Day #1 of year #2

I didn't blog on Daniel's birthday because well, momma was busy at work and I wanted to spend my few non-working hours actually enjoying Daniel's brithday with him.  I figured for a change of pace, I'd write the blog from Daniel's perspective...

I woke up at 5:30 am, because that's my new thing, sometimes I have a poopy diaper, sometimes I just head noise and want to know what's going on.  Mommy decided that she wanted to keep sleeping and brought me into bed to snuggle with her.  I didn't sleep, but I had fun staring at the ceiling fan and being close to mommy.  At 6am, when mommy decided it was time to get up, we went downstairs got a bottle and hung out until daddy came home from the gym.  We played and I crawled on my big (fur) brother Connor until mommy took us for a run.  I got a little nap in the stroller and was happy to get breakfast with daddy when we got home.  I also got to get a shower with mommy since I got yogurt all over my hands and promptly put them in my hair when I was done eating.  We took my obligatory monthly photos and mommy had me dressed in a birthday outfit (see below) but I'm done with this sitting still stuff and it was over quickly.

Miss Zulee and my friends at daycare were happy to see me and share my birthday cookies and stawberries and Zulee told everyone that it was my birthday!  We had a lot of fun playing at school and I ate all of the yummy food that Zulee made for lunch. Daddy and Grandma Mary hung out with us for a bit after they came to get me and we played and played on my swing set when we got home.  We had a yummy chicken dinner on the deck before I smooshed it all in my hair :-) It was just my ploy to get bath #2 for the day. I was also getting on the tired and cranky side so it was also my way to tell them that I was ready for bed. Grandma and Daddy got me up to the bath, scrubbed me down and mommy rocked me to sleep with my bottle.  It was a great birthday!  And we'll continue it on Saturday with all of my friends at my birthday party/  Mommy has mentioned something about cupcakes...I think I'm going to like them!

I'm a BIG 1 year old!

Playing with my "ipad"...I don't sit still for long.

Lovin' my mommy!

Being silly with my daddy!

Happy to see my grandma Mary!

Too smart for his own good?

Like the velociraptor in Jurassic Park, Daniel surprised us by showing off how he's learned how to open the lever doors in the house. He's especially interested in one door in particular...the one that leads to the basement.  The few times that he got it open (pre-safety lock in the picture) I'd hear it open, followed by a "oooh" as he looked down the stairs to the basement and a slap slap of his arms as he crawled towards the edge (and mommy or daddy quickly swooped in to stop him).  Let's just say he was NOT pleased when the lock was put in place.  Here's a shot of him trying to rip off the safety latch. No luck, but now he's moved on to learning how to flush the toilet....greeeeaaat.

My future triathlete



Tucking down in the areobar position...

I had my first post Olympic distance triathlon on Sunday (1500m swim, 26 mi bike, 10k run) on a course that is often called "unique" in marketing materials and "brutal" by the athletes who compete on it.  I had trained jsut enough to not make a fool of myself, but definitely not enough to set any records.  My friend, Roxanne (Aunt Rocky), who is training for an Ironman, kicked serious booty and it was fun to be racing with her again. She's the reason I got into triathlons right after I finished a marathon on a stress fracture.  Daniel and Daddy came up with us to spectate and Daniel even wore his special triathlon onesie that I had purchased over two years ago in hopes that someday I would have a little one to wear it. It was a sunny and very warm day and Chris carried Daniel around in the baby backpack.  Daniel likes the higher up vantage point and it's great for him to be able to take a nap.  He was lathered in spf55 and only got a bit of rosy cheeks from the warm. He tolerated his baby sunglasses, but not the hat.  At least he had sunscreen.  New race...a half marathon in a few weeks.  Much faster and we'll be done before 10am and out of the heat!  I can't wait to enter Daniel into the little kids races and mini-triathlons.  With all of his energy, he going to love them!


Finish line with mommy



Spectating is exhausting, post race nap with daddy.



Mother's Day Fun

I've been so busy with work that I haven't had a chance to write about mother's day.  Last year we "celebrated" with a new BBQ and some steaks.  I was enormously pregnant and very uncomfortable, but it would be less than two weeks before Daniel arrived so I actually felt like I was allowed to celebrate being a "mother".  This year we had returned from CA the night before, and blessedly had a whole row to ourselves on the way back too (I love you Virgin America), but I was BEAT tired.  We went to church and then had a relaxing afternoon at home with my mom and brother.  Chris and Tio Rudy built Daniel's new playset while we watched.  Daniel has been climbing UP slides for awhile at daycare and we already knew he loved swings, so even though the playset was technically for 3-6 year olds, Daniel loved it (here's video to prove it).

The box is fun!



Hello!



Steering the "ship"

Climbing UP the slide

Swinging with my Tio

The ultimate carry-on

I took advantage of a wonderful boss who made sure I was the "odd man out" and ended up with the single room and encouraged me to bring Daniel on this trip to San Francisco.  I almost didn't because my 3-day trip turned to a 2-day one and that seemed pretty rough to bring a baby cross country...by myself...and then do it all again two days later, but I figured, when else am I going to be able to do this? He's still somewhat portable, and while he did need quite a bit of entertaining on the flight, he's not yet walking and he charmed everyone around us.  Grandma Mary drove up from LA to babysit and Uncle Chad and Clis came down for a visit tonight.  We're in a GORGEOUS resort, way above par for CI's normal staff lodging, but we'll take it.  They even had a full sized crib for Daniel and brought in a diaper pail and baby bathtub for him.  We're in the standard room, but Daniel's crib fits in the walk in closet...which comes in hand when he goes down to be at 5pm, because it feels like 8pm.  I'm hoping he sleeps well tonight.  Of course, it doesn't help that he's starting to have a case of stranger anxiety and clings to (and climbs on) me like a wild monkey. I was told this day would come. Oye. Here's a few shots of him "bumming" around the resort with Grandma.



Checking out the airplanes, EARLY in the morning



Taking a little snooze on the plane



Lunch with mommy and grandma, before mommy works.



Hanging out at the pool





Going for a walk (that is the "I'm refusing to nap" look.





And then finally crashing...long day.



Why the dog loves the baby

I could also title this "why I love my dog" because even though Connor is a total beggar and barks his head off to get attention (and digs up my backyard), he is a gentle dog to his core.  We lucked out with this pup.  And while he knows, that even though he's been demoted, he will at least always get table scraps from his little brother.  Tonight's haul: sweet potato, ground turkey and some broccoli.

Of course, we didn't capture the "one for you and one for me" moment when Daniel was sharing and then enjoying a piece of sweet potato.  Building up immunities.

Oh the messes that will be made...

Something I read recently said to start introducing a spoon for the baby to hold and to encourage them to "use" it.  Unlike some of Daniel's girlfriends, Daniel has no problem letting someone feed him.  Sure, he'll get frustrated at times, but he's just as happy picking up bite sized pieces as he is with food been served on a spoon. So this week I gave him his meals in the small serving container (after giving most of it via spoon first) and then tonight he had some of my lasagna on a plate.  I think more of the lasagna made it into his hair, shirt, and hands than in his mouth.  Oh well, it's all about building independence...

Climbing before walking (video evidence)

We laughed at the thought that our baby could climb before he could walk and then the reality of that set it...we're in for it.  We first noticed Daniel trying to pull up on his high chair on Saturday afternoon and as good first-time parents we broke out the cameras to document it.  He was cute and frustrated (as seen in the first video) and then by Sunday afternoon he was pulling up and almost turning around to sit down without a hitch.  Serious uh-oh...

Climbing on Saturday

Climbing on Sunday (fast learner)