Revival post: Pistachio Trail Mix June & July 2014

My neighbor, who is due with a little boy in February, recently asked me (probably rhetorically) how hard having two little ones is. She has a 2 year old daughter as well. I am disinclined to tell any expectant mother that it is really, really #&*@-off hard. At the same time, I can be a self-righteously honest person. To reconcile this, I focus on the positive to temper the news that yes, it is really, really cuss cuss hard, because truth be told however hard the last 11 months have been, they have still been the happiest most amazing days of my life. Free time is hard to come by, blog posting and baby book updating is futile, but my life is sooooo amazing I can’t put it into words.

So pictures it is…

Included above: June roadtrip trip to Scorpian Bay, the Fourth of July, swimming with Nani, and our July trip to Kona, Hawaii.

If I could make days last forever, if I could make wishes come true…

Totally best friends. They’ve got each other’s back. It’s more than any mother could hope for, and slightly terrifying, but I hope they stay this way forever.

Angus at 6 months. 

Here is what we’ve been contending with during nap time. Nothing like a 10 foot jack hammer to impress upon a 6 month old that life is about being flexible. This is our driveway.

 

As seen from our bedroom window, where Angus had been napping.  At least we know there won’t be a poop explosion on our block due to old sewer lines. So, there’s that. And the crew helped me carry my baby gear, including stroller, to my car parked up the block, so there’s that too.

We just love being back in California;  learning about horticulture with her girlfriends.

 

Baby Alistair had a birthday. Currently contending quite well with Angi for most snuggliest baby ever.

 

Iyla finds work where she can. Here, she is applying stickers to Angus’ onesie, so she can meticulously remove them later. Today, she told me her work was jumping. She explained that she works in “Hal Santro” (El Centro) that she makes $20 doing it, and that I am her employer (ie: I owe her a $20.) She later told me she would use the money to buy groceries. I’m happy that she is reinvesting in the family.

Angus is now 7 months old!  This little ham had a rough patch after he got a staph infection on his leg and was suffering from antibiotic gut coupled with first teething crankiness. His two little bottom teeth have finally started to appear through the gums and he’s off the meds, so we are getting back to this smiley situation. He’s kinda dreamy.

 

Almost unassisted sitting.

Almost crawling. 

Freaking awesome.

 

Five Months

 

Too tired for words. You’re lucky you got pictures. 🙂 

Aengus Og

For those of you still wondering about our choice of names for our son, for the record,  we did not name him after a brand of cattle, although we do believe the cow to be a magnificent animal. We actually chose the name after the Gaelic god of love and beauty, Aengus Og, which translates roughly as “the one” or “choice one.” According to mythology, he had a harp that made irresistible music, and his kisses turned into birds that carried messages of love. 

I believe the name fitting, and spectacularly cool, and that’s all I’m going to say about it.

And for Lou, this guy,
for songs like Satellite of Love, which we played at our wedding.

Angus is 3 months old.  He is sweet, delightful and drooly. He is starting to enjoy tummy time. It’s so dang easy to make him laugh.

 

 

Oh my, goodness, gracious gracious

We’ve been having a lot of fun this spring. We were back in San Diego at the beginning of May to find a place to live.

Here is a little preview, the view from the kitchen out to the back patio. Score!

 

 

We got to contribute to the Hamilton-Schumacher road trip, when they stopped in San Diego for three days. Boy are we going to miss these guys. We know that we will be friends for life though and that we will watch all three of them do great things. How lucky we are to have spent this season of our lives together. 

The trip fell on my bestest friend Maren’s birthday, and we celebrated at Pomegranate a local Georgian restaurant. Vodka shots all around.

Just one more year til we are reunited with these fools, our Sunday-dinner-in-your-pajamas-party friends. I can’t wait til they are back home and we can reinstate that tradition and start new ones.

Until June 1, Chris will be dreaming of you, Scripps waves.

And before I forget – these belated easter photos. And photographic evidence of why monkeys definitely should not jump on beds, or couches: Iyla’s torn frenulum and busted lip. Ouch. (now completely healed)

They sparkle and they bubble, they gonna get you in a whole lotta trouble

Oh baby, them there eyes.

Angus is two months old. He’s at that age where he can look like a different baby from one angle to the next. He can look decidedly chubbier depending on whether he’s wearing a cloth or disposable diaper, naked or clothed. I say he’s dang cute from any angle. He is still a sweet sweet baby. He started smiling this month, which melts a mother’s heart. He is as kissable as he looks.

Siblings. Love & likeness

Can you tell who’s who? Iyla came out looking maybe a little more like Chris and Angus definitely has some Tortorici in him. The top of his ears turn out just like my grandpa. But as he grows, just like Iyla, I can see more of a combination of our genes. It’s fascinating and adorable. 

Iyla and me before our mommy daughter date last weekend, with matching denim. We went to the library and had biscuits and milk tea at our favorite coffee shop. So much fun.

 

One month plus

Iyla, Iyla, Angus, Angus. One month compare and contrast. These aren’t the best photos of Iyla, but I’m on a time crunch – winning choice tonight between uploading photos and shower = shower all the way. Sorry folks.

Angus is a hardy dude. He gained almost 3 lbs his first month. No wonder I’m freaking exhausted & starving all the time. ! Forget pregnancy – nursing is when you truly are eating for two. Keep the casseroles coming people.

 

PS: Gamma lovingly called this the Vladimir Putin photo shoot, but I assure you, no animals were hurt (the bear is actually alpaca!)

 

Getting to know Angus Lou

Getting to know Angus over the last few weeks has been so amazing. He is such a sweet sweet little man.

Angus loves: taking long naps in someone’s arms, warm milk, snuggles, big sister, lullabies and baths.

Angus hates: cold balls & waiting too long for said warm milk.

Basically he is perfectly amenable to our lives as long as he is warm and fed. His “likes” list is every growing and so far his dislikes are simple. He takes right after his father in this attribute.

Since Angus has arrived it’s photo-op city over here. If I had a free hand most of the time I would be up to my elbows in photos to edit. As it is, I’ve still managed to capture loads of unbearable cuteness. I think you will agree. Enjoy and share. xoxo

 

Introducing Angus Lou

This is me at 39 weeks and 4 days, the day Angus was born. I knew he was coming by the time we took this picture. I had just taken a shower and asked Chris to quickly take my 39 week picture before things got real. I am wearing my birthing necklace, made up entirely of beads given to me by some of the special supportive ladies in my life who were my natural birth champions. This picture was taken around 1:30 or 2 pm.

I was so lucky that my friend Hope had decided to come down on Saturday, following a false labor alarm and stayed with us until after Angus was born. She took amazing care of me before, during and after labor.

Iyla asking, “what Mommy do?” To which I think we replied something like,  “helping the baby come out.” She was very nonchalant about the whole thing like it was totally what she expected, like “oh, yeah, we get to see the baby soon. Cool.”

Here is as really real as it gets. This is me in cobblers pose, pushing the baby’s head out. Chris was my automatic back lift – pushing me up every time I had a contraction so that I could best leverage my body to get the baby’s head under my pelvic bone. This part of labor took about 45 minutes, but in it’s entirety I only had physically strenuous labor for about 4 hours. I attained my goal of cutting my labor by about half of the time it took with Iyla. Don’t ask me how I did it other than sheer hope.

Precious little man right after they put him on my chest.

“Baby came out?!” This is the first moment of many of complete and utter awe. Iyla is so in love with her little brother.
We are all doing great. I am too tired to be graceful with my words so I will post a proper birth story later. Needless to say the important thing to know at this point is that we are all well, Chris is on a 2 week paternity leave from school and we are just hanging out here at home in our little nest of love and hormones and casseroles. It is the most magical time of our lives. Thank you for sharing it with us! xoxo

PS: 8 lb 9.6 oz; 21″ born at 6:49 pm on February 5, 2014