Food, Folks, and Fun

Maya started eating "solids" in mid-May. On 5/16, Maya got her first taste of rice cereal with formula. She has since tried carrots, sweet potatoes, and pears. We love seeing the faces she makes when she tries a new food!
Maya continues to be a rock star baby at daycare; all of the kids call her Baby Maya, and we often hear the older children referring to her as "my baby" (e.g., telling us at pick up, "My baby was talking today"). She has become more aware of other children and watches intently on their movements. Maya continues to enjoy spending time and learning from her big girl friends Clara and Lucie; second cousins Jenna and Brett were very excited to play with Maya and show off their singing and dancing skills.
Developmentally, Maya seems to learn new skills every day. She continues to explore making sounds with her tongue and lips, which Mommy finds very fascinating. On 6/3, Maya imitated a "raspberry sound" using her tongue. We often find her "practicing" moving her lips and tongue to perfect their coordination for speech. On 6/10, Maya began moving her hand/fist over her mouth to create new sounds and has been chatting away since! Maya has been communicating with us by shaking her head back and forth, especially when it is feeding time. She moves her head and body from side to side when we sing to her as well. Motorically, on 6/1, Maya began sitting in a tripod position when placed there; by 6/11, Maya sat unsupported for just under 5 minutes!
On 6/12 we went to the doctor's for a baby well visit. Maya weighed in at 16 pounds (50th percentile) and she measured 25 inches long (25th percentile). The good news is Maya got out of getting her vaccinations this visit...the bad news is that Maya had an ear infection and a ruptured ear drum in her right ear. Despite the amount of pain we could only imagine this causing, Maya has been a very happy baby continually enjoying the world around her.

Maya turned 6 months on 6/10! Happy 1/2 birthday Maya Boo!!!

George and my foot...what's there not to smile about?

Holding hands with George

Okay Mom, take the picture already...

My buddy George
Look Ma, no hands!
This is my tongue, and here are my toes

Rice cereal tasting

Carrot tasting

Carrot tasted

Carrots taste better when eaten by foot

Tasting pears (aka: my pirate face)

Happy Baby

Sitting up

Here's looking at you kid
This is the "daycare do"

Lucie gets to hold Maya on her lap

Clara, Maya, and Lucie...the pink ladies

With cousins Jenna and Brett

Petting the kitty

Sleepy eyes

Maya telling us how she really feels

If you're hungry and you know it bang your spoon...

Maya's Firsts

May started out with a visit from great-Aunt Priscilla, great-Uncle Billy, and cousin Emily. Maya also had the chance to spend time with her big-girl, second cousins Melody and Julianne; she watched in awe as they sang, ran, colored, and ate dinner.
Sharon celebrated her first Mother's Day cuddling with a clingy Maya , and Akiva made his first turkey dinner to honor the moms in his life. Saba, Savta, and Uncle Avinoam came over for the feast and Maya enjoyed showing off her rolling, reaching, and cooing. Maya woke up the next morning with her first cold, but still managed to smile and reman in a great mood.
We had a wonderful Shabbat lunch with the Jagodas on Maya's first trip to Oakland to meet auntie Laurie's family. Maya also went to her first Giants game, and they happened to be playing the Mets! We got a certificate to honor her first game, which Maya (and her Daddy) will surely cherish.
Maya is now fascinated with watching her cats run across the room and gets very excited by kicking her legs and waving her arms. She is making more sounds and we are beginning to hear her 'crib talk' before she goes to bed.

Coloring with cousin Melody

Singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star with cousin Julianne

Petting Leah

Saba and Savta visit for Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day Savta!

Being silly with Uncle Avinoam

Mommy's first Mother's Day

Getting hugs and loves from Laurie

Daddy's little girl

First Giant's game

This is what I had to say to the Giant's loss

All smiles

This is how I stick out my tongue

Look how I can hold my foot!

Experimenting with sounds

Catching up with April

This month was filled with milestones; each day we looked forward to seeing Maya do something new to amaze us! On April 5th, Maya rolled from her back to her stomach on the left side, 'laughed' when Mommy tickled her thighs, and began reaching for and holding onto toys in her play gym. The next day, we went to the doctor's and Maya weighed in at 12 pounds, 15 ounces (50th percentile) and measured 23 1/2 inches (25th percentile) continuing the trend of 'more round than tall'. Later that day, Maya held onto her feet while lying down and has been mesmerized by her feet since. April 28th was a big day. Maya rolled from her back to her stomach then to her back on her left side. She actively reached for toys and pulled them down without assistance in her play gym, and began making 'coughing' sounds as she figured out the back of her tongue. Throughout the month Maya enjoyed looking at her parents' faces, especially the mouth, and began imitating sticking out her tongue and cooing.

In mid-April, we went to Seattle for Maya to meet her great-grandmother, Bubbie G., her great-Aunt and Uncle, Carolyn and Dan, cousins Claire and Abby, and great-great-great Auntie Rosie. Maya let everyone on the plane ride know when we were descending to avoid turbulence, but otherwise earned her wings. Mommy and Daddy unfortunately got sick, but Maya had a wonderful time meeting and wooing the family.

Maya started day care the last week of April. She was quickly titled a "busy-body" as she did not want to nap and miss what the other children or her new toys were doing. By the end of the week, her day care providers Ya-Ya (Sylvia) and Reenie (Maurine) had her on a schedule for both nap and play. Now, if only they could help Mommy and Daddy cope with their work schedules...

Look how strong I am!

I found my feet!

Meeting Great-Aunt Carolyn and Great-Grandma Bubbie

Bubbie couldn't get enough of me

Meeting Great-Great-Great Auntie Rosie (she's stupendous)!

5 generations

Bath time baby

On a walk with my "big girl" friend Clara

Cruisin' in the stroller

Stop George, you're making me laugh!

George, you're like buttah...two sticks!

On the phone with Gran-E and Grandpa Les

My first swing ride at the park with Lucie

In true Bubbie fashion...there's always a story

Catching up with March

Maya continues to fill our hearts with happiness. On February 28th, Maya slept in her own room through the night! In mid-March Mommy went back to work and Daddy was home on his paternity/bonding leave, which opened Maya's eyes to days' worth of baseball Spring Training and college basketball. She dressed up as a lobster for her first Purim (Mommy dressed up as a chef), but was overwhelmed by all the ruckus. Maya also enjoyed taking weekly walks with Saba and Savta and smiling at us when she heard her favorite "Wheels on the Bus" song.

Now I know my ABC's

Maya in the hood(ie)

Our little crustacean

She's delicious with or without butter

With Mommy

It's hard to stay still

Watch me grow!

All Smiles

"So George, have you heard the one about..."

Cutie Pie