The Many Faces of Nayeli

Yesterday was another magnificent day in Arizona. We took great advantage of the day and went for a very long walk through a local trail in town. These pictures were taken on the trail when Nayeli woke up from her nap due to how bumpy it was. Joe and I are so very lucky to have not only a healthy daughter, but a sweet one at that who's disposition is very much like her father's--mellow and good-natured. She's laughing and giggling more and more each day and we spend our days trying to figure out what will make her laugh. It's become almost a competition between Joe and I: who can make Nayeli laugh the most? Joe discovered that she loves it when he kisses her belly all the way up to her neck and this makes her giggle. I discovered that when I hide out of sight and "spring" back into her line of sight while making a "spring" noise like "BOING" this makes her laugh hysterically. She also loves it when you pretend to eat her feet! The thing she enjoys the most, where I have a good advantage over Joe, is when someone sings to her. She likes anything and everything. I got her to smile in these pictures just by singing "Vacation," by the Go-Gos. Go figure....maybe babys need a vacation too?

More River Pics

Just wanted to post some more river pics from yesterday. Enjoy!

Thumb Butte Hike

Late post--

With spring in the air, Joe and I are taking more weekend trips with Nayeli to fully maximize the marvelous weather we Arizona's are blessed with. Last weekend our adventure was hiking up Thumb Butte! For those of you who don't know, Thumb Butte is a local Prescott mini-mountain and landmark. Along with Granite Mountain, it makes up the natural skyline of our town. It's a very popular hiking trail, but it is NOT easy. On the way up it has an 18% grade and on the way down it has a 9% grade and the elevation change is 500 feet in less than 1 mile! On this day we decided to take the stroller with us so that Nayeli could nap, completely forgetting that physics was against us in this scenario! Who knew that pushing a stroller up a mountain could be so difficult? Apparently the many hikers we saw on the way up knew and we were told several times that we were brave for taking on such a challenge--in retrospect I think more stupid than brave! Anyway, it was an incredible workout and I couldn't feel my butt or calves for a couple of days after. Gypsy also got her workout in! We clipped her to the stroller a couple of times and, like a sled dog, "mushed" her up the steep parts of the trail effectively pulling the stroller behind her. She may be a little dog but she sure does have a lot of heart! A couple of people did give us dirty looks when they saw this--I imagine they probably thought it was doggie abuse or something. Hey, even though she's a Yorkie her ancestors are wolves so she's quite capable of doing things besides wearing sweaters and hanging out in purses! (At the beginning of the trail: happy, oblivious, & sweat-free!) (They call me upper management--I supervise all the hard work while I lounge & nap. This is the good life!)

(Alfalfa's got nothing on me! I worked this hairdo all over Thumb Butte!) (Us: "Mush, Gypsy Mush! Yorkie Power!" Gypsy: "I think I can, I think I can.")

(See, we're not complete slave drivers! Gypsy hitching a ride on the stroller with Nayeli in between mushing sessions.)

River Rat Family

We took Nayeli on her 1st rafting trip down a section of the Verde River yesterday. Our friend Kevin, and his sister Laura, joined us on our little adventure. It was a beautiful sunny day with very few people on this section of the river. This is the time for running Arizona's rivers because the snow will soon be all melted and the rivers will become little creeks--unrunable by raft or kayak. So we had to make sure that Nayeli got a taste of river life and the outdoor adventures to come with her crazy parents.

Before you call Child Protective Services on us know that for safety we made sure that Nayeli had her infant PFD on at all times. We considered putting the car seat in the raft with her in it, but we nixed that plan thinking that the car seat would not float in case of a freak accident. So we put her in an action packer (a sturdy tote) that we tied to the raft and built her a little nest inside for her comfort. She thoroughly enjoyed the ride and was in and out of sleep for the trip. She especially liked the little rapids (class 1 at the most) we went through--on the last one she got sprayed in the face by some water, which woke her from her beauty sleep with a funny jump and but not one peep! She was such a trooper! I made sure to put lots of natural sunscreen on her face, but even so she got a funny pacifier tanline around her mouth...we need to get her a wide brimmed hat for these trips in the intense Arizona sun.

We also visited some Anasazi cliff dwellings that are off the river. The only time Nayeli became upset was when we put her in the Kangaroo sling to climb up to the dwellings....she does not like the Kangaroo sling at all....I think it's because she's not used to her arms and legs dangling in the air.

All in all it was such a fun trip and it has Joe and I already planning for next weekend's outdoor adventure with our girl--do you think summitting Mt. Humphrey's would be too much for a baby?
(Kevin holding Nayeli-- her PFD makes her look like a Ninja Turtle!)
(Nice & Comfy in my box with my turtle shell on.)
(The epitomy of safety! Hey, didn't baby Moses get sent down some river in a box too?)

(Our fearless & capable sternsman.)

(Lunch break on the river. Check out Gypsy in this pic--she's got great balance!)