Memorable Monday

18 month photo shoot

As you saw from our memorable Monday post, We had the great fortune to have one of Lawrence's best photographers, Trina Baker, take pictures of Bella on Monday. The only bummer to the shoot was that Eric wasn't able to be there for a family portrait (although, I don't think he minded missing a photo shoot too much) We're going to make him sit down and do a family picture when Bella turns two. We took the photos in my mother's incredible yard and even got her to dress up for a couple of 3 generation shots. It was a beautiful day and a blast. Trina is going to set up a spot on her gallery page (see blog links for Gallery 32) so if you would like to buy a print or two go for it! But for now here are some highlights from our shoot.

Memorable Monday: Brought to you by Trina Baker!

Memorable Monday

Memorable Monday

Congrats Mark and Brandi!!!

On June 26th my cousin Mark got hitched. He married a fabulous woman named Brandi that he's been with for many years. She already feels like one of the family so we were all thrilled to head for their Wedding in Manhattan (as thrilled as two die hard Jayhawks can be). I was also truly honored that they asked me to sing in the ceremony. I have never sung in a wedding by myself before and I was thrilled to do so for theirs. So on Friday June 25th Eric and I headed to the little apple. We checked into the Hotel and lounged around for a while before heading to the rehearsal, which went beautifully, the rehearsal dinner was also a blast with Mark's restaurant catering Fajitas in a beautiful park. Bella loved seeing the ducks and geese and playing with her cousins. It was great to have so much family in town. Uncle Tim, Aunt Lauren, Jen, Kerry and the kids as well as Tom, Alex and Jeff all came up to Manhattan from Boston and Topeka. Not to mention the Rosen clan who were the main participants in the Wedding. It was great family time and really fun to meet Brandi's family as well. My dad was in New York and Mom in a show up at KU so Eric and I represented the Averill Lawrence division with pride.
One of the best things about a wedding that's not yours is that you have time beforehand to enjoy the hotel, area, and events. Saturday morning we lounged around the room for a bit. Bella found her comfy char and proceeded to spend some time reading.




















































We then headed to the pool where even I braved the freezing water ( the heater was broken) then was rewarded with some time in the hot tub hanging with the Moffits and Rojacks. After a leisurely morning Bella slept a fully two hours while Eric and I napped and got ready. We headed for pictures around 2pm and to enjoy a 3pm wedding. Here Bella and I are all dressed up.


















Bella picking up Lili's rose petals. Lili is now a professional flower girl. You may remember her from our Wedding but Mark's wedding is her third. She is for hire, just let me know.


















After a short and beautiful ceremony we headed to the Kathouse for the reception. Uncle Tom welcomed everyone with a bagpipe serenade that Wilbur truly enjoyed.


















Wilbur and Bella were great friends. However, Bella is refusing to let Wilbur dethrone her on her booth.


















Mark's resturant catered the Reception as well with BBQ that was delicious. We were very impressed with the variety of excellent food they serve. It may even force us to go back to Manhattan to enjoy. Here Eric and Bella eat dinner with the same determination I think the phrase Mmmmmm... Food is what's going on in both their minds.



































We've discovered that when we have a toddler wetend to leave a wedding reception around the same time as the old people. So once we enjoyed the food Bella hit her limit and we headed back to the Hotel. It was a pretty hot afternoon so we were all ready to enjoy the freezing pool and explore the hotel. Here we find Mama Monster in the trees.


















And Bella discovered drinking fountains.


















In addition she got into EVERYTHING on our adventure, the fountain.


















The dining area


















Then we met up with cousin Mira who is just shy of 1 year old.


















The next morning we waited to join the family for brunch. We hung out in the Moffitt room with them and the Jackson-Rosen clan. It was a blast to spend time with my cousins and their little ones. It's so fun to have kids all around the same age. Here is Paulie with the always fabulous Lili.


















I finally got a picture of the bumper crop cousins. These three girls will all be in the same grade even though their mama's are different ages. Mira (Kari and Paul's) Bella (ours) and Mahala (Jen and Kerry's)


















Here they are with siblings, Lili is Mira's sister, and Wilbur is Mahala's brother, Bella will have a sibling at some point, don't you fret.


















We had a fantastic brunch and then headed back to L-town. We even almost left without forgetting something. Sadly, Kitty was left behind. Luckily the hotel was kind enough to send her back and she arrived today. So Bella is now happily asleep with her stuffed Kitty in her arms!

It was a beautiful Wedding. Congrats to Mark and Brandi and we wish you a lifetime of happiness. I sure have fun being married I wish them the same.

~Trish

Memorable Monday and Happy Birthday Uncle Willie!

Memorable Monday Quote

Bella " Porsche Dada"

Happy Father's Day!

First a big cheers to all the great Father's out there. Sadly, not all father's are great so those of you who landed a good one, make sure to hug them and remind them of how special they are. I am one of the lucky ones who landed not only a Great father but, an OUTSTANDING father. My daddy is one of the kindest, most compassionate, talented, charming and funny people I know. Plus, like a fine wine ( which he always thought to be a very pretentious drink) He only grows better with age. Watching my father with my baby is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. So here are a couple memories I'd like to share of my amazing father, and Bella's outstanding Poppy.























Memory #1: My own childhood was beautiful, a loving home, great family and great friends. My father was a huge part of that. Even though he often traveled he remained a constant in my life. One of my favorite experiences with him is going to any theme park. We would always ride the rides together while Mom and Will stayed as far away from the roller coasters as they could get. The countless hours in line, minutes of pure excitement and just me and Dad time that we shared at all those theme parks is so special to me. It was my time with my Daddy and it was perfect!

Memory #2: Watching my father with Isabella is incredible. Of course, I don't ever remember him being that willing to fork over chocolate, or hop of his computer to play with me ( he did, but he literally Jumps away from what he's doing to be with her) But my favorite memory so far is spending the evening at my folks house and Bella's bedtime. Dad will often sit at the piano and play a well known tune or just improvise. As he plays I rock my sweet baby in my arms and listen to the incredible music he gently coaxes out of our old family piano. The first time we all shared this magical moment was last Christmas and I can't wait to share many more with him and with Bella.


















I can't even begin to talk about first hand watching the joys of fatherhood without a very special shout out to my incredible Husband. Having such a wonderful father really sets the bar high for that man you fall in love with and marry. I knew from day one that Eric would live up to that bar and as much as I love my own father, Eric is really taking it up to the next level. Maybe it's the joy I have in my own relationship with Eric or just the fact that I get to be a part of helping him grow as a father but He is truly incredible. From sleepless nights together helping each other get up to attend to the baby, to mall crawls, to Farmer's Market mornings, I love spending time together as a family. Watching Eric with Bella is truly magical, his patience, kindness and true adoration with her is hard to even describe however, I'll try. Here are some special memories of Eric as a father.

Memory 1: Watching him wrestle with Bella is hysterical. That girl already has her daddy wrapped around her finger. Hearing her laugh as they play is the most magical sound I can think of and the equally jovial laughter coming from Eric is music to me. His kindness with her is special and I can't wait to watch all the games, experiences and joys they will share together in our lifetime.

















Memory #2: Eric's selflessness when it comes to Isabella is incredible. He would do anything for her, jump over backwards and even lose sleep without complaint. No matter how tired, ill or feeling out of it Eric always does better and continuing to focus the same love, attention and patience on Bella. She is never a burden to him but always a blessing.



















More of what I feel about Eric as a father is based in emotion as we still have many more experiences to share. There are so many things I look forward to; hearing all about father/daughter trips to the ballpark, the store, the movies, games in the yard. I also can't wait to share the family experiences together of finding our next dream home with a couple more kids in mind, supporting each other through our lives and careers and of course being just the two of us again when the kids grow up and move out. Each experience will be an adventure and I'm so blessed to be on that adventure with the world's greatest dad, husband and best friend. I love you Eric!

A special shout out to some of the other influential Dad's in my life. My father in law J.P. My brother in law Chris, All my Uncles who have been there for there own children and for their nieces and nephews as well. My dear friends who are on this journey the at the same time Sean, Seth, Clint, and the Husbands of my Mommy Mafia group. And of course our dear grandfathers, two out of three have passed on but their legacies as great fathers and grandfather's remain.

So all you Daddy's out there, Enjoy this day, you deserve it!!!

18 Month Well Baby Visit

I think we can take out the baby part now. Isabella is truly no longer a baby, we now have a toddler on our hands and I beautifully perfect one at that. Above Bella is making her "Sad Face" and it's about the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Bella and I just got home from her 18 month check up and I'm so proud of our girl. Somehow she got the Tall and Skinny gene from somewhere and recently had a huge growth spurt jumping up in height. So big in fact that even the Dr. wasn't expecting it. Here are her 18month stats:

Height: 32 1/2"
Weight: 21 lbs 5 oz
Head: 47 cm.

And PERFECT. She's hit all her milestones and more. The only thing we have to keep working on is that blasted diaper rash. Doc. said the sooner we get her potty trained the sooner it will go away and she's certainly leaning towards the desire to potty train. She lets us know when she goes potty and even walks over to the bathroom door when needed. Eric even got her to go poop on the potty, it was just a little but a great triumph for mom and dad. I hope we can keep it up.
Not much else to report, the doctor recommended lots of swimming and beginning to teach her water safety. We are huge fans of swimming so that won't be a problem. Also, Bella's language development is out of this world. She has many two word phrases and tons of words, I can't even count anymore. Speaking of counting, she clearly counts up to three. Man that child is smart. (she gets it from her.....parents)

Exciting weekend ahead, The Neuteboom's are coming to town and we are planning a ton of fun events, a trip to the Zoo, golfing and dinners at home and out.

That's how we put the "Boom" in Neuteboom.

Memorable Monday

Memorable Monday

Stacation 2010: Day 4, the Final Countdown.

Countdown to what you may ask...well... Eric has to go to work tomorrow.....hee hee.
Our final day of staycation was a blast. Eric woke up early to start smoking a brisket for our BBQ in the evening and once Bella woke up we headed downstairs to play. Today was the first day Bella really seemed well again and back to her normal self. She hasn't had a fever in three days and other symptoms have also subsided. HOORAY!! Bella and I even made a outing today to Wal-Mart (Sorry Tracy) I found 6 shirts and 2 summer dresses for under $50. Plus I bought some clothes for Eric and Bella. I also feel better today although I'm not back to normal yet.

Around 3:00pm my folks came over to celebrate Memorial day with us. Bella and I got dolled up in some clothes featuring American colors and I made Potato Salad. It is adorable to see Bella with her Grandparents (both sides, we did miss being with the Neutebooms as well this weekend) She was saying Nana and Mimi all afternoon.























Our first game of the evening was Guitar Hero and I think Eric beat me for the first time since we've owned the game.
























The evening was wonderful, domino's, ladderball, brisket and potato salad, and once Nana put Bella to bed we enjoyed a patio night with the folks.

Here is the Final Top Chef meal of the weekend. Smoked Briskett with homemade potato salad and rolls.


























































Bella even sort of let us play domino's. Nana left the game early to entertain her.














































































Now we're lounging around watching Mad Men and getting ready to get back to the grind. Well, Eric is anywahy, I'm thrilled to begin my two month stint as a stay at home mom!
Staycation 2010 is at an end! Adios!

Memorable Monday

Staycation 2010: Day 3

Today lived up to the name Staycation! Isabella and I were virtually unproductive today. Eric however, worked like a crazy man and now my car is washed, detailed and looks brand new. I got to wake up with Bella this morning and we enjoyed hanging in the living room and eating breakfast. Eric is an early bird so he woke up too but his daddy time was to just chill out and play video games so I made sure to give him time to do that. Bella and I also tried to hang outside but it's a little hot and I'm a little under the weather. So we mainly stayed inside. After nap we did a bit of swim time as well but Eric and I have yet to master the timing so the pool is not frigid, Bella didn't spend much time in it. Oh well, here's a great picture of our pool, Bella and I will be spending a lot of time here this summer.


















We finally made an outing today to Checker's to pick up dinner for tomorrow. It was a blast and VERY nice to get out of the house. We also said goodbye to our two fish. Buying a fish tank while 3 months pregnant seemed like a good idea. However, since Bella got here we haven't kept it up and it gets gross. So we decided to send the fish to the great pond, aka. the one at my parents house. I have hopes for the catfish but I am afraid the little one will get eaten. Oh well, survival of the fittest, at least in the pond they'll have a fighting chance. Eric and I are both going a bit stir crazy. We are hoping to get out to kohls, Target or Wal-Mart tomorrow to walk around a bit.

We had yet another Top Chef evening, We believe we have mastered the pizza making skills with a little work still needed on the crust. The secret: you'll have to come try it out to find out. We also almost forgot to take a picture of it so here it is after we devoured the first two pieces. Delicious!


















We are truly looking forward to tomorrow. Eric is marinading a brisket as we speak and we're having the Averill's over for an early supper. Bella LOVES spending time with her Nana and Poppy, and we LOVE that Nana puts the baby to bed for us. It's a win-win!

Wish me luck on getting any sleep with this congestion and cough. oh yeah, and any advice on warming a kids pool let me know!
~Trish

Staycation 2010: Day 2

This morning Bella woke up around 5:30am halfheartedly. As soon as I picked her up from the crib she put her head on my shoulder and fell right back to sleep, I thought since it was Staycation and all that I'd just bring her back to bed and cuddle up. It was wonderful, she slept until 7:3o when my amazing husband woke up with her to start the day, he let me sleep in and I crawled out of bed around 9:30am, what luxury! Eric was very pleased to find that Bella's appetite has returned, in addition to a full 24 hours without a fever, and she wolfed down a fruit plate and cereal. We discovered throughout the day that not only is her appetite back, but she also made up for the two days of finicky eating. After our leisurely breakfasts the whole family headed outside. We admired the garden and Eric even took some artsy shots of the beautiful lilies .







































After his momentary laps into artsy fartsyness Eric washed the truck, he was excited to get some before and after shots.
Before

















After

















I'm always so impressed with how good the truck looks, especially after a wash. Can you believe that truck is 12 or so years old! Eric assures me that my car's bath is to follow tomorrow.

While Eric worked on the truck, Bella and I played and ate lunch outside behind him. I don't think there is anything Bella loves more than being outside, she can even clearly say the word outside, it is part of her huge vocabulary. We played in the chairs and of course with the much loved sidewalk chalk which will undoubtedly be a huge part of our summer vacation.

































Another part of our summer vacation will be naptime, I'm soooo excited to get to take naps during the day. I love sleep, I love naps, and I love napping with my baby. So today I was lucky enough to not only sleep in but also get a 2 hour nap, this staycation ROCKS! After nap, Bella and I oohhed and awed at Eric's truck washing skills and then we all headed to the patio to play in the pool. We still haven't quite got the timing right on when to fill the pool so it's not freezing when we want to swim, today was better but still cold so we didn't swim too long.

All the activity of the day had worn us out, we then lounged around the house with a beautiful, although a little grumpy baby. We played games, watched T.V. and ate A LOT of snacks and food. It was awesome.































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After Bella went to bed Eric began to create our next Top Chef meal of the weekend. Garlic Tilapia with long grain rice and homemade rolls. He continued his day of perfect husband and daddyhood in allowing me to blog and rest as he completed the below meal.


















Another summer tradition I would like to begin is the making of exotic drinks to enjoy with Eric and girlfriends that I can get to come lounge on my patio with me . This summer's first creation begins with watermelon infused vodka. Eric bought a huge watermelon yesterday as you have seen in the previous post. We had enough watermelon to fill two Tupperware containers with cubes and slices and enough to soak in vodka creating our own Bourgeois Pig esk mixture. It's been sitting for a full 24hours as of today and Eric has promised to make me something fun tomorrow. Woo Hoo for refreshing summer drinks! I even have new pampered chef martini glasses to use!






















To finish off our evening, we are lounging on the couch, flirtatiously fighting over the remote and enjoying each other's company. I sure do LOVE my family!
~Trish