Our old house...

From the last days at our old house. There are some things that I will miss, but they are few and am really looking forward to making memories in the new home. It's coming together but it's a slow process with two kids.

A tooth...

It's looking like the girl is gettin a tooth! She is chomping on anything she can get in her mouth. An old wives tale claims that early teething is a sign of intelligence. Here's to our smarty pants...

Random thoughts...

I should take better care of my feet. I wore Birkenstocks for the last 6 mos. and now heels are killer. I've also not had a pedicure -- professional or at home -- in 3 months, it's pretty bad.

Will breastfeeding need to come to a hault now that Addie is getting her first tooth? There is an old wives' tale that says early teethers will be intelligent adults, I'm good with that.

I would like to go back to reading for enjoyment and now with school starting up again on January 4, it's going to be a while.

Now after baby number two, I can't remember anything. I was going to tell you what classes I was taking come January, and now can't even remember.

If I unpack one box an evening, my garage will be empty by Valentine's Day... that's not so bad.

I wish Addie would sleep better, still three feedings a night.

I miss my grandmother, but have missed her for quite some time. She will be buried in the morning, but I will keep her in my memories forever.

Jackson told me I looked pretty in my dress and that I should keep it on to give him a bath. I guess he's tired of seeing me in sweatpants.

My grandma...

I just got word this morning from my mom that my grandma is not doing well and in what are probably her final days on this earth. While I am sad to think that she will no longer be with us, it is definitely her time (even past her time). However it is a day like today that I can't help but think back to all of the wonderful memories I have of this woman and my grandfather. Over the summer I took and English composition class in which I had to write a short essay about a photograph of my choice. I'd like to share the essay below with all of you:


More Than a Photograph

During most evenings while my husband reads to our son at bed time, I head upstairs to my beautiful desk (I say beautiful, because my husband built this desk with his own two hands) to start plugging away at the day’s school assignments. A few months ago, while my husband was reading one of my childhood favorites to our son, The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss, a photograph fell from the book.

Upstairs, I was hard at work on a massive statistics problem and at first did not welcome the interruption of the squeak of the stairs as my son and husband ascended. That is, until my son reached out with a photo of me when I was around seven years old, standing with my Grandpa Otto and my Grandma Irene. I thanked him for the photograph and explained who the people photographed in the picture were, gave him a kiss goodnight and sent him back on his way.

I stared for a long time at the photograph, tears welling in my eyes. My Grandpa Otto passed away in 1997 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. I missed the funeral because I was a nanny in France and could not get a flight home in time. My Grandma Irene sits in a nursing home today, mostly sleeps her days away and does not recognize a soul that enters her room. What were once two of the most important and vibrant figures in my life are now long gone, but this photograph flooded my head with so many memories it was impossible to contain the emotion.

The photograph was taken in our hotel room on a road trip to South Dakota’s Black Hills area. There isn’t anything in the photo that would giveaway our location; we are standing in front of a stark white wall, a chain from a hanging lantern visible behind us and a bit of the window drapery to the side of us. Only I would be able to tell you that the photo is taken from our hotel in South Dakota because it is written in my mother’s delicate handwriting on the reverse side.

In it, I am wearing a horrendous jumper and a pink hat with my name airbrushed on the visor in a bright shade of neon pink, a recent souvenir purchase while on our mighty road trip and a definite clue to the time period in which the photo is taken. The orange and rust drapes covering the hotel room window are also reminiscent of the late 70s, early 80s era. All three are quite tan, having spent a summer outdoors without sunscreen. Protection from the sun was not a concern during this time, hence the amount of wrinkles permanently grooved in my grandmother’s face. My grandma is wearing the same white blouse that she wore for their 50th anniversary party, her brown hair, not a speck of gray, neatly set. My grandpa, his arm around me, is smiling only with his eyes for the camera. I can barely see my grandpa’s hand coming around my waist in the photo, but his hands are committed to memory, long skinny fingers, delicate and rough all in one.

This was just one of the many road trips we took with my grandparents. Often we would jump in my grandpa’s big red truck adorned with a camper top and arrive in another state by morning. My grandparents owned their own business and my mother did not work full time until I was in school, so it was easy to be spontaneous and get away for a few days. I remember these road trips very vividly, not always remembering the location, but the experiences I will never forget. All four of us in the front seat of the big Ford truck, two adult smokers with the windows barely cracked and not a seatbelt to be found. This was not a healthy environment for a growing girl, but the people beside me couldn’t have loved me any more.

Since the night my little guy reached out his arms with this particular photograph in his hands, it has been taped to the side of my desk where I can gaze up at it when I am lost in another statistics problem, pondering the effects of the Civil War, or for moments like these, when I am assigned to write an essay about a particular photograph. I look up, I see the photo of me and my grandparents and know instantly that this is the photograph I will most enjoy writing 750 words about, though knowing 750 words will never be adequate to describe the love represented in this photograph.

Likes and Dislikes...

Jackson Likes: The Backyardigans, using glue, getting his own snacks out of the fridge, singing songs with dad before bed, going for walks with Grandma Jan and Addie, fruit snacks, macaroni and cheese, helping to give Addie a bath, Dr. Seuss books, Tarantula by Bob Schneider and playing Memory.

Jackson Dislikes: Going to the bathroom (with the move and going back to work I think we've had a set-back).

Addie Likes: Being walked around, fish at the aquarium and a morning nap in the swing.

Addie Dislikes: The jumperoo (for now)

Siblings...

Jackson is really trying hard to be a good big brother. Sometimes he is much too rough with Addie, and he doesn't realize that she will wake up when he covers her completely with a blanket. It's obvious though that he loves her and is just trying to be sweet. I do notice when all attention is on Addie he gets a bit melancholy and sometimes even bows his head, it breaks my heart in two. Addie is so needy right now and our free time is spent packing, so I know that Jackson is missing out on a lot of the one on one attention he is used to. Once we move into the new house I have to make a better effort to spend some quality time with him. (The shirt that he is wearing in this photo is one that Ron brought back from his recent trip to Texas, the guitars glow in the dark!)

On Sunday morning, we did just that: Jackson and I went to the grocery store together and really had a good time. I think he appreciated getting all of mom's attention. We picked out donuts for breakfast and ordered coffee and best of all Jackson got his own hot chocolate and helped me to carry the groceries to the car. I had a very nice time spending the morning with the boy.

Bed head...

Jackson is really a great sleeper, we are very lucky. He falls asleep after a long routine of book reading and singing songs around 8:30 or 9 p.m. He sleeps through the night except for an occasional waking to go to the bathroom which he lets us know by whining and jumping in his bed. He sleeps until 8 a.m. and lays in bed awake singing and talking until we go in his bedroom and tell him he can get up. I hope Addie is as good when it comes to sleeping.


A particularly wild bed-head.

Addie, just shy of three months...

Random thoughts...

Sesame Street is brought to you today by the number 40. Which reminds me... my husband is 40!

Michelle Obama was on Sesame Street today talking about growing vegetables from seed.

Yesterday I was asked to add a bit more to my plate at work. When it rains it pours.

Addie's poo smells like buttered popcorn. Jackson's smelled the same way when he was a baby. Why buttered popcorn?

I am going scrapbooking tonight. I can't wait.

I am now completely sure that working at MPR is far easier than staying at home with two kids.

Having the ability to get coffee whenever I want is my favorite part about going back to work.

I met Joanna for coffee this week. We fit more conversation into a 15 minute coffee break than we do in a 2 hour play date with kids.

Addie sucks on her hands a lot.

I think I SHOCKED my dad when I told him not to talk about biting your own toenails, because Jackson has a problem with that. He didn't believe me.

Jackson asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I told him a hug and a kiss. Then I asked what he wanted for Christmas. His response: A boy with a penis on his head. Ummm... wha?

One Word...

The rule: Answer with one word.

1. Where is your cell phone? purse

2. Your Hair? brown

3. Your Mother? Pam

4. Your Father? Ed

5. Your favorite food? pasta

6. Your dream last night? forgot

7. Your favorite drink? pepsi

8. Your dream/goal? degree

9. What room are you in? office

10. Your hobby? scrapping

11. Your fear? loss

12. Where do you want to be in six years? home

13. Where were you last night? garage

14. Something you aren't? refreshed

15. Favorite Muffin? banana

16. Wish List Item? wardrobe

17. Where did you grow up? Maplewood

18. Last thing you did? coffee

19. What are you wearing? sweater

20. Your TV? off

21. Your Pets? none

22. Friends? missed

23. Your Life? hectic

24. Your Mood? exhausted

25. Missing Someone? husband

26. Vehicle? Hyundai

27. Something your not wearing? jacket

28. Your favorite store? Target

29. Your favorite color? Orange

30. When was the last time you laughed? morning

31. Last time you cried? awhile

32. Your best friend(s)? mom

33. One place I could go over and over? beach

34. Favorite place to eat? home

Keep Austin weird...

On Friday Ron turned 40 and celebrated by jet-setting off to Austin, TX for a weekend of fun with our friend Bob. He was able to meet up with Brandon and Steve while down there and came back with many tales. They took in a Bob Schneieder concert and had many coctails to celebrated. I'm glad he was able to get away and have a memorable birthday celebration. I'll admit I was a bit bummed that I couldn't join him, but the idea of staying out all night having drinks and seeing concerts is not my idea of a good time right now. Give me two days away from my household duties and I would prefer a secluded beach!

Instead stayed behind with the kiddos and managed to pick up a cold to make matters a little more difficult. However, with the help of grandmas, we were able to make it.

On Saturday we took a trip to the MN Zoo with my friend Jamie and her boys since the weather was so beautiful: 60 and sunny! Jackson and Bodhi had a great time playing in the big playground and really enjoyed the aquarium. To our surprise the babies loved the aquarium just as much as they were mesmorized from their strollers.

We are happy to have Ron home again and ready to take on another busy week!

Halloween...

I never got around to writing a Halloween post, so I will share with you a few pictures from the events. We celebrated Halloween a lot this year, attending Spooky Splash at the Maplewood Community Center and Zoo Boo at Como Zoo. We also spent an evening carving pumpkins and one trick-or-treating.


Carving pumpkins. Jackson would not stick his hand inside saying it was too gross!


The bunny with Grandma at Como Zoo's Zoo Boo


Showing off his horse


My little cowboy