the holidays are fast appraoching.

We are getting ready to leave on Tuesday morning to fly to Illinois for Harrison's first Thanksgiving feast. The great part is - he is eating everything is sight so I think he will actually love the food. While he is not really into meats - we've tried chicken, beef, pork - without much luck, in true Italian style, he ate his first meatball last night and loved it!! I started out with about a quarter of it and he ended up scarfing down the whole thing.

Todd has been playing in the Harding Park Club Championship all weekend. He had the best round of the day yesterday and went out with the final group this morning. I am awaiting an update!! Hopefully he played well. He was sooooo excited!

I have spent most of this weekend doing laundry, packing, thinking about the menu for Harrison's baptismal party (on the 27th) and sorting through the proofs that we just received from our mini photo shoot last weekend. I have been meaning to get baby/family pictures taken since Harrison was six months old. Now at 10 months I have finally gotten my act together and coordinated everything. It helps that Thanksgiving is in a week...it is a reminder of how quickly Christmas will be here.

Back to our pics - Tiffany our photographer is awesome. She did 6, 45 minute sessions with a bunch of families at Cavallo Point. The weather was beautiful and you could not ask for better scenery. You can check out our photographers page on facebook if you want. Scroll down and you will be able to see some of our pictures.

Now that we have our pictures taken and some of our favorites narrowed down we just have to decide what holiday card we would like to choose. Since moving to San Francisco, we began sending a yearly holiday card. We have always ordered through shutterfly and, in my opinion, had great cards (my favorite was the first one after we moved with the bridge in the background) :) We even ordered Harrison's birth announcement there. The process is really easy - upload your pic, drag it over, personalize your card and order. There are always great deals too. This holiday season there are a bunch of new options. Guess you will just have to wait and see which one we choose:)

Off to finish my list of things before the week begins. Only one day of work/school this week and we are 'leaving on a jet plane'....I'll post thanksgiving and christening pictures when we get back!

Happy Turkey Day!

Let me out..........

It's been a rainy weekend.

BOO!

It's Harrison's first Halloween!!

We have been trying to get in the holiday spirit by reading 'Five Little Pumpkins', lighting the jack-o-lanterns around the house, dressing like a dinosaur, trying to go to the pumpkin patch three weekends in a row (only to be rained out)....and finally the big night arrived!!!! Despite a little bout of stomach trouble yesterday Harrison was able to rally to make it to the main event!!!

rroarrr!
































The neighbors had a little get together before heading out to trick or treat!!! We stayed for the party and then went home and off to bed:)

Nite nite!

9 months and counting....

Harrison went for his 9 month appointment yesterday. He only had to have his flu shot, which was good, but it still resulted in a few tears! He was a trooper though and still managed to share a few smiles with our friends in my office. The pediatrician's office and my office are in the same building so we always stop by to say 'hi' before or after appointments.

Here are the stats -

wieght - 20lbs 7oz (50th% a slight jump since his last visit)

height - 29 in (75th% and running steady)

Harrison has officially entered into the period of stranger anxiety. He managed to tolerate the doctor mostly because he was occupied trying to push the otoscope away. But the new teachers at daycare are really testing his patience. Apparently as soon as someone new walks in the room he starts screaming and when they leave all is quiet. There are two new teachers in his room and he is slowly warming up to them....but still he only wants to eat and have his diaper changed by his favorites - in order of preference - Olivia, Debbie, and Margaret. While the stranger anxiety is a passing phase it is still clear that Harrison is definitely starting to develop his own unique personality. He is such a cutie!!

Harrison the 'dare devil'

This is Harrison's new favorite past time. No matter what is going on or what time of day - this is guaranteed to make him smile:) He is watching Murphy and laughing in this one.

Oh, and one other smile guarantee - watching us throw the ball to Murphy and then seeing him bring it back. So swinging and watching Murphy get the ball is about as good as it gets!

Mom's Birthday in Carmel and my first tooth!!

Well, it's been a while since my last post. I have had a little trouble getting my hands on the computer. Todd is still awaiting his work laptop and therefore has been using ours.

My birthday this year was awesome despite a bit of a stink! It started out with Todd cooking me a special birthday dinner, Murphy getting sprayed by a skunk!!, giving Muphy a bath (trying to get the stench out of our house), and then opening presents. The next morning we unexpectedly dropped Murphy off as the kennel (because he still stunk) and made the two hour drive to Carmel, CA. It was not only a beautiful drive but the weather was amazing!!!

We went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Ate at Mission Ranch (amazing)

went hiking in Big Sur and Point Lobos

Drove along 17 mile Drive

and Most IMPORTANTLY, stopped at Pebble Beach to enjoy the views and show Harrison the course. Todd said that if he was good that he would take him to Pebble to play when he was 10. I reminded Todd that he did not play Pebble until college graduation. His response was 'double digits baby!!'. So I guess we may be taking a trip for Harrison's 10th birthday - at least it will be the off season:)

Oh, and by the way, we were watching a few guys tee off and saw Chris Harrison (of the Bachelor - Todd's favorite show)!!

What an amazing trip!! It was so nice to get away, relax, and enjoy the beauty of CA!

Once we got back we were all getting sick again. Harrison got a cough and cold and then I did and then Todd did. This round I got knocked out and ended up staying home one day from work while Harrison went to daycare so that I could try and sleep it off. We are all finally feeling better!

And just to celebrate that we are all healthy again, Harrison cut his first tooth! On the bottom right! So cute! (I couldn't quite get the tooth - but I tried). Surprisingly he has not seemed cranky because of it. He is such a good boy and continues to get cuter by the day.

Todd was out of town for three days this week. Typically Todd will go in in the morning and get Harrison up, get him dressed and then pass him off to me. Well the first morning he was gone I did the morning routine and we walked out of Harrison's bedroom and he was looking for Daddy!! Instead he got a little cuddle time with the Murph! He loved it but was so happy when Daddy got home.

Second week of music class and Harrison is loving it!

we had visitors....

Mom-mom and Grandpa came for a visit last weekend.

A big aside - Todd just accepted a new position as the VP of Finance for Frontier Wind - a start up company developing new technology for wind turbines. Congratulations babe!! He is really excited about it. It will be a great change from investment banking.


As his parents were arriving he worked his last day at Seven Hills, so we all got to spend a long weekend together. We had a couple of meals out, went shopping, the guys played golf, we went for some walks, Todd and his parents went to wine country (Harrison was getting a cold and did not sleep well the night before so we opted to stay home), we did our fantasy football draft (stay tuned to see Harrison's Hustlers to dominate all other teams)....We had a fun and busy weekend. Harrison was an allstar during two dinners and a lunch out. He loves watching people and eating at the table with everyone. Thanks for a great visit Donna and Bruce - it was so much fun to have you!


After Mom-mom and Grandpa left on Tuesday Todd and Harrison spent the day together. Daycare was closed to get set up for the new school year. It sounds like they had a lot of fun looking at an office for Daddy and playing. And as timing would have it I started getting sick which made for a long work week. BUT, here we are again at a long weekend! Yay! (and now Daddy is getting sick - yuck!)

Harrison continues growing and changing. He gets cuter by the day....on Tuesday while he was home with Daddy he started waving and then yesterday he started clapping. While not mobile crawling or walking yet (really there is no rush) he is a wiggle worm. We are convinced he is going to be a crazy man. Only time will tell but right now he loves to move! He also loves to eat....while he started out loving veggies he only wants to eat fruit now. We keep trying new things every four days or so and just found that he loves bread - just like his Mommy...although I try not to eat too much of it!! Darn carbs -ha!

As football season fast approaches the budding Eagles fan has his game face on!

Helping mommy get ready.

Todd had an early morning call in the office today. So, Harrison helped me get ready this morning. This was where he hung out while I finished putting on my mascara. He thought it was the best thing ever...there was a really cute baby making faces at him.

Happy 7 months!

Mama's Night Out....

So, Todd and I have had a few date nights, we go out often with Harrison often, we have been to a wedding, I have gone to a couple of work things at night......but last night was my first real girl's
night out!!!

I went to my friend Kathy's house and there we met up with 4 other girls. Two pregnant, two breastfeeding, and two single and looking.



We all went for mani/pedis and then went back to Kathy's place where we had a chef come and cook us a 6 course meal! Here are my two favorites plus desert (who doesn't love desert?).

Risotto with Snap Peas and a Sous-vide Egg

Kobe Short Rib with Grits and Peas

The 'Candy Bar'

It was amazing...this chef helped start and then worked at two great restaurants in SF. He decided less than a year ago to start something of his own. Now he goes into people's homes and cooks amazing meals for dinner parties, etc. It was definitely a night that I earned and I could not have spent it with a better group of girls:)

Todd and Harrison had a 'guys night'! I realized last night that this is only the beginning of many 'guy things' they will do:) Yikes!

It was a great night out but even better to come home and see my guys!! Can't wait til the next time.

One quick addition....

Harrison and I went to lunch with my girlfriend and her twins on Friday. He had his first experience sitting in a high chair and eating with everyone. He loved it!!

6 months!

Harrison is 6 months old!! Wow time has flown....

There has been a lot going on the Schneider household this month.....as you can see Harrison is sitting up, he is eating solids, he is sticking everything imaginable in his mouth, and sleeping through the night - seriously through the night from about 7pm to 6am!!!

He was 17lbs 1oz at his 6 month appointment and almost 27 inches long. Still in the 75% for height and 50% for weight. He loves solids and is going to town on trying lots of new foods. Today we introduced sweet potatoes, which were a big hit. He is up to two meals a day and still drinking as much milk as possible! He is growing like a weed:)


We are all enjoying the nice summer weather. Nana came for a long visit during her summer break and spent lots of quality time with Harrison....


we all went hiking, went to the beach, went shopping, had some good meals and just hung out. It was so nice to have my mom here...she is so easy to have around becoming part of the daily routine. She was a ton of help and fun to have around! Harrison really loved it (and so did we!).


Nana babysat Harrison while Todd and I went out to dinner and a movie to celebrate our four year anniversary! It was a nice treat!

So, this has been a very brief summary of the last couple of weeks...here is something new that Harrison learned while spending the day with Nana:) Enjoy!

Uncle Tony and Aunt Amy's Wedding and The Schneider Reunion (5 months)

June was a big month for Harrison. He continues to grow and change. He is babbling up a storm and becoming more and more interactive. He loves people.....so he had a great time on vacation.

First - on June 12 my baby brother got married!! Wow! It was so nice to be a part of their wedding and to watch it all take place - he and Amy seem so happy and really seemed to enjoy their wedding weekend. It brought back so many memories of playing and singing with Anthony when we were little. I always wanted a little brother and could not have asked for a better one. He is all grown up and an amazing man.

With a very sweet new wife!


At the rehearsal dinner Todd, with a little input from me, made a really cool slideshow. I really like this picture of them watching the slideshow.




On the wedding day it was really hot and humid...after arriving at the church a huge thunderstorm came through...it cooled things down but in the meantime made the lights in the church go on and off. They went out briefly while I was singing in a quartet with Amy, Tony, and their friend David. We just kept singing and it turned out fine:) It was actually really cool to hear the big storm during the ceremony.

Harrison was a champ throughout the whole weekend....he got significantly less sleep because he insisted on being involved in everything! Despite this he stayed his typical happy little self. It was so much fun!



Congrats Tony and Amy! We love you!



Then it was off to Hilton Head for the Schneider Family reunion.....there was a lot to celebrate while we were there. Todd's Dad and Uncle Jack are turning 60, it was Todd's parents anniversary, Robin and Jack's anniversary (they got married in Hilton Head 5 years ago), and Aunt Kristi and Uncle Mark along with the great grandparents and other family members got to meet Harrison. Kristi just got a promotion, I am sure that I am forgetting something else....so sorry to anyone that I left out.


Anyway, it was a fun time at the beach...Harrison experienced his first swim in a pool and multiple swims in the ocean. He seemed to like the ocean better than the pool. Harrison loved meeting and playing with everyone! We enjoyed all of the family time too. I must say that a beach vacation it quite different with baby than before baby (not just for my swimsuit body). It was fun in a different way - priorities have shifted from laying on the beach, tanning, and reading multiple books to making sure that Harrison has lots of fun. There were plenty of babysitters available so I did get a little time just to sit and read and go to the beach. Which was great!




Now we are home and have gotten back into the daily routine. Harrison is back to sleeping from about 7pm-4am, eating, and then sleeping until about 6:15am. He is such a sweet little guy! We are looking forward to starting some solids really soon...he is watching us eat, reaching out, and trying to put our food in his mouth. I think he is telling us something (plus the ladies at daycare call him a milk hound!!).