Adelaide and our beautiful Fall Maple

Brandon and Amy

Some friends come and go in our lives. Others will be there forever. My sweet friends came to visit and it felt so good to see them. My friend Brandon and his sister Amy came to see us, along with Brandon's girlfriend Nicole. Even though it's been probably 10 years since I've seen Brandon, and 5 or 6 for Amy..it didn't feel like it at all. I love them so much and am so glad I have them in my life, even if they both live far away. I feel like they know a "me" that a lot of other people don't. They knew me in high school, in my 20's when I was in San Diego, and now they get to meet my family and see me pregnant too. It was rainy the whole time they were here, but it was okay, we still got out to see the beautiful fall colors of Portland.

I took them to Multnomah Falls. Look at the crazy Orb on my belly right where the baby is!

Amy and Adelaide at the playground at Mt. Tabor

Dance Creatively

Adelaide has been taking a dance class that she LOVES! She is so happy in there, and always sad when it's over. She is also really in love with her little tutu, which is actually a bathing suite, but she knows no difference.

And the "FREEZE dance"

Varied Thrush

Can you spot the little bird that we saw sitting in the tree out our window? He was very VERY beautiful. According to our bird book he is a Varied Thrush...common but elusive in the wet forest of the northwest.

Adelaide the Midwife

Adelaide really likes to help the midwives when we go to our appointments. She listens to the baby with the stethoscope, measures my belly, and puts the jelly on for the Doppler and pushes the button so we can hear our sweet baby's heartbeat. She is so gentle and interested. She also loves to play with the baby doll they have there and the placenta that attaches to it. I hope I get to see her face when she sees a REAL placenta =)

Play - Doh man

Look at this little man Adelaide made all by herself =)

Dia de los muertos

Tonight I made an alter to honor the many people that I've lost in my life. In that alter I included 3 candles, one for the past, one for the present, and one for the future. Today I had an appointment with Tami Kent. It was very powerful and empowering. I might write about it in the future, but for now I will add a blessing from her book. I celebrate this blessing and included it in my day of the dead ritual tonight. I sure have a lot of guardian angels out there!
Great Grandma Alice
Grandma Lynn
Grandpa Brune
Grandma White
Auntie Dawn
Uncle Lynnie
Aunt Inger
Brandon Silvera
Ben Lorosingal
Bruce Finney
Uncle Bill (whom I can't find a photo but I'm honoring you too)
And all of those unnamed or forgotten....I honor and celebrate the path you have left.

Ancestor Blessing

I call on the women and men of my mother line.
I call on the women and men of my father line.
I call on the lineages of those who have supported my journey in this life.
I call on the spirits of this land.
Bring your strength, your beauty, your dreams, your joy to me - the one who now carries on the work of our lineage.
Bring energy and light to my life so that I may do this work of transforming wounds, nurturing hope, celebrating joy, and sharing love;
I am building the structures and sowing the seeds of a bountiful life for myself and for all who will come after me.
Know that your life and energy, all of your steps, were a blessing.
May you rest in peace, held by spirit.
The light that you carried lives on.
I honor you, ancestors.
I give thanks for you.
I ask for your blessing, your energy, to flow- like a sacred river- through my body and life.

Skidamarink - silly girl

Hello in there!

Halloween 2011

NOTHING is more fun than watching your child enjoy the magic and excitement of special holidays. Adelaide has been SO excited about Halloween, and today she was on cloud 9. She had the time of her life and it just melted my heart to watch her drift off to sleep tonight, knowing that she will probably dream of her exciting day. On the way home for the night she asked if Halloween would be over when we woke up tomorrow. We had to break the bad news, but then reminded her that her birthday, and then Christmas are just around the corner. That seemed to cheer her up enough not to be sad that Halloween will be over until next year. Ugh....and how long does a year last for a little 3 year old? Forever....

We started the day with our friend Judy.

This was Adelaide's very favorite costume of the entire day (and probably of her entire life). She could NOT believe that this Kermit the Frog even had FROG HANDS!!! She talked about him for the rest of the night, and I'm sure will dream about his funny eyes and tongue tonight. She even told our neighbors all about him (and several other strangers that we trick or treated from).

We met up with good friends Anami and Jacory for some trick or treating. It is also Jacory's birthday today!

Sleepy eyes after a long, fun day

Freckle face!

Front View vs Back view

Here is the view from the back (ignore the big booty!)

View from the front. Hello baby! 31 weeks along!

It was amazing. Tonight as I laid with Adelaide, our baby was stretching herself to the max inside of my body. I could see her little leg and foot, as if it was going to burst right through my skin. It kind of hurt, but was so amazing that I had to just lay there and giggle. Adelaide wanted to know why I was laughing instead of sleeping. I wish I had the video camera handy because it was unbelievable. Once I came downstairs I tried to show Myles, but of course she wouldn't do anything in there when he was looking. She is already a little stinker =) I can't wait to meet her!

Sugar Skulls

Myles took Adelaide to decorate sugar skulls in honor of the upcoming Day of the Dead holiday. They turned out very beautiful! I'm sad I missed it, but I had to work at the birth center.

Pumpkin carving and a Halloween carnival

Fallon at OMSI

Today our friends Jessica and Fallon took us to OMSI. It was really fun, we spent hours there, and didn't even explore the whole museum. I wish we got to see these gals more often!

Adelaide decorated these glasses with crayons, markers, sparkles and feathers. How fancy!

Granny and the Haunted House

Adelaide's Granny came for a visit and they had a great time decorating a Halloween house together.

Good Friends

We were lucky to have so many of our favorite friends all come to town today! It was a spur of the moment party. Most of the kids and mama's are from our birth group, and All mama's had the same midwife that we did with Adelaide and all had beautiful home births. It's so fun to watch these guys grow together!

Adelaide, Jai and Phoenix

 Here is a picture from January of 2009...Phoenix on the left, Adelaide (covering her face) and Jai...just to see how far they have come together!