Christmas with Baby: Dreams and Plans.

As there are only 86 days till Christmas, I've naturally been thinking about what we should give Evangeline (and what I should give Al, but because he reads this I'm not going to elaborate any more on that subject).  I know, I know, Christmas is not about presents.  But I just love love love giving presents more than anything, especially when I'm giving them to my cute baby and wonderful husband.

Alex and I have discussed the idea of the Four-Present-Christmas for Evangeline.  I'm sure you've seen the corny, catchy phrase: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read.  Perhaps it's not that realistic, but we're going to give it a shot.  I really am in love with the idea.  Our hope is that this practice will help instill in Eve the knowledge that the presents she receives are more than just stuff, but that they are signs of our love for her, that they remind her of gifts the Wise Men gave to Baby Jesus, who is The Most Important Gift God gave to us!  (This is also something I constantly need to be reminded of!  Double efficacy!)

This said, I've been thinking of things for her that fall under those categories for this year.  Here are some of my thoughts...

1.  Something She Wants: obviously she doesn't want anything at this stage, so I'm just thinking of things I want for her...such as these little GAP sherpa booties:

I'm thinking about this Jumper.  Evangeline is so active, and just hates being left alone.  It would be perfect to put her in so she could have fun and be near me while I'm cleaning the house, or making dinner, etc. etc. 

2. Something She Needs: a highchair and a winter bunting (or two) are at the top of my list.  She'll probably get the highchair because I'm thinking the bunting will need to be here far before Christmas...

super cute Ikea highchair

precious L.L. Bean bunting.  

this GAP bunting (it converts into a snowsuit!--major plus) is darling.  Not sure about the warmness level though.  L.L. Bean probably wins that contest.

3.  Something To Wear:  this category will be the hardest for me to narrow down.  Especially since I recently discovered Zara Baby.  Dying.

a sweet little coat for Spring. 

oh, this dress.

And of course, GAP still exists...

Moonrise Kingdom, much? 

so little ladylike.

baby tights slay me.

4.  Something to Read:  Alex and I discuss baby books a lot.  Evangeline loves being read to, and has a pretty good collection of books already, including Hans Christian Anderson, Winnie-the-Pooh, and the Beatrix Potter Collection, but we are always wanting more.

Make Way For Ducklings was always a treasure in my house growing up. 

Rapunzel, by Paul O. Zelinsky

Ian Falconer's Olivia books are gems. 

Holy Donut.

Before leaving Maine, we stopped at The Holy Donut, a Portland treasure, and good enough to grace at least one of the thousand "best donut shops in the nation" lists.  Are we sure glad we did.

  

Apparently these doughnuts are made with potatoes.  This is what gives them such a soft, moist, bread-y texture.  Who knew the humble potato would be the secret ingredient in the Best Doughnuts in the Land?  (Well, I think they are the best...If I had to rank, I'd give them a 10/10.  Al gives them an 8/10.  This is pretty good: his highest ranked goes to the Doughnut Vault with "9.something/10".  I suppose he hasn't found his Beatrice Doughnut yet.)  

This was our selection: an old fashioned, a chocolate sea salt, a berry cannoli, and a holy cannoli.  Oh, the deliciousness.  Rich, yet light.  Sweet, yet mellow.  Perfect combinations of flavors that sent us reeling from their freshness.  Yum yum--they were truly exquisite.  I really can't bear to think about them any longer.  

Don't mock us for how many we ate.  There were three of us (Evangeline basically ate two herself), and we did go straight from the doughnut shop to the airport.  The only thing to make you even the least bit happy about cramped legs for four point five hours is the fact that you might have four of the most delicious doughnuts in the world, and definitely the best snacks on the plane.   

Next time we're in Maine, we just might have to go in and buy the whole shop.  

New Home.

We moved into our new apartment just days before we left for Maine.  It was a whirlwind of insanity. When you move you realize just how much stuff you have.  Yikes.  It was so terrifying just seeing everything half in and half out of boxes stacked up the walls.  Luckily, unpacking takes half the amount of time as packing does (we were packing through the entire month of August!  Something I've learned since having a baby: things now take three times as long as they used to pre-baby), and we're finally settled in to this lovely little apartment.  Everything has it's proper place and apartment living is back to normal.  The only thing we haven't done yet is put the art up on the walls...someone needs to come and give us a third opinion.

Evangeline gives it her stamp of approval.

I really do love our new place.  It's delightfully cozy, without feeling cramped.  Bright, freshly painted walls and white trim really make it seem very airy and a lot more spacious.  I'm very surprised that all our furniture fits, given that our new home is probably half, maybe two-thirds, the size of our old one.  But I suppose we never really had an inordinate much furniture anyways (we still are the proud owners of only two chairs).  The only troublesome aspect of the move was a brief, sweaty struggle with our box spring.  It wouldn't fit up the front stairwell.  It wouldn't fit up the back stairwell.  One beaten up box spring. One distressed and frustrated wife at the thought of sleeping on a mattress on the floor.  Luckily, I have an incredible, intelligent, stubborn husband.  If it won't fit up the stairwell, by golly it'll come in through the window.  And it did.  Somehow.  Note: we live on the third floor.  I'll never forget Al half leaning out of the third story window pulling our queen size box frame inside.  Terrifying.  But problem solved. 

Though the overall apartment size is smaller, we got an upgrade on kitchen counter space!  I'm so especially grateful for this aspect!  It really is a lifesaver.  Hopefully I'll have some pictures of the place all set up sometime soon. 

I'm have grand plans of getting a rug, some more chairs, a small kitchen table for casual breakfasts, and a smaller, round dining room table (the one we have doesn't really fit--that weird oblong shape).

I love these Industrial French cafe chairs.  Kitchen?

Love this rug. via French Connection

Luckily, getting a cheaper place we didn't have to sacrifice on location.  I love the neighborhood that we live in now.  Just a 5-10 minute walk west from our apartment is the most charming little area, with a stone piazza and fountain and plenty of wonderful shops and restaurants (including a bookstore that serves wine...what?!).  It's always full of families ("fleets of strollers" as my friend Mary says) and has such a fun, European vibe.  Big fan.  

1 year.

"I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is
not that strange?"

(Much Ado About Nothing)

Such a happy happy year this has been!  I feel so blessed every day by this wonderful man.  Thank you for always loving me, encouraging me, and helping me.  I truly cannot imagine my life without you.

September 7, 2013

3 Months!

Evangeline turned three months on the 18th (Alex's birthday)!  It is so amazing to watch her awareness--of herself, us, and everything around her--increase daily.  She is such a joy!  It's just so incredible when the first thing you see in the morning is your beautiful baby's sweet face, smiling at you.  It just makes my heart go all melty.  We love you, sweet baby.

Current Baby Stats:

Skills: Being super cute, creating inordinate amounts of drool, grabbing on to anything that moves, holding a conversation, sitting up on our laps, etc. etc.

Dislikes: Tummy time, being constrained in a car seat/wrap against her will, and not having our full attention. (Pretty much the same as last month.  She's a pretty consistent lady.)

Loves: Smiling, being read to, eating, walks, looking around at everything, getting her diaper changed, being spoken to, massages, her stuffed animals.

 

Maine Photo Journal

We were so lucky to spend two weeks in Maine with my family.  It was such a delightful visit: lots of baby kissing (Eve is my parents first grandchild, so naturally they were ridiculously excited), lobster eating, seashore-ing, farming...did I mention lobster eating?  (Apparently, there are two camps of Lobster Roll Eaters:  the first swears by mayonnaise as dressing, the second by butter.  I'd only eaten lobster rolls with mayonnaise until this past trip, but I think I'm now a firm member of the second camp.  Butter and lobster it is.)

Early September is such a beautiful time to visit Maine--a month both bold and tremulous.  Everything is just beginning to tumble into autumn, but those last bright shreds of summer still remain.  The sky is bluer, the colours are brighter, the smells are richer than any other time of year.  Oh Maine, I miss you already.

Oh, ye! who have your eyeballs vexed and tired,      Feast them upon the wideness of the Sea;          Oh ye! whose ears are dinned with uproar rude,      Or fed too much with cloying melody---          Sit ye near some old Cavern's Mouth and brood,  Until ye start, as if the sea nymphs quired!  -John Keats, On the Sea 1817