2.4 years and then!!!!!!

And then I had to let go of the notion I could raise a kid without antibiotics.  I guess I also underestimated having a kid who would put their mouth on EVERYTHING.  Ben has had on and off preschool crud since the late fall.  He was totally free of sniffles, congestion and coughs by the end of Christmas break and then it all started again.  He has had a mild cough for a few weeks but never a fever and never a dull spirit so I chalked it up to preschool.  I recently read about how a virus mutated around a hospital-it's DNA sequence changing with each patient.  Well if what goes around Ben's preschool changes with each kid and therefore leaving the previously infected vulnerable to the new strain, I'd say we'll be over this in about 22 years. :)
Tuesday he awoke with a runny eye but still no fever and happy as could be.  Yesterday the eye was worse and my momma sense told me to get a Dr. appointment.  I just wanted to be sure that with the cough and everything else, I wasn't leaving my poor Monkey to a battle he couldn't win.  So, we went, they saw, and my notions were conquered.  The runny eye was infection spreading from his ears and though his nasal sinuses looked fine, because everything is connected, the Dr. feared he may also have a sinus infection.  So, we gave in and the Nugget is on his first antibiotics and probiotics to counter-act them and some herbal ear drops too.  I take great comfort in knowing my hippie Dr's only prescribe antibiotics as a last resort and was glad my momma sense had been correct.  The Dr. said I was right to let the cough and other crud linger and that this infection was new and would have made itself more strongly known with pain and fever in the coming days.
I tell you though if it weren't for the eyes, I'd have no clue he is sick.  I am trying to force fluids and have him take it easy but our taking it easy yesterday got me a kid who was babbling away until 10:30 pm.  We ventured to a park in today's bright sunshine and I tried my best to wear him out.  I kept him home from school as he hadn't yet been on the magic drugs for 24 hours.
Sadly, the Dada has a nasty cold as well.  He woke me with his coughing today before 5 am and I demanded he take some Nyquil and sleep for a few hours after he stated he should just get up and go to work!! He HAD to be to a meeting at 11 but I'm hopeful the liquids, sleep, and last night's homemade chicken soup will work their magic.  There is little I can do about his long long hours at work except remind him they are no way to get better quickly.
Parenthood is certainly about letting go and about constantly changing expectations.  I'll admit the childhood free of antibiotics was a stretch but no one can blame me for trying :).

"Mom I can take that picture for you."

a smile for......Dada, and proof he'd feeling a-ok.

300

three.hundred. 300!!! one hundred + one hundred + one hundred.  This is the 300th post in It all began with Ben and a bbq.  

from the bbq where it all began

It gives some perspective to all we've done in the last 2.5 years.  I am overwhelmingly grateful to have this blog and this wonderful piece of family history.  There are days-many, in fact, when blogging is just another thing on my to-do list.  I can say though there is little else on my to-do list that is as rewarding.  This is a good reminder that I need to print the first two years-it's on my to-do list. :)  Big thanks to everyone who reads our story and special thanks to those who comment.  The comments will be printed and I have peace knowing Ben will always know at least 3 people who were really important in our lives. :)
I know gratitude is a common theme around here but it bears repeating.  I am SO grateful for the time I get to spend with Ben and the hard work on Ryan's part that makes that possible.  I am grateful for our Tiny Tudor and its many charms and the amazing city and neighborhood we live in.  Today I am especially thankful for my health and with that I'll move on to post 3.0.1..................

Will and Meaghan became the Masons!!

Ryan and I returned VERY late Sunday night from a wonderful wedding weekend in Nashville.  MeeMee kindly took Friday off to watch the Nugget until Tante took over Friday night.  We are beyond lucky to have so much family so close and willing to help care for Ben.
I spent a lot of time before and during this trip thinking about just how important one-on-one sans kiddo time is in a marriage.  The time away is so important to re-connect and talk about everything or nothing without the constant needs of a toddler beckoning.  Thank-you wonderful family for your continued love and support of our family and our marriage.

Onto the fun...........
We arrived in rainy and cold Nashville about 130pm Friday and headed to The Hotel Indigo in downtown Nashville.  We met up with my college roommate Laura and her husband Tom for lunch at a Brewery on Broadway.  We hurry-scurried to try to catch a free show at The Bluebird Theater.  Although I've known about this place for many years, it has gained recent fame from the tv show Nashville.  I had tried to get tickets before we left and failed.  We tried for some of the 30 first-come, first-served seats but missed out on those as well. We decided to check out Whiskey Kitchen for dinner as it is co-owned by a friend's brother.  I would call the cuisine fancy bar-food but it was good and the whiskey selection pleased the boys.  We dropped Laura (who is 6 months pregnant) off for a rest and ventured back to Broadway in search of some live music.  The first band we encountered can only be described as nauseating but the second was AWESOME!  You can watch a clip here. I did some investigative work the next morning to find out who they were and if they were playing anymore while we were there.  At nearly ten o' clock we headed to grab Laura and meet up with everyone for some post-rehearsal drinks.  It was a joy to see many faces I hadn't in a long time.  Apparently the vodka-tonics were a joy as well!  We headed back down to Broadway in hopes the Chris Shrader band would still be there.  The band playing then was no comparison so we hiked back the hotel and called it a night.

Crazy bouncer-Tom coveted his furry coat.

The next day began for me with a killer headache.  I had only had one more drink than the week before at my birthday party but oy! did it hurt!  The ceremony was relatively early at 1pm so we did little besides eat breakfast before heading to the chapel.  The wedding was gorgeous and the chapel was breathtaking.  Both Bride and Groom were absolutely beaming with delight.  In fact, I'm not sure I've ever seen a bride so happy.  

LOVE this moment

the soft sunlight flooded the bride and her attendants

We had several hours before the reception so we headed to another friend-owned restaurant, Noshville.  I had been there several times before and it did not disappoint.  In fact, I would pay to have that matzo ball soup and those sandwiches shipped if I could.
We stopped briefly in the wedding-hosted hospitality suite in the penthouse of our hotel.  The hotel was in a very old building and despite the current renovations, lots of original charm was present.  The woodwork and window hardware in the suite were amazing.  I said to a friend after we checked in, "the room is charming, old and small-feels like home." :)

I was nearly drooling over this window hardware

How I caught the Bride on her ride to the suite :)

Ryan snuck a hug :)

At 5pm we all loaded into shuttles to make our way into the woods and to the Fontanel Mansion.  The mansion was quite a site and much of it was frozen in time when the Mandrels moved out.   The food was delicious, the band was awesome, and special touches made it a wedding to remember.  Will and Meaghan had a representative from the nearby Jack Daniels distillery on hand for a guided tasting as well as personalized cigars that could be enjoyed in the billiard room.  The groom owns a couple McDonalds in Nashville and platters of cheeseburgers came out with perfect timing near the end of the night.  It was a blast to dance the night away and to chat with many college friends I hadn't seen in too long.  

Yep, they had an indoor shooting range.

Barbara Mandrel's famous phonebook

First Dance

Will and mom

One of my favorites

the JD tasting was complete with JD girls!

Burger platter

the dance floor was on top of the pool

It was also a delightful surprise to chat with some other SAHMs and hear that we all have the same struggles and joys and that I'm not the only one who doesn't often know where her next shower will come from. :)
Thanks to Friday night's imbibing, I only enjoyed a couple of drinks at the wedding and Ryan and I were happy to turn-in when the shuttles returned us to the hotels.  This also meant we were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed early Sunday morning (one of us more than the other,) and we headed out to explore.  I had read about Marche in a NY Times 36 hours in Nashville feature and we headed there for a delicious breakfast.  We sat at a community table next to a delightful couple and their five year old son.  We both decided they would be our new best friends if they only lived in Denver.  We explored Green Hills a bit as I knew it from previous visits and really both enjoyed walking around the mall for a while without a toddler in tow.  I showed Ryan the prestigious and beautiful Belle Meade and we decided to continue on to the town of Franklin.  I had never been to the historic downtown and it was charming.  Old in Nashville is about 100 years older than old in Denver and Franklin was important in the Civil War.  We enjoyed a last kid-free meal at historic Puckett's Grocery and headed to the airport.  

We were thankful to get to use miles for our flights but this meant the trek home included a stop in Houston.  Finally hitting the pillow at nearly 1 am was tough.  I hope to forget how painful the final leg of our journey is before we are faced with the next similar travel conundrum. 

Ryan and I both quipped over and over what a wonderful getaway it was.  Next time we could even be kid-less for 4 days!  We were blessed to be included in Will and Meaghan's nuptials and celebration.  They are a match made in heaven and it will be an honor to watch their marriage flourish as they take on the next adventures life has planned for them.

tres! tres!

On Saturday I turned 33!! I have officially deemed this year, Tres! Tres!, (as in the Spanish numbers, not the French very, very.)  Although I do feel very very lots of things, I prefer the Tres! Tres! with a little Latin flair and a lot of feeling :).  
I told my Mom the other day that I feel a bit more relaxed and a bit more able to let go of some things that don't matter.  I'm also in a good place of putting  trying to put myself first when it comes to exercise and taking care of myself so I am better equipped to care for my family.  I hope I can continue that in the coming year.  I think another beauty of Tres! Tres! is a contentment that I haven't had for many years.  When we were in KS, I wanted to be a Mom, and then wanted to be home, and last year I wanted a home to be home in.  Although it's always good to want more in and from life, (and I do want a bigger dining room :), I feel pretty content with where we are.  
Saturday's celebration was a shining example of how blessed I am to be where I am surrounded by family and friends who went out of their way to make me feel tres magnifique.
I started the day with a run at Wash Park and my music and phone dying half way through cut my run short but gave me quiet time to contemplate the day.  Sadly, Ryan had to go into work for a bit but the weather was SO beautiful that I planned a picnic lunch in the park that he had to be back for :).
Molly joined Ben and I for a little shopping and playing and we all headed to the picnic.  

Sun, sand and flip-flops on Jan 19th! Another on a long list of reasons to love D-Town!

I sure heart these handsome boys :)

While Ben napped, Nana and Papa stopped by with a gift and a hug and the goal of throwing off my knowledge of the surprise that was to come later.  
I showered and beautified for my date with Ryan at nearby Wash Park Grill.  I had been thinking for many weeks that he and Molly were up to something as we were strolling one day before Christmas and he said, "so, I've been thinking about your birthday...."  Well, I know he hadn't given a second thought to my birthday and thought this must have been prompted by Molly.  They did lots to attempt to throw me off over the following weeks and though I still suspected something, I certainly didn't expect a room FULL of nearly 30 of my friends and family.  Ryan and I had been having drinks and appetizers down the street and I guess many people in our party had walked by and seen us sitting there.  Ryan even looked up at one point after getting a text and made me suspect there was still something going on.  I knew as soon as the hostess led us away from the main dining room that something was amiss but was overwhelmed and delighted at how many people came.  They even had specially printed menus!  Dinner was expectedly delicious, and the company was delightful! I certainly couldn't have planned it better if I tried.  I also think my husband learned he needs to ask me on dates more often. :)
HUGE thanks to all who came and all who made it happen.  I don't think I've felt so special since my wedding day and I was thrilled Tres! Tres! could be an excuse for us all to get together!

Caylee came to babysit Ben and he was THRILLED the next morning at these balloons.  They have entertained him (and his Dad) for days.

what i'd give......

for eyes so blue.............and so big...............

 

What I can say is that if I had a dime for every time someone stopped and stared me down after seeing these eyes, to see if I had them too, I'd be very rich!

Guests!!

Last weekend we had our first official non-family house guests!  Friends Brian and Angela from Wichita joined us for a weekend packed with fun and bitter, bitter cold.  My friend Tisha brought Angela to our dissolving book club back when we lived in Wichita and for a reason only the universe knows, our friendship stuck.  Angela, you see, is not only a Husker but a Duke fan to boot!! UGH! 
They arrived early Friday morning and we enjoyed breakfast at Snooze and a little Cherry Creek shopping as Angela had never been to a West Elm.  Despite blowing snow and twenty degree temps, these two crazies ventured out for a Wash Park run.   Dinner at Mod Market and a sweet treat at Pinkberry rounded out day 1.  
On Saturday we headed to Boulder to watch the Buffs take on the UCLA Bruins and Brian was able to catch a Newton running clinic and score some crazy new-fangled running shoes.  Molly very kindly scooted Ben home after the basketball game and the rest of us watched the Bronco game at the original Old Chicago.  Both the Broncos and the Buffs lost by narrow margins so we will make sure these two aren't invited back on a big sports weekend :).  Sadly I started feeling really sick and wiped out just before we were served at Angela's pick of Salt.  They have an amazing menu and their cocktail maker grid and home-made simple syrups mean I'll be going back-soon.  Thankfully everyone was willing to venture out to some other friends Housewarming after dropping me off for some rest.
Sunday was lazy and relaxing and included brunch at award-winning Pinche Tacos before sending our friends back east.  Thank you SO much for coming to visit us! It was like a vacation at home for us and we had the best time!

Ben LOVED Brian and was always worried about his whereabouts. 

He made Ang work for it a bit-like all the ladies in his life. :)

Ben was SO excited to put his snow boots on and the hat put him over the top.  He had insta-swagger and walked the runway for all of us repeatedly.

subtle turn

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