Train for Sale + Insta-Friday + Video

Remember this post where I detailed the story of standing in line on Thanksgiving night at 9 months pregnant with Andrew? The one where we bought him his first Thomas the Train starter set?

Yeah, so we decided it makes us too sad to keep that around and someone's coming by this afternoon. We have nothing against trains themselves, and as a matter of fact, Benjamin's first Christmas ornament was purchased in Germany and it's a little locomotive. We're cool with him having train things and even a train... just not the one we bought for Andrew.

We've decided to encourage and invest in Lego instead.

Moving on to Insta-Friday after that little uplifting update.

Sweet Chili Pistachios. New favorite.

Broccoli stalk must have worked because this baby now has four teeth!

Dinner Thursday night: vegetarian & meat cabbage rolls. I added parmesan to the top as well.
Also read: leftovers = dinner tonight

As soon as B showed signs of a cold, I bought this bad boy along with 20 extra filters on Amazon. Took FO-EVA to get here, but now that it's here, we're one happy, snot-sucking family.

And finally... B getting on all-fours and totally angry about the whole ordeal. His motivation was the laptop cord. He sort of has a love affair with it. For Christmas, send laptop cords. Thanks.

Insta-Friday + The Sumo Wrestlers are Back

What a day. What a night, really. We were just hanging out on the couch around 9 and heard B crying. Ray went upstairs after awhile and held B for about 5 minutes and he fell back asleep. Just as Ray was wrapping up the Steve Jobs Biography, B started crying again... this time around 11:30. This type of behavior is very unusual for Benjamin. When he used to wake up during the night, it wouldn't be before 3 or 4. This was twice, much earlier. It didn't occur to us that B could be sick. That's right... the sumo wrestlers are now attacking the B-man. Sure enough, Ray returned downstairs, this time with a very snot-nosed bebe, still groggy in his sleepsack (no fever). I used the aspirator and then decided I would bite the bullet and buy the Nose Frida. I gave my friend a lot of grief for sucking out her twin kiddos' boogers with that thing. And then I read all the reviews on Amazon {well, not all of them, because wow, y'all} and decided baby sicknesses are miserable and sucking them out with my own mouth {barf} was the least I could do to provide him some comfort and both of us some sleep.

Our next concern was... what to do? Poor B couldn't sleep because he was all stuffed up when he was laying flat. He needed a good night's sleep. We don't own a recliner, though I'm heavily considering a Craigslist purchase now. We considered the Ergo, but he would be laying on his belly and that's not the best for congestion. So there we were, back to... the carseat. He spent a good 1-2 months sleeping in his carseat in the earlier days of sleep drama between the co-sleeper and the crib transition. We found ourselves putting him in his carseat when he woke up again for the third time at 2:30. He slept until 9:30. He had another nearly 2 hour nap in there already today as well.

What a lifesaver that carseat is. I almost wish I had one just my size for when I get super congested and have to sleep with 12 pillows propped under my head. Full day 1 of sickness is underway. And let's not forget that he's getting a top tooth any day now and drooling like a fool. That's snot dripping and booger bubbles and drool. How to handle all these...... fluids. And I won't even get into the other bodily functions that are particularly messy and rank lately.

Kids are disgusting. But man do I love this boy. On to the week in pictures. I promise I'm working on the Nashville/California post. There are going to be about 50 pictures in that post. At least.

Champagne on a random evening. This particular bottle was given to us for Andrew's celebratory arrival. Yes, from you, Alison. We never felt proper drinking it to celebrate, so instead we picked a random day of the week to drink it and celebrate both of our boys. I love champagne and I love my boys.

B is usually covered in oatmeal before bathtime. Unless we wanted the bath to be an oatmeal  scrub treatment, we usually put B in the sink for a quick pre-soak/wipedown while his bathwater is warming. He quite enjoys his miniature hot tub.

Love me some Tillamook. More evidence that I belong in the PNW.

Teething baby with mom's lip balm. We only have 10 other teethers, but the lip balm wins every time.

This fruit is called rambutan. We had it on our honeymoon (sweet like a  grape) and I saw it at the market yesterday. 

This morning. Sick bebe: sad, snotty, and teething. Ergo carrying around the house

Insta-Friday

It's been awhile since my last Friday edition. Time for a recap of the last week and some change. The sumo wrestlers aren't slamming my head with bricks anymore, but my head still feels like 100 lbs. This post won't be nearly as witty as usual. Apologies.

Freebie birthday Venti Caramel Apple Cider in Nashville? Yes, please.

Cutest little cowboy eva.

My first son. Just not the kind of photos I'd ever thought I'd have. Ever.
Taken on the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Let our voices be heard.
We love our babies no matter how uncomfortable it makes others feel.

Airplanes. His second home. Ha.

Get. in. my. belly.

Delish California brew. Brooke agrees. She told me.

I love. 

He is so freaking beautiful.

4 days in California means I visit at least two Rite-Aid stores for Thrifty ice cream. Obviously.
This, my friends, is chocolate malted crunch. Uh-mazing.

That's the infamous packing list I use to pack our luggage.
3 highlighter colors = 3 trips.
3 highlighter colors = 1 exhausted mama.

omg. 

Hello, old lady serum!

Rockin' the kicks

The key to our hearts. Chocolate.
My in-laws rock!

My attempt at Lomo Saltado. I already miss El Pollo Inka. And the Rohde family who are always our dates to that restaurant.

Bath time just got a whole lot more interesting. Mobile monster.

Insta-Friday - Germany Edition

I took a good number of Instagram photos on our trip to Germany that were never actually published. Now I'm going to share some of the never before seen footage. ;)

{read: too cheap to pay the international fees to post every single picture. Also, for a tip, turn on airplane mode and you can shoot away! Each picture will "fail" to publish but will still save with the cool filters to your phone. I learned that from Pinterest.}

This one was actually published just before boarding our flight over the Atlantic. He was dressed for bed as we attempted to keep him on the schedule he usually has, at least for the flight over.

View from a room at Dad's work in Germany. Looks peaceful, except the part about me holding a wriggling baby who will. not. go. to. sleep in my arms. Hellooooo time change!

Off on a walk to the bakery...

The beauty of Dresden

More Zwinger photos in the Dresden Palace.

Bakery bread, water, and the stroller.

Typical German cookies at markets... this one found at a fall market in Dresden. Reads: I love you.

The husband just couldn't resist another sausage. This one purchased while filling gas.

This is the small town we lived in for 6 months. The thought of them having a monster truck rally is hilarious to me.

Perfection. A pretzel and Apfel Schorle. It's basically 1/2 sparkling mineral water and 1/2 apple juice. Yum-o.

Just sitting down to dinner in Nuremberg.

Mmm... beer condensation. See the grip he's got on that glass? Yeahhhh. Proud parents.

The brew.

May I help you?

The kid has good taste... what can I say?

Last night in Germany. A sink bath.

Airplane eats. Anyone know if this is available in the U.S.? If so, I'm buying a case.

Sleepy chunk on the airplane.

Not-so-sleepy chunk on the airplane.

Sleepy chunk once again. Jet-lag + time change = passed out 

Post-lunch squirrel watch session while Mom washes dishes. Possibly contemplating the meaning of life as well.

Omg Mom, what are these green and yellow things all around me?

It's wake-up time! Baby legs are now arm warmers as they're perfect for fall weather to use with his cute, but Mom's not ready to ditch all his short-sleeved, onesies. Also, Dad may have banned Baby legs from being worn on... legs.

My fave pasta in my fave pot. 

Handsome lunch date at Which Wich on a Wednesday. Alliterative what?

I can already foresee the weekend activities at our house. Leaves, leaves, leaves.

And hey, how about a video? It's just over a minute, but around 55 seconds, he proves that sippy cups are no longer made by lucifer and, in fact, are actually quite awesome. He's been doing this for a few days now, after months of coaxing him with sugar on the end of the straw and washing it everysingleday to practice. Victory!

That's about 2 tablespoons of prune juice + water in case you were curious.