Our Little Lila

Our little lady turns 1!

2009-08-13T11:56:00.001-07:00

She's only a little spoiled!

Have I kept you in suspense long enough?? I'm a few weeks late- but things in our household have been a little upside down since Lila turned 1. I'd like officially blame the lateness of these birthday pictures on teeth (molars and eye teeth- 5 new ones so far, with 3 more to come), lack of sleep (Lila and subsequently, Mommy and Daddy), and a bad cold (yup, a cold in August. Complete with runny nose, sore throat and cough). Good news is that the cold is almost finished and last night I got 7 hours of uninterrupted (hold your applause) sleep. Now that I've gone and bragged about the sleep, I'm sure tonight will be a nightmare- oh well!

I'm all out of sappy words to describe my baby's birthday. So all I've got is pictures- sound good?!

My ladybug creation. And it was made from scratch without eggs, butter or milk. How, you may ask, can a cake and icing be made without eggs, butter , cream or milk?? Let's just say that the internet is a great resource. It was even chocolate- and tasted something like a real cake.

I got a lot of questions from people who were not at the party- "did you let her put her hand in the cake?" , did she get her own "cupcake?" All I have to say is- No and no. I would most certainly not let my masterpiece cake be destroyed by 2 little hands. I would not even think of encouraging her to dig into the cake with her hands and smear the icing in places where icing does not belong. What kind of mother do you think I am??

Well, maybe I would let her put her hands in the cake . . .

Just

maybe . . .

Maybe I did . . .

But with a face like that, who could say No!

Too bad she didn't seem to enjoy it . . .

And in the end, this was all that remained of my masterpiece. Watching her devour that cake was priceless- even if it did end in a sugar high, some very messy diapers (sorry, it's true- look at the color of that icing) and a stained outfit. Totally worth it!!!!

What a difference a year makes . . .

2009-07-16T17:58:00.001-07:00

This is where I spent my July 16, 2008 . . . in the Labor and Delivery Wing of Bryn Mawr Hospital. When I say July 16th, I mean all of July 16th- from 9AM and well into July 17th until I graduated to the Maternity Floor around 9 AM July 17th. Boy was that one long day.

Looking at these pictures brought back so many memories, and I remember everything about those few days I spent at the hospital as I got to meet my baby girl for the first time. So I decided to start the B-day post a little early and let you know a few of my memories from 365 days ago.

I remember having this picture taken - and I was in pretty good spirits, judging by the smile. I had just taken a shower (which was a welcome change from the hall walking, gettting examined and poked at, and being strapped to monitors). I remember that the shower was amazing and I even had a chair in there in case I needed to rest during a contraction- how handy- those nurses sure knew what they were doing. I think I was texting friends when this picture was taken- filling them in on the labor progress (slow- that's for sure), my pain (not too bad yet- but not really fun either) and when I thought she would arrive (I thought it would be a few hours- Boy was I wrong there!!!)

This picture, on the otherhand, I do not remember. And for someone who remembers almost everything, that's strange. I'm guessing Ian snapped it on his way back from one of his runs to the caffeteria. I do remember being terrified that he would miss something by eating down in the caffeteria (once again, wrong) so he brought his tray up here and ate with me. I was starving, as you may guess, since the last food to enter my mouth was a baked potato at 8:00 AM. (why did I have that for breakfast- it was a suggestion from my childbirth class nurse- who I loved- so I took her advice and pre-baked a few to keep in the fridge to have handy when those first contractions started. I know, crazy- but I did just about everything by the book during my pregnancy- so why not finish up strong??) I remember him eating at that little desk, facing the wall, so he didn't tempt me with the food. I also remember ordering him not to bring back anything that smelled to strong or weird- I felt crappy enough without a labor and delivery room filled with the scent of fried onions.

I remember this picture. I also remember uttering something similar to "I don't think I can even smile anymore- so just take the picture already!" to my excited husband who was snapping away. How fun to be the husband in the labor room?? Not so fun I think- If I had to guess, I would say "its a strange mix of belonging there and feeling out of place and of wanting to be there and wanting to escape". At least that was my deduction from observing my husband doring our nearly 24 hours in the labor room.

Fast forward to July 16, 2009 . . .

What a difference a year makes . . . tonight I type this message in the comfort of my own home with an amazing little girl fast asleep in her crib upstairs. A year ago, I couldn't have come close to knowing the love, joy and true peace that I feel in my heart as a mother. I couldn't imagine that I would love someone who I have only know 1 short year, more than I've probably ever loved anything before. But you never know until it happens to you . . . you just never understand. Having a child is a true miracle and life's greatest blessing. And it is a blessing and responsibility that I take very seriously (maybe sometimes too seriously)- because so many people never get their chance to experience it. So tonight, I thank God for choosing me to be Lila's mom and I intend to spend my entire life trying to prove that I am worthy of the gift of this amazing girl.

Happy Birthday . . .

2009-07-14T06:57:00.001-07:00

America!!! Did you really think I was going to say Lila?!?! I still have 3 more days- come on people, you know me better than that! I am savoring every last day of my "baby days" until I have to (begrudingliy, if you must know) call her a 1 Year Old- Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

So here are some pix of our 4th of July Celebration with the little lady. I remember all too well our 2008 celebration that included a very pregnant me, some rain, some sticky hot yucky weather and a little disappointment (on my part) that "baby P" was not in fact going go be born on the fourth of july. Somehow in my crazy-party-planning-mind I thought this Birthday would be super fun. What better way to celebrate your birthday each year than with fireworks?!? But our little lady had a different idea. She, in fact, wanted me to wait all 40 weeks (plus 2 more days) to make her arrival. She wanted to do things on her own timeline and on her own terms, a trait which has continued to be one of her trademarks throughout he first year of life. More to come on those "lila trademarks" in her birthday post. I've already started formulating it in my mind- does that surprise anyone?!?

Back to the pictures. . .

Captivated by the 4th of July Parade!

Wave that flag!!! Don't you love the vampire teeth- her side ones came down faster than the middle 2- so she looks like she has little fangs. So cute!!!

Daddy and Lila celebrating America's Birthday!

The firetrucks and ambulances were a big hit- she loved the flashing lights

Waiting for the Garrett Hill parade to start

Our family at the country club for fireworks. Lila did surprisingly well, a little tired b/c it was 2 hours past her bedtime, but not one tear.

She held onto this flag with a death-grip. It was very popular that day!!

Look who's standing- not walking- but standing and dancing!! Was this adorable 8 yr old really my little flower girl- man, I'm getting old!

The kids together at the club for fireworks. Three of these little angles belong to Ian's best friend Matt and his wonderful wife Moira, the cutie standing in the back with the Monkey (also known as Monk- a baby gift from yours truly, that turned into her favorite friend) is Taylor, my high school BFF Jen's daughter, and of course the smiley one in the middle is our little Lila! I think these kids will be buddies forever- and the parents are going to make sure that happens!!!

The sun will come out . . .

2009-06-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

TODAY!!! Finally, the sun has returned to PA -and we couldn't be happier to see it. For the past 15 days it has rained- either a little or a lot. Needless to say, we are happy to see the sun today and hope it decides to stay. Isn't it summer?

We've been busy little bees for the past month (has it really been that long since I posted? Yes it has- sorry). Lila is movin and shakin all over the place. We have installed our gates and safety latches on the cabinets and everything. What I find the funniest is that the cabinet she seems "drawn" to is the one with the cleaning products under the sink- figures right?! Luckily I safety locked that one first, so we're good. She finds the bathroom extra fun. I most certainly DID NOT (and by did not, I mean DID) turn around while filling up the bathtub to find her splashing her hands in the toilet- oh man. And I used to laugh at people who bought toilet locks- not so funny anymore. I did not purchase one, since the splashing novelty has momentarily worn off- but if it returns, I may join the toilet-locking club.

Standing at the gate at the top of the steps. I love to shake the gate like a caged zoo animal.

Did I mention that Lila is into everything?? She's not very interested in toys, just rearranging and exploring the house. Her favorite objects are Mommy and Daddy's shoes, remotes, cordless phones, cell phones, stereo equipment, dust bunnies and small pieces of food or debris on the floor. I swear she has eagle eyes- she can see the smallest things on the floor. And boy does is her mouth hard to get open if she has a "treasure" in there. Speaking of mouths, her teeth continue to emerge at rapid fire. She has all 4 top and bottom teeth and 3 out of 4 of her 1 year molars- crazy!! 11 months old and 11 teeth.

See all my teeth?

My first set of wheels. Mom hopes all my cars are this cheap!

Since I promised vacation pix, I will post a few . There are approx, 1 million, so I can't share them all. Here are a few of our favorites.

What is it about vacation . . .

2009-05-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd devote a post to finishing that sentence ( see first item on the list for the reason why this post is only words and not an exciting Lila update with pictures and all)

What is it about vacation . . .

- that makes you forget (at home) your digital camera cord that allows you to save pictures to your computer and post such pictures online for all to enjoy.

- that makes you think it's OK to eat 1/2 a bag of Salt & Vinegar chips. Or even purhase salt & vinegar chips to begin with

- that has your daughter wanting to walk (with assistance of course) all over the place. Especially when such "place" is covered in child unfriendly marble and ceramic tile.

- that makes the baby start to regress in the sleep department- AKA- waking up crying several times a night for the first 10 days of our trip- only to have 3 "better nights" to be followed with 2 more "horrible" ones. Good lord, please let this have something to do with being in a strange place, teething, or missing the soft bumpers in her crib!! I'm not sure I can handle a permanent regression once we get home.

- that makes you stress free and yet very tired all at the same time. This doesn't make sense, but I am very relaxed and have help from Ian during the day and I am still beat. Hmmm. . .

- that has you eating more fried food than you did in the past 9 months. Notice how I said 9 months- since my pregnancy diet did include a small amount of french fries (OK- a large amount of fries- but the baby made me eat them!!)

- that makes you consider (notice the word consider and see below for explanation) leaving your busy stressful Northeast lifestyle and moving to an island to open . . . (insert your choice of small fun business here) . . . a beach wedding planning business- or ice cream shop- or fruit stand.

- that makes you want to come home- even though you are in paradise and the sun has literally not stopped shining- you eventually miss your bed, your friends and your "normal".

You'll hear more from us once we return later this week. Get ready for some major pictures- I took about a million in the past few weeks.

Our first Easter

2009-04-13T18:26:00.001-07:00

Happy Easter!! Here is a recap of Lila's first Easter- in pictures.

The bunny left this basket for Lila on Easter morning. What you can't see here is her favorite part of the basket (see below for the answer)

Yup- she loved the easter grass the most. I did have to keep a close watch on her to make sure she didn't swallow any. She spent lots of time yesterday and today emptying the grass out of the basket, pulling it apart, and spreading it all over the floor. This proves my theory that the best toys are usually the least expensive (or free) ones!

Our little bunny- still in her PJ's on Easter morning.

All dressed up for Easter!!

Our family - Easter 2009

Motherhood and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2009-04-07T18:03:00.000-07:00

If someone told me several years ago that I would spend my Saturday night steaming vegetables to make my own baby food, I would not have believed them. In fact, it reminds me of a great line from the "Sex and the City" movie where Carrie is talking with her girlfriends about how different she is in her 40's than she was in her 20's- she says "If I met me now, I wouldn't recognize me" . . . that pretty much sums it up for me. Who knew this would be my life?? Well folks, it is. I do love my new role of mother- but there are days that I pinch myself because I feel like I am not living in "Lindsay's world". Truth is, "Lindsay's world" has become "Lila's world" and it's as simple and as complicated as that. But I digress . . .

Getting back to the veggies. I spent almost 1 1/2 hours steaming and steaming in the kitchen. I steamed carrots, beans, and sweet potatoes. I painstakingly chopped the perfectly mushy veggies into small, choke-free, bite sized pieces (which took twice as long as the actual steaming). I cut small pieces and then decided that they were not small enough and re-cut all of them. All in an effort to teach my lovely daughter to eat real food (not just purees and mashed stuff). I was excited to debut my new food at lunch on Sunday. That's where it all went downhill. Lila had her own idea about my new bites of veggies. As soon as she tried 1 little piece of potato she decided she wanted them mashed instead. Her hands smashed onto the tray and the mashing began. Smashing and mashing my perfectly steamed, precisely cut bites. It was funny to watch, but inside I felt kind of irritated. Didn't she know that I spent my Saturday night lovingly cooking and cutting so she could learn how to eat real food without choking? Didn't she know that I cut them all twice so she didn't choke and that it would have taken half the time to mash them instead? Didn't she know that I used to spend my weekends traveling, and eating out in the city and having cocktails with friends till all hours of the night?? And now, here I sit, in front of the Fisher Price Space Saver highchair watching my vegetable masterpiece being destroyed by mini-me. If she wasn't so darn cute with those orange coated hands and face, I might have burst into tears.

Lesson learned- motherhood sometimes pushes you to the edge. Sometimes you want to laugh and cry at the same time, for no apparent reason. And while mourning the loss of my former self and my former life, I have discovered the greatest joy of all . . .and it sounds something like this-

Sorry- I can't figure out how to turn the video right side up- but it's the sound effects that are important this time! Enjoy.

Tax Season Strikes Again

2009-03-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

It's the least wonderful time of the year in the Petropoulos household . . . tax season! I have officially become a "tax widow" and am not enjoying it (just like every year). We haven't seen much of Daddy lately (3 nights this week were after 11 PM) so I figured I would post some pictures of the little princess for him- just in case he has time to check the blog. Lila misses her Daddy so much- but can't wait to spend 3 whole weeks with him in Florida once April 15th arrives.

Gee Dad, this is fun!!!!

All dressed up with no place to go!

Working on my standing

I can clap!! Sometimes I start clapping spontaneously and mommy thinks it's really funny.

The Million dollar smile

Guess who's 8 months??

2009-03-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

I thought that video was a great way to start today's post about our 8 month old baby! Isn't she cute? That was a little sample of her newest talking. I just love her facial expressions- she really thinks she is talking to us. Too funny!! The sound of last week (when we shot the video) was Na na na na- this week, it is Da da da. Still waiting for Ma ma ma.

Did I just say "8 month old"?? Yup it's true- Lila's really 8 months old. I'm not sure what she is weighing in at these days, but my guess would be around 19 pounds and probably around 28 1/2" long. As of yesterday, Lila now has 4 teeth (that's right- 2 more poked through on top). Her usual happy-go-lucky personality was gone for the past 5 days. In place of my lovely Lila, I was visited by a teething monster. I would like to officially blame Friday the 13th- since early that morning was the beginning of the sleepless nights- for both of us (unfortunately). I felt so badly for her, it must have been so painful. Last night I got wise and gave her a nice dose of infant Motrin before bed- which worked wonders. Why it took me 3 nights to do that- who knows. I did log some serious hours in her big comfy rocking chair (although I know that Megan still has about 1 million more than I do :) There was something wonderful about being able to comfort her enough that she drifted back to sleep in my arms. By night 3 the magic had worn off- so Motrin to the rescue. She was more like herself today, so I hope we are through the worst of it. A special thank you to Grandma and grandpa for coming to the rescue (mine and her's) on Saturday. If I didn't get out for a few hours- I was going to loose it. Luckily I can back refreshed and with my patience restored.

Here are a few pictures from the past 8 wonderful and exciting months . . .

We finally meet

Happy 8 months Lila- Daddy and I still see you like this . . Lila 10 days old

I'm the worst blogger ever . . .

2009-03-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

I used to be good at this- I swear! Remember all the timely posts when we were in London?? While those days have gone and I have become lazy with updating the blog. I think about writing a post every few days and then motherhood interrups and I don't write anything. I have also become a bit addicted to a little internet wonder called Facebook. For those of you who also use facebook, you understand .

Too much time has passed and the baby is growing into a little person. She's always smiling and is busy as a bee. She has learned many new tricks, which this first-time mommy thinks are amazing (you may find them a little silly- but that's OK). Here are some of my favorites-

*Sitting up- this is a big one! I am amazed at how this skill emerged out of nowhere. I kept putting her down and she kept toppling over. Then one day (like magic) she stayed up. Now she sits straight as an arrow, even on the floor. So very cute!

* Eating, eating, eating- Lila is not a picky eater. Since her first bite of rice cereal she has opened her mouth like a champ and even added sound effects- Mmmmmmm , Ummmmmmmm. You just have to hear it to appreciate it- it's adorable.

Eating outside with Daddy in Florida (more pix to come from Lila's first big trip to Florida!)

* Becoming part Beaver- that's right, I am convinced my child is 50% beaver, 50% little girl. She chews on everything. Anything and everything goes in her mouth and she dives at toys, blankets, pillows, etc with her mouth open. She got her first 2 teeth in December and the chewing did not stop, so it can't be only teething. Her other beaver trait is her tail- let me explain before you all think I'm nuts. When she's in her crib she picks up both legs and slams them down- like a beaver tail. The first time we heard this noise we had no idea what it was- it's really loud over the monitor. Once I crept into her room in the dark to investigate, I saw her thumping with her legs. This is one of her signature moves- a Lila-ism for sure.

We're officially back on track with blogging. Check back soon for pictures from our Florida adventure!!

Santa Baby

2009-01-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

So I am officially 1 month behind in my updates . . . but better late than never! Our Christmas was wonderful and eventful, as every first Christmas probably is. We spent our time wrapping, baking, hosting, visiting, eating, drinking and opening. In the world of Lila, she got everything she wanted for Christmas- including her 2 front teeth (on the bottom). She was a very good sport considering all the festivities and teething. The teething clearly explains her facination with putting everything in her mouth- wrapping paper, gift bags and boxes included. She even managed to reach for a glass of champagne that Dad was holding and spilled it all over his jacket- but in daddy's world, she can do no wrong- so no harm done.

Here is our Christmas 2008 update in photos-

Lila visiting santa for the first time. I still can't believe she smiled for the picture- I think this is only because she did not get a glimpse of the big guy (I put her on his lap backwards).

The Petropoulos Family

Lila helping Dad open his stocking (did you really think Santa would leave chocolate for the baby?!?)

Is that the cutest face you've ever seen?

Lila in her Christmas present from Oma and Papou- her new carseat. She looks so small!

Lila with her stocking on Christmas morning. Love those My 1st Christmas jammies!!

I love my highchair!!

2008-12-29T13:32:00.001-08:00

It's been too long since I posted, so we are very behind. I still owe you all pictures of Lila's Baptism, her first cereal eating and of course her 1st Christmas. Instead of writing a very long post, I will start with the latest pictures of our little beauty. Daddy put together her highchair last night and this morning we gave it a whirl. She loved it! I couldn't resist snapping these pictures of her. I'm not sure about the harness- it's like a carseat, 5 buckles- seems like a bit much for a highchair. She looks like she is wearing a backpack in the pictures.

I'm ready for my meal!Am I a happy baby or what?!?

She still looks so small when you see how big the white tray looks

We Are . . .

2008-11-25T14:14:00.000-08:00

PENN STATE!!!!

Our Family Visit to the Nittany Lion Statue

It has been 7 years since I have been back to a Penn State football game- and I'm glad we saved it for the time the Nittany Lions won the Big Ten Championship. This was quite an initiation for Ian, who had never been to Penn State. We choose the coldest football game in 20 years (or so the radio announcers told us) and even got some State College snow. He got the whole experience- tailgating, walking all the way to the stadium from downtown, touring the campus (including all my dorms, off campus apartment, and the fraternity houses). It was a great weekend for Lila too. She got to visit PSU for the first time and even got a picture with the Nittany Lion, ate at the Corner Room and strolled around campus and town. It was a big weekend.

Just like the old days!!! Megan and I before the game- trying to keep warm. We should have followed our husbands lead and drank to keep warm- but in our minds that only equalled more trips to the potty- not fun when you are wearing 5 layers :) Megan and Jason are expert tailgaters, and we were treated to a fabulous spread including chicken noodle soup, Jason burgers, hot dogs, chips, pasta salad and our neighbors apple cake- YUM!

Ian and I right before heading into the game. Notice how he doesn't look too cold?? I credit the beverage in his hand (and 6 pack already in his belly). Once we got inside the stadium, hot chocolate was the key to our survival.

Even Lila was all bundled up this weekend. Gotta love that winter hat :) She didn't come to the game, but she did enjoy some Penn State traditions like a tour of campus in her stroller, dinner at Baby's diner and a trip to the bookstore. Hopefully we will be there with her again in about 17 years on freshman move in day! (I think Daddy is thinking Princeton, but I still have my fingers crossed for another PSU alum)

Where has the time gone??

2008-11-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

We find ourselves asking this question with each passing week. I think we are still in shock that our little baby is already 4 months old- is it really November already?

It seems like just yesterday we were being handed this beautiful bundle in the stripped blanket and little pink hat. Well, there was a bit more to it than being "handed" the baby- but the memory of the pain has quickly faded :) Now we find ourselves at her 4 month mark, all too quickly. She continues to amaze us with how much she is growing and changing. We love watching her personality emerge and continue to love her reactions to us- she knows her Mommy and Daddy (and has Daddy wrapped around her finger- if I may add). It's incredible how much our love for her has grown- and we thought we were in love on July 17th- that was only the very beginning. We are so very blessed!

Our 4 month checkup was a success- and we all got shots. When I say all of us, I mean Ian and I too (they offered us the Flu shot and we jumped at the chance to get it all done in 1 visit). Poor Lila had another round of 5 shots but did very well. She cried for a little while and then settled down as if nothing happened. She is still growing like a weed. She weighed in at 14 pounds 10 ounces (75%) and 25" long (75%). Her head is still little- only 25%- which still astounds us since Ian and I do not have small heads! The Dr gave her rave reviews as far as her alertness, head control and flexibility (since she had her feet in her hands and up over her head when the Dr. came into the room- gotta love discovering your feet!) We only had 1 thing to get at CVS this time - some cream for her dry patches on her legs. The best news- her umbilical hernia is almost completely healed. The Dr said it is still there- just smaller- but should be totally gone by 1 year- YAY Lila!! Overall it was a good visit.

As I sit updating this blog, our little angel is sleeping away due to the Tylenol induced shot coma. Here are some of our latest photos of our beauty- hope you enjoy :)

New Tricks

2008-11-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

Oh boy- have we been busy learning new tricks! Lila has mastered a couple new skills that I just have to share. Keep in mind that this first time mommy is pretty easily impressed, so please bear with me- it's all so exciting to Mommy and Daddy. Instead of telling you about them, I figured I'd show you them with pictures. Notice the foot on the bar- it's as if she is saying "If I could just get a little more leverage . . ."

Lila has a fascination with her rings- and especially with putting the rings into her mouth. These days she puts just about everything in her mouth- or at least tries to. The determined look on her face in this picture is priceless. She seems to be concentrating so hard.

I just love the look on her face here . . . she looks amazed. The crazy part is that I have put these rings on everything she owns (because she likes them so much)- ie- her carseat, her playmat, her bouncy sear- and she still acts like it is the first time she has seen them. I am guessing that her short term memory is not fully developed yet.

Here she is enjoying a little tummy time. Holding her head up and pushing up on her arms is one of her latest tricks- mommy is super proud of this little accomplishment because I had fallen behind on the tummy time the first few months- but now we are doing it everyday and she is doing much better.

Saving the best for last . . . Lila reached her first milestone- SHE ROLLED OVER!!!!! Hold your applause- it was the easy way (from tummy to back). But the simple fact that I got to see it with my own eyes was amazing. I think she got the idea that it was good because I stood over her clapping and yelling and dancing like a crazy woman- oh the things that excite a Mommy :)

Hope your week has been as eventful as ours. Enjoy the pictures!!

What we've been up to

2008-11-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

With Halloween last week, I wasn't able to write about some of our latest adventures.

Last week Lila and I made a trip to Lewisburg to visit Megan and her little boy Joshua. It was quite an adventure in the car (2 1/2 hours each way), but she was a trooper. We had a little crying spell around Harrisburg, but mostly she just slept and played with the rings on her carseat. I have to admit that I was pretty surprised that we didn't have to pull over and eat on the side of the road, but she lasted until we got to Megan's house.

Joshua is the most gentle 2 year old I have ever met. His mother swears he was on his best behavior- and we were impressed. Just look at the picture above, it says it all! He is so sweet and very talkative. We got a full introduction to all his toys, especially his guitar. I had no doubt that he would be musical, just like his mommy, and he showed us his guitar skills and singing ability. I have to say that I was most impressed with his vocabulary- Joshua is a very smart cookie. Some of the things he says are hilarious- I especially loved the story from election day when he looked over the table and said "I vote please". How cute!?!

Another big happening in the P household was the Phillies winning the world series. Everyone knows about Ian's obsession with baseball, so this should not surprise you. Let's just say that this year's baseball season has been very very long with the Phillies going all the way. Ian went to several world series games and had a blast. When it came time to have the victory parade, Daddy wanted to take his little girl. So we packed up the car and headed down to the stadium. Luckily we got tickets in the KPMG suite box so we weren't in the middle of all the madness with a 3 month old. Daddy was proudly showing off his little Phillies fan.

Our little Phillies fan

Daddy and Lila awaiting the world series ceremony at the ballpark. This was Lila's first day in jeans- and I have to admit that I teared up when I put them on her- she looked so grown up. Needless to say, we haven't worn them again.

Happy Halloween Sweet Pea!

2008-11-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

Here are the much awaited pictures of our little sweet pea in her first Halloween costume. There was no debate on what Lila would dress as for Halloween as soon as we saw this costume. Ian and I called her baby P and sweet Pea for much of my pregnancy, so this costume was perfect! I know that I am biased, but isn't she the most adorable little Pea??

We had a great Halloween filled with a million trick or treaters in cute costumes. Luckily the weather was nice, so we sat outside like we usually do to hand out candy. We even had a nice visit from Grandma and Grandpa who couldn't wait to see their little Lila all dressed up. Then we celebrated Halloween again on Saturday with Jen and Kraig and their little "monkey" Taylor. Here is a photo of the 2 buddies together. Some day these 2 will revolt on their mommies for making them dress in these silly costumes- but it's worth it for the picture opp.

Hope you all had a great Halloween. Enjoy the photos of our little lady!!

100 Days Old!!!

2008-10-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, Lila is 100 days old today. You may ask . . . what kind of crazy lady measures her kids age in days?? Let me explain. Since she was born, I have been keeping a little log book to keep track of her feedings. When you are in the hospital and the nurses keep asking you " when did she eat and for how many minutes?" you realize that it is impossible to keep track of these tidbits unless you write them down. So, to help me keep track of the breastfeeding and make sure she is eating enough I have been keeping a little journal- and although I probably do not need it anymore, I still do it. Long story . . . but today is day 100. So I started thinking of how many times we have changed diapers or ate in the past 100 days and compiled a little list.

100 days =

800 feedings (probably more, but I was guessing)

1000 dirty diaper changes (also a little on the low side)

50 baths

300 Naps

250 changes of clothes (some days it is 4 per day, but 2 seems to be the average)
7 Days of Eye Drops

95 Doses of Vitamins

Happy 100 Days Lila!! We love you more every day :)

What can Mommy do in 2 hours . . .

2008-10-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

The answer is - many, many things! I find myself asking this question this lovely morning because for the first time in 3 months, my daughter has decided to take a 2 hour nap (gasp!!) I know, a 2 hour nap may not seem like a newsworthy event- but in the Petropoulos household it is. I have even managed to get a ton of things done while she snoozed. Here is a small list for your entertainment-
1- Shower
2- Get Dressed
3- Put on Makeup (something that rarely gets done these days)
4- Empty the dishwasher
5- Put away laundry
6- Watch "The View" (although I am fed up with Elizabeth and her constant political insight)
7- Eat lunch (a real lunch- not just a lean pocket or granola bar)
8- Check my email (and actually respond to messages- not normal these days)
9- Read an article in Parenting Magazine about family traditions (which I love!!)
10- Update the blog (hence this silly little list!)

Aahh 2 hour naps . . . may they continue forever :)

Our little pumpkin takes a trip to the patch

2008-10-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

As you can see, Lila's first trip to the pumpkin patch was more exciting for Mommy and Daddy then it was for her. She snoozed through the great pumpkin (above in the stroller) and through the pumpkin corral where we chose her a baby pumpkin . She did manage to wake up for the pig races at Freddy Hill Farm and to get this adorable picture taken of our family inside a pumpkin (pretty silly- but cute anyway)

Mommy picked out the perfect round pumpkin to take home and carve. We had a bet going as to how much it weighed because it looked heavy to me- and I guessed 18 lbs. Boy was I wrong, it was 27 lbs and poor daddy got stuck carrying it all the way to the car on his shoulder. Gotta love Daddy!

Happy Fall!!!

This is what it's all about . . .

2008-10-07T07:31:00.001-07:00

This is as good as it gets!! Daddy snapped this picture on Saturday afternoon after we returned from our neighborhood block party and needed a little nap.

Thank goodness for a relaxing Saturday, because on Sunday our little lady decided it was time for more growing and started eating like a horse. I looked in one of my many baby books, and sure enough, around 3 months is usually a growth spurt. The main characteristic is non stop eating and boy was she hungry. We had to forgo our sleeping nights for 2 nights because Lila wanted to eat- at 4am and 3:15am to be exact. I must have forgotten how hard it is to wake up after only 4 hours of sleep because on Monday I was a zombie. She proceded to eat every 2- 2 1/2 hours all day Monday- so we stayed in our PJ's all day and just ate (8 times- but who's counting). By 4:30pm she had already eaten as many times as she usually does in 24 hours- so she must be growing a lot!! I have to admit that this was quite a shock because we had been on such a nice schedule and I was finally feeling fully rested. The good news is that it seems to have slowed down because she didn't start to stir until 5:30am this morning. Lets hope that we are back on track today.

My memory of the past 2 days was completely erased when I saw this picture- it's amazing how quickly you can forget the bad days with one look at that adorable face.

Playtime

2008-10-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

Here are a few recent photos of Lila' s playtime activities.
She's very active (as you can see from the shot below with her feet over her head) she may be a gymnast (although mom is hoping for a dancer- go figure!). She is keeping us busy and amused with her new expressions and constant moving. Her little legs are always moving and resemble a swimming frog when you put her on her back- very cute. This moving does make for interesting diaper changing, but it's very fun for play time.

One of her other favorite things is her pink bouncy chair. Daddy and I affectionately refer to it as the "poop chair" because within 5-10 mins after placing her in the chair, she poops. This happens almost without fail and has been the cause of many outfit changes in the past 11 weeks. Sometimes I consider just putting her in there in a diaper so we can save the clothes- but what is the point of having so many cute outfits if you can't change multiple times in 1 day?? Our record is 4 outfits in 1 day.

I tried her green bumbo seat (picture to the right) this week for the first time. I think she is still a bit young for it, especially b/c she is not a pro at holding her head up yet. But she made the cutest face and I had to capture it. She looks like a little person sitting up in that seat, and not a baby. Scary how fast the time goes. She fits in there perfectly already, so she may have outgrown it by the time she can hold her head up better. Oh well- it made for a cute photo :)

Hope you are enjoying a beautiful fall day like we are in PA.

Top 10 Mommy Miracles

2008-09-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

In honor of Lila's big 10 week birthday, I thought I'd share the top 10 mommy miracles I have discovered over the past 2 months.

10) Aquaphor- This stuff is nothing short of amazing. Its like Vaseline, but seems to have magic powers. The pediatrician recommended it for the dry patches on Lila's face and it worked super fast. They were gone in 24 hours!

9) Select-a-size paper towels- This sales and marketing lady strongly endorses the select-a-size towel. Our accountant daddy also loves the $$ savings because we waste way less paper towels by using smaller pieces. They are very handy for all things baby- cleaning spit up, drying pacifiers, and wiping dribbled vitamins off her face. What a great product!!!

8)Swaddle Me Blanket- AKA the baby straight jacket. This little contraption has been key to helping our baby sleep so well through the night. At first she hated having her arms velcroed down- but we made a compromise and velcro 1 arm inside the blanket and leave one free. I'm not sure if it is the bedtime routine, or the blanket that helps her sleep for 7 hours- but it works. I would highly recommend this to any new mommies out there.

7)Showers- It is amazing how good a nice hot shower feels. I read a story about a new mom (who was having a hard time making any time for herself)that took 3 showers a day because she knew they were "allowed". I remember how good that first shower in the hospital felt, and they haven't lost their incredible feel. Something about the water running, blocking out any crying or phone ringing- completely rejuvenating.

6)Mommy friends and Grandparents- Whether you are sharing stories, giving advice or bringing over food- I couldn't have done it without all of my mommy friends. Lila is also so lucky to have all 4 of her grandparents within 45 mins- and boy are they helpful! They run errands with us, bring us meals, and stay with our little angel so we can go to weddings and out to dinner. But the most special thing is the joy this little girl brings to them- you can see it in their faces every time they are around her. She is a true gift to our family, in every way!

5)Daddy- Lila and mommy spent our first 3 days without Daddy this week- and we sure missed him (especially Mommy!!). I think I started to take for granted all the helpful things he does at night and on the weekends. Most of his chores are not glamorous- ie. changing the diaper champ bag, loading the dishwasher, taking out the trash, changing the early AM or late PM diaper- but they are necessary. We are 2 very lucky girls to have him in our lives!

4)Baby talk- How fun is it to hold a conversation with a 2 month old?? I think it is amazing. She is getting so vocal and I just adore hearing her little voice explore new sounds. Once you get her going, she will ramble for a few minutes if you respond to her in baby ramble. It makes us laugh so hard when she is getting tired and cranky and the coo's sound more sad- aah, aaahhh. Her voice is a little raspy and it's really cute.

1, 2 & 3)Smiles, Smiles, Smiles- I didn't think I could love anything more than hearing her noises- until I saw that gummy smile for the first time. It just melts my heart every time I see it. She is getting more expressive every day, including smiling when she thinks things are funny. One of her favorite things this week is hearing me clear my throat- which came about because mommy has a cold. It's turned into our little joke- I clear my throat and say "I've got a froggy in my throat" and she grins from ear to ear. Her laugh should be coming soon- right now she has a semi cough laugh- but I am pretty sure that will turn into her laugh. That will probably be #1 next month.

I hope my list inspires you to think of the 10 little miracles in your life this month :) Happy Friday!!

She's sleeping . . .

2008-09-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

and it's 1:45 PM! The phone just rang and she continues to snooze- it's amazing:)Our little lady has been sleeping wonderful at night (about 7 hours each night), but it is a bit harder to get her to rest for more than 45 mins at a time during the day. Our best bet is to take her out in the car or in the stroller- then she sleeps for hours at a time. This works great for running errands, going to lunch or to the mall. But by the end of the evening it catches up with her and she is a basket case. I'm sure all of my mommy friends understand exactly what I am talking about.

It's official . . .

2008-09-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

she's no longer a newborn! Well, at least not in clothing size. I had to bite the bullet and change her this morning out of her Newborn size jammies. I realized that I have been trying to squeeze her into all those cute cuddly newborn sleepers and the poor child can no longer straighten her legs b/c she is too long. I can't bring myself to pack all the newborn stuff away yet . . . maybe in another month.

The above picture should show exactly what I mean. I feel like I just bought this outfit, and now the pants are capri pants. I wish she would stay this little forever

Happy 2 months Lila!!

2008-09-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that our little girl is already 2 months old. The time has gone as quickly as everyone says it does . . . in the blink of an eye it will be Christmas!

We had our 2 month Dr checkup this morning. She is doing great and growing like a weed. Mommy and Daddy had a bet on how much she was going to weigh- I am happy to report that mommy was a little low (11 lbs 5 oz) with her guess and daddy was a little high (11 lbs 13 oz)- so we tied. She also had her first big round of shots (5 total- yuck). Needless to say, she didn't enjoy them. After you hear the cry that she lets out after a shot, you realize that the crys at home are not really that "you're hurting me" cry. That cry is in a different ballpark- not fun to hear- and very loud. And we had some real tears too . .. luckily mommy didn't cry (but I did look away because I couldn't stand seeing her face so upset). 4 Band-Aids later, we were all set to go. Thank goodness for health insurance b/c the total for today was $843- highway robbery.

Here are her latest stats:
Length: 23 1/2 (75-90 percentile)
Weight: 11 lbs 8 oz (75 percentile)
Head: 15 (50 percentile)

Happy 2 Month Birthday Baby!!!

How quick they grow . . .

2008-09-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

We continue to be amazed at how quick the time goes by. Our world has been turned upside down since the arrival of our little one- in a good way!! She continues to inspire us, amaze us and change us every day. We have experienced many "firsts" in the past 8 weeks including her first outings, walks, family reunion, smiles, baths, Dr. apts, and even sleeping through the night (7 hours so far- let's hope it continues!!) We are enjoying every minute. Hope you enjoy some of her latest photos.

First Free Moment . . .

2008-08-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

This mommy stuff is time consuming- I knew it would be, but somehow until it happens to you (and you have to pray for 10 free mins to shower) you don't understand completely. So I finally have a free minute to add some pictures to the blog and update you all on our past few weeks happenings with little Lila.

Pictures first . . . above are a few of our favorites from the hospital and the first week. The first one is our very first family photo. The others are from day 1.

It's amazing how quickly the past month has gone. The first 2 weeks felt like 2 years, but it has gotten so much better. She is quite the little eater and has gained over a pound already. She eats every 2 hours round-the-clock, so it makes sense that she is filling out. If we could only get her to sleep as well as she eats- we would have it made:) Sleep during the day is tough- she'd rather be awake and looking around. We can get her to sleep for 4 1/2 hours at night, so that makes up for it. Funny how 4 hours of sleep for new parents feels heavenly- I guess compared to the 1 1/2 hours we were getting the first week, it feels like a lot. Overall, she is a very pleasant baby. She isn't too fussy- usually crying only when she is tired, hungry or wants to be changed. I think we are very lucky so far- but I am not going to get too confident because every day seems to be different and I am sure the tides could change at any time. We are just taking it one day at a time and enjoying our time together as a family.

Until next time . . .

Web Hospital Pictures

2008-07-29T17:49:00.000-07:00

Baby Lila's hospital pictures are ready for viewing on the internet. The web nursery can be accessed through the hospital website- www.mainlinehealth.com
On the right side of the page you will see a link to web nursery.

Bryn Mawr Hospital
Birthdate- July 17, 2008

Choose Lila P. and you will be prompted for a password- babylila

Hospital pictures are not always the best, but at least we got one with her eyes open!

Enjoy :)

Happy Un-Birthday Baby P!!

2008-07-15T12:00:00.001-07:00

Today is D Day- otherwise known as our official Due Date. We began the celebration of her un-birthday with a visit to the good old Dr. He reviewed our ultrasound from yesterday and confirmed that our little angel is getting pretty big- over 8 1/2 lbs to be exact. Which means that we can't wait it out another week and see what happens. We still aren't sure how 2 parents who were 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 pounds at birth created an almost 9 pound-er, but it's all a part of the mystery I suppose.

So . . . we'll be heading to the hospital on Wednesday evening to get the process started. We aren't too thrilled about the idea of inducing the labor, but we want a healthy baby and a healthy mama so we're following the Dr's orders. Either way, it looks like she'll be here sometime on Thursday or early Friday.

Tonight we'll continue celebrating her un-birthday with a nice Italian dinner out. The one thing I am going to do in the next 24 hours is eat. From what I hear, once I check into the hospital it's liquids, ice pops and ice for at least 24-36 hours- so I'm going with a full belly. We all know I get cranky when I'm hungry :)

Here's where we'll be.

The Bryn Mawr Hospital
130 South Bryn Mawr Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Phone: 610-526-3000 (for patient info and to connect to our room)

www.mainlinehealth.com (click on Bryn Mawr Hospital on the left side of the page) This site has directions, visiting hours and a link to the web nursery where we can put her hospital picture online . You will need a password- so check back here and we'll post the login info once the picture is available.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers these next few days! We can't wait to announce the arrival of our little girl. Thank you all for all of your love and support over the past 9 1/2 months.

Preparing for baby

2008-07-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Working on the Nursery

We have been working hard to get our house ready for the arrival of our little girl. I wanted to share a few photos of Daddy hard at work in the nursery. He did almost all the work himself (with some help from Grandpa) and I am so proud of him. I stuck to the decorating and a little painting- which was really fun.

Turning the room from sage green to pink and cream was a challenge. I think Ian ended up painting more than 6 layers- between primer and 2 of each color. I also changed my mind halfway and we ended up mixing colors to make the pink lighter and the white more creamy. He deserves a medal for putting up with my indecision. It turned out perfect!

Ian and dad working on the chair railing and new base molding for the room. It sounded like a good idea when we started, but it was quite a project. Funny how that happens with most home improvement projects.

I'm going to leave out the final result, as an attempt to get everyone to visit us and see it first hand . . . but I have to say it's pretty cute!

I know . . . it's been a long time

2008-07-11T07:03:00.001-07:00

So it's been a while . . . actually it's been about 20 weeks. Being prego makes you start to keep track of everything in terms of weeks- so for everyone else, it's been about 5 months. My record with updating the blog has not been good this year, but I promise to get better- especially when the baby arrives.

That gets me to my next topic- the arrival of Baby P. No news yet and it looks like she is not going to come even 1 day early (much to Mommy's dismay). I have 4 more days till the official Due date and we are growing anxious to meet the little creature that has been kicking and stretching inside my tummy. She is awefully active, which we are taking as a warning sign- we may have a night owl because her favorite time to move uncontrollably is after 11:00 PM. So for all of you who may like to visit, you may have to come late if you would like to see her with her eyes open!

I have been gettting many requests for pictures of pregnant me (or "chubby Lindsay" as Katie requested). So here are a few to catch you up on the last 5 months.

These was taken at Easter- almost 6 months along. And I thought I was big then- ha ha ha!

Mama relaxing at the pool. There is no such thing as a flattering maternity bathing suit- so I settled for the cheapest one I could find!

On the beach in Florida- on our babymoon (last vacation without baby). This was the end of May- about 7 1/2 months along.

Hope you enjoyed the catch up. I will promise to post more over the weekend!!

We're Back!!!

2008-02-19T09:13:00.000-08:00

We're back!! Sorry for the long time without writing, but as you all know we have been busy preparing for our expanding family.

Here are some of the details. I am in my 19th week and rapidly getting rounder. As mom so eloquently put it . . . "Linds, I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you are carring all over". And she is right- my belly is growing but so are other areas (much to my dismay). I think this is one of the only times in your life when it is cute to be a little chubby- so I'm not getting too bent out of shape. The other time is when you are a baby- and I am about 29 years too late for that. I will have Ian take a few pictures for those of you who are far away so you can see for yourself.

Baby P. is due on July 15th (my friend Megan's Birthday). I am secretly hoping for an early arrival- maybe even the 4th of July. I can't think of a better way to celebrate a birthday than with fireworks. The night we found out we were expecting (November 5th) was a holiday in London- so there were fireworks all over the city. It only seems fitting for this child to be born on a holiday!

Baby preparations are in full swing- purchasing furniture and rearranging our upstairs. Somehow, we are going to combine our office and guest room into 1 room and use the 3rd bedroon as the nursery. I can't wait to start working on the nursery- but we have a long way to go before that. We have to find a home for the 2 dressers, chair, nightstand and queen size bed that currently occupy the nursery. With tax season upon us, Ian is basically only around on Sunday's so time is of the essence. We will keep you updated on the progress.

Next week is our 20 week ultrasound, and if Baby P cooperates, we will be able to find out if we are having a dancer or a baseball player. To say that I am anxiously awaiting this day is an understatement . . . I think about it everyday. We will be sure to let everyone know next week.

Have a great Tuesday!!

Mom's Favorite London Things

2007-11-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

One of Mom's favorites- the London taxi cab. I think it may remind her
of a PT Cruiser, which she also likes.

Mom and her favorite meal- fish and chips.

Here she is at Buckingham Palace. She loved the gold gates
and the guards in their furry hats.

The candy and dessert counter at Harrods. We spent about
45 mins in the food hall- especially the sweets section.

Mom and I in front of the Tower Bridge next to the
Tower of London.

In honor of Mom's birthday (Nov 15th- actually), I thought I would post a few more pictures from her London trip. These were some of her favorite London things.
Enjoy!

She has arrived . . .

2007-11-05T05:12:00.000-08:00

I know many of you have been checking regularly for the pictures of Mom's visit . . . so I appologize for the delay! As you can imagine, we had an action packed visit. I think we did every tourist thing in London! We also took a million pictures- actually 98, but that seems like a million when I can only post 5 per blog entry. Needless to say, I will not be posting all of them. You will have to ask her to share them with you after I return.

She has arrived! Here's mom with her luggage right after arriving- she looks pretty good for being awake and traveling for 19 hours. At the airport she had her first experience with the English language- not the same as the language we speak in the US. She was asked if she was "In the queue for the toilet?" otherwise know as "Are you in line for the bathroom?" She looked at me with a blank look- but in her defense- she had been up for 19 hours and her brain was not in top shape. Thank goodness her translator (me) was there :)

Here she is reading up about the sights of London. I think we may have seen every top 10 recommendation in the book- all in 6 days!

Leave it to Mom to find an animal in costume in the city! I never saw him before, but she spotted him right away.

Here we are on day 1 outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. This is the first place we took the Tube (London's subway) to. It is a very impressive first look at the architecture and beauty of London. From here you can see Big Ben and Parliament as well as the road to Buckingham Palace.

This is one of my favorites! There is no doubt where she is in this photo. This was right before our river cruise of the Thames.

I'll post some more soon . . . promise!

Long awaited pictures from Amsterdam

2007-10-11T10:40:00.000-07:00

The beautiful city of Amsterdam. Often called the Venice of the North, Amsterdam is an intricate landscape of canals, bridges, cobblestone roads and quaint narrow streets. The city is breathtaking and the relaxed atmosphere makes it an ideal place for a weekend getaway.

Another gorgeous view from another bridge.

Perhaps the best view yet :) Here we are along a popular boating canal. With more water than roads, it makes sense that there are so many boats!

We were able to take a short canal cruise through the Amsterdam waterways. Dispite the weather, it rained most of the day, it was beautiful. I thought this photo gave a different perspective, from the water looking out. Most photos you see are from solid land looking across the water. It's pretty tough to take a bad picture in Amsterdam.

This is as close as you will get to a skyline photo of Amsterdam. This was taken from the harbor looking into the city center.

London landmarks

2007-10-03T12:49:00.001-07:00

The Parliament Building in Westminster. This is
the older section of the city where all the gov't
buildings and Westminster Abbey are located.
Missing from this picture is the clock tower and
Big Ben. I have a bit of an obsession with Big Ben,
and I plan to devote a whole posting to him.

Ian in front of Parliament- doesn't
he look official?

Lindsay with the Lion in Trafalgar Square.
Ian wanted me to climb up so he could
get a picture of me up on the lion, maybe
next time. Wherever I go, I seem to be drawn
to the lions- I guess it's the Leo in me- or maybe
the Nittany Lion :) Go STATE!!

Ian on the Thames. In the background you can
see the London Eye. It is kind of like a giant
Ferris wheel that moves really slow and fits
25 people per car. To me it sounds like
torture- I hate normal Ferris wheels, so why
would I like a giant one? I have promised Ian I will
take 1 flight (that's the official term) before
December. We'll see . . .

Enjoying a day in the park. St. James Park is
our favorite of the parks we have visited. From
this bridge you can see the London eye (behind
us) and Buckingham Palace from the other side.
Talk about a view!

We're not in Kansas anymore . . .

2007-10-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

The Apollo Theatre is a converted movie house
near the Victoria train station.

Here I am after the show . . . it was incredible!
Ian even said it was one of the best shows he ever saw.

Here we are after going to see Spamalot. It's
hard to take pictures with both of us in it- so
we are improvising and taking them ourselves.
That's why this is such a close up.

Spamalot at The Palace Theatre. This one was
Ian's choice. It was good, but very silly. The whole
show is basically a spoof of traditional musical theatre
mixed with the story line of Monty Python (which I
just do not understand). I enjoyed the theatre
references and the crazy dancing- several jigs!

Here is my traditional sneaky picture inside
the theatre. This time I did not get
yelled at- I must be getting better at
hiding my camera.

OK- we know- we are very behind on the Blog updating!! Here are some pictures of the great London theatre we have been enjoying. With the famous West End of London within 10 mins of our flat, we are trying to take advantage of as many shows as we can. So far we are up to 4. We also got to see Love's Labour Lost at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre last week. This was amazing to say the least. Unfortunately, we went straight from work and forgot our camera. If you are ever in London, experiencing Shakespeare the traditional way at the open air theatre is a must! You can even buy standing room (peasant section) tickets for only $5. There are traveling musicians and the actors interact with the peasants on the ground level during the show. The costumes were incredible and the acting was very authentic. I think this was one of my favorite things we have done so far.

More to come soon. . .

The Henley Show- English Country Fair

2007-09-25T11:16:00.001-07:00

These are the tents at the fair. There were
also 2 rings for showing horses, 1 for showing
dogs (my favorite) and tents for produce
and livestock exhibits.

Farmer Ian taking the kids for a ride
on his cart

Here's a front view of farmer Ian's cart ride.
This cart is over 100 years old and only used
once a year for the Henley show.

Jane's adorable daughter Ava strikes a pose

Jane's older daughter Maia making gingerbread men.
Auntie Caryl was very jealous that I got to hang
out with her favorite nieces!

Aah the simple life!

2007-09-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Farmer Ian's house. The farmer's name really is Ian!
The kids referred to Ian as Ian #2 the rest of the day.

This is the view from Jane's cottage.

Imagine if this was your driveway-goose included.

Jane & James' cottage on the farm

The path home . . . doesn't this look like a painting?
This is my favorite picture from the weekend-
it's so peaceful. This is also where we picked
our berries (see below)

Here are some pictures from our trip to the English countryside. One of my close friends at work, Caryl, is from the UK. When I told her about our trip she agreed to loan us her family (Thank you Caryl!!). A few weekends ago her sister Jane invited us to her town for a traditional English Country Fair. She, and her family live in Henley on Thames- a small town to the west of London. We enjoyed the fair and then went back to Jane and James' cottage. They live in a cottage that is a part of a huge working farm. There are chickens and geese and horses (oh my)! We felt like we were in a movie- it was so beautiful and peaceful. Her little girls even showed us how to feed the chickens and round up the geese from the field- Ian got the pleasure of climbing under the barbed wire fence to round up the geese (for those of you who may not know- I hate geese- and most other birds too) Our favorite part of the night was when we went out to the driveway with the kids and picked fresh blackberries from the yard and brought them inside to put on top of the cheesecake. We felt like we had turned back time- it was so relaxing and wonderful.

I'll post some more pictures from the fair soon.

English is English . . . right??

2007-09-20T05:10:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be fun to share a few tidbits about some differences in the English language that Ian and I have discovered. You would think it's all English- right?? WRONG.

Here are a few of our favorites.

Pants= trousers Pants are not pants here. Ian found this out the hard way at work. I believe he was talking about the dress code in the office and said "pants". Unfortunately here that means underwear- oops. (This is probably one of my favorite London stories so far!)

Underwear= knickers (not short plaid golfing pants). They sure do have a lot of words referring to undergarments.

Right away=Straightaway . As in- do this NOW. This is slowly becoming one of Ian's favorites.

Try= Give it a go. This is Ian's favorite new phrase. He uses it all the time- he will definitely be bringing this one back to the states

Bye/Thank you= Cheers. They say this every time they get off the phone and also commonly interchange it with Thanks. Very weird!

The letter Z= Zed. This is pretty strange- especially when someone is spelling for you and they say zed.

Zero= affectionately referred to as naught (as in 0.01 naught point naught one). I have been doing a lot of work with spreadsheets (quite a change for this sales/mktg girl) and I had to ask my co-worker to repeat himself twice. Pretty embarrassing.

Yield= Give Way. As in the street sign. We have also learned that to a pedestrian, give way means look right first or you may get run over. Apparently pedestrians do not have the right of way here!

Friend/Buddy= Mate. Not much of an explanation needed here- everyone is considered Mate- female or male- friend or foe.

We will be sure to add more as we come across them. Hope everyone is having a good Thursday and looking forward to the weekend:)

The newest resident of Debaran Lane

2007-09-17T04:40:00.000-07:00

Meet our newest neighbor- Marco Giovanni Giancroce!
He arrived on Sept. 10th- 7lbs 10oz and 20" long

Mom and her new little man!
Doesn't she look amazing for just having a C-section?

Marco times 2 - dad is also Marco!
Let's hope he loves soccer.

Baby brother!! Simona has been anxiously
awaiting the arrival of her baby brother.
From what mom tells me, she loves him to pieces.

CONGRATULATIONS to Lucia and Marco on their beautiful baby boy!
We can't wait to meet him when we return.

We bought a new house!

2007-09-16T04:29:00.000-07:00

We decided that our London flat was a bit small
so we upgraded. As you can see, it is slightly
larger than Debaran Lane - over 200 bedrooms!

Here we are out back- our new deck is stone.
No more pressure washing! Just think of how
many people we can fit on here for our
summer crab party.

Here I am in the back garden. We may need
a little help with the yard work- hope you
are ready Dad! We are also thinking of adding
a pond.

Last weekend (we are a little behind on the postings) we toured the state rooms of Buckingham Palace. This was a very unique experience because they only open it up to the public for 2 months in the summer while the royal family is away on vacation. This year's tour included a special exhibit celebrating the Queen's diamond (60 yrs) wedding anniversary. We got to see her wedding gown and all the jewelery she received as gifts from her mother (Queen Elizabeth) and her grandmother (Queen Mary). The diamonds were incredible- earrings, necklaces, tiaras, bracelets etc. I have never seen anything quite like it- it made Tiffany's seem like TJ Maxx.

We also got to tour 10 of the state rooms of the palace. These are the rooms that the Queen uses to entertain and host visitors from all over the world. The rooms included a ballroom, music room, several halls, the grand staircase at the entrance of the palace, the throne room and the room where the princes (William and Harry) were baptised. We were told that holy water was flown in from the river Jordan to baptise both princes- pretty amazing. Unfortunately, you were not allowed to take any photos of the inside- sorry!

Bathroom Photos

2007-09-13T00:54:00.000-07:00

Bathroom view 1

The shower- notice the 1/2 door

There is only room for a few pictures on each posting- so here are the final 2 from our new place.

We are very confused about the 1/2 door instead of the shower curtain- it seems like a simple upgrade. We were told that these glass doors are the "in thing". . . who knows! It does not allow for much privacy. Especially in the morning when we both need to get ready for work.

Enjoy!

Home Sweet Home- London style

2007-09-11T13:46:00.001-07:00

Ian at our front door

The view from Flat 1012

Living room

Living room view from kitchen

European kitchen- aka- tiny

Here are the much anticipated pictures of our London flat. Our building is on the west side of London and is only 4 blocks from Hyde Park and a 5 minute walk from Paddington train station. We are on the edge of the Marylebone section of London and slightly east of Notting Hill- the location is perfect. There is a tube station about 3 minutes away which allows us to get to Picadilly Circus and the theatre district within 5 minutes. We are in the ideal area for London visitors- so let us know if you would like to come to see us! The accomodations are small, but the price is right.

The great news is that we have A/C! This is a huge improvement from our last place. The bad news is that we are stuck with another washer/dryer combo unit. Tonight we are experimenting with our first load of laundry- which is equivalent to a 1/4 of a load in US standards. So far it has been in there for over an hour and the rinse cycle has just finished. At this rate it may be faster to mail our laundry home for mom to do (hope you are both up for that!).

Other interesting 1012 facts:
- fridge and freezer the size of the ones we had in college
- microwave and regular oven are the same unit (I think I got cursed after complaining about the combo washer/dryer . . . and the micro/oven combo is only convenient for cooking meals for a leprechaun)
- No shower curtain, just half of a glass door. This is hard to imagine- but look at the photos. (Let's just say that water on the floor has been a bit of a problem)
- 1 closet and no dresser in the bedroom (let't not even talk about the lack of shoe space)
- 4 plates, 4 cups, 4 wine glasses, 3 forks, 4 knives, 3 spoons . . . and a partridge in a pear tree

Our New Address

West End Quay

Balmoral Apts

Apt C- 1012

2 Praed Street

London, W2 1JL

Apt. Phone Number: 011 44 207616 9250

Miss you all lots!!!!!!

The Phantom of the Opera

2007-09-07T03:57:00.000-07:00

Her Majestys Theatre

Outside the theatre

The stage before the show Enjoying some champagne

Tonight we made our first visit to one of London's incredible theatres, Her Majestys Theatre. As many of you know, this is one of my favorite things to do in the world. I have always wanted to see Phantom in London and Ian bought these tickets as a present for my birthday. The show was amazing and the theatre was gorgeous. I did get in trouble for taking a photo inside the theatre, but it was worth it. The picture does not do it justice- but the inside of the theatre was so beautiful. The seats were plush red velvet and the amount of gold and ornate decorations was outrageous. We felt like we had stepped back in time. To say that I loved it was an understatement . . . and if I get my way, we may have to go again!!

Our first Indian meal

2007-09-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we love Indian food. Since we found out about moving to London we have been looking forward to sampling the local indian cuisine. We actually had this meal on Sunday night after wandering around for over 45 minutes to find an restaurant. We were under the impression that Indian restaurants were on every corner- but they most certainly are not. The good news is that the food was good- but we are not sure if we really loved it or if we were weary and starving.

The North Pole

2007-09-04T14:45:00.000-07:00

We knew we were going to be exploring the UK- but who knew we were going to get to visit The North Pole!! I guess we can cross that one off the list of places to see. These photos were taken at the local pub- actually it is so local we can be home in about 50 steps. The pub is everything you would expect an English pub to be- dark wood inside, red leather stools and chairs and heavy gold curtains. The bartender is a curly haired chap (we actually heard a local patron call him that tonight) named James. (Jen- I bet that rings a bell). The local beer must be a little stronger because after 2 pints Ian and I came home and cooked burgers. As many of you know, this is a ritual usually saved for nights when way more than 2 beers were consumed.

Enjoy the pics!!

4 Manilla Street- Flat 32

2007-09-02T14:12:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos of our first apartment in London. This will be our home until Sept 6th.

A few observations about London living:

- A/C not included- but the floors are heated- strange

- Although there are windows- there are no screens. Makes for an interesting bug situation

- The light switches are outside the room- which makes for an excellent prank while Ian is in the bathroom and I can turn the lights off from the hall

- There is a reason we bought a king bed- unfortunately there are only queen beds here

- The washer and dryer is the same machine- don't ask- I am not planning on doing any laundry until we get to Apt #2- and I am hoping there will be 1 washer and 1 dryer

- They do not use wash cloths in the UK- or potholders- which made for interesting problem solving when we made a pizza in the oven last night

Enjoy the photos and we'll write again soon!

Day 1 Adventure on The Tube

2007-09-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

Today is day 1 of our London adventure. Yesterday we broke the first rule of international travel (Don't fall asleep during the day and try to get on the local time) so today we got a late start. We decided that today we would take care of buying our travelcards for the trains and subway (AKA the Tube). This turned out to be quite a process- 1 1/2 hours to be exact. The line was long, we didn't know our postal code, etc. The good news is that we are now the proud owners of 2 Oyster travel cards for unlimited monthly travel.

After all that work, we were determined to put the new travel cards to use. We took the tube over to Baker Street on the West side of London to check our our next apt. The building looks great and the location is really convenient- only 10 min walk from Hyde Park. We move in on Thursday.

Above are some pictures of us in Green Park. This is the park next to Buckingham Palace. All of London's parks have those green and white stripe lounge chairs for rent. It seemed very British- so we paid to sit . . . and after 2 miles of walking and hours of exploring it was exactly what we needed. This is a must for anyone visiting London- visit one of the fantastic parks and relax in a green chair.

Arrived at Heathrow

2007-09-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

We have finally arrived at Heathrow Int'l Airport. As you can see from the photo, we did not pack lightly- are you surprised??

The plane ride went pretty quickly, but the ride from the airport with all of our luggage packed into the Volvo was torture. Seeing our name on the chauffeur sign was pretty funny-and of course we had to document it with a photo. After a stop at the rental agency to collect our keys we arrived at Canary South, our residence until next Thursday. The flat (apt.) is very modern and looks like an ikea catalog. Everything is smaller than in the US- except for the step up into the bathtub- I practically need a ladder. We also realized- after thinking our thermostat was broken- that we have no AC- great!!

We spent some time in the afternoon exploring the Canary Wharf area. The area is very new and modern- in fact it looks very much like Manhattan- with tall office buildings complete with shops and restaurants. We enjoyed our first english meal at The Slug and Lettuce- I could not think of a more repulsive name for a restaurant- but it seems to be a chain here in the UK. I doubt that would be popular in the US.

We also ventured into our first UK grocery store- The Waitrose. Now this was an experience!! Everything was different, and much smaller. There was no skim milk and we bought wheatgerm bread by mistake (looking for whole wheat). We ended up spending 29 pounds (about $60) and only got water, milk, juice,bread, spaghetti, cheese, bananas, soup, potatoes, green beans, burgers and some lamb. Now we know why the Brits are so skinny- they can't afford to eat. Ian and I should come back a little lighter- or much poorer!

We wanted to give everyone our first address and phone number- (good till Sept 6th)

Canary South Phone- 011 44 207 531 6679

4 Manilla Street- Apt 32

London E14 8GD

We also bought a UK cell phone where you can reach Lindsay. Ian's US cell phone still works.

Cell number- 011 44 796 431 8550 (wow that's a lot of numbers)

Email addresses

Ian- ian.petropoulos@kmpg.co.uk

Lindsay- lindsay.petropoulos@yahoo.com

Until tomorrow . . .