A Rose By Any Other Name

Do you believe that what you name your child affects how they turn out?

If you do, then I suggest naming your daughter Clementine.

If you name your daughter Clementine, she will be sweet and mild.

She will only cry when she is hungry.

She will let you sleep during the night.

She will be happy and content in her swing or car seat

as you do things around the house or go out and run errands.

She will be beautiful and healthy and so easy to love.

So I suggest naming your daughter Clementine.

As for naming your son Rocco.... just don't say that I didn't warn you.

Little Friends

The weather in Jacksonville has finally turned bearable. Lately in the evenings it is downright enjoyable. Around 5 or 6 pm we often meet outside with our neighbors to scooter, bike, trike, and generally run around. Rocco's best bud Noah lives right across the street, and one of my favorite things is to watch them drive their little cars around together. Something about the shape of the car and watching their little feet propel them around Flintstone style is just so adorable!

Bike Cake

This is a cake I made recently for someone in my ward. The family likes to go biking together so I made chocolate silhouettes of the mom and dad and their 4 kids bicycling around the cake.

Proof

My mom came to stay with us for 3 weeks at the end of the summer to help me with Rocco and Clementine. She and Clementine arrived on the same day. Even though I technically am an adult, it's great to have my "mommy" help me through my life. She bought us food, toys for Rocco, and other miscellaneous things, did laundry and dishes, played with Rocco (patiently enduring his tantrums), stayed up with Clementine late at night so I could sleep, and kept me company with adult conversation.

I am not the greatest at documenting our life with pictures and we didn't take any photos the whole time my mom was here. 5 minutes before she left for the airport she asked me to take a picture with her grandkids. "We need proof I was here," she said. I grabbed my camera and shot one picture before the camera battery died. I do have another camera, but my baby brain couldn't remember where the heck I put it. Luckily the picture turned out.

So here it is: proof. Proof that my mom came to take care of us at the end of a hot summer in 2010. Proof that Rocco was once 2 years old. Proof that Clementine was a tiny newborn in her Grandma Laura's arms. Proof that we were loved and that even at 32 and a new mom myself, I still needed some mothering from my mom.

We love you Grandma Laura!

If I had some money I'd hire a photographer

Lisa and Ashley, I need you! Here are some of my best efforts with low skills, a standard digital camera, and not enough blood in my body.

There's a New Babe in Town

Clementine Grace was born around 3:30 pm on August 12th 2010. We are happy to have her in our family! Forgive the quality of the pictures. All of a sudden I can't take a picture that isn't blurry, too dark, or full of florescent lighting.

The obligatory hospital picture. 1 out of 5 total taken that are basically all the same.

Rocco is happy (so far) to have a baby in the house. He is very interested and wants to hold her every time I am nursing her. He says "Ahhhh" while patting her or giving her a kiss. He calls her "Sis", "pie" (cutie pie), and mainly "baby".

Her first week has been very mild. She has been sleeping and eating and not crying unless she is feeling really ignored. We will see what the following weeks bring...

Rocco is 2

Rocco turned 2 on August 1st. I just can't believe how much he has changed since I started this blog (see blog header) ! His birthday came and went without much hurrah. No party in southern Ca. this year.

His birthday landed on a Sunday this year, so the Friday before I bought him a ballon and a cupcake from the grocery store. (Yah, I went to an esteemed culinary school in New York City to be trained in baking, what?) Side story reads that I was more than 8 months pregnant and exhausted, had elephantitus in my ankles from swelling and pre-elephantitus in my thighs from eating too much sugar. Also my husband "just isn't that in to sugar", who do you think would have eaten ALL the cake? Anyways the balloon ended up in the sky by the evening and the cupcake got stuck in the garage fridge until Rocco and I pulled it out the following week to be eaten cold and stale. I DID sing Happy Birthday to him several times.

We also drove to Orlando the evening of his birthday and spent two days there pretending to be on vacation while Nick attended a work training seminar. Orlando in August alone with a 2 year old when you are super prego, what could be better? We killed time in Ikea, swam in the pool, ran the hallways of the hotel, and hung out at a giant gaudy McDonald's between check out time from the hotel and the time Nick was done with his seminar. Poor Rocco, I think he was happy though. Next year we will have a big party in Ca. with all his cousins and a big fancy cake, I promise.

Here are some things about Rocco at age 2:

He acquires a new word just about every day and mimics various movements we make. As I type he is watching Nick scratch his back and trying to scratch his own. My favorite current phrase is "me me" which means "excuse me", like what I say to him when I want him to get out of my way.

He enjoys calling "people" on the phone and has figured out how to check our messages and replay them 100 times. Also, if you call and hear heavy breathing, that is because he has recorded a new greeting.

He loves to wear hats and shoes but not clothes as much. He prefers his shark pajamas to any others.

He can open the fridge. He can climb over or open our gates. He can climb on or tries to climb on everything. He can lock and unlock doors.

He furrows his brow and makes a mad face then doesn't stop until I make the same face and say "What you talkin' bout Willis?"

He reviews his alphabet and numbers with Nick every night before bed.

He requests to listen to his "sic" (music) several times a day. He has a playlist on the Ipod which includes primary songs he knows from nursery at church. One of his current favorite songs is "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock".

He likes to pretend with his favorite stuffed animal, Scout. He puts diapers on it, feeds it, puts it in the booster seat, puts his bike helmet on its head, and hugs and kisses it when it falls.

Signs Your Son May Need To Spend More Time With His Father

1. He tries to put on all manner of make-up.

2. He says "Cute!" when putting on his clothes.

3. He likes to wear clips in his hair.

4. (See below)

Pictures For Carlsbad

Due to an impending baby, we will be missing the annual Lake family Carlsbad vacation. It's a week of sand, surf, and sun (and Diet Coke). We are sorry to be missing this week of fun and family bonding. Although I'm sure the family wants Nick and me to be there, of course who they really wish was coming is Rocco. So, Papa and Grandma Joansies, here are some pics you can print off and hang on the Carlsbad fridge to pretend Rock'em is there with you.

Rocco's Rickshaw