monsen

Track star

2010-03-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

... and our lives are over as we know it.

2010-01-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

Although Alice took her first steps around Thanksgiving, she has rarely practiced walking, and would only take a couple of steps when strongly encouraged. Until now! Motivated to get to a toy she really wanted to touch (the Organ Organ), she took about eight steps across the room at the Seattle Children's Museum. Then did it again. And again. Yay! And... oh no.

And in case you haven't already seen it, here's a video of Alice demonstrating some of her other recently acquired skills.

First Birthday, Part 2 of 3

2009-12-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

Alice has celebrated her birthday three times! First was over Thanksgiving break with the Minnesota side of the family. I've got some pictures of that, but as Christmas approaches I currently lack the organization to download them from the camera. Second was a lasagna and pumpkin bread dinner with Mom & Dad, and opening a couple of presents:

Third was a brunch with the Washington family contingent. Pictures to come!

Climbing and pickles

2009-12-18T16:54:00.001-08:00

Alice is proud to be able to climb into her chair and sit (though she wouldn't sit for the camera).

And she inherited her dad's love of spicy garlic pickles.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunny cold day at the beach

2009-12-02T09:21:00.001-08:00

updates

2009-11-16T11:27:00.000-08:00

AJ's latest accomplishments:

Consistently says "ba!" when in the vicinity of her ball.
Understands "Where's ... ?" She also raises her hand, palm up, when you ask where something is, in a questioning gesture. This morning, after a long night of wakings from teething pain, I said, "Now Alice, where's your tooth?" She pointed at her toothbrush.
Stands on her own whenever she forgets not to.
Waves and points.
Is ticklish.

Pictures to follow...

classic

2009-11-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

Li'l Crazy Eyes and I went swimming for the first time yesterday, at the Mountlake Terrace Pool. The "Leisure Pool" is warmed to 91 degrees, about a foot deep, has a rubber bottom and beach-like entry. It's also got fountains, bubbles, and toys for the little ones. Alice had the best time, and even put her face in the water a few times trying to imitate another swimmer that was blowing bubbles.

Unfortunately I did not bring a camera into the pool so I'm posting a classic here. Joint art project between me and Apple via the iPhone. Taken when Alice was 10 days old.

Pics on Flickr

2009-10-31T21:27:00.001-07:00

I just posted a bunch of recent pics to my flickr photostream. You must be logged in and marked as my friend or family to view them all.

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Prowl

2009-10-24T21:16:00.001-07:00

Whatever floats your boat, Mom...

2009-10-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Alice loves her new push toy.

Pumpkin patch

2009-10-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

So after 2 1/2 months of chasing Alice around I think I have finally convinced her that her bedtime is 8pm and my bedtime is 10pm, so I have two hours of adult time to catch up.

Summary of the last couple months: Six teeth, sitting and standing, babbling, lots of laughing and playing.

We went to a pumpkin patch last weekend. She picked out all these pumpkins for cooking, carving, and decorating.

boxjet

2009-06-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

It was AJ's idea. Really!

2009-05-08T12:08:00.001-07:00

We've been trying to feed Alice rice cereal and prunes. While I think she enjoys the food, by all appearances she does not yet understand that a spoon cannot deliver food continuously like a bottle or a breast. She grabs on when I deliver the first bite and holds on for dear life, chewing on the business end of the spoon until she gets frustrated. I can't refill the spoon fast enough either. So mealtime degenerates pretty quickly. Oh well!

And today's bonus picture, Bathtime:

2009-04-04T15:26:00.000-07:00

We've been home from Hawaii for two weeks already! Alice was a champ on the plane (although I think some of the other passengers would disagree with us). I think she liked having bare feet all week.

Milestone

2009-03-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago - Wednesday to be precise - I sat Alice in the big black leather chair and put a toy near her hand. To my surprise she grabbed it and tried to move it towards her mouth. Yay! She's managed to repeat a few times and keeps practicing.

Also, I just found out from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon that Tina Fey has a daughter named Alice. So does my dental hygienist.

Practicing for next Halloween

2009-02-19T18:53:00.000-08:00

Picture of the day.

2009-02-17T08:34:00.000-08:00

Alice looooves waking up in the morning.

Note that babies don't like to lie still for low-light pictures.

2009-02-11T16:30:00.000-08:00

Alice in a Drib -- specially made by my friend Huong!

Oh hi, I think I'm a little small for this yet.

Time for hope

2009-02-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

A plane landed in the Hudson River and everyone survived.

President Obama.

And Alice learned how to use the pacifier. And she slept for 4 hours straight last night.

And now for your picture of the day: three generations of Monsens.

Hi

2009-01-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

First Bus Ride

2009-01-20T18:00:00.000-08:00

I packed Alice in a sling, covered it in a blanket, and stuffed her under my coat. We took the bus to the university where Adam was giving a talk.

Caption Contest

2009-01-12T13:41:00.000-08:00

I challenge you to come up with a clever caption for this photo.

And here's the so-cute-I-don't-need-a-caption version:

Where's Alice?

2008-12-26T16:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning gift exchange at the Pierce house.

Experimenting with ways to keep Alice close while checking e-mail...

2008-12-22T06:57:00.001-08:00

Alice Jane Monsen was born on Thursday at 7:12 AM weighing 7 lb 4 oz and measuring 20 inches. Alice, Adam and I have been home since Friday - learning how to be a family of three and loving every minute!

To be (inside) or not to be (inside)...

2008-12-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

We had an ultrasound today to check the baby's development as her due date nears. Diagnosis: Just fine. (We get lots of extra testing since I'm diabetic. Lucky me.) We could see her practicing breathing and sucking. Also, she has hair!

What color do you predict her eyes will be? I've got green eyes and Adam has hazel. My biological relatives mostly have blue eyes and Adam's biological relatives have blue, hazel, and brown.

Post-its We Can Believe In

2008-11-17T17:39:00.001-08:00

After a late night study session, Adam and his lab partner created this image out of Post-Its in the computer science building on the UMN campus. I followed Adam over the next day on my bike to see it. It was about 30 degrees and sunny, perfect biking weather. The 2-mile ride was not without its price though. I spent the afternoon too tired to do anything but lie on the couch like a zombie and eat cheese spread and crackers, and now I have a cold. It is time to concede that at eight months pregnant I am not the athlete I was at zero months pregnant.

Baby Monsen gets hiccups several times a day and likes to have a dance party in my belly at night when I go to bed.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T14:25:00.000-07:00

My doctor asked me at the end of my appointment yesterday, "So what are you going to be for Halloween? A pumpkin?" How did she know!?!?

Meanwhile, the little Monkey is going as a skeleton.

Old School Paternity Advice

2008-10-28T18:37:00.000-07:00

From the same book mentioned in the previous post:

If you're like me, and not all that familiar with giving birth, you'll be happy to know that times have changed! Thanks in part to people like Dr. Grantly Dick-Read, natural childbirthing, Lamaze, HypnoBirthing, etcetera. Partners can now be a part of delivery, and mom needn't be under anesthesia.

Suggestions For Pregnant Women

2008-10-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

From a booklet circa 1960 I think.

Zoo

2008-10-20T07:03:00.001-07:00

I took my niece and nephew, Maya and Elias, and my bro Noah to the Minnesota Zoo on Friday. The grizzly bear seemed as entertained by us as we were by him. Here he's admiring Elias's hat.

Return of the diaper service!

2008-10-14T10:51:00.001-07:00

I was disappointed this August to find out that the Twin Cities' last diaper service went out of business. The owner cited fuel costs and lack of demand.

So I was equally excited last week to find a brochure at Blooma (where I take prenatal yoga) for a new diaper service in town. Yay! I immediately signed up and I am not at all sad to give up plans to wash my own 80+ diapers a week.

2008-10-03T13:27:00.001-07:00

Now you can say you have seen a pregnant lady on a bicycle.

Often I ride only 5 minutes to the pool, but today I rode about 5 miles round trip to check out a cafe called Cupcake (cupcakes! yum!). Five miles might sound like an easy ride, but with all the extra weight and diminished ability to breathe I think the official conversion is 1 pregnant mile = 4 non-pregnant miles.

Name list so far

2008-09-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of the names you have all picked so far. How did you guys know I like Potpie Dezmelda??

Willow
Lethamina
Bridget Callie
Potpie
Clementine
Leela
Myla
Deborah
Carly
Joy
Alice/Alyce
Jenny
Abby
Emma
Stella
Dezmelda
Elizabeth Eva
Olivia
Melvina

Brunch

2008-09-22T06:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a lovely brunch with my friend Michelle and her family. Michelle's due in October with her second baby.

Name Her -- The Contest

2008-09-21T18:35:00.001-07:00

Enter your "baby Monsen" name suggestions here. If we choose your name for our daughter, you might win a prize!