Saturday, September 29, 2007

This is not an endorsement

Your father (we call him "father" when we talk about serious things) does not approve of this photo at all.



Because he is a politics reporter and no one on the face of the earth can know who he votes for. Ever. And to have his offspring show support for a candidate at a public street fair?? How can I allow this to happen?
(To his credit, he didn't make a big deal about it. But he did rip it off the second you two left for your Daddy Daddy Daughter Time adventure.)

But really, it's not that we're so much about Obama in this house (and if we were, I wouldn't be allowed to say) but it's more that you just really liked the pretty, colorful rainbow.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Shop til we drop, girlfriend!

I've been running out of activities to do with you.

We can't go to the park anymore because I'm too pregnant to chase you around.
We can't go for long walks because I get tired after three steps. And you don't sit in the stroller much past three steps, anyway.
For a while we were going to Borders because it's air conditioned and there's coffee there. But you started throwing books and stuffed animals on the ground and my stomach is too big to keep picking things up off the floor all afternoon.

So our options are:
Lestat's coffee house? (Two blocks away.)
Play on the grass in front of the Catholic school? (One block away, but now that the students are back, sort of awkward.)
Watch "Signing Time" three times in a row? (Which we've done.)

Today, however, I decided to take you to the mall. And that flyer about the Bloomingdale's sale had absolutely nothing to do with my decission.

I consider myself a pretty good shopper. But. Wow. You totally, totally win.

First, you sat in the stroller and waved and giggled at everyone.

Then we went to the teddy bear store where you SQUEALED and LAUGHED and ran to all the teddy bears and hugged them and SQUEALED some more. It was so cute that even the bored dads out on the bench were pointing at you.

Then we went to Bloomingdale's where you actually let me look for a take-home outfit for Ella because you were busy hiding underneath the racks of clothes and cracking up about it.

After that, I took you to some kids clothes place that I hate and. OMG.
You ran around putting on all the hats and purses. Then you wanted to try on a purple, puffy jacket. Like the kind the guys wear in New York, and the kind your uncle Alex got when we were in New York. But as I said, this was purple. And you couldn't stop looking in the mirror and posing. Yes. Posing.

Finally we ended our journey with a cafe con leche for me, some water for you and chocolate grahams from Starbucks for both of us.

It was like I had just spent the afternoon with my friends. Only you are only 14-months old.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

No, no, no

I've pretty much stopped using the word, "no" around you because it does not work whatsoever. You just look at me as if I said, "Oh, yes, go ahead and take all the trash out of the garbage can. It's no problem," and then go about your business.

But today I was very tired. And so when you grabbed a Costco box full of apple snacks and started standing on it, I said, "No, no, no, no."

You gave me a look and actually got! off! the! box!

. . . . .

Only to push it forward a few inches and then stand on it all over again. But this time, as you climbed the box you said "No, no, no, no, no, no."

At least I know you are listening.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Summer babes

Look! I figured out how to take the pictures out of the phone!



These are from the first day of summer. June 21, 2007.
We went to La Jolla Shores, had snacks, put our feet in the water and played in the sand.

It's also the moment I decided I would love summer.

Early start



Your first marathon is just around the corner.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Baby rock

On Saturday we went to a music festival in Golden Hill called Sessions Fest.



It was the first time, ever, that activities we both like to do were combined into one event - local music and parks. And this made us very happy, especially the snacks (you) and soda (me). You were having such a good time, that you didn't mind wearing these ear plugs.



After that, you ran around in circles, screaming and dancing and showing me in your own way that our tastes aren't all that different.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Art in your heart

Today you took the camera from my bag, turned it on and snapped these photos before I even realized what was going on.
How do you already take better pictures than me?


Friday, September 14, 2007

Pre-natal influences

I thought going to New York Fashion Week when I was five-months pregnant with you would be harmless. But I should have guessed something was seeping into your developing brain.

Seems you picked up a few things. Like how to do a perfect cold stare. And how to make a piece of ridiculous clothing, something no one would actually wear in real life, look totally "fierce."




Thursday, September 13, 2007

Happy Halls

Today was a happy day in the Hall house because we found out that Ella is looking normal.
We had our ultrasound and we got to see her face and spine and heart and even her liver and kidneys. And all of it is measuring average. Not too small or freakishly big. So, yay!
You are also happy because you are out of school for a few days.
Yesterday you spent all day with DAAADY. He claims you took two two-hour naps for him. Which, of course you did. Because you do these kinds of things for your best friend, I guess.
Today, while I was at the doctor, your grandmother let you play in the sink naked. And as you can see, you enjoy not wearing clothes.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Mom

I do not like cooking.

I don't like chopping vegetables. I don't like peeling things or measuring or mixing. About the only things I actually make are: carne asada tacos (if the meat comes pre-seasoned), guacamole and cranberry sauce.

Most of all, I do not like having to clean up after cooking. There are so many pots and pans and then the flour goes into these random crevices, which, I can tell you now, I do not try very hard to clean.

But lately, you have become a really picky eater.

There was a time when we would give you anything - bagels, watermelon, chocolate cake - and you'd shove it in your mouth. You even licked lemons and went back for more. That is not happening anymore.

These days, if it's not blueberries or peas or chocolate cake, you will not eat it. Either you will say "No!" and wave it away. Or you will put it in your mouth and then spit it out in very dramatic fashion. But all in all, it amounts to you not eating very much and me feeling like a bad mom for being so lazy about your food options.

So!

I bought one of those books for dummies. How to not starve your child for dummies, or something like that. Anyway, there was a recipe in there for carrot muffins.

Guess what?

I peeled carrots and then grated them. I mixed whole wheat flour and cleaned up all the spots where I spilled. And I made you a batch of homemade baked goods. AND YOU ATE IT. Not only that, but you washed it down with two glasses of milk, smiled and said "Mmmmm."

And for the first time since July 4, 2006, I felt like a real, genuine mom.