A Date to Play

Ben and Matti playing together is so fun. Basically they try to hug slash bite slash grab each other constantly. It's kind of been like that since the beginning. Here they are doing their normal thing. We are pretending that Matti just wants to give out some kisses. We are all on board with that version of things. They are good friends. What's wrong with a little grab or a nibble between friends? Especially if you're nine months old.

This was our first of a string of summer playdates with our Super Baby Squad (as we fondly dubbed our Facebook group). Four of us started hanging out when the babies were really little, and then our crew expanded three times over when we started a Mommy and Me class. We have a great group and since we kind of dropped out of class for the summer (lots of mobile babies, a small space that seemed to be getting smaller) we started up a weekly get together on Thursdays.

Taking turns grabbing the same toy. Just to have it. Because the other kid had it. The baby equivalent of tweeting. Or online shopping. Maybe a combination.

It's actually kind of mezmerizing. Plus you have to watch with one eye anyway, in case your kid tries to pull an ear off of somebody.

Check out those eyelashes! Why do boys always get the great eyelashes? My sister and I complain of this often.

Meanwhile Ben is fixated on Jess's buttons. I swear we are having meaningful adult interaction while all this is going on. I won't lie and tell you we were discussing politics and current events, but there was food! I know, trust me, you wish you were there. Enchiladas and sour cream, guacamole and brownies... it was heaven. I should have photographed the food.

But I was pretty taken with the cute babies crawling everywhere.

Ben reeeeeally wants to crawl like the other kids. He is so close.

Elana, such a smiley, happy girl!

So here is where Cindy put us over into the Playdate Olympics. She brought scrapbooking papers and tools and inkpads to do hand/footprints for Father's Day!

Incredible foresight was not possible just months ago. We are evolving into the kind of moms we only once dreamed about being. The kind who can wrestle fat hands and feet with ink all over them in the name of tearjerking, priceless memories! It was super freaking cool to bring home frameable, giftable prints. So cool.

I did his feet, too, but haven't gotten a photo of that yet. They came out beautifully.

Yes, my mom friends are all kind of lovely. Makes a girl want to brush her teeth and get her hair cut once in awhile!

Cutie pie Rollin!

This is one of my favorite things about Ben. If he wants a nap, he will fall asleep in a tornado. I love that. The babies are just starting to really enjoy playing together, and thats great. But pretty much these dates are for the mommies. It makes me feel sane to listen to everyone else having the same worries, struggles and joys. I can't wait for the next one- beach day!

Shaky Booty Time!

So, we are going to have a flood of wonderful, beautiful photos courtesy of our bestie Dan Shaw over at Dan Shaw Photography, in a couple of weeks. So I am holding off on the big Baptism post until I have those to share with you. It just seems incomplete without that day. But this one above is a little sneak peek. This little guy just loves being with Grandma and Grandpa.

In the middle of the Baptism Weekend Extravaganza I had a wonderful visit from my Chico girls, Ali and Kris and their little ones, Evie and Wyatt. We went to the park, and played with blocks, and then began.... Shaky Booty Time.

Basically the game was that I stay on my hands and knees and chase Evie around while she does laps around the living room. Everytime I "miss" catching her, she stops in the kitchen and strikes some pose, like the one below. Then she says "Shaky Boooooty Tiiime!" and turns around and shakes her booty. Hysterical. I am ordered to follow suit, and then she runs again. Every now and then she declares "Fishy Tiiiime!" and I get a water break.

At one point I was so tired I pretended to forget where my booty was, and Evie not only demonstrated it's location but encouraged me to "smash it". Love that girl.

Day 29

Ok... two negative tests and no period... I finished another painting! Yay! This one is of Kris' son Wyatt, I thought it would be a nice Christmas gift since I had all the materials out already.

So... definitely cramps... just waiting on the green light here, so that I can refill my prescription and all that, but I really hope this late period thing doesnt become a trend. Its hard enough waiting for day 28...

Zachary August Puccinelli

I finally got to meet him! He is just the cutest bundle of baby in the world. He looks just like Mom (although I'm sure his Alan traits, besides his hair, will emerge soon). He was born November 8 and was 9lbs 2 oz. He is the best baby, just wants to sleep and eat and be loved. His mom takes such good care of him and is truly a natural. She has an intuitive sense of what he needs and is totally devoted, its beautiful to see. Holding Zach is the best medicine for a bad day, and boy have I had a series of those!

I love Zach.

For Better or For Worse...

Well, we had a wonderful time in San Diego. We celebrated some birthdays with friends and had a wonderful time with the Schmalbachs!






This is Bond and I having a late breakfast with Stephanie and the birthday kids Emily and Kirby.


Later on after breakfast, we were driving around La Jolla when I got the call from Kelly that she was in the hospital! Zach was born much later, at 4am, healthy and according to all who have met him, the sweetest little guy there ever was.

Sydney and I were able to catch up on some stories while I was there. Her favorite book right now has to be "Slowly Slowly Slowly". A book about a sloth in a tree. Scott and I both read that one until we had it memorized. Conveniently enough, it featured a bit about the sloth hanging in the tree at night, and we spent a lot of time discussing how it becomes dark at night, so...educational moments abound everywhere.

However, Steph and I came home to some serious challenges. Family issues, college deadlines and fertility just seem to be humongous mountains to climb right now. I wish we had all the answers and we were living in a carefree season, but we are leaning on each other and Scott and are determined to get through all of this one day at a time. I am just so grateful for my friends and the way that you love and accept me despite my stupid moments. It makes handling life's bumps that much easier. Thanks.

If I Can't Be Pregnant, I'll Settle For Skinny and Selfish....

So, sadly, I got my period this morning. Literally five minutes before getting in the car to leave for San Diego. Oh, well, another month bites the dust! BUT I also weighed myself and in two months I have lost 13 pounds and 3 inches off my waistline. YAY! This last month of no drinking really helped with the last five pounds. Now I can get back to an intense work out schedule and keep it going.

 Good thing I ran around on Wednesday getting my new prescription of Clomid ready just in case, because I start that Saturday night. Here we go again... and possibly again. Its been a crazy cycle, hopefully that was just the fertility meds and my sanity isn't really slipping. I'm praying not to have too many more of those kinds of months in the future...

But we are here and I spent the day with my little friend Sydney, who is 18 months now. She is a doll! She can say my name now, which is a real thrill, and we had a wonderful afternoon playing in the sandbox, reading books and watching Sesame Street. I can't wait for Zach to finally make his appearance, spending time with my friend's kids is really fun and definitely enriches my life.

Love to all!

Babies, Babies, BABIES!

Babies, babies, everywhere! The last two years have been all about babies. These are just a few of the children of our friends that we see on a pretty regular basis. We obviously aren't the only couple intent on starting a family! This is me and Aiden at the park in Shell Beach. His mom Amy snapped the photo. He is almost 17 months old.

The day he was born, Scott and I decided we wanted to start having children. Apparently, not as easy as it looks!

This is my friend Jason with his baby boy Noah, who is now almost 14 months old.

We tried for about 8 months on our own before I started shopping around for a good doctor. I was diagnosed with very mild endometriosis about three years ago when I underwent surgery after a hospital visit, and I wanted to make sure that it wasn't going to be a complication. The first doctor I saw was awful. I waited for an hour in the room, she consulted with me for about ten minutes max, rushed me through the interview, forgot to answer some of my most important questions, and told me I should consider losing weight because it might help me conceive. Yikes! I've never had anyone tell me I was overweight after a ten minute chat. That takes some getting used to...

This is our friend Scott with his darling daughter Sydney. She is now almost 16 months. We try to see them every few months.

My best friend Kelly is having her little boy Zach around Nov 4th this year. I can't wait to meet him, the past few days I've been working day and night getting ready for her baby shower.

So we finally found an amazing doctor, Dr. Safarik right here about 2 min away from where we live. He ran some routine tests and then decided to follow my ovulation by ultrasound.

This is Alli and her daughter Evie, who is now 19 months old. And my best friend Kris (right) just delivered baby Wyatt in July.

Well, turns out that I'm not ovulating regularly! My doctor started me straight away on some medication, and we took that for 3 months and conceived. About a week after finding out we were pregnant, I miscarried. It wasn't a fun time, but its very common (about 25-30% of pregnancies). The best part was that I got to take two months off of the whole process. I didn't have to take my temperature, any pills, or make sure I knew what day of my cycle I was on. It was truly a great vacation. We are trying again now, with the help of our doctor, and I feel a lot less worried now that we have been able to conceive once before.

Plus... will ya look at how much company our kid will have? Friends and friends galore, all right around the same ages! I can't wait!