Adventures of a Family

What I Want to be When I Grow Up...

2011-09-20T19:24:00.000-07:00

WORD FOR WORD CONVERSATION WITH JONAH

JONAH: Daddy. You know. When I grow up I think I want to be a pirate but I don't know... it is hard
DADDY: Well, the best part is you don't have to decide today Jonah.
JONAH: after a thoughtful pause Daddy? I think I want to be a ghost instead. Either that or a knight in a suit of armor.

DADDY: And what would you do if you were a guy in a suit of armor?
JONAH: uhhmm. I'd probably fight. That's what those guys do right daddy? Nevermind. I want to be a king but I want to fight and stuff like that too. Daddy, I want Mae to be my princess when she grows up and then I can protect her but I would miss you and I would have a horse and a shield.

Bring Back the Pokes!

2011-08-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, Michael decided to do something a little different and shave off his always-present beard and mustache. I am usually convinced that this facial hair is actually something permanent that cannot ever be removed or his entire face will come off, but it's not true! The guy shaved and it was still him underneath. That skin hadn't seen the light of day for years, and of course, little Mae or Jonah for that matter, had never seen him clean-shaven.

When Michael first presented himself to Mae, she was pretty upset and we thought she would start loosing it. All she kept repeating was "where are the pokes, bring the pokes back!"

I was just about to leave for somewhere on my bicycle, but realized that she probably thought I was about to leave her with a stranger. So I had to snuggle up to the guy and give a few smooches in front of her, before she would accept that this really was her dad.

She's still asking for the pokes back a few days later, but happily, the 5'oclock shadow has appeared and it will only be pokier from here on out:)

Happy Dad's Day

2011-06-19T09:38:00.001-07:00

Happy father's day to a wonderful dad and husband.

Jonah graduates from preschool

2011-05-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

AHHHHH...such a cutie. And, my, how this year flew by.

Grandma and Grandpa Clark babysit!

2011-05-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Thank GOD for family who live close by. It's a win/win for everyone involved! Although grandma and grandpa Diltz live just 25 minutes down the road, the Clarks are about 3 1/2 hours away. And of course due to the distance they don't see the grandkids as much as they would like. So Michael and I, being the very giving people we are, decided to grant these two grandparents a couple of uninterrupted hours with the kiddos, while we had an outing to Tasty and Sons (YUM!) and then on to a very interesting "museum" called the Peculiarium near NW 23rd, where you can get ice cream sundays with real dried dehydrated worms, and see a display of an alien autopsy. AHHH, how romantic.

Anyway, although now the grandparents admit they were a bit worried about my kids being total crazy, hyper devil-children, a good time was had by all. The photo evidence, complete with smiles, is displayed to the left of this post.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

"The best thing about mommy is that I love her." - Jonah

Daddy: What is the best thing about mommy?"

Mae: I have a blue shirt.

We love you.

4-year well-child appointment

2011-04-06T07:12:00.001-07:00

Well the results are in.....Jonah is still officially in the 10th percentile for both height and weight. He weighs a whopping 32 pounds and is 38 and 1/2 inches (just tall enough to get into the play land at IKEA!).

Happy 4th B-day, Jonah boy:)

2011-03-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to our big, big boy. He was a little sick with a fever, so Auntie Kealie and Deanna had to stay away, but both sets of grandparents were around, which was SO special. The day was pretty quiet and gave us a chance to hang out as a family. Jonah has made such huge changes this past year, it's unbelievable. He is continuing to become a thoughtful, caring, happy kid. We couldn't ask for more, especially with how well he's handling Mae and her TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE TWOS, which we are right in the middle of. Jonah even let Mae help him open a present and then let her play with his brand new toy. And all this while he had a fever. What a wonderful little man.

Michael made THE most incredible cake for the little man. (and it even tasted good too!). We've posted photos of the results of his labor.

We're so proud of you, Jonah, and you're happy, playful spirit. You have a way of making everything fun and show us new things about the world every day.

Bye-Bye Forever, Diapers

2011-02-26T22:35:00.000-08:00

Strange that I am saying this has been a bittersweet day...but getting rid of the cloth diapers was a little bit difficult. I was a little sad to leave them at the shop where they will be consigned and used on another little bottom or two before they become car wash rags. No tiny little butts to diaper. I can't believe it.

But MAN..those cloth diapers are amazing. We used them on both kids..so they were in constant use for at least 4 years, AND they were still in good enough shape to be resold at a children's boutique in town. Talk about green. Those little innocent looking pieces of material saved us hundreds of dollars and saved a few thousand diapers from ending up in the land fill. Not that we were at all purists. We still did a nightly disposable for Mae, and used them on vacations, etc. I'm so proud of us for sticking with them and doing the little bit of extra work it took. I really feel like we made a difference.

The Snow!

2011-02-26T14:46:00.001-08:00

We love Portland snow!! Here for 2 hours of fun and then GONE!

BUTT and POOP

2011-02-23T21:52:00.000-08:00

So Michael and I are taking the kids on a ride on the tram at OHSU. Super fun for the kids and pretty low cost for such an amazing contraption. We went on a Saturday, which means there are no staff or docs riding, just a few tourists. Our cab had maybe 6 people besides ourselves. The view is spectacular...it is a gorgeous clear day and everyone on board is in awe. Mae, sensing there is an attentive audience blurts out very clearly "butt,........ poop,....... butt." To which we can only say "Mae, please be quiet" or something lame like that. Of course she continues to say it a few more times again to her silent, attentive audience, who are just trying LIKE CRAZY the enjoy the beautiful, serene view. Little do they know that MY foul-mouthed daughter would forever leave the imprint of "poop" on their brain when they think of Mt. St. Helens and the lovely Portland downtown skyline. UGG.

I'm starting this blog again...it's too precious to stop

2011-02-23T21:50:00.000-08:00

I'm making a commitment to start this again...no matter how long it takes to upload photos and how much of a pain it is. It is just too wonderful.

2010-07-10T22:43:00.001-07:00

Test post#1

this is the body.

A Milestone

2010-05-15T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have stopped breastfeeding Mae as of three days ago, and although I know it's time to give it up, I'm SUPER sad about it. It was starting to drive me totally nuts. But today I feel like I'm really loosing something. It is something that you share with your babies that is so special. I know that breastfeeding is symbolizing Mae's babyhood....breastfeeding is coming to an end, and so is her babyhood. And so are the years of having tiny kids. Just like everything is seems with parenting...you loose something, you gain something, you regret something, you are happy about something.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

I was asking Jonah if he knew what the word "mother" meant. He said, "yes, it means your mommy." Then he said "it also means, Creature."

Happy mother's day.

Just some cute photos

2010-04-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

Mae makes a joke.

2010-03-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Mae has been walking for about a month now and likes it when you sit at her level while she walks around presenting gifts, offerings and food scraps to you.

She brought a chip from off the floor well beyond the 5 second rule and brought to me as I sat on the floor in the kitchen. As I opened my mouth for the chip she snatched it away from me and laughed.

She did this two more times.

We laughed.

She got close to my face and then ate the chip in front of me with a smile.

Wheels

2010-03-22T11:31:00.000-07:00

A friend of ours was visiting with Jonah and asked:

Brian: What has wheels?

Jonah: My bicycle

Brian: What else has wheels?

Jonah: Another Bicycle.

We had a good laugh but Brian, being a teacher by nature and profession, wasn't quite done with the lesson.

He found a dirty yellow Tonka dump truck and brought it over.

Brian: What things have wheels?

Pause. Pointing at the dump truck.

Brian: What about this?

Jonah: No. This truck has 4 tires.

Jonah Turns 3 and Rocks Out

2010-03-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

Grand Kids Say the Darndest Things by Grandpa Diltz

2010-02-28T13:48:00.000-08:00

Michael and Hallie,

I have to share a conversation that Jonah and I had yesterday.

Jonah asked me again how I got my "OWIE" so I explained how I fell off the roof.

Jonah said "That was a really bad idea Grandpa" followed by "I'll bet when you fell you said "OH SH!T!!"

Every time I think of this conversation it puts a smile on my face.

Dad/Grandpa

This is not just a photo of a pile of diapers...

2010-02-23T21:56:00.000-08:00

It's freedom, my friends. Freedom from changing Jonah's diapers, anymore, ever. You guessed it, Jonah is potty trained. We still have the occasional accident, but he's got it down. Now we only have to change one kid's poopy diapers.

Just for posterity, I took a photo of his very last pile of diapers.

What a big, proud boy he is.

The bathroom is no longer a safe place

2010-02-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

Hide your toilet paper. Put your trash can at least 5 feet off the ground. Leave no towels on the racks. Little Mae, aka " Moo" ( more on that later) has become our little bathroom demon. Turn your back for one moment and she will decimate the place. We have included several pieces of photo evidence for your perusal.

Oh, about the nick name "Moo". That would be a combination of "Mae" and "Poo" that was uttered by Michael as he entered the bathroom on night as Mae and Jonah were taking a bath. I will let you fill in the details. (ICK!)

Happy Birthday Beautiful Mae

2009-11-16T16:05:00.001-08:00

We love you and we can't believe it's been a whole year. You have brought us so much happiness with your happy, smiley, delicate and loving ways.

Halloween Fun

2009-11-07T08:23:00.000-08:00

The Sprouts Co-op Preschool had a wonderful Halloween party hosted by Jon, Kate and Isabel. All the kids dressed up. Thanks to Sandra's sewing skills (Stu's mom) Jonah had a punk rock outfit that matched his buddy Stu's. He was so thrilled that in most pictures his feet weren't even touching the ground (and that was before candy).

Mae was a sweet little lion and enjoyed the comfy warm costume. Hallie was a faerie and I couldn't wear my costume as it was just too scary for the kids. I went as a zombie (though some of the students at Athey Creek thought I was a hobo).

The only problem I see with Halloween is that now Jonah thinks that when we go on walks around the neighborhood he can just knock on a door, say trick or treat and receive candy. If only life worked that way.

New Ideas Everyday

2009-10-21T21:30:00.001-07:00

Jonah has made some wonderful observations and posed some intriguing questions recently.
While talking about leaves falling from trees Jonah said, "Do leaves have parachutes?"

While playing down in the basement Jonah found the wireless doorbell button in his horde of toys and said, "the ding dong."
Hallie teased Jonah, "You are a ding dong."
Jonah replied, "I'm not a ding dong mommy I'm a little boy."

Jonah is kind of becoming obsessed with a couple animated movies at the moment. Though he typically only gets to watch about 20 to 30 minutes of tv a day he still chooses to watch the same video each time... Monsters Incorporated. In a quest to end his obsession (because I really can't bare to hear Billy Crystal as the voice of a one eyed little blobby monster anymore) I showed him the movie Cars. Now all he wants to know about is "What is Lighting Mcgween doing right now?" While in the stroller Jonah asked, "Do cars have mouths?"

Now Mae has had some monumental discoveries lately too. Today she clapped and looked at me in anticipation. I clapped and she responded then she decided she needed to clap daddy's hands for him and took my hands in hers and pushed my hands together. It was a sweet moment that ended with both Mae and I giggling about our interaction.

Jonah shared his food with Mae today and invited her to come play in the tent we made out of a sheet in the basement. He let her throw some balls around and play kitchen with us too. Jonah is beginning to warm up to his sister and it only took nearly a year.

So we are doing pretty wonderful ourselves. We just completed a remodel on our house which includd moving the front door and putting a porch on the house. Moving an entryway to a room and making way for our bedroom suite in the back of the house. And we redid our kitchen. We are so happy to have the house done, the kids growing so quickly (bittersweet) and our happy little lives remaining beautiful and full of joy.

This is how it really works

2009-10-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

I started to realize the other day that although Michael and I do a lot of work keeping these two little ones alive and happy, it is all the amazing helpers in our lives that keep the two of us alive and happy. And so we are able to keep it together (for the most part!), get on with the task of being parents, and have enough energy to love our babies just a little more. We keep thanking our lucky stars that we have such giving and amazing people in our lives.

So thanks grandma and grandpa diltz, grandma and grandpa clark, kealie and chris, heidi and joe, sandra and sean, gabrielle and ellie, shannon and mike, lori and ryan, terri and ro, erin and craig, jess and dylan, matt and alexis, elke and byron, miq and thui. You are all family to us and we
couldn't pull this off without you. Here's to a wonderful community of friends and family that has enriched our lives so tremedously.

My Precious Little Mae. A Brief Retrospective.

2009-09-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

Having two children is not as easy as having one. Of course no one in their right mind said it would be but I still didn't imagine that it would seem more than twice as challenging. For me it often is. Things I thought I'd still have time for, like writing for our family blog, pulling weeds from the garden or taking deep breaths seem to have been pushed to the side for the past 10 months.

I often wonder if years later Jonah and Mae will read these entries and realize that many moments of Jonah's early life were catalogued here whereas Mae will wonder to herself, "I wonder if they love Jonah more than they love me." Not possible my little Mae.

So many things have gone un-recorded here and to recreate a bunch of posts to relive them will not do it all justice so I have put together a bulleted list of the many things I missed posting but think about each and every day when I see my sweet little girl.

You say dadda like it is the best word in the world (nevermind that besides that and cat you don't really have any other words so I am really only in direct competition with the cat. Now that I think about it you just say my name, smile and point but for the cats you also giggle....hmm)
You love to feed me crackers, cheese, and anything else you may have been slobbering on. It is sweet even if I sometimes only pretend to eat it.
You love getting hugs from daddy and it shows.
I can't go anywhere without someone commenting about your beautiful face or how your hair proves you must be daddy's girl.
You are so cute it almost hurts and I lose my breath.
You have the same wonderful, Zen-like, disposition as your mom. (Sorry Jonah but you got more of my disposition than mom's I think. But that is okay, you'll think everything in the world is absolutely intriguing for the rest of your life)
You love to touch flowers, play in the grass and look at the sky in awe.
Swings make you happy.
Your brother makes you happy (even if he currently is in the try-to-kick-Mae-in-the-head-when-no-one-is-looking stage he still gives you the best hugs goodnight)
You love to point at people and smile
You love to smile
I love your smile
You love to pull yourself up to the little toy piano and bang away.
You love to maul the cats and for some reason Rufus lets you.
You eat everything.

I could continue, but these are the moments that I think about and get to live each day. Life has seemed stressful as of late with a house remodel underway, returning to work after an awesome summer off, mom beginning piano lessons again, Jonah starting at our co-op preschool and just the general daily things in life that attempt, but fail, to get in the way of the important stuff; loving you and Jonah.

Jonah's First Day of Preschool..."I Want a Snack"

2009-09-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

Today was Jonah's first day of our little community co-op called "Sprouts" and this is what our friend, Luke, had to say about how the kids did. Priceless.

"Let's keep those tips about how to interpret and engage our kidscoming -- they are invaluable. For example we were glad to have heard
from Jonah's folks that "I want a snack" usually actually means he is
ready for something else to do. Because we knew what that meant we
were able to keep engaging him in new activities. He asked to go
home a couple times but was never very upset about it and it was not
hard to get him engaged and having fun again quickly. Overall he and
all the kids did great being patient and engaged and self-entertaining
and were excellent at following directions and making transitions. I
was totally impressed with our little guys! That's pretty much it for
comments on how our kids did. They all seemed pretty happy."

Our Crazy August

2009-09-11T21:16:00.000-07:00

Crazy us decided it would be a great idea to do a remodel our kitchen and bedroom while taking care of two little kids. One word for that: smart!

So as there is no way to have a 9 month old and a 2 1/2 year old in a house without a kitchen, we decided to take off for three weeks while the place was getting a much-needed face lift. First we took off for the beach, Manzanita to be exact. Our good friends Sandra and Sean and their son Stewart stayed with us a couple days, then grandma and grandpa Clark came out, and we even had a short visit from Auntie Deanna and cousin Carter.

We then took off for another beach house in Canon Beach and had our friends Elke and Byron and their little girl Skyelar stay with us.

And the trip kept going!.....we then hoped on an airplane and took off for Shamu land..that's right, we visited Ivan and Elena and their two beautiful daughters Lily and Isabel. Despite the 100 degree temperatures, we had a blast at Balboa Park, at the beach (where, unlike Oregon beaches, there is no need to dawn a full wet suit just so you can dipp a toe in), and hanging out at our hosts' great pad that included a pool and full sized trampoline for the kiddies!

I attached a bunch of photos starting with our trip to Manzanita. Hope you enjoy. Oh-and we're so glad to be home, even though it still looks like a bomb went off around here. Gone are the days when we had big chunks of time to complete a project. HEEEEM.

Playmate

2009-09-09T15:58:00.001-07:00

Jonah just asked Mae if she wanted to play with him.

BYE BYE CRIB...Hello Big Boy Bed

2009-08-13T21:59:00.001-07:00

Wow. It's happened. Jonah has suddenly decided that he wants to sleep bar-free in his red fire truck toddler bed. It's been set up beside his crib and he has adamantly refused to sleep in it, until yesterday at nap time. He was a little nervous, and I had to go back up to his room three times to tuck him in, retrieve his bunny from the floor, and then sing him a song, but he slept in that bed for his entire nap. Last night he also wanted to sleep in it and he did great. Woke up at 3am and came to get Daddy, but was right back to sleep. He came in our room in the morning and got in bed and snuggled for a little while.

I'm sad and happy at the same time, like I am everyday with this parenting thing. Luckily the happys happen way more than the sads!

Family Camping

2009-07-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos and a video from our first camping trip with all four of us. We had a wonderful time. We kept it simple by going to Champoeg state park; a 45 minute drive from Portland. We got through about 30 minutes each way before Mae started screaming bloody murder, so thank goodness we were smart and stayed close to home.
Plus we forgot Jonah's shoes, but conveniently grandma and grandpa's house is right on the way to the park, so we picked up his extra pair there:)

We stayed three nights and actually started to relax after about a day and a half. Jonah and Mae did a good job of sleeping..although at some point during the last two nights, all four of us were in the same bed....a queen air matress!

We can't wait to do another trip with these guys again.

Jonah's version of Clementine

2009-07-06T21:16:00.000-07:00

This is the cutest darned thing in the world:

Photo Homage to a Great Father

2009-06-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

Photo Homage to a Great Father cont...happy father's day!

2009-06-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

Mae's stats at 6 months

2009-06-13T23:19:00.000-07:00

16.5 lbs
26 1/2 inches long

90th percentile for length (!)
50th for weight

Nap Time

2009-06-13T23:07:00.000-07:00

Today we all got home from a lovely morning picking berries on Sauvie Island with Michael's parents, sister and her son Carter. We arrived home just in time for Jonah's nap, and Michael promptly took him upstairs, while Mae and I stayed downstairs. About 1/2 hour later, as Michael had not come downstairs, I assumed that the two of them had fallen asleep in the rocking chair. All of a sudden I start hearing this quiet voice from upstairs calling "Mommy, Mommy." Confused, I walked upstairs to find Jonah in the doorway to his room. I opened the door to find Michael asleep in the rocking chair, surrounded by Jonah's favorite sleep things; two stuffed animals, and a fuzzy green blanket.

Well, I said, laughing to myself, at least one of them is getting a good nap:)

Joking Jonah

2009-05-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

Jonah cracked this joke at dinner a few nights ago. Here it is again, in all its glory.

Mae and Jonah in the Stroller

2009-05-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

Ok-admitedly this isn't all that interesting, just a cute shot of the two of them in the double stroller on our way home from the farmers' market last weekend.

Morning play time

2009-05-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Here they are, the two of them just playing. Sometimes things are so tranquil!!

Jonah's version of hide and seek

2009-05-04T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here's how Jonah plays hide and seek:

1-Jonah points to the spot where Mommy is suppose to hide
2-Jonah goes to a corner and counts sometimes to 4, sometimes, to 7, sometimes to 10
3-Jonah runs over to the designated "hiding" spot while giggling his head off
4-Mommy leaps out and tickles Jonah as he runs away

FUN!

Mae Looks Like a Doozer

2009-05-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

Our friends Byron, Elke and Skyler, loaned us season 1 of Fraggle Rock and I couldn't help but notice the resmeblance between the cute little Doozers and my cute little Mae.

Reflections on a 6 Month Old Mae

2009-05-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Mae turns 6 months old this Wednesday and I can hardly believe it. So here are some of the things I have been thinking about:

There is a direct correlation between number of kids and reduction of "free" time. Though for some reason it doesn't seem to matter much.
Mae is in love with all of us. She has the most beautiful sparkle in her eyes when she looks at Hallie and me. When she looks at Jonah it makes me jealous that she doesn't look at me that way. She LOVES Jonah. Anything he does is funny to her. He touches her on the head and says in a sweet voice, "Hi Mae" and she sighs, giggles and wiggles with delight. Hallie says that this is the reason that older siblings can totally take advantage of their younger brothers or sisters. Now I think that is not true but don't talk to my sister about that. She'll just lie and tell you a story about how I used to make her look in the sleeve of my long sleeve shirt (while I was wearing it) and then push my arm through the sleeve and smack her in the face when she did. That doesn't sound like something I'd do at all.
Mae loves to be around the older kids. She sits in an exersaucer in the center of the room when Jonah is playing with his friends. Soon enough she has lured them over with her smile and they are playing with her and the exersaucer toys or spinning the exersaucer around and singing "Ring Around the Rosie".
Mae loves to sing and talk. She has a beautiful voice that makes any of the crap I deal with at work fade quickly upon entering the house. Of course Jonah does a great job of making daddy happy upon entering too. "Hey buddy. Missed you today." He says.
Mae expects mommy to be there to put her to sleep and when that expectation isn't met, she really demonstrates her lung capacity. This is not an often occurrence but still makes me spastic and anxious. Case in point. Hallie was out. Mae woke up. She didn't want what I had to offer and soon started screaming. Well, I had just put Jonah to bed and don't want the screaming to wake her up so I try to calm her as fast as possible.

"Does she need a diaper change?" Peel off the swaddler, unbutton the 18 buttons on her pajamas to get to the diaper. It's dry and I have only made her madder. Can't get her buttoned in completely before the screams vibrate my eardrum like the first notes of a rock concert where you just knew you should have brought earplugs and NOT stood in front of the stacks of speakers.
Now I quickly attempt to swaddler her and get her outside or downstairs. Anywhere that does not make Jonah wake up. One leg is dangling out of the pajamas and swaddler. Her head is partially covered, and I am pretty sure that the velcro is actually stuck to my bathrobe.
Grab a shirt of Hallie's from the laundry bin and drape it over my shoulder hoping the smell will fool Mae into thinking I am mommy. It does. Now she is making sucking sounds that are growing louder and more frequent as she tries to latch on to my arm. I think I just reminded her of mom a bit too much and I definitely can't provide what she is rooting around for.
I am now in the basement. In the dark. rocking back and forth and making the universal sound for Be Quiet Baby. Shush. This just makes her mad.
25 minutes in and I am out of tricks. I know there are others but I admit, I panic a bit. I call Hallie, who has been out with her friends for an entire 30 minutes (do the math- mom leaves, baby realizes it somehow though already fast asleep, waits 5 minutes and then lets dad know she is not happy). Hallie decides to come home. Mae hears this. Waits 5 minutes and then passes out. I text Hallie back. She continues her night out and I am not a failure.

I am so happy that Mae has joined our family. I don't even want to imagine life without her.
I love you little Mae-Mae.

Mae (and her face, clothing, and hands) gets a taste of solid food

2009-04-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

What a mess!! Babies learning to eat are so cute. We pretty much can't shovel it into her mouth fast enough. We're pretty sure she's working on thigh roll # 6.

Lucky Mom

2009-04-09T21:29:00.000-07:00

I am so fortunate to be able to hold my babies all day, to be the one to see their smiles, to kiss their bruises, to make sure they are clean, and fed, and rested. I am the one one who gets to witness their burgeoning friendship, and watch them discover and enjoy each other.

I wouldn't trade it for all the financial security in the world.

The Excersaucer..

2009-04-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

Just for comparison, I thought it would be fun to post photos of Jonah, who was about 4 1/2 months, and Mae who is almost 5 months, enjoying the excersaucer:)

Jonah and Mae Have a Photo Session

2009-03-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Oh man I have a beautiful family. Enough said.

Mae at 4.5 months

2009-03-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Our little Mae weighs 14 pounds and 25.5 inches long and sleeps 8 hours in a row at night. She is a beautiful, smiley baby. She loves to giggle when she is tickled. When cats walk through the room at her line of sight she now notices them and follows their movements. When really interested in sucking on her fingers she prefers all ten to the usual one or two.

Jonah's b-day party

2009-03-27T14:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, it's nearly a month later, but WE HAVE TWO KIDS FOR GOODNESS SAKE!

Here are some of the best photos of that day. Jonah's best buds Boris and Gus were there, plus both sets of grandparents, Mae in her sunday best, and Auntie Kealie and her boyfriend Chris.

Jonah Turns 2

2009-03-06T21:13:00.001-08:00

Today Jonah climbed to the top of the play structure and slid down the slide by himself. It was a bittersweet moment made more touching by the fact that today is his birthday. I no longer need to accompany him up or down. But he never was just the only one having fun.

Happy Birthday big boy. We love you very much.

Mae the Sleeper

2009-03-05T12:42:00.000-08:00

Mae slept from 9pm until 6am this morning. She's always been a great sleeper, but it just seems to be getting better and better. We are all just so thankful for this huge gift from the gods;)

Family Time at the Park

2009-02-27T19:30:00.000-08:00

.

was an hour of fun at Irving Park all together as a family of four. Steering the play structure with intense concentration, traveling through the tunnel on the way to the slide. Then the whole family got on the teeter-totter (or do you call it a see-saw? Is there a difference or is it just a regional thing like the sound a dog makes? Ruff vs. Bark vs. Woof). Of course leaving such a fun event did not make Jonah a happy boy. But he sure looks funny when he is upset. In fact, feel free to leave a comment stating what you think Jonah would have said at the moment of the picture.

Beautiful Mae

2009-02-26T12:54:00.001-08:00

Jonah Helps Eat/Prepare Dinner

2009-02-25T20:42:00.000-08:00

Jonah loves to help out. Here he is preparing swiss chard to saute and eating the loaf of bread that was meant to be shared by the whole family. We eventually were able to pry the baguette out of his hands while he screamed, "WANT BAG IT! WANT BAG IT ALL OF IT!!!" Even with the bite marks, that Pearl Bakery Baguette was tasty.

Jonah playing in the bath

2009-02-20T15:13:00.001-08:00

My girl is beautiful

2009-01-29T17:17:00.001-08:00

Today a colleague asked me how "Little Mae" was doing and I just broke out with a huge smile and replied, "beautiful."

I spent the remainder of the afternoon thinking about how sparkly her eyes are, her cherubic grin, round face, semi-automatic flailing arms. How her expression changes when her mom sings to her and how she responds with her loud coos and aahs. I think about how awesome the color pink looks (butter yellow too) when made into clothing for cute little babies.
I am so glad that babies can't also talk and reason because I'd just give-in to most any demand without putting up a fight. She is that beautiful.

Sleep

2009-01-29T14:22:00.000-08:00

Mae only woke up once last night. Since the day we brought her home she has always woken up twice- at around 1 and around 4. But last night, it was 3am, and the 7:30. We are so blessed to have such a great sleeper this time around.

Don't know what to title this one-from the mama

2009-01-20T20:55:00.000-08:00

Maybe, "the life I never thought I'd be leading" or "My crazy, happy, schizophrenic days as a mother of two little ones" or "Take a breath, Hallie, this is going to go by fast." Half the time I have no idea what to think. I love these kids, I want to hang onto this time while they are so little, but at the same time, they have the unique ability to make me totally crazy. They have given me so much, and at the same time taken some things away, for instance the ability to have any Hallie centered thoughts all day. I think I have some parts of parenthood understood and nailed down, and then everything will confound me.

But man, these kids are cute. Mae is turning into an absolute doll. For the first weeks of her life I was calling her my "funny face," but now she is just turning into a beauty. She is very peaceful and so smiley and good natured. Jonah, though very demanding, is also a sweet-natured kid who is turning into a thoughtful, caring big brother. He's always aware of Mae. He tells me when she is crying, asks if she's "hungy", offers her bits of his food, asks me if she is sleeping or awake. I think they are going to be great playmates and friends someday.

I know if I can just keep everyone going one day at a time, soon I will look back and it will all be a memory, and I'll be sad it happened so fast.

Mae's Vitals 2 month Check Up

2009-01-14T21:10:00.000-08:00

@ 2 Months
Weight= 10 pounds 8 ounces
Height= 25 inches

Change from birth
6 inches in 2 months
4 pounds 12 ounces

Beautiful Animation

2009-01-13T06:46:00.000-08:00

This animation is such a beautiful gift from artist Jeff Scher. Though it does make me wish for the time and skills to imitate it for Jonah and Mae. Here is the sequel.

Thanks Ali W. for posting a related link on Facebook.

Why I Love Being a Parent #314

2009-01-12T22:51:00.000-08:00

Today is Monday.

I have been to work exactly five times in the past eight weeks.

I came home from work, looked through the dining room window and heard squealing with delight from the other side of the glass. Jonah was happy to see me. Happy isn't the right word. It seemed like he had that feeling you get as you approach the front of a 45 minute line waiting for a 1.5 minute roller-coaster, the sensation while on the roller-coaster AND just after you get off the ride all in one. He squealed, pointed to the door and ran.

I went to the door, opened it and stepped inside. With a huge grin from ear to ear and a slight sway back and forth, Jonah ran to give me a hug. He then stood back a bit. Swayed some more. Looked at me and cooed with the most sincere tone, "Miss(ed) you daddy."

Jonah and Mae Just Chill

2009-01-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

Jonah is beginnning to really enjoy having his sister around. He calls out for her when he hears her make noise, he asks for her at bed time and loves to touch her hair. In fact, Jonah even said one of his first big sentences when describing Mae's hair; pointing at Mae's hair "Mae hair up funny."

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

2009-01-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

One of Jonah's first attempts to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star all by himself. This video was taken about 2 weeks ago and he practices almost everyday now.

Jonah and Dad Enjoy the Snow!

2008-12-22T22:20:00.001-08:00

Hey-We're snowed in, and Michael and Jonah took full advantage of it. As most of you know, we live on a pretty steep hill. What a delightful sight to see Michael and little Jonah sailing by our house on the sidewalk, Michael and Jonah sitting on the snowboard, both of them with a smile from ear to ear. They were too quick to catch in action, but I did manage to photograph them right before they took off down the hill. And by the way, they're saying that this is the most snow Portland has gotten since 1968. We all believe it!

Mama and Mae

2008-12-22T22:18:00.000-08:00

How I love this gentle, beautiful, curious and happy girl.

Chili and Cornbread Cook-Off 2008

2008-12-18T13:19:00.001-08:00

This event started out in the bay area by some wonderful friends of ours. When we moved up to Portland we realized that we would sincerely miss this holiday event and so began our own our first winter here. This is our 3rd annual now and has brought lots of our friends together. This year was the first year that we had the cook-off in late afternoon to allow us to enjoy the celebration with the many kids that are populating the lives of our friends lately.

The Interactive Nativity included make your own speech bubbles along with a whole host of angels and action figures.

Marry Merry Mary Jonah

2008-12-18T12:50:00.000-08:00

Well, our friends Amy, Eric and Mary came over, brought us dinner and hung out about a week ago. I was hoping to have a marriage contract drawn up at that time between Mary and Jonah because she is just soooooo cute. But it was rejected. I even offered our fabled Goat tree. It produces goats each spring. Here is a picture of the marriage offering.

And here are the beautiful ones smiling on cue.

New Mae photos

2008-12-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

Mae's groovy hairstyle..nice tuft!

Look at that face..already filling out!

Mae and her Papa

2008-12-12T20:25:00.000-08:00

The four of us..some thoughts from the mama

2008-12-09T13:47:00.000-08:00

What a whirlwind since this little girl came into our lives. I said to Michael one day "this little thing just eats, sleeps, and poops, but look what change she's brought to this household!" And change there has been. I finally came out of my post-delivery, hormonal, on another planet funk about a week ago, and have even had four or so days of taking care of both kids AT ONCE! And- NO ONE DIED, OR WENT HUNGRY, OR EVEN HAD MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT!! I felt so accomplished after those days were over.
I think my greatest challenge is Mae's crazy appetite. If she's not sleeping, literally she's eating. She does have a couple 10- 15 minutes increments a few times a day when she's just staring at me, or hanging out in her little bassinet, but beyond that, it's all about being on Mommy. So often times as I'm preparing Jonah's meals, I've got Mae attached to me while I'm running around the kitchen getting food ready with one hand. I'm sure it looks totally ridiculous.

Having a newborn around the house is so much more enjoyable the second time around. I can really just relax and enjoy her without having to be constantly second guessing myself, or that weird sound she just made. I've also realized that no one out there has the definitive answer to any baby care issue, especially when it comes to sleep. You just have to do what's best for you and what works for your family. I wish I had know that with Jonah and not read every baby book that existed. All they do is make you feel like you're an inept parent!

So we're doing fine, but things seem very hectic and it does feel like we're having to learn to do things all over again. We're learning to be four of us, instead of three of us, and it's definitely going to take some time. But Jonah genuinely seems to enjoy having Mae around and Michael and I are so happy about our new little family. We're taking it day by day and that's the best anyone can do.

Friendship

2008-12-08T21:35:00.000-08:00

This morning,
While searching the kitchen for food to fill my lunch bag
Our friend
Ryan
Knocked on the dining room window
I opened the door and was handed a plastic container
Fresh turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy
He thought we might enjoy the food.

A Little Kiss

2008-12-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

Art Installation #1

2008-12-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

Jonah has been taking "messy art" class through two local rec centers and, though he doesn't enjoy getting his hands messy, he does love crayons. Here is his first major installation.

Little Mae at One Week Old - A Retrospective

2008-12-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

Our little Mae is quite the cutie and succeeded in gaining 12 ounces in 7 days. Her secret? Constantly feeding. Here is a rare moment when I didn't find her face smooshed against Hallie's breast.

Mom, Jonah and Mae

2008-12-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

Jonah and Boris Bounce

2008-11-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

Our friends Miq, Thuy and Boris came over and brought us dinner last night. The boys had a great time playing.

Two of my Three Favorite People in the Whole World

2008-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

It has come to my attention (thanks mom) that, with a title like, "2 of my 3 favorite people in the whole world" it would be wise to mention that Michael is the author, not Hallie. Sounds nicer that way. :)

Grandma and Grandpa are Heroes

2008-11-20T07:42:00.000-08:00

People have been asking what we did with Jonah while the birth was happening. Hallie and I went on a date Saturday night figuring it would be the last on for a while. Grandma and Grandpa Diltz agreed to take Jonah for the night. We went out to dinner at Kenny and Zukes and Hallie watched me have a couple drinks at Ringler's Annex. Made it home by midnight and had a night alone in the house together. 3 am Sunday morning Hallie was up. 4am I was up. 6 am we were at the hospital and 8:31 am we were holding our unbelievably beautiful daughter, Mae.

Meanwhile Jonah was at "Meinma and Poppa's". We recuperated in the hospital and then at home for a day while Jonah got showered with love and attention at the grandparents' house. Grandpa was even the caregiver for 2 mornings getting him changed, fed, played with, changed, fed, fed, etc. When Jonah returned home he didn't even seem to care. He just said, "poppa" at 5 minute intervals throughout the day.

Small Diapers, Holy Socks and Wet Strollers

2008-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

From Michael-

Sleep deprivation and the task of taking care of more than one child can strain your mental capacities. In just 3 days I have lost at least one third of my IQ. Here are some of the ways I know this to be fact.

1. While changing Jonah I tried unsuccessfully, for much longer than should have been the case, to apply Mae's little tiny diapers to Jonah. When that didn't work I figured something was wrong with the diaper and tried again. With Mae's diapers. I figured it out now though. Big diapers for big kid, baby diapers for little baby.

2. I actually caught myself getting mad at my socks for having holes in them. I threw them out and grabbed a new pair. These socks also had holes in them. I said loudly and emotionally, "I am sick and tired of holes in my socks!" I then took off the second pair and put them back in my drawer.

3. Realizing that I left the stroller outside this morning in the rain, I went to the computer to check the weather report, read nytimes.com, TomDispatch, my work email, and finally update the blog. 15 minutes later I looked out the window and saw that the rain was coming down heavy and I had yet to put the stroller back in the garage. Ugh.

I wouldn't change a thing though. Hallie knows I am often smarter than these examples, Jonah thinks I am a bit off but doesn't seem to care and Mae is just happy that I am a warm body to sleep against. As for me, I couldn't be happier about my beautiful family.

First Pictures of Mae

2008-11-18T12:59:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Our New Baby

2008-11-16T19:05:00.000-08:00

At 8:35 am this morning Hallie had a natural birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She is 5 lbs 12 oz. 19 inches long and did I mention beautiful?

Her name is Mae Kathleen Stargazer Diltz.

Pics to follow tomorrow.

Contractions began at 3:15 am and baby arrived at 8:35 am. Slightly shorter than the 30 hours for Jonah.

Jonah visited and is staying with Grandma and Grandpa Diltz.

We'll be home by Tuesday afternoon.

Love,

Michael

Still No Baby

2008-11-12T13:29:00.001-08:00

Enough said.

Except that I have the greatest husband in the whole world, who takes care of me, takes care of Jonah in any spare moment he has, goes to work all day, cooks for me, and at the same time is still dealing with the overwhelming suspense of waiting waiting waiting for this new person and the short-lived upheaval it will cause the Diltz-Clark household.

Michael Diltz passes the super husband test with flying colors.

Lucky me.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

2008-11-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

(but not for Obama to be elected;). My body has decided that it is going to go into this labor process in a long, slow manner. Labor seems to start, stop, keep me up all night, allow me to sleep for a few hours, and then start again. I'm hoping that all this pre-work is going to help make light work of the actual event. BUT-the waiting is very difficult. Half the time I have all this adrenaline running through me in anticipation of giving birth, and then the next, I have to try so hard to sit and attempt to relax.

So if anyone is reading this out there, send me some positive vibes and thoughts, 'cause this is exhausting, and the baby's not even here yet!

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T20:40:00.000-07:00

We don't yet have Jonah costume photos..but we thought we'd share a photo from our visit to our local pumpkin patch to keep you in the Halloween spirit. Oh and by the way, there was a Great Pumpkin sighting from this very patch just hours ago;)

Happy Birthday Mommy

2008-10-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday mommy.
I have been taking some art classes lately as you know and, though I hate getting my hands gooey and sticky, I sacrificed my comfort to create a few pictures for you.

awah-vu,

Jonah

Want some Cheese With That Ice Cream?

2008-09-28T22:04:00.000-07:00

The weather was beautiful this weekend and we were fortunate enough to have plans for the beach. We stayed at a beach house in Manzanita Oregon with grandpa and grandma Clark and Auntie Kealie and her boyfriend Chris. We came back from one of 3 trips to the beach today and stopped for some ice cream. Jonah pretty much stole my ice cream and had a wonderful time doing so. He is a happy kid. I love this little boy so much.

Jonah and his Jamaican Hat

2008-09-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

NAMES NEEDED

2008-09-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

Maybe you can help us. We need a new blogger url for our whole family blog because our new little baby will be here soon and halliemichaeljonah.blogspot.com just isn't going to cut it. So if you have a snappy title that might work let us know.

Also, we are in need of some baby name recommendations and books aren't cutting it. We had to throw out the last baby book we were using. As we went through the boy names one night we came to "Beelzebub" and knew something was amiss with the book. We gave it the benefit of the doubt and cruised through a couple more letters. When we came to the F's and discovered "Frankenstein" I followed that with another F word NOT in the book and we tossed the book. So, if you can suggest names better than Beelzebub Diltz or Frankenstein Diltz let us know.

In addition to all of these requests we have one more. Many of you know Jonah is blessed with the coolest middle name ever, TIMETRAVELER, and the new little one deserves the very best too. We have a couple of well thought out sci-fi nerd names like "quantum mechanic", "stargazer", "Jedi" and "Seldon"

Some Very Late Photos from Jamaica

2008-09-17T12:58:00.001-07:00

The Good Sleeper

2008-09-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

Jonah is learning! Night times are a dream, nap times are coming along. He still protests at nap time, but I am able to put him in his crib fully awake and he lets me know about 2 hours later that he's ready to get up. There is still about 10-15 minutes of crying, and maybe there just always will be. Note to new parents...children are fully capable of learning to fall asleep on their own..so start early to avoid going through this at 18 months when the kid is so much more aware.

The Sleep Trials (aka-getting ready for baby)

2008-08-27T07:31:00.000-07:00

Jonah has been learning a new skill, albeit painfully for all of us. I realized a few days ago that it's not going to be possible with a newborn to continue rocking Jonah to sleep for naps and bedtime. We will simply not have the capacity for this. Although his Daddy and I love to rock him, there's just no way it's going to work with another baby to care for. So little Jonah has been doing a little growing up. The days have been pretty bad for the two of us, although we've only gone through 2 days of learning this new skill (but it seems like a year!). Yesterday, he didn't nap AT ALL-just refused to allow himself to fall asleep on his own-and of course there were lots of tears. This, of course, makes for a long weary day for both of us.

Being a parent is so difficult sometimes. I know intellectually that training him to fall asleep without me will not only benefit him, but all of us in the long run, but at the same time, I HATE putting him through it, and I realize that I'm asking him to take one step further out of baby hood, though I long to keep him in that nice cozy place.

I guess parenthood is having the wisdom to do things your child doesn't like for the moment, so that they will be happy in the long run. But being the bad guy basically is NO FUN!

Riding a tractor

2008-07-28T17:11:00.000-07:00

This is a bit of an older picture but it captures Jonah's happiness pretty well. He sure loves hanging out with grandma.

Quick and Easy Fun with a Box

2008-07-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

We bought an air conditioner or something else that came in a box, and it came with a free baby toy. The box. So much fun to be had going in and out of the box. When he is a little older I know I'll be off finding refrigerator boxes for use in setting up a massive fort in the basement. Until then I guess he will have to enjoy it one box at a time.

Jonah at Grandma and Grandpa's House

2008-07-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

Jonah is 16 months. At "menma" and "mempa's" house he enjoys watering the plants in the backyard, climbing and sliding on the awesome play equipment, eating his third lunch, and cracking himself up while throwing scoops of sand into the air. Going to the grandparent's house is so much fun.

Warning to the Ladies: Watch Your Cosmetics

2008-06-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, new moms out there, although it is contrary to what you may believe, toddlers' love to eat cosmetics. In our case, lipstick and lots of it. So remember-zip up those purses!! OYE.

A FATHER'S DAY POEM FROM JONAH (transcribed by mommy)

2008-06-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

Today is father’s day number two,
And look at all the things I can do:

I can hold my own cup, and feed myself, and say cat
And give big hugs, sit up in the bath, and give my doodle a pat.

I went from sitting to crawling to walking right before your eyes
And I learned to laugh at your silly jokes, and in the morning tell you bye-bye.

My birthday party was so much fun with homemade carrot cake
And I know you were so proud when in the whipped cream I did greedily partake.

I’m so proud you’re my dad, you’re my favorite friend
You make everything so much fun.
I can’t wait to spend so many years with you enjoying being your son.

Love
Jonah

Jonah Walks

2008-06-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

Jonah is now a walking machine. He can carry things while walking. His head is full of bumps from the many falls. I have realized that, next to fingernails on a chalk board, the sickening thud of head on hardwood floor is my most hated sound. Luckily Jonah doesn't seem phased at all by these falls, otherwise he'd give up on the notion of walking and be satisfied with the proximity to the ground that he can achieve through crawling.

Walking side by side holding hands is pure joy and I love it even more when he looks up at me and babbles. As many of my friends with kids have said to us, "Once you have a child you wonder what your life was like without them." This is so true. I love being a dad.

Jonah Gets a Buzz!

2008-05-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Bye-Bye baby hair......

Over the River and Through the Woods by Grandma & Grandpa Diltz

2008-05-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house we go…..Jonah had his first ever sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Michael was receiving an award at a banquet 2 hours away and their hotel was paid for so…..

Jonah had such a blast just eating, playing ball with Sadie (our dog), eating, bathing, eating, reading stories, eating, walking around the house holding on to us with just one finger or standing alone or eating! That is Jonah’s favorite pastime (eating).

Since I (Grandma) get to keep Jonah all day on Wednesdays, I let Grandpa take the lead. He turned out to be a great story reader and even tucked our little munchkin in bed for the night! Sadie was camped out next to the pack and play on the floor just like she does on Wednesdays when he naps. Jonah slept like a champ and awoke the next morning with his usual big sparkling blue eyes and a very toothy smile and ready for breakfast.

Mommy came midmorning to pick up her boy even though we (including Sadie) wanted him to stay longer. We are eagerly awaiting our next sleepover with Jonah. A great time was had by all.

Slow to Blog

2008-05-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

Every day of Jonah's life is so full of new learning that I sometimes forget that others may want to know his latest knowledge and skills. And after re-reading the last few posts I realize that an update is definitely in order. Here is a short list of his latest:

Words Jonah says:

Cat
Dog
Banana (sounds like nanana)
Car (sounds like a taxi driver in Brooklyn)
Avocado (sounds like cado)
Hi
Bye Bye
water (sounds like ahder)
flower (sounds like ah-doe)
And an entire vocabulary of nonsensical words that are strung together in elaborate phrases that amaze and confuse the listener.

Physical Activity:
Pull himself up to standing
Push a walker
Throw a ball
Climb stairs

Body:
14 teeth including 4 molars enabling him to eat virtually anything.
over 20 pounds
28 inches tall
Found his doodle and pulls enthusiastically whenever in the bat tub

In addition, Jonah has assisted me with planting and watering strawberries, pushed a full size Costco shopping cart around unassisted, cleaned up the floor under his high chair by finding and eating "floor food" so we feel he is already pulling his own weight around the household.

We are well past his first year and remain a happy and thankful family.