It's Christmas once again....

So are expected, our Christmas festivities were low key. It was fun to watch Evan open up his gifts and his stocking. Yes, his stocking b/c it was Evan's highlight filled with chocolate and lollipops... a kids dream.

No formal dinner was had. A make-shift dinner at Joel's (while he was medicated) is occur with leftovers and 'what's in the freezer'. Unfortunately, Dan had to stay home. And in the end, it just didn't feel much like Christmas.

But our big Christmas dinner did go off without a hitch on Saturday... And because it was at our house, Dan attended!! As you can see, Evan enjoyed having his daddy around. We had an informal dinner and the entire family (unfortunately, Joseph & Tanya didn't make it up). And we started our new family tradition... birthday cake!! The entire reason we celebrate this day is because it is the day that Christ was born... and so we have cake. And Evan blew out the candles during the first verse of the song!! He likes cake!!

And that was Christmas!

Christmas not going as planned

Happy Christmas Eve!!!! But it's not the typical Christmas for the Pereira/Bouges house (maybe more the Pereira than the Bouges :). It's never quite felt like the Christmas season was here. We put up our tree a week later than expected. And got the cards out a lot later than expected (used this family photo).

But our house hasn't been truly blessed with good healthy this holiday season. Breaking it down? Dan and I had bad colds since before Thanksgiving, which turned into chest colds for both of us in early Dec. Last week, Evan began running temps as high as 104.2 for days before being diagnosed with a double ear infection. But after day 2 of antibiotics, he's fever was gone and his energy was back... unfortunately we had 6+ inches of snow covering the ground.

Then last Friday as that snow began to blanket the area at a rate of an inch an hour, Joel was in a car accident. As Joel was stopped at a stop sign less than a mile from his house, he was hit by a car. He was taken to the ER during the storm and Abbie went to be with him. He was treated and released hours later with a mild concussion, staples in his head (almost 2" long), and short term memory loss (couldn't remember Thursday or Friday). Joel is A LOT better now. Most of his memory is back (except the accident and moments afterwards).

Unfortunately, Dan (in the height of the storm) and after leaving his job went to pick up Joel and Abbie from the ER. Dan didn't have his gloves, a hat and the zipper on his jacket broke. And by Saturday morning, his chest cold got a lot worse. Abbie and Joel stayed at our house over the weekend.

Saturday came and the dig out began. However, the healthiest to shovel and dig out the snow was Abbie (who's on antibiotics for bronchitis) and myself with a chest cold and pregnant. So what a scene... the ladies outside digging out the snow and the guys watching from the window... kinda of humorous. And poor Evan was ready to help but he's still recovering from his ear infections.

And when Monday came and Dan took himself to the doctor... he has pneumonia is both his lungs. So with all the ailments in our house, and the unusual circumstances, we have "rescheduled" the family Christmas dinner from Thursday to Saturday. Oh, and I'm on antibiotics now too. So I need time to disinfect the house, folks need time to heal, and Santa will still be here Christmas morning. Maybe he'll bring a Christmas miracle and we'll wake up healthy :)

So I looked back and this seems to be the worse Christmas ever. And I've had some doozies: (1) Dad in India when I was 7 or so, mom with the flu, major snow storms and no food in the house BUT Santa still came and so did neighbors when we didn't show up for Christmas mass (2) Parents in FL and mom sick over the Christmas holiday..... but this is the worse b/c this year we won't be together on Christmas :(

Time to go and begin the big cleaning (part 1). Evan had a sleep over at his grandparents so I have a couple hours. And part 2 will have to be when Evan is napping. But we all agree that I need to take it easy to take care of others.... that's what moms do? right?

Happy Christmas Eve.....

Lifes moves fast when you aren't looking

It's the Christmas season and I can't help but wonder where did the year go. I think about life a year ago... Evan wasn't walking yet and today he runs, jumps, climbs. Evan wasn't talking yet and today he's stringing together 3-4 word sentences. You only have to tell him something once and he remembers.
I look back at the year and think about the those many weddings and couples starting their life together. And the many babies born.

And Dan and I are now expecting child number 2!!! That's right.. Baby Bouges is due May 24th.... And yes, we will be finding out the gender and let you know!!! Hopefully we'll have that good news for Christmas.

Pregnancy hasn't been fun for me. Morning sickness all day since day one!!! I'm now 17 weeks and starting to feel better. And starting to show.

Evan is getting used to the idea of a baby inside mommy but I bet he has a lot of questions he hasn't asked yet.

And now we are all sick. I got sick first around Thanksgiving... Dan about a week later.. and Evan came home from daycare with a fever and ended up throwing up. It continued on this morning but he did sleep ok last night.

Evan's Birthday

November... the leaves have fallen, the temperature has dropped and Evan has turned 2!!! We had a small celebration on Saturday and it ended up being a good day. Evan got to know his cousins and his aunt and uncles better. And he definitely got the idea of opening gifts... so I am looking forward to Christmas morning.

I've posted a couple photos from Evan's birthday party... feel free to take a look.

Evan's First Real Halloween

So Evan went Trick-or-Treating for the first time for real this year. Last year, seeing as though he hadn't figured out how to use his legs yet, we just carried him to a couple of our neighbors' houses. But this time 'round we worked the neighborhood for all it was worth. Ok, maybe that's an exaggeration, but he hit a good 20 houses, and I think that's a hell of a start for a not even two-year-old. As you can see below he was a very cute Darth Vader. It wasn't our first costume choice, but the Elmo costume fell through kinda last second so we had to scramble. Evan isn't really the evil sith type though. Next year we'll see if he can find a Han - I think Evan can pull off scoundrel.

Long time no hear...

Guess it's been almost two months since I last wrote in here... and good reason, my baby is a walking talking little man who loves to "RUN".... and he's tiring us out :) There hasn't been much new on the Evan front except his rapidly expanding vocabulary. I posted some new photos earlier this week . Evan and his buddy Chris at the Dinosaur Crossings and our family trip to Cooperstown, NY.

Today I had first with Evan (and it may be a last)... for those of you who don't know (and I assume that's most of you)... Evan has a strange attachment to his spoons. So much so we end up having to wash 5-8 spoons a night. And I just didn't feel like digging a spoon out of the dirty dishwasher and washing it just to satisfy his 'need'.... so instead I gave him the option to wash them... and he did. With my guidance and instructions, Evan washes dishes today... he didn't seem to like it too much, so I am not sure it'll happen again... but YEAH!!!

That's all for now... I'm tired all of a sudden and have some baking to do... but I'll be back this weekend to update with Halloween photos!!!

Evan Update

My son loves basketball. And it's not even basketball season. It's actually hurricane season, but that's a blog for another day (like tomorrow when Tropical storm Hanna hits). But Evan has a love for sports. He's obsessed with basketball. He can spot a hoop and every hoop in our neighborhood or even while we are driving. He loves baseball, football and soccer as well.

He watches basketball and celebrates each point. And his glee is shown by his jumping and cheering. It's being baseball season, his bedtime routine does include watching the first 20 min of the Red Sox games. And it's not our idea (anymore). He wants to watch it. And he finally is able to recognize the home team.... Red Sox.

But yesterday was the first day of the NFL. So of course Evan will be wearing his Patriots Jersey (you'll have to wait until Sunday to see which one :). And the funny thing is that Evan tends to associate baseball and basketball with his daddy and football with mommy. What does that say? It says we like sports :)

So Evan will have no choice to like sports. But don't get us wrong, he has other interests: his Panda (who is now "broken" and I have to share the sad news that Panda will have to now live on the top shelf of the closet-- as Evan has gnawed his nose so much that he has exposed a dangerous screw also known as his nose)... he loves reading books. I am not sure if it the time he's spending with mommy and daddy but he enjoys reading his books and playing "I, Spy". The latest 'new' thing is coloring... why so new b/c as stated above, Evan likes to put things in his mouth. And he also loves bubbles:Well, that's the Evan update... everyday is an update... everyday he is saying new words and it's amazing how much of a sponge he is. So you really have to watch what you say and do, b/c he learns to mimic you and laughs!!

Can't believe the summer is over.... guess Hurricane Hanna is a sign summer is over.

Labor Day

The summer is over... and we didn't even make it out for ice cream... what a change from past summers. For those of you who do not know... your local library has museum passes that you can check out for free... like a book or a DVD (yes, they have those too :). So we used a pass from Mystic Seaport today. Have you ever been? Me, not really. Dan, not since his class trip....Evan... never.

It was a nice hot summer day with a wonderfully cool breeze on the Mystic River. The Seaport wasn't crowded at all, as most tourists were already on the road to get home. The library pass is for 2 adults and 3 kids... that saved us $36.... great for a tourist attraction right down the street. And it turned out to be fun!!

Yes, Evan is a little young but he had fun. He loves boats and the water and they had enough open spaces for him to run around. There is even a children's museum and playscapes. We got to climb insides boats and explore what life would be like on the high seas. Sure it was a 'quick' look b/c toddlers look at everything quickly and move on.... so we had to keep up. But we boarded the Charles Morgan and got to "touch a canon" and yell into it to hear our echo. And we even checked out the sleeping quarters of the crew... perhaps one of us was ready for a nap.

After our day at the Seaport and our afternoon nap (yes mommy napped too :). We went to Dan's parent's house for a BBQ. It was nice to have an end of summer bbq and even nicer that Evan had fun and we all enjoyed ourselves. Besides the wonderful food, we had fun playing soccer, baseball and bubbles. You should check out the photos in the albums attached. I tried to link the videos of the day but not successful... so you just have to use your imagination :)
So the fall events await us as we try to attend a fair or two, do some apple picking and pumpkin carvings and maybe even a corn maze... the fall is a different type of season....short and memorable.... by the smells in the air.... bye bye summer.

Labor Day Weekend

Well, as the summer ends, there is much to chat about:

1) My dad had knee replacement surgery a little over a week ago and is doing great. He's not home yet but is receiving physical therapy twice a day and that will put him on the fast track to recovery. He's already done some stairs -- slow and steady-- but that will be making life a lot easier.

2) Evan's buddies are doing well in the big leagues with the Red Sox... (see prior blog posting). Not only is Jed Lowrie doing well but Michael Bowden won his first game pitching tonight...

3) and my little Evan is growing up so quickly. He's now 21 months and changing everyday... he's the typical boy who loves basketball and running... and cookies :)

The weekend is the unofficial end to the summer. The beach grill be closing on Monday and I'll be sure to get myself there before then. We'll be taking Evan to Mystic Seaport on Monday and see what it's like. Living here for 20 years and never really been.

And then it will happen.... the summer ends... the beach days are over, and the fall festivals begin. I am excited about apple picking and the holidays but not looking forward to raking leaves and shoveling snow...

UCONN All Star Game

UCONN Class of 1994..... that's me.... and I entered UCONN as a fan of the Men's basketball team... the Connecticut UCONN Huskies!!!

So when Dan and I struggled to find a birthday gift for my dad, I came across my Alumni E-newsletter... and there it was... the 4th Annual Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic Charity All-Star game... what a mouth full. The event held on Saturday August 9...Due to my dad's bum knee, Dan dropped us off at the Sun hotel lobbey while he parked the car (great son in law)... and then it began... I became star struck!! As we sat and waited for Dan, we spotted Josh Boone and Rudy Gay... then Jim Calhoun and Rashad Anderson... and my favorite (as seen above) Emeka Okafur!!! It was GREAT...

It was reliving the hay days of the UCONN dynasty. You name it, he was probably there.... Chris Smith, Tate George and Scotty Burrell.... Dan Cyrulik, Kevin Olli and Donyell Marshall.... Ray Allen, Ben Gorden and Rudy Gay.... and too many others to name...

I posted photos of our day.... there was an autograph session on the court after the game.... and I got them all... well the important ones.... Emeka, Ray Allen, Caron Butler.... etc etc...

Next year we'll be taking Evan because he LOVES basketball to an obsession....

Radio Station Contest....

You can help him win!!!

VOTE once
VOTE twice
VOTE as many times as you like

VOTE for EVAN for the Q-test kid (age 0-2)

Click Here

Yes this is the same contest as last year.... and I have no doubt that he won't win.. but you just never know... even though you can vote as many times as you like, it's a bit more controlled this year... so I figured why not :)

Really why wouldn't you vote :).... and feel free to as your friends and family to vote....
August 9-August 19...

He is number: 130
or you can search using his name and he's the only Evan....

Thank you.

Are you Ready for some FOOTBALL!!!!!

It's now August and the summer is drawing to an end... the race for the pennant is coming (if not here).... the beaches are filled with kids out for the summer (and some jellyfish)... and it is preseason football...

Monday, August 4, 2008 Dan and I had a unique experience (thanks to my friend Lori and her brother in law Jeff) to attend a practice game at Gillette field hosted by our New England Patriots... and we loved it. We got to sit on the 40 yard line and second row from the field.... we got to see the fan favorites like Brady, Moss, Bruschi, Maroney, and Belichek (and too many others to name). We came camera ready... so be sure to check out the photos.

It was my first time at Gillette and probably my only chance...but I got to see the new home of my Patriots. And it's a nice stadium... and very family friendly...

I know they Pats didn't win the Superbowl and that's OK.... why? B/c who wants a team that is unstoppable.... where would the challenge be in that.... so as September is approaching and the football season will be here... remember, it's not who wins or looses... it's who survives to play the next game!!!

Summer Fun 2008

The summer is half way over!.. Before I forget, I've posted new photos. Click here to see them. Just wanted to document our summer. We started our summer in CA. And we are trying to enjoy the local fun here at home and close by. We use Joel's pool and hit the beach when we can. A new park opened up in town that is great for Evan's adventure.... he loves running around the place and there are always kids his age to interact with... hopefully, he'll break out of his 'shyness' around them.

August brings the first signs that the end of the summer is coming... but it's not over yet... so we'll plan to keep having fun and hopefully you will too!!!

Annual Traditions

What a fast fun-filled packed weekend we had :) Saturday was a pool party for Emma's birthday. It was nice and small and Evan had a ball. He loves water and pools and swimming (or splashing around). Last year, Evan used a floating ladybug and sat upright. This year, as he weighs in almost 30lbs, we are trying a float suit.... you heard me right.


It's a funny looking suit, yes, but it will help. Not perfect. We'll have to find him a floaty.... like a duck ring or something. As you can see, Evan is getting ready to jump into the pool. But this is a game that Evan fully enjoyed and understood. He'd say "jump" and wait for either Dan or myself to say "Jump" and then he'd take that leap of faith!! It was great!!!

Then it was off to the annual Fireworks. We walked down towards the river and found a nice little place to sit and watch the show.

9:25pm 9:35pm


9:40pm
And the show ended around 10pm... and he stayed asleep for the hike home as well... and even slept in the next morning... SWEET!!!

And that was just our Saturday!!

Ten Clams, Mystic, CT

Tonight we went to Ten Clams in Olde Mystic Village.... and of course, I had the hot lobster roll. It was yummy. The amount of butter on the toasted bun was perfect. But my complaint would be this.... the lobster wasn't hot enough.

So I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars.... $$ (as you may know everything at this restaurant is under $10)

I'm still looking for that one to blow me away.... and still need to hit the kings -- Abbotts and Scott's.

My Summer Mission

Not sure why, but I've been in the mood for lobster. So I started to ask around as to the "Best Lobster Roll"... I got the usual suggestions and a couple surprises..... so I decided this Summer I want to try lobster rolls from local places and I'll rank them... sure no one may care but me... but it's a great way for me to keep track.

BILL'S SEAFOOD in Westbrook, CT
Lobster Roll Platter: $$$ 3 out of 5
http://www.billsseafood.com/


Great atmosphere sitting along the water. The lobster was good... just average really. I prefer the hot buttered kind verses the cold mayo type... and this was actually neither.... The roll was drizzled in butter but not enough to taste ...

Final days in CA--pt 1

Well, we've been home for a week and I didn't get to tell you about the rest of the CA trip.... let's see, where did we leave off.... I can't be as detailed but more of the highlights :) Day 8 was a dream come true for Dan. For his entire lifetime, Dan would flip through the family photos and see the 1969 Bouges family trip to CA... and several stories and photos stuck out in his mind... including his brother and sister next to the redwoods of Muir Woods. So we took our car rental and drove up north to Marin County (home of George Lucas I hear)....
It was a long and windy road up a steep mountain (without guardrails!!). But totally worth it (as I say this as I didn't have to do the driving :) Click above to get info on the state park of the redwoods... and click here for photos of our trip. It was a great day to relax and enjoy the peace and beauty of nature. Evan of course LOVED it... he's a big fan of nature and the outdoors. So needless to say, he enjoyed running on the boardwalked path or the rocky trails (uphill) for enjoyment.

And there is more than just redwoods at the state park.... just beauty. It was such a serene day that gave us a relaxing day amongst the hectic days of site seeing we've already had.

Our last full day in CA found us in beautiful Monterey, CA. So many people told we should go but we were hesitant to spend 1-2hrs on the road for the beach.... but we are so glad we got to experience the beautiful coastal CA. The town reminds me of Newport, RI. The beauty, the small town feel and the look of money. We skipped the aquarium (which I hear is fantastic). But we were limited on time and wanted to make sure we get the most of our time. So we ended up on 17-mile Drive. You may know the 'lone cypress' or the ghost tree or the PGA Pebble Beach!!

Again, we had a GREAT relaxing day. I think the hustle and bustle of the city just makes you "busy"... but the serene surroundings of nature gives you peace.

California Day Ballpark Tour & San Fran

Today we tried to makes things a bit more relaxed.... but of course when you have a baby.... things are rarely relaxed. We rented a car today and picked up my dad and headed downtown to the AT&T Park -- Home of the San Francisco Giants and Barry Bonds and more importantly Willie Mays.

Unfortunately, Evan didn't have a fun time. He was again tired (sense a theme). Poor guy loves running around and such and yet we put him in the car and make him do sightseeing.
My dad did join us and it was nice not only to enjoy the vacation with him but to have him and Evan together.

We spent the rest of the day with family in Alameda. A beautiful suburb of Oakland and they happen to live in a quiet little area by the bay.

Since we slept over at my relatives place, my dad and aunty were nice enough to watch Evan as Dan and I took the ferry over to SF for the day. We were able to visit Alcatraz.... yep... it's a prison on a rock... creepy!!!
We then spent a little time at fisherman's wharf and even saw the infamous sea lions. Rumor has is that the sea lions began coming into the marina after the earthquake of 1984 and by the next summer there were 450 sea lions. No one is sure why but the city has tried to make them feel as welcome as they do tourists..... which means the sea lions will never want to leave.

Only a couple more days to go..... and then back to CT, work and reality!!

California -- Day Five -- Memorial Day

What a day?!!! What an interesting experience we had today. Today was a day that made you think.... there is a difference in life of the single/married but life without kids. What did we do? We took an hour drive up to Napa Valley. Unfortunately, we got a late start due to unexpected events... but we finally got on the road around lunch time (or a little afterwards). It was about 30 min into the ride that I discovered the camera's memory card did not make it back into the camera last night... therefore, we only had room to take about 9 photos... but I also found a couple great photos from Evan's first birthday. Now I just have to find the camera's PC cable to get them off. Of course that means you won't get to see the photos til later.

But once we made it to Napa we first visited Robert Mondavi Vineyards. I have to say it's huge and very commercialized and we have tasted this wine before. On my dad's last visit he was nice enough to give us a bottle of the cab and merlot. But we got to taste a few other Mondavi wines including a delicious dessert wine. But we opted not to purchase any.... after all, we'll be sure to have my dad over for dinner and he'll bring the wine :)

Evan enjoyed this vineyard because of the large courtyard. A lovely courtyard where we could sit and enjoy our wine at our leisure and in the sun and the energy of the vineyards. We sat on the wall with the wine grapes behind us. Hopefully, it wasn't the only grapes because Evan 'found' a giant leaf from the vine.... and he found it when he was playing in that area... humm???

On next and last stop was the V. Sattui vineyards. Unfortunately, Evan was terribly tired and over stimulated with the mass of people in the picnic area and the tasting room/store. So Dan was kind enough to take Evan out while I tasted new wines. It wasn't the same. It wasn't fun tasting wines by myself. My cousin Tony was there but he was the designated driver, so he doing his shopping. But Dan did come in a couple times and was able to taste a couple different wines. And I did purchase a nice wine that has a nice fruity strawberry flavor...hopefully it will survive the flight home!!

This was the day that Evan didn't take a nap. And he eventually decided to take a nap not on the ride to Napa or on the ride home from Napa but on the exit ramp from the highway... 3 minutes from home. Poor kid.

Napa would've been a totally different experience if you don't have kids.... yes they are kid and family friendly but definitely a different experience. I am glad that Evan had room and chances to run and enjoy the green of Napa.

California --- DAY Four--Sunday==Train

Today was a fun day.... AGAIN... well for most of us.... Dan and my dad went to the Red Sox game... they lost... AGAIN... they got SWEPT by the A's... NOT good... but Evan and I had a blast at my cousin's son's birthday party.

Dwayne celebrated his 10th birthday at the Sunol Train station. It was a fun ride on the Nile Railway from Historic Sunol, CA to Nile CA... a nice 1 hour trip. It was Evan's first train ride and he loved it. It was actually the first time I got to meet my cousin's children and what a blessing. I hear so many stories of the boys and now I can put a face and personalities with the names and stories. But the best part of the day wasn't the historic ride on the caboose but was the joy in Evan's eyes when the 13 boys began to play 2-hand touch football... and Evan wanted to play. He ran out on the field and he was ready. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to really catch a football (or any ball for that matter) and he doesn't know how to throw a ball more than a foot in front of him. But he still had a blast just running around and watching the boys.And I have to say I am so glad that we came to CA. Evan has had so many new experiences that he's learning so much. Just the words he's began to say.... wawa (water); monkey; go and it's only day 4.....

San Francisco, CA -- Day Three

Now what a day we had. Of course, we had a late start but that's life with a toddler. We started this dreary day going to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was foggy and drizzle and windy... NOT the best day to go but we are limited in our time here.

It was still a nice site to see... along with the busload of tourists!!! But it's a landmark you can't miss out on seeing... right!! And it did bring humor on a blahh day... how?? Read the sign below:
Do not "drop or throw any object or MISSILE from any toll bridge is guilty of a misdemeanor". So throwing a missile is ONLY a misdemeanor... we didn't find it very reassuring to know that missile throwing is not a felony.

Afterwards, we tried to make it to Muir woods but the parking was full and we just didn't feel like taking the shuttle bus. So instead we went to Chinatown for lunch. What an interesting time that was. Not sure it was Evan's first time eating Chinese but definitely the first time in Chinatown and he did enjoy it. Nothing fancy or special but got the job done. Later on we just strolled around and walked several blocks until our parking meter was going to be up. But it was funny to see how Evan now knows restaurants from stores and he'll say "eat eat".

So our last stop in SF was walking up Lombard street. Lombard street is a very steep street and leads to a very crooked downside....and the funniest thing is that Evan wanted and did walk up the steep hill. Cars were screeching up the hill as they began to roll back and here is little Evan stomping up the hill. And yes, we used a monkey harness to keep a close eye on him. He's very fast and get very furious, so it was our best option.I got nervous as Tony drove up the hill and SO glad he wasn't going to be driving down!! But look at that winding down hill. Would you do the drive???

So after this exhausting day of walking and hiking we spent a nice mellow evening at home. Tomorrow is a train ride and Monday is Napa!!!

San Francisco, CA -- Day Two

What time did Evan wake up his first CA morning? 5:30!!! Guess he figured it must've been 8:30am... and it wasn't time for Dan and I to wake up but we certainly didn't have a choice. Yet it still turned out to be a nice and relaxing morning. We took our time waking up and getting out of bed.

Evan and I even took a nice stroll around the neighborhood and it gave us a nice idea of what is around us and gave us a sense of being home. I even found the place to get my nails done. I've been waiting to get my nails done and hated the fact that I couldn't get them done before the trip.

I have to say though, this being my first visit to CA, during my walk I kept thinking... what do I do in case of an earthquake? What would happen to the homes, the street and to Evan and I... so far CA is a nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live here....

After visiting the Ruby Hill winery, in Livermore/pleasanton, we made a lunch stop at IN n OUT burgers... your menu choices are simple Hamburger, Cheeseburger or Double Cheeseburger... it was easy to decide when you only have 3 choices :)

And then we finally got to visit with my Aunt Antoinette and Uncle Peter. Some of you may remember my aunt (Tony's cousin) ... as they used to live in CT several years ago. She is recovering from knee replacement surgery yet was able to spend time with us. And Evan just went to them instantly!!!

And Dan and I ended the evening with a couple's date night at the game. That's right... the game... the Red Sox followed us into town and we attended the game... we were in line to buy tickets and some corporate suits gave us tickets!! Nice!!! Unfortunately, even though the tickets were free and good seats, and we even got to move down later in the game, it wasn't that great that the Sox LOST... but it's a nice stadium and there were a lot of Sox fans who made it out to support them on this holiday weekend.

California --- DAY One

That's right.... we are in San Francisco, CA. Evan, Dan and myself opted for a little luxury at no extra costs... and we flew a direct flight out of JFK on Virgin America. It's a great airline... and not that expensive... it is actually the lowest priced fare from JFK... How did everyone survive the 6 hour flight. Well, Evan was on antibiotics for mild ear infection (he started his course a week ago) and Dan started his course of antibiotics for his ear infection several days ago!! So needless to say we knew it could end up being difficult.

But it wasn't the bad. Evan was relatively well... he had moments in which the surrounding passengers dreaded having Evan sit near them... But that was only moments. Evan had no problem with his ears on take off or landing. Unfortunately, Dan wasn't as lucky. His meds weren't kicking in and Evan's antics kept Dan up most of the flight.

We did come prepared to entertain Evan. He got his own set of 'noise cancelling headphones. And it was totally worth the money. He'd only keep it on for a minute or less but loved the idea of sound coming out of them and putting them on and taking them off his head.Evan did get over an hour of sleep as did Dan and myself. It wasn't enough to make up for the lack of sleep during the week and the night before, but at least we got some rest.

My cousin Tony meet us at the airport and we got our first taste of CALIFORNIA!!! He lives in Livermore, CA. Ever been? Probably not. It's a cute up and coming town east of Oakland and in wine country.

It turned out to be a hot day. So Tony opened up his hot tub and Evan had quite a frolic.
And he did love it... he loves slipping and sliding away!! He wasn't scared at all when he "dipped" into the seats of the tub. But Evan enjoyed splashing around and cooling off.

To finish settling in... we made a required trip to "Thar-jae"(aka Target). It was nice to have those things that didn't fit in the suitcase like diapers and wipes for the week!! And of course we had to buy a ball for Evan to play with while out here.

We also got to stroll down the revitalized area of Livermore. It's like the center of town with little quaint shops and restaurants/bars and a nice green and memorial to victims of Sept. 11, 2001.
As we retired for the night at 10:00, our bodies hadn't adjusted to Pacific Time zone... so what would the morning bring... what time would Evan wake up?

Mommy and Evan bonding time

Well, today is day 3. Day 3 of what? Day 3 of Evan being sick.... and Dan. We spent 2 hours in the ER on Wed waiting to hear that Evan's parotid gland is swollen and it's definitely NOT mumps.... but a virus that needs to "run its course". Evan's left side of his face was all swollen yet he wasn't in pain. In fact, you'd never guess he was even sick. Dan on the other end has a major cold.... but yet it can be similar to Evan's "cold"... let's hope there is no swelling of the gland.

It's actually been a pretty fun couple of days. Evan isn't eating much or drinking his milk, but per the doctor's orders, he's drinking his lemonade. He doesn't seem to like his sippy cup anymore... he doesn't like what used to be his favorite cup... then again, he also never threw tantrums. Yet today found Evan many times "falling to his knees and then flat on his belly as his slammed his hands forcefully on the floor"... why? Because ... I don't know... guess his 1 nap (instead of 2) just made him a bit cranky.

Welcome to the terrible 2's!!!!..................

Happy Mother's Day

What a nice weekend.... relaxing and nice weather too... so much so we had a nice BBQ to celebrate the day we celebrate mothers. And not just biological mothers but any woman who has that nurturing touch towards child or animal !!!

It was nice to actually use our deck again. No, we haven't improved it and the deck still needs a lot of TLC!! But it was nice to start the season with a wonderful spring day. With the flowers in bloom, my tulips had come back and provided a beautiful backdrop of purples.

With ribs and burgers on the menu, the lunch was a success!! And my favorite part (other than spending the day with my family) was seeing the joy in Evan has he got to spend his afternoon outdoors.

And for those looking for Evan news... my baby is turning 18 months this week. He runs, plays soccer, tee ball, loves his ball, panda, kitty, megablocks and books. He's mastered saying "Mommy" (not mama or monya)... can say Papa, Doul (aka Joel) and Doe (aka Joe) and of course Daddy!!! He learns new words everyday and too many to write down. But the amount of information he understands amazes me. Last week, he weighed in at 28 pounds and 34 inches. I think he's lost weight because he's not eating much. He's more interested in running around and I think he's teething (hence wanting to eat only crunchy things).

Well, that's my gushing for the day... to all those mothers... Happy mother's day.... and to all those woman who mother their pets, or siblings or parents or co-workers or step kids.... happy day to you.... after all it is the woman who is expecting to "do it all"..... I try and fail but I have a wonderful family and husband and friends that help me be "SuperMom"....

Baseball Fever

It's baseball fever in the Bouges house. April is almost over and the season has just begun. There are good games and bad, tears and cheers, and through it all, there is that special connection we feel to the sox at each game. Well.... almost each game.... a special connection that can not be explained except to say..... Evan's friend now plays on the Red Sox.... who....

Who could it be?

How did Evan make friends with someone playing on the sox?

And WHERE did they meet?

Who's the connection?... It is none other than Jed Lowrie !!!!!!



Jed is on the left and on the right is RHP Michael Bowden. Sure, Jed is no Jacoby but what a great line up from Pawtucket.... Dustin, Jacoby and Jed...the "young" blood is bringing an energy and excitement back to the game. And they aren't playing too badly either...

So how did Evan meet this big time ball player? Back in January we toured the PawSox at their open house..... and Evan got his photo taken and a ball autograph..... we'll be going back next January too :)

The Language of Love?

Evan is now 15+months and what a joy. He had his first sleep over this past weekend with his Papa... and both survived. He'll be at his grandparents for his next sleepover... but when he came back from my dad's house, I noticed a change in Evan.... in flipping through the picture book and pointing to the doggie...Evan made his "doggie noise". Sure it sounds like a poodle or chihuahua but it's his barking noise. And instead of saying dog he says "douh"... Then on Sunday he picked up his Tickle Me Elmo (classic style) and starting calling him... "Elway"... and his other stuffed Elmo is called "Elga"...

So is dog his first word? no... Elmo? no... mama and dada... no really.... Evan's first real words was... "Bath Time"... go figure!!!

From baby to boy??

So it's been a few weeks since I've written... ooppss.... the tiring commute and the seasonal colds have delayed my enthusiasm to write... type and think sometimes.

But yesterday my little baby changed into a little boy right before my eyes....

This is Evan the morning of Feb 17th... unsuspecting, he wasn't aware what would happen next....

BEFORE

With the guidance of my uncle Eugene and the loaner of his hair clippers, Dan and I did our best and hoped for the better to cut Evan's hair... He sat in his highchair and had his pillowcase to his bobby pillow as his hair cut bib... read his book as his Dad "massaged" his head with the clippers. That's right... Evan rather enjoyed himself and even read...then after I was done doing the back of his head, we stepped back and took a look at our little boy.....

AFTER

check out the photos if you'd like to see the whole thing....

Our Winterized Cape Cod Adventure

Cape Cod in Winter.... who would've thunk it. Thanks to my dad, we had the opportunity to take a mini-vacation this past weekend. We had plenty of places to choose from, but we wanted someplace close in driving distance and nice (gold star quality). We wanted the Berkshires or VT or NH to experience snow, but there wasn't anything available for our time frame. But we found the Brewster Green Resort in Brewster, MA.

And the trip turned out to be everything we had expected it to be... with a little surprise of snowfall... near blizzard conditions.

We arrived late Friday night, just in time to settle in by the fireplace (which only was allowed to use "pressed wood" aka duraflame or pine mountain). Saturday we spent exploring the local areas of Brewster and Orleans. In Brewster, we found Drummer Boy Park. A great playground for Evan and the doggie obedience training which was taking place that morning.

We did some exploring of beaches like Breakwater Beach in Brewster and Nauset Beach in Orleans (I think). Yes it was cold.... yes, it was VERY cold!!! But seeing snow on the beach was something amazing..... well snow on the bay side beaches like Breakwater.

ooops.. my break is up.... back later...

Quick start to 2008

2008 is here and what a rapid speed it is here.... Evan started really walking on his own on Christmas Eve (see video) and that has left Dan and I chasing after him. He loves his independence and looks forward to all his new discoveries.

By Jan 5th, he was mastering climbing up the stairs at his Uncle's birthday party... and now he thinks he wants to try to climb back down. And just the other day, he pulled up a crate at daycare to climb onto the sofa... he's definitely fearless.

Now that Evan is confident in his walking skills, he's also taking a crack at talking. He babbles a lot and still only says mama and dada. But we have had incidents when he clearly has uttered "bath time", "yeah", "hi" and "bye"... but unfortunately, this has only happened once... so far. He doesn't say them often, but he speaks as clear as you and I.

Now that Evan is 14months, we are testing him with milk. He definitely has a milk allergy, but it appears that he's starting to tolerate milk products more and more and LOVES cheese... we gave him a spoonful of ice cream at the mall and he then began to stalk a little 6yr old for his Dairy Queen Blizzard... so I think Evan liked it.

There isn't too much new on the 'non baby front'.... well except our above the stove microwave broke. Good thing we have Dan's old one... but who know how much it'll cost to fix it... maybe cheaper to get a new one... but those aren't cheap...

And I'll end these thoughts on an important note.......

NY Giants vs. New England Patriots in the Superbowl on Feb. 3rd!!!! WHAT... the Giants?? They beat Dallas??? Green Bay??? well, if they could that, then they should be in the bowl... and I personally was routing for Green Bay for a couple reasons... (1) I wanted a rematch from a Superbowl many moons ago which Drew Bledsoe couldn't win (2) I think the Pats will have an easier time against Green Bay.... The Pats barely beat the Giants... who knows what will happen on Feb 3....