Claire is amazing us these days. she's started cruising around and crawling. yesterday, she had climbed up almost to the top of the staircase before i discovered her! and on top of all that, she has 3 teeth coming in! she had been busy working on those while we were away on our trip. now they are finally breaking through. she walks quite well now holding my hands, so i'm sure she'll be walking by herself soon. her curiousity is twice her size. she's so busy checking everything out, but at the same time, her new mobility makes her a little needy at times. still looks around to make sure i'm in sight. lots of tumbles and bumps with all the moving, but it's wonderful to see little Claire. it's amazing to me - she still looks like a tiny peanut and she's already moving around! she's also doing this kind of salute to other people - she sort of holds her hand up at you. it's really sweet.
Walking at last! from slkim and Vimeo.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Construction & recuperation
the past week has been full. we returned to our dear home in madison late in the evening, so we went right to bed, only to be woken up early in the morning by this!
yes, they're bulldozing and tearing up our street to replace sewer pipes. the construction began back in july, but they were working on a different block. now, they're on ours. i'm glad to say we missed some of it while we were away, but i realize the work has only just begun. it is fun though to watch the diggers, but we do have to leave the house to escape the noise. the workers are very kind, even giving us a huge boulder for our garden that they dug up while digging the street!!
and then Phil went and had all four of his wisdom teeth pulled. his brother Mike came up to take Phil to and from the surgery - i was really grateful for that. when Mike brought Phil back, he and i had to walk Phil from the main street to our house since we can't park in our driveway anymore (due to construction). one of the workers turned off his digger and offered to help us carry Phil in, but by then, we were almost home.
and it has been raining every day.
i'm afraid i've become this witch, storming around our house. i've felt like i have 3 babies to take care of and only today have i felt semi-normal. tempers have been flaring. there's been an unusual amount of crying and whining. today, though, was a good day and we can all laugh about the past few days. my kids drive me insane.
i was reading an article about this couple that have created this new diaper bag. they are parents of one child and the mother says: "when you're a mom, you're overwhelmed. but when you have things in order, when you can open your bag and see everything you need without desperately rooting around, you can think, i'm not a bad mom, because i am organized."
i think we all learn to cope with our insanity in different ways! i'm guessing this mum might be a freak about organization?
yes, they're bulldozing and tearing up our street to replace sewer pipes. the construction began back in july, but they were working on a different block. now, they're on ours. i'm glad to say we missed some of it while we were away, but i realize the work has only just begun. it is fun though to watch the diggers, but we do have to leave the house to escape the noise. the workers are very kind, even giving us a huge boulder for our garden that they dug up while digging the street!!
and then Phil went and had all four of his wisdom teeth pulled. his brother Mike came up to take Phil to and from the surgery - i was really grateful for that. when Mike brought Phil back, he and i had to walk Phil from the main street to our house since we can't park in our driveway anymore (due to construction). one of the workers turned off his digger and offered to help us carry Phil in, but by then, we were almost home.
and it has been raining every day.
i'm afraid i've become this witch, storming around our house. i've felt like i have 3 babies to take care of and only today have i felt semi-normal. tempers have been flaring. there's been an unusual amount of crying and whining. today, though, was a good day and we can all laugh about the past few days. my kids drive me insane.
i was reading an article about this couple that have created this new diaper bag. they are parents of one child and the mother says: "when you're a mom, you're overwhelmed. but when you have things in order, when you can open your bag and see everything you need without desperately rooting around, you can think, i'm not a bad mom, because i am organized."
i think we all learn to cope with our insanity in different ways! i'm guessing this mum might be a freak about organization?
Friday, August 17, 2007
Pix from our trip
Philly pix
a shot of the cousins! Amoz, Skye, and Claire, spent most of their time only half clad due to the heat and humidity of Philadelphia.
to celebrate the birthdays of Amoz, my dad, and me, my brother and his wife christe threw a party at a park.
Skye made a friend with Abby. the moment we took this picture, both girls shouted at the same time, "can i see? can i see?" what would we do without digital cameras?
Skye gives Amoz some loving.
at a sushi restaurant on my dad's birthday.
we visit Penn campus and Phil gets to revisit his college haunts. here we are at the broken button.
New York pix
first stop, the M&M store! Skye and i go crazy over the ceiling high dispensers filled with beautiful M&Ms!! there are even "Shrek-sized" M&Ms. Skye's favourite colours were pink, purple and turquoise.
Times Square
Skye falls in love with the doll house at the ABC Home & Carpet store.
at the carousel in Central Park.
Claire enjoys some time with grandparents at the park.
after a busy day...
people took to the streets for the Dominican Republic parade. lots of music and people dancing.
after the parade...the streets were completely deserted except for flyers and trash, it was sort of eerie.
one last gathering with my parents for my birthday at a restaurant that serves naeng-myun (it's a cold noodle dish). this is in NJ and it's the best naeng-myun i've had!!
Skye, Claire and i went to the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park and both girls loved it. Claire eventually fell asleep, but Skye was mesmerized from beginning to end.
we met up with my friend, Darlene, who lives in NY.
tea time at Alice's Tea Cup. here's Skye with her special tea goodies: pb&j on banana bread, scone, and chocolate mousse
and Claire with a book!
Claire loved playing in the bathroom sink of our hotel.
one final visit to Central Park!
we loved our time in both cities. it was hectic and full, but so much fun. it was great to catch up with family and friends. but it's also great to be back home.
a shot of the cousins! Amoz, Skye, and Claire, spent most of their time only half clad due to the heat and humidity of Philadelphia.
to celebrate the birthdays of Amoz, my dad, and me, my brother and his wife christe threw a party at a park.
Skye made a friend with Abby. the moment we took this picture, both girls shouted at the same time, "can i see? can i see?" what would we do without digital cameras?
Skye gives Amoz some loving.
at a sushi restaurant on my dad's birthday.
we visit Penn campus and Phil gets to revisit his college haunts. here we are at the broken button.
New York pix
first stop, the M&M store! Skye and i go crazy over the ceiling high dispensers filled with beautiful M&Ms!! there are even "Shrek-sized" M&Ms. Skye's favourite colours were pink, purple and turquoise.
Times Square
Skye falls in love with the doll house at the ABC Home & Carpet store.
at the carousel in Central Park.
Claire enjoys some time with grandparents at the park.
after a busy day...
people took to the streets for the Dominican Republic parade. lots of music and people dancing.
after the parade...the streets were completely deserted except for flyers and trash, it was sort of eerie.
one last gathering with my parents for my birthday at a restaurant that serves naeng-myun (it's a cold noodle dish). this is in NJ and it's the best naeng-myun i've had!!
Skye, Claire and i went to the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park and both girls loved it. Claire eventually fell asleep, but Skye was mesmerized from beginning to end.
we met up with my friend, Darlene, who lives in NY.
tea time at Alice's Tea Cup. here's Skye with her special tea goodies: pb&j on banana bread, scone, and chocolate mousse
and Claire with a book!
Claire loved playing in the bathroom sink of our hotel.
one final visit to Central Park!
we loved our time in both cities. it was hectic and full, but so much fun. it was great to catch up with family and friends. but it's also great to be back home.
Monday, August 6, 2007
From Philly...
it's been a busy few days in philly. but the girls are having a blast with their cousin Amoz and aunt and uncle and grandparents. i'll post some photos later. i'm trying to stay on top of everything, but inevitably, i have to accept the fact that it won't happen. today, we made an outing to the Morris arboretum. we splashed around in the fountains and watched miniature trains going by on the railway display. we saw a swan getting fed some lettuce, baby ducks swimming, and snakes laying on rocks.
it's funny. Skye is having a great time - there's always someone to play with, but once in a while, she says she misses Madison, but is quick to add that she's enjoying herself. i'm sure Claire would say the same if she could. there's all the hardships of being away from home, yet there's so much joy in being with family. and we haven't seen much of Phil who sometimes gets back after the girls have gone to sleep. we're looking forward to wednesday when he has the day off!
meanwhile, after the girls have gone to sleep at night, i've managed to get in some reading. i've started michael ondaatje's new novel "Divisadero." haven't read any novels in a long time, so i'm actually relishing this one.
it's funny. Skye is having a great time - there's always someone to play with, but once in a while, she says she misses Madison, but is quick to add that she's enjoying herself. i'm sure Claire would say the same if she could. there's all the hardships of being away from home, yet there's so much joy in being with family. and we haven't seen much of Phil who sometimes gets back after the girls have gone to sleep. we're looking forward to wednesday when he has the day off!
meanwhile, after the girls have gone to sleep at night, i've managed to get in some reading. i've started michael ondaatje's new novel "Divisadero." haven't read any novels in a long time, so i'm actually relishing this one.
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