The cold weather came early this year, and we've had lows in the 50's all week. We've even had frost overnight, which means that we had to pull in all the lovely tomatoes that remained on the vine. What you see in this picture are the fruits of Scott's hard labor all summer to breed the perfect heirloom tomato.
[View the tomatoes]
The gourds and pumpkins in the photo came from Kuipers Farm, which we visited last weekend for Elliot Kroyer's birthday. Despite the rain, mud, and cold weather, we all enjoyed watching Owen polishing the pumpkins before placing them in the wagon for Elliot to wheel around.
The biggest bump in these photos is our rapidly growing baby boy. He's getting bigger every day and is rapidly filling my belly. His movements have changed from kicks to more of a shuffling movement in my belly. He's even passed the stage of doing benchpresses against my rib cage. I'm guessing that means he's getting too big to fully stretch out his little legs. Over the next few weeks he'll double in weight, but only grow another few inches in length. We just can't wait to meet him.
[View the Schmoodles at 31 Weeks]
Friday, October 16, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Schmoodles First Political Rally
How did The Schmoodles happen upon his first political rally? Well, it all started the weekend following The Schmoodle's baby shower. We ventured out to Rockford, IL to share the morning with Althea, who had stayed the week to visit with extended family. We had a lovely lunch at the Anderson Japanese Gardens, apparently the largest Japanese Gardens in the country. Highly recommended. Good food, great company, and a very relaxing stroll through the waterfalls and a beautiful environment.
[View the Anderson Japanese Gardens]
After we dropped Althea off to catch her plane, Scott and I decided to drop in on a local Rockford NAACP rally that was being held in honor of a young man, unarmed man who had been shot and killed by local police in a nearby church a couple of weeks before. The newspaper stated that the Reverend Jesse Jackson was set to speak at this march, and it was fortuitous timing to get to partake in such an activity.
So, we made our way down to downtown Rockford and fell into step only a few rows behind the Reverend Jesse Jackson and fellow protesters in the march. The Reverend Jesse Jackson gave a short talk that focused on the need for justice, regardless of race matters. He encouraged Rockford citizens to get registered to vote, to be known as leaders in their community, to demand that their public servants reflect the same racial diversity as their community, and to stimulate their economy or ask for assistance in doing so. Overall, it was a balanced and inspired talk. We were awed by the event and the gravity of our proximity to one of the great social justice leaders of our time.
Along the way, we were asked to volunteer to lead NAACP marches/activities in the Geneva area, so we can look forward to sharing more of these experiences with The Schmoodles as he grows older.
[View the Rockford NAACP March]
[View the Anderson Japanese Gardens]
After we dropped Althea off to catch her plane, Scott and I decided to drop in on a local Rockford NAACP rally that was being held in honor of a young man, unarmed man who had been shot and killed by local police in a nearby church a couple of weeks before. The newspaper stated that the Reverend Jesse Jackson was set to speak at this march, and it was fortuitous timing to get to partake in such an activity.
So, we made our way down to downtown Rockford and fell into step only a few rows behind the Reverend Jesse Jackson and fellow protesters in the march. The Reverend Jesse Jackson gave a short talk that focused on the need for justice, regardless of race matters. He encouraged Rockford citizens to get registered to vote, to be known as leaders in their community, to demand that their public servants reflect the same racial diversity as their community, and to stimulate their economy or ask for assistance in doing so. Overall, it was a balanced and inspired talk. We were awed by the event and the gravity of our proximity to one of the great social justice leaders of our time.
Along the way, we were asked to volunteer to lead NAACP marches/activities in the Geneva area, so we can look forward to sharing more of these experiences with The Schmoodles as he grows older.
[View the Rockford NAACP March]
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Schmoodles Heartbeat
We found ourselves growing impatient during the long weeks between doctor's visits, waiting to hear The Schmoodles heartbeat and know that he is doing well. So, in order to keep an ear on our little one we got ourselves a fetal doppler. The doppler allows us to hear his heartbeat, hiccups, and movements while he's still in Leslie's belly.
At night, before bedtime, we usually spend some time talking to The Schmoodles, singing "Sur Le Pont D'Avignon", or reading him a Dr. Seuss book. So, that's when we sometimes check in on him with the doppler.
Over the length of his gestation, his heartbeat gradually slows. When he was just a tiny one, his heartbeat was around 177 beats/minute. Now it is down around 144 beats/minute. We find it soothing to listen to him, so we thought we would share it with you too.
Listen to The Schmoodles Heartbeat
At night, before bedtime, we usually spend some time talking to The Schmoodles, singing "Sur Le Pont D'Avignon", or reading him a Dr. Seuss book. So, that's when we sometimes check in on him with the doppler.
Over the length of his gestation, his heartbeat gradually slows. When he was just a tiny one, his heartbeat was around 177 beats/minute. Now it is down around 144 beats/minute. We find it soothing to listen to him, so we thought we would share it with you too.
Listen to The Schmoodles Heartbeat
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Schmoodles Baby Shower
Tuesday:
Sue and Ron arrived in the morning and immediately began work on beautifying the back stoop. They worked diligently to remove the mold, grime and old paint in preparation for the makeover.
Later that night we walked to Gratto, an Italian Tapas Bar in downtown Geneva that we had wanted to try for a long time. We sat on the patio and ate dinner as the sun set. Aside from the grumpy waiter, the atmosphere was terrific and the food was delicious. Overall, it was a terrific way to kick off preparations for Schmoodles' baby shower.
Wednesday:
Scott and Sue picked out a new red paint for the stoop at the local hardware. Sue and Ron managed to apply one coat of paint before taking the Metra into Chicago where they walked up Michigan Avenue, ate at Pizzeria Uno's and enjoyed an evening architecture tour by boat that was replete with fireworks. Overall, it was a very productive day.
Thursday:
Sue and Ron applied a second coat of paint to the stoop before directing their energy to the backyard. They dug up and pruned several trees and readied the yard for the shower by pulling weeds, clearing brush, raking detritus, and making our yard habitable for guests.
In the afternoon, the four of us met up at The Moveable Feast for lunch and then wandered around the neighborhoods before Scott and Leslie returned to work.
For dinner that evening, we made tostadas at home and played a rousing game of "Ticket to Ride". Scott won...but only by a little bit. Sue presented the family with a very "sweet" narrative of the parental joys that await us. Overall, Sue and Ron worked miracles...and we are very grateful!
Friday:
The end of the 'first shift' on shower duty was marked by the departure of Sue and Ron Friday morning. In anticipation of their big sailboat race on Saturday, they headed back to the lake house. We really truly appreciate all their hard work over the week, and the back stoop looks stoop-endous! We love you guys...THANK YOU!
By 6:30pm, the second shift began to arrive from Arizona, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. Anne, Kathryn and Joey arrived first...followed by Lorelei and Denise a couple hours later. We returned to Gratto for another dinner served by our same grumpy waiter. It appears that the that the food was worth the sacrifice. :)
Our valiant efforts to get a game of Puerto Rico going was cut short only by a sage reminder from Joey that the gang had not yet checked into their hotel and ran the risk of losing their reservation. Overall, it was a lovely evening with our best of friends.
Saturday:
We kicked off Saturday morning with a large, cholesterol filled breakfast of eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, and crepes filled with raspberry compote and whipped cream! With full bellies, we meandered through the streets of Geneva to downtown (Lorelei and Kathryn, Denise and Anne). There, we took in the yarn shop (i.e., Wool and Company) and a second-hand baby store. For lunch we had yummy salads at The Moveable Feast (yes...we are creatures of habit). We ended the afternoon with ice cream at Grahams and made our way back home for dinner.
For dinner we made veggie, Mexican, and pesto pizzas using fresh herbs and tomatoes from the garden. We finally got in a game of Puerto Rico. Scott and Joey won...but only by a few points. Overall, it was a fun-filled lazy day in Geneva.
Sunday:
The big day started with an early morning drive to O'Hare to pick up of Althea who forwent an evening of sleep to be here with us. In an effort to avoid a big morning clean up at home; we ate breakfast at Egg Harbor Cafe (Lorelei and Denise, Joey and Kathryn, Althea and Anne, and Scott). The group broke into two groups to kick off "Operation House Tidying" and "Operation Memory Journal", two projects that resulted in a wonderfully decorated house with fun games to entertain the friends and neighbors who attended the shower.
Our food arrived early and in quantities enough to feed five times the numbers of guests. We laid out the food, and headed outside with our guests to enjoy the beautiful weather. Day Jah enjoyed an afternoon with Julie's boys, playing ball and snuggling. Scott, Jay and Harold played basketball.
We all enjoyed Julie's wonderfully decorated cupcakes, and then headed inside to be showered with gifts. Creativity, thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and charm were expressed in the items we received. The Schmoodles has hours of fun and dress up awaiting him!
And, after months of waiting we were finally clued into Stacey's big surprise...a beautifully crafted custom quilt built from love letters to the Schmoodles and family. Stacey did a wonderful job both coordinating and assembling the quilt quarters built by our friends and family members from the raw materials she had distributed. Each square reminds us of the friends and family who bring light into the world and make us who we are. Leslie cried for a half hour...and still cries when she thinks about it. Thank you Stacey, and thank you to all who contributed! :)
At this point we have to take pause and note that there is really no way to effectively convey how completely touched and grateful we are for ALL the wonderful gifts that we received...so we hope you'll forgive us this fault. We will reserve more sappiness for the thank you notes. Overall, we were awed by the love we felt this day.
Monday:
This morning's breakfast was another fried food extravaganza, filled with potato pancakes, bacon, and fruity crepes. In order to burn through those extra calories, we all ventured on another walk through Wheeler Park and the surrounding neighborhoods.
This day was overcast with a touch of sadness as we knew most everyone would be returning home. When the time came, there were hugs and tears. Once the suitcases hit the car, Day Jah's desire to keep the gang together took over. He jumped in the car and refused to leave. Smart dog. We've trained him well.
We are grateful that Lorelei, Joey, Denise, Anne, and Kathryn all made their way home safely. That evening, Althea, Scott, and Leslie enjoyed gelato at Grahams 318 and then played Ticket to Ride. Scott lost this time...by a lot. Overall, this day reminded us of how grateful we are for the love and generosity that surrounds us.
Thank you to everyone for making this event very special! The Schmoodles is one lucky kid.
View the unedited slideshow of Shower pics
Sue and Ron arrived in the morning and immediately began work on beautifying the back stoop. They worked diligently to remove the mold, grime and old paint in preparation for the makeover.
Later that night we walked to Gratto, an Italian Tapas Bar in downtown Geneva that we had wanted to try for a long time. We sat on the patio and ate dinner as the sun set. Aside from the grumpy waiter, the atmosphere was terrific and the food was delicious. Overall, it was a terrific way to kick off preparations for Schmoodles' baby shower.
Wednesday:
Scott and Sue picked out a new red paint for the stoop at the local hardware. Sue and Ron managed to apply one coat of paint before taking the Metra into Chicago where they walked up Michigan Avenue, ate at Pizzeria Uno's and enjoyed an evening architecture tour by boat that was replete with fireworks. Overall, it was a very productive day.
Thursday:
Sue and Ron applied a second coat of paint to the stoop before directing their energy to the backyard. They dug up and pruned several trees and readied the yard for the shower by pulling weeds, clearing brush, raking detritus, and making our yard habitable for guests.
In the afternoon, the four of us met up at The Moveable Feast for lunch and then wandered around the neighborhoods before Scott and Leslie returned to work.
For dinner that evening, we made tostadas at home and played a rousing game of "Ticket to Ride". Scott won...but only by a little bit. Sue presented the family with a very "sweet" narrative of the parental joys that await us. Overall, Sue and Ron worked miracles...and we are very grateful!
Friday:
The end of the 'first shift' on shower duty was marked by the departure of Sue and Ron Friday morning. In anticipation of their big sailboat race on Saturday, they headed back to the lake house. We really truly appreciate all their hard work over the week, and the back stoop looks stoop-endous! We love you guys...THANK YOU!
By 6:30pm, the second shift began to arrive from Arizona, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. Anne, Kathryn and Joey arrived first...followed by Lorelei and Denise a couple hours later. We returned to Gratto for another dinner served by our same grumpy waiter. It appears that the that the food was worth the sacrifice. :)
Our valiant efforts to get a game of Puerto Rico going was cut short only by a sage reminder from Joey that the gang had not yet checked into their hotel and ran the risk of losing their reservation. Overall, it was a lovely evening with our best of friends.
Saturday:
We kicked off Saturday morning with a large, cholesterol filled breakfast of eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, and crepes filled with raspberry compote and whipped cream! With full bellies, we meandered through the streets of Geneva to downtown (Lorelei and Kathryn, Denise and Anne). There, we took in the yarn shop (i.e., Wool and Company) and a second-hand baby store. For lunch we had yummy salads at The Moveable Feast (yes...we are creatures of habit). We ended the afternoon with ice cream at Grahams and made our way back home for dinner.
For dinner we made veggie, Mexican, and pesto pizzas using fresh herbs and tomatoes from the garden. We finally got in a game of Puerto Rico. Scott and Joey won...but only by a few points. Overall, it was a fun-filled lazy day in Geneva.
Sunday:
The big day started with an early morning drive to O'Hare to pick up of Althea who forwent an evening of sleep to be here with us. In an effort to avoid a big morning clean up at home; we ate breakfast at Egg Harbor Cafe (Lorelei and Denise, Joey and Kathryn, Althea and Anne, and Scott). The group broke into two groups to kick off "Operation House Tidying" and "Operation Memory Journal", two projects that resulted in a wonderfully decorated house with fun games to entertain the friends and neighbors who attended the shower.
Our food arrived early and in quantities enough to feed five times the numbers of guests. We laid out the food, and headed outside with our guests to enjoy the beautiful weather. Day Jah enjoyed an afternoon with Julie's boys, playing ball and snuggling. Scott, Jay and Harold played basketball.
We all enjoyed Julie's wonderfully decorated cupcakes, and then headed inside to be showered with gifts. Creativity, thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and charm were expressed in the items we received. The Schmoodles has hours of fun and dress up awaiting him!
And, after months of waiting we were finally clued into Stacey's big surprise...a beautifully crafted custom quilt built from love letters to the Schmoodles and family. Stacey did a wonderful job both coordinating and assembling the quilt quarters built by our friends and family members from the raw materials she had distributed. Each square reminds us of the friends and family who bring light into the world and make us who we are. Leslie cried for a half hour...and still cries when she thinks about it. Thank you Stacey, and thank you to all who contributed! :)
At this point we have to take pause and note that there is really no way to effectively convey how completely touched and grateful we are for ALL the wonderful gifts that we received...so we hope you'll forgive us this fault. We will reserve more sappiness for the thank you notes. Overall, we were awed by the love we felt this day.
Monday:
This morning's breakfast was another fried food extravaganza, filled with potato pancakes, bacon, and fruity crepes. In order to burn through those extra calories, we all ventured on another walk through Wheeler Park and the surrounding neighborhoods.
This day was overcast with a touch of sadness as we knew most everyone would be returning home. When the time came, there were hugs and tears. Once the suitcases hit the car, Day Jah's desire to keep the gang together took over. He jumped in the car and refused to leave. Smart dog. We've trained him well.
We are grateful that Lorelei, Joey, Denise, Anne, and Kathryn all made their way home safely. That evening, Althea, Scott, and Leslie enjoyed gelato at Grahams 318 and then played Ticket to Ride. Scott lost this time...by a lot. Overall, this day reminded us of how grateful we are for the love and generosity that surrounds us.
Thank you to everyone for making this event very special! The Schmoodles is one lucky kid.
View the unedited slideshow of Shower pics
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Schmoodles 22 Weeks
We had our 22 week ultrasound, which gave us the opportunity to peek in on our little one. After a little searching, we were informed that we are having a baby boy! He was very active during the procedure, kicking and boxing at the intrusions of the ultrasound wand. At one point he even had his legs fully extended over his head, so we better get him started in yoga early. :)
Overall, things looked good. We got several views of the heart, kidneys, stomach, and limbs. He had the hiccups, so we got to watch his little diaphram jump up an down. So cute.
Unfortunately, when it came to getting photos of his face, he got really shy and buried his little head in the placenta and brought his hands up over his face. So, there is one shot in the bunch that shows a partial view of his face. I think he looks just like Scott as a baby. Tee hee hee.
Despite having a full stomach, the Schmoodles continued to swallow amniotic fluid. That means we got to see him make this face alot (minus the drool).
Boy-o-boy, are we ever very excited to meet him face to face.
View ultrasound photos
Overall, things looked good. We got several views of the heart, kidneys, stomach, and limbs. He had the hiccups, so we got to watch his little diaphram jump up an down. So cute.
Unfortunately, when it came to getting photos of his face, he got really shy and buried his little head in the placenta and brought his hands up over his face. So, there is one shot in the bunch that shows a partial view of his face. I think he looks just like Scott as a baby. Tee hee hee.
Despite having a full stomach, the Schmoodles continued to swallow amniotic fluid. That means we got to see him make this face alot (minus the drool).
Boy-o-boy, are we ever very excited to meet him face to face.
View ultrasound photos
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Photos of the Garden
We thought we would share some photos of our little garden. We planted the herbs and tomatoes in late spring, however with all the cool weather this summer we have been harboring fears that they would not grow. Needless to say, we were very pleasantly surprised upon our return from Toronto to see significant growth spurts in all the plants. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to do with Lemon Verbena?
The Garden
The Garden
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Thoughts on Schmoodle's Nursery
I've received a number of questions about the theme and colors for the nursery, so I thought I would share my most recent thoughts on the matter.
Style: We are gravitating towards a kind of mod, mid-century feel for the nursery - clean lines, shilouettes, and primary colors.
Colors: The walls in the nursery will be the same green as our bedroom walls. It's a cheery green color that reminds of fresh spring growth. The furniture we settled on is a dark Espresso brown color.
Bedding: The bedding color has the same green and brown as the walls and furniture, but also orange, grey, teal, and light blue. It's a transportation theme, which I think is a fitting tribute to one of daddy's passions.
Wall Decor: Stacey directed us to the coolest website for wall stencils: http://www.whatisblik.com/. We loved them, and I think the trees by Bodalee will look cool in the Schmoodle's room.
That's the scoop. Let me know what you think. :)
Style: We are gravitating towards a kind of mod, mid-century feel for the nursery - clean lines, shilouettes, and primary colors.
Colors: The walls in the nursery will be the same green as our bedroom walls. It's a cheery green color that reminds of fresh spring growth. The furniture we settled on is a dark Espresso brown color.
Bedding: The bedding color has the same green and brown as the walls and furniture, but also orange, grey, teal, and light blue. It's a transportation theme, which I think is a fitting tribute to one of daddy's passions.
Wall Decor: Stacey directed us to the coolest website for wall stencils: http://www.whatisblik.com/. We loved them, and I think the trees by Bodalee will look cool in the Schmoodle's room.
That's the scoop. Let me know what you think. :)
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