Green Leaf Baby

Play

2012-02-05T12:44:00.000-08:00

Without intention, we ended up with an extra room in our new little house - a room that is full of windows and light and has bright and cheery walls and lovely wood floors and a super peaceful vibe. It is a playroom-in-progress, and I am loving finding bits and pieces of things here and there to add to it, and Leaf is loving exploring, coloring, painting, cooking, snacking, and playing in it. We eat breakfast at his little table (by a window with a great view of our tree-filled yard and country surroundings) every morning, which is really lovely because it's a quiet and special time for the two of us to just sit and chat.

The little red wooden "Kitchen Aid" mixer is possibly my most favorite thrift store find ever.

Next up: Mt Everest

2011-10-28T11:03:00.000-07:00

It has been a long-standing dream of mine. And now that Leaf is into climbing, we will go together one day. I hope that day comes reallllly soon.

His footing looks good...

He has his eye on the prize, and...

He is taking the proper safety precautions. Yep, ready for Everest!

Grandparenting

2011-10-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

They're pretty darn good at it.

Going on an acorn hunt

2011-10-28T07:52:00.000-07:00

Fall is my favorite. There is no better weather in my book. I'll take a cool crisp day with some bright happy sunshine and a ground covered in leaves over a scorching-hot-sticky-day anytime. We took the opportunity yesterday to go search for some acorns outside. Our acorn hunt was pretty unsuccessful (stingy squirrels!) but Leaf was super happy with the little acorn tops he found and brought them inside to examine them some
more.

(side note: I think I kind of looked like this when I was two?! I'm a little shocked/excited because this is the first time I've seen any resemblence of myself in Leaf. Now I'll have to fish out some old baby pics to be sure I'm not just dreaming it up).

This last picture makes me laugh. I thought it was so cute on my little camera screen. On the big screen he looks like a rebel. In reality he was scouring the ground for acorns and saying "mommy, you wanna hold me?"

Leafers

2011-09-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

Just trying to beautify the sidewalk (and mommy's jeans) with a little chalk. The first two pictures have nothing to do with sidewalk chalk. I just thought you might feel the need to see a couple of profile pics of Leafers :)

ABC Fun

2011-09-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year I bought some ABC magnets for Leaf, but quickly realized that he was pretty much only interested in throwing them on the floor. They've been hanging out on the side of our fridge for awhile and Leaf asked to play with them the other day. And he actually played with them.

He lined letters up to make "words," and to my great shock, he actually recognized some letters! He seems to know O, J, and L. I think he might know Q also. Since he's rediscovered the magnets, he often runs into the kitchen and says "I want to look at my letters!" And sometimes he just stands there and looks at them :)

Before Bed

2011-09-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

Leaf had a bath, ran around sans-clothes for a bit (this is his favorite after-bath activity), got into his cozy jammies, chose five books to read (and then read them all by himself--he sat down and flipped through each page of each book and said "no" when I asked him if he wanted me to read them to him. He was very serious), and then just before getting into bed, decided that he needed to "bake some cookies." With his chef hat on.

License to Drive

2011-09-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Toys R Us, we let Leaf test drive the car of his choice. I would have to say he has excellent taste in cars.

But Why?

2011-09-01T14:51:00.000-07:00

The inevitable has happened. Leaf has starting asking "but why?" after just about everything I say. And then after I let him know "why," he innocently asks "but why?" again (which usually comes out sounding more like "but vy?" as his W's tend to sound like V's. Add his little high-pitched voice to the mix and it's pretty hard not to laugh. Especially when you're trying to be serious). It is an endless cycle of "but vy's" around here.

For example:
{Yesterday, after Leaf flushed his Woody-from-Toy-Story figurine down the toilet}
Me: That's not good. You can't flush your toys down the toilet.
Leaf: But vy?
Me: Because you'll lose your toys and you might break the toilet.
Leaf: But vy?
Me: Because once your toy goes down the potty it goes in the sewer and you'll never see it again, and you're only supposed to flush pee-pee and poopy and toilet paper down the toilet.
Leaf: But vy?
Me: Because potties are not made to have toys flushed down them.
Leaf: But vy?

And:
{At bedtime last night (as he was already in bed and it was already way past his usual bedtime)}:
Me: Time to go night-night.
Leaf: But vy?
Me: Because it's bedtime and you're tired and you have to get a good night sleep.
Leaf: But vy?
Me: Because it's dark outside (he equates this with bedtime) and it's late and I want you to sleep so you'll have lots of energy tomorrow.
Leaf: But vy?

Perhaps this is a good time to start using the "Because I said so" thing? The line I swore I'd never use?

Enjoying the Playground

2011-09-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

With my best buddy.

Commuting

2011-09-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love ditching my car and riding my bike whenever possible. I dream of living in a place where I can ditch my car forever and cycle everywhere. I can think of nothing better. (Technically, I could do this where I currently live, if I were super tough. And if Leaf were super tough. And if this were a way more bikeable city. I do know a few four season commuters. One of them doesn't own a car at all. Cycles through the snow. I'm not there yet. I'm not sure if I want to be. I'm thinking more along the lines of living somewhere with bike-friendly weather year-round). Yes, that would be nice. but for now, I've been trying to take Leaf for as many bike rides as possible before the blizzards hit.

And thankfully, he is still loving the bike trailer that was given to us when he was born, and that we used all of last year :-)

Waiting

2011-08-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

For the cookies. You can't really blame him. I do the exact same thing when there are cookies baking.

We Miss:

2011-08-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

These gatherings:

This family:

These big blue eyes:

This bright red hair (and big blue eyes):

These hugs:

This happy crew:

These peaceful moments:

These hugs:

These silly times:

And these hugs too:

We miss our good friends but are so happy for the next exciting chapter in their lives!

Impromptu Water Yoga

2011-08-26T13:02:00.000-07:00

Apparently Leaf was using the raft as a yoga mat and sneaking in some finishing postures (you have to fit your practice in whenever/wherever you can!) while Hunter splashed around:

Actually, it's not a bad sequence for ending a class and he came up with all on his own :)

The Boys

2011-08-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Just the boys hanging out on the boat:

With the exception of one girl, Sophie:

Who didn't seem too sure about Leaf "driving":

And discussing the size of the fish in the lake:

Except, of course, for this one BIG HUGE ENORMOUS fish that Hunter caught:

Profiles

2011-08-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

I think Leaf is mad because he's having a bad hair day and Hunt NEVER has a bad hair day.

Insert Creative Title Here

2011-08-16T04:39:00.000-07:00

First Day of "School"

2011-08-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

Leaf started daycare today. I took him inside to his "classroom" this morning, where one of his friends from many of our other playgroups was already settled in, and where he immediately got down to business and started playing. I hung around for a few minutes to talk to the teachers and directors and to see how he was adjusting. Everything was great. On my way out I stopped to chat with the director again, and...I started crying. I felt sick. Dropping your little one off to daycare for the very first time ever is incredibly difficult. My heart was/is breaking.

But he/we made it through day one! And he did great! He played with all the kids and comforted a little girl who was sad (he's good at that), and he didn't cry even once. He went pee-pee in the potty three times and rode bikes outside and played with pretend food and sang songs and had a nap and he talked about everything he did all the way home.

I think it will take me longer to adjust than him. I am still sad. My stomach still hurts.

Happy boy in the morning!

Trying not to smile (because I said "smile!"), standing in front of "school."

My baby.

(And day one was made slightly easier for me due to a great friend (whose little girl--Leaf's buddy--is in Leaf's class) who sent me happy and positive updates via text during the two trips she made to the daycare after I dropped Leaf off, thanks L :)

Zooooo Fun!

2011-08-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

This past Friday was a perfect day for a trip to the zoo!

There was lots of fun to be had!

This Summer:

2011-08-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

Went way too fast!

I totally and completely abandoned this blog.

Was (slightly) overwhelmingly busy.

Many hours of my weeks were spent in the yoga studio to complete an intensive (physically, mentally, emotionally, and everything-in-between) yoga teaching certification.

Almost as many hours were spent doing yoga homework every week (yes, yoga homework, and lots of it...in-depth anatomical posture dissection, philosophical essay writing, class sequencing, a 30+ page single-spaced midterm, pages upon pages of Sanskrit vocabulary, and a super-duper long written final exam)...all during early mornings before the house was awake, late nights when the little one was sleeping, and during naptimes.

Not too many hours were spent at work :/

Many hours were spent researching/calling/interviewing/testing out/and finding(!) a daycare provider for Leaf (sniff, sniff).

I started a new job.

Only one hour was spent jogging (on the very first morning of my yoga teacher training...obviously I did not have even the slightest idea of the sheer exhaustion that would lie ahead).

And very most importantly, many hours were spent fitting in time for parks, walks, science centers, play dates, snuggling, mommy-baby breakfast dates, reading, coloring, bookstore dates, giggling, and playing with my favorite person in the whole wide world.

Science Center Days

2011-06-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

We've been going to our science center on all the super-scorching-hot days to escape the heat and have been loving it. And it doesn't hurt that our science center is right on the River Trail, so we can take little walks and watch the ducks on our way out.

On this day, we played with big huge bubbles (there is one bubble blower that the little ones can stand inside so that a bubble forms around them) and learned how musical instruments work and learned about the heart and arteries and watched marbles roll down cool tracks and played in the toddler room with slides and toy pizza and trucks and magnets. But the water table was Leaf's favorite.

(blurry phone pics) :-)

He used a net to "go fishing."

And poured and splashed and spilled.

And of course snuck a few sips. Yuk!

I was wondering why none of the other kids were wearing the raincoats that the center provided...and then I took Leaf's off. He was totally and completely drenched! The raincoat was a sham!! Totally not waterproof. I guess the other parents already knew that little detail. Hehe.

He Fell Asleep Mid-Play

2011-06-09T14:28:00.000-07:00

I don't think it has ever happened before. But here he is fast asleep on the floor, only seconds after running around, laughing, squealing, spinning in circles, and jumping off couches.

I Like Bikes

2011-06-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

They make me happy!!

Summer Berries

2011-06-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Fresh berry tart made by the chef. It was gooooood.

For my dad and brother's birthdays. Yum.

Cousins

2011-06-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

I love them together. And although they look relatively sweet and mild in these pictures, don't let them fool you. The two of them together have enough energy to power a large city.

Chopped!

2011-06-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

It might not look like much in these pics, but Leaf had his first real haircut yesterday. He's missing a good three inches of curls, which means no more tangles and snarls for me to battle everyday.

I skipped out on the "fun" baby salon that charges adult prices and settled for a $9 walk-in place instead. Leaf was a little unsure (of sitting in the scary chair) so I held him on my lap. As soon as the stylist gave him a cheap plastic donkey to play with, however, he was on his very best behavior. Possibly even having fun?

And then he got a lollipop (without my permission). His hair is so much easier to deal with now. Actually, it's so easy that we don't even have to "deal" with it anymore. Yay!

We're Art Class Drop-outs

2011-06-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

I signed Leaf and I up for toddler art classes at a cool little studio. I had visions of us painting and laughing and gluing things and learning to use scissors and coming home with cool artsy handmade pieces that I would save forever. Umm, not so much. Each class got progressively worse for us. Leaf started hanging out by the door and saying "okay, baby go bye-bye" midway through class #1. By the last class we attended, he was clawing at the door and crying to get out within five minutes. So we left and never went back. I'm pretty sure no one misses us. Because we (and when I say "we" I mean "Leaf") cried and kicked and refused to sit in a chair and ran around and splashed water and cried and screamed and struggled through the classes while the other little ones were painting and laughing and gluing things and learning to use scissors and making cool artsy pieces to take home. Oh well, we tried. I guess we'll stick to activities that don't require sitting still.

A Surprise Quilt

2011-06-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

Leaf received this quilt in the mail the other day:

The white fabric was circulating at our baby shower for everyone to sign. That was over two years ago, so it totally slipped our minds. But apparently Rita, a family friend of Ian's (and the one who sent the fabric to the shower), remembered it, sewed it, and sent it back to us. What a nice surprise! When we gave it to Leaf, he immediately ran to his room and grabbed his two favorite bears so they could join him for a little picnic on his new blanket.

Suddenly...

2011-05-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

Leaf knows how to sing his ABC's?? After never so much as mumbling more than a mere "A-B-C," (and only in reference to an ABC book he has), about three days ago I walked up behind Leaf only to hear him singing "Q-R-S, T-U-V, W-X, Y and Z." And yesterday? He busted out the entire song. Complete with "now I know my ABC's, next time won't you sing with me." Interesting what these little ones are hiding in their busy little brains :-)

My Homework

2011-05-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to the next couple of months of intensive yoga teacher training and an intensive study of my internal self :-)

The Park

2011-05-20T05:36:00.000-07:00

We're so lucky to have a little park in the middle of our neighborhood. We are forced to stop there every time we leave the house via stroller or bike. Well, either that or listen to Leaf talk about going down the slide all day, all night, and pretty much all the time until we do actually go down a slide. He's slightly obsessed. The swings are only fun for about 30 seconds tops, and he only ever wants to swing if he sees other kids swinging. Otherwise, he's all about the slides.

Okay, the swings are getting boring....

Leaf is all about going down the big slide these day....

And going up it (a little skill he learned by copying other kids, ugh).

He also loves the neighborhood cat (which we found out isn't so friendly if you pull its' tail, chase it around, and refuse to quit petting it).

And of course, the wood chip-covered ground leaves room for endless exploration...We always leave in need of a bath.

Handmade for Leaf

2011-05-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Click here to see one of Leaf's amazingly thoughtful birthday gifts. From his best friend's mama who made it just before giving birth to her second beautiful baby. We are so impressed and so excited to use it for many birthdays to come.

Running, Jogging, and Rolling Around

2011-05-09T11:35:00.000-07:00

Running around in the grass, jogging around town (which, I might mention, is getting to be an extra double exhausting workout the bigger Leaf gets), and collapsing and rolling around on the floor when we finally made it back home.

Basically, fun, fun, and FUN :)

House, Mouse, Yes!

2011-04-30T12:32:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, out of the blue, Leaf learned to make the "S" sound. The words "house," "mouse," and "yes" used to sound like "how," "mau," and "yeah," but now they are totally the real deal. And he is mighty impressed with himself and his new-found buddy "S," as we hear "houSSSe, mouSSSe, yeSSS!" all the time now. Good job, Leaf! Now onto the two other tricky letters: "L" and "F" (which, may I note, might just help in the pronunciation of a certain little word we use a lot around here). (Leaf's name, according to him, is currently pronounced Yeee :-).

Monkey-ing Around

2011-04-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

Nothing much to see here, just Leaf strolling down the hall on a lazy day (excuse the super blurry pictures).

Thanks Grandpa for the extra-large pipe cleaners! We are having lots of fun with them!

There's a New Cook in the Kitchen!

2011-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

Leaf loves to "cook," and among his favorite things to pretend make are: pasta, grilled cheese and soup. He loves to bang real pots and pans around on the floor, to run around the house with a whisk, and to cut real bananas with real (dull) knives. Leaf definitely knows his way around a kitchen (specifically he knows where all of his snacks are stashed) and lately he is super into wearing his little chef outfit that his Nana gave him for his birthday.

Watch out Ian!

Speechless

2011-04-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

I have NEVER seen Leaf at a loss for words (or sounds)--ever--period. Leaf is always talking, or jib-jabbering (okay, unless of course he's sleeping or is in the other room getting into some sort trouble). But when he's being his normal/active/busy-bee self, he's always talking. But the other day, in the midst of running and being rowdy in a hotel lobby, he set his eyes upon this mannequin:

And he was speechless. Every time we were in the lobby, he would stop and just point (for several minutes). It was the funniest thing to see him so silent and confused. I tried to prompt him by asking "what are you looking at?" Nothing. And he couldn't peel himself away, but had to be carried off each time. Strange!

Tall and Thin

2011-04-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I'm not talking about myself. We're just back from Leaf's two-year check-up, and found that he's 35 inches tall and is weighing in at 26 lbs. Which puts him in the 75th percentile for height and the 25th percentile for weight. That's about all that the 3 minute check-up consisted of. So that's all I know.

But I'm thankful for short check-ups because it means everything is looking good! (And even a short wait this time, even though we actually remembered to bring toys because our PEDIATRICIAN'S office only has three "toys": a puzzle with no pieces--really, no pieces, not even one; a red plastic bucket with a broken handle (which I'm positive has been on every kids' head who's ever set foot in the place), and one of those things that has a bunch of wooden beads you can push around on wires (this is obviously the hot item)).

In Glasses and Green

2011-04-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

He requested a pair of sunglasses (rather crankily), put them "on," and promptly fell asleep.

I removed them for his sleeping comfort :-)

And he woke up a happy, well-rested boy (wearing my favorite $1 green fleece).

The TWO year old:

2011-04-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

makes me feel better when i'm sad without even trying.

still has that good baby smell.
still only refers to himself as "baby."

has the most kissable cheeks.

laughs at all the right times.

says "oh my!" when he's in trouble.

therefore easily getting himself out of trouble due to sheer cuteness.

has a cute little butt.
still shrieks at the sight of bubbles.

gives the best hugs ever.

and says "mommy get hug!" all the time.

does ridiculously cute things without even knowing.

warms my heart.

reminds me how good life is.
walks around with his eyes closed.
and tries to eat with his eyes closed all the time.

never cares when he looks nerdy.

never cares when i look nerdy.
announces "baby cry" when he's in the midst of crying :'(

is full of wonder and awe.

loves apples and blueberries and mushrooms and avocados.

and cookies and ice cream and cake and chocolate :/

cracks me up a million times a day.

calls milk "mocha."

is extremely strong willed.
has more energy than any living thing i've ever come across.

plays with my hair every time i hold him or lie down with him.

and announces "baby play mommy hair."

has been caught making his stuffed animals kiss :-)

kisses me when he thinks i'm sleeping :-))

is his own person.

is sweeter than sugar.
announces "mommy go poopy potty" every time we walk out of a public restroom (even if i was just in there to change his diaper or wash my hands) so that everyone in the place can hear him.

gets excited every time he sees an animal.

is not afraid to get dirty.

rolls to the beat of his own drum.

dances all the time.
sings all the time.

gets on his little "motorcycle" and announces very seriously that he's going to work.
IS TWO YEARS OLD!
and kept singing "happy birthday to papa" on his birthday.

Handmade hats!

2011-04-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Finally, after years of knowing only how to knit not-so-great scarves, I attempted the in-my-mind-way-too-difficult-and-intimidating baby hat. And what do you know? It was shockingly easy. Even more so than a scarf. Because it's smaller. Much, much smaller. Of course, like the entry-level scarves that I can make, this baby hat is as simple, basic, and easy as they come. So easy, even I could do it. (No circular needles needed, I'm still afraid of those).

Exhibit A: My first attempt, which somehow ended up so small it can probably only be used for about a week (anyone having a very tiny girl?!) with a little pointy thing on the top (which wasn't in the pattern)

Exhibit B: Made especially for a great friend who is due with baby #2...tomorrow!!!! Can't wait to meet that second little one :-)

Now if only I can gain the ambition and strength to attempt a toddler size hat...

Camera Love

2011-04-01T15:40:00.000-07:00

Months and months ago, on a trip to a little independent fabric/toy/candy/gift/etc shop, my friend and I saw this camera-print fabric by designer Etsuko Furuya and fell in love with it (I think I feel the same way about all of Furuya's textiles). Shortly after, she surprised me with a 1/2 yard for me and 1/2 for her (it must be a hot item because there was only one yard to be found in the entire city and surrounding areas!).

I made a cloth shopping bag (in all reality it's usually stocked with diapers and toddler snacks), from the addictive book One Yard Wonders:

And then I made ten more bags (in not nearly as cool fabric) for Christmas gifts (this post is coming a bit late, eh?).

Finally a handmade Christmas!

Spring fever

2011-03-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

Leaf and I have been on four walks in two days. One for a jog to the little park in our neighborhood, one to a cafe to get an early morning cup of tea (milk and vegan zucchini bread for him), one for a jog around our neighborhood, and one for a little nature walk (sans stroller) around our neighborhood. He pointed and squealed at every dog, bird, and squirrel, and found sticks, crinkly brown leaves, and pine cones.

And he didn't want to come inside from any of our walks. And neither did I. We are so ready for Spring.

Very Pinteresting...

2011-03-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

I think I could get addicted to Pinterest.com. A place to catalog ideas. A perfect site for someone who always has ideas running through their head like I do. Or for a chronic list-maker. Or for someone who just likes to look at pretty things. Or for someone who's looking for some creative inspiration. Or for someone who's planning just about any kind of event. Or for anyone doing anything. It could get a bit addicting, no? I think I will (try to) refrain (for now).

Leaf

2011-03-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

My little one will be two years old in three short weeks. We haven't even thought about a birthday celebration yet (I am secretly hoping the weather will be park-worthy, so we can have a little outdoor get-together under the sun), and I am still in disbelief that he is no longer a tiny little newborn baby. Actually, to me he still is a tiny little baby :), even though these days he:

Is talking so much, and starting to use words like "and," "the," and "to" to make complete sentences...but has still never used the words "me" or "I," and instead refers to himself as "baby."

Always wants to "write" or "draw," but when we give him a crayon or marker he hands it back and insists that we draw bikes and motorcycles for him.

Loves to pretend cook, and usually makes grilled cheese (which he will never eat in real life) or pasta.

Is still wearing his Fancy Shoes on a daily basis.

Still loves Bear.

But is also really into Hotwheels and little action figures (specifically a superman and a little generic figurine who is simply referred to as "guy").

Asked to watch Bug's Life the other day and when I said no, responded with a perfectly enunciated "How about Ratatouille?" I was slightly shocked. And I laughed out loud.

Knows all of his colors, including gray, turquoise, brown, white, and black.

Can count to twelve.

Still hates getting his hair washed and fights it every time.

But loves taking showers with mommy and baths with daddy.

Has extremely curly hair that gets extremely tangled and matted every single day. No matter what.

Has little sleep talking episodes, usually about cookies or playing with cars.

Loves going for rides in the car these days, when he used to fight getting buckled into his carseat every time.

Loves riding in shopping carts, when he used to fight that every time too (I always had to push the cart with one hand and carry him with the other).

Recently jumped into a big huge car-shaped shopping cart at Meijer, shut the little door and refused to come out. I had to pay $1 to haul the car-shaped cart around while Leaf watch a movie in the driver seat (when I paid the dollar for the cart a movie started playing). It was slightly embarrassing.

Loves to dance, and has a signature 'arm swinging, foot stomping, bouncing up and down' sort of style.

Knows the name of each of his books and goes through favorite-book-phases all the time, where Ian and I have to read the same book over and over and over day in and day out. Thankfully he seems to be out of the Green Eggs and Ham phase.

Asks for his diaper to be changed now, and pretend changes the diapers of his bears and little action figures.

Has finally become a good eater, and specifies what he wants to eat. Usually scrambled eggs, any fruit, or whole wheat pasta (his favorite of the moment). Or cookies, of course :/

Makes excuses, usually in question form like "baby want cheerios?" or "baby want change diaper (even if it's dry)?" if he's not ready to go to sleep when we're trying to put him down. He has a million excuses and he pulls them all out at bedtime...he suddenly wants water, milk, bear, a story, a snack, etc.

"Hurts" something everyday and announces "baby hurt knee," "baby hurt toe," etc and then needs to be kissed where it hurts :)

Loves his papa, nana, grandpa, candy, pat, jamy, hunter, miles, uncle, yaya, pops, and nany, and tells me all the time, saying "yuv papa, yuv nana, yuv grandpa," etc...

Sleeps with his head on my pillow every single night, usually taking it over completely sometime during the middle of the night leaving me pillow-less, and I wouldn't have it any other way :).

(taking over the bed completely on a recent visit to my dad's)

Happy Tights

2011-03-16T03:21:00.000-07:00

My mom gave me these tights. They make me happy when I wear them :-)

Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure my mom has given me ALL of the tights I own, in a bright rainbow variety of colors (she pretty much handed me a pair of tights every time I saw her :). Maybe she thought I needed some color in my wardrobe? I'm working on it!

Dear Nissan

2011-03-12T12:23:00.000-08:00

I think I'm in love with your Leaf. (It's almost as cute as my Leaf.) And I'd be more than willing to assist you in promoting your little green machine if you'd only be so kind as to provide me with one for driving. Or, if you happen to need a spokes-baby, I know just the guy. His vocabulary is quite extensive for a 23-month-old and the vast majority of what he talks about is already dedicated to the fine subject of cars.

Just something to consider, my dear friends at Nissan....

The (little) Thinker

2011-03-09T14:59:00.000-08:00

From what I've heard of his little sleep-talking episodes, I gather that he mostly thinks about food and animals and playing with red cars and mommy and daddy. I like to think that's all he really needs to think about. And I like to think they're all happy thoughts. Is that too much to ask?

Leaf and Hunt

2011-03-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

Even when Leaf was pouty and sleepy and way overdue for a nap, he wanted Hunt (as he calls his cousin Hunter) instead of mommy :(

They had way too much fun together :)

I haven't taken any pictures lately

2011-02-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

I'm embarrassed to say that I really have no idea how to use my new camera. I'm totally clueless. And I've been meaning to read the manual for months now, but really, manuals are so not fun to read. But it's also no fun having no idea how to use your camera and knowing that if you knew how to use it you could have 100x better photos. Time to read the manual.

But I did find these oldies of "Bald Chubby Leaf"

Way to go, breast milk!

A Little Bit of Fancy

2011-02-20T15:23:00.000-08:00

Someone once told me that it's common for children to develop "obsessions" with particular items when they're about 18-24 months. I haven't noticed this behavior in any of Leaf's friends. (But there is the little boy in one of our story times whose mother told me that the big metal yellow truck he was toting goes everywhere with him, even to bed, even into the bathtub).

I think Leaf might be developing a slight "obsession."

His item of choice is a pair of "fancy" shoes. He wore these fancy shoes one time, months ago, and promptly forgot about them. Then, about two weeks ago, they were re-introduced to him for a memorial service. Ever since then it's been "fancy shoes" all the way.

He puts them on first thing in the morning, he naps with them on, he tries to get into the bathtub with them on, he puts them on as soon as he gets out of the bathtub (without any other clothes/diaper on...they are first priority) he runs through the house even more frequently to hear the loud noises they make,

he wears them over his footie pajamas, he talks about them in the middle of the night, he talks about them all day, and he wears them at all times (while at home). He has one pair of footie pajamas that are too fuzzy and fluffy for the fancy shoes to fit over...so when he's wearing those jammies, he carries his fancy shoes with him.

So far he's okay with putting other shoes on to leave the house, thank goodness, because I really don't want to haul him all over town sporting these things.

*Don't get too excited about the big-boy underwear, it's just something we're trying out at home. He is not potty trained.

Baby Blanket

2011-02-19T11:19:00.000-08:00

I finally made Leaf a baby blanket (with satin edges, no less)! Who says he's not still a baby at 22 months?? And at least now he's old enough to know that "mommy make 'bankie'," which makes me feel a little bit special every time he says it. And not that I want him to be one of those kids who carries a blankie everywhere he goes until he's 12 years old, but it really won't hurt my feelings if he happens to develop a little attachment to this one, which he's napping with right now :)

BOUNCE!

2011-02-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

We recently had a playdate at a huge bounce arena in town. It was big, it was bright, it was bouncy, it was loud, it was filled to the brim with kids, and it was just pure chaos.

I was totally shocked when I walked in and saw the madness, and it must have been written all over my face, because the cashier immediately said, in a slightly apologetic voice, "Wednesdays and Thursdays are our slower days."

Apparently Sunday afternoon wasn't the best plan of action.

But Leaf was in pure over-stimulation heaven and got right down to business.

He didn't want to leave one corner unexplored or one bouncy thing un-bounced. (And I just noticed that he and the bounce house match. Almost too perfectly).

For some reason I only have pictures of this little toddler area. But this was just one tiny corner. The rest of the huge warehouse was packed with way bigger and way bouncier blow-up slides, enclosures, and maze-type things. For kids and adults to play on.

Leaf and Mateo had fun on the toddler slide...But they also loved the enormous mountain-sized slides that left the three of us moms huffing and puffing after going up and down who-knows-how-many times.

Someone remarked to my friend "expect your kids to be sick within four days of going to Jumpin Jax!" Leaf (seen here crammed into a playhouse overflowing with kids) dodged it, but I'm not quite sure how...

Ikea Fun

2011-02-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

Three hours spent eating Ikea junk food and majorly battling my internal urges to buy every single thing I saw. I somehow won the battle, but it is kind of pathetic that I left empty handed...

At least Jamy (how do I not have a picture of you??) got to go on an envious-worthy new-house-shopping-spree!

Nothing like holding an apple slicer on your head for about twenty minutes.

Uncle Patricia is funny! And I'm apparently chewing on some Ikea spoons that we didn't buy...oops!

Nothing much going on here. Wait, is that...?

Yes! It is Rat (Ratatouille) on TV!!

I think I'll just stand here and point and scream "Rat!!" for about ten minutes. It's the logical thing to do.

Ahh, I'm in heaven. Can life get any better??

Yes it can! Because I also got to eat a big chocolate chip cookie and an ice cream cone and a bite of apple pie.

Ikea I love you.

The CSN Winner!

2011-02-13T10:21:00.000-08:00

And the winner is.....#9 PHILTER!

Yay my real life BFF! I will email you soon with your CSN shopping code!

Have fun and enjoy, I know you'll find something fabulous to spend it on! xoxo

Sharin' the Love

2011-02-10T15:51:00.000-08:00

He got one:

And I got one:

I'm still overwhelmed everyday at how much I love this boy!

Signature Brow Furrow

2011-02-10T13:06:00.000-08:00

He's been making this expression since literally the day he was born (and probably before).

...He is a serious cat.

...For about two seconds a day.

A CSN Giveaway!

2011-02-07T15:03:00.000-08:00

The gracious people at CSN are again offering you the chance win a $35 gift certificate to use in any of their 200+ online stores.

Since Spring will be upon us before we know it, maybe you want to check out CSN's amazing variety of swing sets for your little one(s)? Or other outdoor fun, like this wooden playhouse (I can just imagine Leaf loving something like this). And I can imagine myself loving something like this telescope (I'm always up for picking up a new hobby!) and I can imagine Ian loving something like this little cast iron dish (I'm always up for him to keep on cookin'! :)

The possibilities are really, really endless at CSN, and I'm sure that whoever wins will have lots and lots of fun shopping. Just leave a comment (with your email address) on this post and I'll choose a winner at random at noon on Saturday, Feb 12.

Good luck!

*I will be gone all day Saturday so I'm extending the giveaway until noon on Sunday :)

Iceman Cometh 2010

2011-02-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

A (very) belated congrats to Ian for completing his 3rd Iceman Cometh mountain bike race. Thousands of riders, 27 miles of rough terrain, frigid temperatures, snow and ice, and a very crowded finish line.

I don't have any pictures of Ian finishing the race because....

there was a lot of confusion at the finish line...

and although you can't tell in these pics, it was snowing and freezing and Leaf was crying (and refusing to wear mittens/hat/blanket) and we had been waiting/looking/searching for over an hour.

(however, we did get lucky enough to see many father/daughter tandem riders crossing the line while we waited :)

We did eventually catch up with a very exhausted Ian, who really did finish the race, even though we weren't there to greet him (sorry!).

The race ended in a huge/insanely crowded/energetic/fun-filled campsite. I want to do it this year!

Lovely snow day(s)

2011-02-04T18:22:00.000-08:00

Although our little piece of the "blizzard" wasn't nearly as big as the media predicted, it was nice to have a couple of cozy days at home.

We all gathered in our bedroom, with the lights off, late Tuesday night to watch the first of the snow begin to fall outside our window and to read Leaf's favorite book as of late, The Pout Pout Fish in the Big Big Dark, by flashlight (Leaf was in charge of holding the light...it ended up pointing towards his face most of the time, which made him upset that the "sun" was in his eyes).

We woke up to a lovely winter wonderland on Wednesday morning, maybe 11 or 12 inches? and bundled up to go outside and play. While Ian went on a hunt for firewood, Leaf and I went sledding down the "hill" in our yard. Leaf didn't seem to mind (or notice) that the incline is only about 2 degrees. He also didn't mind eating snow (his new favorite cuisine), lots and lots of snow.

Just to get/stay out of the house for a little while longer, we took a family drive around town, to see more snow, I guess?

Back inside, Ian built a big fire and I baked (from scratch believe it or not) a big vegan chocolate cake with vegan chocolate frosting, using some amazing cocoa powder given to me by a great friend (Thank you, Joy! :) I think it was successful as both Ian and Leaf (!) approved.

I also made vegan hot chocolate (with almond milk, real maple syrup, and the same delicious cocoa powder used in the cake)...it was totally a chocolate day, as everyday should be :)

While we were inside being cozy, our neighbor surprised us by snowblowing our walkway for us. Thank you neighbor!

We ended the night by getting caught up on some ever-important movie-watching, which meant that I unfortunately missed the second gathering of our new and wonderful knit night, due to snow...and hot chocolate...and coziness.

Oh, and Leaf started the day off by going poopy in his little potty for the first time :) He was very proud, but also slightly stunned and confused.

Found: ABC magnets!

2011-02-04T17:49:00.000-08:00

I have been on a mad search for alphabet magnets...well, not really a mad search. But the thought has crossed my mind a time or two that I'd love to have a set for Leaf. I actually still remember arranging and re-arranging them on my childhood fridge...many, many years ago.

The first set I came across was $24 (!) at a used children's store. I was a bit shocked, but just figured alphabet magnets must be a vintage-hard-to-find-novelty item? Then, last week, I stumbled across them at Micheal's...for $1. $24 used or $1 new? Hmm, I'm glad I passed up the first set I saw.

I didn't really get it when the cashier took one look at Leaf and said, "he'll really enjoy these when he's a little bit older." And then we got home and I excitedly dispersed the colorful set of ABC's on our fridge, at just the right level for Leaf to play with, arrange and rearrange, spell out his favorite words....wait...maybe that cashier was on to something. They ended up all over the floor 12 times before I moved them out of his reach. Until he's a little bit older.

Farm Fun

2011-01-31T17:03:00.000-08:00

A bag of twelve tiny animals and a barn found for $1 at Target.

They get shoved in through the windows, dumped out through the barn door, thrown all over the living room, make "baaa," "mooo," and "neigh" sounds (via Leaf's mouth), and seem to be more fun then I ever imagined.

Last year's shenanigans

2011-01-29T14:23:00.000-08:00

I took these pictures on this day last year. I'm happy I decided to look back because they made me laugh out loud, which I needed today :)

This toy was always a hot item at Books and Babies. I can't remember how the tug-of-war ended, but I hope they decided to share :)
These pics also make me miss the overall days...I think I will hunt for some toddler-size overalls!

The travel bug

2011-01-29T05:49:00.000-08:00

Looking through old pictures (in this case, very old) does it to me every time.

I can't wait to travel with my little Leaf!

Hush little baby

2011-01-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Love my sleeping boy

He slept in until 10am yesterday! So I sat in the chair in the corner and watched him (and finished knitting my first-ever hat).

Snowboarding date night #2!

2011-01-22T06:18:00.000-08:00

Last Monday night we went to Pando Winter Sports Park for another snowboarding date night. It's a super small ski/snowboarding spot, with no lifts--only ropes, and just a teeny tiny little 'lodge,' but once again it was oh so FUN! And the perfect spot for a beginner like me :) And even for a seasoned pro like Ian :)

Ian made fun of me for wanting my picture taken with my board.

But then he posed like this when I wanted to take his picture...???? Hahaha! I think he was being serious about the pose.

We had our traditional snowboarding glass of wine before hitting the hills (in plastic cups in the car). And were so, so happy to find that once seven o'clock hit, most of the skiers and snowboarders headed home, leaving the hills virtually empty. I snowboarded my little heart out on my little hill while Ian flew from hill to hill to hill to hill on his board (Pando is set up so that the base of all the hills meet in a little valley, so if you get enough speed coming down one hill you can swish right over to another and grab the rope without ever having to stop, which I don't think Ian ever did).

There is just something so freeing about snowboarding on an empty hill at night...even if you're not very good at it :) It was great practice for me and I hope we have a few more chances to get out on our boards this season. I found myself dreaming about snowboarding the entire next day. I can't even imagine how fun it will be when I really know what I'm doing.

Ian later tried to redeem himself/his pose in another picture (most likely because he didn't want me to publish the first one...oops!).

Leaf can spell his name and count his fingers (okay, sort of)

2011-01-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

Leaf always "writes" his name and spells it out loud as he writes. Apparently it's spelled E-L-Ah (although a bit muffled in this video). And he has been counting to ten for some time now, but always counts to four when we ask how many fingers he has :).

He is super into looking at pictures now, either on our phones or cameras or photo albums, and is asking me to "see pics" in this video.

Oh, and I am super into making Leaf say "love you mommy." You can't really blame me, can you?

Courtesy of Leaf

2011-01-12T13:40:00.000-08:00

It was beautiful artwork. And Leaf grabbed my hand and dragged me through the house at least four times to show me "color wall! color wall!" in the kitchen. He was SO excited about and proud of his work :)

But Mr. Clean had to come along and take it away :(

A grandpa's gotta do what a grandpa's gotta do

2011-01-12T12:53:00.000-08:00

I came home from running errands to find this on our living room floor:

Naptime is difficult now that we have a toddler bed. But Ian's dad did it like a pro. When I returned from my errands I found Bear, Leaf, and Papa (and blankie) all snuggled up in a heap on the floor fast asleep :)

View from the bunny hill :)

2011-01-10T15:28:00.000-08:00

(fuzzy phone picture :)

Ian and I hired a babysitter on Friday night (for our first date night in forever), packed up our snowboarding gear and hit the slopes for the first time this winter.

My snowboarding time over the last couple of years has been extremely limited...like, I went zero times the winter I was pregnant (obviously), and one time the winter I was nursing Leaf every five minutes (he was in the lodge and I had to pop in and nurse him between runs). I think it has been ten years or so since I really snowboarded. Needless to say, I was a lot on the rusty side, so I stayed on the bunny hill all night :) Impressively, Ian spent his extremely precious snowboarding time on the bunny hill with me all night :)

Even though we were on the teeny tiny hill with hundreds of ten-year-old's, it was so much FUN (I wish I could make that more bold just to emphasize how much fun it was). I forgot how exhilarating and addicting snowboarding is. But now I remember oh-so-clearly, and I want to go everyday. Oh how I wish snowboarding was free...and really accessible and convenient, like jogging--wouldn't it be great to just walk out of your front door and start snowboarding? :)

Snowboarding + tequila (for me?) + beer (for him) + hot soup and greasy french fries (for us) = great date night.

A little Christmas photo album

2010-12-27T15:21:00.000-08:00

It was full of family, friends, festivities, fun, and food!

Christmas card photos

2010-12-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

We almost ditched the Christmas card this year due to busy-ness and overwhelmed-ness with other holiday and life things. Then holiday cards started arriving in our mailbox and I started wishing we had one to send out. So in a very impromptu, totally unplanned three minute span, I snapped some photos as we were running out the door to go to Ann Arbor (Leaf was the only one who was 'photo ready' so he's on the card solo, again :)

Thankfully Leaf was in a cheery mood and Ian was able to get him laughing hysterically while I snapped the pictures (which never happens!)

These were the photos we put on the card:

HAPPY EVERYTHING TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

Leaf's new hobby

2010-12-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

Lately Leaf has been into splatter-painting the kitchen floor with food. But not with just a cracker or just a slice of apple or just a piece of cheese. We're used to that. He's been doing that since day one. Now he's into throwing his entire (full) bowl or plate overboard. This week it's been (from what I can remember) a full bowl of penne with tomato sauce, an entire container of yogurt, a bowl of cheerios (see above), a cup full of milk, and a bowl of oatmeal (today).

I'm pretty sure he doesn't quite get that it's a "no-no," as he claps and shouts "yay!" every time the dishes hit the ground.

And then he giggles and smiles proudly.

And then he quickly puts on the 'who, me?' innocent act when I let him know that it's "not a 'yay'." I'm hoping this phase goes out the door just as quickly as it came it.

It's all fun and games until you find a rat

2010-12-15T14:48:00.000-08:00

This is so much fun.

I love hanging out in here.

Really, you should try it. It's comfortable too.

Wait a minute, what is this?!

No thank you!

I'm outta here!

Actually, Leaf loves Rat...We watched Ratatouille the other day, when it was FREEZING outside, and only slightly freezing inside (furnace issues :), and Leaf and Rat have been inseperable ever since...But we can't watch Ratatouille again, because Leaf broke it. And the DVD player. :)))

Colorful snack

2010-12-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

I saw this muffin tin snack idea somewhere (actually I think I've seen it a lot of somewhere's, like it's a pretty common thing that I'm just finding out about and that I'm a little too excited about)...

Easy? check. Quick? check. No dirty dishes? check. Colorful? check. Fun? check. Yummy? check.

Transient congenital hypothyroidism went bye-bye

2010-12-08T16:30:00.000-08:00

Several people have asked me about Leaf's issues with congenital hypothyroidism, which I posted about here.

Here's the update: When he turned one we took him off of the Synthroid, waited a few weeks to let it all filter out of his system, and had his thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels tested again. Everything came back normal. I think we had his blood tested two more times, like two months and three months later just to be extra sure. All normal. Apparently his hypothyroidism was of the 'transient' nature, and it decided to leave after stopping by for awhile. At Leaf's 18 month well-baby check-up, our pediatrician gave us a letter from Leaf's endocrinologist which stated that Leaf is not hypothyroid and does not need to be seen by the endocrinologist again. We are happy and relieved and very thankful.

Playing

2010-12-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

Watching Leaf play makes me happy. He is so busy and imaginative (and messy!) all the time. It seems like he always has a mission; like he always has in mind exactly what he's going to do next. And he's always doing something. Right this second he's climbing onto the couch and throwing matchbox cars off of it. And now he's wearing a yellow firefighter hat. And now he's throwing a soccer ball. And now he's spinning in circles....Always playing!

I want him to be playful forever.

The sweetest thing

2010-12-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

I think we are a little spoiled by Leaf in the sweet department, in the sense that he is extra generous with hugs, kisses, and and other affectionate gestures (although admittedly there are times when he shakes his head and matter-of-factly says "no" when I ask for a hug or a kiss). But overall, he is the sweetest thing. And he did the sweetest thing ever today. My heart was melting. I read him some stories, turned his lullubies on softly, and tried to put him down for a nap. I left his room hoping that he would put himself to sleep after playing for awhile, like he did yesterday (although he didn't quite make it to his bed):

He is a very avid reader!

Anyway, back to today's extra sweet nap time: Leaf played in his room for awhile, but never fell asleep. So I went in there and sat in the chair while he played with some stuffed animals in the opposite corner of the room. He was whiny, so I knew he was sleepy. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes, pretending to sleep. When Leaf noticed that I was "sleeping" he ran over to me, crawled into my lap, put his arms around my neck, kissed me on my lips and rubbed his nose on mine (we do this). Then he started trying to get comfortable, adjusting and re-adjusting his head on my shoulder/s and chest. Everytime he switched positions he stopped and kissed me again, saying "mommy, awww." It was so hard for me to keep a straight face and continue to "sleep" while on the inside I was smiling and laughing and melting and loving the sweetness of this moment so, so much. Once he found the right position with his arms around my neck, his legs scrunched up on my tummy, and his head on my shoulder he was asleep instantaneously. I sat there and snuggled my baby, savoring those extra special moments.

Lights

2010-12-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

Our extremely crooked tree is up and lit, which for some reason always makes everything feel a little bit more cozy and warm. I wanted to use simple white lights on the tree, but Ian insisted on the colorful lights, and told me I was stuffy and boring :) Oh well, I guess Leaf will appreciate the colorful lights, as he is in a"naming-the-color-of-everything" phase.

A Goodwill Santa to top the tree :)

Napping, big boy style!

2010-12-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

Leaf started crawing out of his crib some time ago, so he's been sleeping in his pack and play (it's a really comfortable one!), but now he can jump right on out of that too. We converted his crib into a toddler bed yesterday, which he was really excited about (excited about jumping in and out of it and playing in it, not sleeping in it). Today he fell asleep in the car and I transferred him to his big boy bed for a nap (hence, the picture). But I'm thinking sleep time will be extra challenging now, with nothing to keep him, well, confined! We'll see how it goes!

In other news: Leaf has gone peepee on the potty FIVE times (!), only dumping it out all over the floor once :)

A Thanksgiving scarf

2010-11-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

Apparently nobody knew my 84-year-old grandmother knitted...Until she pulled out this adorable turquoise scarf for Leaf, shocking the socks off her five children and 13 grandchildren. He must be a special little guy ♥

We had another lovely family, food, cocktail, tabloid (don't ask), and laughter-filled Thanksgiving. And I am thankful for lots of stuff (one of which is wearing the turquoise scarf above)! Hope you had a great T-day too!

At the zoo

2010-11-24T06:28:00.000-08:00

On a recent visit to my dad's, we took Leaf to the zoo, where he had his first real hot dog, and it makes me cringe to say HE LIKED IT. He ate another one the next day. But back to the zoo...we saw enormous polar bears and learned that they are the size of a stick of butter at birth and have black skin under their clear--yes clear--fur. We looked into the eyes of gorillas and orangutans, who I always feel sorry for, and try to remind myself that maybe they were rescued from captivity? And have a better life at the zoo? We saw leopards and elephants and wolves and fat seals gliding underwater and birds and various types of monkeys and leaf-cutter ants and honey bees and guinea pigs. But my favorite? It has always been the aquarium. I think I could spend hours in there. I think Leaf appreciated it too.

Bear

2010-11-22T17:51:00.000-08:00

Bear is very special. He always gets greeted with a very happy "Bee-aah!!" and gets lots of hugs and kisses. He gets dragged around by his foot. He gets rides on Leaf's "car" and gets sips of milk and bites of food (Leaf always makes sure to say "MmMmm" or "nummynummynummy" for bear.

And I'm happy to say that Bear just got his first ever and much-needed "bath" (in the washer and dryer) and survived!

My mom

2010-11-22T10:11:00.000-08:00

My mom/best friend/Leaf's yaya: 9/27/52-11/9/2010

Mom, your memorial service was beautiful and the place was OVERFLOWING with people who loved you, hundreds of them. Both tears and laughter were flowing, as we remembered your incredible sense of humor and your loving and generous nature. In addition to prayer cards, we passed out colorful 5x7 cards that showcased your favorite quote: "Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting HOLY SHIT...WHAT A RIDE!!" I think it's safe to say you did just that, greeting each day with enthusiasm and the brightest of smiles, all the while courageously dealing with PSP.

In your honor, we made sure that the party that followed was filled with great people (so filled, in fact, that "walking" really meant "squeezing through the crowds"), gourmet food, and plenty of dirty martinis (the place went through a GALLON+ of olives).

I miss you more than anything, but I am comforted by knowing that you lived life to the fullest and were loved by so many (and by knowing that you are surely watching over us).

The CSN giveaway winner!

2010-11-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why it's not showing up on my post, but I used random.org to randomly generate a winner from the 17 commenters.

The winner was commenter #3...susitravl. Congrats and Enjoy! You should receive an email from CSN soon with your gift certificate.

Weened

2010-11-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

Leaf has been officially weened. I stopped nursing about three weeks ago (I know some of you thought this day would never come, myself included :). There was one (exhaustingly) rough day for both of us, and then Leaf caught on quite easily to the new protocol: organic cow milk (!) from a sippy cup. That's all...I just wanted to document this big milestone.

When my best friend visited

2010-11-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

We didn't do too much. It was actually an extra slow week. Some of my mommy-baby and volunteer events ended this week, some were canceled, and I skipped some...so we spent a lot of time at home...drinking wine, sipping coffee, talking, not talking, laughing, crying (well, I think that was me :), playing with Leaf (who immediately fell for Mary, or "Meh" as he calls her).

We went out for wine, we stopped by a small farmer's market, we ran some errands. we took some walks, we passed out candy, we took Leaf trick-or-treating, we took Leaf to a bar in Ann Arbor, and we said bye-bye. (Whoa, how things have changed since we were young and traveling all over the world and being extra crazy and laughing 24 hours a day and living in Los Angeles...wait, I think Mary still does all that :). I hope it is not another year and a half before we see each other again!

Oh, and we took very few pictures, and very bad ones, so I edited them very, very badly, just because :)

So happy to have had such a good friend (since we were nine years old!) stay for the week. So wish we lived closer. love.

Halloween

2010-11-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

We stuffed Leaf into his elephant/mouse costume for three Haloween/trick-or-treating events before the "real" Halloween...Ian and Leaf went to a fourth one sans costume...We went to two pumpkin patches and ended up with one cute and tiny (uncarved) pumpkin...We went on tractor/hayrides...We ate donuts (and all of Leaf's candy :)...I made ghost decorations with my mom...My best friend, Mary (visiting for a week!), and I handed out candy to our trick-or-treaters (the big stuff, because we only get a few doorbell rings)...Leaf wore his costume (for ten minutes) and loved when the doorbell rang and cried almost every time the trick-or-treaters left...I wore a Halloween hoodie that lit up (ha!)...and that majorly got in the way when I tried to rock Leaf to sleep in his dark room (the motion-sensored blinking light was going off at all the wrong times :).

...and I think I finally caught Leaf smiling in his costume (on my phone's not-so-good camera).

definitely not smiling with mommy

almost smiling with Mary

a smiling elephant! :)

A $35 CSN Giveaway!

2010-10-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

CSN has been thinking about you...thinking that maybe today you are in the mood to score one of these way-too-cute children's backpacks for your little one? Or perhaps you're in the mood for a new Cuisinart coffee maker to brew a perfect cup on those early mornings? Maybe a pretty wreath to spice up your front door for the upcoming holiday season?

Well, whatever you're in the mood for, I can assure you that CSN has it. If you're not familiar with CSN, you should definitley check them out. CSN has over 200 stores that sell everything, literally everything, from art supplies for kids like this great Melissa and Doug easel to furniture for your indoor and outdoor living spaces....I'd love something simple for our front porch like this little outdoor set to sit and sip coffee on warm sunny mornings.

CSN is offering you the chance to win a $35 gift certificate to use in any of their 200+ stores! For a chance to win, just leave a comment on this post with your email address. I'll choose a winner at random next week...let's say, next Saturday morning to make it a full week? Good luck!

p.s. CSN only ships to the U.S. and Canada.

A bear that sings 'I Hope You Dance'

2010-10-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

At yaya's house. Leaf was really into it, and requested "more bear" over and over and over again.

Early Halloween festivities

2010-10-24T07:40:00.000-07:00

We went to 'Boo at the Zoo' yesterday and then to a little Halloween event on MSU's campus. Leaf and his buddy Mateo (in a super cute handmade duck costume!) got to see each other in passing at the zoo, by the llamas. And later that night at MSU, they got to chase each other around and giggle together. I love them together ♥

Since Halloween isn't for another week, and since Leaf will be stuffed into the costume at least one or two more times, maybe I'll actually get a picture of a smiling elephant?

Tour de Fall

2010-10-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

We had a nice long ride planned, and then Ian's bike promptly broke down (less than a mile into the ride) so we headed home on foot, slightly defeated...okay, a lot defeated. (It was the perfect day for a ride!). Oh well, that's the way the cookie crumbles. At least the sun was shining and the scenery was nice and Fall-y on our stroll home.

We attempted to get a pumpkin

2010-10-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

We went to a (mega) cider mill/pumpkin patch. There were pies and cider and donuts and pumpkins and rides (rides?) and tractors and games and corn mazes and treats and alpacas and people. Thousands of people. We were hoping to enjoy some cider and leave with a pumpkin. But we decided not to wait in the dozens of mile-long lines (people were starting to fight in the lines, true story), and instead strolled in the corn (not the corn maze) and sat on the one patch of grass that wasn't occupied by thousands of people. We left empty handed, but not before meeting the alpacas:

Softest animal ever. And surprisingly adorable and totally sweet. They make cute little sounds.

Leaf finds a leaf

2010-10-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

We tried to take a walk but all of the wonderfully vibrant leaves (and the tempting fallen sticks) kept holding us up. So we meandered around for quite awhile, enjoying the fresh air and the cool weather. Leaf looks not so happy because he is congested with a runny nose and runny eyes...but the walk helped :)

He had to be carried home :)

Where are my keys?

2010-10-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

Oh, of course. :)

Mud and rocks and driveways

2010-10-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

Our driveway is officially a big huge mess. It has been a big huge mess ever since our "little" plumming incident forced up to dig up all of the pipes running through our yard and under our driveway. In lieu of spending a small fortune to repave the entire thing, we ordered a truckload of rocks to cover the mud. The rocks themselves were pretty much all covered in mud when they arrived. Leaf is in heaven. He was the dirtiest he's ever been today :)

Daydreaming

2010-10-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

He put the chair by the window all by himself.

It was cold outside and we were warm and toasty in our pajamas inside.

Lovely morning :)

I love my view

2010-10-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

I've never thought much of lawnmowers myself, but...

2010-09-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

As for me, I have not too much interest in motors and cars and things like that. As for Ian, his hobbies include breaking anything motorized or electrical just so he can fix it. That's what makes me think Leaf gets his obsession with motors and cars and things like that from Ian. Leaf's had a thing for the lawnmower for as long as I can remember. I have to try to distract him when we walk past it so he won't notice it and start crying for it. I decided to be nice the other day and set him free when he started reaching out and yelling for the lawnmower. He was happy as a clam.

Just a slight brow furrow when he turned the key and nothing happened.

HAPPY FALL!

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

2010-09-10T19:31:00.000-07:00

Just Leaf and mommy, because we were in the neighborhood. (And we had snacks with us. And the skies were blue and the breeze was nice. It was nice). :)

Leaf's favorite part of the day: by far the big sandbox in the children's garden...and the enormous horse sculpture, which he kept "neighing" at. My favorite part of the day: strolling lazily with my favorite little guy on a beautiful day :) Plus, the Chihuly glass sculptures are pretty awesome.