Sebastian's little nest.

Sebastian just *LOVES* his new bedroom. Besides, what kid wouldn't... really? It's chock full of his toys and treasures, comes with a big boy bed, has a reading area + a table for doing puzzles and the like. 

In all honesty, the decision to get Sebastian at least part time into his own bed was mostly selfish. I want my husband to stay sane. ;) There were lots of complaints arising about going days without cuddles (and other physical forms of loving expression). I mentioned that I'd like a full sized bed for Sebastian for ease of nursing him to sleep, and strangely was met with another case of instant manifestation. Ben's dad was wishing to downsize to a single bed... so he went out and bought one and we took the full bed off his hands. It has been one of the best decisions we have made in awhile. Sebastian asks to go to sleep now! There is no struggle. He is on a schedule, even. About 9:30pm we go off and cuddle up in the bed. We read a book or 2 and then it's lights out and candle on. He's asleep by 9:45 every night. I get to cuddle with Ben until at least 3:30am; sometimes until 7am! When Sebastian wakes up, I go in and sleep with him. This has made him totally uninterested in the parental bed. Let's just say, Ben is much happier. 

I am much happier, too, as I find myself with little bits of free time. Sebastian disappears and I hear him singing to himself and spreading his toys all over the room. Sometimes I find him reading or just staring out the window. Talk about making the mama's heart soar... Though this project took 2 months to complete with wall paper removal, wall mudding, primering, painting, etc., his happiness has made it all worthwhile. 

Of course, there are a few details left to iron out. One set of curtains needs hemming, one side table needs painted (the reddish one by the bed) & we have a super fantastic modern ceiling fan to be installed. Beyond that, this kid is set. We even added vintage inspired ABC prints as a border. Sebastian points up and says, "A. B. She. D. hee. hum. who.". I guess it's all gibberish after D anyway. :) 

Shasta totally approves... and as a cat, I suppose it is her prerogative to think that her opinion is most important. Actually, I think Sebastian agrees with her. He is always so happy to see the kitties in his room. I just love coming in and finding them curled up at his feet. So sweet. 

Thanks for taking a peek! We are so relieved to have finished our first major house related project. Looking forward to sharing the next. <3

Firsts.

I was chatting with Ben and Dud down in the basement a couple of evenings ago and happened around to complaining that I missed my old tiny camera (that I dropped last Thanksgiving... less than an inch from the ground and jostled into disrepair). Funny how manifestation works. Dud says, "You need a small camera? I have one I have never used. Want it?". So this is the post where I am testing out the new goods. It's an older model, but compact and exactly what I need for carrying on the go. Plus, the timing couldn't be better. I just made reservations for a train trip with Sebastian back to Sacramento/Davis to visit the family and friends! We are very excited! Plus, there is a bonus trip to Yosemite. It'll be a trip full of firsts. First chance to experience the beauty of Yosemite. First train ride for Sebastian. First big solo adventure with Sebastian for me. So.freakin'.excited. We leave on the 4th of June. Looking forward to gracing this space with fabulous photos of our impending adventure. In the meantime, enjoy some of what is growing and blossoming currently:

-: 1st peony of the season :-

-: First Rose! :-

-: Potato patch :-

-: More soil being worked :-

So long, furry friend.

We went in search of a dog at the beginning of April and came home with Jasper. Big, beautiful, cuddly, neurotic, possessive, cat chasing, stuff chewing Jasper. Ben fell in love with him at first sight. Sebastian loved to chase and play with him. Honestly, it took me some time to come to love him. I LOVE animals... and it was my idea to get a dog. This, however, turned out simply to not be a good match for our family. While he was overall gentle, he knocked Sebastian over constantly due to his size and level of excitement. On two occasions, Sebastian was bitten while attempting to play while Jasper was enjoying a treat. Both instances resulted in big bruises on Sebastian's legs. On top of all of that, this guy chewed up anything and everything he had access to when left alone for more than a half hour. We aren't gone much, but we do occasionally like to get out. 

We wrestled with our decision for a couple of weeks, and finally we realized that the stress of having him around was much greater than the stress of letting him go... Which is saying a lot considering my lack of sleep this past week. We took him in and provided detailed information to the shelter so he can be placed with an appropriate family. We rescued him from a 'no kill' shelter and had an agreement to return him to them if things didn't work out. For that I am thankful. Jasper will find a home. (I still cried my eyes out when we turned him over). 

I'm not sure what Sebastian thinks about it all. He was sleeping when we did the deed, and then Jasper was gone. 

Jasper: We send you off with wishes for a happy life in a loving home; with older children and cats that love to be chased. May you have tons of room to run, someone to walk you as much as you need, a friend to rub your belly and put peanut butter in your Kong toy. It was so hard to let you go... and I already miss you so. 

Tiny visual tidbits.

Why I am loving SLC:

Major incentive for getting up early: Seeing dawn break over the mountain.

Irises on the side of the house! Peonies soon to follow. 

Later in the day. Crazy weather!

And yes... a rainbow!

A simply delicious day.

Memories in the making.

Yesterday Benjamin & I woke up with the sun and ventured out into the garden to get the corn planted while Sebastian slept. Sebastian rose up with giggles and smiles & we set about our daily routine of gathering on the porch for coffee/juice, toast/"o's" & bananas. We've been working so hard on the garden + it was such a beautiful day that I suggested we take a break and go for a little drive. Ben was down, so we gathered the kid & a few snacks and headed out on what we thought would be just an hour venture up the canyon. 

We drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon (about 10 minutes from our house to the mouth of the canyon). The roads were clear so we decided to go up to the top and make some stops on the way back. It was a little drizzly once we got up there, so our first stop was a log cabin cafe for coffee and snacks and a picture window view of the forest. Fantastico! With cheesy grits in the baby, a cinnamon roll in the mama and english muffin in the papa we ventured forth. 

The sky cleared up, so Ben pulled off at a place that he remembered visiting once before. We grabbed our gear and just started walking. 

What fun to have no time constraints or destination! We thought we might hit Donut Falls (water comes through the center of a rock), but we got a good 1.25 miles in and met a fellow hiker who informed us that we would be wading thigh deep in the icy creek if we kept going. I had already been ill prepared in my socks and sandals, so the thought of slipping with the baby on my back sealed the deal. We turned back and slowly made our way back down the hill toward the car. 

We trudged through the snow holding hands and stopped to take in the view every 50 feet. Ben scooped up a worm laying still in the ice & it rejoiced at the warmth of his hand... so he found a nice spot on the side of a hill and released it back into the earth. We oooohed and ahhhed as we watch it disappear. All in all, we reveled in the leisure of the day. 

Stumbling upon an Aspen Grove was a highlight for me. :) 

And the highlight for Sebastian? Being released from the shackles of his baby carrier. He ran so fast we could hardly get a picture. When he finally did stop, his eyes widened and he kept saying "wock! wock!". He had discovered small pebbles around the boulders along the path. The kid was in rock heaven. He'd scoop up an armload and drop half of them when he'd bend down for the next find. When we eventually made it to the car, he tried to escape back down the hill yelling about "MORE wocks!". He cried in the car until we hit the freeway. We saved the day with promises of burritos (which he calls Bree-toes). Well, you know... the rest is history. (Or good memories at the very least). We plan to try to make it to the Falls again in a month or so when the snow surely will have melted. 

Interview #1 - Sebastian.

He's a tad bit camera shy, but he'll open up over time. 

He's also pushing 4 teeth and has a bit of a fever... 

So all in all he was a very good sport. ;) 

A very happy Mama's Day.

Sunday arrived with promises of lunch & a day on the town. Sunday delivered. Really I should give full credit to Benjamin. ;) We ventured out for brunch at the fabulous Red Rock Brewery located downtown. It is so fabulous that we have now been there twice in the 2 months since we moved to Salt Lake. I was treated to the Chicken Parmesan I have been craving for weeks and Ben the Cobb Salad. Sebastian was super happy to partake in both of our meals... These days he really does require his own plate. 3 full bellies & a beer each (for the adults, of course) later, we moseyed on over to Tracey Aviary in Liberty Park. 

With all fondness, I call it the bird zoo. Bird zoo is awesome; aside from the whole horrible birds-behind-bars part. Most of the birds there seemed to have injuries that would prevent them from being in the wild, anyhow, so we quickly got past our sadness. It couldn't have been a lovelier day for gandering at geese and the like. Sebastian had great fun romping around the grounds in search of "wocks" (rocks are a new fave fascination) and flowers (he sniffs and points at every flower he passes. *Every* flower.). He enjoyed the freedom of running from bird to dirt clump to whatever else caught his eye. Mainly he was ecstatic to not be in the stroller. 

After we had our fill of bird gawking, we made our way through the park and took in the possibilities for our next visit. When Sebastian is a little bigger he will enjoy riding on the carousel or the mini ferris wheel. I am looking forward to having some visitors come hang with him in the park so that Ben and I can cruise around the pond in the paddle boats. (Any volunteers?) *AND* much to my hippie loving delight: Sunday afternoons on the hill = drum circle! :) Lots of fun prospects... 

We decided that no Mother's Day outing would be official without a little taste of ice cream... So we made our way over to Baskin Robbins for 2 of the 31 flavors. Ben and I would have much preferred a visit to the local gelateria, but hey, it's Sunday in Salt Lake City: we were totally enthralled that ice cream was an option at all. It's funny to me that we are so classic in our choices. I introduced Sebastian to the wonders of mint chip & Ben chowed his rocky road like it was a tootsie pop (lick.lick.crunch.gone). When we were all done, I asked Sebastian if he was ready to go home. He reached up and said "yeah". I asked him if he was happy... He smiled the biggest grin and said "OH yeah". Another perfect ending to another beautiful day. It's going to be hard to top this years Mama's Day next time around. 

Garden blessing.

Being far from our magical family is extra hard at Beltane. I am used to welcoming springtime's fertility and increasing heat with a large group of free spirits; dancing, singing, eating divine treats & laughing merrily all the way. Of course, I couldn't let our new locale prevent us from celebrating this year. How could I? After all, we have a fabulous garden plot just aching to receive blessings as we prepare to spread seeds & transplant seedlings. 

I am sure Sebastian enjoyed eating & smelling flowers more than the maypole dance, itself... He did humor me, though. Ben lent his energy by taking photos and helping wrap the final strings around the pole. Yes, the pole is a shovel. It seemed fitting (& the perfect size for a child-centered ritual). I have to say: while I miss my magical family, I relished the intimacy of our tiny family celebrating together. Small. Short. Sweet. Perfect. 

Happy Lunar Beltane! d

Red Butte Gardens.

Yesterday Ben, Sebastian & I ventured out with exploration in mind. We landed at the Red Butte Gardens; Salt Lake City's arboretum. Okay, yes the admission is $6 per adult (free for children 3 and under), but this arboretum was so much more than I could have imagined. You take your standard herb garden, medicine garden, fragrant garden & then mix in a children's garden, 15,000 bulbs  & *YES* an amphitheater. It couldn't possibly be better. The amphitheater hosts big name bands every late spring through summer... I'm seriously contemplating a trip to see Neko Case. Possibly even the Indigo Girls. Seriously, the venue is less than 2 miles from my house. I would be a fool not to take advantage of such luxuries.

Anyway, back to the garden: We explored, we saw, we enjoyed. We even picnicked. It was great fun. The weather was amazing. Just beautiful. I can't wait to go back! 

Simple gifts.

With the sun peeking out more and more, we are finding ourselves gathering outside on the porch in the afternoons & evenings. It seems like an obvious choice. Sipping wine, eating dinner, sharing smiles and just sitting with a content heart... I find myself reflecting upon my childhood; remembering my grandparents, parents & extended family/friends out on the patio at the family cabin snacking and playing cards late into the night. My heart swells with gratitude for the simple gifts that I inherited during those summers at Shasta Lake. The blessings just continue to pour out into my here and now life. My current wish is that later down the road my memories of this time are just as cherished; by Sebastian as much as the rest of us. It wouldn't hurt to have more skies as pretty as we did last night, either. ;) 

Signs of settling in.

We made it to Utah & are finally feeling settled. We are loving the increase in living space, unlimited gardening opportunities, family meals at the dining table, crisp mountain air, & hour long walks around our hilly neighborhood. Aside from missing our family and friends back in California, we seriously couldn't be happier. There are still a lot of unknowns, but this change just feels so 'right'.

Sebastian is blossoming in every way; exploring his voice, signing, running, jumping, tumbling, dancing & developing a hysterical sense of humor. Needless to say, we are loving him to pieces. 

I am excited about being able to share stories & keep you all updated in this space & I look forward to any suggestions/feedback/comments you'd like to point my way. In the meantime, enjoy a peek at the last few weeks: 

Absolute pure happiness! 

Let the sprouting begin! 

Catchers of light.

Veggie starts pushing through! 

Poster girl for gettin' things done.