first candlelit dinner

we didn't think of it, but we ended up taking violet out to her first restaurant dinner (ca' del sole) on the saturday of valentine's day weekend. we made a 5:30pm reservation and asked for the far corner of the patio, and luckily we didn't appear to interrupt any romantic dinners. as we concluded, even old people in the valley don't book the early bird special on valentine's.

forgive the pathetic camera work here. at night, we have to blindly aim our relic of a canon and shoot, like two-eyepatch pirates. obviously the half-capitated kevin is better at this than me. i think it's safe to say that violet isn't enamored of dim mood lighting.





and i don't think we'll see her eating pasta with mussels and clams anytime soon either.



we didn't stick around for dessert (will i ever type something more shocking on this blog?), but we had a great meal anyway (there you go, something more shocking).

lots has been happening in violet's world. she pushes all the way up onto her hands and is really trying to get onto her knees. usually she just ends up kind of scooting herself in a circle. even the daycare ladies and the doctor agree that she's a very active baby, and the doctor thinks this is why she's been sliding on the growth chart, burning up calories down into the 10th percentile. i try not to worry. she's happy, but i'm suspicious - who refuses food so happily? is she really a lynn??

next week i start transitioning her to my work's on-site daycare. it's pretty bittersweet at this point because even though it's the right thing for a number of reasons, she's definitely formed attachments with her care providers, and they were truly surprised and sad to learn that i'm moving her. she's the youngest and smallest baby in the infant room, there the longest hours, and i think they really adore her. they have been so kind - leaving a few months window open in case we want to bring her back - and i'm so grateful because my confrontation-avoiding self was so terrified of the potential awkwardness of these last couple of weeks.

at home, i (the boobs) always put violet to bed, and kevin (nicknames welcome) hangs out with her in bed every morning while i get ready. daddy-baby time is her favorite of the day, save for bath time. i haven't yet figured out if she's a morning person like mommy:



or not so much a morning person like daddy: