A couple of months ago, I signed up for these regular baby reminders (from Text4Baby) via text to my phone. They aren't particularly mind blowing or helpful to me, since I've gone through this before, but I can see how it would be a neat service to have the first time around. And regardless, they are still fun little reminders that get sprinkled into your day throughout the week.
A few minutes ago, I received today's text:
Delivering early is only wise if your doctor says you need to. Waiting until at least 39 weeks gives your baby more time to develop & gain weight.
I chuckled when I read that last part.
Logan was two weeks early and though he entered the world butt first, he was a healthy 8lbs, 6oz. Can you imagine how big he might have been, had he waited another two weeks? I guess you could say I'm not too worried about baby #2's development or weight gain. I was so glad Logan came when he did and am totally comfortable with the idea that this little guy could arrive a couple of weeks early as well.
Particularly on days like today, when he won't stop kicking my torn linea alba or dancing on my bladder.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Tuckered out
He's also warmed up to our house, our other animals and our family which is nice. Every once in awhile, he leaves his comfy spot to chase the cats or a ball. After ~3 minutes he returns to his nap again. It's a rough life.
Monday, March 29, 2010
For Elizabeth
I think it's safe to say Elizabeth qualifies as my longest-standing friend (I can't say oldest, since I'm older than her - mwahahaha!). Her family and my family grew up on the same street, we met when we were 5 yrs old and walking to our first day of kindergarten, and she and I still keep in touch today.
Anyhoo, this is for Elizabeth, since she commented on my last post that she's happy she's not itching to get a new puppy or have a child of her own.
An excerpt taken from an interview with Moby (thanks Dad!):
SO GET A DOG I travel too much. And I’m content to deal with the good side of other people’s dogs and the good side of other people’s children. Then I don’t have to pick up poo. I like children when they are rested and happy. When 8 o’clock rolls around, and they are crying and need to be fed and they’re throwing knives at each other, I’m happy to be childless.
I think it's safe to say parents like children when they are rested and happy too. ;-)
Anyhoo, this is for Elizabeth, since she commented on my last post that she's happy she's not itching to get a new puppy or have a child of her own.
An excerpt taken from an interview with Moby (thanks Dad!):
SO GET A DOG I travel too much. And I’m content to deal with the good side of other people’s dogs and the good side of other people’s children. Then I don’t have to pick up poo. I like children when they are rested and happy. When 8 o’clock rolls around, and they are crying and need to be fed and they’re throwing knives at each other, I’m happy to be childless.
I think it's safe to say parents like children when they are rested and happy too. ;-)
Friday, March 26, 2010
The newest member of our family
A few days after we put Lola down, Jon broached the subject I had been avoiding but that we've talked on and off about for the past year. He said we should seriously consider whether we want another puppy or not - and if we do, he wanted to make sure I was ready to take one in so soon after Lola's passing.
Because I'll be at home for the next 6 months and able to crate/potty train a puppy while I'm home, we needed to decide pretty quickly about what we wanted to do. If we didn't take another puppy in now, we'd probably need to wait a few years before adopting another dog into the family (especially while Jon continues to work up in the city).
So while ideally I probably would have preferred to wait awhile longer before bringing another spastic dog into the house, logistically it just makes sense since I'll be home.
The house is also very different with Lola gone - much more quiet and less "hectic" (if that's possible with a 2 year old?!) and it reminds me of her absence. So yeah, there is that.
Odin has also been showing more signs lately of missing his little sister. The one who keeps to himself and is very aloof, has started to sleep in Lola's old bed in our bedroom every night and runs up for love and attention when I sit on the toilet every morning (just like Lola used to do). I think in his own special way, he misses Lola like we do. So yeah, there's that too.
It was too soon for me to agree to taking in a new puppy. However, my PM brain got to thinking and I decided we better at least start looking. I knew it would take some time to hunt down a breeder we liked and trusted, hope they were expecting a litter that meshed with my maternity leave dates and then sign up and reserve a spot to bring a pup home. I figured by the time all that was laid out, it'd also buy me some time to think more on the decision, which was a big one.
I gave Jon the green light - and off he went. A man on a mission. And within a day or two, he had a few different breeders and potential litters that would work for us.
YIKES!
I got nervous.
And then I looked at the puppy pics and my heart melted. DAMN! ;-)
We narrowed it down to two different puppies that were both still available and met the requirements we were looking for. Jon talked to both breeders extensively on the phone and set up a meeting with the first one since they weren't too far away (located in the East Bay, the other breeder was in Sacramento).
Last week we took some time off work to visit the breeder, get to know her, the pup's parents and of course, the puppy himself. He immediately came bounding to the door when she greeted us, and had no problem laying all over me as we talked with the breeder for over an hour. I had been unsure about getting another male dog (with another baby boy on the way, I feel like I'm quickly outnumbered with the testosterone in the house!) but it was clear right away that this pup was a Mama's Boy. And, really enjoyed both playing with his parents, and playing with us. Super laid back, adorable and lovey - just what we were looking for. :)
Our first meeting, he snuggled right up onto my leg.
Jon and I talked the entire ride over and back from the breeder's - and that night sent her a payment to hold him for another week until we could pick him up.
Meet Grover, the newest member of our family.
I had left work early today to go pick him up, but Jon surprised me (and Logan), by going to pick him up instead, so that he was waiting with Grover when we got home. :) He's a beautiful dark red Australian Labradoodle, one of seven pups (an accidental breeding!) born Dec 4, 2009.
He's been pretty shy this evening, not quite sure what to make of his new surroundings. He and Odin seem to like each other fine, he's a bit scared of the cats (particularly Iz, who's about his size), and keeps his distance from the very loud and excited, happy-go-lucky Logan ("C'MEEEEERE GROVER!!!!"). He feels most safe around me or Jon and follows us around the house and lays at our feet. And he LOVES to lay next to me on the couch, immediately snuggling between the pillows as if he's lived here for ages. ;-)
While I continue to miss my Lola, I'm also looking forward to the change in dynamics that this little guy will bring to our family. Welcome to your new home Grover!
Because I'll be at home for the next 6 months and able to crate/potty train a puppy while I'm home, we needed to decide pretty quickly about what we wanted to do. If we didn't take another puppy in now, we'd probably need to wait a few years before adopting another dog into the family (especially while Jon continues to work up in the city).
So while ideally I probably would have preferred to wait awhile longer before bringing another spastic dog into the house, logistically it just makes sense since I'll be home.
The house is also very different with Lola gone - much more quiet and less "hectic" (if that's possible with a 2 year old?!) and it reminds me of her absence. So yeah, there is that.
Odin has also been showing more signs lately of missing his little sister. The one who keeps to himself and is very aloof, has started to sleep in Lola's old bed in our bedroom every night and runs up for love and attention when I sit on the toilet every morning (just like Lola used to do). I think in his own special way, he misses Lola like we do. So yeah, there's that too.
It was too soon for me to agree to taking in a new puppy. However, my PM brain got to thinking and I decided we better at least start looking. I knew it would take some time to hunt down a breeder we liked and trusted, hope they were expecting a litter that meshed with my maternity leave dates and then sign up and reserve a spot to bring a pup home. I figured by the time all that was laid out, it'd also buy me some time to think more on the decision, which was a big one.
I gave Jon the green light - and off he went. A man on a mission. And within a day or two, he had a few different breeders and potential litters that would work for us.
YIKES!
I got nervous.
And then I looked at the puppy pics and my heart melted. DAMN! ;-)
We narrowed it down to two different puppies that were both still available and met the requirements we were looking for. Jon talked to both breeders extensively on the phone and set up a meeting with the first one since they weren't too far away (located in the East Bay, the other breeder was in Sacramento).
Last week we took some time off work to visit the breeder, get to know her, the pup's parents and of course, the puppy himself. He immediately came bounding to the door when she greeted us, and had no problem laying all over me as we talked with the breeder for over an hour. I had been unsure about getting another male dog (with another baby boy on the way, I feel like I'm quickly outnumbered with the testosterone in the house!) but it was clear right away that this pup was a Mama's Boy. And, really enjoyed both playing with his parents, and playing with us. Super laid back, adorable and lovey - just what we were looking for. :)
Our first meeting, he snuggled right up onto my leg. Jon and I talked the entire ride over and back from the breeder's - and that night sent her a payment to hold him for another week until we could pick him up.
Meet Grover, the newest member of our family.
I had left work early today to go pick him up, but Jon surprised me (and Logan), by going to pick him up instead, so that he was waiting with Grover when we got home. :) He's a beautiful dark red Australian Labradoodle, one of seven pups (an accidental breeding!) born Dec 4, 2009.
He's been pretty shy this evening, not quite sure what to make of his new surroundings. He and Odin seem to like each other fine, he's a bit scared of the cats (particularly Iz, who's about his size), and keeps his distance from the very loud and excited, happy-go-lucky Logan ("C'MEEEEERE GROVER!!!!"). He feels most safe around me or Jon and follows us around the house and lays at our feet. And he LOVES to lay next to me on the couch, immediately snuggling between the pillows as if he's lived here for ages. ;-)
While I continue to miss my Lola, I'm also looking forward to the change in dynamics that this little guy will bring to our family. Welcome to your new home Grover!
Dirty dirty dirty
In other news, today was my last day in the office, and I couldn't be happier! From here on out I'll work from home, "oncall" for baby #2. :)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Because we like to spoil ALL of our kids
When we installed the doggy door many moons ago, we had also intended to build a little "deck" or landing for the dogs to hang out on and so it would be easier to get into the house (since our house is raised). But, we were lazy and slow to kick off the project and it never got done. My dad even helped me do research on composite decking materials, which we bought and had sitting out in our side yard FOREVER, waiting to be used.
We decided to make it large enough for a bigger dog like Odin to feel comfortable standing on to get into the house, and also figured it might be a nice area for Lola to sunbathe on.
Sadly, we didn't make it in time for her to enjoy.
Odin, however, has been driving us C-R-A-Z-Y with his skittish personality regarding the door. At some point, a few months ago, he decided that the "blind" jump up and through the door into the house was just too much to take, and refused to use the door to get into the house unless there was an absolute emergency; like someone at the front door to bark at, or perhaps mealtime that Mom or Dad was dishing up.
Otherwise, he'd sit outside, at the doggy door and just BARK BARK BARK to be let back in the house. We'd have to go and hold the door open to coax him back in or let him in through the den sliding glass door. This might happen in the middle of the day, or perhaps, at 3am in the middle of the night.
NOT cool. ESPECIALLY not cool when you own a friggin' doggy door.
My dad had a break between projects this week where a couple of his workers had some "downtime", so I asked if he could bring them over to our place and just build the damn thing.
And BLAM. One day in and out, and it's all done! It's absolutely beautiful. A breathtaking piece of work - for a doggy deck anyway. One of the finest, most fancy ass doggy decks you'll ever lay your eyes on, this side of the Mississippi.
THANK YOU AGAIN DAD, FIDEL AND TOMAS! :)
A "before" shot - not exactly before because there was nothing in the dog run prior to today, but you get the idea. Here's the framing work they laid out first before building the rest of the deck.
A close up of the framing. What a beauty!
Installing the deck on top of the frame. Fidel is on the ground making sure it installs correctly and is level while Tomas is on top adding the weight to keep it sturdy. Dad, as always, is overseeing another one of his many masterpieces. ;-)
Logan was also building a masterpiece of his own kind. A pile of gravel.
And digging and moving gravel around....
The finished product. A fancy ass doggy deck!
Logan and Odin doing the final inspection. Odin immediately ran in and out of the door a couple of times. WHEW. Of course, the real test will be at 3am tonight. ;-)
We decided to make it large enough for a bigger dog like Odin to feel comfortable standing on to get into the house, and also figured it might be a nice area for Lola to sunbathe on.
Sadly, we didn't make it in time for her to enjoy.
Odin, however, has been driving us C-R-A-Z-Y with his skittish personality regarding the door. At some point, a few months ago, he decided that the "blind" jump up and through the door into the house was just too much to take, and refused to use the door to get into the house unless there was an absolute emergency; like someone at the front door to bark at, or perhaps mealtime that Mom or Dad was dishing up.
Otherwise, he'd sit outside, at the doggy door and just BARK BARK BARK to be let back in the house. We'd have to go and hold the door open to coax him back in or let him in through the den sliding glass door. This might happen in the middle of the day, or perhaps, at 3am in the middle of the night.
NOT cool. ESPECIALLY not cool when you own a friggin' doggy door.
My dad had a break between projects this week where a couple of his workers had some "downtime", so I asked if he could bring them over to our place and just build the damn thing.
And BLAM. One day in and out, and it's all done! It's absolutely beautiful. A breathtaking piece of work - for a doggy deck anyway. One of the finest, most fancy ass doggy decks you'll ever lay your eyes on, this side of the Mississippi.
THANK YOU AGAIN DAD, FIDEL AND TOMAS! :)
A "before" shot - not exactly before because there was nothing in the dog run prior to today, but you get the idea. Here's the framing work they laid out first before building the rest of the deck.
A close up of the framing. What a beauty!
Installing the deck on top of the frame. Fidel is on the ground making sure it installs correctly and is level while Tomas is on top adding the weight to keep it sturdy. Dad, as always, is overseeing another one of his many masterpieces. ;-)
Logan was also building a masterpiece of his own kind. A pile of gravel.
And digging and moving gravel around....
The finished product. A fancy ass doggy deck!
Logan and Odin doing the final inspection. Odin immediately ran in and out of the door a couple of times. WHEW. Of course, the real test will be at 3am tonight. ;-)Famous last words
The content of my daily chats with Jon usually revolve around coordinating our schedules since we're both pretty busy at work and keep things just as hoppin' at home. Today, he pinged me on his upcoming work schedule, since he needs to travel to Virginia very soon. UGH.
Famous last words indeed. I'm posting them here as proof, in case Jon is TOTALLY WRONG. ;-)
Famous last words indeed. I'm posting them here as proof, in case Jon is TOTALLY WRONG. ;-)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
On the home stretch! Woohoo!
I had another OB appointment today - I have another one in two weeks and then it's weekly until this little guy appears! Oy!
So everything looks great - I'm doing just fine on my blood pressure, weight gain, belly size (which approximates the size of the baby - who is "normal" - whatever the hell that means!), etc. I complained a bit about how low he's been and his constant movement - which my OB replies to "GOOD! That's what I like to hear!" and I'm thinking LADY. You don't get it. I want him to Cut. That. Shit. Out.
She actually got to see him in action herself. When trying to listen to his heartbeat, he wasn't cooperating at first, wiggling away from her every time she moved the wand - which you could see clear as day through my belly and made her laugh. She finally pushed him on one side to get him to move and his heartbeat perked right up. She said that she loved that - the pick up in heartbeat from us bugging him was an even better sign of a healthy kiddo inside... Oy!
She also thinks he's head down at the moment - but given my history - we'll be checking on that regularly from here on out.
Oy.
I've been feeling a few contractions the last week or so - nothing major, but just some warning signs here and there, tickling the memories that have been locked up good and tight for 2+ years. My doc did say that now that I'm 34 weeks, I've hit the home stretch, and if I were to go into labor she probably wouldn't stop it. INTERESTING!
Bring on the castor oil, spicy food and sex! hehehe
Seriously though, she did check to see if I've dilated or effaced any, and we're not showing any signs yet. This little guy is hanging in for a few more weeks. Fine by me, but I may just start buying pounds of licorice soon if we don't see any changes by the next visit. ;-)
So everything looks great - I'm doing just fine on my blood pressure, weight gain, belly size (which approximates the size of the baby - who is "normal" - whatever the hell that means!), etc. I complained a bit about how low he's been and his constant movement - which my OB replies to "GOOD! That's what I like to hear!" and I'm thinking LADY. You don't get it. I want him to Cut. That. Shit. Out.
She actually got to see him in action herself. When trying to listen to his heartbeat, he wasn't cooperating at first, wiggling away from her every time she moved the wand - which you could see clear as day through my belly and made her laugh. She finally pushed him on one side to get him to move and his heartbeat perked right up. She said that she loved that - the pick up in heartbeat from us bugging him was an even better sign of a healthy kiddo inside... Oy!
She also thinks he's head down at the moment - but given my history - we'll be checking on that regularly from here on out.
Oy.
I've been feeling a few contractions the last week or so - nothing major, but just some warning signs here and there, tickling the memories that have been locked up good and tight for 2+ years. My doc did say that now that I'm 34 weeks, I've hit the home stretch, and if I were to go into labor she probably wouldn't stop it. INTERESTING!
Bring on the castor oil, spicy food and sex! hehehe
Seriously though, she did check to see if I've dilated or effaced any, and we're not showing any signs yet. This little guy is hanging in for a few more weeks. Fine by me, but I may just start buying pounds of licorice soon if we don't see any changes by the next visit. ;-)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Cirque du Soleil
My birthday celebrations continued through the weekend - what fun!
First, my brother Kai drove up from LA to visit. We spent all day Saturday hanging out at my parent's house (Jon was playing in a rugby match most of the day, that his team easily won!). We even got to visit with my cousin Shawn and her son, Kindy, as well, since they were in town for March Madness. :)
I had a really tough time getting Logan down for a nap unfortunately. I think it was a combination of the excitement and stimulation from hanging out with his two super fun uncles (my brother Zane was also there). But, it was also difficult for me personally since I'm getting very big and his bed is low low low down on the ground. OY!
I was so frustrated, I finally told him we were going to have to pack up and go home. He said NO NO NO, he wanted to stay at Zabuton's house. So I said "Okay fine, I'm leaving you but I'll be back soon. You better be asleep by the time I get back."
I walked downstairs totally beat - so my dad offered to pitch in and help out. He went upstairs, where Logan was just babbling and talking to himself in his room. My dad poked his head in and in a really stern voice said "What do you think you're doing?"
Logan immediately clenched his eyes shut, as if he were asleep. HAAAAA!!
Thankfully, my dad has magical powers and Logan soon fell asleep.
Unfortunately, he didn't nap for very long. So, we had a bit of an amped up psycho kid on our hands for dinner that night (at a fave restaurant of ours: Tsugaru), which was really too bad since it was supposed to be my "Birthday Dinner" with my family. Oh well - the food was still delicious! Afterward, we headed home for some yummy cake (two choices: carrot cake or chocolate cake) and visited a bit before turning in for the night.
Based on how hyper and unwieldy Logan was yesterday, I was nervous about how today would turn out, since I had bought tickets for us to brave seeing Cirque du Soleil's Ovo - with Logan - this evening.
However, the day couldn't have been more perfect! :) We met my family for lunch at Stacks and then bid our farewells to Uncle Kai who had to hit the road back for LA. We came home and put Logan down for his nap (a little after 2pm). The show was at 5pm, so I was hoping we'd get a good nap in before heading out. He must've been pretty tuckered out, since we had to wake him up at 4:30pm so we could rush out the door!
As we approached the big blue and yellow Cirque du Soleil tents, Logan immediately took notice and yelled at us to "GO THAT WAY!" (pointing toward the tents). We arrived a couple of minutes late (no biggie, we didn't miss much) and were seated right away. WHAT EXCELLENT SEATS!! We were about 20 feet from the stage with our backs at an aisle (so that we were greeted by a few of the show's characters during the night). The minute we sat down, Logan was completely mesmerized. His eyes were wide open the entire time, taking every little thing in. It was sooooo super exciting and fun to watch, and I'm not sure what I enjoyed more frankly, the performance, or my son's delight. :)
A few pics I took (with my iPhone, sorry the quality is pretty crummy in the dim light), of Logan's first Cirque du Soleil experience!
Waiting in line for "papa-corn" during intermission
After the show, a pic in front of the infamous blue and yellow tents.
And Logan with his "papa-corn".
I wanted a shot with the two of us too! I mean, I did buy the tix for the coolest evening ever, after all! ;-)
Notice Logan is stuffing his face with "papa-corn" the entire time...
Starting our walk back to the car. Logan got a ride on Daddy's shoulders *in addition* to ridiculous amounts of "papa-corn".
First, my brother Kai drove up from LA to visit. We spent all day Saturday hanging out at my parent's house (Jon was playing in a rugby match most of the day, that his team easily won!). We even got to visit with my cousin Shawn and her son, Kindy, as well, since they were in town for March Madness. :)
I had a really tough time getting Logan down for a nap unfortunately. I think it was a combination of the excitement and stimulation from hanging out with his two super fun uncles (my brother Zane was also there). But, it was also difficult for me personally since I'm getting very big and his bed is low low low down on the ground. OY!
I was so frustrated, I finally told him we were going to have to pack up and go home. He said NO NO NO, he wanted to stay at Zabuton's house. So I said "Okay fine, I'm leaving you but I'll be back soon. You better be asleep by the time I get back."
I walked downstairs totally beat - so my dad offered to pitch in and help out. He went upstairs, where Logan was just babbling and talking to himself in his room. My dad poked his head in and in a really stern voice said "What do you think you're doing?"
Logan immediately clenched his eyes shut, as if he were asleep. HAAAAA!!
Thankfully, my dad has magical powers and Logan soon fell asleep.
Unfortunately, he didn't nap for very long. So, we had a bit of an amped up psycho kid on our hands for dinner that night (at a fave restaurant of ours: Tsugaru), which was really too bad since it was supposed to be my "Birthday Dinner" with my family. Oh well - the food was still delicious! Afterward, we headed home for some yummy cake (two choices: carrot cake or chocolate cake) and visited a bit before turning in for the night.
Based on how hyper and unwieldy Logan was yesterday, I was nervous about how today would turn out, since I had bought tickets for us to brave seeing Cirque du Soleil's Ovo - with Logan - this evening.
However, the day couldn't have been more perfect! :) We met my family for lunch at Stacks and then bid our farewells to Uncle Kai who had to hit the road back for LA. We came home and put Logan down for his nap (a little after 2pm). The show was at 5pm, so I was hoping we'd get a good nap in before heading out. He must've been pretty tuckered out, since we had to wake him up at 4:30pm so we could rush out the door!
As we approached the big blue and yellow Cirque du Soleil tents, Logan immediately took notice and yelled at us to "GO THAT WAY!" (pointing toward the tents). We arrived a couple of minutes late (no biggie, we didn't miss much) and were seated right away. WHAT EXCELLENT SEATS!! We were about 20 feet from the stage with our backs at an aisle (so that we were greeted by a few of the show's characters during the night). The minute we sat down, Logan was completely mesmerized. His eyes were wide open the entire time, taking every little thing in. It was sooooo super exciting and fun to watch, and I'm not sure what I enjoyed more frankly, the performance, or my son's delight. :)
A few pics I took (with my iPhone, sorry the quality is pretty crummy in the dim light), of Logan's first Cirque du Soleil experience!
Waiting in line for "papa-corn" during intermission
After the show, a pic in front of the infamous blue and yellow tents.And Logan with his "papa-corn".
I wanted a shot with the two of us too! I mean, I did buy the tix for the coolest evening ever, after all! ;-)Notice Logan is stuffing his face with "papa-corn" the entire time...
Starting our walk back to the car. Logan got a ride on Daddy's shoulders *in addition* to ridiculous amounts of "papa-corn".
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Happy Birthday to me!
It was my birthday yesterday, but I don't yet feel a year older.
I bet I feel a year older when this kid decides to pop out though. ;-)
On Tuesday, a friend of mine at work took me out to lunch for my birthday (thanks Amanda!) and knowing how much I love good food, and cheeses in particular, she introduced me to this cool little European open air market, called Milk Pail, near our work.
I was immediately stuffing delicious fruit, nuts, fresh bread and cheese! OMG. THE. CHEESE. in my basket. It reminded me of my days in Italy when I was a poor starving student and survived on virtually nothing but bread, water and cheese the entire time.
So yesterday, when my dad called to wish me a happy birthday, I told him he and my mom would need to stop by for dinner that night to have a little impromptu Euro dinner with us. Always looking for an opportunity to try out new cheeses himself, he gladly accepted the invite.
I left work early to pick up Logan so we could get home and start getting the meal ready. I coaxed him away from school by telling him that Zabuton and Zafu were going to be visiting us at home. While I sliced and prepped in the kitchen, Logan propped himself up at the front window, on the lookout for his grandparents.
Here's our lovely spread. I thought of my friend Chelsea when taking this pic because she always posts pics of what she is eating each day - she likes to call it food porn. Isn't it though? :)
Logan snuck several nibbles of cheese, chowed down on some grapes and apples, and loved the cashews (but spit out the almonds). His refined little palate also got away with too-many-to-count fig newtons.
Notice Odin waiting for any scraps that might fall his way!
After dinner, we put Logan to bed and then visited for a bit before calling it a night. Here's some silly Mommy/Logan time captured on camera before saying good night.
What a wonderful ending to a great day - hope everyone had a Happy St. Patrick's Day!
A mischievous little leprechaun smirk!
I bet I feel a year older when this kid decides to pop out though. ;-)
On Tuesday, a friend of mine at work took me out to lunch for my birthday (thanks Amanda!) and knowing how much I love good food, and cheeses in particular, she introduced me to this cool little European open air market, called Milk Pail, near our work.
I was immediately stuffing delicious fruit, nuts, fresh bread and cheese! OMG. THE. CHEESE. in my basket. It reminded me of my days in Italy when I was a poor starving student and survived on virtually nothing but bread, water and cheese the entire time.
So yesterday, when my dad called to wish me a happy birthday, I told him he and my mom would need to stop by for dinner that night to have a little impromptu Euro dinner with us. Always looking for an opportunity to try out new cheeses himself, he gladly accepted the invite.
I left work early to pick up Logan so we could get home and start getting the meal ready. I coaxed him away from school by telling him that Zabuton and Zafu were going to be visiting us at home. While I sliced and prepped in the kitchen, Logan propped himself up at the front window, on the lookout for his grandparents.
Here's our lovely spread. I thought of my friend Chelsea when taking this pic because she always posts pics of what she is eating each day - she likes to call it food porn. Isn't it though? :)
Logan snuck several nibbles of cheese, chowed down on some grapes and apples, and loved the cashews (but spit out the almonds). His refined little palate also got away with too-many-to-count fig newtons.
Notice Odin waiting for any scraps that might fall his way!After dinner, we put Logan to bed and then visited for a bit before calling it a night. Here's some silly Mommy/Logan time captured on camera before saying good night.
What a wonderful ending to a great day - hope everyone had a Happy St. Patrick's Day!
A mischievous little leprechaun smirk!A second Texas A&M fan just found in California
Photo courtesy of Jon, who snapped a shot of Logan this morning. I absolutely LOVE this capture of Logan! Adorable as always, and really starting to grow up! :)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Old wives' tales strike again
I always find it curious how people feel the need, no the right, to dish out unsolicited parenting advice the minute you become pregnant (whether this is your first or third pregnancy, it seems to happen all the same). They also think it's suddenly okay to violate your personal space and touch your belly. Or perhaps comment on your weight and growing midsection.
I don't think too much about it - I know these people mean well. So, I try to let most of that just roll off my shoulders since what can you do anyway? What do you say when someone comments on your weight? And, what do you say when someone asks to touch your belly? Or, worse yet, touches your belly unasked? (without appearing like a total bitch whacked out on hormones of course)
But what I find truly amusing, are the constant old wives' tales I hear from people, guessing whether I'm having a boy or girl. That I'm carrying high, or low, wide and round, or sticking straight out, to indicate one or the other sex. And they are very certain of their prediction. Every time.
I don't believe in any of it, so it's quite the entertainment. Really.
Case in point.
I was at my fave Falafel's Drive In stand the other day, minding my own business, grabbing some lunch to go and talking to the owners about our upcoming baby (they know my family well, as my parents started going to this joint even before I was born!).
An older Hispanic gentleman, standing next to me waiting for his food, decided to hop in on the discussion.
You're having a girl, right?
No, we're having a boy.
I think you're going to have a girl. Nine grandchildren and I've never been wrong.
Okay. Well, thank you.
Alas, I didn't have the heart to tell him (I never do), that I think I'll place my bets on the amnio results instead. ;-)
I don't think too much about it - I know these people mean well. So, I try to let most of that just roll off my shoulders since what can you do anyway? What do you say when someone comments on your weight? And, what do you say when someone asks to touch your belly? Or, worse yet, touches your belly unasked? (without appearing like a total bitch whacked out on hormones of course)
But what I find truly amusing, are the constant old wives' tales I hear from people, guessing whether I'm having a boy or girl. That I'm carrying high, or low, wide and round, or sticking straight out, to indicate one or the other sex. And they are very certain of their prediction. Every time.
I don't believe in any of it, so it's quite the entertainment. Really.
Case in point.
I was at my fave Falafel's Drive In stand the other day, minding my own business, grabbing some lunch to go and talking to the owners about our upcoming baby (they know my family well, as my parents started going to this joint even before I was born!).
An older Hispanic gentleman, standing next to me waiting for his food, decided to hop in on the discussion.
You're having a girl, right?
No, we're having a boy.
I think you're going to have a girl. Nine grandchildren and I've never been wrong.
Okay. Well, thank you.
Alas, I didn't have the heart to tell him (I never do), that I think I'll place my bets on the amnio results instead. ;-)
Monday, March 15, 2010
Another fun filled weekend!
Jon's parents and sister, Sarah, arrived Friday afternoon to visit for the weekend. We met up with Jon's other sister, Catherine, and friend Nadia, for dinner that Friday night at one of our fave places, Vive Sol. Catherine surprised me with a(n early) birthday cake that she made from scratch! It was gorgeous and super duper yummy :)
One of the rare childless shots of me these days! ;-)
Thanks to Catherine for remembering her camera and taking these pics! :)
After dinner we headed back to our place where Logan got to show off his brand new bed to everyone. Tia Catherine immediately jumped in and snuggled with Logan under the covers to read a few bedtime stories. Is he spoiled or what?!?
Saturday we had a full day! Jon woke up early to snag some donuts for everyone, and once Abuelita ("Ita"), Abuelito ("Ito"), and Sarah arrived, we took off to hang out at Vasona Park. Logan rode the train with his grandparents and Aunt, a BIG hit, and also took a twirl on the carousel.
I know it may not look like it, but he actually did enjoy the train quite a bit. Still, check out the stern face, especially in this series of rapid shots! I couldn't stop laughing. :)
We also walked to one of the nearby playgrounds with a big airplane and firetruck to climb up and on and all over, which he enjoyed doing.
Since we were so close, we decided to lunch at a little cafe that Jon likes in Los Gatos. Unfortunately, the wait was a bit long and by the time we got seated, Logan was at his melting point. He was just too damn tired and hungry to enjoy our company - so Jon took him home to put him down for a nap (it was 2pm after all!) while the rest of us polished up a delicious lunch before heading home to rest ourselves.
That night, we met up with my parents at another place we love, the Taiwan Restaurant, for some delicious Chinese food. Logan was MUCH better behaved thank goodness and we all enjoyed some time visiting and catching up. After dinner, Jon and I took Logan over to the hotel that Alicia/Paul/Sarah were staying at since they wanted to have Logan spend the night. We got his bed set up for the night, got him in his pj's and then snuck out while he was distracted and exploring the hotel room. Apparently, he was a BREEZE to handle - reading his books a few times over and then turning in for the night without a fuss. He didn't wake up once through the night and even slept in the next morning, so late that Ita and Ito had to wake him up in time to meet us for breakfast! :)
Jon and I took advantage of the Logan-free night and caught a movie after we left the hotel. The movie, Cop Out, was about as good as you'd expect but it was wonderful to be able to turn off our brains for a couple of hours and have a few hearty good laughs.
Because of the time change however, we didn't get to sleep in! Oh well :) We met up with Ita, Ito, Sarah and Logan at Stacks early Sunday morning for some delicious breakfast to start off the day. Afterward, the three said their goodbyes, hitting the road back to LA about noon-time. Jon, Logan and I spent the rest of the day running errands, re-arranging some furniture in his room and taking care of a few chores before the work week hit us again.
A less crowded room - yippee!
We had a fantastic weekend visiting with Jon's family and so glad they were able to make the drive up from LA to see us! I know Logan really enjoyed all of the attention and love, as always. :)
One of the rare childless shots of me these days! ;-) 
Thanks to Catherine for remembering her camera and taking these pics! :)After dinner we headed back to our place where Logan got to show off his brand new bed to everyone. Tia Catherine immediately jumped in and snuggled with Logan under the covers to read a few bedtime stories. Is he spoiled or what?!?
Saturday we had a full day! Jon woke up early to snag some donuts for everyone, and once Abuelita ("Ita"), Abuelito ("Ito"), and Sarah arrived, we took off to hang out at Vasona Park. Logan rode the train with his grandparents and Aunt, a BIG hit, and also took a twirl on the carousel.
I know it may not look like it, but he actually did enjoy the train quite a bit. Still, check out the stern face, especially in this series of rapid shots! I couldn't stop laughing. :)
We also walked to one of the nearby playgrounds with a big airplane and firetruck to climb up and on and all over, which he enjoyed doing.
Since we were so close, we decided to lunch at a little cafe that Jon likes in Los Gatos. Unfortunately, the wait was a bit long and by the time we got seated, Logan was at his melting point. He was just too damn tired and hungry to enjoy our company - so Jon took him home to put him down for a nap (it was 2pm after all!) while the rest of us polished up a delicious lunch before heading home to rest ourselves.
That night, we met up with my parents at another place we love, the Taiwan Restaurant, for some delicious Chinese food. Logan was MUCH better behaved thank goodness and we all enjoyed some time visiting and catching up. After dinner, Jon and I took Logan over to the hotel that Alicia/Paul/Sarah were staying at since they wanted to have Logan spend the night. We got his bed set up for the night, got him in his pj's and then snuck out while he was distracted and exploring the hotel room. Apparently, he was a BREEZE to handle - reading his books a few times over and then turning in for the night without a fuss. He didn't wake up once through the night and even slept in the next morning, so late that Ita and Ito had to wake him up in time to meet us for breakfast! :)
Jon and I took advantage of the Logan-free night and caught a movie after we left the hotel. The movie, Cop Out, was about as good as you'd expect but it was wonderful to be able to turn off our brains for a couple of hours and have a few hearty good laughs.
Because of the time change however, we didn't get to sleep in! Oh well :) We met up with Ita, Ito, Sarah and Logan at Stacks early Sunday morning for some delicious breakfast to start off the day. Afterward, the three said their goodbyes, hitting the road back to LA about noon-time. Jon, Logan and I spent the rest of the day running errands, re-arranging some furniture in his room and taking care of a few chores before the work week hit us again.
A less crowded room - yippee!We had a fantastic weekend visiting with Jon's family and so glad they were able to make the drive up from LA to see us! I know Logan really enjoyed all of the attention and love, as always. :)
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