March 30, 2016 by Jaclyn

Early Spring Adventures

Happy spring! The calendar says it’s spring, and that’s good enough for me. We were lucky enough to have a relatively mild winter this year, but we’re still having our customary weird March weather. Rainy and cold one day, sunny and warm the next, then snow, then warm rain, until I don’t know which end is up and I’m just, like, TEA. But we’re having a good time on the weekends, crazy weather notwithstanding, searching out the adventures to be had around the turn of the seasons.

Last weekend we went down to East Aurora and checked out a working maple farm as part of New York Maple Days. Maple Days is a statewide event in which all of the maple producers all over the state open their doors to the public, and we get the chance to see a real life sugar shack.

We visited Stony Acres Maple Farm and it was so cool to see their operation and talk with the producers.

And of course, we left with sugar. Lots of sugar. We bought a medium-sized jug of maple syrup, a box of maple candy, and a tub of maple cream. The maple cream has been my favorite of our purchases – I’d never had it before, although I did bookmark a recipe to make my own a few years ago, and I should probably dig that out and give it a try. Maple is my favorite sweetener (much to the dismay of my honey-loving BFF, but the way I see it, more honey for her and more maple for me).

I wanted to walk over to show the kids where the trees were tapped, but I was the only one interested in taking a walk at the time. So we just wandered around near the sugar shack and saw the tubing in which the sap is pumped into the boiler. It was cool and educational, and I think Peanut had a good time. We’ve been reading books about maple syrup production (Sugar Snow from the My First Little House series, and Curious George Makes Maple Syrup) to prepare for our big outing, so she was really into seeing the sugar shack at work.

Such a cool outing, and something we definitely don’t get to do every day! Maple Days is continuing into April, so local friends, let me know if you make it to a sugar shack!

The following day was the first official day of spring, so even though it was brisk, we bundled up and headed out for a hike at a new-to-us park – Tillman Road Wildlife Management Area.

We explored the boardwalk (which was relatively short) and the network of trails, and spotted some early arrivals – a few Canadian geese and one or two very intrepid Eastern Bluebirds.

Peanut has good days and bad days when it comes to the hiking backpack lately. As you can see, on this outing we caught her on a good day.

If you look closely, I think you should be able to spot a couple of geese. Can’t wait to see more feathered friends as the days get warmer and the sun shines brighter.

It was a weekend of early spring adventures, indeed! One thing that we’ve had to learn (or re-learn, I suppose) since moving here is to get outside and seek out adventures no matter the weather. Early spring is a tough time for me – and I think, for a lot of people. The novelty of snow has long worn off, but the ground is still hard and brown and the trees are still bare, and you’re just ready for the green that is weeks away yet. So it’s nice to know that even when the weather is grey and dreary, there’s still fun to be had.

Have you been out and about on any early spring adventures?

March 28, 2016 by Jaclyn

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 28, 2016)

Happy Easter Monday, to my friends who were celebrating this weekend, and happy new week to those who weren’t. We had a quiet weekend at home – on Saturday Peanut and I attended a birthday party for one of her school friends, and on Sunday we celebrated Easter with a family hike, and later a trip to the playground. The Easter Bunny didn’t go too crazy on the kids’ Easter baskets – he never does – but they each got something to read and a few small treats. Peanut received a paper-mache egg painted with Peter Rabbit, with some candies inside, a chocolate bunny, and a boxed set of four of the Brambly Hedge stories. Nugget got Camp Rex (sequel to Peanut’s old favorite Tea Rex) and a dinosaur sippy cup and bowl.

the queen of the night the readers of broken wheel

Not much reading this week and weekend – it’s been particularly busy. I finally finished The Queen of the Night, by Alexander Chee, which took the better part of a week. It was very well-written, but I was underwhelmed in light of the hype surrounding it. I loved the imagery and the gorgeous set writing, but I found the characters a bit wooden (even the heroine, although she less so than the others) and the central romance seemed slightly forced. There was a big twist that I predicted a mile away, which always puts me off a book slightly, although there was a smaller twist that I didn’t see coming. In all, a rather mixed bag on The Queen of the Night – I’d recommend it, but I’m not waxing poetic about it as others are in the blogosphere. Another one that has been a little underwhelming is The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend. It’s a huge bestseller and I’m seeing it everywhere, so perhaps my expectations were unrealistically high. But about 130 pages from the end, I’m finding it hard to care about the characters or believe the story. I’m also – and this may be a lawyer thing, so those of you non-attorneys may not care about this – distracted by Sara’s immigration situation. She travels to the U.S. on a tourist visa and even says early on in the book that she can’t work – but she opens a bookstore selling the books of her deceased pen pal. Questions, I have them all. Where is the money that she brings in from the bookstore going, since she can’t work on her tourist visa? Why isn’t ICE asking questions? How can she sell her pen pal’s books? Was there a will? Did her pen pal die intestate? There are ways of disposing of people’s property when they pass away, and it isn’t to let some random stay in their house claiming to be their pen pal, and then start selling their stuff. What is happening here? I’m afraid I’m too distracted by these questions to really enjoy the story.

Up next on the reading stack is What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours, the new collection of short stories by Helen Oyeyemi, and then more digging in the library stack, which keeps growing. I’m not expecting to have much reading time this week, so we’ll see how it goes.

On the blog: early spring adventures here in WNY on Wednesday, and back to Colorado on Friday. See you around!

What are you reading this week?

March 25, 2016 by Jaclyn

ColoRADo 2015: Opting Outside on Black Friday

Continuing with our Colorado adventures! We left off in Denver on the day before Thanksgiving. Back in 2015, I showed you pictures of our Rocky Mountain turkey day, so let’s roll right on to Black Friday. For years, I’ve fantasized about spending Black Friday on a peaceful family hike in the wilderness, but since we usually trim our tree on the Friday after Thanksgiving, we’re always busy decorating the house and getting ready for Christmas (which is also fun, don’t get me wrong). But this year, since we were out of town, our tree-trimming festivities were pushed back and we had a wide-open agenda on Black Friday. So my hiking dreams became a reality!

We started our day with a “walk around the block.” Dan lives in Roosevelt National Forest (yes, he lives in the National Forest – I know you’re jealous; I am too) so when he “takes the dog for a quick walk around the block,” what he really means is that he’s hiking on gorgeous wooded trails. We loved checking out his neighborhood of a few other cabins tucked into wooded clearings. (My hermit heart was singing.)

We saw this amazing sign ^ and I had to snap a picture to send to my sister-in-law Emma, who keeps backyard chickens. She totally needs a sign like this for her property.

And we took the occasional break to snap a picture and send it back east. Hi, Mom!

(If you’re wondering whether Dan is wearing a ladies’ hat, the answer is: yes, he is. Again.)

If this was my “block,” I’d walk around it every day!

We headed home for a quick lunch, and then were back at it, on our way down to Boulder to hit the trails there. Our destination…

Chautauqua Park, home of Boulder’s famous Flatirons! The Flatirons are beautiful rock formations towering above Boulder. I was itching to see them, but sadly, it started snowing fairly hard and our view was obscured. Even without a crystal clear day, though, Chautauqua Park was beautiful.

You can see a little bit of the Flatirons here. The whole park was dusted with sparkling snowflakes.

We walked about a third of a mile into the park and enjoyed the scenery, then decided to turn around because the kiddos’ cheeks were starting to feel quite chilly.

But not before we snapped a family picture!

(I know they look miserable, but they’ll thank me one day when they have a family yearbook to look back on and remember the fun we had together.)

(“You sure about that, Mom?”)

We turned around and picked our way over the slippery, snow-covered trail back towards the car. The view of Boulder was almost as pretty as the view of the Flatirons! We were all hungry and thirsty after a day of playing in the snow, so Dan suggested we head into town and hit a German biergarten that he liked. Sounds good to me! As we walked through the downtown area, I mused that I should probably order a beer, since we were going to a biergarten, but that what I really wanted was something warm. Imagine my delight to see a mug of gluhwein delivered to the table next to us, just as we were opening our menus. I will have one of those, please.

I’d never had gluhwein before. It smelled incredible and tasted even better. Only complaint was that it was gone too quickly. Yum.

We also split a pretzel and an order of fries. Peanut and the boys handled the fries themselves, but I put a hurting on the pretzel. It was almost as good as the pretzels our DC friend Stephen makes. Almost.

Not a bad way to spend Black Friday! I’d say that two hikes and a German biergarten made for a far better day than fighting the crowds at Target!

Next up: Steve’s first visit to a big national park!

March 23, 2016 by Jaclyn

Diverse KidLit: Bee-Bim Bop! (March 2016)

diverse kidlit

Happy spring, fellow readers! Winter is in retreat, but at least where I live, it’s not gone yet. On the technical first day of spring, it was below freezing, and we’ve had snow a few times since (just flurries, not to worry). Still, it’s cold out, no matter what the calendar says, and some nice warming comfort food would be just what the doctor ordered.

Enter Bee-bim Bop!, by Linda Sue Park, a bouncy, joyful ode to one of the most delicious (in my humble opinion) of rice dishes: the Korean rice bowl known as bibimbap.

In Bee-bim Bop!, a little girl accompanies her mother to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for their family dinner – hungry hungry hungry for some BEE-BIM BOP!

When they get home, the cooking begins. Mama chops vegetables, slices meat, and flips eggs. And her extremely willing sous-chef volunteers to help, too.

It doesn’t go very well – oops.

Looks like Mama is running a tight ship. You spill water, you mop it up. I could take a lesson from Mama, since a certain little someone is always making messes in my house and not mopping them up.

Soon it’s time for the family to come to the table. They gather together, bless their meal, and then dig in.

We first read Bee-bim Bop! during a visit to the Explore and More children’s museum in East Aurora, and I knew right away that we would love having it for our family library. And not just because I love bibimbap (which I used to get at a fantastic Korean restaurant at D.C., and man, could I go for some bibimbap right now) but because the jaunty rhythm was just delightful. The little girl’s obvious joy at cooking and preparing a meal with her mom is infectious, and it’s a lovely, happy ode to family dinners and to one of the most famous Korean dishes. I am hoping to introduce my kids to food and cultural traditions from all around the world, and what better way than through a delightful book?

Have you had bibimbap?

March 21, 2016 by Jaclyn

It’s Monday! What Are you Reading? (March 21, 2016)

Yawwwwwwn. Good morning, y’all. How were your weekends? Ours was fun, and busy celebrating the turn of the seasons – about which, more next week. But it’s possible that the most exciting part of the weekend was the newest addition to Peanut’s library – wait for it – an early reader, much-abridged version of Anne of Green Gables. We’ve been reading it all weekend, and Steve now has a basic introduction to the story that was, no big deal, but just the formative literary experience of my childhood, whatever. I think I might convince him to read Anne. (And then it’s only a short step to the rest of the Anne books, and then the Emily books, and then Jane and the Story Girl, and I’m not plotting at all.)

the queen of the night the enchanted april

It’s been a slow week for reading. I’m making my way through The Queen of the Night, which is sumptuous and fantastic, but is taking a little while to get through. Of course, because nothing can be simple, I’ve got two more new books out from the library – What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours, and The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, and naturally they’re both due back on the same day, which also happens to be the day The Queen of the Night is due back, too. I don’t think I can renew any of them, nor do I think I can finish all three in time to avoid overdue fees. And then I’m still nibbling away at The Enchanted April (and really enjoying it) on iBooks.

On the blog this week – my March pick for Diverse KidLit on Wednesday, and a Black Friday hike on Friday. Check back!

What are you reading this week, my friends?

March 18, 2016 by Jaclyn

ColoRADo 2015: Exploring Denver

Our trip to Colorado involved a lot of hiking. Like, a LOT of hiking. Steve and I, and Dan and Danielle, all really enjoy hiking, and there is so much jaw-dropping natural beauty in the Rocky Mountains – so it was no surprise that every day when we discussed what to do, we always wanted to hike. Still, we knew we had to mix in some more kid-friendly activities for Peanut’s sake. She’s a good girl, and I do believe that introducing kids to our natural environment through family hikes is a fun and important thing to do – but there’s only so much time a three-year-old really wants to spend in a hiking backpack. We wanted to be mindful of that and to make sure that we planned activities with her in mind; after all, it was her vacation too. And so we put together a day in Denver that was pretty much all about Peanut – starting with the Denver Zoo!

I have complicated feelings about zoos, and am on record as not being thrilled with our local zoo (or aquarium, for that matter). After a lot of thinking, research, and soul-searching, I’ve come up with the following articulation of my position: I’m not wild (pun intended) about the idea of zoos in general, but I recognize that they present the only way most people get to see and be in proximity to majestic animals. (Most of us are not lucky enough to afford African safaris.) If a zoo is well-designed, such that the animals seem happy and are not exhibiting stress behaviors, and the zoo places emphasis on education and conservation, I am cautiously okay with it. A zoo that is poorly designed, or does not have up-to-date facilities to ensure the animals’ health, comfort and well-being, and that prioritizes entertainment over education and consumption over conservation is not something I am able to support. (As for fairs and circuses, NEVER.)

All that said, and with only a morning’s worth of actually experiencing it, I was pleased with the Denver Zoo and happy to take my family there. The zoo was expansive, clean, and the animals seemed happy. (My brother, who also feels strongly about Earth and the creatures we are supposed to be stewarding, is also comfortable with the Denver Zoo.) So that’s how we spent our morning – checking out Denver’s animal population!

Our first stop was, OF COURSE, the sea lions! Peanut is a pinniped enthusiast – she sleeps with two stuffed sea lions and a harbor seal – and at any zoo or aquarium featuring sea lions (her favorite), we must visit them first. (Actually, if Peanut had her way, we’d spend the entire time with the sea lions.) The Denver sea lions were adorable – happy and playful – and we watched them chase each other around their habitat for more than twenty minutes. We only left – reluctantly – when everyone was getting too cold, standing in one spot for so long.

Mom got a treat, too. Peanut might love sea lions, but I love regular lions! The big cats are always my favorite – I used to love visiting the lions and their cubs at the National Zoo in DC – so I was over the moon to hear that the Denver Zoo had two lion cubs of its own. They had just made their public debut the previous day, so we were some of the lucky first few people to get to see them. They were so stinking cute, I cannot even.

(Sorry for the terrible picture quality. The cubs and their mom and aunt were behind a glass partition – I think for warmth – and I had a bad angle, so you can see the reflection of the crowd control fence. Just ignore the glare and focus on the cuteness, please.) The only sad thing was that Aunt Danielle wasn’t there to see them. She had to work – boo. We all missed her.

We visited a few more animals and caught part of the elephant show – very cool and educational – and only left when Nugget was hungry and Peanut was starting to get cold. (My only complaint about the Denver Zoo was the lack of nursing facilities. I ended up feeding Nugget in our parked rental car – a cozy mothers’ lounge would have been nice. But I do realize that most people will not have need of that particular facility.)

After the zoo, we headed across town to the Denver Aquarium. (Doing both in one day was definitely not the most efficient use of time. The zoo is close to the Denver Science Museum, so that would have made more sense for most people to do. But we knew we probably only had one day to really explore Denver, so we had to squeeze in the sights that Peanut would enjoy most. Next time we’re there, we will try to hit the Science Museum and the Children’s Museum – I was disappointed to miss out on that one.)

The Denver Aquarium, like the Denver Zoo, was really cool and Peanut had a ball. (Please ignore her mittens. Some battles are not worth fighting.)

We got to walk through this really cool underwater walkway, while rays and sharks swam all around. Peanut was absolutely enthralled. The girl loves marine life.

Another treat for Mom – a tiger! Don’t ask me to explain why this tiger is resident at the Aquarium instead of the Zoo. (As my brother said, “What? Tigers like water.”) He was absolutely stunning.

I mean, WOW.

Peanut was duly impressed.

After the tiger, we continued making our way through the aquarium toward the other big attraction – a stingray petting pool! Uncle Dan was totally into it and bought a little basket of shrimp to feed the stingrays.

Yikes! He offered to share his shrimp but the rest of us declined. So he got those stingrays all to himself. Lucky guy…? Peanut was on cloud nine because a mermaid, who had been sitting by the petting pool but was on her way back to her “tank,” waved to her on her way out. (She talked about the mermaid for days afterward.)

After the aquarium, we had one more stop to make – REI! The Denver flagship store was just down the block from the aquarium, and I really wanted to visit. On top of just wanting to see an REI flagship store (I’m not the only one who considers REI a tourist attraction, right?) I needed a hat and gloves. I wasn’t expecting the cold snap and hadn’t packed appropriate winter gear. (And yes, Nugget pulled his sock off just as I was snapping the picture.)

So we warmed up in REI and spent about fifteen minutes exploring and checking out all the cool gear, then I grabbed a hat and gloves and we headed back into the mountains. (If there’s any store where you can wear a hiking backpack around and no one bats an eye, it’s REI, amirite?)

Denver is such a cool town! We definitely only scratched the surface. I hope we’re able to spend a lot more time there in the future. Next week, we’re back in the mountains.

March 16, 2016 by Jaclyn

A Storytelling Birthday Party

Well, here we go… it seems like only yesterday we were welcoming our baby boy to the world, and this past weekend I threw another first birthday party. This year has gone by so quickly, and we really wanted to do something special for our little guy, and to celebrate the fact that we made it through. Our first year as a family of four brought a lot of growing pains and also a lot of joy.

I started thinking about Nugget’s birthday party a couple of months ago. March is a tricky time for a birthday in upstate New York, because the weather is so iffy. Last year, when Nugget was born, we still had quite a lot of snow on the ground – when we came home from the hospital, I remember being greeted by a family of three foot tall snow rabbits just off the driveway. This year, it was sixty degrees and sunny – who’d have thunk? Still, I knew that if I planned a party at a park, it would be cold and probably freezing rain, because that’s how my luck runs.

I also wanted to do something a little different. We’ve been blessed with wonderful friends here and as a result, we’ve been to a fair few kids’ birthday parties in a number of different locations around town. We’ve celebrated at friends’ houses, at the YMCA, at a local nature preserve, and at a working farm. I knew that our townhouse was too small to host a group, so we’d have to go somewhere, but at the same time I didn’t want to copy any of our friends’ ideas. A bit of googling and I found the perfect place – Monkey See, Monkey Do – a children’s bookstore in Clarence, one of the Buffalo suburbs. We’d actually been to Monkey See, Monkey Do once before – on Christmas Eve morning, when they hosted a Polar Express story hour. It’s a gorgeous children’s bookstore, housed in a building that dates from the mid-nineteenth century (and still has its original walls and ceiling beams) and the book selection is beautifully curated. They host events and parties regularly, and they have two birthday packages available. I called them up, verified that our date was available, and immediately started talking details with the party coordinator. And a nature/garden-themed party was born.

The bookstore handled the cupcakes and I provided the rest of the food. The party was after lunch, so we went with an assortment of snacks. My favorite (Pinterest-found!) snack was the s’mores lollipops. They looked so cool and couldn’t have been easier. Just marshmallows impaled with a lolly stick, dipped in melted chocolate (done over a double boiler with a little cream) and rolled in graham cracker crumbs. Looked ten times harder than they were, and they were delicious.

I can’t say enough good things about the bookstore. The party package included a craft or two (they planned two) and a storyteller, plus the cupcakes and tea and coffee, and all of the paper products. The wonderful party planner had arranged a table with garden tools for the kids to decorate. (I’d told her that even though it was party for a one-year-old, she should gear the activities to three and four-year-olds, since Peanut and her friends made up the entire guest list.)

And after the kids had finished beading their spades (!!!) she had foam flowers to decorate, and then they got to put stickers on flowerpots and plant beans. I mean, really. How perfect is that activity for an early spring birthday?

(Obviously Nugget’s participation was limited, but Peanut and her friends had a ball.)

Don’t worry about the little guy, though. We had an activity for him, too. I brought his campfire from home, which is one of the favorite toys in our house. At $60 I thought it was a bit steep for a baby toy, but I can’t argue with the hours of entertainment that both Peanut and Nugget have gotten out of this thing.

After the crafts and cupcakes, Miss Kim – the owner of the store – read the kids a story. They had a selection of several books, all related to the gardening theme, on the table, and we chose Compost Stew. Kim read the book to the whole group; she’s a fabulous storyteller. (She was also the storyteller at the Polar Express story hour. Man, I wish my job involved reading stories to kids in a beautiful bookstore! #lifegoals)

After the story, we wrapped up the party. Nugget took Compost Stew home as the store’s birthday gift to him, and we picked up a few more books, too – Jumping Off Library Shelves for Peanut, and Bee-Bim Bop!, A Bear’s Year, and Forest Has a Song for our family library. Peanut’s friends each got to take a book home, too (and I felt a little guilty about having a party in a bookstore when one of Peanut’s pals suckered her mom into buying Princess Hamster – oops).

We headed back to our place with Nana and Grandad and did the rest of our gift-opening there. Nana and Grandad had Hilton Head souvenirs for both kids, and a mess of presents for Nugget for his birthday (including two that light up and make noise – poor form, grandparents). We mostly gave Nugget puzzles and books, because that’s how we roll. He got a few new board books from the BabyLit gang, a London opposites primer, and two gorgeous books about water and rocks, as well as his special gift from us – a beautiful Folio Society edition of Stuart Little. And because Nugget has to be Nugget, he also got some vehicles – wooden London taxi, police car and double-decker bus, and a new helicopter. Nana and Grandad also brought cars (and this cool rug to zoom them around on!), books, clothes and a couple of stuffed animals. So Nugget did quite well. I think he was psyched about his haul.

We spent the rest of Saturday afternoon and evening relaxing, but on Sunday morning the grandparents came back around and we all headed out to get some fresh air at Glen Park in Williamsville. I used to come to this park all the time when my Stroller Strides class met to work out there, but haven’t been in months (Stroller Strides ended last fall and hasn’t met since). I love Glen Park, but I did break out in cold sweats thinking about all the times I’ve sprinted up and down the switchback-laden path up that waterfall.

We weren’t at the park for hill repeats, though. We were there because it’s SPRING, and SPRING means DUCKS! Peanut was overjoyed that her feathered friends were back for the season.

I love ducks – they’re so adorable. This crowd wasn’t shy at all. There’s a sign instructing park visitors not to feed the wildlife, but I don’t think most people abide by it. These ducks have definitely gotten used to being fed by humans – they came right up to us wanting bread. (We didn’t have any, and didn’t feed them.) Peanut had a blast climbing up the rocks, running around on the grass, and checking out the new arrivals to the duck pond. And Nugget had a blast watching his sister play.

One more time – happy birthday, little boy! You’re my heart’s joy and I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We loved celebrating you, and we’re so glad you’re here.

March 14, 2016 by Jaclyn

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 14, 2016)

Whew, what a week. I’ve been super stressed about a few different things, and trying to balance and cope with everything that’s going on (I won’t bore you with specifics) has taken a lot out of me. But there’s some good stuff, too. Nugget turned one on Friday and we hosted family and friends for his birthday party on Saturday. I’ll share more about the party on Wednesday, but it was a hit. I have been back on the Pinterest wagon recently (pinning is a good activity for 3:00 in the morning when I am rocking Nugget – yes, still) and I got a lot of good ideas for his party on there. And more than just ideas – I pulled several of them off and felt rather pleased with myself as a result. Saturday we were party central, and I just collapsed after it was all done and cleaned away. My parents stuck around on Sunday and had a low key day playing with the kids. So all things considered, we had a nice weekend.

the road to little dribbling the enchanted april

Just not a productive reading weekend. Or productive reading week, for that matter. See above: stress. I’ve made progress in both The Road to Little Dribbling and The Enchanted April, but I’m not done with either of them just yet. Little Dribbling continues to inform and entertain in true Bill Bryson style. Man, I really love Bill Bryson. Bryson is first and foremost a travel writer, but as several reviewers have noted, he’s actually at his best when he goes off on a tangent – which, luckily, he does often in his latest book. It’s chock full of factoids and musings, and I love them all. As for The Enchanted April, I’m about halfway through it, and I can see why it’s so beloved and such a favorite to actually read in April (maybe I should have waited…?). I’ve been pulling it up on iBooks and reading a chapter here and a chapter there and while it’s not quite as good as an actual trip to Italy would be, that’s not in the cards for some years still, so for now, Elizabeth von Arnim will do.

When I’ve found myself getting dragged down a black hole of stress and anxiety – which has felt like about every ten minutes this week – I’ve been trying to refocus by thinking about what I’m going to read next. I think my next book will be The Queen of the Night, which I have checked out from the library and which is due back by the 26th – and it’s long – so I have to get a move on. But I also have the third and fourth books in Catherynne M. Valente’s Fairyland series out, and those are calling to me a little bit.

On the blog this week: a first birthday party recap on Wednesday, and back to Colorado (Denver this week!) on Friday. Have a great week, my friends!

Did you get any good reading done this week?

March 11, 2016 by Jaclyn

Nugget: Twelve Months

Oh, little buddy – beautiful little boy – you are ONE YEAR OLD today! Hold me. I can’t believe this year has already gone by. A year ago at this time I was complaining about my hospital bed being periodically uncomfortable, and being told by the nurse, “That’s not the bed, that’s you, dear.” Ha.

We have had quite a year. We’ve traveled to the Outer Banks and the Rocky Mountains, spent more than two weeks (between the two trips) giving the kids lots of quality time with Uncle Dan and Aunt Danielle – and what a gift for Nugget in his first year of life – we’ve walked countless miles around East Aurora and on the hiking paths, and we’ve spent many afternoons dozing together in a patch of warm sunlight in Nugget’s rocking chair. This little guy speaks to my heart in ways all his own. Before he came I wondered – was my heart big enough to love another baby as completely as I love Peanut? And the moment I looked at him for the first time, I knew: yes, yes, absolutely. There is a place in my heart that is all Nugget’s, always has been, always will be.

And now here he is today, a big one-year-old. He’s still a little dude – small for his age – but he is mighty. I’m living in fear of the day that he rips the faucet out of Peanut’s play kitchen (it’s going to happen). He’s pulling up and cruising all over the place now, climbing the stairs (y’all, there’s no fear quite like a one-year-old who climbs stairs), and generally wreaking havoc all over the house. It’s chaos, and it’s so much fun.

What hasn’t changed this month? Well, the obvious – this boy is still completely, wildly, all-consumingly in love with his sister. His face lights up when she comes into the room, and he starts giggling as soon as she talks, or laughs, or even appears to notice him. He lives for her, and she for him, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen. Of course, he’s a little brother. So he also annoys the bejeezes out of her.

You know what he is not doing? Eating table foods. At this age, Peanut was snacking on all kinds of table foods in addition to her purees. Nugget – not so much. We offer them at every meal, and his teachers at daycare reinforce it, but it doesn’t matter what we offer – it pops right back out again. I keep on telling myself that he’ll get the hang of it eventually, but so far, no joy.

(We did discover one table food that he’ll eat: frosting. Last weekend we attended a birthday brunch for one of our closest friends here – the lovely mom of Peanut’s lovely BFF – and there were cupcakes. And there was cupcake domination. He even ate some of the cake. So at least I know that tomorrow he’ll eat something at his birthday party.)

There have been a lot of things about this year that have been really tough. A preschooler and a baby – that’s no joke. Having two small children, who both need me very much, has put me through the wringer. The long days and multiple night wake-ups have taken their toll for sure. It’s been an adjustment for our family, our marriage, our friendships – you name it. But it’s been so worth it. This has been one of the hardest, most exhausting years of my life – but I wouldn’t trade it. And while I have wished for a little more understanding, and a little more grace, from time to time this year, ultimately, we’ve survived and now we’re here, with a sweet, funny, joyful, absolutely miraculous little one-year-old that we couldn’t love more if we tried. So it’s good. It’s hard, but it’s very, very good.

Nugget at 12 (!!!) Months:

Weight: 18 pounds, 10.5 ounces. And the funniest face ever when I weighed him.

Height: Forgot to take this one, but I’ll add it in on Monday after his well-baby appointment, sound good?

Clothing Size: Twelve months.

Sleep: I don’t have much to say this month. Pretty much the same. Still no naps to speak of (naps are for weaklings, you guys, weaklings), still waking up 1-2 times per night to eat. (He may not be hungry, but it’s the easiest way for me to comfort him so we’re still nursing at night.) We did have a few days of shenanigans because we swapped the kids’ rooms, for reasons that are way too complicated to get into in a short paragraph about sleep. It took Nugget a few nights to get used to his new space, but he’s about back to his baseline now. Which isn’t to say good sleep, but at least I can manage it.

Likes: Cruising, the play kitchen, the actual kitchen, his SISTER!, pointing at EVERYTHING, climbing stairs, climbing Mom, throwing puffs, being spoon fed pouch puree at exactly his preferred speed, watching cartoons whenever Mom is not being vigilant enough, having raspberries blown on his tummy.

Dislikes: Your normal baby stuff. Having his clothes changed and his nose or face wiped. (Bad news: it’s spring cold season. There’s a lot of nose-wiping going on.)

Favorite Toys: Still loving cars and trucks. We opened up a train set that he received for Christmas and that’s been a big hit, which is not surprising at all. (Peanut loves it too.) And still loving anything that is not a toy, especially – this month – whatever he can find on the floor and the lowest shelf of the pantry. Especially the pretzel jar! So fun!

Milestones: So many, again, this month. Last month he was just beginning to pull up – now he’s cruising, pulling up on toy baskets and rooting around, dancing in place, and even starting to (very cautiously) let go and try to balance for a moment or two. He’ll be walking before I know it. He has a couple of words – aside from Mama and Dada we’ve heard “up” and “uh-oh.” And as I said, he loves to climb stairs (Mom is less than thrilled about that one). And a milestone Mom doesn’t love? Nugget’s hair is starting to fill in and weigh itself down, which means that his signature rooster ‘do is all but tamed. I’m going to miss that exuberant baby cowlick when it’s gone.

Quirks: Here’s one for the books – Nugget loves kitchens. He likes Peanut’s play kitchen, our regular kitchen (dishwasher! pantry! pots and pans to bang!) and he can’t get enough of watching the guys make pizza at a wood-fired pizza place we found in our new neighborhood. I’ve been joking that he’s going to grow up to be the next Bobby Flay.

Happiest of birthdays, baby boy! You’ll always be my little sweet one. Mommy and Daddy and Peanut love you more than you will ever know. We’re sad to bid goodbye to the first year, but excited for all the good that is right around the corner. You keep right on being you, growing so big and strong and amazing us every day. We love you!

March 9, 2016 by Jaclyn

Twelve Months Hiking Project: Final 2015 Recap

Well, we did it! Twelve months of hiking in a different place each month! We managed to get ourselves outside and on the trails not only when the weather was nice or it was easy to get out the door, but also during the frigid cold of last winter in Buffalo, and even when we had a newborn baby. I’m really proud that we made a commitment and stuck to it, as a family, all year long (even if it was a fun commitment to explore our local hiking trails and get out hiking on vacations). It was a wonderful year, full of big breaths of fresh air, warm sunshine on our faces, and lots of joy as we explored together as a family. And in case you missed any of our recaps, I’ve gathered links to each of them here.

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