March Blooms

The unseasonably warm weather is causing all of our spring plants to bloom way too early. I'm scared a frost will come sweeping in and kill everything -- so far, that is not in the forecast. I've already bought some vegetable plants and annuals for my containers, and have had to do some spring cleanup pruning budding shrubs (instead of dormant ones). I am not ready for this early spring!

My blooming garden in March

March 17 Daffodils

March 22 Scilla

March 22 Pulmonaria

March 22 Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

March 22 Celandine Poppy

March 29 Hyacinths and new bulb (forgot name)

March 29 New bulb (forgot name)

French & then Mexican

Since having Wesley, I went from a stay-at-home mom, to working part-time, to teaching French once-a-week, to... once again being a stay-at-home mom.

That's right, my French class has officially ended making me officially unemployed to enjoy my last 3 months of pregnancy running after my crazy 20 month old -- who, by the way, has officially entered the Terrible Two's.

Wednesday was the last of my 20-week French teaching spree.And for the last 20 weeks, I bitched and moaned over this class, the lesson planning, and the drive out to the school -- not to mention all the work I had to do to convert this Spanish program into a French one. Well... who would have thought the kids and parents actually liked me. My regional manager received absolutely no complaints from the parents (which I hear is common), and the parents not only applauded my efforts at the last class -- which was a "Showcase" for the students to show off their new french skills to their parents (I had the kids do a skit, we played games, and ate good food) -- but they want me back next year. To be determined ...

After class, Matt met me and we had a wonderful dinner to celebrate the end of a good school year at Bien Trucha. I have been wanting to go to this restaurant for ages, but it's 1) not for kids 2) no reservations 3) expect to wait 40 minutes minimum for a table (no wonder, the place is tiny)

... But everything fell into place because we had no baby with us, Matt took an early train and met me at the restaurant 20 minutes before it opened and we were the first ones in line when it did open (yes, a line developed outside on a Wednesday evening), and we got a table by the window. Perfect. Planning. Ever!

guacamole del dia (with peaches)

 Food? It was so good. The kind of food you can eat everyday. Matt had a traditional margarita and I had the Agua del dia (it was Mango water that day), and the guacamole to start. he guac had peaches in it which was really good (note to self: Add peaches to my guac).

Steak tacos - rice & corn sides in background on Matt's plate

For dinner we split 2 orders of tacos (they come 4 to an order and are meant to be split) -- the house tacos (grilled skirt steak, home-made chorizo, manchego, roasted tomatillo-serrano salsa) & the de la Costa tacos (crispy beer battered shrimp, napa cabbage, cilantro, onion, roasted serrano-mango salsa.) We got the corn and rice sides which I recommend even though they are a la carte because they really added to the meal and were so tasty. We were stuffed and had to refuse dessert.

Tacos de la Costa - beer battered shrimp

We're still dreaming about these tacos, they were that good. if only this place can open a Food cart and we can eat them everyday without waiting 40 minutes (and have a baby in tow).

First Ride in the Burley/Bike

Back in February, I mentioned that I bought a Burley off Craigslist. I got a pretty good deal on it, because it's the kind that can convert to a double stroller and it's in really good condition. Well, we've been having the most amazing weather here in Chicago -- it's been in the high 70's! Wesley and I have been at the park the last 3 days; he's been playing so much he can now say "Park pay" (Park play).

Anyway, since the weather's been so nice, Matt hooked up the Burley to the bike tonight to check it out. I brought Wesley to watch him set it up and he started to climb into it; he clearly knew it was meant for him.  We strapped him into it and off they went (not without me having a mini-seizure about safety, of course).  Wes was "wee-ing" down the street, he loved it so much.

After a few turns down our street, Matt drove back up the driveway and I heard Wes saying, "moy, moy" (more more). And off they went again...  here are some photos (click on them to see closer).

Garden: First sign of Spring

I stopped writing my garden blog last fall, when it became hard to find time to write & garden & take care of a baby. So I decided to move some of my garden writing to this main blog. The posts will be few and far between still ...

The snowbells (leucojum aestivum) emerged around February 22, 2012. Pretty early, usually these appear in early March.

And now, nearing the middle of March, they are losing their pretty white petals, making way for the the daffodils and tulips. I predict a few daffodils by next week. This has been a mild winter for sure for Zone 5-Chicagoland.

Sleeping, Mom's Group, French, Etc

Night #1 of the new sleeping routine (as per our doctor's instructions): It took 1.5 hours for Matt to get Wesley to fall asleep without a human being laying next to him. Most of that invlved trying to get him just to lay down.

Now, our normal routine is: we read a few stories, we say good night, Wesley says "lights" (/lie-sh/ in his-speak), we turn off the lights, lay down together. He puts his arm around one of us and within 5-10 minutes, he's sound asleep. Then we leave him to do what we need to do for the night (clean the kitchen). Then one of us would go back to his room to sleep for the rest of the night.

So 1.5 hours is not our norm, and well... it pretty much sucked. By 2AM, he was crying for us and I just brought him into our bed for a peaceful night sleep until 8AM.

Night #2: We decided the whole doctor's orders thing was not working for us. Our normal routine was fine. Instead of waiting until April, we just started earlier with leaving the room to go to our bed, instead of sleeping with him all night. We knew this was our "phase 3" of the "moving Wesley to sleeping in his own bed in his own room" saga anyway, just starting earlier than planned.

So Matt put him to bed as usual ... no stress. At 2:30AM he woke up crying for us (to be expected). Attempt #1: I went in and stood over him rubbing his back until he fell asleep and then I left the room, only for him to start crying again. Attempt #2: Went back and sat next to him with Pooh bear between us, same thing until he fell asleep, then moved his arm around Pooh. Left ... 2 minutes later started to cry again. Attempt #3: Lowered the rails and got into bed with him for 23 minutes until he fr sure was asleep. Left room. No crying. (All this took 1 hour). He slept until 5:30AM, in which we just brought him to our bed and slept until 8.

Night #3: TBD...

On another note, my mom's group is getting started for real! We have a Mom's Night Out tonight for dinner -- only 4 moms can make it, but that's better than say ... 0. And Saturday we have our first playgroup with 4 moms and 5 kids. I'm using Google Groups to get everyone together, and we can all communicate with one another pretty easy. So far we have 9 moms in the group with another 2 more invites out there to be accepted.

As for my French class, next week is my last class. All the parents are invited, we're doing a skit and eating french food (i.e. crepes, bread, cheese, Perrier). I dread every class I've had to teach all year, but after class I'm on a super high because I love the kids and the actual teaching (just not the planning part). A few moms have already asked if I'm coming back next year, but with a 3 month old in September... most likely not going to happen. I'll miss them to be honest.

18 month (really 19-1/2 month) appointment

This morning, I took Wesley for his "18 month" doctor appointment and last vaccine until he has to go to Kindergarten (yeah!!).

Like the 15 month visit, he hated everything from the measuring tape to the ear checker to the doctor himself -- even though he's the nicest doctor. Wesley wouldn't' have any of it and would have preferred running down the hall and out the door, even though he was only in a diaper.

The verdict is that he's a big boy -- "phenomenal growth pattern" the doctor said. His stats were:
Height:  35" long (95%)  -- almost 3' tall already!
Weight:  30 lbs (89%)

He's never been that high up on the weight before, but the doctor said he wasn't worried because he's not fat. "He's solid," he said. Yes I know, I said rubbing my aching back. 

Issues:
Wesley has been co-sleeping with us since he was 4 months old. In January, we moved out his crib and put in his "big boy bed" - i.e. my old double bed with rails. He still slept in our bed, but he took his naps in his own room; however, we always have to lay with him to fall asleep. Since March, he's been sleeping in his bed at night and we take turns who gets to sleep with him all night - again, we have to be there for him to fall asleep. The next step, I figured, was in April and that would be for us to leave him after he's fallen asleep, for him to sleep alone in bed but ... the doctor said don't wait for April. And he said further ...

... we can't lay in bed with him to make him fall asleep. Ugh! Wesley loves to fall asleep with his arm over you. We are, in other words, his "lovie." But now the doctor told me we have to find a new lovie for him. We can sit in a chair, or lay on the floor so he knows we're there, but we can't lay in bed with him.

I'm only dreading this because I know it's going to be a long road to get him to sleep without us in bed. With the new baby coming, I don't think we can wait any longer to train him, and we'll be better off if we can put him to bed normally. But ...

Of course, I don't have to listen to the doctor either ...

House Numbers

I'm thinking about the exterior of the house, now that the painting in almost done and the windows are in. My mind is on a few little details like ... House Numbers

Right now we have the cutest little set of numbers made from ceramic tiles we bought when we were on vacation in Ixtapa, Mexico. My dad set them in a wooden frame which I rub with linseed oil 2x a year. I can keep them, but they are pretty small and don't really match now with the house. (I was thinking of hanging them in our kitchen.) 

This is our house now. The cream brick will get painted brown like the rest of the house, and I haven't decided if I want the numbers on the brick or over the door. (This picture also reminds me to prune back those 2 Viburnum - ah the garden To Do list begins.)

My idea now is to move to large modern looking numbers (Is 4" too small?).  Here are some numbers I found that I like.

From chiasso:
$14 each - 4.5"H  x 1.5"L x .25"thick -- zinc

From modernhousenumbers:
$21 each - 4"H x 3/8"thick ($25 - 6"H) -- aluminum

from Designwithinreach:

$40 each - H 4" W 2.75–4" D .75"-- aluminum

 

from moderndwellnumbers
 $22 - 4"H x 3/8" thick ($26 - 6"H) -- aluminum