A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

Last year, we moved. One of the big reasons we wanted to move is so that we could have easy outdoor space. With the weather cooling down and Everett getting more opinionated about what he wants to do, we are starting to really enjoy it.

Everett's favorite thing to do in the evenings is to "go for a ride around the block" and "find some friends." He'll talk to anyone who is outside - man, woman, child, dog. He will try to race, he will tell you his name and ask yours, he will explain what we are doing. It's adorable to us and hopefully not to annoying to others.

Riding - September 26, 2018

Wandering around the neighborhood is...nice. We've said hello to lots of people and are getting to know a few more of our neighbors. There are a good amount of small kids, and it's great to start introducing them so young, even before some of them have class together in elementary school. Maybe some of these kids will spend hours at our house. Maybe we'll trade off babysitting with that couple for date nights. Somehow, in the part of the day where evening starts turning to night, the future feels more real.

We can do the small talk now. That's such a crucial ability when our toddler is starting conversations with everyone. Our stomachs don't drop and we aren't fighting back tears each time. If those conversations lead to more, they'll find out our story then.

They'll find out we had another son first. We had a precious baby who we miss every day and do not hide. He made us parents. He made us a family beyond a couple. He was the first one who kicked in Elizabeth's belly, the first one we rushed to the hospital for. He was the first one we held, the first one who cried, the first one we cared for. Those experiences - crammed into thirty-some weeks of pregnancy and thirty-three days of life - they are foundational for us.

These evening strolls are such sweet moments. Sweet moments we dreamed of, then were torn away and felt impossible, yet here they are. Not in the way we ever imagined or hoped for, but here.

Imogen - September 2, 2018

Summer Bugs

How can summer be nearly over? This one flew by.

Goofing around - July 28, 2018

August is usually a busy month for us, and 2018 was no exception. Family vacation in Tahoe, birthdays, play dates, Grandma visit, bought a van, took three trips to San Francisco (twice with the beasties), and the little ladybug officially became mobile.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! - August 8, 2018

Hitting milestones with Imogen is a ton of fun, and it reminds us of when Everett went through the same stages. We reminisce and think about what's coming up around the corner (using a spoon, cruising, walking, talking). As Immy grows, her personality comes out more and more. She loves Evie - especially when he interacts with her or sings. She loves reading, singing, and especially chewing on everything she can get her hands on. While we didn't have to worry much with Evie and putting things in his mouth, we will not get that free pass with Immy.

If she stops eating hats, I'll eat my hat! - August 25, 2018

Everett had a blast hanging out with his cousins for a long weekend in Lake Tahoe. Oh yeah, and he can swim and dive under water now. His language is hilarious - often telling us, "that's not correct!", "you made a mistake!", or "sometimes you have to share." He can do his ABCs forwards and backwards (which Chris still struggles with), climbs into the van all by himself, and wipe his own hands and face clean.

Beach babe watching Evie play in the sand - August 5, 2018

Paddleboarding - August 5, 2018

Ruby Red Anniversary Family Picture - August 4, 2018

Things can get stressful and busy, but when we sit back and look at it. Parenting these living kids...it's easy. Getting to share with them, teach them, listen to them, and cuddle them is so rewarding. And the "tough stuff" isn't even that tough. So, we're tired. So, we're overscheduled. So, we're stressed about making sure they have enough enrichment and social interaction. While there may be moments where it feels like a lot, those moments are few and far between.

New van! - August 10, 2018

Giving Stitch a check-up - August 11, 2018

The heaviest thing for us is the same as it's been the past coming-up-on-four years. The missing little boy. Our Oberon. All these day-to-day stresses are just so minuscule in comparison, we often just laugh at them. So, our toddler screams in our faces. We do our best to remain calm, name his emotions, explain that we understand why he is upset, point out the actions he can choose to take. Sometimes we laugh. Because that screaming, that developmentally appropriate expression of emotions, it is so unmistakably alive. How alive Everett and Imogen are may give us fleeting moments of frustration, but it never gives us grief.

Enjoying the sun - August 12, 2018

One of Chris's birthday presents from Elizabeth - Artist: CarlyMarie Dudley

Immy Meets The Mitten!

Finally.

Finally, Immy meets her Michigan family!

Deel Xmas In July - July 7, 2018

We're an odd bunch, but a loving bunch. And finally, there's a baby girl on Elizabeth's side! The next youngest girl to Imogen...Elizabeth. Immy did pretty well with all the change and all the strangers, but she also leaned hard into being a Mommy's girl on the trip. (Mommy was OK with it.)

Imogen got her first go at "the money tree" - the best holiday game ever, invented by her middle namesake Nanny (Ruby). Elizabeth remembers playing this game every Christmas Eve, and it's incredibly special to share it with Evie and Immy now. They may get sick of it when they get older, but they still get money so odds are they'll put up with it.

The Money Tree - July 7, 2018

The trip was exhausting (as always), but we got to spend time with people we love (as always). There was a little snag when Everett got a fever and we had to call off some plans and rearrange others. The plus side of a sick toddler is it's an excuse to cuddle and watch a movie, so Chris and Elizabeth finally saw Cars. It was adorable watching Everett watch it. There's a scene where the picture is a sweeping vista outside of Radiator Springs, and Evie just whispers..."woooooooow!" 

One of the coolest things is watching Everett interact with his cousins and our friends' kids. We know these moments are fleeting, because the older kids get the less they'll let Mommy and Daddy set up play dates. 

This trip to Michigan was less emotionally charged than in the past. That doesn't mean there weren't moments (like when someone at The Henry Ford noticed a lot of us had Oberon gear and called us an "Oberon family"), but we weren't stuck in a tense state the whole time. It was nice.

Meeting Great Grandma W - July 10, 2018 

Early July feels like forever ago. It's been such a jam-packed month! Immy is learning and changing by the minute - she's already doing the hands and knees super rock, so crawling is just around the corner. 

As always, when we get home we realize we should have taken more pictures. We didn't get a picture of Imogen with everyone she met. We didn't get Everett playing at the new splash pad in Dodge Park (HOW DID WE MISS THAT?). 

But we did get some. And we cherish those.

In A Groove*

Wake up. Get the kids ready. Feel guilty about thinking "the kids," but really meaning "the living kids."

Things are pretty smooth right now. We're in a groove that from the outside looks pretty wonderful. From the inside it feels pretty wonderful too, but then the caveats. No matter how beautiful and perfect a moment seems, there is always that asterisk. Always. We don't think it will ever go away.

Taking pictures for Immy's 8-month - June 29, 2018

It's odd to know that this asterisk will always hang around.

*It wasn't supposed to be this way.
*Someone is missing. Oberon is missing.
*One of our children died.

Every. Day.

We mean it when we say Everett and Imogen are incredibly fun to parent. Their smiles are huge, their giggles infectious, their hugs enthusiastic. Everett is hilarious with his negotiating tactics and facial expressions. We don't know why he sings "Wheels On The Bus" at half speed, or calls his toy car "Pickles Cables" instead of "Jimmy Cables." It doesn't matter, we simply enjoy his silliness and joy.

We don't know why he sings it so slowly - June 29, 2018

Time seems to move faster than when Evie was a baby, and Imogen's milestones are racking up. She's into finger foods! And scooting! And even playing around with new sounds. She loves books, face time, and banging toys together. When we say loves, we mean it. Her whole face lights up in the most infectious way.

Rainbow girl making faces - June 13, 2018

As they grow and change, it's sometimes hard to remember how they were before. Our memories get fuzzy and the way they are now oozes back over the memories. Did Immy really not sit alone 10 weeks ago? Was Everett's first time using the potty less than a month ago? It feels like it's been this way for ages.

Thinking about Oberon, it's even more stark. How big was he in our arms? How much did he wiggle? How loud were his noises? Was his skin soft, or dry?

It hurts that the fuzzy memories aren't replaced with anything. There's no new, older version of Oberon that writes over his younger self. We miss him. All the time. That asterisk is always there, even during the happy moments.

Digging up bones at Happy Hollow - June 2, 2018

 Grandma giggles - June 2, 2018

Grace and Imogen - June 8, 2018

 Cousin goobers - June 10, 2018

 

Happy Pride! - June 24, 2018

Back to Uvas

After more than a year, Uvas Canyon County Park re-opened.

It was tough not being able to go there, and not knowing when it would open up again. Heavy rains in early 2017 washed out the access road, and until April, 2018, the park was closed.

This park is where Obie's ashes are, and obviously that makes it a very important place for us. We also donated enough to have a memorial bench put at one of the places we scattered his ashes, Manzanita Point. The bench was installed in 2016, and we visited it on Oberon's second birthday. We would have visited it again on his third birthday, but Uvas Canyon was still closed.

When it re-opened, the best way to describe it is we felt relieved. We could go there again, be there again, visit those special places.

Obie O in Uvas Canyon County Park - May 14, 2018

Instead of going on Mother's Day (which we have done in the past), we took the Monday after Mother's Day off and went then. We didn't want to deal with the crowds. There were other people that day at the park and on the trails, but not many.

Hearing the waterfalls - May 14, 2018

Everett was pretty finicky wanting to hike, but falling down a lot (and crying about it). The hills are steep and those trails are no joke. He fought it, but ended up in the carrier a lot of the time. Imogen, as you would expect, was totally happy to be carried and slept most of the time.

After a lot of huffing and puffing, and many more minutes than usual, we made it to Oberon's bench. We took some time to sit, look out over the landscape, have a snack, and just be. We continued along some of our favorite trail segments, but we couldn't make it to all the favorite spots. With Everett and Imogen getting hungry, we had limited time. We would have loved to go on every trail offshoot, see every waterfall, but the past had to be balanced with the present. The missing balanced with the living.

Obie's bench - May 14, 2018

While we were eating lunch back near the parking lots, one of the maintenance workers remembered that we were the ones who had the memorial bench put in. It was not something we expected him to remember (and at first, we didn't recognize him either).

It was a special day, and we're glad we did it. Even if we wouldn't advise families with toddlers to do these particular hikes at this particular park. It is what it is. It's worth it to face meltdowns and tantrums to be there. And we're so relieved we can be there again.

One of Obie's Bees at Manzanita Point - May 14, 2018

The Terrific Twos

It just keeps getting better.

Everett gets more comprehension, more independence, and more hilarious every day! The way he parrots our phrases is amazing and humbling all at once. 

Goober - April 16, 2018

Elizabeth: When we get home, I need to put the milk in the fridge and then start the dishwasher. THEN we can play in the big room.

Everett: I'm sorry Mommy, we need to play in the big room first and put the milk in the fridge after. Deal?

Chris: Ow, I bumped my elbow on the edge of the table.
Everett: Daddy, you should be more careful next time, OK?

Everett: [tumbles over, gets up] I'm OK, I'm OK.
Elizabeth: I'm glad you're OK!

Everett: [making scrunched up, intense face] I want to go to the museum, RIGHT NOW!
Chris: The museum is closed right now, we will have to go tomorrow.
Everett: [happily] Oh, OK.

Some of his new favorite concepts include dessert, days of the week, and the car doctor. Yep, we were rear-ended and our car had to go to the doctor for a couple weeks to get fixed up. Everyone is fine, but it was a chilling experience being in the car with Everett and Imogen and getting hit. We all got checked out and we have brand new car seats.

Everett can remember the words to so many books - some we haven't touched in months! He notices and recalls such minute details, it really is amazing. We love interacting with him and trying to decipher his new words and notions. While his diction isn't perfect, it is improving! He can successfully ask our Amazon Echo (Alexa) for the time. It's adorable.

Reading Mater's Backwards ABC Book - April 16, 2018

Yes, he has meltdowns over ridiculous things (putting on pajamas, leaving his toy trucks in the house, can't use adult sized hiking poles, wrong kind of apple sauce, can't play with scissors, wrong cup for his milk, food is broken, wants mommy sunglasses, no cookies for breakfast, etc.). Yes, he is incredibly persistent at times, but most of the time we are able to laugh it off (on the inside or the outside). We are able to understand his perspective, that the world can still be very overwhelming at times. That he doesn't understand why he can't have the thing he wants, or keep playing, or run a toy car over Daddy's face.

Daddy's boy - April 21, 2018 

And Imogen loves it all. She is enamored with Everett and will watch him do just about anything. We used to think having two living kids would be so much harder, but it really hasn't been for us. Everett is endlessly entertaining, we've done these things before (though it does take some remembering), and we know that the rough phases turn into something else very quickly. It's one thing to hear it, and another to experience it.

Swingin' - April 14, 2018

Snuggles - April 19, 2018

Of course, it could also be that she's just the happiest and calmest baby on the planet. We wouldn't argue if you took that point.

Having the two of them is a blast. As always, those happy moments dance on the edge. The edge of wondering what life would be like with Oberon still here. The thought of only having living children. Of seeing Everett experience life as a "little" and not only a "big." Of having a boy nearly three and a half. It's hard. It's hard to live in the moment and not be pulled into what could have, should have, been.

Sibling snuggles - April 10, 2018

When we are able to live in the moment without guilt and grief taking center stage, it's a pretty great moment. Toddler time has its challenges, but on the whole it's terrific. 

Oh yeah, and this happened - April 15, 2018

Bye-Bye Mat Leave

Maternity leave is coming to an end. It's going to be an adjustment, and it has us a little anxious. We've settled into a bit of a groove over the last few months, and it's about to get turned upside down.

Hanging in the back yard - March 11, 2018

It feels so different from going back to work after Everett was born. Looking back, it's so clear that Elizabeth was experiencing depression when Everett was very small. Coupled with grief, lack of sleep, and loneliness, going back to work brought some balance. That balance helped everyone. We were able to be somewhat strict about in the office time so that we could get those precious couple hours with Everett between day care and bedtime.

Daddy wear Red Wings & Evie wear Red Wings & Immy wear Red Wings & Mommy wear Red Wings! - March 10, 2018

That will be even more important now. We're going to be back to pumping, cleaning and prepping bottles, doing all the chores at night or on the weekends, grocery shopping, making lunches, and whatever else comes up in limited time. But we can't sacrifice fun time. Play time. Reading time. For an hour or two every day, we need to have that connection with our kids.  Chris needs to commit to leaving on time and putting his work phone away when he gets home, and Elizabeth needs to start with her boundaries in place from day one.  It will be a challenge, but it's important.

One thing Elizabeth got done during this maternity leave is a photo book about Oberon that Everett and Imogen can read. It tells the story of Oberon being born, being in NICU, and coming home. It has pictures of Obie with us and his many visitors. We even ordered two copies so that sticky little fingers won't stress us out. With Everett grasping more and more as he grows, we know questions about Oberon are not far away.

Obie bear and Obie's book

Imogen is enjoying (and demanding) more attention as well. Her smiles are magic and she loves being talked to or sung to. She's rolling and nearly sitting. Her personality is really starting to come out, and that makes it harder for Elizabeth to think about leaving her for hours every weekday.

Officially rollin' - February 27, 2018 

Smiley girl - March 7, 2018

It's a wonderful thing that we have a day care provider that we love. Leaving Imogen with our day care provider also means she gets to spend the day with Everett. While she won't get as much mommy and me time, she will get more sibling time.

We know we are lucky that Elizabeth was able to be off for four months. Even so, it doesn't feel like long enough this time. We'll adjust, Elizabeth will get back into all the projects and relationships at work, and Imogen will meet new friends. There will be bumps, but hopefully they are small ones that we can roll with.

Beasties - March 4, 2018

Four-month-old Bitty - February 28, 2018