What's good for the soul

July and August are chaotic at work with events. For 6 weeks in a row, I'm off on Friday because I've worked so much before Thursday. Usually, I spend those Friday days  grocery shopping, cleaning, doing laundry because Lil B is at pre-school. Fun times!

On the 6th Friday, I asked my Linda if she wanted to head for the mountains and go for a long hike we me. I love Linda because I learn so much from her (parenting, eco-friendliness and tips about life in general) and we always have a great time together.

Our hike ... Tam McArthur Rim ... 2.5 miles up switchbacks to a beautiful view of Three Creeks Lake.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Three Creeks Lake from Tam McArthur Rim Trail"][/caption]

The whole time we were hiking, we kept saying ... "Why didn't we do this every Friday?" Yea, that's what I should have been doing -- enjoying the great outdoors with my girlfriend -- that's good for the soul! At the top I exclaimed in Dora the Explorer style "We did! We did it!"

After about three hours, we were back to my Jeep and off the Three Creeks Brewery for some beer and burgers.

I realized on the way home that I need these mini breaks to keep life in check.

To view photos from our hike, go here.

Bye, bye four eyes

Hmmm, it’s been a few weeks. My goal is to post at least twice a week but since being back from Austin from SXSW Interactive I’ve been faced with the following:
• Re-sleep training my child
• WORK WORK WORK
• Volunteer stuff for the Family Access Network
• Pre-school hunting
• Getting the house painted
• Being scared out of my wits about getting LASIK in less than a week.

By the time my child is off to dreamland I am SPENT. Just SPENT. And a little stressed. When this happens, I focus on spending my time on Flickr seeing if Jeff Tweedy combed his hair during Wilco’s sold out
US tour. Jeff, if you’re reading this, I’m quite disappointed in your grooming skills.

I’m getting LASIK surgery next week. Since I’ve inherited my mother’s poor eyesight at the good ole age of 10, glasses and contacts have been my world. I only wore my glasses to see the blackboard until my
senior year where I was forced to get contacts for my 18th birthday (what a fun bday gift) in order to see the world more clearly. Since 1993, there have been some great advances in corrective surgery and the recovery time (in my case) is just a day and I should be back up and running and seeing clearly but that doesn’t mean I’m scared out of my mind that lasers will be pointed at my eyes and slicing stuff. I’ve been told I’ll be loaded up on valium but still, I probably won’t sleep the night before. YIKES.

The good thing is that my employer offers LASIK and I get to cash in on the good ole employee discount. I was hesitant to sign up for a health flex spending account in November since my husband was out of
work but I held positive vibes that he would find employment (which he did) and I wouldn’t feel guilty about spending the dough on a cosmetic procedure. There was talk of videoing the procedure for a work video
but I really really didn’t want to broadcast that part of my life out there on the internet. You’ll just have to read about it when it’s all said and done.

As for my child, after a few days of crying himself to sleep, he is back to his regular sleep routine of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. He’s been night waking a lot too so we’ve started night waking sleep training. We
would usually bring him into bed where he’d fall asleep and proceed to kick me all night long. Great for him; not so much for me.

I will post more, I promise. Pinky swear, really.

Don't text and walk at SXSW

I've been getting educated in the ways of social media at SXSW (spring break for geeks). My brain is soaking it all in and I feel as if I'm with my own kind -- geeks from all over the world. In public, I would not walk around with my lanyard full of flair but when a famous blogger say "I like your flair" you can't help but feel proud and even more geeky.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="222" caption="Eating pasta"][/caption]

On Saturday night, I attended a party put on by a vendor I use and ran into someone who has been reading my blogs for over 8 years (and me visa versa though she's moved to the twitter platform). I wasn't sure if I should walk up and introduce myself but I'm glad I did. It was a joyous occasion.

I'm having fun but at the same time, I'm really missing my family. Skype has come in handy to get my daily Lil B fix. Over the past two weeks, sleep has been a battle in our house so when I get back, Brian and I will be sleep training (yes, letting him cry it out) Lil B. Fun times. I often get cute MMS messages of Lil B eating pasta or coloring. I cried this morning when I saw a commercial of a mother and child on TV.  I do miss them alot.

The trade show is crazy. Everyone is giving away buttons, t-shirts and ever beer so you can hear about their products and services. One vendor is giving away a fake tattoo sleeve thing I snagged for my husband. I'm seeing a lot of folks walking and texting. Just watch this video and you'll see.

The ones I love ...

When I was in the third grade, my dad brought me roses to school on Valentine's Day. I was walking across the street with my class, going to morning mass and he did it in front of my friends. At the time, I was really embarrassed but looking back, it was one of the sweetest moments as a child.

I spent the morning watching the same episode of  "Thomas the Train" twice because that is what my son wanted to do. We also made Daddy a Valentine's card and bought him two bottles of IPA (his favorite).  After daddy got up we went to breakfast. I received many kisses and hugs and little devilish giggles from my little Valentine! Having a kid is pretty awesome!

[caption id="attachment_704" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Hi kitty"][/caption]

New year. New goals.

It's a new year. I think I've gained 10 lbs in the past week with all the out of control eating. I ate my final linzer cookie until next Christmas season. I've had an alcoholic beverage everyday since Christmas and I have not exercised. My husband and I were talking about goals last night for 2010. He is working on his freelance business since jobs are scarce at the moment. I NEED to cut down the salt to 2300 mg. Everyone keeps telling me, use Mrs. Dash. The salt shaker is not my problem -- I just need to eat less processed foods and more fruits, veggies, dairy and lean proteins.  Along with cutting down on the sodium, I am also going to train for a triathlon in an attempt to do one in July. If I can run 3 miles, I am pretty sure by July I can do a triathlon. I'm calling it the tryathlon challenge. GULP. Wish me luck.

As a family, we need to be better about a few things with Lil B. Brushing teeth, reading, getting him with some play friends.  The other thing is we need to start going to church. We keep talking about it but we're not doing it. We'll be exploring that avenue in the next couple of months.

So, in a nutshell, that's some of the goals for 2010. I'll check back and let you know how they're going.

18 months

Benjamin,

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Brobee and blankey"][/caption]

Last week, you turned 18 months old. As I say each month -- where does the time go? It was just yesterday you were sleeping soundly in your swing clutching your blanket. Now you just carry that blanket around. You and blankey are pretty much attached at the hip. I think we might have to make it into a cap someday.

Speaking of being attached at the hip, you also are pretty attached to the five binkies you sleep with. I'm devising a plan to get you off the binky and bottle by your second birthday. Shhh, don't tell Dr. Middleton tomorrow. We have been trying to limit binky time to only when you're fussy. Last week your vocabulary started to explode which gives your dad and I more reason to take the binky away. You can say hi, bye, banana, cookie, knock knock, kitty and your favorite -- uh oh. I'm sure there is a lot more you can say but we can't understand it just yet.

Your comprehension is pretty good as well. You know what brush your teeth means and you run down the hall, into the bathroom and try to reach for your toothbrush. You also know what "let's watch Yo Gabba Gabba." You run up to the TV and stare. You're quite fond of Brobee.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350" caption="How Yo Gabba Gabba saved the 3 hour lay over."][/caption]

You recently decided to drop your morning nap though you can't quite make it to 1 p.m. you make it known by running up with your bottle and blankey letting us know you want a three hour nap. From 5 - 7 p.m. you're the fussiest kiddo on the planet, yet you won't go to bed at 7 p.m.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350" caption="Look at those eyes"][/caption]

For the first time, I can see my mother and myself in you. You have the eyes, chin and I'm pretty sure the nose. I didn't believe it until I pulled out my baby photos -- you don't look exactly like your dad like we thought you would. Let's hope you have his thick wavy hair and my nice skin.

I'm excited for what the next six months bring. I'm excited to hear the new words you learn. I'm just excited and crazy about you.

Love,

Mama

Stay away from yellow snow

There is nothing more joyous than your toddler discovering snow for the first time. Last year didn’t count as he was a little slug and wasn’t mobile enough to play in the snow. We heard reports that Mt Bachelor had received something like 19 inches of snow over the weekend so to tired out our little one, we drove up Cascade Lakes Highway to let him play in the snow for a bit. His first instinct was to eat the snow. His canines are busting through right now so he’s biting and chewing on everything.  He really couldn’t walk so much as the snow was deep and I don’t exactly have the right boots for him yet (oops) but he seemed to enjoy the snow by the photos we took. We plan on doing plenty of snowshoeing and sledding this year so we have sometime until spring to get our snow on.

Growing up in Nebraska, we experienced plenty of snow storms that were so bad, school was shut down (a rarity in Central Oregon). Our snow days were spent sledding down the big hill in Spring Lake Park and hill next to our house as well as sledding down our long street. Not so safe but fun. My mom and step-dad introduced us to skiing Colorado at an early age (that is another blog post in it’s self).

I can’t imagine growing up and now knowing about snow.

Bad habits are hard to break

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="Mr. Blueberry eyes at 10 months"][/caption]

When you're a new parent, you'll do just about anything to survive that first year. You'll let your baby sleep in the swing until he four months old. You'll fall asleep breast feeding with your baby in your bed just so you get more sleep because you're working full time.  You'll let him watch "Yo Gabba Gabba" because dinner isn't gonna magically appear on the table. I swore I wouldn't give my child a pacifier but I did. He was teething and that seemed to be the only thing that helped (besides heaps of motrin). A year later, my kiddo can't go anywhere without it.

This whole pacifier incident reminds me of a story my mother used to always tell about me. She swore I was going to enter kindergarten sucking on a pacifier.  I guess I was pretty into my blanket as well (sounds like someone I know -- Lil B has a blanket he carries all over the house but isn't allowed to take outside the house as if we lose it, we'll be in deep trouble) but I would not part with that zoo zoo (don't quote me but I think that is short for the Polish way of saying pacifier). My mom tried everything. Letting me cry in bed for it. Only giving it to me at naps. Nothing was working. I would whine and whine (no surprise here) and she'd give in.  Then she had this great idea ....

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Lil B relaxing with his binky"][/caption]

One day she took my pacifier away and went towards the bathroom. As told in her words, I was not happy and I rushed after her. She lifted the lid of the toilet and threw it in the bowl. "NO!" I screamed and she flushed the toilet. I peered over the bowl watching the water swirl away. The binky was gone forever and she wasn't going to buy me anymore. Of course, she didn't actually throw the binky in, I found out later on in life. She threw something else loud enough to make me believe it was my binky. She was one smart cookie.

I told myself I'd give Lil B until the first of the year to drop the binky. I'm actually really working on getting him to give up the bottle (I hope my pediatrician doesn't read this post). It's not going to well. Sheesh.

Hooray for stay-at-home dads

[caption id="attachment_24" align="alignright" width="180" caption="Having a hands on dad is pretty cool"][/caption]

Last Friday, I met my husband and son in downtown Bend for lunch. I walked into the burger joint in a rush, texting on my Blackberry with a million things on my mind. I sat down, took a deep breath and enjoyed the fact I was not in the office and enjoying some time away with my toddler, who's learning more and more everyday and having lunch with my husband.

My husband is currently laid off. He'd love to be working for someone right now, but he's moonlighting as a multi-talented marketing professional. He dabbles in marketing strategy,  designs ads, logos and websites, dabbles in videography and is a whiz at social media. Anyone would be lucky to have his talents on their team but alas, there are no jobs currently open in Bend. With that, we're making do.

I won't lie, living on one income really isn't ideally how we'd like to be living and it has tested our marriage but the silver lining is my husband is spending a lot of time being a dad. He knows when Benjamin needs to go down for a nap. He has him on a schedule and he takes him everywhere in his Kelty Kids Backpack. I'm counting my lucky stars Lil B has the best hands on dad in the world.

As we ate our lunch, the waitress came by to bus our table. "Ma'am, you're so lucky to have such a hands on husband. In my day, husbands just went to work and came home and expected dinner."

I'm grateful for everything you do, Brian. You're the best dad, husband a wife could ask for.