Something is Amiss

We didn't want to say anything yesterday because we were afraid we'd jinx it, but two in a row is worth mentioning. Mackenzie has slept for 10 straight hours for the last two nights. Oddly enough we're more groggy after 8 solid hours of sleep than we have been with 4 or 5.

Multi-Tasking

To some it may not look like much, but our little one is accomplishing several major feats at once. She's awake (and not crying), sucking on a pacifier, and listening to the music from her bouncy chair. Her next trick will be reciting the presidents of the United States in chronological order.

Home Gym

Mom doesn't have a lot of time to go to the gym, but Kenzie curls go a long way toward toning up the arms.

This Baby Bjorn Thing is Pretty Comfortable

Chow Time

We had hoped to get a good shot of Mackenzie in her yellow Ralph Lauren dress but it's tough to tell how cute she is since she's all bunched up. One's eye might also be drawn away by the dashing young man providing her with lunch.

A Visit from Nanny Olga and Uncle Grover

Nanny and Uncle came all the way from Houston to meet Kenzie this weekend. Nanny is already teaching her spanish. We thought Kenzie got bored since she passed out in the middle of the spanish lesson (picture below). But, when I woke her up to change her diaper this morning I could have sworn I heard her utter "como estas?" ever so softly.

Come On In, the Water's Fine!

We've ascertained through Kenzie's numerous fits of rage that she has a particularly large lung capacity, since holding her breath for 10-15 seconds at a time almost comes as second nature to her. At bath time we've begun testing her bouyancy to determine if she might have a future in swimming.

Some might say that watching the Olympics at 4:00am every morning has gone to our heads. We say there's scholarship money available for a good freestyler. Doesn't she look comfortable in the water?

There Ain't Room in This Lap for the Both of Us

Kenzie Test-Drives the Rainforest Bouncer

We're still working on getting these videos to post at the right quality. It's high-def on our computer but Youtube kills it.

An Emotional Rollercoaster

The many faces of a quickly-angering Mackenzie.

Mackenzie and Mom

Hanging Out

Staring Contest

Sunday was an eventful day for Mackenzie as she spent at least 90 seconds intently examining the landscape of my forehead. I can't say I really felt a connection, but I was happy to offer her something to look at.

They Learn So Quickly

We taught Kenzie the universal hand gesture for "call me." She is so committed to learning it that she even practices in her sleep. Here she is showing off for Lindsay.

Fire-Breathing Babies

They're rare, but they do exist. Last week was an interesting one for Kenzie. One might use phrases like "ornery", "irritable," or "mad as hell" to describe her general demeanor. We won't give you a full accounting of her symptoms, but let's just say that she gained significant experience in screaming at the top of her lungs for no apparent reason. A trip to the doctor revealed that she may be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is essentially heartburn.

The theory is that the smooth muscle at the base of her esophagus lacks the coordination to close up shop after a meal, so she essentially spends her days battling intermittent onslaughts of raging heartburn. She's on Zantac (seriously), and we're limiting her intake of alcohol, chocolate, and tomato-based sauces. I think it's our "one cocktail per day" rule that's really got her miffed.

We've yet to see actual fire emanate from her mouth, but we have seen smoke. I'm keeping the camera (and a fire extinguisher) nearby in case she sets the drapes ablaze.

More Excellent Sleeping Technique

Little known fact - babies spend a huge portion of the first two weeks of their lives practicing various sleeping techniques (okay, everyone knows that). Just as in the game of golf, it's all about muscle memory.

We believe Kenzie's aptitude for gravity defying sleeping positions will take her a long way in life. We also have reason to believe that her exposure to Charles C. Ebbets' 1932 photo "Resting on a Girder" (first photo) has influenced some of her more daring sleeping positions (second photo).

Joint Tummy Time with Her Older Brother, Harley

Go On, Take Your Best Shot!

I hear women's boxing is an up-and-coming sport.