Unexpected Visitor

My mom called us on Sunday to say she would be in Denver two days--due to a mishap with her flight back from PA after Popop's funeral. I picked her up at the airport on Sunday evening and she left today (Tuesday). What a wonderful unexpected visit! It was a lot of fun to have her and great to have her see the kids. Luka has changed a lot in the (almost) 8 months since Axel was born and, of course, Axel has changed immensely since she saw him last as a newborn. Both boys had fun with her here. We will miss her!

We will all miss our Popop. Laura and I had both ordered flowers at the same flower shop for the funeral and they called her back because we had spelled "Popop" differently, and they wanted to confirm. I have always spelled it that way, as a kid, all through college and into adulthood, when I wrote to my grandparents. I guess I was the wrong one--everyone else spelled it "Pop pop" (and as I recall, so did Dearma when she signed their letters). I guess he didn't mind, but that was a shock. Well, we never said it "Pop pop" but did pronounce it "popop," so I guess I took it too literally. Anyway, we will all miss him and our other grandparents who had gone before.

Post Script: Thanks to Steven for reminding me about the related Dear Mac and Poppy story. When Dad died, our grandparents, whom we called Dearma and Popop (see above regarding Popop!), sent us flowers. Our local florist signed it for them "Dear Mac and Poppy". We all thought that was hilarious. Probably due to some much needed stress release as well.

Axel says Da-da

Darn, I was trying to get him to say ma-ma first a few weeks ago. ;) Then, I kind of forgot about it, and today when we went to see Uncle Jack with Mom, Axel happily said "Da da da da da" as he looked out at us smiling from his car seat on the floor. The little stinker! No, really--good job, Axel! This was actually the first "word-like" sound that he has done. He makes a lot of cute sounds, but more like chirps and clicks. So, a very interesting "first."

He is also doing well now at trying to grab things. We had a bunch of finger puppets for him to play with at Uncle Jacks and he was batting on the side of table to get to them and really going at it.

His hair is lighter and lighter. He may even end up being blond! His hair is much lighter than Luka's but they both have the same dark brown eyes with long eyelashes.

Uncle Jack, a dentist, thinks his gums look like he will be getting teeth soon. He is almost 8 months, so he may be right. And, he is does have a special expertise in that area.

Another Axel First

Today, Axel waved at me for the first time. I was drying my hair at the master bath sink, and he was propped up on my bed so he could see me. With my free hand, I was waving at him off and on. He looked intently at me, and then raised his right hand tentatively and then moved his fingers slowly. Very cute. He was very intent on copying me.

Baby Sunscreen

In Colorado, we wear sunscreen all year 'round: it is sunny in winter too! No matter where you live, carefully choose your baby's sunscreen. I found this article (Baby Center Sunscreen article)
on how to choose it, and my friend Sanya used the advice in it and found Banana Boat Baby Tear Free that fits the criteria.

Axel Firsts

Today was a day of several "firsts" for Axel:

• He turned the page by himself on a board book. Reynald was reading (or that would be, translating to French) "Spot looks at colors" to Luka and Axel and Axel turned several pages on his own!
• First time Axel sat up on his own at home for an "extended" period of time (meaning more than a second!). He was sitting on our bed and doing an awesome job of staying up. Then, he'd do a "dive" over when he got tired, but he is getting there! The very first time he stayed up for an extended period of time was on Wedensday, at music class. He was positioned just right, leaning just so on his left arm, that he stayed that way for several minutes.
• Today for a nap at 4 p.m. was the first time he slept in his crib! (Well, he work up and cried about 5 minutes later, but we could say that was a nap--or should have been.) Yes, it took us this long to get it set up again after tearing it down when Luka went to his mattress on the floor a few months before Axel was born. So, Axel beat Luka's record of 4 or so months in the bassinet. He turned 7 months old 5 days ago. But, now, we are officially done with the bassinet and have folded and put it away. The crib seems so "big boy" comapred! And, it is much roomier for him and easier to lift him out of for us. :)

Go, Axel!

Luka Stories

Poor Luka! He has a bad cough and a fever. He keeps waking up at night and crying. Also, he has not figured out how to blow his nose yet, so that does not help with congestion. He just wipes it all the time, but can't get it really cleared out. Also, this a.m., he had a nose bleed when he woke up and it was everywhere on his new dinosaur sheets. I got out the blood, but it was a lot of work. Poor man!

Funny story: we sometimes play "Halloween" where he knocks on a door and says "trick or treat" and we play like I give him a lot of candy, like it is Halloween. He has not done that in a while and yesterday, he knocked on the door and said, "Christmas Tree!" He got influenced with Christmas happening recently, I guess. Then, he looked confused when I was confused and remembered it was "Trick or Treat". Funny.

Luka Language Observations

Since Luka was pretty little (just 2 or earlier?) he got that there were two languages and would specify which language he was talking about--even though when he was younger, he sometimes called French "anglais" and Enlgish "français" - mixing them up. Now, he never mixes the labels up. Now, at 3-1/2, he knows that the same words are even pronounced differently if you are speaking one or the other languages. For example, "Spiderman" in English and "Speeder-mahn" in French. If you say, "Spiderman" while speaking French, he will correct you. Another example is "Axel" in English and "Ax-elle" in French. I called Axel "Ax-elle" in English and Luka corrected me: "Mommy, it is 'Axel.'" In addition, today, he tried to say "Robin" (as in Batman's sidekick) with a French accent on his own--he and I had never even talked about Robin before. He pronounced it "Roe-bin" as opposed to "Roe-bain," since he does not know formal rules for French pronunciation, but I thought it was very interesting that he is adapting to these conventions on his own!

Spiderman!

If you need help fighting bad guys or climbing any walls, let us know and we will dispatch Spidey out to help you. He has an entire team at your disposal, since, according to him, Spidergirl, Spiderbaby, Big Spiderman, Batboy, Batman, Batbaby and other various super heros live at our address as well.

Save the world, Spiderman!

Spiderman
(aka Luka)

More Skiing Fun

Yesterday, Luka did the rope tow for the first time--at Eldora above Boulder. We met Corinne, Ada and Dan there and Corinne and I traded off watching Axel as he slept in the back pack. It was very warm! Luka went up (and down) 4 times with me, skiing down between my legs. The rope tow was the hardest part--but we got better at it each time. Next year, ski school, here he comes!

Reynald also had a good ski day in that he did one of his ski tours. Everyone else bailed, but he did it alone and met Ken part way. He did Edlora to Winter Park over Rollings Pass. Go, Reynald!

Ode to Mittens and Gobelets

Baby Mittens
Here is a picture of the tiny mittens that Grandma Joan (my mom) bought for Luka, before he was born, during our trip to France when I was pregnant with him. Of course, we did not know he was Luka then. She bought them when she and I stayed in Aix at the end of our trip at one of the cute baby shops in town. Luka wore them as a newborn to keep his hands warm at night and Axel wore them inside his buntings to give his hands an extra layer when he was several months old.

I am passing them on to my friend Ann who is due in July. Great to get more use out of them--they have crossed the ocean to do their duty. But, it is kind of sad, so I wanted to chronicle their part in our lives. Bye bye sweet little mittens!

Luka's Gobelets
We had to retire the beloved Sponge Bob straw cups ("Gobelet"). I could not get them clean anymore and we had had them a long time. It was a sad parting, but of the four, we only had three left anyway (or was that two)? They must be in sippy cup heaven. We have replaced them with a new cup, but it doesn't work as well (meaning, it leaks). Sponge Bob, we need you! Here is a picture in memory of our first and most beloved Gobelets.

Luka's New Room!

With a new bedroom set and a new hardwood floor, we can say that Luka has a totally new room! Here is a picture of him from last night--the first time he saw his new set up. Wow! No more sleeping in Maman and Papa's room while the work is being done!

He had a great first night: didn't fall off the bed and slept 12 hours. Mmmm - I love my own room!

Now, the work is not done for Mom and Dad--new rugs to buy, put all the pictures back on the walls, everything back in the closet, etc. But, we are getting there and it was worth it!

French Rock Star Jean-Louis Aubert & other Famous French Visitors to Denver

We saw Jean-Louis Aubert last year in Denver in March and even got our pictures taken with him after the show and talked to him and his entourage--and talented backup guitar player. Being French expat(s) has its perks in getting to meet really famous people up close that we'd never be able to get near in France. (That includes Julien Clerc with whom Eve had dinner and Reynald drove his band around town (he was very gracious and looks very young for his age), Jack Higelin with whom we ate a midnight dinner with, along with his entourage, at My Brother's Bar (he was an amazing musician but kind of a weirdo), director Alain Mottet who Eve took to a Rockies baseball game (he said it was his dream to attend an American baseball game--how could I deny him?), Bernard Lavilliers, and director Claude Lelouch, and former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (even in English, his speech is very aristocratic--not like Geo Bush II, I'd say).

Turns out Aubert made a mini-documentary of his trip to Denver that is on his recently-turned platinum CD in France. The ablum is called Ideal Standard and you can find it on Amazon.

Check out this article in the Denver Post about the album and Aubert's take on Denver.

Also, go here to see our pictures with him. I was just beginning to show being pregnant with Axel.

In this picture, Eve is on far left.
In this one, Reynald is far left.
And here, it is just Reynald and JL Aubert!

When Reynald's cousin Fabien saw these pictures on our website, he emailed me and said the guy with Reynald looked just JL Aubert, and was it really him?!

Luka was really into JL Aubert after this concert (even though he didn't go). He liked the autographed poster, and any time the CD came on, he'd say (in French), "That's Jean-Louis Aubert!" Then, when we were in France in November, we saw him on the equivalent on French MTV while looking in the electronics section at the store Auchan, and he was very excited (me too!).

Sking Fun!

Here is our new ski sled for the kids that we got on Friday (it also turns into a bike trailer, a rickshaw/hiking get up, a jog stroller and a stroller). It is the Chariot Carrier. We used it for its first run today! We went to the East Portal trail by the Moffat Tunnel above Nederland.

It was around 20 degrees where we were (a bit colder at the end of the outing), but the kids were toasty warm in their little cocoon. We both took turns pulling them, me on snow shoes and Reynald on skis. And, Luka skied down quite a ways with Reynald on his little skis. Both Axel and Luka were outdoor champs!

Reynald pulling the new kid sled with Luka and Axel inside. Yee ha!

Luka's sled last year and this year (with the addition of the booster chair as a brilliant idea of Mommy's) before the new sled. It was fun, but just not ridin' in the same style (or warmth).

A cute picture of Axel from our trip to Han's Peak (nothing to do with the sled--I just like the picture :).

Pool Fun

We went to the pool at the new Broomfield Rec Center just north of us for the first time, from around 5:30 to 7ish. Luka had a blast, but Axel was not a happy camper in the water. I guess he is still too little. This was his first time in a pool/anything outside the tub. We tried him in the floatie frog, but he is not big enough yet and did not like it. He could not sit up right in it anyway, so we will wait a couple of months. We dried him off and put him in his towel on his stroller. He was happier that way! Reynald and Luka had a blast going down the big slide! They went down like 8 or 9 times - which is good for Luka since he can be kind of scared of stuff like that. But, I asked him if he wanted to go down with Mommy too, and he said, all happy, "No! With Papa!" :) He is probably right - don't know if I could hold on to him going down!

Winter Fun and Fur Rondy Memories

Winter Fun near Steamboat
We spent a long weekend (Reynald took a day off and so did I) about 45 minutes north of Steamboat Springs (Hans Peak area) this past weekend with friends Corinne, Dan and Ada. Luka and Ada were great buddies and Axel thought Dan was the greatest.

We also went to Steamboat Springs Hot Springs. Luka loved it and Axel screamed in his car seat till he fell asleep. It was too cold for him out of the water. Ada and Corinne had a blast too--poor Dan was back at the cabin sick. :( The adults had fun on their huge water slide. Corinne and Reynald had to convince me, but then I did it a second time!

Axel spent his first snow shoe hike (or any outing) in the baby back pack. He was a trooper. It was sunny all weekend and Monday long, so we lucked out. Everyone else skied but me (no back country skies yet, just snow shoes). Luka even got a ski in around our cabin with Papa. He did some sledding and rode in Ada's ski sled too. So did Axel. We also rigged up a sled for Luka using our red plastic sled and Axel's high chair/booster seat. But, we loved Ada's enclosed ski sled so much, we just bought a double ski sled for the kids. We would have liked to get away with a single one, but for skiing and hiking, the double seems necessary despite the gap in their ages. It is a Chariot and we got all the kits for it. They are found at www.chariotcarriers.com. It was a big (= spendy) purchase, but hopefully, we will use it all year round. It is a gorgeous pod for our little guys!

All this outdoor stuff encouraged me to spend other some money at REI too. They are having a big sale. I got a new day pack with reservoir system, Axel got a new bunting and fleece baby shirt for winter and Luka got a ski helmet and ski goggles (actually, those were from www.Trail-kids.com). Today was really cold. It was 0 degrees at around 5 p.m. and last time I checked, it was -2 degrees. Oh-- www.weather.com now says it is -7 degrees. Brrr!

Oh, Axel screamed all the way home from Steamboat (~3 hours). I am not kidding. It was awful. Not sure why he did it, but we could not get him to stop. :( Oh well....hopefully, he will be happier next time.

Axel news: He is extremely smiley and people comment on it wherever we go: Chipotle for lunch where he flirted shamelessly with a couple next to us, at our CPA today for our tax appointment, with people in the tea house where I had a tasty tea to ward off the cold weather, etc. He also seems to like solid food in the morning but lately is not too keen on it in the evenings. I think he is too tired by that time.

Luka seems to be having a lot of fun at school. He is really into playing with his friend Johnny. He asked if Johnny could come to his house--he has never asked that about anyone before. He has known him since Toddler 2 (1 - 2 year old class), but John is 4, I think. We were watching the Olympics the other night and figure skating was on. Luka said, "I can do that!" and did some turns around the living room, imitating them. To him, seemed pretty simple! :) He was very proud. Maybe he will be an Olympic champ some day--ha ha.

I have noticed that no one ever mistakes Axel for a girl. That happened all the time with Luka when he was a little baby (under a year or so?). I think it is because he was so "pretty" with his long eyelashes (like his Grandpa Paul). Axel has gorgreous dark brown eyes too, but his lashes are not as long, I guess.

Fur Rondezvous Memories from Anchorage, AK
Talked to my mom today on the phone and she said Fur Rondy (big winter carnival in Anchroage, AK) was starting. I miss it. Sounds like it will be fun. The Miners and Trappers Ball is being held again this year. We had some fun times doing that (me, Cathy and Dolly--were those fun days, or what?!). She is also going to the Pioneer Pancake Breakfast. I wonder if they still have the Polar Bear Party. That was the best. I remember going with Dad too when it was dowtown off G street at the old Fur Rondy office (now is that building the Glacier Brew House?) and in later years going with Mom, Charlie and others when it was at the Sheraton. We would sneak in using the polar bear sticker passes from the previous year on our Fur Rondy buttons (you were supposed to be a "VIP"). That was hilarious. Some pretty good sneakiness for us straight-lacers. Well, we are VIP's too--(ast least Dad was). Tee hee.

I remember when I was a French painter in the parade--something about I got extra credit for that in my high school French class??? I remember that it was fun, but pretty cold. And talk about cold--going on the carnival rides down at the "buttress area" on Third Ave. That was really cold. After the Round Up or other rides, we could hardly move our faces because they were so cold. In college when I would tell that story, people thought it was weird. It is just the way it was--and I guess we were pretty tough Alaskans. ;) And I can still smell how it always smelled like cigarette smoke down there. Carnival rides always do, don't they?

And the fireworks. Very cold but fun to watch outside from the TeePee park or downtown, all bundled up. And, one year I was in the Miss Fur Rondy pagent, but that is another story....Ah.....I miss the the Fur Rondezvous. Like Mom and I said, I had been going to those events since I was born, so there are a lot of years to be nostalgic about. If you want to visit Anchorage and make your own Rondy memories, check out their site at http://www.furrondy.net/.

Axel's 6-month check up

Axel had his 6-month check-up at the doctor today. He's in good health, of course! He also got two shots--poor little guy! For the first one, he flinched a bit but didn't cry till the second one. ("What are you guys doing to me?!")

Weight: 15 lbs. 2.5 oz. - 20th percentile
Length: 26.5 inches - 50th percentile
Head circumfrence - 17 inches - 20th percentile

Luka came along and was a good helper (well-behaved). He was embarassed when he called Tammy the nurse "Dr. Jarmul." He was smart though to know to use the dr's name (we talk about going to visit her). Also, when we drove up to the hospital (where our dr's medical offices are), Luka said, "Maman, je ne suis pas malade !" (Mommy, I am not sick!)

Happy 6-month Birthday, Axel!

Today is Axel's 6-month birthday! Wow - can you believe it? He is growing fast and getting more observant every day. His new things are that he is holding things more with his hands and into sticking things in his mouth (Mommy's shirt, Mommy's arm, his little teether hedgehog or other toys (no actual teeth or real teething yet though, just sucking like mad)). He is also really into sucking his thumb in the last few weeks. That is good! He can self-comfort a lot more.

Luka sucked his thumb for a bit too around this age. Neither of our kids ever sucked a pacifier. For Luka, we never tried. For Axel, we just tried for a few nights in France in November out of desperation because he would not sleep a wink without being held by one of us. He used the pacifier a bit for a few nights there (sucking it nervously instead of Mommy) but then he dumped it. Which is fine with us! He got back to sleeping more normally back in the US, and now, the last week and a half, he has been sleeping 10 - 12 hours a night! Go, Axel! Looks like we are done with the waking up during the night stuff, but we will see.

He is also rolling over some, from front to back, and some from back to front, but not a lot for either. Luka was never a big roller either, so no big deal.

He is also very vocal and likes chirping, "talking" and likes to sing with Mommy and big brother. He is also really into books now and loves to be read to. He likes to play with Luka and was very excited the other night when he heard Reynald and Luka come home from work/school, even before he saw them. He knew two good playmates were on their way in the house!

Joyeux Anniversaire and Happy Birthday, Axel Baby!

Flash: Mary Had a Little Lamb!

For those of you who don't know, Mary had a little lamb! It's fleece was white as snow (or "wipe as snow" as Luka says), and everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go.

This classic is Luka's current favorite song (yes, it is in English!). A very close second is Here we Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush (and wash our clothes, brush our teeth, brush our hair, wash our face, jump on one foot, hop around, etc, etc, etc). All those motions are such preschool fun!

I'd say Axel's favorite song is My Bonnie (Axel) Lies Over the Ocean and also, Round and Round the Garden, Goes the Little Mouse (or Bear). He also loves it when Mommy counts to three (or trois as the case may be) and does something fun on three. Such as makes him fly, makes him clap his hands, stand up, etc.

Luka's current fav books are Pigs Rock (I'd say that is my favorite too!) by Melanie Davis Jones and illustrated by Bob Staake. The story is clever, rhymes very well and the illustrations are very appealing. Rock on! He also likes the Olie books by William Joyce, and in particular Snowie Rolie as well as Big Time Olie. I think the text is kind of awkward sometimes, but Luka loves it. The story lines are clever and the graphics are impressive here as well. These two were library books. Have to take them back tomorrow - oh no! Gotta love the library! I just ordered Luka Sleepy Time Olie used from Amazon, so we will see how that goes.

Axel likes reading too and I try to read to just him once a day when Luka is at school. Today we read some of good baby French books about animals (Tic Tic la Giraffe, Tchok Tchok le Chameau, Zoum Zoum la Cocinelle, Odil Bourdon, Estelle la Cocinelle et Pierrot l'Escargot).

Recipe: Most Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the Quaker Chewy Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies from the inside of the top of the oatmeal can. Also, at their web site. We started making these 13 years ago when I mailed Reynald some cookies from Anchorage when he was doing his military service officers' school in France. (Back then, military service was still mandatory in France.) My fav cookie is oatmeal chocolate chip and I discovered this recipe on the box. The rest, as they say, is history.

Mom has taken these over as her own and is famous for making them. I make a mean cookie with this recipe too. I usually make them as bar cookies. I don't have enough time to make them one by one. Don't over cook them as drop cookies and they will be divine. So buttery (and good for you too, I am sure!).

These work well in high altitude too. The Quaker recipe says that the nuts are optional, but I don't think so. They are soooooo delicious in this recipe!

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1-1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 TBS milk
2 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (increase to 2 cups for high altitude)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
2-1/2 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

This recipe can be easily halved. It is big the way it is written.

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat margarine and sugars until creamy. Add eggs, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add oats, chocolate chips and nuts, if desired; mix well.

2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 10 minutes for a chewy cookie or 12 to 13 minutes for a crisp cookie. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

3. If you are making bar cookies (my favorite), press dough into the bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. I use a glass one. Quaker says bake 30 - 35 minutes till done. Note that at high altitude, I never bake them that long--they'd be burnt to a crisp. I cut the recipe in half (it is big as given and it halves easily) and I bake the bar cookies around 15 minutes.

Ah, heaven!

Axel's first solid food!

Axel having fun on his first day of solid food

Luka helping out with friendly cow - used to wipe little mouths

We just finished introducing Axel to his first taste of solid food. (We being me, Luka and our friendly cow friend for wiping Axel's mouth - see photos.)

Organic rice cereal mixed with mommy's breast milk - yum! Actually, it did not go over that well, and he is right now in the process of getting his milk straight fron the source! :) But, he will get used to it soon enough. Another try tonight.

Update Friday, January 27, 2006

Today we tried solid food again and Axel was into it and ate all his rice cereal/milk mixture. Go, Axel! Soon, I will have to go to Wild Oats and get him some organic baby veggies!

Update Again

Sunday, January 29, 2006: We have now added (baby food) sweet potatoes to Axel's repertoire. He seemed to like them! It is bittersweet--he is becoming a big boy! Stay small! Stay small! :)

Tuesday, January 31, 2006: He didn't really like sweet potatoes in the end and he kept spitting them out the second and third time I tried. So, I tried peas and he seems to like those so far (two times). Let's hear it for peas!

Tuesday, February 7, 2006: Today we added carrots to his repertoire. He seemed to love them! And, I think he was kind of hungry. He opened his mouth right away when I popped the top of the baby food jar and spooned some out. He then proceeded to eat the entire jar! Yum, yum!