The big two-oh-oh

This is our 200th blog post.  200 posts ago, Scarlett was sitting up and considering crawling.  Now, she runs and talks and has opinions, and she wants to do everything without help- 'Self, self'.  If I ask, do you need help?  She says 'got it'.

Here are some Scarlett words, translated:

"Rownuh" = Ramona
"Pawmpa" = Grandpa
"Packpuh" = backpack
"Nawnee" = dog, or doggy
"Part" = park

This week, she has insisted on taking both her wooden pull toys to the park...

Putting them in the swings...

And pushing them impatiently down the slide.

Then, repeat.

Poor little wooden toys, they deserve a break.

Tacoma, Wa

Scarlett, my parents and I took a quick trip up to Tacoma.  Charlie stayed home to do something ridiculas, like run 20 miles in the pouring rain.

Kelly has gained some weight in the womb-region.

After we left, Ella said that Scarlett is her friend and should come back and visit again.

Ella's like 'going down the slide backwards is the hardcore way'.

Ella and her daddy smoochin'

Kelly made this great soup with roasted eggplant.  Scar ate tons of eggplant, so I should probably remember to make this again soon.

And we made chocolate-marshmallow cookies, which is what Kelly made for my baby shower almost two years ago.  This is before we frosted-

If I'm photographed with an apron, everyone will think I helped make dinner...right?

Last year, this year

This month marks our one year blogaversary.  Pictures from last year at this time show Scarlett sitting up by herself, smiling.  Now, she refuses to be photographed without a popsicle in her hand.

This year:

Last  year:

Out with the old

Approximately 26 hours ago, we traded in my VW....

For this shiny new Toyota.

I've had that car longer than I've known Charlie.  So even though it mistreated me by breaking down and overheating, and even though I complained about it nonstop, I think I will miss it a little.

Mirror mirror

What if she had been twins? 

Preparing for a trip to the zoo...

19 months

Dear Scarlett Ray,

Happy 19 month birthday!  You are closer to 2 than 1 now, and it shows.  You're too big to sleep stretched sideways in your crib.  Sometimes when we come to check on you at night, your legs are hanging between the bars or are straight up against the side.  Every night, I'm amazed at how much you've grown, compared to the tiny baby who once slept in that crib.

You've been going to bed later, which has been more fun for me because I get to spend more time with you after work.  Bath time is usually around 7:15 or 7:30 and we try to get you into bed by 8.  And, a miracle if I ever saw one, you've been SLEEPING IN.  Sometimes until SEVEN A.M.!!!  Yesterday morning I left for work at 7:10 and you were still asleep.

Your Daddy and I counted and you say upwards of 100 words.  Names, animals, body parts, food.  You say 'hold on' and 'come on' and 'wash up'.  You love to buckle yourself into the high chair or car seat, and to play with the buckles on your diaper bag.  Sometimes you get so excited about something (usually a popsicle, or going outside) that you squeeze your hands into fists and stand on your tippie toes and squeal "POPSICLE!!!" or "OUSSIDE!!"

Your favorite books are all Dr. Seuss, and we read them at bedtime: Green Eggs and Ham ("HAM!!"), The Cat in the Hat ("HAT!!!") and my personal favorite, Ten Apples Up On Top ("APPLES!").  For a long stretch, you only wanted The Runaway Bunny, and On the Night You Were Born.  And because I have those books memorized, I would say them over and over to you, while you fell asleep.  Sometimes I'd get close to the end and you'd murmur 'bone' which means 'Born', and I would read it again.

This month, I spent my first full day away from you.  I was sad, because it was unintentional.  I've held you and kissed you and told you I loved you every day of your entire life. And then during Hood to Coast, the traffic was too bad and we left the beach too late, that you were asleep once I got home.  You didn't seem any worse for the wear, but I was.  I'm so, so glad that I get to be your mama and I want to tell you that every day.

Blanket rides with Lucy at the park

Taking Baby for a walk

Learning about lipstick with Auntie Lauren

Love, Mama

Hood to Coast, 2011

But first, September 11th is something Scarlett will learn about in school but probably something that won't affect her the way it will affect those of us who remember details about that day.  Maybe it's a little like when JFK was shot, for our generation.  She will grow up knowing the words 'cell phone' and 'lap top' and 'internet' and probably other words that haven't been invented yet.  I wonder what she'll be writing on her blog in 15 years?

And now, what you've all been waiting for, Viking Dance Parties.

Last year, our Hood to Coast team found a theme we liked: Vikings.  Thanks to Erin & Eddie we have Viking hats and swords and sweetly decorated vans.  This was my 6th year in a row at Hood to Coast, and the best one so far for my speed and how strong I felt while running.  Weather-wise though, it was a total mess.  It was HOT.  I ran my first leg at around 4pm and it was 96 degrees.  I'm such a badass though, that I survived with only the minimal complaining (HA HA).  Really though, it was a great year, despite the heat and the traffic. 

Van 1 at the foggy start, Timberline Lodge, 11:30am Friday.

 

Erin showing her Viking pride:

  

While Heather was running her first leg, Erin was waving a Viking hat out the window of the moving van to cheer on some of the runners.  One of the tusks fell off mid-cheer.  It seemed too complicated to turn the van around, and risk missing Heather at the exchange point, just to find the tusk.  After all, we're Vikings, we're too busy plundering to care if our hats are in ship shape.  But while she was running, Heather saw the tusk on the ground and figured she knew what happened, and she picked it up and brought it home.  Here she is, celebrating:

Jody running in a Viking skirt.  Van 1 took a dip in Jody's swimming pool after our runs in the blistering heat.  That's probably why this was the Best HtC ever.

While Erin was running her second leg, lots of vans were stuck when the Hawthorne Bridge raised.  

Early Saturday morning, we pillaged some donuts from Team Maple Bar or whatever they were called. 

 Jody showing off our sweet Vikings capes.

Viking Dance Party!  In the wee hours of Saturday morning, dealing with sore muscles and lack of sleep, we cranked up the music and started the best new tradition ever, of Viking Dance Parties.  There was a lot of ass shaking and cat calling the shirtless male runners. 

 Jody and I, pre-run.

There was also a team of storm troopers- they ran in their undies (the girl in black is Darth Vador).  They didn't run in the hats. Even in the middle of the night, they were very close to naked. 

 Heather, Holly, Jody and Erin, posing in front of some scenic porta potties.

 

At last, after approximately 18 miles per person, our van finished.  I was the last runner, and I ran into the exchange with a big smile because I knew that a crab melt awaited me at the beach.  By the time we drove there though, I was too tired to eat it.  We went to Holly's parents' house- while Charlie's van was finishing the end of the relay- to shower and relax a little.  I think I might've fallen asleep on the floor and her parents had to step over me.  That's how Vikings roll though.

[Insert Flight of the Valkyries here]

All the way home

I'm pleased to report that Scarlett was a total champ on the airplane ride home from Chicago.  I was worried that the flight there went so well, she would surely have some kind of melt down going home.  She couldn't be perfect all the time, could she?  But she was great.  We had a 7:30pm flight, and a row of 3 seats to ourselves because the flight wasn't full.  Scarlett enjoyed many activities, including:

Coloring with crayons for the first time
Buckling and unbuckling the seat belts
Looking out the window (And saying loudly 'outside!  outside!')
Snacking
Reading
Sleeping sprawled out on my lap for 2+ hours

She was great the whole time...until I tried to put her in the front seat of Shaggy's car, through the window, and she started screaming.  In hindsight, that probably wasn't the smartest idea when she was many hours past bedtime.  So, one negative point for Mama.

Who Loves You?

I asked Scarlett, guess who loves you?  Here is what she replied, in order.

Ramona
Tom
Anders
Tom
People
Baby

EP IL, in review

Today is our last day in Evergreen Park, so we celebrated last night with some frozen custard.  Here's a sampling of what else we've eaten:

Deep dish pizza
Regular pizza (nobody here likes deep dish best, they all want cracker-thin crust)
Milkshakes
Rainbow cone
At the wedding: Charlie had some shrimp & chicken thing, I had an ENORMOUS lasagna, probably meant to be an entire pan.
Jimmy John's (which we have in Portland now, yay)
Mr. Sub
Lots of Jay's BBQ potato chips and Lucky Charms
Diane's Asian chicken (and non-chicken) salad
Portillo's (it's like a hot dog place but mostly we ate salad)


Yesterday we took Scarlett to the Little Red Schoolhouse, which is this nature preserve area where you can walk around and see ducks on the lake and flowers and there's an indoor area with fish and frogs.  She tried to jump into the duck pond but was otherwise a happy and well behaved little toddler.

The main event was Kim & Mike's wedding.  I took tons of pictures, but here are the real highlights.  First, the lovely couple:

The venue:

 This lasagna could have fed an entire nation. 

Kim's bouquet was made of broaches, I think most or all of them belonged to family members.  She made this herself, I was impressed.

 

We spent a lot of time hanging out with these great people.  Tim the priest, and his leading lady Tina.

And now we're about to head to the airport.  Regular life resumes tomorrow.

EP IL, Day 4

Today we took Scarlett for ice cream at Rainbow Cone.  They gave her what is most certainly an adult-sized cone, and she ate the top but refused to bite the cone part.  Instead, she used her finger to scoop out the ice cream from inside.  I'm proud of her creative thinking.  I've always known she was a genius, but this really solidifies it.

We went out to the forest preserves, where Scarlett didn't seem to mind the terrible heat and ran around happily in a field.  She also played in well water that her grandpa pumped, and laughed while she ran down the hill falling.

On Wednesday morning, Charlie took me on a running tour of Evergreen Park; we ran by all the elementary schools and the catholic schools and houses of his old friends, etc etc.  It was lovely, until we were about a block from his parents' house and I got stung by a bee.  Mid-stride.  I had hoped to report by now that my leg was healed but instead, there's a big red spot and it's really itchy and ugly.  We are planning another husband-wife run tomorrow (since Grandma is around to babysit) so please hope for the best.

Also, Midwest thrift stores are awesome and I cannot get enough of them.  I bought so many 10 cent kid's books and cute outfits that we will need an extra suitcase coming home.

This is a picture of an unhappy child who took too much time trying to buckle {"myself, myself" she says} herself into the car seat so mama did it instead.