Code Brown

We're going on day 2 sans Daddy...I am getting an awful lot of crafting done (Yay!) and Little Guy is perfecting his walking (or at least getting in a lot of practice), so we'll have a lot to show Daddy when he gets home!  Along with showing him all we did while we was away, we'll have to tell him this funny story:

Every Friday we have swim lessons with Noah and his mommy.  And every Friday Noah's mommy and I discuss poop...we have a 20 minute drive to swim lessons, and we inevitably talk about the boys and their pooping, specifically if they've pooped that day.  We are both PETRIFIED that will be the ones responsible for a pool closure and drainage...Well, today we were two verses into a water rendition of "The Wheels On the Bus", when Noah and his mommy made a beeline out of the pool and into the showers...it happened...CODE BROWN!!!  AHHHHHHHH!!!!!  Noah's mommy was so quick about it, that the crisis was averted with no pool closure or drainage, and minimum embarrassment...we all told her there's nothing to be embarrassed about, it could have been (and probably will be one day) any of us, but my fingers are crossed it's not us!

Twice in One Day

Phew, what a day!  We got a jump start on our errands with our first Target run at 8 AM...I rounded out my day with an 8 PM Target run as well, but that's neither here nor there...in between Target, we continued prepping and planning for the upcoming birthday and hitting up the Farmer's Market with Noah, his mommy and daddy, and grandma!  We had a fun time (like usual) eating YUMMY food and listening to a pretty good cover duo.  While the food and music were great, the real excitement came watching Little Guy toddle all over the grass...YIKES, he's really starting to walk!

Noah got a new camp chair!

Walk Like An Egyptian...

We can't quite say it's official, but we're still pretty excited/proud/blown away by the fact Little Guy is almost WALKING!!!  He's been teetering and taking a step here or there, but today his buddy Jackson came over and showed him what walking's all about.  Jackson has been on the cusp of cruising on his own for some time now and today he was officially walking on his own...Little Guy took one look at him and decided to follow right along.  Naturally, Daddy was obsessed excited to be practice walking all night...just like crawling, I am excited to see him reach such a HUGE milestone, but I can't believe my baby is walking...Here's a clip from one of our MANY practice runs...

Carmel By The Sea

We just got back from a mini vacay in Carmel By The Sea (no, it's not just Carmel...) Every year we're lucky enough to spend some time down on the ocean with my husband's family and friends.  We stayed in a new place this year, one block from the beach with plenty of rooms for everyone to stay!  We've watched these trips transform over the years, slowly moving away from the late night dinners in fancy restaurants, to all home cooked meals served after the babies are fast asleep for the night, and I have to say, I much prefer the latter.  It was a real treat to see Little Guy play with his cousin Henry (technically second cousin, but they're the closest things each other has to cousins right now!) - Henry is a busy boy and Little Guy was hot on his trail the whole time.  We got in a trip to the aquarium with the Santopadres and a couple walks on the beach.  It was a great break for Daddy from the daily grind (he even got to enjoy a round of golf!) and we could not have asked for better weather- sunny and high 60s everyday...I think the central coast is trying to redeem itself with me...Until next year Carmel By The Sea!  Here's a sneak peek at our vacation:

 

Tub time for Little Guy and Henry...it all started out great, and quickly spiraled into major meltdowns...

 

Check out this cool jelly fish!

 

Little Guy was all about the aquarium

 

Daddy and Henry

 

Daddy and Iris- she is such a sweet little peanut

 

The aquarium is a great place for kids and adults- One area was just perfect for our little ones to get out wiggles with climbing structures, a slide, and a water table...how cute are those aprons?  

Catch Me If You Can

My husband and I seem to go round and round on our feelings about Little Guy growing up...I want him to stay little FOREVER!!!  and my husband is looking forward to milestones like t-ball and hitting the links together....I know my husband has a MUCH better chance at getting his wish and in all honesty, every time I say I want Little Guy to stay this age (whatever age it may be) forever, I realize that the next stage comes along and I love that stage just as much as the last...I know, I know, I am fighting a losing battle on this one, but I just can't believe that one day my baby will be big enough to hit a home run or strike out, to knock in a hole in one or maybe even break a club (let's hope not)!  Today we played a little toss triangle with me, Little Guy and Daddy- it was pretty precious/amazing that Little Guy understood the game and participated in throwing the ball (his catching is still coming along!) and got such a kick out of watching us play together.  And I guess if he has to grow up (tear!) then there's only one thing to do...be the best team mom EVER!

 

 Hey Daddy, Catch!

Can You Tell Me How to Get,

How to get to Sesame Street?   I'll tell you the best way to get there- with the Santopadres!  Today we took all the kiddos to Sesame Street Live, and let me tell you, when the Santopadres do something, they do it right!  We had a special meet and greet with Elmo and Cookie, followed by an up close dance party with a bunch of the Street Gang, and then FRONT row seats for the show!  That's right, there was NOTHING between us and the stage.  Little Guy was in AWE of the characters.  He loved watching them dance and even though his grip was extra tight on Mommy's arm, he had a smile on his face every time they came by.  The show was darling, complete with audience interaction and confetti guns at the end.  Usually Little Guy needs an almost silent, monastery like environment to fall asleep at home...well, not so much today- he conked out in the middle of the Hustler number and kept sleeping through the remainder of the first act and intermission!  I wonder what it would be like to wake up to crazy monsters dancing 10 feet away from you? We can't wait to go back next year, Santopadres we're reserving our seats now!

All ready to go with our Elmo doll.

Daddy and Little Guy hanging out on Sesame Street.

The daddies, kiddos, and Oscar.

One of many attempts to get all four of them together for a photo- how cute are they in the coordinating stripes?

It put him right to sleep- where do we buy this soundtrack?

10 months old

I am really hoping/praying that Little Guy takes to academia and pursues his higher education...but just in case, he needs a back-up plan... In honor of his 10 month birthday (YIKES!), a top ten list of other avenues to pursue based on his current skills and interests:

10.  A member of the Chinese acrobat team...he finds himself in the smallest, oddest places; today it was the bathroom drawer (and yes, He got himself into the drawer all on his own)

9.  A stunt man...any kind of stunt...anytime....anywhere

8.  A lead role in the latest drama series- this kid can turn it on when it counts...

7.  Professional toy tester of anything with wheels...if you can push it, pull it, or slam run it into a wall, Little Guy is all over it.

6.  Taste tester of anything you want to claim is gross...it could be chocolate or liver, he'll give you the same disgusted look for a 100% thumbs down review.

5.  Official Kisser of all bumps and bruises- Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, can fix a boo-boo like Little Guy's kisses.

4.  Invisalign Model...this is just a hunch, but at the rate these front teeth are growing, his new nickname may soon be "Bucky" and I think we could be funding the local orthodontist next vacay...

3.  Energy Activist-  Little Guy does his part (and then some!) to make sure we unplug all electronics at all times, whether they are in use or not...not so great for office work, but a real savings on the PG&E bill.

2.  Interior Decorator- if it's not bolted to the floor or wall, Little Guy has a better idea of where it should be...this usually involves clearing off whole sections of tables and chairs before he pushes them to their new location.

1.  Private Investigator or personal inventor...if there's something to be discovered, Little Guy is on it...the less baby friendly, the more desirable and rewarding it is.


Little Guy, we hope whatever you, you do something you love...At 10 months old, you're excelling at your job of making us laugh and smile, which we do while we're moving everything up to a higher shelf.  We love you!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy Little Guy could ever ask for!  To celebrate our great daddy, we surprised him with a mini-vacay to Napa Valley- complete with wine tasting and spa treatments.  We wanted to make sure Daddy felt loved and had a chance to relax since he works hard everyday so I can stay home with Little Guy (he's pretty awesome!).  The Meritage Resort in Napa was just the place.  Kid friendly, luscious underground spa, and a picture perfect background of rolling vineyards.

  

I have been in love my husband since the day we met, but when I see him with Little Guy, my heart is overwhelmed with a joy I never knew possible.  Happy Father's Day honey, we are pretty gosh darn lucky to get to call you "Daddy".

Discoveries

Since it was only going to be 105 degrees today, we decided to try out a new local swim park in Davis.  It was a great way to beat the heat and the babes loved the splash park- it was right up their ally, meant for crawling and toddling around.  The swimming was fun, but the best part of the whole adventure...we discovered there is a Rite-Aid in Davis that still serves Thrifty ice cream...you scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream!  I am pretty sure my Davis trips have FOREVER been altered...Alyssa and I already plotted out a new route home from swim lessons, conveniently passing right by this little slice of heaven...

 

Does this just not look like a little boy's dream splash pad?!?

  

Our fair baby...he's so good about wearing all his sun gear!

 

Early Father's Day

After a week off of swim lessons, we finally got to get back in the pool...This obviously made Little Guy very excited, and what do you do when you're super excited??  You wake up EXTRA early!  When you start your day at 5:50 AM, you're bound to have some tired meltdowns here and there...we weathered the heat and the exhaustion and by 5:00 PM we were ready for an early Father's Day BBQ.  Katie and Mark were the hostesses with the mostestess- spoiling us with ribs, steak, corn, and delicious dessert.  It was a nice way to kick off what my husband is now referring to as "Father's Day Weekend" (his original idea was Father's Day Week, but he didn't think of it until Wednesday, so we stuck with weekend....).  Little Guy loves dogs and he loves water, so when Ty Ty is around and there's a pink plastic princess pool (accidental alliteration!), he's all in!

 

Happy Father's Day to my Dad, the man who taught me how to hang a picture and make anyone my friend.  I am proud to have a dad worthy of the nickname "Captain Positive" and Little Guy is lucky to call him Grandpa.

Swimmin' Time

We had a little swim play date today with our buddy Noah- it's finally getting to be legit pool weather and we are loving every minute in the water.  Little Guy and Noah played SO well today, at one point they were in the other room, just the two of them and their toys, playing together- it was precious.  Alyssa and I were talking about baby proofing (yes, as new mommies that is a very valid topic of conversation!) and we both said we are now in the market for toilet locks (and yes, they do make them to my husband's shock and dismay!).  Little Guy and Noah have figured out the lid and love to hear it crash down every time they flip it up...Here's to a husband who needs to remember to ALWAYS put the seat down from now one (win win for me too!) and to toilet locks that will keep Little Guys fingers safe and our plumbing unclogged!

To Market, To Market...

Today didn't really get started until 2:00 for us...yep, 2 P.M.!  Little Guy and I laid down for a nap around 10:30 and next thing I knew, it was 1:56 and we were just getting up.  We changed out of our pjs and headed to Davis for the Wednesday night Farmer's Market.  We roped our buddies Noah and Jackson (plus their families!) into coming too!  We were said Daddy couldn't make it, but we still had a great time playing with bubbles, eating corndogs (such a healthy choice at the farmer's market), and crawling around in the mud.  We can't wait for next week!

"A Lot

is something you build a house on."  This was what my middle school English teacher would tell us when we used the "a lot" in our writing...but sometimes the best way to describe your day is simply by saying, "It was A LOT of fun", and today was exactly that!
1.  Playgroup, mimosas, and chipotle chocolate chip cookies...YUMMY!  Plus playing with our friends and taking some secret snapshots for Father's Day... A LOT of fun in the morning!
2.  A play date with our buddy Jackson...Little Guy LOVES his friends (even though he is still learning to share!) and loves his push cart, so again, he found a poor soul willing participant to play with him.  Jackson is getting SO big, standing next to Wesley he looks like a giant.  A LOT of fun in the afternoon!

3.  ALL the Santopadres came over for a hot dog BBQ and a dip in the pool!  Refreshing swim, delicious dinner, and a festive dessert- the best part about Caden's dessert??  As soon as he dumped the entire can of sprinkles in his bowl, he mischievously growled "I got a lot."...A LOT of fun in the evening!

4.  A LOT of fun = A LOT of dirt to wash off...we threw all FOUR babes in the bath tub for some scrubbin' good times!  What a great way to wind down after A LOT of FUN!!!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

That's what little girls are made of!  Today we went to a baby shower honoring Lisa and Miss Alivia, who is due to make her appearance in the beginning of August.  Lisa is a friend we have made in play group and it has been so much fun watching her little belly grow and grow (although she is still a beanpole in comparison to other, cough, cough, mommies I know).  It was a beautiful shower and Little Guy was on his best behavior...he found two young ladies, 2 and 3 years old to be exact, to play with and they took right to him.  They were all about it until they realized that EVERY TIME they handed Little Guy his toy, he was going to throw it...throw, retrieve, repeat...the beauty of it is that toddlers don't tire NEARLY as fast as mommy does, so Little Guy was entertained for hours (at least it seemed that way) and I didn't have to retrieve the toy once!  Yes, it was a beautiful shower...

Push It Real Good

Little Guy is so into his play dates lately...his friends don't always share his enthusiasm, but he just lights up when they come over.  So today we had a play date serving double duty...play time for the boys and beautification time for mommy!  I was treated to a hair stylin' session with my new "personal stylist" Alyssa (Noah's mommy), while the boys were having a blast with the push cart.  Little Guy loves to push the cart and Noah loves riding on it, a match made in heaven!

All aboard!

Dead end...time to turn around!

Class of 2012

Today we went to Nelda Mundy's 6th grade graduation- these kiddos were my first batch of kindergarteners six years ago when I stepped foot into my own classroom for the first time.  I was blessed to work with wonderful students, great families, and an amazing teaching staff that first year, and every year after!  I can't believe how fast these last six years went, and I know before I know it, it will be Little Guy standing there on the first day of kindergarten and then on the stage as he graduates from elementary school...I know it will go by fast, I am just hoping it's not too fast.

Sucker

We spent most of our day recovering from the late night baseball game (and victory!) that threw off our bedtime and nap schedule...what we'll do for fun around here!  Anyways, Daddy worked from home today, so we were treated to lunch at Mary's Pizza Shack.  Nothing much to report, but Little Guy did FINALLY get liquid from a straw.  I would say he drank from a straw, but that would imply that he swallowed the water, which he did not...as soon as it surprisingly hit his lips, he opened his mouth and let it dribble all over his shirt...success nonetheless since this was the first time liquid ever got to his mouth!  One small step at a time...

Let's Go Oakland

Little Guy had his first Major League (any league for that matter!) baseball experience today!  We went to cheer on the Oakland A's to a victory against the Texas Rangers.  It brought back some old memories, WAY back when I was a die hard A's fan...for a fleeting second I considered an A's tattoo, thank goodness my common sense kicked in on that one!  We tailgated with a small crowd, Little Guy loved all the action and the yummy treats!

Watermelon...Delish!

He LOVES cups, not the drink inside them, just the cup.

Let's Go Oakland!!

Strike 3!

We couldn't have asked for a better first ball game experience- great weather, two hour game time, a meeting with Stomper the mascot, AND Little Guy was on jumbotron dancing with his mommy!  I am not sure if we have a lifetime A's fan on our hands (Daddy would like to think Giants!), but he did love the lights, the action, and the smell of VICTORY!

Dishwashin'

Little Guy had a BLAST at playgroup today seeing his friends, old and new!  The babies in playgroup are growing up so fast, two of them are up and WALKING and the twins are rolling over!  Little Guy and I spent the rest of the day at home, playing and cleaning together.  He was in such good spirits considering BOTH of his top front teeth broke through (no more baby gum smile, tear...), bringing his total tooth count to 4!!  Daddy got home from work and picked up the playtime while I finished dinner...Little Guy gets quicker everyday and he made a beeline over to the dishwasher (apparently the fridgerator is old news!).

Sniff! Sniff!

Little Guy is literally growing up right before my eyes (teary eyes at that!)  I can't believe how every day he seems to be more like a boy and less like a baby.  Tonight after baths, he was watching me get the lotion, diaper, and "toothbrush" ready for bedtime.  As soon as I sat down he picked up my hand and put the finger toothbrush in his mouth, all ready for his brushing.  He smiled and laughed the whole time and was then ready for a little crawling chase time.  I am pretty sure there's only a few other things I'd rather do than a good crawling chase, especially when the chasee is giggling uncontrollably!

Mommiesbyday

Heather and I started blogging a few months ago, each about our families, children, and milestones we wanted to record for all eternity!  Then we decided, what's better than one blog, but TWO blogs, and our mommiesbyday.blogspot.com blog was born!  We have been working on crafts and recipes to share on this site, but just last week, Heather posted our first project on Pinterest!  She, along with her darling helper Emmeline, created the most delicious S'mores Chex Mix recipe and posted it for all to enjoy!  Super easy, and even better, it's SUPER delicious!  Try out this yummy recipe and check back at mommiesbyday for more yummy goodness!

Adventures In Boating

It was a classic comedy of errors (it gets funnier as more time passes)...we set out for Little Guy's first boating adventure this morning.  Thank goodness we decided to check the boat one more time, because when we started it, the belt broke...Cancel the adventure...or don't!  Daddy decided we would take the fishing boat (a perk to having seasonal boats!), so after a quick switch-a-roo of gear, off we went with a car full of babies, sandwiches, and sunscreen!

To avoid a novel length recap of our day, here's a short run-down of what happened next...

1.  Tire shredded on freeway

2.  Call AAA
3.  Find out we don't have RV coverage so they can't help with the boat (boo AAA!)
4.  Drive down the shoulder of the freeway
5.  Explore Armada until we find jack and tire changing tools (I can't remember their official name!) while Little Guy catches a quick nap!

6.  Spend WAY too much time trying to figure out how to get the tire jack out of the compartment in the Armada
7.  Jack up boat
8.  Change tire

9.  Drive to and dive into LAKE (two hours after our ETA)!  Little Guy slept through most of the drama and ended up loving his first trip on the boat, hating the life vest, and tolerating the chilly water with a smile.

I'd say hopefully the next boating trip goes smoother, but I am hoping we can sell this problem-prone toy SOON!!  Boating is fun, but our HEATED swimming pool looks mighty tempting after today's adventure!

I am not a busy boy...

Oh My Gosh, do I ever love Little Guy?  The chubby cheeks, teeny tiny baby teeth, his soft skin, the innocent laugh...and his ever ambitious goal to get my skinny by NEVER.GIVING.ME.A.MINUTE.TO.REST.  He always makes me laugh at what he finds and the places he wiggles his way in to.  Today, it was the fridge:

So Sleepy

Our little fish continue to excel in their swim class.  It's a rarity that our little ones BOTH fall asleep on the ride home, but today the stars were aligned and not only did they fall asleep on the way home, but they napped for TWO hours in their car seats!  Our precious boys all tuckered out, we love you!

You All Ready For This?

Today we did something HUGE...something SCARY (for Mommy)....something I am not so sure I am ready for...Little Guy went to bed in his OWN room!  He has always started the night in his crib, then winds up in bed when he wakes up to nurse (and I LOVE this!), and then we wake up to his sweet love whacks pats.  Well, we decided that it might help everyone if Little Guy continued to start the night in his crib, BUT now his crib is in his own room (and we'll still get to wake up to his morning smiles!).  It's a small step, and to be honest, one I am not sure I am ready to take.  However, it was beginning to be a nightly ritual that no matter how quiet we were when we came to bed, we woke up Little Guy.  So in an effort to help him sleep for a longer first stretch and for Mommy and Daddy to be able to brush their teeth in their OWN bathroom, the crib was moved into his own room.  As I type this at 10:01 PM, we've already consoled his blood curdling cries three times tonight...we'll see if we're (I'm) really ready for this!