Big Boy.

 Every day I am in awe of everything Theo is learning and doing. Understanding more, saying more words, saying "toot toot!" when he hears a, you know, toot... (I am especially proud of this one, it's hilarious). Lately he sounds like a little Frenchman as he has to add some sort of sound before a word (ze hat! ze cars!) or German (und bar!). I signed him up for swim lessons, and Grandma Hall (swim instructor extraordinaire) would have laughed at this class because I think all he learned was to forget how to blow bubbles in the water. Lots of playing with toys.

And... the haircut. !!! We were not coerced by the public that thought he was a girl every day in the park, but we felt like it was time. So off we went to a kid's hair place, where Theo sat in a car, got to watch Elmo, and play with toys--it was genius. Best $20 spent all day. He was surprisingly calm unlike me, I was in such a nervous frenzy I forgot to change the settings on my camera. I am in love with his little boy cut--we just told the hair stylist we wanted him to look like his dad. All the beautiful baby curls are gone, but now we are left with this little boy who somehow aged dramatically. And everything he does now seems cuter? I don't know--this kid slays me.

Speckle

I haven't been so good at documenting Theo's "firsts." I typically remember an approximate age he starts doing certain things, but I know there will be few times in the future that I will care about the age he rolled over, so I don't worry about it too much. I also know that many of the current things that I think are so amazing (he recognizes the letters P and O! Can tell the difference between my twin and me in pictures!) will lose their dazzle among continuous new achievements. But the other day, I noticed a freckle on his left leg. A single, dark freckle--the only freckle on his entire body. Theodore has a mother and father who genetically gifted him with vampire skin prone to many freckles, moles, and inevitable sun damage. With this one freckle it hit me that he is growing up into a little boy that will have scars and sunburns and maybe even a broken bone someday, but surely more freckles. I really want to remember the time that he just had one. And now I want to take my hormonally charged pregnant self and cry in the corner over the general passage of time and what it has done to my former baby boy.

(I also want to be able to remember that time in his life when strangers constantly thought he was a girl. I just try to document the important things.)

already missing portland

 

All photos by Kate Maxwell Photography

After spending a few weeks away from Portland during Christmas, I was missing it quite a bit. After over three years here it has really become our home. It makes me sad already to know that we will most likely be moving when Jon graduates school. Luckily this past fall my friend Katie, who is a very talented photographer and one of the hardest working people I know, took some family pictures for us and we are now enjoying them in our home. I love the location in Tryon Creek park, because no matter where we live they will remind me of our time here where we started our family. I've unfortunately learned from the past (ahem, wedding) that quality photos are worth the cost, and I am going to treasure these forever! Thanks for putting up with the most squirrel-y toddler around, Katie! 

Check out Katie here. She's spunky, easygoing and willing to get poison oak to capture you at your best. (That was actually for a friend's photoshoot--for us she got stinging nettle)

Babies everywhere

This picture is blurry, but is my favorite. Jon was so tortured on this photo shoot.


It feels so great to be back in Portland after a fun holiday in Boise with my family, and I am excited to finally share a bit of news with the internet--I am not just showing off a Christmas of overeating, but a baby too! And if the picture isn't too obvious, Kenz is as well! It has been so amazing to be pregnant at the same time as my twin, even though we live across the country from each other. Our first trimesters both consisted of a lot of texts to each other sharing our similar cravings (smoothies, so many smoothies...). We went to an ultrasound-in-a-box place over the break, and found out we are having a girl. We are very excited to meet a girl Hall baby, although Theo gets mistaken for a girl just about every day. So I guess there will be no mystery--she will look like Theo. 

I'm due June first and while I get a little nervous about it being three weeks before Theo's second birthday/days after Jon's final boards/two weeks before graduation/weeks before moving somewhere TBD, I try not to think about it. It will all work out. Probably. Yes. 

But really, I am so overjoyed and thrilled and excited to add to our little family. Kenz being pregnant too just makes it that much more amazing. She is going to be knitting up some awesome things and our little girl will have the cutest genetic half sibling around. Go visit her blog to find out what she's having!

Pants free Christmas decorating

Ah, Christmas. The time of year where we get our one or two decorations out from the Halloween box and I tell myself I'll really get decorating when I'm a real adult. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have tons of holiday cheer around, but the thought of adding another box to our already jammed storage closet or 700 sq foot apartment that we will be moving from soon enough is too much for me to handle. But really, one tiny elf-proof tiny elf tree was enough to fill our whole space with festivity--and a few whiffs of good smells. Good thing we have to throw it away this weekend, because it's already dying! We loved you while you lasted. Theo had the best time hanging up the ornaments, and it's always been my favorite Christmas ritual. Up next, Idaho and some real snow! And a 45 minute flight. That is 2 episodes in Yo Gabba Gabba time. (What? Theo doesn't watch shows...)

giving thanks for carbs and meat

It's hard for me to describe how much I was looking forward to Thanksgiving this year. And while I have a lot to be thankful for, that wasn't really on my mind. Since October, a steady mantra of "turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls" had been on repeat, and it just got louder and louder as the days went by. We're talking minor obsession. Maybe major. We stayed in Portland for the first time and had dinner with David and Vanessa, and I rounded out my selfish Thanksgiving thoughts by not thinking enough about the needs of one dairy free, gluten free, soy free member of the party. (So glad meat free wasn't in there too). See? Thanksgiving brings out the worst in me. The other day Jon accidentally threw a pillow at my head while I was eating dinner and I became really, inappropriately harsh, so maybe food brings out the worst in me. (I did warn him that the pillow hit was like approaching a predator while eating, so maybe I was just acting within my biological nature?) Anyway, after I got a few bites of food in me my selfishness dissolved a bit, and my thoughts turned to wonderful friends, and our wonderful little family. We always have the best time making food with the Wilkes so it was a perfect day. Plus, David made THE BEST TURKEY I HAVE EVER HAD. All caps totally appropriate. Raise the roof, you deserve it. And I made gluten free dairy free pumpkin pie to make up for the fact that I was a horrible friend and brought rolls to dinner. Sorry V! At least they weren't homemade.

 I actually let Theo have at my plate before I had a chance to start eating, which was remarkable given the frenzy I was in at that point. The spoon in the potatoes was his fault.

phone documentation of life

I haven't been the most regular in posting. (oh, you haven't noticed anyway?) Theo has been taking a single half hour nap daily, doesn't like it when I'm on the computer, and night time is strict couch and Tivo time with Jon. It's a sacred after-a-long-day routine in which we soak up as much screen time as we can after Theo goes to bed and eat random snacks. (just kidding Mom, we don't do this all the time just kidding we totally do just kidding just kidding) So here's some of the other stuff we do.

 Go to art class.

 Visit with old friends. Especially if they have a matching stroller.

 Go to pumpkin patches and just buy a corn on the cob. Theo loved it--who cares about pumpkins?

Play in an orchestra, which is hard on my back. I am old.

Go to the park with friends and enjoy the last sunny bits of fall.

 Make lots of towers.

 Make our own hot tubs and maybe wear pajamas while doing so.

 We Motherboy III. (I think we're on III, correct me if I'm wrong)

We dance, which is my main source of exercise right now. Arcade Fire seems to be a Theo favorite.

spooks

Happy Halloween! I'm a little sad Jon and I didn't quite get into the costume spirit--I saw everyone dressed up at our church party Saturday and had some regret. Jon, not so much. Theo's costume restrictions were no hoods or hats (we are making strides in wearing hats, however) so he went as a hobo with fingerless gloves on his feet (turns out he hates wearing gloves, too). Apparently according to the internet, dressing as a hobo is considered insensitive due to the economy? Oh well. I just needed any excuse to draw a beard on his face.

I am taking Theo on his first trick or treating outing this afternoon at some shops in the neighborhood. He will have no idea what is going on, but I will get all his candy. Isn't that the reason people have kids in the first place?

 p.s. hobo stick=weapon.

And here's a video of Theo chasing his tail--or, hobo stick.

Niece attack!

We had the women in Jon's family come to visit recently, including our nieces aged six and three. Theo had such a fun time with them, even when they smothered him with hugs and scared him right out of the bathtub with their screams. These girls are seriously, all girl--covered in pink sparkles, Barbies and princesses. But I think Theo helped convince them that little boys can be pretty fun too. Theo also got crazy attached to Grandma Hall--something that I think still would have happened even without all the candy involved. We had such a good time and I can't wait until our next super pink sparkle manicure session!

 We made a little trek to Cannon Beach one day and I was a meanie and wouldn't let Theo out of his stroller for the few minutes we were on the beach. It was cold, windy, and I knew his first instinct would be to run right at the ten degree water. So, he was mad. Which of course, was funny.

All the way from PA

 Of course I was having such a good time that I didn't take many pictures. Luckily I got a few when we went to see the swifts one night. September tradition!

 I think one of my favorite moments of Kenz's time here was when she thought a recycling/deposit center was an outdoor laundromat.

Whenever Kenz and Tyler come for a visit, it seems like we are welcoming them back home. And after about 10 minutes it feels like they have always been around. Luckily for us, we married husbands that are alike enough to handle all the time we need together. Because when twins are married the attitude is--"we need to go make up shopping, talking at rapid speed about random stuff for two hours. Have fun, guys!" It would be horrible to be married to people who didn't have that much in common--not that it would take away from us spending time together, of course--they would just have a lot of awkward time together in their future. I think they actually enjoy commiserating and comparing our shared foibles and (lovable) quirks, which are many.

It was so great to have them here for a whole week, because we got to do just about everything we planned--food places and fabric thrift stores and everything in between. If we would have put Kenz on the plane with a Taco Time crisp bean burrito, the trip would have been complete. We ate so much, it took me about a half hour to come up with the complete list later. Kenz did a great compilation of everything we ate on her blog. We visited a lot of old favorites, but found some new favorites too. Needless to say, it was one of the best weeks of the summer.  Theo loved loved loved having them around, especially with Uncle Tyler's love of scaring kids, and Theo's love of being scared. It was a perfect match. And I even found some great thrifting scores. Heaven! I hope they come back as soon as possible. Once I work the extra pounds off.