I.W.A.B.

Y'all, I need your help. I have some serious baby fever. I Want Another Baby.

I mean I do, but I don't. I love the stage we are in right now. Things are so easy and fun and predictable. I love me some predictability. Cam makes me laugh constantly, he can tell me what he needs or wants, and I actually have time to pay attention to my husband these days. And I love that I only have one baby who needs my attention.

But, man, babies are cute. They're popping up everywhere, and every time I see one or get to snuggle one, my heart skips a beat. I suddenly forget about the horrendous reflux and 20-hour-a-day screaming sessions. I forget how showering was a luxury and eating anything all day was on a "to-do" list.

So then I try to re-read my early blog posts, sift through texts and pictures of Cam puking everywhere and ask Rick to remind me how utterly exhausted I was this time last year. Then I browse Pinterest and see all these cute baby pictures and nursery ideas. I hear my friends gabbing away about the latest and greatest baby items they're putting on their registries. And I start thinking about baby names and baby snuggle sessions and little baby toes and the newborn smell. Oh, the newborn smell. It's a vicious cycle I tell ya.

Help. Because I.W.A.B. but I don't think I'm ready! Am I?!?!

I mean, I make cute babies, right?!
So I really should do society a favor and keep up the good work!
Right!?

InstaDump

If you follow me on Instagram, this is going to bore you. But for the rest of you, here's what we've been up to in a nutshell via Instagram pictures!

Little mister got his first real, official hair cut. I may have cried a little.

Morning discussions of trucks and wheels. I have so much to learn. 

Brunch with the munchkin

Shabbat dinner at the Passmans with Poppy! 

Cam found the biggest. wheel. ever.

First baking lesson

And lots of snuggles

And, that's an Insta-Wrap! 

Spring Fever

The sun is starting to poke through the clouds, and the snow is melting fast. I'm getting the itch to pack away our coats and hats and so looking forward to opening our windows and letting the Spring air in. I've definitely caught Spring Fever, and it shows.

I've been trying to declutter...as always. It seems like a constant battle in my house. I've been busy donating old clothes that don't fit, trying to find new storage solutions for toys and blankets. Cleaning out cabinets and throwing out products I haven't used in a year. I've been pinning away at Pinterest and even convinced Rick to allow us to buy a new couch. (I keep telling him I saved him a lot of money by negotiating a couch instead of a new house. He's not buying it.)

You see, for a while no, Rick and I decided we would put our condo on the market this spring and try to move out the suburbs by the end of 2013. We made the decision based on some financial reasons, family planning reasons (no, I'm not pregnant!) and because I'm desperate for more space, more storage and a yard for Maizey to run around in. This has been our plan for months. Then I had dinner with some girlfriends a couple of weeks ago and came home and told Rick I changed my mind, I'm not ready to move out of the city. I feel too young, I love our life here right now, and I can suck it up and live without a basement or attached garage for another year. So we're staying put for now, and I got a new couch out of the whole deal.


So, let's start with my spring cleaning of the guest room:

We are so lucky that we have a very special visitor coming to stay with us for a little while, so I needed to freshen this space up, clean out the closet and give her some room to feel at home. This room has been my dumping ground since we moved in. The closet was stuffed with everything I couldn't find another space for.

Before

After

The window "shades" were pillows stuffed in the window frame to keep the light out. Seriously, how tacky are we!?

Before

After

And the artwork, well, that's for a whole different post. When Rick and I moved in together, he told me he really felt attached to this one piece of art he owned. An old friend painted it for him, so it seemed sentimental, and I let him keep it. (I don't even know who this "friend" is. He could very well be imaginary). I hung it in our guest room with the door closed so I didn't have to look at it. A couple nights ago, I asked Rick, "who was it that painted it?" and he mumbled some name which I've already forgotten, and told me we could retire the painting. So, in its place I did some crafting and put up a little something to inspire our guests to always feel the love.

Before

After

Onto the living room... for some reason, I've never managed to bring this room together in a cohesive way that makes me feel proud to have guests over. It's been five years of living here, and we've tried various arrangements, bought new furniture pieces, sold old pieces, and repainted. And still, it was a hot mess. Our couches were mismatched, uncomfortable and torn apart from Maizey. We have picture frames, books, toys and so much clutter hanging around, it causes me a lot of anxiety.

(On a side note, I am self-diagnosing myself as Organizationally BiPolar because I go through spurts where I can't organize enough, and then times when I let papers pile up and drawers get stuffed to the point you can't open them)

This pretty much explains it: 

Anyway, here's what our living room looked like before:

And here's how it looks like now:

Two of my favorite new pieces of storage! 

Okay, let's keep it real. This is what it really looks like:

It's still a work in progress, and frankly I think a home should always be. Otherwise, it's a hotel. We still have tons of toys scattered around and too many picture frames on every surface. But this is my home, not my staged house.

I can hardly believe it's been five years that we've lived in this space. It's funny how you become so attached to a space because of the memories that live in the walls and floors of each room. Despite my desperate desire for more space, I get a twinge of sadness thinking our time in this home is drawing to an end. I'm definitely feeling the urgency to make some new memories in here that we can pack up with us when then time is right. I believe strongly, though, that time isn't quite now. And I'm pretty darn thrilled about that.

Around Here

Well, let's get to it. What's going on around here?

If I were a superhero, I'd call myself Rash Blaster. Yup, we have officially conquered the nearly two month battle with the worst diaper rash ever. What started as a little diaper rash, then turned into a possible amoxicillin allergy, morphed into Fifth's Disease and finally landed us a diagnosis of eczema, has been obliterated. Cam's tush is clear, and I feel like I can breathe.

And he is one happy little boy.

Maizey, on the other hand, was sick all weekend and after a very expensive vet bill yesterday, we still aren't positive what's wrong with her. Possibly a parasite, possibly an obstruction, possibly Cam just fed her something. We'll know more later today. If it's not one baby, it's another!

I'm making Chicken Tortilla Soup in the crock pot for dinner tonight. I'll let you know how it is.

I'm reading Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan for book club. I'm just in the beginning, but so far it's interesting.

Looking forward to a quick visit from my dad this weekend, a long visit from my mother-in-law next week, a wedding reunion with my college crew, and a sunny getaway to Florida for Passover to visit my grandparents. Can't wait for Campbell to experience the beach for the first time! 

Oh, and, remember my post back here about my strange continued encounter with the number 22 and its significance? Well check out the deli ticket number we pulled at the grocery store on Sunday! 

Austin Round Up

Well, Campbell and I were on the road (or in the air) again! We headed to Austin last week to support Poppy and the incredible work he is doing for the Jewish Federation of Austin's Men's Division. The Sisters, Cam and I are so proud of the passion my dad has poured into this organization and the blood, sweat and tears he's dedicated to making the Momentum event a success. We were honored to be a part of it.

My dad spoke of the DNA that connects us all, particularly us Jews and how our contributions to charitable Jewish organizations like the JUF help families, senior citizens and refugees who may not know our names or faces, but are incredibly grateful for our help and support. He spoke of his own family who escaped the Nazis because of the Shanghai government's policy to accept Jewish refugees into their ghettos. His words brought me and so many others to tears. So inspiring.

Our visit was full of sunshine, good food and company, and a lot of lovin' on the little man.

Auntie Ash may just be a little obsessed with her nephew and took a lot of selfies of her and the munchkin.

The mister got his first taste of frozen yogurt and l.o.v.e.d it (especially since it had blueberries in it!) 

When we took him to opening day at SnoBeach (how lucky were we to be in town!!) he was not such a fan of the sno-cone. He has so much to learn. 

Me, on the other hand, well, I couldn't have been happier. The taste of my adolescence and the sun shining above made for the perfect afternoon. 

We took advantage of the sunshine and headed to Zilker Park to let Cam run around and let off some steam. He ate it up. Especially the swings, his fave.

Coming from a long line household of Voticky women, the poor guy is subjected to a lot of activities that his father would not be proud of. (And had Rick been present, they would not have happened.)


Like being dressed up...

And too much shopping... (at least we gave him a football!) 

But this kid is such a trooper. He sat through so many meals out at restaurants, shopped till he dropped, and let everyone snuggle on him like he was going out of style.

It was a short visit, without much time for visiting with friends. But it was a perfect amount of Voticky bonding. Our flight home was one of the most successful flights I've taken with him by myself. Before we left for the airport on Saturday, I had pretty much sworn off traveling alone with the little guy ever again. But he proved me wrong and rose to the challenge, and I'm pretty sure we'll be hopping on another flight again soon by ourselves because who can stay away from all the goodness Austin has to offer!?!?

Dad, I couldn't be more proud to be your daughter. You are a true inspiration to our family, our friends, and our community. Thank you for setting such a brilliant example for us all. Love you so much.

Catch Up

It's been a little while since I've written and for good reason. It's been an incredibly busy couple of weeks so let's get started on the catch up session via pictures.

One of my besties from college came to town to celebrate our old roomie, Becca, the bachelorette!

Campbell fell ill with a double ear infection at the end of January and was prescribed Amoxicillin to remedy it. Twenty-four hours later, during a music class, I noticed a rash all over his trunk and immediately took him into the doctor assuming it was an allergic reaction (because if you know me well, you know I am allergic to penicillin and everything else, too). It was not an allergic rash, and he was diagnosed with a little virus. Next day the rash was gone and his ears were better so this momma was happy.

The following week, he had his well-check at the doctor, and he looked great. Two days later, the day before Valentine's Day, he woke up with the most horrendous rash I'd ever seen. All over his body, his cheeks, his ears. Everywhere. It was hot to the touch and he looked awful. Back to the doctor for another diagnosis of a viral rash (later determined to be Fifths Disease or Slapped Cheek). We had to cancel his Valentine's Party for his buddies, and we stayed inside.

Soon his whole body was the same color as his cheeks.

By V-Day he was already much better!

He has learned to open the microwave, which has provided countless hours of entertainment, and he's been carrying around his Valentine "man bag" that Nanny sent him.

And the next day, as awful timing as it could have been, Rick and I took off for Snowmass for five days of skiing, spa-ing, and rekindling.

Luckily, Mr. C was in great hands with Mimi and Auntie Candy. Thank you both for taking such good care of my baby!

And then we came late Tuesday night, and when Cam woke up the next morning (at 5:45, crying which is so unlike him) I knew I was in for quite a day. I took him back to the doctor because his diaper rash that we've been battling for a month had grown worse and look infected. Indeed it is and we are currently using every cream, ointment, lotion and potion to try to tame this beast.

 

I can also feel four molars coming in...all at the same time!! Seriously!?! So you can imagine what our day today has been like.

Nevertheless, that's where we stand. A little cranky...Cam more so than me. A little tired...me more so than Cam. But still really stinking cute...

New favorite car pastime -- pulling out the Kleenex one by one.

Here's a little video of his favorite new activity... spinning in circles. He thinks it's the funniest thing since Friends.