honest planet

2.12.12--Reason 43

2012-02-12T18:09:00.001-08:00

More family outings with the kids.

Because after thoroughly enjoying the Reagan library a few weeks ago, we decided it would be fun to take in the sights at the nearby Nixon library, and we weren't disappointed. And having my kids ask intelligent, thought-provoking questions of the docents just made me that much more proud.

2.11.12--Reason 42

2012-02-12T17:59:00.001-08:00

Making class valentines, assembly-line style.

Because for the first time ever the kids were willing and able to really assist with a time-consuming project. And when you have two classes to make valentines for, the more helpers you can get, the better.

2.10.12--Reason 41

2012-02-11T18:04:00.001-08:00

Spontaneous declarations of love.

Because nothing makes my heart melt more than finding love notes from my kids, whether on my "I love you because" board or in the form of artwork made just for me and left for me to find. Perfection.

2.9.12--Reason 40

2012-02-09T20:05:00.001-08:00

Imaginary butterfly chasing.

Because there's really not much more precious than a 2-year-old who has taken the kitchen sieve from the dishwasher and proceeded to catch imaginary butterflies, yelling out, "I got a blue one! I got a red one!" Especially when she proceeds to talk to said invisible butterfly, saying, "it okay, butterfly. I got you."

2.8.12--Reason 39

2012-02-08T20:22:00.001-08:00

Laugh-out-loud moments of goofiness.

Because when one of my kids do something so silly that it makes me laugh out loud, I often find myself thinking, it really doesn't get any better than this. And it's especially true of this little munchkin, who knows when she's being funny and makes herself crow in delight.

2.7.12--Reason 38

2012-02-07T17:52:00.001-08:00

Chaperoning school field trips.

Because there's something really special about riding on the school bus next to my favorite third grader. And having him be just as thrilled by my presence as I am to be there makes it just that much better. I know a day will come when that scenario won't necessarily play out the same way, so I am taking these opportunities now, while I still can.

2.6.12--Reason 37

2012-02-07T17:45:00.001-08:00

Scented candles.

Because not only is the house so pleasant by candlelight, the tropical scent is heaven on earth. Mai tai, anyone?

2.5.11--Reason 36

2012-02-06T19:44:00.001-08:00

Peanut butter M-n-Ms.

Because they taste even better when the hubby brings them home for me after a trip to Target, "just because."

2.4.12--Reason 35

2012-02-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

Brand-new babies.

Because, as the saying goes, babies are such a nice way to start people.

2.3.12--reason 34

2012-02-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Kid-friendly cultural experiences.

Because I believe in exposing my kids to as many awesome experiences as I can, and I also believe it's never too early to teach my kids the basics of polite concert-going propriety. And seeing them get stoked when they hear a piece of music they clearly recognize (hello, music from Star Wars) is really cool, too.

2.2.12--Reason 33

2012-02-02T12:20:00.001-08:00

Argyle knee socks.

Because they give a whole new meaning to the idea of "geek chic." plus, they're super cute peeking from the tops of my boots, and keep my legs nice and cozy when wearing them with my newly repurposed denim skirt.

2.1.12--Reason 32

2012-02-01T23:11:00.001-08:00

Sprinkles.

Because they make everything from cupcakes to cookies to a lowly bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce seem so much more festive. It's like a party in your mouth.

1.31.11--reason 31

2012-01-31T12:56:00.000-08:00

Antibiotics.

Because when your middle child crawls into your bed in the wee hours of the morning crying because of yet another ear infection, all any parent wants is to be able to take that pain away.

1.30.12--reason 30

2012-01-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

DIY.

Because when I've been on a rather unsuccessful hunt for the perfect little denim skirt and ultimately decided to repurpose a pair of old jeans I never wear with grand success, it feels good. And cheap. And resourceful. And I did it less than an hour. Yay me!

1.29.12--Reason 29

2012-01-29T17:39:00.001-08:00

Family time at the zoo.

Because family outings are the BEST, especially when my brother and sister-in-law and nephew join us. And watching Edie pinch her nose at the stinky animals is actually kind of funny.

1.28.12--Reason 28

2012-01-28T16:16:00.001-08:00

That my kids show every sign of being crafty, too.

Because I adore when I come across one or more of them engaging in some creative activity they've devised on their own, like these princess puppets Edie made. Rapunzel and her tower, along with Pascal the chameleon and a visit from Belle. Apparently the beast lets her out for a little girl time every now and then.

1.27.12--Reason 27

2012-01-27T15:50:00.001-08:00

Hangin' with my homies.

Because these little people are the bomb. And because I love nothing more than some quality time with 1, 2, and 3.

1.26.12--Reason 26

2012-01-26T08:22:00.000-08:00

Sisterhood.

Because whether you have sisters by blood or just great friends who are practically family that you know you can always count on, there's nothing quite like the girl power between sisters.

1.25.12--Reason 25

2012-01-25T12:36:00.001-08:00

Summer days in January.

Because there really is nothing like that first truly warm day in a while, where you drive with the windows down and the sun beats down on your arm and the radio's blaring some really catchy tune and you sing along, really loud, and you think to yourself as you toss your hair in the warm breeze, "I could SO win American Idol right now..."

1.24.12--Reason 24

2012-01-24T07:05:00.001-08:00

This guy.

Because when I'm on day three of a major migraine, he walks through the door after working all day and begins making dinner for all of us, no apologies needed, thank you very much. I love this dude.

1.23.12--Reason 23

2012-01-23T21:40:00.001-08:00

Silver linings.

Because it does seem that even when we are down we are never truly out. And I make it a point to always at least try and see the upside of every situation. It's not always easy, but I generally find it's worth the effort.

1.22.12--Reason 22

2012-01-22T20:07:00.001-08:00

The opening of the strawberry stands.

Because there's nothing better than fresh strawberry shortcake, and those first berries of the season are so very red and delicious and just seem to hint of warm summer days ahead. Ah, Southern California...

1.21.12--Reason 21

2012-01-21T08:22:00.001-08:00

Quiet rainy Saturday mornings.

Because, for at least a little while, in the quiet house while the kids are not yet awake, it seems like time stops; the pattering of the rain is the only sound I hear. But I know that soon the kids will rise and the house will fill with their joyful noise... And when i think about it, that would be another thing I am thankful for today.

1.20.12--Reason 20

2012-01-20T22:03:00.001-08:00

Wine.

Because there's nothing I like better than unwinding at the end of the day with a glass, particularly with a good friend and even better conversation.

1.19.12--Reason 19

2012-01-19T21:38:00.001-08:00

Nightly reading sessions with my kids.

Because I have done it since they were small, and I think I have managed to make book lovers of them all. And the best part is when, after seeing a film adaptation of something we've read, they generally will agree that the book is always better. Aces, baby.

1.18.12--Reason 18

2012-01-18T23:14:00.001-08:00

The magic of hair dye.

Because I am 40 but refuse to go gray gracefully. Like that old beauty ad said, I intend to fight it every step of the way.

1.17.12--Reason 17

2012-01-17T18:21:00.001-08:00

When best friends come to visit.

Because even when your BFF moves away, you know in your heart she's always there for you. And you know that the miles between you can't diminish the strength of what you have.

1.16.12--Reason 16

2012-01-16T19:36:00.001-08:00

That I live in a country where I have freedom and where equality is the right of everyone.

Because there are so many places in this little planet of ours where freedom and equality are merely fantastical dreams and nowhere near a reality. And because I hope that I teach my children to never, ever take that freedom for granted.

"at the center of non-violence stands the principle of love." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

1.15.12--Reason 15

2012-01-15T17:27:00.001-08:00

The way my kids (usually) get along.

Because they remind me so much of my brother and me as kids, and because when they aren't bickering, it's like magic.

1.14.12--Reason 14

2012-01-14T21:21:00.001-08:00

Family game night.

Because being goofy with the kids is so much more fun than just about anything else I could ever want to do on a Saturday night. And sharing it with a few good friends just makes it that much better. (in case you were wondering, Edie won the game.)

1.13.12--Reason 13

2012-01-13T09:06:00.001-08:00

Taking back the morning.

Because, really, is there anything better than hanging out in your robe and jammies on a chilly winter morning, eating donuts and catching up on one's favorite morning cartoons? I think not.

1.12.12--Reason 12

2012-01-12T11:47:00.001-08:00

History in the making.

Because 30 years ago my husband (along with all the other kids in his school) put a letter in a time capsule at their new school's dedication ceremony. And today, celebrating the school's birthday, they opened it. And my kids were beyond thrilled and proud that their dad is part of that unique, historical moment.

1.11.12--Reason 11

2012-01-11T12:51:00.001-08:00

My being a very crafty person.

Because, to me, there is nothing quite so satisfying as creating something from a lot of other somethings (or, in many cases, a lot of nothings). And working with my hands and being crafty is the one thing I could never, ever give up. And because I love the look on people's faces (and the appreciation) when they receive something handcrafted. Makes my heart feel full.

1.10.12--Reason 10

2012-01-10T09:07:00.001-08:00

My crafty, handy dad.

Because whether I ask him if he can make wood buttons or a super epic custom loft bed for my son or just about anything else that can be made from wood and power tools, he is always happy to oblige. I like to think I got a lot of my own creative spirit from him.

1.9.12--Reason 9

2012-01-09T13:49:00.001-08:00

Kids going back to school after winter break.

Because the two weeks that they were home were colossally hectic and fun and noisy and boisterous and messy and chaotic and exciting and felt more like a month than two weeks, and I am tired. And with Isla at her grandma's today, the house has been blissfully, peacefully quiet all day, and I am in heaven.

1.8.12 -- Reason 8

2012-01-08T11:25:00.001-08:00

My husband's culinary skill.

Because whether it's his amazing smoked salmon or his chorizo/pepper pizza or some other delightful flight of cooking fancy, the man has some serious skills.

1.7.12 -- Reason 7

2012-01-07T09:08:00.001-08:00

Coffee.

Lots of cream, no sugar. Because it makes me a much more pleasant person in the morning. And because the ritual of it -- the prepping and brewing and stirring and sipping -- as well as the conversations one can have while enjoying it -- are among life's greatest, guilt-free pleasures.

1.6.12 — Reason 6

2012-01-06T17:29:00.000-08:00

technology.

Because video calling (or Facetime) is no longer relegated to that mythical future that included jetpacks and flying cars but is instead a reality. Which means I can see my mom and dad's smiling faces and they can blow kisses to the kids. Not EXACTLY like actually being together, but pretty darn amazing anyway.

Trying something new

2012-01-06T16:32:00.000-08:00

So I've been thinking a lot about resolutions, and things I'd like to see myself do more of, or less of, or whatever. I read an interesting article recently about a person who wrote a thank you letter every day for a year, which made me think that might be something worth doing. And then I thought about my one (failed) attempt at posting a picture a day for a year, which ended somewhere around day 20 I think. And then I thought about how badly I've been neglecting this blog. And then I thought perhaps I could combine those efforts.

Now, it may be that I don't actually POST these every day (I may post two or three days' worth at a time, as I'm going to do right now to catch up to today, the 6th of January) — but my goal is to photograph something — and then say why I am thankful for it — every day of 2012. And at the end, I just may have it bound into a little book for posterity.

Or, who knows? Maybe this attempt will fail — badly and, since I am stating my purpose here and now, publicly. But this is my goal, and this is what I am going to try and do. So stay tuned!

1.5.12 — Reason 5

2012-01-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

glitter.

Because it makes everything look fancy.

1.4.12 — Reason 4

2012-01-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

this girl.

Because she is funny and smart and clever and silly and curious and eager and independent and perfect in just about every way.

1.3.12 — Reason 3

2012-01-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

that ragamuffin.

Because I'm still amazed that she's here. Because she surprises me so much, every day. And I get to kiss those delectable cheeks whenever the moment strikes me — which it does, often.

1.2.12 — Reason 2

2012-01-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

mugging for the camera.

Because silliness is fun. And because capturing these moments seems so much more important the older I get.

1.1.12 — Reason 1

2012-01-01T16:35:00.000-08:00

Ocean sunsets on new year's day.

Because it’s there. And it’s perfect. And it’s amazing to me that I live in such close proximity to paradise, and contemplating other people suffering through bleak mid-winters makes me even more thankful that I don’t have to.

Second Birthday

2011-12-12T13:28:00.001-08:00

Sweetcheeks, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla —

I fell woefully behind in doing monthly updates for you, so it's been a couple of months since my last one. This weekend you turned two (or. as you like to say, "two minutes"), and I am just completely blown away by the little person you are becoming.

You know pretty much the entire upper case alphabet, and all your numbers from one through twelve. Recently, we were playing with this little wooden clock, where the numbers are on differently shaped and colored blocks. We had laid all the blocks down on the ground, and I was asking you where certain numbers were and where they go, and you would locate the correct number and put it into the clock face. We put in the two and the three, then I asked you about the six. which you found and placed with a happy grin. Then I asked you where the nine was, and you looked around you for a minute, trying unsuccessfully to find the "nine" block. Finally you took the "six" block out and turned it upside down, telling me, "nine." Clever, clever girl.

You absolutely LOVE to sing and dance, and you know most of the words to the theme songs of your favorite TV shows, like "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," "Little Einsteins." and "Jake and the Neverland Pirates." I absolutely love to listen to you singing (and humming, when you don't know certain parts) along, and you wiggle your butt and dance a little happy jig — unless you suddenly become aware that you have an audience, in which case you become suddenly a little bit embarrassed and won't perform. (This is why I have yet to get any video evidence of you in action.)

You talk SO much, all the time, just like your sister did before you. All day long I am treated to a running commentary of the day's activities, and you LOVE to say "bye bye" to things — like when we leave the house you wave and say, "Bye bye, house! Bye garage! Bye lights!" (This last is because of all the Christmas lights — another thing you absolutely adore.)

You are sweet and affectionate, eager to give hugs and kisses and "loves," and you are quite a little mother to your babies and stuffed animals. You got a little puppy for your birthday, a stuffed toy that walks and barks and whimpers, and you just love to cuddle your puppy close, carrying it around with you under one chunky arm.

This morning I took you for your two year checkup — as has been the norm with you for some time, you are WAY off the chart for height — at 38 inches, you are two inches taller than Edie was at the same age, and SHE was considered tall, too. You are wearing mainly 4T clothes now, and people just can't believe you are only turning two! I think your size and the fact that you can speak so well make people think you are older than you are.

One of the things I had been wanting to do with you by the time you were two was to get rid of the binky — you had become WAY to dependent on having that thing in your mouth, something I never had to deal with with Owen and Edie. So recently we just began to tell you that you could only have it at bedtime (or naptime). It only took a day or so of you fussing, and now every morning when I go to get you from your crib, you hand me your binky and say, "bye bye, binkie!" I know that this probably means you could get rid of the thing entirely, but I'm just so proud of you for handling the separation from the "plug" so very well.

I say this all the time — but I just feel like I have been so very blessed with all three of my sweet babies — you are a complete ray of sunshine in my life, baby girl... your smile just lights up my world.

Happy birthday, little monkey.
Love, Mama

My $500* Bedroom Makeover

2011-09-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

I have been busy since school started up, folks. I have been wanting to revamp my bedroom for some time now, and just hadn't made the time to do it, so I decided to begin when school began, and I did — on the very FIRST day of school I got busy.

First, some "before" shots and a little info. I knew I needed to do this remodel on a shoestring, so I budgeted myself $500 for the project. Now, I am painfully aware that $500 is not MUCH when one wants to redo an entire room, but I am nothing if not creative and thrifty, so I will explain how I spent (and budgeted) my money at the end of this post.

The bedroom BEFORE, from a couple of different angles:

The furniture is some that Terry brought to our marriage, having bought it himself as a young adult. While there is nothing particularly WRONG with the furniture, it has always seemed to me a little dated and '80s-looking, but I couldn't afford NEW furniture (particularly on my tiny budget) so I decided to try the next best thing: paint and hardware. This picture shows WHY I was ready for a furniture makeover; both bedside tables looked like this on top, from many years of carelessness with coasters. (Note to readers: USE your coasters!):

The handles on the original furniture were these molded wood things that, again, had nothing particularly wrong with them but to me dated the furniture about 25 years:

Sometime in August, I decided to see what would happen if I pried one off with a screwdriver and a hammer:

The result, as you can see, was problematic at best. Because the handles were actually a solid unit that sat into a recessed hole in the front panel of the furniture, I would need to find something that would be large enough to actually COVER this hole. I searched for a couple of weeks to no avail (and was beginning to severely regret having popped this one off, since I wasn't sure I would be able to fix it and then Terry would REALLY be angry with me)... and then Terry and I took a little weekend getaway in late August, to Palm Springs. What does Palm Springs have to do with this story? Well, we stayed at the über-chic and fashionable Viceroy Hotel, styled and designed by none other than Kelly Wearstler, and it was while relaxing in the air conditioned comfort of our room that I had my "aha" moment. The furniture in the room featured large mirrored handles. Most were VERY large (and probably custom made), but the one on the mini-fridge looked like EXACTLY the right size for what I had in mind. With that, I began a search on the Internet and, lo and behold, found exactly what I was looking for at a mirror supply company. Even better? They were on sale for $5 a pop — cheaper than MOST standard furniture hardware.

Now, I did not initially tell Terry my intention of putting mirrored handles on the furniture. Terry tends to be a disbeliever until he sees a finished product, which has often been the case when I have begun a home improvement project. So oftentimes I don't really tell him my plan until it's kind of too late, and then he will grudgingly admit that he likes it. So when the box of mirrored handles arrived and he realized my intent, he was seriously doubtful, but by that point I had already popped off several more handles from the furniture so there wasn't much he could say about it at that point anyway. So I crossed my fingers that the end result would look as cool as I THOUGHT it would... and pressed on.

So on the first day of school — August 31, to be precise — I dragged the first bedside table out to the driveway to take a stab at painting it. Now, a side note here; originally I intended to spray paint the furniture, but after two coats I could tell I was going to hate it. It's difficult to see in these photos, but the wood has a fairly heavy wood grain, and the spray paint was not thick enough to fill it in entirely, leaving these TINY little black dots of unfilled areas — it looked like pepper. So I scrapped the spray paint idea and switched to regular old brush-on paint — I splurged and bought the kind with the primer included. Woo hoo, big bucks!

I was pleased enough with the end result (and its mirrored handles, shown close up below) that Terry agreed it was looking "kind of okay." I think he still was hesitant to put all his excitement into the project, but was thinking it wouldn't be a COMPLETE loss, mirrored handles or no.

So the furniture was well under way. I painted one piece at a time, so I only had to empty out the drawers of one item at a time. I would say overall it took me about a week and a half to get the furniture all painted — two side tables, a dresser and an armoire. The headboard is the last piece to be painted, which I haven't actually done yet, because just this weekend I tackled the other big part of my makeover: the brown wall.

I have been wanting to paint one wall in my room chocolate brown almost since the day we moved into this house THIRTEEN years ago, and Terry resisted me for many years, fearing it would make the room too dark — but the room has very high ceilings and transom windows, so we don't have a problem with lightness in the room. So I pushed and pushed, until finally he relented (but only after seeing his MOTHER'S chocolate brown bedroom wall, which she painted about four years ago). This is how long it has taken me to get this project rolling. So I brought home a bunch of paint swatches and stuck them on the wall to see what spoke to me. I finally chose a color called Wooden Swing, which is a very nice, mid-tone brown that blends well with the rest of the room.

Also, meanwhile, I had been on a shopping spree, and got new lampshades, a new mirror, new bedding, and a new rug (where previously there had been NO rug) — pricing breakdown below. And after painting one wall brown this past weekend, here is the end result:

There are still a couple of things to finish — mainly redoing the photo layout on the wall to the side of the bed (I want to completely reorganize this) and painting the headboard (which is currently in the garage) — but for the most part it's done. And the best part? Terry loves it.

Here's how I spent my money (and why there's an (*) next to my $500 budget in the title)

Furniture handles: 18 @ $5.05 = $90

Paint (furniture and wall): $76

Mirror from Homegoods: $40

Bedding and throw pillows from TJ Maxx: $184

(note: the knitted throw pillow was an old pillow I had that I just knitted a little sweater for. Easy peasy!)

Rug: $150* — but technically free since I bought it with Target gift cards I had been hoarding

Lampshades: 3 @ $10 (clearance!) = $30

Mirrors for tops of side tables: $65

Glass for top of dresser: $65

Grand total: $700 — minus the $150 for the "free" rug, I spent $550 — slightly over budget, but I think I did pretty darn well.

So... what do you think?

Monthly Newsletter — Month 21

2011-09-13T12:42:00.001-07:00

IMG_3547, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Oh my goodness, you have grown in such leaps and bounds in the past few weeks! Suddenly you speak in sentences! You demand things! You have a sense of humor! You feel remorse! It's hard to keep track of all the new tricks up your sleeve, but I'll try and recall a few here.

First — your sense of humor. You are FUNNY, little girl, and the best part is you KNOW it. One of the new things you do now is when I go to get you out of your car seat or stroller or something you suddenly pretend to be sleeping; your eyes are closed and your mouth is pursed with a slight pucker. Then you wait for me to say, "Oh, look! Isla is sleeping! Shhhh!," at which point you open your eyes and burst out laughing, thinking you played a trick on me.

You are speaking more and more, as I said, even using simple sentences. The other day we were looking for something, and when I asked if knew where it was, you held your two hands up in the air and said, "I don't KNOW!" Now, mind you, your speech is still not very CLEAR — this came out sounding more like "I wo WO" — but you and I both knew what you were saying. You also will call out things like, "Daddy, where ARE you?" And the best one that you say (generally when prompted) is "I love you," which comes out sounding like "I wuh woo." Makes my heart melt every single time you do it.

You also know about 8 letters of the alphabet — all of the vowels and several consonants as well. Smart, smart girl.

You absolutely adore Owen and Edie, and you get so excited when it's time to pick up "O" and "Deedee" from "cool." I'm sure that being without them for most of the day, now that school has begun, must seem odd for you, although you do seem to enjoy not having to fight for what you want. Owen recently started sitting with you on a skateboard, both of you wearing little helmets, and he wraps his arms around your middle and the two of you coast down the cul-de-sac, at which point you immediately yell for "mo mo mo!" You love it immensely when the big kids play with you, and you seem to be a bit of a thrill seeker, attempting to ride scooters and skateboards and anything else the big kids are doing.

You also generally understand when you are in trouble and you also often realize that you deserve it — I know this because when you get scolded you will hang your head and look at your toes before muttering, "sorry" ("toddy") and then you usually offer a sweet little hug, as if to emphasize that you really are sorry.

You are such a delight in all of our lives, little one. Every day brings new adventures, and each day I try and remind myself what a blessing each moment with you (and your siblings) is.

Love, Mama

Three thousand two hundred eighty-five

2011-09-06T16:15:00.001-07:00

DSCN1759, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Owen,

3,285 — that's the number of days (give or take) that you've been alive on this planet. That many days ago, I had just given birth to you, shortly after midnight, after going through a preposterously long and intense labor. And from the moment I laid eyes on you, I was enchanted.

From the very beginning, you gripped my heart so completely, you, with your little bald head and sweet disposition, and I have delighted in watching you grow over the past nine years into a delightful, wonderful, intelligent, sensitive and kind little man.

You have continued to amaze me with your intellect and thirst for knowledge. We discovered after this year's state testing that you read at a sixth grade level (and you only just started third grade) and you excel even more in math. You love any kind of games that involve using your smarts, and this summer we introduced you to the fun of Yahtzee, and you get such a thrill out of playing it.

But you are also a very typical 9-year-old in so many other respects as well... you love video games and any kind of new technology (like our family iPad or playing on the Internet). You are generally pretty good about trying most foods and are open to new things while remaining stubbornly resolute about others. You eat a crazy, inordinate amount of ketchup. You love chocolate.

This summer, you went back to surf camp, and though you began the week a little apprehensive of the experience, you jumped headlong into it, embracing and challenging your own fears, and now it's all you talk about, asking Daddy when is the next time he will take you surfing.

You are a fantastic big brother (most of the time) to your two sisters, being pretty nurturing with baby Isla — though you and Edie sometimes butt heads, too... I suppose it's because you two are closer in age. But you are also kind to her as well, and you generally give her a sweet hug and kiss goodnight, and you are always there for her if she is sad or gets hurt.

As for me, I delight in watching you most when you are deep in thought, because you are prone to do so, and I find myself wondering where your imagination has taken you this time, or what profound thoughts are running through your head.

Recently you asked me when you could have a cell phone, to which I replied that you would not have one for a VERY long time, like high school. Then you asked if it could be an iPhone, and I laughed and said no, probably not. You sat in the back of the car thinking it over for a few moments, then you said, "Well, you never know what the future holds, Mommy." Sage words, my friend. Sage words, indeed.

Nine years ago you made me a mommy for the first time. It has been the most incredible nine years of my life, little buddy. I love you so!

Love, Mommy

Kids Room Swap

2011-08-12T15:40:00.001-07:00

Everyone who knows me knows that I love a good home improvement project. The pics in this post are to show what I've got myself up to earlier this year: swapping the kids' bedrooms.

When I was pregnant with Isla, we didn't know whether she was a boy or a girl, so we waited to do much to the kids' rooms before knowing what the eventual dynamic would be (two girls or two boys). At that time, Edie was in the smaller of the two kids' rooms, and Owen had the slightly larger one. Once Isla was born, of course, I realized that at some point the girls should have the larger room (since they have to share) but I was too busy and tired to tackle it immediately, so I crammed the girls into Edie's already-smaller room, and figured I'd wait until I really wanted to make all that effort. (And I do mean CRAM — Edie's old daybed took up nearly the entire wall opposite the crib (which we had to pull down from the attic), leaving NO room for her beautiful dresser — which meant it got relegated to live INSIDE the closet.) Both rooms would require a major overhaul, so I wanted to make sure I was ready to deal with the mess.

In the spring of this year, I decided to tackle the project, first basically emptying Owen's room of everything except his bed and dresser (and piling ALL that stuff on the floor of my own bedroom, up against the walls!) and began patching and painting, choosing a soft, buttery yellow for the girls' new domain. After a couple of weeks of mess, the girls' room was complete, and they moved into it, all excited about their girly retreat.

Owen's room would have to wait a couple more months, so there was a period where he lived with his furniture in a pink and white bedroom, because circumstances and outside events meant we had to wait just a bit before finishing the project. There was a deadline, though: I knew that I would be having my dad out in late June to build a custom loft bed that would really maximize the space in such a small room, so that meant I wanted to have the room painted and ready before Dad got here. So sometime in mid- to late-May, I began working in Owen's new (old) room (see below), painting the white wainscoting a warm taupe and wallpapering two of the walls with an awesome surf-inspired grasscloth (which I had actually purchased years before with every intention of installing it Owen's OLD room and never got around to it — of course, now I'm glad I didn't, since it's so perfect here!). The result is a super-cool surfer boy's domain that Owen just loves. See below for pics of the rooms, in several of their incarnations:

Room 1: Owen's New (Old) Room:

Owen ORIGINALLY had this smaller room as a baby, hence the pastel green color on the walls. In this picture below he had just turned 2 and had just gotten his new BIG BOY BED (which is actually one of a set of bunk beds that were my mother's when SHE was a kid, and then my brother's when we were growing up — I painted them dark blue and distressed them for Owen. Unfortunately, I did not take pics of my refurbishment project for this bed). I was also about two months pregnant with Isla in this picture.

Below is how the room looked after Isla was born (Edie's daybed, not seen in this pic, was across from Isla's crib at this point) — this is also very similar to how the room looked when EDIE was in the same crib.

Here is a different view of the room, after we moved Owen's stuff back into it this summer, but before we had gotten rid of the pink walls...

And here is Owen's new loft bed (custom built by my dad — I helped — based on this one I found online). Notice the new taupe paint on the wainscot and the grasscloth wallpaper, along with the awesome limited edition signed Eddie Vedder ukulele tour poster given to Owen by Uncle Chris.

Room 2: Edie and Isla's New Room

(Somewhere I have pics of this room from when it was an office, but I won't bother showing you those here.) This "before" pic is actually from when Owen FIRST moved into it (before I set up his bunk bed when he got a little older) — I can't seem to find a pic of it with the bunk bed set up! Anyway, you can see the before pretty well here. Note the blue (single) bunk bed, and watch for it a little later...

And here is the opposite wall "before"...

Here is that same wall, now, with Edie's bed and Isla's crib side-by-side. (Note Edie's bed... look familiar? It was Owen's old bunk bed, the blue one, refurbished by me a nice bright white. Next I have to finish refurbishing its twin so that when Isla is ready to move out of her crib in the next year or so they can either be set up like this, side-by-side, or possibly as bunk beds, to give the girls more room to play.)

And here is bookcase wall, with the girls' dresser fitting beautifully into the space next to the book shelves and no longer relegated to suffer hidden in the closet. (Please ignore the messy shelves... The girls need to filter through some of their stuff.)

All three kids are happy in their new rooms, as am I — as much as I love a home improvement project, I love them even more when they're all finished!

Now, what can I work on NEXT? Hmmm....

Monthly Newsletter — Month 20

2011-08-11T17:23:00.001-07:00

Beach Baby, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

You are now 20 months old, and are just so full of new tricks I don't know where to begin! With Owen and Edie, I always liked to say that we never had "terrible twos," instead it was more like "terrible threes." The independent antics and acts of imperious demanding didn't really start young. But with YOU — you are already well into what I would call your "terrible twos" — and you aren't even two yet!

That is not to say that you aren't still an inherently sweet and adorable child — you are, very much. When you give your sweet little kisses and come to me for cuddles, you are just about the sweetest baby ever. But you have also begun to perfect the art of The Tantrum — big, walloping displays of anger, impressive and terrifying at the same time, due to their volume and severity.

I have heard it said that the youngest kids in a family learn to fight early for what they want, because the older ones will always stake a claim first, being bigger, and I would say that this is true for you. Woe to the older sibling who has decided to take something that you wanted for yourself — woe to us ALL, in fact, who must listen to your shrill shrieks and see the way you flop onto the floor, facedown, kicking your feet in defiant anger.

But I don't mean to make it sound as though this is all there is to you, because that is SO not the case. You are sweet and curious, a mischievous imp with a delightful sense of humor. Your vocabulary continues to grow, and you enjoy singing songs, though most of the time you're just following along with the beat and the inflection, while not actually singing real "words." And you definitely get worried if someone in the house is sad or upset, turning into a little mother hen, clucking and patting your away around the person with a look of intense sincerity on your face. It is these moments I truly try and capture in my memory, the sweet delight that is YOU.

I love you, baby girl!
Love, Mama

Monthly Newsletter — Month 19

2011-07-13T14:10:00.001-07:00

Isla and Pop Pop, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla —

What a whirlwind month we have had, little girl! A couple of weeks ago, you awoke with a fever that continued to rise throughout the day and resulted in our first (and I hope LAST) febrile seizure. Apparently, when the body's temperature changes so dramatically in such a short time, these types of seizures are common, but it was certainly the most terrifying thing I have ever been through, as a parent.

After a trip to the ER, we learned several days later that you had a UTI (after the culture had a chance to grow, in the lab), and by that point you were still spiking fevers, so your doctor recommended an overnight stay in the hospital, for a dose of IV antibiotics and a kidney ultrasound.

Never have I felt so helpless as I did in that week, when you were so sick. On the way to the ER, I held you on the gurney in the ambulance and looked at your fevered face, so slack and lethargic. You will never know the terror that gripped me in those moments, how utterly powerless I was to make it all better. I hope you never experience the knotted fist of anxiety that clutched my gut like a vice for those several days. And watching them poke and prod you in the hospital, with needles and catheters, was torture — both for you and for me. You were so scared and you kept looking at me to make it all better, and I cried nearly as much as you did.

It's a real eye-opener, that kind of an experience, and one that makes me so thankful that I have been blessed with three beautiful, healthy children. I cannot imagine how other parents, with kids who are sick a lot or even all the time, even make it through the day with that kind of pressure looming over them all the time, praying for a good day, for a good test result, for good news amid the bad.

Lucky are we, and blessed besides. You are fully recovered now, and back to your old tricks, although we've been warned of the possibility of a higher risk of febrile seizures in the future, now that you've had one. So I continue to count my blessings that, for now, all is well.

I love you so very much, my little monkey.

Love, Mama

Monthly Newsletter: Month 18

2011-06-16T18:33:00.001-07:00

Future's So Bright, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Last week you passed the one-and-a-half mark, an impressive milestone in and of itself. I think in some ways you are more like a 2 or 3-year-old, so I forget that you are still just one! I think having an older brother and sister definitely make you feel the need to keep on your toes, and you have no problem holding your own when the other two are around, that's for sure!

You recently had your 18-month checkup, and you are still WAY off the chart for height, so it's another reason, perhaps, that you seem older than you are. You are tall and gorgeous — and amazingly cute and funny as well. The language barrier is becoming less and less of an issue as your vocabulary continues to grow. You are curious and clearly intelligent, and just an absolute delight to us all.

Right now it seems that your favorite person (aside from me) is your sister, "Deedee." When Edie is not home, you ask for her often, saying, "Deedee?" and you'll point at the door to the outside. If I say, "Edie isn't here," you'll think for a minute, then say, "Byebye?" (As in, "Edie's gone bye bye?") A few weeks ago I made a comment to you one morning about a half hour before it was time to pick up Edie from school, and you came and took me by the hand and pulled me to the door, where you smacked your hand on it and exclaimed, "Deedee! Bye bye!" You were ready to go!

You just might be ready to truly begin potty training — more than once you've paused in what you were doing, clutched your hand to your diaper and looked at me intently. When I asked you if you needed to go potty, you nodded, and together we ran to the bathroom, but we haven't yet made it in time. But the interest is definitely there.

Another funny new development with you is at bedtime. Generally I put you to bed before the older two kids, and although you are always very quiet when I put you to bed and never make a fuss, there are many nights when, by the time I am tucking Edie into bed, I get in the room to discover you are still wide awake! And suddenly, once Edie is lying in her own bed across from you in your crib, you think it's party time, and you grasp the top of the crib and jump up and down while giggling and squealing. Even Edie, who think it's funny, has had to come out to me more than once and say with a big sigh, "Mommy, can you PLEASE make her go to sleep? She's keeping me awake!" You just think it's so great to share a room with your big sister, I guess.

And in the mornings, you, like the other two before you, are generally as good as gold, and will play contentedly in your crib until someone finally comes in to fetch you. What a dream baby you are... what a lucky mommy I am.

And though you are still rather stingy with your kisses, you will frequently come over to me and wrap your arms around me and give me a quick snuggle, tucking your head in close with a sweet smile, before running off again to goodness knows what adventures you are getting into now. And those little sweet embraces are just enough to melt my heart, sweet, sweet girl.

I love you! Happy one-and-a-half birthday!

Love, Mama

Monthly Newsletter — Month 17

2011-05-13T11:08:00.001-07:00

Corn on the cob, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

A few days ago you hit the 17-month mark, and it's a sign of how busy and chaotic we are these days that I am only just now getting around to posting about that milestone.

It's hard to believe you're almost one and a half... Just this morning I was changing your diaper and thinking to myself how big you've gotten, and how amazing that only a year or so ago you were this tiny little peanut baby who cooed and gurgled at me with the cutest little dimples.

Now, though, as one of the two older ones happened to mention (can't remember which one it was now, Owen or Edie) — it's like you're a "real" person! You talk and run and play and laugh and do things you're not supposed to and give kisses and hugs and climb stairs and oh, so many other things!

You LOVE Dora the Explorer (much like your older sister did at around your same age) and her super cute cousin, Diego. In fact, those are two of the words you now say regularly. Here is a list of the words currently in your vocabulary repertoire:

"Doh" (Dora)
GoGo (Diego
BellBell (Tinkerbell)
Mo (more)
Hi! (or "Hewo!")
Mommy
Daddy
Isla (which you pronounce Ay-ya)
Owee (Owen)
DeeDee (Edie)
Night night
Bobby (bottle)
Mimmy (your satin blankie)
Nack (snack)
Baby
Bah (bath)

Can't think of any others at the moment... but you are definitely beginning to become more vocal — and even when you aren't using actual words, you grunt and point until we finally figure out what you want.

You have also recently learned how to climb up onto both Owen's and Edie's beds, as well as the couch — I don't mind this ALL that much, since you have also figured out how to get down — but sometimes you think it's a great idea to get up there and walk around, and I'm terrified you're going to stumble and fall head over heels over the side. So now I have to know where you are at all times (not that I didn't need to know this before, but it's a little more critical at the moment).

You have also learned how to come back down Jacquie's staircase, on your bottom scooting down one step at a time, which is a great relief, although, again — sometimes you think standing up seems like a great idea, so we still have to watch you like a hawk.

And you are just so delightful and sweet, giving sweet little kisses and hugs that make me want to squeeze you to pieces.

The picture above was taken on Mother's Day, and we had given you your own little pile of corn (already remove from the cob), which you ate quickly and heartily — and then proceeded to point at Jacquie's as-yet-untouched corn cob — so she handed it to you and we watched in amazement as you at the ENTIRE COB, slowly turning it this way and that so you could make sure you got every piece of corn off of it. It certainly kept you busily entertained while the rest of us ate our dinners.

Thank you for blessing my life so much, little one — my sweet little imp.

Love, Mama

S I X

2011-05-04T21:56:00.001-07:00

S I X, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Edie...

Six years ago today you came into the world and changed our lives completely: our first daughter, Owen's first little sister, you have blessed us with your sparkling personality and exuberance for life.

You, my dear one, are the quintessential middle child, sweet and affectionate yet secretly possessing your own brand of star quality. You love to sing and dance and play and crack jokes and make the GOOFIEST faces ever — such silly faces that my friends all can't wait to see any pictures any of us might snap of you and your friends, because you nearly always have some hilarious expression on your face. I can honestly say your completely bubbling personality is not one that many people get to meet every day, and I truly hope that it stays with you throughout your life. It will take you far, THAT I can promise you.

The picture above was taken of you this very morning, before heading off to school. When I asked you to pose for a picture wearing your fabulous knitted crown (the one I made for your third birthday), the first pose you gave me was the Mona Lisa one, where you tilt your head and give me this tight-lipped half smile, with one shoulder pressed upwards towards your cheek. It's a very stilted pose, and it's one of your favorites, so it makes it difficult for me to get a truly great candid shot of you, but I managed... I told you to yell out "Stinky socks!," which you did with great gusto. I think that's the thing I just love the most about you — your total exuberance at embracing any task. You are, in a word, delightful.

The other day we were driving around, you and I, and you were back there in the seat behind me, chattering away, waving your hands out the open window and asking me random questions. At one point you said, "Mommy, is magic real?" And I knew the question was stemming from the idea of magic as presented in the Harry Potter books (by the way, we are two chapters from the end of the fourth book), so I said no, magic wasn't real, at least in the idea of a person waving a magic wand around and casting spells.

But what I didn't say — what I couldn't really explain to a very literal 6-year-old — was that magic IS real, and is all around us. There is magic in watching a little girl show me the tooth that just fell out, her eyes wide as she contemplates the tooth fairy's imminent arrival. There is magic in watching a toddler giggling as she swipes at bubbles being blown into her face. The thrill of a twirly skirt. The way the setting sun shines through a child's golden hair. The times when three siblings play together without bickering. When an older brother takes his sister by the hand with sincere and genuine affection. In the kisses given so sweetly at bedtime... all of this: MAGIC.

Thanks for making my world so very magical, sweet sweet girl. You have truly cast a spell on me.

Love, Mama

Sorry

2011-04-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

I hate it when we fight. I hate when I become so frustrated with your actions (or inaction) that I develop what is far beyond an acceptable level of "inside voice." I hate the way we both get red in the face when we are angry with each other. I hate that you were mad at me when I dropped you off at school, hate that you felt the need to brush aside my goodbye hug with a shrug and a frown, hate that I walked away from you knowing you were scowling at my retreating form. Hate that I didn't turn around once more to look at you before I left.

You can be so proud, so determined, so STUBBORN. You have always been that way. Even as a little tyke, when you'd get in trouble, you always got angry at me getting angry at you. It's so true that each child needs to be dealt with in different ways, depending on temperament. Your sister is one to get so very sad and remorseful when she's in trouble, but not you — you simmer with anger and injustice, letting it brew inside you like a pressure cooker, and the only way I know how to deal with that is to walk away, to let you come back down to earth on your own. Because you always do. Once the heat of the moment passes and you've been left on your own to think and contemplate and consider, you emerge, fresh-faced and placid and apologetic, willing to listen and talk and discuss.

You have no idea how fiercely I love you, how much I WANT for you, how strongly I would fight to protect you. The older you become, the greater my fears grow about all the things I can't shield you from, all those outside influences that will only grow in number and magnitude as the years go on, as you come under the influence of other kids, other sources. I can only hope and pray that I have taught you, when the time comes, to make good choices, to do what is right and true.

So I am sorry our morning got off to such a bad start. Mommys aren't perfect — I am far from it, I know. But I am doing the best that I can... and I will always strive to do better by you. I love you, sweet baby boy. I hope as I write this that the moment is already past for you, forgotten, that it hasn't ruined your day. And I hope when I see you later on that you'll give me one of those great hugs like only you give.

Monthly Newsletter — Month 16

2011-04-11T13:13:00.001-07:00

Spaghetti!, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Yesterday you hit the 16-month mark, and you are growing and changing in such leaps and bounds, it's hard to keep up!

You are so similar to Owen and Edie at this same age, in so many ways — namely that you are friendly and outgoing, quick to laugh and eager to cuddle and give hugs and kisses — and yet, you are entirely your own, too. In what I believe is typical for many younger siblings, you really don't talk much, but you sure can communicate! I can tell a lot from your funny little grunts and gestures, fist clenches and expressions. You aren't limited by your lack of speech in any way, little lady!

But you DO have a few words that you'll say with regularity, and these include "mommy," "daddy," "jacquie," "isla," "ball," "night night" and a smattering few others. You will increasingly (and accurately) answer yes or no with little nods or shakes of the head, too, so that if I ask you a question about something you are wanting, you are able to answer with a sweet little grin on your face.

You also now give REAL kisses, meaning an actual little pucker and a smacking sound with your lips, as opposed to the big, open-mouthed wet kisses you used to plant on us. You are still somewhat stingy with your kisses, and won't often give them when asked, but then you'll just surprise us by coming over to us, smacking your lips in little kissing noises, kissing us sweetly and then running off again to continue whatever you were doing before. It's enough to make my heart melt.

I've been noticing more and more the distinct part that birth order plays in the personalities of all three of you kids. Owen, as the oldest, is definitely a nurturer and is also something of a worry-wart, always fussing about things that could go wrong and worrying about the "what ifs," and always wanting to make sure everyone is taken care of.

Edie is displaying a crazy amount of awesome middle child tendencies, being the "star performer" in our midst. A recent trip to the dressing rooms in Old Navy provided her very own runway down the center aisle, from which she had to strut wearing every outfit we were trying on and then, upon reaching the end nearest the mirror, suddenly striking a fabulous pose with a flip of her hair and a sassy expression.

As for you, we are all agreed that we think you are the good time charlie of the bunch, and it won't surprise us a bit if you turn out to be the one who just wants to get a good laugh out of a crowd. You are so laid-back and easy going, charming and sweet, and quick to giggle with a gutteral depth that is awesome to listen to.

I know I've said this before... but you are the best little bonus baby I could ever have asked for.

Love, Mama

Monthly Newsletter — Month 15

2011-03-14T13:17:00.001-07:00

munchkin cheeks, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

You recently passed the 15 month mark, and I am a few days late getting this posted because our lives are such an amazing whirlwind these days, it's amazing I have time to get anything done.

You are an absolute delight in all of our lives, little girl. You are all sweetness and light, at once impish and mischievous and affectionate and charming. One of the sweetest things you do is "give loves"; I'll crouch down and say, "Isla, can you give me loves?" And, when you are feeling up to it (because sometimes you just shake your head with a cheeky grin when you don't feel particularly like "giving loves") you will come to me, your arms outstretched, mouth open for a big wet kiss and hug me close. And sometimes... the BEST times... you will just spontaneously come over to me and wrap your arms around my legs, looking up at me with a sweet smile, and then you'll toddle off again, the urge to "give loves" satisfied.

One of your WORST habits these days is screeching at the top of your lungs. I mean, it is literally ear-piercing, and you mostly do it when you are in your high chair and we are all sitting down to eat. I think you like the fact that Owen and Edie laugh at you when you do it, which makes you do it all the more. But it is so bad that you have actually been given time outs in your crib because of it. so that the rest of us can eat dinner WITHOUT our ears ringing painfully, thank you very much — and then you cry woefully at the indignity of being sent to your room when you had been having so much FUN!

You are also now quite good at taking directions. I can point to something on the floor and ask you to pick it up, and you usually will do it, or I can hand you something and say, "Take this to Daddy (or Owen or Edie)" and you will do so, big grin plastered on your face because you are such a great helper! Sometimes, however, you are a little TOO eager to "help," and your help is often a hindrance... but I delight in watching you, so pleased with yourself to be engaging in such big girl activities.

Owen and Edie have begun spring sports, baseball and softball, respectively, and as a result, our lives are a constant refrain of shuttling to and from practices or games, amid other things like Daisy meetings for Edie and CCD classes for Owen, plus homework and life and, oh yeah, that crazy project I just decided to embark upon that involves swapping yours and Edie's room with Owen's — an undertaking that has created such havoc in our home that I currently look like one of those people on those hoarding TV shows, so much stuff is piled haphazardly throughout the house. But you and Edie nowhave a new room, a butter-yellow confection that is all airy and light, and you slept there last night for the first time, the two of you, both of you thrilled with the new arrangement.

By far, the thing I notice the most about you these days is how much you just want to be WITH people. Last night as I was reassembling your crib in the new room (since no, of course it can't just fit through the door, that would be too EASY — I had to disassemble and reassemble instead), you were bobbing around me, alternately picking up allen wrenches and crawling amid the myriad crib parts, and you kept attempting to sit on my knee, which made my job just that much more difficult... but I loved it all the same.

I hope that you always want to spend time with me, my sweet, sweet girl. Thank you for blessing my life.

Love, Mama

Monthly Newsletter — Month 14

2011-02-13T11:30:00.001-08:00

Imp, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

This post is just a few days late, as our lives have gotten into the full swing of post-holiday, back-to-school and spring sports madness. With Owen and Edie both in sports (baseball and softball), our days and weeks are exceedingly full and busy. And you — you are just along for the ride.

You seem to think everything is a new adventure, and you happily tag along to wherever we need to be, fairly content to squawk and babble and take it all in.

Your newest adventure is that, at last, you are completely and truly WALKING. You're still just the tiniest bit unsteady, particularly on an uneven surface, like the bare grass, so it's definitely an adventure, but each day you get a little faster on those little feet of yours, and you follow me wherever I go throughout the house. And I think with the freedom of walking has come a new sense of mischievous discovery, and I often find you searching through the drawers and cupboards in my bathroom or dropping things into the toilet with glee. And when you are heading somewhere that you know you aren't supposed to be, and I follow you and say, "I'm gonna get you!" you squeal and giggle with delight and try to walk a little faster, which inevitably makes you stumble and fall.

We have decided that, of all three kids, you are the most independent-minded. Where Owen and Edie would parrot us and repeat things we would say or ask them to do on cue, you instead smile a cheeky grin and manage to look cuter than ever. If we ask you for hugs and kisses, you RARELY give them — you'd rather wait until you haven't been asked, and then spontaneously come over to me and lay your head on my knees and wrap your arms around my legs, preferring instead to give them to us on your own terms... which makes those spontaneous little hugs all the sweeter.

I know I say often how I feel so blessed to have gotten my little bonus baby, and I thank God every day for the miracle of you.

Love, Mama

Harry, Revisited

2011-01-27T16:02:00.000-08:00

So followers of my old blog (before its untimely death from file corruption last year) may remember that when Owen was a kindergartener he and I spent several long months reading through all the Harry Potter novels. He has since become an avid reader with a vivid imagination, a fact that pleases me no end.

Well, now that Edie is in kindergarten, I decided to do the same thing with her— so most every evening we plop down on my king-sized bed, the three of us — Owen, Edie and I — to read a chapter and discuss what has been happening so far. You'd think Owen wouldn't want to sit through them again, but he's having as good a time listening to them again as I am having reading them, and it's interesting to see him listening and absorbing the information in a new way — being two whole years older than his first go-round.

And miss Edie, well... she seems to be enjoying them quite as much as Owen did, though I am very careful to review the previous night's chapter before beginning the next, asking her questions to make sure she's been paying attention.

The best part about it, though, is that Edie — who has always been fantastic at "imaginative play" when playing on her own — has begun to introduce new characters in her play. The other day I heard her speaking with quite a good version of a British accent (since, when I read the books, I try to read all the dialogue in character, accents, voices and all), saying things like, "Oh, hello, Neville. We were just talking about Transfiguration." I'm supremely happy that she's quite enjoying the books, too.

And, like before, the deal I made with her was that she could watch the movies after having read the books. She's seen bits and pieces of most of the movies before, on DVD, when Owen has been watching them, but has never had such a keen interest in the as she does now. We plan to watch the second movie this weekend. And the best part is that Terry — who has never read the books (blasphemy!) and only seen the first movie (heresy!) — has agreed to watch the movies with us as we go along, so that by the time the final installment is released in theaters this summer, he can be caught up and actually see it with us.

I know that I am blessed to have such smart kids — and when I get excellent feedback from both their teachers about how well-spoken and well-read they both are for their ages, I can't help but feel a huge burst of pride that I have had something to do with that.

Monthly Newsletter — Month 13

2011-01-10T15:28:00.001-08:00

pretty baby, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Today you are 13 months old, and just as delightful as ever.

I find myself often sitting back and taking stock of this still relatively new family unit of ours, this party of five. It is a vibrant and boisterous bunch, yes, and so full of love and happiness I feel like my heart can hardly bear the weight of it.

I watch the three of you — you, Owen and Edie — and marvel at the changes in you all, and get such a kick out of watching you reach each milestone, remembering when Owen and Edie did it first.

You are just as easygoing and laid-back as Owen and Edie were — perhaps even more so, if that's possible — and yet you are also definitely your own person and have your own opinion about things. You are at times imperious and demanding in that egocentric way unique to toddlers, pointing at things you want and grunting out, "Dis? Dis," then getting angry when you don't get it... but you are also sweet and loving, freely giving out kisses and hugs (but only when it suits YOU to do so — you rarely will do anything on command).

Christmas was fun this year with you, though you were funny with the presents — I thought sure you'd get a big kick out of ripping off the paper, but you daintily picked at an edge of the paper until someone (usually Edie or Owen) came along to help rip it off for you. It was a little bit of sensory overload for you, I think, but you handled the experience well. YOu also really loved the new playhouse I made (see previous post), and crawled in and out of the doorway opening countless times while it was set up.

I was talking recently to another parent of three, and she was saying that she really felt the third child has a unique perspective on the world around her, because she is around other children almost all the time — those brothers and sisters are built-in playmates! And I would have to say that's true for you... Owen and Edie certainly love playing with you and making you laugh and cuddling with you — almost as much as YOU love it, I think.

As for you... you are very TALL — taller, even, than Owen and Edie were at the same age, and neck and neck with Edie in weight at age one. But you are lagging in the mobility department: you still don't walk! You have taken, at most, three or four wobbly steps, but you infinitely prefer crawling or, funny as it is, walking on your knees (which is adorable and hilarious at the same time). I also think you have fewer words than Owen and Edie did (though honestly, it's difficult to remember these things)... you are just the tiniest bit cautious, and that's okay. It might be the one thing you inherited from me, since it's clear you don't LOOK like me. I was a cautious child, too.

And, like Owen and Edie, you LOVE your blankie (which, true to form in our household, is called your "mimmy") — so much so that you point and grunt for me to get it for you, and once you are holding it, you lean into it and cuddle close, burying your face into the satin and sighing with happy delight.

I don't know what I did to deserve you — all of you — I love you so much I can hardly stand to think of NOT having you here... my little bonus baby.

Love, Mama

Welcome to Casa 158

2011-01-07T13:19:00.001-08:00

(Click the picture above to watch the slideshow. You can even hit the little corner button with the four arrows to make it fit your computer screen.)

So I decided back in November that I wanted to make a playhouse out of felt with a pvc pipe frame for the kids for Christmas. I started with a mountain of felt, worked diligently on it any chance I had when the kids weren't around (namely when they were at school or in the evenings after they were in bed), and voila! The result is Casa 158. (the numbers are the ages of my three kids.)

I'll be honest and admit that a lot of the adorable ideas here were culled from other places on the internet. The idea for the corn and the tree with the apples and the entire garden on the back wall came from here. (In fact, this was where my initial inspiration came from.) But I decided to make mine to fit a PVC pipe frame (instead of a kitchen table, as hers was), so mine has a pitched roof. Also, I decided to finish off the interior of mine as well, like the one here, so we have a fireplace with vases where a little homemaker can put some flowers culled from the front window box. Also. the frame above the fireplace is open on one side, so the photo can be replaced with another or kids' artwork or whatever floats their boat.

I made each piece separate (sides and roof) and they tie onto the PVC Pipe — however, after seeing the kids play in it for a while, I MAY go ahead and stitch the roof to the sides. I had thought it would be easier to assemble/disassemble this way, but now I'm not totally convinced, since it comes untied and skews off slightly. So I may be doing some modifications to it in the near future, but overall I am very pleased with the result. And I even had enough time to decorate the house for Christmas, with little felt Christmas light bulbs in a strand around the eaves, and a wreath for the front door.

This was definitely a labor of love, but the kids loved it so much when they woke up Christmas morning and discovered this delightful playhouse in the living room. In fact, Edie spent the entire day inside it, pulling in her blankie and a pillow and relaxing in there with her Nintendo DS and some snacks. She even watched a movie on TV from inside its walls, watching through the window!

First Birthday

2010-12-09T17:33:00.001-08:00

Birthday Girl, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Tomorrow is your first birthday, and oh my goodness, how can you be turning one already? You, my juicy little love bug with the totally nibble-worthy cheeks and irresistible smile — you are so incredibly dear to me, my little "bonus" baby.

Just after Thanksgiving, we got out all the Christmas decorations, and as we decorated the house this year, I was thinking about last year at this same time, how heavy my belly was with the unborn promise of you. How tired I was, and how excited. How I couldn't wait to meet you, and find out if you were a boy or a girl (but secretly kind of hoping that you WERE a girl!).

And then, when I put up the small tree in my bedroom that I like to have in the front window, I remembered in a flash those first few weeks with you, how you slept in the sweet cradle next to my bed, and how I'd feed you in the middle of the night with only the soft glow of white Christmas tree bulbs lighting your precious, tiny face. How you'd wrap your fingers around one of mine and grip so tightly. The soft, sweet grunts you would make, somehow magnified in the kind of quiet you only get in a house where everyone is sleeping.

There are no words for the magic you (and your brother and sister before you) have brought to my life. You have allowed me one more chance to remember Owen's and Edie's first milestones, and to feel bittersweet agony in knowing that those early days are gone.

I adore watching you with Owen and Edie, seeing your delighted expression when they pay attention to you. But you have definitely got your own personality, too — at times imperiously bossy in the way that 1-year-olds can be and alternately sweetly loving, planting kisses on anyone who gets in your way.

You aren't walking YET, but you are very close — and your words are mostly a mumbo-jumbo of sounds and gibberish that I love listening to. You, like your sister Edie before you, just never SHUT UP. You will cruise a room, babbling higgeldy-piggeldy, pointing at things and repeating certain sounds, then squealing with delight at your own cleverness.

You also LOVE to dance, and whenever Edie puts some music on her CD player — usually Taylor Swift — your butt wiggles and you bob from side to side, little cheeky grin on your face. You are, in a word, delightful.

Happy birthday, my sweet baby girl. I love you more than you'll ever know.

Love, Mama

Letter to Santa

2010-12-02T21:37:00.001-08:00

Letter to Santa, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Santa

I have been a good girl this year. I would like Zhu Zhu Pets Wild Bunch DS 2, Squinkies, Dippin Dots Maker, and Littlest Pet Shop. Please travel safely.

Love, Edie Siglin

So thankful for...

2010-11-26T08:19:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving, originally uploaded by JenSig.

This. These kids. This husband. I am the luckiest.

Hope you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hi There

2010-11-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

Oof. So this daily blog posting thing really isn't happening for me, is it? But I'll plug away when I can, which is why I'm on here now.

THe kids are off school for the entire week because of furlough days. Owen kicked off his weeklong vacation with a bout of the stomach flu, which came on Friday morning and lasted precisely 24 hours. The other two kids have managed to avoid it so far, although Isla did seem like she was coming down with something yesterday when she threw up a little on the cute holiday dress that Jacquie was trying on her yesterday — and yes, it was the holiday dress that we were pretty sure was NOT going to be the one we chose.

But I'm thinking perhaps she's getting another back tooth or that she only just got a little touch of the flu, because she made it all the way through the the night last night (I had worried that she might get sick in the night) and is happy as a clam this morning.

In other news, a visit to Santa is in order this week, as is a trip with several friends to see the new Harry Potter movie. (Edie is very sad that I am not letting her come with us because I think it will be too scary for her. So I've promised to take her to see Tangled sometime soon instead.

I've got Christmas cards to do, gifts to finish buying, things to finish making, and lots to wrap. But right now the older kids are still in bed and Isla and I are out here in the living room enjoying the morning. I've had coffee... she's had milk... gonna be a good day, I think.

Projects Galore!

2010-11-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

See, here's the thing. I'm busy, y'all. BUSY! And I know that's boring for me to say and boring for you to read, but it's true... you wanna breakdown?

Kids have two separate school schedules (Edie gets out midway through the day, as kinder is only half day), so automatically I have to be at the school three times on any given day. I also try and volunteer in both kids' classrooms about once a week. Then there's homework. And extracurricular activities for both older kids, multiple times a week. And lets not forget that I work, too, freelance, so there's that.

And now, with the holidays looming ominously before me, I have PROJECTS! THings to sew and knit and cook and bake and share and do and teach... some of my current projects include a knitted stocking for Isla (since when I made them last year, I didn't make one for baby-to-be; partly because I ran out of time, and partly since I didn't know if she was a boy or a girl so I couldn't decide how I wanted to do it); gifts I want to make for teachers; a TOTALLY AWESOME project I am making for the kids for Christmas, but that's a story in and of itself — let's just say that it is big and cool and will be unveiled very soon — but imagine the logistics of trying to make something IN SECRET from three kids. The only time I can work on said secret project is in the evenings after they are in bed, or in the mornings while Edie and Owen are at school, but don't forget that this is also dependent on Isla taking a morning nap, because if she doesn't, well... not much work is going to get done. But that also means that it all has to be put away before any kids waken or come home from school...

I will say, I am good at multitasking... I like to work on projects while watching TV, which means I feel like I'm actually accomplishing something instead of just sitting on my bum in front of the boob tube. But still.

Don't even get me started on the projects I have on my list for things I want to do around the house, a never-ending wish list, it seems. There is never enough time, never enough weekends, never enough hours in the day to do all the things I want to do. I guess that means I shouldn't ever be bored.

Chaos reigns supreme around here... I'm just sayin'.

Love

2010-11-12T16:02:00.000-08:00

According to a movement mostly powered by social networking and the internet (hello, Facebook), today is To Write Love On Her Arms Day. That is my arm in the photo, and I have been wearing the word "love" on it all day.

The brief explanation is that TWLOHA is a non-profit organization devoted to helping people suffering from depression, addiction, self-injury (cutting) and suicide — to give those people hope and the resources they need to get help.

I can't begin to express how much this organization and what it does moves me. I have known people very close to me who have suffered from depression and addiction, and while I can't personally relate to what it feels like to be in that dark a place, I am happy that people like Jamie Tworkowski (TWLOHA founder) have done their part to bring this disease and all its incarnations out in the open.

"You were created to love and be loved. You were meant to live life in relationship with other people, to know and be known. You need to know that your story is important and that you're part of a bigger story. You need to know that your life matters."

A Short Post

2010-11-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

I don't really have anything exciting to report this evening, but since I did promise myself to at least TRY and post every day in November, I'm making the effort.

The kids were off school today for Veteran's day, and tomorrow is a furlough day, so they have a 4-day weekend; Owen went back down to Carlsbad to hang out with Jacquie and Honey for their last two nights down there; that left me and the girls to hang out today and tomorrow. Today we went to Target and poked around for a bit. We were there to buy a present for a birthday party that Edie has been invited to tomorrow at that den of sin and iniquity, Chuck E Cheese.

It's sometimes really nice to split the kids up in this way, and I'm speaking mainly of Owen and Edie. While they do get along remarkably well most of the time, they do nag and pick at each other, too, and it can get quite noisy around here with the two of them shouting their opinions at one another. I like to consider this the "divide and conquer" strategy; Owen got a little special one-on-one time with his grandma and great-grandma (and is I'm sure getting very spoiled in the process!), and Edie and Isla and I got to hang out and have "girl time" together, which she just loves.

Soon I will send her off to bed, and then I'll snuggle down with a glass of wine and watch some TV...

Monthly Newsletter — Month 11

2010-11-10T09:32:00.001-08:00

Mouth full of teeth — that's FOUR molars she's got in there., originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Today you are 11 months old, and are just so full of delightful energy and curiosity, sometimes I feel full to bursting.

You are completely and fully mobile now, and alternately crawl and "walk" around the room, reaching for things you know you aren't supposed to have and smiling impishly at me in the process. Now you know when you aren't supposed to have something, and you try and get away from me when you see me coming, crawling as fast as your butt can wiggle and squealing with delight at the thrill of the chase.

There always seems to be a constant stream of jibber jabber pouring from your mouth, these days, too... "Mama" is really the only discernible word you say with any clarity, but that's not to say that it is by any means the ONLY thing you say — we just don't know what else you are telling us, but you certainly say what you have to say emphatically and with great gusto. What's funny is, your words do have inflection, so it sounds like you are just speaking your own special baby language. Just this morning you were in my bed with me for a little bit after you got up, and you were playing with the remote control that operates our ceiling fan; it has tons of buttons on it, and makes the light go on and off, so you were having a great time playing with it. Finally, you held it up to your ear like a telephone and started chattering away! I nearly died of the cuteness of that moment.

A few weeks ago you developed a runny nose, and it remained for three solid weeks... and at the end of those three weeks you had three new molars to show for it! You now have nearly a full set of chompers, and you love to eat more than just about anything else in the world.

Owen and Edie still get a kick out all the new things you are constantly doing, and you remain their biggest fan. Every morning when it's time to wake Edie up for school, I grab you from the crib and yell, "Dog pile on Edie!" and then I swoop you across the room to plop you on top of your sister, who always pretends to still be sleeping, but the little smile on her face gives her away. And you almost always bend over to plant a big, wet kiss on Edie's face, chattering away your very own version of "good morning" in Isla-language.

It's hard for me to believe you are going to be one year old in a month... I keep looking at all three of you and marveling at how big and grown up Owen and Edie are getting, and realizing that I'm not quite ready.... that maybe you were a special gift to me for that very reason. And each night when I go to check on you in your crib before I go to bed, I press a kiss to your forehead and whisper softly in your ear, "Don't grow up... don't grow up."

I know it's inevitable, of course... but that doesn't keep me from still wishing for it, all the same.

I love you, sweet baby girl...
Love, Mama

Pretty on the Inside

2010-11-09T15:42:00.000-08:00

"Mommy, look at my hair. Aren't I pretty, Mama?" She prances in front of the mirror, skipping back and forth on her tip-toes.

"Yes, love," I say sincerely, because she IS a very pretty little girl.

She continues: "And I am just SO pretty, Mama, the prettiest girl in school!"

I sit her down so I can tie her shoe. "Yes," I say again, trying to form the words I want to say to her, to convey what I mean in ways that mean something to a 5-year-old girl. "It's nice to be pretty on the outside, sweetheart... but it's better to be pretty on the inside."

She cocks her head as she looks at me, trying to understand my meaning. "What I mean is, lots of times people can be pretty on the outside, but ugly on the inside; they can be mean or just not very nice. It's much more important to be a sweet girl, a NICE girl. And a smart girl, too, one who uses her brains."

"I'm smart, Mommy," she says.

"Yes, honey. And you're nice to people, too."

She reaches out and hugs me close. "I can be pretty on the inside AND pretty on the outside."

Yes, love. Yes, you can.

On Birth Order

2010-11-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

I made a comment the other day to someone that, as far as I can tell, my kids pretty accurately embody those traits that define so-called "birth order." It's interesting for me to watch them (trying to do so as objectively as I can, of course) and really see that their unique characteristics that make up who they are as individuals really do seem to typify what are commonly seen as birth order personality traits.

Owen, as a first-born (and a male firstborn at that) is a typical, nurturing people pleaser who craves approval from those around him. I see this really clearly in the way he is at school, which is conscientious and careful to do the right thing, always trying to please his teacher. He is also very sweet (well... MOST of the time) to his two younger sisters, which I can only imagine will make him a really great husband to some lucky girl some day.

As a middle child, Edie is the attention-getting personality in the bunch, always singing and dancing, expressing her creativity in as many outlets as she can find. She used to say she wanted to grow up and be an artist, like her Uncle Tom, but now she says she wants to be a singer... like Taylor Swift. (Hey, she could have WAY worse influences than that, right?) She is friendly and outgoing, and LOVES to strike a pose whenever the camera is pointed her way.

And Isla is my little good-time charlie. Of course, she isn't even 1 yet, so it's difficult to really know what her personality will be as she grows older, but she is quick to laugh and is remarkably laid-back and easy-going. I have long said that these third children really have to learn how to go with the flow, since we're always off on the run doing something or other with the two older kids, and the young ones get dragged along... and this one almost always does everything with a huge grin on her face. Who knows? She'll probably be class clown, cutting it up for anyone who will listen and give her a laugh.

And while I realize that the study of birth orders is by no means an exact science, I do find it interesting that my kids seem to really embody a lot of those characteristics. Things to think about...

Weekend Getaway

2010-11-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

We spent the weekend down in Carlsbad, since Honey has her timeshare down there this week, which is my excuse for not posting yesterday... today was the Carlsbad street fair, which is always fun, and otherwise it was a whole lot of lounging around, reading, playing the stupidly addicting Angry Birds game, and not a whole lot else.

One thing that really hit me over the last two days is how grown up the kids — and most especially Owen — are becoming. This particular condo has a pool and recreation room that are pretty enclosed (needing a key to enter), and this was the first time we've let the kids go down to the rec room all by themselves. They wanted to pick out a movie to watch from the selection they keep on hand, so I agreed that they could go but that they must go together. I generally tried to impress upon Owen that, as the big brother, he really needed to take care of his little sister.

Well, they had a blast, and were delighted with themselves when they selected a movie and signed out for it at the desk all on their own. Many trips were made to the rec room for no other reason than simply that they were ALLOWED to do this by themselves, which of course made them feel very self-important and grown-up. At one point, the phone rang in our room, and it was Owen, calling to inform me that Edie was on her way up to the room and he wanted to make sure she'd made it back safely.

I'm not really sure why this in particular struck such a chord... perhaps I was remembering moments just like this from my own childhood — I can distinctly recall the feeling of freedom when our parents would let Tom and me go to a rec room or even down the hall to get ice if we were staying in a hotel, and how great that felt, as a little kid.

Simple pleasures, I suppose. In any case... the time changed, and with it, our days suddenly became shorter. Now if only the weather would begin to cooperate, it might actually begin to feel like fall.

Baby Milestone Moment

2010-11-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

So Isla pretty consistently wakes up these days with a dry diaper. Not like once in a while, but almost EVERY day. So recently I purchased a little potty seat to have her "practice" sitting on the potty — I mean, she's DRY, so... why not? (The potty I purchased for her has a softly cushioned seat on it, and the tagline on the box said: "A Comfy Cushy for a Happy Tushy!")

And she sits there happily, little chubby legs kicking the sides of the potty seat and clapping her hands, generally watching her big sister go potty on the big toilet at the same time.

Well, this morning, Isla was happily cooing and clapping, and suddenly... she peed! And not just a few drops... but a regular, big ol' morning PEE! So of course we clapped and cheered and make much to-do about pouring the pee into the toilet and waving bye bye as the water went down.

Of course it was just a fluke, but who knows? Maybe she'll be one of those babies who potty trains extra early.

A Busy, Whirlwind Kind of Life

2010-11-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

So school is in full swing, and while you might think that since Edie is now in kindergarten it would provide me with a whole lot more free time than I had before, the exact opposite is actually true. Between Isla and her nap schedule (which is often getting pushed aside because of all the shuttling around I have to do) and the fact that Edie is only in school for half-day kindergarten, I feel like it's a constant whirlwind of running to and from school and then trying to cram in other errands and things in the small spaces in between.

Not that I'm complaining. And, as in past years, I feel fortunate that I am able to be home and volunteer in the kids' classes, so I've been doing that as well. We recently had our first Art Masters lesson of the year (if you were following my old blog, you'd know what this is), and it turned out really cute. At my dad's suggestion last year, I decided to photograph the entire class' finished products, which I'll show you below. The artist was Helen Hardin, about whom I knew absolutely nothing before this particular lesson, but have become a fan based on her amazing Native American artworks, many of which you can see by doing a simple Google image search.

This is Owen's second-grade class:

And these are the projects from Edie's kindergarten class:

The projects were really fun, and the kids seemed to enjoy doing them, too. Next time: Rembrandt's use of chiaroscuro (light/dark value).

Having Made a Decision

2010-11-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

So if you are one of the handful of people still following this blog (not that I'd blame you if you left me, since my posts have been pretty sparse since the death of my old blog), then I am formally apologizing for my absence here of late.

I think when the old blog died, I kind of felt like all that hard work (seven years of typing my thoughts into this thing!) had been wasted, much to my frustration. And I have to say, it's been hard to motivate myself to get back into it. The monthly letters to baby Isla have been the only consistency here since the summer, and I have alternately toyed with everything from shutting it down entirely to taking the time to re-input all the old entries from the old site to everything in between.

But I have also missed having this as a creative outlet (despite the fact that I don't always have the TIME to do it) and have decided today to make a conscious decision to start writing in here again, today. And considering that November is NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), I thought I would do a post a day — or at least attempt it, anyway. So I'll be back again soon, hopefully with a little more to say.

10 months: 10/10/10

2010-10-10T21:57:00.001-07:00

Making faces., originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Today you are ten months old. It just occurred to me that in just two short months you will be one whole year, a fact that just blows my mind when I think of it. And when I look back over the last ten, joyous months since you arrived and made our world that much brighter, it seems incredible to consider how much you've changed.

You are a very big, robust girl, tipping the scales not only in weight but seriously OFF the chart for your height — you are one tall baby! While your weight is pretty much neck and neck with how Owen and Edie measured up at the same age, you are over two inches LONGER than they were. Your feet are long, too — much longer than Edie's were, and she's got pretty long feet as it is. Here's hoping you'll be a tall girl when you grow up.

You talk a bit less than either Owen or Edie did at the same age, I think, though it is hard to remember specific dates of milestones. You say "Mam mam" and a whole host of other squeals and sounds that carry inflection and clearly mean something to YOU. In fact, you have developed this little chattering sound, which I think is actually you mimicking the sound of real speech, a little jibber jabber of noises that are just delightful to listen to.

You are still such an easy-going, happy, jolly baby, and friendly, too, though not quite as eager to go to other people as Owen and Edie were. You are happy to smile and flirt with people from the safety of your mama's arms, but if someone tries to hold you or pick you up you immediately become very nervous and look around for me.

We were lucky enough to spend nine days in Hawaii just last week, and you did GREAT. First time on a plane? No problem. Snaps to you! You were a little squirmy, but never fussy or loud, and I received lots of compliments on the good behavior of not just my darling infant, but all three of my kids.

One of your very favorite activities is EATING, and you have discovered a whole host of new foods that make you very happy, indeed. In fact, the more regular food you get, the less inclined you are to want to eat the jars of mushy baby food — not that I can blame you there.

And your newest milestone is that you can now stand up, and you love to pull yourself up to stand around the coffee table or stand up near the low shelves in my kitchen where we keep the cookbooks. You especially love to stand in your crib, gripping the rails with those chubby fists and laughing imperiously at Owen and Edie, who are at your eye level when you stand that way.

And I continue to be so grateful that Owen and Edie just love you so very much. They are so careful with you (most of the time), and are quick to make sure you don't have things in your mouth that you shouldn't. I have two extra sets of eyes to help me out, which is great, because you are one busy baby!

You are such a delight, sweet sweet girl, and we are all of us just completely in love with you. You like to give us big, wet kisses — sometimes when we ask you for a kiss, and sometimes — the best times — you just look at me for a moment and then lean in and plant one on me all on your own, and then you have the grace to look exceedingly pleased with yourself. I wish I could bottle the feeling I get in those moments. It's pure euphoria.

Love, Mama

Monthly Newsletter — Month 9

2010-09-13T16:29:00.001-07:00

hi, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

You turned 9 months old last Friday, but my monthly update was delayed because your daddy and I were out of town for the weekend, celebrating our 15th anniversary a month late.

But you... YOU. You are... in a word... splendid. You are so sweet and adorable it really is all I can do to not just take a big bite out of your delicious cheeks.

Your newest tricks are as follows:

1) You can now officially crawl. You began on the very day your brother and sister started back to school, almost as if you wanted to make sure that the day was a special milestone for EVERYONE.

2) And with crawling now comes... pulling up. You can't quite make it to your feet — yet — but you can pull up to your knees, and I now have to make sure that there is nothing on the coffee table or any other low surface that you can get to. This also means that more often than not when I come into your room to get you from a nap or first thing in the morning, you are up on your knees, peering over the railing of your crib and crowing happily. Owen and Edie are particularly delighted with this, and they spend lots of time playing with you while you laugh at them from your perch in your crib.

3) You now blow kisses (in addition to giving the big, wet, open-mouthed sloppy REAL ones you've been giving us for a couple of months now). And, as your sister before you (who "blew" kisses from her forehead), you blow kisses in your OWN unique way, preferring to press the back of your hand to your mouth and wipe it to the side.

4) I decided I want to try and teach you baby sign language, which I had started to do with Edie but gave up when it was clear that she was such an early (and clear) talker, I didn't really need to rely on sign language to communicate with her. So the other day I was feeding you in the high chair and decided to try using a very easy one: the sign for "more." Imagine my delight when you picked it up almost immediately, and now when it's feeding time, if I say to you, "Would you like more, Isla?" You press your palms together (your version of the sign is not quite right, but you have definitely got the idea) eagerly with a big grin on your face. Clever girl.

5. You have also become very interested in the telephone, particularly if someone is speaking on the other end whose voice you recognize, whether it's me or daddy or Jacquie. When your daddy and I were out of town this past weekend, we called every evening and morning to talk to all you kids, and Jacquie told us how your face would light up when you'd hear our voices.

Also? Like your brother and your sister before you, you are, at heart, a mama's girl, and you reach for me whenever I am near. When we arrived home to pick up you kids from Jacquie's house this weekend, your face broke into a huge grin when you saw us, and when I scooped you up, you cuddled me close for a moment before pulling back just a bit to really get a good look at me, your eyes traveling from my forehead to my eyes to my mouth and back up, with a sweet smile on your face. Your expression seemed to be saying, "I've missed seeing your face, Mama."

And oh, I missed seeing yours too, baby.

Love, Mama

Eight

2010-09-06T21:26:00.001-07:00

Cool Kids, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Owen,

Today is your eighth birthday... and what a ride it's been. I was recently looking through some old pictures of you as a baby and toddler, for a project I'm working on, and every single one made me smile at your darling little chubby cheeks, your delightful smile, your impish grin.

You were a happy baby and have grown into a happy, thoughtful boy. A boy capable of a little mischief, yes, but a boy who, on the whole, is sensitive and creative and thoughtful and loving and kind and sweet. I'm not saying you don't have your moments — we ALL do — but you... there is some special little spark in you that touches a very central part of me in a very unique way. We are kindred spirits, you and I, and I think you recognize it, too.

We celebrated your birthday with your three best buddies from up the street, and we caught a movie, ate some pizza, and had a round of mini-golf, followed by a late-night DVD while curled up in sleeping bags around the living room floor. Surprisingly, all four of you made it — barely — to the end of the movie, just around midnight, when I turned out the light and the TV and whispered goodnight to you all.

It wasn't much later — perhaps a half hour or so — that you came quietly into my room to tell me that you couldn't sleep. You've had this happen before, where you couldn't fall asleep right away and then you get yourself all worked up over the idea that you might not be ABLE to go to sleep, like EVER, that you get upset. So I walked you into the living room and tucked you back into your sleeping bag next to your three snoozing buddies. Then I laid down next to you and curled around you for a bit, stroking your hair the way I used to do to you when you were small.

And that triggered memories of the way I used to have to do that to you nearly every night, lay there with you until you were all the way asleep, because otherwise you'd cry or come crawling out of bed looking for me. So last night I laid there perhaps longer than I normally would have, remembering those early days with you and thinking about how, each time you have a birthday, I get a little sad at how grown up you have become.

You were the one who made me a mother, my first-born, my angel baby. And you hold a very special place in my heart, reserved just for you.

I love you, little man. Happy 8th birthday.

Love, Mama

Of Bugs and Other Icky Things

2010-09-03T20:48:00.000-07:00

Tonight, when we were outside:

Me: "Edie, don't touch those bushes. They're full of spider webs."

Edie: "Do bugs live in there?"

Me: "Spiders live there, yes."

Edie: "Are spiders bugs?"

Me: (Choosing NOT to delve into the differences between arachnids, which have eight legs and are NOT, technically, bugs. She is just five, after all.) "Yes."

Edie: "What other kinds of bugs are there?"

Me: "Well... spiders. Ants. Bees. Wasps. Aphids. Grasshoppers..."

Edie: "Vampires?"

Me: "Well, vampires are icky, but they're not bugs."

In what shall hereafter be called The Great Hula Hooping Incident

2010-08-29T14:24:00.001-07:00

Stitches, originally uploaded by JenSig.

So yesterday Edie became the first of my children to require a trip to after-hours urgent care and get STITCHES.

She was hula-hooping her way down a neighbor's driveway, and managed to slip and whack her chin on the driveway, resulting in my friend rushing her home to my house across the street, where I was at first unable to tell whether stitches were needed because there was so much blood it was hard to see MUCH.

She was pretty freaked out, I have to say — she is a girl who will get herself completely worked up over the idea of a shot, so of course that was her first question — well, after first asking me in a panic (when I had said we'd need to go to the doctor), "Am I going to DIE?" — and while I had a good feeling that she WOULD need a shot to numb the area, I of course didn't tell her that.

WHen we got to urgent care they were, blessedly, empty, so we were ushered right into a room and got immediate service. Edie was shivering, and when I asked her if she was cold she said no, she was just SO SCARED, Mommy! When she realized that they were, in fact, going to give her a shot — in her BOO BOO, no less! — she was pretty unconsolable, which was heartbreaking for me.

Finally, Terry said, "Edie... if you can be really brave and hold still for the doctor, then maybe we can stop at WalMart afterwards to pick out a new Zhu Zhu Pet." Her eyes lit up immediately, and I could see the wheels in her head turning.

Suddenly she turned slightly coy and said, "Could I get a SET?" Way to try and work that situation, little girl!

And I have to say, she was VERY brave, even when the nurse gripped the top of her head to keep her from turning her head and the doctor began injecting that needle full of lydocaine RIGHT INTO THE GAPING WOUND IN HER CHIN and she was crying and whimpering and screeching all at the same time — suddenly she must have numbed up, because she became very still and said quietly, "Hey! It doesn't hurt anymore!"

And that little 5-year-old girl laid as still as the grave while that very kind man put three stitches into her pretty little chin. Didn't fuss, didn't try to turn her head, didn't talk. I was SO proud of her for being so brave.

So, yes, she did get a trip to WalMart afterwards, for a new RockStar Zhu Zhu, named Roxie, a black and white little cutie with a shock of hot pink hair on the top of her head. .

But no... she did NOT get a set, as she'd hoped for. :-)

Blessings

2010-08-24T22:32:00.001-07:00

The joys of sisterhood, originally uploaded by JenSig.

I think ever since the old incarnation of my blog died I haven't felt much like blogging, though it could just be my usual summertime laziness... seems I always write less here in the summers because we are just so darn busy most of the time.

But I knew it had been a while, and I thought I'd share this delightful picture of my two girls... I think the look on Isla's face says it all. The two girls are completely smitten with each other. Don't get me wrong — Owen is equally thrilled to have a new baby sister — but I think the bond between my girls is going to be exceptionally strong. At least I hope that it will be so.

Summer is as hectic as always, and now soccer season has begun, and the kids start school a week from tomorrow. Owen is going into second grade, and Edie into kindergarten, which is somewhat bittersweet for me. For so long, she was my baby girl, until Isla came along, but part of me still thinks of Edie in her younger incarnation. Just the other day I saw a picture of her from only a year ago, and I was amazed at the transformation I could see in her over just one year. Gone are the last vestiges of baby fat, replaced by this lanky, lean, tan, beautiful confident 5-year-old, ready to enter this brave new world that is kindergarten.

She is more than ready.

But I'm not.

Monthly Newsletter — Month 8

2010-08-10T08:12:00.001-07:00

Blue Eyes, originally uploaded by JenSig.

Dear Isla,

Today you are eight months old, and just as chunky and sweet as ever. This past month you began to take a LITTLE more of an interest in moving around on the floor, so now I have to keep a closer eye on you as you scoot across the floor. Oh, and by the way? You scoot backwards. Haven't figured out how to get it out of reverse, yet. Then you wind up scooting yourself into a corner or wedging your leg under the couch and call loudly for assistance.

Speaking of calling loudly, you definitely have discovered your voice! You screech and yell and chortle and sing at ear-piercing levels, and you are just so happy doing it. And a few words have started to appear: namely. "Dada" and "Mama." At first it was really just coincidence, but now you really say them, and my heart just melts when you look up at me and say, "Mama." In fact, the times when you say it the most are when you are in distress, and it's heartbreakingly sweet when your little chin is all puckered up with unhappiness and you are sobbing, "Mama!"

Of all my three babies (who were all really good at keeping themselves entertained), you are the one who most wants to be held. I can generally leave you on your playmat for a LITTLE while by yourself, while I sit nearby and keep an eye on you, but as soon as you decide you've had enough of being by yourself, you squall for company. And generally that's all it is; as soon as someone comes to sit with you — or even just BY you — you are pretty much all smiles again. Little social girl... you're more like your daddy than you know! What will you do once the two older kids start back to school, and your days become much quieter? Owen and Edie are still two of your favorite people, and you watch them closely, taking in all their antics.

We spent some more time with our new baby cousin, Fletcher, this past month, and you are very intrigued by that little guy. I think you think that he is your very own personal baby, because you reach for him with great interest, and I think you'd probably pinch and squeeze him if left to your own devices.

As for you, you are full of sweet smiles and happy chortles most of the time, for pretty much everyone. Lately you've begun to be slightly shy, and you'll give shy smiles and then turn your face down coyly, looking up from under those dark lashes sweetly. And you also now give kisses — not all the time, but often, if I say "kissy kissy," you'll lean over and smack me with a big wet one — or two or three. And occasionally — the best times, in fact — you lean over and give me a kiss without me even asking.

Those are magic moments for me, sweet girl. I love you so much my heart feels like it will burst.

Love, Mama

Hello, Internet

2010-07-24T08:17:00.001-07:00

Toothy!, originally uploaded by JenSig.

I know, it's been kind of a dry couple of months here on my blog (particularly since the death of the database in my blog's last incarnation, which means the current amount of posts makes it look like I'm a total newbie to this whole blog thing).

Anyway. Me. Us. Where have I been? Seems like summer should be the months I would have LOADS of time to sit and post blog entries every day — no, TWICE a day! Look at all this free time I have! But, sadly, that isn't the case. We are busy busy busy... surf camp and swimming and impending vacation and parents coming to visit (hi, mom and dad!), and, quite frankly, the little bit of quiet time I have wherein I MIGHT choose to sit here posting, I'd rather play with Isla and the kids.

I mean, really. Look at those cheeks and tell me you don't want to bite them. As I post this, she is sitting there on the floor next to me, babbling away, playing with her toys, happy — and cheerful — as can be.

So I gotta go now... I have baby cheeks to nibble on and a pudgy belly to tickle.

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

2010-07-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

So today I overheard Owen telling something this: "So you know, (Insert name of teacher here) isn't coming back to our school next year."

"Why is that, Owen?"

"Because, um... Barack Obama? He's getting rid of all the republicans."

Blink. Blink. I decided to interject: "Uh, well.... that's not exactly true. The state of California doesn't have any money, which unfortunately means that some really great teachers don't have jobs this fall."

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

Monthly Newsletter — Month 7

2010-07-10T16:06:00.001-07:00

Love this girl
Originally uploaded by JenSig

Dear Isla,

Today is your 7-month birthday, and also happened to be the day you got baptized. That blessed event was... well... INTERESTING, to say the least. When Owen and Edie were both baptized, the water was poured gently over the tops of their heads, and the anointing with the oil was just a small sign of the cross made on the backs of their necks and the tops of their heads.

Well... I guess it's true that every officiant will perform the ceremony his own way. Today, the priest gleefully poured three huge scooping handfuls of water down your entire head (into your eyes and mouth, too), which had you sputtering in indignant anger; then the anointing of the oil came, and imagine my surprise when he poured literally a beaker full — about two measuring cups or more — of warm, scented oil all over your entire head. Fortunately none got into your eyes or mouth, but let's just say that you were Less Than Pleased.

In any event, it was a beautiful and special service, followed by a lovely brunch here at our house, with family and loved ones surrounding you.

I keep thinking to myself what a blessing you are to me... you, who arrived at a time in my life when I didn't expect to have any more children; it's like God wanted me to have you.

In other news, you are scooting all over the room, able to do pushups with your arms but still haven't got the hang of getting up onto your knees yet. You make all kinds of great noises, like raspberries and squeals and "ohs" and "ahs." I love listening to you "talk" to yourself.

You met your new baby cousin for the first time last week, and you are very intrigued by him. He's still so small, that I think you must think he's like the baby doll you play with, the one you like to alternately cuddle with and gnaw on. Today at your baptism, you kept trying to reach for him, and once or twice you managed to get ahold of his arm and try and pull him to you. As always, I wonder what's going through your head at times like these.

The other new development with you (and something that's unique to you, as Owen and Edie never really did this) — is that you are becoming more and more "mommy-centric" — if I'm not around and someone else wants to hold you, it's fine, but if you can see me, it's all over; woe to the person who is holding you. This is mostly true when you are feeling a little tired and crabby, and I have to say, a small part of me secretly loves the way your eyes will instantly zero in on me if I'm in the vicinity, and love the way you reach for me... and especially love the way you lean into me, and your body relaxes once you're in my arms, imperiously looking back at whoever had the unfortunate position of having to give you up.

You make me want to hug you close and never let you go, sweet girl.

Love, Mama

Notes to my father

2010-07-08T09:37:00.001-07:00

When I was a little kid, I started leaving my dad secret notes for him to find later. I think I started doing it because he would go away on business trips often, and be gone for days at a time, and I always liked the idea of him finding a special note from me tucked into his briefcase or the pocket of his coat.

The other day my dad sent me an email telling me that he was taking up playing the guitar again, and that he had retrieved his old black guitar case from his attic. When he opened it, he found this note tucked inside:

I think I must have been practicing writing in cursive. I have no memory at all of writing this note, but it gave me a good chuckle when I saw it.

Honest Planet v2.0

2010-07-07T10:49:00.000-07:00

So my old blog kind of, well... died. Not sure what happened, other than the database became corrupted, and rather than try and rebuild it, I have decided to start anew, here on blogger. I am not going to bother with importing old posts for archiving, mainly because it would take me forever and a day to do that. (Sorry.) I am going to try and save them -- at least the ones I wrote for my sweet babies -- on my own, in a text or Word file, just so that I have them for posterity.

So here's to new beginnings and a fresh start.