Happy Memorial Day!

Before I get started here, this is how I found Riley when I came out of the bathroom the other day. No joke. This was not pre-planned, as Russell thinks. My computer is set up in the kitchen on the counter (there is no other public place where she can't reach), and I often stand there, checking email or whatever. The chair she's standing on lives in her bedroom... not a short way away for little legs to carry! I literally caught her exactly like this. I had to ask her to stay there so I could take a photo. Unbelievable. No place is sacred to the 'rents anymore. Now what?



We had a fun weekend. Sunday, we had a BBQ. Thought that would be better, since most people already have plans for Monday. And boy, we chose the right day! The weather was sunny and perfect... no wind! The fog rolled in around 6, so we moved it inside. Saturday rained all day (super-unusual for SF), and today was cloudy and a little windy.

We had a great crowd of preggers and babies, and a few other random single friends. The food grilled, the drinks flowed, and everyone had fun keeping the babies laughing. Check it out.



Here is the end of the picnic. A snuggle with dad to end the day. Mmmmmmm.



Saturday night, we went for sushi. Riley is getting completely outrageous with this adventure. She doesn't want her usual Unagi Don anymore. She still likes miso soup, but she wants what we eat. And she LOVES it. Hamachi, salmon, scallop, tuna... you name it. She likes the raw stuff. With or without rice. Super funny for a daughter of mine, since I didn't start eating sushi until I was about 27 years old. But after I had it once, I had to have it once a week. At least. I think my dad can testify for the possibility of sushi obsession. And, Riley loves making friends at Tazaki (they don't have a website, but we're talking about bartering for one. Yeah!). Always lots of kids. This is Duncan.





OH! I almost forgot, until I started uploading these photos... Riley has been stealing our camera and taking photos. Here are her first three photos. I think she has something going here. Whaddya think?

This week has been so hot, I wasn't sure what to do with the Ri-Belle. But we figured it out. Wednesday, Riley got to hang out in the back yard in her new big pool, and in her sprinkle pool.







Thursday, we went to Chrissy Field with Kathy and Anthony (didn't take photos, since Riley was running around too much). It was really fun, and the babies got so played out after an hour, they were nearly falling asleep on their feet! Then we went to the yard again in the afternoon. Yesterday, we went to the gym in the morning and then spent the day in the yard. I told Russell today, that it was the best move we've ever made, coming out to the sunset and getting a yard. She loves it, and it's so convenient. Have you ever tried to schlep all the stuff you need to the beach with a 21-month old? Gawd... it takes at least four arms to carry it all, and not to mention, making sure your toddler doesn't run off while you're unloading. Not easy. At all. The pool is a hit, for sure.



Russell and I spent the day talking turns grooming the yard today. It was cooler, since the fog came in, so it was a great day for yard work. And we got a lot done. I actually dug out a small area of the grass to plant a mini-garden for Riley. We have cherry tomatoes, strawberries, pumpkins, and a purple flower plant that Riley picked out at the garden store. She waters them every day when we go to play in the yard. She's a good little gardener, and very nice to her plants.

Riley loves her daddy time more than ever. So does daddy. And so do I (especially when it means I get to sleep in until 9:00!).



Grammy sent Riley a care package of all sorts of fun things, including flip-flops that light up when she steps down. Aside from them flying off her feet on every other step, she won't take them off! She also got a bug hat. Here are both. Oh, and remember, Riley insists on dressing herself these days. I had NOTHING to do with these outfits. Honest.




We tried to start potty training, but she doesn't seem too interested in using the potty to go poo or pee. She loves to sit on it and play with it, even use the words 'poo' and 'pee' while she sits on it, but nothing has happened yet. This video proves that she has a definite connection with her potty. So, I know it will be any day now.



She finally fits into the hot pink shoes that Auntie Lindsay sent her a long time ago... I showed them to her, and she freaked out, loving them so much. She did the whole 'oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...' thing. They are really cute.



And for your viewing pleasure, I've caught up on yet another new adventure for our family: Passover!

A very large weekend

We went to LA this weekend. Not for pleasure, but for business. Riley business. She was presented with the opportunity to interview Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead along with Johnny Knoxville. For Jackassworld (Russell is a freelance writer for them). And it was fun. She was overwhelmed in the actual interview room, because it was very small and there were a lot of people, but she had a lot of fun running around the studio. Thank goodness Johnny did the actual interviewing part... Lemmy was not interested in children, for the most part. Russell took some video while the interview was happening. My favorite part is when Riley tells Cameron Webb, the producer, to "Watch out!" so she can pass through the studio, while he's working with the drum tech, Mike Fasano. What a ballsy young lady! I'm sure she'll be some drum tech or producer, or some kind of bossy-boss one day. She loved it in that studio. And she loves the drums...



The only footage we missed out on was her jamming with the guitarist, Phil, who was amazing with her. He let her adjust all the pedals for his guitar while he played, and he even posed for a photo-opp. And then he very coyly asked Russell if he could get autographs from Johnny for his three kids (now, about 17, 22 and 24). Funny how that happens... It was really strange to see a star be star-struck. Here they are together:




I'll post the Jackass link once the video is edited and live. Who knows if Riley will end up on the editing room floor... or make the cut. We'll wait and see.

Live at the Jackass studios: All the boys came out, circling the floor, to ogle over Riley. Russell claims that they were checking me out, which made me feel good, because I've been on a really long and grueling diet (he's always been an amazing supporter of me), but I think it was because of Riley. Who knows?! I guess we both looked cute in our pink shades. The first photo is Riley on Johnny's Big Red Rocket from the Jackass movie.



Here is our buddy, Rick, at his desk (he is the videographer for Jackass, Wild Boyz, and for our interview).



He went with us for sushi, and Riley asks for him often. We took her to the Geisha House, owned by Ashton Kutcher, which has no high chairs or booster chairs (aka, non-kid-friendly). But, with Riley's palate for sushi, we didn't need any. Everyone around us, as well as our waiter, couldn't believe her intake of the delicacy. Here she is, at the restaurant. Loving it.



And here are some photos of the rest of the trip. On the plane, at the Grove Market, and just around. We had a really nice, relaxing time. Much needed. We need more.








Unrelated to our trip, we had a small Norman incident yesterday. Normally, Riley and I feed Norman around 11am, after breakfast and morning playtime. Yesterday, Russell fed Norman before he left for work, so Riley decided on her own that Norman was hungry. She moved one of her toys over to the fish tank to stand on, and proceeded to spoon handfuls of food into Norman's tank. Russell was leaving for work, and walked by her room, mentioning "I think our daughter is killing Norman." I walked into the room, and she looked up at me, smiling, yelling, "Hungry! Norman! Feed!" I tried to explain that he's not hungry because he only needs to eat once a day, which made her cry, and I proceeded to change the water. My mom thinks he'll be dead within a week. I give her more credit than that... and I'm pretty sure Norman is a trooper...

Welcome to the family, Norman!

Yesterday, Riley and I went to the gym and then I took her to the aquarium store. She has an all-too-well-developed obsession with fish, for her age. She loves Nemo (even though the movie is a little scary at times... we choose which scenes for her to watch), and she has this book called Not Norman, that she insists on reading at least twice every night before bed (and sometimes during the day). So, I decided that she needs a goldfish. Immediately, in the fish store, one swam over and kept swimming near the glass, looking at us and seemingly smiling, and she kept yelling "Norman!". So, we brought him home. Here he is, in the Nemo fish tank I got her during the same visit to the fish store:



And here she is, helping me set up the tank and introduce Norman to her bedroom. Oh, and this movie will also give you a glimpse at her language skills. We're super-impressed with those! This little lady repeats everything we say (a little scary, in our house!). Give this movie some time to load, it's pretty big.



Every time she gets hungry, just before a meal, she asks me to feed Norman, by saying 'hungy, norman, feed'. She's very caring about her first pet! And that's a good sign. Here we go.....

And here she is with daddy, getting ready for bed. She loves to watch videos of herself, and daddy lets her calm down that way. Better than TV!!



She has a cough, so she has Vicks on her feet, under her socks. Apparently, according to her pediatrician and several pharmacists, that's the only way to go for kids under 6, as the drug companies have pulled all meds from the shelves. I'll tell ya, we did it last nite, and it really worked, and I haven't heard her cough yet tonite. Yay!

Sunday, Riley and I went to Jasper's Cuatro de Mayo party. It was fun! Randi made her super-famous artichoke dip (which I have to admit I splurged on... but get a Jenny Craig update later...), and they had a pinata, which was well-received by all the babes (and a couple of adults, surprise, surprise!). Riley was the ring girl. Between each contestant, she went in to check out the donkey and make sure everything was good to go. And be sure to note, when Riley gets ahold of the moraca, she says
'thank you' all on her own! Check it out:



Oh, and here's the ring girl with a mouthful of some yummy chicken pesto sausage (super-sexy, Ri!):



And here's that great kiss that she and Sophie do:






And as for me... I have a huge accomplishment to share. I have lost a total of 17 lbs and 20 inches, in 3 months! Today, I decided to brave it and try to fit into some pre-Riley clothing. I think I was able to transfer about 10 pairs of pants back into my closet! And my favorite pair of cords fits me loosely, like they used to! Hot-diggity-dog! Now, that is reason to continue on. I forgot how cute some of my pants were. And now, I'm washing and retiring my fatty pants (but will keep them for after #2, just in case).

It was amazing. I had a few slow weeks (staying the same weight, or gaining 1 pound a week... not acceptable!), and finally figured out that it was the International Delight CRAP I was putting in my coffee. Yeah, it's a delight alright, until you look at the scale! OK... 45 calories per tablespoon, 3 tablespoons per cup, and 4 cups per day (albeit decaf, remember....). Yeeeeah..... that equals about 500 calories PER DAY!!! That's like, an extra meal or two! But it's so yummy, that I just decided to cut out coffee altogether. Well, OK, not altogether... I have a "double decaf non-fat latte" once a week with the mommies. I think I deserve that. Don't I?

Oh yeah, Friday, we're headed to LA to interview Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead. Yeah, Riley has a review column on the new Jackass website (look for reviews in the future... I'll be sure to let you know when they're live) But, Friday, Riley and Johnny Knoxville will be interviewing Lemmy in the studio, about Motorhead's new album coming out in August, as well as the Lemmy doll that will accompany it. Riley's already reviewed the doll:



Wish me luck... those Jackass guys are nothin' to write home about... (well, yeah, they are) heheheheh!

Hangin' in the yard!

Riley and I showed up at music class the day after our huge playdate, and Melinda thought our appearance was so hysterical, she had to take a photo on her phone. Thanks for sharing, Melinda! We do match in a very funny way, with our huge sunglasses (so stylish!!):



Oh, and a little update on the glamour playdate... just a funny little tidbit about Riley that one of my mom friends passed along:

"Riley was sitting at the table with Randi and said something funny (I can't remember what), so I said, 'Riley, you can say a million things.' Randi asked, 'Riley, is that true? Can you say a million things?' And of course, Miss Riley then said 'a million things!' She's a comedy prodigy."

The weather has been so nice, Riley and daddy (when he can) and I have been spending a lot of time in the back yard, with her sandbox and her new slide. We have a lot of fun out there. And every time Riley climbs to the top of the slide, she begs me to get the camera out. She yells 'cama! cama!', and she won't slide down until I take at least one photo. And here are the results:











Here are some sandbox shots:





The other day we were hanging out in the yard, and a ladybug landed on one of her toys. She has a book about ladybugs that she loves, but she's never seen a real one. So I put it on her hand. She was so sweet to it! And then, I found a snail under some leaves, and showed it to her. She pet it with the back of her hand (the way she was taught to do it at her zoo classes), and gave it a flower. What a sweetheart. Now, every time we go out there, she looks for the 'nail' on the 'weaf' where we left it.




We bought her this new hat on the Haight, and she loves it. She puts it on and wears it like a little gangster, really low on her forehead. She's such a stylin' babe.




Yesterday, I went shopping with Steph and Jason for their baby registry. My gawd, poor Jason. I forgot how grueling and painful the registry can be for parents who have no idea what they're doing (but, I remembered very quickly). Steph was so grateful for me helping her. I know Jason was too, since he kept giving me hi-fives when I made Steph put something on the registry that she was iffy about. I know he just wanted the free gift you get for registering 125 items. It was a bottle. He was bummed. I wonder what he thought it might have been... but I had fun!! Jason was, I think, more stressed out than Russell was on this particular outing!





I also posted some photos of Riley's first Easter egg coloring extravaganza!