Oatmeal for Dinner, Yum, Yum

Tonight was Orson's first official try at eating non-breastmilk food. We decided to start him out on oatmeal (since Grandma Pat is dead set against rice cereal). I know its a little early but he has stopped sleeping through the night and started showing a real interest in our food, so I thought it was time to give it a try. At first he didn't quite understand that he should open his mouth and instead was trying to slurp the oatmeal off the spoon like soup but just when I was about to give up, he opened his mouth up wide and starting demanding more when he thought I was taking it away. Towards the end he was even trying to do it himself. I guess we have a little eater on our hands. I will probably keep up the oatmeal for the rest of the week and then start trying out other more interesting veggies and fruits....maybe sweet potatoes or carrots next, I wonder what will be in our veggie box this week? Anyways, here are some pictures from the big event:

Yummy, Yummy Oatmeal!

I don't want to sit in my highchair...what are you doing to me?

Well...this kinda works but...

I think I like the silver spoon from Danine and Quincy much better!

I'm getting the hang of this...

Its even easier in Mommy's lap!

In fact, I think I will do it myself.

What a mess

I guess I will take a bath before bed but only if you make me

May Craft Challenge Project is DONE!!!

I finished my May Craft Challenge last Friday and now that the weekend is over and Orson is sleeping! I thought I would finish up writing about it on my blog :) For this challenge I took all of the materials that Christie sent us and decided to combine them with some of my mother's day memories. So I dried my mother's day bouquet, took a print of Orson's foot and my favorite picture from the day of Orson and I and added them into the materials to use. With all of that to work with I decided to make a Mom's Day Memory Hanger to put in my closet. Now everytime I walk in to find an outfit (which happens all the time since I have to change multiple times throughout the day thanks to Orson's spit-up habits :) or to get the laundry, I smell and see my first Mother's Day. Here are pictures of the final craft:



You can also read about the process in these last few blogs:
http://kimandmattewalt.blogspot.com/2009/05/craft-challenge.html
http://kimandmattewalt.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-first-mothers-day-and-craft.html

Don't forget to go to Christie's Craft page (the botton is on the left) to vote on the 28th or 29th and vote for your favorite project (it better be mine!).

Memorial Day Weekend!!

Wow we had a grand long weekend this memorial day, filled with fun, firsts, adventures and a few misadventures as well. We had wanted to go camping for the weekend but, due to the enormous population that resides here in California and our procrastinative nature, all the camp sites that were kid and dog friendly were full up by the time we started looking. Instead, Matt decided to pitch the tent in our backyard and we spent two nights outside bundled up with Orson and the dogs. This allowed us to take some awesome day trips, test our equipment and to spend the weekend enjoying each other.

Our tent, the girls wanted to sleep in the sleeping bags but they spent the nights in their house inside the tent instead.

Orson spent the night in the papoose style baby carrier that my mom saved from when we were kids. He was a little cold and confused the first night but we swaddled him for the second (to keep his hands in where it was warm) and things went much better.

For our first adventure, Matt and I decided to drive south to Brentwood and go berry picking. Cherries were the fruit of the day and we also found some lovely blackberries. On the drive home we ran into a fire and had to choose a differnet route then the one planned. It was hot but we all had fun, even the girls!

Later that day, not quite in keeping with Matt's amazing misadventure last Friday, I was gently rocking Orson to sleep in the rocking chair when, snap, bang, boom, the chair broke and everthing in the closet came pouring down on us. Luckily we weren't hurt and it looks like the chair will be an easy fix.

Then on Sunday we stayed close to home, going to church, working in the yard (I mean campsite) and attending a last minute BBQ at a new friend from mommy's group.

On Monday, we headed out into the hills to find the Big Tree Trail in Tahoe Natioanl Forest. It was a long drive but well worth it.

Snuggs decided that if she can't sit in the carseat with Orson she will instead be a carcrab (like a hermit) and sit inside the armrest instead.

The views were spetacular on the drive into the trail, as was watching the crazy bicyclists pracitising for the Death Ride (129 miles and 15000 ft elevation gain bicycle ride through the Sierra foothills).

When we arrived at the trail, we put Orson in his new faorite mode of travel, the backpack, and were on our way. He giggled and laughed for most of the hike, since riding on Daddy's back and being eye level with mommy is oh so exciting!

The trees on the trail were indeed big. This trail had giant sequioas, douglas fir and lots and lots of dogwoods.

On the was back from the trail, I made Matt stop often to take pictures of all the amazing wildflowers growing on the hills. There was something for everyone on this trip:

To wrap the day up, I decided it would be fun to teach Orson to drink out of a cup...he took to it like a fish to water! Next I will try putting breastmilk in it and see how he handles that.

Last but not least, since he was already naked anyway, I took a coupld of naked baby pictures that turned out really cute. I just cannot believe how big he is getting!

Life with Orson

Well as I stated last week in my post, Matt and I were having an off week...it culminated on Friday with Matt backing into my car while Orson, the girls and I were in it! His truck didn't have any damages but the Camry suffered from a smashed front right bumper, head-light and right panel. Its hard to believe that there could be that much damage from a car that was going only 1 mile an hour but I guess that is what happens when steal meets the new crumple cars.

We decided that, after that, everything could only get better, so we headed out on Sunday to go on a new hike. It was super hot but half way into the hike we came across a great watering hole and introduced Orson to creek walking! He loved it:



The trail was really interesting, it was an old logging flume route up in Nevada City, that the park service made 100% accessible (great for use with a stroller) and you actually got to walk in the old flume shoots. The dogs also loved it since they could walk up on the trail that the loggers used while we walked down in the flumes.

In other news Orson is getting more and more aware of his surroundings and thus keeping him entertained is getting more and more difficult. When he was smaller I tried to play music for him but it was too loud and he didn't seem to like it. This week, desperate to entertain him with something new, I tried the piano again, he loves it...maybe he is a budding musician? This does mean we should probably get the piano tuned :)

He is also now reaching for (and screaming when you take away) his toys. Anne and Kelley, he is in love with the blocks that ya'll made for him. He has also taken to the stuff animals that have been sent his way (he holds entire conversations with them, especially when he hasn't seen one in a while). His favorites are Paddington Bear and an elephant blanket (he takes it with him everywhere and he has even figured out how to hold it when he is being carried around.


Lastly, Orson has discovered the dogs. We are working on teaching him how to be gentle with them. So far, Chaquita avoids his advances but every once in a while Snuggles allows him to pet her.

Craft Challenge

Well I am getting closer to having my Christie's Craft Challenge project done....can you guess what it is yet?

I've managed to use the blue material, flower paper and buttons, so far. Now I just need to work in the flowers, flower wire and leaves.

It has been so nice to take a break from being mommy and use my crafty powers to create. Thanks again Anne :)

My First Mothers Day and the Craft Challenge Project

This has been a very interesting week....for some reason Matt and I have just been a little off (not with each other, just in general). I think the main reason is that Orson is teething, as in my gums are swollen and hurt and nothing and I mean nothing will make me happier while they feel like this. He has taken to making the highest pitch squeals he can, sobbing uncontrollably when those don't help and then trying to smile and play in between. Its all been a little wearing on the mommy nerves since nothing is worse then not being able to comfort your baby when he hurts.

Luckily I have some fond memories from Sunday to reflect on when all else fails! Matt and Orson did a wonderful job of making me feel special this Sunday, they made me pancakes for breakfast (fresh flowers on the table), took me "window" shopping at multiple garden centers, took me hiking, surprised me with dessert at the Dessert Diner in the middle of the day and then cuddled with me after mass in the evening. I felt like the most loved mom in the world. And as if all that wasn't enough, Matt got my wedding and engagement ring re sized and he added a sapphire and diamond to my wedding band for Orson (the other 4 diamonds and sapphires were put in over time by my Dad standing for each of the kids my mom had)!!! I'm so excited to be able to wear them again, as they haven't fit since around October of last year. To top the day off, Matt had read my previous post and just before I feel asleep he combed his fingers through my hair and held me....the day was priceless.




So I decided that I really wanted to make something to help me always remember how special the day was and luckily, my sister bought me a subscription to Christie's Craft Challenge for my birthday. I had been toying with multiple ideas ever since I received the packet and last night I decided to take everything that Christie sent and multiple memories from Sunday and combine them together. See if you can figure out what I'm going to make:

Happy Mother's Day...

Dear Mom

Its my first mother's day this Sunday and I'm really just feeling blue about it today (of course its the anniversary of your death as well, so its a double whammy day). I was excited about it until we went to Target last week and decided to pick out a card for Grandma Pat. I picked up a card that was in the wrong place and started to read it....it was a daughter to mom card about trying to be live up to you with my own children. Playing with them, sharing with them, caring for them when they hurt, loving them and praying for them as well as you did for me. How can I live up to all this without you here to nudge me when I slack off or get tired? Then I moved onto picking out a Grandma card and life just got too hard...all I ever wanted was to be a mom and in so doing, help you meet your life goal of being a Grandmother. As Orson grows and changes so quickly I miss sharing him with you at every step. He is so perfect and so cute and I know you would love him so, so much. I just want to lay my head in your lap, have you run your fingers through my hair and tell you all about him. Its been two years and so much has changed in all of our lives and yet one thing stays the same, we still miss you.

Enjoy your mother's day, I know that God is throwing a much better party then we can
All my love
Your daughter, now a mom

Out in the California Sun

In Portland last week Matt and I checked out a baby store called Hanna Anderson (their cotton clothing is organic and so soft) and found a great sun hat for Orson. We had been looking all over here in the Sunshine State for one but could only find ones that were suitable for girls. We have also been looking around for sunglasses for the little guys since we went to Boulder and realized that Orson's blue eyes were very sun sensitive. Yesterday I went out to Roseville to meet up with a friend and remembered that one of the baby boutiques was going out of business. What luck...they had these awesome sunglasses that have a band around the head instead of the normal arms that set on ears. You may be wondering what all this is leading too....here he is the cutest sun ready baby ever:

He really seems to like the glasses! Maybe if we start him early with them, he will want to wear them once he learns how to take them on and off himself (fingers crossed).

Back from Portland and exhusted

We've made it back from all of our travels in one piece and boy did we have fun.

We spent this past week in Portland visiting with friends. Matt's best friend came in from Japan with his wife and we also spent a lot of time with Harrison, Haley and Rowan. Rowan is adorable and about 3 months older then Orson, they seemed to have fun watching and learning from each other and Haley and I had fun watching them. My favorite quote of the week was from Haley "Two babies are more then twice as cute as one"

Of course we also learned that two babies are more then twice the amount of work then one as well!

Orson took his first trip to the zoo on Sunday. We were both cold, so I took advantage of his body heat and my jacket...we were like a little oven:

Unfortunately we weren't great about taking pictures, I guess because we were just caught up in talking with friends. We had a wonderful 3 bottle of wine dinner at the Bread and Ink (Harrison's Uncle's restaurant). Harrison's roommate from France was in town (he sells wine barrels) and he kept us well supplied in great wine. We also spent a lot of time just sitting around and chatting with everyone, it was wonderful.
Haley was kind enough to invite me along to a "playdate" (the babies just sat there while the moms all talked). I found it very interesting to see the similarities and differences between Portland and Sacramento moms. The babies at my mom's group here in Sacramento are more of a varity of ages then in the Portland group so I think we cover more topics at our meet-up but it was nice to be surrounded by babies that were only a month or so older the Orson and focus on the issues of his age (food, sleep...well maybe the issues don't change much with age). Really, I would bet you could go to a mom's group anywhere in the world and we would all talk and worry about the same kind of things.

Before heading home we drove down to Eugene, on the way we stopped at the Air and Space museum. Orson and his dad had fun looking at all of the planes and playing with the hands on sections.

That night we stayed with Justin's mom, Kathy. It was a wonderful way to wrap up the week. She made us feel right at home.

Here are a few more pictures from the last few weeks of travel....our little man is so cute!