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Dear Sage at 20 months

Dear Sage at 20 months. Here are the highlights:

  • We visited the San Diego Zoo and you dragged your Froggie all over the place. You loved running down the steep hills by the Tigers and even had a special visit by the Tiger named Tiga who was right next to the window when we can to say hello. She stayed there pacing and visiting with you for almost 20 minutes!
  • You are singing Row Row Row your boat. You sing, “row row row” and for Merrily Merrily you sing, “meh la la meh la la” you can see more of this in the videos of this month.
  • We were driving and pulled up next to a trash truck. You were waving so intensely that the driver saw you through the tinted windows in the back and got the biggest smile on his face. Who knew such a little thing could bring so much happiness. We really have the nicest trash truck drivers in our little town. They always wave and look so excited to see you!
  • You have a very keen attention to detail- there was a cigarette butt on our hike and you noticed it, said “uh oh” and wanted to pick it up. You also like to close the lids of things after removing the items and like to put things back in their place. You are very orderly!
  • You love trains. We love living in San Juan because you see a train almost every single day. You and your Daddy ride your bike over to Los Rios park to see the trains all the time. You get so excited and wave and yell, “Hi Choo Choo!” The other day I was at the park with you, Lori, Lyla, and Aiden. We were up on top of the play structure when you heard the train whistle. You slid down the slide and without me knowing ran over to the train tracks to see the train. I nearly had a heart attack until we figured out where you went and ran to find you.
  • Just like your Mamma you love the book “Harry the dirty dog.” You like the page with the choo choo and the page where the man is climbing the ladder. You say “up, up”
  • You also really love your “Machines At Work” book, you wanted to sleep with it the other day.
  • We went to the San Diego Children’s Museum “The New Children’s Museum” with Granny, Lindsay, and Stella and you had an absolute ball. I love it there and hope we can go back again soon! Pictures are below!
  • Instead of “No Thank You” you say, “No Please.” It’s so cute.
  • You say Noah’s name perfectly now
  • You are very polite and often remember your please and thank yous. You say, “Thanks Mamma”
  • You can count to three. Last night I put one blanket on you and you asked for two. I put another blanket on you and you asked for three.
  • You also know that you get two vitamins. You say “Two Allah”
  • This month you turned a cup upside down and said “Empty” that surprised me! It’s truly amazing how fast you pick up on words. Every day you say new things. I love it.
  • You are still so thin. When you have your shirt off your ribs show.
  • You got the Stomach flu this month and it was awful. You barely ate anything for almost three days and were throwing up on and off for almost 5.
  • Somehow you correctly understand the use of the plural s. You said “one night night (pacifier) and then “two night nights”
  • “Neh” is milk and boy do you love your milk.
  • “Ah-min-neh” means other side. You say this when you are nursing and want to switch sides.
  • Dada and I have decided to Night wean you and you are taking it pretty well.  You still wake up about 5:00am and ask for milk but I am trying to make you wait until 6.
  • You are combining words left and right. You say mini sentences now like “Mama Shoe” and “No Dadda” “Yeah Please Yeah”
  • You are recognizing the letters of the alphabet. You know M for Mamma, D for Daddy, G for Gigi, S for Sage, N for Noah, K for Katie.
  • Christmas was so fun for you. You have certainly restored the Christmas magic in our home. It was fun decorating the house and putting up the lights. You quickly became very good at opening presents! I think you have enough toys to last you a very long time. Some of your big presents were
    • A pull toy puppy and wooden toy cooking supplies and food from Gigi
    • A wooden play kitchen and Trash Truck PJs from Granny
    • A sweet coat and a push cart from Nana and Papa
    • A big dump truck from Aunt Helen
    • An indoor rope ladder swing, construction trucks, and giant foam blocks from Momma and Dada

Here are pictures from your 20th month:

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At the creekside park playground

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At the New Children’s Museum

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At the New Children’s Museum

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Painting at the New Children’s Museum

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More painting

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More Children’s Museum

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Children’s Museum bubble station

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Of course you wanted to get in the bubbles

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Our visit to the Zoo and you with Tiga and Tiger

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We treated Granny and Don to a Baskin Robins ice cream treat!

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Another great night with the Ergo. We went to see the Christmas fireworks in Manhattan Beach and to a party afterward. You slept on the walk back and were a total riot at the party!

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Gigi’s mail box. You like to help her get her mail.

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This was a picture of you with the stomach flu. Poor girl. You were so sick but so snuggly and calm.

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Another example of the throw up fortress I made for you on our couch

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You have the most precious and peaceful face when you sleep. I can stare at you for hours like this.

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At San Elijo State beach after we went surfing. You were so ready to strip down to nothing and play in the shower. This is the best part of living in Southern California. The warm December days!

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San Elijo State Beach

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It was so warm that Dada actually went surfing without a wetsuit

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Waiting for Dada outside the San Clemente apartment building. You were so funny wearing these glasses.

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Visiting Uncle Matt on his job site in El Segundo!

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You and Lyla at Lori’s house.

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All of us at Lori’s house. Lori and Mama have this same picture when both you and Lyla were in our bellies!

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You took over my yoga practice with some downward dogs of your own

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You and Lyla again

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You and Granny at our early Christmas celebration at Gigi’s house

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Mama, Ellie, Sabine, and you

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Another one of all of us

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Our little family

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We went to the Moss women’s baptism in Coronado and you looked so cute in your little holiday dress. You brought your doggie and wheeled him around the whole place. You love this doggie.

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You doggie and your froggie. Froggie came first from Lindsay and Stella for your 1st birthday. But since you love him so much we added another pet to your collection

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This is such a perfect example of who you are. You are tough and brave, you sit on top of tables not in the chairs.You love trucks and you also love your dolls. You have your own little sense of style and I love that about you.

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I wanted to include a little picture of our home dressed up for xmas eve dinner. We probably won’t be living here much longer so at least you can use this to remember it.

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You and Uncle Bob on xmas eve

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Getting the xmas eve turkey ready!

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After christmas we went to visit Lindsay, Marc, and Stella. Here you are with Stella playing instruments.

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For Christmas we got Dada a Mammoth gift card so he can go skiing. This is the free beanie we got with the gift card.

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You and your buddy Noah

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We went on a hike and you took a big fall when you were running down the hill.

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Here we are at the summit of our hike

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Here you are on your rope swing in your play area

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You help yourself to the water in the bathroom now! This was such a funny moment. You went and found your stool in the kitchen, brought it into the bathroom, climbed up on it and then onto the sink so you could wash your hands.

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On Mama’s birthday we took a long bike ride to Irvine and took the train home. Here you are taking a nap on the bike.

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Yay Choo Choo!

Click the link below to see the video clips from Sage’s 20th Month!

Videos From Sage’s 20th Month

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Dear Sage at 19 months

Dear Sage at 19 months,

I apologize for this being almost a month late! Better late than never! Here are the few 19 month memories I jotted down on my phone for posting.

  • Your stuffed animals and toys are often sad. You walk up to me pretending that they are crying and want me to comfort them. You like me to hold them over my shoulder and pat their back. You have even asked me to nurse them. When this first happened it was hilarious but once I realized how strange I felt pretending to nurse a toy car, I explained that milk is only for Sage.
  • You have started to sing! Itsy Bitsy Spider is currently your only recognizable song and you do the hand movements too. I love this. It is something that carried over from the Wee Tartans because I never do this with you!
  • When you go down for your nap or at nighttime you ask about all the people you know. It’s so very sweet. While  having your milk you stop and say, “Gigi?” then back on to drink. Then, “Dada?” Then back on to drink. Then “Ellie?” On and on until we have gone through every person and dog you know and you are sure every one of them is going night night too.
  • You love your baby and doggie and prefer to have them close by most of the time. If we are out and about but left baby and doggie at home, you ask about them but don’t seem to mind too much that they are at home.
  •  You really like Trucks. When we are driving you yell when you see one. “Uk Uk” We have been learning about the different kinds of construction trucks. The other day when we were leaving an industrial home improvement center in Long Beach you pointed to one and said “front loader.” It sounded like “Fla Lo Lo” It was awesome.
  •  You keep me on track with your vitamins by going to the cabinet every morning and saying “Allah Allah.” I have no idea how vitamin became Allah but it’s super funny.
  •  You are really tough to take to the mall. We were doing some shopping with Granny and you were like a spinning top. Just whirling from here to there never stopping for even a second to stay with us. One of us had to chase you while the other got their stuff done.
  •  You are interesting because while you are most often a whirling dervish you also have your very serene moments. We had Thanksgiving at Sharon Asakawa’s house and you were amazing. You sat so sweetly at the table and gently maneuver around her beautiful home with a delicate body and a quiet voice. I was amazed.
  •  We were at Nordstrom and you said “Escalator” it sounded like “Es-ca-la-la”
  •  Dada and I took you to a rock climbing film festival. And while you were totally nuts prior to the festival starting, once the films began you slept on either me or your daddy the entire time. I am so grateful that you are still easy to put to sleep. If we are in a new environment, but you have one of us close to you, you snuggle right up and shut your eyes. You have been like this since you were a baby and I love this about you. Noah and Ashley came too and it was, like always, so fun to have them play with us.
  •  You have started exercising your independence and want to do many things by yourself. This has inspired me to being the choice parenting strategy. When we get to the car I put you down and say, “Sage is Mommy putting you in the car or will you climb in by yourself.” You are so stinking cute when this happens because you  look at me and say, “Momma.” Then just as I start to pick you up you yell, “Sagey, Sagey”
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You and your Wee Tartan friends on Halloween. This was your last day.

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At a park in San Diego in early November. This slide reminds me of one I used to play on when I was little.

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You being silly with your Granny.

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Once we discovered that the grocery store had these, you love going to the grocery store!

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You, Granny, and Zoe on a walk in her neighborhood

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At your Nana and Papa’s front door

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On the boat in your Nana and Papa’s front yard

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You love this book just like I did when I was little. You prefer to spend most of your time in just your diaper.

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Your 18 month check up paper

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You and Noah being adorable at Noah’s house

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You love playing with Noah’s toys and this is a favorite

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Helping out in our yard

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Your Auntie Kate gave you this robe at your baby shower and you love it. It is intended for infants but you insist that it is a jacket. Here is a perfect example of you exercising your independence and dressing yourself!

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Checking the mail at Gigi’s in the gorgeous sweater she knit for you

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Walking outside Gigi’s house

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At the Reel Rock film festival right before you fell asleep

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At Los Rios park near our house

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Getting the camera right for our xmas card photo

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You were letting us know that you needed your other stuffed animal in the picture

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Another test shot

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You are my little monkey

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The two of us on a Thanksgiving walk

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Dear Sage at 18 months

Dear Sage 18 months,

I don’t know how it is possible to fall in love with someone more and more each month. You are getting to be so much fun and so very active. Now I have officially lost count of all your words. You are talking like crazy and are starting to string together sentences most of which I cannot understand. It’s so precious seeing you talk to your stuffed animals and to yourself while you play. I wish I knew what you were saying.

Here are some highlights of your 18th month

  • When you say “No thank you,” you say “no, no, no” in the same rhythm of “no thank you”
  • You have started saying “mine” but not in a possessive way. You are still pretty great at sharing things and seem to be experimenting more with the concept of “mine” than to use it to keep someone else away from your stuff.
  • While you are great at sharing things, you don’t like it when a friend takes something from you or tries to stop you from doing something when you are deep in play. If this happens you definitely get mad.
  • You love your truck book and when we were at a hotel in San Diego you actually said, “My truck book.”
  • You are trying really hard to jump. All the mechanics are in place except the part where you leave the ground. It is so funny to watch.
  • You like to tell Mommy to stop talking. You have come up to me, put your hand over my mouth, and said, “no mama.” It makes me laugh for so many different reasons.
  • You LOVE milk which you call “neh.” We are working on creating some boundaries around the breastfeeding because if it were up to you, you would still have the “all you can drink” service you had when you were a newborn.
  • You are tough. Sometimes you fall over and laugh at yourself. It makes me so happy to see that you can brush yourself off and keep going with a smile on your face. But when you are tired or hungry you are much more fragile and seem to let everything bring you to tears.
  • You LOVE to climb and jump. The higher the better. One really strong trait of yours is your ability to climb. You are brave and coordinated. We are going to hang a rope ladder in our living room for you to climb on because you have now started climbing the barstools and ending up on top of the kitchen island! If presented with the choice to look at a book, color, or do something that would keep you quiet and still, you will always pick the activity of action. We were at a friend’s house a few weekends ago and you were moving all her big toys from one room to the next while she was sitting quietly and playing. It made me laugh to see that you made the choice to use your whole body preferred to push and pull than to stay quiet and still.
  • Speaking of the climbing and jumping, you like to jump off the edge of the bathtub like it’s the edge of the pool. Fortunately Dada is there to make sure you are safe and I am constantly reminding you that you can ONLY do this when Mama and Dada are there.
  • Anther funny climbing story is that I found you naked on top of the piano/keyboard sitting right on the speaker. It was after your bath and you made it up there in the time it took me to hang a towel and pick up your clothes off the bathroom floor.
  • You continue to LOVE your bike rides with Daddy. When he is home you go out on a ride with him every day. You two have been exploring all the parks in a 10 mile radius of our home. You are the park warriors!
  • We love it when you throw your arms around our necks and give us big hugs. If we are lucky you will also give us a big kiss too : )
  • While you are brave and adventurous, you are also really sweet and thoughtful. The other day when I came to pick you up from the Wee Tartans you were helping take care of the real babies. You were bringing them toys and patting them on the tummy. It brought tears to my eyes! You also think of Mama and Dada when you are eating things or playing with something special. You like to offer us a chance to enjoy what you are enjoying.
  • The most exciting thing about this month is that you started telling us when you have to go potty. Sometimes you want to actually go in the potty and and other times when I offer the potty, you say “no” and want to go in your diaper. I have been reading a lot about this lately and have decided to let you take the lead. So if you want to use the potty we do, if you don’t we don’t. I have faith that it will all work itself out. You won’t be wearing diapers in Kindergarten : )

The end of your 18th month was also Halloween. You were a little duck. We went to Uncle Danny and Aunt Katie’s house and it was hilarious and adorable watching you walk up to people’s doors to trick-or-treat. You worked on your “thank yous” and marched around the neighborhood. When we got back to Danny and Katie’s house you helped give out candy, which I think you enjoyed more than collecting it.

We are just having the time of our life with you. We are both madly in love with you and even the hard days just end in a sigh and a chuckle. I am so blessed to have so much time with you and am honored to have you as the reason I work so hard every day to be the best Mommy I can be.

We love you Sagey.

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Hanging out with Aunt Helen and Granny. You loved playing in the waterfall in Aunt Helen’s backyard!

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The beautiful waterfall in Aunt Helen’s back yard

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You are a very healthy eater! You love so many fruits and veggies. It makes me happy to prepare you such colorful and nutritious food.

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This was a big day. A cement mixer was on our corner so we went to watch it. It’s the same mixer from your Big Truck Book.

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Here you are with Dada steering the bike. At least you think you are steering the bike. You push Dada’s hands off and want to do it yourself. This was during our bike ride to San Diego. You were such a super traveler during this ride!

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More from our bike trip to San Diego

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Milk break

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At the end of our 52 mile bike trip!

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Here is the picture right before you said “My Big Truck Book”

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Playing at the hotel pool

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more hotel pool

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Sunbathing with Mommy

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Here you are having dinner at our house with Noah. Since Noah’s Daddy and your Daddy both work a lot, Ashley and I like to hang out. You and Noah were so cute at your little table having dinner together.

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We visited Lori and Lyla and went to a super fun new park in Santa Monica

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The picture is a little blurry but I love this bed head shot of you

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At the fun park in Santa Monica

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Playing with your favorite Doggie Stella

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Sharing a smoothie with Gigi

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On our camping climbing trip to Big Bear

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Camping

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Camping

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Camping

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Camping

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Camping

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Camping

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Camping

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camping

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Camping

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Halloween!

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Duck Costume

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Your last day at Wee Tartans for the Halloween Parade

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Trick or treating

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Trick or treating

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Candy break!

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Another candy break

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Dear Sage 17 months

Dear Sage,

September was a really busy month for us! We went to Washington D.C, on a backpacking trip, camping in Kings Canyon and to Las Vegas! You are still an awesome traveler and because of the Ergo, you can pretty much still sleep anywhere. Whether it was trucks, helicopters, and crowds of people in D.C and Vegas or the pine cones, rocks, and wind in the mountains – the stimulation enveloped you. You are excited about everything and have a great attitude almost everywhere. Here is a collection of pictures from your 17th month and a collection of videos at the end.

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Here you are at the slot machines in Las Vegas. You were so funny running around the casino, the energy of Vegas got to you and you were squealing with excitement!

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Dada and Mama wanted a frozen cocktail and of course you wanted to drink it too. Because we couldn’t share with you, we got you a slurpee. I cannot believe I let you drink a slurpee.

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The following pictures are from our Kings Canyon trip. You had such a good time and we were so lucky to spend the vacation with our favorite friends.

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These are pictures from our backpacking trip. I cannot say enough times what an amazing little adventurer you are.

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You still sleep with us. Seeing you sound asleep in the morning is my favorite way to start the day.

You still sleep with us. Seeing you sound asleep in the morning is my favorite way to start the day.

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Paddling around Dana Point Harbor.


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The Washington D.C. Zoo. The following pictures are from our trip.

The Washington D.C. Zoo. The following pictures are from our trip.

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Click the link below to see videos from Sage’s 17th month!

Videos from Sage’s 17th month

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Dear Sage at 16 months

Dear Sage at 16 months,

This month is all about the skinned knees. It seems like the minute one skinned knee heals, you take off running and get another. When you fall, tumble, or slide, you investigate the place of impact, look up at me and say, “ow.” It’s so cute. I smile, you come over for some snuggles and then you are off on your way. These days it seems like you are always tripping and falling over something. Not because you are clumsy but because you excel at getting yourself into precarious situations. You climb EVERYTHING and swing from whatever is within arms reach. It’s really amazing to us how well you can climb, you have no fear of heights and act like it’s really no big deal. To us as your parents its so exciting but to you it’s just another ol’ day on the oven, chair, table, banister, car door, etc.

Here are some other highlights of your 16th month.

  • You love trucks and yell “Trash Truck!” when you see one or hear one coming down the road
  • You can hear airplanes and helicopters way before I do and immediately make the sign for airplane while saying your version of airplane which sounds a lot like “all done.” When you spot the airplane in the sky you reach up with both hands and wave hello.
  • You say ambulance when you hear the sirens in the distance
  • You have started letting me put bows in your hair to hold back your bangs. They are just starting to cover your eyes.
  • You love bubbes and say bubbles!
  • You like to boss me around by coming up behind me and pushing me in the direction of where you want me to go
  • You give the best hugs. You throw your arms around my neck and rest your head on my shoulder. I love it.
  • You have started to try to jump. You have all the mechanics in place except the part where you leave the ground. It’s so so funny.
  • You have basically memorized Brown Bear Brown Bear. I tried to get it on camera but of course, you weren’t saying all the animal noises once the camera came on.
  • You love walking around with your Auntie G’s yellow purse. You have dragged it all over the place and now she needs a new one : (
  • Its getting hard to keep track of all your new words. One of these months I am going to give up. In addition to the previously mentioned words, you have started saying “Ellie” and “Lyla”.
  • In the morning after we change your diaper you have decided that it is your job to walk it to the trash can. Sometimes you have trouble parting with it. Hahaha
  • You love being tossed, flipped, rolled, hung upsidedown, etc. We were at Daddy’s climbing gym Hangar 18 and you LOVED being thrown on the crash pads. Soon I think I am going to have to enroll you in gymnastics so you can do all that you want with padding underneath.

The other night I was rocking you to sleep and just couldn’t bring myself to lay you down. I was wishing that I could hold you asleep in my arms all night long. Last year at this time I was going back to full time teaching and it tore my heart to pieces. Because I remember this feeling so well, the aches in my chest and tears behind my eyes, I know how blessed I am to now have my days filled with just you. I take a breath of gratitude every time I think about what life was like on the other side and realize how fortunate we are to have your Daddy giving us this time. I don’t care what needed to be sacrificed. No amount of eating out, shopping, or Starbucks lattes could be traded for this. As a mother, I am mindful of my every move, thinking and reading daily on how to be my best self. I am giving you all I can even when “giving” means letting you get that skinned knee. I only wish I could slow down time to make each magical moment last just a little bit longer. I love you with all my heart Sagey-poo.

We went on a family date night to the Long Beach Aquarium and then out to dinner at PF Changs. This PF Changs was where Mama and Dada went on one of their first dates

We went on a family date night to the Long Beach Aquarium and then out to dinner at PF Changs. This PF Changs was where Mama and Dada went on one of their first dates

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IMG_2131Aquarium touch tank
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You and Noah playing in my car

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You two make us laugh.

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At Alexis’ baby shower for the twins. You loved this bubble blower.

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You and Dada sailing for his birthday

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More sailing

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You love to push Dada in the pool

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Sunny Snuggles

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Playing in our back yard and getting dirty.

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Our new finch feeder. You love watching all the birds!

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So happy in the bathtub

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Granny left her sunglasses at our house.

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Your silly sleep positions!

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How you sleep like this I’ll never know

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At Brian’s birthday in Manhattan Beach. We went to Pollywog park to see a Neil Diamond cover band.

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Rock climbing at Daddy’s climbing gym Hanger 18. You kept walking around looking up and saying “up up up up”

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Your cute out to dinner ensemble : )

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You rarely wear dresses but I figured I would put you in a dress and take some pictures of you outside at sunset. We have so many that I figured we should put them to use!

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Video Clips from your 16th month

https://vimeo.com/73500025

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Dear Sage at 15 months

Dear Sage at 15 months.

This month is titled the Travel Month! Just like last year at this time you were whisked around from airports to airplanes to different time zones, were completely off schedule and handled it much better than I predicted. We have created such a tight bond in our little family that when the setting and normalcy of our life gets turned upside down, we can lean on each other and still maintain our sense of happiness. Someone once said to us, that to a child- home is where mommy and daddy are- and I think this is especially true for you. For all of us. Home is when we are all together.  So whether we were crammed in airplane seats, squished in the third row of a land cruiser, on the beach for the day, all three in a twin bed in Wisconsin, or on a boat, we stuck together and had a great time.

With the passing of every month, a new layer of wrapping paper is pulled off of you, our little present. You get more connected as you notice the details of our routines. You know the name and purpose of the rooms in our house and are getting very skilled at following directions. You were visiting Daddy in the bathtub and you brought with you a bag of tortilla chips.  Daddy said, “Go give that to Mama please” and you galloped down the hallway and found me in the kitchen. You were exploding with excitement over completing this task. I in turn took a marshmallow out of the cupboard and asked you to take it to Daddy. You ran down the hallway screeching with excitement on your way to deliver the marshmallow. This went on and on bathroom to kitchen, kitchen to bathroom.

Your words are coming so fast and you are repeating so much of what we say. Your newest and most powerful development is “no.” We were with Noah the other day and I asked you if you would share something with him. You looked right at me and said, “no.” I burst out laughing. I know this will stop being funny soon but for now your accurate use of the word makes me giggle.

Also making me giggle is your intoxicating little laugh. You suck in air with a vocalized aspiration and it sounds like an old man. I just love it. Today I heard you making this little laugh and found you looking at yourself in the mirror. You were so delighted to see your reflection!

Here are some funny memories of your 15th month

  • At the beginning of your 15th month all animals barked. Now you are finally making moos, meows, and baas. The other day at the park with Dada, two little dogs walked by and you meowed at them. I wish I could have been there to see it. Dada said he was laughing pretty hard.
  • You can understand so much. You were in the bath and I said, “Sage can you please get your hair wet for me?” You leaned back and dipped your head in the water. Usually I just pour water on your head but you figured this one out all on your own.
  • This started your new love of lying on your back in the tub with your ears under the water. You relax and enjoy the sensation and sounds of the water swishing in and out of your ears.
  • You jump off the edge of the pool all by yourself and don’t mind being under for a few seconds.
  • You get completely covered in sand and don’t care.
  • Unless you are exhausted or have just hurt yourself, you are always moving.
  • You are a very strong climber. No fear of heights.
  • You give big kisses and say MWAH when you give them.
  • On the airplane you liked to stand on the pull down table and bounce on it like a trampoline.
  • You say “Hi” really loud and you keep repeating it until people respond back.
  • You are often running around our house and yard in just your diaper. You have now figured out how to take your shirt off all by yourself.
  • I counted 20+ words that you say regularly. Nose, eye, mama, dada, no, off, out, outside, more, all done, milk, doggie, Luna, Stella, banana, water, hi, help, bye, hat, other side (you say this when you finish nursing on one side and are ready to switch). The animal sounds you do are-dog, cat, cow, rabbit (you make a rabbit face) and sheep.

Despite our hard days, my heart aches when I am away from you. Today I had to pick you up from daycare early because I wanted to be with you. Last week Daddy and I skipped a date night because we missed you. We were going to dinner and a movie but decided instead to have dinner with you and watched a movie at home after you went to sleep. You have captured our hearts in every imaginable way. We love you Sagey. You light up our life.

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On our way to Wisconsin!

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At Pier West Restaurant. You loved wandering around on this dock!

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Sage and Mommy on beach

On Playa Marsella in Nicaragua

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You had so much fun on the beach in Nicaragua. Your happiness is so pure and beautiful!

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You love running around naked. It’s so great to let you play and be free.

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Here you are with Lyla at Zoomars in the corn pit.

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Sitting in the drinking fountain at the park near GGs house.

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Auntie G got this sweater for you before you were born. I love it but it’s getting too small : ( On this day you picked it out all by yourself!

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Going to the beach!

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At the beach with Noah

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You love watching animals eat and trying to feed them yourself. Sloane reluctantly tolerates you.

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We both still love having you in our bed. With this to look at, how could we not!

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You picked this out all by yourself

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Lyla, Aiden, and you at the beach.

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A big fun game of chase.

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Dear Sage 13 and 14 months

Dear Sage,

I am not being very timely with these posts. This entry is 19 days late!

As the days go by, time with you is getting busier and funnier. It’s also getting more exhausting. When we are outside of our home you need to be watched very closely or I may find you with a rock your mouth, about to pull a breakable item off a table, sucking down glue, or throwing yourself in the nearest body of water. We have created a wonderfully safe home where you can wander with relative freedom and I find our time at home to be much more relaxing then when we go out. But you like to go out, so we go out a lot. One word you say very clearly is “outside.” You are an outside girl for sure and just like when you were a baby, your mood improves exponentially when you are outdoors. Here are some other fun facts about you as a 14 month old.
• You like to play fetch.
• You have learned how to increase the water flow on the bathtub faucet
• You are much more polite about how you sign for milk only yanking down my shirt when really desperate. You can apply this “asking politely” skill to other things too like “up” or “more”

• You still LOVE the water. You are convinced that you can breathe underwater and our efforts at pulling you above the water level only prove to frustrate you. To you, when we hold you in the water, we are keeping you from all the fun. You have no clue that if we left you to your wishes you would drown!

• You and Dada clocked 30mph on the bike and you were squealing with laughter. The faster the better.
• You sign for bike really well and constantly ask for bike rides. Lucky you, you have a very sweet Dada. When you bring him his flip flops and knock on his office door. He will take a 10 minute work break and bike you around the neighborhood. You cry when it’s over.
• You are really brave and climb to the top of pretty steep big kid slides all by yourself. You are a really strong climber and have really impressed us with all you can do. Just before your 13 month birthday you climbed all the way up the caterpillar climber without any help! Once you get to the top, you like to stand up there and enjoy the view. This terrifies me because I am at the bottom waiting for you to come down and am constatly afraid you are going to forget where you are and fall face first down the slide. Fortunately you don’t. You eventually turn around and like to slide down on your belly.
• You have mastered shaking your head no. And understand when to use it. We ask you, “Sage, do you want to go night night?” you shake your head no. We offer you food and you do a great job of telling us what you don’t want to eat. There isn’t anything you regularly don’t like, but you like to exercise your power and pick and choose between different types of food. The sweetest example of your head shaking was the other morning when you and Dada were snuggling in bed. He told you that he had to go to work and you vigorously shook your head no. You love your time with your Dada.
• You are developing a spunky and strong little personality. I have to be creative about diaper changes and putting clothes on you. When I give you a lot of time and choices you are much more cooperative than when I pick you up and carry you off. The other day, when we were leaving Auntie G’s house you were playing in the driveway. I told you that we had to leave and asked you if you would rather walk to the car by yourself or have me carry you. You put down what you were playing with and marched right over to the car. It was so cute. I am anticipating using the choice strategy a lot in your future.

Here is the most recent list of words that you say consistently. I have come to realize that you understand so much of what we are saying to you but do not yet have the ability to say all the things you want to. Yesterday we walked out to a grassy lawn outside Pier West restaurant in Wisconsin and I had you in my lap. I noticed a bean bag toss game and pointed it out to you. I said, “Sage why don’t you get down and play with those bean bags. You can pick them up and put them in the hole.” You climbed off my lap and did just as I suggested. I was totally shocked and couldn’t believe that you understood me.

Your words at 14 months:
• Bye Bye- sounds like “Die Die”
• Up
• Uppitah and Buppitah (no idea what it means yet)
• Outside
• Help
• Hi
• Doggie- sounds like “Daw-duh”
• Night Night- sounds like “nigh, nigh”
• And your newest addition is the appropriate use of the word Uh-Oh. It’s so funny. You throw your pacifier outside of your crib, or throw food off the table and say “Uh Oh.” It gets a laugh from us every time.

Doing what you do best! Making a big mess!

Doing what you do best! Making a big mess!

Crossing the bridge at Los Rios park

Crossing the bridge at Los Rios park

One of many naps in Lowes

One of many naps in Lowes

Happy in our new backyard.

Happy in our new backyard.

Early morning at the beach in your PJs

Early morning at the beach in your PJs

Playing in the pool with Luna at Auntie G's

Playing in the pool with Luna at Auntie G’s

You and Stella!

You and Stella!

On a walk on the road behind our house

On a walk on the road behind our house

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You and Noah playing in your bedroom.

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You and Noah at the little playground at the Mission Viejo mall.

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You taking a dip in the pond after our backpacking trip

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On our backpacking trip. You loved playing in the tent!

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A nap in the morning before hiking back down the mountain.

Check out the other video clips from Sage’s 13th and 14th month!

https://vimeo.com/70607290

Click to see video clips from Sage’s 13th and 14th month!

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Dear Sage at One Year!!

Dear Sage at 12 months,

Time has ticked by and right before my eyes you have become one year old. Sadly I feel like so much of this year has slipped through my fingers. With the stress of working full time and learning how to be a Mommy it has all gone by so fast. The precious memories of your different stages are securely locked in my heart but it’s hard to remember that you were anything but the child you are today. Once in a while you glance at me in a certain way or lie on your back and grab your feet or snuggle up in your car seat and I am reminded of the baby you once were. I wish with all my heart that I could have been so immersed in your growth that I would be writing this with more memories than I knew what to do with. Lucky for us though, we both have these blog posts to help us remember. And someday, if you ever have a younger sibling and forget that for years you were the one and only center of our world, you can read these memories and be certain that you were given all of our undivided attention and love.

To kick off your 12th month you were in Maui. Two days after passing your 11 month birthday we got a wonderful movie of you walking down the sidewalk! We were so, so, proud of you and are thrilled that not only did your Mommy and Daddy get married in Maui but Maui was the place you learned to walk. You had been taking a step or two since 10 ½ months but Maui was really where you mastered it. Maui was also the first place you rode on a surfboard. You and Daddy caught your first wave together at Laniopoko Beach Park. Watching you out there with your Daddy brought so much joy to my heart. I was thrilled that you were able to experience a pastime your Daddy and I love so very much. It may be too soon to tell for sure but if your present skills hold steady then I can confidently say that you, like your Daddy, have gills. The water is home to you. You have no problem going under, blowing bubbles, sliding off the edge, and attempting to swim on your own.

Here are some other special features of you as a one year old.

  • You LOVE your sippy cup. You get the biggest grin on your face when I hand it to you.
  • You prefer to eat with a bowl and a spoon even if it means half the amount of food actually gets in your mouth
  • You quite often still fall asleep in the car.
  • You don’t like having a poopy diaper.
  • You successfully sign for “food”, “more”, “milk”, “up”, “all done”
  • Nursing you is quite funny now. You are curious about the whole operation and examine me like it’s the world’s greatest mystery.
  • You have also started pulling my shirt down when you want to nurse and I have to remind you of the polite way to ask for milk.
  • You always prefer to be outside. No question. If there is an open door you will find it!
  • You are not afraid of dogs. Our neighbor’s dog Maggie licks your face and you barely notice. You spend a lot of time with Auntie G’s dogs and I think Luna could babysit you if we’d let her. She follows you around and keeps a close eye on all that you are up to.
  • We went to Zoomars and you were deliberate and brave about feeding carrots to the Llama. Animals don’t worry you.
  • You are brave. It’s uncanny. You climb right to the top of the big kid slide and throw yourself down. Watching you do this practically gives me a heart attack but I have to trust that you know what you are doing.
  • We think you might be left-handed.
  • You have fallen face first in the sand a few times but you pop up with a smile on your face.
  • You have almost figured out how to do a forward somersault
  • You love going fast. The faster the better.
  • You adore bike rides with your Daddy. This is where you get to go fast. You two have clocked 30 mph and you screech with laughter.
  • You have figured out that keys open doors.
  • You love picking out what jacket you are going to wear.
  • You like having your shoes put on and taken off.
  • You like to play with the baby dolls at daycare. You pat their backs and put them to sleep.
  • You are a great eater and enjoy spicy food.
  • You continue to like Kalamata olives.

Sage, you are the sparkle and joy in my life and there is no person I look forward to seeing more than you. I wish my memory were a giant tag board, big enough to post every single moment with you on its massive face. Then I could close my eyes and drop in to the month or day of my choosing and experience your magic all over again. As a person of many words it humbles me to realize that every month there really are not enough words to capture how precious you are to me.

“You are my angel, my darling, my star… and my love will find you wherever you are”

Love,

Mama

Playing at the Haiku Mill. The site where Mommy and Daddy got married. It was our 2 year anniversary.

Playing at the Haiku Mill. The site where Mommy and Daddy got married. It was our 2 year anniversary.
All of us at the Haiku Mill.

All of us at the Haiku Mill.

Where we said our vows.

Where we said our vows.

You and Daddy playing in Maui

You and Daddy playing in Maui

Zealand, you, and Jacob hanging out on the paddle board.

Zealand, you, and Jacob hanging out on the paddle board.

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One of many dips in the ocean

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You love getting dirty in the sand.

You love getting dirty in the sand.

I am in love with your little feet!

I am in love with your little feet!

waiting for some waves

waiting for some waves

You and Daddy paddling for your first wave

You and Daddy paddling for your first wave

Catching your first wave!

Catching your first wave!

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Bathtime

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Zoomars! The petting zoo within walking distance of our house.

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Often when you go down slides by yourself you start on your bottom and flip over half way down and end up on your tummy.

At the park near the San Juan Train Station.

At the park near the San Juan Train Station.

Hanging outside

Hanging outside

Jason, Veronica, Jacob, you, and me on the Artoff's sailboat in Marina Del Rey

Jason, Veronica, Jacob, you, and me on the Artoff’s sailboat in Marina Del Rey

Enjoying your birthday breakfast. A chocolate chip waffle with strawberries and powdered sugar!

Enjoying your birthday breakfast. A chocolate chip waffle with strawberries and powdered sugar!

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Dear Sage at 11 months


Dear Sage at 11 months,

The official countdown to one year has begun! The transition from baby to toddler is becoming more evident by the day. You have taken your first steps, are talking up a storm, and are a fully present member of our family with votes and opinions on all we do. Here are the things you love: riding on the bike with Daddy, going on runs in the Bob Stroller, people, playing in any kind of water, being carried on the Ergo, going on hikes, jumping into the pool, going fast, being tossed in the air, playing with rocks, sticking your hand in the toilet, crawling in cabinets, climbing things, going down the slide by yourself, unraveling toilet paper, putting choking hazards in your mouth, being tickled, being snuggled and most importantly discovering and enjoying the magical world around you.

Recently, when we were in the American Airlines Terminal at LAX, I took a deep breath, stopped thinking about all the germs on the floor found the perfect quiet little alcove so you could be free to explore. Unfortunately the alcove I found wasn’t really your idea of a interesting place to hang out. You instead choose to send Mommy’s germ radar through the roof by pushing, crawling, and clambering your way into the middle of the main walkway of the terminal. This is the walkway every traveler uses to get from the gates to the curb or from the curb to the gates. It goes without saying that there were hundreds of people zooming up and down past you in all directions and you just sat right in the middle of it all waving two handedly to everyone who walked past. This was a tad difficult for Mommy because you were touching, what felt like, everything walked on by half of Los Angeles. I was envisioning you coming down with some deathly illness a day after arriving on our vacation but so far you are still healthy! Most people were delighted to see you but there were a few grumpy travelers who I know were wondering, “why on earth would that lady let her baby sit right there in my way!” The good news is, parenting is a journey for us both and the more brave you get about exploring your world the more brave I get about choosing to disregard the looks and comments of others.

When you grew tired of the action on the passenger runway, you decided to head toward our gate and crawl from person to person hoping to pull yourself up right onto their laps (or hoping to have a bite of whatever they were eating). It was a little sad for me because it was the first time I had to pull you away from people who wanted to read their papers, or who didn’t seem very baby friendly. So far in your short life you have been blessed with people who love being around you so this was a tricky moment for us when I had to try and explain to you that, “that person just wants to be alone right now.”

Unfortunately, the unfriendly people didn’t stop there! When we got on the airplane the woman sitting next to us in first class said, “well… I certainly didn’t want to sit next to a baby!” Lucky for her she didn’t have to. I decided we didn’t need to spend five hours sitting next to her bad energy and as much as I wanted to prove a point, I had to let it go. So we switched seats and sat next to a very nice lady who was happy to smile and coo at you. Lucky for me and all the other members of the cabin, you were amazing. Shortly after we took off you fell asleep in my arms and I laid you down at my feet where you stayed for the next four hours. Only waking to nurse and then to fall right back asleep again.

Some of your special tricks at 11 months old include,

  • picking up any rectangle shaped object, putting it by your ear and saying “hi!”
  • Ambitiously crawling into the garage, putting your bike helmet on and pulling yourself up next to the bike begging Daddy to take you for a ride
  • Throwing all your left over meals on the floor and laughing about it
  • A big joyous belly laugh that we LOVE to hear
  • Crying every time you get locked strapped into your car seat
  • Saying “up”, “hi Dada”, “outside”
  • Taking 4 steps all by yourself!
  • Showing no interest in your toys but instead in exploring every nook and cranny of the world around you
  • Being a great eater! One of the dinners I was most proud of this month was watching you devour a meal of organic ham, cucumbers, brussels sprouts, green beans, multigrain bread with coconut oil and strawberries. You were the healthy version of the Very Hungry Caterpillar!

We are ending your 11th month and beginning your 12th month in Maui. I cannot believe my little baby is starting to walk, talk, and grow up. Someday when you are a Mommy you will know what I mean, but until you are a Mommy yourself I can only describe my feelings  as my heart being like a teeter-totter. Rocking back and forth between celebrating the child that you are becoming and aching for the baby you are leaving behind. My heart just aches with love for you my darling girl.

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Having your first bite of ice cream at Ono Gelato. They are the ice cream company that provided the dessert at our wedding.

Having your first bite of ice cream at Ono Gelato. They are the ice cream company that provided the dessert at our wedding.

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Here you are on the south side of Maui past Hana. This road is supposedly closed to tourist traffic but we decided to break the rules. It is Mommy’s favorite part of Maui. Rustic, wild, unspoiled beauty.

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Here you are at the pools of Ohe’o. These are seven fresh water pools that lead into the Ocean. The water was cold but you were SO tough!

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Daddy was doing a little rock climbing in and out of the water with you in tow. Good thing he knows what he’s doing!

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Dear Sage 10 months

(posted 2 weeks after your actual 10 month birthday!)

Dear Sage at 10 months

This month should be titled big words! In your 10th month you came alive with words and signs. In one short week a whole slew of words started pouring out of your mouth. Just about the same time you started signing “more”, “food”, and “all done”, you started saying the words that match! I imagine that the neurons responsible for word production clicked into place one night while you were sleeping! It really feels like an overnight occurrence! Here is the most current list of things you say and how you say them.

  • “More” sounds like “mawh”
  • all done sounds like  “ahh duh.”
  • dogs “deh deh”
  • balls “buh”
  • books “buh.” (the buh for book has a little air attached to the B sound)

This month we took a trip to San Francisco where we were so lucky to see our friends the Kubischtas again. As soon as you get a little bigger I have a feeling our family trips will involve you in some serious play with Zealand and Avery. I will never tire of talking to their Mommy Chelsea so I am looking forward to hours of play, play, play as we continue our family visits. I am hoping for a Mommy daughter backpacking trip with Chelsea and Avery. Maybe if I say it now it will come true! Look ahead to your year 7 blog and see if it happened!

We visited the Kubischtas for dinner in the Easy Bay and then stayed at a hotel for a few days in the city. You and Daddy ran all over the place while I attended the Learning and the Brain Conference. You soaked up the sights, noises, and city experiences. Of course, you loved every second of it. You exercised your social skills in the lobby of the hotel by sitting in the center of it and waving at everyone who walked by. They should have hired you. People were SO happy to see you! You had no problem keeping up with your Daddy on this trip. Lucky for us you love your carriers so you can sleep anywhere. Your flexibility, laid-back nature, and love for adventure make you the perfect travel companion.

This month marks your ability to consistently stand on your own starting from a seated position. I have a feeling your first steps are soon to follow. Every day the amount of time you balance in a standing position is growing and growing. I am practically holding my breath to see what happens next. You are also incredibly brave. You have no problem crawling to the top of any slide and sliding right down on your own. It is so funny. I adore this quality of yours and hope it stays. With the life we lead, being fearless will serve you well!

Another big event this month is that we moved to a new home. We left the apartment in San Clemente and moved to our new place in San Juan Capistrano. Our new home has more room for you to crawl around, a room for your toys and crib, and a backyard that we can play in. We have been working on the weekends and evenings to get the place ready to go and you have been very patient with us. I do have to admit though that trying to clean with you in the room is like raking leaves on a windy day. I put all the clothes in a drawer and you pull them all out again. I put books on a shelf and you pull them off again. You have a new love for opening and closing things and pulling things in and out of drawers, boxes, etc. You are one step behind us ready to undo all that has been done.

The most exciting part of this month is that Daddy has stopped working for 7 weeks to take care of you and to work on projects around the house. It’s so fun watching you two deepen your bond. He takes you on bike rides (you LOVE this), to Home Depot, the plumbing store, and Costco. You help him with his projects and you keep each other company. You adore him and believe me, the feeling is mutual.

We love you Sagey-poo.

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You are the most beautiful sight to wake up next to

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You find fun in the simplest of things.

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You playing with Avery

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You, Zealand, and Avery on the jumping couch.

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On the BART!

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Soaking up the city!

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Enjoying our hotel bed

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On the BART with Daddy on your way to have lunch with Duane

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China Town!

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Crawling up streets and just hanging out.

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Sharing some clam chowder with Daddy

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On the cable car

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You LOVE climbing up slides

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How we fall asleep at night. My very favorite thing in the whole world.

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