West Philly Mama

Spanish/English Hybrids: Coopee Kikos Mystery Solved

2012-01-30T22:41:00.001-05:00

This is the face you get when you ask him to smile

I'm sure you were all losing sleep over this, so I wanted to fill everyone in ASAP. A few posts back I mentioned that Leo says "coopee kikos" after meals, when he burps, or when he's trying to get by someone that is in his way. Basically any time "excuse me" would be appropriate - so "coopee" made sense, but we were completely stumped as to what "kikos" meant.

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Quarantine

2012-01-28T20:11:00.001-05:00

We just finished a week of self-imposed quarantine because our house was hit with a stomach bug. It was equal parts awful and not-so-bad. I won't go into detail of the less fun aspects - as I'm sure most are familiar with the downsides of the stomach flu.

On the bright side, though, Leo and I got some serious cuddles in. He was thrilled by the fact that he could watch tv everyday and eat as much cereal as his little heart desired.

I wouldn't jump at the chance to go through it again, but in the grand scheme of things it was bearable.

Today we ventured out into the unseasonably warm weather to celebrate an impending new addition to a family we are close with. (So awesome to have friends expecting around the same time as us!)

Hopefully this week we can get out and about and back on top of life. Thanks so much to those that were brave enough to visit us during our lonely week :) we surely would have gone stir crazy otherwise!

Junebug Update: 18 Weeks

2012-01-19T09:49:00.003-05:00

This pregnancy has been so very different from the first time around. Aside from being significantly sicker during the first trimester, I've also been much more tired. I may have Leo to thank for that - he is full of energy, that kid. I have been napping with him every day, which helps a lot. A few times I've tried to resist napping and 45 minutes into his nap I'm struggling to keep my eyes open, so I still end up napping, just for a shorter amount of time. I've learned not to do that anymore.

We've begun calling this little one "bug" (you might recall we called Leo "monkey" in utero) partly because of the Junebug-ness and also because several times during the first trimester I was SURE I had caught some kind of stomach bug because "there is no way a tiny baby is making me this sick!"

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20 Months

2012-01-18T09:02:00.002-05:00

Twenty months seems so old - for a baby. It feels like "almost two" more than "one and a half". So what's new?

His language is still growing by leaps and bounds. He's stringing together words and ideas. He pops up with words that I don't recall teaching him or only saying in front of him one or two times. He is speaking more and more clearly - which is great for our comprehension, but sad for me because it's like he's shedding his babyhood. Kecko is becoming Queso. Fort is becoming Horse.

West Philly Review: Honest Tom's Taco Shop

2012-01-16T08:46:00.003-05:00

The beloved Honest Tom's Taco truck has a new(ish) storefront on 44th St. between Locust and Spruce. Leo, Uncle Julian and I stopped by for a late lunch the other day since I'd never been able to pin down the truck and have been wanting to try their tacos since we first moved to Philly.

Honest Tom's Taco Shop can be found in an unmarked small, orange gingerbread-house looking building. There's not a ton of seating - some counter seating and one four person table, but I imagine they do a lot of take-out business. It was a cozy and clean space and the staff was friendly.

What I loved:

They take credit cards!
The sweet potato taco - DELICIOUS and a big hit with my toddler
The fact that guacamole and pico de gallo are included. Nothing worse that having to pay an extra $1 for a little guac.
They carry Mexican Coke! In addition to the superior taste - it also is (usually) sweetened with cane sugar rather than high-fructose corn syrup. Still not a health food, but a nice treat.

They mentioned that they were going to add fish tacos to the menu in the Spring and I've heard great things about the breakfast tacos. All in all our experience was good and I'll definitely be back for more sweet potato tacos.

2011 Recap

2012-01-07T23:43:00.000-05:00

We've got another great year under our belt. A lot has happened - parenting has kept us on our toes and taught us plenty of lessons. All the efforts we've been putting into parenting and creating traditions has begun to show as Leo is starting to really "get" the specialness of holidays, trips, and time with family. Here are some of the major milestones of this past year:

Leo turned one year and had an awesome picnic birthday party
Leo had a lot of major firsts: first steps, first words, first potty
We conceived our June Bug
Three of jb's brothers got an apartment together just a few short blocks away
Leo and I went to Mexico TWICE - and jb even joined us for a week!
We spent a couple days in Harrisburg for a march/rally that jb helped organize
We accompanied jb on a work trip to DC (and Leo went to the zoo for the first time)
Leo's first (and SECOND) trip to the ocean
jb started a new job
jb and I have enjoyed several date evenings (but no overnights) away from Leo. Each time he has stayed with family.
jb and I celebrated a decade together

And next? We are on the verge of another major life change as we prepare to welcome a second baby into our family. We are about to go from having a baby - to having KIDS. Plural. Whoa.

I'm feeling really good about life. Past, present and future. Here's hoping we can stay on this path and that more good stuff is coming our way.

Here are the recaps from 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007.

Naranja Dulce, Limon Partido: Toddler Affection/Aggression

2011-12-27T22:07:00.000-05:00

There is a rhyme/song in Spanish that goes: Naranja dulce, Limón partido. Dame un abrazo, que yo te pido. A rough translation would be: Sweet Orange, sliced Lemon. Give me a hug, that I ask of you.

Leo loves this rhyme and no matter what he's doing if I begin to sing it he will run over to me and give me a big hug. Needless to say, I sing it often because I can't get enough toddler hugs and kisses.

Luckily, Leo is full of love these days and is eager to cuddle most of the time. He even asks for "kickes" (kisses) and will point to part of his face that he wants us to kiss. I'm making sure to soak up every moment of this affection.

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Handmade Holidays: Toddler Crafts

2011-12-26T12:30:00.004-05:00

We really wanted Leo to feel invested in the gifts he was giving to family members. So in addition to joining us for holiday shopping and giving input on picking out presents (which makes it take 10 times as long), we also tried to make some gifts at home that he could take ownership of.

The most successful of these attempts was our salt dough ornament project. jb helped Leo mix, roll out and cut out the dough. They used a basic recipe (1 cup flour, 1/2 salt, 1 cup water) and added a bunch of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice) to make them fragrant. jb baked them during Leo's nap and Leo and I took it from there.

Once they were cool they were hard as rocks - which was the intent, since it would be great if they could last for years to come. I gave them to Leo along with an assortment of crayons. At first he wasn't sure about coloring on them, but after I demonstrated a bit he LOVED it. Seriously, this kept him busy for over an hour. That's like a year in toddler time.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T17:52:00.000-05:00

We are celebrating Christmas at my parents' home today. I hope you are all warm and surrounded by loved ones whether you celebrate today or not.

Here is a little snippet of our day. The Christmas morning parade. Perhaps we are failing at our efforts to deemphasize the "gifts" component of the holiday.

First Trimester + Todder = Not Easy

2011-12-15T21:49:00.001-05:00

I didn't want to write this sooner because feeling the way I did I knew I was in danger of crossing the line from slightly whiny to ungrateful complaining PITA. Hopefully, now that I'm feeling significantly better I can stay just this side of that line. That said - Holy Cow! I do not remember it being this rough the first time around.

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June Bug

2011-12-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

Thank you for all the comment love :) I was sure that when I returned to this neglected space I'd be met with tumbleweeds. It made me very happy to be received with such a hearty welcome back.

So what's been going on these last few weeks?

Well my computer crashed and deleted all my files - so that complicated blogging a bit. (If you are in Philly and having computer problems you should check out Philly Tech Help - he fixed mine for a bargain, in 24 hrs, and picked it up and dropped it off at no charge.)

But the main reason I've been MIA is that I've been feeling under the weather. For the last few weeks I've been fighting the urge to toss my cookies - but I don't mind too much because it's for a very good reason.

18 Months: A Year and A Half!!!

2011-12-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

I know, I know. Sorry. Thanks for sticking through.

Anyway...
18 months!!! (about three weeks ago...)

Language: He's consistently stringing words together. (mama hold it (means he wants me to hold him), purple car zoom) He's also grasping concepts like later/wait/in a minute. He asked for a cookie and I told him it wasn't time for cookies so he asked me, "minute?" He's also getting that there are two different languages in our home - he will translate a word for jb, or even for me if I'm not getting it fast enough.

Affection: He went through a phase of being really stingy with his kisses and hugs - which broke my heart. But lately, as long as I make a big deal about how happy they make me he is back to being a generous kisser :)

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Home Safe and Sound

2011-11-16T19:03:00.000-05:00

We've been back home in Philly for almost a week now and the truth is we aren't even unpacked yet - so no surprise that I'm behind on updating here. I have at least one more post I want to write about the Mexico trip and Leo turns 18 months today (a year and a half - holy smokes) so I need to crank out that update as well.

In the meantime, you should check out so the me posts I have up over at Cafe Mom! I'm really excited that they are featuring my writing. I'd super-duper love it if you could leave me a comment over there (you do need to create a cafe mom account to leave comments) and let me know you visited. Thanks!

Scenes from Cuernavaca

2011-11-06T22:42:00.001-05:00

We've mostly been staying close to home - our house is in Cuernavaca, Morelos - which has fantastic weather year - round, so we are enjoying time outside, the food, and catching up with family and friends. Our days are packed and our internet is spotty - but here are a few highlights:

"swimming" in the front yard

Dia De Los Muertos: Las Ofrendas de Ocotepec

2011-11-02T22:12:00.001-04:00

For Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) we went to visit Ocotepec, Morelos - a small town just north of Cuernavaca (where my family lives) - to see the ofrendas (altars) that are still a tradition there.

To prepare, during the day we went to the market to buy candles because it is customary to give a candle to each family whose home you visit. The market was packed with Day of the Dead things - sugar skulls, decorative paper, candles, and the traditional flowers for the holiday.

Sugar (and chocolate and gummy) skulls

Flying to Mexico with a Toddler

2011-10-31T22:59:00.002-04:00

Early-early before the trip started

Leo and I are in Mexico visiting family (awesome, right?). The trip down wasn't too bad - although the only thing I have to compare it to is the last trip when I was alone and we both had the stomach flu - so I figured it couldn't get much worse. This time we are healthy and we've got Abi on our team. We came armed with a long list of distractions (snacks, crayons, new small toys, playdough, books, songs, and even a couple episodes of Sesame Street in Spanish loaded on the iphone) and used every last one. He didn't love spending six hours on the plane, but between the bag of goodies, Abi, and walking up and down the aisle - he survived.

He slept through most of the first short and early flight. The second longer one was a little more trying. The four hours felt like an eternity - but overall he was a real trooper. The crayons and playdough were the biggest hit - and he was so excited to have unlimited "special" snacks like dried fruit and puffs. Surprisingly the TV episodes didn't hold his attention, but I think perhaps we waited too long and he was done sitting still by that point.

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Did I Forget To Mention...

2011-10-23T23:22:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in the Love Makes a Family blog carnival and the theme this time is "Secrets".

I feel like there is a secret that I don't ever mean to have - but I sometimes inadvertently keep. When I'm one of 10-20 moms chasing after a toddler at the playground (or a music class or in the pediatrician's waiting room) and I'm dressed in jeans and t-shirt with comfortable walking shoes and my hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail. I'm everymom. I look a lot like most of my peers. (Ok, maybe some are thinner or better dressed - but I usually fit right in in the "mom crowd".) I blend in and can slip into the common small-talk we so often connect over - napping, eating, pottying. The thing is, unless it's a familiar group that I'm regularly friendly with - until it comes up, no one knows I'm a lesbian.

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This is What Democracy Looks Like

2011-10-21T23:20:00.000-04:00

On daddy's shoulders

It's been awesome watching history happen before our eyes over the past few months. First with the massive demonstrations in Wisconsin, and now with the Occupy Wall Street protests and their offshoots all over the country.

Leo has been attending political rallies all his life - but we've definitely been going to even more than usual lately. We've hit marches and demonstrations all over the city, taken Leo down to the Occupy Philadelphia camp at City Hall, and attended community meetings. I do think that this is a big moment in our country's history and I want Leo to be able to say that he participated.

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Seventeen Months

2011-10-16T23:21:00.001-04:00

My little baby is seventeen months old. He is turning into such a kid. From the bandages on his knees, to the dirt smudges on his cheeks, to the adamant opinions he is vocalizing - he's becoming less and less baby and more and more kid. At the same time, he's still nursing regularly, so cuddly, and still so little. Here's the monthly rundown.
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Housekeeping: Comments, Social Media, Monetization, OH MY!

2011-10-14T22:25:00.000-04:00

A couple of housekeeping items before returning to our regular program.

1. I added a new comment widget (don't freak out, mom. I promise it's very easy to use!). I love comments. Like a lot. I'm so grateful when people take the time to comment on a post and I'm hoping this tool will make it easier for me to respond to comments and interact in a more meaningful way - so keep 'em coming. Thanks!

2. You may have noticed the little facebook and twitter buttons in the right column. If you are on either of those sites I'd love it if you'd "like" the blog on facebook and/or follow me on twitter. I try to keep the updates for each separate, so each has some unique content as well as notifications of new posts. I'm really not spammy! I swear!

3. Up to this moment I have not made a cent from blogging, nor have I tried to. Not an ad, not a freebie from any of the places I've reviewed, not a sponsored blog post. It's not that I'm against it - I just haven't felt like it fit. Well, lately I've been hanging out with the cool crowd in town, and it's given me the opportunity to attend workshops about blogging, learn more about opportunities that are out there, and network with some super-awesome women.

So over the last few months I've been thinking more about what might work for me and this blog - and I'm not totally clear on those parameters yet, but this stellar post over on Making Lemonade echoes a lot of thoughts on the subject. So, as I move forward and navigate these opportunities I would like to promise up front that:

My number one priority is my readership (which includes, my family, friends, neighbors, larger community - and hopefully, eventually my children) and I will not be disingenuous with you.
If/when I choose to pursue an ad/sponsor/campaign it will be in line with my values/beliefs and be something that I either already use/love or believe I have the potential to.
That I will disclose any compensation (monetary or otherwise) as openly as possible.

So on that note, the bathrooms are down the hall and please feel free to chime in with any questions.

Thanks again for reading along.

Savage Squirrels and Pumpkin Carnage

2011-10-12T20:52:00.000-04:00

Remember our pumpkins? The ones we so carefully chose on our trip to the orchards? The ones Leo and Aunt Fanny so happily hollowed out? The ones whose seeds we roasted and ate? And finally, the ones that I so lovingly carved for our family?

Well, they are gone.

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Bye-bye An-Fe

2011-10-09T20:59:00.001-04:00

Aunt Fanny visited us this weekend - and Leo was so so so happy to have her here. Each morning he'd run to the "guest room" (it's actually our office/tv room/craft room/play room with a pull-out couch) and exclaim - "An-Fe! An-Fe!" while jb tried to steer him away to allow Aunt Fanny a couple more minutes of sleep.

We had a packed weekend - we ordered Thai food on Friday when Aunt Fanny arrived. After dinner it was off to bed, but the next morning Leo and jb woke up early and baked banana bread while Aunt Fanny and I slept in for a bit. After breakfast we headed over to Earth Cup for their doggie strut - Talula, of course, joined us.

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West Philly Review: Walnut Street West Library Branch

2011-10-03T22:55:00.002-04:00

I feel very lucky that we can walk to two different branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia from our West Philly home. One of the branches is the Walnut Street West branch which is on the corner of Walnut and 40th St. I love the location because it's within a block of a bank, grocery store and post office - so I can combine the trip with some errands.

We focus our time at the library almost exclusively in the Children's section - so that's what I'm going to cover for the review, but I would like to mention that I browse the online card catalog at home and place holds on any books I'd like to read so I can just pick them up when I bring Leo. It's a great tool because toddlers don't really have the patience for browsing the adult books.

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Sugar Detox Debrief

2011-10-01T22:01:00.000-04:00

Eight weeks ago I gave up sugar. It was supposed to be a one month sugar detox, but it's been nearly two - just call me an over-achiever. Here's a recap of my not too stringent and fairly arbitrary plan to cut out the sweets.

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Raising a Toddler in a Gendered World

2011-09-29T22:44:00.001-04:00

Perhaps our family thinks about gender and gender roles more than the average family (but not quite as much as some of the neo-con family groups that seem to be obsessed with it).

We didn't find out Leo's sex while I was pregnant for several reasons including that we hoped it would cut down on some of the gender focus. And it did, and we were lucky enough to receive a lot of lovely gender neutral gifts which allowed us to keep some of the gender noise out of our house (as well as allowing for a sibling or friend to inherit regardless of sex). Now that Leo is earth-side and learning to navigate the world, we are still trying to limit stringent boy/girl messages.

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Toddler Tyrant

2011-09-29T15:14:00.000-04:00

I'm living under the rule of an iron (if rather small) fist these days. Today I'm not feeling so hot, so I'm trying to take it easy and encouraging my little toddler tyrant to play independently, which for the most part he has been. Although, he does pause to remind me who is in charge from time to time. For example:

I'm lying on the couch. Minding my own business. He walks up to me holding a tiny hat belonging to a stuffed animal.

Leo: Hat
Me: Yes, that's a hat! (I put the hat on his head)
Leo: (taking hat off his head and handing it to me) Mama. Hat.
Me: (putting hat on my head) Now Mama is wearing the hat.
Leo: Cuppa cuppa cuppa. (Indicating he'd like me to sing)
Me: (wearing the hat and singing) Here come the, here come the, here come the Dino Five...
Leo: Dance.
Me: (singing, wearing the hat, and now dancing while still laying down) Here come the, here come the, here come the Dino Five...
Leo: Up.
Me: Seriously?
Leo: (expectant silence)
Me: (standing up to sing and dance while wearing a tiny hat) Here come the...

Luckily, my young master is as kind as he is strict. I was rewarded with giggles and a hug. So I suppose I'll put off the revolution a bit longer.

Baby Loves Hip Hop

2011-09-25T00:14:00.000-04:00

This is Leo singing his favorite song. Please ignore his finger in his nose. Ever since *someone* taught him how *hilarious* that is, he does it whenever there is a camera around. (Thanks a lot, Aunt Lissa)

Anyway, the lyrics go "Here come the, here come the, here come the Dino five. Here come the, here come the, here come the Dino five." Which he sings, "Cuppa, cuppa, cuppa."

The song is the theme from the Baby Loves Hip Hop Dino 5 album that Aunt Fanny gave us when Leo was born. It's a great kids album - Really well produced (by Prince Paul) and it features artists from The Roots, Jurassic 5, and The Diggable Planets. The songs are catchy with cute lyrics like when the T-Rex sings "I like long sleeves, but my arms are too short."

Well, Leo loves it. Back when he still hated the car it was the only thing that would keep him from screaming his head off. Now that he's better in the car we've tried to taper off, but he still requests it and it's a staple of road trips. We even play it in the house sometimes - but honestly, at this point I'm pretty sure we've heard this cd thousands of times and we are ready for a break. We are actively trying to limit the amount it gets played - so naturally, Leo has chosen it as the first song that he will sing on his own.

Of course, I can't get enough of it. Which is good, because it's a constant soundtrack. He wants me to get in on the fun, too - he likes me to sing as he pinches my nose so that it sounds nasally. He will clamp down on my nose and expectantly say "cuppa, cuppa, cuppa". Obviously, I pretend I can't understand for a few rounds before giving in and singing it for him - just so I can hear him sing a bit.

I do wish Baby Loves Hip Hop would put out another album, so we can switch it up a bit from time to time, though.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

2011-09-22T22:04:00.001-04:00

Don't be mad. Look how cute we are...

I know I've been MIA. The reasons for this are threefold.

1. Our schedule is a little out of whack this week. We are trying some new things: checking out a new playgroup in the neighborhood and cashing in the Gymboree groupon we got earlier this year, and I'm trying to get some long-standing messes organized. Plus the cooler weather is keeping us walking longer and further than usual.

2. I'm cranky. Usually when a bad mood strikes I wait a day or two until it passes before coming back here. But well, this crank has been more persistent than usual. Maybe it's the attempts to organize those afore mentioned long-standing messes.

3. Distractions. First of all Pintrest is eating me alive. Seriously. Make it stop. AND it's premiere week on TV - so I'm in couch heaven. Speaking of, the season premiere of The Mentalist is starting. So, uh, later.

16 Month Update: Favorite Words

2011-09-16T21:59:00.002-04:00

I climbed this tree when I was a little girl

Today marks 16 months of having Leo in our lives. It wasn't the best day because after a nice long break, we are teething again. Back in February (while in Mexico) he cut five teeth in six days bringing his grand total to eight and then all was quiet on the gummy front. Well, now there are at least three (probably five) teeth breaking through and again he has stomach flu-like symptoms - diarrhea, vomiting and fever. Poor kid.

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Queer TTC Interview - Any Questions?

2011-09-14T21:39:00.000-04:00

I didn't talk much about trying to conceive on this blog when we were planning for Leo. It was a huge part of our lives for so (too) long - but I didn't want to write about it because it was surrounded with a lot of pain and heartache and I like to keep my writing here positive and focusing on the good in our lives.

Of course, I've always felt like it was kind of a missing puzzle piece to our story here. Recently a new website approached me about sharing out TTC story and I shared some of our journey - you can read that interview here: http://itsconceivablenow.com/2011/09/13/sandra-jb/

So that's a beginning. Now that there's some distance from that journey and we are lucky enough to have an amazing toddler in our lives I'm open to talking more about how we got here. I'm sure some of you have some questions. Perhaps you've been too polite to ask. Well, here's an invitation - I'm welcoming questions you might have about how we became parents. Any respectful and reasonable questions - I'm game for answering them. You can leave a question in the comments or e-mail me and I'll put together a post doing my best to honestly answer.

Quiche: It's What's For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

2011-09-13T21:41:00.000-04:00

Leo will eat just about anything if I bake it into a quiche. It's easy to make, a flexible recipe, and fairly wholesome - the requirements for all my staple recipes.

When I first began making quiche I used this recipe, but have been making changes over the years - to the point where the recipe I use these days is almost completely different.

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Zoo-bilee

2011-09-09T22:53:00.002-04:00

Leo playing with the "big gato"

We had a magical trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo with my mom and sisters. In the past my experiences with zoos have been hit or miss - either the animals aren't out/active, or the habitats seem inadequate and just make me sad, or it's too hot... But this time it was as though the stars aligned. The weather was perfect, the improvements they've made over the last couple years are fantastic, and at each exhibit the animals walked right up to us - really.

Leo got pretty up close and personal with tigers, leopards, gorillas, sharks, giraffes and elephants. I don't want to get too hokey - but seriously, it's as though Leo had some kind of energy that attracted the animals. If they were hidden or in a far corner when we'd walk up to an exhibit they would inevitably make their way over to the glass/gate/water so that Leo could get a good look at them. It was awesome - even when the tiger suddenly tried to playfully pounce on Leo through the glass (see those muddy paw marks!).

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Labor Day Festivities

2011-09-08T13:08:00.001-04:00

On Labor Day our family marched in the parade and Leo was very excited about it because our contingent included a drill team. He spent the entire route staring at the drummers and dancers. We didn't last very long at the picnic afterwards, but long enough for Leo to take in the boats (and ducks) on the river from Penn's Landing.
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The Naughty Round-Up

2011-09-01T21:38:00.003-04:00

Most of my posts are full of "Leo is such a joy!" and "I just love this age!" exclamations - and they are true, but I'd be remiss if I didn't also acknowledge that this kid can drive me batty some days. Here are a few examples of how he keeps me on my toes:

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Sugar Detox

2011-08-30T21:59:00.000-04:00

I'm currently off sugar. Well, not entirely, but mostly. I'm still eating things with sugar in the ingredients like ketchup, ranch dressing, etc. But I haven't had any desserts or sweets in a few days. That might not sound that impressive, but trust me, it is. I'm hoping to make it a month and then reassess how I'm feeling and make a decision whether to reintroduce sugar ~~in moderation~~ (who am I kidding, I have no self control) or to continue to forgo the sweet stuff indefinitely.

I know my time is running out as far as Leo doing as I say not as I do and I don't want to see him pick up my awful habits. Also, it's disappointing to me that I will bend over backwards to make sure he is getting a well-rounded, nutritious and sensible diet and I won't show myself the same courtesy. I take darn good care of that kid, but my self-care doesn't always match up. It's to the point that I will spend 20 minutes slicing fruits and veggies, cooking, and cleaning up to make him a healthy meal from scratch three times a day and rather than make a double batch I'll eat cookies while he enjoys his meal. In my mind I think I'm treating myself, but I know full well that I'm really sabotaging myself.

I find my temptations fall into three categories.

Sweet Foods/Meals: sugary cereals, doughnuts, sweet muffins, pancakes with candied fruit and whipped cream. These are dangerous because they pose as respectable meal options and I'll choose something sweet every time it's an option - even if it's the first thing I'm eating that day.
Desserts/Treats: these are the most obvious offenders and a major weakness of mine. I love me some brownie fudge sundaes. Still, I can pass on these most of the time. What makes this category hard to break is my bad habit of having a "treat" after Leo goes to bed. I do it EVERY night. Cookies, or ice-cream - something. Something to mark the end of my day. It's a hard habit to break. I'm not even hungry, but I feel a compulsion to seek out sugar in the evening hours.
Drinks: I'm shocked at how hard this one is for me - and it is hands down the hardest one. I didn't think this was a major weakness for me because we don't keep soda in the house - but we do keep lemonade and I love to pick up a vitamin water when I'm at the store. Since we don't keep soda in the house I love to order a coke with my meal at a restaurant "as a treat" and I can't pass up a Thai iced tea at my favorite Thai restaurants. Between meals I love love love to go out for coffee; the only problem is I don't even like coffee...unless it's diluted by milk and caramel sauce and topped with whipped cream. Don't even get me started on chocolate milk...

So far I'm doing alright. If I break it's going to be for a caramel latte or chocolate milk - but so far I'm holding strong. I don't feel any different yet, but it's only been a few days. Here's hoping for good things!

Disclaimer: I may make an exception when I'm in Pittsburgh to have some Brunton's Chocolate Milk (if you are in Western PA and have not tried this yet - go! You can thank me later).

Family: Beyond the Nuclear

2011-08-29T22:33:00.001-04:00

Leo is a big fan of all his family members these days. He loves being lifted up to look at the pictures on our wall and pointing to all the different people and (kinda) naming them.

He will go to the computer and point to it and ask for "abba" (which is how he says Abi, for my mom). Or he will bring my phone to me and ask for "uh-cul" (uncle). Or he will just point to me and say "mamá" and then point to jb and say "dad" or "papá" - and go back and forth over and over.

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West Philly Review: Mizu

2011-08-25T22:00:00.001-04:00

I'm always on the lookout for a great lunch spot and a great deal and when I find a place that offers both - well, it's a good day.

Mizu is a little sushi spot on 40th (near Chestnut) that has a fantastic lunch special: four half-rolls of sushi and miso soup for $8.95 (this deal is also good on the weekends).
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One Parent's Disaster is Another Baby's Best Day EVER

2011-08-23T21:03:00.003-04:00

We were supposed to go camping this past weekend. I'd been looking forward to this camping trip for months. It was going to be Leo's first tent camping trip (we'd done a cabin trip last year). The trip had been organized by Philadelphia Family Pride and we'd be joined by a whole bunch of other LGBT families - one of which would be our good friends R and C and their daughter (and Leo's BFF) E. I imagined him getting such a kick out of sleeping in the tent. Loving the campfire. Being so excited to wake to find E in the next tent over. It was going to be awesome.
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Fifteen Months

2011-08-20T01:10:00.001-04:00

Fifteen months. Unbelievable. This kid is a firecracker. I suppose most 15 mo. olds are. There is so much I don't want to forget about this age; how he looks toddling down the hall, the way he says certain words, how he holds out his boo-boos to me and makes kissing noises, his laugh, the look of happiness when jb gets home from work. Here is the run down. It's long, so maybe grab a snack.

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My No Good Very Bad Day

2011-08-17T23:20:00.004-04:00

Today was one of those days where nothing seems to go right. It started off ok. Leo and I had a lovely breakfast together, pee and poo in the potty, nice playtime, and he went down for his nap without a fight. I got him up with just enough time to get ready and go to his doctor's appointment. This is when things began to unravel.

1. As we were leaving I noticed the dog had thrown up. Ew. Poor puppy. No time to clean it up. She seems ok. Out the door. No biggie.

2. I get distracted making "chugachugachugachuga - toot toot" train noises with Leo and miss our stop on the subway. Need to switch directions, back track - and now hustle because my perfectly timed commute is messed up. Eh. Poo happens.

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Then and Now: A Decade Ago

2011-08-14T19:50:00.000-04:00

2011 and 2001

I found this picture of jb and I at the beach ten years ago. I had a shaved head, we were both younger and thinner - but I'd say we are still just as happy. Maybe more so. That's pretty special.

Beach The Sequel: Now with Jellyfish

2011-08-14T18:52:00.001-04:00

I spent most of the day happily chasing him

Aunt Fanny took him into the "deep"

With Abi, Aunt Fanny, and Uncle Nick visiting we took another day trip to the beach. We stuck with the Atlantic City beach we went to last week since it had gone so smoothly.

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Eye of the Storm

2011-08-11T23:04:00.002-04:00

After our busy weekend with Larissa and Maddie visiting we've been taking it pretty easy this week. We are back to our normal routine, catching up on sleep, doing some grocery shopping, and trying to get back on top of our to do lists.

It's a good thing we've been taking advantage of this down time because tomorrow we are getting a new crop of visitors; My mom, (other) sister, and brother will be in town for the weekend. So we are in for another whirlwind of activity (possibly with another beach trip!).

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West Philly Review: Talking Headz

2011-08-09T21:21:00.000-04:00

Last week I took advantage of my sister being in town (free babysitting!) and got my haircut (for only the second time since Leo was born - yikes!). I'd been hearing great things about a local salon that just opened up on Baltimore Avenue (near the corner of 47th), so I thought I'd try them out.

I called Talking Headz and they were able to fit me in that same day. (Note: Don't use the "schedule an appointment" feature on their website because they aren't checking it yet.) It's a good thing, too - because my hair was out of control!

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Just Beachy

2011-08-07T23:35:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we took Leo to see the ocean for the first time. It was amazing. I love the ocean, and haven't been for a few years now. Between living further from the shore in Pittsburgh and having the cafe - there just wasn't an opportunity, and I'd been missing it sorely. It was so nice to be back - but it was definitely a whole new experience with a baby in tow.

Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

2011-08-04T23:50:00.001-04:00

We have had a lot of excitement around our house lately. We had a visit from Abi, we hosted playgroup (six babies make the same amount of mess as one baby - but are six times the fun!), and now Aunt Lissa and her best friend Maddie are visiting! They arrived yesterday and we stopped by an Indian Buffet for dinner. Then we went home, put Leo to bed, watched bad TV and ate junk. I heart sister time.

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10 Beliefs: Shaping My Parenting Philosophy

2011-07-30T23:35:00.000-04:00

gratuitous baby bum shot

While I identify strongly with many of the principles of Attachment Parenting (complete with the cloth diapering, babywearing, breastfeeding, co-sleeping and natural childbirth) there are also some ways that my parenting choices might differ from other AP parents. I try to think proactively about my parenting and verbalize what my goals and hopes are. So beyond the attachment principles, the obvious and basic (keeping him clean and fed and warm), and the end product (a happy, decent, kind man) - what do I want to guide my parenting? I'm still figuring out the details of my parenting style, but here are some basic principles that guide my parenting choices:

1. I believe in having high standards for my child, but also in showing understanding, patience and compassion should he not meet them every time. Likewise, I believe in setting lofty goals for ourselves and realizing that if we fall short we are probably still headed in the right direction.
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peek-a-boo

2011-07-27T20:31:00.000-04:00

baby blur

The most exciting news around here is that my mom is coming to visit! Leo hasn't seen Abi in over a month so he is really going to be in for a treat. And Abi won't believe he is the same baby who was barely taking a tentative step or two.

He will have to show her all his new tricks - and his new found love of the curtains. He uses them to play peek-a-boo for what seems like forever. I love that since his feet usually stick out you can see his toes twitching with anticipation before he pops out. He also just likes to sit under/inside them (like a fort). He will take a toy behind the curtain, make sure I can't see him and play by himself for a while.

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West Philly Review: Earth Cup

2011-07-25T21:13:00.001-04:00

Earth Cup is among my favorite West Philly destinations for a cup of coffee. It's a cute little fair-trade coffee shop on 45th St. between Pine and Osage with super-friendly service and great tasting drinks. It's not uncommon to find Leo and I there in the late mornings for a break between running errands. In fact, there are at least three coffee shops closer to our home, but I often walk the extra blocks to visit Earth Cup.

In addition to coffee and tea they have a selection of baked goods and a couple lunch options. They also conveniently carry some grocery staples like eggs and milk. There is only one table in the cafe - but there are a couple tables out front and a nice sized outdoor seating area next door. The decor is cute with teapots hanging from the ceiling and a whimsical lamp that looks like a teapot filling a cup.
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Spanglish

2011-07-22T22:52:00.002-04:00

There are a zillion reasons it's important to me for Leo to learn Spanish. Being bilingual is good for your brain, allows you to communicate with a wider range of people, facilitates travel, and opens up opportunities professionally. I want him to be able to have conversations with his aunts and uncles and cousins. I want him to have an easier understanding of etymology. I want him to have a base if he chooses to learn another romance language. I could go on and on.

Being bilingual has been such an advantage and a blessing to me; I really want to share that with Leo.

(Of course my Abuela might tell a different story if she were still around. She would tell you about the time I pretended I couldn't understand her in front of my friends when she came to pick me up at school. I'd been teased and called a Mexican dog and a wetback, so my reaction was to deny and reject that part of my life. I loudly and pointedly said, "WHAT? I can't can't understand you. Speak English! I don't understand." Well, my Abuela was a no nonsense kind of woman and with a very stern, "Ni que 'GUAT?' ni que nada" she gave me a look that had me immediately slink back into obedience.)
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Fourteen Months

2011-07-18T23:31:00.000-04:00

Leo is fourteen months old! We are doing much better after our little rough patch - I don't know if everything is just on the upswing or if getting out my feelings/thoughts on virtual paper helped me - but whatever it is, I'm happy to report that we've both been much happier the last few days.

Sleep: We are still going back and forth between one nap and two - but the margin is narrowing (whereas before one nap days were a nightmare and two nap days were mostly good - these days both have their challenges but are manageable).

Walking: He is all walking all the time now. He's falling more than he was initially, but I think it's because he's not concentrating as hard since it's becoming natural for him. He's even taken to running a bit here and there.
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Deep Breaths

2011-07-14T23:45:00.001-04:00

Leo's new found mobility has led to quite a few spills and tears. That moment immediately after a fall when he is still processing what just happened and he looks up at me deciding whether or not to cry is an opportunity for damage control. I used to say: "Whoa, you fell! Oops! I think you are ok." But lately I've been saying: "Whoa, you fell! Let's take a deep breath." And the kid does - holy cow is it cute. It has a much higher success rate than the "I think you are ok" strategy. In fact, sometimes he will fall and without any prompting say "Whoa!" and take deep breaths on his own. Of course, some falls require more than deep breaths and that's when I break out the "Sana, Sana, Colita de Rana."

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Nap Schedule: Transitioning From Two Naps to One

2011-07-12T21:27:00.000-04:00

Leo's sleep schedule is in upheaval. Again. He is moving from a two-nap schedule to a one-nap schedule and it's not pretty. We had a nice run. For months his sleep schedule looked something like this:

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Perfect Summer Dinner: Fresh Spring Rolls

2011-07-12T11:59:00.001-04:00

It is hot out. Like gross, sweaty, don't-want-to-turn-the-stove-on hot out. Days like this we try to eat something cool for dinner - but you can really only eat so many straight up salads, so here is one of our favorites for evenings when the AC can't even keep up with the heat. I've heard them called fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls and even summer rolls - basically, our version is just a salad wrapped in rice paper and it's delicious. Once you set up your assembly station, preparation really goes quite quickly - and I know everyone always thinks I went to way more trouble than I actually did. Easy, healthy and delicious.

Sugar, Sugar: Why We Choose To Limit It

2011-07-08T22:37:00.000-04:00

Several times over the last few months jb and/or I have been asked why Leo doesn't eat sugar. I've been pretty surprised by this question, thinking that it's fairly self explanatory - but more than one (totally intelligent and respected by me) person has asked, so I thought I'd outline our reasons for limiting sugar the best we can. I'd also like to make clear that I don't judge parents who allow their kids to have sugar - especially in moderation.

1. It's non-nutritive. We want every bite he eats to count. Ideally he'd eat all organic, local, non-processed foods - but that's not realistic for our family so we do our best to limit sugars, dyes, preservatives and to offer whole non-processed foods whenever possible.

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Little Firecracker: The Face That Gets Me Out Of Bed

2011-07-06T22:21:00.000-04:00

We ended up doing the parade but not the fireworks (they started at 10:30 pm!) for our July fourth festivities. Honestly though, when we woke up on Monday morning - it was really hard to get up and go. Neither jb nor I consider watching a parade a great way to spend a morning. We are more coffee and newspaper (or better yet: sleep!) kind of people. But, we suspected that Leo might enjoy watching the parade - so we dragged ourselves out of bed, packed some snacks and diapers and walked to the train that would take us towards the crowds, heat, and general un-bedness.

And I'll me a monkey's mama (wait a second...) if that kid didn't sit through the whole darn thing. For reals. He watched each and every band, float and historical figure impersonator go by. It brought a little tear to my eye to watch him. So, I need to remember this face next time I'm debating whether it's worth getting out of bed to trek across town and fight the crowds for something I wouldn't choose to do if we didn't have a kid:

And yes, jb thought it was funny to put a Beatles shirt on him. America's Independence - British Invasion - hahaha.

True Story: What's In A Name?

2011-07-04T15:21:00.001-04:00

So when Leo was still just a little sea monkey floating around in my belly jb and I did what so many parents do when they are expecting a little bundle of joy: talked about potential names to exhaustion. We had a list for boy names and list for girl names. We weighed each one on popularity, meaning, ease of translation/pronunciation in Spanish, how it sounded paired with our last names, how it sounded in a happy/angry voice, potential (nice and not-so-nice) nicknames, and just plain old how it felt rolling off our tongues.
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Thirteen (and a half) Months

2011-07-02T23:06:00.000-04:00

It's Fourth of July weekend and Leo is 13.5 months old. Leo has discovered the joy of popsicles. jb juiced some mangoes and carrots and we dug out the popsicle tray and Leo was immediately in love. Of course he needs a complete hose down and outfit change after, but it's worth it - besides it keeps him in one place for about 15 mins which is priceless these days.

Today we went to the Chinatown block party and tomorrow we'll head to a block party nearby to celebrate the first birthday of one of Leo's friends. Then Monday we are hoping to catch the parade and maybe some fireworks. It's a tall order, and we'll see how the reality of it goes, but hopefully we can take advantage of living in the cradle of liberty.

Some things I want to remember about this age:

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My Drunk Monkey

2011-06-27T20:40:00.001-04:00

Here are a couple clips of Leo stumbling down our hall this evening. I am hoping to get some video with more (read: any) light, but he's getting better at it by the minute and I wanted to capture it while it's still drunk-looking. Ack, it's so cute.

It's Official: Toddler

2011-06-26T22:31:00.000-04:00

Sometime yesterday Leo decided that walking is preferable to crawling and hasn't stopped since. He mostly looks like a drunk monkey. I'll do my best to get some good video of it up soon.

Busy, Busy Bees

2011-06-26T00:07:00.001-04:00

We've had a busy few days. On Thursday we attended a rally in Center City - complete with drumline. Leo loves rallies, going to center city, and drums - so this rally was a major hit with him. I doubt he understood that we were calling out corporations that aren't paying their fair share in taxes - but he was shaking his little fist anyway. You can read about the rally and the organization that organized it here. Uncle Julian joined us for the rally and we all got these sharp t-shirts. It was certainly a good way to spend a summer afternoon.

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Back to Life

2011-06-21T21:28:00.000-04:00

After so much upheaval, it's nice to have some down time at home. We celebrated father's day with a little breakfast in bed and then going out to dinner - nothing too fancy. Leo and I have hit play group, the park, the grocery store, and a class at Studio 34 - all close to home. We are starting to get a rhythm to our days with a less crowded/more lonely household. Nothing terribly exciting has happened, and I like it that way - it just doesn't make for good blogging.

One new-ish development is that Leo is fascinated by coloring. This makes meals in restaurants a bit more pleasant - and adorable.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T13:16:00.001-04:00

To my own dad, to jb, the father of my son, and all the other dads, parents and role models who celebrate and are celebrated today: Happy Father's Day!

Times They Are A Changin'

2011-06-18T22:20:00.000-04:00

I feel like we are always in some kind of transition - so you won't be surprised to learn that there are some changes afoot in our lives again. First of all, the boys (Uncle Daniel and Uncle Jared) moved out. Daniel had been living with us for almost a year, now and Jared joined our household more recently. It's been a bittersweet adjustment. It is nice to have a bit more space and privacy - but I do miss them. We had a good time together and they were always willing to wash a sinkful of dishes. What takes the sting out of their departure is that they only moved three blocks away - AND Uncle Julian moved in with them, too - so Leo has three uncles within walking distance. Also close enough to come over to wash a load of dishes (right, Jules?).

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One year stats

2011-06-17T22:28:00.001-04:00

We are about a month tardy for our one year check-up (that's what happens when you are very sick, then in Pittsburgh, then in DC) but Leo had his appointment today and is doing great.

He is 30 inches long and 21 lbs. 2 oz. His percentiles are on the same trajectory; head - 10th, weight - 40th, and height - 75th. My long, lean, small headed boy.

What do we want? Sushi!!

2011-06-14T20:53:00.001-04:00

When do we want it? Now! After the rally we rounded out our big day with dinner at our favorite sushi spot. We scored a table on the patio (have I mentioned the weather has been great?) and did some damage to some spicy-crunchy tuna and fried calamari. Leo was entering meltdown territory by the end of the meal (fair enough, we had a big day!), but now he's down for bed and hopefully will sleep until morning.

Obviously

2011-06-14T20:37:00.001-04:00

A trip to DC without a political action would be like a summer without picnics. We attended a smallish rally calling on corporations to pay their fair share in taxes. Leo added pumping his fist in the air to his usual clapping and shouting. Also, thanks to a rather repetitive chant I think he's added "jobs!" to his small vocabulary.

And we're spent

2011-06-14T13:04:00.001-04:00

Leo fell asleep in the Beco on my back on our way back to the hotel. He hasn't fallen asleep in a carrier for months! Poor kid must have been exhausted.

Lunch Concert

2011-06-14T13:02:00.001-04:00

Leo and I (and our friend Denice) enjoyed listening to a violinist over our kale-carrot-berry smoothies.

Park Pigeons

2011-06-14T11:48:00.001-04:00

Leo spent his morning pulling me around by the finger to chase pigeons in Dupont Circle. He was calling "Pato! Pato! Pato!" (duck) after them.

The District

2011-06-13T22:35:00.001-04:00

And we are in DC. jb had a last minute work trip so Leo and I threw together a suitcase so we could tag along. We arrived at the hotel tonight and Leo and I have plans to meet up with some friends tomorrow while jb is working. The hotel is right in Dupont so there's a ton we can walk to - I'm happy we came. Just wish jb didn't have to be in meetings all day so she could join us!

Fancy Footwork

2011-06-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

Here is a snippet of Leo dancing (at an outdoor Dar Williams concert, although, the opening band is who you hear in the background). He's moved on from merely bouncing his knees to swaying from foot to foot - which mostly just looks like he's about to fall over. Still serious, but I promise he's having a good time.

On Cloud One

2011-06-06T22:08:00.000-04:00

Swing Joy

Have I mentioned that I LOVE this age? It's freaking awesome. It's all first words, first steps, cutesy tricks to make us laugh and the feeling that we are really getting to know this amazing little person. He is so much fun - every day he makes me laugh. And while it is true that he's also a handful, I really am so grateful for each of these wonder-filled summer days. It seems like each day he's mastered a new sign, a new word, taken another step - he's just not slowing down.

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Sick sick sick

2011-06-03T06:16:00.001-04:00

Sorry for the neglect to this space. Jb and I are/were very sick. It's the first time we are both sick at the same time since Leo was born - so navigating that has been fun. Thankfully Leo seems to be staying healthy and jb and I are finally coming out the other end. Shout out to the brother-in-laws for being so helpful so that we could focus on getting better.

May Vlog

2011-05-27T22:53:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our first monthly vlog! Highlights include Leo pretending to have an allergy attack to get out of giving me a massage, Leo showing off his scolding finger, and well, Leo.

Known Donor

2011-05-25T20:08:00.001-04:00

This post was originally a guest post over at Uppercase Woman.

When my partner, jb, and I set out to start a family we considered three options as a spermless couple. First, adoption, which we looked at seriously, but ultimately chose not to pursue since I wanted very much to experience pregnancy and childbirth.

Second, we considered buying sperm from a sperm bank. We actually did this. A lot. We tried to get pregnant using an anonymous donor for two years – which was emotionally and financially draining. After two years of infertility we had no more savings, no baby, and very little hope.

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Wissahickon Hike

2011-05-23T19:10:00.001-04:00

On Saturday jb, Leo and I joined Philadelphia Family Pride for a Spring hike in the Wissahickon Valley. The weather was perfect - sunny and not too hot after a week of rain and wind.

Leo had a blast riding on his dad's shoulders, in the Ergo, and even walking (with assistance) a little. He was super aware of all the animals we saw - horses, dogs, goslings, and he even found some earthworms wiggling in the dirt.

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Party Files: Menu (with cake recipes!)

2011-05-23T00:07:00.001-04:00

Last post about the party. We got a ton of requests for the cake recipes, so those are included at the end. For the main course we grilled eggplant, asparagus, black bean burgers, chicken-apple sausage, and turkey burgers (I used this recipe and went heavy on the parsely and grated in a few carrots). Guests all brought side dishes including fruit, salads, hummus, and salsa. There was a ton of delicious wholesome food - most of which Leo could eat.

It was important to us for him to have a good meal before his first foray into cake. And he did. Well, he was mostly too distracted to eat - but every bite he took was packed with good things. And man did he love his cakes. Jessica made them both from scratch using fruit purees, whole wheat flour, low sugar, and lots of love.

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Party Files: Piñata

2011-05-21T17:29:00.001-04:00

Aunt Fanny and her friend Nayeli made a piñata for Leo's birthday party. They used a balloon for the base, newspaper for a few layers of paper mache, toilet paper rolls for the legs and snout and finished it with tissue paper. Isn't it adorable?

Generally I'm not keen on giving kids sticks to beat things (and possibly hit each other) with only to culminate in a greedy grab for sugar - but well, it is a part of our culture and family tradition. So we went ahead and embraced it.

We did try to make it a little less sugar-centered with stuffers like yogurt covered raisins, bubbles, stickers, fruit leather and silly bands.

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Baking Leo

2011-05-18T23:58:00.000-04:00

Leo the night before his birthday party baking a birthday cake.

One Year

2011-05-18T23:44:00.002-04:00

The party was a colossal success (despite high winds that kept trying to take our balloons, napkins, and table cloths). The forecast had been threatening thunderstorms, so I didn't mind the wind one bit.

We rented a pavilion at the park near my parents house. It was pretty large - housing eight picnic tables, so even if there had been rain, we could have made do. We started off with "just" family (ha! Between jb's family, mine, and significant others there were fifteen people) doing prep work. It was also pretty special because it was the first time all the members of our families were in one place -and sadly will probably be the last. All hands were on deck preparing food, picking up balloons, putting up decorations, setting up the plates and utensils, choosing music, and loading and unloading cars.

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Here's To Many More

2011-05-16T22:55:00.001-04:00

May god bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you

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A Year In The Life

2011-05-15T09:32:00.000-04:00

Today we will celebrate Leo's first birthday and tomorrow will officially mark one year from the day he was born.

A year ago today I waddled down the street to celebrate the birthday of a young neighbor. Ate quite a few hamburgers. Was on the look out for signs of labor. Restrained my urge to cry/hit as someone repeatedly told me that I "look pregnant in my face". And stayed up way too late talking and giggling with my true love - only to never sleep again. Somehow it has still managed to be the best year of my life.

Breastfeeding: A Year In Review

2011-05-11T00:57:00.000-04:00

As a breastfeeding mother who has had a breast reduction I had a challenging road. Despite the setback of a reduction, I was able to exclusively breastfeed my son for six months and am still breastfeeding him now at one year. Perhaps my story can give some hope to other moms hoping to breastfeed after a reduction.

Clark Park May Fair

2011-05-08T00:27:00.000-04:00

Today was one of those days that embodies what I hope I see when I look back on my life in thirty years. The weather was amazing - sunny but not too hot. There was a fair happening in our neighborhood park. I walked around holding hands with my true love and laughing with my baby. There were a ton of people out to enjoy the sunshine, music and farmers' market. Food trucks lined the street and local organizations were engaging the community. Leo enjoyed the live music and nursing in the sun. We saw a few people we knew, met new people (Hi J!), and picked up some ingredients for dinner.

We went home and I cooked dinner with the back door and windows open. We shared a family dinner, put Leo to bed and now jb and I are (barely) staying up to watch SNL and steal a little time together.

Leo and friends enjoying Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band

I haven't been feeling well (headaches, cough and sore throat) so I wasn't expecting much out of today - and it was such a pleasant surprise.

PB&J

2011-05-06T17:19:00.000-04:00

Leo had his first Peanut Butter and Jelly today - or a variation of it at least. It was easy to make and a huge hit - and despite the extensive clean-up required afterwards (he had peanut butter in his hair!), I think this will be in our regular lunch rotation. Leo was trying to lick his elbows he liked it so much.

To make a baby-friendly version of this classic lunch time meal I made a mixture of all-natural peanut butter and fruit puree (I used a strawberry-banana jarred food, but you can make your own or use any flavor).

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Rally at the State Capitol

2011-05-04T20:18:00.000-04:00

So, jb is always a hard worker - but lately she's been working SUPER hard on a rally protesting the proposed budget cuts in the state budget. Basically, she's been working 16-20 hour days for the last couple weeks - as she helped coordinate 70 buses and several thousand people from all over the state to descend on the capitol steps. When she headed to Harrisburg early on Monday to work on the set up for Tuesday's rally, Leo and I tagged along.

Of course jb was working around the clock at this point, so Leo and I were on our own. We walked around a bit.

May Flowers

2011-05-04T18:45:00.001-04:00

It's May. The month I became a mother. The April showers are behind us and we are enjoying the sunny but still cool weather.

Last week Leo and I took a walk over to the Parent Infant Center's plant sale and we got some basil (mmmm, pesto!), mint, and lavender. Leo and Talula helped me repot our new plants and think of all the things we hope to make with the leaves.

Leo was a fan of the dirt, but spit out the mint I let him try...
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Date Night

2011-05-04T17:24:00.000-04:00

While we were still in Pittsburgh, jb and I had our first date since Leo was born. I can't believe it's been almost a year and we haven't been out alone together for that entire time! My parents had given us a gift certificate for the Melting Pot and offered to babysit, so we took them up on it this past trip and went out to belatedly celebrate our ten year anniversary.

This Moment: Rest Stop

2011-04-30T23:03:00.000-04:00

And finally, to round out my incomplete blog challenge, a picture. We snapped this at a rest stop on the PA turnpike on our way home from Pittsburgh. The kid loves flowers. Anytime I put him down on grass he picks dandelions and his face is often yellow from pollen because he "smells" them by rubbing them to his nose. Oh my sweet boy.

Talula

2011-04-28T00:06:00.002-04:00

Talula is our five year old pug. We adopted her when she was about seven months old from a family who bought her as a puppy but couldn't keep her. She is an exceptional dog. She has her frustrating moments, but overall she's a great addition to our family. I totally recommend the pug breed for anyone - especially families with young kids. The pros totally outweigh the cons:

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A Picture of My Family

2011-04-26T23:23:00.002-04:00

We took about a dozen at Easter dinner, and a couple even turned out with at least two of us looking at the same camera smiling - but I love this one the best.

Easter

2011-04-25T19:23:00.000-04:00

I'm hopelessly behind on the TDBC. We are in Pittsburgh visiting family for Easter and, as usual, it's been a whirlwind. A wonderful, exhausting, joyful whirlwind. Here are some highlights.

The eggs turned out great. The natural dyes were a lot of work, but I think it was worth it. I'm excited to try some different dyeing agents next year.

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Natural Egg Dyeing for Earth Day

2011-04-22T23:30:00.001-04:00

Rise and ~~Shine~~ Nurse

Leo's Fake Sneeze

2011-04-20T21:37:00.002-04:00

Peepee in the Potty

2011-04-20T20:06:00.001-04:00

Don't worry, I have no grand illusions of being out of diapers anytime soon. It's just that lately Leo has taken to peeing on the changing table pretty frequently, so I figured it couldn't hurt to take advantage of this opportunity and start some diaper/pee/poo/potty association. He sat on it twice today and loved it. We sang songs and read books - and the second time he even peed a little.

In other good news, we had a pediatrician appointment for a weight check to follow up on our post-mexico/stomach flu weight plateau and Leo gained almost two pounds!! He now weighs 19 lbs. 13.6 oz. and is back on his natural growth curve. Yay!

Nicknames

2011-04-20T19:44:00.001-04:00

I almost always go by my full first name (Sandra). Not very exciting. Although I'm always surprised at how often people take the liberty of calling me "Sandy". Usually they are trying and establish some familiarity, while ironically making it clear that they don't know me at all. I don't know why, but I hate "Sandy" and I always cringe when someone calls me by that name. One time a car salesman (that was the embodiment of all car salesman stereotypes) called me "Sandy-land" - that did not go over well.

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Sleeping Alone

2011-04-19T20:56:00.000-04:00

I love both my bed mates dearly, and I don't regret our decision to co-sleep for a single moment (how else do people nurse babies on demand and get any sleep at all?) - but I will admit that I really miss sleeping alone. Even though jb and I have been together for quite some time, before Leo came along, I had a fair number of nights (thanks to extensive work travel) where I slept alone. As much as I missed jb when we were apart, I did relish having a big, clean hotel bed to stretch out in. Although, when it was just the two of us the king size bed felt a lot bigger. These days, stretching out is a rare luxury. I'm always surprised at how crowded a 20 lb. person can make an otherwise comfortable bed feel. Luckily, jb is the best husband in the whole world and on the weekends takes Leo in the mornings when he wakes up and I can stretch out and sleep in all the way until his morning nap. Best sleep I get all week!

Current Project

2011-04-18T21:04:00.000-04:00

So, when I placed this topic in the list I didn't quite anticipate how much time it would take to blog every single night, so my crafting has been virtually non-existent this month. So I'm going to cheat a little and use a project I finished up a couple weeks ago. A dear friend of mine from high school just had twin girls (how exciting!) so I made these two little dresses for them. I slightly adapted Made By Rae's Itty Bitty Baby Dress pattern so that the straps snapped rather than tied. If you don't look too closely they turned out pretty well!

Looking Forward

2011-04-17T22:51:00.000-04:00

I'm pretty lucky in that there's no shortage of things I'm looking forward to. Aunt Fanny will be home soon, Uncle Jared is coming to stay with us for a bit, and we are planning a birthday party for our favorite baby. If I had to pick one thing, though, I'd have to say I'm looking forward to the warm weather (which is upon us - well, most days). I love the spring and summer seasons and I'm so looking forward to doing all kinds of super-fun summer-type things with jb, Leo, family and friends.

It's still early in the season, but already it's been so wonderful to watch Leo enjoy springtime. He loves flowers, sunshine, picnicking, and swings. I can't wait to see a whole summer through his fresh eyes. Fireflies, campfires, swimming... It's going to be amazing!