Hear no evil...
Speak no evil...
Smell no evil.
Santa Cruz Beach
17 years ago
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Blog stuff, Part 3, and finally: some pics of Adessa
Here's one more blog that's dear to my heart. I lost the address but it's now in my favorites, it's found! Sweet godson Alex's life and times are recorded here. He's already featured in our blog, and his mom Amy is my lonnnnnnng time friend (since she was born, lo those many moons ago, as our parents were friends back in the D-A-Y (circa 1976.) Here he is: www.babycastillosblog.blogspot.com
And now, what I'm sure will be a refreshing respite from my ramblings, pictures of Adessa:
No more posing for the camera. Now, when asked to smile, she gives me this:
Riding around the pumpkin patch with (second)cousin Henry.
Perched on pumpkins with friend Gwennie. (No, the pacifier didn't leave her mouth the entire time.) Kind of fun to think about, last year when we went, she couldn't even sit on her own and had to be propped against the pumpkins for photos. Progress!
Happy to be home and digging in her garden (consisting of last years old potting soil and empty pots--she loves it!)
And now, what I'm sure will be a refreshing respite from my ramblings, pictures of Adessa:
No more posing for the camera. Now, when asked to smile, she gives me this:
Riding around the pumpkin patch with (second)cousin Henry.
Perched on pumpkins with friend Gwennie. (No, the pacifier didn't leave her mouth the entire time.) Kind of fun to think about, last year when we went, she couldn't even sit on her own and had to be propped against the pumpkins for photos. Progress!
Happy to be home and digging in her garden (consisting of last years old potting soil and empty pots--she loves it!)
Friday, October 3, 2008
I'm getting into this blog stuff! (Part 2)
I've been spending a small chunk of time online. Even with countless hours, however, I have become no more computer savvy than when I started. So I can't do fancy links to the amazing people who's blogs I frequent. Here are my favorite blogs:
http://www.andrewmatessa.blogspot.com/ This is the blog that got me started, I was inspired by my dear friend Barbara's lovely blog about raising her son, Andy.
http://www.livinglifewithspice.blogspot.com/This blog is a fun one from a friend I went to elementary school with who soon after moved to Arizona. She's very candid and funny, an old Mt. Hermon girl, Holly.
http://sarahburkett.blogspot.com/Another high school and youth group friend, Sarah, blogs about being a mom (to almost 3 kids!)and records the funny things her munchkins do and say. Cute!
http://www.therollins4.blogspot.com/This blog keeps us up to date on the best man from our wedding, Dusty, and his wife Arin and their kiddos, Anson and Ella. And from Arin of the last blog, I got tagged! This means I have to list 6 unspectacular quirks about myself and tag my blogging buddies. Here goes!
Rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.
Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
Leave a comment on each taggee's blog to let them know they've been tagged.
(Sadly, I have no idea how to do this. I even tried but couldn't figure out how to link it, soooooo... friends, who are hopefully sometimes reading this blog, this is your only notification: You're tagged!! (If you want to be.) I hereby tag: Sarah Jo, Barb, Holly, Amy K(don't have your blog address at all...resend as I haven't seen the updates!).
Unspectacular Quirks:
1. I greatly enjoy crunching fresh pine cones, redwood cones, or even leaves under my feet while walking around our neighborhood. I will go quite out of my way for a good cruch.
2. List making is one of my favorite things to do. I have lists on small pieces of paper all over the place, mostly just writing things I need to do down is all I need for peace of mind when there's lots going on.
3. I have to exercise in exercise clothes. Especially tennis shoes, but I can't (and don't) consider it exercise unless I have on my sporty clothes.
4. I am an adamant night showerer. I can count on one hand the number of times in my life I've showered in the morning. I don't sleep very well unless I go to bed clean.
5. Highlighters make me happy. I just love color coding stuff. I use them at home, (on my lists), at school, I make the students use them, and my daily planner is beautiful with highlighted information. Sometimes I just sit back and admire it.
6! I read four or five (or more) books at a time. This is probably because some of them I think I should read, for edification, or parenting, or school, and I don't go through them so quickly as the ones I just read for fun. That's it! Unspectacular! Quirky!
http://www.andrewmatessa.blogspot.com/ This is the blog that got me started, I was inspired by my dear friend Barbara's lovely blog about raising her son, Andy.
http://www.livinglifewithspice.blogspot.com/This blog is a fun one from a friend I went to elementary school with who soon after moved to Arizona. She's very candid and funny, an old Mt. Hermon girl, Holly.
http://sarahburkett.blogspot.com/Another high school and youth group friend, Sarah, blogs about being a mom (to almost 3 kids!)and records the funny things her munchkins do and say. Cute!
http://www.therollins4.blogspot.com/This blog keeps us up to date on the best man from our wedding, Dusty, and his wife Arin and their kiddos, Anson and Ella. And from Arin of the last blog, I got tagged! This means I have to list 6 unspectacular quirks about myself and tag my blogging buddies. Here goes!
Rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.
Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
Leave a comment on each taggee's blog to let them know they've been tagged.
(Sadly, I have no idea how to do this. I even tried but couldn't figure out how to link it, soooooo... friends, who are hopefully sometimes reading this blog, this is your only notification: You're tagged!! (If you want to be.) I hereby tag: Sarah Jo, Barb, Holly, Amy K(don't have your blog address at all...resend as I haven't seen the updates!).
Unspectacular Quirks:
1. I greatly enjoy crunching fresh pine cones, redwood cones, or even leaves under my feet while walking around our neighborhood. I will go quite out of my way for a good cruch.
2. List making is one of my favorite things to do. I have lists on small pieces of paper all over the place, mostly just writing things I need to do down is all I need for peace of mind when there's lots going on.
3. I have to exercise in exercise clothes. Especially tennis shoes, but I can't (and don't) consider it exercise unless I have on my sporty clothes.
4. I am an adamant night showerer. I can count on one hand the number of times in my life I've showered in the morning. I don't sleep very well unless I go to bed clean.
5. Highlighters make me happy. I just love color coding stuff. I use them at home, (on my lists), at school, I make the students use them, and my daily planner is beautiful with highlighted information. Sometimes I just sit back and admire it.
6! I read four or five (or more) books at a time. This is probably because some of them I think I should read, for edification, or parenting, or school, and I don't go through them so quickly as the ones I just read for fun. That's it! Unspectacular! Quirky!
I'm getting into this blog stuff! (Part 1)
Just a few to share with you: http:/www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com I don't know how to do links, but type it in and go there! Everyone! I was laughing until crying, chortling to myself trying not to wake up napping Adessa the other day. The woman finds pictures of real, professional cakes with hilarious spelling errors or unintended outcomes, then writes super funny descriptions and explanations of why she considers it a "wreck." I also enjoy: http:/fakeinterviewswithrealcelebrities.blogspot.com, something about the lady just makes me laugh. There's a lot of time to be spent blog-watching, I'm finally catching on.
Getting into blogs means: the house is a mess, chores are left undone, I spend hours listless and still, I have difficulty sleeping, I'm not eating well, I feel nauseous often etc. Actually, that could also be because... drum roll please... I'm pregnant.
I guess this is going to be kind of a big blog, really. Comparatively to other blogs. Maybe I'll do a few parts, so as to give readers a break. Yep, 9 weeks or so pregnant, due May 11th. The baby and Adessa will be about 23 months apart (EXACTLY), Adessa's b-day is June 12th. Crazy! I had my first ultrasound to look at the tiny peanut's heartbeat, and it was going strong, praise God! (That's a good sign, means everything should statistically go well.) I have felt much sicker this time gestating than I did with Adessa, which I think is not just in my head. With Adessa, I felt like: "Oh wow, I feel terrible: how wonderful! I'm pregnant." Now I'm just thinking: "Oh wow, I feel terrible." Not that I'm not so excited about the second kiddo, no way, it is different though to have already been through it.
Adessa is doing well. I'm realizing that while I always love her, there are some points in our day when I don't really feel the mama-love so intensely. I think this is normal, and am trying to process it as so. I still kiss her a bunch because she's really soft, and I'm sure she can't tell that I'm not feeling so enamored of her. It's the back arching screaming thing I'm not so wild about, or the whining and crying that has urgency but no resolution because I can't figure out what she wants. Again, I think it's normal. And I think partly it's because I'm pregnant. Patience is minimal. Before, I could put her needs first and make sure she was absolutely and completely taken care of, but I'm less interested in doing that when I'm feeling nauseous and tired. Hmmmm.
On the other hand, she continues to have her sweet and darling moments and there are days where I am loopy with love for her. The other morning I was breast-feeding her in bed, and she was barely awake but said: "Thank you." before rolling over and going back to sleep. Yesterday, I gave her the top half of a banana and set about washing the dishes. A few minutes later she was sitting near my feet playing with a doll and the banana was nowhere to be found. I asked her several times where the banana was, she's normally pretty good at "where" questions, but to no avail. I picked her up to find the banana squished under her buns, she sat on it! This is sort of funny on it's own, but the background story is Adessa's fascination with sitting on things. She is experiencing her world right now by, yes, sitting on it. She carefully arranges her doll, pillow, activity center, puzzle, the bathroom scale, a piece of paper,mini-piano, whatever, and then slowly backs up to it with her rear end lowered, leading to her target, and sits. If she isn't exactly centered, she starts all over again to make a better sitting attempt. Quite funny. Apparently she got squared away on the banana the first time.
Getting into blogs means: the house is a mess, chores are left undone, I spend hours listless and still, I have difficulty sleeping, I'm not eating well, I feel nauseous often etc. Actually, that could also be because... drum roll please... I'm pregnant.
I guess this is going to be kind of a big blog, really. Comparatively to other blogs. Maybe I'll do a few parts, so as to give readers a break. Yep, 9 weeks or so pregnant, due May 11th. The baby and Adessa will be about 23 months apart (EXACTLY), Adessa's b-day is June 12th. Crazy! I had my first ultrasound to look at the tiny peanut's heartbeat, and it was going strong, praise God! (That's a good sign, means everything should statistically go well.) I have felt much sicker this time gestating than I did with Adessa, which I think is not just in my head. With Adessa, I felt like: "Oh wow, I feel terrible: how wonderful! I'm pregnant." Now I'm just thinking: "Oh wow, I feel terrible." Not that I'm not so excited about the second kiddo, no way, it is different though to have already been through it.
Adessa is doing well. I'm realizing that while I always love her, there are some points in our day when I don't really feel the mama-love so intensely. I think this is normal, and am trying to process it as so. I still kiss her a bunch because she's really soft, and I'm sure she can't tell that I'm not feeling so enamored of her. It's the back arching screaming thing I'm not so wild about, or the whining and crying that has urgency but no resolution because I can't figure out what she wants. Again, I think it's normal. And I think partly it's because I'm pregnant. Patience is minimal. Before, I could put her needs first and make sure she was absolutely and completely taken care of, but I'm less interested in doing that when I'm feeling nauseous and tired. Hmmmm.
On the other hand, she continues to have her sweet and darling moments and there are days where I am loopy with love for her. The other morning I was breast-feeding her in bed, and she was barely awake but said: "Thank you." before rolling over and going back to sleep. Yesterday, I gave her the top half of a banana and set about washing the dishes. A few minutes later she was sitting near my feet playing with a doll and the banana was nowhere to be found. I asked her several times where the banana was, she's normally pretty good at "where" questions, but to no avail. I picked her up to find the banana squished under her buns, she sat on it! This is sort of funny on it's own, but the background story is Adessa's fascination with sitting on things. She is experiencing her world right now by, yes, sitting on it. She carefully arranges her doll, pillow, activity center, puzzle, the bathroom scale, a piece of paper,mini-piano, whatever, and then slowly backs up to it with her rear end lowered, leading to her target, and sits. If she isn't exactly centered, she starts all over again to make a better sitting attempt. Quite funny. Apparently she got squared away on the banana the first time.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Skylake Camp
Last weekend we had the extreme good fortune of joining my Aunt Deborah and her family at Skylake Camp (Yosemite/Bass Lake). What a blast! It was like all the best parts of camping, the dirt, campfire, and slumber party effects remained, without the... worst parts of camping (we stayed in a tent-cabin, no tent set up, and all our meals were provided: no cooking or clean up!) It was fabulous, see for yourselves!
It's hard to see, but look carefully for Adessa's dirt-beard. Lovely.
Horseback riding! She loved it, we went around the ring several times on "Maxi". Adessa thought it the height of great adventures, but didn't want to hold on.
Basking in the shore-silt at Bass Lake.
Goofing around at camp.
Home Sweet Cabin.
It's hard to see, but look carefully for Adessa's dirt-beard. Lovely.
Horseback riding! She loved it, we went around the ring several times on "Maxi". Adessa thought it the height of great adventures, but didn't want to hold on.
Basking in the shore-silt at Bass Lake.
Goofing around at camp.
Home Sweet Cabin.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Imagine my suprise...
...to wake up to this!
Adessa's hair is significantly sprouting, and we have the bed-head to prove it. She is so fun! She's starting to really immitate and respond to us. It's darling. If I say: "Eat your chicken," she says: "Bock-bock-bock". When I point to her scrapes and bruises, she says: "Owie". If I say "Did you make a poopie?" she says: "Uhhhgrrr" and grunts! It's so fun. I recently watched her take her (lense-less, plastic) Mr. Potato Head glasses and hold them up to her mouth to breathe on them, the way I clean my sunglasses. Funny girl! She tries to be helpful, and loves sorting laundry (unfolding it and dragging it all over the house), wiping things down (she has her own sponge) and being in my arms for all parts of food preparation (arrgg!). I keep catching myself getting frustrated by simple tasks that are normally no problem for me, and wondering, "Why is this so hard to do right now?" Then comes the light-bulb: "Oh that's right, I'm holding Adessa and only have the use of one hand, and she keeps leaning into my view to see things better. Now it all makes sense."
Adessa's hair is significantly sprouting, and we have the bed-head to prove it. She is so fun! She's starting to really immitate and respond to us. It's darling. If I say: "Eat your chicken," she says: "Bock-bock-bock". When I point to her scrapes and bruises, she says: "Owie". If I say "Did you make a poopie?" she says: "Uhhhgrrr" and grunts! It's so fun. I recently watched her take her (lense-less, plastic) Mr. Potato Head glasses and hold them up to her mouth to breathe on them, the way I clean my sunglasses. Funny girl! She tries to be helpful, and loves sorting laundry (unfolding it and dragging it all over the house), wiping things down (she has her own sponge) and being in my arms for all parts of food preparation (arrgg!). I keep catching myself getting frustrated by simple tasks that are normally no problem for me, and wondering, "Why is this so hard to do right now?" Then comes the light-bulb: "Oh that's right, I'm holding Adessa and only have the use of one hand, and she keeps leaning into my view to see things better. Now it all makes sense."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
A little trip to Santa Monica
We spent our Labor Day on a lovely little trip down to Santa Monica for baby Alex's baptism. We had a great time meeting and holding and kissing baby Alex, and were so honored to be his godparents. Orthodoxy takes god-parenting very seriously, so we will be praying for Alex every day. Here's a great and amazing prayer in our prayer book that we use for our god-children and for Adessa: (I changed it a bit, to modernize the language.)
A Prayer of Parents:
O God, our heavenly Father, who loves mankind, and are most merciful and compassionate, have mercy on Your servants ___Adessa, Alex, etc...___ for whom I humbly pray, and commend them to Your gracious care and protection. Be, O God, their guide and guardian in all their endeavors, lead them in the path of Your truth, and draw them nearer to You, that they may lead a godly and righteous life in Your love and fear; doing Your will in all things. Give them grace that they may be temperate, industrious, diligent, devout and charitable. Defend them against the assaults of the enemy, and grant them wisdom and strength to resist all tempation and corruption of this life. Direct them in the way of salvation, through the power of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the intercessions of his Holy Mother and Your blessed saints. Amen.
I love that prayer. Sometimes I add to the lists all the other adjectives and states I wish for them: joyful, kind, peaceful, merciful, discerning, etc. but they're kind of all included within it anyways. Anyhootie- we had a great time being with Alex's family, Amy and Ale, and his grandparents Rich and Laura, and hanging out in Santa Monica!
Alex's little family at the baptism.
Our little family at the baptism.
A school of fishy kites on the beach. Very cool!
Ale and Amy with Alex and Adessa.
Adessa eating breakfast (delicious beef stroggenof) with daddy on the balcony.
A Prayer of Parents:
O God, our heavenly Father, who loves mankind, and are most merciful and compassionate, have mercy on Your servants ___Adessa, Alex, etc...___ for whom I humbly pray, and commend them to Your gracious care and protection. Be, O God, their guide and guardian in all their endeavors, lead them in the path of Your truth, and draw them nearer to You, that they may lead a godly and righteous life in Your love and fear; doing Your will in all things. Give them grace that they may be temperate, industrious, diligent, devout and charitable. Defend them against the assaults of the enemy, and grant them wisdom and strength to resist all tempation and corruption of this life. Direct them in the way of salvation, through the power of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the intercessions of his Holy Mother and Your blessed saints. Amen.
I love that prayer. Sometimes I add to the lists all the other adjectives and states I wish for them: joyful, kind, peaceful, merciful, discerning, etc. but they're kind of all included within it anyways. Anyhootie- we had a great time being with Alex's family, Amy and Ale, and his grandparents Rich and Laura, and hanging out in Santa Monica!
Alex's little family at the baptism.
Our little family at the baptism.
A school of fishy kites on the beach. Very cool!
Ale and Amy with Alex and Adessa.
Adessa eating breakfast (delicious beef stroggenof) with daddy on the balcony.
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