A, B & Baby C

Guess he won't be the next Steve Jobs!

2011-10-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

Last night, we were eating dinner and talking. Andrew was having a tough time with dinner... we were torturing him with pizza - sausage pizza - his favorite! Andrew spent most of dinner saying things like "I don't like pizza" and "I don't like sausage" and so on.

We ignored it and moved on to our delicious pizza! Brandyn was telling me about this cool marketing class he took on how to market you school.

Brandyn: "They were talking a lot about key words that people type into Google...."
Andrew: "Google? I don't like Google."

Apparently we are NOT raising the next Steve Jobs.

Substitute Parenting

2011-09-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

Last night Brandyn and I both had to work late. So we asked our friend Christi if she could pick up Andrew after day care. She and her 3-year-old Dane picked Andrew up and took him home for dinner. Christi fed my "mom curiosity" by texting me that the boys were having fun, sending me a picture of them eating dinner... and my favorite... an email entitled "Hope my parenting techniques are ok with you"... with the following picture attached!

Andrew and Dane playing in puppy Stella's cage. HILARIOUS! Thanks for taking good care of my kid Christi!!

What Andrew wants to be when he grows up

2011-09-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

This morning as I was getting ready for work, Andrew was turning on and off the light in the bathroom (driving me crazy, but keeping himself occupied, so I let him!). He was starring at the lights so intensely, watching them, so I joked with him and asked if he was going to be an engineer when he grows up. He starred at me and said "Huh Mom?" So then I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. I asked if he wanted to be a teacher like Dada. He responded with...

"I want to be a big Man like Dada. I want to be a Man."

Andrew, age 2.5, wants to be a Man when he grows up. ;)

Andrew's Work

2011-09-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

This morning on our car ride to school, I asked Andrew what was going on today.

A: Mama go to work. Dada no at work, Dada on a trip. Andrew go to work too.
Me: Oh, really? What are you going to do at work?
A: Play. Play with my people.
Me: Your "people"? Who are your people.
A: Sarah and Heidi. (Sisters who Andrew talks about, a lot). Sarah my best friend.
Me: Oh, Sarah is your best friend.
A: No, no Sarah. Heidi. Heidi my best friend.

That sounds like a fabulous day at work to me!

Time Outs

2011-08-15T12:38:00.001-07:00

We recently took a fantastic family vacation with my parents and my brother and his family - including Andrew counsin Evey. Andrew loves Evey, but is not used to playing with an independant 5 year old who loves to direct playtime. A couple of times he got annoyed by Evey's instructions on how to move his animal, which ended in his hitting Evey out of frustration. We followed with appropriate time out and lots of words about how you don't hit, etc.

Last night, while Andrew was laying in bed talking himself to sleep, we hear "Huggy (his favorite Lovey/stuff animal), no hit Andrew. You time out."

Apparently... he got the message.

My Brandyn

2011-08-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Andrew recently learned our first names. While he still addresses us by Mama and Dada, he understand that we have other names too. This morning he was talking about "My Brandyn" (which really sounds like "My Bannen). So cute!!

Ride 'Em Cowboy!!

2011-04-19T13:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend we drove to Fresno to spend time with Brandyn's family. Its was a jam packed visit with a trip to Storyland, nail painting party for my niece's birthday, lots of playtime with cousins, date night with my brother and sister in law (thanks to Grandma C), and finishing it off with Vintage Days at Fresno State.

The campus was packed with students food and game booths. The highlight of the day (besides the free cupcakes!), the pony rides! I'll admit, I did NOT think my shy guy would be into them. Not only did he like it, he was begging to ride!

Two Year "Stats"

2011-03-25T17:07:00.001-07:00

In Andrew's birthday card, Grandma C provided "stats" from Brandyn's two year appointment.

At 2 years and two month old, Brandyn was:
37 1/2 inches
38 pounds

At 2 years old, Andrew is:
37 inches
31 pounds

Happy 2nd Birthday Andrew!!!

2011-03-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

Hope that cupcake was as good as it looks!!!

Cousin-ly Love

2011-03-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

Andrew is the youngest of his 4 cousins - 3 on Brandyn's side... 1 on mine. He can't get enough of his cousins - "Less-yee" (Leslie), "Ax" (Alex), "Yay-cob" (Jacob) and "E" (Evey). All four cousins came to visit to celebrate Andrew's birthday!

No cousin gathering would be complete without a "Dog Pile"!

Big Cousin Leslie pullin' the boys around the block!

And the quintessential group cousin pic!

Grandparents

2011-03-01T13:52:00.000-08:00

These are old(er) pictures... but I like them a lot and wanted to share. The first is from the summer... the second from Christmas.

Family Adventure Day

2011-02-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we ventured out to Tilden Park to explore all the fun kid activities they have there. We went specially to ride the train, but were excited to find lots of other fun at the Park.

The "Little Farm" was very entertaining for all of us! They had cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, pigs, etc. You could touch and feed all of them!

We also enjoyed the carousel.

Tractor Time!

2011-01-23T09:40:00.001-08:00

A special message for Grandma and Grandpa!

2011-01-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

From Andrew and his cousin Jacob.

Welcome to 2011!!

2010-12-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

Dang - that was fast! 2010 is already over - and I didn't get to complete all my goals! Luckily... I did finally complete my 2009 goals... so I'm not holding over goals for two years!

2010 Goals Completed:

- Started a back yard garden.
- Participated in and raised money for the March for Babies.
- Exercise. I joined Jazzercise and have been aiming for two aerobics classes a week (sometimes even two times a week is hard to come by!).

- Be more "green" at home. We rid our house of paper towels and use mostly Method cleaning products. We also switched our pest control from Terminx to Eco First (saver for Andrew, the kitties and the rest of the environment!).

2010 Goals moved over to 2011:
- Date night *alone* (not with friends) with my husband once a month. We're "getting out there"... but usually when we have a babysitter (free or not!) we tend to go out with a group. We really could use some one-on-one time.
- Attend a community church. We have a list! Now we just need to pick a Sunday and GO! :)

New 2011 Goals:

- Family vacation. I really want to plan and go on a fun, LONG (more than a week) vacation this summer. Doesn't have to be far... its just has to be AWAY!

- Household upgrades. We've got a lot of "I want to do 'X'" things going on in our heads about upgrades to the house (garden area, garage makeover, paint the exterior, take down the wood paneling, retile the fireplace). I'd love to put the "I wants" into action!

- Plant fruit trees. I really want an Avocado tree... and maybe another apple tree (green this time).

Christmas is almost here!

2010-12-20T12:04:00.001-08:00

And Andrew is ready!!

He gets this from Nana and Papa!

2010-12-08T16:25:00.000-08:00

You know how they say certain things skip a generation? Well, that is true for me, with the artistic talents that run in my family. My parents are incredibly skilled artists. Both are fantastic sculptors and potters. My dad also creates beautiful pencil drawings. My mom... displays many of the creative talents with various crafts.

Me... eh... not so much.

So I often wonder... will Andrew inherit some of my family artistic abilities?

I sure hope so!!

The Mother-Child Connection

2010-12-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Last night I woke up at 4 am... not for any reason, just awake. I laid silently in bed... and about 30 seconds later... I heard Andrew coo-ing from the other room. Just a few grunts and he was back asleep. Did I wake up 'cause I heard him? Did he wake up 'cause he heard me?

I don't know... all I know is that it is not infrequent that Andrew and I wake up at the same time. Maybe we're sensing each other... maybe we feel a change in the air... maybe its just a coincidence.

But I prefer to think that the Mother-Child connection... is PROFOUND.

Buildin' a new table

2010-11-14T12:49:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago, we bought Andrew a kid-sized table for him to color, play and eat at. I think he was more interested in helping Brandyn put the table together than the table itself.

Sometimes... bedtime... can wait!

2010-11-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

"No, no, no, no, no, no."

2010-11-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

Andrew's latest mantra. However, its not what you think. Andrew isn't telling us "no," he's not telling the cats "no," he's not telling other people "no,"... he's telling HIMSELF "no."

Lately... when Andrew does something he KNOWS he's not supposed... we hear this soft little chant "No, no, no, no, no, no!" Like when he spilled milk on the ground... grabbed my makeup brush... or stating squirting the soap pump all over the sink.

He's tattling on himself! Cause now every time we hear the chorus of "no's"... we just look for Andrew and see what mischief he's up to!!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T16:58:00.001-07:00

The "Other" Linus

2010-10-27T10:15:00.000-07:00

We have two cats. Linus and Lucy. (No, we're not crazy fans of Charles Shultz... it just happened). Andrew loves both cats and regularly makes desperate attempts to pet them. Linus usually obliges... but Lucy never does.

Despite her dislike of Andrew (well, any person, really)... Lucy was one of the first words that Andrew could say - "Woo-cee." But lately... he seems to have forgotten her name.

Last night, Andrew and I were playing in front of the house. Linus was wandering around with us. Andrew caught site of him and started calling "Yi-nus," over and over again.

M: "Yes Andrew, there's Linus. He's eating grass."
A: "Oh. Yi-nus, Yinus." (Desperately looking around and around.)
M: "Andrew, Linus is right there, see... he's digging in the dirt."
A: "Blah, blah, blah, blah (gibberish that I couldn't understand), blah Yi-nus." (Still looking around.)
M: "Are you looking for Lucy? Lucy is in the house!"
A: "Oh."
(Lucy wanders outside from inside the house).
A: "YI-NUS!!!"

Apparently, Andrew has renamed our cats Linus... and the Other Linus.

(We might also be having a similar identity crisis with Mama and Dada... in the last week... we are currently BOTH known as "Mama"... much to Brandyn's chagrin).

Good Morning!!!

2010-10-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

Andrew likes his yogurt!

An-deeeew!

2010-10-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

When we are home and around the house... we can often be heard calling for Andrew. Whether we're playing hide-n-seek, or he just wandered off and we're trying to figure out what room he's in. Andrew's response to hearing his name called... to repeat us. We call out "An-drew"... he responds "An-dew." Damn cute.

Who's having more fun?

2010-09-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

Andrew and Grandma...

Oooorrrr

Daddy and Grandma...

A boy and a paper bag...

2010-09-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

Look out Lucy!! That's Andrew's bag!

Does parenting make you more or less happy?

2010-09-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

I know that I'm only a little over a year into my title as "Parent," so perhaps I'm not the best judge of this, but... A recent article in The New Yorker, addressed this very question by looking at numerous studies to determine whether the benefits of having children, outweighs the costs. Most of the studies showed that people with kids are busier and more stressed - leading them to less happy with life than people without kids.

These studies... just didn't resonate with me. Perhaps its my "only YOU can make YOU happy" outlook on life. Perhaps its my "I refuse to be UNhappy attitude"... but parenting... has NOT made me a "less happy" person. Busier, yes. Stressed, yes.

Country Girl, Raisin' a Family in the Big City

2010-09-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a rural area. My parent filled our acreage with a large garden and chickens roaming everywhere. When I move off to the “big city,” I assumed I had lost those “home grown” elements for good. It was only when I started my own family that I realized I needed to take a closer look at what we put in our bodies.

When Andrew was born over a year ago, I began making his baby food. I was amazed at how easy it was and how much money I was saving in the process! Now, we have moved on to a small home garden and compost barrel.

One of my biggest “ah-ha” moments was earlier this summer, when a plant started growing in our garden. It was NOT something we planted – it was a “volunteer”. As it grew, we realized it was an acron squash. The plant grew from the seeds I had cleaned out of a squash when making Andrew's food. We threw the seeds in the compost, and later, threw the compost in the garden – the plant grew all on its own!

What an amazing full circle.

"Eye Yove You"

2010-09-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

Can you hear it!?!

"Cheeeeese!"

2010-09-02T20:25:00.001-07:00

Andrew and his buddy Dane.

"Two, two, two"...

2010-08-18T11:27:00.000-07:00

Andrew has recently learned the excitement of "One, Two, Threeeeeee!!" We play games where we throw things on three... or swing him in the air on three... or tickle him on three, etc. He loves the game soooo much, that he tires to count with us. Unfortunately, he's still doesn't really talk well... and he ends up saying "Two, two, two"... copying us in our sing-songy counting voices.

Dance Machine!!

2010-08-11T12:41:00.001-07:00

They say that toddlers LOVE music! Well, Andrew certainly does! He especially likes the Beatles, Lady Gaga, and Nelly Furtado (amongst others). He loves when you sing to him, especially if the song has hand motions that go along.

Andrew recently learned the "Itty Bittsy Spider" song with hand motions from his teachers at day care. I had no idea they were teaching him that and imagine my surprise when he started doing the hand motions when I started signing it the other night! I tried to catch it on video... but as you can see, as soon as I turned the camera on, he got shy.

Andrew loves to dance too! He has a magnet toy on the fridge that signs "Old MacDonald"... its not a jukebox, but it works! (Perhaps Andrew needs to learn how to dance from someone other than his Mother. Note that I did NOT include the video with Andrew and I dancing together - ha!).

Missing my son... but only the cute, fun one!

2010-08-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend Brandyn and I went out of town without Andrew for two nights. Its was fun and fabulous! But when I woke up on Sunday morning I was anxious and lonely... missing my baby!!! We took advantage of our few remaining hours of peace and quiet, packed up... and headed home. The whole way there, I was nervous with excitement to see my little guy.

But something happened when we got home... the sweet little adorable Andrew that I was missing so much in my head... was a whinny cranky mess! Perhaps he was mad at us for leaving, perhaps he's teething (although he was perfect for Grandma and Grandpa all weekend!)... who knows why.

Needless to say, THAT was not the child I was aching so much to see!!

There's definitely a difference between Motherhood (and the child of mine) who lives in my head... and then the reality!

Summer time!

2010-07-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Andrew's been very busy this summer! Here are a few of his favorite summer time activities!

Swimming...

Bubbles...
Bean bags...
Tunnels!!

Sunday Morning!

2010-07-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

I went out Sunday morning for my aerobics class and came home to this........

Home Improvements

2010-07-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

Another summer vacation from teaching... another "home improvement" project for Brandyn. Last summer Andrew and Brandyn took on a little back yard "sculpting" together. This year, its a full on overhaul. Stayed tuned for before and after pics... but for now... a few "progress" pics.

"Al, you're such a Mom!"

2010-07-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

That's what my 20-something coworker told me yesterday, when I told her about my latest adventure in "me time" - Jazzercise. (Hey, at least she didn't call me OLD!!)

I've been trying to get my butt out of my office chair to take walks during lunch, but when I'm trying to leave the office at exactly 5 (sometimes earlier) to rush home to see my family, taking 45 minutes for a lunch walk, seems like a waste. So, I signed up for a class. One that will hold me accountable and force me to get my butt moving! I've been to three classes so far... and I'm telling you... my butt... its SORE.

I'm not sure how often I'm going to convince Brandyn to let me sneak out of the house, juuust before Andrew's bedtime routine, but so far I'm loving it. And the greatest thing about it... its ME time... just ME.

No, NO, Noooooooo!!

2010-07-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Is what I heard from the back seat of my car, on the way to Day Care this morning.

And so we've entered The "No" Stage (and the hitting stage and the general defiance stage).

Its so interesting to watch his mind grow and change. I remember distinctly around 6 months, Andrew started to be more aware of his surroundings.

Before 6 months he only cried out of need - he needed food, sleep, a diaper change.

At 6 month, he started crying when he wanted something - usually one of us.

At a year, he began crying when he wanted something he couldn't have - a toy, to be out of his crib, etc.

And now, now he's crying to make a point - to communicate feelings. He knows he's upset and he wants everyone to know it to.

We hear you Andrew, we hear you.

Halfway through 2010 - Goal "Check In"

2010-06-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

The year is flying by! Andrew is getting bigger, work is plugging away, and Brandyn is home for the summer playing house husband - yay!

Just a quick checking in on all the things I wanted to accomplish this year.

- Grow a few of vegetables/fruits/herbs in our back yard. Done. Thanks to my parents who helped us construct and above ground planter box. We had lettuce early this spring, now we have tomatoes, herbs, and a squash plant that grew on its own, out of our compost which we used to accompany the potting soil.

- Participate in the March for Babies. And I'm going to bump this year's goal up a little bit... I'm going to create a TEAM! The race is April 24, 2010. Done! Thanks to my friends - our team had 22 walkers raised $3,450. My friends and family helped me personally raise $1,145.

- My "green" efforts are to *try* and eliminate paper towels from our kitchen and instead use rags. I would also like to purchase only environmentally friendly cleaning products from Method. Done and done. The paper towel thing was much easier than I thought - although guests of our home aren't all on board.

- Date night *alone* (not with friends) with my husband once a month. I can't say "done" cause its on-going, but I'm happy to say that we're succeeding so far.

- Explore community churches to participate in. Well... I Google'd a few churches in our area, and nothing caught my attention. I need to work on this.

- Walk 30-45 min, 2-3 days a week. I'm going to start... TODAY. (Seriously).

When can they tell time?

2010-06-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Andrew needs a clock in his room... and a little lesson on what "weekend" means. This weekend we were visiting friends in Reno. The first night there - he woke up at 5:30 - ouch!! We took him back to bed with us, but he did not fall asleep. The second morning he woke up at 6:30 - MUCH better.

This morning - Monday morning - he woke up at 6:30, I brought him to our bed the same way we did the two weekend morning - and he fell back asleep until 7:30!!!! Meanwhile, I had to sneak out of bed at 7 to get ready. UHG! Why can't he sleep in on the weekends!!

Work from home Fridays...

2010-06-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

How I get things done.

The stupid games I play...

2010-06-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

Last week Brandyn and I took Andrew to an amusement park for the day. Brandyn was going on a class field trip and we would be chaperoning 40 7th graders from 10:30 am to 5 pm (really, we just checked in with them three times).

When I told a few friends what I was doing - they gave me a little "you're crazy" look. A toddler, all day, out and about, no crib for naps, no white noise, no dark/quiet room, etc... don't get me wrong - I thought it was crazy too. But a crazy challenge that I was excited/willing to take on.

When it comes to taking Andrew to places we've never been before I get this bizarre twist of feelings. Part of me get super nervous about messing up his schedule and putting ourselves in the unknown... but part of me... gets an adrenaline rush for the excitement of seeing him behave and succeed with the challenge!

We've taken Andrew out and done so many different things with him - long car rides, airplane, dinner/bedtime at a friends, sleep over at family's, napping in his stroller, babysitters, etc., etc. And I'm always surprised (and proud) of how well he adjusts.

The thrill of the end result pushes me to do these things, but when they fail, its the fear of the unknown that makes me hesitant to try again. All in all, 9 out of every 10 times we expose him to a different situation... he does very, very well. Its sorta like a game to me, with a WIN at the end (well, most of the time!).

Up next....... camping! Ack!

Water time!!

2010-06-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

Butterflies!!

2010-06-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Andrew and I accompanied Brandyn on a class field trip to Discovery Kingdom. One of the highlights - the butterfly habitat!

Out of the mouths of babes...

2010-06-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

Andrew is quite the talker - he's constantly babbling something or other. He often talks at you with real purpose, expecting your response. If you ask him a question, he almost always answer "Yeah" and nods his head in agreement (even if you ask him a question to which he should respond "No"). Last night, we started singing. We know its singing cause he dances around and spins in circles.

Some of his words areL

Byeee and sometimes Bu-bye.
Ni-night. (Usually in response to our prompting, but sometimes he says on his own if he's super tired and ready for bed).
Hi! (Short and sweet!).
Nose (Said to get our attention when we haven't interacted with us in a while. He's got almost a "I'm so smart" attitude when he says it.")
Mama and Dada
Aaa-Done (With his hands waving about his head in sign).
Mi (Milk).
Ball
No (Said with a questioning tone - No? You've never heard a cuter word, I promise.)
Hi Dada! (Hopefully soon to be followed with "Hi Mama"!).
Yeah. (Complete with head nod).
Shhh (shoe).
Sock. (And holds it up to his nose and quickly pulls away, mimicking my "Phew - your socks are stinky" game!).

Going for a walk is exhausting!

2010-05-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

I'm fortunate enough to be able to work from home on Fridays. One of the most fabulous perks of not having to commute into SF is that I gain two hours in the day! My Friday morning commute consists of Andrew and I taking a little stroll. Sometimes to the park, sometimes to Starbucks, sometimes... just around the block.

Its always exhausting!

Nicknames

2010-05-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

I'm a BIG fan of nicknames. Most of my family calls me "Ali," some friends too... some even drop straight to "Al." Since long before Andrew was born - Brandyn and I discussed whether we'll give him the nick name "Drew" or "Andy." And here we are... a year later... and we don't call him either!! Just straight Andrew! Ha!

We do, however, have a few other nicknames we use. Wonder how long these will stick around.

- Big Boy (bet that one sticks around a while).
- Crazy Legs Coleman (used when he was a pre crawler and would kick his legs around uncontrollably - so cute!!)
- Cranky Pants Andrew
- Handsome

Canon in D

2010-05-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

Andrew has a crib soother in his bed. It looks like a fish aquarium, with water, and fish swimming and it plays music. The primary song it plays is Canon in D, but it has other classical music songs, as well as ocean and water sounds.

The soother has a big button on the front so that Andrew can turn it on and off himself. When he was itty bitty, we used to turn it on at bed time to help calm him down and get him ready for bed. Then, he discovered how to turn it on himself... and occasionally in the middle of the night, through the monitor we would here the sounds of Canon in D playing away in his room. Now, he mostly turns it on when he's settling down for bed.

Yesterday Andrew missed his late afternoon nap, so he had a really hard time going to sleep. I spent about 15 minutes in his room rocking him to sleep, listening to Canon in D in the background. Often when I hear his crib soother play that song... I think about Andrew all grown up, on his wedding day... his wife walking down the aisle to Cannon in D... the reception with all our family and friends... and the speech I'll give at the dinner. No doubt I'll be talking about these very moments and my memories of Baby Andrew listening to Canon in D in his crib.

22 Team Walkers, 4 Miles, $3,450 Raised!!

2010-05-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

On April 24, our family joined the masses in the March for Babies. Our team had 10 walkers, 7 support walkers (husbands, etc), 5 babies and raised a total of $3,450!!! My friends and family helped me personally raise $1,145 - amazing!! A HUGE thanks to you ALL!!

All in all the morning was very emotional. There were families walking with photos of babies gone too soon. Many families walking with children born too early - but healthy and thriving. On the walk, I remembered many babies who left us too soon.

May the March of Dimes succeed in their mission to deliver healthy babies the world around!!!

Already a big boy moment!

2010-05-05T09:12:00.000-07:00

This morning when we were getting ready to leave the house, I told Andrew "Ready to go bye-bye" and he nodded his head and walked towards the front door. I stopped him and put my hands out - "Come here Baby, Mama will carry you" - our normal routine. Nope. Andrew did not want to be carried out of the house this morning - he wanted to walk. Out the door, down two stairs (with my help) and down the side walk to the driveway. What a mix of emotions. Our little guy is getting so big and "needing" us less and less.

Andrew in action!

2010-04-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

We've been trying really hard to get video of Andrew doing all kinds of "everyday" things. So I thought I'd share a few.

The first is for the Grandparents. I got requests for more video of Andrew walking. They all got to see him for his birthday a month ago, but how quickly things change. Here you go!

This one is Andrew and Maddy. Maddy's mom, Michelle and I were cracking up watching the two of them play peek-a-boo!!

Giving the word DIET... a whole new meaning.

2010-04-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

With all my efforts over the years to shed a few pounds, never has the word "diet" come into play. I like to call it "healthy" eating. And I like to think of it as a life style, not a fad.

But all of a sudden "diet" has taken on a new meaning in my life. The nutritional diet for my baby. If someone asked me, right now, the single most stressful thing about parenting - I'd say FEEDING your baby. (Ask me again in 2 years I'm sure I'll have long forgotten about this!).

When Andrew was itty bitty and getting all his nutrition from breastmilk/formula - I stressed stress about how often to feed him and how much to feed him. And now that he's on to solids and milk, I worry that he's not getting a well rounded and balanced nutrition.

Right now, his diet mostly consists of...
- Blueberry muffins, whole wheat toast, cereal/Nutragrain bars and puffs (of all kinds - he's not picky!).
- Bananas, grapes, pears, peaches and blueberries (the occasional strawberry).
- Milk and yogurt.

Notice the lack of vegetables?!? Notice the lack of protein?!?

I'm constantly stocking up on new "experimental" items - whole wheat waffles, cheese filled raviolis, garden burgers, edamame, green beans, tomatoes, zucchini, apple sauce, oatmeal, mushrooms, watermelon, pot stickers, soup, noodles/pasta of any kind, mac n' cheese, grilled cheese, quesadillas,beans, etc., etc., etc.

The knowledge that everything we're putting into his mouth right now... is helping develop his mind and grow his body... there's a lot of pressure in that. I always knew that having a well balanced diet would be hard to achieve, but I never knew that I would be so consumed with the thought of it.

Come and get me!!

2010-04-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Andrew and Maddy have been friends since day one... well... really even before then! They really do have a connection and love playing together. Chase is one of their favorite games, followed closely by peekaboo! They are really cute to watch!

Heeeere we go!!

2010-04-12T19:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter - Now and Then!

2010-04-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

This the first, second of one holiday that Andrew has ever celebrated!! Get that!?! This is the SECOND time Andrew will have celebrated Easter in his life! So the first time he's ever celebrated a particular holiday - twice!!

And my, has he grown!

This year...

Last year...

I can even image what next year has in store!!

Work is not supposed to be fun!!!

2010-03-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

One of our goals for this year was to create our own garden and grow a few fruits and veggies. So, on the weekend of Andrew's birthday - we got started on that. My Dad and Brother were in town, so the three of them were able to construct a garden box in no time! Not with out a little goofing around, of course!

Beer me!!

2010-03-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

More pretzels and another beer - stat!

To Andrew on your 1st birthday!!

2010-03-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday my handsome baby boy. Today marks your transition from "baby" to "toddler." While I have been blogging about your life, and my experiences as a mom, from "day one"... I would like to try and look back and reflect on the collective year. This is one of "those moments" that we are all told to treasure forever, but honestly - its hard to comprehend that we are even here already.
.........

Even from your first day of life we have know that you are a very social little guy. In the beginning you wanted only to be held, all day and all night! Thank God for Nana - who came and held you from 10 pm to 1 am - for a week - so we could get some much needed sleep.

And now, while you love to play on your own, you always make sure there's someone in the room with you. If I step over to the kitchen, you crawl, speedily over to find me. Not so I can hold you - just so you can show me your toys, or talk to me, etc.

You have so many friends both at school and with the babies of my friends. When you see your best friend, Maddy, your face lights up with HUGE smile!!

You have grown so much in one year. Your little arms started off scrawny and with spastic, uncontrolled movements in ever direction - as you try to grab on your play mat for toys. Then we sat, your dad and I, and watched the day you discovered your feet. You grabbed and played with them for 20 minutes, awestruck with your discovery - and so were we! And now you "cruise" around the house - holding on to whatever you can - including Daddy's leg hairs!! And last night - you took your first steps!! ON your birthday!!!

Everything about you changes so very fast - especially your looks. When you first arrived, we coo'd over your bald head and gummy mouth and discussed how we couldn't even imagine you with hair and teeth - and how you would look so strange! And now we marvel over your blond wispy hair and the cute gap between your top two teeth!!

And your personality - oh my! Always so happy, smiley and giggly - even if its your fake "hu-hu" laugh!! But I know that we're in for trouble - as you thew your first tantrum on Sunday!

Gone are the days of "only" crying when you were tired, hungry or needed a change. Now you cry when you want us, when you want a toy we took away, or when you're trying to tell us something and we don't understand.

Like the first time you signed milk. Sitting in your highchair eating dinner. You started grunting and groaning and waving you hand! We couldn't understand why - and then Daddy saw - you were signing for milk!!!

We love to listen to you talk. In the beginning, you slept in our room, and we listened to you grunt all night long. We finally moved you to your own room after about 6 weeks - so we could all sleep better. And now, even though our house is small enough to hear your cry from any corner - I keep the baby monitor on so I can hear your "dada, dada, dada" sighs as you lull yourself to sleep. We can't wait to hear what you voice will sound like!!

And oh, have OUR lives changed in this past year too - but that, my love - is for another story!

I have loved every moment of this past year - can't wait to see what is in store next!! Happy birthday big boy!

Happy birthday my sweet Andrew!!

2010-03-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Quiet time...

2010-03-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

Playtime!!

2010-03-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

2010-03-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

A few recent pics...

2010-03-16T10:55:00.001-07:00

I'm a little behind on blogging, but here are some recent pictures from our adventures!

In early February, my parents came to town and we all went to the King Tut exhibit at the DeYoung Museum.

For Valentine's Day weekend, we visited our friends Lisa, Jeremy, Zach and Josh in Arizona.

And at the end of February - we met up with Brandyn's family for a nice lunch!

Forget Edward and Jacbo - Team Andrew!!

2010-03-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

This morning, when dropping Andrew off at Day Care, Miss Stephanie told me that she and Miss Tasia are starting a competition. Team Andrew vs. Team DeAngelo. Both boys are on the verge of walking - and the teachers have been "working" with them at school - Miss Stephanie is working with Andrew and Miss Tasia with DeAngelo. She joked that they wanna have t-shirts printed. I thought this was hilarious!!

Go Andrew, go!!!

Working Mom

2010-03-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

I knew long before I became pregnant that I was going to be a Working Mom - I just had no idea HOW hard that role would be. When I first went back to work - I talked about feeling both "lost and found" in my new Working Mom identity. After having spent every hour of every day with my baby - I suddenly felt like I was missing a limb without him in my arms.

Now... as I have been back at work for almost 9 months I - I felt like I'm being pulled limb from limb. This week has presented me with more Working Mom challenges than I've ever seen so far. Since the beginning of the year - Brandyn and I both have taken off a combined 5 days of work (5 days- in TWO months!!) to tend to Andrew and his various illnesses (don't worry - nothing more serious that the flu, or recurring double ear infections). We've taken those days off happily - and enjoyed the extra cuddle time with The Babe.

However, this week - was a different story. Monday, I traveled an hour into San Francisco for work, only to receive a call 30 min after I arrived at my desk - and learn that Andrew had thrown up at day care - and they needed me to come pick him up. So I pulled my stuff together and headed an hour back home. Andrew and I made it to the Dr. - diagnosed another double ear infection and a random virus (which caused a rash all over his body). But this post isn't about Andrew's aliments, its about ME! ;)

I spent the next two days - taking care of Andrew and working from home - and being pulled in every which way possible. I attempted to check work emails, while my clingy and in pain baby fought to grab the keyboard and would NOT be put down. I attempted to make myself lunch, while taking a conference call, and trying to feed and non-hungry, crying baby. I attempted to put the baby to sleep (which lasted 30 min), while I tried to respond to 10's of emails that poured in that morning all about projects due by the next morning. I called my coworker, and attempted to commit to handling my share of a project, only to have to call back an hour later with the realization that I was NOT going to be able to get anything done with a baby in my arms. I attempted to take a drive - to get us BOTH some fresh air and get out of the house - only to be 10 min away from home, when Andrew threw up in the car.

This morning, Andrew went back to day care, not because he was feeling 100% better (he hadn't had a fever in more than 24 hours and hadn't thrown up during that time either)... but because I had to go back to work!! Andrew actually had a good day at day care (Miss Stephanie really does give him extra love and attention)... and I had a productive day of cleaning up the messes I made the two days before. But the truth is... I wanted to be at home today, cuddling with my sick, cranky, ear-infected baby... and loving when he snuggled his head in my chest - snot and all!!

This Working Mom stuff is H.A.R.D.

Taking it up a notch!

2010-02-17T09:12:00.000-08:00

I'm floored. I'm touched. I feel loved. I feel supported. I feel so happy to be raising so much money for the most precious gift.

Two weeks ago I set a goal to raise $500 for the March of Dimes. And as of yesterday - I exceeded my goal - tremendously. My family, friends and coworkers sent in over $880 ($730 online and an additional $150 offline)!!!! I can't even express how touched I am to see everyone sending in their contributions. Truly touched.

And so today... I'm taking it up a notch! I raised my challenge to $1000!!

Thank you all so very much for helping me to meet this goal that is so near and dear to my heart. It is VERY inspiring!!

Will you be my valentine?

2010-02-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!! Love Andrew

Do you happen to have any Grey Poupon!

2010-02-12T21:52:00.001-08:00

Andrew LOVES getting into things. The biggest evidence of that - the fridge. You have NEVER seen him move faster than when hears that fridge door opening!

Rubber Ducky - yoooou're the one!!

2010-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

You make bath time sooooo much fun!!

March for Babies (formerly March of Dimes)...

2010-02-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to tell you how many people in my life have been touched with the loss of a baby. I, myself, experienced two miscarriages before we were blessed with our handsome Andrew.

For the last two years - I have promised myself that I would raise money to help fund research and ensure that others across the world would not have to suffer the same broken hearts than many of my friends, family and I have. The March for Babies is that cause. And this year - I'm doing it.

I've committed to hosting a team (I've got two recruits signed up so far!) and to raising $500. Please let me know if you're interested in joining me at the march (April 24th, in San Ramon) - I've got room on my team! And if you're able, please donate and support this organization.

I do this March in honor of my loving friends and family (you know who you are).

Special Moments and Memories

2010-01-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I saw two young girls (maybe 4 and 6) walking with their mom and carrying a large grocery bag. It was lunch time - and the girls were bringing lunch to their daddy at his office. As one of the MANY things that "sets me off" emotionally - this one did. I was so touched by the mom's thoughtfulness, the excitement on the girl's faces, and the anticipation for the dad is getting to spend the long drawn out lunch with his family!

It reminded me of several times when I was a little girl that I had special moments with my dad. One general memory is when my dad used to play in an adult basketball league. My mom would bring my brother and I to the games to watch him play. I remember thinking how fun/cool it was that my dad played basketball - he was like my own personal NBA star (except I didn't know about the NBA at that time!).

Another more specific time was when my dad made *me* a picnic lunch. He packed me a lunch, with specific "special" things that I like, then came to my school at lunch time, took me to a near by park - and we had a picnic lunch together! (He even bought me Oreos - which I NEVER got growing up!).

I am working hard to bring up all these fun, special, everyday loving moments from when I was little... so that Andrew will have beautiful memories like this when he's grown and big! So far Andrew has been able to attend two of Brandyn's basketball team games (that he coaches) and randomly/spontaneously showed up in his classroom (at the end of the day) so Brandyn could show Andrew off around school.

I wish we were on a reality TV show...

2010-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

There have been so many times over the last 10 months when I wish I had our video camera out to capture all the fun/unique moments. But those moments happen so quickly, there's no time for a camera. And besides, if I went and got the camera each and every time, then I how I be "present" in the moment.

So that's why, sometimes I wish we were part of a reality TV show. That our entire lives were captured on film. You know, capturing all of our amazing family moments - like Jon & Kate + Eight. ;) OK... never mind... I guess I really don't wish that. I guess I'll just have to rely on my memory.

From this past weekend, here are a few moments I would like to remember:

- On Friday, Andrew had his sights set on Lucy. She was sitting on a chair at the kitchen table. Andrew was playing with magnets on the fridge when she caught his attention. He crawled over to the table toward her chair. She immediately smelled "danger" and moved to another chair. Andrew continued to "chase" her through the dinning room table while she jumped from chair to chair and finally ended up on top of the table. The game stopped when Andrew tried to climb up the table (not that he's really capable of doing that) and got stuck. He pulled himself up (under the table) holding onto a chair and then bumped his head trying to pull himself up on the chair. Not surprisingly, this moment ended in tears.

- Then later that day, Andrew played chase with me. Brandyn was holding Andrew and started running after me telling Andrew "Get mommy, get mommy." I, of course, cried "No, don't GET me!" Andrew was laughing uncontrollably ... as we all three ran around and around and around the kitchen a living room.

- Sunday was a day full of cuddles in our house, as Andrew was beginning to have symptoms of what we now know is a double ear infection. Andrew didn't want to be put on the floor, to play with his toys , as he usually does - he just wanted to be held. Nap times were the same "don't put me down" cry!! So after two very short naps in the middle of the day... Andrew spent his last nap, laying cuddled up on the couch with his daddy. Andrew's no-longer-itty-bitty-body draped across Brandyn chest and stomach. Brandyn said Andrew fell asleep almost instantly when he cuddled him in his arms. Such a tender moment.

Our "other" family members....

2010-01-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

There's a love/hate relationship around our house with our cats. Basically we love one of them and hate the other. OK, hate is a strong word. But let's just say that anyone thinking of getting a Siamese cat... should think twice! Lucy is, apparently, the typical Siamese. She's neurotic, hyper, moody, crazy and very... high maintainance.

Luckily... Linus is the Yang to Lucy's Ying! He is sweet, cuddly, loving and can NOT get enough attention. As it is in most households... the pets seem to go from 1st priority... to... 3rd or 4th when a baby joins. We feel pretty bad that we haven't given the cats as much love and attention as we used too. So Andrew decided to get in on the kitty lovin' action.

While Lucy avoids Andrew at any instance (just like she does with us!)... Linus seems to love (or tolerate) him just fine. When Linus enters the room - Andrews attention is immediatly drawn to him. He loves trying to get Linus, touch him, pet (or hit) him, etc. And that Lover Linus... he doesn't seem to mind either!

Well... maybe he minds just a little bit!!

Play time at the park!

2010-01-03T09:02:00.000-08:00

Since Andrew was born in March, he was really too small to take to the park during the beautiful summer and fall months. When my family decided to forgo the cold, and hit up the beautiful Vasona park in Los Gatos... we decided it would be a perfect time to introduce Andrew to all that is swings, play sets, and more. And he...... loved it!!

Andrew and Uncle Ryan.

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-01T14:41:00.000-08:00

Since last years "public goal setting" seemed to work pretty well.... I thought I'd do it again for 2010.

Left over 2009 goals, now moved over to 2010!
- Grow a few of vegetables/fruits/herbs in our back yard.
- Participate in the March for Babies. And I'm going to bump this year's goal up a little bit... I'm going to create a TEAM! The race is April 24, 2010.

New 2010 goals:
- Walk 30-45 min, 2-3 days a week. Before I got pregnant with Andrew last year, I was walking during my work lunch. But then I got knocked up... and my good coworker/friend Annie left... and I got lazy... and I stopped walking. I really want to start that up again.
- My "green" efforts are to *try* and eliminate paper towels from our kitchen and instead use rags. I would also like to purchase only environmentally friendly cleaning products from Method. (We use their soaps now, but once our other cleaning products are empty - I'll replace them with Method).
- Date night *alone* (not with friends) with my husband once a month.
- Explore community churches to participate in.

Merry Christmas - Part Three

2009-12-30T07:58:00.000-08:00

Our post Christmas celebration included a trip to Saratoga to visit my mom's family.

Great Grandma loved spending time with her grand and great grand kids. This is my brother, his wife and their daughter Evey.

Every year my family spends the afternoon of the 27th (my Grandma's birthday) playing bocci ball at a local in door court. The whole family gets in on the action - and Andrew's no exception!

Merry Christmas - Part Two

2009-12-29T10:01:00.000-08:00

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with Brandyn's family in Fresno.

On Christmas morning, Andrew woke up early, and found that Santa had left one VERY special present for him - unwrapped under the tree - a xylophone.

Andrew received a lot of very nice gifts - but I think he enjoyed playing in the boxes and paper more than anything!

Andrew loved all the time he got hanging out with his cousins.

And, of course, we squeezed in a little nap time too. Andrew had trouble going to sleep... so obviously, I had to help him.

Merry Christmas - Part One

2009-12-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

A very merry Christmas it was at the C Family house! I'm so behind on our blog updates and so much has happened over Andrew's first Christmas - that I want to document it all! So a three part series. The first showing our pre-Christmas at home, then actual Christmas in Fresno with Brandyn's extended family and finally a post-Christmas with my extended family.

The first weekend in December we picked up a tree.

Andrew helped with the lights!

And with the decorating.

Baby Sign...

2009-12-18T09:13:00.001-08:00

So Andrew's day care uses sign language to help communicate with the babies. Ms Stephanie is helping us learn too. So far Brandyn and I are using "milk," "all done," "eat/food," and "more." We make the signs when we talk to Andrew so that he can hopefully learn to use them back to us and tell us what he wants/needs before he can actually talk.

Yesterday I tired to add a new sign to our repertoire - "stop." Which looks like this... (try to ignore the scary looking guy... they were the only pictures I could find.

As soon as I did the sign... Andrew started busting up laughing. And then I remembered... I wasn't thinking at all about my future in baby sign when I spend 20 min. making Andrew laugh with my impression of "Who's gonna get chopped!" I guess I created the "monster" who laughs at his mom trying to tell him to stop!! My bad.

Wrapping up the year!!

2009-12-14T10:08:00.001-08:00

About this time last year, I got ambitious and wrote down my goals for 2009. As the year comes to a close, and I look back at my goals, I think I did OK. I was able to get some accomplished... and others... I'll just move over to 2010 and make them top priority!!

My list of 2009 Goals:
- Begin composting at home. Done! We have a large bin/barrel that my parents gave me for Christmas last year in our backyard to collect our scraps. And with all that Andrew has been eating - the peels, rinds, and cores - have been great contributions to the compost!
- Grow a few of vegetables/fruits/herbs in our back yard. Nope. Need to move this one over to 2010. Something I definitely want to make a priority!
- Cut my hair and donate to Lock of Love. Done! And I can't believe I didn't blog about it! At the end of August, I cut off 10 inches - and STILL have enough left for a pony tail! :)
- Participate in the March for Babies. Nope. After MUCH consideration, I decided that walking a long distance, only 6 short weeks after having a baby, was probably not a good idea. But 2010 March... here I come!
- Get back on the healthy living/eating bandwagon. Done! I'm back to meal planing, Weight Watchers recipes, and packing my lunch! Since returning to work in June... I'm down 15 pds... and counting!
- Become a mom! ;) Done!! ;)
- And my optimistic goals for breastfeeding. First... 3 months (while I'm on maternity leave)... then I'd LIKE to get to 6 months... and I'd really LOVE to get to a year. Let's see how it all goes. Done!! (Sorta). I made it to six months.

Now... to think about the rest of my 2010 goals!

Must be Santa, must be Santa, must be Santa, Santa Claus!

2009-12-12T11:53:00.000-08:00

Music Class!!

2009-12-04T12:08:00.000-08:00

As a working mom, I often feel like I miss out on all the Mommy and Me classes and fun activities. So when I heard about this music class offered on Friday mornings - I jumped at the chance to step out of my home office (I work from home on Fridays) and head to class!

The class was 45 min long, with lots of singing, dancing and playing instruments. While Andrew bangs on his drum at home all day long... he was less interested in making music... and much more interested in watching everyone else. You can tell by his inquisitive gaze!!!

Thanksgiving!!

2009-12-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving with loads of family! My Mom hosted, as she always does, and the house was packed with 18 Aunts, Uncles and Cousin!

Here's Andrew with the Turkey - they are the same weight!!!

Andrew had a GREAT time playing with his cousin Evey.

A few days later, cousins Leslie and Alex came for a visit too! Here's Aunt Shelly trying to wrangle the two boys. They are about 6 months apart in age. LOOK OUT!!

Our visit to the country side included the most beautiful clear and vibrant rainbow I've ever seen. It even had a DOUBLE arch - can you see it!?!

So very thankful for the opportunity to be a parent!

2009-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

Parents have hundreds of ways of describing what it means to be a mom or dad. But most conclude that its "indescribable." I agree.

Having just come away from the Thanksgiving holiday, where I spend four days cuddling and cooing with Andrew... and four nights listening to him breathe from the crib in the room we shared... and hearing his "baba, dada, gaga" at a too early 5:45 am... I'm on a Parent Love High.

I find myself amazed at how different parenting is than how I imagined it. I could never predicted that after a long weekend of sharing the same room with Andrew, instead of reveling in the peace and quiet of my own room... I'd feel restless. I could have never guess that night after night, once Andrew has gone to sleep... I wouldn't be able to resist sneaking into his room to stare at his sweet peaceful face. I could have never imagined the feel of his unconditional love, his beautiful innocence, his pure joy and happiness. I could have never know that when I look into my baby's eyes I'd see Brandyn, I'd see my baby brother, I'd see my parents, I'd see myself.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for Andrew.

Keep them doggies movin'!!

2009-11-21T15:16:00.000-08:00

While Andrew is not quite crawling yet, he sure is movin'! You'll note that while I was banging one of his favorite toys together... that was NOT what he was after!

My Mommy Yard Stick

2009-11-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

I recently attend a Self Confidence workshop, conducted by a friend of mine who's "testing out" her skills as a coaching/workshop leader and dreaming of a new career. During the workshop... we discussed how women "judge" each other - mostly mothers - and how detrimental that can be to the individual, to women kind, to ourselves.

The more we talked, the more I realized that I judge MYSELF. That while I'm perfectly happy with the choices I've made for myself, for my family, for my son... I often look at how other women are doing things... and think they are doing them BETTER. Why!?! Why do I do that to myself. I'm perfectly satisfied that I stopped nursing, that I hired a house cleaner, that I spend quality "me" time without my baby, etc., etc., etc. I should NOT feel guilty about any of those things. *I* made those choices... and I feel that they are the right choices for me.

So, I'm making a promise to myself. I vow to ONLY "measure" myself against ME... to not let others "make" me feel guilty for those choices... and to feel confident in the choices that I've made.

Trick or Treat!!

2009-11-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

Andrew is of course too little to care about Halloween or Trick or Treating... BUT... we took him out anyway! Well, just to two houses anyway! To Aunt Jennifer's - where he got to see Fireman Jacob. And to our neighbors house. They were so sweet they said "We hoped you would bring him by - we have something for him!" And they gave him a toy - too cute!!

Here are a few pictures from Halloween and our visit to the pumpkin patch!

The extra money I saved making baby food...

2009-11-04T20:01:00.001-08:00

Was negated tonight when I realized my blended died. Guess I know where all the saved money is going.

More thoughts on being a mom... from MY mom...

2009-10-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

Last week I shared an anonymous letter on "Being a Mother." My mom read it and felt that it was a little off the mark. And so I share her thoughts. And maybe its just because I am her daughter... but they made me cry.

Wonderfully said, but I thought this mother focused more on the fears of a mother, which is true, we do think of often. However, like childbirth, those negative thoughts disappear so fast, or we would not have a second child. Now as Alison’s mother, I look at her with so much pride, as the beautiful woman she has become, and can’t believe that she is a mother too.

I revel in all my memories of Alison as a busy baby, discovering how to put colored blocks inside each other at my suggestion, before she could even speak words. And, oh, those quiet times, I’d just hold her in my arms and stare at her. I saw the world through different eyes just walking down our country road while Alison discovered a frog or a dragonfly. We shared rainbows and streams, wearing boots. She became my best companion, as I was in awe of everything that she was learning.

And when she reached that age that I knew that she would learn more from her peers than from her parents, I stepped aside and followed her in her new adventures with her friends as her Girl Scout leader. Wow, what great times they had! And they did not know it, but it was the best ten years of my life! Crafts, camping (especially in the rain!), canoeing, pie making, visiting professionals who work during the night, bowling, fair parades, “bridging” on the Golden Gate Bridge, bartering in Tijuana, spending the night in a miniature golf course, make-up parties; I got to do it all with her.

And when it came time to let her go, and we packed her off for college… I knew it would be hard, but I also knew that she would become my best friend. And she is!

Oh, that you would be so blessed, to have a wonderful daughter as I do! I love you, Alison!
Mom

I love you too Mom, and I can say, the feeling is mutual - I am blessed to have an amazing and wonderful mother.

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch!!

2009-10-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

Choppin' Broccoli!!!

2009-10-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Katie, handed down to me loads of baby toys, clothes, etc. Among the boxes of goodies was a cook book and baby food making kit. On first glance, I thought - no way!! I am not a hippy, feed my baby only organics, baby food makin' mama! BUT, Katie and the the book, assured me that it is very easy. Sooooo... I gave it a shot! They could not have been more right!!

The basics steps... 1) chop up veggie or fruit 2) microwave with a little water and covered with Saranwrap 3) blend it up! 4) freeze in ice cub trays!!

This weekend I made a few batches. In one hour I made 10 servings (2 - 1 oz frozen cubes) of peas, and 15 servings of butternut squash and carrots!!

The best part... the price!!!

10 servings of peas - $2.79 ($0.27/serving)
15 servings of butternut squash - $2.90 ($0.19/serving)
15 servings of carrots - $3.78 ($0.25/serving)

The Earth's Best brand of baby food sold in most stores runs about $1/jar. So... this weekend alone... I saved about $30 by making the food myself. Woo hoo!!! (Now... where can I spend all this saved money!!!)

"Being a Mother..."

2009-10-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

As evident from my blog... there seems to be nothing more that I love to discuss... than that of "being a mother." While I have so very many things to say about the topic... I seem to never be able to put my exact thoughts into words. Thankfully, other people can. Thank you Catriona... for turning me onto this beautiful letter. (Warning... grab a Kleenex... seriously).

Being a Mother...

We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family. "You think I should have a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.

"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations ..."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her.

That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.

I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years-not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor.

My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children's future.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike.

I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes.

"You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. This blessed gift from God ... that of being a Mother.

Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be moms.

Am I talking to myself?

2009-10-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

I joined a blog challenge. The challenge poses questions each week for you to address in your blog. Its to help inspire people to actually write in their blogs (not that I any excuses). The first question... Why do you blog?

I was first inspired to write my blog by my good friend Catriona. Catriona and Mike left the Bay Area almost four years ago to buy a house and raise their family in Florida. In order to stay in contact with their friends and family in CA, they started a blog. I love catching up with the adventures of their beautiful daughters Reilly and Brooke! Even though they live 3,000 miles away... I feel so close and connected with their daily lives.

I originally started my blog to do the same. So that family (all the way from Fresno to Ireland) and friends (from the Bay Area to Florida!) could watch my belly, our baby, and our family grow. I have LOVED knowing that you are following our adventures and I love reading your comments and advice. My blog has turned out to be a communication tool that crosses divides.

While family and friends inspired me... I was surprised to find how much *I* have benefited from my writings. Blogging... has helped me organize my thoughts... take time to consider who I am... where I am... and where I'm going. I love looking back to the beginning of my pregnancy and reading about my mind set at that time. I love looking back at when we first brought Andrew home... and how amazing those first days were.

What started out as a "letter to family and friends" has turned out to be... "a story of my life." I hope I can keep it up... for years to come!

Is this REALLY Camping?

2009-09-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

The A, B and Baby C family loves camping. With Brandyn and I both growing up less than an hour from the Sierra mountains... and with both of our many years in Scouting... I think it in our blood. And it seems we've passed that love onto Andrew too... only... we all had a few different ideas.

Brandyn's idea of camping: pack minimal supplies in a large back pack... sleeping bag... a minimal amount of food... no tent or matches needed.

My idea of camping: a tent... a near by bathroom (with showers)... an iPod or boom box... deck of card/dice... good food... and a packed cooler full of beer!

Andrew's idea of camping: two diaper bags, 10 onesies, 4 pairs of pajamas, two baby carriers, a container of formula, a white noise machine, a baby monitor... a variety of toys... and a pack n' play.

How did we combine all our ideas... at Lair of the Bear! (Believe it or not... you don't have to be a Cal Berkeley Alum to attend!). The camp is what Brandyn calls... luxury camping... and what I call... perfect. They have preset tents/cabin... clean bathrooms with showers... a "mess hall" with three meals a day (prepared and cleaned up after by someone else!)... games (pin pong, shuffle board, tennis, etc)... activities (including pottery, tie-dye, lanyards, etc.)... and a great/entertaining campfire (complete with the Cal Fight Song!).

We went courtesy of my parents and were accompanied by my brother and his family! We all had a great time! Especially Andrew - who just loves being outside, watching the trees and the chipmunks!

I'm Andrew's Mommy...

2009-09-24T09:17:00.001-07:00

Why is it that when a woman has a baby... all of a sudden... her name disappears and its all about the baby! Before I had one of my own... I thought this loss of identity thing was ridiculous!!!

And now... I have to admit - I'm guilty!!! About a month ago... I introduced myself as "Andrew's Mommy" (and cringed as I heard the words coming out of my mouth). And about a week and a half ago we were camping (more on that later)... it was a family camp - with loads of other kiddos - babies included. I met a nice women about my age, with a little girl about Andrew's age, and we chatted for a little bit. Our conversations went something like this...

"Oh, what a cute little girl. How old is she?"
"What's her name?"
"How's she doing/sleeping at camp?"
"Nice talking to you."

No, I did NOT ask her name. No, I did NOT ask where she lived. No, I did NOT ask if SHE was having fun camping, etc., etc., etc. Did I think that she had nothing else to talk about besides her baby? Or have I forgotten how to talk about anything else besides... BABIES!

Further evidence to support my below theory that I am obsessed with everything Mommy. Time to find a new hobby!!

Mommy is my new hobby...

2009-09-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

I've found a new hobby... and its everything... MOMMY. Seriously, I'm obsessed. I find myself running around soaking up ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I can find on being a mom. While I'm still working on keeping the ME in my life... I've found a new hobby to add to that list.

Last three books I read:
- Sippy Cups Are Not for Chardonnay
- It Sucked and Then I Cried
- I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids (Currently Reading)

Last movie I watched:
- How to Photograph Your Baby

Last three podcasts I listened to:
- Manic Mommies
- New Moms, New Babies
- Pregtastic

Whooooo's gonna get CHOPPED!!

2009-09-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

The other night... Brandyn and I were watching a Food Network Marathon of "Chopped." The show invites 3 chefs to prepare "surprise" ingredients... and "chop" one person each round until at the end of four rounds there's one winner! Anyway, the SHOW is not the point of my post. We were watching TV and playing with Andrew. I turned to Brandyn and said "I wonder who's gonna get chopped?" and I motioned an ax sign with my "chopping" hand slamming down into other hand. Out of now where... Andrew started laughing hysterically, which of course, made Brandyn and I laugh hysterically too!! This game continued to entertain us for at least the next 20 min!! (We caught the "end" of the fun on video. The video is a *little* long... I'm still working on my editing skills!!).

Unfortunately... my attempt to recreate this game on the following days... did not garner the same response! Guess you had to "be there"!

How to Photograph Your Baby

2009-09-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

Some people have heard me go on and on about the various podcasts that I LOVE to listen to on my commute to work. One of my favorites is "New Moms, New Babies" (a spin off of my other favorite, Pregtastic). A recent episode of New Moms, New Babies featured guest photographer Nick Kelsh. Nick, a famous baby and family photographer, gave lots of easy tips for armatures on how to take great pictures of your baby - without a fancy camera... or being a professional. At the end of the episode, there was a contest, to win a copy of Nick's DVD "How to photograph your baby." I entered... and I WON!! One week later... THIS arrived in the mail!!

The DVD really provides all kinds of great tips from... get closer to the baby... to turn off your flash... to change the ISO setting (sounds confusing... its not, trust me!!)

So... using Nick's tips... I set out this afternoon to get a few pictures of Andrew!

CLOSE.

FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE

And a few of my favorites.

What do you think???

(P.S. Let me know if you wanna borrow the DVD... not ONLY was it VERY informative... but it was funny to boot!).

Family Vacation - Seattle

2009-08-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Last week we went on a trip to Seattle. It was a pretty big deal (a little stressful) for us to pack all Andrew's gear and board the plane with a 5 month old, but it was well worth it. We planned... we prepped... we packed his whole dresser up... and the trip was a success. Here are a few pictures from our adventure.

Andrew on the plane. (He road as a lap baby!).

"The Family" at Pike's Market. My mom and dad were with us on the trip. We stayed in West Seattle at a condo of their good friends Sharon and Larry. It was a BEAUTIFUL little condo... walking distance to great restaurants (and a bakery) and the grocery store (and a liquor store).

The Seattle Music Experience (museum).
First Starbucks... of course we had to stop there.

The Seattle Space Needle.

And there was lots of "down" time back at the condo, where Nana and Papa kept Andrew well entertained.