Yowza, The Time Flies

(Photos are temporarily not uploading.  A true tragedy, but I want to get this text posted now and I'll add photos as soon as I can.)

Hmm, well even though November didn't happen at all on this blog (and December is nearly over), it most certainly happened in our home.  I know I've said it before, but I'm finding it increasingly difficult to find time to write in this space.  I very much want to continue writing here as I know I will forget all of these fun stories and I want my kids to know what life was like for them in our family when they were too little to remember.  I am so enjoying our little family.  What a gift to be able to share the same roof with my three favorite people in the whole world.  I am frequently reminded that this is not everyone's experience, and the blessing is never lost on me.

So.  Here are a few Olmsted family highlights from the last several weeks in no particular order:

1.  Halloween was a blast.  It didn't rain!  That, alone, was epic.  Madelyn wanted to be Cinderella, and she was so thankful it was warm enough and dry enough to trick-or-treat in just her dress and her fancy shoes (no boots or coat needed).  You could tell she felt so pretty, and she was super into trick-or-treating.  Last minute, we decided to dress Henry as The Fonz.  He already had the motorcycle jacket and a little riding motorcycle, and given his obsession, it seemed the obvious choice.  We slicked his hair back, and oh my goodness, he was so stinkin' cute.  He rode his motorcycle the whole time we trick-or-treated and you could tell he just felt bad.  So hilarious.

2.  Henry's language has absolutely sky-rocketed in the last several weeks.  All of a sudden around 22 months he started pointing to things and correctly naming them..."bapple" "puppy" "Doodie (aka "Maddie")." Then, about three or so weeks ago, he started putting two and three words together.  He'll say "that mean, Mama?" over and over again as we're driving somewhere and he's observing new things out his window.  "Milk, peas, Mama!" (He's generally quite polite and tags a "peas!" on to most requests, thank God.)  Or "No, Maddie!  Mine!  Wenwy (aka "Henry")!"  Let's just say, he can get his point across pretty well these days.  And if you're wrong, he's not at all shy about saying "no" and repeating (and repeating and repeating) until you get it right.  He has dozens of words at this point, but here are a few of my favorites:

• "loolee" = kitty
• "bbbbbb" = motorcycle (heard at least fifty times each day)
• "neenut" = Santa OR donut...context is key here, people
• "mimas yites" = Christmas lights
• "miam" = Liam, one of his buddies from daycare
• [wookie sound] = water.  Kurt couldn't be more proud.  Kid can't say "water" but he can make a wookie sound.
• "nuggle" = snuggle
• "bike" = bike.  Umm, an object this important necessitates exact pronunciation.
• "woowoo" = fire trunk
• "meemeemeen" = airplane
• "neeneeneen" = train
• "meemeemince" = ambulance (are you sensing a transportation theme yet?)
• "bobobo" = polar bear OR bulldozer, again, context!

3.  I am so enjoying watching Madelyn's and Henry's relationship develop.  We are trying really hard to teach these two that when something good happens to one of us, it's a celebration for all of us.  I so want them to have each other's backs and cheerlead for each other throughout their lives.  They're the only sibling they're going to get after all.  Without exception, when something good happens to Henry, the first person he wants to tell is his sister.  When he gets an owie, he needs a kiss from Mama, but he quickly zooms to Sister to get a kiss from her as well.  If I give him a little treat, he won't take one without taking one for Maddie, too.  And on Mondays when Sister is at school, he truly is a bit lost without her.  He wakes up from his nap on those days asking to go pick her up right away.  Melt.My.Heart.  And Madelyn, for her part, is such an encouraging, nurturing, protective Big Sister.  He'll say a new word correctly and she'll come running to me to excitedly report his feat and then return to him to give him a high five and say "good job, Buddy!"  She has said repeatedly that she loves sharing a room with her brother because she is lonely without him.  One time, Kurt caught her "reading" on the couch to Henry from one of his motorcycle magazines.  Solidify heart and then Melt.It.All.Over.Again.

4.  Madelyn learned all about the word "fuck."  Bear with me here before you totally judge me.  I won't go into all the details, but the bottom line is that Mumford and Sons is a fantastic band with an occasionally naughty mouth.  And I am a usually observant mother who occasionally gets distracted at inopportune moments.  Sigh.  So she heard it, we talked about it (without going into a literal definition thank God), I gave her a chance to say it and get it out of her system, and then I told her that if I ever heard that word out of her mouth or heard of her saying that word anywhere, I would wash her mouth out with soap.  She hasn't said a word more about it, and we now have a clean version of Little Lion Man.

5.  If any of you try to get in touch with us in the next few weeks and months and find it difficult, it's because Kurt has become a sudden and unexpected rap star.  He and his Nike colleagues wrote, filmed, and produced a rap video for their most recent quarterly meeting that was very well received and, well, we're pretty sure a record deal is in the near future.  Rest assured, we will not forget that we knew all of you before we hit it big.  If you want an autographed head shot, we are more than happy to oblige.  

6.  (For those of you who are too kind to detect the dripping sarcasm in the above paragraph, all of that was a load of hogwash.  Well, not all of it.  Kurt and his colleagues really did write, film, and produce a rap video in the spirit of SNL's "Lazy Sunday" Digital Short.  It's awesome.  I find myself legitimately singing it in my head frequently.  We can't share it, unfortunately, but suffice to say, it provided a lot of laughs in our home and around Nike.  Andy Samburg would be proud.)

7.  My nonprofit organization, The Family Room, has hit its first major, major bumps in the road.  It's discouraging for sure, but I also feel a bit rudderless at the moment.  I feel called to take this organization in a slightly (but critically) different direction, and I need some serious guidance.  Please pray that the right people to provide this guidance will come to the forefront of my brain as I'm not even quite sure where to start.  I'll write more about this in a later post.

We are thoroughly enjoying this Advent season and pray that each of you are too!

Sample Sale!

Time for another Stella & Dot sample sale!  Making room for lovely new pieces from the fall and holiday collections...jewels, scarves, wallets, and iphone covers (for which I will actually have an iphone by the time it arrives...finally!)  Email me (kimberlee.olmsted@gmail.com) or call me (503-806-9382) if you are interested in anything!  All prices are 50% off.  Of course, as always, if anyone is interested in a holiday trunk show, let me know.  Such a fun time of year for Stella & Dot!

Contessa Jade necklace ($59) on left and Copa necklace ($64) on right

Close up of Contessa Jade

Close up of Copa

Birds of Paradise necklace ($89).  SO gorgeous in person!

Libby Layering necklace in gold ($34.50) on left, Hematite Link Chain necklace ($39.50) on left, and Cameron Pendant necklace ($39.50) on right

Close up of Libby Layering and Hematite Link Chain

Close up of Cameron Pendant

Bahari necklace ($49).  I had two of these and am keeping one forever and ever.  LOVE this necklace.

Vintage Cluster ring ($19.50).

Aurora Cocktail ring ($24.50).

Stackable Gem ring ($27).

Tudor Stud earrings ($19.50).

Estate Chandelier earrings ($24.50).

Petra Fringe earrings ($29.50).

Capri earrings in coral ($24.50). 

Foundation bracelet in pink ($19.50).

La Coco Clutch in Pewter with Purple Plume brooch ($90 for set)

Close up of brooch.

Shattered. Embarked.

Came across this photo from the first day of school this year.  Neglected to post it, but it's too stinkin' cute to not share, even if it is now October.  My goodness, how I love those two faces. 

I love them so much, as a matter of fact, that I have embarked on a somewhat unexpected journey these past several months. Some of you might remember a post I wrote at the beginning of the year entitled Shatter and Embark.  My "New Year's Resolution" of sorts was to start down the path of a professional dream of mine that I've had for quite some time -- 5 years and 1 month, to be exact.  Most of you know that I've worked in the child welfare field my entire professional career -- over 11 years now.  I've always felt deeply passionate about making sure that every child is safe, cherished, and nurtured in her own home.  As a caseworker in the child welfare system, it was my job to help parents do whatever needed to be done to regain custody of their children.  I learned pretty quickly that 1) I had very little power and control in actually getting kids home and 2) the system is built more toward getting kids adopted than getting them home.  I am absolutely pro-adoption.  Adoption will always be a necessity in our society, and I've seen countless children bloom and find their first sense of belonging in their adoptive families.  But being pro-adoption does not exclude being pro-reunification.  5 years and 1 month ago I learned first hand what research has been telling us for years:  that children need their parents and are inextricably bonded to their parents from the moment they enter this world, no matter how terrible at parenting they might be.  I knew that I would adore my children, but I was (and still am) awed at how much they adore me...and need me and are soothed by just my scent or my voice and look to me for security and direction and assurance and validation.  Kurt and I are the center of their universe, and their love and devotion to us is utterly unconditional.  

Every child deserves to have a fair shot to be raised (safely) by the center of their universe.  The thing is, I don't think we give kids a fair shot much of the time.  Certainly, there are acts for which parents should never get a second chance.  But most of the time, the parents involved in the child welfare system experienced horrific trauma, abuse, and neglect in their own childhoods.  They are simply parenting in the same way that was modeled for them.  We need to help their kids by providing them a new model.  Ideally, there would be foster homes for entire families, not just children alone.  But seeing as how even I don't particularly want to sign up for that job, I can hardly expect others to want to either.  The next best thing, then, is to create a "home" for parents and children in which to practice being a safe, nurturing parent with all kinds of support, guidance, and encouragement wrapped around them.

Hence The Family Room.

I won't go into the details of how The Family Room came to be or where we've been thus far.  For those interested in some of those details, you are welcome to check out our website at www.familyroomoregon.org.  Currently, we are fundraising.  I hate it.  Was that too honest?  Well, I don't have the energy these days for anything but raw honesty, so there you have it.  I want to do this work; I never wanted to start a business.  I do not have a business brain nor am I interested in anything having to do with running a business.  But I know this model of intervention works, and there isn't anything like it in Portland.  And I look at my own two darlings' faces every day and see a thousand other small faces that are just as deserving as they are.  So.  The only two options were 1) adopt them all myself or 2) teach their parents to be the kind of parents they deserve.  I went with the latter (and probably saved my marriage at the same time).  

I am exhausted.  But I'm also thrilled and honored and humbled and hopeful to finally be on this path.  I suspect we have a long road ahead of us.  There was a $150,000 carrot dangled in front of us about a month ago that we just found out will likely not come our way.  Disappointing for sure.  But my business partner, Kim, and I are determined and passionate -- a powerful combination.  We are putting all of our efforts into getting in front of foundations and other "angel" donors until our 501(c)(3) comes through and we can begin applying for grants.  If we can get our doors open within the year, we will feel really good about that.  We're both moms of young kiddos, and abandoning them to start a program to teach people how to parent well would be pretty hypocritical.  So.  Finding "balance" these days is often pretty challenging.  For me, it means working through nearly every naptime and after every bedtime.  But there have been many meetings for which I have had to leave my kiddos, and I won't lie: that is a really difficult, guilt-ridden thing for me to do.  Madelyn asked me one time why I had so many meetings.  Ouch.  So, I told her about The Family Room and that I'm trying to help mommies and daddies be better parents.  I hope my children always know that raising them is my priority and my great joy, but I also hope that one day, they will be proud of the only endeavor that was worthy of their mama choosing to be away from them.

Onward we go...

Party Hearty

Here are a few photos from Madelyn's Doll Tea Birthday Party with a few of her friends on Saturday morning.  This was the first time we did a "friend" birthday party, and we all had a ton of fun.  This is a lovely group of girls, and we are so grateful that Maddie has such fun, sweet, thoughtful friends!

 

 Henry and I brought cupcakes to Madelyn's preschool class on her birthday, per her very specific request ("princess cupcakes with princess rings on top").  "As you wish!"

 At long last, Kit arrived just in time for Madelyn's actual birthday!  About 3 months ago, she decided that she desperately needed an American Girl doll, Kit to be specific.  Given my own history with my precious Kirsten, I supported this plan.  But, like my parents told me, we told her she had to earn half the money herself.  So she has spent this whole summer saving every penny of her allowance and doing extra chores (and a lemonade/cookie stand) to earn the $50 for Kit.  She did it.  We placed the order for Kit two days before her birthday (as far as she knows), and Kit literally showed up on our doorstep first thing on the morning of the 10th.  She has pretty much gone everywhere with Madelyn since then.  Pretty great.

 Celebrating Madelyn's birthday with the Rankertyintzsted's (our group of friends).  We get together every second Sunday of the month and celebrate all birthdays in the month.  Maddie's is the only one in September.  Look at how much she loves these people.  We love them too.

September 10

Our baby girl turned five years old today.  Five!  That's a whole hand worth of fingers.  It's a big deal.  I'm looking at the time right now (10:16 p.m.), and I'm remembering that five years ago this moment, I had known my daughter for less than an hour.  That seems just impossible to me because I feel like there has never been a time when I didn't know her.  When her face didn't dance through my thoughts or her laugh ring in my ears.  I am learning that perhaps the greatest joy of parenting is discovering who your children are, and I feel like we're really getting to know our girl...how she sees the world, what excites her and what terrifies her, how she sees other people, what she values.  This year between four and five years old felt pivotal in that she no longer rides the fence between "baby" and "girl" -- she is most definitely not our baby anymore.  She is sophisticated in so many ways and fiercely independent and feisty and sensitive and compassionate and utterly determined to reach her goals.  And yet...  I rocked her to sleep last night -- for the first time in well over a year -- all curled up in my lap after she fell out of bed and totally busted up her bottom lip (those full lips of hers didn't need to get any fuller, let me tell you).  She was so upset, and even though I completely celebrate her growth and development and delight in seeing her begin to make her own way and choose her own life, I relished those 30 minutes of dependence and intimacy.  I know things often get complicated with mothers and daughters, but I hope Madelyn knows that no matter how old she is or what path she has taken or what other busted lips life gives her, she can always return to her mama's arms. 

Happy Birthday, sweet girl.  It is a privilege and a blessing to have you in our family.  We delight in you, and we love you!

Manzanita

We just returned from a short but sweet trip to the Oregon Coast -- Manzanita, to be specific.  We decided about a week ago that the summer wouldn't be complete without a couple of nights at the coast, and we were able to find a room at a modest but clean (e.g. no bed bugs) motel directly across from the beach right in the heart of the little town.  Perfect.  The weather forecast said "AM clouds/PM sun" with a high of 67 for the three days we were there, but the sun shone brightly and warmly from sunrise to sunset the whole time.  We even went swimming.  Swimming!  Not in the ocean, mind you -- we're not crazy.  The motel has a small heated outdoor pool that looks directly out to the ocean.  Between the pool and the endless running on the beach and the "treasures" found in the sand and the ice-cream cones, my kids were in heaven.  

I realize that for many people, a "beach" isn't a "beach" unless the air is hot, the water is warm, and the primary reason to go is to actually swim in the ocean.  I get it.  I've been to plenty of warm beaches, tropical or otherwise, and I find turquoise water, palm trees, and hot sand just as gorgeous and seductive as anyone.  But they don't restore my soul like the Oregon Coast does.  They don't leave me with a sense of wonder and awe at the utter magnitude of God's creation.  They don't fill my lungs with crisp, salty air and cleanse each cell in my body one breath at a time.  And, particularly poignant, they don't carry a lifetime's worth of family memories that I get to relive every time I visit.  Alas.  I'll forgo the care-free, pleasing, bikini-clad blonde-bombshell of a beach in favor of my moody, mysterious, bespeckled brunette bookworm of a beach anyday.  

Here are some 2012 highlights:

 Ice-cream before dinner?  Sure!

 I love this shot because it shows the grandeur of the Oregon Coast.

 Inspecting a crab's claw.  The beach is full of surprises and treasures.

 At Camp 18 about 30 minutes away from the coast.  I have been eating here for as long as I can remember, and absolutely nothing has changed.  I think I would literally cry if it ever closed down.  

Riding on a surrey in Seaside on our way out of town.  Kurt and I peddled that thing for 45 minutes and earned every bite of our lunch at Camp 18! 

Sunriver 2012

We just returned from our annual trip to Sunriver with our friends.  Man, did we have a great time.  I cannot overemphasize how grateful I feel to be a part of this group of people and this fun tradition.  Each one of these men, women, and children holds a tender and unique spot in my heart.  I start looking forward to next year's trip on the ride home from the current year's trip which is saying a lot considering there are 8 adults and 9 children sharing one roof for five straight days.  Here are the Olmsted's highlights for this year's adventure:

- Our dear friends, the Coulter's, joined us this year.  The Hintz's weren't able to go, which was truly sad for us, and we missed them!  In their absence, we invited the Coulters who moved away nearly 7 years ago.  What a gift to just pick up right where we all left off...the mark of true friends, right?  I hope they join us again and again!!

-  We rode our bikes everywhere everyday.  For those who haven't been to Sunriver, there are over 35 miles of bike paths throughout the resort that, quite literally, take you over the river and through the woods.  One day, we rode out to the marina, past the stables, past the little airport, all along the Deschutes River, and back through the woods and houses into the village.  The loop ended up being around 9 miles, and Madelyn rode her own bike the entire way.  This has definitely been the Summer of Bicycling for our family, and we are having so much fun with it.  Both kiddos love to ride, and it's so exhilarating to feel the wind against your body, knowing that you're moving by the power of your own two feet.  

-  Sunriver just opened a new aquatic center that is unbelievable.  Two huge water slides, one lazy river, one beach-entry baby pool with bubblers and fountains, a sand pit, one shallow pool, one deep pool, a restaurant, and 400 bike racks outside so you can easily ride to and from.  So awesome.  We all went every day, and both of our kiddos just loved being in the water.  Henry had this cool little float-suit that let him feel like he was "swimming," and Madelyn learned how to jump off the side of the pool and get her face in the water, which is a big deal for a Portland girl who only gets to swim about four times a year :)

-  There are deer all over Sunriver.  Given that the Olmsted children have no respect for sleeping in on vacation, Kurt and I took turns waking up early with them and going on a crisp, quiet walk looking for deer. We saw countless mamas with their twin babies, and the kiddos were delighted to see that the babies don't run, they bound like little spotted springs with floppy ears.  So stinkin' cute.  One morning, we even saw a daddy and a teenage boy deer with their antlers and fluffy necks.  

-  My kiddos don't have any cousins (yet?), so for us, being with this group of people is particularly special because these children function just like cousins for my kids.  I loved seeing different combinations of kids curled up on the couch together or chasing each other around the park or playing imaginatively in the bunk room.  Each pair or trio has their own unique way of relating, and I loved how fluidly they could move from one friend or activity to another.  

-  All of the kids go to bed around 7:30, so the adults got some good adult-only time every night for several hours which was super fun.  It felt like one big non-scandalous co-ed sleepover where we laughed and told stories and goofed around...and drank a Coulter concoction that henceforth will be known as the "Loosey Brucey" (Bruce being one of our friends who evidently becomes uncharacteristically verbose with one of these under his belt.  Funny, funny stuff.).

Anyway, I could go on and on, but I'll let these photos fill in the gaps.  Loosey Brucey put it together for us and did a great job :) 

Catching Up

How is it already the end of July and I haven't posted anything yet this month?  Henry, when you read these posts someday and wonder why I told so many more stories and posted so many more pictures when your sister was tiny, just know that all of your stories are tucked safely away in my heart for you to hear one day even if I haven't shared them.  That, and you are one busy kiddo.  Keeping up with you takes every ounce of energy I have most days, and I figure you'd rather have me playing motorcycles with you, reading you Beautiful Oops one more time, and kissing your scraped knees than staring at this computer.  Anyway, here are a few photos of the last several weeks to catch up at least a bit!

 

This is one of Henry's many motorcycle shirts.  He gets so excited to wear them and then rediscovers the motorcycle at several points throughout the day and gets just as excited.

 

Madelyn in her ballerina fancies.  She took lessons for the first time this past spring and loved it.  She's not currently taking lessons, but about once per week she has to get all dressed up (including fancy make-up) and dance around in our living room.  

Henry driving Uncle Jeff's Scout.  He was pretty chuffed about the size of that steering wheel!

I caught Madelyn reading to Henry one morning.  Believe me, there are plenty of times when I catch her tripping him with her feet or him biting her on her arm, so we take our sweet moments as often as we can get them!  (And there are plenty, truth be told.  They are particularly fond of kissing each other goodnight lately and it just about melts me every time.)

Henry "working" in the backyard during a morning of weeding.  He absolutely loves to be outside, and we have made our backyard our favorite room of the house these past several weeks.

First raspberries of the season which means Henry's first raspberries ever.  I canned jam for the first time this year (and am now a total canning addict!), so he can enjoy fresh raspberries all year long!

 Good gracious, I love this boy.

Henry has formed an unbreakable attachment to his blankie "BeeBee" and his polar bear.  Lately, we don't go many places -- including the high chair at mealtime -- without them.  Consequently, polar bear in particular gets a lot of baths.

4 1/2 year old Madelyn wearing 18 month old Henry's clothes.  Our girl just seems to stretch taller and taller these days.  The funny thing is, given her September birthday, she will be one of the oldest children in her Kindergarten class in 2013.  By that time, she'll be so tall people will wonder what this third grader is doing in a Kindergarten classroom.

Madelyn got to go to the American Girls store in Seattle when we were there visiting Auntie Kari, Uncle Brad, Uncle Kris, and Auntie Laura.  This picture pretty much says it all.

We transfer our girl from our bed to her bed every night.  I wish I could sleep this hard!

A recent trip to the zoo with Daddy.  Cheetahs are my absolute favorite, but kind of crazy to think that a one inch piece of glass is the only thing that stands between my baby and those teeth. 

 

Henry likes to experience his food with all five senses.  All 7 foods that he eats, that is.  Our Vitamix is in the mail as we speak because I'm genuinely worried about this boy's nutritional intake.  Trust me, I wish mac 'n cheese fulfilled all of my nutritional requirements too, but the world just doesn't work that way.