*el museo y el parque

 The day after Thanksgiving we thought we'd go to the new museum of Natural History.  We've watched it under construction for the last year (more?) or so and it completely surpassed any expectations I had. I was seriously blown away at how beautiful the building was, how modern and clean and artistic the exhibitions were, how many interactive things there were to do and how much I learned.  We happened to go on an absolutely beautiful, clear, smog-free day and the view was just amazing.  Afterward they let us apply the tickets toward a membership - I can't wait to spend many a dreary winter day there! [pictures by matty]

                                                

uncle matty got her some rocks for her collection

***

The weather was pretty mild, so on Thanksgiving day we took a nice walk to the park. Vera had just rode her bike for the first time the night before so we wanted to see if she could do it again.  She was actually pretty shaky and hesitant and not really getting it again for the first bit.  By the time Graham met us there it had somehow really clicked and they rode around in circles for quite a while - so fun.

                                     

                             

***

Thanksgiving Crew 2011

*dia de gracias

We had a really really wonderful Thanksgiving here at home. Ben's brother and my sister came and we had such a great time with them. I'll add more pictures later, but here's some from the dinner.

Whew - the preparation! This was my first Thanksgiving dinner that I was in charge of. It was a little mind boggling to map out how to get everything done on time, but really I had so much help that it wasn't a big deal. I bought a special edition of Gourmet magazine with their all-time best recipes and I made everything from that. The appetizer - goat cheese with warm lemon zested olive oil and olives was amaaazing, the gravy was AMAZING, the stuffing tasted great but was slightly dry. The turkey would have been perfect but of course I messed that one up - I checked the temp near the end and then when we took it out to rest I forgot to check again - oops!  Ben carved it up and then we realized it was undercooked, so they put it all back in the oven. Everything would have been perfectly on time - oh well :) Matty also made the spicy candied nuts that we all loved so much last year as well as boiled chestnuts. We had more than enough wine - good wine, which was a super treat [especially the Ridge Zinfandel - mmm].  I am so thankful for all my family: this little family here, my own parents and siblings and my extended family. I feel so blessed to love and enjoy them all.

big little helper

little did we know it wasn't done yet...

matty and his camera - he has the magic touch! and a killer camera that I am coveting : )

oh the pie....

*bicicleta!

Vera rode her bike for the first time today!!!

Sooo Ben got her this little bike with training wheels early last spring. I immediately could tell why a balance bike is so.much.better!!! I had thought we would look for one on craigslist or maybe find a discount one somewhere, but if she had to use training wheels - no big deal. I mean most of us learned that way right? But watching how easily some of her little friends transitioned to pedals, and seeing all the horrible habits that training wheels introduced, I really regretted not finding the balance bike for her. I'm not concerned that she be an early achiever [though I admit a wee bit of jealousy seeing her little friends, wishing we'd gone that route] - but why start something that will only make it harder to learn in the long run? So last week we borrowed Sam's and she rode it briefly twice and then all the way to the park this morning. That was enough to help her understand how to get started on her real bike and this afternoon she practiced and practiced. I was so proud of her!! Anyway, if you have the opportunity to get your kid one of these, I highly recommend it - it's so cool how they teach balance and stopping yourself and needing a little speed to get going. They're not just for the urban/whole foods/REI crowd :)

I LOVE her smile here at the end!



I also brought out this little toy I found at a garage sale when I was pregnant with Edie - she kind of scooted around a bit and loved it:

*el bautismo

I recently realized I didn't print any pictures out from last Thanksgiving and have been going through some on the computer to do so.  I don't think I mentioned it back then, but we had Eden baptized that weekend since Ben's family was here.  I do regret a little that with all the Thanksgiving busyness it seemed like a hurried affair - I remember realizing as I sat down in the pew that her gown was on inside out!  Anyway, I'm glad I have this sweet picture.  I really love the way our pastor does baptisms - it feels very meaningful and special and genuine as the church welcomes the child into the family.  Whether you believe in infant or believer baptism [or have no idea what I'm talking about], the church is making a vow to love and protect and teach that child about Christ. Our church does feel like a family - we've started so many meaningful relationships there.  Personally I have learned a lot about loving God through serving others - there are some amazing people there that I look up to in this way.

Back to the baptism.  Look at my two sweet girls there - here's a reminder for me to pray and pray for these two little souls every day.

*insólito [random?]

I can't find my camera.  I'd really like to get back to posting our daily life - I just love to have it to look back on.  Let me think of some daily life going on around here...  Vera and I have started [only a few so far, and definitely not a habit yet] having a little devotion time in the morning. I figured it wasn't a bad thing to use chocolate milk as a bribe to get her to sit down with me for a few minutes to start our day off right - I mean I have my mate right?  She memorized the first part of Psalm 23 a few months ago, so I read that to her and then we each pray for something.  This last week I read with her in Galatians about 'the fruit of the spirit' being love, joy, peace, etc.  It's really neat to talk to her about these things and to hopefully be touching her little heart.  She really is a wonderful, sweet little girl. She loves us so much - always telling us so, and always including how much she loves Edie and her friends too.  Anyway I was saying she is really a wonderful little person - who still struggles in big ways with wanting to do things her way and not wanting to be corrected or disciplined.

Edie ... wow she is really her own person too.  I don't know quite how to deal with her little bouts of aggression - you tell her to not do something or take her away from a situation and she swipes at your face or grabs your hand to bite you!  For now I calmly hold her hand away and say ouch that hurts, you may not hit, etc.  or put her down away from me.  She really is the cutest little thing though, I still can't get enough of her - just watching her toddle around accomplishing her little baby plans. So stinkin cute.  She signed "please" yesterday trying to get some of Vera's chocolate ice cream - it was really cute how quickly she learned it to get that ice cream!.

She is sleeping amazingly right now - at night from about 7:00pm to 8:00-30am!  She sometimes wakes once in there and if she doesn't settle down quickly I go feed her, just hoping I don't encourage a bad habit!  She doesn't take a morning nap anymore, but does take a good 1-2+ hour afternoon nap.  I know everyone is really interested in all this!  Speaking of sleep, I always wondered when Vera would sleep soundly enough that we could go in to tuck her in or just look at her sweet sleeping face.  Sometime in the last year it finally happened!  She is sleeping right there next door with the door open and we go in and out of her room, the bathroom, do the dishes and she sleeps through it all - I love it!

Lately Ben has been writing non-stop. Literally all day, every day, late late into the night.  He takes a break usually between 5-6 when we eat and he gives Edie a bath.  It's crazy and he is so tired.  I'm really proud of him - I mean I would have crumbled about 5 years ago!

All right, there were some random thoughts.

*la abuela

I have a picture of my mom and newborn Edie in this same spot one year ago.. will find it.

My mom is so.... productive.  She doesn't give an extra thought to baking bread or sewing up a doll dress or fixing Bunny's face, making a Halloween costume, baking a pie... What is wrong with me?? Seriously I think a major hindrance is this internet!!  So many ideas, but I spend most my time collecting the ideas and little effort implementing them.  One afternoon while I was working, my mom got Vera started on her own little flower embroidery. It didn't take a Soul mama book to inspire it!  I really want to be more like her [and Ben's mom too] in this way. Once I publish this post, and check facebook one more time [jk jk].

I'll post a picture when she finishes - it's really cute!  

After my mom had left I caught this sweet moment of Edie looking at the pictures of both sets of grandparents.

*caminitas

Ben and I always comment on our "favorite thing" about Vera or Edie.  Right now I just love watching Edie toddle around.  She'll walk to the end of the room, circle around and back again, maybe moving a toy or a cup from one spot to another. She seems very purposeful about it all.  I spend a lot of valuable clean-up-the-house, finish-the-dishes, get-myself-ready time just watching her.  

I want to eat her up, I love her so.

she loves these rainboots - just you try to take them away!

and a cute one of another favorite thing: seeing my 2 girls play together.  Edie was pushed around on this favorite chair today, she loooved it.

*varios

Some random photos from lately::

We've had such a nice string of seasons this year!  Summer was pretty mild and pleasant and we had a nice long Fall.  It snowed the other morning, but now it's sunny and crisp outside - perfect Fall weather.  When it was still quite warm, Vera and Edie had fun in the sandbox - so cute seeing them playing together :)

a cute one from the day before halloween:

Edie got a bike helmet for her birthday!  I had taken her once in a while to the park in the trailer sans helmet [it's super close and I stick to the sidewalk], but the other day we ventured all the way to the library!  I thought it might not work as obviously she is going to notice and dislike that huge thing on her head. I put it on quickly and gave her a little piece of cheese to hold in each hand: just enough distraction and the trip was a success.

  

Trying to capture her cute expressions while watching Baby Signing Time:

Posing with Edie in her new chinese pajamas.  I had put rags in Vera's hair the night before - it worked and she looked so cute!

I ♥ my baby:

more sandbox:

*tarjetas

I finally just updated my etsy shop with some notecards :
send me an email if you are interested!

It's a weird, embarrassing thing to try to sell something you've made : /  I just have to say that.



On a more professional note, my cousin has recently worked really hard to update her online stationery shop,*Blissfolio*.  It's so pretty :)  Check it out if you are planning to do photo Christmas cards! or get some personalized stationery - so fun.

*nevada day (aka Halloween)

You might remember how I "pledged" to sew an hour every day for a week.  Well a couple birthdays that week, a visit from Ben's dad and a terrible bout of flu that weekend and I pretty much didn't do a thing. I cut the pattern out is about it.  With the sickness, things around the house were just piling up and Ben is really trying to get his 3rd chapter written on his dissertation - so I invited my mom to come help out for a week.  It was definitely a huge help for all of us!  In fact I'm sitting here eating fresh homemade bread with my mate as I write this :)  She got right to work on Vera's Tinkerbell costume [I did cut out and sew the petals!] which turned out amazing - so cute!!

ready just in time for the preschool halloween party:

sweet little sister moment:

The Halloween weekend was really busy!  She got to wear her costume to ballet - they were all so cute!  I think only 2 girls weren't wearing wings of some sort.

We may have started trick or treating rather early - I wanted Edie to get to go before bed.  We did a second round later with Graham which was really fun.  Graham was so cute - Vera kept trying to hold his hand and he'd wiggle out of it.  When I told them they were serious trick-or-treaters he said, "Me not trick or treater! Me fireman!!" :)  Vera kept saying, "I sure love trick or treating!  Why do I love it so much?"  She got a lot of candy.  I have never really liked Halloween - especially the gory, ugly stuff [and the pressure to have a creative costume], but it's fun to see how excited the little ones get.

We've recently met another neighbor, Evie.  She and Vera get along really well.  She was sooo excited when we rang their doorbell! 

 Edie kept trying to go in all the houses.

I love this costume!  Before Vera wore it, it was Marie's and maybe Olivia's too.

Vera wouldn't even pass this freaky cat to get to the door - I had to carry her.  Edie wanted to cuddle with it and flipped out when we had to move on:

*la mayor

My relationship with Vera has really changed over the last year or so. Even when I was still pregnant, things were beginning to change as I was just so tired and uncomfortable. I should have written about this sooner, because it's evolved so much since even six months ago. I would say that during Edie's first few months I really 'mourned' the loss of our close relationship. I mean it's inevitable that we can't be tied at the hip like we were - total buddies, doing everything together always.  I will say that especially at the beginning I made a conscious effort to give Vera extra love, to include her in meaningful ways with the new baby and I think I did a good job at it. But, inevitably, caring for a newborn requires constant attention, attention that is often diverted away from the other child. I felt this sense of loss and it made me really really sad. During the last year, then, Vera has grown even closer with her dad [they have always been pretty close] and I felt the distance; I felt the preference for him. It hurt. Like when she told me a while ago that she wanted him to put her to bed, because "he's my favorite." It's obviously not a competition, but I was sad for the distance I felt widening between us.*

I actually started this several months ago and just found it in the drafts. Even since then I feel things have settled down in this area and I am less emotional about it.  Partly it's just the way things are.  I remember writing a long post right after I nursed Vera for the last time - I felt that tiny change, that first separation and knew it would never be the same.  Since then it's been a slow moving away, moving towards becoming her own little person.  I think with Edie I know what's coming and it makes me so sad - I just want to s.l.ow. it all down and keep my baby, my baby.  I think Vera and I have found other ways to be close, and I want to keep encouraging that.  Anyway...  I just love these two so SO much, that's all.

*Have you seen the episode of Modern Family where Phil is "the fun one?" Well that's us - haha.  I'm Claire. I am the serious one, the let's please eat your dinner now, enough silliness!  That's been hard - because obviously the 4 year old is going to gravitate to the fun one.  I had a bit of a hard time with that but am feeling fine now - I just need to spend quality time with my kids in a way that's me - walking at the park, cooking, drawing, reading, making things, etc.

*un añito

One year!  Forgive me for saying that I can't believe our little Edie is one!  Seriously, we all just think she is the cutest, most wonderful little thing ever.  How fun this next year is going to be as she starts talking and playing and dancing and learning :)

She is walking a lot now - reminds me of my Grandma 'Dine with her short little steps, arms at her side.  She says uh-oh, leaf, book, bird, baby, hot, mama, dada and up [most of course in a way that only the mama can understand] and will try to repeat the sounds of anything you try to get her to say.  She rarely does it in front of anyone else - you'll just have to take my word for it!  It makes me wonder if she will have a good ear for music or other languages?  She also signs more and baby - I LOVE seeing a baby sign baby :)   She communicates very clearly when she wants something or wants you do to something for her.  She hands you the thing and says dis! and then you do it and she pushes it back again, dis!  She's also showing her little temper.  Cute now, but not for long!  Today she got so mad that I wouldn't let her play in Boone's water - poor thing it was so cute and funny.  She loves to pretend with an empty bowl and spoon, to open and close doors in the toy kitchen, to tickle our toes, read books. Loves her tubby, waking up her sister, cuddling with her Puppy, blowing kisses, putting tops on things, playing "I'm going to getcha!"....  She is generally pretty mellow and happy, though like I said, in the last weeks we've seen the infamous little *will* emerging. 

She is pretty mini - at 17 lbs. in the 2nd percentile for weight!!  Partly because she had a little stomach bug over the last couple weeks, partly because she isn't a big eater.  However, I am going to be a lot more purposeful with her meals now.  She does love cheese and yogurt and avocado and peanut butter, so that's good!  I have been terrible at giving her a good variety of things, especially vegetables.  I haven't given her straight cow's milk yet.. since she had the little tummy issues the last couple weeks I thought I'd wait.  I have given her a couple bottles of almond milk and she really likes it.  I plan to keep nursing at least a couple more months - she's more into it than Vera was, so we'll see what happens.  I seriously didn't think I would make it this far with all the painful issues I had the first 3 months.

Anyway, that's our little Eden at un añito  ♥