SUN!!!

And strawberries,
and artichokes,
and spinach and swiss chard,
and a DAY OFF!!!
a HEALTHY Forrest!
a day of bike riding and relaxation,
and good beer and great neighbors
and an Aunt Megan....

Enough said...:-)

Fat Lip Fulton

Poor Forrest's first blood and guts story. A hyper, hurried, and VERY happy baby mind you meets his match with our stone kitchen floor....OUCH!
Forrest has taken to finding and LOVING trinkets from the outside. Sticks, stones, acorns, you name it, he's got it in his fist. And.....he loves to run with these treasures in his fists, which obviously limits his "catching" capabilities, (the little skills a one year old has...)
And, poor little Forrest tripped, face planted, and had his front tooth pierce his lip....DOUBLE OUCH!
But, a mouth full of blood later, some ooos and ahhhhs from the parents later, and all was good, as his mama has learned that lacerations inside the mouth heal dramatically fast, no stitches needed.

THANK GOODNESS!!!! Enjoy my fat lipped snotty faced but thankfully beautifully healing baby...:-)

Freezing spring and other thoughts

Rain, rain, and more rain. This spring is WET! And COLD! This household is ready for the hot and steamy summer temps...and yes, I know, before I can send this into cyber space the 90+ degree heat will be around the corner. But, when your HIGH is 49 and Memorial Day is next weekend, the OFFICIAL kick off to summer, it just doesn't feel right. I think our garden broccoli is the only happy camper...it is "broccolling" up a storm, getting ready for our bellys!
Mr. Forrest is lamenting in the crappy weather as well. He's got his 4th cold in as many months, and I do believe he has been a sick kiddo more days than well. I guess I can thank daycare for that. This most recent bug brought us the croupy barking seal cough and all the snot along with it. His little immune system I'm sure is on over drive, as he also recently had his 1 year vaccinations...but other than that, he is wonderful, starting to imitate and perhaps even talk, and is as active as ever. He's pushing through his molars and grinds his teeth on occasion, drives us up the wall! And he has got an arm on him! The kid can throw just about anything more accurately and farther than most...just remember to duck!

Hi favorite foods, garden fresh STRAWBERRIES!!!!! (we've got tons!) and farm fresh eggs, (we've also got tons!) Makes feeding him easy...or at least easier...
His most recent stats, at 14 mos...22 lbs, 30 inches tall. And still has a huge head.
Here he is playing on the front steps in our showery weather with my trusty stead...a future rider?

Lupin Land....

Mother's Day on the ranch, what more can you ask for?

Mother's Day...

Today I hurt. My back, my butt, my neck is crinked, my right ankle is sore for some reason, and of course the legs, oh the legs...and it is a great day, a great weekend! Yesterday I had a blast...waking up at 5:00 a.m., loading my bike and gear, and driving down to Ferndale to ride in the Tour Of the Unknown Coast. I succeeded in riding farther than I thought I would be able to, climb more vertical feet than I normally would have cared to, and achieved the bliss a rider does while riding through redwood trees with a fast paceline topping speeds you wouldn't top while alone.
The ride ended with me hurting, a lot. And also grinning ear to ear with accomplishment. This is most likely my last long ride of my 20's, my longest ride ever as a mama, and well, it was just a kick ass kind of day.
I drove home to arrive to a quiet house, a napping baby, and a husband who was stoked at the wonderful day HE had with his son.
I don't think it can get much better than this, do you?
So, on this mother's day, yes I hurt, but I also had the pleasure of eating smoked salmon on bagels with Larrupin sauce, drinking some great coffee, and having my little boy climb into my lap, and give me a huge hug.
That last part is really what it's all about...

Bok Choi anyone?

Dinning with Forrest has been a pleasure lately, a full blown food flying, temper tantrum, chewed food spitting pleasure. Our little angel eater that would literally gobble down anything you put in front of him has left the building and in his place is a VERY stubborn, testy, toddler. We used to be able to feed him loads or home grown, organic, loved, fruits and veggies, and now we're lucky if he doesn't chuck it back at us.
So, bring on the bok choi.
A vegetable that is currently plentiful here in our spring Fultmeyer garden.
Known well in asian stirfrys, soups, perhaps lightly steamed with a bit of seasame oil???
Yeah, not exactly baby food.
So, in the full mama effort to be sure her baby is eating SOMETHING green,
SOMETHING without processed whatchamacallits,
SOMETHING with good, brain growing vitamins,
SOMETHING that isn't baby puffs, baby cereal bars, applesauce, or milk/juice,
she has created the PERFECT toddler food, (and I'm absolutely certain this is my idea SOLELY...:-)

 Introduce, Annie's Organic Mac and Cheese, found conveniently at Costco, (yeah, I know, not exactly local, small box store...) and tons of bok choi. Add in a little left over pureed baby peas Forrest won't touch on their own, plus or minus some cottage cheese or chicken pureed up for extra protein and you've got yourself a well rounded baby meal.
The KEY is to puree all ingredients EXCEPT the mac and cheese.
As Forrest will tell you he LOVES to feed himself those tasty noodles, (with the hidden nutrient rich sauce/veggies that he will never know about...hehe....)

So, that's my one baby meal secret. Now it's your turn to share....I'm all ears as I'm sure the mac and cheese idea will get old quick, everything seems too.....

The Mom-ster!!!

Thanks Sis-Aunt for the box of goodies! Nat is the BOMB... diddley! Forrest thinks so too...

My little motor head...

When mama leaves for work, boys will be boys....

to bike or not to bike...

It's NOT a question, if it were, obviously I would say "BIKE!"
But, unfortunately, due to a very wet spring, and this little thing called life and my job getting in the way, I have, regrettably, NOT been choosing the bike. Therefore my New Year's goal to do the dreaded but oh so attempting Tour of the Unknown Coast, (100 miles, 10,000 ft of climbing...can your legs hurt more?) just isn't gonna happen. I'm still going to make the metric century on that same day happen. I'm tempted to just go for it with the century, and knowingly die in the end, but it really really would not be fun, and not be good for my health. So...next year TUC, I'm there....I'll have to pick out a century or two later this summer to do when I get get my butt in to gear, and when life slows down a bit, (hmmm, does that happen?)

Despite the onslaught of work, illness, and life in general I did manage to get out on a good ride last weekend. It was an Oh SO beautiful day, one of those days that makes you want to sing.

It was only 14 miles, but with 2,000 feet of climbing....which is typical of bike rides in my neck of the woods, all are straight up and down.
Riding makes me happy. I'm not totally sure why, but it just does. It feels good, during and after. Something about the wind in your face, being outside, and being STRONG!

Whoever invented the bicycle deserves the thanks of humanity.

- Lord Charles Beresford Miscellaneous

Spring fever and the 13 month old....

Yep, Forrest has officially hit his teenage months...THIRTEEN months! This last month was a toughie for our little boy. He got a nasty cold with cough, and before he could blink, ALSO came down with the stomach flu. He was hardly eating for a solid week. Thankfully, the last five days we have seen the return of our little tank, and he now is out eating both Alex and I. You seriously cannot keep the kid fed. Or perhaps you can, as you'll find food being thrown back at you in the split second he decides he's had enough, but I really don't understand how our little pint sized boy can pack it all in?
For example...how does 2 1/2 yogurts, half a container of baby puffs, a large bowl of chicken noodle soup, milk, and juice sound for lunch? (okay, maybe snack and lunch, but still....)
Hmmmm, perhaps I didn't get the memo we were growing a sumo wrestler?
Regardless, I'm ecstatic we have our baby back. Not eating was starting to worry me. I like his little baby pot belly just the way it is!
Thirteen month Forrest still doesn't have words, and his forms of communication continue to keep me guessing. He's taken head banging to a new level and will follow me around purposefully banging away trying to get attention. Both Alex and I are trying to ignore it so he realizes it just won't work. We're also contemplating a time out area for a minute or so, but haven't done that yet. I know head banging can be normal, but when your kid's head is "BANG" hitting "BANG" the oven door, or "BANG" even "BANG" the slate kitchen floor "BANG BANG" you start to worry....

Forrest's activity is quite amazing. He's everywhere and is infatuated with all sorts of things. The usual suspects, rocks, dirt, grass, and sticks still captivate him. He loves to sit in our tall grass, with some dirt, and pick the grass throwing it into the dirt pile, and do the same with the dirt clods...throw them into the grass. He garbles on to himself and to us on and on and smiles and giggles all the time. Makes for some lovely "thank goodness the baby is occupied and not throwing himself down the hill so I can get some gardening done" time...:-)
He's moved into running. I think his activity tuckers him out...as he's been a decent napper lately. Still stuck on the pacifier at naps and nighttime...and in the car. I don't know his official weight and height...we are a bit late for his 1 year appointment, but it is coming up in the next 2 weeks so I'll let you know what our lunk of baby love is tipping the scales at. All in all he is quite the character! He cracks Alex and I up on a regular basis. He's a little groover, be bopping his head to his baby music.
His personality is coming through which is awesome......

Summer is coming and we can't wait to let him explore our beautiful home more. It'll be a TON of work keeping up with him, but so much fun....
(keep the coffee coming...:-)