10,950 + 1

Yesterday was a special day.

Yesterday, September 6th, was the anniversary of the day I was born......thirty years ago.
*sigh*

It wasn't so bad, really. It's not like everyone around me wore black all day, or my hair spontaneously turned gray, or Jason made jokes about making sure my life insurance policy was up-to-date -- all of which would've sent me running to my room to sob pathetic, I'm-in-denial-of-being-a-thirty-year-old tears.

Instead, I woke up early to get the coffee started and make asparagus frittatas for Jason and me. Breakfast was followed by smiley/giggly-time with Everett, which was awesome! And then the hustle and bustle of the day commenced...

I've known for months that I had some house guests arriving this week, but as most things tend to go these days, the house cleaning got pushed to the last minute. So I spent most of my birthday tidying stuff up, dusting, doing laundry, cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes......oh, and of course taking care of Everett. Fortunately, he was pretty well behaved, and I was able to get a lot done during his naps. And then before I even realized it was nearing 3:00 in the afternoon, I heard a knock on the door.

Enter Tracy and Ann.

Tracy and Ann are two of my absolute best friends. I've known these girls for somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 years (which is a lot, especially since I'm 30). I feel like it's kind of rare these days for people to maintain life-long friendships that started in grade school. Whether that's actually the case or not, I definitely feel truly blessed to have these ladies in my life. And since I married into the military four years ago, it's been a little tough to be as close as we once were, but we're still such important parts of each others' lives. :)  Anyway...

As soon as they got here, the house chores pretty much ceased -- even though I wasn't really finished with all the cleaning -- oh well. Of course they were happy to see me, and they wished me a happy birthday, but they really just couldn't wait to get their hands on my little Everett! It's ok. I understand.

Jason got home shortly thereafter and surprised me with a birthday cake from Layers (a wonderful little bakery in Monterey that a friend introduced me to back when I was pregnant). We all shared a couple pieces of cake for an afternoon snack, and then we got ready to go out to dinner. Jason surprised me again with reservations at a great seafood place down on Fisherman's Wharf -- The Old Fisherman's Grotto. Apparently, they have the best clam chowder, but who really cares about clam chowder, anyway? I stuffed myself with some kind of parmesan-crusted fish, and the complimentary piece of cheesecake they brought to our table. (Yes, that makes two desserts in one day. Don't judge.)

We got home and spent some time talking and reminiscing and playing with Everett. And then I went to bed......not really feeling older, not really feeling wiser, but definitely feeling well-loved and very, very full. All-in-all, not such a bad way to spend my 10,950th day on this earth.

Torsion vs. Flexion

For some unknown reason, I am WIDE awake at 4:24 on a Sunday morning.

Actually, I've been awake for more than an hour. Everett woke up for his middle-of-the-night feeding some time before 2:50 -- the exact time remains a mystery, because strangely the baby monitor on my nightstand was turned off...which means, when I rolled over to reposition myself at 2:50, I just happened to hear Everett down the hall sounding the alarm. Stupid baby monitor. (Or maybe I accidentally turned it off in my sleep. Stupid me.)

Anyway, I fed Everett. He got a clean diaper. Then Jason put him back to bed. And I've been awake ever since.

I was debating for a while whether or not to get up, but I thought for sure I would eventually drift back to sleep. So there I am, tossing and turning, trying to find a different, more comfortable position, and I realize that the way Jason and I happen to be cuddling is actually quite uncomfortable. And that's when I say something along the lines of "ow, my back's in some sort of weird torsion." Which leads to the question, "wait, what's the difference between torsion and flexion?"

(Seriously?! This is what comes to me at 4:00 in the morning?!)

And that's when I realized it was impossible to quiet my mind. My never-shrinking to-do list is thundering through my brain. And now I'm up, sitting in front of my computer, ironically not even halfway paying attention to anything on my ginormous to-do list.... *sigh*

I guess I should start with something simple this morning. First, coffee. Then, the dishes. Gotta start somewhere.

Oh, and for those of you who are still wondering by this point, here are the Merriam-Webster definitions of what was keeping me awake at 4:24 on a Sunday morning...

torsion:

1: the twisting or wrenching of a body by the exertion of forces tending to turn one end or part about a longitudinal axis while the other is held fast or turned in the opposite direction; also : the state of being twisted

2: the twisting of a bodily organ or part on its own axis

3: the reactive torque that an elastic solid exerts by reason of being under torsion

flexion:

1: the act of flexing or bending

2: a part bent : bend

3: inflection

4a : a bending movement around a joint in a limb (as the knee or elbow) that decreases the angle between the bones of the limb at the joint — compare extension; b : a forward raising of the arm or leg by a movement at the shoulder or hip joint

To Each His Own

These may look like normal, run-of-the-mill chocolate crinkle cookies, but don't be fooled...

...They're VEGAN!!!

Yes, they're vegan. And they're friggin' delicious!!! 

As an avid baker, I have always felt that certain ingredients are just not negotiable -- specifically, butter and eggs. If a recipe calls for 'butter', please don't substitute hydrogenated vegetable shortening -- it's not the same thing. And if a recipe calls for 'eggs', please don't try to convince me that using applesauce or something called 'egg substitute' is just as good -- I won't believe you. I will admit that there are times when using shortening and/or applesauce in a baking recipe makes sense, but I don't generally approve of these ingredients' use solely as non-animal substitutions. But hey, that's just me.

Honest, I have nothing against vegetarians/vegans. I've been friends with several vegetarians/vegans in my life. It's not necessarily what defines them; it's just a choice they made. In fact, I currently live right smack-dab between two very nice military families that just so happen to be of the vegan persuasion. That's right -- my little family is the medium-rare hunk of animal flesh sandwiched between two "granola" buns! I sometimes wonder if our frequent Weber-grilling ever grosses them out......but I never lose sleep over it. What can I say? I love meat! So I guess we'll just agree to disagree and go on being friendly neighbors.

Anyway, back to the cookies...

The website that I got them from calls them "Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles". I don't know if there's anything snickerdoodle-y about them, except that they're rolled in cinnamon-sugar before they're baked, but whatever. And as far as I'm concerned, the fact that they're vegan is just a coincidence. First and foremost, they are really, really yummy! There are no strange vegetarian ingredient substitutions (except for the non-dairy milk, but that's not so bad really -- I used coconut milk, by the way), so I didn't mind testing out the recipe. And once they're baked and cooled, and you feel the tingly spice of cayenne on the back of your tongue, you really don't care what they're called or how animal-friendly they are. Like I said, they're delicious! 

So go, try them, be "vegan" for a change. And after you get done baking and eating these cookies, go outside and grill a big, huge steak. :)

"BEEF -- it's what's for dinner"

Something to Blog About

I recently reminded Jason that this is a blog about The Coles -- that means all of us, not just me and Everett. Sure, every once in a while, I include a random Jason-themed anecdote. But for the most part, my stories are about my experiences and from my perspective. And so I encouraged Jason to post something. And his reply: "I guess first I have to have something to blog about."

For those of you that don't know, this is Jason:

He's tall, he's blond, and he's kinda pasty-white. He was raised by "Yankee" parents (sorry Gary and Sandy, but just because you lived in Florida and Texas doesn't mean you're really Southern). He loves old country, classic rock, and 80s music. His standard casual wear involves worn-in jeans and a pair of Redwing boots. And every workday, Jason goes to school.........to speak Korean.

Can you imagine?! Whitey McWhiterson standing around (well, really, sitting in a classroom) all day conversing with little Asian ladies (his instructors, actually) in KOREAN...! If that's not fodder for blog entertainment, then I don't know what is.

I mean, surely something even remotely amusing must happen during the course of his daily life. And I just want him to have an outlet. So, Jason......ready, set, blog!

"What is that......that ping?"

(It's a quote from an old show called Northern Exposure -- from the "Spring Break" episode. It's a little out-of-context here, but it's the most appropriate quote I can come up with for this post.)


I don't know why, but for some reason, that's the quote that goes through my head at 4:00 every afternoon. Which is precisely the time that my phone alarm is going off.

The alarm note: "Birth Control Pill".

That's right, I'm back on it. It's been almost a year since the last time I had to worry about getting pregnant...because I was already pregnant. And don't think it hasn't crossed my mind that it could happen again at any minute. (Well, not really. These things don't just spontaneously materialize. But you know what I mean.) I, myself, am the product of an "uh oh, I didn't think you could get pregnant this soon after having a baby" pregnancy, so I know it happens. I am definitely taking all precautions.

Honestly though, if it wasn't for that little alarm dinging every afternoon, these stupid little pills definitely would not be effective. I sometimes have trouble remembering what I ate for breakfast. How can I possibly be expected to remember something like popping my "no thank you, I have my hands pretty full right now, so I would really appreciate NOT getting pregnant anytime soon" pill?! Thankfully, modern technology being what it is, I don't have to remember.

I just have to remember to be near my cell phone.

The Sounds of Silence

Except for the occasional fuss or gurgle from Everett, my house is quiet. This is a point worth noting, because it's the first time my house has been quiet in five days.

Last Thursday, my older sister, her husband, and their three children boarded a plane in Houston and headed West. After a delayed flight, an absolutely ridiculous rental-car debacle, and a quick stop at In & Out Burger, they made the two-and-a-half-hour drive from SFO to our house in Seaside. It was kind of late (okay, it was 9:15pm, but that's "late" by our standards these days) when they got here, but there was no shortage of ants in their pants or volume in their voices -- the kids, that is. You would have thought my sister fed them straight sugar for dinner! They were pretty rowdy. I guess it is kind of "cruel and unusual punishment" to put a five- and three-year-old on a plane for four hours, and then in a car for almost another three hours and expect them to be calm, quiet, and angelic the whole time. Fortunately, after a quick tour of the house and a hyper attempt at entertaining Everett, the kids realized just how tired they really were. Once sleeping arrangements were worked out, it was bedtime for all of us.


One of my favorite parts about their visit is that we got to eat bacon for breakfast every morning! I know that probably sounds silly. Jason and I try to limit our bacon intake, as we are both currently on a weight-loss mission, and we can usually do a pretty good job of convincing ourselves that oatmeal or scrambled egg whites are way more sensible than good ol' pork fat. But when you ask Matthew and Emma what they want for breakfast and their response is "eggs...and BACON...!" then that's what we get to have for breakfast. :)

My most favorite part about them coming to visit (or me going to Texas to visit them) is just getting to be "Auntie Stephie". I've loved being an aunt since the second Matthew was born, and now I'm an aunt three times over! Just recently, with the addition of Everett to our family, my older sister finally became an aunt for the first time. I can only imagine she would love to have all the one-on-one auntie-time with Everett that I had with Matthew when he was brand new. But because of our military lifestyle, we've learned to just enjoy the time we have with each other whenever we can manage it. Fortunately, these kids seem pretty forgiving when we go months between visits.

Not only do I get to be "auntie", but I also get to be "sister".... Amanda and I may not have always been close (well, we'll always be close in age at only 9.5 months apart, but our physical and emotional closeness has varied quite a bit over the years!), but the older we get, we seem to truly value our relationship as sisters. Especially now that we're both mothers, we have an even closer bond than before. It was nice to just spend time chatting and hanging out, babies bouncing in our laps. :)

So, I ask you, how do you entertain a five-year-old, a three-year-old, a six-month-old, and a three-and-a-half-month-old? Well, the babies are pretty easy to deal with -- just make sure they're fed and their diapers get changed, and they're pretty content. The other two are a whole different story! And even though I have a baby, my house is far from "well-equipped" when it comes to keeping the other kids entertained. Thankfully, we live in a community with a lot of playgrounds! And thankfully, I happen to live next door to a family with a four-year-old who is very generous with sharing her toys!

In addition to several trips to the park/playground, we spent one of their days here out-and-about in Monterey. We started our morning at First Awakenings for breakfast -- can you say "gigantic 'Banana-germ' pancake"...?!!! Then we headed to the Monterey Aquarium. I'm all for visiting the touristy hot-spots, but in the future I might rethink making this stop on a Saturday -- it was PACKED! There were hoards of running, shrieking children everywhere! Again, taking care of Everett and Hannah was pretty easy, but trying to keep track of and corral Matthew and Emma was quite an undertaking. After leaving the aquarium, despite the chilly, gray, hazy weather, we walked for a while along Cannery Row, making sure to stop at The Little Hat Shop before heading home. Dinner that night was sushi. (Oh, how I love sushi!!!) We deviated from our "norm" and went to Oh Sushi! instead of Crystalfish. The change of menu was kind of nice. And we all ordered sushi with reckless abandon. I'm sure the sushi chefs and other customers thought our indulgence was obscene...but I don't care. It was......awesome. :)

Unfortunately, the weather was never really great the whole time they were visiting. Still, like I said, we spent a fair amount of time outside. Sometimes, when it comes to kids expending their energy, you just have to suck it up, put on warm clothes, and get outdoors. Yesterday, their last day here, we went to Dennis the Menace Playground in Monterey. That park is pretty huge, and the "star attraction" is an old, giant Southern Pacific steam engine that the kids can climb and play on. Jeff did his best tag-teaming with Matthew and Emma while Amanda and I strolled the babies around the sidewalk. We weren't really there quite long enough to wear them out completely, but an hour-and-a-half was as long as I could stand to have Everett out in the gloomy weather. We came home, cleaned up the kids, turned on a movie to kill a little time, and then headed out to Lopez for Mexican food -- YUM!!! (A side note about Lopez: if you're set on ordering dessert, and you have fewer than eight people, only order ONE sopapilla! They're ginormous. And very delicioso.)

This morning was a little chaotic. Because of a noontime flight out of SFO, Jeff had to estimate between 2.5 and 3 hours for the drive through morning traffic to get there, which meant an 8:00/8:30 departure from our house. Jason got an early start on cooking the bacon (I'm telling you -- EVERY morning!), and I kept Everett calm and occupied so as not to wake the kiddos too soon. Once everyone was up, it was Amanda's job to get the kids dressed, and it was Jeff's job to get the suitcases ready to go. I packed a few snacks for Matthew and Emma, and Jason put together breakfast tacos that could be easily eaten in the car on the way to the airport. We took a few last-minute photos (there's just never enough time and never enough pictures...), gave each other hugs and kisses, and made promises of future visits. And just as suddenly as the noise and activity descended on this house five days ago...*snap*...it was gone, just like that.

I waved good-bye from my front porch as their rented minivan pulled away. I could instantly feel a hollow vacancy. It's strange -- as crazy as things seem with the kids bouncing off the walls, I sure do miss them when they're gone. I miss Amanda (and Jeff) and our sister-time. I miss watching Hannah grow. I miss getting to see all the new things Matthew and Emma are learning every day. I miss them getting to be a part of my and Jason's and Everett's lives. *sigh*

But y'know what...?

I kinda don't mind the peace and quiet. ;)

"Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal..."

I've heard people say that if women could actually remember vividly the pain of childbirth, they'd never have more than one baby; that somehow forgetting the trauma is "an evolutionary development" that ensures the fate of the human race. Similarly, baby laughter must be a gift from God that voids the countless hours of crying endured by mommies and daddies everywhere.

Everett laughed out loud today.....and guaranteed the perpetuation of our species. :)

For weeks now, he's been on the brink. It's almost like he smiles so big that if noise was to come out of his body, it would certainly be laughter. But no; just smiles. And then all of a sudden, after one of his feedings this afternoon, I tickled his ribs, and out it came! I thought I might be imagining things, so I called Jason over. Again I tickled, and again he giggled. And even a third time! Then Jason went to grab the video camera...

...and nothing. *sigh*

Oh well. This kid has been exhibiting "Michigan J. Frog behavior" since before birth.

*Ribbit......Ribbit.*

"My hand is numb."

Right now, Everett's napping. On me.

It's not a behavior I like to encourage, but sometimes I feel willing to do almost anything to get this kid to sleep. See, we're struggling a little with "nap time" and what that means to Everett. To Mommy and Daddy, that's the roughly-two-hour period that comes right after Awake Time and directly before Eating Time. To Everett, it's more of a free-form experience...

Initially falling asleep is usually (not always!) pretty easy. And once he's down, Everett will usually (again, not always!) stay asleep for about 40 minutes to an hour. This is where the process usually (but thankfully not always) becomes difficult -- The Transition! [In an old scary movie, saying these words would trigger ominous organ chords, a rumble of thunder, and a crash of lightning.]

FYI, an infant's sleep cycle is approximately 45-minutes-long. So after almost an hour of good, sound sleep, the baby stirs a little, maybe wakes up, and then should drift back to sleep for another round of restful REM. *Should* being the key word in that sentence. With Everett, this is not always the case. For some reason, after one cycle, he thinks it's wake-up-time. I've tried to convince him otherwise...with little success.

Sometimes, I resort to swinging Everett back to sleep. Thankfully, our cushy papasan-style, music-playing Fisher Price model is not one of the hand-crank-style swings of yore! Most of the time, the swing works like a champ, and Everett gets another hour or so of sleep (which means I get another hour or so of baby-free time during which I can do dishes, laundry, etc., etc.). Unfortunately, there are those days -- today being one of them -- when Everett wants very little to do with the swing. *sigh*

So I walk him to sleep. And because he seems to have some kind of sixth sense about being put down and left alone when he's asleep, he often ends up waking up and fussing before I've even lowered him into his crib. I'm convinced the only reason he sleeps in his crib during Sleep Cycle 1, is because somehow that first cycle is much deeper, sounder sleep......or something like that. Regardless, he seems much less amenable to crib sleeping during Cycle 2. *sigh*


And alas, I end up here -- sitting in front of my computer (because there's not really much else you can do with a sleeping baby on your shoulder), just counting minutes until Everett wakes up. Because he's not sleeping really soundly, this segment of his nap could last 10 minutes...maybe 15. Or he could just decide he's really pretty comfortable, which means I'm in it for the long-haul -- we're talking 30, 40 minutes, even more than an hour of holding a 12-pound baby against my body with one arm. And that's when it goes numb.

"...All I've got is two strong arms..."

"...to hold you so tightly..."

"If I had a Million" by Pat Green. It's the first song Jason and I danced to at our wedding four years ago.

Wow, four years.

It's kinda hard to believe that everything that's happened to us since then has all been crammed into four little years. It sure does go by quickly.

Many times during these four years, I have said the words "I did not sign up for this!" Feeling homesick the first night my parents leave after helping us move to Maryland? Missing so many special family occasions -- weddings, births...even deaths? Being lonely for six months while my husband goes to Iraq? Having our family uprooted and moved across the country...or across the ocean? There is NO freaking way I bargained for all this!!!

Wait. Yes, I did. Those little words "for better or worse" are pretty much all-inclusive.

And while I may have bitched plenty......I have also celebrated and danced and laughed and reveled with this man to whom I committed my life. And I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Happy Anniversary, Sweetheart. I love you.

 "If I had a Million"

If I had a million I would build you a mansion,
A hundred miles from nowhere with all a girl could need,
We would run through the hallways and dance in the backyard,
If we ain't got no neighbors ain't no one will see.

And if I had a speed plane we'd fly across the land,
Settle in some little border town,
We'd drink margaritas and dance to mariachis,
Put you on my speed plane and I would bring you back home.

And if I had a steamboat we'd sail across the ocean,
Dock in some little port of call,
We would have a fine time with Swiss cheese and French wine,
Put you on my steamboat and I would bring you back home.

But I ain't got a million and I ain't got a speed plane,
I ain't got no boat upon the sea,
All I've got is two strong arms to hold you so tightly,
So baby won't you, won't you please, come back home with me.

The Sweet Luxury of Baking

Fancy cars. Designer clothes. European vacations. Spa treatments.

These are things that most people would consider "luxuries". Not I.

I love to bake. I L-O-V-E, love to bake. Usually sweet treats. Usually cupcakes. For me, these days, baking is a luxury.

I used to bake all the time -- homemade bread, chocolate chip cookies, all kinds of cupcakes! Even when I was working crazy overtime in my previous life as an architect, I made time to bake. If there was the option of A) getting 5 hours of sleep, or B) getting 4 hours of sleep and having time to make scones for breakfast -- I know that doesn't even seem like a *sane* "option" for most of you; sleep is kind of a no-brainer for most normal people -- I would almost always choose whichever option included baking. Maybe I have a problem.

Anyway, since Everett's been born, I've had to cut WAY back on the amount of baking I do. Believe me, the desire is still there. But lately, when given such options as A) put Everett down for a nap and do something that can be easily interrupted if need be, or B) start combining ingredients knowing that I'll have to stop halfway through and abandon my latest baking conquest, I'm more likely to choose...

Oh, wait. Everett just woke up and needs to eat. (See what I mean...?)

Aaand, we're back......like three hours later.

Anyway, I was just saying that it's much easier to stop doing the dishes or folding the laundry or sending an email or typing a blog if Everett needs my attention, than to walk away from a preheated oven and half-mixed cupcake batter.

Yesterday, I got brave. I pulled out a recipe, started compiling ingredients from the pantry and fridge, and plugged in the hand mixer. Everett was sleeping pretty soundly, and I guessed I had at least an hour of naptime left during which to get something in and out of the oven. We have a surplus of zucchini coming out of our garden right now, and I just got a recipe from a friend for chocolate-zucchini cake with cinnamon-cream cheese frosting, so it was obvious that I needed to somehow generate cupcakes using these two things.

I started measuring out ingredients and mixing them together, double- and triple-checking the recipe as I went. Since it was a recipe I'd never made before, I didn't want to screw it up, but this cost me precious minutes. When the batter was ready to bake, I couldn't decide which cupcake format I preferred (standard vs. mini), so I prepped for both. I filled the mini cups and took a wild guess at the bake-time. Right before the timer went off, Everett started stirring. Damn.

I had to test the cupcakes and reset the timer a few times before they were actually finished, and by that time Everett was awake and demanding my attention. But I still had a tray of raw, standard-sized cupcakes sitting on the counter! Everett did not seem to really care what I had going on. He just knew that he did not want to be swaddled and alone anymore.

I went to let Everett know that I knew he was awake and I was nearby. Then I rushed back to the kitchen to put the tray into the oven. Then I rushed back to Everett who was alerting me of his wet diaper. Then I rushed back to the kitchen to set the timer that I forgot to set. Then I rushed back to Everett to actually change the wet diaper. Fortunately, the bigger cupcakes took longer than 20 minutes to bake, so I had a good chunk of time that I could spend with Everett uninterrupted.

When that timer went off, I had to set Everett down (I'm not crazy -- I'm not about to hold a three-month-old within inches of a 350-degree oven!) in order to run and check on the cupcakes, which were of course not finished baking. So we did the "pick Everett up for a few minutes, then set him back down again to run and check the cupcakes" dance for the next 10 minutes or so, and FINALLY they were done. Just my luck, the one day I decide to bake while Jason's at school just so happens to be a day that Everett is feeling particularly "needy". *sigh* That'll teach me.

Making and applying the frosting to the cupcakes was a whole other undertaking that had to be fit-in between feedings and diaper changes. But oh......it was so worth it! It just felt good to stand back and look at my finished cupcakes. I was happy I got to bake, and relieved that a new recipe came out so well! It was not without its challenges, but at least I don't feel like I neglected Everett too much in the process. I'm definitely not about to start a regimen of daily afternoon baking sessions, but maybe every once in a while I can still indulge in my little luxury. :)

And yes, they were delicious!

"Yay for poopies!" ...and other phrases that have become part of my Mom-vocabulary...

I wouldn't say that I'm overly squeamish, but there are definitely things in this world that just plain gross me out. It could be the way something looks, the way a word sounds, or sometimes just the mere thought of something mildly disgusting.

My sister majored in Biology in college -- good for her. I took Biology in high school, but that's about as much as I could muster. I just can't stand learning about cells, and creatures, and bodily functions........ Blech. (I feel a little gaggy just thinking about it.)

Anyway, back when I found out I was pregnant, there were a lot of things happening to my body that I felt it important to educate myself about. All of a sudden, I'm reading books that go into very specific detail about very specific bodily functions. And there are pictures, sometimes photos, in these books that are very graphic. And I just take it all in stride.

As Jason and I discussed many times during my pregnancy, sometimes there is just no other way to describe a pussing, oozing, infected wound than to use those exact words. And at some point I'm going to have an injured child at the doctor's office and we'll be speaking in these very terms. (And yes, I would cringe every time we had that discussion.) Jason said that part of having a child is having to deal with the gross stuff along with the cutesy stuff. Yes, he is correct.

When I used to think about my birth experience, I always imagined that I would deliver the baby, they would take it away and clean it up, and then I would have my moment with our sparkling new baby. Funny how something like a little amniotic fluid (among other random dirtiness) can seem so disgusting one second, and the very next second you're kissing and caressing your dirty, slimy newborn. I think that's when things changed for me.

I realized that 1) maybe it's really not quite as disgusting as I imagined (often, I think this is true -- the perceived grossness far outweighs the actual grossness), 2) if I'm going to manage taking care of an infant (most of the day, alone), I'll just have to be okay with vomit, poop, and the like, and 3) it's okay if there are still things that make my stomach churn -- that's when I call on Jason to handle the situation!

Anyway, back to what this post was supposed to be about...

I thought I'd share a random sampling of colorful phrases that have worked their way into my daily dialogue. I honestly never thought I'd hear myself speak some of these things...at least not so frequently and with way less gagging than I ever thought possible. Enjoy.

"Yay for poopies!" -- Seriously? I'm actually applauding defecation? You betcha! When I see what the strain of pooping sometimes does to poor Everett, I am dancing for joy when he finally fills that diaper!

"Wow, Everett, you have lots of boogies in your nose!" -- Okay, so maybe boogers aren't all that disgusting, but I just never thought I would so freely comment on the quantity and or consistency of said boogers. (And it is totally okay to make yucky things seem more tolerable by calling them something semi-cutesy...like "boogies".)

"That's okay. Mommy doesn't mind the spit-up." -- Sometimes it's just a little...and sometimes it's a lot. A lot. But really, if I freaked out every time Everett launched regurgitated breastmilk at me, just think how freaked out he would be! It's important to maintain composure...even with spit-up running down your arm (and neck, and back, and in your hair).

"Blah, blah, blah...mucous plug...blah, blah, blah...bloody show...blah, blah, blah...placenta..." -- Sorry, I know those phrases might be a little too yucky for some of you. Don't worry, I'm not going to start describing them. If you're really curious, look them up. These choice phrases come out when I'm telling my birth story. Sure I lower the volume of my voice slightly when uttering these words (after all, who wants to be sipping a latte at a coffee shop and overhear THAT?!), but I don't even flinch with disgust anymore! Go me!

"grainy", "liquid-y", "yellow", "greenish", "sticky", "stinky", etc., etc. -- Three guesses what these words have been used to describe.

And one of my personal favorites:
"Hey, Babe, can you come watch the baby for a sec? I gotta wash the poop off my fingers." -- I don't care how many diapers you've changed, or how good at it you think you are, at some point you are just going to end up with poop on your hands. The mere idea of this used to give me the chills. ("Oh. My. Goodness. Poop ON me...?!") But now I'm not really phased. It does wash off, people.

I imagine that my Mommy-dialogue will become more entertaining over time. I only hope I never lose my sense of humor about these things. :)

"It's the little things..."

I used to say that phrase all the time, sort of "tongue-in-cheek". But now that I have a 12-week-old baby, I realize how much truth lies in that statement.

This is Everett:

This photo was taken mere moments after putting a new diaper on his bum. The child is ecstatic!

Granted, he's a pretty happy baby overall. And he definitely has his fair share of smiley-time when Jason and I are playing with him. But there are those times when we try in vain to get him to "perform" in front of a live video camera, or we're trying desperately to capture the picture-perfect grin on his face... *sigh* ...to no avail.

Too bad we didn't figure out sooner that the best way to get this kid to smile is to give him a clean, dry diaper! He LOVES having clean drawers on!

Seriously, Everett has a problem with dirty pants. Yes, if I was sitting in my own filth, it would surely bother the heck out of me, too! But most babies will sort of tolerate a wet diaper...at least for a while. Jason and I thought in the beginning that we could really get our money's worth out of every single diaper -- maybe don't change it the second it's wet; maybe wait until it's poopy, too -- brilliant!

Um, no.

Everett is one of those "high maintenance" babies when it comes to diapers. There are times when he will be crying inconsolably, and we start going through the checklist: we just changed him, he just made a big poopy so we know he's not struggling with that, he just ate, he hasn't been awake long enough to need another nap, he's dressed comfortably, we're holding him at this very minute so we know he's not lonely... And then we check his diaper (just in case). And it's wet. Again.

And it is not uncommon for a diaper-changing session to go something like this: Everett pooped (diaper #1), so we take off the dirty diaper, clean his bottom and slide a clean diaper (diaper #2) under him. Just as we're fastening the new one onto his body, he poops again (I guess he wasn't finished). So we repeat the previous step of cleaning him and getting a new diaper (diaper #3) to put on him. But wait -- just before we close up the newest diaper, the wind blows just right and Everett starts to pee all over the place. (We usually do a pretty good job of blocking, but sometimes we get so caught up in the multiple-diaper changes that we forget about that little guy down there.) So now this newest diaper (still #3) isn't wet or dirty on the inside, but it's now drenched in pee, and we just can't bring ourselves to towel it off and fasten it onto his body. So we have to throw that one away, strip off all his pee-soaked clothes, and get out yet another diaper. *sigh* Finally, we're looking down at our very, very happy (now naked) little baby, and we're closing up diaper #4. That's right -- four diapers in one change! And this is how we can sometimes go through 100 disposable diapers in a week. (We should have bought stock in Pampers.)

So whether we're using four diapers at a time, or just changing the boy every half-hour, it seems like we really do use a lot of diapers. Which is why I've decided to employ cloth diapers for some of our at-home time. Jason and I are both of the opinion that cloth-diapering is a bit fussy to mess with when you're out running errands, but it's really not so bad when you're just hanging around the house all day. And believe me, it definitely saves us from buying disposables as frequently!

One thing I really don't mind, though... I LOVE seeing that gummy smile on his face! I never get tired of it, even if it is just from the simple pleasure of having a clean tush. I guess maybe it's the "little things" that really please us both. :)

Making Memories

It's kind of strange to use the term "making memories"... When you think about it, everything you say and do essentially becomes a memory. But I suppose there are times in our lives that we really want to cement into our brains. Really, every day since Everett was born has been like that -- little moments that I never want to forget; coos, smiles, facial expressions that I want to treasure forever. And alas, I feel like I'm already starting to forget... Those days at the hospital when Everett came into this world seem like ancient history. *sigh* I digress.

This entry is supposed to be about Jason's parents coming to visit. They flew from Texas to California the last weekend of June to meet their grandson. Of course they wanted to be here the minute he was born, but it just wasn't possible -- especially because he surprised us all by arriving three weeks early! Jason's mom is a teacher, so they had to plan the trip for when school was out-of-session. Besides, now that Everett is 2-1/2 months old, it was probably a little more fulfilling for them to spend time interacting with him, whereas if they had visited sooner, they would've spent a lot of time just watching him sleep. (Not that there's anything wrong with that -- it's one of my favorite times!)

Their trip began by spending a night in San Francisco. It's probably a good thing they canceled their plans to stay in the city for two nights, because it was "Pride Weekend", and I hear things can get a little crazy. Anyway, I'm sure it's all they could stand to be so close to us and still not have seen Everett. So it's Sunday afternoon, I'm wearing Everett in the Moby, and I'm folding baby laundry, and I hear the door open... That was the beginning of the whirlwind! The whole week leading up to the Coles' arrival, I was trying to brace myself -- I knew that having guests would probably be a slight disruption to the routine we've worked out, and therefore it could be a little draining on Everett and Jason and me. But I don't think any amount of mental pep talk could have prepared me for the next 10 days.

Don't get me wrong, it was great to see Jason's folks! And it sure was exhausting.

The first day they were here was pretty low-key. Jason drove up to San Francisco to retrieve Gary and Sandy, and the three of them spent a few hours hanging out in the city. A scenic 2-1/2-hour drive and a stop at In-and-Out Burger later, and they were home (at least it was their home-away-from-home). The afternoon was consumed by the official meet-and-greet, a trip to the grocery store, lots of photos of "Gammy" and "Pappy" with Everett, and lots and LOTS of baby-talk. Dinner was leftovers, and we ended the night with bath time.

*****
Monday morning began pretty leisurely. Thankfully, it was the first day of Jason's class break, so he had the entire week off! It was nice that we could all spend time together as a family. We passed the time that day by walking around the Del Monte Center, which is our local "mall" -- it's more of an open-air-concept shopping center. The weather was nice, so we didn't mind just being out for a stroll. Then we went to Whole Foods where Jason spent way too much time at the cheese counter (a favorite pastime of ours), and we left with fresh produce and an afternoon coffee in hand. These little outings may not seem like a big deal, but with a two-month-old in tow, even then smallest errand can be a huge undertaking.

*****
Tuesday was Sandy's birthday. We had grand plans of going to the Farmers' Market in downtown Monterey that afternoon...but the weather clearly had other things in mind.

Yes, he's feeding coffee grounds to the earth worms...

Jason did a little gardening, despite the gray skies, but once the rain started, we knew any other outdoor activities were off the agenda. So instead of a jaunt through the market and dinner at Monterey's Fish House (seriously, what restaurant is booked until 9:00pm with reservations on a Tuesday?!), we went to Costco and then headed to Cannery Row. We had dinner at a yummy seafood/Italian restaurant called Paradiso, and we were right on the bay, so we could look out over the water as the sun went down. When we got home, we had a mini celebration for Sandy, complete with a mini birthday cake (chocolate with peanut butter frosting -- YUM!).

And before we realized, it was already after 10:00 and way past Everett's bedtime. Being out of our "early to bed" routine made for kind of a rough night...but we survived.

*****
Wednesday was full of more errand-running. The weather was MUCH better than the day before, so being out and about wasn't as much of a chore. First stop: Babies R Us, which means we headed to Salinas. Sandy already admitted to having some kind of addiction to buying Everett baby clothes, so it took all of Gary's strength to steer her clear of the clothing department. We did get a little sidetracked buying Everett some toys to keep him entertained in his carseat...but the damage was minimal. We went to Monterey Coast Brewing Co. for lunch -- the food is yummy, and we're all in love with their Chocolate Porter! In fact, they sell beer by the growler-full (which is about 64 oz.), and we were due to have ours refilled. ;)  Our last stop before heading home was Star Market, a lovely, old-fashioned little gem hidden among a very unassuming shopping center in Salinas. I think Jason left the market with no fewer than four varieties of cheese (yes, we have a problem), and then we went home to prep dinner.

Jason grilled some super-thick-cut filets of tenderloin (and topped them with blue cheese-butter!), baked a few sweet potatoes, roasted some of our home-grown zucchini, and opened a bottle of Rocco Reserve from the local Parsonage winery -- DELICIOUS! And we settled in for the evening. We would need our stamina...

*****
Thursday we knew was going to be rough. Jason planned for us to drive up to Fairfield to visit the Jelly Belly factory. It's about a 2-1/2 to 3-hour drive, including the stop along the way for coffee. We left between 7:30 and 8:00am. Jason and I have made a few trips to San Jose and back since Everett's been born, and we've even driven up to San Francisco for one of my doctor appointments...but he's never been strapped into that stupid carseat for that many hours at one time. Add up all the time we spent driving to lunch and then heading home, and it was just a long day spent crammed in the car. Anyway, back to the Jelly Belly factory.

They *made* us wear these stupid hats!

They have free tours of the working factory, they give you samples along the way, and as the tour ends they invite you to visit their "sample bar and gift shop" (which is really a huge sugar-coma waiting to happen). Everett slept through the entire tour, but at least it was fairly entertaining for the other four of us! Lunch was almost a debacle. I'm all for finding a little "local joint" that's kind of off the beaten path...but the little Mexican place where Jason wanted to eat looked a day away from abandonment. Seriously, the entrance was a screen door being held to the door frame with duct tape. No bueno. We ended up at some place called Blue Frog Grog & Grill, which was pretty good, and then we settled in for the long drive home. Sandy, Everett, and I fell asleep pretty quickly in the back seat, and Jason and Gary chatted and listened to classic rock. Dinner that night was pretty low-key -- just a spread of cheese and crackers with various veggies, fruit, and spreads. A very cranky Everett (as the result of spending all day in the car with no quality Awake Time) called Jason and me to bed a little early. It was tough getting him to fall asleep, but his spirits were well-restored overnight.

*****
Friday, the weather was beautiful!

We stayed local and planned to spend the day on Cannery Row. Sandy was scheduled for a one-hour massage (her birthday present!) in the middle of the day, after which we all met for lunch at a little place called Sea Harvest.

We love the small, local feel of the place, and the seafood is super fresh and delicious! After lunch, we walked along Cannery Row (where Gary and Sandy went for a short jaunt on the beach) and made a few stops: first, the Ghirardelli store was a must for an ice cream treat, and second, Jason and I have been dying to shop at The Little Hat Shop since way before Everett was born. But it's hard to shop for the best cute little hat when you don't know whether you're having a boy or a girl, so we waited.

Everything in that store is so adorable, it was hard to limit ourselves to only buying three hats, but we managed.

*****
Saturday was wine-tasting day!

Over breakfast, Jason planned our itinerary. Before a couple months ago, we had no idea just how many wineries were so close to Monterey -- you could spend days stopping at every tasting room and/or vineyard in the Carmel Valley, Salinas Valley, and in Monterey-proper!

Since Jason had already sampled a few wineries in the Carmel Valley (an outing that occurred when my Mom was visiting back in May), we spent our day visiting four locations in the Salinas Valley: Pessagno, Wrath, Hahn, and Paraiso. Our final stop was the Ventana tasting room in Monterey.

Everett and I were really just along for the ride and the scenery (which was lovely, by the way).

The other three had a pretty good time wine-sampling...evidenced by Sandy's *condition* at the end of the day. ;)  We were all hungry and kind of tired. So, after a very delicious dinner at Tarpy's Roadhouse, we went home and put ourselves to bed.

*****
The highlight of our Sunday was the dinner Jason prepared: roast duck and mushroom risotto! Jason really loves to cook. Since Everett joined our happy home, his days of lavish cooking have been all but eliminated -- we just no longer have the luxury of hours spent in the kitchen and sitting down to an extravagant meal. But while there were extra hands on deck, Jason took advantage of the occasion and the opportunity to make something special! I definitely didn't complain. :)

*****
Monday was the 4th of July. We were looking forward to an afternoon of grilling and an evening of fireworks on the beach......until we looked online to see what time the fireworks were starting. And that's when we discovered that "due to budget cuts, etc., etc." there would not be a fireworks show on The Peninsula this year. Bummer. To be honest, the weather was so crummy that I didn't really want to drag Everett down to the beach anyway, but I was still kinda bummed about the canceled fireworks.

No worries -- we still dressed Everett in his "Mommy's Little Firecracker" beach outfit and fired up the grill!

*****
Tuesday was the final full day of the Coles' time in Cali. We were keeping our fingers crossed for good weather that afternoon, so we could introduce Mom and Dad to the Farmers' Market. Fortunately, we lucked out...but that's later. Our first outing that day was Crystalfish -- my and Jason's favorite sushi restaurant in town.

After almost filling our bellies, we headed to Pacific Grove for some ice cream, where we continued our diet-derailing indulgences. :)  Then we went for a little drive along the bay to Asilomar State Beach. We walked down to the water to get a few pictures, but it was so windy and damp and chilly that we had to make it a very quick stop.

Jason, like a moron, decided to dip his feet in the water -- of course it was freezing -- and then we hurried back to the car. I was wearing Everett in his carrier, and he was completely bundled from head to toe. I'm all for commemorating our time here on the coast, but not at the expense of my two-month-old's warmth and comfort!

Gary and Sandy were hoping for a little different "beach experience", so we drove a few miles north to Del Monte Beach and took a few pictures in the sunshine. (It's amazing what a difference in the weather five miles can make...!) From there, we headed for the Farmers' Market. Since it's summertime, and the weather was pleasant, the market was packed! But it's okay -- it just made for a more *colorful* experience. We strolled up and down the street, sampling fresh fruit, getting our fill of Sparky's root beer and the fresh-made kettle corn, and then it was time for dinner. One of my favorite things about the market is the wide array of food vendors -- you can eat anything from sushi, to tamales, to falafel, etc. On my menu that night: rotisserie chicken. You can pretty much smell the Roli Roti truck from anywhere at the market! I just had to get my hands on some of that roasted chicken and delicious rosemary potatoes! Sandy followed suit. Jason headed toward the Mr. Falafel tent, and I think Gary ended up with a gyro. Some fresh-dripped coffee from Plumes was a great way to end our outing. The evening wrapped up with Gary and Sandy spending a little more quality time with Everett...which included lots more photos, and LOTS more baby talk.

*****
Wednesday morning was bittersweet.... Jason had to return to class, and Gary and Sandy were readying themselves to leave. Everett spent some time that morning saying his good-byes to Grammy and Pappy on the sofa. The Coles rented a car to drive themselves back to San Francisco to catch their flight home, so they loaded up the car and then they were gone. And just like that our whirlwind week came to a close. And all of a sudden it was very, very quiet.

And Everett and I cuddled up together and took a nap. *sigh* :)