my faves

The holidays are upon us and perhaps you know someone like me and are wondering what exactly we might like to find under the tree (if you celebrate Christmas), next to the menorah (if you celebrate Hanukah) or by your festivus pole (if you celebrate festivus of course!!!!). So, here I will share some of the best things I have found to play with. I am also including my least favorite toys so you also know exactly what to avoid when doing your shopping.

Let's begin with what you want to look for in a toy: suckability!

Yes, it is true that you can suck on anything. But some things are better than others. I have found that bath toys filled with water both quench thirst AND provide lots of sucking pleasure with sound effects!


This is frog and turtle. You can see that frog is made of a much softer material than turtle thus absorbing water that I can effortlessly suck on. While I love doing this, I also enjoy turtle's licorice chewiness.

Here I am trying to get both in my mouth at the same time!

Next, staying with the sucking theme, here are some leather chew toys (no, they are not just for dogs) I have come to love:

See that yummy little acorn made of leather!! Unfortunately, this toy comes attached to a big gray squirrel but you can just ignore that part.


This toy is from a lovely pair of shoes I outgrew. They have provided hours of sucking fun.

Another favorite of mine is Mr. Ugly Doll...yes, they are the it toy, in most every store around, but those long thin ears are irresistable! Once you try them, you'll know what I'm talking about. And he is very grabbable too.




Continuing on with more toys is the first on my list that is actually made to be sucked on:


This teether is the only one I have actually put in my mouth and chomped on for a sustained amount of time. Why? A. I love the squishy yellow nipple-like thing. and B. Hello, it has a nipple-like thing! There is no need for any other reasons!

The last thing on my fave list this year is electronics! Who can resist the latest gadget, right? Whenever I can get my hands on one of these things, I have fun tasting it and making it light up. So I imagine others of my stature and demeanor might also enjoy getting one of these this holiday season.

My Least Faves

Here are just a few items that have not been a hit with me. Usually if my mom thinks it is really cute and likes it, I don't!

This book is ok. My mom loves the cute pastelly colors, and that it is all fabric so I can touch it and it won't tear. But that is exactly the problem! No ripping, no paper to suck on, BORRRING!


And this little fox is ok, he just hasn't been the hit my mother had hoped for. See, my nickname is Zorrito which means little fox in Spanish. Thus, you can see why this toy was purchased. I'm just not into carrying around a little toy with the same name as me. I can just picture it now, "Hey look, it's Zorrito with his little zorrito!" DORRRKEY! Does Daisy carry around daisies or Jasmine carry around jasmine with her?? NO!

Ok, to end on a pleasant, happy holidays note, I will leave you with this smiling photo of moi.

I am off to Colorado for the holidays.

See you in the new year!

the little drummer boy

In the spirit of the holidays, I am working on a little tune. It's not perfect yet but I better share it before the holidays are over. Enjoy!
And stay tuned for my own "Favorite Things" list (Oprah, watch out!)

weekend at abuelita's

This weekend I finally got a little time away from the 'rents. They brought me over to my abuela's house so they could go to a holiday party and we all got to have our fun; them eating, drinking and dancing at the Space Needle, and me, doing the same at grandma's in Snoqualmie.

jumping with tia Moni y abuela

yoga with abuela

getting a dose of vitamin D

I thought this was a one-night affair but instead it turned out to be the whole weekend because we got snowed in!! My parents came to get me on Saturday and in the afternoon it started snowing and it didn't stop until the next morning.






Don't worry, I survived. We all did! We stayed warm and well taken care of thanks to my abuela. And I got to go out in the snow for the first time and play with my own giant snow ball (in the semi-nude)!

































What a weekend! It did all have to come to an end though. Dad got out there with a shovel and slowly we made our way back to Seattle.

Thank you tia Moni and abuelita for taking wonderful care of me and getting my parents out of my hair for an evening!

ba ba ba

Today, after pursing my lips for much of the day, I finally made a sound come out.
My folks were so excited to hear me say something, I thought you might enjoy this too.

(You can find more of me on YouTube, channel zeldamr.)

how i spent my thanksgiving

The day began with a little bit of my favorite snack: paper!


I really can't tell you why I like it so much but I do. I crinkle it with my hands then stuff some in my mouth. My dad then frantically checks to see if I ate any, then gives it back to me, and I continue to slobber all over it. (Some might ask why he gives it to me in the first place...I think it has something to do with my adorable face but I'm not sure.)

Anyway, since I haven't been introduced to turkey yet, my parents took me on a hike and played down the whole "Thanksgiving feast" thing so I wouldn't feel bad.

We set out bright and early at 10 am (that is early if you have someone like me in your family) . It was a cold day so I was dressed like a big marshmallow and then squeezed into a pack on my dad's back.



The mountain we hiked up was called Tiger Mountain so that gave me the idea to growl the whole way up. I didn't want them to forget I was there either.

At the top, we all got to have our summit snack. My parents ate sandwiches and I had the good stuff.






























I think my mom was anxious to get home and make the turkey because this was the view my dad and I had the whole way down!

the sink

Let me tell you about one of my secret indulgences... the sink. I like to climb in when no one is around and have a little me-time. I inspect the faucet, suck on it, look at myself in the mirror, laugh...It can get a little awkward if someone walks in and I have to attempt an explanation. I usually say I was washing my feet and they seem to buy it. I am small, that could be true.

fashionisto

Here are some of my favorite looks for this fall.

I'm not much for passing fads.
I much prefer those timeless looks.

I call this my Casual Monday outfit.
It's perfect for lounging around on the floor with a few of your favorite toys.





























Does anyone wish they could sometimes just head out to the golf course in something more comfortable than khakis and a sweater vest? Well, I think I have found the answer. Take a look at these golf pajamas. Carter's just came out with them and I think they are way ahead of the curve. I will never be late for a 7 am tee time again!


Finally, for relaxing by the fire after dinner... this is my non-smoking jacket.


Until next time, I leave you with my motto:
if it's all you have to wear, then the least you can do is wear it well!

happy halloween!

Superman, here, flying by to wish everyone a very Happy Halloween!

sleep

This is a warning to all babies out there. Please pay attention:

Sleep books are dangerous to your health,
especially when your parents read them and try to get
you to do what is in them.

I say this because, unfortunately, I've had first hand experience being traumatized by one myself. It all started after we visited that same doctor who suggested that my parents stick mushy stuff in my mouth. He told my mom that I shouldn't be nursing at night. He told her she would get in the habit of waking up at night too if she were served a Dagwood sandwich each night. And thus, it all began. My mother began graphing my eating, sleeping and crying habits to look for patterns to see where and how she could get me to sleep through the night and she began reading that book. She even called it her bible for awhile.

Well, I have put up a good fight. I wailed vehemently whenever I woke up and food wasn't on the menu, thus I got some. My mom kept telling my dad that she didn't think I was hungry and that I had just gotten used to eating every few hours, day or night. So, this past Saturday night they put that theory to the test. My mom told my dad to take care of me at night if (ha! when!) I woke up, but she wasn't going to because she would just end up feeding me. That night was a long one! They gave in at about 3 am and my mom rushed in to feed me so we could all get some sleep.

I thought that would have put an end to all these theories and graphs and analyzing. I am just a baby, I eat sometimes, I sleep sometimes. Come on! But it hasn't. I have been sleeping much longer stretches at night since they made me cry soo much on Saturday but I still don't like to go down for a nap on my own. My mom always wraps me up, puts on my light and music show (I've learned this is called a mobile) and then says she loves me and she will be back after I get some rest. I can't get rest anymore without seeing her lovely face. So, I cry and cry and cry. And she comes back and I stop. She says again that it is nap time, rubs my forehead a little and leaves. And I cry and cry and cry. And she comes back, I stop, she says...I think you get the picture.

Well, today guess what??? She didn't come back! I cried for almost half an hour and got no mommy! So finally I gave up and took my nap. Mom, I think I am ready for a lovey, since it looks like you figured out my crying game.

**This post was too graphic for any pictures.**

beastie baby

I don't know who Run DMC or the Beastie Boys are but my mom told me I really looked the part a few days ago when I put on my Adidas track suit. I just wanted to protect myself from the drizzle going on outside. And since they don't make rain coats in my size yet, I thought this would work. Well, the minute my mom saw me she ran to her jewelry box to find some large ornament to hang around my neck and take a picture of me. Do you really think I look anything like this guy??

bananas!

I have begun to hear my parents throw around this idea of "starting solids". Last week at the doctor's office, we were given some pamphlets about this too. I wasn't sure what this phrase referred to but I think I am beginning to understand. A few days ago my dad put this thing in my mouth with some mushy yellow stuff on it. It did not taste like anything I am used to. Really, the anything I am used to is just one thing: liquid gold, or breastmilk. I could eat that stuff all day!

But it looks like that won't last forever. While my mom has yet to give me any, my dad is very into these "solids". He mashes whatever he can find up and tries to stick it in my mouth. Until a few days ago, I thought it was a game and I promptly shot it back out at him. But not this time. I actually digested some of the stuff and it wasn't so bad. So, I guess I have started solids. Though, personally, I think a better name for them would be mushies. There is nothing solid about them.

sweatshop baby

I have started a new hobby: sewing. Well, technically, my mother has, but I oversee all of her work. For our first project, she is making me a halloween costume. I'm not going to tell you what it is, but I will give you a hint: it involves red briefs and a cape! Stay tuned...

beantown baby

Last week I took my first trip in an airplane (in which I was very well-behaved). My mother and I went back to her old hometown of Boston. She was very excited to eat all the foods that she can't get in Seattle; Dunkin Donuts, JP Licks Coffee Oreo ice cream, cannolis, #11 at Sorella's, anything from El Oriental de Cuba, a hamburger sub at D'Angelo's, coffee syrup, and those little chocolate chip cookies from Entenmann's. Of course, I didn't get to participate in the eating of any of these treats, but if my mom is happy, I am happy!



We stayed with this lovely lady named Suzi. She has two cats. One of them was only a few pounds less than me, and I am big (so that means the cat was big!!). I got to hang out with my mom all the time, and everyday we met different friends of hers. I rode on a train and stayed up past my bedtime several times. But I was cool about it. I was so happy most of the time that Suzi suggested


I go to war-torn countries to help everyone get along better...a Babies without Borders kind of thing! Any other babies out there interested and know how to write grants?
















Anyway, my mother did finally get the hint from all my drooling and stuffing my hand in my mouth that yes, I am teething. She bought me a few souvenirs from Boston that I eagerly gnawed away at. But my favorite was an apple that I sucked on at Siu Wan's house.

I look forward to going back to Boston soon when I will be able to eat more New England treats!

Campaign 2008

Yes, it is official. My first act as a political being took place this weekend. I was dressed up in a Barack Obama onesie (thanks to Ms. Young Yoo) and was made to hit the pavement showing my support for his presidential campaign. You may wonder, did I have a choice in which candidate I wanted to support? No, of course not. Because you know if I did, it would be a no brainer that I would pick the one person who could feed me (or at least, it looks like she could) Hillary! If she got infants the right to vote, she would have the job in the bag!

quality time with my dad

This week my dad stayed home with me while my mom was the one who disappeared all day. I got a little worried at first about food. You see, I have tried to get something out of my dad's chest, but they're dry! And I am good at what I do! But it all worked out. I had the same tasty treat, just from a bottle instead.

Dad wasn't into the baby classes that mom takes me to. He is more of an independent caretaker. We took lots of walks. Every time dad or I got a little cranky, off to the stroller we went. We strolled around Home Depot, Costco (here we got tons of veggies to make juice with), REI, and even a toy store or two. But, when we were home, dad (just like mom) often gravitated towards this computer thing. I won't stand for much sitting in front of the computer if I am not working on my blog. I get fussy almost instantly and they know to move away quickly.

Well, the obvious question here is who does a better job, right?! I know better than to pick a side so I am just going to say that they both have their own styles. Dad is really good at making me laugh and taking me to places filled with tons of stuff to look at. But I do love that "on-demand" feeding system that my mom seems to have built in. So I guess it is a toss up. I need them both (and that is just fine).

the radish and i

About a day ago I came across something new, a radish. My mother just casually placed it in front of me. I tried to pick it up but was unsuccessful. I smiled at it but got no response.
I tried to move it by sending it messages via my brainwaves but nothing happened. I finally became frustrated and ended my time with the radish. I don't plan on hanging out with any more radishes. Have you ever had a bad time with a root vegetable? I'd love to hear about it so I don't feel like it's just me.