Weekend with the grandparents

After Sonia's party, we headed to the Olympic Peninsula. Had a lovely time with the grandparents who are always so hospitable and happy to see the grandkids (even though their house becomes messier and chaotic).

Happy 1st Birthday Sonia!

Most days of the year I have no memory of what I was doing on that day a year earlier. It's funny how I well I remember September 12 and November 17.. the day before Jack and Sonia were born. I remember everything up to the point they were born.. then it's all a blur.

Jack was at my mom's on September 12. My water broke at 8 am. Ryan and I spent the day walking around .. trying to induce labor .. I spent a while trying to find an acupuncturist (with no luck). Ryan drank quad shot cappucinos.. figuring he would be up all night. At around 6 I ate a white bean and kale soup. At 8 we went to the hospital per the request of the midwife to get monitored. They suggested I stay since I was having contractions. I declined as I could not feel them. At 9, I headed to my friends' house to socialize and get my mind off the next day.. convinced I'd be induced the next morning (since that was my experience with Jack). The hospital staff insisted the second time was different and they have been right about that through today.

It's been completely different the second time. Sonia is her own little gal. She is walking .. she says mama! dada! and yea! She climbs everything.. explores everything. She doesn't sleep that well.. she still gets up almost every night to eat. And she eats a lot. Very different from her big bro.

We had a fun birthday party on Saturday at a nearby park. We had the party with one of our neighbors who turns two today as well. Lots of neighborhood kids came. It was a beautiful day.. much like one year ago today.

This year has been hard in so many ways but Sonia has been a breeze. She is full of joy and energy. We are all so happy she is here (even Jack most of the time)

Here is Sonia for an hour at the party. A neighbor suggested I take this picture in order to compare it to her 21st birthday. Then we felt terrible condoning alcohol consumption in our children.



Our neighbor also born on the 13th. Not enjoying being photographed. There were a couple of us taking his picture.



Unlike Jack, Sonia was not interested in her cake:


Our beloved friend, doula, and babysitter:


A week earlier, we attended the wedding of our former nanny and family friend, Gen. Lily was the flower girl and we miracuously got Jack to pose with her

me&sonia

I have a hard time getting pics of sonia and don't have any of the two of us. My friend Jenny has been watching my kids once a week (all summer!) so Ryan and I can go out. We've had such a great time .. such a gift to have such great child care. Jenny has a much nicer iphone than I do and snapped these pics:

Summer

Well, I had intended to update the blog more frequently. This has been an unusually stressful summer. We moved out of our home into a rental to start our big construction project -- unfortunately our construction still hasn't started. Also Ryan's company was acquired by a much bigger company -- it turned out fine but he had to interview for his job .. lots of instability.

Other than that, the kids are getting bigger .. older. Jack is very verbal now. He is very expressive.. although he went through a tough phase where he melted down almost constantly over small things. I think its part of the process of individuation (or whatever child development people call it). It's important but not so fun for others. We have eliminated videos from our life because he could never accept that video time was over. Life has improved since. Sonia is starting to walk. She is very active and into everything .. Jack was a much mellower baby. We have to child-proof our house now.

We enjoyed the warm, sunny summer days (when we had them)

We visited our friends' cabin in the san juan islands with my college friends.. here's jack with one friend's kids:



We hit some of our favorite water spots with friends:









We visited the Olympic peninsula with the grandparents. Here's sonia enjoying a picnic at the beach:







We camped on the kitsap peninsula (well we went to the camp for the day as Ryan had to leave town for work and I could not get the camping stuff together). Jack had a blast in the inflatable boat of one of our friends ( I can never get him to pose):







I went to Virginia for 5 days with my bro and sis to meet my dad's family and visit the place he grew up -- including his child hood home. It's amazing how many of his family members remain in this very rural area. Everyone knew and loved my dad -- It was fun to hear the stories -- A favorite was the time he flew one of his airplanes over the river that winds through the town and over the family home.


Here is the "river" It's much smaller now:


the homestead (built by my dad's dad and his brothers)





From the left, my cousin's husband, my cousin (the youngest looking 59 year old I have ever seen), my aunt (who is 79!) and my bro and sis


Family photo on moving day -- also my birthday:






The company that acquired Ryan's paid for the employees and spouses to go to Hawaii for three days. My mom and stepfather watched the kids (only way we could have gone). We had an amazing room on waikiki -- and had a great time surfing (body boarding, longboarding, stand-up paddle board - the perfect place for such activities) and just hanging out.

Ryan at Makapu beach:



Me at Hanauma Bay


View from our room


Always great to come home