Obsessed Much?

I've got a new obsession...a restaurant in Geneva.


Picture borrowed from Geneva Daily Photo as they don't have a website :(

"Nosh" in downtown Geneva, tucked back on James Street a block South of the main drag, and a block East of the famous 3rd Street, has become my new favorite place on Earth.

Dain and I went there last Saturday as our first "date" out since D. (No judgments here that it's been so long or that it was lunch - we both are away from him 11 hours a day). This little gem is open only until 2:00 pm daily and serves FANTASTIC breakfast or lunch at all hours.
Everything at Nosh is made from scratch - not with mixes and who knows what. It's a cute little place with a cute patio area for outdoor dining. The inside has a diner-style counter you can eat at, or "traditional" seating. It's a very simple, clean feel, with painted cement floors, wooden furniture and exposed beam ceilings.

The food, in a word, is fantasticamazingdeliciousspectacular. It's VERY vegetarian and/or vegan friendly - yet still managed to impress my very NON vegetarian husband. I had a breakfast burrito (featuring avocado cream cheese!!) one day with the glazed fresh pear slices, and today with my friend Katie, had a mushroom and goat cheese omelet with their signature potatoes.
The service is great. They make suggestions (without being too pushy), they bring you a little personal pitcher of your beverage of choice so that your refill is right there waiting for you, and can answer all questions about the food. They're also VERY friendly. Today the poor waitress came over, shaking with nerves, as she had forgotten to put in our order and left Katie, D and I sitting at the table for even longer. We assured her it was okay (as we were enjoying an "appetizer"), and she thanked us PROFUSELY, then brought over toys for D to play with, to have something "fresh". And these things were GREAT! Magnetic plastic triangles & squares that were just as much fun for my friend and I as they were for him. She told me that she got them on QVC in a huge set - and sure enough I found them on QVC's site - called Magformers. These are being added to my list of stuff to buy for D for his birthday or Christmas (even though they say 6 & up - which is ridiculous).

The story of the name for Nosh is found on the back of the menu. It was named after an episode of Seinfeld, when George apparently asks for something to "nosh" while watching a game/TV/etc.

Anyway...GO THERE. Or if you're from out of town, come visit me and I'll take you!
Actually - even if you live around me...call me and I'll go with :)

NEW Nephew! (with PHOTO)

Welcome to the World WILLIAM ALAN MILLER.
My sister Theresa gave birth to her third child this morning at 10:30. He was 7 pounds 12 ounces and 19 inches long with a full head of dark hair. HERE'S A PHOTO:

Little mommy called me 2 hours after giving birth and sounded like she was on cloud nine, and seemed to be in no pain. He was sleeping in the bassinet right next to her while we talked, and as jealous as I was that she gets an in-room baby, I could not have been happier. I'm so thrilled to hear that yet another baby arrived happy and healthy.

William, who will go by Will, was named after my late grandpa William "Bill" Boian. If the name carries anything, this will be one lucky baby.
My grandfather was one of the best human beings that has probably ever lived. He was healthy as a horse to age 93. He did sit-ups and push-ups every single morning of his life. He was a farmer by trade, and then probably the best gardener to ever meet dirt. He was fiercely loyal to his family. He was kind, gentle, strong, handsome and smart. I cannot say enough about him, and still miss him every day.

You've got some big shoes to fill, Will...but I'm confident you will live up to the name.

The Randomness of Dain

My husband that is...not my baby.

A few posts ago you saw the completely random Mini Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sandwich commercial that Dain learned and sang/danced for several days. This is not unusual in my household. Dain randomly gets obsessed with a song of some sort, whether it be a theme song or a jingle or a television show segment, and it's all I hear.

Tonight he started singing the Chef Boyardee Dinosaurs TV commercial from our youth. He hadn't heard or seen it recently - probably hasn't since it was on TV - but none the same, I start hearing him singing the jingle loud and clear as if it was a regular on the radio. When we pulled the video up on youtube a few minutes ago to relive the past - I was laughing so hard I was in tears. Turns out he remembered it WORD FOR FREAKING WORD.


Here's another random gem he will sing on random occasions - which I found through the genius of youtube. A Sesame Street segment that was on when we were YOUNG, and he randomly remembered and will just bust out at any time or another...

And my family thinks I'm nuts for retaining random quotes and knowledge! Here's the one quality in each of us - FINALLY - that is not POLAR OPPOSITE of the other. :)

Food for Thought

COOKIES! Who doesn't love cookies?
Now cookie-making can benefit kids with cancer.

I recently learned of an amazing organization - Cookies for Kids' Cancer.
Here is their mission statement: Cookies for Kids' Cancer is committed to raising funds to support research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer. Through the concept of local bake sales, Cookies for Kids' Cancer provides the inspiration and support for individuals, communities, and businesses to help fight pediatric cancer.

This amazing organization makes me want to start cooking (and if you know me that's UNHEARD of). That being said - I WOULD like to organize a bake sale to raise money. Anyone in?? I may have to recruit my breastfeeding group friends... Anyway you can learn all about this organization here. Maybe you'll want to organize your own bake sale...or maybe you'll want to do what I'm immediately going to do...order AMAZING body wash and having the profits go to Cookies for Kids' Cancer. The amazing beauty line Philosophy is donating 100% of their net profits from their Oatmeal Raisin Cookie wash to this organization (if you order by October 15th!). Click HERE to buy some.

SIDE STORY:
D is 10 months old today. Wow. 10 months old.
I can't believe the little man is already 10 months old...

I've said it before...time is flying. I can't believe that it was that long ago that I spent SO long in labor and a week in the hospital. I can't believe we've been through all the firsts that we have so far. I can't believe D is starting to cruise along furniture and look like a toddler. It's mind-blowing to me. And I haven't even started creating his "official" baby book. :( I have everything written down and ready - but just haven't put everything together yet. Maybe that will be a good project for me to do around his 1st b-day. (We're already thinking about how to celebrate!) It's been such a great 10 months to look back on...we've been so lucky. I can't imagine what the parents of the kids' cancer patients endure. The stories on the organization's website - and the tales I hear through The Mix 36-Hour Radiothon for Children's Memorial Hospital (which I just collected change in my office for and donated to the kick-off) are just unbelievable. It puts the "problem" of my baby waking 2-3 times a night really into perspective. I'm sure any one of those parents would trade me stories in a heartbeat.

Now get out there and make cookies, or at least buy some body wash to smell like you did :)

Biter Biscuit

D had his first biter biscuit tonight! He LOVED it!
The Earth's Best product line has been a GODSEND to our little dude. He wears their disposable diapers to bed, eats their organic jarred food, and NOW enjoys a biter biscuit on occasion!!


To learn more about Earth's Best - click HERE

Costume Decisions...

Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday - and I am already thinking about D's FIRST costume. (Last year he was still in NICU for Halloween :( so we didn't dress up).

Anyone want to VOTE for the first time in a long time???
Look at the below costumes and CAST YOUR VOTE at the poll on the right! There are 3 million choices out there!!

(Disclaimer: I make no guarantees that one of these costumes will be picked, nor that the majority will rule).

















Edited to add this DINO costume...but I can't edit the poll :( SO if you like the dino best - leave a comment instead of voting...

Hello Vegas?

Here are some random photos of the trip...

Seeing Aunt Nanny for the first time in a LONG time:

Climbing the lounge chairs:

Dain and D enjoying eachother's company:

D's first time in a pool!:

D and "The Meyer Aunts" and the awesome stroller we rented:

Besties Crazy Faces:

Best Baby Toy?

What can keep a BUSY nearly 10 month old child busy in an airplane? What toy is so fascinating that it is trumping all other toys and items right now (INCLUDING cell phones & remotes!)??



TRUE!
He loves them...I give him a couple at a time and they are apparently fascinating. He turns them over and over in his hands - raises them above his head - talks to them - etc. Ahh, to appreciate the little things...

Up All Night & What Do You Get?

We survived! Details from the trip coming in a blog soon...D was an angel.

That angel did NOT sleep well his first night back though! I'm used to getting up about twice with him every night.
Last night went like this: 10:30, 12:00, 1:30, 3:00 and then in bed with me.

All this up and down I'm doing for this kid - and what is he doing ALL THE TIME these days?? Saying da da! I get no appreciation :)

Vegas Baby

It should say Vegas Baby. Not Vegas, Baby.

D is going to be a Vegas baby this weekend. YEP. We're taking him with us on a mini-excursion to Sin City. Might as well start him early.

We're actually going for a wedding of two of our friends, Andy and Bri, and to visit my sister Natalie who is a permanent resident of Las Vegas!

Okay yes - it's silly to take a 9 1/2 month old child to Vegas. I GET IT. But I'm not ready to leave him for 3 days/nights yet - and I want him to be able to see Natalie, whom he's only met once!

The trip should be fine. D's such a good kid (minus sleeping) that I am thinking the plane ride and trip should go much better than we initially anticipated. We have plans for the plane that include his FIRST sippy cup, toys, books and Baby Einstein DVDs on Grandpa & Grandma's portable DVD player.
We're also renting a car seat and jogging stroller when we get out to Vegas. I didn't know you could rent these things - but there are companies that rent EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING - and it's affordable too! It will be nice to have a full-size stroller with plenty of storage and a reclining seat for the man. They are delivering right to the airport - so we can hop right in to Aunt Natalie's car and be on our way.

True - I won't be able to gamble (which I hate) or get drunk and stupid, or heck even stay out past 8:00 Vegas time...but that's not important to me. I am looking forward to watching movies, taking a bath every night and showing D the Bellagio fountains and the moving statues of Caesar's. I'm looking forward to taking D for his first swim in a pool, seeing my sister's house, and visiting with friends and family that will be at the wedding. I'm looking forward to our room at the Monte Carlo, good food and just being away from work.

Oh and I'm looking forward to sleep...wait...well...we can't have everything!

Eczema

D has a bit of eczema. He's had a very slight case of eczema on the top of his back for some time, but we just kept it moisturized. However - it's starting to get a little worse - spreading to the whole of his back. It's not severe by any means - just affecting more of him. If you see typical pictures of eczema - D is nowhere near that...just slight rash-appearance.

Our pediatrician was real laid back about it when he saw it at D's 9 month appointment (several weeks ago)...just saying that it happens and it didn't look bad and to just use a lot of moisturizer on him as he didn't encourage treating it with anything besides regular moisturizer unless absolutely necessary. I like that. I am not a fan of medicating my kid unless absolutely necessary - even if it's just a cream. Our doctor did mention, and I verified in my research, that it can foreshadow allergy problems when he's older.

So eczema affects 15-20% of all children.

Triggers for eczema are:
- Head and Humidity
- Household Dust
- Pet Dander
- Irritating Clothes Detergent
- Cigarette Smoke
- Body Soap
- Wool/Foregin Fabrics
- Food Reactions

We haven't changed anything with his soaps or detergents so we should be fine there. Heat and humidity are out of control in Illinois right now - so that could be HUGE. Also pet dander is a big thing in my house. Our trip away this weekend will tell me if that's an irritant. I haven't noticed any particular food HE'S consuming causing any problems - and have not changed my diet. Kids can develop reactions to food at any age - but apparently it's only 10% likely that a food allergen is the main trigger.

We're trying a few things:
1. All 100% cotton clothing
2. Moisturizer several times a day
3. Shorter tubs with soap applied lightly and briefly
4. Limited time in heat/humidity (extreme)
5. Frequent cleaning/sweeping of the carpet and limited exposure to downstairs
carpet (where Penny is).
6. I am decreasing my dairy intake

We'll see how it goes. If the above doesn't do anything - we may move in to full removal of dairy, eggs or wheat from my diet - - or try a VERY mild cortisone cream. But, I'm waiting to see the results of the above.

Eating Books

I heard my neighbor using the phrase that she was "eating books" this summer...going through them so quickly she couldn't believe it.
D takes that phrase literally. He chewed up one book today which had to hit the recycling bin by the time it was home from the babysitters.

D "eating" his book surprised me. Not because he doesn't chew on EVERYTHING (because he DOES). It surprised me because he loves books SO much. This child is never happier than right in front of his bookshelf. Check the photo: This kid can be so over-tiredly crabby he won't even sit up after his tub before bed...but the minute I sit down and put him on my lap to read a few books (which is his going to bed routine), he immediately is happy and sits contently listening and looking from left to right as the pages go on. It's adorable.

We recently bought D a hilarious new book called "Yummy Yucky". This book features pictures of the baby eating something "yummy" on the left, and "yucky" on the right facing page. My favorites are "Blueberries are yummy. Blue Crayons are yucky." Another set of gems; "Burgers are yummy. Boogers are yucky." D loves it.

Dain's New Song

So...this commercial shows up during St. Louis Cardinal games that we/Dain watches through Comcast's baseball package.

He knows the song...AND the dance. I'm a lucky lady.

Sit Crawl Sit Crawl

D is army crawling everywhere - and sits up every few feet - then goes back to crawling - then sitting up again. He's SO busy. He's become Mr. Independent too, no longer wanting to be held on a lap. The man needs to MOVE.

His back and forth to sitting and crawling have led to some pretty adorable recent photos:

Enjoying the outdoors:

At the splash park:

Chasing his friend Penny (who's got her summer do):

Naked crawling:

Mid-song at Grandma's House:

Playing with NEW Aunt Marcy:

Great News for Me

I need no words...

Swing Revisited

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing D in a swing...here's him Friday night enjoying one of his favorite pastimes before his bath.

(He just learned to make the "gas" sound with his mouth and was practicing that - so you know it wasn't me).



Sorry it's a little grainy - I took this video on my camera's video mode - not with the video camera.