Veronica XO

2010 Halloween

2010-11-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

I am leading with a little sample of the goods so you have time to digest it before you get to the full Team Gore family meal platter of witchery.

Oh, I know. I know! Right? Right. Now, Halloween is not just all costumes and disgracing yourself in front of strangers for candy.

There's also committed time at the pumpkin patch to find the perfect small, orange gourd that you can stab into and turn its insides into its outsides.

(See? Stab stab stab stab stab...)

If you are a future world leader with a good head on her shoulders (that is cuter than most heads), then there are also other exciting autumnal activities at the pumpkin patch, like conquering a noble steed. (Check out her paparazzi-blocking handwave! What's up, Veronica? Did Goldie tell the paps where you were??)

Or giving goats an insecurity complex.

But mostly, ultimately, it's about looking too effing sweet for words and laughing with your friends. (Hi, Alabama!)

Oh, and about revealing to the neighbors (Practical Magic-style) that your "family" is actually more of a "coven".

Happy Halloween!
Drea

Veronica's Day to Day

2010-11-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

I got the chance to observe the Veronifica Stanleygorus in her natural environment last week. It made me wonder about what she gets up to on her day to day now that she is an exceptionally sassy three year old.

She looks meek here, right? DECEPTION. She is crafty; she gets around. But sometimes that works better with a partner in crime.

Here she is, luring in young Shay. Wary but still corruptible.

Look at her in her triumph! She, in fact, made you look. She made us all look. NO PANTS, y'all. Busted.

The Veronifica is used to observation. Do you think she would don this urban camouflage if she doubted its effect? Do not underestimate this creature!

She is also highly trained in the arts of showmanship, dancery and areyoukiddingmewiththoselegwarmers. You never know when one of these skills will be called into play in the wild.

Best of all, the Veronifica is a committed and loyal member of an extended pack. Her she is engaging in the "Flower Girl" custom for her uncle Chet's wedding to the fair Mandy. V supporters to the core and we all send them so much love.

xo
Drea

Birthday Follow-up

2010-11-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Veronica's buddy Roger made an amazing video about her third birthday, so obviously it deserves a place on the blog!

High-five, Roger.

Veronica is now 3!

2010-09-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

As everyone knows, I don't follow a Gregorian calendar (in which the new year begins on January 1)... I follow the Veronician calendar (in which the new year begins on September 21). With that, my new year's resolution for 3 AV (After Veronica, duh) is to be a better blogger for The Cutest Girl In The World (TM pending but merits are irrefutable).

Because Team Gore remain the undisputed champs of theme parties, this year's was at The Little Barn, thus lots of gingham and farm accoutrements.

Veronica's adorable vintage romper courtesy of Dena Green, who is ironically in Hair and not Wardrobe.

Though in this shot, Dena is neither in Hair nor Wardrobe, but rather ear-deep in Balls. Ahem. (Pictured with Ethan, Lazslo and a precarious set of sunglasses.)

Lady V got her time in the mess o' plastic bubbles as well, and was ridiculously fearless about jumping into them blindly. Here she is with Zia Hannah and Cadence, where Hannah seems to be putting the blame on Cade for something. For shame, Hannah.

Seriously, those bubbles were as fun as they were photographable. (Real word. I'm sure of it.)

This is Veevs with Roger and although they are clearly laughing to the point of pee (please don't pee in the bubbles), I wish I had a picture of him chasing her around the bouncy castle - that was hysterical. And exhausting; even from the sidelines.

There were of course tons of activities, like face painting (this woman was awesome, she did super realistic Disney characters and everything... though can a Disney character be realistic? Does that make sense? I digress.)

You could also hug your cute friend from dance class if you wanted!

Case in point, here I am hugging my cute friend from dance class. (Hannah, not the cow.)

Don't forget the huge variety of climbing things and swinging things and building things, and kids trying to grab your building things right out from under you how dare they. (Shea is gonna cut somebody.)

But most importantly... there was cake.

I'm just kidding, most importantly there was Veronica! I have no idea what she's wishing for, but I feel confident that she'll get it... if we have anything to do with it.

Drea

Three Videos of V

2010-04-15T18:15:00.000-07:00

I really hope these post okay, because they're stupid cute.

So that's Veronica serenading a little birthday magic your way. Feel free to re-play on your own special day.

That's her singing a joyful noise unto the world.

That last one is my favorite, because it has the absurdist position that small children (and men like Ernie) assume, and then ends with V's patented devil grin. Love it.

Drea

Sleeping Shot

2010-04-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

I definitely need to do an in-depth post ASAPizzle, but couldn't resist in putting this picture up now...

Amanda just sent it and I am swooning a bit so thought I should share.

xo
Drea

Goodbye Chester, We Love You So Much

2010-02-19T16:25:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, on February 18th, Amanda's beloved dog Chester passed away. Although he'd been taking on some rather endearing geriatric traits lately (a slower gait, trouble climbing onto the couch, etc), the end was much too fast.

Chester was hands down the best dog I ever knew.

He was loyal and trusting and gentle, he always wanted to be close to everybody. And I mean really close. Like under-your-feet-constantly close.

I know a lot of people think their pets are their perfect match, but Chester was destined to be Amanda's dog. He chose her himself, not the other way around.

When Amanda was working in the desert on The Hulk, this dog kept circling around but it took him awhile to get the courage to get near people - probably because he had recently been shot.

When he finally did come in, he came to Amanda's side and then never left it again.

Chester was the first one who knew about Veronica.

He knew before even Amanda knew.

He kept nuzzling Amanda in the belly, staying even closer to her than usual (which is saying a lot; as I mentioned, that big dog could stick to you like velcro). So when she discovered she was growing little V, it all made sense.

And although there was a little adjustment period, I don't think a dog has ever loved a little baby more than Chester loved Veronica.

From the day she came home, he was patient and gentle with her.

Always nearby to keep her safe, and to keep her warm.

Veronica tweaked his ears and pushed his tummy and pulled his hair, but Chester always stayed calm and his name was one of the first she learned.

They were good buddies, because Chester was family. Chester was her brother.

Understandably, little V is hurting over Chester's loss, too.

I wish this was a lesson she never had to learn, but I guess that's the way of the world. Amanda says she has been crying since it happened, saying "Chester come back".

I hope her heart feels better soon.

I hope everyone's hearts feel better soon. Chester took up a lot of space in those hearts; that void is cavernous.

A world without Chester is a little colder. A little less snuggly.

He was the consummate gentleman, a listener of woes. He was an emotional litmus, and always reacted the right way.

Chester was docile enough to be playful, and let you do obnoxious things like put baby shoes on him...

Or dress him up like a reindeer...

Humiliating. But he'd always take one for the team that way.

I'm glad that after what certainly seems like a hard beginning in life, that Chester ended up in a family where he was so loved, so taken care of, so comfortable.

The room at Team Gore HQ will seem woefully off balance without Chester holding down the center, but I know to my core that he got into puppy heaven quicker than almost any other puppy ever. (Except maybe one of those dogs that dial 911, but that's it.)

So goodbye, Chester. You were sweet and patient and loving and loyal, and we were lucky to have you and will miss you so much.

Good boy. You're a good boy.
Drea

Disneyland with Her Homegirls

2010-01-16T16:39:00.000-08:00

There's actually a couple different events to put up in this post, but I LOVE the pictures of V and her buddies at Disneyland because they're all precious like collectible dolls. (But don't collect them, though, because ew.) Veronica's already been to Disneyland like 50 times or something ridiculous, so she is a master at selecting rides.

Look at them big pimpin' in that Dumbo! (No, we don't tell her what big pimpin' means...)

Staring into the dark depths of her future. Nah, it's just a tunnel!

With Mary Poppins! Veevs effing LOVES Lady Pop, she watches it all the time. And it's weird enough that a 2 year old can watch a movie all the way through, but her affinity to old school musicals generally makes it worth it.

Let those blocks be a clear indicator just how gigantor the Disneyland tree is. Yowza.

Now the pics get nice and random. Here's Veronica with her first Happy Meal, which activates her American citizenship. (I don't know if you knew that. Truth.)

This is how Ama dressed her for the Hollywood Christmas Parade. She looks thrilled. aha. AHAHAHAHAAHA.

Veronica loves to help her Dadops with morning chores. For real.

I'm pretty sure that a) this was her christmas list and b) she got every effing thing she put on that list.

Here's V with her old lady and her buddy Nico.

She taught herself how to swing!

It's so much more like flying this way!
Drea

San Diego Zoo

2010-01-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

If you're wondering if Veronica has been to more places and done more cool things by age two than you have in your whole life - you're right. She has. Sorry, sucker.

This is her, befriending a big ape. So sweet, that girl.

This is her, befriending the photo of a lion cub on a vending machine. So confused, that girl. (She chose this photo location, for the record.)

Here she is, possibly thinking she's in a cage. Again: confused. But soooooo cute. (Which is what really matters.) Now: more video!

Cute! And confused!

All good outings should end like this, I think.

Now, in a similarly themed but separate trip to the wild animal park...

Veronica asks to have her picture taken in front of an ATM. (Fine, it was probably the gorilla that enticed her but oh my god my money is not going on her being an art director. Which is okay because she needs to concentrates on pageants, anyway.)

Maybe her pageant talent could be animal wrangling?

I loooooove this picture. And so I end on it.
Drea

Huntington Gardens Members Day

2010-01-16T16:04:00.000-08:00

I need to do some catch up posts with pictures of V before the mom brigade (i.e. Elaine and Gidget) start sending me death threats. Settle down, women!

These pics (and video!) are from Veronica's fun time at the Huntington Gardens.

Look at that saucy little thing! As V's Ama knows, I'm partial to a Scottish tartan, and this is a nice approximation. (To be honest, I prefer mine on a pirate Highlander, but whatever.)

This was her first snowman cookie. ALLEGEDLY.

And this was her first sugar rush from a snowman cookie.

Once they wrangled her down, they made her sit on Santa. Eh. Could be worse. Now: moving picture of Veronica being chased around a tree by Auntie!

Giggles and giggles!
Drea

DJ Lance Rock & Other Funtimes

2009-11-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

The highlight of Veronica's year (and the rest of Team Gore, I'm sure) was the live Yo Gabba Gabba show... and because Veronica has charmed Dreas of all shapes and sizes, she even got to go backstage.

That's right, that's DJ LANCE ROCK, y'all. In the flesh! Carrying around our girl!

Veronica, of course, was nonplussed. Ain't no thang to her, she's been rocking those shades for months.

Something she can get excited about? Avocado sushi. Girl after my own heart. Also bringing on the total Amanda-style manic grins (and she does this a lot, she is one happy little beast)...

Friends & forts...

Dorky glasses & big eyebrows...

And being turned into a bunny at Alabama's awesome birthday party!

She's also capable of more pensive looks, which is fitting considering her ever growing vocabulary (and her even newer ability to process and respond to in-depth questions). Here she is pondering the meaning of life and the origin of species while staring out a train window (she hearts trains big time).

And here she is questioning gender roles and the continued existence of the glass ceiling while enjoying a lollipop. Oh, and she gets a new one of these sweaters every year as they are our favorite (and hers).

Fear not, all of that conjecture and philosophizing doesn't slow down her social skills! V loves an outing and being around the big kids, and the Hollywood Christmas Parade was a perfect place for that.

Um, this hat kills me and needs no funny-funny caption. SO EFFING CUTE.

Independence, big words, alone time, cognitive & rational thought... whatever. At the end of the day, she's still our favorite baby. COME ON! Look at this girl! Sigh 4-evah.

Drea

Regular Sayings

2009-11-04T15:17:00.001-08:00

Talking with Amanda last night, I remembered there are several other things Veronica is regularly spouting now that I knew would amuse us to look back on later.

She loves to greet things with "hi". This is awesome, and can take many forms. "Hi gabba", "hi Chester", "hi car", "hi horses". Of course, the reverse is true and even less expected (and therefore thrilling when uttered). Nothing better than the unexpected "bye store".

With a mom like Amanda, the only way V can really rebel in the future is by becoming a straight A having varsity soccer playing cheerleader. This in turn means she'll be skipping a stoner phase, so it appeases me now to hear her regularly request "kind". She doesn't mean the bud, obvs, she means she wants a different kind... this most often comes up in concerns to juice.

My favorite word? "Hiding!" Because she yells it, which is SUPER secretive. Any ninja will tell you that. "Veronica, where are you?" you can shout. "HIDING!" she'll respond. She's totally the next James Bond.

Drea

Fall Activities

2009-11-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

Gotta catch up on some autumnal funtimes with Lady V! I've had an especially good time of it lately, as I've been lucky enough to spend my Thursdays squiring Her Highness around.

She does this awesome thing now where she answers "sure" when you ask her things. "Veronica, can you eat another piece of eggplant before you're done?", you inquire. "Sure," she responds.

However, she's also expanding her repertoire. For instance, when I request, "hey, my little friend, can you please stay closer to me when we're playing near the street?", she will counter with a solid, "I don't want to!".

"Well, we all do things we don't want to, sister!". Which, of course, sets off, "sister? TT?!?!". (TT, clearly, is Amber. Short for "auntie". Obviously.)

Or my favorite little smarty manipulation pants move she pulls... we'll be going through the getting-ready-for-bed routine, which concludes with a book, and she'll ALWAYS request David Gets In Trouble.

Because she KNOWS that the very last word of it is "mom", and that will just set her up for the perfect, squealing, sobbing "mommyyyyyyy" breakdown post-book. And even if I don't read the word "mom", or try and skip the last page, her face (which until now has been content and sleepy) will totally crumble.

I find her sneakiness in book requests even more impressive than the fact that since she's now a real little human, she can answer questions and analyze and tell you things (which, admittedly, does blow my mind).

Anyway, the world is Veronica's (happy, busy, ever expanding) oyster and the rest of us are just grains of sand in it.

Lucky us.
Drea

Veronica's 2nd Birthday

2009-09-21T12:19:00.001-07:00

Hey, you guys... remember what happened two years ago today?

OH MY GAWD. Soooooooo tiny! Let's get a closer look.

Seriously, coooooo. Look at that tiny little head and that sweet little face. How in the world do you improve on so much perfection?

ACCCCCKKKK! It DOES get better with age. To Veronica on her second birthday: all the love and sweetness and fun and protection and adventure in the world. You are such a gorgeous little ball of giggles and smarts, and we are all so lucky to have you!

Love,
Zia Drea

New Haircut!

2009-09-07T11:38:00.001-07:00

Veronica just got her second haircut and I must admit... I'm completely besotted. She looks super stylish and professional, which is how any two year old should look.

Oh, what I meant was she looks super stylish and PROFESSIONALLY ADORABLE. It's the truth, right? I love her grinning mama here; they totally have the same smile, though it's hard to get them to do it at the same time. It's science.

In honor of Labor Day, here are a couple pictures of V not laboring at all. Instead, here she is with Lazlo, concentrating incredibly hard on Yo Gabba Gabba.

Then again, I think I'd probably stare at this group with gape-mouthed wonder myself.

Exactly.

Happy Labor Day!
Drea

Clothes Are For Losers

2009-09-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled by the date: it's 100 degrees every day, and feels nothing like autumn. With that, I present Veronica Don't Need No Stinkin' Clothes.

Nakey time at the beach, yo.

My kingdom for an inflatable pool.

You can also be sans clothing and appreciate things like motorsports.

Or reading. (Thanks Deena and Lazlo!)

Or crafting.

Or for sleeping/jumping on big, white beds.

Or group bathing. (Everyone has this picture from their childhood, right? And everyone is totally embarrassed by it later? Veronica... you're welcome.)

That's enough of all of you! Veronica is off to find some pants.

Drea

Summertime and the Livin's Easy

2009-07-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

Veronica has so much she can do, I might as well give you a little sampler platter.

She can slide AND be demanding simultaneously.

She can be cuddly and alert and turn the page whenever she wants to.

She can carry her own things, thank you very much.

She can meditate about philosophical principles. Or tell you when she needs her diaper changed.

She can out sass her friends.

She can be active and naked and use this photo as a reference point in the future when she is explaining exactly how her mama and auntie and zias ruined her life.

She can skate or die, dude. (Every board is a longboard when you're 30" tall.)

She can recognize the form of electronics, while being a bit shady about the function.

She can keep it so fresh and so clean, clean.

She can demand a little effing privacy, already, please.

Muuuuuuuuuch better.

Exciting news... Veronica got her first official haircut on July 3. Did it up as a special occasion (Team Gore is really good with special occasions), and mama got to keep a lock. Pictures soon, but I'll tell you this: Suri ain't got nothin' on this child!

Summer: Full Throttle

2009-07-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is Veronica's second summer, and she is thriving.

Since tomorrow is the 4th of July and we are sure to get tons of amazing pictures of all her new skills (swimming in waterfalls, devouring cupcakes), I thought it was about time I unloaded so many of these gems on you!

Taller. More sturdy. Still Inquisitive.

Team Gore's porch is another mini living room. Veronica Gore's smile is another mini living dream.

Science demonstrates for us that this is an old picture, because this is the spot where Veronica's Garden now exists. Thanks to Kathleen (who better still be in the uma business if I ever get to breeding), V has grown some sensational (and edible) peas.

This is their beginning stages. For you not familiar with pea growth, this is the "larval stage". It's true.

When not pea-ing (heh), Veronica does enjoy a more primal, Days of Thunder kind of activity.

Like wrestling with her wagon.

And losing.

Lest you think ALL of the baby is gone for her... sigh. Look at that. Still a little there.

But mostly she's an active, growing girl. Confronting the world head on, one small (wet) footstep at a time.

Early Summer Sweets

2009-05-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Got a whole new batch of pics and since V is lookin' like a whole new kid these days, thought it would be good to share.

Okay, fine. So she's always been 2 cool 4 school and had a penchant for shades, but can't you see the baby-look of her face slip further and further away??

Of course, since it's Veronica, this doesn't make her any less cute...

It actually seems to bring it out in her more and more!

Don't stop clapping because you're the prettiest little fun girl ever! Even if your auntie is also adorable and hiding behind you!

Coy little thing. Don't know what she's so shy about, this is Easter and she totally killed at the egg hunt.

She also won for being the only one who could pull off this look.

Nigel deserves a shout out as much as Veronica's cute little sprigs of pigtails do - they are a regular hair-do and one of my favorite things.

"Minemineminemineminemine."

She seriously was awesome at finding the eggs... mostly because she's completely gifted but also because her uma spent some solid time teaching her how to hunt in the week beforehand. (I meant hunt for eggs, but it's funny to think about them in the forest all Elmer Fudded up, too.)

"Moreformemoreformemoreforme..."

You can get a feel for Kathleen's awesome tablescape here... the best way to appreciate any Easter. Hope you had a good one, and Gidget and Elaine: QUIT HARASSING ME.

oscar night

2009-04-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

my apologies to brie for the lateness of this post! these fantastic pictures are from a very exclusive party that veronica and i have weaseled our way on the list for 2 years in a row. veronica had the best time ever and reads the book that brie brought her every night before bed. sometimes several times. thanks for that!

<

living on sesame street

2009-04-15T19:18:00.000-07:00

drea says it is like veronica is growing up on sesame street so today's blog with have you come along......

this is our neighbor sergio who gives v art lessons everyday. they are working on her first canvas.

my mom is so amazing at making sure everything veronica eats is organic and delicious. she also has her help prepare her meals.

veronica has the most keen sense of even the slightest puddle. she is a master stomper now.

sometimes it is really hard to get her to stay still. so punk rock!

a day at the zoo with her uma. what could be better? she insisted on having lunch on that bench and directed many visitors to the new gorilla compund.

i will call this series girl in car.

i will leave you with the joy of veronica splashing. it is my favorite time of day for sure.

Mika's Photo Series

2009-03-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

My best friends' Mika and Miranda visited me recently, and luckily enough, one of them happens to be a fantabulous photographer. As we hung out with V and her mama, auntie and friend Myra, Mika shot tons of pictures.

Aren't these great? I love the lighting and the roundness of the image.

They're like if Veronica was being profiled in Rolling Stone and they wanted some candid shots of her with her family.

Rock & roll!

Rock & roll, but still so sweet.

I love how sunny and happy their house is... and I also love that Myra's little weeble-wobble tummy is in the middle of this shot. Soon for her!

(This, of course, is for Chester's profile in Rolling Stone...)

So Veronica can be quite easily, and happily, amused by the simplest things.

(This is a preview of how amused she's going to be shortly... just had to include it because HOW GORGEOUS IS THIS CHILD? I mean, really?!)

There it is! Absolute joy and perfect amusement!

I love these kicking little pants, too.

Look how long her hair is! I do love those moments when you can still see the baby in her face, though.

Happy, sunny days in the all new Willoughby manner... thanks again to Mika for taking these shots, and for Amanda and Amber opening their doors and sharing their loveyness.

thank god slamdance is over!

2009-01-29T19:04:00.000-08:00

so, we are in the throws of molar eruption which as you can guess is no bueno and not a lot of sleep has been had! i will post some sweet shots and hope it will be enough to tide you over. not everyone can be as witty and hilarious as the queen you know.

this is shay. he is ethan's new little bro and veronica really loves to kiss him. so incredibly cute!

veronica has really embraced the baby signing. she has about 50 signs and it makes it so much easier to know what she wants. this is the sign for more which is usually what she wants.

as you can see, everything becomes a teething tool.

i am sure she will hate me forever for this one.

fashion turn to the left, fashion turn to the right......

2009-01-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

not much to say except mmmm bop fashion!

this one's for gidget!

2009-01-16T00:58:00.000-08:00

I know that drea's mom gets so upset when there are no new pics for awhile and since drea is in the middle of snowy hell, i am going to attempt a blog.
the first set of pics are from v's first E.R. trip. it was so awful but we still managed to document it. there were so many horrible procedures and were were there for 8 hours. she was having convulsions with fever but it turned out to be ok.

on to nicer things. the next set are something that we all hope is a passing phase. i just hope she chooses anything but pushing racks for a living!

maybe she will be a stuntwoman if my pop has anything to do with it

i will try to be regular with my posts while queen drea is away. i seem to have erased all the xmas pix but i have a crack team trying to recover the photos.

A Whole New Year!

2009-01-12T19:43:00.000-08:00

It's 2009 and Veronica is still getting cuter and smarter and funnier every day. I'm in Park City right now, bracing for the maelstrom, so I'm just going to throw up these pics with minimum wordage... which is kind of everyone's dream come true, isn't it?

That's right - happiest place on earth! These are from 2008, but they still count. (Rodney peeping out behind her mouse ear is the funniest thing ever.)

Rodney is serious for reals on the small world tip.

Holy. Crap.

Love the Auntie!

Um, I adore this picture.

And now I feel guilty about that.

Team Gore in effect!

The best way to end your day. So there's those! If you're lucky, I'll have the Christmas pics up in time for Valentine's even...

Drea

Holiday Pics!

2008-12-17T18:43:00.000-08:00

Little V hit up the Holiday Bazaar at Huntington Gardens long ago (before the cold and the rain), so it's about time my negligent blogging butt got them up!

Cuddling with her Uma is done at all times, but even better when she's dressed up. (How great does Kathleen's hair look? All flowy and shiny, like a Pantene commercial!)

Mary Jane's, cardigan, pigtails. Wonder whose kid she is?

Word up, mama!

She is soooooo mobile and constantly zipping around these days, that this is a rather frequent view. Her speeding off, you chasing after.

Two hands! All innocent! She's going to get away with so much, it's ridiculous.

Like this kind of petty thievery! (Sidenote: for any of you concerned about her budding little teethlets, be relieved to know that she did NOT drink any soda.)

Love this, as it's a recreation of last year's Thanksgiving Veronica As A Centerpiece game, but now she's soooooo big!

Vintage Veronica = So Tiny!

I love this series. It's entitled A Girl And Her Dog.

Chester just HAD to sit in the backseat with her. He's very chivalrous.

He wants into that carseat so badly!

It's all good, she loves her puppy big time.

Our friends Carmen (big time musical theater star) and Paul (her roadie) visited and Veronica adored them.

And they adored her right back. How could they resist this face?

Or these dance moves?

Seriously, though...

Could you resist???

Drea

So Many Pictures!

2008-11-21T18:19:00.000-08:00

Playing catch up, so I'm going to go hog wild with the photos! Going on chronological order, so we'll start with sun and sand... and that may make it seem like it's SUPER long ago, but it's actually even still sunny and lovely now. (Although yes, these are super old, I'm that much off my game!)

Aren't those great?! They are very Hallmark... I love the last one, because it's the California version of snow angels. Sweet girl.

There's a rad little snuggle with Myra. Crapmatic, in addition to being a terribly absent Zia, I haven't seen my lady friends, either. Hi, Myra!

This one is rad, because the tone of it kind of has the jaunty air of Burt Reynold's Playgirl picture. Oh yeah, I did.

The next chunk falls under the documentary category of "slice of life".

This is so Epcot Center Up With People Happy Fun Times!

There are only two words in the English language that will suffice: humina humina.

Prison Break!

The more manic and pleased the smile, the more she looks like Amanda...

Introspective with Cup #42.

Now we are here... to the fun Halloween pics! (After this loving tribute to Auntie Who Loves Gnomes).

Cat and Mouse!!! Soooooooo cute you could vomit. The little stuffed tummy kills me every time.

Seriously, set torpedo to "Squeal" because my reactions to these are at a pitch ironically only heard by dogs.

You will probably catch on quicker than me, but these cute little boys (who are helping V invade Wisteria Lane) are dressed as Salt & Pepper shakers!! Genius.

Laaaaaaid back (got her mind on her money and her money on her mind).

Who is the most magical, fun, snuggly, hilarious little ball of perfection?

This girl! Miss you, Lady V.

Drea

Pumpkin Tease

2008-11-03T16:36:00.001-08:00

Veronica's cutesy cuteness Halloween costume pics are coming soon, but these little autumnal shots of her rocking out in a pumpkin patch are going to be the appeteaser until then.

That's right - who likes pumpkins? This girl!

And her mama!

And even her auntie!

There was plenty to see and do, like running rampant with balloons or searching out buckets full of things.

Bucket found!

These cows were also found... I love how fearless she is, how she's all "oooh, hundreds of pounds of animal? ain't no thang!".

This is my favorite little series... you know how when kids this age hear music, they can't resist the siren call?

And all of the dancing is powered through their knees? She's all happy and grabby and feeling the beat!

Right there, that's the pose. It's all through the knees and the bum, you can kind of see her hoppy shuffle in your mind. Awesome.

And here's the world's cutest girl at home, with the world's cutest dog. (Toy and real.)

All smiles and love with her Uma! Now, coming soon... Halloween pics!

Drea

Take Your Veronica To Work Day

2008-10-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

I had the best ever surprise today - Amanda and Veronica visited me at work!

Okay, sadly, this pic wasn't taken at my office because we are sorely lacking in fun toys here. But Amanda emailed it and I couldn't resist its happy joy joy so had to post it. (Which also reminds me of the non-joy-joy that is Kathleen being sick - feel better soon!)

This, however, is Veronica at my office! Look how she is happy sweetness no matter where she is! (And let that help you ignore how I am greasy tiredness!)

Look at the cute! She totally channeled her inner-explorer and charmed everyone here. She was also rocking some sweet pigtails (Amanda said yesterday alone she had to re-do them 17 times). To me, she looks like an even more cuddly version of Boo from Monsters, Inc.

See... V is way cuter.

Cuter AND more active. I tried so hard to get her to stare into the tiny little web cam, but she was not having it. Bo-ring!

Can't blame me for trying! She's becoming less and less of a Baby and more and more of a Little Girl... oy vey.

My favorite moment of all came when Saucy got down for some bonding and V was just not having it. This photo is too brilliant for words.

Am I right or am I right?

Drea

World Festival of Sacred Music

2008-10-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

First off, you've probably heard, but Kathleen and Ernie were granted their own sliver of a miracle during the fires that ambushed parts of Southern California last week. They had to flee their house when the flames were flying up and over the yard, and it seemed as if their home was a goner for sure. She left the sprinklers going on the rooftop when they left, but many houses nearby where already being engulfed so they had very little hope... yet they made it through and their house is still standing! The yard has suffered, but it really is a moment of grace. Kathleen is currently "Grateful in Chatsworth", but I was definitely breathing easier myself hearing that they were okay.

Veronica is no doubt also very thankful that her Pops and Uma are safe, and their beautiful home was protected.

Now these are a couple of weeks old (from the World Festival of Sacred Music) but they're so great and Kathleen had a really good story to go with them.

She and Amber took Sweet V on opening weekend (when the cool kids go), and there was a little boy sitting on a lap two seats away... and the flirtation was on!

They were apparently besotted with each other from the very start, and then finally got to meet at a break between acts. (Her face when he's tickling her feet is KILLING me!)

She's got a gift, what can we say... in Kathleen's own words, "They got to walk around together but alas, no pix. She also chanted during the Thai performance. She was moved by their voices and chimed in, much to Auntie's embarrassment and my delight. Age rocks!"

Veronica is more and more mobile, and more and more taking after the different members of her family. This is her trying to work her way up to Chester's earlier creation:

Hopefully she won't have the strength (or desire) to take it to that level for quite some while!

Not that we wouldn't forgive her right away... look at that face!

Drea

More 80s Fabulousness

2008-10-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

Amanda and Kathleen have sent me a boatload of amazing new pics, but I need to tide everyone over with just another little sprinkling of 80s bliss.

These are pics from Christy Gurlington's birthday party (in her most amazing apartment in the world). You can see how attached Amanda is to the Pink Sweatshirt From Heaven, but I think V is the one who wins in her little off the shoulder number.

Cuddle! Cuddle the baby while rocking awesome socks! (And seriously, are you understanding the awesomeness of this apartment yet??)

That's a drink list on the right, and these drinks always have hilarious theme names, you really should all get notes from Christy on how to do this sort of thing properly. Incidentally, V looks a little comfortable chilling on the bar for my taste.

Best. Accessory. Ever. (And that's saying a lot when people put this much effort into it.)

Birthday girl! Fabulous! ... and now, for something completely different.

Veronica as a babuschka!

So effing cute.

Drea

Veronica's 1st Birthday!!!

2008-09-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

Veronica's actual first birthday was yesterday, but we celebrated on Saturday with an '80s Dance Party at Akbar. Was so incredibly fun, everyone got in the spirit and dressed up and Kathleen made SO much amazing food. (Ooooh, side note! Grandmother Kathleen is Veronica's #1 babysitter/development coordinator/guru and as such spends great amounts of most days with her, playing and teaching. Yet she somehow neglected to tell me that Veronica gave her a nickname! She calls her "Uma", which is too perfect.)

Seriously, the clothes were out of control. Here's the birthday girl and her mama... Amanda's shirt was KILLING me. Veronica's shirt was so perfect (Auntie's idea), that I'll wait until you can see a full pic of it to revel in its glory, rather than give it away.

Highland Hall friends w/ babies!

Here's the whole family: Sara, Jon, Kaden and Zoe Tune. Auntie Amber painted this backdrop, so we could make sure to capture all the party goers in the proper graffiti setting they deserve.

The first arrivals! Soltana, Nicol, Alexis and Skyler Mulhearn got to take over the crayon table since they were the first there.

However, with an empty dance floor providing tons of space for the electric bugaloo (or running in circles), the crayon table didn't hold attention for too long. Veronica LOVED it, and I think every kid should have some quality time in a nightclub environment. Um, supervised and during the day. Of course.

How rad is that?? Uncle Chet got V her first skateboard and it's so beautiful it's going to be mounted on the wall until she is stable and bitchin' enough to start shredding.

Thanks, Uncle Chet! Here with Auntie Amber, and if you can't tell that her hair is perfectly crimped, you'll have to take my word for it.

Here's the birthday girl with godfather Nigel (and his AMAZING pleated slacks) and Myra, whose dress would be cute and danceable, theme or not.

FRANKIE SAYS RELAX! Amber is the queen of costumes (though props to Uncle Rodney for making the shirt for her)... you'll see a lot more of these smiley face blow-up balls, so consider yourself warned. Veronica LOVED them.

Uncle Rodney isn't just good at screen printing... his cupcakes are to die for. To Die For! Like Nicole Kidman, pre-botox.

Sorry, but I'll put up any picture of Amanda in that shirt. Doesn't it kind of look like an angry/seductive cat?

What's that? Is Rodney holding a boombox over his head to serenade Veronica? Why, it's almost like he's...

Lloyd Dobbler! What you can't tell from this picture is that the boombox is actually playing "In Your Eyes", which Rodney burned on a loop for 22 plays. Genius.

Uma's sweet spread in action. You may not be able to tell, but she did all this organic, fresh food in the style of kids' 80s nosh: alphabet spaghettio's, chicken fingers, potato salad, corn dogs. We even had juice boxes!

Attack of the Zia's! This is Hannah and me, and the top of some kid's head who couldn't resist being in our pictures. What can I say, Zia's are like pied pipers. (And yes, Hannah's pied piper IS dressed like Punky Brewster... awesome.)

Dave Mitchell, Amanda, and Amanda's shirt.

Here is Amanda's lifelong friend Kim with Ryan and Kyle!

Zia Hannah and Auntie Amber in full effect.

Josh and Lisa strike a pose!

Uncle Rodney with the birthday girl... they make the best faces.

David Grossman and Wanda! We wanted to make sure his collar was flipped up like Marty McFly's all day...

Team Sanger! Tallest family there, and possibly the most polite kids of the day. Well done!

Veronica had two main dance styles - when held, she would enthusiastically clap her hands. When standing, she would enthusiastically stomp her left foot. Awesome.

Sarah Boscow and her husbee John. (Sarah and I discussed the possibilities of cloning Veronica for a good while, so watch out Amanda!)

Abby, Bobby, Ethan and Shay. "Bad ass", says Amanda.

Susan and Kathy from Desperate, and it's too bad you can't see their accessories up close because every detail was really brilliant!

Ernie (Veronica's Pops) in his authentic Members Only jacket, and Ann rocking some kind of fabulous purple extravaganza.

Paaaaaaarty!

Gianni. 'Nuff said.

Stephanie Horsley does her best Barker's Beauty!

This Guy! (Ahhhhh, Jason Hinkel, you should be on a Wheatie's box with this pic.)

Mark, Deena and Laszlo... Deena's jacket was KILLER.

Erica Freeman in the house!

So I told Tami that she looked like she was channeling Debbie Gibson (she even had these little braids in the back)... her reply was, "um, I was going for Depeche Mode. Thanks a lot."

Kirstin and Isabella from school.

Stupid still camera that couldn't accurately capture Laszlo's bouncing!

Grown-ups by the food (and, ahem, bar).

Catherine and sweet little Nico.

That's right, Karo. You rock those DOUBLE upturned collars!

Val had the best Mary Tyler Moore pose of the day, for sure.

This prom photo is apt, as Amanda and David went to school together from preschool onwards...

Bern and Ava Marie (with the prettiest eyes!).

Our sassy bouncers, Auntie and Myra!

New papas Phil and Mark with tiny little baby Bodhi!

Cindy Napoli (has been in the gift wrapping room)!

I love families with a theme... more of Rodney's crew: Yvonne, Amber, Ashley, Jason, Jacob, Ryan and Calib rock out in their pastels.

Blowing out the candle! (Well, she needed some assistance but it was still pretty sweet.)

First. Sugar. Ever. (And seriously, aren't Rodney's cupcakes amazing??)

Veronica is processing all that sweetness!

Amanda, Mark and baby Bodhi all feel the love.

Amanda, Veronica and Jay make the backdrop earn its keep.

Charlie, the UPM from Desperate, loving on Amanda and still trying to convince people he's the dad!

Clarabell, Lea, Clara and Mary from the costumer's union.

And this is where it gets obscene... we had to fill an entire extra car with all the presents! Veronica is SOOOOO loved, thank you all so much!

Unwrapping all the prezzies at home later.

She is, no doubt, still banging this thing. She LOVED the drum set! And, um, so do we. (This is totally her future album cover though, right?)

All in all, that is one happy girl. Thanks so much to everyone for coming and being part of a great memory and continue to making her feel so loved and adored!

Oh, and there is NO part of me that's not going to include this picture, because it's my favorite EVER:

You have a baby! In a bar!

Drea

Final Countdown!

2008-09-15T00:10:00.000-07:00

One week to go until Veronica's first birthday! (And don't forget... her first birthday party, expect tons of pictures from that next week.) Lest you forget what she looks like in the meantime, we offer a random assortment to tide you over.

I hope someone gives V some baby product in her birthday gifts (wink wink) so that we can give her the bathtime mohawk during outside activities! (I say that, but actually, Amanda wouldn't hate you if you threw a sweet Target gift card their way instead of some hair product. I might; but she won't.)

This is a shot from the '80s Dance Party Cover Shoot. An outtake, if you will. Look at that grin! Even Tyra would have to agree that every shot is a keeper.

For the record, she is more concerned with the mechanics of a scale and the novelty of the metal numbers than her weight. And if we have our way, she will keep those priorities for a looooooooong time!

You call me if you look this fit when you're Ernie's age; Veronica's Pops knows all the tricks. I believe he is teaching one of them to her here.

Auntie! In the Barbara-Walters-style-soft-focus of the iPhone! You can't tell here, but Amber has the cutest little hair cut these days.

Could. You. Just. Die??? I've mentioned it before, but Veronica holds the patent on what I like to call the "snorgle", which is when she will affectionately (or sleepily) nuzzle into the collarbone/neck region. This one in particular, of course, being her favorite neck to snorgle.

Um, you know when I mentioned the dying thing above? That can apply here, as well. Seriously... look at those little sprouts!

Drea

Two Little Feet

2008-09-09T12:07:00.001-07:00

So Veronica has her own little feet.

And these little feet have gotten more action lately, allowing her to stand...

And letting her walk places holding mama's hands. (This is the bandstand area at the Grove, which is just thick with kiddies and a great place to play.)

But now we have a very exciting development... Veronica is walking by herself now, tiny little steps but for sure no hands!

Yeah! So tying in her newfound (and rapidly increasing) mobility, along with the fact that she's fast approaching her FIRST birthday, Amanda and the rest of Team Gore are throwing a wild-and-crazy '80s dance party to celebrate! September 20th at Akbar, bring the kids (and make sure they're rocking their side ponytails)... fun fun fun!

Drea

Funny Face

2008-09-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

I love your funny face!
Your sunny, funny face.

For you're a cutie
With more than beautie.

You've got a lot of
per-son-a-li-ty N.T.

You fill the air with smiles
For miles and miles and miles.

Though you're no Mona Lisa,
For worlds I'd not replace
Your sunny, funny face.

I love that funny face.
That sunny, funny face.

Those eyes! Those nose! Those cheek!
Won't make a movie sheik!

For worlds I'd not replace
Your sunny, funny face!

(Heart cracking with that sweet, sleeping ending shot - right???)

Drea

Adventures in a Chair

2008-08-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

A lot of kids are cute. But how many of them are ridiculously cute in a ridiculous number of ways, all while rocking the same bright shirt?

This is Veronica and her chair and her grin and her blue shirt.

Additional accessories: Auntie and a slouch. Result: still ferociously cute.

Look! No hands and cute!

Guilty... dirty... and cute!

Who me, blow your mind with the cute? (And the dirty?)

Think think think... what is the word I'm forgetting?

Oh, duh. Cute! I mean really, filthy as a street urchin and still kissable beyond words.

Drea

Growing Monster of Cuteness

2008-08-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Veronica is on a rampage, and she's bringing Nico with her!

Free her if you dare. If you dare to fight your own snuggling compulsion, that is...

Who's the happiest? And the cutest? I think you know.

Seriously, she is perfection. Right, auntie?

Auntie agrees... V is the cutest at sleeping:

(For real on the sleeping!):

She is also cutest at compiling ingredients on the floor with her dog:

At Disneylanding (with her friend Deb):

At smirking:

At being adored by grandmother:

At bedhead:

At messy eating:

At biking (with uncle Chet):

At sitting up/being the main course:

At being a lady:

And finally, at floating:

In your face, other babies! Veronica is the Ultimate Monster of Cuteness!

Drea

video killed the radio star

2008-08-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

clearly v is a fashion icon already!!!

Mid-Summer Update

2008-07-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

It's gorgeous and sunny and Californiarific as it should be. Where does that make you want to be? Driving a floating car in a pool? Done.

How ideal does that seem for a beautiful day!

Also ideal? Sundresses and friends...

Pulling yourself up on your feet and standing like you've conquered the world...

And chewing. Anything and everything. Chewing is where it's at, I'm telling you.

See? Chewing is The Best!

There are also growing baby check-ups to be had...

And more friends to snuggle (always good, almost as good as chewing, actually!). Marnie and Mama Gambit get the appeal of both snuggling and chewing, they're good that way.

And one of the best summertime activities of all: hanging out on the front porch. Just like the old days. But there's still one thing that's better...

Bare bum days! Whoooohoooo! Baby Gone Wild!

She kids, she kids. She's a lover, not a flasher. Look at that snuggle puss and mama! Summer rocks.

Drea

Lordy, Me!

2008-07-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

I went over a month without regaling the world with the glory of Veronica and I wasn't even out of town?! Man, I am a sorry excuse for a Zia these days, I hope the little muffin (and her mama) can forgive me! A taste of what you've been missing...

That's right, times have been hard for little V.Go so she's been taking the Raymond Chandler route of processing.

I kid, I kid! Everyone knows you start on wine coolers, not bourbon.

Her actual endeavors have been of a far more athletic variety.

Look at Coach Rodney implementing the strict training regime that's going to take her to the top. We want her toppling Russians in the next 7 years for sure.

Ahhhhhhh.... pink!

Lean back, lean back, lean back.

When she takes it on the road, she's even better. I never realized the usefulness of lower counters before now. So... final images both dorky:

(Hi Cat & Nica... those girls are so lucky to have conquered Disneyland already!) And finally, the sweet:

Kiss the baby! Kiss the baby! (Look at her coy face and Mia Farrow hair... sigh.)

Drea

A Slew of V

2008-06-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

First off, Veronica just texted me to say that she misses her auntie... hi, Amber! Hope you're having fun in the Midwest!

Second off (no one ever says "second off", do they? new trend!), how cute is this:

That's right, just some chillin' baby-and-puppy time. I used to think it was best when animals all cuddled on each other, like a kitty sleeping on a dog, but now I concede it's even better when you throw a small human in there.

So basically, Amanda is still winning in the Best Baby/Best Dog category. Speaking of best baby...

Look who has an increasingly strong spine AND a love for accessories!

Pictured here with Laszlo, who seems to be on demi-pointe and entrancing with his unbelievably blue eyes. Wowza.

Other hats, other friends!

V continues to be a girl with many assorted interests, like bathing and chewing.

Or driving and grinning.

Or shopping and eating glasses. What can I say, she's multitalented.

And as a ball of ambition unseen since Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, she's also already considering her future career options. Step one, of course, means getting acquainted with the wardrobe department. Naturally.

Step two is familiarizing herself with competitive programming - this could lead to something in development, or in her learning to count. We're waiting to see which.

Here's my favorite new skill set, as it's one close to my own heart... with the formation of her very own teeth (current count: 2 top, 2 bottom, 2 cute), our girl is embracing the wild world of food.

In many instances, the food wins, but we try not to point that out to her. It would be rude.

She is developing a palate of preferences...

Because there are for sure some things she doesn't like.

And some things she really, really doesn't like. (Oh, broccoli, we hardly knew ye.)

And then there are some things that her mama doesn't like.

Like beets. Which give a girl that temptress look, that parents generally would prefer for them to reserve for their early 30's. Or never.

However, the eternal constant "like"? Veronica! Everyone loves the baby, so all is right with the world.

Drea

Teaser Trailer

2008-06-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hi all, I'm back in Los Angeles! More importantly, I am back with sweet Veronica who is now a huge, climbing monster! In all the good ways.

Will post more later today, but wanted to send a small little smidgen of her right now, because a little smidgen of Veronica is ALWAYS worth your time. This one is coming from her Uncle Rodney:

That's right, she's standing! She can climb up that little table all on her own, and if she has a problem with maneuvering her way up her mama just points out the silver bar and she grabs onto that. It's awesome. Look at her! Awesome.

So good to be back, and so good to have a gazillion pictures to post here SOON.

Drea

a day in the life of veronica stanley*

2008-05-18T01:34:00.001-07:00

first, figure out the perfect onsie...

then help grandmother with some housework

then a quick trip in my car to visit grandpops

to learn the ins and outs of millinery wonders

have to catch a ride with my delivery man.

then on to a playdate with some friends from out of town.

thank goodness my grandmother is still such a hippie

or i wouldn't know the beauty of pink tulle in the wind.

so wiped out. tomorrow is another day.

*some creative license has been taken in creating this one day

my future's so bright........

2008-05-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

just like something out of a flock of seagulls video right?

i don't know who is more excited, v or drea's mom

she never let her go the entire time she was here!

trying to school drea on the cool girl basics.

she sure knows how to melt her godfather's heart.

live on the set of the major motion picture "fired up" which is a cheerleader movie. trying to learn the moves.

its way cooler if you look disinterested , right?

so bananas on wisteria lane!!

wait, you aren't supposed to eat the buckle?

asleep on a trailer. bring back so many memories.

drea, we miss you. won't you please come home

2008-05-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

so sorry you are stuck with my posts for a bit longer

we cant get enough practice to crawl

more practicing

that really works up the appetite

maybe this has more protein

i think i will try some milk

maybe here?

surely here

i hope this baby tatses better than that necklace

easter bunny finally delivers

2008-05-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

here we are helping grandmother prep for easter. could not be hotter!

here comes peter cottontail.....

hopping down the bunny trail.

why are you all shouting? i already won the egg hunt.

bread might be the best thing in the whole world

veronica's malibu adventure

2008-04-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

since drea is still on her own big adventure, here are some pics to tide you over. v had a great time sitting in on nicollette's big photo spread for uk in style. the photographer could not get over her natural beauty!!

playing the role of drea this week is (big announcer voice) AMANDA GORE

2008-04-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

this is veronica's friend nico. they are totally bffs already and beg their moms for playdates. they are really advanced!

this is the rocking chair that nicollette got for v. she is now a rocking addict.

see i might have to bring her to r.c.a.a soon.

My mom tells me that this is how she used to transport us in the old days. looks like it still works!

seriously, have you ever seen such a happy girl. it must be all the time she spends with her grandmother.

Food & Emotions

2008-04-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

Very exciting news and developments! First off, our girl Veronica has finally come to her senses, to the point of being able to express a new emotion: disgust. The beneficiary of this reaction? Rodney, of course! (He's earned it over time... See: posing her with hair weave, cigarette, etc). The results:

Part two in the world of thrilling updates? The girl is now rocking some solid food! As previously mentioned (I think I previously mentioned it, anyway), she had her a bit of mushed, organic banana right after her 6 mos. mark... and has now moved onto sweet potatoes. The train goes choo choo choo down the tracks into the tunnel...

... she tastes, she gums, she mashes. But does she like?

She likes! She likes! A bit of a sweet tooth... a girl after my own heart. Saving the best update for last, I must say. What can be better than registering disgust or packing away some sweet potatoes, you ask?

This past Sunday... Veronica said "mama"! Thrilling applause all around, we couldn't be more pleased, and now Amanda has heard her new name from her little girl. Too cute.

Drea

March Madness

2008-04-02T12:35:00.001-07:00

I won't say it was intentional, but the results of a long departure from Veronica blogging mean that there is a wealth of photo images documenting her fun last month! I start you with this little beauty, whom Amanda described as "the little girl who lives in the hood".

Not only do I want to visit The Hood now, so I can find this baby and steal her for my own, I also want to point out that it is Veronica who is rocking the gangster bandana.

More tactile by the day, our girl V now handles cups with ease!

This next one kills me because it's a) so cute and b) so killing Amanda to be carrying a PARASOL about town.

Um, Merchant Ivory much? I feel like Helena Bonham Carter should appear behind them and ask if they want to hop in her carriage. (But the corsetted HBC, not the crazy-haired one... who also wears corsets. Damn. I digress.)

These pics are from when the girls visited Amanda's friend Sara Tunes... this gorgeous little red-haired moppet is her son Kaden.

And the teeny tiny baby in the pic (Veronica is no longer smallest!) is Sara's little girl Zoe. Seriously, Veronica is no longer smallest?!

The budding Hollywood mover-and-shaker that she is, Veronica was adamant that she get to visit the DH set again. Being a compliant mama, Amanda agreed... here she is with friend Tara Nicole.

And here she is with Bobbie! I really wonder what it's going to be like when Veronica isn't so easily held and passed around... or maybe she'll just be suffering through her high school graduation, with all of us insisting she sit on our laps and try and make her laugh.

Some of us (ahem, me) like to stay on top of the game in regards to trying to make V laugh... and take long lunch breaks to head over to Willoughby Manner to do so!

Now, there was some worry that Auntie Amber's blog ban was still in effect but it's April and I've slipped them in before, and plus she is so cute! And strong! What a pusher that girl is. The good kind, of course.

Oh, and you did see that correctly: Veronica is fully wearing her some sunglasses. It's the craziest thing, I don't know any other babies (or toddlers... or grumpy adults) that don't tear them off their face, but she must just know how great she looks in them.

Yeah! This is a Drea Special picture, as two of my greatest gamma friends - Roberta and Emily - came to visit and Kathleen let us invade her day and take over in baby-drooling duties. (I mean, we were cleaning up the drool, not that we were drooling on the baby. Although we kind of were. Again, I digress.)

Baby Eaten by Blanket! Film at 11...

Then again, can you blame the blanket?! Who doesn't want to nibble on the cuteness! Seriously, pictures like this make me wonder if we shouldn't just be dressing her up like flowers and selling calendars. Then again, it might sully her amateur status when we start getting into pageants.

Baby Gets Payback from Blanket Scandal by Eating Grandmother! Film at 11...

Nom nom nom munchmunch urrm gravity nosekiss...

If you're catching a gnawing theme, you're right on. However, all of Veronica's gummy struggles have finally been rewarded - she got her first tooth! It's a lower one, but it's perfect. We're having it certified, even.

I don't have to tell you what date this was from - that's right, Veronica's first St. Patrick's Day! Complete, of course, with the perfect outfit...

... and the perfect accessory! In your face, liquor laws!

And the world's happiest baby is: Veronica! Seriously, have you ever exuded this much happiness? Don't you wish you could?

Maybe you would be that happy if you had a stuffed animal to chase around the house! And yes, she is practically crawling, crazy right??

How great is that fort?! How much do you want a fort?!

Yeah, she's all chill in her fort, sipping on some water. That's right: sipping!

Sipping... and bouncing on Nigel. Bouncing! Man, she's an active little thing. There's no slowing her down...

Unless she's with her mama...

... Or her grandmother. Knocked out little bean!

She's growing up fast, but she still is a sweet little baby.

Will leave you with this one because she is sleeping AND she is punk rock... like mother, like daughter!

Drea

Bathing Beauty

2008-03-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

Although I keep hearing from my friends and family at home in Minnesota that it's still wintery cold... I cannot believe it. Because it's warm! And sunny! And feels like summer! Agreeing with me is Ms. V.

What? That picture is a tasty bite of summery goodness but you want an even closer peek? I'm nothing but an enabler of cute, so here you go.

I wish that sweet girl a lifetime of that kind of loungey comfort in a swimsuit, I tell you. How gorgeous is she?! Don't you just want to pick her up and nibble on her underarm?

And here is her favorite Auntie Amber... post underarm nibble. Yum yum!

I love that no matter when or where the picture is taken, it's always one of us getting as close to V as possible to cuddle or tickle or squeeze. She is kryptonite! Or catnip. Shoot, which is more positive??

Case in point, Uncle Chet just chillin' with Veronica and resting his arm on... what is that?

Ahhh, Chester. Like so many of us, Cheddar will take the lovin' however he can get it.

I leave you with this so you can squeal your way through the rest of your day!

Drea

Teething Time

2008-03-10T16:14:00.001-07:00

Grandma Kathleen has been truly investing in Tummy Time since she's been taking care of Veronica and I can vouch - it's paying off in spades! Seriously, it's crazy how much she grows each week, turning herself over and being able to reach with her hands and hold eye contact. You're a star, grandma! Also a star? Godfather Nigel, who spent an hour assembling a Rainforest Junglegym for our girl V.

She loves it! Look at all the colors and toys... I won't lie, I would totally rock that thing myself.

Happy girl! Happy girl! Since Veronica is totally on the bottle more these days, she is welcoming different cradling arms to see her through. First on that list: Sarah B!

And to show her appreciation, and because she's teething and needs to work her gums over something all the time - and apparently what works best is a) a plastic French giraffe or b) a jaw bone, Sarah got some extra loving.

How jealous are you?? I know I am - good work, Sarah!

Drea

Wonderful, Magical, Posh-Sounding Godfathers

2008-03-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

A couple weekends ago (I've really lost the ability to be timely, haven't I?!), Veronica's beloved godfathers, Ben and Nigel, hosted a little afternoon gathering at their place. Never one to turn down an opportunity to cuddle on V (or a good bowl of Irish stew), we turned out in force.

Look at that sweet sweetness! I don't know any little girl that's more loved, which is a wonderful thing to be able to admit.

Of course, she totally deserves it. Look how she sits! And beams! And is adorable! I also love that Amanda "Punk Rock" Gore has no shame about outfitting that little trinket in the most frilly, pink dresses known to man.

Smirk on, mama! You know you do it! AMANDA LOVES PINK.

Zia Hannah and Auntie Amber share in my mockery... although we'd dress her in pink ourselves in a heartbeat. And what's a "Zia" you ask? Oh, Hannah and I are Zias, thank you very much! Zia is Italian for "Aunt" and since we want to claim as much face time as possible with little V for the next 20-30 years (and we're not girls to deny our love of pasta), we figured we should title ourselves.

Of course, any outing with Veronica turns into a pass-the-mic scenario. But instead of being MC's, we're gooing admirers. And instead of being a mic, she's... well, she's a baby. Check out Stacie Phelps, rockin' the baby!

And I would not kid to you about the Irish stew, I'm still dreaming of it... how delicious does this spread look? Yummm. Maybe I shouldn't blog so close to lunch time.

Veronica wanted to try the stew thiiiiiis much, but Hannah told her to forget it. It's milk for you, baby! Talk to us when you have some teeth. (Incidentally, she's working round the clock on growing said teeth...)

See! This is where she's going to put the teeth when she gets them!

I love this picture, they're both so delighted to be there! Nigel and Ben are going to be such tremendous godfathers to Veronica, just seeing how they look at her (and look after her) shows me how protected she'll be.

Everyone say "stew!". Thanks again for having us over, I know we all had a great time (especially Laszlo, who made official his love of shoveling dirt).

Drea

Roll Out

2008-02-25T16:34:00.001-08:00

"What's up? I'm Veronica! In your face, cuteness!"

According to grandma Kathleen, this pic was taken after Baby V was whisked in following a rain storm. What kind of kid enjoys a light sprinkling so much? A kid with superpowers, that's who!

How do you do, precious moments?! Yes, that's Veronica and Chester the wonder dog having a little handholding time. Chester (although still wondering where the attention has gone and taking it out on the diaper pail occasionally) is super sweet and protective of V. So it stands to reason that he kept close in her newest favorite activity: rolling.

The scene: one baby, one puppy, one paper bag. The reason: Amanda read somewhere that having a bag around encourages babies to roll. This theory is undoubtedly fleshed out somewhere else (as it makes no sense), but there's your backstory. The photos will provide the action just fine.

Veronica begins by facing away from Chester. "No, Chester! I don't want to hear it! I know that you're a huge Daniel Day-Lewis fan, but No Country For Old Men deserved Best Picture!"

"What's that? You were encouraged by Diablo Cody's screenwriting win for Juno? So was I. Hm. Maybe we can talk."

"Okay, I'm intrigued. Be honest - girl to pup - is Kidman going a little crazy with the Botox or what?"

Ending on this for obvious reasons... Kathleen's note was, "make sure they know that bag came with adult supervision!".

Drea

Zoo, Toy, Party, Hat, Art

2008-02-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

The title today is a summary of the goodness to come. I start with this great picture of V and mama, from their most recent trip to the zoo with friend Catherine and her daughter Nico. Amanda and I agree that Nico is such a fantastic name, it's probably good she didn't think of it pre-Veronica or the babies would then be friends with vying hipster names!

Next on the list: toy. And not just any toy, but some crazy effin' toy that Dave King's mamasan Evil (nickname... I think) sent to Veronica. First it lulls baby into a catatonic state...

And then it attacks! (If I had been there, I would've done the thing where I held the toy and actually pretended it was attacking her face... long past the point of it being funny/comfortable for everyone else.)

As promised, next up is the "party". Amanda said to me that this was Veronica's first birthday party she got to attend...

And this was the first deck chair she got to rock all on her own (I love the crossed ankles!)...

However, I don't know whose party it was. My bad! I do, however, know that they had the good sense to make it a newspaper-hat-wearing-party. Which is probably now my new favorite kind of party. Ever.

Why? you may ask... well, it's not just because I'm a fan of recycling (reduce! reuse! recycle!) or a master of the millinery arts. It's mostly because in this particular instance, a newspaper hat led to the creation of this amazing picture.

Oh my god! Veronica pictures always inspire a certain level of "coo" and "gush" in me, so when they also make me snort milk out of my nose while laughing, I have double appreciation. It's almost as funny as this...

Kids are hilarious. In addition to hats made of the Business section, Veronica's also been showcasing her hoodies recently (a favorite of mine and others, I must say). Her buddy Jay was there to admire her hooded perfection recently.

Wait, that's not Jay (although what a fun rumor to start!)... that's just a shirtless, um, angel. Man, Veronica CLEARLY has a more exciting social life than me. I'll try again.

Yes, that's him for real this time. Giving her a personalized art tour and lesson. Such a lucky girl!

From now on, I'll try to remember that Jay a) often wears shirts and b) rarely shows his wings. Veronica has many fans and champions, it's hard to keep them straight. Speaking of angels...

Look at her! Transcendent, I tell you. And to make up for laughing at her funny hat-wearing face, I leave you with a last shot of absolute gorgeous adorableness.

Kiss kiss kiss the face!

Drea

Valentine's Bonus

2008-02-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

I forgot I had these gems saved up, too... they're from the guild yard sale that Amanda and babe went to a few weekends ago! Here's Amanda, Veronica and Nigel looking all sunny and dapper.

Gorgeous day, I wish it was that golden out right now. This one is cute, it's Baby V and Gilda. V has started drooling like a demon (I mean, really, she's a champion spit producer!) so Amanda's favorite new thing is finding cute bibs to compliment her outfits and/or sop up the spittle. Rad.

And here they are all with Erica, who is owning this hat. I keep trying to convince Amanda to let me get Veronica into the pageant circuit as soon as she is able to walk/talk/wear too much make-up. Look at her dancer legs! She would dominate!

Fine, fine. She may have a point in keeping V out of pageants. But I will keep trying, I swear!

Drea

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T13:28:00.000-08:00

There are sooooo many good pictures coming up, I'm going to get right to them. First off, a little footsie message from Veronica herself.

Because I know that although her feet are precious and edible, you are probably itching to see the whole thing. And I am no tease, so here you go!

So consider that our Valentine to the rest of you! Fear not, little V has been up to other fun in the last week or two. For instance, she got to go on an outing to the zoo and meet up with Team Gore's long time friends Susan, Kim, Ryan and Kyle - Kim and Amanda have known each other their whole lives, so time with them is always good time indeed.

She also got in a little snuggle with grandma Kathleen, who kind of looks like she's on the lookout for a glitch in the Matrix but is still as lovable as ever.

Also feeling the Veronica love is Sugarturkey...

I'm sure we'll see Veronica's embarrassed look here replicated in many photos during her junior high years... don't worry, V. We all feel that way about Sugar's manly tresses. Something to point out, however, just after this picture was taken he went and had them all cut off. High five, Sugar!

Speaking of manly hair and high-fives, here's Ernie holding our girl and rocking a rather fly little goatee. I mean, the man's always been a babe (and way more limber than you'd assume), but this little artist's facial hair bit is smokin'. Less than smokin' is this...

Gore puppy Chester's attack on the diaper genie. Um, ewwww. And, really? Chester! Come on, man! Again: ewwww. To clear your mind of errant diapers, here are a couple great pictures of the ever growing Baby V, artfully lit and everything.

Pretty, right? And kind of timeless?

Look at that little tattoo-styled patch on the knee! I love this pose, you know a baby feels comfortable and safe when they can happily lay in such a vulnerable position. Don't you just want to pick her up and kiss kiss kiss? This is actually the last in a series, the dismount in a Veronica roll! She starts with tummy time...

And then she rolls her whole little body over...

And then she lands on her back - voila! It kind of ruins it when I show the last one first, doesn't it? Oh well, you get the point. Now, for a whole new point... more nakey pictures!

So cute! Dena has this fur (faux?) throw and they did a whole photo shoot with them, I think it's too good for words. Look at her cute little neck here, come on.

Highlighting her little Michelin arms and tiny bum here is just the best! Have you ever seen a cuter little buppa??

This one gives me the giggles. She's all, "and??? You'd be naked too, if you knew how easy it was and how nice it felt on this furry blanket, yo." Speaking of laughs, I can't lie that this whole series of pics made me think of this one.

Bwa ha ha ha! Oh. That hurts. It's too funny. I leave you with another of Veronica's sweetness, though, to cleanse the palate.

She should be on the new Lil' Rascals, right?! Happy Valentine's again to everyone - big love to you, and thanks for loving Veronica!

Drea

Fast Times at Baby High

2008-02-05T15:10:00.001-08:00

So my nose/chest is practically free of alien invaders, which means I'm chomping at the bit to have a solid Veronica snuggle. Amanda! Prepare the babe!

She's all, "moi? this ol' thang?"... coy little bubba. Can't wait to see her! Don't you all just want to reach out, pick her up, and kiss her tummy copiously??

Lest you think Baby V is getting too cool for school, please remember that inside hides an unlimited reserve of giggles and coos.

Look at that smiley puss! Is she laughing out loud yet? Enquiring minds want to know, and this mind promises to get to the bottom of it. All those chuckles yet to be shared...

Said good times here provided by Male Influence and general Man About Town, Chet Cort. Look how laid back they are.

"Chillax, Drea! It ain't no thang..."

Veronica's Technicolor Dream Blanket here is courtesy of the knitting wizardry that is Kathy Hendricks. For real; if you had any idea how difficult it is to create something this beautiful, you'd want to curl under it and nap immediately. She's got mad skills.

I love this one because it's sweet sweetness on the cutest baby girl in the world, but also because Amanda says it looks like a dress she had when she was a baby. Double good!

Drea

Back from the Cold

2008-02-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

So I'm back from Utah but still recovering... got a terrible cold upon arrival, which means I'm now in the same city as the little bean but STILL don't get to see her at risk of giving her the devil that's living in my nose/chest. How unfair!

Tease! Look at that cute little smile! Can't tell you how much I've missed her, and how I know I'm going to freak out over how ginormous she's gotten in the past three weeks. I can just sense it.

She's all, "girl, you don't even know from picking me up!". With her strong, sassy neck... look how productive tummy time has gotten since I've been gone!

These are the kind of pictures that worry me, as they kind of take my breath away and then I have to do a quick prayer to the gods of seventh grade that just because Veronica is so gorgeous and has these amazing eyes, that she will still remember that she is smart and kind and funny on top of it! No mean girls for Team Gore, that's my chant.

Then I see this picture and realize a) oh my gosh, she's sitting up on her own! and b) such a sweet, adorable little bean could never be a mean girl! Oh, and it also makes me think of a line from Phantom of the Opera ("we may frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination!") which makes me think of those big power chords at the beginning of the musical, which makes me think of Amanda's eyes rolling when she reads this which makes me realize that nerdy musical theater girls still better watch their steps around Team Gore.

There have been other developments in my absence... Auntie Amber re-decorated Veronica's room! So crafty, so pretty. Sigh. Such talent. Anyway, can't wait to check it out myself, it looks so colorful and fun. And she can see more than a boobs length away now, so I'm sure she's enjoying it. Veronica; Amber's seen more than boobs for years. Now for some swing time!

How much do I want to wake up and then move to my next activity... napping in the swing? SO MUCH. Ach. I'll feel better soon. But even when I'm better, I still won't have rattle bear slippers to rock. Yeah. You read that right!

Someday we're going to get such a solid, "I won't wear it!" from baby V... but until then: rattle bear slippers. So cute! Also cute: another fun visit with her friend Sara Boscoe!

Look at that little hand she put on Sara's shoulder! I love that you can just tell how happy and safe she feels with certain people... sigh. Since Veronica is a girl who loves her outings, mama took her to Hollywood Forever to play tourist. (And show V her first sampling of the Ramones...)

That girl is so LA! (Which means... constant vigilance.) But I love the V's eye version of these outings best, it's such a funny perspective to think of, and to try and imagine what her little brain is processing at each step.

"Hey! Is that a boob?"

These pictures are from Veronica's first excursion to the food court (a place I hope she doesn't really become too familiar with, if LA food courts are anything like the hotbed of teenage angst and flirtation that Minnesota food courts were like... and yes, I realize I need to stop processing my own high school memories in Veronica's blog! Leave me alone!)

She looks unimpressed so far. I think that's a good sign. One last sweetness to leave you with...

Edible! Sorry again for having been gone so long, it was harder than me than it was on you, believe me. Amanda said that they started doing baby sign language a week ago... Veronica's first word was milk! Milk. Can't wait to see her.

Drea

Cooooooold

2008-01-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

I'm in Park City, Utah and it's 2 degrees out. That's TWO degrees, total. However, I think of this little bean safe and snuggly back and LA and it floods me with warmth.

Look at those little legs and the bee stripes! Cute, cute. It's crazy to see her sitting up, the buppa chair (not real name, I've totally forgotten it) helps her spine strengthen plus she feels like a total playa.

What a cheeky little girl! And I mean both flirtatiously and a bit jowley... kiss kiss kiss her face. She's sporting this AMAZING dress that Kathy Hendricks made (that woman is genius), and having tummy time.

She's a bird! She's a plane! She's a yoga practioner! Hold on, though, you really need the full view of this dress to understand it's an item of clothing that matches the cuteness of our girl.

Come ON! That little laugh face is sooooo good. I miss her so much already! Thanks so much for the text Amanda, I miss all you guys when it's all crazy. And now for something completely different - Veronica's first nakey bum picture!

Look at how cute and tiny and perfect! Sweet little girl. They look so fresh and so clean... but don't forget, they're still punk rock.

Ooooh, you look so tough, Amanda!

Now I like to pretend I'm Veronica's #1 fan, but I know I share that position with many others. Fine, fine. I'll let her teach me how to share. I'm 32; it's probably about time.

What's with putting ears on babies? And why is it so cute every time? It must be primal. Anyway, if someone could knit me a bodysuit with ears, I'd wear it every day up here. FREEZING. (I probably wouldn't look so inherently kissable, though.)

Now look at this little vixen! See what I mean about kissable? NO ONE can resist! Of course, this may come back to haunt her later, what if these boys start talking to each other.... hooootie hooo.

So Lazlo knows what's up, and he ain't playing coy. However, I can't deny it when I tell you that this image:

Only makes me think of this image:

HAHAHAHA! Okay, killing myself. And since I know I'm for sure going to get a loud "hello, no!" from numerous sources, I'll end with some sweetness.

Have fun! Stay warm! I miss you, Team Gore!

Drea

It's Raining... Rain

2008-01-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

If you've been in Los Angeles for the last week, than you know it's been raining like it's going out of style. If you're not in Los Angeles... then you're probably dryer than us. Luckily, Baby V has got her a fashionable little rain hat to keep her sweet head protected and warm.

So cute! So reversible! Of course, she just puts it on as a form of a racing cap when she saddles up Chester to ride him around the house.

Poor little Cheddar... now for a picture that I think should elicit the same level of sighing jealousy in all Veronica admirers that it did in me.

Lucky, lucky grandma! Lucky, lucky baby, too... what a warm little place for a snuggle and a nap. Actually, that reminds me - Kathleen has so far been insisting on "Grandmother" as her official V title, but have her say it for you when you're around her, because it's much more Little Red Riding Hood than East Coast Old Money. Hilarious.

This is my new favorite picture in the world, and completely self-explanatory. Like mother, like daughter!

Drea