Baby's first haircut

We finally got around to getting Melina's hair cut yesterday. Jeff needed a haircut too, so we took Melina to Supercuts and she sat on his lap while the haircutter did the deed. I was a little concerned when he just twisted her bangs up into a little rope and whacked them off. He also trimmed the back, which luckily still retains some of its curliness. But then he told Jeff that some kid had needed seven stitches after he squirmed too much during a haircut. Not what you want to hear! Anyway, Melina's bangs are now super short and blunt. I'm thinking of taking her somewhere else where she can get some more styling done, but she doesn't have much to work with. Luckily her hair grows pretty fast at this point so she should look somewhat normal soon.

Little Random Vector

We've taken to calling Melina "Random Vector" because now that she can walk you never know what direction she's going to go in, though she still tends to gravitate toward stairs. We took her to daVinci Days in Corvallis and spent most of the time following her around as she randomly weaved from here to there. She's getting faster every day, though I wouldn't say she's running yet. One of her favorite things is to carry around crayons in her sweaty little fists. She carries them from one room to the other, occasionally writing on the walls in transit. Luckily, they're washable. She also likes to move things from one place to another, occasionally handing them to you and then taking them back again. This is a pretty fun age and we're enjoying all her energy!

Melina has a little meltdown, and recovers

Video Hosting - Upload Video - Video SharingHere's Miss M at the Country Fair having a little meltdown when I take a sharp stick away from her.

Melina's Country Fair, Part I

Well, we got back from the Oregon County Fair on Sunday, all hot, sticky, dusty, mosquito-bitten and exhausted. Needless to say, we DID have fun, although it was a little more demanding than last year. For one thing, it was hotter and more crowded than last year (it rained then), and Melina weighs about 12 pounds more than she did back then. When you're carrying someone around on your back most of the day, 12 additional pounds makes a difference. She really got into walking while we were there, though. Instead of giving up and crawling when she fell down, she started standing up and walking and seemed determined not to crawl. She also enjoyed picking up sharp sticks off the ground and walking (or running) around with them in her hand.

We camped at Zumwalt as we usually do. Like last year, we arrived with 15 minutes to spare before they closed the gate for the night. Luckily Erica and Brianna had saved us a good spot in the quite section of the campground. Last year we had my parents' VW bus, but this year we had their large LL Bean tent (which was a bit of a challenge to put up for the first time in the dark). It was big enough to accommodate a double air mattress and Melina's crib mattress side by side. This made sleeping much easier, since Melina does 360-degree rotations all night long. There was much time spent in the tent reading I am a Bunny, chasing mosquitos and spiders and yellowjackets out of the tent, and wishing the neighbors' drum circle wasn't QUITE so loud. Luckily Melina sleeps pretty soundly once she actually falls asleep, and she was able to sleep through some surprisingly loud goings-on, like the little two-stroke utility truck driving by several times a night, and a seaplane that kept landing and taking off nearby in Fern Ridge Reservoir.

Melina's Country Fair, Part II

The fair hadn't changed a bit (does it ever change?) There were the usual packs of performers on stilts, outrageous getups, drummers, little girls with fairy wings (we got some for Melina), painted breasts, quirky performances, and beautifully detailed costumes. We spent most of our time near Chelamela Meadow, a big open space where people practice juggling and poi. I bought some new practice poi and was inspired to start working with fire again. Jeff got a 15-minute massage that was so intense that he actually fainted for a moment and woke up not knowing where he was. It passed quickly, but apparently he really needs to get some bodywork done. He got another massag the next day (he didn't faint) and decided to get regular massages in the future (he has a lot of problems with his upper back and shoulders). I got a short massage too, which was nice after carrying Melina around all day.

It was a challenge trying to feed Melina without a high chair or booster seat. I did carry a spoon and sippy cup around with us, and Melina got her share of rice, beans, smoked salmon, ice cream, and other treats. She kept up a steady refrain of "aiiiith? aiiiith?" (ice? ice?) and probably sucked down her own body weight in ice cubes.

We ran into quite a few people that we knew this time, including our friends Richard and Chris (who always go), two friends from IFCAE, Richard's son, my coworker Stuart, Becky's husband Dean and their daughter Lena, Becky's brother Mike and his fiancee, and probably others that I don't remember. Erica also ran into lots of people she knew from working at the Saturday Market.

As I said earlier, the fair was pretty crowded. There was a bigger crowd than usual on Friday, and we spent most of the day wandering around without ever settling on anything. On Saturday we waited until after Melina's second nap and headed over to the fair at 3:00. It was sold out (20,000 people!) but we had three-day passes so we got in. By that time, it was less crowded and more manageable. Sunday was pretty pleasant, too. I think the key to enjoying the fair is to pick an area (like Chelamela meadow) and stay there instead of wandering around all day.

By 5:00 Sunday we were ready to go home. We made the long walk through the dry grass back to the car (with a brief forays to retrieve a lost binkie and walk the baby around so she could burn off energy). We squeezed ourselves and all of our purchases, camping gear, and dust into the car, waved at the parking volunteers with their crazy hats and costumes, drove past the handpainted signs, and made our way out onto the road and back up I-5 for the slow transition back to everyday life.