Sleep

It's chilly outside, we keep the heat low, 65, but it's feels cozy and warm inside. 

Leo and Lucia are tucked into bed.  It's 10:30.  He couldn't sleep last night.  She woke up at 3:30 and didn't get back to sleep until 5 after first trying to nurse her back to sleep, then rocking her, then walking her.  He was awake and said he couldn't sleep so I slept in the guest room while he rocked and walked. 

I got up with her at 7.  She was full of excitement just like she is every morning.  I desperately would have loved another hour of sleep but her joy at the beginning of a new day is so refreshing, I can's help but come out of my morning fog and smile and tickle her belly while she giggles and roars like a tiger. 

He finally fell asleep.  At 9:30 I brought her back to bed for her morning nap.  She woke up when the street cleaner went by.  From the living room I could hear him shush her back to sleep. 

Our lives revolve around sleep....who's getting it, who isn't, who needs more and how to get it.  Move the crib, move the mattress, walk, shush, rock, nurse.

I already drank coffee and am contemplating a second cup knowing that I'm up for the day.  The day has begun and in fact I'm happy to be up, to sit quietly, listen to cars whoosh past in the rain and hum of the refridgerator.  A break. 

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Bill Cunningham's New York

My parents are fanatical New York Times readers.  They live in an area where you can't get it delivered so they buy it every single day without fail.  When they were in the Peace Corps in the 70s my grandmother would mail the Sunday editions to them.  When lived in Indiana also in the 70s, my grandmother would mail them the daily editions.  On any given evening you can fnd my parents listening to folk music, drinking red wine and sitting in their living room reading The Times.  As an adult this sounds rather appealing, as a child not so much.  Then at about age 8 I began finding the newspaper interesting, particularly the styles section.  Each week I would read about glamourous New York with total fascination.  My mother and I would also have elaborate discussions about the weddings and of course, Bill Cunningham's On the Street.

Yum!

In my family I'm always in charge of Thanksgiving dessert. This year I'm making this Chocolate-Cranberry Tart in addition to a traditional pumpkin pie. So excited to spend time with family and stuff myself with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes with little marshmallows and dessert of course!

Our Present

He's next to me on the couch hunched over his computer, working. Periodically he looks up reads a part of his writing in English and asks, eso suena bien? I say yes, he goes back to typing. Books and toys are strewn across the living room, I'll put them in the woven basket marked with her name before I head to bed. He rubs my feet through the woven blanket. When I look at him I'm amazed.

Amazed by his strength and dedication. He was worked so hard physically, mentally, emotionally so that we can sit on this couch together, so that we can be here, in this simple moment.
I wonder how we got here. Fate? Destiny? Choice? Hardwork? Sacrifice? Love?

Maybe it's all of those things.

Maybe it's none of them.

Maybe we got here because it was our way, the only way and this is our present.


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A Treehouse in Brooklyn

How fantastic is this?

Roses for Lips

 

How have I never used this stuff before?  I bought this Minted Rose Lip Balm from Sephora the other day and now I can't stop using it.  It smells lovely, floral with a touch of mint and makes my lips oh so soft.

Company is Coming!

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I'm making my go-to recipe for dinner, boeuf bourguignon. I've made the classic Julia Child version couple times and I love it. This time I decided to try Ina Garten's recipe primarily because there is cognac in it that you light on fire to cook off the alcohol and I'm a sucker for any recipe that has fire involved. I'd love to hear, do you have a go-to recipe for company?

Madrid

Matt Lauer is in Madrid.  I went to Madrid once.  I was young, 21.  I remember walking the streets in awe.  In awe of the differences and self-concious about my own lack of worldliness.  How I wish I had been able to let that self-conciousness go and that I had been able to simply enjoy the sights and sounds and experience.  With age comes a bit more confidence, but there are times with my daughter when I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.  Sometimes I find myself wondering what kind of mother I'll be.  Then I remind myself I already am a mother and the kind of mother I will be when she is 5 or 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 is the same kind of mother I am now....I think. 

She has a stuffy nose should I be giving her saline drops eventhough the bottle says not for children under two?  What about those saline wipes are those ok?

I let her play with the vegetables on the kitchen floor when we come home from the co-op, should I not? 

She sleeps with us at night and for every nap, she's happy but am I not teaching her how to be independent? 

She doesn't say any words yet, am I not correctly teaching her both languages?  Does she not hear one of them enough? 

She has the brightest smile. 
She sparkles. 
She loves bananas and playing "monstro" with her Papi. 

She learned how to turn on the music in her room yesterday morning and everytime since then when she goes in her room she immediately turns it on and starts clapping and bobbing her head.  She gets so excited and lets out high-pitched shrieks.  I can't help but stop what I'm doing and smile from ear to ear and clap and bob along with her....

that's the kind of mother I am. 


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Date Night

 

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Saturday night Esposo and I went out to dinner for the first time in 6 months.  My parents came and watched chickadee while we snuck out for a late leisurely dinner.  It was wonderful, we chatted, drank wine and held hands.  I only wish we could do it more often. 

Ooooooh Glitter!

I'm not typically one who goes for much bling.  Shiny, sparkly things have never really felt quite right for me.  For my nails I pretty much stick with pale pink or classic red but then the other day I came across this lovely picture and I was smitten. It's such a lovely twist on my go to pale pink.

 

I had to try myself.  I used Petal Pink by Essie with Only Gold for Me by OPI from Sephora.  I think I'm in love with this combo, turns out maybe I do like a bit of bling after all. 

Ok so my picture taking skills clearly don't capture the loveliness of my nails but either way I'm smitten and I just may be rockin' the glitter on a regular basis. 

A return from La-La Land & Happy Halloween!

We've been off in la-la land.  Always a fun place.  We're back, please forgive us for our brief departure :).

Chickadee's first Halloween was so sweet.  She hung out with me while we handed out candy to a million treat-or-treaters (yes, there were definitely a million... I counted).  She would shyly smile at everyone all dressed in their costumes.  She seriously was the cutest chunky monkey ever, I just couldn't get over her adorableness.  Here are some pics for you to coo over as well. 

(cutest monkey ever right? although I'm thinking maybe she should have held onto some bananas because she's looking mighty mouselike.  oh well still the cutest critter ever.)