Thursday, March 26, 2009

New and recent things.

Owen's new Converse.


Six dollars at a consignment store. Now we're looking for some cool sandals for summer and any suggestions for a two year old would be greatly appreciated.

Owen on his recent vacation to L.A. and Manhattan Beach.




The last shot is of Owen in his Phil & Teds Metro backpack. It is totally cool and the best part - he TOTALLY loves it. It is so comfortable to wear him in this as the pack is designed to be lightweight and fully adjustable. It will be brillant for the trails this summer.

The L.A. trip... Owen and Elliot did remarkably well, although the trip was not without its challenges as one might expect traveling with ANY 21 month old and 5 week old (we drove as will probably be the case with most of the trips we take this year). That said, it was smooth enough to give me the confidence to now be able to pack both of them up, by myself, and take them out on adventures. And as a family, we are already planning several trips with them soon - one to see Grandpa Marshall and Nai Nai and stay at the cabin in late June/early July, a bike trip in Southern B.C. and one in Oregon. We realized on the trip down to LA that we've not been stimulating Owen enough the last few months. Sure, he may experience overload sometimes and may get fussy when he's had too much, but watching the big trucks go by the window, with their colorful cabs, listening to Daddy's music all day in the car, meeting new family members, attending parties and dinners and sharing a room with the rest of his family, made him overall more attentive and, most noticibly, helped him sleep so much better at night. So now that it is getting warmer and I am no longer pregnant, our plan is to get both boys out so much more and for Janet (Grandma Chalupa) and I to plan all day outings each Wednesday.

We were gone for two weeks in L.A. and had a wonderful time at Kelsey's Grandma Tutu's 90th birthday celebration (a 3 day weekend full of events) and a lovely, sunny, five day vacation at a beach house on Manhattan Beach. It is good to be back home and although I DO miss the sunshine, I just noticed today that many things I planted in the garden have come up and soon, it will be warm here as well.

Owen's new brother.



He's growing and eating like a champ and now weighs 10 pounds, 10 ounces. He's easy. He sleeps well - most of the time - is cheerful and has started to smile and laugh.

Owen's new ceiling? We are considering a mural or stenciling Owen's ceiling. Since we are not artists per say, but ARE resourceful and can muster up creativity on occasion, we're soliciting any do-it-yourself suggestions. Send us a message with your thoughts. We need to incorporate big images and bold colors so he can easily see the design from his bed.

No new seizure activity. No drama. No surgeries. No new emergency interventions.

Good.