The San Francisco Giants can thank Zoe for their big win today as it was her first trip to a baseball game! Picture 75 degree weather with bright blue skies, Zoe in her all-pink Giants uniform, and every person she passes by commenting on how cute she is. Zoe got to meet Renel, the Giants’ PA announcer, got to hang out with Lou Seal, the Giants’ Mascot, and even got a commemerative certificate from the Giants on her first trip to AT&T Park. It certainly was a day to remember and since she probably won’t, we’ll just have to put up a whole bunch of pictures from our fun time. Enjoy, I know we did!

Jon Q

On Our Way:

Chillin in the Mitt:

Hangin in the Stands:

What would Zoe’s face look like if she had just tasted beer?

Look, it’s Barry Bonds right behind me!

Zoe with the Real Lou Seal:

FPO (Family Picture Op):

Seventh Inning Stretch:

Zoe went to take a nap at around 5:30pm and when we went to check on her at 6pm, she had a tiny case of the giggles… Check it out!

Jon Q

When I went and picked up Zoe from daycare the other day, Elena casually commented that Zoe was crawling. “She’s WHAT?” I said, feeling my heartbeat pick up pace and my blood pressure rise. Could it be true? Had Zoe been crawling during her days with Elena? Had Q and I missed out on a major milestone? After a few deep breaths and further probing of Elena, I realized that she was referring to Zoe’s scooting around and rolling – something we have seen much of (and something the books describe as “creeping”). She wasn’t referring, thank goodness, to the traditional crawl (up on the arms and knees), which we haven’t yet seen Zoe do. I felt sweet relief after talking with Elena… But just to be sure, when I got home I plunked Zoe on the floor, put a few toys out of arm’s reach and encouraged her to come to them. She came to them, all right, but in her own way: by rolling and stretching and slowly sliding her stomach across the floor. No crawling = a relieved mom!

I’m all for Zoe reaching milestones – I just want to be there when they happen!

-M

Taking a bath is no longer a new thing for Zoe – but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have fun with it. This morning she was particularly excited to try out some soapy, punk-inspired hairstyles and to munch on her little yellow whale. Check out how much fun she’s having below.

-M

This morning Zoe and I had a little time to play while Mommy took a quick nap. Here are a few cute pics from our time together…

Jon Q

It has been a few days, so I thought I would post some recent pictures of Zoe at play.

Jon Q

Lost in the “Dada” excitement was the fact that we had a fun, action-packed Sunday. Helping our friend Henry celebrate his 3rd birthday at a space-themed party, swinging on a hammock (the newest addition to our backyard), and posing for the camera on oversized chairs were just a few things on the itinerary.

-M

OK, I know she is too young to actually understand what she is saying, but after several months of saying Daddy to her she finally talked back! I guess my Father’s Day present came one week late.

This is the first video we have of her:

Here is one from before bed tonight:

Plenty more to come!

Jon Q

I feel like this past month – the 6-7 month period – has brought the most change in Zoe. She seems to do different things every day now, and it feels like she’s a much older girl than she was just 30 days ago.

Although she’s not crawling, Zoe is a real mover and shaker. (Actually, it’s more accurate to call her a roller and flipper.) Place her on her back on the floor and within a few minutes she’ll be on her stomach on the opposite end of the room. She moves by rolling and sort of scooting on her side; I’m not sure what you call this mode of transportation, but it’s pretty effective. (One of her most impressive accomplishments to date: rolling several feet to her box of toys, propping herself up with her arms, and plucking a toy off the pile.) Also effective: her way of obtaining far-away toys. She recently learned that if she rolls on her side and stretches, she can extend her arm far enough to reach a desire object. She does that a lot.

Zoe now knows how to prop herself up on her arms (a precursor to crawling, I think), and she most often does it when lying in her crib. A common sight around 6:30 each morning: Zoe’s head bobbing up and down as she plays with a musical toy attached to her crib. (She just recently learned to push the buttons, which prompt the music, on her own.)

Zoe is now able to sit up on her own (see below); fall-overs are pretty rare. Other developments: When placed on your lap, she will jump up and down (sometimes very intensely and often making herself look like a frog). She often lifts up her head when lying on her back – kind of like the beginning of a crunch exercise – in an effort to see what’s going on around her. And her grasp on things is incredibly strong. She actually started to slide a full, tall (heavy) glass of ice water across the table recently; luckily we stopped her before she drenched herself (or us).

Zoe still has an extremely healthy appetite; at this point, she’s dined on most of the biggie fruits and vegetables. She’s fond of almost everything except sweet potatoes and squash – but she doesn’t seem to mind when we sneak them in with other foods. Because of her love for food, she’s continuing to gain weight at a healthy clip; at her last visit she was just about 17 lbs.

Like most babies of this age, Zoe coos and babbles and giggles a lot. One recent night she started laughing for no apparent reason (I was just changing her into pajamas), which was fun to see. As Elena, her babysitter, often comments, “Zoe is always so happy!” And nothing makes me and Q happier that that’s the case!

-M