These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

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I think every mom has a few things they feel like they can't live without...
so far, these are mine:

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Whoozit!

Francie (and most of the babies in our Mommy/Baby Group) love this toy. It has a spiral black-and-white back Francie loves to laugh at and for some reason it keeps her occupied for a lot longer than some of her other toys :)

You can get it at DayOne or most baby stores but Amazon.com has it in this or the "girly" heart shaped pink one.
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The Lillebaby EuroTote Carrier

We sometimes put Francie to sleep in this comfy little sleeping bag/carrier... she seems to like to be snuggled in it and when we travel it is an easy-to-haul, familiar place for her to sleep. It can also be used as a carrier (kinda like a baby in a purse!) and a snuggler for the jogging stroller or bassinet.

http://www.lillebabyusa.com/

Amazon.com and available at other online stores too

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WubbaNubs

Franice really only likes this "Soothie" style pacifier (also known as the "hospital kind") This crazy contraption helps keep it in her mouth when she's in the carseat or stroller and makes it a whole lot easier to find in the diaper bag or around the house. We call it a BinkyFriend :)

http://www.wubbanub.com

Amazon.com and available other places online

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The Infant Lounger by Boppy

We used this a lot when she was a newborn, it's SO comfy for Francie to lay in and seemed better than the traditional U-shaped Boppy since it doesn't have the hole in the middle and has a softer filling. It was also great for me to have on my lap or behind me while lounging on the couch!

Amazon.com or Target

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VeryBaby Cloth Diapers

My Sister-in-law maureen made us a whole set of these, they are a good break from disposables to let Francie's tush breath when we are home for diaper changes. We really only use about one a day, but they make a difference! I've tried the gDiapers and as cute as they are, they just don't work very well :) Maybe when she's a little bigger.

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The Gymini

Her smile says it all :)

http://www.tinylove.com/toy.aspx?toyId=81&state=toyTypeId=0@elementId=0@ageId=0

Amazon.com or you can buy it locally at DayOne in Palo Alto

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Amazon Prime Membership (can you tell?)

For $79/year Amazon will 2-Day ship anything from their site for free or OVERNIGHT SHIP for $3.99. I think I came out ahead on that one... the UPS man at my office told the girls to "cut me off" :)

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Francie's collection of hand-knit clothing, blankets and accessories!

Thanks to Jannie, Oma, Aunt JoAnn, Carmen and Sarah Coogan!

NOT available at Amazon.com... you'll have to ask your favorite grandmother or knitting friend :)

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And last but not least, what would the first 84 days of Francie's life be like without proper documentation!

The Canon 30D

Francie Goes to the Ritz

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We went up to San Francisco Saturday night for our "annual" Christmas overnight at the Ritz, it was the third year Heff and I have gone up but the first with little Francie! We met the Flynns and Forsbergs (from Red Bluff) for a great dinner at The House of Prime Rib and lots of cocktails. We did a little shopping and just hung out at the hotel for tea, champagne and a Vince Vaughn sighting! It got us in the Christmas spirit and was so much fun to share with Francie :)

The Heffs

Francie enjoying the good life. The Baby Journal book and Ritz-Carlton bib were in the room when we checked in, Francie must have told them she was coming :)

Hanging out with Dad

Heading out to dinner

Drinks with Dad in the lounge... right before Vince Vaughn walked in :) I wanted to take a picture of him but Heff wouldn't let me, he thought it would be tacky :) Sorry Francie, your Dad denied you your first celebrity sighting documentation!

Brendon, Brian, and Kristie

Liz and Eric

The Girlies

Sleep Tight Francie-pants!

Happy 30th Janna!

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We went to my good friend Janna's Surprise 30th Birthday last night... we had so much fun with the Mariani girls and their friends and family. There were so many arms to hold Francie, I barely saw her all night! We danced and celebrated Janna turning 30 AND her news she is going to have her third baby in June! Cheers to her water bottle :)

Mare, Janna and Arlene with Francie

Julie, Joey and Nancy putting on the tunes

The boys watching the girls and their dance moves

4 of the 5 Mariani girls... they are too cute :) Nancy is due in 4 weeks!

Francie Goes to The Office

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Francie got all dressed up to spend the day in the office with me while I did some remodeling of Academic Trainers. She slept last night from 10pm to 6:30am, ate, then slept again until I had to wake her up at 11am to go to work with me! She was happy and smiling sitting up on the couch this morning (above) and then kinda fell over and looked a little confused as to what happened:

Francie sleeping in the new "Homework Club" area while I moved furniture

Uncle Jerry came down to Menlo to help. (thanks Jer!!) We had lunch at Stacks and Francie was so good, she just lounged on my lap and Jerry said "She seems like a person who lived once already and has come back and she knows how good it is to be a baby." We love Uncle Jerry.

Heff woke up this morning and took this ridiculous picture. The dogs love their new beds and are much less annoying since they can just exist on their beds all day and not chew their feet or shed dog hair in the living room BUT they are a little confused as to whose bed is whose...

I had "Mom's Night Out" tonight with about 25 other new moms in the area who have babies around the same age. It is a fun group... kind of like a sorority all over again :) Jannie and Grandpa watched Francie-pants as Heff went to the East Bay with a friend to watch some buildings blow up (traffic put them there right after the dust settled of course). Francie was kinda fussy tonight for her grandparents... I'm hoping she's not getting a cold like her dad just got over!

Dance, Auntie Ann, Dance

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Auntie Baby Ann is on the committee for a Dance Marathon at Vandy to benefit Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital She is hoping for some loyal blog readers to sponsor her so she can raise money for the cause... for the actual event she plans "to sacrifice my feet, sleep, and usual Friday night plans to stay up for this 14-hour, all-night event!"

Practicing dance moves with Sophie?

If anyone out there feels so inclined to support a good cause and help Auntie Baby Ann reach her $1,000 goal (she's only at $50) just go to:

http://www.kidsmiracles.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=404&srcid=405&frsid=3072

Francie will be sure to thank you personally on the blog :)

And speaking of Dancing....

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1171285966

"I know, if you clicked on that link you are laughing like I am right now."

These dogs ain't dancing... but they got fancy new beds to keep them off Francie's floorspace (www.wallybeds.com ~ Jannie saw them in some magazine or something, you can wash the whole bed. Sage and Ollie haven't moved since my overworked UPS man delivered them this afternoon. Lazy dogs)

Uncle Mark and Aunt Kat came over for dinner too... Aunt Kat is home safe from her whirlwind trip to Jamaica!

Francie's First Christmas Tree

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Mom and sleepy Francie at the Nativity Church Christmas Tree Lot Sunday

Sunday we got our Christmas Tree and started decorating the house for Christmas! Last year we had Santa in an Adirondack chair pulled by three reindeer on our roof and we had to try to top that this year... It's not entirely done yet so no final product pictures, but here is a hint!

"Dad, you ruined our pretty Christmas Tree with that hacksaw!!"

PICTURES LATER! :)

Sunday Night wouldn't be complete without Sunday Night Dinner at the Johnets with the fam. In honor of Crab Season opening in the SF Bay, John brough thome 10 huge live crabs for yummy cracked crab dinner

"You guys are eating those things I just saw crawling around on the floor?"

Kelly and Pete came too!

Francie still upset about the crab (get used to it Francie-pants, your Dad does a lot worse than that in hunting season.)

Jerry, Allison and Gary

Worn out

Francie... meet Francy!

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Uncle Bob and Aunt Francy came down to visit from Lake Oswego this weekend and Francy got to meet Francie! Claire and Tom came down from Red Bluff too and Mark and Sarah made a yummy dinner for everyone (The Johnets too!) at our house Friday Night

Uncle Bob, the Pediatrician, checks Baby Francie out, and Aunt Francy looks on.

Saturday we bundled up Francie so Heff and I could walk her over to Stanford for some Big Game Tailgating! It was pretty cold and a long walk but we were warm in our layers and Jannie picked us up for a ride home afterwards :)

I've been a little slow on blogging the past few days... and I've been hearing about it! One of Jannie's friends even emailed her to make sure "everything was ok" :) We were just busy with some holiday festivities and family stuff, Heff took the day off Friday so I didn't have my morning blogging time with Francie :) Promise to be better this week!

Francie all dressed up for a Holiday Luncheon at Sacred Heart Thursday...

Francie's Video Debut

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Francie-pants is sitting here watching football with her Dad on the couch (for some reason the only time she ever pays attention to the TV is when football is on!) and I had to get a little video of her on my digital camera. We have been video taping her with our real video camera, but for some reason the clips are too big for YouTube so here is a little clip of Francie hanging out, watching football with her Dad. I apologize in advance for the cheesy, high-pitched voices Heff and I talk to her in :)

Francie Meets Santa

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We went to the Tree Lighting at the Four Seasons Hotel on Monday and Francie got to meet Santa Claus for the first time. We stopped here on our way to the 23andMe Party, but I just got these pictures off my other camera. It was a fun event with Gingerbread Cookies, Roasted Chestnuts, Hot Chocolate and most importantly Hot Toddies :) We saw some of Brian's old co-workers and his secretary Alexis, his old office is in the same complex with the Four Seasons.

They even had "snow" blowing in California!

Mare and Heff with our Warm Baby and Hot Toddies

Francie the Party Girl

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Monday Night we walked to downtown Palo Alto for another 23andMe Launch Party! Francie loves looking out of our baby carrier and made it the whole way to the Blue Chalk Cafe in downtown Palo Alto. She got passed around and enjoyed the party before falling fast asleep in Dad's arms and trekking home in the Bugaboo, which Dad decked out in reflectors for nighttime walking... safety first :). The party was soo much fun! We're so excited for Anne and Linda to launch this company and we celebrated with their friends and family, complete with a few rounds of Karaoke!

Francie bundled up with Mom and Dad and Anne

Sergey keeping Francie entertained

Karen, Linda, Mary and Anne singing "Oh What a Night"

Aunt Kat came too!

Dad sporting reflectors on the stroller before we left for our walk downtown... the picture really doesn't do justice to the fact that he has blinking red LED lights on both sides of the bassinet!

Back Home

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We got home from Red Bluff Sunday and spent most of the day unpacking and getting settled (our 12 pound baby adds at least 12 times her weight in STUFF to the truck). We had dinner at the Johnet's with Aunt Kat and played Wii bowling since we missed the big Arnerich family tournament on Thanksgiving... Jannie beat Kat, Heff and I but she had practice :)

Thanks to the Heffernans for a great Thanksgiving! Here are four generations of Heffernan girls...

and Heff with his dad and daughter

Worn out after a fun weekend

Francie was so tired she went down for a nap today (Monday) at 11:00am in her papoose and didn't wake up until 3:00pm! I got a lot of "Cyber Monday" online shopping done, thanks Francie!

Francie's First Trip to The Ranch

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We went out on Edwards Ranch today with Greg, Trish and the Flynn family. Yes, we took our 9 week old daughter on a 4-wheeler out on the ranch... I was a little concerned maybe this wasn't a "safe" thing to do, but my safety-first husband assured me he would be driving carefully and would go very slow and keep her very safe. I trust him and he kept his word :) It was a gorgeous day and fun to get out on the ranch, Francie slept in the sling on my chest most of the trip and woke up for lunch and to play with the kids for awhile when we stopped.

Dad and sleepy Francie

Crossing the river (we made it safely across already) notice Eva behind Heff watching closely as her new puppy is in the back of the 4-wheeler

Eva in her fancy new pink helmet for 4-wheeling

Spencer with the helmet off but still sporting his chest protetctor

Pit stopped for lunch

Back home for a bath and dressed up for 5:15 mass with the Heffernans

See you tomorrow bloggers

Francie and her Cousins

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We had a fun Friday hanging around the house with the cousins... we went for a walk, played some Super Scrabble and Ticket to Ride, ate leftovers and the chefs are now whipping up a gourmet seafood meal for Thanksgiving Part II. Francie, Isabel and Ronan continue to keep us all entertained and I continue to change their outfits :)

The twins in the kitchen

Aunt Kat and her two youngest nieces

Auntie Andrea bought the trio these cute outfits. Uncle Brian has his hands full!

"Hey, gimme that!"

"A little help here Uncle Brian?"

"I want my Dad back!!!"

Francie trying out Ronan's Bumpo seat

Oma bought the girls these cute outfits for the October family weekend, they fit into them now!

Oma with the grandbaby girls (Francie was having a tough day... it's hard to find time for naps when your cousins are so much fun to play with!)

Dad multitasking with the Bjorn for a walk with his baby girl

More pictures later! I'm having fun in Red Bluff :)

Happy....

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"Thanks" Ronan (6 months)
"Giving" Isabel (4 months)
"2007" Francie (2 months)

We are having so much fun in Red Bluff for Thanksgiving 2007! There are babies everywhere :) Craig and Andrea and Baby Isabel drove up from LA Wednesday afternoon and brouught Grandma Wichmann, Aunt Kat rode up with us Wednesday morning and Claire, Tom, Cathleen, Margaret and Ronan were here to welcome us all.

The Mommas

Wednesday night Katherine and Andrea and I were wrapping the carmels Jannie and kat made Wednesday morning before we left... made me feel right at home with our "family" carmels at the Heffs!

Oma and Francie snuggling before the Trivial Pursuit game kicks off

Thursday morning Turkey Trot! Kat and Heff ran the 6 mile run, Craig and Andrea ran the 2-mile fun run and Claire, Isabel, Francie and I walked a 2-mile fun walk. We were up bright and early and up in Redding by 7:30am!

Run Kat Run!

After the race...

First Ribbons

Aunt Kat and Mare with the Heffernan baby girls

Isabel is adorable!

A cowgirl in Red Bluff

The girls have been busy cooking away in the kitchen

You guys let this guy hold me?! (Isabel and Uncle Brian)

Powernap

Happy GIRLS after winning the "Boys vs Girls" NY Times Crossword Puzzle challenge! (We all saw the movie 'Dan in Real Life' last time we were up here and were inspired by their family competitions)

Good work GIRLS!

Mom and her baby girl

The Kissing Cousins notice each other...

Break out the onesies for a group photo shoot!

Happy Thanksgiving!!! off to eat some turkey....

Can You Roll Your Tongue?

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Tonight was the Launch Party (aka Spit Party) for my good friend Anne's new company, 23andMe. 23andMe is a personal genome testing company "making genetics personal." With a spit sample, they map your DNA and give you access to their interactive website to see where you came from and what your DNA says about you. Fun things like tongue rolling genes and wine tasting genes, as well as serious things like pre-disposition for some diseases and fun tools like comparing your ancestry to people in other parts of the world. The stickers on our shirts tell our traits... here are the tongue rollers!

The party was so much fun... complete with celebrity appearances from Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell :) lots of wine, snacks and DNA talk! We were interviewed by CBS news for our "unique" family tongue rolling abilities.... Jan can roll, I can not for the life of my roll my tongue and Baby Ann can triple roll hers!! (Look for us on the CBS Evening news in the next week or two.)

Congrats on the big launch Anne!!!

Speaking of genes... who do you think Francie looks like?

Mary

Francie

Brian

Mary

Francie

Brian

Francie

Mary

Francie

And look at Jannie's baby picture!!

Francie says.... "Vote for Whitney!"

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Our friend Whitney Wallace is one of the five national finalists for the new BabyGAP model! Here is Whitney's ADORABLE picture for the Casting Call....

VOTE FOR WHITNEY!! We want to see her win and be announced on the Rachel Ray show in January!!!
VOTE @ www.gap.com/castingcall ~ You can vote once a day starting today through December 15th and there are some good Gap coupons you can print after you vote for holiday shopping too :)

Another cute picture of Whitney at my baby shower

Francie loves her "Ready for my Closeup" onesie from Kelly Spiller!