new platform

Matthew surprised me with a new blogging platform a few weeks ago. It's a lot easier to work with, and it doesn't put odd spaces between my photos!

You can find me at sleepalittlelonger.wordpress.com

See you over there!

with waiting hearts

Well, it's been a few weeks since I posted! Sorry about that. I was destroyed by a bout of the stomach flu this past week, and am still in recovery mode. All I can say is, wash your hands and take your Vitamin C! You do not want the flu.

We've been eagerly counting the days until Christmas, and Advent flew right by. I didn't get nearly as much knitting done as I was hoping to, nor have I done much Christmas baking.

Walt had his first bath in the sink. 

I am extremely proud of this moment.
This was Walter's first little outdoor exploration walk.
He's holding my hand!!!

He was thrilled by the crunchy leaves!

He made a friend at the Children's Museum and rode on a swing with him.

I finally made a hat for poor little Olaf.

Little Simon came over and we baked Christmas cookies. 

Walt can now use a spoon.
He LOVES his Grandma's applesauce!

Walter was thrilled to go Christmas tree shopping with us. He ran around touching the trees and chortling to himself. He knocked a little one over and cried until I picked it up. Haha! We found the perfect little tree and took it home with us. 

We decorated it this afternoon and now it sits in the corner, all ready for Christmas Eve. The smell of fir trees evokes so many happy Christmas memories in me. I'm very happy to have our first little Christmas tree in our own home. 

I wish you all a very merry Christmas,

Goodnight.

week's review

Happy First Week of Advent to you all! Walter and I have been busy collecting evergreen branches (and pinecones) and putting them all over the house.

This year, we're establishing some of our own Christmas traditions, as this will be our very first Christmas away from our families and at home with our new little family. One of the things we are doing is avoiding the usual hustle-and-bustle of the Christmas season in preparation and anticipation of the actual Twelve Days of Christmas (December 25th - January 6th). This means we're not baking cookies, we're not listening to Christmas music, and we haven't bought a Christmas tree (yet). It's hard to postpone the celebration when everywhere we go, Christmas seems to have arrived! But I must say, I am appreciating this quiet waiting period, and eagerly awaiting the coming of our Lord.

Here's my weekly recap of what Walt and I have been up to:

Lounging on the Sheepskin. Walter loves our large sheepskin rug, a gift from his grandparents. He spends most of his time running over to it and flopping down on it*.

*Note: In this picture, he was diaper-less. However, I was keeping a VERY close eye on him and quickly snapped another diaper on him so as to protect our lovely rug. No worries. ;)

Requesting a kiss. 

Geese on the grass by Laguna Lake.

We went to Children's Music Hour at Boo-Boo Records downtown. A neat old record shop offers a weekly hour for children to come and play on musical instruments and follow along in song and dance led by the lovely Miss Heidi. It was lots of fun. The room was packed with children, and Walter was a little shy at first. However, he soon got into the swing of things, and climbed right onto the stage at the front of the room. The picture below shows him sitting on the stage behind Miss Heidi (in white) and watching the kids. He stood up on the stage and danced around, before grabbing for Miss Heidi's CD's...

Running around outside.

Eating, eating, eating. He's a growing boy!

I've been knitting a lot more these days. I received my first shipment of wool yarn this last week. Matthew found a very good deal online and purchased this for me. I used the white and the brown together to knit the sleeves and bottom ribbing of Walter's sweater.

Yes, I finished his sweater! I am so proud of it. I feel like a real knitter now. I used the Scrap Cardigan pattern on Ravelry. It was pretty easy, and knit all in one piece, so I didn't have to sew it together. I have some little wooden buttons I'm planning to sew on the front.

Matthew had a business trip to LA this week, so Walt and I spent three days home alone without a car. We took a lot of walks, went to our neighbor friend's house for dinner, and somehow survived. We were very happy when he finally returned. I know I shouldn't complain, as some of my friends go without their husbands for far longer periods of time. I certainly realized how much I appreciate Matthew's help at the beginning and end of each day!

Goodnight.

prepare for an overload of pictures

Walter with Grandpa 

Freeze-frame shot of Walt throwing pebbles.

Walter and Grandma Sandy.

Walter loves books. And being naked.

Hiking. With coffee.

Hello all,

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We certainly enjoyed ours. My family came down from Oregon to visit us. We miss them already.

We drove up to San Jose on Thursday, to meet my parents and to join my mother's family for Thanksgiving. While I enjoyed seeing all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins, Walter was a little overwhelmed by all the attention. That's what happens when you're the only baby at a family reunion!

We drove back down Thursday night, and Walt slept all the way home. We put him in bed and he continued sleeping--but not very well. He was up at 4am, and was he hungry! We hadn't realized how little he had eaten the night before, what with to all the excitement. However, my parents were asleep in the living room, and we hated to wake them after their long stretch of driving. So we played with Walter in bed as long as we could; then, at 5 in the morning, we got dressed and snuck out the back door. Matthew and I put Walter in the stroller and walked to Starbucks. It was cozy to come across the lights and warmth of the only business yet open. We sipped coffee and let Walt run around the nearly empty shop.

Later, we took my family out to Montana de Oro (our favorite beach, can't you tell?) for a picnic, just as we had done when Matthew's family was visiting. Walter loved throwing handfuls of tiny pebbles and collecting rocks with Uncle Joe.

They left after breakfast on Saturday morning, and it was sad to see them go. We're looking forward to visiting both our families in the Spring.

This morning, we varied our typical Sunday with a hike at Whale's Cave trail. It was just gorgeous out, with the temperature reaching around 80 degrees. Happy December 1st... While we were there, we saw another family hiking--two parents, and a two teenaged girls. One of them had an iPod earbud tucked in her ear, and she looked bored. I suppose when you grow up around so much California beauty, you can easily lose appreciation for the grand beauty of the ocean and the surrounding hills. Walter, I hope, will love the wild beauty of the Central Coast. I'd love to see him grow up to be passionate about the outdoors.

We took Walt down to the ocean and let him play in the water a while. After our adventure, we returned home, took a bath (he was covered in sand!) and put him down for a nice, long nap.

Love,

Margaret

rainy day

    

At coffee on Sunday morning.

Walter at the Children's Museum.

Out in the rain.

Fall treasures found on our walks.

It finally rained today. It was so cheery to listen to it tapping gently on our metal roof. Walter was excited and wanted to be out in it. He kept pointing towards the door. We took him on several walks and he laughed at the water coming out of the sky.

Can I be honest with you? Today was extremely wearing. I think Walter's first molars are coming in, and it is making him so irritable. He would not nap all afternoon, except for a couple ten-minute power snoozes. He is finally in bed, and I have collapsed in an armchair with a chocolate orange.

Oh, and I wanted to attempt my first link-up with Ginny over at Small Things.























I have begun knitting a baby sweater for Walter, which I am very excited about. I'm using wool remnants, some from a friend, some from thrift stores, and some (the lovely chocolate brown wool) that Matthew bought me from a fancy little yarn shop downtown. So far the sweater is coming along beautifully and I'm enjoying the work.

In early preparation for the Advent season (and because it takes me forever to finish a book, let's be real), I am reading Donkey Bells by Catherine Doherty. I'm only a few chapters in, but it is a beautiful and meditative read. 

                                                                                             
Goodnight,

Margaret