What I've Been Up To

Not blogging. Trying to dig our house out of the overgrowth.


-- Post From My iPhone

Getting Back

We are back in Austin and trying to dig out of the pile of to-do list items that build up when one gets up and leaves town for almost a month. Our drive home was about as uneventful as our drive north. Lydia was a champ and so easy-going about being cooped up in a car and sleeping in her sixth(!) location of our travels when we stopped in Rolla, Missouri; I am so proud of her. I was especially proud when, immediately after commenting to Robin that this trip drives home how adaptable she is, I realized that she has cut not one but two molars while we have been on the road. While my mom and I were driving, I checked her gums to see if one might have snuck in and found nothing. During the past four weeks, she has cut a molar on her top left AND top left side. They seem to have snuck in without much fanfare, though I'm knocking on wood--I suppose teething pain could rear it's ugly head at any time.

I PROMISE that when Robin gets home with his computer tonight I will upload photos and begin retro-blogging about our adventures in between loads of laundry, digging out of our yard (the weeds are ridiculous and totally photo-worthy), and reconnecting with our Austin friends. There are some priceless photos of our time in Forest Lake and the Metro Area, my family's cabin, Madison, Chicago, and everywhere in between and your patience will be rewarded with quick and speedy blogging. We had a great time!

Mother/Daughter Lunch Date

What can I say? The girl eats well!!


-- Post From My iPhone

This is what happens...

When Lydia spends the day with her godfather.


-- Post From My iPhone

Date Night

On the square in Madison. Fantastic dinner at Harvest!!


-- Post From My iPhone

Round and Round She Goes

Lydia's first time on a merry-go-round with Gramma Mree at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. Clearly, Lydia is a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. She gained confidence as the ride went on!

Making My Case

Since the moment she was born, Lydia's resemblance to Robin has been obvious... at least that's what everyone says. I would like to make my case, though, that she may be a Mommy's girl, afterall.

Exhibit A...

and Exhibit B.

Addendum: Yes, both photos are me, not Lydia. The first was on a trip to Glacier National Park, and the second is at "the lake."

If You Just Couldn't Wait...

Updated photos are on Picasa. I realize that I have neglected the blog during our travels, but we are truly relaxing and enjoying some time away. My shutterbug habit has reached new heights; we had to purchase more Picasa space, so while I apologize for the delay, there are now sixteen gigabytes of storage just waiting to be filled with photos of Lydia. You can visit Picasa here or hang out and watch the slideshow to see what we've been up to during the past couple weeks!

Minnesota Girls

Congratulations to Becky and Jonathan!!!

Almost two months ago, I blogged about some friends who were trying to adopt a baby, and since then, several of you have asked for updates on their family. Today, I am happy to share the news that Becky and Jonathan are going to be parents!! They found out on Tuesday that their son(!!!!) is due today!!! See Becky's blog entry here.

Congratulations, Becky and Jonathan!! Your journey to parenthood has been inspiring. Robin and I both wish you all of the best!

Safe and Sound

Lydia, my mom and I arrived safely in Forest Lake after driving from Austin. We left Thursday morning and arrived Friday night.

Robin and I are pretty good road-trippers if I say so myself, and often times we end up opting to drive home rather than fly so that we have a car while here. This makes it much easier to get around Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as drive to Madison. This paired with airfare prices that are only getting more expensive meant hitting the road.

We took our time, and everything went well. One of us sat in the back with Lydia the whole time, we packed a crate with books and toys, and listened to music. Somehow, we managed to drive across the country with zero meltdowns from Lydia. She is a trooper; I am so proud of her.

Currently, I have no way of uploading photos from my camera, but I am eager to post about the 4th (3rd?) of July parade I went to this morning, meeting Drew Q. for the first time and spending some time with his wonderful parents, and just how much Grandma and Grandpa H. love their granddaughter. Until then, I will try to take iPhone pictures to post and my little Top Five list will have to hold you over!

Top Five Most Important Things to Bring Along on a Roadtrip with a Toddler

5.) Book on tape for naptime. My choice for this ride was Eating Animals by Jonathan Safron Foer.
4.) Cooler of delicious protein-filled snacks for all. This limited our mealtime stops. (See #3) This included cheese, peanut butter, nuts and trail mix, and whole milk for Lydia.
3.) A bib and solid-ish foods. We did lots of car eating so that stops could be limited to diaper changes and running around.
2.) Pacifier or food with which to pacify. We threw all rules on pacifier time and portion control to the wind. A non-crying baby = a happy mama.
1.) As many books as possible. Seriously, we brought 20. Why? Because "Oh, the wonderful sounds Mr. Brown can do..." is a lot to take on round 20 or 30 when cooped up in a car with nowhere to go.