one month down, four to go

Hi there.

We're still around. And surviving. Just in case people are wondering.

Shane's been gone a month now...a month!

But we've had the chance to visit him a few times so that sure makes things a bit easier.

Still, I'm losing the motivation to keep up appearances around here. Sad, I know. But I find I practically have to "bribe" myself to "recover" the house at the end of the night. (All the ladies out there know what I mean by "recover," right?) Like tonight, for example, toys are all put away but I really need to plow through a few more loads of laundry, wipe the table down and mop the floor. It really shouldn't take that long, and yet it sits. Of course, it doesn't help that Christian just snuck out of his bed for the third time in the past half hour...

So, I've decided my incentive tonight will be watching "While You Were Sleeping" -- one of my all-time favorite movies and a perfect warm-up for the holidays. (Okay, who am I kidding...we busted out the Christmas tunes this past weekend and haven't look back.)

Anyway, that's the status these days. Good thing I'm still working, that way at least I have something forcing me to shower and try to look presentable. ;)

Oh, and I've decided the toughest part of being a single parent (besides the fact that you have to take the kids on EVERY SINGLE errand run), is trying to get you and your kids ready and out the door for work all on your own. Let's just say it's a rare treat to get to shower in silence. ;) Although I am getting pretty good at juggling four bags (my purse, my breast pump, a cooler full of milk for Pierce, and a bag filled with lunch and extra clothes for the boys) plus a baby on my way down to the car each morning, so maybe there's hope for me yet.

Okay, time to sign off and put Christian to bed for the fourth fifth time.

he walks and walk and walks and walks

If you went to Primary you probably know which song I'm alluding to in the title of this post.
But even if you didn't, you get the picture: Pierce is walking everywhere these days.

This video is actually nearly two weeks old now so it's already out of date but it's better than nothing. I need to post the latest but I'm too lazy to download and upload it tonight.

Pierce is now pretty much an all-terrain walker. We went to the park after church and he made his way through grass, gravel and plowed through piles of leaves. It's amazing to watch him progress. He's come so far in the past month. He took his first steps just before he turned 10 months and today he turned 11 months.

Enjoy! And, as usual, pardon my rambling narrative. ;)

happenings

These past few weeks have been a little insane. Shane worked around the clock to prep for a big trial and his mother came to town to help us get through it all. But with my work being slower (thank you, 2012 elections!), I've had a chance to leave Pierce with Grandma and bring Christian into the office a few times. He's really enjoyed the one-on-one time and now begs to go to my work with me.

I love that the pics above capture Christian's newly developed cheesy grin. He didn't use to cheese it up so much, but had a more natural smile. Now I can't keep him from squinting up his eyes and practically clenching his teeth when I'm trying to take his picture.

The other week we enjoyed lunch together over at Union Station (side note: it looks SO MUCH BETTER than it did when I first moved to D.C.! And AFTER we ate lunch we discovered it now has a JAMBA JUICE!) It took twice as long to walk across the Capitol grounds because he was busy checking out the plants along the way. It was a simple reminder to me to enjoy the little things -- since I pass them each day without much notice. We shared the California panini from Corner Bakery -- my absolute fave -- and he gobbled up more than his fair share. Next time I think I'll make this kid will get his own. He made his vegetarian mama proud -- enjoying all the artichokes and peppers and spinach stuffed inside and even requesting carrots instead of potato chips. My heart was bursting. Of course then we topped it all off with cupcakes from Crumbs, you know, to keep things balanced. ;)



Can you see why he likes me office? My coworker hooked him up with this expandable "ball" and he could play with it all day if I let him.

Christian's still sporting his short summer cut as we battle through a round of ringworm. Yes, ringworm. Gross, right? Don't let you kids play with other kids...or mud. Ha! The pediatrician said it could have come from either one. I think it's the mud, personally. This kid has no fear of dirt and nearly every time we play outside he needs to bath afterward. For now we're treating it with anti-fungal cream around the clock because he refuses to take the internal medicine but it's pretty darn stubborn so he's still got a patch on the side of his head. Good thing he's a boy!

Shane spent his last week of work winning his trial in Charlottesville. When he returned last Friday night it was such a relief to know he'll never have to work at his old firm again! It's been a three-year nightmare, really, and we're both so happy to have it over and done with. I probably shouldn't say this out loud but I'm very grateful he never did get an associate position there, even though it meant extra stress and uncertainty this past year.

This week we've been trying to soak in as much time with Shane as possible before he reports to JAG Reserve training this Saturday. Shane's father arrived on Sunday night and it's been fun to have the boys get to know him. This is his first time meeting Pierce and they seem to get along pretty well. We've been carving pumpkins, touring around town, and just enjoying this gorgeous fall weather together.

We've been talking about Shane going to training all year but now that it's finally here I'm trying not to panic. We know we'll get to see him in a few weeks (we're allowed to visit when he's in Charlottesville, about 2.5 hours away) so I think that's what is keeping me from sobbing...at least for now...we'll see what happens this weekend since I've never been good at good-byes. I'm tempted to just kiss him good-bye at the door and let him ride to Richmond with his coworker. Wish me luck.

swinging into fall

This photo sequence snapped on my phone of the boys swinging makes me so happy. It's been a crazy summer -- actually, a crazy year -- with lots of ups and downs and big decisions to make but these happy boys are so good at putting up with it all. I hope to offer them more stability one day soon.

For those who haven't heard, Shane accepted a job with a D.C. firm last month. The offer came as a complete surprise and even though it's not what we really want, we couldn't really refuse. At the very least it gives him more experience as he tries to work his way to the kind of job we really want. And it gets him out of his current awful firm situation (now that he's quitting I tell you it's been a nightmare from start to finish). So -- he heads to Army JAG training at the end of October, where he'll study military law for five months now that he's joined the Reserves -- and then start at the new firm mid-March. At least that's the current plan. We welcome a new direction if the Lord has one for us but in the meantime, we're trying to work with what we've got.

In recent weeks we've actually been looking for a house to buy, believe it or not. We figure why keep paying rent which you'll never see again? Plus, we need more space and we get much more for our money as buyers than renters. Unfortunately, we've made two offers and still have no house to show for it. The good news is the D.C. housing market is alive and well. The bad news is you can see a house the day after it's listed, think about it over the weekend, and make an offer Monday morning only to find it's already been snatched up by someone else. So we're trying not to get so emotionally attached to things because there's no guarantee you're going to get it. I'm still slightly in mourning over the first townhouse we lost. It's been quite the learning process. It was fun at first but now it's really starting to feel like a chore so we may take a break till after the new year.

Other than that we're excited for another fall on the East Coast. We can already feel the change in the weather and look forward to pulling out our sweaters and boots. And -- I'll confess -- we've already busted out a pumpkin recipe to get us in the mood.

our extremely mobile nine month old

Pierce is nine months old -- and then some. I took these photos over a week ago. He's a happy-go-lucky kind of guy unless he's hungry or tired. He's especially happy now that he can get around the house on his own. He just might be the fastest crawler I've ever seen. He's in the kitchen one moment and the toilet down the hall the next (gotta train Christian to close doors behind him). He's cruising and standing all over the place. Getting more and more steady. And tonight he took two steps on his very own!

He's got six teeth now. That's right. Six. Four on top, two on the bottom. He chews on everything. If you aren't careful he'll get your toes when you aren't looking. He's a drooling machine. Shane teases that he's our little puppy -- chews things up, drools all over and crawls up your leg to stand up and beg. ;)

We still need to get him in for his nine-month check-up but I'm guessing he still weighs around 16 or 17 lbs. He's a skinny little guy but probably pretty average in the height department. He's not the biggest fan of baby food but begs to try anything we're eating. His favorite foods are sweet potatoes, carrots, black beans, avocado, and bananas. Oh, and those baby rice snacks that melt in your mouth. He still loves to nurse but he's also becoming a big fan of drinking water from a cup. In fact, he begs for my water whenever he sees me taking a sip.

Pierce is constantly smiling and loves to interact. But he's also good at self-entertaining. He's a sweet little snuggler and loves to nuzzle his forehead into yours. He loves to play with Christian. One of his favorite things to do is crawl in and around the "forts" Christian builds with couch cushions and pillows. Until he gets stuck, of course. He's also into legos and blocks -- at least when it comes to demolishing Christian's towers. And yesterday, for the very first time, he and Christian played catch. He'd throw the ball and Christian would retrieve it and hand it back to him. Maybe you just had to be there but it was one of those tender moments I won't soon forget.

P.S. One thing Pierce doesn't like these days -- the car. He starts screaming and wriggling before we can even strap him in. It's awful!

family night @ the nats game

We went to the Nationals baseball game for family night last week. It was the first game of their series against the Braves. We'd never been to the new stadium and it was fun to finally check it out. Just for the record, Nats won 5-4.

waiting for dad to meet us at the stadium after work

pierce was happy watching everybody else

three cheers for the home team

father-son moment

christian thought the cheering at times was too loud

a failed attempt to get a good picture with the boys

quick pic with mr. lincoln

happenings

We had a bit of a "staycation" in July. The boys' babysitter went to Morocco for three weeks so I got to spend some extra time with them. I took some vacation days and worked from home when necessary.

We had a great time together. Lots of outdoor fun -- parks, swimming, splash parks, playdates -- but also lots of time at home which we never really get enough of. More than once when I asked Christian what he wanted to do that day he said, "stay here." I think he really enjoyed not being scheduled. I forget that for much of his life he's been hurriedly dressed, fed and packed out the door so he really appreciates the mornings when we take things slow, he can play with his own toys and we make a big breakfast together. Let's just say we ate more than our share of pancakes and french toast in July. It was nice to be able to do that for him on a day other than the weekend.

Pierce was happy as can be to have all of us three together. July is the month he put crawling and cruising together. Now he motors around the apartment at full speed. Shane says he reminds him of a puppy. So happy and so quick to get into things if you aren't keeping an eye on him.

Not only was I home during the week but Shane was gone for three out of four weekends so the whole month really became a blur for me. I didn't know what day of the week it was half the time. We were glad to have him home on the Fourth of July for some celebrating with our good friend the Wittwers. After that, he was buried between work and travel for the rest of month.

Love that our boys are friends! I love that they enjoy playing together, bathing together, laughing together. They light up when they see each other. It's so so precious. Although now that Pierce is getting around so well, Christian thinks he can play a little rougher. I have to remind him to be careful when they are "wrestling."

Christian was SO excited to have Pierce start going to the babysitter's with him. And so proud to show him off. He was always saying that he needed "My Pierce" so I'm glad they've been able to spend more time together lately.

Christian refused to let me in his fort to take the above photos but he was willing to let me peak inside with the camera to see what they were up to. Be still my heart. Such sweet brother moments.

Lucky for me, right before I was burnt out on being a single parent (seriously, how does one person do it ALL the time? those who do AMAZE me), my sister Natalie arrived to save the day. She's watching little P for two weeks and we are so happy to have her here.

 

As for me, I kept my sanity intact last month by treating myself to TJ's chocolate coconut milk "ice cream" and dying my own hair (it was very two-toned from old highlights and summer sun). Sometimes you just need a little change.

breaking bad habits

 Maybe I'm a nerd (okay, I know I'm a nerd) but this kind of stuff really interests me. I hope to get a copy of this new book in my hands soon.

our little pianist

Actually, this title is a little deceiving because Christian is quite the pianist (and musician in general) but here you can tell Pierce enjoys it as well. I wish I'd started filming sooner, before he decided he was more interested in the cord. Still, a cute, after-work scene to capture on film.

father's day 2012

Father's Day was not quite as I'd pictured it. Due to a way-too-late return from a way-too-long road trip the day before, no one was in the best mood after sitting through three hours of church Sunday morning.

To top it off, I couldn't find the gift Christian had picked out for Shane anywhere -- and we had just bought it Friday afternoon!

So, being the loving, magnanimous wife that I am, I did what I had to do -- I went digging though the garbage. Only the garbage was already in the dumpster outside our apartment building. Gross, gross, gross! And when I didn't find it there I was half-relieved, half-annoyed.

But, it turned up with another trip down to the car. At which point I was half-relieved, half-annoyed again. Of course, Christian was just excited to wrap the gift he'd picked out and hand it to his dad. Which made all the digging worth it.

I had this image of us all sitting around the table enjoying a lovely summer meal before we proceeded to the shower Shane with gifts. That quickly faded when Christian hilt meltdown mode while dinner was still cooking. Instead, we fed him a microwaved quesadilla, had a quick, gift-giving ceremony (during which Christian said, "Happy Birthday, Daddy!"), made a few calls to grandpas and sent him to bed before enjoying a quiet meal to ourselves.

Let's just say it was a timely reminder of what our own fathers have gone through over the years.

Thanks, Dads Sellers and Larsen, for putting up with us, especially at those time when we didn't deserve it!

christian's 1st scooter ride

Shane and I finally got Christian the right gift at the right age. In years past we've gifted him things he wasn't really ready for -- such as a tricycle that he was way too small for (a year later, he can finally pedal it happily).

 As you can see, from day one Christian was more than ready -- and able -- to ride his new scooter.

It didn't take long for him to make it down the entire sidewalk in one run.

This kid is more coordinated than Shane and I combined. Good thing, because he's a daredevil, too, but thanks to his skills he doesn't get hurt nearly as often as he should.

christian turned three

 Even though it's been two months since this kid turned three, I couldn't help but post these pictures we took on his special day. He loves balloons so we surprised him with three big ones when he woke up that morning.

He just melts my heart, the little stinker. I love everything about him. Except maybe the tantrums. And even then -- at times -- I find myself holding back a snicker because even during those he can be hilarious.

Christian is a very energetic kid -- full of life and love. He volunteers an "I love you" to Shane and I on a daily basis. He also has taken to saying: "You break my heart!" if things don't go his way. (Again, one of those times you are trying not to snicker. One night he even unzipped his pjs to show me his broken heart!)

Christian could play outside all day, every day. He is truly a nature boy. His favorite toys are dirt, rocks, sticks and water. Seriously. I can't tell you how many times we've had to stop because he's found a rock or stick he wants to bring home.

He'd probably never admit this but I think he had fun posing for me. It was a big day -- Easter Sunday and his birthday all squeezed into one -- and he really made the most of it. I wouldn't be surprised if he's confused next year when we celebrate Easter and not his birthday or vice-versa.

We sang to him at the Wittwers' home following our Easter feast. You could tell he enjoyed the spotlight although he was a little shy about it. He had requested a chocolate cake. I spotted this one on Pinterest and happily obliged. It was scrumptious, if I do say so myself. We'll definitely be making it again someday soon.

(A few weeks after his big day we hosted a joint fiesta with his pal Milo to celebrate turning three with their friends. I didn't snap as many pics as I should have but thankfully Milo's mom, Miranda, did. You can check them out here.)

i'm glad they called me on a mission

Hard to believe it but nine years ago today I entered the Missionary Training Center, met one of my very dearest friends, and began a life-changing adventure. During my 18 months as a missionary serving the people of the Canary Islands, I learned more about the love God has for his children and came to understand better the purpose of this life on earth -- and the importance of our Savior's role -- better than I ever could have otherwise. I was blessed to come in contact with some of the most amazing people I will ever know. I will forever be grateful for the lessons I learned from them and from my time in the islands.

If anyone out there is considering serving a mission, do it. You will never regret it. I can't wait to go again someday with Shane as my companion. ;)

summer of '10

At work doing the usual Friday catch-up before the weekend and I had to empty my blackberry media storage because it was filled to the brim. Came across this awesome picture taken at the National Zoo the summer of 2010.

Christian was just over a year old, fabulously chubby, and drenched with a combo of sweat and sprinkler mist. His sheepish look cracks me up -- he was a little upset at being flagged down for running away from me, back into the sprinklers AGAIN when we were trying to head out.

So glad summer is back again!

big week for pierce (& his mom)

This little guy started his first week with an official babysitter on Monday. Her name is Soumya but all the kids call her Titi, including Christian. Up till now we've been fortunate enough to have friends and family watch Pierce for us, which has been a real blessing (there's something so different about being able to have him watched at or near our home). At the same time, we're excited for the boys to finally be together all day, every day. Christian has been over-the-moon at the prospect of having Pierce with him and I hope his enthusiasm continues now that his wish came true.

Even though it's the same babysitter that I've dropped Christian off with for nearly two years I still got emotional that first day (and today, too, if I'm being honest). I handed him off and went back to get all the bags (it's ridiculous how many bags we leave the house with every morning -- my purse, my pumping bag, Christian's lunch bag and extra bag with books and clothing, and now Pierce's bottle bag) and when I returned he was sitting on the floor laughing with Christian so as much as I wanted to linger I just sucked it up and waved good-bye, fighting back the tears as I hurried to the car. I hate to think of all the precious moments I'll miss out on, just as I did with Christian.

What a blessing it is for mothers to get to stay home with their kids! Although I'm sure there are some days you'd rather drop them off, you really don't know how lucky you are.

just another day in paradise

It's been one of those days you want to remember.

So I'm jotting a few details down.

Nothing out of the ordinary, but that's in part why I want to remember it.

Shane's got the car for the day, so the boys and I have been "stuck" at home.

We slept in, all snuggled together in our big bed. We watched some cartoons ("Phineas & Ferb"), made some breakfast (sourdough french toast), and played trains.

We opened all the windows because the weather is PERFECT. 72 degrees with a breeze and little noticeable humidity. We won't see many more days like these. They are so rare in the summertime here in Virginia.

We used our new double stroller to go on a walk with some of our favorite friends. We made time to stop at a neighborhood park and let the kids play until they were all tuckered out. There were no fights, no accidents, no tantrums -- just good old fashioned fun and laughter. Then we made our way home, with Pierce enjoying the best kind of nap -- the one with a light blanket and a nice breeze.

Back at home we made tacos with fresh avocado. They were finger-lickin' good. Then we fed Pierce his first, well, I guess this was his second round of rice cereal (his first took place too late last night when he was too tired to appreciate it). He enjoyed the attention and the chance to tap his new teeth on the spoon. He even seemed to enjoy the new texture, when he was able to keep it in his mouth. ;)

We played some more with trains and Pierce showed off his fancy leg work. All he wants to do is stand these days. He seems to be forgetting that he needs to learn to crawl before walking.

We then watched "How to Train Your Dragon" while I nursed Pierce and he and I both fell asleep on the couch. Don't worry, Christian only let us sleep so long. But man it was nice. Again, the breeze in and out of our apartment today is just heavenly. The perfect kind for an afternoon nap.

The next thing I knew Christian was on the balcony with a huge strand of toilet paper. "It's my yope!" he declared, meaning his "rope." He's still not great with his "r"s (an imperfection I secretly hope he doesn't correct anytime soon).

I coax him over and we gather up the T.P. and inspect the bathroom, which is covered in more T.P. and wet underpants. Lovely. We clean up and get his shorts on correctly (he's managed to get two legs in one whole, so it looks like he's wearing a mini skirt with a tail attached). Then we draw with chalk on our balcony. He wants me to write all of our names, and then he wants to show me that he knows which one is which. He does.

Next up: reading books in the breeze, over and over again. Christian's favorites this week are ones we grabbed at the library. They include Dora the Explorer, "Gorilla! Gorilla!" and "Pirate Bob." Pierce gets excited just being part of things, and keeps reaching for the books, eager to taste the pages.

It's now time for a snack. Christian needs a straw for his water, of course, and because we're eating on the balcony he declares this "a picnic." I agree.

I just finished nursing Pierce again. I love when his starting-to-get-chubbier little legs peek out and twist around my arm with his toes while his head and hands are covered in a light blanket (this is more for his sake than mine -- he's at the age where everything is a distraction and if Christian makes a peep Pierce quickly detaches to see what's going on).

Now I've got Christian tugging on my arm so it's time to stop typing and start playing pirates. He's already built us a ship, throwing all the couch cushions on the floor and bringing all his "treasure" of toys from his room to join our expedition. His new line these days? "Ay ay, Captain!"

I hope to have more of these kind of days soon, when I'm no longer working full time. I just hope that when I do I can recognize them for what they are and remember that this is the paradise I've been waiting for. Even when they do include floods in the bathroom and toilet paper trails.

white house easter egg roll

We got lucky the day after Easter and scored some highly coveted spots at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

Waiting in the security line, trying to keep the excitement alive. Why didn't I bring the stroller?

Waiting his turn to hunt for eggs.

 Supposedly there were some special "golden eggs" but no one in our group found any. They had fun searching anyway.

How many people can say they had their face painted at the White House?

Can you see the White House behind the crowds? It was seriously insane.

 Christian's favorite character: Curious George. He was a little shy at first but had fun pointing out all the characters he recognized.

Katy spotted Thor too. We were all deeply saddened to discover we missed out on a picture with Perry the Platypus. We're basically his #1 fans.

 Too bad we discovered the obstacle course near the end -- it was easily Christian's favorite activity. He could have done it all day.

 New to the white house: the playground. At least it wasn't there last time we visited.


We each got a commemorative egg on our way out the gates. (Your tax dollars hard at work!)

 We walked around the block so Katy could see the front of the White House too.

 I had Katy snap one of us too. Sometimes I forget the boys need photos of their own of this place.

Leave it to christian to find a stick wherever he goes. What a sweet aunt he has -- she carried all 37 lbs of him to the car.