Her name is not Clotilda?!

WE'VE MOVED!!!

2010-03-12T20:10:00.000-08:00

No worries, our physical address is still the same. Our family blog, however, has a new location. For continuing posts, check out our new blog home: www.themahars.com

I am in love...

2010-02-05T17:52:00.001-08:00

with this bag!

It does so many things--carries camera gear, kiddo stuff, mommy stuff, computer stuff--and looks fabulous all at the same time. Kelly's online store just opened and there are many gorgeous bags in need of good homes. All of you mommy and/or photography types should check it out! As for me, I may need to get one in a few different colors.

At Megan's Party

2010-02-04T17:44:00.001-08:00

My little Cookie Monster

2010-01-18T20:56:00.001-08:00

Ainsley had a great time at her friend Michaela's third birthday party this weekend. There was a bouncy house, a giant bear, lots of friends and pink frosted cookies! What more could a little girl ask for?!?!
Thanks, Claire, for this fabulous pirate cookie face picture!

New Years Pics

2010-01-13T23:36:00.003-08:00

No...these are not at our party...are you kidding...we're old, we went to bed at like 11pm. Woot!

I'm dreaming of a white christmas....

2009-12-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

After running around the pool at PHS for Alex's alumni meet today, Ainsley was pretty tuckered out. She feel asleep on the way home and then slept for a long while in her sleeping bag downstairs. Uncle Alex couldn't resist the perfect photo op.

The Lady Folk

2009-12-07T22:22:00.001-08:00

Ah Wedo Ga Ga

2009-12-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

OK....so there are no words to describe this thing. Enjoy!!!!!!

Ains...Look Up!

2009-11-11T20:03:00.001-08:00

Piggie Princess

2009-11-01T22:44:00.000-08:00

I couldn't decide which of these I like better, so I am posting both of them. I'd love to hear what you think. Cheers

Our Halloween Picture

2009-10-31T22:14:00.001-07:00

So, this is right out of the camera, with no editing what so ever. She was jumping around, and the on camera flash of the camera that I was using really accentuates her jaw line. Needless to say, we had to share. Try not to scream!!

Long Overdue VI

2009-10-15T23:13:00.000-07:00

Here we are brushing our teeth. Apparently this is best done either laying on the floor, or squatting...

Long Overdue V

2009-10-15T22:57:00.000-07:00

These shots are kind of self explanatory....

Long Overdue IV

2009-10-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images that I linked to when I was introducing my new blog, but I figured that since you can't save them off of the other blog that I would include them here. These feature Ains attempting to drink her milk while retaining her spoons. She loves these spoons!

Long Overdue III

2009-10-15T22:08:00.000-07:00

We put "piggies" in Ainsley's hair for these shots. Now, the thing about this is that Ainsley doesn't love having stuff in her hair. She usually picks out whatever you manage to get on there. Piggies are better because they are tighter and harder to remove. This was one of the more successful initial attempts. I have posted my favorite shot here already, but I included it in BW cause I like that version the best. Cheers

Long Overdue II

2009-10-15T22:02:00.000-07:00

These images were mostly just for fun. Back in August, my mother and sister came down from Shoreline so that we could hang out and also so I could shoot my sister's senior pictures. It turned out to be a wretched day, with heavy rain and black skies. SO we hung out. It was great. As noted above, we went out and took some pictures. It was right around this time that I gave Ainsley her first taste of freshly picked black berries. She LOVED them. Cheers

Long Overdue I

2009-10-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, so apparently I have been holding out on all the family types. Please note that the lack of current Ainsley images is not due to spite, but merely the fact that my life has been so crazy. I have, despite common understanding, been taking pictures of our family all along, but simply haven't had time to put them up. My sincere apologies. What will follow will more than meet current demand. Hope you like these...you could comment to make sure I have motivation to keep posting...

These shots were from August (seriously, I'm sorry). We took the day to go to the park, and then down to some kind of outdoor event in Sumner, though I can't remember what it was called. The park is where we played, and the Sumner event is where we ate. I was a great time, and Ains got to play on the slide!

The Pink Little Pirate

2009-09-28T21:14:00.001-07:00

Big Girl Bed

2009-09-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Ainsley has always been in the 90th percentile or above in height and weight. Well, that has finally caught up with us. She is too tall, and too curious to leave in her crib any longer. The girl tries to climb right out! So, we thought we could go ahead and convert her crib to a toddler bed. Right? Wrong! We apparently weren't paying very good attention when we moved because we lost the piece that we need to make the crib into a toddler bed. Lame. So I went to IKEA, hoping beyond hope that I could buy just that piece. It didn't seem likely, but I thought I would at least try. Unfortunately, while you can buy all new hardware for your crib if you lose it (yes, we did that too), you can't buy new crib pieces. Bummer. So I looked at all of the bed frames and settled on one that was very minimal and low to the ground. Once Joshua got it set up, Ainsley was pretty stoked about having her own bed. Today is the first day that she is napping at home without a crib to be found.

So far, so good...she's been sleeping soundly for about 25 minutes. We'll see how long it lasts. :)

New Pictures

2009-09-05T01:25:00.000-07:00

Wait...where are they? Well, this is both a notice of new work, but also to let you know that I just launched my new Wedding and Portrait blog to correspond with the advent of a lot of summery wedding work. I posted some new shots of Ains over there, and would love it if you stopped by. Heres the new address:

joshuamahar.com/blog

Thanks all!

Cheers

Piggies

2009-08-21T16:52:00.001-07:00

World Breastfeeding Week 2009

2009-08-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

As you may know, we are very big proponents of breastfeeding. I know that for some people this isn't a viable options--for a myriad of reasons--but generally speaking, we feel that "breast is best." To do my little part to further breastfeeding awareness, I wanted to share some links in conjunction with World Breastfeeding Week (Aug 1-7). You can find the official website for this event here. And their press release is here. I won't spend a lot of space here up on a soapbox, but I will say that campaigns/events like this one strive to educate people worldwide about the benefits of breastfeeding. This is especially important in impoverished nations where breastfeeding can provide babies with important immunities (via mom's milk) and where formula is incredibly expensive. Please take a few minutes to check out their website and support this worthy cause.

Pooh and 80s Leggings

2009-07-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

Doctor's Bills

2009-07-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Hello to all of our faithful (and casual) readers. This is just a quick plea for your prayers...I received our second (of who knows how many) large doctor's bills today. Thankfully we have good insurance and we don't have to pay the whole cost of Joshua's surgery. Unfortunately, even having good insurance doesn't make things free. We are currently looking at over $2K in medical bills, with more to come for physical therapy and post-op appointments. I am very thankful that Joshua will have a working finger/hand (this is in no way a complaint about that!), however I am unsure where all of this money will come from. Please keep us in your prayers as we pray for God's provision in this situation. Thank you all!

Many things to post....not so much free time

2009-07-06T14:15:00.000-07:00

I have just a few minutes to share two of my favorite things from last week. The first was Joshua's mom's birthday and we went up to celebrate. Ainsley had a fun time in the morning helping make Amma's birthday card. She had a blast and was quite upset when coloring time was over. It took a good long soak in the tub to get her back to normal

.

The other exciting thing from last week is that we have a new car! For those of you who don't know, we have been a one car family for the last five years. While we were in MA it wasn't a huge deal because we mostly needed to either be at work or in class. That usually meant that one of us was on campus and didn't need a vehicle. Once we moved back to WA, we didn't really need a second car because we were living with my parents. However, when we moved into our new apartment, it quickly became apparent that we were going to need another vehicle. Ainsley gets tired of being cooped up with Mama all day, and unless I take Joshua in to work we can't really go anywhere. So after months of trying to figure out which one of us was going to sell some organs so that we could afford another car, we asked my parents to help us with the purchase. They are so amazing and generous and said that they would help us out. So, after a few failed attempts at buying a Honda Element, we went to South Tacoma Honda and found ourselves a fabulous 2005 CR-V (who has been named Imogen). I am so excited about all of the possibilities that having a second vehicle opens up for us. Yes, it means more money in gas and insurance. But it also means that Ains and I can have playdates with friends, go to the pool for open swim, go to the Toddler time at the library, go to the grocery store....you get the picture. We are so thankful for my parents and their willingness to help us with the car. We feel so blessed.

Those are my few thoughts from last week. Hopefully now that my computer is in working order again I will be able to add some more posts/pictures.

Bathing Beauty

2009-06-24T18:25:00.001-07:00

Ainsley LOVES playing in water...bathtub, little inflatable pool, or the kids' pool at the Y. She apparently also loves USB thumbdrives...the latest in pool toys.

Just in case...

2009-06-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

I've updated Ainsley's wishlist...in case there are any early Christmas shoppers out there. I'm not ever quite that organized, but maybe some of you are. :)

Pinky Carnage

2009-06-13T14:02:00.001-07:00

not for the squimish!

Things I never thought I would say...

2009-06-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

"Ainsley, we don't climb the oven!"

...as she discovers that there is a "foothold" below the hinge on the oven door, thus by inserting her foot and hanging on the oven door handle she can "climb" it. Oh, brother...

As promised...

2009-06-04T10:12:00.001-07:00

The Surgery Lowdown

2009-06-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

Well, the surgery is behind us! Joshua went under the knife early this afternoon. Everything went fairly well. The doctor was able to repair one of the nerves, but not the other. Essentially that means that Joshua will have some permanent loss of nerve function in his finger. The doc also repaired the tendon that was severed, but because of the way Joshua initially cut his finger the doc wasn't able to fix the sheath that the tendon is housed in. All that means is that his therapy will be slightly altered from the original plan that the doctor had for him. Other than that, the nurses all thought Joshua was a model patient. No surprise there. :) Now we have a "rest and recovery weekend" before Joshua jumps into physical therapy on Monday morning.

We appreciate all of your prayers and ask that you would continue to keep us in them. There is still a decently long road of recovery ahead for Joshua. We also have yet to be told how much of the surgery cost (and PT) that we'll be responsible for, but that is sort of hanging over us as a huge unknown.

We'll make sure to post some of the "sweet" pictures for those curious folks...as well as some cute ones of the Ains-a-nator. She's doing great, and hopefully I will have a chance to post about her amazing-ness sometime soon.

That's all for now....

The official word...

2009-05-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

We saw the hand surgeon today. He was quick, efficient, and straight to the point. Joshua will have surgery next Wednesday (6/3) to repair damage to both nerves and one of the tendons in his finger. He'll have a hardcore brace for at least a month and then it will be physical therapy.

Prayer requests at this point are:
1) that the surgery go well
2) that Joshua is able to "wield" his camera with his fancy brace
3) for grace and understanding at work since Joshua is not only using up a bunch of sick time, but also he is needing accommodations to do his job one handed
4) patience for me as I take care of a one handed patient and a curious toddler
5) that Joshua heals quickly and completely and
6) monetary provision...surgery and physical therapy aren't cheap...but the Lord has always provided for us in situations like this.

If anyone wants to volunteer hands to help us finish unpacking the apartment or get our out of control yard under control, we would love some help. Joshua will be able to do some things one-handed, but will also need to be mindful of his limitations so that he can heal up properly.

So, that's the word from the doc. I'll make sure to update y'all after the surgery to let you know how it goes.

New Pictures

2009-05-24T22:26:00.000-07:00

The latest...

2009-05-22T13:41:00.001-07:00

(note: I'm posting this anyway...even though Joshua just put up an update...cuz, well, I didn't know that he had posted before I typed this all out...)

So we saw the doc yesterday to do an initial evaluation of Joshua's hand. The good news is that the lower tendon in his finger seems to be perfectly fine. The bad news is that the top one...not so much. The doc seemed to think that it's pretty likely that the tendon is disconnected. Good times. So, Joshua is taking the weekend to rest and let his hand heal up a smidge. Then, on Wednesday we will see the hand surgeon for another evaluation visit. This time, he will decide whether or not surgery will be necessary to repair the damage in the finger. It is possible, although not probable, that the tendon is not severed. If that is that case, Joshua will just need rest, healing, and physical therapy to regain full function. If it is severed, then he will need all of the aforementioned things as well as surgery to reattach the tendon. Yee haw! He is being a really good sport about all of this (although he is quite annoyed that it happened in the first place). The worst part about all of this currently is that he's is not able to play with Ainsley. Secondary to that, he can't wash dishes, use both hands for anything that one needs two hands for (opening medicine bottles, putting on socks, etc), and he's pretty wiped out from the combination of pain meds and trauma. All things considered, though, things could be way worse. At least it's just a pinkie and not the whole hand...or arm. Or...it could have been Ainsley putting some apendage through one of the windows. Or...I could have been unreachable. Or...a Velociraptor could have eaten him alive. Like I said, it could have been way worse.

More when we know more....

Hand Update

2009-05-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

So, an update. I (Joshua) am writing this using my pen tablet, since my right arm is elevated. How cool is it that I didn't do this to my left hand? I saw the surgeon's assistant yesterday, and we think that the upper tendon of my right pinky is disconnected. I have an appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday to verify that. In the mean time I'm to take it easy, and let the hand heal a bit.

I am planning ongoing to work on Tuesday in the hopes that I can at least do something their, perhaps observe my mentor, or maybe get setup to do do left-handed stuff. I am going to try anyway.

For now I'm really thankful that don't have more severe injuries, since if it weren't for the vertical blinds on the window, I probably we would have cut up most of my right hand.

I will keep everyone posted on how things are going as I am able.
Cheers!

A quick prayer request...

2009-05-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that Joshua will want to post the full story later, but for now I just want to put out there that we could use your prayers. Last night we spent 5 hours in the ER after Joshua tripped and put his hand through a window in our apartment. After irrigation and 12 stitches, the ER doc decided that Joshua will need to see a hand surgeon. The doc thinks that Joshua may have some tendon and arterial damage that will need to be fixed surgically. We have the appointment with the specialist later today, and hopefully we will be able to get the ball rolling with that quickly. Also, this further confirms our feeling that the windows at our apartment need to be replaced for health and safety reasons. Please keep us in your prayers as we face medical bills that we may not be able to afford, possible surgery on Joshua's hand, and a potential fight with the landlords to have our windows completely replaced. We'll keep you updated...and I promise, there will be more adorable toddler pictures soon. :)

New Pictures

2009-05-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

Ok - so lets just say that we have been busy. I know, I know, when you have a daughter as cute as ours, how can we possibly allow our constant stream of picture updates to be interrupted by the mere incidents of life? Sheesh! With out further adieu, here are some recent pictures, which I hope will satisfy your incessant need.
Cheers

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AINSLEY!!!

2009-03-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that it's already been a year!

Birthday FYI (repost)

2009-03-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

In case you are interested in giving Ainsley a birthday present (not required or requested...but in case you feel the desire to do so)...we have created a birthday wishlist for her. You can access it via the link on the left hand side of the blog page. If you would like to give her clothes, she can use 18-24 month size clothing (not all sizes are created equal, so for sizing purposes, she is about 25lbs and almost 30 inches).

Pictures!

2009-03-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

I finally pulled all of the zillions of pictures that we've taken of Ains off my camera, my brother's camera, and my mom's camera. So here, in no particular order, are a bunch of long overdue pictures for your viewing enjoyment. She climbed into the basket on her own. Apparently diapers aren't just for bums anymore.

Ains asleep downstairs on the changing pad.

Ainsley and Uncle Alex. She pulls the hats out of his hat basket on a routine basis. The ears are one of her favorites.

Yes, I am a NW girl with my little fleece vest on...

Reading her book about babies...she loves looking at pictures of babies and this one makes her laugh every time.

Ains was very quiet for a moment and this was the reason why...she pulled 23 wipes out before we caught her. She was very proud of herself. It was hilarious.

I've got an elephant...and I'm not afraid to use it!

Happy girl!

Wearing Uncle Alex's beanie...

Yes, those are prunes all over her face...and on her forehead....

Getting a massage in the chair...

Walking!

2009-03-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

To tide you over...

2009-03-18T11:26:00.001-07:00

I have a much better (and longer) video of Ains performing her latest walking skills...but this should do for now...

Clapping and singing

2009-03-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

A little more ATV for your viewing pleasure...

One more for the day...

2009-03-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

...just in case you haven't heard...Ainsley took her first steps on Monday!!! She's still figuring out that she can do it on her own, which is pretty entertaining. Video to come...

Fuzzi Bunz

2009-03-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Since I'm up early--and Ainsley is playing happily--I thought that I should finally post about our cloth diapers. When we bought them, I promised (in an earlier post) to give my review once we had gotten a chance to use them for a bit. Well, it's been almost four months, so I think that an adequate amount of time has passed. :) Even before Ainsley was born I wanted to use cloth diapers. They seemed like a much better option than disposables for many reasons: they are reusable and thus more earth friendly; there are no chemicals hanging out next to baby's sensitive skin for hours on end; the cost is far less over the course of a year; and they seemed overall to fit with our lifestyle and life choices best. In spite of how passionate I was from the get-go about cloth diapers, it took us almost nine months to actually buy them and get started. The reason for this was two-fold: we didn't have a lot of money and the amount you spend to get started isn't small; and I couldn't decide which diapers to go with. After a LOT of research, informal polling of other cloth diaper using parents, and cost comparisons, we decided to go with Fuzzi Bunz. They are a pocket diaper, which means that you can customize the absorbency for your baby's needs. We also had several friends who were using them and LOVED them. On Black Friday we got an AMAZING deal on the diapers (and accessories), so we took the plunge and haven't looked back.

We have all loved the FB's since the first one we put on Ainsley. Joshua and I already knew that we were going to love them, but my mom took some convincing to even agree that they were worth a try. Now, she's probably the most enthusiastic supporter of them out of all of us! They are easier to use than disposables because of the snap system they have. You always know exactly where to snap them--so even with a very wiggly baby like Ainsley you get the tabs right where you want them every time. They are super soft (who wouldn't appreciate soft fleece by their unmentionables?!?). And one of the best (unexpected) features is that they don't smell like disposables do. Weird, but true--when Ains is wet in a disposable you can smell it, but because there are no chemicals in the FB she doesn't smell at all. It's fabulous!

I know that some people might be put off by the idea of having to wash diapers--especially when it comes to the poopy ones--but I haven't found this to be an issue at all. Wet ones are easy--you just shake the insert out (you don't even have to touch it) into your diaper pail and then drop the diaper in as well. Poopy ones take a little more work, but with a diaper sprayer attachment it's pretty easy. In fact, I wouldn't do cloth diapers without the sprayer--it makes them so easy! Besides, she doesn't leak in FB's, so all of the clothes that I was having to rinse out have been eliminated and now I only have one diaper to rinse. Not a bad trade off in my opinion.

Dispsables still have a place in our lives. We use them for overnight and when cloth doesn't make a lot of sense (like longer trips, etc.). But I'm very pleased with our choice to switch to cloth and wouldn't go back to all disposables for anything. We hope to have the next baby (no, we're not expecting one yet) in cloth from the very beginning.

One final note...we are using the FB's that come in sizes, but there is now a one-size option. I am contemplating these for our next diaper purchase instead of the small size because they will grow with baby. I probably would have gone with these to start with if they had been out when we switched over. Either way, cloth is fantastic and we are all so glad to have taken the plunge.

For adorable chubby babies...

2009-03-12T07:50:00.001-07:00

Every week or so, I receive an email from Graco letting me know about their new products and whatnot. I've been impatiently waiting to hear about their new carseat. It's the Snug Ride design with the Safe Seat weight and height limits. We have the Safe Seat, and I'm very glad that we went with that option because Ains ended up being in the 95th percentile most of her first year for both height and weight. She would have outgrown the standard Snug Ride much earlier than she did her Safe Seat. However, I have always like the Snug Ride design better--plus it always gets great reviews from Consumer Reports and other folks. So needless to say, I was stoked to hear that Graco was making the Snug Ride for chubbier cherubs like my own. It actually fits babies up to 32 lbs. and 32 inches, which is amazing! Anyway, I just wanted to share my excitement with everyone else. Hooray for baby stuff makers who actually make stuff that's useable for as long as it needs to be!!!

ATV (Ainsley television)

2009-03-09T18:19:00.001-07:00

I have been accumulating videos of Ains and for some reason (probably not a good one) I haven't been posting them. Silly me. Anyway, here are a few for your enjoyment...

Helping Papa read the Velveteen Rabbit

First guitar lesson

Overdue...and we're not talking library books here

2009-03-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

So I was looking at our "recent" posts and realized that I haven't really written anything much for a LONG time. Man, what a slacker I am! I don't really have a good excuse, so I won't try to make any. My last substantial post was the beginning of January--yikes! Since then a lot has happened. One of the biggest changes is that Joshua is no longer with Starbucks. We came to the conclusion that he needed something that brought in more money while he is getting his photography business of the ground, and so a change was needed. In February, he started work at the Social Security Administration Teleservice Center. So far, he has spent long hours in the training classroom, but his schedule is now consistent. No more 3:20am alarms to wake up to! Hooray! I'm now officially a stay at home mom, and I couldn't be more thrilled! I may have a short employment opportunity in April, which would be nice. Other than that, I'm planning on being a SAHM and probably pursuing Bradley Instructor training.

Ainsley will be one in a few weeks. This is completely mind-blowing to me. I can hardly believe that a whole year has already passed. She is still quite a happy little girl. She loves having Grandma, Grandpa, and Alex around all the time. I am constantly amazed at how smart and good-natured she is. Ains can point to things to identify them--including ducks and doggies in books (and real live dogs, too). She chatters or sings all the time and will be talking before we know it. She cruises around like a champ, will walk holding on to just one of our hands, and is contemplating walking on her own. Once she figures out how to keep her balance after moving one foot forward, there will be no stopping her! Belly buttons are a source of endless fascination for her and she like playing "peekaboo" with them. It's pretty funny. She is also a very big fan of dogs right now. She gets VERY excited when she sees or hears one, and her stuffed dogs are currently her favorite toys.

We are looking forward to having our own place in the next few months. First we have to pay off the credit card debt that we still have from the move, as well as save up for a deposit and other move-in expenses. It will be very weird to not be living with my parents anymore because it has been such a wonderful experience for us. However, it's getting to be time and I'm sure that they will enjoy the quiet that will return once we are moved out. In the meantime, we are enjoying all of our time here.

That's all for now...but I'll try to be better about posting news as well as pictures. :)

Up too early

2009-02-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

I find myself here in front of the computer this morning because I am awake far earlier than normal. Most parents of small children are normally awake at this hour and have been for a while. I, however, have been blessed with a child who likes to sleep in. She sleeps for 11 to 12 hours a night and usually wakes up between 830am and 9am. So you will understand how I can be bleary eyed when I am awakened just before 7am because a certain little girl has a poopy diaper that needs to be changed. Not only did she need a clean diaper, she was wide awake, chatty, and ready to play. Oy! I think I may need to nap when she does this morning. Yet even though I'm wishing for coffee or more sleep, I can't help but be amazed at this little girl. Tomorrow she will be eleven months old. She is so close to walking on her own that I keep thinking it will happen any day. She chatters non-stop even though there are no "real" words yet. Her sense of humor is awesome and she consistently cracks me up with her funny faces and noises. She points to things for a variety of reasons--this morning she was pointing down the hall because she knew her Papa was down there and wanted to go see him. All in all, I can barely believe that only a year ago this little girl with a big personality was still crammed inside me, kicking my bladder and waiting to make her debut.

Turkey Hair

2009-02-19T20:41:00.001-08:00

So these images are to demonstrate Ainsley's new hair care product.

Ains on Valentines' Day

2009-02-14T19:36:00.001-08:00

If you're wondering what it is that she is eating...its kidney beans, cottage cheese, and cheerios.
"Beans!" "Beans!" is what I often say. She just smiles and looks at you. :)

Dancing with Papa

2009-02-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

Joshua and Ains were grooving...it was too good to pass up!

Ainsley at 10 Months

2009-02-05T12:20:00.001-08:00

An Historic Day...

2009-01-20T10:30:00.001-08:00

...Not only do we have a new President...but Ainsley mastered clapping today and was so cute clapping after his oath of office and speech..."Yay!"

Naki and Cranki

2009-01-17T22:16:00.001-08:00

What'simathing?

2009-01-14T16:54:00.001-08:00

New Pics of Ainsley at 9 months

2009-01-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

Ains at 9 months!!!

2009-01-05T16:31:00.001-08:00

How time flies!!! I can hardly believe that Ainsley is already nine months old, but it's true! On my birthday (silly mama that I am) she had her nine month check-up. She's healthy and right on track. Still in the 95th percentile for weight, she's a whopping 23 pounds, 10 ounces. Her height is a little more "average" this time around--she's in the 75th percentile at 28.5 inches. Though she's not walking yet, Ainsley is quite the mover. She crawls lightening quick when she decides she needs to get somewhere and she's taken up cruising on furniture, as well as walking with you if you'll hold her hands and remind her that "feet need to stay with the face." (she tends to lean forward and lead with her face, looking more like she's breaking through the finish line of a 100 meter dash than actually walking).

We'll get more pictures and perhaps some of her funny recent videos up soon!

Hey!

2008-12-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas Letter 08

2008-12-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

Greetings and blessed Advent to you all. What a year huh? As we look back over the year we have a lot to reflect on. At the end of March we received a wonderful gift in our daughter Ainsley Elaine. It seems like such a long time has passed, but really it hasn't been that long at all. She is growing up like crazy. She started really crawling about 4 weeks ago, and has immediately started climbing up on chairs, boxes, toys, anything she can find, to get into a standing position, though she hasn't figured out how to get down yet. She's teething, with two cute little bottom teeth in, and four more coming in on the top. She is learning about vocal volume, and I trust will be auditioning for the children's choir in the next few months. She has been, and continues to be, a great source of joy and learning for us, since this is all new.

In May, Joshua graduated from Gordon-Conwell with two MA's, one in Biblical Languages, and one in Old Testament studies. His family was in town for the event and we made the time into a wonderful vacation, in which we got to tour around Boston and sight-see. We went down into the city, explored several museums, and even went down to Plymouth (though didn't see the rock because it was under construction). Our time with them was wonderful and it was great to see them. The day after Joshua graduated, Ainsley was baptized at Christ Church Hamilton-Wenham, where we had been attending church while in Massachusetts. A week later, we flew out to Ohio for Sarah's brother Alex's college graduation, and got to surprise him by coming. In June, Sarah and Ainsley were able to fly back to Washington to see family while Joshua stayed in MA to shoot his first wedding.

While Sarah was in Seattle, we reached the decision that we needed to seriously discuss moving back to the Northwest, since there were no “official” attachments that required us to stay in Massachusetts. Having made the decision to do our best to raise our children near family, we began to make plans to move home in early September. This was a wonderful and difficult decision to make, because while we wanted to be close to family, we were having to leave behind the life that we had built out in Massachusetts. We left behind a wonderful church, an even more wonderful church community, and many many great friends.

So we moved. Sarah's parents offered to let us stay with them while we got back on our feet (moving isn't the cheapest thing in the world) and got settled out here in Washington. So here we are. Sarah's parents live in Puyallup, which is about 30 minutes south of Seattle. There are many aspects of rural life still to be found here, so the adjustment hasn't been too bad since we are still seeing livestock and horses on a regular basis.

Since being here there have been several things we have been trying to figure out. The first is work. Joshua works at the Sumner Starbucks, which is a town to the East of Puyallup. He works opening shifts now, so usually gets up at 3:40am and works till about 12:30pm. This has been quite an adjustment from his 2pm -10:30pm shifts in MA. The market has greatly affected most retailers, and Starbucks is no exception. Part of his adjustment to working in this current role has been the learning of new responsibilities and how to handle the pressures of morning rushes, and learning the flow of the this particular store. Things are going well here though, and he is really thankful to be working. Sarah was hired at R.E.I, which for those of you who don't know, is a sporting goods co-op, more common to the West, though they may be found back East also. Sarah was hired for a seasonal position in their call center, doing a job she was very familiar with having worked at CBD for as long as she did. We had hoped that this position would segue into something permanent, but due the economy, R.E.I has decided not to hire anyone back, regardless of job performance. Obviously we are disappointed, but we know that God is good and are hopeful that Sarah will be able to find something else soon.

Joshua continues to work at photography, since he would like to make a career out of it. He is partnering up with a friend here in Washington, and plans to work with him in this business. They have 5 weddings so far, with great potential for more as they advertise and build momentum. We are very hopeful that Joshua will be able to move into this full time, and scale back to a part time position at Starbucks. If you would like to see his work, you can find it at http://joshuamahar.com/photoblog/
or you can view his professional page at http://joshuamahar.com.

We have begun to attend a church out here, Christ Episcopal Church of Puyallup, and have decided to “try it out” till Pentecost. We hope to be able to get a good sense about the parish over this period of time. Also, we couldn't bear to try bouncing around from church to church during some of the high points of the Christian year, like Advent, Christmas, Lent, and Easter. It is a nice parish, with classic architecture, and has the feel of a small countryside parish. The rector is quite nice, young, and funny, and is adept at giving thoughtful homilies. The church body is friendly, if a bit older (sorry all you “old” people...we still like you), but there are lots of mid-thirty somethings with young children. We are a bit starved for folks in the same life situation as we are, but let's face it: where are we going to find a highly educated set of young, high-church, but slightly evangelical, conservative, liturgical, beer and wine appreciating folks that live within 10 miles of us? So, we are embracing where we are, and trying to build relationships with the folks that God places in our lives, which is really all we did back in MA.

All in all, things are really different, but in ways we didn't expect. We had no plans to move home when Ainsley was born, so the notion that we are here in Washington is still odd at times. We could not have guessed at the joy we have had in being parents, and loving our little girl. The notion of sharing a home with ones parents (or in-laws) leaves many folks feeling a bit queasy, but for us it has been really wonderful being here, helping each other, and sharing life. It is truly a joy to be with family. I don't know how long we will be here, but for the time being things are working out nicely. Joshua has been doing a lot of grilling for dinners over the last few months, and thinks it's great that well into December one can do that kind of thing here. All in all, life is really hard, but really good too. We don't have any idea what this coming year will bring, and even if we could guess, we are hoping that it is better than what we can think up at this moment in time.

It's Advent, and as such we are waiting. Yes, we are waiting for Christmas day, but more than that, we are waiting for something deeper. When Christmas comes we will celebrate again the birth of our Savior, the birth of the One who has fixed, once for all, that rift, that brokenness which separated us from God. And yet, even after those 12 days are over, and we move on to think and meditate on other events in the life of Jesus, we will still be waiting. We are waiting for the final coming, the end of the age, the Kingdom that Jesus taught about, to burst forth in all its fullness. We are waiting for a time when those things that are still broken, still bent in upon themselves, still unjust, and wrong, will be righted. We wait for His coming and glory, for a time when the Light will no longer be the sun and moon, but will be the presence of the Lamb, dwelling here with us. We wait for that time when creation will no longer be abused, but will live and move and be all that it was made to be according to God's purposes. We wait, too, for the righting of ourselves, the full realization of our status as sons and daughters of God. We wait for a time when there will be no war, when our weapons will be bent and beaten into tools designed to help each other. When we stop killing people for resources that we probably don't need anyway. We are waiting, and trying to live as if that kingdom has come even now. It is in this Spirit that we look forward, hoping and wondering. We look forward to what is to come, even if we don't know when or how. We also hope that this time may be for all of you a time to draw closer to Jesus, to wait along with us for all His fullness, and to celebrate those things which he already has done. In this we wish you a blessed Advent, and a Joyous Christmas.

What is that...?

2008-12-17T17:44:00.001-08:00

Hey East Coast...THIS is a Mountain

2008-12-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

A Joshua Update

2008-11-28T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hey all. So, it has been a while, and especially from me. I typically drive by with a picture or two of Ainsley, but not much in the form of coherent thought. Thusly, it must be time for some information from me.

First, an update about photography. I just shot my fourth wedding, which involved me flying back to Massachusetts for the better part of four days. It was a wonderful and terrible trip all at once. It was so great to see friends, our MA Family, really, and to see all the places where we had once tread. And church...oh, church was so good. I got to be in a place where things made sense to me. Its hard to move away from that. It was also terrible too, because of everyone I saw, and all the places that I love (mostly pubs and church). Its hard to know that this was such a wonderful life, and yet it is no longer our reality. The Northshore is a crazy place, and an intellectual place, and a spiritual place, and many of our peeps are there, but it is no longer home. I looked around the Logan airport while waiting for my bag at the luggage claim and had the interesting thought that though I knew this place, and had waited here before, and had walked this particular area many times, they had all been with that feeling you get when you have come back from a long journey (especially after the red-eye) and you long for home and your own bed. Well, our bed is here in Washington now. It was strange being just a visitor.

I got to go to choir practice, and Dan, the "Master of music" graciously invited me to sing with the choir during the Sunday morning service. How cool is that!!? So I did. It was in choir practice that I teared up a bit, because the choir were singing two particular pieces for the wedding that I love with all my heart. The first is a version of the Ave Maria, I don't even know who it's by, but I loved singing it. The second was my all time favorite hymn 'I want to walk as a child of the light.' Here is the chorus:

In him there is, no darkness at all, the night and the day are both alike, the lamb is the light of the city of God...Shine in my heart Lord Jesus.

The tenor part, I feel, makes it, and I think this is one of the reasons why I love it so much. Here is a link to a decent version of it, though with no words.

So anyway...back to photography...

The wedding went very well, and was gorgeous. Marc and Katie looked great, and, more importantly, Jesus was indeed glorified in their union. The photo side of it went well too, and I finished their images in record time. Even though this was the fastest that I had edited before, if this were my full time it would have been even quicker.

I now have a real web page. It's up and functional, though my designer and I will be going back through it to move some photos around and add more. You can find it here. This is really exciting, because I can now start effectively advertising, which is a huge deal. One hopes that this would bring in more work, which in turn will bring in more. I have high hopes. I also got new business cards.

Speaking high hopes, I will be doing a wedding in july here in Seattle. This is a huge deal because hopefully it will provide some momentum for work here. Also, the couple are friends, and so the event should be quite exciting.

As far as Starbucks is concerned, its getting a little easier. For those of you who haven't heard me whine about work in the last two months, the short story is that I retained my position as a shift supervisor with Sbux, but the job description is a little different out in the shadow of Corporate, than it is out in Massachusetts. Needless to say, I felt like I was running around like head-severed chicken. I was learning a new store, with different rhythms. I was learning a different time of day, because I switched from closing (2pm-10:30pm) to opening (4am-12:30pm), and I was learning many new elements to a job that I thought I knew how to do. It was rough. Things have settled in for the moment, and it also appears that most of my coworkers can stand me moderately well, which is also good. We'll see how the holiday season goes. But...at least I am employed. Seriously...that's awesome.

Home life is good, though weird. With these new hours for work, my days are off, mostly because I go to bed around 7:30pm. I'm getting used to it though, and its not really that bad. I also have weekends off...that's huge. We have settled into life with Jerry and Linda and Alex well too, and by and large, I think they like us here...you will let us know right guys?

There has been a lot of co-prep of dinner, me mostly rocking the grill, which has been a blast.

All in all things are good, though its hard to feel fully settled when everything seems to be a temporary fix: Sarah's job with REI is seasonal, our living situation will need to change soon-ish, and even my work will hopefully transform this upcoming year. The goal is to be down to real part time again because I have enough photography work. Pray for us in all of this.

Church is also something we are "working on." We have been to three different churches now, which doesn't seem like many, but we are trying to go to them at least twice, unless it is really obvious from the first visit that we're not going to fit there. We visited a church up north, much farther than we were hoping to go, and it seemed like a good place, but the commute made this a non-option. In thought about this, and a lot of prayer, we concluded that it wasn't going to work to spend Advent bouncing around from church to church. For that matter, what about Lent, and Easter? So, we decided to make a commitment to Christ Episcopal Chruch of Puyallup, which seems to be pretty solid, for the seasons of Advent (now-ish) through Pentecost (early May). This will (we hope) give us a really good read on the congregation here, and hopefully allow for us to share common life with these folks. Also, if I am going to do any church work at all (and I'd like to, since I have two expensive MAs to use here) it would be good to forge a relationship with a rector somewhere. So...here goes. We might also sing in the choir.

Well, enough of this - I took too long writing this anyway, since I started it a while ago, and now its late November.

I hope Thanksgiving was great for you all.

May the Lord bless you with his grace and mercy, and may his peace be that which characterized your lives.

Cheers

What's New?!?

2008-11-28T17:17:00.001-08:00

Ains now enjoys her baths (as long as they are lukewarm). She also enjoys chewing on her washcloths. It's pretty funny.

Alex & Mandy bought Ains some cute Disney apparel. Here she is in her little dress onesie. It's darn cute. Let's face it...she's darn cute!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, so life has not been boring around here since Ainsley started crawling. She keeps us all on our toes even more so now that she's mobile. She is curious about everything. Right now she especially likes shoelaces. It's hilarious--she sees your shoelaces and promptly beelines right for them. She is also enjoying the electric keyboard that my mom put out for her. She can press buttons, pound on keys, and make all sorts of noise. What more can a baby ask for?!? She now also can get from being on her back, side or tummy up into sitting position. It's crazy how fast she masters new skills! Her top teeth are coming in--much to her agitation--so she is drooly all over again.

Oh--and we finally bought Ains her cloth diapers! Thanks to an awesome Black Friday deal, we got Fuzzi Bunz at an awesome price and decided to suck it up and make the plunge. I'm really excited about diapers that I won't have to throw away. Once we've gotten them and used them, I'll let all of you curious people know how she does with them. Everyone I know who uses Fuzzi Bunz thinks they are amazing, and I have no doubt that we will think the same thing.

Joshua and I have decided to make the commitment to attend our local Episcopal church through Pentecost. I'll let him post the details on how we came to this decision. It's not perfect, but we feel good about the decision. It doesn't hurt that it's also named Christ Church. :) I like to have a church to call home now. And even though we will always long for our original Christ Church home, it will do us good to have a place here too.

I think that's it for now! Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

And then the world changed...

2008-11-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

The latest...

2008-11-10T19:05:00.001-08:00

So, I know that it's been a while since I last posted anything about how life is going for us. I guess it's a testimony to how busy we've been (and how much of a slacker I am). Anyway, things are going really well right now. Ains is just over seven months old. She's still as big and adorable as ever. At her six month checkup she was 20 pounds and 27 inches long. Right now, we think she's just under 22 pounds--and growing! She's already mostly in 12 month clothes, which I'm sure she'll outgrow in the next few minutes (or so it seems!). She loves cups, water bottles, and pretty much anything that she can get in her mouth to chew on. She has two teeth with more on the way. Her sense of humor is definitely developing and she finds some things (like Grandma) quite hilarious. While she isn't quite crawling, she is rather mobile. She does this inch-wormy thing where she pulls herself up on all fours, moves her knees up, and then drops on her belly reaching her arms out to do it all over again. She's pretty quick when she wants to get to something. I have no doubt that she'll be crawling before we know it.

We are still living with my parents (who are so wonderful!) So far, it's going amazingly well! Ains loves being with all of these people who adore her! Can't imagine why... :) It's also been really cool for me to spend a lot of time with my mom. We three girls have a good time. The housing situation will hopefully change after the New Year. Part of the reason that we're still here (and not looking for our own place) is because of my job situation.

I am currently working at REI in their Direct Sales office (customer service call center). It's a part time job that currently keeps me busy for 20 hours a week. I'll start picking up more hours here soon as the Christmas shopping season gets fully under way. My position is seasonal, and we will find out if they'd like to hire me on permanently some time in mid-December. Because of the potentially temporary nature of my job, it seems to make the most sense to stay with my parents until we know what the job/money situation will be.

Joshua is working at Starbucks full time, while trying to cram in as much time as possible for photography. He just flew back to MA at the end of October to shoot a wedding for some friends. That was his last officially booked wedding, but there is potentially another on the horizon with more to follow (hopefully!). The lull in wedding gigs will perhaps give him some time to work on personal projects, as well as get more of the business-y side of things tended to.

We still have not found a new church home which is sad for us because we really are ready to settle in somewhere and connect. Unfortunately, we were ruined by the amazingness of Christ Church, and it will be difficult to find anything even remotely as wonderful. If we could have packed it up and brought it with us, we surely would have. We have visited a few nice parishes that show potential, but nothing has shouted HOME to us yet. Hopefully we will find that place sooner as opposed to later.

Well, that's the latest in a nutshell. I promise to TRY to post more often, even if it's just a little tidbit of Ains info.

Play time

2008-11-10T12:01:00.001-08:00

Ains has quite a few toys that live downstairs and they were overflowing her previous toy container, so we decided to get her a new one. This new cube is 14" x 14". She likes to tip it over and pull toys out. She also enjoys climbing in to get to said toys. I think it's hilarious.

Avocados...?

2008-11-08T16:09:00.001-08:00

Save the North Shore Birth Center!

2008-11-06T08:40:00.000-08:00

I just received an email from Jennie at Crunchy Granola Baby (Salem, MA). Apparently there is a proposal to close down the North Shore Birth Center at Beverly Hospital. While I didn't give birth there, I know how valuable the Birth Center is. It would be a tragedy to lose such an important place. Here is the body of the email that I received (you can also join the cause on Facebook):

Immediate Action is Needed Dear Friends,
The North Shore Birth Center has provided all of my birthing care, including pre and post natal, and they continue to provide me with superb care. It is the perfect place to plan for a natural, unmedicated birth, in the care of compassionate, capable midwives. It is a safe place to have a "home like" birth. That may change, the Birth Center is in danger and needs our help.Please advocate for our right to choose where we would like to birth. I am asking you to share your Birth stories and experiences about the North Shore Birth Center with the Northeast Health System's Board of Trustees. They need to know how much the center means to so many of us and how having the center allowed so many of us the opportunity to have the birth we desire. Lets let the Board know how important the Birth Center is to all of us by sharing with them our own Birth experiences.

Thank you,Jennie and Tommie
------------------------------------
Save the Birth Center!!!
There is a very serious move to stop all births at the North Shore Birth Center. It is being recommended to the Board of Trustees of Northeast Health Corporation that all birth center patients be required to labor and birth at Beverly Hospital. NSBC would continue to provide Gyn and prenatal care at their current site. On November 18th there will be a proposal to the Board of Trustees of Northeast Health Corporation to no longer allow women to labor or birth at the North Shore Birth Center. The North Shore Birth Center was established in 1980 to meet the needs of 'low risk women' wanting an alternative to home and hospital births. Since then the North Shore Birth Center has birthed over 6,494 babies, providing quality, low cost, compassionate care in an alternative setting. Letters in support of the North Shore Birth Center can be sent to your local paper and to:
Northeast Health System's Board of Trustees
c/o Mary Ellen Lear, Secretary
Beverly Hospital
85 Herrick Street
Beverly, MA 01915
For more information contact Pav Kneedler at Kneedlerpd@comcast.net

Ains is almost 7 months...

2008-10-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

First "Solid"

2008-10-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

Our first attempt at liquified bananas...its a start, though she still has the thrusting reflex with her tongue. Oh, and she has two teeth...

Cheers

Ains in the Chair

2008-10-03T16:43:00.001-07:00

Ains gets a tooth

2008-09-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

That's right, after many cranky days Ainsley got her first tooth last Thursday. She's now working on number two. Fun. As you can see, she enjoys "brushing" her tooth. Except for when she pokes herself in the eye.

Doin' the Puyallup!

2008-09-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here's Ains at her first Puyallup Fair! Next time she'll be big enough to enjoy all of the animals!

Apparently all of the walking around wore Ainsley out. I saw this nice armchair and thought I would try it out. As I sat down I asked, "What do you think of this chair Ains?" As we leaned back, her arms flopped out, her head dropped back against me, and her eyes fluttered closed. It was hilarious--the passersby all enjoyed it too! My eyes are closed just to make the photo look better. :)

Honey...we're home...

2008-09-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Well, we've been back in WA for 12 days now. It still feels like vacation to a certain degree, but I think that we're starting to settle in a bit. We still have quite a lot to unpack and sort through, but at least we're not living out of a suitcase. Ains is starting to hit her rhythm too, which is nice because she's the one who needs some sense of normalcy the most.

The three girls (my mom, Ains, and I) went to the Puyallup fair on opening day. It was a lot of fun and Ains was really good. I have a great story and picture to share...but you'll have to wait for another post for that. We had scones (mmmm...) and checked out all of the exhibition halls. The weather was perfect and you can't really beat getting in for free. :)

Yesterday we checked out the local Episcopal church (also called Christ Church). We were prepared for anything because while the website didn't have anything posted that would cause concern we still didn't know where the church stood on some things. Thankfully, we didn't have any outright heresy or teaching that is contrary to what we believe. The service was "short" (a mere 70 minutes) and the people were really nice. We were greeted during the peace by a good number of folks --including Father Ben-- as well as after the service. We would have stayed for a bit more of the fellowship hour time but Ains was tired and hungry which doesn't usually bode well for being social. We'll likely go back this Sunday and hopefully their choir will be singing. That should be good.

Joshua starts work tomorrow at his new Starbucks and I am still looking for employment. I hate finding new jobs, and it's all the more difficult now that I actually am getting to be a stay at home mom. I know that it can't last, but I am loathe to give it up. Please continue to pray for us as I look for a job and we settle back in to life in the NW.

ps...to our MA peeps...we MISS you all so much!!! just thought you should know....

Peace out to MA

2008-09-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

We have less than 24 hours left in this fine Commonwealth in which we have lived for almost exactly four years. There are many things that I could wax poetic about here, but I will be brief...mostly because I still have to pack. We will miss the friends who have become our surrogate family out here. We will miss the four distinct seasons. We will miss random wild turkeys on the side of the road. We will miss Dunkin Donuts. Oh wait--that last one was a joke! All sappiness aside, we will leave some part of our hearts here in MA with the people we love.

On a practical note, we will be radio silent for the next few days as we make the coast to coast move. We are still reachable at our new numbers, but email will be limited.

We move on Wednesday?!? Who thought that was a good idea?!??!

2008-09-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the moving part is a good idea...packing...not so much...

Getting bigger!

2008-08-31T17:39:00.000-07:00

Today Ainsley is five months old! I can hardly believe that she's so old already! Okay, maybe five months isn't ancient comparatively speaking. But it seems like just yesterday that she was only a twinkle in our eyes...and now she's trying to sit up, cracking up at our silly faces, and continuing to amaze us with how attentive and smart she is. Seriously, I could not have asked for a better baby. She is wonderful and every day I grow to love her even more. It's surprising to realize how much love I can have for such a tiny little person who doesn't even understand love yet. She just knows that I'm always there for her, to take care of every need. I guess maybe she gets it to some extent. Anyway, I just wanted to share some mommy-musings on this my daughter's five month birthday. :)

We were packing...and look what we found!!!

2008-08-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

"I Got Pictures of Your Toes"

2008-08-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a bit colder here recently, and to prevent the goose from waking up from your second nap prematurely, I added this blue blanket, which was under the other main "heavy" blanket. Upon her waking, I removed the top blanket only to find the above situation. I had to get the camera...obviously. Hence the little song I made up for her.
"I got pictures of your toes...."

Discouraged...

2008-08-22T18:41:00.001-07:00

That is what I am right now. I have applied for over ten different jobs and have gotten nowhere. Joshua does have a store to transfer to once we're back out in WA, but I have nothing. Although I have always been the primary breadwinner, I have never before felt the burden of it before. We are blowing pretty much everything on the move, and we'll still have bills on the other end. Abstractly I know that the Lord will provide--He always does--but that doesn't make it any easier to actually walk in faith. My parents are being gracious enough to let us stay with them for a bit while we get settled out there, but I don't want to be a burden on them. On top of it all, I really just want to be a stay at home mom and raise my baby. At this moment I just really want to go stand out on my porch and yell really loudly.

Sheesh.

(your prayers are coveted)

Jumperoo

2008-08-16T10:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, so we caved and bought Ains a jumperoo. We had a 20% off coupon! In spite of the fact that we didn't really have the money to buy such a thing, we got it for her anyway because she likes being upright so that she can see the world but she hasn't mastered the fine art of sitting up yet. We also thought that it could be helpful as we frantically pack up our lives here in MA over the next 2.5 weeks! Holy Cow! Anyway, here's a picture of her enjoying her new "toy."

Oy!

2008-08-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

So, I just made the unsettling realization that we have very little in the way of 9 month clothes for Ains. This is problematic a)because she is starting to need this size and b) because we are moving and about to be poor. We had so much 6 month stuff that I didn't even think about the next size up. Geez. So, here is my shameless plea...if you want to donate to Ainsley's wardrobe, she would appreciate it (us too!). We need pretty much everything...onesies, pants, dresses, etc. She fits best in Carter's, Vitamins Baby, and Gap/Old Navy. Also...if you are interested, we have updated her wishlist. And if you're short on cash like us, prayers and love are always welcome.

Just Up, and Freshly Fed

2008-08-07T12:18:00.001-07:00

Playing in the Jungle

2008-08-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Long Overdue Update

2008-08-01T19:31:00.001-07:00

Although I doubt that we'll hear many complaints about the fact that this has turned into the "Ainsley photo blog," I figured that it was time to actually put some words up here and fill y'all in on what's going on in our lives.

Today is August 1st. That means that we move back to Seattle in 34 days. This fact conjures up a plethora of emotions in me. The overwhelming feeling is one of joy that we will be back with our families in a climate that my body can handle. However, there is also sadness that we are leaving our church family, friends, and CBD here in MA. It has been odd and at times hard to make the mental transition from planning on being here indefinitely to having only a short time left before moving away. The third feeling is one that has just reared its head--mostly because I am now realizing how much must be done in the next 34 days. This feeling is panic. Looking around our apartment, there are a few boxes packed but it is mostly one giant unpacked mess. Yikes. Joshua is a superstar and he has begun the arduous task of packing up our life into cardboard boxes, labeling each one, and stacking them in the corner of our living room. The idea is that the stack will increase and my level of panic will decrease. That's the idea anyway.

For those of you who don't know, we will be living with my parents for a little while as we locate jobs and an appropriately located home (thanks Mom & Dad!!!). This alleviates some of the stress of moving back because we won't be homeless and living in our Corolla. As of right now, Joshua is planning on transferring to a Starbucks location out there. However, please keep the job situation in your prayers as Joshua would love to be doing something with photography as he gets his own business up and running. I would also love to transition into the supplemental income person instead of the breadwinner (mostly so that I can spend more time with my precious girl). So please, please, please be praying for us in this area of our lives.

Ainsley is full of personality and she keeps us highly entertained. While she is currently on a sort of nap strike, we still take delight in her and every moment that we spend together. Everything is a new adventure for her, and I am constantly reminded of the wideness of God's grace and the depth of His love for us every time I look at her.

Last, but not least, I have added the beginnings of a wishlist for Ains in the sidebar. This is for those of you out there who like to get a jump start on Christmas shopping--or for those of you who desire to bless us with baby stuff. I have tried to indicate which items are top priorities for us, so keep that in mind as you peruse.

Well, it's off to bed for me...I'm one tired Mama...

World Breastfeeding Week

2008-08-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

Today is the start of World Breastfeeding Week! You can check out all the info on the La Leche League site

Here's to all the mothers out there who are giving their babies the best start! (and for those moms who can't--for whatever reason--cheers to you for doing the best for your baby.)

A Dress from Alex (and Hawaii)

2008-07-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Sam the Ninja Spider

2008-07-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

Meet Sam. Sam is a Ninja. Sam is also a spider. Earlier this week I attempted to send Sam the way of the Dodo, and he adeptly dodged my attacks as if I were no more than a Padawan on my first day of light-saber training. Following this initial run in, we met again on the fields of battle, and I was again rebuffed in my attempt to smoosh him like the arachnid that he is. So...I let him live...dunt dunt dun (or, I guess he let me live!??). Sam hasn't bitten anyone, and he mainly keeps to the periphery of the ceiling, except last night when I got home I saw him on my monitor calibrator. This is the best shot of him out of the several I took; chalk it up to his Ninja ability to go undetected. So far we have reached an agreement of neutrality, and after all, spiders are supposed to eat bugs right? Well, I don't particularly like bugs...
Cheers

The Goose in her Hat

2008-07-19T21:48:00.000-07:00

Big Smiles, and Eating the Dog

2008-07-17T19:38:00.000-07:00

Intrepid Photog

2008-07-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

See my photoblog (where my pictures live online) at joshuamaharphotography.com/photoblog/

Sarah and The Goose

2008-07-11T20:54:00.000-07:00

Sarah and Ainsley

2008-07-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

Happy (belated) Fourth of July!

2008-07-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

And the other way...

2008-06-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

She does this roll much more consistently...to the point of frustrating her father when he tries to put her down for a nap. Silly Goose! Don't mind the crying--I turned her over to get the video of the roll and she was not too pleased with me. Hopefully she'll figure out that she can roll back the other way soon. Fun times!

Summer Dress from Aunt Anita

2008-06-29T13:03:00.001-07:00

Mad Photography Skills

2008-06-25T10:28:00.001-07:00

I, Sarah, am supposed to be learning how to use Joshua's D80. This was one of the shots I got while using it the other day.

Survived...

2008-06-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day back to work. It was only a half day, so that made it much easier. I know that many women go back to work after they have children, but it's harder than it sounds. I've spent all day, every day, for the last three months with my sweet girl. Don't get me wrong, I like my co-workers...but they just aren't as cute or entertaining as Ains is. It's so fulfilling to watch her play in her jungle and realize that she can grab the hanging animals. Or smile to myself as she tries her hardest to roll over from back to front (even though she can't negotiate the shoulder yet). She's a treat, and it will be hard to be away from her every weekday. But I survived today and I will continue to do so. Plus being with grown-ups isn't all bad. So here's to all you working moms...I don't know how you do it, but you have my ever-increasing respect.

Flashback

2008-06-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

Dudes...check out this craziness...

New Kids on the Block

These guys were my first concert...and now they're back together. Rad.