Trucker Cowboy

Hard to tell with the lighting, but those waders are Julie's cowgirl boots.

Learning the chopsticks

Burp!

Jin thinks that burping is the zenith of all humor.

Trains

Blowing bubbles

Back to School

Well, a lot of time has passed and I'm back to work and Jin is in daycare. We both had a bit of a rough start, but we've been adjusting quite well. Jin's teachers think he is advanced in his puzzle-putting-together-abilities, as well as being a really good helper. He used to cry when he saw me come through the doors. The stress of the day was too much and he just needed to cry and be held. Now he smiles and runs over to see me. He likes to point to the things he's been doing all day and kiss his teacher Miss Myra bye-bye. I'm relieved. And happy to have a job that I really, really enjoy. But also a little sad about the day to day things I'm missing with Jin. And like everyone else, really, really enjoying the weekends.

vacation!

Things are getting a little more relaxed these days! Clothing optional...

This picture was taken the day before Zander went out of town. 7 days later and I'm still smiling, but if you'd look closely you'd see an extra wide streak of crazy running through me!

The Benjamin

I LOVE this idea! With school starting soon, I somehow feel like I need to go buy things and really, I'm too broke not to shop in my own closet. Speaking of money... Damn the public library for not going easy on me. I feel like they've gotten much stricter about enforcing their fines. I'm still a new mother and organization has never been one of my strengths. I explained this to the librarian yesterday and her eyes rolled back into her head.

Happy 2 months later!

Here's Jin begging bubbles off of strangers at my friend Rebecca's wedding recently. It was a beautiful wedding. Zander and I gulped big glasses of wine and chased Jin while he swiped at the pretty ladies with his fingers covered in frosting.
Here was our official day in court. The judge was very sweet and took extra time with us for pictures. I cried throughout the hearing. My dress was $12 (!) at Hunt and Gather. Jin's bowtie is from VV's and it was approximately $.89. I usually don't really put much thought into what Jin is wearing, but oh my... I think he looks so cute wearing a bowtie.
Zander is off to Comic Con for the week and Jin keeps saying "Da-Da" over again and again. He's confused so we're processing, which by the way is one of my favorite activities. Usually I like to do this with people closer to my own age, but this is fun too. I'm trying to view this as special time alone with Jin instead of freaking out about when I'll be able to take a shower or sleep without Zander here. Tonight we ate our dinner on a towel in the front yard.
Random stuff:
I've been doing Weight Watchers lately. I've gained a little weight and lost any ability to close my mouth when there is food nearby. I know this program is really effective for many people, but I think it makes me eat like CRAP! I mean, sure I'll eat an individual sized processed ice cream treat sweetened with junk for 2 points. Scratch that mister, I'll have two of those. Then I'll wash it down with some chemicals that are calorie free. No thanks, I don't need any cheese, I'll just sprinkle some cheese flavored popcorn dust on my hand and lick it off. Again and again. Zero points. I have lots of friends that swear by this program, but it brings out the junkie in me. Maybe I need to be thinking more along these lines and enjoy more, but we'll see.
Lately I've enjoyed looking here,here, and I always look here.

Jin Loves Popsicles!

I'm loving hanging around in the parks with Jin these days! On a crafty note, that hat is made out of an old pair of cords. They had wide legs but I still have to yank that sucker to get it on to my head.

A Dinosaur Needs Snacks You Know...

I'm hoping that OB will add a little to Jin's college fund once they get a good look at this one. Check it out.

Cool Car

I just bought some of this cool fabric over at the Crafty Planet. Or maybe I should call it Crack Planet. (The owner there is THE NICEST person-she ALWAYS remembers my name AND Jin's name, and no it's not because I'm in there that often) Anyway, Jin needs some breezy pants that cover his knees, but aren't too hot. I scrimped on the yardage, so maybe he'll get a pair of "JAMS" instead. Do you remember Jams? I might be mixing this up, but I think I wore them with my jellies. For real.

I Just Discovered that I Talk Baby Talk

1. Yes, now that I know that I talk baby talk to my son, I'll try and stop.
2. If I tell Jin that he'd "better not do-so-and-so..." he is the MOST likely to do it. It didn't work today.
3. He loves talking about his Dad. And yes, he does know how to say Mama. It was his first word even.
4. We eat almost all of our meals with The Fish out on the table. When we're done, he goes back in the hutch or the cats try and eat him.
5. Jin is really in to snuggling and tickling right now.
6. Jin sleeps in his crib now, and last night was his second night in a row of sleeping through the night. I'm starting to be able to complete a thought again. Kind-of.
7. Being a mom to Jin is one of the best things I've ever experienced... Even when the bubble blowing sucks, when I don't feel like pretending to vacuum with Jin's toy (because I need to vacuum for real), when I find a poop chunk on the cute rug in his room AGAIN, when he pours his milk into his food, and even when he finds my fattest part, pokes it and laughs out of pure delight. Zander doesn't even get to do that one.

Moo, Baa and Mmm

It's official. Almost every time, but mostly when he feels like it, Jin will tell you exactly what a cow, a sheep, and a vacuum sound like. He's still a little iffy on what cats sound like, but he can tell you that our cat's name is Boo. This is all really new folks, and as lame as it seems, it is really freaking exciting on our end.

Today we went to (and got there too late to see) the May Day Parade. It's difficult pushing a stroller through the masses! However, it was an absolutely lovely time to be in the park and take in all the hippie magic fairy dust. This very well might be my favorite day of the year!

Alright, the sweet boy won't be nearly as sweet if I don't start rocking him to sleep!

Maybe I'll do something crafty-like on this blog again soon!

Rooar.

I feel like a scared mama bear today. We're meeting with the director of a very sweet Montessori school tomorrow. This is great! There are openings. Also great. It's a really good fit for us, and Jin loves his classes at ECFE so I'm pretty sure he'll love "real" school in September. But Jin has a very low-grade fever tonight and the swine flu has given me the hee-bee-jee-beez. SO my logical perspective is out the window and now I want to scrap our meeting and go live in the hills with my sweet little family. Jin can learn to write in the mud with a stick.

Happy Easter!

How does our sweet baby already know that chocolate is not an ordinary food? How does he know that it should be eaten until it makes your scalp tingle? We're on sugar detox. As of right now. I'm hoping to successfully wipe Jin's memory of the precious drug and replace it with a healthy love for broccoli and sunshine.

It was SO nice and warm in Denver. Jin loved not being all bundled up and getting to investigate things without his mittens on.

This picture was taken minutes before Jin and I went to our first day of school. ECFE is wonderful... There was play time, gym time, snack time and then singing time. In this class the parents stay with their child, while chatting up other parents. At one point Jin gave into his instincts and let go of a huge happiness holler.