Technical Difficulties

The girls and I headed out on our run as usual this morning. They were loaded into the double jogger, "bundled" up in long pants and sweatshirts against the relative chill of a California morning. (There's not generally a chill on Oahu, well, ever, so we're just not used to it.) We were stocked with our usual provisions -- a cup for each girl, some board books, a sleeve of saltines, and a sandwich bag of Fruity Cheerios. (I know. They're glorified Fruit Loops and a good mother wouldn't let her children eat them. But you'd be amazed how much quiet you can buy with two little girls sharing a bag of Fruity Cheerios. When the saltines, sippy cups, books and toys won't cut it any more, we call in the reinforcements: Fruity Cheerios. It's worth at least a couple miles.)

We really enjoy our runs together. After a whole summer of running alone (we'd shipped the double jogger, deciding it was just too cumbersome to try to check on airplanes, much less have somewhere to store it while we visited people), I'd been worried that running with the jogging stroller again would be painful. But we adjusted just fine. Sure, I'm slower with a jogging stroller, but that's no big deal. Besides, I get the benefit of pushing 60+ pounds of little girl, which surely makes up for my lack of speed! The girls seem to like our runs as much as I do. Our little base is much quieter than any we've lived on, so we don't have much traffic to deal with. Kathleen points out the big hangars and the airplanes each morning, and she waits eagerly, hoping that one of the light rail trains will zoom by us while we run along the edge of the base. She usually gets her wish!

This morning's run was different, though. It felt hard from the very first step. I don't wear a watch these days, so I don't know what my normal pace is, or what I was running this morning, but it felt awfully slow. As I was running, I was trying to figure out why it wasn't going well. I was tired, but not that tired. I decided I was just being a wimp and tried to push myself harder.

It wasn't until the halfway point that I figured out what was going on. I tipped the stroller back on its rear two wheels, pivoting toward home and saw it: the right rear wheel was totally, completely flat. We were riding on the rim. I don't know how I missed it. A flat tire.

Ugh.

Well, at least it wasn't me!

A Reunion, but no proof!

We had a special treat this morning: we got to spend a few hours with our friends the Starlings! They're doing what we did almost a year ago -- visiting graduate schools. Like us, they're going to go to graduate school for a few years before teaching at West Point. They're considering Stanford (and Berkeley) and, while visiting family here in California, they came to check out the campuses.

We had a great time catching up with Jim and Joni and meeting little Sammy. And the photographs don't lie -- Joni looks fantastic and we look forward to meeting the next little Starling. I can hardly believe that the last time we saw each other, we lived in Germany. It's been a long time! Our girls played together while we chatted and ate lunch on Stanford's campus. The only disappointment in the visit (aside from that fact that they couldn't stay longer) was that because our camera is still lost, so we have no photos of our mini-reunion. Rats!

During our visit we shared about what we've been learning about living in the area (about the base where we have housing, about the church we checked out, etc.). We wish the Starlings the best of luck in their school search and application process. Selfishly, we hope God brings them here!

Underestimating the Baby

Two events this evening made me think that perhaps I've been underestimating the baby. And maybe that's part of the problem right there. It's probably time to stop calling Madeline "the baby"!

Jim was working late at school tonight, so the girls and I ate supper by ourselves. Kathleen had discovered some sprinkles in the pantry this afternoon when she'd helped me unpack a box, and had asked to eat some. Knowing that I won't have time for mixing, rolling, cutting, and baking cookies in the near future, I offered a compromise. We made some vanilla pudding for dessert instead, and Kathleen put some sprinkles on that. (Not a perfect solution, I realize, but she went for it, and that's what mattered!) So, while Kathleen ate her colorful pudding dessert, I offered Madeline a (plain) bit, too.

Madeline does most of her eating herself these days. She eats fingerfood almost exclusively. When she does have something that requires a spoon, like yogurt or oatmeal, I generally feed her. Tonight, though, Madeline took a few bites of the tasty dessert and decided I wasn't shoveling pudding quickly enough. She took hold of the spoon, dipped its end into the bowl of pudding, and stuck the spoon in her mouth. Again and again and again. It wasn't perfect, and it certainly wasn't neat, but she got the job done. I only wish we'd found our camera, because video of her newly discovered skill would've been priceless.

Madeline can eat with a spoon! Who knew? Certainly not Mama!

After the pudding, though, we moved directly to the bath. The girls bathe almost every night anyway, but there was no delaying that ritual this evening -- Madeline was a sticky, sticky mess. The girls were playing and gently splashing, and I was sitting cross-legged on the floor directly in front of the tub. After I'd scrubbed them each down with a washcloth, I leaned backwards (still sitting in front of the tub) to rummage around the under-the-sink cabinet, looking for some Q-tips. And as I turned back around, I was startled to find Madeline standing next to me. For a moment I was confused. What just happened? And then I realized -- she'd climbed out of the tub by herself!

I popped her back in the tub and watched as she stood up, threw one leg over the side of the tub, squirmed up onto her belly, and then slid down, out of the bathtub.

Madeline can climb out of the bathtub! Who knew? Certainly not Mama!

I'm going to have to keep an eye on this baby little girl!

Moving Day

And at long last, moving day arrived! We'd signed for our quarters the day before, and we'd hung around the empty townhouse for a few hours while we waited for our new washer and dryer to be delivered. (By the way, if you're in the market for a new washer and dryer, want to save some money, and don't mind some "dings," it's worth it to check if there's a Sears outlet in your area. We got a great front-loading set at a significant discount because there were a few scratches. We figure they're just going to get scratched during a PCS anyway, so we're all about saving money on what's basically inevitable!) After the washer and dryer were delivered, though, the girls and Mama went back to Nan and Grandpa's for one last sleep. We weren't really up for camping out in the new house, especially since we didn't have to!

We arrived bright and early on moving day, only to discover that the movers were stuck in traffic. That didn't bother us! We spent the extra time playing at the park across the street. The movers arrived eventually, though, and the girls were delighted to see their big truck and our crates.

Kathleen danced as she saw the truck arriving, and began a litany of all the things that would be on the truck, "My bed! My toys! My books! My rocking chair! My tunnel! They were in Hawaii. Now they're in Calibornia! At my new house!"

Once the movers started unloading things, the real work was in keeping the girls out from underfoot! Thankfully, Uncle Kevin, Nan, and Grandpa were around to help. They could redirect the girls as I tried to direct our belongings to the appropriate rooms. It's always so nice to see your own house take shape as your own things arrive!

I've not written about the house before. We're living on an old naval base about eight miles from Stanford. There's not much military presence on the base (it had been one of the bases closed during the realignment), but there is a NASA research station, a few reserve units, a commissary, and privatized military housing area. We'd come to visit an empty unit (although not ours) just after we arrived in California. I'd taken lots of photos and meant to do a post, but you know the story about the camera. Oh, well. Still, we're pleased with our housing. We're in a two story townhouse that's only two years old. The townhouses are built four in row, and we have one of the units on an end. The unit has three bedrooms, all upstairs, along with two bathrooms. Downstairs is another half-bath and a spacious living area. We think we'll be able to set up our living room and dining room and still have room for reading/children's play area. We have a garage and a fully fenced backyard. All that, and the park across the street! Perfect!

We think this will be a very sweet "home, sweet home"!

What a playdate!

Daddy's begun classes at Stanford, but since our house there isn't available yet (and our household goods haven't arrived), Mama and the girls are still staying at Nan and Grandpa's. Daddy's been driving back for the weekend, but he stays with a classmate during the week. We miss him, but we've been keeping busy in the meantime.

Recently we met up with Mama's good friend Jenny, and her darling boys Zach and Blake for a day at the Bay Area Discovery Museum. Talk about a great playdate! The girls had so, so much fun! (And Mama had fun, too, catching up with her friend!) We did so much, and we only managed a fraction of what the museum has too offer. Each time we've been to the museum, our girls have loved it more. We'll definitely be going back in the future.

And although our camera is still missing, Nan loaned us hers for the day. Unfortunately, I failed to get a group shot of the kids or of Jenny and Mama, which is really a pity. But at least I can share some of these shots of the girls having fun, fun, fun!

Both Kathleen and Madeline loved the waterplay area. The museum provides the little water-resistant aprons, which help keep the play from being a completely soggy mess. Plus, they're just really cute! The girls loved playing with the plastic frogs, crabs, and fish.

Madeline even tasted the fish! (For the record, she does eat fish. Just not usually the plastic kind.)

Frogs made another appearance later in the morning. The girls loved making music with them.

They also got a kick out of the giant spider web.

The "construction" gravel was another big hit. Madeline was surprisingly effective with a shovel. (And she looked pretty cute, too.) Kathleen seemed to prefer the dump trucks.

We'd probably have stayed longer in that area, but Madeline was still tempted to eat the gravel, so we moved on rather quickly. We headed inside to another exhibit. Zach was all about the enormous train table in that room, but my girls loved the big fishing boat. They both climbed all over it. Kathleen did a great job hauling in loads of crabs; Madeline even helped toss a few in!

After a full morning of play, we ate a tasty late lunch at the museum's cafe before heading home with some seriously sleepy girls. Thanks, Jenny, Zach, and Blake. That was a fantastic playdate!

Madeline's Celebration (and the sad story of our camera)

We celebrated Madeline's birthday in grand style at Nan and Grandpa's house. On a very warm, sunny afternoon, we were joined by Aunt Caroline and Uncle Craig, and Aunt Marie, Uncle Kevin, and baby Nora. We celebrated with gifts and food (lots of food!) and laughter.

Kathleen had been talking all week about the present she wanted to give to Baby Madeline: a balloon. That morning she and Daddy went to the store and picked out an enormous, pink, "Happy Birthday Princess" balloon. Kathleen very sweetly gave it to Madeline at the party. Of course, Kathleen spent the rest of the week playing with it herself! I'm not sure Madeline even got close to it once the party was over.

Kathleen was much more excited about the presents than Madeline, although Madeline was genuinely happy with some new playthings. The shopping cart from Nan and Grandpa was a hit with both girls, and toys from aunts and uncles and Mama and Daddy made ensured that there was plenty to do! Kathleen helped Madeline unwrap for a bit, but then we set her up with a big garbage bag, and she was quite pleased with her "cleaning-up job."

We all enjoyed pizza for supper (we went with the low-key celebration) and coconut cupcakes for dessert. Madeline posed with her one candle and made a predictable mess with her birthday cupcake. And then, before a big day was too big, she was shuttled off for a bath and to her bed. She was a darling and very well-behaved birthday girl!

Here's the sad thing about Madeline's birthday, though. We took turns snapping photos of the celebration, and we'd captured lots of great moments. If only I'd uploaded and blogged them than evening, because a few days later, the camera disappeared. We've looked everywhere we can think of, but we simply can't find it. The camera is gone. Yes, the "new" camera Daddy got for us the day we moved out of our house in Hawaii. The one I've had for just about a month. It's missing, along with the photographs of my sweet little girl's first birthday. We've also lost photographs of our new house (we've seen it, we just can't move in yet), and of the girls playing in the pool at Nan and Grandpa's, and lots of other things. We keep hoping it will turn up, but so far we've had no luck. Rats!

Madeline is One!

Our sweet baby girl is one!

We can hardly believe that it's been a year since the doctors had to coax Madeline into joining us during Daddy's R&R. Nor can we believe that the tiny, dark-haired baby who arrived in the middle of the night is now our walking, climbing, signing, laughing little girl!

We've had so much fun this past year, getting to know little Madeline, watching her personality emerge. She and Kathleen have become playmates and co-conspirators (of course, they're still occasional enemies) and the mixture of their laughter is the best music I know.

Madeline has shown herself to be an adventurous spirit. She'll climb just about anything. I can't count the number of times I've turned to find her teetering in some precarious position, atop the rocking horse, a table, a box, or some other "obstacle." I frequently tell people that she believes she's two and half -- that's how she plays. Her misadventures have already cost her a chipped front tooth; we're lucky she's escaped with only that! She loves to play peek-a-boo and to be chased. She laughs mischievously as she runs away, carrying something you'd rather she not have.

Madeline's using a few signs and a few almost-words. She signs fish, milk, bed/sleep, eat, plane, fan, light, more, and dog. She makes a barking noise for dog, too, and a funny chirp/quack for bird. She calls her grandfather "Ga," her father, "Da," and her mother "Mama." Oddly, Kathleen doesn't seem to have a name yet, although Madeline is quick to respond to Kathleen's voice or her name. She loves to go to get Kathleen in the morning, toddling down the hall to her door when we say, "Let's go get Kathleen!"

Madeline is (and always has been) extremely ticklish. She laughs just anticipating the tickles! And now she'll run up to us and wiggle her fingers, saying something that sounds rather like, "Tck, tcka, tcka." She tickles us! And Madeline snuggles. A lot. She'll frequently stop playing to come and hug a leg, or asked to be picked up so that she can lean into a hug against someone's chest. She'll run across the room, hands thrown into the air, eager to be held. It's so sweet.

Happy Birthday, little one. We love you more than you'll ever know.

Water fun!

On our last full day with our cousins, we headed to a water park in Bloomington. As far as Kathleen was concerned, this was about as perfect as a day could get. Three cousins, her parents, her sister, and her aunt to dote on her, and an entire park to splash in!

Outfitted in her special swimsuit (the sort that's also a coast guard certified life vest), Kathleen could explore fairly independently. Of course, we were never more than arm's length away, but she felt like she could do it by herself.

Madeline was slightly less adventurous, but she loved splashing in the shallow water and collecting snuggles from her family.

The day was beautiful and sunny, but not too warm. When the sun disappeared behind a cloud for a few minutes, we got a bit chilly... but we warmed right back up when the sun reappeared. Madeline might have been a bit cold, but she was still happy!

The water park had some big slides, and we all tested them out -- even Mama! I was a little nervous that Kathleen was too small for the slides, but Daddy reassured me that she wasn't. And he was right! Just look at how much fun she had sliding with him!

She was very proud of herself. And she couldn't wait to do it again!

After a lot more sliding, we eventually headed home. And we enjoyed a lovely evening together before we had to fly out the next day, back to California and Nan and Grandpa's house.

We had such a great visit with Uncle Eric, Aunt Katherine, Sarah, Melissa, and Ethan. Thanks for being such wonderful hosts! We can't wait to see you again!

An Afternoon in the Country

The country was just gorgeous this summer. I know I've mentioned it before, but the corn and the beans were lovely and green, and I was just captivated by all the farmland. On a Sunday afternoon Katherine and Eric drove us out to a friend's place, so that the girls (well, mostly Kathleen) could spend a little time on the farm.

We all trooped into the barn to check out the tractor and combine.

Ethan helped Kathleen take a peek inside the tractor, while Melissa climbed way up on the combine.

And then, before I really knew what was happening, the guys were loading my babies into the tractor (Eric and Kathleen) and the combine (Daddy, Madeline, and our friend the farmer) and cruising around the countryside. And then, just then? My camera's battery died. So, no photos of my two-year old "steering" down country lanes or of my toddler looking oh-so-tiny in a combine. But perhaps that's just as well!

A bit later we ran back into town quickly. Sarah drove me (yes, Sarah drove me!) so that we could pick up another camera and some swimsuits and towels. That meant the children also got to do a bit of swimming, while the guys had some shooting practice.

We managed a quick pose in a wheel, once everyone had had enough of the water.

And while the guys finished playing with their clay pigeons and targets pinned to tree stumps (and felling a few stalks of corn in the process), the girls played with the dog and romped in the grass and even enjoyed some ice pops.

Hooray for a fun afternoon in the country!