It’s Spring!

Springtime in Oregon means rain and a two week tease of 80 degree weather.  And birthday’s and Mother’s Day.  The end of April and beginning of May (Until Mother’s Day!)were glorious as far as weather goes and since then it’s been rainy and crappy and awful.  But hey!  That’s Oregon!Spring_05But when it’s nice in Oregon, it’s THE BEST.  It was so perfect and beautiful that Max was naked for days.  We would go outside and he would immediately strip down to nothing.  Watching his tiny naked butt run around the yard was amazing.  And I swear I’ve never seen him happier.  Just look at that smile.Spring_06SPring_07And then Mother’s Day came and the sun went away.  It was a lovely day spent inside with the family, after work.  My Rob cooked dinner AND made birdhouses for me and my mom and his mom.  Birdhouses!  We’re going to have Max paint them eventually.Spring_08The day after Mother’s Day max went to his very first parade, the St. John’s Parade.  Rob’s family used to go each year when they were kids, they thought it would be nice for Max to go.  Rob was working so it was me and Max, Rob’s folks and Aunt Christi.  We picked a spot in front of the State Farm building, where they giving away hot dogs and burgers, in the shade.Spring_09I think Max enjoyed it.  He was a little scared a few times by some of the marching bands.  He would wrap his arms around himself and say “cooooooold” and shiver and wanted someone to hold him and cover his ears.  I would ask him if he was scared and he would snuggle up and mutter the tiniest little “yeah”.  He got over it eventually and began to enjoy the bands.  He better because one of these years I want to get him down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras and the marching bands are so lively and energetic.

Today is the beginning of another stretch of dry and warm weather so if you need us we’ll be in the backyard sipping beers and chasing a naked toddler.

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Also, I gave the blog a little makeover.  What do you think?

Oh, Happy Mother’s Day (yesterday)!

I’m a lucky girl I tell ya.  I’ve got this magical little Monster called Max that made me a mama, and I just feel like I’ve won the World’s Greatest Present of All Time Lottery.   Except for those times when it feels like I haven’t, like when I’m spraying the 4th poop diaper of the day into the toilet.

I’ll bet all moms feel that way.

Thanks to my Mom, Aunts, Grandmothers, and Girlfriends  for being the mothering caretakers that you all are.  Happy Mother’s Day, yesterday.

Mother’s Day

Today was my first Mother’s Day.

When I woke up this morning at 8:45 (Max was still asleep!) I went downstairs to find a display of gifts for me on the table.

Rob used a photo I had taken of Max as inspiration for this painting.  It’s adorable-y weird and I love it.  And it actually looks like Max.  I hung it in Max’s room above the changing table.  There was also two bags of cheese popcorn and fancy chocolate truffles and my favorite flowers, gerber daisies.

We had the family over for dinner.  I had my first glass of wine since July and it was good.

It was nice to be with family today.  I’ve realized more and more since becoming a mother just how incredibly important family is.  I don’t know what I would’ve done in those first few weeks without family, particularly my mom.  She has been such a huge support for me now and throughout my life.  She makes me feel like I can be a good mother because of what she’s taught me, and how she raised me.  I am so grateful to have her in my life and cannot thank her enough for simply being my mom and loving me.

That was so mushy gushy.  Basically, I love my mom and think she’s pretty fantastic.
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