Desperately trying to catch up...

...on a backlog of photos. Now, it may look like she has a lot of toys here...but this is basically ALL of her toys (with the exception of a couple of designated "bed toys" and a couple "bath toys".
A certain friend may recognize this tie-dye dress. Another sweet friend may notice the awesome spider toy that has taken the Q through the first six months of her time with us, never flagging. Another dear friend may recognize the wooden fox on the windowsill...a part of the seasonal nature table that we have been trying to maintain...and that someday before too long we will actually be able to accomplish!
QQ has recently started learning to smile for the camera, and while it's nice to be able to tell her to "go stand over there, sweetie" and have her actually comply, I do dread the moment when thoroughly candid photos become hard to capture.
The two dump trucks are still her toys-of-choice.
Curiously, the bookshelf is always where she goes when I ask her to pose for the camera.
Trying to wake Daddy by putting a roll of scotch tape in his sleeping hand.
For the record, our mutual decision to do "alternate mornings" with the Q has, it seems to me, been the single most important element in our game plan for maintaining sanity in the family unit. It's no small compromise, since M. often works until nearly midnight, and the wound-up stress of the news business usually makes it difficult for him to wind down and fall asleep before 2 am. Still, no matter how tired or stressed, we are both diligent about taking every other morning, and allowing the alternate either to sleep in or do whatever (work, play online, go for a run, run errands...). I cannot even stress how essential this system is to our happiness, sanity, and overall well-being.
Yes, I do see that the dog is, once again, waiting in the background (OK, foreground) to be noticed. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride - that's my Sam. Still, trust me when I say he is 200% happier since the puppy went to live with Christie and her family.
M. took QQ to meet up with her BFF Esme at the Nature & Science museum, while Mommy tried to get a couple of hours of work in.
QQ and Esme go to the Nature & Science museum together quite often.
The most interesting thing I can say about these shots is that this was one of the last days that QQ rejected solid food.
She wanted nothing to do with the cafeteria mac-n-cheese. However, a couple days later, when we visited the finest French restaurant in North Denver (only because the owner is M's former workmate and our good friend), QQ decided to open the floodgates and eat 1/3 of a bowl of Vichyssoise with truffle oil, three scoops of butternut squash in a wine reduction and a trio of creme brulees. I guess we know what she was holding out for...and we are afraid. Very afraid.
Meanwhile, Esme was very happy with her mac-n-cheese.