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Friday, August 21, 2009
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Friday, August 07, 2009
The end of summer is approaching
I just noticed a billboard yesterday with the State Fair dates, starting August 20. Doesn't that seem late? If you go back in time on this blog you will see some of the same pictures over and over again of our family at the fair. The same photo of the prize winning bale of hay, and tobacco plant, and the obligatory photo of Freddy Farm Bureau. I am definitely one who relishes tradition, and repetition. Once again, I am looking forward to the state fair, and I want to walk by every piece of art, and peruse the cakes and jars of green beans, and dodge cow pies with our stroller. I can't wait until we are able to comment on our favorite in the ugly lamp contest. I take comfort that the fair never changes; knowing that as you hit that hallway to Broadbent Arena you will be greeted by that massive mother sow and her suckling piglets. This year in particular, I want Maureen to be amazed that Freddy Farm Bureau can actually talk, directly with her. And yes, I want to see that prize winning bale of hay and again, try to figure out the difference between a good bale of hay and a mediocre bale of hay. If you go this year, and you are walking through the livestock exhibit in the West Wing, among the massive cows, be on your guard. There will be farm children in one particular spot who will try to scare you by quickly lowering a rubber spider down into the walkway. They are always there, and I love it!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Walk the walk, talk the talk
I came home from work yesterday and Rowan was, all of the sudden, walking around like he's been doing it all along. Now, when I say walking around, I mean still wobbly and eventually falling, but his number of steps and his confidence in his stride was much changed since the time I left for work at 8:10am. The other new development is his ability and desire to say "Hi!" He accompanies this "Hi!" with a cute little wave. He does this mostly for dogs and cats, though he will do it for anyone.
Other news: we finally agreed on a plan of action for replacing our HVAC system - and now WE HAVE AC!! We decided to go with the heat pump, which acts as the AC unit and back-up heater for our brand new furnace, which is supposed to be so much more efficient and economical. And now we are comfortable again. This old house is very hard to regulate, and we got five different quotes to make things right. The old AC went out over a week ago, and since our furnace was 60+ years old, we had to replace that too. We were talking about replacing the whole system anyway, but were forced into the decision earlier than expected. We considered geothermal heating; zoned heating and cooling, where we could regulate between the upstairs and the downstairs by directing air flow; two different units, one for the upstairs and one for the downstairs; the heat pump and regular AC/furnace units. I believe any way we went would be a vast improvement over our old system. We decided not to go full out with the zoning or dual units, and I think we made the right decision. It's not cheap by any means, but we could have paid a heck of a lot more. Though it was not very hot outside, we were so much more comfortable last night, and I am relieved that that project is behind us, or at least will be behind us - they need to come back and finish the project today.
Other news: we finally agreed on a plan of action for replacing our HVAC system - and now WE HAVE AC!! We decided to go with the heat pump, which acts as the AC unit and back-up heater for our brand new furnace, which is supposed to be so much more efficient and economical. And now we are comfortable again. This old house is very hard to regulate, and we got five different quotes to make things right. The old AC went out over a week ago, and since our furnace was 60+ years old, we had to replace that too. We were talking about replacing the whole system anyway, but were forced into the decision earlier than expected. We considered geothermal heating; zoned heating and cooling, where we could regulate between the upstairs and the downstairs by directing air flow; two different units, one for the upstairs and one for the downstairs; the heat pump and regular AC/furnace units. I believe any way we went would be a vast improvement over our old system. We decided not to go full out with the zoning or dual units, and I think we made the right decision. It's not cheap by any means, but we could have paid a heck of a lot more. Though it was not very hot outside, we were so much more comfortable last night, and I am relieved that that project is behind us, or at least will be behind us - they need to come back and finish the project today.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
No AC - day four
We are waiting on our second quote to fix our AC system now and we are certainly uncomfortable, but it is not unbearable by any means, yet. The weather has been strangely mild for July so far, and through our AC deficiency, but I hear it's supposed to be in the nineties today and that may be the start of more discomfort. We'll keep you updated. My personal goal is to be up and running by the weekend. Here are more cute pictures of the kids!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Summer of 09
Hello - it's been a while. I believe I've somehow lost my ability to write complete sentences, or express complete thoughts. My blog has been reduced to a few photo posts a month. If Rowan is reading this ten years from now, please know that I love you as much as I do Maureen. The second child always gets the shaft when it comes to photos, home movies and journals.This has been one interesting summer for sure. We splurged this year and got our yard (everything) landscaped -- it looks nice, but it was expensive. And now I have to water everything constantly to keep from killing our investment. And, as luck should have it, our air conditioner went out. Because it is an old unit, we need to replace it. And because our furnace is so old, it can't accommodate a new AC, so we need to replace that as well. It's turning out to be a very expensive summer.
The kids are great, though they can be trying at times (surprise, surprise.) Maureen is a trip for sure. I don't think she's worn a pair of shorts all summer; everything has to be a dress. Totally immersed in princess-ness, she is always decked out in pink, and wants to watch Sleeping Beauty constantly. She has a special CD with twelve princess songs that she wants to play non-stop - those songs are ingrained in my head for ever, I'm afraid. Her latest thing is for you to retell her princess stories and she'll act out parts as the main princess. And she gets really pissed if you deviate from the actual story. If there's anything that I learned from Dora the Explorer, it's that kids need repetition in their lives.
Rowan is still on the verge of walking. He's been creeping for a good couple of months, and seems sure footed enough to stand and stay stable. It's only a matter of time now. He's still obsessed with playing with balls (the athletic type, not his own - though I'm sure that's to come too.) He is eating less of the baby food and more people food (which will help us save money!) He has stopped breast feeding and on to milk -- he will drink real milk and formula. I want to start pushing him into drinking all milk because that formula is super expensive (you see a theme here, eh?)
I just heard a peep over the monitor - I think it's time to start the day.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
A poem by Maureen
Did I ever tell you how smart my little girl is? I recited this little rhyme three times, and noticed she was really listening to me. Then she recited it with me two times. Then she had it. This video was shot soon after. Mind you, it's no Preamble to the Constitution, but it just blows me away how quick she is.
Oh, and here's another cute photo of Rowan. We are gearing up for his first birthday party this Friday (actual birtday is the 25th). My, how time flies!!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
First steps in taking steps
Caught on film yesterday, June 11. Exactly two weeks before his first birthday. He may beat the one year walking deadline yet. Though there's no penalty for missing the deadline.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Four years
Kristin and I celebrated our fourth anniversary last Thursday. We were supposed to go out to dinner, but due to a sick Mojo, we celebrated at home. Part of the festivities was popping in the video my sister Chrissy shot at our wedding. We haven't seen in at least a year - maybe more. The thing that struck me throughout the video was how much change has happened since 2005. We made several comments about guests who are no longer with us now, but looked perfectly healthy back then. We also made several comments to Maureen about which of her friends or cousins were either "still in their mommy's belly" or not yet born. Some of our good coupled friends are now singled. It's a different day for sure.
But, this was the start of it all for us. The start of building what we have today - two wonderfully unique children, a nice house in a great neighborhood, a love that is still going strong. Some bumpy patches along the way, but nothing that can't be easily worked through.
Four years doesn't sound like a long time, especially as I make through my forty-first year - but it really makes you think when you look around to see the product our love, hard work and dedication.
But, this was the start of it all for us. The start of building what we have today - two wonderfully unique children, a nice house in a great neighborhood, a love that is still going strong. Some bumpy patches along the way, but nothing that can't be easily worked through.
Four years doesn't sound like a long time, especially as I make through my forty-first year - but it really makes you think when you look around to see the product our love, hard work and dedication.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
May Day
Yet another nice family weekend. Mojo's friend Poppy came over Friday night with her parents, who are always equipped with good wine. We ordered and enjoyed take-out from Cafe Lou Lou's while the girls played, and watched TV, and argued over the same toy that Mojo hasn't touched in months. Saturday brought an exciting Preakness that we watched at the Board's home, and we had Ethiopian food afterward. I think the food brought mixed reviews from the Ethiopian first-timers at best.
Sunday afternoon was spent at the Huber Family Restaurant with my family; family style country food with all the "fixins". The kids got to play in the elaborate, farm-themed playground afterwards (see photos below). Prior to going to Huber's, Mojo spent part of the morning at Cousin Claire's house, and her Aunt Mickey and Uncle John drover her out to the restaurant; where she had her own personal viewing of Mulan. Driving in the car will never be the same for her again.
Kid Report:
Rowan - is pulling himself up to standing position (with support). Everything is "ball" - and he says it at least 150 times a day. When upset, give him a ball and he will be satisfied. He also started eating Cheerios yesterday, and can't seem to get enough. Though he falls asleep (unwillingly) in his own bed, he manages to make it into ours by midnight, and wakes up at 3am, and then again at 5am. We need to break him of this soon.
Maureen - never ceases to amaze me. Her vocabulary is excellent - she devours books. She continues to test her boundaries with us and is very outspoken. She can be sweet one moment, and thoroughly rotten the next; but always cute as a button. We've noticed she is trying to do more and more on her own, independently, instead of relying on us. She can still whine with the best of them.
I know early on in this blog I had problems understanding how I could love a second child as much as the first. Now I know. It's the person you love, not the number.
Our weeks continue to be crazy, but there is some respite on the horizon with Memorial Day being a week away.
Sunday afternoon was spent at the Huber Family Restaurant with my family; family style country food with all the "fixins". The kids got to play in the elaborate, farm-themed playground afterwards (see photos below). Prior to going to Huber's, Mojo spent part of the morning at Cousin Claire's house, and her Aunt Mickey and Uncle John drover her out to the restaurant; where she had her own personal viewing of Mulan. Driving in the car will never be the same for her again.
Kid Report:
Rowan - is pulling himself up to standing position (with support). Everything is "ball" - and he says it at least 150 times a day. When upset, give him a ball and he will be satisfied. He also started eating Cheerios yesterday, and can't seem to get enough. Though he falls asleep (unwillingly) in his own bed, he manages to make it into ours by midnight, and wakes up at 3am, and then again at 5am. We need to break him of this soon.
Maureen - never ceases to amaze me. Her vocabulary is excellent - she devours books. She continues to test her boundaries with us and is very outspoken. She can be sweet one moment, and thoroughly rotten the next; but always cute as a button. We've noticed she is trying to do more and more on her own, independently, instead of relying on us. She can still whine with the best of them.
I know early on in this blog I had problems understanding how I could love a second child as much as the first. Now I know. It's the person you love, not the number.
Our weeks continue to be crazy, but there is some respite on the horizon with Memorial Day being a week away.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Monday, May 04, 2009
Princess Maureen
Maureen is a very determined little girl. She already has a fashion sense, and if it isn't pretty and girly, she wants no part of it. She will argue with you on anything, and will pitch a fit if she doesn't get what she wants. On the flip-side of the coin she can be a loving Daddy's Little Girl a good portion of the time - just don't cross her!
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry
Slowing of Blogs
I think blogs are on the way out. I've noticed not only the slowing of my own, but of others that I follow as well. I also see waves of commitment to Facebook. It seems the new adopters of Facebook are on it all the time, and after about three months, their activity starts to wain. I've tried Twitter, but I find it a little creepy - just any old person could start following your comments. I just got a notice that a user named Katieblows is following my comments. Why? I am not posting anything newsworthy. I wind up blocking anyone who I don't know, thus defeating the purpose of Twitter. I'm sure Kristin doesn't want Katieblows keep up with whatever I have to say.
Well, back to our family. This weekend was the Derby, and we had a lot going on. Our tradition of going to the Oaks on the Friday before Derby resumed after taking last year off - Kristin was huge with Rowan back then. Thanks go out to Karen and Paul for watching our kids for a very long and involved day. Kristin made only two bets the whole day, the winning exacta for Oaks, and picking the winning Derby horse to show for the next day. Our Oaks evening ended with a very nice Sushi dinner with friends. I believe the kids enjoyed being with the grandparents, but I think they also were ready to spend all of Derby day with their parents. We went to a couple kid-friendly parties, and more or less took it easy all day long.
Our Thursday night (prior to Oaks) was also "fun-filled", having spent a few hours in the emergency room with Rowan. I had the kids that evening, and Rowan managed to get what I believe was an Extra Strength Tylenol in his mouth. By the time I saw it, he had managed to suck the coating off, making the pill unidentifiable. Poison control instructed me to take him to the ER, so I had to call our good friend Rachel to come sit for Maureen before I could take him down. He was fine. They took a blood sample and observed him for a few hours and let us go. We are at the point with Rowan where we need to keep an eye on him every moment. He is now crawling, and orally fixated. Everything goes into his mouth. I'm getting too old for this!
It's been a crazy couple of weeks, with colliding work schedules, and this week promises more of the same. Kristin's real estate is ramping up, though I believe the Girl Scout gig is going to slow down a bit. We have a pretty full calendar this month, and a beach trip to look forward to in June. I hope to have a lot to write about in the weeks to come, and will try to keep writing. For now, Peace be with you all.
Well, back to our family. This weekend was the Derby, and we had a lot going on. Our tradition of going to the Oaks on the Friday before Derby resumed after taking last year off - Kristin was huge with Rowan back then. Thanks go out to Karen and Paul for watching our kids for a very long and involved day. Kristin made only two bets the whole day, the winning exacta for Oaks, and picking the winning Derby horse to show for the next day. Our Oaks evening ended with a very nice Sushi dinner with friends. I believe the kids enjoyed being with the grandparents, but I think they also were ready to spend all of Derby day with their parents. We went to a couple kid-friendly parties, and more or less took it easy all day long.
Our Thursday night (prior to Oaks) was also "fun-filled", having spent a few hours in the emergency room with Rowan. I had the kids that evening, and Rowan managed to get what I believe was an Extra Strength Tylenol in his mouth. By the time I saw it, he had managed to suck the coating off, making the pill unidentifiable. Poison control instructed me to take him to the ER, so I had to call our good friend Rachel to come sit for Maureen before I could take him down. He was fine. They took a blood sample and observed him for a few hours and let us go. We are at the point with Rowan where we need to keep an eye on him every moment. He is now crawling, and orally fixated. Everything goes into his mouth. I'm getting too old for this!
It's been a crazy couple of weeks, with colliding work schedules, and this week promises more of the same. Kristin's real estate is ramping up, though I believe the Girl Scout gig is going to slow down a bit. We have a pretty full calendar this month, and a beach trip to look forward to in June. I hope to have a lot to write about in the weeks to come, and will try to keep writing. For now, Peace be with you all.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Rowan's growing up
Today was the first day Rowan ever said "Mama" to my knowledge. One more word to add to his vocabulary, which also includes: Dada (the person, not the 1920's art movement), Hi, and Ball (his favorite word). He can now point his little finger and show you where there is a ball, or where is Mama. Truly amazing to me.
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Derby week
Derby week has begun. The dogwoods and azaleas are in bloom. Today's high is in the 80's. Excitement is in the air. Right now the kids are asleep and I'm able to sit back and relax. The windows are open and the ceiling fans are going. It is really nice right now.
My birthday was wonderful and low key. Maureen made a "My Daddy and Me" book and it was one of the best presents I ever received. Today Rowan and I went to the Farmer's Market - bought some pork spare ribs, bison burger, salad greens and spinach. Then the whole family went to the Cherokee Triangle art fair. Tonight we have the in-laws babysitting and Kristin and I get to have dinner with some friends at El Mundo (try it if you haven't - fish tacos are outstanding). Basically, things are good.
My birthday was wonderful and low key. Maureen made a "My Daddy and Me" book and it was one of the best presents I ever received. Today Rowan and I went to the Farmer's Market - bought some pork spare ribs, bison burger, salad greens and spinach. Then the whole family went to the Cherokee Triangle art fair. Tonight we have the in-laws babysitting and Kristin and I get to have dinner with some friends at El Mundo (try it if you haven't - fish tacos are outstanding). Basically, things are good.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Lately
Hi everyone. What's going on? Anyone still out there? Well, we've had a busy spring so far. My work is ramping up, Kristin's work is slammed, and we are playing pass-off with the kids around 6pm each night. The last few weeks have been particularly difficult. But we are managing quite well and the kids are fantastic as usual.
Maureen is still going through a princess/Disney faze - wearing the dresses, asking to be told stories about Cinderella, Aurora or Snow White, naming off dwarfs. We watched Aladdin for the second time (that I know of) last night. I have a bad habit of using the TV as a babysitter as I try to cope with both kids in the evening. I need to get more creative and organized.
Rowan is progressing nicely. I feel bad that I am not writing as much now that he's here - not as much as when we had Maureen. Believe me, it is not a preference thing. It's my fault for getting immersed in other social media (Facebook in particular) that has taken me away from the Blog. I think the whole Wal-E thing coming true - soon we'll have our own wheelchairs with TV screens and we'll turn into big balls of mindless blubber.
Anyway, Rowan is really a funny little kid. He likes to laugh, and he is very active. He goes nuts for a ball. I hope he will develop to enjoy sports (more so than his dad). He still is not actually crawling, but he is rolling everywhere and gets to where he wants to be, in a hurry. I think we'll have to be more careful watching him than we were with Maureen. She was more interested in staying put, and looking at books.
Rowan still winds up in our bed by morning time. We just need to hunker down and get that resolved, but we are so tired at the point where he is inconsolable that we cave every time.
As you can see in the pictures below, Easter provided great photo ops. Everyone had a good time. I finished my vow of no sodas or desserts with a vengeance.
I have to go now - leave me a comment if you are still out there. I think I may have lost my audience.
Maureen is still going through a princess/Disney faze - wearing the dresses, asking to be told stories about Cinderella, Aurora or Snow White, naming off dwarfs. We watched Aladdin for the second time (that I know of) last night. I have a bad habit of using the TV as a babysitter as I try to cope with both kids in the evening. I need to get more creative and organized.
Rowan is progressing nicely. I feel bad that I am not writing as much now that he's here - not as much as when we had Maureen. Believe me, it is not a preference thing. It's my fault for getting immersed in other social media (Facebook in particular) that has taken me away from the Blog. I think the whole Wal-E thing coming true - soon we'll have our own wheelchairs with TV screens and we'll turn into big balls of mindless blubber.
Anyway, Rowan is really a funny little kid. He likes to laugh, and he is very active. He goes nuts for a ball. I hope he will develop to enjoy sports (more so than his dad). He still is not actually crawling, but he is rolling everywhere and gets to where he wants to be, in a hurry. I think we'll have to be more careful watching him than we were with Maureen. She was more interested in staying put, and looking at books.
Rowan still winds up in our bed by morning time. We just need to hunker down and get that resolved, but we are so tired at the point where he is inconsolable that we cave every time.
As you can see in the pictures below, Easter provided great photo ops. Everyone had a good time. I finished my vow of no sodas or desserts with a vengeance.
I have to go now - leave me a comment if you are still out there. I think I may have lost my audience.
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