Dads of daughters
"Where are her lime green socks? I thought she had lime green socks."
"She might have but I think I packed them up because they don't fit. She has other socks, I thought...Yeah, here you go."
"Those are pink."
"So?"
"Pink doesn't match salmon."
Insomniacs in the night
Scene: Three o'clock in the morning, two people are wide awake in bed
"How are you supposed to fall back asleep if you're looking at your phone?"
"I was just thinking that. But when I get something in my head, I have to look it up..."
"...Wait, how are you supposed to fall back asleep if you're talking to me?"
"I was just thinking that."
"Remember when I use to be such a good sleeper?"
"Then we went and had a kid..."
"...And yet the kid is the only one actually asleep in this house."
Christmas drinks and dorks
Hey, so I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and Hanukkah.
Here we are on Christmas day, looking like a couple-a dorks:
LG looks pissed (she wasn't), but this was the only shot where she was looking at the camera, so...
Here's a cute one of the two of us -- a little blurry -- but she's smiling and that's all that matters:
And last but certainly not least, here's a little roundup of our holiday beverages:
Holiday magnum from Domaine Carneros, a mocha with a peppermint stick (I suppose it's really a candycane, but whatever, peppermint stick sounds much more old time-y and quaint), and a duo of gin martinis, which look an awful lot like boobs here. Martini boobs!
Thanks given for this year
Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday, which, after almost five years of blogging, is not something that needs repeating year after year. Plus, Thanksgiving is like everyone's favorite holiday, isn't it? The food, the drink, the naps, the second dinner, the fifth bottle of wine, etc., etc., it's not very original) is over, but what a lovely one it was. Lots of food and drink, family Skype-time, and laying around watching Elf.
I didn't workout, I didn't shower, I did take a picture of the two of us and cut off Chris's head...
...So everything went according to schedule
I intended to take pictures of all my Thanksgiving food, because contrary to a popular blogger, I know you all really do care what I had for lunch, or in this case, Thanksgiving lunch (the Best of all the Lunches!) Unfortunately, I was hungry, so this picture of cranberry sauce is all I got:
Leftovers making their way to me tomorrow as a stir-in with my vanilla Greek yogurt, YUM
LG totally dug her first Thanksgiving. I mean, she ate the usual formula and pureed slop, but whatever. She seemed happy nonetheless:
It's like she likes us or something. So weird, this one
We hit up Napa on Saturday, for the second weekend in a row BECAUSE WE CAN, and it was lovely and glorious, as you can imagine. The last time we were there, we picked up our HOLIDAY MAGNUM, which is something I am, for obvious reasons, looking forward to immensely. Now. Should we drink it on Christmas or New Year's Eve, Christmas or New Year's Eve? I know you're all feeling very sorry for me. I'll go drown my feelings of despair in my one-and-a-half-liters of champagne.
Other than that, there's nothing to report. My turkey soup is about done and my stomach's a-grumbling, so it looks like it's going to be an early dinner and bedtime for me.
Oh, but first, here's a picture of the baby actually enjoying her bath for once:
Or, you know, not hating it like usual. Whatever, I'll take it
Happy belated Thanksgiving to you all! Life's Good around here and I hope it's the same for you!
Nothin’ lasts forever/Even cold November rain
Well hello! October just drug its little ass, didn't it? And now here we are, in November, the beginning of my favorite time of year (THANKSGIVING! HECK YEAH!) and I'm sure now until the end of the year will go by in a second. Regardless, I've already started playing the Mariah Carey (Holiday) station on Pandora, so I'll be in the damn holiday spirit for the next eight weeks.
Although it drug by, my October was busy, what with trips to Bakersfield and Austin. I feel like I went somewhere else...maybe? But I guess I didn't.
October really was The Month Of The Internet, which started out by seeing Rhiannon (and Bill) (and BoB, sort of indirectly) at the champagnery. I don't have a picture of that; HOWEVER, Rhiannon did get to meet Tyler Florence later that day and she didn't even offend him or anything, unlike yours truly.
Then there was @theblathering in Austin, which was quite the whirlwind. So much so that I think I'm still catching up on the sleep I missed that weekend. I think - and this is being generous - I got maybe, MAYBE six hours of sleep the entire weekend. Maybe.
Anyway, here's a picture of some of us ladies in Austin. (I stole this picture from Elisabeth.)
Miss Vanity (me) chose this because her hair and boobs look good. Neither of these things happen often, what can I say?
Then last weekend I got to see MORE Internet ladies (and Peppa) for brunch in Sacramento. (Picture stolen from Amy. I can't be taking my own pictures these days, clearly.)
Check out how cute LG and Peppa are going to look together when they're older. Luckily they won't be able to kiss because those four giant cheeks will totally get in the way. Giant Cheeks: Messing up Game Since 2011
Then there was Halloween, a holiday which I'm not into too much, and neither is Chris, so we spent our evening hunkered down in the dark, drinking wine, and eating Reece's Pumpkins.
She's all skin and bones, hardy har har!
October also marked the month LG could start sitting up (albiet wobbily-y) on her own, as evidenced here:
And eating solid (and I use the word "solid" - quite literally - very loosely, as it's just a bunch of pureed ickiness) food:
I feel like I can't just leave you with that gross picture of my kid, so here's one of the two of us, dressed up all nice and fancy for Napa:
If fancy means the leggings that don't have the hole in the butt, that is
Oh, okay, FINE. One more of the little turd-monster:
Turns on the charm if, and only if, I move the camera out of my face so she can see me making ridiculous faces at her. So high maintenance, this one
Happy Thursday, best day of the week!
Fall into change
It is now (FINALLY) September, which means we've entered my second-favorite month of the year (my birth month, February, is first-favorite.)
This is the month of anniversaries (my parents', mine, my BFF's) and Labor Day (no work!), as well as the official first day of Fall, which, even though September is usually still one of the hottest months here in California, is my favorite season.
September will also, SO HELP ME GOD, bring an end to August: The Month Of Sick. We've all been sick twice (various colds and flus; nothing too serious, except LG had a slight flu and there's nothing more sad than your usually-happy baby all red- and watery-eyed and pitiful.)
It's time to give August the boot and get out of the house FINALLY, so on this long weekend we are -- rain or shine, sore throat or not -- going to Napa to, A) Pick up our wine shipment, and B) Sit out on the patio and enjoy some bubbles.
There are a lot of things I miss about living in San Diego: The quick walk to our favorite bar; the hills along the cliffs, which are far superior for working out than our flat subdivision; and countless restaurants that are not named Chili's or BJ's or (Cr)Applebee's.
But San Diego doesn't have the beautiful wine country, where I'd spend every weekend if money were no object. It doesn't have my nice big house, with my garden in the backyard. And it doesn't have seasons that change, where leaves fall and rain comes, and the hills outside our bedroom window turn bright green.
We met as kids there, but we'll raise our kid here, where changes actually happen. Change can be good, change can be very, very good.
And so it begins…
LG wore her Seahawks gear and held her Fan Bear for the entire pre-season game last week. Seattle won (woo!) which of course means we can't wash this onesie ever again. And they must sit on the couch, like this, for every single game of the season.
Although something tells me even if the 'Hawks lose, Chris's Sundays won't be as awful as they used to be if they lost...
LGW Cribz
My friend Hillary, whose baby Willie should be making his appearance into the world soon-ish(!), posted pictures of her baby's nursery the other day and it reminded me that I fully intended to write a post about how I'd finally decided to decorate LG's room the cool place for me to hang out, but then she arrived early and things weren't done yet and we had a newborn to keep alive parent and, well, now, at just over three months old, I finally have pictures to share.
If this were an episode of MTV Cribs, I'd say this is where the magic happens (get it? because it's HER BED? God, I need to work on my material.) Anyway, no magic actually happens here, as LG hasn't spent even one night in her crib, but whatever. Look how pretty all those homemade/personalized blankets are!
Here's another shot of the room, which I am taking from inside the closet, which still doesn't have doors. No, that doesn't bother me at all.
After consulting with one of my Internet personal stylists, Christina, I decided to purchase this mobile from The Starcraft on Etsy:
LG totally digs it, too. Babies, man, so easily entertained
You already know that Chris, handy and useful man he is, refinished his baby changing table/dresser for LG. Then, a couple weeks after she was born, he finished up the shelving, where I store six packs of bee--I mean receiving blankets and diapers and whatnot.
I bought these baskets at Michael's on sale months and months before she was born, when I was in the throes of my WHY MUST EVERYTHING BABY GIRL = PINK crisis. I even scored a basket (not pictured) (where we store all LG's bath accessories) that is purple and green and says "Baby" all over it. So. I'm kind of over that crisis.
The only art I ever purchased for the room was found via Style Lush:
You probably know by now, because I mention it all the damn time, that Chris and I got engaged in Seattle, so it's one of my favorite cities (and his, but that should go without saying, being the native PNWer that he is.) It came in green (it also comes in black and red, white & blue, not to mention different cities AND the human brain and heart -- something for everyone!), so it seemed perfect for LG's crib.
In the week or so before she arrived, I went on a massive shopping trip to Mecca Target and spotted this gem, which I scored on sale:
I think I sort of missed out on the Keep Calm & ________ trend, because I hear it's fallen out of vogue, but eh, I like it.
Finally, this is my little nook where I store mugs of coffee or glasses of wine or books or whatever else I'm doing when I'm sitting in LG's room feeding her or trying to get her to sleep or just watching her sleep. (WHAT?)
Chris's cousin (Brant, who is the brains behind this website)'s wife Mariko made the stitched name sign for LG, which I love love love. Thanks, Mariko! And thanks, Brant!
So, there you have it, LG's room, the cool place for me to hang out, and also the library. (We store all our books on the bookshelf in the closet of that room, which didn't exactly come in handy the other night when Chris realized a ways into his book that he'd already read it, possibly in the summer of 2004, he wasn't sure. Anyway, LG was already asleep, so no book for him!)
Party Week: Part 3
Wow. It appears as though we party a lot, huh? Good thing we log lots of couch time the majority of the year, to make party weeks like this possible! Oh, who am I kidding? We're all still exhausted.
Rounding out Party Week was the 4th of July, which I've always been sort of indifferent to, but since Chris's birthday is the next day, it's his favorite holiday (three-day weekend!), so now I've jumped on the 4th of July bandwagon.
This year we ventured into Oakland to hang out with Chris's brothers and eat meats on sticks. LG donned her 4th of July finest (a red suit from her Auntie Akymbo) and the rest of us wore black, naturally.
Hey there, sweet cheeks!
Usual pouty-face. "Where's that BOOB? I want a BOOB!"
Me and the (self-proclaimed) Great Grand Uncle Cal, who was too a-scared to change a diaper, but who incidentally got mistaken for LG's father right after this picture was taken. Dads change diapers, Cal, dads change diapers.
Chris and Cal, who DID NOT get mistaken for LG's fathers right after this picture was taken.
Baby feet!
My two favorite gangstas. Damn it feels good, doesn't it?
Happy Birthday, UH-MERICA.
And thus completes Party Week! We'll see you again next year. Or when I turn 30. Or when LG turns one. So, next year. But there probably won't be a keg* at that party.
*Of course there will be a keg at that party.
Party Week: Part 2
After my friend's wedding, we skedaddled back home to begin what can only be described as the Week o' Family. My family, Chris's family, more of Chris's family, even more of Chris's family (he has a very large extended family who incidentally live right near us. We showed up at their houses and they had food! and wine! and cute outfits for LG! Truly awesome people), more of my family, and...You get the idea.
Chris's party was Saturday and I normally don't throw the word "epic" around like everyone else on the Internet seems to, but it really was epic. The proof is in the pictures...
First a picture of LG, because I know she's all anyone cares about anymore.
It was a green-themed party, as the bee-day boy's favorite color is green. Also, that is a lot of sangria. Naturally, it was gone by the end of the night.
Because man cannot survive on sangria alone, we had to have a keg. Please notice Chris color-coordinated his outfit with his party decor. Tres chic.
Family photo! LG looks displeased, as per usual. And why wouldn't she be? One of her many minions (grandmas) wasn't holding her.
Uncles (and a dad) in cargo shorts! At one point I took inventory and almost every single male at the party was wearing cargo shorts. They ARE the tuxedo of shorts, as Chris says. Very party appropriate.
LG looking quite festive. And sleepy. 'Tis a lot of work being passed from great-grandma to grandma to great-grandma to great-grandma to grandma.
Speaking of grandmas...
...And grandpas...
...And BFFs with adorable daughters who wear pink rompers and pearls...
...And moms...
...And parents...
...And morning-after bloody marys...
...It was an epic party indeed.
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