Still 20s, After All These Years

Well, yesterday was my birthday, and I turned 29. Therefore I still have one more year during which to cherish being a Twentysomething.

I woke up to a smiling husband and son beckoning me to breakfast which was on the table (complete with the "You Are Special Today" plate) next to a huge, gorgeous flower bouquet. He also got me a pound of Starbucks coffee beans, a leather wallet I'd been asking for, and I get to buy a new handbag (pretentious for new purse).

Last year on my birthday, one of my very best friends, Stacey, had her baby boy! It was a great birthday present for me to get to hold him, and was especially meaningful because my little boy was only 6 weeks old at the time! Here they are just about 1 year ago..

SO this year I got to celebrate my 29th birthday and Carson's 1st birthday at the same time! I only wish I could've taken off my shirt and eaten cake with my hands. But we had to keep it clean, there were kids at the party... :)

Last night I took a 40 minute bubble bath while drinking a glass of wine, eating chocolate truffles from my brother and sister-in-law, and doing a Sudoku puzzle. I opted not to include a picture of this... I was alone in the peace and quiet of my own bathroom while Greg put Noah to bed and put in a movie for us to watch. I ended the day watching Dreamer (I'm a sucker for underdog-horseracing movies). I recommend it.

I hope you all are having a great week-before-Christmas!

Drive Safe!

The other day I was parting ways with a friend I'd been hanging out with and I said my usual line before someone leaves my house, "Drive safe!" (I know, poor grammar, but I say it anyway). Later that day I was driving with Noah in the backseat, and I was juggling my phone, my lipliner, the Christmas music station, and the wheel all at once. Good Lord I think I almost hit like 4 other cars.

Right on cue, I received an email forward that afternoon from a friend with a YouTube link about carseat safety. Holy smokes; it was not a consumer report listing of the pros and cons of various carseats like I assumed. I think it's the saddest thing I've ever seen. Maybe it's because I have a little boy, but this is not for the weak-hearted! So I'm passing it on to you--grab and kleenex before you click...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ&eurl

...and drive safe this holiday season!

Family Picture Day

During a fun day at the park, we thought we'd try to take a few family pictures. I don't think we're going to have a very good Christmas card this year...

He likes to play with mom!

He likes to play with dad!

He does not like when mom plays with dad!

Okay, time to get serious. Family photo attempt #1: I will not pose. I will go play.

Attempt #2: If you try to make me pose, I will do this.

Attempt #3: Well, at least there are no tears...

Not Another Neck Tie

Help! Last year I was on maternity leave during the holidays; I was feeling pretty good, was already recovered from the post-delivery aches and pains, and got to go Christmas shopping with a beautiful new baby who slept the whole time. Moreover, I was the recipient of oooohs and ahhhhhs in every store I entered. I had time. I was thorough and thoughtful.

This year is quite different. With a very active and very loud 13 month old, and a 3-day-a-week job, my time and patience are more limited.

Enter all my blogging friends (I hope!)... I need ideas! Like many of you, I don't have the time to peruse multiple stores thoroughly gleaning ideas for each family member's perfect gift. However, I don't want to buy the proverbial Nike teeshirt or pack of golf balls for all the guys either.

Anyone have good gift ideas for older brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law? The guys love football and golf, the gals are swamped with their many kiddos. I'm counting on your ingenuity and past experiences to help me out here! I will be in your debt...

The Other Woman in the House

We had the dog scheduled to get spayed this month. Apparently not soon enough, I realized as I looked at my Walmart list and my husband's handwritten words, "Maxi pads with wings for Kona." Poor thing is so embarrassed and just walks around with her head hung down in shame as Noah chases after her trying to unfasten her diaper -- her denim diaper trimmed in red bandana ruffles. Only the best for our little woman.

Giving Thanks for a Full House

I am happy to report a successful Thanksgiving! I've been on hiatus from blogging for a bit because all 14 members of my family were at my house for the holiday. Whew!

Last week at this time we were welcoming my dad and Carol in from Florida. Noah was immediately spoiled. So were we; they cooked us salmon just for hosting them.

Then last Tuesday night we welcomed Rachel (aka: Mimsies) and Jared from Ohio. Noah was immediately spoiled. So were we; they occupied him so we took naps.

On Wednesday we cooked and then welcomed our brother Rich and his wife, Andrea also in from Ohio. He told jokes, we all laughed, we all drank wine, and the jokes became funnier. :) Andrea bought me delicious candles just for hosting them.

On Thursday my other sister's family came over (Jenn, Dustin, and the 3 boys) along with all of the aforementioned family members so we could dive in and savor the fabulous gourmet meal we prepared. Ahem. I mean, so we could give thanks for all the blessings in our lives...

Friday and Saturday each brought some goodbyes.

Saturday night Noah choked on a carrot while coughing until he turned blue and went limp as a ragdoll and passed out cold for 12 seconds. (He's fine now, thanks to my lightning quick reflexes and current Red Cross card...)

Sunday we bid farewell to the rest and found ourselves alone in a quiet house, thankful for our family but sad they live so far away. As we were dropping Rachel and Jared off at the airport, Rachel made the comment that next time she sees Noah he'll probably be talking. Life is too short to live so far from so many of the people you love! We made a pact to live close sometime soon. Until then however, the emails and picture swapping will continue. The holidays and vacations together will continue. And, of course, the blogging will continue.

Why, Mrs. Robinson...

So I tried to seduce Greg last night. He was reaching into the pantry to get something, and with great sexy flair, I grabbed his arm and pulled him back towards me. Apparently he had one hand on the doorhandle, and, well, basically I ended up smacking him in the forehead with the corner of the door. He didn't move or say anything for quite some time. Just stood there with his lips pursed and eyes closed. He had no idea what had happened, or why, when he finally opened his eyes, I was standing there half naked with a horrified expression on my face. He asked me quietly for some advil, and by the time I got back (still half-naked), he had a huge red and purple bump above his eye. All he said was that that's gonna leave a mark, and that I might as well just go get dressed.

Rejected.

My New Prize Possession

So I like soccer, specifically the MLS. I go to most of the games here, and Greg and I watch others on TV. A good friend of ours does rehabilitation for one of the MLS teams. I was chatting with him on the phone the other day and the conversation started out talking about moving a piano or somesuch, and ended with him telling me that last time he was in L.A. working the soccer game, he asked if he could get Landon Donovan's jersey for me. Who is Landon Donovan, you might ask? Shame on you. He is one of my favorite MLS players, is on the National Team, and has gone to the World Cup several times. Oh, and he looks like this.


This was actually removed from his body and given to my friend to give to me.


And now it's on my body. According to the transitive property of Geometry, I think that pretty much means we've touched bodies.

No More Counting in Months

Although he celebrated it with the final remnants of the stomach flu, as of last Thursday, November 2nd, my baby boy was officially a 1-year old. It didn't seem official, however, until this past Sunday, when we had his 1st Birthday Party.



Since we had just invited a houseful of friends over for Greg's 30th birthday party, we decided to make this one more relaxed, more quiet, more family. Did I actually say relaxed and quiet and family in the same sentence? Do you know our families? Cousins galore, nephews eating 15 chicken nuggets each and then playing contact soccer in the backyard pausing occasionally to hold their stomachs, babies and toddlers everywhere, doting aunts, uncles, grandparents, and sisters taking all manner of photos of all the chaos, mountains of tissue paper, and half-eaten plates of food and cake on every solid surface. What a site! What a fun site!


The big cake, (which had a raspberry filling and was decorated to match the plates because I am a first-time mom), and the obligatory "Smash cake" for Noah (which came free when I purchased the big cake, because I am a first-time mom who's cheap).


This is the messiest my house has ever been. For once, though, I didn't even care! Listen to me, the martyr. I actually had to make myself not care so I could fully enjoy my kid's birthday. I swear I am Monica from Friends.


All the fabulous presents he got and he loved the tissue paper most!


Calling all parents, pinatas are the best birthday game ever. Your husband gets to be in charge and all the kids remember for weeks that your party allowed them to hit things and get candy. This is nephew Numero Uno.


Nephew Numero Dos.


Bye Bye!

Crappy Halloween! Poopy Birthday!!

Oh my word, what a crazy week for me. And what a crazy post this will be! Here goes:

Tuesday night: Happy Halloween! Got Noah all dressed up for his first Trick-or-treating (actually, just planning to take photos and hand out candy with him dressed up).


Aslan, the Mighty Lion of God. :)


We walked around to a few neighbor's houses and had our picture taken (poor Greg was stuck for an hour in traffic trying to get home).


Noah was definitely the fiercest Lion around. Until we got back to our house, I set him down, and he promptly puked all over the front porch, with innocent trick-or-treaters walking by! I took him inside, where he puked again, & this time little splashes of the puke got into my bowl of candy and on a few wrappers. I took him to the sink. Yep, puked again, and got most of it in his mane and down his chest... It contained chunks...


Run for your lives! One wrong move and he'll anoint you with regurgitated strawberry yogurt! I called his daycare provider who said two other kids had been sent home last week with a stomach virus. Sweet.

Wednesday: I was off, stayed home with him, and pampered his little tummy and butt.

Thursday: NOAH'S FIRST BIRTHDAY!!! I baked cupcakes for his daycare. He was feeling great and hadn't puked in 24 hours. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NOAH!

4pm I got a call at work. He'd been vomiting for several hours so I picked him up, brought him home, cleaned poop off the RUG that ran down his leg and was being licked up by my dog before I noticed, and waited for reinforcements to get home. About 6:30pm Greg walks in and says, "Um, I don't feel so good." The rest of the evening was me dealing with the sounds of stomach virus season: Gurgling, vomiting, be creative...

Today things are fairly back to normal. Greg's at work. It's my day off and Noah is napping. I'm blogging. And thus far I don't hear any gurgling coming from my own stomach. At least not yet...

The Big Three-Oh

Greg turned 30 on Saturday!!! It's been SO hard not to blog about this up to this point because I've been planning and scheming and flat-out lying for 6 months. Basically, his best friend flew out from California (they hadn't seen each other in 3 years) and he had NO idea. Then after a couple of days of hanging out and celebrating casually, I threw him a huge surprise party on Satuday night with like 30 friends--again, he had NO idea. Also, I painted and re-did our entire front room office so it would look good for the party, and, of course, Greg had NO idea why I was in such a mad rush to undertake and finish this project in one week. Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. Greg's the one with the sexy specs on.


I told Greg we were picking my dad up from the airport when lo and behold, Andy hops in the front seat of the car!


At the party on Saturday--Greg just walking in the back door...to see 30 faces staring at him...


The food at the party--the chafing pan had meatballs on one side and mashed potatoes on the other. Yes, we totally had a mashed potato bar and yes, we got so many compliments on it. Who doesn't like mashed potatoes? Also present: apples, pears, and cranberries with fruit dip, baguette slices with 3 dips, spiced pecans, mozzarella and cherry tomato skewers with basil, and cinnamon raisin biscotti. We also had a massive vat of homemade sangria.


When I went to pick up the cake I ordered, they had made the wrong kind. After I shed a few stress-related tears in the middle of Central Market (cut me some slack, it was like 2 hours until partytime and I had no cake, was unshowered, and was 30 minutes from home), they gave me these two chocolate mousse cakes for free. They were so good and saved me moolah. I stopped crying.


The entryway with all sorts of embarrassing photos of Greg growing up (including one of him smoking a cigar by a campfire wearing only undies, a poofy jacket, and a beanie), as well as some hot ones from college and recently. :)


There were about 30 guests total; here are about 20 of them. Greg is the one just to the right of the cake (not the one with the halo of glowing light standing over our bouquet of flowers).


And finally, the two fabulous ladies who helped me for weeks to plan and keep it all under wraps. A friend will help you with a party. A good friend will help you tell bold-faced lies to your husband for months in order to more adequately embarrass him in front of his friends on the day of his first old-age milestone. Thanks, girls, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY! You're still sexy after all these years...

P.S. There were several really cute pictures of me and Greg together that my friends took with their cameras and I didn't end up with any on mine. :(

Not in Highschool Anymore

Well, after a very busy past week, I am finally blogging again. In reponse to Sarah and Rachel's recent posts about highschool reunions, here's mine.

So I went to my 10 year reunion last weekend. Some people changed quite a bit and some look and act exactly the same; I like to think I'm one of the ones who has changed. See for yourself! The me in 1996 sported the poofy, swept-to-one-side, no-bangs look, whereas the me today is sporting the non-poofy, parted-to-one-side, no-bangs look. Totally different.

You've read in previous posts about my highschool group, the Beautifuls. Well, we all met up before each event so we could go together. We had a pact entitled "No Beautiful Left Behind" which basically meant that if any one of us was left alone at any of the homecoming or reunion events, the others would have to leave whomever they were with to come to the aid of said lonely Beautiful. Pretty much a failsafe so no one was left to feel like a loser. Thankfully, we didn't have to enact the plan at all because we had a great time talking to our old friends, and, um, people we never had a conversation with in 4 years of highschool. Here are the Beautifuls, then and now:



Finally, I tried to upload a photo of our class' "Favorites and Least Favorites" list, but with no luck (glare on the picture). In any case, here are some of the ones that best highlight the overall coolness level of my graduating class:

Favorite TV Show: Party of Five (embarrassed to say I was addicted)
Least Favorite Show: California Dreams (watched it every Saturday morning)

Favorite Male Vocalist: Chris Isaac (don't know any of his songs)
Least Favorite Male Vocalist: Michael Bolton (I know all the words to "When a Man Loves a Woman")

Favorite Clothing Store: Old Navy
Least Favorite Store: County Seat (what? I have no idea what this is)

Favorite Restaurant: TFI Friday's (totally the cool place to go back then)
Least Favorite Restaurant: Pancho's (Have to agree; they serve Monday's tacos on Friday)

So that's about it. We were nerds. I, apparently, was a bigger nerd. But at least now I have a hot husband and gorgeous son to show off. :)

The Great Pumpkin Caper

I have officially turned into that mom who takes her kid to the local Pumpkin Patch for photo opportunities. I went today with my friend Stacey, and her son Carson.

Hey mom, what are these big orange soccer balls and why don't they roll?



Noah and Carson, chillin' in the ole Radio Flyer. They were obviously the cutest babies there. They were also wondering why they'd been subjected to sitting in a wagon with pumpkins for 20 minutes while their moms took picture after picture until they both looked in the same direction.



Both hands MUST be occupied at ALL times. Notice his Junior Harley Rider shirt? He can thank his ultra hip grandparents for this outfit. It came with a wool-lined leather jacket that he had on earlier. They're pretty much his only winter clothes at the moment, and with our current brisk weather of 60 degrees, I thought I'd 'bundle' him up. Apparently this is what bundling looks like in Texas...



So on our way home from the pumpkin patch, I spotted this house in our neighborhood. It doesn't quite compare to the creepiness of Rachel's neighborhood halloween decor (because it is without bloody corpses and lawn gallows), but it was still fairly creepy. What an interesting season this is; I think of pumpkins and hay, and other people turn their front lawn into cemetaries. Ahhh, the diversity!

Fabulous Fall Weather

I got an email from my good friend in Colorado today in which she showed a great picture of what she woke up to yesterday. Ahhh, to be able to wear a sweater at the end of October.



As for those of us down in Texas? Well, it's supposed to rain today. It is currently 87 degrees, sunny, and there's not a cloud in the sky. I took a picture, but it's having trouble downloading so... Just imagine what a beautiful day in May should look like, and that's what we have here today. Great for May, a little frustrating for OCTOBER! I have 3 pumpkins on my porch and I'm afraid they're going to bake themselves.

Two Things of Note

Yes, two noteworthy, or rather blogworthy things happened recently.

1) Noah started walking! He took about 8 steps at the end of last week, but didn't do it again until yesterday when he took about 5 more. Today he walked all over and with much more confidence. I'll ask you to excuse my hideous double-chin in this one.



Mostly though, he just likes to be pulled around the house with his huge body stuffed into a toy wagon. Rachel, you can officially be jealous of his huge thigh-rolls I get to grab everyday.



And #2) I FINALLY got a haircut after six months of wearing ponytails.



How did we celebrate these wonderful occurances? Photo-ops and cuddling, of course! (SO posed.)

We're not in college anymore

Sorry I've been away for awhile; we went up to our college homecoming this past weekend and had a great time seeing friends, family, and showing off Noah for the first time (last year when we went up, I was 36 weeks pregnant and had him 3 weeks after we got home--I was enormous and swollen and was determined to go back this year looking skinny). So after a 5 hour drive in a car with my friend and both of our babies, we finally got to some other friends' home. I'm not really one for "small talk" with people I haven't really talked to in years (I'd rather just stand aside, hidden, and see what everyone looks like), so I mainly stick to my good friends and go to one or two of the main events.
Truth be told, homecoming has changed dramatically since we started going 6 years ago when we were younger, free of responsibility, and no one had kids. It was like the best of college all crammed into one weekend. Now, the days are filled with kids, kids, and more kids. It is definitely a time for everyone to bring all the kids they've had that we knew or didn't know about, out of the woodwork, and show them off (myself included). We walk around and see the familiar expressions and smiles of our old friends in these new, tiny little faces, and we realize they are seeing us in our son as well. When did all of this happen?
But as soon as the kids are in bed, out comes the pizza and the beers, the sweaters and the cold weather, and like 6 hours of re-hashing college stories of who dated whom, who streaked where, and who got caught doing what where (sadly, none of it is very scandalous, but is still funny to us). We don't go anywhere sketchy or do anything crazy, but we talk about the days we did. And then we go inside to get another beer but end up checking on someone else's baby because we heard them through a random monitor sitting on the counter. Things have transformed pretty significantly, and with or without spouses or kids, everyone seems to fall right in step with all of these changes, enjoying the continual realization that we have, in fact, grown up. Who'd have thought?
I didn't take any pictures of the 'debauchery' that took place after hours, but here's one of us at the soccer game:


And of course the highlight of the weekend, my son and his friend staring at two naked girls in the bathtub (mine's the blonde boy with the dimply butt). A picture of what's to come?

Death of an ivy

I heard a crash while I was, of course, blogging the other day and I went into the guest room only to fine this...







He ate a handful of dirt while I went to get the camera. He wasn't even sorry.