Month: May 2013

Looking for a Moose

Posted on by heather.e.d.mcpherson@gmail.com
 
I’m not giving away any family secrets when I tell people that Grandma T loves her grandbabies.  She loves them so much, in fact, that she has visited us on average every three months since Clare’s been born.  We’ve taken to calling the direct Anchorage to Portland flight the Grandma T Express since she’s so often on it.  I’m sure the flight attendants recognize her.  Well, this past Mother’s Day it was our turn to visit her and Grandpa Dan on their stomping grounds – Alaska! 
 


 
Through Grandma T we’ve amassed quite a library of Alaska-related kids books, done a few moose crafts, sang songs about moose, and Clare even has an Alaska collage in her room.  We were well prepped with all things Alaska-related, especially the animals.  Clare’s goal on our trip was to see a moose.  Yes, visiting with Grandma and Grandpa would be nice but she really, really, really wanted to see a moose.

So a few weeks ago we packed the suitcases, checked the car seats, and packed the snack cups for our trip.  Clare made sure that her beloved Bear stayed safe during take-off and landing.  As usual, the kids did really well on the flights.  Thanks guys!

On Day #1 in Alaska we went to the Zoo.  It’s not the most amazing zoo but it’s a good place to see all of Alaska’s different animals up close.  I knew it would be the place that we would definitely see a moose, bear, wolves, and other Northern animals.  The kids had fun and we all got to run around a little bit.  However the next day the animal ante was upped when J, Grandma T, Grandpa Dan, Clare and Sam all went to an animal sanctuary and saw musk ox, bears, and moose up very close in their natural environments.  I stayed home sick, but I’m told that the animal sanctuary was a highlight of the trip.

However, that morning before the trip to the sanctuary, perhaps the most exciting moment of the visit came when J discovered a real live wild moose resting in the back yard.  Seriously, the kids couldn’t believe it.  For the entire rest of the visit Sammy kept going to the back window and asking “Moushe?” in his most hopeful voice. 

OK, enough about the moose.  We also had great visits with Grandpa Dan and Grandma T.  We met their kitties (and tried not to traumatize them), we sang songs, we read books, we visited some playgrounds, and we giggled a lot. 

 

 On Mother’s Day we visited the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which was beautiful.  There was a native dance performance, an art show, and authentic native dwellings.  The best part was the dog sled ride that we took from an actual Iditarod sled team.  Grandpa Dan pushed us into it but we all enjoyed it.  In fact, Teresa, Clare and I rode it twice. 

 

We had so much fun on our first Alaska family adventure.  The first of many more to come…  Thank you Grandma T and Grandpa Dan for hosting us and letting us take over your house.  We had a wonderful time.  A few days after we got home Clare asked “Can we go back to Alaska tomorrow?” and Sammy kept going to our back door and asking “Moushe?”  I’m pretty sure this is their way of asking the same thing.

 

 

Sam at 18 months

Posted on by heather.e.d.mcpherson@gmail.com

Excuse me Little Boy, have you seen my baby?  I swear he was right here a minute ago.

Yep, he’s all of the sassy, sweet and active that every little 1.5 year old should be.  When I look at him one way he’s a busy little boy and then I’ll look at him another and he’s still a chubby cheeked baby.  He’ll run up to me, wrap his arms around my knees and ask “Up please?”  I’ll scoop him up, nuzzle his precious little neck and he sighs against my shoulder like he’s always done. 

 
Besides climbing milestones, Sammy is talking up the storm these days too.  He surprises us with words like “bounce” when he throws a ball or “pretzel” when I gave him the wrong snack.  He doesn’t have to many special Sam words except for “bah” for a cup or drink (it took me a while to figure that one out) and he calls his beloved baby friend M (G’s sister) “May-may,” which is a combination of her name and Baby.  He’s pretty much into nouns these days but he’s beginning to combine them in two-word sentences.  “Hi Dada” “Bye-bye Mama” “Noooooo miiiiiiine!” 
 
We had his 18 month check up a few weeks ago.  He’s perfectly healthy, perfectly cute and just as off-the-charts big as always.  He’s weighing in at a bruising 28.5 lbs. and is 35.5 inches tall.  Yep, almost 3 feet tall.  Sheesh boy, slow down already! Well, OK, keep growing – since you seem to do it so well.

iPhone Photo Drop – April 2013

Posted on by heather.e.d.mcpherson@gmail.com
 
Oh Blogger, where are thou? 
 
Can you tell that I haven’t been feeling the Blogging Bug lately?  Nope, in the evenings (my usual blogging time) I just haven’t felt much like opening up the computer and writing.  I’m not sure why, there’s plenty going on, but I’ve just had less energy and enthusiasm in the evenings.  Maybe the endless colds are zapping my energy, maybe it’s frustration with work events, who knows… but it’s resulted in less blogging.  So here I go in my attempt to catch up on what’s been happening around here.  Because so much is (always) happening!
 
 
Family Hike to check out the Magnolia Trail in Hoyt Arboretum.  Check out Sammy sticking out his little tongue.
 
As much as things change, it all stays the same.  Dressed herself in a skirt over jeans and a new hat – check.  Climbed a tree – check.  Silly Girl – check.
 
Our Maddy Lou Who turned Two in April.  I don’t have any pictures from her birthday celebration but here is one of the pre-birthday cake baking.  Clare asked if we could help bake Maddy’s cake.  It turned into Deb and I making it while the girls played.  They’re pretty smart though since they know the best part of cake baking is licking the beaters.
 
Veterinarian-in-Training Dr. Clare is making a diagnosis.
 
 
 
 
My Heart

“What’s Sammy up to?”

Posted on by heather.e.d.mcpherson@gmail.com
 
At least half a dozen times a day I realize the house seems quiet and I wonder “what’s Sammy up to?”  The answer could be anything from looking at books quietly in his room, snuggling with Sister Clare, looking out the window at the birds, or something else calm and mellow.  The answer could be that he’s unrolling the toilet paper, emptying out a dresser drawer, or methodically throwing the contents of his toy box down the stair case.  Mostly likely, however, the answer is that he’s climbing on something.  I might find him standing on the dining room table, or having pushed a package of paper towels into the kitchen and is using them to reach the cupboards, or he’s scaling the entertainment center using his fingers and toes.  Our boy loves to be vertical – the higher the better, and nothing is safe.
 
 
Of course we do have quiet moments – moments of snuggling while we read books, or point to and label our toes, nose, fingers and ears, or sing his favorite songs (Baby Beluga – or, “Bay-bee Bawuugah”).  He’s begun a little bit of pretend/imitation play of driving cars and trucks, cooking food in the play kitchen, and patting and snuggling with doll babies and stuffed animals.  
 
 
Honestly, usually I don’t have to wonder what this guy is doing since he’s usually right next to me.  Either he’s careening around the house with his little impish and mischievous grin, grabbing things off the kitchen counter while I’m cooking, or I’m trying to find things to keep him busy and occupied.  We spend a lot of time outside so that he can throw, run and climb to his hearts content.  We spend a lot of time playing in water, splashing, pouring, and painting with shaving cream.  He likes to experience things fully, so the answer to “What’s Sammy up to?” is usually everything.