Getting

Getting out.

Getting warm.

Getting love.

Getting left out, but not knowing it.

Officially Winter

Although our wood burning stove (second year and running) has been going for most of the month of December, today's snow storm has made it officially feel like winter. We were expected to get up to 24 inches of snow, and as of Saturday afternoon, we're up to 20 inches!

Ryan and I jumped in the pick up and kicked off the snow day with an early morning coffee run to our favorite local coffee shop, City Dock. Alexia has already had three different outings to enjoy the snow: 1. to help daddy shovel the sidewalk 2. to take a walk with daddy up the hill we live on and 3. to crawl into the Alexia-sized igloo daddy and Uncle Logan built in our driveway.

It's so funny to watch her reaction to the cold weather. She becomes immobilized because of the cold. The only thing moving are her eyes. Although by the third outing, she was eating handfuls of snow and laughing. Naptime came quickly today, and she ended up crying outside, either from severe exhaustion or frostbite. Or probably both. She kept whining "owwwww" when I was taking off her mittens and socks. So we read a book right in front of the portable heater in her room.

As I sit here by the fire enjoying the girls' synchronized afternoon nap, my addicted-to-sweets-so-he-bakes-all-the-time husband is making his mom's famous oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I'm looking forward to a trip to grandma & grandpa's house tonight to hang out and enjoy the snow day together. I always find myself getting stuck in their cozy living room each winter, sometimes asking Ryan if we can just spend the night instead of driving the three minutes it takes to get back to our house.

Hope you are staying warm today too!

30th Birthday. Old School Style.

On November 10th, I turned the big 3-0. And for my 30th birthday, we decided to go old school and celebrate the unforgettable grade school era. Yes, I threw myself an 80's dinner party. I have to admit, I got a little self conscious as it came close to party time. I wondered if people would really dress up. Oh, but they did. Such wonderful friends they are...let their guards down and brought back the 80's. I was so blessed to see our friends and family in some of the ugliest outfits I have ever seen them in.

And the first guests to arrive to start the party off right:

The "ugly flower dress" ("ugly" was the highest honor of compliments for this night):

Even my mom-in-law participated in the fun:

Representing those born in the 80's:

Ryan's brothers accidentally missed the theme by a decade (oops!), but were hys-terical:

Winner for "Best Dressed Dude":

Winner for "Best Dressed Chick":

Best Dressed Baby:

Okay, so maybe it was rigged. Here's the runner-up:

Ryan's birthday present to me...dressing up for the first time at a themed party:

Closer look at Ryan's get-up (compliments of The Goodwill Store):

Closer look at my what was referred to as "stay-at-home mom from the 80's" outfit. Complete with pegged pants and slouched socks:

Turtleneck decked out with 80's accessories (I rocked a necklace worn like this in my 7th grade school picture):

Remember this hair 'do?:
And who could forget Black Hills gold jewelry?:

Glimpse of the 80's favors, jelly bracelets are still a hit:

Goodie bags were filled with Now & Laters, Chinese finger traps and mini slinkies. The outside adorned with photos of old school TV shows and movies:

Slap bracelets:

We handed out a prize (Starbucks gift card) to the winner of the trivia game:

Girls just wanna have fun:

My dad helped with the party deco by sending old school photos, my jr. high ID card, a letter written with a squiggle pen from a friend asking my advice for what boy she should like, one-knee-posed soccer photos, and so many more photos filled with scrunchies, french braids, turtlenecks, baggy sweatshirts, acid-washed jeans with zippers, banana seat bikes, roller skates, big bangs, County Seat sweaters, etc.:

Food and drinks for the party:

All in all, it was a memorable evening and SO worth getting dressed up in humiliating clothes. Thank you all for making it so special and fun to enter into the third decade of my life.

Looks Like Christmas

Although I grew up cutting our own tree down from the Santa Cruz mountains (and have a poison ivy horror story to go with), the last few years we have taken all but a whopping fifteen minutes to drive to the neighborhood fire station, find a tree, and back to our house to complete the whole tree experience.

This year we truly found the perfect tree! We went with an 8-foot Douglas Fir (we splurged in the height department this year). I am amazed at how it's not lopsided or unequally proportioned from any angle. Symmetry does wonders for my soul. To complete the putting-up-the-tree experience, Ryan put on Christmas music and made his homemade hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies to help us get in the Christmas spirit while we decorated our tree. This is by far one of my favorite days of the year - Christmas Tree Putting Up Day.

Alexia enjoyed several cups of hot cocoa, too. I added her onesie to the to-be OxiCleaned collection of clothes piling up in our laundry room.

I love waking up to our lit tree. Although I accidentally (Ryan says "impulsively") bought the last couple sets of lights at Target and came home to find out they are twinkling lights. So half of our tree seems to have tourette's.

Here's a view of our spirited home:

(Don't wires just kill you?)

This year I finally splurged and bought a REAL tree skirt (not just a 10" diameter felt one from the Dollar Store) and even got it embroidered:

And here's the basement decor, I couldn't believe I was able to find ornaments to match the walls. Thank you Dollar Store:

And alas, my creative project inspired by my aunt who made stockings by hand and attached a jingle bell for each year of Christmas celebrated. I've always wanted to follow that tradition and her visit for Thanksgiving gave me motivation. We bought the fabric together and used the stockings I already had for Ryan and myself as the pattern for the girls'. Then I had them embroidered and ready to go for Christmas Day!

Naiya is 6 Months 12.04.09

This month proved to be a big one for milestones:

• first tooth (bottom, right) Do you see it?

• sitting up

• joining us in a highchair at the dining table (we have both the girls in highchairs at the head of the table, side-by-side)

• first solid food (infant oatmeal cereal)
• began oral treatment (propranolol is a high blood pressure medication) for the venous hemangioma on her right eyelid
• on the same bedtime routine as Alexia (bath w/ Daddy after dinner, story and "night-night" at 8ish) *we still wake her up at 10pm for her medication and last feeding

Naiya is still extraordinarily content. Strangers consistently comment on how laid back she is, especially at the pediatrician's office (which we are regulars there since starting her treatment). I have been able to establish a synchronized eating and sleep schedule for both the girls...can I get an AMEN?!! I credit Naiya for this outcome, because she is able to wait 30 minutes to eat after getting up. So that gives me time to feed Alexia, have a cup of coffee and eat something, and poor Naiya just chills in her highchair occupied by chewing on a toy or Alexia trying to feed her. The same routine goes for lunch.

Naiya has shown no side effects of her (high blood pressure) treatment. Unfortunately, we have not seen any change in the hemangioma's size or color. She swallows the medication like a trooper, and this Saturday she will be on the full dose. She will be on the medication for up to six months or until the hemangoima has disappeared, whichever comes first.

One of my favorite ways the girls interact right now is when Alexia comes with me to get Naiya up from a nap. They peer at each other through the crib bars and Alexia smashes her face up in the bars and says "Hi Nai Nai!" and Naiya stares up at her and laughs and coos. Makes my heart feel like it's gonna burst.

Naiya is nursing six times a day and eating solids for one or two meals. She just graduated to 3-6 month clothing. She is wearing size four diaper (yes, still the same as Alexia) and for her six month appointment, here are her stats:

• Weight: 15 lbs. 1.5 oz.
• Length: 25 3/4 inches
• Head Circumference: 42.3

I would like to point out that Naiya weighs only 7 pounds less than Alexia (18 months old).

Naiya is now aware when she is all alone in a room and cries. So I've had to adapt and make two trips to get both girls in the same place (I used to just leave Naiya "playing" while I tended to Alexia). Naiya is much better at being in the car seat and has learned to fall asleep in the car (I wondered how she would adjust since she sleeps on her belly normally).

I was a bit worried in the beginning of Naiya's life because I didn't have an immediate connection. But she has won my heart over and I'm hoping she will be a mama's girl!

Here's the 6 month comparison shot (Alexia left, Naiya right):