I think this was the first time she really SAW trees- it was a breezy afternoon and the branches were moving overhead and she rode along in her stroller, looking up with this fascinated look on her face.
We went to visit my first roommate from Hope, Lauren, yesterday. Lauren now works as a lawyer in downtown Chicago! How fast time goes! Little Carolyn really enjoyed Lauren- she was all smiles and gurgles.
Carolyn encounters Fire for the first time. She was so entranced by the candle we had to take a picture of the look on her face! :)
Playing with Auntie Em. Carolyn has been so conditioned by the daily presence of the camera in her life that she now looks at it whenever she hears the beeping sound it makes when you turn it on. Amazing child!
Here are a few of today's smiles. She's getting so grabby- enjoys grabbing onto small rings that are easy for small fingers to wrap around. We had a nice time today.
She had so much fun playing that she didn't feel like taking her afternoon nap this afternoon- so when Uncle B came home, he offered to provide a comfortable place for a snooze and Carolyn took him up on the offer... awwww...
Other than the nap, the highlight of the experience for Carolyn was watching the brightly colored fish in the tropical reef exhibit. She was mesmerized by all the colors and the quick action of the fishes. I wish I could have seen her face better, but I was carrying her. 
This was our favorite picture from the day- Carolyn exploring the texture of a sea anemone on the wall of the exhibit. She has this look that says "this is so weird!" How cool is it that we get to watch so many "firsts" in her life- to be there as she experiences all the different parts of this beautiful world we live in for the very first time. What a privilege to watch her mind awaken and begin to take in the beauty, wonder, and variety around her!
We went downstairs to watch the dolphins and other large mammals swimming under the water. Carolyn did seem to enjoy watching them swim by- she'd track the dolphins as they came into her field of vision. It was hard to get pictures of her because they don't turn out well without the flash.
She liked reaching out toward her own reflection.
Our favorite part of the visit was seeing this baby beluga whale with its mommy. The baby beluga was born about 2 weeks after Carolyn! But he's already gained 75 pounds since then- thank goodness, she hasn't. :)
I believe this was Carolyn's favorite part of the whole experience. She got rather overstimulated and really needed to rest.
Yesterday, we visited the Shedd Aquarium with Auntie Em. Here's Carolyn with her auntie watching a dolphin show. 
The dolphins did lots of tricks, but there was a bit more talking to this show than some others, and Carolyn was only interested in the dolphins when she could see them actually move. On the whole, I think she found her hands far more intriguing.
She's now figured out how to hold her pacifier- this means that she can take it out of her mouth with her hands (rather than just spitting it out), but cannot put it back in!
Here we are with the penguins. Carolyn was getting tired by this point, and really the penguins in this particular exhibit move far less than the ones we recall from our childhood visits to a similar exhibit at the San Antonio Sea World. Mostly these just stood there.
On Saturday, we went to visit our friends Rachel and Charlie who were visiting their family on the other side of the state. They have a little girl, Leah, born just 10 days before Carolyn! (Rachel and I were due only 9 days apart). We spent a good time catching up and taking quite a few pictures of our girls together.
Does anyone else see it? Of all of her relatives (including Mom and Dad), the person I think Carolyn most resembles is... my mother! :) Very strange sometimes to be changing a diaper and have this little person look up at me with an expression that reminds me so much of my own mom! Freaky!
I poufed up Carolyn's hair today with the blow dryer. It (alas) has finally started to thin a little bit, especially on the sides and in the back. I really hope it doesn't all fall out... because I love how puffy she is!!
Today we got a winter coat (on sale!) and Carolyn wanted everyone to see how darling she looks in it! I expect some comments on this one at least! It's darn cute!
Carolyn has been starting to almost enjoy her Tummy Time as she's grown so much stronger and can now look at herself in the mirror and turn her head in whatever direction she chooses.
Fun Times with Auntie Laura. Laura is going to be staying with little Carolyn when I go back to work in two weeks. We had a little practice run yesterday. I went to Panera Bread down the street to work on passages for my Aunt Nancy and Laura stayed with Carolyn, got her fed and entertained her for a couple of hours. By all accounts, it went very well, and Carolyn is really taken with her auntie (and her auntie is pretty set on her, too!) I'm so glad that if I can't be there all the time, Carolyn is so surrounded by those who love her most.
Four Irving generations. Here is Carolyn with Dad, Grandpa Thar, and Great Grandma Irving.
Asleep with Great Grandma at an outdoor party we went to last night. Great grandmas know just how to hold little babies! :)
With Grandma enjoying some live music arounda fire pit.
We've learned a new skill in the past week- Carolyn is starting to be able to reach out and grasp an object and successfully relocate it to her mouth- she was pretty excited about Froggy tonight. :)
Our little Hope family. :)
Photographer Laura snapped a few good shots of her sweet face. :) She keeps changing so much- she doesn't even look like the same baby she did at first! It's been so much fun to watch her grow more and more interactive. Now she has the ability to give back some and her smile just makes all the sacrifices seem like nothing at all.
With Auntie M and Uncle B- making fish faces to entertain her. :)
