Shot to the Heart

Veronica went to the doctor's on Monday and got her two month immunization shot.  If you ever want to be amused, call Amber and ask her to say the word "immunization". To celebrate she put on the World's Cutest Outfit (from Rodney, with a Punk Baby pin from Hannah) and then learned the movement of "jauntily cocking ones head".



Knowing what was ahead of her, Amanda gave her some extra squeezes. Ummm, new baby getting shots! Ick. ICK.



Then Veronica was stripped and laid on a table in front of people, under fluorescent lights. I've had this dream; it never ends well.



And here's the scary part...



(Yes, I realize the continuity error between those pictures, smarty pants, but it worked better for the narrative arc to show her undressed FIRST, thank you very much). Anyway, it doesn't look like a fun time but it's all to keep her healthy and she's completely forgotten about it by now. I know; I asked her.



Veronica's Grandpops Ernie is still in the hospital recovering from knee surgery, so she went by to steal some of his food. She LOVES hospital food. And Ernie.



Who couldn't love a man who has the good sense, when faced with drugs clouding his brain and making his head feel like it was going to fall off, to just tie it back on??



There's a good image to leave you on... Veronica and her dog, Chester. Can you imagine that someday soon she will be trying to ride him like a horse? Possibly crafting a saddle out of boxes and duct tape? Maybe that's just me??

Drea

Tree Lighting

Team Gore and their male companion Nigel took Baby V to the tree lighting in Pasadena last week. If you want to know where Amanda got such a fantastic jacket, she got it from her home... in the Future.



That snowman is FAKE! Fake, I tell you... but still so sweet and holidayish, and they had such a fantastic time. Look at the size of this tree, though. That is the good stuff.



I'd like to think this entire excursion was a tribute to me, their north woods friend. Largely because I envision a huge part of my role in Veronica's upbringing centering around teaching her all the choice lines from Fargo. "So, you married ol' Norm Son-of-a-Gunderson!"



How badly do you want her to just open her eyes and talk about hunting wabbits?? Now, back at home, Auntie Amber and Chester the Watch Dog are finally all assimilated into their new roles: pillows.



How much do you want to disrupt that pile because it's so cute?! But then also not disrupt it because it's so cute?! I know. I'm with you.



Should we patent this picture?? I feel there is money to be made with this kind of adorableness.

Drea

Thanksgiving!

Sorry for the delay, I was in Minnesota and away from my computer, but it's like unwrapping presents - these new pictures of Veronica's first Thanksgiving!



Kathleen hosted family dinner for Thanksgiving, as usual, and outdid Martha Stewart once again... lucky to join (and admire Baby V) were Hannah and Stacey, among others. Here they are with Ernie, checking out the baby.



That's right, our Hannah is back in our welcome collective bosom. Look how excited everyone is to have her back!



On the other hand, Stacey has been feeling some mad love from Ms. V.



As we all know, many of us who love and adore Veronica happen to be terrible people who are easily amused by putting her in funny places. Thankfully this tradition continues even when I'm gone, here are the results!



Yum yum yum... she didn't mind too much, probably because she was WASTED.



Now here's a great picture of Veronica and her Grandpops, you can see how much they love and are just leaning into each other! Kathleen printed this picture out for Ernie to take to the hospital with him since he got a bunch of parts of his knee replaced.



And here's what he wrote about it:

Veronica
Nice thing happened,
It was not expected,
Someone has arrived.

She welcomed me
to her brand new world,
A good reason to smile.

Got me to forget
My stale old world,
And happily I cried.

Ahh, that's the good stuff... what a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Drea

Pre-Thanksgiving

Veronica went to her first rock show last week, but her mom TOTALLY FORGOT to take pictures, so you'll just have to imagine it with your mind grapes. She got to see Strung Out, which is double cool because it's her Favorite Band Ever.



Last week they got to go to Anaheim and visit Stacey, who loved loved loved on Veronica (who loved loved loved right back). Look how happy!



Since most of us are preparing to feast on big, plump birds it's probably good to get a preview of the kind of glorious belly we will come out with on the other side. That's right, Veronica took her first real bath in the tub and her round, perfect tummy is more edible than pumpkin pie!



Seriously, it's just droolerific... and it's almost impossible to look at that picture and not imagine yourself giving her belly a little zerbert. (For those not in the know, a "zerbert" is when you put mouth to belly and squish air out to make horsey noise. Obviously.)



Zerbert! Zerbert! Zerbert!

Drea

All Veronica All The Time

Today we have four lovely photos, starring Veronica and only Veronica. That's right, girlfriend finally has top solo billing! It's about time. This pic is from a couple weeks ago (and you can tell how much she's grown)... but doesn't it make you want to pick up a hobby? (Or pick an infant up out of a hobby?)



As Veronica is still working on the whole "using her words" thing (we're being sensitive about it; she'll be two months next week, though, so after that we break out the flashcards!). Until she starts getting all verbal and sassy up in our business, then we will provide words for her. On T-shirts. Cuteness ensues!



That's right, a Dirty Dancing quote AND leopard pants. The only way to battle that perfection is with some social activism and baby Vans (she finally fits in shoes!).



Of course, all of this projected thought is exhausting to our darling girl... to that, she puts up a pose favored by paparazzi hounded starlets everywhere.



Of course, she's more of a Dietrich than a Spears... think "I want to be alone" and erase that Cheetos-greased "y'all" from your mind right now!

Drea

Stripey Good Times

Team Gore went to Mommy Monday at the Grove this week, got to catch Fred Claus in a room full of other mamas and babies and kids... you know how the cry of a baby is perfectly pitched to set off nerves and tension so that the hearer will respond? Well, apparently Auntie Amber was ready to respond all over that room full of cryers. Bwa ha ha!



How cute/funny is this?! That's right, Amanda Gore is now The Woman Who Dresses Her Kid Like Herself which is going to be hilarious to me forever, although will possibly be more hilarious to Veronica someday. Once she gets over the mortal embarrassment, of course.



To be fair, that's TOTALLY an Amanda Gore style outfit, right? I mean, I'm kind of convinced the woman invented Mary Jane's. Although I suppose then they'd be called Amanda's... either way, it's cute cute cute. Baby's first dress!



How amazing are Veronica close-ups? So amazing... kiss kiss kiss kiss!

Drea

Eyeballs of Glory!

Apparently, little V has a swollen eye so Amanda is taking her to the doctor today... she thinks it might just be the heat (for those of you not fortunate enough to reside in SoCal, it's been near 90 degrees for several days now). Either way, we'll let you all know as soon as there is a ruling!

UPDATE: Veronica is all good! They're on their way back from the doctor, apparently it was a residual effect of her tiny tear ducts (she gets the eye funk), but she is just fine...



As of this weekend, Veronica is totally legitimate! A legitimate future member of the US of A work force, that is. That's right, her social security arrived. How official is that?! To celebrate, she passed out on her Boppy.



Speaking of passed out, this picture of V at Lazlo's first birthday (so fast!) makes me laugh. To paraphrase my friend Heather, this pose will be even more hilarious when it's his twenty-first birthday and she's laid out across the floor. (Of course, she'll be laid out because all of her studying and industrious hard work. Of course!)



More news on the eyeball situation as soon as we have it!

Drea

Desperate Veronica

Veronica visited Desperate Housewives, although she'd like to state that she wasn't working and therefore didn't cross any strike lines - she doesn't want to be blackballed from the WGA in the future, you know.



They all agreed that she is gorgeous and perfect and if she had two non-crying clones and a corresponding storyline, then there would surely be a role for her on DH. (Of course, I am adamantly opposed to her beauty being used for evil so will do my best to keep her out of the hands of any for real casting agents for the next 20+ years!)



This is V modeling her new shrug, because there's no reason a girl can't be both upper-body warm AND stylish, you know. Look at those cheeks! (Yet another reason the ladies of DH would want to have her around... she's a perfect bundle of adorableness PLUS she makes their cheekbones look even more razor sharp.)



Her attention and engagement with the world around her grows every day and is truly cool to see! Although this picture makes me want to skip my lunch break so I can track down V and just nuzzle on her for an hour or so... does anyone else have this response to her pictures??

Drea

Party Til Dawn

Amanda had her first night on the town as a new kind of Hot Mama last Friday night... eat your heart out, Angelina!



We did get some good Veronica Admiration Society time before we left, though, and Paul and I got to try out her new mimicking capabilities. Watching V stare at your tongue and then try and stick out her own is way better than any show on tv (other than maybe the new season of Project Runway, starting this Wednesday).



She's getting so big and strong! Case in point, in addition to the exciting new developments in her tonguelar region, she now spends part of her Tummy Time holding her neck up and churning her legs. I swear that girl is going to be running in a week or two.



Supporting Amanda's night out from Team Gore HQ was babysitter-to-the-stars (if said star is Veronica Gore), Grandma Kathleen! Way to stay on poop patrol, we know it was worth it for private cuddle time...



Amanda was about ready to slap us all for the multitude of ooohing and aaahing that was coming her way, but she looked hot. So hot that we swooped in like paparazzi at the Ivy... Amber was killing us all, yelling out, "who are you wearing? Amanda, Amanda! look here! look sexy! bounce the baby!".



Sadly, I forgot to keep (annoyingly) documenting the evening so you don't get to see photo evidence of Rodney making us laugh at dinner or the truly glorious telenovela that was playing in the background... use your imagination!

Drea

P.S. My Rerun picture from last week inspired a "Rerun?... Hell no!" text from Carol, which made me feel like a champion. Whooohooo! Blog protests!

Seven Weeks of Life

Isn't that crazy, that Veronica has been with us for seven whole weeks? Although it also seems like she's always been there... perfect and kissable and a good sleeper. (By the way, I had no idea what a big deal it was that she was sleeping six hours through the night from the time she came home until I mentioned it to a different new mom who then shot me daggers with her eyes.) However, the fun part of a well rested baby is how smiley she is when she is awake!



Here she is with Sugarturkey... have you noticed that she has a slightly different smile for boys? What a flirt. I'm officially taking notes.



Of all of us that have wanted to steal Veronica away so we can keep her lusciousness for ourselves, it's Mira that has the best shot of blending in with her... no fair!



I'm putting up another picture of little Chubby Cheeks and her beret because whenever I look at the first one I am overcome with giggles and subsequently a much more genial person to be around. But to double your fun, I also offer this visual comparison:



I am KILLING myself today! Giggle, giggle, snort... sigh. It's too funny.

Drea

Project Veronica

Veronica totally texted me this morning to tell me she was excited about the return of Project Runway next Wednesday, especially since it will be on the same night as America's Next Top Model. For real. She's ecstatic.



In the meantime, she's enjoying some solid snuggle time with Grandma Kathleen on the front porch. The weather is California purty lately, so they can settle in and then just swing and swing.



Just try and tell me you don't want to be on that swing, too! V has also been flexing her comfort lately, and does this awesome thing where she flings her arms around you. Best feeling in the world! Even better than Tim Gunn saying "make it work"!



Chester has been getting back to his normal thing (i.e. pretending to be a teeny tiny lapdog and squishing onto the couch next to you), although sometimes he acutely feels the lack of love. Sigh. It's hard to be a shot up puppy dog with a new baby in the house.



If only he were tall enough to see into V's crib and get an eyeful of these little, edible frog legs. Chomp chomp chomp!



This little knit beret is killing me about a million ways from Sunday... mais, oui! C'est vrai! It's all jaunty and sweet, but also has a perfect knit, finely detailed skull and crossbones. Killing me!

Carry on!
Drea