The Week in Photos

 The second JP gets home, he heads straight for August; I love watching their relationship grow.  He's such a hands-on father!

 August is just one of the boys at a barbecue lunch last Saturday.

 We went to the King of Pops Field Day on Sunday, and it was so much fun!  They're a local popsicle company, and have a fan appreciation day when it gets chilly to commemorate the end of the season; it felt like such a treat to spend the day with free frozen treats and good friends.  We met up with our wonderful friend Kelly, who is one of August's favorite people here in Atlanta.

 And we also hung out with JP's cousins, Olga and Chester!  Sweet newlyweds.

The little man was very happy listening to the cover band performing Creedence Clearwater Revival while sitting in Papa's lap.  

The Diego family.  

 We recently rearranged our living room, and the downstairs changing table is right up against the couch aka at Mia's level.  She is thrilled to have this kind of access to August!

 He has a new favorite toy.  It's pretty adorable to watch him get excited when I bring it out for him.

Nothing about this outfit matches, but it's still one of my favorites.

 Sweet, sleepy boy.

 Sometimes he holds onto me while he's eating, and my heart bursts a little bit.  Those cute pudgy fingers...

I've Become My Mother

My mom sent me this saying recently because of a phone call we shared on Monday morning.
On Sunday evening, JP and I watched the Game of Thrones pilot (yes, we are truly behind on the times).  (Have you watched it?  I'd be curious to hear single ladies vs. mom's views on the episode.)  I realize that GoT is on HBO, so is bound to have a lot of sex and violence.  I totally don't have a problem with the nudity and consensual sex on TV (non-consensual is another issue...), but I really took offense with the casual tone of violence.  Much more so than I would have before August was born.  At the end of the pilot episode, a young boy is pushed out of a window, presumably to his death.
I turned to JP and said, 'Well, I certainly can't watch this show.  And I don't think this should be entertaining!  He was just a kid!' blah blah blah, you see my point.
On Monday morning, I had to call my mom to tell her that exchange.  You see, my mom is the original woman who can't watch something because of the violence.  She would casually leave the room when graphic scenes came up on movies or TV shows, and openly voice her disapproval of certain things being shown because they were unpleasant.  I used to think to myself, 'What a sissy!  It's part of the story, the human condition, etc.'
It has finally coalesced for me.  I didn't really get it before August was born, but my hormones have completely shifted, and I don't see the pleasure of watching something that shows violence towards children (it's why I had to stop following Sons of Anarchy).  Or a person dying and leaving a child behind.  I WEPT during a recent viewing of JJ Abrams' Star Trek's opening scene; don't even get me started on the first 10 minutes of Olympus Has Fallen or, God forbid, UP.  I can't help but picture my own little man being in that situation, and my heart just aches thinking about it.
Have any of you mamas found that your entertainment taste changed post-baby?  Has it gone back to normal?  I wonder if I'll ever enjoy my old favorites again!

Pumpkin Bread (with Chocolate Chips!)

Hey guys, I feel silly stating the obvious, but it's definitely pumpkin season.  Maybe you've seen the insane number of pumpkin spice lattes being advertised?  I can never fully get behind them- far too sweet and overmarketed for me.  Which isn't to say that I don't enjoy pumpkin; when pureed, it adds  moistness for a bread that suits the fall perfectly.  This recipe is divine with a cup of earl grey tea in the afternoon, or a pat of butter for breakfast.  It will keep for days, and even makes two loaves!  When it comes to pumpkin, think outside the cup.

Pumpkin Bread (with Chocolate Chips!)  (from Babycenter Blog)
3 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
3/4 c. Greek yogurt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
15 oz. can pumpkin puree
1/2 c. applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
3. In a separate medium bowl, combine sugars, then add yogurt, eggs, pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and stir until combined.  Add chocolate chips, then divide batter between two greased 9x5 loaf pans.  Bake 50-60 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

The Week in Photos

 August got to enjoy the Real Madrid soccer game with his papa last Saturday; he was entranced!

Aunt Ana got August this wooden toy for his baptism, and he is mesmerized by it.  Although he doesn't want to put it in his mouth or play with it, he loves watching it while in his swing.  Good gift!

We had a great Monday morning: story time at the library with Miss Angie, checking out the fish at the pet store after, and then a walk around our neighborhood with Miss Mia.  He was a little unsure about the fish, although he loved checking out the black ones.  (I think the neon fish on the right side were a little hard for him to focus on.)  This kid's a cheap date!

Last weekend, JP and I bought August this 'water mat.'  It's a whale that you fill with water, and there are several sea creatures that 'swim' around inside when you move it around or shake it.  He's a bit iffy about it, but we are totally baffled.  How did the animals get inside the whale?  Did he eat them?  If so, why do they look so happy?  If he didn't eat them, how did they come to live within him?  And how big is this whale?!  There's an octopus in this thing!  

The unanswered questions of children's toys...

The sweetest smile during one of his feedings.  I just love how dimpled his cheeks are!

August discovered his reflection in the mirror last week!  Oh my goodness, how cute is it when he smiles at himself?

 I got to make a truly delicious, moist pumpkin bread on Monday afternoon during August's long nap.  Come back next week for the recipe!

Thanks for my nifty knitted cap, Auntie Haley!  It fits perfectly.
And Mia likes it, too.

A. How perfect is this little onesie from his abuela?  B. How adorable is he during his morning conversation with the blue dog above his play mat?
Oh, and remember how I was complaining about his horrible sleep patterns?  Well, since last Thursday, he's been giving us 8-11 (eleven!!) hours of sleep at night, generally waking up one thing between 4 and 5.  Blissful!

 He loves Sandra Boynton's board books!  This one is called Pajama Time, and there is a song that goes along with it; he loves when we get into it.

 Swoon.

JP won a red velvet cake from work; it is a beauty!  And, ahem, quite tasty.  I might have had a slice...or three...just for quality assurance.

And, finally, here is proof that moms and sons can somewhat match outfits.  The little man and I wore polka dot pants and striped beanies yesterday.  We even had on the same sweatshirt in different colors!  I love being his twin.  BFF (sorry, JP)!

On Kindness

I'm late to the party with this speech, but George Saunders sums up so succinctly something we should all strive for in our daily lives: kindness.  He gave the graduation speech at Syracuse University back in the spring, and it definitely warrants a read.
Let's all remember to be kind to each other, and ourselves, throughout our day.  There are many virtues, but many harken back to this one.

The Weeks of Little Sleep

Common knowledge dictates that having a baby in the house results in very little consecutive sleep, if any at all, and I had somewhat come to grips with that when August first arrived.  He is incredibly cute, but is not one of those babies who slept 12 hours through the night at 3 weeks old.

At about 6 weeks, he started sleeping in 5 hour stretches at the beginning of the night, and 3 hour stretches after that; at 12 weeks, we had his sleep routine up to 7-8 hours of sleep, eating, then out for another 2-3 hours.

We just finished an 8-week spurt of visitors, and last week August had his 4-month check-up and shots, all of which contributed to the little man being very off his sleep cycle.  For about 10 days, he really made us question if we could handle having another kid in the future!  

It would take us up to 2 hours to get him to sleep, and he was up every couple of hours after that.  JP and I usually take turns feeding him at night, but at a certain point I had to take over all nighttime meals so that the big man could function at work the next day.  Combine this with me desperately trying to keep up with the housework during the day instead of napping, and I was going on a ridiculously small amount of sleep. 

It came to a head last Wednesday.  The two nights prior, August was fussy enough to warrant attention nearly every two hours, and I eventually gave up on sleeping between his spurts of screaming.  That morning, I was going on perhaps 5 hours of sleep in a 48 hour period.  I honestly can't tell you how awful I felt: snappy, headachy, endlessly frustrated, on-edge.  At 8am I went to change August's diaper and was so dizzy when I looked down that I had to do it one-handed while holding onto the changing table for support.  

JP knew how tired I was, and asked his mom to come over to relieve me so I could nap in the afternoon.  At 10, I had a small breakdown and called him in tears: I couldn't wait until the afternoon to get sleep, and August was so fussy and needy that I couldn't nap in the meantime.  JP rushed home and I burst into sobs when he walked in the door.  I've never been so happy to have someone else around to hold August.  

He held down the fort while I put on my sleep mask and slept.  I got 3 hours of blissful naps that day between JP and Patricia's visits, and, for whatever reason, August's sleep routine went back to normal that night.  He's now getting 8 hours of sleep, eating with me, and then sleeping again for another 3-4 hours.  

The reason I'm writing this story is because Patricia looked at me last Wednesday and said, 'I'm hurt that you didn't feel like you could ask me for help.'  In my quest to make it seem like life with an infant is easy and that things don't really change with a baby, I totally drove my body into the ground.  I was more focused on how things appeared on the outside (clean house, saying, 'Oh, he's sleeping well,') than how I was handling things internally.  That is an excellent way to cultivate dissatisfaction and misfocus.  Having a baby, and life in general, is a team effort; no one is expected to do it alone, and I have totally readjusted my daily schedule to make August and me the focus, and housework far behind that (don't worry- it's clean enough).  

I'm working on letting go of my pedestal of what super-moms do, and centering my thinking on what works best for me and my family.  It involves more time to myself, like napping when August naps and leaving him with JP in the evening so I can see friends.  It involves letting people see him cry and knowing that doesn't make me a bad mom.  It involves admitting I can't do it all, and allowing the incredible support group around us help out.  Most importantly, it involves looking back on the day and feeling like I gave the best of myself to the people I love, not the menial household tasks.  

If you stop by our house, you'll notice dog hair on everything and a bit of dust on the bookshelves, but I guarantee there will be smiles and honest conversation.  Which are you more likely to remember?

Beet and Citrus Salad

It's getting to be that time of year, when we have to balance our treats (Halloween candy, chocolate chai lattes, caramel apples) with our veggies.  But why should that have to be boring?  This beautiful  salad is the perfect combination of flavors to keep your tastebuds, and tummy, happy!  Think salty pistachios, tangy citrus, sweet beets, and a bright dijon vinaigrette to finish it off. 

JP and I had this for dinner on Halloween night, as I figured we would want to eat light with all our yummy candies waiting for neighborhood kids...and us.  The original recipe for this beet and citrus salad can be found here, though I made a few minor changes for this recipe.  With winter coming up, the best citrus will be here; enjoy this by itself, or the perfect side for a protein!

Beet and Citrus Salad (from Snixy Kitchen)
5-6 beets, peeled, sliced, and roasted (I used a pre-steamed package from Trader Joe's)
1 Valencia orange, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled and segmented (I didn't do this, but will next time!)
1 fennel bulb, shaved
2-3 Tbsp. pistachios
4-5 c. spring mix
1 recipe of Martha Stewart's dijon vinaigrette (recipe here)

Layer salad with spring mix on bottom, topped with fennel, citrus, and beets.  Sprinkle pistachios on top, and dress with vinaigrette to taste.  Enjoy!

The Week in Photos

 August's first pair of sneakers!!  Nike Baby Force Ones.  Thankfully, they're velcro.

 When I look at this picture, I can see him 5 years old already.  Not sure if it's the light or the cute expression on his face, but something about him feels older than just 4 months.

 Enjoying some tummy time with soft blocks from his Hein.

 Sweet little man with his Auntie Haley!  They are very good friends.

 Grandpa Dave was on baby duty a few times last weekend; it was very sweet to see!  It's been a very cool and meta experience to see August interact with all of his grandparents.  He's lucky to have so many great grown-ups in his life!

 Tummy time before the big baptism last Saturday.
You can tell that Mia is continuing her duties as personal bodyguard and diaper sniffer.

 Mama and the little man.

 Biggest milestone of last Saturday: no spit-up or stains on the white baptism outfit.  Score!

 Auntie Haley got August this onesie that says 'Mr. Fancy Pants,' which he is so nonchalant about wearing with leg warmers.  My little hipster.

 Mia snuck in a little kiss!  She's too quick for me to stop sometimes!

 She is 'ever vigilant,' as my mom says.

 We're listening to a lot of The Okee Dokee Brothers these days; this one won the Grammy for best kids' album last year.  It's so good!  These guys spent a summer canoeing down the Mississippi, and wrote some awesome songs about it.  'Can You Canoe' and 'Thousand Star Hotel' are my favorites to sing to August.

 Happy Halloween from the sleepiest skeleton!
P.S. I went as Rosie the Riveter (no photos-sorry!) at our neighborhood Halloween block party, which was very fun/difficult to explain to a 6-year old.  'Well, Avalon, Rosie the Riveter was a proponent for women helping build weapons and other war supplies during World War II.'  Obviously.

They're going to be best friends if it's the last thing Mia does.

And, last but certainly not least, a very happy birthday to this guy- my wonderful Dad!  I am constantly amazed his depth and thoughtfulness.  When I called him 3 weeks ago to tell him about August's baptism, he said he would be there automatically; he drove through the night, arriving at 2am, to see me after August's birth; this photo is from when he and Haley surprised me in DC when I couldn't afford/didn't have time to go home to Florida for a whole year.  Dad, you're a wonderful father, and an awesome namesake to your grandson.  I love you and hope you have a great time at dinner tonight; I wish I could be there!

More Easy Wall Art

While my mom was visiting a couple of weeks ago, we planned an outing for the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.  I woke up, excited to try a 'grown-up' outing with August, but was met by a truly rainy, overcast day.  Bummer.
Rather than just sit at home and bemoan the weather gods, we decided to whip up a quick piece of wall art.  I pinned this saying a couple of weeks ago, and knew I could paint it in about 10 minutes for August's nursery.
To make this wall art, you'll need to follow these incredibly detailed and precise instructions:
1. Find blank canvas in basement and unwrap it.
2. Pour some leftover chalkboard paint onto a paper plate.
3. Trace saying in pencil on canvas to make sure it fits.
4. Paint over pencil with said paint and thin-ish brush.
5. Wait to dry.
6. Hang with thumb tacks.

It couldn't be easier.  What saying would you put on your walls?