Chompers and the Shenandoah Valley

At just 5 and a half months our little girl has two teeth...and I'm not bragging. Seriously, this is one of those developmental milestones I could have had a bit of a delay with, given the aches and pains to be felt by both Riley and myself (still breastfeeding) by those little pearly whites! Plus, I've found myself getting pangs of sadness when I realize that Riley's perfect gummy grin is not something that I'll be able to wake up to in the morning forever...she'll get teeth, start walking, grow out of her crib and our cuddles, and eventually be speaking to me as a teenager with major attitude...whoa.

To see pictures of Riley throughout the past month or so, click here...
Back to reality...we've had a great month or so. On weekends

we've enjoyed family walks to local breakfast spots in Noe Valley and Bernal, checking out the new Whole Foods Market in our neighborhood (yes, finally!!), and listening to music at the free bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park. During the week Riles and I keep busy with swim class on Mondays (they wore goggles this week to keep the water out of their eyes:)), trips to the gym, an upcoming mom/baby workout class hosted by a Mom's Group buddy, and various walks around the city depending on the day. I've also settled into a nice work routine that allows me to keep in touch with some clients, help kids out 1 on 1, and give Riley a little time alone with Dad to hang out. I cannot express how lucky I feel that I can balance my job and my daughter in my life in such a perfect way.

One big adventure this month was a trip back to the East Coast (Virginia to be exact) to celebrate the retirement of my fantastic Dad. I love my family and it was a lot of fun for Riley to spend time with her Uncle Ryan (who luckily lives right here in SF), Gammy, Pop Pop, and my brother Jake and his wife Andrea and their kiddos (Jaker, Gabs and Joey). In addition to being the last stay for all of us in the house in Virginia as a family, it was a chance for Riley to meet her cousins, watch their wild ways, and spend quality time with my parents. Without going on and on, all I can say is that we celebrated my dad's ability to balance work and personal life in such a way that neither part of his life felt cheated by the other. While his work community knew his family was his priority, they spoke so highly of his drive and his inspiration to so many by example. At the same time, at home we knew that our achievements, follies, bad hair days and after-dinner walks were far more important than anything that had to do with his job. Words can't express how lucky I feel to have had such a model of marriage, fathering, leading, and humility...

Finally, Rileygirl has gone and grown two TEETH! Upon arrival in Virginia she literally sprouted one tooth and started on another. She hasn't really shown many signs of teething, other than some unusually fussy evenings and a hot spell here and there. She has continued to "wow" us with her constant smiles, flexibility with traveling and schedules, and great sleeping habits. I'm sure we are in for it come adolescence.