{ Travel } Big Sky, Montana, part 3

 

{ "Giddyup!" }

At five and a half months, Baby Max showed a LOT of his personality on this trip to Montana! You know how they say, you really get to know someone when you vacation together? I think this is true, because it also means getting to see a different side outside of the normal everyday. With Max, we think he's always exhibited an interactive, engaging personality punctuated with bouts of seriousness and thoughtfulness. He seems to eye you, brows scrunched up and tiny fingers thumping over his mouth, as if he's pensively deciding whether you're m-kay. (Trust me, Max! I'm okay!) And when everything checks out, he gives you a slow, wide smile in approval with the corners of his eyes crinkling up.

On the trip, all this shined through and more: we found that he (rather comically) hangs on for dear life when we put him into the car seat stroller and start moving, without fail. Max loves to have laughing contests, but you have to know just how to get the party started; he doesn't laugh for just anyone or anything. 

Oh, and as for sizing people up, strangers who suddenly poke their head into his car seat, grab his toes unexpectedly or have extra loud voices are met with great displeasure. He'll let you know this is not okay. And, Max suddenly remembered how to roll over on his own in Big Sky, over and over and over... he's a strong force to be reckoned with!  

 

Besides the fact that our baby has an impeccable knack for inopportune timing (i.e. deciding to crap the minute we boarded our first plane after waiting a whole week) and all of us having a rough time with the altitude at first, we had an amazing six days in Montana. The Fella got to snowshoe and ski, I got to do what I like best––sip hot chocolate by fireplaces––and the three of us had some lovely meals (an entire post about food to come, surprised much?) and strolls together as a family. Even though we've already been on three trips together, Big Sky felt like a true holiday; probably it doesn't hurt that we were at a ritzy ski resort!

I think Mister Max became a little person over here in Montana. (Yea, it was kind of a momentous occasion for us, too––we started dressing him in big boy pants and shirts!)

{ Travel } Big Sky, Montana, part 2

While The Fella is at his conference, there have been leisurely moments of steamy white hot chocolate (with lots of marshmallows, yes please!) by the fireplace, blogging with mountains in the backdrop, taking in the apres ski scene, and dancing with Max to country music from the hotel wine bar. No winter sports for me (or Baby) this time! Nevertheless, it is so amazing to be a part of your baby's first experiences. He's in total awe by his new surroundings here in Big Sky––feeling snowflakes fall on his face, hearing the crackling flames of a fire, watching skiiers in neon brights whizz down the base of the mountain and come to a stop in front of him, and simply meeting tons of new people every time we're out of the room. I think Baby likes Montana. :) 

{ Travel } Big Sky, Montana, part 1

Welcome, this is our view from the room in Big Sky, Montana, where The Fella is attending a medicine conference! Baby Max and I get to tag along, wheeeeee! We wake up to this scene every morning and believe me when I tell you, it is unbelievably eye-opening and blissful to gaze at this breathtaking landscape when you're still sleepy from last night's fireplace chats. Just looking at the vast expanse of blue sky, wisps of clouds capping the mountain and a freshly fallen 9 inches of snow on our second day made me feel rejuvenated––which says a lot considering Baby Max woke me to nurse every 1-2 hours on our first night here. He hasn't done this since he was 2 months! Ahhhh, just like those newborn days, only this time I assume the demand for overnight feedings is due to dehydration from Big Sky's (base) elevation of 7,500 feet!

So, we had to go across country for Baby Max to wear his full-body snowsuit that we bought at a yard sale for 5 bucks before he was born. It finally came in handy, no thanks to Chicago. Doesn't he look like a little Stay Puff Marshmallow? :)

Since we've been here, we've been making snow angels and enjoying little romps in the snow at the base of a ski slope, which is literally our backyard. We walk out of our resort––bam!––and you're on the base of the mountain. Pretty sweet.

Speaking of sweet, let's talk a bit about our hotel, The Summit. It's an alpine ski resort with a Montana twist: valets in cowboy hats and vests, framed Montana Frank horse posters, wooden chalet villas, crackling fireplaces and stone fire pits tucked in snuggly nooks, cute espresso carts, and cowhides everywhere––draped on leather couches, wooden tables, even over a Baby Grand. Sure, why not?

  

 More to come soon!

Dr. Spaceman

What on earth is a spaceman doing in Montana?

Why, just chillin'!

Where we are...

From the big skies of Montana . . .

More to come! Hope you're having a great week wherever you are!

{ What I Wore } Lilac + mint

To celebrate the arrival of spring (or summer, given the nine consecutive days of record-breaking 80 degree temps!), I wore a fresh combination of lilac and mint to have apps and drinks downtown. Mint may be this fashion season's hottest color next to Tangerine Tango, but I've had this dress for five years! I must be way ahead of the Pantone color forecasters :)

 

Dress by Max & Cleo, jacket from a SoHo boutique, pumps Ann Klein, necklace Monsieur Pamplemousse, and bag Bess & Loie.

The weekend, succinctly

A brief post about last weekend's fun prior to a week of travel––appetizers and bellinis at Quartino's downtown with friends in town, and then kicking back with neighbors over Oberweis' cookies 'n cream in their condo downstairs while Max went to sleep for the night. That's the beauty of having friends living just a couple floors below you, I feel like I'm "getting out," minus the fuss of getting dressed up except for a pair of lived-in jeans, slippers, and a baby monitor strapped to my belt. There are no pics to show, sometimes the best nights are best kept in your memory :)

 

First-born

FurFur's been pushed a bit to the wayside, since Max was born. Come April, we'll have had her for nearly five good years! Here are some snaps of my sweet, ever-faithful first-born doing what she loves best: lazing away in a spot of sunshine...

{ Video } Happy hump day!

Max is officially 5 months now. While he has been sitting with support since 3 months, and occasionally without support (for a second) since 3.5 months, he's definitely doing it all with more ease now. He's a Strongman! Max also finally rolled over two weeks ago; this is a developmental milestone because it means they will be able to start crawling soon! I left him doing Tummy Time for a minute, and when I returned, there he was, on his back and smiling at me innocently! He was able to roll over on his own several more times that day, but unfortunately now can't seem to remember how to do it without my help! 

And, now, for a little Video Cuteness Wednesday... don't let it fool you, he was a terror the next day!

 

An epic St. Paddys

Since I don't get dressed every day (really, it's true) now that I'm stay-at-home, I take whatever opportunity I have to go out to get dressed up, or in this case as it was St. Patrick's, to theme-dress. (Not like a leprechaun, but to color-coordinate with the holiday!) I was supposed to do a few fun things: take Max to a play date in the morning which involved decorating shamrock sugar cookies with other new moms, and then a cupcake and wine party hosted by Bethy's Cakes in the late afternoon. 

None of the above happened.

I have no outfit pics of my failed attempt to go out––too much craziness ensued––don't you worry, my mint-colored dress will make an appearance soon again! But here is Max (looking sheepish, you'll see why!) in St. Paddy's green, and here is what happened 48 hours ago . . .

8:30am: Feed baby.
9:00: Put him down for a nap.
9:10: Eat breakfast/pump/check email.
9:30: Take dog out for a walk.
10:00: Help cut The Fella's hair.
10:15: Go to library to return materials.
10:45: Feed baby.
11:15: Dress myself and baby.
11:30: Head out to playdate . . .  

{ It was a huge HUGE, novice mistake to try to drive to East Lakeview on St. Paddy's (i.e. college students + drunken holiday = WTF was I thinking??). By the time we made it to our destination, less than 5 miles away, 40 minutes later, street parking in Lakeview was impossible due to St. Paddy's and I had a hysterical baby in the backseat who'd been screaming for the better part of the ride. So... executive decision... a-home we went with Max screaming even harder, if that's possible, for the trek back. Do you know how nerve-wracking it is to drive with a screaming baby?? No? I'll loan you Max. }

12:20: Return home. Drop baby off upstairs with The Fella for taming while I circle around looking for street parking.

 

12:35: Stuff down a quick lunch while decompressing.

12:55: Change baby.
1:00: Feed baby.
1:45: Put baby down for nap. Lots of screaming.
2:00: Baby finally down!
2:45: Baby wakes up; diaper change and playtime.
3:00: Feed baby.
3:45: Playtime.
4:15: Haul a stroller down a flight of steps, bring the dog downstairs
4:22: Go back upstairs to get baby.
4:25: Baby strapped into stroller, dog on a leash.
4:30: Take baby and dog on walk (and by walk, I mean try to get the dog to cooperate walking with me and the stroller) . . .

{ There was no way in hellz I was going to subject him to the car seat/car again today, so I gave up on the idea of cupcakes. And wine. Wine, I could use lots of it by now. But I did feel confident enough to take him and FurFur on a stroll around the neighborhood. Stupid, stupid!! You would think most babies like being pushed around... no, not Max... I think he would be happy if Mommy "wore" him for the rest of his baby life. }

5:00: Dropped off dog back home.
5:05: Strolled screaming baby to the French-Vietnamese resto in the neighborhood where I had phoned in a takeout order earlier.
5:20: Return home and bring crying baby upstairs.
5:22: Go back downstairs to haul up the stroller.
5:25: Try to eat a Vietnamese spring roll and chicken wing while interacting with baby in his jumper. 
5:30: Baby screams at me, unhappily.
5:45: Give up on the half-eaten chicken wings and hold baby instead.
6:00: Change diaper of a very mad, distressed baby.
6:05: Nurse mad baby.
6:30: Put baby to sleep for the night. Hallalujah!
6:45: Pass out on the couch––ironically, not from too many green drinks!––with chicken wing scraps and chopsticks strewn about me. 

The end.

{ Baby } OOTD: Shades + suspenders

And speaking of trompe l'oeil...

With his shades and suspenders, he looks like a cool dude, agree? While we're on the subject of shades, I should get him a REAL pair, what with all the long walks in bright sunshine we've been taking ever since spring in Chicago arrived along with daylight savings!

Baby Max has found his toes! It's his new favorite thing to do these days, suck on one hand, use the other to hold onto a foot, roll around a little in his crib... Hey, whatever floats your boat, little man.