December 30, 2007

Wrapping paper tastes so good...

It has been a full month. We had a great visit from Matthew's grandmother, Nancy (a.k.a. Meemo). I'd blog pics from that but all of them are on Mattew's computer at the moment, so he will have to send them to me first! It was a treat for all of us to have her here, but I think Abby and Noah were most pleased and spoiled to have so much attention! I bet Meemo was glad to get home and sleep through the night again.

So the whole month of December has been spent hanging out together (well, finishing classes and research in the early part of the month), cooking, eating, getting Noah through his first cold bug (poor little guy), and fighting a war against mice. Let me explain:
While Meemo was here, we were up one night watching a movie when we heard some odd scratchy sounds coming from the kitchen. I claimed we had a mouse and Matthew chuckled at the idea and said he doubted it was a mouse. Meemo seemed pretty convinced, but mostly she just laughed at the situation. This became funnier with each rustle and even funnier after a day or two. Finally, a couple days after Meemo left, I heard Matthew whisper to me: "G, I just saw the mouse!" Since then, Matty has caught 8 mice, making the whole thing not so funny anymore. We think that since ours is the only warm apartment (our bachelor neighbors are home for the holidays), the critters have found their way here. We're winning, but it is no fun.

Highlights from our holidays so far: Abby loves her Littlest Pest Shop, her little Disney Fairies, and her Wii game Big Brain Academy. She has been playing happily for days. Noah began crawling on Christmas Eve! Our friends caught it on their camera (I'll blog the youtube link soon). Matthew and I had fun making a big Christmas morning breakfast and laughing in the glow of the Christmas tree lights at night. It has been really wonderful.

December 25, 2007

Christmas Letter


Click the picture for full-size version.

December 3, 2007

Abby's first Christmas tree at home!


placing the star
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
For some reason, once Thanksgiving was over, I was feeling like we HAD to get our tree. We were missing out on something important and time was slipping away too quickly. I was right. We brought home our Christmas tree on December 2nd (yesterday) and had a grand time decorating together. We listened to Bing Crosby and Sinatra, Abby snipped branches at the table for fun, and Matthew and I strung lights and talked about how crazy it is that the last time we put these lights up, Abby was in-utero! We're all enjoying the warmth and excitement the decorations bring to our home. We put up ornaments, by the way, and we fixed the ribbon so it no longer looks like someone "TP'd" our tree with golden toilet paper. Matthew likes our star--it tops a very happy looking tree!

November 29, 2007

snaggle-tooth

Noah has a third tooth just showing! It peeped out this morning. This one is the first tooth to show up on the top, and is over to the right side. He is going to look like a real snaggle-toothed kiddo soon! A quick visit to the doc for immunizations and we now know that Noah weighs 16.5 pounds!! He has seemed VERY hungry lately, so I think he is hitting another growth spurt. Go, Noah!!

November 25, 2007

Tickle tickle!


Tickle tickle!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We've had an awesome break from school. Abby and Noah have been playing well together (thanks, no doubt, to Abby's lovingkindness and patience). Matty and Abby have been mastering a game on the Wii, and I've been working to (finally) finish Abby's blue quilt. We've cooked and cleaned, vegged, watched football (GO VOLS!! We won a nail-biter of a game yesterday!!), and Abby and I went on a terrific girls-only date to see "Enchanted." Matty and Abby are already planning their date to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. Matty and I are scheming about our tree-finding expedition! My favorite moment this Thanksgiving: we sat around our little table and shared what we were most thankful for this year. Matthew said he that he feels like a success and that he couldn't want for a better family to come home to each day; Abby said she was thankful that we had "really good chicken, I mean turkey" to eat; I said that I'm so thankful that we have Noah in our lives now. We feel very much like a family, the four of us. These days have been the sweetest ever.

Feasting


Meeting Teg
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Matty, Abby and I feasted on turkey and delicious side dishes for Thanksgiving (while Noah napped), then we packed some din din to go and got to feast our eyes on darling (and BRAND new) Tegwyn Ella! Proud parents, Bronwyn and Jeremy, are besotted with their lovely daughter, and rightfully so. She is amazing. Congrats, friends! What a cause for thanksgiving, indeed!

November 17, 2007

5K Baby-jogger Run


5K Baby-jogger Run
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Matty and Noah did the 5K baby-jogger run. Apparently Noah was asleep for most of it! I'm proud of Matty for getting out there for this run; it reminds me of cheering him on for the Chicago Marathon when Abby was about Noah's age! Of course, it was a LOT harder to find him after Chicago, and this time I actually got to cheer him across the finish line. I did the mile with Abby in the jogger and Matty holding Noah, but since Matty had my shoe chip in the jogger for his 5K, I'll be listed in the newspaper as having finished the 5K as fast as he did!

Go Abby, Go!!!


Go Abby, Go!!!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby ran the 1/2 mile today in the 2007 Davis Turkey Trot. She had fun and did an awesome job! I've posted a bunch of pictures on flikr, so click on this pic and check out the rest!

November 10, 2007

7 months old!


7 months old!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Tomorrow Noah will be 7 months old (or 6 months old, gestationally, but he seems to be meeting the milestones for his birth age). Noah has two teeth now, with more on the way soon. He likes music and likes to play. So far he still prefers hands-on play versus playing in an exersaucer (spelling?) by himself. When he falls off to sleep, he does this funny moaning thing: aaaaaawowowowowowwuhwuhwuwuhmmmmmmm. I think he just might have been saying mummmmmummmmmummm (an early form of mama??).

So far the Pearsons 4 have remained healthy! No flu-bugs this October and early November. Yay!

October 31, 2007

I see crawling on the horizon...


on all fours
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
For those of you who were around and remember Abby's monkey crawl, you'll be interested to know that Noah seems to be preparing to crawl in a more traditional--all fours--manner. He tucks his knees up underneath his tummy, pushes up and bounces! He mostly goes backwards at this point, but one day soon I bet he will head in a forward direction. He is super curious and tenacious, so I think we will have our hands very full with this soon-to-be-crawler. The other day, I peeked into his room during naptime and spied him PRACTICING! He was experimenting with his bounce moves and seeing what he could do. Oh boy.

update on the G's family


Patrick, Noah, and Jonathan
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Thanks for all of your prayers and calls about the SoCal family. Everyone is alright after the crazy fires and evacuations. All of my family's homes were spared (though my grandmother's place has lots of smoke damage to the carpets and walls--soot and a strongly infused smoke smell, which aggravates her lungs). Here is a pic of Noah meeting two of his cousins, Patrick and Jonathan, on our recent trip to see them.

Nanna and Grandpa


Nanna and Grandpa
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We recently had a visit from G's dad and step-mom. We had a lovely time hanging out with them. This was a funny moment: dad loaded Noah up in the Baby Bjorn and some guy walking by said "You'll get the hang of it!" It was cute.

Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion


Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Here are our kiddos decked-out for Halloween. Abby decided the theme for the year, and Noah didn't object. She's a looker with dark hair, eh? He's a looker no matter what you do to him!

Hoof-Hearted in Lane 1


Hoof Hearted in Lane 1
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We are all signed up to run/walk the Davis Turkey Trot in November (Noah will be in his jogger). Here is Matthew "racing" Abby to the finish line. She won. Actually, she ran a whole MILE out on the track in her brand new New Balance go-fasters (tennies). That kid is a veritable Forest Gump. Matthew and I couldn't believe her stamina. I think she should be my running partner; she runs at my speed and can probably run father than I can at the moment. What a gal, our Abby!

p.s. the post title is from a famous horse race...someone named their horse Hoof-Hearted and the horse won, I think. But it is a gas listening to the commentators say over and over again: "Hoof-Hearted in the lead; hoof-hearted in the winner's circle," etc. (read those quickly, out loud. You'll get it).I know this story because of Matthew, of course. Check it out on you tube.

October 30, 2007

check-up / check-in

We're all fine here--just busy. I'll write more son, but know that Noah's stats are as follows: he is 2ft 2.25 in. tall (50th percentile) and he weighs 15 lbs. 11oz. (apx.23rd percentile). His doc is pleased with Noah's health, as are we. Noah is a little guy and very sweet! He now has TWO teeth (the front bottom two)! No fever from his puppy shots this time! I'll write in again soon.

October 23, 2007

SoCal Firestorm

Please pray for my family. Most of the members of my mom's side of the famiy have been evacuated from their homes; they are all safe and away from San Diego. My sister is staying in Vista in order to take care of horses and dogs (I wish she would get out, but she's a resourceful girl). If you're watching the national news, you'll see Matt Lauer and others reporting from Rancho Bernardo--that's where my Grandmother lives. I'll post updates in the days to come. G.

October 20, 2007

It's a Small World


Pirates
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
After a whirlwind tour of Southern California, Abby, Noah and I are back in Davis. We flew to San Diego last Thursday. Friday was a hang-out day at my mom's. Abby and Alec played cousin Wii challenge 2007 (I think it was a tie). Noah spent as much time as possible hanging out with his Mia. He came up with a new sound just for her: the screech owl. It is a *special* sound. He also discovered blueberry applesauce. Thumbs up.

Saturday we met up with the fam (G's Aunt Pat, cousins, their kiddos, and G's grandmother, Mimi, of course) and we were finally able to introduce little Noah! The kiddos played and it was fun to see how big all the big kids are getting!!

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday: we made our way to Aneheim, went to the Rainforest Cafe, and then did TWO days at Disneyland! Highlights included Pooh's honey adventure (this, according to Abby and Alec), Splash Mountain (Abby's FAVORITE!!), and the tea cups (which my sister kindly went on a couple of times; I can't handle the spinny rides!).

The most EXPENSIVE ride? Certainly the Nemo submarine ride. While in line, my mom broke a tooth on a mickey-shaped lollipop. After the ride, as I steped off the sub (with Noah in my arms), my cell phone decided it had had enough of me: it took the big dive and is sleeping with the mechanical fishes in the depths of the Nemo ride. We're hoping it will be retrieved by the divers and sent back to us, but the chances of it drying our and working are practically nil. If you want to talk to me, you'll need to use email--I'll send you an interim phone number; or you can call M's cell.

Lunch at Blue Bayou and two trips to Cafe Orleans for beneigts (how do you spell that?) and coffee, cotton candy (as sticky and strangely good and gross as ever), you know the deal. The kids partied like they had their grandmother with them, that's for sure. You know how when you were out with your parents (when you were little), and you begged for the glowing bracelets, the toys, the mickey ears, the treats...you thought you'd just die if you didn't get them, but your young parents blew the budget just to get you in to the park (which you didn't understand)? Well, all of that changes when you go with a grandparent. Suddenly your sweet eyes and batting lashes WORK! Abby and Alec were spoiled rotten. Click on the photo to see more pics from the trip.

October 4, 2007

Some thoughts from 1927

I picked up "The New Butterick Dressmaker" from the library a couple of weeks ago. It is from 1927 and is fascinating to read for its clues into the social and behavioral trends (or instruction/ideals) of America at that time. Here are a couple of gems:

On Maternity Clothes:
"Maternity clothes have two objects: One is to make your condition unnoticeable, the other is to give you every physical advantage possible. If your clothes make you feel conspicuous and awkward, you will shrink from going out and will suffer from a lack of exercise and legitimate amusement which would keep you in a happy, contented frame of mind..."

"At this time you do not want to be conspicuous in any way. You want to look as much like other women as possible so that there will be nothing to draw notice to you."

On Baby clothes:
"All baby clothes should be white, and as fine and dainty as possible. [...] A little baby must be kept absolutely clean, warm and dry. The layette given below is complete and large enough to keep a baby fresh and dainty if one can have constant laundry work done."

October 3, 2007

think PINK


pink cake 3
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Inspired by pink bismuth and the pink amoxicyllin in our fridge (and NOT in the frosting), this lovely cake is my creation from class last night. It looks delicious, and I've probably eaten my weight in pink frosting already. I've decided that I DO like cake decorating. It should be a handy skill in the years to come--lots of celebrations to have!

October 2, 2007

Strep Tests, Fire Alarms, and Overdue Books

Maybe the title gives it all away. Today has been nutty, and it isn't even 2pm. Well, the morning started out well: All of us up by 6:00 am, Abby and Matthew were out the door for school by 7am (Matthew to teach in Stockton, an hour away); Noah was down for his nap by 8 and I was getting research done while sipping my latte. Noah woke up happy and we went to the UCDavis library and the English department to drop off books for a professor. With intentions to take a large stack of books to the Davis Public library--books due TODAY, or we will owe even more than the ten dollars in overdue fines we've racked up--the day unravelled...

I missed an incoming call from Abby's school (couldn't get the cell out of my purse fast enough, as I was just putting Noah down for his afternoon nap). Upon calling back, I was informed that Abby had a tummy ache, a headache, a throat ache and a low fever. I said I was on my way, hung up, and called to make an appointment with Abby's doc. Abbs has had a tummy ache on and off for 4 days now, and that's long enough!

So with a sleepy Noah packed in the car, we got Abbs to the doc by 12:03pm. Abby has a delicate gag reflex, for those of you who didn't know that. Well, the strep test was enough to send her heaving. Twice. The doc got to hold Noah while I undressed poor Abby. After a positive result on the test, we left the doc's office: Abby in my shirt, me in an undershirt (thank GOD for that!), Noah taking it all in and trying to hang in there despite being super tired by this point. I felt too underdressed to trapse through Rite Aid to get Abby's antibiotics and figured I'd call my friend Bronwyn to see if she could guard the kids for a minute while I ran over. She's in a meeting at the moment, but something will work out.

OK--home at last and feeding Abby a very light lunch (plus her milk from the Starbucks drivethrough we visited on they way home from the doc). Noah fell asleep sometime during all of the hullaballoo, UNTIL the knock on the door from the fire dept. checking fire alarms. I remembered getting the notice on the door about this, but now it became much more inconvenient. One cannot check a fire alarm quietly, and I had already requested that maintenance TRY to be more quiet as they install a new water heater in our upstairs neighbors' place. In the meantime, Abby looks pale green and I grab a wastebasket and hold it as she upchucks her pesto pasta salad and Starbucks milk. My second latte of the day is all of a sudden MUCH less enjoyable, and Abby has now taken out two of my shirts besides her school uniform--all of which are in a pile in the hallway. I WISH WE HAD A WASHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the fire alarm woke Noah up and I decided to wait and see if he could soothe himself back to sleep. He did. Deep breaths. Noah is sleeping in his crib, Abby is asleep in our bed. The fire department guys are beeping their way through the whole apartment complex, though the alarms become fainter as they get further away. Perhaps it was because I told him I was up to my elbows in vomit, or perharps he has kids himself, but the Davis Public Library dude gave me a break and renewed (by phone) all but one of our overdue books: "Baby-proofing Your Marriage" must be returned by 10 am tomorrow. Tee hee.

I'm supposed to frost a cake for my decorating class tonight. What a laugh! Maybe I'll just snuggle up to Abby and nap while the kiddos are napping. It has certainy been a productive day, though not in the way I had anticipated. OH! Bron just called from work and will pick up Abby's meds on her way home. Bless you, oh pregnant one. Things are working out and we will be fine. I think parenting is actually harder than getting a PhD. It definitely smells worse.

October 1, 2007

HIS FIRST TOOTH IS COMING IN!


first swing
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We discovered a budding tooth this morning! Well, actually, I discovered it the hard way in the middle of the night last night, when I felt in Noah's mouth to see if the abrasive and rather shocking feeling while nursing him was just my imagination. It wasn't. I had half forgotten about it by the time I felt it again while he was gnawing on my finger today. Abby felt it too! She seems very excited about it, and she got to tell Matthew about it.

No wonder Noah has been restless. We will dearly miss his toothless grin. We wont miss the buckets of drool, but I have a feeling we've got LOTS more of that coming...

me and my first "real" cake


me and my first "real" cake
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
I'm 30 now.

I woke up on my b-day morning with Abby snuggled on one side and Noah burrowed in between Matty and I on my other side. The queen size bed is really too small for us now. Noah did his morning stretch and toot routine and I said to him : "Oh, is that my present! Thank you!" Abby (half asleep) cried out: "I was supposed to give you your present--I was supposed to give you the earrings as a surprise!" Te cat out of the bag, the rest of the morning was spent trying to console poor Abby, who was convinced she had ruined the day by accident. All worked out though; she and Matty stopped by a cute store in town on the way home from school and got me some gorgeous bird and nest stamps, and some Eiffel tower/Paris stamps. Abby also made some lovely drawings for me!

Before having a wnderful Thai (take out) dinner, I decorated this cute little cake, which is here displayed on an adorable robin's egg blue cake stand--my gift from Nonee (Gwenn), my mom's momma. You can see another pic of the top of the cake on my flickr reel (just click on this picture). I was showered with love and affection from my family and friends--cards, emails, calls, well wishes from across seas...how good it is to be loved so much!

The morning after my birthday, Abby snuggled me on the couch and said: "You're just the same; you still just look like a momma." Well, thank goodness I do! I am so glad to be G and 30.

September 25, 2007

"Enjoy your last day in your twenties!"

As she left for work, my friend Bronwyn gave me this greeting: "Enjoy your last day in your twenties!" There was glee (the good kind, not the mean kind) in her voice, and a giggle too--she is already 30 and I got to razz her too. I hadn't thought about this day that way. I've got lots of muddled emotions about the whole thing, and thought I might cry, but really, I am quite happy to be entering my 30's. I have very high hopes that they will be less tumultuous than my 20's. Don't get me wrong, 20's have been great: I finished two degrees, got married, was a college ministry intern, had TWO babies, bought and sold my (our) first house, made lifelong friends, traveled a little bit, began a PhD, learned how to scrapbook, sew,quilt, cook, garden, research, write, teach college kids, teach my own kids, blog, air up a bike tire, do pretty much anything with one hand (or no hands!), figured out what my favorite color is, leared to LOVE thai, indian, and afghani food, figured out that I actualy DO like the open possibilities of a ranch style house, and on and on... Of course the 20's brought other things too: I lost two grandparents (my dad's folks), found out that marriage can be lonely (big shocker, actually) and requires LOTS of work (another shocker--hey, I watched too much Ane of Green Gables, alright?), I also found out that: kids can drive you a little nuts--mostly because you love them so much that they can really get to you, getting babies on a schedule is HARD work, exercizing isn't easy either, I really am NOT in control of a lot of things, and I can't totally protect my loved ones; there is a difference between hurting and harming people (and sometimes hurting them means they are protected from harm! Think vaccines, boundaries, loving honesty, etc.). I survived young Calvinist's disease (at east, I think I did), and made it through my second childbirth without an epidural. My 20's brought real struggles with anxiety, high blood pressure, real life hurts and even feeling depression.

I don't think I've got it all figured out; if anything, I've figured out that I wont ever "firgure it all out" but that I can survive (maybe even thrive at times) though uncertainty. I look forward to the richness that comes with having loved, served, and struggled alongside my life-partner, Matthew. I do NOT look forward to the loss that is sure to come in this life--the loss that takes my breath away at the tiniest thought--that of the most precious lives I am honored to share this life with. I'm in a tender spot at the moment--feeling pretty raw, pretty open to the wonder and the pain of living. This isn't altogether bad. Tears can be good (as I'm trying to explain to Abby, who wonders why sometimes people cry when they are happy). I think happy tears come when you finally realize how special the good things in life are, and how much those things should mean!

And now, I am going to try to do it: Enjoy this last day in my twenties. I've already done my research work for the day (did that first), and now I need to frost a cake, safety pin Abby's quilt so I can start quilting it, and hang out with Noah (who is practicing a new skill, to our great delight: blowing raspberries!). Life is pretty good.

Practice Run


deco fun
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We busted out the cake decorating goodies to try our hands at decorating a cake. Abby loved it--as you can see. The sticks protruding from the cake are glow in the dark bracelets. They added a *special* flare to the cake. Tonight at my decorating class, I will decorate another cake; this one will end up being my birthday cake for tomorrow (Wednesday) night.

September 20, 2007

Hanging on by a thread...


Abby's quilt (in progress)
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
This is the top of Abby's quilt, which has been my latest sewing project. I still need to back it, quilt it, and bind it. The pillow, however, is done. Abbs seems to like it, and I am excited to see it come to fruition after staring at piles of tiny scraps on my sewing desk (in the corner of the livingroom) and wishing I could put more than a 10 minute dent in it at a time. One thing I have discovered: The G needs a room of her own. I dream of a room with wall to wall craft stations...sewing, scrabooking, painting. I want to try my hand at pottery, but that can't be done around the fabric! I can hear my future-self now: Noah, step away from the fabric. You have the right to remain muddy, but not in my craft room! I want to try sewing something with a pattern (like a skirt or apron) next. We will see if I find time for that.

I am taking a cake decorating class. I'll share pics of my cullinary handiwork soon--good, bad or ugly.

go VOLS!


go VOLS!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Well, the Vols didn't beat Florida, but Noah was so cute in his t-shirt that we were consoled. He seems to like watching football.

first bites of rice cereal


first bites of rice cereal
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby fed Noah his first bites; he was thankful. I think his cereal smells like seaweed--Matthew got him the DHA stuff (from algae oil). He seems to like it! Maybe he will be a sushi lover.

September 7, 2007

So Close, but So Far Away

I think things often seem simultaneously so close and so far away. The exhilaration and frustration of ALMOST is what many of us secretly seek; sometimes ALMOST is just another way to describe the reality of not being in control.

I've been "off-line" for a while as I wait for Apple to replace my computer, which hit the magic number (4) of break-downs. Apple has replaced the logic board thrice, and now my little silver friend has been shipped off for the scrap pile. I feel like I just sentenced R2-D2 or C-3PO to machine purgatory, or worse! And now I wait...and check the FedEx tracking number...again....again...and I watch as my new computer leaves Shanghai, passes through Alaska, Indianapolis. They tell me it will be Tuesday before it arrives. Baaa.

I miss my old, unreliable mac.

Another ALMOST: We live just an hour from Berkeley. For years M and I have known that the Tennessee VOLS would play the Cal Bears in Berkeley in September of 2007 (I'm talking about football, people). We did not know, however, that we would have an infant by the time the game rolled around and that said infant would not be much of a bottle-taker, making the babysitting option not an option. Alas, the game ensued with us watching from Davis and not "re-living" our first date (M took me to a VOLS game in Knoxville some eight years ago). That said, we're sure glad we have Noah Bean. Oh yeah, and the VOLS lost, so we would have had a long, bummerish ride home from Berkeley anyway.

other ALMOSTS? We ALMOST got 3 hours of sleep the night before last (fussy baby).
I've ALMOST started exercising again. And studying again. And cleaning the house again; wait, I didn't do that much before...ha!

And you, yes you, reading this blog post, don't ALMOST call me and say hi. Do it! Write me a snail mail letter! If that's not enticing enough, write Abby a letter; that kid LOVES to get mail. She checks the mail box every day (and usually complains about not having anything in the mail). Even better, send her a new chapter book or a (non-lead-tainted) toy!

Alright, I'm about to have ALMOST had time for a latte before Noah wakes up!
See ya!

August 29, 2007

planning her party...

Abby will turn 6 years old this January (16th). Up until now, the rush of the holidays (plus Matthew's birthday falling on Dec. 21st) has left me bedraggled by the time it comes to a kiddo party. Abby has had celebrations, but nothing really well planned or anticipated. This year, she has asked for a "Ratatouille" party--a chef party with a Parisian-restaurant setting, inspired by the new Pixar film. Now, I'd LOVE to celebrate her birthday in Paris; heck, I'd let her rent real rats if it meant going to Paris, but we're going to attempt to transform our humble apartment in Davis into a chic Parisian and save a few thousand dollars.

So far we're set on letting her friends decorate their own cupcakes with real decorating gear. We're going to have chef hats, etc. I've been searching for an Eiffel tower lamp or something, but no dice so far. I know I have a few readers out there, so PLEASE write in with your brilliant ideas about cool ways to make the party tres tres chic and not just kitch. Merci beaucoup, mes amis!

August 28, 2007

little momma


little momma
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby is AWESOME with Noah. She gets tired of him from time to time, but she enjoys him too. Abby is excited about her similarities to mom and dad: she now has homework, like us; she goes to school, like us; she can eat burgers, shrimp, thai food, and dessert, like us. But Noah can't--he's "just a baby." I feel a real kinship with Abby, a friendship and a closeness. This pales when she is whiney or grumpy, but then I'm sure I'm much less pleasant when I'm whiney and grumpy too.

self-portrait


self-portrait
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Not much time to write at the moment, but had to post a couple of pics. This one needs a happy John Denver song playing in the background...Sunshine, on my shoulders makes me happy...

August 27, 2007

growing boy

Noah weighs 13.9 pounds! He is in the 35th percentile (or so) for weight and 60th for height. He is as healthy as can be and doing everything he is supposed to for his age (even without subtracting the extra four weeks!). The shots caused a fever for a day and a half, but all's well now. More pics to come soon.

August 22, 2007

fish face


fish face
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
M always did this to Abby's face when she was an infant. Actually, he still does it; there's just not as much to squish.

Matthew just told me that Noah said "Elmo" earlier today. Noah talks a ton to Matthew--not so much to me. Me, he bites. And we're talking hard bites on sensitive places (if you know what I mean, nursing moms...). But then he smiles at me and I forgive him.







ABBY fish face
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Ha! I found proof. Here is M fish-facing Abby back in 2002.






I'm 4 1/2 months old!


I'm4 1/2 months old!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Little Noah likes to stand (and drool, and and pant like a puppy, and grab hair, and smile...). We think he weighs about 13.5 pounds now, but we will get the official weigh-in tomorrow at his 4-month appt. with the doc. Yes, shots come along with this appointment, so we're probably in for a couple of icky days and nights. Stay tuned for his stats...

climbing


climbing
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
A friend of Matthew's took some great pics of the Pearsons4 yesterday. Here is one of Abby climbing at a park near our apartment.

August 18, 2007

Deflated

How do you spell disappointment? Abby was invited to her friend Blake's birthday party at a place called "Pump it Up!" This is a huge bounce-house place--a veritable air and plastic heaven for 5 year olds. Well, I just got a call from Matthew and there is a power line down somewhere and NO power to run the air generators. The poor kids are sitting in a dim room at picnic tables, eating pizza and feeling truly sad about not bouncing their fool heads off. I feel like crying for Blake, for Abby, for Blake's parents. I mean, what a serious bummer--to look forward for weeks to a big bouncing party and to be met with flattened dreams. What a stunning visual--all these kids looking out at a sea of lost potential, and all they need is AIR to make the place come alive. It seems a moving image of what we are without Christ's spirit: Emptied out and incapable of serving the very function for which we were designed, needing only to be made full and able by the power which cannot be self-generated, the breath of life.

I'm praying that Pacific Gas and Electric arrives soon and "saves the day." I'm also hoping that Abby can collect herself and realize that this day is about celebrating Blake, not about bouncing. That may be asking too much of a disappointed 5 year old. SIGH.

August 15, 2007

first day of Kindergarten!


first day of Kindergarten!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Here is Abby this morning, all ready for her first day of Kindergarten. She chose her uniform last night, laid it out on her chair. This morning she wanted a braid and a bow (robin's egg blue ribbon, please), and little blue dot earrings. Oh, and we touched up her pink nail polish too... Shopping for school supplies was as fun as I remember it being. Abby brought her list and checked off the items as they went into our cart. Actually, she checked each of them about four times (multiplying that wonderful sense of completion and acquisition in a bright pink crayola marker). The "pink" eraser was a little on the reddish side for her taste, but she agreed it would do the trick. Watching her choose between glue sticks (the two pack or the three pack, hmmm.) was great. She opted for sensible yellow Ticonderoga No.2 pencils; the fancy pencils will make their way to school after she scopes out the kind of pencils other people bring. She likes fitting in, not sticking out, it would seem. She made other sensible choices, passing the candy aisle with comments about how candy isn't good for our bodies and how we can have treats from time to time but that we don't need candy (this just before we ate coldstone creamery ice cream). She mentioned to Noah that he didn't need to buy anything because he is too little for school. Noah looked at her with sleepy eyes and nodded off, giving us some space to finish our shopping. Abby chose the blue box of Kleenex, not the pink (I wonder how much of her affinity for blue is a desire to be like momma). But when it came to her new nail polish, only the pinkest of pinks would do. Watching her run to the car with her braid and blue ribbon bouncing, her eyes sparkling, and her anticipation rising, I grinned and felt a sweet sense of joy. Our little girl is really growing up. As Matty pulled away, I ducked back into the house to make my latte and post this picture. I am so thankful for Abby. What a gift she is.

blast off!


blast off!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
To infinity and beyond! Abby spontaneously made a space suit out of newspaper yesterday. She was making a scrapbook page from a Montana paper with her grandmother, Mia's, picture in it, and after cutting the picture out, she decided not to let the rest of the paper go to waste. I don't know how much tape was used in this endeavor, but it was a hoot hearing her crinkle around the house in this astronaut gear, complete with face mask. I think the meteor shower and shuttle news of late, along with an outer space episode of Reading Rainbow, have led to this sudden interest in things celestial. I personally like the blast off sounds she makes: pshhhhhhhhhhhhh...

August 3, 2007

found 'em!

I found my long-lost keys! They've been gone for at least a month, probably two or three. I think I lost them before Noah was born! They were in the front office of our apartment building, in someone's drawer. Thank goodness!

Oh yeah, and Noah is still sleeping in his crib (it's been almost an hour)! This morning we've found the keys, painted Abby's nails, begun a diaorama (a small cardboard box for Abby's Ratatouille Rat party), had a latte, started cleaning up G's desk, made the bed, blogged twice, and put the dishes into the dishwasher! And all of this while wearing a bra and DAYtime clothes! Well, Abby is in her jammies still, but that's ok.

Seriously, once you have an infant, you realize how much you can do in a short period of time if they'll just take a quick nap in the crib!

waaaaaah

Noah has begun napping in his crib. This went swimmingly well yesterday and the day before, with Noah nodding off for every nap with less than a minute's worth of protest each time. This morning he is trying a different tactic: cry HARD, sound really MAD...Why today? Well, probably because Matthew is gone for the whole day working on the car in a friend's garage and Abby is home for the last weekday before the start of Kindergarten.

I guess I'll be less "productive" today than I thought. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself as much as I feel sorry for Noah. I have to remember how quickly these days go by and how much of an opportunity I have to love and care for this little one. When I look out at the next two years, I think: We're entering the long stretch of babyhood in which we all try to understand one another's needs (and try to meet them the best we can). It seems like a long time, but I know that it is gone in the blink of an eye, and then they are borrowing your clothes, asking questions you can't answer without help (if at all), and needing new levels of independence and freedom which require that you trust the foundations they have and that you trust God to do what you never could: guide and protect their steps. Sigh.

Life is such a mixed bag! Speaking of which, I've lost my keys--if anyone finds them, let me know. There are about 7 keys plus a blue and gold VW keychain. Tennessee and St. Louis folks, don't worry--they were lost before we came out there for a visit.

WAAAAAAAHHHHHH

p.s. Noah is now asleep in his crib. It took about 3 minutes in the rocking chair and he's out. Coffee time.

July 28, 2007

Noah at 3 1/2 months


Noah at 3 1/2 months
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Isn't he so cute?!! Matthew loves the tiny fists, Abby loves the (not so tiny) nostrils, and I love the expressive eyebrows. Noah is actually asleep in his crib for the first time as I type this. We'll see how long it lasts; he's not one to be put down for long stretches!

Maynors and Pearsons 2007


Maynors and Pearsons 2007
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Here are our two growing families, back together again! We were hoping that by watching Lillian and Grayson, Noah would catch on to how to thumb suck, but it didn't happen. Noah refuses pacifiers and seems eager to catch and hold his thumb, but the moment he catches it, he flails his arms out, loses the thumb, and resumes his frustrated search.

We had a glorious time with friends and family on this trip. We're so thankful that all went well!

Four Parks and a Pearson


more cousins
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Here is Abby with the Parks girls (Matthew's cousins on his momma's side). Abby always has a blast with the girls (young women is more like it!), and this trip was better than ever. She especially enjoyed chasing after Emma! Hannah and Leah gave her gorgeous henna tattoos and all four of the girls showered her with love and affection. We look forward to our next reunion.

Noah's baptism


Noah's baptism
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Noah was baptized (or "bapditized" as Abby puts it) on July 8th, right before the Pearsons 4 set out for our visit back East. I'll post pics.

June 28, 2007

sweet smiles!


sweet smiles!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
See, he really is smiling at us! Noah's smiles look so much like Abby's :) He has sparkly brown eyes, like his daddy; chipmunk cheeks, like his mommy; and he is getting Yoda ears, like his Uncle Adam. Isn't he fetching? We think he is as handsome as can be.

first quilt!


first quilt!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
I am learning how to sew quilts! It is an involved process, to be sure. But it suits my personality. I enjoy spending time and energy on making something that someone will (hopefully) want to keep and that will communicate that I love them. Quilts are better than cards because they are also practical, but they take a LOT longer to make! They are an excellent alternative to writing one's dissertation...

I'm taking a mental break at the moment, but I plan to return to academic thinking after our trip back East. Quilting may be the quiet hobby that keeps me sane as I write and study.

folding factory


folding factory
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby folded ALL of the clothes you see here! She can be a big help, especially if "the job's a game" (as Mary Poppins puts it). Yay for helpers around the house!

June 23, 2007

mommy and baby


mommy and baby
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Noah is my sweet little prince. I just love having a boy!

Noah 6/23


Noah 6/23
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
He looks JUST like his sister (except for the "bull nose" round nostrils and the turning-brown eyes). Noah has just started to give us real smiles! They are so precious (and they make up for the night-time wail fests that happen from time to time).

First swim of the summer


happiness
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We got a summer pass to the local pool. Noah and I lounged in the shade (he lounged, I bounced and patted) while M and A went down the big slide and played in the mushroom waterfall.

June 18, 2007

new dress


new dress
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Here is one little dress that Pam helped me put together! I am learning how to sew a "french seam," so this smocked fabric was perfect to start out with. We're loving this!

The other day in a fabric store, Abby was telling me how much she would like to learn to sew. Having just watched an episode of a fashion show on television (and being a big fan of "Project Runway"--a show about fashion design), I began imagining my daughter as a top designer. Just as I was thinking "She could be the next Vera Wang!":
G: you could even design your own clothes!
A: Yeah! And I could sew clothes for the orphans and give them to them!
It was a stunning dichotomy of images, and I looked at her and teared up. What a lovely thought. Then I began thinking about how she could clothe tons of orphans by selling just one designer gown, but I didn't say that out loud. I like the way she thinks and the tenderness she has in her heart for the orphans of the world. If she spent the rest of her life sewing scraps together for kiddos without parents, I would be the proudest momma in the whole world.

June 17, 2007

Happy Father's Day


handsome daddy
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Look at this pro. Matty is an awesome dad; he is so capable and so loving. I'm more in love with him the more I get to watch him parent our children! This father's day we get to celebrate having two kiddos and seven years of marriage. This year has been the best yet, without question. So, happy father's day, Matty! The same to all of the dads out there :) And Happy 7th anniversary, baby; I hope we get to celebrate at least another 60 of these before we go home. I love you.

sew much fun!


sew much fun!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
My friends Pam and Charlie gave me a sewing machine for Christmas, and Pam is giving me sewing lessons!! I'm sure the seamstresses out there think that sewing a straight stitch is not daunting, but I have always wanted to sew and have always been afraid that it was too hard for me to learn. Well, I made a tiny quilt for Abby's groovy girl dolls yesterday! Abby is a big helper (she is practicing ripping hems in this pic). She likes to put her foot on the pedal and make the machine whir. If her driving speed is anything like her sewing speed, we will make her wear a helmet and visit the track. Pam and I are going to finish a baby quilt for Noah, and I am putting the finishing touches on a couple of sun dresses that we made yesterday. This is so much FUN! I hope that I'll improve with practice.

June 14, 2007

2 months and growing

Noah had his 2 month check-up yesterday. All is well. He now weighs 10 lb. 8.5 oz., which puts him in the 15th percentile, but when age corrected (i.e. pretend he is only one month old, like he "should" be), he is at the 50th percentile! He is 22 inches long now (up from 17 3/4 inches at birth). Noah has been doing some major growing!

He did get four shots (two nurses with two shots each). He has been uncomfortable since. He has a low grade fever, keeps throwing up his medicine, has very little appetite, and is just a pitiful sight with his sad eyes. He seems to be asking: "Momma, daddy, why do I feel so yuckie? Can't you make it all better?" So sad.

M and I are pretty tired. Conan (late night TV talk show host) was making less sense to me than usual last night in my delirium. I felt like my eyes were crossing or not focusing properly this morning as I made coffee. I'd make a terrible truck driver--I need lots of sleep, and I get loopy when I go long stretches with interrupted sleeps. Matthew too--just two nights ago he walked into the kids' room and ran into the crib in his sleep! (That used to be our room, so it makes sense that he was heading that way). He also talks in his sleep and swats his arms around if he is super tired...maybe this is where Noah gets his tendency to wake himself up by bapping himself in the face with his arms!

All in all, we're fine. In a day or two, Noah will be feeling much better.

June 4, 2007

floor d'oeuvre, take 2

A long while back I wrote about Abby eating an old chicken nugget from the floor. Well, she has topped that. I got a call from her school this afternoon:"You might want to come pick Abby up and call her doctor; she swallowed a staple." Apparently she found a staple on the ground during her nap (I think this is a great reason to not have naps anymore), bent the arms of it a bit and "somehow" the staple jumped down her throat. I can't get the clearest idea from Abby of how this happened, but I am pretty sure that it didn't go down her wind pipe--that would be cause for alarm, but she shows no signs of irritation in her chest; no coughing, no trouble breathing, no spitting up blood, etc. Her doc said to give her cheese pizza, which would hopefully surround the staple in her tummy and make it easy to pass. I'm hoping that she learns an important lesson from this! NO MORE non-food items in the mouth unless the item is a musical instrument or a toothbrush. Watch, the kid will gag on grass and insist that grass-buzzing counts as making music.

May 29, 2007

hairapy


hairapy
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
no milk for G...no lattes, no honey bunches of oats. My hair cut makes me feel a little better. :)

tea and sympathy

So Noah may be lactose sensitive/intolerant... we're trying to make some changes to see if this is the case. But wait!!!! This means G has to cut out lattes. NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! This morning I tried a "soy" latte, and it was "soy" gross that I only drank half of it. I'm switching to tea for a few days, only because I love Noah more than life itself (and milk lattes too).

May 27, 2007

milestones


3 of 4
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Noah is seven weeks old and this is the first picture we've managed to get of him with mom and dad! Abby was dressed as tinker bell at the time this was taken, so we went for just the three of us. Check out the flikr link (just click on this picture) to see some new pics of the kiddos.

We have a big milestone to report for Abby: she got her ears pierced!!! She has been talking about doing this for years. She has chickened out at the store a few times, but this weekend was different and more spontaneous. She is so cute with her pink sparkle flowers... She is most excited to graduate to her turtle earrings.

As for Noah, he went to church for the first time since being in-utero. He did very well, but we were cringing at the potency of his gas. My goodness, these things were foul. Noah is a people-magnet, but beware getting too close! Is it because he eats formula sometimes? I do not remember Abby being nearly so stinky. I think I would remember. Is it a boy thing?

May 24, 2007

nap


nap
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
"He's cute and he's stinky and he grunts a lot and he likes to eat." That is Matthew's report on Noah. Noah has been enjoying showers with daddy and naps outside on the patio glider. Not much more to report--he is pretty much just being a baby!

A few of her favorite things

Watching Abby decide what to bring to school for show and tell is always enlightening. Her interests are diverse, and she can be downright passionate about things that she cares about. This week she is bringing her singing, light up, glitter-tail mermaid doll and her bug collection.

One day last week I heard her rummaging through the tupperware drawer (not a typical activity for Abby). I asked her what she was doing...
A: I need a home for my rollie pollie (how does one spell that anyway?). Can I poke holes in this lid?
G: Why don't we use foil for the top?

So the rollie pollie had a home, but apparently needed exercise. They don't make leashes small enough, so bug took a ride on Abby's hand and was retrieved several times from the floor after harrowing falls. UNTIL said bug fell onto the turkish rug and blended in (or rolled under the couch?) and was lost forever. Not being a big fan of bugs in the house, I went on a search for a more suitable bug-collecting kit and found one in town the next day. The gift of a 5-compartment plastic bug kit, complete with tweezers for spookier specimens and a small magnifying glass, was a hit. It also required a bug hunting expedition, which I went on with just a little trepidation. Abby collected a very large (and dead) black bumble bee, a cricket, six small beetles and two rollie pollies. There was a valiant attempt by daddy to nab a spider, and Abby and I spied a sneaky baby praying mantis, but couldn't catch her. So, the bugs are on display today at school, along with the singing mermaid--a strange but appropriately Abby-esque combination.

tee hee

Standing in Abby's room as she and I tidy up...

A: Momma, do you know where my skirt drawer is?
G: Yes, of course I do.
A: Do you know where my shirt drawer is?
G: Yes.
A: Do you know where my other shirt drawer is?
G: Yes.
A: Why doesn't daddy know these things?

May 18, 2007

mmm...yummy

In an attempt to have some idea of what and how much I am eating each day, I decided to write down my intake. But lunch did not turn out as expected.

Breakfast:
Honey Bunches of oats with milk
Latte

Lunch:
1 slice provolone
5 slices deli turkey
4 bites grilled salmon
1 bowl snap peas...scratch that...1/6 bowl snap peas and one gross tasting caterpillar
3 after dinner mints

I can't believe I chewed up a boiled caterpillar. It tasted like what I imagine Noah's poop might taste like. Blech. I did spit it out, but seeing the little bugger didn't help things.

May 17, 2007

happy babies


happy babies
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
how could I not blog this pic? As irresistible as Noah is here, he sure gave us a run for our money last night. He was up from midnight until 4 a.m.! The stinker is firmly convinced that night time is the best time to be awake. Any suggestions from experienced parents? Please??

May 12, 2007

SHOUT OUT


big yawn
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Here's a "shout out" to all the mommas out there: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! With love from the Pearsons 4

he's advanced


advanced
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Hardly a month old (and only "full term" for several days) and he's holding his own bottle. This is more indicative of the kid's voracious appetite than his coordination! Don't come between Noah and his food! He takes after mommy with her lattes.

Noah's favorite spot



Noah loves to snuggle on Matty's chest; we get our best stretch of sleep at night when Noah is either on m's chest or in his armpit. Last week at the doc's office we found out that Noah weighs 7.4 pounds now!! At this rate, he wont fit on M's chest for much longer, so we're enjoying it while it lasts. With no shirt on Matthew, this snuggle is called the "warm fuzzy."