On traveling and discipline.

Mark and I have been exchanging trips and Henry care for the past couple of months. It's been a little ridiculous. Like I either have to be in an airport, a different city or a single parent. That's how it's been the past 2 months. Well, the good news is that we have a little break coming up. No travel for a month ahead of us! How did we get so lucky, I wonder to myself? A normal family time, I wonder what will happen? Maybe we'll hang up some pictures on the wall. Maybe I'll get pregnant (KIDDING). Maybe Henry will bump his head on something (INEVITABLE).

I don't mind traveling when I plan the trip, but as soon as I'm off the plane in a different city I want to high tale it back home to be with my family! What has gotten into me? Like Henry is going to change in 12 hours or something? Or maybe it's just that I can't stand to miss anything he does. Mark and I are totally sick for Henry. Sick. Even his tantrums are cute to us (after the fact). What is wrong with us? My friend was asking me the other day how we discipline Henry and I was like...umm, we don't? It seems to work for all of us? I mean let's be honest, how do you even start to discipline a toddler? Hey Henry, don't throw food on the floor or you will have to lay your head down for 10 seconds. Hey Henry, stop climbing on the furniture or you will have to sit on a stool for 10 seconds. Really? He wouldn't listen and I would be too weak to enforce it because it would turn into a fight, and I thought you weren't supposed to fight with your children? In all seriousness, when do you start providing some discipline that isn't just "ignore it" for a nearly 18 month old? I'm stumped. And probably in need of some sort of guidance that isn't Google.

Post Script: These two things: traveling/single parenting and needing to discipline are not related...ok? I mean, right? Crap.

My neighborhood and not accepting help.

As a mother of a (very) small child, I often get asked by strangers if they can help. I don't think I've ever accepted anybody's help, not because I am too prideful or anything, but for safety reasons.

We don't have a parking space, and we live near a busy stretch of the city that fills up at night. So I'm often left walking a few blocks if I get home after 6pm. Last night, I returned home after visiting family around 9:30pm, and I parked a block and a half away from my house. I picked up all the bags, then scooped up a sleepy Henry in my arms, when a person out walking their dog asked me, "Can I help you get to your house?" and I just kind of wholesale dismissed him saying - "no thanks, I've got it", even though I was clearly overloaded and had a walk ahead of me with heavy bags and a heavy toddler.

I do this kind of stuff all of the time. I don't talk to anyone on the street after dark in my neighborhood. By myself, or with a baby. Sometimes it's shady looking people, but sometimes it is perfectly harmless looking people but I just can't bring myself to accept help or anything other than mumbling a whispered hello. So maybe I come off as a jerk, but maybe sometimes I save my life? Who's to say, really. Maybe I just need to move out of my neighborhood if I can't hang with the gangstars.

Easter 2013.

How our Easter went this year: Buy pants for Easter Sunday outfit from the girls department of BabyGap. Order bowtie from Colins Closet. Fill 5 Easter eggs with blueberries and cheese bunnies. Wake up 16 month old boy and direct him to easter basket. Watch your little boy laughing about blueberries in an egg, watch him running around, learning all the little details of life, watching him learn how to make other people laugh at church, wonder why he will not eat anything other than bread and cake (I think it's genetic?) but at least he doesn't eat candy (yet?), see him learning to play and interact with his grandparents, auntie, and other family, kiss his sweet little face at the end of the day. Think about next year, when he'll be able to get into the Easter egg hunt (and how will you keep him away from candy this time next year!?)

Cherry Blossoms 2013.

Last year's excursion was too much fun, and we couldn't wait to indulge in the madness of walking down to the Tidal Basin with 3,492,651 other people to ogle DC's beautiful cherry blossoms.

This was the best photo we got from last year. You can only ask a stranger to take so many photos of your wriggly family before the kindness runs out, really.

This year, everyone was waiting for those blossoms to show up. We waited...and waited...and waited some more (too cold for those blossoms!), then we just threw our hands in the air and decided to go on down Sunday morning and check them out. They were just starting to pop so we didn't get the full experience, and wouldn't you know it they were in full bloom by Monday afternoon. So it goes.
We got a few photos of the day, and we head back tomorrow morning to do some paddleboats, and keeping out fingers crossed HARD that it doesn't rain on us. We do not seem to be having the luck in the cherry blossom world this year. But, in other news, Henry has crossed into a new realm of toddlerhood. He is really getting a funny sense of humor, and we can't go anywhere without him stopping to pick up a pile of dirt/sticks/leaves/flower buds off the ground and throw it. It's kind of his jam. Who am I to stop him? Let the baby enjoy his hobbies, I say. So Spring has sprung, the leaves on the trees are just days away from appearing, and as soon as this freak 90 degree heat wave leaves, I intend to enjoy this short lived season.

I love you.

On Monday night, we were putting Henry to bed. Take the bath. Read the books. Drink some water. Read another book. Sing the songs. Then put in the crib, and we say, I love you! This time, he looked back up at us and said "I wuv oo".

If you need me, I'll be mopping myself up off the floor the rest of the week. Major love-puddle territory.

502 days.

On his 502nd day, Henry leaned in straight to my lips and gave me a big juicy kiss. Usually one to swat me away from his face when I try to kiss him, we've now arrived at that delicate moment where he gives me kisses willingly and liberally. Nothing like those sloppy kisses from your baby to make the heart swell, then melt into a puddle.

Germany

I have so much to report on our trip to Germany last week! My mom and I escaped for a week to do some reconnecting with the mother land, and we had a great time! I think I mentioned that Mark bought us tickets for Christmas, and so we have been busily planning our trip to make sure we had time to do some family history digging around and also have some fun. And...success! We think we found the birth records of my great great great (great?) grandfather and all of his children, along with a few marriage records at the Catholic diocese. I can't tell you how many hours we spent staring at a computer screen trying to figure out how to read German script from the 1800's. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Here are a few photos from the trip. I want to do a more comprehensive trip report, which will hopefully trickle out over the next few weeks. It's busy times around these parts!
 

 Bicycles in Munich.

 A typical German breakfast. Hearty!

 The Residence Palace in Wurzburg.

A house in Hafenlohr, right outside the tiny village of my ancestors.

Working from home.

It's a luxury I don't often get, but I think it makes the difference for...well anyone, really. I was going to say parents, but I would have appreciated a day to work from home before I had kids, too! After completely spacing out this morning and leaving my laptop at home, after feeling like an idiot for about 15 minutes, I thought - this is my chance! - and I declared it a work from home day just like that. It's a little easier to do when the boss is out of town, but that is neither here nor there. I digress.

I had some morning meetings, so by the time I left the office, it was almost time for lunch. I grabbed some carrots, pita, and hummus, and decided to make it a quick lunch and head outside for a workout! I ran about 1.5 miles to the Biker Barre studio and took a barre class. I am so out of shape so the run there was probably pushing it - I arrived breathless and red-faced to the studio, and barely had time to catch my breath before the class started. Shaking legs, shaking arms, sweat dripping, etc. Man! In 45 minutes, the class finished, and I walked home.

Caught up on my email, listened to a teleseminar on the walk home on energy efficiency and climate change, then made myself a big quinoa bowl and a salad. I love having access to my kitchen while I work. I love the light that comes in through my windows. I love having a quick dance party break. And I can do a bunch of loads of laundry while I work! It's really a win-win, and makes my week so much smoother when I have one day to work from home.

I'm also really excited that started working out again. This is going to be the start of something beautiful, flabby old mom bod!

Shorty.

Henry is a shorty-man. He is little. Friends of mine with similarly aged babies write things like:
Oh we had to childproof our front door because baby can reach the doorknob.
Baby is close to climbing out of the crib
etc.
But we are awhile from reaching that point with our short mister Hen.

Henry is just getting tall enough to ride his firetruck around and he practices getting on, getting off, getting on, getting, off. That exercise alone can keep him occupied for a good 5 minutes. I'm so proud of his dedication.

The other night I got back from a business trip about 10 minutes after he went to sleep for the night, and I went in to check on his sleeping self. He was seconds away from falling into a deep sleep, but aware enough to know somebody walked in. He lifted his head up, looked at me, then head back on the mattress. Then he did it again. Then he realized it was mama, and he woke up enough to stand up and reach for me, so I scooped him up and he fell asleep on my shoulder within minutes. It was so so sweet, I just never want to forget that moment. Henry is a pretty great little guy, even if he is already starting to throw tantrums (not even 16 months yet! help!?), they are few and far between. Let's hope they stay that way!

And I know Hen will hit a growth spurt soon and grow too fast for me. But for now, I'm enjoying his shorty status. It's so cute to watch him walk everywhere as a little guy.

Sleeptalking

Mark told me last week that I have started being a noisy sleeper. I've been more tired than ever in the past few weeks, and some mornings I wake up feeling like I've run a marathon. So last week he told me I have been snoring lately. Ok, whatever, no biggie, but it gets worse. Apparently I have a tendency to sit straight up in a panic, sometimes saying something, mostly just gasping for breath, than laying back down.

Last night I sat straight up and grabbed Mark's arm in a panic. He asked me if I was ok, then I rolled my eyes and laid back down to sleep. I don't remember that at all!


What is happening to me? I would be so freaked out if Mark grabbed me in the middle of the night like that, and we both need our sleep. I feel so awkward in the mornings when he tells me the weird things I did.

Anyone have similar stories like this? Is there any way to stop the madness?

Sisters and Babies

 I'm already nostalgic for these days of babies with my sisters. Look how young everyone is. Ugh, it is so beautiful and wonderful. I'm in a mood today!

All Done All Done All Done

Two funny things happened on this great 3-day weekend. First of all, it was cold enough to turn into a snowman, and we nearly did. We got pretty stir-crazy staying inside most of Saturday, so we decided to head to the playground on Sunday at sunset to swing with Henny. He swung and laughed for about 10 seconds, then started waving his arms and saying "all done all done all done all done". Too cold!

Last night, we went to Gravely Point to watch the planes fly overhead, something we've been wanting to do for a long time with Hen. We watched about 3 planes fly what-felt-like-inches-from-our-heads and about 10 minutes into it, Henny goes "all done all done all done" with that same I'm-cold look on his face. Poor guy! It was a really fun weekend, and we did do one non-outside activity that we all loved - we went to the American History museum on Presidents Day to see the First Ladies dress exhibit for me and the trains and trucks for Henry and Dad. Hen adored all the big trains and trucks, and we had a hard time pulling him away. It's so fun to see him developing interests and fascination in all things trucks, buses, trains.

And lastly, I finally got brave and just let Henry at the tomato-sauce spaghetti. He was asking for it for breakfast this morning.

Valentines + Music

Throw away all the fancy dinner plans, people, the Valentines day that speaks to my heart is 2013 Valentines day. I made Mark a playlist on Spotify, we went to lunch together to Cowgirl Creamery with a gift certificate I'd been hanging onto from Christmas 2011. I gave him a communist Valentine. He gave me a framed photo of him and Henry - my two favorite guys. We had burgers and fries for dinner at Good Stuff after Mark's mom came over to watch little Henry (Thanks Tootie!), and we ended the night with friends watching the worst movie ever made, Troll 2.

It was a great day. Everyone high on sugar. Pinks and reds and hearts everywhere, people smiling and saying hello to strangers on the streets. It was a beautiful day and I am thankful I was able to celebrate the day with those I love so much.

I'm feeling so high on love, I thought I'd share the Valentines playlist with you all, too. Happy Valentines day!

 

Family weekend.

On Friday, we made the hasty decision to have a fun weekend. Because planned fun sometimes isn't as fun as spontaneous fun, we didn't plan anything and just woke up and did whatever we felt like doing.
We walked out the door, saw the bus coming down the street, hopped on. Henry was in bus heaven. He learned how to stick his tongue out, thanks to a friendly bus rider (those bus people, honestly, they are cut from a different mold, are they not?). He sat the most still I've ever experienced while we rode down the street. AKA he liked the bus a lot.

We walked through Chinatown to the Air and Space museum. Henry loved the planes and rocketships, but mostly he loved running around and climbing on everything.

We started cloth diapering again because it saves money and waste, and forgot that you have to change the baby more than every 3-4 hours, and guess who peed all over himself and on Mark while we were eating lunch in the museum!? Stupid rookie parents! After we dried his pants in the bathroom super dryer, we walked the 2 miles home. It was a nice walk with my family.

Henry napped while Mark and I did some thinking about the future (oooo! the future!) and then we all drove over to Cristy and Sierra's to have our belated Christmas dinner with the gang. We love seeing all those guys, and I'm glad we still get invited to things with our old friends because all we do is talk about Henry and it has to be so boring? Thank you friends for indulging us and please help us to be better. I promise I won't be offended if you don't want to hear all the things that Henry is eating lately and the cute little things he is saying. Maybe that's what this blog is for?

So, spontaneity wins again. Lesson learned - plan less for a super fun time! Just remember to change the diapers more often and everyone will have a better time.

Saturday date.

Last Saturday, in anticipation of not seeing much of Henry this week, I decided to take him and I on a little date to the Portrait Gallery on Saturday. He tolerated the portraiture, but I knew he needed something more. Perhaps something with a little more color and movement, because you know - toddlers and all.  We took the elevator to the modern art portion of the American Art museum, and success! Henry kept repeating "wow!" "wow!" at everything. It was my first experience with him that felt like we were just hanging out enjoying something cool together. I was in heaven!

Afterwards, we went to the Kogod courtyard, where he could run around as much as his little feet cared to run. I snapped some photos and looking at them now, I cannot believe how grown up he looks. Definitely not a baby anymore, and still looks like a mini-Mark, but! I can see some Rowlett genes in those eyes of his, not to mention his chin. I never thought I would be so excited to pass on something as miniscule as a chin! Chinny chin chin! He is a handsome little devil and I love him to bits and pieces.

sometimes i wish...

...that I could stare into the future and know what decisions I should make today to make our family most happy. I know that's impossible, and life is a choose your own adventure, and all that. But let it be known - when opportunity knocks at my door, I am not one to tell it to go away and come back later!

I wish I could also write down all my secrets here, but some things are better left private, I suppose. How boring. ;)

Henry update: 14 months

The little manchild is now 14 months old and declaring his independence at an early age. 14 months is so fun. Just getting 2  new teeth on top, which brings the grand teeth total to a whopping 6! ;)

Current likes:
Dogs
Trucks
Hiding around corners and stepping out to say "boo!"
Reorganizing the pantry and dressers
Music with a beat
Cereal
Kitteh
Helping empty the dishwasher ;)
Bathtime
Climbing stairs
Standing on my feet while I make dinner
Putting anything through the mail slot on the door

Current dislikes:
Getting dressed
Diaper changes
Running out of cereal
A closed bathroom door
Getting in the carseat

Growing vocabulary: new words he's saying: circle, snow, boat, helicopter (coppa!), please (pees!), star, fish (shhh), Tia (gia! - what he calls his Portuguese nanny)

xo

A few things.

I started watching Parenthood on Netflix (since everyone else was talking about it, I couldn't resist checking it out). It's so good and so addictive.

Henry started really getting into dancing the past couple of days. He'll pick up each foot as he stomps back and forth. It's pretty irresistible.

Hen also is 14 months now. He is finally starting to eat good dinners. Not consistently, but we have a few good days each week. Typical baby dinner includes: beans (black or pinto), greens (broccoli or green beans), fruit (grapes, lately), and lentils or rice. And always, always avocado.

I went to the Green Inaugural ball over the weekend. I need to write about it, it was insanely fun. I brushed shoulders with all sorts of interesting and famous people, and I even was a reporter for a night!

My eyes were burning this past week, until I realized it was due to these makeup remover pads I've been using - CVS brand. About to throw them away and try using coconut oil. Have you tried it?

Mark and I are now starting our mornings with a hot cup of water with fresh squeezed lemon. It's supposed to flush out your kidneys and alkalize your blood. I will report back to let you know if I feel different! Trying to adopt some healthier ways of eating, and I'll start here!

I went to New Orleans

I gained...10 pounds in 2 days? New Orleans is like...an experience. You can't really plan a good itinerary - I think you just pick a neighborhood or a street and start walking. That's your itinerary. I went for a business meeting and stayed right on the corner of Bourbon and Canal. I know it's hard to get a feel for a place in 24 hours, but I feel like I get it. I get why people go crazy for New Orleans. You can walk down a few streets and eat pretty much whatever you want, while hearing live music, seeing performers/dancers/artists, and taking in the beautiful architecture, history, and the amazing shopping.

And the beignets. Oh I most definitely had my share of those fried little sugar bombs.

In case you are looking into New Orleans, or headed there soon, here is a brief itinerary of what I did:

First I went to a meeting. That was sort of fun, and I wore polka dots, which was really fun.

Muffuletta: Central Grocery. I asked for a half because these sandwiches are HUGE, but the chef gave me a whole sandwich...as a favor? I could only eat half, but this was the first place I went and I knew I had to save my appetite for other things...

Beignets: Cafe du Monde, of course. Afterwards it's fun to walk around the French Market and check out the artists coop and little souvenir shops. I bought some Aunt Sally's pralines to bring home for Mark. They are also little sugar bombs.

I also went to Cafe Beignet which was totally charming and little birds joined me at my table while I ate my beignets. But I thought Cafe du Monde's were much better! But it was nice to have a more low key setting. Cafe du Monde is sort of a tourist trap and madhouse, but still a fun experience.

Shopping: I LOVED walking down Royal street and checking out all the cool art galleries, vintage shops, and random shops like a hat shop (I tried on a bunch of feathery costume-y hats with a store clerk - fun!), and I found a bookstore called Kitchen Witch that was filled bottom to top with cookbooks and records. That was it! Mostly cookbooks. The owner was a former chef who decided he was finished with the fast paced life of restaurants, so settled down in The Big Easy. I loved this guy and his shop. He almost convinced me to give up everything in DC and move my family down there to do...who knows what. Open up a shop selling vintage tins, watercolors, and baked goods (My secret fun idea of a good shop).

Live jazz: I headed to Maison Bourbon on Bourbon street to hear some old school jazz from a guy who sounded and sort of looked like Louis Armstrong. It was so charming!

Go for a run/walk down by the river: There is a really nice, well-kept park and running path right next to the Mississippi with great people watching and great boat watching. Check out the barges and ships riding along the Great Mississippi and imagine you are back in the days of Mark Twain. 

It was a great trip and I'd love to go again, maybe this time with a little more salad in between my beignets. Honestly by the time I left, I felt so sick from eating sugar and grease, but oh MAN is that New Orleans food pure comfort!

The sun'll come out tomorrow.

What HAPPENED this weekend?! It truly was the best of times, the worst of times, etc.

After my dumb Friday, things seemed imminently better, and they were for a minute. Saturday took me to Georgetown for a little carefree shopping trip sans-baby, then we schlepped the family (Hams included) to 2Amy's to meet up with the visiting NYCers. So fun to catch up with the old gang. After which, I stayed in the neighborhood while Mark took Henry home and put him down for the night, and I was Cristy's date to a ethereal Parisian concert at the National Cathedral. After which, we went to 2Amy's (2 times in one day - a new record!), and had some of the best girl chats I've had in forever. It was such a fun day. Until 2am hit, and I was up making friends with the bathroom. Nothing worse. Nothing worse.

The next day I was useless, so Mark took care of Henry the entire day while I laid around like a wet rag, sleeping, and moaning about my stomach. "I will never eat cheese again", I pledged, assuming this was a bad spell of lactose intolerance. Cue 2am that night, Mark was up making friends with the bathroom. The 24 hour thing hit our house. And I can't believe I thought I was that sick from cheese. Stupid.

Anyway, we are luckily all pretty much back to normal around here. I'm just waiting for poor little Hen to get sick, but so far no sign. I laid out all new clothes and towels last night because I had assumed he'd be up sick. I'm praying so hard he stays well! Nothing worse than a baby throwing up!

So now it is Tuesday. And I leave tomorrow for a couple of days for a business trip, and I feel like this week is over already! And you know what, I miss Henry. I didn't get to spend enough time with him this weekend and I've been sequestering myself from him this week. He is so much fun lately, honestly, I cannot get enough of him. He hides behind corners to jump out and say "BOO!". He reads to himself from his favorite book "Boom! Mooo! Kitty!" It's pretty great. He dances to Hot Chip with me and plays the drum and piano. I need more Henry in my life.