Take a Hike!!

Layla is almost a year old! In 11 days from now she will celebrate her 1st Birthday! (I think mommy is in denial.) Layla got an early birthday present...a Kelty Baby Carrier so we can take her hiking and move around with ease at our many festivals. She seems to really love being on daddy's back and checking out all of the scenery. She weighs 18.5 pounds and the pack weighs 8 pounds for a total of 26.5 pounds. It actually feels like it's FIXING daddy's bad back. Who would have thought? Layla is such a kind-hearted soul and loves to tell everyone "HI!" all day long.

"The Glory of True Love" - John Prine

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All You Do To Me Is Talk Talk...
Well, it's been a few months since we have last updated our blog. Layla is growing like crazy and is still in the 90th percentile for height. Her weight is right in the middle which the doctor said is normal because of her massive amount of activity. Denise and I have always considered ourselves active people...but this kid is off the CHART!! I can't believe how busy she has kept us since she began crawling 3 months ago. Everything in this house is already child-proofed and she is being taught that the cat food is not hers to eat. Oh well...kids will be kids. In the past 2 1/2 months since I've last blogged she has learned a gaggle of new things (I've always wanted to use "gaggle" in a sentence...and now I have.) She can crawl as fast as her daddy can run (which is fast...I used to play centerfield), can sneak into trouble with the best of them, and can talk up a storm even if the only coherent words are "CAT", "MAMA", and "DADA". She started daycare back on May 11th and has had 2 colds that she generously passed to the rest of the family and extended family. Ummm...thanks. Daycare has been quite an adjustment for her and she is starting to make some friends. After starting out in the younger kids room for the first 2 weeks, she was moved into the 9 - 18 month old room. That is why she never really settled in until this past week. The teachers give her a lot of extra attention because she is the youngest and still the most cuddly one there.

I have also started a picture website. The link is to the right of this post and it is entitled "Layla's Picture Website".

Here is a video of Layla from April and May. Enjoy!!

"Everybody's Talkin' At Me" - Jimmy Buffett
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Bye, Bye, Baby!!

Layla attended her first opening day at Washoe Little League on Saturday. Daddy's "A" Giants look like they are ready to be champs of the league this year! She plans to attend every game this year because she has become their biggest fan. GO GIANTS!!! (And the San Francisco Giants open the season on Tuesday afternoon...so it's a doubly awesome week!)

"It's Bye, Bye, Baby (The Giants Fight Song)"

Won't you take me to...Shingletown!

Layla has been growing like a WEED! She is currently in the 50th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for height (Over 15 lbs. and 27.5 inches). She is now 7 months old if you can believe that. After her slight gastro problems from her 2nd month to her 5th month, she has finally started eating "solid" foods. She makes faces at apple sauce but still eats it and seems to really like sweet potatoes. At least we think she does. She tried it for the first time tonight and feel asleep midway through her meal. Kind of like dad does.

Here is some video from our trip up to Shingletown, CA at Uncle Joe and Aunt Connie's cabin back in mid-February. Layla was just learning to roll multiple times and had a good time hanging out at the creek in Lassen National Forest."Up On Cripple Creek" --The Band

Ahhhh...Might As Well Jump!

Hey everyone. It's an anxious time around our house right now. Major league pitchers and catcher report to camp in a mere two weeks with Spring Training games to follow a few short weeks after that! Wow...baseball season is upon us once again. Layla is looking forward to her first full baseball season EVER.

Layla attended her first birthday party today. Her cousin Trevor turned 4 and had his party at a Jump/Bounce facility. She had a blast getting to look at all the new people (Trevor's friends and their parents) as well as all the old ones (family). She even got to go down the slide with Daddy...not once...but twice! She seemed to really like it. (One of the pictures looks like she was terrified after but that was only because there was a large group of picture takers right after the slide...but she was laughing and smiling afterwards.) Uncle Kevin thinks she may be a thrill seeker when she grows up. Here are a few pics from the day as well as a new video.

"Jump" - The Mighty Van Halen

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What do you mean I haven't blogged in a while??
Alright...it has been a while. The holidaze were hectic as usual and it was Layla-Bird's first Christmas and New Year's. I will have her Christmas video up by the end of this weekend. Layla just had a checkup with the doctor and here are her stats at 5 months old: She weighs in at 14 lbs. and is 25 inches long. She's not a little tike anymore! As for the video...I put together something I had shot back in October when she was only 2 months old. The video has been sitting on the hard drive and it is some of my favorite. I was finally inspired tonight to use it and here it is. Also, here are some recent pics of Layla from the past month or so...

"Wiser Time" - The Black Crowes

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!