Fall Fun

Safia at 7 months

Things in the Yen-Kohl household continue to move at a rapid pace, it's been hard for me to keep up with it all.  Safia continues to change each day, but we also feel like we have somewhat of a normal pattern.  She's been going to daycare two mornings a week, which has given me some much needed time to try to get work done, which continues to be easier said than done.  January is fast approaching.  I will go back to work and Safia will go to daycare two full days in addition to her two mornings a week.  We're all looking forward to it with some trepidation, but I am looking forward to having more space.  

Space seems to be my theme these days.  Safia is still being really clingy.  I know it's a stage, but it seems like it's lasting forever, especially when I am trying to get things done.  We've had breakthroughs, where she'll play on the floor and entertain herself, but one of us, preferably me, has to be near.  I've been trying to relish the cuddles, because I know it's not going to be long before she's going to be staking out into the world, and my arms are going to be the last place she wants to be, but it's hard sometimes when there are things I have to get done!  

Cradling one of the last tomatoes
of the season from our garden

With that said, Safia is sitting up with confidence and she gets up on her hands and knees and wiggles around, but she hasn't quite figured out how to crawl yet.  We're enjoying our few last weeks/days of an immobile baby.  The process of baby proofing the house is a daunting task. We've decided to take the wait and see approach, do some minimal babyproofing, but wait and see what she gets into, what we need to move, what can stay.  I'm not sure it's the best approach, but it's the one we're going with.

Feeding freenzy

Safia continues to love eating, it's the one thing that Rube and I approach with confidence.  She eats unbelievable amounts of food.  We, and anyone who watches her eat, for that matter, are continually impressed and are left wondering where she puts it all.  We're working on self-feeding, and she gets a kick out of actually getting the food to her mouth.  We do, too, and she's beginning to look for applause after a successful self-feeding...seems we've got a performer on our hands.

Safia feeding herself bananas while Rube cheers her on 

Dad, I'm ready for my next bite

As we enter into the holiday season we have lots of firsts on our hands.  Safia rocked her first Halloween and was the star of our family costume (we went to a wedding).  She went to the pumpkin patch and carved her first pumpkin.  She voted for the first time, it was only a local tax issue, but we talked at length about the democratic process and the importance of participation.  Next up: Thanksgiving.

Safia and David 

At the pumpkin patch

This is my pumpkin!

Pumpkin patch fun

Two little jack-o-lanterns

Now she's a Georgia voter
and has a sticker to prove it