LT Kimberly Crystal

Uli and I flew with LaLa last week to the ever-so-lovely town of Montgomery, AL, to witness Kim's (a.k.a. Sissy) comissioning ceremony. Other than the flight being kind of horrible and LaLa's snoring symphony, it was a great trip. I can say I am truly proud of my sister and we wish her much success in the USAF. Her plan is to fly jets like my Dad, and she's slotted for flight training soon! Yay Sissy!!!

Lt. Colonel Gregory Crystal swearing Lt. Kimberly Crystal into the United States Air Force.

The Crystal Clan: The Colonel (Jean Crystal Chudy), R.O. (Opa), The LT, Mom (LaLa), Me & Uli, and the Lt. Colonel

BABY HULK!!!!!!

Caught on camera for posterity. Can't get much funnier than this.

Baby Hulk

Uli is the Baby Hulk. It's been caught on video for posterity, now I just need a photo to post. Camera's on the outs so you're just going to have to wait. It's the best face ever.

For those of you paying attention, Uli's birthday is just over a month away. It's so WEIRD to say that I have a son, let alone one that's almost a full year old. The time flew, but it was also painfully slow. I am so excited for #1!!!

Looks like we are going to be difficult parents, perhaps we will be called 'the meanest parents in the world'? We are continuing our crusade to keep our child healthy and to keep the planet and its inhabitants healthy too, which means:

• No toys 'Made in China'
  
• No toys that require batteries (eg, nothing that lights up, plays music on its own, etc)
  
• No plastic toys
  
• And yes, all clothes still need to be organic. The only exception are Uli's soakers that I make because I can control what wool is used. :)

What this means to you: contact me if you need gift ideas. There are plenty of websites out there that offer European toys that fit all the criteria. Donate to charity in UFP's name. Donate to the UFP college fund. I have plenty more ideas where those came from.

Four Generations

Opa came to visit for a week in June, and we had to take the opportunity for a generations picture. Opa, Me, my Dad (Papo) and Uli...

Taken last night before we headed up for a bath. He was a little tired out after crawling around in the yard and playing on the swing LaLa put up for him after dinner. It was a good day.

My boys...

Uli is a Vampire

I say this because it seems he prefers to be awake than asleep when the sun goes down. I have taken the boy to the pediatrician a few times to make sure all is well; she insists that he is the picture of health and that he is just manipulating us to stay awake at night.  So... back to the drawing board. The kicker is that when all of this started, we thought he was teething. No teeth. Four weeks later, I think he really is teething. When will we ever get to sleep???

As an aside, the boy can gracefully ascend and descend the stairs now. Walking is all that's left to do...

Playing in a pile of oat flour today. He had a pretty good time, although he wasn't as entertained as I anticipated. Perhaps he's just too advanced for such silly past times. :)

Looking adorable after breakfast on Saturday. 'May I please be excused?'

Happy Father's Day!

We had a mellow Father's Day, staying in most of the day due to the rain. Late this afternoon, we decided to go out on our first family bike ride on the Assabet River Trail in Marlborough. It was good to get out as a family, and we thoroughly enjoyed the fresh air. I totally dig my new Chariot Sidecarrier - way worth the money to be able to see the Uli-Man while we ride!!!

Froggy Pond

We've had a heat wave here since Saturday, and I can tell you this isn't the easiest way to slide into summer. One day we needed fleeces to leave the house, the next day you can't make the air-conditioning cold enough.  On Monday, it got the hottest (almost hit 100 degrees) it has been, and the power went out! Must have been the surge of electricity going to all those air conditioning units. Needless to say, it became quite hot and unbearable in the house.

So, I ran off to Wally World to buy my son a wading pool. LaLa stayed behind to watch the boy (car seat fiasco, that's another story), while I went to scour the shelves. I found the cutest little inflatable pool, which is in the shape of a little green frog. He seems to like it - we went out again and played in it today. I think he thinks its like bath time and is a little confused about why its a cold bath, but he still digs it.

Teething?

Well, as far as I can tell, my son is teething. He has started waking up in the middle of the night again, and after many nights of trying different things, we are back to going in, putting something on his gums and then letting him cry. After almost 4 hours with him up last night, and most of it spent playing around, we decided Uli's trying to manipulate the situation in his favor. I do believe he's waking up due to teething pain, but he's resisting sleep so he can stay up with his favorite people in the world.

During this process, I have found that both Tylenol and the Hyland's teething gel both have parabens in them, which I have read is not good to use topically, so I can't imagine they're good to ingest. I have also discovered that the teething gel and tablets contain 'baby speed' - a.k.a. coffea cruda - which is what we think is keeping him up. We are down to the amber teething necklace (questionable efficacy, although apparently they're very common in Europe), and topical diluted clove oil. I hope his teeth come through soon, this is wearing us all out.

On another note, I reread 'The Phantom Toll Booth' and loved it just as much as I remember. I can't wait to read it with Uli. I also read 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,' which is the first book I can say I don't like better than the movies. I was a little disappointed. I will still read it with my son though. :)

Finally, the big event of the last week was the day my mom and I locked ourselves out of the house while Uli was asleep inside. I have never had a bigger panic attack in my life. I ended up crawling through an upstairs window and pushing the window AC unit into the house so I could get in. Can you believe Uli slept the entire time? All I can say is thank God my husband likes to leave things strewn about our backyard, otherwise I am not sure where I would have gotten a ladder big enough to get into our window. Needless to say, I was pretty stressed out, and when Uli woke up, I loaded him up into the car, and LaLa, Uli and I went and got ourselves some ice cream. Ice cream cures all worries.

Uli trying ice cream for the first time. 

Summer is here!

Do you know how I could tell? It was the freshly mowed grass smell, and being covered in dirt head to toe (I am the cheap manual labor for my parents). It was the fact that we could sit on the deck and have to go inside because we got too warm. It was the pesky black flies on our walk yesterday. I am so happy it's warm. I really don't know why I moved here... I need the warmth and the sun. I am solar powered.

Here are some pics of the Oochin' Man from the last few days.

Happy Mother's Day!

Yes, I probably would have enjoyed a day to myself.  A day to go get a facial, get my toes painted, and really just relax and clear my aura. Alas, I did not get that today. Instead, I got a lovely day with both my son and husband, as we hiked Mount Monadnock in awesome 65 degree sunshine. Although the hike illustrated my lack of fitness and my desperate need to gain it back before we head to Crested Butte in two months, it really was fun and great to get the body moving.

The Boy was relatively cooperative, with the only whining occurring at the beginning of the hike, which was cured by a quick trail-side snack. Otherwise, he was kind of chatty and then quite interested in all the rock and dirt at the summit. He then snoozed almost all of the descent (pics to follow). The only part he didn't like was the ride home, which apparently bored him to tears (literally). I was demoted to the back of the bus, and put on my entertainer hat while I sang to 'Here Come the 123's.' 

After lunch at the Summit of Monadnock.

Studying the dirt and grass at the summit. Uli chewed on some rocks and things before getting himself completely soaked from crawling around on the wet grass.

Hiking down to the car is a lot of work.

We're Live

Uli's Woolies is live. Check it out!!!

www.uliswoolies.com

Whitehall Walk

Went for a little stroll around a quarter of the Whitehall Res today. Here are a few pics of us out on the trail.

I'm Swingin'

... meaning, I am finally in the swing of things, and feel like a stay at home mom. I have been put through the wringer: my son spiked a fever, and the same day I had to deal with a blown pipe and emergency plumbing issue, I am trying to get some inventory created for Uli's Woolies and yet I still have to take the dog to the vet, clean the house, play with my son, teach him to sleep, AND maintain a social life. 

Needless to say, I am back on caffeine. 

My sister leaves for Officer Training School tomorrow morning. That seems unreal. Probably won't be real until I attend her commissioning ceremony in August. I am so proud of her. She's come a long way. Uli and I will miss her.

Here are a few pics - we've been so busy that no pics have been taken (really, I keep forgetting the camera. I suppose there are advantages to a camera phone). 

I took this picture to get a shot of the soaker, as I am trying to build a gallery for my website (still under construction). The boy is just so cute!

I can't believe how cute this picture is. My dad must really love that boy. 

First Real Ride in quite some time...

My last real mountain bike ride was a lovely winter ride in Callahan State Forest in January 2007. Despite being pregnant and needing to keep my heart rate low, it was a stellar ride. Crisp, clean air, and awesome trails that we had all to ourselves. It has been 15 months since that ride.

Today was a good day to hit the single track. It was an amazing day - bright blue skies, and temps in the 70's. After BDP got home from his 2.5 hour ride, I put to baby to bed and promptly put the rubber to the road. I was sooooo happy. I rode out from our house to Upton State Forest, and did a short little stretch of single track. I was gone for just over an hour, and boy do I feel it. 15 months off the bike really take their toll! This was the first time I had ridden my bike since it got all of its upgrades: I9 wheels, disc brakes, and purdy pink cable housing. My husband even had pink flower stickers made with my name on them to put on the bike. 

So, now its time to get the miles in before we head to Crested Butte. 

I also want to tell everyone how happy I am that its finally getting nice here. I got the season's first sun burn yesterday as I worked out in the front yard. I feel ALIVE! My son slept for two hours yesterday and again for an hour and half this morning, which allowed me to transplant three bushes and re-do my walkway. What an accommodating boy.

Enjoy the weather ya'll. I know we will.

You just can't get much cuter than this...

Bath time at the Pierce house. (4/8/08)

Monkey Man (Pics from 3/29/08)

Uli's Woolies

Well... after many many months of people asking where I got Uli's wool pants, BDP talked me into carrying business cards to hand out for interested users. Not only does it give people my contact info to buy the pants (a.k.a. 'longies'), but it offers me a way to start a little business on the side and make a little cash (it also serves to fuel my campaign to cloth diaper all babies)! I have been a little reluctant to initiate this for two reasons: I don't want to be too commited to something, nor do I want to get crushed when I fail to attract any business. I can tell you I am a bit nervous even writing this post, as it makes the thing that much more real.

We chose a name this afternoon, and its really cute. We are going to register the domain name this afternoon, and I think that I will probably ask a dear friend ('brotha!') to create my website. I need to take some pics of what I have made to date, and then get crankin on the crochet hook. My niche will be organic soakers and longies. It may take some doing, since organic wool is expensive. I may also need to learn how to dye the yarn, as my preliminary research hasn't revealed a whole lot of options for colors in organic wool!

So, be on the look out for my new business and website: www.uliswoolies.com.

Wish me luck.

At Home

I am home now! It's been great, so rewarding but so tiring! We have been out and about a little bit, with some hikes thrown in during the week. I have cooked every night I've been home, which has been awesome. I am so sick of take out! We are getting into a good groove, and I can't wait to grow with my son!

Family hike on the Charm Bracelet Trail around Westborough, Easter Sunday. Didn't see any bunnies.

I forgot the best one!

One more picture - it's the best of the bunch. Uli at his 6 months check-up: 17 lbs, 26.5 inches. What you can't see in the picture is that it was really warm in the exam room, and apparantely my son was very comfy. He peed all over the scale. :)