New baby pics

Took these in the nursery... more on our Flickr site. Kiddo is officially rolling over and scooting around like crazy. Also starting to love dancing. We dance with her and she goes crazy. Also loves it when we repeat whatever sound she just made, it makes her giggle.

sugar free me, week 6

I'm down 9 pounds and am really starting to see a difference. Hit a bit of a plateau, I think due to my strength training. I've been through this before where the numbers go up or stay the same temporarily as I get stronger, then really start to go down. But still... I like to see downward trends! But my clothes are loose and I can see a difference in my face, and I feel fantastic. The sugar stuff is not really a temptation anymore. I think my taste buds have recalibrated or something, because my afternoon yogurt tastes insanely sweet to me now.

Anyway, I am excited to report that I have started running again, which I love. Two friends from work invited me on their Wednesday and Saturday runs, and it's the perfect motivation to get out there. Weather is lovely for it. Ran 30 minutes Saturday, getting stronger in all the right places.

We've also been keeping up with the hundred pushups training. It's actually pretty easy to do, and takes surprisingly little time. I'm now up to where I can do 20 consecutive pushups. Girl style, of course. I'm not going to report Stephen's progress, he can do that himself if he likes, but needless to say, he is rocking and rolling - does old-school pushups and beats me every time.

Felicia, this one's for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5LJxSHNArM

stuff i like: movie edition

Burn After Reading. I have loved those Coen brothers ever since my dad took me to see Barton Fink at Trolley Square... long ago. I liked this, thought Brad Pitt was sort of brilliant. Actually his hairstyle was especially brilliant. Skunky and perfectly, if misguidedly, coiffed, that hair (along with Silvio's from the Sopranos) deserves a Best Supporting Actor nod.

I love movies that can surprise you. There is a certain scene that I definitely did not see coming, I won't say which one, but if you have seen the movie you know what I am talking about. How do you classify a movie like this??? I don't think you can, which earns some points in my book. Also I have to mention that I found myself questioning the George Clooney/Frances MacDormand romance - somehow I have bought into all the programming from other movies that tells me that a guy like George should be paired with some young hottie. And actually, those two are probably around the same age, and in real life you wouldn't question the match at all. Interesting...

jungle no more

We have a small back yard that has, despite the best efforts of my parents, run wild. Like weeds growing up and through the furniture wild. Our living room has french doors that open out to it, and it is fenced in and the garage is on the other side of it. So it's not exactly in our way - we have been able to let nature run free back there without paying too much attention.

Up until now. We have started to transform it into a patio, with a few flowerbeds and a bench. The patio part is in now, just being finished. I'll post some pictures soon. We'll add plants in containers and maybe a palm tree when it's done. We're very excited about the whole thing.

And perhaps you thought I was being dramatic in my earlier post about how you wouldn't dare sit on the grass here in Texas for fear of creatures... when they deforested our back yard, they found and killed NINE snakes. NINE snakes, people.

Ike and Ayn

So the hurricane came and went. Stephen's family was without power for a full week. Eleven of them came up to Dallas, and the upside (for us) was that we got to spend some time with them. Stella got lots of Nana time, which she loved. Of course for them, the upside was that their houses were still standing and pretty much undamaged. They had no power or water after the storm, and communications were very spotty, so we were extremely relieved to see their faces.

Stella is changing so quickly - she is now able to reach and grab things, and consequently objects are now fascinating. We have hit the toy time, people. And as much as I would like to emulate the Ayn Rand School for Tots, she really enjoys them. Shreiks with delight and everything, it is quite a sight.

Did my first training set of the hundred pushups thing, my max was 11. On we go.

pushups

Did my initial assessment, I can do a whole 9 girl-style pushups. I was actually surprised as I sort of expected to only be able to do one or so. I'm starting the training program tomorrow. Yay Felicia for joining in the fun - I'm sure she will put me to shame. Sort of like her boyfriend and Trivial Pursuit. Hee.

sugar free me, week 4 - gonna win all the money

I'm down almost 8 pounds. The pool at work is up to around $800. I really want to win!

I saw an interesting site the other day, it's a training program that promises to leave you capable of doing 100 push-ups. Check it out: http://hundredpushups.com/

Stephen has agreed to do it with me - I am stunned. I think I had him at "it takes no money or equipment and very little time". He's got to be a bit cautious, as I am the woman who convinced him to run a half marathon with me a few years ago. (Still can't believe we did that!)

So, in the spirit of me recruiting people to do stuff like this, who's in? (Do I even have to say that I will be doing girl-style push-ups?)

If you're up for it, let me know. I will be posting my progress here. The training plan is simple and takes very little time. Think of the toned arms you could have! Also a motivator for me is that my little bambina is 15.5 pounds and growing... my upper body strength really needs to catch up.

(PS - I love that my brother wasn't quite sure if there was sarcasm in my last post.)

new business idea

We were at NorthPark today, and saw that a new location of Noka is opening there soon. This is a place that sells chocolate at ridiculous prices (2 tiny pieces for $17.50!). Their hook is exclusivity and high quality, that sort of thing. Also there is in Dallas a location of Sprinkles, which sells gourmet cupcakes for like $4 each.
So in this grand tradition, I think we should open up a shop that sells luxury lollipops. Artisan, hand crafted, organic, exotic flavored lollipops. High-end modernist packaging. Flavors like balsamic vinegar strawberry, mint basil, tequila lime jicama, and something to do with white or green tea. I'm thinking we can sell them for like $8 each. And I have the perfect name: Suckers.

heartwalk & ike

Yesterday we participated in HeartWalk, a fundraising and fitness event benefiting the American Heart Association. It's an annual event for us and Stella's first time out. She did great. We thought she would just sleep in her stroller, but she was fascinated by all the people, and especially seemed interested in dogs. Luckily we had just the right outfit for her - her Nana bought her this pink velour tracksuit before she was even born.

We thought the event might be cancelled with the hurricane weather, but we went down anyway. It was on, and we enjoyed the 3 mile walk. Here's how humid it was - started to drizzle just a bit:

We were lucky to not really be affected by Ike, and so far our friends & family in the Houston area are safe. Many are without power and water though, looks like it will be quite a while until things get back to normal down there. Think good thoughts for them.

slc baby tour 2008

We took a long weekend to visit my family in Salt Lake. Stella was considerably more animated on this flight, she was squealing with delight and I think we made people nervous that they would be stuck next to us on the plane. Luckily we got our own row, and no crying... yeah!!!

We had an ice cream social Friday night, which is a family tradition on my dad's side. One that I need to keep going here, if only I could meet some people who like to make ice cream. The concept is simple: everyone brings a different flavor of homemade ice cream. There was peach, mint oreo, pina colada, super dark chocolate, and vanilla. Yum, it was definitely worth the sugar indulgence. Now that I think about it, maybe I should help educate some of my friends on the joys of making ice cream...

Stella got to meet her Great-Grandma Bernice, along with many of my aunts, uncles and cousins. My cousin Emma even got her to giggle again. So cute! So fleeting!

Stella Rose with Great-Grandma Bernice:
Four generation shot (that's my dad in the middle):

September in SLC is absolutely amazing. The weather is perfect - sunny and blue skies, temps in about the 80s with a cool breeze everywhere, gets a bit chilly at night. Lawns are green and lush, softer than carpet and cool and refreshing on your bare feet (in TX you would not dare for fear of creatures). If the whole year could be like that we would have to move. Everything is green and blooming, gardens full of good things.

Here's Grandma Jenny introducing Stella to her first home-grown tomato:

Saturday we went with Paul, Amanda, Kaia, Chris, my dad and Jenny for a hike. Paul suggested we head toward Snowbird as Oktoberfest was going on. So hiking turned into bier, bratwurst, polka music and a stroll in the mountains. Here's bambina with Grandma Jenny on the bus:

Kaia and Stella get in the Oktoberfest spirit. I'm not naming names, but just maybe someone knocked Stella's noggin...

Stephen and the bambina on a stroll:

My brother and niece, who conked out in her carrier:

Stella also succumbed to the hypnotic rhythm of our stroll. The flap is up so she doesn't get sun in her face as the altitude is high there. This picture cracks me up.

Sunday we had a baby shower for my sister Becca at my mom's house. We didn't take enough pictures, but we had a ball. (How can it not be a ball when a game of cornhole is involved?) The shower was fun, we had a contest where couples had to dance with an egg balanced between their foreheads. Stella got to meet her Great-Grandma Holtshouser, more aunts, uncles, cousins and friends, along with some much needed time with Grandma Sugar.
Here is Stella with Great-Grandma H:
She has one more great-grandmother still to meet. We are so lucky to have such a big family. More pictures are on our Flickr site.

stuff I like: dvd edition

How have I missed this show for so long? Just watched season 1 on dvd. Much as I am not into most reality shows, this show rocks. At least the first season anyway. Usually these kinds of shows just go straight to the histrionics, which to me is so boring. Reality tv: you had me at Survivor I (although I kept wanting to see some actual survival skills), you lost me at Road Rules, the Real World #672, and Road Rules vs Real World, etc.

But along comes Project Runway, and I absolutely love it. There is of course the personal drama element that seems to be a requisite of the genre, but what I really like about it is seeing the creative process. Yes, it is abbreviated, but I love watching them get the challenges, then imagining what I would do with it, and how it all turns out. So interesting to see the different interpretations. Am I just an art student craving an assignment or what?

I'm totally inspired to try sewing something, even though my training is limited to 7th grade home economics and the stuffed kayak I made for my neice.

Thoughts from a Househusband 3

Top 5 things that make staying home the best
1. Time with my daughter
2. Time without my daughter (nap time)
3. When we go out, women are very interested in me again (Stella’s a chick magnet)
4. Seeing Stella grow and change everyday
5. Diaper changes. They are not stinky yet and it makes her very happy—smiles and giggles throughout.

5 not-so-great things about being a stay at home dad
1. High-pitched baby talk –I would really like to read the newspaper to her in a normal tone.
2. I miss adult speak.
3. People generally frown on bringing babies into bars
4. Bottle feeding every two hours—you could set your freaking watch by her
5. Convincing mall security that I am actually there for the play date

DiddleDee

We've finally convinced Stephen's mother to offer some of her fantastic handmade baby things for sale. She makes the sweetest things - we have been lucky to have some of her darling headbands. Seems like every time we see her, she looks at Stella's outfit, disappears for a while, and emerges with the cutest accessories to match her ensemble. Lord knows this baby has to be coordinated!!

She also makes THE BEST baby blankets - big enough to swaddle a little one (so they stay swaddled, and you know how fanatic I am about that), and in different weights for different seasons. We would not have gotten through summer without her sweet lightweight blankets - Stella loves to play with (and on) them, they block the sun and are easy to wash.

If you need a baby gift, check out her shop at www.diddledee.etsy.com. (It's named after this sweet little Irish song she sings to her grandchildren.) She takes custom orders and has much more than is listed currently (bibs, burp cloths, buntings, etc.).

Stella is definitely benefitting from her talented Nana.

sugar-free me, week one

I'm down 3 pounds since last week. Still sane and everything.
There is a weight loss pool going on at work, I think I will join it and harness the power of my competitive side. Everyone puts $50 in and winner takes the cash. Hopefully breastfeeding mothers aren't disqualified. On the one hand, it burns extra calories, but on the other, you aren't allowed to diet and have a hard time finding time to work out. Maybe that all evens out?

Thoughts from a Househusband 2

Something occurred to me the other day; being a stay at home parent is not like a job at all. I thought that staying at home would be like a simple transfer to a new position or small career change. I thought my hours would be better, I thought I would enjoy being my own boss. I thought that the work would be less stressful. Boy was I wrong!

The hours suck, and there is no such thing as a weekend off. I really thought that being a househusband would be just another work day – different deadlines, different boss, but work all the same. The problem with my logic was that the weekend comes and I am still a dad with a very demanding boss. And the stakes are much higher – quarterly sales goals are nothing compared to helping my daughter form the personality that will take her through her whole life.

I've got the best job in the world. Hats off to all those stay at home moms and dads.

still growing

Stella had a check up with her doctor today. 15 lbs, 4.5 oz!!!
Kiddo is in the 95th percentile for head size, and 90th for height and weight. Meaning her head is bigger than 95% of all the other babies her age, etc. At least she is in proportion...

She also had to have a couple of shots, not fun, but we did ok.

not into the bar scene

Some good friends of ours moved out of town last weekend, and had a last hurrah at one of our pre-baby hangouts. It's an Irish pub with a big open patio in the back. We thought we would stop in and wish them well, and bring the bambina since we would not be there long. We've been many times where people have brought their kids, since the patio is outside and all. But as soon as I crossed the threshold, I knew I had made a huge mistake. Stella started crying instantly, unprepared for such loud Johnny Cash. And of course I can't make it more than 10 yards without running into someone I work with. I'm all "Oh yeah, hi, I'm the woman who brings her baby to a bar..."

It felt awful, we hightailed it out of there. It's weird how much things change with a little one. It was just all wrong.

sugar-free me

Today is day three of my cut-out-the-sweets initiative. In the last part of my pregnancy, I cut out all sugar in hopes of having a non-ginormous baby. Didn't have gestational diabetes or anything, but her head measurements were so big that the ultrasound machine literally could not compute her size. They were thinking she was going to be 11 pounds or so! My doctor suggested cutting back on sugar to see if that would help.

And... yikes, was that hard on me. Especially during pregnancy where you get tired so easily, a sugar rush could really help my day along. Anyway, I did it then, and I am going to try it now.

After a while, I really did crave it less. Certain things (hello, mint chocolate chip ice cream!) were always hard to pass up. But I put a goal in to eat at least three pieces of fruit every day, and while it did increase my danger of becoming one of those jerks who think fruit is a dessert, it worked.

I gave myself one cheat a week, and by doing so felt more like I was savoring, and less like I was depriving. The pressure was on to make sure it was truly delicious and worth the indulgence. Sometimes I even skipped the indulgence if nothing worthwhile came along. It's easy to pass up nasty store-bought cake if you know a homemade brownie sundae is on the horizon...

This is not a low-carb endeavor, so certain things that others might consider sugary are still in on my list. More like I am cutting out those foods you would normally consume for dessert. I know that I eat healthy foods already, in acceptable portions, but my sweet tooth is completely insane.
Out: cookies, chocolate, ice cream, etc. (4:00 gelati hour, I think I'll miss you the most...)
Still in: yogurt (not the frozen kind), fruit with whipped cream, chocolate milk, grown up breakfast cereals, PB&J

If I drank sodas or juices, I would cut those out, but I really only drink water, wine, and the occasional margarita.

Wish me luck!

one tough crowd

I am so glad we captured Stella's exuberant baby giggles a few weeks ago. We haven't really heard them since. Apparently, we are just not that funny to her anymore.

We are working our tails off trying to hear that giggle again, but no dice. The most we can get is this mannish little chuckle, it sounds sort of like a lawnmower starting ("heh-heh-heh-heh-heh").

She acts delighted, sort of doing the silent laugh like my friend Tammy used to do, where the face is laughing, but no sound comes out. And so we keep doing whatever it is, tickling, singing, waving our hands in the air like we just don't care, you name it. She seems to quickly tire of us. My sister thinks she is just like me, on the not-so-easily-impressed side. Like, "ok, that was funny, now what?" She enjoys it all, but no baby hysteria.

Stephen does this great thing where he is like a wild pig rooting for truffles on her tummy. She goes insane, but of course no giggles. It's the closest thing though. All he has to do is snort at her and she lights right up.

She's a very happy baby, but we are just dying to hear that giggle again...

everything is bigger in texas

including this headband Stephen's mom made her:


we took some more pictures yesterday, you can see them on our flickr site.