Five Favorites

I've compiled a short list of the kids' faves now and hope to again in three months to see what may change and what may actually stay the same.

Paige's Five Favorites
Show: Max & Ruby
Snack: crackers & cheese
Book: Fancy Nancy at the Museum
Toy: Little People house
Saying: "I have an idea..."

Nick's Five Favorites
Show: Dora - when Map shows up, he lights up
Snack: banana
Book: Doggies by Sandra Boynton
Toy: Racing Ramps Garage
Saying: "Roarrrrr...."

At the Car Wash

One good thing about the local car wash is that they have a play area for kids. It just so happened that I had my camera with me and I couldn't resist taking a photo of Paige in the bright, colorful structure. We also shared some cracker jacks while we waited. Unfortunately there weren't enough peanuts...I hate that!

Chargers' Charm

I'd like to think that Nick in Chargers' gear (thanks to Diana) Monday night was the reason for their first win. He did not have this outfit the first two games. Last season, we were completely convinced that the Chargers' game depended on Nick's mood. Superstitious, I know, but when you're huge fans like us, you need something to believe in. Oh, and, I can never get enough of watching him push the wagon.

Curb Appeal

Our house has curb appeal now, yay! After months and months of dead grass and never-ending weeds, we put in some low-water landscaping and working sprinklers. We also gave the house a much needed facelift by changing the paint color. We are very pleased at how it all turned out.

Before:After:

Italian Feast

We had a great Italian-themed party to celebrate Nick's birthday. Everyone knows that Italians really know how to eat, drink, and be merry:
- Cathy, Brian's mom, made a big lasagna and baked Nick's cake.
- Vera, my mom, made spinach and ricotta stuffed shells with tomato sauce from her garden.
- I made Italian macaroni and cheese and a set of appetizers: meats, cheeses, and stuffed olives and mushrooms.
- Italian sausage and bread came from markets in Little Italy downtown.
- Dessert was a cannoli cake from Lorna's, our favorite local Italian restaurant.

Nick loved celebrating with the family and was the happiest baby throughout the party.

To view more photos of the party and our guests, just click here:

Birthday

Thank you to Bill, Mom, and Nicole & Terry for providing me with pictures. That's the one thing I just couldn't get to.

Our Little Guy

A year can go by in an instant and here's proof. This slideshow was made in honor of Nick's special day. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Nicolas!

Today Nick turns one. I almost have to shake my head in disbelief. Not only is my sweet baby boy one year old, but we made it one year with two small children. And, it was not easy mind you, with a busy toddler, attention-seeking dog, and all that comes with raising a family. I'm sad to have all those little baby moments behind me, but I'm also very much looking forward to all the milestones around the corner. I remember the leaps and bounds Paige grew by in her second year and this time I won't be pregnant through it all, which means much more energy to keep up with a growing boy!

Breakfast pan"cake", homemade by DadI think he likes it. It did have whipped cream after all.Opening his gift from Mom & Dad. Big Sis must help, of course.He actually has been playing with this all day despite the serious look.

Project Complete

I'm happy to report that Unit Project Landscape is now complete. I am so thrilled to see working sprinklers, a play area on wood chips, and beautiful trees and plants. Unfortunately, we will not be able to walk or play on the grass for a couple of weeks which will certainly take some major willpower; however, we'll happily glide over to the slide and play there for awhile. When the lighting is right, I plan to take and then post pictures of the front yard as well. The best part is that the job is complete before Nick's family birthday party this Saturday. Yippee!

The Art of the Burger

Recently, Brian has perfected his hamburger. It is amazingly delicious. Here is what he has found.
1. Find the best ground beef possible. We buy the organic beef at Costco. Pricey? Yes, but well worth it.
2. Less is best. After forming the quarter pound patties, brush lightly with black truffle oil* (olive oil can work as a substitute), sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh coarsely ground black pepper.
3. Throw on the grill and cook to your liking. We prefer medium which is about 3 1/2 minutes per side.
Serve on a fresh, lightly grilled, bun with your favorite condiments. I love melting fresh american cheese from the deli on mine. And today we had some avocado which is always a yummy addition. *I found the black truffle oil at Trader Joe's and the french fries are Ore Ida Zesties.

On the Verge

Nick is so close to taking his first steps. Anytime we grab his hands to walk around, he gets the hugest grin on his face and belts out the biggest chuckle. Paige keeps him motivated and the more she's running around, the more risks he takes to keep up with her.

The older Nick gets, the more fun Paige is having with him. Their favorite game right now is to chase each other around the rooms. They both start laughing when the other sneaks up from behind. It's so amusing to watch. I can only imagine how much more fun they'll have once Nick is solid on his feet.

Other Unit News: The landscapers are coming by today to begin day one of a two week project. We have been in the process of ripping out grass and putting in low water plants. We are also making a play area in the backyard for the kids. I cannot wait for it to be completed. Dealing with the tracking in of dirt has been a nightmare. We'll also have sprinklers that work. Yay, no more hand-watering!

Wounded

This is the part of parenting that is so darn hard. I was standing in the dining room while Brian was outside with Nick when Paige came through the door to see what I was up to. She suddenly burst into tears and when I looked over saw blood oozing from her foot. I yelled for Brian and was overcome with dread. Not only was there blood everywhere but a big chunk of glass on the floor beneath her feet. A bottle broke a couple days ago and apparently we missed a large piece that was wedged in the perfect hiding place. Luckily, after thorough inspection, and lots and lots of crying, we summized that it was a puncture wound not a slice. Thank God! Because visions of taking a two year old to the ER on a Saturday night for stitches was not appealing in the least. Since we were unable to take her pain away from her, all we could do was give her lots of love, a Tinkerbell band-aid, and a little ice cream. Lucky for us, that seemed to be all she needed too.

Wednesday Ramblings

I know Nemo had no idea what he was getting into when we decided to have children. Least of all that he would have to endure the wearing of princess crowns and such. I mean, what would the neighbor dogs think? Paige has been fighting the nap thing for a while lately. I still enforce "quiet time" because Lord knows I need it. Every few days it'll catch up to her and she'll take a good three hour nap. I'm really hoping today is the day. Not only will I get rest but I'll get to check out the new 90210 that I recorded last night. As I type this, I can always hear her in her room. She's been yelling, "Lucifer, come here!" Before getting way ahead of myself and my imagination, I remembered that the cat's name in Cinderella is Lucifer and she must be doing some role-playing in her room. That's way better than the alternative crazy scenario in my head.