Adventures in Moving

Signing Off

2009-06-27T06:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry to those who check this blog (surely there are many more productive things to be done, such as watch paint dry??), as it has been forever since I posted. Since the advent of this blog, the role of Facebook in my life and as a vehicle to keep in touch has become much more significant and thus I feel that to post here would be redundant. Or else I have nothing interesting to say. Either way, I'm going to take a break from the blog for a while (as if I hadn't been on a break for the past 2 months!). If I post again you know if will be for some major announcement, or as a result of some major boredom or cry for help.

Anyway, love you all - I think, I suppose there might be strangers checking this as well.....

XOXOXOXO,
Lama Mama

Funny girl

2009-04-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

I really do need to, as my mom always tells me, write down the hilarious things M says.

Today she asked me, "Do garbage trucks have tongues?"

Yes my sweet, presumably so they can lick up all that delicious waste. That girl keeps me laughing. When she's not making me tear my hair out, that is. And A just smiles, smiles, smiles.

*supermegaheart*

SERIOUSLY??

2009-04-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

It's April 17th. Spring, yes? Apparently not, as it has been snowing all flip-flap day. I am as stir-crazy as a penned-in free-range chicken. On the plus side, Margaret has been napping for almost 3 hours and Adelaide is her usual happy as a clam self. Babysitter arrives in t-minus 90 minutes. As I told my friend, B and I could go to the Black Eyed Pea for all I care. Just get me out of this house!

Sidebar: we have a large, lovely home. How would I have survived if we were living in our first home together, a teensy shoebox garage apartment in River Oaks? Or the next home, a slightly-larger than a closet house in West University??

Sidebar #2: I have never been to the Black Eyed Pea. Perhaps I should try it after all.

I am blessed, blessed, blessed. I hate it when I complain about nothing worth complaining about.

Things I heart

2009-03-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

My babes and my husband. Had to write that or I'd look like a materialistic little biddy.
Online shopping. No parking lots, browsing, salespeople, dressing rooms, or patience required. Love. It.
In a related favorite thing, Gap Curvy Jeans and Banana Republic Martin pants. Apparently I have a deformed lower body b/c these are among the only pants that fit me.
Picasa for organizing and sharing my digital pics. Easiest program ever.
My "Joy of Cooking" cookbook. Amy gave it to me at a wedding shower and it's one of my most favorite go-to cookbooks ever.
The cookbook my mom made me for my 24th birthday, jam-packed with lots of her favorite recipes. Another foolproof go-to.
Diet Coke. It's like a glass of wine, but is appropriate to drink at any time and alone.
Starbuck's if I really need a treat. Drive-through only.
The Library. I reserve books online, pick 'em up, and renew them online too. No need to browse for every Thomas the Train book ever made when I can horde them all to myself with the click of a button. Oh, and I get books for myself too.
DVR. I have no patience for commercials or clicking through channels any more.
The PedEgg. Never have I had smoother, more delectably ready-for-sandal-season heels. I bought mine at Bed Bath & Beyond and busted out my 20% off coupon. I'm a money-saving wizard like that.
Sarah Lee classic honey wheat bread. I eat lots of this. Some may say too much. Like Dr. Atkins, for instance.
Cheese. Another one of my main food groups. And Dr. Atkins approved, not that I'm asking him.
Baby wipes. Not just for hineys any more. I use them to clean up the 5,000 floor spills/day, wipe down the leather furniture, de-griming sticky hands & faces, etc. Perf.
My small plastic cutting boards that I got from Ross for like $nothing. I use them all the time.
Facebook and Yahoo Messenger. B thinks I'm addicted but stick him in a house with 2 kids all day and see how much interaction with the outside world he gets. I can check on all my friends while the girls eat their Sarah Less classic honey wheat bread, which was sliced into little bite-sized pieces upon my small plastic cutting boards. Don't hate, B. Congratulate.
Another website: Google reader. Keeps track of all your favorite websites & blogs on one page and shows only updated pages. Saves oodles of surfing time.
Personalized stationary. I have so much that I'll never use it all but I just keep buying it anyway.
Some baby/kid gear:

Maclaren Volo umbrella stroller. Tiny, lightweight, turns on a dime and with one-hand. Great storage underneath and folds easy-peasy. It's the best best best. We have it in pink b/c we're estrogen-charged like that.
Baby Bjorn active carrier. How would I juggle 2 kids in the grocery store without it?
Chicco hook-on high chair. So much better than a bulky high chair.
Rainforest Jumperoo. Both girls loved this like crazy.
Video monitor. It's like spying, but legal.

What are your favorite things?

Sticker Laughs

2009-03-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

B has two new illustrious bumper stickers on his car, both of which almost guarantee he will have his car keyed. Note to self: don't park B's car in any public lots. I think they're hilarious though, and had to post them here. Just one of the many reasons that I love my husband: he ain't afeared to say (or drive around in) what he means!

Sticker #1:

It pays the bills in our house, after all.

And sticker #2:

(No explanation necessary)

In searching for images of the above stickers I came across some other gems that were too good not to share. Won't be putting them on our cars though, as we're already tempting fate by driving around with conservative stickers in this most liberal of cities. Just for a laugh then, darling friends.

Supermommmmmmm!!

2009-03-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

We had a fairy-fantastic time at little E's 3rd birthday party yesterday. If I was blown away by the crafty hand-made fairy wing project, I was totally incinerated by the hand-made cake by E's mama!! It looked exactly as pictured below and actually tasted as amazing as it looked - in my experience appearance and taste are usually mutually exclusive with cakes.

E's mama waved off all fanfare, pointing out that it was from a kit but I don't care what she says - that sucker was a beautiful labor of love!! M loved it and I had to warn her not to expect the same for her next birthday from her craft- and bake-challenged mother.

365 Days and a whole new life....

2009-03-03T09:32:00.001-08:00

We can't believe that as of Feb. 25th we've been Denverites for a year!! Our lives have changed and been enriched immensely during the journey of the past year. We still miss Houston, especially our friends, the proximity of amazing shopping (B doesn't miss this), the shizzle restaurants, St. Andrews, direct flights via Continental, and a common mentality of conservatism. That being said, we are so thankful for our new friends, growing our faith in a new church, our wonderful neighborhood and friendly neighbors, and definitely our favorite thing about living here, the gorgeous weather and outdoor recreation options (L doesn't love this all the time, like when B is off skiing). Life is bootyful!!

And now, a photo montage of then & now. It's crazy to think that in February 2008 we were the Houston 3, and now in February 2009 we're the Denver 4!!

Then: our sweet old house

Now: our big new house

Now: the builder's big new house where our old sweet house once stood

Then: M at 13 months

Now: M at 25 months and very passionate about her fashion

Then: Me at 23 weeks pregnant with mystery baby

Now: tired but happy me with mystery baby revealed: AK at almost 9 months

Then: B with his lil shadow

Now: B with his hands and heart full!

Everything's amazing and nobody's happy!

2009-02-28T08:09:00.001-08:00

I loved this video clip and it's so true. We are so spoiled and indulged these days, we have no idea what it's like to really struggle or suffer (other than paying out the nose to the Obama administration).

Since seeing this video I remind myself not to feel sorry for myself when I've averaged -6 hours of sleep or when I'm bored out of my skull after the zillionth reading of "Finding Nemo" or "Thomas the Really Useful Engine". I am blessed and am trying to remember that "everything's amazing"!

25 Things

2009-02-28T08:08:00.000-08:00

Note: I found my previous list, “16 Things”, annoying upon rereading so am redoing it under the more popular headline of “25 Things”.

1. I have a wicked compulsive streak. I can't relax if the house is messy or there are dishes in the sink, I relish checking tasks off to-do lists, I absolutely must time my runs and check the clock before I go to bed, and have to straighten the ottoman if it’s not parallel with the couch. To name a few.

2. My pet peeves include too-short tops and pants & grammatical and spelling mistakes. Re: the latter, all the Christmas cards I got that were signed "The (insert last name)'s" made me batty. Note the apostrophe. Hello, it is not a possessive.

3. I've lived in FL, VA, the DC area, Houston and now Denver. I also spent a lovely summer living in Edinburgh, Scotland. Denver has taken me more out of my comfort zone than any other city. 2nd place goes to Gainesville, FL.

4. I like any dish that contains butter, beef, cheese, balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, sour cream, or chocolate. I hate white chocolate. I like pretty much any TV show on Bravo, Food Network, and HGTV.

5. I haven't had one "best friend" since high school (BARRRR) but am lucky enough to have eleventy-hundred great, funny, smart and supportive friends from all different chapters of my life.

6. I have some regrets that I think about often. I wish I had chosen a different major in college and pursued a different career – an elementary school teacher or nurse come to mind. Also, I was pretty painfully self-conscious for a long and I wish I had had more confidence and enjoyed myself more. I wish I had nurtured certain friendships instead of losing them due to a grudge or having a boyfriend.

7. My first car was some kind of Mazda with a Jamaican flag painted on the hood. I inherited it from my brother, who went through a fairly intense reggae phase in high school.

8. I knew Brian liked me when he told me at a party sophomore year, “Your eyes match your car.” Sigh, so romantic.

9. He was the first boy I ever loved. Sorry, high school & college beaus.

10. Our one regret from our wedding was our first dance song. Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One”. That’s all I need to say.

11. I was named for my great-great-great grandmother. I hated my name for a long time but now I like it and am obsessed with family names. Margaret is named for my great-grandmother and Adelaide is named for Brian's great-aunt. If we have a third girl we are pretty much out of good family names.

12. I have always wished I had a sister. I really feel like I missed out on that amazing bond and am so happy that my girls will experience it.

13. Until I was 18 I lived just steps from the ocean, and my favorite place on Earth is the beach. Unfortunately I married a mountain-loving man who works in the oil industry, thereby eliminating any chance of ever living close to said favorite place.

14. Faith is a very important part of my life. I try to be a good person and to pray & reflect on my God-given blessings every day. I’m so thankful that my parents brought us to church every Sunday.

15. My mom is pretty much my hero. Love love love her.

16. I actually had more fun in high school than in college, but learned so much about myself and the world in college and wouldn’t change a thing. Oh, and meeting my husband there didn’t hurt either.

17. One of my most cherished childhood memories was swimming on the Ponte Vedra-Sawgrass Swim Team. Go Seahorses!

18. I was incredibly boy crazy, pretty much up until I started dating Brian. It scares me to death that my daughters might be the same way.

19. My Grandmother died when I was in 4th grade and it had a profound impact on me. I think my life would have been really really different had she lived longer.

20. I was raised to say “ma’am”, “sir” and “may I be excused please” and will teach our girls the same. I think it’s sad that kids’ manners have largely gone by the wayside.

21. I like for people to think I’m funny. And smokin’ hot.

22. Motherhood is definitely the hardest job I’ve ever had….and that’s saying something b/c I worked at Aerotek (more about that next).

23. My first job out of college was so demoralizing that I cried in the bathroom stall almost every day. I vowed to stay one year and 365 days later I was outtie. On the plus side, I made some great friends that I still talk to today (heyyyy Luch, Mark, and Glenn)!

24. I met John McCain in the Houston airport in 2003. I was so starstruck that I had sweat bubbles on my upper lip, asked him to sign my copy of “Secret Life of Bees” and could only come up with the winner line, “My dad loves you!” I am not calm under pressure.

25. I require lots of sleep and it shows on my face and in my mood when I haven’t gotten it. This trait has not been conducive with parenting.

Our Big Girl

2009-02-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

Our precious, precocious, strong-willed, creative and hysterical first-born turned 2 on Monday. Inconceivable! She has grown into such an amazing little girl and we couldn't be more proud of her or love her more. Along with tender sweetness she also presents her share of challenges, temper tantrums and the will of an ferocious Peruvian donkey....but we wouldn't have it any other way.

Here's a video of her the other day, pretending the play the piano on the fireplace screen and singing her ABC's. She's so smart at 2 that I can't even imagine what she'll be like at 12! Love you, baby girl. Thank you for blessing us richly 730 days ago with your arrival. We haven't been the same since!

Thoughts during today's run....

2009-01-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

If you're on Facebook, you can empathize with the near-constant status updates that run through my mind on a daily basis ("Lamandra is about to commit harry-carey", "Lamandra picked a bad day to stop smoking crack", etc.). Today during my run (35 minutes fast, thank you very much!) I had lots of inner status updates and rather than being all freakish and making eleventy-hundred (Sissssyyyyyy!) updates that would make me look like a FB freak, I thought I'd jot 'em down in this electronic medium.

In the song "Personal Jesus", Depeche Mode is actually singing "reach out and touch faith", not "reach out and touch me". Totally changes the tone. It only took me 20 years and one workout playlist to realize this.
"Friends In Low Places" is not a good song to run to.
Despite having eleventy-jillion (Siiiisss....well, you know) songs on my playlist, why does "Walk Like an Egyptian" always play?
Perhaps my playlist consists of tragically outdated music.
Why does it smell like gingerbread outside of my neighbor's house? Isn't it a bit late in the season?
Looking at my watch to see how much time has elapsed adversely affects my motivation.
That punk kid who stood smack in the middle of the sidewalk and wouldn't move to let me share said sidewalk really hacked me off. Respect your elders, sonnnn!
Hmmmm, I'm sounding very crotchety.
Gosh it's pretty here. Sun, snow, mountains....hard to beat.
Being away from my kids for a little "me" time, like going on a run, makes me a better mom. It took me almost 2 years to get over the guilt of leaving and to rest in the knowlege that the kid(s) would survive, even thrive, when I left them in someone else's care....and that I needed to take some time for myself in order to maintain my me-ness and mental & physical health. Sometimes you have to take care of yourself in order to better take care of others. Oprah, I'm puttin' me on my list!!
I love my husband for putting me on his list too. He was the one that suggested that he watch the kids so I could hit the road (am just assuming he was being kind and not merely wanting to get rid of me).
I get it how some people get into running, like my high-larious friend Betsy. It does make you feel like a warrior princess to tackle hills (very small, gradual ones in my case) and dodge FedEx vans in a single Frogger-esque bound across 6th Avenue (wait, projecting here). Not saying I'm gonna run a half-marathon like my sweet Solo but I get it.

OK, now that I got it all out there I don't need to pen any Facebook status updates. "Lamandra is finished blogging."

Tip O' the Day

2009-01-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

I always put a dollop of cottage cheese in my eggs before scrambling them. It makes 'em so creamy and moist and delectable. This tip evolved from one of my "go-to" recipes, referenced in the previous post. Friends, I give you:

Aunt Betsy's Egg Casserole

12 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 stick butter, melted
2 (4-oz.) cans cans diced green chilies
16 oz. cottage cheese
4 cups (16 oz.) shredded Monteray Jack cheese
1 lb. diced ham (optional)

Combine eggs, flour, and baking powder in a bowl and mix lightly, leaving the mixture lumpy. Add butter, green chilies, cottage cheese, Monteray Jack cheese, and ham, and mix well.

Pour into greased 9x13" baking dish, bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce to 350 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Yield: 6-10 servings and a happy belly!!

Oreo Ballz

2009-01-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do is cook/bake/create delectable vittles to eat. I also love to exchange recipes with friends and many of the dishes on my regular rotation include those from my homegirls (Aunt Betsy's Egg Casserole, Em's Chicken Spaghetti, Sissy's Fiesta Chicken, or Fancy's Pasta anyone?!).

Oreo Balls (or Ballz if you've got street cred) first passed my lips when my dear friend Ann made them for me one Christmas. You had me at Oreo Balls. I have since made them many times and people always have a semi-coronary about them. I brought them to a party on Saturday night and they were literally greeted with gleeful shouts of "Oreo Balls!" Nobody bothered to say hello to me, however.

So here's the recipe - like many of my favorites, it is ridiculously easy, fattening, and delicious. Enjoy y'all.

Oreo Balls:

1 package Oreos
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
White chocolate (brick or chips)
Sprinkles (optional but festive)

Pulverize (what a great word) Oreos in a food processor. Dump into a large mixing bowl with the cream cheese and mix until smooth
Refrigerate dough for 2 hours
Roll into balls and place back into the refrigerator
Melt chocolate in a double-boiler (I have used the microwave and it just doesn't work as well), adding a little vegetable oil to thin if desired
Dip balls in chocolate, add sprinkles if desired, and refrigerate
Stand back when serving as you might be devoured if you get in the way

I have also tried these with milk chocolate and they're not as good. Ironic, since I abhor white chocolate - but it is divine here.

Please feel free to share your favorite recipes - I'll add mine here and there too.

A Little Taste....

2008-12-16T12:33:00.000-08:00

Of the past 3 weeks:

18 hour round-trip drive to Salt Lake City with two kids under 2 years old
Celebrated Thanksgiving at our house with my parents. I cooked the entire shebang, including hors' d'oeuvre and pies
Bought and decorated our lovely Christmas tree and decorated the house for the holidays
AK was baptized
Hosted out-of-town guests for 14 days straight: my parents and then B's mom. There was a whopping one hour in-between my mom flying out and m-i-l flying in.
Attended 5 Christmas parties
Cleaned up and resurrected the aforementioned Christmas tree when it crashed to the ground, 10 hours before:
A Christmas soiree at our house for 22 friends
Baked zillions of cookies for our party and for distributing to the neighbors
Christmas shopped for 14 people. Wrapped and shipped off all gifts, except for M and A's loot which awaits Xmas morning
Assembled, addressed and wrote personal messages in 100 Christmas cards. Actually had the presence of mind to mail them off, all with stamps.
Did I mention I had two kids to keep nourished & entertained during all of this madness?!

Granted, I did have lots of help from my parents and B's mom, which was indispensable. But I have learned my lesson and I won't be taking on so much during future holidays. With nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile I'm finally relaxing and enjoying the snow (there's lots of it and it's freeeeezing cold!) and holiday buzz & anticipation.

Peace on Earth, y'all!

Our sweet AK looking angelic on her baptism day

MM not such a big fan of the man in red

Musings on Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T10:33:00.000-08:00

As I madly cook, clean, wash and set the table several thoughts are running through my head. Thought I would dash them off so I could go obsess about other things:

B and I love our quiet Thanksgivings, just our little family. This year, however, I am finding myself even more excited and going to more effort to make this Thanksgiving special since Gigi and Granddaddy will be here. It's fun to try new recipes, get out the good china & crystal, and learn how to fold napkins into fun shapes. Am using www.napkinfoldingguide.com to do the latter. There is a website for everything.
On a related note, should I have even registered for china & crystal?
Having people over brings to light all the things that you don't do/have in your everyday life. Case in point: crystal, china, napkin rings, cloth napkins, and the centerpiece that I dashed out to get at Crate & Barrel last night.
One should never ever go to Whole Foods on Thanksgiving eve. A bigger freak show hippie circus you have never seen.
Some recipes are standard Thanksgiving recipes but do we actually like them? I was going to make some green beans but as I stood in produce I realized I don't even like green beans so much (well, except for Southern style with vinegar & bacon....mmmmmm, maybe I shoulda made those). So I went for creamed spinach instead. Cream with bacon shimmied on top - pretty sure you could put these ingredients on dirt and it would taste good.
The spatula may be one of the most useful utensils ever made. Not the kind my mom used to hit me with, but the one that you use to scrape out the last contents of the bowl directly into your mouth. My mom probably thinks the beating kind was pretty useful back in the day, though.

OK, sweet potato casserole needs some attention. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May you eat off of lovely plates, drink from sparkly glasses and eat lots of delightful foods. Most importantly, give thanks for the gifts that God has provided.

Here I am!

2008-11-25T12:22:00.000-08:00

So I feel bad when there are long lags between posts (loyal readers salivating for a new post and clicking "refresh" a zillion times a day and all) but I am of the mind that if there's nothing interesting to write then write nothing. This motto makes me feel better about not adhering to "if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all".

We just returned from a great visit to Salt Lake City to visit Brian's aunt (and godmother) and uncle. I was excited for the visitin', not so much for the 9-hour car ride and possibly disastrous sleeping habits of M in an unfamiliar setting and bed. However, everything went off beautifully! Armed with enough Teletubbies and Elmo videos to deplete the IQ of a small city and enough snacky treats to make Jenny Craig salivate, the car ride was like a dream....a 9-hour dream with 2 truck-stop visits but a dream nonetheless. M didn't sleep great but when does she ever - it would be like hell freezing over if the child slept past 530 after all. We had a great time hanging out with M & J and the fantastic meals and drinks were endless. Sidenote: who knew there was such thing as vanilla rum? Oh, and the pear martini - sublimity in a glass.

Anyhoo, things are crazy from here until Christmas - we anxiously await the arrival of Gigi & Granddaddy on Thanksgiving, followed by a visit from Grandma mere hours after Gigi leaves, 5 Christmas parties (of which one is hosted by moi & B) and countless hours of Christmas toy assembly and cardboard box breakdown (not breakdancing, another use of flattened cardboard boxes) for recycling.

So if I don't post for a while, you know we are busy as wombats in a tree and happy as elephants on the savannah.

Oh, and the girls are as dear as ever and I am joining a gym.

The End!

Seriously, can you be arrested for unlawful cuteness?

M's hair grows out, not down

Enjoying the outdoors in SLC

Our wonderful hosts and family, M&J, with girls

Our big little girl

2008-10-24T18:09:00.001-07:00

To quote KBB, please ignore the annoying voice in the background....

Too bad she wasn't born on a farm.....

2008-10-23T12:04:00.001-07:00

"Tractor Tractor" is a snappy little ditty that we have on constant continuous forever nonstop play in the car, per M's request. The millisecond it stops playing I hear a little voice squeak from the back of the car, "more 'Tractor', peas". Somehow I am not yet sick of it, despite hearing it literally 10's of times per day.

Go to the following link and click the arrow to play "Tractor Tractor". It really is pretty catchy and an added bonus is that you can make up your own situation-specific song to the tune: "Margaret, Margaret, whining all day long", etc. etc. :)

Play "Tractor Tractor"

And a snippet of M singing the song herself:

Not ready for winter!!

2008-10-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

The leaves have turned and the air has turned brisk and chilly. In M's words, "Too windy!" I kinda love the cold weather for me - there's nothing like bundling up all cozy and enjoying a fire in the fireplace or going on a walk in the cold air. But when you have to dress 2 lil' babes in multiple layers (most of which the older babe tries to remove immediately upon being dressed) it complicates things just a tad.

Thankfully, M seems impervious to the cold and would stay outside frolicking all day. The other day I answered the door and she zipped out before I could stop her, in just a top and socks, and proceeded to run around in the wet grass like a schnauzer on crack. It was 50 degrees out. I do worry about taking AK out, as she obviously can't verbalize if she's cold or uncomfortable. Guess I'll just have to drive to the park instead of walking, go to the library and indoor germy playground at the mall more frequently, and create magical playgrounds of fun in the basement during the cold winter months. Should be interesting! I'm not totally convinced that I'm cut out for the winter.

Oh, and M is talking up a storm these days, just in the past few weeks she's started speaking in 4-word sentences. "Dada go work (in the) car" and "Baby sister watch (me) eat" are a couple charming examples. It's amazing that she's a little person now! She has discovered an affinity for pumpkins ("puckies") and candy corn - we'll see what happens when Halloween is over and these treats disappear from doorsteps and the pantry!! Despite being such a big girl, M still needs her mama and it melts my heart when she runs to me and says, "Mama, kiss" when she gets a boo-boo. Such an angel. AK is a precious bug of love too and I just couldn't love these two little people any more. Each girl is enamored with the other and I am so excited to watch them grow up together.

M will be a (guess what?) "pucky" for Halloween - just going to a few neighbors' houses that she knows - I'll post pics afterwards. AK will be a sleeping baby. Can't wait!

I am barfing at this.....

2008-10-14T12:55:00.001-07:00

http://www.aldenteblog.com/2008/10/the-newest-pack.html

A lil' taste of Texas

2008-10-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we zipped on over to the Bass Pro Shop to stock up on winter duds (definitely random but we had a gift card to use and it was crapola weather). Who knew it would be such a menagerie of joy for MM? She loved the (frankly, scary) taxodermic animal display and insisted on "driving" all the ATVs. Daddy's little girl indeed!

As I was sitting on a wooden bench adorned with a giant bass (?) my mind wandered and I honestly forgot that I wasn't in Texas. The people in the store looked much more "Houston" than "Denver" - minus the at least 6 dogs I saw in the store (why must people bring their dogs everywhere here?) and a few, ahem, alternative lifestyle women - and I was transported to the Lone Star State for just a moment. Many of the shoppers probably even vote Republican. Sigh.

Had to note this experience just in case my dear Houston friends think I don't miss Texas, just a little bit.

Oh, and throwing in precious pics of MM and AK and one of a gorge tree we saw on the walk to the park this morning. Fall is amazing.

MM was fired up about her caterpillar dress...

Really, need I say anything about this adorable-ness?

Beautiful!

Diary of a first haircut

2008-10-01T12:51:00.001-07:00

Before: shaggy girl

Not feeling the scenario....

So pitiful

Warming up a little

Newly shorn & coiffed and being rewarded with an ice cream dinner!

Over the hump?

2008-09-24T12:58:00.001-07:00

I am a girl who thrives on a schedule. Every day when I wake up I make a mental plan of what activities will take place and at what time they will be executed. I love to-do lists and checking things off of said list. During my "break time" while the girls are down I do house chores, which Brian charmingly calls my "hobbies". So I like me some order.

Adelaide's arrival on the scene upset the proverbial apple cart in that regard. While Margaret has been on a very set schedule forever now, Adelaide has been all over the place as newborns are wont to do. I didn't wont it that way, though (!) and have been waiting patiently for some kind of sleep schedule to appear. Now that I am typing this I'm sure I've totally jinxed it, but it seems that she is finally developing a rhythm around which I can plan our day. Hallelujah. I recently started the whole "cry it out" routine, which first worked for naptime and now is being utilized in the middle of the night to much fanfare and success. I. May. Have. A. Good. Night's. Sleep. Soon.

Add to this happy development the arrival of cool, lovely fall weather and I am a happy girl. We recently went on a drive through Rocky Mountain National Park to check out the changing leaves. Despite the fact that it was a 6-hour marathon drive during which the Elmo video was played more times than I care to count (lalalalalalalala, Elmo's world!), it was breathtaking. We feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country and know that we will only enjoy it more as the girls get older and we're able to take better advantage of it all.

Our love goes out to our Houston friends, who thankfully all escaped major damage during Ike. What a mess. It was definitely one time that we were happy to not live in Houston any more. We enjoyed seeing Christie & Billy, who wisely made a little jaunt here to escape the madness (we won't mention that they had already planned the trip to view the doomed WVU-CU game. Oh wait, I just mentioned it.). Yay for baby Mac on the way!!

Here are some pics of the girls & our drive to RMNP. Hugs & snuggles!

Baby blue eyes

She's becoming a tree hugger like all the other Coloradoans.

Beach vacay & knock me over with a feather....

2008-09-09T12:09:00.001-07:00

OK, so first the run-down of our 9 fantastical days at Gigi & Granddaddy's house. It was nothing but sun, sand and relaxation - well, for me anyway. I must admit that I got the biggest break of anyone involved, as Gigi watched one or both kids the entire vacay and B handled M (being daddy's girl and all that's just the way it is) when we had her with us. We discovered that Margaret thinks the dirt in our flowerbeds and the sand at the park is fine to cover herself in but apparently the sand on the beach is "dirty" and to be avoided at all costs. She does, however, love the pool and we visited it every day, sometimes twice.

B and I enjoyed lots of time together while the grands watched the kids: dinners and lunches out, coffee convos and walks on the beach, all too rare occurrences in the lives of parents of two kids under 20 months. We also loved spending time with my bro & sis-in-law, their kids, my aunts and uncles, and my high school friends who we visited. Loved, loved, loved it all. Now we're back to the grind feeling refreshed and rejuvenated but still looking forward to our next vacay. If only we had one on the books!

One of M's few forays onto the beach

Little sister had to stay inside and play

And on to the "knock me over with a feather" component of our programming. Today M had her first day of pre-school at a sweet little school down the road. She'll be attending in the morning twice/week and as parents B and I approached this first day with much trepidation and dread about the fit she would throw upon being left. Welllll, cut to drop-off where she cried for roughly 15 seconds and pick-up when her teacher informed me that M had "one of the best first days" she's seen!! Holy cramoli am I proud of my little girl! She was passed out in the teacher's arms when I picked her up, she had fallen asleep at the lunch table! Little pookers. She was a burst of joy & sunshine from the moment I picked her up until the second I put her down for her nap. I hope the rest of the year goes as well as day #1!! Did I mention how proud I am?

Our big girl walking into her classroom for the first time....

Stuff that's happening (and some that's not)

2008-08-25T06:25:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I wrote so I thought I'd just do a jambalaya of a post, with lots of random specks of info about life on Ivy Street.

Our great friends Sissy & Bubba were in town this weekend and we had a ball. They were our first non-family visitors who came just to see us (Christie & Katie B. get half-points for coming to see her sister & for work, respectively) and we loved every second. We spent long hours pondering limbo logs, dental floss meals, shower peeeeeeers, the origin of MM's basement and "clean my hands" communication, what ever happened to Audra Lee, the headache-inducing properties of Anne Murray songs, and other such pressing issues. We love ya, Funks!

MM has started a fun new stage where she strings together two- and three-word sentences, most of which involve putting someone or something nigh-nigh, making them go potty or saying bye-bye to them. Examples include, "Nigh-nigh paci" when she wrapped her sister's pacifier in a blanket, "teddy potty" when (you guessed it) she put her teddy bear on the potty seat that we bought her and which she is obsessed with, and "bye-bye da-da" when he goes to work. She insists on being naked while sitting on the potty and says "hot" to make us take off her clothes. Then she gets mad when we want to put her diaper on after she loses interest. She has yet to do any business but I figure her interest is a good first step. She also loves playing mommy to her myriad of stuffed animals and baby dolls and "sharing "them with her sister when she is having some floor time....see picture. She is a jumping, sliding and spinning maniac at home but put her in an unfamiliar situation and she's an insta-wallflower. We went to a friend's birthday party yesterday and MM acted like she had never seen another human being nor moved an inch from her daddy's pant leg. School is going to rock her world; she starts in a couple of weeks 2 mornings/week. I'm nervous for my little angel but know it will be good for both of us. And AK too, who will actually get some uninterrupted attention for once!!

We are headed to my parents' house in Florida on Thursday, incidentally the last day of the DNC convention. Good planning, the airport should be nightmarish at best. Anyway, we will be in FL for 10 blissful days and I can't wait for some sun, surf and relaxation. The traveling days will likely be hellacious since it's a non-direct flight and MM enjoys her some action. Armed with a DVD player, preservative-fortified snacks and Benadryl we hope to get through it relatively unharmed.

Happy, growing girl!

MM's reaction to AK being laid on the floor

Catching up on local news....

Ick.

2008-08-15T16:35:00.000-07:00

That pretty much sums up my day. Started with B leaving for a fun-filled weekend in San Diego, off to one of our best friend's weddings while I stay behind with the girls. I'm so sad to miss the wedding and to top it off my day was just puketastic. Literally. Both girls threw up on me before 6:30 a.m., and MM had the fantastic aim to hit not only her mother but also the couch, her blanket and the wool carpet. It rained all day, AK had a doctor's appt. and got 4 shots, I couldn't find any of MM's four lovie blankets for her nap , the smoke alarm started beeping and I had to get up on a stepladder with a diaper box on top for extra height to remedy the beeping, MM woke up from her lovie-less nap crying inconsolably until I finally snapped her out of it with a bath, and AK has barely slept during the day for weeks now. Did I mention the rain? All day? Today just stinks like week-old tuna.

Tomorrow is a new day and some day I, too, will be able to go out of town without kids. Anyone who would like to join my pity party doesn't need to make reservations, although I do require a shirt & shoes.

Too much to ask?

2008-08-12T11:54:00.001-07:00

Our security system went all wonky so we had a repairman come out to fix it this morning. To my chagrin, he left his giant work boots on when he came into the house (most Denver-dwellers take off their shoes upon entering, a sort of Japanese but lovely tradition) and tracked junk alllll over the place. To complicate matters, we had a flash flood on Friday night so the street and sidewalk are filthy, the same street & sidewalk he had to traverse to come into the house. Argh. And the cleaning lady was here yesterday so my gleaming floors & clean carpets are no more. I totally should have asked him to take his shoes off, but I went the meek & polite route and didn't. Lesson learned. He also used the bathroom (without asking, I might add) and LEFT THE SEAT UP!!! He was a very nice man but these two offenses have left me a bitter Betty.

Pic o' the day

2008-08-11T19:16:00.000-07:00

Notice AK clinging to her sister's shirt like her life depends on it! They are so sweet together; MM just can't get enough of "Beebee Lad-lad"and I know AK will soon feel the same way about her big sister. It just melts a Lama Mama's heart!

Tick Tock....

2008-08-04T09:59:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about time a lot lately. That's right, time. It seems not an hour goes by that I don't think about the past or future. "Remember back when we didn't have kids and we could go out anytime & anywhere we wanted?" (inevitably followed by "Damn, why didn't we go out more often before we had kids??") or "I can't wait till nap time/Daddy gets home/the weekend/the kids go off to school and I have a little time for myself."

I realize this is not a great way to be a parent, and that by focusing on times other than the "now" I am missing out on these precious, fleeting days that my girls are still babies. So now I am making a concerted effort to focus on the present, to enjoy my daughters in the moment and to create memories with them now. Before I know it I will have gotten my wish and they'll be all grown up and out of the house and won't I be a sad sack.

I think this is an issue that plagues most people: why can't we just be happy with what we have now? I am as blessed as a girl can be - I am giving myself a good talking to and a whuppin' with a wet noodle to remember that and to enjoy RIGHT NOW.

Off to play with MM, who is putting her giant pink elephant (actually it's AK's from Christie & Billy but of course MM has staked claim to it) in the baby's swing. Wheeee!!!

Musings on Crocs

2008-07-31T12:31:00.001-07:00

Is there anyone on God's green earth who doesn't own a pair (okay, except for my parents, me, B and probably many other people now that I wrote out that hyperbolic question)?? During my daily walk to the park with the chilluns I was noticing all the pairs that sauntered past me (attached to people of course) and a few thoughts ran through my mind. Of course I had to jot down my thoughts the second I got home. Not really.

Crocs are GENIUS for kids. MM's get slapped on her little feet daily. Easy on, easy off, comfortable, clean up in a snap, and Target makes a generic brand. Oh, and those little flair-like thingies that kids can put in the holes are cute and allow them to be all individual and expressive.
I think only the cute Mary Jane kind should be worn in public by we female types. I mean, if you're doing gardening or yardwork or frolicking on the beach then by all means wear the Dutch clog kind. But we ladies just have too many other great and fashionable footwear options to be wearing Crocs in other people's line of vision. Do you hear me, lady I saw at the park wearing those frumpy clog Crocs?
Men can get away with wearing the cloggy kind in public moreso than women. I mean, how many warm-weather shoe options do those poor dudes have? Flip-flops or those funny leather mandals (man sandals, shudder). I think Crocs can be cute on men, so go ahead, wear them with abandon and with my blessing.
My mom bought MM a pair of Crocs rain boots which we have yet to receive but I hear they're a-dorable. That's fun that they make rain boots - who knew??!!

The end. Now isn't the world a better place having heard my diatribe on lightweight rubber footwear?

p.s. I am sorry for those female Crocs fans whom I have offended today. But perhaps you will take my words to heart and consider how you might make a more attractive shoe choice the next time you get dressed for the park. Hugs.

Hilarious

2008-07-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

I was going through old photos yesterday and found this gem from one of my and B's first dates:

Seriously, why didn't a friend stage an intervention to address my eyebrow situation??

Mellllllting

2008-07-23T09:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't been this hot since we left Texas. I had forgotten what it felt like to think you would literally shrivel up and die if you didn't head inside to the beloved A/C. Remember those shrunken heads from Ripley's Believe It Or Not? That is what I felt like this morning at the park and later in my backyard. At 8:40 a.m.

I have lived in Florida, Northern Virginia and Texas so I feel that I can speak with authority about heat. "But it's a dry heat!" everyone says. Uhhh, you still can't stand to be outside so what's the difference (besides the bird-sized insects in the case of Houston)??

Everyone promises this is an unusually hot and dry summer for Denver. In our yard the weeds flourish while the grass goes belly up. When oh when will this madness end?

70's toys were awwweeeesome...

2008-07-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have developed an unhealthy obsession with Fisher-Price Little People sets. Our dear Houston friends Christie & Billy gave MM a Noah's Ark set for Christmas last year and she is just now getting super into it. It's so much fun to watch her play with it for entire minutes at a time (she's only 17 months old, whaddaya expect?!) and she has recently added a large plastic dinosaur from Target to Noah's bevy of animals.

The set that started it all.....

So given the rousing success of Noah's Ark, I've been on the lookout for Little People sets on Craig's List and eBay. In so doing, I discovered that Little People have been around for-evah and I actually played with them when I was a tot. These are the antecedents to the Little People that line the shelves today:

I tooootally had the above carousel, nursery and Sesame Street sets!! I loved how the carousel guy cranked the crank thingie and how Oscar the Grouch's trash can lid swiveled up & down to reveal the grumpy fella. If eBay auctions are to be believed, the Sesame Street dudes are extremely collectible these days and of course Gigi didn't keep mine (along with my radical Strawberry Shortcake dolls, sigh).

Just a stroll down memory lane. VH1 is correct, I DO love the 70's!!!! Oh, and Little People too.

I scored this set on eBay today. Brian thinks I am overindulging our child - no way man!!

Playground set - wheeee!

Recent pics....

2008-07-18T06:41:00.001-07:00

MM not cooperating with the Grandma & Grandpa photo op

Sigh....how I love a monogram

MM adoring her little sister

Here sis, lemme learn you something....

Now it's your turn to read to me, please

A New Day

2008-07-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was rather horrendous on the spectrum of horribility. AK was uncharacteristically fussy from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., at which point I buckled the kids in the car and escaped to the Perk & Play for a sanity-replenishing cup of java. Luckily AK fell asleep in the car and MM had fun playing with the matchbox cars and play garage at P&P as I sipped a divine latte and nibbled a spinach & feta croissant.

So anyway, last night AK slept better than she ever has, only waking up ONCE between 6:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for my first good night's sleep in decades. Thank youuuu little puddin'! Today has been textbook perfect, starting with "Melmo" and Sesame Street, breakfast, and a jaunt to the park. Now both girls are down for a nap and I'm about to order a new Chi flat iron online. Note to readers: do not order aforementioned iron from Amazon.com, as I received 3 non-working irons in a row. When I called the manufacturer of the Chi they advised me that Amazon is not an authorized seller of this product. Doh!

OK, so off to order. Later today new friend Wendy is coming over with her two girls for a little playdate action. Happily her girls are 1/1000th as wild as my other friend's two kids who came over yesterday to play. I am still recovering.....does anyone discipline their kids any more??!!

Today....

2008-07-16T11:35:00.001-07:00

My motto is "sleep is for sissies". Is it bad if I shotgun Diet Coke or three?

And more....

2008-07-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

Faith and prayer, which gets me through the rough days.
That B gets up with MM on her 5 a.m. mornings and lets me sleep.
That the 5 a.m. mornings are a little less frequent these days. They suuuuuck.
That MM's Teletubbies obsession has ceased. It was torture to watch those flippin' aliens each morning. Now she likes Sesame Street which is a GREAT show. Elmo rocks the party!
Our fun foodie Houston friends, KMGMF and ALF are coming to visit in August!! Watch out ALF & B b/c Krysten and I are "cum laude" in Catch Phrase - hahaha!
Burp cloths. Lots and lots of burp cloths (as I sit with spitup on my shirt & shorts).
MM's leftovers. What would I eat otherwise??
The end of maternity clothes for me.
The 3 pair of pre-maternity pants and 2 tops that fit me and which I wear eeeevery day.
The promise of a closet full of new clothes when I lose the final 8 pounds.
My washer & dryer which gets a workout every day. If I worked out as hard as they do the 8 pounds would be goooone.
Diet coke & coffee. My crack.
The library, a fun place to go with the kids when it's too hot to venture outside.
Our really great neighbors. We lucked out.

Thanksgiving in July

2008-07-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

So I have realized through penning this blog that I am a fan of lists. Here goes another one....

I am thankful for:

The obvious: my healthy girls, happy marriage, safe neighborhood & home, friends & fam
B, who is the greatest daddy I could ever dream up for my chilluns. This weekend he took Margaret on a jog in the Bob stroller and later to a bluegrass festival. How cute is that?
AKK, arguably the sweetest baby ever made. All she requires is milk, a clean diaper, and the occasional respite from whichever baby contraption is containing her at the time. Which leads me to:
Baby contraptions: the swing, stroller, carseat, Baby Bjorn, sling, and pack 'n play. Who knows where dear AK would reside during the day otherwise....
That MM likes her little sister now and leaves her little offerings in whichever aforementioned contraption she is in at the time. This morning I found that MM had given her ball to AK during their stroller ride. Awwwwww....which leads me to another:
Cool Denver mornings. We go out every morning for a walk in the stroller and end up at the park where MM frolics and easygoing AK hangs out in her stroller.
New friends who have delivered meals to us. It's the greatest gift you can give a new mom! Other than:
Monogrammed baby clothes. Mmmm, mmmm I eat them up with a spoon. Monogramming isn't the fab craze here that it is in the South but I am trying my best to start the trend :)
The grill, which provides many of our meals these days. Well, actually B provides many meals via the grill but you get my drift....
Our cleaning lady who is not only a superstar cleaner but also the greatest babysitter. MM loves her and I arrived home the other day to find MM asleep in Carla's lap. This. Never. Happens. Today Carla brought her a little purse that she carried around all morning. Presh!
My in-laws' visit which was fun and during which lots got accomplished. MM was intrigued by Grandpa's mustache and thought Grandma's "silly" routine was a hoot. Grandma treated us to her landscaping & gardening skills and now our lawn looks a gem.
Our friends David & Tara with whom we pass many an hour. Tara has taught me that meals don't have to be homemade to be fab :)
Our upcoming weekend trip to Breckenridge and our fall trip to see Gigi & Granddaddy in Florida (no hurricanes, please)
I'm sure there's more, I'll continue to add as I come up with things.....

Go me, go me!!!

2008-06-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Brian has been out of town the past 53 hours and I survived (and more importantly, managed to keep the girls alive) on my own!! I was totally freaked out before he left but it really went smoothly and I am pretty stinkin' proud of myself. I even managed to bathe MM each night, take a trip to the park, go on a stroller walk, play in the back & front yard with MM with AK in the sling AND run errands today with both miniature ladies in tow. Plus I think I managed about 5.5 hours of sleep per night - not too shabby. As I believe if you're not learnin' you're dyin' here are some take-aways from my 2 days & 3 nights as a solo parent......

The pack 'n play is a fantastic time-out zone for screaming toddlers exerting their independence by stealing the baby's blankets and refusing to return them to Mom.
Do not allow your toddler to take her favorite stuffed animal and lovie blanket on a stroller ride. You will hear "uh-oh" 700 times as she drops them in the street. The stuffed animal will need a swipe with the Shout stain stick after being run over by the stroller.
The Scottish lady at the Paradise Cleaners will paw your newborn if allowed...do not allow.

Speaking of, isn't $8.25 a lot to pay to dry clean pants??

It is a lot of work to unload a toddler and an infant from the car for a 5-second pick-up at the dry cleaner's. Then you have to carry the dry cleaning out to the car, resulting in one child being left behind (sorry George W.) on the sidewalk while you load the other child and dry cleaning into the car. The Scottish lady will stand outside and watch the abandoned child for you though.

When you have a toddler in the seat part of the shopping cart and a baby carseat in the basket part there is no room for groceries except on the bottom shelf thingie.
Items tend to slide off of said bottom shelf thingie.
When you put a jar of pickles in the basket wedged next to the carseat because you don't want them to slide off the bottom shelf and shatter, remember to pay for them. I did not. Free pickle day at Albertson's - wheeee!
The kitchen sink is a great bathing option when your child is covered in sand and you don't want her to shed granules all the way upstairs to the bathtub.
Sometimes (no, lots of times) you have to let one child cry while tending to the other. They won't remember the trauma of being ignored for a few minutes while you clean poop off of the other child's leg, foot, back and stomach after a massive diaper blowout. Oh, and the baby swing too. Who knew teensy babies could create such enormous bowel havoc?
Do not overfeed a nursing infant. Just because they cry doesn't mean they need to eat. This will result in baby spewing milk from her nose and mouth in a projectile fashion and the need for a second bath of the day (after first poopie blowout bath).
If it makes things easier, increasing your child's television time is acceptable. Going from one episode of Teletubbies per day to two won't fry your child's brain (will it?) Sesame Street can also be substituted for a Teletubbies episode if you just can't stand the weird little aliens any more.
I soooo appreciate B and can't imagine doing this without him. He is an amazing daddy - MM says "Dada" about a kazillion times a day and I know she'll be so thrilled to see him tomorrow!

Buh-bye now! Off to watch "What Not to Wear" and drink a diet coke.

2 weeks old today & assorted stuff

2008-06-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

Our littlest lady passed her 2-week doctor's visit with flying colors! She's 9 lb. 5 oz. (93rd percentile), 22.5 inches tall (97th percentile) with a wee little 65th percentile head circumference (not indicative of her intelligence). Since we left the hospital 12 days ago she's gained 1 pound, 4 oz.! Love that little oinker.

We are just smitten with her and busier than we thought possible juggling two girls under 18 months old. Big sis continues to adjust, a process complicated by the apparent onset of the "terrible two's" (I'm told it's a misnomer as this rip-roaring fun stage lasts from 18 months-3.5 years old - wheee!) and four canine teeth coming in at once. Yowsas, the hits just keep on hittin'!

Gigi and Granddaddy left on Saturday and we miss them already. They were an enormous help, from baby wrangling to meal planning & prep to general great company. Every time MM sees the vacuum cleaner now she says "Gigi!!" She certainly has her grandmother pegged! MM and AK are looking forward to the NY grandparents' arrival next week. They are so blessed to have such wonderful grands!

In other news, my sweet high school friend Sherrod brought us dinner & assorted treats last night. The pasta salad she made was amaaaazing and I had to get the recipe from her. It's a bit of an improv recipe; she made it with cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, mozzarella, chicken, kidney beans, cucumber, artichoke, and I'm probably leaving something out. It was the best pasta salad I've ever had! Thanks Sherrod, my fellow Bolles Bulldog JVFU soccer team member!! Here's the nummernoos recipe.

That's all I got....Lama OUT!

Gigi & Granddaddy with the girls

Our first family pic....can someone hand me some lipstick and a nap??!!

One Day At A Time.....

2008-06-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Isn't just a knee-slapping sitcom from the '70s (bless that Schneider) - it's how we're taking things here in the Kuck household. Sidebar: how good is the theme song?

We were blessed one week ago tomorrow with a precious baby girl - all 8 lbs. 9 oz. of her! She is soooo sweet so far: eats often (like her mama), sleeps a lot and cries briefly only when she requires yet another meal. We've had some good nights and some rough nights (think awake from 10 p.m. - 3 a.m.) with her and are just looking forward to when things level out and a routine is established. Should be done by the time she's 2 weeks old I'm thinking. Hardy-har, it took her sister 12 months to sleep through the night so we have the bar set very low for little AK. :)

MM has had a rocky adjustment, she's showing improvement day by day however. Poor thing was just thrown for a loop when this little human entered her territory and, more traumatically, required her mama's attention. Blood-curdling screaming, tears, tantrums and wild mood swings (B would have you think this is also inherited from her mama) have been rocking Ivy Street. Again, one day at a time....

Overall I'm feeling great and am so thankful for this healthy, sweet family of mine. Gigi has been an enormous help and support - I can't imagine how I would have survived this past week without her. She is leaving next Saturday, a fact that I am doing my best to deny. We're trying to convince her and Grandaddy to live here 6 months a year. It's certainly more appealing than spending half the year in their prior option of Houston - they already have mongo heat & humidity at their home in Florida but the bonus of the ocean in their backyard. Gigi is loving the weather here so we may be making headway.....

So all happy news from our family of four (!). Happy Father's Day to all the dads - I just may be partial but I think B is the best dad out there.....

She loves to sleep with one hand by her face - so cute!

AK's first day home - MM is thinking this was not a good decision....

Cankles & a tan....

2008-06-02T07:23:00.000-07:00

I have both!! One is pretty, one is not. One is the result of toting around 28 extra lb's and the other from outside frolicksomeness with my 24 lb. bundle of love, MM. The weather has been great and MM and I are playing outside lots, resulting in toasting skin (mine, I slather her with sunscreen) and swollen extremeties (also mine). Ironically, while I do not subscribe to Hillary Clinton's political views, we do have a lot in common in the area of our lower legs. Sigh.

Margaret looooves the new double stroller and is always crawling into it when we are in the garage. She has never been a big fan of her spunky orange Bob stroller but the new limo-length Graco Quattro Tour Duo stroller is a h-i-t. She thinks it is very snazzy to have her very own cup holder and snack tray (inevitably filled to the rim with "jo-jos" - cheerios). We'll see if she still likes the stroller when it's shared with a new sibling.

She is also the proud owner of a new sandbox and water table for outdoor fun. Oh, and a popper lawn mower thingie and an inflatable pool. Brian asked me if it was Christmas already, to which I wittily retorted, "No". Gotta work on my comeback....

Sooooo baby deux is deux in 3 days!!! I am SO thankful to have made it this far - Gigi arrives tomorrow and all my anxiety of what to do with MM while I am in the hospy disappears. Hoooooray! Now that I'm so close I'm thinking that 06/07/08 would be a fabulous date to deliver - who could ever forget that birthdate? We shall see what happens! Can't wait to find out if it's a boy or girl.

Mr. Crabby makes me happy!

Kickin' it in my bloomers & Crocs

Summertime and the livin's easy!

Here ya go, Em.....

2008-05-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

38 weeks and counting....hoping Lime stays put until Gigi gets here on June 3rd. Otherwise MM will be kickin' it in the delivery room with us - what a relaxing experience that would be for all involved!!

Why didn't I think of this??

2008-05-21T14:23:00.000-07:00

Perk & Play is a coffee shop a few miles away that is the most fantastically wise business I have heard of in a while!! It has kids toys and activities in each corner of the room, allowing kids to frolic and moms to load up on highly caffeinated beverages. They also have delightfully yummy grown-up vittles like croissants and crepes and healthy kid options such as fruit smoothies and grapes. I've been there twice already and as soon as MM wakes up from her nap am headed over to meet some friends. It is f-u-n as a kitten in a paper bag!
http://www.pandpcoffee.com/

Props to Katie B.!!

2008-05-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

For introducing me to this fabo time-saver, Google Reader! To plagiarize its website description, "Google Reader constantly checks your favorite news sites and blogs for new content. It shows all of your favorite sites in one convenient place."

Translation: I will no longer spend endless seconds clicking individual bookmarks to check for website updates. I can keep up with Momma, EBH, Katie B, the Skaggs fam and many others in one spot. If I were not boycotting Perez Hilton for being a generally nasty and mean human being I could keep up with him there as well. But I won't. Hooray!

Gerber girl

2008-05-13T14:58:00.001-07:00

Buyers beware!

2008-05-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

FOUR TIMES in the past week I have been mischarged for various purchases and had to go back and argue for my just ducats. The offenders:

1) Linens & Things: I had a coupon for 20% off my entire purchase and was only given 20% off one item. 15 minutes and 1 store later, I finally thought to check my receipt and had to go back to LNT to garner my just due. On the plus side, I finally have a bundt cake pan and can make Mamalynn's pound cake!!

2) Gymboree: Overcharged me $4.00 for a pair of leggings. They are adorable little pink leggings festooned with ice cream cones so in terms of cuteness, definitely worth the extra $4.....but I got it back.

3) Target (yes, I just finished praising and now I must discipline them): failed to use my $2 off coupon.

4) Fancy-schmancy men's salon: I gave B some manly beauty treatments for his bday and they charged him $18 more than was quoted on their website. Just got off the phone with them and got a credit.

I feel like I've been fighting merchants for weeks now!!

Sooooo, all this to say: check your receipts, friends!! The fleecing of America is happening right under your very nose.

Hoo-ray for Tar-jay

2008-05-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

I have recently scored two victorious purchases at everyone's favorite red bullseye-representin' store. We have been needing a mirror for our half bath since the previous owners shimmied away with the one that was in there when we saw the house (we were granted a very not-so-generous $200 for the mirror and a giant shelving unit that they also took from the basement). I truly looked uvverywhere for a not-boring, hip but not too spendy reflective surface to no avail....until I stumbled upon one in Target, of all places! It is so fab - who would have thought?? So points to Target for style and saving me lots of ching!

I had also been searching high and low for a white 8x8 frame for a print I have for MM's room. Well who knew that a white 8x8 frame is more rare than a Suri Cruise sighting?? I drove all over town looking for this holy grail of framing and with gas at $3.86/gallon and MM at a 1-hour-until-meltdown errand limit, this time was very valuable indeed. Finally, Target came through again. I would have spent $1,000 for the flippin' frame by the time I finally found it but I saved roughly $984 by purchasing at Target!

Sidenote: during my mirror discovery trip I was chatted up by a lady who noted that I am hugely pregnant and wanted to bond over her with-child status. She was 7 weeks pregnant with twins and shopping for maternity clothes (!). She was roughly a size 0 and I kinda wanted to stomp on her for being so little. People stop me daily and say, "Are you having twins?" I want to stomp them also.

Whoops, I lost focus there for a second - yayyyyy Target!!!!

Happy Birthday to youuuuuu!!!

2008-05-07T08:18:00.000-07:00

Today is my sweet B's day of birth....sadly for me it occurs 4.5 months after mine, a fact which he will never let me forget. We are celebrating with a steak din-din and cheesecake at Chez Kuck tonight. I have presents to wrap, a Whole Foods run to make, and a cheesecake to whip up. Oh, and a 15-month old to entertain all the while. Should be a wacky Wednesday!!

Happy Spring??

2008-05-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

5/1/08: Chilly tulips in the front yard

View from the backyard this a.m.

Dear God,

Really?? It's May 1st. Shouldn't the snow have ended by now? Of course, I didn't create the heavens and the Earth like you did so I really don't have any authority....I was just thinking that maybe winter should be over by now.

Love,
Me

Hubba-Bubba

2008-05-01T08:52:00.001-07:00

So I bought MM a cup with a straw, hoping it would encourage her to drink more calcium-rich milky goodness. It has had quite the opposite effect, as you will see below.

I am becoming one of "those moms" who let their children do naughty things just because they are so cute when doing it. I must nip this in the bud one of these days!

What are these colorful items popping from the ground??

2008-04-24T18:16:00.001-07:00

This was my reaction upon seeing flowering buds blooming in our yard. I have only seen such displays in Better Homes & Gardens mag. Now to see if I can keep them alive....here are actual pics from our actual yard:

Yay for the new pediatrician!!

2008-04-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

So today was the first visit to our new pediatrician's office and it is fab (well, I mean as fab as a pediatrician's office can be)!! I heart our old pediatrician in Houston but the office here is much cleaner, more modern and efficient. The waiting room had literally zero people in it (Houston ped's waiting room looked like the ER at a public hospital....shudder), the exam room was big so MM could roam around while we waited for the dr., the equipment was much newer (she had never had her bp taken until today!) and the exam much more thorough. PLUS it's literally 3 blocks from my house so when the new baby comes we can stroll on up to the office....much easier than hauling 2 kids in the car!

So according to her stats MM is a strapping young lass:
23 lbs, 10 oz. (65th percentile)
32.25" tall (92nd percentile)
18.5" head circumference (75th percentile)

I didn't realize she was tall for her age until she was playing with two 24-month olds at the park and she was the same height. Suuuupermodel (disclaimer: I aspire for her to be much more than a mannequin....but the money she would send to her parents would be swell!)!!

Oh, and the dr. laughed at her long back hairs....poor little monkey girl! He was trying to pull them off her, thinking it was my hair - and he was like, "Oh, they're attached!" Her daddy hopes it stays put so it will scare away the boys later on.

A vast improvement!!

2008-04-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

So I went to my first book club meeting last night and was thrilled to find that the other 6 attendees were not total freakshows! A few of them, dare I say it, might even be counted among my friends some day (lucky devils). Hopefully I will be able to make next month's meeting, barring early labor, and continue to enjoy the group. For next month we are reading The Road....I'm not too sure about that one. It's a far cry from my Houston BC's book selections, which included such hard-hitting novels as Hypocrite In a Pouffy White Dress and Bitter Is the New Black. Ha! Miss you girls!!

The weather continues to be sublime, high of 80 today and cloudless, sunny skies. It is very foreign to be outside in such conditions and not to sweat. Oh humidity, how I don't miss thee!! Friday it's supposed to snow. The weather here has more swings than a playground!

In the words of Tigger the bouncy tiger, TTFN!!

An assortment of thoughts....

2008-04-16T09:25:00.001-07:00

Nothing too earth-shattering has been going on here so I haven't posted anything. I will try to come up with some witty and entertaining observations though....

We went to Breckenridge last weekend with our friends the Ramsden-Woods. Upon returning to our house we commented how nice it was to be home. Then we stopped and thought, "Wow, this house really does feel like home now!" Denver itself doesn't so much, but cozy Ivy Street does. Weird.
I have a cleaning lady! She is like the Mary Poppins of cleaning and is a dusting & sparkling machine! I want her to come every day. Brian does not think that fits the budget. Pooh.
We have our first babysitter coming this Friday, hooooooly cow we are excited to go out just the two of us! We haven't done so since Gigi was here and we went all the way down the road a few blocks for some Mexican/Italian fare. We're going here for dinner, the reviews say it's a hip place....we will clearly fit in like nobody's bidness.
Last weekend I had a mini-freakout that nothing was prepared for baby #2 and that MM's room was still painted blue and un-cute. So B was kind enough to defuse my meltdown by suggesting a trip to Babies 'R Us and Home Depot for supplies. We got lots of stuff and MM had a blast at both places. Crawling under and through the furniture at BRU and gathering leaves and spinning on the dolly at HD were particularly entertaining pursuits for her.
Inexpensive play clothes for MM are a must these days. Since the weather is so lovely we go outside multiple times per day. MM usually requires a clothing change after each trip; for some reason the lush green grass holds less allure to her than dirt, flowerbeds and/or trash on the ground. Yesterday she had 3 costume changes....oh the laundry that awaits me today!
Our sweet neighbors invited us for dinner this weekend. They are great.
B and I have been surprised by how much we miss Houston. Anytime we wax nostalgic we try to focus on the heinous heat and the fact that A/C is akin to oxygen there. A related story: it was hot here on Monday (75 degrees) and I turned on the A/C. B said, "Why don't you just open the windows and turn on the fans?" This was a totally foreign concept to me - open the windows?? But I did it and alas, there was a lovely breeze flowing through the house which cooled it right down! Huh, who woulda thought?
I joined a book club and my first meeting is next Tuesday. We are reading the Tender Bar which I like very much so far. Like the freakish mom's group (see previous post), I found this group online and have never met any of the ladies. I have high hopes though, but not high enough to expect the group to be as radically awesome as my Houston book club. Miss you girls!
I have another MOPS meeting on Friday which I am looking forward to.
I am giving birth in 7 weeks, give or take a week. Holy Moses!

If you ain't learnin' you ain't livin'

2008-04-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

Case in point: here I've been living all my 29 years (ahem) thinking that Starbucks was a necessary but mediocre caffeine fix treat when today this assumption was turned on its proverbial head!! This morning I treated myself to a lil Starbucks visit (Colorado & 8th for those of you who want to visit the mecca of java goodness) and had the most sublime venti skinny vanilla latte and blueberry scone known to man!! Who knew that my local Houston Starbucks on Bellaire & Stella Link had been robbing me of my full caffeine buzz potential for all these years? My order was so expertly prepared that I even left a $1.11 tip (the $.11 was my change so I very generously tipped it into the jar) which I never ever do (sorry baristas of my past).

OK, I will stop going on & on about this little blip on the radar screen on my life. Sometimes it's just the simple things in life, you know?

Mayday

2008-04-05T21:01:00.000-07:00

The above title for this post describes my night in one succinct word.

When you're the new girl in town you have to put yourself out there, be unusually outgoing and try to make friends & influence people. I am much more comfortable resting on my laurels with my gaggle of girlfriends; unfortunately this is impossible to do in Denver as my "gaggle" is more like a single person (thank you Lady R-W!). Therefore I have been led to join several moms' groups here in an effort to find some wicked chicks to hang out with. So far MOPS is tops, I have attended two meetings and met a great group of ladies who I have a lot in common with.

Tonight I hosted a "game night" at my house for another mom's group, one which I had never attended before and thus had no idea the population I would be spending my evening with. Suffice it to say that I will be removing the group webpage from my list of bookmarks. Yowch. Topics for discussion this evening included home births, prior divorces, transgender family members, and gambling. One of the ladies named each of her children after rocks; the eldest goes by the snappy moniker Obsidian. I was dying inside the entire time, longing for the evening to be over so I could hibernate under the covers and forget all about the madness.

On the bright side at least I have weeded out one group from my list, leaving room for some other lucky gaggle! Onward, ho!

Nerd herd reunion

2008-03-31T14:20:00.000-07:00

Banny, are you checking?? I am totally testing you....

Teething BITES!! (haha, funny pun!)

2008-03-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

With 10 teeth having made their appearance with little fanfare we thought we were home-free in the teething department. Wrong. MM's bottom two molars are flying in and boy are her lungs tired (from crying....another funny joke on my part if I do say so myself)!! I usually reserve TV for fussy times and am finding those blasted Teletubbies up on the screen almost every day now. Oy. MM is surviving on a steady diet of Tylenol, Motrin, and Orajel and mommy is surviving on a steady diet of prayers, chai tea, and diet coke.

Our dainty little flower

2008-03-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

So our girl has uttered her first word (besides "Mama", which is mostly reserved for when she's crying and whiny and holding onto my pants leg while I'm trying to cook dinner)!! We kept waiting and waiting, knowing that when it came it would surely be a noun describing one of her obsessions, such as ball, light, puppy, flower, or perhaps Teletubbies if she were really trying to impress. However, when the big day came the word was............truck.

Yes, truck. I think she knew that her daddy was secretly pulling for a boy until she came along, and that he has always harbored a fixation on construction vehicles of every description. He read her "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel" when she was in-utero. She has him wrapped around her finger and knows how to keep him that way!

Work with me here, people!!

2008-03-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

Those of you that know me well know that I am a library nerd. I love it. I loved going as a kid with my mom (I totally rocked the Frog & Toad series), researching papers there as a teen in the pre-Internet days, procrastinating there in college, and now as an adult the love affair has continued. I reserve many many books at once and when they all come in at the same time I get all compulsive and read them all quickly so I can return them by their due date. I try not to incur fines and when I do, I pay them in a timely fashion. I haven't bought a book other than ones for MM and gifts in many many eons because of my friendly local 'brary.

The West University library was shangri-la for a library dork like me. MM and I went to story time with Miss Libby the children's librarian, played there on rainy or hot days, and generally acted like we owned the darn place. The children's section is fab, with bean bag chairs, stuffed animals, blocks, and a general "party like a toddler" atmosphere. Oh yeah, there are books there too :)

In contrast, my experience with the local library here in Denver has been very disappointing. A while back I posted about my first visit there and how it felt dirty and yuck. Well, I tried to return on Friday only to find that it was closed.....um, closed, on a Friday? Whatever. So I went back today (Monday) to try again and TA-DA, it was closed in observance of César Chávez Day?? OK, OK, so he was a good man who did great work (I only learned this from Wikipedia just now) and apparently Colorado is one of eight states that observes this illustrious holiday. But seriously folks, I need a new book.

I think I will try the Park Hill or Cherry Creek libraries next. The Lowry locale just isn't cutting it for me. Oh how I miss thee, West University Library!!

Bookworm loser, out!!

A good practice

2008-03-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

People in Denver tend to take their shoes off upon entering your house. Not only does it make me feel a little exotic and Japanese, but it saves me lots of extra vacuuming and Swiffering efforts. I say hurrah for this practice, hurrah!!

Sidebar: How ever did people live in the pre-Swiffer days?

Happy Easter!!

2008-03-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

We had a great day, woke up to a little snow on the ground and had a busy day of Easter events. We went to church, had an Easter egg hunt on the back patio and met high school friend Sherrod and her lovely hubby Brian and punkin son Brady for brunch at Red Rocks. Brunch was so much fun and Red Rocks was beautiful - only 25 miles from our house and somewhere we definitely plan on visiting again for some hiking (easy for me please) and geological wonderment (on the part of B). The only things missing from the perfect Easter were some Peeps, Cadbury cream eggs and those delightful Russel Stover eggs....somehow I neglected to consider my own sugary treat needs in all the fun of planning for MM. Oh well, such is parenthood, I suppose.

Happy Easter, y'all!!

Lookie what the Easter Bunny brought me!!

I am the Egg Whisperer

Family pic at Red Rocks

Scoreboard

2008-03-20T13:22:00.001-07:00

Shopping: Draw (the Galleria and Cherry Creek have the same shops)
Location of shopping: Denver (a short 2 mile hop to CC)
Weather: Uh, need you ask?? And it's Denver in case you do....
Food: Too soon to call, although I suspect that Houston may win this gastronomic challenge
Accessibility of spirits: Houston, hands down. Wine and full-alcohol beer may be purchased in grocery stores and beverages are available after noon on Sunday.....in Denver you may purchase 3.2% beer in grocery stores but no wine. Also no alcoholic purchases on Sunday.
Outlook as a dog: Denver, the apparent dog and park capital of the world.
Lifestyle: Again, a no-brainer. Galveston Beach vs. Breckenridge. Heat stroke vs. not.
Neighborhoods: Houston. The neighborhoods in Denver are sort of a mixed bag as a whole. Even the very upscale 'hoods here often don't look so schmancy b/c the houses are old & small houses. In Houston if you're in a nice neighborhood you know it.....
Zoo: Houston. Went to the Denver zoo today which was nice but Houston wins this one.
Sports: I do not care but have heard that there are several sports teams here and that ice hockey is a huge deal. This is something I will have to acquire a taste for.
People: Hard to call....everyone has been very gracious & welcoming thus far, although it would be hard to beat the kindness of the Houston lot. And my Houston Book Club girls rocked the party.

Wow, I didn't even fix the results and the score is 4 Houston, 4 Denver, and 3 in the "dunno" column. Stay tuned as this neck-and-neck race continues!

Fun family outing

2008-03-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

Today the 3 Kucks (3.5 I guess) traipsed on over to Washington Park, a veritable pantheon of activity on a nice day. The weather was crisp and cool and MM had a ball doggy watching, squirrel chasing, and trash picking (she has quite an eye). After that we went to Bonnie Brae Ice Cream Shop and MM had her first itty bitty cone!! Mmmmmm......

Where'd that squirrel go??

Psychedellic slide!

Nothing like ice cream in the wintertime!!

Tonight I reunite with high school friend Sherrod for dinner as we reminisce about days
under Frank Adsit's soccer tutelage. What fun!

Gymboree & doctor

2008-03-13T14:16:00.001-07:00

Yesterday MM and I ventured out to a Gymboree class, which we had never experienced. It was a very fun environment with lots of climbing stuff but all MM wanted were the myriad balls scattered around the room. She was the only girl in a group of all boys, aged 12-15 months. At the end of the class the instructor recommended that one of the boys and MM join the next higher level class. I don't know what about playing with balls and ignoring all the other equipment made her think that MM was so advanced, but I took it as a sign of her obvious superior development. What a prodigy!

Today I had my first appointment with my new OB. It was a breath of fresh air to be with a small practice (just 3 doctors) where there was no wait, the doctor spent oodles of time chatting with me, and the bloodwork was all done in the office - no need to scurry downstairs to the lab like my Houston OB. The valet parking service took 30 seconds to pick and and retrieve my car and no parking fees. I heart my new doctor!!

Gigi left yesterday and the house has been very quiet. We miss her a lot but know she needs to be home with Granddaddy and I need to get back to reality, where I actually have to lift a finger once in a while. Today B's friend (and mine by adoption) from biz school, Sammy Z., is in town for the night before heading to the mountains for some snowshoeing tomorrow. It's so nahce to have a house that's large enough for guests to stay without it feeling like we are in cramped Army barracks. Next visitor is Amy B. at the end of the month and after that, whoever takes dibs!! Come one, come all!!

And lastly, a kind and not unreasonable request to my Book Club girls: please don't enjoy yourselves during tonight's meeting, the first since my moving. Only somber and mirthless discussion is acceptable.....

Update from Ivy St.

2008-03-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry no posts of late, I will try to include many details in this one to make up for everyone's supreme disappointment at no news in a week....

B has been working like a coal miner on crack so Gigi, MM and I have been having much girl time. We miss him but have been having a hoot & holler of a time. That Gigi is a workhorse and gets shiz DONE! Picture frames, books, vases, and knicknacks have been arranged, furniture moved, house vacuumed, dinners cooked, and even the new baby's clothes and blankets have been washed and stored away for June. We've enjoyed many stroller walks and exploration ventures around the neighborhood - we discovered lots of restaurants, a baby boutique, and cleaners within walking distance. Also the cutest park ever is just 3 blocks away and MM has had a ball playing there. The parks here are plentiful and huge - tons of green space for lil toddlers to explore along with playground stuff to frolic on. And puppy dogs are everywhere so MM falls in love multiple times per day and barks a lot too. Now if only she would say some human words.

More fun news - I found an adorable preschool for her to attend in the fall! She'll go two days/week and it really is the cutest place. Right across the street from Washington Park and a cozy little Christian school for the little bug to flourish within. I think she'll enjoy some time outta the house and away from her squalling new sibling...and Mommy can get stuff accomplished with only a newborn to tote around.

Last weekend MM and I attended the birthday party that a friend's friend invited us to. The party hostess was the sweetest thing and I hope we'll see lots more of each other. Also I'm hosting a stay-at-home mom's club meeting at our house in April so we'll see if there are any (lucky) potential friends in that bunch. Also in the plan is to attend library story hour and a couple of other mom's club meetings and try to flesh out some good gals. My friend Sherrod from high school lives in Littleton and we're planning to frolic soon too. Lots of fun potential!

And now, a random list of beauty products that I am appreciating (this one's for you, Sissy!):

Mistral Red Currant Grapefruit soap - smells soooooo good
Chi styling cream....my hair hair does sooo much better in this dry climate, by the by.
Olay Total Effects moisturizer
Lancome Juicy Tubes Jelly in beach plum
L'Oreal Bare Naturale Concealer

Until next time, friends!! Ta-ta!

Say again??

2008-03-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

This was my response when the Safeway lady informed me that wine is not sold in grocery stores in Denver. One must go to a liquor store to purchase the beverage of Bacchus. What kind of world are we living in?? B and Gigi drank Bud Light tonight.....

Not much to report....

2008-03-05T07:15:00.001-08:00

MM is crawling under the coffee table with her stuffed sheep, watching the Wiggles. We have TV!! The somewhat mentally inept Comcast dude couldn't figure out our system so we had to have the mack-daddy technician come and figure it out. We have one of those systems where the cable, DVR, computer modem, DVD, stereo, etc. are in a central room in the basement and everything is wired through there and operates via radio frequency. Does this make me sound smart? I have no idea what that means of if I'm using the correct terminology. Anyway, point being, the technician man came and set it all up yesterday and gave me a tutorial for the massive universal remote. Then he left and I immediately forgot how to work it. Had to call him for help right after he left. Technology is both a blessing and a curse!

Gigi arrives today! We are so excited to see her and play and drink wine (well, those of us in the household who aren't a. underage by 20 years, and b. with child). The weather has been wonky, it snowed last night and looks frosty outside today although I haven't ventured out yet. I went to one of my fave places on earth yesterday, the library, but I wasn't crazy about it. The childrens' section felt kinda dirty and there were older kids on all the computers playing computer games. There are 2 other libraries close by in nice neighborhoods so I'll try them out too. They all have story time for lil tots so we'll give 'er a try.

Ummmmm, a friend from high school who lives in Littleton invited us to Easter brunch at Red Rocks. I think it will be a really super pretty spot and a lovely way to celebrate this holiest of days. We were also invited to a friend of a friend's daughter's birthday party on Saturday which I thought was very nice as I have never met the woman, only communicated with her via email.

I also found MM a pediatrician which was a great relief. Still trying to find a preschool program for her in the summer/fall but think there is no chance this side of Jupiter that there will be a spot this late in the game. Might go the nanny route.....

So that is what little has been going on! We're 95% unpacked and settled so it's definitely feeling more like home. The only thing we're still missing is MM's favorite fridge farm set. Good thing another one can be hers for $15.00!

The Wiggles are singing a song that goes something like this, "Drink drink, drink some water, it's so good for you!" A lesson for all of us, methinks.

Snow angel

2008-03-02T18:45:00.000-08:00

MM experienced snow for the first time today! After she figured out how to move her arms and legs inside her puffy snowsuit (thanks Grandma & Grandpa!) she had a ball. Alas, it took 15 minutes to dress her and she was outside for all of 5. Good times, good times....

Snowy & sleepy

2008-03-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday it was 70 degrees and sunny and today is 28 and snowing like a maniac. So far March has come in like a lamb and then a lion. What to expect tomorrow?

I am sleepy because MM is still totally off her proverbial rocker with all the changes. She thought that 4 a.m. was an appropriate time to wake up this morning, this after a 45-minute sleep intermission from 9:30-10:15 p.m. I. Am. Tired. I can't wait till she gets back on schedule....there's not enough under-eye cream in the world to conceal the floofy pillows under my eyeballs.

I am learning many new things about our new city that I didn't know. One of them is that alternative lifestyles are more the mainstream than the alternative around here.....perhaps I am alternative here - doesn't that make me sound hip!? Everywhere else I've ever lived has had a designated gay part of town, but here gay couples are sprinkled everywhere like raisins in a hot cross bun. Also there are "Vote Obama" signs all over the land. One thing is clear: we are not in Texas any more!!

Not much more to report, almost all the boxes are empty but there's still lots of organization to be done. Unfortunately I have hit a bit of a wall and lack the motivation to deal with the odds and ends. Hmmm, perhaps if I had a Coke....

Gigi arrives on Wednesday for organizing & MM help and general merrymaking . Hurrah!

Does the Coca-Cola company deliver??

2008-02-29T13:45:00.000-08:00

I am in dire need of a Coke product: diet, with splenda, cherry, you name it, I will take it. It's the one thing I didn't buy at the store yesterday (which was a lovely experience, by the way). B didn't make coffee before he left for work this morning and I didn't feel like fiddling with it so no morning jolt for me. I have been a powerhouse of laundry, unpacking, and organizing all day and am whooped now and all my voluminous body wants is some cola. I wonder if the neighbors have any. Nah, that would e weird to ask.

Speaking of, our next door neighbor (her name is Gentry, how fabulous is that??) brought over some cookies yesterday - isn't that sweet? She brought her two boys with her and they couldn't have been nicer kids. The 13 year old said he would like to babysit this summer which might make me nervous but he really was nice and his mom would be just next door.....so a possibility if I need to zip out for a quick sec. They are Katrina evacuees who ended up staying and their house and ours were built by the same builder - her stepfather! Her house is lovely and has a nifty turret.

I have been online during MM's naps trying to network with other moms. Have emails out to several moms groups and am hopeful that my empty social calendar will fill up a bit with dates from them. We'll see! If anything MM and I can stroll about and make friends with the myriad dogs in the neighborhood. Again, that might be weird.....

Can't wait for B to come home from work and be here all weekend. It's been a long but productive 3 days home alone with MM and I could use some down time. Today was his "day off" but I'll let you guess how that went. He was up at 5 a.m. and is still at it as I type at 3 p.m.....did I mention he didn't leave me any coffee??

Two additional tips gleaned from today:

As with our glassware and china, we have waaaay too many toys for MM. If she is bored for one second of her life there is something wrong. Besides the mountain of toys she owns, she has the ever-entertaining me as a mother, after all.
Our adorable friend Verity from Scotland (hey y'all) emailed me a fab tip: save some of the packing paper as drawing paper for MM. Had I done this from the beginning she would have enough paper to sketch several trillion scenes. Will start saving some now.

That's all for today, I miss you my friends but am still excited for this fun adventure. Hugs all around!

Random thoughts from the trenches

2008-02-28T10:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was our first full day in the house!! It was madness & mayhem with me trying to unpack boxes while barring MM from the stairs, half-unpacked box contents, and various electrical cords hanging all over the place. Thankfully she took a shine to some ice cube trays, the Swiffer, and a bright orange traffic cone (Granddaddy is proud) so they kept her occupied for a little spot of time. She also loved watching the water feature outside, and during two brief forays outside (which had to be cut short as she was particularly attracted to wet mulch) met two neighbors and their dogs. We had about a zillion dog sightings but no stroller sightings. Hmmmm, where all the mamas be?

Since she is still so so totally off schedule from all the traveling, we were up at the ripe hour of 4 a.m. By 5 p.m. I was zonked off my rocker but there was still work to be done. Daddy had located a dandy car to buy so we had to pick him up from work and drive down to the dealer in Aurora. It's a great car and he has graciously given it to me as it is bigger than mine and has navigation and a DVD player for the rugrats. Poor B always gets the hand-me-down cars....I think it is karma from when he bought a BMW right out of college when he should have been buying an engagement ring for moi!

A few random thoughts gleaned from yesterday:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Paper (PETP) would be appalled at the amount of paper that movers use to pack items....granted, I'm happy that they do as our stuff didn't arrive all mangled but still - save the trees, people!
I should not be left at home to deal with the Comcast dude who is setting up the phone, TV, and internet. I do not speak his language. I do not understand what he is talking about. I have to put him on the phone with B to work things out. I tried, I really tried, to listen to him and his explanation for why blah blah blah didn't fit the blah blah blah but it dissolved into the air between us. I am sooo not a techie.
The washer/dryer hookup man assured me that people in Denver say "y'all". He is from New Mexico and he says y'all. Shout out to JT the washer/dryer fella!
I do not do well with disorder. I am trying to fend off feelings of freak-out at all the piles and boxes and mess everywhere. Thank goodness that Gigi is coming next Wed. to help restore order to our lives!
We have an insane amount of glassware and china. Insane. Apparently when I registered for our wedding (because really now, what did B have to do with it) I fancied myself a great hostess like Jackie O. when I am really more like Rachel Ray (minus the irritating mannerisms, loud mouth, and grating accent....hopefully you all will agree). I have no idea where all this stuff is going to go.
It's no wonder settler women could build a log cabin, skin & cook a deer, weave a warm blanket, and tend to their 15 children all in one day....with no Internet, TV, or phone to distract you it's easy to get lots done. Let it be known that I am thrilled to have these three luxuries back in my life today!
Central vacuum systems are the bomb, especially when you spill a trillion Cheerios all over the floor.
Boston Market rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, and cornbread tastes fantastic after a week of hotel & fast food. Thanks for picking up dinner last night, B! Oh, and for the car :)

MM is napping now as I type this. Well, more accurately she is crying in her pack 'n play as I anticipate the cries transforming to snores momentarily. After I type this up I will tackle another box. Then when she wakes up, off to the grocery store for the first time in Denver! I haaaaate grocery shopping, and multiply that abhorrence by 10 if I'm a) hauling MM along with me, b) shopping in an unfamiliar grocery store where I can't find anything, c) have a ton to buy as we have not a speck of food or d) very tired from lack of sleep, unpacking of boxes, and 6 months of being pregnant. Hmmmm, all signs point to a great shopping trip!

Hooray, no more cries from upstairs. Ta-ta for now!

Retraction....

2008-02-26T09:49:00.001-08:00

Wal-Mart is actually 4 miles away....which is okay since the clientèle can be kinda scary.

Found out there's a Right Start 2 miles away too - score one for overpriced baby gear!

Yay for urban living

2008-02-26T06:46:00.000-08:00

Still in the hotel room, the closing went swimmingly yesterday and the sellers could not have been more dear. I want them to be my best friends. They cleaned the house top to bottom in preparation for its new owners (that would be us) and even compiled a huge notebook for us with owners manuals, handy tips (garbage & recycling days, repairmen names, etc.), and a list of all the paint colors in the house (there are 18 different colors, holy Benjamin Moore!). They even left us a sweet note and bottle of champagne in the fridge. How completely precious is that??

The movers arrive today, B is handling all that jazz as I will stay behind at the hotel with MM. He is all excited and can't wait to arrange furniture....so not my thing.

So as to the title of this post, I was looking on Mapquest to figure out where stuff is in the new 'hood (very handy, you can look up locations by category, ie: grocery store, department store, churches, etc.) and discovered that there are 3 grocery stores within one mile and a Wal-Mart and Target within 2 miles of our house!! Then there's the Cherry Creek shopping area with Macy's, Neiman's, Saks, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, and about a zillion other shops 2 miles away. I was totally spoiled in Houston, with everything I needed right inside "the bubble" (the Galleria was a haul for me and that was only a few miles) and am so excited to find that it'll be the same way here.

What was I saying before about being able to live the pared down existence with few material posessions? Scratch that.....

The eagles (and eaglet) have landed

2008-02-25T04:44:00.000-08:00

We're here!! After a relatively calm day of last-minute trash removal, fridge cleaning, and more leaf & rock gathering on the part of MM, we departed Houston at 2:17 p.m. Our sweet Shalin drove us to the airport and I descended into an other "ugly cry" upon saying goodbye to him. Our trip was uneventful (besides the old hag who kept shooting us dirty looks whenever MM kicked the back of her seat) and we arrived at our hotel in Denver at about 6:30. Oh, and I was encouraged by some very friendly interactions with natives at the airport. One of them gave me a victory arm pump in the air when I told him we were moving here and said, "You picked a great state!" What a kind and proud Coloradoan!

The reality and sadness of leaving Houston finally hit me as I was walking through the empty house yesterday. Every spot reminded me of MM: where her bassinet was when she was a lil baby, her favorite "spying on the neighbors and neighborhood puppies and cats" windows, the cabinets that she incessantly opens and closes, the stairs she loves to climb, the cowboy light switchplate that she flicks on and off after her bath at night. I hope she likes her new home as much....guess we'll see!!

We close on the house today and our stuff is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Amidst all the chaos it's nice to be in this comfy hotel where MM has her own room and the bed doesn't require inflation.

The adventure begins! Hugs to all from Colorado!

My kinda camping

2008-02-23T08:37:00.000-08:00

This will be short as I am typing on B's eensy-weensy Blackberry keypad with my chubby-stubby thumbs. The house is cleared out and the truck is en route to Denver! Yesterday was actually great. MM slept in, we got kolaches for breakfast, I had coffee with Momma/Mammaw and Pam/Meemaw, wore makeup and tailored-for-the-bump clothes, the movers cleared stuff out quickly, and it was a gorgeous day which MM spent mostly outside, honing her magnolia leaf gathering skills.

When the movers left at about 4:00, B vacuumed and Swiffered the house so it is a lovely, clean cavernous space in which to camp out. We have paper plates and cups, plastic utensils, a borrowed aerobed from the neighbors, and folding chairs from the Shahs. MM is having a ball running unfettered through the empty rooms and listening to her little voice echo.

This experience makes me think I could be one of those hippie types who sell all their posessions and live with boxes as furniture. Those of you who know me are guffawing right now but it is lovely just to be pared down to the bare essentials. Note that I have been living this way for all of 17 hours...

Did I say this was going to be short? B is off getting a haircut and MM is slumbering in her pack 'n play so I guess it's either type this or read (easy choice as I am reading a freakish book from Gigi...note to all not to read One Thousand White Women).

Love to all, we're on a plane tomorrow! Very surreal but exciting. Weather is sublime here again today; it would be easier to leave if it were June!

Bleh

2008-02-21T16:13:00.001-08:00

Just....bleh. It's how I feel after waking up at 5 a.m. to a still off-schedule-from-all-the-travelling baby and enduring 8 hours of movers in our house....on a rainy day....thus MM had nowhere to play indoors or out. We took a trip to the library, which she luved, and a quick one to the park until the sky started tinkling on our heads. The rest of the day was spent keeping her restrained in her high chair, pack 'n play, and a particularly long-for-her stretch of watching a Baby Einstein DVD (she almost made it the entire 30 minutes until she became Miss Squirm-A-Lot). Can I say bleh again? I'm unshowered, have no makeup on, my hair is doing a weird flippy thing, and I had on ill-fitting maternity clothes all day. Lama does not feel like a hot mama.

Thankfully the movers were great and a pleasure to be around. All our stuff is packed and ready to go on the truck tomorrow to its final destination. Our house (well, technically Churchill Homes' house now) is a maze of boxes, blanket-wrapped furniture, and some astonishingly frightening dust bunnies. MM seems unfazed by all the madness somehow. What a little neener.

Just ate some cereal out of a plastic cup and am off to shower & make-up myself for my last (boohoo) Book Club meeting tonight. Don't know if I'm more excited to look presentable for the first time today, to see my BC homegirls, or to eat some good vittles. Must I choose?

Tomorrow will be another crazy one, hopefully it won't rain again and we can borrow some folding chairs from a kind friend so we will have something to sit upon in our empty house.

Adventures in Moving indeed!

Beloved Betty

2008-02-20T05:36:00.001-08:00

Last night B and I went out to dinner and had our precious Miss Betty babysit for the last time. She is the only non-family member we have ever left MM with and is the most loving, kind, trustworthy person we could ever ask for to watch over our baby girl. It was so sad to say goodbye to her and she insisted on giving MM one last kiss before she left....meaning we had to wake MM from her slumbering state, but for once I didn't mind.

I hope we can find someone as wonderful to babysit in Denver. Having someone who you trust completely is such peace of mind....and when I have two babies come June it will be even more essential. It'll be hard to fill Miss Betty's shoes but I'll try my hardest to find someone!

Another shout-out to Solo, who first hooked me up with Betty. Looks like I owe you one, missy!

Processing my emotions

2008-02-18T11:08:00.000-08:00

Why I'm sad to leave Houston:

Friends, friends, friends
A subset of friends, my book club.....where inappropriate discussion and gluttonous wine consumption reign (we will throw dukes over the Ashby High Rise debate)!
Houston was our first home after we were married, where we experienced the "salad years" of B's grad school studies, and where our first baby, sweet MM, was born.
We will miss our wonderful church and family at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
I adore MM's pediatrician, Dr. Wanebo. She is the bomb of baby doctors!
Our neighborhood is so family oriented, where there is always a puppy dog, stroller, or kitty cat walking by to entertain MM at her favorite gazing spot by the window
Within one mile of our house there are 4 grocery stores, the YMCA, library, Starbucks, CVS, and the McCartney's and Shah's abodes
The park is 5 blocks away, home of B's & MM's favorite green swing
People are super friendly here and they say "y'all" (people might laugh and point when I say "y'all" in Denver)
There is no Rodeo in Denver....how I will miss fried Twinkies and giant turkey legs
Three syllables: kolaches
I don't know a cotton-picking thing about Denver, while I know my way pretty well around Houston and where most everything is

Why I'm excited to move:

The opportunity to be outside for more than 2 minutes in the summer without risking heat stroke
Our new house is spiffy and doesn't have the elderly home issues that we currently have (oh how precious insulation and windows installed after WWII will be).
There are no roaches in Denver (adios, las cucarachas!). I have never lived anywhere that didn't boast roaches as one of the state pests....
It'll be an adventure and possibly our only chance to live somewhere besides Houston (B is an oil dude).
If we ever return to Houston at least baby Lime will be able to buy one of those bumper stickers that says, "I wasn't born in Texas but I got here as quick as I could" (insert eye roll here)
I'm looking forward to making some new friends and hopefully creating a Denver chapter of Book Club....I will have to create an interview that quizzes applicants on their celeb gossip knowledge and that requires at least one member to have no fewer than 3 Christmas trees in their house during the holidays
When I'm done birthin' this baby maybe we can go skiing next season...and only have to drive an hour away to do it
I think our friends & family will actually visit us there, versus if we were moving to Antlers, Oklahoma (this city does actually exist and no offense to the Antlerites out there)
If you say it really fast, our new zip code sounds like 90210 (80220). Hellooooo Brandon Walsh!!

I'm sure I'll think of more to add but for now that's my stream of consciousness. I've always been a list-maker....my favorites are to-do lists where I get to cross items out as I do them. So appeals to my compulsive side!

The P-A-D

2008-02-17T18:08:00.001-08:00

I realize that 3 posts in a row is obnoxious but B thought it was a marvy idea to post a pic of our Denver house....that way you all will know where you're gonna come visit! :)

Sweetest friends ever

2008-02-17T17:35:00.001-08:00

As we ponder this whole "uproot your life as you know it and start all over again" situation we of course are waxing nostalgic on all the wonderful friends we have made in Houston. We have truly been blessed with the most caring, fun and supportive friends here. We only hope that we find people half as special to us in Denver.

Our precious and dear friends the Funks, McCartneys, and Shahs hosted a lovely going-away party for us today at the McC's house. It was so moving to be surrounded by so many people who, as B said, "have made Houston home". I even went into the "ugly Oprah cry" at one point when Shalin and Billy offered a sweet toast to us. We will miss everyone and hope that they take us up on our offer to come visit any ole time!

Will post some pics when I have them....

First post

2008-02-17T17:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I am not the blogging type, more the "stalk others' blogs" type, but my beloved Solo convinced me to start this here blog documenting the boring details of our move to Denver. At least I know she will read it (so she says). Shout out to Solo, aka Spike, aka phantom PS gum chomper!!

The movers show up this Thursday, depart with our stuff on Friday, and we camp out in our empty sad house until Sunday, when we fly on out to our new 'hood in the Rockies. We close on our house on Monday and our stuff is supposed to arrive on Tuesday. Read: this will be a ridiculously crazy next week or so. If only I could rely on the stress-reducing benefits of alcohol things might be tolerable. Guess I will have to rely on my sanity.....oh what a weak safety net to be clutching!

Will update more if anything interesting happens or if I have any profound thoughts. Another read: don't hold your breath! :)