ca travelogue part three: Tuck family

Mother Nature tried her very best to ruin the second part of my trip. Really, she did. But does she really think she even holds a candle to my Tuck family? Dartmouth is in New Hampshire, after all. California rain has NOTHING on New Hampshire weather. Give us some credit!

I spent the next few days at the Holbrook's house in the east bay. I planned to run a 14 miler on some trails near her house Friday morning, but with the rain, logistics of shuttling kids around, not knowing the area and (honestly) just not wanting to spend a few hours of my precious time running solo in a strange place, I opted for five miles on a beautifully rainy trail with Michelle instead. 

And, because we had extra time, we made a pit stop at Johnny's donuts (I promise, I usually eat 1-2 donuts a YEAR, not two in two days) and Trader Joe's. I think we made the right choice. 

Friday night we ordered in Chinese food and watched the athletes from the USA enter the stadium in Sochi in their horrific sweaters. I was wearing some pretty crazy pants that day, and I still think those sweaters were ridiculous. 

Saturday the lovely Andrea drove up from Mountain View and we all drove into the city together for a fabulous girl's day. Though, we made sure to invite sweet little Beau, who I was so excited to meet! 

We didn't get to do everything on our wish list (which was way too ambitious to begin with), but we did get in some serious shopping (even down to the matching cardigans -  how did we not get a picture?), serious walking (as in probably 10 miles) and serious eating (um, a LOT of eating). 

This picture is as close to the Golden Gate Bridge as we got - the rain forbade us from seeing even a corner. 

Our boots were soaked through, our umbrellas bent skyward and we even lost a hat or two. But, we filled our bellies with sourdough bread, our faces were sore from smiling and laughing and I even completed my donut trifecta for the weekend at Trish's Mini Donuts at Fisherman's Wharf. Why not, right? 

 

 

 

A fabulous few days with some ladies who became my family during our stint as north easterners. Can't wait to see them and their families in Boston! 

CA travelogue part two: my Rett family

The first stop on my California adventure was, sadly, cut short due to my flight delays. But, trusty Colleen was willing to change up all of her plans for the day to come and get me later that night. It was such a good feeling to see her pull up to the curb at the airport, smiling ear to ear. Two and a half years is just too long to go without seeing certain faces in person. And hers is one of them.

On our way south to her house, we drove right through my old neighborhood, stopping at IKEA right across the road from Ryan's old office and then at In-N-Out a half mile from my old apartment(s). When we got to her house, her two littles were sound asleep, but I had a great time chatting with Colleen and Jared (her husband and Ryan's Rett-dad-partner-in-crime). I slept on their lovely new couch and woke in the morning to the sound of Chloe's feet tip toeing across the floor so as to not wake me. I spent the morning watching their routine and it was perfect. That foursome works hard together, and they do it well. 

It was good for my soul to see Claire again and to see how far she has come since I last saw her. She has so much light in her eyes and she just filled me with so much joy. 

I had a blast with Chloe imagining my future with Kate. These little Rett siblings are something else. 

After Jared left for work and the girls were dropped off at school, Colleen and I hit up her favorite coffee spot where I enjoyed a delicious cup of hot cocoa, which was perfect for the drizzly morning. 

And then we went to the beach. I didn't even have to tell Colleen to drive there. She knew I wanted to go. And she knew that the rain wouldn't stop that desire. I took off my boots (she politely asked if she could keep her shoes on!) and I enjoyed every moment of the sand between my toes. Sun or not, there's something therapeutic about the waves and the cliffs and the tide pools there. 

After our quick walk on the beach, we drove north again, this time to Oakland to meet up with Erica (another fabulous Rett mom) for lunch at the Mixing Bowl. It was delicious. It was like no time had passed since we all did this last. And it was much, much too short. 

So, we lengthened it out a bit by stopping off at a wickedly delicious donut shop in a back alley around the corner. If you ever find yourself in Oakland, take a pit stop at Donut Dolly. You will NOT be disappointed. Made fresh daily, and seriously injected with the goodness of your choosing right before your very eyes. 

After lunch, Colleen had to head back home to pick up her girls, so I hung out at Erica's office until I was picked up for part two. So yes, part one was far too short and a little colder than I had anticipated, but at the same time, it was exactly what I needed.   

ca travelogue part 1 (of 4): flying

February 5th came and I could not have been more excited or ready to flee the frozen tundra that was Iowa. The weather in California was a mere 50 degrees, which is freezing to them, but since it was 60 degrees warmer than home, I was willing to let it slide. 

I woke up, got ready, shoveled the driveway, and left my little ladies with a bag full of surprises - one for each of them each day. 

Of course the roads hadn't been plowed from the snowstorm the night before, so it took us nearly twice as long as we anticipated to get to the airport. I was so nervous I was going to miss my flight, but we made it. 

I got through security in no time and found myself sitting at the gate with time to spare. As my flight departure time grew closer, I noticed there was no plane waiting for me. Shortly after my realization, an employee said the plane was on its way, running about 20 minutes behind schedule. I had a quick connection in Chicago, but 20 minutes wouldn't be a problem. 

Twenty minutes turned into 40 and the plane finally arrived. But they didn't let anyone board because of an "unidentified liquid" literally spilling out of the plane. They had to call the mechanic (who wasn't at the airport already because it's so small). He arrived an hour later and then spent some time figuring out what said unidentified liquid was. 

Turns out it was just some extra coolant spilling over, NBD. 

But, this little delay required almost every single person on my flight to rebook their connections in Chicago. Luckily I was third in line of about 50 and got a seat on the next flight to SFO, later that night. And luckily I was flying west, not east - far fewer options and way more delays for those folks. I felt so bad for the solo employee working the United counter that day. She deserves a high five. 

I boarded the flight in Moline and this was my view. Never have I seen a plane iced over like that before!

So, long story short, I spent four hours waiting in Moline for a 45 minute flight (I could have driven to Chicago in less time, even in a snowstorm). Then, four hours waiting in Chicago for a 4.5 hour flight. I was so glad I was flying solo. I had a book, a few magazines and my trusty notebook to keep me company, in addition to my stack of gummy bears and goldfish. And the extra 8 hours gave my migraine medicine a chance to kick in. Win, win. 

Finally, I was CA bound. 

my favorite decoration

Lots of people cry the day they take their Christmas trees down. 

I cry the day I take the cards off the wall.

The cards are, by far, my favorite holiday decorations. I love seeing the faces of loved family members and friends watching over us for at least a month every year (this  year, for two months...). And this year, we had nearly 150 beautiful cards staring down at us. 

I guess that's the one bonus of having a large family and moving around so much. We have friends from childhood, college, California, New Hampshire and Iowa and friends we've met because of Rett syndrome.

Kate concentrated on them at each meal, telling us about the people she recognized (gamma!, Aunt Kelli!), or the babies she loved (Nolan!). Leah giggled each time we received a card from one of her friends.

But, February is here and I felt like Leah's school work deserves its place back on the art wall. She works hard on it, after all.

So, with tears in my eyes, 'til next year, friends. 

january in an instant

January was just cold. 

Really, really cold. 

feathers

Every year, the kindergarteners at Leah's school hold a pet show. For a few weeks prior, they have various pets as guests in their classroom to go along with a unit learning all about pets. 

However, for their pet show, each child has to create a pet made out of partly recycled materials - things you  just have around your house. Lucky for Leah, her mom (much to her dad's dismay) has a lot of craft stuff 'just lying around the house.' And we also had a water bottle, which is what Leah chose as the body.

I wanted to make this as much Leah's project as possible, so we started early (and had plenty of opportunities thanks to all those January snow/cold days!) and I asked a LOT of questions. Seriously, so many questions. But after all the questions, I feel confident knowing that this pet is, actually, what Leah had in mind, and that is a good feeling. 

I made Leah do the work that she could - she chose all colors, shapes and materials. She chose where to place everything. And she even finger painted the design onto the body of her animal (and she chose which paint colors went on different parts of the paper!). 

In the end, she chose a bird. She named him (her? I just realized we never asked!) feathers. She was adamant about the bird having square feet. She wanted purple wings - I drew probably 10 different wing designs and she chose her favorite. She wanted long legs and feathers on the top of the bird's head and googly eyes.

I was her hands, but this is Leah's creation!

Ironically, we got to school the day of her pet show and I realized that a majority of the pets had mom and dad written all over them. Leah's was definitely one of the most kindergarten-looking projects on the table. Ha!

All the children got up to introduce their pets. We recorded Leah's information on her switch. It said, "My name is Leah. This is my pet bird, feathers. It is the only bird known to have square feet." 

Each child received an award specific to their animal. Feathers obviously got the "Prettiest Feathers" award. I could not be prouder of Leah and her hard work!

iowa legit

Kate and I spent the morning at the DMV so I could become a legit Iowan. 

Actually, we spent more time driving to and from the DMV as I ridiculously didn't think to bring proof of residence the first time. Seriously.

Kate entertained everyone in the waiting area with her innate beauty and charming antics. She actually was really well behaved (and was busy eating the snacks I made sure to bring). 

Our appointment seriously took less than 10 minutes, which I think might be a world record for amount of time waiting at a DMV??? But if you add in driving time, it was well over an hour. Ugh. 

I was sad to relinquish my New Hampshire license, but after six months, I figured I should claim our new territory in the Hawkeye State. That, and I'd really like to be able to renew our car registration next month. 

Here's to starting over...and probably not for the last time...

To Iowa! 

ktg: 18, no, 20 months

This post is two months late. I realize that.

And it's not late because I forgot or because I got too busy. It's late because I just wasn't sure how to write a post that is so full of emotion I don't really have words to do it justice.

A post that is overflowing with gratitude for the ho-hum statistics of a typically developing 18 month old.

Because that's what Kate is: a typically developing 18 (wait, 20) month old. And some days I still can't get over it. Yes, there are definitely challenges that come along with that. I've never mothered a typically developing 18 month old before. She can get into trouble that my former self wouldn't have believed. She can do things with her body and hands...on purpose. It's all new to me; and I love it.

I have mothered an 18 month old who wasn't even crawling yet, let alone walking, running and climbing. An 18 month old who had multiple doctor and therapy appointments each week and who screamed through the night. And I think - I know - I prefer the typical problems.

So, while I have let my emotions get the better of this blog post for two months, I won't let them win any longer. Here is Kate at 18 months (and 19, and 20).

Kate the great...is great. She really, really is. She is my right hand man. My sidekick. My partner in crime. She is nuts and I seriously cannot get enough of her. From the second she wakes up until her eyes flutter closed at night, she keeps me on my tippiest of tippy toes.

I actually kept a little note folder on my phone of things she did/said from 15-18 months. Things like the words she was saying - fishy, bye bye, baby, backpack, Leah, dada, mama, Max (a friend), Layla (another friend), elmo (actually melmo), dude, kate (kay), bowl, yes, no, peekaboo, shirt, shoes, and nana. But two months later, her language has seriously exploded. She talks from sun up to sun down and can say nearly everything we want her to. Some words are more understandable than others, but we usually understand probably 95% of what she is saying, which I think is amazing. She has started to string words together and can put 3-4 in a sentence - usually something like "Kate Kate EAT NANA peese!" Ryan just taught her to say Hong Kong, which is his personal favorite. Some of my recent favorite words are: montey (for monkey AND for blanket), head band (oh I melt...), Kate Kate, Leah, buh-bye, hello, cracker, treat (teet!) and juice.

Speaking of juice, she will NOT say milk. She only says water (lotter) and juice. She also will NOT say tractor. She can, but she won't. She always calls it a bus. This doesn't bode well with Ryan. She also will NOT say I love you. She only says buh-bye. Our conversations go like this:

Mom/Dad: say I love you!

Kate: buh-bye

Mom/Dad: no, say I. LOVE. YOU.

Kate: buh-bye

Mom/Dad: say I

Kate: I

Mom/Dad: LOVE

Kate: buh-bye

Mom/Dad: you

Kate: you

Mom/Dad: say I love you!

Kate: buh-bye

It's actually pretty comical. I kind of love it.

Kate is my big helper around the house. She puts her diapers in the trash and now actually goes to get a diaper for me when she wants it changed. She unloads dishes from the dishwasher, picks up her toys and books, puts shoes away, gets bowls and silverware to set the table and helps with the laundry. If she hears Leah sneeze, she yells "tissue!" because she knows Leah needs help wiping her nose. She also tries to help feed Leah snacks sometimes and always wants to wear a brace (bace) on her arm like her big sister. Oh my.

She looooooooves her binky. I thought about getting rid of it for the new year, but wimped out. She only has it for bed and she's so good about it. She calls it her "binty" and she really hands it to me first thing when I walk in her room in the morning and then asks for it when she's going to bed again.

She loves accessorizing with various things around the house. Hats, necklaces, backpacks, shoes, and glasses are some of her favs.  She loves to dump out her toys from our little basket and sit in it. It's probably the only time she's still during the day for more than three seconds.

For awhile, when I asked her to say "please," she wouldn't say it, she'd just nod her head. I realized later that I always nodded my head when I asked her to say please! So I put a lot of effort into holding my head still when I asked and she eventually learned to say "peeeeeeese!" Now if you tell her she needs to ask for something nicely, she just says, "nicely!"

She knows so many parts of her body and loves to point them out at all times. If you are holding her, be prepared to get a finger in the eyes, ears or up the nose. Or she might choose to pinch your cheeks, pull your hair or swipe her finger on you bum. She can point to probably 30 different body parts including head, hair, eyes, ears, nose, forehead, cheeks, chin, mouth, lips, teeth, face, neck, armpit, shoulder, belly, bum, arms, elbows, hands, fingers, legs, knees, feet, toes and more.

However, she is not interested in the alphabet, colors or animals. I think she knows cat, monkey and horse and that's about it.

She is my little engineer and is constantly stacking, pushing, twisting, turning, analyzing and ordering things. She loves to figure out how everything works. 

She will not be bothered with a book for more than 20 seconds at a time. Unless she's locked in her crib.

Kate loves to eat. When she wakes up, she walks into the kitchen and yells, "EAT! EAT! NANA! EAT!" Once she has had her daily morning banana, she is ready to attack the day. She loves snacking much more than meals, but we've tried to be pretty consistent with only offering one meal and not giving her extra snacks if she didn't eat her meal. She's learning. She does love to sit in our laps when she's having a rough time eating and that usually gets a few more bites in. She eats what we eat, but loves cheese, yogurt, pepperoni, cheerios, bananas, apples, peas, popcorn, anything sweet, milk (especially chocolate), juice and water.

I realized that Ryan and I make a lot of sound effects during the day. And I only realized it because Kate always copies them. Also entertaining.

We attend a weekly music class where she is mostly off in la la land, trying to figure out a way to NOT sit still. But, there are a few songs she really loves. We call one the "garden snail" song; you use you finger to draw in the palm of her hand and it ends with tickling. She loves the whole thing and visibly tenses up as the song goes on because she knows the tickle is approaching. She also loves the song, "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" from our church's primary songbook - it always calms her down if she's upset. This Christmas season, she loved to sing the song "Little Drummer Boy" and I often heard her singing, "pum pum pum" as she walked around the house. She dances to the Big Band music I play at home sometimes and always busts a move when I put on Pandora. The girl can shake it. Her dancing always ends in spinning and she ALWAYS spins until she falls down from dizziness. 

Kate goes to the YMCA three times a week while I teach a few classes. The childcare employees always have good reports for me - that she is well behaved and happy. But, she NEVER plays with other kids! She finds a spot each day (the table, the kitchen, the middle of the room, a chair) and rarely moves from that spot. She laughs and is happy, but doesn't move. She's like the childcare outcast and she doesn't even know it! On the other hand, she also has two play dates each week and plays in nursery at church every week and I know she is not a loner in those situations. She plays well with most kids and has a darling best frienemy named Layla. They are a hoot together.

When fall came along, I started dressing her in long sleeve shirts, which she did not like at ALL. She was constantly trying to pull them off or push them up. After about a week, she gave in. Now she loves her coat, hat and boots and constantly asks for them. 

A highlight of her day is when the bus comes to our house. She presses her nose against the window as four buses drive by before Leah's bus arrives, saying "bus bus" each time. (And lately she also says "cold" because the glass is really cold!). 

If she has something to show me, she grabs my hand and drags me wherever it is (usually the pantry). She is constantly sneaking into our room and getting in our nightstands. Her favorite is the chapstick in Ryan's drawer. She's not a very good sneak, though. You can always tell what she has in her hand because her previous toy is laying right in front of where she picked up her current one. And when she knows she has been somewhere she shouldn't have been, she squeals and runs down the hallway as fast as her stubby legs will carry her. She colored on Ryan's desk the other day with pen (don't worry, it's a cheap, fold away desk from walmart...but she doesn't know that) and she got in some trouble. Today Ryan was holding her on his lap and she pointed to the pen mark and said, "naughty." 

She wants me to kiss her fingers when she is hurt and always asks for a tissue after she has cried. She is really interested in the potty and always wants to sit on it (help! I have never potty trained before!). She loves to climb and is always getting on the chairs in our kitchen or into small cubbies and spaces. She just started to climb on her crib. Yikes.

Kate is down to one nap a day, usually 12:30-3:30 or so. And she sleeps for about 11 hours at night. I think she'd sleep for longer in the morning, but Leah's incessant banging on the door at 6:00 often wakes her up. :)  She wears 18 month pants, 2T tops and size 5 shoes (um, Leah didn't wear size 5 shoes until she was almost three!!). She has 12 teeth (front four on top and bottom and four molars) and I think is getting one or two canines on bottom soon. Her stats (two months ago) are (were): 30 inches (28th percentile) and 21 lbs. 15 oz (28th percentile). Perfectly and petite-ly proportioned.

And that is my chubby, charming, determined, delicate, funny, feisty, happy, hilarious 20 month old Kate in a nutshell. I cannot get enough of her.

december in an instant

December was full of magic and music, laughter and lights, good food and friends, phone calls to family, shoveling and sledding. It was cold, but not too cold (not sure I can say the same for the January forecast??); busy, but not too busy. For this December, I have no complaints.