IslandTime - Carpe Mañana

Who knew we were so trendy?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/fashion/09baby.html

Night on the Town

9 June 2009

Last week, Chance's Grandma and Great-Grandma came for a working visit. They helped clean up the house so we can return it to its owners in good shape. While they were here, we celebrated Chance's 11-month birthday with a crown, ice cream cake, and new toys.

On Saturday, Mark and Erin left the grandmas in charge and went out for a nice dinner. We headed to a restaurant where we know the chef – it seemed as good a reason as any to try out a new place. When we ordered dinner and a bottle of wine, Mark asked the waiter to tell Chris (the chef) we said “Hi.” The next thing we knew, the owner came out with a lovely appetizer complements of Chris – quite a nice treat!

We ate a delicious meal (rabbit and swordfish) and nearly finished a good bottle of wine (a Portuguese tinto); we were feeling good. After some debate about whether we had room for dessert, we ordered a brownie with chocolate & raspberry sauce and vanilla ice cream. When it arrived, Mark dug right in, swirling his forkful of brownie in the rich sauces. But instead of the expected "yum," he said "this tastes a little strange." Both of us were thinking that it must be some fancy-pants gourmet sauce that our baby-food palates didn’t appreciate.

Erin dipped her fork into the sauce and tasted – not chocolate – but gravy. And we both looked down at the deep brown, smooth pool of sauce that the brownie sat in, and that had been decoratively drizzled across the brownie. Mark tasted again and confirmed that it definitely wasn't a salty chocolate sauce.

He called the waiter over. We explained and he whisked the plate away. He came back a minute later, apologized, and verified that somehow a gravy pan had ended up at the dessert station. A new brownie arrived, followed by the owner again, this time bearing glass each of Muscat and 20-year old port. She apologized too and said Chris was really embarrassed. We thought it was hilarious (and would make a great blog entry). And then she told us how glad she was that it had happened to us – "friends" of the restaurant – rather than the vegetarian couple who had ordered the brownie after us. This made us laugh even more (okay, we'd had some wine, but it was pretty funny).

We had a great and memorable evening, and some great food. Think about it, a gravy that was rich, dark, and smooth enough to pass for chocolate sauce! If you find yourself in Shelburne, Vermont, we strongly recommend Bistro Sauce.

Merry Month of May

The month of May has gone by in a blur. First it was summer, then it was almost winter, then summer, then spring. While his parents have been packing for the move across town, Baby Chance has rolled (and crawled) with the punches (and tumbles). Some of his many accomplishments this month include:

• Mostly sleeping through the night, but not always (see, emergence of an advanced food processing system implementation below).
• Continuing to eat anything and everything (dirt, goat cheese, spinach, grapes, fritatta, BBQ ribs – it all tastes just like chicken)
• Perfecting his inchworm imitation (aka, learning to crawl)
• Drinking from a sippy cup
• Learning what those things at the bottom of his legs can do (feet / standing)
• Implementing an advanced food processing system (his second tooth may have emerged by the time of this posting)
• Conquering the two-handed clap and the one-handed smack. He knows the sound of one hand clapping.
• Attempting the wave (well, some people think he’s waving, we think he’s just flailing his arm around – you say tomato…)
• Finding his tongue, and using it to loudly dispense spit from his mouth or to demonstrate what he is eating, or for an added degree of grossness, both at the same time
• Getting into mischief and ignoring simple orders like, “No, don't eat the power cord”

Day Tripping

We spend Friday down in upstate NY visiting Marina on her farm, Shoving Leopard. Elaine drove up from Long Island to hang out with us and help Marina do a little gardening.

 

Eights

8 Things We're Looking Forward to:

a. 8 consecutive, uninterrupted hours of sleep
b. A whole year without moving a household
c. Getting where I need to go
d. My next meal
e. Smarter students
f. Taking a road trip to visit friends & family
g. Teeth
h. My next nap

8 Things We Did Yesterday:

i. Planted peas & beans & potatoes
ii. Played on a trampoline
iii. Ate eggs, toast, hashbrowns and blueberry pancakes for breakfast
iv. Ate (finger) paint
v. Took a bath
vi. Made birthday presents for Uncle Phil and Grandma.
vii. BBQ’d
iix.Played guitar

8 Things We Wish We Could Do:

taha. Walk and run
ua. Master barre chords
tolu. Keep up with the dirty dishes
fa. Party like it's 1999
nima. Gain weight
ono. Lose weight
fitu. Settle on a domicile
valu. Talk

8 Shows We Watch:

1/2. House
3/4. CSI
5/6. NCIS
7. Digital Clock
8. Movie Credits

Thankful Tuesday

A friend of ours uses her blog every Tuesday to document three things she is thankful for. This week we are thankful for:

• Having a place to call home.
• Sharing our home with people we love.
• The opportunity to ensure others have a place to call home.

This weekend we'll be walking in the annual COTS Walk. It's a bit of a Burlington tradition and a rare opportunity to see how the other half lives. If you'd like to support our effort, you can make a donation by clicking the link below. And for all who donate, we promise to email you exclusive, adorable photos of Chance walking.

Reunion

During the later part of the pregnancy, we took a birthing class. Our group consisted of six couples; three of the soon-to-be mothers were named Erin. A couple of weeks ago, we all got together at a local coffee shop.

  

9 months

15 1/4 pounds and 26 inches. Still small, but this baby's come a long way from 5 1/8 pounds and 18 inches.

9 Months

Chance is 9 months old today. On Monday, he goes in for his check-up. Any guesses on his current weight?

 

A(nother) day in the life

29 March 2009

7:30 am - Parents are awake, but don’t seem ready to face the day.

8:00 – Parents getting dressed. I start making happy cooing noises in my crib to make sure they don’t forget me

8:02 – Dad fetches me from my jail (aka crib), turns off the radio and takes me to the changing table for a new diaper. Mom is downstairs getting the coffee started.

8:05 – Dad brings me downstairs for breakfast. It has been six hours since I last ate, and I may soon faint from hunger.

8:20 – I’m still nursing (can’t rush a good thing), but I’ve become easily distracted by mom’s hair, the book on the sofa, dad’s voice in the next room, the sound of the computer turning on, and my toes.

8:25 – Dad is working at the dining room table, aka his office. Mom is making more breakfast for me (oatmeal with pureed apples and pears) and for herself (granola with vanilla yogurt). Dad sticks with the coffee. She thinks she has made too much for me, but I will prove her wrong.

8:40 – Mom wipes my face and hands, then straps me into my chair next to dad, while she goes to take a shower and get dressed.

9:00 – Mom emerges clean to find me and dad back at the changing table where I have been pooping. Mom gets me dressed in a new outfit, while dad takes a shower. Mom and I carry my laundry bag downstairs.

9:10 – Dad is out of the shower and mom starts the laundry. I am playing happily with a variety of toys.

9:30 – Mom has an idea of walking with me to the bakery for a loaf of bread to go with tonight’s dinner. But we are playing happily and inertia keeps us from going anywhere.

9:40 – I am noticeably wearing down, clinging to mom and rubbing my eyes.

9:50 – Mom tricks me into falling asleep by nursing me.

10:10 – Mom abandons me in my crib. I protest vigorously for 45 seconds. Then I decide to reserve my strength.

11:00 – I am still asleep.

11:30 – I am still sleeping.

12:00 – I am sleeping.

12:30 pm – I am not sleeping. I am wet. I am hungry. I must escape.

12:33 – I have demonstrated my physical prowess by standing up by myself while holding onto the crib railing. I have also had my diaper changed. It must be time to eat.

12:45 – I’m not very interested in nursing right now because my toys are calling to me. Mom still hopes to walk to the bakery, but it’s raining harder now.

1:00 – After some spirited play time, mom gives me some roasted chicken for lunch, including my very first drumstick. Just call me “Neanderthal boy.”

1:45 – Dad cleans me up and helps mom get me bundled up for the great walk to the bakery.

2:15 – Mom and I arrive at the bakery to find it closed 15 minutes ago. Blast.

2:16 – Mom takes me in the baby toy store that’s next door to the bakery. I am amused until I see all the high-priced furniture and accessories that I do not possess. This cruel deprivation makes me sad.

2:45 – I teeter on the edge of sleep during the walk back home. Mom hands me to dad when we arrive and he takes me right up to my crib. I am asleep before he gets back downstairs.

4:25 – Mom has put biscuits in the oven to have with split pea soup for dinner - this is the back up plan because the bakery was closed – I wake up just as the oven door closes.

4:27 – I am awake and I am hungry.

4:55 – I feel better now. I check out my playpen while mom & dad eat dinner.

5:05 – I can no longer tolerate them eating in front of me.

5:07 – I am in the highchair eating homemade pea soup with biscuit.

5:20 – We all finish eating. I zoom around in my walker while mom cleans up and dad continues to grade student essays.

5:45 – We look at photos of my adventures today. Mom puts me on the floor with my toys and I crawl backwards (I haven’t yet figured out the forward gears) until I am trapped under the bookcase. I express my displeasure until help arrives.

6:00 – Mom hands me to dad while she tries to remember everything that we did today.

6:10 – Dad puts me back in my walker and I follow him around.

6:15 – My parents are waiting until I go to bed to have cookies and ice cream. I know they are; they are very tricky and must be carefully monitored at all times.

6:20 – I help mom and dad put sheets on Grandma Sue’s bed.

7:00 – I take a bath, accompanied by my ducks, turtles, and various other aquatic animals.

7:30 – I am in bed, but I don’t want to sleep yet.

8:00 – I am awake and playing with mom.

8:30 – I am awake and playing with dad.

9:00 – I am awake and playing with mom.

9:05 – I am in my crib, but I am still NOT SLE…

11:30 – I am awake and HUNGRY.

12:30 am – I am sleeping.

2:30 – I am awake and HUNGRY.

3:00 – I recharge in order to seize the coming day. Carpe diem, baby.