Gratitude Thursday

"He is a wiseman who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for the things that he has. "- Epictetus

10. I am grateful for the drive thru service at the dry cleaners. Seriously what would I do without this luxury? Instead of lugging a 20lb kid in his 20lb carseat to drop off and pick up uniforms and laundered shirts I can sit in my car and do the exchange while Bruce sleeps peacefully in his carseat.

9. Pacific Theaters and their "mommy and me Monday movie" specials! I don't go very often now but how nice it was to go see an adult movie while Bruce slept peacefully in my arms and the entire audience also had sweet little babies in their arms. Nobody cared if there was a fussy baby. The lights were left on low so us moms could see what we were doing and the movie volume wasn't blasting our little one's ears either!

8. Vons across the street. Oh Vons, how you have saved me! No need to pack up the car. Bruce LOVES his stroller rides to vons and flirts with the ladies throughout the store. Grocery shopping made easy.

7. Farmers Market Thursdays! I love chatting with my friend Cambria as we buy our weekly fresh flowers, veggies and fruits. Not only that, we have an ocean view since it's at Redondo Beach Pier. Which leads me to my next grateful thing...

6. Living by the ocean! I love this planet that God has created for us. It is beautiful. Strolling on the beach boardwalk, overlooking the ocean and being able to see dolphins, whales and surfers EVERYDAY brings happiness to my heart.

5. And I wouldn't be able to enjoy this beautiful Earth if it wasn't for Adam and Eve who partook of the tree of knowledge so that we may know good and evil.

4. My friends! Especially the ones made in the past 2 years. As you get older it is not easy to make new friends but I have to say the friends I have made these past two years are the bestest friends I could ever have. I am also grateful to my friends that embrace my new role as a mother and spoil my baby boy with gifts (Sunni) and love (Everyone.) My friends who go to "kid friendly" restaurants so I may comfortably enjoy a bite to eat but also exit quickly (shall I need to.) And especially to Jehan, Kim, Lesley, Rachel and Jenn who always want to know what Bruce is up to and insist on lunch once a month to stay in touch. I can't wait for Dec. 8th! Also my facebook friends, thanks for checking in once in awhile!

3. My family. And the family I married into. I picked the best in laws ever! Once you become a mother it is absolutely essential to surround yourself with people that will dote on your child and I am lucky to have my family and Kiel's family to do just that! I am grateful for all of the help I received when Bruce was born from both sides and am excited to see the relationship between Bruce and his grandparents grow. Also a special mention of my sisters! How fun is it that we all had babies this year? I remember being close to my cousins and hope the same relationships transpire for Bruce.

2. Our baby boy! How could I not be thankful for him? He is adorable! Has the best personality and is so much fun! He brings great happiness to our hearts and our home. He also brings peace when he's napping j/k.

1. My husband, who works his butt off so he can provide for his family. I am so grateful he knows how vital my role as a stay at home mom is to our family. He supports me, takes care of us and shows his love thru many avenues. High five!

Tales of Bruce Wayne - episode 6

INCOMING, an emergency landing! Isn't this cool? Dad let me play with his gaming gear for a real quick second and it really was a quicker second than I had hoped. I didn't even get to stick the controller in my mouth. Darn daddy's quick hands!


My cousin Luke came to visit. We are best buds. I bite his foot...He bites my back...

But really, he is my best bud and the one I want to have my back if my diaper gets dirty.I went to my very first birthday party! And you know what, I was invited to two that day. I decided to go to my cousin Kurtis's 5th birthday because Kurtis LOVES me and I love him.

At Kurtis's party he had a GIANT castle inside the church gym. This castle was so huge! It's the exact castle I want to buy my lucky bride when I grow up.Hi Kids, my name is Bruce. Where did you learn to be so independent? I tried to get a group shot with my bud Kurtis but there were too many distractions. Kurtis loves to give me eskimo kisses and it makes me laugh.

They also had a pinata at Kurtis's party... now how do I ditch dad and get a hold of that stick? After cake, gifts, contemplating castle real estate and pinata whacking I'm a bit tired.

Now onto more important business. Mom LOVES to play fashion show. I have to say this is HER favorite game and not mine but you might as well look at the pictures since they exist. Mom thinks this jacket is super cool because it belongs to Kenneth Cole. I don't know who this baby is but I would love to thank him for his jacket.Now this is just down right embarrassing. First the hat does not flatter my double chin and second...really mom!?! In JUST my diaper. Really!?!Next is my holiday sweater with my newsie cap. I know I'm just a baby, but really a sweater this heavy belongs in Alaska NOT Sunny So Cal. Is she trying to make me itchy on purpose? But cool cap eh?Finally an outfit that has normalcy. I dig this.And THAT IS IT, I put my fut down. I'm so tired of the pictures and these ridiculous hats and now a paper crown? Forget about it. ( I say this with my best baby italian accent.)

Oh and let's end with a milestone, I've graduated from my bath hammock to my frog lily pad. I'm getting to be such a big boy! Happy Thanksgiving!

Baby B

The First Half

Here is the finished video. The ending is different for those that have seen this before and don't want to watch the whole thing over again just fast forward ;)

Getting Boogie with it

I tried to capture B's dance as much as possible but this kid stops all activity when he sees the camera. I guess he gets stage fright? Plus he needs to get better at being on all fours. It's not as good as it is in person but he's cute when he poops so who cares!

Half

*About the photos below. I like to post them all because of all of the different faces he gives me. The funniest part is that right before each picture snapped he was giving me his biggest semi-toothless grin but as soon as this boy spots a flash I get the "deer in headlights" look. And this was his, I am DONE with the photo session, face.

Break out the tissues...my baby is getting bigger and bigger and heavier and heavier.

This month has been a huge progression month for Bruce. He has TWO bottom teeth and more are coming.

He loves to boogie to music. He gets on all fours and bounces back and forth to the beat. And his favorite song of all times? Usher - Yeah. One of our friends from our ward discovered this when Bruce was at the trunk or treat and his parents were out on a date. I have yet to catch it on video but as you can imagine it is the most adorable thing you have ever seen x 10. I mean just picture it, a little baby on all fours shaking his booty to his favorite hip hop song and then picture that baby as Bruce... I know right!?! ADORABLE.

I'm not sure when Bruce will be crawling but he pretty much has everything figured except his arms. Once he figures out they move we are in trouble.

He also plays with babies, fights over toys (really i thought this didn't happen until age two but Luke and Bruce are ready to kill each other over an Octupus toy I have.) and flirts with strangers all day long.

He reaches his arms up when he wants up but he prefers to yell instead.

He discovered his feet.

Learned cause and effect.

Bruce has his schedule set and hates it to be a MINUTE off.

He wakes up at 7:27 am, not a minute sooner or later. He naps from 10 am to 1pm and then goes down for another nap at 4pm for about an hour. And the BEST news about his schedule...he phased out his evening nap and goes to bed at 7!

He does a raking motion with his hands to get toys. He can almost put the pacifier back in his mouth on his own...dad is really pushing for that one.

He's eating solids! So far he's tried sweet potatoes, carrots and squash. He loves all of them. And I think he might be allergic to oatmeal because he got a rash on his belly. So I discontinued use.

And the last news...B finally has his crib set up. No more pack in play. I got his bedding for 20% off and his crib mattress was 50% off thanks to the bedding sale at Babies R Us. Isn't he cute?And this is his "Don't you dare leave me in here, it is not my naptime" face. And if you look closely you can see his teefers ;)Happy half birthday Baby B!

Double the Babies, Double the Fun

Sweet Po-tay-ta

I don't know why I was procrasinating but we finally fed Bruce solid foods (a solid food besides rice cereal) yesterday. The child LOVED them. He would grunt at me everytime I took the spoon out of his mouth. I tried to get him to smile at his first sweet potato eating experience but of course this is what I got instead...

and at last a little baby smile...

I wanted to wait until he was 6 months old but this kid has an appetite I can't keep up with and the pediatrician said it was time. We're introducing one food at a time that way we know what food causes a allergic reaction shall he have one.

and here is a video for your entertainment:

Every 5 days we'll introduce him to another food. We're doing veggies first and then fruits.

Santa Baby...

Hurry down the chimney, tonight...


Just a sneak peek of Bruce's holiday photo shoot ;)

Election Day

Seriously people!?! You complain and complain about our economic situation and then you vote in Boxer...AGAIN and Brown? Good luck California. At least prop 19 didn't pass, we might have just packed up and moved to Montana!

Thouroughly disappointed!

Goodboo October

It was a good month!

It started with 2 boxes of chocolate covered strawberries. One box couldn't even last for a picture. Then my husband took me to Toys R Us and let me pick out 2 video games for my Wii and he got to pick out the free one for his xbox. (It was a buy 2 get 1 free sale.) We highly recommend Mario Galaxy.

My birthday was fabulous. Our family and my friend Sunni went to the Cheese Cake Factory for dinner and Kiel surprised me with 2 dozen roses.

And because we celebrate the whole month, my scary thirty birthday party was this past Saturday in LA at the El Cid Theater. We attended a murder mystery dinner with Lisa, and our friends Robyn, Chad and Scotti. Poor Lisa was sitting at the end of the table so she had to get up on stage. But she's always a good sport and that's one of the reasons why we love her. Little Bruce was babysat by the Facers, our friends at church (who were invited to my party but couldn't come.) They took Bruce to our ward trunk or treat. He was an angel the entire time and didn't cry once. Thankfully I didn't have to worry much because they texted me updates throughout the night. Honestly, what did our parents do without cell phones? Plus I knew Bruce was in good hands, they have 2 children and one is only ten days younger than Bruce. He was alseep without a peep when we arrived and he didn't wake up when we transferred him to our house. The next day we went out to breakfast with Lisa at Polly's on the Pier. Seriously, can you believe this view is literally two minutes from where we live?

My birthday month ended with a Halloween party at the Hansen's with my little one in tow. We ate chili and cookies and then hit the neighborhood for some trick or treating fun. Robyn's neighborhood goes all out for the holidays and Halloween is no different. Almost every house had a caldron of fire on their driveway and the decorations were amazing. They brought out the t.v's and the scary masks. Bruce was asleep by house number 5 but before then he was excited about the costumes and lights.

Here we are with our little dinosaur. Kiel was a giants fan (but really that's just what he wears to support his team) and I was a mom taking her child to his first halloween party. (I'm too lazy to capitalize Halloween, every time.)

Lastly, my birthday present was an anti-aging facial that I asked for. (Kiel is smart enough to know not to gift any woman anything with the title "anti-aging") Anyway I'm three decades old, time to sloth off the old skin and extract a fresh layer. Good bye fine lines ;)

Sorry for the lack of pictures and the bad ones, most were taken with my phone or not taken at all.

And let's not forget that the Giants are in the WORLD SERIES and doing really well! I like to think it's because of magic October (you don't believe it's magical? How else do the leaves change beautiful colors?) Don't let us down November.