Daddy Giggles

I don't think I related the very first giggle; I don't remember exactly when it came but it's been some weeks. Now, however, I feel compelled to memorialize her special giggles--the giggles that come when Daddy returns home from work. It's not that she never giggles with me, just that her daddy giggles are plentiful and infectious. During the day, we play or she plays, and I think she feels safe, comfortable, cherished. When Daddy comes though, it's a fabulous surprise, and his funny voices, crazy songs, and tickling fingers are so much louder, more animated, and less familiar than my own that Caterpillar Girl erupts in fits of giggles. And that sets us all to giggling. When daddy comes through the door, before I get up to start dinner, we share magical, timeless moments.

Pump Up the Volume

The process of finding her voice has been dramatic. For some time, vocal communication from Caterpillar's Girl's was conducted in high-pitch shrieks. Now she has dropped the pitch and upped the volume and duration. Lengthy yells pepper the afternoons as she plays with toys and sucks on books (reading them is not as fun at the moment).

I Want That

Caterpillar Girl is fascinated with her daddy's tattoos. She stares at the bright colors and tries to pry them off his arms. She grabs them over and over but doesn't seem too upset when she can't get them off. We attended a barbecue for our friend's birthday on Saturday evening, and Caterpillar Girl was equally entranced with a friend's "sleeve" (fully tattooed arm), reaching out from Mommy's arms to grab at the tattoos. Tattoos are exciting, new toys.

Weekend Extravaganza

The weekend started early this past week. First we visited the Andy Warhol exhibit at St. Pete Museum of Fine Arts with Ahpa. I thought the large, colorful images would attract Caterpillar Girl's attention. She loves reaching out and grabbing bright objects, but she wasn't particularly entranced. Perhaps the large size was too abstract for her, or else it was her comment on Warhol's art.

Ahma came into town last Thursday, and Friday we prepared for a picnic in downtown Safety Harbor for Third Fridays. We baked a stuffed alligator (stuffed with spinach, potato, feta, and kalamata olives) and made some devilled eggs.


The music fest was truly entertaining. Fabulous dancers paraded to the beat of drums, which enchanted our little lady. Their highly colorful costumes were reminiscent of dancers in Rio de Janeiro's Carnival. The streets were lined with a variety of vendors, selling goods such as whimsical fairy headdresses, exquisite handmade jewelry, and home-baked dog treats...and the dogs, people had dogs in every size and shape. Caterpillar Girl smiled at all the activity and charmed people passing by. The weather was slightly breezy and less humid than it has been, which made for a pleasant picnic.

On Saturday, we visited Dunedin Fine Art Center to view sawtooth pattern quilts. Incredible skill was on display, but as with Warhol, Caterpillar Girl seemed more interested in the passing people than the color and contrast of quilt patterns.

Simple things

Forget sparkly, crinkly, shiny, new toys...Caterpillar Girl loves printer paper and cloth napkins to wave and crumple in her tiny hands. She reaches for everything and anything, but paper and fabric are the items that really entertain her. Of course, it goes from hand to mouth so blank paper is best. Otherwise she ends up with ink all over her face.

Five-month stats

Height: 25 inches
Weight: 15 pounds on the nose

Of course, last month she was 25.5 inches. Seems a little early in her life for shrinking. :) Just goes to show the measuring tape is only semi-accurate.

Playdate

Caterpillar Girl and I were welcomed into a wonderful group of moms. We went to our first playdate this week. Most of the children were older than her by about a year, and Caterpillar Girl had a blast watching their energetic antics. The older kids were enthralled with her as well, touching her cheeks and hair. There are many members of the group with children of all different ages. They have dates at houses, parks, and shops. We are going to have a lot of fun.

Happy 4th of July!

Not the best of weeks--from our roof springing leaks during the recent storms, our wall soaked and growing mildew, to our friend being admitted to the ICU yesterday. This Independence Day we traded trips to the hospital and staying home with Caterpillar Girl. We took just a moment though to let Caterpillar Girl play in the dirt before enjoying some veggie burgers and grilled corn on the cob. And it was the briefest of moments before the newly hatched mosquito gang descended. This hot, humid, and wet summer is ideal for mosquitoes and not as pleasant for the rest of us. We look forward to next year when we hope to attend the fireworks with friends and family down by the ocean.