learning to feed myself

whizzing around

Wee lad went from walking to whizzing around - taking now strides across the living room floor. He walks more when hes outside though as he still isn't keen on the feel of grass when crawling :)

He got very shy this weekend though. We had friends over Saturday night for BBQ and he clung to my leg and Dads until he felt like playing. Also at my mate Ciaras yesterday as well he just wanted to hang out at my side then with the babies right beside us on the floor. He still is a wee joker but right now I think all these developmental changes have him wanting to be close and near us and that's grand. He cuddled into me and fell asleep and I kissed the top of his sweet head. I love being a Mum!

On a lighter note another friend asked us did we have his hair cut into the mohawk look. No people! He's just still got not that much hair except one big section in middle so he's a natural punk. I could do a combover with it but then he'd look like John McCain or Donald Trump. I don't know which one is scarier..

scary

So if you know anything about Republicans here they are very keen on their strict
Economic policy:
Republicans emphasize the role of corporate and personal decision making in fostering economic prosperity. They support the idea of individuals being economically responsible for their own actions and decisions. They favor a free market, policies supporting business, economic liberalism, and fiscal conservatism but with higher spending on the military. A leading economic theory advocated by modern Republicans is supply-side economics.

So no bailing out folks, businesses or interfering with free markets

Unless you're a huge bank that pays their CEO $450 MILLION dollars a huge bailout to save them.

Why are we going to elect another republican again? Its their deregulation of the markets that got us into this mess in first place. Don't get me wrong - I like John McCain as a senator. As a president I don't think he will be able to move his party away from the pork hogging and changing rules when appropriate. And never mind about his VP Sarah Palin. That's just too scary to consider. Shes just a code blue from being president. Seriously. McCain would be oldest president ever and those are not fighting odds. She has nice hair and took her 7 colleges to graduate, now isn't that scary.

short sale

You know what short sale means? It doesnt mean a short sale. It means a pretty long one where two banks are arguing over how much they want from what they are owed. And in middle is homeowner trying to save their credit and us trying to buy from seller who really wants to sell but is stuck while they argue it out.

First Birthday Cake

So the wee lads first birthday cake at home, first candle and first taste of cake. Nope the cake isn't hand made but seriously worked for this cake as hard. I had heard that with their birth cert you could get a free small cake from Safeway. So when I ordered his large two cakes for the party/BBQ I also asked about the small wee cake knowing would be just ourselves for his actual birthday at home. Lady told me yes I could pick that up on day so as I drove home the day before from work, I called to see when I could pick up. They said they knew nothing about the program. Really I said? , Finally after three managers later and about 6 calls they said the program was no longer running but I could get the cake as I was told it was still going on. The next morning I went to the store to pick up the cake and some cupcakes for his daycare so he could share. Of course nobody knew what I was talking about so off I went to see manager again who thankfully let me take the cake and pay for the cupcakes. After donating at the checkout line to muscular dystrophy went home with my cupcakes and free birthday cake. Wee lads eyes are a bit red in photo as its a long day after his daycare and he was at the park where he tends to get a bit snuffly with the cut grass. However that didn't stop him loving the cake, the singing and all the attention. Happy one year wee Gandalf. You've been the best present to us ever.

vroom vroom

It is funny how quickly little boys gravitate to cars. Even when they are only a year old. At our friends bbq last week and wee lad startied pointing excited saying car car and was thrilled that he could operate it flintstone style pushing his feet to go backwards.

house hunting

So we started looking at houses here. The plan was to look in NC in a few years but we found ourselves dragging and not wanting to move very quickly there. Its hard to move from the Bay Area. Especially when you have your whole network of support here. We have the wonderful Catherine, The Y, the church, our friends and our lives here at the moment. Hard to think about leaving that and rebuilding it all. Our friends have become our families and work is grand for both of us. Busy but enjoying it!

With the real estate market going down its a good time to be in a situation to buy so we started looking near us. So far found a few wee gems. A lot sadly are banked owned. You can see where the owners put so much into them hardwood floors, granite kitchens etc and couldn't keep them when the interest rates went up. Some are empty, some are not. The ones not empty tend to be rented as the folks who had bought them were buying as an investment but couldn't keep them as the costs went up.

So after work we went looking with our wonderful friend and realtor Ann - http://agent.interorealestate.com/Splash.aspx?ID=957&clicksource=AgentAchieve
Who helped us whiz around 6 houses one night with wee lad in tow. By the end the wee man was laughing having lots of fun as he turned on and off lights in each house. He LOVES turning on and off lights. The way he can already work the alarm clock radio and tivo remote at a year scares me. Guess hes an engineer at heart.

We figure we will look and if we find one that makes us happy but not too house poor then we'll move. We're in a lucky position with having a large 3 bedroom right now that we rent so we don't HAVE to move. However the draw of having our own wee garden that munchkin could run around and also the dreams of a shed or garage for storage make us smile a lot. That and having somewhere to put a jacuzzi..

first steps

So wee man has taken some first steps. He took some when he didn't realize it and then sat down. Friday he took three steps then stopped and clapped in case anyone didn't realize... He also has been walking from the chair to the ottoman and delighted with himself. Better get my running shoes on cause soon will be running after him...

Also chatting away - everything is pointed to and asked this that? Funny one at moment is that when we were at dude ranch heard the rooster calling out and he LOVED the sound. Would start laughing and especially when we said cock a doodle doo! That's back except when I was going through animal sounds and came to the rooster he joined in - except all he says is Cock Cock do! We didn't make him I swear. Its been too funny.

new job

I have a new job and you know what. I like being with adults in an office again. Its fun. I go walking with my co-worker, we have a laugh teasing each other about stuff and its a great environment. Do I love getting up at 6am - well no but its great and I find myself having more cuddle time with munchkin too that early and when I pick him up after work. He's still loving his daycare and now saying his best friends name who is there which is super cute.

What do I do? Well I sell virtual meetings, events, training products. What they called software as a service - long way of saying its on the web and all you need is a browser window (that's what you are reading this in) and a phone and Bobs your Uncle. Its fun to chat on the phone for me so perfect job. And since my wee lad brings EVERYTHING up to his ear pretending its a phone obviously the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree.

Anyway - off I go to grab a cup of tea. Wee lad is down for a nap from when he came home and will need to wake him up a little so we can have him up for a little so he sleeps well tonight.

4 day weekends

So had a wonderful long weekend. Chilled Friday night and Saturday we rearranged Hobbits room. Why? Well because he had taken back to bending the blinds so he could see out... Reminds me of a neighbour we had in Ireland. Her blinds were always pulled back and if you DARED step into her garden to get back the ball/stick/lost sister that wandered into there she was out in a flash shouting get ooot of me garden, gerra off the roses... Well maybe not in a thick thick Dublin accent as she pretended she was posh but you get the drift.

Us wanting to get back some deposit whenever we leave this place we moved his crib to other side of room away from the blinds. Aha foiled again! However then he showed us also how well he can jump up and down in his crib as well. Mr destructo boy...

Friday night also took munchkin near the cat lounging on our grass outside the house. Very friendly white cat and of course wee lad is shrieking and saying meow or his attempt at it. He was so excited he took two steps on his own towards the cat - forgetting of course that he doesn't walk yet. He was grand though and then sat on his bum. Happy that the cat was near him.

Also on Friday there was a HUGE box of musical instruments from Ciara for his birthday. Called your own band in a box and it was. There was drum sticks, recorder, harmonica, shakers etc - she got it for us as she couldn't resist getting that much noise for us in one box. This is of course as well as the small piano that my brother and his wife got us and the hand bells (8 of them) (At the piano he stands up and bangs on them like Elton John - all he needs are bad shades..). Of course he had already got two guitars, drums and two xylophones... So Friday we sat around and had our own little drum circle. Who needs burning man anyway. And we all drummed and played for 40 minutes - wee lad too who was loving it. He obviously gets the musical gene from his Dad, my family may be musical but I was asked to leave the choir.. And religion class too but that's another story..


Saturday night our wonderful mate Tanya babysat and we fled to the http://www.watercourseway.com
- 8 private hot tub rooms - ours was in a Turkish style with hot tub, cold plunge and steam room. Himself tried the cold plunge. No thank you kindly. I'll take the lobster hot water and wrinkle like a prune instead


Sunday morning we went to Effies with our friend Kyler who was staying over. Kyler was playing a house show and her music is fantastic http://www.kylerengland.com/. Her music has been showcased on TV show Army Wives and other shows. we went for a stroll - and turned back not long into it. Munchkin wasn't wanting to go too far and the stroller wasn't comfy enough to nap in so we chilled and relaxed.


Monday I got to rest in bed a bit more and hubbie had Gandalf. We had a nice day still clearing out spaces and making a music space in office for himself. Then we hit Rock Brewery Restaurant for some dinner.

Things we have noticed.

• Our kid can now throw food at least 3 feet away.
• No matter whats on his plate - even if same on yours - yours is what he wants
• Everything is pointed to with a yummy yummy sound. Even if its water
• He likes water
• Water in sippy cups are not spill proof no matter what the labels say
• He likes water
• He likes the icing on carrot cake that Mammy had and licked the spoon so much I thought he might wear down the plastic..

So that was the weekend and now its a 4 day week. Yeah! Don't you wish every Monday was off as well..