Our Chistmas

This year we traveled to Oregon to spend Christmas with Joe's family. His mom, dad, Nana, brother, and sister-in-law were there. Fortunately, they have a big house and can accommodate many bodies. We even dragged a reluctant traveler, my mother and her dog, with us. I think she was, in the end, glad to have been there to see the boys enjoy the Christmas festivities.

The car ride to Oregon was not too bad. It usually takes about 8 hours to get there but Joe was pretty determined to make it there in record time even with a 6 month-old infant! Jacob must have known how important it was to his daddy to get there quickly because he was an angel and let us get away with stopping only once to change a muddy diaper. We actually got there in about 7 hours.

I love Oregon for so many reasons but mostly because it was December 21st and it was sunny, beautiful, and most importantly DRY! The tax-free shopping and luxury of not having to get off my lazy butt to fuel up are also nice bonuses. We like to stop by the Woodburn Factory Outlets to enjoy a nice variety of inexpensive shopping. We went to the North Face outlet and I purchased a jacket for Joseph and one for myself for less than $200! I was going to get Jakers a fleece but you never know where the Navy will send you and I was unwilling to buy something so costly that he will shortly outgrow and may never have to opportunity to use.

Lory and Joe live 12 miles from the California border. When we tell people that they live in Oregon they think, "Oh, how nice to be so close to family!" We're not THAT close; it's still quite a voyage. The best thing about where they live is its proximity to Harry and David. I enjoy their pears immensely and broke down the day we left and bought 4 trays of the Comice variety to share with my co-workers. That's 24 pears- each tray at $14.95! If you knew what they tasted like you wouldn't think I was crazy. PLUS they give a 10% military discount, there was no sales tax and they last in the refrigerator for 2 weeks! That's me trying to rationalize my purchase. I already feel better about it...

We made Christmas cookies, shopped a lot, ate decadent food, laughed, talked, read, watched movies, listened to Christmas music, and just spent time together. I guess that's really the best part about the Holidays is that you have the rare opportunity to spend an abundance of time with loved ones.

Joseph got so many gifts (as usual). The clear winner by far was Siddeley the Spy Jet Transporter from Great Nana. Close seconds were Angry birds stuffed toy, and a cooking set that Nana bought LAST year on an insane Macys clearance price! I wouldn't be able to keep something like that for a whole year; she's really disciplined! That's what 30 years of Christmases with kids will teach you. Jacob got a lot of cool things, too. I think his favorite toy is the light toy that Santa put in his stocking. He's really attracted to lights. He's fond of cups, too. He got a really cool book from Uncle James and Aunt Laura about Daddy. It was interesting that they chose that one. They said that many children's books focus on the relationship between baby and mother. This one focused on the things that make the father-child relationship special. It was very thoughtful.

Joe really liked the gifts that I got him and that made me really happy. I guess that's when you know you REALLY love someone- when their happiness is enough to make you happy. I'm so lucky that he's my husband. Joe, Lory and I were talking about his attributes and I told him that "nice" isn't a word that I EVER use to describe him. It doesn't even make his top 20 list of characteristics. He's not nice. He's caring, considerate, has a great work ethic, funny, smart, handsome... I used to be sad that he wasn't your average "nice" guy but nice is kind of flat. I'd rather be with someone complicated like Joe. He's difficult to define but he's quite wonderful and I guess the most wonderful thing about him is that he's able to live with and love me. I know I'm a handful and he kind of just goes with it. He plays along when I take myself too seriously. He knows my idiosyncrasies and knows when to laugh with me, at me, or when to bring me back to reality. Marriage isn't easy. I think it's funny when people say that it's easy. I think they're delusional or lying to themselves at the very least. It isn't easy but I can't imagine living without him.

On the car ride home I was trying to think of all the lessons that I learned on this trip. Here's my list:

1. Stocking stuffers need to be purchased throughout the year, not just before Christmas.
2. Joe is tragically tone-deaf.
3. Joe's girlfriends are (in no particular order) Ke$ha, Adelle, Katy Perry, Rhianna, and Taylor Swift.
4. Portable DVD players (the ones that keep 6 year-olds riveted in the car) are evidence that God loves us.
5. Ground turkey is a suitable substitute for beef when making taco meat.
6. I like authentic Mexican food.
7. Babies in new environments aren't always pleasant. In fact, they rarely are. I should vow to stay at home with Jakers for the remainder of his first year.
8. I need to cut my mother some slack when it comes to dropping ice from the ice-maker. Apparently all mothers do this and it's just something that daughters have to live with.
9. It may be a while before Jakers and Joseph have cousins on their father's side. :(
10. Joseph really, REALLY loves water. Also important to note is that his favorite Christmas cookie is the Kissy Cookie that Nana makes (even though he has an aversion to peanut butter).
11. The green taffy with the yellow center is Juicy Pear and is, by far, the superior taffy variety.
12. Joseph's favorite taffy is the orange one. Joe's favorite is the black licorice (ew) and root beer (double ew).
13. 3 of Joe's 4 cousins in the Stewart family are pregnant right now. That's a lot of cousins!
14. I make a killer cinnamon roll!
15. Original scent Tide is pleasantly fragrant and well worth the excessive cost.
16. I should exercise. (Notice that it isn't "I shouldn't exercise MORE" it's simply "I should exercise."

Sorry. Pictures were not in the equation this Christmas. They were the last thing on my mind. First thing was how to get Jakers to stop crying and second was trying to keep Joseph engaged in an activity so he wouldn't talk about how excited he was about Christmas and wake his brother up.

December in a Nutshell

Whoa! December has been crazy! Really, when is December ever NOT crazy? Here's a synopsis of recent events:

Joseph has not one but TWO loose teeth! They are his bottom incisors.Dr. Becker (best dentist EVER) said that it would be another year (June 2012) before he'd loose any teeth but Joseph must've done some major growing lately because they're rocking back and forth!

Joseph participated in his school's Holiday Concert. The kids were cute and it was just short enough to be Developmentally Appropriate. He tried his best and it was obvious! He did all the hand gestures and sang all the songs. I'm so proud of him! I made sure to make him a lei with all his favorite treats- red, white, and silver Kisses, with red and green Kit Kats. He was so excited!

I joined the Hometown Band for the Holiday season. It was just like being back in high school band! We played all the same songs but I think we sounded a lot better. I'm pretty sure we did!
Jacob is a weed! At his 6 month well baby appointment, he was 28 inches long, 18 pounds and 14 ounces, with a head circumference of 17 inches. A PERFECT baby boy! We couldn't be more pleased! I'm also so proud of the way Joseph has taken to his baby brother. He tries to make him laugh, he gives him kisses throughout the day, and he is so eager to help us care for him! He's so wonderful and I'm so FORTUNATE!
That's us this month! Hopefully as the stress wanes with the arrival of the new year, I'll be able to update more regularly.

Christmas Cards

Every year I search for the perfect Christmas card. The one that will fully express my delight in the Holiday and pride in my beautiful family. I love receiving Christmas cards. I love displaying them and looking at them years later. I love to see how much people's children have grown as well as what everyone else is up to. Some people send cards with no pictures. That's no fun, if you ask me. Some people don't even send cards! Year after year I send them cards and I wonder if they even open them up because I hear nothing from them in return.

Christmas cards are a process. First, there's the endless anxiety over getting the perfect family picture. That in and of itself is a process. Which outfit to buy- not too matchy-matchy but ensembles that complement each other. Then, after you've taken photos, you have the agonizing task of selecting the best picture. Sometimes they're all good and sometimes it's a choice between a squinting child or an unfortunate double chin. When I've found the right one I run to Joe for approval and I get shrug and a grunt. Why do I even bother?

After the selection of the picture and "approval" from the family the search for the perfect card ensues. As always, I turn to my tried and true company, Tiny Prints. One Christmas, in protest (over the price), I switched from Tiny Prints to Costco. I believe the savings were in the neighborhood of $100. The regret over my temporary insanity will be life-long. A heavy shroud of regret suffocated my conscience at least 6 months after December... until I could redeem myself with Joseph's birthday invitations from Tiny Prints. I look through colors and themes and phrases. I like the ones that are words to Christmas songs. "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas," or "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow." There's also the size of the picture, how many pictures (1, 2, 3 or 4), flat, folded, accordian-style, ornament...

After I select the best card there are still hundreds of man hours ahead. I have to make sure the size, color, and fonts are correct. "Warm Wishes From the Stutesmans" or "Warmest Wishes From the Stutesmans." I know it sounds silly but I see these cards as a relfection of so much more than my family... it's pathological, I know.

After the order has been placed, our designer writes to reassure us that we're in good hands. My heart races as I approach my house EVERY DAY. Did the mail come? Are the cards here? While I'm waiting I make my order to the USPS for the PERFECT holiday stamp. Christmas cookies or ornaments? Classic or comical? I much prefer USPS.com over the post office. I don't even mind paying the $1 shipping fee. It's worth the stress and inconvenience of standing behind (forgive me) old people who don't know how to use the automatic postal machine in the lobby. I really don't like when their selection isn't as comprehensive as the one online. Frustrating!

This past Christmas I enclosed a holiday letter letting our family and friends know that we were expecting Jacob. That was hours and hours of agonizing rewrites and edits... What do we share? What should go in? What should we take out?

One day I pull into the driveway and discover that the box with the Tiny elephant is sitting by the front door waiting for me to open it. I run to it, open it up, and smile in relief that it's almost over. Next comes the folding and stuffing and sticking and licking and sealing... it's not pleasant.

After I send them out, I wait for feedback from friends and family. Last year I got quite a compliment. I was told that ours was the most beautiful out of all the cards she had received.
This year our card will not be delivered the day after Thanksgiving. It wont even be in November. I'll be lucky if I get that bad boy out by the end of the year. I've never been so busy in my life. How HOW HOW do people have more than one child?! How do people have more than one child AND work outside of the home? How do people have more than one child, work outside of the home, and have a spouse that's gone half of the year? Our card may not have all the members of our family on it and the stamp may not be my favorite and there may not be a letter but by golly at least I'll have sent one out!

Halloween Fun

My poor little pirate is sick, sick, sick! I don't think he's been this sick in years and of COURSE it has to happen on the coolest night on earth! We rested all day in hopes that his condition would improve but just before we left to go Trick-Or-Treating we took his temperature again and it was 101.6 AGAIN. We drove to a densely populated subdivision where we could take two steps between houses and planned to set a 15 minute limit on the fun. 15 minutes turned into 60 minutes... bad, bad, bad, BAD mother. He was having so much fun! When we got home it was 2 treats (that turned into 4), teeth brushing, and 20 minutes of reading time. I'll cross my fingers that he'll be okay tomorrow morning so he can get back to school. I think about all the learning that he's missing out on and it drives me NUTS!

As you can see, Jacob was a teddy bear. It's really convenient having two kids with the same birthday. He will fit ALL of Joseph's costumes. Here's a brief listing of Jacob's future as a Trick-or-Treater: 1.5 years- Cowboy, 2.5 years- Physician (scrubs sewn with my very OWN sewing machine!), 3.5 years- Thomas the Tank Engine, 4.5 years- Handy Manny, 5.5 years- Buzz Lightyear, 6.5 years- Captain Hook. Thank goodness he wasn't a girl! What would I have done?

Happy Birthday, Noa!

As I mentioned earlier, I had the honor of hosting Noa's first birthday party. Sondra, Noa, and Patrick flew from San Francisco on Friday and stayed with my mom. Saturday we all hung out and the party was on Sunday. There was TONS of food (always worried that I wont have enough), Hawaiian music, friends, family, and cake! I asked my friend from work to take pictures and in the short hour she was present she got over 200 images. I'm excited to see how they come out. In the mean time, here's my small collection:

Opening presents

Brothers and cousins!

Noa must be making his birthday wish.

CAKE!

C'mon Son! Time to be like Noa and grow some hair!

Pumpkin Carvin'

Sondra, Patrick, and Noa came to Washington to visit us for the weekend. It seems as though they always come during Halloween and we always put Patrick's artistic talent (and degree from the prestigious Academy of Art in San Francisco) to good use carving pumpkins. Joseph's too smart to carve them; he still doesn't like pumpkin guts so he draws on them! Good problem-solving, Big Guy!

My Tiger Cub

Here's Joseph in his Cub Scouts uniform. Isn't he adorable? I know the shirt looks baggy but they recommend buying it a couple sizes big so they can grow into them. Next week they are wearing their costumes to the meeting. Joseph is thrilled. He is going to be Captain Hook! He makes such a cute pirate!

Fall Festivities

Maribeth getting ready to feed the goats.

Joseph and Maribeth

Mr. Whitman showing Maribeth how it's done!

Looking for just the right pumpkin!

To his parent's chagrin, he insisted on a submarine.

Trying to avoid being stung by the bees in the greenhouse.

"Ooooooh! I love apple fritters!"

Victoria enjoying her very OWN apple fritter.

Every year we're here in Washington we meet more amazing people and experience more cool stuff to do around here. Last year we went to Maris Farms for our pumpkins. This year, Joe's new friend Josh invited us to Olympia to the Lattin Family Farm for delicious apple cider and the best apple fritters in the world! There were a ton of people there enjoying the delicious food, music, games, animals, and all the autumn festivities this time of year yields.

4 Months

Mr. Jacob is about 4 months old right now and I can't believe how fast the time is flying! As you can see from the picture, he's got significant neck strength now and he really likes to drool. He loves hearing the sound of his own voice. Sometimes he can just lie on his back and make sounds for an hour at a time without getting tired. He has a pretty comprehensive vocal range. He can make low sounds and high sounds and every sound between. He adores his brother and has been known to chuckle at some of his antics. Joseph was jumping up and down and noticed that Jacob laughed every time he did that. We tried to get it on video but we weren't quick enough. We're enjoying every second of this little guy and every day he shows a little more personality than the last.

Dim Sum

For my mother's birthday we went to Jade Garden for Dim Sum last Sunday. As usual, we ordered far too much food but managed to eat it ALL. I can't wait to go back! Yummy!

Timbers

A little excited...

A little rosey...

A little sleepy...

Isn't it funny how kids can decide that they like or dislike something even before they've had the opportunity to experience it? That's kind of like Joseph and soccer. He, for some reason, always knew that he wanted to play the sport. I tried to convince him that basketball would be fun (nice and dry, indoor courts) but he said, "No! I'm already in Cub Scouts and soccer. I can't do anything else." At least he knows his limits. The coaches, James and John are really great people. They are surprisingly positive and want the kids to have fun.

I've met some really awesome people at Joseph's practices. Jude has three girls- Liliya, Tiana, and Juliet. Juliet is the youngest and is on Joseph's team. They were all adopted from the same orphanage in China. They are beautiful, poised, and intelligent. Durina has a boy and a girl. Her daughter, Ashlyn, is also on Joseph's team. She is a tower of strength and confidence on the field. She's only 7 but so aggressive- a perfect soccer player! Juliet is a tiny thing in comparison but she's equally tenacious! I've me Shauna who's son, Mathias, often plays the goalie position. He is ADORABLE! He's part Native American Indian so he has a glowing, warm, complexion.

I love to cheer at the games; I get a little... ahem... excited. At the same time, Jake, couldn't care less as he took a nap the entire game.

Two Firsts, One Day!

September 30 was a big day for Jacob! He learned to roll over all by himself and he started to laugh. That week I was in Tacoma for a training called I am Moving, I am Learning. I wasn't there when he first rolled over :( but I was there to hear him laugh repeatedly. It was incredible! He's growing so fast! The day before Joe took him to the doctor and found out that he is in the 93rd percentile for weight and 96th percentile for height! His head circumference is a scant 65th percentile but I'm glad he doesn't have a big head! I explained to Joe that he is not allowed to share with me any more of Jacob's firsts. He must pretent that the time that I see him do something is the absolute first time it has EVER happened. Hopefully he takes my guidance seriously. I know he gets a giggle out of being the first parent and I shouldn't take that away since he wasn't able to say that with Joseph a whole lot.

Our Little Tiger

Growing up, Joe was an active member of the Boy Scouts. Naturally he wants his sons to also participate in Boy Scouts. It made me snicker when he announced to his grandmother that he was going to join the Girl Scouts because they sell cookies! We laughed and smiled at each other just picturing the horrified look on Joe's face.

As soon as Joe came home from patrol he began looking for a group to join. He found one at Joseph's school- Sunnyslope Elementary. They meet on Monday evenings. This Monday they had a pet parade where the members brought their pets in to show and share with the group. Joseph knew as soon as they made the announcement about bringing pets he wouldn't be able to bring Emi because she's not a very nice dog. She's only nice to me a majority of the time and I'm her favorite person! In any case, he enjoyed seeing all of the other pets the members brought.

During my lunch break I went to the Boy Scout Store (yes, they exist). I spent $79 on his uniform and accessories! Boys tease girls about their accessories but MAN these little Cub Scouts sure have a lot of bling! There's the cap (which Joseph HAD to have because Caleb also has one), the neckerchief, the metal piece that holds the neckerchief (called a woggle... I couldn't make this stuff up!), the belt (for the beads that he will earn), the shirt, the troops number patches, the Seattle Council patch, the Tiger Patch, the Tiger manual, the BSA emblem patch... It all adds up, man! They recommend purchasing a shirt a few sizes too large in order to be able to use it all three years of Cub Scouting. At least they can appreciate the financial plight it could become!

Joseph is so excited about it and that makes me super happy! I'm not excited about the part where he learns about guns and stuff but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Aloha Summer Weather

Yes, Jacob is naked. It's been warm around here and I'd rather him be too cold than too warm. Soon we'll be saying goodbye to our shorts and slippers weather. That makes me a bit sad but excited. Cooler weather brings trick-or-treating, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I can't believe how quickly time goes by!

3+ months

Jacob is such a little cutie! He looks EXACTLY like Joseph did when he was a baby; it's so strange! He is just as hesitant to smile and laugh. He often has a furrowed brow and it's a bit discouraging. I know that when he DOES start to have greater command of his facial muscles it will be even more special!

He had his 2-month shots and it was so hard to be in the same room. I thought I could be stronger but as soon as he started to cry I was OUT OF THERE! Thank goodness I waited for Joe to come home so he could be the calm, collected adult.

We're still getting used to having another child. It's an adjustment but I'm especially proud of Joseph. He's an ideal big brother and I'm so relieved everything worked out!

First Day of First Grade

Here is Joseph on the morning of his first day back to school. Thanks to Shylo and Jon for his fancy Gymboree outfit. We met his teacher, Mrs. Emmons, the day before. She seems very nice and we're excited for another year of learning!