Happy Birthday, Mama!! Though the years march on and you've changed on the outside, you are still young and beautiful on the inside, and you always will be!!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm SO lucky to have you as my mom!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Happy Birthday Mom
Happy Birthday, Mama!! Though the years march on and you've changed on the outside, you are still young and beautiful on the inside, and you always will be!!
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm SO lucky to have you as my mom!
Friday, July 30, 2010
The words she says
Lily says all of her words correctly. And she should. She's almost 6 and she's been talking in complete sentences since she was about 18 months old. Gasp. OMG SHE'S ALMOST SIX!!!??? But there are a few words that she still mispronounces and we smile at each other because we kind of love it. As we lose the words one by one, we are sad. There's no more Hamumer (Hamburger), or Blana (Banana), or ChoCho (Cheerios), or KeyCause (Because), and those were some of our favorites that were lost long ago. But there are these...
Cornter - Corner
Asposed -Supposed
Inversible -Reversible
Telicious - Delicious
Tisgusting - Disgusting
Venoculars - Binoculars
Tis Morning/Tis Afternoon
There are a few more I think, that I can't think of, and we still have Addie and Bryson, who will keep misspeaking their cute speak, but in the meantime, my biggest baby, our first baby, doesn't have such cute speak anymore, there's just a trace where it used to be, instead she's replaced it with cute understandings of the world, meaningful understandings that make some sense and are based on some knowledge. She is becoming who she will become. And that's pretty incredible too.
Cornter - Corner
Asposed -Supposed
Inversible -Reversible
Telicious - Delicious
Tisgusting - Disgusting
Venoculars - Binoculars
Tis Morning/Tis Afternoon
There are a few more I think, that I can't think of, and we still have Addie and Bryson, who will keep misspeaking their cute speak, but in the meantime, my biggest baby, our first baby, doesn't have such cute speak anymore, there's just a trace where it used to be, instead she's replaced it with cute understandings of the world, meaningful understandings that make some sense and are based on some knowledge. She is becoming who she will become. And that's pretty incredible too.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
99 luftballons
You kind of had to be there, and I'm disappointed that this is the only picture we got of our Luftballons jump mania.
We had SO much fun in Joseph going out with Bean - Bean. Since she is normally our sitter for date night, we haven't ever really had a date night with her and we just had a blast, while Grandma Lanie watched the three kids. In Joseph, everything is in walking distance, so on Saturday night we headed down to The Stubborn Mule and The Hydrant for some fun with our friends. At the Stubborn Mule there was a, get this, BIKINI competition. Yes, this little town is 1000 people, and not really where you'd expect a tiki party complete with fire throwing tricks. (A whole other post on that. The guy actually threw and dropped a fire baton/stick which caught a guy's hat and drink on fire...that only stopped him for about 5 minutes when the fire tricks continued!) Anyway, we were a little too old for the party that was happening at that bar, so we walked one block to the OTHER bar in Joseph and it was pretty much empty, ours for the taking. We were a group of 20+ (since the extended Shaw family alone was like 10 of them). We Kareokeed and danced and drank and had a really good time.
We decided to JUMP when this song came on and again, just so much fun. Sabine wouldn't Kareokee it in German like everyone wanted her to do... :)
Or in German:
Other memorable parts of the night.
OZ sarenading Sabine
Lawrence stealing mikes + cowboy hats
Carrie Phillips has still got it!
Halle getting Bean to do a shot "lemon drop"
Bean Bean imidating our tweaky bartender
Laughing heads off with MegMeg
Lawrence and OZ singing "their" song
Michael yelling DungeonMaster at Joe 10,000+x
Jer and Lawrence doing a horrific job of "Baby got Back"
You know, the fun and goodness of old friends + being there with Sabine + a super fun hubby who I love dearly, just brings a big huge smile to my face.
We had SO much fun in Joseph going out with Bean - Bean. Since she is normally our sitter for date night, we haven't ever really had a date night with her and we just had a blast, while Grandma Lanie watched the three kids. In Joseph, everything is in walking distance, so on Saturday night we headed down to The Stubborn Mule and The Hydrant for some fun with our friends. At the Stubborn Mule there was a, get this, BIKINI competition. Yes, this little town is 1000 people, and not really where you'd expect a tiki party complete with fire throwing tricks. (A whole other post on that. The guy actually threw and dropped a fire baton/stick which caught a guy's hat and drink on fire...that only stopped him for about 5 minutes when the fire tricks continued!) Anyway, we were a little too old for the party that was happening at that bar, so we walked one block to the OTHER bar in Joseph and it was pretty much empty, ours for the taking. We were a group of 20+ (since the extended Shaw family alone was like 10 of them). We Kareokeed and danced and drank and had a really good time.
We decided to JUMP when this song came on and again, just so much fun. Sabine wouldn't Kareokee it in German like everyone wanted her to do... :)
Or in German:
Other memorable parts of the night.
OZ sarenading Sabine
Lawrence stealing mikes + cowboy hats
Carrie Phillips has still got it!
Halle getting Bean to do a shot "lemon drop"
Bean Bean imidating our tweaky bartender
Laughing heads off with MegMeg
Lawrence and OZ singing "their" song
Michael yelling DungeonMaster at Joe 10,000+x
Jer and Lawrence doing a horrific job of "Baby got Back"
You know, the fun and goodness of old friends + being there with Sabine + a super fun hubby who I love dearly, just brings a big huge smile to my face.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Quick update for the baby book
Yeah, this blog is used to record some of the little things that I'll eventually transfer into the baby book. Said baby book for Bryson hasn't even been cracked.
Yesterday...
Bryson ate little chunks of bananas for the first time rolled in baby oatmeal (to make them easier to pick up). Besides this those little puffs are the only finger foods he's eaten. He liked them better than the puffs, and I kept scooping them out of his bib pocket and putting them back on the tray, he was like, "Yes, wa-la, new meal" every time.
Bryson sat in the bath with no bathtub or ring for his bath for the first time. We'd purchased a bath ring with suction cups on the bottom, used it twice, but the suction wasn't sticking well and it felt like a hazard, and he tries to roll off of his other baby bath seat which lays him back quite a bit. So I decided nothing would be better. Now he's a heavy little guy, and naked, soapy, and slimy, he wasn't any lighter. But he did pretty well and even enjoyed some tummy time in the bath while I scrubbed his tush.
Last night was the first night of no dream feed for Bryson. For the past 5-6 months we have woken him between 10-11pm and fed him a "dream feed", he sucks it down, and goes back to sleep until 6am. So last night we tried it with no dream feed and he woke at about 5:45am. Pretty good. That dream feed has been his only formula feeding of the day with the exception of one or two bottles a week, so we'll see if it means that he'll be all breast milk for some days. My milk supply is definitely down, but we're still hanging on. I might cut one pumping out a day to get more done at work, and then still keep one formula bottle a day in his diet, since he is doing great with that. Will try yogurt with him next to see if the milk sensitivity is totally gone or not. He's tolerating it in my milk, just fine. Addie would love it if he were allergic, she wants to have a "special no milk buddy" and she really enjoyed it when I couldn't have milk with her and we both used her special butter and crackers.
He's "crawling" everywhere, more of an army crawl, but he can definitely go any and everywhere he wants. Over the weekend we rearranged the play room, once again cutting it in half with a fun baby gate that keeps little toys, games, on one side and baby friendly stuff on the other. We also moved some furniture around in the family room to open up the space and block cords that he couldn't stay away from. His legs are SO strong that he is up on his knees and toes nonstop. Sometimes even doing a donkey kick in the air while his arms stay planted on his hands. However when he gets down on his elbows, they know what to do. He is sometimes arming crawling in the front and bear crawling in the back, pretty darn cute and funny.
His cold is still hanging on and I think he's had a runny nose for a month now. It's gross and annoying, but doesn't seem to bother him much.
He also wants to give up that 3rd short nap of the day, cries a lot to go down for it, but can't make it from 2pm to bedtime, and even a few nights last week when I pushed through it with him, he thought bedtime was that nap and only slept for 30 min before waking to play for another few hours. It was fine, and he is pleasant to be up with later, but just not sure what to do on a day to day basis, and it's hard for daddy to make dinner on the days I'm working and not home til 6pm, when he doesn't do that nap, but acts like he needs it.
Oh - and I've done 2 days of shredding again after a month or so of hiatus. Today I will go do some sort of 25 min Cardio on the machines at the downstairs gym for my "lunch" hour. I'm sore, and that's kind of nice after a month of lethargy. Day 1 sucked, but Day 2 felt better.
So that's that for baby book updating. Consider yourself recorded, milestones.
Yesterday...
Bryson ate little chunks of bananas for the first time rolled in baby oatmeal (to make them easier to pick up). Besides this those little puffs are the only finger foods he's eaten. He liked them better than the puffs, and I kept scooping them out of his bib pocket and putting them back on the tray, he was like, "Yes, wa-la, new meal" every time.
Bryson sat in the bath with no bathtub or ring for his bath for the first time. We'd purchased a bath ring with suction cups on the bottom, used it twice, but the suction wasn't sticking well and it felt like a hazard, and he tries to roll off of his other baby bath seat which lays him back quite a bit. So I decided nothing would be better. Now he's a heavy little guy, and naked, soapy, and slimy, he wasn't any lighter. But he did pretty well and even enjoyed some tummy time in the bath while I scrubbed his tush.
Last night was the first night of no dream feed for Bryson. For the past 5-6 months we have woken him between 10-11pm and fed him a "dream feed", he sucks it down, and goes back to sleep until 6am. So last night we tried it with no dream feed and he woke at about 5:45am. Pretty good. That dream feed has been his only formula feeding of the day with the exception of one or two bottles a week, so we'll see if it means that he'll be all breast milk for some days. My milk supply is definitely down, but we're still hanging on. I might cut one pumping out a day to get more done at work, and then still keep one formula bottle a day in his diet, since he is doing great with that. Will try yogurt with him next to see if the milk sensitivity is totally gone or not. He's tolerating it in my milk, just fine. Addie would love it if he were allergic, she wants to have a "special no milk buddy" and she really enjoyed it when I couldn't have milk with her and we both used her special butter and crackers.
He's "crawling" everywhere, more of an army crawl, but he can definitely go any and everywhere he wants. Over the weekend we rearranged the play room, once again cutting it in half with a fun baby gate that keeps little toys, games, on one side and baby friendly stuff on the other. We also moved some furniture around in the family room to open up the space and block cords that he couldn't stay away from. His legs are SO strong that he is up on his knees and toes nonstop. Sometimes even doing a donkey kick in the air while his arms stay planted on his hands. However when he gets down on his elbows, they know what to do. He is sometimes arming crawling in the front and bear crawling in the back, pretty darn cute and funny.
His cold is still hanging on and I think he's had a runny nose for a month now. It's gross and annoying, but doesn't seem to bother him much.
He also wants to give up that 3rd short nap of the day, cries a lot to go down for it, but can't make it from 2pm to bedtime, and even a few nights last week when I pushed through it with him, he thought bedtime was that nap and only slept for 30 min before waking to play for another few hours. It was fine, and he is pleasant to be up with later, but just not sure what to do on a day to day basis, and it's hard for daddy to make dinner on the days I'm working and not home til 6pm, when he doesn't do that nap, but acts like he needs it.
Oh - and I've done 2 days of shredding again after a month or so of hiatus. Today I will go do some sort of 25 min Cardio on the machines at the downstairs gym for my "lunch" hour. I'm sore, and that's kind of nice after a month of lethargy. Day 1 sucked, but Day 2 felt better.
So that's that for baby book updating. Consider yourself recorded, milestones.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Lead Me
Sometimes you hear a song that just touches you, takes your breath away, even. This is a song like that for me. He can't do this alone. We can't do this alone. I can't do this alone.
In the last week, I've had some overwhelming moments and the words keep running through my head.
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me...
I have so many friends in my life that are in the same place that I am in one way or another. Loving and struggling through parenthood, trying to be better, never feeling like enough, wanting more for themselves and their spouses and their children. We are all on different paths, but we have a common thread of wanting the very best out of ourselves and for those we love. Maybe this song will touch you too? If not, that's okay, I could still listen to one thousand more times and not be sick of it, so here it is...
In the last week, I've had some overwhelming moments and the words keep running through my head.
So Father, give me the strength
To be everything I'm called to be
Oh, Father, show me the way
To lead them
Won't You lead me...
I have so many friends in my life that are in the same place that I am in one way or another. Loving and struggling through parenthood, trying to be better, never feeling like enough, wanting more for themselves and their spouses and their children. We are all on different paths, but we have a common thread of wanting the very best out of ourselves and for those we love. Maybe this song will touch you too? If not, that's okay, I could still listen to one thousand more times and not be sick of it, so here it is...
Monday, July 26, 2010
My Soldier
My soldier
That's what they called him
If you have any questions, "ask your soldier"
If you need to get a hold of "your soldier" here's how to do it.
In my mind, I know I am unlike most of the family in the room, because, unlike them, my soldier doesn't pay my bills or provide my medical insurance.
I feel somewhat unworthy of my sadness because I only have to explain to my children why their uncle won't be around for a year.
Others have to tell their kids about a daddy who will be missing every day and every night.
I want to commit to keeping in touch and making sure my soldier knows he is loved. As often as I can. But I don't have to keep a marriage alive.
My soldier isn't my son, and he isn't my husband. I keep controlling my tears because I think that mine are less warranted than someone who has a soldier who runs their home and their heart.
And I can't imagine how those family members feel, because of how sad I feel about my soldier going away.
But even so. He is my soldier. He's the soldier that is mine. He's the one that I'll write to, and think about, and worry for.
He probably wishes I wouldn't, but I'll even pray for his safety.
Often. Daily. Hourly, even.
I need my soldier to come home, to stay safe. To remain unharmed.
For me. For my mom. For Heather. For Addie. For Lily. For Bryson.
I need him to come home and keep being part of my family. For most of my life, he's been half of the two people who are my family.
There's something I haven't told my soldier, and I'm sorry, even ashamed of that. I'm proud of you. I am. I'm really proud of my soldier.
Because he is a good man, and a good brother, and a good son, and a good uncle. And a good soldier. If you get to call him your soldier, too, you know how lucky you are.
And even when I was in a sea of soldiers last week, and I couldn't see his face. I knew which was one he was.
Because, He is my soldier.
That's what they called him
If you have any questions, "ask your soldier"
If you need to get a hold of "your soldier" here's how to do it.
In my mind, I know I am unlike most of the family in the room, because, unlike them, my soldier doesn't pay my bills or provide my medical insurance.
I feel somewhat unworthy of my sadness because I only have to explain to my children why their uncle won't be around for a year.Others have to tell their kids about a daddy who will be missing every day and every night.
I want to commit to keeping in touch and making sure my soldier knows he is loved. As often as I can. But I don't have to keep a marriage alive.
My soldier isn't my son, and he isn't my husband. I keep controlling my tears because I think that mine are less warranted than someone who has a soldier who runs their home and their heart.
And I can't imagine how those family members feel, because of how sad I feel about my soldier going away.But even so. He is my soldier. He's the soldier that is mine. He's the one that I'll write to, and think about, and worry for.
He probably wishes I wouldn't, but I'll even pray for his safety.
Often. Daily. Hourly, even.
I need my soldier to come home, to stay safe. To remain unharmed.
For me. For my mom. For Heather. For Addie. For Lily. For Bryson.I need him to come home and keep being part of my family. For most of my life, he's been half of the two people who are my family.
There's something I haven't told my soldier, and I'm sorry, even ashamed of that. I'm proud of you. I am. I'm really proud of my soldier.
Because he is a good man, and a good brother, and a good son, and a good uncle. And a good soldier. If you get to call him your soldier, too, you know how lucky you are.
And even when I was in a sea of soldiers last week, and I couldn't see his face. I knew which was one he was.
Because, He is my soldier. Sunday, July 25, 2010
Lily on Moses and the Pyramids
On the way home from church today (the girls learned about God parting the Red Sea for Moses to lead the Israelites to cross it on dry land) Lily had a lot to say.
Lily: Mom some of the kids thought that the red sea was red because it was blood. But that was from a different Moses story when God turned the rivers to blood for Passover.
Lily: Grandma Carol told me that the Jews built the pyramids to be closer to God
Me: Hmmm, that doesn't sound quite right...
L: That's what Grandma Carol said
Me: Well, I actually don't know if that's true or not, I really am not sure
L: Well, there is only ONE way to find out
Me: Ask Grandma?
L: Look it up on the INTERNET!
Lily: Mom some of the kids thought that the red sea was red because it was blood. But that was from a different Moses story when God turned the rivers to blood for Passover.
Lily: Grandma Carol told me that the Jews built the pyramids to be closer to God
Me: Hmmm, that doesn't sound quite right...
L: That's what Grandma Carol said
Me: Well, I actually don't know if that's true or not, I really am not sure
L: Well, there is only ONE way to find out
Me: Ask Grandma?
L: Look it up on the INTERNET!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The wedding we've been waiting for...
When Katy started working for us a little over 2 years ago, she told us about her boyfriend, Andy, who she knew she'd marry someday. I've mentioned Katy lots and lots over the years, as she was our nanny for the previous two summers. She has a bright smile and a beautiful heart, and I knew her man must be a lucky one. Now she is a first grade teacher and I think that every child who gets to learn from her is so blessed (the parents too!). My girls still have such an attachment to her even though they've only seen each other a few times since last August. The first summer she worked for us, while Lily planned out her elaborate 4th birthday party, making Katy PROMISE to attend, Katy planned out her wedding to Andy also PROMISING to invite Lily (to sit a special 'kids only' table - which didn't happen and luckily Lily forgot about it finally just a month or so ago!) Katy also had Lily help her to stop biting her nails, you know, so that when she had a ring on her finger she wasn't showing it off with her bloody stubs! :) So last summer when Katy came to work for us again for a short 2 months, she was still unengaged. She and Andy had finished up their student teaching and Master's programs for teaching and were actively searching for jobs in a struggling Portland teacher market. Katy wasn't discouraged, she knew it would still happened, as she helped Andy's sister plan for her wedding for early this summer. Finally in December I got a text that she was engaged! So last weekend, it was hard to believe that the big weekend was already here. July 17th. It seemed like that day was a million years away when I first had Bryson.
A few months ago I looked through a summer scrapbook that Katy made with the kids. At the end, she wrote them both a letter. At sweet letter of how much she loved them and how great she thought they were. It made me cry. So I got out the scrapbook from last summer, more tears. I thought about how lucky my kids were to have her in their life.
On Friday, I felt antsy for her the night before her big day and on Saturday morning, I was so excited for her, thinking of her jumping out of bed and squealing, "today! this is my wedding day!" For some reason I was so reflective about how she was feeling. I kept thinking about how Katy is so bright and her smile is radiant on a bad day, I couldn't imagine how she would glow ON HER WEDDING DAY! She's one of those adds energy when she walks in to a room girl. As we pull up to the beautiful golf course and farm, Langdon Farms, where the wedding was located, I felt weepy. (and kinda silly because I'm often weepy).
On Friday, I felt antsy for her the night before her big day and on Saturday morning, I was so excited for her, thinking of her jumping out of bed and squealing, "today! this is my wedding day!" For some reason I was so reflective about how she was feeling. I kept thinking about how Katy is so bright and her smile is radiant on a bad day, I couldn't imagine how she would glow ON HER WEDDING DAY! She's one of those adds energy when she walks in to a room girl. As we pull up to the beautiful golf course and farm, Langdon Farms, where the wedding was located, I felt weepy. (and kinda silly because I'm often weepy).
We decided to leave Bryson with Sabine and just take the girls, so we could have some fun time with just them, and so we could stay later and enjoy ourselves a little more too.
The girls were so excited to see Katy. I was worried because the bride, on her wedding day, often does't get a chance to spend as much time with everyone as she'd like, and I didn't want the girls to be disappointed when she didn't say hi when the first saw her, walking down the aisle.
But as usual...Katy didn't dissapoint...
In fact, she DID say hi to my girls while she was walking down the aisle, she teared up too. 
She actually stopped at the end of the aisle, said hi to my kids, and was so happy to see them at her wedding. So touching. More tears.
The excitement on her face and in her body was overflowing. She was gorgeous, ravishing, amazing, not enough words to describe her. Not just her outer beauty, but it was honestly like happiness was just dumping out of this girl. She was following no rules of trying to look composed or "just right" and because of that, she looked incredible, more beautiful than usual. You guessed it, more tears.
She actually stopped at the end of the aisle, said hi to my kids, and was so happy to see them at her wedding. So touching. More tears.The excitement on her face and in her body was overflowing. She was gorgeous, ravishing, amazing, not enough words to describe her. Not just her outer beauty, but it was honestly like happiness was just dumping out of this girl. She was following no rules of trying to look composed or "just right" and because of that, she looked incredible, more beautiful than usual. You guessed it, more tears.
The ceremony was beautiful, short, sweet, and meaningful. Katy was so excited to be named man and wife. 
She might have even pulled out a fist pump! She's THAT cool. 
At the reception she somehow found time to give the girls lots of love and attention
and announced to the room that it was her perfect day and now, she just wanted 'to cut a rug'.
She might have even pulled out a fist pump! She's THAT cool. 
At the reception she somehow found time to give the girls lots of love and attention
and announced to the room that it was her perfect day and now, she just wanted 'to cut a rug'. 
Addie went up to her right away when it was finally community dance time, but then just stood next to her, holding bear-bear and not dancing (and for the record, bear-bear only got to come out because it was nearly 9pm, and Addie was exhausted, so I was eeking out another half an hour of wedding enjoyment.) When Lily got out there, she just wanted to hold hands with Katy and was not much of a dancer next to K's little cousin who had some serious moves. Don't get me wrong, Lily did "dance" but it was apparent that she just wanted to jump around hugging Katy on the dance floor! :) 
She announced that the wedding dress was "kinda scratchy". Yeah all those beads and crystals are not for cuddling, Lil. The girls had a skirt twirling contest, started by Lily, which Katy happily participated in. 
Man, I love that girl.
She announced that the wedding dress was "kinda scratchy". Yeah all those beads and crystals are not for cuddling, Lil. The girls had a skirt twirling contest, started by Lily, which Katy happily participated in. 
Man, I love that girl. 
Lawrence and I realized as we were walking to the car that we didn't take a picture together, so Lily took one of us, from her car seat. So it wasn't the beautiful golf course setting, but actually, it was a decent picture of us! 
On the drive home, we talked about how much fun we had and remembered about the first time we'd told each other "I love you". It's funny how weddings do that to you. Make you remember your own love. The way you felt on your own big day.
On the drive home, we talked about how much fun we had and remembered about the first time we'd told each other "I love you". It's funny how weddings do that to you. Make you remember your own love. The way you felt on your own big day. Congrats to Katy and Andy. We are glad you are in our life, can't wait to see what your future holds, and we know that if you can keep this kind of excitement about your love, you'll have many years of happiness ahead. Thanks for reminding us about our excitement for our own love, too.
Welcome Baby Claire
Congrats to the Bissell Family!
Little Claire Jean joined their family 2 days ahead of schedule, welcomed by parents, Nichole & Rob, and big (14.5 mth old!) brother, Cohen, late night on July 19. We love you guys and can't wait to meet sweet Claire and get all of the details of your delivery and birth!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Sergent Dog Dance
As you might remember, our family has gotten A LOT of laughs with these dog costumes.
This "hoookie-louw" (nonsense words) makes us laugh every time.
There are no words...
This "hoookie-louw" (nonsense words) makes us laugh every time.
There are no words...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
7 months down
Bryson is 7 months today. As usual, I'm shocked by the passage of time. IT TOOK FOREVER FOR LILY TO GET TO SEVEN MONTHS. Forever, I say.
In the last month, Bryson has really honed a lot of skills that were developing at his last month blog. He is sitting well on his own, he is crawling (army crawl) and doing lots getting up on his knees and rocking. He doesn't use rolling to get places as much anymore, it is pretty much all about the scoot. He's eating three meals a day and seems to prefer baby oatmeal to anything else. We usually mix it with a fruit in the morning and a veggie for lunch and dinner. He's drinking a bit of water out of a sippy cup, and also like sucking on the bottom of the sippy cup. He still would prefer not to be in the high chair unless he is impatiently eating. If I walk away to get more, he gets upset. So different from Lily and Addie would would sit in there during dinner preparation and after dinner for clean up. I've tried a few of those star puffs with him. About 3 at a time, he likes to grab at them with fury, but so far has only gotten one in his mouth a few times. Then he promptly spits it out like someone but poison in there. He's drinking milk 5x a day, 2 nursings and 3 bottles of 6-7 oz each. My milk supply is still holding up okay (yay! I can't believe it, I and for most days / weeks he's still getting only one bottle of soy formula per day. We are going to test him out with milk formula in a week or so to see if the milk sensitivity is gone or not. Fingers crossed.
Here is a video of sweet boy crawling:
At his 6 month check up which was about a week ago he weighed 20lbs 1oz. At Addie's 3 year check up a day later she was 25lbs. Needless to say he is not far behind her. She actually feels lighter than he does because she isn't such squirmy, slobbery, hair pulling, dead weight. He was 79% in weight. 75% in length. She is 3% in weight and 25% in height.
Still SO. MUCH. DROOL. 3-6 bibs a day, no joke. But no teeth, and now he's added snot...
He's had a little cold for about two weeks. I told him back in a few days ago for a slight wheezy sound in his chest and he is on an inhaler type medicine for a few days. He hates it, but that's good because he takes deep breaths when he cries and it lasts only 10 seconds that way. He's the best baby, even when feeling cruddy. He hates his nose to be wiped, and is spitting up a little more than usual because of so much mucus in his throat. But he is still smiley much of the time. And it hasn't affected his sleep at all. (Never said that before about a sick baby o mine!)
I hate to jinx it, but Bryson has been sleeping through the night consistently now since about 10 weeks old, without exception. Okay, with exception when camping or traveling, but that hardly counts. He still wakes for a dream feed around 10, but the last few nights, he wouldn't eat more than 3 oz and was hard to wake for that, so maybe he is almost done with those. (Addie has stopped sleeping through the night about 25% of the time!) He still listens to white noise while sleeping, and is settling down into 2 - 3 consistent naps a day. Usually at 9 and 1, then a cat nap in the late PM, like at 4. He wakes at the crack of dawn 5-6am, but I actually enjoy this wake up and getting some one on one time with him then. It's really the only alone time we get. He's wetting through his diaper at night so we've just invested in some overnight diapers, hoping that will help.
Life with this sweet boy is good, very good.
In other news, Sabine has been with our family for 11 months today! Wow, now that seems toooo fast.
Better get this posted and on to the next thing. Here is a "dog pic". For those of you who don't know, I got a picture of Addie next to this dog on the month, every month for the first year.
I've only remembered a few times for Bryson, This time, he didn't really cooperate...he'd rather wrestle with the dog than lie next to it being photographed. We even tried it twice...the pictures still made me chuckle...especially when his sisters joined in!
In the last month, Bryson has really honed a lot of skills that were developing at his last month blog. He is sitting well on his own, he is crawling (army crawl) and doing lots getting up on his knees and rocking. He doesn't use rolling to get places as much anymore, it is pretty much all about the scoot. He's eating three meals a day and seems to prefer baby oatmeal to anything else. We usually mix it with a fruit in the morning and a veggie for lunch and dinner. He's drinking a bit of water out of a sippy cup, and also like sucking on the bottom of the sippy cup. He still would prefer not to be in the high chair unless he is impatiently eating. If I walk away to get more, he gets upset. So different from Lily and Addie would would sit in there during dinner preparation and after dinner for clean up. I've tried a few of those star puffs with him. About 3 at a time, he likes to grab at them with fury, but so far has only gotten one in his mouth a few times. Then he promptly spits it out like someone but poison in there. He's drinking milk 5x a day, 2 nursings and 3 bottles of 6-7 oz each. My milk supply is still holding up okay (yay! I can't believe it, I and for most days / weeks he's still getting only one bottle of soy formula per day. We are going to test him out with milk formula in a week or so to see if the milk sensitivity is gone or not. Fingers crossed.
Here is a video of sweet boy crawling:
At his 6 month check up which was about a week ago he weighed 20lbs 1oz. At Addie's 3 year check up a day later she was 25lbs. Needless to say he is not far behind her. She actually feels lighter than he does because she isn't such squirmy, slobbery, hair pulling, dead weight. He was 79% in weight. 75% in length. She is 3% in weight and 25% in height.
Still SO. MUCH. DROOL. 3-6 bibs a day, no joke. But no teeth, and now he's added snot...
He's had a little cold for about two weeks. I told him back in a few days ago for a slight wheezy sound in his chest and he is on an inhaler type medicine for a few days. He hates it, but that's good because he takes deep breaths when he cries and it lasts only 10 seconds that way. He's the best baby, even when feeling cruddy. He hates his nose to be wiped, and is spitting up a little more than usual because of so much mucus in his throat. But he is still smiley much of the time. And it hasn't affected his sleep at all. (Never said that before about a sick baby o mine!)
I hate to jinx it, but Bryson has been sleeping through the night consistently now since about 10 weeks old, without exception. Okay, with exception when camping or traveling, but that hardly counts. He still wakes for a dream feed around 10, but the last few nights, he wouldn't eat more than 3 oz and was hard to wake for that, so maybe he is almost done with those. (Addie has stopped sleeping through the night about 25% of the time!) He still listens to white noise while sleeping, and is settling down into 2 - 3 consistent naps a day. Usually at 9 and 1, then a cat nap in the late PM, like at 4. He wakes at the crack of dawn 5-6am, but I actually enjoy this wake up and getting some one on one time with him then. It's really the only alone time we get. He's wetting through his diaper at night so we've just invested in some overnight diapers, hoping that will help.
Life with this sweet boy is good, very good.
In other news, Sabine has been with our family for 11 months today! Wow, now that seems toooo fast.
Better get this posted and on to the next thing. Here is a "dog pic". For those of you who don't know, I got a picture of Addie next to this dog on the month, every month for the first year.
I've only remembered a few times for Bryson, This time, he didn't really cooperate...he'd rather wrestle with the dog than lie next to it being photographed. We even tried it twice...the pictures still made me chuckle...especially when his sisters joined in!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
It's Independence Day
We had a great time in Joseph for the 4th of July. We celebrated Addie's birthday, went to the top of the mountain where we got married, went to the flea market, sang Karaoke and had many tasty beverages with our friends. Here are my patriotic little beauties! They had so much fun dressing in their red, white, and blue. 
Sabine and the kids after the parade and two full bags of candy were thrown at Wallowa's annual "Old Time Parade"!
Sabine, Adde, Lucy, Bailee, Lily, Lawrence waiting for the parade to start
Bryson happily watching the parade
Bean-Bean and Bryson
Two of my great friends from high school, Jocelyn and Jeremy, + their families and mine. Gotta love my mom for always wanting to get the group shot!
This picture of the four girls made the front page of the local paper. Woo hoo!
My little dare devil and her tiny yet surprisingly muscular legs!
Bean Bean and the kids!
Sweet Lily
Sabine and the kids after the parade and two full bags of candy were thrown at Wallowa's annual "Old Time Parade"!
Sabine, Adde, Lucy, Bailee, Lily, Lawrence waiting for the parade to start
Bryson happily watching the parade
Bean-Bean and Bryson
Two of my great friends from high school, Jocelyn and Jeremy, + their families and mine. Gotta love my mom for always wanting to get the group shot! 
This picture of the four girls made the front page of the local paper. Woo hoo!
My little dare devil and her tiny yet surprisingly muscular legs!
Bean Bean and the kids!
Sweet LilyAfter the parade we went to our friend's house for a BBQ. It was so fun, this kids did sparklers and we really enjoyed it. We didn't get any photos of us at Wallowa Lake at Jocelyn's house watching the fireworks. BUT It was awesome. Addie didn't nap that day, so she was falling apart at 7pm. My mom offered to stay home with her and Bryson, so Lily, Sabine, Lawrence and I headed up to the lake to watch the fireworks and see our friends.
I don't have a photo from this year's fireworks, but here is a picture that my photographer friend Joe Whittle took last year.
The fireworks reflecting off the lake, creating a sillouhette of the mountans, listening to the boom echo through the valley is pretty incredible. Especially when you are surrounded by good friends, cuddled up under a blanket with your best guy and your first born (who falls asleep in your arms right before the finale!)
To see more of Joe's work check out one of his two blogs
Joe whittle photography
Winding light adventures
I don't have a photo from this year's fireworks, but here is a picture that my photographer friend Joe Whittle took last year.
The fireworks reflecting off the lake, creating a sillouhette of the mountans, listening to the boom echo through the valley is pretty incredible. Especially when you are surrounded by good friends, cuddled up under a blanket with your best guy and your first born (who falls asleep in your arms right before the finale!)
To see more of Joe's work check out one of his two blogsJoe whittle photography
Winding light adventures
Monday, July 12, 2010
Welcoming Julia
This is a little late, but I want to introduce you to our new Au Pair who will be joining our family, all the way from GERMANY, in August, Julia!
I'll admit that I've been delaying writing this post because it is hard to talk about how excited we are to meet our new Au Pair without lots of sad feelings coming up about how much we will miss our current Au Pair. Even though this is all part of the hosting Au Pairs process, and you know the program is a year, and you know you will say goodbye, and you know you will say hello. It's that you don't know how you will feel it in your heart, the way you will feel after you have welcomed someone into your home and accepted them as a member of your family, for a year. How nice it is to have someone who lives with you and truly loves your children, who cares for them, and for you. Who supports your role as a mother and who is really an extension of the care you provide for them, not a replacement or care giving facility. She is a friend, and a family member, a care giver, and a big sister. This program is amazing and unique and so much more than I'd ever expected it to be, it really is.
Some of you know by now that Sabine, our "Bean-Bean", has decided to go back to Germany in August after finishing her year as our first Au Pair. We had invited her to stay a second year or even six more months, but she has decided to return to school in Germany and that starts for her at the end of August. (Insert many tears from me here! And many smiles and cheers from her family at home!!) We love Sabine - and it'll be hard to say good bye, it'll be hard to watch the kids say goodbye, and I'm sure I'll have a post later on this summer how bad I am at saying good bye to people I love. But for all that there is to be sad about, there is a lot to be happy about as well. We have four more weeks (as of today, GULP!) with our Bean-Bean, and we plan to really make the most of them. Summertime is upon us and that's when the fun really happens in Portland! (Okay, I'll admit I started this post 2 months ago, and at that time it was May 10 and we still had 3 months left! :) )
Sabine's hard decision left me (and Lawrence) with another hard decision. The next matching search was ON. I found myself for weeks finding many good Au Pair candidates, but not "the one". I was getting discouraged thinking that I might have to settle in one way or another. Then all at once, I got TWO great applications. Then I had TWO great interviews, and TWO great sets of answers to all my hard questions. Already, I could see how both of these girls could fit and add value to our family and provide excellent care for our kids. But finally we went with our deep down gut feeling, and the Au Pair of the two that Lawrence was more at ease talking with, Julia! (Consequently, the runner up was also named Julia, also 19, and also from Germany!) As soon as we made a decision, it was clear to us in so many ways that it was the right one, and even now as I re-read her application and her experience today, I'm more and more sure of what a wonderful year we have ahead.
We are so excited about Julia and how great she will fit into our family. I'd like to share something out of her application that really won us over (in addition to all the emails and skyping!) and that keeps sticking in my head. This is what the person at the agency who first interviewed and then recommended Julia to become an AuPair said about her as a summary:
Oh - I can't tell you what a difficult decision this was. Julia made it a bit easier. As any parent out there who searches for child care knows, it's hard to know or feel if you are doing the right thing. And finding the right Au Pair for your family takes this to another level, because you are choosing someone to live in our home as a family member for one or two years AND one that will be solely responsible for your kids. After Lawrence and I made the decision that this Julia was our next AuPair we've both had a lot of peace about the decision. We KNOW we made a good decision and that she was meant to be our next AP. And it's rewarding for us to see the positive impact we get to have on a young girl's life by providing her the opportunity to live with us, perfect her English, and gain a lifetime of memories. Not to mention deal with the craziness that is Us on a daily basis! :) Yep, THIS is America! :)
We will miss our Sabine, but we realize that Julia is not a replacement for who Sabine is in our lives, but just another wonderful addition; another caring girl to bring into our children's lives; another positive role model for the girls and another fun haver. She will be good at some of the same things and good at some different things too. We will try and share all the same things that we've shared with Sabine, and we hope that she will share some of herself with us with us too, just as Sabine has done. And this will make the change, just a little bit easier and a lot more fun.
But most of all, our kids will have yet another person who comes into their lives and their 'family' circle extends a little more. And Germany becomes even more ingrained in their little hearts, somewhere that they have never been, but where they will always have great connections, as well as a place to go.
I'll admit that I've been delaying writing this post because it is hard to talk about how excited we are to meet our new Au Pair without lots of sad feelings coming up about how much we will miss our current Au Pair. Even though this is all part of the hosting Au Pairs process, and you know the program is a year, and you know you will say goodbye, and you know you will say hello. It's that you don't know how you will feel it in your heart, the way you will feel after you have welcomed someone into your home and accepted them as a member of your family, for a year. How nice it is to have someone who lives with you and truly loves your children, who cares for them, and for you. Who supports your role as a mother and who is really an extension of the care you provide for them, not a replacement or care giving facility. She is a friend, and a family member, a care giver, and a big sister. This program is amazing and unique and so much more than I'd ever expected it to be, it really is.
Some of you know by now that Sabine, our "Bean-Bean", has decided to go back to Germany in August after finishing her year as our first Au Pair. We had invited her to stay a second year or even six more months, but she has decided to return to school in Germany and that starts for her at the end of August. (Insert many tears from me here! And many smiles and cheers from her family at home!!) We love Sabine - and it'll be hard to say good bye, it'll be hard to watch the kids say goodbye, and I'm sure I'll have a post later on this summer how bad I am at saying good bye to people I love. But for all that there is to be sad about, there is a lot to be happy about as well. We have four more weeks (as of today, GULP!) with our Bean-Bean, and we plan to really make the most of them. Summertime is upon us and that's when the fun really happens in Portland! (Okay, I'll admit I started this post 2 months ago, and at that time it was May 10 and we still had 3 months left! :) )
Sabine's hard decision left me (and Lawrence) with another hard decision. The next matching search was ON. I found myself for weeks finding many good Au Pair candidates, but not "the one". I was getting discouraged thinking that I might have to settle in one way or another. Then all at once, I got TWO great applications. Then I had TWO great interviews, and TWO great sets of answers to all my hard questions. Already, I could see how both of these girls could fit and add value to our family and provide excellent care for our kids. But finally we went with our deep down gut feeling, and the Au Pair of the two that Lawrence was more at ease talking with, Julia! (Consequently, the runner up was also named Julia, also 19, and also from Germany!) As soon as we made a decision, it was clear to us in so many ways that it was the right one, and even now as I re-read her application and her experience today, I'm more and more sure of what a wonderful year we have ahead.
Working with children and people, Julia is in her element. She never stops to acquire new ways of advancing children and helping them to find out their talents and strengths. Julia is patient, caring and a very comfortable personality. She is very creative in entertaining and leading children, is able to lead groups and is able to motivate and inspire them.Um, yeah! This is EXACTLY the feeling we've gotten from her, she has the perfect mix of experience and personality, of morals and humor. This summer she has gained additional experience by working with and driving handicapped children. She LOVES music and is in a band, she plays guitar, the trumpet and sings, she is very dedicated to her church in Germany, particularly the music and children's programs, she has so much experience working with large groups of children, from babies to teens. She's a great driver and has lots of experience driving kids and has taken a few driver safety/first aid courses. She has cared for families with up to 5 children and in each one, there was an infant to care for as well as older children to keep busy and entertained. Each of these families listed as a reference raved about her and stated that she "felt like a member of the familiy". Perfect.
She has a a lot of experience in working with children at all age groups, having responsibility and working independent. Julia has listed a lot of qualities an Au Pair should have and in my opinion, she has all of them! Julia is not only a very friendly and warm-hearted person, she also has a very strong character and very good values. She is very responsible and mature and can cope difficult and stressful situations with her experience and her calm and reasonable kind.
Oh - I can't tell you what a difficult decision this was. Julia made it a bit easier. As any parent out there who searches for child care knows, it's hard to know or feel if you are doing the right thing. And finding the right Au Pair for your family takes this to another level, because you are choosing someone to live in our home as a family member for one or two years AND one that will be solely responsible for your kids. After Lawrence and I made the decision that this Julia was our next AuPair we've both had a lot of peace about the decision. We KNOW we made a good decision and that she was meant to be our next AP. And it's rewarding for us to see the positive impact we get to have on a young girl's life by providing her the opportunity to live with us, perfect her English, and gain a lifetime of memories. Not to mention deal with the craziness that is Us on a daily basis! :) Yep, THIS is America! :)
We will miss our Sabine, but we realize that Julia is not a replacement for who Sabine is in our lives, but just another wonderful addition; another caring girl to bring into our children's lives; another positive role model for the girls and another fun haver. She will be good at some of the same things and good at some different things too. We will try and share all the same things that we've shared with Sabine, and we hope that she will share some of herself with us with us too, just as Sabine has done. And this will make the change, just a little bit easier and a lot more fun.
But most of all, our kids will have yet another person who comes into their lives and their 'family' circle extends a little more. And Germany becomes even more ingrained in their little hearts, somewhere that they have never been, but where they will always have great connections, as well as a place to go.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
The biggest littlest compliment
My friend Melinda, just had a new baby boy, Che! She lives in Boise but was visiting her siblings and nieces and nephew in Portland last week. We were supposed to get together. But we didn't because traveling with kids is sometimes tough and things don't go the way they should. Especially when you are a new nursing mom and you eat curry for the first time only to find that your baby doesn't like curry, like, at all. But for those of us that have been there, and who are in awe that she took a 4 week old from Boise >> Joseph >> Portland >> Boise after teaching summer school with him for a few weeks, it's no big thing to just catch them next time. Of course I wanted to cuddle with cute little Che's newness, but the fact that it didn't work into the equation, didn't bother me, not a bit.
In fact, I read her email and I smiled the biggest smile, inside and out.
So I wanted to share the email that Melinda sent when canceling on me...
Sweet baby Che - photo by Katie Anderson, Portland Photographer
In fact, I read her email and I smiled the biggest smile, inside and out.
So I wanted to share the email that Melinda sent when canceling on me...
Okay,
So I think we might have to try this another time. Che apparently doesn't appreciate spicy curry and was up all night and just fell asleep and we're already hours late for the day's plans. And I realize that you're probably overbooked with your short work week and a looming deadline and yet another awesome weekend planned : )
P.S. I'm now in a house with three children under school age. The five year old is driving me crazy with helping and being in the baby's face ALL.THE.TIME. The two year old is shouting numbers and orders and currently smacking a handdrum while we're trying to have a conversation. The baby is crying and pooping spicy poop nonstop. I was feeling a little blue about the lack of control or sanity in my day (on vacation supposedly) and then I thought "hey, looks like I woke up in Jenny's life". Haha!
So I pretty much think you're awesome.
Really, for me, there could be no better compliment or validation for my insanity! I'm always saying I just wanna be understood! :)
Sweet baby Che - photo by Katie Anderson, Portland Photographer
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