Love Triangle

 

What do you do all day?

 

Chanukah Shots

A quick collage of a piece of the Newfield Chanukah Boston Extravaganza...

Do you think lil R. has Grandpa Phil's ears???

Seattle Trip Photos

Here is a link to Picassa where I have photos from my Early Dec trip to Seattle!!!!

Seattle Trip

Photos from our day & 1/2 in Portland

Here is a picassa link to photos from Portland.

Portland Trip Dec 06

Monito over the Charles

Here is a nice shot of the boy as he sat by the window at the Marriot when Grandpa/ma Phancy were in town for Thanksgiving. I didn't take a chanukah/Xmas photo yet with the palm so this will have to do as the "holiday photo" for the moment.G We had a Good Dec 25th day -- we had collected some presents to open in the am when Em got home from work. We got a great outfit & book from Aunt Suzan, a book from Rina, Steph and the twins, a few fun things from Mel G & family - a chanukah bib, boots, a teether (yeah) and I made breakfast for us all.

Then em went to sleep & I took a walk to Harvard & back along the river...

Warm Holiday Treats

I am suddenly domestic and find myself in the kitchen making my first chicken pot pie, starting a chicken soup stock and mulling some cider. A gingerbread house kit sits on the kitchen table.
Oh yeah... and I have a baby boy bouncing on my lap and making funny roaring sounds.

Whats happened to me???

Year in Review ---

(a year end meme snatched from other blogs)

January
Blasto Does Vegas
Here we are in sin city - baby boi blasto & me... The trade show has been the hardest ever - between me being sick & not able to take much - Blasto being along for the ride, Alicia (my workmate getting sick too - sorry) - all the porno fans and the largest convention in the world happening at the same time & in parts of the same building.

Febuary
For Ila - belly shot while yawning

March
This is what we looked like when we first got knocked up....
So this is the happy carefree faces of two gals who don't know what they have gotten themselves into

April
Emily Came Home..... YEAH!!!!!
So Em got home for her birthday. I am so happy.

May
Senior Boat Trip
Who knew that we were only a couple days away from being moms

June
Tea Time
Jenny took us out to tea with Annie & Mama Roseanna at Lovejoys.

July
Kathy Bear
Riley discovers the teddy that Kathy gave him

August
My Day So Far
So this morning someone shit all over their pajamas and the comforter cover... it wasn't Emily, it wasn't Mabel and it wasn't me.... hmm that only leaves one other member of our household.

September
Stolen from another blogger
This is one of my favorite descriptions of my life right now... too bad I didn't write it...

October
Today's special ingrediant ....
Placenta Roast:

November
Pleasant Halloween
The kids on Pleasant St. got all dressed up to head out to the park

December
More photos of the boy from Grandpa
I really can't believe how incredibly cute this kid is -- & yeah I know every parent thinks that their babe is the cats pajamas - but I can only say MEOW.

Tampon Menorah

How to make a Tampon Menorah (for next year)

Materials
Nine Tampax tampons (or similar brand with cardboard applicator)
Styrofoam
Hot glue gun
Silver metallic spray paint
Acrylic paints
Mod Podge crafts sealer or Elmer's Glue
Scissors
Utility knife
Waxed paper

Instructions
Cut styrofoam to form base, and paint blue. Cut a small block of styrofoam, paint and glue in center of base to elevate the center candle. Unwrap tampons (saving wrappers), remove tampons from applicators and spray paint applicators silver. Cut tampons in half and keep the part with the string. Cut inch-long sections of the paper wrappers and twist into flame shapes. Paint yellow and orange. When flames are dry, brush with Mod Podge or 3 parts Elmer's Glue mixed with 1 part water. Dry on waxed paper. Glue flames onto ends of tampons and strings. Trim strings a little above flames. Stuff tampons back into ends of applicators, pushing down on the top of the tampon with the end of a paintbrush, until the flame is inside the applicator. Use the smaller end of an applicator to press into styrofoam and make evenly spaced indentations for the "candleholders." Fill each circle with hot glue and press candleholders into place. Pull up on "wicks" to light, so the flame and part of the "candle" sticks up.

Milk Men - men who breast feed

Milk Men

Look who's standing

Mr. Monito is perfecting his standing skills using his newest toy... the shape cube that Grandpa/ma Phancy got him for Chanukah. I am amazed that he is able to hold himself up on his feet. His hips wiggle around a lot as he is working on building his strength and balance ... but the writing is on the wall. Em & I better get to baby proofing pretty soon. (A video clip of standing & falling will appear on youtube soon). 

His Fake Smile

This is Monito's new fake smile.. He has begun to pose for the camera ... but em and I are distressed by his adoption of the "fake smile" - at the same time I do sorta like the mischevious glint it brings to his eyes. 

Getting on the Train

Riley is checking out the Coast Starlight in Deb's arms as we get ready to leave Seattle and head down to Portland. I don't have enough kind words in my vocabulary to express how great this trip was for us. Deb I just love you and your family with all my heart... just crazy crazy love ... and I am so glad that Allie & R. got to see what all the fuss we've been making about lil' Riley is about. At the same time I got to see my Aunt Suzan, Cousin Tracy, Marissa, and our Cousins Carrie - Chuck - Rylie along with Aunt Shirley from Ithaca and the lovely twin boys.

I will post more about the trip and add a tabloo soon.... I am jet lagged and hungry ... Monito sleeps - so good to see Em when we got home (& its 50 degrees out - go figure... whats up with the Boston winters I thought they were supposed to be killing me ???)

Chanakuh starts tomorrow & many many Newfields come to town... I hope Blasto is ready -

peace out -

Monito and Mom

Some shots of Monito and his Mommy as they nap their days away. Mom is recovering from working nights --- Monito is just recovering. I can't believe how very cute they are.

Now its time for me to do the dishes.

... See my Tabblo>

6 Month Compilation

More photos of the boy from Grandpa Phil, or Grandpa "Oh No" as I am calling him.

I really can't believe how incredibly cute this kid is -- & yeah I know every parent thinks that their babe is the cats pajamas - but I can only say MEOW.

Before going to bed tonight we listened to Mommy Em's Blasto songs on the computer -
Polyphonic Spree "its the sun" and Blackbird by the Beatles (yeah) - which we modify slightly by inserting the name Blasto where they say Blackbird... anyways he jumps up and down & smiles & giggles and waves his arms --- its pretty cool.

We miss em when she's working though.

Next week we go to Seattle and Portland for a quick trip - I am so excited to see Deb & for her to see how big monito is, and to see everyone else in Seattle and the GN clan in portland & I will get to ride the train with the boy which should be a lot of fun. 

Thanksgiving Weekend

Here is a nice Photo from Grandpa Phil - or Grandpa "Oh No" as Riley knows him. And here is another good one from the weekend as well.

These are a few of my favorite things....

What do I have to be thankful for this year --- my two sweeties. 

Things I do when the baby is sleeping (& I can't) ...

[A is for age:] 42 almost 43
[B is for beer of choice:] Beck's Nonnie
[C is for career:] FTM - full time mommie-daddie
[D is for favorite Drink] Coffee, then tea - hot & iced, then milk
[E is for essential item you use everyday:] Diaper Bag
[F is for favorite song at the moment:] Still the soundtrack from Wicked - Dancing through Life, Defying Gravity, Loathing etc
[G is for favorite game:] Peek-a-Boo this week
[H is for hometown:] Born in Spokane WA, raised in San Francisco
[I is for instruments you play:] the radio
[J is for favorite juice:] I like a good juice mix - little of this little of that surprise me bartender, surprise me
[K is for kids?:] just the one
[L is for last kiss?:] See K above --- fewer kisses from busy mommy these days but gummy slobber kisses all day long from the baby boy.
[M is for marriage:] Yup - gotta love that Mass. for the big gay marriage.
[N is for full name:] Yup - I have one.
[O is for overnight hospital stays:] Post-Partem with the lil Monkey
[P is for phobias:] Spiders, Snakes and Nuns
[Q is for quote:] "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." -- Patti
[R is for biggest regret:] regrets, I've had a few
[S is for sports:] Motorcycling.
[T is for time you wake up:] when the baby cries.
[U is for color underwear:] Blue, black, white, green...
[V is for vegetable you love:] Artichokes
[W is for worst habit:] I bite my nails.
[X is for x-rays you've had:] teeth, and my leg after a bike boo boo
[Y is for yummy food you make:] Soups this fall
[Z is for zodiac sign:] Sag sun. Gemini moon. - cause I was born on a full moon.

Thoughts on being the other mother... linkety link

An article from LesbianDads on being Not The Mommy.

Mazel Tov!!!

This week Steph "officially" adopted the girls. & although
we all think its a bit silly that folks have to adopt their own kids - I say a big huge
Mazel Tov & congrat's to the whole C-C family.
And check out that cute adoption attorney on the far left!! 

Our Little Science Experiment....

Here is monito in the bib that he earned from the good folks at Harvard last week when he went in to participate in another early childhood development study. This time he watched film clips of happy shapes that "spoke" to him in English and in gibberish to measure whether he is responding to hearing his native tongue yet. I think he may have liked both the native & the foreign chatty blobs about the same... but I know that he likes his Rockin Ve Ri Tas bib --- Just Like Grandpa's study chair & just in time for Solid Foods. 

For Val D. today

Because the Night



Dancing Barefoot

Em's Favorite Outfit

Em likes to remind me that textiles are in her blood from way back in the family tree. When we were in SF we dropped into Chloe's Closet where she discovered this "hot little number". Cashmere, Imported from the UK, retails for .... 75 Pounds - saddly its a 0-6 month sizing which means we only have a couple more times to squeeze his handsomeness into this fine little number.

Poopy Poopy Sh#t Fest

Someone just pooped so far up his back it was at his shoulders - one onesie, one long sleeve shirt and one pair of pants into the laundry along with the changing table cover and the socks that were unfortunatly still on his padders when the diaper came off to reveal its happy surprise. I guess the rice cereal isn't constapating him anymore.

Also on the poop-front someone else has taken a liking to eating discarded diapers - YUCK!

Thats the update from Cambridge.

That Nap

Didn't last long - it's 5:45

The Crib

Monito is Six Months and a few days and I had told myself and em that he would start sleeping on his own in the crib when he was 6 mo's (when we got home from SF- actually). So now I am sotra stuck.

I am surprised actually by how it hurts when I go to put him down in his own bed. I thought I would be relieved and not sad.

So last night he went into the crib for the first real night (he's been napping in there for awhile to get ready) - and he went right to sleep. I - on the other hand -was up until 1am listening to the dog snore, and emily snore and the baby snore through the monitor which was turned up way to high. It turns out that I was the one who couldn't sleep without knowing he was close by. So I finally "went down" around one am and he popped up shortly thereafter and WITH GLEE I skipped on into his room, "rescued" him from his crib and brought him into bed to nurse and snuggle with me where we stayed CONTENTLY until this am when em went off to be a doctor.

Right now its 5:30 pm and he just fell asleep in my lap & I took him back into THAT room and laid him down in that CRIB and I feel like crying again.

25th Percentile for Weight - 99th Percentile for Cute

So we had our 6 Month Peds visit today & the boy handled it like a champ (as did Emily as well). He got 4 shots - 3 boosters and the Flu Shot, He got the docs ok to keep eating solid foods although he didn't poop for a day and a half after the first tablespoon of rice cereal (she said give him fruit). And we decided that he remains the cutest baby EVAH.

So here are his stats...

26 1/2 Inches tip to toe
15 lb and 13.3 oz without a diaper -- 15lb 15.8 oz with (time to change that diaper) and his cute lil keppie measures 43 cm or 17" - I know aunt Melanie is waiting on that head measurement.

So they said that puts him in the 50th Percentile for length, and the 25th for weight -- And we say the 99th percentile for CUTE!!!

Rice Cereal

For his half birthday - (yep he's really six months old!!) Riley got to try food. Here is one of his first bites of rice cereal. And what does my boy think of solid food???? You guessed it - he couldn't get enough.

This time next week - veggie surprise - 

C is for ...

Candaloo - these two totally cool night lights that aren't actually child friendly -but Em sure LOVES them - as does Riley from the looks of things. (thanks out to Lily & Eric) 

Pleasant Halloween

The kids on Pleasant St. got all dressed up to head out to the park. ... See my Tabblo>

SF Visit

We did a LOT of eating on our trip out to SF - breakfast at St. Francis, Lunch at Zuni, Tea at Lovejoys, Veggie Asian in Berkeley and Valentinas and Zante from the old neighborhood.  We also saw a lot of folks - family, friends, classmates - sometimes we even remembered the camera ... See my Tabblo>

Learning

 

B is for BAKED ALASKA

The final "formal dinner" on the cruise (April 2004) is topped off by all the waitstaff parading flaming baked alaska through the dining room. Our jmp crew - me & em, Holly & Doannie, Mel & VJ loved our waiters -especially Oscar who took 15 minutes to tell really, really bad jokes to our table.

Table for 2 - Visiting with Grandpa at Zuni

These are Stefans shots of Eldon & Lil' Riley from our Lunch at Zuni -- home of the best chicken in the world - not to mention a great burger & a killer cesar salad.

It was a great chance to try and see if there is much family resemblance between these Reiley's --- what do you think?

Plus we got a couple good shots of mom1 and mom2 to boot.

... See my Tabblo>

Flying To SF

The boy did good on his flight out to SF.  He is so much bigger now - on the first flight we were able to lay him on a pillow on the tray table - this flight he actually scored a seat and could do most of the ride in his car seat (yeah) - except when he fussed and Em did the mommy dance with him up in the first class cabin, ... See my Tabblo>

A is for ... Adventure

This is a shot that I took out the door of a helicopter. Em & I were in Kauia & she really wanted to do the helicopter tour. I went along with her. So this is the volcano shot that we got just as the weather was turning pretty bad & let me just say that where you don't want to be is in a helicopter with no doors in a thunderstorm ... But we did get to see amazing views of the island and got to swim in a waterfall that you can only get to by flying in.

inch worm

 

Fall Colors

A quick view of what we saw this weekend driving from Boston to the Berkeshires - I guess this is what everyone says they like so much about the New England Fall - I didn't realize that some trees can actually turn bright Orange!!! The photo's don't really do it justice but you get the idea.