Like father, like daughter

I was semi-complaining last night to my father-in-law, Rick, how I've seen my friends' kids who are around Kate's age, how they can just sit there in a stroller, or whatever, so contently. My kid, on the other hand, has to be constantly on the move. Not easy at all for a mama! Rick reminded me of the story of when they were living on the Owyhee reservation when Brian was around two years old. Brian attended daycare at a Methodist church, where he was the only white kid, taken care of by two Native American ladies. One day, Brian's dad and mom got a phone call from one of the ladies, saying that there was something wrong with Brian. The problem? All the other kids would just sit there quietly and play, used to being strapped to their moms. Brian, on the other hand, would run around all day. Sounds just like Kate! It's hard not to feel a twinge of jealousy when I see those other toddlers so placid. But, as I told Rick, I wanted feisty kids, so I really can't complain. I got exactly what I wished for! Especially when it comes to my little girl.

Christmas card photos

Took the kiddos a couple miles down Shalem Colony Road to the Rio Grande the other day, let them get out on a dirt road and run a little bit so I could get some good pictures for our Christmas cards. (That's always my best advice for taking pictures of kids: take them to a new place so their faces light up with wonder.) It was a little tricky getting both of them to cooperate, the little imps, but we came out with at least a couple that still make me grin.

A year-and-a-half

My sweet baby girl is 18 months today! Kate continues to amaze me. Every day she learns new words. She's still temperamental, extremely active, and loves her blankets and stuffed animals. When we read books, she waves at the characters inside. She also waves at the dog, or at her socks when I take them off her feet. When she meets new people, she snuggles deep into the crook of my neck. And, of course, she wants to do everything that her big brother does.


Since I use this blog as partially a reminder for all the scrapbooking I'll do someday (and, believe me, there is a LOT to catch up on!), I have compiled a list of words Kate is saying. I just compared it to the list I wrote for Jack when he was 21 months old--three whole months older than Kate is now--and her list trumps his by far. I've got a talker on my hands!

bowl * cup * mama * dada * Jack * Grandma * Grandpa * hi * bye-bye * all done * more * hot * ruf-ruf * meow * quack * moo * ooh ooh ahh * bok-bok * caw-caw * vrooom * banana * cracker * cheese * ball * uh-oh * go * garbage * socks * potty* hello * Bubba * bottle * Bible * bubbles * up (she says "bup") * down * book * bath * chair * hands * no * off/on (sounds the same, and I doubt she knows the difference)

Sweet November

Hmmph. Life has been running at rocket-speed the past month or so. Thus my lack of posts. But the kids and I successfully made a three-day trip across Texas to New Orleans for Val's wedding. (Brian flew into town a few days later.) We put on a birthday party for Jack there, and I also planned a bachelorette party for Val. Between those two events, Jack and I both managed to catch a bug, and we both spent a good part of 24 hours being sick. Luckily, it was ONLY 24 hours, and although I missed the bachelorette party, we were both well by the rehearsal. My dad was not so lucky. He did walk Val down the aisle, but couldn't muster strength to do much else that day. We had a lot of other kinds of drama leading up to the wedding, but the wedding itself? Absolutely perfect. Val's dress--the one that I helped pick out in Dallas last July--was stunning, my homemade sash worked, and she was a beaming, happy, blushing bride. RJ looked pretty handsome, too. And the reception was tons of fun, even with a clingy, whiny, 17-month-old girl attached to my hip. I even gave a semi-successful toast, which Val loved, but I think she was a little drunk, because afterward she kept kissing me on the forehead. Brian drove back with us, and we briefly visited the Alamo on our way, but plan to go back to both places--New Orleans and San Antonio--when our kids are a little older (and hopefully more appreciative).

Some of my favorite pictures from the wedding day:

NMSU football

I love, love, loooove college football. Not that I really know that much about the actual game. The atmosphere is why I go. The roar of a crowd, the band playing the fight song and other fun standards, nachos and hot dogs and soda. Last Saturday night was a special night for me and my little man. Jack and I were able to attend the NMSU game against Boise State! I wore my UI shirt. I knew none of the locals would get it, but I did have several BSU fans look at me and one man even say, "Oh, that's just wrong!" Boise State won it pretty easily--as was expected--but we had fun anyway. Jack even scored a cowbell from the nice men sitting behind us. THANK YOU to my wonderful husband for not only letting me and Jack have the two tickets, but also staying home with Kate.

State fair

Now that we're finally living in New Mexico, I am quite excited to be able to do all the local things. Unfortunately, with little kids, and being on a budget, we haven't been able to do everything, but we did make a trip to the Southern New Mexico State Fair! Both kids liked seeing the animals; Brian and I reminisced about entering our artwork at the fair when we were kids; and Jack took his first carnival ride. (Just one. How can anybody afford to go to the carnival nowadays?)

Lisa Bonita creations

After sending some little-girl barrettes to my sister Val's co-worker as a thank-you gift, she and another co-worker became interested enough in my work to request more. Thus, a new business venture for me was born. "Lisa Bonita" is currently just a blog, but if there's enough interest, I'll eventually start an Etsy store, or try to sell at a craft show, or... the possibilities are limitless! Here is Kate modeling one of my creations, and speed-walking at the same time. Talk about talent! (Also, as soon as I put anything in her hair, she yanks it out, so looks like I'm gonna have to wait a bit before she wears anything regularly.)

http://lisabonitacreations.blogspot.com/

From the sidelines

About twenty years ago, Brian was New Mexico's Youth Soccer Referee of the Year. This year, with our move back to the Land of Enchantment, he's taken up the side job again. Jack, Kate, and I have had the pleasure of sitting on the sidelines through several games. It's a little unnerving to hear coaches and parents berating my husband, but if anyone can take it, it's him.

I know next to nothing about soccer, but I do like to stretch out in the sun. The kids and I take a blanket and a bucket full of digging toys, and make sure to sit near a little plot of dirt. That way, all of us are happy.

Spaghetti and signing

Kate is fifteen months old today! Her grasp of new words and signs grows every day. She is definitely talking and signing earlier than Jack did. Today, at lunch, in between dumping out her spaghetti and then using the bowl as a hat, I started adding up all the words and signs she knows.

Hat:

More:

Eat:

Drink:


Head, or hair (pretty much the same as "hat"):

Not sure if this was anything other than a cute photo op:

Up:

Clap/Yay (while looking at Jack, doing the same thing):

Not a sign, just a cute overhead shot of the spaghetti mess:

Signs I didn't get pictures of? Mouth, teeth, ears, hands, feet, yes, no, hi, bye-bye, nummies, all done, phone, pat, sleep.

And the words she's actually saying? Mama, Dada, Jack, Grandma, doggy, ruff-ruff (what a doggy says, of course!), more, bye-bye, vrooom, bottle, cracker, ball, blanket.

New bike

In the hopes of spending a little less money on fuel in his daily commute to Deming, Brian purchased a brand-new motorcycle this past weekend! The bike gets 58 miles per gallon, and the van (which he had been driving) only gets about 24. Even with a monthly payment and insurance in there, we figured we'd still come out ahead. Plus, he's wanted a bike forever. Now he gets to fulfill his dream every single day. A bonus for me? He looks pretty hot on it, too.

Buddy time

Jack has found a new best buddy! He and Gabe were able to enjoy some pool time, water guns, sprinklers, pizza, and ice cream this past weekend. Jack's had a difficult time adjusting to all the big changes we've had these past few months, and it does my heart good to see my shy guy getting along so well with another little boy.

Nature girl

Seems like Kate is in her element when she's outdoors. I know my dad found that out for certain when we were in Idaho. If I needed him to watch her, and she was less than happy about it, he'd just scoop her up, head outside, and walk up the block to see the crows that hang out in a nearby church parking lot. Kate would sit and finger-rake the green grass--which she'd never seen much of in the Sierra--and imitate the birds' caws. A few months later, in New Mexico, give my girl a bucket and a pile of dirt, and she's happy. Throw a sprinkler into the mix, making the dirt all squishy between the toes, and she becomes ecstatic.

More "news"

It's been bugging me lately, my lack of actual writing on this blog. I am a writer, you know. Sometimes it's just easier to upload a few snapshots of the kids and then write a caption or two. Kind of like on Facebook... it's easy to be a good writer when you're limited to only 250 or so characters. I sometimes spend my entire morning run wording and re-wording a new status update. It's much more difficult to mentally string together a whole blog post. And I guess there just hasn't been a whole lot of writing inspiration lately. We're still working hard on putting a life together here in New Mexico.
We did celebrate a few firsts these past few days:
1. Casey went to the dog groomer for the first time. Poor thing was looking a little ragged, came back all shiny and happy. She's having a fun summer overall, playing with her new golden retriever cousin Chrissy.
2. Kate did her first poop in the potty! First of all, she's a tub-pooper. For two weeks or so, she was pooping in the tub almost every night. After lamenting about it on Facebook, someone told me to Google "baby poop in tub." I did, and turns out, it's not so uncommon. I guess the warm water makes those muscles nice and relaxed. Anyway... one website mentioned having a potty handy, so when baby does make a ready-to-poop face, you can whisk her right out of there and sit her on the pot. After Kate put a little turd in the tub a few nights ago, I did just that. Made her sit on Jack's potty for a couple minutes. When she stood up, there was more in the potty. But she started screaming hysterically... and that lasted for about five minutes! I guess it's a new sensation for baby. She'll just have to get used to it!
3. Jack made his first attempt at swimming! We've been going to Grandma Pat's pool this summer, and every time, he is a little more daring. Yesterday, he actually walked by himself off the steps and started tip-toeing around the floor of the pool. At one point, he walked too far, and with no one else nearby, and not enough experience to know just to turn around and head back toward the steps, he started making crude motions with his arms as he walked toward the wall. I count that as early swimming. Soooo proud of him. Next time we visit Grandma Pat, he'll be doing the backstroke.

And now for a finished one

In the words of my sister Val in an e-mail she sent a few days ago, all our dreams are coming true! Hard to believe, but it's true. A week ago last night, mere hours after intervieweing for a job as Instructional Leader in Deming, NM, Brian was offered--and accepted--the job. Yes, we are now employed! With the news of the job came a tremendous sense of relief, but afterward we were thrust into a whole new set of to-dos. Not that I'm complaining. I will gladly stand in line at the DMV for an hour for a new driver's license and to register the van, because that cements in my mind the fact that we've just moved to New Mexico. I will gladly find all the paperwork Brian needs to sign up for insurance at his new job, because that means he has a job and we actually have insurance. I will gladly and diligently research local preschools, because that means Jack finally gets to go to preschool in the fall. And I will gladly meet with a home loan specialist at Citizens' Bank and a realtor, because that means we might actually, finally be able to purchase our own home. Yes, all our dreams are coming true, but it still takes a lot of work to make it happen! In the meantime, I am eternally grateful to my in-laws, who are not only letting us stay at their house indefinitely, but also feeding us, watching our kids for us, and putting up with the neverending mess that accompanies two small kids. We are blessed.

An unfinished post from last week

It hit me this morning, upon waking up at four a.m., that it's July 20th, and Brian has yet to find a job. I've been trying not to freak out about it--we'll be fine--but holy cow, it's July 20th already! There are still a few jobs out there, and he just had an interview last week in Rio Rancho, but overall, it's slim pickins.

While the girls are away...

...the boys will play. Here's what Jack, Brian, Matthew, Bob, and Rick were up to last weekend: building rockets from kits, and then using the desert as their giant launchpad!

Pool party and dolphin fountains

Kate had her first swim in a "big pool" yesterday, at a party thrown by Val and RJ's friends, Brett and Diane. She was eager to jump in, and loved the water... but her big orange innertube? Not so much.



And today we suited her up for another watery afternoon. These dolphin fountains can be found right across the street from Val and RJ's apartment complex. "Casey's Clubhouse" is the playground named for a girl who died at age seven from muscular distrophy. It's only the most awesome playground I've ever seen! The dolphin fountains were the best part, especially on this sweltering Sunday afternoon. ('Tis true what they say about the humidity in Dallas!)

Cake Wrecks

I have weddings on my mind after this long weekend in Dallas. Not since my own wedding has my mind been so consumed with dresses, centerpieces, favors, flowers, and cakes. Thanks to a FB friend for introducing me to this website:

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/
"When Professional Cakes Go Horribly, Hilariously Wrong"

The great wedding dress search

I'm in Dallas (Grapevine, actually), visiting my sister and her fiance RJ. Main purpose of the visit? To find a wedding dress for Val! We started with the obligatory trip to David's Bridal, where she found a few candidates, but nothing perfect, nothing that would produce that heart-stopping moment every bride needs when she walks down the aisle. Kate went with us. She was a BIG help.

Next on our list was Lulu's Boutique, housed in a quaint little Victorian near downtown Dallas. The store was charming, the dresses extravagant. And, unfortunately, out of Val's budget.

I guess our third stop was the charm. Although it didn't look like much from the outside (we almost drove away without even going in!), Anonymously Yours had a huge selection of beautiful wedding gowns. Val tried on five and loved the fourth. It was a perfect fit. And she probably spent about half of what she would've spent on a new dress. After our visit, we both swore to become better aficionados of secondhand stores.

http://www.ayresale.com/