Monday, January 31, 2011

.Amelia's 1st birthday part I.

.Dessert table.
.Playing with Gramma & Grammy.
.Tickle Me Elmo {one of Grammy's gifts}.
.Opening her #1 favorite gift of the day {wooden blocks from Daddy}.
.Who needs a spoon?.
.Yummy!.
.Very first time having cake {she loved it}.
.I love this little face.
.Sugar crash on David & Abigail.
.Tuckered out after a long day.




We had Amelia's party this weekend and it was great. Her Gramma {my mother in law} got into town {from Reno} on Friday night to join in the festivities and we gad a fantastic visit.
Saturday was a bit hectic. Amelia had caught that cold of mine and was pretty miserable and had a slight {100} fever. Cheyenne and I left her with Gramma in the morning while we frantically ran around town taking care of last minute errands. We decided to skip music class {always sad to do} since little miss was already running on little to no patience. Let me tell you, I don't know what I would have done without that extra pair of hands to take care of Amelia {thank you Renee!} because setting up the dessert table took longer than i had thought!
Speaking of the dessert table, even though these photos don't do it justice {someday I'm going to enroll Cheyenne in a photography 101 class or just forbid him from hijacking the camera} it turned out amazing! We had strawberries & cream cupcakes, French macaroons {in cinnamon and blueberry flavors}, vanilla meringue cookies, sugar cookies with fondant monograms, milk in old fashioned milk bottles, and a smash cake {carrot} for the birthday girl with color coordinated saltwater taffy for favors.
We had the exact perfect amount of guests {10} so that we didn't overwhelm Amelia. Even though she wasn't feeling great she put on a great show for her guests making sure to ham it up while opening gifts or destroying her cake and zooming around in her tutu. It was just what I wanted for her first birthday {minus the sniffles} and we had so much fun. That being said - Sunday night after the house was empty and the baby was in bed i took a nice hot bath and breathed for the first time in 3 days and it felt wonderful!
Project "Amelia turns 2" has already started...

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

.One.

A year. It's been one whole year since my whole world was turned upside down, torn apart, and shaken in a single second and at the very same instant rebuilt into something so much better and fuller and happier that the only fair description would be magic. The moment that Amelia was born was the moment that I as a mother was born. Just like the quote at the top of the blog says "The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." this is easy for anyone to understand but is only truly comprehensible to someone who has lived it. Yes, I am a woman, a fully functioning person capable of all consuming love for my husband, friends, and family, capable of laughing so hard that tears poor down my face, capable of sympathy for others, and smart as a whip. But as of that one very moment I am a new person, a better person who is capable of a love like none other, can laugh harder at a single grunt, can sob with my whole heart and soul over someone else's nightmares, and capable of figuring out puzzles to life with a grace under fire that I never would have imagine possible. I am a mother.
It seems as though {from what my experience has been} that the first year with all of it's soaring highs and exhausting lows is a sort of boot camp for parenthood. And today our family graduates from boot camp. I am so proud of Cheyenne and I - parenthood isn't easy, and going through it for the first time is shocking at every turn. But we did it, at times we did it on no sleep, with fevers, with broken bones, with stress like we've never known, and countless times on pure adrenaline alone. We've come out the other side as better people, as a better couple, as better parents.
And of course I'm so proud of Amelia. She's gone from teeny tiny little thing with "breech legs" that didn't do much more than sleep, eat, and steal hearts to a beautiful, smart, funny, kind, tender-hearted, adventurous little prankster. She's everything that I could ever ask for and so much more. She makes Cheyenne & I better just by existing.
She is my love. My first born. Statistically speaking she will get more one on one time with me, will be read to longer, will be talked directly to more often. She is the litmus test and all who come after will have a life shaped by what she teaches us as parents. Her clothes, toys, belongs will never be hand me downs. To her disadvantage statics also say that her rules will be more strict, her parents will make more mistakes with her than with her siblings, she'll always be held to a high standard. I've never met any person who seems more qualified to lead an army of siblings as Miss Clark.
So it's been a year. I've been with her for 99% of every waking moment of her life and i honestly feel that it's not enough. Even after a year of "getting used" to parenthood {how is that even possible when they change so much so fast?} I'm still in shock and awe. She's real, she's mine, she's never going away - I can pick her up and hold her whenever I want. How did I get so lucky? I don't know. I know that I probably don't deserve something so wonderful, but I'll take it. Even on the hard days, it's so infinitely more fantastic that my best days before her.
I cannot imagine {though I spend hours each night trying to} how much she will change and what she will be like in another year but if this one has been any indication I'm in for something amazing.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

.Where did you come from?.

We had Amelia's one year check up today {sniff sniff} and everything went well. She's super healthy and developmentally on target. She weighs 18 pounds {which is the 14th percentile} and is just over 30 inches long {94th percentile} which basically means that she is the tallest and skinniest baby on planet Earth!
The doctor said that the weight doesn't cause concern since it's right on the same curve that she's always been on {since day one she's been in the 20-something percentile for weight and 80 or 90-something for length} but that she would like to see a bit more weight put on by our next appointment in April. So we were sent home with literature on how to fatten up a baby - it turns out to be such a rare thing that they need to hand out that the copy is a bit yellowed looking.
Her iron levels are perfect so we got the okay to start her on cows milk {whole milk only} so that may help. I'm upping her intake of avocado, natural peanut butter {she doesn't have a nut allergy}, coconut milk, whole milk yogurt and cheese, and am going to cook her veggies in olive oil {instead of steaming or raw as i have been} as nutritious ways off adding healthy fats to her diet.

Monday, January 24, 2011

.Who you callin' chicken?.

As I mentioned I was sick all weekend so all I ate was soup and even that wasn't made by yours truly so the first Monday following my "how was your weekend" post is totally lacking in a recently made recipe. Sorry folks. That being said I figured I'd go ahead and share my recipe for roasted chicken since I'll be making it this coming weekend. I love a nice roast chicken, it's so simple and and comforting which are things that I really appreciate in the cold winter months. Personally, I brine all poultry whenever possible and if you haven't done so I sincerely recommend you give it a try {especially for that Thanksgiving show piece - turkey}.


Roast Chicken
Ingredients:
Brine -
1 gallon of water
1 cup of kosher salt {don't use regular non-kosher table salt and do not use finishing fleur de sel}
1/2 cup of sugar
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh thyme {i like lemon thyme}
1 bunch fresh parsley {flat leaf}
3 bay leaves
1 head of garlic {regular bulb not "elephant" garlic} cut horizontally
1 onion sliced{i love sweet Walla Walla onions which are easy for me to get because Portland is close to Walla Walla - use sweet, yellow, or white but not purple}
3 tablespoons of peppercorns crushed {any color}
2 lemons sliced

Chicken-
5ish pound chicken {I always go for organic free range} do NOT use a kosher chicken if you plan to brine the bird because it will be much too salty!
Butter softened
Herbs de Provence to taste
Fresh ground salt & pepper to taste {i use my finishing salts for this part}
1 pound of baby carrots
1 onion {same as above}
1 bunch of fresh thyme
1 bunch of fresh rosemary

Directions:
1.Combine all the brine ingredients in a large pot; squeeze the lemons as they are added. Bring to a simmer over high heat to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until chilled.

2.Add the chicken to the brine and weigh it down with a plate to keep it submerged. Allow to brine for 8 to 12 hours.

3.Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse well, and dry with paper towels. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

4. Pre-heat oven to 425

5. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator an hour before cooking.

6. Rub chicken all over with softened butter then season {inside and out} with herbs de Provence, salt, & pepper.

7. In a roasting pan spread the carrots, onion, and fresh herbs and drizzle with olive oil. Truss chicken and place it directly on top of the vegetable and herbs.

8. Roast the chicken for about 1.5 hours or until the juices run clear when you make a {small!} slice between the leg & thigh.

9. Remove the chicken from the oven and tent with foil to rest for 20 minutes {it needs this time to allow the juices to settle. If you skip this step your bird wont be as juicy which is sad}. Test your veggies - if they are fork tender but still have some bite then remove them, if they feel like they still need some time then go ahead and continue to roast them while your chicken is resting.
10. Slice and enjoy along with the carrots and onions {or any root veggies that you like; Ive been know to add baby potatoes, fennel, rutabagas,turnips, parsnips, and beets at various times}!




Friday, January 21, 2011

.I'm not sorry I got you sick.

As luck would have it I have come down with a cold during what it sure to be my 2nd busiest weekend of the last 12 months. Color me not surprised.
Last night Cheyenne and I were talking about the fact that I don't feel well and how it inevitably means that Amelia will most likely contract the cold as well. While the idea of my baby being sick makes me sad a smile came to my face when Cheyenne explained his reasoning:
Cheyenne: "I'm sure she'll start showing signs soon. You two are inseparable. You do everything together. You share food, you kiss on the mouth, you let her count your teeth {why do you do that????}, you nap with your faces on one anther's. She's like your tumor {but in a good way} what you do she does and where you go she goes. There's no way she's not getting sick."
Chole: "I miss her. I wish she was here. She would find this conversation funny, ya know, if she grasped the English language."
Cheyenne: "See? She's been in bed for just 2 hours - she's sleeping in the room right next to this one."
Chole: "Your point?"
Cheyenne: "I love you even though you're a crazy person."
Chole: "Did you hear that? I think she coughed."

I'm sorry she's going to be sick but im not sorry that it happened because i love that we are that close. I love my little "tumor".

.Time out.


Now that the peanut is on the cusp of toddlerhood she's been pushing what she can get away with. Oy! The biggest "fight" that we have is over the "off limit" sections beyond the mega-dome. She's like a teeny tiny Houdini and is able to escape one section of the otherwise child-proof dome and of course, that's the only thing in her universe that she wants to do. I spend a good portion of my day picking her up and removing her from the scene of the crime.
However, im fighting a bit of a cold this week and am not moving as fast as I should be and the little monster has exposed my weakness and has been quite naughty.
I'm trying a time out chair but as you can see from the photos it's not quite as fearsome as I had hoped. I think for now im going to have to keep chasing her until i can make a time out area that doesnt make her giggle with delight.

.Welcome to the world little one.

A very happy congratulations go out to our dear friends Luis & Sayuri Diaz-Yoshikawa on the birth of their sweet little boy Sebastian! He arrived on January 19th at 8:17am weighing in at 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 18.5 inches long. Happy {belated} birthday little guy!


Wednesday, January 19, 2011

.Hey hey good lookin' whatcha got cookin'.

It's no secret that I love to cook and bake. The kitchen is my zen place. The same can be said of my best friend Amanda who is tied with my other close friend Nicholas Doughty for "best home cook that I personally know". Thanks to Skype and email, even though Amanda and I {temporarily} live far apart we are able to talk for at least an hour a day {though that time is usually broken up across a few hours due to her being at work and me being a mom}.
Each Monday the first thing we ask one another is "how was your weekend" which is really just code for "what did you make, did you like it, can i have the recipe". We've done it for years now. So I thought it would be nice to bring you all in to the conversation - I'm starting today but was thinking that a weekly Monday post would be more in keeping with the already set tradition {plus it'll be fresh in my mind}. I'll post a recipe from either Amanda or I and I hope that you give one a try! If there's a recipe that you tried and loved feel free to share it in a comment!
Today's recipe is from last night.
Ingredients:
•1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
•1 cup light brown sugar
•3 tablespoons granulated sugar
•1 large egg
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
•1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
•1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips



Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)

2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.

3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.

4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Monday, January 17, 2011

.Dr King.

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. day and I wanted to write a post about it because he was such a wonderful person, an inspiration, and stood for so much good and change during some dark days in our history. However, I've been sitting in front of the blank computer screen trying to think of ways to do Dr. King and his legacy justice and I simply can't. I think the most powerful thing to honor him that I could print would be his own words - the famous "I have a dream speech"from August 28, 1963 is as powerful today as it was then. Please take a moment to read it and think of how far we've come and how far we have to go...

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."2

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!



.Are you ready for some football.


As I'm sure you know, our Oregon Ducks lost the National Championship game to Auburn by 3 little points. I was planning on making a post about this right after the game but I have only this weekend been able to come to terms with the loss. Heartbreak aside, it was a great game that was really exciting and with such a young healthy team and an amazing coach I'm sure we'll be back for redemption sooner rather than later.
In other Football news we are smack in the middle of the NFL playoffs and it's going just exactly as I had hoped. My least favorite teams are all eliminated, my beloved Steelers are still in it, and I don't loath any of the final four teams. Delish! Next week we play the foot loving Jets {if you pay any attention to football you know why this nickname is hilarious} at home in Heinz Field. If we win that game then we are going to the Super Bowl {or "home" as I like to call it}! GO STEELERS!

.Golden Globes

My mom & I l-o-v-e award season in Hollywood. For as long as I can remember we've watched the awards shows together {or on the rare occasion when we aren't together in person we are attached at the ear via phone} - we know our stuff inside and out but our favorite part is the red carpet. Someday we will dethrone Joan & Melissa Rivers and take their places on the carpet! Here are my notable mentions from the 2011 Golden Globes red carpet...

Best Dressed

Eva Longoria in Zac Posen
This was my #1 favorite of the night. I thought this was so classy and beautiful and it's not often that a short girl can rock a dress this long and dramatic so well. Amazing! Olivia Wilde in Marchesa
So pretty - that's just the perfect word, pretty pretty pretty.
Mila Kunis in Vera Wang
I love it. There was a ton of Emerald green last night but I thought Mila wore it best.

Carrie Underwood in Badgley Mischka
Very elegant and sophisticated - my favorite of the "nude" colored dresses.

Worst Dressed

Julianne Moore in Lanvin
This is my #1 least favorite from the night. I hate the cut, the color, all of it. She's such a stunning lady - she needs to fire her stylist.
Michelle Williams in Valentino
Oh Michelle Williams, why? This looks cheap and tacky. Daisies? Really? Oh no.
January Jones in Versace
Um...there are no words - this was even more horrible on stage when she moved. No no no.
Anne Hathaway in Armani
Anne Hathaway actually looked worse on tv - it's not nearly as awful looking in this photo as it was on tv. P.S. eat a ham sandwich Homegirl!










Wednesday, January 12, 2011

.The dentist.

Today was Amelia's first visit to the dentist and it went really well! Her teeth look perfect and healthy and she charmed the pants off of the entire staff.
For all of the local moms that read this blog and don't yet have a pediatric dentist picked out I highly recommend Dr. Allan Pike at Dentistry for Children {tell 'em Nichole Clark sent ya}! The whole staff is great but Dr. Pike is amazing. In fact, I wish they took care of adults because my dentist-scared husband {he needs anti-anxiety meds before each visit to the dentist} is the perfect candidate for their warm and affectionate atmosphere and philosophy!
The next appointment is in July and I'm sure that one will go just as well.


Monday, January 10, 2011

.Kickin' it into high gear.

Amelia's birthday is 17 days away and her birthday party is in 19 days. I have so much done but so much more to do in just 17 days!

Completed:
Tutu - check
birthday hat - check
hair bow - check
banner - check
fondant cookie toppers - check
invites filled out - check
milk bottles decorated - check
cupcake wrappers - check
straws decorated - check
Salt water taffy - check
Favor tags - check
Pom poms - check

Left to do:
Get red leggings
Order linens
Collect cake stand{s} & platters
meringue cookies
Sugar cookies
Smash cake
French macaroons
Send out invites
CLEAN THE HOUSE!!!

If you wanna come over and help feel free!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

.The arts.

Before we even began trying for a baby Cheyenne and I agreed that it was important that our future child/ren learn an instrument. There have been countless studies proving the many many benefits of learning an instrument not to mention that Cheyenne and I both love music and want to instill that love in our child/ren.
About two years ago I started researching which instrument would be best for a child to learn. I knew that I wanted to go with a string {because we all know it's the best instrument family} and that violin or piano were my two top favorite. The pros for piano were obvious: it sounds pretty faster, Cheyenne knows how to play, and my mom is a pianist so there would be at least two people around to help with practice in addition to a professional teacher. The cons: buying a piano. Then I began looking into the violin and stumbled upon tons of information about the Suzuki Method. This is what I was looking for! A nurturing environment for very young children to learn and appreciate music - specifically learning the violin - the more I read the more I became convinced that this was the way to go.
Two years, and much more research later, and I'm more convinced than ever and quite excited for my daughter to get to grow and learn along with such beauty. I've done quite a bit of sleuthing and after several email "conversations" with local teachers I have found "the one".
The Bennett Suzuki Violin Studio of Portland is fantastic! Edie Bennett has trained with Shinichi Suzuki himself and has spent more than 35 years teaching people ages 2-80 how to play the violin in a fun and nurturing environment. With Edie's advice I will be playing the Suzuki level I CDs as well as classical violin concertos throughout the day when Amelia and I are playing/cleaning/napping etc so that she's getting exposed to the sound and feel of the music. Then, next January she'll begin her lessons with an adorable little 1/16 sized violin {google it, super cute}. Yay! I'm so excited to be sharing my love of the arts with Little Miss.
Ballet lessons begin in January of 2013 at the Portland Ballet {don't even pretend to be surprised that I already know this}!

p.s. for an example of one of Edie's students go here



Thursday, January 6, 2011

.New things update.

Little Miss is a sponge lately! The list of things that she now does to make us smile includes:

*Waving and saying "bye-bye". She loves this and does it to everything.
*Saying "Mama", "Dada", Bah-bah" {bottle}.
*Saying what sounds like "yeah boy" like she's a teeny tiny Flava Flav!
*Chattering in her own little baby language. She could "talk" for hours! Wonder where she got that from?
*Pulling up and "cruising" on anything and everything. She's stood on her own unassisted a few times but falls or grabs onto something as soon as she realizes what she's doing. If we hold her hands to lend support then she will walk all over kingdom come which we think means we'll have an independent walker very soon.
*She's such a cuddly lovey baby! When she's down on the floor playing with her toys she'll stop after a while and crawl over for a hug and snuggle and a kiss {this involves headbutting and lots of slobber}. She's also taken to going over to Sully {our cat} when he's laying down and cuddling with him with her head on his side. They've become the best of friends which has sent Josie {our dog} into a state of pure and total hysteria and sadness because she loathes the cat and loves Amelia as though she were her own puppy.

My little girl is growing up so fast! Just 21 more days until the birthday of the year!

.Can't catch a break.

It's been a looong week in the Clark house! Saturday night Cheyenne fell down the bottom four steps of our staircase {attic stairs in a house built in 1930 are a death trap waiting for prey} and upon landing broke a rib. He's going to be okay in a month but for now he's in pretty bad pain and cant do much of anything without making the pain even worse.
This means that I have been taking over his "parenting duties" which it turns out is quite a lot. I'm very lucky to have such a great partner who shares a huge part of the physical responsibilities for our baby but it turns out that has a "down side" by which I mean that I was unprepared for how much additional work it would be for me to take over what he does in addition to what I already do. Ladies and gentlemen: I am pooped.
Which brings me to last night, being a bit pooped and not quite "all there" while making dinner I made a stupid mistake. I was boiling pasta and once it was al dente I turned off the flame and got out the colander after which I picked up the pot of pasta & crazy hot water by the handles with my bare hands! What was I thinking? I don't know. So the handles were of course too hot which means that my brain sent a signal to my hands {without my permission} to drop the hot offending thing which made the water slash all up my right arm and face before crashing upside down on the floor and my bare feet.
Thank goodness we have a gas stove so the heat source stopped full force as soon as I turned the burner off and that I had taken the few seconds to get the colander out. By the time that I dropped the pot the water it was no longer at a full boil. Luckily I only got a mild burn - it looks and feels a bit like a sunburn and it's better this morning that it was last night. If you didn't know better you would just think that I had slept on that side of my face making it a bit pink.
Given the recent rash of accidents causing bodily harm here in Clark Manor I am considering wrapping Amelia up in bubble wrap to keep her safe!

Monday, January 3, 2011

.You say you want a resolution.

What with it being the start of a new year I've had resolutions on my mind and until a couple of days ago I couldn't come up with something that I felt was "resolution worthy", I don't really have any vices that require me to give them up {unless you count my love of all things pork - which I do not, in fact, count as a "vice"} and I feel like I have enough on my plate without adding a hobby or some such so I was a bit stumped.
Then I got to thinking about our future {near and far} and plans and it occurred to me that if things move along at the plan/pace that Cheyenne & I have talked about then getting my body healthy inside and out for another baby would be the exact perfect New Years resolution as far as timing and importance go. I don't have a weight goal or anything as specific as that - rather, I just want to be in a healthy place next year when we have talked about starting to try for "Clarking 2: the pregnancy returns". I think it's a pretty good one. What's your resolution?

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year 2011!


Happy 2011 one and all! I hope everyone had a happy a safe new years celebration. We had a quiet night at home with champagne and hors d'Ĺ“uvre and When Harry Met Sally which is not only one of my favorite movies period but is my must have for new years eve. After a week of Amelia getting up 1+ hours early each morning we were actually exhausted and ended up falling asleep slightly before midnight {by "slighty" I mean 10:50pm}. Like most things in the past 12 months I have been happier with the low key options - having a baby will do that!


Love to all!