Date Night, Take II

This is what a date night should look like, Fleming-style:

6:00 pm - Sam feeds Ryan while I make bison burgers (with blue cheese for me, Colby Jack for Sam) with Parmesan veggies on the side

6:30 pm - We hang out on the floor with Ryan, stacking blocks for him to knock over and helping him climb onto and off of the sofa.

7:00 pm - I put Ryan to bed while Sam cleans up the kitchen.

7:15 pm - We watch two back-to-back episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - one we've seen but can't remember how it ends, and one we haven't seen. I address Christmas cards and surf the web for potential mid-winter beach getaways.

9:00 pm - We hustle out into the 37 degree night to sit in the hot tub and watch a meteor shower.

9:30 pm - I read Islands magazine in bed while Sam sleeps.

No dressing up, no dinner reservations, no paying $20 for tickets to an "eh" movie, no worrying about Ryan going to bed on time - priceless!

[We are meeting a former co-worker of mine and her husband for dinner on Wednesday night, so we'll have a chance to work on our social skills, lest we become complete hermits].

Up Next on TLC

The cable channel TLC has a series of shows for every stage of a young family's life - A Wedding Story, A Birth Story, An Adoption Story. I'd like to propose a new show highlighting the reality of life with baby. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you:

A Poop Story

Scene: a pleasant suburban home, early afternoon. An attractive 30-something married couple are cleaning up the remnants of their son's first birthday party.

Cue: fussing baby noises from the nursery

Mother: Well hello darling! You didn't take a very long nap... [picks child up out of crib] Oh, heavens, you're butt naked! [carries pantless child into the living room where Father is picking up toys] Honey, did you forget to put his pants back on after you changed his diaper?

Father: Of course I put his pants back on! Where are they?

[Mother and Father return to nursery, where the turn on the overhead light]

Mother: Oh, for the love... Here are his pants, and his diaper... and his POOP.

Father: Oh no - what?

Mother: Yep, he managed to pull off his pants and his diaper and there is poop everywhere!

[Mother instinctively holds baby at arm's length and carries him into the bathroom for a bath, leaving Father to strip off the crib sheet, the blankets, the stuffed toys and wash them in very hot water, then scrub the slats of the crib with vinegar and water]

I don't know, I think I smell an Emmy (or maybe that's just residual poop). From what I've heard, there are plenty of poop stories out there - the producers would probably not have any problem filming a few seasons. Let's just hope this was Ryan's only star turn!

Pictures at a Birthday Extravaganza - 12/5/09

Nanny Amanda found a card that plays "Macho Man"

Setting up the bar for adults and kids

Julie and Kyla, Heidi and Will, Suzy and Amanda sampling the chili and other snackies

In the ball pit with Auntie Sarah

Luke, Alex and Sophia in the ball pit

David enjoying lunch

Nanny Amanda, Ryan, and Kyla

Kristine and Eli

Pineapple-carrot cars and trucks, banana mini-muffins, pumpkin-apple cupcakes and chocolate zucchini squares

Lots of helpers to unwrap gifts - Evan, Luke and Sophia

A John Deere tractor playset from Gramma Janet and Granpa Gary

"Mahalo for removing your slippahs, but no take mo bettah ones when you go!"

Balloons! Red balloons!

Happy First Birthday, Ryan

Dear Ryan -

We'll have a house full of people over to celebrate your big day with us in just a few hours, so I don't have much time to write. I can't believe that exactly one year ago I woke up in an unfamiliar place to the sound of a newborn baby crying. "Where am I and who left a baby in my room?" was the first thing that went through my head - and then I remembered. Your arrival at 12:52 a.m. after a relatively easy labor and delivery was very exciting - and then all Daddy and I wanted to do was go to sleep before all the friends and family came to visit you.

Where has the time gone? My snuggly little Stinkbug has turned into a wildly active toddler, curious about everything he can get his hands on (sorry about that, Peter cat). You are holding "conversations" with us (we think we get the gist of what you're saying, but who really knows?) and are capable of entertaining yourself with nothing more than a few pieces of Tupperware and baby food jar lids (though that doesn't prevent me from buying ever more books and toys).

At 8 lbs. 13 oz you were certainly one of the bigger newborns in our New Moms group, and you've maintained that advantage with a consistently healthy appetite. I am constantly springing new food flavors and textures on you, and you've accepted them all (though maybe the 10 pack of avocadoes from Costco was not the best idea - one can only eat the same food at every meal for so long). Cheerios and goldfish are a sure winner, and it's so fun to watch you pick up rotini pasta with your long fingers.

You've recently returned to sleeping through the night after a few weeks of ear infections and teething pain, and Daddy and I are extremely grateful. As I type, I'm watching you puzzle out how to retrieve a toy from the bottom of the toy bin (you're about to go in head first, but then you realize you can tip the bin on its side and crawl in). I can't wait to see what the next year holds for all of us!

Here's a video recap of the previous twelve months:

Love you forever,

Mama

Risky Business

Ryan did his best Tom Cruise impersonation on Thanksgiving, when his pants got a little damp and I took them off to airdry. All he needed was a candlestick for a mic and a fireplace dustpan for a guitar...

Fully dressed, reading a book with Nanny Amanda's stepdaughter Alex

Ryan LOVES playing with sproingy doorstops

Beautiful Kyla, the little hippie child

More Walking

Ryan seems to have really gotten the hang of this whole walking thing - he is steady on his feet, can change direction easily, and rarely crashes. He can even step over the lower edge of the baby gate between the kitchen and the dining room, which is impressive.

Here's him wandering around our front living room this evening - he sees the cat behind me in the dining room, but he knows that if he heads towards him, Peter will most likely run away. I'm amused that he his also carrying on a conversation with himself - I'd love to know what he's thinking about!

1st Birthdays - Round One

Today was the first round of 1st birthday parties we will attend in the coming weeks. First we we celebrated with Ali and Keegan, then Princess Rowyn.

Ali and Keegan were fun to watch as they each experienced birthday cake in their own way. Keegan got right to the heart of the matter, while Ali took time to savor each bite of frosting.

Ryan got to taste chocolate cupcake with white frosting and sprinkles for the first time... he was sneezing frosting boogers for the rest of the day!

Finally Ali dug into the actual cake part of her birthday cake...

Then we were off to Dawn's house to celebrate Rowyn's big princess day. We hung out with her and the other kiddos I met at the Survival for New Moms group - Turner, David, MacKenzie and their parents.

Ryan ate more chocolate cake (no frosting this time)

Ryan and Kenz enjoy one of Rowyn's presents

Next up, Ryan's party on the 5th (Turner's is also that day; we won't be able to do both!); David and Kenzie's are the week after that.

Walking Man

So, Ryan had a great first day of Kindergarten yesterday, followed by his driving test (which he aced) and Prom Night. We also found out he got accepted to Stanford, Carleton, Hawaii, UC Berkeley and DU (Montana State is his safety school)...

Oh, am I getting a little ahead of myself? I meant to say - Look Who's Walking! Every milestone he reaches, though (four teeth and another one on the way!) reminds me that he won't be this small snuggler forever - heck, he's already bypassed 'tiny snuggler' and is well on his way to becoming "ew, Mom - don't kiss me in front of my friends".

He's totally got the Frankenbaby gait down:

Speaking of friends, we went swimming with David and Turner, two other 11 month old boys, on Sunday. We set them up on the wall and encouraged them to jump into our open arms. Taking after his mama, Ryan would not jump, but oh-so-cautiously lowered himself into the water holding my hands, careful not to splash water into his eyes or - heaven forbid - actually get his face wet. That's my boy!

He was really happy to just chew on his rubber duckie - it must have felt good on his sore gums!

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Date Night

Before Ryan was born, everyone said "Oh, be sure to go out to the movies and to dinner now, because you won't have time once the baby arrives, and you'll really miss it." After Ryan was born, everyone said, "Now, you have to take time for a date night for you and Sam AT LEAST once a month so you can reconnect as a couple."

Obviously everyone doesn't know us very well - we are not big moviegoers, and I love to cook, so the only meal I really enjoy eating out is sushi (because I am not willing to risk serving raw fish at home). Before last night, we had been on three dates since December 5, 2008 - in March Sam took me out for sushi for my birthday while his parents stayed with Ryan; in July we went to see "A Little Night Music" at Central City Opera (not sure if it counts as a date since Keturah came with us, but whatevs); and in Kauai we went out for cocktails while my dad and stepmom stayed at the condo with Ryan.

A couple of weeks ago, Sommer asked if we'd watch Kenz for an evening while she went to see Peter play with his band. Kenz and Ryan had a great time, and Sommer offered to watch Ryan sometime while we went out. This weekend is Sam's 38th birthday and I have to work tonight (opening night of The Tales of Hoffmann), so I suggested we go out last night for dinner and a movie, leaving Ryan with Sommer, Peter and Kenz.

We headed to Baker St. Tavern at Belmar for pub food, but it was packed, so we went next door to Mark & Isabella. We had been here with the Haces right after it opened last December, and were not terribly impressed, but we thought, "eh, they've had almost a year, maybe it's better." Um, that would be a No. The best thing I can say is my $3 glass of Montepulciano was great. Other than that, I could have cooked a better meal for much less than what it cost us to eat there.

We headed across the street to the movie theater to see Men Who Stare at Goats. It stars George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, so I didn't really care what the plot was, but the NPR movie critic gave it a great review, so we forked over our $20 and settled into our seats.

As the lights dimmed and the movie started (after 45 minutes of commercials and trailers for movies I certainly will not pay full price to see), I remembered the main reason why we don't like to watch movies in the theater - the other audience members. The woman sitting behind us had THE MOST ANNOYING laugh, and she kept saying "I don't get it, I don't get it" when there was an ironic or satirical moment. There was another person somewhere behind us apparently suffering the death throes of consumption as s/he coughed almost non-stop through the entire movie, and a guy in our row who laughed hysterically at every little thing, whether it was actually funny or not. The movie itself was pretty good, though I certainly could have waited until it came out on DVD.

So there you go, Everyone - we went on a date, it was nice to sit and talk over dinner about things not related to the baby, and we held hands during the movie (awwww!). Ryan and Kenz had a great time, though he was still wide awake when we picked him up at 9. We still prefer piling blankets and pillows on the floor of the TV room and popping in a Netflix DVD after Ryan goes to bed (we have a surround-sound theater system in the basement but we can't even motivate to go down there). I am eternally thankful that we have a hot tub, too - we spend at least one evening a week soaking under the stars and talking about work, the child, life in general - and it doesn't cost us a dime (well, beyond the electric bill, and the cost of chemicals and test strips, and our water bill when we refill it, etc., etc., etc.).

What, I wasn't supposed to dump the entire container of snacks on the floor?

This is just like the car at Grandma & Grandpa's house!

Oooh, Kenz has fun bath toys!

First Halloween!

Sam and I are not generally big fans of Halloween, but when you have a kiddo, suddenly it's easy to get excited about the costumes and candy and such. It all started when my mom sent Ryan a musical card:

It plays "Purple People Eater", which is a song I used to LOVE when I was little (we had it on a little 45, how old am I?!). Ryan likes to open the card just long enough to hear the first line, then close it again. Then he opens it, listens to the first line, then closes it again. And on and on and on. He's actually only heard the "one-eyed, one-horned flyin' purple people eater" line a couple of times!

I decided to dress Ryan as a cowboy for Halloween, mainly because it was easy. I found the boots at Wal-mart, the shirt at Children's Place. I already had the bandanna, but where to get a pint-sized cowboy hat? Why, Build-A-Bear Workshop, of course! I never did find an enormous belt buckle... but he did have a pony!

Belmar, the local outdoor shopping area, hosted a Trick or Treat Street this afternoon. You go around to all the stores and get candy, coupons, balloons, etc. (oh, yes, we got a balloon!).

We met up with that wildcat MacKenzie...

and tried on part of her costume...


but we like our hat better...


Ooh, sepia... like those Olde Tyme Photos at Silver Dollar City...


David and his parents joined in the festivities, too...

One of the stops was a restaurant called - you'll never guess - Elephant Bar. Go figure, they have a giant elephant in the lobby.

We bellied up to the bar at Las Margaritas to say hi to a friend of MacKenzie's daddy...

And that was how we celebrated Halloween 2009...

We actually intended to take Ryan around our cul-de-sac this evening to show him off/meet the neighbors, but he hasn't been feeling well the last couple of days (ear infection and sniffles) so we stayed in and passed out candy.