the cat's pajamas

 January 1

Sunroom

My view on most days. I'll take it!

January 2

Bedroom

This is the second half of a 48-hour stretch without Andy. We did pretty well.

January 3

Kitchen

We went to an antique store today and I found Leena's first Christmas present for 2015. Can't wait for her chubby little legs (They aren't that chubby yet so I'm just anticipating.) to toddle around and tug this hippo behind her.

January 4

Bedroom

We didn't go in to this parenting thing with the plan to co-sleep, but there you have it. She seems perfectly happy with the arrangement.

January 5

Sunroom

Giving the cloth diapers a try. I think she might be a little small yet.

January 6

Changing Table

Even though her booties fit a little better now they still might have been a waste of time because she kicks them right off. Oh well. Cute for a photo and definitely cute on her little legs. (See, not chubby.)

January 7

Sunroom

Passed out koala baby ruffle butt and koala papa.

January 8

Living Room

Bundled up in a fuzzy pink bear suit Hazel hand-me-down for a quick outdoor adventure. By adventure I mean, Mom's bored and Dad is across the street splitting wood so we are going to go say hi.

January 9

Sunroom

Power to the people.

January 10

Sunroom

The pig towel from Grandma Dana has become our favorite. Not only for it's adorableness but also for it's absorbency.

January 11

Sunroom

The face of a skeptic. What she has to be skeptical about at this age, I have no idea.

January 12

Sunroom

The big 2 months! And goodness has she grown! 9 lb. 12 oz. now!

January 13

Schemmel House

Real BFF's right here. Shirts don't lie.

January 14

Sunroom

This kid. And those funny bears on her onesie. (I think this is my favorite 0-3 outfit.)

January 15

Sunroom

We spend a lot of time on the couch in the sunroom in this position. Maybe this is Leena saying she's no longer entertained by it.

January 16

Stroller

We have been thankful for these unseasonably warm days when we can go out in our beards and roam the neighborhood.

January 17

Sunroom

Sometimes Leena falls asleep while eating and I can just extract myself and leave her to practice her sleep-planking.

January 18

Ward House

Big night for Leena. It's never too early, right? Not right. We're just using her car seat to hold this gift for Bob. 

January 19

Changing Table

Not the best picture, but I couldn't resist because this is totally something Andy would do. The pose, the face, stick her belly to one side and her booty to the other.

January 20

Lewis Ginter

No springtime flowers yet, but the quiet at the garden is just as nice.

January 21

Kitchen

This was my first day back at work. She was sleeping on Andy when I left. I gave her a kiss, she smiled, and I cried, but only for a minute. When I got home I started making Amy's Red Velvet for Nate's last day at Station 5. Happy for the excuse, sad that he got transferred. And Happy Birthday, Mom!

January 22

Bedroom

When she's out, she's out. From the Ergo to the bed.

January 23

Sunroom

There's a lot going on down there on that play gym.

January 24

Kitchen

Another day well spent with Dad. Andy captured this winner while I was at work. Her face is definitely the highlight, but the washcloth covering her hiney for modesty is pretty close.

January 25

Maymont Nature Center

The Carbonella's are here! They took time out of they're busy schedule to drive down to Richmond to see us! There's nothing better than spending the day with old friends. Wish it could happen more often, that's for sure.

January 26

Bedroom

Isn't she the cat's pajamas? I can't help it. Every time she wears those.

January 27

Crib!!!!!

Ducky came over and before she left she gave us this gift. Leena stayed in her crib until her first night-time feeding. This never works for me.

January 28

Changing Table

Getting ready for our first potluck girl's night out!

January 29

Sunroom

Superman selfie for Auntie and Dad. 

January 30

Sunroom

Hanging out on that play gym some more.

January 31

Sunroom

Andy's new trick for Leena: sitting on the edge of the table. She looks so grown up!

I think it's safe to say this has become the Leena blog. I'm okay with that because I think she's pretty mesmerizing.

the party animal lifestyle of new parents

December 1

Front Yard

Enjoying an unseasonably warm day with a nap outside while Mom and Andy work on the porch.

December 2

Kitchen

No baby is going to slow down my baking! Fish shapes for Bob, axes for Andy, and stars for everyone else.

December 3

Living Room

Father-daughter couch time.

December 4

Living Room

I think our wish of "If we have a girl, she'll have Andy's legs" was heard.

December 5

Living Room

Post-bath baby bird hair.

December 6

VMFA

Our first solo outing. (That's not true. We've gone to the grocery store together.) 

But here we are spending a rainy afternoon with art.

December 7

Leena's Room

The day Leena really started to show her smile. Obviously I ran to get the camera and took about 1 billion photos.

December 8

Living Room

And thus began the quest for the cutest baby photos because once you have a newborn that's really all it's about, right?

December 9

Living Room

Struggles with breastfeeding. Leena's first formula bottle was a little hard on me. But Kiki was very reassuring.

December 10

Sunroom

Another example of the nonstop photo quest. Naked baby in a bread bowl. Obviously.

December 11

Kitchen

A midnight backsplash party. One of the finishing touches for the kitchen!

December 12

Sunroom

One month old, holy cow! (Kiki's latest craft obsession: Numbers for all the newborns in her life.)

December 13

Cyborg Room

Roller gift exchange Christmas crafting. These are air plant vases after phase one (cutting wood blocks) and phase two (sanding them down).

December 14

Kitchen

This requires three photos because it's important to see where we came from sometimes.

Before!

During!

After!

December 15

Kitchen

The finished air plant vases! Ready to be mailed to Beefers in Tucson where they will fit right in with the good energy and desert air.

December 16

Sunroom

Look at that little arm sticking out grabbing Pop's collar.

December 17

Leena's Room

We finally got shelves, pictures, and mobile hung. Leena loves it so much that she sleeps in our bed every night.

December 18

Doctor Office

One month check up. Leena is putting on the pound(and a half)! She's bumped up to 7.8 lbs. and 20 inches!

Decmber 19

Living Room

A Kiki and granddaughters moment. Adah is clearly in love with her Baby Cousin Leena.

December 20

Sunroom

I thought we needed a photo for scale and some day it's going to be crazy to me that her head could fit in my hand.

December 21

Sunroom

Now it just looks like we torment little Leena.

December 22

Kitchen

More Christmas crafting: the scarf I made for Adah.

December 23

Leena's Room

Kiki and Leena. Enough said. Well, maybe not enough. This is Leena's first pair of pants, a very noteworthy occasion. 

December 24

Peterson House

Which stocking is Leena's? Too cute! And the story is that it was Andy's on his very first Christmas.

December 25

Schemmel House

More cousin love. One enjoys it more than the other.

December 26

Sunroom

Our attempt at the perfect family photo. (We will try again, but this is all we have managed so far. This is also my excuse for not sending birth announcements/holiday cards yet...)

December 27

Lewis Ginter

For Christmas we got Mom a photo shoot with her grandkiddos. Here she is putting Leena on top of a fake black bear in front of a giant Christmas tree.

December 28

Terrace Ave.

Andy is hogging the new wood splitter and making Leena and I use the ax.

December 29

Bedroom

Close-up headshot pictures like this are taken every single day, just FYI.

December 30

Italian Restaurant

Dinner out with the whole fam. Grandpa Bud and Leena just hanging.

December 31

Kitchen

Getting Leena all clean and ready for the big New Year celebration where we had the Cronks over for leftovers and Catan. That's the party animal lifestyle of new parents for you. We might have all been in bed by 10:00.