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Ida vs. Bumbo 2

What a difference a month makes. A very curious she-cub continues her evolution.

Ida vs. the Mirror: Hereditary Narcissism

Ida is developing a very goofy laugh. She only employs it when she sees herself in the mirror.

Ida vs. Aunt Margaret = lactation experimentation

Ida's Aunt Margaret has been visiting to hassle the contractors working on her house, to take the bar exam, and to enter a lot of blog comments under other people's--particularly Ella's--names. Here we see the culprit at work:



Another strange fact: Maggie was quite interested in trying to breastfeed Ida. After all, Elsie was far away and there was nothing to do with all that lactation. Maggie even encouraged me to document this attempt, though I gracefully declined. (I did not even watch.) And it was a success (though some wondered if Ida's antic energy increased), but that doesn't mean it was right or wrong, you know what I'm saying?

Some experts have their opinions; I just don't know that we had any of this in mind back in late December:

New Stroller/Head Control Update

Ida's Chariot stroller is made in Canada by Canadians like Uncle Pierre; it can become a bike trailer, a stroller, a jog stroller and also has a cross-country ski option (get ready, Uncle Long A Trespasser Arthur Bradford). It's huge (as pictured) because there is room for Elsie, too.



Ida isn't quite big enough to ride it but this horseshoe keeps her head from lolling dangerously around. Does she like it?



Yes!

Developmental Update: Ida's New Obsession

While it would be difficult/impossible to prove, we here at Ida central believe she's about to begin reaching out and grabbing things. Sometimes she does so inadvertently, but her intentions remain hard to read.



However, her new fixation on her (mostly right) hand bodes well. Or evil. She sticks her arm out straight* and just stares at her little fist. Then she'll open up her hand and stick out a finger and look on with true wonder. This can go on for a while.

(*As some of you may have noticed, Ida has EXTREMELY short arms. I mean, if she sticks her arms above her head her hands don't even reach the top of her hair. They seem more or less proportional to her body, but the huge head and short arms thing is going to provide some challenges in the future.)

Back to the Future

Tough to get much--even blogging--done around here. Pete vs. Ida continues as Dr. Vining saves lives on the frontier...



Some, like HusbandKV--



-- have suggested more hair ties and barrettes...and the accusations of Product use haven't stopped, even while no product yet tried has tamed Ida's hair.



That said, as it grows, her hair makes her appear less like Elvis/Roy Orbison or the Heat Miser as the GODFATHER OF SOUL!

A return to the past

My sister Sara just sent some photos from our time in Wisconsin. Take a look at these two attractive swarthies:



We are rarely all three pictured together on this blog, when in fact we are often together. One looks at the other two, then the other one does, and so on.



Pierre LeBlanc is very patient and a veritable Mr. Sandman. Often we wish he did not live in Canada so he could come and calm down our Ida Akiko.

A new beginning...

Okay, Ida's neck really isn't strong enough for the Baby Bjorn frontwards, but it's very close and good exercise for her. Besides, we needed to mail some things. (And finally, I heard no trash-talk like Arthur Bradford's Bjorn-bashing pre-Elsie, and I've seen him wear one several times.



Today's a big day. Ella's gone back to work, saving lives. Ida and I are left to take care of each other. So far, we're alive, though I don't think she likes to face so many bottles, no breasts. So it goes.

sorry for the delay

Ida lives!




As Ella says, "Elsie's not the only one who can get a toy tied to her."

Heat Miser? vs. our new header image

Hugh Hochman sees a similarity.

Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

It feels great.

On the Road

We finally left Door County and the Rock Compound. First stop was Shorewood, back to the D'Amato Mansion. Ida freaked out! Fortunately, Ella and Pete were powered by JimmyJohn's! Thanks for the tip, Sophie. In the morning we were treated to an excellent breakfast, thanks to Fred's generosity. Speaking of generosity, Samson (here displaying his gangsta cap wearing ability) gave up, with some hesitance, some of his personal secret to Pete.



In Chicago we saw Crystal Williams, who was in excellent form and coerced many new expressions from Ida; unfortunately, they were not caught on film. Ida was not great on the flight, but we did our best.

"Rock" sisters vs. Ida and the Haunted Cemetery!

Pete's sisters Jen and Sara changed their names, unlike Ella (perhaps they did this to get more capital letters in their names? See below.). This confounds Grambee, but we must let Ella be Ella. Anyway, here is a picture of Ida trying to bite estate lawyer Jen D'Amato:



Meanwhile, the Canadians Sara and Sylvia LeBlanc looked on with fear:



Later, Ella and Ida wore fancy hats to the Haunted Cemetery, where "we" planted flowers that deer hate at the graves of Grandma and Grandpa Brown.



There's an old school hand pump there and let me tell you that Sophie D'Amato went to town!

Cousins, Cousins, Cousins!

Cousin Sophia D'Amato knows the secret of the mobile!



And she shared her barrette with Ida!



Cousin Sylvia LeBlanc knows many things; she's one year older than Ida.



Talk about old! Today's someone's third birthday. "Is it me?" asks Lillian LeBlanc.

Grambee? (vs. giant exercise ball)

Grandparents are weird, and perhaps none weirder than Grambee. Grandma Bonnie first decided she wanted to be called this about ten years ago. Who knows why? But perhaps the name is what gives her the power over children everywhere.

Or perhaps it's her weird mastery of the giant exercise ball:

Jim and Grambee vs. Ida

Suspenders? No matter, these two have some serious tricks that keep Ida in line!

Rock Compound: Beach

Jim has the short term answer:



Here's Cousin Sylvia!



That's Aunt Jen. And at the Rock Compound (unlike the Kennedy or Bush compounds) the wine comes in a box.

SJK, 2007

Before Haddonfield is forgotten, let's remember Sung-Ji Schmidt and the intense bonding she and Ida enjoyed!