süß one

Hello and Goodbye

2007-01-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

It turns out having two blogs was a dumb idea. I started this blog in an attempt to keep up with Munchy's milestones somewhere because I knew very well that writing it all down on paper was not going to happen. My other blog, Bunnybum, was my way of addressing the rest of my life. ("The rest of my life," HA! Is there any other part of my life other than Max and Max's yet-to-be-born sibling? Not really.) So that is how I got where I am right now. Instead of feeling pressure to post to two blogs that, in effect, separate the different aspects of my life I have decided to stop posting to süß one and only post on Bunnybum. My flickr account has become my place to dump random thoughts and Munchy's milestones. It is much easier for me to update flickr on a picture by picture basis anyway and I really enjoy the interactive nature of flickr. For me blogging isn't as much about feedback and socializing as it is getting some of what is in my little brain out there. That is not to say that I don't love it when a new friend comments, when I hear from an old friend or when I sell something. I have met some fabulous people through this blog and Bunnybum. Anyhoo, I am rambling. It all boils down to this, I am still blogging away just not here. Join me and my family over at Bunnybum. I am planning to change things up a bit over there. There are a lot of things changing in my life right now. That is why I need to consolidate to make it easier. I hope you enjoy the result.

He sings at sirens

2006-12-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

Munch sings a super high-pitched "aaaahhhhhhhhh" when he hears emergency sirens. It is the sweetest sound I have ever heard.
Hope you are all having a good day. Please think really good thoughts for sweet Biggs.
xoxo

It has been a while.

2006-12-01T07:49:00.000-08:00

We have been busy. Kind of. Well, not really. More barfy than busy, actually. It seems like nothing and everything has changed since my last post. Max is still not walking, but that is fine with me. He is pretty easy to keep track of at the moment. Except when he goes in his room, closes the door and plays on his futon. He has done that a few times. Just wants some alone time. q2WW 2 (that nonsense is courtesy of Max, by the way)
I am finally feeling better. Not as many random vomit sessions. Notice, I said as many. s31 (again, Max) This pregnancy has been totally different from Max's. Totally. I have had every symptom in the book. Some to the extreme. Thankfully, my appetite is back, big-time, so being able to eat improves my mood very much.
Everything with the move is moving along. The stress of all the paperwork and logistics of actually moving to another country is definitely getting to us. Poor Scottc. He has been taking care of all of it because the thought of that giant stack of forms is too much for my little brain to handle right now. A very good thing about this move is that we feel like we need to see as many family members and friends as possible before we go so our calendar has been full of good stuff. My cousin Betsy's wedding in September helped us out a lot with Mama's side and our Thanksgiving trip to Ohio allowed us to catch-up with some important people on Dad's side. We get to see the Denver and Utah crews in January and then we will be back in Seattle getting all packed up. I wish we had unlimited funds to travel around to all the people we love but unfortunately that is not the case. Plus, traveling with Max isn't exactly the funnest experience ever. He is a great little road-kid, but even a great traveler is a pain in the ass on a plane. Sorry, but it is true. He stays in a good mood for the most part but doesn't really sleep on planes and is super active so it is constant entertaining and feeding of random goodies. And we can't exactly let him crawl around and grab people's arms to entertain him, as much as he would love that. To think, pretty soon we will have another one. Geez.
We have our twenty week scan next week. Crazy. Half way there. I am not showing yet but that is no surprise. I didn't really show until seven months or so with Max. I have plenty of room under my giant boobies to hide a developing child. I will post a photo of 'little one' after the scan. We aren't going to find out the sex of little one. We want to be surprised again. So fun.
I suppose I should add some of Max's latest info so that I can refer back when I actually sit down to make his baby book.
He has a million teeth. Well, more like twelve. The kid already has four molars. He is a creep-show.
The milk allergy thing has been kind of rough to regulate but seems to be the reason he wasn't able to gain much weight. Since we have eliminated all milk protein from his diet he has gained over three pounds and is solidly back on the growth chart. Munch is a good eater but he loves his soy milk. He also still loves fruit and meat.
When he plays with little cars and trucks he makes an engine sound. So flippin cute.
His favorite words seems to be "uh-uh-oh" and "dada". And he calls Otis "tis". Also, quite cute.
Stairs have become a recent source of entertainment. Great. Real safe, Max.
He knows where his ears, head, teeth and belly are and he gets angry with me sometimes when I ask him where his nose is. I have no idea why.
So that's the update. Sorry it has been so long since the last one. It has always been my intention to post regularly but that gets hard sometimes. I will try my best to keep it up.

Some news.

2006-10-03T14:16:00.001-07:00

Looks like I am going to have to change the title of my blog to süß ones. That's right, I am pregnant! Munchy is going to be a big brother. Scott and I are thrilled that our little family is growing. I am fifteen weeks pregnant today and I'm due on April 26th.
Whoever said that each pregnancy is different was so right. I had it easy with Munchy and I didn't even know it. This time around I have had morning sickness all day long, mystery hives and absolutely no appetite. Things are starting to get better though, and I have had a lot of support from a very patient and loving Scott. He is a good one.
I have included a little pregnancy calendar that should update each time you look at this page. Another pregnancy symptom I have been experiencing is forgetfulness. Oops. Hope this little calendar helps me keep track of how far along I am.

A Birthday Update

2006-09-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

I know some of you are anxiously awaiting birthday photos so I feel that I should give you an update. My camera and computer are in a fight. For some reason they don't want to get along. I think I have fixed the problem now but we leave for South Dakota tomorrow morning and I am too tired to deal with the hundreds of photos I need to deal with right now. So, I will post a proper birthday round-up when we return next week. There will be many more photos to add to the bazillion waiting for me. Munchy gets to hang out with all of my mama's family and play at my aunt's farm/winery. Plenty of fantastic photo opportunities to be sure.

This one is for the book...

2006-09-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

the baby book, that is.
This blog is pretty much Munchy's baby book. I knew that if I tried to put together a real book that I would make it too complicated and then I would never get it all together and then I would feel guilty. A blog makes sense to me because all of our family and friends can access it and contribute, it won't go up in flames if our house does and it is super, duper cheap. You know if I made a real book it would end up costing us hundreds of dollars. Custom stamps, imported paper and archival glue are expensive, people.
I haven't done an update of what Munchy has been up to lately and since he changes so quickly there is a lot to cover.
First of all, we have to start watching our mouths in front of him now. He repeats our words a lot. Some of his favorites are Otis (tiss), water (wado,wado,wado) and bye bye. Scott hasn't heard him say wado,wado,wado yet. It is really cute. He says it after he takes a drink of, you guessed it, water.
Crawling is still his main means of getting around. Munch isn't interested in walking yet. Good.
Otis is starting to play rough with Munch and they are both loving it. When I say rough I actually mean super gentle but with more bouncing involved. Otis gets his little booty up in the air and bounces around barking at Munch. Munch thinks it is hilarious and tries to grab Otis' ears. Otis, in turn, gets more fired up and barks louder. This little exchange usually ends with Munch finding a toy that is more interesting than a barking, bouncing dog. You know, a plastic baby spoon or something.
Munch is getting good at immitating more than just words. He saw Daddy yawning and stretching in the kitchen last night and then he put his arms over his head and opened his mouth really wide. The other day Daddy was making funny noises opening and closing his mouth and then Munch did the exact same thing. Funny thing is that Munchy isn't particularly proud of himself when he figures stuff like this out and he looks at us like we are crazy for laughing or, in my case, crying.
Most babies get all comfy and cozy in their stroller (buggy, pram, pushchair, whatever). Not Max. He is all about checking things out. No naps in on the go for him. Too much to look at.
The boy can eat. It is amazing how much food he can fit in his tiny body. Yesterday he had a big slice of pot roast and about half of a cup of peas and corn. And then he ate the same amount again for seconds. He really is a small guy though. Really thin and long. Everyone always thinks he is older than he is because his body has the proportions of a toddler body.
Got to go. My favorite little person needs more kisses.

Goofy face.

2006-09-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Max loves to swing. It has been cooling off here and the days are getting shorter. I love it. Max's autumn wardrobe is pretty impressive. More samples to come.

Poor Kid

2006-09-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

Max is sick. Just a runny nose and sore throat but I just hate it. He is grumpy and obviously upset about it. Luckily he is drinking a ton of water even though it hurts to swallow. I have the sniffles too, but it is hard to focus on being sick when my boy needs extra attention. We were supposed to hang out at Bumbershoot with Patty, Larry and Daddy. After about an hour we decided it would be much better for the little guy to take him home. So the lucky mama got to pack up and leave. I must admit that I am not heart broken. Cuddling with my tired, sick baby and watching cartoons sounds much better than navigating a crying baby in a big stroller through a sea of people.

Pretty busy around here.

2006-08-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

Scott is now done painting the downstairs and has begun putting in the new floors. It is going to look great. I have been getting all of my bunnybum stuff ready for the Bouncing Wall boutique opening. The official open date is September fourteenth. I am so excited but that means I have to deliver all of my goods by September first. Ack! As usual I have made things more complicated than they need to be but I want to be sure that my first batch of goods are perfect and really interesting. Enough about me and Scott.
Munchy has been scooting around on his tummy for a couple months now without any vertical progress whatsoever. He is almost eleven months and still hasn't figured out how to get to a standing position from sitting. I am actually totally ok with this though. The longer it takes him to walk the easier for me. He will walk eventually. I don't know any adults who crawl as their main mode of getting around. I take that back, I know a few (drunken bastards). He seems happy to sit and look at his books or scoot around with a ball in each hand. He has gecko fingers. I think he could probably palm a basketball.
Our little family has been going out to eat a lot lately. I think because Scott and I have been so busy neither one of us has the time or energy to figure out what to make for dinner. Plus, it is always fun to let Munch try new foods. He likes it all. Any kind of meat is his favorite food followed closely by all fruit. Just now he ate about thirty grapes cut into quarters. Not bad for a tiny little guy. His pooping is getting better. (For those of you who didn't know, Munch had infrequent hard poo for a while.) The massive amount of grapes he is eating is doing the trick.
Here is a recent photo of Munchkin out to eat in Issaquah. He is such a great baby and an absolute joy to take places.

A few of Munchy's favorite videos

2006-08-15T07:43:00.000-07:00

I usually have the tv on in the mornings to watch the news, mtv and whatever else happens to be on. Usually Munch just ignores it. However, I have noticed that he pays attention to specific videos. Here is a quick list of Munchy's favorites:
Nelly Furtado - Permiscuous
Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
The Pussycat Dolls - Buttons
The Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc
Sometimes I try to put on some cartoons or Seasame Street but he doesn't seem to notice them. The only animated show he likes is The Backyardigans. He loves it. So, of course, we had to get all of the dvds of the show and when he gets old enough to play with little figurines or games we will probably get all of them too. I never would have thought that I would be that mommy who buys her kid a bunch of commercial junk. I always pictured us in the little wonderland of homemade or vintage toys, eating organic banana bread, with butterflies and dragonflies magically dancing around. In reality we will be probably be eating Kraft mac n cheese*, playing the Xbox and drinking a coke. That sounds AWFUL. If you notice that my life starts to resemble that worst case scenario I just described PLEASE remind me of how awful that is.
*There is absolutely nothing wrong with Kraft mac n cheese. It is delicious.

Blogiversary!

2006-08-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

One year ago today I started this little blog. Wow. It is amazing how much things can change over the course of one year. Of course one year ago we knew we were expecting a little addition to our family but we had no idea how the süß one was going to change things around here. The only way I can really sum up such an eventful year is to say I AM SO LUCKY. Seriously lucky. This little man has changed the way I feel about almost everything and has taught me so much about myself and about life. I'm a lucky gal. (He is playing with my toes right now. So cute!)

New diapers, tons of photos, home improvements, an accident and more.

2006-08-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

A few new things to report.
.... The first thing, and possibly most important, Pampers Cruisers are the best diapers ever.
.... We went camping last weekend and I took a bazillion photos. My computer is so slow though so I haven't been able to post them. I don't know when I will be able to.
.... Scott is painting the downstairs. He is crazy. He always has to have a project of some sort going in the house.
.... Munchy and I got in a car accident today. We are both fine, but I am a little shaken up. It is amazing how much trust we put in other people just by leaving our house. We were just driving down Rainier like we always do. We slowed down for a stop light and just before we came to a complete stop Tuan* smacked into the back of our little Golf. No brakes, no swerving, just a BAM. I was so disoriented. It took me a few seconds to figure things out. Anyway, both of us are doing very well. Munch is safe and sound in his bed and I am enjoying a beer.
.... Munchy is allergic to eggs now too. Great. He is totally going to be 'that kid' isn't he?
.... Bunnybum is coming along quite well. I picked up my custom stamps for the tags today and I am super happy with how they turned out. They are so cute! I still have to finish up my initial inventory for the boutique that is opening in Septmeber. It is called Bouncing Wall and is going to be beautiful. I am making ten bibs, five burp cloth sets and three softies. Keep checking my etsy site too. I will be updating it very soon.
.... Camping was fun, but the drive home was the best! Scott didn't whine or complain about stopping at an awesome estate sale and the most amazing thrift store. The thift store is called 'Treasures' and is in Shelton, WA. I got a bunch of zippers, vintage buttons, fabric (!!!) and housewares. I didn't take many photos of that stuff because I have been busy sorting it all out and doing camping laundry.
.... Swapping has been great lately. I got two swap packages yesterday and one today. Yippee! So fun.
.... I love my hubby, son and dog. I am so very lucky.
Here is a photo of my little man a few minutes after putting him in his brand new carseat which was about five minutes before getting in the accident. Poor little man had no idea what was about to happen.
*It has been brought to my attention that I should clarify this statement. Tuan is actually the gentleman's name who ran into me. I guess that might have sounded kinda bad. Sorry.

Stupid airplanes.

2006-08-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

They are back. I just don't get it. Certainly millions and millions of dollars are being spent on the "Blue Angels" program each year. That money could be used for so many other programs that really need it. Education, alternative fuels research and other quiet things. I understand that not everyone likes the same things. For example, I could spend hours in a thrift shop looking through old curtains and handbags. That is my husband's nightmare. BUT I am pretty sure that even if I got really into to it I wouldn't wake any babies up from a nap. They are so loud! Right now my windows are shaking and I just know that poor little Max is going to scream any moment.

Stupid Blue Angels

2006-08-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

I really don't like these stupid airplanes. They are SO loud. I remember last year when they came I was thinking, "Man, those are some loud planes. I am glad I don't have a sleeping baby right now."
Guess what people? I have a sleeping baby now and I hate those stupid airplanes even more. (Update, I HAD a sleeping baby, now I have a crying baby.)
They are here for Seafair, an annual event with a parade and boat races and airplanes and other loud noises. I don't get it. This might be the least interested I have ever been about an event in my community. The worst part is that they are going to practice their little noise routine all week and then the actual shows are on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That's when the fun starts and all the cars in the city park in my neighborhood to watch the show. Luckily, we are going camping starting Friday afternoon through Sunday morning so I won't have to deal with it! Yippee!

New Slideshow

2006-08-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

When I look back at photos of Munchy from the past ten months I notice how different he looks in every picture. It isn't just that his face is changing because he is growing, he just has so many different looks. I made a quick slideshow of some of Munchy's greatest looks.

The Many Faces of Max Arlo

10 months old! HOLY COW!!!

2006-07-27T10:58:00.000-07:00

Max is really fun these days. In the past couple of weeks he has become really interactive and goofy. His sense of humor is starting to really show. Is that even possible?

I have been really bad about posting pictures and stories. Sorry. Here is a little update on what the little guy has been up to lately:
*His first word was dada and his second word was mama. Wrong order, Max.
*He crawls, sorta. It is more of a floor-swim, but it is fast.
*He is ultra stubborn and one-track-minded, but super patient at the same time.
*He takes naps now. For the longest time he didn't sleep at all during the day but now he takes one giant nap in the morning. Such a relief.
*His favorite things to eat are everything.
*He is allergic to dairy. Great. I hope he doesn't become that kid who needs to bring his own soy milk over to his friend's house to spend the night so he can eat cereal in the morning. You see, I am already thinking that far ahead.
*Teeth-growing is one of his least favorite things to do, but he is really good at it. He has six teeth now and two more are super close to popping out.
*He is not even close to pulling himself up onto things. I am totally ok with that. The longer he is stuck on the ground, the easier for me!
*He waves bye bye well after the person leaves.
*He can clap in his own way.
*He repeats words like "rattle" and "fish" but he has no idea what he is saying.
*One of his favorite things to do is bounce in his jolly jumper. Man, he loves that thing.
*He dances to music and also when he likes food. So cute.
*Otis is his best friend. They totally hang out and play together.

We have been tagged!

2006-07-27T08:04:00.000-07:00

Max and I have been tagged with a meme by Krista over at Big and Little who is my new friend and source of crafting and mommying inspiration. I think most of the people who read my blog are new to this whole blogging thing and probably have never heard of being tagged with a meme. Basically it is like an online chain letter, only not as annoying. I always enjoy reading memes on other people's blogs so I thought I would try to keep this one going. Plus, it should be pretty easy with Max helping out!

3 Things That Scare Me
the coffee grinder
loud noises
the ball popping, noise making, new toy that Mama makes me play with from time to time

3 People That Make Me Laugh
Mama
Daddy
Otis (not a person, but still very funny)

3 Things I Love
balls
being outside
being cool

3 Things I Hate
being hot
loud noises
transitions (in and out of the carseat, stroller, etc.)

3 Things I Don’t Understand
why can't I stay up late with Mama and Daddy?
why does Mama always stop Otis from giving my face a bath?
why does my mouth always hurt? (he is making teeth again)

3 Things On My Desk/Table (or my highchair)
cheerios
bananas
water bottle

3 Things I’m Doing Right Now
breathing
sucking on my binky
sleeping

3 Things I Want to Do Before I Die
***Munchy hasn't told me what he wants to do yet but here's what I think he wants to do***
travel all around the world
makes lots of good friends
find something to do that makes me very happy

3 Things I Can Do
crawl
say mama and dada
make teeth

3 Ways to Describe My Personality
feisty
patient
fun

3 Things I Can’t Do
lots of stuff. give me a break, I'm learning!

3 Things I Think You Should Listen To
my Mama sing the "Munchkin Man" song
the "Backyardigans" theme song
Cee-lo's "Awful Thing"

3 Things I Think You Should Never Listen To
the above mentioned ball toy
the thing my Mama uses to blend-up my food
pretty much any loud noise

3 Absolute Favorite Foods
pears
sweet potatoes
berries

3 Things I’d Like to Learn
everything

3 Beverages I Drink Regularly
soy formula
water
carrot juice

3 Shows I Watched as a Kid
the only tv show worth watching is "Backyardigans"

3 Babies I Tag
We don't really know any babies with blogs. We will have to do some looking around...

To all of you waiting for a new post, so sorry...

2006-07-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

I have been so lame lately. Sorry. There was a bit of craziness over the past few weeks with our trip to Colorado, my computer being ultra, ultra slow and me having to sew a bunch to get ready to show some stuff to a shop-owner. Well, it is all calm now but my computer is still all clogged up. I don't know what I am going to do about it. A special sorry goes out to Jenny and Dan. I will have those pictures to you asap. For now, you can always print them from the flickr site. Sorry!

Munchy is nine months old!

2006-06-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Each month seems to go by faster than the last. We are off to Denver for a week or so but I will post some phonecam pics on my flickr site while we are there.
Here is a little slideshow of Munchy's first nine months.

Daddy's day...

2006-06-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day!

2006-06-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

I am about to go deliver Scott's Dad's day gift to him from Munchy. Munch picked it out, but I had to wrap it. Scott is going to love it!

Uncanny

2006-06-16T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is proof that Munchy did in fact inherit some of my side of the family's genes. Here's a photo of Jake as a baby next to a photo of Max. (as always, click on the image for a bigger view)

Just for fun, here is a picture of a picture of my mama and I. We were so effin cute I can hardly stand it.

Recent photos...

2006-06-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

I am feeling a bit yucky today. Can't seem to kick this cold. Scott is coming home early to let me get some sleep. I love my husband. I feel like if I just lay down the rest of today and tonight I will feel better tomorrow.

Even though I am sick, Munchy and Otis have been too cute not to photograph. I have been taking part in color week. Here are a couple photos from that series as well as some recent pictures of Munchers and Otis. As always, check out my flickr page for more photos.

This week was full of firsts.

2006-06-09T00:06:00.000-07:00

Max went on his first swing.

He also enjoyed his first strawberry.

Munchy pretty much likes everything. He tore into that strawberry pretty quickly. Got it all over himself. It was totally worth it though. He loved it.

Munchy is now 8 months old!

2006-05-29T01:56:00.000-07:00

Where has the last month gone? Check out new pictures of Max on his flickr page.

Max is living it up down under

2006-05-21T00:58:00.000-07:00

Hello from Perth! We arrived last week. Max is a miracle baby. He was so very good on all of the flights. Also, he has adapted really well to the fifteen hour time difference. I must have been a Mother Theresa type lady in another life to deserve this little man. I am so lucky!

Mom is enjoying Max so much. He really, really likes her too. Normally he takes a little while to get used to people but he took to his oma right away. It is like he can tell how much she loves him just by the way she looks at him. She has made him some amazing new clothes and set up our room so cute. He is a very lucky boy to have such a great people in his life.

At first I didn't really tell many people about Max's flickr page because I worried that I wouldn't update it enough to make it worth while for people to look at but it turns out that it is the page I update most frequently. You can see it here. Please leave comments under the photos to let me know you checked it out. I will probably upload photos from our trip every couple of days so keep looking.

Lots of love to you all.

flickr meeting

2006-05-10T10:23:00.000-07:00

Max and I met Noah and Shandy at Vivace yesterday (see their pictures here). I met Shandy online through flickr and after we figured out that we live in the same city we decided to get together. Noah is a month older than Munchy. He is not that much bigger than Munch, which really surprised me. It was a pretty uneventful event. The boys didn't pay too much attention to eachother. They kinda glanced at eachother at first and then decided that babies are boring and went about their business. At one point Noah made a loud "I am not happy" sound and Munch stuck his bottom lip out and started to cry. Such a sensitive guy!

Check out my new shop!

2006-05-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

bunnybum

Please let me know what you think and if you have any ideas. My goal is to make some cute stuff and maybe just break even on the supplies. I am having so much fun learning how to sew and making cool stuff for Munchy.

mmm.......... ghoetta...........

2006-05-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

I am drooling right now just thinking about it waiting for me downstairs. I have eaten my weight in ghoetta over the past three days. So good, but my arteries are crying out for me to stop.
GLT. So yummy.

This post is for Marty's amusement. Once again, thanks so much for the logs of love we call ghoetta.

Daddy's home!

2006-05-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend. Scott is finally back from the "Land of Enchantment" aka Taiwan. He hates it there. Aparently there is some pretty good shopping there though because Scott brought Munch and I lots of presents.

fun at Josh and Cairi's house on Sunday -

phonecam pic -

This post is overdue, sorry Annie and Maggie.

2006-05-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Max's aunts were here a couple weeks ago. I don't know why it has taken me so long to put some pictures on here. Big thanks to Marty for pointing it out to me.

Max really had a great time with the gals. Unfortunately he had his very first cold while they were here but we had a great time anyway. I hope we can make this an annual event (hint, hint!).

Seven Months Today!!!

2006-04-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? I can't.
Munchy's daddy is still in Taiwan (boo) but we are going to celebrate anyway. I haven't posted much lately because both Max and I have been sick and my sisters were here last week. We had a great time with Annie and Maggie and were sad to see them go. We are both feeling better, just so you know.

So sick...

2006-04-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

I had what I thought was allergies for the past few days. Then, all of a sudden, it went from "gee, my nose is stuffy" to "why does my head feel like it is going to explode?" The good news is I am feeling a little better today. I hope to sit little man down in front of the camera tomorrow and do a little photo shoot. He is so darn cute! Does everyone think that their kid is the cutest kid ever, or is it just that Max is the cutest kid ever?

Fun with Apa and Grandma!

2006-04-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

Munchy got to spend a few days with the Bennett Grandparents. He really liked hanging out with them. They are back home in Colorado now but before they left we had a mini photo shoot in the backyard.

Apa and Max

2006-04-01T09:07:00.000-08:00

Look at those sleepy faces! Max enjoyed this nice cuddle session with Apa.

Six Months Old!

2006-03-27T12:27:00.000-08:00

Max is now officially six months old. I can't believe it has already been that long. I would love to spend more time writing a little update, but I think his third tooth is trying to make an appearance and he requires my undivided attention so I have to go. Love to you all.

wise words...

2006-03-24T19:23:00.000-08:00

"why would i do it today when i could do it tomorrow?"

- me, 2006

New toy!

2006-03-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

This thing kicks major booty. Munch really likes it. He is getting the hang of turning the seat around so he can play with the toys on the other side. I love it too. I can plop him down in it and do the dishes, laundry and my blogging.

There is a lot of of action coming up in the next couple of months. Scott's parents will be here next week. My sisters will be coming out here for their spring break in April. In May, the three of us are going to visit my mama in Australia. Also in May, my new little niece will be born (hopefully in May!). It is going to be crazy and fun!

I really like Munchy's eyes

2006-03-17T22:41:00.000-08:00

Lately I can't get enough of Munchy's eyes. They are so pretty and clear. He is such a good little guy. I like him a little bit.
(click on the picture for a better view.)

Lately...

2006-03-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

We have had some great fun lately. Munch's personality seems to be developing before our eyes. He is really giggly and loud in the evening, super curious and playful in the morning and quite demanding in the afternoon. Teething has been interesting. He is really growing physically too. We lowered the mattress in his crib. He sleeps with a little cuddly blanket next to his face to soothe him. I made my first chicken puree today and I plan to give him a taste for dinner. I guess we will see how that goes over. I kinda think he is going to hate it even though I think it is really yummy. Must go now.

grrr!

What a cute face!

Click on this picture to see it big. He has little hairs on his toes. So cute!

Munch sure does love his thumb

2006-03-07T15:39:00.000-08:00

I think my boy is a thumbsucker. I couldn't be happier about this. He has never been too fond of the pacifier so it is nice that he is able to sooth himself by simply inserting his own thumb into his own mouth. Notice, I don't have to be involved in any of it.

Spring has sprung! Every year at about this time all of the bulbs we planted, and some that we didn't, start blooming. It is lovely and a big reminder of why we love living in Seattle. I get so excited when I think about laying out a blanket in the backyard and having a little picnic with my little guy this summer. Wow, can you believe I am actually looking forward to summer? Motherhood has changed me.

Munchy's teeth

2006-03-03T16:04:00.000-08:00

I figured I would showcase Munch's latest hobby, making teeth. He's really good at it.

They are so big now that I don't need to point them out with an arrow.

He did not enjoy my finger prying his mouth open at all.

Just a couple recent photos

2006-02-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

Right before bathtime. He has the cutest little butt. It looks like an apricot. Max's is ok too.

Right after bathtime. Thanks a lot Max.

I love Sunday mornings. We all stay in our pjs for a long time. Sometimes all day.

I'm a sewing machine!

2006-02-28T16:14:00.000-08:00

Mom gave me a sewing machine for my last birthday. My friend Mark showed me how to use it about a month ago and I found I really love to sew. Most of my projects are super simple. I am currently working on some handbags and a quilt for Max's toddler bed (by the time I am done with it I hope Max is still using his toddler bed).

These are some of the pieces of the quilt.

This is for a little bag I am making for my niece Hannah. I'm just playing around with the embroidering thing.

I guess I bore Otis.

2006-02-26T11:59:00.000-08:00

Five months old!

2006-02-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

It had been a while since our last little photoshoot so yesterday I plopped Munch down in his swing and shot a few pics. He doesn't seem to mind very much. I think he likes all of the noises I make to get his attention.

As I mentioned in the previous post, Munch is teething. Well, his second tooth just broke through so now he has two teeth. We are so proud of the little man. Only bad thing about this teething thing is that he always has his hands in his mouth. He tries so hard to fit all of his fingers in but he can't quite do it.

Such a good looking little man. We have our fingers crossed that his eyes stay this color. They are a really pretty dark blue.

Can you believe it has already been five months? I can't. Those first three months went so slow, but the last couple have flown by. I am so looking forward to him being able to move around and talk. Can't wait to teach him stuff.

TOOTH!

2006-02-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

Guess who has his first tooth? MUNCHY! He didn't make a big deal out of it at all. It just sorta showed up. What a good little guy.

There it is! (click on the picture for a larger view)

Here's what we were up to this weekend.

2006-02-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

This is what happens if you run out of food before he is full.

Otis and Max are buddies.

Max loves it when his daddy feeds him.

Max and his gal, Klara, are having another one of their fights. It can get pretty brutal.

He likes it!

2006-02-16T13:36:00.000-08:00

Baby food photography.

2006-02-16T12:32:00.000-08:00

Munch is really liking this solid food thing. So far he likes apples, bananas and pears. Today I made some carrot and squash for the little guy to try. I also made an apple puree because it is his favorite. I had so much squash leftover that I made some butternut squash soup that was amazing. Mmmm... squash.

This is what the squash looks like all blended up.

Here are all three purees together.

After they are all blended I freeze them in icecube trays for later in the week. I really hope he likes it all. I'll let you know!

He's rollin' people!

2006-02-14T10:23:00.000-08:00

Munch finally figured it out. He's been working on it for a few days and now he has officially mastered the art of the roll. He's done front to back and back to front both today. So proud of the little man!

Max is looking good.

2006-02-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

His daddy brought this hat home for him from Portugal. Lucky boy. Also worth mentioning is this fabulous new sweater from Lisa and Joe. I think it is his new uniform.

Pics from a couple days ago.

2006-02-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

Here's what Munch looks like right now. He is such a fun little guy. He makes his mama very happy.

Munchy likes his big-boy food.

2006-02-07T12:15:00.000-08:00

He is eating like a champ. It is only a few teaspoons of rice cereal, but any change is exciting for me. He is growing so fast.

All gone...

2006-01-30T19:56:00.000-08:00

Well, there goes my hair. I like my new do. Manner likes it too.

What do you think?

My cousin Dakota.

2006-01-28T12:22:00.000-08:00

I just really like this picture. He is the sweetest little guy and Max really likes him.

New highchair.

2006-01-26T11:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks Oma!

Some more pics from KC.

2006-01-26T11:38:00.000-08:00

Munch with his cousin Rachel.

Munch with his cousin Kelsey.

Hanging out with cousin Lucas.

Munch's big trip to KC.

2006-01-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

We went to KC last weekend to visit my family. Scott is in Portugal on business so Munch and I decided to get the heck out of town. We had a great time and got to see lots of friends and family.

These are my Ma's pals from highschool, Cece and Kristy.

Munch playing with his Great-uncle Jeff and cousin Lucas.

Munch's Great-grandma Ruby.

Munch's Great-grandpa "Papa".

Munch on the plane home.

2006-01-26T11:24:00.000-08:00

Lucky Munch had two seats to himself on the way home from KC.

First he played:

Then he slept:

He is such a good boy.

Four generations of Bennett men.

2006-01-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

What a good looking group of men.

Munch today.

2006-01-05T13:53:00.000-08:00

We had a great time in Colorado, but it sure is nice to be home. Munch likes his own bed, swing and toys.

Isn't he cute? I really like this little fella.

Munch is a pretty happy guy.

A few phonecam pics.

2005-12-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

Munch and his girlfriend, Clara. They were in the middle of a fight.

Little man smiling.

I wanted to get him into his snowsuit before we got to Denver to see how it fits. It doesn't.

Scottc in D-Land again...

2005-12-10T20:51:00.000-08:00

Scott is on his way to Germany right now. He might be able to get online on the airplane so I thought I'd put a couple pictures up for him to enjoy just in case.

They have a lot of fun together. It is so cute to see Scott with his boy.

Munch loves his daddy.

Christmas photoshoot.

2005-12-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Scott, Max and I had a portrait session with very talented photographer and great friend Mark Weeks. We went to his studio that has a beautiful view of the Puget Sound. Max didn't smile at all during the shoot, but I think we managed to get a few good shots of him not crying.

This is a photo of Scott and Max between shots. Such a good looking duo. Max looks kinda bored and drooly. This photo was taken right before he spit-up all over his shirt.

Max's passport photo.

2005-11-30T09:33:00.000-08:00

Pretty darn cute, huh? Such a serious little guy.

Some pictures from Dad's visit.

2005-11-30T09:24:00.000-08:00

Dad was here earlier this month to meet Max. He made sure to leave plenty of cookies to keep me company while Scott was in Germany. They were so good.

Max likes his Grandpa a lot.

Hi Daddy!

2005-11-20T15:37:00.000-08:00

Scott is in D-Land at the moment. Here are some pics of the little man. We miss you, Manner.
Hello to everyone else, too.

Pictures of my goofy little guy.

2005-11-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

Munch makes some goofy faces. One of his favorite things to do is get his diaper changed. He loves his changing table.

Some new pictures of the little one.

2005-10-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome home Max Arlo Bennett!

2005-10-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the delay in posting. I have been quite busy this week. Here are the stats:
Max Arlo Bennett
born September 26th, 2005 at 7:45pm
weight 7 lbs 3.5 oz
length 20 3/4 in
...and he's a boy, by the way. and really cute.
I have got a baby to feed. Gotta run. More info to come...

I must be a comfy host.

2005-09-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

This baby likes to hang out in my belly. If he/she doesn't plan to move out on his/her own by Monday (26th) he/she will be hugely surprised when the doc injects me full of the hormone that will evict the stubborn one. That's right, my induction is scheduled on the 26th. We'll see. I have had lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions (basically practice contractions) and the baby is dropping a little lower so maybe things will happen on their own before Monday. I hope so. Induction can be a painful, yucky thing. I guess all types of labor can be painful and yucky. I will just be very happy to hold this little one in my arms and look into his/her little eyes. Can't wait. Guess I'll have to. Scott and I are doing all we can to speed along the progress (wink, wink) but nature has her own plans. We've waited this long (40 weeks + 6 days), we can wait 6 more days.
To everyone who has been calling to check up on me: Thanks a lot. It really means a lot to me that so many people have me and Scott and little one in their thoughts. We love ya.

No baby yet.

2005-09-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

It is the 15th. My due date was yesterday. I know that the due date is just a guess at best, but after months and months of looking forward to that day I guess I had high hopes that I would no longer be prego by today, the 15th. I want this baby out of my belly and into my arms. The magic and awe of pregnancy has just about run out and now I am so excited to go to the hospital and do my thang. I think Scott feels the same way. He stayed home from work today to catch up on some sleep (I snore now, that's new) and to take care of me (I can be sorta pathetic these days). Ma has been a big help. We have been eating great food at home and at some of our favorite restaurants. We have also been shopping up a storm. Ma has gone a bit crazy with the baby clothes. Yesterday she bought an outfit with little embroidered dachshunds all over it. Sounds iffy, but I assure you it is really cute. Clothes shopping for a baby of unknown sex can be a challenge, but we are managing. We can't wait to find out if this little slugger is a girl or a boy. So much to look forward to.

Crazytime.

2005-09-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

Can you believe I am due on Wednesday? That's FOUR days from today. What? Where did the last nine months go? So crazy.
So, Ma is here. We have been running errands and shopping and eating good food. Just keeping busy waiting for the kiddo to make his/her appearance. It is great having her around. She is a good distraction and it is nice to spend time with her before kiddo comes. Plus, Otis thinks she is his new toy, so he is out of my hair for a while.

Let the countdown begin.

2005-09-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

Ten more days (until my due date). My mama gets here on Wednesday. Her arrival marks the beginning of the "this baby is going to come out soon" events. We have very little left to do to prepare, but I have saved some stuff so that Ma and I will have some fun things to do while she's here waiting for me to go into labor. Scott and I are getting pretty darn excited to finally meet our little kiddo but I am going to miss being prego for one simple reason: Scott has been spoiling me rotten. He surprised me yesterday with a pregnancy massage at at spa in Ballard. He does whatever I ask him to do, even run to the store for nutty bars or to Wendy's for some french fries or to Pho Hoa for some noodle soup. In the middle of the night he has been totally willing to get up and fetch me some water or a tissue or whatever. He even does all the dishes, cleans the bathroom, washes the dog and does all of the gardening outside. What a man. Little kiddo and I are very lucky.

Here you go...

2005-08-25T09:06:00.000-07:00

I have received much grief from many people about not having any prego pics of myself on this here blog. Well, here you go. The other day my good friend Mark made me (and Scott) go outside his place with him to take a few pics. They turned out great, as you can see. My belly is not the focus of the pics, but I think you can see that whatever it is that is growing inside of me is not small anymore. Rather large, really.

A little clarification...

2005-08-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

süß
That's how you are supposed to write suss. A big thank you to Grandpa Bob for the instructions on how to trick the old keyboard into thinking it is in Deutschland.

Baby Shower #3

2005-08-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday our friends Cairi and Josh threw Scott and I a fabulous baby shower. They showed up at our house a couple hours before the party started with all the food, sangria, decorations, games and party favors. Scott and I barely had to lift a finger, which was great. I get so stressed out over the smallest things lately and I don't think I could have handled organizing a get together for twenty people with food and games. We are so lucky to have friends like Cairi and Josh.
It had been a while since the last time we had more than just five or six people over to our house so we weren't really sure how Otis was going to behave with twenty. At one point he was so happy that he ran like hell out the back door, around the backyard, back inside, through the kitchen, into the living room, around the coffee table, back through the kitchen and repeated this loop several times. He really was well behaved and respectful of our guests. I don't even think he peed when he said hi to anyone other than Josh who was the first person he saw. The little guy was so exhausted at the end of the day. He still is, actually.
I think the baby knew he/she got some new stuff. After everyone left I finally had the chance to sit down and relax. Well, this child has never been so active. I can imagine him/her in there kicking and dancing around excited about coming out and wearing his/her new clothes and playing with all the new toys. I can't wait to meet this little slugger face-to-face.

What kind of a sick joke is this!

2005-08-13T17:03:00.000-07:00

Stretch-marks. They are so crappy. I look like someone borrowed my tummy, jumped through a window wearing it and then returned it half-way healed. They say that they will fade over time, but come on. I suppose it will all be worth it in the end. At least I have not experienced the hemorrhoids, edema, nosebleeds, vomiting, weight gain, varicose veins, and back pain that many other prego ladies have to endure. Just purply scar-looking marks all over my abdomen. Fantastic.

Getting Prepared

2005-08-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

Scott and I just got home from a day of shopping. We picked up some new *luxurious* pajama gear for my upcoming hospital stay. I want to be sure to be comfy and cute, because I know all of my photographer pals will be taking many pics of Scott, baby and I while I am still recovering.
Also, I am preparing our musical selection for the big day. Some of the artists are Sigur Ros, Beck, Brazilian Girls, Kings of Convenience, Neko Case, Rufus Wainwright and, of course, Michael Jackson. They also have vcrs and tvs in all of the rooms, although I think those are more for the dads and other helpers. I can't imagine that I am going to be too interested in watching tv when a baby is trying to come out of me.
By the way, the new Beck cd is rockin.

Welcome to my first blog!

2005-08-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

Some of you might recognize the word "suss" as I frequently utter it when I see something or someone that I think is super cute. It is a German word for sweet or adorable, although in the real German word the u has an umlaut and the double s is actually an esset. (Maybe I should figure out how to write umlauts and essets with this American keyboard.)
I hope to update this page regularly with images and thoughts about becoming a new mama. At eight months prego I am starting to feel like my labor day will never arrive. My next pic will probably be the suss one's first picture. I have a feeling that those Bennett genes are going to really take over on this one. We'll see...