Dmitry Knows Best!

2010-01-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

Looks aren't everything . . . but hey, they don't hurt!

2009-09-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

Listening to Van Halen (Hagar, but she'll learn . . .). And yes, we are clothing our child in vegan propaganda. Whatcha gonna do about it?

Below is her impression of the big inflatable gorilla on top of the Thrifty gas station at University & Bancroft. That gorilla has been gone for months, but she still looks for it when we come off the freeway, and if you yell "Lunaaaaa!" the way Cindy used to do when we saw it, she'll throw her arms in the air gorilla-style!

Aye . . . sea turtles.

I like this picture, except that it looks like she's showing off a tongue piercing. Of course, by the time she's old enough for that, some even more obnoxious trend will surely have taken its place. Sigh . . .

Okay! Whatever it is, I'll do it!

Shoes

2009-09-04T21:34:00.001-07:00

Yeah, Luna reeeeally likes shoes. What a cliché, eh? Of course, wearing them on her hands is a nice twist.

Remember when you used to put on Earth Wind & Fire and a pair of size 12 flip-flop bracelets and dance around? Those were the days.

She doesn't seem to mind hats, either.

I swear she just does this. We didn't send her to pageant camp or anything. (That's next summer.)

So Many Pictures--Where to Begin?

2009-09-04T21:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the last post was supposed to be immediately followed by Part 2, etc., but I got so annoyed trying to drag the pictures where I wanted them that I had to take a summer blog vacation.

But I can't deny the clamoring public anymore. Bring on the cute Luna pictures!

What Has Luna Been Up To? (Part 1)

2009-06-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

Let's see . . . She still loves gardening:

But she also likes watching big clods of dirt fly (while wearing her pretty pink dress)!

Happy Birthday, Luna!

2009-04-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

Luna is a year old today! Yes, already . . .

In the morning, Cindy made French toast, and Luna had her first taste of the Nectar of the Gods (a.k.a. pure maple syrup). Then, she went with Cindy and Mamaw to the Nature Center.

A few added domestic shots, with her friends the birds . . .

. . . in the garden . . .

. . . and dashing along ahead of her dear old father, who, judging by this picture, turns 85 this month!

Luna in Clover

2009-03-17T19:04:00.000-07:00

Here Luna is engaging in one of her favorite activities--sitting immersed in greenery. Thanks to Mum for the pictures!

Try to tell me she isn't about to make a point here.

And here are those teeth I was telling you about . . .

11-Month Birthday

2009-03-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my favorites from the recent pictures. We haven't got a shot of the infamous teeth yet, but we're working on it . . .

Luna loves Santa year-round!

I love this one.

And of course, I'm rather fond of this one, too.

Nature Girl, Part 2

2009-02-15T09:40:00.001-08:00

Here, Luna is exploring the grass at Morley Field. I love this series that Cindy took (he says, as if the rest of the pictures on this blog were taken by his robot assistant). You might want to click & expand them for best effect.

Did you read that New York Times article about how a little dirt is healthy for kids? Good.

I think this could be a book cover. Meditation for Children, perhaps?

Here we are at the Chula Vista Nature Center. It's a great place, but it's in danger of being shut down (as early as July) due to the the lousy economy. This is the time to visit, or perhaps get involved in the effort to save the center.

Some of the sardines seemed just as interested in Luna as she was in them.

She loved being able to stand up against the glass and say hi to the fish.

She was very excited about all the birds, but the burrowing owl was definitely her favorite. (Owls are the one species of bird she knows by name.) We passed by the lady holding it several times, and Luna just couldn't get enough.

The owl lady let us get close if I turned around.

Luna judges a dog not by the composition of its skin, but by the content of its character.

See? An owl is a sure smile-getter. (From Luna, anyway. I need to work on my childlike sense of wonder, I guess.)

The next generation has accepted that concrete has become part of the natural landscape . . .

Nature Girl, Part 1

2009-02-15T07:56:00.001-08:00

Luna loves to be outside! Sometimes I wonder if we just stayed in the backyard, would she eventually want to go in or would she just hang out all day? She can spend quite a while just poking at the soil, or moving a decomposing leaf around in her hand, or helping me pick parsley. Of course, if she hears a crow calling, everything stops so she can check out the action.

She also loves nature trips. Here's a retrospective of some of our "field trips" from the past few months.

First stop, the Birch Aquarium, where she contemplates the rays and admires the tidepools. Now this is October, so she's still sticking with a passive role.

Marian Bear Park

Walking at the Zoo

Sea World. Now here she able to get much more active, plunging her arms into the icy water, and touching everything she could get her hands on. Eventually, she got so soaked we had to change her shirt!

She waved at the dolphin every time it went by.

She really liked examining the little bits of algae she got on her fingers.

Here Luna is waving at a seagull. She is a serious bird fanatic!

Communing with the bat rays. I think she'd be happy to plop right in!

In with the new!!!

2009-01-20T20:13:00.000-08:00

Luna was obviously able to get in on the buzz.

"Hey, this guy looks like he's actually having a serious thought! We should, like, make him president!"

Out with the old . . .

2009-01-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

Wow--I just realized that today was the first time I've posted since the election. I guess we've just been too busy partying! At this rate, it's going to be very hard to keep my New Year's Resolution of posting to this blog less frequently, but Luna wanted me to show you her Election Day impression of our outgoing president. "George," she says, "All us comedians are sorry to see you go, but we need a president who reads at least as much as I do . . ."

9 Months Ago

2009-01-02T16:24:00.000-08:00

So now Luna has been out of the womb for about as long as she was in. It's all very odd. Here's a flashback and a picture from today with Luna in her Beatles T-shirt. (Size 18-24 months, but then her 0-6 month socks were falling off her today. Who sizes these things?)

Luna is 9 Months Old

2009-01-02T16:12:00.000-08:00

She must have known it was a new year, because she woke up yesterday and suddenly knew how to clap. Check it out!

Halloween

2008-11-01T21:18:00.001-07:00

Mommy brought Luna to the SDCCS Halloween Carnival, only to pawn her off on Willy Wonka, who reportedly smelled a great deal like me. She seemed most comfortable when she was facing away from the goggles . . .

The artistry of Cindy:

After all the festivities, Luna was far too tired for traffic or trick-or-treating, so the grandparents had to come to us.

Here, she demonstrates what she will do to any unsuspecting humans that land on her lawn.

And now she assumes proper bee posture.

But even in bee guise, she still retains her thirst for literature.

Halloween Outfits

2008-11-01T21:00:00.001-07:00

Here we have Luna in an assortment of outfits leading up to the big day . . .

In case you wanted a closer look at those socks:

If you start to notice that she's going through her books in one picture after another, it's because she is climbing on/grabbing/eating/generally absorbing herself in her books ALL THE TIME! (Except when she's climbing on/eating one of us, April, or my amplifier.) Yes--shock of shocks--she's already a bibliophile. In fact, she's already pretty good at turning pages, and I'd say she turns them forward rather than back a solid majority of the time.

A few good parting faces:

Thoughtful Moments

2008-10-16T20:58:00.001-07:00

Luna Gets Giddy (and International)

2008-10-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks to great-grandma Inga for the hand-knitted Swedish top (and to Uncle Ilya and Aunt Siok for the cool Japanese Totoro basket in the background)!

6 Month Birthday Celebration, Part 4

2008-10-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

Luna imitates her uglydoll, but she has a hard time pulling it off. Maybe she needs fangs . . .

She loves to stare at (and grab) these flowers.

Birthday Celebration . . . She Moves!!!

2008-10-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

Birthday Photo Extravaganza

2008-10-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

The perils of dog ownership . . . It had to happen sometime, eh?

Happy 6 Month Birthday, Luna!

2008-10-02T07:28:00.001-07:00

The Last Days of Pre-Crawling

2008-09-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

Inspired by her talkative and mobile frog friend, Luna was intently pushing up and wiggling.

Frog also helped Luna to master some tricky two-part harmonies.

Frog went to scout for a tenor, while Luna tried to convince Mommy to take the alto part.

Did You Want More Pictures?

2008-09-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I survived the first two weeks of school! It's time to post some selections from our (extensive) backlog of pictures.

Reading w/ Grandpa . . .

. . . but left to her own devices, she gets other ideas.

Luna is increasingly resentful about being left out of the whole dining experience, and loves to grab a nearby straw and stuff it in her mouth. She gets to eat rice cereal now, but her favorite part seems to be chewing on her spoon and/or highchair.

Luna models her uber-hip compostable diapers (Made by Nature Babycare, if you're curious).
(P.S. I'm very disappointed that Blogger wouldn't allow me to insert an umlaut in uber. Really--they're making me look like a barbarian!)

Happy Faces

2008-08-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

This girl has a serious tongue!

And finally a proper smile picture (thanks, mom). She's been holding out on the camera like Miles Davis!

Action Sequence

2008-08-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

Luna loves to roll onto her tummy, although she's not always very happy once she gets there. Somehow, she has now forgotten how to roll onto her back . . . In this case, she seems momentarily appeased by the platypus.

Ah, To Be Young

2008-08-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

At my advanced age, very few things in this world can elicit a look of enraptured awe like this.

If you can reach that state looking at veggie burgers, you truly have a Zen "beginner's mind."

Seaport Village

2008-07-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it's a pretty touristy spot, but it's also where Cindy & I first got together, and where I proposed. Luna found plenty to stare at.

She seemed to have a good time . . .

. . . until the dreaded lower lip came out.

So we had to stop into a toy store. Luna wasn't really digging the vibe of the cheery Christian children's choir (which is always playing in that wooden toy shop), so she sat down and did her best Schroeder impression. (I know it says "Pop Goes the Weasel," but she did the Thelonious Monk version. She made, like, $200 in tips.)

Lots of Outfit Changes

2008-07-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

Here she is dressed up for Cindy's birthday. I'm not sure if she's really feeling the extent of her fabulousness in that dress.

Cuddling with Mamaw:

Okay, she can't really sit up (or eat watermelon) yet, but this chair helps us pretend.

The leg warmers are part of this whole bee phase she's going through, but I think they look pretty hip. I have a feeling she'll fit in just fine at SDCCS . . .

Catching Up

2008-07-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's been almost a month, so let me get back into things with a flurry of pictures, starting in the garden:

And Mac wants to know if Luna likes the beach. Well, it's hard to say. She got her feet wet, and she didn't freak out, so I'd say she had a decent time.

Don't Be Fooled!

2008-07-02T13:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, she looks like a sweet little baby . . .

relaxed and friendly . . . one might even say meditative. But did you know she is now in the habit . . .

of EATING anything she can get her mouth around?!?!?

I mean, when even one's own father's nose isn't sacred, what has happened to values in this country? Save us, John McCain!

Zoo

2008-06-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

We took Luna on her first trip to the Zoo this weekend. Now, she's not quite at the age for staring at the animals, but she seemed to enjoy the change of scenery, and, like many of us (euphemism for "Dmitry, who has a staring problem"), she also spent a good deal of time staring at the people.

Luna the Art Lover

2008-06-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

Luna and I went to Balboa Park today. After having a quick bottle in the Botanical Garden, we headed over to the Museum of Art. She seemed to have a good time, although I found that we have different taste. I wanted to spend more time in the Georgia O'Keeffe exhibit, but Luna is much more into portraits. (Those giant lilies, despite their somewhat anatomical appearance, just don't have faces!) I'm actually really proud that I was able to call in advance what her favorite painting would be. It's The Blue-Eyed Boy by Modigliani. Very baby-friendly, don't you think? She smiled and smiled . . .

Now, on to the random cute Luna pictures:

Wow.

2008-06-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's officially summer and I've now begun my (temporary) new role as full-time dad. Cindy is back at work, and for odd technical reasons she needs to be full-time this month, so I'm home with Luna all day. Exciting, but MUCH harder than I expected! This may be due in part to the fact that Luna appears to be battling her second cold (which seems odd for a breastfed baby), but it's also just that there are so many things I haven't had to do myself before. Of course, feeding is the biggest one--I've given her a bottle here and there, but most of the time, feeding is all about Luna and her mom. I know that breastfeeding isn't always an easy, natural, and meditative experience--I've seen all the fussing and struggling--but it seems so weird for Luna to have to wait (i.e. cry) while I get the bottle to the right temperature ("Oh good, it's finally warm enough. Wait, now it's too hot!"), and the whole experience is just not as snuggly.

Also, I realized now just how little I've been paying attention to all of the little things Cindy does throughout the day to make things go smoothly for Luna. Hopefully, by the end of next week I'll feel really solid about things and handle my 2.5 solo days a week like a pro, but in the meantime I'm struggling a bit. I'm used to being able to hand Luna off to Cindy (or at least lay her down) when I want to go to the bathroom or fix a sandwich or something, but this is a whole other level, and--again, this may be because she's under the weather--she has been very resistant to being set down, even for a moment. If it weren't for that vibrating chair with the smiley bee, I'd have to wear diapers, too!

I'm still trying to get some great pictures, but that's not easy, either. I'll have this perfect image in the viewfinder of my lovely, curious, contemplative, serene daughter and then--click--up pops a photo of a disgruntled Oliver Hardy. In one picture she actually looks insane! It's like the camera just produces random images that have nothing to do with what's actually in front of it ("Insert baby face here"). Oh well, I'll put up a few of the best we've gotten lately and keep trying. (Thanks to Katie for the nice Cindy/Luna pics.)

P.S. Lest I appear to be complaining, I should mention that Luna sat rather peacefully through a 2+ hour year-end staff meeting on Monday. All she needed was 3 diaper changes and 2 bottles, and she was fine. I think some of the staff were getting more impatient than she was!

Getting Bigger

2008-06-03T19:57:00.000-07:00

Well, Luna is two months old now. We took her in for her latest doctor's appointment yesterday, and she is up to 22 3/4 inches, and 11 pounds, 9 ounces. Luckily, she's the only one in the house who's had a 50% weight gain since April!

She had her first shots yesterday, although not as many as The Man recommends (don't tell Time magazine, okay?). She didn't love the experience (I don't know who cried more--her or Cindy), but she hasn't had a fever or any other gnarliness.

Luna seems to be enjoying her new high-def color vision quite a bit. She stares at everything now--not just the weird stuff like the transition between the brown couch and the white wall. Now she even looks at the pictures when I'm reading her The Sleep Book. However, nothing seems to grab her attention quite as well as a nice toy bee. She can stare at this thing for-e-ver.

Poop Face

2008-06-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

At first, we thought this was just a cute little expression Luna was making. Soon, we realized it was her poop face. Funny--not a word in the parenting books about the poop face, but it's so useful to recognize it in a timely fashion.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Arranged Marriage?

2008-05-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Showing Some Personality

2008-04-27T16:46:00.001-07:00

These are close to what I had in mind. To get them, I held Luna while Cindy took the pictures.

As you can see, she is already trying out some adult roles, such as mobster . . .

and chain-smoking French intellectual.

Indoors & Out

2008-04-24T16:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-04-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm 34 today. Cash gifts will not be sneered at.

Luna is having a growth spurt. Not only are her cheeks getting chubbier, but she wants to eat ALL THE TIME! Poor Cindy is on a very short leash. I feel bad that I always have to hand her off, saying "She's eating her hand again." (This seems to be a consistent hunger sign, although she will sometimes attempt to nurse from me, as well, with little success.)

More sleepy pictures

2008-04-15T10:39:00.001-07:00

A rare moment out of our arms . . .

Sometimes we have a hard time believing that the person looking up at us was tucked up in the womb just two weeks ago, but it's not so hard to imagine when she looks like this:

Here she is, still asleep in her organic teddy bear towel as bath time begins.

What I don't have yet is a picture of how she looks at me. I almost think I would have to have a camera in my eyes, but if I could get that shot it would be different from all the rest, because when she's looking at me, she doesn't look like a baby--she looks like a person.

Sleep

2008-04-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

Luna has been sleeping all day today. I suppose it has something to do with the heat, or perhaps with the fact that she wasn't so into sleeping last night.

I hope this doesn't turn into her new thing, because we've actually been getting a surprising amount of sleep. There have been a few nights when Cindy and I have both approached a full 8 hours. Granted, it wasn't all at once, or in the same place, but sleep is sleep, right?

Oh, and Luna has another cute new habit--PEEING ALL OVER ME! This has happened four times since yesterday morning, and it's just been with me, not Cindy. (She peed while Cindy was bathing her yesterday, but that's hardly the same thing, is it?) Once it was just when I was holding her and her diaper was loose, but the other three times, it's been when I'm changing her. I thought I'd dodged that particular problem by having a girl! Sigh . . . Shows what I know, eh?

Technical Specifications

2008-04-10T11:19:00.001-07:00

Date of Birth: 4/2/2008
Time of Birth: 1218 hours
Weight: 7 pounds, 12 ounces
Length: 20.25 inches

Hair/eye color: Too close to call
Favorite foods: Dairy, fingers (human only--after all, we're vegans!)
Favorite singer: Me! (Although she also seems to dig Smokey Robinson)

Pictures from the First Week

2008-04-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

Minus the one where I look like Bob Dylan . . .

Welcome Luna!

2008-04-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm giving in to Annie's suggestion and starting a blog to keep everyone updated on Luna. I suppose this is better than sending everybody a million emails with subject lines like: "Look at the size of that spit bubble!"

Man, we showed up at Kaiser with our hip little natural birth plan and it just got torn to shreds! At one point, a nurse looked it over and said "Well, we got the 'unhurried' part . . ." After over an hour and a half of pushing, there was not much sign of Luna, so Cindy ended up having a C-section. Then Kaiser kept me and Luna in another room for a couple of hours until we both started asking questions. (That's me and Cindy; Luna hasn't mastered interrogative sentences yet.) They told me that Cindy wasn't ready yet, while they told Cindy that I must have been too fascinated with the baby to come see her! Soon after, we were all happily reunited in a tiny shared room with construction going on next door. (Seriously--power tools at 7:00 a.m.!) There's gotta be a better place to have a kid . . .