packages
Originally uploaded by michellanea
We are leaving on our cruise tomorrow. Spain and Portugal here we come! If I get a chance, I'll be blogging from on board.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Winterized
It's Dec. 23, and I have yet to shop or wrap anything. Cristiano broke his pinky toe on Saturday while kicking a ball around the house with Dylan and we spent six hours in the ER so he could get a splint and crutches (yes, the pinky toe is apparently necessary and incredibly painful if broken. Who knew? I guess all the people on the Facebook group who also broke their pinky toes...). That threw our whole weekend off and no shopping got done. While I go stress out, I'll leave you with a picture of Dylan in front of our apartment.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wonderful creature
I found the translation (it's OK, not the greatest - he writes "you are alone in the world" instead of "you are unique in the world," which is obviously a big difference) of an Italian song I like on YouTube. It always makes me think of Dylan.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Dylan's Book Corner
So I took some pictures of Dylan playing in his bedroom the other day but they came out so dark it looked like we lived in a cave. Must be all of the crappy rainy weather we've been having!
Since I don't have any good new pics of Il Dylan, I thought I'd highlight some of his favorite books. We are avid readers around here and Dylan loves to pull all of the books out of his shelf and flip the pages of multiple books at the same time. Then before naps and bed, we always have some quiet wind-down reading time. Here are some of our favorites so far (these are the soft books or board books Dylan has access to at this point - we have lots more for "bigger kids" up on a higher shelf). Pretty much all of these books we received as gifts. Thanks guys! Excuse the shoddy look of the images taken from Amazon.com but mamma doesn't have much time for Photoshopping (for personal blogg-y stuff, anyway) these days!
Since I don't have any good new pics of Il Dylan, I thought I'd highlight some of his favorite books. We are avid readers around here and Dylan loves to pull all of the books out of his shelf and flip the pages of multiple books at the same time. Then before naps and bed, we always have some quiet wind-down reading time. Here are some of our favorites so far (these are the soft books or board books Dylan has access to at this point - we have lots more for "bigger kids" up on a higher shelf). Pretty much all of these books we received as gifts. Thanks guys! Excuse the shoddy look of the images taken from Amazon.com but mamma doesn't have much time for Photoshopping (for personal blogg-y stuff, anyway) these days!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Cranky mamma's mood in photos
New drying rack, we love you for the way you accomodate many wet garments without taking up much space but how many pairs of jeans can you reasonably be expected to hold?
Old drying rack, you serve us well in the summer months when the sun beats down on your metal slats but what to do with you when there's frost on the pumpkin and on the clothes pins?
Radiator, you are kind of lame when it comes to heating the house but you dry baby jeans in about 24 hours so we appreciate you for what it is you do...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
House without a Christmas tree
We've decided not to put up a tree this year. We have nowhere to put it as its usual spot is now home to Dylan's high chair. And the thought of constantly having to keep Dylan away from the branches, ornaments, lights and electrical plugs just sounds like more trouble than it is worth. So we are following Italian tradition where the tree takes a back seat to the presepe, or nativity scene. I don't remember ever having one myself but I found this cute one featuring the Little People, and I do remember playing with the Little People. So that's that. It'll take up a tiny spot next to our TV.
We are still suffering through separation anxiety as best we can. We ended up having to move Dylan's bed back into our bedroom because the nights were getting unbearable. He didn't want to be left alone for a second and would cry and scream in desperation. I spoke to the child development specialist at the family center where we go for Dylan's play group and she said to just be patient. That this is not a step backward but a step forward in Dylan's psychological development. We've tried really hard to keep him out of our bed, but he can be pretty insistent as you can see below. For the most part, though, he stays in his own bed, waking up frequently to make sure we are still there and then going (somewhat) quickly back to sleep.
We are still suffering through separation anxiety as best we can. We ended up having to move Dylan's bed back into our bedroom because the nights were getting unbearable. He didn't want to be left alone for a second and would cry and scream in desperation. I spoke to the child development specialist at the family center where we go for Dylan's play group and she said to just be patient. That this is not a step backward but a step forward in Dylan's psychological development. We've tried really hard to keep him out of our bed, but he can be pretty insistent as you can see below. For the most part, though, he stays in his own bed, waking up frequently to make sure we are still there and then going (somewhat) quickly back to sleep.
Friday, December 5, 2008
What is happening to me?
It has happened overnight. I want a house. I'm sick of living in an apartment. It happened just like that. I have lived in an apartment pretty much all of my entire adult life, and I've always liked it. Yes, the upstairs neighbor kid bugged me but that was OK. That was just apartment living. And I was an apartment dweller. Now I'm a disgruntled apartment dweller.
The upstairs neighbor kid still bugs me but now I have to worry if MY crying kid is keeping the neighbors awake at night. This space was perfect for two. It's fine for three but I'd (selfishly, I know) like a bit more elbow room. I work from home, which means my "office" is in the kitchen in plain view of visitors, dinner guests and the like. No, I don't mind if you check your email from my computer but please don't close all of the Windows I have open without saving the 30-page translation I was working on. I don't have any top-secret dealings but I'm a bit weird about my work stuff and the arrangement of things on my "desk" (tiny side table) and even though it is right there in the middle of everything, I'd prefer you not pick up my paperweight. Sorry, I'm odd that way. I really liked when my office had its own space and was out of the way.
We had enough storage for two and we are still pretty good at being strategic in 900 square feet of space (though Italian homes have no closets - you have to buy big bulky "wardrobes," which take up some of that precious space) but most of the time I feel like I'm playing a losing game of Jenga just to get a can out of the cupboard. Let's not talk about all of the laundry I have draped everywhere. Then we live in a building with three apartments and a two-car garage that we pile all three cars into one after the other. That means everyone has to leave his keys downstairs and we have to play musical cars moving the other cars just to get our car out. That was an inconvenience before I had a kid but now it's next to impossible to wedge myself in between the cars (that was fun during the later months of pregnancy) while holding Dylan almost over my head, open the door a crack and try to put my wriggling child in his car seat. Not to mention when I come home and have a kid AND groceries.
Yes, I'm ready for a house. I am slowly transforming into a future suburbanite. I guess you'll next see me at the hybrid minivan dealership (full options including backseat DVD player). Meep meep. What has become of me?
The upstairs neighbor kid still bugs me but now I have to worry if MY crying kid is keeping the neighbors awake at night. This space was perfect for two. It's fine for three but I'd (selfishly, I know) like a bit more elbow room. I work from home, which means my "office" is in the kitchen in plain view of visitors, dinner guests and the like. No, I don't mind if you check your email from my computer but please don't close all of the Windows I have open without saving the 30-page translation I was working on. I don't have any top-secret dealings but I'm a bit weird about my work stuff and the arrangement of things on my "desk" (tiny side table) and even though it is right there in the middle of everything, I'd prefer you not pick up my paperweight. Sorry, I'm odd that way. I really liked when my office had its own space and was out of the way.
We had enough storage for two and we are still pretty good at being strategic in 900 square feet of space (though Italian homes have no closets - you have to buy big bulky "wardrobes," which take up some of that precious space) but most of the time I feel like I'm playing a losing game of Jenga just to get a can out of the cupboard. Let's not talk about all of the laundry I have draped everywhere. Then we live in a building with three apartments and a two-car garage that we pile all three cars into one after the other. That means everyone has to leave his keys downstairs and we have to play musical cars moving the other cars just to get our car out. That was an inconvenience before I had a kid but now it's next to impossible to wedge myself in between the cars (that was fun during the later months of pregnancy) while holding Dylan almost over my head, open the door a crack and try to put my wriggling child in his car seat. Not to mention when I come home and have a kid AND groceries.
Yes, I'm ready for a house. I am slowly transforming into a future suburbanite. I guess you'll next see me at the hybrid minivan dealership (full options including backseat DVD player). Meep meep. What has become of me?
Monday, December 1, 2008
Thanksgiving 2008
butterball
Originally uploaded by michellanea
We had a good one. Still recovering and swamped with work so I don't have much time to write. Happy (rainy here) Monday! We did our third round of vaccinations this morning. Ouchy.
More Thanksgiving pictures here
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