Marisa doesn't cuddle much anymore, unless you count the times she jumps on top of you, slams her head into your nose and wiggles around on you until you are one big bruise.
But when you read her a story she reaches out and puts one small, warm hand on your arm. Her little hand just rests there as you share a story together.
It is the sweetest thing ever.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
You Should!
"This is why I need printer paper to stay in the printer", I say to Marisa as we print out lyrics to "The Farmer In The Dell", a song Lily was singing on our visit this weekend.
One page doesn't print.
"I'll use this one!"
Marisa runs off with the coveted white paper.
Moments later she waves a new drawing in my face.
"Marisa, I LOVE your new picture! I do! I love it!"
"You should, because it's bea-u-ti-ful."
She is now chirping away in the kitchen, doing her "homework" on the floor.
Gotta love the confidence.
One page doesn't print.
"I'll use this one!"
Marisa runs off with the coveted white paper.
Moments later she waves a new drawing in my face.
"Marisa, I LOVE your new picture! I do! I love it!"
"You should, because it's bea-u-ti-ful."
She is now chirping away in the kitchen, doing her "homework" on the floor.
Gotta love the confidence.
Get Off The Bench, Mom
On Wednesday it happened. I had to get up.
No longer able to just sit on the sidelines, holding the baby, I scootched, crawled, dove over, protected and otherwise assisted my 9 month old daughter in exploring the indoor play area at the mall along with her rambunctious sister.
Damn.
I mean, yay!
Yay, she's learning how to pull herself up. (Thank you to a four day stay at my friend Elaine's house and her house's strategically placed carpeted ledges.)
No wait, damn. No more running to the bathroom or the kitchen while the baby lays in one place. Now I'm dodging baby gates and pulling stranded said-child from "how did you get under the playpen?" positions.
I mean, yay!
This is my second child, can you tell? I am so THRILLED that she is growing and learning and becoming more of who she is.
And yet I see the next couple of years staring me down like a cannon full of electrical socket protectors, buckles, snaps, harnesses and running shoes ready to fire.
I would duck my fate but I'm too busy pulling the baby down off the wall heater. Gotta go!
No longer able to just sit on the sidelines, holding the baby, I scootched, crawled, dove over, protected and otherwise assisted my 9 month old daughter in exploring the indoor play area at the mall along with her rambunctious sister.
Damn.
I mean, yay!
Yay, she's learning how to pull herself up. (Thank you to a four day stay at my friend Elaine's house and her house's strategically placed carpeted ledges.)
No wait, damn. No more running to the bathroom or the kitchen while the baby lays in one place. Now I'm dodging baby gates and pulling stranded said-child from "how did you get under the playpen?" positions.
I mean, yay!
This is my second child, can you tell? I am so THRILLED that she is growing and learning and becoming more of who she is.
And yet I see the next couple of years staring me down like a cannon full of electrical socket protectors, buckles, snaps, harnesses and running shoes ready to fire.
I would duck my fate but I'm too busy pulling the baby down off the wall heater. Gotta go!
Gift Ideas For Our Family
Because people ask...
Because I get great ideas when I don't need them (AKA not near a birthday or Xmas)...
Here is the gift idea list for our family. Updated June 13, 2008
Marisa
dress up clothes size 6 and up (check out the thrift stores)
a little girl coat rack for the wall
a princess pink castle alarm clock from Target (seen yesterday, coveted)
books
notebooks - she LOVES paper - blank notebooks, fun notebooks of any size
photo album
Melody
water and sand table for the backyard
Doug
hammock & stand
outdoor chaise lounge
desk chair for his new garage office
t-shirts, size large, looks good in blues, wine color, dark green, brown, black
nice jacket for cool nights a la stylish Bri
coat to wear with business attire
Alora
bedside lamps
coasters
flour & sugar bins
welcome mat
dried fruit maker machine
Alora & Doug
pillowtop for Queen mattress
Because I get great ideas when I don't need them (AKA not near a birthday or Xmas)...
Here is the gift idea list for our family. Updated June 13, 2008
Marisa
dress up clothes size 6 and up (check out the thrift stores)
a little girl coat rack for the wall
a princess pink castle alarm clock from Target (seen yesterday, coveted)
books
notebooks - she LOVES paper - blank notebooks, fun notebooks of any size
photo album
Melody
water and sand table for the backyard
Doug
hammock & stand
outdoor chaise lounge
desk chair for his new garage office
t-shirts, size large, looks good in blues, wine color, dark green, brown, black
nice jacket for cool nights a la stylish Bri
coat to wear with business attire
Alora
bedside lamps
coasters
flour & sugar bins
welcome mat
dried fruit maker machine
Alora & Doug
pillowtop for Queen mattress
Monday, June 02, 2008
I Live In A Gated Community
Around May 22nd and the days thereafter Melody crawled.
Not the scootch-scootch. Not the Downward Dog, not the one-knee scootch. The full on, knee, knee, knee, knee she is crawling!
Dear husband, on your way out to the front yard to check on the weather could you just stop and pick up some baby gates? Like three of them? Like NOW?
So now we lived in a gated community.
Things on top of the coffee table are safe so far. But if you hear a squeak and you can't find the baby, peer under the coffee table. There you will find her. It's a two-tier coffee table and she likes to crawl onto that bottom part and then swirl around on her belly like a miniature, horizontal figure skater.
She can't get down, though. So she "uhh uhhh's" until you get her down whereas she turns her little butt right around and gets back on top of it.
So you throw her a toy under there and go about your business.
She Sits
Or She Sells Sea Shells By The Seashore
About four days ago Melody really got good a sitting. Not just you-prop-her-up-and-she-falls-over but she can actually sit. This is bizarre to us because Marisa never sat. She crawled, she stood, she walked. Sit? Never.
And now, she poops.
Gotta go!
Not the scootch-scootch. Not the Downward Dog, not the one-knee scootch. The full on, knee, knee, knee, knee she is crawling!
Dear husband, on your way out to the front yard to check on the weather could you just stop and pick up some baby gates? Like three of them? Like NOW?
So now we lived in a gated community.
Things on top of the coffee table are safe so far. But if you hear a squeak and you can't find the baby, peer under the coffee table. There you will find her. It's a two-tier coffee table and she likes to crawl onto that bottom part and then swirl around on her belly like a miniature, horizontal figure skater.
She can't get down, though. So she "uhh uhhh's" until you get her down whereas she turns her little butt right around and gets back on top of it.
So you throw her a toy under there and go about your business.
She Sits
Or She Sells Sea Shells By The Seashore
About four days ago Melody really got good a sitting. Not just you-prop-her-up-and-she-falls-over but she can actually sit. This is bizarre to us because Marisa never sat. She crawled, she stood, she walked. Sit? Never.
And now, she poops.
Gotta go!
Monday, May 05, 2008
Knight to Queen
So today Marisa was explaining to me how to play chess. Doug has been teaching her. Why? Because she keeps asking.
I was glad for her tutorial because I had totally forgotten how to set up the board. I forgot one was called a Bishop and one was called a Knight (not horsey? no, Knight) and while I did remember that the Queen was the most powerful one, I did not know the King was the loserest one.
I guess that makes sense. When your King gets captured you lose the game. Definitely loserest.
I was glad for her tutorial because I had totally forgotten how to set up the board. I forgot one was called a Bishop and one was called a Knight (not horsey? no, Knight) and while I did remember that the Queen was the most powerful one, I did not know the King was the loserest one.
I guess that makes sense. When your King gets captured you lose the game. Definitely loserest.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Four Things About Me
Chain Letter Alert!
Four Jobs I've had in my life:
1. Librarian
2. Internet Project Manager
3. Professional Psychic
4. AMC Theatre Concessionist
Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. The Princess Bride
2. French Kiss
3. Sahara
3. Sahara
4. Conan The Barbarian
Four places I've lived
1. San Jose, CA
Four places I've lived
1. San Jose, CA
2. Ashland, OR
3. San Diego, CA
3. San Diego, CA
4. Los Angeles, CA
Four T.V. shows that I watch (I don't have a TV, I just watch them on the net)
1. Ugly Betty
Four T.V. shows that I watch (I don't have a TV, I just watch them on the net)
1. Ugly Betty
2. Samantha Who?
3.
3.
4.
Four Places I Have Been
1. Tokyo
2. Australia
3. Copenhagen
4. England
Four People who e-mail me regularly:
1. Sheila
3. Copenhagen
4. England
Four People who e-mail me regularly:
1. Sheila
2. Groups
3. Groups
4. Groups
Four of my Favorite Foods:
1. chocolate
2. Chinese
3. pecans
4. potatos
Four Places I would rather be right Now:
1. In my bedroom (baby sleeping in there now, so me in living room)
2. On a date with my husband
3. At some rockin' ceremony
4. Combination of #1 and #2
Four friends I think will respond:
1. ?
2.3.4.
Four things I am looking forward to in 2008:
1. A bigger house to live in with an office for my hubby
2. Integration of what I'm working on3. Joy
4. Seeing my family
RETURN DIRECTIONS:
Now, here's what you're supposed to do... And please do not spoil the
fun. Hit
forward, delete my answers and type in your answers.
Then send this to a whole bunch of people you know INCLUDING the person
who sent
it to you. The theory is that you will learn a lot of little known
facts
about
those who know you. Remember to send it back to the person who sent it
to you.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Marisa's First Improv Show
On April 12 I did the improv show - MomMom, PopPop, my inlaws, my hubby, Marisa and Melody all attended.
They sat in the front row and Marisa pounded popcorn with that ultra-concentrating look on her face the entire time.
We won - but that could be because my mom group friends come and bring their kids. The kids all get their own "Wopners" to wave about and vote with. I watch the mom's hold up the kid's hand with my color held in it every time, no matter what.
The kids obviously have no clue what's going on. Oh, wave the stick stick?
Is that cheating? ;)
Melody sat in her car seat on the floor the entire time - thankfully on the other team's side or it would have distracted me. As it was her wide blue eyes seemed so open.
She was totally mesmerized. Later I saw her in Daddy's lap so I thought she must have been fussy but no - when the ref knelt in front of her once to make some calls she got mad because she couldn't see.
Do That Again, Mommy
The next day Marisa told me she missed some parts. Meaning - when she put her head into her popcorn she didn't see those seconds.
When she asked if she could see it again and I explained that improv is a once-only thing she burst into tears.
But I easily convinced her it will be fun to see the NEW stuff Mommy comes up with.
Looks like we have a new fan!
They sat in the front row and Marisa pounded popcorn with that ultra-concentrating look on her face the entire time.
We won - but that could be because my mom group friends come and bring their kids. The kids all get their own "Wopners" to wave about and vote with. I watch the mom's hold up the kid's hand with my color held in it every time, no matter what.
The kids obviously have no clue what's going on. Oh, wave the stick stick?
Is that cheating? ;)
Melody sat in her car seat on the floor the entire time - thankfully on the other team's side or it would have distracted me. As it was her wide blue eyes seemed so open.
She was totally mesmerized. Later I saw her in Daddy's lap so I thought she must have been fussy but no - when the ref knelt in front of her once to make some calls she got mad because she couldn't see.
Do That Again, Mommy
The next day Marisa told me she missed some parts. Meaning - when she put her head into her popcorn she didn't see those seconds.
When she asked if she could see it again and I explained that improv is a once-only thing she burst into tears.
But I easily convinced her it will be fun to see the NEW stuff Mommy comes up with.
Looks like we have a new fan!
Teeth! Food! Crib!
Teeth!
On Saturday Melody's first widdle tooth popped through! Just a teeny bit of white on her bottom, middle gum.
Food!
Then, yesterday at Uncle 38's birthday dinner Melody loved her baby-food carrots, making it her official first food! (The bananas and peas we had tried the week or so before were met with pursed lips and unhappy face.)
Melody sat in her little chair learning how to open her mouth and not suck on the spoon - she wanted more and more!
Now comes the fun part... what it looks like on the way out. ;)
Crib!
And because why don't we try it ALL in the same week (Yeesh, Mom!) Melody slept in the crib for the first time, well, ever. Some time last week (a blur we'd love to forget) it was obvious the sleeping-in-bed-nursing-on-mom all night wasn't working.
Time for Ma and Pa to get to know each other again as well. "Married? To whom?" "Oh? That guy waaaaaay over there? I hadn't noticed."
Melody is doing great. The other night she slept 7-8 hours in a row.
Mom, on the other hand, is not faring well. This part of parenting KICKS MY BUTT. I'm like a wounded animal curled up in the corner, tense, waiting with baited breath to get woken up so I never sleep, watching Doug snore without care, yelling at him all day because I'm so00000 tired (for the first time since the baby was born, really).
But it's working. And it's great because last night both kids were in bed without me and I looked at Doug and I said "Oh, hey! I remember you!"
It was a good night with my sweetie. :)
On Saturday Melody's first widdle tooth popped through! Just a teeny bit of white on her bottom, middle gum.
Food!
Then, yesterday at Uncle 38's birthday dinner Melody loved her baby-food carrots, making it her official first food! (The bananas and peas we had tried the week or so before were met with pursed lips and unhappy face.)
Melody sat in her little chair learning how to open her mouth and not suck on the spoon - she wanted more and more!
Now comes the fun part... what it looks like on the way out. ;)
Crib!
And because why don't we try it ALL in the same week (Yeesh, Mom!) Melody slept in the crib for the first time, well, ever. Some time last week (a blur we'd love to forget) it was obvious the sleeping-in-bed-nursing-on-mom all night wasn't working.
Time for Ma and Pa to get to know each other again as well. "Married? To whom?" "Oh? That guy waaaaaay over there? I hadn't noticed."
Melody is doing great. The other night she slept 7-8 hours in a row.
Mom, on the other hand, is not faring well. This part of parenting KICKS MY BUTT. I'm like a wounded animal curled up in the corner, tense, waiting with baited breath to get woken up so I never sleep, watching Doug snore without care, yelling at him all day because I'm so00000 tired (for the first time since the baby was born, really).
But it's working. And it's great because last night both kids were in bed without me and I looked at Doug and I said "Oh, hey! I remember you!"
It was a good night with my sweetie. :)
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Mere Weeks Away From Impact
Just now Melody got up onto all fours and stayed there long enough for me to marvel, cheer, tell Marisa to look, and marvel some more.
Melody was working very hard - Ahhh! She's up on all fours again! Down she goes. - but when she heard us cheering and watching her she started to smile one of those "Oh, yeah, I got it goin' on" smiles.
I would have a photo but I'm not that kinda mom.
In fact, if you want to see photos of the kids between Christmas and now you have to come over to my house, open up the computer, and look at them yourself.
I wish I had them all online for you. Or that I was a super photo-blogger like my friend Elaine.
As Doug put it when he saw Melody getting her butt in the air the other day:
"We are just weeks away from impact."
I am already preparing. The edges of the fireplace surround are padded like the funny farm and I'm got space clearing in the garage for the books.
Weight
On Sunday Melody weighed in at 18.8 pounds.
Marisa at 40.8 pounds.
Hooray for PopPop and MomMom! They are coming to visit tomorrow and said they will get the kids new car seats.
Melody was working very hard - Ahhh! She's up on all fours again! Down she goes. - but when she heard us cheering and watching her she started to smile one of those "Oh, yeah, I got it goin' on" smiles.
I would have a photo but I'm not that kinda mom.
In fact, if you want to see photos of the kids between Christmas and now you have to come over to my house, open up the computer, and look at them yourself.
I wish I had them all online for you. Or that I was a super photo-blogger like my friend Elaine.
As Doug put it when he saw Melody getting her butt in the air the other day:
"We are just weeks away from impact."
I am already preparing. The edges of the fireplace surround are padded like the funny farm and I'm got space clearing in the garage for the books.
Weight
On Sunday Melody weighed in at 18.8 pounds.
Marisa at 40.8 pounds.
Hooray for PopPop and MomMom! They are coming to visit tomorrow and said they will get the kids new car seats.
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