Ella and Theo

Honoring MLK #2

2011-02-20T14:26:00.001-08:00

Honoring MLK #1

2011-02-20T14:24:00.000-08:00

Theo reaches new intellectual heights

2011-01-24T12:43:00.001-08:00

I was impressed this morning on the way to school: "Big truck."
Then on the way home: "Dad home."
But then while reading books before nap: "One more time."
Of course we were reading about the little engine that could.

ladybird halloween

2010-11-14T13:09:00.001-08:00

baby

2010-11-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

Adventure Time

2010-11-14T13:05:00.001-08:00

"Book! Book!"

2010-11-14T13:03:00.001-08:00

art

2010-11-14T12:54:00.001-08:00

mom the art hero constructing the puppets.

here's the backdrop for Eloise's puppet show. background: by art hero.

samtrans bus

the cool kids

2010-11-14T12:51:00.000-08:00

bad luck, shmad luck

2010-11-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

C's 5!!

2010-09-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Birthday hats kind of hurt.

2010-09-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Two days into K at a new school and testing begins!

First Day of K! for ella

2010-08-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

With new pet Guinea Pig

Why we love Portland

2010-07-05T07:50:00.001-07:00

Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, OR

2010-07-04T18:43:00.001-07:00

Olympia, WA

2010-07-03T20:13:00.001-07:00

Meeting Michelle & Julia was a highlight of our trip. After 20 years we had lots of catching up to do.

Portland, OR

2010-07-03T18:22:00.000-07:00

...Our River Walk, a picture inside our hotel and from the window of the hotel, the Portland Children's Museum, Jamison Square (filled with water), and the children's room inside OMSI...

raisin between the toes: and why not

2010-06-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

3 collars

2010-06-05T08:38:00.001-07:00

t's 1st lollipop

2010-05-31T19:19:00.000-07:00

GreatGrandson meets GreatGramcrackerGrandma & other family friends ~ Long Branch NJ April 2010

2010-05-26T13:14:00.000-07:00

Grandma J and Ella take a serious picture (on theo's warm up birthday party) April 10, 2010

2010-05-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

He's nearly one. He's having fun with his first ever chocolate cake, the kind without flour.

Playin' with Evie

2007-03-03T20:39:00.000-08:00

We are back home. Here we are playing with friends at the PlayCafe. Even tho that sea of balls looks fun, poor baby got her fingers squished by another kid.

Astounding Final Day at Lorne

2007-02-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

The date isn't accurate. Our last day in Australia was Feb 15. Our last day in Lorne was Valentine's Day and beside the fire & the rainbow, I almost ran over a joey and we happened to drive by a colony of cockatoo's on that day. Surely, enough to take my breathe away and leave me with a brilliant otherworldly memory of Lorne.

Shirts off to Australia.

2007-02-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

Grandpa&Me

2007-02-19T15:28:00.000-08:00

Developments: high 5

2007-02-12T22:43:00.000-08:00

WORDS...Dada, mama, wa-wa (water), milk, ball, chi (cheese), bread, ice, hot, book, key, ball, crack (shrimp cracker), teeth, bed, schuss (shoes), hat, dog, cat, bird, baby, doll, up, down, vroom, beep, pain (plain), car, walk, glug-glug (drinking), mmmm (good food), uh-oh, go, no, yes, hi, hello, bye-bye. She could find her head, ears, eyes, nose, belly button, feet/toes.

She knows signs for a few other things, and will do them if you say them (or if she wants to): bath, bear, dirty, train, friend, wait, eat... many of these from the frequently-played Signing Time DVDs.

MOVEMENTS...Eloise twirls, leading with one arm; walks forwards and backwards. She dances, crouches, and raises her arms if you say: "Arms up." She points and she clenches. She flips her lower lip. She finds things and gives them to us.

OTHER STUFF...She stares. She furrows her forehead and looks at you crossly if she is irritated or confused. She asks for certain DVDs, books, toys, food. She has preferences. She blows kisess & will also give you a kiss if you ask. When she is excited she’ll babble a blue streak. For example, she has loads to say when we are at the beach. She also babbles as she reads a book on her own. She'll put her mouth into a little 'o' when she hears a loud noise or hears the computer go on, which means she could watch a DVD. We sing together, kind of harmonize our 'ahhhhhh' sounds; it's quite fun.

She loves items of values... keys, credit cards... she disassembles Ian's wallet every chance she gets, strewing a trail of business cards about the house.

great GREAT aunts recite poetry

2007-02-11T15:43:00.000-08:00

the square root of cute

2007-02-07T16:51:00.000-08:00

Bye Uncle Will, we miss you already

2007-02-07T16:46:00.000-08:00

Books

2007-02-07T16:34:00.000-08:00

Downtown Brisbane

2007-02-02T23:58:00.000-08:00

This is Eloise's clench face as we ride on the City Cat ferry on the Brisbance River.

Elizabeth Mall and Southbank

Queensland Cultural Centre, Brisbane

2007-02-02T23:37:00.000-08:00

Lone Pine Koala Santuary, Queensland

2007-02-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

Eloise pet a koala. We tried to go back for a second pet b/c she was so keen but a few older people blocked us, crowded in frongt of the docile koala.
Having loads of cherished 1:1 time with Eloise here in Brisbane. After returning home from the koala's we watched our landlady feed a pregnant water dragon.

Uncle Will meets little e

2007-01-31T22:58:00.000-08:00

delovely Adelaide

2007-01-24T21:20:00.000-08:00

Family Time

2007-01-21T15:04:00.000-08:00

Here we are remembering greatgrandmother Nell at her old church in Kew.

Samuel & Eloise in Hackham West

2007-01-21T02:21:00.000-08:00

We're so happy Eloise got to play with our friend Sue's nephew, Samuel.

12 Apostles & the Arch

2007-01-20T02:19:00.000-08:00

We Love Lorne!

2007-01-11T03:38:00.000-08:00

Play Parkin'

2007-01-07T14:48:00.000-08:00

Around Melbourne

2007-01-07T14:42:00.000-08:00

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

2007-01-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

This is inside the International section. The International and Australian sections of the Gallery are seperated by the Yarra River.

This is outside of the Australian section.

Tim & Jess

2007-01-06T01:44:00.000-08:00

Art at QDos in Lorne

2007-01-05T14:24:00.000-08:00

All artwork at QDos, Lorne.

Native Birds & Teddy's Lookout

2007-01-03T00:25:00.000-08:00

Check out Teddy's virtual Lookouts on Flickr and YouTube.

A magpie takes off as this kookaburra eats more steak than we do.

Hanging at the Beachhouse

2007-01-03T00:10:00.000-08:00

Can you spot the Koala foot?
Grandma and Eloise are building a much needed tent.

Happy Birthday Mama

2006-12-30T22:45:00.000-08:00

We went to the George River on mom's birthday. Dad ran into the sea & mom carried Eloise around because little E is not too sure about all that salt water and sand.

Cousin James showed us the Erskine Falls.

Confirmation, Australians = Adventure

2006-12-28T22:54:00.000-08:00

I have this belief that Australians are adventurous, more adventurous than, let's say Americans. Today this belief was confirmed once again. I saw a little boy climb up on top of a street sign. Then I saw a bunch of kids jumping, somersaulting in the air over trampolines built into the ground. And then a saw a tiny boy on a skateboard-scooter, bloody his knee and keep going while his mother sat smack in the middle of the skate board park!

Never been a bird watcher until Lorne

2006-12-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

A King Parrot on the deck of the beach house.
Cockatoo. We don't encourage them b/c they actually eat the house; they like munching on wood.
Here's grandpa Andrew with his sister Felicity.

Christmas in Australia

2006-12-24T21:00:00.000-08:00

Our first Christmas BBQ! Even though it's summer here in Melbourne, it still managed to hail.
Grandpa's chemistry lab is the tallest building in the background.

First earthquake

2006-12-20T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today while feeding Eloise our dining room shook. You know, I don't think Eloise really noticed. She was in my lap.

Speaking of eating. Eloise likes to eat...string cheese, goat cheese, plain whole fat yogurt, cow milk, cheerios, veggie sausage, other "fake meats", real chicken (especially roast), fried tofu, brocolli crowns, cauliflower, asparagus tip, roasted aubergine, banana, apples... and then there's the junk food: crackers, cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc. She's not 100% predictable, of course.

Looks like it was a 3.7, in Berkeley.

She does she loves

2006-12-16T09:10:00.000-08:00

She does mush food into her hair. She does give high fives. Yesterday she walked about five steps at a time; today it is about fifteen. She does say bye-bye when her coat goes on. She does break things. Gleefully. Especially things she loves... like "One Red Dot". (Thank goodness the mirror book does not break.) She does drink loads of milk in the night. She does like to deprive us of sleep and she likes a hard day's night. She loves dada, preferably in a top hat. As for mama, you can use her like a compass with mama at the North Pole. She loves dogs ("woof!") and cats ("myeeeeee!") and she loves google image searches for dogs and cats. She loves reading and music and the outdoors. She loves those mini Nori Maki rice cakes wrapped in seaweed. Scrambled eggs go down pretty well too.

play dating

2006-12-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

date playing.

First Steps

2006-12-02T20:38:00.000-08:00

Our Ella took her first steps today! This is the beginning of a new era. And the end of an old era. I almost wish I could have a bunch of different Eloise's: a new born, a crawler and a toddler.

Thanksgiving (for Sam)

2006-11-29T18:09:00.000-08:00

Hey Samer. Promised you a blog post. Here's the blog post.

I look a little nutty in this pic.

art all around

2006-11-17T08:45:00.000-08:00

This painting, Freedom of Being, and the heart painting are the work of an artist called Courageous. They're on show at Grand Lake Neighborhood Center right near Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA.

This drawing was completed by Mr. Fun, Stephen Kelly.

Dia De Los Muertos

2006-11-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Cactus pears and baby bananas from our local "All Green Produce" grocery on Foothill, then an afternoon with Bernard, Pete and Michelle at the Dia De Los Muertos festival in our neighborhood of Fruitvale, Oakland.

Pupusas, Horchada, Tacos, Calaveras, Merengue House, Caretas, Aztec dancers, Altars... ("wha...?").

Collective First Year Birthday Bash

2006-11-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

The party was hosted by James, Elizabeth and the English twins: Fran and Lila. Twelve one-year-olds, twenty-two parents: anarchy!

The last picture above is of Brad, Young-Joo and Atl (as well as Ian and Eloise). They just got back from Korea. Brad's a doctor at La Clinica in our neighborhood, Fruitvale.

hallowe'enie

2006-10-31T14:34:00.000-08:00

Neighbors Mandy, Jo and little Maya host some Hallowe'en Mayhem.
Ella (Elephant), Eliza (Code Pink) and Ian (Wiretapping Wizard)
met a pimp, a witch, their little mini-pimp, an officer of Hell P.D. and various other demons of the night.

Birthday Cones

2006-10-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

Vegan cake; no refined sugar; and good friends, Nicole and Laura.

Many others came too: Erin, Uncle Bernard, Jason & Amy...

1st year ever

2006-10-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Today is the big day. She's sleeping now as we busy ourselves making fruit salad and doing a bizillion dishes before a few close friends arrive. This past week she's stood up, balanced on two feet. She keeps saying "dog" and "woof". She said "tiger" too. When she hears a siren she'll make a high pitched yelp. She rests her head on Chi, one of our two cats. And she'll dance everytime she gets her keyboard to play 'Hard Days Night'. She statred to enjoy flipping the pages of books. And she clearly favors the book with the dog. Ian and I decided we'll wait till she's old enough to care for a dog before getting one.

Egoddess

2006-10-24T10:36:00.000-07:00

Tea Tumble

2006-10-21T21:53:00.000-07:00

Ms. Eloise. Well, she is marvelous. She "Woofs" now. She doesn't fake laugh as often. She can point to your nose, if you ask her. She loves to dance, especially to Hard Days Night. She's a Momma's girl. But that'll most likely change in time. She was saying "T" for cat but now when she sees the cats she squeals in delight. [Ian: I think she's squealing to imitate the cat's miaow. She does car alarm sirens too....] Today she crawled out of the open backyard gate and climbed a few steps. And she is still going in the potty, nearly everytime I sit her on it. Oh and this week she slept through the night a few times! She's experiencing some separation anxiety when I leave but the big pictures of her and I together helps. She is an enormous amount of fun.

Wade Joe, We love you.

2006-10-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

The Great Escape

Apple Pie Hopes

2006-10-14T15:58:00.000-07:00

You Look So Sexy When Your Shoppin'

Big People Friends from the United Kingdom

2006-10-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

toliet training

2006-10-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

Today is day number 3 of Eloise actually using the potty in the morning. The first day I was shocked. She went staright away, as if she had done this millions of times before. Anyway, I just read that usually t.t. doesn't begin until age 2 or 3. Go Ella!

artist

2006-10-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

Crawling to bed.

2006-09-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

Big Moves. Eloise amazes and delights me everyday.

Happy 11 month birthday!!

2006-09-28T20:23:00.000-07:00

does this come off?

2006-09-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

Momma Dadda

2006-09-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

Yerba Buena with Atl

2006-09-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

lost wire

2006-08-27T22:21:00.000-07:00

i am not posting as much as usual b/c i lost the cord that runs from the computer to the camera. i will remedy this situation soon.

the ordinary moments with Eloise are amazing moments. today, she was dancing, i.e. bopping up & down on her butt while wagging her arms. she continues to enjoy the Gorillaz and now we can add Nirvana to the list.

Sam's Visit

2006-08-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Oakland's mildly famous Mormon Temple

2006-07-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

It reminds me of Oz.

de Young

2006-07-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

Lake Temescal with Wade, Old Buddy

2006-07-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

Hey buddy, that's mine.

Technically speaking, that's not mine, but I'll take that off your hands.

it's all starting

2006-07-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

First she pulled herself up to the computer table, stood there for awhile and turned off the movie that was playing. That's when I sat her down with a teething buscuit. And the rest you could see for the most part, she cleared off some shelves. Not sure the camera picked up the trail of buscuit. Eloise managed to turn on the Gorillaz on the stereo and she bounced around a little. That's when I grabbed her up and we danced a few songs. Later, I wiped some buscuit off her face and she flashed me a look of scorn.

mo' teeth

2006-07-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

I heart NY

2006-07-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

"I love New York" is what our little doll's onesie says. Phoebe's mom, Sha gave us this precious cotton garb.
Down below, under my forehead shot is Chi in her sultry evening pose.

-n-more

2006-07-20T19:37:00.000-07:00

I just found out how happy-n-ecological I am compared to other Earthlings. I am happier and more ecologically minded than the avergae American but not as happy and ecologically minded as the average Earthling. This happy planet is a great site.

It promotes a shift in consciousness, values, and priorities...it promotes a transformation which can affect the planet for the better.

IS this that thing called , 'STANDING' ?

2006-07-19T13:20:00.000-07:00

lipstick red lawn & a visit from Evie

2006-07-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

a backyard bonanza (weekend in review)

2006-07-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

The cutest, ever! Yesterday, mom dragged ella-bean to the first meeting of our Oakland Moms Book Club. She had an awful time [picture not shown] but thank goodness there was another baby there to commiserate with her.

Aunty Nicole is watching Eloise eat the postcard from Grandma Jenny. Thanks G-ma Jenny for the lovely!! clothes. The extra style in the wardrobe is much appreciated.

Uncle B and Laura arrived. Uncle B provides the fun. He's in a band, Apple Pie Hopes and he is an entertaining artist. He told Ella her hair smelled like a wet dog. So we changed shampoos. And Laura, she is the best chef in the bay area. As well as being a Dancing Queen.

sad

2006-07-16T08:11:00.000-07:00

We are very sad today. Eloise's great-grandmother Ellen passed away. It is unfortunate that Eloise did not meet her. She was living in Australia. This was posted in the paper:

Tuesday July 18, 2006, The Age
HODSON,

Ellen Lesley (Nell).

27.10.1915 - 16.7.2006

Cherished and loving wife of Con (dec), loved mother of Jenny and mother-inlaw of Andrew and beloved Gran of Ian and Eliza, Tim and Will and Great-Gran of Eloise.

4 teeth, possibly 5 and a trip to SF

2006-07-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness Eloise loves Debbie's Family Daycare.

Here's Miss Ella with daddy, playing the put the paper in the mouth game.

Kissing the pope's ring

2006-07-10T21:25:00.000-07:00

Berkeley Rose Garden's children's park

2006-07-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

We went to the Rose Garden but of course we could only take pictures of Eloise.

Baboolia the Bunny has arrived !!!

2006-07-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

Thank You Grandma Jenny for the bunny. As you can see, the teddy bear got bumped temporarily. We love and miss you Jenny Holmes!

Independence Wknd

2006-07-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

We've had lots of fun this July 4. We met Brian and Echo; soon they'll be a dad and mom too. Sici had a fabulous poolparty right near Lake Merritt. We are a little nervous about the bedlum instore for this evening as Fruitvale goes wild on 7/4.

Happy 8 month Birthday!!

2006-06-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

We got to hang-out pool side with our friend Erin. The water was cool at first but ahhhh, the fun we had swimming laps.

Temescal Fair meets Uncle Blue

2006-06-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

It's easy to make friends ~ Santa Cruz, CA

2006-06-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

creatures of paradise ~ oakland, ca

2006-06-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

eloise does New Jersey ~ May 2005

2006-06-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

In the Beginning.

2006-06-26T18:37:00.000-07:00