Bring on the PINK!

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We decided to find out the gender of our second child due in September.  Yesterday, at 2:20, I emptied my bladder and then proceeded to fill it back up with 16-20 ounces of water in preparation for our 3:20 ultrasound.  Ryan met the little guy and me at the OB’s office, and we waited until my name was called.  It was a really long wait for me!

While sitting in the waiting room Ryan said, “Are you sure we want to find out?”

We did not find out the gender of our little guy until he was born on July 5, 2007.  We agreed that was one of the “last good surprises” you can have in life.  It was a great surprise to find out that we had a little boy…that was definitely what Ryan was hoping for (and I really was, too)!  The first thing I said to Ryan in the operating room (I had an emergency c-section) was, “You got your little boy!”

This time it is different.  I want to PLAN!  My days are filled with chasing the little guy around, keeping the 3 dogs out of trouble, and many other household tasks.  Ryan thinks I sit around and eat bon-bon’s all day while watching my “stories”, but I tend to disagree.  At any rate, I want to know if we keep the boy stuff, or pass it on to friends who have recently had (or will have) little boys?  Do we “need” to add some pink to the nursery?  Does Ryan need to get used to the idea that baby #2 might be a girl (again, he is hoping for a boy)?  In addition, we can prepare the little guy not just for a baby, but a little brother or sister!

So, we got called in by the ultrasound tech, I got the goop on my tummy and away she went!  We didn’t have to wait too long, but she did check on a few things before she double checked that we wanted to find out the gender.  And…she’s a girl!  I had a “feeling” that we were having a girl this time, but Ryan asked the tech how sure she was about the gender!  She said she would never say 100%, but that she was 99.9% sure this baby is a little girl.  I think Ryan was in shock.  I am sure the concept will sink in by September, but I am glad that we found out now instead of waiting until then.  I am excited to have one of each, but it will take some getting used to after only knowing little boy raising for the last almost-2-years!

So, after I am done with the little guys “big boy” room, we will have to bring on the PINK in the nursery!

new blog

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As some of you know, I started a blog called Stephany’s Blog last year.  I have used it to cover everything…life, the little guy, and interior design.  Recently, I have decided to start a blog that is for family and friends about our life in the Northwest.  From now on, Stephany’s Blog will be strictly about green living and interior design.

I tend to publicize my Stephany’s Blog posts on my Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter pages and would like to keep some aspects of my life “private”, meaning just for family and friends, but would still like to blog about them.  So, I have started this new blog called Our Northwest Life…about the Taddeo’s living in the Northwest!

I hope you will enjoy reading both of them!

Green Living is Just Living

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I have been immersed in this “green” movement for at least 15 years since I majored in Environmental Studies while going to the University of Colorado at Boulder.  It probably started before that, though.  I remember picking up trash while we were out on hikes as a family, and leaving our campground better than we found it when we went on weekend camping trips.  My parents grew fresh fruits and veggies in our garden, and while some may disagree with this, we ate organic meat that my dad shot each hunting season.  My dad would also remind us to to turn the thermostat down to “6-0” before we went to bed at night. 

In addition to the things I learned as a child, these days:

  • I drive a hybrid.
  • I recycle more than I contirbute to the landfill.
  • I bring my own bags…to every store.
  • I buy organic.
  • I shop at local farmers markets.
  • I have replaced every bulb I can with a CFL.
  • I use a programable thermostat.
  • I plan and group my outings…even using right hand turns in my routes as frequently as possible. 

These things, and more, are just living, and I don’t even think of them as being a part of  “green” living.

Currently, I am struggling with the term “green”.  I have been fighting with it while updating my “Services” page on the Stephany Taddeo Interior Design website…how do I market “green” without using the word “green”?  To me, just like “green” living is just living;  “green” interior design is just interior design.

Farmers Markets

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It’s almost time for Farmers Markets here in the Northwest! I love this time of year. Spending Saturday morning looking through fresh produce and flowers has been something I look forward to each Spring.

It started with the Boulder County Farmers Market when my parents would come up to Boulder to visit me when I was attending the University of Colorado at Boulder. We would go to breakfast at Rocky Mountain Joe’s and then head to the Boulder County Farmers Market. After college we would plan Saturday’s to meet up in Boulder and do the same thing. Once I was married and my husband and I lived near the Cherry Creek area of Denver, we would hit the Cherry Creek Farmers Market. It didn’t quite have the atmosphere of the Boulder County Farmers Market, but had the wonderful aroma of fresh roasted peppers in the air.

Now that we live in the Northwest we are blessed with the bounty of what the Oregon and Washington farmers have to offer. It is, by far, more than the markets in Colorado had to offer! I am looking forward to coming home with fresh strawberries and asparagus on our first few visits. The additions will come each week, with some coming and going faster than others, until pumpkins at the end of October. These days, I especially love watching our son eat the berries fresh out of the containers while we pull him around in his Radio Flyer wagon!

Here is a listing of websites for some of our favorite Farmers Markets:

www.boulderfarmers.org

www.coloradofreshmarkets.com

www.beavertonfarmersmarket.com

www.tigardfarmersmarket.com

www.ci.oswego.or.us/farmersmarket

These websites should have dates and times listed for each of the markets. In addition, you can visit www.localharvest.org to find Farmers Markets in your area.

Finally, if you know of a Farmers Market in the Portland area that has fresh roasted peppers will you please leave a comment and let me know where it is? That is definitely something the Colorado Farmers Markets had to offer that we can’t find here in Oregon!

Happy Earth Day…it’s that simple

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I’ve been thinking for days about what I wanted to write about for my Earth Day post.  It hasn’t been easy.  I’ve watched my twitter feed, read magazines, surfed the internet, read many other blog posts, and searched my own book shelves and knowledge base to find something that was right, but I couldn’t.  I was overwhelmed!

Is that how you feel when it comes to Earth Day?  Do you feel inundated by “green” in what you read, watch and hear?  Do you wonder how you can participate in Earth Day, but don’t know where to start?  Or, do you feel that the little thing that you might do for just one day isn’t enough, so you just decide not to do anything?

Here’s my tip…do something.  I often wonder if I am doing enough, learning enough, teaching enough, and participating enough in the environmental movement.  I have figured out that the answer is YES.  We all do our part.  Some of us more than others, but we can all do something.  Start with today, Earth Day.  Switch to a CFL, carry a reusable bag, recycle, drive less, choose low-VOC paint, buy organic, buy local, turn off your lights and electronics when not in use…it’s that simple.

To help you get started, here are some links to a few websites with more ideas and tips:

http://www.epa.gov/earthday/

http://www.thegreenguide.com/earth-day

http://www.epa.gov/earthday/takehomekit.htm

If you have more ideas or are still overwhelmed, please leave a comment on this post.  We can all help eachother on this Earth Day…and that will help the environment!

Happy Earth Day!

the boy who was raised by black labs

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Our first “children” were animals.  In December 1999, a diluted calico cat named Murphy was adopted from the Dumb Friends League in Denver.  In March 2000, a black lab puppy named Ben came from our good friend and Grand River trainer/breeder Mike Gould.  In September 2000, an orange and white tabby named Hobbes was adopted from the Dumb Friends League.  In November 2003, an 8 year old black lab named Oak was adopted from Mike Gould.  In April 2004, a black lab puppy named Odyssey, again came from Mike Gould.

For almost 8 years we were the proud parents of our five-fuzzy-faces.  The dogs would go everywhere with us.  We drove across the country to Upstate New York with a stop in Chicago for a family wedding…all with Ben in tow!We went on many roadtrips through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho with all 3 of them…learning what hotels were pet friendly along the way.  My husband would take the boy dogs hunting anywhere from 40-60 days each fall.  They would all go camping and hiking with us during the summer.   They drove with us from Colorado to Oregon when we moved.  Oak used to go to work with me almost everyday here in Oregon.  They lived the high life!

Then July 5, 2007 came.  The world as they knew it stopped.  Our baby boy arrived and they were relegated to the dog runs and scolded for getting too close to the baby.  Oh, I was afraid that we wouldn’t be able to give them the attention they were used to…and we weren’t…but our little guy is!

The little guy LOVES his doggies!  The first word-like sound he made was “woof”; his first word was “doggie”; his first 2-word phrase was “good girl”;  the second 2-word phrase was “bad dog”; and his first 3-word phrase was “no bark dog”.  When he wakes up in the morning he asks where Oak is.  He loves to share his toys and food with the dogs.  He crawls all over them, snuggles on their dog beds, and loves to play chase with them in the house.  He is part of their pack.

When we are outside in the back yard he loves to play in their dogs runs.  He opens and closes the door, pretends to fill up their water buckets, and likes it even better if they will play along with him…Odyssey usually obliges.  Oftentimes, I will find him hiding in the dog crate we keep in the house for “doggie timeouts”…sometimes he will be in there with one of the dogs.  I am sure that he thinks every kid has a house full of black labs  just like he does.

The dogs (and cats) may not get the attention they used to from us, but our little guy sure thinks the world of them.  Their days are lazy, and they get to stay in the house most of the time, now.  My husband runs the boys down at the river once or twice a week…when he can. Oak is pretty much blind, deaf, and very needy so I try to give her extra attention whenever possible.  I am not sure how much longer we will have her around…she has been a mom to around 30 puppies…and acts as a “doggie nanny” to our little guy.  They are all wonderful pets and “children”…including the boy who was raised by Black Labs.

Heart of gold

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I am amazed on a daily basis by my 20-month old little guy.  I have been amazed by him since the minute I found out he was coming into our life, but lately he has a special grip on me. 

He loves to move…walking, running, dancing, climbing.  Recently, I heard him calling, “Momma!” from the living room while I was in the kitchen.  I ran in thinking something had happened, but he just wanted me to see that he had climbed even higher on the bench next to the stairs than he had been able to do in the past.  He did this with an adorable look on his face that said more than words ever could.

He went for a walk down the street with his Poppa this past weekend.  Poppa had him walk along a stone wall in one of the neighbors yards.  We took him for that same walk the other night and he remembered the wall and wouldn’t let us get by it without the chance to walk on it.  How did he remember this house nearly 10 houses down the street from ours?  He also remembered that there was a kitty at one of the houses.  As we passed he said, “Meow,” and Poppa said, “You’re right, there was a kitty at this house the other day!”

He learns new words on a daily basis.  He is willing to try to say most words that I give him.  Last week it was turtle.  This week he has figured out the word pacifier…and I am SO glad he is not calling it his “binky”!  I haven’t counted how many he knows, and some of them sound very similar, but as his parent I know how hard he is trying to communicate with me.  Sometimes we get frustrated, but it is very exciting when we come to an understanding!

He says (and waves) hello and goodbye to everybody at Safeway, Target, Whole Foods, or wherever we may be.  He is perplexed when he is pushed by another child while at OMSI.  He loves his three dogs and two cats more than anything in the world.  He gives lots of hugs and kisses.  It melts my heart when I am sitting on the floor and he comes up and gives me a great big hug (and pats me on the back).  He has a heart of gold.

He misses his Poppa so much when he has to go to work…especially when he has to travel out of town.  When Poppa is not working from his home office I have to go into the office and show the little guy that Poppa is not home, otherwise he believes that Poppa is working behind that closed door.  When my cell phone rings with the “Gilmore Girls” theme song, the little guy knows it is Poppa and happily exclaims, “Poppa!”

The other day he kept walking to the powder room door and twisting his hand near the lock.  Then he would walk over to the desk in the kitchen and pretend he was throwing something on the desk.  I wondered what he was doing and watched him do this a few times.  Finally, I realized that he was mimicking Poppa unlocking the door with a coin from the jar on the desk!  Unbelievable, I thought.  Then I also thought how very careful we have to be because he is watching our every move! 

He amazes me.

A Sunday visit to an Eco-Brewpub

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The tradition of visiting Portland brewpubs started when I was pregnant last year.  Sounds kind of odd, I know!  My husband, Ryan, and I were stumped for things to do on rainy Sundays.  We came up with the idea of visiting family friendly brewpubs around Portland…Ryan could taste the beer and I could eat the food (because at that time eating was all I wanted to do)!  On occasion, we would meet friends for the festivities and other Sunday’s it was just the 2 of us…planning for the arrival of our little one.

Yesterday we made a visit to Portland’s first Eco-Brewpub, Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB).  We met our friends who have a 3 year old and we brought along the little guy, our almost one year old.  Of course, we were seated in the family friendly area of the restaurant which includes a play area for the kiddos.  The space was originally a repair shop for Caterpillar bulldozers and was later used as office space.  Although the space is not LEED certified, the owner and brewmaster has made “every effort to protect ‘our’ future”.  The menu includes organic beer and sustainable food, both of which our party was very pleased with!

Play area

More than just beer, cheese, and bread

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On our trip to Whole Foods today we ended up leaving with more than just beer, cheese, and bread.  We signed up to get 100% renewable power for our home from new wind and new biomass sources!  Through PGE (Portland General Electric) residential customers can sign up for this renewable power program which ranks first in the nation for residential customers.  Basically, 100% of our monthly usage is offset with renewable resources (wind and/or biomass).  And, it’s only supposed to increase our monthly cost by less than 10%!  This is something I have wanted to do since we lived in Colorado and I feel good that we have made the decision to do it! 

If you live in the Portland area, check out this website to find out more: www.greenpoweroregon.com

I felt like I was 16 all over again!

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Opening gifts on my birthday this year reminded me of my 16th birthday. On my 16th birthday my parents surprised me with the gift of a bright yellow 1983 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer!  The car had been my mom’s for some time and it was now being passed on to me for my 16th birthday.  I remember being so excited to drive the car, but I had to get my license first.  Later that day, I passed the drivers test and was able to take off for the first time in my very own car…what freedom!

My sister and I shared the car after she turned 16 the following year

This year, my husband surprised me with the gift of a Blizzard Pearl 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid! This time I had my license, but I had to wait for the car.  He had hoped to get it to me ON my birthday, but it was still in the Port of Portland so I had to wait.  Luckily, it was only one day and we went to pick up my brand new car.  I felt like I was 16 all over again! 

I have wanted to get a new car for some time, but we were waiting for a good time financially.  I wanted a safe family car, needed the room of an SUV, but also wanted to make the right choice for the environment.  And, with gas prices continually going up it couldn’t hurt to get great gas mileage!  It has all the bells and whistles…navigation, back up camera, MP3 compatability, Bluetooth, heated seats, etc.  I have only had it 10 days, but so far I am thrilled with my new car!