The Oscar Files

The Snowy Day

2012-01-22T15:43:00.001-05:00

One of O.K.'s favorite books is The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats. We've been reading it for a while now, especially last summer when the thought of a bit of snow was enough to cool us down--a little. It's no wonder then, that Oscar had big plans when he awoke to snow Saturday morning.

A sometimes-hard-to-dress almost-three year old was very cooperative as we pulled on his snow suit and boots (I couldn't not include both "cheese-face" and "regular-smile-face"--you'll see it again, a few pics down. Thanks for indulging me!).

Then we played outside, in spite of the freezing rain. O.K. insisted he wasn't cold--I remember feeling the same way as a kid when it came to snow.

It's a little hard to "play" in the freezing rain with the snow quickly accumulating a layer of ice, but that didn't stop Oscar from enjoying it. He made snow balls, threw chunks of snow to watch it shatter, tasted a bit, and enjoyed making foot and hand prints.

We even made a teeny tiny snowman (that was all this mama could manage--it was seriously cold out there!). Later, John moved it up onto the little pedestal in front of our house.

And then, thankfully, it was time for the best post-freezing-rain-snow-fun -- hot cocoa! (Note the cup--this used to be Uncle Daryl's when he was a kid. Thanks, Grandma, for passing it along. Oscar loves it!)

This morning Oscar woke up at 5:40 with one thing on his mind: snow. When the sun came up, I told him we could go out again when he'd found and put on his snow gear. Truly, he's never been so motivated to get dressed. Here he is, and me, still in my pajamas:

Now, where did I put my gloves?

Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T21:42:00.001-05:00

Christmas came more quickly than usual, I swear. Thankfully, we didn't feel any great urge to be excessive in our Christmas prep or buying, and we kept our plans simple (read "relaxed"). Note: we have been obsessively playing with our new smart phones (our Christmas presents this year) as the pictures below reflect.

Christmas eve morning we went out to breakfast at the new Sabrina's located in University City. The place was surprisingly quiet, and O.K. especially good (maybe there's a correlation there...).

Then there were cookies to make (with the plan to leave a few out for Santa).

Oscar helped with the most important parts, like cleaning the beaters,

cutting out the cookies with cookie cutters, and later, sprinkling the colored sugar on top of the icing.

Yum!

We watched the old 1946 version of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and then put Oscar to bed. He was hoping to see Santa (and got a little sad about it), but fell asleep in his usual easy way. Then John and I got busy wrapping a few gifts and setting up his "big" present--the crane. We put out the other gifts from family and friends as well.

In the morning we were too busy enjoying the moment to get a picture, but O.K.'s face was priceless as he came down the stairs. He whispered "a crane" and plopped down to play, completely oblivious to the rest of the gifts or the stockings hanging up. John and I were able to get coffee and relax while he built and rebuilt (and built and rebuilt) a clock tower to demolish with his new crane.

After a relaxing morning and some breakfast, we opened our stockings and other gifts. The presents from family were so thoughtful, and Oscar took a lot of time appreciating each one as it was opened. There were puzzles, the game Zingo (yes, he's just about ready to play games!), bath crayons, and books, among other perfect gifts. It was probably good it was just us three, because the time he spent exploring each gift would have been too much for anyone other than his parents.

Personalized puzzles from Gus and Gum were a big hit.

And Oscar announced that a book called "Trucks" from Uncle Pete and Aunt Linsey was his "favorite book" (officially his first "favorite" anything). Later in the afternoon, we skyped with John and Erin (and Sage!). It was so fun to connect with some family. It was also the moment we had to admit that we were still in our pajamas. In our defense, we've all been sharing a nasty cold, so we decided to be okay with that.

Of course, John and I received some lovely presents too. I got five new scarves (from different people) and had to try them all on at once.

We made and ate delicious food (including nuts cracked by the squirrel nutcracker left by Santa) and enjoyed our time together. Throughout the day I was reminded of how thankful I am for my "boys" and for the restful time I get to spend with them during this holiday break.

The Polar Express Train Ride

2011-12-26T06:50:00.001-05:00

Oscar and I got to ride on a train last Thursday on the New Hope and Ivyland Railway. We went with my friend Christine, her two boys, and several other teacher-friends and their children. Before the train, we went to see a large gingerbread house display and run around for a bit at Peddler's Village.

Checking out the fish, and generally running around.

The guardrail for the gingerbread houses was understandably tall, but between tip-toes and a few boosts, O.K. managed to see them all.

Some of the boys who were in our group (the boy next to Oscar happens to be in my class this year--he was VERY sweet with O.K..)

The train!

Then it was time to ride! We got on the train and took a ride through the countryside.

O.K. on the train.

While we rode, Santa and Mrs. Claus came through and chatted with the kids, the kids were given hot chocolate, cookies, and candy canes, and this guy came through with his banjo to lead some carols. Each child was also given a special jingle bell to ring.

Back on the platform, the boys played with the machines.

Then, right before it was time to leave, we got to see an engine getting coupled onto the next train.

It was a fun day.

Santa and Trains

2011-12-17T06:34:00.003-05:00

We took our now annual trip down to Reading Terminal Market to see the model train exhibit with a few friends and their tots last weekend.

Oh, what fun!

Oscar really liked pushing the buttons to make the trains and other things move in the display.

Admiring the sweets with Lucy (clearly MY kid).

Then we all caravan-ed over to Love Park to see the Christmas Village. With all of the levels and steps, it was not very stroller friendly, but we stayed long enough to get an ornament and see this guy:

Santa! Without worry, Oscar found his spot on Santa's lap. He even told Santa that he wanted "a crane" for Christmas and thanked him when we were leaving. I still have mixed feelings about the whole Santa thing, but I can't not love these annual moments and the way they mark time passed each year.

Tree Trimming Time

2011-12-06T21:41:00.001-05:00

We wish we were the types that go out to some farm in the country to chop down our own tree and drink hot cocoa in some be-twinkled barn, but we aren't--at least not yet. We managed to drive down Baltimore Avenue a short way,

wander around a parking lot full of trees until we found the right one,

and call the whole thing done and done.

After some wrestling with the lights comes the fun part--ornaments! There were casualties, but soon O.K. started to get the hang of it.

O.K.'s ornament hanging strategy: find the right branch, and then sort of drop the ornament close to the tree, hoping it'll stick. Surprisingly, this works about half of the time.

(Is O.K. really this tall???)

Officially trimmed!

Santa Sent Oscar a Video...

2011-12-03T16:22:00.000-05:00

and here it is: Video from Santa. Oscar watched in awe. And though he can't read yet, when Santa got to the part about a special toy just for him, Oscar whispered "a crane" (so at least I know I'm on the right track).

A Couple of Talkies, Part 2

2011-11-15T21:48:00.004-05:00

In this second clip, he is reciting some of I'm Big, a book about a lost dinosaur looking for his herd. I can't quite get over how quickly he memorizes the books we read (and reread and reread). He'd nearly recited the whole book before I got the camera out and asked for an encore [of about half].

A Couple of Talkies

2011-11-15T21:45:00.000-05:00

This first clip is from early September (due to technical glitches I'll post the second in the next post). It's amazing how much more talkative Oscar has gotten in less than two months.

Arrrrrgh! (and Trick-or-Treat!)

2011-11-01T23:08:00.000-04:00

O.K.'s been pickin' up silly pirate phrases in preparation for Halloween, like "Ahoy, matey" and "You scurvy dogs", but his favorite is definitely "Swab the deck!". He got the chance to practice his pirate-ese more than once--first at a Halloween-themed party on Sunday afternoon, and then out for his first real trick-or-treat on Halloween.

On the way to party with his friends (sadly, I didn't get many good pics once we were there--packs of toddlers on the move can be hard to document).

Halloween night, we went to Art and Peggy's house in Bala Cynwyd for dinner, and then trick-or-treated around their neighborhood. Peggy and her sweet puppy, Murray, got into the spirit in matching bee costumes.

Captain O.K. out lookin' for treasure

Oscar had the important "trick or treat" phrase down when we practiced in between houses, but when the giant bowl of candy would come into view he'd just stand there, mesmerized by sugar.

The neighborhood we were in was just beautiful--huge old homes decorated for the occasion, colorful costumes parading around, laughing children. It was such a fun night for us all--the first of many Halloweens to look forward to in the years to come.

Darcy Girl II

2011-10-26T22:22:00.001-04:00

Oscar and I went to IKEA tonight to look for a giant pillow (which we didn't find). But on our way out we stopped to play in the kids' section for a bit. When O.K. spotted this little black and white dog, he bee-lined right to it, scooped it up, and exclaimed, "Darcy Girl!" (Never mind that the dog is clearly intended to be a Dalmatian). He tucked Darcy Girl under his arm and that was that.

All the way home, Oscar talked about Darcy Girl. "She has a nose and a tail, like the real Darcy Girl," "Darcy Girl loves this music", "Darcy Girl is cozy", "Darcy Girl, see the lights?". The "new" Darcy Girl read stories with us tonight and is currently snuggled up with the kiddo, who is fast asleep.

Pretty nearly the best $8 I've ever spent.

Pumpkins!

2011-10-26T22:02:00.000-04:00

We're calling it tradition, as this was our third year visiting a farm to take a hay ride and pick a pumpkin. We went to Linvilla Orchards with our friend, Christine, and her two sweet boys, Jack and Cole.

O.K. and Jack on the hayride.

After playing on the wooden playground for a bit we checked out the fancy birds. Have you ever seen a white turkey?

Then we picked out a couple of almost-too-big pumpkins to take home and

carve!

Oscar enjoyed scooping out the pumpkin guts.

Pumpkin #1

Three broken pumpkin saws later, we were finally finished!

Happy Halloween, all!

Recent Photos Taken Between All the Busy...

2011-10-13T22:14:00.000-04:00

O.K. wanted to take his shopping cart to Rite Aid, so we did.

Nora and Oscar playing at the park.

Easily entertained.

O.K. in his pirate hat (spoiler alert: that's what he's going to be for Halloween).

"Nap schmap. Look at all this stuff I was able to grab while inside the pack n' play!"

O.K.'s New Classes

2011-09-29T22:24:00.002-04:00

Well, not at a school-school, but Oscar's keeping busy. On Tuesdays, he goes to Jay Sand's All Around this World music class where he listens to and sings songs from different parts of the world (John hasn't taken a picture for me yet). Then on Thursdays, he goes to Zoom Dance class where he gets opportunities to dance around, listen to a story, and then act out parts of the story through movement.

Here he is with his teacher, Rachel. John said at one point today Oscar was supposed to move around like his favorite animal. When I asked Oscar what animal he pretended to be, he replied, "An ostrich!".

My "Kids"

2011-09-27T21:05:00.000-04:00

I don't often post pictures of my third graders (for obvious reasons), but we have been making collages that share a little about ourselves (in the shape of a planet--a.k.a. a circle--to go along with a solar system theme). Anyway, our "personal planets" will hang on our door for Back-to-School Night. I took a picture of each child to add to the top of their planet (like they are standing on it). I'm sort of known for painstakingly cutting out each child's picture, and I have to say, it takes some time. But I love how they look all cut out and in their own self-chosen poses (this time many included a flag, you know, like the astronauts on the moon). Plus, they kind of take me back to my paper doll days. Anyway, here are a few:

I'm sure you can tell they are a bunch of characters, AND that I think--in spite of how exhausted I am at the end of the day--that they are pretty great.

That Stuff You Eat On

2011-09-27T20:22:00.000-04:00

We are now the happy owners of these:

The GG Macy's dishes.

They are lovely, and as you can see, fit right in. We were actually in need of some new [to us] dishes, so I am glad that for once my sentimental and practical sides have managed to come together.

Thank you, Sherry and Pop, for packing them up and sending them all this way to us!

Thanks, Gus, Bailey, Addison, Marissa, Cassidy, and Paul!

2011-09-05T13:58:00.000-04:00

Look what came in the mail recently:

A Gus-inspired t-shirt with pictures drawn by the Anderson cousins of things O.K. loves (an excavator, a front loader, a garbage truck and a bulldozer). He has enjoyed showing folks the pictures when they ask. I've enjoyed getting to say his cousins and his Gus made it for him.

Summer's End

2011-08-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

A few quick pics, just to let you know what we've been up to (when we aren't busy getting the day-to-day done):

Checking out our friend, Amy's, art.

Snacking on the BEST doughnuts

and petting chicks at the Amish Festival.

Visiting sweet baby Anju and her mama.

Spontaneous eating out.

Park-playing.

Visiting the Please Touch Museum where Oscar

worked the excavator (a first!),

"drove" the car,

and (another first) rode an up-and-down pig on the carousel.

Summer, you've been great. See you again next year!

Twin Rocks and Heading Home (Week #2)

2011-08-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

As you now know, I took a lot of pictures during our trip, and, as I'm sure you've noted, it is hard for me to narrow them down to only a few (it was a FULL trip, after all!). Space is not so much an issue, so I'm going to continue to include all the pictures I want, without further excuse for my sentimentality.

We went a little early on Sunday with John, Erin, and Sage so we could see this sweet family: Cousin Derrin, Andra, and their cute hunk of a kid, Kennady.

Kennady and Oscar (and those Twin Rocks)

Escaping our make-shift tent.

Derrin, Uncle John, O.K., and John head for the water.

Then Gum and Gus, Uncle Pete and Aunt Linsey, and the Anderson 7 arrived.

So ensued all kinds of fun.

City-building in the sand,

cooking,

eating and snacking,

early morning beach-walking (courtesy of our little early-riser),

playing music

(including a Justin Bieber sing-along featuring a rapping Marissa),

hanging around the house,

getting in the water,

reading on the beach in this awesome tarpy-tent

(and a little in the sun),

playing in the sand,

tether-ball and other game-playing,

and taking cute pictures.

The day we left, we all went to Cannon Beach for lunch and a bit of shopping (think Bruce's Candy Kitchen!).

The Andersons rented these fun sandbikes. They biked down to Haystack Rock, but on their return most of us took a spin as well. So fun!

Oscar was more interested in how the bike worked than in riding the bike himself.

And then, the worst part, we had to say good-bye. Not even a giant bag of cantaloupe Jelly Bellies could make that less sad.

Before we knew it, we were back at Nana's for a tasty dinner and a bit of relaxing before our long traveling day. Grayson even came over!

And then Oscar was back in the carseat stroller as we navigated three airports, two planes, and a taxi back to our home. Oregon (and all of the family and friends we love so much), we will see you again next year!

Lil' Ol' Newberg (Week #2)

2011-08-06T16:33:00.002-04:00

After we left Nana's house, we drove out to Gus and Gum's house in Newberg.

We visited both of them at work.

We ate Thai food and ice cream with Grandma.

We spent time playing with our sweet niece, Sage.

Aunt Erin and Sage
(Warning: This post includes lots of pics of this kid. I'm sure I don't have to explain why.)

We found an amazing park full of sand and TRUCKS with all of the aunts and uncles, and of course

little Sage!

O.K. couldn't have been happier.

We barbequed at John and Erin's.

I'm pretty sure we kept Grandma out past her bedtime.

We took part in Newberg's Old Fashioned Festival, walking the booths, eating "fair food" (have you ever had apple pie fries?), and watching the fireworks out in the old middle school football field. At the Old Fashioned Festival parade, Oscar got pretty good at gathering up the candy thrown by the parading folks.

Of course, Uncle John helped, both with the candy-gathering and the eating.

After a fun few days, we headed for the beach with the aunts and uncles, and Gum and Gus. Happily, the Anderson 7 met up with us there.

Ah, Portland...(Week #1)

2011-08-04T22:49:00.008-04:00

We just got back from our annual two-week summer visit in Oregon. It was wonderful--as always--and once again, we ended our trip plotting how we might somehow find our way back for good. But I'll save all that for another post--maybe the one where we actually have a plan.

We stayed the first week in Portland with John's mom, Elizabeth. Our nephew, Grayson, was able to stay there as well for a couple of nights. I can't say enough how much we enjoyed spending so much time with both of them.

Of course, there was good food.

O.K. loved being read to by Grayson.

We went to the park--played, saw some ducks, and managed to find some ice cream as well.

Shanna brought sweet Griffin over for a visit. Oscar was very interested in the "real" Baby Griffin (after he met him in April, he named his baby doll "Baby Griffin").

He is a hunk of darling baby, for sure.

Elizabeth's grandsons: Griffin, Oscar, and Grayson.

We also enjoyed relaxing in Elizabeth's comfortable home.

And we saw a few friends.

Two of our favorites, Joo Ree and Kelly.

We visited John's old boss, Leah, at the VC.

We barbequed with a handful of old friends. It was fun to catch up,

and to see all of the kiddos who are gettin' so big.

We enjoyed a tasty breakfast with Tom Jordan at Pine State Biscuits.

We played at the park with Lupine and her sweet daughters,

Dot and Bina.

In between family and friends, we tromped around Portland, with O.K. always on the lookout for "mighty machines". Riding the Max qualifies, I think.

Oscar was in truck heaven at the Dig Pit in the Children's Museum.

Getting to crawl up into this old logging train was pretty exciting too.

Parks were big during our trip. But when Oscar spotted this excavator sitting around the corner from the park we were at, he made a bee line for it, park fun completely eclipsed by this resting hunk of yellow metal.

At the end of a lovely week together (one that went by too quickly), we left Elizabeth and Portland for the Macy families and the little-ish town of Newberg.

One Deck of a Project

2011-07-16T17:53:00.005-04:00

We've enjoyed our deck immensely--barbecuing, picnicking, sandbox-ing, pool-wading, coffee-drinking, and otherwise enjoying ourselves out there. But, we've neglected it. And so, we decided to fix the ol' girl up. Here's where we started:

Over the years it had turned either green or gray, as you can see.

First thing to do: clean it! This got rid of most of the green, but the deck still remained a dull unsealed gray.

Before we could seal it, we had to replace a few badly cracked posts -- three big posts (one pictured above), and six small balusters (the skinny ones).

New post in place (not yet screwed in). It was especially challenging getting the large posts to budge, but like loose teeth, they eventually came out.

Then we puttied up a bunch of cracks.

After the first coat, we had to go back and stain the wood puttied spots with a darker stain. The wood putty was "stainable", but it came out a bright orange, instead of the color of the wood. Then we applied a second coat.

For dramatic effect, once again, here's the "before":

And now, here's the "after":

Not too shabby, eh?

Fourth of July

2011-07-09T00:05:00.005-04:00

We kept it pretty simple this fourth of July (honestly, we usually do). Our celebrating can be summed up in two words: sparklers and ice cream. When it comes to a two year old, you can't go wrong with ice cream, but sparklers, on the other hand...

Cousin "Auntie" Susie Got Married!

2011-07-08T23:16:00.003-04:00

And we were invited to their backyard reception/pig roast. That, and the chance to visit with Aunt Jane and the rest of the family, got us into the car a week ago for a short but sweet visit to Connecticut.

Mapquest suggested the drive would take between four and five hours. But, it was the Friday before a holiday weekend, so it took eight. Thankfully, we brought the portable DVD player -- for "emergencies" only, of course. By the sixth hour, our situation qualified, so Oscar watched a bit of "Bob the Builder" in the backseat while we crawled through the last bit of traffic. What a wonderful sight it was to finally see Aunt Jane's beautiful home out in the middle of the woods (more or less, from the perspective of us city-folk).

The next day we had some time before the wedding reception, so Aunt Jane took us to Ray of Light Farm, a local farm that rescues animals.

We saw all kinds of animals -- from turtles to

turkeys (with horses, goats, burros, rabbits, pigs, chickens, ponies, and more in between).

And then, we stopped by this:

A giant castle built by William Gillette (apparently he played Sherlock Holmes during the early 1900's). It was pretty amazing, but flash photography wasn't allowed, so most of my pics from the inside aren't worth sharing.

Well, except for this. (To see better pics, check the castle out here.)

Outside, overlooking the Connecticut River.

Above us flew this glider and even a one-person helicopter (not pictured, because it happened so fast).

And then, it was time to party! There was music, swimming, tons of food (including a whole pig that I couldn't quite bring myself to look at), and plenty of folks who love these two people:

Susie and Terell!

John and O.K. went for a swim.

After all that food and cake and celebrating, it was eventually time to go. Aunt Jane took this photo just before we left, and if Oscar (and I) hadn't been so ready for bed I would've tried for another. Just as it was being taken my earring got caught in Susie's hair. Photos-schmotos, it was just wonderful to be able to celebrate these two gettin' hitched!

Before we left the next day, Aunt Jane filled our cooler full of sandwiches, fruit, water, and other snacks for the car ride home. She also dug up a couple of plants for us to replant in our own little yard.

Meanwhile, O.K. enjoyed playing with Sarah and David, and

this guy (otherwise known as Keith)!

Thanks again, Aunt Jane, for having us and for making us feel so comfortable in your home. We look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Talkie

2011-07-07T21:43:00.000-04:00

I finally uploaded several videos from our now-outdated Flip camera (why can't technology progress at the same rate as my annual raise?). If you're in Oregon, you'll see this kid soon enough, but still, here's a short one I'm calling "Watermelon Song".

Summer is HERE!

2011-06-25T00:00:00.002-04:00

O.K. has been enjoying the increasingly warm days of summer -- he is a busy kid with some great friends (who also happen to have great parents). Here are a few pics of some recent summer fun:

Painting! (Practice for his Father's Day poster.)

Getting dirty with Daniel -- they ran in it, dug through it, and at one point, Oscar literally rubbed it all over himself.

See?

Enjoying watermelon with Julian at Cedar Park.

Cooking up meals in a new-to-us play kitchen.

On the first day in his new kitchen he made me coffee and fish for breakfast, and later, butter water--oh, yum!

Playing at the sprinkler park with...

Sunny!

Visiting the zoo with his friend, Rose, and her mama, Jemma (not in this picture, obviously).

Rose and Oscar cooling off in a fountain.

Giraffes,

snacks,

and a peacock--so fun!

As far as O.K. is concerned, summer is off to a great start.

Crash

2011-06-24T21:40:00.002-04:00

Two days before John's 38th birthday, he was hit by a car while riding home from work at night. It was pouring down rain, and he was hit from behind, causing him to bump up onto the hood of the car, then roll off into the gutter. His bike landed on the sidewalk. The car kept going. It was a long night, and early the next morning, I put Oscar in the car and went to the ER to pick John up. He was pretty banged up, sore, and with some serious road rash. Sore turned into more sore and then stiff, and road rash has been overshadowed by a continuous rainbow of bruises. Here's a pic of his bike that I took before leaving it at the bike shop:

After realizing that John was relatively okay--he didn't bang his head or break any bones--I felt mostly relieved. After a few days of rest, he's managing to bounce back pretty well. Still pretty sore on his side, with some roving stiffness, but he's getting back to himself. And he got his bike back today and rode it to work tonight. I hope something like this never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever happens again, but now that it's mostly behind us I can say: it could have been worse, and I'm so glad it wasn't.

The Law

2011-06-16T20:48:00.002-04:00

When John and I first moved to Philadelphia, we used to laugh at the signs posted above traffic lights saying "WAIT FOR GREEN". We thought, "How silly! Shouldn't the red light be enough to tell us not to go?". We also learned that stop signs were "stop-tional" as most people practice more of a pause then a stop. As we ventured out in those first months, I used to obsess about knowing what the speed limit was in different areas so as to avoid getting a ticket, but soon realized that no one drives the posted speed limit pretty much anywhere in the city.

It didn't take long to adapt (when in Rome, right?), though I do maintain a certain level of safety (we don't run red lights while blaring our horn to warn others, for example). Of course, I don't carry these driving habits back to Oregon with us when we go for a visit--or at least I thought I didn't. When Oscar and I were in Oregon this spring, we turned right at a red light without stopping--anyway, that's what the ticket that came in the mail a few weeks later said. I couldn't imagine it--surely I had stopped! Or at least made a healthy pause. And no one was coming anyway, and there was no sign that said you couldn't turn right on red. Unthinkable! I planned to contest it, though this could've been challenging from across the country.

In the meantime, I noticed on the ticket a website through which I could watch a video of the "infraction" for myself. I expected to see the car stopping at the light, maybe too far into the crosswalk, but stopping anyway. Instead, after watching this evidence, I had no choice but to get out the checkbook. Then I said to Johnny, "You know, they really should have a sign that says you MUST stop at a red light--ridiculous!"

Clearly, we've been living in Philadelphia for too long.

(If you have nothing better to do, you can see me breaking the law here. Just enter citation # 0605711R, license plate 262CSG, and city code SRWDOR.)

Gum and Gus!

2011-06-05T14:57:00.003-04:00

Gum and Gus came for a visit a week or so ago. It was WONDERFUL to have them here. We saw some sights, ate some food, and in between that we simply hung out together.

(That kid is a little bit ticklish.)

Gus and O.K. build a kitchen together.

Gum makes for a perfect book-reading perch.

Not sure this qualifies as quality time, but at least its something we all have in common.

Gus used some of our "down time" to work on a book she is making for Oscar.

We made it out to Lancaster, Pennsylvania where we saw farms, garage sales, horses, Amish buggies and bikes. I didn't take enough pictures of all of that. To see more, check this out. Here are a few pics I managed to take.

Outside the Central Market in Lancaster.

Getting to know the goats behind the restaurant, Good N' Plenty.

O.K. driving the play wagon.

Other days, we ventured to the bio-pond (see more pics here), to Macy's to see the giant organ (again, more pics), and to EAT.

At Jim's, eating cheese steaks, of course.

At Local 44, celebrating John's birthday a bit early.

And to Capogiro (though no gelato is in this pic, I can't get enough of those post-gelato grins).

They've been safely back in Oregon for a few days now, but we're still talking about their time here. Today I asked Oscar if he would like to have a friend over to play with him in the sandbox, to which he answered "yes". When I asked him who, he replied "Gum and Gus!". So, Gum and Gus, you wanna' stop by for a bit?

A "Real" Haircut

2011-05-21T20:55:00.002-04:00

I've been happy to try my hand at cutting O.K.'s hair, and more or less, it has worked out just fine on his baby fine hair. However, just after his birthday I cut his much fuller, much less "baby" hair, and it didn't turn out so well. I tried to "fix" it, but of course, we all know how that story ends. Oscar had a funky crop of "stick up" hair in the back and his bangs were too short in the front. So I retired the scissors, vowing that when his hair grew back, I'd take him to a professional. (And I almost kept my promise, except for a modest trimming of a few hairs before our trip back to Oregon.)

The opportunity presented itself last weekend, when we walked past a new shop in our neighborhood, Talking Headz Hair Salon. We decided to see if they were open to toddler cuts--and if they'd promise not to make him look like a little business man. The price was right, and they understood my wish that our toddler stay toddler-looking, so we returned post-nap to get O.K. a new 'do.

Oscar did well sitting in the chair, though he wasn't feeling the cape at first.

But after the hairs starting sticking to the back of his neck he caved.

Heather, the stylist, was really patient with Oscar and his two parents who were standing around taking pictures.

I have been known for crying after even the best of haircuts, but Oscar was quite happy to have his hair out of his eyes.

Personally, I think he's looking pretty sharp post-cut, and thankfully, still very much like a two year old.

Where Did April Go?

2011-05-10T22:31:00.000-04:00

The last month or so has been a whirlwind of report cards, parent conferences, a visit from a faraway friend, a baby shower, traveling to see family, celebrating the lives of grandparents, family traveling to see us, babies being born, and in between it all, the day-to-day stuff of a busy two year old and house and work and life. We've been busy. But I have all these pictures begging to be shared, so--not to be forgotten--here's April in a few photos.

Since report cards and parent conferences don't come with pics, here's Sharon! She is a friend from "across the pond" that we met during our time in Guatemala. She and her friend, Jody, came to Philly for a visit. It was wonderful to get to spend some time together.

Debbie, the mama-to-be (can't you tell?), at her baby shower!

Then a few days later, O.K. and I hopped on a westward-bound plane, leaving Johnny home alone for almost a week.

There were cute babies to be seen...

like Baby Sage and her dad,

and Baby Sage and her mama.

There was family to reminisce with (oh, Big Loader, we loved you),

"Darcy-girl" to play with,

and ice cream to be eaten.

There was another sweet baby to admire (here with his pretty mama),

flowers to photograph,

And then quick-as-anything we were back in Philly (well, after nearly 10 hours of night-time travel). A few days after we got back, Aunt Jane, Susie, David, and Sarah came to see us.

They bought pickles at Reading Terminal Market,

visited the Philadelphia International Art street fair,

and came back out at night to see a French-inspired acrobatic musical event.

And then after a fun-filled time together, they were off.

Just a couple of days later, something else exciting happened...

Baby Anju was born to Debbie and Dev. Remember the baby shower at the top of this post? This is the sweet new baby all that baby-showering was for.

But now I'm getting into a bit of May, so I'll stop here. And I'm promising myself not to go so long between posts--I've been working on this for the last hour and a half. Sheesh.

Kazoo in the Kitchen

2011-04-02T05:57:00.002-04:00

The kid shows promise, right? : )

I want to try...

2011-03-25T19:54:00.001-04:00

wearing my helmet when I'm NOT riding my bike,

eating pizza like this,

bringing Bear to the park,

feeding Baby Doll in my "car".

(Two+ is so much fun to watch!)

Cold Turkey

2011-03-06T13:07:00.000-05:00

When Oscar and I were looking at the sweetest pictures ever of his new cousin and our niece, Sage Charlotte-Rose, it seemed the right time to continue our growing conversation about giving up his "pacy"(FYI, a great book for kids on this subject is "Pacifiers Are Not Forever" by Elizabeth Verdick). We talked about how pacifiers are for babies (like baby Sage), and how maybe we could send Oscar's pacifiers to baby Sage since he is getting so big and doesn't really need them anymore. He liked this idea, so...

I didn't hesitate to find a box. O.K. put his pacifiers inside and watched intently as I wrote his name and Sage's name, and drew on a stamp, of course. Then we put it out for the mail carrier to pick up.

And now the pacifiers are GONE. Naps and bedtime were rough yesterday, but I am happy to share that today he went down with much less complaining. It took him a while still to fall asleep, but instead of crying, he was busy chatting with Big Bear, Little Bear, and Cat. He is getting to be such a big kid.

Fairly Handy Man

2011-03-06T12:31:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to brag about the Hole, or actually about the exodus of the Hole and the man behind its disappearance, ever since it was fixed. O.K. used to point at the Hole during meals, naming it simply "hole", as he does so many other things these days. Then John got some great information from the Family Handyman, and only Oscar expressed a brief sadness over the hole's eventual absence.

I am quite happy to have a hole-free dining room again. Good work, Johnny!

Old Space, New Space

2011-02-22T06:04:00.000-05:00

To make space for O.K.'s party, we decided to move around some furniture. The extra space was actually pretty great, so we made some minor adjustments, and--ta-da!--same crap, but in a whole new room. Way back when we moved in, we arranged the furniture in a way that was perfect for two. At first, O.K. didn't take up much space, but now he is a busy kiddo with plenty of two-year old Stuff--our perfect space for two was becoming much less "perfect". The change has been refreshing, to say the least, and we can't help sharing it with those of you too far away to stop by.

Old space...couch/shelf in the middle of the room, TV off to the right (for the record, the vacuum cleaner didn't officially live there). Remember?

New space...

Kid-friendly space! Toys under the table on the left, book-nook on the right.

And from the other side...

(view from entryway)

"Grown-up" toy-free space...aahhh.

The Birthday Party -- Finally!

2011-02-21T14:11:00.001-05:00

After having to postpone due to a collision of illnesses, we were happy to finally get to celebrate Oscar's birthday with some of his friends and their amazing parents.

There were party decorations...

And brunchy snacks and cake...

Sweet Rose and her mama, Jemma

There were activities

like coloring train cars,

playing with toys and puzzles

and balls and trikes,

and reading stories.

There were party favors --

wooden train whistles, engineer hats, and a CD of O.K.'s favorite train/go songs.

O.K. wore his hat for the 30 seconds it took me to snap this picture.

Julian, looking sharp as always, wore his with style.

Jack and Cole, blowing their train whistles.

And there was cake, complete with candles and singing.

One last time -- Happy Birthday, Oscar!

"Two!"

2011-02-11T06:03:00.001-05:00

You know it's your birthday when you wake up to balloons,

and there's cinnamon rolls for breakfast,

and cake with candles to blow out (more than once, if you're two) after dinner,

and the best-presents-ever ("Thomas!") to open and play with,

and your parents sing birthday songs to you all day.

Happy 2nd birthday, O.K.!

Snow Day #2

2011-01-29T00:27:00.000-05:00

One sad sick kiddo.

Snow Day #1 (this week, anyway)

2011-01-29T00:24:00.000-05:00

Riding in the sled.

Playing in the snow with Sunny.

Taking a taste.

Sunny and Oscar in the sled.

Back at home, sharing a snack.

Art

2011-01-26T07:43:00.001-05:00

Art. A new word and action for Oscar, captured on video one evening a few days ago. With only a little bit of the aforementioned "see-see", and a whole lot of mama saying stuff (do I really talk that much?). John makes an appearance too, trying so to laugh silently, he's shaking.

Happy Morning

2011-01-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

There are trips, historical sites, museums, friends, parties, and all that certainly worth remembering. And then there are those perfect every day moments where nothing really happens but somehow they are even more memorable. We had one of those on a surprise snow day a week or so ago.

We walked to the park through the snow. O.K. still wasn't sure about the cold white stuff, but with the park in sight, he managed to crunch through it.

Enjoying a breezy swing in the cold.

After the park, we stopped at Milk & Honey, a sweet little market on Baltimore, for some coffee and an egg sandwich. Oscar played happily in the kid's corner while John and I enjoyed our coffee and the unexpected company of each other.

Toddler Hunting

2011-01-23T15:15:00.003-05:00

It has been far too long between posts. I've been busy, that's a given, and not much but snow has happened since Christmas. But we've also started having a bit of a problem taking pictures of our kiddo. As soon as Oscar sees the camera or Flip video come out, he breaks down into a chorus of "see-see-see", grabbing at the camera to see the images on the display screen. Of course then, whatever was picture-worthy in the first place is long gone, leaving us with a very annoying almost-two year old having a fit. We've explored a range of possible solutions, from disguising the camera as something else, to putting tape over the display, to looking into toy digital cameras for kids.

I can't tell you how many of these pictures I've deleted from my camera lately.

Every now and then we manage to capture him just BEFORE he loses his toddler-cool, but these pictures are something like the pictures of a lion right before he attacks: the animal is caught a bit off-guard, and right after the flash the photographer loses an arm.

Is that a camera? I'm coming for you.

Every now and then, we manage to capture the smile that comes so easily and often to O.K. But even this one ended with a puddle of toddler on the floor. I can only hope this phase will be short-lived. In the meantime, his paparazzi parents are trying to give their picture-happy habits a rest.

Christmas Day

2010-12-26T13:39:00.004-05:00

I'm still in recovery mode from my recent surgery, and with snow beginning to accumulate outside and a napping kiddo down the hall, it seems like the perfect time to recap our low-key (but memorable) Christmas.

This was our first year thinking about what O.K. would wake up to. I remember when I was a kid how magical it was to find the tree lit and presents underneath it on Christmas morning. So while Oscar may not totally get that this year, I wanted to make sure we at least practiced for future years. Here's our first attempt at creating a post-Santa Christmas morning tree.

How'd we do?

As we hoped, he noticed this first: a second-hand Kettler trike with a [very loud] bell.

And then, he noticed this: a wooden train set sent to him by his cousin, Grayson, and Uncle Dave. Though this shot is blurry it was the only one I got with his head still up. The rest of them looked like this:

head down, busy playing.

While he played, John and I had coffee and made some breakfast (blueberry pancakes). Since O.K. still had no idea what all the wrapped packages under the tree were, he remained content to play while we woke ourselves up a bit. But then, it was time for more presents.

Oscar started catching on that there were some pretty fun things underneath the colored paper.

Eager to get the ramp racer out of the package.

A favorite gift of Oscar's was a big Richard Scarry book all about cars and trucks and other things with wheels or wings or both. Such a BOY. But a boy who likes to read (or be read to), so I'm glad for that.

After more relaxing, some lunch, and a nap, we decided to go for a short walk. Oscar "rode" his new trike while John pushed (hooray for "parent handles"!). It was COLD, so we didn't last long.

We hopped in the car, stopped at the park for a short visit (so cold!), and then drove around searching for Christmas lights. When we got home, we made and enjoyed a favorite meal (baked chicken pasta with fontina and spinach, browned butter asparagus, and John's now-infamous toffee chocolate chip cookies), skyped with family at 514, and tossed O.K. into bed.

Happy second Christmas, Oscar!

Lights, Trains, and Santa

2010-12-18T19:50:00.001-05:00

We're establishing our Christmas traditions this year by doing some of the same things we did last year: the light show at Macy's and a visit to see Santa in the Christmas Village at City Hall. We took the trolley down with friends, David, Mara, and their 21-month old daughter, Lucy (one of Oscar's first friends). Beforehand, we all went to Reading Terminal Market to check out a special train exhibit there (and if the trains are there next year, we'll continue that as a tradition as well).

The exhibit had plenty of buttons for Oscar to push (his favorite!). Each button made something in the exhibit move.

Then we were off to Macy's to see the light show.

Oscar during the show...

And then when he realized it was over.

At the Christmas Village, Lucy and Oscar watched the carousel.

And then on to the last tradition of the day: a visit and a picture with Santa. O.K. high-fived the photographer and hopped up on Santa's lap, no sweat. This kid is down with Christmas (and he doesn't even know about the presents yet!). All in all a fun day -- and we're already looking forward to doing it again next year.

Oh, Christmas Tree

2010-12-14T19:47:00.002-05:00

After some debate and research on fake versus real (weighing the environmental, safety, and economical issues), we opted for a real tree. It didn't win on safety, and it may be a toss-up environmentally and economically. But there's just something about the whole experience of going to pick one out (even if it is only in a parking lot down the street a ways) that makes it special. Oh, and that fresh woody smell that fills up the living room is pretty sweet, too.

So, a Saturday or so ago, we ventured out to find our tree.

And we found it!

Oscar helped with the decorating

(please note how "helped" is NOT in quotation marks anymore--he actually helped!).

Daily he admires the tree and names the many objects and creatures hanging from it. He is surprisingly gentle and doesn't pull at the ornaments. The other night I was taking him up to bed, and I said, "Good night, tree," as we headed up the stairs. When the tree was out of sight, Oscar started calling out sadly, "Tree, tree, tree." A sentimental kid, for sure.

Halloween #2

2010-11-13T06:49:00.001-05:00

Oscar was a robot for Halloween this year. We went to the Halloween Tot Parade during the afternoon with our friend, Susie, and her sweet sweet daughter, Sunny. There were tons of kids and grown-ups in all kinds of costumes, snacks, and of course, trick-o-treating (though O.K. didn't do much of that this year). Our little robot mostly enjoyed running around in circles and picking up leaves and other bits of city life he could find. He did learn to push the buttons on his belly and say "Bee Boo Bop Boo Boop"-- such a sweet robot.

Saying hi to his penguin-friend, Nora.

Sunny in her cat-skeleton costume (look familiar?).

The robot snacking on a carrot (really!).

Other snacks were available though.

Oscar and Lucy, the flamenco dancer, with Lucy's dad, David.

Back at home, reading a dinosaur book (a new favorite) with daddy before dinner.

A Little Pick-Me-Up

2010-11-01T20:13:00.001-04:00

A surprise box came in the mail the other day. It was unexpected (as surprises usually are) and therefore, that much sweeter. Inside we found a Clever Dripper, some coffee roasted at 514, and a Jester hacky-sack.

From what I can tell, a Clever Dripper takes the best from a simple cone coffee dripper (it's fast and simple) and a french press (it makes a rich cup of coffee).

We didn't hesitate to try it out.

The results: a fantastic cup of coffee and a little taste of 514 family. Just what we needed.

Thanks so much, Pop and Sherry.

Linvilla Orchards

2010-10-29T14:48:00.002-04:00

Today we went to Linvilla Orchards to get a pumpkin and escape our dirty city for a bit of fall color and fresh air.

Oscar wore his monster shirt--or did his monster shirt wear him?

Linvilla has a huge collection of wooden structures perfect for climbing,

and crawling through,

and pretend driving.

We found a kid-size broom in Pumpkinland (Oscar was so excited!),

and pumpkins, of course.

A Few Fall Fotos

2010-10-29T14:32:00.000-04:00

Oscar at a friend's costume birthday party in the park. He's a robot.

Playing out front with the neighbor's hose.

20-month-old decisions: coat on, pots out. Ready for something, anyway.

A New Kind of Play

2010-10-16T09:30:00.001-04:00

Well, not entirely new, but we are definitely seeing more "pretend" play. I know all you parents have seen this before and anyone who isn't a parent may be somewhat unimpressed, but I can't say enough how amazing it is to watch Oscar growing and changing and becoming his own funny little person. So here's a video starring O.K. and Baby Doll (and Mama saying silly things, like "good biting") that runs a little on the long side (but I'm not apologizing).

Bye-bye, High Chair

2010-10-16T09:20:00.001-04:00

Oscar has pretty much out-grown his high chair. His feet get stuck on the way out, and he has learned to shimmy his way into precariously standing up in the thing. Plus, we like eating meals together, and losing the high chair means he will be more officially at the table.

Oscar helped as we took apart and cleaned the high chair to save for later.

One quick ride before we packed it away.

Oscar sitting at the table in his new booster seat!

37

2010-10-11T19:46:00.002-04:00

I always wondered how people could be unsure about how old they are, but now at 37 (pretty sure that's right), I am starting to get it. Number one--there are just too many other things to think about. Number two--the number is really starting to get big. Number three--one more year isn't really making much difference anymore (I mean it's not like I get a new privilege for getting older any time soon).

So my age is forgettable, but my birthday was not. It was last Monday, and my good husband and sweet son made it very special. I had to work, of course, but I woke up to balloons hanging above my head (a favorite Macy tradition). Then, when I got home from work, I found a transformed house: all the clutter was put away, the floors were vacuumed, the bathroom was clean, the dining room table "pile" had disappeared and in its place was this:

Home-baked cupcakes, wine and presents.

John had also surprised me by inviting over a few local friends (and their kiddos--Oscar's age) to share in the cupcakes and wine. After they left we ordered some food from Pataya Thai, and I felt perfectly celebrated. This birthday will go down as one of my best, however old I now am.

Philadelphia Open Studios Tour

2010-10-11T19:32:00.001-04:00

John took part in the Philadelphia Open Studios Tour (P.O.S.T.) last weekend. He showed his art in another studio-gallery in the Fairmount area. The experience overall was positive, though to get more details, you'd need to talk to Johnny. Here are a couple of pics:

Recent O.K. Pics (no theme, sorry!)

2010-09-19T14:39:00.001-04:00

Oscar has started to accessorize--he'll put on "glasses" (like Daddy's), sunglasses, and any number of things has become a "hat".

We visited the Please Touch Museum recently, which is wonderful! We are hoping to get a membership there, so that John can take Oscar there this winter when it is too cold for the park.

Less than fifteen years left...

Having "tea" with the Mad Hatter (O.K. wasn't too sure about him).

Oscar has friends, and he recognizes them! Here he is with his friend, Julian, who came over to play not long ago.

And last, a first: Oscar BUILDS a tower (instead of just knocking them down).

Best in Show

2010-09-19T14:25:00.000-04:00

We were excited when BOTH of John's pieces were chosen for the "Absolutely Abstract" show at the Philadelphia Sketch Club. But then when one of those pieces won "Best in Show", we were understandably thrilled.

At the reception, following the award ceremony (the winning piece is right above our heads).

John and Oscar next to another of John's paintings

John with his friend and mentor, Bill Scott

Oscar gingerly played a note or two (with the pianist's encouragement).

Congratulations, Johnny. Oscar and I are so proud of you.

The Perfect Shelf

2010-09-10T20:13:00.001-04:00

At the end of last school year I determined that I needed a new shelf for the growing collection of books in my classroom. It became one of many summer goals, and I was pretty disheartened the day before I was to head back into my classroom when I realized that I hadn't yet found my shelf. Not that I hadn't been looking -- thrift stores, porch sales, the as-is section of IKEA -- but nothing was exactly right. So there I was, getting myself geared up to go and buy a NEW shelf at IKEA for more money than I wanted to spend, when I got a text from my friend, Mara, saying she'd just walked past my shelf in someone's trash, and that I'd better hurry. Trash-picking is a bit of a hobby around here and anything good doesn't last, so I threw a shoeless Oscar into the car and drove down the street to check it out. It needed some paint, and some mice had clearly thrown a party in the bottom shelf, but it was solid wood, just the right size, and best of all, free. I threw it in the trunk and headed home, thankful to Mara and the invention of cell phones, and excited about my timely find.

My perfect FREE shelf, just under half-way painted with some leftover paint I found in the basement.

Like new!

And now here it is: my just-what-I-needed shelf for just what I wanted to pay fitting in exactly where I needed it to. Now, how often does that happen?

Popsicle

2010-08-26T19:38:00.001-04:00

While I'm thinking of firsts, I have to add this one. Oscar's first popsicle (Breyer's 100% Fruit Pop, actually).

Just as I was trying to capture this "first", the popsicle fell off the stick. See it?

But O.K.'s gettin' quick, and managed to catch it before it hit the ground. Nice save, monkey.

"Down the Shore"

2010-08-26T19:29:00.002-04:00

Well, it only took us six years to get to the Jersey shore. We went for the day to rendezvous with some old Portland friends, Tony and Robyn, who moved to Michigan a couple of years after we moved to Philly, and who also happen to have family near Seaside Park, New Jersey. Besides the fact that you have to PAY ($12 a person!!!) to walk on the overly crowded beach (we just looked at it from the boardwalk), we were pleasantly surprised by our Jersey shore experience and will definitely try to make it back next summer. Though perhaps it was Robyn and Tony, along with their sweet 4-year old son, Roman, who made our first east coast beach trip the fun that it was.

We met up at the home of friends of Tony and Robyn. Roman and Oscar got acquainted over dirt and water in the yard. Not a bad way to meet someone, really.

We took a walk down the boardwalk to see what all a "boardwalk" consists of. Basically, a wooden walkway leading to and through a permanent county fair (without the live animals and with an arcade as noisy and bling-y as a casino).

We played Ski Ball.

Roman and Oscar raced cars. Oscar didn't need quarters to make his car interesting. Gotta' enjoy that while it lasts...

John, Oscar, and Roman played pinball. Quarters required.

We watched the rides.

And Oscar went on his first "ride"-- a train that went around a little track.

After dinner, some tasty boardwalk treats, and more hanging out, we said adios to our sweet friends, hopped in the car, and managed to catch this before heading inland. We can now happily add "down the shore" to the places we've been.

Our Oregon Trip in Less than 80 Pictures

2010-08-13T12:46:00.003-04:00

Two weeks in Oregon and we came home with well over 500 pictures to remind us of our sweet trip. I am learning to be brutal and just let many of them go, but I'm a Macy, and as such, a sentimental pack-rat, even digitally. I've managed to narrow it down (thank you, Sherry, for your inspiration), and may have even repeated some of the pics posted here, but it simply can't be helped. I apologize if your picture is not posted below--it's frustrating when you figure out who or what you've missed only after you are 2000 miles away.

Oscar's Nana

Oscar and "The Girls", otherwise known as Trudy and Georgia ( a couple of cozy gerbils)

Elizabeth made a tasty brunch and family came from all over to eat it. It was wonderful to see everyone, including Aunt Lisa and cousin Lani (who was 11 the last time we saw her!).

John and Uncle John

John's cousin, Tegan, and our nephew, Grayson, played "Animal Crossing" on their tiny hand computers (otherwise known as a "DS"), while Oscar looked on with more interest than I would have liked.

Sweet cousins, Lani and Tegan

I had to take plenty of pictures -- it's been a long while since we've all been in the same place at the same time.

Grayson showed us, along with Tegan, around OMSI while we were there. The Ball Room was O.K.'s favorite.

all spaced out

Grayson stayed over at Nana's, continuing to introduce O.K. to the DS world.

Oh, that tiny hand computer!!!

John and his sister, Shana

We also saw a few dear "Portland" friends:

A picnic at Laurelhurst Park with Kelly and Jooree.

Feeding the ducks (before we found out we weren't supposed to)

A yummy barbecue with Dan and Lupine and their

sweet sweet daughters, Dot and Bina.

A visit with the Grants -- the cutest family ever, pretty much.

Miles and Oscar

John's Big Brother, Tom Jordan, drove up from Eugene to have breakfast with us.

If you're going to eat breakfast, this is a great place to do it.

At Allegra's barbecue, we caught up with some of John's old roommates--some visiting from Los Angeles and Seattle.

Allegra's trampoline

John visited his old friend, Tom, and his new(ish) sweet baby, Una.

After a week, we were off to Newberg...

Oscar and Gus

Oscar listened intently to the popping of the coffee roaster, as Gum explained how it worked.

Darcy and Oscar have a lot in common -- they're both energetic, curious, and often use their mouths to check stuff out.

Uncle John did a lot of this (look ahead for the REALLY nice pics--all his and Erin's)

Eating a snap pea straight from John and Erin's garden

Checking out the compost bin

A Photo Macy pic (click here for more information), and one of my favorites.

(Photo Macy, of course)

A bit of modeling at the park (See Erin? She's in there, too.)

Oscar and his Uncle John

We had a tasty lunch with Grandma Williams.

Uncle Pete and Aunt Linsey

O.K. thought they were pretty fun[ny]...

Watering plants

Pete and Linsey hosted a barbecue at their home, where we got to meet this little guy, Kennady Sunday Williams, just 3 weeks old.

Derin and Andra braved the long drive for their first post-baby outing. (We're so glad they did!)

Grandma Williams with her great-grandsons.

Erin, looking ready for her future

Pop came across a strange food "adventure", so we decided to try it. Anchovies folded and stuffed into a giant green olive.

It wasn't anyone's favorite.

We also got to see Anna, an old old friend I've known since I was six, and her sweet son, Carter, who is just a few months older than Oscar.

A visit with Grandma Macy

The Andersons arrive from Colorado! (Cassidy, Addison, Paul, and Bailey)

Aunt Erin and Cassidy

And then we headed down to Twin Rocks with the Andersons, Pete and Linsey, John and Erin, and of course, Pop and Sherry (a.k.a. Gum and Gus). Darcy, however, went to visit her mother for a few days.

We played on the beach. (Photo Macy)


Photo Macy

Photo Macy

We played games -- like Kubb, as well as a few shin-stinging games of soccer.

We relaxed.

A few lucky aunts had their nails done at Salon Anderson.

O.K. took an unusual bath.

We went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory

Ice cream

We took pictures

And more pictures

Until it was time for us to go. We even got an Anderson/Carlson white hankie farewell.

We couldn't leave Oregon without making one more stop at Nana's. After relaxing there for a bit we headed to the airport to catch our late night flight. Then, after twelve long hours of waiting and flying and waiting some more, we found ourselves back in Philly.

We're already looking forward to next time.

All Play...

2010-07-18T23:30:00.003-04:00

Oscar's main job right now is pretty much to play. He learns so much from following his own curious path, and we are always amazed (and often amused) at where that takes him.

O.K. figured out how to trigger the sensors that start the sprinklers at the sprinkler park.

He and his friend, Cole, find mud to be a pretty engaging subject.

And then there's the broom. We're not sure what he likes about them, but "broom" is one of his few words, and he spots them everywhere we go. Here he's clearly trying something.

I get worried when it is suddenly TOO quiet in the living room, but more often than not, this is what I find--Oscar kickin' back in his reading nook. As I'm sure you can see, he takes the work of play pretty seriously.

4th of July

2010-07-18T23:05:00.001-04:00

Yes, I know it is the 18th. It has been a busy week, and it is also getting a lot harder to find enough of the uninterrupted minutes necessary to post to this blog. That said, here's a very short story of our fourth.

We met up with Patrick and Robert at Independence Hall to watch the 4th of July parade. It was HOT, but fun to see our dear friends, as well as a bunch of old cars, costumed dancers, and local princesses.

Somebody nearby gave Oscar this patriotic hat.

Later, we lit a couple of sparklers. It became clear that O.K. isn't quite ready for those yet. Maybe next year...

Off to Massachusetts!

2010-07-05T19:30:00.001-04:00

After leaving Aunt Jane's, we headed to Groton, Massachusetts, a small town just outside of Boston. Our friends, Charlie, Rachel, and their one year-old son, Ryely, left West Philly for this quiet place just a few months ago. Their goal was to find a place they could rent that would also give them some land on which they could grow some food. But they are really there because Charlie will soon start his job as an astrophysicist at Harvard.

John and I got our hands dirty helping Charlie plant some tomato starts.

Ryely and Oscar watched each other eating dinner (the parents enjoyed a lot of tasty food after the boys were in bed).

Another pool!

Charlie and Rachel are awesome parents -- and Oscar thought they were pretty cool, too.

Rachel's not much for having her picture taken, but I managed to get one or two when she was too busy to notice.

Oscar received these sweet dinosaur rain boots from our dear friends. As you may remember, he likes his boots.

Before we knew it, we were back in the car, heading home. Once again, Oscar was a real trooper for the long hours in the car.

He even slept a little.

Visiting Aunt Jane

2010-07-05T16:17:00.002-04:00

Our first road trip of the summer was up north to visit Aunt Jane in New Haven, Connecticut. We arrived Sunday afternoon and didn't depart until Tuesday morning. It was brief, but filled with lots of fun.

We were a little worried about Oscar being in the car for about five hours, but he did really well. He even took a short nap!

We took a walk down Aunt Jane's drive. Her home is surrounded by tall quiet trees. Nestled into those trees, however, are a bunch of noisy birds and bugs. We saw all kinds of colorful birds visiting the bird feeders around Aunt Jane's house.

Aunt Jane had all of her kids over the night we arrived for a barbecue. Here's Sarah (and Oscar, sort of) unloading the dishwasher.

On Monday, Keith and Aunt Jane took us to Devil's Hopyard to hike around for a bit. It was HOT, but beautiful.

John and Oscar cooled off some by the water.

Aunt Jane was the only one wearing water-proof shoes, so she took Oscar out into the creek to look at some rocks.

Oscar was pretty interested in Irma, Aunt Jane's fourteen-year old [and very patient] pooch.

Monday evening we went over to Susie's house (Aunt Jane's daughter) for pizza and a swim in her pool. Oscar wasn't sure about a swim at first, but he warmed up pretty quickly.

Aunt Jane loaded us up with snacks for Oscar (and us) for the next leg of our trip up to Groton, Massachusetts. We had a wonderful time and look forward to returning soon!

Catching Up

2010-06-20T21:51:00.006-04:00

School ended just a few short days ago. It's Sunday now, and I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm NOT going in to school tomorrow. The last two weeks have been incredibly full, and I'm grateful for the chance to take a breath, sleep a little more, and begin to attack the we-can-do-that-this-summer list. Now I also have time to catch up on this blog.

On June 7th, Christine and I went to the award ceremony to receive the Marci Resnick Teacher Fund grant. The previous year's recipients presented the work they had done using their grants. It was so inspiring that, before they were even done, Christine and I were busy scribbling notes back and forth about our own plans. The award was presented by the son and husband of Marci Resnick, a teacher who passed away a few years ago and the woman this grant honors. Their words about Marci Resnick were very moving, and their thoughtful comments about our grant proposal validated what we hope to accomplish.

Christine, myself, and Terri (another grant recipient from our school).

Back to catching up, let me throw in a little Oscar news. He continues to astound us with new words, interests, and talents. He says "daddy", "bird", and "cookie" pretty clearly. He repeats words he hears much of the time. He can scale the couch (and get in to the "no-touch" zone on the shelf behind it) in less than two seconds. He reads books to himself endlessly, though he won't sit and be read to for more than half of a book (the teacher in me is so hoping this will change soon). Ironically, there is one exception, a goofy "Toy Story 2" book I brought home from school because I don't allow my third graders to read books based on movies (it just isn't quality literature and it's below their reading levels). Now, this sub-par book turns out to be the only book Oscar will sit still for--I read it to him four times IN A ROW last night without a single wiggle. He is also really into playing in a new homemade "water table" (basically, a plastic tub filled with rocks, plastic animals, and water). I am endlessly fascinated with how toddlers make connections and try stuff out. It is really fun to watch.

My last day of school was Thursday, though my last day with students was Wednesday. It has been a pretty good year, overall. While I won't post many pics of my class on this blog, I can't help posting these:

A friendly game of tug-o-war amongst the third grade classes (and we won!).

And this picture pretty much expresses the spirit of my class this year -- I had a really sweet bunch and I will miss them!

We are looking forward to a fun-filled summer. Though I work so much during the school year, I am thankful to have the summer off. We'll do our best to post more of our adventures (big and small) as they happen.

Picky Eater? Not This Kid.

2010-05-31T20:29:00.002-04:00

An almost sixteen month-old and a plateful of food makes for a fun combination these days. The best part of it is, O.K. enjoys eating all kinds of foods. He tries new foods with much curiosity and makes his favorites known (bananas, cheese, and most recently, blueberries). I've heard from other moms about their chicken-nuggets-only toddlers, and I try not to brag--who knows what may happen in a few months--but I can't help feeling relieved to have such a happy eater.

Sucking on a mango pit.

Chowing on grilled asparagus.

At the same meal, eating [homemade free-range organic] turkey meatloaf with a Real Fork (by O.K.'s request).

(Video to be posted soon -- having Blogger technical difficulties, I guess.)

Family -- The Best Surprise

2010-05-21T21:06:00.001-04:00

John received a call late Tuesday night that Aunt Jane and her long-time friend, Drizella, would be making their way to Philadelphia from Florida. They had just returned from a cruise and were driving back to Connecticut. We felt privileged that they were willing to take a detour to come see us.

More-than-thoughtful Aunt Jane brought along toys, books, and t-shirts for Oscar, as well as tequila for John, and a beautiful necklace and earrings for me. Of course, my favorite souvenir was this:

an Oscar-sized sombrero, all shiny and blue.

After catching up for a bit, we headed down Baltimore to Dock Street for some pizza and more catching up.

Oscar had fun entertaining Aunt Jane and Drizella. He clearly thought they were pretty entertaining as well. John and I also enjoyed this surprise-visit--and we welcome more of them (a friendly hint to all you family out there)!

Small Things

2010-05-16T06:48:00.001-04:00

Yesterday morning, Oscar came toddling over, a lone rain boot in hand, plopped down on my lap, handed me the boot, and stuck his foot out. You can guess, as I did, what he wanted.

He seemed pretty pleased with the result.

Marci Resnick Teacher Fund

2010-05-11T19:38:00.001-04:00

I've been a little hush-hush about a recent endeavor of mine and my friend/colleague, Christine, mostly because I wanted to wait until--well, until now. We applied for a small grant ($500) through the Marci Resnick Teacher Fund (if you click the link, scroll down) to start up an after-school science club with an emphasis on writing. I can tell you more about that later, but the now part of all this is that we received an award letter today indicating that we will be awarded the grant! We will receive one of only four awards given out this year. We will receive the grant at an award ceremony on June 7th. And, well, I'm pretty excited about it.

The picture is completely unrelated, but a post without a picture seems so blah, and this is the most recent picture I have of myself (from Mother's Day at Robert and Patrick's art opening), the now "award-winning" teacher.

It's Not That Hard Actually, Being Green

2010-05-03T11:05:00.008-04:00

Philadelphia is trash-challenged, for sure. Since we've moved here, I've gone from thinking I should call 911 when I see someone dumping bags of fast food garbage out of their car while stopped at a light to annoyed eye-rolling. Similarly, we've shifted from making a weekly trek to three different grocery stores (Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Giant) to one trip to a regular grocery store. We've learned to suck it up and buy conventional, out of convenience more than anything else. Another example: back in Portland I always assumed I'd use cloth diapers, but here I was convinced by my germ-fearing South Philly teacher friends that this was NOT the way to go. I relented, citing lots of reasons (laziness being one of them).

Recently the "green" in me (and therefore, in "us") has been reawakened. We have grown increasingly unhappy with some of our choices--recycling and bringing our own grocery bags are simply not enough. What caused this? Being reminded of what is really important--via like-minded friends and family, the documentary "Food, Inc.", collaborating to create a recycling program at my school, and the reality that John and I are someone's PARENTS and that we are responsible for showing our son how to treat this world we live in.

So, what to do? We can't change everything all at once, but we can do better. These are our first moves, we think in the right direction. Step one: let our dollar be our vote and only buy things we believe in. The challenge here is that this can get expensive. Our solution to that is to simply buy less. Step two: revisit small choices, like light bulbs and usage, recycling more, buying used instead of new, etc. Step three: switch to cloth diapers.

And this is the fun part, because we have seen first hand the amount of garbage diapers create. We are happy to be joining the ranks of cloth diaper users around the world. We are hoping to at least drastically cut down on our disposable usage. It took a little set up--much less than my pre-baby-excuse-making self had imagined. We had to...

Order new diapers. We chose "econo-bum" because of the "econo" part. (Though I foresee a transition to the compatible "Flip" system).

Make space for the new diapers.

Attach a special sprayer to the toilet.

And get used to Oscar's new bigger cloth diaper butt.

We are taking a "transitioning" approach: using only three disposables in the last two days. Which means, we've managed to save eight disposable diapers from the landfill. Yes, tootin' our own greening horns.

And the bigger butt is still pretty cute. Now, off to find us a rain barrel...

It's Only Stuff

2010-05-02T22:06:00.004-04:00

We experienced another hit-and-run this morning at around eight o'clock. As this is now the THIRD one in less than a year, I'm beginning to think I'm supposed to be learning a lesson here. I can't be sure, but I'm thinking that the sooner I can NOT let the fact that another person just rammed into our car without even pausing ruin my whole day, the less likely it is to happen again. I think I'm supposed to be learning to take these time- and money-consuming mishaps in stride (they happen, no one was physically hurt--move on). I'm hoping that once I have fully learned how to do this, it just won't happen anymore. Because the truth is, it sucks whether I cry about it or not. We had other better plans for our day, so let's get to them. So after much less crying and glum-feelings than usual, we moved ahead with said plans. And I am so glad we did. But first, no tears, just the facts:

John was hit as he slowly (I was standing in the doorway) pulled away from the curb by a large white speeding pick-up who didn't slow down at all--not before he got to John's car and certainly not after. While a couple of neighbors told us they'd seen what happened, no one was able to get a license plate.

And now to the rest of our day:

A bike ride. John rides his bike all the time, true, but I have not ridden since our bike trek in Guatemala--well before Oscar was born. It just didn't seem smart while pregnant and then the opportunity hasn't presented itself much with a non-riding baby almost always in tow. We've been researching toddler seats for bikes, anticipating the day when Oscar would be old enough. Yesterday, on our way home from the farmer's market we stopped by Firehouse Bikes on a whim. Didn't you know they had the very seat we were considering? We scooped it up, along with a helmet, and started getting ready for our first "family ride".

Oscar "helped" John get my lonely bike ready.

After mounting the seat and doing our best to adjust O.K.'s helmet, John and Oscar headed out for a test drive on our street.

We loaded up our bikes and drove out to beautiful Forbidden Drive near Chestnut Hill.

When the bike wasn't moving Oscar wanted that helmet off,

but he LOVED riding with John.

All in all, a pretty good day.

Mom Salon

2010-04-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

Before we had Oscar, I thought I'd be pretty cool about having a gender-nuetral-looking kid -- you know, able to wear pink (who cares?) and have long hair. I still feel that way, but it has started to get a little annoying when people tell us what a "pretty little girl" we have. Intended or not, Oscar's clothes are pretty boyish, so we've concluded the bouncy curls must be the culprit. When it happens we have to decide to either nod and smile as we move along, or correct their perception. The former makes me feel sheepish, the latter makes the mistaken acquaintance feel the need to apologize. Also, most of the curls are growing on the back and sides of his head, at times giving him a kind of Bozo the Clown look. So yesterday, with mixed feelings (and somewhat impulsively, I'll admit), I turned on "Electric Company" (he can't look away when it's on), pulled out a pair of scissors, and started cutting.

Oscar a few weeks back with long locks that have only gotten longer...

The cut hair -- now saved in his baby book.

His new "big kid" do -- I admit, once mostly gone, I missed the curls.

Another view, and today I'm getting used to it. We went to the park this morning and no one mistook him for a girl. Not that I'm not okay with that...

West Philly (New) Parent Group

2010-04-24T14:08:00.000-04:00

In case you missed the pics posted on facebook, here's a peek at our West Philly Parent Group (the "New" ought to be taken out by now). We meet roughly every two weeks for a couple of hours. John and I have really enjoyed getting to know other parents (and their babies) this way. All kinds of moms (the stay-at-home and the working) and quite a few dads make the group. The kids range in age, with at least 3 other "regulars" Oscar's age.

We hosted last time, enjoying snacks by the sandbox out on a still-sunny evening.

Oscar and his sweet friend, Nora (whose birthday is just four days after his).

The "babies" are increasingly on the move--their newish moves are such fun to watch!

Oh, Smith Park, We Love You!

2010-04-17T09:22:00.000-04:00

Well, Oscar clearly loves it there. It is colorful and accessible and clean and playful and free and well, we just can't say enough good things about it. Oh, except you can't eat there (which we found out by attempting to eat there). Other than that, it is simply a great place to take a burgeoning toddler.

The train in the "under-five" area was definitely Oscar's favorite.

Peeking up through the sail on the boat.

Aargh--ahoy ye!

John and Oscar going down a huge old indoor wooden slide.

Practicing for the Beach

2010-04-17T09:06:00.002-04:00

With the warm weather coming a little early this year (we deserved it, honestly, after such a snowy winter!), we decided to get Oscar a sandbox to put on the deck. We checked out some fancier versions, but in the end went for the good ol' plastic turtle. We also MacGyver'd a gate so O.K. is free to roam on the deck.

He ate a pretty good amount of sand his first time in, but has since mostly figured out a sandy mouth is no fun. Though this does seem to be one of those things that he will have to learn more than once--at least for now.

Conventional baby gates are just too complicated. A yard gate and a couple of bungee cords and--viola!--a toddler-proofed deck.

Anniversary Hike

2010-04-05T10:46:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, we celebrated eight years of married life. As we often are, we were casual about it--a delicious homemade breakfast made by an adoring husband, an equally tasty dinner out at Vietnam (a sweet Vietnamese restaurant in West Philly), and in between, a hike down Forbidden Drive and water ice at Rita's after.

Oscar couldn't have been happier to see the world from up there.

We stopped to play for a bit in the sand and water along the river.

It was a perfect day.

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-05T10:30:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, Oscar and I went to a candy-free Easter egg hunt at the Woodland Cemetery not too far from our house. I didn't really expect him to find many eggs, but romping around in the grass and picking stuff up is one of his top five favorite things to do, so I figured it would be fun. And it was.

Once the hunt began, Oscar walked maybe five feet out into the grass, found an egg, and flopped down to enjoy it.

Oscar and his friend, Daniel, were working on how to share. I've been told this is the age when toddlers are just beginning to consider the whole world doesn't revolve solely around them. It's a hard lesson to learn, and I'm realizing may take a while.

Soon Oscar came up with his own egg hunt game. Step one: toss the egg. Step two: find the egg. Step three: pick up the egg. Step four: repeat until your mother gets tired of following you around.

Oscar, Daniel, and their friend, Lucy, sat around sharing snacks while the parents chatted. It was a gorgeous day, perfect for egg hunting and lazing in the warm sun with big and small friends.

Graduation!

2010-04-02T06:53:00.001-04:00

That's right, at the young age of almost fourteen months, Oscar has "graduated" from ChildLink, the program that evaluated and organized his physical therapy for the past ten months. We've come to really appreciate Gail, O.K.'s physical therapist. Oscar really likes her--and what new parents wouldn't love to have someone come play with their child and explain what and how he's doing every week? So, while we are so happy to know that Oscar's on-track developmentally and no longer needs this assistance, we are also a little sad to see Gail go. We are grateful to her for the gentle way she worked with Oscar, and for the support and encouragement she gave us.

The Philadelphia Zoo

2010-04-02T06:39:00.002-04:00

Spring break is the best. In spite of being a little under the weather this week, I've managed to spend some quality time with Oscar and John, as well as a few friends. Yesterday, John worked in the print shop while Oscar and I went with my friend, Christine, and her son, Cole to the Philadelphia Zoo.

Shortly, after we got there, we stopped to have a picnic lunch. O.K. was fascinated by the geese and the sounds they made. As we walked through the zoo, we checked out many of the big animals, but Oscar and Cole are still more interested in simpler things (like each other's strollers).

We went into the "Treehouse", where the boys climbed through a giant maze of frogs' eggs...

then into an enormous frog.

The kiddos playing around in a huge dino egg.

I'm pretty sure Oscar's favorite part were the goats at the petting zoo. They are a lot slower than a cat, and didn't seem to mind being petted at all.

Smith Playhouse

2010-04-02T06:16:00.000-04:00

John has taken Oscar a few times now to Smith Playhouse, but I have hardly had the opportunity since it is open primarily during the school day. It is a beautiful old building with three different levels on which toddlers and young children can play. During this spring break I was finally able to take Oscar to see it for myself. Here are a few pics, though they don't do the place justice. On the level filled with toys, I was too busy playing (and keeping up) with O.K. to remember to take any pics. Honestly, that's fine with me.

The little house with the tiny kitchen was clearly O.K.'s favorite spot. He likes opening and shutting all of the cupboards and turning the knobs on the stove.

On the lower level, Oscar explored this wooden train car.

He is not actually pushing this with his feet much yet. He really liked it when I pulled him around on it, though. Soon enough, he'll be making it go on his own.