Weekend Highlights, by Family Member

Everyone in the family agrees - it was a fantastic weekend! The weather was (finally) gorgeous and we took advantage of it with long family walks, parks, and outdoor yard work.  We got to see lots of family and eat lots of good food. James and I had a date night. JB was in a particularly pleasant mood. What more could you want?!

I polled the family and came up with everyone's top moment of the weekend.

JB - French Toast
JB discovered French toast this weekend, and it pretty much rocked his world.  I can barely get the kid to eat a lot of anything (even things he likes), but JB devoured an entire plate of French toast on Saturday morning.  We went to a little dive restaurant, R Thomas, that makes everything from scratch except for their bread (which is made fresh daily at Holman and Finch).  H&F makes some darn good challah bread, which made some excellent French toast. Not that I got much of a bite, as JB would not share.

Holla for Challah!

Jennie - WICKED.  I already assumed this would be the highlight of my weekend (not realizing how much competition it would have from the weather and all the family time), and Wicked at the Fox did not disappoint.  I loved the storyline (which I was really not aware of before, despite knowing the music), and the cast and crew were amazing.  The woman who played Elphaba had one of the most powerful voices I have ever heard live.  Defying Gravity gave me goosebumps.

the Fabulous Fox

The Land of Oz

James - Dining Al Fresco.  Per usual, we had a small crowd on Sunday night for dinner. It's pretty much a given that the neighbors will dine together one or more meals over the weekend.  Because of the weather, James got to smoke a bunch of meat AND serve outside.  PLUS, I agreed to use paper plates, which gives my husband a whole lotta satisfaction.  (He is the dishwasher in our household, and would use paper products daily if I would agree.)  I rounded out the meat with loaded cauliflower casserole, asian slaw, and someone else brought macaroni salad.  Girl scout cookies for dessert.  A winning dinner.

Sharing is Caring

JB now recognizes a box of girl scout cookies, and completely loses his mind when you open them up.  He smiles, cheers, dances a bit - my attempts at producing a child that prefers veggies over sweets is a big time fail.  :)

Happy Monday!

Five Great Things on This Friday

We're so close to the weekend I can hardly stand it.  Here are FIVE things on this Friday that are pumping me up about what's ahead for the weekend/weeks to come.

1. Daylight Savings Begins!  Expanding Daylight Savings was arguably the best thing that President George W Bush accomplished during his 8 years in office.  (Somewhere James is reading this and shaking his head…)  I kid, I kid, but who doesn't love longer afternoons to play and run outside?  PLUS, the start of Daylight Savings means the start of Pfizer Fridays!!!  I get to adjust my schedule to work more on M - Thursday (not a difficult task), and take off half a day on Friday.  WOO-HOO!  

2. We're Closer to Spring.  The fact we have completed yet another cold, dreary, snowy week means that we're just that much closer to warmer, Spring weather.  BRING IT, because I am so tired of my limited winter wardrobe and having to walk the dog in subzero temperatures (well, like 40 degrees).

True Story - SNOW on my CAR in GEORGIA.

This calls for a snow day

3.  Dreams of Joy.  I'm a bit sleepy this Friday morning as a result of staying up waaaaaay too late last night to finish Dreams of Joy. (This is the book by Lisa See that continues with the story I first gushed about from the book Shanghai Girls.)  I couldn't stop reading, and, even today, can't stop thinking about the story and the characters.  It wrapped up beautifully, and I highly recommend these books (read together) to anyone who loves a good story with a historical setting (in this case, China from the 1930 - 1950s).

 

4. New Books!  Since my on-a-whim Goodwill purchase of a tattered Shanghai Girls paperback proved a smart move, I picked up another cheap book during a recent drop off.  Not sure if anyone has read it, but I'm excited to stay on this reading kick and try a new novel.  Hoping it's about cooking and stuff.  

Considering Carmen's appetite, this could be her autobiography.

(Yes, I know I'm probably the last person to read this book, and the only person to have not seen the movie. Kids killing other kids for food just never appealed to me, but I'm keeping an open mind…)

5. WICKED.  All the above things are great, but the thing I am MOST excited about this Friday is Wicked!!  Tomorrow night I finally get to see the musical that goes along with the music I've loved for years.  I'll finally understand the story that goes along with all the songs I have memorized.  I cannot wait.  

Stay warm, friends, and have a great weekend!!  

Loves that Blue Swing

I forgot to include in JB's 17 Month Update that this child is really into the swing.  It is a surefire way to calm him down if he's cranky, and it's part of our routine when we return from a walk or a drive.  Before we can get to the door, JB beelines to his swing on the front porch and points.  If it's clear we're not going to hoist him into his little blue swing at the moment, it's a small meltdown in the front yard.

His Happy Place

I found the pictures from when JB's Grammy and Gran Gran gave him the swing on my camera the other day.  It was a birthday present, and, seriously, only five months ago.  (He still looks like a baby here, not so much today!)

 Little did we know that morning how much he would love this swing!  

James Benjamin is 17 Months Old!

Since February is without a 29th day, I will stay in denial that my baby is actually 17 months old. Or is that not how it works?  Is he really nearly a year and a half!?

We just love this boy.  I suspect our frazzled weekend last week was a fluke (or, a more likely culprit - MOLARS), as JB was back to his pleasant self to round out his 17th month.  He is definitely starting up with the tantrums, and is getting pretty darn opinionated about things (like what he eats, what shoes he wears, what we play with, etc) - but I hear this means he is developmentally on track.  All toddlers are irrational little dictators at times/all the time, they tell me.

Besides the tantrums and opinions, the other new "development" this month is increased comprehension. In short, I am amazed at what JB picks up on.  Curious George came on TV one morning and I said "who is that?"  He ran to his room and brought me back a Curious George book, pointing out the monkey on the page.  First, he rarely even glances at the TV so I didn't think he paid attention to the characters. Second, we rarely read that particular book.  This event was enough to make me declare him a GENIUS CHILD.  :)  Well, or at least a little more attune to his environment than I thought.

Such a Stinker.

JB still says zero words, though, and it kinda stresses me out. (I know, I know, he's a boy, he's fine, we're raising him with two languages so this will delay, blah blah blah…but I still need something to worry about, ya know?)

And now for a quick update on what 17 month old JB is all about these days:

This boy loves:

• Wiping up spills with a towel (and will spill something on purpose just to clean it up)

• Rearranging Enda's water and food bowls, AND feeding Enda every morning and night

• The three stuffed animals (piggie, armadillo, and lamb) and afghan that live in his crib.  (Every morning he has to bring ALL of them with him from his crib to the couch, and can manage to hold all of them while drinking his milk.  We call it "no animal left behind".) 

• Books, books, books.  We must read 20 times a day, and we love it.  JB runs over with a book in hand, turns around, backs that thing up, and plops in our lap.  His favorites right now:  "Llama, Llama Nighty Night"; "Llama, Llama, I Love You"; "Brown Bear, Brown Bear"; "Bert and Ernie Book of Opposites"; "Goodnight Moon"; "Peek-a-Who?"; "Wheels on the Bus"; "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" (He has also started to make up hand signs and sound effects for many of these books, and it cracks me up.)  

This boy will pitch a fit when:

• It's time to leave the park and playground

• You put him in a regular (non racecar) shopping cart 

• Molars are breaking through the skin (OUCH)

• You wash his hair

Happy 17 Months, little guy!!

A (Frazzled) Weekend Update

Oh, what a weekend.  We're not sure if JB didn't feel good, decided to start his Terrible Twos early, or maybe it was a full moon or something…but something was definitely up.  Our normally agreeable (albeit busy and rambunctious) little guy was not happy about life.  And he made sure everyone was aware.  

But that's all I am going to write on the topic.  I had drafts in my head about feeling completely overwhelmed, defeated, miserable, etc, but today is a new day and I'm feeling very optimistic that the weekend was a fluke or a phase.  Staying positive.  :)  

Making light of the topic, here are a few pictures from my phone of the weekend. In some you can see just how far we went to console our toddler (i.e. sugar, sugar and more sugar).

First, we went to Pho on Saturday.  Noodles were a no-go for JB, but a strawberry "smoothie" (more like a milkshake) did the trick.  At one point he had his entire arms around the cup, so that we would stop taking sips. 

"Mine.  All Mine." 

After Pho, we ventured back to Great Clips to try - once again - for a haircut.  The past few times have been a DISASTER, but this time we were prepared with Dum Dums.  

             

We also figured out that the smock seems to trigger JB's reaction.  So, after falling apart at the sight of the smock, we took a break and came back for a second round without the smock.  Hair was everywhere, but he sat still and he was okay...

            

Until he just wasn't okay!!  Fortunately Miss Erin was able to get around his whole head before JB decided he was done with the cutting of the hair. 

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

After waking up early from his nap on Saturday, JB proceeded to have a breakdown about something.  He pulled it together after about 20 minutes (not joking) of screaming and thrashing on the floor, so we headed to Publix for our weekly grocery shopping.  A bit harried, both James and I forgot our wallet.  So we had to wait in the store while watched carefully by management, less we sneak out with $100 worth of food.  

Guarding the loot.

Sunday was another rainy day and we didn't want to take our chances with another meltdown. We kept the day busy with adventures and new experiences.  We spent quite a bit of time at a toy store where daredevil JB found a new swing - much more fun than his baby swing.

Who needs straps and belts!? 

                 

Sunday night we grilled burgers with our neighbors, and JB feasted on mac-n-cheese, sweet potato cakes, and pound cake.  This seemed to make him a happy camper (FINALLY), plus he had a friend (and tupperware!) to play with.  

             

"Get inside, I'll close you in, Mac"

During the weekend I may have been frazzled, but looking back on the pics I am able to laugh (well, or at least giggle).  I think this little one is going to keep us on our toes, for sure.

"Oh yes I will…"

Just Call Me a Reader

Remember how I said in 2014 I only read 2.5 books?  It was shameful.  Well, I'm proud to report that, as of today (February 19) I have already surpassed my 2014 number and completed THREE WHOLE BOOKS!!!  It's so ridiculous that I actually said (in all seriousness) to my Colleague the other day "I'm kinda into books right now" as if I've discovered a new trend.

My selection of literature really runs the gamut.  I thought I would share, because, why not.

1. Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting, by Pamela Drunkerman.  I've wanted to read this book for years, even pre-kiddos, and it did not disappoint. I was pretty absorbed in the book, and felt it had lots of good take aways - particularly around how it's a good idea to chill out, American parents!  It hindered on lots of stereotypes from both sides of the pond, but, eh, it helps to make her points.  I focused a lot on things like "why French babies sleep through the night at 8 weeks", and "how French babies will eat stinky cheeses and a wide variety of foods at a early age".  I turned my nose up at the fact that French women think it's imperative to be back in their skinny jeans by 12 weeks, and would never leave the house in yoga pants and sweats (my daily outfit of choice)  just because they're a mom.

2. The Surrendered Wife: a Practical Guide to Finding Intimacy, Passion, and Peace with a Man, by Laura Doyle.  Y'all, it took a lot of confidence to read this book on the plane.  That title alone makes me cringe.  Mother asked if this was a Dr. Dobson "Focus on the Family" book, and, actually, it's not a religious book at all.  It also has nothing to do with submission or gender roles. It's just some good, solid advice that your husband (well, or really anyone in your life) doesn't really need you to control, question, or nitpick his every move.  She has a lot of hokey ways to say this (I am not endorsing everything she recommends in the book), but the sister speaks the truth in several chapters.

3. Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See.  My first piece of fiction this year, I came upon this book during a recent Goodwill excursion when all paperbacks were 50% off (or $.75).  Remembering back fondly on how much I loved Memoirs of a Geisha and Joy Luck Club, I grabbed it on a whim and so glad I did.  It's a beautiful, well-written story of two sisters from Shanghai who come to America in the late 1930s.  One negative is that the story ends super abruptly and leaves you wanting more. The upside - she wrote a sequel novel!!!  I swung by the library yesterday and picked up Dreams of Joy to continue the story.

Hopefully my new reading trend will continue throughout the year.  Lord knows my brain could use a good break from crazy programming on cable TV.    :)

Happy Hearts

We had a very lovely Valentine's weekend, even though James claims to dislike the holiday in general and has warned me from the beginning he will never go out to eat on the day itself.  That's fine by me, as long as I can partake in the holiday by decorating and buying/getting gifts.  :)

TRUE STORY, on Friday I went to the Natural Body Spa next to our house to get a massage gift certificate for James.  As I was paying, guess who walks in to buy his wife a facial gift certificate.  YEP.  James and I actually ran into each other while buying our Valentine's gifts!  It definitely ruined the surprise, but has provided an excellent story that we will retell year after year.

Saturday morning we gave JB a few little Valentine's gifts.  A new bucket to house all his foam letters, plus Llama, Llama, I Love You.  (He's quite obsessed with the Llama Llama books right now, so it was an instant hit.)

JB wore his finest on Valentine's Day, even sporting a tie.  I seriously cannot get over how cute this kid is right now.  

We spent the whole day together as a family.  We went to Saks to get James some cologne (fancy schmancy), let JB run around Phipps to burn off some energy, took naps (all three of us), and then James made us a steak dinner.  Then we watched Dallas Buyers Club, which is not the most romantic but a good movie none-the-less.

Hope everyone's day was filled with LOVE.