happy about is that Babykins is over 22 lbs. She's definitely getting some weight back after going through a liquid-only diet the other week during her chest cold. That makes us happy too! -Daddy Spoon.

Getting the Potty Started

2010-03-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

So I learned about a big surprise that happened while Mommy Spoon, Babykins and Grandma were down at the coast over the weekend. Baby Spoon made potty! She seemed to be considering making a bank deposit during her bath-time but Mommy was too clever for a certain Tiny Wonder and plunked her onto the toilet instead. Even though Bunkins didn't know what she had done, she was happy about it and clapped her hands with pride. Our little 9 month-old has some serious ambition, doesn't she?

Sweet Dreams

2010-02-25T22:38:00.000-08:00

So today I reset the height for Babykins crib. We've been wanting to drop the mattress a bit because Baby Spoon has grown so much lately. Now there's more room for her to play in her crib and also in her room. After dropping the mattress, I put the crib up against the other wall. And wow, did it open up a lot more space for our Punkins to be able to play in her room. There's still a few things Mommy Spoon and I would like to do to free up more space, but that will be a continuing work in progress. For now, we're happy to know that our Baby Spoon is sleeping peacefully in her revamped room! -Daddy Spoon

Sharing, Oh My!

2010-02-20T19:42:00.000-08:00

So our precious little Babykins has learned a new thing to do. After her meals, when we give her crackers to eat, she has begun to share her crackers with us. It's so cute! She picks up a piece of the cracker and passes it to our mouth in the same manner that we do with her. My oh my, it's wonderful to see her observe and learn these things well enough to repeat them to us without any prompting. What a darling little girl! -Daddy Spoon.

Punkins and smiles

2010-02-18T20:25:00.000-08:00

Well, today is a big day! Our precious lil punkins is 9 months old. Momma Spoon and I are happy to see her progress in all of the tiny wonderful ways that she's done in the past few weeks. From learning to clap her hands to crawling her first few paces, Babykins is truly a tiny little wonder. And we love that about her. -Daddy Spoon.

Aeons ago

2010-02-16T14:22:00.001-08:00

Wow, it's been ages since I've been able to post something about our family. I've been so caught up in the fun of it all that I've forgotten to share it with our wonderful friends and fans. There is a lot of great news to share, and once I can get our photo library in order I will post some cute and funny photos of our precious gem to share with everyone. Until then! -Daddy Spoon.

Morning Surprise

2010-01-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

♬ I looked into Baby's mouth and what did I see?

A toothy grin smiling back at me! ♩

♫ This morning's brought such a nice surprise,

Toothy smiles right before my eyes! ♪

Baby Spoon has cut a tooth! I'm so happy I can't describe it. Our Tiny Wonder is more and more wonderful each day! Oh, how we love her. Each milestone that she reaches is a joy for us to observe and be a part of. What a lovely morning surprise. -Daddy Spoon.

Two-thirds full

2010-01-18T18:06:00.000-08:00

Our Baby Spoon is eight months old today! I'm so blessed to be her father, and Mama Spoon feels the same about being a mother. Our Babykins definitely brings a lot of joy to our lives. Here are some photos of the great and fun things that she does. Moments we are more than happy to share with her. What a wonderful little girl. :D -Daddy Spoon.

A Dubious Milestone

2010-01-14T11:32:00.001-08:00

Well, it finally happened. This morning I was playing on the floor with our adorable Baby Spoon and realized that I needed to add some more logs to the fireplace. In the span of five minutes while I stoked the fire, Babykins managed to roll herself away from the books we had been playing with and over to one of the cat's food bowls. When I looked back, I found her on her tummy with both hands in the bowl and stuffing her face with dry cat food.

As amusing as the sight was, my worst nightmares have finally come true. I've always been uneasy about Miss O finding her way to the cat's things and today was the day she just had to go and do it. Not too thrilled about that. I had to fish out three pieces of kibble from her mouth. She wasn't too thrilled about that either. Her protests rang loud and clear. I hope Baby Spoon doesn't expect the cat and dog food bowls to be an all-you-can-eat buffet. She's going to be disappointed if she does! I just hope for now we can keep Babykins away from the food she isn't supposed to eat. She's much cuter when her face is covered in baby food. Much, much cuter! -Daddy Spoon

Singing in the Mirror

2009-12-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

It's taken me awhile to find time to post new videos of the Spoon family onto youtube, but this is one of my favorites. The other day, Babykins discovered the mirror on her Einstein jumper and spent half an hour singing to herself. I was pleased to get some of it caught on video. Take a look! -Daddy Spoon.

Can't Hold No One Back

2009-12-01T22:47:00.000-08:00

There are times where I wish that I could post audio onto this blog, because this Daddy Spoon was lucky enough to record his precious daughter singing to her heart's content yesterday. I made sure to add it to a photo text (below) that I sent to my entire family. They loved it.

Here are a few of the pics from my camera phone since yesterday. Using it is a little easier than my actual camera because Babykins has started blinking in response to the camera flash. And that has ruined scores and scores of photos within the past two weeks. But I'm patient. I know to snap away until I can get the photo I want!

Even though the resolution isn't that great, you can see two new developments in the realm of the Spoons. One is that our Punkins can now hold her bottle on her own (we love it!) and Two is that when lunchtime has carrots on the menu, it can be a dangerous experience for her poor bib! But like I said, we love it. We're very happy and pleased for all the ways our Baby Spoon is growing and developing. We work hard to take good care of her! -Daddy Spoon.

Deconstructivism

2009-11-30T10:31:00.001-08:00

Ophelia has now entered her deconstructionist phase. She's become very good at wardrobe decontruction and is also a strong critic of graphic design print ads. Which means she crumples up the ones she dislikes. And also the ones she likes too. It's super cute! We love watching her grow and explore and learn. Too much fun! -Daddy Spoon.

A Day of Thanks

2009-11-27T17:21:00.000-08:00

Wow, I had such a great time yesterday for Thanksgiving. Mommy and Daddy Spoon took me over to cousin Sheryll's house to celebrate the holiday. I had a great time and got to eat some turkey dinner too! I didn't like it as much as my sweet potatoes or carrots, but I ate it up and had a good time taking a nap in Mommy's arms. I love falling asleep there. Mommy is the best! I am thankful for my Mommy and Daddy. They take good care of me. I am thankful for all of my family. I love them, and I know they love me!

A Fire Going

2009-11-25T23:28:00.000-08:00

Today I wanted to post up some cute pictures of our adorable little Spoon, just to show how cute she is at what she does. From hanging with Mommy Spoon and also nomming on her new bib to waking up in the morning and even getting caught chatting away on my phone, these photos go to show this Baby Spoon has a personality all of her own! -Daddy Spoon.

Call of Duty

2009-11-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

So after last week's quasi-emergency with being constipated -you don't really want to know the details- Baby Spoon seems to have been awakened to a new sense of duty with her vendetta of old. Here are the particulars of a conversation this morning between Mommy Spoon and myself:

Daddy Spoon: "O filled her diaper massive! It was like she was trying to bury China or something... it was that much."
Mommy Spoon: "Oh... WOW... How is that possible? She has been making 3 or more dirty diapers a day..."
Daddy Spoon: "You forget about her vendetta..."
Mommy Spoon: "Ha ha ha ha..."

So now our Baby Spoon is again unleashing her wrath on all the poor clean diapers in the house. Be warned. And afraid. Very afraid. Some of those dirty diapers can be a fate worse than death....

Watermelons and Turkeys

2009-11-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

We go in for Baby Spoon's 6th month check-up today. After weeks of speculation and guessing over how big our Little Spoon really is, we will find out today. I can't wait to see how much our little turkey weighs. We think she's about 22 lbs. but the produce scale at the supermarket isn't very reliable when it comes to wiggly-bug babies. We'll find out for certain today! -Daddy Spoon

A Mad Hatter's Party

2009-11-18T22:14:00.000-08:00

Yay, I'm six months old today! I'm so excited because Mommy and Daddy Spoon threw a small un-birthday party for me. I even had presents to open! And a card to read! The card was from Mommy and Daddy and read, "Happy 6th month Un-birthday! We're so lucky to have you in our lives. With much love, Mommy and Daddy."

And after that, I got to rip and tear! I now have a cute new pair of jeans and a shirt that says, "My heart belongs to Mommy." But if you want to know, I had more fun tearing the wrapping paper to pieces. Don't believe me? Take a look!

It wasn't me

2009-11-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

I don't know who they think did it, but it wasn't me. I didn't do it. I'm too cute to have done it. And why would I even think about doing something like that? I can barely stand the thought. Not me. I was raised properly by my parents. I know better. Yes, I do. I know what the stakes are. Who do they think I am? I'm not your run-of-the-mill debutante who does things and expects Daddy to pay for it all with a credit card, I'm a polite and well-mannered young woman. So if that is the case -and I plead my innocence- then why am I behind bars? Huh? You tell them, because I've said it one too many times already: It wasn't me.

As Things Stand

2009-11-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Well, sadly, the Spoon family is under the weather this weekend. We're all battling either a cold or a fever. This isn't the way we wanted to spend our Saturday because we had plans to go to Bellingham tomorrow and visit some close friends. Unfortunately, these Spoons have to stay home tomorrow and recuperate.

Onto glad and happy news, our Baby Spoon is standing on her own! She's been doing it here and there -and with something to support herself with- and we're very pleased about how well our Babykins is progressing. She's a very strong, healthy and happy little girl. And now that she is standing on her own we're only left to wonder what achievements she will accomplish next. -Daddy Spoon.

Bolt (the kitty-cat)

2009-11-12T22:15:00.001-08:00

Another big day today! Ophelia rolled over four times today! We are so excited for her. She rolled from her belly onto her back during tummy time this morning. It's the most that she's ever done anything like this during tummy time. That means that she'll keep this up and soon roll all over the room. The cats better watch out! Her iron-grip fist will soon send them running whenever she gets nearby. Hahahaha, the kitties won't know what to do. Except run.

Paying it Forward

2009-11-06T04:15:00.000-08:00

We did something very nice for another family the other day. One of the girls that Mommy Spoon works with has a daughter a few months younger than our Baby Spoon, and her oldest daughter accidentally put crayons through the wash and ruined all of the baby clothes. We Spoons were more than happy to go through Babykin's old clothes and separate selected outfits to give to Jasmine and her family. We had received a similar gift early on when our family had just begun from the ladies in my church, so I feel it's more than appropriate that we help another family in similar fashion. It's nice to pay things forward and continually help other people. In that small way, we're able to help change the world around us. -Daddy Spoon.

Smashing (well, carving) Pumpkins

2009-10-29T03:46:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot going on within the Spoon family lately. First of all, our Baby Spoon is getting bigger and bigger each day. We're guessing that she is now 20 lbs. and 28 inches tall. We won't know for certain until we go into the doctor's for her 6 month check-up -next month. We can only wonder how big she'll be by then.

One thing that our Babykins is able to do by herself now is hold her bottle with both hands while she's eating. Her arm strength is improving and she enjoys tummy time more than she used to. All that hard work is definitely showing now, since she can hold her own bottle to eat. Though not for very long. I was just changing her diaper -before her middle of the night feeding- and since she was crying so much I gave Babykins her bottle and let her hold onto it to eat while I finished working on changing her diaper. To my surprise and pleasure, she held up the bottle on her own long enough for me to do what I needed to do with her dirty diaper. And then she held up her bottle for a few minutes after that. I was very pleased about that. :D

And then we can't forget about smashing, er, carving pumpkins! Mommy Spoon, Baby Spoon and I had a fun time last night slicing up the pumpkins we got at the u-pick pumpkin patch the other week. We had two tiny, baby pumpkins, a medium orange pumpkin, a white pumpkin and a large, green pumpkin with warts all over it. Both Mommy Spoon and I took plenty of pictures! Since we started carving after dinner, Baby Spoon only had enough energy to help us carve her pumpkins. They are the eyes to the medium orange pumpkin. After she went to bed, I carved the white pumpkin -the green pumpkin with warts will get carved up later, probably Friday- and Mommy Spoon finished taking pictures of all of the fun!

Don't you think we have the best pumpkins? Baby Spoon sure thinks we do! She thinks they look sooooo spooky! She loves them. Mommy Spoon and I do too! -Daddy Spoon.

1-2-3-4-5!

2009-10-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm five months old today! Wow, I feel so accomplished. :D I'm a big girl now. I can do all kinds of things now. I can stand up (with Mommy or Daddy Spoon's help), I can sit up (when I'm propped up in Mommy or Daddy Spoon's lap) and I can sing and coo them awake in the morning (I don't need any help for that, hee hee hee). I'm such a good singer. Daddy Spoon loves to hear me sing. So does Mommy Spoon. And I love to sing for them! I love my Mommy and Daddy. They take such good care of me. Yay!

Unca J, Auntie Jet and Cousin AJ

2009-10-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

Yay! Yesterday my cousin AJ came over to visit. I have too much fun when he is around. I like my cousin. It's always fun to see Unca J and Auntie Jet too. They like to pass me back and forth and figure out which of them can make me cry first. I like crying when I'm with Auntie Jet. Hee hee hee, don't tell her. It's a secret. I like to mess with her because she's too nice. It's too easy! Hee hee hee.

One of the fun things that AJ and I did was play together. He's sooo much fun to play with. Daddy Spoon took pictures while we were playing. I showed AJ some of the sweet moves I've learned while watching Miami Dolphin football games with Daddy. My stiff-arm is pretty good, don't you think? I also helped myself to some of AJ's bib. Well, AJ told me he didn't mind sharing. You can totally see how happy he is to let me take his bib. Can't you? Hee hee hee.

Unca J and Auntie Jet are a lot of fun. I like it when they come over with AJ. He is such a cool little guy. We all have too much fun together. We're a nice group, don't you think? I can't wait for the next time they come over. I'll have to practice more football moves for when they do!

Not a Single Dry Eye

2009-10-01T04:53:00.000-07:00

I love my daughter. She is such a joy to my life, and being a father is an amazing experience. I'm thankful that I can be involved in her tiny, precious life.

Not everyone receives the same blessings though. Through friends down in Florida, I know of a family whose baby daughter is fighting a battle against a cancerous growth along her trachea. They have a group on Facebook for their daughter, Praying for Zara Marie Sanchez, so that people can add their prayers towards to healthy recovery of a beautiful baby.

They also have a video of baby Zara online, and every time I watch I'm unable to keep a single eye dry. I hope that you will keep Zara and family in your prayers, as I consider it a privilege for me to be able to do so. -Daddy Spoon.

Zara @ Hospital from www.MyVideoandPhotos.com on Vimeo.

Cousin Invasion!

2009-09-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

It's an invasion of the cousins! Hee hee hee, we're on all a photo together. Nonna Spoon sent this to Daddy and I get to share it with you. Look at all of us! We're such happy cousins! I can't wait to meet my boy cousins and get to play with them. We'll drool on everything and make people fall in love with how cute we are. It will be so much fun! Hee hee hee!

More Entertaining than TV

2009-09-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

Daddy Spoon is so funny. He says that I am more entertaining than the TV. I don't know what this TV thing is, but I like that I'm better than it at making my Daddy happy.

I had such a fun day today. I went with Mommy and Daddy Spoon on a long car ride this morning. Moo Cow and I had the most serious of conversations. It was whether ruffles looked better in purple or pink. I spent a lot of time convincing Moo Cow that purple ruffles are better. Why purple? Well, I'm wearing purple today, silly! It took me so long that fell asleep and when I woke up I wasn't in the car anymore!

Daddy and I have had a good time together today. We played in all kinds of places and did all kinds of fun stuff. I got to go for walks and play on my freshly washed play quilt and even help Daddy stack some firewood. (I supervised) I've made sure to make all kinds of cute noises for Daddy and he loves it. I think that is why he says I'm more entertaining than TV. And with compliments like that, I know my hard work is very much appreciated. And with pictures like these, you know I'm definitely loved! :D

Four Months and First Nicknames

2009-09-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

So it's a little known fact that our first nickname for Babykins was "Truffle Shuffle" and was earned after her first ultrasound appointment. Since we didn't know her gender at that time, and given that she was a full pound heavier than most in utero babies at that stage in development, -plus there's the fact that I love the Goonies- we gave her the short-used nickname "Truffle Shuffle" which turned out to be a good call on my part since Ophelia was 9 pounds, 9.6 ounces at birth. We've since moved onto cuter and more punkin ba-bunkin-appropriate nicknames, but now that we've passed the four-month milestone for our precious Baby Spoon, I wanted to post a video to the namesake of her first nickname.
Jerk alert. It's Chunk:

Four is a Good Number to Reach

2009-09-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

I'm four months old today! Yay! I keep getting bigger and bigger. Hee hee hee, I'm so big nowadays Daddy Spoon has started to do exercises for his arm strength. Why? Because I'm a heavy little bowling ball, they tell me. I don't know what a bowling ball is but I'll take the compliment. Hee hee hee. I'm so happy to be so big! I'm already playing in my jumper-bouncer and rolling from side to side and singing along with Daddy Spoon when he puts me to sleep at night. I'm doing great for four months. And four months is a third of a year. I wonder what fun things I'll be doing then. We'll have to see won't we?

the Patriot

2009-09-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago, I remember where I was during the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. I was a missionary for the LDS church, working in Recife, Pernambuco -one of the northeastern regions of Brazil. The most that I saw that day was quick news clips of the planes entering the World Trade Centers followed by rapid commentary in Portuguese -which I didn't understand too well at that point. The confusion and anger that came from those attacks only served to heighten the love I have for my country.

Eight years later, I understand all too well what Patriotism means to me. I love my country and abhor the type of hatred that led to the loss of so many lives on that day and since. Today I am blessed with a young daughter who thankfully will never have to experience the horror of 9/11, but I plan to raise her with a love for both her country and the history of this nation. I may not be able to teach her much, but she can learn by example. That is the best teaching tool of all. -Daddy Spoon.

Definitely a Big Girl Now

2009-09-10T23:58:00.001-07:00

Our little punkin ba-bunkin is growing up so fast! She's been going on play dates with Grandma Spoon and friends of the family during the times that Mommy Spoon and I are both at work. Everyone tells us that our Baby Spoon is so well-behaved while we are away. I feel blessed to have such a wonderful daughter.

As much as we'd love for one of us to be able to watch Babykins daily, we are thankful to have the support of family and friends while we are both working. And the plus side is that Miss O. gets to share her infectious joy with everyone else that she spends time with. We love her for that and look forward to sharing more wonderful moments with her. After all, she is the punkin ba-bunkin who always steals the show! Here she is going on her first full-day play date while Mommy and I were both at work. We love her so much. :D -Daddy Spoon.

Being a Big Girl

2009-09-09T17:39:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy whenever Daddy Spoon or Mommy Spoon let me take big naps in the afternoon. I get so happy because they always make me a big bottle and have it ready for when I wake up! I like eating. Lately, I've been able to almost hold my bottle too! See? I like becoming a big girl! hee hee hee!

Playtime is the Best Time

2009-09-02T22:38:00.001-07:00

So our little Baby Spoon is keeping up her ambitious growth spurt. She weighs well over 16 pounds now, and is 25 inches tall. On top of that she's teething and it seems that she might pop at least two teeth on her first try. We are thankful for teething tablets and baby orajel! It has relieved a lot of stress for both of the Spoon parents.

Aside from the growing pains, Babykins is one lovable, happy little baby. She's really developing her personality right now. Her face lights up whenever Mommy Spoon, Grandma or I play with her. And we all agree: playtime is the best time. -Daddy Spoon.

In the dumps

2009-08-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

Teething sucks. Let's get this over with already.

Who is this guy?

2009-08-26T08:54:00.001-07:00

Yay, Daddy's head is still here! He cut off his hair yesterday and it didn't float away. I was asleep when he did it, so I had no idea who the guy that sounded and kinda looked like my Daddy was. It took me awhile, but I realized it was him. Especially when I saw his ponytail in a baggie. Daddy is going to donate it to charity. Yay! Now I have a new Daddy Spoon to play with. Hee hee hee, it will be so much more fun. I can't wait to find new ways to "get" Daddy, since pulling his hair isn't an option anymore. Hmmm, what can I do now? Well I can always still tag his shirts with spit-up...

The Baby Spoon School of Fashion Critique

2009-08-22T13:06:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if I should be amused in the manner that my daughter critiques the t-shirts I wear. Each day, I go through several of them. Not by my design, but hers. It boils down to one reason: spit-up. My left shoulder is going to reek of baby vomit for the next decade, I fear. Yet there is a silver lining to this cloud. I think I've figured out my aspiring fashion elitist daughter's method to convincing me that the shirt I have on is not up to her standards. It's simple, really. If I'm wearing a shirt that she doesn't like, she vomits on it. So I think the only way to determine which shirts are approved by the "Baby Spoon School of Fashion Critique" is by applying the scientific method and catalog the shirts that escape the punkin ba-bunkin hazing. Armed with a list of what shirts are approved, I should be safe of the fashion wrath of my adorable little critic. That's the working theory for right now, at least. Wish me luck! -Daddy Spoon.

Pool Time and Candy Canes

2009-08-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

I Have had such a fun week! Hee hee hee, Mommy and Daddy Spoon are the best. They take such good care of me.

We went to the pool the other day! It was a lot of fun. I got to practice my floating and kicking. I kinda like this swimming thing. It's especially fun when Daddy and I play tag with Mommy. Hee hee hee, I tried my best -and Daddy helped- to stay away from Mommy but she kept getting me! I'll have to work on that "running away" thing Mommy was talking about. But oh, we had so much fun. We were all giggling and having a great time.

It was so funny last night. Since I'm too big for some of my clothes, Mommy picked out a new pair of jam-jams for me to sleep in and you know what? I looked like a big candy cane! Hee hee hee, I was the cutest candy cane ever. You better believe it. When Daddy Spoon brought me out into the living room everyone agreed that I was such a cute candy cane. I like being the cute one.

Now today is the day that Daddy Spoon is going to cut his hair. All off! All of it! Daddy says that he wants to have it turned into a wig for me since I'm so big. Mommy thinks that is silly. Me? I don't know what to think! Daddy Spoon will look so different! Will he be the same Daddy if he looks different? What if he gets replaced with a pod person? How will I know? Or what if his head gets so light from not having any hair that it floats away like a balloon? What will I do? What will Mommy do? I hope we don't have to chase down Daddy's head when it floats away... Oh, I sure hope his head stays put where it is supposed to be.

Three Months and Loving It!

2009-08-18T23:47:00.001-07:00

So our Baby Spoon hit the 3-month mark today. What a milestone! (haha, I wonder what I'll be saying at 6 months) It does seem like such a long time ago that we welcomed her into our lives. We've been loving every moment since. Mommy Spoon learned today that our little gemstone is already big enough to start wearing 9 month-old clothing. Can you believe that?!? At three months. I definitely called it last month after her 2-month check-up that our Babykins is an overachiever. At this rate, she'll be chasing the cats around the house in 3-4 months.. Hahah, we'll see! -Daddy Spoon

Fingers and Colors

2009-08-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yay! I've been discovering fingers and colors lately. I'm happy for that. It means that I am going to be a big girl. Hee hee hee, I am a big girl already! Mommy and Daddy Spoon had to upgrade me to 6 month-old clothing this past week, plus upgrade my diapers to stage 3. I'm just too big for the smaller stuff! I'm happily growing and having a great time doing it!

Part of the fun of getting bigger is discovering things. I was at the store with Mommy and Grandma Spoon the other day and they put me in a red shopping cart. How do I know it was red? Well, I'm not sure. I don't know what colors are what yet. But I could see the color red on that shopping cart. It was one of the most mesmerizing things ever. I couldn't stop looking at it! I love the color red now. :D

Playing with Mommy and Daddy is even more fun now too, because I've discovered my fingers. I like putting them in my mouth. Especially my thumb. Everytime I do that, Mommy or Daddy scramble to find a pacifier for me. I don't understand why they keep switching my thumb for the pacifier. I have my thumb right here with me, the pacifier always becomes an archaeological expedition to uncover wherever I left it last. (You think they would get the hint eventually)

Anyways, I have my own ideas about what to do with those pesky pacifiers.

Hee hee hee! See? :D

Preparing for Winter

2009-08-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today we spent the day splitting firewood. It was fun! All of us Spoons -Daddy, Mommy, Grandma and me!- were busy and hard at work. Hee hee hee, I got to supervise everything. You can call me "Supervisor Opal." I'm glad to say that everyone's efforts met my approval. I didn't have to "fire" anyone. Hee hee hee. Get it? I'm so clever with wordplay. Right now we're taking a break to eat lunch and rest. Daddy made his famous garlic chicken hummus wraps for lunch, and I had a bottle to eat. Mmmm, yum! Soon we'll go back outside and take care of the rest of the wood. Someday I'll be big enough to help and get involved! Just you wait. I'll be walking before you know it! I can't wait!

Chillin Out in the 103º

2009-07-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

Wowie!!! Today was a hot day. It reached over 100º this afternoon. The recorded high was 103º and so Mommy Spoon decided to take me swimming. Here is a quick video of me enjoying some pool time. Whee hee hee! I love swimming and pool time. It's almost as much fun as bath time. Next time I'll have to go swimming with Daddy Spoon. It will be too much fun!

Contagion

2009-07-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

This is for Auntie Em. And Grant and Sarah. Because, as they say, babies are like rabies: contagious!!!

Hee hee hee, Mommy Spoon was even able to get a picture of the Babykins "foaming at the mouth." She's only blowing bubbles. It's one of the new things she does when she's happy. Our little Baby Spoon makes the cutest faces. :D -Daddy Spoon

Rocknrolla

2009-07-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

So Daddy Spoon has been playing with me today. We played outside, took a look at our garden, and did some tummy time! I like playing with Daddy Spoon. He makes the best faces. He always knows how to make me smile -and I like smiling for my Daddy!

Daddy even shot a video of me in my swing. I like spending time in there. It's comfy and plays nice music and noises for me to relax to. I even fall asleep in it! A lot! Though I didn't fall asleep in my swing during the video. Nope, nope, nope. I had a performance to make for my Nonna and Grandpa back in Kentucky. Take a look:

Hee hee hee. I like playtime with Daddy Spoon. But not as much as with Mommy! Hee hee hee! She's the best. I like playing with her too!

Hit Me with Your Best Shot

2009-07-24T17:51:00.001-07:00

Ooooh, Barracuda! Ok, I know I'm mixing classic rock hits by different bands, but our feisty little Spoon has done it again. She's been quite the busy little girl today. Four wardrobe changes, two for Mommy Spoon, one for Daddy. I guess you could say that this day is just one of those kind of days. See for yourself:

And did you know that Heart is from Seattle? I just found that out. You learn something new every day. :D

The Vengeance Continues

2009-07-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, our Baby Spoon is still executing her wrath upon the poor, underprivileged clean diaper population of the world. She had an explosion a short while ago.

I'd post more, but we have a load of laundry to start. -Daddy Spoon.

My Two Month Check Up

2009-07-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

I am a big girl! Hee hee hee. I went in for my two month checkup today. Hee hee hee, I proved to Mommy and Daddy Spoon that I'm an ambitious little Babykins. I weigh 14 pounds now! Plus half an ounce. I'm also 2 feet and a quarter inch tall! Yes indeed I am a big girl!

These new stats put me in the 90th-96th percentile for babies my age. I'm not sure what that means, but Mommy and Daddy are sure happy about it. Our doctor is too. He says that I'll be a tall Spoon when I get older. Apparently, babies grow into their head circumference. My big noggin is what makes him think I'll be 5'11" or so when I'm older. Hee hee hee, I have no problem with that. Nope, nope.

Daddy Spoon and Mommy Spoon took a lot of pictures and even some video while I was there. You can see all of it below. I didn't know why at first. But I was having a good time. Working my legs with Daddy and being a wiggly-squiggly bug. But then I got my shots! Ouch, ouch, owie! The nurse stuck me in the legs! Three times! Owie! It hurt, and I cried. But Daddy was there to hold me and make me feel better. Then I got my first band-aids. Mommy put a bottle together for me too. And I know better than to complain when food is around!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have another bottle to conquer and diaper to destroy. Hee hee hee...

Worth Making Faces About

2009-07-21T15:01:00.001-07:00

Well I've been having tons of time with Mommy Spoon but I haven't seen my Dadd-E lately. He's been busy working on a remote project with another photographer down in Miami. I don't understand this technology stuff. I can't even figure out how I manage to post these blog entries. I guess that's why Mommy and Daddy Spoon tell everyone that I'm a smart baby!

So Daddy has been putting in long hours this week. I can't wait to play with him again, I have been saving my best faces (and dirty diapers) for when Daddy Spoon gets finished with this project. Hee hee hee! It's definitely something to make faces about!

Not About the Drama

2009-07-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hee hee hee, Mommy Spoon is silly. She says that I'm a drooling queen. Not a drama queen. I just want to figure out this whole teething thing. I don't want to be all drooly. It's bad for my image! And I can't have that, because I'm not about the drama. I like being a happy Baby Spoon.

Today is the day that I am two months old! Yay! I am a big Baby Spoon. Daddy Spoon thinks that I weigh 13 pounds already. I don't know, but my clothes are getting too tiny for me! Mommy is already putting me into clothing for a 6-month old! Watch out, people! I'm gonna take over the world with my cuteness.
Here I am playing on Daddy Spoon's tummy. Sometimes we have tummy time together. Daddy will put me on his belly, and I'll wiggle and squiggle all over the place. I wonder if that is why Mommy and Daddy call me a Wiggly-Squiggly Bug? I guess it is.

Today was a busy day for me. I was a very social Baby Spoon. I went to two birthday parties! One for my Auntie Jeanette and the other for Mommy and Daddy's friend Grant. The parties were fun! They were outside, and I got to meet a lot of people and watch the leaves blow in the trees from the wind. Plus I was universally adored by everyone. I do steal the show, because that is what this Baby Spoon does best!

The Fourth is with us

2009-07-05T17:06:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a fantastic holiday. We went to visit relatives on Mommy Spoon's side of the family. There was a lot of good food, fun games and great fireworks. Sadly, we missed the extended Spoon family in Kentucky and wish we could have spent part of the day with them too. To make up for that, we shot a lot of video yesterday. So here they are! The Spoon family celebrating Independence Day. And yes, the Fourth was with us. -Daddy Spoon

Happy Birthday United States!

2009-07-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

Yay! Today is the birthday of the United States! I am so excited. I don't get to celebrate too many birthdays for countries, ya know. So today Mommy Spoon dressed me in a new outfit that our neighbors, the Mantzkes, gave us the other day. It is very patriotic. Daddy Spoon could not resist setting up a photo shoot with me. I think he likes taking pictures of me, don't you? Hee hee hee, I love my Daddy and Mommy Spoon. They take good care of me. So I don't mind giving them great photos like this one.
Happy birthday, United States! I'm off to go celebrate the holiday with relatives. Watch me steal the spotlight! Hee hee hee! You know I will!

Zombie Apocalypse a No-Go

2009-07-03T23:13:00.000-07:00

Sadly, we didn't make it to the Zombie Walk tonight. I personally was excited for the trip, but we were delayed by a hungry baby and we weren't able to go. Our little Baby Spoon has been on a feeding frenzy the past few days. Instead of every three hours, she's been hungry every two. We suspect that she is going through her 6-week growth spurt. She's certainly heavy enough for it! Babykins is weighing in at 12 lbs. and advancing on to her cousin Max's weight of 16 pounds. Look out Max, you've got some competition and her name is Ophelia!!! -Daddy Spoon

Attaq of teh Zombehs

2009-07-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hee hee hee, tonight Daddy and Mommy Spoon are going to take me up to Fremont for a zombie walk. I don't know what a zombie is, but I bet I'll be the cutest one there! Daddy and Mommy will be my zombie entourage. We'll have a legion of fans. Who can resist my zombie cuteness?

Are you ready for this? Hee hee hee, I don't think so!

Birthdays are the Best

2009-06-12T18:54:00.001-07:00

Hee hee hee, it was Daddy Spoon's birthday yesterday. We had a lot of fun celebrating his birthday. Mommy, Grandma and I gave Daddy a very nice gift -some new swim trunks. He can't wait to use them! The weather is nice too! :D

One of the other things that we did yesterday was shoot some studio photos for me! Here in the house! Daddy had wanted to do something pretty with the roses from around the house. So Mommy Spoon helped while Daddy took the photos. I think that Daddy and Mommy did a good job with me, don't you think?
Well, I think it's a safe thing to say that I'm one of Daddy's new favorite models. He is a good Daddy! I like how the rose petals are arranged too. I love my Daddy Spoon. He and Mommy take very good care of me! You can see more of the photos by visiting Daddy's blog here.

Last night we ended the day by watching the NBA Finals. Daddy Spoon is doing his best to get me excited about sports. We curled up in front of the TV to watch the Lakers win. The next game is on Sunday. I think I'm going to like this Daddy-Daughter time. Hee hee hee!

Superheroes and Birthdays

2009-06-11T10:29:00.001-07:00

So our little Baby Spoon is dreaming of being a superhero. At least we think so. We often wonder what she dreams about as we watch her sleep. Most people's dreams are an amalgram of various things over their day -like mine a few day's ago after watching the Obama White House special on tv, I dreamt Joe Biden stopped by to change diapers for us. Yet for Babykins, who only sees light and shadow, what does she dream about? It's definitely something interesting to think about.

Onto the topic of birthdays, today is the first birthday Daddy Spoon gets to spend as a father. It's been a happy one so far. I got to cuddle with my wonderful Baby Spoon this morning -someone was being fussy. After a few minutes, she calmed down and started staring off into the corner. When I asked her what she saw, a tiny smile crept over her face. Then Baby Spoon proceeded to fill her diaper. Almost as if she was saying, "Happy Birthday, Dad. There's more where this came from. Just want you to feel included." Oh, don't I ever. :P -Daddy Spoon.

Cuteness can be Hazardous

2009-06-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

Don't let this cute face fool you.

The vendetta continues. With a vengeance.

Tonight Grandma Spoon and the three of us went to the Salish Lodge & Spa. We have had a lovely time, a fantastic dinner (crab, rabbit and prime rib among the three of us, with delicious desserts too) and took in the view of the waterfall. Which just happens to be directly outside our room. Walk onto the balcony and there it is, in all of it's raging glory.

Well, the waterfall has been a bad influence on our Baby Spoon. During her 9 PM feeding time our "Thunder from Down Under" proved exactly why we gave her that nickname. And, boy did she ever prove it. Mommy Spoon counted a total of at least four displays of Baby Spoon's wrath against her Winnie the Pooh diaper. Within ten minutes. On the same diaper.

The carnage was total devastation. Things looked so bad that I couldn't fix the damage with a mere wet wipe. We're talking big, messy and loud. From one side to the other. In all four directions. A whole box of wet wipes wouldn't have corrected the vengeful attack of our Babykins against poor Pooh bear. Poor Pooh bear.... oh, the irony.... (Hurricanes and tornadoes leave less of a mess than our "Thunder from Down Under")

Once again, Daddy Spoon stepped up for the rescue. I had to rush Babykins to the bathroom and run warm tap water to clean up her revenge against Tigger and Pooh. That was the most expedient means to solve the crisis and made me very glad that we hadn't gone out hiking or something. Could you imagine? Dealing with this out in the wilderness is not a pleasant thought.

After a good ten-minute impromptu bath -with a giggling Mommy Spoon busy documenting my "Daddy of the Decade" efforts at cleaning up Babykins- the crisis was averted, the circle of life was restored, the four horsemen of the apocalypse were turned away and we had our smiling and lovable Baby Spoon back.

But don't let that cute smile fool you. The vendetta will continue... -Daddy Spoon.

Bath Time with Spoons

2009-06-06T13:35:00.001-07:00

Another video! Even cuter than the last! :D

In this video, Baby Spoon and Mommy get some quality play time in the most unexpected of places: the bathtub. Daddy Spoon learns there is a steep price to pay for a clean Babykins. Enjoy!

Weight Training & Tummy Time

2009-06-05T22:54:00.001-07:00

So it's a given that we have an adorable Baby Spoon. Right now she is laying on her play mat, listening to Mozart and being mesmerized by some dangling rings. Today at the pediatrician's office we learned that Babykins has surpassed her birth weight. She's 10 lbs. 1.5 oz. and we're very happy about that. The three-hour feeding schedule has worked. If our little Spoon keeps gaining weight like that her boy cousins need to watch out! She'll be bigger than them and they'll be the ones getting picked on by their girl cousin. Be warned boy cousins, be warned...

Inner Tubes and Outer Space

2009-06-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

Hee hee hee, I'm an even bigger Baby Spoon today! Literally. The new diet that the good doctor put me on has helped me regain a lot of weight. Mommy Spoon says that I'm almost too big for her to carry. That makes me happy. I like being a big baby!
I also lost my umby cord. It fell off this morning while I was being a wiggly-squiggly bug. Mommy and Daddy just could not stop taking pictures of me. I feel like a model. :D Anyways, they tell me it will be an innie just like Mommy Spoon's but I think it may become an outie. We'll see. Either way, I now have a belly button!!!
Daddy Spoon likes to teach me the fine art of sticking out your tongue at people. I think I've learned this trick pretty well since the hospital!
And Mommy Spoon couldn't be more excited for my innie belly button. She says we can bond over this common ground and become new BFFs. (What is BFFs? Is that like BBQ? Help a Baby Spoon out here, I'm still learning these things...)
Does this pose make me a model Daddy? I think I've got that disinterested look down pretty well. We just need to work on my wardrobe. Hee hee hee. :D

Charity Never Faileth

2009-05-28T21:47:00.001-07:00

Wow. Talk about unexpected blessings. Earlier tonight, after waking from a late nap, Mommy Spoon called me outside because we had company visiting. Unexpected company, but the best kind. The Relief Society president and her husband had stopped by to say hello and deliver a collection of clothing and baby items gathered from among the sisters at church. Brother and Sister Hill graciously delivered four bags of baby clothing and a box of diapers into our possession. Mommy Spoon and I were very appreciative. The gift was an unanticipated blessing. It was so awesome, and a great example of Christianity at it's finest. We appreciate the Hills and their support.

As scripture says (and in two places mind you) "Charity never faileth." The Spoon family can definitely better appreciate the value and application of that teaching after tonight. -Daddy Spoon

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

2009-05-27T15:57:00.000-07:00

It's a very good thing that I've become so adept at diaper changing over the course of being the 2nd in a family of six. Our little Baby Spoon is becoming notorious for soiling a freshly changed diaper. I fail to see the appeal. Wouldn't it be more sensible to soil a diaper that is already wet? Versus soiling the diaper that replaced the one that was wet? Either way, Babykins has a vendetta against all the clean diapers in the house. I do believe this vendetta will not be fulfilled until all of the clean diapers have been soiled. I will keep everyone informed on the progress of my theory. -Daddy Spoon.

Onslaught is here

2009-05-26T05:00:00.001-07:00

So we want to remind all of Baby Spoon & the Spoon family's fans & friends that we have a Shutterfly account set up for more photos than what we can post here. Please feel free to check it as often as you like, I've included a link to the site on the left side bar of our blog. Thanks again to everyone for their love and support, it means so much to us! -Daddy Spoon

A Tiring Job

2009-05-26T01:36:00.000-07:00

So it's been a week since I was born! Wow, how the time flies. Hee hee hee, I like it out here. Mommy and Daddy Spoon have been taking such good care of me. I'm glad I picked them to be my parents. I knew they would take good care of me. Mommy makes sure that I eat all of my food and that my face is clean when I finish. She is a good Mommy. Daddy stays up with me late at night and plays with me when everyone else is asleep. He is a good Daddy. I love, love, love them so much!
Every time I finish my fantastic lunches, I get very sleepy. Mommy calls it a "food coma" and has told me that I get that problem from Daddy. Daddy Spoon, you need to tell me why I get food comas. I can't be awake and cute for everyone while I'm sound asleep! »»{O.0}«« I guess I'll just have to find a way to be cute even when I'm tired. Hee hee hee!
Even Daddy gets tired. I think it's from all the late night play sessions with me. He's a good Daddy Spoon. Mommy does such a good Mommy job and she gets tired. So our Mommy Spoon needs her power naps and sleepy time as much as I do! Maybe even more. It's a good thing Daddy is around to play with so much! Hee hee hee, he's a scruffy Daddy too. I like finding ways for him to hold me and play with me. Being so cute and cuddly is a tiring job, but someone has to do it!

Parenting at it's Funniest

2009-05-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

So last night our adorable Baby Spoon kept us awake until 7 am. Mommy Spoon and I figured out that the soda she drank at dinner last night was probably the culprit and reason our Babykins stayed up for so long. Guess we'll have to stick to drinking juice again. At least for dinner.

One of the most difficult things for me with those types of nights is being the one who keeps Baby Spoon occupied. It wipes me out. I slept til after lunchtime today (when did I return to the sleep schedule that I had in college?) only to wake up to a crisis situation. Our poor Baby Spoon was fussy, fussy, fussy. Crying her poor head off while Mommy tried to nurse her.

Fortunately, we've learned that Baby Spoon only gets fussy like that while she needs her diaper changed. This time, Mommy clued me in because Babykins had peed on her. So, groggy as can be, I picked up our adorable little Spoon to change her. And oh man, did she need it. Her diaper was a cute, tiny double combo.

Unfortunately, in the middle of changing her diaper -as I'm putting the new diaper on- Babykins had another bowel movement. Which ruined the new diaper I hadn't even begun to put on her. Plus some of her changing pad cover. I couldn't believe it and said to Mommy Spoon, "You've got to be kidding me."

Now I have a poor, crying, fussy Baby Spoon on her pack-n-play changing pad with two soiled diapers and no new ones to put on her. And Mommy Spoon is watching the entire mess from her chair, unable to easily get up and help due to her surgery. So I closed the newly soiled diaper under Baby Spoon and rushed from our room to get some fresh diapers from Babykins' room.

None too soon, I returned with a handful of diapers to our room to a calmer Baby Spoon, who now was sucking on Mommy's thumb. The second soiled diaper was still waiting to be replaced with a fresh one when, to our disbelief, Babykins had another movement. All over everything. Or rather, running over everything. Her diaper, jam-jams and changing pad cover. Poor baby had a statement to make this morning, that's for sure. And it was a messy one.

You can believe me that by that point, Babykins wasn't the only one who had an accident. Mommy Spoon was laughing so hard at the entire mess that she made one of her own. She had to run out of the room because her full bladder had a statement to make also. Admitting this to me as she ran away, I laughed huge belly laughs at Mommy's predicament. Sadly Mommy has less control over herself now because of the surgery, but this was her first accident... couldn't have been at a more hilarious time. I changed Baby Spoon into a new diaper, while Mommy took care of herself. Yes, indeed, this is parenting at it's funniest. -Daddy Spoon

Bath-time is a Wet Time

2009-05-25T00:11:00.000-07:00

Yay! We gave Baby Spoon a bath earlier tonight, and it was so much easier than the one at the hospital. I don't quite know what we did right, but the entire time we were cleaning her Babykins was calm and docile. It made for a much easier effort at giving her a bath. We even used some washcloths and a hooded towel that one of Daddy Spoon's friends sent us. (Thanks again, K!) The inevitable happened though. 20 points to the person that can guess what Baby Spoon did to keep herself warm while Daddy had her in his lap to give her a sponge bath. Yep, indeed. Bath-time is a wet time. -Daddy Spoon

PS- We've posted more pics onto our Shutterfly. Enjoy!

Sesame Street earns some street cred

2009-05-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

We have so many pics to post! Plus funny stories to share. We're working on it. In the meantime, I found this and had to share it! Man, if only Sesame Street and had been like this growing up. I would've actually watched much more than I did... Enjoy! -Daddy Spoon

Bert and Ernie's Gangsta Rap

Exeunt mea familiae

2009-05-21T13:17:00.000-07:00

So today is the day that we go home. The hospital staff has been very nice and patient with us as we learn how to be parent Spoons. We are very appreciative of all that they have done for us. If having a baby depended on how well you were treated by the hospital staff, then we'd absolutely recommend doing so based on how well we have been taken care of here. They all get a rating of 10.

Of course, we have better reasons for being parents. Like this adorable little Baby Spoon. She is so amazing. The way she developed in the womb was perfect, because she can already lift her head and she even tried crawling in her bassinet. Incredible, huh? It's like she wants to be 3 months old instead of 3 days.

Can I just say being a father is awesome? Thanks. Had to share that. Lol.

Understandably, we are excited to leave the hospital. It's been nice to relax and have the nurses help to take care of our Baby Spoon, but now is the time for us to do it on our own. Which we have confidence that we'll be successful in doing. Mommy Spoon and I are a good team. We've proven that between ourselves in the past, and now we can continue to apply that experience with our new family.

The final steps are being taken care of here at the hospital, and we have most of everything packed. We've spent the day receiving additional instructions and tips on how to encourage Baby Spoon to nurse. She can be a feisty one when she gets hungry, but we don't want her to stay hungry. So now that we know a few more tricks, our little Spoon will be on her way to becoming that giant baby that she (and we) wants to be. Plus she'll get to sleep in her own crib. I know us Spoons are excited about that!

Even I am looking forward to getting some sleep in a bed, and not a chair. Here's a cute photo of me passed out last night while trying to get our fussy gem calmed down for a midnight snack. Enjoy! -Daddy Spoon.

Bragging Rights

2009-05-20T19:23:00.000-07:00

So one of the nurses came by earlier today to do a check-up on our Baby Spoon. She's apparently the talk of the nurses' station. Not only has she won over the hearts of all the nurses on the floor with her gentle demeanor and chubby smiles -the charmer that she is- but Opal is the largest baby on the entire floor. Believe you me, I thought we only had family bragging rights... but we have bragging rights in the entire hospital too! I do believe that is called in the internet lingo speak, "For the Win." -Daddy Spoon.