Category: Uncategorized (Page 16 of 40)

Enjoy this poetic moment, captured by Jeff on his new iPhone 6.

Hear the entire perfect song Invisible/Visible by Taylor McFerrin, here.

While packing up the car to head out to last month’s Sunday Parkways, we realized the old Skuut balance bike had a compromised tire and a loose screw on the rear axle had damaged the bike significantly and was really beyond easy repair.

The time had arrived to purchase a real big boy pedal bike (with training wheels)! I had been eyeing them at various consignment shops but it was hard to judge what size he needed. Never having enough time to plan for these things, we broke down and headed over to Toys ‘R Us to buy a new bike…

Here’s Dad putting it together outside of the store, with his helper.

D was a bit nervous riding the bike for the first couple of hours, having to learn how to coordinate both steering and braking (and look straight ahead!!). He was very cautious at intersections and driveways, which is something I am really happy about. We headed to Laurelhurst Park and found some quiet and relatively flat paths for him to build his confidence on. Here he is at those first moments of realizing he can control the bike, and starting to relax and enjoy the ride.

Since we thought here would be water activities in this park, he’s wearing his swim gear, which, on a bike, looks oddly like legitimate hi-tech biking wear. Check him out later in the afternoon, looking like a regular Portland bike junkie.

In the 3 weeks since, he is much more confident, but is still choosing his push scooter over the bike in many circumstances.

Check out the nice work from Yuen Lui. Many thanks to Mom for buying us a photo subscription there.

Let me know if you’d like prints!

Oh boy! What excitement! The garden birthday party was a success. I heard Kennedy say at the end, “I want my party to be just like Dashiell’s party.” That was a great compliment coming from the girl who had an elaborate Super Hero-themed party last January (extensive super hero games, costumes, and catered, with a heated tent!)

As I write this D is trying to take a nap. I’m watching him on the video feed. Every time I look his legs are in the air. Suspect this will be his 7th straight day without a nap…

Some of that may be related to the trip we took last Sunday to the fire station. For months we’d been explaining to D that once he turned 4 he could no longer have the pacifier (“it says so, right on the package”). D got the idea that he could turn in his paci to the fire fighters, and they could give it to another child. So last Sunday we did just that, stopping at a station not near us, lest he be constantly reminded. We rang the bell and D handed his paci over on his own. The firefighter promised he would give the paci to another boy who was much younger, (“zero” according to D).

Here are some snaps from last weekend’s birthday party prep–warming up the slip’n slide and trying out the water balloons!

[Show as slideshow]

We gobbled up lots of Sunday Parkway goodness two Sundays back.

D balanced biked about half of the 8 mile course (and rode the rest with me on the Dutch bike in his old baby carrier, his feet sticking out at the end–that thing came off for good after that!).

When we took a lunch break at Alberta Park, we ate Himalayan food from a food cart, and played games at this, our fave Portland Park (aka “Fireman Jesse’s park,” since a much-visited fire station is adjacent).

Here is D at the park, mid-route, trying his hand at the balance course!

I have so many pictures from our wonderful trip to Vermont to celebrate cousin Abigail’s wedding; here are a few of my favorites that capture the essence of that storybook wedding, and our relaxing time in the woods of Vermont. I’ll be uploading all the others to Google Plus and emailing out links.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Check out these gorgeous shots Jeff took today after working with D to build the Logo airplane (and a control tower!). I love seeing the close ups with his little nimble perfect hands.

Here’s a stellar performance of an old song of Grandma Sherry’s. D has heard this song on and off his whole life, but he started singing it with me at bedtime about 6 months ago! I think he agreed to sing it on video today because we watched some folks fishing down at the Columbia River today.

Here are the lyrics, for those of you unfamiliar with the lullaby:

Baby’s fishing for a dream,
Fishing near and far.
His line a silvery moonbeam is,
His bait a shining star.
Sail, Baby sail,
Out upon the sea.
But, don’t you forget to sail
Back again to me
(back again to me)