I'll Never Let Go...

   What's the first thing that comes to mind when you read the title of this post?

If you said Titanic, you read my mind. If not, try again next time. ; p I am watching this on TV as we speak... er, type. I am having so many flashbacks from 7th grade. <--- I'm showing my age with that sentence. Hehe. Any who, I saw this movie three times in the theater; I was certain that Leo was the just the oh-so-cutest guy on the planet; and 'My Heart Will Go On' was on repeat in my Discman.

Wow, how the times and I have changed. What do I think about Titanic now? The movie is still pretty good and Kate Winslet and her wardrobe are gorgeous; this is something I my hormones failed to notice back in the day. Leo; however, is just so-so now. As I watch, I keep giggling about how much my childhood reaction and my adult reaction to this movie differ. I almost feel like I am watching a totally different movie.

That being said, I still recognize my adult self in my tween self memories. I still have certain things (usually food these days) that I will obsess over for awhile and then be done with. I still have that celebrity that I think is to.die.for (right now, Ryan Reynolds). And I still have that song that is set to perma-repeat on my iPod until Aric goes insane from hearing it too much. It's nice to know that I can change so much, but still stay the same simultaneously. Even though I could do without some of my weird quirks sometimes, they make me who I am and I wouldn't change that at all!

So, what's your "I've changed, yet I'm still the same" moment?

Fall, I Miss You So!

Where is Fall in FL? Whenever I am out and about these days and see Halloween candy and Fall-themed wreaths hanging on doors in the neighborhood, I am reminded that Fall is the current season. Florida's Fall is so foreign to me; in CO, Fall oozes from every square foot of the landscape. I'm sure to all the Floridians reading this, my description of fall is foreign to you. The yellow, orange, and brown leaves all over the landscape partnered with the crisp, cool air that hits you as soon as you walk outside make it seem like it was never Summer in the Rocky Mountain Region. So many times this change seems to occur overnight! There are so many things I miss about Fall in CO; however, in my efforts to be more optimistic, I am noticing that there are a few perks to Fall in Florida. To counteract my longings to be surrounded by the sights and smells of true what I consider Fall weather, I compiled a list of the pros and cons to Florida's Fall...

{{PROS}}

• Flip-flops are A-OK still! I love flip-flops and own way too many pairs of them, according to Aric. They are just so easy to slip on and off and quite comfortable; so the ability to wear them longer because of the warmer weather is a definite plus for Fall down here.
• More pool time! I love swimming and laying out at the pool so being able to do these things long after Labor Day has passed is pretty awesome. Also, Aidan loves the water so I think he would give this a big thumbs-up as well.
• No extra luggage! And by 'luggage', I mean heavy coats, scarves, and gloves. It's so nice to not have to lug around a coat while you are at the grocery store or mall because you can't wear it indoors without roasting, but you need it for the trip to and from the car. In addition, Aidan has been able to wear the many of the same clothes he wore this summer which has been very economical for us.
• NO SNOW OR FROST!! This is the biggie! I love that I don't have to freeze my bum off while out and about. I love that I don't have to stress about driving conditions when I have somewhere I need to go. I absolutely and positively L.O.V.E that there is no frost here. There is nothing worse than when you already running late and you walk out to your car and see frost on the windows.. ugh! As a result, you spend an extra ten minutes, in the freezing cold no less, scraping frost off of your windows. Yeah, not gonna miss that this Fall/Winter in CO!

{{CONS}}

• Fall fashions! As previously mentioned, I don't mind skipping coat, scarf, and glove season, but I do miss cozy and cute sweaters and awesome faux leather and suede boots. I have so many sweaters that I am just itching to wear. I have a pair of fun fringe boots that are collecting dust in my closet back home in CO. You better believe that I will be sporting a sweater on the day when the forecast calls for a temperature lower than 65 degrees here in FL. If that day ever comes.
• Cold weather comfort foods! My favorite comfort foods for cold weather are grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, chili, and any hot Starbucks beverage. I know that I can still eat and drink all of these things in FL, but it's just not the same when it's 80 degrees outside. For some reason, they all just taste so much better when it's 50 degrees or less.
• Fall colors! Since I can remember, my family would pick a day in early fall and drive up to the mountains to look at the color change of the leaves. It is truly awe-inspiring; Crayola cannot do it justice. I cannot do it justice; all the different shades of gold, yellow, red, and brown are such a sight to see. I am sad that I will be missing out on that sight for the second year in row this Fall... also, no crunchy leaves to rake into piles and jump into?! : (
• The overall aura of Fall! This is probably more of a summary of all that I miss about CO Falls, but it's my list so I can do what I want. ; p I want to smell that almost indescribable scent of Fall. It's as if you can smell the cold air and that combined with cinnamon, nutmeg, and burning firewood makes for such a heavenly scent. I keep longing for that first chilly night when Aric and I can cuddle under a blanket with hot chocolate and watch a movie. I want to feel the exciting anticipation of that first snowfall of the year which seamlessly transitions into the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Now as I step out of that pretty Fall picture I just painted,  feeling like I would give anything to be THERE, I realize that right HERE is where I belong because this is where the two most important people in my life are! No sweater or gingerbread latte would make missing out on time with Aidan and Aric worthwhile; which gives Florida's Fall an unyielding edge in the competition... 

8 Month Milestone Galore!

     Another month has flown by and Aidan is 8 months now! Technically, he turned 8 months yesterday, but we had a very busy day and I did not have time to post this. The past month was a BIG month for Aidan; he's growing way too fast and learning so much these days.

Can you tell what big changes Aidan has made since last month?

His (very) approximate stats...

Weight: 20 lbs. 8 oz.

Height: 28 in.

Food: Nursing about 5 times a day and one solid meal in the evening. He has tried pretty much all the Gerber fruits and veggies and I am proud to say he prefers the veggies over the fruits.

Milestones (there quite a few this month):

We have a crawler!!!

(I know I will regret this excitement when he starts cruising around the house, but for now I am ecstatic.)

Aidan is officially crawling. When I say crawling I don't mean army crawling, crawling backwards, or scooting, but real, honest to goodness, crawling. He isn't super fast yet, but he does give me a run for my money if I look away for a few seconds... ; p



Ok, he's not crawling in this one, but it's the closest I had... bad mom.

Not tooth, but Teeth

Aidan has not one, but two, teeth now. The first one broke through a couple of weeks ago and the second followed a few days later. I am definitely enjoying his new smile, but it has made nursing a little more interesting... He has not been as bad as I thought; however, I have had to remind him a few times that I am not a teething toy. Hehe.

How cute is that smile with the new pearly whites?!

Haircut

Yep, Aidan no longer has his signature long locks. Our good friend, and fellow medical student, gave Aidan his first official haircut. It was bittersweet because it was very much needed, but I did love his crazy, long hair. It does look awesome though, thanks Luke!





Before...




He was very patient throughout the process...





The final product... you like?

Phew, there were so many new developments this month for Aidan. It is so exciting to see him grow, but it does happen a little too fast for me sometimes. There is definitely a part of me that wants him to stay little forever. Aidan, you amaze and excite me everyday and I love you!



New Perspectives

     This evening as I watched Aric wrestle with Aidan, I saw things from a different perspective. Usually, when this (almost) nightly ritual takes place and Dad takes over I think to myself, "Ah, I can finally turn off 'Mommy Mode' and take a moment for myself." I think most moms know that when I say 'moment', it really is only a moment because bath time, pj's, and bedtime start calling way too soon.

    
     On Aidan's less than happy days, I have definitely found myself daydreaming that I could trade places with Aric. I begin to think that I would gladly take all the horrible study marathons and killer four-hour tests just to get a break from the fussing baby in my lap. However, tonight I silenced my thoughts and opened my eyes and ears...

     Tonight as I watched my two favorite guys interact, I noticed that Aric was so happy to hold, kiss, tickle, and just soak up every ounce of that short moment he had with his son. Aric was so grateful to see Aidan smile, to hear him laugh, and watch him do all the little things that I see him do all day.  I was so touched to see how much he cherishes those oh-so-sweet morsels of time with Aidan that, even right now, I am getting a little choked up just writing about it. There are many days when Aric barely sees Aidan and there are some days when he doesn't see him at all. Needless to say, the time he does get to spend with Aidan is very precious to him. I always knew how special these father-son moments are for Aric, but was too caught up in my 'me-moment' thoughts to notice how special my mother-son days are.

     To see how grateful Aric is to witness all the little things that I, somewhat ungratefully, get to see him do everyday, really reminded to count my blessings. I was reminded just how lucky I am to be in 'Mommy Mode' all.day, ev.ery.day. I am so lucky and blessed to be able see all of Aidan's smiles, to hear all of his laughs, and to witness all of his milestones. This new perspective reminded me that I am even lucky and blessed to have either spit-up, breast milk, or baby food on my clothes everyday and to hear Aidan's whines and wails everyday. These are all priceless moments and I am so thankful that I am there to watch my son grow and learn. So tomorrow when if Aidan gets cranky, I will take a minute to remind myself that I don't want to be anywhere else but right there with my baby boy.

     A big THANK YOU to my husband for showing me what a beautiful gift it is to be in 'Mommy Mode' all.day, ev.ery.day!

    

Aidan waving while he tries to catch some zzz's in Daddy's arms.

Tough Love... making Aidan do some tummy time.

My two handsome men that adore each other!

Modern Family

     This is might be one of the best shows currently on TV. It is freaking hi.lar.i.ous! I'm pretty sure it is the only thing (show or movie) that has kept me laughing throughout the entire episode every time I've watched it.

     Why is it so funny, you ask? The writing is so clever and the actors deliver the jokes perfectly. It's a combination of hysterical one-liners, awkward (and therefore, funny) situations, and jokes that pull all the different story lines together flawlessly. Many of the situations that the characters find themselves in are very relatable which, in my opinion, always makes for an 'LOL' moment. So many times I have found myself laughing because either Aric, I, or both of us have said or done something that was said or done on the show.

     Although I love everything about it, the best thing about Modern Family is that Aric takes a study break to watch it with me. Aww, so sweet! Hehe.

     The only complaint I have about Modern Family is that it should be an hour long instead a half an hour because I am always craving more when it ends.

If you watch it, you know what I'm talkin' about. If you haven't, you're missing out I strongly urge you to tune in on Wednesday nights at 9 pm EST on ABC!



*** Lame-O NOTE: I tried to upload a clip so you could get a taste of Modern Family's awesomeness, but none of the YouTube.com videos will allow me to, so here's a link to one of my favorite (out of so many) Modern Family moments.

Colorado, The Right Move!

   When Aric and I discussed all the in's and out's of the looong journey that leads to becoming a doctor, my main concern was the talk about leaving CO for medical school. We specifically chose the school he is attending because they allow their students to set up their own clinical rotations and residencies anywhere they choose. We are hoping that this means we can get back to CO sooner than we would if he had chosen a school closer to home. A couple of weeks ago, Aric attended 'Hospital Day' which was an informational event about setting up rotations and residencies. The following advertisement was emailed to him by a representative of a CO residency program. Maybe some of Aric's fellow students will now consider a rotation or residency after watching this video.

**DISCLAIMER**: If you are lactose-intolerant you might not want to watch this, as it is extremely cheesy. ; p

   I apologize to all our FL friends who are probably vomiting on their keyboards sick of hearing about how much I love and miss CO, that I can't wait to be back there, and blah, blah, blah...

Pet Names...

    

     Honey. Sweetie. Babe. Baby. These are some of the common terms of endearment that people use for their spouse, fiance, girlfriend, or boyfriend. Yet, I have not once called Aric any of these things. It's just so-not-me and I'm starting to wonder if I'm only one that is, how should I put... pet-name-challenged?

     Frankly, I feel a significant amount of internal dissonance when I think about calling Aric honey, sweetie, babe, or baby by any pet name. Don't get me wrong, I think it's cute when other couples do it, I just don't (or can't). I have noticed it a lot more since moving to FL because most of our friends out here are couples and most, if not all, use a pet name to refer to one another.

     Why am I missing the Honey-Sweetie-Babe-Baby Gene?

     At first I thought that maybe Aric and I don't have that kind of relationship. We were best friends for years before we started dating so maybe we just got used to referring to each other as friends would (aka no lovey-dovey talk). However, most couples don't start calling each other 'Sweetie-Kins' 'Honey' on the second date so I don't think that has much to do with it. Also, Aric calls me 'Baby' all the time which further discredits this reasoning.

     Apparently, it's just me, not him. The only time I don't call someone by name is when someone goes by a shortened version. My friend Susan is known as 'Suz' by her close friends and my friend Brianna prefers to be called 'Brie;' but those are more like nicknames, not pet names, in my opinion.

     I don't have a very bubbly personality, but I'm not stoic. I'm affectionate and definitely a 'hugger,' much to the dismay of some of my less touchy-feely friends. So why wouldn't I use these touchy-feely, affection-filled words?!

     I honestly have no good answer for why I don't use pet names. I guess the most I can hope for is to know that I am not the only weirdo eccentric one out there.  So... am I the only one missing this seemingly dominant gene?

  

Wine? Yes, please!



Self-guided tour of the vineyard



Aidan picking some grapes :)





      This past Saturday we made a day trip to a local winery, Rosa Fiorelli Winery. One of our good friends and Aric's fellow medical school slave student has been raving about the wine, the owner, the vineyard, basically everything about this place. He is Italian so, needless to say, he enjoys wine just a bit. I We didn't want to go when I was pregnant (for obvious reasons) and even though I am still nursing Aidan, we decided to give it a try.

     This was the first vineyard I had ever been too. It was awesome to walk around the grounds, see, and even taste the wine grapes. The grapes definitely taste better when made into wine; they felt and tasted like very unripe, sour, plain grapes. Aidan loves being outside so he really liked walking around the vineyard as well; he even helped us pick a couple of grapes!

     How was the wine tasting? Oh, I thought you'd never ask! It was delicious and our (for lack of a better word) server was great! We sampled 11 different wines. Since Aidan did not want to fast that day, I just BARELY tasted them. Our server walked us through some different ways to drink, or 'eat' as he explained it, the wine so that we could enjoy every flavor of the wine. It was pretty cool! Our server gave meal suggestions that would go well with each wine. Hmm, I see a little dinner party in our future... ; p

     Along with the wine, we were served some yummy snacks which included homemade bread and the most delicious sausage (shipped from Tuscany) I have ever had. The last wine we sampled was a dessert wine which the server poured over pound cake, with fruit that had been marinated in the same wine, and wait for it... topped with whipped cream! Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds!

     How many bottles did we end up buying? We somehow controlled ourselves and only bought 3 bottles. If you like wine, I recommend checking it out. We will definitely be going back for another wine tasting after Aidan is weaned!