Tuesday 23 August 2011

I've got my green shoes on.




These beauties were made just for Wugs by wonderful super-awesome Kat. She gave them to me at my baby shower, addressed to Baby Weibel and back before any of knew this little person that would be gracing these shoes. I am so grateful that she made them bigger than newborn-sized (genius!) because lo and behold, I hardly ever put Mila in shoesies back when she was a baby baby. What was the point, only to have them kicked off five seconds later? But now that she staggers walks around, they are perfect. I'm crazy about the bright green.

Kat and I have been friends since kindergarten (she picked ME to walk her to the nurse's office after throwing up in music class! I was on cloud nine.). She is undoubtedly a lifelong friend. Her little girl was born back in January and I love that Mila will have the same friendship in sweet Ella. We just have to get back to Florida (goshdarnit).

p.s. Why yes, that is a vintage Pooh dress Mila is wearing in the pictures (Marmousch of course). Lucky girl.

Meeting her Grandpa.







On Sunday Mila met her Grandpa for the first time. I don't know who was more taken with whom; the one who kept receiving hand-picked flowers at every turn, or the one who was being constantly flirted with.
 We'll call it even.
Thank you for visiting us, Grandfridad! And we're going to hold you to that promise you made to spy on Mila at her prom.

Friday 19 August 2011

Weekend!

Happy weekend. On Wednesday we drove in search of summer (it's FREEZING living right on the bay!) and found it in the form of a water park, where we had a ball. We liked it so much that tomorrow we're going to try to find summer again, this time someplace different. We are determined. 

Meanwhile, two wonderful article about a subject near and dear to my heart. The first is one I wish I had could have read before having Mila. It would have saved me so much is this normal? agony those first few months.

And the second...well, the second (via Marvelous Kiddo's twitter feed) just makes me very happy. All the things I feel, put into words perfectly.
Nursing Mila, 2 months old

I-dentical!

This is my latest favorite photo of Mila. And not just for the obvious milestones going on here--standing, taking off and walking. No no, there's so much more to it than that. Jazz hands, for one. Football huddle. And you know that scene in My Cousin Vinny where the prosecuting attorney is questioning the auto expert and suddenly he slaps his hands together and exclaims I-DENTICAL! Does anyone (besides Steve and Lamb) know what I'm talking about? Anyways. There's that. All that and more rolled up into a Wugs.

Wednesday 17 August 2011

We have a lovey!

Name: Llama llama
You may know him from: Red pajama fame
Tell him what he wins, Bob: Kisses from Wugs (open mouth!) and lots of scruff-o'-the-neck grabbing as he gets taken from room to room...to room. 




must learn how to take non-blurry pictures of a very mobile Wugs


carrot break


Um, can I just say how thrilled I am that my little girl has found her first lovey, her first favorite?! She is truly starting to come into her own. Leaving behind babyhood, entering toddlerhood. It all makes me very sentimental (weren't we swaddling her just yesterday?) but I am loving getting to know this incredible person.

Welcome to our family, llama llama.

Monday 15 August 2011

Last week, in pictures

Steve's favorite flower

wading

40 candles on the cake

nursing an almost-toddler

oh yes. Tasting cake is even better than my beloved bananas.
seaweed!
on the slides with my sidekick

playdate





Classic Wugs



Saturday 13 August 2011

Weekend

Hope everyone is having a relaxing weekend. I was planning for one but we are knee-deep in the middle of a cat-intervention here so it looks like the relaxing will have to wait. We love having pets but sometimes...well, I'll just leave it at that.

The best thing I read this week was this article, via Cup of Jo. It was such an eye-opener for me. I have a running dialogue with Wugs throughout the day (she must think I never shut up!) and find myself constantly commenting on how beautiful, adorable, gorgeous etc. she is. While I still (and always will) think she is the most beautiful soul I've ever laid eyes on, I'm making more of an effort now to comment more on her intrinsic qualities--her generosity, kindness, her evident love for animals, newfound skills, that sort of thing. I know my little Woog Wam Woo is still oh so small but I want to start good habits now, you know?

Thursday 11 August 2011

Mila's threads, continued.






Another one. This one was knit by Marmousch. Amazing, right? Note the beautiful yarn over's going down the front! Marmee is one of those knitters who doesn't even need a pattern; actually, she says she knits better without one (whaaaaaaaat?). I am standing up and clapping. I love this dress and Mila rocks it.




Wednesday 10 August 2011

She is drunk with power.

Banana power.  This was taken right after Wugs ate her favorite dessert tonight...her favorite anything, actually: frozen banana.

She looks all greasy and sweaty here, no? It's the banana. That crazy look in her eye? I blame the banana.

Now do you see why her 1st birthday cake is going to be a nanner one?

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Mila's threads




going...

going...

...nearly gone.



Knitting. It runs in the family, you see. Here is Mila wearing one of my favorite handknits, from my Nonna. Isn't it beautiful? She made, just for Mila, a sweater with matching scarf, hat, and shoes.

And my favorite part? Nonna embroidered Io sono Mila (I am Mila) on the front. I can just picture Wugs' great-grandchildren swooning over that wonderful little detail someday. Grazie Nonna!

Monday 8 August 2011

Celebrating


My man's birthday was yesterday.

It was one of the big ones.

In past birthdays we've taken getaways to a lighthouse, to a cave, to romantic rooftop rooms at b & b's where we had a jacuzzi to ourselves; we've gone on a kayaking trip, stayed in a private cabin and could hear a glacier calving we were that close (we were also joined by a bear! but that's a story for another day). There was the birthday with the I heart Steve banner. Last year I was a million months pregnant but I still managed to stretch a dress over my enormous belly and we went out to a romantic dinner in Orlando, spending the night excitedly talking about this little person about to enter our lives (and change it all).

Fast forward to this year. No crazy romantic dinner in the city. No whirlwind getaway. No big fanfare or surprise party.We spent the day relatively quietly, just the three of us. I made a cake. We took Mila to the park and held her hands between ours as we walked and she squealed at puppies.  Are we boring? Steve said this was what he wanted, but I couldn't help but draw comparisons.

I'm going to be really honest here and say that you have to keep an eagle-eye vigilance over your marriage that first year after a child is brought into the mix. When you're struggling with a crash course in babies, dealing with little to no sleep, and trying to find your "new normal," it's easy to turn on the only other adult in the house and attack. We've had some moments I'm not so proud of, but at the end of the day I love him more than ever. And we are stronger than ever. Seeing him as a father sheds a whole new light on everything and I am privileged and honored to share this lifelong road with him. He is brave, he is ever-optimistic, and he is ours. Mine and Mila's. We will hold onto him tightly.

So yes, this year was a quiet one for a very big birthday. That is okay. There is a place in our future for parties and trips, but in the meantime we'll enjoy each other. Just as it should be.

Happy day of your birth Pook.



Friday 5 August 2011

It's Friday.


All those gorgeous kites last weekend reminded me of other beautiful things I've seen in the sky, like hot air balloons. In 2007 Steve and I went to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta (dubbed The Greatest Show Off Earth!) and it was just amazing. I can't wait to return there with Wugs in tow in a few years. A kids' dream, I would think. Anyhoo, I dug up some of our pictures from the Balloon Fiesta. We didn't ride in a balloon there, Steve had surprised me with a balloon ride for my birthday a few years back so we were more than happy to take in the view from the ground .







I have to say I'm happy to see this week come to an end. It's been a very tough one for my family. If you pray, please send up a prayer for us. I would be so grateful. Good night!