Paradise?

ok, i know many of you always say to me how beautiful the weather is here, etc, etc.

but folks, my digital thermometer outside currently reads 99.9.

99.9

and i think it reads that b/c it DOES NOT HAVE ANY MORE SPACES TO GO HIGHER.

thank you in advance for your pity....

Help us win that bike>>>>

Okay - here's the deal. Check out that sweet cargo bike on the banner button >>>>>

Yah? Thinking Steve and/or I would look pretty cool riding that with Stella and/or Scupper in tow?

Yah, we thought so too.

So here's the deal - each week, they are giving away a bike. Yes, the company is giving one away. So if I put this banner link on my blog - and YOU CLICK ON IT (which, of course, sends you to their site) .... Steve and I will be entered to win!

They pick a new winner each Wednesday from the entries from the week -

SO - please help me win this bike and click on the banner!

I know, it's shameless advertising on their part, but I don't care- I'd like a bike, and frankly, there is no way that we could ever afford one, so why not? I'll play along... ;)

So thanks in advance!

Monkeys are tasty

especially when they are made of socks.

Thanks to Auntie Liza for the sock monkey of love.

and yes, that was me, setting up photos at home here. because folks, what else do i have to do all day to amuse myself but put my daughter in cute outfits and take photos? i mean, being "on" for two hours at a stretch is tough work. take me back to teaching those university students any day.

Foods of Summer

We didn't eat until 9pm, but it was pretty good. Roasted beet, goat cheese, candied walnuts, and spinach salad with a touch of bacon and some grilled chicken. Tasty!

Today I made Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches with Blueberry Compote swirl - sounds fancy, actually very easy. and SO TASTY.

Recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Ice-Cream-Sandwiches-with-Blueberry-Swirl-354515

Both dishes really tasted like summer...

Do you think I can get Steve to do this...

for Halloween this year?

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2009/08/16/fairy-godfather/

Too funny.

shamless plug

okay, so in case you are in the market for a very original gift, check out my friend Summer's Etsy shop - HERE

Etsy is a pretty amazing site for handmade goods - at wonderful prices, but Summer is making some really neat things - old fashioned bread boxes that are just way too cute - and could be used for more things that just bread. (duh.) I mean, how cute is it?

Come on people. Way cute. And support an amazing stay at home mom of Hannah (2 1/2) who is more crafty than crafty itself (and has a rocking PhD to boot).

EIGHT HOURS and other assorted things...

Okay, I'm not trying to brag - and I really shouldn't post this, because it will probably jinx things, but Miss Stella Ruth has slept for the past two nights from 8pm to 6am. NON STOP. Yes folks, that means Momma here is getting a full eight hours... well, with one wake up around 4am where I freakout that she's not breathing... and then realize, everything is ok and go back to sleep. Then, to top it all off, She has been taking 3 hours naps in the morning. This dissertation may get written yet!

But enough about my sleep... here's some fun pics to enjoy.

This is Scupper on the beach, our usual outing on Saturday mornings.

This is Steve trying to get Scupper to swim. Yah right.

Stella looking funny

Stella (aka Speedy) in her awesome onesie.

Steve's new do. I think he looks like his grandpa. It's the shortest I've ever seen it in my life...

So this past weekend, we met friends at Orfila Vineyard (a local winery, ok wine, beautiful views) and shared family time with all the babies. That's Steve Aimee and Stella, Stephanie, Paul and baby Hayes (2mos) and Dana, Daniel and baby Isabella (born 3 days after Stella).

The girls share a secret... or Stella tries to eat Izzie's head. You can look at it both ways.

I think they are talking about us.

Izzie, who looks like a Northern Irish lassie with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes. Not that either of her parents are No. Irish ;)All the cute babies in a row - Stella, of course, in outfit number 2 after peeing on the cute dress that she doesn't fit into anymore. Sigh.

Donovan Hayes (2 mos), Stella Ruth (4mos), Isabella Abbe (4 mos)

And that's all folks. I'm going to get some shut-eye. maybe EIGHT HOURS of shut eye, woohoo!!

Some thoughts on babies and dogs

So not that I'm comparing my daughter to a 15 month old puppy... um, well, I guess I am.

But really, things that I've discovered over the past four months of living together with both young baby and young dog.

• their attention span is about the same.
• playing ball interests both parties. Stella watches Scupper intently as he runs back and forth for a ball when I'm playing fetch (and holding her), and if the ball squeaks, then everyone is happy! (double bonus, eh?)
• poo is not an issue. runny poo, explosive poo, poo on your hand, etc. frankly, we're just used to poo now.
• they sleep. A lot.
• they think that when you wake up at 5am to take your mom back to the airport that it's time to get up and go to the park, regardless of whether it's still freaking dark out
• both of them work themselves up, go crazy, and then crash. Right now, both are napping happily.
• Steve and I get excited when they show off - Scupper when he catches treats mid-air and Stella when she coos and gurgles.
• both like things that rattle and squeak

Are you seeing a pattern here? Kinda crazy, huh? So basically, I'm taking care of a toddler (Scupper) and a baby (Stella) all day long.

Can't wait until they are both the same age. ;)

Lots to report

and sorry I haven't been blogging but we've been having so much fun with Grammy Z! (not that I've done ANYTHING remotely related to my dissertation... of course, that was on the list of things to do, but Stella's sleep patterns have changed and I've been FREAKING exhausted. Getting up 4 times a night has GOT to stop.)

Anyway, here's our picture portfolio from the last week...

Johanna and Josh visited from NYC -
I made a blueberry pie with thanks to henry's farmer's market where fresh blueberries were 99 cents a PINT! Woohoo. It was delicious, thank you.
Yo yo yo. I'm the cutest baby. Fo-shizzle.
Date night! Aimee and Steve go out for dinner and a play sans bebe for the first time in almost 4 months! (how sad is it that we went to a play at Steve's work? Well, it was actually very good, and that says a lot coming from all of us.)
We made peanut butter and banana french toast - get the recipe HERE - (oh my gosh, thank you Aunty Liza for the tip. What a good breakfast treat - and even better when you can cook it on a hot griddle like we can with our oh-so rockin' 50's stove).
Stella now can add eating fingers to her repetoire of tricks. She also passes toys back from hand to hand and tracks you as you walk around the room. She is increasingly mystified by Scupper.
She also holds her head up pretty good - of course, with a little help!

Almost 4 months

Stella continues to grow and change - luckily, her sleep habits are a bit back to normal (every 3 hours? wha??) and she's back to doing at least 6 or 7 at a stretch at night. The breastfeeding group I go to suggested that it was probably due to her learning new things. And has she ever! She now laughs - not that I can get her to do it all the time, but it's pretty darn cute when she does. She has recently become obsessed with her tongue - she looks like she's ready to join as the newest member of KISS the way she sticks it out all the time. She also is on the verge of some pretty potent raspberries - right now, she's at the bubble stage, but she's getting there! She also continues to "talk" up a storm.

Here are some recent pics - and with my mom here for two weeks, she's going to learn a lot from her Grammy (and let's hope she doesn't acquire her Grammy's sailor mouth!)

i can almost hold myself up... well, almost.

ruffles are pretty cute, huh?

yeah! Grammy Z is here!finally, finally!!! i am taking a bottle, so mommy and daddy can go on a date.