December 22, 2008

my husband is 32 today, and as subtle as ever (see below)


poop!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Yes, those of you who know Matthew know that he is clever and has a great sense of humor. Well, I'm glad he does, because I get to experience moments like these. I walked into the livingroom today to Abby's giggles and Matthew's instructions to Noah: "Go show mommy. Go find mommy and turn around. Go on. Go get her!" Look closely at the picture. The sign should have been more of a warning sign, but it communicated truthfully enough.

Matty, Happy Birthday! I don't know anyone else who would sharpie their kid for a laugh, but I am so glad you are just the way you are. OK, so maybe there is a teeny tiny room for improvement--God isn't totally finished yet--but, really, you are an awesome guy. You are becoming the finest man I could hope to know, and you are a model dad to your little ones. 32 years isn't very long, and to think you are as terrific as you are already! I love you, baby. Happy happy birthday!

December 14, 2008

The most wonderful time of the year

We've been quite busy around here! Matty and I are nearly done with the quarter's grading work, and we're trying to get Christmas gifts taken care of as well as putting together the last bits of M's job interview wardrobe. We're having fun!

Hanging out with daddy on the weekends.

December morning
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Picking out our Christmas tree (Abbs picked the cutest tree, just her height!)

December morning
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Being visited by dear friends from seminary--all the way from their home in Brazil!! This was the first time we had met the Pires' children, Mila and Pedro! Luciene and Luciano met Abby when she was born (in St. Louis) and hadn't seen her since was about a year old! What a huge delight to see all of them! I didn't know if we would ever see each other again this side of heaven!

December morning
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Mom sent Noah this car (and gas pump). He LOVES it. He sits in it and drives around the house. Whenever he watches a show, he sits in the car, drive-in style.

December morning
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



This is my favorite new development of the week! Abby is learning to sew with the grown-up sewing machine!! She designed this headband/belt ON HER OWN!!!!!!! No joke. She took a pile of scraps I gave her and cut, pinned, and coordinated pieces until she had the look she wanted. I helped her with the steps to make a bow tie to finish things off, but she had a hand in every step. She threaded the machine, worked the pedal, the presser foot, the thread cutter, all of it! I am SO SO proud of my girl! When it was all done, she exclaimed: "I made my first piece of clothing!" The pride and wonder at her accomplishment was beautiful. What's more, seeing something made of her own whimsical, creative ideas makes us truly delighted and proud of her. Abby, you are inspiring! (see our other photos for more pics!)

December morning
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Snuggling in the morning. The kiddos continue to love on each other, snuggling and laughing a lot.

December morning
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Noah's morning antics today: he's decided to be naked. We can't keep jammies or a onesie on him. He will wear only socks and his diaper. Good thing we have heat.

OK, that's the update! I'll check back in soon!

December 3, 2008

Matty&G


Matty&G
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
I needed no better excuse to take a few pics of Matty and me than Matty was looking extra cute today as he rode to campus for a mock interview with professors. The job market season is revving up! I hadn't expected the added bonus of a dapper Matty running around the house all the time!

We had a great time visiting my family in San Diego this Thanksgiving. I'll post pics soon, but highlights included (according to Abby and Noah): lab puppies to hold, sit-in cars to ride around in, M&Ms at Mimi's house (LOTS of M&M's!) to eat, snuggles to share, and play time with cousins ti enjoy. It was fun to see Noah bonding with my mom and grandma. He already took to my sister, probably because we look so much alike now (minus her blonde hair, of course)!

Anywho. Things are good. We have so much to be thankful for, and life feels very sweet these days for our little family. Just thought I'd share...

November 23, 2008

big plans

I handed Abby a magazine of cute painting projects for kids rooms. She made several gasps at lavender, blue, and green rooms, then said:

A: Oh, momma, look at this pink room! When we move can I have my own room?!!?
G: That's what we're hoping for.
A: I have my room, Noah has his room, and it's up to you guys if you want to sleep together.

Yes, I think Matty and I will still share a room...however, we might graduate to a king-sized bed to accommodate the morning dog pile of kids.

November 22, 2008

"Enjoy the fun of Failure"

I read that quote recently in an article on happiness. Now, I think I am a pretty happy person--I love my husband, my kids, and my family and friends; I enjoy lots of worthwhile time with friends (both in person and via the trusty cell phone), and I have so much comfort to be thankful for. I am learning a lot lately about what makes me not just happy, but contented. This has been a long life lesson to learn, in great part due to my desire to please others and to avoid failure at any cost!! If I perceive that I wont be good at something, I just wont try it. Seriously, I remember dreading having to learn foreign languages and to do advanced music theory in college, so much so that those fears played in to my decision to leave an outstanding music program in which I was doing very well. I mean, I had A's in every subject, but I was worried that at some point it would become so hard that I might, GULP, get a B! Or, worse, I'd finally audition for a symphony and I'd be rejected. I feared disappointing my parents and my professors. I left a place and people I cared deeply for--out of fear. Well, fast forward ten years (or more, actually) and I now love speaking broken German, mixed with some french, while making morning coffee or asking Matthew a question I don't want Abby to understand ;) And, for what it is worth, I've made it to the dissertation writing phase of a PhD. But is that what makes me MOST happy? Really, the things that make me most happy are those things that come with a lot of failure! And failure I can't avoid, because I'm a human being who makes mistakes! I've begun to accept that I fail, but it never occurred to me to ENJOY the FUN of failure! Is failure EVER fun? Well, yes. I think it can be!

So what does enjoying the FUN of failure look like to me? I guess it looks like this:

Teg
Originally uploaded by gennabby.


Maybe this isn't "failure." It is the product of an attempt to do something special for a very special little girl, whom I love. I've never painted with watercolors before, and I've never done a portrait before. But the thought came to me that I wanted to TRY marking Teg's birthday with something more intentional than a toy. My dear friend, Bronwyn, is now the momma of a one year old. I was there minutes before and minutes after this delightful, gorgeous, most precious baby girl was born-- I left for the good part, but really the birth of one's first child is something to be enjoyed privately between a hubby and its "wif", right? Right. I didn't even stand by the door. I went down the hall and paced, watched some lame sitcom, called Matthew on the cell phone 3 times, paced , looked down the hall, smiled, teared up, picked my nails out of nervousness, then started creeping back toward the door, trying to not make eye contact with anyone who would shoo me back to the waiting room. And then Jeremy burst though the door and said I could come back!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness. What a sight to behold: a brand new TEGWYN ELLA!

So, thanks Teg. Because of you I've learned that I like to paint with watercolors, but much more, I love to study a face and enjoy the fun of knowing a person better and appreciating her more for having tried to faithfully render her on paper. It was fun to try. It was FUN to feel like if I botched it horribly, (and maybe some of you think I did--and that's OK with me!), it would be fine! And really, if Teg's parents don't put this up on their wall, that's fine too! I made it with love and with the intention of saying without words "how wonderful life is now you're in the world" sweet Teg. How COOL to learn life lessons from a one year old.

November 18, 2008

19 months old...and making us laugh harder than ever

Just a little snippet of Noah's zaniness. We laugh a ton around here. You'll see why. Seriously, nobody has to teach Noah these things--they come naturally.

November 14, 2008

we're doing much better

kids and I are all healed. Matty got an ear infection, but antibiotics are helping him fight that. We think he will back to 100% soon.

So, I'm better enough to answer some questions after being "tagged" by Emily in Knoxville on her blog...

7 Things I Plan To Do Before I Die. .

this is a hard question. I mean, I've been so busy planning what's for dinner, I hardly know what to write.
1. love love love my family
2. travel out of the US
3. discover new hobbies (and get better at my current ones)
4. have grandkids!
5. maybe adopt a kid. (definitely adopt a cat, and a dog too--if Noah begs)
6. build or renovate or just decorate a very cool home!
7.grow old with Matty

7 Things I Do Now. . .
1. love love love my family
2. cook
3. clean (even if it doesn't seem like it!)
4. play with the kids
5. talk on the phone
6. talk with matty
7. teach and grade

7 Things I Can’t Do. . .
1. find time to sew
2. keep my floor clean
3. run a half-marathon
4. consistently wake up early enough in the morning to have personal time
5. always make it "all better"
6. run regressions
7. finish my dissertation tomorrow

7 Things That Attract Me To The Opposite Sex. . .
these are not all necessarily aspects of maleness, but when they are traits a man has, they are especially attractive. I should know, I am married to Matthew, after all.

1. faithfulness
2. patience
3. a sense of humor
4. tenderness toward children
5. calm in the midst of a storm (of any kind)
6. perspective! (in the midst of those storms)
7. humility and willingness to talk and listen

oh, and it doesn't hurt to be super handsome! :)


7 Things That I Say Most Often. . .
1. I love you
2. Oh, Bean!
3. Dude, why did you do that?
4. I'm tired (or, I need a nap)
5. I need a hug.
6. see a bus?
7. want some coffee?

7 Celebrities That I Most Admire. . .
I don't know. I defer to Matthew's pop culture knowledge--I just don't follow these things closely enough to know how to answer this question.

7 Favorite Foods. . .
these are not in order.
1. does coffee count? I love lattes and a properly brewed cup of coffee.
2. fruit: cherries, strawberries, nectarines
3 . beignets
4. tart frozen yogurt
5. delicious salad
6. BBQ
7. meatloaf! I just made an awesome meatloaf (from an America's Test Kitchen recipe). It's DELICIOUS.

close runners-up: salmon, ted drewes frozen custard, indian food, thai food, french food, pretty much anything Matthew makes!!, Melanie's crawfish pie.

Bloggers Who Need To Do This. . .
Melanie
Bronwyn
Lisa

November 11, 2008

tummy bug


lumpy aberdeen
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

lumpy noah
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Poor little kiddos (and poor me and poor Matty) have been fighting a tummy bug. We're getting through it, but blogging hasn't been high on the list of things to do.

I'll check back in when we're feeling a bit better!

November 4, 2008

couldn't have been easier

We voted this morning at 7:15. After our less-than-two-minute walk to our polling place, we walked in, signed our names, and went straight to a polling booth--no wait. M had Noah and I had Abby. On our way across the street to Starbucks (for our free coffee), M said: "Voting couldn't have been easier unless they knocked on my door and offered to write in my vote for me."

It is fun to watch the news and be glad we're not in a 12-hour line right now.
Go vote! (easy for me to say, I know!)

November 2, 2008

Peter Pan, Tink, and Wendy


Peter Pan, Tink, and Wendy
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Hook was behind the camera...

We had a fun time loading up on candy. Abby raked in 40 pieces! When asked tonight how many she has eaten, she answered (truthfully) "one." She gave some away, and the rest are on top of the fridge. I must say, however, that she has had a handful of the Reeses pb cups we bought to give out. We only had 3 kids come by, so we have some leftovers.

The funniest part of trick-or-treating this year was the many foreign students we met who either had no idea what was going on--why are kids knocking on my door and looking at me expectantly? Some people looked afraid, and some looked out their windows with wide eyes and then ducked away from the blinds-- or they apologized profusely for "not being prepared" (that was my favorite response), or, best yet, ran back into their apartments to fetch food from their cupboards! Abby and her friends (Abbey and Katie) got bags of cookies, ice cream sandwiches, and even a diet coke! We tried hard to refuse these items, but the people insisted on giving the kids something to take with them. Abby and Abbey were asked for their picture, this year by a man from Africa (each year they get asked for pictures by families from China and Japan). They were filmed by asian guys (who were filming their friend give out candy), and they were sent off with sweet wishes from a group of lovely indian women in pretty clothes.

It really is a strange practice, running around and asking for candy while threatening to cause mischief if denied... Oh well. It's over for the year, and we are reminded of why our lines are never long at our polling place on election day: we live in a community with lots of folks from other countries! It is really cool.

October 24, 2008

Santa Cruz!


Santa Cruz boat ride with Abby
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
In the midst of putting together job applications, we accepted the offer from friends to go to Santa Cruz with them for the weekend. It was fun to get away from the intensity of things at home for a couple of days. We had a wonderful time!

Things are going really well at home; we're somehow getting work done despite the ramped up pressure. The kids are great. Abbs has a play date today with her school buddy, Benjamin. This has been the highlight of her week so far. Then Noah: he came up with two new words last night when we were all out on a walk! He now says "truck" and "chocolate" in addition to his standbys: bus, outs (outside), eggs, cheese, juice, book, mama, dada, and abba.

October 14, 2008

serious bug-ness

Abby was transferring her dead black bumble bee, her dragonfly, and a newly found dead yellow bee into a bowl so that I could have the pleasure of washing the bug collection container. I overheard her trying to keep her brother away from the bees, and then this:

A: This is very serious bug-ness, Noah.

Abby is begging for a microscope so that she can look at the different types of wings more closely. I love this age of discovery! On our walk to the mailbox, just ten minutes ago, Abby gasped at a spider web she spied--but not for fear! Rather, she exclaimed: "It's an orb web! It must be an orb web. I see a fly caught in it, and maybe another insect!" She then told me that tarantulas found in California are not poisonous, at which the hairs on my head started raising and making my head itch.

October 7, 2008

when does the 24-hour flu = a break?

I'll tell ya when! Yesterday I had a flu bug, much like the one M came home with last week. Flashback to Thursday: M looked awful and pitiful as he stumbled off his bike and into the house. Abby took Noah for a stroller ride so I could tend Matty and get him as comfortable as possible. We were glad to have "phenigren" (sp?), an anti-nausea medication, in the house. It helped him a ton, and ibuprofen, a hot rice pack and rest also helped. He recovered well and I am happy to say that despite that bout with the flu and a hard drive failure on his computer, he did finish his job market paper. Now he just has one more round of tidying up to do on that and he is ready to put job application packets together!

I was feeling very pleased with myself for holding down the fort with the kids, until yesterday morning when I woke up feeling very nauseated and dizzy. I managed to survive an 8:00 Noah drop off at his day care, an 8:15 appt. with the dermatologist (my first routine check up for little moles, etc. I figured I'm getting old enough to have a baseline check of that sort of thing), 11:00 office hours for my students, a TWO HOUR class period I taught on early modern poetry, and a 2:00 pick up of Noah. I almost didn't make it home. Matthew came home right away and took Noah for me. And here is where the flu gave me a break. I rested for the rest of the day. Matthew even got my favorite thai chicken soup (tom ka gai) for dinner. After sleeping through the night (I think) and resting during Noah's nap today, I think I'm on the mend. I still feel cruddy and super tired, but I can tell I'm better than I was yesterday. Phew. It' not the ideal way to get a break, but I am sure glad that Matty was able to take good care of me. How in the world people take care of kids without help when they are sick is beyond me.

October 5, 2008

Sunday morning at the park


across the bridge
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
While Matthew gives it his best effort to finish a full draft of his paper by the end of the day today, the kiddos and I are doing our best to enjoy a gorgeous day! We biked to a terrific park nearby and played on the huge play structures. Having Abby with us is AWESOME. She runs after Noah, takes him down slides, chases him, entices him to follow her, stands guard at the perilous ladder entry points, and generally makes the whole experience delightful with her adorable giggles and smiles. I would have bruised knees and elbows from all of the crawling and climbing and sliding required to keep Noah safe in the tunnels, down the slides, and up the stairs; but Abby's limber, 6 year old body is meant to fit into these spaces!

We've had another fun weekend of Saturday night football gaming, then Sunday morning breakfasting and playing. We're all looking forward to getting this stage of paper writing and application sending over with so that Matty can be with us on the weekends again; we miss him. The waiting game part of the job market experience seems a little easier than this--but maybe that's just because we're in this moment and not that one. Who knows. We're proud of the efforts we're all making during a time that could easily turn into a grouch-fest if we weren't all doing our best to be mutually supportive. Sometimes the best times are not the "easiest" times; in fact, I think the best times may require a costly level of intentionality and sacrifice, which pays back more than you expect it to in the end.

OK. I need to get something done while Noah is asleep! Cheers.

October 2, 2008

who took the cookie from the cookie jar?

A sincere Matty confession regarding the rapid rate at which Noah's snacks and food seem to disappear:

"I ate all the baby food. I was hungry, he was just sitting in my lap and didn't want it, so I just ate it."

He's not kidding. Matthew LOVES YoBaby yogurt and little "holy" (whole wheat) bunnies and graham sticks.

September 30, 2008

The Best Laid Plans

So this is job market year for Matty. I thought some of you might like to know what the schedule looks like for us, so here it is:

Oct 1 (tomorrow!!):
The big list of job openings is posted for all major economics departments in the US (and some abroad too). Matty will spend some time carefully looking through tons of listings to see where he might be a good fit. This is the fun part! We get to look at the university websites, departmental sites, housing markets, etc. We talk about lifestyles in different cities, with different climates and opportunities. Who lives close by? What would our life be like? That kind of stuff. It's a dreamy stage of the process, filled with lots of potential. Other than that, Matthew works to polish his paper and his presentation and interview stuff.

Nov.1-15: Job applications are due! We will send out 100-120 applications. This narrows the field a great deal, especially if Matthew "signals" to any schools--a process by which a candidate sends a STRONG signal (each candidate gets ONLY 2 signaling opportunities) to a school that if given the offer, he would almost certainly take the job!

November-December: Matthew will get calls from the schools that are interested in interviewing him at the annual "ASSA" meetings in Jan. This will narrow the field even more. Matty may get 12 interviews or so (we're guessing based on the experiences of similarly-qualified friends who have gone through this process).

Jan 3-5 (in San Francisco): ASSA meetings/ face to face interviews with the schools interested in Matthew. Talk about pressure! I think this is the stage at which Matthew will distinguish himself as an outstanding candidate. He is affable, interesting, attractive, quick on his feet, a good teacher, and he knows his stuff. After these interviews comes the waiting for phone calls for fly-outs...

Jan-Feb (maybe even March):"Fly-outs" The second major round of interviews happens at the hiring school's campus. They will fly Matthew out for 2-3 days so that they can see him present to professors and students, hold more interviews, do meet and greets with the department, etc. This is the major decision moment for most schools. It is possible that Matthew will leave a fly out with a strong sense of the department's intentions of hiring him or not. These will be important trips, especially because Matthew will likely be feeling out cities for all of us! We may move to a place that the rest of us have never seen, so Matty will have his feelers out for lots of elements: is it a good fit for all 4 of us? But really, we may not have a huge say in the matter. We will be happy to GET a job in such a competitive market. My friend, Paige, said that the job market begins with this wide open range of possibilities. You start out being picky, but then you end up just hoping that ANYBODY will hire you! She said it is a real "beggars can't be choosers" kind of experience. We're trying to keep that in mind!

March-April:Decision time. Matthew will hopefully have 1-3 offers on the table and can negotiate the best deal possible with the best fitting department for him and situation for us. We should know where we're going by April 15th, or so.

May-June 30th:Finishing the dissertation, Graduation (for Matty), Packing up, and Moving. We have to move out of our apartment by June 30th, 2009. I plan to keep working on my dissertation this year and next year (or until it is done), and can work from abroad at this point. Matthew will be done with his work here and will graduate :) It is possible that these months will include buying a home. That depends on lots of factors and isn't a top priority, necessarily. But it is something we hope to do when, or soon after, we move.

So, that is the plan. We're excited, a little intimidated, but mostly just taking it day by day and being glad that we are so well provided for. Who knows what kinds of monkey wrenches (good or bad) could get thrown in to these plans? All we know for sure is that "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Planning is good. It is a prudent and exciting thing to do, and it is an adventure. But we're trying to do it with open minds to the unexpected.

I'll keep you posted!

morning comes early

We were all up at 6 am today. Sitting on Abby's floor, I yawned and said...

G: "Boy, I'm tired!"
A: How tired?
G: I don't know, really tired.
A: Tired as a newborn flea?

Now, how does one answer that?

September 26, 2008

a sweet morning


surprise cake!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
9:00 this morning, and Matty was packed for his economics conference, Abby was at school, and Noah was eating crayons on the floor. A knock on the door: Bronwyn was standing there with this lovely cake, candles lit! What a precious friend! Since my hubby has to miss my b-day, Bron has stepped in and planned an awesome thai dinner, and (I know now) a morning surprise. Thanks, friend!

So, 31, here I come. Or, here I am, I guess. Wooohoooo!

September 19, 2008

my magical broom


enchanted_l
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Well, you know it's bad when a visiting friend, after walking on your floor, puts her shoes back on, pauses thoughtfully, then runs home to fetch her own broom with the intention of doing you a big favor.

Well, all I have to say is THANK YOU, Bronwyn! I'm in love with the "swivel sweeper" (apparently an "as seen on TV" product). This battery operated gem does what its name suggests: brushes swivel and magically sweep the bits from the floor into a little cage. No more sweep, sweep, sweeping (aka moving dirt) and bending to sweep sweep into the dustpan. This thing picks up cheerios, edamame, corn, paper, and (as Abby discovered) shoe laces. It is LIGHT as a feather, skates across the floor as if it were on ice, and reaches all the way under couches and chairs.

So I told my friend Melanie about this thing, and she now has one too. (Mine is being delivered by Bronwyn, who went to the store with her 20% off coupon to get it for me today! I think I'm spoiled!!) If I were Oprah, this would be one of this year's "favorite things," but since we make in a year about what she makes in an hour, we can't afford to send one to everyone for Christmas. We would if we could, though--especially for the moms out there and those who find the vacuum too heavy to push.

So if you happen by my window and hear me singing the "happy little working song," look for my swivel sweeper; it's sure to be in hand.

Now if only I could buy the toilet cleaning rats...

enchanted_l
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

September 15, 2008

daily life and one awesome weekend!

The weeks have been very full around here: Matthew is working diligently on his job market paper, which keeps him away at school all day (until 5:30 or so). This is a departure from our usual trading-off during the day schedule, and it means that I am at the helm at home with Noah and Abby (when she isn't in school). We're experiencing what most people consider a normal schedule, but for us it is pretty different. I'm getting school work done during Noah's naps and will have a few more hours once he starts a 2-morning per week schedule in daycare. Other than that, Noah is my sidekick for lots of errands and tasks--like laundry at the laundry building (a serious feat, considering I'm hauling a wagon balanced with 3 loads at a time in one hand, and Noah in his stroller in the other. Then there's that awkward, heavy, swinging door (with NO STOPPER) to get the wagon and stroller through without dropping half our clothes on the concrete or locking Noah and the laundry key in the laundry room and me and the laundry out). But he seems to enjoy the action and the crazy faces I pull managing it. Dishes are not easily done with Bean awake, because he likes to climb into the dishwasher. Not safe, I know. And he has found the stove knobs, dishwasher knob and the doors to both appliances. He is also learning to open regular doors. Abby was never such a monkey as Noah is. Anyway, busy weeks make for delightful weekends of family time. Sleeping in a tiny bit, coffee together, more elaborate breakfasts and time with all four of us... This weekend was a blast, and most of it was spur of the minute:

We started out with Saturday morning at the Farmer's market. Noah took his first ride on the merry-go-round. I'll post a video soon, but it was lots of fun to watch him and Abby giggle and glide along.

first merry-go-round-ride
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Next we walked to the co-op grocery to sign Abby up for a 2pm cooking class--"Oodles of Noodles." On the way, we admired the Davis fire department's finest fire truck. Bean LOVED it. "Busssss! Busssss!"

fire truck!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Then we found a little garage sale, and Abby spied this crazy fish thing. The people gave it to Abby because she was so taken with it. It expands and contracts and makes a great hat. She played with this thing all day.

fish hat
Originally uploaded by gennabby.




fish face
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Right before Bean's bedtime, we were out swinging at the playground and we could hear the announcer at the first nighttime UC Davis football game in the brand new stadium. It is close to our apartment, so we decided to take a walk on over and check it out. We ended up going in, getting our free t-shirts (Abby got mine and I got Matty's). The kids LOVED it! Abby got a box of candy and we sat on the grass and watched people ram their heads together. It seems SO much more rough a sport in person! Noah clapped and stood and pointed, with his little cheerio mouth open to a tiny O. Abby cried when we had to leave; she wanted to stay for the whole game.

first live football game!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



Sunday we had french toast, fresh strawberries and yummy coffee for breakfast before Abby and I went to a thrift store to try and find some Halloween costume items. We struck out, so mint chip ice-cream (before lunch!) was in order. Then it was time for Abby to wow us with her culinary arts. She made one of the dishes she learned on Saturday during her cooking class. We had spiral noodles with sweet peas, mozzarella, kalamata olives and carrots. She was proud of herself, and all of us loved having an Abby-prepared meal.

oodles of noodles
Originally uploaded by gennabby.



So now it is Monday. Abby is at school, Noah has just gone down for his nap, and I am getting to work. Life is really really sweet for us right now. I can't even express how much we are enjoying one another and the huge blessing of good health and lots of fun opportunities.

September 12, 2008

rite of passage


toilet paper is FUN
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Noah emptied a roll of TP today. I'm not sure if every kid does this, but I think the mischief makers certainly do. He shredded away, making a billowy pile of charmin and causing himself to sneeze from TP dust. At moments like these, I often say to Noah: "Oh, Bean." And then he makes adorable, "but-I'm-just-a-curious-little-guy" faces, and I go get the camera. He has my number.

September 10, 2008

Drama


his grumpy face
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Here is a winner of a Noah face. This is what you get when Bean is grumpy: scrunched nose, poor-me eye-brows, and top teeth showing. Oh yes, he can whine. But he is remarkably cute even when he makes ridiculous faces like this one.

learning chess


learning chess
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Matthew is teaching Abby to play chess. Apparently she is catching on quite well. I still don't know how to play, so perhaps Abby will teach me some day soon. Matty was a champion chess player in school. I think he is loving this new activity with Abbs.

visit from Grandpa and Claudia


visit from Grandpa and Claudia
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We got to hang out with Grandpa and Claudia for a day and a half, as they make their way to Europe via California. Most of our time was spent swinging in the livingroom, eating yummy food, waiting for Noah to wake up from naps, and playing, talking, and sleeping...

It was a short but sweet visit.

Have a great time across seas, guys!

GAME DAY


GAME DAY
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We celebrated the TN Volunteers' first game day of the season with a BBQ. Matthew made pulled pork and beans, and we had the usual: cole slaw (Abby's fave), buns, corky's and Rendevous sauce, etc. YUM. Bronwyn, from South Africa (for those of you who don't know that) and her daughter Tegwyn sported Tennessee Orange, as did Abby, Noah, and G. Way to show your spirit, friends!! We lost to UCLA in a nail-biter of an over time period. GRRRRRRRRR. But, we play UAB this Sat. and the the FLA Gators after that. It would be SWEET to beat the gators. Matthew said he's getting too old for the stress of close games. He isn't really, but he sure does get worked up on game day.

I love having BBQ and watching a good game--especially with friends. Oh yes, and Bronwyn's Brownies with ice cream, chocolate sauce and raspberries were delightful too! Why wait for another game day for that kind of indulgence?

tooth #2!


tooth #2!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby lost another tooth! She is tenacious when it comes to getting a wiggly tooth out; once it starts to wiggle, she cannot leave it alone. Then, as most of us have experienced, when the tooth is hanging in there, but very wiggly, she can't stand the frustration of trying to eat with the tooth wobbling around. Thus, the kid keeps wiggling the tooth and finally has daddy give it a yank.

There is no shortage of drama around here. We're all hoping the teeth stay put now for a while.

September 8, 2008

learning and teaching and learning

I'm working on my syllabus for a course I start teaching in a few weeks. The reading I've done for the contemporary poetry section has been interesting, sometimes. But I just came across an unexpectedly moving poem, though it can be read both as tender or as bleak and hopeless--depending on your worldview, I suppose. Part of my reaction must be due to my stage in life: mommy to a 17 month old and a 6 1/2 year old, wife to a 31 year old, and daughter, granddaughter, friend... I love people in every stage of life, and I can identify with more of the full learning spectrum of the human person than ever before. So, this poem speaks to me.

You Begin by Margaret Atwood (1978)

You begin this way:
this is your hand,
this is your eye,
that is a fish, blue and flat
on the paper, almost
the shape of an eye.
This is your mouth, this is an O
or a moon, whichever
you like. This is yellow.

Outside the window
is the rain, green
because it is summer, and beyond that
the trees and then the world,
which is round and has only
the colors of these nine crayons.

This is the world, which is fuller
and more difficult to learn than I have said.
You are right to smudge it that way
with the red and then
the orange: the world burns.

Once you have learned these words
you will learn that there are more
words than you can ever learn.
The word hand floats above your hand
like a small cloud over a lake.
The word hand anchors
your hand to this table,
your hand is a warm stone
I hold between two words.

This is your hand, these are my hands, this is the world,
which is round but not flat and has more colors
than we can see.

It begins, it has an end,
this is what you will
come back to, this is your hand.

September 7, 2008

payback

Anyone who saw the earlier post about the soap and the dishwasher might like this...

Last night a fly was buzzing around Matthew, landing on him, bugging him. After much swatting, Matthew said:

"I need to take a shower. This fly wont leave me alone."

anatomy

A couple of funny exchanges from the last two days:
Abby's friend gave her a horse statue the other day. Matthew was looking at the rearing stallion and commented to me (with Abby close enough to hear him...)

M: Clearly it's a boy horse.
A: How do you know that?
M: (chuckling to himself) Because it's anatomically correct.
A: (Looking at the horse) Where does it say that?

He just said, "It doesn't," and then Noah distracted Abby and Matthew dropped the topic.

Then, on a walk the other evening, we saw a squirrel running in front of us. The squirrel had ridiculously large parts, which were so prominent that we were laughing.
G:There goes a boy squirrel.
A: How do you know it's a boy?
G: uh, he has a very bushy tail; I think boy squirrels have extra bushy tails.
M: (stepping in and being more truthful) Momma knows because you can see the squirrel's privates and you can tell he's a boy.
A: Oh.

And that was it! No questions asked.

September 1, 2008

The hard way


mopping
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
This is a guest-blog post from M.

Here's the scene, about 20 minutes ago.

A: (walking into the kitchen) What happened, mommy?

G: uh...

M: Mommy didn't listen to daddy.

G: Mommy put the wrong kind of soap in the dishwasher.

A: And daddy told you not to?

G: yes.

A: ...and you didn't listen to him?

G: no.

A: ...and he was right?

G: (reluctantly) yes.

Who needs to rub it in when you have little kids? (and the password to your wife's blog)

August 27, 2008

The Davis Version of a School Bus


riding to school
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
BIKES! It took us all of five minutes to ride to school. Noah got to spy a bus on the way: "Busss! Busss!" He exclaimed, while pointing.

FIRST GRADE!


FIRST GRADE!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Today is Abby's first day of first grade! She was just itching to get out the door this morning. Seriously, she woke up at 7:00 and by 7:30 was asking if it was time to go. And she kept asking every five minutes until we left! We made it to school in PLENTY of time after riding up the street about a mile to School. It looks like Abby's class will be studying BUGS to start with. She was shy and pouty when it was time for Noah and me to leave, but I think she will be over the newness in a day or two. So Noah and I are on our own. He is eating a cheese snack and drinking milk (and dumping milk in order to wipe it across his high chair tray...ah, boys...). We've got another 45 minutes to play before nap time.

It is a great joy to be able to see Abby grow up and experience new things. We're aware of how precious her life is and how special each day with her is to all of us.

August 15, 2008

Summertime is nearing an end


Farmer's Market
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We have had quite a full summer. Most days have been spent playing, swimming, hanging out, eating, and later watching olympics.

Abby is about to start 1st grade (on the 27th!) at a new school: Willett Elementary. She is very excited. I'm taking deep breaths as my little kiddo heads into elementary school. This is a big deal.

Noah is officially saying "bus" and "outside" and (occasionally) "eggs." He is pushing a little ride-along car (walking behind it) all over the house. As far as I can tell, three of four molars have broken through his gums now. It is not fun to feel for these things, though; he bites HARD if I stick my finger in his mouth for too long. He's being clingy with mommy at the moment; I can't get much of a break from the little monkey, but he is snuggly and darling almost all of the time, so I'm soaking in the love while I remain the #1 woman in his life. I know that will change down the road. Way down the road.

Matthew is feeling good about his job application. It is coming together well. I read his teaching statement the other day and was SUPER proud of him. He is an intentional and thoughtful teacher, and I kept thinking: "He is an awesome candidate. I would hire him. He's totally gonna get a great job."

And me. Well, I am still having a hard time feeling inspired to write my first dissertation chapter. I am tightening up my syllabus for this coming quarter's class and preparing to give my research more energy.

Other news: I killed a black widow today. We had at least 4 of them on our patio and had an exterminator come out to spray. Well, I was out counting dead black widows and looked down to realize I had just been standing on one in my flip flops. Problem is, when I took my foot off her, she started crawling! AAAACK! So I did her in with a broom. I hate spiders.

OK, back to watching Michael Phelps swim :) Click on the photo to see a few more pics from the last couple of weeks.

August 8, 2008

swingin'!


swingin'!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Matty rigged up these swings for the kids so that we could avoid the afternoon heat (and, from time to time, the smoky air from fires!). They have been a big hit in our place.

Summer is going by quickly. Abbs will be starting school this month, and the grown-ups are officially back in school in September. At the moment, the dining room table is covered with teaching evaluations for Matthew's 5 years of work at UC Davis. We're going through those and putting together his teaching portfolio for his job applications.

On the Noah front, Abby and I think he said "Bus" a bunch of times today! We were out and about and saw a big yellow school bus, which Noah was wild over. He kept repeating: Bssss Bssss Bssss, after we said it was a bus. What is it about huge vehicles that little boys love so much?

July 14, 2008

from sitting to standing!

We got a big surprise today! Besides being feverish for a few days and cutting some big teeth, Noah still had some energy to perform for the camera:

July 7, 2008

14 months old and eating lunch

Noah at his most monkey-ish. This is some video of the little guy eating cream cheese and drinking water. Enjoy.

July 6, 2008

keeping things fresh

So last night was lousy. I felt SO guilty and had insomnia/nightmares after feeding my daughter RAW CHICKEN. We purchased these new chicken strips from Costco yesterday. I didn't bother to look at the packaging before microwaving a strip for one minute, squirting some ketchup on a plate, and putting it on the table for Abby. A minute later she said, "momma, can you come here? Is this chicken supposed to be this color?" I walked over quickly and as soon as I looked at the plate, I gasped and said "Don't eat that!" What a stupid remark; she had already eaten a few bites. All my comment did was freak her out. She cried and I hugged her and apologized. Through sobs, she looked at Matthew and me and asked: "Was it raw?" We had to confess that it was. This made the crying worse for a while as she accurately rehearsed all of our warnings about raw chicken, contaminated countertops, proper hand washing, and the like. We know the girl pays attention to our words. Then finally I got it out of her that she was worried about getting "butt worms." No joke. I tried not to laugh as she explained that Matthew once talked about these critters being another potential hazard of raw food. Next I tried to convince her that worms would be much more likely to come form puppy poop or pond water. She calmed down a little. Matthew comforted Abby and I walked into my room to call the after hours advice nurse, who said to watch Abby for signs of food poisoning, which would surface between 8-48 hours after exposure. Well, it has been about 19 hours and no sign of any symptom at all. THANK GOD. We think she's going to be fine. Yesterday and today have been spent cooking mass quantities of fresh chicken (nothing breaded or processed): chicken curry, chicken marsala, and chicken tikka masala. These we are packing into freezer bags and storing for dinners for the next month. NO MORE NUGGETS. We are done with nuggets.

June 24, 2008

pat-a-cake


pat-a-cake
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
So far summer has been relaxed (not necessarily relaxing). The kids are getting along really well; this is mostly due to Abby being an awesome big sister and putting up with a little rug rat following her around. The slower pace is a good change for us after this past school year. Last night Abby told me that I'm nicer when I'm out of school. She's right, I'm sure. We've been together--all 4 of us-- a whole lot, which makes us all happy.

Noah's new antics: *pulling everything out of kitchen drawers (cabinets have been baby proofed at last)
*saying "Abba" "mama" and "da"
*dancing
*pushing his tractor around the house
*nodding yes and giving kisses
*handing us tiny pieces of junk from the floor--leaves, wood chips, thread. You know, the things we track in RIGHT after I vacuum. :)
*freaking out over animals. He LOVES to see squirrels, chickens, and cats. This kid needs a pet just as soon as we move!
*playing pat-a-cake with Abby

That's it for now. I'm getting ready for a ballet class I've just signed up for with my friend Bronwyn. We're both returning after years of not dancing, and boy are we feeling the burn.

June 16, 2008

Fine, upstanding citizens

What a day! This morning, Noah stood on his own! Matthew was holding his hands, let go, and there was Noah in the middle of the living room on his own two feet! What a cool milestone.

Later today, after I learned that I passed the oral exam (thank goodness they tell you right away), my dissertation co-chair said: "Congratulations: you and your son stood on your own for the first time today." What a thought. It was a big day for this little family.

June 13, 2008

lil' Dubya




I took this picture yesterday. I think he looks rather presidential, would you agree?

June 11, 2008

oh my! it's almost test-time (for mommy)!


oh my!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
I have 5 more days before I take my orals. I'm supposed to be studying right now, but I thought I'd quickly upload a bunch of new pix before settling in to the books again. Quick break for my tired brain. I'm feeling pretty good about things--I mean, there isn't much I can do in 5 days but freewrite, read a bit, and try to think about the written comments I got from my dissertation committee after the written qual exams. I'm scared, but I'm trying to keep thing in perspective and trust that the adrenaline and focus will kick in when I'm in the room with my (brilliant, expert, engaging, and supportive) committee. I look forward to the discussion; I just need to get past the nerves.

After the 16th, I think I will be taking a couple of weeks to recover. We plan to do LOTS of hanging out, coloring, walking, swimming, BBQing. Who knows what! All I know is that I plan to indulge in the non-academicness of just-post quals...

This intense experience has taught me a lot about what I want most in life and what my calling is at the moment. I'm still trying to figure out how it balances out, but I know that I do not have the same desires as Matthew does to do this type of work all day, every week day. Maybe I'll feel differently when the kiddos are older, but it's too much for now. More like 2-3 days per week seems better to me, with a lot more time built in for family. I am miserable when school takes me away from home for too long, and I need to pay attention to that! As soon as the test is over, I'm going to change the schedule up a bit--a luxury of being "ABD" (all but dissertation) and of having a very supportive hubby! : I'll have 3 days per week when I focus hard on my teaching and research; when I leave my office, I will leave the work there. I need to not wear more than one (or two or three) hats all at once. This promises to yield more productive and intentional parenting as well as researching/writing.

OK. Back to work!

first dance class!


first dance class!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby is taking Jazz dance class. Soon she will get to take Ballet as well. Then Fairy Camp, DisneyMania (a singing group). These are all 1-2.5 hour classes (1-2 times per week) through the Davis Arts Center. They will help keep summer interesting for Abby, who has a TON of energy. I can see Abby loving the jazz dance classes...

June 3, 2008

Graduation Day!


Graduation Day!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby graduates from Kindergarten today!! We're super proud of her for being such a sweet kiddo and for working very hard in school this year. She is READY for summer time. I'm so glad that this graduation is into first grade and not out of twelfth!

Great job, Abby. We are so so happy for you :)

June 1, 2008

Some good news

Matthew's Aunt is doing somewhat better. Her lungs are clearing and she was taken out of the rotating bed. She is, however, still sedated and intubated. Please continue to pray for her recovery.

Life and death matters certainly put other things into perspective, but it is worth mentioning that I did pass my written exam. I'll take the oral exam on June 16th. Other than that, I just have to write the dissertation.

May 29, 2008

Pray for Matthew's Aunt Teensie

Dear Readers,
Matthew's Aunt is in the hospital with a very severe case of pneumonia, which will not respond to the medications the doctors have tried so far. At the moment, they are giving her a 50% chance of surviving. Please pray for her recovery, and pray for her children who are by her side.
Thank you so much. I'll write when I have more news.
Gen

May 25, 2008

sleepy head


huh?
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
It is Sunday morning. 8:11. We're letting Matthew sleep in for a bit, but we're about to clobber him with snuggles. We've been "sleep training" Noah, which means we've been letting him soothe himself back to sleep at night. The result is that M and I are not getting very good sleep. But I can't nurse him 1-3 times a night anymore; I'm far too exhausted for that, and the kiddo can go through the night without eating. The rest of us do. Usually. So last night it was the 2-3 a.m. hour that we were up listening to Noah moan himself back to sleep. It worked, eventually. Hopefully tonight will be better.

I love these people.


funny faces
Originally uploaded by gennabby.

May 21, 2008

Written Exam

I took the 4-hour written portion of my Qualifying Exams today. I've written enough for one day, so this will be brief.

I'll know if I passed in a week or two; then I will take the oral exam on June 16th (if I passed). I answered two questions--the first I feel pretty good about. The second answer was choppier, less coherent, but hopefully passable! My brain decided to just poop out after hour 3. I really felt like I was fighting to understand my own writing and my own thoughts, let alone a large and challenging question. Thinking deeply is tiring for my poor brain! I'm not sure at this moment if I am cut out for this kind of work. If I don't pass, I'm gonna throw in the towel. I'll concentrate on quilting and gardening and eating bon bons with my kids.

Mostly, I want to cry, be hugged and comforted, and sleep.

Thank you to the people whom I know were praying: Mom, Mel, Bron, Matty
and to those who were praying and I didn't know it...
and to Kate for watching Noah Bean while I took the test
and to Matty for living with me through the stress.

Nap time.

May 15, 2008

Spelling Bee (or, How do you spell "hurt"?)

Abby did a great job in the final Spelling Bee today. Kids came from all over--Yosemite, San Jose, Roseville... She took it hard when she was eliminated. In an almost too-sad twist, the word she misspelled was "hurt," which she spelled with an e. It did hurt to see her cry and to know how disappointed she felt. She wanted a trophy and the approbation of her teacher, her friends, and her parents for WINNING, not just for participating. That's understandable, but it is also a great opportunity for all of us to show her how completely her worth is NOT in her performance. She is a lovely person, a tenderhearted and generous girl, and a bright kid too. It may be the better outcome in the long run for her personal development, but it still "hurts." I was so thankful that her teacher, Mrs. P, gathered her in her arms when Abby arrived at school. Mrs. P put Abby's certificate up on the board, told her that the whole class would get popsicles to celebrate Abby's achievement, and that Abby could share about the experience during circle time. This cheered her up. When we pick her up from school, we will take her to dinner--Abby's choice (which will almost certainly be Thai food)--and celebrate her. Competition is hard. This is the first time I've experienced it from the parental side of things, and it's harder than I thought to watch your kiddo "perform." I was so nervous for her, but I had to just keep giving thumbs up and smiles. It's good Matthew was there to hold her while the remaining kids duked it out on some hard words (like ditch and monkey); he has a way of calmly lending strength and comfort in times of disappointment.

Good job, Abby. You're our champion.

May 11, 2008

Notice Anything Different about Abigail?


Notice anything different?
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
She picked a great day to lose her first tooth! This little tooth has been wiggly for days, and today Abby really had it moving. It took Daddy's bravery to pull it out (Abby was tired of it hurting when she bit into things and she wanted it OUT!). So, we're all happy for her...she is really growing up! Our sweet, toothless wonder. What an excellent Mother's day present :) It made my day, especially after most of it was spent with everyone moping around as we heal from 2 weeks of the flu.

Abbs is excited to tell everyone at school about it tomorrow. Her brother will probably notice it tomorrow too. What a milestone!

May 3, 2008

train. t-r-a-i-n. train.

Abby won her class spelling bee! Her winning word, spelled correctly, was train. This means Abby is a finalist in the all Merryhill school spelling bee in Sacramento 2 weeks from now. We're so proud of her, and we're assuring her that even if she strikes out on the first word she gets, she is still our champion and we're still going to celebrate her. After all, she has already accomplished so much! So three cheers for our precious Abby!

April 30, 2008

Margaritas and Mother's Day

Before bed tonight, Abby, Matty and I were all sitting in the livingroom, talking together. Then Abby busts this out:

A: Momma, there are not gonna be margaritas at the Mother's Day Tea. There's just gonna be water, and lemonade, and other stuff that kids and grown-ups can drink.
G:Who said there wouldn't be margaritas?
A: Mrs. P.
G: Why did she say that?
A: Because I said: "Mrs. P, are there gonna be margaritas? Because my mom loves margaritas!"

Matthew and I are laughing are heads off at this point.

G: Did Mrs. P laugh?
A: No, she just said we would have water, and tea, and iced tea and things that kids and grown-ups could drink.

Then Matty chimes in: "G, the lush."

Apparently, Abby asked this in front of the whole class. Maybe we will be the subject of the next PTA meeting...dun dun dun..."Parents who drink!" I wonder what her teacher thinks of me, but mostly I just think my kid is the awesomest. She makes me want to squeeze her tightly and kiss, kiss, kiss her face. What a riot!

April 26, 2008

picnic day fun


meow
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We had fun at picnic day this year. Abby talked me in to having my face painted like hers at the orphaned kitten exhibit. We didn't leave with a cat. Noah is plenty of work--we don't need any more creatures in the house! Abby rode her bike all over campus. She giggled and scampered, slid down a big hill of manmade snow (with daddy), and talked to her brother about animals.

On another note, between now and mid-June, I'll be studying hard and preparing to take my Qualifying exams (written and oral "defense" of my dissertation prospectus). Matthew will be finishing a draft of his job-talk paper (the last of his dissertation). Because of this, I think my blogging energy will be very low. I'll do my best to check in again soon, but don't expect too much! Abby finishes Kindergarden on June 5th, after which she will be home until first grade starts up! We're excited about our new Nanny, Kate; she takes care of Noah 3 hours per day, 3-4 days a week. This seemed the best way to get study hours in without putting little Bean in daycare. He's not ready yet. He is still such a little guy and takes great naps at home and such. We love Kate! She is as sweet as can be and super-qualified! She graduates with her BA in Human Development this June, followed by her MA in early childhood ed. She is getting married in July and will be Noah's nanny through June. Noah seems pleased as punch to have a new (energetic and loving) friend!

That's it for now. I'll check back in later.

TWO WHEELS!


TWO WHEELS!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby learned how to ride a bike without training wheels! She has gone from wobbly and tentative to confident (bordering on reckless) in just a week. She has yet to take a really hard fall, so she still has little fear. She rides all over the place!

Matty has done a great job teaching her and giving her lots of encouragement. It is so fun to see her ride!

April 11, 2008

Today I am ONE!


Today I am ONE!
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Today is Noah's first birthday! We celebrated by having some delicious frozen yogurt. Cupcakes will come later when daddy gets home from his trip. Noah's Mia (G's mom) is spending a few days with us--giving G a hand with the gang.

It is hard to believe that a year has passed, but Noah perfectly completes our family. He brings us all so much joy--more than we thought possible.

April 5, 2008

dressing-room confessions

We went to the mall today: this is something we very very rarely do. We go once a year around Christmas time, but not in April!?! Anyway, we found ourselves (all 4 Pearsons) at Express (a clothing store for men and women) and I tried a few things on just for yucks. If I'm going to the trouble to try things on, I figure I ought to try things I normally wouldn't wear: such as a cute little black dress. You know, just to see how I look in it! Well, I tried it on in front of Abby, and we had the following conversation:

G: Hmm, this is cute but I'd never have anyplace to wear it!
A: Yeah, you'd have to get a divorce!
G: (After truly belly laughing and feeling thankful I hadn't just taken a sip of anything, lest I spray it all over the place) Where did you hear that word?
A: On Mrs. Doubtfire (a movie). If the dress were white, it could be like a wedding dress a little bit.

At first I thought she meant what I was thinking she meant: Yeah, daddy isn't going to take mommy anywhere that she needs to wear that dress. And, really, neither of us are into fussy dates--we like coffee dates, movies out, dinner together (alone), and an occasional destination date where we actually have something we want to see or experience together, like wine tasting or a bike race (or a Vols game). But these dates are rare; we're too busy for that level of planning. Maybe Abby was thinking that the dress would make a cute wedding dress, but that I wouldn't need one of those unless I remarried (which would, logically, require a divorce). So, I was shocked in the funniest way that she would even think about the concept. Man, my kid is a crack up.

potty water drinker all the day

I just caught Noah Bean standing in front of the potty: holding the rim with one hand, fishing around in the water with the other.

April 4, 2008

anticipatory grace

I've come to expect that anything we send to school with Abby for show-and-tell must be something we're willing to let go of forever. Most of the time these items come home in perfect condition, because Abby is very careful with them (and is gentle in general). But I know how she worries about disappointing us (no matter how much reassurance she receives from us that we will ALWAYS love her and that there is nothing she could do--not even the worst thing in the world--to make us not love her). So, now when I send her out the door with a show-and-tell item, I relinquish it. I give it up with thoughts of being happy to see it come home, but not devastated if there should be a mishap. This morning Abby took a sweet little glass garden ornament, which swirls when the wind blows it. I like this silly little thing; it's pretty and fun to have hanging around. But I told Abby that if it should break, I would not be angry with her. She already knows to be careful and doesn't need that reminder again, but when she is in away from me and I can't wipe her tears and tell her that "accidents happen," I want her to know not to despair or worry. She is forgiven. I recall hearing abut how my mom once brought a statue, a wedding gift to her mom and dad, to school. She had it on top of her flip desk, protected it all day long, and at the end of the day, flipped her desk up and sent the statue crashing to bits. She was forgiven and loved, perhaps even more for her dear heartbrokenness over the mistake. She's a grandmother now and is still so aware of that moment in which she experienced grace so long ago. I hope we can cultivate that kind of grace more and more in our household. Goodness knows we will have opportunities galore to do so with Noah getting more mobile; oh yes, and Matthew has a knack with fumbling glasses and dishes from time to time. :)

March 29, 2008

see, extreme parenting and quilting!


Genna and Noah
Originally uploaded by Melanie Maynor.
Just like I said! This pic was on Melanie's camera. I think Noah will win Project Runway someday (in, say, 20 years or so). Wouldn't that be cool?

March 28, 2008

Bananas


Bananas
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
EXTREME PARENTING AND QUILTING... That was the theme of Spring Break this year. Melanie and I had our hands seriously full with the kids and with the CRAZY goal we met of sewing two (queen size) quilt tops that we've been planning for months. We did most of the cutting, ironing, and sewing during afternoon naps and at night when we had peace, quiet, and wine. Here we are holding up our funky quilt tops (we will add borders, but these are the centers). We finished in enough time to take a hand full of pictures before running out the door to get the kids and me to the airport! We were a little bananas to even try to combine quilting with mommying our crew, but it makes the endeavor more memorable, that's for sure! There were high fives and shouts of joy when we were done, and the process included lots of talking, reminiscing, thinking about the future, getting stabbed by quilting pins. All in all it was therapeutic and the kids survived without anyone swallowing any of the several dropped pins! PHEW.
Next vacation will be kid-less and somewhere tropical.

Spring Break


hippo
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Noah, Abby and I went to St. Louis over the break. We're home now, and catching up on our sleep, after an ACTIVE and fun trip. All four kiddos did well: Abby (6), Lillian (5), Grayson (almost 3), and Noah (almost 1) had a great time playing, digging for worms, riding bikes, dancing, eating (and eating and eating), singing, and playing a ton. We went to the zoo and the highlight was hanging out with the hippo! Abby and Lillian adopted hippo webkins for Easter, so it was cool to see the real deal at the zoo.

March 2, 2008

just like the Bard...


oppositting
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
Abby took one look at Noah and his friend, Tegwyn, and said: "Look! They're oppositting!"

I LOVE this phrase. How succinct and appropriate. She's a word girl, for sure.

impromptu fanciness


impromptu fanciness
Originally uploaded by gennabby.
We were a little bored in the late afternoon yesterday, so we quickly whipped up a skirt for Abby out of some pink dress lining material and elastic (Abby worked the sewing machine pedal and helped pin a straight line). Then we coordinated our pinks, threw on some tulle and some bling, and pranced to dinner at Bron and Jeremy's. I love seeing Abby's royal affectations--the snobby-nosed looks at herself in the mirror (when she's a queen) and the dainty ballet moves (when she's a princess). It would seem that aging and marriage turn a lovely princess into some other thing entirely! Thank you, Disney, for carrying on this legacy (grrrr). Most fascinating is the way Noah always has a part to play: he's a prince, a king, a servant, a pet, a monster... What will happen when he has more of an opinion about this?