Let me tell you a secret...

let me tell you a secret..., originally uploaded by sassylou.

As we reflect on 2008, we feel so very blessed to have had such a wonderful year with many new beginnings...new jobs for both of us, our new bundle of joy Rex and our new abode. Life with children is definitely such a gift and we are treasuring every moment (well almost all moments...) You do wonder just where the time goes. We wish everyone a wonderful new year and look forward to what 2009 brings. We are hopeful for a better time and a change for this country and are optimistic about what tomorrow will bring with new leadership! Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year's celebration. If I make it to midnight it may just be a Christmas miracle....

click on the photo to see some more pics of who else...the kids!

A new facelift...without going under the knife

Here is our unveiling of the new house. We have truly enjoyed the process of picking colors, working with our painter and transforming our homestead. Here is the finished product (well of the outside at least). Will post pics of the bambinos soon, but we are so excited about the transformation, we wanted to share!

November Days...

IMG_9029.JPG, originally uploaded by sassylou.

Well, we are still here and frantically busy enjoying our 2 little kiddies and our new house. Home improvements have taken up major (but fun) time and we have really settled in. The kids really like the house too (Rex I am sure doesn't REALLY care at this stage, but we like to think so). Leila is in her big girl bed now and made the transition easily. We have yet to move Rex into the room, he is still in the moses basket by our bed (who wants to walk anywhere in the middle of the night for feedings?)

Click on Rex's cute little face above for a random smorgasbord of pics....

-Halloween (Rex clearly did not enjoy his Hedgehog outfit-I didn't have the heart to make him wear the head, but Leila sure did enjoy the lollipops).

-Leila's trip to the Oakland Zoo, she loved the rides.

-Leila's constant torturing of Rex. She LOVES to get up in his face 24-7, it is adorable yet annoying at the same time as you have to be nearby to ensure she doesn't hurt and/or smother him. Too much love from a 2 1/2 year old can be a bad thing sometimes when you can't defend yourself!

-Our Thanksgiving meal which we had as a family at our house. Although we missed being with our family and didn't get together with our friends this year, we did enjoy our small gathering and being in our very own house.

-And, FINALLY some pics of our own butterball turkey Rex...he is a bruiser and is already 12 lbs. 10 oz. 2 pounds heavier than Leila at this age. He is a sweetheart and so good natured. He is all smiles and coos right now. He will just sit there and talk to himself-today he was trying to master his fist to mouth for almost a half hour, fully entertained.

Love and thanks to all of you, promise to keep you updated with more posts now that we are all unpacked!

Moving Days are Here...Blogging Times Aren't

Apologies for the lack of posts and pictures. We have been extremely busy packing, having work done on the house and taking care of 2 kids. All is well, but we are looking forward to the pace to slow down slightly. We will move on October 29th and are very excited to have a home to call our own in San Francisco. Rex is doing great-at his one month check up he was 10 lbs. 4oz and around the 50-60th percentile in weight and height. He continues to be a great baby who enjoys his sleep and doesn't seem to mind being schlepped around between 2 places on a consistent basis and supervising us work. Leila is enjoying the new house and I do think she has grasped the concept that we are moving.

Sorry, no pictures...camera accessories are packed : ) Don't expect any pictures until November. BUT, we are planning on participating in Halloween despite all the madness. We went to the pumpkin patch today with Leila to pick out a few pumpkins to decorate our new porch (doubtful we will get around to carving them...always next year). And, Leila will be a ballerina this year (she has a fascination with ballet and tutu's right now) and Rex will be a hedgehog. Our new neighborhood has a great tradition of Halloween decorating and the former owner of the house detailed the "tour" for us to take. So, should be a fun break from the UNpacking. Stay tuned for pics whenever they are posted!

He loves his sleep...

Here are a few pics of Rex now that he has settled into life outside of the hospital. He is proving to be a very calm baby and definitely enjoys his sleep as these pictures will show. He is starting to be more awake for the day now, but he certainly holds true to the eating, sleeping and pooping bit. He has already surprised us with quite a few interesting farts and poop explosions. I hate to say it, but it does seem to be a differentiating factor between boys and girls! Leila is still enjoying the new toy thus far and has adopted a very cute and VERY high pitched (but thankfully quiet) voice when she talks to "baby brother" Enjoy the new pics. You will notice the new blog title to reflect the new addition.

We are also in the throes of working on the new house and moving. All is going well fingers crossed to be moved in by end of October. A very exciting new beginning for the Ghezali family on multiple fronts!!

A King is Born

Rex Aaron Ghezali arrived on Thursday, 9/18 at 11:44am. 8 lbs 4.4 oz and 21 inches long. Coincidentally, Leila was born at 8:44am--his weight matches her birth time. He had a record arrival--two pushes in one minute and he was out--those child bearing hips come in handy. He is a doll and really reminds us of Leila. We are so impressed with how Leila has made the transition to big sister (thus far...sure there are surprises along the way later!) She is very loving and really enjoyed the visits at the hospital. A big thanks to Mom and Steve for being her caretakers and helping us to make the transition to parents of two. We are home from the hospital now and very much enjoying our new little bundle of love.

(Side note: Leila is not actually offering Rex a real egg--it is a wooden egg from her grocery set. But quite realistic in the pic...)

Oh baby baby!

We are going to the hospital tonight to be checked in. I may be induced tomorrow morning, but my doctor thinks it will pan out like last time--they will give me the cervix softener and that will actually start my labor vs. needing to be induced. We are very excited and hope to meet little Rex by Thursday. We will post pics soon!

Introducing 520 Judson Avenue...

Financing has gone through so by end of September we should officially be homeowners! I think our car looks cute in the driveway-it looks like it belongs there, doesn't it?

Running up that Hill

This is Leila's first attempt at rolling down a hill with her friend June. She had a great time, even if her form leaves a little to be desired. This in at Chrissy Fields in San Francisco where we had a picnic with friends. She and June really had a great time--Leila is transitioning out of "parallel play" and is much more interested in interacting with other kids. She and June were tearing up the park! She has unlimited energy...

Getting close...

Leila is still not a big sister yet. My due date is September 12th. I have been feeling really good. Baby Rex has dropped quite a bit and is in good position, but no signs of labor yet. I am happy to keep him in for awhile as we are busy on lots of fronts. We found a house and are in contract right now. I don't want to jinx it until we find out our financing goes through early this week--then I will post a pic. Of course it is already playing on the slideshow since I posted pictures there to show some folks, so if you are curious...

Here are just a few recent pictures of our little lass. She is growing up so fast and is really starting to interact and play with other kids. She has had lots of opportunities now at Golden Gate park and with some friend's kids that we have gotten together with lately. She is still a complete bundle of energy and doesn't go easy on her pregnant mommy! Seems the best way to keep her in one place is to take her to the beach. She still hates sand and didn't leave the blanket all day. We went to Point Reyes to celebrate Samy's birthday. Anytime one of us would leave the blanket she would yell after us to come back and sit down. She has to be the only kid who doesn't like playing in the sand...yet.

Will post more pics soon and keep you updated on our house and of course the imminent birth! If all goes well we will move end of October. Nothing like taking on moving with a one month old!

For the love of ACCESSORIES!!!!

Well, we all knew Leila was a momma's girl and she is following in her mother's footsteps with a full blown obsession with...accessories. This little series depicts Leila's new bedtime routine and a recent foray into mom's jewelry drawer when I was doing some organization. Never mind that my organization project took a little longer than anticipated with Leila's "help" as you would expect. You can't fault her though for enjoying the baubles. I did get a chuckle out of all of her oohs and aahs. It pretty much went like this: "ooooh wow, bootiful, so pwetty, amazing, ooooh wow, bootiful, so pwetty..." And as any good kid knows, she always went for the good stuff, not the crap I was trying to weed out. The girl's got taste.

Back to the bedtime routine-you will see from the pics that Leila goes to sleep with 1/2 her closet now. Most nights she needs her backpack (handbags are indeed one of the best accessories to make an outfit), boots or shoes and 1-2 of her jackets/sweaters all lined up inside the crib with her to settle down for the night. The mound of items has progressively gotten bigger over time-this picture is during the early stages, so not too many things in the crib. She gives new meaning to security blankets.

Bath Time ("G" Rated)

What good baby blog would be complete without the obligatory bath time photos to taunt them with later in life? This is the Samy kissing torture series...





...and of course the good ol' hairstyle mohawk maneuver that we all know and love.





I still can't believe how long her hair actually is once the curls are stretched out...

Always a bridesmaid...

I have been remiss again in posting for the last month (I am sure you all have noticed...) but will vow to get back on track. I will blame a very nasty sinus infection that had me pretty miserable for about 3 weeks, house hunting, work and that little toddler we have running around. Here are a few little updates...

1. House hunting still continues. We have seen more houses than we care to document and put in 3 offers to no avail. We have another offer in that we will hear back on in a couple of days. The market here is unpredictable but still strong so we are still plugging away.

2. The pregnancy is going well. Baby is in a good position and normal size despite all the sugar I eat. Due date is Sept. 12th which I can't believe is right around the corner. Only 6 more weeks at my job so I am busy beginning my transition. Still love the new job so it will be hard to leave, but I will enjoy the break.

3. Leila was a ringbearer for the first time! She did a bang up job (sort of). Our friends John and Mark who have been together for 17 years tied the knot (again) thanks to the recent overturning of the gay marriage ruling. It was a lovely ceremony and reception and we felt honored that they asked Leila to be the ringbearer. They are such an important part of our lives and it was wonderful to share in their love for each other.

4. Samy has a new job...he is working in a high end restaurant now in North Beach--touted as having one of the top, most extensive wine lists in the city. Tuscan cuisine complete with the owner "Mr. Petroni" who is a dead ringer for a Mafioso. I feel like I am in a Soprano's episode when I go in. The new gig is working out well and he has a much better schedule...all in preparation for when baby #2 arrives...

Those are the highlights...enjoy the pics of Leila in her debut...

Happy Birthday Leila!

IMG_7335.JPG, originally uploaded by sassylou.

Our little bundle turned 2 this last weekend...June 8th. We celebrated with a picnic in Golden Gate park--a fun gathering of our close friends to welcome Leila into her next year. We had such a great time, and Leila was in her element with all of the balloons we had there. She was literally entertained for about 2 hours non-stop with the balloons flying around in the air. They were actually helium balloons that I put together that morning...had I known it was going to be such a windy day, we could have saved on the helium tank! A good time had by all with good food, good friends and of course the lady of the day!

A string of firsts...

IMG_7058.JPG, originally uploaded by sassylou.

Leila has had a couple of milestones as of late. Her first poop in the toilet (yes I did include 1 picture...sorry folks) and believe it or not, her first haircut. She was great during the whole experience thanks to the diversion of strawberries and of course Cory's technique of dry cutting. I don't think she knew it was happening for the most part. I finally have my clippings for her baby book. The curls are in full swing and the cut has brought out her ringlets even more.

Cory and Mark came for a visit and we had a great time seeing the sites. Some pictures attached from our hikes and touring around the city. Mike is also having a blast with Leila as well and they are enjoying quality uncle and niece time.

This one picture of Leila that is posted is one of my favorite pictures. It reminds me of a picture my mom has of me watching tv in her sunglasses and I just love that Leila has her own pair of stylish shades that are almost as big as the ones I had on for adults. I call them her Jackie O's and she is quite taken with them. Oh yeah...and the jacket obsession continues. She pretty much has a jacket and her cowboy boots on all the time. This is a rare opportunity when she was actually "underdressed". The battles on what to wear have already begun. Ugh.

Busy Bees

It has been a busy couple months for us as we are house hunting...looking for a fixer upper single family home in the city and we may have found it. We put an offer in this week and should know tomorrow on the status. It is a house built in 1919 (and you may see the pictures come up on our slide show as I used Flickr to upload the photos to send to my "2nd opinion delegates"). Hence you are seeing all the ins and outs of needed repair work and likely quite boring photos. Anyway...keep you all updated on the status-cross fingers.

Other developments: Michael arrived for a 3 week visit yesterday night. We are excited to have him here and will upload pictures soon of Uncle Mike and Leila etc. They are already galavanting together and having fun. We will also have my friend Cory in town this weekend which will be great.

I also think we have landed on a name ladies and gents. Rex Aaron. I don't need to explain "Rex" since you will know why. Aaron has arabic roots and so is a nod to Samy's heritage--not to mention we like the name. I think we are pretty set, but another name might come along and peak our interest. We have landed on Rex for sure though--I really like the name and love that Gramps will live on with our new little boy. I think Kay and Rexy would be happy.

Inspector Gadget

IMG_6967.JPG, originally uploaded by sassylou.

It seems like everything is an "obsession" these days. Welcome to the world of an almost 2 year old I guess. The item of note now is the matching hat and coat set that we bought last winter. This little plaid wool number is Leila's only thought throughout the day I think. She has it on 24-7...and I mean 24-7 (except for when we pry it off of her to go to sleep). She asks for it first thing in the morning and insists on wearing it in the house all day and of course when we go out. I am sure you can tell it doesn't "work" with all outfits so she looks ridiculous. You get the picture. She reminds me of a little Inspector Gadget in this getup. I got so sick of looking at this thing though (and I used to really like the coat...) and even more sick of changing her diaper in it--a little tough with the coat length as you can imagine. Hence, this little ensemble has now "disappeared" and trust me, will not reappear until next winter. I know, ruin all the fun for the little one (she is still asking for it daily...) but I am sure she will learn to replace this with another item soon. (I will add she is sitting next to me as I type this and pointing at the picture and saying "Jatee" over and over and whining for it). Talk about rubbing it in, but I am not giving back in on this one folks...I am holding the line!

Click on the picture should you care to see a few more pics of Leila in her favorite gear + a cameo appearance by Hobbes.

Sleepy Time with Momma Leila

IMG_6951.JPG, originally uploaded by sassylou.

Leila's new favorite past time is putting her various sock monkeys (mine from when I was a little girl), ugly dolls and babies to sleep. She lines them all up assembly line and requests blankets ad nauseam to ensure each one has at least several blankets. My solve is to have her use her old burp cloths as "blankets" to offset the desire to pull out all of our full size blankets. I think it is so cute how they are all arranged and she clearly has a plan for each. Some get more blankets than others and if you try to move them over to even them out she moves them right back. She is very loving with how she tucks them in and they "sleep" throughout the day.

Another new development is wanting to shut herself in her room for "privacy". I guess practicing for when she enters her teens! She tells us "bye bye" and closes the door after herself, then proceeds to do various activities. Typically she turns her room upside down pulling all her clothes out (again, practicing for her later years) and talks to us through the door. She really won't come out until she is good and ready. If you open the door prematurely, she promptly closes it back again. Case in point, she is in there right now, and I went in to check on her and she started whining "out there" and pointed for me to leave the room and closed the door back after me. I guess I won't take offense! Eventually she knocks and indicates she is ready to join the family again. I am amazed she can find so much entertainment in that little room.

It's Official...We are having a BOY!

BABY GHEZALI 4-16-2008_7.jpg, originally uploaded by sassylou.

We received the news this week and will be adding a boy to the Ghezali mix. We will now have a complete set and are very excited. Let the planning and name picking begin...all suggestions welcome and will be taken under advisement.

Enjoy the pictures...some of the 3-D ones might not be for the faint of heart.

L.J. takes the beach by storm...

IMG_6883.JPG, originally uploaded by sassylou.

It was a flurry of emotion for Leila on her latest trip to the beach. She arrived elated and ran full tilt on the beach barely able to contain herself. Laughing, giggling and shrieking at the new environment. After settling in, we encouraged Leila to play in the sand. She still isn't a big fan...her preference was to sit on the blanket and play in the sand nearby. Not the best recipe for keeping sand OFF of the blanket as an overall strategy. You will see by the pictures that she eventually got a little ways away from us. Duly noted though that you will never keep the sand at bay with kids, and I personally HATE sand.

The mistake of the day was to take Leila into the water and "dip" her in a few times. Samy has not quite grasped onto the fact that our water is FREEZING (he is the only one I ever see in the water without a wetsuit). Net net, she didn't appreciate it a whole lot and was quite terrified even after she came back up to the blanket. She would get scared at the sound of the waves as if they were coming after her and was insisting to go "outside"...meaning, "let's get the hell out of here!" We took her for a walk which calmed her down and she started to enjoy herself again. All in all, a great day even if we will be hard pressed to get Leila back in the water!

The other pics are from a plant sale we went to with friends. It was a great little place with lots of activities for kids. That's all folks...

Get your Leila groove back on...

IMG_6820.JPG, originally uploaded by sassylou.

Well the long overdue pictures are here...a few highlights from the set:

1. Leila's fascination with cleaning. She just loves to participate in any cleaning event (if only I could have that trait rub off on Samy, just kidding!) Case in point, as I was uploading the photos, she saw the pics of her with the Swifter and promptly went to the kitchen to pull it out and start cleaning again. Now, I can really put her to work.

2. Leila's first "licking of the bowl". We were making peanut butter pie for our picnic, and as the pics will surely tell, she enjoyed every last mouthful. I must admit though, I had first dibs on the bowl before she did. All in all, she was a good little helper.

3. Pictures from Easter. We went to the 2nd annual Easter park extravaganza hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (a group of male "nuns" who do charity work in the city). They hosted an Easter egg hunt in the morning for the kids and the rest of the day we picnicked with friends in the park on a glorious day. Leila loved the Easter eggs...but she was a little slow to actually get many eggs. We only came away with one!

4. Check out Leila's new "do". We are loving the pig tails, but as you can see, they still aren't a match for the curls. 22 months and counting, and she still hasn't had a haircut.

5. Not in the pictures, but Grandpa Leising came for another visit this last weekend. They picked up the action packed routine right where they left off. The diner recognized them and welcomed them back. The usual booth, the regular order. They had a blast all weekend. Leila's way of saying Grandpa is "Pada". We think it is a fitting name. Grandma Bayne will be called "Nani" just in case you are wondering. The Ghezali's are "Pepe" and "Mani". That completes the nomenclature.

We are all doing well and will find out the sex of the baby on April 16th (yes...we are "finder outers"), and will be sure to post an update. Feeling good and Leila is still clueless. She does get a kick out of listening to the heartbeat during the Dr. appt. I think she thinks the sound machine is a cell phone, probably why.

So much for New Year's Resolutions...

Well, like every well intentioned New Year's Resolution...they are rarely kept. It has been quite a busy few months for us. The biggest highlight is that we are busy making a second baby! That is part of the reason for my lack of postings (read "none whatsoever"). The first trimester had me pretty much wiped out...asleep by 8 pm and just plain tired. My energy is back now and I finally have gotten around to posting some of the baby shots taken about 1 month ago.

We also had 2 visits...one from Samy's mother and one from my dad (all the way from merry old England). We had a great time during both visits although it was during my period of low energy and not feeling top of my game. It was great to have grandparents here to help out and Leila really had a blast. My dad especially had Leila on a pretty jam packed routine including a morning breakfast at a local diner (complete with their own booth as "regulars"), walking the local shops on Clement St. and visiting playgrounds at Golden Gate Park until she was completely worn out.

Leila is growing immensely, both physically and intellectually. We are really enjoying teaching her more words and sign language. She knows quite a lot of sign language now in addition to spoken word and loves to communicate. Her dancing and jumping abilities are also in FULL swing (much to the chagrin of our downstairs neighbor I am sure...) and she is just a bundle of energy. We are switching Leila to a nearby daycare in April and I just know she is going to love it. She is a social butterfly, not shy in the least and loves to be unleashed in new territory to meet new kids, toys and has no problem making herself quite at home. Not an ounce of any separation anxiety...anywhere.

So, life is good. My new job is going very well and it has been great having a new challenge with much broader responsibilities. We have also (just) started to house hunt as 2 babies will just not fit in the current pad for long, even with a shoe horn. Our goal is to move once we find the right place within the next year since the next baby will sleep in our room for the 1st 6 months or so. Leila still doesn't comprehend just how much her life will change, but I am sure as my belly grows she will start to realize something is new! Enjoy pictures of the little bean. Leila pics will be uploaded soon...one step at a time!

Belly time 24-7

One thing Leila loves is her belly button. She just loves to pull up her shirt and play with it ALL THE TIME. And, she isn't that much into carrying a security blanket/toy which is common for her age. I kept wondering if she would ever enter that "stage". Over Thanksgiving I was sharing this with my mom and she finally commented (after a few days observation of the belly button fetish) that she thought Leila's belly button was her security blanket (and also quite handy since it is always with her). I definitely think she is right. If Leila ever wears a bodysuit and can't get to her belly button she sometimes reaches down the neck of the bodysuit if it is stretchy enough. She has taken it one step further now I finally realized. All of a sudden, Leila had developed a strong aversion to her onesie footed pajamas. She would just shake her head "no" as soon as she saw us reach for any of them and flatly refused to put them on. She only wanted to wear the 2 piece pajamas with no feet. It took me forever to put two and two together but I had my epiphany last night...no belly button access whatsoever in the onesie. Smart little girl...too bad her mom is a little slow.

The Case of the Disappearing Pacifier

Leila is not a huge pacifier user, but she is quite accustomed to using one to go to sleep. We have over the past few months wondered what had been happening to some of them. She definitely had one when she went to bed, so where is it now when she wakes up? They often fall between the slats of the crib and onto the floor under the crib, which is always a treat to scavenge them out. However, from time to time, they would just disappear. We would search her room inside out (who wants to keep buying those things anyway?) to no avail. Well, finally the mystery is solved as Samy happened upon the mother-lode. Apparently Leila has been keeping her "stash" in the lamp shade next to her crib. It is just within arms reach and has an open frosted glass shade. She has been dumping them in there like her own little storage jar. I am sure now that she knows we are on to her she will find another trick...

All else is great with the Ghezali family. I (Nicole...well you know it is me since Samy doesn't write in the blog!) just got a promotion at work. I will be working in the Gap Inc. Outlet division. I am quite excited to start the new job in 1 week! I am also starting to work on more handmade baby goods (knit hats, burpcloths/blankets) and pillows as a friend is opening an SF boutique in February and will carry my line. Hard to find time to craft with the little one...she just loves getting into my knitting balls. I will try to post some pics on the site at some point in case there are any out of town orders!

Samy's mom is also coming for a visit towards the end of January so Leila will be getting lots of extra lovin' from Grandma. One of my new year's resolutions is to keep writing in the blog more regularly. Not really sure how much readership is out there, but it will be a good keepsake for Leila!