It's Fall

There was a crispness in the air today that can only mean one thing: fall has arrived! I'm excited. That means football and home cookin' and lots of hanging around the house. I'm sure LMCP won't be as excited, as she thinks playing outside is her job. Technically, I guess it is, although she likes to do it for free. So, as long as it's not raining, we have to be sure to get her out in the cool weather so she can enjoy everything she's come to love about outside: flowers, dirt, water, bugs, bubbles, apples, slides, balls, sidewalk chalk, and on and on. Here are some recent pics of our girl out and about (and in, too). Also, check out our latest professional photo session. Click on proofs, and enter "foster" as the password. It's worth the trip!

Work Distractions

So, we're so busy at work, that the smallest little thing is enough to distract you for hours. Like this website my work buddy, Justin (shout out, playa), sent to me. I could look at it for hours. Now, I'm sharing it with you so you'll be distracted, too.

Off to Work!

I have a very typical routine when I head off to work that involves me grabbing my purse and giving LMCP lots of kisses and "bye-byes."

This morning, Lila kept grabbing her purse and slinging it over her shoulder, doing a similar routine. She even tried to unlock the front door.

You decide: is this my child acting out because she's devastated when I leave for work everyday, or is she imitating the strong female role-model she has in her life? I pick #2.

Sleep-Over (at least for an hour or two)

Lila just loves her buddy, Natalie. They have a lot of fun running around together. Nattie Bug is 4 months older than Lila, so she has lots of stuff to teach her. Natalie spent some time with us (along with her Mommy & Daddy) on Saturday night. Here's a picture of the big girls getting ready for bed time. I think we're in real trouble when they get bigger and plot ways to sneak out of the house while their parents are busy drinking beer and playing cards. I hope that doesn't happen until they're much, much, much bigger. In the meantime, we'll continue our sometimes-Saturday night psuedo-sleep overs (Nattie went home with Mom & Dad around midnight!)

Potty Training

Cherie has been very good about working with Lila on the potty. They have a routine, and LMCP hasn't really had too much success, which is fine because we're just trying to get her used to the idea of going on the potty at this point. In this first video, you can see part of the routine. What you don't see is right after Cherie turns the camera off, she recognized that LMCP might really have to go. In a hurried attempt to make it happen, Cherie quickly got Lila on the potty, and there was some success (video #2). But, what I never anticipated is how traumatic it might be for Lila, which you can see in the second video. You'll be happy to know she fully recovered, got some stickers, and even a candy treat for going like a big girl. (LMCP will kill me when she's 16 and sees this video, and finds out I posted it online -- but it's all part of the effort to keep family and friends in the loop about her growth! Forgive Mommy, Lila!)
Warning: You may see some graphic video of urine.

Pre-Potty Video



Post-Potty Video

9021-oh yeah (SPOILERS!)

I watched it, and I loved it. The critics are lukewarm on it... but I loved it. Honestly! Maybe it's because I don't watch Gossip Girl, or maybe it's because I can allow my mind to go blank and just go with the flow? What ever the reason I fell in love with the new 90210, I'll take it.

Annie and Dixon are too cute. I love the whole Kelly/Brandon baby mystery (c'mon, is it really a mystery?), and the whole Harry/Tracy baby (man) mystery. I enjoyed Ethan, even though he started out dirt bag -- and I love, love, love Ryan! He's so cute. You know this whole him-Kelly thing isn't going far, if he got her to go on a date the first episode. Loved Erin Silver, and I heard her blog is a real website (despite the fact that the farm scene was a total jib-jab ripoff)! Next week's episode looks great-- Jackie's hitting the booze and Kelly is determined to stop her. I think there's just the right mix of old and new in the beginning, and I'm sure that'll fade away as the new characters build up steam and we care about them.

Predictions:
--Andrea will make a cameo at some point, after seeing Hannah Zuckerman-Vasquez on the school news show (hilarious comment about her being 30)
--There will be a 20-year original reunion with LOTS of original castmembers, even those who weren't interested in being on the show, because it'll be a ratings bonanza (remember when they pretended they were doing a 10 year reunion, and instead had them all sit on the set and talk about their "memories" -- lame!)
--Harry's "Son" with Tracy is Ryan
-Dixon will NOT get a job at the Peach Pit (loved Nat! loved "The Pit" -- the new version of the "After Dark" Steve Sanders must be so proud)

Well, my DVR is set on the season pass, so unless they do something to really tick me off, I now consider this appointment viewing. Your thoughts?

Hurry, Grab the Camera

You can't recreate the magic that is an 18-month old child. I tried. In this video, you'll see LMCP looking at me strangely, wondering why I'm asking her to sing a song she just finished rocking out to. You see, she was singing along to this cool tune on Sesame Street, and when I determined it was just too cute to miss, it was over. So, I had to rewind it (thank you, DVR!) and tried to get LMCP to perform again. There are a few selected hits, but mostly misses. Mom needs to become a faster draw with the camera.

9021-what?

I've come to a sad realization, and that is I do not have the life if leisure I had when the original 90210 series was on the air. I tell you this, because instead of watching the 2-hour premiere I tivo'd this morning, I instead went to the grocery store, got ready for work, had a 45 minute work conference call, played with Lila, and worked to unclog my bathtub. So, I guess I'm not as big of a fan as I claim to be. Or, I'm just a grown-up with grown-up responsibilities that interfere with my TV viewing. What a sad day. You can expect a full report once I have time to sit down and enjoy the show. All apologies to those of you waiting patiently for my take on this new series. I'll do my best not to read any online reviews between now and then, and once I post my analysis, please feel free to contribute to the converstation. Until then...

Big Girl Slides!

Just came across this video that Cherie took at the park. You can see LMCP clearly has no fear. Don't ask why she was wearing that adorable dress to the park. I don't know the answer.

Fairs, Galore!

Since we got to spend a long weekend together, Mom and Dad decided LMCP needed to get out and do something! So, on Saturday, we packed up the wagon and headed to the Oregon State Fair. Grandma Virjean got to come, too. We spent a lot of time in the petting zoo, which was only semi-interesting to LMCP -- and terrifying for Grandma, especially when a deer kept trying to eat her shirt. A different deer was licking my back, so apparently they're not getting a lot of that food that you have to pay $2 to get. Here are some pictures from our first time at the fair. I'll bet next year will be even more fun for LMCP.





Then, on Monday, Mom and Dad took LMCP to "Art in the Pearl," a fancy art show with some bands and delicious treats. I think Auntie Amie should plan on coming to the show next Labor Day weekend, because there were lots of metalsmith jewelry artists charging beaucoup bucks for their stuff, and hers is WAY MORE beautiful, and would sell well in a trendy art show like this one. So, Auntie Amie -- you should check it out and get in that fair!!

LMCP didn't really care for the art (what can I say, we're not artsy people). But she did enjoy some music on the World Music Stage. Well, she enjoyed it for a minute. She really enjoyed the fact that we let her out of her stroller, and she got to check stuff out. You'd think of all the things going on around her, she'd be interested in people, kids, dogs (okay, she was interested in the dogs) or food -- but not my girl. Instead, she was quite taken with a pile of chairs set out for anyone to grab as they listened to music. No one came near them though, because LMCP staked her claim to them, and guarded them with her life. Here's the series of events, as they unfolded.

"Hmm, this music is okay, but I think I'd like to check out some other... Hey, look at that those chairs over there, that looks like more fun."

"Wow, they're letting me go, I can't believe it, they're going to let me climb on stuff!"


"Ooooh, this is fun. Look at how good I am at climbing on these stacked up chairs."


"Woah, they're looking at me. Are they going to make me stop? I'd better look cute so they let me continue..."


"Wow! This is the best day ever! I can't believe I got to spend 20 minutes climbing on something that really could've hurt me, especially when I almost bit the dust several times. Thanks, Mommy & Daddy!"