Remembering Our First Trip to the Zoo

Since Julianna has been focusing more on her ABCs (and she's old enough to handle books carefully), I thought it would be a good time to pull out this alphabet book I made for her last October. 

Last year, Jules and I took a trip to Oklahoma City to visit some friends of mine from high school, Amy, J.B., and their son, Evan, (I've mentioned them before). Amy and I always enjoy a good craft project, especially if it involves taking pictures of our little ones. However, reality has settled in, and we've realized that simple projects which can be completed during our time together (rather than add to our dust-collecting to-do lists) are ideal. 

Homemade ABC books mixed with a few pictures to commemorate our time together seemed like the perfect project. We headed to Target and each picked up a small board book from the dollar bin. The next day (after getting the kiddos up from their morning naps, slathering them with sunscreen and packing hats, snacks, diapers and extra clothes, phew!), we ventured to the OKC Zoo in search of animals representing the letters of the alphabet. 

The petting zoo was a highlight for both Julianna and Evan. At thirteen months, Jules was just beginning to walk, and she stood only a head taller than the miniature goats. She particularly enjoyed the rabbit cages, pointing out the bunnies and exclaiming, "Kitty!" We also stopped by the gift store to let the kiddos try on sun hats and sunglasses, and then fed quarters to the miniature carousel to send them on a circular safari. Fun was had by all. 

The next two evenings after putting the kiddos to bed, we trimmed and glued coordinating pattern papers and our printed photographs to the Target board books. Alphabet stickers, a few ribbons folded in half and stapled to the pictures, and a corner rounder provided the finishing touches. Voila!

We didn't worry too much about missing a few letters here and there (there weren't enough pages in the book to capture them all). Our main goal was to identify the popular animals and create a fun memory book and learning tool.

(We loved that Jules casually sat on the rhinoceros statue while eating a cracker - 

as if that's where she eats her snacks every day.)

We couldn't resist a head shot with this Welcome sign (taken by a friendly zoo keeper). The addition of a few buttons to embellish the page offers a fun touch and feel for Julianna.

The book doesn't even come close to closing with all the added papers and embellishments, but that just adds to its allure.

This is such an easy project and would also be a great way to make a family photo album to help the kiddos identify and remember extended family members.

MadGab

I've been wanting to do this one for a while now...

A Game of MadGab, by Julianna George
(*Can you guess the words?)

1. putilator
2. nuke
3. chedieoh
4. cackoo
5. i luhlou

Julianna seems to be learning new words by the minute, and when she repeats words they are coming out more and more clearly. A handout I read at the pediatrician's office said that by two years of age, most of the "jabbering" has disappeared. I feel like I'm seeing this transition daily. And although it is very exciting and makes for a super proud Mamma, it's also bittersweet.

A couple of nights ago, Matt was wearing a band-aid on his finger at dinnertime. Julianna pointed to the band-aid with a look of confusion, so we told her Daddy had an "owie". At first she had a strange look on her face, and Matt joked that she must have thought the owie was gross. But then we saw her put her fist to the corner of her eye and twist it back and forth (the sign for sad or cry). Exchanging glances with one another, Matt and I questioned whether she was actually signing sad or if she was just rubbing her eye because it was nearing her bedtime. (Neither of us have used that sign before, but she has seen it on one of her DVDs.) Just as we were about to dismiss the whole thing, she confirmed her understanding by rubbing her palm on her chest in a circular motion and saying, "I sorry."

Although these seem like very simple gestures, it was astonishing to us. Not only did she comprehend that Matt was hurt, but she felt sympathy for him and then she was able to communicate her feelings in two different ways. It was the most complex display of emotions we've seen from her, and it almost felt like we had just had a conversation with her.

The following night, Matt arrived home and after seeing Julianna's dishes in the sink, he asked her, "Julianna, did you have dinner?" Without hesitation she answered, "Yes I Did."

At 18 months, we are now moving into the 2-4 word phrases.
Yes, it is truly bittersweet!
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*Answers: 1. computer  2. milk  3. Cheerio  4. cracker/cookie  5. I love you

A Recent Favorite Design Project

A fun little trivia question for you: 
Why are the letters of the alphabet named uppercase and lowercase? 
It's a reference to the way Typesetters stored their letters. Capital letters were stored in the Upper drawers and the regular letters in the Lower drawers.

With inkjet and laser printers, my daughter will probably never even know about those beautiful, old metal block letters!

Probably due to my graphic design background, I have an affinity for typecase drawers, so when I came across a project on Ali Edward's scrapbooking blog using a typecase drawer to display family photos, I knew I'd love to make something similar. The idea was stored in the back of my mind as a future to-do project until a few months ago when I came across a fantastic cubby organizer at Potterybarn.

I'm not an impulsive buyer, but the moment I saw it, I knew what I wanted to do with it. I also knew it could easily be repurposed down the road as storage in a craft room, office, bathroom or closet. So many possibilities!

After making the purchase I rushed home, quickly deciding that the first six months of Julianna's life would become the current theme for my organizer. I knew I wanted to use large photos to fill each cubby, leaving a few open for a bit of breathing room. I selected 13 favorite family photos, and had them printed as 5x7s with the intention of triming them down to 5" squares. I wanted the pictures to sit up in the cubbies without curling or falling down and envisioned them sitting at different depths to emphasize the dimension of the cubbies. Using black foam core, I created L-shaped picture stands, cut at two different lengths. A few of the pictures now sit at the front of the cubby (using a longer length stand), a few sit halfway into the cubby (using the shorter length stand), and the remaining are mounted on foam core without stands, so they sit at the very back of the cubby. Each image is attached to the foam core with four double sided adhesive squares so that they can be updated with current favorites over time.

The completed project now hangs in our entryway and is a great way to recall cherished memories. Originally, I thought I'd update the pictures every six months or so, but I'm realizing that for now, I really enjoy looking back on those first few months after Julianna was welcomed into our lives.

 

There happens to be 25 numbered cubbies; I'm thinking there could be a fun 25 Days of Christmas project in my future!

The Vocalist

Lately, Jules has been actively participating in singing and signing nursery rhymes. She belts out a few words here and there letting me know she anticipates them and acts out the appropriate gestures. Itsy Bitsy Spider was her favorite for the longest time, but we've graduated to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Ring Around the Rosie and Pat-a-Cake.

On one particularly creative occasion she made up her own little tune, which went something like this:

"Row, row, row! 

Up in the sky! 

Open, Shut them, Open, Shut them!"

The lyrics from three different songs, strung together without missing a beat.

Today, quite unexpectedly, she began to sing The Alphabet Song. I was able to catch some of the cuteness on video.

Treats for Tashi

Below is a more recent video of Julianna. This was taken at my parents' house in Colorado over Christmas.

We all wondered how Julianna (then 15 months) and my parents' cat, Tashi, would get along. Tashi is my parents' only child living at home, and he is rather pampered as far as "Hersley cats" go (eats wet cat food, sits on bathroom sinks to get a drink of water and uses a litter box rather than having to go outside). In honor of all our previous cats (and we've had many), I'm honestly a bit sore regarding their blatant spoiling of this cat, especially since although he will snuggle with my mom to the point of her near suffocation, he won't as much as sit on my lap while I'm visiting. He'd prefer to wait at the bottom of the staircase and attack my feet as I descend or mercilessly hide around corners and repeatedly jump out to scare me. Believe it or not, Tashi's name is short for Tashi Delek, a Tibetan greeting meaning Blessings and Good luck. This is obviously not an indication of his nature but more an ode to the way he came into my mother's life (but that's another story). 

My mom was certain that Tashi would be gentle with Julianna while the rest of us questioned whether he would see her as just another playmate to tag with claws extended. But to our amazement, Julianna and Tashi did seem to have an understanding. Julianna typically approached Tashi with her arms resting behind her back, staying at about a foot's distance. Don't get me wrong, she was very excited about this walking, furry toy she had discovered, often exclaiming, "Kitty! Meow! Meow!" But she knew to be cautious, and the few times she lost her composure and got a little too close, Tashi would run a couple feet away and then plop down on his back as if to tease her.

I'd say their encounter over the holidays was a success. And to solidify the positive we decided to let Julianna give Tashi his treats. Soon it was a daily occurrence (although if we had let her, she would have given him treats as often as she gets snacks - that is, multiple times a day!).

(If you receive posts via email go to thegeorgesinseattle.blogspot.com to view the video.)

Family Recipe

I've never been much of a cook. So when my mother-in-law asked if I ever make Indian food, I had to honestly reply, "I'm still trying to get the hang of American food." I'm not sure if she took pity on me, or wanted her son to be able to enjoy a little of his culture, but regardless, she said she was going to teach me how to make Fish Moilee (AKA Salmon Curry).

She started out by chopping up a bunch of things and telling me to add bits of this and dashes of that. Yeah, remember how I said I'm still trying to get the hang of making food originating from my own country? Well I needed measurements, and I needed the recipe to be written down. And when she started to just throw things in, I handed her teaspoons and measuring cups and said use these so I can make notes. I don't think she has ever measured out anything in her life. She just knows how to cook, and she does it naturally.

Come to find out, this recipe really is easy. And it's tasty too. I like getting salmon in our diet, and I love that I can make something my husband grew up eating. To top it off, Julianna has been enjoying a few bites of it as well, spices and all. Gotta love that.

So here it is for you to try. An authentic Indian dish from a very genuine, warm hearted woman. All the way from India... straight to you.

(So glad that I have it in her handwriting. But for your convenience, I've typed it below.)

FISH MOILEE from the kitchen of Anna George
Serves: 4

1 1/2 lbs. salmon - skin removed, cubed
1 white onion - chopped
2 medium tomatoes - sliced in wedges
1 inch piece fresh ginger - peeled, minced
3 green jalapeno peppers - cut in half length-wise
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
1 cup soy milk or coconut milk
1/2 cup water

Chop onion (large chunks) and ginger. Slice jalapeno peppers in half length-wise. Depending on your preference either leave seeds in place (hot) or discard all seeds (mild). I usually remove seeds from one (medium). Saute onion, ginger and jalapeno peppers in large skillet until onions are translucent. Add sliced tomato wedges. Saute a few more minutes.

Add turmeric, salt, water and cubed salmon (we buy in packets from Costco with skin and bones already removed). Stir occasionally until Salmon is cooked through. Add soy milk (or coconut milk for a rich gravy). When it begins to boil, turn burner to low heat. For maximum flavor, let sit for 30 minutes on low heat or remove from heat, add lid and let stand.

Pair with Naan Indian bread for dipping (found at Trader Joe's or in any Indian food section) and a side salad or green vegetable. If you try it, please let us know how you like it. My mother-in-law would get a kick out of knowing it wasn't only her daughter-in-law whom she inspired to make an Indian meal!

PS: Now I understand why there are food stylists and photographers. You'll just have to imagine the steam rising.

PPS: Did you know the anna in Julianna came from my mother-in-law's name? Now you do.

(Taken August 2010, India)

White Running Shoes

I seriously can't believe I am about to do this, but I'm posting it on my blog, so I must be planning to follow through. I'm joining a running club with the goal of running either a 5 or 10K. I have never participated in any kind of running program in my life. In fact, I've never run over two miles. Yes, there was that one summer - I was 14, and I decided to think about joining track. I got up each morning and worked my way up to jogging the mile and a half distance that was my neighborhood. I thought I was doing good, until I talked to the track coach who said I needed to be able to run 5 miles (or some equally insurmountable distance) by the beginning of the school year. And that was as far as the dream went. Now I'm 18 years older. Wait, what?

Everyone I talk to blows this off as simple. "Stephanie, you can run three and a half miles easily!" Huh? I run two blocks at Stroller Strides, and I'm out of breath (we'll blame it on the stroller). Well the truth is, my cohorts at Stroller Strides are heroically signing up for a half marathon. So now my original goal of a 5K doesn't seem quite as far reaching as I thought. I guess I'll aim for the 10K (6.2 miles). 

The club starts Monday (Presidents' Day), and I seriously have cold feet.

These, however, are the assets in my court: 

1. Hilary. She is my Stroller Strides instructor and will also be the running club trainer. She has a great attitude and a contagious smile. She's encouraging and makes you feel like you can reach any goal you put your mind to. Now I can put her words to the test - it's nice to have someone else to hold accountable! ;)

2. A new pair of running shoes. I have never before been fitted for running shoes. And I'm now realizing it makes all the difference. As the first step towards convincing myself that I was joining this running club, I went to a shoe clinic at Super Jock 'N Jill in Seattle. This place is fantastic. There is no talk about price and no thought given to the appearance of the shoes. From the minute you walk in, they evaluate the way you walk, how your foot touches the ground, and what specific foot support you may need. They have you try on fifteen or so shoes, each time telling you to run up and down the hill outside their store to compare the fit. In the end, you truly feel like you have a running shoe that was meant for you. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

3. A support group. This one pretty much speaks for itself. It offers encouragement and accountability. Two things I must have if I ever want to reach my goal. I've already seen this work to my advantage during Stroller Strides. Rather than thinking about the effort I'm going to exert, I think about the friends who I am going to see. We challenge one another; this is evidenced by the fact that I am signing up for running club in the first place. Sometimes all you need is a nice, firm push! ;)

In the end, I've come to the conclusion that:

• I've never done this before. It's about time.

• It's going to be hard to fail when I have so much support. I really think I'll follow through.

• It'll be an accomplishment I'll always be proud of, whether running becomes a favorite pastime or not.

So there it is. I'm doing it. I'll check in and let you know how it's going in a couple of weeks. Have you ever participated in a race before? If so, give me some words of inspiration. I'll need to read through them forty or fifty times before each running club meeting.