Celebrations!

Well, it is almost September. How did that happen?? The last week of August is always fun around here since my birthday is on the 25th and our wedding anniversary is on the 28th. Since hubby had to work on our anniversary, we celebrated the week before by going to the monthly ‘Latin Nights’ event at Maestro’s in the Straz Center here in Tampa. It was a lot of fun but also really showed us how out of practice and out of SHAPE we both were. We also went to the same restaurant where we had our first date after moving to Tampa – the one downside was ordering the dish that I adored last time but having an aversion to the sauce this time around. It tasted burnt and the thought did cross my mind to send it back but I had Jesse try it and he said it tasted good so… pregnancy strikes again lol.

 live band and dance floor

For my birthday, we got to go to a MN Twins game! I really did try to like the Rays once we moved here, guys, I really did. But when the stadium is a little over an hour away and the whole thing costs close to $50 to go for one game, you tend to only go when you really want to…and I only really want to when the Twins are here lol. I also love that we actually get to see the games on TV when they play against the Rays so it’s always a three evening event and this time I totally got Andrew saying “Home Run” and clapping when the Twins did something good. He clapped for the Rays a few times too but he’s still learning ; )

After the Twins won the game!

We had meant to go to this Chinese buffet place that we’ve heard good things about but decided instead to use birthday freebies. So on my birthday, we went shopping at Old Navy with a birthday coupon, got a free brunch at Denny’s, a free blizzard and even have another freebie or two lined up! All in all, it was a really fun day.

AND to top it all off, last weekend, Andrew was invited to his first birthday party! Jesse's co-worker's son turned three and celebrated at Chuck E Cheese, so we went out to join in the fun - Andrew didn't really get much of a chance to interact with the other kids but did have a tiny little girl scoot up close to him at the table, had his finger held by a little baby girl, and rode in a truck ride with another little boy - hilarious by the way as he kept clinging to the dashboard and sitting down on the floor. Obviously a bit freaked out but was still smiling and having a good time. He won a bunch of tickets, played a bunch of games - even operated a bumper car! It was a lot of fun!

playing a game with daddy!

Well, here’s to 27! Someone, somewhere, please have a glass of Moscato for me! ;)

<3

Mama, daddy and baby date day... and the first ballet class in 3 years.

So we have been thinking about this date day for months. I kid you not, MONTHS. 

I read so many articles encouraging mothers to venture out to the movie theater with newborns but I just could not bring myself to do it. I know as a single woman I always loved kids and babies but it would annoy me if there were crying babies around with parents not really interested in being considerate to others. I am the kind of mom that I will let my plans get delayed if it means others don't have to be subjected to our kid's screams. SO it took me finding a kids movie, 2 months after it opened, at 10:35am on a Tuesday morning to agree to take Andrew. There was one other person (older man) but otherwise the theater was empty. Andrew did great! He watched about 2/3 of it, and slept for awhile in the middle.

Afterwards we window shopped through the entire mall (it is humongous). We found good places to shop for Andrew for Christmas, I became bent on visiting a Bath and Body works soon, and we also found an awesome tea shop where we want to purchase some tea, beet sugar and a set. Yup, we're turning into those kind of people ;-P

Sunday we relaxed and went to the beach with friends.

Here are some pictures of our week so far :)

Napping in his tent

Reading with Daddy

Loving being messy!

Sunset Beach

...at Sunset

Tuesday (the big date day) we went to Citrus Park to see a movie and window shop

He's getting SO BIG

Ready for the movie!

Intently watching the movie while gulping down a bottle

Making a "kissy" face

First time the little man has fallen asleep on me in a long time.

No pictures from ballet class but it was really fun! We went early, chatted with some of the dance moms, met the teacher, talked about how there will be a live screening of Carlos Acosta in Royal Ballet's Don Q here in TAMPA (!!!!!), and chatted a bit with the other dancers. Our friend never showed up but most of the other dancers were very nice and welcoming. The teacher reminds me of a teacher I had as a kid, Lydia - she was a lot of fun.

 By about the 4th combination I was drenched "glistening" with sweat, it's such a good workout! I was a little bummed that I didn't get any corrections, but afterwards the teacher told me about the Intermediate/ Advanced class days so I think that maybe means I did okay haha. I definitely want to stick in the beginning class for a while though, it's good to go back to the basics especially after not taking a class in three years. Also, I'm out of shape and semi un-flexy for the moment. I do, however, kind of want to try to go every week rather than once every other week.... we'll see if that happens.

Will have another update blog later this week about our very big/long/trying day that tomorrow will be.

TTFN! <3