Hsiu-Wen Comes Home

July 2011: Beverly Creek Backpack

2012-02-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

Hiking cool!

Still fun, even after several hours on the trail.

Time for a rest break.

Lovely view of the Enchantments Range across Ingalls Creek.

J's parents enjoying the view.

Time for some lunch!

Too much snow for easy hiking.

After two nights, heading back to the car.

June 2011: Family Day

2012-02-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

We had a slightly delayed family day this year, due to C's travel schedule. But that meant we were able to celebrate on a lovely warm June day with a bike ride to Matthews Beach. The waters of Lake Washington were still a little chilly for swimming, but we managed to have plenty of fun anyway.

Dad and Cara heard the ice cream truck - that's always good news!

Mom gets a taste.

This takes concentration.

The playground has fun rocks to climb on.

Made it to the top!

And she once fit in the baby swings...

Our family.

May 2011: Arenal Area

2012-01-29T15:21:00.001-08:00

Our last stop in Costa Rica was at La Fortuna, near Arenal Volcano. We stayed in a charming B&B with small cabins in second growth jungle. Although second growth, the trees were already of an impressive height and home to a large number (and variety) of frogs. While we only saw a small number (with some local help), they made a tremendous noise at night!

Having seen the quetzal in Monteverde, we still had the tree frog and toucan to complete our Costa Rica wildlife highlights. Although we didn't manage photos of either, we saw a tree frog in the jungle by our cabin, and the toucan made a brief appearance on our last day in La Fortuna (but not close enough for a photo). A very satisfactory ending to a wonderful vacation.

Cara was impressed by the size of this leaf.

We couldn't see much of the volcano through the clouds, but it is known to be active!

A flower that caught C's eye.

The trees compare to the Pacific NW for size!

We sometimes had colorful company at breakfast.

The Hanging Bridges were a wonderful way to explore the rainforest in the Arenal region.

And this friendly cockatoo by the park entrance happily ate up guavas that Cara held out.

Our final site was the lovely La Fortuna Waterfall.

But the pool at the bottom was more of a draw for Cara.

And after 9 days of non-stop photographs - enough!

May 2011: Cloud Forest

2011-11-27T15:14:00.000-08:00

We left the (mostly) clear blue skies of the coast and headed inland, up into the famous cloud forests of Monteverde. The guide books had warned us about the constant drizzle, so we spent just a full day touring the rain forest. But with the help of a good guide we were able to see plenty of interesting creatures.

Our first wildlife sighting was this lovely snake, hanging out a few feet from the trail.

Even the puddles were pull of life, with frog eggs.

Not flowers, but very striking.

A glimpse of the famed Quetzl.

Hummingbirds at the hummingbird garden were much easier to see.

Cara checks the trail sign.

It was a muddy trail, but Cara was a good sport.

Eventually she got tired, though.

May 2011: Playa Nosara, Costa Rica

2011-08-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

One of the great sights of Nosara is the mangrove swamp, best enjoyed by boat. On our third day we went on a kayak tour of the swamp, and were treated to a wide variety of bird life. As a break from sitting in the kayak (much appreciated by Cara), we landed on the beach side of Nosara River and crossed the dunes to the ocean. There Cara had a lovely time building sand towers and watching them be washed away.

On learning that the combination of a mid-morning low tide and low river levels made crossing the Nosara River on foot possible, we decided to return soon to this secluded beach. The following two mornings we walked, ran, played and thoroughly enjoyed the beach. A handful other tourists made it across the river and the beach was also popular with Tico fisherman, using traditional throwing nets.

The fine black sand on the beach made for fun sand castle/tower construction.

Watching the waves wash over a castle was part of the fun.

Not deep enough to swim, but the gentle surf was fun to splash in.

The pelicans grace flying along the surf line amazed us.

Cara explored the beach from all angles.

Always finding interesting things to look at.

We enjoyed the complicated grain of this piece of driftwood.

The peace and beauty of Playa Nosara.

May 2011: Lagarta Lodge, Costa Rica

2011-08-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

The lodge we stayed at in Nosara, Lagarta Lodge, turned out to be ideal for our family. Our room was simple but large and very comfortable. The proprietors were extremely pleasant, dinners excellent and breakfasts heavenly. At the end of a warm day, there was nothing more delightful than sitting on the veranda overlooking the mangrove swamp and Nosara beach below, sipping an ice cold sandia juice (watermelon). Absolute heaven - we're looking forward to a return visit.

The lodge grounds include a sizable nature reserve in the mangrove swamp. We made several forays to explore the trails, learning about the native trees, birds, crabs and monkeys. Even around the lodge itself we found huge toads, geckos, a bat family, and Craig saw a large (non-poisonous snake).

Walking into the nature reserve.

A howler monkey watches us from above.

The curious juvenile.

These vultures hung out everywhere.

The local bat family.

Along the path from the beach to the lodge.

Cooling off in the pool.

Sunset from the bar.

May 2011: Playa Pelada, Costa Rica

2011-08-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

As we searched for our next family vacation location, Costa Rica seemed to have a lot to offer. Beaches for Cara to play on, interesting hikes in cloud and rain forests and not too much driving to see it all. We started in the NW part of the country, in a lovely beach community called Nosara, 20 km down a dirt road. The actual town of Nosara is 5 km from the beaches, but a series of three beaches support a range of lodging and restaurants.

We spent most of our time on Playa Pelada, a lovely cresent-shaped beach. The different aspects of the beach resulted in varying sizes of waves to splash in (or dodge) and a rocky outcropping provided interesting tide-pooling. In the evening we were surprised to find the shell-strewn edges suddenly springing to life in little hermit crabs scurrying along the sand.

Playa Pelada.

A good place to run!

Play in the sand.

Find some friends.

Play with the waves.

It's catching up to us!

Sitting and enjoying eachothers company.

Not need for sand toys - sticks and shells abound.

The last comment on a beautiful day.

April 2011: Easter

2011-08-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Easter turned out to be a big weekend this year. Cara met up with friends Ida and Sophie at the Zoo for the annual Bunny Bounce event, including an egg 'hunt' and face painting. She colored eggs at home and then got to hunt for them in our backyard. And finally our neighborhood features a yearly egg hunt which Cara was very excited to participate in.

At the starting line for the Zoo egg hunt.

Bunny face in a butterfly

There's an egg!

Sneaking up on the next one.

Is it hiding in the flowers.

Ready with all the neighborhood kids.

Picking up eggs.

March 2011: Cherry Blossoms

2011-08-15T16:47:00.001-07:00

March in Seattle is cherry blossom season. This year C and Cara met up with friend Ida in the UW quad, celebrating the 4th anniversary of meeting Ida there for the first time! How big the girls have grown.

Cara investigates the individual cherry blossoms.

The girls found the trunks of the cherry trees, with moss and tiny ferns, interesting as well.

Hanging out against the tree trunk.

The view is always good from Dad's shoulders.

Reaching for flowers.

March 2011: Ski Lessons

2011-08-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

The weekly trek up to Snoqualmie Pass proved worth it. After a few lessons Cara got the hang of those boards and really started to enjoy herself. C also enjoyed getting up on skis and working with the teachers and other parents to get all the kids going downhill in the same general direction. An added treat - our pediatrician was there with his daughter!

We were sad when lessons were over but, thanks to some unusually late snow, were able to get up and ski three more times before calling an end to the season. I think we'll be out a whole bunch next winter.

Standing tall.

Turning.

Down.

This takes focus!

Getting the correct stance.

Snack time!

All in a row.

Now that was fun!

Jan/Feb 2011: Hanging out with Megan

2011-07-17T14:24:00.001-07:00

Despite not sharing a nanny any longer, Cara and Megan still manage to get together regularly. On school holidays we often try to get the girls try to together, and this year Megan's family joined us for one evening of the Chinese New Year.

Cara has learned how to make goofy faces for the camera.

Hanging out with Megan

At New Year's, Cara enjoyed the sticky rice dessert.

While Megan cracked peanuts.

The happy friends.

January 2011: First time on skis

2011-07-17T13:58:00.001-07:00

Cara had exhibited interest in skiing, and seemed sufficiently coordinated to pick herself up when she fell down. So we decided to try out ski lessons at Snoqualmie Pass. After renting some skis for the season we realized it might be a good idea to try Cara on the skis before starting the lessons. About 20 minutes on the freshly groomed slopes at Hyak gave Cara her first taste of sking, and she seemed ready for more.

At first just standing up was a challenge.

But she got the idea and could stand without holding hands.

And then do some gliding!

Sledding with Dad is still pretty fun, though!

December 2010: Nutcracker and Christmas

2011-07-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

Christmas saw Grandpa back for a longer visit. Cara enjoyed her very first ballet, with a trip to the Nutcracker. The Pacific Northwest Ballet does a wonderful production with sets designed by Maurice Sendak. Cara had a chance to preview the Nutcracker on Netflix a few times before she saw the live production. She was captivated by the costumes and dance. Christmas itself was the usual fun of special food, stories and of course presents. Some friends joined us for Christmas dinner, so Cara was able to show off some of her favorite toys.

Cara, Grandpa and the Mouse King.

Cara, Mom and the Nutcracker.

The Christmas Tree.

A special mug for Grandpa

Helping Mom open her present

What does Grandpa have?

Hanging out with Grandpa.

December 2010: SGA Birthday Party

2011-06-24T19:32:00.001-07:00

Cara has been taking gymnastics lessons at Seattle Gymnastics Academy (SGA) for the last year, so when a birthday party at SGA came up at her school's annual auction, we jumped at the opportunity. And that had Cara and her friends jumping, running, leaping and generally having a great time at her birthday party. Her new pink skirt stood up to the action.

Running on the tumble track.

Leaping down.

Swinging.

Spinning.

Blowing out 4 candles. Another carrot cake!

Eating cake with friend Megan.

November 2010: Trip to Antarctica

2011-06-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

No, Cara didn't make it to Antarctica, but her primary photographer did, and got some photos as good as those he usually gets of Cara. The trip didn't quite go as intended, and some equipment delays gave C extra time to help with some seal research, visit Captain Scott's Hut and take a walk over the the NZ Scott Base. Combined with an introductory ice survival course and unexpected penguin visit, the trip inspired close to 1000 photos. Here's a sample.

Arriving at McMurdo International Airport.

Ground transportation, also known as 'Ivan the Terra Bus'.

The snow camp from a distance.

Carefully designed igloos. Note the flags marking the door.

Baby seal hanging out.

Mom and pup.

That's a lot of seal!

Interior of Scott's Hut - ski storage.

The pantry in Scott's Hut.

Good taste in hot chocolate!

The penguins came to check out the scientists at work.

Hanging out.

C visiting the Kiwi's.

Economy plus seating on the flight out.

November 2010: Family Birthday Party

2011-06-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving weekend is another busy time for the family. A big meal for Thanksgiving Day, a cake and presents for Cara's birthday and maybe a dinner out for Mom's birthday. And for extra thanksgiving, Craig made it home from his trip to Antarctica a day early. The preferred cake was carrot this year.

Oops - hair is lighting up along with the candles!

Mom got the hair out of the way - and helps with the candles, too.

Dad brought a penguin back from Antarctica, an instant favorite, nicknamed Pingüino.

The skirt was another hit. You'll see it again!

And our girl is ready to hit the road in style!

October 2010: Halloween

2011-06-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween can be a busy weekend for us. Ida, one of Cara's friends, has a birthday that weekend, it is Grandpa Fay's birthday, and of course it is a fun event as a kid anyway. Lots of sugar, definitely!

At some point Cara asked twice in a row to be a giraffe for Halloween, so we decided that was workable and set out to make a costume. Mom made the tunic, and dad the mask. People could recognize what she was supposed to be, and Cara even enjoyed wearing the costume.

A birthday party at a farm - complete with a corn bin to play in. What fun!

Holding a kitten at the farm.

The giraffe ready for some trick-or-treating.

The spoils of the evening.

Excited about Grandpa's cake.

Cara is a good helper when it comes to opening presents.

October 2010: Volcano

2011-06-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

After playing in the sand and the sun, we headed to the supposedly wet side of Hawaii. But not this year! It was quite warm and sunny, although a little cooler up higher on the volcano.

We started with a classic view of the crater at night. Cara got bored pretty quickly, but Dad had fun taking photos. The next day we decided to challenge Cara with a 4 mile Kilauea Iki hike, across the 40-year old Kilauea Iki Crater. We figured we could carry her on our shoulders for part of the hike if she got too tired. But our girl is made of strong stuff - except for a little piece in the middle, Cara only ended up on Dad's shoulders at the very end, when the steep drop-off made both Mom and Dad decide that shoulders might be safer.

If that wasn't enough of a day, we drove down to the coast in the evening and hiked out to where the lava met the sea. We found a guide who would take us carefully - and since he lives just yards from the most recent flow, we knew he was familiar with the area. Very odd walking on 2-week-old rocks! Cara and I sat a little way from the edge while Dad went closer with our guide to get some photos. When our bottoms got too hot we told Dad it was time to head home. Cara was a little tired that night!

First volcano view.

The hike to come - across the Kilauea Iki crater.

A short ride on Dad's back.

The lava vent.

Rougher pieces on this side.

After three miles, she's still running!

View across the crater.

Eventually Cara slowed down.

Lava flowing into the ocean at night.

October 2010: Kona Coast

2011-02-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

September saw lots of changes, with Cara starting at new school, and C's work taking him away first to sea and then to a meeting in Hawaii. But the meeting in Hawaii provided an excellent opportunity for a family trip on the big island where we had a fun week of sand and hikes.

The classic view of Polulu Valley.

A bit of wind on the beach.

Checking out the surf.

No beach is complete without a hammock.

And a rope swing -higher, Dad!

WHEEEEE! (about 100 times)

The little bird in the nest.

Summer 2010: Fun with friends

2011-02-07T16:08:00.001-08:00

It was a very full summer, with lots of exciting events. Cara's friend Megan had a birthday, Grandpa Fay visited and Ms. A got married!

Cara wasn't sure what to make of the Ms. A and her husband sharing their wedding cake.

Helping Ms. A celebrate!

Can Megan blow the candles out before the wind does?

Yummy cake!

The birthday girl with her balloon.

Riding the carousel with Grandpa.

Every year the lion statue at the zoo gets smaller.

August 2010: Pemaquid Point, Maine

2011-02-07T16:00:00.001-08:00

After C's meeting we spent a day exploring the area around Bristol, Maine, including the famous Pemaquid Lighthouse. There we found wonderful rocks to scramble around and tidepools to explore.

The scenery inspired Cara to break into song.

The next Julie Andrews?

Lunchtime!

Look what I found!

Exploring with Dad.

August 2010: Bay Point, Maine

2011-02-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

A colleague of C's knew that August is a great time to be in Maine, and scheduled a meeting for the first week of August. We figured this was a good opportunity to head east, let Cara spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa, and C get some work done as well! Cara was delighted to revisit the beach on Bay Point and we all had a great visit.

Cara explains her digging techniques to Grandpa.

Something fun to show Grandma.

Building with sand and seashells.

Playing ball with Auntie R.

Cara has fun checking out the Baby Bear in the Children's Garden, at the Coast Maine Botanical Gardens

Grandma braves the rope bridge from the tree house.

July 2010: Barclay Lake Backpack Trip

2011-02-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

Cara's long strong legs made us think that she could probably handle hiking far enough on her own that we could go backpacking. Barclay Lake is a favorite destination for families, hiking in on a gentle trail 2 1/4 miles to a large sub-alpine lake. While plenty of other people had the same idea, we still found a secluded lake-side campsite. Cara hiked all the way there and back, with plenty of energy left for jumping, splashing and scrambling over logs.

Eating while sitting on a log was one of the skills that Cara learned.

Bedtime stories are important, no matter where you are.

The view from the dining room.

Looking at the water.

We didn't have a sandy spot by the lake, but balancing on the logs was probably at least as fun.

Hiking means lots of snacks!

July 2010: Celebration and Scattering

2011-01-17T21:20:00.000-08:00

In mid-July, C's family and friends gathered in Alameda to celebrate Grandma's life. Everyone gathered their favorite photos of her, and a niece put together two beautiful posters of photos. The following day a smaller group gathered in Monterey to take scatter her ashes in the bay from a whale watching boat. It was a truly beautiful experience.

Aunt Lena and Pam at the celebration lunch.

The photo collages.

Cara spent the celebration lunch on Mom's lap, with a slight fever. But she bounced back okay the next day.

Always good to hang out with Grandpa!

This is one of the best series of whales tails we saw - but we saw plenty.

Everyone took a turn scattering the ashes.

And we left a trail of flowers as we slowly motored back to shore.

Esmerelda Basin Hike

2010-07-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

Summer has resisted coming to the Pacific Northwest, but we managed to get out for a hike on the Fourth of July weekend avoiding the rain, if not the clouds. The aim of the hike was wildflowers, mountain scenery and, once Cara saw distant patches of snow, snow to play on. The hike up to Esmerelda Basin satisfied everyone. Our friend Kathy joined us, adding to the fun.

Mountain scenery.

Wildflowers - we saw fields of these beautiful shooting stars.

It was a small patch of snow, but big enough for almost sliding.

Cherries add to any occasion.

Walking downhill is much easier.

Unless you are very tired.

We still need to look up what type of bird this is. You see lots more on the trail going slow!

Goodbye Grandma

2010-07-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

To our sorrow, C's mom passed away ten days ago. It's been a sad time for all of us. She will be greatly missed.

Cutting the wedding cake.

Newly married.

First days as a mom.

Tying C's shoes.

Merry Christmas!

Holding Cara.

Family Day 2010

2010-05-31T21:52:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe three years have passed since Cara Hsiu-Wen joined our family. Three amazing years...

We let Cara choice the family event this year and her vote was for a hike. Probably mostly because she wanted a bar (she gets a Clif bar when we go hiking, and only then), but then she did seem to have a lot of fun once we were there. The weather wasn't exactly wonderful, so we stuck fairly close to home in case a rapid retreat was necessary, with a visit to the much loved St. Edwards Park. Cara was able to enjoy the hike more than ever, despite the cold drizzle. She ran down part of the trail, splashed in the water by the lake, ran back up much of the trail and still had energy for the playground at the top. Wow!

The other big thing for the day - C has a new camera lens. Yes, it got lots of exercise!

There she goes, bar power!

Speeding across the bridge...

Feet don't even touch the ground.

Hanging out by the lake.

Water...

and sand...

is happiness.

Enough energy left to run up the hill.

And try

catching

a ring.

April Visit to Monterey

2010-05-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

C had a meeting in Monterey in April, and we thought we all go down to the Bay Area to visit Grandma and Grandpa at their house the weekend before the meeting. But once they found the C's destination, Grandma and Grandpa thought a trip to Monterey sounded like a grand idea. So we all headed down for a weekend get-a-way.

The weather wasn't exactly cooperative, but we still managed to find a dry beach for Cara to explore, a not-so dry beach to watch surfers from and lots of yummy food. The aquarium wasn't as big a hit with Cara as we hoped. Maybe next time! Best of all was getting to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa.

Playing with friends on the airplane.

Yummy chocolate and banana crepe.

Big Grandma hug!

Yummy lollipop from Grandma and Grandpa.

A long wait at the San Joes Airport goes quickly when you dance with your friends.

Easter

2010-04-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

Cara enjoyed her first Easter egg hunt this year. On Saturday she and Mom decorated some blown eggs (had to switch to white eggs that week) and on Sunday while Cara was napping the Easter bunny hid the decorated eggs and a dozen plastic ones in the backyard. Cara was quick to find them, needing only a few hints from Mom and Dad.

The first egg was obvious!

Cara places the eggs carefully in the basket.

But why does this egg rattle?

Jelly beans!

The flamingo laid an egg.

Springtime Play

2010-04-04T21:18:00.001-07:00

The weather for most of March was amazingly spring-like and dry, providing many opportunities to run around and play outside. The main exception was the week Cara's grandparents visited from Maine, and brought winter back with them. So no photos from that visit, but there will be plenty when we head east in August.

Cara can hang from rings for increasingly spans of time.

Swinging remains a popular pass-time, and she's working on learning to pump her legs. But having someone push is so much more fun!

And she's a great climber.

It's hard to swing like this, though.

Sunny afternoons on the deck - time for the hanging swing!

Cherry Blossoms

2010-03-10T15:40:00.000-08:00

With all the warm weather the cherry blossoms bloomed early this year. We made our annual pilgrimage on a sunny Saturday morning.

Any outing must involve careful timing of snacks.

No shoes!

Cara has a bit of energy to run off.

Can't quite reach those blossoms.

Unless Dad helps out!

Busy Weekend

2010-03-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

The second weekend of February was jam-packed for Cara. On Saturday Ms. A invited her over for a Valentine's Day lunch on Saturday, and they baked cookies together and decorated heart-shaped boxes. Then Sunday was the Lunar New Year, with a trip to the International District to see Lion Dances and buy some ingredients for a special dinner. Finally, Monday was President's Day, and Mom took Cara up to the snow to play some more while Dad finished putting together Cara's new big kid bed. We were all pretty tired by the time Tuesday rolled around.

Baking Cookies with Ms. A

Ms. A arranges the best art projects! She helped Cara make this beautiful box.

Cara gets a new dress - a tradition for the Lunar New Year.

Peaking out of a snow cave.

Climbing way up high on the snow, Cara learns to step-kick. We'll have to find an ice-axe for her soon!

Building a snow person.

What a great new bed!

Sledding!

2010-02-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

It hasn't been a great snow year in the Pacific Northwest, but Mom and Dad finally got in gear and headed on up to Snoqualmie Pass for some snow fun. A year certainly makes a difference, and while Cara wasn't at all sure about snow and sledding last year, this year she had no doubts. All aspects of snow were delightful!

Mom's a member of an alpine club that has a cabin at Snoqualmie Pass, with a small sledding hill. This year we were lucky enough to run into some other families who were also up for a day a sledding. Cara had a great time watching the bigger kids, and sometime trying to follow along.

Having fun.

Mom tries out the camera.

Being towed back up.

Catching air!

Enough sledding, this snow is fun to play peek-a-boo in. Not to mention tromping around, falling down, rolling in, building snow sculptures and knocking them down! Now that's a busy day.

The bigger kids had fun too - here's a sled train.

And here's the train wreck at the bottom!

Too good to miss from 2009

2010-02-13T12:05:00.001-08:00

There are always a few extra photos that don't quite make it into another post but deserve to be shared. Here are a few extra highlights from 2009.

When it comes to phones, Cara doesn't seem so far away from being a teenager. She loves talking to friends and family on the phone.

Cara also enjoys all aspects of Mom's iPhone. Of course this will be passe by the time she's a teenager.

We didn't get out for quite as many hikes this year, but did make it out for some of the favorite hiking activities. To Cara's great delight, we visited Rattlesnake Lake when the blackberries were ripe.

Big leaves at Cougar Mountain are always a favorite in the fall.

A new passion for Cara this year has been helping out cooking in the kitchen. She now has her own knife, whisk and wooden spoon, but of course she is more than happy to use the grown-up utensils as well, when Mom and Dad let her (no knives of course!)

The last stage of licking the spoon is often the best part of cooking.

Boxing Day

2010-02-13T11:46:00.001-08:00

Boxing Day isn't usually a holiday we pay much attention to, but this year it turned into a special day due to a pleasant coincidence of calendar and weather. With Christmas on a Friday, that meant the Saturday University Farmer's Market was open the next day, plus we had an unexpected spell of dry, sunny weather. So Cara, Mom and Dad set off for a fun morning at the Farmer's Market with a stop at one of our favorite parks on the way home.

Sunny glasses in December - that's something different in Seattle!

Cara loves music.

Yummy carrot!

Whee, down the slide she goes!

Our girl is all tired out. What a morning!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-31T12:09:00.000-08:00

Cara enjoyed a quiet Christmas in Seattle this year. We had none of the snow excitement of 2008, and C's busy travel schedule meant we were mostly happy to just spend some days hanging out together. Other than the obvious presents, the highlight of Christmas Day for Cara was having "Clam chowder for lunch!", just like Sal in One Morning in Maine.

Reading A Visit from Saint Nick.

Merry Christmas!

Opening presents from our stockings.

What's in here?

Pointing out where Daddy is going next.

Riding the Trike

2010-01-31T11:33:00.000-08:00

Being home for a few days around Thanksgiving gave Cara more opportunities to ride her trike. Something must have clicked, since she suddenly went from a hesitant rider to taking off on her own down the sidewalk. It is now a favorite means of getting the playground, and Cara doesn't let darkness or drizzle deter her either.

Bye Mom!

There she goes!

Zoom, zoom.

But off-road triking stil presents some challenges.

Birthday Party at the Zoo

2009-12-31T16:27:00.001-08:00

Third Birthday

2009-12-30T21:46:00.000-08:00

It is both hard and easy to think of Cara as a three-year-old. It seems little time has passed since she couldn't even walk, and yet here is this wonderful little girl walking, speaking in complete sentences, dressing herself and expressing an amazing range of thoughts and emotions. Given the size of her personality, I am sometime surprised that she is physically so small.

Cara's actual birthday was a fairly quiet affair of spending the day with Dad at the aquarium, lunch with Mom at her office and then a favorites dinner of pizza and cupcakes. And of course some presents. We all enjoyed the time together and Cara, of course, loves opening presents!

Three candles!

Yummy cupcake (the frosting at least...)

Deep concentration while opening the present.

A Playmobil Motorcycle - cool!

A whisk from Grandma and Grandpa for the budding cook.

The train set (some assembly required).

Halloween

2009-12-29T22:01:00.000-08:00

Cara's love for lions enabled us to reuse last year's costume for Halloween, with the extra touch of some painted on whiskers. She did a great job of covering almost a block with trick-or-treating, eating three or four pieces of candy and then totally forgetting about the candy the next day. I doubt we will be that lucky next year!

Cleaning out the pumpkin.

Digging into the pumpkin goop.

Here's a fierce lion!

The fierce lion bakes cupcakes.

A little too much candy has our lion on the floor at the end of the evening.

September in Maine

2009-12-29T21:40:00.000-08:00

September found Cara and Mom heading east. We spent a weekend on Cape Cod, where J and C lived for two years, visiting some old friends, and then headed north for a mini-family reunion on the coast of Maine. Cara got a full component of family, seeing both her aunts, two great-uncles and a great-aunt. Which was all very well and fine, but for an almost three-year-old, spending three days on the water was the most exciting part of the trip!

All ready to play on the beach.

Burying herself in sand.

Wow - mud!

Cara has to show off her muddy hairdo to her aunts.

Hanging out with Grandpa.

Grandma sharing a peach.

Graduating from Ms. A

2009-12-29T20:33:00.001-08:00

Growing up always has happiness and sadness. Graduating from a nanny-share with Ms. A to full time at Co-op was a sad event. Our family, Megan's family and Ms. A's family had party to celebrate the wonderful times our families had together, and looking forward to many more years and fun.

One last morning eating up Ms. A's yogurt.

Reading a book with Ms. A is always a favorite activity.

At the party, the girls get a chance to play ball with Anthony.

And read a book with Marcus.

Of course the girls need to help Ms. A with her presents!

Alameda, July 2009

2009-11-15T15:34:00.000-08:00

Spending several days in Alameda with Grandma and Granpa was lots of fun for Cara.

Grandpa took Cara for a walk down to the firestation and scored a seat on a fire truck. Wow!

She also got pose with a firefighter.

Grandma and Grandpa treat Cara to her first ice cream sundae.

Is her mouth big enough?

And who will finish first - Cara or Dad?

Lots of ducks hang out on the canals near Grandma and Grandpa's house, and appreciate being fed.

Getting the bread just right is important.

There a lots of them!

Fairyland

2009-11-15T15:06:00.000-08:00

Oakland Fairyland is a treasure of a park tucked away on the shores of Lake Merritt. Nothing too glossy, a little run-down around the corners, but a delightful outing for a 2 1/2 year old! Cara's cousin Ashley joined the family outing.

Looking at the Peter Rabbit's house with Dad.

Riding the Alice In Wonderland Carousel with Grandpa.

Catching bubbles from Ashley's shoulders

Riding the Jolly Trolley

Cara peering out.

San Bruno, July 2009

2009-11-14T21:48:00.001-08:00

Our major vacation of the summer was a week spent down in the Bay Area visiting friends in San Bruno for a weekend, and then the rest of the week with Grandma and Grandpa in Alameda.

Serving the ice cream pie!

As an extra treat, our friend D's parents were in town as well. Cara was delighted to make the acquaintance of Grandpa Art and Grandma Penny. The occasion was marked with a specially ordered ice cream pie.

Yummy!

Patting Ginger.

As much as we like to think Cara enjoyed the wonderful company of our friends and their two sons, as far as Cara was concerned, the most interesting member of the party was Ginger. She had played ball in a very limited way in November 2007, but was now able to really throw a ball, as well as pat and hug Ginger.

Throwing Ginger the ball.

Summer Fun

2009-11-14T21:15:00.000-08:00

Trying out the new bike.

Summer brought lots of excitement. After much research, we got Cara a glider bike. This will help her get used to balancing on a bike immediately. She is still a fairly basic rider, keeping both feet on the ground and she wheels around, but with time she'll figure out how to go faster. She is also getting used to her helmet, worn both when on her bike and when in the trailer behind Dad or Mom.

Watering the tomato plants.

It was also a very hot summer, which gave Cara ample chance to help Mom and Dad water the garden. She wasn't especially picky about what she watered, so some supervision was necessary.

More watering - so much fun!

Cara's first face-painting.

Mom noticed the company picnic announced "face-painting" and figured out that it might be worth showing up. Indeed, the face painting was a huge hit, as was the horseshoe toss and watching all the other, bigger kids.

With Mom at Big Four Ice not-quite Caves.

Sleeping in a tent for the first time.

While we didn't get out for as many hikes this year, we did manage to get out for an overnight camping trip along the Mountain Loop Highway. We hiked up to the Big Four Ice Caves, although they weren't melted out into caves yet. We should have more photos of our riverside campsite, but somehow didn't get many. But did get a shot of Cara asleep in the tent.

Fathers' Day

2009-10-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

June 2009: A visit to the zoo was the perfect way to celebrate Fathers' Day.

Cara loves the Carousel.

Fun with Dad.

Mom gets a turn.

Its more fun to push the stroller than be pushed.

The lion is a favorite place to climb up.

What a fun day!

Family Day

2009-10-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

May 2009: The two years that Cara has been with us has flown by. In honor of the occasion we went on a hike together to Mount Little Si.

Cara enjoys getting a snack out of her very own backpack.

Holding Mom's hand while walking down a steep hill.

A fence along the trail provided lots of climbing fun.

Giving Dad a hug.

Our Family.

Spinning and Swinging

2009-10-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

Cara is definitely a girl in motion! She loves spinning around and around as well as going back and forth.

One fun addition to our new balcony this spring was a swinging tent.

Its a great way to enjoy a sunny spring afternoon.

Some neighbors have kids and put some rings hanging from the tree. Cara loves going back and forth - and she is getting really strong!

Taking a break from swinging.

Even when the weather isn't so good, Cara can satisfy her urge for motion by spinning around and around in the yellow bucket. She can kick herself around pretty fast.

We get dizzy just watching!

Building with blocks

2009-10-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

Stacking blocks takes concentration.

Cara loves building towers.

Knocking them down is even more fun!

All the way down!

Curious George at the Children's Museum

2009-10-18T15:39:00.001-07:00

Ms A gets the girls out lots, but found a special treat for them this April - the Curious George exhibit at the Children's Museum!

George and the girls.

Hopefully Megan isn't calling the fire station.

Cara tries a phone call too.

Grocery shopping at the Children's Museum.

Time to check out with our purchases.

Cara at the wheel of the bus - watch out!

Springtime in Ballard

2009-10-18T15:06:00.001-07:00

Spring comes fast to Seattle, even as winter lingers in the mountains. A warm spring day is a good day for some urban exploration in Ballard.

Stop and smell the flowers

Fun playing with Dad.

Not a baby anymore!

Adventures in the snow

2009-04-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Once the snow actually started falling in the mountains we finally made a trip up to Snoqualmie Pass for some snow play. Cara wasn't too sure about the whole thing at first, finding the deep snow a little daunting. But she liked being carried around on Mom's back and after lunch finally realized just how much fun the snow could to toss around. Best of all was when Mom made Snow Kitties and Snow Doggies that exploded when hit.

Mom carrying Cara

The snowy woods and creek.

Snow is fun!

Hello Snow Kitty

Bye-bye Snow Kitty!

Greenlake Park

2009-04-30T20:43:00.001-07:00

Going to the park remains one of Cara's favorite activities. We do try to get a little more adventurous sometimes, but if it isn't raining, a trip to Greenlake makes a wonderful weekend outing as far as Cara is concerned.

On the big-kid swing.

Climbing high!

Going around and around.

Feeding the ducks.

Coots want some too!

Christmas in California

2009-02-22T17:05:00.001-08:00

Hot Chocolate at Pete's on Christmas Eve.

Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas with Mom and Grandma.

Admiring the tree on Christmas Morn.

All dressed up for Christmas.

Eating Grandpa's waffles.

Opening presents for Grandma and Grandpa.

Opening presents.

Snowy Days

2009-01-04T13:13:00.001-08:00

An unusual series of snow storms left Seattle frozen for over a week, disrupting everyone's routines, but giving Cara a chance to explore her world in a new state. At first she wasn't quite sure what to make of the white stuff that appeared everywhere. She enjoyed holding it in her (mitten-less) hand, but after a while would declare "Cold!". Gradually she got used to walking and playing in the white stuff, realizing that not only could she still swing and go down the slide in her favorite playground, but entire hills turned into big slides! The ground outside is now bare, but we're looking forward to more trips this winter up to the snow-covered mountains.

Dressed for the snow.

Swinging in snow-covered playground.

Snow covered house.

Sledding with Dad.

Our snowy neighborhood.

Cara the Artist

2009-01-04T12:45:00.000-08:00

Cara loves to draw and paint, and her opportunities increased significantly when she received an easel for her birthday. No longer constrained to her small table and horizontal surfaces, Cara's artistic world continues to expand. Meanwhile are incredibly grateful for the development of washable markers and paints, and a nanny who loves doing art projects! Most of her pieces are signed, if any family or friends would care to hang an original Cara piece on their wall.

The artist at work.

Drawing lessons from Caden.

Artist at leisure.

Birthday Part 2

2008-12-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

Cara had a fun birthday party, being old enough to enjoy the company and attention. Not to mention having outgrown her wheat allergy, so she was able to fully enjoy a birthday cake. Joining her celebration were friends Ida and Megan (who is her companion in our nanny share). Megan had just returned from a visit with family in Taiwan, so she wasn't quite as energetic as the other two. But she woke up in time for the cake!

Birthday dinner - yummy pizza.

Having fun with friend, Ida.

Love those balloons!

Birthday cake.

Blowing out candles.

Cake crumbs galore.

Birthday Part 1

2008-11-29T16:33:00.000-08:00

Ravenna Playground

2008-11-09T15:50:00.001-08:00

Playground options were somewhat limited this summer, as Ravenna Playground, just 2 blocks from our house, was undergoing renovations. Cara still got plenty of playground time, as Ms. A was diligent about getting the girls out and about every day, and we explored the many other playgrounds in the area. But it wasn't quite the same as having our playground.

By mid-August things were taking shape, and in one wonderful weekend the primary play structures were installed. Much of the neighborhood came out for the "playground raising"; C and I put in about 12 hours between the two of us. We still had to wait a few weeks for the finishing touches, but by early September the new playground was open for business.

As we helped put the playground together we thought it looked like it would be tons of fun, and Cara definitely seems to think so. It is fun watching her gradually figure out how to climb on different parts of the structure and grow more comfortable going down the slides. More and more we here "self!" as she exerts her growing independence and ability.

Halloween

2008-10-31T20:06:00.001-07:00

Last year Cara was too young to much appreciate Halloween. But this year we decided to start her Halloween tradition, introducing Cara to the joys of pumpkins, ghosts and costumes, skipping only the gut-busting candy consumption. She'll have plenty of time for that later.

We started with the pumpkin, and Cara was very happy to help her mom scoop out the seeds and pulp. She was intrigued by the slippery strings but was mostly happy to use a spoon for the task at hand. Given her penchant for smearing food around, mom was surprised at how little mess resulted from the process!

We weren't sure how Halloween night itself would go, since Cara had been resistant to previous attempts to put her costume on. She definitely wasn't thrilled about having the lion costume pulled over her head. Some tears were initially shed. We considered aborting the whole attempt, with a backup plan of having Cara go as a lion tamer, carrying the lion costume. But a little distraction in the form of a basket and some of our own candy supply to go in it and the tears dried up. Soon Cara and mom were ready to join the neighborhood kids for some trick-or-treating, with a rendezvous at the street.

Cara wasn't quite sure to make of all the kids (and some adults) dressed up in funny costumes. She was willing to walk to a few of the houses, but mostly wanted to be carried. Taking a piece of candy from the proffered bowl was not, however, a problem. She even managed to say "trick" a few times and always said "thank you"! Her little basket soon filled up, and given that we were rapidly approaching bedtime, mom decided to end things on a happy note and head home. Once at her own front door, Cara thought she should get some more pieces of candy from the bowl Daddy had!

The biggest surprise of the evening was how attached Cara was to her basket of candy. She hasn't eaten any yet, so it wasn't even the anticipation of the sweets. But she loved the brightly colored, crinkly packages and kept the basket close for her bedtime routine of stories and teeth-brushing. It took a little gentle persuasion on convince her to relinquish the basket, and last bag of M&M's, to get int her crib, but fortunately no tears were shed.

Breckenridge Part 2

2008-10-01T13:55:00.001-07:00

We had a mellow day on Wednesday, with grandma and J's aunt going to pick up some bikes in the morning, leaving grandpa and J to take Cara out for a walk along the river in town. Cara and her grandparents bonded over playdoh and cookies in the afternoon, while J took off for a short run, exploring some of the local trails. At dinner in a local Mexican restaurant, Cara stole the show and was remarkably well behaved. Tortilla chips were a huge hit.

On Thursday we decided to try for more excitement, a nearby hike on Spruce Creek Trail. Cara slept for most of the hike it and, finding ourselves less than a mile from Mayflower Lake with Cara still in good spirits, we decided to make it a somewhat longer than expected trip. The extra time and considerable extra effort was well worth it, as we had Mayflower Lake and views of the surrounding peaks to ourselves. Luckily J's aunt brought extra goodies, since we had only packed snacks for our supposed morning outing!

After some food, the adults rested, enjoyed the scenery and watched Cara's delight in exploring the muddy shore of the lake. She pulled up rocks and happily splatted mud everywhere. What could be a better reason to hike! The only complaint was when Mom finally decided it was time to go and took Cara out to a slightly deeper spot for a good rinse. But Cara soon recovered her good spirits and consented to start scampering back down the trail, holding Mom's hand for the rough spots. Throwing sticks for the two dogs, and chasing the sticks herself, helped keep Cara amused for much of the return trip down the trail.

No trip to Breckenridge with children is complete without a hike up to the visiting horse camp. Cara was definitely impressed but couldn't decide if she wanted to pat them or not. She prefers animals a little more on her own scale.

Too soon we had to head back to Denver for our flight home. We gave ourselves time to take the scenic route, heading over Loveland Pass and getting out for a brief walk to take in some of the spectacular views. Unfortunately the wind was as breathtaking as the scenery, so we didn't get as long a walk as we had hoped for. Next time!

Breckenridge Part 1

2008-09-12T20:13:00.004-07:00

Cara and mom flew into Denver airport on the last Sunday of August. J's aunt had invited us, as well as J's parents to her condo in Breckenridge, and we were happy to join Aunt L and her two miniature poodles. A week of hiking and visiting seemed like a great way to start September.

While the flight into Colorado and drive out to Breckenridge were uneventful, the first night was a little rough. Cara didn't know what to make of all these people, dogs and strange surroundings. So sleep was a bit challenging.

The first day was spent getting our bearings around the town of Breckenridge, doing some grocery shopping with a late afternoon drive up to Boreas Pass. There we explored the remnants of an old railroad town and admired the amazing views, especially in the low angle evening light. Not surprisingly, Cara was more impressed by logs to climb up on (and jump off). Unfortunately the late hour and brisk breeze drove us back to the car before we could do much exploring. Definitely a spot to return to.

On Tuesday we set off for a real hike, destination Lily Pad Lake. Cara slept for much of the hike in, waking up just as we dropped down to the bigger of the two lakes. We all enjoyed eating lunch at the lake, looking at the view of Buffalo Mountain above us. The dogs, Athena and Murky, kept hoping to get some of Cara's lunch but she wouldn't share. After eating, Cara found the lure of the lake irresistible and had fun splashing around at the water's edge.

Too soon it was time to turn our feet back towards the car. A little short on sleep and still getting used to the altitude, Cara opted for being carried most of the way down. As an added bonus, a loving grandparent gave Cara her first cookie at the end of the hike, which Cara happily consumed. Even with the extra food, our tired girl fell asleep almost soon as she was in her car seat.

Party Time!

2008-09-12T20:13:00.003-07:00

(place keeper)

B is for Berry

2008-09-12T20:13:00.001-07:00

Early this summer, Cara discovered the joys of fresh berries. After a winter of reading “Jamberry’ (a wonderful story about a rhyming bear and a boy who make their way through a variety of berries) without every having tasted the real article, Cara became rapidly attached to the blueberries and raspberries acquired on our weekly trips to the farmer’s market. “B’s” became one of her early words, and no summertime breakfast was considered complete without a bowl full of her favorite treats.

Himalayan blackberries grow like weeds in Seattle. We nurture blueberry and raspberry bushes, but mercilessly battle blackberry incursions. That said, when the blackberries ripen in late summer, Seattleites can be found diving though the bushes in parks, next to the Burke Gilman bike path, on the roadside and nearly everywhere else (as the bushes pretty much grow everywhere) harvesting buckets full of sweet, juicy berries.

Thus Cara and dad struck it lucky on a hike down the bluff and onto the beach at Discovery Park. We ambled down the trail on a warm, ‘partly sunny’ Seattle day, watching hawks play overhead and marveling at the boats traveling about in Puget Sound. Dad was thinking of a playing with sand and driftwood on the beach, followed by a picnic lunch. Several friendly dogs demanded attention on our walk down the bluff, after which we struck out along a trail that paralleled the beach. Which was where we discovered tracts of blackberry bushes, all bearing lovely, ripe berries. Our timing was perfect- we’d found ripe bushes that had not yet been picked over. After devouring handfuls of berries dad picked for her, Cara decided to pick some herself (‘self’ being a much-used new word to tell mom and dad that their girl wants to try doing something without their help). Although unsure of what to do about the thorns and a little unclear on the concept of ripeness, Cara managed to pick her fill of berries.

Dad filled a small container with berries to be saved for lunchtime and then persuaded Cara to leave the bushes to play on the beach. Although our girl insisted on keeping a berry or two in her hands for the rest of the morning, Cara and dad did manage to enjoy some digging in the sand and a bit of toddler driftwood sculpture. A little lunch, more blackberries, fun with seaweed, more blackberries and then the climb up the bluff and back to the car. All of which left a tired little girl who fell sound asleep in her car seat on the drive home.

Boardman Lake Hike

2008-09-12T20:12:00.001-07:00

It was a few more weeks before we got Cara out for another hike. C was busy with work, but Cara's Auntie D was more that happy to join an outing to a mountain lake. The weather was finally warming up and, given that it was the first week of August, we were pretty certain the area would be snow free.

Cara's timing was impeccable. The drive was slightly longer than she really wanted, but just as her complaints about being stuck in her car seat were getting a little loud, we turned off the main road onto a gravel road. The bumps and rattles kept her amused for the next fifteen minutes, until we stopped at the trail head, unloaded and prepared for the long hike ahead -a whole mile!

Cara is always eager to get into her backpack at the trail head, but once we're actually moving she realizes that she would much prefer to walk. Less than 1/4 mile from the trail head Cara made it very clear she wanted to be on her own two feet. She scampered along for the next half mile. We found various ways of entertaining her on the trail including playing hide and go seek and jumping off logs. Her energy flagged a little at the last uphill section. Sensing that the lake was near and that it was almost lunch time, J carried Cara for the last rocky, rooty wet 1/4 mile down to the lake.

Some lunch in the sun restored all our spirits. Cara enjoyed her own crackers and cheese, but thought Auntie D's lunch look pretty good, too! After we all ate enough, the lake beckoned Cara. The first dip in was a little chilly on her feet, but she soon discovered the joys of dropping rocks into the water and seeing them splash. Even better was the mud! The mud was slightly warmed by the sun, and Cara had a fine time smearing it around, gushing it between her toes and bringing Auntie D handfuls. She is very conscientious about sharing!

Eventually we had to pack up and head back down the trail. J expected Cara to tire quickly, given all the playing on the lake shore. But Cara was happy to walk and run down much of the trail. She eventually tired and consented to being carried, dozing off
for the last five minutes or so of the trail. Worn out from all the excitement, she slept for the whole drive home. Another busy day for our Northwest hiking girl!

Mirror Lake Hike

2008-09-12T20:10:00.001-07:00

We finally had a weekend free and were ready to take Cara for a hike. The weather forecast wasn't perfect, but with there was only a 20% chance of rain. Cara is a tough NW girl, and we were sure we would all have fun. Okay, and the lake was a little over a mile from the trailhead so we couldn't get too soaked.

The trail started out going up a logging road but soon ducked into forest. While overcast, it wasn't actively raining yet. C carried Cara up to the first lake, Cottonwood, where we met another family with children coming down from Mirror Lake. They had spent the night and applauded our venturing out with Cara. We surreptitiously took note of some of their kids gear, as we are planning ahead for backpacking
soon.

Cara was eager to walk the remaining half mile, so we slowly made our way upward, stopping to enjoy the numerous downed logs along the way, picking up sticks and generally exploring. Eventually we arrived at the scenic lake and found a pleasant spot to have some lunch. The gray mist had become intermittently more rain-like, but we didn't let that chase us away. After lunch Cara had to dip her feet in the water, despite the chill! We did our best to keep the rest of her dry.

On the way back we stopped to explore a snow patch near the lake, and Cara was clearly fascinated by the texture and coldness. We made her some snowballs to hold; she hasn't learned the throwing part yet! She found the slipperiness of the snow to be a little disconcerting. Then it was back down the trail, alternating walking and being carried. We did our best to keep her out of the various puddles and streams along the way, much to Cara's disappointment. The cool summers of the Pacific Northwest aren't always ideal for water play.

Cara fell asleep almost as soon as she was back in the car. A long day for her short legs! And C and J felt fortunate to have only had some light rain, since as we crossed Snoqualimie Pass it was pouring.

Summer in Seattle

2008-09-12T20:09:00.001-07:00

Summer brought several new experiences for Cara. We did our best to ensure that she started her summer out right, with a trip to the Fremont Solsitice Festival. In good Seattle tradition we cycled there, with Cara in her trailer. To our delight we discovered that Cara actually likes wearing her bike helmet! We all had fun strolling
around the booths, watching jugglers and listening to the street musicians. Unfortunately we had to head home before the famed parade, so Cara could have her nap. And our departure was good timing; Cara fell asleep soon after we started cycling home. It was hard to comprehend that she could sleep with her head in the helmet, bouncing as we rode home, but she must have been a tired girl.

Part of the festival fun was that all the kids were given orange balloons. This was Cara's second balloon, and they both made big impressions. 'Balloon' was quickly added to Cara's growing vocabulary. Unfortunately balloons are very transitory playthings, quickly loosing their helium and deflating to nothing. But maybe that is part of their allure, that they never stick around long enough to become boring.

Warmer weather also meant more opportunities to play with water. Seattle is blessed with many wading pools, so when the weather cooperated, Cara had several opportunities to splash in the water. A trip to a park on Lake Washington was less successful than those to the wading pools, since Cara didn't really like the waves. She was, however, happy to visit the beaches on Puget Sound where the main focus was playing with the sand. And mom supplemented some of her outdoor water play with an occasional after meal splash. It's one way to make sure her hands get clean!

Fathers' Day

2008-09-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

Cara got a double dose this year for Fathers' Day, celebrating with her daddy and also her grandpa. What a treat! Grandma and Grandpa drove up from California with a trunk full of goodies for our little girl. They were clearing out C's childhood treasures, including matchbox cars and tinkertoys that will wait for a while before Cara is old enough to play with them. The rocking chair, however, was an immediate hit.

Cara clearly remembered her grandma and grandpa, enjoying the extra attention and audience.

For Fathers' Day itself, we all set off for the waterfront portion of the Arboretum, hoping to enjoy views of some boats and maybe feed some ducks. Cara walked most of the way out to the waterfront portion of the park where we had a picnic lunch overlooking Lake Washington. A few friendly dogs allowed Cara to pet them, a real treat.

On the walk back we stopped at a pond to feed some ducks (grain, not Cara's crackers). Cara was both fascinated and scared by the ducks with their big beaks. Mostly she kept her distance (and the ducks theirs), but she was definitely tempted to try to touch them. All in all the outing was a fun way spend time with dad and grandpa!

The visit with Grandma and Grandpa went way too fast. Grandpa helped out with our ongoing efforts to finish the window interiors, and Grandma helped me find curtain fabric for Cara's room. Not that I'll have time to make the curtains anytime soon, but we have some lovely fish fabric now.

Goofy Girl

2008-06-19T14:36:00.000-07:00

Cara, without a doubt, can be incredibly goofy. After all she is a toddler! While she will play happily with her own toys, playing with other objects in the house is often preferred. So a plastic tub intended to hold some toys becomes a favorite hat...

Then there is a fascination with food. We weren't sure Cara would give up the head of garlic before she went to bed, but luckily after she finished her night-time milk she was willing to return the garlic to the pantry.

The love of hats - at least hats that aren't hers - can be pretty funny too!

And we swear that she did not get the idea of reading while riding on her trike from us!

Family Day

2008-06-03T20:58:00.000-07:00

The year has flown by, and on May 30th we celebrated Family Day, the anniversary of the day that Cara joined our family. We're still figuring out how we want to commemorate this important day in our family. Obviously we are overjoyed to be Cara's parents and to be a family together, but we also want to acknowledge Cara's birth family and the foster family that took loving care of her for three months. This year C took the day off from work to take Cara to the zoo. I came home early and we enjoyed a nice walk through a local park, where we found a nice person to take this photo of us, our family, together for a whole year!

St. Edwards Park

2008-05-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Given Cara's love of running around large green fields, we decided to go on outing that would be satisfactory to all. St. Edwards Park has a beautiful big lawn plus some trails leading down to Lake Washington. So Cara would get her grass and mom and dad would get a bit of a hike, plus we would continue Cara's exposure to being carried in her backpack. J remembered there being a bit of a shoreline, so maybe Cara could also get a bit of a water experience!

The big grass field was a hit, as expected. Cara had her snack and then ran around, decapitating dandedlions. This has been an on-going delight of spring, and a joy we don't think anyone would deprive her of. After lots of running back and forth, with mom and dad alternating trying to take photos (the camera is a strong Cara magnet), we eventually loaded up and set off down the trail to the lake. Cara enjoyed checking out the flora. (yes, Cara is fond of her orange sippy cup)

At the waters edge the lure of water was too strong - Cara definitely had to get close. We hadn't brought extra shoes (or clothes), so we thought we would give her the opportunity to dabble her feet in the water. At first, Cara was delighted by the texture of cold, wet sand on her bare feet. That lasted a few minutes. Then her feet started getting cold and suddenly she wasn't having much fun anymore. We dried her feet off, got the sand out from between her toes and moved away from the very tempting water.

Walking along the trail restored Cara's good humor. She had a great time stomping across a wood bridge, but occasionally got tired and needed to sit down. In the middle of the trail! We had a yummy lunch back up on the main field, and Cara fell asleep in the car on the way home. A good time was had by all.

Growing Fast

2008-05-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that Cara is growing fast. She is a full on toddler now, walking and sometimes running, full of smiles and opinions.

She has already started wearing mom's clothing, eats with not just one spoon but two(!) and likes to sit on a chair like a big girl.

Somethings haven't changed though, and she is still delighted to start her days with Ms. A.

Cherry Blossoms

2008-05-25T15:03:00.001-07:00

A little behind here, so the text will be light. But you all come for the photos anyway!

Spring brings beautiful flowers to Seattle, and this spring was quite glorious this year. Usually the cherry blossoms are only around for about a week, but this year cold, damp weather kept them in bloom for longer. Long enough for C to come home from his travels and take Cara out to enjoy the trees in full splendor on the University of Washington campus.

The outing started with snacks and drink at a park before they walked up to the Quad, famous for it's display. Cara had a delightful time running around on the green grass, occasionally throwing herself down to stare up at the flowers. C finally decided he needed to get a photo of what she was looking at!

While at the Quad C and Cara also made some new friends. Ida had only recently joined her parents, J and T, in China. We've since gotten together with them a few times, and hope that Cara and Ida will become good friends. We certainly are enjoying getting to know J and T.

Stop and smell the ... rocks

2008-03-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

A friend who follows this blog, on hearing about our crazy spring, expressed some concern that we don't have time to stop and smell the roses, since as he put it "it seems like watching Cara grow up is and will be an incredibly rich experience for you guys." I was thinking about his words as Cara and I took one of our now habitual after work walks. No roses to smell yet and Cara wasn't that interested in the crocuses. But the rocks now - that is a different matter!

Walks with Cara are an excellent exercise for me in slowing down. With the slightly warmer weather we've been going out for 15-30 minute outings almost every afternoon. Cara is gradually getting to know the immediate neighborhood and increasingly chooses our path. Sometimes she really wants to walk, other times the pebbles in the next door neighbors yard will keep her fully occupied. Its a great way to meet the neighbors and unwind after a busy day.

So what's been going on with us? Well, C has an insane travel schedule this spring and has been gone more than he's been home. We decided to go ahead with our remodel plans and extend the balcony on the third floor, giving Cara more outside play space for when the weather gets nice. And J is starting a new job! So the leisurely walks are a welcome relief and reminder of what is really important in our lives.

Sitting

2008-03-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

Sitting is something we do so much of, I've always taken it for granted. But the beauty of being a parent is your eyes are opened to how special the simplest actions can be. Suddenly you realize the complexities of everyday actions and that there is something noteworthy in attaining them.

Cara started sitting within a few weeks after she started walking. She first discovered sitting on the stairs, which is fairly easy since stairs don't move and she can hold on to the wall as she sits down. Sometimes I'll sit next to her and we'll just hang out, sitting around. She loves that!

We bought a table and some chairs so Cara and Isabel can sit and draw together. Cara loves the chairs but they are still too big for her to get into herself. She'll walk over to the chair and hold up a hand to me indicating that she wants to get up. I'm sure it won't be long before her legs are long enough and she's sitting there on her own.

Meanwhile, the stool we got for her is just the right height to sit down on. Learning how to back up to the stool so it doesn't move was a bit of a trick, but once Cara figured it out she was happy to keep practicing.

And how about that kitchen cupboard! Yes, the perfect height for Cara's little legs.

Chinese New Year

2008-02-29T20:58:00.001-08:00

While not up to celebrating a fully traditional Chinese New Year, we did our best to start some traditions of our own for Cara to grow up with. So I picked up a tray of traditional sweets, some decorations for the door, a big bag of oranges, just some simple stuff to brighten up the house. And we bought her a brand-new outfit. Actually new, not from the consignment shop.

Of course, we got the clothes a bit big, since Cara had just gone through a major growth spurt. Recently her growth has slowed down considerably, although she is still outgrowing clothes. Mysteriously enough, she doesn't seem to be growing into many of the new clothes. But we know she will eventually. Meanwhile we can roll up the sleeves a bit, tuck in the shirt and as long as she has something to carry, Cara is ready to go.

The New Year is also a time for family visits. C was off for the month on Feb on a work trip, but one of J's sisters in Ohio kindly volunteered to come to Seattle to help out and meet her neice. They had a good time together, and Auntie C enjoyed reading to Cara. The downside of the visit was that Cara grew increasingly fussy during her Aunt's visit and, unusually, woke up a few times in the middle of the night. We later discovered an emerging molar was the cause of all the unhappiness. But the visit was still a good one, and J appreciated the wonderful job her sister did cleaning up the yard.

C's dad also lent a helping hand and made a trip north to see his granddaughter. She was delighted to see him as always and enjoyed a few extra trips to the park. We took advantage of a sunny day and went to the zoo. Cara is still indifferent to most of the animals, finding looking at the other children much more interesting. But what she really enjoyed was getting to push her stroller. Better keep an eye on those car keys! Many thanks also to Grandpa F for his hard work finishing the new windows and trim in the living room.

Trip to the snow

2008-02-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

The third major event of January was Cara's first visit to the snow. Some friends invited us to join them at a cabin near Leavenworth for some kid and adult fun in the snow. We had been wanting to get out skiing with Cara and the opportunity to go with some seasoned outdoor families was too goo to pass up.

The trip didn't get off to the best start. We thought we were being clever by leaving Seattle at Cara's bedtime, figuring she would sleep in the car and then be easily transported into the cabin to fall back asleep in her portable crib. We were right about sleeping in the car, but once in the cabin she was having none of going to sleep in this strange place. It was a long night. Luckily some people thought to bring earplugs.

We were all pretty tired the next day, although Cara gradually relaxed and started to enjoy herself in the cabin. The day's outing was pretty much limited to the area around the cabin where we did a few short sled runs, made snow angels and dragged Cara around on the back of the sled. She wasn't really sure what to make of this cold white stuff, especially on very little sleep. But we have a feeling she'll get more used to it.

Saturday night we all got some much needed sleep, and Cara even got a short nap on Sunday morning as we started to clear out of the cabin. After lunch we finally attempted our primary goal of the trip - to ski with Cara in her Chariot, the amazing multi-sport kid trailer. Mostly we've been using it as a bike trailer, but some friends lent us the ski attachment. It went together easily and we were soon gliding along, with Cara being pulled by her Dad.

And with Cara screaming. She just wasn't a happy camper in her snug little pod. We skiied for a bit more, trying to go faster, find some hills, anything... And just as we were about to turn around to go back to the car, she fell asleep. So C and I had a nice little ski tour along the river and got back to the car just as Cara was waking up.

Being back in the car was a huge improvement as far as Cara was concerned. She had a snack and fell soundly asleep for most of the ride home.

Talking

2008-01-31T20:55:00.000-08:00

January definitely was a month for some major milestones as it brought not only walking but also Cara's first two words. It probably took us a day or so to realize that when Cara said "mama" (or often "amama") was not just random babbling, but she was actually referring to someone. Or someones - she definitely uses for both her parents, and when I showed her Ms. A's Christmas card (with a picture of Ms. A with her sons) Cara also said "mama". But she definitely has the idea that we as a select group of people have a name.

Her second word was quite obvious, and has gotten a lot more exercise. "Uh oh!" is now the favorite expression. Context appropriate of course, when she has purposefully dropped her cup off from her chair. She taught it to her friend Isabel, and Ms. A got a kick out of the two of them uh-oh'ing away at lunch. We're still waiting for the first sentence which is bound to be "Uh oh, Mama!".

Walking

2008-01-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

Soon after the New Year Cara decided that walking really was preferable to crawling and, except for an occasional scoot, she's been up on two legs ever since. As expected, the best part of walking upright is that Cara can carry things.

Little things aren't so exciting, since after all she could crawl okay with a spoon or a small stuffed animal in her hand. She even managed to crawl with a small book. But her laundry basket? Now that's really something!

Cara's also become more attached to her stuffed animals, so of course they get carried around a bunch too. And we've discovered why so many toys come with handles - all the better for carrying them!

The downside to her fascination with carrying things is that the house quickly becomes littered with everything that Cara can get her hands on. Those slippers could be almost anywhere.

Re-adoption

2008-01-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

Beside playing with lots of new toys and enjoying having Mom and Dad around, the week between Christmas and New Year's Day saw another important event in Cara's life. While our adoption of Cara in Taiwan is fully legal and binding, there are many benefits to re-adopting her in the US, including providing her with a Washington State Birth Certificate and a legal name change. Our social worker recommended an excellent lawyer who completed the paper work quite quickily, so before the end of the year we were able to appear before a judge and finalize the readoption.

The big surprise of our court appearance was finding ourselves with the judge who married us a little over 10 years! A really wonderful coincidence.

Toys, Toys, Toys!

2008-01-05T16:11:00.001-08:00

So about those toys... As you may be able to tell from the background in the photos, we're mostly natural material type people. Wood floors, wool rugs, nuetral paint tones. But Cara is definitely changing our decorating scheme and we have had a sudden infusion of large, brightly painted toys, many of them plastic. And Cara is definitely having a good time with them.

Mommy and Daddy's big gift this year was something called The Learning Home, probably with a TM symbol. It's a simple door she can go through, a window that opens and closes, a mailbox and other fun little bits that she can interact with. She seems to enjoy it, and the electronic noises it makes aren't driving Mom and Dad crazy.

Then there is the walker that converts to a scooter from Grandma and Grandpa L. Complete with fun shapes to twirl and move around, plus a horn to get us slow-pokes out the way!

We also have plenty of additions to the wood collection, both natural and brightly colored. Craig found this wonderful xylophone in Norway, and Grandma and Grandpa M have started her wooden block collection. Lots of fun things for all of us to play with.

Christmas

2008-01-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

Both C and I have many fun memories of Christmas growing up, and although we don't celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday there is something irresistible about enjoying the traditions of the season. We held a Solstice Open House in mid-December as a fun way to get together with friends and co-workers, and as a side effect we decorated the house in holiday cheer. We risked putting up a full-size Christmas tree, and fortunately Cara has been content to look at the (unbreakable) ornaments on the lower branches and otherwise leave this new addition to the living room alone. She didn't even do much to the present that gradually accumulated under the tree, except to pull off a few tags and inspect some of the brightly wrapped gifts.

Seattle has a tradition of Christmas ship cruises that visit local waterfront parks and carol (over loudspeakers) the listeners on the shore. We took Cara to one of the spots on Christmas Eve eve, and stood in the cold drizzle, listening to the music. Cara enjoyed the experience, including looking at the bright lights reflected on the dark water and feeling the wind blowing. She loves music and was swaying to some of the tunes. A luckily she isn't old enough to question the bizarre tradition of listening to music out in the cold and wet - definitely not a Taiwanese tradition.

Christmas Eve, after our traditional trip downtown to Pike Place Market, was time for more lights. A street near us turns into Candy Cane Lane in the weeks around Christmas, and since it wasn't raining, we took a walk to look at the lights and decorations. Cara enjoyed the lights and the Nutcracker figures (the theme for the year) as well as looking at all the other families who had the same idea.

As we put our little girl to bed that night, we thought about how in future years she will be putting out her stocking and asking about Santa coming. But this year Mom and Dad were far more excited by Christmas than our daughter. Part of the evening was spent in what will probably become a tradition of assembling Cara's toys.

And she had fun on Christmas Day! Santa, Mom, Dad, grandparents and friends all brought many goodies to our house. Enough presents we had to spread out the opening of them over several days. Cara greatly enjoyed opening the gifts (she loves tearing paper), playing with the boxes and, eventually, playing with the toys themselves. It is hard to believe I was once concerned she didn't have enough toys - she has plenty now!

Almost Walking

2007-12-26T13:07:00.000-08:00

Cara learning to walk hasn't been nearly as binary a process as her starting to crawl was. She started taking steps in mid-November but then gave it up for a bit. Perhaps crawling is just too easy for her. But with a respite from teething and being sick, she started up again in mid-December. Some days will be 90% crawling, other days she's in a walking mood and will toddle her way around, usually with something in her hand. Which is, of course, one of the major benefits to walking!

Falling is a natural result of learning to walk. But Cara is an easy-going girl and falls usually just result in a brief pause and return to crawling. Most of her falls are down on her butt and no cause for concern, but she has taken a few headers which means we need to be a little more cautious about what sharp edges are around that she could whack her head on. We are a little concerned about the 30" high dining room table as Cara was 29" a month ago, and growing fast. We may need to keep chairs positioned strategically near the corners.

Cara also suddenly decided that she knew how to go down stairs as well as up. We had shown her how to go down safely (not head-first, which appears to be the instinct) but she would at most go down one or two stairs before deciding either that up was where she really wanted to go, or having mommy or daddy carry her down was the preferred situation. But then one day she set off down the stairs (with careful spotting by mom). Okay, next skill - let's practice the scrunchy smile!

First Birthday

2007-12-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Amazing at it seems, Cara is now over a year old. It isn't so remarkable when you see her, with teeth popping in, a few first steps and a growing sense of what she wants and doesn't want. But the transformation over the last six months is incredible. The little baby we brought home six months ago is recognizable in our emerging toddler girl - she still has the same cheerful temperament and excitement to explore the world. But even the smile with which she greats that world has changed from a sunny grin to an eye-scrunching, face-encompassing expression.

Like mom, Cara has the mixed blessing of having a birthday close to Thanksgiving. On the plus, there is a better than even chance that she won't have to be in school (or at work) on her birthday. On the minus, Thanksgiving leftovers can end up dominating the birthday dinner. But we did our best to make both her first Thanksgiving and birthday (on Nov. 25th) special occasions.

Doing our best did not, unfortunately win out on the virus Cara picked up earlier in the week. She was in a great mood Thanksgiving morning and we have fun playing peek-a-boo over the couch, but by the time we woke her up from her afternoon nap, Cara was running a fever of over 101F. She spend an hour or so hanging out at mommy's side in a sling before being put down for her nights sleep. No Thanksgiving dinner this year, unfortunately.

The next day her fever was down below 100F, but our little girl still clearly sick and slept most of that and the next day. We had planned a small birthday party for her on Saturday afternoon, but when she was still clearly not feeling well canceled with most of the guests and just had two friends over for dinner. Cara was well enough to unwrap a few presents and eat some dinner. We served her some pumpkin custard in lieu of a birthday cake (she doesn't digest wheat well). She wasn't quite sure what to do with the candle, but was quite happy to tuck into that custard!

On Sunday Cara's fever was gone and we decided to still make a trip to the zoo in honor of her birthday. We were joined by a friend and her daughter, Emma, who are zoo pros. Despite the cold weather we saw gorillas, elephants, various tropical reptiles, and many other interesting critters. Of course Cara was equally fascinated by the squirrels and other children, but we think she had a good time. She was still definitely a little under the weather and we're looking forward to going again when she is feeling a little more herself.

The day culminated with another pumpkin custard (disappeared fast), a visit from her neighbor babysitter and mom, and an early bedtime. Cara remained under the weather for most of the rest of the week, not the best way to start her 2nd year. Eventually the smiley girl came back in full force. We are noticing an increasing number of stormy moments, as her toddler personality emerges!

A visit to the Bay Area

2007-11-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

In the middle of November Cara and I undertook another adventure - a flight down the the Bay Area to visit family and friends. C originally thought he would be able to join us, but ended up having to fly to a meeting in Europe instead. But mom and Cara managed the flight down to Oakland just fine, where we were met by a very eager Grandpa. Cara was clearly delighted to see him and began waving her arms and kicking her legs soon after she realized who that smiling man was.

We had a busy schedule trying to spend time with the many people in the Bay Area that we are close to. The main focus of Saturday was a lunch-time Chinese banquet hosted by Grandma and Grandpa to introduce Cara to the extended family. It was quite the event with aunts, uncles and cousins running everywhere. Cara charmed everyone, although was still reticent about letting anyone other than mom or Grandpa hold her. She even got an early birthday cake, but didn't quite get the idea of blowing out the candle. Next year!

Sunday the focus was on visiting some old friends. Three families with children and dogs gathered in Berkeley for a day of kid-oriented play and a chance for the adults to catch up. The main event was a trip to the Tilden Park Steam Trains and we all got to ride behind a steam engine! Although I think for Cara the best part of the day was playing ball with one of the dogs, Ginger. We ended a busy day with dinner at Picante, a wonderful Mexican restaurant in Berkeley. Cara loved the pinto beans which mom sacrificed from her plate. A tired girl fell asleep in the car on the way home.

We had the following morning to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa and watch the squirrels that hang out in their backyard (lured by many peanuts). Cara had refused to nap the previous afternoon and hadn't slept so well on Sunday night, so she was a little less cheerful than usual. After a quick lunch we regretfully headed out the airport for our flight back to Seattle. Fortunately the flight home was uneventful and we both slept well back in our own beds.

Teeth and grandparents?

2007-11-26T21:06:00.001-08:00

The lack of any upper teeth appearing wasn't exactly worrying us, but we were wondering when Cara was going to get some more teeth in. We had long since given up on chewing and drooling being indications of a tooth about to emerge as Cara had been chewing and drooling for over three months with no new teeth. Little did we realize we were missing a key factor - the presence of grandparents (who were visiting when her first teeth appeared)!

C's dad made another brief visit at the beginning of C's trip, providing some welcome support, and I had arranged for my parent's to visit towards the end. We were all initially disappointed that Cara seemed more reticent than usual to meet new people and she took awhile to decide that she really was okay with her grandparents. When we went for a hike on Sunday she seemed especially irritable, even before we all got cold and wet. As I was trying to comfort her I noticed a white area in her upper gum - another tooth! So now we know the magic requirement for new teeth.

Once her tooth emerged Cara cheered up considerably. The weather also improved so my parents were able to get out for some sunny hikes as well as having some fun with their granddaughter.

The last hike of summer

2007-11-18T16:22:00.000-08:00

I've fallen horribly behind on this blog. C was travelling for most of the last month and a half, and time got a little tight.

So for the first part of my catch-up, here are some two-month old photos of our last summer hike on Mount Rainier. We had absolutely perfect weather with no bugs. And Cara had a great time. She's gotten big enough that being in the back carrier is more comfortable, and it has the advantage of a built-in sunshade (that works as a raincover in less clement weather).

We were joined in this adventure by Auntie D and our friend R. We were all delighted to walk out of the woods to a beautiful view of Mount Rainier. Cara announced her excitement by bouncing up and down in the backpack and waving her hands - nice that she has such good taste!

The trip back down through the woods was cool, with some fog coming up from the valley below. But Cara's enthusiasm for the trip didn't diminish, and she chatted loudly for much of the hike out, to the amusement of the other hikers on the trail. We're looking forward to understanding what she is saying, since she sure does have a lot to say to us.

Around the house

2007-09-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

From this blog you might think that Cara leads a charmed life, constantly playing in the great outdoors. While she does enjoy being outside, in reality she spends most of her time at home making do with the toys we give her. And the toys we don't give her...

Kitchen implements are always fun, which we hope will translate to a daughter who enjoys cooking as much as we do. And have all our mountain trips spurned her delight in going up stairs? Only time will tell, but Cara does seem to be training for climbing. In reality, almost anything is fun to explore, including J's purse. Luckily she sometimes plays with her own toys too.

Not a loss but a gain

2007-09-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the break in the posts. Another shift in all our lives, as J had to return to work at the end of August. We were a little worried at how Cara would take not being around mom all day. Losses in her life have occurred every three months so far as she shifted from nursery to foster home to our family. Would she see J returning to work as another loss? Well, from all we can tell, she doesn't seem to be grieving at all, but rather she celebrating having a loving nanny, Ms. A, as a notable gain to her circle of doting adults. Ms. A takes her to the park every day, never drags her to Target, and will happily help Cara explore a cardboard box for 20 minutes without running off to do a load of laundry or check her email. Not bad at all.

Although not quite perfect. After two wonderful weeks of having Ms. A's undivided attention, Isabel came on the scene. We're sharing Ms A. with another family whose daughter is just 1 month older than Cara. So Cara is beginning to learn the difficult lessons of sharing toys, people and space with another little girl. And hopefully also learning the joy of her first friend.

Life's a beach

2007-09-03T11:09:00.001-07:00

Not all of Cara Hsiu-Wen's outings are to the mountains. While it is a bit of a drive to the ocean, Seattle is bounded by Puget Sound to the west and has several nice parks with beaches. A few weeks ago we took Cara to Discovery Park, along with a visitor from Norway. They were both impressed with trip, although at slightly different scales. Our visitor enjoyed the calm Puget Sound shore and pleasant cobble/sand beach. Cara was more intrigued with the cobbles themselves. They bang together nicely, are a little salty and can also bang on a log. She told us a lot about her opinions on rocks.

We're looking forward to next summer maybe actually getting Cara in the water (but on a warmer day!)

Another day in the mountains

2007-08-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

After the success of our first hike the obvious question was where to go next? The Snoqualmie Pass area has lots of nice hikes, but the Mountain Loop highway is only a slightly longer drive. The trail up to the meadows on Forgotten Peak only slightly longer than Melakwa Lake. And maybe her auntie, Auntie D, would be able to carry her for part of the hike? A little more of a push, but Cara Hsiu-Wen keeps proving herself up to new challenges.

The drive up gave Cara the opportunity for a nice nap, again ending just as we turned off the highway for the trail head. A diaper change, some sunscreen and general optimism at the lack of bugs and we were off. When we reached the falls and the creek crossing we discovered that our appraisal of the bug situation was incorrect. A planned stop for Cara to have a bottle and crawl around a bit was cut short by the swarm of deer flies that immediately descended whenever we stopped. Cara was somewhat less than thrilled with the program, but let Auntie D carry her and after some fussing fell asleep for the remainder of the hike up.

The endless switchbacks finally gave way to the open meadows of Forgotten Peak. We saw few people on the trail and almost no one on the meadows, so we hunted around for a prime location, part shade and part sun to stop for lunch, savor the views, and Cara stretch her legs while us sherpas rested ours. There were no bugs and a light breeze made conditions perfect for a leisurely lounge and some photo taking.

But the long trail down awaited us. Reluctantly we packed up our bags and Cara and headed down the buggy trail. We paused only briefly on our descent for some food, swarmed at each stop by biting flies. The lack of crawling time left Cara a little irritable on the drive home, but with the radio to distract her she eventually fell asleep and we enjoyed the satisfaction of having completed a fun day out in the mountains. Somehow Cara remained bite free, although her mother was less fortunate and required liberal amounts of calamine lotion to soothe her itching legs. A worthwhile trade-off as we continue to train our mountain girl.

Food, glorious food

2007-08-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

Luckily Cara's diet doesn't consist entirely of wood chips. Dried leaves are another favorite, and proven choking hazard. Wouldn't want Mom to get bored while exploring the great outdoors! But when she is inside, Cara Hsiu-Wen is quite happy to be fed a growing list of yummy foods. She's even happier when she can stuff the foods into her mouth herself. Needless to say, this can get a little messy, as the above photo shows. But who cares when she is having so much fun! More rice and peas, please!

In The Park

2007-08-10T14:09:00.001-07:00

Cara is definitely an active baby, and loves getting out and about. Luckily there are several parks within walking distance of our house, and she has explored them all by now. Not that she can do much independently (except eat wood chips), but walking around with someone holding her hands, swinging and going down the slide are all favorite activties. Or just hanging out with Dad, who is always fun!

Bath Time

2007-08-02T21:26:00.001-07:00

Okay, I've fallen behind again. No huge changes over the last three weeks, but Cara is definitely growing in all directions. She's crawling just fine and getting faster every day, especially if there is a cat in sight. She has become a pro at pulling herself up to a stand on almost everything, including Mom's legs (doesn't even require long pants to hang on to any more). She has also become very skilled at sitting down from a stand, so we've had very few bonked heads recently. Ironically enough, most of the recent bonks have come from Cara falling backwards while sitting down. She starts waving her arms around and boom, over she goes. Luckily it isn't too far to the ground yet...

Cara is also turning out to be a water girl and loves her baths. The above photo is after a bath, luxuriating in a lovely new towel that a friend gave her. Life isn't so bad!

First Hike

2007-07-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

When our friend Ema emailed to suggest we go on a hike with Cara, after a brief hesitation I jumped at the idea. Perhaps we should start with a shorter hike, say Discovery Park or someplace like that, but Cara had already spent upwards of 3 hours in the Ergo (with breaks), so a real hike didn't seem that far off. We settled on a 9-mile hike up to Melakwa Lake, ignoring the many possible problems such as a longer drive than Cara had been on since leaving Taiwan, a long stint in the front carrier, possible bugs and the fact that she was fussing from having her second tooth come in. Cara doesn't do things by halves after all - something she shares with her parents!

The punchline is, she did great. Minor fuss in the car as we left Seattle but she soon settled down to a nice nap that lasted all the way to Snoqualmie Pass. We packed up and were soon on the trail, with Cara enjoying all the new sights around her. She started to get a little antsy after about 30 minutes, just in time for a stop near the Denny Creek water slide where we found a quiet flat spot off the to side for Cara to crawl around a little and sample the local pine needles.

Back on the trail Cara quickly dozed off, missing the beautiful waterfall along the trail. I'm sure we'll be back that way with her again. The trail seemed much longer with the extra weight of a sleeping child on my front, but since Ema was carrying all our other gear, I couldn't complain. And eventually we reached Hemlock pass, soon after arriving at scenic Melakwa Lake.

Cara had woken by then, but seemed quite content to hang out with her mommy. We found a clear spot to put down a groundcloth, change her diaper and give her a bottle, while chowing down hungrily ourselves. We didn't spend too long exploring since it was getting late and I wasn't certain how she was going to react to the long hike back to the car. Cara did have time to explore the texture of a pine cone and complained only when I didn't let her eat it. She also checked out her first big tree, and seemed appropriately impressed (probably by the bark more than anything).

She started fussing soon after we began hiking away from the lake and I was beginning to worry I'd end up carrying a tantruming baby four and a half miles down the trail. But not our sweet girl. The fusses soon abated and Cara conked out for another 50-minute nap. Brief playtime by the water slide, another bottle at the car, and we were soon headed home, feeling very satisfied with our day. As icing on the cake, Cara slept the whole way home.

I'm hoping we get many more hikes in this summer!

Big Week

2007-07-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

Our little girl just isn't going to do things by halves and its been an eventful week. Monday saw Cara crawling. Not just creeping, but genuine, knees and hands crawling. She isn't going too far too fast, only because she gets distracted by all the new things she passes on the way. So we haven't had to corral her away from the stairs yet. But the fascination with the floor, walls and chair legs will probably only last another couple of days and we have to get into some serious childproofing.

A bigger risk is that Cara seems to view crawling primarily as a means of getting to objects she can pull herself up on to stand. The set of things that are sufficiently stable with hand-holds at the correct height is still pretty small, but that doesn't stop her from trying! And of course the further up she manages to pull herself, the bigger the thunk when she falls down. We're doing our best to protect her from sharp corners and be there to catch at least many of the falls, but we have a feeling that she's going to be falling down a lot in the next few months.

She also cut her first tooth early in the week, resulting in a relatively sleepless night on Sunday after a slightly fussy day. The second lower incisor is on its way. Needless to say she is chewing on everything in reach and drooling. But otherwise seems mostly to be her usual sweet-natured self.

Which was a good thing since she got to meet Grandma and Grandpa this week! After initial shyness they both started to get lots of big Cara Hsiu-Wen smiles, giggles and babbles. She's a very talkative little girl at times, we all just wish we had a better understanding of what she was trying to say. Both grandparents enjoyed holding and playing with their granddaughter and were suitably impressed by her easy-going temperament. She did at least prove herself a proper baby by spitting up on Grandpa. They are looking forward to another visit and we are too, since between playing with Cara and helping out we finally made some significant progress on a few house projects!

Settling in

2007-07-01T17:51:00.001-07:00

At long last, a post! We have a hard time believing that an entire month has gone by since we came home. But when we see how much more comfortable Cara Hsiu-Wen is now, clearly time has passed.

The first week wasn't exactly easy, especially regarding sleep. Which remains as issue, but mostly because our expectations keep increasing! She now sleeps mostly through the night in her crib, going to bed around 6:30 pm and usually requiring some pats and gentle sh's to go back to sleep when she wakes around 4 am. Some mornings we're lucky and she sleeps until 6 am, other mornings she is cooing in her crib by about 5:30 am. In either case she is okay hanging out in her crib babbling for about 30 minutes, so we never get her up until 6 am. Maybe as the sunrise gets later she'll start sleeping later?

Cara's early promise of crawling hasn't fully materialized into the full arms and knees version, but she can definitely move herself around just fine. At least on carpeting. Luckily she is still slow on the hardwoods (which is most of our house), although this morning when she really wanted to get to the cat she moved several feet in just a few minutes. The house isn't childproofed yet, but we have gates and cabinet locks so we're ready when she makes that next developmental jump.

And we are discovering that we've been blessed with a baby with generally a pretty easy temperament. Cara's on the high activity end, but in general hardly fusses and genuinely seems happy most of the time. Not extremely outgoing, but warms to new people fairly quickly. Her smile will melt steel, and possibly cameras since it is very hard to capture in a photo! We're still working on getting the full effect to post.

We saw the pediatrician two weeks ago and he gave Cara a clean bill of health. Since that time she's grown out of some onesies and pants, so all that formula she's chugging down isn't just passing through. Still working on getting her used to solid food.

Hopefully now that things have calmed down a bit and we're all a little more used to eachother we'll be able to post more often.

Addendum: I take that back. As of today (7/2) Cara is definitely crawling! We're not sure if we're delighted or terrified.