- Scott + 500 plastic balls (Ellen's Christmas gift to him)!
- Nearly naked babies running down NYC hotel hallways and hugging Rice (Uncle Ben = Rice)!
- Fake laughter as he pretends to watch cartoons!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Aunts video Scott
Lauren and Ellen (and maybe more aunts??) put together this little Scott vid of Christmas and the NYC trip. (Thanks!!) Featuring:
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Fun with Scott
Last night's fun thing: bouncing on the big blue exercise ball while listening to music from the Crazy Heart soundtrack. [It's such good music. It's heavy on lyrics, with just enough twang to make my heart reverberate, aching for those things I associate with Texas: driving on country highways over warm, flat earth with blue skies stretched tight and smooth overhead so you feel tucked into a endlessly large bed; the surprisingly pleasant smells of dried horse sweat and sweet hay dust and manure and maybe a little coffee or beer; favorite jeans that are stretched and worn just right so that you don't ever want to wash them because each wash is one closer to their end.
Not that I was around horses all that much and, honestly, I felt afraid last time I rode (which I'm blaming on the fact that Scott was just months old and I still felt odd in my own skin after pregnancy). And Californians have favorite jeans, too, but mine just wore out, so good jeans = Texas to me.]
Anyway, back to my point: bouncing was fun!
After long trips, Luke and I always feel like Scott makes jumps in development. This time he seems more mature, more content to sit with us for a moment while reading or cuddling. And more affectionate, taking little breaks to give kisses while he tries to figure out how the toy cars roll or the padlock works.
Not that I was around horses all that much and, honestly, I felt afraid last time I rode (which I'm blaming on the fact that Scott was just months old and I still felt odd in my own skin after pregnancy). And Californians have favorite jeans, too, but mine just wore out, so good jeans = Texas to me.]
Anyway, back to my point: bouncing was fun!
After long trips, Luke and I always feel like Scott makes jumps in development. This time he seems more mature, more content to sit with us for a moment while reading or cuddling. And more affectionate, taking little breaks to give kisses while he tries to figure out how the toy cars roll or the padlock works.
Home
We are back. Soon I'll share a bit from our lovely trip to New York to see Therese and Jesse marry each other. But for now, I'm enjoying our home, keeping soup and tea warming on the stove all day as we continue to take a beating from the storms hitting the Pacific coast. The Santa Cruz mountains protect us enough that we are only getting rain and some wind, and we still get enough sun when the fog lifts from the Bay to have perfect, double layered rainbows in the afternoon. Outside my window our new compost worm bin and the lavender plants are swimming, but it's warm and dry in here.
I found this passage when we first moved to California:
When I am an old lady I shall have a lavender bush
and sprinkle the blooms upon my sheets
and under my pillow;
steep it into tea
and press its spikes among the pages of my books.
- Sharon Tabor Warren
and I thought, why wait? So the four lavenders outside our bedroom/office window are planted and growing and smelling lovely. I think. I'll let you know as soon as one of us (Luke or Scott or me) get well enough, after a week of colds, to smell again. In the meantime, diaper changes are no problem!
I found this passage when we first moved to California:
When I am an old lady I shall have a lavender bush
and sprinkle the blooms upon my sheets
and under my pillow;
steep it into tea
and press its spikes among the pages of my books.
- Sharon Tabor Warren
and I thought, why wait? So the four lavenders outside our bedroom/office window are planted and growing and smelling lovely. I think. I'll let you know as soon as one of us (Luke or Scott or me) get well enough, after a week of colds, to smell again. In the meantime, diaper changes are no problem!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Shake, Rattle, and Roll
1. Shake
So, the little quake last Thursday was a 4.1, which is right at the threshold of what one is able to feel. Friday there was a 3.7, and both were centered a little northeast of us. I haven't heard a single damage report. It's fun talking to other new Californians about their experience. Last night there was a larger quake centered off the coast of Eureka, which is a good bit north of us and we didn't feel a thing.
I think it's funny that I felt the quake just as I was about to launch into an essay about my plans for this year and how I want to improve and rearrange everything. It was a good reminder to be shaken up a little and recall that, at the grand scale, I AM NOT IN CONTROL. Releasing control goes strongly against my nature. I love plans. I love planning. Maybe it goes along with being born in the new year, but I constantly make resolutions. This can be good: Luke says that my desire to constantly improve myself is my superpower (that and the ability to grow babies!). I'm glad to have a drive to improve things, but I also need to be reminded that I am just human. I am happy to feel the peace that passes understanding, that loving God IS in control and that, though I will not always see it, he works all things for the good of those who love Him.
So after a little shaking, my resolution is to E N J O Y, particularly relationships. Everyday I am going to do something with Scott that is just for fun, to enjoy motherhood. (This week has included adding bubbles to the bath, playing peek-a-boo behind the couch, and a trip to the Palo Alto Jr. Zoo with friends.) I also want to take a special moment each week to do something out of the ordinary for Luke, because I am so thankful for our easy, happy relationship. And at least once a month I'd like to reach out of our nuclear family share joy with other family, friends, and neighbors. There is so much to celebrate and be thankful for this year: my parents' 30th wedding anniversary this month, our cousin Therese's wedding this weekend, and Karen and Daniel's wedding in May!
2. Rattle
Rattle = baby = updates about Scott, who just really isn't a baby at all but I can't let it go. Look how darling:
Trying to take a leather jacket pic, but just holding up Riverwalk traffic and looking like crazy parents
HE SLEPT THE ENTIRE FLIGHT.
Grandad gave him little firework poppers!
Cutest Christmas pjs (sock monkeys in santa hats ... I die.)
3. Roll
Wednesday, we rock 'n' roll outta here for a visit to the east coast, NYC! THERESE AND JESSE, we are so excited to see you wed! EMMA, we cannot wait to meet you little girl! WAGNERS (and Wagner family going by other last names), save a dance for me at the reception! Time to celebrate a wonderful couple! (AND MARI, GET READY FOR SOME DINNER COMPANY!)
Love,
Jenn
So, the little quake last Thursday was a 4.1, which is right at the threshold of what one is able to feel. Friday there was a 3.7, and both were centered a little northeast of us. I haven't heard a single damage report. It's fun talking to other new Californians about their experience. Last night there was a larger quake centered off the coast of Eureka, which is a good bit north of us and we didn't feel a thing.
I think it's funny that I felt the quake just as I was about to launch into an essay about my plans for this year and how I want to improve and rearrange everything. It was a good reminder to be shaken up a little and recall that, at the grand scale, I AM NOT IN CONTROL. Releasing control goes strongly against my nature. I love plans. I love planning. Maybe it goes along with being born in the new year, but I constantly make resolutions. This can be good: Luke says that my desire to constantly improve myself is my superpower (that and the ability to grow babies!). I'm glad to have a drive to improve things, but I also need to be reminded that I am just human. I am happy to feel the peace that passes understanding, that loving God IS in control and that, though I will not always see it, he works all things for the good of those who love Him.
So after a little shaking, my resolution is to E N J O Y, particularly relationships. Everyday I am going to do something with Scott that is just for fun, to enjoy motherhood. (This week has included adding bubbles to the bath, playing peek-a-boo behind the couch, and a trip to the Palo Alto Jr. Zoo with friends.) I also want to take a special moment each week to do something out of the ordinary for Luke, because I am so thankful for our easy, happy relationship. And at least once a month I'd like to reach out of our nuclear family share joy with other family, friends, and neighbors. There is so much to celebrate and be thankful for this year: my parents' 30th wedding anniversary this month, our cousin Therese's wedding this weekend, and Karen and Daniel's wedding in May!
2. Rattle
Rattle = baby = updates about Scott, who just really isn't a baby at all but I can't let it go. Look how darling:
Trying to take a leather jacket pic, but just holding up Riverwalk traffic and looking like crazy parents
HE SLEPT THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. 
Grandad gave him little firework poppers!
Cutest Christmas pjs (sock monkeys in santa hats ... I die.)3. Roll
Wednesday, we rock 'n' roll outta here for a visit to the east coast, NYC! THERESE AND JESSE, we are so excited to see you wed! EMMA, we cannot wait to meet you little girl! WAGNERS (and Wagner family going by other last names), save a dance for me at the reception! Time to celebrate a wonderful couple! (AND MARI, GET READY FOR SOME DINNER COMPANY!)
Love,
Jenn
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Resolutions ... no, earthquakes.
Happy New Year (finally)! I have far too much to say about how wonderful it was to celebrate Christmas and New Years with our families in Texas. They gave us so much love and rest (Scott slept in my parents' room! Grandmother and Grandfather Wagner jumped out of bed at his first peep every morning!).
OH MY GOSH I JUST FELT AN EARTHQUAKE. AND THEN I HEARD THE NEIGHBORS YELLING ABOUT IT. AND THEN I EMAILED LUKE AND HE FELT IT TOO, AT HIS OFFICE.
Whoa whoa whoa. I turned on the radio but they're not talking about it. WHOA. It was like someone kicked the bed I'm sitting on kinda hard, but the whole town shook. WHOA.
Yeah, I'm a little freaked out! No resolution talk now, going to go explore for information.
OH MY GOSH I JUST FELT AN EARTHQUAKE. AND THEN I HEARD THE NEIGHBORS YELLING ABOUT IT. AND THEN I EMAILED LUKE AND HE FELT IT TOO, AT HIS OFFICE.
Whoa whoa whoa. I turned on the radio but they're not talking about it. WHOA. It was like someone kicked the bed I'm sitting on kinda hard, but the whole town shook. WHOA.
Yeah, I'm a little freaked out! No resolution talk now, going to go explore for information.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Blue Ribbon, Baby!
Wow! We won the family photo contest!
This picture captures the first year with Scott: we are happy but also tired. I am cooking. At least one of our awesome family members is visiting us. And Scott is drooling on whoever is holding him.
It was a wonderful year!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)