Heard around...

"Can you rub my butt? Because it's sad."

"Who keeps tooting all day?"

"Why do I have to close my mouth when I chew? The food won't fall out, Silly!"

Blueberry Fest

We recently went to a small-town Blueberry Festival with Grace and her family.



It was hot.



And someone had "the crankies".




But the breakfast was really good...





The kids enjoyed the activities...





And we left with five pounds of fresh blueberries (not shown here) to start the season off right.

Dress Up

Scenes from The Wizard of Oz...

The Pier on a Windy Day

He's holding a 50 cent admission ticket in his hand in each of these pictures. We walked over to the pier after a morning at the splash park and - not knowing there was an admission fee - I didn't bring any money with me. When I found out we had to pay, I started to explain to Luca that we would have to come back another time - but a very old man came to our rescue and paid our way. Luca was pretty taken by this and held onto the ticket for the rest of the afternoon.

Too Sexy for his Stroller

Holding on to a nap

Matteo Last Month-o

These pics were taken at the park by my friend Emily. I love her photos - the framing, the color and the way she captures a moment.

The Zoo

We went to the zoo.



With a happy baby.



And a lovely, yet theatrical pre-schooler.



We saw jaguars.



Rode an alligator.



Brushed goats.



And then my camera ran out of battery.

Carny-vale

We went to a very dusty carnival recently. Even though Matteo was asleep and motionless most of the time, in the shelter of the jog stroller, the dust found him. Look closely and you can see it stuck to his little, sweaty baby face.



Luca started the evening off in a relatively cranky mood but - once he had his fill of death defying heights and greasy carny food - he got over it.







Until next year...

The Bambino/a Within

I am very happy to announce that Max is going to be a big brother. My little sister is preggars once again and due around Thanksgiving.

One month

Lots has happened in the last month.

My grandmother passed away unexpectedly - as unexpectedly as a ninety-four year old could pass away, that is. We had visited just one week before and she was better than she had been in months. Alert and pleasant, happy and joking around. When we said goodbye to her, I was sure that we would be hanging out with her again very soon. But, it was her time and she knew it - telling the nursing home staff and my mother and uncle that she was dying. That she had to say goodbye that day. No one believed it, but - good, old Connie had the last word in the end. I went back to Philadelphia alone. Debbie and I decided that it was best - that closure would be easier without the kids there to worry about. They had a nice weekend with friends and I got to process the start of life without my grandmother without any distractions. That was one month ago today.

The last month has also been filled with birthday and bon-voyage parties, visits from friends, mother's day, outdoor events, a trip to the zoo, play dates, park dates and lots and lots of rain.

And, once again - we are back from another weekend in Philly - the third weekend visit for me in under two months. Now that we are home and not going anywhere for awhile, I'm going to try to get back to things.



Concetta DeAngelis
Jan. 5th, 1915 - May 4th, 2009

Scenes from a birthday party...

Four Years Old

Philadelphia

We traveled to Philly a couple of weekends ago to visit with family and to introduce Matteo to my grandmother. It was just a three day trip and there were lots of folks to see. The plan had been to set up camp at my sister's - but my poor nephew came down with a high fever and tonsillitis the night before we arrived. Instead, we parent-hopped between my mom and my dad's houses. We saw my sister and brother-in-law a few times throughout the weekend, but we only got to see Max on our last morning there...




He cracked me up clomping around in my hiking shoes.



Something about the way he's standing here reminds me of an illustration in Where the Wild Things Are. I haven't had a chance to look to see which one.

We began our trip by driving directly from the airport to "The Home". My grandmother was feeling good that day and had a really nice visit with the boys.




Matteo and his great-grandmother got a chance to bond a little.



They had no problem connecting.





On Saturday, my mom hosted a little gathering for some family and friends - otherwise known as - Matteo's "meet and greet".









As usual, there was lots of food...



- and lots of love...



The highlight of the trip was connecting with my high school friend Jenn. On Sunday - we met up with her and her three kids - including five-month old Michael - Matteo's new best friend.



We hung out at the Elmwood Zoo - which turned out to be a great place to visit with each other.

Luca horsed around with Angelo and Belle...





...while Jenn and I caught up.



Debbie was the designated kid wrangler. A necessity that day.











We did our best to get a nice group shot of our rag tag crew at the end of our visit...





It was a great trip and we were all worn out by the end of the weekend. But - only some of us got to sleep...

Old Meets New

Rain Day Map Making with the Directionally-Impaired

We had a "pajama day" yesterday - due to the pouring rain. We read books, did a few puzzles, finger-painted and watched a movie. We even got all crazy and ate popcorn before lunch. We also drove to the Starbucks drive-thru so the baby would fall asleep and I could get my iced coffee fix. This is usually a relaxing kind of break for me, even with two kids in the car - but yesterday's drive turned out to be less than that - due to the fact that Luca had to pee before we were anywhere near home. I had to pull into a (closed) bank parking lot and let him drop trough in public. Even though I attempted to shield the obvious from public view by positioning him between the front and back open doors on the passenger's side, I am pretty sure the bank employee's saw us as they left the building for the day.

Anyway - since reading Me On The Map, Luca's been tossing the map idea around in his head. So, while finger-painting yesterday - he decided he was going to make a "Map of Friends". He proceeded to draw his version of our city and assigned several of his friends different locations on the paper as he painted. Having no sense of direction at all in real life, let alone in the Land of Make Believe - I kept forgetting who lived where on his map. The fact that my mind was beginning to numb, because we had been stuck inside most of the day, didn't help either. He kept correcting me and seemed totally annoyed by his directionless mother.



Still - it was fun to watch him map out his version of his own little world and to see the sense of accomplishment he felt when his map was complete.

Scenes from a Parade

Happy Easter

We had a great Easter Sunday. The morning got off to a very good start with our indoor egg hunt. Luca enjoyed the hunt and was pleased with the basket of goodies that the Easter Bunny left for him. And we were pleased with the fact that he was more interested in the loose change and the crappy little toys that he found in his eggs instead of the candy we felt compelled to give him this year.









Grace and her family and Marisol and Elli's family joined us mid-morning for brunch and an outdoor egg hunt. Because I wanted to be sure to keep everything even for all of them - I purchased four of each little item to fill the eggs. We labeled each egg with the first initial of the intended recipient's name and the kids worked as a team to make sure everyone received their own eggs. For the most part.








They did really well, though - and had a fun time doing it. (Despite Elli's missing egg which we still haven't located).

Dying for Easter

We decorated eggs on Saturday night.



Luca's great mood of the night before had passed and he was having a hard time keeping his frustration at bay during the project. We had a few near-time outs, but he kept pulling it together at the last minute and we actually got through it.





Until...the entire "Egg Tree" toppled over and about half of the eggs cracked. The poor kid pretty much lost it at that point. With some some urging, though, he retreated to his room for some quiet time where he settled down and salvaged what was left of the evening. For the most part. There was that call to the Easter Bunny's assistant that I had to make when he refused to get ready for bed.

Friday Night Dinner

We walked downtown for dinner on Friday night with friends.



Local shrimp tacos and a side of queso served in a Chinese soup bowl.



A small wrestler joined us.



Luca was in a great mood.



So great, in fact, we didn't realize the time and we stayed out way past his bedtime. It was a nice start to the weekend.

Guitar-get

As they walked to their car after a late afternoon shopping trip at Target - my almost two-year old nephew Maxwell (son of a bass guitar player) said to his mother - "We had a good time at GUITARget"!

Lunch

We had a "make your own pizza" afternoon. Luca - who will take the first opportunity he has to tell you he's not a cheese-lover, made his with red sauce, pesto, veggie pepperoni and a couple of last-minute anchovies right before it went into the oven. He stuck to his strict "no cheese" policy. Obviously the kid knows what he likes, because he ate every last crumb.

Weekends

Seems that I have become a weekend blogger - the weekend being the only time I can get to writing this one or reading some of my many favorites written by others. Although there are patches of free time throughout the weekday - they are only short bursts of mostly unexpected time and never enough for a nice visit to the bathroom let alone enough time to sit down and create a short blog entry. And, if there are longer periods of time - they are usually taken up with administrative stuff like bills or phone calls or - something I have been trying hard to get better at - dinner prep.

Weekends are also the time for the four of us to be together. Most of the time, this is one of my favorite things as a parent. Other times - not so much. Luca - although he's gotten much better at handling his frustrations - still has many moments throughout the day when he is, um, a bit difficult. His new thing is "backtalk". If I am re-directing or correcting him in some way - his automatic response these days is to repeat back to me what I've just said to him. As in - "No, you need to listen." or "No, you're going to get a time out". Nice. And especially difficult to keep my cool considering we are already dealing with the offense that got us there in the first place. "Obstinate" is the word I would use to describe him these days. It's one thing when we are home, in a controlled environment, where I can deal with whatever it is he's being relentless about at the moment. It's another when we are out in the world, out to have a good time goddamnit, and he's being as difficult as it gets. Publicly. Then you have to decide whether or not you want to deal with the situation as you would at home, or modify in some way, still (hopefully) help him to understand and - at the same time - get back to the having fun part as quickly as possible.

Still, there are usually more of the favored moments on a weekend than not. Long mornings, snippets of the paper, special projects, staying in our pjs, walks downtown, the farmer's market, local festivals, special treats, meals with friends - and - being together. Cranky or not.

Rhythm and Ribs

We went to a festival this afternoon. North Florida-style. Complete with pony rides, carny food and the second bouncy house of the day.







The focus of the event was barbecue and music.



We were too early to hear the best of the music - but we certainly saw our fair share of BBQ...







Matteo doesn't have any teeth - so the whole thing was sort of lost on him.



And Ama is a vegetarian, so she was at a loss, as well.



But, it was pretty crowded - so someone was eating the stuff.



There were some good things to drink, too.



Matteo stayed awake most of our time there and took it all in.



Once he was back in the sling, though - it was only a matter of time.




Luca was tired and filthy by the end of the night - having had a great time...



...and the very last of the French Fries.

Chatty Chatterson

Matteo is very talkative these days. From happy, sing-songy verbalizations to "what the F?!" kind of annoyed and angry ones. It amazes me how long he can go on and on, too - talking away in that way that babies do. I am loving it.

It's beginning to look a lot like Easter...

Debbie took Luca to an Easter Egg Hunt this morning. He loved it, of course.



The visit started with some lap time with the Big Bunny.



Luca took the opportunity to give the Easter Bunny the letter that he wrote with his Pop-Pop's help a few weeks ago. There are a few requests in there, apparently. Since when did the Easter Bunny near Santa status?



Next up - The Hunt...



Not as much of a hunt as it was a "who can grab the most eggs in the shortest amount of time" sort of frenzy.



The loot: stickers, tattoos and candy (most of which is hard candy and, therefore, prohibited in this house). We did cave and let him have some Pez and some chocolate, though.



The morning ended with a train ride and some bouncy-house action.





He came home a very happy boy.

Beach Boys

When Max was here - oh so long ago - we took the boys on their traditional beach romp.





That day - looking like some sort of infant astronaut - Matteo made his beach debut.



He never left the stroller - but he enjoyed the ocean breeze and loved watching his brother and cousin do their thing.





It was a great day for a beach visit and we all had a good time.









Some of us, more than others...

Me on the Map

I found a cool little book on the concept of maps at a kid's consignment shop this week.



After reading it a few times, Luca wanted to see some maps of his own.




I don't think he fully grasps the concept of a map yet - as it relates to larger areas - but he did like looking at his room and his house mapped out on paper.

McDrool

My attempts at trying to take a picture of Drooly McClure in his new cloth diaper while holding him in one hand and the camera in the other.

Eggs-tra special project

Earlier this week we decorated egg candles with shapes that we made from sheets of beeswax.





We had both beeswax and regular candles and - after pressing or cutting shapes out of the thin beeswax sheets - we pressed them onto the candles.



We found everything for this project at Nova Natural online.



This was Luca's first time working with beeswax and it took him awhile to remember that he had to warm the wax pieces in his hands in order to get them to stick to the candles.



Debbie and I got into the project, as well and - before we knew it - we had created Easter/Spring eggs for each one of Luca's classmates.

Fee-vah

Matteo is on day eight of a fever. Low grade, but a fever none-the-less. It ranges anywhere from 99.4 to 100.9. The highest came tonight and he fussed himself to sleep. The doc says not to worry, but how can you not? I know it's just his little immune system fighting a bug - but, by day eight, all kinds of crazy things have gone through my head. Hoping it will end soon.

Cloning

I may start a rumor...


Luca - around three months.



Matteo - two and a half months.

Tummy Time Face

Growing Up

"Baby" Max joined us on our weekly Monday playground romp this past week. He was all about the monkey bars, and - pretty much - did everything on his own. Watching this nephew of mine with the older kids made me realize that he is about to leave babyhood behind.







He'll turn two at the end of April and I think we all might need to start thinking about dropping the word "baby" that precedes his name.

Happy (almost) Birthday, Maxwell.

Can I Have Lemon With That?

While my sister, cousin and nephew were here - we went to one of our favorite restaurants. When Max saw the lemons in everyone's water, he insisted he have one, as well. I miss him so much. And, these pics cracked me up...

Max's Visit

Outside...






And in...

Garden Day

About a week after Teo was born, Luca and Debbie attended Garden Day at school. The kids and parents worked together to build beds, mix soil and plant. Each child received their own individual plot to plant whatever they wanted. They also planted seeds and seedlings in a communal plot. Now - two months later - they are eating fresh salads from their school garden. It's been great to hear Luca talk about the garden and it's inspired us to start a container garden at home. Here are some pics from that day.

Special Projects Department

Making Pretzels.









The end products were eaten before they could be documented.

Teo

This baby is getting bigger by the second. He's long and sturdy and stronger by the day. And I really don't think we could have asked for an easier, more pleasant baby. Luca was a bit high maintenance as an infant - some of it typical first child/first-time mommy stuff, but also quite fussy and slow to self-soothe. I am the first to admit much of it could have been the result of me being super anxious and pretty post-partum, but I think these two have very different personalities, too.



Matteo first smiled at four weeks and was laughing by six. He's doing a lot of cooing these days and is getting more tolerant of tummy-time now that he is actually interested in the parade of objects we wave in front of his face while he's on his belly. He LOVES his big brother and breaks out in huge smiles when Luca performs for him. In fact, Luca is so successful at making him happy that I have taken to having him entertain the baby for short stints while I make a quick run to the bathroom or to quell minor fussiness when I am unable to get to him for a minute or two. Luca loves helping out in that way and I love being able to buy the time when I need it. Mostly, though - this baby is totally patient and is very content sitting in his bouncy seat and watching the world unfold before him. He has his limits of course, but - when we need it - he really allows us time to take care of business - from preparing a (quick) meal, taking care of household chores or helping Luca out in some way. These are things that were much harder the first time around and I am so grateful for his easy-going personality.



Its amazing how quickly time is passing. He will hit the ten-week mark this coming Friday and I honestly feel like he only got here just a few weeks ago. They really do grow up fast.

Cousins

Maxwell visited for a few days. All three boys were together for the first time. We spent our visit at the playground, beach, farmer's market, and on walks downtown - as well as lots of playtime at the house. The pic above was taken this past Saturday during "Movie Night" The feature presentation was Pixar's CARS and Max ate popcorn for the very first time. Matteo only sat in for this picture op - with all of them sporting their Christmas pjs from their grandmother. Seeing the three of them together made me excited for the near-future. I'm totally looking forward to watching these cousins create lots of memories together.

Things to do in Florida

We went to a water-side restaurant the other night. It's set right on the intercoastal and often crowded. Waiting for a table isn't too much of a problem, though...






Debbie and Luca played in the sand on the water's edge while my dad had a drink and Matteo and I sat in a rocker and watched the sun set. Then we ate Matteo's weight in fresh seafood. Yum.



A few days later, friends from Philly arrived and they accompanied Debbie and Luca on a fishing excursion.





As much as I complain about living here - March is really a great month to be in Florida.

A fortnight

Lots of time has passed since the last post. We've had quite a few outings and several pro-filmic events in that time. There have been a lot of guests over the past two weeks and my prime blogging time has been filled with actual - instead of virtual - human contact. My sister, nephew and cousin left today (sadly) and we have about four days before a new crop arrives. Friends from Philly were also here. Georgia, too. And my dad is here in Florida for the month of March. Springtime brings visits and visitors - all very wanted and welcome, but it does throw off routines and free-time. Still - the past weeks have been lots of fun and we even have some pics to show for it...

Playground Monday

I love our Mondays at the playground. The (wonderfully laid back) mom's group we're a part of meets up there at the start of each week. Sometimes lots of people show up, sometimes just a few - but there's always someone for the kids to run around with and get a bunch of energy out. Its always an easy outing for us and one Luca and I equally look forward to. Jen and her camera joined us this past Monday. .

Scene around here lately...

Thanks, Jen - for all the help. And, all the pics!

Coffee Monday

We took Jen to our favorite coffee place this past Monday. She took lots of pictures along the way, some of which you see here. Luca had been playing dress-up before we left the house and decided to stay in character. His additions to the pirate outfit included his brother's Babylegs and his Skuut. He stopped to see his One-Man-Band friend along the way and made a point to check up the guy's cash flow. Nosy kid. And, since he was dressed for it, he made attempts to scare tourists along the way - but no one seemed frightened. After the walk, coffee and a visit to the train table at the toy shop, we made our way back home.

Car 'tude

Stick-y

This child is NEVER without a stick. And, he is very particular about his choice of sticks. Walks take a really long time because he collects, rejects, collects, rejects and collects again - sticks. We have a special box by the mud room door for his favorites. Big, dirty, bug-infested looking ones have a place outside. Still - I find sticks all over the house and hidden in the nooks and crannies of my car. I am not certain of the criteria - and I believe standards can change at any given moment - but sticks are a very important part of each and every day.

Farmer's Market

It had been almost three months since I'd been to our farmer's market by the time we took Jen there this past Saturday. Since a couple of months before the baby, I'd been traveling the almost two-hour round trip to Jacksonville and back several times a week, so it became habit for me to stop in the locally owned natural foods store there. Stocking up on fresh fruit and veggies during the week made it easy to sleep in instead of getting up to go to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings. Odd - because I love going - especially with Luca, who enjoys the music and the food and the people-watching so much. When we arrived, I was really glad Jen was going to get a chance to see one of the best parts of living here. She took lots of pictures and I was so happy to be back...

Music...

Hawk sightings...

Cupcakes...

Produce...

Rice and Beans...

And lots of fun...

Mardi Gras

Scattered Update

I didn't realize how much time had passed until I signed in to Blogger. Lots has happened in the last ELEVEN days. For one - Debbie has been gone for the past four - rendering blogging impossible. Before that - who knows. Anyway - we've been pretty busy and actually have some pics to show for it. Lucky for me - my good friend Jennifer visited for a few days and not only helped me in Debbie's absence, she also flaunted her Canon Rebel and took some great shots of the kids and of our adventures during her time here. So - as soon as I can - Mardi Gras, special projects, pirate walks, farmer's market fun, playground jaunts and baby faces - all coming soon.

Meanwhile - the (amazing and fabulous) doula is arriving any moment now for her last visit. She's come to help about once a week since Matteo arrived and has been a total and absolute life saver. It will be sad to say goodbye to her AND the naps she allows me and the dinners she provides - but I am eager to graduate into the world "two - by myself". Part one of my graduation came yesterday at my six week midwife appointment. It was so strange knowing it was my last visit (for awhile, anyway) - after going once a week for so long and sitting and chatting and planning and crying to anticipating for so many months with those wonderful, caring women. I never thought I'd say this - but I am actually looking forward to my summer pap smear - just to visit with all of them again.

I can't wait until Debbie returns this afternoon and - with her - another good friend who will visit for the weekend. March holds lots of visiting, too - this being Florida and all. So much to look forward to...

I heart weekends

We had a nice Valentine's Day. Nice and quiet. Just the four of us. It started with a lazy morning - for me, anyway. Debbie had both kids in the am and I slept in until almost ten. It was quite possibly the best Valentine's present I've ever received. After I got up, Debbie and Matteo went to get her car serviced, while Luca and I stayed behind to make Spool Dolls.









Later that afternoon, we hopped into the car to seek out a Valentine's Day meal. Of course, the Spool Dolls joined us.




We decided on sushi at one of our favorite spots.





We rounded off the evening with movie night - Land Before Time.



The movie was Luca's choice.



So was the popcorn.



The fact that the evening ended, er, not so well - what with the tantrum and all - doesn't negate the fact that we had a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Maybe even the best one yet. 

Happy Valentines Day

I've been making an effort to spend some serious one-on-one time with Luca. It's helped with the tantrums and the general frustration that he's been experiencing since before Matteo was born. I am realizing (duh) that with all of the extra people around in the last few weeks and the focus shifting from him to his brother - he's been feeling a bit alienated.

Kristin came to help on Tuesday and - instead of spending all of her time occupying Luca, she spent some time keeping Matteo company while Luca and I did a little holiday crafting together.







A friend of mine calls it "feeding the meter". Whatever you call it - we both had fun making Valentines Day cards for his classmates TOGETHER. Instead of trying to keep everyone happy at once and take care of two kids simultaneously - this was an hour or so of solely Mommy and Luca time. And it was very good for both of us.

Brotherly Love

Luca loves loving on his new brother - complete with wet and possibly germ-ridden kissed, full-on body hugs and the constant touching despite the oft repeated Rule Number One - Never Wake a Sleeping Baby.

Weekend Walks

After a very short winter, there are already signs of Spring around these parts. And, there's nothing like Warm And Sunny to combat the post partum "baby blues". So - we've been enjoying lots of coffee walks around town.

BabyLegs

We love these...
www.babylegs.com

Seen around here lately...

Smiling

Spazzing

Staring

Sharing (sort of)

Stacking

Sliding

Slinging

Shelving

Twelve days later...

It's been almost two weeks since the last post. I think the timing correlates with the end of visiting help here at Casa de New Baby. Sleep deprivation is kicking our ass and, by the time we get Luca into bed and clean up the wreckage of the day - it's time for us to run into the bedroom and start the long and laborious process of getting this baby to sleep. Matteo's been sleeping - oh - about twenty-two minute intervals at night.



But still, he's cute. This is his first big smile - taken yesterday, one day shy of five weeks.


Anyway - I plan on catching up on the blog this weekend. Not sure about the sleep.


More pics and updates to come...

Luca and Grace

Waiting for Mexican take-out.

25 Random Things

This tag is running rampant on Facebook right now. And, I was also recently tagged by my friend Ama out here is blogosphere. I am not going to tag anyone in particular - but, if you read this and feel so inclined, please do one, too. I would love to read some random facts about you.

My 25 things
As a kid, I was kicked out of ballet, was cut from the softball team, didn’t make the grade school cheerleading squad and quit Blue Birds and tennis - but, as an adult, I consider myself a very strong team player.

I took guitar lessons. Twice.

I quit guitar the first time because I didn’t like the teacher. I quit the second time because I liked the teacher too much.

I traveled along the East African coast in 1990, as a Junior in college.

While in Kenya - Namibia gained independence and Nelson Mandela was freed. It was pretty amazing to be in Africa during that time.

I was mugged in Nairobi and - out of all the things they stole off of my person that night - I was most bummed about losing my last packs of Camels Lights and Big Red Gum.

I smoked for over ten years.

I quit smoking at the age of twenty-six.

I am allergic to horses. And cats. And Penicillin.

Before I had a dog, I was a dog person who owned only cats. What was I thinking?

I used to hate the beach. Now I love it.

I love documentaries.

I am fascinated by polygamy.

My sister is my best friend. Even though she still likes New Kids on the Block.

My favorite, all time musician is Paul Simon.

I will always have a place in my heart for Billy Joel - pre Christie Brinkley.

Traveling is a true passion of mine, but feel I haven’t done nearly enough of it since kids and I want to change that.

I traveled to Siberia with my friend Deb Brush when she adopted her beautiful daughter Annie. Through a series of chaotic events and mountains of red tape, we were stuck in Russia for twenty-eight days. It was one of the best adventure-filled months of my life.

I was held up at gunpoint in Philadelphia - in the parking lot of the North Star Bar - where I waited tables for several years. They didn’t get anything, as it was pre-shift.

I delivered Luca a week early, after 23 hours of labor and I delivered Matteo a week and a half late, after two hours and four minutes of labor.

Both births were natural / non-medicated.

I used to collect the original Fisher Price Little People.

My three and a half year old son now plays with my collection of vintage Fisher Price Little People.

I broke my collarbone jumping off of the sofa at the age of two and it took my parents two days to figure it out. Nice.

I am a major night owl.

Love this.

Okay. This was also stolen from my SIL Sally's facebook page. I LOVE this video!

Mama and the boys...

Early Sunday morning, watching home renovation shows.

brothers

Heard Around the Castle...

One knight to another - "Oh yeah?! Well, you're a whiny face!"

And later - "Hi, Prince."
"Hi, Knight."
"Do you want a hug?"
"Okay."

Good friends...

...do your dishes and give your kid a bath when you need it most.

Sunday Jaunt

After two whole weeks of only going to the doc's or other baby and post-pregnancy related appointments, I took a leap back into reality today. We had promised Luca that he could use some of his piggy bank money to buy himself something at the local toy shop, so we (along with my visiting mother) all took an afternoon jaunt downtown.

Luca hopped on his Skuut, we popped Matteo into the pouch (where he fell asleep immediately) and we were on our way.





Even though we were only going out for a bit, I forced Debbie to don the diaper bag. What with being a shut-in for the last two weeks and all, I guess I forgot that supplies and reinforcements are not necessarily needed for a short pleasure walk.



Luca practiced bicycle balance and stopped to enjoy the sites along the way.





We finally made it to the toy shop where Luca perused a vast array of knights in shining armor - his latest interest.



He had only taken ten dollars out of his piggy bank - so we actually wound up spotting him an extra four plus change. He was still psyched to hand over his own money to the guy behind the counter.



He was very happy with his purchase.



After the toy shop, we went to our favorite coffee spot. As usual, Luca convinced Debbie to allow him to skim most of the foam from her coffee.





Meanwhile, Matteo continued to sleep in the security of the sling.







The walk, fresh air and sunshine did all of us some good. It was a very nice day.

I stole this from my SIL's Facebook page.

Thanks, Sally!

Building Zone

Luca loves to build. Anything. From towers of blocks to buildings of toilet paper and soaps - if they are stackable, they are fair game. Things that line-up in an organized fashion are also fair game. He's anal like that.







We have a bunch of different blocks and building sets in different rooms around the house. He ignores some of them much of the time - but, every once in awhile, he'll get an itch to use a certain set and he will play with it for days and days on end.





The baby has now inherited some of Luca's old sets. Not that the he will be playing with them anytime soon, but I have put a few things around Matteo's room for when he's ready. Lately, I will find Luca in there, playing with those baby blocks - stacking them into small towers - playing with things he hasn't seen in over a year or more and may not even remember as his own.







He's been playing with his Duplos A LOT lately. When my sister was here, she took him to the store to buy a second add-on set because he seemed to be falling short of bricks as his creations became more elaborate. Most recently, he's been building things that include parking spaces and front porches, bedrooms and swimming pools. He is also suddenly into rocket ships and we've seen our fair share of those in the last few weeks.





With some post-baby behavior issues cropping up around here, it's nice to see Luca fall into the Building Zone - a few moments (or many more) where he is peaceful, happy, creative and proud of his work.

Pop-Pop

My dad left today. Lots of errands were completed while he was here. I think we sent him to the store about fifty-seven times in the four days he visited. He left us with a full fridge, stamps for the duration and enough baby supplies to last the winter. Now there's really no reason to leave the house. Just kidding. In fact, I am hoping for a decent day this weekend to take my first walk downtown. Luca took ten dollars out of his piggy bank for a promised trip to the nearby toy store, which is conveniently located just across the way from my favorite little coffee shop. Let there be sun.

Matteo Yesterday-o

Did I wash my hair today?

I haven't worn a bra for the better part of two weeks. I have only gotten dressed to go to the pediatrician/midwife/lactation consultant. I sleep in one to three hour intervals. I couldn't tell you the date. And I am VERY behind on pretty much everything.

It's COLD Outside

I am proud to be a northerner.

I hate the heat.

I often make fun of my good friends - here in the south - who complain of being too cold on days I consider temperate and refreshing.

But, today - today was cold.



A mere twenty-nine degrees when Luca left for school this morning.





And, tomorrow it's going to be even colder. Maybe I need an intervention?

The Babysitter's Here

Kristin has been coming to help out with Luca a couple of days a week since just before Matteo was born. She's a nanny for a good friend / school mate of Luca's and she has some extra hours available these days, so we've been more than happy to keep her busy during those times.

In a word, she is wonderful. She's young and full of energy (necessary for endless hours of legos, memory games, adventures in the arts and chase), and she has an innate sense of what works when it comes to little kids. She also has a ton of patience - lucky for us AND for the three and a half year old that we happen to room with.



Kristin has been sitting for Luca for almost a year now. She used to come in the evenings only, when we were out of the house - but we'd see her out and about at the park and at play dates. Now that she has a bit more availability, and now that the concept of "date night" is pretty much ONLY a concept - most of their time spent together has been during the day. As well, some of that time together has been in and around the house when Debbie and I are also at home. And, unfortunately - Luca gives Kristin a much harder time when his moms are nearby. When they are on their own - whether at the house or out on an adventure - Luca apparently does very well. He listens to Kristin, plays nicely, maintains a decent mood, etc. But, when they are in the house and we are around - Luca gets all Edward Hyde on her. I don't know if this sort of thing is typical - kids acting up with the sitter or another adult when the parents are around - but, it's been stressing me out quite a bit. We have her there so that he is insured some one-on-one attention and so that we have some help in tending to his needs. But, lately, he's been much more of a handful and has given Kristin a really hard time - so that Debbie and I, despite our best intentions, wind up intervening. I get aggravated at Luca and, at the same time, I feel sad for him. When he acts out for our attention, I feel like I am being neglectful. That I shouldn't be passing him off to the sitter, but - instead - I should be trying to engage him and care for his new brother at the same time. The reality, though, is that I can't. Not yet, anyway - at least not until I am feeing good again and this baby isn't so darn-spanking new anymore. And - the whole reason we have Kristin here is to insure Luca's well-being and his fun.

After having a difficult Monday, we came up with a plan for Tuesday - have them stay outside as much as possible. When we are out of his sight, we are pretty much out of his mind. The weather was great in the beginning of the week, so this wasn't a problem at all.

Books...



Picnics...





And other random outdoor adventures...





Luca has a day off from school on Friday, so Kristin is taking him away from the house for a play date. But, we'll have a day or two next week when we will all be around the house together again. I know that we can think of a few more "out of the house" activities, but I am hoping that we can also think of some ways to make the "all of us at home" situation a little easier for everyone.

Uhh...

We are just starting to emerge from the fog. There have been a few challenges this week, but we're maintaining. Our wonderful friends have been more helpful then we ever could have imagined. While my sister is here (until Tuesday), we are trying to catch up on sleep. And, we are finally starting to take some pictures.

Photo Op

I was taking a few pics of Matteo this morning...





...and his brother felt a wee bit left out, but was sure to let me know.



I asked him to pose a bit.






He did not disappoint.

My Sister is Here

Thank god.

Primo and Segundo

He's here...

The short version...

Drank the castor oil milk shake on Thursday night - with no results (except for what one might expect).

My midwife - Hope - broke my water at 10:45am on Friday morning, January 9th.

Matteo was born just two hours and four minutes later at 12:49pm. .



All nine pounds and six ounces of him.

Details to follow.

The update

So - lots has happened this week. Too much to even begin to fully explain right now, although highlights include - multiple scares because of the ever-conservative high risk docs, unexpected twin delivery and - later in the week - false labor (including a trip to the birthing center and back). We are at the point where they are going to medically induce on Saturday if this baby doesn't get here before then. We spent all morning at appointments and most of the afternoon either waiting to talk to or on the phone with the midwives and the back-up doc's office. Everyone came to the decision that we would try castor oil tonight (mixed into a milkshake), breaking my water tomorrow (if the castor oil doesn't do the trick) and - a medical induction tomorrow evening if breaking my water doesn't work. I am forty-one weeks, 4-5 centimeters dilated and Group B Strep positive. That along with the fact that I delivered the 20 week twin earlier in the week, makes them (and us, admittedly) uneasy about infection. I've had no symptoms of infection and the baby passed two non-stress tests and two high-risk ultrasounds with flying colors - so everyone agreed to another day to get this going outside of the hospital.

We are really tired - but happy to know that we will finally meet him within the next twenty-four hours or so.

The Mom Song

I had forgotten about this until a friend posted it on Facebook tonight. Thanks, Denise!

Congrats!

Congratulations to Paul and Chris over at It's Daddies. Plural. They are the proud new fathers of baby Kensington Grace, who entered the world on Christmas Day. I spent the early morning hours catching up on their latest blog entries. And, I am looking forward to reading up on their new adventures with their long-awaited, beautiful baby girl.

Weekend so far...

We've had a nice weekend so far. Luca spent the better part of yesterday morning up in a tree...







Then we met up with Lori and went to a new taqueria for breakfast...







In the afternoon, it was time to make the dinosaur cookies Luca got for Christmas from Jane's mom - Grandma Joan...











After the day's activities, Kristin came over to watch Luca and we went out to my belated birthday dinner with Lori and Ida. Tapas. So good.

Today, Debbie is putting away the holiday decorations and taking down the tree, Luca is doing his thing, we are all still in our pjs and we are about to make buttermilk pancakes. I plan on putting the second tier of laundered baby clothes away, gathering more things for Goodwill and consignment and - in general - taking the last official day of holidays as slowly as possible.

Ready.

Happy New Year, btw.

Our New Year's celebration was much like our Christmas celebration - small, quiet and just what we needed. A few friends stopped by on New Year's eve to visit, but the three of us spent the majority of the evening just hanging around the house. Luca made it to ten o'clock, Debbie and I made it to midnight, but just barely.

We had a brunch here on New Year's Day. A potluck, of course - because we are good lesbians. The food was delicious, the company was great. We had a Yankee Swap Gift Exchange. Yankee Swaps (or any of the other names they go by) are a great way to "regift" or recycle decent presents that don't work for you for one reason or another. And the "exchange" part usually winds up being hysterically funny. Our only rule this year was that people bring a functional item. No gag gifts. For the most part, it turned out great. We laughed a ton and most people left with things they really liked.

After dessert and gifts, (almost) everyone went for a walk around the neighborhood. After that, the party slowly started to break up.

The three of us spent the rest of the day cleaning up and organizing - finding spaces for our new Christmas presents, gathering older toys and things for donation and consignment, doing a little more work on the baby's room, etc.

Then - it was leftovers for dinner and an early bedtime for all of us. Nothing too exciting, but a very nice way to bring in the new year.

Checking in...

No pics to share. I have been busy / lazy - depending on the hour. No baby to share yet, either. Today is my official due date believe or not. The way I've been spouting off, you'd think I was a month late already. I'm not - it just feels that way. Because of several things - the pumping and herb protocol that started at thirty-seven weeks, a second fetus, a psychic that was right about everything else, the fact that Primo came early and that this is a second baby, my hugeness, etc - I really thought this baby would be here by now. It's all about expectations, I guess. (Wo)man plans, god laughs.

I went to the acupuncturist this week - twice - for electronic stimulation. She also gave me a hefty dose of vile herbs. I have had massage therapists friends pushing on pressure points for two weeks now. "Nesting" has come and gone. But, alas - nothing. Nada. Zilch.

So - now - on my due date, I am starting to feel the anxiety. I am worried about interventions and c-sections and what if something's wrong, and oh my god - I've been eating too many carbs, etc. Stepping outside of myself, I know that plenty of babies come past their due dates. I know that this baby will get here when he and my body are ready. But still...

Regarding no pics - I have been sooooo achy and tired that I haven't been motivated to pull out the camera. I have also been lucky enough to have our wonderful baby-sitter become available during some daytime hours and she's been taking Jr. out on a lot of his daily adventures.

The house is still asleep. I have been up since five. I think I might organize the baby's drawers. Very exciting. Maybe I will take some pics...

In the meantime, please send positive labor vibes!

Playground Monday

It's Monday and - since this baby is still on the inside, rather than the outside - I took Luca to the park for his usual beginning of the week, mid-morning work-out.



My dad came with us and Luca enjoyed showing off on the monkey bars a bit.





Pop-Pop was inspired...



...to find his inner child.

Not Trick Photography

As you can see, I am BIG.



Big and ready.



And, I've dropped. Or - he has. So, let's get on with it already!

My acupuncturist went away for a week for the holiday. She kindly left me with one of those clickers, as well as sharpie marks on certain pressure points (little toe, inner calf and hand). I clicked the beejesus out of those points tonight. We'll see.

Art

Found this while perusing the net today.

Baby Max

My nephew Maxwell's second Christmas...



PJs courtesy of Mom-Mom. Luca had on the same pair when he went to bed (one-thousand miles away) on Christmas Eve, but - due to Christmas excitement and too much water before bed, we had a costume change in the middle of the night. The idea was for us to have Christmas pics of the boys in the same outfit (because my sister and I are annoying like that). Also - it's much easier to identify pics as from a specific year when they're older. Oh well, we'll try again next Christmas.

I'm not sure how much longer we can call this boy "Baby" Max - as he is getting so big so fast.

We missed him like crazy this Christmas.

Pop-Pop...

My dad arrived today. He came bearing gifts.



Luca kicked his butt in a memory game.



Then they built a small city until it was time to go to dinner.







At the end of the night - books...



All of the excitement totally wore him out.

Choo-Choo...

Breaking out the trains this morning...

Break Fast

Christmas

Luca woke up somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00am - but, because Debbie and I hadn't gone to sleep until 2am, we lied and told him it was still the middle of the night. We convinced him to get into our bed and to "shhh - close your eyes, quick because Santa still has to come!". He believed us, despite the fact that the morning light was clearly visible through the windows. We managed to stay under the covers until almost 8am - but, by then, his excitement had rubbed off on us, so we all jumped out of bed.



This is what he saw when he walked into the living room...



And this is what he looked like when he discovered what Santa left under the tree...



He was also excited that the carrots and cookies that he had left for Santa and Rudolf had been eaten...














He opened each present slowly and methodically. It took for-ev-er, but we were really glad that he took the time to savor each one.





He got a few big items from my mom, dad and sister (as usual) - but we made a real effort to ask lots of people to NOT send gifts this year. Last year - between traveling during Christmas AND gifts from every single person we visited (plus the packages from family and friends far away) - there was way too much excess. Totally unnecessary. Plus, he was completely overwhelmed and the idea of giving and receiving was out the window - and all he experienced was some sort of unpleasant holiday frenzy. This year was a much more contained and - although he still made out like a bandit - the amount of gifts he received was dealable enough that he really did appreciate everything he was given. He's also (thankfully) totally down with the idea of "out with the old, in with the new" and that we will be getting rid of (giving away, donating, sending to the shore house) some of his old toys to make room for new ones. We also worked on the concept of sharing with and giving to people who don't have as much as we do. We "adopt" a big family each holiday and, this year, we tried to include him as much as we could. At three, some of it was lost on him, but we'll continue with that concept throughout the year and - next year - make him a more active participant in that whole process. For now, we are doing our best to stamp out the "gimmes" when they come up (as he is currently drawn to all gift-wrapped items) and show him that it's really fun to give, too. He's doing pretty well with all of it, but it's something we realize WE need to stay on top of - and set a good example - in order for him to really get it.



We spent the rest of the day playing with his loot, eating leftovers (from our relaxing and delicious Christmas Eve feast with friends) and lazing about. This is the first Christmas in seven years that we've been home during the holidays and Luca's first Christmas in his own house. Although I missed my family (especially my sister, BIL and nephew) in a major way, it was really nice to be able to be in our own space and allow Luca all the time he wanted and needed to enjoy the day in his own way.

Today...

Went to the park this morning. I hate to admit it - but I was COLD. It doesn't help that I am still wearing flip-flops. It also doesn't help that it's eighty degrees one day and fifty-four the next. It was good to get out in the fresh air, though - because I stayed inside most of the weekend, expecting this baby to make an appearance.

After the park, we had a quick lunch and went to our last OT appointment of the year. Then the bank and a very looonnngg drive home. What should have taken about ten minutes took over thirty. All of the inept Florida drivers getting their last minute shopping done on US1. Luca and I were both jumping out of our skin in frustration - but, luckily, we bonded over our traffic angst instead of further irritating each other.

Debbie took off today just in case. But - we left her on her own for most of the day. After we finally made it home, we went right in to nap and she had some much-deserved alone time until about five o'clock. She surprised us with a delicious meal that she was preparing when we woke up. So good, in fact, that Luca didn't even need to be convinced to eats his greens.

Tonight saw present-wrapping and Christmas cookie eating (c/o my mother, my sister and the United States Postal Service). Now, we are off to bed and - for me anyway - continuing THE WAIT.

Lila

I just remembered - that was what her name was going to be when and if we found out she was a girl. I had completely forgotten that sometime in the last four months - until just now.

Tree and stuff...

We got our tree yesterday and decorated it this morning. This is a pretty big deal for us because it's our first tree in seven years. Because we've moved around so often, we always go home to Philadelphia for the holidays and never bother getting a tree. But, this year, because of the baby, we had no choice except to stay put - so a tree was definitely in order. Even though I am going to REALLY miss going home, the timing works out well because Luca is now at an age where we can begin some traditions that he'll remember. Plus - because of the big change on the horizon, it will be nice for him to be in his own house with his own tree and, of course, his own gifts.

After the three of us hung ornaments, did a quick snowman craft and putzed around into the afternoon...





...our friend Kathleen and her daughter Lauren came over with take-out pizza. Luca was enamored with Lauren, as usual, and stuck by her most of the evening. They decorated some gift wrap together, we ate and then we all exchanged gifts.





Debbie is off until after Christmas - unless the baby comes and then she'll be off until after New Years. I really thought this baby would be here by now - but alas...

I am seriously ready - even though there are technically almost two weeks left. I am hoping he arrives soon so we can all enjoy our brand new present on Christmas.

Santa

On Saturday, we finally made it to see Santa. While waiting our turn - about third in line- Luca suddenly broke free and ran right up onto Santa's lap. In his excitement and frenzy, he seemed completely oblivious to the fact that there was already another little boy on Santa's lap at the time.

Debbie retrieved him and he went back to waiting his turn. I think he was a bit embarrassed by what had happened, though because - when it finally was his turn - he had an attack of SHY...





He finally warmed up and - despite the fact that Santa repeatedly referred to him as "she" and "her", even after being corrected - he settled into St. Nick's lap in time to tell him his Christmas wishes and to get his picture taken.

Waiting

Still waiting for Segundo. I had dreamt that he would arrive on the 15th, but that date has obviously come and gone. The newest prediction is Saturday. Although, I am not sure which one. This information came from a two-year old at the park the other day, when her mother and I asked her when the baby would be born. Considering I am convinced that this baby will be a Sagittarius (as predicted by a psychic long ago) I am placing bets on this coming Saturday the 20th. In the meantime, we are in a race against time to get the holiday wrapping done, packages mailed and the baby's room in some semblance of functional order. Otherwise - the birthing supplies are packed and ready to go, Primo's bag of fun is ready for potential hours in waiting, Junior II's clothes are washed (and will eventually find their way into drawers) and we are ready to welcome him whenever he chooses to arrive. Been thinking about his twin a lot lately and how all of that will go. But, again - what will be, will be.

Sing-along night at school

There was a holiday Family Sing-along at Luca's school last night.



Jean made elf hats for all of the kids.

















Maya's dad led us in song.
























Micah's dad strummed along.


















The kids performed some sort of unruly circle dance.

















Dave read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (Jan Brett's illustrated version).













And Baby Sophia slept through most of it.

Last Sunday

Pancakes, of the buckwheat variety...



...prepared on the new griddle - Debbie's Christmas gift from her Secret Santa (a.k.a - my mother).



While it's technically not Christmas yet, we felt the need to test it's griddle-ing properties.





After breakfast, Luca donned his new dinosaur work gloves and convinced Debbie to break out her tools. I think some sort of lesson ensued.



Then, they both left me alone to NEST IN PEACE. I started with the dining room chaos.



While I obsessed over small details at home, Debbie and Luca went off to visit Santa. Unfortunately, he wasn't there. Taking it well, Luca tried out St. Nick's chair...



...and then tampered with his mail.



After that, they strolled around the Elf Village.











Having seen all there was to see, but not yet wanting to go home - Luca took a little nature break.









The Day of Rest ended with Chinese take-out and an early bedtime for all.

Last Saturday night

Debbie went to her holiday work party last Saturday and - not only did I not have anything to wear in my extremely pregnant state - I just wasn't up to it. Instead, Luca and I went to a little neighborhood French bistro for dinner with our friend Ama. After not napping all day, doing his best to behave in the restaurant, taking a walk around town and braving a near meltdown or two - Luca fell asleep on Ama as they watched "It's a Wonderful Life".

HOPE

Thirty six weeks, four days.

I am betting that this baby is a Sagittarius. I can't imagine that I will make it to forty weeks. My coochie hurts too much. Plus - because of nursing issues from the last time (due to a twenty-three year old surgery) I am going to start pumping on Monday - and that might induce contractions. We'll see. For now, though - I need to get my butt to bed. I am having a hard time with that. I am dead tired by 3pm and I'll nap with Luca, but then I can't sleep at night. I am sure this is only a taste of what's to come...

Waiting for Dinner

I broke out some oil pastels to keep Junior busy while I made dinner last night.



We're working on some fine-motor skills stuff - one of the biggies being a proper pencil grasp. He has a tendency to hold crayons and pencils with his whole fist, so we've been breaking all of them in half to make them smaller - which forces him to use his fingers. The pastels are naturally smaller in size than most things he writes with, so they were perfect for this kind of exercise.



It was his first time using them and he loved how "soft" they were.



We still have lots of work to do in this area, but I love when he can (unknowingly) work on something and have fun at the same time.

Preparing for Segundo or N*ked Baby Wearing

Friends threw us a baby shower this past weekend and - among our favorite gifts - Luca received a play pouch/sling like the one we'll carry the baby in when he arrives.





Thanks Grace, KT and Ryan!

This past Sunday...

We went to an annual pottery sale put on by two local potters. It's not just a sale, really - it's an event. Complete with live music, a bonfire and an amazing array of beautifully prepared foods to snack on while you mingle and browse. Its something we looked forward to every year when we lived here before and - this time around - it's better than ever.



Since most of our holiday shopping is done, we chose pieces for ourselves - mostly bowls and mugs for everyday use. Luca was happy to help.



Then he performed some sort of ritual over them.









After a dispute about god knows what, he had a mini-tantrum.





But someone handed him a cookie...



...and all became right in his world.