Another day, another year. {photo dump}

What a busy year it’s been! Owen is fourteen months old already, and is just beginning to walk. He is such a bundle of joy, his smiles fill my heart to the bursting point. He loves Walter more than anyone in this world, and follows him everywhere.

Walter just had his third birthday and the chocolate cake he’s been asking for. We took him to the beach and he played bravely in the water, recovering quickly after being knocked down by a particularly large wave. (Never fear, I was directly behind him and pulled him up the second he went down, there was no danger.) He is such a spirited little boy, and the happiness he brings us all is unmeasurable. He talks of many things, lately, he’s most interested in cooking food. He’s always telling me what we should make, (Ham and peas and potato soup) and what ingredients we should put in it (baking powder, sugar, salt) Hmm…maybe it’s not time to turn him loose in the kitchen yet. Haha!

It’s been a good year. Sorry for the photos being out-of-order chronologically, but Owen is already waking up and I must away.

Autumn

While Summer is officially over, the warm muggy days continue—making sweater-wearing and tea-drinking a real challenge. We’ve been doing some cozy activities though, going to Avila Valley Barn with friends to see the pumpkins, making pasta from scratch on lazy Sunday afternoons, and snuggling with our new baby, of course.

Owen is a dream child–he sleeps well, he eats well, and he spends his awake time looking around and gazing into our eyes. I didn’t know it could be so easy to have a baby! Walter never slept so well his whole first year of life. He is over six weeks old and has put on nearly 3.5 lbs. since his birth. I know he’s still considered a newborn, but he suddenly looks so much bigger!

Walter will be two this month, and he’s running around and talking so clearly. He’s been very tender with Owen, and while his tantrums have escalated somewhat, his usually cheerful demeanor makes him a joy to be around. He loves to color with crayons, play with beads, and create blanket forts and box-houses. He’s also developing quite a sense of humor. A recent exchange between he and Matthew:

Matthew: (preparing to change Walter’s diaper) Okay, little bottom, time for a change.

Walter: Okay, big bottom.

I’ve started taking Walter out on “dates” where I’ll order coffee and he’ll get steamed milk and we sit together and drink out of our matching cups while Owen stays at home with Papa. It’s helped him with the transition, and it helps me too, having that one-on-one time to focus on my firstborn.

Happy October, readers! Go enjoy something pumpkiny.

Owen’s Arrival

Little Owen was born on Monday, August 18th at 12:24am. He is beautiful and we are smitten. Walter has been very sweet towards him. He wants to hold him frequently and showers him with kisses. I hate having to discourage his enthusiasm at times, but I don’t want Owen to be smothered in a loving embrace either!

Having a second child has been a much smoother transition than having a first child. We are already back in the swing of our lives, even though it has been less than two weeks since his birth. Park dates, brunch with friends, and I even braved the grocery store by myself with both boys. 

Owen was baptized last Saturday with my brother and sister as his godparents, and my mother and father present too. It was a beautiful ceremony and so wonderful to have them here to celebrate with us. 

Matthew has been taking such good care of me through these early days with a newborn. He’s been getting up with Walter and keeping him quiet so I can sleep in, making me breakfast in bed, and coming home from work early to help out. He also spent this afternoon creating a pot rack for our kitchen. It turned out beautifully. I’m so lucky to be married to such a thoughtful and creative man!

End of June

So it looks like end-of-the-month posting is my modus operandi these days.

Walter’s had a near-constant growth spurt this last month. Where’s my little baby? Suddenly he has these long arms and legs, and he’s talking (or trying to) constantly.

I am 33 weeks pregnant and feeling it! Matthew and I are eagerly waiting to greet our tiny second son. I am in full-blown nesting mode and have been spending my time wiping cabinets and washing ALL THE BEDDING and re-arranging every room in the house. Also, sleeping and eating. A lot. Thank you, Matthew, for putting up with my crazy.

Walter’s little room has been completely renovated (all thanks to my dear husband) and I can’t wait to share some photos here. It is the sweetest little space, and I’ve not been surprised to see Walt spending most of his time in there.

Matthew took us on a picnic to Montana de Oro tonight, where Walter waded and splashed in the creek connected to the ocean. He bravely marched up and down the creek. He’s quite the little adventurer.

Love,

Margaret

Merry Month of May

Well, it’s certainly been a while since I posted on this blog! The days have flown by.

What have we been up to?

We celebrated Matthew’s birthday early in the month. He requested a Rhubarb Snacking Cake which I highly recommend, and Walter helped him blow out the candles.

 

We traveled up to Oregon and Washington to see family. Above, Walter sleeps on the plane (thank God!).

My boys at the Newhall house. Walter fell deeply in love with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt “Nanet” Janet, Uncle Chris, Aunt Kari, and Uncle Patrick.

Here, my lovely sister-in-law takes Walter to gather eggs in the henhouse.

He was a little nervous about the chickens.

These adorable boots were a gift from Grandma Cindy.

My handsome husband and I were able to go on several dates, a luxury for us, as finding a local babysitter proves to be more of a challenge than I anticipated!

Walter loved riding on Grandpa’s tractor.

In Oregon, we took Walter to several parks.

Walt loved Uncle Joe and followed him everywhere.

  

A dear friend threw a lovely baby shower for Baby 2 and me.

We spent several mornings and evenings with our dear friend, “Uncle Tom”.

Walt and Great-Grandpa.

 

Now we are back at home, and just in time to harvest peas and beans. Walter is wearing Papa’s t-shirt in this picture, because I didn’t want him outside in the all-together…

We had a lovely trip–thank you so much to our dear families for hosting us and loving us as much as you do. We miss you all already. I’m sorry I didn’t take more pictures, but I know that’s because I was enjoying our visit too much to think about my camera.

Love,

Margaret

Seven Quick Takes : my first link-up

1. My culinary experiment of the week–kimchi! It turned out tasting just the way I hoped it would, spicy and tangy. Of course, Matthew complains that our fridge now smells of stinky cabbage. Fermented food–you love it or you don’t. (In all fairness, he does enjoy Kimchi Fried Rice.)

 

2. We had our first supper from the garden last week. Freshly picked radishes, fried up with bacon (because BACON.) and served over polenta. I’m not crazy about radishes, but that dish was a success. Walter ate up his radishes and asked for more. However, at this point, he’ll eat just about anything we serve him. I pray that never changes.

 

3. It wouldn’t be a true weekly recap without a beach photo. A friend and I took our boys in strollers on a very long hike near the beach this week, and it nearly killed me. Whew, I have got to get in better shape. It didn’t help that the temperature was soaring by 9am, or that I’d packed snacks for Walter and none for myself. Live and learn.

 

4. Fridays take us to Parent Participation classes. Walter had such a great time chasing kids around today. At one point, he soaked himself at the outdoor water table, and cried about wet clothes. I took his clothes off and dried them on the fence. Don’t worry, I slathered him in sunscreen so my little nudist escaped a sunburn. 

 

5. Happy Month of May! What is going on with this weather? Today’s forecast predicted 91°, and it certainly felt like it. We’ve been living in an oven! I haven’t cooked dinner once–though we’ve eaten a variety of salads. Walter has spent most of the week without clothes. 

 

 

6. I had another appointment with my midwife today, she came to our house during Walter’s naptime–just another perk for the alternative medicine seekers! Baby 2 is getting big–I’m nearly 25 weeks along. He was jumping around while she was trying to hear his heartbeat. Walter has felt him kick a few times, and pointed at my belly saying, “Baby!” the other day. I don’t know if he really knows that another baby will be joining us soon, but it’s fun to include him in the excitement of our growing family.

7. That’s all for tonight, folks. Check out more quick takes over at Jen’s.

Eastertide

 

Walter and I have recently joined a Parent Participation course. It’s a fun environment for toddlers, and a great place for me to meet other local parents. We sing songs and do art projects–see above Walter’s first piece of art. Walt has surprised me with all that he’s learning and his independence and fearlessness when it comes to tackling all the different tricycles and plastic cars on the playground.

We prepared for the great Feast of Easter by baking Hot Cross Buns and dying eggs with onion skins. We had a lovely celebration on Sunday, though I failed to get a picture of us all dressed up for Easter. I am still enjoying my Easter lilies immensely, they fill the house with their perfume!

 

 

spring outings

Matthew and I met our goddaughter-to-be this weekend, Miss Martha Eileen.

Today, at Avila Valley Barn.

Walt was fascinated by the chickens.

Petting a goat.

Having a little steamed milk at our new favorite coffee house.

Marionberry ice cream in Santa Barbara–yeah, we spoil him.

Drinking sparkling water at Montana de Oro.

Walt supplies Baby Newhall with lots of kisses.

The weeks have been flying by. I’m already more than half-way through this pregnancy, and Easter is right around the corner! Where does the time go?

Walter and I have been filling our weekdays with beach trips and park days, as usual. We’re so spoiled, I know. We had a few torrential downpours this past week, which terrified Walter. Our California baby can’t handle the rain! He also has a fear of umbrellas, so taking him anywhere in the rain is nearly impossible. We spent one wet morning in a bookstore downtown, and another at a friend’s house.

Our weekends have been filled as well. Last weekend, we drove down to Santa Barbara and explored the city. We also packed a dinner picnic to Montana de Oro. This weekend, we spent Saturday cuddling with sweet baby Martha and took a hike in the afternoon. Today, we went to Avila Valley Barn with Walter’s best friend Simon and family. We saw a multitude of farm animals and took the boys on a hayride. It was the perfect toddler-friendly activity, and both boys went home ready to nap.

The garden is coming along–we ate some radishes (our first harvest!) this weekend. I transplanted my rhubarb plants today, in the hopes of curing them of an odd fungal infection they’ve been suffering from. (Some leaves turn a brilliant red before dying–any advice?)

Well, now you know what we’ve been busying ourselves with. I’m sure we’ll be adventuring less as we get closer to August, and hopefully resigning ourselves to more practical weekend activities–painting the boys’ room, building a fence, and other necessary projects.

We’re counting down the days to our Pacific Northwest visit in May!

Love,

Margaret

 

 

baby love

 

Official blog announcement: Baby 2 is a boy! Forgive the blurry ultrasound picture, he was nearly too active to catch onscreen. I’m feeling a lot more of his kicks and rolls these days–he’s going to be high-energy like Walter! At nineteen weeks along, he’s able to hear our voices, so I guess I’m really reading “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” ten times a day to two babies. I finished knitting his first little sweater, and once I finish Walter’s sweater, I’ll be moving on to baby sleep sacks and diaper covers.

Our garden is really coming along, as you can see. The radishes are getting bigger by the day!

And what has Walter been up to? Beach mornings with his friends, afternoons at the Children Museum, and today, a nature walk, where he collected all manner of pinecones, rocks, eucalyptus seeds and walnuts.

A dear friend gave birth to a beautiful baby girl this week, so we’re looking forward to visiting them this weekend. Other plans include a possible jaunt down to Santa Barbara…

Love,

Margaret

on an adventure, part II

A little place by the sea, where we stopped for lunch.

The Tuck Box, a house built in 1927, is currently being used as a teahouse.

A beautiful statue of the Virgin and Saint Anne.

 

Here are some photos of our lovely cabin. It was glorious to be cut off from the distractions of the internet and cell phones. I can’t tell you how many times I thought, “I should Google such-and-such” but somehow survived without looking it up! I often think, “People are depending on me to read their potential text messages, etc.!” but that’s not an acceptable reason to glance absentmindedly at my phone as frequently as I do. In fact, I’m downgrading from an iPhone to a boring phone sometime in the near future, and while I shall miss Instagram, I think I shall benefit from being a more attentive mother! End rant.

The Tuck Box, the house Matthew and Walter are standing in front of, is part of a large group of fairytale-themed houses in Carmel, CA. Many more of these gorgeous houses can be seen online, click here.

We toured the Mission in Carmel where Blessed Junipero Serra is buried. It was beautiful but I failed to take any pictures. I did however, get a picture of the lovely little Adoration Chapel nearby. Walter made a wild attempt to climb onto the altar, but we escaped without further mishap.

Last but not least, I had to post a picture of Walter in the overalls he wore today. We were recently gifted some hand-me-downs from a new little friend, and I think he looks very handsome indeed.

That’s all for tonight.

Love,

Margaret