Beezie Hits the Beachie

Blakely decided that the best way to spend time with her Grandparents on Halloween was to head up to SF and enjoy the beautiful weather. The beach was perfect--warm and sunny!



We decided to lunch at the Cliff House, and couldn't escape the SF/Halloween fun. How awesome is that pumpkin? This Giants business is kind of fun, but I'm a little tired of that bearded guy, and that guy that looks like the kid from Dazed and Confused.

We made quick work of the popovers--remember when I stashed some in my purse to surprise Lancer??

Lance and Robyn followed the popovers with a cup of their famous clam chowder.

I got their generously sized crab louis, and it was SO fresh and tasty.

Lancer and Robyn also shared an open-faced crab sandwich. They said it was delish.

Beezie got to hang with pops, and take a walk around the restaurant, mugging at the customers who ate her up like delicious Halloween candy.

A very content B

I was a little puzzled by the Soda Room. I wanted to bust inside to see if it was the Diet Coke heaven I thought.
After lunch, we headed out to the terrace for some beachy fun. We walked around, and took in the beautiful weather and sights.

Got in a little family time with Gramps!

We made sure we were home early enough to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. We always buy one awesome decoration at Spirit every year. This year, we bought a sound activated ghost with glowing eyes. Did I mention he levitates? It's pretty freaky.

Sending screaming and/or crying kids down my pathway toward their parents is priceless.

The Great Closet Overhaul

A few weeks ago, Lance got so annoyed with his lack of closet and drawer space that he loaded up all of his "excess" clothes into bags and stashed them in the garage. This is the direct result of my nesting--for the first time ever, all of the clothes in the house were washed and ready to be put away.

The ghetto stash

I found this puzzling, and asked him if ALL of the space was being utilized, and he assured me it was. Since he's been in Germany all week, I decided to take a peek and see if he was telling the truth, or spinning an old-fashioned web of lies. It was the latter.

Upon opening his closet, I saw this wide open dead space at the end.

A closer inspection revealed this little gem--a Land of the Lost plastic coin bank from his childhood. I gambled and decided that this baby could find a much better home in a much better place. Space around here is a hot commodity!


I decided to take control while he was gone, and surprise him with a new and improved clothing system. After 9 years together, I found a few gems along the way. Such as:

He's a closet Oakland A's fan. Who knew?

Cables and cords mixed in with your clothing=Genius!

And, last but certainly not least, the fact that babies really can go in drawers. And they like it!

I decided to ignore his bag 'o' socks--this woman has limits on what she will do for her man. Sweaty footwear is not included in this package deal.

Sorry, baby. No can do!

And here is the end result! I got a hanging 6-shelf unit for the previously unoccupied space in the closet. It now houses all of his shirts and t-shirts. I had no idea Lancer had such a nice wardrobe. I stole 2 shirts and plan on re-giving them to him for Christmas, since I'm 100% positive they went into the dresser abyss 2 years ago, and never saw the light of day.




I was kind of hoping I would find the oft-alluded to "missing" argyle sweaters, but those babies were nowhere to be found. Maybe the iPod thief loves argyle, too.

Allright, baby! Looking forward to seeing what you think about the new system. I love ya!

I May Regret This in the Morning

This is my blog version of drunk dialing. It's 2 am, and I have convinced myself that this lil' baby should top my Christmas list this year:



The Shark Vac-Then-Steam!! First it vacuums, then it steams away germs. I want it. I need it.

Plus, the commercial says that everyone knows Shark produces the highest quality cleaning products out there. The special TV offer won't last long, and comes with a smaller, handheld steamer for my countertops! Plus, both units clean with hot steam from plain water--no need to waste your money on high-priced cleaning products--amiright??

After that, I'm asking Santa for the opportunity to roundhouse kick the 5 Hour Energy guy in the head.

For starters, his acting is crappy. I have never seen an "actor" rely solely on his thumbs and arched eyebrows to convey the message. Plus, that smirk! Ughh! He's on my TV ALL THE TIME, and his product looks gross--mixed fruit. I hate him.

After his beatdown, I have a feeling he won't have that 2:30 feeling anymore. Or that 3:30 feeling. Or that 4:30 feeling, for that matter.

Feeling groggy? Watcha gonna do? Take a nap? Drink a soda? Reach for that candy bar? Get another cuppa joe??

Tell me that cleaner is amazing, and that you also hate that smirky 5 hour guy!!

I Used to be Fun...

...and then I had a baby. It's hard to be funny, witty or wry when you aren't getting more than 3 hours of sleep at a time.

Here I am sleeping with B. I always look this hot when I sleep. Yes, this is from the newborn baby shoot. I will do a post with the pictures when I have enough time to eat and shower. Don't hold your breath, readers.

Here are my current thoughts:

1. I apologize to Denise Richards.

Why, you ask? Because I once made fun of the fact that she gave up breastfeeding because "it was too hard." I am eating crow, and it doesn't taste very good. I expected things to just go smoothly in that department. But, no. I am prolactin challenged, and after trying herbs, tea, acupuncture, 2 hour intervals with pumping, prescription meds....I finally came to terms with the fact that I will always have to supplement with formula. It is what it is. Somewhere I just heard the Similac Execs squeal with joy and delight.

2. I have new-found respect for Michelle Duggar. Not her fuggy pioneer hair, just her ability to deal with all of her kids.


3. I have high social needs. Please stop by and visit. Please, I'm begging you.

4. But only if you DON'T HAVE WHOOPING COUGH. Why are we in the middle of a whooping cough epidemic? It's so 1950's. What's a new mom got to do to get a little bird or swine flu around here?

5. Is it just me, or is my baby flipping the Westside in this picture?? My baby is a straight up gangtsa. Thug 4 life.

Tupac, showing us how it's done!

That's all I can muster up. I'm now going to pass out. Please think back to the days when I was fun. I promise my fun-ness is still around, but it may take a few months to find it. Until then!

Blakely's Guardian Angel

With my overwhelming joy this week comes overwhelming loss. My sister Eriika, my only sibling, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Sunday morning. She was 36, and had been afflicted with lupus since she was 23. It's a horrible disease, and I wouldn't wish the effects on anyone. I watched her health slowly deteriorate over the years, but never her spirit. She was a fighter, and was positive and upbeat up until the very end.

I'm struggling with mixed emotions. Great sadness and loss for me, but great happiness and relief that she is no longer suffering in a body that had turned on her long ago. Grief for the sister I lost, but peace knowing she is in a better place, happy and healthy again. She always said that when she died and was resurrected she wanted to be her 21 year old self. This is now how I picture her in my head now--happy, smiling, tan, tall, thin, and blond.

When I went back to Wisconsin for my family baby shower, she was in really bad health. But, like always, she managed it well. We stayed up late talking and even found the long lost videotapes from high school we had been searching for for years. We watched them until early in the morning, and I brought them home with me to transfer on to DVD's for us. These are great memories.

Eriika was so overjoyed about Blakely, and the happiness that she brought us in the short 2 weeks before she passed away. She loved that we named her after her, and loved the story about the duck pants. I have another duckie pair of pj's I bought in honor of her, and I know they will bring both smiles and tears to my face when B wears them.

I know she hung on longer than she should have to make sure that both Blakely and I were okay. Once she knew we were fine, she moved on. She's Blakely's own guardian angel--her namesake and beloved Aunt who loved her more than she will ever know. Eriika knew that the only way I would be able to cope with her loss was by having Blakely here with me, and she was right. I've held Blake a little closer since hearing the news, and it brings such joy to my heart.

Now she will on through all of the stories I will tell her down the line of Eriika, and all of our childhood (and adulthood) shenanigans. And shenanigans, there were. You can read some of our favorites here.

One interesting final note is that Eriika insisted I go overdue a week from my original due date, October 3rd so B would be born on 10/10/10 because it would be so cool. Given my state, I told her that was the meanest thing anyone had ever said to me, and broke the news to her that I was going a week early, not a week late.

Well, Eriika really did think that date was cool and significant because she passed away on 10/10/10.


Eriika--we love you and miss you. See you on the flip side.

Table for Three, Please!

This was our first real family outing. It looked like a good day for Stacks in Campbell. Loving the weather, loving the food, loving the bebe.

That's all!

Mini Has Arrived!

Oh, baby baby! Our long awaited bundle 'o' joy has arrived, and we are in love-love love!

Miss Blakely Jeanne Jacobs arrived on September 27th at 4:39 PM. She weighed in at a hefty, er, healthy 8 lbs 2 oz, and was 19 inches long. All is well with the two of us.

Jeanne was my Grandmother's name, and it's also my sister Eriika's middle name. We're keeping it in the family.

Here is her first week in review. Captions are short--it's late, and I have a lot of territory to cover. Enjoy!

Last pics of the belly before we go in. It seemed like a fine day to have a baby!

Arrived at the hospital--glad I wouldn't be sent home with no baby...for the third time.

The big day!

Getting prepped and pumped full of more fluids--totally helped with the cankles. Not.

Papa getting scrubbed in for the big moment!

Drinking the worst tasting crap on the face of this earth. Loving this totally candid action shot.

One last picture with just the 2 of us!

Spinal done, oxygen on, drugs in, waiting for the action behind the curtain.

And here she is! Lancer was on my side of the curtain, and when we heard her scream for the first time, we just looked at each other with huge smiles of surprise. Hearing that scream was such a relief in so many ways.

The 3 of us, at the end of one long journey, and at the beginning of another

Minutes old Blakely

Going for a walk with Papa

Getting in some more family time

Snuggin with Mama

Smiling--and, NO, it was not gas. She totally smiled at me.

More Mamma Snuggin

I could just stare at this little face all day long

B doing her best baby burrito impression

All dressed up in her going home outfit. I picked out this set in honor of Eriika, Blakely's namesake. Before I was born my parents asked her if she wanted a brother or sister, and she was adamant that she wanted a duck. She was totally disappointed that I was a human sister. This one's for you, Sis. Love you.

Finally leaving the hospital! I barely left the room in 4 long days. The weather was perfect--sunny and breezy.

Got a visit from Auntie Sharla

...and Auntie Jo-Jo-who brought me Google food. Tasty.

Hanging out in the bouncer

Got a visit from 2 very happy and excited Grandparents--Dave and Bon-Bon

Got some quality time in with Pops

And, last but not least, got her first bath--mainly so I could doll her up in this adorable hooded towel.
Welcome to our family, Blakely. We are so excited that you're here, and already love and adore you more than you will ever know.

PS...we think you are gorgeous!

PSS...where did you get that dark brown hair?

PSS....glad you are a good sleeper so far. Let's just work on the eating bit.