new 'do

new 'do
Originally uploaded by anneke boudreau.

Also, Kristen and Steven took this family portrait after visiting the aquarium.

Eating green

While it has been fun to learn how to cook different meats, I'm still a vegetarian at heart. I was very interested to read this article and use the calculator to determine the impact of my new diet: How to add up the impact of your diet. Give it a shot.

z's summer tour - leg 2: Illinois

After breakfast on Sunday (6 August...was it really 12 days ago?), we left Milwaukee for White Sox country (the south side of Chicago) to stay with J's parents. Monday, while J was in the recording studio, granny took Z and I shopping. Tuesday, we all headed to Champaign to meet up with grandmomma, great-grams, and Aunt M (great-grams older sister). We shopped for some books at Barnes and Noble, ate lunch at the Olive Garden, then headed to a park to swing and relax for a bit, i.e. tire out Z so he would sleep the 2 hours back to Chicago. It worked.

Wednesday night we drove to Cubs country to stay with B&LU. Z discovered a cat toy that made bird sounds when hit against something - of course the cat thought this was fabulous - so they played together for a while - which Z thought was fabulous.

Before breakfast on Thursday, we started back to the south side - stopping at one of our favorite bagel places on the way. The bagels were as wonderful as we remember (you just can't find a bagel like that out here), but the place didn't have a clue about espresso. Someday we will find a place that does both well...and then we will never leave. heh.

"Heading back to the south side" meant traveling the toll road - AGAIN. It seems that the toll roads were meant to deter tourists from driving - perhaps a good thing - although in our case, very frustrating and expensive. At each toll area if you have IPASS you have access to "open road tolling" which means you don't stop. If you are a tourist, you can not get an IPASS (that we could discover). Instead, at each toll booth you take a one lane "exit" to the booths off to the side of the road. It takes longer and costs more - we paid 80 cents at each toll while the IPASSers were only paying 40 cents. Grumble. Grumble. Grumble.

Thursday night J went out with high school friends. Friday we went out to dinner with J's parents. Saturday we drove to Oak Brook to meet up with J&J&S who had driven from Minneapolis to introduce us to their daughter and to meet Z. We had a fun lunch - with the kiddies holding hands between their high chairs. :)

That afternoon we all went to Erika and family's. When she found out we were coming to town she offered to host a BBQ and we could invite whoever we wanted. For real. It was awesome. Some of the folks who showed up we hadn't seen in 6 years or so. It was good to see some of our favorite people all in one place - and with kids! We're hoping it won't be so long before we see everyone again - matter of fact, there seems to be consensus to do this again each year. I'm all for it. It was great to see everyone. I miss ya! I love ya! Please keep in touch.

Sunday, granny (J's mother) arranged a family brunch at a local golf club so we could meet the newest cousin - born a month before Z. Again, it was great to see everyone. Z loves hanging out with kids his age. We're already looking forward to doing it again during a return trip at Christmas.

Well...this doesn't do it justice...we had a great trip and I can't thank everyone enough for their hospitality - especially J's parents. We took over their home for over a week! With coaxing from granny, by the end of the week Z was able to pull himself to standing at the coffee table. It was hard to leave. Christmas won't come soon enough.

Not only was it hard to leave, after we were home it was difficult for both Z and I to adjust to our "new" surroundings. He was suddenly able to explore new aspects of our home. As for me, after reading my mom's "invitation" I realized that I was lonely. I went from hundreds of work emails and several phone calls a day to about 5 emails per day and a few calls a week. The face-to-face time that we were getting at home was mostly with people without children and on vacation there were always *lots* of kids.

I've spent the 2 weeks since we've been home filling in those holes. This week we have appointments with other kids and moms almost every day! He has new toys. I finally feel like "mom" is my full-time job. I think it took a while to transition from working, to being on vacation, to being home and being creative about being home - having goals other than "make it through the day." Last week I realized that there are hundreds of islands in the San Juans that I've never been to, that there are garden nurseries *all over* the area - from the Olympic Peninsula to the islands to the mountains and everywhere in between. There are several museums I've never been to and there are lots of moms and kids for us to meet. i.e., lots of new places and things to introduce to Z.

Plus, Saturday I cut off all my hair and spent 3 hours under the needle - a new piece of art slowly emerging on my right leg from my ankle to my knee. More on that next time.

Peace!

z's summer tour - leg 1: Wisconsin

I booked our ticket in May - before the trip to Tucson. I thought it would be Z's first flight and we would be traveling without J, so I used the last of my frequent flyer miles to book first class - it seemed like the extra room and friendly treatment would be worth it. I also thought that booking the redeye was a brilliant idea because Z would sleep through the flight. As our departure day inched closer I started doubting the brilliance of the plan: if Z didn't sleep, Saturday was going to be hellish, especially since we were flying into O'Hare but still had 2 more hours to travel to my mom's house. I considered trying to reschedule the flight, but decided to go with my initial idea.

Friday's plan went off without a hitch: Z took good naps during the day, LMcG drove up from Portland to hang out, hold Z while I pack, and be with us. Z fell asleep at 8, the town car picked us up at 9, he slept all the way to the airport. He was awake and happy as we walked around pre-flight. He fell asleep soon after take-off and slept the whole flight. I dozed but didn't sleep too deeply for fear I might relax and drop him.

We arrived at O'Hare at 5 a.m., walked to the bus terminal, and caught the 6:30 bus to Madison. Again, I had hemmed and hawed about how to meet up with mom: rent a car? find a friend to drive us? take a train? I'm glad I went with her suggestion to take the bus. It was a familiar route (I took it many times during graduate school) and it allowed Z to stand up and play for most of the ride. His car seat fit perfectly in the seats and he spent some time sleeping - I dozed, too.

The ride into town was a trip down memory lane - past the house we used to own, our favorite thai restaurant (which moved down the street), the mexican place, a couple bars, the campus...I told Z about them all as we passed them. We arrived at the Union and mom was there to greet us. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm midwestern day so we headed to the Capitol for the weekly farmer's market. I looked for a friend who used to work at the market, but it's been 5 years, she's probably moved on. We bought some cheesy bread then sat on the grass under a tree to watch the people walk around the square and relax before we hit the road again.

It took a couple starts and stops before Z fell asleep in the van, but he finally did and we had a good trip to Neenah.

The week at mom's was relaxing and full of more memories. Mom had several boxes for me to go through: fourth grade papers, letters from high school friends written during my Freshman year of college, my old jewelry box full of notes from junior high friends, and a collection of postcards. She also had a collection of toys and clothes for Z that she and my grandma had found at various sales. Perfect timing, his 6-12 month sized clothes were beginning to get tight.

My brother spent a couple nights with us. I cooked dinner a couple nights. We saw her friend's 3 week old baby, drove through the countryside, and caught up on episodes of Project Runway. It was just what I needed - to be around my mom, hang out with my brother, and care for Z and myself. Relaxing. Lovely. I wish we lived closer and could do it more often.

On Friday, we drove to Milwaukee to meet up with J and spend time with ME, AE, and SA. Again, Z followed the plan to the letter (making me think that someone is listening to mom's prayers - heh). We left when he was looking sleepy and he slept the whole ride. We met up with J at a Culver's then mom continued south to grandma's house.

Culver's - I had never eaten at one the entire 6 years that I lived in Wisconsin. I had been vegan for 2 years then vegetarian. Now that I'm a full-on carnivore (since soy and egg have been eliminated from my diet), it was time for me to taste what J called his "secret love affair." Yes. Good.

Z was fascinated by AE who is 16 months old. On Saturday, ME and SA hosted a BBQ of familiar faces, most of whom have spawned *new* faces who we hadn't met yet (and two are in the process of spawning their second!). The kids ranged from 4.5 months to 2 years plus one 10 year old. Z was in heaven! Kids everywhere. Bubbles. Lots of talking, movement, and laughter. He was particularly interested in Noah (the 4.5 month old) and Henry (2 years). Henry was trying to teach Z how to "give 5." Very cute. Z perfected sitting and was eyeing the walkers. We met monpon and her posse! Finally - after months of reading her blog, it's great to meet everyone face-to-face.

I regret that I took only a couple photos at mom's and none in Milwaukee. I'm hoping others did and will send me copies. There were so many beautiful moments to capture. I was too busy living them. :)

stats

eating or decorating?
Originally uploaded by anneke boudreau.

For those of you keeping track at home, at Z's latest Dr's visit (he is 7 months, but it was his 6 month check-up and round of vaccinations) he weighs 23 pounds (95th percentile), is 27+ inches long (80th percentile), and his head circumference is in the 90th percentile. So...on all fronts, he's "big." On vacation we heard everything from "healthy" to "butter ball" to "lamb chop thighs" to "huge." ummmm....ya. all of the above. (Although...I don't think the growth charts have been updated since the 70's and folks are getting bigger...)

He is feeding himself rice chex at every meal - a lovely new development that gives me time to prep food - meaning that I get to eat too! He loves to make farty noises on exposed skin - bellies and thighs are his favorites. As well as sticking his tongue out he's making clicking noises. I found a game table for $30 at a resale shop. It's a great height and keeps his attention (a couple photos are available).

Sleeping? I still don't know what that is.

Vacation recap - still hoping to write more although I'm going to be pretty busy the next few days with J out of town. I didn't have a chance to write this weekend because we were working on our bathroom and visiting with a couple who are due in November. (yay!)

whew. It's busy. Tiring. Fun.

z's summer tour

We returned from our 17 day trip to the midwest. All-in-all Z slept in 4 cities in 2 states, met 20 kids and 40 adults, and attended 4 gatherings. I wish I had taken more photos, but my hands were full.

When we left on the trip, Z was able to shakily sit, he was scooting around on his belly, and he could hold weight on his legs. Two weeks and 20 kids later...he is sitting unsupported, getting himself into a sit (from crawling), sticking out his tongue, drinking from a cup (sippy cups were too slow), pulling himself up to standing, taking a couple steps while holding onto furniture (or people), and patting with his right hand. I returned to a house in desperate need of childproofing!

More on the trip after the house is secure and I have a moment to sit still.

just another day

Today is J and my nine year anniversary. This year, this day - the day we publicly committed to drink deeply of life - seems to have more meaning than previous years. This year, I want to renew those promises to and with Z. Being away from J, visiting family, seeing photos from our wedding displayed around mom's home (our photos are tucked away in an album on shelves in closets...I am hanging some up as soon as we get home!) bring back so many memories - the people who attended, the events of the day...and the many wonderful moments that led up to that day....

I had moved to Chicago from Idaho Falls in June 1990 and started at Elmhurst College in August. The first semester was rough - I didn't know anyone other than my dad and was too wrapped up missing high school friends to meet new ones. I vowed to move back to Idaho as soon as I could. In January, I took a one-month class called "The Literary Scene of Chicago" that brought me into the place I was living and peaked my curiosity about the people. The big city meant "culture" - there wasn't much of that where I was from. ;) More significantly, I met BG. My crush on him was immediate, but I was too shy to do anything about it.

One day in the Union, one of BG's friends walked up to me, shook my hand, and said, "I just wanted to say hello!" This same friend invited me to their first show (Markus Harbold at Snooky Ookums (sp?)) and then got me into the gig - I was under 21 but he said, "This is my girlfriend" and the doorman let me in. At the beginning of the show, my eyes were on BG...but by the end of the set, this friend, J, had all of my attention. We talked after the show, his hand on my knee, then went with a crowd of folks to another bar to dance - where I met several of the people who stood with us on the day we married.

It wasn't until 1995 that we decided to marry - eating french fries at Wendy's. I was moving to Madison for graduate school and it seemed we had two choices: travel separate paths or find one that would diverge for a couple years while I was in school then converge after I graduated. Thankfully, we chose the latter.

The night before our wedding - rehearsing the ceremony in our suite at the Congress Hotel - is really when we married each other. Alone and connected. We danced slowly, closely, lovingly.

Happy Anniversary, J. I love you.