Today as I was working from home, DJ enjoyed some "quality time" with one of his animal friends... 
We now host a nanny share...Ericca cares for DJ and another baby in our home. One recent night, Barry came home from work, surveyed the "all things baby landscape" and christened our home "Baby Town". 
Which it is... in every room there are baby things. We now have nearly all of his furniture in the nursery (we're still waiting for our rocker, but have a loaner until it arrives). We couldn't be more grateful to my mom, aunt, Jan and Courtney & Tracey who outfitted his nurser with the gorgeous sleigh bed crib and matching dresser and changing table plus a rocker and ottomon! 
In addition to the furniture in his nursery, we've got his bassinet in our room, pack 'n plays for both babies in the living and dining rooms, bouncy chairs, play mats, a rocker, double stroller and the running stroller
plus toys, clothes, and an assortment of baby appliances (baby video monitor which I LOVE - thanks to Aunt Zerky and Uncle Ike, bottle warmer from Carley who understand that when a baby needs a bottle - they need it NOW, wipe warmer - I mean really, you can't put a COLD wipe on a baby these days! 
And yes, those are "real" diapers...DJ wears cloth most of the time.
Ericca is great at remembering to have tummy time with Doyle! Here I caught them practicing before I headed off to work...
Yes, I still did Owl Camp this year. For those who aren't familiar with my volunteering - this was my fourth (and last!) year as director of an afternoon/evening camp for girl scouts called Owl Camp. We had 98 campers and 16 volunteers...you see my teen co-director Kat up top with "Weed" -- my camp name is Wildflower and while I wanted something cool for DJ, "weed" stuck. I liked the image of a resiliant, not to be thwarted plant who could andwould survive anything...so when Stardust (otherwise known as Anne Lewis) suggested that my baby was probably "growing like a weed", DJ's camp name was born. It wasn't as hot as it usually is and on the days that he visited, "Weed" was a champ, hanging with his mom and the other volunteers, even getting his own camp t-shirt and cool camp anklet...kids these days!
So Doyle is following in his Cousin Donovan's footsteps, enjoying all things Baby Einstein. Here he is checking out the toys on his new play mat. He is also a very big fan of the Baby Einstein music series thanks to his Uncle Tracey who sent him 7 cd's and his dear friends the Lose's who gave him his Baby Einstein starter cd while he was still at Holy Cross Hospital. 
Barry and I celebrated his new job with NPS, a plumbing contractor, by going out to dinner with Chantel - who did not want to "have her picture all over the internet". Oh well, we're used to it! :) Back at 1235 D., Miss Roxane was taking care of the little one...which we greatly appreciated.
Some babies need rides in cars, I remember taking my nephew Donovan into the laundry room where the noise of the washer and/or dryer lulled him to sleep. When things get tough at 1235 D...the tough go for a walk around the block with Dad.. and come back knocked out! :)
My mom had been looking at pics of DJ on the blog and was reminded of Paul Laurance Dunbar's Poem, "Little Brown Baby"...here's an excerpt and pictures of her own little brown baby wif sparkling eyes!
Look at dat bib -- you's ez du'ty ez me. 
My aunt was visiting with her Grands during the same week that my mom was in town...making for the perfect opportunity for a family get-together. Hastily thrown together but fun nonetheless, Barry and I hosted everyone for a cook-out. Here you see Barry and my cousin Ervin relaxing after the meal...we gradually added the rest of the folks to the picture (first all the boys, then all the kids, and finally, the grandma's). Yeah, I know, I wasn't in the pictures - well, somebody had to actually take the photos! I'll have to look into getting a tripod...
My dear friend Diann came over a few weeks ago bearing many gifts - cute summer outfits and these too cool shades for DJ... It took a little working through but he sported them for a little while during our park outing with Granny...
My mom was on the first thing flying East when she got the word that I had been hospitalized early and the baby was going to be delivered. She stayed for 10 days then, first watching over me & DJ in the hospital, then taking care of Barry and me at home. When she left, we had a refridgerator and freezer full of food, a clean house and were steady on our feet... then she came back and she and my sister Courtney threw us the best baby shower in the world. Unfortunately, DJ wasn't out of the hospital until after they left...and her commitments in LA and Long Beach (see the link to our B&B, Beachrunners Inn on this blog) kept her from seeing DJ in the flesh again until recently..much to her consternation. Her recent visit re-established that important "Granny to Grandbaby" bond as Barry and I went to work, gave Ericca the week off and let my mom do her thing...
Mom taught me some great infant massage techniques to help alleviate gas and get movements "moving"... She also came bearing prose, DJ now has his own copy of "Little Brown Baby", Paul Laurence Dunbar, Poems for Young People. My mom shared memories of her father reciting to her and my aunt verses from In The Morning. She also brought with her "Tales From Uncle Remus" and my son will grow up knowing of his rich Southern heritage as well as Baby Einstein and other more current baby books.
Not only did mom bring with her literary culture, she made sure we ate well too! Soon after she arrived, a cooler full to the brim with the best Omaha Steaks seafood selection arrived as a Father's Day present for Barry. What a treat! Above, you see DJ and mom reviewing the memorabilia on the walls at Red, Hot and Blue - our favorite DC area rib joint.
