May Daze

Here are some quick shots of the last month. Sadie is getting to be a big girl (officially 18 months!)- talking a lot and loving life!

Sadie always loves to cuddle with her friends- frog, dog, and owl (these are 3 of her favorite words too)

Owl makes an appearance again

Learning bike safety

Loves her new chair and table set. and it's better shared with a friend :)

Daddy is off to the prom

my little reader

papa time

Happy beginning to Summer!!!

XOXO, Rebecca

PS- Sorry I've been neglecting this blog. I've been pouting a lot of my time into my other blog. :)

Brotherly Love on Mother's Day

My brother just posted this link to his facebook. So sweet! I love it, Johnnie!! Happy Mother's Day to all of you and especially to my mom, momma Ruff!

Mommyhood

I love being a mom. But I also have a mom that loves being a mom (and a grandmom). I remember my mom always saying when I was young (and quite recently): I was made to be a mom, being a mom is my finest joy in life, my children bring me the most joy of all. Wow! After hearing that for the past 32 years, who wouldn't have a positive view of being a mom?

Being a mom feel much like being a teacher to me- it just fits. It makes me feel like I am doing what I should be doing- what I was born to do.

 I want to thank my mom- for giving me such a glowing review of motherhood, day in and day out. It makes a HUGE difference.

I love being a mom to this little one. She gives me so much: snuggles, laughter, perseverance, etc... I love to watch her curiosity about life and the world.

I love the way my mom loves Sadie (and her other grandbaby girls) too: 

I love sitting at the piano singing hymns with my mom. It's been a Sunday ritual forever.

I love laughing with my mom:

I love snuggling with my baby:

I love exposing my baby to interesting things, and watching her excitement blossom!

I love bonding with Sadie. She liked my toenail polish, or at least was fascinated by it- so I painted one of her feet. She loved it. And again, I just loved to watch he excitement about little things.

I also love my daughter's bold will. Her she is standing on the bed after being told repeatedly to sit. She understands. She knows. But she love pushing the boundaries. But despite that, I love her so. I love that she has a strong spirit.

Happy Mother's Day to all you amazing moms out there--I bet most great moms out there had/have a pretty special mom that showed them how to love and care for a child completely

Pacifica in March

I know you're jealous. I would be too. Us Californians have it all.

Beautiful sunny day in March? Check.

Cute baby? Check.

Killer waves? Check. 

 Plastic sand rake? Check.

Taco Bell beachside? Check (that's it on the left). 

What a joyous day! Thank you sping break! We couldn't have asked for more! Gotta say- we love where we live...but I guess you picked up on that.

xoxo, rebecca

Go Dadda Go!

Mark ran in Oakland's 1/2 marathon in March. We were so excited to cheer him on! His friend ran with him, while I hung out with his friend's wife (also my friend) and their son (sadie's buddy). A good day was had by all!!

At the starting line! The energy was high...

Rolling into mile 12! Is that a bird, is that a plane?? Oh my it's dadda! He's going so fast I almost missed him!

All smiles:

Sadie is really obsessed with with GIANT inflatable Geico lizard behind mom (the photographer).

Dad enjoys his post run beer (his running bib included tear-off bear tickets, is that normal?). Sadie is still obsessed with the giant Geico lizard (there was a costumed dancing lizard in addition to the inflatable one).

 I think Sadie will be ready for the Kids' fun run soon!

 We were so proud of dad! What a dedicated runner he is!!

XOXO, Rebecca

Workin' It

Over our spring break we moved back into our Casita. We put a TON of stuff in storage, and we're gradually moving things back (We're still going to keep the extra storage space- to keep our sanity!). We decided to make some purchases, so that our stuff will fit into our place better. I think we went to IKEA at least 5 times! I'll post some pics of how of space is coming together- as soon as I get all the boxes cleaned up and tidy.

We spent hours getting some of these IKEA pieces together...and little miss was a big help. This video cracks me up. She was very serious about helping mom and dad.

And now that we'll be rocking the Dimond neighborhood, I think our house needs an official name, any ideas?

I Better Watch What I Say

It's dinnertime and Sadie just walked into the kitchen saying Rice, Rice Rice...she wanted a rice cake. I love my little linguistic queen. It feels like she's learning a word or two a day.

Here are some of her recently learned, and oft-repeated, words:
frog (fro)
bike (bi)
uh oh
cheese
strawberry
outside (side)
light (dight)
apple
door
please (pease)
thank you (da do)
gracias (I didn't hear this- her daycare people told me she started saying this week)
bus
book (boo)
agua
milk (mil)
sorry
owl
animal (she spat this out at the zoo! crazy!)
bye bye (fill in the blank)
roro
ruby
bath
dog
baby

It's fun to watch her language go and grow!! And it's exciting to hear her create phrases with the words she knows. It's also interesting to hear the sounds she leaves out- it's usually the ending sounds/tricky sounds/the sounds that aren't stressed.

I'm so proud of my little baby!! She's such a little learner!

The sad thing is that she's starting to feel less and less like my little baby, and more and more like a big girl. Time does fly!

XOXO, Rebecca

Cousin Love Fest

These were too cute! Had to steal them off my sister's blog !

Happy Friday!

XOXO, Rebecca

Baby Beer Cozy

Sadiekins sure seems to fancy the beer cozy that Aunt Lida and Uncle Scott gave out on their wedding day. It's one of her new obsessions-

I love my silly little muchkin!

XOXO, Rebecca

Spring has Sprung

Folks have been asking for it....so here's more of Sadie!

While the photography is not particularly stunning in these recent shots, you get an idea of our life. We've been busy- going to the zoo, birthday parties, the Lindsey Museum, gmas, etc... The Bay has been a bit rainy...but the clear days have been warm and gorgeous. We've been trying to take advantage of the sunny weather, whenever possible.

This post is dedicated to Claire, Mark's sister! She's past her due date and a new little cousin (gender unknown) will be born any day now! Who hoo! We're so excited for her and her hubby, excited for Sadie to have another cousin (more=better!), and we're thrilled to be auntie and uncle to a newborn all over again! I'll update you all when the wee one is born.



Enjoy the photos!

XOXO, Rebecca

Date Night (with Gather + True Grit)

Tuesday I turned the big 3-2...which seems not too notable or exciting. Since we had such a downer of a day on my birthday (travel + jet lag), we decided that this would be birthday week! Last night my mom babysat and we had a date night- I can't remember the last date we've had. It was the perfect birthday treat.

We started the night off at Gather. It's this amazing new restaurant near the UC Berkeley campus. The food's local, sustainable, and all that good stuff. The chef  is young (he looks like a grad student that wandered off the school's grounds across the street), and hailed as a best new chef by various foodies and media outlets. With Gather's righteous attitude towards food and all the fanfare we thought the place would be pretentious, but it was quite the opposite. After leaving the restaurant Mark and I were talking about how several Bay Area restaurants serve upscale, to-die-for food, while remaining completely down-to-earth and approachable. Gather has instantly become a new favorite for me: most everything in the decor is salvaged material (including bench upholstery made from old leather belts sewn together), every bite of the food was flavorful and completely enjoyable, the waiter was warm, knowledgeable, and not too into himself/explaining the food (a plus at this type of place).

Food and Wine Magazine voted Gather's Vegan Charcuterie (pictured below) a top ten restaurant dish of the year. Umm- it was amazing! I can't describe the flavors- but I wanted to savor every delicious bite.

Here's what we had:

*out of 4 starts each

Vodka Smash (Cocktail) **

Bitter Rose (Cocktail) **

Vegan “charcuterie” ****

Sausage

– pork belly, chile, Fontinella ****

Barbecued young chicken

– farotto, turnips and tops, punterelle, cheese rind oil ***

(farotto= farro risotto and was freaking awesome!)

Scoop of cream cheese cranberry ice cream **

(The choc mousse looked tasty- but we were pretty full by then)

Bottom line: Go here. It's awesome.

After dinner we walked two blocks over to see True Grit at the California Theater.

I'm not one for westerns- but this is a must see. It was funny and touching. Jeff Bridges and 14-year-old  Hailee Steinfeld stole the show. I won't ruin it, but young Mattie is out to avenge her father's murder.

 Matt Damon is also in the movie, and provides a lot of laughs. I usually bristle at the Cohen Brothers violent movies, but this was entertaining and not too violent at all.

All in all, a great date night.

1-2-3 I loved you vacation! See you again soon!

My vacation was restorative! Who hoo! Let me count the ways-

1. I love people and being with friends, it rejuvenates me. There was lots of social time over break. It made me happy. To name a few...

• Indian food at Mike and Shea's
• Christmas stocking making with Anne
• Hang out with Aaron and Sarah
• Thankgiving with family and good friend Seth
• Apple picking with my family
• Thanksgiving leftover meal with OCC friends

2. Another reason why this was such an lovely break, is that I got a lot of time to create. I made an Advent calendar for my sister's family out of paper. I spent all last Tuesday cutting and pasting tiny figures to complete a wintry scene. It was bliss! If you'd like, I can make one for you too (if you ask nicely)! I also spent yesterday making felt Christmas stockings for our family with my good friend Anne. Again, I got a surge of joy in the creative process. We're not quite done yet, but I got the gist of it, and we should be able to finish up soon. Sadie and Mark's stocking are super cute! Tis the season to create!

3. Our family time was so relaxing over break. Sadie was especially silly and happy over this week. It was nice to play with her. She often breaks out in giggles at the slightest oddity (e.g. dad playing with her toy, dad chasing her, or dad doing something else silly). Having a baby has to be one of the best things in life.

Now it's time to gear up for work tomorrow. I'm going to put on my positive face!

xoxo- Rebecca

ps. pictures to follow, once my new charger comes in the mail!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Wow, if I didn't have these things in my life I don't know what I'd do!?--

1) My husband. Mark is amazingly supportive. If it's a dirty diaper that needs changing, a dish that needs washing, or a wife that needs to talk- he's there, quick. I don't know who I'd be without Mark- he's been my side kick for over 9 years (!). I'm especially thankful that Mark helps me to be a better me, and we just have fun together.

2) My Sadie lady. This year has been the year of Sadie. She is my joy. I love every inch of her- she makes me laugh a lot. I am really thankful to be her mom!

3) My family. We are alike in so many ways, and different in so many others. Things are not always peachy when you have a handful of emotional, passionate, and dramatic peoples sharing life together. But, I love my family. We are there for each other when life calls for it (and sometimes just for fun!), and being with my family makes me feel safe.

4) Peets. I know this is silly, but Peets feels like community. When we go to our nearby Peets we always run into someone- sooz, roro, my mom, neighbors, friends, folks from work- it feels like Oakland to me, like home.

5) Creativity. This really fuels a lot of what I do, and I'm so thankful that I'm a creative person. Mark just commented yesterday that that's probably why I love teaching- I love creating ideas for lessons and motivating kids.

6) My church. We've been going to a new church this fall- Oakland City Church. It has really motivated Mark and I spiritually. It's also been great to become involved in a vibrant new community. 

7) Steadfast friends. I'm not a great friend- I've come to realize (even though I try). I'm good at having a couple of close friends, and I'm not so good at cultivating a large deep friend network. My two closest friends- Trish and Katie live so far away from me, but they are dear to me. And, they've put up with me for a long time. It's just like to have people that know you so well, and that experience the ups and downs of life with you. Thanks ladies!  It's also been lovely to have a group of friends in Oakland to share life with... we've lived here about 10 years and we've creating some lasting friendships...I'm really thankful for my everyday friends!! It's been so wonderful having a group of friends nearby that are at the same life stage and share the same values.

There's a lot more...but the rest is pretty superficial (like Hulu, new clothes, my car, farmer joe's etc...).

Be thankful today, and listen tomorrow- because tomorrow is the National Day of Listening (not shopping!).

Peace xoxo

oaktoberfest for sure

So, we've been off this week. And it's flown by so fast. We stayed around Oakland- did some fun things with friends and family: Grandpa Vince visited from Chicago (so fun!) last weekend, we went to SF Zoo on Wednesday, and out to Underdog Wine Bar in Livermore today  to visit my brother. Other than that we really chilled a lot with Sadie, went on walks to Peet's (of course!), and yes, worked. Tomorrow we have a packed day- helping out at Harbor House, my old 9 to 5, and going to the most awesome (for reals) Oaktoberfest in our hood.

The biggest turning point this week is that we came to terms with the fact that we probably won't sell our house this fall. We'll keep it on the market until the staging contract expires...but the market is looking pretty bleak. On the downside, we did a lot of packing and cleaning to get the house ready. On the bright side, we don't HAVE to sell, and we really like where we live (besides it being a little smallish). So I'm trying to emphasize the positives so I don't get too bitter about the wasted $ and effort.

So here's my list, 10 things I love about where we live:
1) Great Walkability: Library, Dimond Park, Farmer Joes, Safeway, Peet's, CVS, Chase, Glenview, etc..
2) We have great new oak floors in the kitchen...they are wonderfully beautiful
3) We really like our neighbors!
4) My driveway garden rocks
5) PEET'S (this deserves to be on the list 2x)
6) Jean Quan Councilwoman - and hopefully soon-to-be mayor!
7) Sausal Creek trails a couple minutes away
8) Our bedroom paint color is perfect
9) Close to friends- nyquists, rorks, ogdens, family... and we always run into people we know
10) Oaktoberfest (but why can't they just call it Oktoberfest?)

So, i love the Dimond. And if we don't sell now, maybe we were meant to be here a little longer. And that's okay.

p.s If you're in Oakland, make sure to check out Oaktoberfest...year #3, and a guaranteed good time for all!
p.p.s. Last year they ran out of beer at 4pm.

Phew!

Boy, I've been a lame blogger this month. My world is super busy. Our house goes on the market tomorrow (hence the Phew!). We're hoping for the best. In a perfect world we'd love get an offer and  find a new house simultaneously,  but in reality, we'll probably have to shack up with my gracious mom for a bit. We love our current house, but we're just outgoing it (and i know what you're thinking....no, I'm not pregnant).

Most importantly (and wonderfully!)-- My brother, Aaron, got married. We are all so excited about his fabulous new wife, Sarah!! Their wedding was a blast. So those of you who haven't seen the gazillion pictures on facebook- here's some to give you a little taste of a lovely day. A day all planned in less than 6 weeks- uhhmaazing!

The sweetest couple ever--really--

Baby Polly (Sarah's niece) with Sadie...there were 4 flower girls in matching tutus...ridiculously cute

The babies rode down the aisle in style--

Some of the Baird clan--It's always nice to celebrate life's joys with good friends

Family and good friends-

Yumminess- Lunch was falafel or taco truck food fare

Shell Bell- Mama #2

Cousin dance fest

The Ruffs made it all the way out from Philly!!

It was a perfect day. I'm so excited for their marriage! It's also really fun that we have more extended California family (her family lives in Chico and is great). And, Sadie has a new baby BFF.

As far as Sadie stats- she's as cute as ever, and hanging in as we scurry her around place to place throughout this moving process.  She's not crawling yet...but loves cruising on furniture. She can get pretty far real fast.

Happy Wednesday!!

Time for bed. I'm pooped.