Following Eli following the paper trail

Eva and her friend Katie outside of class

Self-timed shot of mommy and Eva waiting for Daddy and Eli to pick us up.

Eva outside of Andrea's class

Just one more time

so on the eve of my parent's departure, just before bedtime the children got a bit crazy for the
grandparents and eva got carried away chasing eli who had taken her brush and ended up cutting the
skin around his eye. eva was lectured a bit by her father. i crawled in bed with her to say good night
and reiterated the mantra "eli is your little brother, we don't hit him, we are gentle and teach him not to
hit." her response, "just one more time, next week." so there you  have it

Grammy and Eli at Park Chow for lunch

Ready to begin making cookies for Mother's Day dinner 

Eva rolls the pie crust 

Breakfast 

Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I awoke to a rainy San Francisco day. Unbelievable, considering the rains usually stop by the end of March. My plan to sleep in was interrupted by Eva's loud protests all morning. Silly girl, I'd have to ask her dad what all the fuss was about. She managed to calm down and helped me make blueberry corn muffins, stirring the eggs and filling the muffin tins. Art faced the storm by trying to grill bacon outside but ended up browning in the house. We had a tasty breakfast for the 6 of us.

I celebrated the day with a solo shower - quite lonely I must say. Eli joined me while I brushed my teeth. Grammy has found her way into Eva's heart, allowing her to play with chapstick all by herself. wow - am I going to have to face the music after she leaves. Grammy's secret weapon works in her favor most of the day, "You can play with the chapstick If you ......." a miracle I say.

Eva and I made pie crust cookies with our animal cookie cutter Sydney gave us. The last batch was coming out of the oven when Joe Cheeseman arrived for dinner. We had a nice time visiting with Joe. He fits in to all of the madness without batting an eye. We had grilled pork loin, spinach salad, asparagus, and roasted potatoes. Joe brought us black berries and cream for whipping. We managed to all squeeze around the breakfast nook. The children ended the day by jumping from the orange ottoman over the arm of the sofa with a crash landing. It took a while to settle down but we had some sleeping babes by 7:15 pm.

On our way home 

In the Lobby of the Mark Hopkins 

Mom Dad and Me - with Haley our babysitter in the mirror 

Saturday

Saturday started out a bit hectic. After many negotiations who would go where and with whom – the children and I headed to Day Street Park to meet Leon and Naomi. Mom rested at home. It took me so long to cloth the troupes and get out the door Art and Dad got to the park before us. After a romp inside on the slides and toys, Eli and I headed to the Fair Oaks community yard sale. What fun. By the time we got there the sun was baking our backs, everyone was warm and sunny. It was a bit confusing by the end, meeting up with Art, Dad and Eva and our exit was rushed and aggravated but this did not take away from the finds: an Ergo Carrier, two plastic retro cups for the children, a hand milk frother (to replace my broken one), and a sun hat and necklace for Eva.

Saturday night we had a big ole time. The four adults, dressed in our "Casual Smarts", headed out to a secret location (at least for mom and dad). We drove through the city to arrive at the entrance of the Mark Hopkins Hotel. Mom and I waited in the lobby while Art parked the car. Mom returned from the powder room with a souvenir of a pen and pad. The view of the city was perfectly masked in the glow just after the sun set. Our table overlook Grace Cathedral, the GG Bridge, Alcatraz and the water. So pretty. We all had cocktails which added a lightness to the evening. It was in no time we were all giggling. We managed to dance to a few tunes and imbibe a second drink – well all but dad who flavored the olives with his martini (those silly tall glasses do get in the way!).

Mom and Dad at the Stanford Campus 

We sure missed Art at lunch 

Adults at Play

Friday, Mom, Dad and I went on a field trip to Palo Alto. Our first stop was a tour of Stanford University. It was a bit overcast but that did not hold back the 100's of bicycles that whizzed by us on every surface of the campus. We did stick out amongst the young, fit California students. We toured the Main Quad, Memorial Church and the Hoover Tower where we got to look down at the grounds below. We spoke to our student guide about her choice of schools. After which had my mind racing as to how I could get Anna Hammock out here to the school. I purchased a pair of big sunglasses at the Stanford Shopping Center and then we headed down town for lunch. Oh did we have a tasty meal at Lavendand - crispy artichoke hearts over arugala and olive tapenade, skirt steak and Mom’s pasta. We relaxed over a glass of the house red, returning to trenches all relaxed.

Eli plays with a fish and a turtle in the water activity pond 

Eva finds her niche 

Oh look a nest for eggs 

Granddaddy hides the best he can 

Eli enters the maze 

Our favorite part of the Bay Area Discover Museum - the maze! 

Grammy teachers Eva to use and umbrella 

Grammy and Grandaddy Visit

Mom and Dad arrived on Monday. Thought we'd never get out of the airport. Their flight was only the second to arrive in San Francisco as a part of Independence Air. They landed in the international terminal. I parked in the domestic terminal. long story short, not knowing there was different lot for international parking, i took us all the way to Lot G which was where I thought I had parked. But no, we had to go for ever to get back to our car. poor mom and dad, eli and myself saw every corridor of the terminal. i was so agrivated by the time we got to our car and the grand parents were worn out!

Anyway, we've had a nice visit. Eva and Eli have been playing with the tea set grammy brought them non-stop. Every morning, Eva crawls between G & G and talks to them and even let's them fall back to sleep.

Yesterday, Eli and I took grammy to get her back adjusted by Dr. John. He gave her a real work over. He tried to get grammy involved in a controversial subject of how liberal San Francisco is but Mom declined. She passed it off by saying, " I can barely get Branch to come out here." Dad graciously handled the question I posed later, he said he did not think he could live out here.

We made a new bed in the dining room for our guests by setting up our old bedframe and placing the airmattrass on a board. It looks nice and is comfortable, not to mention they get a view of the city from their bed - many people would pay $$$ for that!

Today we went to the Bay Area Discovery Museum. The children had a blast. Dad liked the design of the exhibits and Mom loved the veiw of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Eli's new words in honor of the grandparent's visit: nose and nigh night. Eva has been busy playing with her imaginary friend, I think his name is Cranboy. He keeps Eva busy and gives Eli a bit of peace too!

Sleep is the talk of the hour

Yesterday, Art moved Eva's rocking chair in to the living room. The thought being, when Eli wakes, I'd just rock him/hold him while screaming until he was either asleep or until the appropriate time to wake up. Eva loved hearing this plan. She's ready for Eli to sleep in her room and I think she isa bit jealous that Eli gets milk throughout the night and she only gets water.

So, for the last two nights I've managed to nurse Eli and then place him in his crib and wait until he falls asleep on his own. Last night he did not wake until 4:40 am!!!!!! whew. I went to him and he liked being rocked for a little while and then put up a strong protest for a good 20 minutes. Alas, the magic number arrived, 5:30 am, he was free to nurse but not to fall asleep. He was fine with this plan. Well, the crying woke Eva and she opened the door to our room. I jumped up to let her know where she could find Daddy, she immediately said, "Eli need to be in the rocking chair!" I laughed and reassured her with a kiss and let her know tha,t in fact, Eli had done his time in the rocking chair. Satisfied with this answer, she trotted off.

Sleep is such a slippery slope 

Sleep baby sleep

We're ready for yet one more iteration of Eli's sleep training. We've been trying to wean Eli from his 3:00 am feeding, which leads to a long morning of nursing. Unsuccessful up to this point, Eli's will to keep this feeding in his schedule - has won over our persistence. Art successfully rid him of his 12:00 and 2:00 feeding by sleeing with him for a week. But Eli's perseptive ways, coupled with his desire to see mommy, has him waiting up until mama comes in at 4:30am. Daddy's tired, Mama's tired and Eli is starting to get tired too. Yesterday, Daddy declared a solution to the problem which lead him on-line looking for hotels for me and Eva to stay for two nights. My gut resisted this extreme measure, although as fun as a girl's night away sounded. Of course, EVERYONE thinks I'm crazy for prolonging the inevitalbe. Friends have urged me to let him cry it out, sent article on methods, and offered to help. It's gotten to the point, I'm a bit embarrased to say I've not slept in 2 1/2 years. Today, I asked Lalla, our parenting teacher, for some advice. She explained, Eli (at 18 months) is very aware what he wants and that nursing him to sleep leaves such a strong feeling with him that it is all he wants when he wakes up. She suggested Art put him to sleep. I got all weepy at the thought of it. As I asked her a question, I got all choked-up. Just last night, after nursing Eli to sleep, I emerged from his room telling Art how sweet the entire process is. After Eva and Eli read a book with mommy, Eli and mommy read one or two more books. I then put him down which makes him giggle. We play a game as I turn our the light and then I sing to him as he settles down while nursing. His body goes from spastic movements to mere twiches as his eyes close. Sometimes I have to say, "it's night time" then he closes his eyes and slow things down. I love hearing his breathing pick up as his right and left hands fidget. I hold them until they calm down. At this time his breathing gets a little louder until he takes in a big sigh and his breath slows down. He is asleep. I can leave him, he may roll over, sometimes looking up at me but goes to sleep with a gentle touch to his hand. Alas, this is the end of a long sleep history between mama and Eli. Just writing this down makes me see how crazed I am - let him do it on his own, Jan!

So tonight it begins, Daddy will take charge of the night time routine. I welome being back with Eva. I've missed being a part of her night time routine. We will see how it goes!

Eva made the jump to her big girl bed in preparation for Eli sleeping in her old crib. She has patiently waited for three months. She's finally given up on asking everynight, "Eeii sleep here?" only to hear, "Eli still cries at night, when he sleeps all night he can sleep with you." Last month, Eva responeded to this saying, "Eeii cries at night, I'll give him a bottle of water..." She's ready!

Eva is getting really good at balancing on the log along the path in Glen Park Canyon. 

On one of our Family Wednesdays, Eli successfully finds a puddle in Glen Park Canyon. 

Eli and Eva play by their E.

Eva, sporting her new pink panties, shows off her grape jelly bean. 

Potty progress

It has been a month since writing but much has been happening here at 127 Randall Street…as I speak, Eva Gray is walking down the hall by-herself, panties around her ankles ready to pee-pee in the potty. Such excitement around this recent change in life. Wednesday, while we were in the back yard with Shu Shu Eva declared she had to go to the potty. I brought her potty in to the back yard and low and behold – she used it. I promptly went upstairs and got her a “jelly bean” – a fruit chew. She demanded Eli get one too. No sooner had I returned from a retrieving Eli’s, she’d gone again. By bedtime, I think I counted 4 tokens. Whew. The next morning, she pee peed again in the potty and several time in the afternoon. The headliner of this report comes in that while Eva was talking to Shu at the breakfast table, I heard some business taking place in her diaper, I asked if she wanted to poop in the potty and yes, she did. And yes she did. The strangest thing is she now announces everything as, “ mom, help me with my panties, go and check mom – gone is mommy…..I hope not forever…