Beware of the cuteness

I realize that this is a really cheesy picture but I couldn't help myself because Mizz uncharacteristically requested to haul these stuffed creatures downstairs. After I suggested he seat them in the rocking chair, Mizz stated that he wanted to sit in the rocking chair wif em. At this point, he was so cute, I was forced to take the picture.


And then, the poor neglected cat sidled up to the animals looking for some warmth...

This here is Mizz's first shot with the digital SLR. I really dig the composition. If the tree looks half naked, that's because it is, thanks to Mizz's sense of design, which amounts to yanking off anything that he can reach just to make mommy really mad.

Snow!

Just kidding. We woke up this morning to dire predictions of the wintry storm that was going to descend upon the valley floor by mid morning and continue throughout the day. I toyed with the idea of canceling my playdate but then decided to take my chances and just leave early if it started looking bad. In any case, the snow never happened and I, for one, am sorely disappointed, because as much as I don't really like snow anymore, I am unbelievably sick of the rain. At least snow is pretty and makes for some funny, hyperbole laden newscasters. I really am at a loss if the weather is actually wetter this year (something I am sure my research happy husband could look up for me) or if it is just me being pregnant and with a toddler that wants to go outside, to the park, all day, every day. Strangely my rational, well thought out explanations produce looks of confusion and louder, more insistent requests on his part...

We do the best we can though, and yesterday the minute there was a cloud break we took to the streets protesting, I mean strollering down the sidewalk. Mama's gotta get some exercise. After a exhilarating and brisk 40 minute walk, I unleashed the beast and let him walk the last seven blocks home. Needless to say, the pace slowed down considerably, but it was really entertaining watching him try to push the wobbly umbrella stroller in a straight line down the sidewalk.

Today, we went to the library and, like every time, I fell in love with the system all over again. In addition to having the best customer service on the planet, excellent programs, and outstanding resources, they also had the exact potty training video that I had been thinking about hunting down. And miracle of all miracles, the Mizz actually sat on the couch and watched it with us--something he has done oh, maybe once in his life. So we'll see how it goes, I have to somewhat shamefully admit, I am somewhat on the fence about the timing of this whole endeavor for two reasons. One, it seems like an awful like of work. Diapers while not exactly pleasant are for the most part super easy at this point. The second issue, is that I am not entirely sure that Mizz is ready and definitely don't want to pressure him and set us up for a long drawn out struggle. So at this point, I am sort of looking at the whole process as an experiment and we'll see how it goes.

Beach Getaway

After way too much time, I finally got back to the beach this weekend. We set sail late in the morning yesterday despite a the usual windy/rainy forecast, after decided that wet beach was still better than no beach. Despite my reservations about travelling with a ticking time bomb named Mizz, I was really in need of a change in scenery heavy on the nature side. As an added bonus, we were going to see Firefly Mama and her family on the way. Unfortunately, as we arrived in town, we learned that her kids had come down with fevers and decided not to possibly sabotage our holiday weekend with known germ exposure. So after a quick break at a restaurant with not so good pizza but a playground for Mizz, we continued our wet journey into the coastal range. Amazingly, as soon as we arrived in Newport, the skies cleared up. I thanked the heavens and we made a beeline to the beach where Mizz and Dave conducted several experiments with the kelp and sand.

Mizz kept insisted that he wanted to go to the beach, but what he meant was that he wanted to go in the water. We practiced a lot of red light, green light. Mizz is definitely better at the green light part, hopefully he'll develop some brakes at some point.

The rest of the weekend went well too. We were pleased to find out that our mini suite was actually a full fledged real suite, with a separate room for Mizz. We got to eat at the Rogue Ale House where I judiciously sampled the new and delicious Imperial Pale Ale. Sometimes being preggers is a serious hardship... We got to see seals at Yaquina Lighthouse and sea lions lounging around the historic bay harbor. The only low light was the disappointing Underwater Sea Gardens which did not live up to their colorful name or pictures in the brochure. Next time we will head back to the awesome Oregon Coast Aquarium. All the rain made for some seriously awesome waves and a terrific view of some huge blow holes in Depoe Bay. But enough was enough and for the way home, we decided to bag the rest of the scenic 101 for the smoother and easier drive through Salem.

Momtastic

While Mizz and I woke up on the wrong side of each other today, a fantastic playdate resolved any leftover ill feelings with each other. My friend Nicole and I got to catch up and compare notes on our child filled lives and the kids got to decorate cookies, chase each other, and compare potty training notes. No offense Mizz, but L is kicking your butt. Mizz seemed to think that decorate is a fancy way to say eat, so we had to halt the decoration mechanics early in order to ensure that they ate something other than sugar and butter for lunch. And the icing on the cake? Mizz is down for the count for a second nap of the day, leaving me to find this gem on the internet. Thank you Gabrielle for sending it to me.

Our Morning Downtown

Mizz and I skipped our playgroup today to run a bunch of errands downtown. I am completely amazed that aside from some short breaks, he tolerated three hours in his little stroller. I think the several trains rides about town helped keep his fretted at bay. I felt like quite the urbanite at Whole Foods sharing Izze (a most yummy drink, that I require while pregnant) and cranberry tuna sandwich. Mizz wasn't as enamored with the cranberries as I was and pretty much stuck to his cheese and the scraps of bread that I threw him. The highlights of the morning were a visit to my old office to visit the few former coworkers that remain and a mad dash run through Finnegan's one of the finest (and funnest!) toy stores in town. I got lucky twice on the way home: 1) no parking ticket on my very overdue meter 2) Mizz stayed awake on the way home so I didn't have to lift his hulking frame out of the carseat and schlep him up the steps, a task which I continue to dread as the ole belly gets bigger and bigger.

I suppose I should do something a little more child centered this afternoon and so mark my words, rain or shine we will take a walk around the neighborhood this afternoon and hunt whatever his little toddler self desires.

He's Got a Way With Words

"I can't like meatballs". "I can't like soup". "I can't like cheese." (Yeah right, cheese makes up a good two thirds of his diet, the other third consisting of mainly MILK and the occasional cracker). Basically the Mizz can't like anything he doesn't want to eat. And at the risk of sounding like every toddler mom out there, his diet is quickly becoming more and more limited. Overnight, he decided that he couldn't eat crusts anymore. He needed some minor cajoling today to eat blueberries, a fruit he used to inhale. Do toddlers read books at night on how to drive their parent's absolutely crazy. In my good moments, it simply cracks me up how downright typical he is being, on my weaker moments I want to alternately wring his neck or run screaming from the room. (To anyone that may take that last sentence literally, don't).

Mizz is also keen on comparing things these days. "Just like at school..." "Just like at our house..." Dave came in from the garage today and Mizz noted the garage was just like HIS toy garage. Mizz was thrilled to discover his cousins had a round table JUST LIKE AT LEAH'S!

Mizz still can't pronouce L's and R's very well. Value Village is completely unrecognizable, and ambulance is more like amyeyance. He is practically attached to two little toy ambulances and has now added them to his two dreidels for his sleeping companions.

Mid Month Recap

Let's see, our trip to the East Coast went remarkably well. Mizz was an awesome traveller (granted I forced Dave to sit next to him for the 1oo hour plane ride). True to his toddler self, at the airport, he wanted to be on the airplane, and on the airplane, he wanted to be on the elegators (escalators in Mizz speak) at the airport. He loved his taxi cab ride and the big black car. Dave and I pimped our ride at the rental place and used two free upgrades to score a Crysler 300. I had my heart set on finally getting to drive the newish Dodge Charger but the last one drove away right as we got there. I felt pretty ridiculous cruising around suburban MD, car seat and stroller in tow, in such a behemoth but a girl's gotta have some fun. Mizz was in love with his family and was also captivated by a huge Thomas train set from his cousin's past. Dave and I got to experience the wonder of the XBOX and rocked out with Guitar Hero and Rock Band. To my disbelief, they are seriously fun.

At my midwife appointment yesterday, the effects of four nights of latkes showed up on the scale (I might have eaten some other things as well)... In any case, I am going to try to be a little more mindful of what my pregnant self craves in am attempt to not break the scale. Baby's heart rate is right at 150 and for the last two or three weeks I have felt sporadic little kicks. I can't wait for the regular little hello's that are going to start happening soon.

Last night, we bundled up and visited a local parking lot to pick out our very own Christmas Tree. Not surprisingly, Mizz is super happy to have a tree with LIGHTS in his very own living room. Tonight the real fun begins when we pull out the ornaments and remind Mizz that they are for decoration and that we "Look at them with our eyes, not with our hands". I am as optimistic about that happening as I am about any one of his toys NOT ending up in the trashcan on any given day. It was only a matter of time that Mizz would defeat the lock on the kitchen trash can. While he knows darn well that "only TRASH goes in in the trashcan", one of his biggest joys right now is diabolically throwing something in the trash and then informing me that "Balls/Cars/Rags don't go in trash!" Thanks for the tip, Mizz, I had forgotten.

Today, Mizz was a trooper and rebounded quickly after his flu shot . I am relieved to have finally gotten it out of the way and am also very grateful that none of us got sick on our travels. In fact, this might be the first trip I have taken with Mizz, where I didn't get sick.

And that is pretty much our month so far.

Airplane City

Wish us luck. Tomorrow we set out for the East Coast by way of two planes, nineteen suitcases, and a two and a half hour layover in Chicago. We have been told to expect weather and well, given some of our winter trips back East, I will be content to depart and arrive on the right day. I've got stickers to end all stickers and sugary granolas bars to keep us well nourished. They are actually not all that sugary but given Mizz's recent trip to the dentist, I have seriously cracked down on the sugar that Mizz consumes as a preventative measure. I am really looking forward to seeing all my family and checking out some of my old haunts.

This is for real

This may be the funniest news story I have ever read and no, it is not from The Onion. It came from The New Yorker. If you read it, pay special attention to the quotes.

I've climbed out of the hole

I think I was having a pregnancy induced pity party for myself for the last week and a half but have officially declared it over. Unfortunately, it took a scream fest at Dave to realize how incredibly self obsessed and tunnel visioned I had become. To my credit having full responsibility for the Mizz for two and a half weeks would sort of limit anyone's vision and perhaps, no offense my sweet angel, throw anyone off kilter a little bit. His latest trick involved shoving a strawberry into the vent of the dishwasher. Fortunately Dave was home so he could DISASSEMBLE the entire front of the machine to retrieve said strawberry and a renegade playing card that had found its way in there at some point. To Mizz's credit, he at least confessed his crime BEFORE the machine blew up. He has also figured out how to beat the lock on the kitchen trash can and so with bittersweet relief we removed the lock. While this is certainly more convenient, I am dreading the day when I find all of the contents strewn around the kitchen or worse something irreplaceable gone. Mizz knows he is not supposed to go into the trash can which only seems to make him want to do it more or at least as a means to get my attention when I am ignoring him, I mean doing the dishes, cooking, talking on the phone, blogging...

I think my mood also took a turn for the worse when on Thanksgiving day I was driving to Whole Foods to pick up our happy, non frozen, chemical free turkey and I drove past the lines of people waiting outside at the various shelters. Not only did it make me miss my old job but it was also a visceral reminder that so many people were not going to have a holiday that met their basic needs, let alone a day to spend stuffing themselves and laughing with family and friends. I did take several moments to appreciate my life--specifically the people that are in it and I resolved to make a donation to one of the more helpful shelters and continue to look for ways that I can make a difference even while I am at home. Apparently I am still a social worker despite all the burned out, cynical feelings toward "the system" and society at large.