2/15

From the end of January but I didn't want you to miss Pat and C's expressions after the pinata burst.

Boots 'borrowed' from 1st grade cousin.

Tip toes.

Bath time giggles.

thanks to Susie and Mod for the Michigan photos

Pinkies

Over the last month Clementine has learned two colors: yellow (LELLOW) and blue (BOO). This week she added pink (somewhere between PINK and BINK).

Last night Luke was quizzing her about the whereabouts of her shoulders, thumbs, and pinkies. I don't think we've ever pointed out pinky fingers before, and here was her response:

Pointing out the little pink buttons on her new leggings...this is so heart-meltingly adorable I think we'll be talking about it for the rest of our lives, in the manner of:

Julie, age 3: My parents read a lot of books to me and I went through a phrase of speaking 'bookese' as my parents deemed it, adding 'she said' to the end of sentences. While having dinner with my grandparents, I glowered at my grandmother and said 'Pass the butter, she growled.' Thirty-plus years of hilarity ensue.

Luke, age 3: Ransacked all the guests' coats at a family party -> parents discovered his diaper jammed with dollar bills.

Taking Stock / Late February

Making: A beeline for Massage Envy to redeem the massage I was gifted for Christmas after the next few days are over. Interview, all night - overnight frozen sections, lecture prep, inspection prep... WHEW.

Cooking: these enchiladas. I used a whole rotisserie chicken and we ate it all week. Next up: using the soup to replace the bechamel in lasagna; doesn't that sound delicious? (From the same website: this pumpkin cheesecake with oatmeal cookie crust - that delicious pairing seems long overdue)

Drinking : hard cider. Luke calls these my 'cider days' as in, 'fend for yourselves, girls, Mom's watching Nashville and having a Ciderday.' Turns out my favorite hate-watch* show aired a few episodes this month - I have some hate-catching up to do.

*not healthy

Reading: = listening. This month I listened to Dear Life and Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. In March I plan on reading The Mistral's Daughter for friskiness' sake and A Load of Hooey for giggles and p53: The Gene That Unlocked the Cancer Code as brain food.

Wanting: to get back to pre-babies fighting weight but IT'S REALLY HARD, YO. Learning that 1 hour of caloric expenditure does not negate the intake decisions of the other 23 - I'm fitter than I've probably ever been but... stuck. Advice please. (Input < output, I get it)

Looking: like an invisible thirtysomething mom and that's gotta change (see: jumpsuits)

Playing: Podcasts. Books.

Wasting: So much time on the phone! Maybe listening to this will help... I've just downloaded it on my phone.

Wishing: is a real waste of time.

Enjoying: time with my mom this week - she came to help out during my week of call. She gave me the greatest gift of all - SLEEP - by getting up with the baby all week. #bestmom #strongmom #tiredmom

Waiting: for the hiring decision of that job. Cross your fingers, friends!

Liking: Windowshopping at La Cantera yesterday, these were my favorite items: this blouse, this briefcase.  I spent a boatload on my first purchases at the Hanna Andersson store (quality is the word of the year...) Also: C's first public tantrum, complete with howling, screeching, and going completely limp, hastened our departure.

Wondering: In anticipation of summer, where have all the sunhats gone? I have purchased at least three of these iPlay sunhats - no idea where any of them are. Probably where all of the socks and sippy cups go -- scattered around the parks, playgrounds, and beer gardens of San Antonio.

*Please read to the tune of 'Where Have the Cowboys Gone' and do NOT skip the doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo intro.

Loving: how Clementine lies right down and goes to sleep these days, even if the bedtime routine goes rockily.

Hoping: Most amino acids are supplied by bananas and string cheese otherwise C will develop some sort of peculiar deficiency.

Needing: my sister Elise to organize my closet.

Smelling: probably a little bit like baby vomit.

Wearing: compression socks. I am consumed by fervent belief in prophylaxis. #youresovein

Noticing: how strangely, deeply, suddenly tired I am at different points in the day. Essentialism and experiential wisdom and common sense propose a 15-20 nap in the middle of the day. And that is why I may bring a small cot into my office. #I'masnoozerbaby

Thinking: that finding out about College Nannies and Tutors is going to be the biggest plus to our marriage and family life in 2015. We went from having one rarely available sitter to the Uber of sitters. Already have two outings planned!

Feeling: so in love with these little girls.

In new coordinating Hanna Andersson pjs

Bookmarking: A nearby clay studio's hours - planning to take classes in March. Wheel-y excited.

Opening: many an Amazon Prime box.

Giggling: over Hot Dudes Reading


Previous: June // August

24/7

An update from 2 years and 7 months.

Josie's cutting her first tooth.

And finally falling asleep earlier (than midnight).

She's cheerful, easy-going, and smiles easily. Actually, I know both of my girls will go far in life because they smile easily and have good eyebrows.

This week my mom has gotten Josie to eat more solids though she isn't very enthusiastic about it.

We're finally getting her eczema under control. This is what it looked like at its worst. Her temples are the toughest spot and she'll have a couple of clear days and then the redness and scaliness return. It's a battle.

This sunglasses headband is another example of how Target is bankrupting me $5 at a time.  See also and oh wait multicolor? And these.

C's language is really exploding. Her first sentence is: I WANT IT. The other is:

I WANT MAH SEAT! Seat = the front seat. She's started putting up a fight being strapped into her car seat because she wants sit in MAH SEAT!!!  When we arrive home, she is allowed to sit in the front seat. She insists on the closing the door - BYE-BYE! - and pretends to drive.

Other words:
 
Mah EL-low (my hello = the phone)
Book with emphasis on the K, boo-KUH
Mike -- my-KUH -- she says this when she sees little black hatchbacks like the one Luke's friend and bandmate drives.

All of a sudden, after barely having the attention span for a board book, she sits through ALL of Dragons Love Tacos. (I read about this book on one of my favorite blogs, The Mom Edit, or maybe Becky's blog?). She goes right to the page where we act out the dragon tummy ache - groaning, moaning, ooooo my tummy hurts!

via

Amazingly, she knows all of her books, including the ones we don't read very often. I'll ask: go get Opposites/Baby Loves to Rock/Animals/San Francisco ABCs and she retrieves it right away.

Asking her to whistle. I have to ask Luke to demonstrate because I can't whistle. So this is what my whistle sounds like too.

Greeting the neighbors with a lovely sound.

She's finally developing an attachment to a toy - a baby doll she insists stay in the crib with her at night, MAH BAY-BEE! This week is a breakthrough: we sit for a few minutes, rocking, then lay her in the crib, cover with a blanket, and say 'goodnight'. She answers BYE BYE!, sucks her left thumb while holding her right ear, and closes her eyes.

What's Making Me Happy: Valentine's Edition

A little bit of Galentines weekend 2015 and what's making me happy this week.

Josie's startled cry not once not twice but three times after C's squeals of delight with her new musical Valentine's gift.

Josie Maran argan oil products. Carly gave me the Winter Dreams set for Christmas. I started using it in Michigan and really like it - a big surprise as I have oily skin and have always been oil-adverse (that every company including my beloved Paula's Choice started making an oil product convinced me to try). This little kit is the perfect size -- as we said growing up, a lil dab'll do ya -- these will last forever at the 2-3 drops/day rate. My faves are the hand cream (planning on buying the unscented version I found on qvc.com when I run out) and the infinity creamy oil . I wouldn't buy the hydrating milk again because it's crazy expensive but will enjoy it while my sample lasts. I picked up these two little lip/cheek tints, the only cream blush I've ever liked (also will last forever - but this kit is cute). The sunscreen is too thick for facial use for me so I moved it to the car for back-of-hands-before-driving application.

From the no-baby desk: IUDs are in vogue and in Vogue - I'm considering one myself. Remembering to take a pill is becoming tiresome.

From the baby desk: Ugh, the Mini boden spring stuff! I want all the things! This dress, this outfit, polka dot shorts, this sweet vintage-y number, this romper.

Speaking of onesies - the whole family will be sporting them this summer. I plan on buying this jumpsuit and wearing with these Birkenstock-esque sandals I picked up at Target (violating my no-cheap-shoes rule but my summer 2008 Mossimo flip flops are still going strong) every day. All I need to do is get Luke in this and we'll be all for one, onesies for all.

p.s. I might also need this one. Jumpsuit + liberal application of SPF + sandals + hat -> I'm ready for your summer, SATX! Since you'll probably be here in two weeks.

In Others' Words

This week I felt Josie's first tooth and observed the autopsy of an elderly person. Sometimes I'm reminded of this pendulum on which we ride, sacred, profane, joyful, heartbreaking, boring, exhilarating.


In Disgrace

Life is absurd. A man can count on that.
After the great triumph, you’re left standing alone,
Standing on the corner, holding your hat,
Trying to call a friend on your cell phone.
Men my age are arrested for public exposure
Who only needed to take a leak in the bushes.
They didn’t run through the park with no clothes or
Flash anyone. Life is like that. Some parts precious,
Moments of glory, and then the need for urination,
Then a disgrace in men’s eyes, and crying bootlessly.
Here I am, a man of a certain reputation,
But your love, darling, is worth all of that to me.
      Were I an outlaw, branded far and wide, No Good,
      You’d love me just the same. I know you would.

Ramon Montaigne

From the Writer's Almanac, listen to episode here

Midwest Mayhem 2

The end of our week in Michigan culminated with the birthday party for these girls:

First, cleaning the house.

A graciously shared her party with C and we went to Target earlier in the week for decorations.

Ombre rosebud cake by Costco! $18.99, contains two pounds of buttercream, and feeds 48! GOD BLESS AMERICA!

 

The party:

Pizza from Erbelli's - so so good, a Michigan trip must. Here is the Jam 'n' Fig: fig jam, proscuitto, basil, and gorgonzola. It was a hit.

 3 of 6 sisters in law

The theme of the party was bubbles -- one of C's favorite things. BUBBLE! she shouted

Purloined part of boots #2.

Birthday girls.

After hopping on this inflatable cow with poor Ezra as semi-willing co-passenger,

 C gave him and everyone else in the room a kiss.

Back in the cabinet.

Under the island.

Hanging from island.

The next day we drove to Chicago for our flights back to SA. Sunday was C's actual birthday, spent in the yard with Daddy

And playing inside. EAT, she commands.

A wonderful vacation!

thanks to Luke and Susie for taking many of these photos.