The funniest part may be how hard John and I are laughing, but can you see his new little cha-cha-cha stepping? Hilarious. And the jumping part? Too much.
Tis the Season
It felt down right Christmas-y this weekend with temperatures dropping to the twenties and an inch of snow on the ground. We even had a little boy who woke up way too early in the morning, as if anticipating many presents under the tree. (If you have been a long time Owenjoe reader, you have no doubt figured out that Owen is an early riser and perhaps think we should just get over it and stop complaining, but we are talking 4 am people, 4 am on the weekend!!) We took the boy out for a few holiday festivities, including visiting reindeer, playing in the snow, and being mesmerized by Santa's train. It was hard to figure out if Owen liked the train, he would get so excited that he was borderline crying every time it came by.
In other news, Owen got his first haircut today! I didn't bother to take the camera because I figured I would be busy pinning him down, but apparently cartoons and sour apple suckers are his weakness. Gone is the Van Halen mullet and we now have a very sophisticated looking little guy.
In other news, Owen got his first haircut today! I didn't bother to take the camera because I figured I would be busy pinning him down, but apparently cartoons and sour apple suckers are his weakness. Gone is the Van Halen mullet and we now have a very sophisticated looking little guy.
Maybe next year..
Thanksgiving was a bit of a bust for us this year. In summary, we all had a virus that mutated a few times with varying symptoms that is still keeping us coughing and feverish, Owen had bleeding, oozing diaper rash, we had to call poison control after he sucked down a good dose of diaper cream, and he also got a bloody, fat lip after a nasty fall. The meal itself was a blast at our good friends' home - 8 adults, 7 kids ranging in age from 6 weeks to 8 years. Our little 2 year old host, Koen, clutched his stuffed frog close to his chest the entire time - we think he was a bit shell-shocked. And even though we kept Owen up way past his bedtime, he let us sleep until 6:30, and for that we were thankful. We did manage to make a few treks to the beach and some nature areas to let our little naturalist run wild.
Pre-Thanksgiving Thankfulness
Right before Thanksgiving, John's parents came for a short visit. Sadly, our little family of three got sick and then sent the germs on to Houston. Sorry for that! John and I missed a date night, but I had my eyebrows waxed and took lots of naps - nearly as wonderful.
Owen is obviously getting some important fashion and grooming advice from his grandma here..
Nicely dressed and coiffed, he reads with grandpa
Owen is obviously getting some important fashion and grooming advice from his grandma here..
Nicely dressed and coiffed, he reads with grandpa
Idle Threats
A few days ago, I received a strongly worded email suggesting that if I did not post pictures of Owen from Halloween, someone might actually interfere with Owen's sleep habits in retribution. I know that by responding to such threats, I am only encouraging such sleep-saboteurs to continue to resort to such cruel methods in order to get what they want. But, I have a trick up my sleeve. Below, you will indeed see pictures of Owen in his "Ballard Fisherman" costume, AND you will also see a picture of a certain someone taken very early in the morning sans makeup and hairbrushing. So, ha!
Trading one crazy hat for another
This is what you do to your little boy who wakes up waaaaay to early after daylight savings.
Trading one crazy hat for another
An Apple A Day
I swear, every day I promise myself that I will write a blog post during Owen's nap and everyday the lure of reading jezebel.com or flipping through the celeb slide show on People or watching Gossip Girl online wins out. I know, it sounds like a hard life, but if you know how much I would NEVER have done those things prior to Owen's birth, you can appreciate what a grind it must be.
Anyway, here are a few pics and captions to share what has been happening in our world lately.
Owen's new favorite food is an apple. Not applesauce or apple chunks or a slice of apple. He wants to eat the entire apple. And over the course of an hour or so, he will - along with carpet fuzz and dust and whatever else he rolls it in.
Our very own Adam...
So there is a show on Discovery called "The Deadliest Catch" about deep sea fishing and many of the boats call our very own Ballard home. Since they are roughing it in the seas with crashing waves and thrashing rain, they need heavy duty rain gear to keep them warm and dry - as does our little Seattle romper, Owen. So, we got him his very own Grunden coveralls just like the Deadliest Catch guys. They make rides down the slide much slicker and faster.
This is a special dedication to my family who likes to remind me of mornings when I was a wee toddler and woke up with nothing but a scowl on my face and not a kind word for a one of them. Without speaking, I hauled my grumpy self and my blanket to the heat register under the kitchen counter and sat there, sucking my thumb, probably with a wad of gum stuck in my hair from falling asleep with it in my mouth the night before. Finally, the heat breathed some life into my bones and I found it somewhere within myself to demand a bowl of cereal.
Everyone loves a basket full of warm, fresh-scented laundry
Anyway, here are a few pics and captions to share what has been happening in our world lately.
Owen's new favorite food is an apple. Not applesauce or apple chunks or a slice of apple. He wants to eat the entire apple. And over the course of an hour or so, he will - along with carpet fuzz and dust and whatever else he rolls it in.
Our very own Adam...
So there is a show on Discovery called "The Deadliest Catch" about deep sea fishing and many of the boats call our very own Ballard home. Since they are roughing it in the seas with crashing waves and thrashing rain, they need heavy duty rain gear to keep them warm and dry - as does our little Seattle romper, Owen. So, we got him his very own Grunden coveralls just like the Deadliest Catch guys. They make rides down the slide much slicker and faster.
This is a special dedication to my family who likes to remind me of mornings when I was a wee toddler and woke up with nothing but a scowl on my face and not a kind word for a one of them. Without speaking, I hauled my grumpy self and my blanket to the heat register under the kitchen counter and sat there, sucking my thumb, probably with a wad of gum stuck in my hair from falling asleep with it in my mouth the night before. Finally, the heat breathed some life into my bones and I found it somewhere within myself to demand a bowl of cereal.
Everyone loves a basket full of warm, fresh-scented laundry
A Day at the Farm
This past Saturday a friend told me about a few King County farms that were hosting Harvest Celebrations and inviting us city folk out to the fields for tractor pulls, corn mazes, and pumpkin picking. John and I picked a farm that boasted of goats for our dear boy and planned to meet up with our friends to celebrate in the harvest together. They, however, chose a different farm and in the spirit of good friends, we decided to follow their lead. But in a Laverne and Shirley (or maybe Lucille and Ethel) twist, they also changed their minds. So, we ended up at their farm and they went to ours. We should have followed our instincts, however, as we never even got out of the car at that crazy farm. The vibe we got was not of waving fields of corn or hillocks of pumpkins but some strange cult that would no doubt entrap us all and make us churn butter and brush dingy sheep wearing odd costumes.
After an epic meltdown (on my part, not Owen's) we walked along the Sammamish River and then found a third farm, The Long 47. We ate kettle korn, pet the pygmy goats, took Owen through the bean maze, and realized that we were definitely a family as this kind of event would never have appealed to us before Owen but was perfectly enjoyable for us now.
After an epic meltdown (on my part, not Owen's) we walked along the Sammamish River and then found a third farm, The Long 47. We ate kettle korn, pet the pygmy goats, took Owen through the bean maze, and realized that we were definitely a family as this kind of event would never have appealed to us before Owen but was perfectly enjoyable for us now.
Highlights Reel
So, I am way behind on keeping Owen's reading public up to speed on all his developments. But, cast no aspersions on me, the poor mother, who is suffering from terrible insomnia, and raising a spitfire of a boy who wakes up at 5am and now only takes one 1 hour nap. Yes, you read correctly..5 am..one 60 minute nap. That means that the boy and I are fortunate enough to have approximately 13 hours of together time everyday. This does not leave much time for the blog. So, here is a highlights reel to show what we have been up to lately. You will see pics from..
* John's parent's visit - we had a lovely time visiting and taking advantage of such willing babysitters. I had a massage, John and I went on a date, and Owen ate up all the attention.
* Ken's visit - John's great friend from college, who now lives in Sweden, spent the week with us before he and John jetted of to San Fran for the wedding of their other good friend, Landon. Poor Ken may have been is worse shape than us since he was jet-lagged and Owen-lagged.
* My mom's 18 hour visit - My mom and Nelson stopped in for a night on their way back from Canada. They came at just the right moment, as Owen and I had had two days on our own without John and were a bit desperate for a break.
* Some other Owen highlights - Owen is now saying "nana" for banana or any fruit in general, "ba" for ball, "bu" for book, and "mampa" for the entity that is his mama and papa.
* John and I both had hamburgers this past Saturday. Yes, hamburgers (John even had bacon.) The first in oh, say, 10 years. I am seeing an acupuncturist/chinese herbalist for the insomnia, who explained to me that, after growing and nursing a child, my heart is deficient and is incapable of providing a comfortable home for my blood or life spirit to rest in each night. He went on to say that what I need most to heal my heart are 1)acupuncture, 2)tuning fork treatments, 3) Flowery Knotweed, and 4) a big fat steak twice a week to begin. So, I did it. Did I sleep? No, but I already have my next medicinal burger place staked (ha ha) out.
* Owen may or may not be the victim of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (not the be confused with hoof and mouth.) But this is much better than a twisted bowel, which is what the doctor was worried he had. How do we know it's not? Oh, because we had to take him to Children's Hospital where they strapped his head, body, and legs down to a board (John had to restrain his arms), rotated him sideways, pulled a tunnel-like camera over his body, and asked me to get him to drink a barium shake out of a straw while he was suspended in this position and cryong hysterically. Needless to say, he FLIPPED out and John and I, well, I don't know what we were, we still haven't quite recovered. It was the longest 30 minutes of my life. But, his little bowel is just where it needs to be, thank goodness.
How Greenbeans Are Like Babies...
So, I just spent the last 20 minutes writing a humorous, though poignant meditation (I can say that because you will never know that it was maybe just mildly interesting) on how the growing of green beans is similar to that of raising Owen and with one swift key stroke, the whole thing disappeared. I'm sure there is another analogy to draw there, but I am too distraught to find it. Sigh. Anyway, we are coming off of three weeks of visitors and I will put pics up from those adventures, but here are some of Owen in the garden and today's harvest of greenbeans (we had just as many from yesterday!)
Happy Birthday Mr. Nellie!
Oh my gosh, you are how old,
Mr. Nellie?
Here is a tribute to Mr. Nellie, Owen's grandpa who we are so happy to have in our family. Owen obviously shares a passion for blackberries with Mr. Nellie, who has been known to hop a fence for a few juicy gems.
Mr. Nellie?
Here is a tribute to Mr. Nellie, Owen's grandpa who we are so happy to have in our family. Owen obviously shares a passion for blackberries with Mr. Nellie, who has been known to hop a fence for a few juicy gems.
Happy Birthday, Nelson! We love you!
Happy Birthday Auntie Erin!
I tried to get Owen to hold this little sign (it says Happy Birthday Auntie Erin, I swear!)
But he kept tossing it aside. He knows a sign is no substitute for wishing you a happy birthday in person!Happy Birthday, Erin! We love you!
Marnie and Auntie Erin Visit
The stars and planets aligned the previous weekend to allow both my mom and sister to come visit the favoritest member of the family, Mr. Owen Joseph. They watched him weeble and wobble all over the house and exclaimed for joy when he let them hold him for more than 35 seconds. Owen was so thrilled with all the attention that he started every morning around 4:30 am, which, fortunately for them, was really 6:30, but for me and John it was very definitely 4:30. Sleep deprivation was nipping at our heels once again and John and I both lost our heads and used the f-word in front of my mom on two separate occasions. Apparently she only heard it out of my mouth, of course, but I ratted John out, so we both got our mouths washed out with soap.
I love the pictures we took from their visit, as not a single one turned out because Owen was moving so fast. I just heard that Michael Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and believes that swimming gave him focus and skills for living with attention deficit. If that is the case, look for Owen to make a clean sweep of gold medals in, oh I don't know, all track and field events in upcoming Olympic Games.
I love the pictures we took from their visit, as not a single one turned out because Owen was moving so fast. I just heard that Michael Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and believes that swimming gave him focus and skills for living with attention deficit. If that is the case, look for Owen to make a clean sweep of gold medals in, oh I don't know, all track and field events in upcoming Olympic Games.
FrankenOwen
I know I should have something meaningful to say about this momentous film clip, but Owen is doing some crazy sleep stuff again and my brain is just too sluggish to absorb the import of his development.
PEPS Party
What does PEPS stand for? If I ever knew, I forgot long ago. Parents of Exceptional People or something like that. Whatever it stands for, these are the women who have helped me survive my first year as a mom. All of our babes turn one in July and August, so we had a birthday bash to celebrate. John took a pic of us before heading out and I wanted everyone to see that Owen wiggles away from even the tender arms of his mother.
Here are all the moms and babes
Owen hogging the ball, no surprise
And this was when everyone else was eating cupcakes, but Owen couldn't be torn away from his foreign beauty
Here are all the moms and babes
Owen hogging the ball, no surprise
And this was when everyone else was eating cupcakes, but Owen couldn't be torn away from his foreign beauty
ONE!!
The pop of the champagne cork celebrated the moment we crossed th finish line at 5:19 pm yesterday afternoon. Owen is officially a year old! Is it coincidence that he woke up from his nap at 5:16, just in time to share in the toast? I think not, though he had apple juice. We had a lovely day together, much more relaxing than the rip-roaring delivery (as our nurse called it) that brought us all together last year. We went for a family run at Discovery Park, Owen cheering us along with his rattle, pet the goats at the zoo to celebrate our membership that my mom gave us, and visited friends with a tiny 8 week old baby. It was perfect to meet little Duncan on Owen's birthday, a vivid reminder of how far we have come. For Owen's birthday dinner, we harvested our entire pea crop and tasted the first of our homegrown broccoli. Owen must have spied his birthday treat cooling on the counter, however, because after a few slurps of noodles he refused to eat anymore (it couldn't be because he doesn't like broccoli, could it?) So we stripped him down and let him go hog wild with his blueberry buckle, but only a piece because it was so yummy that John and I couldn't bear to see the whole thing demolished. Owen clearly enjoyed it, raising both arms in victory and pumping them heartily in the air. We cleaned him up and opened his gifts and read some of his new wonderful books to him. The celebration must have really taken it out of the little guy, he woke up for a wee snack at 5:30 and is still asleep (it is 8:30! He has NEVER slept this late.) Meanwhile, John and I are enjoying a leisurely cup of coffee, reading magazines, and eating strawberries. This is obviously Owen's birthday gift to us. Needless to say, we are all feeling much better rested than we did one year ago on this day!
Last Day of Being Zero
Today is Owen's last day of being zero years old. This very time last year, I was searching the internet to see if extreme irritability was a sign of impending labor. On this day, John and I took our final labor class and the instructor warned us not to practice too hard for fear of sending us to the delivery room. And on this day, John and I felt compelled to go to the grocery store to stock up at 10 o'clock at night, just because. One year ago, this day was our very last day of being a family of two.And here he is today, our sweet baby boy, wrestling his buddy Koen, and John and I have no need to search the internet to see if extreme happiness is a sign that we have survived our first year of being parents!
Owen Joe, How Does Your Garden Grow
Thought yall might like to see how the garden is coming along. We are contemplating putting a "U-Pickum" sign in the yard to encourage others to help themselves. Our dinner list for this week looks like this: Lettuce with Peas and Spinach, Spinach with Lettuce and Peas, Peas with Spinach and Lettuce.
Vacation /All I Ever Wanted/Vacation/Have to Get Away
We've just come back from a lovely week on Orcas Island, Owen's first family vacation. Owen was a champ on his first ferry ride, despite the fact that we woke him up in the wee hours of the morning (turnabout of sorts, perhaps) to make sure we made it on time. We rented a cozy house on Obstruction Pass and Owen enjoyed leisurely meals while taking in the sights of passing boats and birds and kayakers. I think John and I only welled up once when we, ourselves, saw the kayakers, knowing that it wouldn't be us this year. We both took turns getting some nice runs in on the trails in the state park and felt a wee bit nostalgic for those Before Owen days and impressed with how fit we used to be. We spent most afternoons at Cascade Lake, where the water was a chilly 65 but still warmer than the ocean waters lapping at the beach in front of the house. John and I were the oldest kids by far splashing around in the water, all other adults having sense enough to stay on the sunny beach reading a good book. Owen met many friends and admirers and was nearly kidnapped by a Washington State Ferry Employee, who spent the entire trip back playing peek-a-boo and tickling him. She didn't even mind when he laughed so hard he spit up carrot juice all over her. So, aside from having the Go-Go's song "Vacation" stuck in our heads the entire week, we had a great first family vacation on Orcas Island. I think the moment that truly made it a "family" vacation happened at the very end. We had just had a nice picnic by the water and enjoyed talking with a sweet family from Denver. Owen was yawning a bit, all according to our plan to sleep on the way home, and we had just strapped him into his car seat when the ferry whistle blew, signaling the cars to begin boarding. We settled in, sad to be leaving but happy to be going home. And then, without warning, Owen, our sweet little boy, threw up. Vomited. Projectile. Everywhere. I think it is safe to say that after three hours in the car with that aroma, no one will be enjoying strawberry yogurt in this family for a long time (and no, he didn't sleep either.)
Uncle Patrick Comes To Visit
Despite Owen's expression in this picture, we loved having Uncle Patrick come to visit. You might notice that Owen looked exactly the same in the picture with his grandpa and John. It has nothing to do with the Pyle family themselves, merely Owen's irrepressible urge to squirm and wiggle.During Patrick's visit, we ate our way through many donuts on our early morning outings and felt reaffirmed to hear someone else say, "It's only 8:30 in the morning?!" after cramming as much into the a.m. as possible to guarantee a long nap for the wee one.
Patrick fulfilled an important duty as the official "Cheerio Popper" on our walks, syncing his steps with John and endangering his fingertips to pop a tiny snack in Owen's mouth while he was in the backpack, ensuring that we could hike just a little bit further than Owen would otherwise have liked. Patrick also tickled Owen's funny bone in a way that John and I have yet to do with a side-splitting rendition of the Chicken Dance with Owen's stuffed lion. It brought on belly laughs like we have never heard before. John and I have attempted to repeat it, but Owen only hangs his head and cries, it being such a poor substitute for the real thing. I think it is pretty safe to say that Owen loves his Uncle Patrick.
Grandma and Grandpa Come to Visit
We were lucky enough to have John's parents visit us over Father's Day weekend so we could have a celebration of three generations. The preciousness of the moment was lost on Owen, who would not hold still for a picture.
Owen took a particular liking to his grandpa and bestowed upon him many wet kisses. It really is the sweetest thing, he leans in, open his mouth, and kind of sucks/licks your cheek.
Owen is much more accepting of the wet face cloth for his grandma. Especially since she brought him many fun toys and stylish clothes.
This is a little cart Owen's grandparents gave him for his birthday. It revealed to us a personality trait we have long suspected but heretofore never didn't have much proof: Owen is fiercely independent. He nearly hyperventilated he was so thrilled by the cart and the freedom it offered, but he couldn't quite steer it on his own. When we tried to offer assistance, he hit our hands away and cried hysterically. He would much rather not do it than accept any help from us.
His new little car requires minimal parental intervention and brings Owen much joy. I suspect that may also have something to do with the fact that it is a babe magnet. When Owen and I were playing outside the other day, he was overtaken by three four-year-old girls who thought his wheels were pretty hot.
Lastly, this is Owen towering on his horse, like a discriminating general, while he surveyed his minions doing yard work.
Owen took a particular liking to his grandpa and bestowed upon him many wet kisses. It really is the sweetest thing, he leans in, open his mouth, and kind of sucks/licks your cheek.
Owen is much more accepting of the wet face cloth for his grandma. Especially since she brought him many fun toys and stylish clothes.
This is a little cart Owen's grandparents gave him for his birthday. It revealed to us a personality trait we have long suspected but heretofore never didn't have much proof: Owen is fiercely independent. He nearly hyperventilated he was so thrilled by the cart and the freedom it offered, but he couldn't quite steer it on his own. When we tried to offer assistance, he hit our hands away and cried hysterically. He would much rather not do it than accept any help from us.
His new little car requires minimal parental intervention and brings Owen much joy. I suspect that may also have something to do with the fact that it is a babe magnet. When Owen and I were playing outside the other day, he was overtaken by three four-year-old girls who thought his wheels were pretty hot.
Lastly, this is Owen towering on his horse, like a discriminating general, while he surveyed his minions doing yard work.
Like Father..
As Father's Day nears, I thought it appropriate to celebrate the ways in which Owen is like his dear daddy, John. They share the same tenacity in the face of new challenges, the same sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them, the same crazy laugh that makes everyone else laugh, and..the same love of beer?!
Hmmm..these are those things that Daddy calls "Grown Up Bottles"
Do I want to try a Porter or a Barleywine?
Do you have a bottle opener? My two teeth are a bit precious.
Hmmm..these are those things that Daddy calls "Grown Up Bottles"
Do I want to try a Porter or a Barleywine?
Do you have a bottle opener? My two teeth are a bit precious.
Weekend Highlights
We had a fabulous weekend. Perhaps even the best weekend in Owen 's life, which I can say since I have been intimately involved in every weekend he has ever had! We visited 7 Seattle parks while drinking in as much sunny weather as we possibly could. Here are some highlights...
* Owen enjoyed dinner out with us on Friday and flirted with the woman sitting next to us the whole time by pulling on her jacket with his guacamole covered hands.
* John let Owen have some licks of his ice cream cone and Owen looved it. Salted Caramel - very mature palate.
* We all slept til 6:30 Saturday morning, hallelujah!
* Lovely chat with an Army Corps Engineer at the Locks who told us all about his 4 month old grand daughter and the heart attack he had 4 years ago because he loved microbrews so much he drank 8 a day but has since lost over 100 pounds.
* First broccoli raab harvest from the garden and three delicious salads from garden spinach and lettuce.
* John planted Kentucky Wonder Beans (the name suggests a goose and some golden eggs await us!)
* Saw a Great Blue Heron eating an eel on Elliott Bay.
* Wading in the ocean.
* And the best highlight of them all....Owen kicked it up at our neighbor's barbecue by grabbing John's beer bottle and taking a huge swig! He then got on a little tricycle and promptly fell off. No doubt he was showing off for the three little girls there.
* Owen enjoyed dinner out with us on Friday and flirted with the woman sitting next to us the whole time by pulling on her jacket with his guacamole covered hands.
* John let Owen have some licks of his ice cream cone and Owen looved it. Salted Caramel - very mature palate.
* We all slept til 6:30 Saturday morning, hallelujah!
* Lovely chat with an Army Corps Engineer at the Locks who told us all about his 4 month old grand daughter and the heart attack he had 4 years ago because he loved microbrews so much he drank 8 a day but has since lost over 100 pounds.
* First broccoli raab harvest from the garden and three delicious salads from garden spinach and lettuce.
* John planted Kentucky Wonder Beans (the name suggests a goose and some golden eggs await us!)
* Saw a Great Blue Heron eating an eel on Elliott Bay.
* Wading in the ocean.
* And the best highlight of them all....Owen kicked it up at our neighbor's barbecue by grabbing John's beer bottle and taking a huge swig! He then got on a little tricycle and promptly fell off. No doubt he was showing off for the three little girls there.
A Discovery in Discovery Park
Owen does not look impressed with the splendor that surrounds him in Discovery Park in this picture. Perhaps because the real attraction awaited him at the end of the hike down to the beach.
We had an extremely low tide and an exceptionally sunny day, which meant shallow water warmed by the sun. We all shucked of our shoes and enjoyed the feeling of warm sand and cool water on our feet. Notice his shirt, our little Seattle baby (Thank you, Sandy!)
Patty Cake
John always tells me that I make the best pancakes, but you know John. He is so appreciative that I could serve him cardboard and he would ask for seconds. But today, Owen confirmed that I do indeed make good pancakes. He tried them for the first time this morning, little tiny pieces chock full of blueberries. He grabbed a piece and stuffed it in his mouth, grabbed another, and another, and raised his little arms in the air and laughed and gurgled. Since Owen holds with no civilities or courtesies, we can trust his pure delight in the greatness that is a good pancake.
Urban Adventures
It has been awhile since we have written and we have had many adventures in the meantime, so I will start with the most current events and work my way back until I can't remember anymore...
Today is a beautiful day in Seattle, brilliant blue and eighty degrees. We decided to start answering the question everyone asks us, "How do you like Seattle so far?" Since our first few weeks here were a whirlwind of buying a house and having a baby, we haven't really gotten to know this city where we have lived for a year now. We know it is Seattle by the Space Needle we see every day and the hulk of Mt. Rainier that hunches over the skyline, but we haven't ventured very far from our own neighborhood.
So, this morning we packed up Owen and went downtown to explore a little. We went to locally famed Macrina Bakery to pick up some treats and then headed over to the Seattle Art Museum's Olympic Sculpture Garden, a 9 acre park right by the Puget Sound that features such works as 20 ft. high traffic cones and a giant typewriter erasing racing down a hill. We found a sunny spot right by the water and watched people do what we used to do (go for early morning runs) while we kicked back and ate huge pieces of lavender and lemon coffeecake. Owen loved watching the trains go by. He was such a little wiggle worm until one passed and then he was utterly still and silent until the last car passed, then wiggle all over again. We came home, messed around in the garden, Owen napped, and then we hiked around Carkeek park, a lovely park near our house that we visit often with forest trails and ocean views.
Speaking of the garden, we are hoping to taste our first bounty this weekend - spinach. Since we last reported, John has built a "cloche" for his tomato plants - a big plastic tunnel to keep them warm and humid in the cool Seattle spring.
Here is a pic of John from last weekend and behind him is my Mother's day present, 3000 pounds of mulch. That is partially a joke. We spent the first part of Mother's Day sodding and mulching our front yard after we dug the whole thing up. We are very happy to pass along our previous title of "Eyesore of the Neighborhood" to some one else. John and I both hold our head up high as we walk into our house now as opposed to sneaking in the back like we did when the whole yard was a field of dandelions. John and Owen made the rest of the day a treat with thoughtful gifts and a nice trip to the farmer's market.
We had a lovely visit from my mom, Owen's "Marnie," the weekend before, hence the fabulous video of him dancing with her. My mom also treated Owen to his first lunch with the girls and the first public lunch when he didn't scream the entire time. I think the mound of crunchy rice noodles she set before him certainly helped satisfy his hunger for food and mess.
A few other highs and lows, Owen's first fever, some great nights of sleeping, first visit to the sandbox, and a 5:30 am picnic with mommy in the backyard so daddy could get some more sleep.
Now the little boy is napping, we have a bottle of wine in the fridge, and a whole 'nother day of the weekend. Happy times!
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