The Henrie Grunfeld Family

Norah 11 months!

2011-08-15T14:28:00.001-07:00

This is definitely the first month where we've really caught the girls playing together. It had been headed that way for awhile, and then Bam!- there they are, dancing, playing- Liliana reveling in Norah's engagement, and Norah so grateful and excited that she's big enough to join in rather than watch. And at the same time, Lily is so firmly headed from toddler to big girl, playing and comprehending at a level we haven't seen before. It's a very gratifying time to be a parent, and a really exciting time to share with all of you. Enjoy!

Love,

liliana, norah, marita, and ian

Norah 10 months!

2011-08-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

It should be noted that Norah is now 15 months. As such, please excuse the factual and largely less-emotional delivery of this blog post. We're almost through year one, though- and then the blog can go back to being a record kept in real-time, if somewhat sporatic real-time. 10 month Norah walks, giggles, and really, really wants to be a big kid.

She also got to travel to Arizona for some wonderful time charming the socks off of G-Mo, Grandma Neva, Grandpa Dwayne, the Brimhall clan in general, and Nana and Grandpa Tom. Apparently sensing the challenge, Liliana also raised her game, being ridiculously cute (in particular with her teenage cousin Maya), and generally being lovely.

Love,

Norah, Liliana, Marita, and Ian

Norah 9 months!

2011-04-05T13:47:00.001-07:00

Well, my dears. Another month, and another late post. At the rate we're going, Norah will be telling you how her school day was before we get to a year's worth of pictures. So why keep going? Well, you see, just last week we were reading about Liliana at 7 months, and at her nervous, excited parents in the weeks before Lily was born, and those same confident and excited parents just before Norah was born and we realized this is more than a newsletter- it's a memoir, and a record, and a narrative to enrich the picture book that we all have of our own childhoods. So we're going to keep going. But I digress.

At nine months, Norah is realizing that those legs are pretty useful. Pulling herself up on everything, and taking quite naturally to the idea of walking. And eating- don't feed her, just hand her the spoon, otherwise she simply does not want it. Unless one of the big kids has it- then she'll take anything and everything she can get. And fortunately, she is totally beloved- by Logan, who always makes sure to have an extra bok-u-gon (so?) for her. Kaya, who runs to say good morning when she comes down the stairs, and of course Liliana, whose favorite moment of any day is when Mama walks in holding sisteer to wake her up rather than going alone- "Seester- did you cone to wake me up? I will give her my bear. I played with it when I was a baby, so she can play with it now!"

Speaking of Liliana- she continues to amaze. You can see in the pictures the big girl coming out in her. She's got 3 modes right now- jumping, reading, and playing with dolls- big dolls, little dolls, imaginary dolls. She takes role playing to an incredible level- admittedly, most of the stories revolve around one disney princess or another- but the complexity of her story lines and the way she loses herself in her games is truly amazing to watch.

So, as Winter rolls into Spring and we report and reflect, enjoy the pictures- a double dose- our Christmas trip to Hawaii AND the month of January. Hopefully you see what we see- four amazing kids figuring out how to be themselves and love each other in a crazy house. Norah, I think this is your official welcome month from baby to toddler. Big kids- watch out- there's a new sherrif in town ( :

love,
liliana, norah, marita, and ian

Norah 8 months!

2011-04-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

Birthdays! Happy birthday Kaya and Lily. How did 2 and 3 years slip by? How did eight months slip by? The funny things about having kids- your life goes on hold, but you totally don't mind. You're watching their lives pick up steam, and man are they picking up steam. While we wrestle with what to get for Christmas, Liliana wrestles with Logan and Kaya, and Norah wrestles with sleeping and with wanting to be a big kid but not quite being there yet. Fortunately, there are 3 wonderful big kids to help her along- I think she'll get it pretty quick.

What else? A visit from Grandma Alice- always a hit, and Hannukah and Christmas. The kids are always mesmerized by the lighting of the candles, and ecstatic at the prospect of hanging ornaments (and Norah by the prospect of eating the ornaments, of course). Liliana is obsessed with a couple of her holiday books- especially "Light the Lights", which follows a family celebrating Hannukah and Christmas. Everybody's looking forward to Hawaii at the end of the month. Honestly, it was a very quick month, but everybody's healthy and happy. More to report in the New Year.

aloha,
liliana, norah, marita, and ian

Norah 7 Months Remembered . . .

2011-01-28T14:22:00.001-08:00

As your parents fall further and further behind in our posts you just need to know one thing . . . you are going up way too fast!! I am writing this as you are within weeks of being 9 months and I don't want to give anything away, but really girl slow down. Your Mama and Papa are just not ready for you to get so big. Like Liliana. Wow! She is just such a little person. Lily's personality is all her own. Precocious for sure and an imagination to boot. What will you be like Little Norah Noodle? We are just starting to see little bits of you shining through the smiles and cooing. But, wait. In this moment you are frozen in time at 7 months. We will remember how you smiled and smiled. How you loved to sit and play and watch. You were moving a little. Bump on your bottom. Scoot and lunge forward, but no crawling. You could be propped up to standing. You loved to stand. Mostly you loved to clap, clap, clap. Liliana and Logan and Kaya have no idea what's in store for them but for now they just love, love you. And you are strong enough to take their love and even show your love with a smile back at them. We are so lucky to have you in our lives!

Norah 6 Months. . . (though she is 7 Months today!)

2010-12-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

Through 3 children in our house, Uncle Mike has lamented again and again: "Why can't we have a chubby baby?". At 6 months, I can proudly say mission accomplished. At the rate she's going, Norah will have caught up to Kaya by the end of the year, what with her 12 month thighs and bottom, making us rummage through boxes of larger baby clothes sooner than we could have imagined. No teeth, either- although we think they're coming soon.

Anyway, Norah loves food- she is such a willing and happy girl at meal times, especially when the other kids are eating- she just smiles and opens wide, all the time keeping one eye on the mayhem that is our nightly dinner with 3 toddlers around the table. She's also moving- not crawling per se, but scooting on her butt (see video) to grab something close by and she's also begun to lunge for things, laying herself flat out on her belly in attempts to reach, stand, and grab.

Through it all, Norah remains the easiest baby, content in her jumper, or on the floor with toys, or tolerating her big cousins and sister- just totally happy and interested. She can clap her hands and we're pretty sure she's got the "more, more" sign language down pat. Now if we can just get her to sleep through the night, we'll be in business.

And then there's her sister, Liliana, who kicked me out of her room so she could put herself to bed 2 nights ago. Who absolutely refuses to go potty on our schedule- only when she says so, even if it means an occasional accident. But also learning to be so sweet- to look out for Logan, Kaya, and Norah, and even her Mama and Daddy. The story of an almost 3-year old is no longer told in milestones, but in annecdotes- Did you hear- Liliana took Logan potty and read him a book. Or did you see Logan "Neeny- I think you want to go downstairs and play now, riiiiight?"

There's no good way to relate the moments of amazement as these babies turn to children before your eyes- there are no clear signs I can point to, only the tangle of emotions, elations, achievments, and frustrations that accompany a toddler as they navigate life with each other, and with a house full of well-meaning parents who pretend we know the right steps. Anyway enjoy the large batch of pictures. The 2 new slide shows basically cover October- November pics coming soon.

Love,

Norah, Liliana, Marita, and Ian

2010-11-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

Okay- it's not quite crawling or anything, but Norah has learned to scoot. Enjoy ( :

Norah Fall 2010

2010-11-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Norah,

One day, certainly when you're a teenager, and quite possibly sooner you'll look at this blog and say: Wait a second. . . how come there were these posts every month for Lily, but these sporatic ramblings for my infancy? and we'll say. . . . ummmmmmmm. . . .welllll. . . .ummmm. . . Hey! Who wants ice cream?

The truth is that we love you very much, and we have totally appreciated the same simple steps you're taking as you grow. Your first smile. The way you adore the bath, flapping your arms and gurgling with excitement. We are amazed at how patient you are when we dress you, letting us put stuff over your head without crying (most of the time), and being a good sport about all the clothing we make you wear. Mostly, we are in awe of how you handle the love of 3 older children- the headlock hugs, "sharing" your toys, getting hit by errant elbows, knees, blankets, and everything else when playtime turns to crazytime.

And there's sweet Norah, taking it all in stride. Achieving a new level of serenity now that you can sit up on your own and grab the toys you want. Clearly happier when Lily, Logan, and Kaya are in your line of sight. Full of smiles for your Auntie Rach and Uncle Mike. Testing your teeth (which have not broken through yet) on absolutely everything you can get your hands on.

Things move fast for us, so they must move even faster for you, watching as the big kids figure out how to draw pictures instead of scribble, and watching them run around, over, and through anything that stands in their way as Wonder Woman (Lily), Pattern Man (Logan), and Baby Jaguar (Kaya) come to the rescue once again, jumping and giggling in the crib you will soon sleep in (or would have had the big kids not broken the railing). As you can attest, Norah, there is a LOT going on in our house. Amazing, sweet, wild, touching, fun, loving, things are going on all the time. We see you watching.

We are watching you, and your big sister, too. And you guys are growing so fast, we find less and less time to write about it. But we appreciate it more. We see you grow and thrive, and we're grateful. Mostly, we love watching you with each other. The way you light up when Lily says "Hi, Seesterrrr". The way she sings to you in the car if you cry. It's true- your parents have let things slip here on the blog, but only because we're so much happier hanging out with you.

Love,

mama and daddy

Norah 2 months. . .

2010-07-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

Norah sleeps. . . like, well. 8 hours. We keep pinching ourselves in the morning, but so far, it's all true. She doesn't take a binky, and she can't seem to figure out a bottle, but sleep is her specialty- and exercise. She loves to be walked around, and to have us move her arms and legs. She's learning to play on her mat and in her swing, and to recognize her Mama, and just recently her Daddy, when we come into the room. She keeps right on gaining weight (just shy of 13 pounds), and keeps learning the hard way that her sister and cousins love her-- love to wake her up in her swing, lay across her and crush her with hugs and kisses, but definitely, definitely love her. And all the while Liliana just keeps on growing up- she can hold a conversation now- real live conversations that are coherent and have a point. She's also started running- not her little toddler waddle that we've all giggled to watch- I mean a run. She's knows her letters and starting to know what words begin with what. It's all amazing, and it's all happening very quickly. I guess that's what happens when 2 families live at warp speed. We had visits from Auntie Monica and Cousin Mason, Auntie Claire and Auntie Julia, and most recently Auntie Gabby, G-Mo and Pop-Pop this month. The kids just take it in stride, like everything else. We do our best to keep up ( :

love.

liliana, norah, marita, and ian.

Norah 1 Month . . . from Grandma Alice

2010-06-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

Anticipation…that moment after the plane lands and before you see the first family member….

The luggage still hadn’t started its spin on the carousel when I stepped outside the Delta terminal to spot Marita and the kidmobile. I stole a quick look at darling Norah then whisked Logan and Liliana back into the airport to help me find my suitcase while Marita fed the baby in the van. Logan and Liliana were generous with their hugs and their help as they took turns schlepping my oversized suitcase (half filled with books and toys of course!) It was the start of a great week in Seattle.

Updates on all the kids: Logan is the big guy, and sometimes it’s hard to remember he’s only three. That’s true in ways that probably make his life harder—you just expect more of him than he can possibly deliver. But it’s true in really terrific ways, too—he’s so smart and capable, so logical and competent. Great Grandpa Ben sent the kids a set of Magna-Tiles (if you don’t know what they are, trust me, they are in the same league as Lego) and Logan was entranced for the better part of an hour, building and rebuilding and creating incredible structures and designs. He’s also Liliana’s big-brother figure, a tease and tormentor at times as all big brothers are, but when push comes to shove it is Logan who has Lil’s back.

Kaya is the most changed since last I saw her—sturdily walking, steadily talking, a delicate beauty with an unmistakable little iron will. She seems to stay centered through the storms of the older kids and the squalls of young Norah (who she tenderly calls “No-wah.”) ‘Kai-kai’ stands her ground, repeating the same word or request again and again until she makes herself heard and understood. It is already clear: she’s never going to be someone who gives up easily.

And Liliana: what can I say? She’s a bright light who is both impish and compassionate; a chatterbox with plenty to say; a child who can’t walk across a room without exploring its every detail, who is starting to experiment with what makes things funny and practicing her jokes on the adults around her. Watching her consider new information is like being caught in an intellectual high beam; you can almost feel the intensity of her inward focus as she scans for references, and then the comprehension flashes on her face as she “gets” it. She includes Norah without hesitation; whatever is happening in Liliana’s world, baby sister is already counted in. She likes to handle things “by myself!” as she says; and she is adamant about her right to privacy. But she is also generous, kind, and astonishingly empathic. At one point when she and I found ourselves momentarily lost, she looked solemnly into my slightly troubled face and reassured me: “Don’t worry, Grandma, I will take care of you.”

Finally: Norah. Blindsided again by the power of love. From the curl of her sleeping body against the curve of a shoulder, to the amazing strength of her neck and head as she cranes for a better view of the world, she already occupies her own special place in the family, the household, the hearts of everyone, including me of course. Every day brought change and growth; by the time I left the smiles that earlier in the week seemed almost random and possibly accidental, were focused and definite and engaged.

This is the longest I’ve visited, and every day brought new adventures. The night I arrived I had the pleasure of seeing a performance by Ian’s band, “The Good Luck Number” at a little club called the Tiger Lounge. The music was great but the best aspect of the band, I think, is their joyful interaction, and the ease with which they invite the audience to share the good times. Even for an old lady like me it was fun to watch and listen, and I once again took pride in the values expressed in so many of Ian’s songs: justice and community and love. I’m especially proud of Ian for the husband and father and artist he chooses to be, and the responsibilities he carries so gracefully.

I took my first trip to the Seattle zoo! I sorted FuzziBunz! I became reacquainted with the literature of Tinkerbell (maybe a few dozen times.) I had the great pleasure of spending several nights at a beautiful hotel with my wonderful sister “Aunt Janet”, and sharing two of those nights with Liliana and her blankets and dollies and binkys (don’t lose the blue one, thank you. By the way, the hotel is a find—Cedarbrook Lodge, right near the airport but nothing like an airport hotel. Check it out at www.cedarbrooklodge.com. If I sound like a paid ad it’s because our every request was met with generosity and graciousness—and booked through Expedia it was one of the least expensive accommodations in Seattle, full breakfast included.)

I shared hours of conversation with Marita, marveling as always at her warmth and wisdom, the depth of her maternal devotion and her capacity to love. I experienced the kindness of Mike and Rachael as they truly went out of their way to welcome me. I can’t say it’s easy being so far away from the day-to-day lives of so many people who are so dear to me. But I can say that every visit, and this one more than ever, has made me feel part of those lives in a profound way; I feel known and appreciated and loved, and grateful beyond measure. Till next time…Grandma Alice

P.S. You should note that we will be taking monthly pictures of Norah in the same sock monkey and silly reversible outfit we made Liliana wear (we thought we'd better be fair and consistent here--though we did start on the blue side instead so that it wasn't exactly the same. Must avoid sibling rivalry).

Norah 3 weeks already?

2010-05-28T15:18:00.000-07:00

Did she really just smile at me? The skeptics among you will say it was just gas, but I promise- Norah just smiled at me. And Liliana definitely smiled at me. . . just before she pushed her cousin down, and just after she threw a fit for reasons that we could not actually determine. Yes, such is life with a 2 1/2 year old and a 3-week old. I'll back up a bit. Norah is an angel- she eats like a champ, and has gained almost 2 pounds already. She slept 4 1/2 hours straight at the start of last night, and usually stays asleep (outside of 1 or 2 snacks/diaper changes) for around 7 hours. We DO think she's getting ready to smile, although who knows- could be a bit of wishful thinking. Still, we'll take what we can get.

The big kids adore her- Kaya's favorite word these days- Naw-uh, Naw-uh. Logan usually runs up to her at full speed screaming, stops on a dime, and proceeds to give her the sweetest kiss you can imagine. And Lily? She often wakes up yelling "Mama. . . Sister. . .I'm ready to get up! She is constantly trying to make Norah laugh (undeterred by her lack of success thus far), and sings Norah songs when she's crying to cheer her up. We feel very lucky to have 3 children in our house who totally embrace and love our newest addition. Of course, sometimes we have to remind them not to embrace her quite so rough, but c'mon-what did you expect from a pack of toddlers ( :

Marita is great- her body has been healing well, and her energy, per usual, is amazing. I've been back at work for 4 days, and am constantly reminded of how naturally and expertly Marita handles our children, our house, and the challenges of a new-born. Whether seeing her change Kaya's diaper with one hand while feeding Norah, or coming home to find her making dinner, leading play-dough games, and checking her email all at once, her ability to function in chaos, and turn that chaos into an adventure for the kids is a wonder to see.

It won't suprise any of you who know us that things are busy, crazy, and wonderful, and as we wander into summer. . . any minute now. . . Whenever you're ready to stop raining. . . Mother Nature, I'm looking at you, here. . . Little help? . . . Anyway. As we wander into summer, we're ready for more of the same. Pop-Pop is here. Grandma Alice and Aunt Janet arrive next week. Auntie Gabby makes her annual summer visit in early July (with G-Mo in tow). We have our first big trip with both kids in late July for Ben and Pancham's wedding, a visit with Ramona and Lucy, and Janet's big family BBQ. Whew. Makes me tired just thinking about it. Anyway, see you all soon. Thanks for visiting.

Oh, yeah- one more thing. You'll notice from here on out, we're just going to put all the Liliana pictures and the Norah pictures mixed into one post. Enjoy!

love.

norah, liliana, marita, and ian

Happy Mother's Day--Norah's Birth Story

2010-05-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!

So here is Norah Evelyn's birth story:

Thursday May 6, 2010

After spending the morning with Logan, Liliana, Kaya, and Nanny Abbee at the Miller Park Play Gym we put the kids down for nap and I walked to my second acupuncture appointment in Columbia City. Both the acupunturist and his office assistant commented that I was full of energy today. My obvious reply was that because today was a good day to go into labor. ;) Then I went to the our neighborhood toy store and bought Liliana a big sister gift and headed home. By the time the kiddos were up from nap I noticed that I was starting to have more crampy, yet mild contractions. Being weary of getting too excited about whether or not "this was it" I tried to just continue playing with the kids. However, I did think that it was important enough to call Ian and make sure that he was planning on coming home from work on time. He must have sensed something because he asked me if he needed to take a cab. ;) Obviously, there was no need for that. Finally I decided it was worth trying to see how far apart the contractions were coming, see if there was any pattern. When it seemed like the contractions were about 6 minutes apart, I asked Abbee if I could go upstairs to my room and pay a little more close attention to the contractions. Pretty soon Ian and Rachie were home from work so Ian and I were able to take a little walk together. Again, we didn't want to get to excited because although I was getting contractions consistently, they seemed pretty mild.

You will notice a pattern of me not wanting to get too excited and not being sure about whether or not "this was it" because remember I had to wait the full two weeks and forced labor to begin with castor oil. I really had no idea what the beginning of labor could be like. I also didn't want to get to disappointed this was yet another bought of pre-labor contractions. So I tried to just continue on with our day like normal.

Dinner was hilarious. I had one contraction leaning against the kitchen counter while all three kids are in the normal chaos of dinner. One contraction with Ian asking: "Hey, when you are done with that could you go get me my dinner?" Jerk! ;) He is a funny guy. Really I was laughing and giggling all through dinner, all through these early contractions. We put Liliana to sleep and headed up to our room. That's when we realized that we still needed to get a few things ready for the birth. We chatted while we neatened and prepared our room for the possibility of going into real labor in the night. By the time we were going to bed it was near midnight and I was pretty sure I was in labor, but again I was afraid to go to sleep and wake up on Friday without my baby. Luckily Ian kept reminding me that everyone says that you should try and sleep if you can. So we pushed the recliner to the end of the bed and we fell asleep hand in hand with Ian on the bed and me in the recliner. Remember how much I loved the recliner during Liliana's birth.

Friday May 7, 2010

Sometime before 2 a.m. I woke up and started timing contractions again. Yes, I woke up and was still having contractions. With the contractions coming closer to 4 minutes apart we decided to call out midwife Tracy even though the contractions still weren't consistently 60 seconds long. She decided she would pack her thing and head over. We decided to walk around the house until they got here. More hilarious memories of stepping over various toys in the basement while laboring. Time started to fly once our midwives Tracy and Michelle arrived. I was already 7 cm dilated. By the time the sun was rising Ian and I were ready for another walk. This time we walked around the back yard avoiding dog poop. ;) There was also the reality that our kiddos would be up soon and I would still be in labor. It was really nice to see all three kids and know that soon there would be a fourth. It was perfect to see Liliana one last time before she became a big sister. She kissed my belly one last time. Next time she would kiss Baby Sister. I can't even begin to describe the relief I had when I heard Rachie say the was able to find someone to cover her for the day and she would be able to stay home to help.

Ian and I attempted a walk down the street. We made it a block and back. Mike took care of all the kids. Rach joined Ian and our midwives in supporting me. I admit that I got impatient. I wanted to hit transition. I wanted to start pushing. Suddenly I was having back pain. I finally decided to ask to be checked again. Still 9 cm. Baby's head was turned a bit hence the back labor. We had three options: 1) Tracy could hold my cervix opened while I pushed with the next contraction; 2) Tracy could break my water bag; and 3) nothing. I told her throw nothing out the window and because the bag of waters was right up against her head we opted for option #1. And so with the next contraction I pushed, Baby slid down, and I was fully dilated. BTW: My Mama said she opted for option #1 with both my birth and the birth of my younger sister Gabby. Must be a genetic thang--impatience to meet your child. ;)

Finally the pushing. It took me a while to find a comfortable position, but then I remembered my Mama's classic stretching position--standing legs a little apart bent at the waist and wiggling my hips. I giggled thinking of this stretch my Mama ALWAYS does and just how good it felt. After finding this position it was just a few pushes before I had I had sweet Norah in my arms. It was amazing. With Liliana I was on all fours and didn't get to see her for a few moments after she was birthed. With Norah she was immediately in my arms. With Ian's arms wrapped around us. Within just a minute or so we were comfortably snuggled in our bed.

Now without getting into too much detail I just need to pay homage to my midwife Tracy and of course Michelle, too. They were not only amazing support, but they handled the after-birth tasks with a calm professionalism. I got to concentrate on looking at my new little baby girl while they coached me through the passing of the placenta and then took care of my clotting. Now clotting after giving birth is just a cruel thing, but Michelle and Tracy took turns massaging my uterus as I tried to reflexively swat them away. It hurt way more than labor! But, it was necessary for my recovery. Before I knew it the room was clean and I was eating an orange and nursing Norah.

Now the kids could some in to meet Baby Sister/Cousin. WOW! I can hardly describe the love and reverence that our three toddlers showed towards Norah. They just loved her instantly. We all did. I was amazed by how gentle they all were. Liliana was in awe to finally see Baby Sister as a wiggling little baby. She was very insistent about Baby Sister needing her milk. Then Rach and Mike took all the kids on a morning adventure to get Jamba Juice to celebrate. Leaving Ian and I with Tracy and Michelle to do the baby exam. Norah score a 9 on the Apgar test and showed us she had no problems peeing or pooping seeing as she graced Mom with examples of both before we could even get a diaper on. She also instantly knew how to nurse. We don't expect she lost any weight the first week. Then after a quick lunch Ian, Norah, and I snuggled down for the first of many family naps.

We just couldn't have been more fortunate to have the support of Tracy, Michelle, Rachie, and Mike. It was perfect. We had no concerns or worries throughout the whole labor. I want to also say thank you to all the women who wrote me special blessings for the birth. Rachie you are amazing to have made me both the book of blessing and the necklace that represented it all. Thank you dear sister. Ian, I can not find the words to show all my appreciation for your support and love. I truly have an amazing husband who is also an incredible father. Thank you. Thank you for making the birth of Norah Evelyn so perfect. And perfect she is, too. We are lucky beyond words!

FYI: I know this isn't being posted until after Mother's Day, but having a second child is just a whole new game in terms of time. Oh, my.

Day 1: Watching Norah and birth stories

2010-05-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

Our wait is over. At 10:32 AM this morning, Friday May 7th, Norah Evelyn Grunfeld was born. She was 7 lbs. and 19 1/2 inches long. She is happy, healthy, alert, hungry, and absolutely perfect. Mother, Father, Baby, Sister, Auntie, Uncle, Cousin, and Cousin are all doing well and are very happy baby has finally arrived. I'll let Marita tackle the birth story when she's ready- she's napping on the couch with sweet Norah right now- but we wanted to get up some pictures of our first day with the new baby. Enjoy!

Baby Watch: 41 weeks

2010-05-06T09:06:00.001-07:00

Sweet Baby,

So I know you didn't come last night. It was obvious when I woke up this morning and you kicked me from inside! But, I want you to know that Uncle Mike confirmed for us that both your cousins and your sister were born on a Thursday. So listen. Listen closely. Today is Thursday. Next Thursday is a whole week away. That is seven days. Mama, Daddy and Big Sister Liliana really don't want to have to wait a whole other week to meet you. We just want to hold you and kiss your sweet cheeks. We promise to keep you warm. In fact, today is supposed to have real sunshine! Plus, listen. If you wait another week we will be at 42 weeks which means that things get desperate. Do you know what happened when Liliana decided to make us wait until 42 weeks? Mama had to take caster oil. Caster oil is not fun. Mama REALLY doesn't want to take caster oil. Liliana didn't like it either. We don't want to subject either you or your mama to caster oil. So, please, think about it. Just think about rationally. Today is Thursday and Logan, Liliana, and Kaya all agree that Thursday is a good day to be born. We hope you thinks so, too. See you soon!

Love,

Mom, Dad, and Big Sister Liliana (who was born on Thursday BTW)

p.s. Mama has another acupuncture appointment this afternoon, too. Just to help you in your decision.

Baby Watch: 40 weeks 6 days

2010-05-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Okay. Got it. You're the individualistic sort. Figures, since you're a Taurus. You didn't want to share your birthday with Uncle Dan, and you don't want to share with Auntie Rach and Auntie Sue either. We're totally cool with that. You'll be happy to know that neither of your parents can think of anybody we know whose birthday is tomorrow. Now's your chance ( :

Seriously, though- this morning we had a midwife appointment. Tracy says the baby is doing perfectly fine- heart rate is perfect, measuring a good size. Marita's blood pressure is ideal. More importantly, the baby is lower down, and in perfect position. Awesome. Almost (not nearly as good) as good as on her way. But I digress. We'll just keep waiting. . . patiently. . . mostly patiently. See you all tomorrow.

Love,

Marita, Ian, Liliana, and the slightly better positioned yet somehow still very stubborn baby.

Babywatch: 40 weeks, 5 days

2010-05-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Baby,

While your parents truly respect your not wanting to interfere with Uncle Dan's birthday, preserving his moment in the spotlight, we'd like to remind you that May 5th- tomorrow- already is the birthday of both your Auntie Rachael and your Auntie Sue. Since they've been sharing for quite some time, we know they can handle it, and won't mind at all if you want to share too.

Love,

Mom and Dad

Babywatch: 40 weeks, 4 days

2010-05-03T21:42:00.000-07:00

Well- the good news is that band rehearsal was great this evening. The bad news is that rehearsal would have been cancelled had our baby chosen to arrive. Time to step up our game. Massage appointment? Check. Acupuncture appointment? Check. Pineapple? Check. Spicy foods? Check. Amongst the more entertaining suggestions- a good walk around Ikea, and bowling. What else do you guys got? Suggestions welcome in the comments- the more out there, the better- this is for our entertainment too, after all ( : See you tomorrow!

Love,

ian, marita, liliana, and yet another stubborn addition to our lovely family.

P.S. - Happy Birthday Uncle Dan!

Baby Watch: 40 weeks 3 days

2010-05-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry Grandpa Tom. No baby yet. We did, however, have a fabulous visit with Grandpa Tom. Now we have G-Mo Cynthia visiting on her birthday. We even almost got to see Uncle Andy and Auntie Amy! Good luck with the move guys--they are moving to Philly on Wednesday so a drive up from Portland and then back just wasn't in the cards. But, what a fun and relaxing day we have had with walk to the park and dinner out at our fav neighborhood Mexican restaurant. G-Mo looks great in a sombrero, by the way. So we will have to see what the evening brings. G-Mo has an afternoon flight tomorrow to Utah for our cousin Hye Soo's wedding on Thursday. She will get to be with our Brimhall family. Pop-Pop will meet G-Mo in Utah and they will also get to see the whole Henrie clan at cousin Ariel's wedding on Friday. Lucky! But, they will both come back to Seattle on Saturday morning. Maybe they will have a new granddaughter to meet by then! It is all a mystery as to when she will join us outside of the womb. But, we are ready when you are sweetheart. We are ready . . .

Baby Watch: 40 weeks 2 days

2010-05-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

You guessed it . . . no baby yet. We had a great day with Grandpa Tom including a mini hike at Seward Park. G-Mo (Grandmother Cynthia) arrives tonight, as well. There is still a small window of opportunity for baby to arrive before Grandpa Tom's flight back to New York tomorrow. We are hoping to avoid deja vu seeing as Grandpa Tom missed Liliana's birth by one day. Wish us luck for Grandpa Tom! ;) Sweet dreams!

Baby Watch: 40 weeks 1 day

2010-04-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

No baby yet. Despite lots of walking at the zoo today and spicy Thai food left overs there is no action as of yet. Sorry folks. This lady seems comfy right where she is . . . maybe tacos will entice her later tonight! ;)

Baby Watch Begins . . . 40 weeks

2010-04-29T22:05:00.001-07:00

So we are officially 40 weeks, full term, and anxious to meet the newest member of our family. We did have our weekly midwife appointment today and everything looks, feels, and measures perfectly. In fact, truth of the matter is that Marita can't complain too much because she is feeling great--big, yes, but relatively comfortable. She has to admit just how much she enjoys the comments about how great she looks and how much energy she still has as she chases the kiddos at the park. However, since we know that some of you are starting to wonder when and how you will get the news of new baby's arrival, we thought we would re-initiate Baby Watch. Like before we will update daily with our status until baby is born then we will will attempt to revive the blog to give ya'll regular updates about both our little ladies. Oh, and pictures, too. Marita was spoiled for her birthday and now has a DSLR camera to catch those wily bigs kids as they race around the house, park, zoo, beach, and every other open space. Admire the sharpness of example picture above of Liliana, Logan, and Kaya all enjoying a Lion ride from Ian just this afternoon. Marita enjoyed a surprise dinner out with her girlfriends to celebrate not just the arrival of her due date, but women and motherhood in general. Thank you Rachael! BTW, Marita also enjoyed an extra spicy Thai meal just to encourage the little one join us. So wish us luck or sweet dreams . . .

Liliana is NOT a Baby (Winter 2009)

2009-12-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

Liliana is a big girl, a big girl who takes care of babies. She is even more into babies than ever and has developed a very special bond with her Baby Gigi. Baby Gigi goes everywhere with her. And I mean everywhere-- car, store , potty, bed. We even got to see what happens when we leave Baby Gigi at a friend's house after a playdate. Tears. Not a fit. Big sad, sad tears. Mama spent the next morning driving across town to pick Baby Gigi up so that Liliana could be reunited with her after preschool. Yes, our girl who has never slept with anything but her blankies in bed with her now sleeps with Baby Gigi right next to her in her big girl bed. Yup, over Thanksgiving weekend Liliana transitioned into a toddler bed. We just took off the side rail and put up the toddler bed rails. Other than climbing into her bed by herself nothing has seems to have changed. She only crawls back out of bed when we come to get her. Amazing. Don't worry, we are prepared for whatever may happen when she turns two in a couple of weeks! We have actually bought her a real twin size big girl bed for her birthday. Hopefully she will like sleeping in it as much as she has loved her crib/toddler bed. Wish us luck!

Liliana has also started wearing big girl underwear all day

long except for naps and bedtime. She has graduated from the constant reminder to use the potty to asking to go when she needs to. The past week I can't even remember even one "accident." We feel so fortunate for her easy transition away from diapers. She seems to be very comfortable to "go" just about anywhere we happen to be and proved she can hold "it" several times as we searched for a bathroom. We can't quite describe how great it is to sometimes go somewhere without a diaper bag (though truth be told we are more often carrying one for snacks, an extra change of clothes, and nap gear for on the go).

Liliana also never stops talking or singing or questioning. As she often tells us she wants to do everything "by myself!" She often sings medley of several song without talking a breathe. It starts as Mary Had a Little Lamb and suddenly ends with B-I-N-G-O. She is definitely entering that 2-year-old phase. She can keep you reading one story for ten minutes by asking questions about every character on the page--"What's is that? What he doin'?" And since she no longer always just goes right to sleep, we get to giggle about what she says before she falls asleep. Sometimes she is clearly talking to Baby Gigi while other times she is just reminicing about her day. Tonight she started reciting one of her favorite books. When she wakes up the same thing--chatter about anything, or a clear statement: "I am awake." She repeats everything she hears. Sometimes she just repeats herself--over and over and over. We think for emphasis or just to make sure you are listening to her. ;)

Liliana likes to tell Logan "I need my privacy" while on the potty. And although we are already seeing our share of 2-year old fits, we are also hearing her express her needs and feelings in clear ways. It is amazing to hear Liliana and Logan talk out a problem. This past week I watched Liliana talk to Logan about taking Baby Gigi out of the dolly stroller. It was so cute: "I was upset. I was upset. You took Gigi away from the strodder. I don't like that." After which, Logan gave her Baby Gigi and the stroller.

It was pretty awesome. I have to admit that though I am biased, I am impressed everyday with the way that Liliana and Logan learn and play together. For that matter, you can't forget Kaya either. Liliana is constantly looking after Kaya, trying to feed her at dinner, giving her a milk cup, giving her toys and kisses (when she is not taking her food or toys and bulling her over). Truly they all simply adore one another. More than friends, more than cousins, different from siblings. It is a very special bond that they all have, and I hope they always maintain.

So, yeah, we think Liliana is amazing. She's ready to be two. She adores going to preschool and has showed no need to have Mama around at all. She loves her friends and love, loves her Teacher Katie. She pretty much knows her letters and numbers. We love to hear her sing the ABC's, point out specific letters, and count things in Spanish and English. But, mostly we love to hear her laugh and ask for "more, more" when we swing her before bed. We love how sweet she is to Baby Gigi. She talks to her "Sweetie-pie" and takes such good care of her. We love when she puts her face right up to Mama's belly and says "Hola Bebe" just like the big sister in her bedtime book. We love when Liliana kisses Baby Sister goodnight and pulls Mama's shirt back down so Baby can sleep. Liliana is not a baby. She is going to be two in a couple of weeks. Liliana is going to be the best big sister ever. We could not feel more blessed.

Fall 2009

2009-10-21T21:11:00.000-07:00

Business first. As you've probably noticed, we are no longer doing pictures by month- we'll now post periodically when we get a bunch of pictures. For example, 3 grandparent visits in 4 weeks, as you'll see in the slideshow ( : I would expect a Thanksgiving set, too!

In even more important and better business, it gives us great pleasure to let you know Liliana will soon be an older sister- which is good since she is madly in love with babies these days. She still gravitates to the big kids if they're around, but if there's a choice, lately it's "see baby!!!" We're due April 29th. We're not sure if it's a boy or girl yet, but we've already had the chance to hear the heartbeat! We're really excited! Still, that's in the future. Right now, enjoy the pictures of Lily as we go from Summer to Fall here in Seattle. Notice the first pictures of her in big girl underwear rather than diapers- she's not potty-trained, but she's working on it ( :

As usual, visits from G-mo and G-pops, Grandma, Aunt Janet, and Grandpa provided much needed relief for the parents, and lots of joy for the children of the family. Thanks for stopping by- see you all soon!

Love,

Liliana, Marita, and Ian

An Ode to My Sweet Pea Liliana (18 Months!)

2009-06-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

My sweet Liliana, how you crack me up!

You chatter, blather, talky talk.

Loquacious already describes you,

Cheesy, toothy smiles for the camera.

Soon, please, soon you’ll have all your teeth.

Fakey-fake laugh at all but Logan’s jokes

A call to your Uncle, a chat on Skype,

You simply want to sing songs.

You love the sound of your own oo—ooo monkey.

You can’t get enough of your choo-choo trains.

Your love for all cribbies has just been challenged,

You love Logan’s pretty Big Boy Bed.

You climbed right out of the pack-n-play while camping.

Will you start jumping out of your crib?

We know you probably can.

Jumping, jumping, jumping, jumping, jumping,

You can’t get enough of the jumping.

This weekend I saw you jump off the ground,

Showing off your wrestling skills,

Your friends seemed a bit surprised.

You like your friends little social butterfly.

Logan will forever be your favorite.

Did I mention you love the word “own”?

You want your own snack bowl.

Your own milk cup, too.

Your own blankie,

Your own binkie,

Your own choo-choo train.

Your own plate unless it is dinner,

Then all you want is daddy’s.

You love the brown markers,

You always have two.

Colors matter to you,

Even when you can’t always name them.

How many baby dolls must you have?

Mamey, “Oody,” Sweet Pea, Willy,

Not to forget your love for red bear and brown,

Or your favorite Baby Kaya.

I caught you this morning singing,

“Rock-a-bye Baby,” a very silly song.

You needed to change Mamey’s diaper.

Sweet hugs and kisses when babies get hurt,

Such a loving girl.

You made your daddy’s day today.

You cuddled him after lunch,

Sweetly hugging, head on chest.

You shared your cookie, too.

Still sucking that binky and holding your blankie,

You fell asleep in the car.

Sweet, sleepy girl you’ll need your rest,

Sunny day will call us out to play,

Backyard sanctuary—sandbox and climber,

White bench on new-new patio,

Tiny rocks surround the trees

Calling you to dig them with a shovel,

Scatter them in the grass.

You will help me water the garden,

Fill your own watering can.

Growing our very own Sweet Pea.

Our 17 Month Old Chatterbox

2009-05-27T22:08:00.001-07:00

So, yeah, this blog entry comes a little late . . . sorry folks. Anyways, we have certainly been busy hanging with our little chatter box. Dang this girlie talks A LOT! And she know exactly what she wants. In fact, we sometimes like to call her our Little Diva. One of our favorite moments is when she tells us something and we don't quite know what she is talking about and she simply looks at us with her most serious face and says it again--whatever it is that we still have no idea what she is saying. She just looks at us. Seriously? You don't know what I am saying? I'll just say it again. Ususally, eventually we know what she is saying, but sometimes we just have to nod our head and smile. She always makes us smile. It is funny how we can spend our last moments awake everynight smiling and giggling about just how cute Liliana is and how funny she was and how much we love her. Liliana is also showing us how her little brain works and remembers. Like, how recently she will take my cell phone and start calling Anny (Uncle Andy). When I ask her what she is doing she adds: Anny. Skateboard. Which quickly turns into a laundry list of memories from her trip to New York like feeding the birds crackers in the park with Grandma and the dog on the 3rd floor that said woof WOOF really deep and loud. Her motor skills are also developing even more as she practices jumping, skipping, and climbing. Much of this thanks to the amazing weather in Seattle right now which means lots of time outside at the zoo, at the park, and in the backyard. LOTS of time in the newly designed backyard. We have a double bed garden thanks to a visit from Pop-Pop, G-Mo, and Auntie Gabby. We also turned last year's garden bed into a proper sandbox and bought a climbing playgym off Craigslist (you gotta love Craigslist deals). At any rate, Liliana has mastered the climbing much to our fear and to the detriment of her soft, smooth baby skin. Yup, this girl is Marita's daughter. She now sports numerous cuts, scraps, and bruises in various places though mostly concentrated on the legs. She is turning into such a big girl!!! We can hardly believe how quickly time goes by, how busy our days become, and how fulfilling life is with Liliana around.

Our 16 Month Travel Expert

2009-04-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

Last week while visiting New York we decided we would try Liliana on one nap per day. It was a disaster- she basically fell asleep on her feet, and was deleriously exhausted by the time we put her to bed. No problem- 2 naps it is. Only. . . here it is one week later, and wouldn't you know it- we are 5 days into a completely easy and successful transition to 1 nap per day. I know, I know- what's the point? The point is that I can't believe how quickly Liliana learns, changes, and grows.

Anyway, Spring has for the most part arrived here in Seattle, and even graced our visit to NY for awhile, so there are lots of park pictures this month. We even have pictures from both the Seattle and Bronx Zoo. Liliana does love the zoo! There are shots with too many friends and family members to name in NY and Boston. Liliana was amazing on the plane, in the car, and just about everywhere in between. She was totally engaged and dancing this year at Sedar, and developed quite a taste for soup, even simple saltwater & egg soup. She had her first real taste of NY pizza and bagels (not to forget BBQ ribs), and learned to skateboard(thanks to Uncle Andy). She even had her first sleep over at her friend Ramona's house (okay, Mom and Dad stayed over, too). Enjoy the pictures.

Liliana 15 Months!

2009-04-02T14:31:00.001-07:00

Welcome back! Sorry we're a bit late this month. In the couple of weeks we've had a slew of visitors, and we have just a minute to catch our breaths before we head to NY next week. Pictures of all of that will come next month- we haven't had time to process, but it was great to see Grandpa Tom and Grandma Liz, cousins Derek, Jessica, and Evan, and of course Tommy O. This month we get to see the entire Schecter clan and lao tung Ramona. Then we'll have a visit from G-Mo, Pop-Pop, and Auntie Gabby (Andy, are you coming too? Hope so!) for Logan's birthday. Whew!

I guess it's a good thing that Liliana seems to have enough smiles for everybody. This month has been a gratifying one, indeed- Liliana laughs at least twice as much as she ever has before (usually because Logan cracks her up, seriously) and has added the the greatest 3-word phrase in the world to her repitoire: "I-nu", or as we would say it- I love you (hold on while my heart melts and I pull myself back together). . . . . . . . .Okay, I'm back- thanks for waiting.

Lily grows up so much every month. It's amazing to see her skills grow, whether her ability to climb at the park, paint a picture, or communicate what she wants. She has an uncanny knack for waking up at 6:07 AM, and knows that by 7:15, she can start asking to watch Sesame Street and we may let her ("Ehmo, Ehmo, Ehmo"). The swings have become her clear favorite at the park. She is fearless in the bathtub, whether floating on her back or "swimming" on her stomach- having her head under water just doesn't phase this kid. Her favorite foods? Avocado and strawberries. Favorite toy? Her blankets. The point is, it's amazing to watch our little girl develop a personality. It happens so quietly you hardly notice, but all of a sudden ,you can tell people things about her- and not just what she's capable of, but what she prefers, and what makes her happy, and which people she knows as soon as they walk in the door. It's a pretty amazing time. Thanks for stopping in and sharing it with us.

love,

liliana, marita, and ian

More birthday pictures

2009-02-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

We found some extra birthday pictures from January (January 17th to be specific), when we had Liliana's party. Enjoy the additional, and in some cases, better shots. Also, our 14 months postis coming later today!

love,

liliana, marita, and ian

14 Months with Sweet Liliana

2009-02-27T20:03:00.000-08:00

There is simply too much to say in regards to Liliana's growth, development, and emerging personality. So we will just describe her yesterday. She woke up at 6:20 am and cuddles with Mama in the recliner until almost (she still isn't much of a cuddler so Mama is already missing the more dependable morning cuddles that last until 7:15 or even 8:00!!). Liliana wanted to read books. She popped up and declared "book book book." She crawled over to the book basket and no surprise to Mama she pulled out "Faraway Farm" (we have read "Faraway Farm" at least 6-8 times a day since we borrowed it from the library). Then we turned on the lamp and pointed out animals and made lots of animals noises. Luckily for Mama, Dada came in sent Mama back to bed for her weekly morning nap (Mama appreciates a day to go back to sleep until say 8-8:30). Dada and Lily read more books, snacked on cheerios and banana, played with blocks and Potato-head and watched birds and squirrels out the window. She ate a hearty breakfast of eggs with spinach and cheese, Morningstar veggie sausage, and plain yogurt with blueberries. Instead of our regularly scheduled a.m. park venture, Liliana got to talk to her Gram Alice and Great-Grandpa Ben on Skype (Happy Birthday Great-Grandpa Ben!! It should also be noted that we talked to Grandpa Tom and attempted a chat with Great-Nana, the next day). She sang some songs and said "ga-ma" and "ga-pa" a lot. Then a quick nursing session and books with Dad before a nap. Liliana incredibly and quite thankfully falls to sleep rather quickly for her naps. We are pretty darned lucky! Mom and Dad spent the nap period picking out the web-album pictures and preparing Liliana's daiper bag for an afternoon adventure. Then we ate lunch and waited because Liliana slept for nearly 3 hours--this never happens! At-any-rate, we took our well rested sweetheart to the mall (she ate her lunch in the car). We hate to admit it and rarely is it true but we did in fact spend the afternoon at the mall. Liliana helped Mom and Dad buy new running shoes and then played with Dad while Mom attempted to buy some new fun shirts (Mom would rather buy Liliana clothes!). Lily was amazing and patient through-out the whole shopping ordeal. She especially loved 1-2-3 Swing with Mom and and Dad, looking into the windows of EVERY store, and playing with the belts. Then we went back to the car, had some milk, and Lily promtly fell asleep on the way home. Dad dropped Mom off at Babies-R-Us to buy some car window shades (we are looking foward to sunny weather in our future) and a cushiony fireplace guard (yeah, check out the shiner she got hitting her head on the bookcase--we don't want to risk the stone fireplace). Liliana simply slept. Sweet Liliana woke up two blocks from home after nearly another hour of napping! So when we got home and it was still sunny we decided to take her to the park since we missed the park in the morning. She had the most lovely time on the swing and with the digger ("dig-dig") in the sand box. Then we headed out to our neighborhood healthfood coop for a piece of free fruit (pretty awesome that kids get a piece of fruit for free every time you shop there) and a few small items. THEN we went out to dinner at a new pizza restuarant in our neighborhood. While we waited for our table and our extended family--Rach, Mike, Logan, and Kaya--Liliana befriended a 3 1/2 year old and tested out said new firend's tricycle. Then boy did we have an eventful dinner. There were children seated at every table of this small pizzeria. While we waited for our pies the kids walked around and "chatted" with the kids from the other tables. They especially liked the 10 month old butt-walker (baby never learned to crawl because she is so skilled at sliding on her booty). And then, yes, we ate pizza--lots of pizza. By the way, it was during dinner that mama felt Liliana's mouth and found that her fourth bottom front tooth had finally broken through alond with TWO molars. Um, when did that happen? And how has Liliana been so cheery and loverly and not-so-teething-baby? Anyways, we headed home for a quick bad and too bed. Liliana was so tired she didn't even want to read books and was asleep by the time Mama left her room. It was quite a day.

So, yeah. See why I didn't tell you about all her growth, development, and emerging personality?! You would have had to read more of my rambling!! HA! Quick note that Funcle Jacob visited us and we've had lots of adventures to the park, the zoo, the children's museum, and in the front yard full of SNOW (Um it's the end of February). Now Mama and Dada need to go to bed so that we can enjoy another week with our ridiculous, somersault-loving, raisin-munching, big teeth-grinning, crayon-nibbling, pen-tasting, black-eyed little Curious George. We love our life!

Liliana at 13 months . . . .

2009-01-27T10:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everybody. Out with the monkey and overalls, but that doesn't mean we don't have the normal array of pictures from the park, at play with Logan, and of course delicately eaten meals to share with you.

This is our sweet diva Liliana at her birthday party in January where she played with friends, opened presents (and didn't want to share and might have thrown a little fit because she actually wanted to play with the new toys instead of just opening more), sat in blissful awe while we sang Happy Birthday 3 times, almost blew out one candle, and ate a homemade from the box sugary delicous cupcake. It was a wonderful celebrations with all our very generous and supportive communityof parents and friends.

We are also honestly in a constant state of giddy awe watching Liliana grow up day by day. She is just so silly. Her communication is ever expanding to all our delight. It is so satisfying for Lily and her parents to know that we are being understood and listened to, even when we don't reaaaally want to sing "I'm A Little Teapot" again. ;) AND her feet grew, too! Which is good because she needed to fit into her new red big girl walking shoes from Auntie Rach, Uncle Mike, and her cousins Logan and Kaya.

We were paid a lovely visit by Grandma Alice this month, and Auntie Gabby spent some more amazing time with us as well, finishing up her annual Christmas-New Year's visit. We hope you all had joyful and eventful ends to your holiday seasons.

love.

liliana, marita, and ian.

The future of politics. . . Yes she can.

2009-01-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

Liliana's 1st Birthday!!! 12 Months Old??!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-27T21:40:00.000-08:00

December has been a happily looooooong month. First and most importantly, we welcomed Kaya Kealani Caravalho to our household on December 18th! Rachael, Mike, Logan and Kaya are all doing wonderfully, and we're excited to now have photos of 3 beautiful children to share with you all ( :

Now, on to Liliana--This month, it seems like

she reaches new milestones everyday. She walks, she talks (okay, not in complete sentences, but watch the video- this is a girl

who can communicate). My favorite are please, thank you, and when she does the motions for the itsy-bitsy spider. She loves the itsy bitsy spider. She laughs even more now. She has always been a smiley girl, but she really cracks up, especially at Logan--her cousin, best friend and hero. They share everything, usually without complaint, and have recently fallen in love with the game of tackling each other (I'm sure that will come back to haunt us one of these days).

And us? Things get easier and easier, it seems. As we reflect on this amazing year, we have learned so much not just about parenting, but about our daughter. We assume that much of what we know is applicable to all children, but really so much of it is just applicable to her--our sweet Liliana. Logan only eats what he wants to. Lily, on the other hand will eat anything, provided you're sharing it with her. Logan is extraordinarily patient when figuring out a problem. Lily, not so much. I think that's what's made this such a great month- she's telling us so much more, and we can't wait to see what she teaches us next.

This month, we saw more snow in Seattle than in the last 10 years combined. Lily and Logan built their first (and second) snowmen, sledded down the back steps repeatedly, and generally had a blast, as did their parents. Our visitors this month included our cousins Justin, Jessica, and Evan, Carrie Russell, and the whole Henrie clan (Gabby, Russ, Cynthia, and Andy). We feel so grateful to be all together again this year for the holidays, especially when it took G-Mo and Pop Pop so long to get here because of this crazy snow! It's truly wonderful to be surrounded by family in times of change, growth, and joy.

It's a time of year to reflect on the good people in your life, and the good things. We hope your holiday season has been blessed. Ours certainly was.

Love,

Liliana, Ian, and Marita

Liliana Walking . . . Take II . . . Live Action Video

2008-12-17T18:14:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is. After days of trying to capture her walking on several cameras at different resolution we finally got this one uploaded. Enjoy! Can you believe Liliana will be one year old in just a matter of days! What a wonderful year it has been . . .

Liliana Learns to Walk!

2008-12-15T11:51:00.000-08:00

Thankful for 11 Month Old Liliana!

2008-11-30T12:27:00.000-08:00

What better way to celebrate Liliana's 11 months birthday than celebrating Thanksgiving on the same day. We could not be more thankful this year. We have extremely loving and supportive friends and family. Truly we are blessed to share a home and daily life with Rachael, Mike , and Logan--and soon another sweet baby will join our extended family. Liliana could not be more lucky to have such loving surrogate parents in Rach and Mike. And Logan, sweet Logan. The relationship that Liliana and Logan are creating is just precious, something much more than merely cousins. They are truly best friends. Logan takes after Liliana daily showing her new toys and books, as well as sharing yummy snacks. Logan just loves his "Neenee."

In the meantime, Liliana continues her focused mission to walk. Those two cute bottom teeth have four friends moving into the neighborhood. She still eats like a champion even through the pain of teething. Lily is loving the park more and more and more as she becomes more independent. Right now she is loving the slide. You can tell from the pictures that Liliana is loving books. The first thing she does after her moring nursing is sit up and motion to her books. We love watching Liliana find new ways to communicate. She is starting to use more signing for requests like please and more. We absolutely love her animals noises/signs which include rabbit, penguin, elephant, horse, frog, and our favorite gorilla (she uses her palms to hit her chest and says ah-ah-ah . . .so cute!). Liliana is also starting to become a bit of a parrot and regularly says up, apple, hat, dad, and most recently mama. It is simply amazing to simultaneously think about the fact that Liliana is already 11 months old and that Liliana has only been in our lives for 11 months. What was life like before Liliana? Not nearly as wonderful . . .

Once again it was great to have so many wonderful visitors--Grandma Alice, Grandpa Tom, Great-Canuncle Richard and Auntie LeeAnn. It's amazing to think that our next post will mark Liliana's first birthday. Perhaps it's even more amazing that in the same month we will be welcoming the newest member of our family- Baby Caravalho (due late December).

This next month we look forward to seeing Auntie Carrie, Auntie Clare, and the whole Henrie clan--G-Mo Cynthia, G-Pop Russ, Auntie Gaga and Uncle Andy, as they help us welcome our new niece or nephew, and celebrate the greatest year of our lives. We thank you guys for following along, and for the love and good thoughts you send us. Stay happy and safe this holiday season.

Love,

Marita, Ian, and Liliana

Could Liliana really be 10 months old?!!

2008-10-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome back, folks. Lots of pictures this month, but then again it was a very, very big month. Liliana had her first family road trip- she did very well, didn't even ask "Are we there yet?" once. She did however meet (in no particular order) her maternal great-grandparents- yup, all 4 of them, Aunts Sue, Georgia, Lynn & Ka, Uncles Doug, Rich, Chad & AJ, her cousins Zoe, Maya, Holden, Kayden, Jet, Kael. She also got to hang out with G-Mo Cindi, Auntie Gabby, Aunt Janine & Uncle Brook. Whew. . . that’s quite a trip.

Also, Liliana loves camping- hiking, sleeping in tents, getting very dirty- you name it, she loved it- all with a runny nose! Truly, we had an amazing time and it was great to be able to both spend so much wonderful time surrounded by our incredible family, and to also have a rare opportunity to spend so much time just the 3 of us. Utah and Arizona are true wonders to explore.

This month, I feel like we also see some of the best shots of Lily playing- you can really see her developing her play habits, mannerisms, and generally starting the trip from infant to toddler. Having Logan as an example only adds to the speed at which she learns, and the sheer joy that she expresses along the way.

Anyway, it’s past our bedtime, and tomorrow is a working day. Enjoy the photos. Hopefully they provide a glimpse into our pride and amazement as our daughter moves through her day, whether “chatting” with Logan over breakfast, exploring the dirt of our local parks, or (I swear she’s saying this, and it couldn’t possibly be wishful thinking) her calls of “Dad” when I come home from work. See you all next month- don’t be strangers- she grows quick these days.

Love,

Liliana, Marita, and Ian.

Liliana 9 months (and a day . . . or so!)

2008-09-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

So Liliana says forget walking, I just want to dance! And, yes, this girl dances. And dances. And dances some more. She dances to any music. A little ditty from Lightning McQueen makes Liliana shake her little tooshie. The 123 Song and we get a one handed raise the roof. Liliana will clap and clap while watching her song DVD (okay so most of the time she sits and stares like a zombie. TV = SCARY.) Hanging with her monkey and dancing to the rainforest music. Climbing up onto the 1st step to hold onto the safety gate means that Liliana is on stage for the entertainment of all in the room. She doesn't need an audience. Sometimes she doesn't even need music. She just needs the opportunity to let her body wiggle.

Liliana also says forget walking, I just want to climb the stairs. Don't leave the gate open or I'm gone! Catch me if you can!

Oh, goodness Liliana is a happy child whose smile is pure sweetness. Her grin has changed from an open mouth awestruck smile to a wide silly grin showing off her two growing teeth. You can't help smiling with her. It is so funny to think I once thought she wasn't a laugher. The sound of her giggle is just too much. Liliana is not just happy she is a total love-bug. She loves to greet people with a little wave hello and goodbye, but all she wants to do is hug and kiss other babies. We admit that she may be considered a little forward for some kids who aren't used to so much aggressive lovin'. Today she was attacking Logan with kisses while he was getting a diaper change. Logan kept laughing because he had her drool dripping down his face. The more he laughed the more she kissed and giggled. Do you remember how much these kids love each other? It is still so true. The kids have been having so much fun on the morning trip to the park. Liliana loves the swings, but can so easily be convinced that the sandbox with all the trucks is the real place to be. She has gone beyond watching Logan and now loves to dig in the dirt, too. We are all learning not to eat the sand. But, a little dirt doesn't hurt anyone, right? We can't even imagine what kind of relationship Logan and Lily will develop over the years. They will be so much like siblings, hopefully minus the competition since they each have a set of spoiling parents.

We know you see a lot of pictures of Liliana eating, but she does spend a lot of her time, well, eating. She loves to eat. Seriously. A few weeks ago we were in awe of how she could finish her plate and then eat Logan's left overs. Seriously she was eating as much as twice as much as Logan. Logan is at that more picky stage and has been teething. The funniest conclusion to all of the daily eating contests has to be that each child had a check-up with the pediatrician, Dr. Danielson and received stunning results concerning weight. Liliana is below the 25th percentile for weight coming in between 16 and 17 pounds. Logan, on the other hand, was in the 90th percentile. Truth be told Liliana is a little shrimpster shorty and Logan is a giant off the charts for his age. At any rate, Liliana seems to be getting over eating in grand quantities. I guess the "people" food has just begun to lose the magic it once had when she switched from baby food. Now, no surprise, Liliana seems obsessed with drinking water from a sippy cup straw--just like her cousin Logan!

Liliana has been blessed with visitors this month, too. You'll notice pictures of a proud Great-Grandma Nana, Gram Alice, Grandpa Tom, Great-Aunt Janet, (Real) Uncle Dan, Canuncle Aaron (Ian's Canadian cousin), as well as many friends in the slide-show album this month.

The final update is probably more exciting for mom and dad. Liliana now sleeps in her own room. Yes, this big girl is sleeping through the night like a champion and likes to take two long naps a day instead of 30 minute cat naps. It is amazing how much changes when you get sleep and begin each day well-rested. Liliana is happier and so are mom and dad! Wish us luck this month when we take Liliana on a camping road trip where she will meet her maternal great-grandparents, including her namesake Neva, as well as the whole Brimhall Clan and the infamous Tommy O! Who would be able to sleep with all this excitement ahead?!

Our sweet little 8 month old, Liliana!

2008-08-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

I know this shouldn't be a surprise to any of us, but the fact that Liliana is currently working on learning to walk just blows us away. Our daughter. Our tiny, little baby. She is just 8 months old! She is already 8 months old!! It is amazing how she changes daily. They tell you babies do that, but still it is incredible to witness it. I know that we have been waiting for Liliana to be a laugher and, now, she laughs. Mostly Logan cracks her up when he plays with her by the jumper. Oh, how she loves that jumper. Oh, how she loves Logan. No, really she adores him. She used to just watch and watch him. Now she chases him, takes his toys, and actually tackles him as she tries to use him to stand up. It is hilarious to be telling Liliana to share with Logan. Logan, by the way, is simply the most loving and patient cousin. He adores her, too. He tries to pick her up and brings her toys. Yes, he brings her toys. Rarely does he take toys from her, though she takes from him. He does have a bit of personal ownership over his car-Lightning McQeen. But, truly Lily would rather push him in the car than ride it herself. At any rate, Lily and Logan are the best of friends. Such good friends that they have decided to teethe together. Logan is getting his molars and Lily is getting her first front teeth. The front left tooth on the bottom has already cut through. We can't wait for her toothy grins. We have already witnessed the sharpness of that tooth in a piece of string cheese. She is quite pleased with herself. The teeth will certainly help her with her new found love of "real" food as apposed to baby food. She loved eating out at the neighborhood Caribean resteraunt and chicken enchiladas. We think it is mostly beacause of the black beans. She is a true Henrie now. Truly she loves to feed herself, sometimes with two spoons and definately with both hands. Yup, she's growing up fast. Too fast for her parents, I might add. But, as always, we adore her even when she is up teething at 3 a.m. We adore her always.

Liliana is 7 Months old already?

2008-07-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

Next time you're half-awake at 5:45 am, and you roll over sleepily, half-squinting in the sunshine coming in your window, imagine your 7-month old daughter, who probably shouldn't be awake, and shouldn't really be standing yet, and definitely shouldn't be looking over the railing of her crib at you with the biggest smile she can muster. Yup folks, our daughter is a motivated little girl- much to our delight, and to the disruption of our sleeping patterns. However, since she's also the sweetest child in the world, it's extremely easy to forgive her.

This month, we had her first camping trip, first meat (albeit blended in a baby food jar), developed a love for cheerios, banana puffs, and "veggie booty," and first road trip (to the Oregon Country Fair, which somehow we escaped with no pictures- not sure how we failed there). Liliana still isn't much of a laugher, but can smile with the best of them. She is crawling faster and farther, and she's still in love with her cousin Logan.

Us? We're very much enjoying our summer, with less visitors but still busy, and we look forward to seeing most of you as we head into the fall. Enjoy the pictures- we should have some videos posted soon, too.

Love,
liliana, marita, and ian

Liliana 6 Months from g-MO!

2008-06-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

Aloha Folks

I wanted to update everyone on "Life with Liliana", as I just got to spend a week with her in Hawaii. I was so excited to get to finally "meet" her again. It seemed like such a long time ago, that I witnessed her birth in Seattle. I have loved her blog, and look at her online pictures all the time. Does it get better than having your grandbaby come to you in Hawaii? Wow...there is nothing like being able to snuggle with such a warm little bundle. I really got used to seeing her big bright smile first thing in the morning.

Her Hawaiian heritage was really showing in her LOVE of the ocean. I've almost never seen a baby so comfortable and smiley in the water. She was like a regular at all the great north shore beach spots..Rocky Point, 3 Tables and Waimea. (Not to mention the bonus rounds at the pool at Turtle Bay Hilton.)

Did I mention that Ian and Marita's Hawaiian vacation was an Ohana event with Tom and Liz also on Oahu? It was terrific to have several delicious "Double Adoring Grandparents" -dinners with the whole extended Family. Lucky Lady, this little Liliana. Plenty LOVE going round.

One of the highlights for me was having Marita, Ian and Liliana hang for a Summer Solstice Party at my new Tribalteaz Dome in Waimanalo. (kind of a long term ag project and art studio) We had a great work party in the garden, a sumptuous potluck and a great Fire for the Solstice. Ian was the total hit of the night, gracing us with the most incredible 2 hour guitar song set. There were moments of pure poetry and some pretty awesome community singing if I say so myself. Thanks Ian! You Rock!

Well... there is a little mini Hawaii report. Gabby left yesterday with M, I & L, to hang with the posse in Seattle for a few days until I get there on July 1st. See you soon Liliana!

Much Love,

g-Mo

ps more pix @

http://web.mac.com/alohacynthia/iWeb/LILIANA/Liliana%20in%20Hawaii%202008.html

p.p.s. from ian and marita

Um, we thought you should know that Liliana started crawling yesterday. Really crawling. She has been creeping in a 360 for a few weeks, but now we see butt up forward movement. It is CRAZY how fast she is growing and learning. She also found her talking voice in Hawaii and babbles more and more. If only we could say the same for her sleeping . . .

Alice's Visit (Liliana 5 + months)

2008-06-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

A tale of two (amazing) children.

I sneaked in a brief visit to the beloved Seattle Group this past weekend--arriving as May 31st rolled over into June 1st, most graciously retrieved from SeaTac by Ian, and then delivered back to catch the redeye Tuesday night, June 3rd. Not the most leisurely trip, but worthwhile in every way. As usual the 43rd Ave. South Collective warmly welcomed me, and included me in their lives with generosity and love.

Now--the children! Logan is in perpetual motion, the most curious child ever. He gets into anything that isn't nailed down, and a few things that are. The most fun is watching him figuring things out. You can almost see the wheels turning as his gaze flicks from one part of a process to another, and then: eureka! He turns to you with his crooked little grin and points, as if to say:"I got it!" Case in point--I was rooming in the back "nursery" and my suitcase was tucked in a corner. When it comes to zippers, buttons and straps, Logan is like a little Houdini; he just keeps at it till he solves the puzzle. So of course, he scampered right past two dozen books and fifty toys to get into my luggage and pull out the little Delta Airlines headphones I schlep around with me so I can plug into whatever passes for in-flight entertainment. He looked at them and immediately put them to his ears; but there was nothing to hear, of course. Marita, characteristically looking to reward his curiosity and tenacity, grabbed an Ipod and plugged the headphones into the set so that Logan would hear music. As soon as he heard the music he started trying to figure out how that all had happened. He took the Ipod, yanked out the plug that connected it to the headphones; looked up at us; then, in one smooth, completely confident motion, he inserted the plug back into the correct jack and grinned as the music started up again. Folks--this boy is just a little past one year. Let me say it now: we are going to hear from him in years to come, and it's going to be worth hearing!

And then there is Liliana. She has the sweetest face and the happiest personality. It is a joy to watch her attack the spoonfuls of carrots and bananas, splash in the bath, rock and roll in her saucer seat as she spins herself from one toy to the next. There was one priceless moment when Marita had her absolutely giggling, really belly-laughing--and then in a second the hilarity tipped right into a full-throttle wail, tears and all. But I have to say, what I love best is what I think of as "the Liliana scan." When you come into her line of sight she gazes deeply at every feature of your face, studying it; almost, it seems, searching for clues: Who are you? Do I know you? She holds this utterly serious, unwavering inspection for long enough to make you a little uncomfortable as you wonder what it is she sees there. And then--your reward. Her face lights up with a dazzling smile and she reaches out to grab your nose, or hair, or whatever is within range. She seems to forget--or ignore--the fact that she is only five months old. Whenever possible she pulls herself to a standing position. Her dexterity is incredible, and what was just recently random grabs at whatever came within grasping distance, is now determined, targeted reaching for the item she wants. I was amazed to watch, in the span of just a few days, as she transitioned from one developmental stage to the next. When I arrived, every time she was placed on her stomach she would sort of collapse, and snuffle her face into the carpet and cry with frustration. By the time I had to leave, when placed on her stomach she just hoisted herself up on her elbows and arms, looked around with a kind of "up periscope" motion and tried to pull herself toward the toys just beyond her reach.

Life is a miracle, to be sure; and in Logan's and Liliana's stubborn, insistent, headlong drive toward growing, you can watch it unfolding minute by minute. What a privilege it was to see.

Grandma Alice

5 Months!

2008-05-31T21:20:00.000-07:00

All she wants to do is stand. I know she's little for this, and you might think I'm pulling your leg- but really people- stand, stand, stand. We're not quite sure whether to be proud, or nervous or what, but we're hoping Liliana will take the time to crawl before she walks. We're not sure she will, though. In the meantime, as you'll see from the pictures, Lily loves eating solid foods (and her Grandpas love feeding it to her), taking baths with her cousin, and being outside. It's been amazing to watch the little changes- how much better she's getting with her hands when she's playing, how strong her legs are becoming, how much more she's able to interact with Logan and with the rest of us. They're simple changes, but they mean so much from day to day. Other news? Liliana and her Mom are taking swim classes in preparation for our big trip to Hawaii. Visitors this past month include Grandpa Tom, Grandpapadopolis Russ, Uncle Andy, Aunt Gabby, our friend Chris Bentzel from Boston, and a total of 4 random skaters who were all lovely (courtesy of Uncle Andy, of course). Coming up next, Grandma Alice, Uncle Richard and Canuncle Aaron, followed by Lily's first trip to Hawaii. Stay tuned!

Love,
Liliana, Marita, and Ian

Liliana 4 Months . . . a little late

2008-05-09T23:03:00.000-07:00

This was an incredibly busy month for Liliana. Like always she handled all the new adventures with patience and smiles. Lily went on her first plane trip to New York City! Not only did she get to see her grandparents, Great-Aunt Janet, Uncle Dan (not to be confused with all her fake uncles/funcles), Liliana was able to meet her Great-Grandpa Ben for the first time! It was truly incredible to witness the joy of connecting generations as Liliana smiled up at her Great-Grandpa Ben. She enjoyed her first Passover Seder and her first taste of food beyond milk--matzo! She will have to spend the next year trying to learn the four questions for next year's Seder.

She also went on her first road trip to Boston. It was amazing to see our friends Gretchen and Chris, and to meet their daughter Ramona (Liliana's Lao Tung), who's less than one month younger than Lily. They were such amazing hosts that we were even able to have a dinner party at their house so that Marita could catch-up with an old high school friend. It was also fun to expose Liliana to her first political debate (between auntie Carrie and Ian, of course) on the drive up.

While in the city Liliana got to meet lots of new friends, too. We just can't believe how incredibly lucky we are to have such an easy and pleasure filled child. She was such a good sleeper that she even put herself down for a nap on the kitchen table one day while mom and dad folded her laundry. No really, she did. We have the picture to prove it! Truly it is amazing to have seen her grow and change even over the few days we were away from our home and family in Seattle. Liliana is alert and super strong. She loves to sit up on her own and would be standing if she didn't need help to do it. It's fun to watch her drool as she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. It's even funnier when she gets her binky into her mouth herself, only to pull it out and then fuss about how someone stole her binky. She is just so funny. And we love her, of course. It is such a pleasure to watch her grow and develop even though it is hard to accept how fast it is all happening. You'll be laughing next month when you see the pictures of her eating solid foods for the first time. Can you believe it? Liliana is already trying solids by 4 months and she LOVES to have her daddy feed her. I can't even imagine what other updates we will have next month!

3+ Months . . . from Liz

2008-04-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

Liliana has so much hair, i can't even tell you. There are photos of it - one moment - okay, here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebazil (um, scroll down a bit).

Also she's showing Erica up and rolling over plenty often. (For the uninitiated, Erica is three months older.) And Lily smiles at you and god, i love it when babies smile at you. And she has the cutest crinkly little smile and she peeks up at you and it's just absolute perfection. And you know you look at the pictures and you think she's cute, but then you meet her and she's so much cuter. (I totally meant to get a million pictures but then i got there and was too busy being awed. I have come to the realization that i am in love with baby noses. So small! So nuzzly!) So we got to their house (because they are so talented with the direction giving, those Seattle folk) and we all traded babies and cuddled for a bit and Liliana is so zen that Marita could go off to an appointment (well, leaving us with Mike still home, but busy) and we got to completely monopolize all the babies - both Liliana and Logan (who is shockingly running around awfully well at not even one yet, making one think about babyproofing very very soon and up to at least three feet), plus Erica - which was a little chaotic, but fun - and Liliana could just cuddle us strangers and be perfectly happy. Wow. And then Marita came home and we had more musical babies and cuddling, and then we went for a walk because their neighborhood has a nice park and a lake and whatnot (albeit at the bottom of a very large hill) with us two and our matching Ergos. Heart. (Tie dyed baby clothes. More heart.) And then - then! Marita is a hero.

Did y'all get that? A hero.

Because only a very extraordinary person could make many pans of lasagna, enough to serve, what, a dozen people, even sending some of them home with more lasagna and still having leftovers, while having a three month old. (Especially a three month old this cute, who you just want to cuddle and cuddle and cuddle.)

Let me also mention the insanity that is having lots of kids close in age all in one room: you realize exactly how short this all is. That, sure, we're carefully combing through The No-Cry Sleep Solution right now, but when she's eight or nineteen she almost certainly won't still be waking up at two and wanting to nurse. That Logan is able to do all these things, walk, run, terrorize the dogs, show motive and decisiveness, throw things across the room, and we're more than halfway there with Erica, agewise, and Lily is more than halfway to Erica's chattery wigglebutt stage. And while they are people now, they are very rapidly growing and becoming and turning into toddlers and real kids. This is all so vastly different from a year ago - back then none of us knew what was coming. Quite honestly i don't think we know what's coming now, either, but you get these daddies and they look at their babies and smile because everything is completely different, now, and i always say everything is like the sun coming out but it's like the sun coming out. And you never knew there was a sun. And Marita is glowing with it (official MILF inauguration, right there) and Ian is pretty glowy himself - whenever Liliana is near either of them they get that goofy, unaware grin. Did i say yet that they were great parents? Great parents, and great lasagna-makers, i should point that out.

I just have to marvel again (because i have a new space for it, whee: i tricked them into letting me on their blog! king me! captured! Borg wins! ahahaha, everything is my blog!) that people have been feeling this way about their daughters since the beginning of time, right? They must have. And people said we'd love our kids, but noone mentioned that we'd feel like this. And people said everything would change, but nobody told us everything would change. And someone might have said how nothing else would matter, but nobody commented on the crashing irrelevance of all that had gone before. Um, Other People? Where are your communication skills?

Love from Vienna,
Liz, Matt, and Tiny-But-Now-Slightly-Larger Erica

3 Months

2008-03-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Since we last spoke, it snowed in Seattle- twice. Liliana rolled over- more than twice- I think we're up to seven or eight times now. She took a bath and dunked her head under the water. More family came to meet her, and more friends. I'm not sure if its how quickly Liliana passes milestones, but its been a very long and amazing 3 months. This installment includes the first shots of Logan and Liliana really getting to play together. There's pictures of Liliana in a very special gown sewn by her namesake Grandma Neva (We have heard that this gown was sewn from seven antique linen pillow cases!) Tonight she laughed- I mean really laughed- for the first time. Every day brings new richness, new marvels, and new ordinary moments, and they're all wonderful. Enjoy the pictures!

love. marita, ian, and liliana

Week 11 - Nana!

2008-03-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

We all waited anxiously for this birth and on Dec. 27th the waiting was over. A little Princess was born and the world became a better place. I watched her grow and develop from pictures and on March 6th I got to meet her, hold her in my arms, and my heart melted- My Great Grand Daughter. She looked at me seriously for a while and then. . . a big smile saying you are welcome, great grandma- and this is what Heaven is all about. It is hard for me to describe how I felt in those first moments holding her.....I was waiting a long time for this. I will try to describe that unforgettable weekend spent in Seattle. Marita and Ian, Rachael (Marita's sister), her husband Mike, and their adorable happy little boy Logan live in an environment only to be admired and envied. Not many family members can create this warm and secure place for children to grow unless they are as compatable and respectful as they are towards each other. Logan at 10 months is a very happy and funny little boy who runs all over the place giving his parents a work out, and in not so far distance Liliana will follow suit. I am confident she will grow up to be a strong, independent women given the kind of parents and grand parents she has. Good role models, but to me and in my heart she is always going to be my little Princess. Marita, Ian, Rachael and Mike I want to thank you for your kind hospitality. Special thanks to you Ian and Marita for arranging that surprise brunch which made me feel special and loved, and this whole experience unforgetable. I apologize for nagging you about the heat in the house, but at my age I feel more cold then you guys. It is a senior thing. One more thing, the house, one word fantastic. Beautiful as it is and lots of potencial if you need change. Take care of each other and my little princess and keep up the good work. I love you all very much.

Nana

10 Weeks- Words from Grandma Alice

2008-03-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone, Ian and Marita have instituted a visitor’s toll: if you visit them in Seattle, you have to offer up a guest blog entry. Let me assure you: it is the smallest of fees for the greatest of experiences. So here goes a blog from Gram-Alice:

I returned from Seattle on March 3rd and have been thinking a lot about my visit. It was especially wonderful for being so ordinary: I camped in the guest room, went to a Frisbee game, helped with the dishes, shopped at the mall, made my own coffee, sat in on Marita’s book club meeting. More than usual, I had the chance to be part of Ian and Marita’s everyday lives. As many of you know, they have a unique and, I think, enviable way of living. They live in a big, friendly, comfortable and welcoming house with Marita's sister Rachael and brother-in-law Mike. From what I could see, they share responsibilities and purchases and household chores, not in a self conscious, ideological, split-down-the-middle with everyone doing their exact fair share way, but more through an easygoing, generous and reciprocal sense of support. And, it is not that they are all just like each other---their styles and friends and priorities are different. But they each seem to have simply moved over a little to make room for one another's values and preferences, with love being the single constant. It is truly a loving household. Even as a guest arriving at the tail end of a long string of weekend visitors, I felt embraced by the easy generosity of my hosts and their warm home.
Then there are the children. Rachael and Mike’s boy Logan is the funniest, flirtiest, smartest, most curious little guy on the planet. He makes you forget that he’s ten months old: he just gets everything so immediately, you can see the gears turning as he figures out every single thing he comes upon. And about Liliana—what can I say? I am unabashedly astounded by the powerful feelings I have for my grandchild. Many new grandparents "warned" me, but I still got blindsided. Now, some people (ahem, my children) won’t believe this, but despite my tendency to cry easily and watch “Sound of Music” reruns, I actually think of myself as someone who doesn't go too overboard. Well, I am overboard and drowning in love. Don't save me! Liliana is amazing, a peaceful and contented baby whose default mode is joyful. She has a way of solemnly and thoroughly scanning your face as if reading the fine print; and then suddenly, sunshine! Her happy smile just lights you up, and captures your heart. She is a delight. And Ian and Marita are incredible parents. They are so natural and easygoing in the way they care for Liliana, and so obviously in love with her. When I see them leaning down together to tend to their baby girl, I feel the presence of all the generations--the Grunfelds and Neustadts, the Gallants and Shechters, all the elders of Marita’s mighty family lines—all gathered to have a peek at this child that their lives conspired to create, and to offer their many blessings.

Liliana is 2 months old!

2008-03-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

Okay people, here are the newest set of pictures just a bit shy of her 2 month birthday. Notice how much closer in size Liliana is to her sock monkey already! Also, don't be confused about the change in pattern on her special monthly picture outfit . . . It's reversable!! We thought switching from one pattern to the other would be a fun way to distinguish her growth from month to month. We are also trying to post some videos (wish us luck)!

Also notice the pictures of her with her Aunty Meredith who visited us last weekend. We took Liliana on her first hike! It did turn out to be more of a walk in the snow, but it was still her introduction to the beauty of the outdoors. Plus, I guess it was her first true introduction to snow, as well. We also went on a road trip to Tacoma to take Meredith to Wintergrass. It is one of the big bluegrass festivals in Northwest. We had a lovely time listening to the many jam sessions in the lobby of the hotel. We are sure Liliana will be a musician like her daddy. Ian even bought his first banjo while we were there thanks to an early birthday present from his parents. So, Liliana will certainly be surrounded by music in her life. Anyway, thanks for visiting us Aunty Mer . . . we miss you already!

The nest blog will of course be written by Grandma Alice who has been visiting this past weekend! We hope you are all still enjoying Liliana's newest adventures!

Liliana Week 8

2008-02-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

Hello there, how are ya? I’d like to take a minute to talk with you about my visit, with my travel companions, Gabe & Joanna. I could start by telling you about all the things we did here. Like visiting the Locks, or staying up playing Scattergories & what “elusive bus” means. I could tell ya jokes that you wouldn’t get, cause ya weren’t here, like “elusive bus”. Or about great pizza in Seattle (that’s right… I said it, in Seattle!) Maybe we could talk about pork chops & its importance. Or I could share with you how wonderful our family dinners were over pasta, sausage, salad bread & laughter. I could write about our visit to Pikes Place, & our walks around town. And sure I could thank Ian, Marita, Mike, Rachael & Logan for puttin us up in their great new home, feeding us & showin us around.

Or perhaps you’d like to know a about the newest member here, Liliana. Well, look, we could get into how incredibly beautiful she is, which is true. Or how sweet she gets, true too. Or maybe ya were hoping to read about how awesome it is to hear her gurgle, & coo & giggle & wriggle around in our arms. Or how bout those strange, adorable, funny faces she makes when she’s sleeping & awake; all true. Maybe you’re hoping to hear about how that she’s so small that she fits right in between your hand and bi-cep, or how she can look at you so seriously & it still melts your heart.
Well sure, I could talk about that all day, but me, I’d like to talk about something else, I’d like to talk about…me. Ok, so I ain’t one of them fancy pediatricians, but I know a thing or two about babies. I mean I saw “3 men & a baby”. So I expect a few things; cute, sure, small, ok, bald, perhaps. But what I never expected was this…

This child cried… that’s right, I mean really, really cried, like a good ol’ fashion, I’m a baby & I got somethin’ to cry about cry… ONCE! If ya count those 15 minutes on the last night right before she was about to be fed & then to bed. That’s right, ONCE! 1 time in all our 5 days here. Who’s ever heard of such a thing? Oh & when she wasn’t crying, which was always, she was doin’ all that other jazz I wrote about above. Unbelievable! I mean here I come, all the way across the country to make sure that my best friends were having a helluva time with their new baby girl & what do I find? Sweetness, the most, bestest, sweetest baby I’d ever seen! Didn’t seem real to me I tell ya! And to make matters worse, Liliana’s cousin, young Logan is… The happiest 10 month old in the universe. Nothing could make this kid unhappy. Bonk his head on the floor “Yeah”, really hungry for food “Whoopee!”, time to go to sleep “Hurrah!”, play with mommy & daddy “Weee” (ok, well that one makes some sense). All I saw was Logan walkin about, arms stretched proudly to the sky, grin from ear to ear, making the happiest sounds. Everything was always fun with him. Especially his adoration of his baby cousin. You remember her, Liliana, the completely content one.

I mean what’s going on in this world where people as caring & loving as Ian & Marita have such support & love from people like Mike & Rachael & Logan… and not 1 day of tears. Not even a half hour of them. I thought babies cry! What’s the point of calling someone a “crybaby” any more if Liliana’s around to contradict it!

Anyway, as you can probably tell by now, I’m thoroughly distraught. A perfectly good trip, ruined by happy babies who only know to laugh, sleep, play & never cry. I believe it’s time we started taking a closer look at these parents who are caring for these kids to see what exactly what it is they are doing here.

I’ll tell ya, it was a “helluva’ trip we were havin’, huh!” and it was fantastic.

Thanks & love ya lots, Jakes, Gabe & Joanna.

Liliana Week 7

2008-02-18T13:12:00.000-08:00

Uncle Dan, here - guest blogging after visiting Seattle, in the interests of bringing a little objectivity to this site, lest anyone think Ian and Marita are being less than impartial in their unfailing adoration of Liliana.

So, objectively speaking... she's totally amazing. And how shall we define amazing? Well, amazing in that she managed to sleep like a rock through three separate restaurants, the Washington State Democratic caucuses, and the entirety of a screening of Pootie Tang (for which I seriously envy her). Amazing in that I got to witness her inaugural wearing of pants, if only because some judicious padding ensured that said pants would stay on (and some judicious pooping ensured that said pants were a short-lived experience). Amazing in that she managed to spit-up with impeccable comic timing all weekend. And especially amazing when she smiles. Not just because it's a beautiful smile, but because her typical waking hours seem like a never-ending restivestate, clawing and fidgeting for better comprehension, or endlessly trying to discover her comfort-zone. I realize this is all normal behavior, but when she breaks character in the middle of all that,with one of those expressions of unbridled glee that only babies can pull off... I trust you've all seen the pictures. I'll testify hereand now that they don't do her justice. And that's a completely objective observation, of course.

Overall, a splendid weekend: everyone paid a visit to Liliana's new pediatrician, who seems to be a big hit. And Lily herself appears happily preoccupied with the assortment of vibrating chairs that populate the house. Ian and Marita are doing a fabulous job, with some able assists from Rachel, Mike and Logan. One cautionary note: rhyming Liliana's name with "banana," no matter how unintentional, appears to be a bit of a touchy subject in the household (correct pronunciation rhymes with "Obama"). But for now, I don't think she minds so much.

Watching Baby: Weeks 5 & 6

2008-02-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

Our little Liliana is growing each day. She is truly a pleasure. She is still sleeping well and doesn't cry very often--though, honestly, her parents still don't really like hearing her cry at all. It is such an amazing thing to see the developmental growth of such a little girl. She is no longer wearing her newborn disposable daipers. She fits into her small FuzziBunz washable daipers, although we do have to cross it over to button it tighter around the waist. She's been growing, but she is still a skinny little thing. Even though the FuzziBunz help her fill out her clothes she is actually quickly growing out of her newborn outfits! We love that Liliana is even more awake and aware of things day by day. She has been focusing not only on black, red, and white, but all bright colors on her play mats, toys, and general surroundings. Our favorite, of course, is when she focuses on our faces. It is simply mesmerizing to have your daughter staring back at you--especially when you smile down at her and she smiles back! Yes, Liliana has learned to return our smiles. It brings us the most incredible happiness. We have tried to capture the smiles on camera, but none seem to capture the true thing. This picture at least captures her enthusiasm. You will all just have to visit us to experience her personality in the flesh. We think it might just melt your heart--it melts our everyday, multiple times over. Can you tell we love being parents?

1 month and growing

2008-01-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

Liliana has been with us for 1 month and 1 day. We're proud to report that Liliana is perfectly capable of sleeping through "The Kite Runner". In fact, we keep pinching ourselves to find out if we're awake since she sleeps 2-3 hours at a strectch, hardly ever cries, and loves her binky (pacifier). She also took a bottle on the first try. Anyway, before I get all carried away telling you about our wonderful daughter, let's just show you some pictures. Here's a link to a new slideshow- note the picture of Liliana in the huge overalls with the sock monkey-it's a twelve month outfit, and we'll be posting a picture in the same overalls, and with the same monkey every month, so you can all see how she's growing: http://picasaweb.google.com/ianjames/Liliana1MonthBlog

3 weeks

2008-01-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

So, our baby is turning into a little person. I guess we knew it would happen eventually, but in just 3 weeks? She loves her binky. . .LOVES it. Liliana has made a new friend, her reflection. She's taken her first shopping trips, to U-Village and to Right Start, and she's had her first party- with our ultimate frisbee team, and all of our babies. I'm back at work, so Marita has to call me every time Lily does something funny or cute, and I sit in my cube and miss them both. Liliana is my screen saver.

Still, I'm not complaining. Marita takes incredibly good care of me, and her daughter. Liliana hardly ever cries, and sleeps 3-4 hours at a time. . . most of the time. We have Logan to remind us of what we have to look forward to, and Rach and Mike to remind us of how great our support network is. And the guests! Last weekend we had a truly wonderful visit with Grandma Alice and Aunt Janet, and Grandpa Tom will be here this weekend. It's amazing how your life can slow down and speed up at the same time. Anyway, I'm babbling. I hope you're all well. Enjoy the new pictures and video, assuming that I can get it uploaded properly- its not much, but we've gotten requests to hear her voice, so here it is. New pictures available at: http://picasaweb.google.com/ianjames/LilianaWeek3

love. aloha.

ian, marita, and liliana

Watching baby: 1 week and growing

2008-01-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

We've been parents for seven lovely days. Liliana has been to the supermarket, the pediatrician, and to visit friends (it was 3 in the afternoon, but technically it was her first new year's party). She's perfect, but don't take our word for it- that's what our midwife said on her first check-up, and the sentiment was echoed by our pediatrician, who called her the most relaxed baby she's ever seen. Which is true- she has discovered her hands and sucks on them constantly. She only cries when we change her, and then only sometimes.

We feel like she's grown a bunch- at the very least her face has filled in some, but don't take our word for it, here's the link to a new gallery of pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ianjames/Liliana1WeekBlog

aloha.
liliana, marita, and ian.

Naming

2007-12-30T16:52:00.001-08:00

We received a truly amazing e-mail from Marita's Grandfather the other day, and thought we'd share it with you:

Dear clansmen,

My mother, Marita Butler Brimhall, was born on December 27, 1902 in Colonia Morelos, Sonora State, Mexico. She was delivered by a local midwife who was paid for her service with a ton of lime. The lime was used to make mortar for building a brick house. The little village no longer exists. Then it was less than one hundred miles south of Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona. The Butler family moved there when Mom was about two years old. Mom was born one hundred and five years ago yesterday. The generations of the clan move on!

Grandpa Dwayne

So, amazingly enough Liliana shares a birthday with her mother's namesake, whether by fate or by chance I'll let you decide. She also carries her ancestry in her own name. Liliana Neva comes from her maternal great grandmothers.

My Grandma Lillian was an amazing woman- first on her block to drive, first to have a job, extraordinarily smart- as shown in her command of pursuits as varied as Scrabble and the Stock Market. Marita wears her engagement ring, and my grandfather and mother speak of her reverently. Also, the ana in Liliana pays homage to Lillian's mother, Anna Suvall, as we happily reailzed after choosing it.

Marita's Grandma Neva is an equally amazing woman. As written by Cynthia, Marita's mother: If she takes after great-grandma Neva (dec 25) at all, she will have an amazing ability to "make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" and will always bring beauty to her surroundings. Also, the name Neva means fallen snow, a beatiful and fitting name for a baby born December 27th.

We are blessed to come from amazing women- strong, intelligent role models for our daughter, including not only Neva and Lillian, but our paternal grandmothers Edith and Evelyn as well. We are proud to bring a daughter to the world who carries our admiration and love for the women in her name and in her life.

aloha. marita, ian, and liliana neva.

Visiting

2007-12-30T16:52:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and family. We have posted a new a slideshow with lots of pictures from the past few days. Here's a link to the gallery, as opposed to the little versions shown on the blog: http://picasaweb.google.com/ianjames/LilianaDays13Blog02.

Also, to our Seattle friends mostly- we've had a few days to get our feet under us, and we want to invite you all to stop by to meet Liliana. Just give us a call or drop us an email (calls are probably better) and we'll figure it out.

To our out-of-town friends- feel free to give us a call or email us- I know we've been somewhat difficult to reach the last few weeks, but we appreciate your well wishes and patience, and we'll do our best to be available from here on out. Also, we'll try to start figuring out some of our travel plans for the coming months- we'd love to come see you all ( :

aloha. marita, ian, and liliana.

An important correction

2007-12-28T18:30:00.000-08:00

I stated Liliana's birthweight as 15 lbs. 15 ozs. . . twice. I was a victim of the same typo/misspeaking both times. Her actual birthweight is 5 lbs. 15 ozs, thus the stringbean comment.

Marita is a champion, but there's no way she pushed out a 16-pounder ( :

aloha.
ian, marita, and the very slim liliana.

Watching baby: Day 1 and birth stories

2007-12-28T12:32:00.001-08:00

Welcome Liliana, indeed. We are awed, amazed, delighted and completely in love with our little girl. Thank you all for the support, good thoughts, and overwhelming love you have showed us as we waited for her to arrive.

For those of you looking for quick details:

5:57 PM. 5 lbs. and 15 ozs. 21 inches long. Think stringbean ( :

Mother and child are extremely healthy and happy, as is Dad. Now, the whole story:

Wednesday afternoon our midwife Tracy came over. She came to discuss induction and birthing in a hospital, as 42 weeks is about as far as they're comfortable with for a home birth. We were disappointed, and scared- we've done a lot of preparation to be able to birth naturally in our own home, and we'd come an awful long way to give up. So, we didn't. Marita had taken castor oil on Christmas, to no avail- Wednesday, she took it again. We went for a walk, ate dinner, laughed and cried, and were probably the most relieved people in the world when Marita went into labor late Wednesday evening.

We spent the night shuttling between the bathroom and our room- castor oil is some nasty stuff, y'all- and finally got some sleep when we walked downstairs at around 4 in the morning and Marita realized just how comfortable the recliner is. A couple of hours later, we would transfer the chair upstairs- Marita labored in it pretty much the whole time and we highly recommend it for comfort, although we think we broke it- so not necessarily for durablility ( :

In the morning, we had some breakfast- those of you who know Marita should not be suprised that she was able to eat, even in labor ( : Marita is a champion. She was amazingly relaxed and completely at peace throughout the labor. At around 1:00 PM, with contractions getting closer, and after a brief bath (which brought on intense contractions that were VERY close together), we called Tracy and told it was time for a midwife to arrive upon the scene. Until that time, it had only been Marita, Ian, and the most extraordinary support of Cynthia and Rachael, Marita's mother and sister, who were present throughout the birth and are 2 of the most wonderful people we could hope to have with us- they were beyond awesome.

When Tracy showed up, we decided to examine Marita's cervix- only one problem, though- it was gone! Fully dilated! She was amazed, not just at how patient Marita had been with the pressure and pain of contractions, but also at the beauty of being ready to give birth, less than 24 hours after our difficult and emotional conversation about giving up on our plans for a home birth. Time to push!

After about 2 hours of pushing, we were ready for the baby to come, but there was a problem. The baby was having trouble coming out. We could see her head, but that last little bit was proving a struggle. To compound the difficulties, the baby's heartrate was dropping each time we pushed (we would later find out this was most likely caused by her arm being across her chest, applying extra pressure). Tracy is unbelievable. She completely took charge without causing stress, nor adding undue panic to the situation. At the same time, she was assertive and clearly conveyed that it was VERY important to follow her directions closely at this point. First, she cut Marita's bag of waters, creating a little bit more space. When that didn't help, she gave Marita oxygen on the next push, to help her push more strongly, all the while gently encouraging Marita to push harder - "the next push is the one that will bring your daughter into the world". After the next contraction, she had us all help Marita move from the chair to the bed, where Marita, now on hands and knees, was finally able to push Liliana into the world. Marita was amazing throughout, staying relaxed and focused, and making sure that our daughter was able to free herself, and slide into her father's waiting hands. I have never been more simultaneously nervous, excited, and ecstatic in my life.

The rest is pretty anti-climactic. We relaxed in ber with our child feeding her and fawning over her while people cleaned and fussed around us. Mike brought us taco bell, Uncle Andy and Aunt Gabby came to meet their niece, as did Grandpa Russ, and we slept a whole 2 hours before Liliana woke up hungry again. It should also be noted that this child had more than your average amount of poop (okay, meconium) in her. But we traded our castor oil for olive oil to clean her up and fed her some more- after all she's kind of skinny- she needs to eat.

We've attached a slide show to the blog with 27 pictures (for Dec. 27th) of the girl herself. They can also be seen by following this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/ianjames/LilianaNevaDay1Blog

Enjoy. Marvel. Life is a little bigger today than yesterday.

aloha,

marita, ian, and especially liliana.

Meet Liliana Neva Grunfeld!!

2007-12-27T18:36:00.000-08:00

After testing our patience, Liliana has decided to join us!! She was born around 5:57pm and is doing great!! She is absolutely gorgeous!! I'll let Marita and Ian share their story when they are less awestruck, but thought you would all want the update.

-Rachael

Babywatch: 1:52 PM

2007-12-26T13:52:00.000-08:00

There are currently 11 people staying in our house, and none of them is our baby. Not yet- there were some promising contractions yesterday evening and into the night, but they had disappeared by morning. We're now officially 2 weeks past due. Today we had another ultrasound, and everything looks- you guessed it- completely normal. Also, Marita had an accupuncture appointment this morning, which was very relaxing ,but alas- not even needles have been able to dislodge our daughter from her hiding spot today.

So. . .we wait. And relax. And enjoy our dreams of our daughter- Marita had one last night in which she was born with a completely squished nose, so quickly the midwife didn't arrive in time, and then we all ate BBQ ribs. If there's any signifigance to that, we simply can"t find it ( :

Anway, I hope you got everything you wanted or didn't want for Christmas. Thanks for tuning in.

aloha. marita, ian, and liliana.

Babywatch: Christmas 3:02 PM

2007-12-25T15:02:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Posing for what will hopefully be the last picture with baby on the inside. Why, you ask? Two words- castor oil. Marita has bravely served herself a smoothie seasoned with the stuff, recommended to help jumpstart contractions, and if not clean her out real good. Too much information you say? Okay, I digress.

In the meantime, don't get your hopes too high for immediate results, its not like we're in labor yet- just enjoying a wonderful holiday with the family. It's snowing here, and join us in hoping for one more miracle before we're done, although this one not global warming related. Happy holidays, all.

aloha.

marita, ian, and wondering-what-in-tarnation-this-gross-oil-stuff-coming-her-way-is Liliana.

Babywatch: 10:15 PM

2007-12-24T22:15:00.000-08:00

Still no baby. However, our midwife appointment went very well and Liliana is still happy as can be--inside the womb! We think she may have been waiting for her Uncle Mike's Puerto Rican rice. She knows she is too young to eat it herself so she wait in the womb to enjoy it. She remembers the Puerto Rican rice from Thanksgiving and has been waiting in hopes she would get another taste on Christmas Eve. She was right! We had a wonderful dinner of Puerto Rican rice, salmon, and salad. We then followed our family tradition and each opened one gift. Everyone recieved special gifts, but none as special as Ian's. Here is a fun photo of Ian in his new PJs and Logan in old stand-bys. Yes, they are footy PJs! Now we know he is truly ready to be a dad.

Merry Christmas!

Babywatch: 11:16 AM

2007-12-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

Good morning. No baby. No contractions. Marita took a wonderful, long bath last night (aromatherapy provided by G-Mo). We have an appointment with our midwife Michelle today, which is nice. It's a much nicer feeling to be waiting for our little girl when we know that she's healthy, rather than when we suppose that she's healthy.
Anyway, we're going for a walk, and then to our appointment. If we don't post again, have a wonderful Christmas- and hopefully there'll be a little girl waiting for all of us, although not necessarily under the tree ( :

aloha. marita, ian, and the elf they call Liliana.

Babywatch: 9:10 AM

2007-12-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

Still no baby. No labor contractions. But, we should admit that there have been lots of Braxton Hicks/ practice contractions. We had a wonderful day yesterday with our family. We had a super fun walk around our neighborhood, a yummy dinner, a musical performance from Ian, and several hilarious games of Cranium. I was sure the belly laughs created from Cranium would put me in labor, but Liliana must prefer other games. Maybe tonight we will try Balderdash. ;)

For anyone concerned, I have also been resting a lot. I had a nap yesterday and went to bed fairly early. Plus nothing relaxes me more than listening to Ian play his guitar and sing. (Although, I did have competition for greatest fan because both our fathers were singing right along with Ian last night.)

My pops also found this beautiful card that has really been an inspiration to me. Ian read it to me several times yesterday.

PATIENCE (7 of Rainbows)
There are times when the only thing to do is to wait. The seed has been planted, the child is growing in the womb, the oyster is coating the grain of sand and making it into a pearl. This card reminds us that now is a time when all that is required is to be simply alert, patient, waiting. The woman pictured here is in just such an attitude. Contented, with no trace of anxiety, she is simply waiting. Through all the phases of the moon passing overhead she remains patient, so in tune with the rhythms of the moon that she has almost become one with it. She knows it is a time to be passive, letting nature take its course. But she is neither sleepy nor indifferent; she knows it is time to be ready for something momentous. It is a time full of mystery, like the hours just before the dawn. It is a time when the only thing to do is to wait.

So patience everyone. Liliana will be here soon. She certainly can't stay in the womb forever!

aloha. ian, marita, and sooner-rather-than-later liliana

Babywatch: 7:53 PM: on comments

2007-12-22T19:52:00.000-08:00

No baby. No contractions. We have not made a phone call in three days- its funny what always having to start a conversation with the words "No baby! No baby! No baby! I'm just calling to say hi!" will deter you from making phone calls.
However, we've loved having the lifeline of all your comments. We constantly log on just to check who's said what about our posts- I mean, after all, until Liliana poses for her first photo shoot, if we're not entertaining you, what good are we? Besides, you guys are funny. Truly. Thanks for keeping us smiling, and thanks for loving us so good. One day, we may even have a baby story to share with you all.

aloha,
ian, marita, and liliana

Babywatch 10:16 AM- More haikus!

2007-12-22T10:15:00.000-08:00

Good morning. No baby. No contractions. No coffee. Okay. . . Ian's about to have coffee, but first, new haikus. Kudos to everybody who sent back their own poems in the comments last time, and thanks everybody for the beautiful thoughts in our comments section in general. It's truly wonderful to be surrounded by friends and family as good as all of you.

Under pretty tree
Presents are not yet opened
Like Liliana.

Grandparents to be
Come to town to meet our child.
Maybe a movie?

Baby pools are lost
when babies take their sweet time.
Who bet on Christmas?

aloha.
ian & marita

P.S.- Liliana- don't bother bidding on the Wii. Your mom won't let you play video games anyway ( :

Babywatch: December 21, 6:47 p.m.

2007-12-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

Um, this is getting ridiculous!

Babywatch, 10:11 AM

2007-12-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

No baby. No contractions. So. . . Goodbye Saggitarius, hello Capricorn. Assuming Liliana doesn't show up by midnight, we have now switched signs- maybe this is what she's waiting for- or maybe she wants to be right on the borderline, like her cousin Logan (a Taurus by a matter of hours). I can't believe they're getting competitive already ( :

Anyway, today's horoscope, courtesy of Yahoo.com:
No matter what happens today, stay on course. The odds are good that things will go your way, but you need to be sure to keep pushing even if circumstances are against you at some point in the day.

That's right- keep pushing, Lily! We're with you. Stay on course. See you soon.

Aloha
ian & marita

Babywatch: December 20th 12:50 p.m.

2007-12-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

NO BABY, YET! Sorry for delaying my morning blog, but it does feel wonderful to know so many of you are reading! So here's the update. Liliana passed all her tests with flying colors yesterday. The ultrasound showed a beautiful, healthy girl who is happy and active. We even got to see her tongue moving! They think she is just over 7 pounds and doing just fine in the womb with plenty of amniotic fluid. We also did a nonstress test with the midwives which basically measured her heartrate and movement. Again, Liliana passed the test showing a healthy range of heartbeats associated with her movement. Actually she seemed to be showing off a little because my belly was visibily changing shape and ungilating with every movement. Her grandparents, Tom and Alice, were quite impressed with her performace all day. We really were so lucky to have Ian's parents along for both the ultrasound and midwife appointment.

So I guess you could say that we are quite happy to know Liliana is healthy and happy, though I feel a little sheepish for all the natural induction techniques I've been trying. I have to admit our midwives laughed A LOT about all the things I had tried. In the end, I guess we really are waiting for Liliana to be ready. Until then we will just continue waiting. I mean it didn't stop me from watching The Simpsons Movie last night. A little laughing never hurt anybody. And I have already been on two walks this morning. But, that is for my general health. ;)

Anyways, unfortunately Ian's mom, Alice, left this morning to go home to New York after a 10 day visit. She has plans to spend the holidays in Mexico, but will be back to Seattle in January to meet Liliana. Ian's dad will be by this afternoon for a visit, and my parents and little sis will be here tonight. I think I will have plenty of entertainment and distractions until Liliana is ready. Though she should know that we are ready any moment. Right now, even. Seriously Liliana. We are ready. Whenever you are ready. Anytime. (I just want to make sure she doesn't get the wrong message just because I am being so patient about all of this).

Babywatch: Decemeber 19th 1:30 p.m.

2007-12-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Okay, so here is Liliana at different stages in her life. Can you guess which one is from this summer, Halloween, and last week?

hee hee. I just figured that since we are still waiting to see Liliana outside of the womb, we might as well enjoy a few pictures of her in the womb. I have to admit I am pretty proud that I can say I could fit into my wedding dress while pregnant and almost 8 months pregnant to boot. Pretty crazy, huh!

Babywatch, December 19th 11:57 AM

2007-12-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

After unsuccessfully trying to concentrate on work, I have spent a portion of the morning thinking how best to entertain our blog-listening audience, and here's the best I've come up with. The first installment of Babywatch haikus. . . You are encouraged to add your own poems in the comments:

Thanks for visiting.
Liliana feels your love,
But still won't come out.

Licorice, walks, baths,
Pineapple, funny movies.
She's just not ready.

Voicemail, email, texts.
Phones ring unanswered. Sorry.
We still love you all.

Seven days feels long.
So excited we can't wait.
Solstice or Christmas?

aloha. ian & marita.

Babywatch: December 19th 11:39 a.m.

2007-12-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

Still pregnant! Except for a few gas pains last night, there is no action here at the moment. I am officially 41 weeks pregnant today (according to the original ultrasound at 12.8 weeks). I just got a call from my midwives and it looks like I will be going in for another untrasound to check things out. I think they are just checking for the amniotic fluid levels and to see that baby is doing well. We have an afternoon appointment at Seattle Ultrasound Associates and then a midwife appointment later this evening.

Ian is at work and actually covering for a sick receptionist. I am lucky enough to spend my morning doing laundry and hanging out with Rack, Mike, and Logan. Ian's mom, Alice, will be here in the next little bit to keep me company, too. I have to admit that I am truly blessed with all the love and support I have all around me. Living with Rach, Mike, and Logan couldn't be more of a pleasure. Logan is a constant reminder of the joys of motherhood ahead. Plus, I have been able to spend the week with Alice just getting to know her better as we walk and talk about life, love, motherhood, and frienships. I couldn't be more blessed than to have this time with her. I think Ian is starting to truly understand he married his mother incarnate. Alice and I both think this is the greatest compliment. ;)

Today also starts the influx of visitors we will be having for the holidays. Ian's dad, Tom, will be here this afternoon--hopefully in time to join us for the ultrasound. Then my parents and little sis, Gabby, show up tomorrow. On Christmas Day Mike's sister and nephew will join us, too. Just because there is a new baby coming doesn't mean anything changes around here in the Grunfeld-Caravalho Home. Perhaps, Liliana is just waiting for a crowd to make her grand entrance into the world. ;)

Thanks again for all the wonderful comments and support. I have to admit I check this blog rather obsessively all day long. It feels so good to know how many people love and support us!

Babywatch: 8:36 a.m.

2007-12-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

No baby. No contractions. Dang licorice! ;) I guess I'll just let Liliana take charge now. She will come when she is ready. She has the hiccups right now if anyone is interested. It is funny when she has the hiccups. Perhaps after her hiccups I will go into labor. hee hee. Just kidding. I'm being REALLY patient. I do think our midwives are going to laugh when they hear about all the natural inducements I have tried. Mike even bought me some blue cohosh yesterday at the natural pharamacy (the same place he got that blasted licorice). I will wait until I talk to my midwives tomorrow before I am willing to take that step. Wow, tomorrow I will be officially one week overdue. 41 weeks pregnant. Unless, of course, I go into labor. I guess I can go on hoping. ;) Really I am not so emotional today about not being in labor because we have tried just about every natural inducement we have read about. Liliana must just not be ready. So we will continue to wait. This is fun, huh! hee hee. I have no choice but to have see some humor in this. Can you tell I am still anxious? I feel like it's obvious, but I thought I 'd just be honest here. Oh, well. I'll find plenty of things to do today. Perhaps a few more walks, spicy food, a funny movie. Oh, wait I guess I said that Liliana was in charge. Um, so I guess I will . . .well, a short walk wouldn't hurt anyone . . .

Babywatch: 10:22 p.m. December 17th

2007-12-17T22:22:00.000-08:00

Still no baby . . . BUT we have been working hard to encourage Liliana to join us for the holidays. I walked around Seward Park with Alice before lunch. After lunch Alice, Logan, and I took a stroll around Columbia City down to the Safeway and back home. We had spicy enchiladas for dinner. After dinner Ian played the guitar while I took a bath in our big downstairs tub. Oh, yeah, and I ate the licorice. Seriously, Rachael ate a whole box of Panda licorice the night before she went into labor with Logan. You might think I would have tried this candy inducement earlier. However, I happen to abhor--HATE--licorice. BUT, I have eaten about 6 out of 7 ounces of Panda licorice in the past three hours. That's a lot of licorice. I almost vomited several times and actually gagged. Licorice is gross. But, I am really anxious to meet Liliana. So, I sacrificed. I guess I am learning to be a mother. Unfortunately, no contractions. Yet. I guess I am also learning that Liliana is in charge. So yeah, I have tried just about everything I can think of to encourage little Liliana to be born. Now I will just continue to wait. We'll let you all know if this all works. Unfortunately because I have tried everything at once we will never know what works. If anything works. Dang, this waiting stuff is, well, sucky. But, at least I'm feeling really relaxed. Throughout history, the licorice root has been used for relaxing the body and reducing stress. That's what it says on the Panda box. Just look how beautifully relaxed I am in this picture. It's loverly. Um, I think I should get some rest just in case Liliana does decide to kick start us into labor tonight. So until tomorrow . . .

Babywatch 12:23 PM, December 17th

2007-12-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

Since I'm posting from my cubicle at work, you should be able to guess that there's no baby yet. However, this is a very nice distraction from trying to concentrate on work (which is nearly impossible right now, anyway). Thanks to all of you who have passed along well wishes by email or by comments on the blog (which are public, now- sorry for the original restriction). We'll update tomorrow- hopefully sooner ( :

To hold you over, here's a picture of Marita with somebody else's baby- our nephew Logan.

Aloha. ian & marita.

Babywatch: 4:02 PM, December 16th

2007-12-16T16:01:00.000-08:00

So. . . no baby yet. Not a problem, though. Instead of subjecting you all to my sense of humor for yet another post, enjoy this picture of the onesies that some of Marita's closest friends made us. They range from cute to special, and we love them all ( :

Babywatch: 11:37 AM, Saturday, December 15th

2007-12-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

No baby yet. Still waiting. Ian's cold, which has plagued us for 2 days, is getting better, which is very good news. We'll both need all our strength. Currently, Marita is on the phone with her Mom, chanting prayers to the going-into-labor goddess. Did I mention we're really ready to have this baby? My Mom should be here shortly, and we're all going to go for a walk. Think good thoughts for us, 2 minutes apart.

Aloha
ian & marita

Daily baby check-in ( :

2007-12-14T15:02:00.000-08:00

So. . . . We've been receiving so many calls from our dearest friends and loved ones, that we've decided to introduce a new tactic. Welcome to BabyWatch. We will post daily updates on labor status until the baby arrives, complete with fun facts about things we did to help her along ( :

For example:
December 14th, 3:04 pm - No baby yet. Marita had spicy huevos rancheros this morning for breakfast, and we walked up four flights of stairs afterwards. I've been humming the song "Get ready, cause here I come. . ." all day in a show of support. See y'all tomorrow!

love. ian.

No more help- just let people know!

2007-12-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

We've decided to just make the blog public for now- no need to send me emails, just send people to the blog if they're interested.

Love,
ian & marita

Welcome- please help us!

2007-12-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Welcome to our blog. This is the best way we've found to keep everybody up to date on our happenings, pictures of the (expected any day now) baby, and anything else. We need your help- please let us know who else needs to be invited to view the blog- send us their email addresses via the comments section, and we'll keep adding people!

Love,
ian & marita