Marshmallows, Gitty Gitty Anemones, and Wine Oh My!

I think we should throw a party for Berto while Aunti Jess and Uncle Alex are here. I see fish. I see champagne. I see cupcakes. There is a minus tide opportunity at the coast for O's first camping experience from the 16-22 and you should be there. Is there an opening in the schedule Julie Stubing? I see marshmallows and burnt graham crackers and creepy crawly bugs and gitty gitty anemones. I see wine.

Botanical Latin names for Plant species Scrabble anyone?

I am thinking a mellow (train ride to the city-ish) for his Big Two - And a train with track, and a construction site set with a crane. Also a balancing cactus. He is very into balancing things. We should do a trike or bike soon. Trek makes one we totally love. Ro has a two-wheeler and Layton a two-wheeler ON the arboretum trail - neither of them has training wheels! We don't do a lot of toys, but he is at a pretty pivotal and wonderful stage in his intellectual and physical development, so a good time to introduce some more engaging and challenging toys. We need to get the carnivorous bog planed - you can't imagine how many different types of plants he can identify and some even in their botanical Latin names. His room is almost done and he naps there, but still sleeps with me/Joe/us in our room until we are ready to move him (gulp).

We just celebrated MD (Mothers Day!) by planting a lot of things and ridding ourselves of some more lawn-grass. We turned over a couple of 4x4 ft areas to plant chokes and I went in to count the plants I had started from seed - 16!!! Can you envision how much grass we will be removing to put in a dozen carchiofe?! I love it! Am trying to move away from 'landscaping' and toward edibles behind the fence. Courtyard. I want to garden in my pajamas with a big cup or glass of something...Must be the parallel universes you and I dwell within as I told a neighbor the other day that I have started to think of our yard as our farm and I feel a lot better about it now. And Woodbury Farm has a nice ring to it. Woodbury Acres sounds like Mayberry ha!

The Burrelly-Mon is beginning our fence - wahooo! Is going to be pretty swell with privacy and arbors and peek-a-boos, and gates. Will be the best to worry a little less about O. getting into (being seen from) the street. He knows and understands, but has very occasional lapse of memory (when chasing poor wendy around the yard for instance).

Bertos first dining room set

Oliver asks for the Moki pic daily. He is magnifique. We brought home his first dining room set yesterday. Color needs work, but he's ahead of his madré in terms of domestic acquisitions. It's sunny. We have more yellow groove bamboo to plant on the pagan/christian border.

Rad Rob was here last week (Oliver was beyond ecstatic to have a digger for 2 days - it's genetic. sorry) producing a parking pad for us. Civilized. The rock sucks (dk crushed rock), but we'll weebeo (wheelbarrow per Oliver) it for patios and walkways and dump something pretty on it when we drop the supply a bit. Okay, must go. Tempest Fugit.

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.