A family-- a cycling scientist, a crazy little girl, a happy toddler, and me-- navigating the exciting, sometimes difficult, but most of all wonderful adventure that is life.
Here’s some details about the three-month old Andrew:
Scott was out of town last week—he had a conference in Boston—so my mom stayed on after Andrew’s blessing so give me some extra help while he was gone. It was so fun to have her around and she was indeed a lot of help.
My brother Ben scheduled a meeting in Seattle in the days following the blessing so he stuck around a couple of days also. The meeting fell through, though, so we took him to Pike Place Market, Agua Verde, Golden Gardens (pictured below and above) and the Ballard Locks. Susanna sure loves her uncle Ben.
After Ben left, Mom watched Jane Austen movies with me, forced me to take naps, helped me get out the door on some runs, took Susanna and I to lunch, made lamb stew and lots of other yummy foods, and at least pretended to enjoy her 7:00 am wake-up call from Susanna (singing “there’s a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall…” in an English accent). I’m so glad she could and did come.
Like many other churches, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a wonderful ordinance in which infants are formally given their name. Yesterday, as a part of our church meetings, Scott gave Andrew his name and it was a very special event for our whole family. I am so grateful that Scott worthily holds the priesthood so that he can administer ordinances like this one. What’s the priesthood you say? It’s the power by which ceremonies like this one are administered in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Click here for more information.
Some family came from out of town and we all gathered together to celebrate Andrew. On Saturday, we spent the day watching football, making rice-crispie sushi, visiting a pumpkin patch (and then carving our pumpkins), and making and eating lots of pie. Here are some photos of our little man. Note the drool below.
Last Saturday we loaded bags and coats and baby carriers into the car and headed out of town. First we went to a little farm between Redmond and Woodinville; we wandered through the pumpkin patch, ate kettle corn, and climbed on the haystacks. Scott, Susanna, and the neighbor friends that came with us fed the alpacas and goats while Andrew and I found a place to sit so he could have some lunch. We left a few hours later with our pumpkins and some tomatoes and corn. Realizing that a cider mill was just around the corner we stopped there to taste their fresh pressed apple cider and came away with a half gallon of the granny smith variety. After an ice cream stop at a creamery down the street, we called it a day and came back home.
It was a good day.
These videos aren't great but I'm sure there's a grandparent out there who'll enjoy them.
Smiling:
And cooing:
Another wonderful General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has come and gone, and I know you are all anxiously awaiting the report of our Whatever-number Annual Girls’ Night Out, but it just didn’t happen this year. That is, we now have a boy in our ranks and what would be do with him but take him with us? The three of us did have a little outing, however, and short of forgetting my wallet that was to pay for our dinner, all went well. Thankfully, Susanna happily accompanied Andrew and I back home (we gathered yellow leaves and played red light green light the entire way). And when we got home she said she still wanted to go so we grabbed wallet and headed back out (this time with a stroller for Susanna) and arrived with plenty of time to eat some Beecher’s World’s Best Mac and Cheese, nurse Andrew, and read books at the bookstore, before Scott came to get us at 7:15. Then we all got ice cream together and headed back home.
For more information on the annual Girls’ Night Out and General Conference, click here.
Celebration Part 1: We had our traditional family birthday party on the actual day (although, as you can see from the photograph, we started eating our birthday cake before we remembered to light the candles and sing).
Celebration Part 2: Last night was supposed to be our (Scott my)night to celebrate (although we decided not to leave home). Scott recalls a particularly romantic moment when Andrew was screaming in his face and the Susanna ran out in the buff (having escaped from me while getting dressed for bed) with a trail (or should I said “tail”– that’s what she calls it) of toilet paper streaming behind her. It ended up being a nice evening because they both went to bed with plenty of time to enjoy our take-out from Bengel Tiger.
Celebration Part 3: This has yet to happen. My mom is coming to visit for a while soon and we plan on taking advantage of her residence in our apartment to sneak out between feedings for dessert or something.
Here’s to seven years! May there be many, many more.
