Category: Mommyhood

Bun365, Family, Life, Mommyhood, Toddler

{Discovering Durham} Fox50 Family Fun Fest

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October 1st and on cue the weather turned crisp and cool.  Saturday was sunny and clear, with highs in the low 60s. J and I headed out to the Fox50  Family Fest for the annual duckie races down old bull river. Old Bull river is the canal flowing through American Tobacco Campus, one of our absolue favorite spots in Downtown Durham.

At the Family Fest Rubber Duckies are raced down our little canal to raise money for local non profits. This annual race has been going on for years but this was the first I’d heard about it so it was a brand new experience for us. really is a community affair- high school marching bands, wildlife rescue centers, alternative arts and craft supplies- these were the exhibitors and entertainment. Nothing fancy, nothing elaborate- just regular Durham families spending a day out in the autumn sunshine.

One the big attractions were the animals from Noah’s Landing Mobile Nature center. Bun adored the animals on display. He touched a baby alligator, petted a exotic wild cat from Africa, spent 20 minutes just staring at the owls. We also ran around on the grass, played with bouncy toys, drank beer, ate super garlicky fries. Cheered the bright yellow ducks as they made their way down the river.

We brought home a tired baby who went to sleep immediately. J and I had a mellow night where we sat out on our deck (mosquito free, since it was so cold) and spent all night talking. A date night and a family day all in one. A much needed break from our daily grind.

Bun365, Mommyhood, Toddler

An Impromptu Picnic

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Summer is winding down in NC and it feels like its going to be an early fall. This week has just flown by- doing nothing in particular but also things that take up a lot of time- grocery shopping, doctors appointments, ikea trips (2hr drive for us). But what I’m going to remember from this week is our impromptu picnic with some of Bun’s stuffed furry friends.

We took our lunch of pb & jelly sandwiches, cheese crackers and grapes and yogurt and sat outside, in the grassy area outside our front porch.

I think Monkey and Haathi wanted some of his yummy sandwich. It was rather rude of us to not give them any after inviting them to our picnic

 And then Bun  gave Haathi a big hug

But kept the sandwich for himself

Photos are kinda meh, but Bun and I still had a lot of fun. Also looking at the photo

Bun365, Love, Mommyhood, Toddler

True Love

nainadg

Seven AM. I hear babbling from the Bun’s room. J, is already up and checking his email downstairs. Still groggy, rubbing my eyes, I wander in to let the little boy out of his crib. He gives me a big grin, he is still lying down and not standing up as usual, ready to burst out of the crib. I sit down on the floor next to the crib and start talking to him about our day. He sits up, reaches through the bars, strokes my hair and says – “Mumma Peety (Pretty)”

Jaw on the floor. Heart melted and in a puddle on the floor.

Hello Charmer!

Baby Boy, Mommyhood, Toddler, Travel

Gorillas

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While in Columbus, I found out that our hotel was very near to the Columbus zoo and decided to check it out. It was a really hot day and we had very little time so we only decided to hit up a few exhibits, but turns out even that was too ambitious. It was very very crowded and it was almost impossible to get close to the exhibits.

However, the Gorilla exhibit was fairly deserted when we got there and I was able to let Bun out of his stroller and run around. It was one of our favorite parts of the zoo trips. The other favorite was a little animal show they had where they had rescued dogs, cats and some animals do fun tricks.

Bun recognized the gorillas as monkeys and made his monkey noises but he kept pointing at them and saying “baby baby.” I don’t know if he feels some sort of kinship with them but watching a mama gorilla cuddling a baby, I definitely felt a connection. I’m not saying, I recognized her as my long lost ancestor or anything like that but I could relate to the maternal feeling even in an animal. The way she groomed her baby by nibble on his face was almost identical to how I almost can’t help myself and nibble and nuzzle on Bun’s cheeks, nose, ears any chance that I can. It really reinforced my belief that a mother’s love is probably one of the most primal feelings we have, perhaps even more so than the preservation of the self.

Okay, so I guess this post got kinda sentimental- not where I had originally intended it to go.

Fashion, Mommyhood, Toddler, Wedding

The Wedding Guest

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This wedding guest aged 19 months arrived at the wedding right after naptime and a sippy cup full of milk. He would not let go of the sippy cup, so his poor mama could take some pictures of his cute outfit.

He tried to sing Happy Birthday during the processional. (Bun thinks all parties are birthdays).

He missed the entire ceremony because his mama had to take him out to the lobby so other people could hear the bride and groom and not his singing.

He ran around the entire reception so his mama did not have a chance to really have meaningful conversation with the bride, the groom, her cousins or any other guest.

He ate his Chobani yogurt and refused to touch the kids meal (which I’m sure was not cheap). This was even more mortifying because we were sitting at the host’s table.

He clapped at inappropriate times during the toasts and kept asking about the flower girl (the cutest 2 yr old ever and Bun’s first crush)

He pooped the biggest poop of his life right when the dancing started and his mama wanted to shake her booty, but instead had to change a gross diaper that left her smelling like poo. {And not even your blood relatives will come near you on the dance floor after that}

But he looked so damn adorable and cute and goofy that his mama was super happy that he was her date after all.

*** I wasn’t able to get very many good pictures of him at all since he just wouldn’t hold still and I couldn’t manage my indian outfit and chase after him very well. I’m going to see if my mom got some good ones (maybe even one of me) and post them.****

Mommyhood, Toddler

16 months

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Everyday I ask myself where did the time go? Bun turned 16 months old in April.  April 09 he was just a little pink line on a stick. We hadn’t even officially named him husib yet. I hadn’t even imagined this little boy in my life.  This much happiness is incomprehensible even as I experience it.

Bun has grown so much in the past few weeks. He is constantly adding new words to his vocabulary. This month my favorite additions are Uggs (Eggs) and House. He also really understands his relationship with people. My parents were in Philadelphia this week and Bun would say “Deee” and “Babu” everytime the phone rang or he thought someone was at the door.

He really is turning into my little helper these days. He understands when I ask him to bring me something and will often go looking for a specific toy. He is no longer just happy playing with whatever I hand him. He is definitely his own man.

The most obvious personality trait that I have noticed in Bun is that he is a very cautious toddler. He is not fond of climbing up and down stairs and he is still not sold on the idea that slides at the park are fun.  A friend of mine told me that this will all change as he grows bigger and stronger so we’ll see if he gets more fond of heights in a month or two.

Bun is also thriving in every other way. He is a great sleeper these days and nap times are great 90% of the time. He is still a fussy eater, but he will now occasionally eat fish in stick form and chicken in nugget form. The boy is a vegetarian at heart, a vegetarian who doesn’t like veggies. Just like when I was a vegetarian.

Best part of 16 months: The unsolicited hugs and loveys ( a lovey is when he blows a kiss).

Worst part of 16 months: I think we are entering the dreaded “terrible twos” I have encountered my first big parking lot tantrum.

Friday Flashback, Mommyhood

{Friday Flashback} Mothers Day Past

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Last spring was not a good time for my family. Its not something that I want to talk about on my blog but I was depressed enough that I didn’t really blog about a lot of big events last year.  Anyway, I have been thinking about Mothers Day a lot this year and I thought that I had better post the only picture i have from Mother’s Day last year that has both Avi and I in it. And in spite of everything that was going on at that time, I did end up having a fabulous mother’s day with my little family.

Avi and I last year on Mother’s Day 2010 at Alivia’s in Downtown Durham. We went there for an early dinner with my parents. Bun is 4.5 months old in this pic and still had the very worried expression he has now.

This is when Bun was still Husib and lived in my belly, so I guess he is technically still in the picture. This was J and my 1/2 mother’s day celebration. We went to play mini golf and  arcade games.  I was 7 weeks pregnant and I was giddy, scared and so happy. My 7 week pregnancy blog post is here

Bun365, Love, Mommyhood, Toddler

Because

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Some afternoons are just magical.  Simply because its spring. Because there is sunshine. Because I’m outside with my little family.  Because my boys are looking so handsome. And because they are smiling at the camera at the same time. Because a little boy is playing with a ball with his daddy. Because sometimes you don’t need a reason to be happy.

Because This picture of Bun and J looking at each other makes my heart feel all squishy

Because This picture of him looking at me makes my heart feel double squishy.

Because its impossible to not be happy while playing with a bouncy blue ball

Because these guys make it so easy to be happy

Food and Drinks, Life, Mommyhood, Toddler

Lunch Mar 31

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Its been dreary here lately, with cloudy skies and dull gray weather. Bun and I haven’t been going out much and days just seem to blend together into one big lump and I sometimes can’t keep track of what day of the week it is. So thats why I’m doing such a random post, maybe when I look back over this blog sometime in the future, I’ll remember mine and Bun’s lunch from Mar 31 2011.

Today is also dark and gray and we have to have our indoor lights on to cheer this place up a bit. Its also harder to entertain Bun when we don’t get out of the house until late afternoon when its a little warmer. I decided to make my favorite lunch for us today- Eggs and toast- scrambled for Bun and crispy sunny side up for me. Bun eats the same breakfast everyday -oatmeal and banana and I don’t eat breakfast all , I just chug down cups and cups of coffee. But I absolutely love breakfast foods, especially eggs. I’m crazy about eggs just like every single person in my family. We are all as Antony Bourdain would say “egg sluts” and proud of it. Bun used to be very fond of eggs when we first started doing table foods but like every other food he doesn’t seem to care for it too much. I’m hoping this will change soon.

I needed these big bursts up yellow today to brighten up the grays.  Yum Yum Yum Lunch

Baby, Bun365, Mommyhood, Toddler

15 months

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*Outside time is still Bun’s favorite. *

So this post is two weeks too late, but here goes. Bun’s 15 months has been really really fun and also really really challenging.  But geez, how this boy is growing, he is now a full fledged toddler, wanting to walk everywhere, climbing stairs (eek) and exploring the world. At his 15th month check up he weighed 21lbs ( 15th %) and was 27 inches in length (33rd %) and had a head size percentile of 58% so he is still on the smaller side and is a very very skinny boy with a giant head. His pediatrician says that he is growing well and thats just his body type.

*Daffodils*

Bun is also getting pickier and pickier by the day about what he will eat. The foods he eats are yogurt, fruits, bread and cookies.  I still try valiantly to offer him veggies and pasta and chicken but its pretty much useless. He just shakes his head and says “na na na”

*He has been doing a lot of Baby yoga lately*

The best part about 15 months is Bun’s desire to communicate with words. The favorite word this month is “Done” He uses this word like a pro and uses it to let me know when he is just not interested in doing what I want him to do. His other new words are “Pish” for fish and ‘Kawpee” for coffee, and “Appeeel” for Apple.  He also loves to make animal sounds and truck sounds and his repertoire includes Fire truck, Dump Truck, Truck, Cow, Dog (although his dog sounds don’t sound like any one else’s), Snake, Wolf, Lizard (not really a sound, but he sticks his tongue out), Duck and Birdie. He is currently working on learning hoot hoot for owl.

* I had to crop this photo down a lot but I just love his expression as he is stomping around.*

Bun also has been playing two new games with us lately, Ring a Round the Roses and Row Row Row your boat and will occasionally try to do the actions to Itsy Bitsy Spider but he doesn’t have the attention span and just starts clapping after the second line. He is also sleeping really well these day, well maybe not so well for naps but bedtime is such a joy these days. He sleeps from 7:30 pm to 7:15 ish and he loves to cuddle with Scout in his crib before bedtime and he will now actually play quietly in his crib for a few minutes when he first wakes up rather than cry.

*This smile melts my heart*

The downsides of 15 months is the crankiness and whininess and when he wants my attention or a cookie or a book he wants it immediately. The kid has no patience ( I hear this is all toddlers though, so fingers crossed).

*This is the “I’m going to do something naughty” look. I need to get a better picture of this look.*

And thats a 15 month wrap up or as Bun would say -Done