what i'm loving.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I would share some things I am loving right now.

Lunch dates with my boys - I love special days when we get to go meet Scott for lunch. This week we got Noah's first sushi AND a little time to spend running around Scott's office (Noah even managed to score a chocolate covered pretzel from a passerby in the hall).

The restaurant brought Noah his own special plate. Of course, all he wanted was ours.

My new curling iron - I am pretty sure Scott gets to hear about my love for my curling iron at least once a week. I didn't know what a difference a good (and, bonus, reasonably priced at $30) iron can make!

Hot Tools, set on HOT!

My hair never curled like this before!

My Patagonia fleece (seen above) - There might be an intervention soon. I wear this constantly. It is a great weight and seriously comfortable.

Goldendoodles - Yes, I have the doggy itch. Not fleas, the need for a dog. Plus, Noah thinks they are the best thing since squeezy foods! We watched Harvey on Sunday and the entire next morning he was looking outside yelling "haaaaaa gaaaaa"...clearly, "harvey".

Hello, I'd like to come live with you!

The Bar Method - This is no secret but I thought it would be worth adding it to the list since it is a pretty giant part of my life (i.e.-the hour of "me time" I get to spend away from the little one a few times a week). Also, I have found a new drive during my hour long workouts. I have been doing TBM for 3 years and I am pushing harder, taking more advanced options, and seeing even more results lately. The instructors are really motivating me to find my inner confidence and be honest with myself about just how much further I can push. It is seriously rewarding and worth every second of shaking during class (p.s.-I used to be embarrassed when I shook...now I feel like I am doing myself a disservice if I'm not!). New goals: increase flexibility and all push ups on my toes (I have a tweaky shoulder but I am determined to find a fix and get back from modified to the real deal).

Children's Benadryl - Noah finally got taken down by the cold that has been flying around town and our pediatrician recommended some Benadryl to help him sleep. Seriously, two nights of good rest and I have a 99% healthy boy. Sleep is medicine, my friends! HA, famous last words. Typed that this morning and by this evening we were back at the doctor getting antibiotics for an ear infection. Still leaving it on the list because he definitely got better sleep as a result of taking it.

Clean Sheet Day - Is there anything better? Plus, the taking off and putting back on of sheets kept Noah entertained for at least 45 minutes (yes, longest sheet change, ever). 

Jump, run, crash, repeat.

I am sure I am loving a lot more but currently all I can think to love is the back of my eyelids! Hope everyone gets everything they want out of the lovey holiday tomorrow. I will be getting: a visit from Home Depot to exchange our stove, some park time with my little buddy, a trip to Bar Method, and a glass of wine with my hubby on the couch. In other words, just a normal day...wouldn't have it any other way!

noah: 15 months

hi.

This weekend, Noah will officially be 15 months old. I know it is trite, but it seems like just yesterday we were celebrating the 3 month, end of "4th trimester", mark. Since the big first birthday it has been kind of nice to just sit back and let the months pass without counting or checking off milestones. Most of the time, when someone asks me how old he is, I have to really think about the date and correct answer...a far cry from the days of knowing exactly "2 months and 23 days".

So, what is our little goose up to?

Growing like a weed. He is busting through his jammies!

Moving. The kid goes pretty much non stop from the moment he wakes up until he crashes back out in his crib. He is insanely active and is constantly pushing his limits physically (which is how he ends up in rose bushes...ouch). All he really wants is to be about 3-years-old so he can play with all the big kids. He is constantly trying to join in their games or mimic their actions whenever we spot them. Lucky for us, we aren't rushing into that!

Closet fun in St. Louis. He loves my dad's closet. We lined it with pillows and it was pretty much like a padded room for running, jumping, and flopping.

Eating. I would like to give Scott and I a giant congratulations on this one. Sure, my kid eats veggie sticks, white flour pasta, Velveeta shells and cheese, and other typical kid food. BUT, we have also achieved our goal of sitting together as a family for meals and having Noah actually eat what we eat. This is usually his second dinner of the night, but as we start to set the table he walks over and demands to get in his seat to join us and gobble up an extra helping of calories for his growing little bod. Our most proud moment was when he ate Chicken Tikka Masala with us. Any thoughts on when it is appropriate to introduce him to sushi (nom nom nom)? A few side notes about food:

• Ice. Noah is obsessed. I imagine it has a lot to do with his molars coming in, but a cup of ice will keep him occupied for 30+ minutes. Of course, I get to go puddle hunting around the house when he finishes, but whatever makes him happy.
• Squeezy Food. This is what we can the Plum Baby Food Pouches. Noah was obsessed and our wallets were hurting. I am pretty sure he would have consumed 10 daily if we let him (confession: might have happened once or twice). So, we made the decision to scale waaaaaaaay back in this department. We aren't writing them completely off. They are great for a fussy toddler while out and about and for the occasional serving of veggies. But it needs to stop there. I also ordered some Little Green Pouches to start filling myself instead of buying them at $1.50 each.

Velveeta. Is it even really cheese?! Also, I want to know where he got those eyelashes!!!

Teeth. Still teething (does it ever end?). He has seven in front and two molars jamming their way in. He is obsessed with toothbrushes so at least they are all clean!

He is putting those chompers to good use...black bean cakes were a HUGE hit. (Apparently the guacamole I made to accompany them can also be used as hair gel if you are interested in recreating the above "do")

Sleep. Noah is starting the process of dropping his morning nap. Some days he needs it, and some days he cruises right through until 1pm without it. Only problem, when he skips the morning nap, he definitely doesn't nap long enough in the afternoon and we usually have a rough wake up. I'm sure he'll get the hang of it though. Bedtime is anywhere between 7:30 and 8:30 depending on naps and mood. Morning wake up anywhere from 6:30 to 7:30.

Four items critical to sleep: sound machine, paci, sack, and bear.

Talking. Zero. Ok, that isn't really fair. But to a stranger, he has zero words. He babbles mama and dada, yesssssssss, ga ga ga (go go go?), bye bye, etc... He is really trying to imitate speech sounds and is great with inflections, he just doesn't quite have the rest pulled together yet. Maybe one day when he stops running at warp speed around the house he'll have time to focus on talking. 

Quick break from jumping to jam in a PBJ.

Playing. Standard one year old stuff. Running, picking up rocks, moving toys from one place to another, banging, throwing, kicking (balls), pushing his push toys, and generally playing with anything that is not a kid appointed toy.

Outside. It is all he really wants. As soon as I say we need shoes to go out, he finds them and freaks out so we can GO!

Activities. Currently we are enrolled in gymnastics and music class. Gymnastics is a slam dunk. 50 minutes of pure energy expending and glee for my boy. Music is great, and we love the CDs to quell melt downs in the car, but we are going to opt out of class the next session. We have about 5 dance parties at home daily so I think we are offering a great musical education on our own (Rihanna and Psy are the same as Music Together, right?!). Plus, it is time to give swimming a try!

We will be continuing gymnastics next session!

Me. Noah has definitely entered into a Mommy attachment phase. We had a rough night in Colorado after me being gone skiing for a few days in a row where all he wanted to do was sleep ON me. He crashed out on my chest and when I laid him down next to me (mind you, at about 2am), he wiggled back up so his head could rest ON my head. It was really sweet and heartbreaking all at once. Now that we are home, he still seems pretty mindful of my presence at all times and is becoming quite the snuggler. He will come over and sit in my lap or just crash into me for some love. Wouldn't trade those moments for anything!

Our days.

Does that cover it? Anything else you want to know about my 15 month old that I might have left out? Doubt it ;-).

this, that, and the other thing.

February? Really? Where did January go?! The year is off to a flying start and we are as busy as ever. Scott and I were looking at our calendar yesterday and realized there were all of about 3 days that didn't have some kind of commitment penciled in. Since the new year has sucked all of my free time right away, I leave you with a recap of January in pictures. 

Confession: Noah has "bear" and "back up bear". They are interchangeable but he absolutely must have one to sleep. Sometimes, when back up bear is out at the same time as bear, I steal him for a sleep snuggle for me ;-).

We paid a really fun visit to the Strand Fam on MLK Day and the kids had a blast playing. It is so great to have them all at an age where they can play together.

Noah is in "gymnastics". It is really one hour of free for all around a gymnastics facility, but Noah LOVES it!

We hosted a few football playoff parties. While the Super Bowl outcome was disappointing, the food at each party was not!

Skiing. It was amazing. I would like to move back to Colorado ASAP.

Another perk of being in Colorado...PAIGE! It was such a treat to get to fall back into old habits and laughter with a great friend while tearing up the slopes!

Vacation also means eating Doritos on the coffee table.

There was an area just for littles. Noah got to go tubing/sledding all by himself. He loved it but I think all the gear that he had to wear was a bit of a downer.

We got to the airport a little early and had to entertain this little mover for 3 hours before our flight.

This is what Mom looks like after about hour 2. Fortunately, we were able to get a small nap in (for Noah, not me).

Super Bowl party day.

And that is a fairly lame wrap up for our happenings over the past month. We are staying put in California for 99% of February so hopefully you'll hear from me more :-).

Snow.

Finally, after a year off, I am heading back to the snow! 

I went to college at CU in Boulder, Colorado. As a result of my major choice (journalism), I was able to avoid ever having a class on a Friday. This meant from November to March I was free to ski at least once a week. Then, I graduated, got a real job, moved to California, got married and had a baby. All of these things put a serious damper on the number of turns I was making a season. But, this is what happens in this crazy game called life and I now relish in the opportunity to get in even 1 or 2 days a year. 

The last time I skied I was 6 weeks pregnant. I still skied pretty hard but could definitely tell any spare energy my body had was going to growing my little Noah (or "Yentil the Lentil" as he was known at that time).

Bliss. I wasn't going to bring this coat, but it is pretty cute, huh?!

Skiing is probably close to #1 on my list of favorite things to do (closely tied with "go to Napa and drink lots of wine") and I am so happy to be back on the sticks this year with 100% of my energy going to conquering the mountain (instead of growing a person)! 

Just for fun, a quick story about said ski trip from Christmas...note, my parents are coming too:

Mom: I won't ski every day. I need to soak up time with Noah. The snow can wait.
Scott: Same here. I can skip a day or two.
Dad: ::Crickets::
Steph: I'm skiing. Enjoy babysitting.
Dad: I'm with her.

We all know I love my boy, but we get a lot of quality time together. This week, the mountain gets my attention! Scott/Mom, enjoy him!

I am leaving my computer behind, but I'll return with a recap of our fun in the mountains late next week. Pray for snow!

Vacation is over.

**I wrote this post last week and was just waiting to put in some pictures. Still only one picture because the idea of leaving the little hole I have created myself on the couch to grab the cord to upload said pictures sounds horrible. So, here I sit, with a post that is out of date musing on my next one which, as always, is promised to be much more excited (and often a huge letdown!). 

When did he turn into a little boy?! Where is my baby?!

 
Holy holidays. I am 99% sure I just spent the last month eating, drinking, and repeating. It has seriously been a non stop marathon of holiday jubilation and a TON of dining out and drinking in excess. But, today, that all changes. It is back to Bar Method (level 2 tonight, pray for me), healthy eating, less drinking, and generally just getting back in charge of life.

In order to slap us back into reality, our kitchen apparently staged a coup against us. Our oven has been less than reliable for awhile now but somehow we kept putting off actually doing anything about it. Well, our oven decided we needed a kick in the pants and has officially quit baking (stove top and broiler still work). SO, we finally made half a decision and bought a new stainless steel stove. We decided we could make the decision on replacing bit by bit, or all at once within the next month. Well, no sooner did we walk in the door with our receipt from Home Dept than our microwave decided it was through too. If you have a toddler, you know how critical this appliance is. We will need bite the bullet and buy a new, stainless, built in one for above the stove, but fortunately Noah won't starve in the meantime due to a spare I have been hoarding keeping around since Scott and I combined our lives back in 2008! Now, do we buy the fridge and dishwasher now too?

Wow, talk about rambling...I am 99% sure no one cared that much about our appliance debacle. The moral is that we are back in real life where calories count and appliances break. We also have a few bad Noah habits to break as well. The first being letting him come out of his crib with his paci. We were doing really good until out jaunt to Grandma and Grandpa's and now we have about 10-15 minutes of wandering the house before he will give it up (usually with a bribe of a pretzel stick). Time to get tough.

So, that is what is going on around here. Cracking the whip on this thing called life. I have a new notebook filled with lists and notes and I am ready to tackle 2013.

New Year. Same Me.

Happy 2013! Apologies for my absence. I have been soaking up a lot of quality time with St. Louis family and friends and catching up on 14 months of lost sleep. I was feeling pretty caught up until Noah decided that 5am was the right time to start rising for the day. I even open the blinds to show him it is still dark...he doesn't care. ANYWAY....

I haven't really made any ground breaking resolutions this year. At least, nothing of interest for you, I'm sure. Mostly just the usual...get back on track on eating/working out after my holiday slump. The only other one is to take better care of our house. Things like, re-sanding between the flagstone, pulling out the big appliances and cleaning all the grit and grime. You know, really fun things to read about.

I am looking forward to 2013 and all that lies ahead. Weddings, vacations, exploring more of the Bay Area with Noah and Scott (maybe that's a resolution...get off our fannies and GO places). First up is a trip back to one of my favorite places on earth. Colorado. Sigh. We are meeting my parents for a family ski trip and I am extending a few days to visit my old stomping grounds in Boulder.

But, I am getting ahead of myself. How did we wrap up 2012? Well, with lots of eating, drinking, and being merry of course. Shall we take the lazy way and just wrap this up with pictures? I'll resume to some sort of regular blogging once we get settled back into real life in CA.

Grandma and Grandpa's tub is SO fun!

Noah is obsessed with his Grandpa. Computing is a daily affair.

The annual Smith Family bus trip. This year the surprise destination was the Scott Joplin house...complete with our own private evening at the Speakeasy next door. Of course, it culminated in a trip to Crown Candy.

Sharing a sundae.

Christmas in St. Louis holds a lot of annuals for us. Every 23rd, we get together with the Shattos. Love these girls.

Our little plaid family on Christmas Eve.

When Noah gets fussy, sometimes the answer is just to start taking his clothes off (hopefully we get a new solution by school age!). He loves his Grams' new robe.

Santa found us in St. Louis. Phew!

Our family Christmas morning.

Can we just take a moment to admire how cute those PJs are?!

The aftermath of present opening.

It wasn't a white Christmas, but the day after sure was fun!

Can't remember where we were going...but there was more plaid involved.

New Year's Eve was a blast. I took Scott on a surprise STL date to Steinberg skating rink and The Hill for dinner. Such a wonderful date night.

I made Scott buy a hat, but I showed up in tights for skating. Brilliant. I did have mittens though!

Last picture of 2012. It was a tremendous year.

Blurry back seat picture of me and my favorite. This was before a wild night of Just Dance 4.

It is cold in St. Louis so we spend a lot of time running around the mall. Noah thinks it is amazing...I am ready to get back to some airplane watching in California (much better on the wallet!).

I think that about does it. It has been quite a trip! A wonderful, busy, and perfect one.

Cheers to happy 2013!