the overflow

Giving "Nummies"

2012-02-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

Jack and Kate spend a lot of time watching me, or waiting for me to, feed Maggie. We call it "nummies." And when she's finished with one side and about to switch to the other, we do a fun trick called the "switcheroo." The big kids are not quite sure how nummies works, but Kate sure likes to imitate. Most mornings, after Maggie's been fed, Kate borrows the Boppy to give nummies to Pinky, or Bubba, or any of her other dozens of animal friends. It's one of the sweetest things I've seen on earth.

And, of course, hugs are always in order:

Demonstrating the switcheroo:

Some more recent pictures

2012-02-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

My big crawler:

Jack took these next two:

A big box is always great for make-believe games:

Jack and the shadow

2012-02-04T03:42:00.000-08:00

In honor of Groundhog Day this week, Jack studied shadows at school. They also took some really cool pictures.

Loves

2012-01-26T12:58:00.000-08:00

Found a fun idea for Valentine's Day at this blog post. It's always fun to record kids' answers for posterity.

Jack:

For breakafast, I love... pancakes.

For lunch, I love… a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

For dinner, I love…macaroni and cheese.

For snack, I love…fruit snacks.

To drink, I love…milk.

To read, I love…the library book that's upstairs in my bunk bed.

To watch, I love…Cars 2.

To play, I love…my remote control truck.

Kate:

For breakfast, I love… I like oatmeal.

For lunch, I love…I don't love peanut butter and jelly.

For dinner, I love…umm... oatmeal.

For snack, I love…cherries.

To drink, I love…apple juice.

To read, I love…The Big Wolf and the Little Wolf book.

To watch, I love…a show.

To play, I love…toys.

Seven months... and first teeth!

2012-01-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

Let's see... Miss Maggie is past the seven month mark now. She's been crawling for a couple weeks and has three teeth: one big chomper on top and two on bottom. She usually sleeps 12-14 hours straight at night (which is heavenly for me!) and loves solid food: cereal, applesauce, sweet potatoes, and Mum-Mums. She is super-independent but also loves to be entertained by big brother and sister. When she gets excited, she kicks her legs and takes several deep, quick breaths. Oh, and she's pulling herself up to stand in her crib! Definitely growing up way too fast.

Centennial Parade

2012-01-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, New Mexico celebrated 100 years of statehood. Today, a parade in downtown Las Cruces. Parades are much more fun with little kids. Jack and Kate were both dancing maniacs! And even Maggie enjoyed it... although the picture of her shows differently.

Half a year

2011-12-16T13:32:00.001-08:00

Maggie is six months old today! She is pretty much sitting up on her own and loves being able to grab from a pile of toys in front of her. She still gives great smiles to strangers, and she cracks up at the antics of her siblings. I carry her around in the front carrier whenever we run errands, and she likes to kick her legs as if she wants to GOOO!!! She just started sleeping through the night again--up to twelve hours at a time! Hooray! Oh yes, and she has two precious little teeth. Already. Remembering the picture I had posted on Facebook of Kate on her six-month birthday just over two years ago, I dressed Maggie in the same shirt that Kate wore this morning, and then took pictures of her in the same chair. We always think Maggie looks like Jack, but here you can definitely see the sisterly resemblance!

Jumping, jumping...

2011-12-04T04:12:00.001-08:00

The last gummy pictures

2011-12-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

Maggie laughing at Jack

Feeling around in Maggie's mouth the other day, I noticed a little tooth protruding! My other kids didn't get their first teeth until they were seven or eight months, so it was kind of a surprise. As soon as we got home that day, I grabbed the camera and took a few shots of Maggie and her gummy smile. I still feel nostalgic at all her "firsts." This, for example, is the last first tooth. Crazy!

Jack's 5th

2011-12-02T13:21:00.000-08:00

I'm late posting these, yes, but at least I'm finally doing it! We had a great little 5th birthday party for Jack here at the house. Brian's mom was here for the weekend, and Bob, Yoli, and the kids also came down. Along with Grandma Pat, Rick, and Lynn, we had quite the shindig in our little house. I made macaroni and cheese (NOT the Kraft kind) and a Coca-Cola chocolate cake (NOT from a mix).

Just an update... no time for a creative title

2011-11-21T03:29:00.000-08:00

We've had a busy fall--the busiest ever, I would say. I've not had much time to post! So here's a quick update in picures.

Maggie is five months now, doing well, finding her voice, laughing at her siblings, and enjoying anything physical (especially her jumper). She is already spending time on her hands and knees, and "swiveling" on her playmat. We predict she will be our earliest crawler.

Jack's soccer team had its final game of the season last Saturday, and I do believe they finally won a a game! The kids all received trophies and certificates with superlatives (Jack got "Most Enthusiastic." Of course!)

Team pictures:

Somehow, Jack is five years old now! People always tells me that time flies, especially when you have little kids, but I still can't believe it! We took some official portraits in the pecan grove near our house:

We brought cupcakes to school for him to share. His teachers and the other kids sang to him, and he got to wear the birthday hat.

Eatin' solids

2011-10-17T13:31:00.001-07:00

Maggie turned four months yesterday! And so, like with each of my other two kiddos on their four-month-birthday, we fixed her a little bowl of rice cereal. And she loved it! Here she is giggling at her brother.

A pea up the nose

2011-10-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

Of course my middle child had to find a way to make our quiet Saturday eventful. Trying to find a good vegie alternative to break her out of her baby carrots fixation, I've been giving her peas lately. At lunch, over her plate of macaroni, peas, and fruit, she told us that she put a pea in her nose. Brian grabbed the flashlight and, sure enough, there was a pea up there! We tried getting it out with tweezers. Brian even took a quick Walgreens trip for a pair of thinner tweezers, but those didn't work. We tried a bulb syringe. We tried plugging her other nostril and having her blow her nose. Nothing worked. So, to urgent care it was, and then, when that was unsuccessful, to the ER. After a long wait, Kate was wrapped up like a burrito and held down by Brian and a nurse, and the pea was taken out with some kind of simple instrument. No more peas for lunch!

Three months

2011-09-17T05:34:00.000-07:00

Maggie was three months old yesterday. One-quarter of a year! It hardly seems possible. For some reason, she's gone back to waking up during the night, but I know that's all temporary, and that soon, she'll be sleeping through her nights (and mine!) once more. She's becoming interested in toys now, trying to grab them and hold on. One thing she does grab very easily: my hair. Oww! So most days call for a ponytail for me. She's been suffering a patch of eczema on her arm and we had her at the doctor a few days ago because of it, so I know her weight was a hearty 13 pounds, 7 ounces. Which means she's gained a pound-and-a-half in just a few weeks! Growing like crazy, she is. Still sweet as ever, even with the nasty eczema. People marvel at her all the time, at her calm demeanor, her easy smile and laugh, and her remarkable tummy time skills. Heck, I still marvel at her. And probably will for awhile yet!

First soccer game

2011-08-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Sweet four-year-old Jack has begun his soccer career as a Rocket! We're expecting more success than we had with t-ball, as it's a lot more active. Brian is acting as a sort of mentor to the team's referee, who just got his license. And, actually, Brian (or his dad) might be reffing a few games for the Rockets.

Two months

2011-08-26T05:51:00.000-07:00

Maggie had her two-month check yesterday. She weighs twelve pounds even and is 23 3/4 inches tall, both which put her in the 75th percentile. She just started sleeping in her crib in her own room, and is rolling over front to back now. She still smiles and giggles easily, especially for strangers, and is becoming quite the "chatterbox," as Brian says. And she adores her brother and sister. No doubt about it, God has blessed us with this little one.

Sleeping baby pictures

2011-08-14T05:27:00.000-07:00

Because there's not much more beautiful in life than a sleeping baby...

Remembering Granny

2011-08-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a month now since Brian's Granny (his mom's mom) passed away. We celebrated her life this past Saturday at Caballo with family, much of whom I'd never met before. In spite of the heat, it was an amazing get-together.

We found the one thing our new Honda Odyssey can't do: drive in sand. We got stuck twice.

Jack and Kate had a blast in the water. We'll definitely be making many trips here in the future:

Skipping rocks:

Everyone had fun looking through a couple photo albums:

Maggie was cuddled by a number of aunts, uncles, and cousins all afternoon. Brian's Uncle Troy is especially fond of girls, seeing as how his grandkids are limited to seven boys:

Kathy read from Psalm 23 and spoke, saying about Granny that "she may not have remembered your names, but she loved you all very much."

Spreading Granny's ashes in Caballo:

Pat and her "greats"

2011-08-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

One-month Maggie

2011-07-16T13:01:00.001-07:00

Wow, it's hard to believe, but my sweet Maggie is one month old today. I am already nostalgic about her, and not sure why. Either it's because I know she's almost definitely my last kid, or the fact that she's so quiet and easy--unlike my other two--which causes me to vow daily that I will NOT neglect her. She hardly ever cries, and when she does, I can calm her easily. She has, from Day One, slept amazingly at night. When she does wake up, she doesn't cry; she just struggles herself quietly out of her swaddle. Sometimes she puts herself back to sleep. She started to smile at about two weeks of age, when my parents were here, and my mom coaxed a few grins out of her. We are all definitely in love with her. Her one fault? She spits up a lot more easily than my other two... so sometimes we go through several changes of clothes a day.

White Sands with our Texas guests

2011-07-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

Recently we had a couple sets of visitors: first my parents, and then my sister and brother-in-law. I so regret forgetting to take any pictures while my parents were here. I can place the blame on my baby brain, but it's still a travesty. Especially since Maggie was just born, and I have no idea when we'll see them again. So during Val and RJ's visit, I made sure to have the camera handy. My favorite part of their trip here? Going to White Sands with them.

Every kid and kid-at-heart needs to tote along a big sled when visiting White Sands:

Looking for the best hill:

Oh, the anticipation:

Wheeee!

Me with my sweet baby girl:

Val and RJ... so good to have them visit!

Our first picture as a family of five:

Attempting the impossible?

2011-07-06T14:52:00.000-07:00

One of my family's Christmas pictures when we were little has my brother, sister, and me sitting on the piano bench, grinning at the camera. My sister was just a baby at the time and needed to be propped up a bit. So my dad's hand is in the corner of the picture, too, holding her up. We've always laughed at that hand. The moral of the story? It's much harder to take a good picture of three kids than I ever imagined! We're gonna have to keep trying. Here are a few examples from our recent attempt.

Introducing Maggie

2011-06-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

So, Maggie Elizabeth joined our family in the early morning hours of Thursday, June 16th, 2011. My due date was the 15th, and on that day I scheduled an induction for the 17th, but then went into labor naturally that evening. (Same thing happened with Jack when he was born. Guess I should have scheduled the induction for a week earlier!) We sent Jack and Kate over to their grandparents' house and then labored at home for almost eight hours before heading to the hospital in the middle of the night. Got there at 2:15, checked in, and found out I was dialated to eight cm. She was born at 3:14, before they could do all the pre-labor stuff they usually do. So, no IV, no drugs, again. Pretty proud of myself, and yes, it is painful, but it's also temporary. I've compared it before to running a marathon. We didn't know her gender, and so I remember craning my neck right after they pulled her out. Never been so relieved to see... well, you know, that she was a GIRL! From the beginning she was super quiet and content. She latched on easily and nursed for an hour after we were both cleaned up a little. We stayed in the hospital for 36 hours. She had a few problems with getting rid of some mucous in her tummy, and had to have a tube inserted down her throat to suction it out, but other than that, she was perfectly healthy.

8 pounds, 7.7 ounces, and 21 inches long:

Brian was, again, a wonderful labor coach:

Getting cleaned up:

Scrubbed dry, footprinted, and swaddled:

Big sister Kate making "funny faces" when she came to visit:

Sisters meeting for the first time:

Sure enough, those luscious lips that I'd seen in a sonogram:

At home, a perfect resting baby:

Cousins in Strasburg

2011-06-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law, Lynn, loves dresses by Strasburg. They are classic, beautifully constructed outfits with all sorts of feminine details like lace and embroidered flowers. Kate probably has four or five in her wardrobe already. Her eight-year-old cousin Marissa has quite a few as well. Lynn recently bought matching outfits for Kate, Marissa, and their second cousin, eight-month-old Skyler, and we spent a sweltering afternoon trying to take pictures of the trio together. Kate, my little darling, was the least cooperative of the bunch. But at least she stood still!

Preparing for the photo shoot:

Finally a smile from Kate:

My TWO-year-old

2011-06-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

So, at two years old, Kate is as vivacious as ever, fiercely independent, and always lovey-dovey toward her animals and dolls. She picks up new words every day and has a vocabulary of several hundred, I'm sure. Her favorite sentence: "Me do that." She weighs about 26 pounds, likes to jump, can put on her own shoes, and drinks apple juice like the world's going to end tomorrow. She also loves to color, although for some reason, since Easter, she'll only say she's coloring "deviled eggs." Her favorite TV show is "Yo Gabba Gabba," and she usually dances throughout an episode. We're working on potty training, and she collects jelly beans in a medicine container for going pee-pee in the potty. She laughs easily, cries even more easily, and is a ham for the camera, crinkling up her beautiful eyes to say "cheeeeese." She is comforted by her "Pinky Bear," and strokes the animal gently, thumb in mouth, to go to sleep. I took her to Old Mesilla for a photo session to commemorate her second birthday, and she was a natural model.

A party for our birthday girl

2011-06-06T03:53:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe, but Kate's second birthday is TOMORROW. We celebrated yesterday with a small gathering of friends and family at our house. (Gutsy, huh, considering I'm about 39 weeks pregnant? I had a horrible headache all day--my first in MONTHS--but my absolutely wonderful hubby helped me pull off the party. He even vacuumed. What a man!) The theme? "Hello Kitty..." as every time we pass by the massive Hello Kitty head in the Target girls' section, Kate says "Meow!" and blows an air-kiss (her seal of approval).

The Hello Kitty cupcakes were a pain to put together but turned out so cute. I found the recipe cupcakes at this site: http://www.merryantoinette.com/2009/02/hello-cupcakes.html

Happy Birthday time:

Kate absolutely did not know what to do with her birthday candle. She sat and stared at it for awhile before trying to grab it with her fingers. Guess we should have done a few practice rounds.

Being very silly with her cupcake:

We definitely crowded our small kitchen! Would have been nice to have a finished backyard for overflow (or at least some grass), but right now, there's just dirt out there.

Jack really, really wanted to open Kate's presents for her. He had to be restrained:

Oooohh! A tea set!

Kate became a very determined present-opener, refusing help of any kind:

Charlie had fun eating his cupcake:

Jack, Dylan, Kate, and Marissa trying out her new toys:

Kate's first real "dolly" (complete with stroller):

38 Weeks

2011-06-02T04:21:00.000-07:00

This is me at 38 weeks. Hoping to have this baby soon, although since we don't know the gender, and haven't agreed on a boy's name yet, I am also hoping desperately that it's a girl. I just know I will be stressing about it going into labor if we haven't picked a boy's name yet!

Our yearly snapshot of the craziness of motherhood

2011-05-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

Each Mother's Day for , since I've become a mom, we've tried to capture that perfect picure of me and the kid(s). It was a lot easier when Jack was younger and there was only one of 'em. Now, it's a struggle in patience and creativity to somehow capture both of their angelic faces sitting still AND smiling toward the camera. This year, my ginormous tummy added to the difficulties... I just can't move well! Also, I'm wearing a prescription knee-high compression hose on my left leg to combat pain from varicose veins, so I'm just not feeling too picture-perfect these days. Ugh. Guess that's life with kids, huh?

First game as a Sun King

2011-05-17T03:37:00.000-07:00

Life is finally getting back to a somewhat-normal after closing on our new house (pictures to come soon) and moving in (still working on that!). We've been crazy-busy over the past month trying to get things in order before baby comes. But we have made time for Jack's first organized team sport: t-ball! His first game as a Sun King was two weeks ago. He still mostly has no idea what he's doing. But he has great fun doing it.

Warming up (Jack is #5):

Kate always wants to get in on the action:

Yeah. That would be my kid with his glove on another kid's hat:

In the dugout. Jack's in the middle, looking toward the camera:

On deck, the perfect time for drawing circles in the dirt with his bat:

At bat:

Seems like most of practice time, he's scuffing the dirt with his feet. He has a hard time remembering not to do that while he's running bases, too:

Oh, the anticipation! At third.

And safely home!

MOPS Toddler Trot

2011-04-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the kids and I participated in the first-annual Toddler Trot Fun Run fundraiser for our MOPS group. The goal was to get around the Mayfield High School track four times--one whole mile. Kate, of course, rode in her stroller, but Jack took off! At the end of the first lap, he was in a solid fourth place, behind some bigger boys, after running the entire distance. And he did run most of the three subsequent laps, but stopped every now and then to throw a rock into a puddle or kick some dirt. And then he'd get right back on the track and start running again. Not sure how much money we raised, but thanks to those who did donate to help our MOPS group!

Of course we were number 24:

The starting line (Jack is on the left):

And they're off!

The finish line (Right after this, Jack said, "Mom, I'm tired of running.")

Enjoying some post-run snacks:

And he had to toss one last rock into a puddle:

29 Weeks

2011-04-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

My sister Val, who lives 10 hours away, has been begging me to take belly pics for awhile now. But I haven't been able to snag much of Brian's free time these last few weeks, especially since soccer began (he's reffed 27 games in the past month!). My photographer of choice had to be four-year-old Jack. He's still learning the basics of using a camera, of course, and his two shots both cut off my head. Oh well... as Val said, "Who cares about your head? This is all I want to see!"

First pool day

2011-04-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

Jack, Kate, and Gabe braved the wind today for a quick dip in the inflatable pool. They were all shivering after twenty minutes or so, but still had fun. Baby Skyler dressed up in her suit, but didn't actually get in the water.

The latest in "Mater" pics

2011-04-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

The elusive vest, finally earned

2011-03-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

Jack has been taking part in our church's Awana program since last November. The program has its participants memorize Bible verses, and the kids receive vests and patches after they memorize a certain amount of verses. Jack had no problem memorizing the first three verses to get his vest, but for some reason, he was struck with a kind of stage fright (imagine that--Brian's kid? Stage fright?!) when it came to actually reciting them to his teachers. So, since November, he's been showing up vest-less to Awana. In spite of all the other kids wearing their vests every week. In spite of his best buddy Gabe, who joined Awana months after Jack did, having earned his vest back in January! Every week Jack would tell us he'd say his verses to his teachers, but every week he would clam up. We tried bribing him with ice cream, trips to Carl's Jr., or craft projects... but nothing worked. Finally, last night, after having skipped Awana for several weeks (due to sickness and trips out of town), Jack decided to say his verses. I showed up to pick him up, and he was WEARING HIS VEST! All three of his teachers came up to me separately to tell me. I think they were just as proud--and surprised--as I was.

My valentines in Old Mesilla

2011-02-15T13:36:00.000-08:00

Here are my beautiful children at the plaza in Old Mesilla in the Valentine's shirts I made for them. Oh, and Kate's wearing her tutu, which turned out to be too-too big... but still looked kind of cool in the afternoon sunlight.

20 months, divided

2011-02-08T07:45:00.001-08:00

Yesterday evening, I realized that Kate is now 20 months old. Since we left California when she was 10 months old, and have spent the rest of our time since living with parents--first mine, and now Brian's--that means for HALF of Kate's life, we have not lived in our own place. How lame is that? We never meant to be living with parents for this long; it's just happened through a series of unfortunate events: a canceled short-sale transaction, not having enough time for a true fixer-upper, the unimpressive state of the Las Cruces rental market, and a general lack of saved-up money. I doubt my little missy minds at all. It just makes me feel a little pathetic. Oh well... there is light at the end of this long tunnel. Hopefully, very soon, we will be in a place of our own.

Chez Grandma

2011-02-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

Jack and his Grandma Lynn have recently enjoyed much time in the kitchen together. For his birthday and Christmas, he received a chef's coat, apron, and hat, as well as a cookie decorating kit and utensils. He's now a expert at baking... or at least taste-testing.

Snow day

2011-02-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

So, I guess I totally needed a day to get all my craft stuff organized... and my kids needed an excuse to trash the rest of the house. It snowed today in Las Cruces! The most snow in 23 years, we heard: four inches total! Of course, all our snow gear is buried deep in storage. So I was hesitant to take them out. But, after Jack bugged me all morning about going outside, I decided we should try it. We just bundled up and didn't stay out long. And not enough snow to attempt a snowman, of course. This was Kate's first time in the snow. She was 10 months when we left the Sierra--too young to play in it. But Jack? He was an old pro.

BTW...

2011-01-31T12:59:00.000-08:00

Kate's Dedication

2011-01-29T05:55:00.000-08:00

Little Miss Kate was officially dedicated at our church last Sunday. We've only been going to Mesilla Park Community Church for a few months, but we had to have her dedicated ASAP because of the gorgeous white dress my mother-in-law had bought for the occasion before Kate was even born! Size: 12 months. Luckily, it still fit our 19-month-old girl!
Here she is on the bench outside the sanctuary with her "Pinky" bear. It was a nice service, and we were lucky to have several family members attend. There were four other families having children dedicated, and at first the pastor only called up three families, leaving our names out. I prodded Brian to get up and just go up on stage, and as we walked up, the pastor, seeing us, looked at his notes and said, "And you must be the Marshalls!" Jack went up on stage with u, and the pastor then asked, "And who's this?"
I told him, "That's Jack... but he's good."
"He's been dedicated already?" the pastor asked. "Oh, that's right... I can see the halo now."
The whole audience laughed and Jack, not knowing why they were laughing but knowing it was focused on him, just sat there and smiled. That made everyone laugh harder. Leave it to Jack to steal the scene from his baby sister!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's

2011-01-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

Another Christmas has come and gone! For the first time in memory, I am not totally sick of Christmas music by December 25th. And really, I already miss all my favorite Christmas songs right about now. I'm not usually so nostalgic. Must be something about finally being content with where we are. For the first time in ten years, we've not had to travel long distances to reach family at Christmas. We hardly went anywhere, actually, aside from Rio Rancho for a few days post-Christmas. And the kids were able to do all the traditional Christmas-y things: making gingerbread cookies, decorating the tree, attending Christmas Eve services at two different churches, and unwrapping a bunch of presents Christmas morning.

For New Year's Day, we were at Grandma Pat's for brunch. I got several funny shots of all four cousins and their great-grandma. Miss Kate is figuring out how to ham it up for the camera!

Like father, like daughter

2010-12-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-20T13:00:00.001-08:00

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

2010-12-07T12:03:00.001-08:00

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

2010-11-27T12:45:00.001-08:00

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

2010-10-09T13:15:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-03T12:08:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

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"

2010-08-08T12:59:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-30T06:52:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-20T04:28:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-07-14T06:06:00.000-07:00

...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

2010-07-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-10T10:43:00.001-07:00

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/

The whole fam-damily (can I say that?!?)

2010-07-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

It doesn't happen often, all the Marshalls (that is, Rick, Lynn, their boys, and their boys' families) in one place at the same time. And, since Bob and Yoli just got into town today and Rick leaves tomorrow, the occasion becomes even more fleeting. Pictures had to be taken. One serious and one silly.

Marissa's to-do list

2010-06-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

Fathers' Day

2010-06-20T19:02:00.001-07:00

Ahh, Fathers' Day... the chance to celebrate all those fabulous daddies and granddaddies. And to feast on brisket, ribs, homemade baked beans, and potato salad. We've been in New Mexico for just one week now, and the kids have delighted in spending time with Brian... as well as their grandparents, and cousins Matthew and Marissa. Here's Grandpa Rick with his four grandkids: Jack, Matthew, Kate, and Marissa. I tried to take posed shots, but that just wasn't in the cards.

Our gift for Brian? An old-school shotgun cleaning kit, never been used, found on etsy.com, and a success!

The boys did their manly stuff yesterday: a trip to the dump, and a local car race last night. The race itself lasted 'til 11:30; but Jack was asleep in Brian's lap from 10:00 p.m. on. Fun was had by all, but they were exhausted this morning.

Kate's pink poodle party

2010-06-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely first birthday party in Lewiston for Kate. The theme? Pink Poodle in Paris! It was supposed to be a shared party, with her four-year-old cousin Avi, and Monster Trucks as the other theme, but Avi ended up catching a bug and missing the whole shindig. We had plenty of family show up, though, for food and cake and plenty of French poodle-themed games. My sister-in-law Marisa (Avi's mom) designed the pin-the-poodle-on-the-Eiffel-Tower game. We also had an obstacle course and a pink poodle cake, done by my good friend Lacey.

Surprise visit

2010-06-01T19:55:00.001-07:00

Brian totally surprised us by showing up at my parents' house last weekend. He'd told me a few weeks ago that he might just drive up here sometime, but I guess I didn't really believe him. It was sooooo great to have him here. And, in just a couple more weeks, we will actually be together again, in New Mexico. Imagine that!

Screen door fun

2010-05-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

More random photos so Daddy (and others) can see what our beautiful children have been up to, how much they're growing and changing in just the six or so weeks since we've been in Idaho...

This one cracks me up:

Watching Grandpa mow the lawn

2010-05-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

First dentist visit

2010-05-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I was expecting it to be a lot worse. And there was still screaming, when the dentist and I tilted Jack backward so his mouth could be examined... but all in all, we had a good first visit. Jack came out of it with a new "Cars" toothbrush, some stickers, an eyeglasses-funky-nose-and-mustache mask, and a scoop of Baskin-Robbins "Baseball Nut." And no cavities!

Start of the siblings' trip

2010-05-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

My mom and her sisters left this morning for a beach house on the Oregon coast. They've been planning this trip for the past year. It was originally supposed to be the culmination of a year of weight loss for the three, a competition to see who could lose the most. Each put a dollar a day into a pot, and the winner gets the whole pot. But the focus has strayed from the competition to just being together. Their older brother, my Uncle Nick, just recently widowed, agreed to join them to round out the grouping. He'll fly into Portland and meet them at the house tomorrow. They packed games, my grandma's old journals, and lots of warm clothes for a wonderful and much-needed week together. Selfish me, I'll miss my mom greatly while she's gone. But I'm glad she has the chance to do this.

Tale of a red wagon

2010-05-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

We made a trip to Spokane two days ago to pick up my Aunt Stefani. Before due at the airport, we were able to spend a couple hours downtown, one of my absolute favorite places! We lunched at Red Robin (where Kate enjoyed the bottomless fries and the admiring glances from ladies and waiters), and made jaunts through Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and Williams-Sonoma. And went up elevators and across walkways of the Riverfront Park Square shopping area, as requested by Jack.

AND... the best part... the humungous red Radio Flyer wagon slide in Riverfront Park! We went at the wrong time: some preschool or daycare group was causing mayhem at the top of the wagon, where kids were lining up to take their turn down the slide. I had to accompany my passive little boy and fight off several other youngins, all itching to cut in line anywhere they could. Of course, as soon as Jack launched himself down the slide, he stuck out his limbs in a desperate attempt to get back up top. The kid behind him gave him an impatient shove, and finally Jack made it to the bottom, into the waiting arms of Grandpa Gary.

One month shy of a year

2010-05-15T14:10:00.001-07:00

Poor Kate, feeling a little under-the-weather last weekend, paid a visit to the doctor this week. The one good thing about taking a kid to the doctor? Finding out the exact measurements! And, of course, hearing the rankings as compared to other kids' sizes at the same age (which is just over 11 months). Kate, it turns out, is measuring up like her brother: skinny with a big head.

Height: 28" (25th percentile)

Weight: 17 lbs, 5 oz. (7%... yikes!)

Head circumference: 45.75 cm (18 inches, 80%)

The other great thing? By the time we got to the doctor's, Kate's temperature was normal and she was back to her ornery self. Phew.

Mothers' Day

2010-05-09T19:28:00.000-07:00

My first Mothers' Day as a mama to two was wonderful! An absolutely heavenly brunch at the Red Lion with the Giblers and Perdues, some homemade cards, a package from the hubby (can't wait to play Scrabble Slam!), yarn and knitting needles, candy, and a walk/bike ride along the levee bike path. For the first time in weeks, the sky was blue all day, the temp stayed around 75, and although Kate was feverish and teething, she held it together well. We did miss Brian, of course, but life is still good.

Renn Fair

2010-05-02T14:56:00.000-07:00

In spite of the rain, wind, a little bit of hail, and a massively muddy park, we braved Moscow's Renaissance Fair yesterday. Avi dressed up as "Mr. Tie-Dye Man," only to find out that the kids' costume contest had been canceled. But he did get to walk in the dragon procession!

Rocking, flipping, and chalking

2010-04-23T10:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry, but while we're away from Brian, I need to post an extraordinarily large amount of pictures of the kids. Especially of Kate. Already, in the two weeks that we've been here, she's learning buckets: how to wave "hi" (which she especially likes to do for her Grandpa Gary), clap her hands, shake her head "no," drink out of a sippy cup by herself, and throw her arms up and down. She's playing more independently and hamming it up more for her adoring audiences. Plus, I was able to leave her at Mothers' Day Out yesterday for three whole hours, my first time leaving her with anyone besides Brian or my parents for that long. She did fine, and I was ecstatic!

She's definitely her daddy's girl: a climber and adventurer. No fear at all. These pictures of her climbing on a rocking toy are eerily similar to one taken of Brian on a rocking horse when he was just a little older. Make sure to take note of the lone leg lifted in each shot; her daddy did that, too:

Now, for more cousin pictures. This tulip pacified Loie long enough for Marisa to get a gorgeous picture of the girls:

All four of 'em!

This toy dog barks and flips. Avi and Jack seemed to think, on this particular afternoon, that it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen:

The boys, showing off their chalky hands (and clothes!) after drawing all over the front sidewalk:

Birthday party

2010-04-18T19:29:00.001-07:00

We celebrated birthdays today with my cousin Sooki and her two boys, Kyle and Kobe. Both Kobe and Sooki, as well as my mom, have birthdays coming up. Here's Kate, working on her new scrunched-face, wrinkled-nose smile. She's a charmer, and she knows it!

Grandpa Gary, trying to capture his darlin' grandgirls with his camera:

Sooki and her boys, who actually achieved the perfect picture with the first shot. An absolute miracle, when teenage/tween boys are involved!

Second cousins: Jack, Avi, Kobe, and Kyle.

Hilarious! Jack, right after Kobe showed him how to shove his finger in the frosting:

"Aunt Melanie" helping Kobe light the candles on his cake:

Our international bubble party

2010-04-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

How fun! Meeting friends from "across the pond" was the highlight of our weekend. Our friend Mary, who went to high school with my brother, is visiting from London for a couple weeks, and yesterday she and her mom brought her two daughters over for a bubble party! We were also joined by Ryan, Marisa, Avi, and Loie. The abundance of spring flowers in my parents' backyard, along with some scrumptious ice cream treats, made for some adorable pictures. Just look at those smiles!

First visitors

2010-04-10T04:57:00.000-07:00

We'd only been in Lewiston for a couple hours when our first visitors stopped by my parents' house: my cousin Joel, his wife Flori, and their 13-month-old daughter Sara. Kate had fun pulling on Sara's pigtails ("what the heck are these things?").

Last day in California

2010-04-06T10:09:00.000-07:00

We had my sister Val and her boyfriend RJ here for the past few days. I picked them up in Reno after they had a not-so-ideal series of flights from Dallas. They came for Easter and to see the area we've been living in. I felt bad because we were packing the entire time they were here! But we did get to take them around Mammoth and June. The night after Easter it snowed almost a new foot, so they put on their snow clothes to play in the backyard a little. It hampered our trip to see the south tufa, and we drove up to see as much of Tioga Pass as we could, but it wasn't much! Their last day, they drove back to Reno to explore, and then to Tahoe for the night.

Kate looked adorable for her first Easter. And Jack was able to search for eggs around the house. I made gumbo, too!

And today is my last day living here. I'm taking the kids to Idaho for awhile. We'll stay with my parents while Brian lives in our travel trailer in Lee Vining for the rest of the school year. It's a big change for all of us. It'll be fun to start taking my kids to all the things that we haven't been able to do while living in the mountains. And after Idaho, it's New Mexico, for good.

Jack's "stingrays"

2010-03-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

Little Miss Pouty Lips

2010-03-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

D-Day

2010-03-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Big day in town last Saturday: Demolition Day at Lee Vining Elementary! The 80-something-year-old building that housed the office, library, and 1st/2nd grade classroom was torn down. Brian and Jack, of course, had to be there for the big event.

Jack-and-Kate-in-the-box

2010-03-20T13:42:00.001-07:00

She's got her "girl pants" on

2010-03-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

Kate just started wearing her first pair of jeans--or, as Jack calls 'em, her "girl pants." Her favorite activity lately is rummaging through Jack's room and making a catastrophical mess. When she needs a break, she grabs a blankie and her thumb. A little sucking, and then she's good to go again.

Sad and funny at the same time...

2010-03-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

I heard somewhere that 23,000 pink slips have been given out to California teachers this year. A huge chunk of ESUSD teachers are in that number, including all but one of the teachers at Lee Vining High. At least someone can have a sense of humor about the situation!

My little gravel-eater

2010-03-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

Kate is nine months today! She's still our little drama queen, still attached to me. She has provided us with a little bit more sanity in the past month, as she's started sleeping through the night again. No teeth yet, but crawling--and cruising--are in full effect. She would eat her weight in Gerber "Sticky Stars" if we let her. I took her for a walk yesterday to try to get some good pictures of her against the snow and blue sky, but all she wanted to do was eat gravel.

Girls' and boys' day out

2010-03-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, I pursued my girly ambitions, taking the drive all the way up to Carson City, with Kate, just to take advantage of Joann's $1.99 sale on McCall's patterns. Vogue patterns were also on sale, for $3.99. Of course, there was a limit; otherwise I would have come home with twice as much! I've had this insatiable urge lately to create, and scrapbooking just ain't cutting it. I've wanted to get better at sewing for quite awhile now, and have plenty of patterns for clothes for the kids. But this time, it was all about me. My haul for the day:

In the meantime, Brian had his first woodcutting experience. He took Jack out in the woods the same day to find some firewood. His haul for the day:

Jack slipped and scraped up his nose and forehead during the excursion. Brian actually heard the bump, and the following cry, above the noise of the chainsaw. He's a tough kid!

...And MORE snow

2010-03-05T05:53:00.000-08:00

On clear days, when the sky here is bluer than blue and most everything else is covered in a blanket of white, I thank God that I've had the opportunity to live in such a place. Yes, I'm tired of the snow, and of living in such isolation, but you sure can't beat the view. And Jack still enjoys it. Here he (and Casey) are, out the back door:

That toothless grin

2010-03-04T15:54:00.001-08:00

Kate's bound to finally get teeth one of these days, so I thought I'd take a few last pictures of her adorable baby smile:

On my 32nd birthday

2010-02-16T05:35:00.000-08:00

So, the kids don't sleep in on my birthday. Wasn't expecting they would, of course. It's a good thing I'm an early riser! My conversation with Jack was funny. When he wakes up early, and it's dark, and Brian and Kate are still asleep, I let him sit in our big fluffy armchair and watch his favorite show, "Bob the Builder." He's come to expect it, if he wakes up and it's still dark and quiet. This morning, as he was settling into the armchair, we had this talk:

Me: "What day is it today?"
Jack: "I don't know."
Me: "Is it a special day?"
Jack (whispering): "Your birthday?"
Me: "Yes!"
Jack: "Can I watch Bob the Builder?"

I love my son!

Out of California

2010-02-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

A year-and-a-half ago, when we first settled in the Eastern Sierra, I remember getting our satellite dish hooked up just in time to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics from Beijing. It is only fitting, then, that on the day of the opening ceremonies from Vancouver, Brian found out that he is getting a pink slip. Yep, his job is being eliminated, due to budget cuts. There is nowhere else in this tiny district for him to go (aside from bumping the lone music teacher out of his position, which he would never do!), and we've wanted to move out of this state for the past four (five? six?) years, so this is our chance. We'll be moving to New Mexico after this school year, or before it's over if a job is offered sooner. It doesn't seem real yet, that we're really moving. This is what we've wanted forever. I think right now our focus is just getting another job. When that happens, I feel we'll really be able to celebrate. And, of course, there is some sadness at leaving our home state for the past eight years. As much as we've said we want to get out of here, we've also made some great friends, and seen some great places.

New favorite spot

2010-02-15T12:20:00.000-08:00

Casey, the kids and I have taken several walks up in Lundy Canyon lately. We all get a good workout: Casey runs ahead, I hook Kate up in the front carrier, and Jack and I both trudge through the ski tracks in our snow boots. And this is all only five minutes from home: perfect for that mid-morning, between-naps fix for cabin fever.

Official Valentine's Day photos

2010-02-15T12:02:00.000-08:00

Couldn't post these darn-cute pics earlier because I'd sent a few of them to family with their Valentine's Day cards. The kids are wearing their matching shirts from Chope's (the best hole-in-the-wall southern New Mexican restaurant I know!). Now that the big day is past, I can post!

The yearlong playmat project

2010-02-13T17:22:00.001-08:00

I finally finished it: Kate's playmat! Of course, I'd meant to have it finished before she was born, but then she came three weeks early, and I just haven't been able to find the time up until now. Every few weeks I'd take out the project when I had a few spare minutes... but we're talking spare minutes. I'm terrible about leaving projects halfway through, when it just seems too difficult, but not this one! I was bound and determined to finish it. And I did, last weekend, the very day after she learned to crawl. *Sigh...* Oh well! It'll make a great piece of art to hang on her bedroom wall!

Sledding day

2010-02-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the final ski day for Lee Vining Elementary students. Brian has stayed behind at the school each week with the students who didn't go skiing (yesterday, a whopping three of them!).

I took the kids into town to, first of all, buy a sled, and then join the students on this sweltering day (really, it was quite warm!) on the hill behind the school. Jack, all excited, decked himself out in all his snow gear, and picked out a sled at Bell's Sporting Goods with much gusto. Top of the hill, and rarin' to go:

Jack's reaction to his solo trip down the hill: sheer panic! He tried it again, with his dad this time:

And that wasn't any better. Poor guy decided to abandon his sledding ambitions and stick to trudging up and down the hill, making "train tracks." Next it was Kate's turn:

Kate handled the thrill of the ride much better than her brother did. That general look of nonchalance that graces her face most of the day? It stay put for the entire sled ride. What hill? It's gonna take a lot more than that to satisfy this girl's daredevil tendencies!

C'mon, Kate, can't we at least get some kind of reaction?

There's a smile!

Kate at eight (months)

2010-02-08T10:11:00.001-08:00

Katharine Mae was eight months yesterday! She's about sixteen pounds of pudge and as active as ever. In the past few weeks, she's learned to sit on her own (to the point where I don't worry about her falling over anymore), pull herself onto her knees and sometimes her feet, stand and wobble while holding onto a table or box, and maneuver herself around to grab at anything within reach. On Saturday, we saw true crawling for the first time while we were at the Mammoth library. She's very attached to me, so much that I have to sneak showers and dog walks in before she sees me leaving the room. She likes sweet potatoes, applesauce, and is obsessed with Gerber "sticky stars." Her "pincer grasp" is developing especially nicely because of the little snacks she likes to pick up while at the table. She still squawks like a bird sometimes, and cries very loudly, especially when she sees me but is not in my arms. And, oh man, she will put anything into her mouth! I know that's true with all babies, but sheesh! Does she really have to go for the dog food?

The broken camera blues

2010-02-02T19:32:00.000-08:00

I'm bummed because our camera is broken! For some reason, the shutter won't open all the way. My guilty conscience says it probably has something to do with me dropping it on our neighbors' driveway on Halloween of '08. Is it worth trying to get fixed? Or is it one of those things where it's just better to get a new one? Either way, we can't quite afford a new one just yet. Trying to pay off credit cards, and student loans... then we should have a little disposable income. Enough to buy a new camera, at least. In the meantime, I'm taking pictures with my Blackberry. And, once in awhile, I can borrow Brian's school camera. Poor Kate won't have nearly the same massive amount of baby pictures in her scrapbook that Jack has! Anyway, here are some of my newest phone pictures of the kids:

Back in the land of the living

2010-01-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

For three weeks, we've endured sickness, moving, snow, and as a result, very little sleep. It's not been fun! I realized, yesterday morning at about three a.m., that I have merely been surviving these past few weeks. I've only made it out of town a few times to load up on groceries and other supplies. I haven't had much adult human contact. My focus has been on getting well... and, of course, moving (which isn't fun when you're sick!). I haven't been living. I complained to my friend on the phone about my status yesterday, and she surprised the heck out of me a couple hours later by showing up with a bouquet of beautiful yellow daffodils! Finally, everyone in our house is well, and although Kate's sleeping patterns are still crazy, we all feel better. I made a series of playdates for this week, went to the basketball game today, and will rejoin our Mammoth playgroup tomorrow. The flowers symbolize spring coming (although not really soon), and for me a commitment to live, not just exist. The mere site of them makes me realize that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Now, if I could just find a vase for the daffodils, amongst all our still-packed moving boxes, instead of the plastic pitcher they're currently sitting in!

New house, snow days

2010-01-20T15:09:00.001-08:00

We're movin' on up... the street. Next door, actually. Our new house, in all its snowy glory:

And, of course, the backyard:

Winter has finally blessed us with her presence! Just wish I'd had snow tires put on sooner.

The "F" word

2010-01-12T08:09:00.001-08:00

The other day, we bought our first-ever canister of infant formula. Jack nursed on-demand for more than two years, and we never had a problem with my milk supply. With Kate, I found the need for a feeding schedule, and so my supply has steadily dwindled over the past few months. The poor girl has been waking up angry during the night pretty regularly. We were assuming it was because of pain, from the imminent teeth ready to pop through those tender gums. But Tylenol wasn't helping much. So, then, what else could it be but hunger? Problem was, like I said before, not enough milk. I then thought that by guzzling gallons of water a day, my supply would increase, and it did, a little... but Brian finally convinced me that we should at least just buy some formula, just to have on hand. The first night, she drank a whopping eight ounces right before bed and slept eight hours straight. The second night, she slept twelve hours straight! I feel like I failed a little bit in my quest for perfect motherhood, but then, who really has time to be perfect nowadays? I'll settle for a happy baby instead.

Bringin' back the BSC

2010-01-04T05:18:00.000-08:00

OMG! Kristy, Mary Anne, Stacey, Claudia and Dawn are coming back! Ann M. Martin has written a prequel to "The Baby-Sitters Club," one of my absolute favorite series as a kid, and publishers are reissuing the first two books later this year. I love that some of the language in the reissued books had to be modified. I can just imagine today's little girls asking, "What's a cassette player?" I just wish that my own kids were old enough to share in my excitement!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/books/31babysitters.html?_r=1