The Time You Went to Your First Concert

Your daddy's side of the family is HUGE! They also frequently get together for family reunions so they stay very close. Unlike some families, daddy's family is not only the immediate family members - brothers, sisters, parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents - but also the cousins of dad and their parents and children. The list of family members goes on and on. Specifically, your grandfather's side of the family keep in pretty close touch and we often see and vacation with them. These family members include the Lee, Aiono, Rabe, and Jones families. Today we got to see Great Aunt Barbara Lee and Great Uncle Jerry Lee and the Aiono family. Alex Aiono is a very talented singer/songwriter/performer and he is currently touring with a Disney band group called R5. The concert was already sold out at Stubb's where he was performing in Austin, but fortunately his family was able to reserve us two and a half spaces for our family to attend. It was pretty exciting and he did an excellent job. As a true fan of partying, you were there with your new "Me gusta el Rock" onesie and your bright orange ear plugs. You loved the music so much you drifted off to sleep. We stayed for the other performers too, but Alex was of course the best. Mommy went a little celebrity crazy and got a picture with some kid from Disney that I didn't even know, but I'm sure someone looked at the picture and was jealous. Who knows one day you might think he's a cute, older actor and I can say remember that time when... Although more than likely he, his band, and his Disney show will be long forgotten and kids will be on to the next favorite Disney act. It was great to see family members and we even got to take them to Kerbey Lane the next day before they flew out. We were very excited to share in that special day and have you experience your first concert and get your first picture with a blooming rockstar.

In the same vein of seeing a rockstar, you also were rockstarring reading. You have always enjoyed a good, tasty book, but lately you have been starting to really look at the books and turn pages. You even start to mumble as if you are reading them to us. It's super cute. You are truly my daughter with this early eagerness to learn and read. We can read Shakespeare when you hit kindergarten ... it's a little earlier than I started in the third grade but I'll help you with the tricky words and phrases. I knew you would be such a smart girl!

The Time You Started Clapping

Another shock! I was sitting at the table eating while you were in your piano playing us a tune. I was only half watching you while I ate doing my usual song and dance of trying to entertain you while multitasking. I will do the silliest things to keep you stimulated so you don't cry. Daddy doesn't mind a few tears or two, but mommy can't handle it. This time I was clapping every once and a while and out of the corner of my eye, I swear you mimicked it back. I looked over at you completely and there you were hitting your hands together with a huge smile. I thought at first you must have just done it coincidentally because your daddy and I have thought a few times that you have responded yes by shaking your head and we doubt that was legit - at least not yet. But, something about the way you were doing it made me think that this was the real deal. I watched you and tried to encourage you to do it again. I kept shouting at daddy who was enamored with the iPad and not paying attention. He'd look up real quickly each time you weren't doing it. I got you to clap in response to my clapping four times before you were like "I'm so over this", but you certainly seemed excited that I was so impressed with you. Such a performer! I kept getting you to clap every once and while to prove to myself that I really did witness this developmental milestone. SO SO SO cute! Finally, daddy saw it too and validated my witnessing your cuteness. We were both so impressed. Later this week we made sure that Grannie Janie saw it too. We will be showing this trick off for a while!

The Time You Started Pulling Up

Your daddy and I are so impressed with your growth. You are still a bit wobbly while sitting up. You can't pull up by yourself into a sitting position. You don't crawl with your tummy off the ground but you do cover ground army crawl style like no other. All of this, and I'm thrown by the fact that you are already pulling up onto things. It happened so suddenly. We definitely didn't expect it. You cry a lot lately when I'm home and I'm not holding you. The second I walk in the door from work, you get so crazy angry. I think the crying and the desire to be held was the driving force to your pulling up. Any time you aren't content on your own, you pull up onto something from chairs to couches, and now when you are unwilling to sleep, you pull up on your crib. We had to lower your crib but unfortunately that hasn't stopped what I now like to call your "night terrors". I feel so bad when you scream bloody murder from your crib but I've been trying to be good and keep you in there so eventually you learn to soothe yourself and fall asleep. Hasn't been working. I usually cave around the 15th cry fest and you come to sleep with mommy and daddy. You win every time with that oh-so-sad face when I come in and the immediate calm and head falling asleep on my shoulder when I pick you up. You are so cute, no one can really blame me. One day I will have the strength to let you sleep alone. Maybe. Or maybe it will just be when you have to tell me to get a life mommy! Hopefully, not that long.

The First Time You Met the Easter Bunny

Mommy has a strong inability to sit still and do nothing (wonder where you get it from). One Saturday we decided to visit daddy at work. While the visit was great as usual - all of daddy's coworkers think you are just too cute- the best part about this visit was we happened to come upon the Easter bunny. I didn't even know the Easter bunny was making a stop at the mall that day, but we just got lucky. You happened to be in a cute springtime dress so we hopped in line and snagged a picture with the Easter bunny. Unlike the other babies, you didn't cry. You also didn't pay much attention to the bunny but the audience that was amassing to see your cuteness was drawing your attention. I hope you enjoyed your second special holiday picture.

The Time You Turned Seven Months

Another month of Delilah. You turned seven months today. Seven months of impressive skills and new developments and another month of sleepless nights and continued co-sleeping shame. We tried to sleep train this month. It has not gone well. You have managed a few more nights in your crib but you wake often and are VERY angry. You have become very, very talented too. You are starting to crawl and managing to cover ground impressively at an army crawl. You have gone on a number of adventures. You have traveled between Austin and Houston quite frequently. One thing you haven't done is stopped amazing us.

The Time You Went Sailing

Another adventure. Like I said you come with  me everywhere. Aunt Jill's fiance Eric has a boat that we all got to ride this weekend. I was a little nervous about how bumpy some of the ride was but you fell asleep both ways from Eric's parents' house to Hula Hut and back. GiGi bought you the perfect sailor girl outfit for the trip and I got you a life jacket for safety. It was your first time to ride in a boat, go to Hula Hut, and wear sunscreen. The life jacket will come in handy for your first St. John trip this year.

It was a wonderful day. It was bright and sunny but a little chilly in the wind. We had a wonderful time hanging out with mommy's friends. Aunt Bridget and Aunt Jill were so happy to see you and so impressed with how happy and pleasant you are (seeing a theme... how wonderful of a baby you are). We ended the evening at our little house with a pizza dinner and movie night. Great time with long time friends.