Yesterday afternoon the boys and I spent all afternoon at home. We hadn't spent much time at home up to this point, so it was very nice. I could tell Sam needed the time at home because he played very well all by himself. He drew a fantastic family portrait; very creative and sort of 3-D! At one point he was pretending to get ready for a birthday party. He stood at his new work bench and wrapped his wooden food, wooden screws and bolts and building parts in kitchen towels. He then put on his construction hat and wandered around the house saying, "Mommy, Mommy!" When he found me he held my "present" out to me and said, "Happy Birthday, Mommy! Open your present!" So I would open the present and ooooh and ahhhh and we played this game for an hour or so. He also gave presents to Arlo and Cyrus. It was such a sweet way to see the impact of his birthday celebrations. I saw how important it is to celebrate a person.
I am looking forward to celebrating Matt this weekend. He really deserves it.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Together
I realized last night, while looking at past posts, that I have not really written about Sam and Arlo as brothers. Up until a couple months ago, Arlo wasn't incredibly interactive so it is only lately that I am really beginning to see a relationship develop. The photos above represent interactions the two of them have a few times throughout the day.
Sam is a very good big brother and has yet to demonstrate any feelings of resentment toward Arlo. He'll get a little jealous sometimes and need to cuddle with mommy after I nurse or while I am nursing, but mostly he is a very patient and considerate brother.
Arlo really loves being around Sam. He watches him at his every move and loves it when Sam interacts with him. This afternoon Sam and Arlo played with our matchbox cars for a long time. Sam drove them around and parked them in neat little rows and Arlo reached and grabbed for the cars, chewed on them and laughed at Sam when the cars would have silly antics.
Arlo is just now strong enough in his sitting that I let the boys the baths together. Sam really loves having Arlo in the bath and wants to wash him and dump water on his head...etc. Arlo just sits there and takes it all in, splashes and laughs at Sam.
Sam is really good about helping me with Arlo when he is sad or frustrated. He'll give him toys or make silly faces at him and Arlo almost always cheers up. I am very excited to watch them grow and change and evolve into close friends and strong brothers.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Life Has Returned
Though a week has passed, I feel I need to write about the end of my weekend without Matt and Sam and last weeks events.
Last Saturday evening was another one of those magical evenings you never forget in your lifetime. I had dinner with Sherri, Norbert and Sherri's sister, Janet. We sat in Sherri's back yard...a small oasis in the city. Brick paths lined with fantastically textured flower gardens, herbs and trees...there is such a medley of color and scents. It is a perfectly relaxing space and I LOVE being there with her.
This evening was especially nice as Sherri and Norbert's kids were both out at friends' homes and it was just us adults and Arlo in the sling. We ate great foods, sheep milk cheeses, and hummus. We drank wine and summer cocktails...laughing, so much laughing. Stories being told left and right.
The age old tradition of story telling is revived in Sherri's home. I always know I can hear a wonderful story when I visit. Not only is Sherri a master at creating flavors in foods, she is a master with flavoring words with description.
Sherri and Janet had just returned from two weeks in Belize and the music of the country came with them, the passion of the culture came with them. It really was a magical evening.
At one point Sherri and Janet wanted to share a story of their past with me, but decided to make me guess the basic outline and they gave me three clues: A Beaver, Mexicans, and Brown Briefcases. After 2 or 3 strong drinks, I could barely see straight, let alone think straight and I played the 20 questions, trying to decipher the story, but to no avail. When the true story came out, bouncing from one sister to the other, laughs and snorts in between from all, it was fantastic.
By midnight Arlo was sleeping in the wicker rocker by the house and I was so relaxed I knew I'd be ready for anything the upcoming week had to bring...
Little did I know what it would bring: illness. Both boys ended up catching the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. It is such an awful virus, pain and sores and nothing can be done except pain relief with Tylenol.
And that brings us to today. Both boys are now feeling normal and both boys are as spunky as ever. We started Arlo on solid foods this week and he seems to be finally taking to it. He is also now ON THE MOVE! Yes, at 6 mos. to the day he started army crawling and can wiggle his way across the floor with great determination. The actual crawling is not far behind. He is waking at night and trying to crawl in bed...it is really on his mind. Even his upper teeth making their push down have stopped to allow all bodily energies available for the crawling. I know my world is about to change drastically and I love it!
Last Saturday evening was another one of those magical evenings you never forget in your lifetime. I had dinner with Sherri, Norbert and Sherri's sister, Janet. We sat in Sherri's back yard...a small oasis in the city. Brick paths lined with fantastically textured flower gardens, herbs and trees...there is such a medley of color and scents. It is a perfectly relaxing space and I LOVE being there with her.
This evening was especially nice as Sherri and Norbert's kids were both out at friends' homes and it was just us adults and Arlo in the sling. We ate great foods, sheep milk cheeses, and hummus. We drank wine and summer cocktails...laughing, so much laughing. Stories being told left and right.
The age old tradition of story telling is revived in Sherri's home. I always know I can hear a wonderful story when I visit. Not only is Sherri a master at creating flavors in foods, she is a master with flavoring words with description.
Sherri and Janet had just returned from two weeks in Belize and the music of the country came with them, the passion of the culture came with them. It really was a magical evening.
At one point Sherri and Janet wanted to share a story of their past with me, but decided to make me guess the basic outline and they gave me three clues: A Beaver, Mexicans, and Brown Briefcases. After 2 or 3 strong drinks, I could barely see straight, let alone think straight and I played the 20 questions, trying to decipher the story, but to no avail. When the true story came out, bouncing from one sister to the other, laughs and snorts in between from all, it was fantastic.
By midnight Arlo was sleeping in the wicker rocker by the house and I was so relaxed I knew I'd be ready for anything the upcoming week had to bring...
Little did I know what it would bring: illness. Both boys ended up catching the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. It is such an awful virus, pain and sores and nothing can be done except pain relief with Tylenol.
And that brings us to today. Both boys are now feeling normal and both boys are as spunky as ever. We started Arlo on solid foods this week and he seems to be finally taking to it. He is also now ON THE MOVE! Yes, at 6 mos. to the day he started army crawling and can wiggle his way across the floor with great determination. The actual crawling is not far behind. He is waking at night and trying to crawl in bed...it is really on his mind. Even his upper teeth making their push down have stopped to allow all bodily energies available for the crawling. I know my world is about to change drastically and I love it!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Illness
To top off my fabulous weekend, Arlo came down with Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease...and now Sam has it, again! He had it last spring and it was awful. I am hoping that he won't have it as severe.
Our computer blew a fan and busted the power supply, so I am using Matt's laptop, which is running out of battery.
I have some great stories to share, just no technology to relay it!
More later...
Our computer blew a fan and busted the power supply, so I am using Matt's laptop, which is running out of battery.
I have some great stories to share, just no technology to relay it!
More later...
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Jean Skirt
Matt and Sam left for California yesterday afternoon to attend Matt's mother's retirement bash on Sunday. I decided to stay here with very needy, teething little Arlo. Two, 14 hour drives iced with a weekend of familial tension, sprinkled on top of the teething baby sounded like a recipe for a large headache...no thanks.
I am going to miss the party and that makes me a little sad. I do want to wish Pat a fabulous retirement. It will just have to wait until August when we spend a week in the San Juan Islands with the entire Grieshop clan...a family reunion. I am looking forward to it. The Grieshop Family Reunions are quite fun.
My weekend sans son and husband began with a visit from a dear friend in our AP group here that moved to Seattle shortly after Arlo was born.
Then a night of summer drinks and great conversation with my other very dear friend, Sherri. We made beaded jewelry in her bead room and laughed with a neighbor of hers. It was fantastic. Arlo was happy in the sling or sitting on the floor next to me with a wooden spoon and a little tin cup. He napped and slept late into the evening. I returned home after midnight.
This morning I woke to see that it was 10:30 a.m.!! I haven't slept that late in soooo long. Arlo and I then proceeded to lay in bed together and giggle and gurgle and nurse. It was fantastic. He is so precious.
After a bagel and coffee and the NEWSPAPER (I never get to read the newspaper), I helped my neighbor move a tree out of her truck bed. Then came home to make a skirt out of a pair of old jeans. It was fun to sew again! I was so inspired by it's success that I turned around and made a simple drawstring bag for the odds and ends in my diaper bag. I will share photos when the boys return. Matt took the camera. I am so excited about the skirt...it is very cute. I also love it when I can be thrifty. I am not very good at it, though I try very hard!
Tonight should be a fun evening with Sherri and her sister Janet. They just returned from a 2 week trip to Belize! The stories should be fantastic!
I am going to miss the party and that makes me a little sad. I do want to wish Pat a fabulous retirement. It will just have to wait until August when we spend a week in the San Juan Islands with the entire Grieshop clan...a family reunion. I am looking forward to it. The Grieshop Family Reunions are quite fun.
My weekend sans son and husband began with a visit from a dear friend in our AP group here that moved to Seattle shortly after Arlo was born.
Then a night of summer drinks and great conversation with my other very dear friend, Sherri. We made beaded jewelry in her bead room and laughed with a neighbor of hers. It was fantastic. Arlo was happy in the sling or sitting on the floor next to me with a wooden spoon and a little tin cup. He napped and slept late into the evening. I returned home after midnight.
This morning I woke to see that it was 10:30 a.m.!! I haven't slept that late in soooo long. Arlo and I then proceeded to lay in bed together and giggle and gurgle and nurse. It was fantastic. He is so precious.
After a bagel and coffee and the NEWSPAPER (I never get to read the newspaper), I helped my neighbor move a tree out of her truck bed. Then came home to make a skirt out of a pair of old jeans. It was fun to sew again! I was so inspired by it's success that I turned around and made a simple drawstring bag for the odds and ends in my diaper bag. I will share photos when the boys return. Matt took the camera. I am so excited about the skirt...it is very cute. I also love it when I can be thrifty. I am not very good at it, though I try very hard!
Tonight should be a fun evening with Sherri and her sister Janet. They just returned from a 2 week trip to Belize! The stories should be fantastic!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Karma
I think the big difference between karma and irony is the spiritual element that karma implies. I love the idea of karma and really try to keep it in my fore thoughts as I live my days.
Last week my good friend, Z, was visiting and we had a knock on the door from a couple Mormon men seeking my time. I have never been good about confronting them and decided this time to simply ignore the knock. It worked and within a minute or two they had left. No harsh words exchanged, no awkward moments. I thought nothing of it.
Today the weather was amazing and I decided to take the boys by bike and buggy to Washington Park for some outdoor play time. Arlo hadn't been in the buggy yet and I wasn't sure how this adventure was going to play out, but nonetheless, we went on our way. The bike ride was harder than I had expected, but I was pulling nearly 60 pounds of kid and buggy and stuff. A half an hour later, we arrived with the park full of kids. Sam immediately ran off to play and I found a shady spot by a tree to sit with Arlo. It was beautiful to see so many moms and kids playing and enjoying the weather. A mother near me started up a conversation as she had a 7 mos. old daughter and we spoke for a bit. i twas nice. Then another women started talking and she asked if I was with the LDS group. I, of course, answered "no" and proceeded to ask what group it was. She answered, The Church of Latter Day Saints, we're Mormons"!!! There I was smack dab in the middle of a very large group of Mormon women!! I immediately felt very strange and out of place and I could tell that Sam did too. He kept sitting with me and on me and didn't want to play, very unlike him. I looked around and saw lots of babies, but no one breastfeeding and one mother had brought her jumparoo thing to the park, plopped her baby in it and then sat right next to her baby!
Sam came to me again for some snuggles and I asked him if he'd like to leave. He said yes and ran for the buggy. I felt the same, picked up Arlo and dashed for the bike! We were invited to return as we were leaving, but I think we likely not.
At any rate, once we returned home, had some lunch and water, I was able to reflect on the morning. I realized how much I miss my mom's group here. I haven't been attending much lately because Sam in preschool at the same time as playgroup and Arlo usually naps. So, I need to make it a priority again...and I will.
Last week my good friend, Z, was visiting and we had a knock on the door from a couple Mormon men seeking my time. I have never been good about confronting them and decided this time to simply ignore the knock. It worked and within a minute or two they had left. No harsh words exchanged, no awkward moments. I thought nothing of it.
Today the weather was amazing and I decided to take the boys by bike and buggy to Washington Park for some outdoor play time. Arlo hadn't been in the buggy yet and I wasn't sure how this adventure was going to play out, but nonetheless, we went on our way. The bike ride was harder than I had expected, but I was pulling nearly 60 pounds of kid and buggy and stuff. A half an hour later, we arrived with the park full of kids. Sam immediately ran off to play and I found a shady spot by a tree to sit with Arlo. It was beautiful to see so many moms and kids playing and enjoying the weather. A mother near me started up a conversation as she had a 7 mos. old daughter and we spoke for a bit. i twas nice. Then another women started talking and she asked if I was with the LDS group. I, of course, answered "no" and proceeded to ask what group it was. She answered, The Church of Latter Day Saints, we're Mormons"!!! There I was smack dab in the middle of a very large group of Mormon women!! I immediately felt very strange and out of place and I could tell that Sam did too. He kept sitting with me and on me and didn't want to play, very unlike him. I looked around and saw lots of babies, but no one breastfeeding and one mother had brought her jumparoo thing to the park, plopped her baby in it and then sat right next to her baby!
Sam came to me again for some snuggles and I asked him if he'd like to leave. He said yes and ran for the buggy. I felt the same, picked up Arlo and dashed for the bike! We were invited to return as we were leaving, but I think we likely not.
At any rate, once we returned home, had some lunch and water, I was able to reflect on the morning. I realized how much I miss my mom's group here. I haven't been attending much lately because Sam in preschool at the same time as playgroup and Arlo usually naps. So, I need to make it a priority again...and I will.
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