since11

Tee-Ball 2010

2010-05-15T11:16:00.001-04:00

Taking Buggie for a Ride

2010-04-10T09:51:00.002-04:00

Some Recent Photos

2010-04-04T16:25:00.000-04:00

Halloween

2009-11-01T08:25:00.005-05:00

The costumes -
Avery helped with his robot decorations. He drew, colored and cut out pictures of the sun, saturn, the moon and other celestial objects.

Paige was a fairy. The wings on the back were my favorite. Also note, Grammah's tree costume.
... and we couldn't forget Buggie - the rooster!!
We had some friends over for lunch - we made orange gingham treat bags filled with loot and creepy cupcakes. We didn't take pictures of our other creepy concoctions... like hotdog mummies and mozzarella monster fingers!

Pants

2009-11-01T08:20:00.003-05:00

This was too funny not to share... I had just returned home from grocery shopping when I noticed that Pants had taken an apple from one of the bags. We turned around to see her squatting and seriously eating her chosen snack. (...she had been wearing a cute purple skirt with her tights and boots... really!)

Pumpkins

2009-11-01T08:07:00.005-05:00

We all enjoyed our trip to the pumpkin patch. We fed the goats, had a wagon ride, sipped fresh apple cider and enjoyed ice cream cones on a sun drenched October afternoon.

Soccer

2009-09-26T12:26:00.003-04:00

Avery had his second soccer game today. He is really enjoying soccer, and we are having a fun time with it too.

Time Flies

2009-08-15T15:49:00.003-04:00

August 2009

August 2007

Argh Matey's

2009-08-08T19:47:00.003-04:00

The Pirate Festival at Fort Knox today!

New Dress for Pants

2009-08-06T11:12:00.002-04:00

I've had this maternal need to make my daughter a dress... I can't explain it... but I've had an ache to do this. Apparently, this need is shared by own mother who made this beautiful dress for Pants. It fit perfectly.

Summer Fun

2009-07-18T16:59:00.002-04:00

Just a photo and video.

Free Range Organic Turkey

2009-07-05T19:03:00.003-04:00

Today, we cooked the turkey that I harvested in May. Since it was my first turkey, we decided to de-feather, clean and freeze the turkey whole. Despite the expert guidance and assistance from my Mom, it was a lot of work, and I am not sure if I would do that again, and might just take the breast next time.

Today, Jen baked the bird in a roasting bag with some chicken broth added to keep it moist. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it came out. It was moist and very tasty. It tasted nearly identical to the thanksgiving turkeys that we are all used to. Except, as I reminded Jen, this was a genuine free range organic bird.

Staycation

2009-07-03T17:19:00.004-04:00

We have been enjoying our staycation this week. We scored some serious loot at a couple of yard sales, including a playhouse for the kids and a bike for Avery. Not to mention that Avery picked up Woody AND Buzz Lightyear for 50 cents. We also finally got to building that little patio and made our first trip to Chuck E. Cheese's.

Renegade

2009-06-21T08:04:00.002-04:00

Welcome Renegade, the newest member of our family.

Signs

2009-06-10T22:59:00.002-04:00

When Avery was small, I loved signing with him. I did not know any sign language before learning with and teaching him. It was amazing to have him start signing at just 10months old, be signing like crazy by 12 months and then to be verbally saying the words he had been signing by 15months.

Paige has been on a different course. For those of you who know Paigey Pants well - you'll understand. I started signing with Paige earlier than Avery, since he took to it so quickly. She signed 'milk' at just 8 months old. She quickly played the imp and decided it was fun to tease mama and made up her own fake sign for milk. She has been signing 'all done' after meals for some time now. Other than that, she's been fairly content to just grunt. The three of us can differentiate the grunts and know precisely what she is requesting. Over the past few days, however, she's become a signing maniac!!!! She signs 'thank you' when buckled into her booster seat at the table or when Avery kisses her; she signs 'airplane' everyday as we leave daycare and she sees the plane at the air museum or when she spots one in the sky (this sign is accompanied by a machine like noise as well!); she signs 'hat', 'baby', 'hot', 'bath'; tonight she learned 'dog'. Its simply amazing!!! Its so much fun to have our babies communicating before they gain their verbal skills.

Paige and her baby

2009-06-07T16:29:00.004-04:00

Paige has really started being interested in her "babies," which include an assortment of stuffed animals as well as an actual baby doll. She likes to cradle them, feed them and give them bottles. She has recently perfected the sign for baby too.

Monster Jam!

2009-06-07T15:56:00.007-04:00

t's amazing how well television commercials work on a four-year-old. After seeing a couple of commercials for Monster Jam on TV, Avery convinced us to take him to see the monster truck show. It was a good time and he really enjoyed himself. We even stood in line after the show to get autographs from the drivers. We thought we we would share a couple of movies of the high-flying action.

Camping at Lamoine State Park

2009-06-07T15:32:00.005-04:00

Over the Memorial Day long weekend we headed down to what is becoming one of our regular camping spots, Lamoine State Park. It's another nice state campground and close to Acadia.

Tee Ball

2009-05-05T14:59:00.002-04:00

Avery started tee ball on Monday. We'll keep you updated as the season progresses.

First Turkey

2009-05-05T07:58:00.004-04:00

I decided to take up Turkey hunting this year. Though my family was skeptical that my turkey calls sounded like a turkey and that my turkey decoy looked like a turkey, it looks like I was on the right track. Monday was the first day of the season, and at 9:00 a.m. I bagged a decent gobbler. It weighed in at 19 lbs, 3 oz, had an 8.75-inch beard and 0.5/0.25-inch spurs. It was called in from about 200 yards using a diaphragm call.

The only hunting sport that I have ever been serious about is deer hunting, and I have to say that turkey hunting could easily become my new favorite sport.

Acadia Camping Trip

2009-04-27T20:19:00.006-04:00

With the 70-degree weather, we couldn't resist dragging out the camper and heading out for the weekend. We drove to Acadia National Park on Saturday morning and found a nice site at Blackwoods campground. We wouldn't really consider camping in Acadia during the summer so it was nice to take advantage of the early summer-like days and spend some time in the park.

After getting camp set up and having lunch, we hiked Day Mountain. We spent a long time hanging around at the summit, laying on the rocks, having water and snacks and enjoying the bright sunshine.

Avery enjoyed riding his bike on a closed portion of the campground road and Paige spent a lot of time walking around the campsite exploring.

On Sunday, we drove to Bass Harbor Head Light and in the afternoon, Jason and Avery did some "scaling" on the cliffs along the ocean near the campground.

We posted some more pictures of our trip here. It was definitely nice to get out and do some camping so early in the year, and we're already looking forward to our next trip.

Superhero / Princess Day

2009-04-20T19:17:00.002-04:00

It is a crazy "week of the young child" at school for Avery this week. Today was Superhero/Princess day. Avery was decked out as Batman in his favorite Batman t-shirt and a cape that Jen sewed for him out of some scrap fabric last night. Tomorrow is sports team day and Avery is planning to get dressed up in his Jacksonville Jaguars attire.

Happy Birthday Jason

2009-03-27T18:54:00.002-04:00

Since Paige's birthday is just one day before J's, we had threatened a shared princess party for both of them. In protest, J requested a "deer hunting" cake. This is the best we could come up with.. complete with a bubbling brook with rocks, tufted grass, camo attire, bambi and a serious rifle! The birdfeeder went along with some camo malt balls - Jason's favorite candy in the perfect theme for his party! Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthdays

2009-03-15T18:50:00.003-04:00

We had a birthday get-together for the kids today. It was great to have the grandparents here to celebrate. Jen made some great bug-theme cupcakes and made a great lunch.

Museum Trip

2009-03-14T16:49:00.002-04:00

I took Avery to the Maine State Museum today. I haven't been in a long time, and we both had a great time. Avery really liked the old water-powered mill exhibit as well as the old locomotive that they have on display. My favorite was a brand new exhibit called "At Home in Maine." It displayed rooms from Maine homes from the 1800's the 1960's and was quite amazing. I saw a lot of people walking around saying things like, "we used to have one of those when I was a kid."

We both enjoyed the trip to the museum, the yummy lunch at Pizza Hut and the trip through the car wash with Jen's car.

I've posted some other pictures below, including my favorite of "Paige: Arctic Explorer."

Paige is Walking!

2009-03-06T19:15:00.002-05:00

Family

2009-02-15T07:53:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, after drawing on his drawing board for a little while yelled out, "Look, I drew our family."

Ice Fishing

2009-02-09T19:14:00.018-05:00

Avery and I went ice fishing on Sunday at Fields Pond in Orrington. We went out with a friend from work and his kids. It was a warm but windy day and we had a great time pulling a lot of pickerel through the ice. Avery pulled this one up. He was a trooper, and stayed on the ice from 9:00 a.m. to almost 3:00 in the afternoon, never losing interest in running when a flag went up. We're looking forward to going again soon. Maybe Gram would like to go with us.

Boston Aquarium Trip

2009-01-17T11:30:00.001-05:00

Last weekend, we took a road trip to Boston to visit the Aquarium--something we've been talking about doing for quite a while. We found a good package deal at a hotel right in the financial district, which is just a short walk from the Aquarium. It included the aquarium tickets, the room, a movie and popcorn in the room for the kids and breakfast. The pictures of the city were taken from our room, which was on the 12th floor.

We drove down on Saturday morning and walked around the city near our hotel Saturday afternoon. We enjoyed our movie selection (Wall-E) and our nice hotel room. After a good night of sleep, we headed to the Aquarium in the morning.

It was the kids' first trip to the big city and their first time staying in a hotel. A nice little trip.

A Pony Tail ?

2008-12-18T18:31:00.001-05:00

Really?

Getting the Christmas Tree

2008-12-06T12:30:00.003-05:00

We went out to the local tree farm on this snowy day to get our Christmas tree. As usual, we found just the right one. With the dusting of snow that we got this morning, it was a nice wintry scene. Avery even got in the first sledding of the year.

F-L-O-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E

2008-11-29T09:11:00.006-05:00

Go Seminoles!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T12:46:00.001-05:00

These pictures weren't from Thanksgiving, but we did get our first snow of the year last week, and Avery didn't waste any time getting outside to enjoy it.

Halloween

2008-11-12T20:19:00.000-05:00

Avery Mouse and Pumpkin Paige!

Windy Sunday

2008-10-26T11:40:00.000-04:00

We are all spending a windy Sunday at home. I'm busy worrying about the potential for more tree branches to end up strewn about they yard (there is a big one sitting in the middle of the driveway), waiting for football to start. Jen is busy making baby food for Paige. Avery is attempting to see if he can possibly take out all of his toys. And Paige is just being Paige.

Jumpin'

2008-10-24T13:42:00.003-04:00

Yup.

Daddy Daycare

2008-10-24T09:24:00.000-04:00

I'm home with the kids today, and I have to say, it's going pretty smoothly so far. Avery has taken quite well to being a big brother, and that's a huge help. Hope things are going OK for everyone. -JGR

Happy Birthday Dad

2008-10-09T13:29:00.000-04:00

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you. -Jason

Avery-isms

2008-09-23T09:52:00.000-04:00

We went to the Common Ground Fair last weekend and met Pepe and Meme there. We had a really great day! We'll post pictures soon, if our home computer cooperates (it died for a bit last weekend). I don't have photos to post this morning... but wanted to share a few Avery-isms that have made us laugh recently.

This morning...
Avery has been very interested in clocks and telling time lately.
A: Ma, its 5 - 5 - 3 (reading the numbers, individually)
Me: Yes, its 5:53 (saying the time)
A: No, its 5 - 5 - 3 (again reading the numbers, individually)
Me: Yes, its 5:53 (saying the time again)
A: You're not spelling it right, Ma

Last night:
A: Where's Gram Fiddles? (after we tried to call her and couldn't reach her)
Me: She's at school
A: Big people don't go to school

Last night:
While Jason was cleaning the kitchen and I was feeding Paige, Avery was very, very quiet. This generally means he's doing something he should not be. When we went to find him, he was quietly sitting cross legged on the couch with a paperback book that illustrates signs for every letter. While he can't read what the signs mean, he was practicing them... and doing a really good job! What three year old cops a squat and teaches himself sign language?

Also last night:
Avery has recently been more interested in the phone. He likes to dial when we call the Gram's and recently answered the phone while I was away (with dad's supervision). Last night the phone rang three times and we adults were simply too exhausted to answer. Finally, Avery went running for the phone. When he had finally retrieved it and brought it to us, it had stopped ringing. Quite complexed he held it up to us and innocently asked, what numbers do I dial?

Paige is also a complete riot these days!! She's a complete joy beyond mere words can describe. She is absolutely in love with her dad! Whenever he's in the room, she squeals at the top of her lungs. Last night while talking to Gram Fiddles on the phone, she was happily screaming so loudly, and so consistently, it was impossible to chat. Also impossible, because we couldn't stop laughing at her. She's a daddy's girl for sure!

Have I said recently how happy I am to be a mom?

Lamoine State Park Camping

2008-09-15T20:14:00.002-04:00

We went on what will likely be our last camping trip of the year this past week/weekend. We chose to revisit Lamoine State Park, which turned out to be a great choice. Aside from four or five prime ocean-side sites, we had our pick of campsites. While it was cold on Thursday night, it wasn't anything that some bundling up, a little extra time next to the campfire and zipping up the sleeping bags at bedtime didn't fix.

The park is great, with lots to do for Avery, including a great playground, lots of rocky shoreline to explore and plenty of wild apples to throw into the ocean. And let's not forget the food--one of the best parts of camping. Avery can be seen below eating a breakfast on the front step of the camper consisting of staple camping treats, Pop Tarts and Apple Jacks.

We went for a hike in Acadia on Friday. We climbed Day Mountain, and threw in some lengthy intended and unintended detours, which include a not-for-the-feint-of-heart bushwack along the base of some cliffs to see some caves. Then a shortcut that ended up putting us back at the bottom of the mountain again so that we had to start all over. Below you can see Avery the weary hiker during that hike and two other weary hikers at the summit.

My own favorite part of the weekend was hanging out with Avery climbing rocks and cliffs along the shoreline at high tide to find pockets of wild apples dropped by the trees overhanging the shore. We took turns tossing them down into the ocean before scrambling some more rocks in search of more apples. We also took a trip over to nearby Lamoine beach for some sand-digging.

Deja Vu

2008-09-10T20:52:00.000-04:00

Avery June 2005

Paige September 2008

Grandparents

2008-09-09T20:35:00.000-04:00

We visited the grandparents this past Sunday since it was Grandparents Day. While at Gram Richard's, Paige took a nap under a blueberry bush while Jen picked berries. We had some nice visits on a lovely sunny day.

Portland Seadogs Game

2008-09-01T08:50:00.000-04:00

On Sunday we went to a Portland Seadogs game. It was a sunny, warm and breezy day--a great day to see a game. It was a company outing, so we enjoyed the game from the picnic area in right field. Avery was given a signed ball before the game, saw Slugger and gave him a high five and a hug, and since it was fan appreciation day, got to shake hands with a player that walked through our section thanking fans. Oddly enough, it was also the day that employees of Otis Credit Union had their company outing, so we ran into a bunch of people that we knew from our hometown.

Roll Over

2008-08-30T15:08:00.002-04:00

A few days ago... up on her side, but not quite over.

This afternoon...definitely over. 5 months 3 days old, completely rolled over. (FYI-Her head is not smooshed in the pillow, as the photo might indicate)

If she looks a little more "padded" than usual, its because I am cloth diapering at home. I tried with Avery but just couldn't get the hang of it. I am really enjoying it now. We still use disposables for daycare and occaisional use. Yup, this working mother is breastfeeding, making homemade baby food and cloth diapering!

Folk Festival Part II

2008-08-30T13:34:00.001-04:00

We attended the Folk Festival on Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Amy and Isabelle joined us on Sunday. Avery and Isabelle enjoyed the children's area where they participated in various activities and crafts. It was really sweet to see Avery start dancing and grab Isabelle's hands. Paige loved the music too and started kicking her feet and bobbing up and down whenever a song started. We all enjoyed yummy treats too. I especially appreciated the free organic samples of graham crackers, 100% juice, chocolate milk and yogurt. Healthy treats for the little ones! By the end of the afternoon, Avery and Isabelle were happiest in the green grass along the river bank so we headed home to let them play on the swingset. Thanks for taking photos Amy!

Folk Festival

2008-08-23T12:08:00.004-04:00

This weekend is the American Folk Festival here in Bangor. We all went last night, enjoyed and participated in the parade, which was led by a steel drum group called CASYM. The we watched a great performance by Genticorum, a talented Québécois group. It's a great event for our area and it's nice to run into people that we know. We plan to go back tonight to enjoy some more music after it cools down a bit.

Home Day

2008-08-20T14:23:00.005-04:00

Avery is writing his name by himself! That's a big A, an upside down V, an E, an R (the only letter I helped him with) and Y that looks a little more like a T. Not bad - he's not even 3-1/2 yet! I'm quite proud, as you can tell. He completely amazes me. His drawings are really starting to resemble objects now.

Today was a home day for the kids and I. Since returning to work, I have only taken 3 days off... that's good for our finances but not so good for spending time with the kids. I'm going to try harder to work a 4-day week.

This morning, we set out for the library. The goal was to get the daily free tickets to the Children's Museum. Thankfully, I had not shared this with Avery. We were not early enough to get the tickets to the museum. I had taken some cash with me, just in case this happened, so we could go to the museum anyway. I didn't need the money... the library was having a free Teddy Bear Picnic and Avery had a bear in tow!! We sat outside (it was absolutely beautiful weather) in the children's amphitheater, listened to several bear stories, had a snack of apple juice and teddy grahams, played parachute with new friends and their bears, walked in a parade through the library and made bear crafts. We even saw a familiar face, as our neighbor is a librarian in the children's section. It was a really nice morning.

We'll try to get new pictures up soon! Both kids are napping at the same time... need to try to clean up my house before hubster arrives home...

My New Toy

2008-08-09T21:14:00.000-04:00

Finally, after months of hemming and hawing, I bought the new chainsaw that I have been looking at. I used my father's old Stihl 028 last fall when my Mom and I took a couple of cords out of the woodlot. Despite being 25+ years old, it still runs extremely well. It's had trouble with the starter recoil a few times in the past, and it broke again. I know it needs a new sprocket, which will require an overhaul of the whole sprocket assembly since the old style sprocket isn't available any more. Also, it was made before chainsaws were equipped with chain brakes, which makes it a bit scary to operate. In short, it was time for the old 028 to be retired.

The new chainsaw is a Stihl MS 270. I plan to head down to Livermore tomorrow to finish cutting and splitting the wood we cut down last fall. It will be nice to have a reliable and safer saw to use. The reality is that it's a good investment, costing the same as 100 gallons of heating oil.

A Post for the Canadians

2008-08-06T13:45:00.004-04:00

Canadian Jenn sent this beautiful outfit for Paige. Note the lace cuffs on the leggings. I had dressed Paige and Avery came into her room and just said "aaawww". (And the lovely quilt was made by my Gram)

Family Weekend

2008-08-06T08:06:00.005-04:00

This weekend was spent with family. Saturday we spent the day celebrating Isabelle's 5th birthday poolside. Sunday we spent the afternoon enjoying lobsters and corn on the cob during Byran's weekend home.

Our Happy Kids

2008-07-20T18:34:00.004-04:00

Paige gains more control of her hands every day. She's reaching for objects and holding them now. We play a lot of "pick up" with her.

Avery spent the day in his pajamas today. He helped his dad edge the driveway this morning. He also enjoyed climbing in a tree in our front yard.

Our Little Artist

2008-07-20T18:17:00.005-04:00

Avery enjoyed "painting" butterfly cookies for Gram Fiddle's birthday. The recipe was from my Sesame Street Library books making it even more exciting for him!

The first drawing is a box truck. Do you see the orange sun above it? Its a lovely circle with rays!! The second picture is of the letter A and H. And the last picture... train tracks of course! He drew about eight different colored tracks on this drawing. Do you know why there are so many, he asked. The answer he had... because there are so many branch lines. Yeah, we read lots of Thomas the Train! His drawings are really starting to resemble objects.

Buttercups

2008-07-13T10:49:00.004-04:00

I was pushing Avery on the swing this morning, and he spied a yellow flower growing on the ground.

"Daddy?" he said. He can't say anything to anyone without confirming he has their undivided attention by saying their name and waiting for them to reply.

"Yes, Child?" I replied. I reply this way to acknowledge this little quirk of his.

"Your know what you do with buttercups?" he asked.

"What?"

"You hold them up to somebody's chin and if it's yellow, that means they like butter," he replied.

"Really?"

"Yup. That's what you do," he confirmed.

It's in these little conversations that you realize what it is to be a father, and at the same time, what it is to be a child. My mind was filled with memories of chasing my late-day shadow across the lawn, picking buttercups from underneath the pine trees and holding them up to someone's chin and asking, "do you like butter?" It's amazing in one way, but not surprising in the least in another, that these little things, like what to do with buttercups, gets passed from one generation of children to the next. I remember what it was like to be a child every time I talk to Avery--and that, I guess, is one of the gifts you enjoy when you are a father.

Big Girl

2008-07-07T16:07:00.001-04:00

Avery now likes to pose with Paige and request that we take their photo... this was the result of one of those requests. Paige adores him!

Paige and I have both had a cold last week. Friday she started in with a fever... and I knew just where that would lead... a Sunday morning visit to the pediatrician confirmed her first ear infection. Avery suffered many an ear infection during his first year as well, they get that from me unfortunately. Paige has her big brother beat by a good 3 months however, his first ear infection was at 6 mos and she's only 3! On top of the ear infection, she had a reaction to the antibiotics and developed a lovely rash. After another Dr visit, we now have a new medication that we hope gives her some relief soon. The big girl weighs in at a healthy 16.25 lbs at only 3 months, oh my!! She's still just being nursed and the Drs are not concerned with her chunkiness. Hopefully she's feeling better very soon!

Project Deck Sealing: Complete

2008-07-06T19:40:00.001-04:00

We spent the weekend washing then sealing the back deck. We waited the recommended year for the pressure treated wood to do its thing before sealing it. First, we sanded off the grade marks, then washed the deck with deck wash. Then we used a clear water-based sealer, (Cabot SPF Deck and Fence). We should have taken some "before" pictures, but imagine a plain old, fading-to-gray pressure treated deck. At some point this summer, we'll have to do the same to the small deck and stairs that go into the mudroom.

Cobscook Bay State Park Camping Trip

2008-07-03T14:26:00.007-04:00

We all have the week off and we spent four days on a camping trip at Cobscook Bay State Park. Our campsite (Site 103) was definitely the most private site we've ever camped at. Really--nearly all of the sites in the park are very private--many set back way off the road and many with water views. Ours was right on the bay where we could watch the extremely high tides come in and out.

At high tide, our little bay was filled to the brim, but when the tide went out, only a wide mud-flat remained, which by the way, you can't walk across. We saw some people digging clams, and there were signs that told us that the clam limit was one peck.

Despite it being a holiday week, the park was nearly deserted and at times, we felt like we had the place to ourselves. The entire park was well-kept, the layout of campsites was well-thought-out and many of the sites (including ours) included a covered-picnic table.

We took a side trip to Eastport on Tuesday. Neither Jen nor I could remember ever having been there before. It was pretty foggy, and we found out that Eastport was... well, it was Eastport. At least we can now say we've been there. We did take some pictures of a very cool fisherman statue and and a fogged-in ship that was tied up at the pier.

On Wednesday, we took a trip to Quoddy Head to see West Quoddy Head Light and to do some hiking on the trails at Quoddy Head State Park. Avery had never seen a lighthouse, although he claimed to "know all about them." I guess it's a treat to see the easternmost lighthouse in the U.S. as your first lighthouse. It took a while for Avery to warm up the foghorn, though. He kept his ears covered for quite awhile. We looked around the visitor's center inside the old light keeper's house and walked around the fogged-in lighthouse.

From the lighthouse, we followed a trail along the cliffs. Avery is definitely ready to do some more hiking. We took a trip into Lubec for lunch and to explore the village.

It was a fun trip. We've added the park to our list of places to return. It's a bit of a drive, but well worth it. You can check out the rest of our photos here.

Swing Project Complete

2008-06-28T14:08:00.003-04:00

We finished the swing project today. Avery loves the cargo net, and Paige enjoys swinging as well.

Sigh...

2008-06-22T18:41:00.004-04:00

Today Gram and J worked on Avery's swing set. We didn't finish it completely but Avery was able to try the swing. We still need to level the set, add a cargo net and trapeze. Its very sturdy and will last for many, many years (until we have grandchildren J said!). Avery had lots of fun and giggles playing with just a tarp in the backyard.

Max really went downhill last night. He was really struggling to breathe. We tried giving him extra medicine but it didn't give him any relief. Finally this afternoon we had to let him go. We already miss him so very much. Avery was napping during all of this. When he woke from his nap, I told him that while he was sleeping Max went to doggie heaven.

A: "Oooohhh (very quiet and sad) ... did you bring him there?"
Me: "Yes"
A: "Oh... I didn't give him enough love today" What a sensitive little man I have! It was all I could do to not completely break down at this... and I explained to him that he gave Max lots of love and he knew Avery loved him. A few minutes later...
A: "When is he coming back"

Generations

2008-06-21T20:46:00.003-04:00

Four generations of beautiful Davis women.
Three generations of handsome Richard men.

Art and Science

2008-06-19T07:43:00.005-04:00

These are some of Avery's latest works of art. Avery explained to me that the beads are rocks and the green paper is seaweed in the fish bowl. He has granted permission for the parrot to go to work with me on Monday - I love it!

Yesterday afternoon Paige, Avery and I attended a free children's concert at the library. It was incredible! The performance was by a quartet consisting of two violins, a viola and cello played by musicians ages 19-25. They played Haydn and Mendelsohn. They also took time to talk with the children - about how the music made them feel, about themselves and their instruments. Avery was completely mesmerized and extremely well behaved despite not having had a nap!

Now for the science part... yesterday morning while Avery and I were having our morning snuggle, he looked at me and said "ma, you know when the rain goes back up into the clouds and comes back down again (hand movements making rain go up and down), that's called evaporation".

Being a stay at home mom does not by itself make one a good mother. By the same token, being a working mother does not by itself make one a bad mother. Its no secret that I would love to stay home with my kids. For the time being, I need to work and I'm really lucky that Paige and Avery have such amazing childcare that is safe, loving, educational and creative.

Life

2008-06-16T08:38:00.006-04:00

Life with Avery: He was kidding with me and the camera a bit here... but this illustrates the life of Avery right now. One minute he's tortured by, well, just being three... and the next he's hugging us and declaring that he really loves us. He enjoyed fishing but really loved being in the canoe with his dad. From the water they saw a bald eagle family (mama, dad, babies in nest), loons and loon nests, and a nervous beaver (who splashed his tail before diving under water).
Life with Paige: Need I say more?

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-15T12:43:00.005-04:00

We spent another Father's Day at Whispering Pines Campground. We really love this small, family oriented campground - its quiet, nearby and has great sites with water views. Avery and Jason enjoyed a couple of outings in the canoe. We had a nice campfire. Avery now associates the smell of campfire with marshmallows. Although he doesn't care so much about actually toasting them he's ready to eat them as soon as there is smoke. The guys also caught a sunfish and a few small bass from the shore. Avery gave me a fishing lesson as well... explaining "pay attention to the bobber, ma"...

Bounce

2008-06-13T08:05:00.003-04:00

Paige has been enjoying the Johnny Jump Up (and Exersaucer) for a couple of weeks now. She's starting to bounce around quite a bit.

Happy Birthday to You

2008-06-12T09:14:00.004-04:00

Happy Birthday to Gram! We kicked off the celebration last Sunday with some poolside grill action. Enjoy the day - we ordered this beautiful weather just for you.

Twiddlebugs

2008-06-11T09:34:00.004-04:00

Avery was sick on Sunday night and again last night... so its another home day for him. He is still having some digestive issues (I'll spare the details) but feeling a bit better. He loves to read the Sesame Street Library books that were mine as a child. One of the volumes showed how to create a Twiddlebug village. We spent the morning creating our own version. He used his scissors, tape, glue, paper and stickers to decorate the box buildings. I love experiencing his imagination and creativity! Paige supervised.

Note Avery's new haircut. He is not impressed that we "cut it all off" with the clippers. I usually cut it with scissors which takes a long time and lots of patience by Avery. The clippers were much faster.

Walk in the Woods

2008-06-03T09:50:00.004-04:00

On this particular walk in the woods, Avery correctly identified both maple and oak leaves. He's such an interesting short person (not that I'm biased). And Paige... she slept through the night last night for the first time, yup, 9pm to 6am!

I love being a mom! I'd choose three year old tantrums over a day at work. I'd choose spit up in my hair over the most expensive name brand conditioner. I'd rather answer 1,000 "whys" in a day than a single phone call or email. I love my kids!

I have a few short weeks left at home. I'm overwhelmed with mental to do lists and yet spend my entire day cuddling my precious little girl. I'm going to try to work four days a week when I return. J is concerned and wants to ensure our family's financial stability and security. I'm thankful that he looks out for us in this way. I'm also thinking of our family in my desire to be at home with the kids. I need the time with them. I'm a hard worker and I'll do my best to accomplish what work I can in four days and see if we can make this compromise work for my family and my employer. Hopefully the big, beautiful bouquet of flowers J brought home last night is a sign that he understands just how important this is to me.

Sawbuck

2008-05-31T15:23:00.006-04:00

I spent the morning and early afternoon today building two sawbucks for cutting firewood. I used the plans from EricsProjects with some modifications. As you can see, they fold up for easy moving and storage. I made one for cutting 16-inch pieces and one for cutting 12-inch pieces. I just used some used lumber that I had out in the shed--mostly left over from the fence that we took down last year.

Chunka Munka

2008-05-27T20:00:00.005-04:00

Paige had her two month well visit today which included four individual shots. She weighs 13lbs 13oz - that puts her at the 95th percentile! I have to say... I'm a proud mama... to be putting all that nutrition on her thighs!

Lamoine State Park Camping Trip

2008-05-25T17:47:00.025-04:00

We just returned from a weekend of camping at Lamoine State Park--our first camping trip of the year. Don't you think that the meteorologists stretch the truth a little bit when it's a holiday weekend? The forecast was for Friday and Saturday to be partly cloudy. I guess that was true, but the they didn't mention that all of the clouds would contain rain. We stayed Friday and Saturday nights at the park, and Saturday afternoon did actually turn out to be okay, weather-wise. We also spent the late Saturday morning and early afternoon at the playground and beach after we'd packed up the camper.

The park is a great spot--less than an hour from our house and right on Frenchman's Bay. There is a pebble beach and a huge grassy day-use area, not to mention a great playground for Avery. Avery enjoyed throwing rocks into the ocean, which you can see if you check out the photo album that we put up online (you can click on the photo album below too). He calls the big rocks "dozers." We think because it sounds like boulders, which we tried to explain to him was the word for big rock. The campsites are nicely spaced and plenty large.

This was Paige's first camping trip, and she did really well. She slept well and generally enjoyed herself.

We're looking forward to spending Memorial Day at Gram Richard's house with the family.

Lamoine State Park - Memorial Day Weekend 2008

Going for a Swim

2008-05-21T11:50:00.005-04:00

Sunday afternoon we packed a picnic and headed out to the lake for dinner. As you can see, both Max and Avery enjoyed the cold water. Avery started out innocently playing in the sand. Then he wanted his shoes off... then his pants rolled up so he could dip his toes in the water... I should have anticipated how this would end! Luckily, I was prepared with a backup wardrobe.

Thank You

2008-05-20T10:06:00.003-04:00

Thank you to Auntie D for Avery's new trike! She spoiled him silly while she was here!! Thank you to Gram for the Bumbo seat that Paige is demonstrating in the photo.

Acadia with Devon

2008-05-17T10:03:00.006-04:00

Friday's "home day" was filled with sunshine, sand, a picnic lunch, and afternoon ice creams. Devon, Avery, Paige and Mama spent the day at Sand Beach and Bar Harbor. We are enjoying Auntie D's visit!

Sandbox

2008-05-11T19:35:00.004-04:00

Jason and Avery put together Avery's sandbox today. Avery loves playing in the dirt!! We had a great day outside. We had a big breakfast together (Jason & Avery cooked!!), took a couple of short walks, hung out a few loads of laundry on the clothesline, made a trip to the dump, made a sandbox, got some sand and enjoyed the sunshine.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T12:04:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to Mutti, Di, Karen, Amy, my Grandmothers... to all of the special women in my life that are mothers. Today is a day that I feel truly blessed... I LOVE being a mom with every ounce of my being. It is the most amazing journey. I am amazed every day to see the world from Avery's perspective and look forward to seeing it through Paige's eyes as well. I am extremely fortunate.

Paige on Video

2008-05-09T20:39:00.008-04:00

Paige makes her video debut. Just press play to see (and hear) her in action. She is starting to interact with us--smiling and cooing when we talk to her.

Update

2008-05-09T11:08:00.003-04:00

Paige is now smiling and cooing lots! This is the best I have done to capture the smile. We made a trip to the pediatrician this week for her belly button that had not healed properly. After a little topical medicine, all is well now. She loves to eat... at 6 weeks she's already 12.25 lbs. She's been sleeping in her crib since Monday. Last night she slept from 9pm until 4am, let's hope that trend continues.

Avery absolutely loves his new classroom. He's never ready to come home at the end of the day. Fridays are our new "home day" while I'm on leave. Today he really wanted to go to school and so I brought him. I miss him. It would have been a lovely day to spend at the park. Last Friday we spent hours there playing on the playground, kicking around a soccer ball and having a picnic lunch. He had so much fun kicking the soccer ball on the field and into the net. (We forgot the camera.)

Max is doing well. The steroids have reduced the swelling in the lymph nodes and relieved his coughing. He doesn't like to walk quite as far these days but you can still find him chasing the cat occasionally. He's being groomed at the moment... getting his spring haircut!

First Born

2008-05-01T14:00:00.003-04:00

Max was diagnosed on Monday with Stage IV Lymphoma. We have been trying to resolve a chronic cough he developed a few months ago and finally know the cause. He will be twelve in the fall and so we have decided as a family to keep him comfortable and love him as much as we can for the next few weeks. That's what the vet thinks we have with him, a few weeks.

Max has been the best dog ever... I remember finding him at just 5 weeks old and 3lbs, he and I driving from Florida to Maine and only stopping 4 times, earning the notch in his tongue (he lost the fight with my carpet tack strips as a pup), being a great hiking dog (even though stray lobster traps terrified him), trying to lay claim to infant Avery by rolling on him like one of his toys, camping (he loves camping), being the neighborhood dog that everyone passing by stops to love... the list goes on and on. Max has always seemed more than a dog... he has always had a spirit that seemed more connected.

Camp

2008-04-28T10:52:00.002-04:00

Avery is ready for camping soon! He likes to get out his lawn chair, sleeping bag and "roast" marshmallows in the dining room. He pretends Max is a black bear in the woods.

Fishing Trip

2008-04-26T17:49:00.004-04:00

Avery and I went fishing this morning at Fields Pond in Orrington. We started our venture by digging worms in the backyard then headed out to fish. We didn't catch anything, but got to spend some time outside, walk on some nice trails to get to the fishing spot, have a nice snack and make friends with a squirrel.

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Tax Deduction

2008-04-15T11:03:00.003-04:00

This post is especially for the adult men in my life who share the same humor - Dad and J! Here Miss Paige is sporting her tax day attire... and of course Avery giving her some brotherly love. This morning she started fussing as she woke up in the living room - Avery immediately ran from the kitchen to her side yelling "I'm coming Paige" and was ready to hoist her up into his arms.

Growing Girl

2008-04-10T14:45:00.003-04:00

Paige had her 2 week well check this morning. She now weighs in at 8lbs 9oz - she's gained a pound since birth! Needless to say, she likes to eat! And yes, this really is Paige. She's using her big brother's towel... and looks a lot like Mr. A did when he was this age!

Spring

2008-04-04T10:25:00.005-04:00

The snow is finally starting to disappear, and all the talk about putting up the swing set and cooking outside on the grill are beginning to sound more realistic. Avery is enjoying the chance to ride his bike again and is excited about the prospect of making cheeseburgers soon.

First Outing

2008-04-01T14:06:00.002-04:00

Monday afternoon, Paige had her weight check at the pediatrician's office. She is already back up to her birth weight, which impressed the Doc.

On the Avery front, he's still completely in love with his sister. This morning, while we were eating breakfast, he looked up at me and said "its special that we have Paige." This was a completely random, unsolicited comment by my favorite three foot little man!

Livermore Deer

2008-03-30T12:40:00.003-04:00

Taking a break from the baby posts, Gram Richard has been watching these deer from her windows in Livermore. They have been visiting her house daily, browsing on low branches. Hopefully the snow will melt a bit and expose some grass for them. Despite the deep snow, they look very healthy. I suspect they were yarding nearby and have found that the thin strips of woods around the field and orchards are safe places to feed during the day because they are so close to houses and roads. Coyotes are less likely to go into these areas because they are so wary.

Home Again, Home Again

2008-03-29T19:31:00.003-04:00

Jen and Paige came home from the hospital today. Everything is going really well. Gram Richard watched Avery this morning while Jen was discharged and stayed for a short visit. We are all looking forward to some time at home together.

Paige Lynne

2008-03-26T19:47:00.008-04:00

Paige Lynne arrived today at 10:13 a.m. She weighed 7lbs, 8oz. We were lucky enough to have visits from Gram and Grampa Fiddle, Gram Richard and Amy. Avery came by for a visit this evening and is absolutely smitten with little Paige. Jen is doing very well as is Paige. We have posted some pictures here for everyone to see. My sister also posted her great photos here. We will keep you all posted.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T09:01:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter to everyone.

Sir Avery, the Cardboard Knight

2008-03-22T15:50:00.002-04:00

For those of you checking in for a baby update: no developments yet.

One More Week

2008-03-18T10:57:00.003-04:00

Here is today's picture of Baby. One more week and you will all know the results of hubster's polls... boy or girl as well as name. I'm scheduled for a repeat section next Wednesday, unless I go into labor on my own before that (which I'm really hoping for a trial of labor!). At the latest, we'll have baby next Wednesday. We'll keep you posted.

Goodbye Curls!

2008-03-16T18:33:00.004-04:00

When describing Avery's hair lately, the phrase "out of control" has been used more than occasionally. We decided to give him a haircut this evening. The clean-cut Avery is now back.

Happy Birthday!

2008-03-09T17:22:00.005-04:00

We celebrated Avery's third birthday today. He especially enjoyed his Little Mermaid cake, that despite his Mom's best efforts, he chose himself. It was nice to have family together for Avery's special day.

Click here to see more pictures of the celebration.

A Mid-Winter Swim

2008-02-27T13:31:00.003-05:00

Last weekend we took Avery to UMaine's new recreation center for a swim in the pool. He had a great time and is anxious to go back. It made for a nice weekend diversion.

One Month, Eighteen Days

2008-02-13T18:33:00.002-05:00

Here's the most recent ultrasound picture of Bingo Bongo.

32 Weeks

2008-02-05T12:43:00.000-05:00

Our due date of 3/31 is fast approaching! Here is baby's foot from an ultrasound session this morning. All is looking great with baby. Baby has turned!!! This is great news. Avery remained breech even after intervention to turn him. This is something I didn't experience the first time around. Its a small little bum that is up under my ribs causing my heartburn, not a little head (as I suspected before my appt). They estimate baby's weight to be 4.3lbs and anticipate about an 8lb baby at birth (A was 7lbs-10oz). Baby was licking and sucking it's index finger - pretty amazing to watch! Big brother Avery is very pumped up to attend his sibling class at the hospital tonight. He plans to be very helpful with the baby. His plans include teaching her to fish and ice skate; keep her safe at the fireworks; and he's going to feed her and change her diapers. He has also decided that daddy can hold the baby and momma can hold him.

Ice Fishing

2008-01-27T17:55:00.001-05:00

My Mom and I spent the day ice fishing on Long Pond--something that neither of us has done for a very long time. Despite leaving our thermos of coffee in the truck, we had a great time and actually caught a lot of fish. We both managed to hook a couple of big pickerel and caught more yellow perch than we could count. It was a great day to spend outside and we are both looking forward to going again soon.

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Nesting

2008-01-02T11:54:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was the first weekend of nesting for me. I remember having this feeling in January while pregnant with Avery as well. While I did not get everything crossed off my long to do list... progress was made. Avery's orange tractor room now features his name letters (moved from his little room), his new redwood tree to record his height, his George tractor paintings from Gram with the Fiddles, and his new John Deere tractor curtains fresh off the sewing machine. (Before photo shows nice wood paneling.) J trimmed out the baby's room new skylight, I unpacked the newborn gender neutral items, and washed the carseat cover. Avery has enjoyed playing with his old baby items with his own "babies". The living room windows have their final coat of paint and curtains hung. (The before photo is from Avery's first bday... note the nice blue carpet and you can't quite see the lovely paneling behind the woodstove). The computer loft is almost tidied up as well. Sigh. I need a nap.

Shoveling the Roof

2008-01-01T11:45:00.001-05:00

We decided to shovel off the shed roof because the snow-load was making us nervous. Avery climbed on up and had fun jumping into the snow pile below.

The Products of Santa's Workshop

2007-12-29T14:25:00.001-05:00

Avery was a blast this Christmas. The train set that he requested from Santa arrived fresh from Santa's workshop where it had been carefully crafted by his elves.

Fun with Reptiles

2007-12-12T20:05:00.000-05:00

Avery enjoyed our visit to the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine, FL over the weekend. Devon went there as a child and wanted to share the experience with Avery! It took a little bit (and a demonstration by Devon) before he was brave enough to take a silly photo in the mouth of the gator. Avery has no fear of snakes though. His dad had quite a different experience with a Florida snake a few years ago. We also had the chance to play with little lizards in Devon's backyard.

Clarabelle's somersault

2007-12-03T11:18:00.000-05:00

Here is Clarabelle at 23 weeks. Yes, for those of you who don't know, Avery has named our baby Clarabelle (which he made up by himself). We have decided not to find out the gender of the baby again, though Avery and I think we're having a girl and J thinks a boy. In March, we'll see who was correct. So, here's a 2D image of the flip she did during my ultrasound this morning to fold herself in half and a 3D image of her hands on her head and feet in front of her smiling face. Really, just squint a bit and you'll see it!