Past year

Does anyone else use the "past 12 months" function on their Mac to see what they were doing a year ago in photos?

 Avery had a bowl cut and a case of the giggles. To be fair, the feeling of fake satin on the skin IS rather silly. Although I thought her outfit for Chinese New Year to be quite dapper.

 We made felts from, well, felts from Joanne's. I cut out all these shapes myself, except for the precuts of the monkeys, puppies and frogs at the bottom. See, Mom, I CAN be an artist.

Another hohum day in Southern California--rippin' around on the Dumbo ride at Disneyland. Yes, my face is rather full here, I was 8 months pregnant. I had just had a Haagen Dazs toffee ice cream bar and had plans for a few more.

And now, here we are with my new little pumpkin, Cami. She's almost 8 months old, crawling, pulling to stand and generally being so sweet and funny. Can't stand how lovable and precious she is--I find myself nestling my nose in her chubby cheeks and neck half the day.

Avery loves her, she loves Avery and I love them both, although I do find myself playing hysterical defensive linebacker a lot now, as Avery will strangle her (with affection) if I turn my head for 2 seconds.

'Course, lately, come night time, all those loving memories almost dissolve as she screams for 45 minutes. Teething. It ain't no joke.

Playing Catch Up

Being a good blogger is apparently out of my range. Obviously.
Mostly because it requires consistent discipline and determination to write and record, even when the nice, flattering comments aren't flowing. And when I haven't been to Anthro in 2 months. Mainly because I have a 2.5 year old. Also, I had another baby 3 weeks ago, by the by.

 Camden, 2 minutes old. Not thrilled with her eviction from what I can only imagine was a warm, cuddly place well fueled with chocolate Magnum ice cream bars. I ate them every night FOR YOU, KID.

 Me, sans makeup and sleep and most notably, sans heavy pressure in my groin. And aha! a small furry child has magically appeared and is making her way to my neck! Chris is thrilled that she isn't colicky--meaning, no manical screaming for 4 hours/day! Hoorah!

 Avery, is a wonderful big sister. She has remarkable curiosity and even better self-control. Mostly because we haven't allowed her to touch anything but baby sister's neck and feet (she had an unfortunate case of pink eye when we came back from the hospital, so trying hard not to spread to baby...and then back to toddler and then back and forth again)!

Me and baby, selfie--donning a very Anti-Anthro bathrobe--the print itself is shabby chic circa 1980, might have borrowed it from my grandma, don't remember. But the perfect thing indeed to unsteadily traipse around the hospital room in, hopped up on painkillers and barely propped on my swollen cankles.

Welcome, Baby Cami! You are so sweet and cuddly and easily portable. And your presence has prevented me from letting an entire YEAR go by without blogging! Love you so much, already.

Avery at 21 months and birthday discount

SO MUCH TALKING.
You are blowing my mind, kiddo. With the talking, the constant chattering and commentary on what you want ("Avery want mama take to park") or what you don't want ("no want THAT!") usually with an imperiously pointed finger. You are boisterously alternating from disdainful to delighted to ornery and obnoxious and then quickly back to happy squealing.

Things you like:
going to the park
going down the little slide
spotting your little friend, baby Connor, and hugging him TIGHT while he gazes out piteous and hapless from your enthusiastic embrace.


Things you love:
going to the park with mama and dada
sliding down the big slide that always freaks other moms out--they think I'm being irresponsible and have Child Protective Services on hold
getting hugged by moma or dada and then pushing us and running away while we're not quite done showering with kisses.

I was listing your words up til about 16 months. Nowadays, it just is an exercise in futility. It would be like trying to follow a very active dog around for a week and counting how many bushes he sniffed and how many times he panted happily in between. Um, a thousand? Ten thousand? Why does it matter anymore except to show that you are normal and happy and healthy and maybe even a little obnoxious.

I do however, treasure your words. I love that you say,"Mama, come play puzzles, pwease." Usually the pwease has to be wheedled out, but it does appear more and more frequently. My favorite words lately are the ones charmingly mispronounced. Like "bwbwbwbwimp" (blimp) and "pwwumb" (plumb). I ask you to say them over and over, while holding a very straight face and a slightly shaky flip video camera. I know you will hate it when they show up in your future wedding video montage. Oh well. Well WELL worth it.

It's my birthday this month. I get a 15% discount at Anthro---I'm probably going to pounce on ALL the curtains that we should have bought 2 years ago and prevented our house from looking like a forlorn 70's garage sale.

1. Coqo Floral 2. Climbing Vines 3. Tawi.
What do you all think?
xoxo

Since We Last Spoke

We've had a lovely summer.

 Filled with swinging,

 Desserts at Bottega Louie,

 Visits and facetime with Aimee,

 going through many many bottles of bubble solution,

 playdates that have turned into whale watching

 (I swear, 5 minutes after I snapped this picture, I saw spouting and an enormous tail right above Avery's head--seriously. I promise. No, really!)

 Avery learned to drum at music class, and hasn't stopped since...

 Visited the aquarium, which never fails to BLOW MY MIND.

 Hugged my very very pregnant friend, Deb, wearing my favorite Floreat tunic (me, not her)...

 A few days later, hugged her precious, almost 9 pound chunker newborn.

 Game night with friends from work--a very scary friendly game of Taboo which led to lots of yelling from the opposing side, while my side (ME in particular) stayed completely calm and sportsmanlike. I have never been known to be competitive AT ALL.

 Avery and I went back to the Aquarium with other mama/baby friends. It's just that fun.

 Those leafy seahorses ARE CRAZY! Who could ever imagine the plant and animal kingdom merging into one?!

 Avery played horsie with Auntie Gabby, our sweet, Swiss/German, domestic-goddess, bulldog of a friend. She's tough, smart, loyal, and makes a mean Easter basket. Also knits like a badass.

 We had lots of sushi.

 And quickly jaunted over to Disneyland with Deb's hubs and son, while Deb stayed with new baby at home.  It's a small world, after all.

 Made kale-couscous cakes.

 Lots of farmer's market runs for these gorgeous gem-like strawberries (I love them on the brink of rotting--you know, when they're just so ripe they burst with flavor and the fruitflies are hovering).

And read lots of new books.
How about you? What did you guys do all summer? We miss you!
xoxo,
shelia

"Anthro" Trunk Show

Hi ho, all.
     Have you ever been invited to a party for a shadowy mafia boss who was supposedly dead?

You know, in a dark alley, with a hidden door and a secret password complete with a specific knock.

And when you finally wrestled your way in, mountains of glistening diamonds surrounded by fountains of dark chocolate surrounded by smiling Phillip Phillips look-alikes?

           Well, that was the unofficial Anthro trunk show I attended a few weeks ago. Hundreds of pieces from Anthro and Free People from the past 3 past seasons. They had been sold to a consignment shop, run by a few girls who brought them to various homes, much like a Tupperware party. Friends of the hostess were invited, and all the clothes were about 50% off.

       I came for the clothes. But stayed for the food. Because Julie, being the awesome hostess she is, had it fabulously catered.

 I *may* have gone early. And stayed late. And guarded my pile of loot jealously.

 I *may* have said the words, Survivor/Apprentice/Bachelor-style, "I'm not here to make friends."

 I *may* though, have relented, especially after my credit card started weeping when they rang up my mountain of beautiful treasures. Since I saw quite a few new and old friends there.

And when I saw my friend Amy, who saw one of the sweaters I had in my pile, I "let" her try it on. She had been stalking it for at least a year.

 She flapped around a bit, begging, pleading, generally grovelling.

 But she did look great in it, as you can see. So I *allowed* her to take it home.

 And of course, Julie the hostess had little favors. Which were adorable and hand made by her.

 It was the perfect day (Up until I got rear-ended on the way home, thinking "What a perfect day!" Sometimes fate has a way of balancing things out).