Here is a pretty creative sideways view of Ellie rocking her balance bike down the hallway. She has been rolling around on this thing every waking moment since we bought it yesterday. It was pretty much an impulse buy--I couldn't resist it--which was easy to cave into considering the price was $13. These things usually run $50, up to $100. This particular model is the Chicco "Red Bullet" bike and I wouldn't have bought it if it was much more. Then again, Ellie is all about this and I've been super proud about how much she is enjoying it. This video shows Ellie's skill level after using it for almost 2 days at 32 months old (a.k.a. 2-years-and-8-months). I can't wait to post her improvements after a year... Maybe on the mountain bike trails...
December 1, 2012
Bikes! Bikes! Bikes!
November 29, 2012
Let the Holi-daze begin
I like the anticipation of holidays, especially the Big Three that fall in the last three months of the year. (You know what they are. Don't make me say it.) These might be my favorite because, unlike the more political holidays, they have pretty deep roots in human history while also involving lots of prep and grandeur.
Well, this year, now that Ellie is getting bigger and is beginning to understand holiday traditions, we decided to buy our first family tree and bust out our collections of ornaments that haven't seen the light of day for a few years (after we inherited them from our parents).
This morning, it became painfully obvious that Christmas decorations can't be much different from toys--and anything would be treated as such. Emery, wanting to play her favorite game of fetch with Alden, made an effort to pitch a glass ornament--straight down at the hardwood floor as she is apt to do. Smash. As if to make a point, Ellie purposefully smashed another ball shaped ornament minutes later. Sweet.
I was pretty disappointed and by mid-morning packed up most of those "heirloom" ornaments back in their boxes for another decade, keeping a few choice---F*CK! Ellie just disassembled another one...
So, I guess if anything gets up on the tree it will be some dolls and maybe some rubber blocks.
For now, I'm streaming some pretty cheesy Christmas music station on the internet and keeping the holiday spirit alive.
October 4, 2012
a review: the burley encore
Earlier this year I got excited about warm weather and the fact that our youngest daughter was getting close to that One Year tally mark that signifies, above all else, an appropriate age to be strapped in a seat with wheels that travels 15 miles per hour in a relatively bumpy fashion while wearing a helmet. What with having two of these young'ns, a bike trailer was the way to go. After hours of deep consternation, pouring through internet reviews, images, and videos, I had narrowed my choices to those of the Burley variety. Coincidentally, our neighbors had a new (2012) Burley Encore AND a two-year old they were willing to lend me. So with their kid and one of mine all strapped up, we set off on a ride around the block. Ellie enjoyed it. That's all I needed to know. I decided we would go with the same model, as reviews of the more expensive deluxe model (the D'Lite) were mixed and I'd rather keep the difference.
Well, this thing has been a treat. It's light weight, has a good amount of storage capacity, and has made my life better. The handlebar that folds forward to double as a roll bar offers me some peace of mind and adds to the perception of it's safety. The large 20" wheels appear to offer a fairly stable, cushy ride for the girls. Granted, our two kids are young (14 months and 29 months) and small, and they don't seem to mind being in such close quarters, but they are pretty much shoulder-to-shoulder. My one complaint is really that, at such a young age and short stature, my daughters' helmets get pushed forward by the back of the seat. This accounts for the most common reason for fussiness between them.
Our ride to the nearest park is maybe 5 minutes by bike path. It also enables us to get to another cool park about 1.5 miles away without having to drive. Lately, as summer temperatures have cooled a bit, I've set out on a couple longer rides to the grocery store. That trip turns out to be about 4.5 miles, round trip, exclusively on a bike path. I'd say I fit about 3 canvas bags full of groceries in the rear storage area of the trailer. There is a lot more vertical space back there, it just get's tricky trying to stack groceries.
In the past two weeks my two-year-old has fallen asleep in the trailer twice. I think that is about the best compliment a trailer could receive. Big ups to Burley.
August 21, 2012
August 19, 2012
a few favorite memories to start
It's the morning after we've arrived home from our trip to the Great Southwest and I'm anxious to throw a couple photos out to the world. Here they are in their currently unedited glory:
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| Los Poblanos Ranch, Albuquerque, NM |
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| Hiking the Foothills of McDowell |
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| Almost 10 years before, C and I were new friends heading home from a backpacking trip in AZ, taking a photo in this exact spot |
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| Hiking Pinnacle Peak |
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| Xeriscape Garden in Scottsdale, AZ |
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| New friend, 3-year-old Annabelle, showed us how cool it is to float in a tube; El took it to the next level with this Maximum Chill |
August 13, 2012
No justice
These pictures are crap compared to even the view out of our moving car as we drive through Sedona
August 12, 2012
My girls
Wowie, it doesn't get more serene than this: my loves enjoying a morning stroll at sunrise. Los Poblanos Ranch, facing the Sandia mountain range.
Photo Essay 1: vacation travel, first plane ride
Friday morning, 4AM: last-minute packing of babies' bed things and toys, and loading of the car in unexpected rain. I dropped of the girls at the airport terminal with the luggage and doubled back to the long-term, outdoor parking lot. I unloaded the girls' car seats and my carry-on (in the rain) and loaded them onto the shuttle. In that time I managed to lose our car keys. I travelled to the terminal to check in and quickly hurried back to find out if our car was unlocked or if our keys were on the ground to be found. Neither was the case. That was the start to our first big family vacation. Also, while waiting for our first flight at 5:30AM, Ellie was saying very frantically and audibly, "No want to get on plane! My want to go home in car!"
Fast forward to New Mexico, at the rental car plaza where we were to pick up our pre-arranged vehicle for the next eight days. Here we found ourselves with one license that had expired nearly one month ago (mine) and one that would expire within the next six days (Carlyn's). That meant we wouldn't be renting a car, and the attendant was kind enough to volunteer her opinion that we probably wouldn't be allowed to fly home on our return trip. Sweet. In a moment of panic, C convinced herself that we would be stuck homeless in New Mexico for the next two months. Not sure how she reached that conclusion, but I, too, was internally a bit panicked and considering arrangements for an immediate return to Ohio via a bus.
Long story short, all has worked out, despite inconveniences to us and moreso to those around us. The place where we settled ourselves, Los Poblanos Inn & Cultural Center was an amazing haven which afforded us what we needed to find some relaxation, comfort, and a refreshing outlook on Life.
I'm writing this from the car en route to Arizona and am pretty bummed we had to leave Los Poblanos. Though I have the hope that we'll return to that place one day again...
July 5, 2012
Holidays, Excitement
This video is a tiny excerpt from our conversation with Ellie last night before "bedtime," just after watching our town's firework display from the end of our driveway. It's a long one but I'm glad we caught a bit of Ellie's hilarious ranting which is something I want to look back on forever. The volume is low, so crank it up. You can hear me say "I love you, El" a couple times, at around 02:30 and 02:50, which was my weak attempt at shutting down the conversation and wrapping up the video, but Ellie keeps on trucking. So we kept rolling.
June 3, 2012
Emery: Peek
When this girl is not pinching, slapping, or trying to bite you, she is killing everyone with cuteness.
April 12, 2012
Babybiggirlprincessladywomanadultchild (All Grown Up)
This girl just turned 2.
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Soon I will upload a pretty poor quality camera-phone video of Ellie doing a pretty intense silly dance during today's pre-nap dance party.
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| A 2 year old is quite skillful with a pair of scissors. |
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| Birthday Sundae on Sunday |
February 21, 2012
Ellie made it.
In one piece. This is only the twentieth time she did this and said this exact thing with the same amount of pride. I, too, am pretty proud of her independence, despite the fact that such stubbornness is responsible for many bumps, bruises, scrapes, and tear shedding moments-each and every one breaking my heart just a little more. It seems, however, that she's getting even just slightly more coordinated and maybe those boo-boos will be fewer and farther between as she becomes more adroit in her growing self-awareness.
ellie_stairs_accomplishment from d strong on Vimeo.
February 19, 2012
February 8, 2012
Cool pool party
January 31, 2012
Unseasonable
January 23, 2012
Princess tent
January 21, 2012
January 20, 2012
Portrait of a sick baby
I swear she woke up just to attempt the "Disco Roll" (Jack Black's Dancey Dance), while still laying down
