Survivor

Robert and I have decided to embrace a new form of parenting - it's based on the TV show Survivor.  Basically, it involves putting your child through as many difficult situations as possible in a short time frame. Advocates praise the "toughening up" of their children and congratulate themselves on "teaching their children how to adapt."

Challenges include:

• Restaurant sitting: No crying, no crawling, no eating what we're eating. Repeat - at least 15 times. 
• Long flights: Sitting nicely on Mom or Dad's lap is acceptable. Anything else and you'll get a comment from the jerk across the aisle "Wow, this is a nightmare - and I've got a front row seat" (I hope that guy has kids one day and they show him what a real nightmare is...) Repeat - at least 8 times. 
• Wedding receptions: Involves loud music, lots of people holding you and staying up at least 5 hours past your normal bedtime. Bonus points if you can endure the fact that Mom forgot to change your diaper before bed so you peed through everything in the middle of the night and everybody was too tired to notice. Oops. Repeat - 2 times. 

You can spot the Survivor parents anywhere you go. They're the ones downing the booze while someone else walks their baby around. (joking, joking)

The good news is, Peter has passed the challenges with flying colors!! We have had an amazing two months and Peter continues to surprise us by his amicability despite the fact that he hasn't had a semblance of a routine since mid-October. We have also been greatly helped by Grandpa and Grandma's unfailing love and patience, Uncle James's guitar lessons, Tia Juliana's energy (and her strong back) and Uncle JP's sense of humor, which helps us all relax.

Below are some recent pictures - and at the bottom is a video of Petey bird!

Hiking to the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

Peter Jr. loves Peter Sr.

A Christmas gift: Grandma and Grandpa are setting the bar pretty high here

The Poppleton wives

Juliana and Pete

Grandma and Peter

In honor of Robert, Joseph and historically awesome facial hair

Nothing says Happy Advent like a good beard - you know what I mean? After all, it is a penitential season and if you've ever been privileged enough to have a husband with facial hair as thick and bristly as Robert's you'll understand.

But honestly I love it. It's so manly.

Last Friday I hosted a little birthday party for Robert and our good friend Joe together with Jill, Joe's girlfriend. Joe and Robert's birthdays are back to back and they are both growing out their beards until Christmas, so "historically awesome facial hair" seemed like an appropriate theme. We posted pictures of notable facial hair around the apartment and Jill made fake mustaches for everyone.


Fact: Chuck Norris was born with a beard. When the doctors tried to shave it he roundhouse kicked them with his precociously strong baby legs, knocking them all unconscious.

This is how these two cops catch all the bad guys: sweet disguises

I guess fake mustaches aren't as fun as hipster beards

Things  got a little strange in this corner. 

the hostesses

Robert could grow that if he wanted to I bet

Peter went to sleep at 7 and slept through the whole party. He's such a good baby - a job he takes very seriously.

MEXICO

What do you get when you mix a very tall, half Italian gringo and a sassy, fair-skinned Mexicana?


Well,  none of us know yet... but hopefully sometime soon we will! We just returned from Thanksgiving in Mexico where we celebrated the wedding of John-Paul Poppleton to Juliana Gutierrez. It was an absolute blast. Festivities began at 6pm and ended sometime after 4am. The reception was part 5-star restaurant dining (amazing food and service), part late night clubbing (complete with glow sticks and whiskey) and a few traditional wedding moments (like the cake cutting...which no one watched but me, Ma and Robert)

Peter must have a little Mexican in him because he managed to stay in good spirits until past midnight every night we were there and endured countless cheek pinches and head rubs. Juliana's grandparents both pulled me aside at different times to tell me, "pero no le ha peinado!" "You forgot to comb his hair!" I don't know if it's because we buzzed his hair when he was younger...

but it has grown straight up/outwards ever since!

Here is a picture of the happy couple!

What? Peter snuck into their wedding photo?
That might be a little much....

The Ergo carrier saved us as we carted Peter everywhere. He was able to take all his naps and we were able to keep socializing!

She's beautiful! She's a girl - right?

Nope - not a girl. I'm not dressing my little girl in grey hoodies, "Daddy's Little Allstar" onesies or a button down shirt.


This was the latest outfit he was wearing when I got that comment.

The little badge says "Momma's Little Guy"

How about here? Does he look like a girl?

Daintily gnawing on the carrot... 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME PEOPLE?

ugh

He sings like his Daddy (hopefully)

Disclaimer: This has been uploaded so that you can enjoy Peter's musical talent. Please ignore the voice in the background. Occasionally, (as in when I'm in Mass, the organ is going full throttle and Robert is next to me carrying the tune) I'm pretty convinced I have a great voice. Unfortunately, that's just not the case. Also, I'm abnormally bad at remembering lyrics...
Luckily Robert has a great voice and can sing for the both of us! Hopefully Peter takes after him.

He has taken to doing this "singing" a lot. He was doing it in Trader Joe's the other day and the cashier asked me if everything was ok. Obviously she's just never been around talent before.

Shopping with Peter

While Momma tried to find appropriate wedding attire for the upcoming festivities of John-Paul and Juliana (hooray!!), Peter entertained himself with the dressing room mirror. He was so excited about the smiley baby looking back at him - "who knew there was someone as cute as me out there!"

I'd like to apologize to the employees of New York & Company for the pile of drool you found on the bench in the large fitting room...

Halloween

Isn't he the cutest fattest spider you've ever seen? Unfortunately he was much to tired from his trip out West to see the Grandparents to go Trick or Treating, so no candy for Mom or Dad this year.

Starting a blog

To my dear friends and family,

I decided to get off of Facebook so that  1.) I could be more selective about sharing information and 2.) I can spend my time better.  I'm not sure its a permanent move,  it is  a really convenient way to communicate. But its a busy time of life with Robert in school and working full time and me working part time and being a mommy and wife full time, so I think I can find better ways to spend my time. In the meantime - I thought I'd share pictures and Poppleton adventures with those I really care about on this blog (rather than sharing them with my friend from high school's ex boyfriend's mother who happened to "friend" me.) 

The name Pebble Hut came from Poppleton, from Old English popel ‘pebble’ + tūn ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’. But since this isn't quite a settlement yet, we're calling it Pebble Hut. 
I'm mostly going to be sharing pictures and I really dont expect you to read everything - but if you're ever interested in the going ons of the Robert Poppleton family you know where to find us!