snow day

This past weekend we went up to Mt. Hood to hang out with our small group and play in the snow. Unfortunately the wind was blowing so hard that I decided to stay with Ian by the fireplace in the lodge. Ava enjoyed a little snowball fight with Ben and took a couple of walks. I barely survived the walk to and from the car. We actually went up last year this same weekend and here's how my baby has grown.

Hoopily Hoop

Ava made up this song a couple months ago and it always cracks Ben and I up. She sings it all the time and I even get it stuck in my head a few days a week. I finally got out the videocamera and had her sing it. Just in case you don't catch the brilliant lyrics, it goes like this:

Here we go the hoopily hoop, hoopily hoop, hoopily hoop

Here we go the hoopily hoop

In the housey white

my sweet boy

I don't know if it's because I'm more confident the second time around or if Ian is an easier baby but I'm enjoying him so much. Here's what I'm loving right now:

*when I hold him up to my shoulder he rubs his face back and forth on my shirt until he gets bright red

*right when he falls asleep he smiles really big

*when he nurses he makes two fists and holds them really tight against his chest

*he lets me know he's unhappy with this little complaining sound before he starts to cry

*he's on the verge of laughing and it looks like it's going to burst out of him when I nibble on his belly

*he focuses on faces really well and loves to coo and smile at you if you talk to him

*he loves ceiling fans and when we go to new places he always looks up to see if they have one, I can almost feel his disappointment/judgement if they don't :)

*he just started sucking his thumb and he's terrible at it. He repeatedly hits himself in the face until it lands near his mouth and then he puts in a finger and a thumb and makes the loudest sucking noise until it falls out and then he cries. Seriously this kid needs a new soothing technique because he is definitely challenged in the thumb sucking department. I will document this on video soon because it is so cute.

I love this boy!

Vacation

I don't know if it's because it's the middle of March or because I'm sick of making foods that require mashed potatoes to be the appropriate accompaniment but I have had vacationing on my mind lately. So I've decided to take a look back at a few of my favorite trips with my favorite person. Because I met Ben when we were still 19 I hadn't really gone anywhere before us. I am actually really glad that he is a part of all my best adventures. And I think the memories are going to have to sustain me for quite a while.

Top 10 vacations:

#10 ~ THE CARRIBEAN

Sad that this is the worst, but because I was pregnant and there was a mild hurricane it ranks at the bottom. We had a great time visiting the local zoo and Ben made up some fun games at the resort.

#9 NIAGRA FALLS

#8 YOSEMITE ~ This was my first real hiking experience and my first experience being attacked by squirrels who wanted my lunch.

#7 NEW YORK CITY ~ loved central park, shopping and restaurants

#6 SWITZERLAND ~ Beautiful but a little touristy

#5 BANFF CANANDA ~ Gorgeous open spaces and unreal landscapes. We had an amazing b&b and were able to go up to a glacier.

#4 MEXICO ~ Infinity pools, the best tacos, guacamole, and apple pastry with cajeta sauce, exploring old churches, cheap room service, and the sunsets...

We both look a little tipsy in this picture! :)

#3 FRANCE ~ Paris was fun but exploring southern france in a tiny car with the best tour guide (thanks Amy) was amazing!

castle in Carcassone

#2 HAWAII ~ There are too many good memories here but the best one's include dinner at Brown's Beach House, picking passion fruit from the tree outside our jungle hut, snorkeling, seeing real lava, and the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen.

Drumroll...

#1 ~ LEVANTO ITALY ~ Pesto, gelato, outdoor markets, old ruins, cheap scooters, house wine, opera in the palazzo, fireworks, beaches, the people, dancing, unreliable trains, and the language. This place is the DEFINITION of romance.

And now back to reality, the rain, and the pot roast in the crock pot...

2-month check up

We took Ian to the doctor on Monday and it was just as I suspected, long and skinny. He's in the 75% for length and 25% for weight. He actually did really well and didn't even mind hanging out in just a diaper on the crinkly paper. The nurse was really fast with the shots and he was very content after getting to nurse for awhile. I think it must have been traumatic for him because he's been sleeping ever since. The first night he slept for 7 straight hours and most of yesterday. Then last night he slept for 7 1/2 hours. He's also started sucking his thumb, which seems a little late, but is super cute. I forgot to bring my camera so I didn't get any doctor shots. Maybe next month.

celebrity

So a couple days ago I mentioned something to Ben about my lingering jelly belly. He of course told me that I look great for just having a baby and I should stop reading celebrity websites. Which got me thinking about celebrity motherhood and all the perks that go along with it. Oh how nice it would be to wake up and have someone bring you the baby to nurse and then catch another 2 hours of sleep. All the while there is a wonderful woman downstairs doing creative arts and crafts with your toddler, all in spanish of course. Then you get up and get ready in the quiet of your personal spa. Finally you head downstairs and open the front door to receive your personal meal plan for the day, all delicious AND healthy. After eating and playing with the kids for a few minutes your trainer arrives for a workout that isn't even hard but somehow targets all the areas that you need help with and make your boobs look perky. Then you decide what you want to do for the day as your assistant arrives to bring you a selection of dresses for your date with your fabulous husband to the best restaurant in the city. I should stop here because this is starting to sound too good.

I really consider myself blessed because I have two parents who take my kids whenever I need them and allow me to go to small group every week and even a date night every month. I do love my life even with all it's chaos and I'm glad that even though I have to endure all the poopy diapers and 3 year old tantrums, I never miss out on the unexpected coos and cuddles and hilarious Ava ramblings. This is a season of long days and short years and I don't want to miss a minute of it.

Regardless, I'm giving up celebrity websites for lent...seriously. :)

our favorite market

So when we moved here a year ago I frequently passed this fruit stand type store on the way up to our house. For some reason it took me about 6 months before I finally went in. And how much do I regret that decision. We now go at least once a week and feel like we hit the jackpot everytime. We are a fruit loving family. Pears, apples, oranges, bananas, berries, mangos, plums, you name it and we devour it. I probably made 30 fruit crisp combinations this past summer and all with fruit bought from Spicer Bros. First of all it is SUPER cheap and second, there is a sign on every item saying where they're from. Most of it is local, which I love! The apples are always crispy and you get to try new varieties that you wouldn't at the supermarket. So we went yesterday to stock up and took some photos. We even ran into my good friend Jenny and her little cuties, Grant and Miriam. Ava was thrilled! Even Ian climbed aboard the produce train. And the final tally: 10 apples, 5 pears, 2 tangelos, 2 tomatoes, and a yellow pepper... $5.80!

Uh Mom, why is there a giant eggplant in my lap?