Friday, January 30, 2009
Baby Steps
Emma Claire has been standing for increasing lengths of time on her own. Wednesday, she took one baby step toward me. Last night she took two steps! Will it be three today? Pretty soon she will be off and running.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Broadband Withdrawl
Apologies for neglecting my blog in the New Year. Emma Claire and I are cozy at Grandma Marjorie's while Brad (and the dogs) hold down the fort at the homefront.
The good news is that they put in insulation and are nearly finished with the sheetrock (so it is finally warmer in the house than it is outdoors). The not as good news...this thing just keeps growing. The good news again...if we can make it through this, it is going to be beautiful. I will post photos as soon as I can get my act together. The not as good news, again, ...limited high speed internet access.
This is the one drawback to staying at Marjorie's. She does have internet access, but it is the kind that says "you've got mail" when you log on. You type in a web address and go out to lunch and come back to find that the page is still loading. OK, maybe this is an exaggeration. We are so spoiled these days. What did we, as a society, do before broadband?
Anyway, hope to be back in the house and "connected" again before too long. I will soon get the blog back on track.
As for Emma Claire, the big B day is quickly approaching. She is, I think, days away from taking steps. She is standing independently for seconds at a time. It is fun to watch her play. She actually plays now...with toys, with friends, with mom and dad. Her current favorite is peek-a-boo. She stacked 2 blocks yesterday (brilliant!). She pats her tummy when asked "where's Emma Claire's belly" (also brilliant!) and laughs hysterically at her dad. She has been waking at night (I think it is teething?...) and/or at 5 am. Just when you think you have it down...
It is still COLD here, but looks like a balmy 32 on Saturday...
The good news is that they put in insulation and are nearly finished with the sheetrock (so it is finally warmer in the house than it is outdoors). The not as good news...this thing just keeps growing. The good news again...if we can make it through this, it is going to be beautiful. I will post photos as soon as I can get my act together. The not as good news, again, ...limited high speed internet access.
This is the one drawback to staying at Marjorie's. She does have internet access, but it is the kind that says "you've got mail" when you log on. You type in a web address and go out to lunch and come back to find that the page is still loading. OK, maybe this is an exaggeration. We are so spoiled these days. What did we, as a society, do before broadband?
Anyway, hope to be back in the house and "connected" again before too long. I will soon get the blog back on track.
As for Emma Claire, the big B day is quickly approaching. She is, I think, days away from taking steps. She is standing independently for seconds at a time. It is fun to watch her play. She actually plays now...with toys, with friends, with mom and dad. Her current favorite is peek-a-boo. She stacked 2 blocks yesterday (brilliant!). She pats her tummy when asked "where's Emma Claire's belly" (also brilliant!) and laughs hysterically at her dad. She has been waking at night (I think it is teething?...) and/or at 5 am. Just when you think you have it down...
It is still COLD here, but looks like a balmy 32 on Saturday...
Friday, January 9, 2009
Home Sweet Disaster Home
Friday, January 2, 2009 (2am) we arrive back to Radisson Road to find our house a disaster from the demo, which was started while we were away. We are thrilled to have finally started our kitchen remodel, after 2 years of planning, so can't complain. I knew it would be messy, but I guess I didn't realize the extent of the dust until I saw it.
Now, we had planned on living at the house through the whole thing...not sure what we were thinking. No way with Emma Claire. So, our solution...Emma Claire and I move in with Marjorie (who is gracious to have us) and Brad stays at home with the dogs (taking one for the team!...thanks, Brad).
At the end of the first week of the arrangement, things are going well.
The dogs, I think, are surviving. Rudy is probably traumitized from all of the activity and noise. He will probably need some sort of expensive therapy or medication when all is said and done. Sophie is just happy to be here. Thank you to Peggy for having the dogs over on Thursday and Friday! (http://thebickersonsblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/see-how-much-fun-we-have.html).
Emma Claire and I are comfortable at Marjories. She has a full basement. It is like an apartment with a couple of rooms, a microwave, fridge, sink, etc. Heated floors! In fact, we may not leave (just kidding!). She has cooked for us and always offers us ice cream after supper (and how can you turn that down!). So, I am probably going to gain 10# before I move back home.
Going running today with Whitney and the pups...
Now, we had planned on living at the house through the whole thing...not sure what we were thinking. No way with Emma Claire. So, our solution...Emma Claire and I move in with Marjorie (who is gracious to have us) and Brad stays at home with the dogs (taking one for the team!...thanks, Brad).
At the end of the first week of the arrangement, things are going well.
The dogs, I think, are surviving. Rudy is probably traumitized from all of the activity and noise. He will probably need some sort of expensive therapy or medication when all is said and done. Sophie is just happy to be here. Thank you to Peggy for having the dogs over on Thursday and Friday! (http://thebickersonsblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/see-how-much-fun-we-have.html).
Emma Claire and I are comfortable at Marjories. She has a full basement. It is like an apartment with a couple of rooms, a microwave, fridge, sink, etc. Heated floors! In fact, we may not leave (just kidding!). She has cooked for us and always offers us ice cream after supper (and how can you turn that down!). So, I am probably going to gain 10# before I move back home.
Going running today with Whitney and the pups...
Wal Mart Baby
Tuesday, December 30:
For those of you that don't know what a Wal Mart baby is, you maybe have never been to a Wal Mart (or Piggly Wiggly or other) in the sweltering South in the middle of Summer. My brother in law Jason introduced us to this term. A Wal Mart baby is one running around in diapers only. No socks, no shirt, no nothing else. This is not an uncommon sight to see in the South in the Summer, for obvious reasons, especially in Wal Mart (no offense Wal Mart lovers...:-).
So, this brings me to a funny story.
En route back to Red Bay, almost home and we smell the diaper. Emma Claire is particularly bothered by this one, so we pull of on the wide shoulder of an exit ramp on HWY 78 near Hamilton. As soon as I took a look at Emma Claire in her carseat, I called Brad for backup. Not a sight (or smell) for the weak stomach, this one (keep in mind Brad has been throwing up all day from the stomach bug).
So, here we are, on the side of the highway in Alabama. Brad is holding Emma Claire up and I am stripping her down, all the while making her messier. (Thank goodness it was warm outside). Emma Claire is in her birthday suit and I wipe her down. New diaper on...Wal Mart baby the rest of the drive home. Everyone survived.
For those of you that don't know what a Wal Mart baby is, you maybe have never been to a Wal Mart (or Piggly Wiggly or other) in the sweltering South in the middle of Summer. My brother in law Jason introduced us to this term. A Wal Mart baby is one running around in diapers only. No socks, no shirt, no nothing else. This is not an uncommon sight to see in the South in the Summer, for obvious reasons, especially in Wal Mart (no offense Wal Mart lovers...:-).
So, this brings me to a funny story.
En route back to Red Bay, almost home and we smell the diaper. Emma Claire is particularly bothered by this one, so we pull of on the wide shoulder of an exit ramp on HWY 78 near Hamilton. As soon as I took a look at Emma Claire in her carseat, I called Brad for backup. Not a sight (or smell) for the weak stomach, this one (keep in mind Brad has been throwing up all day from the stomach bug).
So, here we are, on the side of the highway in Alabama. Brad is holding Emma Claire up and I am stripping her down, all the while making her messier. (Thank goodness it was warm outside). Emma Claire is in her birthday suit and I wipe her down. New diaper on...Wal Mart baby the rest of the drive home. Everyone survived.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Way Down (further) South in MS - December 27-30
December 27-30, 2008:
We had a good visit with the Ocean Springs family. We spent a lot of time with Linda and set up camp with the Levis' while we were there (thanks, again, for letting us invade!). It is always a treat to head to the coast. This was Emma Claire's first Ocean Springs trip. Ocean Springs is in my top 5 favorite places. A cute town on the Gulf Coast. The weather was BEAUTIFUL. 60-70 and sunny most days and cooler at night. What a treat it was to walk outside without snowsuit, hat, scarf, gloves, boots and all of the other cumbersome gear MN winters require.
On Sunday, we went out to Presley Farm to visit Linda's brother and his wife who are living on the campground there temporarily. There was an orchard there where we picked oranges and lemons. Emma Claire and Noelle enjoyed watching the ducks in the lake.
On Monday, Clark and Brad played a round of golf. Nothing makes Brad happier than golf, so for him to be able to play a round in AL and a round while on the coast was good for all of us!
Diana came up from NO and we were all able to have dinner at Bunch's with Dempsey and Sandy and the rest of us. Dempsey taught Emma Claire to blow kisses.
Emma Claire and Noelle (2 weeks to the day older than Emma Claire) enjoyed playing together. I thought Emma Claire was active until I met Noelle. She is a busy little girl and I think Emma Claire has picked up the tempo since our time there! The next time we see her will be at the Moore family reunion at the end of May, so the girls should really be able to play then...along with Quinn, Ollie and Lila.
This leg of our trip was great, although we left the Levi family (and left with Brad) infested with the stomach bug. Just awful..., but we made it through it and I think we are all on the mend now.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Bubba
Emma Claire is saying ma ma and da da and making other sounds, but no other words...until she learned about Baby Bubba Bailey.
Greta and Jason announced to Mom and Dad on Christmas Day that they are pregnant. They surprised them by giving them the last gift to open. It was a baby book with a poem cluing them into the news. It took Mom a couple of minutes to figure it out, then it was all tears.
We are all sure that this baby will be a boy. I don't remember how it started now, but we have been affectionately calling him/her Baby Bubba. Emma Claire's third word (next to mama and dada) is bubba. She will repeat it most of the time. The family got a kick out of it. Can't wait to meet Emma Claire's cousin (due August 16), Baby Bubba.
Greta and Jason announced to Mom and Dad on Christmas Day that they are pregnant. They surprised them by giving them the last gift to open. It was a baby book with a poem cluing them into the news. It took Mom a couple of minutes to figure it out, then it was all tears.
We are all sure that this baby will be a boy. I don't remember how it started now, but we have been affectionately calling him/her Baby Bubba. Emma Claire's third word (next to mama and dada) is bubba. She will repeat it most of the time. The family got a kick out of it. Can't wait to meet Emma Claire's cousin (due August 16), Baby Bubba.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
December 25: Merry Christmas!
Santa
found Emma Claire in Alabama for her first Christmas. He left plenty of toys, her favorite of which were the wooden blocks and the ride/push lion and of course "Calin", her babydoll. Then, there are the little pink Uggs. Every Minnesota girl needs Uggs!For the first time in Fabianke Christmas history, we drew names. This is one of the best new traditions we have implemented in some time. Opa was set up with a Internet camera and Skype from Brad (which was presented in a riddle created by Brad); Rowie got an original painting of her childhood home in New Albany (which caused tears); Brad got just what he wanted...bedroom shoes and sweats from Dad; Emily got clothes from Greta (thanks, again Gret!); Greta got clothes from Mom and Jason got a Garmin forerunner from Emily (let me know if it doesn't work out for you, Jason and I will still be glad to take it off your hands!).
Brad and I spent the afternoon searching for Rock Bridge Canyon. Never found it, but enjoyed the drive in the AL country. The area in and around Red Bay is very rural, but also very scenic. Lots of hills and trees and land.
A fun Christmas...better than ever now that Emma Claire is a part of us. She loves to mimic. Her Opa taught her how to "fake cough". She now says ma-ma-ma and da-da-da with intent.
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