Monkey see, monkey do

We have lots of teeth.

Bike-go-round

At the MakerFaire this weekend, Julian got to sit on an oversized swing set, enjoy a private concert of kids music, decorate a chocolate-covered Oreo, and ride this merry-go-round made of bikes.

Scarlett did these activities as well, minus the Oreo, but probably won't remember them next year.

The cool thing about this ride is that the inventor just made it for fun. No business model here; just the smile it puts on the faces of the riders.

No use crying over it

Scarlett helped herself to a half-gallon of milk that was sitting on the table. Yes, pretty much the entire half-gallon.

As a result, we have ditched the dining room rug. FLOR tiles, maybe we'll try you again in a few years.



Then she and her cousin had a pretty good laugh over it.

It's Birthday Week

1973 part 1
Originally uploaded by small fry

Just when I was thinking of quitting this blog, I was inspired by my own birthday.

I am going to be 36, the age my mom was when I was 13. I remember her being this age and sometimes feel that I'm imitating her, borrowing her voice and way of talking, her handwriting and her style. But I also keep in mind that I'm now double the years she was when she married my dad. So maybe I'm actually becoming my grandmother. I'm not sure.

Looking at these pictures of 1973, most of them not mine, is a blast from someone's past. The art and home furnishings are terrific. Or are they terrifying?


Picture from a Swedish magazine Husmodern 33/1973


Inside of a 1973 BMW


Datsun (I had one of these...)


Me and my dad, plus me in my crib with the plastic bumpers


So, what do you think? 1973 is the year of awesome, right?

Paradise Found

We just spent 3 days at Paradise Point in San Diego. We tired Julian out by providing nonstop activity and stimulation such that he fell asleep at 6 pm the day after we returned.

("How did he sleep after falling asleep so early?" you might ask. No worse than usual. He came in our room at 3.30 am to gleefully announce that he just had a dream in which he and Scarlett were chasing Boots and Dora. Um, go back to your room and don't make any noise until 7 am, please.)

The cousins got some time together, and I read a book, not a magazine, for the first time in almost a year. I was reminded that down time is really more "down" outside of my own house. I must seek out more of this.

More pics of the weekend are here.

40-year old fuses

Ryan just found these in our garage. The previous owner had written a date with pencil on one of the packages. That date is 9/20/68.

I didn't even know they had pencils back then.

Why these new pics are brought to you by Facebook

Through Facebook, I recently hooked up with an old friend from gymnastics/jr high, Sharon Montrose. I learned that she is a professional photographer in LA and I instantly fell in love with her work. She specializes in animals, especially dogs, but also shoots kids for various parenting publications. I don't even love dogs (I only like them okay), but Sharon makes them look so charming.


(You can buy this piece from Sharon on Etsy.)

So, I asked her to write up some tips for RookieMoms.com, which she did. Now we have a delightful photo tips page.



I was myself inspired to take a different approach to snapping pictures of my kids by looking at Sharon's work. I just took a bunch of pics of Scarlett in the tub where I focused more on capturing the event and the aesthetics of the bathroom setting as a backdrop to a toddler's exuberance in the tub. I dropped the obsession with capturing her eye contact and smile. I think I got some great shots in terms of composition. (They are a bit grainy due to the lighting challenges of the bathroom.)

Tell me which ones you like.

Skeleton Veggies

Better late than never.

I took a picture of the veggie plate at Julian's birthday party because I wanted to share with the world the cuteness of this crudite skeleton I ordered my brother to make for our Halloweenish fiesta.

He did an excellent job and I thank him. Now. In January.

Cycle For Survival

Many of you know that Jen Goodman Linn, a friend of ours, has been fighting a rare cancer for several years now. Recent news that her cancer has returned is a disappointment to us all. Jen has let us know how we can help and Ryan and I are taking action.

Jen and Dave Linn created an event called Spin4Survival, an indoor team cycling fundraiser held in January 2007. She envisioned an event that would “reward and challenge the mind, body, and soul” — one that would eventually become national in scope. The inaugural event was an inspiration for all who attended. The second annual fundraiser far surpassed projected goals, with more than 120 teams “geared up to battle cancer,” including worldwide satellite teams. In total, the event has raised more than $800,000 and has grown into the fundraiser now known as Cycle for Survival.

“The fact that this event has directly benefited patients motivates me to keep going,” Jen said. “We’ve gained momentum, and we’ve already changed the way we’re fighting this illness. I have great hope that this will ultimately lead to more treatment breakthroughs and higher survival rates for those with rare cancers, so that more of us will live to tell our unique tales.”

This month, we'll ride as part of a satellite team in the Bay Area. It would mean a lot to us and to the Linn and Goodman families to have your support. (That means dollars.) Click here to donate and stay tuned to find out how we did.