Par-tay!

Little Miss A turned 1 last Friday. So we had a party. With cake.

Pretty Good?, originally uploaded by apkoski.

And party hats.

And burping babies with their mamas.
And new toys.
And a party dress.
Did I mention hats?

And a little fussiness. But that's just because 2 molars are coming in.But she has a good response: "Badass," it says.

Hooray!

The Girl is One.

Today is the birthday. Tomorrow is the party!

Disappear, Reappear

This week we reappear!

Been busy with this and that -
making stuff for my shop instead of Plue.


Picnic Napkins, originally uploaded by apkoski.

But making stuff for Plue also.

Most all, we're preparing for a 1-year old birthday party!

On Three..... "awwwwwwwwwwww!" I know; I am too proud.

Reminders

first photo booth, originally uploaded by apkoski.

This month...
In a public place, someone pointed out a Cheerio stuck to my thigh.

I left for the party with eyeliner on one eye only.

All the time, "Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma."

I got an awesome present today!

Same Story Different Day

Only 4 Miles To Go!, originally uploaded by apkoski.

OF COURSE, it's raining. It wouldn't feel right to run a half marathon without a nice steady rain! My first half was 3 years ago in June: rainy and cold. My second was last October: Rainy and cool. And now we're here in Eugene. Hooray!

To friends who couldn't make it, you were missed. To Paul & Adelaide, thanks for putting up with the rain, getting lost, and dragging your butts across Oregon for me.

Some fun things:

• This is the first race I've run that has bands playing throughout the course. A little Pink Floyd goes a long way.

• And fans! Oh, the crowd! It is definitely the biggest (road race) spectator group I've ever run in front of. It makes me cry.

• I passed an old guy who had Sharpeed on his race number, "#98: X marathon, #99: Eugene Marathon, #100: Maui Marathon." I was going to shake his hand but he had socks in one and food in the other.

• We got to see some of beautiful Eugene, the famous Hayward Field, and eat at Cafe Yumm. Dangit, missed Prince Pücklers.

Today we're all recovering and (I'm) reveling in self-satisfaction; napping, not exercising, drinking hot chocolate out of demitasse. Where's my Bon-Bons?!

A

Apologies to the Peets Peeps

I am writing my sincerest apology to the lovely Thursday morning relaxing child-free, lap top using, business meeting, trying to enjoy retirement, men and women of Peets on Hawthorne for my precarious dismounting and mounting of my child to and from our Ergo baby carrier. It has been over 10 months since I have reviewed said apparatus instructions of solo loading for back carrying position, and have, for the last few months, been attempting the two-person loading procedure for back carrying position, with much luck and little deftitude, by myself.

Reliving your pause in conversation, gaping stares, whipping heads, the barista rushing around the counter crying "What can I do?! Do you need help?," my quiet businesswoman neighbor attempting to lessen the awkwardness and absurdity of the potential crisis at hand offering, "I only tried carrying my kids in front," I have realized the udder wrongness of my technique. Furthermore, I have been motivated to take a refresher course in the Ergo baby Carrier single-person back loading procedures and am becoming talented and deft at the much safer maneuver.
Sorry and thank you,
The mom who likes to push her kid really high on the swing

Adendum
Adelaide has never fallen out; just seems to be a difficult and potentially dangerous way of loading her. Its just very strenuous and involves the baby being responsible for her own balance. Here's the right way, if you're interested, for the solo hip loading to back procedures.