"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.
~John Muir
Monday, April 22, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Watch & Listen
Currently Watching:
We seem to have watched a lot of movies recently, particularly the 'Best Picture' nominees for 2012.
Argo. Jim and I both really loved this movie. Great story and great acting. Definitely deserving of Best Picture.
Life of Pi. I started the book years ago but for some reason never finished it. Jim did read it and I think commented that it was really similar. Overall the movie was better than I was expecting.
Beasts of a Southern Wild. I think I liked it more than Jim. I loved the eccentric fantasy style storytelling of little Hushpuppy.
Zero Dark Thirty. Sometimes I still have a hard time comprehending jobs in the CIA and the fact that this is really what is going on in the world around me. I thought it was quite similar to Homeland (maybe because we just finished watching Season 1 & 2 on Netflix a few months ago).
Lincoln. Snooze alert. Honestly it took us 2 nights and we were falling asleep both times. Maybe more intriguing for those history buffs out there.
Currently Reading:
I'm STILL trying to finish Anna Karenina. Totally missed my March deadline (I knew that would never happen), but I have made some progress and may actually finish it in the next few weeks. Other intriguing works of literature I've been working on include: Diaper-Free before 3, The Diaper Free Baby, and Baby Signs. This is my life people.
Currently Listening to:
She & Him (prepping for their new album release), Trout Fishing in America (because Jim and I are nerds and love singing along), and a few Chris Kresser podcasts.
We seem to have watched a lot of movies recently, particularly the 'Best Picture' nominees for 2012.
Argo. Jim and I both really loved this movie. Great story and great acting. Definitely deserving of Best Picture.
Life of Pi. I started the book years ago but for some reason never finished it. Jim did read it and I think commented that it was really similar. Overall the movie was better than I was expecting.
Beasts of a Southern Wild. I think I liked it more than Jim. I loved the eccentric fantasy style storytelling of little Hushpuppy.
Zero Dark Thirty. Sometimes I still have a hard time comprehending jobs in the CIA and the fact that this is really what is going on in the world around me. I thought it was quite similar to Homeland (maybe because we just finished watching Season 1 & 2 on Netflix a few months ago).
Lincoln. Snooze alert. Honestly it took us 2 nights and we were falling asleep both times. Maybe more intriguing for those history buffs out there.
Currently Reading:
I'm STILL trying to finish Anna Karenina. Totally missed my March deadline (I knew that would never happen), but I have made some progress and may actually finish it in the next few weeks. Other intriguing works of literature I've been working on include: Diaper-Free before 3, The Diaper Free Baby, and Baby Signs. This is my life people.
Currently Listening to:
She & Him (prepping for their new album release), Trout Fishing in America (because Jim and I are nerds and love singing along), and a few Chris Kresser podcasts.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Letters from Riesling
Hello Friends & Family,
I have really been enjoying the nice weather and warmer temperatures recently. There is so much to do outside. Mommy blows bubbles for me and helps me color on the driveway with chalk. I even have a little playhouse in the yard now. My neighbor friend, Tatiana, got too big for it so she gave it to me. It's fun to go down the slide and I'm still working on trying to climb back up the slide. I also like to sit in the mulch pile or flower beds and dig for treasures. I find cool stuff like worms, ants, leaves, and sticks. If it's something new that I haven't seen before I usually like to taste it.
A few times we've walked to the park near our house. There are usually a lot of other kids for me to watch. The slide is really big there and I need help from Daddy. A few weeks ago I also went to a really huge park with my friend Cameron. There was so, so much to do that I didn't know where to start. Cameron ran around like crazy trying to show me everything. We ended playing in the sandbox for a long time. Mommy says I brought half it home with me but I haven't seen it since so I'm not sure what she did with it.
I have really been enjoying the nice weather and warmer temperatures recently. There is so much to do outside. Mommy blows bubbles for me and helps me color on the driveway with chalk. I even have a little playhouse in the yard now. My neighbor friend, Tatiana, got too big for it so she gave it to me. It's fun to go down the slide and I'm still working on trying to climb back up the slide. I also like to sit in the mulch pile or flower beds and dig for treasures. I find cool stuff like worms, ants, leaves, and sticks. If it's something new that I haven't seen before I usually like to taste it.
A few times we've walked to the park near our house. There are usually a lot of other kids for me to watch. The slide is really big there and I need help from Daddy. A few weeks ago I also went to a really huge park with my friend Cameron. There was so, so much to do that I didn't know where to start. Cameron ran around like crazy trying to show me everything. We ended playing in the sandbox for a long time. Mommy says I brought half it home with me but I haven't seen it since so I'm not sure what she did with it.
Love always,
Riesling
Friday, April 12, 2013
March Photo Recap
We had an action packed month of March with tons of opportunities for cute photos, but these days I either forget my camera all together or am too busy chasing Riesling around to use it. I did get a few good shots and Jim managed to get a bunch of kinda crappy, blurry iPhone pictures too. My favorite on the overalls. I found them just before Easter on the clearance rack at Target (less than $5!) and have been obsessed with them every since. Her big ghetto cloth diaper booty is just too darn cute.
March 2nd-3rd: Overnight trip to Conneticut for a weekend with the Levin family. It was our goddaughter, Chloe's 2nd birthday party and Sarah and Rob's 10 year wedding anniversary and vow renewal ceremony. We were honored to be invited to such a intimidate family weekend. They are the kind of true friends that distance never alters.
March 4th: Mommy makes her first attempt at pig tails. Combined with an obsession over leg hugs, it was just about the sweetest thing ever.
March 10th: Daddy puts Riesling's shirt on backwards thinking she is some kind of Italian guido. These pictures don't do it justice but I couldn't stop laughing long enough to get a good shot.
March 23rd: Dinner and playtime with the Crookers. They recently had a wall taken down opening up their kitchen and dining room. This pretty much meant lots of room for running, mainly Riesling chasing Cameron. She hugged him no less than 50 times. She also found one of Lorraine's apron and insisted on wearing it. She has been into capes and scarves lately as well. I guess we're entering 'dress up' stage. And yes that picture in the corner is her licking Auntie Raine's oven. I think she might have been try to kiss her reflection. She's all about the love.
March 29th-31st: Stidd family invasion. My brother and his crew made the long journey from Ohio to spend Easter weekend with us. It was so much fun to see the kids playing together. Riesling is at a fun age where she is pretty entertaining even though there is a huge age gap between her and her cousins (Jevin is 9 and Elliona). Elliona has been waiting for this since Riesling was born. She just wanted so bad to be able to hold her, carrying her around, push her in the stroller and play with her. She got to do all of it and more over the weekend.
We ventured into Philadelphia so they could experience the big city complete with skyscapers and a subway ride. Family in town is a good reason to do some of the tourist stuff we wouldn't normally do on our own.
Back at the Robinson ranch we had pizza, colored Easter eggs and watched movies after Riesling went to bed. We even had a little indoor Easter egg hunt. I really dropped the ball on picture taking over the whole weekend. I got NONE of the kids together and hardly any of Riesling and her little egg hunt. Jim did get some video action....
March 31st. We ended the month with Easter dinner at Aunt Kathleen's in New Jersey. Where Riesling received 3 more baskets of goodies! Look at all those shovels...and a camp chair!
I think that about sums it up.
March 2nd-3rd: Overnight trip to Conneticut for a weekend with the Levin family. It was our goddaughter, Chloe's 2nd birthday party and Sarah and Rob's 10 year wedding anniversary and vow renewal ceremony. We were honored to be invited to such a intimidate family weekend. They are the kind of true friends that distance never alters.
Yes Sarah made that cake!
Riesling discovering girlie toys
Friends and their sweet baby girls
March 4th: Mommy makes her first attempt at pig tails. Combined with an obsession over leg hugs, it was just about the sweetest thing ever.
March 10th: Daddy puts Riesling's shirt on backwards thinking she is some kind of Italian guido. These pictures don't do it justice but I couldn't stop laughing long enough to get a good shot.
March 18: Riesling gets her first grilled cheese sandwich...with kale
and flax seed on gluten free millet chia bread. That's what all the
kids are eating these days, right? More please!
March 23rd: Dinner and playtime with the Crookers. They recently had a wall taken down opening up their kitchen and dining room. This pretty much meant lots of room for running, mainly Riesling chasing Cameron. She hugged him no less than 50 times. She also found one of Lorraine's apron and insisted on wearing it. She has been into capes and scarves lately as well. I guess we're entering 'dress up' stage. And yes that picture in the corner is her licking Auntie Raine's oven. I think she might have been try to kiss her reflection. She's all about the love.
March 29th-31st: Stidd family invasion. My brother and his crew made the long journey from Ohio to spend Easter weekend with us. It was so much fun to see the kids playing together. Riesling is at a fun age where she is pretty entertaining even though there is a huge age gap between her and her cousins (Jevin is 9 and Elliona). Elliona has been waiting for this since Riesling was born. She just wanted so bad to be able to hold her, carrying her around, push her in the stroller and play with her. She got to do all of it and more over the weekend.
We ventured into Philadelphia so they could experience the big city complete with skyscapers and a subway ride. Family in town is a good reason to do some of the tourist stuff we wouldn't normally do on our own.
Back at the Robinson ranch we had pizza, colored Easter eggs and watched movies after Riesling went to bed. We even had a little indoor Easter egg hunt. I really dropped the ball on picture taking over the whole weekend. I got NONE of the kids together and hardly any of Riesling and her little egg hunt. Jim did get some video action....
March 31st. We ended the month with Easter dinner at Aunt Kathleen's in New Jersey. Where Riesling received 3 more baskets of goodies! Look at all those shovels...and a camp chair!
Monday, April 8, 2013
Update
What the heck happen to March? I feel like it was Riesling's birthday then a blink of the eye later it was April Fool's Day. I guess we had a busy month with a little bit of travel, some time with friends and family, and a lot of crazy on the move one year time. My little monkey is soooo on the go now. She is clearly a master at walking, indoors and out; quickly picking up speed in the running department; and is now entering a climbing phase. Did I mention jumping? Like leaping onto my face causing my tooth to jam into the inside of my lip resulting in a blood gushing 1/2 inch gash, a slightly loosened tooth, and a crying baby with a goose egg on her head. Yup. She's into jumping.
It's pure exhaustion to keep up with her but I really am loving every minute. I love that she is so active and joyful. She is like the poster child for living life to the fullest. She wants to explore every corner, nook, basket, dirt pile, and stone. Now that the weather has taken a turn for the better she wants to be outside walking the dog at all times (except those moments when she is hungry or thirsty). She stands at the front door with the dog leash, a poop bag and some kind of dog toy in hand babbling on until you take her outside. She digs around in the dirt and kindly feeds Sofee little sticks. She really loves that darn dog more than anything.
I'm amazed at how much she seems to figure out from day to day. She's really getting good pretty at understand instructions or applying concepts from one task to another. She is also started to pick up new words every day it seems. We are trying to teach her some sign language and I think that is helping her apply meaning to more words. She definitely knows quite a few signs but we typically have to provoke her in order for her to use them. She seldom will start a sign without us first asking and showing her the sign. Sometimes she will repeat the sign of her choice (i.e. more or all done) and sometimes she just tries to say the word. I'm not sure if we're not using proper methods to teach her or if she's just trying to skip right to the word instead of the sign. Either way it is helping us communicate and eliminating some frustration for both parties.
I can see how this stage could be frustrating and complicated for parents. It's tough to find a balance between having fun, allowing exploration, and keeping her safe. I remember once thinking the same thing about her crawling. hahahahaha. Silly first time mommy. Crawling is the simply stuff. Not only is she scaling chairs trying to get on top of the kitchen table, she also has a strong willed independent personality to handle....not to mention she is 25+lbs and pretty darn strong. Parenting is so darn fun!
I'll have to check Jim's phone to see if we have any decent pictures from the last few weeks. Most of them are her running away in a blur. This video is from about 3 weeks ago.....
It's pure exhaustion to keep up with her but I really am loving every minute. I love that she is so active and joyful. She is like the poster child for living life to the fullest. She wants to explore every corner, nook, basket, dirt pile, and stone. Now that the weather has taken a turn for the better she wants to be outside walking the dog at all times (except those moments when she is hungry or thirsty). She stands at the front door with the dog leash, a poop bag and some kind of dog toy in hand babbling on until you take her outside. She digs around in the dirt and kindly feeds Sofee little sticks. She really loves that darn dog more than anything.
I'm amazed at how much she seems to figure out from day to day. She's really getting good pretty at understand instructions or applying concepts from one task to another. She is also started to pick up new words every day it seems. We are trying to teach her some sign language and I think that is helping her apply meaning to more words. She definitely knows quite a few signs but we typically have to provoke her in order for her to use them. She seldom will start a sign without us first asking and showing her the sign. Sometimes she will repeat the sign of her choice (i.e. more or all done) and sometimes she just tries to say the word. I'm not sure if we're not using proper methods to teach her or if she's just trying to skip right to the word instead of the sign. Either way it is helping us communicate and eliminating some frustration for both parties.
I can see how this stage could be frustrating and complicated for parents. It's tough to find a balance between having fun, allowing exploration, and keeping her safe. I remember once thinking the same thing about her crawling. hahahahaha. Silly first time mommy. Crawling is the simply stuff. Not only is she scaling chairs trying to get on top of the kitchen table, she also has a strong willed independent personality to handle....not to mention she is 25+lbs and pretty darn strong. Parenting is so darn fun!
I'll have to check Jim's phone to see if we have any decent pictures from the last few weeks. Most of them are her running away in a blur. This video is from about 3 weeks ago.....
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