My new toy

I've had a love-hate relationship with our stroller for a while. It's this huge contraption that weighs at least 30 lbs and even folded takes up a huge amount of space. However, we've been using it for almost six months because it was a hand-me-down and therefore free.

For the past three months I've been researching strollers and deciding what would be best for me (James had no complaints about The Mothership, as I call it). I've read various reviews, tried some out at Babies R Us, and asked my friends. My major requirements were that it be a reasonable price (under $200...there are strollers that cost $500), weigh under 20 lbs, have a fairly compact fold, and be well-made. I didn't want a cheap-o umbrella stroller because their handles are too low, even for me. And since Susanna seems to be determined to stay at the top of the growth charts, I wanted the stroller to be comfy for her as she grows.

So after much deliberation, I decided that the Maclaren Triumph was my top pick. It meets all my requirements, has a very good reputation, and is an absolute breeze to fold and carry. Plus, it came in a nice selection of colors.

Of course, the biggest challenge was convincing James that this was the stroller for us and that he should let me buy it. Through a strange turn of events last night (we were having friends over for dinner), he told me I could go out and get it. So, my friend Melissa and I looked at each other, and drove off to Babies R Us (which is now only 15 minutes away). Less than an hour later, we arrived home with the stroller pictured above. I'm very excited. Thanks, Honey!

Meet Clyde!

My parents have a new dog! His name is Clyde and he's three years old. My dad adopted him from a shelter. He's a Doberman mix, but don't hold that against him. We met him on Friday night, and he's a very nice, friendly, gentle, and loving dog. He was very good with Susanna. Simon can't wait to meet his new "uncle", although we're going to wait until Clyde's a little more settled before we introduce them.

Welcome to the family, Clyde!

Rest in Peace, Rocky

David Rockfish "Rocky" Sufficool
November 7, 1997 to July 17, 2008

My parents' dog, Rocky, died very suddenly this morning. My dad said that Rocky had a massive tumor that suddenly bled out. My dad took Rocky to the emergency vet, and they had to put him down. We got him when he was six weeks old; I was halfway through my junior year of college. I took Rocky on walks and took him to obedience school (which he failed miserably, mostly because he was the largest dog by about 30 lbs and I didn't practice with him enough). Although I haven't lived at home in seven years, I still thought of him as partly "my" dog, because we had so much history together.

Rocky was a wonderful dog, full of character. We'll all miss him, but I think his death will be the hardest on my dad, because he and Rocky were very close.

I like to think that Rocky and Woody are playing happily together in doggie heaven, munching on treats to their hearts' content.

Our Little Giant

Susanna had her nine-month checkup today. Yes, I know it's six weeks late. However, that's what happens when you move and have to find a new pediatrician. When I called the last week of May, July 16 was their first available "well child" appointment.

Anywho, I love her new doctor. She took time to listen and answer all my questions in a very thorough way. Susanna of course got weighed and measured. She is 29.5 inches tall (which puts her in the 90th percentile) and weighs 20 lbs, 13 oz (which puts her in the 75th percentile). And those percentiles are for a 10 month old, not a 9 month old baby.

We have a large child, folks. I think she'll surpass me in height before she enters middle school. Sigh.

Back from Florida!

We returned from Florida last night, after a four-hour long delay in Charlotte. Mom and I now know the Charlotte airport very well. We highly recommend the BBQ place in the main terminal. :)
Anyway, a great time was had by all, and Susanna proved to be a very good flier (with the exception of the Norfolk-Charlotte leg, but that's another story). I've posted a few pictures to wet your appetite, with more to come. The first is a professional picture from our photo sitting. We thought it would be a nice idea to have a picture of all four of us. The second picture is after church on Sunday morning. The gentleman in the photo is Piet (known to Susanna as "Opa"), my grandmother's companion. Piet has rapidly become a member of the family. The third picture is of Susanna enjoying her first swim. She is obviously my daughter, because she LOVED swimming in both the pool and the Gulf.

Look How She's Grown!

Our little girl...


...isn't so little anymore. At 10 months, she is beginning to look less and less like a baby and more and more like a little girl. We're almost positive that her eyes will permanently be blue, since they haven't changed yet. Her hair is getting longer and kind of curly. It seems like every day she's developing some sort of new skill. It's wonderful and exciting, but kind of sad, too.

Susanna and Simon are becoming good friends, as you can see in this picture. She pets him and tries to grab his collar. He puts up with it, and licks her lovingly. It's very cute.

Fourth of July Fun!

Last night, we went out on my parents' boat to celebrate the 4th of July. We cruised around the Chesapeake Bay for a few hours and saw most of the city's fireworks displays. It was great; no crowds, no mosquitoes, and at times we could see four or five different fireworks shows at once. Here are a few pictures of Susanna and James. She's wearing a life vest, per USCG rules. She really didn't like it very much, as you can tell from the picture. We think her expression says, "Oh my gosh, these people are unreal. Look what I have to put up with." She didn't have to wear the life vest in the cabin, so she spent a lot of time in there.