Father's Day! David's first, and he graciously played nice and shared by spending the day with
my father et al. in Orange County. We had a picnic at a park on top of Laguna Beach, a walk around Balboa Island, and a whole lot of Jarrah charming the pants off everyone.
Jarrah has some funny new shtick: she shakes her head vigorously whenever you ask her something, even if you know the answer is actually yes: "Would you like a great big ice cream sundae with a cherry on top? No? Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you were indicating no." She also says "Uh-Oh..." in a sing-song voice whenever she drops her bottle, loses a shoe, or watches us trip over the popcorn lawnmower she has strategically laid in our path. Pretty freakin' cute.
Today she had her first boat ride, on the Balboa Peninsula Ferry, and showed her appreciation by throwing a leg over the side multiple times and fighting us off while we desperately clung to her shirt to prevent her leaping into the bay.
She also had her first ride on the carousel, which gave me a little lump in my throat. She looked like such a big girl, sitting ramrod straight on her steed (I had buckled the seat belt deep into her belly flesh), holding the pole with both hands,
and surveying the scenery with studious silence as the contraption spun around in a fashion even I felt was unnecessarily fast. David was snapping photos and didn't get even a suggestion of a smile. When the horses slowed, I was relieved that she hadn't cried, as she'd trembled slightly as the ride progressed and I thought that's where we were heading.
Imagine my surprise when I swept her up in a big hug and proclaimed "All done!" and she stiffened, screamed and struggled so much that David and I both had to hold her down in order to get her into the stroller. Ah, our first real tantrum. What a beautiful Father's Day gift. ;) I guess she really liked the carousel!
Lesson #867 in the baby handbook: When baby is weeping and wringing her hands in the late afternoon after a napless day of constant stimulation and new experiences, it is not just because she is hungry. And you are not going to fix it by stopping at Milton's on the way home for a "relaxing" and "casual" Father's Day supper with the baby in question. Instead, you will end up desperate enough to draw on the tablecloth with the mustard squirt bottle, and spend your whole meal wheedling her to eat tiny bites of everything on the table because most things will be flung aside with a dramatic hand. The moral of the story: drive straight home, stuff sleepy baby with anything edible, and send her to bed. She is not responsible for your weekend plans. File under: "Food and Mood: The Primal Connection." Hope to remember for next time.
Father's Day! David's first, and he graciously played nice and shared by spending the day with my father et al. in Orange County. We had a picnic at a park on top of Laguna Beach, a walk around Balboa Island, and a whole lot of Jarrah charming the pants off everyone.
Jarrah has some funny new shtick: she shakes her head vigorously whenever you ask her something, even if you know the answer is actually yes: "Would you like a great big ice cream sundae with a cherry on top? No? Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you were indicating no." She also says "Uh-Oh..." in a sing-song voice whenever she drops her bottle, loses a shoe, or watches us trip over the popcorn lawnmower she has strategically laid in our path. Pretty freakin' cute.
Today she had her first boat ride, on the Balboa Peninsula Ferry, and showed her appreciation by throwing a leg over the side multiple times and fighting us off while we desperately clung to her shirt to prevent her leaping into the bay. 
She also had her first ride on the carousel, which gave me a little lump in my throat. She looked like such a big girl, sitting ramrod straight on her steed (I had buckled the seat belt deep into her belly flesh), holding the pole with both hands,
and surveying the scenery with studious silence as the contraption spun around in a fashion even I felt was unnecessarily fast. David was snapping photos and didn't get even a suggestion of a smile. When the horses slowed, I was relieved that she hadn't cried, as she'd trembled slightly as the ride progressed and I thought that's where we were heading. 
Imagine my surprise when I swept her up in a big hug and proclaimed "All done!" and she stiffened, screamed and struggled so much that David and I both had to hold her down in order to get her into the stroller. Ah, our first real tantrum. What a beautiful Father's Day gift. ;) I guess she really liked the carousel!
Lesson #867 in the baby handbook: When baby is weeping and wringing her hands in the late afternoon after a napless day of constant stimulation and new experiences, it is not just because she is hungry. And you are not going to fix it by stopping at Milton's on the way home for a "relaxing" and "casual" Father's Day supper with the baby in question. Instead, you will end up desperate enough to draw on the tablecloth with the mustard squirt bottle, and spend your whole meal wheedling her to eat tiny bites of everything on the table because most things will be flung aside with a dramatic hand. The moral of the story: drive straight home, stuff sleepy baby with anything edible, and send her to bed. She is not responsible for your weekend plans. File under: "Food and Mood: The Primal Connection." Hope to remember for next time.
6 comments:
What an incredible photo of beautiful Jarrah gazing over the edge of the boat.
Best, Gail
I was going to post pretty much the same comment as Gail. So lovely is that photo it is worthy of being The Holiday Card Photo.
I really like the photo of Jarrah running toward the camera on the dirt road...
As always, she is simply adorable!
Me too. Looking over the side of the boat gets my vote for the holiday card - fearless girl.
And your description of Jarrah on her noble steed brings visions of a kind and stately queen riding through her throngs of admirers... which clearly includes all of us.
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