Seven Years!

Last weekend, Nate and I celebrated seven years of marriage. What? Where did the time go? We are pictured above on our first anniversary. We celebrated our first anniversary at a quaint French restaurant in downtown Austin and then stopped by our friend's house to say hello. You can barely see the Frost Bank Tower in the background. And if you look really closely, you can see wine on my teeth. Super classy. We look so young!

We meant to get a picture from our date night this year, but failed. That's what happens when you're preparing to leave two kids with a babysitter - all thoughts of capturing the moment move to the back burner. Here's to you, Nate! I love you more and more every year.

The List: An Update

Finishing Sarah's Key made me realize that I am one book closer to finishing a goal on my 101 Things in 1001 Days list. Fifteen books down, five to go (per #2). That also means I'm a wee bit closer to finishing another goal of writing a book review for all 20 books. Book reviews are good for remembering things about the book that I may not remember otherwise. I wish I had written a book review for EVERY book I've ever read. There are many, many that I have forgotten.

So, where am I at on my list of goals? Upon review, it seems that some of the goals are outdated or may need to be tweaked to reflect my current life situation. For example, hosting dinner parties is pretty much out of the question with two kids who go to bed before 8:30. However, we can host a mean BBQ, which is exactly what we did last Friday. We had three great couples over, which resulted in four boys and two little girls who could play together. Three "dinner" parties down, two to go. Also, my parents are now both 60, so organizing a birthday party for them doesn't make sense. However, I have been toying with the idea of getting them a really great "just because" gift to thank them for all of their support over the past few years. I'm still thinking...

I've been doing a pretty good job of writing my grandma AND sending her pictures of the kids (#18) and getting closer to my goal of six total letters (one to go). Nate and I will be traveling to Oregon this summer to attend a wedding. It won't necessarily be the most romantic vacation we've ever taken, but it will be fun - and that's romantic enough at this point (#67). The half-marathons in almost every city I have lived is probably a goal I won't reach (#79, 80), but I do plan to run another half-marathon in October and that might have to do. Nate is also very insistent that I buy new bras (I have one functional - and I use that term lightly - bra right now) and has gone so far as buying me a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret, so I'll accomplish goal #94.

Several goals will need some revision. For example, backpacking with Benny is do-able. But backpacking with Benny and Lila will probably need to wait a few years. I think we'll do it, but not in the time allotted. Fiddle classes, while that sounds fantastic, won't happen due to time constraints (and, quite frankly, lack of interest at this point). The metal vines on our awning will stay put for the time being because the awning will be up for the foreseeable future. We have decided not to plant Aspen trees in the front yard, but we will be planting other cool stuff there in the fall.

After reflecting on the list a little, I'll add one new goal: #102 - Revise the list to replace unattainable goals with new, more realistic and exciting goals.

Book Review: Sarah's Key

My good friend, Jayne, gave me this book shortly after Lila was born. I had intended to read it before I returned to work. Nearly six months later, I finally finished it. It was the perfect book for my schedule - short chapters, compelling story. It's set in Nazi-occupied France as well as modern day Paris. As a francophile, I love to read about Paris and France.

I did not know that the French government, under the control of the Nazi regime, rounded up thousands of Jewish people to be executed at concentration camps. The story, like all stories from the Holocaust, is disturbing and very touching. I always wonder how the Holocaust happened - how thousands of people could overlook the inhumanity of the such a large-scale torture and killing.

The book is good. It's not necessarily believable in all parts, nor is the ending at all realistic. However, it's entertaining and worth reading. I'm glad to have finished a book on my own time that got me revved up about reading again!

The book was also made into a movie late last year. Check out the trailer here. I'll probably watch it when Nate's gone for the evening at some point.

We Are MOBILE!

Lila is crawling. Her movements are still quite rudimentary, but she can certainly move from point A to point B, if given the appropriate incentive (like stuffed animals, food, etc.). Sometimes she makes coordinated crawling motions, but often it's more like a lunge forward from all fours. She's pretty proud of this accomplishment too.

Watching her trying to crawl is hilarious. Often it's like watching someone completely uncoordinated do yoga. She ends up in the downward facing dog and has no idea how to get out of it. Table top is her favorite position and I can see her little muscles quivering as she plots how she'll put Elmo's leg in her mouth once she gets to him.

Baby proofing has never been a HUGE concern for us. Of course we do it, but not until it's necessary. I'm afraid that time has come. Benny's big boy toys are migrating to the basement and talks of baby gates are in full force. No more putting Lila on the bed for a minute or leaving the room while she's sitting, oh so innocently, on the floor. Our life has changed for good ... again! That beautiful little girl always keeps us on our toes!

Precious Sleep

It's official: Lila is sleeping through the night. She's been sleeping through the night for about a month now, but I didn't want to jinx it by writing about it. When I say "sleeping through the night," I mean in bed by 8 p.m. and up at around 6:30 a.m. It is glorious.

If Lila hadn't figured things out by herself by seven months, I was prepared to start "sleep training" or the cry-it-out-method. But, she was progressing nicely at around six and half months - sleeping through the night every few days. We traveled to Nebraska for Easter with my family and that's the last time she woke up during the night.

I realize that we are super lucky to have such great sleepers. Benny passes out and rarely wakes up during the night (not even to pee). Lila's cries have never bothered him. The downside is that he's still in a pull up at night and I don't foresee that ending any time soon. The kid simply doesn't wake up. We have forgotten to put a diaper on him at night and he will sleep in wet sheets. I don't think there's anything we can do about it but wait for him to mature enough to wake up.

Now if I could just get myself to sleep through the night, all would be right with the world. Rare is the night that I don't wake up for at least an hour to toss and turn.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

Lila: Seven Months of Happiness

In this post: 1) Lila at four months, continuing to rock the anti-gravity hair. 2) Lila eating her first solids, just shy of five months. 3) Lila, six months, and a forced kiss from Benny (I think I promised him a treat if he kissed his sister). 4) Lila has graduated from her Bumbo chair to her high chair at seven months.

Lila: The First Three Months

In this post: 1) Lila, day one. 2) Lila, at two months, hated bath time. Benny loved to help give her a bath. She has grown out of the baby bath tub and now takes a bath with Benny. 3) Lila hanging out at two months. 4) Lila at three months.