this week...

* we pulled out the hose for our first car wash party of the season.

* and i walked barefoot amongst the grass and suds. *i drank enough fresh grapefruit juice to turn my cheeks an alarming shade of ruby red. i can't get enough! *we had our first cookout of the year. *we slept with windows open and casually left doors open behind us. *i hung an easter egg wreath on the door. thank you, target dollar section. *we gazed at gifted crocs that will soon grace chubby little feet. *i fell in love with my new/old plates all over again. mom, can you believe i forgot about these beauties? the trunk of my car really is like a black hole. *i made banana bread. courtesy of this recipe.*and admired the darling little nest that my dad made and gave to me last easter. now it is filled (well, almost filled) with chocolate eggs, which truly thrills me. it's been such a cheery week.

and today, i am wearing flip flops and short sleeves. it just keeps getting better...

girls night

last week, we celebrated me (or is it mine?) and tracey's birthdays with a fancy dinner soiree, thanks to christy and sara. and fancy it was. they went all out. the menu included an incredible mushroom pasta dish (recipe courtesy of the cheesecake factory) salad, warm rolls and chicken. i can't speak for the rest of the girls, but it was bliss for me.


after our gourmet supper, we admired baby T's adorable nursery and itty bitty clothes, and then we hung out in the living room, talking about babies in utero (there were two there), vegas, jobs, and our dreamy men folk.


then we ate cake. strawberry cake. do i have to remind you how much i love berries right now?


i love these girls. and i am pretty smitten with our birthday celebrations. for years, we would visit chic, new downtown eateries and now we opt to eat in at each other's houses. it is so cozy and so....grown up. i dig it.

three is glee

this little boy turned three and his mom and dad arranged a celebration with his friends at a bouce house wonderland!

he certainly knew that it was his birthday and that everyone was there to party because it was his day. so cute.

the cupcakes were made by his mama...and they were good. real good.

one of my favorite parts was watching ever play with all his little friends and hearing their little voices call out each other's names.

erika's brand new, adorable niece was there for us all to gaze at. i even got to hold her. i couldn't believe how tiny and sweet she was.

and these two silly billies doing their, "let's pretend we are a family" picture.

i just can't believe ever is three! it seems like just last tuesday that he looked like this. i remember waiting and waiting for him to come and then getting the text message that he had arrived. it took my breath away. and now he is here, speaking in sentences, understanding that there is a baby in my tummy, and using the big boy potty. he is one of the most fun people i know. and i hope this year is especially magical for him...

happy birthday, sweet boy.

twenty one weeks

dear baby:

today, i am feeling pretty lucky to be preggo with this fine lady. and something tells me that you and baby trampetti are friends already.

love, mama

weekend report

the weekend began on friday night: dinner at casa de kool with the kelly parentals to celebrate both my birthday and st. patty's day. good eats and lots of laughs all around...lucky us, AND we got to take leftovers home.

i got a few fabulous gifts including those to-die-for rain boots. i can't wait to splash around with baby berry next year. or maybe the year after that. but my favorite gifts were the ones i inherited...the shirt that marsha wore to surprise david's parents with the news that she was expecting ryan all those years ago and the baby book that she read before he was born. tied with the most darling bow. how special is that...

the rest of the weekend looked like this:


1. chicken fajitas. times two.

2. nursing runny noses and sneezing fits.

3. first attempt at landra's chocolate oatmeal cookies. best ever.

4. the beginning of "the list". as in the baby name list.

5. rainy walks followed by lots of couch time.

6. french toast mornings.

7. marsha's irish soda bread. with butter. all weekend long.

8. a sudden burst of energy to do loads of laundry, iron and mop.

9. rainy window views.

10. movies with hot chocolate. lots of movies.

********

it seems that i had forgotten how splendid a weekend at home, with nothing to do is, even if i did have a cold. after a trip to the doctor, the video store and the market, we hardly left the house all weekend and the hours crept by so slowly. so lovely.

note to self: you don't always have to plan every inch of your day. sometimes doing nothing at all is delicious. especially when you are with your favorite person, in your favorite place. that's all.

twenty weeks

halfway there!

dear baby:

*i have nothing but love for you this week (well any week really). but this must be the most wonderful stage of "you and me" so far.

*the doc says you look healthy, are growing and i feel fabulous. it is hard to even remember those rough first few months now.

*i started my swim class and i love it. i think you do too because that night after i got home, your daddy felt you move for the first time. i was so happy that he was able to connect with you in the same way that i have. i think you like his funny voices.

*we also celebrated st. patrick's day this week. a big holiday in our household. your daddy celebrated with your uncle jimmy while you and i stayed home and got cozy. no beer for me this year. but tonight we head to mimi and pop's for an irish feast. i don't know about you, but i am pretty excited.

*rest up, our little lephrecaun.

birthday girl (a.k.a. me)

simply put, i adore my birthday. perhaps i am a narcissist. oh well. all i know is that i have never dreaded the arrival of another year. or a chance to celebrate.

so when the daffodils begin to pop up in random patches of grass...i begin planning. and my loyal loved ones play along...

the first celebration began on the eve of my birthday, at casa de awesome, and despite a forecast of rain...sunny skies were here.

we walked with pups (and stared in shock at my growing tummy)

we watched as our mama prepared my favorite treats, including green beans and pear cake...

we visited antique stores where i bought that irresistable little school bus for the nursery, a cute pink basket in case baby berry is a girl berry and mom treated me to a hamper that will soon hide dirty little onesies.


i admired the decorations, carefully placed in my honor (and drooled over the cooling pear cake).

and then we feasted. dad's famous tri tip (apparently, i am now a full-fledged carnivore-weird) mom's salad, green beans and smashed dill potatoes. mmmmm....

and then i made a wish (one that i didn't have to think about for long) and blew out my candle with gusto, so grateful for my first family. it has been such a happy year, and the next is poised to be even better...



*******


on my morning of my birthday, i woke up with my ryan, to an entire day of no plans. it was refreshing. days like this feel like fairy tales to me.



after i opened a darling card that brought a tear to my eye and smelled the bouquet of hydrangeas and tulips that ryan had carefully picked out, it was eating time and my man said he would take me anywhere i wanted to go. i chose tower cafe. it is the best breakfast in this city, i am convinced.


i remember when i used to work in a cafe, i would admire couples who would leisurely eat breakfast, and flip through newspapers in between sips of coffee. they would sometimes lift their head to alert the other to a news story or compliment the eggs, but would quickly return to their paper, content in silence.


my favorites were the ones who played footsie under the table.


ryan and i did just that. it was pretty romantic.


and then the food came. and it instantly garnered our attention.


i couldn't decide between the huevos or the cornmeal blueberry pancake, so i got both! ha!


sadly, i am picture-less, but the rest of the day was filled with a nap, a movie, a surprise trip to the baby store, a long drive and dinner at a pizza parlour...the entire day it poured and it seemed perfectly lazy. it was just how i had hoped to spend my birthday and my favorite part was when ryan, in the sweetest voice i know, toasted me for just being born. swoon i did.

*******

as if i wasn't lucky enough, last night, my besties and i got all dressed up and headed north bound to the place where, in my mind, celebratory dinners are enjoyed. rutherford grill.

a photo shoot helped pass the time as we waited for our table. i am pretty sure that no one has more stylish or fun besties than i.


it is without a doubt, that this year my birthday has really revolved around food. my one remaining vice, and enjoy all the food i did. i really didn't hold back when it came to ordering off the menu. the artichoke was my favorite, but the ribs never disappoint. but the company surpassed any bite that entered my mouth. never dull, always funny they are. sometimes i don't know why they picked me, but i always feel like the lucky one.


i had to save room for dessert. the oreo sandwich is so memorable and the baby inside me really likes sweets. how could i say no? after a thoughtful toast from my companions, i blew out yet another candle.


and i still have two celebrations to go! one with the kelly's of casa de kool on friday and another with my sac town besties next week...


it is all about drawing out the birthday as long as possible, friends, and i am soaking up every moment.

nineteen weeks

dear baby:

*we got to see you in action this week! it was better than disneyland. your daddy and i held hands and smiled the entire time as we watched you squirm around, get a case of the hiccups, and suck your thumb. looks like you are already taking after mama with that thumb of yours!

*however, we now have many questions following our little visit to the ultrasound department. it seems you are at least one and maybe even two weeks older than we thought. you may be a july baby after all. or maybe just a really big baby....eeek!

*you kept your gender a mystery for us, like the good little baby we know you are. the tech said she could tell your gender pretty quickly and i squealed with delight and exasperation, knowing that someone on this planet knew what you were.

*the sun has been emerging this week and the days are getting longer. we have been enjoying walks at sunset, instead of walks at moonrise. it feels so good. i think you will like our park and neighborhood. its pretty friendly.

*during our time outside we have noticed everything coming out from hibernation: bulbs, leaves, people and birds. when i hear the birds chirp, i think they must be chirping for you.

*and this weekend, i will celebrate my last birthday as just a girl. a girl, not yet a mother. i can't believe that every birthday i have after this one, you will be here to help me blow out my candles and lick frosting off my finger. i can't wait.

smorgasbord

this last week, I:

i baked blueberry scones because i like blueberry scones a lot more than i like plain old blueberries. and i wanted to use the cute cookie cutters my mama gave me for christmas, along with the micro plane zester em gave me. both are fantastic, i am happy to report.

this little mister (also a march baby) came to see me, along with his mama e, and his uncle trevor. we finally were able to venture outside and play on the grass. little beats grass play time, i am certain

all that play made us tired. so we rested. and i just admired that sweet, tender face that now looks so much more like a boy's, than a baby's.

chipotle. of course. is there any other place when we are together? and outside dining calls for three cheers!

trevor was able to stay for a slumber party and he surprised me with his talents as he re-covered my chairs to match my new curtains! wow!

i drove to napa to admire the mustard that has arrived...one of my favorite scenes.

the abernethy familia joined our "sistas and brotha from another motha", aka, the scheidecker familia, to celebrate big tim's birthday.

and because my own birthday is on the horizon, i baked a cake. from a box. and added sprinkles. that frosting is incredible....trust me. run don't walk.

oh, how i love the marvelous month of march. So much to look forward to, including spring and more hours in the day, cake and balloons, friends and familia.

eighteen weeks

dear baby:

*finally, i can feel your little tumbles and somersaults. it is like everyone says: MAGIC! such an incredible thing. i really feel you move in the morning, when i am hungry and after i eat. i think you are already a little foodie. your daddy is very eager to feel you move too.

*strangers can now tell that there is a baby in my tummy and not just a huge cheeseburger and aren't afraid to remark. yesterday i went to starbucks an ordered a decaf iced latte. but the lady seemed busy and distracted, so like a crazy lady, i sheepishly asked her to make certain she wrote decaf on my order. she kindly smiled at me and said, "yes, don't worry, i can tell." i may have blushed a bit. it felt really exciting to know that i look pregnant, even to busy ladies who work at starbucks.

*next monday, i start a swimming class. i think it will feel pretty great to float and feel weightless for awhile. i am really hoping that you like the water as much as i do. i have always wanted a little water baby.

*we keep wondering if you are of the boy or girl variety. but the surprise element and curiosity is so fun, i think we are going to keep on wondering until you make your big arrival.

*and next tuesday, we get to see you on the big screen again. i can't wait to see your darling little button nose. but if you don't mind, please keep your little legs crossed like a good little boy or girl, so you don't spoil the suprise.

love, mama

p.s. my mom found this well-loved book that she read before i made my arrival and she kindly let me borrow it. it feels so special to read the same words and turn the same pages that she did when she was expecting like me.