The Great Pumpkin

Had a great weekend with family to celebrate this little guy's first birthday. I can't believe it's fall already, can't believe we're back in Idaho, can't believe I'm the mother of a one year old. Each day of this year has felt slow, but now that I'm looking back, it all seems to have gone by so fast, like flipping through the pages of a book.

But goodness, we're to my favorite time of year now. First the falling leaves, then the crunching snow. Then the sandy beaches (family in Florida for Christmas). Wrap me up, 2012.

Simon at 11 months

It's not easy for me to focus on the 11-month mark without wanting to burst from the joy that I have an almost-one-year-old. I can't believe it! Didn't we just back from the hospital with him?

Simon's accomplishments:
Walking. Straight up WALKING. Everywhere, all the time, no more crawling.
Loves reading time. Always willing to curl up with me and read a book.
Dances to music, and head bangs. Really likes the Temper Trap.
Says "uh oh" whenever he drops something.
Doesn't like to be fed by us anymore, wants to handle and eat food on his own.

Simon's unfortunate accomplishments:
Refuses to take our hands when walking. Good, I guess? Being independent and all?
Loves the library. Bad because he loves telling me how much he loves it, "OH, WE'RE AT THE LIBRARY? G'UNH BLER BOPPDITTY BUH LIBRARY LIBRARY HI EVERYONE." Yeah.
Tries to take off his diaper a lot.
Had his first cold a few days ago. He was so miserable, I cried about as much as he did.
A lot more fussy lately. Between growing pains and the move, and I'm not always able calm him down.

Simon's achievements in nobody's eyes but mine:
His favorite toy seems to be his toothbrush.
Fascinated by all the cars on the busy street we live on.
Plays with this singing bear doll we got him; presses the paws constantly to change songs likes he's unsatisfied with the playlist.
These red skinny we got him. So cute.
He's constantly confused for a girl. I'm always told how pretty he is; that's what I get for dressing him so flamboyantly, I suppose. We're not wringing out hands over it, though.

Goof

I'd like to apologize, because the next few (if not the last few) blogs posts will be pretty Simon-centric. Tomorrow will be his 11-month post, so I'll finally be all caught up and able to put up his birthday post (one year old?!?! Gah!) on Oct 3rd. And this current post I couldn't resist: we found him sleeping like this last night about an hour after we put down him to bed. I'll let the picture speak for itself.

The Haunted Man

This move has taken me to a place I haven't been in a long time: feeling alone. We knew when we left Rexburg we'd be leaving all our friends behind and would have to start fresh, but during Seve's student teaching we had all those other student teachers to hang out with, and Portland was abundant with family.

In our new home I only see Seve early in the morning and late at night, since he stays late for all that drama he's teaching. His first play as a new teacher: Wit. He's worried about the pelvic exam scene. He and the town's other high school drama teacher are also considering a collaboration on a joint musical, Urinetown.

So Simon and I are left to our own devices all day long. This is what I thought I was waiting for, this is what I thought I wanted for years. To simply be home with my baby, but goodness, I find it very lonely. Simon is wonderful, but his conversation capacities are limited at the moment.

To keep my spirits up, I've created a writing nook where this apartment's fireplace used to be. I bought a cork board where I post all of my ideas and visual inspiration so I can keep myself grounded in my writing and not drift into depression. My desk fits perfectly into the nook and I write for about 2-3 hours each day during Simon's naps.

But sometimes it's not enough. I need some girlfriends, stat. And if I could choose, I'd like some weirdos like me. Who like the dark and the feminine, who are excited for Bat For Lashes' new album The Haunted Man, who will start a book club and read something other than Tuesdays with Morrie. It'd be nice if they had babies, too. But who am I to be picky?

Simon at 10 months

The day before our move, we let Simon create some original works of art for the loved ones he was leaving behind. So he Pollocked it up in the driveway.

Simon's accomplishments:

Eats with a spoon (though he tends to dump the contents before they reach his mouth).
Can stand up completely on his own, without assistance getting up, for 2-3 seconds.
Only needs to hold one hand now while walking (in fact, he gets mad if you try to grab the other hand).
Biting has stopped, hallelujah.
Nap time has returned!

Simon's unfortunate accomplishments:

Knows what "no" means . . . and will often times do the "no" anyway.
Has started this fake crying thing when he wants attention. Sounds so different from his real cry. Sometimes I give in anyway (which is bad! I know!) because . . .
Has started to hate cuddling. This is terrible.
Fights sleep tooth & nail.
Hates it when I dress him. Would rather be naked.

Simon's achievements in nobody's eyes but mine:

Talks (and snorts) in his sleep.
Says "g'unh g'unh g'unh" all the time.
Will cuddle if a movie is involved.
Often makes "declarations:" yelling while holding his hand up, index finger extended.
Loves being outside and walking/crawling in grass.

Twin Falls

When Seve first came to me with the those two words, Twin Falls, I didn't think much of it. We had tossed around two-word cities before; Virginia City, San Francisco, Las Vegas. I found the one word cities more exciting, like Memphis or Baltimore, because they were new, in the east or south where our palettes had never tasted before. But each word we uttered, whether single or in pairs, resulted in an empty interview and false hopes for the future. So we taught ourselves to stop hoping, and just wait. The right word would come. And we were perfectly happy and prepared to stick around in our current one word, Portland.

But two weeks ago those two words came rushing forward and swept us up in a whirlwind move that had us packed and taking off before I even realized what was happening. Now, here we suddenly are - a new apartment, all the boxes finally unpacked (or hiding in closets) and surrounded by that dry wind I only know in Idaho. Never did I think we'd end up back here, and we know it's only another pitstop in the roadtrip of teaching and grad school and more babies and all those dreams coming true we have for ourselves, but who knows? Maybe Idaho's swallowed us up after all.

Sorry I haven't posted in such a long time, or commented on your posts. Between my Aunt Valerie's funeral, a family trip to Texas, and the move to Twin Falls, my feet are only now just finding the ground, much less my fingers finding a keyboard.

In other news . . . how about that new Cat Power album? And that St. Vincent & David Byrne collaboration that came out two days ago? My ears couldn't be happier.

Simon at 9 months

I think Simon looks like a golf caddy in that outfit. Seve says he looks more like a tennis player. Whatevs. Happy first day of August!

Simon's accomplishments:
Goes to bed the SECOND I put him down. Same bedtime as always . . . it's magic.
Has started sleeping in til 8:30! Must be the growth spurt.
Waving, clapping, pointing. More importantly, high-fiving.
Imitates really well, from noises to gestures.
Sits still and actually listens to bedtimes stories now . . . or maybe he's just tired.

Simon's unfortunate accomplishments:
Nap time is kind of gone . . . both of them . . .
Still only in size 3 diapers, he's so tiny. But he eats! Eats and eats and eats!
Tries to eat his baby tooth brush, in fact.
Becoming a picky eater, though. Won't eat certain things unless I do too.
Has figured out how to de-baby proof our best laid plans.

Simon's achievements in nobody's eyes but mine:
Finally splashing in the tub!
Laughs whenever dad sneezes. Like, CRACKS UP.
Has a foot/shoe fetish.
This crazy Mr. Magoo smiley face he does.
Waving his arms like a lunatic every time he gets excited.
Getting so blonde.

Valerie

My Grandpa used to be a professional photographer, and after cleaning through the garage this week he found his old set of Nikon lenses. He offered them to me, and lo & behold they work with my DSLR just fine. So, you know, been playing with that lately.

This coming week I'll be heading to Utah for the funeral of my Aunt Valerie, who passed away recently after a long and lentghy battle with cancer. I've been having a lot of internet-regret lately - that feeling when you aren't blogging/commenting enough . . . and the few times I have been on, it's been to play on Pinterest.

But the worst is my lack of emailing. More importantly, that I was told that though Valerie wasn't up for responding to emails much, she still loved receiving them and having them read to her. I promised myself I would write to her, but didn't get around to it. Now she's gone, and I have no one to blame but myself for my lack of commitment to simply sit down and write an email to my aunt.

So this one's for you, Valerie:

Remember when my father and I came to visit a few years ago? 2006 or 2007, I think? Your hair was thinning from all the treatment you were getting and you asked if I could cut it for you into a more flattering style. I did my best; I wanted so much for you to like it. You're a kind enough person that you never would have told me if you hated it. You used to make me bracelets and necklaces for every birthday & Christmas. I still wear them from time to time.

I remember that you weren't fond of driving, particularly unprotected lefts, and you hated those green wheat smoothies the doctors insisted you drink. But you did so anyway, with a smile on your face, joking that the cancer in your tongue made it so you didn't really taste it anyway.

Jaclyn and I used to say that you and Grandma should have used all that money on a never ending trip around the world, just the two of you on a private yacht. But you were more selfless than that, and cared for family more than pyramids or ruins or oceans or caves. I thank you for that. I love you, and loved every moment I had with you, even if they were few.

I hope you and Pam are making fun of us from heaven.

Love,
Jules

Simon at 8 months

I'm so behind in posting these! In about 2 weeks Simon will be 10 months old, so the rest of his monthlies will be pretty back to back until I'm all caught up.

Simon's accomplishments:
Loves his walker . . . when he can steer it.
Saying "Mama!" now, though I'm pretty sure he thinks it means "food."
Loves his kiddie pool. Crawls out of it and onto the grass, then back in, then onto the grass, back in, repeat.
Great around strangers/people he's meeting for the first time. Very smiley and sociable. Loves his Uncle Ed.
A lightening fast crawler/cruiser.

Simon's unfortunate accomplishments:
Pinching, pulling biting. UGH THE BITING.
Had this brief screaming phase . . . happy or sad.
Grinding his teeth. It's nuts. He has 6 of them now.
Getting into drawers and cupboards, which of course means pinching his fingers.
Always sticking out his tongue . . . so drooly.

Simon's achievements in nobody's eyes but mine:
Sleeps on his tummy. Been doing since 3 months, thought I'd mention it now.
Holds up his arms to show me he wants to be picked up.
Talks to himself. All. The. Time.
Does that "buh buh buh" thing to his own lips now.
Loves playing with the phone when Grandma Soni calls . . . and hanging up on her.
Prefers tart to sweet flavors. Really loves lemon.

Beach Baby

I need to apologize for not blogging lately. And by "blogging," I don't mean posting, but commenting on the blog posts of my dear friends and loved ones. I'm reading, I swear! On the go I always love checking my Reader app on my phone, but unfortunately my phone is of the old & crappy variety that doesn't always allow me to leave comments (or so I've recently come to realize when I check back on a post and see my comments have never shown up). So: MY APOLOGIES. I love you all so, so much.

But I also apologize for not personally posting blog posts lately, mostly to my mothers who I know are dying to see some photos of Simon (especially his "monthly" posts . . . so behind). They're coming, I promise. It's just been such a fun summer, I'm not often on my computer anymore. I'm in the kiddie pool with Simon, at the beach, out hiking, biking, longboarding, and other summer activities that end in "-ing." When the fall comes, I'll likely be on here more (or maybe I won't, since Simon will be walking by then, and goodness that's just going to change everything).

life lately, according to my dslr

All the things I've been up to lately when I shoulda' been blogging.

1. The Fourth, of course. // 2. Helping my mom advertise her books. // 3. Have I ever told you I'm in love with that reclusive poet Emily Dickinson? // 4. The thing that's really been taking up all my time lately: an online business I'm hoping to "open" soon. // 5. Oh, and this guy. Love this guy.

Birthday Boy

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday,
my love,
dear Seve,
Happy birthday
to
you

Better not let him in

Been hanging out with family in Boise this week. As I type this I hear Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London" playing downstairs. I think we're going to the zoo today. Seve got a beet red sunburn after playing in the pool too long and Simon's going through a growth spurt (eating & sleeping double what he used to). 


Oh summer! How thou dost make my blog posts sporadic and brief!

Goodreads giveaway

By the way, my Mother the Published Author is hosting a Goodreads giveaway for a free copy of each her books, Lancaster House and Sierra. Check it out!


p.s. open to US only, and must be a member of Goodreads to enter . . . but if you aren't already a member of Goodreads . . . what's ya prob, yo?

Poly rhythmic

Do you ever get into this funk where none of your favorite bands or artists can satisfy you?

Help! I need some new music!

Any suggestions?

The Bum Diary

BREAKING NEWS: We got Simon a kiddie pool.

p.s. For some reason this hat n' trunks combo reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson. Just needs some aviators.

Equus

So, Seve got me that swimsuit for my birthday.

!!!

Can't wait to wear it when the weather gets above 70 degrees.

(Also, have you ever seen/read Equus? Crazy.)

Imperial

Thoughts, lately:

-The photos above are from an art project I'm working on that actually has nothing to do with photography. Well, not nothing. It's just not photography based.
-I really like black nail polish for spring/summer the same way I prefer Radiohead on a sunny day and reading Stephen King at the beach . . . the lightness of summer balances out the scary/weirdness. Because there's nothing frightening about a beach ball.
-Ray Bradbury passed away! No! I'll never get to sit in on one of his frequent LA readings!
-Each day that passes without a job lined up for Seve leaves us more and more stressed. Education is not a booming field right now, if it ever was.
-I've lost my interest for purchasing new clothes. I think my closet is officially complete. Well, except for a three wolf moon tee.
-When will Bat for Lashes release a new album?
-Emily has to be the greatest Bachelorette the show has ever seen with the worst line up of guys the show has ever seen. Poor girl.
-What's Eating Gilbert Grape is back on Instant Queue! Yes!

Pressing play now, g'bye.

I dreamed a dream in times gone by

Who's excited for The Great Gatsby? Who's excited for Les Misérables? Well, goodness, I am!

Once in 6th grade, our school principal came over the loud speakers to announce that Robert, eh, Somebody - the kid sitting behind me in Biology - had just read the unabridged copy of Les Mis and wasn't that something? Congratulations, Robert! For a sixth grader, yes, that was amazing. But, jerk that I was, I said to him later "Oh, big deal, I read that in like 4th grade, psshh." I had, but my version was in a simpler format for children and contained many pictures.

Nowadays I'm reading the legitimate, but abridged, version - abridged because in the original French novel of 1,900 pages, Victor Hugo goes on about everything from religion, politics, the Battle of Waterloo, the construction of the Paris sewers . . . anything remotely of historical note. Because novels back then also acted as history books, and the fictional stories contained within were just meant to spice things up a bit. So bravo, Hugo, for your beautiful fictional aside. And bravo, Robert, for bothering to read every last bit of it, Paris sewers included. I'm sorry I was a jerk.

Pictures I meant to post 2 weeks ago

Simon loves a good walk in the park. Also, Ben's shirt says "Mark Train Freight Twain." Try saying that three times fast.