Giving up napping?

Max didn't nap today. And it wasn't for lack of trying on our part. We had a lunchtime outing and met Uncle Pete and hung out and played on a train table. He feigned sleep for 10 minutes and woke up ready to go when I attempted to put him in his crib. Shawn walked around the neighborhood with him for an hour while I escaped for some solace and a latte at the local coffee shop. I'm really hoping he is not giving up napping at the tender age of 1 and a half. His naps are what keep me sane. I really need the daily 2 hour break. Thankfully Shawn is playing with him in his room right now with the door closed while I veg out and waste time on Facebook. Yesterday and the day before walking around with Max in the stroller got him to sleep. No-Max-Nap is big news in our little world. Here's to hoping tomorrow is a better day!

Dinner Out!

It was a landmark evening. For the first time in several months we ate at a restaurant... we'd had a quiet day and decided that we needed to get out. We went to our favorite Thai restaurant, Tawon Thai in Fremont, with Aunt Katherine. Max was very well behaved and even sat for awhile in a highchair (he's refused one at home for a few months now). I'm sure it helped that he had a present from Katherine to open, really cool animal ABC flashcards. He ate well too, even eating some of Shawn's yellow curried fried rice and some brown rice mixed with satay sauce. We actually got to have a conversation, it was nice, a sort of return to society.

It's been a really lovely past several days. Shawn's off work until the 2nd. We've been enjoying leisurely mornings and Max is loving spending so much time with both of us. I've enjoyed watching him and Shawn play on the new train table.

Max has really gotten attached to his best buddy Jasper. Today, after his nap we told him he'd get to see Jasper. Unfortunately, it didn't work out and as we explained it to him, he sat on Shawn's lap, his lower lip trembling. He went and stood by the door and almost started crying, asking for his friend. He understands and communicates so well. It was hard watching him be so sad, but he dealt with it well. He really liked going out to dinner tonight and I think that cheered him up. He's such a social guy, he needs his peeps! We'll be sure to hang out with Jasper tomorrow, tonight as I dried him off after his bath he asked me if he could play "choo choos" with "Bapper" (Jasper). Awwww.

Snow and dog poop

Ok, this is a rant here...

The snow melted this weekend, and all over the side walks on our highly dog populated neighborhood are piles of dog poop. Smeared and messy from people stepping in it. What's with people not cleaning up after their dogs in the snow? Did they think they could bury it in the snow and it would just magically melt away? Usually folks are really good about cleaning up after their dogs, so this is a big annoyance. Especially as the stroller rolled through a big pile this morning. Clean up after your dogs, even in a blizzard, dog owners!

--Grouchy Momma Kilburn.

Christmas

We had a really neat Christmas this year, we celebrated for three days. Christmas Eve Aunt Katherine and Godparents Alicia and Loren came over for dinner. I made a really tasty shepherd's pie and some baked squash. We also scarfed down lots of Christmas cookies. After dinner we got a call that our good friend Sara was in labor and that her delightful son Jasper would be joining us for awhile. Rob and Sara dropped him off and headed for the hospital.
He and Max immediately started playing with this awesome vintage fisher price family house toy, complete with all the pieces. What fun! They went to sleep just fine. We were tickled that Max's first sleepover was Christmas Eve. The boys woke up at 630AM in true Christmas form, waking up while it was still dark! Here's a photo of the boys opening their matching sock monkeys that I made them. They had so much fun playing and Jasper's dad came and got him Christmas morning to go meet his new baby brother at the hospital.

We then headed over to Alicia and Loren's for a delicious brunch of eggs Benedict and fruit salad. Here's a shot of Max and Loren hanging out at the breakfast table. Max loved the food! He took a gift over there to open, Lego's from Aunt Ruth! As usual, he napped great after hanging out with those guys, and it gave Shawn and I a chance to exchange gifts and take a nap. He got me a really nice analog watch. I'm such a Luddite with no cell phone. Really, it's been 2 years since I got rid of it and I don't miss it a bit. After Max's long nap we went back over to Alicia and Loren's. They spoiled us rotten! Alicia made a delicious turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Here's Alicia with the beautiful table setting. A call to our turkey expert friend Mason ensured a scrumptious and moist turkey. Max enjoyed eating lots of mashed potatoes and gravy and dancing to music in the kitchen.

The day after Christmas we hung out and rearranged his room...we had to get ready for the train table Alicia and Loren bought him! They brought it over in the evening and we set it up and had a pizza party. Max is so thrilled to have a train table! Jasper came over today and they had a great time playing trains.

We also met Jasper's new baby brother, Gideon yesterday afternoon. What a beautiful and healthy baby! We are so happy for our friends and are excited to watch this sweet little baby grow and change. Max was very interested in the baby, he kept wanting to touch him and could not keep his eyes off of him.

We feel so blessed by our community of family and friends here in Seattle. We have been showered with food, gifts and lots of love. We are so thankful. It was a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve already, and I'm reflecting back on the year. I didn't get cards out to everyone I wanted, so I thought I'd post a list of major events from 2008.

Grandma Rose visited us for a weekend in February and Max enjoyed all of the extra attention. We went to the Washington Democratic Caucus this weekend and we met the Egbert family. Over the course of this year, their delightful son Jasper has become Max's best buddy.

Max started walking in March, at 10 months old.

In April we spent 10 days in Ireland with Grandpa Tim. We had fun traveling all over Ireland seeing many beautiful sights. My favorite was the gorgeous town of Kinsale.

Sarah and Max flew to Sacramento in May and visited with Grandma Rose, and Aunt Gabe and Aunt Ruth. We got to meet up with my good friend Heidi who was in the area for her cousin's wedding. Max enjoyed meeting her and running all over a beautiful winery in Lodi.

We spent Max's 1st birthday weekend on Whidbey Island at an old farmhouse with friends. Shawn and Max drove a tractor and we spent 3 days relaxing out in the country.

In August we flew to Santa Cruz for the wedding of our good friends Joel and Becca. Shawn was a groomsman in the wedding. We also got to spend time with my sister Ruth and many members of the Kilburn family. We made a quick trip into San Francisco to spend a lovely morning with our friends Ben and Susie a few days before they left for a year in Norway.

In August I got a tattoo on my right arm! This is a celtic knot that to me symbolizes the family that Max, Shawn, and I have.

August was a really busy month. Shawn changed jobs, he's really happy with his new digs. He's working on children's educational software. Fun!

Aunt Ruth visited us for 5 days in September and we had a little reunion with my family at my brothers house.

We traveled to Portland Thanksgiving weekend and spent time with old friends.

Two weeks ago Shawn took the train to Portland to attend the wedding reception of our good friends Kiyo and Jenna.

Tonight Aunt Katherine and Godparents Alicia and Loren will come over for dinner, I'm cooking up a giant pan of Shepherd's pie. It snowed a few inches this morning, and now it's pouring rain. Keep your fingers crossed that we don't have flooding! We're sending our best holiday wishes to you and yours. Happy 2009!

Snowpocalypse 2008 and a Cookie Party

Here's Max with his Godparents, Alicia and Loren. He's frosting cookies for the first time! He also had his first cookie (unfrosted sugar cookie) on Saturday during the cookie party and really liked it, but walked away after 2 bites. I'm happy he didn't eat the whole thing and beg for more. We had a really fun cookie party this year, smaller than usual, but it was great, Max and his best friend Jasper got to run around and have lots of space to play and Alicia and Loren got to visit with our good friends and neighbors, The Egberts. I baked up chocolate moose cookies(Thanks, Katherine!), and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Sara made amazing sugar cookies, they have a shortbread consistency and almond extract in them...I just ate one and I'm relishing the aftertaste. She brought yummy frosting and taught me how to make homemade sprinkles. Fun! Alicia brought some tasty snickerdoodles. We had hot apple cider and other snacks and it was a fun evening. Max missed his Aunt Katherine who didn't make it due to the crazy weather.

We've got what seems like a foot of snow. This was the first day in about 4 days that it hasn't snowed. We were all going a little stir crazy this morning so Shawn ventured to work and Max and I went out on the bus with some friends to a local shopping center (cool, refurbished old school house that is now shops) to play on the train table, we had a fun morning and it was so good to get out. We've been faring well in the snow, spending a lot of time with our neighbors, and relaxing. Max got in his first sledding trip which he really enjoyed. Here he is with his friend Jasper and Jasper's dad, Rob.

I'm off to watch a movie with Shawn and finish the second of two sock monkeys I'm making as Christmas gifts. Happy Holidays!

Trains and Snow

This was an exciting week for Max, lots of time playing with trains, and a little time playing in the snow. Here he is on Friday with his best buddy Jasper playing on the train table (that's right, sitting up on the table!) in the playroom of a coffee shop. Jasper's Mom takes the best photos of these two boys. I'm so happy that Max has a best friend already. He is so happy when he gets to spend time with Jasper.

He awoke to snow this morning and stood for a long time at the window looking out. When we finally did go outside he wasn't sure at first, he didn't like how wet and cold it was on his face, so he stopped playing in the snow and took to running through it. I got a few photos which I'll post soon.

We had a good Mom and Max weekend while Shawn was in Portland, but we are sure glad he's home! Max didn't nap today, which was a little challenging. We had a fun day though, we walked to our local coffeeshop this morning with friends, and Max happily played with water and tupperware in the kitchen sink while I made soup and cornbread. We had a nice dinner with Katherine, Alicia, and Loren. Loren and I hatched out a plan to rearrange Max's bedroom....I think we just might be able to fit a train table in there! On Friday a 100 piece wooden train set showed up, delivered by UPS. No note or receipt, truly a gift from Santa!

Snow?

So, according to the Seattle Times (Seattle's "crusty" newspaper that I for some unknown reason compulsively read online) is predicting a big cold snap this weekend, with the coldest temperatures since 1990, and snow starting tomorrow afternoon. I've never seen more than a few inches in the city during my four and a half years here, so I guess I'm skeptical that we are really going to get dumped on. I am glad that we aren't driving a rental car down to Portland with Max Saturday morning (Sorry, Kiyo and Jenna!). Shawn's going by himself on the train tomorrow evening for 2 nights and will attend the wedding reception of good friends. I'm glad he won't be on the roads, and hope the weather won't affect the rails. I think the time away will be good for him, although Max and I will certainly miss him. Max may not see him in the morning. It took Max until 10:45 tonight to fall asleep. He's usually snoozing by 8:30. Shawn worked his magic holding him and singing to him until he let his heavy eyes close.

I'm also glad I'm staying home because I finally went to the doctor today and I have an ear and sinus infection. I reluctantly started antibiotics today, and I'm looking forward to an acupuncture treatment tomorrow (and 2 hours of kid-free time). I am a big wimp about travelling when I'm sick, especially when that involves wrangling a 1 year old 3 1/2 hours one way in transit.

Back to the weather, the predicted high for Sunday is only 29 degrees, and the low 17. This is big news for us. Max has never experienced such cold. I think we'll be spending a lot of time indoors visiting various train tables around North Seattle. Trains are his new obsession, tonight he was crying when we stopped reading to him. He wanted to stay awake and read about "choo choos".

One step forward, one step back.

Well, Max and Shawn are mostly over their colds, but I have a sinus infection. Blarg! I'll be getting some acupuncture on Friday, I hope it will clear it up. I'm not sure if I should go to Portland on Saturday, snow's in the forecast for Seattle and Portland. Driving in the snow in a rental car with Max would make me nervous. Perhaps just Shawn will take the train down as we originally planned. I'd be sad to miss out on the wedding reception of 2 good friends who I've known for six years, but I've been feeling under the weather for a week and a half. I'm going to see how I feel in the morning and make my decision then.

Pasta!

Tonight while Max took a late and much needed nap I tossed together some brown rice pasta with a random sauce of turkey bacon, onions, garlic, carrots, cauliflower, spinach, tomato sauce, olive oil, basil, oregano, and goat chevre. I had thought Max wouldn't eat any of it, he completely wowed us by eating 5 helpings! He has never eaten this much of anything! He's feeling better and his appetite is back! It was so great to see him happily feeding himself out of his new car and truck themed bowl and asking for more. For the past week he's been existing on not much more than nursing, so I'm really happy to see him excited about food again. I'll have to write down this impromptu recipe so I can make it again. And to boot, most of the dinner was organic and local. Yum!

Slowly Recovering

We all got hit hard with colds about a week ago. Max and I are almost recovered and Shawn still has a ways to go. The last 2 colds our family has caught have been vicious and held on with a vengeance. Maybe it's having a toddler, and being around lots of small children, I don't remember ever having colds this intense any other time in my life.

We stayed close to home this weekend, venturing to our local pocket park, Fremont Peak Park, which boasts a beautiful view of the Olympic mountains. Max played there happily for an hour yesterday afternoon while watching volunteers spruce up the park. Today we hung out at an indoor play area at the zoo for an hour where he used the drinking fountain all by himself for the first time.

I'm feeling a little worn out and overwhelmed, I got up with Max at 5:45 today and I've been busy taking care of chores around the building, and helping Shawn wrangle Max this evening while the poor kid screamed for 45 minutes straight. Teething agony, the bottom right 2 year molar is en route. After I got him to sleep tonight it hit me that Christmas is less than 3 weeks away, and we have 2 projects to make for Max, and we haven't begun our shopping for family or friends. And then there are Christmas cards, which I like to send out, but don't know if I'll get to. I can never craft a holiday newsletter that I'm happy with, so I always try to write individual notes in each card, we'll see how many of them make it out in the mail.

I am looking forward to starting my holiday baking, and decorating the house. I am going to put up some mini multi-colored lights this week, and I'll pick up a poinsettia that will be our "tree". We're always short on space for a tree, and I think if we get one this year Max will be in it a lot, so we'll wait to do it until next year. He's so little that he won't remember not having a tree this year. I do think he'll actually get into opening his gifts this year, I'm looking forward that.

Last, but not least, my Grandma had a heart attack a few days ago. She's in the hospital, and responding to medication, but I don't know anything else. I hope she'll be able to come home soon. I love sending her my homemade gingersnaps (full of butter), now I'm thinking I need to send something a little healthier? Or maybe not, she is 85 and should be able to eat what she wants. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Grandma.

Photo shop and a big boy bed

Here's photo Shawn modified in photoshop. I love it!

Max and I are under the weather today but we are managing to amuse ourselves with some new toys and the lovely "Richard Scarry's Best Story Book Ever", Max LOVES that book. He's been wanting to read it all day, and about a half hour ago he asked to lay down and read it in our bed, we read for awhile and he fell asleep there. I think we'll be converting his crib to a big boy bed soon. The front panel comes off, and viola, toddler bed. It's really struck me this week how fast he's growing up. Other milestones this week include starting to use a pillow when sleeping, and saying "Again!".

Sock Monkey and Animal Mural

Tonight was fun and crafty, Shawn and I finally started on the mural we are making for Max's room as one of his Christmas presents. The fabric is a cheery bright red, and we are going to glue pieces of felt on the fabric. Shawn came up with a neat animal idea, using simple squares, triangles, and circles to make a dog, cat, and bird. Max really loves animals right now --his first word was "Dog".
I'm excited to go to the fabric store to pick up some more felt and some buttons for the eyes so we can get started.

I also completed the main body of the sock monkey I'm making as his other gift. I'm happy that both our gifts for him this year will be handmade. He's also getting a set of duplos legos from Aunt Ruth, and 3 months of classes at Gymboree from Grandma Rose. It's going to be a fun Christmas for him!

Colds. Again.

We are getting our share of colds this season. Max and I came down with colds and coughs a few days ago. The poor kid is waking himself up often by coughing. A pillow in his crib is helping, but he's not himself. It's noon and we haven't left the house today...we are always out the door by 9AM...it's been months since we've stayed inside most of the day. I'm hoping he feels better soon so we can get back to playing with friends. And hopefully Max will learn how to blow his nose pretty soon...he's tired of me following him around with a kleenex.

Our Thanksgiving dinner with Fred and Sara and friends was delish, Fred is an amazing cook. He sent the turkey drumsticks, wings, and carcass home with us and I made a great stew last night. Our trip to Portland was ok, Max didn't nap or sleep well, so that made things a little hard, and he woke up sick Sunday morning so we came home early. Shawn will take the train down next weekend for a wedding reception, I've decided to keep Max home for the weekend, we'll try travelling with him again in 3 months, maybe then he'll sleep and not be compulsively putting cat food in water.