Adios 2008

Well it's a good thing none of you are around, because Kurt and I are a couple of party poopers this year. He may stay up and further his guitar hero "career mode" but I hope to be soundly asleep by 9:00. I feel quite yucky, and given that Madelyn's internal clock doesn't know that she's supposed to sleep in on New Year's Day, I'm going to try to get as much sleep as I can. Woohoo. Happy New Year :)

I don't have much energy to write much about our last couple of weeks, but we have had loads of fun. Christmas was wonderful with a visit to Santa (there was NO sitting on his lap AT ALL), opening gifts, playing with new toys, and lots of time with our families (Madelyn was a major Papa's/Grampa's girl this Christmas...very cute). Then a couple of days after Christmas, Kurt and I took Madelyn to OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) for the first time. They have a whole floor devoted just to toddlers with a water area, sand pit, nature exploration center, art room, etc. and she loved it. We used some of our Christmas money to buy a membership (thanks, family!) because having a nice long list of rainy-day activities is no joke here in the Pacific Northwest!

Here is a pictoral taste of our holiday season:

Snow!

For those of you living in the midwest or the east coast or the mountains, snow is no big deal. It snows several feet every year and you just deal with it and life goes on (I know--I grew up in Chicago). Your schools are in session, NBC actually airs regularly scheduled daytime television, and going to the grocery store isn't considered an "adventure." For those of us here in "the valley" in the Pacific Northwest, snow is a big deal. We're used to it on the mountain and you gear up when you're heading up to ski or snowboard, but when snow falls on our front yards, we kind of don't know what to do with ourselves. There are only a handful of snowplows in the city of Portland, so even a few inches can (and does) shut down the whole city. Plus our snow is almost always teetering on sleet or freezing rain, so the thin layer of ice below the snow is legitimately dangerous. So, our schools have not been in session for over a week, NBC has aired nothing but coverage of "Arctic Blast 2008" for the last seven days, and you stock your car for a trip to the grocery store "just in case."

But here's the great thing about snow being an anomoly: we never get over how beautiful it is. The whole world just seems quiet and peaceful, and we have watched with genuine amazement and delight as the big fat flakes have fallen and fallen. We have 8-10 inches out there right now, and the forecast doesn't show signs of letting up or warming up anytime soon. Portland may actually have a white Christmas this year, which is just fine with the Olmsted's. We're loving every minute of it :)

Where Have We Been?!

So sorry for the lack of posts these last couple of weeks! We have indeed been quite busy, but all with fun, memorable events. I'll attempt to catch you up:

To begin, I turned 30 on December 12. I wish I could turn 30 every year! My husband--ever the thoughtful, detail-oriented gent that he is--orchestrated an entire weekend of festivities involving a quiet morning at home with Maddie, our first night away from Maddie at a very swanky new hotel downtown Portland, a lovely dinner out, shopping!, and a surprise party at my parents' house when we arrived to pick up Maddie with our families and closest friends. It just kept going and going! I felt like a queen all weekend, and even though I was anxious to leave Madelyn for the first time, it was genuinely relaxing and refreshing to just be a woman and a wife for 24 full hours (and that full night's sleep wasn't too bad either). Many thanks to Kurt for his planning and attentiveness. I'm glad I have a full year to plan for his 30th! I have a lot to measure up to! And many thanks, too, to my parents who, as usual, went above and beyond and cheerfully sacrificed a night's sleep to host Madelyn's first sleepover. I am blessed beyond measure to have all this love in my life.

On December 6, we went to a housewarming party for some friends of ours, Simon and Steph. They recently moved with their three kids from "the city" to Scappoose, Oregon--a tiny little town about 30 miles outside of Portland. Poking fun at themselves for opting for such a rural location, they decided to have a "redneck" party. Not the most PC party we've ever been to, but oh my was it fun. There was a costume contest, and for reasons that will be obvious when you see the photo below, Kurt won.

And then today, evidently because he has developed a penchant for fine fashion, Kurt walked out the door to work looking like this:

adidas organized an "ugly sweater contest" for anyone who wanted to participate. It cost $5 to enter, and the winner got to choose a charity to which to donate all of the proceeds. Once again, Kurt won. I think it was the fact that the little polar bears are wearing pearl necklaces with bells on them that make a sprightly little jingle every time he skips (which he did frequently thoughout the day, I'm told).

Here's a fun photo of Madelyn for good measure. She had just woken up from a 3 1/2 hour nap. 3 1/2 hours! This from the child who voluntarily gave up her morning nap about three weeks ago and hasn't slept longer than two hours since then.

We're getting very excited for Christmas!

Maddie/Daddy Time Goes Cellular

Kim had a work function tonight and I got to stay home with Maddie. We had a great time playing, eating, dancing, etc. The night quickly digressed from one on one time to cell on cell time. Maddie has been racking up minutes on Kim's old, out-of-commission cellphone and I finally caught her in the middle of a solid conversation with yours truly. I think you'll be able to tell who did most of the talking.



Her little babbles make us smile and laugh. She's just such a social being and it's great to see her grow. It's crazy to think that a year ago she wasn't even sitting up on her own.


Now she's running around babbling up a storm. What a sweet girl!

O Holy Night

"O Holy Night" has been my favorite Christmas carol for years. I never tire of the music, and the lyrics never lose their poignancy. This song, arguably more than any other ever written, so perfectly and poetically proclaims the gospel--and I love that it unabashedly makes its way into every home, regardless of faith system, for one month every year. Every word was so carefully chosen to aptly describe the depravity and weariness of the world before Christ entered it and the hope, joy, and worth after his birth. The third verse is my favorite. The social worker in me so powerfully resonates with the promise that "in His name, all oppression shall cease." I long for that day, when love and peace infuse every living cell on this earth. Listen to Josh sing it as he so beautifully does, and may the message bring meaning to your Christmas season as it does to mine each year.

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of our dear Saviour's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

'Til He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O, hear the angels' voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born;

O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,

Here come the wise men from Orient land.

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger;

In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger,

Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Behold your King, Behold your King.

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother;

And in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,

Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise His Name forever,

His power and glory evermore proclaim.

His power and glory evermore proclaim.

Welcome Winter

A few recent photos for you:

We're getting ready to welcome Christmas at our house, and someone is very excited about all of the sparkly things that are appearing!

We have a park right behind our house, and now that Madelyn has mastered walking, she loves to go for walks with Mommy and Daddy (and Nana!) to blow kisses to the doggies at the dog park and climb on the play structure. Just this weekend, she learned how to turn around on her tummy and go down the big spiral slide all by herself.

Hiss!

Hissing, snorting, meowing, and some diggin' for gold, if you know what I mean...

A Christmas Thought... prepare the soapbox

Hey there~

I know that I don't share the same beliefs with you all, but I think this can SO go beyond a belief system. Given the state of our economy, what if we gave differently this holiday season?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU

Instead of worrying about how big the gift is or how much we spent, we could give relational gifts. Time to talk, eat, sled, climb a tree, hike, and play. Maybe bake something or create your unique gift. Offer to clean someone's house or babysit for a night or two.

The kicker? Use the money you were going to spend (or some of it at least) to help others in dire need. Could we make a difference?

FACT_
Americans alone spent $450 billion on Christmas in 2007. It would cost $10 billion (2.2%) to get clean drinking water to everyone in the world. We absolutely CAN make a difference.

Ok, I'll get off my soap box. Please check out www.adventconspiracy.org when you get a chance. Great information, videos, etc.

Thanks for listening/reading!

Feeling Her Oats

We've entered the land of tantrums. There was no warning or gradual build up; they just started out of the blue one day, and we now average about three per day. They don't happen every time she's told "no," and in fact, they seem to be most prevalent when she's tired or hungry--pretty normal toddler behavior (pretty normal adult behavior, too, I think). Here's the thing about tantrums: I was prepared to be patient but firm in sticking to the limits and following through with consequences. I was prepared to occasionally feel overwhelmed and at the end of my rope. I was NOT prepared to find them so hilarious that I nearly bruise my lips pursing them so tightly to keep from laughing out loud (I'm pretty sure that laughing at a tantrum is not a recommended way to establish credibility and authority as a parent). I can't help it. What's so hysterical to me is that, because of her still-developing gross motor skills, they sort of happen in slow motion. Madelyn decides to tantrum; they don't just happen to her in a fit of rage. She hears "no" at which point she dramatically stops what she is doing and bends over to put her hands on the floor. Once her hands are on the floor she gets on her knees and then stretches out until her tummy is flat on the ground and her arms and legs are stretched out as far as they will go. She then begins scooting backward, but occasionally her foot will get caught up on the floor or she'll run into a wall and she'll have to readjust or turn around to get back on track. Sometimes she grunts, but most of the time it is simply a silent, if not emphatic, protest. After I regain at least a workable amount of my composure, I plainly ask her if she's done at which point she typically stares at me for a moment, then stands up and sprightly walks away to begin a new activity. Man, she showed me!!

A Day with Maddie

Madelyn is nearly 14 months old now, and Kurt and I are just amazed at all of the new information her little brain is soaking up--and all of the little nuances of her personality that are emerging! It seems that she learns something new every day, and while it often seems that one day just kind of drifts into another, they are far from boring! Here is a taste:

1. "Chase" is Maddie's game of choice. We have one of those old-school popper push toys (i.e. LOUD), and at least three times a day, she brings it over to me and then smiles and runs away expecting me to chase her with it all over the house. Those of you with children know that there is a very fine line between "scared" and "exhilarated," and this tenuous place is Madelyn's favorite place to be lately!

2. Madelyn loves animals (this is nothing new). But she is getting really good at animal sounds. She can roar like a lion, meow like a kitty, moo like a cow, "ooo ooo ooo" like a monkey, snort like a pig, and most recently, hiss like a snake. If she is asked about an animal sound that she doesn't know, she just scrunches up her nose and blows air out of it. Go figure.

3. I may have permanently messed up my daughter's spiritual life. We have an illustrated Bible story book that we have read before every nap and bedtime for months. She loves this book and always sits perfectly still on our laps in her rocker to listen to the stories. A week or so ago, I decided to bring out some new picture books--non-cardboard ones that we don't let her handle on her own. Now, if we even show her the Bible story book, she signs "all done" and commences squirming until we bring out one of the other picture books. Her favorite? Where the Wild Things Are...a story about a naughtly little boy who gets sent to bed without dinner and sails off to a land with wild monsters whom he bosses around. Great, Mommy. Good one.

4. Madelyn LOVES to dance. If she hears even a measure or two of a song, she starts to dance, and her dance repretoire is growing fast. Check it out:


5. Kurt and I are realizing that we are raising a v-e-r-y sensitive and dramatic child (I know...you all are SHOCKED that my gene pool would produce a sensitive and dramatic child...). If we even look at her sideways or, God forbid, tell her to stay away from the hot oven, she literally collapses in tears and heaving sobs. It's the saddest little sight (and also a bit funny, if we're being honest).

6. Madelyn is a very affectionate little girl. She blows kisses to her parents, her family, her friends, perfect strangers, doggies in the park, leaves on the ground, lampposts, etc. When we go to story time at the library on Thursdays and Fridays, she kisses at least three other kiddos before I can even get her coat off :)

Hallowee-One!

Look at this small bookworm that made its way into our house this Halloween! (In case anyone is wondering, the book is But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton. A truly riveting tale with drama, suspense, and an ending ripe for a sequel. Check it out!)

MAJOR Developmental Milestone!

So I'm always a bit hesitant to brag about my kid, humility being a Biblical virtue and all. But then again, this is my blog and you're checking it voluntarily :) Madelyn achieved a MAJOR developmental milestone last night, and Kurt and I couldn't be more proud. While we were all sitting around the dinner table last night, she figured out how to...drum roll...make fart sounds with her yogurt-covered hands. I know! First smile, first laugh, first steps, feeding herself, "dada," "mama"...forget it. Those pale in comparison. The best part about the whole event was that, without Kurt or me even responding, she knew it was hilarious! Further proof that some things are just intrinsically, universally funny. There's probably some little 13-month-old Kenyan baby half-way around the world giggling at exactly this moment at the toot sounds he's learned to make with his stew-covered hands :)

We meet William Isaac!

Well, we just got back late Monday night from visiting our friends, Nick and Beth Dekker, in Columbus, Ohio to meet their new son, Will. Nick and Beth are our long-time friends with whom we vacation regularly, and it was an absolute thrill to meet Will and welcome him to our long-distance family. He is just darling...smiley and chatty and curious with the softest little peach-fuzzy head :) Nick and Beth look amazing, even after only 3 1/2 months, and they are wonderful parents. It was quite a sight for the four of us to sit in their living room and watch our children interacting with each other!

Ohio was in all of its autumnal glory the whole time we were there...65 degrees, sunny, and leafy...and we took full advantage. We went to the Circleville Pumpkin Festival, went apple picking, and took a walk through a near-by ravine (check out the "Breakfast with Nick" link to the right for great details and photos of the pumpkin show!). Autumn is also a fabulous season for delicious food--and Nick and Beth have a gift for appreciating a savory meal!--so we ate some seriously yummy meals while we were there. All in all, a fabulous trip...worth the 10 hours of air time with a SERIOUSLY active 13-month-old. Let's just say we're relieved that it's the Dekker's turn to come see us :)

Teaser Photo

We just got back from visiting our great friends, the Dekkers, in Ohio and meeting their new little guy, Will. We had a blast, and I can't wait to tell you about it, but I don't have time until tomorrow night or the next morning. So I'll leave you with a little teaser photo until then. Check back soon!

October Fun

I realize that the last two posts have not only not been about Madelyn, but neither of them featured any photos of said Bugtuss. Hopefully this post will more than make up for that, lest I lose my faithful readers :)


We welcomed autumn with a trip to the pumpkin patch with our friends the Smoot's. After a rather traumatic visit to Sauvie Island last year (involving at least 90% of Portland's population, one road on and off the island, and a 4-week-old screaming baby in her carseat...), we opted for tiny Lee Farms in Tualatin, OR. So much better. We saw animals; we romped amongst pumpkins; we bought apple butter and fudge. And we shared the experience with great friends.

This birthday crown was given to us by our CA friends, the Coulters. Of course, she refused to keep it on for longer than 3 seconds when it was her actual birthday. But now that she's had time to reconsider, she's grown quite fond of it. What's great, though, is that as soon as someone puts it on her head, she walks over to her pink chair and climbs up in it and just sits like a princess on her throne. Every time! So funny...

We do bath time immediately following dinner. Perhaps you can deduce why.


Madelyn loves to play, and she learns new ways to have fun with her toys every week. She has figured out how to climb aboard her giraffe and go for a ride, and she usually claps for herself or waves bye-bye to Mommy each time she does it.

And who is this big girl?!! Maddie loved the "Heisinger Hold" when she was tiny, and evidently, it still brings her comfort :)

I've been tagged!

My friend, Took, just blog-tagged me. No phone call, no email...just a little "tag, you're it Kim" at the bottom of her last post. She knows I stalk her blog at least three times a day :)

The rules as I understand them are as follows: I have to write 7 little known facts about myself and then tag 7 other people at the end of this blog. So. Here we go...

1. My sister and I used to play make-believe kidnapping with our American Girls dolls, Kirsten and Molly. We weren't the kidnappers, thank God, but we would always enact this same scenario in which someone kidnapped our babies and we would become distraught and frantic and have to go find them. Honestly...our mom probably should've had us in therapy.

2. This might not be too "little known," but I've never been drunk. Not even close; not even once. Why would I voluntarily do something that is guaranteed to make me puke?

3. One month after Kurt and I started dating, I almost broke up with him. It had nothing to do with him; I just got a little freaked out. But he picked me up from the airport after I had been gone for three or four days and he had this sweet little bouquet of daisies with one red rose bud in the middle and his smiling blue eyes and I just couldn't do it. One of the best decisions I've ever made :)

4. There is a very large part of me that feels like I might have been born on the wrong continent. I had dreamed of going to Africa since I was a little girl, and when I finally got there, the food tasted weird and the transportation was frustrating and I desperately missed my family and friends, but my soul felt at home in a way that I am inadequate to describe. I've dreamt of returning every day since.

5. Orange is my favorite color, even though I'm sort of in denial about it. In my head, I'm just not nearly happy and feisty enough for orange, but when I take notice of the colors with which I choose to surround myself, orange is always there. But it's a burnt orange. A spicy orange. Cardamom, if you will, so there's enough angst to balance the happy and feisty :)

6. If I could afford to wear different pairs of cowboy boots everyday, I would. I have a pink and brown pair that I got in Colorado, and they are my favorite pair of shoes.

7. I'm more content now than I've ever been.

I tag Beth, Molly, Nicole, Jen, Anna, Joe (even though he won't like it!), and Kari!!

Let 'Em Wonder

This morning, I accompanied one of my foster kiddos and his foster dad to his pediatric endocrinology appointment up at OHSU (the clinic was conveniently located right down the hall from my sister's clinic, so I got to have lunch with Dr. Bickley after the appointment! Fun!) This kiddo has been diagnosed with Adrenoleukodystrophy, an extremely tragic, terminal, degenerative brain disorder. He's 13 and will be fortunate to see his 15th birthday. I needed/wanted to be at this appointment because I am this kiddo's legal guardian, and his foster dad needed/wanted to be there because he has all of the information about the kiddo's daily functioning. The appointment was at 10:15 and we met there at about 10, so we had a good 15 minutes to sit in the sizeable, bustling waiting room...with all eyes curiously peeking and all brains furiously analyzing our perplexing trio.

For good reason.

I neglected to mention that "foster parent" is about the last profession you would guess when looking at this man (second only to "Catholic priest" perhaps). I am ashamed to admit that I would probably cross the street and walk on the other side if I saw this guy coming toward me. To start, he is covered with tattoos. Covered, people. And I don't mean Kurt's and my gentle little dove and "trust" and "honor" tattoos. Skulls. Dragons. Busty women in what could only be toddler sized clothing. He has several piercings on both ears with big, chunky, spiky earrings. I've never seen him in anything other than his baggy jeans and his black hoodie with skulls and flames on the back along with, of course, a big silver chain slung from one belt loop down to his knee and into his front pocket. A black backward baseball cap with a silver stud through the bill tops off his ensemble.

Then there's me. Trim brown corduroy pants, trendy white blousy shirt, denim jacket, chunky brown heels, funky beaded necklace, diamond stud earrings (thanks to my darling husband!), and a sleek brown leather tote bag. Poster woman for casual, urban, middle-class American 30-something. True, I do have a tattoo. A) it's not visitble when I'm clothed; B) it's a dove. If you can think of something more demure and non-offensive than a dove to tattoo on your body, I'd like to hear it.

And my foster kiddo? Hispanic.

Let 'em wonder :)

(I should note that, in case you are making assumptions about what kind of foster parent this man is, he's one of the best I've ever worked with. He has five foster children, four of whom are non-verbal and confined to wheelchairs and one of whom loses more and more of his daily functioning every week and will most likely die in his care. He attends school meetings and doctors appointments and is a strong, articulate advocate for his kiddos. He works on hot rods and faithfully takes his kids out cruising, regardless of the hassle of getting them in and out of the car. And he's been doing this as his sole means of earning a living since his mid-twenties. I love it when stereotypes are absolutely obliterated!)

Maddiecakes' Cupcake Party

Ok, as promised, here are the photos from Madelyn's first birthday party. Many thanks to Nana, Grandma, and Great-Auntie Cheryl for their photos--evidently Kurt and I were occupied with other things and didn't get many photos at all. Bottom line, we couldn't have scripted a better first birthday party for our little girl. The weather was beautiful, our family and friends were wonderful, the cupcakes turned out pretty darn tasty, and Madelyn happily toddled and smiled her social little self from guest to guest (except, of course, when she was devouring/inhaling her strawberry and chocolate cupcake!).