Nightime Routine, Part 1

Here's the first in a two part series of our nightly routines with Hannah. As you can see, this part is torture for all parties involved :)

Election Night!

On November 4th, we got to be a part of history, as Barack Obama become the first African American to win the Presidential Election. Hannah is only 2 years old, so we don't expect her to truly comprehend the magnitude of this event, but we did (and continue to do) our best to talk to her about it. We took her to the voting booth that morning, and let her stay up later than normal to watch the returns coming in. When I picked her up at school that day, the first thing she said to me was "Barack Obama's not here. He's not working. He's on vacation!" Don't ask me where she came up with that one! And everytime she sees him on TV or on a magazine cover, she proudly says "That's Barack Obama!"

This video is important for a few reasons. First off, it's a brief way to memorialize the day for us. Second, when I asked Hannah who was going to be President that night, her answer was "Me!" I'm proud to have taken part in an Election that broke down the barriers for people other than white men to become POTUS. Once and for all, this Election showed that it really is possible for anyone to become President. If Hannah wants to go for it one day, nothing will stand in her way. And last but not least, this video is also interesting because it shows what Hannah is most interested in. Crackers! Boy, does she love munching on crackers. Better than potato chips or hot dogs, I guess. "I want some more crackers daddy. CRACKERS daddy!"

Isn't She Lovely

Here's a slideshow I put together of the first 26 months of Hannah's life, set to a Stevie Wonder song that he wrote about one of his daughters. (Thanks to Universal Records for allowing me to fairly use this piece of content).

November 2008

Just some pictures from November 2008.

October 2008

Just some pictures from October, 2008.

Two!

Hannah turned 2 years old this month. It's absolutely amazing how quickly time has gone by since she was born. I remember when she was barely 7lbs, waking up every 2hrs, and drinking only breast milk and formula. Now, she's a little person. We can have full conversations with her, she knows (well) how to express her needs, and we see different phases of her personality developing every single day. She has a few defining characteristics (besides being cute). One is that she's incredibly talkative--asking me "Did you have a good work today?", telling us to "sit back down", remembering things like "I got a shot at the Dr. and got a bandaid on my leg" weeks after the fact. She's also a very social girl (some who are not her daddy would say flirty), always saying hi to people we pass or meet in public, wanting to come and talk with our friends when they come over, and not liking when she's not included in the action because she has to go to bed. She is also quite demanding. She knows how to express her needs, and knows how to take it up a notch when she doesn't get what she wants. This, I think, is something that all kids learn at a very young age. As she gets older, it will be interesting to watch how these different personality traits evolve.

All in all, things are great and Hannah is thriving. Dealing with a 2yr old can be challenging at times, but the amount of love Maria and I feel for Hannah is immeasurable. She's our sweet boiba, our Louie, our tootsie, our sweetie, and our zeesa.

Hannah's First Day at School

Hannah started at Genentech's brand new daycare/preschool facility yesterday. It was the first change we made in her child care since she was born, so it was a little traumatic all around. Lots of kids flip out when they first leave the house and go to a full-time program, so we were expecting the worse, but Hannah did OK. We both went to drop her off, and when I left, she said "Bye Daddy, love you" without being prompted. And then when Maria left to go to work shortly thereafter, Hannah said "By Mommy, don't forget to smell the flowers!" Keep in mind, Hannah is not even 2 yet. We'd never heard her say that before, so it took us by surprise and was just about the sweetest thing she could say.

She cried on and off throughout the day, as people came and left her classroom, or when the other new kid got upset. She didn't nap, but that's not surprising since she's used to napping in her crib, alone, as opposed to in a room full of kids and toys and teachers. All things considered, she did great. There's tons of things at the center to stimulate her and help her continue developing, and the center's staff seems great. They're trained educators, so they can provide Hannah with things that even Maria and I could not. They play outside, do arts and crafts, sing, and even have an organic kitchen for snacks and lunch. It's kinda like a full-time Summer Camp. I kinda wish I could hang out there all day!

Today was a little better than yesterday. She cried less, napped for an hour, and seemed to have more energy when she got home. I'm sure we're not far away from the point where she'll be throwing a tantrum when we come to pick her up, or when she wants to go on the weekends!

Along with smiling, solid foods, dropping the bottle, talking and walking, this is yet another milestone in Hannah's life. Another little sign that our precious little girl is slowly (quickly?) growing up. Her 2nd birthday this week will be another, as will her first real birthday party on Sunday.