infections

It's been a tough week at the hometead. Over the Memorial Day weekend, both Jen and Meredith were slowed down by infections and fevers. So, it was good we didn't have anything planned because we didn't get very far away from the house. Several days later, the virus turned into a nasty double ear infection for Meredith. Elaine still gets to take medicine for her ear infection, gas, and acid reflux. Much of each evening involves walking Elaine around the block in her stroller so that she can calm down.

Earlier this week Meredith was talking about families and her own future plans. She outlined her detailed plan to me. She thought she would be a mother and have 6 babies. She would work as a firefighter and our current house will be the firehouse. I would be the grandpa and live with her and Jen would be a mommy with her. Also, a babysitter will live in the house to help with all the kids. The girl is a planner.

Graduation pictures

Okay, here are the pictures from last week's law school graduation. It was a fun weekend during which the weather mostly cooperated.


At the graduation ceremony. Meredith spent much of it coloring pictures.


Row 1: Meredith
Row 2: Michelle Bjella, Cathy Burrows, me
Row 3: Kayla, Sonja, and Natalya Jensen


Steve and Michael Bjella


Meredith chats with Grandpa Kerry


The proud graduate and her proud family


Elaine got some good attentionl during the weekend


Meredith had lots of fun with all the visitors (submitting everyone to her evening show)




Slowing down after a long day, Meredith curls up with Grandma Cathy


A simple raspberry souffle didn't last long...

Mother's Day and spring pictures

Jen's graduation was yesterday. We had lots of fun. A full update and pictures will be posted in the coming days. Below are some pictures from the last week.

Meredith gives Jen her Mother's Day gift she made at preschool.


Posing with her girls on Mother's Day.

Going for a long walk around Cedar Lake on Mother's Day.


Happy girls.



Meredith playing tee ball next door.


Sonja, Natalya, and Kayla Jensen meet their niece/cousin Elaine. Grandma Cathy holds and Grandpa Kerry watches on.

Graduation tomorrow

Tomorrow on Saturday, Jen officially graduates from Hamline Law School. I'm very proud of her. It's been a full three years. Jen started law school when Meredith was 11 months old and graduates with Meredith as a sharp and active preschooler and brand new Elaine 7 weeks old at graduation. We've both worked a lot and played a lot the last three years. And now we're on a new chapter.

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, we went to the law school graduate honors banquet. The whole family came along. It was nice to be able to celebrate Jen's accomplishments, even though I spent a large portion of the event in the back and outside trying to sooth Elaine. We didn't have perfect behavior, but Meredith did pretty well for a girl asked to sit at a boring dinner until 8:00 PM. Meredith was very proud to clap for her mom when they recognized Jen for graduating summa cum laude.

Tomorrow we'll have family members coming in to share the celebration. We'll no doubt take pictures and post them here. Currently it looks like some danger of scattered thunderstorms, so we'll keep our fingers crossed.

Gone fishin'

Last night Meredith was playing with her neighbor friends, Cate and Frank Jr, which is her usual post-preschool activity. After a little bit of snacking, the three kids were brought by Frank Jr's parents to go fishing. Armed with two child-appropriate fishing poles and a pretend pole to keep the third child occupied, they climbed in the car and drove down to Lake of the Isles on the other side of Minneapolis. I stayed home with an upset Elaine. Since Jen was doing a water-related excursion herself (riverboat party with law school colleagues), it was just the two of us.

Not quite two hours later the kids returned with stories of success. All three kids had the opportunity to catch some nice looking sunfish and Meredith's friend Junior caught a pretty sizable fish. A picture was taken of the fish and the kids to prove it wasn't simply a "big fish story." Maybe we'll be able to post it here eventually. It was the perfect evening for a three year-old: they caught fish, touched fish, played with worms, ate ice cream, and got to stay up late. By 9:00 PM the fun was over and a tired Meredith reluctantly went to bed.


UPDATE: Picture from the fishing expedition.

Here is Meredith, Frank, Cate, and Frank, Jr. with their big catch!

More gardening!

We are now exiting the frost danger and it's time to get plants into the ground. This morning we went to the annual plant sale at the state fairgrounds. We got there five minutes after the start to find a line with a 90 minute wait. So instead we went out for lunch at a Turkish deli across from Hamline University that Jen's been trying to bring me to during her entire law school career.

Eventually, we got back to the plant sale and waited in line for about 45 minutes. The wait was worth it. Inside we got most of the various heirloom tomato varieties I wanted, including the cool named 'coyote,' which is a sweet, white, grape-sized tomato that I haven't been able to buy the last two years. We also got a bunch of nice looking annuals and some basil plants. My hop is now to recruit Meredith's help to get this stuff all into the ground! We also need to seed the remainder of the veggie garden.

Today is swimming lesson day for Meredith. Afterwards, we might go to the farmer's market across the street if it's not too cold and if Meredith's not too tired and cranky.

Trees and butterflies

We had a wonderful evening yesterday. The butterflies that Grandma Cathy got Meredith through the mail emerged from their chrysalises and were ready to be let go outside. Meredith gave a tearful goodbye to the butterflies, but was happy to see them flying around the yard an hour or so later. Some promises were made to her regarding future butterflies to help her manage her feelings of loss with the release of her new friends.

We also planted a tree in Elaine's honor last night. When Meredith was born, we planted a Zester apple tree in our front yard for her. It has grown tremendously in the last three odd years. A Cortland apple tree was selected for Elaine and planted about 12 feet from her sister's tree. The little stick of a tree will have to do some catch-up growing the next few years, as we're sure Elaine will undergo herself. Meredith was a good helper in the planting of the tree.

And we can't forget the big news, which is Jen has finished up law school! This three year journey is now all done and will culminate in graduation next week. She'll be able to put juris doctor (J.D.) behind her name. Next up for Jen is to prepare for and take the 2-day bar exam this summer in order to be a practicing attorney in Minnesota. Of course, as a spouse, I have to brag about how wonderful of a job Jen did in law school. She is summa cum laude and is ranked first in her class at graduation. (Oh, and she raised one infant/toddler/preschooler and had another child on the way.) Hooray for law school being done!




About to release the three butterflies.


Elaine was clearly intrigued with the pretty butterflies.


Just a little Cortland apple tree.


The whole family posing in front of the tree (don't miss it!)





Proud grandparents

Close calls

Yesterday, Elaine was accompanying her Grandma Cathy and Grandpa Dave on some errands. Driving in a south Minneapolis neighborhood, they had a close call in a speeding car that went through a red light, clipped the front the our car, and went on to a horrible crash further down the block. Thankfully, despite the extreme close call, no one in our family was hurt. The damage was confined to the bumper and the license plate of the Acura.

And while the close call must have been a bit unnerving to the grandparents, apparently the accident did nothing to even stir the sleeping Elaine in the back seat. The girl stayed put for a while after the accident until a moment just before her mother arrived when she realized she was hungry. (She must have known instinctively her mom was closing in.)

We are deeply grateful that our family is okay. Sometimes we have those close calls that teach us not to take anything for granted. Certainly, it goes without saying that you should always wear your seat belt when driving. Make sure the child car seat is correctly installed. And most importantly and most difficultly, watch out for crazy, out-of-control drivers on the road. In this circumstance, though, it is all but impossible to avoid someone going over 80 mph down a residential street through a red light.

Mer and Elaine's favorite things

Here's Part I in what I would like to make a periodic update, because I now know that often it's the non baby-book-milestones that are the ones you wish you could remember later, after the sleep deprivation.

Elaine's favorite things (at 5 weeks old):

• Nursing and snuggling with Mommy
• Looking at: the dark border on the quilt above her changing table; sunny windows with the blind closed
• Staring at the person holding her, and occasionally smiling

Elaine is learning to:

• Find someone talking to her who is not holding her
• Take, and keep, a pacifier when she wants one
• Coo

Meredith's favorite things (3 years and 8 mo old):

• Being pushed on the swings and playing in the sandbox with her neighbors before and after dinner
• Pretending to: be a princess; go on a rocket ship vacation; be a family of some certain kind of animal; play doctor
• Going to weekly "music class" with Mommy
• Best friend Maren at preschool: both playing with her and telling us what Maren does and likes
• Conversing about science topics with Daddy
• Listening to and talking about songs on the iPod
  

Meredith is learning to:

• Add and subtract numbers less than 10, using her fingers
• Get dressed and undressed completely by herself
• Take deep breaths when she's frustrated
• Associate letters and their sounds to start sounding out words

-JRR

Blooming out all over

This week I've been back to work. Jen's finishing up law school. And the grandparents are having fun with Meredith and Elaine. Pretty mundane stuff. Elaine is now one month old and growing well. She topped 9 pounds at her doctor appointment this week.

I'm really happy because the leaves came out this week and everything is finally green. We put some cold weather plant seeds (carrots, peas, lettuce) in the garden and await their growth. Meredith's caterpillers, which she got from Grandma Cathy, are now in their chrysalises and will emerge in the coming days.

Pictures...



Meredith taking care of her baby...


Elaine loves to swing. (Taking after her sister!)








Happy Girl!