I've decided that it's about time that I start recording things that Mila is saying, with dates. For example, last week she started waving & saying 'bye' to her diaper once we had finished with it, knowing it was going to diaper-heaven inside the trash can. Over the past few days, she added 'bye di' to the send-off, and just this morning she said 'bye diaper' perfectly clearly! What a trip! So I've started a section in my 'Notes' app on my iphone titled 'Mila says' so that I can document all this, with dates. 
My friend has a daughter who is 6 months older than Mila, and she said right when her daughter Eva turned 18 months, it was like, bam, she was saying sentences. I'm excited for what's to come!!

Heat Wave!

Yesterday, we drove down to Menifee, which is on the way to Temecula, for a family birthday party. Every year we head down there around the time of my Aunt Jami, cousin Noah, and cousin Faith's birthdays. They have a huge home in a gated community with private lakes. Mila had a great time pretending to blow up balloons, eating hummus & crackers, playing with the dogs, and sorting through Faith's American Girl doll's clothes. We ate cold cuts and fruit salad, some people played Monopoly, and we truly enjoyed the shelter of their central a/c since it was somewhere between 107-112 degrees outside yesterday. (I read an article about two guys who baked cookies inside a van in Phoenix yesterday. It was about 120 degrees outside, and the thermometer measured 200 degrees inside the van!!! It took them 4 hours, but the cookies tasted like they had come out of the oven, and they took photos to document the baking. Holy crap).

I don't know what the rules are in the blogging world, so in lieu of copy/pasting an entire blog entry, written by another, onto my blog, I'm just going to paste the link. 
dinneralovestory.com/best-of-summer-awards 

If you have 5 minutes to spare, this is worth a look. Too cute!

Summer is here!

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Yesterday was our 4 year wedding anniversary. We left the kiddo with my parents and headed Downtown for some amazing food and cocktails. Here's what we ate: 

caramelized cauliflower
pine nuts, mint, garlic, lebni

“caesar” brussels sprouts
pecorino, anchovy, garlic

hamachi crudo
abkhazian chile spice, avocado, hash brown

“el pesco”
crispy shrimp, sriracha, chive dressing

Fun, right?? Their food is served as small plates meant for sharing. The first two were vegetable dishes. That 3rd one was a tuna ceviche. And the 4th was their sandwich on flat bread, which is what they're known for. 

Top all that off with some amazingly potent and special cocktails? It was a pretty rad evening. 

Updates:

• Mila is 16 months. When people ask how old she is, my answer varies. '16 months.' Or, 'almost a year & a half.' Or, 'She turned 1 in February.' Or, '16 months, she's walking, it's a fun age.' I just never know how to answer that question in a way that will make sense to people. I'd imagine that '16 months' might not mean much to someone who, perhaps isn't a parent of a toddler, or doesn't want to have to count. Kind of like when you ask a pregnant woman how far along she is, and she answers in weeks. I did it all the time, but hey, it's annoying! Quite hard to comprehend. 
• Anyway. 16 months over here means that she can finally say 'bye' and not just hi. She's also actually making kissy noises when she kisses. Finally mastering the pucker, and not the open-mouth, tongue on your cheek thing. She's also climbing. Pray for us. She's starting small, with a shallow bench in our office, though I'm sure those dining room chairs and the couch will follow soon enough
• We start our very first class together on Weds. Through Burbank Parks & Rec, we're going to take a 'mommy and me' type class at the Ovrum Center near the Trader Joe's that I used to work at. The class will involve rug time and crafts and songs, etc. It's only 45 minutes, once a week (2:15pm on Weds, my day off). I'm very excited. Though she's technically not of-age (two months off) so we'll see if we actually make the cut. 
• On Thursday morning we will board our first flight together. We're going to fly up to the Bay Area with my mom, to visit my grandma. I'm very excited. A little nervous, of course, but I just keep telling myself that the flight is only one hour long. She can eat all the peanut butter sandwich crackers she wants. 
• We will be gone for two nights, and will stay at my grandma's, and also get to see my aunt and uncle, and hopefully lots of deer. It feels strange, and I feel badly, that Greg doesn't get to go. It'll probably feel very surreal to him, to have an empty house.      

Yesterday, we had fun with old and new friends. 

I had mixed emotions about having the day off, which has been common lately due to how busy work is and my constant thinking about it and almost wishing that I could just be getting things done so that my return the following day wouldn't be so swamped. 

Anyway I pushed those thoughts aside and allowed myself to have a truly care-free day. 

We met with Lucian and Elliot at our favorite Garfield Park in South Pasadena which was packed and almost felt like Central Park, with people everywhere on blankets, playing with balls and toys, hosting birthday parties, bbq's, swinging and sliding and dog-walking and bike riding. It was a fun vibe and Greg actually got to come! I subjected him to the girl (read: mom) talk and he was a great sport. After some lounging and snacking (Mila could eat TJ's kale & spinach yogurt dip on crackers from sunrise to sunset) we all ventured over to the playground. This was the first time that we've done that as a group, since in the past we'd just stick to the lounging part and have the babies crawl around. Now they're getting older and it's time for sand, slides and swings whether we like it or not ;)

After the park, we went to a BBQ at Greg's friend's house. He went to high school with Ayo, who comes from a big Jamaican family and they all get together every Sunday. Reggae music was blasting, chicken, hamburgers and lamb were grilling, kids were playing, adults were drinking, and everyone made us feel like family. It was a pretty rad vibe and I especially enjoyed just sitting and chatting with 93 year old grandma who credits her good health and spirit to never smoking, and growing up eating fresh produce in Jamaica. She still has an accent. 

The bottom photo is of Mila with Stella, and Jayven, Ayo's niece and son. They were so sweet with Mila and I hope we find another Sunday to go back and hang with that family again.  

So, obviously it's been forever & a day since I was last on here. I have two words to describe why: Wedding Season. 

This time of year always sucks the life out of me. I'd say that I'm more ahead than I was this time last year, and so I'm not panicking the way I was last year, yet work now consumes (practically) all my thoughts and zaps my energy and knocks me down then picks me up and keeps me going yet keeps me dragging. 
I totally love my job, and realize that, in retrospect, it's really not that stressful. So many others have it so much harder. 
So I'm not complaining. Just explaining. At the end of the day, I'm able to do the dishes, take a shower, and get into bed. 

I've missed blogging, and feel like we've done so many fun things lately and Mila's really growing up before our eyes and I'm really realizing that this is....easy. 
(I should get that in writing, huh?) ;)
Now, tonight didn't feel easy, but that's probably because we were both tired and there were messes to take care of and dinner to make and then new messes to take care of and toys being thrown into the litter box (ugh) and dinner to be cleaned up and bath time (and oh crap she didn't drink any water with dinner. damn, I just realized that & now she's asleep). 

Anyway, if that's a 'hard' night, I think I can handle this. 

What's feeling 'easy' is her ability to communicate. The sign language that she knows, for 'more' and 'all done' allow her to express so much, even if she can't do so verbally. I can tell her that it's time to put the ball away and go inside, and she does just that. I can tell her it's time for dinner and she walks over to her high chair. Tonight she unpacked the groceries and stacked (and restacked, and stacked, and restacked) the yogurt cups into a tower. It was so cute. 

So yes, there's the throwing toys into the litter box thing. And the crying in defiance when I put her in her pack n play so that I can get dishes done (Greg's at work tonight, obviously). There's throwing chapstick under the stove, and throwing peas onto the floor. But you know what else there is? Standing in the kitchen together, after dinner, peeling orange segments off the peel and letting the juice drip down our hands and Mila knowing that when all she has left is the peel, she needs to lift the lid of the trash can and throw it away. 

And that makes for a really sweet, and rad moment.        

Thoughts:

I bought myself a new yoga mat today. Should I also buy myself a gym membership renewal?

The recent heat has me dreading summer. I'm trying my best not to complain about the weather because I can't imagine better weather than what we have in LA, yet it really does make me so grumpy. 

I really like my job. 

Mad Men is definitely one of my favorite shows of all time. 

I want to revamp my blog. I want a new name, header, layout, everything. I need help. 

Today I had the thought; what if there was no Mila? And I don't mean that in the tragic sense-I mean it in the sense that, I feel like her little being was so meant to be put on this Earth.  Regardless of my struggle to imagine my life without her, I can't imagine her not living and contributing to this world. She's such a strong character, I really feel like she's going to make a great impression. She's going to go places. She's going to go far. Her soul looms above me in a way that I never expected.....Already, I'm learning from her. She's so social, and strong, and smart. A natural-born leader. What I think about often is her role as a big sister. I'm not ready to get pregnant again, yet I do believe that she's meant to be the oldest sibling. She's meant to lead.     

Drinking cold white wine out of a mason jar, in my pjs, with all the windows open, a sleeping baby, and Greg at work, is my current moment. What's yours?

So, Mother's Day happened. And it was awesome. Greg works at 6am on Sundays, so he's gone by the time we get out of bed. I woke around 8 and gazed at my iphone until M woke around 9. (Yes, she thinks she's a teenager). Once we stumbled into the living room, I found that Greg had left me a really sweet card, and two new pairs of shoes! Nice surprise. I treated M & I to waffles for breakfast (meaning I toasted some frozen waffles...we didn't go out), and we got ready to go run errands. Target, TJ's, and Sprouts, all with a bit of a time crunch, a baby ready for a nap, and really pretty horrible heat. 

She didn't do so well-at 15 months, she's definitely not loving confinement, be it the carseat, stroller, highchair, shopping cart-you get the picture.  Of course this would affect anyone's ability to shop Target at their leisure (gasp!) (when really, my wallet should thank her). 
Anyway, a bath, shower, and 2.5 hour nap later, we were ready for Greg to come home from work at 2pm so that we could go to my parent's house. 
The party there was a lot of fun. There were quite a few of us (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandma) and enough enchiladas/chile rellenos/beans/rice/etc to go around-and around). Yummy. 

It was a festive day that felt special but not forced. It was time spent with family, both immediate and expanded. It was kitchen prep and cooking, opening gifts, mixing drinks, and playing in the grass once it (kinda) started to cool off.   

I felt content, relaxed, and grateful.

portrait of a sicky

Life threw us a few curve balls a week & a half ago when baby girl developed a high fever for 3 days, was diagnosed with an ear infection, prescribed antibiotics, and then....developed an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. 
So, turns out our little lady is allergic to amoxicillin/penicilin. No fun! Now for the rest of her life we'll/she'll have to let it be known that she has an allergy. This is something that I've been fortunate enough to never need to worry about. I realize that there are worst things to complain about, yet it's still strange understanding that she has an allergy. The sign was a rash on her forehead in the morning, that had crept across her face, chest, and back by mid-afternoon. It was itchy enough that we had to give her Benadryl. Oh, and her 5th tooth finally showed itself. Great timing, right?? By day 5 of all of this nonsense, I was crying myself to sleep along with her. 
But we're all better now-3 doctor's visits later.  

This is the kind of day that I love..

This morning, as coffee was brewing, I realized we didn't have much in the house for breakfast besides oatmeal. One egg....one slice of bread....one frozen waffle...etc. Not feeling excited about oatmeal, and after letting Greg sleep in a bit (oh, I was off today b/c I have to work tomorrow; Saturday) I asked Greg if putting our coffee in a thermos and going for a walk around Sierra Madre with muffins in hand sounded nice. Luckily, he said yes. By 9am we were sitting outside staring at the foothills, sharing a breakfast burrito and a muffin, while Mila 'woofed' at all the passing dogs and pointed out all the passing busses. Have I mentioned before that I love Sierra Madre?? You would swear you're in Cambria...or Big Bear...or on the set of Gilmore Girls...
Anyway!
We went to the park so that Greg could shoot hoops and we could swing and walk and play. 
Afterward, I watered my garden while Mila played in the mud, we all got cleaned up, picked up sandwiches, napped at home (Mila) went to work (Greg) and then I prepped us girls to go over to Cassandra & Lucian's house for a visit in their beautiful South Pasadena home. 
Greg's still at work (he works 2pm-10pm in case you were wondering) and I just finished a lime popsicle and have the a/c going and just might get into bed soon. Big day at work tomorrow with a Rose Garden wedding, and our first-ever prom. Eek.   

Mila updates

Miss M will turn 15 months on 5/11. She only has 4 teeth (two on top, two on bottom). She walks 100% of the time. She drinks whole milk, 15-20 oz. a day (recommended amount is 16-24). She also drinks water out of a sippy cup. (The milk is still in a bottle, something we've been lazy about weaning). She absolutely loves dogs & cats, putting on her shoes and going outdoors, emptying the laundry hamper, carrying towels and blankets around the house, trying to touch the stovetop settings or cat litter box just because she knows she shouldn't, saying hi to everyone she makes eye contact with, taking baths, and checking out the neighborhood peacocks. 

She does not like unexpectedly loud noises (understandable), vegetables (sometimes. unfortunately.) being confined to her stroller, highchair, pack & play, shopping cart, car seat (sometimes. unfortunately). 

She takes 1-2 naps a day. She does not easily go down for said nap(s). Her bedtime routine starts at 7:30pm. Lately, she's been waking up at 7:30am (which is early for her. Sorry, Greg!)
She can say 'HI!' and does so with that exact enthusiasm. She says 'woof woof' every time she sees a dog. She says 'ma!' for milk. Starting to say 'dada.' Sighs in a cute way when she's hugging someone or something. No other words, but she understands a whole lot. I say 'Mila, it's bathtime' and she waddles over to the cupboard where we keep her bathtub. That kind of thing. 

My mom watches her twice a week, Greg watches her on his two days off, and I watch her on my three days off. My parent's house in Burbank is most definitely her second home. The routine we have going on is perfect. She's one lucky kid and she's very loved. 

Sierra Madre Park-Tuesday

Yesterday afternoon, Greg and I decided to make time to take Mila to a park, for a true park visit-for the first time! She absolutely loved it. This particular park is beautiful. Rec center, nice pool, playground, softball field, dog park, rolling hills, school on one side & cemetery on the next(!) I absolutely love Sierra Madre. 
Mila LOVED the swing and wasn't afraid to go high and fast. She also loved the slide, she loved playing with the bark chip beneath her feet, walking on the paths, pushing Greg's basketball around, watching the big kids, everything.

Americana Monday

On Monday, my parents headed down to Laguna Beach for two nights, so I left work at 1pm-the usual time that Greg drops Mila off in Burbank (he works at 2pm). I really felt like getting out & walking around since it was such a perfect day, so Mila and I went to the Americana. We've been sitting on a Cheesecake Factory gift card for like, 2 years, so I decided to treat myself to a restaurant meal. No offense to Mila, but she made my meal by staying asleep in her stroller the entire time! I had a surprisingly good salad off their 'Skinnylicious' menu, some lemon water, and ended with a cappucino! Fancy times! ;) I decided to take a photo of the kid's menu b/c it made me realize how I'm really not looking forward to pretty much giving her the same options everytime we visit a restaurant now. This is our future...? Grilled cheese, chicken strips...

Once I finished my meal, I headed straight for Anthropology, and I was scouring the sale racks, little fingers peeked out of the blanket covering the stroller and I found her awake, smiling and sweaty. Nice bedhead, Mila!

I figured she'd love the water 'feature' and sure enough, she was completely obsessed with it. So cool. Gotta love free entertainment.

'Bye, Mommy!'.....This girl is fearless...

Very excited to see and hear the approaching trolley!!

Exploring foods

It's comforting to know that I'm not alone. Each time I get together with a fellow mommy friend, we mutually feel the need to discuss meal ideas with each other and see if we can bounce off any new ideas. It's easy to think, now that we pretty much have 'toddlers' (holy moly) that they can pretty much eat whatever we do. Which is true. But what about the nights when I want a spicy curry? Or when I want corn nachos? Those were two recent indulgences that I wasn't comfortable sharing with her. So I need to always have backup plans for her-stuff that's easy to choose (no molars yet-tortilla chips are not an option!) stuff that's healthy (even if I'm letting myself eat junk) stuff that's balanced (protein, carbs, veggies....already I'm struggling with making sure that my kid eats enough veggies). These are some recent findings (duh I'm pretty much strictly a TJ's shopper but sometimes wander around Sprouts or Whole Foods). 
-Slices of cheese are a great source of calcium & protein, plus more importantly (ha) she can feed this to herself while I'm getting something done such as washing the dishes or prepping dinner. Such a great distraction! er, appetizer ;)
-Year One, parents are strictly told to avoid nuts/nut butters since allergies are so common. Even now, her pediatrician pushed us away from serving her peanut butter since there's a high choking risk due to it's stickiness. We've found that these little sandwiches are perfect since, admittedly, the pb is practically a powder, so there's no concern for it getting stuck to the roof of her mouth. Perfect snack on-the-go, too
-TJ's has done it again-an amazing easy, already prepped, just needs sauteeing, mashed sweet potatoes. There is literally not one other ingredient in the bag. They look like hockey pucks as they melt down, but to me, they're genious. 
-Quinoa, sadly, is not a favorite of mine (the taste, look, and texture just kinda bug me) but it's a complete protein, and gluten free, so I love giving it to her with a puree, and knowing that it makes up for all the bagels and toast and crackers she eats.  (Mixing it with a puree, such as pear sauce or mashed zucchini, is necessary so that it doesn't crumble everywhere)