Tilda and Ursula, after Thanksgiving til' Super Tuesday...enjoy!

Jan 28
The little turkey just learned to roll over. This is great progress...except for the fact that each time she ends up in tummy time (and that means 3-5 minutes until crying time). [e]

Jan 26
School has started...and we are full tilt. And to boot, rain and cold weather are keeping us indoors, making for a crazy toddler running in circles. This activity is preferable to the humpty-dumpty off every object...our poor downstairs neighbor.

Tilda is giggling up a storm and very easy going. We are very lucky to have a non-colic newborn...cross our fingers. We got warned by the Doctor...not enough tummy time. Second children often get short thrifted...[e]


just in case we forgot...(this is a teaching card for Ursula)


painting it up on a lazy Saturday


there is an extra terrestrial in Ursa's bed


enjoy her bumbo seat with a nice drool party

Jan 15
Ursula is not yet a genius - at reading anyway. Even though we can't help but spell things out to her every spare moment. I was reading the very concise Hug to her today and would alternate with reading out the word "hug" on each page and spelling it out "H - U - G" and phonically dragging it out "hhhh - uuuh - gggggh!" I turned the page and pointed at the word, "what does that spell?" Patiently and with great pride she said, "H - U - G ... "

"... mmm - uuuuhn - keee."

I don't know if I've mentioned that we now have to use longer swear words since spelling out "S - * - I - T" can evidently be repeated easily by a two-year-old from the other side of the apartment.

Our wee Ursula also has a hollow leg, She's been known to eat an entire banana, a bowl of oatmeal, some of her mother's oatmeal, and an egg all before 9am. And still demand some cheese and could that come with a side of cookie too?

Tilda is doing 360s on the floor, but only when we're not looking. She is oh-so-close to rolling over.

And we took the kids to see the Chinese Lion Dancers at a library performance. Very. Very. Cool. Especially the part where they violently expell enchanted lettuce on the audience. I'm probably getting that wrong - it might be lucky lettuce. But whatever kind of lettuce it is, I like it. [s]

Ursula spends hours a day at this easel. "Want to go read some books?" "No! I'm drawing!" "Want to play chess?" "No! I'm drawing!" Usually she has her face scrunched up an inch away from the paper.

We are fascinated by the drawings. Forgive us, we're her parents. Doesn't this one look cheerful?

She saw some polka dots.

She saw some spirals.

We keep practicing, but Tilda still can't walk.

happy happy


Lion Dancers at the library


not looking forward to school...

Jan 6
Recovering from the holidays...relaxing with some Planet Earth dvd's.


kicking back with Uncle Bob


all dressed up and ready to roll


hereditary vetineray inspection...


"argh matey, don't mess wit my ale"


must have crossed the stair leg pain threshold...she usually wants to walk 300+...


neighborhood hike


Jan 1
Happy New Year! Have sympathy...we all have flu.


Ursula all gridded up like a Chuck Close from two years of photos!


Santa left a present that was shaped like a cone and had Ursula all confused...


tripartite pillow action...preventing the Tilda from falling over

Dec 24
The anticipation is driving Ursula crazy...she whispers "pwessant" about once an hour...and knows that Santa, twenty-five, stocking and cookies have something in common. "Mary Quismas!" [e]


"Daddy, those cookies are for Santa!"


The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there...


apparently someone likes to eat apples half way like a watermelon slice (with rind)


what a great coat!


semi-tame park resident approaches


handicapping the race


back and forth for twenty minutes...


San Francisco has the best bike racks in the world

Dec 23

After discovering that Tilda has a ticklish neck, we have been exploiting it several times a day. Tired? Kiss her neck and watch her laugh. Bored? Kiss her neck and watch her laugh. Concerned that the world is out to get you? Kiss her neck and watch her laugh.

Baby laughs make everything seem better. [s]

Ursula is very excited that this Christmas she gets to give gifts too (hint to daddy: she made the present herself). Well, actually she's more excited about opening up all of the presents, whether she already knows what's inside or not. I don't know how long this present will last in this condition - hence the photo. This is (a first attempt at) the earth-friendly Furoshiki style of wrapping, using a sheet of fabric that can be then reused for other purposes. Check out the Furoshiki diagram hosted by a Japanese government agency.

Ursula is hard at work making wrapping paper with potatoes, paint, and grocery bags.

The child-rearing book suggests propping her up now to excercise all sorts of balancing muscles. So here she is giggling while she topples over. Not a very good weeble.

To all of you family photographers out there that magically produce their Christmas Cards with photographs of smiling, gracious children, we salute you. This is what we get these days when we ask to take a picture of our two-year-old.

... not that we have much more luck with the Wiggle Baby ...

For those of you waiting with held breath...the 2008 Pantone Color of Year has been announced! Looks like a good year for Democrats?!

Dec 19

The advent calendar is a huge success! ... at introducing Ursula to peppermint chocolate kisses and Christmas tree ornaments. Unfortunately the plan to teach her the number 13 is an utter failure. She can, however count one to twenty (skipping 13) flawlessly. Now if we can just convince her to use the potty without having to take off every stitch of clothing. We've explained it's just more convenient that way, especially in public restrooms.

After making a lovely drawing for mama for Christmas Ursula had assistance wrapping her first gift from daddy. And then as soon as he left the room she eagerly unwrapped it. We've been going back and forth with this same, now shredded, present ever since. Just 562 more days of this and she'll finally learn that she has to wait until Christmas. [s]


camping in the winter...


bug eyes


tea party with the Wolsborns (todays menu is toast on pineapple)


we drive all the way to the trail and she falls asleep...


someone asked me if I miss NH...well, sure but let's also count the nice things about seasonal weather and year round hiking.


3/4th the size of the house for Frederick III, Prince of Salm-Kyrburg (The Legion of Honor)


she doesn't think much of the Thinker


she finds her best wish in the world...more rocks than humanly possible


You are being watched. Well, actually it's Ursula that's being watched. Tilda is now her biggest fan. Be careful to make sure your face is out of the way when you pick up Tilda - she can knock you out swinging her head around to watch her big sister's antics.

We are protecting the wall here from Ursula's food-coated caresses with an advertisement for the fabulous "twelve days of meat!" Because apparently nothing says Christmas like big hunks of meat every day.

Dec 9

We finished our online shopping, and we must say that Christmas is expensive, impersonal and stressful. Maybe it's the end of the semester talking or it could have been that completely crazy ER visit the other morning. Everybody is ok. [e]


if it wasn't for the red striped hat we might have lost her


the elf decorates (but isn't trusted with scissors yet)


we found a little elf and took it home...it only eats sugar


watch little fingers


this photo is for all of our sans-kids artist friends out there


graduating up to a real tea party (decaf, of course)

DEC 2

Ursula was watching Microcosmos last evening (that insect movie) and two ladybugs were having sex. We didn't know how to react but Daddy jumped right in with "backrub!" And then Ursula said "oooh they got stuck" and "oooh they need help". We smiled with a "what the heck do we say"..

Tilda and Ursa seemed to have had simultaneous wonder weeks. Tilda has begun a cooing and smiling routine while Ursa is learning to recognize word/pictures. She can spot her name, "mom", "dad" and almost distinguish "dog" and "cat". This breakthrough occured after every stop sign was apparently an "Ursula". And to come clean, she unfortunately knew the "DVD", "Target", and "Elmo" words earlier than we'd like to admit. [e]



hamming it up in a Mimi sweater


wondering who is the true queen of the house


practicing those leg muscles


sometimes these wonder weeks of mimicry go too far (yes, that is breastfeading and a diaper change to her left)

Nov 23

For at least a month now Ursula has been cooing "I love you mama," then "I love you daddy," and even an "I love you Tilda," accompanied by hugs and kisses. We were lulled and felt our hearts melting like fresh chocolate chip cookies. But then *sigh* the other day in the supermarket Ursula pulled a plastic shopping bag close to her chest and breathed, "I love you plastic bag!" And just like that she completely broke my heart. Yeah, I know she'll be breaking my heart quite a few times. And deep down inside I secretly, guiltily, love plastic bags too - they're just so perfect for sealing off the stench of a hot diaper. But I'm looking forward to the day when I rank a bit higher.

Tilda now likes to comment on our affections with delightful "aah"s. She has also been working out every waking moment. When I turn my head she has invariably wound up in some new awkward position, sliding off the bouncer, rolling off pillows, and squirming in my arms. Perhaps she would like a set of barbels for Christmas. [s]

Tilda meeting her Great-Grandmother Julia Matlida Gausman


enjoying the "sunset warm"


sunset party on Twin Peaks


this photo is poached from Mimi and Papa's Holiday Card


Ursula getting to know her new friend Brinley


taking a morning walk in the small town of Occidental (Ursa was very impressed that they have trucks just for milk)


just a few sweets after the MEAL


the Occidental entertainer...works the crowd


crashed at the Inn

Did you miss the last couple weeks of pictures?