She can smell fear, you know

... when Miriam has a bad bottle day, which still happens, we nod knowingly and tell each other, "She can smell fear, you know." MZ is getting large and in charge, and her need to be attended to is actually increasing, delightfully. Rarely is she satisfied to sit quietly anymore, instead, she wants to be part of the action. Whether she's sitting in a lap or breastfeeding, MZ tracks familiar voices now, turning her head to hear us and often chiming in with a gurgle or a coo.

Sunday, her first Fathers Day, was a special challenge. We drove to Davis to celebrate Jessica's graduation before driving to Walnut Creek -- a lot of hours in the car and the car:playtime ratio sucked well into the afternoon. She slept on the way to Davis, but on the way to Walnut Creek, she was extremely annoyed to be trapped in her carseat AGAIN. Sarah and I, fearing her wrath, sung maniacally for a good twenty minutes, every nursery rhyme we knew and many we don't. Jennifer suggested 199 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, but then quickly rescinded her request when the reality of it dawned on her. We were successful in keeping MZ from crying, though.