Our Little Lambs, Ivy and Lyla

Family Day

2010-11-26T21:26:00.007-06:00

Then:

and now:

Two years ago Ivy was placed in our arms and today we celebrated our 2nd anniversary of becoming a family. We had a quiet, close day at home and Ivy was always within an arm's reach of one of us. We spent time reflecting on the past two years and envisioning our future. We also spent a lot of time playing, dancing, picking up toys, soothing our little girl's cough and going through the routines of our fairly predictable days. These routines are now second nature to us, but at one time they seemed complicated and mysterious. I often forget to recognize the magnitude of our basic daily rituals and I cherish this day, our Family Day, for reminding me that great love and miracles exist within each and every day.

Eight months old

2010-11-14T19:25:00.003-06:00

Lyla turns 8 months old today. She's always in our minds & hearts and today we sent extra-loving thoughts across the continent and ocean that, for this short time, separate us. We're preparing special spaces in our home that we hope will provide restful and nourishing places for her in the early days that she's home, spaces that she will grow into as our family grows and evolves through our many years together.

It's been a while... and some news

2010-11-05T19:30:00.008-05:00

I took a long break from blogging this summer. Kevin, Ivy and I enjoyed the season and we have wonderful memories of time spent with family and friends. We also spent time thinking about our family and realized that if we're having so much fun with one little girl that, well, we'd double our joy by adding another child to our family! We're thrilled to announce that we're adopting again and we're officially waiting for our second daughter, Lyla Willow, to join us in Madison. Like Ivy, Lyla was born in South Korea and she is now nearly 8 months old. We don't know when her passport and visas will be secured, but we hope to have her in our arms very soon. We'll keep everyone appropriately informed of the exciting turns of events in our family's life and we appreciate everyone sending positive, loving thoughts out into the universe, thoughts of Lyla with her forever family in her forever, loving, home.

I'm going to keep blogging here for a while, but I'm also planning another project that combines my family's stories with my professional passions. Stay tuned for many, many, more exciting adventures, fellow travelers!

A hair-raising experience. . .

2010-06-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

. . . nothing serious, folks! Just static electricity on the slide at the park!

Click on this image to get a better view of the hair standing on end!

Raising a strong girl . . .

2010-06-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

Ivy can raise herself off the ground! Someday, I know, my daughter will fly . . .

Mother and Daughter

2010-05-28T15:18:00.003-05:00

Just a few images of my lovely girls. Here's wishing everyone time to be close with those who are important to you!

Like sands through the hourglass. . .

2010-05-10T20:28:00.009-05:00

Why is this little girl so happy? She just helped build a sandbox!

She's quite handy with tools. . .

Raise high the roofbeams, carpenters!

She wanted to decorate the box to make it her own. . .

Intent on her designs. . .

Juice break!

The building team posing with their handiwork.

Before adding the sand, we commemorated the day -- Mother's Day (we hope you all had a wonderful one!). Note Ivy's own marks: "I V"

The sand is in place -- let the fun begin!

Wow, wow, wow, wow!

Decorating a sand cake.

Hm. . . does it taste as good as it looks?

Spring in the park

2010-03-30T20:17:00.002-05:00

Spring is here and we've returned to the park across the street from our house. Check out the sunshine in Ivy's hair. Here's wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Two years old!

2010-03-06T19:54:00.004-06:00

Happy birthday, Dear Ivy! We're all recovering from colds, so we had a mellow celebration for Ivy's 2nd birthday. We went to Monty's Blue Plate Diner where Ivy ordered pancakes, HAM and milk for her birthday meal. She was especially thrilled when her milk arrived in a cup with a straw. Straws, pancakes and apple pie. Is there any better way to celebrate one's 2nd birthday?

Happy Korean New Year!

2010-02-20T20:04:00.003-06:00

Ivy rang in the Year of the Tiger with happy twirls and dances. We've been celebrating the Lunar New Year all week long and look forward to celebrating this special holiday for many years to come.

행복한 새해 보내세요!
Hang- bok-han sae-hae bo-nae-se-sae-yo!

More resolutions

2010-01-26T17:15:00.000-06:00

Resolution #3:

Spend more time with good friends.

We've recently met up with our friends, Natalie and her big brother, Andrew, and baby brother Daniel, and our friend, Holden, at the Kids in the Rotunda programs at the Overture Center on State Street in Madison. I managed to catch a photo of the girls playing together but the boys were too fast to be photographed and, let's face it, I feel a little silly fumbling with my point & shoot camera whenever Holden's dad is around because he's a super-duper professional photographer whose camera is worth more than our Honda.

We like the idea of all of these great kids growing up with one another. Ivy and Natalie are very close in age and are becoming good friends. I think that they'll begin borrowing fancy hair ribbons from each other very, very soon.

Resolutions, cont.

2010-01-24T19:10:00.003-06:00

Resolution #2:

Catch up on some reading.

New Year Resolutions

2010-01-01T19:37:00.004-06:00

Resolution #1:
do more yoga.

Happy New Year, Friends!

xoxo & Namaste,

Agile Ivy

One fine-dressed year

2009-12-31T14:16:00.006-06:00

One year ago, December 2008:

Then: wearing a dress that I wore on my very first Christmas and standing, thanks to some help from Daddy. See that darling white edging on the dress? That's hand-tatted lace, made by Ivy's great-grandma to adorn this red corduroy dress that Ivy's grandma (aka, my MOM) made for me when I was a baby.

Now, December 2009:

Today: wearing an outfit that friends sent last December and Ivy is standing (and walking, dancing, running, jumping, etc.) all on her own -- this dress used to drag on the floor and I thought that she'd never be tall enough to wear it, but now, 12 months and 12 inches later, it's a tunic top. Ivy and I both love this outfit and she's going to wear it as often as possible before she outgrows it.

Christmas in review

2009-12-26T14:10:00.008-06:00

We've had a wonderful week of Christmas Joy. We started celebrating last weekend at Grandma & Grandpa B.'s house in Cochrane and we're still ringing in the season with treats and special times at home in Madison. Santa received our letter, telling him that we prefer creating special holiday memories with family and friends to an influx of material things, and our Christmas was simply lovely, elegant and calm.

That said, we discovered that rounds of races in an antique rocking horse helps burn up some of the energy that simmers during the season. This is particularly useful after we've been cooped up in the house for days on end.

We also learned that ringing a brass singing bowl after breakfast on Christmas Eve catches the attention of eight flying reindeer and their jolly driver:

While our Christmas was simple, it was far from empty. Santa brought a wonderful little wooden kitchen that Ivy absolutely loves. Both sets of grandparents helped furnish the kitchen with necessary foodstuffs and crucial utensils:

An important part of the holidays is the post gift-opening clean-up. Fortunately, Ivy is on top of this task.

And, of course, our favorite memories are of the times we spent with one another. We're all on vacation for another week and look forward to reading many books to each another, cooking warm meals in our small and large kitchens, and spending more time with family and friends.

**Some of you may have noticed the red and white hat that Ivy wears in most of the photos taken this month. She LOVES this hat and asks to wear it every morning after she wakes up. We think that she looks like a precious little elf and seeing her in this hat fills my heart with Christmas cheer. I just might let her wear it all year long -- we could call it a firecracker hat in July, right?

Season's Greetings!

2009-12-23T15:43:00.002-06:00

Happy holidays from Santa's most adorable little helper (and her parents). The three of us send all our love and wishes for a safe, healthy and happy Christmas.

Snow Day!

2009-12-09T09:39:00.003-06:00

And since we've no place to go. . .

. . . let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

At the farm

2009-12-01T14:36:00.007-06:00

Ivy adores farm animals and especially loves sheep. We recently enjoyed a late-autumn drive and stopped at a picturesque sheep and poultry farm, the Rainbow Fleece Farm, near New Glarus, WI. I'm a knitter, spinner and occasional crocheter and have purchased a lot of fiber from this lovely farm.

In addition to early-Beatles tunes, Ivy's favorite song is Baa Baa Black Sheep. Here she is, wearing a wooly sweater that I designed & made for my niece when she was a baby, discovering sheep in the meadows of Green County:

We visited the farm on the weekend before Thanksgiving and Ivy was very excited to see actual turkeys. She communicated with them in their own language and proudly told the farmers and other shoppers that turkeys say, "gobble-gobble."

Ah, to be 20-months old, 31-inches tall, and nestled in sun-warmed fleeces on a glorious November day:

When we returned home we drew pictures and wrote stories about our adventures on the farm:

We look forward to visiting the farm next spring to see the newborn lambs; Ivy will be a big two-year old girl next spring and will have so much more to see and experience.

Family Day

2009-11-27T14:56:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, was our Family Day. November 26 was the first anniversary of our becoming a family.

One year ago Ivy was placed in our arms and now I cannot imagine a time when the three of us were not together. There are so many things to be thankful for this year -- for family and friends who helped us find our family feet, for our colleagues who daily encourage us and who keep us laughing, and to the universe for helping the three of us find one another. I am most thankful for our daughter, who continues to guide us and who teaches us the true and honest definitions of love.

Thank you, Ivy, for being our little girl. Thank you for your good nature, for your creativity, for your curiosity, and for your loving, trusting spirit.

Grandma & Grandpa Apple

2009-11-22T20:43:00.008-06:00

Ivy is blessed with two sets of grandparents who love her very, very much. We Skype with the Virginia Grandparents every Monday night and try to visit the Wisconsin Grandparents as often as possible.

We made the trek to the western WI earlier this month to partake of the annual Lyster Lutefisk Supper at Ivy's great-great grandparents' little white church in the valley. Ivy didn't eat any lutefisk (and neither did her mother), but she loved her first taste of lefse and meatballs.

Ivy read to Grandma B. on the drive back from the little white church in the valley. A good book helps everyone forget the aroma of lutefisk.

Ivy loves the apple trees in her WI grandparents' backyard. Because of this, she calls them "Grandma and Grandpa Apple." Last week her Apple Grandparents spent a few days with us and they took care of Ivy while Markie was out of town. Ivy is smitten with Grandpa Apple -- he plays his guitar on her command, feeds her all of his own breakfast, and doesn't seem to mind when she jumps on his belly while he's napping on the couch.

Anniversary of THE CALL

2009-11-20T20:07:00.007-06:00

One year ago today Kevin and I received the Phone Call that changed our lives.

On Thursday, November 20, 2008, I was at the Monona Public Library at an all-day workshop, one that I had planned and presented at earlier in the day. Lunch had just ended and the afternoon session had just begun -- I was standing next to my friends & colleagues, Jean A. and Anne H., when Kevin called to tell me that not only was Ivy coming home, but that she was being escorted to the Detroit airport in mere days. My friends literally held me up as I spoke to Kevin (who was being held up by his own colleagues across town) and when I got off the phone Jean looked at me and said, "Go call your mom. Now."

So what does this photo have to do with today's special anniversary? The night before we received The Call I spent the evening with a creative friend who surprised me with a gift of lovely hand-dyed balls of fabric. (Earlier in the year I had casually mentioned that I wanted to make a rug for my study; my lovely friend dyed thrifted sheets, cut the fabric into strips, rolled them into balls and presented them to me in a beautiful repurposed basmati rice bag.) I crocheted an old-fashioned rug for my study and every time I see it, which is about 3 dozen times a day, I think about how our family and friends supported us, held us up, and kept us sane during those months of waiting. Thank you to our community, to the far-flung as well as those across the alley, who have helped us nurture our little family. Ivy is growing up surrounded by loving, supportive Ones.

Honeybeatle

2009-11-02T19:30:00.000-06:00

Ivy **loves** the Beatles. She listens to her favorite Beatles compilation cd, the one that her daddy (and fellow Beatles fan) made for her, at least three times a day.

Not only does she know that a cow says moo and a sheep says baa, but she also knows that the Beatles say, "yeah, yeah, yeah." She's been singing and dancing to She Loves You for quite some time and put on a really great show on Halloween night. Here's a video of her grooving to the music and trying out her new big girl shoes after our adventures on Halloween night. At 2+ minutes it's one of the longer videos that we've posted, but I just couldn't bear to edit out any adorable bits.

Busy as a bee this Halloween

2009-10-31T21:08:00.003-05:00

Buzz-Buzz. . . Happy Halloween!

Since Ivy spends her mornings with Markie, a honeybee keeper, we thought that a bee Halloween costume was a perfect one for our little girl who already shows a keen appreciation for helper insects.

We had a great time getting ready for our family's first Halloween. The first order of business was to don a pair of sweats and do some serious pumpkin shopping:

then, this morning we rose at dawn and scooped & carved our lovely pumpkins.

Daddy is a creative genius and designed and carved our pumpkins -- they perfectly represent our current state of toddler joy:

After participating in a neighborhood Halloween parade, Ivy buzzed around the neighborhood and discovered CANDY. Here she is tasting a candy bar for the very first time. (Seriously! Up until today we've allowed her to have cookies and grandma's baked goods as special treats, but we've stayed away from candy.) Notice how she's signing for "more" in this photo:

Throughout the day I kept remembering how I felt one year ago when we were waiting for the call telling us that Ivy was ready to come home. Our families and colleague-friends were so supportive and helped relieve the constant anxiety through their support, good nature and humor. Ivy's nurturing hive is a happy, humming, and often hilarious one.

Just in time for Halloween!

2009-10-26T20:14:00.003-05:00

The Amazing Ivini is here to astound you with her burgeoning magic abilities!

Happy Halloween!

Kiss & Tell

2009-10-21T15:31:00.004-05:00

Ivy shows signs of becoming an astute director, cinematographer and actor. Please notice how she adeptly moves from her work behind the camera to a starring role in this brilliant little movie. I'm especially impressed with the stellar dialogue, smooth camera work and and realistic set design. We call this film, Kiss and Tell, (starring Ivy and Mama, with production assistance from K-Daddy):

How could I NOT be proud of this video?!

afternoon artists

2009-10-17T19:33:00.006-05:00

The weather is colder and we're spending more time indoors. While Ivy and I love being outside and we miss playing in the late afternoon sun, we also treasure being inside where we make family memories in our home. One of the activities that Ivy and I do nearly every day is pull out a large tablet of newsprint and our box of crayons. We love playing with color, making bold marks on our paper and drawing the everyday objects that make up our lives.

The moments that we create with one another is sacred, mother-father-daughter time -- writing, drawing, painting and creating have always been important parts of our lives and Kevin and I hope that Ivy will associate happy, creative times with hours spent with her mom and dad.

In Daddy's arms

2009-10-12T15:04:00.005-05:00

We recently celebrated K-Daddy's birthday. Last year the two of us spent his birthday talking about Ivy, hoping that she would soon be home, and imagining how it would feel to hold her in our arms. Now we can't imagine a time in our lives when we didn't know what it feels like to snuggle with her or comfortably carry her about on our backs and shoulders:

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Seasonal shift

2009-10-09T19:52:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago we packed away the summer clothes and dug out jackets, hats and sweaters. The forecast calls for frost and Mama calls for lots of snuggling. We're trying to spend as much time outside as possible before the snow flies -- and it's flying our way, whether we're ready for it or not.

A Virus Among Us

2009-09-30T09:10:00.007-05:00

It began its life as a little sniffle on Tuesday afternoon and quickly blossomed into a full blown cold later that evening. Ivy has a nasty cold and none of us got very much sleep last night. We're all lying low today and are trying to keep Ivy as cozy as possible. We plan on having lots of quiet time today and intend to spend our day wrapped in blankets:

and reading some favorite books:

Drink your orange juice! Get lots of rest! Don't put your hands in your mouth after you play with the Lego table at your public library!

Yay! It's Saturday!

2009-09-26T21:50:00.006-05:00

Yippeeeee!!! It's the weekend! Let's all jump up and down!

Earlier today we met up with Markie and her grandchildren (who are some of Ivy's best friends) for Rock Star Gomeroke, in which kids sing their favorite songs and they're backed up by a great Madison band, The Gomers. All of our kids had a great afternoon and a highlight of the day was when the adults in the audience gave a standing ovation to an eight-year-old boy, whose awesome rendition of Livin' on a Prayer tore the place APART. Bon Jovi, you better watch your backs, Cole from Madison has memorized your song and has a hunger for fame. We want Cousin Finnian to join us for the next concert so he can finally debut some of his favorite Tom Waits songs.

Ivy's got rhythm and loves to rock out to all kinds of music, especially when Daddy is her backup singer.

Another anniversary

2009-09-12T19:25:00.005-05:00

September is a month full of anniversaries, birthdays and special celebrations.

Ten years ago - September 12, 1999:

on the shores of Seneca Lake, New York - that's our dear friend, Kirk, serenading us minutes after we exchanged our marriage vows.

One year ago - September 12, 2008

our first family portrait.

Today - September 12, 2009:

walnut burgers, a grilled cheese sandwich and Spotted Cow (for the adults) at the Harmony Tavern in the middle of the afternoon. I can't imagine a better way to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.

Referral anniversary

2009-09-08T20:19:00.005-05:00

One year ago today we received the phone call that changed our lives. On September 8, 2008, we received our referral for our baby girl and the past year has been a glorious one. We actually didn't have photos of Ivy until September 11 and, when the pictures finally arrived at our adoption agency, this is the first image we saw of our daughter:

I remember simultaneously laughing and crying as I studied each precious referral photo for the first time; these photos became our only link to our daughter during those months of waiting and we memorized every detail of Ivy's face and every fold of her yummy baby legs; we inferred her moods and dreamed of how it would feel to hold her in our arms.

Ivy has grown so much since these referral pictures were taken. We now know how it feels to hold her in our arms, we know the sound of her voice, and we know what makes her feel happy and content.

Our little girl is happy and silly and full of love. She is our light.

Thank you, Half-Pint sale planners!

2009-09-06T21:30:00.007-05:00

For the past couple of years two Madison moms have organized a semi-annual consignment sale of gently used children's clothing and other essentials for kids. This year the Half-Pint sale will be held in our own neighborhood the weekend of September 18 - 19.

In mid-August I read some publicity on the Half-Pint sale's blog that caught my attention. Expectant parents were encouraged to enter their names in a drawing and the winner receives a free maternity shirt. No big whoop. . . but. . . what if one is expecting through adoption? I wrote an e-mail to the planners and described the joys of expecting through adoption and asked them to include expecting adoptive parents in future promotions. Within hours I received a very kind e-mail in which a lovely woman named Ellen told me that they simply had a bunch of black maternity shirts that they were trying to distribute and that they certainly want to celebrate all families and our celebrations & expectations!

I'm pleased to announce that a few days ago I received updated publicity about a contest for adoptive parents (enter your name in a drawing and win a onesie for a baby or a t-shirt for an older child). I'm thrilled that my message was well-received and I hope that this is a positive example for other organizations that work with families. Winning a t-shirt isn't a big deal, but recognizing the many ways in which families are created is.

I know that many families read our blog. Please let all expectant parents know about the Half-Pint Sale and the fun events that the hard-working planners have in store for everyone.

Hooray for all of us!

18 Months Old

2009-09-03T21:01:00.004-05:00

Ivy turns 18 months old today. She continually amazes us with new words and insights and I learn so much from her. She teaches me to be patient and, above all, happy and joyful

We've been celebrating Ivy's 18 months for the past few days. One of the best ways to celebrate is by getting up early on Sunday mornings and swinging like a big girl on the swings at the Yahara Place Park. A year ago Ivy's Tia Lisa was here and we walked through this very same park on a foggy September night; mounted police officers silently emerged from the mist, exercising their horses and setting the tone for a magical weekend that we shared with a beloved friend. And, BTW, Lisa gave Ivy the sweet striped dress, er, tunic, that she's wearing in these photos.

Ivy and I spent the afternoon with crackers and crayons. We have luscious beeswax block crayons and I must admit that we were more interested in smelling these crayons than creating masterpieces with them.

Our girl is getting so big. I often have to look at photos from last winter to see how much she's grown and to realize how far we've come as a family.

Radiance

2009-08-31T20:24:00.004-05:00

O.K., guys, I've examined all of the radiators and we're ready for the change of season. Are there any other winterization chores that we need to address? Oh, we need to set a warm cat bed under my block table? Task completed - consider it done and done.

We hope that everyone is enjoying these final days of summer. And we're sending special Happy First Day of School wishes to Ivy's cousins in LaCrosse. Adalia and Finnian are experienced pros when it comes to first days of school.

March of the penguins + Ivy

2009-08-29T13:18:00.003-05:00

Penguin incognito. . .

Can you find a silly penguin?

And a serious one?

Back to the garden

2009-08-26T21:32:00.005-05:00

I'll be right in, Mom. I just need a few more minutes in the garden. We've got some creeping Charlie that I'd like to dig up before lunch. Keep my scrambled eggs warm, `kay?

Hey, Dad - would you please bring me a glass of lemonade?

Just chilling out

2009-08-21T19:23:00.005-05:00

So, what's a family to do when vacation falls during a rare cool and rainy week in August?

Snuggle. Lots and lots of snugglin'.

A summer visit

2009-08-20T09:56:00.009-05:00

We spent a few vacation days at Grandma & Grandpa B's house. They have a very rare tree in their backyard in which Winnie the Pooh & friends have built a wee house at the base of the trunk. The first thing we do at each visit is check Pooh's tree for messages and special treasures.

After Ivy checked in on Winnie the Pooh she picked apples with her grandma and daddy:

Grandma made delicious apple pie and homemade applesauce moments after we picked these apples! We could still taste the late-summer sun.

Ivy's Aunt Kersten, Uncle Jim and cousin-friends, Finnian & Adalia, joined us for a scrumptious summertime dinner. And so did my very own cousin-friend, Jo. All the girl cousins had a great time together and Finnian entertained everyone with his hilarious pickle jokes.

The next day Ivy and Grandpa made some beautiful music together. Ivy loves to sit on my lap and practice her own style of picking and strumming while I play chords on my guitar, so she needed to show Grandpa all her new skills. She rocks our world.

Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa, for a wonderful time!

A Day in the Life

2009-08-17T09:37:00.006-05:00

Have you ever had a perfect day in which you found complete bliss in all things comfortable and familiar? Yesterday was one of those days. I love slow, easy, late-summer Sundays and yesterday we started our day with breakfast at Manna Cafe, where we ran into our friend Phyllis. Ivy showed Phyllis many of her tricks and then we drove a mile north up Sherman Ave. to the Northside Farmers Market (even though we live in a city with what many consider the best & largest farmers market in the country, we prefer the smaller Northside and Eastside markets). Ivy helped us pick out eggplants and peppers and charmed the farmers with her animal sounds.

Ivy woke up from her afternoon nap and played with her daddy while I made a lovely and luscious ratatouille. (The recipe comes from the book, A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg - check out the recipe for Roasted Eggplant Ratatouille on page 124 and please tell me that this is the best ratatouille that you've ever made and eaten, too.) Ivy is a great eater and gobbled up every last spoonful of her ratatouille and chunks of baguette. She also presented us with signs that she's going to be a great cook and helper in the kitchen.

After dinner we sprawled in the living room and, after a few moments of angelic rest, Ivy ditched the halo . . .

. . . and attempted a swan dive from the loveseat.

Our day was a perfect one and we all went to bed early and content. Kevin and I are on vacation this week and we look forward to many more moments of family bliss.

Good Mornin'!

2009-08-13T10:19:00.007-05:00

Markie is with her sisters at a family reunion today, so I'm taking a few hours off and spending the morning with my little girl. Ivy and I had a gals' breakfast with our great friend, Annie, and her awesome mom (and top-notch teacher), Kerry. Annie is an amazing friend to Ivy and we are so lucky that she and her mom and dad live just across the alley from us. And... we were especially lucky last December when Annie's parents continually fed us during our first weeks as a family! Annie teaches Ivy so many things and points out the natural beauty all around us on our summertime walks through the neighborhood. Annie's parents celebrate the Driftless region of WI, the part of the state I call home, and knowing that we're both River Rats makes me feel very connected to this special girl.

Today the 4 of us had breakfast at a favorite neighborhood hangout, The Iron Works Cafe. Ivy gobbled up a bunch of scrambled eggs & zucchini and tasted the raspberry sauce from Annie's French toast before her morning sleepies set in. Getting together with girlfriends was a great way to start our day and now Ivy's enjoying a sweet mid-morning nap.

Animal Farm

2009-08-10T19:47:00.000-05:00

It was a hot day and Mama was away at a conference -- the first time ever away from Ivy for more than eight hours at a time -- so we were going casual (shirtless), since normally The Girl is dressed to the nines. Listen in as we discuss the sounds some animals make, and don't miss a very clear and unprompted "Mama!" (something that made Mama very happy to see on film when she returned home). In the background, Grandpa makes some sweet sounds on his guitar.

Chew on this!

2009-08-08T19:24:00.003-05:00

The first corn of summer!

. . . and I'm so glad I have teeth!

Happy Birthday, Dear Cousins!

2009-07-22T13:54:00.002-05:00

Ivy sends happy birthday greetings to her cousins, both of whom celebrate their birthdays today! She looks forward to many years of matching outfits and shared adventures. We love you, Mr. Six and Miss Four!!

Our Happy Adoption Day!

2009-07-05T13:55:00.009-05:00

Ivy's adoption was finalized on Wednesday, July 1st. We've been an authentic family since the minute we took her into our arms on November 26, but the finalization hearing officially puts our names on Ivy's birth certificate and grants American citizenship. (This is a simplified explanation of the process.)

I've been focused on being a mom to our 16-month-old toddler and really didn't spend a lot of time pondering the significance of the hearing, so I was surprised at the tears of happiness that welled in my eyes as Kevin, Ivy and I sat down in the courtroom with my parents, sister, nephew, niece and Tantes Kimi & Mimi. I was glad that they were all with us on our special day. Ivy happily played with my necklace throughout the 10-minute hearing.

Judge Ebert finalized our friend Natalie's adoption in April and we were glad that we were assigned to him, too. July 1st was his last day serving as a Dane County judge before his retirement and he was thrilled to spend some of his morning with us. He gave Ivy a giant teddy bear that she absolutely adores.

July 1st is an important day; not only is it Ivy's adoption day, but it's also my parents' wedding anniversary and Tante Kimi's birthday. We gathered up our dear ones and enjoyed a celebratory lunch at our house after the hearing. There was so much to celebrate and my sister surprised us with lovely little handmade dolls that look like our family. Readers of previous blog postings might recognize the clothes that the artist painted on each doll.

To our great joy, we're an official forever family.

Thank you to everyone for all the support and love you've given us these past 14 months.

T-Ball Catcher

2009-06-25T21:51:00.009-05:00

Ivy surprised us and has begun reading the titles on her freshman summer reading list a bit early. Apparently, she plans on starting The Member of the Wedding sometime next week.

Oh, mother, I see you standing there before me offering quartered grapes and wilting on this sultry summer's day. "Don't sit down! Let me drink you in first."

This guy is AWESOME. When does his next book come out?

Lakeside dancing

2009-06-17T20:18:00.007-05:00

Summer is finally here in Madison. For the next 3 months there are monthly outdoor music festivals in our neighborhood and last weekend we kicked off this joyous season with the Riverfront Festival. Ivy loved kicking up her feet and showed the stroller set that she has incredible sense of rhythm.

When she wasn't focused on her solo performances, she danced in the shade of lakeshore cottonwoods with her daddy. . .

. . . and waved at the all-girl Zydeco band while dancing in the blazing sun with her mommy.

We're looking forward to shakin' our booties all summer long and to continually introducing Ivy to the ways of the East Side.

Bubbler

2009-06-15T21:08:00.005-05:00

This is totally hilarious...

but how can we make it stop?

A few moments of quiet reading

2009-05-31T22:57:00.008-05:00

I've worked with children and families for my entire professional career and have written dozens of grants that help public libraries strengthen their early and family literacy programs. I live and breathe early literacy and I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time:

We have a tiny reader in our house! Ivy reaches for her books first thing in the morning and crawls into our laps many times during the day with her favorite titles. Repeated readings of Planting a Rainbow and The Very Hungry Caterpillar with her warm head tucked under my chin are moments of pure bliss. She makes her librarian parents very, very proud.

From Virginia to Wisconsin

2009-05-29T20:40:00.004-05:00

Ivy finally met Grandma Pauline, Grandpa Frank and Aunt Christine. Ivy's now richer by one red wagon, a child-size bench, water toys for the backyard and an ever-widening circle of love.

Here she is with Grandpa Frank on the first day of their visit:

Here she is with Aunt Christine at the World's Largest Brat(wurst) Fest:

And here's a touching moment with Grandma Pauline:

We're so glad that they made the trip to Wisconsin and we're very grateful for all the love they gave to Ivy. Thanks for everything, guys!

Happy Birthday, Grandpa Frank!

2009-05-24T09:51:00.003-05:00

First I'll wrap you around my little finger and then I'll whisper sweet baby secrets into your ear:

Thanks for making the trip from Virginia to Wisconsin - I'm so happy to be with you on your 29th birthday!

On this day, May Twentieth

2009-05-20T20:41:00.002-05:00

Exactly one year ago today, Kevin and I met with our adoption agency for the very first time:

Exactly six months ago today, Kevin and I received our travel call, telling us that Ivy was ready to fly home to Madison:

Exactly Today:

Oh, Happy Day.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa B.!

2009-05-18T14:31:00.002-05:00

Thanks for knowing how to always make me smile.

(And thank you for always having noisy tic-tacs in your shirt pocket. Someday mommy will let me eat them with you.)

Weekend celebrations

2009-05-03T19:49:00.013-05:00

This weekend was a celebratory one. Today is Ivy's 14-month birthday and she wore a fancy sun hat, a spring dress and her sweetest smiles.

Another birthday was observed in South Korea this weekend. Korean Buddhists marked the birth of Buddha on May 2nd. The festivities in Seoul were spectacular as thousands flocked to the streets for nighttime parades; here in Madison the three of us reveled at home in our greening backyard -- the blue sky our dome, the afternoon sun our temple bell and Ivy our baby bodhisattva.

We all come together as one, singing and dancing under a shower of pink lotus petals.

Lacking lotus flowers in our Madison garden, we painted them on scraps of fabric, made a garland and hung our cheery lotus flags on our pergola where they fluttered in the breeze all afternoon. Ivy liked watching them during our Buddha's Birthday picnic on the grass.

Afterwards we relaxed on the deck in the shade of our sun umbrella . . .

. . . laughing and finding joy on this enlightened day.

We hope that you've all had a peaceful weekend.

First we walk. . .

2009-04-25T20:11:00.006-05:00

. . . then we boogie

K-Daddy was out of town for an entire 30 hours last weekend. I was a little concerned about my first solo-parenting gig, but I didn't have to worry for long because my sister, niece and nephew spent the night with Ivy and me. We all had a blast and we ended the sister/cousin sleepover on a high note at a kids' disco at the Great Dane brew pub.

We started dancing at 11 am and didn't stop until nearly 2 pm! The event called for our most awesome 80s outfits, as evidenced by my totally new waver nephew:

My niece is a total rocker and said, "I knew that the disco was going to be fun, but I didn't know it was going to be SUPER FUN!"

And Ivy boogied herself right to sleep:

Here's a gnarly music video that we made of the dancing cousins. My nephew has a bass player's stance & attitude and the next time anyone needs a pick-me-up all one has to do is watch my niece's joyful dancing. Ivy loved bopping to the music and eating as many complimentary cheddar bunnies as she was able to charm from the brew pub staff.

We have lift-off!

2009-04-23T21:08:00.015-05:00

"That's one small step for Ivy and one giant leap for Ivy-kind."

(Cue soundtrack to 2001 Space Odyssey:)

Happy Earth Day

2009-04-22T19:41:00.007-05:00

The weather was beautiful on this Earth Day and we spent a lot of time outside. My favorite time of the day was after dinner, when the three of us went into the backyard and basked in the late afternoon sunshine.

Ivy explored the gardens and discovered all the new growth, budding trees and garden ornaments that survived the winter.

We sat on the deck with our own little Drop of Golden Sun. I gathered fallen wisteria seeds that I hope to germinate and transfer to the garden later this summer while Ivy and Kevin played with a slinky that I picked up at a meeting last week. It was a perfect, beautiful way to end the day.

I've always loved Earth Day and it holds a special, sacred place in my heart; my grandpa Ottmar passed away on Earth Day in 1988, which I think is fitting for a man who spent his life on the Mississippi River. I thought of him today and smiled when I realized how much he would have enjoyed his youngest great-grandchild. I think that they would have been very good friends.

(A special note to my knitter friends - in honor of Earth Day, Ivy is wearing a dress that I knitted for her! It's a little too big and I have some ideas for altering the pattern when I make it the next time.)

Swing Dancing

2009-04-20T22:09:00.010-05:00

How do you like to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

Ever a child can do

The Swing, R.L. Stevenson

We have the pleasantest park in our neighborhood. It's nestled in a slight dale just across the street from our house and Kevin, Markie and I take Ivy there as often as possible. She loves the swings, the green plastic tunnel that connects an elevated platform to a slide and the little pebbles that serve as a cushion beneath all the playground equipment. The gravel is the perfect size for her little hands and wee mouth and so far I think that I've deterred Ivy every time she's attempted to slide a pebble into her mouth.

There is nothing like early spring days or the first swing of the season:

Ivy and her peeps

2009-04-13T22:00:00.004-05:00

The Easter Bunny wasn't the only creature who celebrated spring by jumping about and leaving chocolate in his wake this weekend:

Ivy had a great time with her cousins at Grandma & Grandpa B's house. Our holiday weekend began with a road trip with our silly baby who is happy to finally be in a forward-facing car seat:

Peek-a-boo is an awesome game.

Grandma surprised everyone with matching dresses for the girl cousins and a corresponding vest for Mr. Kindergarten. They were the sharpest dressed kids in Western WI and we snapped about 5000 photos of them in their matching attire.

Ivy loved finding eggs and put every one right into her mouth:

Ivy is so lucky to have patient cousins who never seem to mind when she invades their personal space:

Our day was filled with chocolate, polka-dots and basket-loads of happiness. Thanks to my mom and dad for creating another memorable holiday for all of us!

Generational Garb

2009-04-07T19:14:00.012-05:00

Once upon a time, when K-Daddy was a little boy (if you can believe he ever was), his grandma knitted him a little outfit. Here are a few photos from that time, so very long ago (just to prove he was indeed a little boy once).

Recently a package arrived from K-Daddy's parents, and among all the great gifts for Ivy was the little knitted outfit. Of course we had to try it on Ivy, and here are some images of Ivy wearing something from her great-grandma. Warm and snug on a chilly Spring day! Thanks Grandma Pauline, Grandpa Frank, and Auntie Christine!

enfant prodige

2009-03-30T20:01:00.005-05:00

A checklist for baby mimes in training:

Black turtleneck - check

Black leggings - check

Soft-soled (adorable) shoes - check

and . . .

Gold bracelet - check

Whoa - check out how Ivy is practicing her "pressing-against-an-invisible-wall" routine. With all the toddling steps she's been taking lately, she'll soon be be tugging on an invisible kite and bracing herself against an invisible wind entirely on her own two feet.

Beautiful Baby, part 1

2009-03-23T19:34:00.010-05:00

Last weekend we celebrated Ivy's homecoming and first birthday with an open house for family, friends and neighbors. Ivy calmly handled being the center of attention and received everyone's love and good wishes with grace and good cheer. She wore her hanbok for part of the day, specifically for our toljabee ceremony. This is a traditional Korean first birthday ceremony in which a number of items are laid out on a table in front of a child and the first objects she chooses represent her future skills and talents. We adapted this ceremony and chose items from our home that represent our own lives. These are the items we presented to Ivy for her toljabee:

Books (Global Babies and Sweater) and a pencil - successful scholarship
Yarn spun by Ivy's mom - long life
Money - wealth
Ivy's great-grandpa's carpenter's ruler and knitting needles made by Ivy's grandpa - skilled with her hands
Wooden spoon - enjoys cooking and welcoming friends to her table
Paintbrush - artistic abilities
Harmonica - musical talents

We placed Ivy on Kevin's lap for the ceremony and then the excitement began. After lightly touching many of the items, the first object she picked up (and put right in her mouth) was a knitting needle:

I was very pleased that she chose this needle that my dad made from lumber from a cedar tree that stood in my front yard for many years until a storm blew it down in the mid-1990s.

And then it was time to choose the 2nd and final item. To paraphrase our friend, Jeff (a wickedly talented photographer and, most importantly, HB's dad), I honestly resisted melding Ivy's mind and did not force her to choose a book for her 2nd item. We faced the table with renewed suspense:

But, what can I say? After lingering over Great-Grandpa Ottmar's ruler, our girl made her librarian-parents proud and grabbed one of her favorite books - Sweater by Kit Allen:

The ceremony was beautiful and touching and we thank Jeff for capturing so many memorable photos of the event. We also thank our other photographers, Eli and Steve for grabbing our personal cameras and documenting the special day. Ivy was surrounded by so much love that it's impossible to describe the entire day in one post, so please continue on to Part 2:

Beautiful Baby, part 2

2009-03-23T19:28:00.003-05:00

Ivy's Wisconsin grandparents, Aunt Kersten, Uncle Jim and good friend cousins made the trip to Madison for Ivy's party. Everyone had a wonderful time and cousin Finnian showed us that, even though he had a fever, nothing would keep him from celebrating Ivy's homecoming:

Shortly after Ivy's toljabee we set her loose so she could play with her buddy, HB. They crawled toward each other and HB hugged her and gave her a big ol' kiss on the mouth:

Then HB promptly made a speedy get-away, leaving Ivy in his dust as she struggled to crawl after him in her cumbersome hanbok:

The party ended at the very late hour of 6 pm at which time we all crawled back to our house, where the girls put on comfy clothes and snuggled under the quilt that Grandma B. made for Ivy:

I think that we'll be ready for another celebration in May, when Grandma Pauline, Grandpa Frank and Auntie Christine visit us. Until then, we'll hold fond memories of last week's party deep in our hearts. Thanks to everyone for making our day a special one.

Pandamonium

2009-03-11T17:48:00.007-05:00

With the wolves, monkeys, cats, and other critters around here, it's starting to feel like a zoo at our house.

Fortunately, all of our animals are adorable ones. Here comes one now! (Best viewed in full screen.)

Music: Abdullah Ibrahim, "Chisa," Cape Town Flowers, 1996.

It takes a village

2009-03-05T21:21:00.008-06:00

While I was on family leave my top priority was to find quality child care for Ivy. The thing is, though, that every time I tried calling child care agencies I started weeping and I rarely was able to actually finish dialing the phone number. We thought that we had found excellent family care, but it fell through. I was devastated and worried and lost sleep. I remained calm by telling myself that my mother would help us care for Ivy during those early weeks when we were both at work, but I knew that it was unfair and unrealistic to ask her and Dad to disrupt their lives for too long. Then I dreamed up a plan and released it to the cosmos, and, well, my dream came true. When Kevin and I return to work our little girl is going to be spending her days with one of my dearest, best friends - our honeybee-dancer, Markie. Markie is the person who taught me how to be a children's librarian, how to listen to children and how to see the world through their eyes. She was with me when I brought Edgar home to my tiny apartment above the Marilyn School of Dance in LaCrosse, where she helped me bathe him and give him medicine after he tore my arms to shreds. Markie took care of me in college when I was too stubborn to realize that I needed someone to look after me and made sure that I ate well. She magically appeared in Corning the day before Kevin and I got married and blessed our wedding day with her presence. And now . . . she's moving to Madison and is going to help us care for our daughter. Words cannot express how overjoyed I am to have Markie in our daily lives and how fortunate our little girl is to have this amazing woman care for her while we're at work. Thanks to Markie's influence, I know that Ivy is going to develop into a child who respects the earth, loves music and who will learn how to charm honeybees from their hives.

There's no way I could make this dream happen all on my own. My friends, Kimi & Marjorie, own a house just a few blocks from our home. Their primary residence is in California and they only use their Madison home during the summer and few other times the year. Because they love Ivy so much, they are providing their place for Markie to live and Ivy is going to grow up knowing that her Tantes Markie, Kimi and Marjorie live in this amazing house. My sister suggested this arrangement and her dreams for her niece have helped us make this reality, too. Kimi has been my rock for over 20 years and it feels like I've known Marjorie (aka, Tante Mimi) for that long, too. Thanks to their influence, Ivy will develop into a child who cares for her friends & family, is fiercely protective of them and who goes the extra mile to help her loved ones realize their dreams.

Despite my ramblings, I am speechless - I am touched by all the love that surrounds our little girl and I am honored to be a part of a community of family and friends that profoundly cares for one another. We are here in Madison, spread out across the region and live throughout the country (and, depending on where Tia Lisa is currently based & saving the planet, around the world) and I know that my family is supported by a community that only grows stronger and more committed to each other with each passing year.

Thank you, Dear Friends. Ivy has already been touched by the hands of so many amazing people.

Birthday girl!

2009-03-03T19:53:00.004-06:00

Today is Ivy's first birthday and we celebrated all day long.

There were many moments of great joy and laughter.

Ivy had her first taste of cake - and frosting.

Grandma & Grandpa B. celebrated with us and gave Ivy some awesome new shakers.

And we ended our day with a trip to Tar-Jay where Grandma & Grandpa bought us a splendid new stroller!

Today was beautiful. When it was time to sing Happy Birthday we called Grandma & Grandpa K. in Norfolk and skyped with Aunt Kersten and Cousins Adalia & Finnian in LaCrosse. Ivy delicately touched the frosting on her cake and then put her fingers in my mouth. She was thrilled with all her wonderful presents and her daddy is especially excited to try out the new stroller when the weather warms up later this week. Today taught me that there is more space in my heart than I ever imagined; my heart continues to grow and I continually thank my little girl for teaching me about love and compassion.

Raised by wolves?

2009-03-01T21:19:00.003-06:00

We've been encouraging Ivy to howl like a wolf-pup and are enchanted with the results, We look forward to the next full moon!
La bella luna!

Hurray - it's Saturday!

2009-02-28T08:59:00.007-06:00

The weekend is here and this is how I intend to spend every second of Ivy's wakeful time:

holding her close and kissing her every time she turns her face my way.

The week went very well and I only experienced one morning of exhaustion. Getting up at 5:15 isn't as dreadful as I feared and my days are now much longer and richer.

This weekend will be a fun one. My cousins are in town and I'm looking forward to introducing Ivy to these people who mean so much to me. Kevin is going to take Ivy swimming in the wading pool at their hotel while my cousins and I drink a few glasses of Riesling and stay away from barbed wire fences.

Daddy in the House!

2009-02-24T19:04:00.008-06:00

So I've been taking care of Ivy for two days now while Shawn is at work, and I think I'm getting the hang of it. Shawn has established good routines for Ivy, and I'm doing my best to keep everything moving along smoothly. Not that Ivy and I don't have our own special dad-and-daughter fun.

Every morning at breakfast I read her the autobiography of A. Little Monkey. Ivy especially likes this page:

Why, you might ask? Because later on she gets to re-enact this particular event!

I think she enjoys hanging upside down. . . don't you?

We're doing fine, I think -- if we continue the conceit of the little lamb, I suppose I'm the Papa Ram. But with an active little lamb like Ivy, there's no time to be gathering wool! Ouch, ok, that hurt. I hope I can get into the swing of this blog business; I'm a bit nervous following in Shawn's creative footsteps!

But for now, peace out from Dad and Ives!

Sweet professions

2009-02-23T19:42:00.011-06:00

When I grow up I want to be a:

First I'll hone my skills by playing pat-a-cake over & over with my Aunt Kersten:

Then my cousin and I will buy matching outfits and we'll devour cookbooks until we find the world's most perfect cupcake recipes:

But, until then, I'm going to spend lots of time hanging out in river town bakeries with my Grandma

and Grandpa.

(And I'll observe how an expert baker makes the magic happen by spending lots of time crawling around with my cousins on our grandma's spotless kitchen floor.)

And, speaking of professions and what we want to be when we grow up, I returned to work today after a 12-week family leave. The last few weeks have been difficult for me. I was quite sick in mid-February (which accounts for the lack of brilliant posts this month) and last week I grew sad every time I thought of all the special moments I would miss throughout the day when my family leave came to an end. But today was truly wonderful and the most difficult part of the day was walking out the door at 7:00 this morning. I've missed my friends at work, all of whom have been fiercely supportive of us over the past 9 months, and today they welcomed me back to the office with a lovely surprise breakfast of homemade quiches, muffins, sweet breads and fruit. I accomplished so much today and this long break has allowed me to step back and view my routines in a new light and change those that are ineffective or no longer working for me. I've returned to the office with a renewed sense of purpose and vigor and I'm looking forward to working on some special projects in the weeks ahead. Heartfelt thanks to all my working mom friends and to my loving mom & sister for letting me cry on their shoulders and for sharing their strength and wisdom.

Kevin is now on family leave for the next several weeks and knowing that the Loves of my life are spending their days together makes my heart swell. I returned home shortly before Ivy woke up from her afternoon nap and Kevin and I sat down with cups of tea and talked about our days before Ivy awoke - being home when she woke up and getting her out of her crib this afternoon was glorious. She smiled at and reached for me and I held her in my arms and inhaled her sweet baby sleepiness. I know that I'll be exhausted from time to time and I know that there will be days when I feel like I'm an unwilling participant in a juggling act, but I needed today to show me that I will be able to balance both parts of my life.

Happy Presidents' Day!

2009-02-16T07:55:00.004-06:00

In honor of Presidents' Day let's all don powdered wigs and gossip about Grover Cleveland for one whole day. Disney's Hall of Presidents, here we come!

Baby's gotta dance

2009-02-05T09:00:00.005-06:00

Ivy loves music AND dancing. She and Kevin have a daddy-daughter dance party every night after her dinner while I rest my weary bones on the soft cushions of the couch after sitting on the floor and crawling after an 11-month-old all day long (and I can't imagine a better way to spend the day). Here's a little video of the dance partners interpreting the Muppets' Mahna-Mahna:

Who wants to join Ivy for the next 6-years-old & under dance party? Cousins Adalia and Finnian - wanna dance the circle two step at the Concordia Ballroom in LaCrosse? A jig with Baby Gus or free-form Modern with Madeline and Rowan right here in Madison? How about a polka with our friends Emme & Evan, Moo & Sam and Baby Theo in the Pacific Northwest? We could try the Virginia Reel with Asa in Raleigh. Or should we boogie on down the cookie aisle with Kai in Corning?

(Collie and others - I know what you're thinking: nobody puts Baby in a corner)

Baby Zhivago

2009-02-03T09:40:00.005-06:00

o.k. - I'll come clean and admit that I've never actually watched Dr. Zhivago in its entirety or finished the book. I've attempted to sit down and watch the film. I've had the best intentions. But there's something about the orchestral score, the sweeping scenes of the Russian steppes and the images of Julie Christie in a fox fur hat riding in a horse-drawn sleigh that just lulls me right to sleep. And, hey, since the movie is, like, an entire afternoon long that's one awesome nap. . . But I just read the Wikipedia entry about Dr. Zhivago and feel totally caught up on the story.

I think that Ivy looks so contemplative in these photos from the past weekend. the weather finally warmed up into the mid-30s and I granted Kevin his wish and allowed him to take Ivy outside to sit in the snow. Ivy loves watching our big girl neighbors come home from kindergarten each day, so when she saw them outside making snow-people on Saturday she got very excited and wanted to watch them. We bundled her up and took her outside, where she immediately got very shy - but she was a good sport and allowed us to prop her up in the snow for a few photos. Here she is with one of the girls who she's loved to watch since the 2nd day that she came home to Madison (twin sister was playing behind us):

Care to join us for dinner?

2009-01-26T22:37:00.005-06:00

My mom pointed out that we spend a lot of our time feeding Ivy, thinking about what she's going to eat, preparing her delectable dishes and cleaning up after mealtimes. And, as always, Mom is absolutely right. Ivy enjoys food and happily tries everything we offer her. Thanks to Jeanne-Jeanne Jumping Bean, we have the best bibs on the planet and her shirts stay nice and clean. Ivy likes sitting in the booster seat that Cheryl gave her and, when she's not eating, she likes to play with the rainforest-scape that fits in her tray. A lot of growth and development happens at mealtimes; she practices language and new words and often is very, very silly. We have a baby dinner theater comedian in our house and we couldn't be happier. This is how I get my amusement these days:

Grandma & Grandpa's visit

2009-01-25T18:28:00.005-06:00

The weather warmed up last week and Grandma & Grandpa B. spent a few days with us in Madison. We always love it when my parents visit because Dad helps us with house projects and Mom leaves us with a well-stocked refrigerator. Ivy spent most her waking time on warm, snug laps and showed everyone that she is "sooooo big" and that she enjoys her mealtimes. Her grandpa installed a lightweight C-PVC bar over grates in the radiator cover/window seat in our living room and Ivy constantly uses it to practice standing and as the world's largest teething device. We had a great time and were sad to see them leave at the end of the week. We can't wait until our next visit!

Yes we did!

2009-01-20T20:54:00.003-06:00

Kevin took today off from work so we could spend this special day together as a family. Happiness abounds for us in 2009 and today we showed Ivy that we actually own a TV and she even had her lunch during President Obama's Inauguration ceremony. I think that Ivy's avocados perfectly match the color of the gloves that Michelle Obama wore today.

We turned off the TV shortly after noon and sat in the warm sunshine of the porch. It was a bright, sun-shiney day.

First pig tails

2009-01-19T10:22:00.002-06:00

Pig tails add so much joy to life.

Burrrrr-aka

2009-01-16T10:06:00.006-06:00

It's the 3rd day of sub-zero temperatures and Ivy and I haven't left the house in ages. But I have fond memories of last weekend when we went to one of our favorite restaurants, Buraka, before the cold weather hit. Buraka is an Ethiopian restaurant that grew from a food cart on Library Mall to a full-fledged restaurant with tables and very friendly waitstaff. We toasted our dear friends, Asa, Amy and Gary, with whom we've shared many Ethiopian meals, and Kimi and Mimi who take us to Buraka every time they're in Madison. Ivy loves to go out to eat and she munched on injera while Kevin and I enjoyed our luscious lunch. We were still feeling social after our meal, so we crossed the street and had coffee at the Fair Trade Coffeehouse. We sat down in cozy chairs, Ivy looked at books for a few minutes and then, right after our coffees arrived, she immediately fell asleep. Kevin and I wrapped her back up into her snowsuit, quietly buckled her into her car seat and drove around for 30 minutes until she woke up from her nap.

We're all looking forward to tomorrow, when the forecast calls for a heat wave and temperatures in the mid-20s. We might even try leaving the house!

Phooey, this cold weather

2009-01-14T10:18:00.006-06:00

(Ivy is once again taking over the blog to deliver this short message about this week's weather report.)

27 degrees below zero? Are you kidding me? I'm never going to see the outdoors again. It looks like I'm stuck inside with the cats, who don't seem to mind sleeping and occasionally waking up to bathe and eat. But I'm a baby on the move. I've got to experience life! There's a whole frozen world out there that I'm itching to explore. Oh, and if the news about the weather isn't bad enough, I just learned that the sub-zero temperatures have forced my Grandma and Grandpa B. to cancel their trip to see me. Well that's just GREAT. Wah!!

Brrr... o.k. - I get it. I just stood next to the window and have decided that I'd rather put on my white velour cupcake track suit, snuggle under an afghan and read Kit Allen's books all day. Mother, will you please bring my warm bottle and avocado chunks to me here in the living room? I just can't bear to leave the warmth of my blankets today.

Speedy delivery

2009-01-09T12:28:00.005-06:00

Brinnan from SCLS delivery sends messages out to all our libraries a couple of times a year sweetly informing us that our fantastic delivery office needs red bins and asks library staffers to send as many empty ones back to her as possible. I've often wondered how these red bins are used and now I have the answer: librarians put adorable babies in them.

I must petition Phyllis and Bruce to name Ivy the official SCLS Delivery Service Baby and suggest that we screen this photo on every van and truck in our fleet. Who's willing to sign on to my very reasonable request?

Happy Birthday, Auntie Kersten!

2009-01-08T07:52:00.002-06:00

Let's get together to read books and pound on things for your birthday, Auntie Kersten! You always know how to make me smile.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T09:48:00.007-06:00

May 2009 bring you moments of peaceful contemplation...

... balanced with a healthy dose of hollerin'.

Post-holiday workout

2008-12-28T11:49:00.008-06:00

You know how it is. You eat too many of Mom's spritz cookies and chocolate-covered toffees over the holidays and before you know it you have a roll of jelly in your belly. But do not despair! The very healthy and fit Ivy will lead you through a series of exercises to help you firm up and regain your pre-December shape:

Step One: Stretch. Touch your toes and chew on a mini-barbell. Count to 8. Feel the burn, babies. Release. Repeat on other side.

Step Two: Biceps. Turn a spinning wheel or similar device round and round until your pipes begin to steam. Stop and reverse the direction. Do this as many times as possible or until your mother realizes that you're messing up her spinning at which time your attention will be diverted to a pile of blocks in the middle of the living room floor.

Step Three: Agility and strength training. Ask your father to hold a small length of rope in front of you, grab it with both hands and scale it to his shoulders. This exercise is particularly useful when preparing for the President's Physical Fitness test. (OMG, history buffs, check out the first chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness. No wonder I've always been suspicious of this annual gym class torture.)

Step Four: Cool down. End your workout by raising your hood over your head and take a cheerful crawl around the dining room. Then head on down to the locker room and hit the showers and sauna.

(Ivy's workout wardrobe courtesy of Grandma Pauline, Aunt Christine and Grandpa Frank)

Ivy's first Christmas

2008-12-25T21:49:00.006-06:00

Ivy made her entire family's Christmas a happier one this year. We traveled to my parents' house in Cochrane and Ivy spent her first night away from home at her grandparents' house on Christmas eve. She was an angel and, even though I don't have any photos to document the memorable experience, she wore the red dress that I wore for Christmas when I was 0ne. My mom made this special dress and my grandma tatted the beautiful lace trim that enhances the collar and cuffs. I repeatedly broke into tears when I realized that Ivy was embraced by the creativity of her grandma and great-grandma. We went to a sweet service at the Hope UCC church that Ivy's great-grandparents attended and she was met by all the love and support of my precious hometown. Ivy spent most of her time over the holidays on her grandparents' laps and I kept slathering her cheeks with Markie's Amazing Beeswax & Olive Oil moisturizer every time she turned her sweet (and very dry!) face towards me. This explains the wet-duckling look that she has in most of her photos from the past 48 hours.

This has been the happiest Christmas I've ever had. Special thanks to my parents who ensured that my sister and I have pleasant memories of Christmas when we were children. They've helped us be the best parents possible and I look forward to creating holiday traditions for our own little girl.

Working on a building

2008-12-22T22:39:00.005-06:00

Kevin's wonderful (and very cool) colleagues at the Max Kade Institute and the Center for the Study of Upper Midwestern Cultures recently held a welcome home party for Ivy on the coldest day of the season. Ivy fell in love with everyone and enjoyed her time with all the Germans, linguists and folklorists. I think that we might have a trilingual child in our house if these folks have their way. She received many thoughtful presents: a stuffed penguin, a luscious fleece blanket, a Target gift card, and Professor Cora Lee and Herr Christian Kluge gave Ivy a fantastic Christmas present - a very hip Brio block set that matched her party outfit. There are many blocks in this set and Ivy is still having fun unpacking the box and putting each one in her mouth. I think this shows that she's already working on her very early math skills.

Special thanks to Antje and Grant for hosting the party and opening your warm & sunny home and hearts to Ivy. She'll be back to sit on your laps and to play with your Birkenstocks.

With love to St. Paul

2008-12-19T09:20:00.008-06:00

We are sending stacking cup-loads of love to St. Paul this morning and are whispering the names Bill and Connie as each snowflake flutters past our windows. We are sending everyone in the Falvey family peaceful and loving thoughts on this December day and I'm envisioning Deacon Bill sitting down to a feast of coconut ice cream, plates and plates of chocolate cake and as many cookies and sweet treats as the angels are able to hold in their winged embrace.

Love,

Kevin, Shawn and Ivy

Ivy's turn to post

2008-12-17T20:55:00.005-06:00

Editor's note: Given that I'm buried by loads of adorable laundry that need folding and baby bottles that need scrubbing, I've asked Ivy to say a few words about what her life has been like for the past 3 weeks.

Dear Fans,

It is I, IVY!, and I have a few things to say. Namely:

I like squash. And sweet potatoes. And carrots. I'm on a total beta-carotene kick right now and can see like, forever, in the dark.
I like naps during the day. Sleeping at night is for wimps. I really must stay up and catch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report to know what's going ON in the world. (My darn parents, though, cramp my style, man. They insist on a "schedule" and an "appropriate" "bedtime." Life begins AFTER 7pm, Dudes! Seriously...)
Cats are awesome. Especially the chubby one who sleeps on the radiator all day.
I look fabulous in red. Violet, too.
My father totally cracks me up when he lightly tosses the soft balls that Amy hand-knit at my tummy and toes. Ah, he has stolen my heart.
Mother is a push-over. All I have to do is show her my neck that needs kissing and she totally melts and allows me to do whatever I please. (I shall add this bit of information to my Book of Schemes.)
I have been outside a grand total of 6 times since arriving in Madison. Each time I am completely smothered by a "snow suit" and "shawl" and have yet to glimpse more than two seconds of Wisconsin sky. I am told that I shall see the out-of-doors in May. Until then, I shall remain indoors where I am very content with the books and quiet toys that my parents purchased for me and very, VERY content with the loud toys that my cousins (bless them!) have shared with me.
I like pounding on things, `kay? It's how I roll.
My teething companion, Yummy Bug, is the most faithful and cheerful companion a 9 1/2 month old baby could ever have.
Facial moisturizers are for geezers like my mother. I must KEEP it REAL and rebel every time I'm slathered in all-natural balms and ointments. (Unfortunately this happens several times a day.) With all the fuss about "delicate skin" one would think that my parents would take a break from all the kissing. And face-washing after all the above-mentioned squash meals.
And finally... I've started pulling myself up in my crib. Ha! The world is mine!

That is all for now, Dear Friends. I intend to drop in now and then to monitor the progress of this weblog and make sure that my parents are not sharing any embarrassing stories about me. Things are pretty great here and I've settled into my new digs. The three of us are a happy little family.

Love,

Ivy Kestrel

A day at the office

2008-12-13T21:44:00.007-06:00

So, you know how it is. You wake up and eat some oatmeal, play with your blocks and practice standing for about 2 hours, take a nap for an hour, wake up, eat some lunch and then head out to the office where you immediately take off your socks in order to face a 60-minute work day. Well, Ivy made it to the office last week and visited all her friends at the South Central Library System who have been patiently waiting to meet her for the last several months. Her friends from the Wisconsin Library Association in the office down the hall stopped in to say hello and we promise that we'll return soon so Phyllis and Rose can meet her, too. Ivy was very social and showed everyone how great she is at crawling. She sat in a few laps and examined everyone's shoes. Kerri and Lisa won the prize for having the most interesting shoes and Jean won the prize for having the most interesting mouth:

And Orlando Bloom won the prize for having the most wistful gaze.

I was relieved to discover that I had very few voice mails and that my in-box hadn't collapsed. It was great to see all my friends at work who have been so supportive of all three of us throughout our adoption journey.

The Relatives Came

2008-12-12T12:32:00.004-06:00

Ivy finally met her cousins this past weekend. All three cousins were very interested in one another and the big cousins showed Ivy just how much they love her and how glad they are to have her home.

The big cousins brought some of their baby toys to our house to share with Ivy. They gave us a lot of great stuff and showed Ivy how to play with everything.

Aw, is there anything sweeter than daddies enjoying Sunday mornings with their little girls?

Holiday spirit

2008-12-10T18:19:00.006-06:00

When we started our adoption proceedings last spring I barely allowed myself to imagine the possibility of having our baby home for Christmas. Well, December is here and our Thanksgiving Baby is settling into her Rusk Street home where she's spreading generous portions of holiday cheer. We are having a fantastic time preparing for Christmas this year and so far Kevin has not asked me to stop the repeated playings of my Vince Guraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas CD. Here are a few photos to help all of you get into the Holiday Spirit.

Please take note of the message on this shirt, Grandmas Kathy and Pauline. Tee-hee - we know that the Grandmas have been doing a little extra shopping this year:

Here is Ivy's tree right after we strung the lights and hung the first ornament of the year. This is a special ornament that Kai sent to Ivy to celebrate their first Christmas. The ornament is very significant because it's a painting of a lovely little kestrel that honors Ivy's middle name and her brave spirit. I especially appreciate how the blue heart on the ornament matches those on her jammies.

And here are Ivy and Kevin looking at her first Christmas tree. She's been very gentle with the tree and seems most interested in looking at the lights from across the room.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Garden walk

2008-12-07T15:34:00.006-06:00

Here's an update and a few photos for Mark Ibach - I just cannot imagine how he's coping at work, knowing that the office next to his, MINE, is going to be empty for several more weeks and that he won't have anyone to tease until February. Poor fellow.

We live right down the street from Olbrich Gardens and on Friday we took Ivy for a walk through the tropical Bolz Conservatory. Walking through the balmy conservatory in the middle of winter is a surreal experience and Ivy basked in the warmth, humidity and greenery. She especially enjoyed watching the waterfalls and indoor birds. She was a little shy and stayed closely snuggled to me in our Ergo carrier, but she smiled and cooed at a 2-year-old boy who seemed very interested in her.

Oh, and BTW, is someone at SCLS watering my plants for me while I'm away? Our walk reminded me that I have a few sad houseplants in my office that occasionally need water.

Ivy loves kitties

2008-12-05T12:21:00.003-06:00

This photo was taken on the afternoon of our 2nd full day at home and that day now seems so long ago. A warning for all of my cat-phobic friends (Roxane), look away now: I will post photos better suited for your delicate sensibilities tomorrow. The co-producer of this production, Kevin (AKA, Daddy) has requested that I post this photo and I'm obliging. I know that all my pet-fiend-friends at SCLS will love knowing that the cats really love Ivy and she is very gentle with them. She has taken a special shine to Edgar, but, then again, everyone does.

I love this photo and Kevin and I think that it's quite hysterical. Edgar gingerly crawled up on the chair, sat in Kevin's lap and stealthily slid a skinny haunch onto Ivy's little leg. Check out Ivy. She's all, "Hey Daddy, look at me. I'm petting the kitty. Let's do it together, `kay?"

Nine months old and one week a family

2008-12-03T19:31:00.004-06:00

Today is a special day; Ivy turns 9 months old and one week ago today Kevin and I were united with her in Detroit. The last week has been a remarkable one and I'm still processing this amazing experience. Thank you, Ivy, for helping me begin to see strengths that I never knew I had until I became your mom. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the last few days:

Ivy loves squash! And she has a cute little tongue!

Just chillin' in her pink track suit from Siena. (We'll post some photos soon of Ivy in her sweet outfit from Clara, too!) She looks like such a big girl in this picture.

Happy baby getting ready for our big trip to Target.

Smiley baby, getting ready for her first experience with Madison snow.

Thank you, everyone, for all your comments and support. We definitely feel the love and I know that everyone's energy is helping make our transition a gentle and loving one.

Ivy and Mommy take Daddy shopping

2008-12-02T19:24:00.009-06:00

This photo is for Jeannie and Roxane and the others who requested that I get in front of the camera rather than hide behind it. It seems as if I'm wearing the same LaCrosse Oktoberfest sweatshirt from 1991 and "pritty kitty" pajama bottoms in most of the photos of Ivy and me and, believe me, no one besides my immediate family wants to see that sight. Poor Ivy. She must think that I have no taste.

Kevin, Ivy and I ventured outside the house today and went to... Target! We started planning for the outing yesterday afternoon and last night I made a detailed chart of potential oufits for her before settling on a gorgeous little red velour jumpsuit and black mushroom hat. I packed up a diaper bag containing approximately 3 dozen diapers, 3 books, 2 toys, 1 flannel blanket, 1 pacifier (which she doesn't use, but just in case she decided to use one in the middle of Target), a quart of hand sanitizer and a jumbo tube of Desitin (thanks, Char!) for our half-hour expedition. I decided at the last minute to leave a change of clothes at home. We dressed her in new adorable baby boots and a sub-zero baby parka and I wrapped a shawl around her face before we dashed outside into the cold December afternoon. I sat in the backseat with Ivy and observed all her moves, which were very few because she was so overdressed and securely fastened in her car seat.

An aside: going to Target in the middle of a weekend day or at noon on any weekday is my definition of agony. I often seem to be in the same aisle with a mother who always seems to be screaming, "Jakey, do you need to go POOP?" or a parent who reminds his/her child that s/he has already received one spanking today and that s/he is going to get another one when they get back to the car or a mother who finds her child to be even more adorable when the urchin continually throws the holiday-themed cookie jars in aisle 11 to the floor. I become very uppity & pretentious during these moments and often call my sister on my cell phone and hiss, "guessssss where I am? Just listen to this..." And she always humors me and tells me that I'm right because that's what sisters do. I'm sure that I'll pay for my impatience ten-fold and will probably have my own breakdowns in the middle of Target in the years to come.

Ivy fell asleep the minute we got to Target and was an absolute lamb. She woke up enough for us to snap a few photos of her (yes, we brought the camera to document the trip), and totally made us look like pros. What a good sport - what a good girl:

Some of you might be wondering why I have so much time to write this very long blog post. Because she's sleeping! For the 2nd night in a row Ivy has fallen asleep at 7:00 pm. She woke up only once for a bottle last night and then slept until nearly 8:00 am this morning. We hope that this is the beginning of her transition to Madison time and Kevin and I are especially thankful that we were able to get a little more sleep last night. She continues to amaze us and we marvel at everything she does.

Family visit!

2008-12-01T10:14:00.006-06:00

Grandma & Grandpa B. and Aunt Kersten came to visit us yesterday and they gave Ivy an amazing pink exersaucer! She loves her new toy (and so do her parents) and she also fell in love with her Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie. She did very well meeting everyone and she had no stranger anxiety or confusion. She loved being held by her adoring relatives, but proved to everyone that she definitely recognizes that Kevin and I are her mommy and daddy.

She also showed everyone how well she's transitioning to Madison time as she took two afternoon naps and then stayed awake for a long time and went to bed shortly after 6 pm. Every day brings us closer to more sleep and easier nighttime routines. We are very proud of and amazed by our little girl and we're looking forward to introducing her to Grandpa Frank, Grandma Pauline and Aunt Christine.

Our little squash blossom

2008-11-30T08:36:00.000-06:00

Anybody wanna kiss?

Post-Thanksgiving Greetings

2008-11-28T13:36:00.010-06:00

We're home! Ivy was an amazing traveler and slept all morning while we waited to board our plane in Detroit. We've been singing praises for our Ergo carrier (thanks, Yvonne & Miya for suggesting that we get one) and Ivy immediately fell asleep as soon as Kevin put her on his back and stayed asleep - as long as he kept walking with her. I'm sure that he walked several miles back and forth, back and forth, in Terminal A of the Wayne County airport yesterday morning.

You all know what we're thankful for, and what we'll be thankful for in the Thanksgivings to come, but this year we were thankful to gobble down a bowl of pasta and especially appreciate our neighbors, Rob and Cindy, who took care of our cats while we were away and who dropped off pumpkin pie and a 6-pack of Spotted Cow for us last night as we were transitioning from nap time to waking time. Ivy's nights and days are completely opposite of that in Madison, so we're gently acclimating her to the Central Standard time zone. And she is working really hard and is teaching us so much about what it means to be a nearly 9-month old teething, jet-lagged baby whose life has just completely changed. She is a sweet, gracious little girl and the three of us are enjoying being together very, very much.

Ivy enjoyed some traditional Thanksgiving food - she had squash for breakfast and loved it! She also loved video skyping with her Grandma & Grandpa B., Aunt Kersten & Uncle Jim and her two cousins while she ate her breakfast. She showed them many tricks.

As close as can be

2008-11-26T16:21:00.007-06:00

Ivy, Kevin and I have finally found each other. Meeting her was a beautiful, amazing moment and she greeted us with smiles and waves. I forgot my concerns about becoming a family in the middle of an airport and the few people who were in the international arrivals waiting area respected our privacy and I know that we helped make their day a happier one.

We're now back in the room and Ivy is sleeping on Kevin's chest. We played for a little while and she showed us a few of her tricks: she crawled back and forth between the two of us on the bed, she chewed on a toy and she ate a few bites of applesauce. She cried for a bit, but swaying back and forth and bouncing up and down in her daddy's arms helped settle her down into a nice deep sleep.

Getting closer

2008-11-25T12:55:00.009-06:00

We left Madison this morning at 10:00 CST and arrived in Detroit at 12:00 pm EST.

The flight was fast and easy and even more enjoyable because our very dear friends, Joshua and Stefanie, were on the very same flight. They are shuffling off to Buffalo for the Thanksgiving weekend and Stef kindly changed seats with Kevin so that he and Joshua could sit next to each other and be silly.

Kevin and I were so happy that good friends were on our flight - they walked with us to baggage claim where we exchanged heart-ful hugs before we went our separate ways. Having them here with us today makes me feel less alone and anonymous.

Now we're settled into the hotel. It's zen-like and very peaceful and I think that it's the perfect place to return to with our little girl tomorrow afternoon. Exactly 24 hours from this very moment we'll be meeting her and taking her into our arms.

But for now, we're collecting our thoughts and settling into the room. We're going to go back into the airport for a late lunch and we look forward to coming back to the hotel early this evening to soak in the hot tub and prepare for tomorrow.

The CALL!

2008-11-22T14:45:00.015-06:00

So, how did the rest of you spend your weekend? We're spending the weekend packing for a trip to.... Detroit! We are meeting Ivy and bringing her HOME on Wednesday, November 26. Hurrah! The agency in Korea completely surprised us and instead of us flying to Seoul, as we intended to do since the beginning of our adoption journey, they are sending Ivy to Detroit with a loving, experienced escort. We don't know what happened and this is an extremely rare situation, but I am unconcerned about the specifics - the most important thing is that our daughter is coming home next week and that the three of us will be together for Thanksgiving and for the rest of our lives. Kevin and I are spending this weekend by going out for dinners and movies, cooking and freezing some meals for our homecoming feast and preparing for our cloistered, special days alone at home where the three of us will start bonding and begin to define who we are as a family. Thank you to everyone who sent positive thoughts our way. I am touched by everyone's love and thoughtfulness and I'm looking forward to bringing Ivy home to this amazing community of compassion.