#2 Thing I Love : Farmer's Markets

For me, a farmer's market is more of a theme park ride than a place to buy produce - it's fun and exciting, but for the most part I keep my hands inside at all times.  Occasionally I'll buy some fruit to snack on, but what I really love is just walking up and down the aisles taking it all in.  There is just something about it - the beautiful fruits and vegetables that are in season, the lively crowd and friendly vendors.  It's pure, wholesome entertainment.

I am very lucky to live in a warm climate where there are farmer's markets all year long.  Not only that, there are multiple markets happening around the city every single day.  There is one just down the road from us that happens every Friday night.  It's pretty small, but they have a good variety of fruits and vegetables and some great food stands (I plan on trying the Salvadorian pupusas this week).  A couple weeks ago an Elvis impersonator performed, which was pretty fantastic.  His singing wasn't too impressive, but he danced and got really sweaty.  

My favorite farmer's market in LA happens in Hollywood on Sunday mornings.  There are tons of stands, lots of free samples, sweet people watching and the most awesome vegan barbecue you will ever have.  Brandon and I always get a big plate piled high with mac and cheese, kale, black eyed peas, barbecue tofu and corn bread.  We wash it down with a tall glass of homemade strawberry lemonade.  It's...too good.  Just this past Sunday we met my brother Zane and his gorgeous son, Ronin, there.  Of course I forgot to take my camera out while they were there, but I did get this sweet shot of Brandon and the boohead.

Play!

Normally when I need to be in the bathroom (for a number of reasons, thank you) I'll put Scarlett in either the jumparoo or bouncy seat right outside the open door.  She's been so good at sitting on her own lately (with a pillow for a little support) that I decided to plop her down with some toys to see if she would play by herself and... she did!  The boohead quietly played for a good ten minutes.  It was so sweet to watch. 

And then, as always, we had a visitor...

     

                                                               

                                            But he was too cool to play.

 

#1 Thing I Love : Green pants

I've always been curious about other people's day to day lives - what do they do?  What do they eat?  What do they buy?  What do they love to do, eat and buy?  I'm also a 'poler' (a label given to me by a very astute therapist), which means that when I doubt my decision making skills, I ask others what they would do in my situation.  So, inspired by by my shortcoming I've decided to blog about things that I love to do, eat, buy, wear, read, watch...  As I think of them, I will blog about them.  Here goes...

Before I was pregnant I wore jeans almost every day.  Once I got pregnant I wore stretch pants pretty much every day.  Now I wear green pants.  I love them so much that I want to wear them every day, but I don't because I want people to like me.  They are soft and kind of slouchy and, despite being an unconventional pant color, they really go with so many things.  Oh, and they were only $32.50 at Old Navy.

Leka

My mom has a Sesame Street play gym that has to be older than I am.  She brought it out when we were visiting and Scarlett absolutely loved it.  Of course my overly generous mom offered to give it to us, but what will Scarlett play with when we go back?  When we got home I found something similar at Ikea.  I liked it because it's wood and simple and it doesn't scream "BABY!" like Scarlett's beloved (gigantic) jumparoo.  So, I guess it's no surprise that Scarlett doesn't find it very entertaining.  She'll play with it for a couple minutes and then roll onto her tummy.  She seems to like it better when we prop her up so she can play with the top, so it's not a total loss.  Here is the boohead in action with her new (kind of) fun toy:

Sitting Pretty

Scarlett started eating solids last month, but we just finally bought her a high chair.  I'm kind of an obsessive researcher, so it took me a while to commit to a chair and buy it.  I wanted a chair that was functional, attractive and affordable and I found it in the Graco Contempo highchair (I should really go back to writing copy for a living).  Scarlett is becoming such a pro at eating.  She knows to open her little mouth when she sees the spoonful of food coming her way.  Today she made a variation on the "mmmmm" sound each time she took a bite - it was kind of like "aahhhhhhmmm".  Too darned cute.

New digs

Our little girl has moved out.  She's grown up now and ready to be on her own.  Here she is in her new digs:

The boohead has moved in to her own room!  It's only a few feet across the hall, but the first couple of nights it felt like miles away. I slept with the monitor inches from my face scared that something would happen to her and she would need me.  But she didn't and all is well.  It was time and I think Scarlett is actually sleeping better now.  It's also opened up a whole new world for Brandon and me, too - we can turn the lights on in our bedroom after 7:00pm!  And watch tv in bed!  And Brandon can pick out his clothes in the morning with the lights on!  And now that she's farther from the bathroom and can't hear the water running we can take showers whenever we want!  Simple pleasures.

Diaper Duty

Be warned: if you don't like poop talk, you will not enjoy this post.

Since Scarlett started eating solid food there have been some big changes...downtown.  Twice a day she has an explosion of poop that looks like we just poured the baby food directly onto her diaper. At first I thought that all of her poops were orange regardless of what we fed her and then I fed her peas... Brandon says it's like we have a tube baby - in one orifice and out the other.  Like an earth worm.  Scarlett never seemed to mind a dirty diaper before, but now it seems to really bother her.  I don't blame her!  These dirty diapers are serious business!  Most of the time I have to change her clothes and wipe her down with a wet washcloth.  Yesterday it was so bad that I gave her a bath.  Thank goodness this only happens twice a day and almost like clockwork - one in the morning and one in the late afternoon.  And it's good to know that she's eating - the proof is in the pooping.

Home

We travelled to my mom's house last week to introduce Scarlett to some of my relatives and friends (and because who wouldn't want to be in upstate New York in February?).  We had fun spending time with my family and showing Scarlett where I grew up.  The week went by way too fast - I can't believe we're already home.  Scarlett was a great traveller on the way to New York.  She didn't sleep very much, but you wouldn't know it!  She was all smiles and was very content sitting on our laps playing with her toys.  The way back was a little more challenging probably because the flights were longer, but we made it!  And now we're home and getting back into our groove again.  

Here are some pictures of our trip:

Father Jim (my mom's uncle) came by to snuggle the Boohead.  She sat on his lap for a long time as he sung her Irish lullabies.

My mom's friend lent us this adorable snow outfit for Scarlett.  Her daughter wore it when she was a baby over twenty years ago.  Thanks, Donna!

           Scarlett with her Uncle Dan and cousins, Fiona and Declan.

                  My good friend Brittney stopped by for a squeeze, too!  

         Scarlett and her Gigi spent lots of time together.  We miss her!

  And what's a trip to Syracuse without a family outing to Wegmans?

Not in love with Wegmans quite yet.