Hot, Hot, Hot!

We Seattlites are not used to this hot weather!  Last night the thermostat in our house read that it was 86 degrees inside our house. Yikes!  With all the hot weather that we encountered this weekend, we spent our time trying to keep cool. 

On Saturday we visited View Ridge Park and checked out the wading pool. While we were waiting for the pool to fill up, Jack and Tom tried out the swings. Judging by the ear to ear grin on Jack's face, I'd say he liked swinging!  We had a nice picnic in the shade of a tree. Poor Jack got pooped on by a bird, which they say is good luck!

Once the pool had filled up we dangled Jack's tootsies in the water. It was pretty cold and Tom and I got a kick out of watching Jack spreading  his toes wide as he felt the coolness of the water.  Jack was mesmerized by the chaotic buzz of children chasing each other, splashing, and enjoying the water. He was content to just watch, and didn't seem bothered by the splashing or noise.

That night we had a barbeque with our neighbors, Ross and Alison. It felt so refreshing to sit on the patio. The light breeze (and some delicious wines that Ross brought over) kept us cool enough.

 

On Sunday we drove to the mountains to escape the heat. Jack went on his first hike around Tiger Mountain. He was perfectly content riding in the backpack on his dad's back. That is, until we took a wrong turn and ended up on a dusty road in the blazing sun!  By this time in the hike Jack was pretty tired and every time he started to fall asleep, his face would hit the front of the backpack and wake him up again.  We eventually made our way back into the shade and to the parking lot. Boy, was Jack tired!

 

Once home, we spent the rest of the day lazily in our backyard. We purchased and set up an awning, which provided some much needed shade. Tom and I got a chance to do some reading while Jack napped. Monty took full advantage of the shade that the awning provided and had himself a long rest.  Tom stopped at a great used toy store not far from our house and got Jack an Exersaucer. It is a circus theme and Jack loves it!  He spins himself around in it, devouring every toy around him. He also makes this great "roaring" noise as he plays. What a great investment!

Jack also got a chance to play in his bathtub in the backyard. It was the perfect solution for keeping him cool. He learned how to splash the water around him and had a grand ole' time doing it!  And you bet I didn't miss a moment of it on film!

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Today was Jack's first visit to the zoo. We went with Grandma Rodda and spent nearly 3 hours wandering through the exhibits looking at animals. Jack soon discovered that the vantage point from the stroller isn't very good--you mostly just see grass, so he got to come out of his stroller at several of the exhibits to see the animals. Moving animals seemed to catch Jack's attention, like the brown bear--who decided it was too hot for him and eventually went swimming in his pond right next to the glass viewing area!

Jack and Grandma also enjoyed watching the bright pink flamingos. I, too, got a kick out of the flamingos, which made me think back to my 5th and 6th grade years when I was obsessed with flamingos and palm trees.

 We couldn't believe how many strollers there were at the zoo. My stroller driving skills were truly put to the test as I attempted to maneuver Jack down the paths.

Outside of the butterfly exhibit there were some really cute picture boards--the kind where you stick your head through the hole. I couldn't resist a photo opportunity.  Jack doesn't look like he minds, in fact, I'd say he looks pretty happy to be a caterpillar!

One of the final exhibits we visited was the family farm. In this area, kids can look at all of the barnyard animals. Jack got to pet goats, see miniature donkeys, and watch sleeping pigs.  But his favorite animal of all was the cow. As we approached the pen where the cows were, one of them was mooing. Jack started giggling and everytime that cow mooed, Jack giggled!  I caught a bit of it on tape, of course!  On the video there is the actual cow mooing, and a lot of kids mooing too---Jack doesn't seem to care.

Video: Laughing Cow

What a fun day we had exploring the zoo. Thanks, Grandma Rodda, for taking us on such a fun outing!

A Family Traditions Shower for Joanna

On Sunday I co-hosted a shower with my two aunts for Joanna, my sister-to-be. It was a family traditions shower, which meant that everyone brought a family recipe to share with Joanna. We compiled the recipes into a recipe book for her. My aunts threw a similar shower for me when I got married and I have treasured those recipes. It is fun to see what recipes people chose to share, and then neat to see how they built their gift around that recipe.

Matt and Joanna's wedding is only 34 days away (thank-you weddingchannel.com for keeping track). I am so excited for the big day and am thrilled to welcome Joanna into our family.

 

Joanna loves shower games, so we took full advantage of that and played several. Probably the most interactive, though, was the Wedding Dress Design competition. We got into teams and fashioned a wedding dress out of toilet paper. Teams were so creative! 

  

The winning team is featured on the left. Don't our models look lovely in their couture wedding dresses?

Every New Beginning Comes from Some Other Beginning's End

Today's entry title is a lyric from Semisonic's 90's hit, "Closing Time". It seems like a fitting description for the task of cleaning out my classroom. I went to Highland on Friday, and then again today, to pack up my teaching materials. It was pretty incredible (and nostalgic) to sift through 7 years of files, books, and memories. Being in the same room (room 201) meant I had a lot of stuff to sort through. I tossed and recycled a good portion of the binders I had accumulated over the years. Worksheets and lessons that I really wanted I had saved electronically, so the binders have become virtually obsolete. I managed to get all of my stuff onto one cart. Jack was with me, and was content to sit in the Ergo while I packed things up. It seemed like every time I moved something to a box or the recycling bin, I was struck by a memory. Like the red polka-dotted stuffed fish (toy, not the real thing) that has hung from my television ever since my very first year of teaching. Or the purple UW hall pass that a student made for me in Shop class. I even found files from graduate school. In them I discovered my ABC's of teaching. This was an assignment that we had to do, which was supposed to get us thinking about our own teaching philosophy. Funny enough, as I read through my ABC's, which were written before I had ever stepped foot in a classroom, I found that my philosophy of teaching really hasn't changed. Here are a few of my favorites from my list:

• H is for HEART: I will put my heart into what I am teaching and those I am teaching it to
• K is for KIDS: the kids will always be my first priority; they are the reason that I teach
• O is for OPTIMISM: no matter how ugly it gets, I will always be able to find a positive quality in each child
• U is for UNCOMFORTABLE: I always want to feel a little uncomfortable in my teaching; in doing so, I am assured that I am continually pushing myself to try new strategies
• Y is for YEAR: each year is a new beginning for students and for myself

I'll admit, I shed some tears while packing up my things. I couldn't help but look to the front of the classroom and see myself that very first day of teaching when I stood in front of students trying to look my bravest, but feeling anything but that. I've come a long way from that first day, and it suddenly became very real that I was leaving the profession. Not permanently, of course, but it is hard to close this chapter of my life, especially since it has been such a rewarding one. I don't regret that I have chosen to be home; it is a decision that I am confident is right for me. And as the lyrics so perfectly say, this new beginning of being home with Jack comes from my room 201's end.

A New Trick

Grandpa Boisen was at our house on Wednesday of last week and he taught Jack a new trick. Jack now knows how to "blow raspberries", which is really just a cute way of saying that he can now blow spit bubbles. I have to admit that it is pretty stinkin' cute!  Once Grandpa showed him how, Jack hasn't stopped. He's pretty proud of himself and all the noise he can make!  We like this trick, but if Grandpa starts teaching him others (like, "pull my finger") we may have to intervene! :)

My mom took this video of Jack and his grandpa playing. Grandpa discovered how to get Jack to giggle. Towards the end of the clip, Jack gives us a little sampling of his blowing raspberry ability.

What It's All About

Last night I had the pleasure of watching students from my first year of teaching graduate from Interlake High School. I was amazed by how grown up they all looked. I guess 7 years will do that!  I went to the ceremony with two other fellow teachers, Matthew and Nyla, and we had a blast identifying past students. As there always is at any milestone celebration, there was lots of advice. But one piece stood out to me from the others. It came from the faculty speaker, who had been chosen by the seniors to speak at graduation. He said this-think of your life like a bar of soap....if you hold onto the bar too tightly or too loosely, it will shoot out of your hands. Hold onto the soap just enough and it (your life) will do what it is supposed to do. I like this analogy, and I think that it is great advice for all of us. Aren't we all holding onto the bar of soap too tightly at times?

 

After the ceremony, I got a chance to visit with many of my former students. I loved hearing about their college plans (especially those who have chosen to attend UW). They were all so grateful--and surprised--that we had come to watch their graduation.  This picture is with a couple of girls who I have kept in touch with over the years. Jaime, on the left, is going to UW next year and Katy, on the right, will be attending Western. 

 

I left the graduation ceremony feeling a renewed passion for my profession. How many times have I wondered if the day to day lessons and drudgery of teaching are making any impact. It is easy to fall prey to pessimism and say that what I do doesn't matter. Seeing all of those students walk across the stage and receive their diplomas reminded me that it all does matter. For one year, I journeyed with those students. I got to share in their triumphs and their failures. Being a teacher means I have the privilege of being a guide, a witness, and a cheerleader on a child's academic journey. How cool is that?

Yuck!

Last night we decided to try peas. As you can see from the pictures, Jack wasn't so hot on them!    The peas had a very different consistency from the rice cereal and sweet potatoes. The first bite triggered a bit of a gag reflex and we nearly had peas everywhere! Tom tried mixing the sweet potatoes and peas together, but Jack still wasn't having it!  They say that you have to introduce a food nearly 15 times before a baby likes it. I guess we'll be struggling through peas for a while.

 

Jack is also working on sitting up. Depending on his mood, he can do it. We've taken to practicing on the bed because the end result of sitting up is often taking a tumble of some sort. I'm always amazed at how flexible Jack's body is. From a sitting position, he can easily put his belly on the ground. It doesn't seem to be difficult for him at all. If I tried to do that, I'd probably end up in the hospital!

Father's Day

We were so blessed with lovely weather for Tom's first Father's Day. We woke up, had some breakfast in bed, and then saddled the family up for a big walk around the neighborhood. Around noon my parents, brother and Joanna, and my grandma came over for a BBQ. We grilled flank steak and had a delicious meal. We played a comical game of croquet--which was quite challenging in our backyard filled with many hidden holes from Monty's digging days.

 

Jack was fascinated by Matt's facial hair. He kept staring at Matt throughout the day. He felt Matt's face and broke into a smile.  Hard to fathom that someday Jack's baby-soft skin will have its own facial hair! 

First Tooth!

On Friday Jack and I were playing and I just happened to feel his gums and discovered that he is cutting his first tooth!  It is slowly making its way through his bottom gum. So far, the little guy has been taking it pretty well. Both Tom and I, while excited at this latest milestone, couldn't help but feel a little like Jack is growing up too fast. Can't we just press pause?

Neckerchiefs, Doggie Dermatologists, and Sweet Potatoes

Is it Wednesday already?  Where does the time go?

On Monday night we went to the Boy Scout Court of Honor with Tom. I jokingly said that Jack needed  to wear a Boy Scout uniform if he was going to go. Tom fixed him up with his very own neckerchief...very fashionable!  Jack was definitely a hit among the mothers of the scouts. They loved passing him from one to the other; Tom and I hardly held him the entire time we were there!

Yesterday our big outing was to take Monty to the dermatologist. Yes, I did mean to say that I took our dog to the dermatologist. Who knew they had such a thing?  Monty has extremely bad allergies and they had gotten to the point that we needed to do something.  The clinic was up in Lynnwood so I piled the gang into the car and we made our way up there. Two hours and many dollars later, they had identified Monty's allergies and we will soon begin a regiment of allergy shots. They had to sedate him to do the testing, so it was a bit of a challenge for me to juggle Jack, a very tired Monty, and all of the medications that they gave me. What a day!

Jack tried his second solid food last night, sweet potatoes. While he enjoyed the taste, they are quite a bit  more messy than the rice cereal. Somehow by the end of the meal Jack had managed to even get sweet potatoes in his hair. Instead of cleaning him up, I did what any first time mother would do....I took pictures!

   

After our big adventure yesterday, we've laid pretty low today. It actually hasn't rained, believe it or not, so we just got back from venturing out into the very gray day for a little walk. Maybe my order of sunshine is on its way?

Can we get an order of sunshine, please?

What a gross June this has been so far, weather-wise. Jack and I have been trying to make the most of it by getting creative with our outings.  On Friday, we met Megan, Emma, and Mia for a mall walk. No, it wasn't our first choice of venues to get some exercise, but it was the only way we could think of to get a walk in. Funny enough, many other moms and babies had the exact same idea. We were all like a stroller parade doing laps around Northgate Mall!

 

Jack has become increasingly more interested in Monty. These are some pictures from a play session on Saturday. Jack loves to stare at Monty and giggles incessantly whenever his big brother, Monty, licks his fingers or toes. Monty is a little tentative with Jack. He gets lots of praise for being around Jack. He isn't aggressive at all, just not quite sure what to make of Jack. I know it won't be long, though, before these two are causing trouble together!

 

On Sunday we spent the day in Kitsap visiting the grandparents and great-grandparents. We had a delicious brunch to celebrate Great-Grandma Betty's birthday.  The day actually had some sunshine in it, so we wasted no time trying to enjoy it. We played a heated game of croquet and took a stroll around the golf course. Jack was having so much fun, he hardly stopped to take a nap!

Sunday also marked Monty's 4th birthday. He didn't get to do anything out of the ordinary, which is perfectly fine for a dog who thrives on his routine. I made sure to give him an extra long birthday belly rub and ear massage.  I just had to include a puppy picture of Monty. He has really changed over the 4 years!

  

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Rodda!

Jack got to see all of his grandparents yesterday. What a treat!  In the morning Grandma and Grandpa Boisen stopped by to visit on their way over to Spokane. Jack showed off his attempts to sit up and gave them plenty of smiles to keep them happy on their road trip! 

Last night we met up with the Rodda side of the family to celebrate John's birthday. We had a fabulous dinner at Ray's Boathouse. Jack was super squirmy and tried to pick up or touch everything on the table--just what a little boy should do!

  

Rice Cereal!

 

It doesn't seem possible, but Jack is already old enough to begin solids. He has been quite interested in food for a while now, but his pediatrician really wanted him to wait until he was 6 months old before introducing solids. Jack just passed the 24-week mark, so we decided to give rice cereal a try.

Tom got the high chair all set up and strapped Jack into it. We set up the tripod and video camera, so that we could capture the whole thing on tape. Tom finally got to use the remote control feature on the video camera. He has been itching to use it ever since we got it. I mixed up the rice cereal and we were ready for the big moment.

Jack's first bite was tentative. Like everyone said he would, most of the cereal came back out of his mouth and he had a peculiar look on his face--almost like he had just eaten something sour.  It didn't take long for him to get the hang of it, and by the end of the meal, he was extending his hands toward the bowl with a mouth wide open!  Perhaps the best part of his first solid meal, though, didn't come until he went to bed. Jack ate around 6:30ish and didn't wake up again until after midnight!  He continued to sleep after that until 7:00 this morning!  This is a huge jump from the every 4 hours, or so, that he has typically waken up to eat.  Could rice cereal be the trick to sleeping through the night?  (I won't hold my breath, but maybe I'll cross my fingers.)

      

  

Another Week Gone By

I can't believe another week has already flown by and it is June!  Here's a breakdown of last week at the Rodda household:

Monday: Tom worked a short day and we enjoyed some time together that evening as a family.

Tuesday: Jack and I went to apply for a passport for Jack. We purchased our tickets to Poland and are so excited to be able to celebrate with my brother and Joanna at their wedding reception there. We will be there August 9-20, so we will get a chance to see the area and hang out for a bit.  It is going to be a long and interesting plane ride there (nearly 13 hours of total travel time) with an 8 month old, but we'll make it work!

Wednesday: As our birthday gift to Tom's mother, the whole family went to the Taproot Theater and saw Over the River and Through the Woods. It was an absolutely side-splittingly funny tale of family. I think that this is the last week it is playing, but if you have any opportunity to see this play, do it!  Jack stayed with the Greco family and, as always, he had a great time. He was sound asleep when we came to pick him up--no crying (or so Karin says).

Friday: The Greco's were gracious enough to invite us back over, even after having just taken care of Jack. We barbequed and soaked up some of that Seattle sunshine that we have been waiting so long to see.

Saturday: Our friends, the Petersen's came over for dinner. Their daughter, Maggie Rose is only three weeks older than Jack, so they enjoyed rolling around and giggling at each other. We parents, as always, were totally entertained by our children.

Sunday: We were lazy and it was wonderful!  After sleeping in, Tom made us a delicious waffle breakfast. Then we packed up the family (dog and all) and took a long walk on the Burke Gilman. We ended the evening at church where Jack made it through nearly an entire service in the sanctuary!

 

   

Is he cute, or what?