Changes in the Hood

I have been contemplating doing the entryway in saltillo pavers with pebble mosaics like they have in the bathroom in the Zero Energy House article. They delivered our wood flooring for the bedroom this week. We are scheduled to demo 08.27. We had 8+ trees removed from the yard today and toasted it tonight as we are THROUGH removing trees from our property now. The poisonous ones in the backyard, the dying maples in the front and the 2 hawthornes that had horrible thorns and covered our cars with pollen every year. I will miss the latter two ONLY because of the birds, but we will try to make up for it by creating more habitat for them. So much has changed just since you were here. Carter and Rebecca moved into a humongous Victorian between Happy Valley and Fairhaven and their house is on the market - a former neighbor staged it for them, it looks really nice. Tirzah is just about to have that baby boy. They have begun building their new home, but don't plan on leaving the 'hood for a few years.

Marionberry pancakes kick off the day!

It is raining and Oliver and I just had marionberry pancakes for lunch. He is talking all of the time now, has a range of inflections, is into the spelling, song, toys. Can't wait for sign language and music this fall - he will just love it. He feeds me, kissed me spontaneously the other day, gurgles and babbles constantly. I have been taking Oliver to the Elizabeth Park concerts and he loves them. Last night he had Montana Syndrome and just wanted to run in all directions at once with this crazy rock band playing in the background. He completely keys off of the energy level and I think it was too much. He screamed at me when we were leaving (just like the water falls in Portland) and wouldn't get in the carrier or car seat. I was glad the music was loud. Last week there was a guy with a melodica and he played solos for Oliver while he was swinging. It was a hoot. We have an appointment with the attorney next month to begin the guardianship paperwork. This will be such a relief to us. Started ordering everything and lining up subs for the bedroom remodel. Devin and I are working on the backyard - oppressive. We are having the poisonous trees removed. I want Oliver and his buddies away from the front yard/streets and scary people. Esme can be out there.

Portland should have a label: "Water Features in Park may cause severe dismay!"

Oliver and I discovered in the Pearl District a place called Jamison Square park - intended to be a city block of granite fountains with a meditation pool - has a cycling water feature with waterfalls. Long story short, it was hot, hot, hot, there and wall to wall kiddos and parents. There was NO way I was keeping O. out of it, so in we went. I had to drag him away kicking and screaming 45 minutes later because I was afraid his diaper would be so waterlogged that it would fall out of his shorts before I could get him back to the hotel. Too funny...He travelled pretty well, LOVED the hotel. He is starting to try to say words, one of which is 'boobs'.

Meet the Godparents

Thank you for the wonderful gifts. You are so creative and funny, Jessica. The photo books are such a wonderful gift that Oliver will love forever. And the Spanish Seuss is a completely wonderful gift we will enjoy over and over again and doubly special because it was YOURS. A million hugs and kisses.

Re: guardianship. We wanted to broach the subject and let it sink in more than discuss it at length with the two of you. We've talked about it for a long time, but wanted to wait until could spend some time together to mention it and we wanted your anniversary dinner to be about your anniversary, not weighted with something else with serious, legal, and emotional implications. We both feel very good about you and Alex being Berto's parents if, for some reason, we were unable to. We love, respect, and trust both of you very much and it would give us boatloads of peace of mind knowing that he would be raised in a loving, progressive, and fun environment with Aunt Jessica and Uncle Alex. 

It is one of the prettiest 4th of July's I can remember. Joe is grilling chicken and corn on the cob, Bertie is asleep, and we are just hanging out until the fireworks start. We'll see if Berto stays awake for the pretty stuff. It'll be nice to sneak away to Portland tomorrow.

Happy First Birthday Oliver!

Little Honey Rabbit

Mason Street Munchkins

Living the American Dream

So I bought the inflatable this week and we had our first official pool party in the front yard with the moms and boys yesterday - it was pretty fun. Oliver LOVES the pool. I swear he didn't even know I existed for an hour he was the busy boy, filling cups of water and transferring them from one place to another. We are going to set it up next to the artichoke bed today and let him splash around while we transplant the rest of the artichokes.

 

Shopping for inflatable pools and proud of it!

I think I already celebrated my first Mother's Day. You know, the moment you are carrying a child, you are a mother. Oliver sleeps pretty well at night and has for awhile. He still nurses a lot, but I don't think we really even wake up for it - I know that sounds crazy - he just fusses a little and then he nurses until he falls back asleep. This happens a few times or many. We just ordered safety stuff for the kitchen. Joe found some great ones made by a company called KidCo and they use a magnetic key and affix with adhesive instead of screws. I was having issues wanting to drill into these new cabinets that were so expensive. We are ordering the bedroom windows this weekend, then will start the countdown to deconstructing the bedroom. Oh my gawd, I ran with Rebecca (boys in the baby joggers) the day before yesterday and she absolutely dusted me. We ran from the house all of the way down to the waterfront, to Fairhaven and then she ran all of the way back. O. had a meltdown halfway home and I had to whip out the pack and carry him on my chest (walking), but Rebecca ran all of the way home. She's a superwoman! They are leaving today for 2 weeks on Molokai, so starting tomorrow, I am 'in training'.

I've been looking at inflatable pools for the front yard - you'll have to hang out with us 'in the pool' while you are here...

Yo Baby!

Sleeping Beauty

Still don't know what we are doing for his first B-Day, but we'll probably have multiple celebrations. I did a video of him feeding himself the other day which is just hilarious. We are going to put our seedlings into the ground any day now. We'll have a whole front yard full of artichokes! Well, I think we are off to do some Retail Therapy as soon as Oliver awakens. I just went to wake him up and a voice in my head said 'WHAT???? Wake him? He's having a peaceful, long, nap. Move away from the baby. Move away from the baby.'

 

Vancouver Island Vaca

Vacation was great. Tofino is just awesome. We had 2 days of sunny weather, the rest was misting to monsoon, but we were in a cabin right on the ocean and we just relaxed and rented videos and hung out with Oliver and ate sushi and napped and hiked in the rain. It was bliss. I will get some of Joe's photos uploaded - the ofoto ones are all mine and don't compare with Joe's. Oliver had quite a day at the beach. Feet in the surf, sand everywhere - he kept sifting it through his fingers, toes, over and over, and over. Tasted quite a few rocks. He LOVED it. When you guys live here again, we'll vacation there together. You'd like it. The beaches are like Second Beach, and the place we stay is really wonderful and cozy.

9-10 Months Photo Shoot Fun

Uncle Alex Toddles With Oliver

Am busy this week getting ready for vacation and tying up some projects, swimming lessons, and Oliver is walking, as in hanging onto everything in site and going between the baby bed and the stove, refrigerator and drawers. I bet Joe that by his first birthday he is a-walkin'. His little buddy Asa from swimming is 1 year old and walking. YIPES!!! When I am in stores, I sort of mentally measure the percentage of toys that are derived from the television and motion picture industry and it is astounding. Totally reaffirms our decision to raise Oliver in a non-television household. We'll do dvd's, but they can keep the rest of it. I watched Sesame Street when we were in Monterey and decided within a few seconds that it was an insult to any childs intelligence, completely banal. And it's not that I am going to rob him of his childhood, I can't wait to read Pinocchio and Harry Potter to him. Anyhow, enough of my ranting!

Mama Ter's Natural Childbirth Retrospective

Ok, well I'll dive right in here...Wednesday night, I took a hot bath, hadn't in so very, very, long. Laying in the tub with low lights and relaxing, I thought of first stages of hard labor (which I did in the tub) and then the entire birth experience. It was absolutely traumatic, but I would do it again. It is what our bodies are designed to do. Women have done it since the dawn of time, are doing it right now. And after the brief period of pain, you have this amazing little person in your arms. What could ever be better than that? And being pregnant and experiencing the bodily changes was absolutely magical, I never felt more beautiful, one of the greatest experiences in my life. If you are in shape before you get pregnant and you breastfeed, getting your body back is no big deal. Breastfeeding burns a boatload of calories - you'll have to eat like a horse to keep up with the babies feeding needs. I was at the pool the other day and there was a woman there with an infant, maybe 6 mos. old and she looked awesome. Totally fit.

 

New Loves at 8 months

Growing, growing, growing. Some of these are a wee bit blurry - he's constantly in motion (or sound asleep). Kicking. Throwing things. Laughing at the dog. Sits up on his own. Pulls himself up, but no walking or crawling (moms not ready yet). More into people and experiences than toys. Peek-a-boo. Putting his big toe(s) in his mouth. Is a nudist - will probably end up disrobing in public as did his uncle, my brother. Trying to 'help' with dressing and undressing. Loves music - Beatles, Elizabeth Mitchell, and singing and instruments. Lots of 'gitty-gitty-goo' time. Loves spanish. Two bottom teeth. Loves to watch cooking. Swimming lessons start Monday morning. Into all kinds of food. Still loves hiking. Socks go on, socks come off, socks go on, socks come off...

An 18 Pound Little Man

I was looking at a photo of Oliver and I that was below a photo of Joe and I on our wedding day and I can definitely see some of each of us in him. He is soooooo special.

Saturday it was almost 60 degrees here and we all hiked up to Fragrance Lake. It was stunning. I have a new pack that puts Oliver on my back instead of front and it was our first 'big' outing - 3-4 hours of hiking and it worked really well. Quite a relief as he is about 18# now. 7 months of packing Oliver + 9 months of pregnancy weight have made these legs pretty strong. Wish I could say the same for my poor back.

 

Age 5-7 Month photo shoot

So my digital camera had a sensor failure and was being repaired. Boy am I glad to have it back! Oliver is changing so much right now. It's just amazing....

The Encounter with the First Tooth!

Oliberto did superb on the plane(s), I was SOOOOO relieved. He also seems to dig airports, the whole travel scene (with the exception of the crappy car seat that came with the rental car and had ZERO padding) Monterey was wonderful. He loved the beach, laughed at all of the dogs playing in the sand and surf, loved the aquarium (doesn't know what he is looking at, but boy was he transfixed). Weather was sunny and wonderful. We walked the beach, napped on the beach, Joe and I got colds - me on the third day there, Joe as we were leaving. Did you know that when a mommy gets sick, her body starts immediately producing antibodies which go through the breast milk and immunize baby from the bug. Is that cool or what? Big News: First Tooth tonite. Lower right side. He has been biting my shoulder all day and this evening when I was putting him to bed, he started at my wrist and gnawed his way up to my elbow, started on the elbow and I thought 'wait a minute...', poked my finger in his mouth and there it was. He is so damned sweet. I am going to buy the cover for the Bob SUV stroller and start running the waterfront with Oliver any day. We just got the coolest backpack carrier for him. I am really relieved to shift the weight from my front to my back and hips. He starts sign language next week and swimming lessons in March. Crazy how fast it all goes...