I want to blog

Really I do. But I am so tired. So I promise to write soon about the book that has changed how we eat and a blog post that made me think about the not so hidden underlying themes in politics these days.

What's new with Little D?

Besides being ferociously cute, Little D has added toe grabbing to his very small repertoire of tricks. He is also following in the footsteps of his brother and has managed to gag himself twice by sticking his entire hand down his throat. Hopefully this will be a short phase. He is rejecting his pacifier more and more now, choosing his fingers instead. And frankly, I am pleased because I have been ambivalent about the binkys and am sick of trying to keep track of them.

Mizz still won't watch TV

Forget Elmo, the Wiggles, or Clifford. Mizz could care less. He will watch small excepts of Thomas videos and Richard Scarry's busy town. But, he expressly asked how the cherry pitter worked and watched avidly as I popped open a bottle of wine.

My little Lightbulb

Me: What do you want to be for Halloween?
Mizz: Well...I want to be a lightbulb!

Of course, he wants to be a lightbulb. So, since I am guessing there is not a huge demand for lightbulb costumes, I suppose I will have to get creative and fashion one myself. Stay tuned.

His very own big red stick

In a moment of desperation a few weeks ago, I asked Mizz what he would pick out at the store if he could have anything he wanted. I wanted some leverage with the whole potty training business and was ready to kick it up to flat out bribery (as opposed to the candy incentive method that wasn't producing ahem, results). He barely even thought about it before announcing that he wanted "a red stick, a big red stick, from the red stick store". Apparently he is a boy. I have no idea where this idea came from unless it is hardwired into all little boys that they must have big sticks to play with, swing around, and in general terrorize their mothers with. So flash forward to today. Mizz has been making, um, loads of progress in the potty area and has been happily collected cookies and matchbox cars for his successes. And now that the cars are gone, he reminded me that he wants his stick. A red one. A big one. So I am hoping that a mailer tube, painted red will do the trick. It can be a tunnel for his cars and just might not poke his eye out.

12 days of visitors

After 12 days of entertaining family and friends, it is just me, Dave, Mizz, and Baby D at the ranch for dinner tonight. It has been a blast for the most part. In true hosting form, we have done the majority of the Portland circuit: beach, zoo, OMSI, coffee shop, a slew of restaurants, and several parks. My personal favorite trip was to the beach, where I enjoyed cuddling D on the sand and watching my friends and family frolic up and down the sand. As always, it was super sweet to watch Mizz enjoy his grandparents (I'm sure D did too, just less vocally). Later in the week, it was especially gratifying to watch Mizz play so well with Alma's (aka Marketing Mommy) children and to get to spend so much time with her and her family. There is something wonderfully epic about watching your children play with your best friend from high school children.

We walked

The view from the Fremont bridge has always been one of my favorites. Only at 50+ miles per hour, it isn't the easiest view to take in. On Sunday, I finally got my chance to waltz down the middle of the freeway and check it out! All four of us participated in Portland's annual BridgePedal/Stride. It was fantastic! Strangely, Dave and I underestimated the time it would take to cover the five miles with an infant and toddler in tow. The somewhat annoyance of the crowded starting pack quickly became a non issue as our two companions needed several pit stops along the way. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning (except with Dave, sans kiddos, in Hawaii) than walking around my favorite city and apparently neither can the other 18,000 people who pedaled or walked with us. The walk covered a few areas I had never been and some places that I have never walked around. Needless to say, you see a whole lot more when you are walking rather than driving. You also get to smile and talk to a lot more people. It was really fun! Here are some pics:





Because this is Portland, there were the usual characters and decorations complete with giant unicycles, pinwheel helmets, and a Starbucks temporarily set up atop the bridge. God forbid, one should have to walk five miles without coming across a Starbucks.

Back to Back visitors

My sporadic posts are going to get even more erratic as we have visitors in town pretty much for the next two weeks. My folks have just arrived and were greeted by big smiles from the boys. We managed a yummy pasta dinner without two much fuss. On the way there Mizz asked if Grandpa and Gran were waiting for us at McDonalds. Not a chance. McD's has captured his attention though..."Mommy I see a big M!, What's dat?"

One of these days...

I suppose I will have to write another actual post that involves sentences and thoughts. For now random bits and pics will have to suffice.

Check out my totem pole!

This weekend involved cleaning the house, going to the neighborhood party in the park, and the usual corralling of the kiddos. Mizz was in full force ornery mood today so he spent a good part of it being scolded, ahem, I mean redirected. As in, get out of my face this second, before you are in real trouble. It is anyone's guess as to whether his antics were driven by potty issues, new brother issues, ohmigod I'm three year old issues or who knows what else. It is easy to get really mad, really quick and I have to constantly remind myself of all the things that he does wonderfully well and how much he has learned already (and how much he still has to learn).

I have also started to mildly worry about returning to work and D's start at daycare. I realize my concerns are not the usual concerns. Instead of worrying about how my baby is going to do with new people, I have to worry about how I am going to do with my baby being taken care by other people. How am I going to handle it while he is crying and I can't help him? Are the other workers going to secretly be miffed about me not working while I am nursing him? Am I ready for the inevitable exposure to all the yucky germs there? Since D will be within ear and eye sight, work will definitely not be the same break that it used to be. Still, I have long ago come to the conclusion that there is no perfect work/childcare situation and will simply have to see how it all goes. Fortunately, I could not ask for a more accommodating place to work so most likely it will turn out fine.

Indescribable Cuteness

Check out these cousins...ridiculously cute, eh? They don't know what to make of all the cameras coming at them in every direction!