Thanksgiving pictures

Well folks, I'm happy to report that my mama got a new camera, so there will be lots of new pictures on the way.

Hmmmm.....I'm thinking about standing on this chair or something else to get me in trouble.

Popping out to say "Peet-a-boo"!!!

My friend, "Baby Tesla."

My mom and dad decided to make it a really spicy, Texas Thanksgiving. So, my friend Caden had to have a sip of water after eating a pepper! EEeouser!

Ohhhhh! I want to play in the Play Gym, too!

A really cool Art Deco photo of Wonka, Tesla's puppy.

Why do I need to know you???

Stranger anxiety. All kids go through it. Some worse than others. Before having Annabelle, I always thought that kids typically responded the same way to strangers, by crying and clinging to mom. I didn’t know there were other such responses.

During Annabelle’s first phase of stranger anxiety, she would give strangers what we called “the cold shoulder.” She would raise her little shoulder and attempt to hide her face. I have to admit it was pretty cute.

Late this summer, her second phase began. She went from cold shoulder to “the evil eye.” Definitely not as cute as the shoulder! Upon seeing a stranger, she would squint her eyes and stare him or her down as if to say, “Who are you? And why do I need to know you?” Hilarious, but yikes….where did she pick this one up? Too much time around Hollywood big wigs? Secret playdates with Suri Cruise & Shiloh Pitt? I dunno.

Luckily, this phase seems to be passing. We’re back to just a blank look. You’re still not going to get a smile, but at least you won’t get a cold shoulder or evil eye.

Me Want Some Cooooo-Keeeeeeees

Finally, Halloween pictures.....




Between trying to kiss her friends and pick up really large pumpkins, she had a great time at her friend, Aurora's, Halloween party.

Gameday with Pappa!

Annabelle: 18-Month Profile

Name: Annabelle Caroline Rietz
Age: 18 months
Nickname: Nuggers, Anna Nanners, AB
Known for: Being a picky eater, a demanding listener (throws a book in your lap quite violently and says "thank you")and a "I-don't-need-help-from-nobody" kind of girl
Favorite words: Mama, Bye bye, baby
First phrase: "Where did Elmo go?"
Theme song: "Miss Independent," by Kelly Clarkson
Favorite song: "Trot Old Joe"
Favorite activity: Reading, going "bye-bye" in the car (this is LA afterall), playing at the beach (or "big pool" as she likes to call the ocean)
Favorite food: Hummus, Eggs, Goldfish
Least favorite food: Anything green, meat (future vegetarian, perhaps?)
Can't live without: Elmo
Obssessed with: Elmo, her belly button, shoes

Football Season @ Our House

You know us well enough to know that football season is really big in our household. Like huge (with a silent "h"), actually. Here's a snapshot from our first football Saturday of the season:

-Annabelle is donning her new SC cheerleader outfit. I have been warned that she will wear it every Sat. throughout the season except when SC plays Nebraska. (Any karma I can send Nebraska's way would be helpful at this juncture).
-We've successfully taught our daughter the touchdown signal on queu. Brilliance.
-Mom is still wearing her bathing suit from the beach that day. Enjoying my beer (not pictured) and the game. Too lazy to change. Plus antlers from last year's St. Patty's (sound familiar? I think antlers are the new headband 'round here).
-There's a reason why dad is not included in this picture. The scary image of a rabid football fan is never a good look, especially from one who expects their team to play better against a scrappy opponent like Idaho State.

And that's all from the Rietzes on a football Saturday.

I really am a little girl now

Oh my baby isn't really a baby anymore....

I've been cheating

Oh blogspot, I really don't know how to say this. Here goes...I've been cheating on you. Have you really been blogging elsewhere?? GASP. Yes, gulp, I have.

At the beginning of August, I got inspired to start blogging for real. (Not that this isn't "real" blogging) But a first step in my hopes and dreams of blogging for a living (yeah, right). I took a plunge into the food blogging world -- a perfect marriage of my love for all things food and for blabbing online. Food blogs are all the rage these days in LA, NYC, San Fran, etc. When Bill and I realized that very few food blogs take it from the family-friendly angle, we decided to start "Whining and Dining in LA." The blog will feature recipes, news, food adventures in LA and reviews of kid-friendly restaurants. Even if you don't call LA your home, I think you'll still find it worth checking out for recipes and such. Know before you go...it is still a work in progress, so your patience is appreciated. And any feedback is more than welcome.

And to our faithful LA Rietz readers (Hi Mom, Bootsie, Mutti, Emily, Nilma, Jeff, Martha), I apologize for the lackluster attempt at keeping you up-to-date and for the skimpy posts. I promise not to forget about you. Please don't leave me now after all that we've been through.

I love you little blogspot and....sniff, sniff....always will.

Beach Day & Trying on my New Outfit!

It's time to put away the ExerSaucer when.....

The face says it all. I'm just too big. Bye Bye ExerSaucer.

Highlights from the past few weeks....

It's been busy 'round here with a spritely, mobile toddler. She's a little "busy bee" (to borrow a phrase from her vocab). As I have mentioned before, she is into everything as all toddlers are. I pick it up. She takes it out. I put it away. She pulls it down. I fold laundry. She dishevels it. And then there's the trail of snacks through the house. Don't touch this and don't touch that. And kissing boo boos. Chasing her with a diaper. I try to keep up, but it is crazy. I answered the door the other day wearing reindeer antlers. I had no idea they were still on. The mailman gave his compliments.

Two Types of People

I'm finding that there are two types of people in this world:

1) Those that embrace the Harry Potter mania
2) Those that do not ("Muggles" as the Harry Potter people like to call them)

I say this as my husband is currently driving around Hollywood trying to find a copy of the latest book. It is 12:30 am. Mind you, he already has a pre-ordered copy being delivered to his office this weekend. Oh the horror! The problem is that he will not get his hands on that copy until Monday. Oh no, that is unacceptable.

With a roll of the eyes, "Go find your book, but only if you bring back some ice cream," I said.

We had plans to go camping in Malibu tomorrow night (weird that people can camp there, huh? ). The trip has been cancelled. But what did he intend to do....go off in the woods and read it by himself while the rest of sit around the campfire?? OK, lame.

Clearly, I fall into the second category. I believe I am the only one in the Rietz family that does. I don't get it.

He's back from an unsuccessful mission....too many people, lines too long. No book. No ice cream.

Will Bill get his hands on the book by Monday...dun dun dunnnn....stay tuned....

Oh, that's music to my ears

Can someone please explain why the "iTunes Junkie" forgets her iPod when she gets a cavity filled?? Because I cannot.

I ALWAYS have my iPod with me, especially for an unpleasant circumstance like drowning out the sound of a drill in my mouth.

Yesterday, I tell the hygenist as I settle into the dentist chair, "I just have to get my iPod so I can get in the zone." Digging through my treasure trove of a purse, I can't find it. Check the pockets. Nope, not there. @#&%!^# in my inside voice. "Oh, I don't have it." Nurse laughs, "Well, I guess you'll have to listen to our music." Which happens to be elevator music. Not my favorite genre. Nervous laugh, "Yeah, I guess so."

Let me reiterate that my least favorite sound is a dental drill. Alas, I had to endure without my tunes. But not without making the dentist and her hygenist concerned over my state of being. The dentist kept remarking about my "furrowed brow." Well, I am furrowing because I don't like you driving the drill in my tooth.

See, the world is a better place when I listen to my iPod. Maybe that is my justification for getting an iPhone.

The mom with the most.....

Kelly, you win the prize for the mom with the most....
A) Mess
B) On her plate
C) Humor
D) All of the above

The answer is D) All of the above.

If you disagree...I'll raise you two sunburned twin babies and a 2 yr-old that puked all over the booth in Legal Seafoods and the new minivan. Try to top that for a day in the life of the Sawyer family.

My life as a mom

I started thinking about how being a mom has changed me. I'll entertain you with a few observations from this week.....

Roles I've assumed:
Chief Snack Dispenser = To be armed with a variety of nutritious snacks to proactively offer and provide nourishment throughout the course of the day. This role has become so routine that I shoved a bite of a NutriGrain bar in my husband's face when he walked in the door on Tues.

Emergency First Responder = To be ready to provide emergency assistance in an instant. In some cases, the term changes to "Emergency First Overreactor" depending on the jumpiness of the mother. Fresh from infant CPR/first aid training, I had the phone in hand, ready to dial 911 when Alex, my co-worker, started making weird noises while arching his body back and flailing his arms. He was demonstrating what would happen when he goes fishing in the ocean. I thought he was having a stroke.

Chef to the Queen = To cook meal after meal to please her toddler highness. What WOULD the Queen like this evening???? Well, the Queen does not like spinach, nor does she care for green beans and potatoes....eh um....those are for mere peasants. The Queen will not eat if served such rubbish!! She slams her hand on her tray and clears it with one fell swoop. Perhaps the Queen would fancy a Fig Newton or some Pirate's Booty? Yes, as a matter of fact, that's what the Queen would like for dinner.

Overhead in our house....
"Why is there Life cereal in our bed?" - Bill

From the mouth of a working mom.....
"I'm gonna need you to quickly troubleshoot while I am gone, so I know you'll be able to handle problems in my absence."
"Why is there chocolate on my knee? Did I not shower yesterday? When was my last shower?" - wondering this at work

Adventures in Pigtails

The wee one finally has locks suitable for piggytails. We've done some experimenting (see below), although I've been put on pigtail probation. Bill had enough of the screaming that's involved in the process. Well, us girls know that there's a certain amount of pain necessary to be beautiful.

The Curse of the 4th Sunday

1-2-3-4. Counting is easy. Everyone knows how and even Annabelle is starting to catch on....except me. I've regressed in some way.

Do I need special ed? Why I cannot count Sundays each month is beyond explanation. Well, at least a rational one. For the life of me, I cannot seem to show up for my nusery duty on the fourth Sunday of each month. I haven't done this one time, but THREE TIMES. I should be fired. The third strike was this past Sunday. And now, I can officially add the esteemed title, "Black Sheep of the Church Nursery Volunteers," to my growing list of titles.

Bill's theory is that I spend too much time in a world of the complex, pouring over such things as neprylisin assays and kinetic parameters. At work, I am in a constant state of trying to comprehend Ph.d. level biology and chemistry. He thinks my brain is so consumed with the complex, which is why the simple eludes me.

Not only did I flake in the Lord's house(I thought my nursery day was this Sun., but alas it is July 1st), but TWICE, I had the nerve to leave my child in the nursery for someone else to watch her when that "someone else" was supposed to be ME. Bill would drop her off, and we would sit blissfully in the service knowing that our very active toddler was in loving (but unknowingly resource-constrained) hands. Yeah, selfish. Just about as selfish as me eating the entire pizza, half of which I promised to my hungry, travel-weary husband returning from an early morning trip to the Bay Area. It is all about me. (Aaaahrgh. My sip of delicious rose wine just went down the wrong pipe. It burns, and it is a reminder of my despicable self service).

At least grace exists for a despicable nursery volunteer like myself. The Lord forgives. He would cover for me in the nursery every time...even when I am unfaithful.

Hallelujah!

The iTunes Junkie

This one is for you, Amber....

That's right, you heard it. I am an iTunes junkie. It's my obsession. It's my candy store. For some people, it's clothes (my mom), shoes (my mom), books (Emily), news (my dad & the Chief), lead soldiers (my brother), wine (my husband). For me, it's music. That's just my thing, at least for the time being.

Maybe it is because my attention deficit tendencies cause me to tire quickly of the same old playlists. I have a constant, nagging need to listen to fresh music. I listen to my iPod every day and take it wherever I go in the off hand chance that I'll get to tune in. (Yes, it is rather optimistic for a mother of a toddler). I'm also a perfectionist when it comes to making a playlist. When I throw a party, I have to have the right music for the right crowd at the right time.

I'm also one of those people that has to have a variety of music to suit my every mood or activity. Moody? Picky? High-maintenance? Yes, yes and yes.

Friends have been asking me lately about my current favorites. So, I thought I would post a few selections tonight.

Mellow to
Lucinda Williams - West
Ray La Montagne - Trouble & Till the Sun Turns Black
The Fray - How to Save a Life
Goldspot - Tally of the Yes Men
Kings of Convenience
Mat Kearney - Nothing Left to Lose
Nouvelle Vague (all of their stuff is great; Frenchy remixes of 80s tunes)
Paolo Nutini - "Million Faces"
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise or Michigan
Lay Low - "Mojo Love"
Maria Taylor - Lynn Teeter Flower
Belle & Sebastian - "If She Wants Me," Dear Catastrophe Waitress


Drink cocktails to
Gotan Project - Lunatico
Jorge Drexler - Ecco
Zero 7 - Simple Things
Theivery Corporation
Clear Voyage - The Sessions
Frederico Aubele - Gran Hotel Buenos Aires
Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love or Dreamland (dreamy French music, wish I knew what she was saying)
Hotel Costes (album title; famous hotel in Paris)
Verve Remix (album title)
If you haven't discovered downtempo music, then you should get crazy and try it. It's what they are always playing in a swanky hotel lounge.

Workout to
Beck - "Nausea," The Information
The Chemical Brothers - "Galvanize," Push the Button
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth"
Cold War Kids - "Hang Me Out to Dry," Robbers and Cowards
Psapp - "Hi," The Only Thing I Ever Wanted
Paul Oakenfold
LCD Soundsystem
The White Stripes
The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams
AB O'neill - "California"

What I would like to get my hands on
Kate Earl - new CD only avail in UK
Oren Lavie - such good stuff coming from the Brits as always
Marisa Monte
The Decemberists are playing with the LA PhilHarmonic at the Hollywood Bowl - would love to hear this recorded

There's much more. As they say, I should end on a high note to leave you wanting more (or stop boring you).

You know you live in Los Angeles when.....

your new favorite drink is a lavander mint green tea latte* (c/o The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf). And it was worth every penny of the $4 I paid.....yum, yum, yummy!

*for you locals, it is not on the standard tea latte menu, but they will make you a latte out of any tea you want.

The Fruit of the Vine

11 bottles of Santa Barbara's finest consumed by nine thirsty people (well, eight 1/2 considering that one didn't really consume that much). And here is the picture to prove it. Yikes!

From left to right:
Tantarra Chardonnay
Huber Chardonnay
Ampelos Viognier
Ampelos Rose
Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir
Ampelos Pinot Noir
Ken Brown Pinot Noir
Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir

Deep Thought: Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyard and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver."
--- Jack Handy

I found my belly button

Bahama Mama

Did you know that there really is a drink called the "Bahama Mama?" A fruity rum concotion, of course. I was handed one as we arrived at the resort where we stayed in Abaco, Bahamas. It's arguably one of the better moments of a tropical, beach vacation - when you finally get to your destination, realize that you are in a beautiful place and a world away from the daily grind and a few sips of that fruity drink and you are ready to relax.

And we were ready to relax.....because we were the people with the screaming baby for five loooong hours from LA to Miami. Bill was offering to buy people drinks, and I made a public apology to the three rows in front of us. Probably the longest five hours of my life. And then she fell asleep as we were de-boarding the plane. Go figure.

It was worth the pain, though. Here are some pictures.....











All of the babes together for a rare photo op.