Peter is 10 months old!

Well that went by fast. He went from crawling to standing and dancing in the blink of an eye. The kid loves music! Walking cannot be far behind and then...watch out. My cat food has been moved to yet another (higher) level, but the little climber is not far behind. We've had a few run-ins lately, but I've been cutting him a little slack and keeping my claws sheathed when I get serious and tell him to STOP pulling my tail/belly fur/paws/other sensitive parts. At least he hasn't discovered my cat box yet.

In other news, we are coming up on Erika's last week of work, and Jana's last week in San Francisco. Big changes ahead. We enjoyed a nice meal tonight - crockpot beef stew with Moroccan spices and cous cous, and reminiscing about Martin's wild youth. Next time you see him, ask him about how he lied to the police when he was 8 years old. :-)

Guest Post from Erika: New Addition

Pawlene has been feeling a little bit under the weather lately (as in, barf all over the hallway), so I thought I'd jump in with a quick post before Peter turns TEN months old. And I have news. In spades.

First and foremost, after a year of driving around in crotchety old Maude, Martin and I finally drove up to Sonoma County this weekend to acquire a dashing young Harold. The Subaru I picked out online was hot, fast, and young - a 2007 Impreza WRX with tinted windows and leather seats. Gorgeous. I took him for a spin through the vineyards and realized...I no longer need or want to drive a turbo-charged race car, especially with a car seat in the back. This came as a complete shock to both me and my darling husband, Martin.

Luckily, there was another car on the lot that seemed to fit a lot better. A modest, but still zippy, 2005 Impreza 2.5 RS Sport wagon.

We pick her up on Thursday. Yes, Her. I so wanted a Harold, but this really feels like a chick car to me. She has "girl next door" sex appeal, but only if the girl living next to you speaks fluent Japanese and really knows how to tear up a dance floor. Hey wait, I know someone just like that. With apologies to my dear friend in Chicago, meet Sue. Sue Baru.



In other news, I resigned from my job on Friday. Yes, I know, this is probably not the most optimal time to be leaving a job. For so many reasons. But my mother in law, who has been caring for Peter for the past 6 months, is returning to Prague at the end of February, and face with the choice of either finding child care for Peter or leaving my job...Well, Peter only gets to grow up once, and I don't want to miss it. My last day is February 26.

I am still harboring fantasies of starting a new career and creating some part-time work that is more family-friendly, and to that end I have signed up for a 2-week baking course in March at the San Francisco Baking Institute, immediately followed by a weekend of soul-searching at Esalen. Yes, I have a VERY understanding husband and I know how lucky I am. And speaking of understanding, The Talk I had with my boss about leaving my job quickly morphed into a discussion about a potential new personal chef/supper club project that we want to do together. Have I mentioned that my co-workers are really awesome and that I will be so sad not to see them every day? Peter is still cuter though.

Stay tuned...

Peter is 3/4 of a year old!

Well the little guy turned 9 months old today, and he has developed some disturbing new skills in the past month. He can actually CRAWL, crab-like, all the way over to me now to pull my tail. It's a milestone that I am not particularly pleased about, but his parents are certainly excited. And terrified. The baby-proofing of the apartment has begun. It's mostly stuffed wolves and pigs that currently block him from such interesting targets as the wires that connect the printer to the wall and...my cat box. I've heard rumors about gates, but haven't seen any yet. Hopefully I'll be able to jump over them. I might even lose some weight. Especially if the kid keeps stealing my cat food.

Erika and Martin celebrated by going out to dinner at their favorite restaurant, Range. The food, while always consistently good, was so amazingly good tonight, that Erika spent the whole meal just raving about it. Listen to these cocktail descriptions: Erika had the "Girasol" (Spanish for sunflower): manzanilla sherry, elderflower liqueur, and saffron cardamom bitters. Martin started with the "Stallion": beefeater gin, barolo chinato, orange curacao, bitters. Exotic. Perfectly balanced. Outstandingly delicious. Then there was dinner. And wine. And dessert! Erika ordered a coconut bavarian with basil seed gelee and tangerine sorbet. A pink lady apple and quince tart showed up as well, and not a trace of either was left at the end. This restaurant is so creative, so masterful, and simultaneously so down to earth and unpretentious. It's a rare gem.

In other news, it is raining in San Francisco, which has effectively ended Erika's stint of bicycle riding to and from work. On the 4th round trip, she even managed to make it home without ONCE taking a wrong turn. One out of eight trips...it's a start. She might even take it up again once the weather improves. What a sensory trip. The smells alone were enough to provide an entirely different experience of the city: rotting seafood in Dog Patch, a taco truck at the end of the day in the Mission, a biodiesel truck loading up at a restaurant South of Market... And the sounds...who knew how many birds live unnoticed in San Francisco? Not just pigeons!

This weekend Jana and I will have the house to ourselves again, as Erika and Martin take Peter on his first flight in the Apache, up to Nevada City for yet another house-hunting trip. He is all ready to go with a little tiny headset and teeny baby earplugs and a nice warm electric blanket. Should be interesting. Stay tuned...

Guest Post from Erika: There Goeth Pride

Inspired by an article in my new favorite magazine, the 70-degree weather, and an increasing sense of guilt at being the only member of the "Green Team" at work who drives a car to work every single day (sometimes TWICE a day when Martin gives me a ride), I decided to ride my bike to work today. Well actually I decided to ride my bike to work several months ago, but today was the first day I was able to overcome the significant inertia and get on my bike and do it.

I had a million excuses not to. I couldn't find the right key to the lock, I couldn't figure out how to use my new bike pump, I hadn't really picked out a route, there was dirt on my bike, I was late...
But (after a LOT of help from Martin) I finally just jumped on the darn bike and took off in the general direction of work. It's only 4 miles - I figured I couldn't get too lost. Anyone who knows me well is laughing right now.

The ride started off a little wobbly - I haven't been on a bike since August and I haven't been on THIS bike since I lived in Portland. I ended up going the wrong way on a one way street for a few blocks, and then I had to weave my way through a homeless encampment where the drug addicts were just starting to stir and totter onto the bike path. The scariest part was threading my way between the seafood garbage truck (Pee-Yoo!) and the three MUNI buses that were heading like cows to the barn into the MUNI yard. Then I started to really enjoy myself. What an adrenaline rush!

By the time I got to work, I was feeling GREAT. Why hadn't I done this before? I was also feeling Smug. I had saved energy and money AND gotten in a little workout. Yay, me! I made my way proudly up stairs (no elevator for me today!), managed to fit "Yeah, I rode my BIKE today" into a morning greeting or two, and sat down at my desk, only to realize...my laptop was at home.

sigh.

A co-worker very kindly let me borrow her beautiful champagne-colored Mercedes wagon (a far cry from old one-eyed Maude, who recently lost a headlight to the same bozo who ripped a hole in the wing of Martin's plane). I returned home, retrieved the laptop, cooed briefly over the sleeping baby, and slunk back into work. So much for saving the environment.

On the way home after work, I followed a pack of other LED-blinking cyclists (safety in numbers!), tried a new route (and only made one complete, unintentional circle), and shaved 5 minutes off my time! I might even try it again tomorrow...

Babies!

Doesn't he make a great Baby New Year? Happy 2009 everyone! Had to start off this post with a scandalously cute Peter photo, courtesy of Papy Willett, because BABIES are in the air. Erika, Martin and Jana caught a glimpse of a newborn baby elephant seal at Ano Nuevo a few weeks ago, then some baby cows (aka calves) on the drive back from Jenner this past week. In addition to the animal babies, two of Erika's friends are pregnant and getting ever closer to the big day, and another friend just adopted a new baby boy yesterday with ONE HOUR of notice. Can you imagine? I mean, she and her husband had been preparing and hoping for that day for months, but then they got a phone call and within one hour they were in the car, on the way to pick up their new baby. Erika is so excited for them that she is just tingling all over. He is going to be one fiercely loved baby. Yes, another He. Both pregnant friends are due with boys as well. Something in the water? Hmmm.

Things have returned to normal around here and I am not getting NEARLY the petting I got during the last two weeks when everyone was home. Erika is back to working 4 days a week, Martin is back to working on his plane at every opportunity, Jana is working at getting Peter to eat more solid food (Kale! Carrots! Bananas! Mashed potatoes with yogurt! Egg yolks and even...nutritional yeast!). Mmmmm. Peter is working too - his new hobby is opening cupboards and drawers. He's decided crawling is not worth the effort since our slippery hardwood floors allow him to just pull himself along on his belly with his arms. Or, if he is in a hurry, he rolls and then twists into a sitting position. So talented! If only he would apply himself to something more useful, like long-distance sleeping...

Erika has not dared to open either of the bread baking cookbooks that she received for Christmas, for fear of immediately quitting her job and completely immersing herself in learning how to bake The Perfect Loaf of Bread for the next six months. She did, however, finally find the time to read her new(ish) Chez Panisse Desserts cookbook from cover to cover, in search of inspiration for pairings for Sunday's whiskey tasting party. Butterscotch Pecan pie is on the short list.

And speaking of Christmas, Erika and Martin were delighted to discover a WHOLE BOX of Christmas presents from Uncle Dave and Beth on Monday that had been delayed in the mail. What fun! Especially because it contained no fewer than THREE containers of the most delicious real Virginia peanuts, which should go a long way in ensuring marital harmony, as neither Erika nor Martin (both only children) will have to share their container with the other. Good thinking, Dave and Beth! :-)

The Peter George Full Body Workout!

Ok ladies, get ready to SWEAT!
1, 2, 3, and lift!
LIFT that 20 lb baby...
UP off the floor.
UP out of the crib!
UP out of the tub!
and UP off the floor again!
UP off the floor again!

Okaaaaaaaaaay, 1, 2, 3 and BEND!
Bend right down,
pick up that block,
pick up that cube,
pick up that elephant, now...
REPEAT!
Repeat!
Repeat!
Repeat!

Get ready, turn around and RUN!
Catch that baby before he falls over and hits his head!
CATCH that baby before he pulls the recycling bin over!
Catch that baby before he yanks Pawlene's tail again!
CATCH that baby before he eats the cat food!

Great work, ladies, keep it up and REPEAT!
Repeat!
Repeat!
Repeat, and sleep!
OK, Ready, now Lift, Bend, Catch, Repeat!
And sip that coffee! Catch! Catch! Catch! Repeat!

Ready for the big laundry lift?
Ok here we go:
Bend DOWN, get that wet sleeper off the floor!
Stand UP throw that onesie in the hamper and....
Bend DOWN pick up that tiny baby sock and
Stand UP, pull every last diaper out of the dryer,
Pull, pull, pull, PULL!
Bend DOWN pick up the hamper and RUN!
...to the nursery at the opposite end of the house!
and RUN! to the kitchen before the baby tips over the recycling bin...
and RUN back to the living room to

Pick up those toys, pick up those toys, pick up those toys!
Ready, now, REPEAT!
Repeat!
Repeat!
Repeat!

FEEL the burn!!!

Peter is 8 months old!

And we made it through Christmas. Peter is still a happy, babbling baby. He notices new things now, and becomes quickly bored with all of his old toys. Cupboards full of breakable serving platters are SO much more interesting than a tired old Sophie giraffe. Not crawling yet, but that adventure is just over the horizon...

The more Peter grows, the more things stay the same. Martin is still sick. Erika will never again make a 12-layer mocha cake. It was wonderful having Erika's parents in town for too short a time.

I received a personalized L.L. Bean place mat and a purple, knit octopus for Christmas, but my favorite Christmas gift was the stuffed wolf that Uncle Bill gave to the entire Kosina family. We hang out in front of the gas fire together. More often than not these days, as the weather in San Francisco has been feeling really cold to us lately. Cold, that is, until we check out the temperatures in some of the places our friends and family live (Prague, Portland, New York, Minnesota - BRRR!).

Our biggest Christmas adventure was dinner on Christmas Eve. Erika ordered the traditional Willett feast (Dungeoness crab) from our favorite local butcher, expecting to pick up four nicely cracked crustaceans on December 24 for a quick, low-maintenance meal. Upon arriving at the (slammed) butcher store, she was told that her crabs were waiting, but they weren't cracked. In fact, they weren't even dead. Fast forward a few hours later to introducing Peter to CLAWS out on the deck, and George and Laurene Willett to the rescue. They've done this before. Without even a whimper, the crabs slipped into two nice hot tubs prepared especially for them and an hour later we had a lovely dinner.

That's about all I have right now, except a quick plug for the movie Milk. Erika and Martin saw this film about the life of Harvey Milk a few weeks ago at the Castro theater, and Erika had tears in her eyes at the end, when a PACKED 1400-seat theater stood and clapped as the credits rolled. What a life. What a film. What a place to see it. It really puts proposition 8 into perspective.