Snow Monsters

Logan Utah has some of the best sledding around at Old Main Hill on USU's campus. The LG got his first taste of how exhilarating the rush of wind, speed and snow in your face can be while heading toward the unforgiving cement of the street at the bottom of the hill. There used to be hay bales and large "AT YOUR OWN RISK" signs, but I hear that the hay bales caused more problems than the street, and so now you are free to sled all the way to Main Street if you like (this will only make sense if you have been there). The occasion was his cousin's 4th birthday. His cousin is a daring 4 year old who didn't care if he made it down the hill backward, forward or on his rear end, so long as there was a lot of speed involved, and an overly dramatic crash at the end. The crash was critical. Even if the sled stopped before there was an accident, he was sure to roll out with as much bravado as possible, while rolling around in the snow with a big smile on his face. Much against his parents protests, he also liked to sit on his knees facing backward, which only once resulted in him running into a tree - again with a big smile on his face.
Sledding with BK

Crazy Cousin

Enjoying the Real Life

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone. We are having a WONDERFUL time here in Utah where there is plenty of fresh snow, family and nothing to do. The LG learned how to crawl down stairs, which I am tremendously grateful for considering that his first instinct - which he followed 3 times - was to take the walk of faith of the top stair. Fortunately, and by the grace of God, helping hands were always there to catch him, and now he is quite adept at sliding down he staircase on his bulbous belly.

It has been an interesting Christmas, including a funeral, hospitalizations and other various calamities. However, it has made us all even more grateful for the things we do have. The LG is having a great time with his cousins. The BK had the brilliant idea to get us some snowshoes so we can take advantage of the great outdoors in our new city. And my dad was able to come home today after spending much of the past week in and out of the hospital for back surgery.

Christmas is a strange time now that I have the LG. It seems you walk a VERY fine line between having a good time, and teaching your kids what is really important. It took some serious coaxing out of my nephew, who will be turning 4 this week, to mention Jesus when asked about the true meaning of Christmas. Santa is, of course, much more exciting to a 4 year old considering that he brings presents. Then again, the look on his face this morning when he saw his presents was pretty exciting to me. Maybe it is what you teach them the other 364 days of the year that will help a bit as they get older.

MERRY CHRISTMAS with Love.

Flip Flopping

Happy Holidays everyone. I have been too wrapped up in the craziness of my family and the holidays to sit still for a few minutes to blog. As is always the case when I get together with my brothers, politics, the art of design, and religion seem to be the topics of discussion. So I have politics on my mind, and have a particular gripe to pick with the media and perceived public perception of "Flip Floppers". [Just an FYI for those only interested in the LG - stop reading now, there are no pictures, there are no cute anecdotes to follow - just politics.]

Let me explain. Flip Floppers - politicians that change their minds - seem to take a lot of criticism for altering opinions on topics or issues. Before I go further, please note that this is certainly no endorsement of any particular candidate or party as I myself am a perpetual Flip Flopper and refuse to entertain seriously any presidential considerations this far from the election date. If I understand the political process in this country (and clearly I think I do), it is the responsibility of a good representative of the people to "represent the people" and to make good decisions based not only on what that representative personally believes, but based on what her/his constituents believe. Take me for example - a Flip Flopper on some issues. What if a constituent base is solely comprised of people like me who change their minds - frequently? Is it so unreasonable that a politician would have a similar change of heart?

Rather than blather on too much about this, let me just say, that I personally believe it is worse to stick to your guns no matter what, even if you are wrong. I realize that politicians are supposed to stand for something, but being capable of making good decisions doesn't mean that you are always right, it just means you make good choices based on the information you have in front of you at the time. Times change, and so does information. Having the personal stamina to change one's mind, and admit failure or change course is much more difficult than the alternative. Cowboys or Flip Floppers? Tough choices these days.

Exhaustion

(ahhh, if only it were so glamorous)

Happy holidays to me (this is a mental reminder to myself - please disregard). Today I made a completely fatal attempt to take the LG shopping in my new town. My list was pretty simple (paper, envelopes, gift for the big Kahuna, and mittens for little Kahuna (LG)). I did my research ahead of time, brought the addresses to plug into our GPS (a perfect early x-mas gift for people new to strange and distant lands - thanks mom!), and even brought my list. This should have been a recipe for success.

Not so. Apparently, LG's mitts are too colossal to fit in most mittens - not most mittens for his age, I mean MOST mittens designed for children 3 and under, so I had to go with the first ugly pair that fit which he ate the tag from while throwing a tantrum which involved him using the lap belt of his stroller as leverage to catapult his head toward his feet while shrieking at the clerk like a terrified teenage girl.

As for the paper and envelopes, after trying to find a store similar to the Paper Source (FYI - Paper Source and Home Depot are my ideas of big box heaven), I had to go with the store that looked like a winner based on my stealthy internet research. Not so. By the time we got to the store, the LG had pulled off his shoes and I was all out of energy to put them back on. He stole my keys as I put him in the stroller, and by the time we left the paper store that sold only stationary (the internet seemed to indicate otherwise), I was grateful that he still had the keys in hand which I had completely forgotten about.

I was able to get the gift for the BK, but without divulging where I was or what I was buying for fear that he will know what I bought, I left the store feeling like an idiot for a particular question I asked.

God willing, I will have more children. The prospects for me getting nearer to a successful shopping endeavor seem bleaker and bleaker. What a great word. BLEAKER. Say it a few times out loud and you might just start laughing like I am. Nothing like laughter to numb the pain of parenting.

The LG Survives!

In all of the hubub of us treking through the US, you may think that I forgot the LG's birthday. Not so! In fact, I was insane enough to have a small party for him the day before the moving truck arrived. Now, I must say, that throwing a birthday party for a one year old requires some creativity, and I had run all out of both creativity and time. I didn't hire a giant size Elmo, there were no ponies or clowns, and I didn't rent out Disneyland. I was most interested in having a celebration of survival - that includes papa, mama and baba. All in all, however, the LG didn't seem to mind that we had chili and no particular theme. Thankfully, my friends and family were too polite to comment. As you can see below, we put him in his birthday suit, gave him a piece of chocolate cake and told him to go at it.

I am becoming addicted to lists, which could be dangerous, and requires a lot of scrolling. Nonetheless, here is my shortlist of favorite LG moments from the first year and a few of my favorite pictures:

1. First Moment I Saw Him. I will never forget the large birthmark on his leg, and was thankful that I couldn't possibly confuse him with the other alien look-alikes in the newbie ward.

2. Naked Baby Body. No particular moment, just anytime that disproportionate ball of blubber and energy decides to run for the hills with his bare fanny bouncing and his squishable tummy protruding.

3. Goose Noises. When he was very little, he would make these funny noises that sounded like a flock of geese.

4. Hysterics. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, he just starts laughing. This is not giggling, or chuckling, but all out laughter, like the kind of laughter that requires a diaper change even for adults. Once this was brought on by Dad sneezing, but has not since been replicated with any similar success.

5. Pincher Fingers. When he first started to pick things up, I would laugh hysterically. His hands are like clubs, and it looked (and still looks) like two little sausages trying to smother a cheerio.

6. Things He Likes. I don't know why but I find it fascinating that he likes things - anything. Already he is his own little self and I love it. He loves bananas, eating, bottles, Gertrudis, his BFF, dancing, hide and seek, remote controls, and hearing his own voice.

FIRST YEAR PICS

SLEEPING BABUS


FIRST SMILES


BEACH BUMS


FIRST STEPS

MOVED!!!

As I mentioned in my last post, which I completed 30 seconds ago, I have a lot to catch up on. We have arrived in Portland! Thanks to a lot of help from our friends and family. Things are very different here in Portland. Some good, some bad. Rather than blubbering on about all of them, I am doing a list of the Top 5 things I love, and the Top 5 things I don't love about our new home here in the West. I will start with the bad so as to end on a good note.

HATIN' IT

1. Black Clothes. Everywhere we look, people are poorly dressed and wearing black. I realize it is rainy, but really, does all that black really help????

2. Back to the Stone Ages. While waiting to get connected to the internet, I went to Starbucks to access some wireless internet. Aside from the clerk/cashier/whatever looking rather confused as to why I would even want to use such an invention, it wasn't even free. Seriously.

3. Gas. Not the kind you pass, the kind you pump, or rather the kind that others legally have to pump for you here in the great state of Oregon.

4. Stairs. The house we are renting has a full flight of stairs leading to the front door - a bit tough with a stroller and 25lb toddler in tote.

5. Networking. As I mentioned in my last post, I don't like meeting new people. My husband is much better at it though he claims he doesn't like it either. Time to come out of our shells.

LOVIN' IT


1. Water. There is plenty of it. Rain, ocean, rivers. I love it all - so far. Plus, the rain is a good excuse to dress the LG up in his new slicker.

2. People. Backwards as this place seems right now, we were looking for a change of pace, and friendly people. Consider them both found.

3. Stairs. Although the outside stairs vex me, the inside of the house has no stairs, and therefore allows the LG free reign in running room to room.

4. Bridges. I have a love affair with bridges. You can check them all out at www.portlandbridges.com/00,0,70,0,1,0-portland-oregon.html

5. Christmas. I know this has nothing to do with Portland, but I love Christmas so much, that all the lights and holiday cheer make any city more lovable.

Tagged

I have a lot of catching up to do here, starting with my response to being "tagged" by a beloved friend/family member, so I should start here.

The Rules
1. The player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves - try to find 6 you haven't already posted about.
2. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names, and then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment, letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog for the rules.*
*I am amending this rule since I really need to find more blogging buddies. The only people I could tag are listed under my "Fav Five" which only consists of 3. That should give you an idea of the difficulty in Rule 2 for me. So I throw this out there to other readers to post a comment and include something I don't know about them, for instance, if you have been thrown in jail or something without me knowing it.

Here goes (not in any order of importance):

1. I love driving REALLY fast, really fast in really nice cars with 6 speeds. I am too cheap to buy nice cars, however, which is where my not so cheap husband may come in handy someday.

2. I am pretty conservative. Shocking to my family, but probably not that surprising to most other people who know me. The confusion may lie with my strong conviction that other people should be able to do whatever they want.

3. I am two-brained. I don't mean to suggest that I have 2 brains, or that I have twice the brain power, only that I think that both sides of my brain constantly play tug of war. Part of me would like to be Martha Stewart, the other part of me wants to stand in front of the Supreme Court and argue the injustice of affirmative action. What's that you said, not you, me, I mean you. Huh? Exactly.

4. I love being a mother. I am probably not the best mother, and have a long way to go until I deserve being loved as much as the LG seems to love me, but I love it - and him.

5. I don't like people. People in a crowded room kind of people. People I don't know kind of people. I think that makes me an introvert. No chit chat for me. Real conversations with real people that I know. Those are the kind of people I like.

6. I am pretty boring, although I have my moments (this is also where my husband comes in handy)- most of which occurred overseas. Mostly I like being at home with my family and close friends.