Author Archives: aj

11/30/13

Giving Thanks, Family Style Traditions

I’ve always wanted to find a way to do a service activity without angering the whole family by skipping out on Thanksgiving dinner and family time. But also with two small children at home, I wanted to find something I could do that would involve them. Turns out a stroke of baby brain caused me to get creative this year and find that activity.

I was going to volunteer at the Thanksgiving feast at Garfield Community Center in my neighborhood, thinking it would be on Thanksgiving day, but called to confirm the need for volunteers, 3 days too late 🙂

So I thought a little harder about something we could do at home, as a family, appropriate for a 2 year old. Holiday Mail for Heroes was that outlet. You send cards (either one out of your own family batch, or like we did a bunch of cards just for them) and send them to the Red Cross for distribution to veterans, military families and active-duty service members at hospitals and installations around the world.

Cora and I busted out the paints and stamps to decorate our cards and we put in a message from the family of Thanks for their military service. It was too messy for me to take a picture on my own and I forgot to have Sean take one, so you will just have to take my word for it, but I look forward to either hosting a card signing party at Thanksgiving dinner next year, or finding a similar opportunity for our involvement.

 

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11/20/13

2 months of CRAZY!

Having a newborn in the house is a significant change to your family. I want to say a disclaimer that we’re really grateful that nothing too life altering really struck us, but we had our share of difficulties this time around. After two bouts of mastitis, 4 colds, and two frenotomies, a possible diagnosis that would require surgery for Harlan, I was pretty done with health issues. Mastitis is no joke if untreated, and while having having dealt with it twice, knowledge of what it is and how to treat it makes it much more tolerable. Breastfeeding was my biggest goal with this child, part of the reason I decided to take more time off and spend it at home with Cora and Harlan. I wasn’t about to give it up after two months!

Cora was having breathing issues which caused our GP to recommend nebulizer treatments. As it stands, the winter season is nigh and respiratory related illnesses are just beginning. All is well now, but I’m sure I’ll be back whining again as another strain of the runny noses, coughs, etc hits us.

11/1/13

Happy Halloween x 2

I already like themes that involve costumes, dressing up, or decorations, be they holidays or made up excuses to party. This year I was excited to have two munchkins to dress up in punny fashion, AND the patriarch of the clan has succumbed to the theme as well!

We were a food theme as this family is no stranger to eating. Cora was a pepper shaker, Harlan was a salt shaker, I was a fork and Sean and knife. There was an attempt to make Sean into chopped liver as that is how the kiddos often make him feel since mama always seems to come first with them. However, I really didn’t want to walk next to a pile of poop (because that’s what it looks like to me, let’s be honest).

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We trick or treated in downtown Madrona with the neighborhood businesses and a little scavenger hunt. Cora was remarkably tolerant of us dragging her around spreading her cuteness so we could  raid her candy bucket later. Fun times and I’m really looking forward to more.

09/26/13

The Beards Say Thank YOU!

We are incredibly grateful to the family and friends who have shown support through gifts, time, and of course food as we adjusted to having Harlan in our lives. He’s a lucky, lucky guy and I hope those who have helped with material and temporal gifts, will also help him to learn how important it is to give back to others and to your community.

As we’re living the MINE and NO phase in full effect with Cora, it seems impossible a concept to share with a very young person. To give Cora credit, she has become an incredibly helpful member of the family, bringing me blankets or pacifiers for Harlan. She’s learned to say “It’s OK” when he’s crying to try and soothe him. She even set the dinner table yesterday while I was making dinner. The attention span certainly isn’t that of an adult, but her understanding and desire to help people is already pretty broad. So I ask myself what are the best ways to instill charity and volunteerism and when do you start? Is it something you have to put into a lesson? Like the concepts of money, or fractions, or please and thank you, how do you get a little one to really understand what they mean and not have them just be a Pavlovian response you drill into them?

Then a wise friend once shared with me a parenting trend that answers the how and why question for me: the CTFD Method. Parenting styles aside, I hope I can find the time again with two at home to get back into giving back, teaching more classes at the Red Cross, volunteering at the YMCA, getting to know our elderly neighbors, whatever it may be, so that our kids can not just hear it from our mouths, but also see it from our actions.

Knocked OUT, Goodnight Moon is right!

Knocked OUT, Goodnight Moon is right!

How YOU doin?

How YOU doin?

09/10/13

Happy 2nd Birthday, Cora!

Man it’s tough practically sharing your birthday with your brand new brother. But thankfully there are much tougher things in life than this and Cora-borealis is young enough to not care. Here are a few shots from her mini party to celebrate her 2nd birthday, Sep 4.

So much has happened this year that it’s impossible to capture in one small blog post (because let’s be honest folks, with a newborn at home, all these posts are just gonna get shorter). However, this time is great to reflect on all that has happened that we are all very grateful for. A healthy year for Cora with hardly any illnesses, infections or injuries. Her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds, both in English and in Spanish. Not much is spoken in Spanish but she understands so much more than I could have hoped. Her ready acceptance of a new sibling at home. She’s been quite sweet with Harlan despite how much time it takes away for her and I together. We’re not heading in to war imminently and our extended families are all healthy and doing well. Can’t really ask for much more than that for a 2nd birthday.

09/4/13

Please Welcome Harlan Woodrow Beard

On August 30, 2013, Sean, AJ, and Cora Beard had the privilege of welcoming a new addition to our family.

Harlan Woodrow Beard arrived on Friday morning after about 3 hours of active labor* at 12:21 AM.

He weighed in at 8 lbs 15.7 oz and was 19.75″ long. We were very blessed to have no complications during delivery or with his health and made a prompt return home exactly 24 hours after he was in our arms. We’re very grateful for the support of our families during this time as this would have been a lot more stressful otherwise. While a few days late, thankfully Harlan also didn’t dally too much longer in the womb – Cora kept him scared to come out I think.

Name: Harlan is a favorite science fiction author of Sean’s and Woodrow was the middle name of Harlan’s paternal great-grandfather.

We’re hanging out at home for a few weeks to soak up the newness of it all but you can bet we’ll be out and about soon enough.

* Those of you who like that sort of thing, can check out Harlan’s birth story on my personal blog.

08/28/13

The Waiting Game

I really should be no stranger to being late. Some friends of mine coined the phrase AJ+ 30 to indicate when one could expect me to ACTUALLY arrive at an intended destination. So why should any offspring of mine be any different? Cora must have more of her dad in her than her personality lets on because she was pretty much on time. #2 is taking his sweet old time with no indications of coming to greet us as of 40 weeks and 3 days.

Here are some shots and notes from the last couple weeks’ before #2’s arrival.

  • I’m resuming graduate studies at UH in order to complete my Masters of Education in Phys Ed Motor Behavior. Wish me luck. We all know how focused I can be 😉
  • Cora is going to continue with preschool part time while I’m on maternity leave for the next 12 months. Getting her learn on.
  • Also, we’re starting potty training for reals, so let’s hope her new sibling is supportive of her efforts.
  • Sean continues to stay focused on his job, but has been working hard at his wood shop and will be quite busy there now that he has a few new toys courtesy of his birthday. I’m looking forward to the fruits of those labors.

Shout outs to family and friends for all their support while the waiting game continues. I think I’ve come to grips with being “late” and will be grateful when things get rolling, no matter when that is.

08/15/13

Babymoon, Family Style

I’ve been on a whirlwind of DO as  I near the end of my freedom, I mean pregnancy. Each weekend has been jam-packed with activities – bbq’s, lunches, brunches, park visits, hanging out, work parties, you name it. This weekend we decided to take the last safe opportunity to go out of town before my due date to the Olympic Peninsula. Seeing Hurricane Ridge was a priority, but other than that, we hoped to just relax at our destination along the Hood Canal and spend some quality family time together.

We almost did just that, but once again, probably did a little more than advisable because some one in our family, and I’m not naming any names, is hard headed.

We visited a surprisingly warm lake near the Hood Canal called Lake Cushman. The air temps were unpleasantly cooler than desired, but the water was incredibly comfortable for a dip. Our southern proclivities have earmarked Lake Cushman as a repeat spot for the family when we visit the Olympic Peninsula again. We took the Sea Eagle out for a few hours together on Sunday. We took a lunch break on a “sand bar” island in the lake. Sean pulled out his pole for a little solitary fishing, while Cora and I paddled around the lake a little more to stay warm.

 

It was a little tiring, but a really fun weekend together before we welcome #2 to the family sometime soon. Looking forward to taking more opportunities to do that in the future!

 

08/15/13

Not to be forgotten….

Cora is nearing her second birthday, which is completely blowing our minds. I’ve been wracking my brain on how to celebrate considering #2 is on his way shortly as well. Also, the fact that Cora won’t know the difference helps, but I still want to celebrate richly and hopefully not too late. This year I’ve been tossing some ideas around that aren’t so party centric but still give us a chance to hang with her new friends at day care and some of the old ones at her old day care(s). plus I also want to update the Cora Feelings chart with 2nd year reprise.

How is Cora Feeling Today

How is Cora Feeling Today

The tricky part of course is getting her to sit still long enough to get a quality photo that can be edited to capture the different expressions. I mean 30 was no joke to get even with an immobile infant. Try capturing Hurricane Cora. So we’ll see what maternity leave brings folks 🙂

 

08/8/13

Happenings

That post title is misleading. I feel like there isn’t really all that much happening probably time has been standing still in the last few weeks till #2 arrives.  A buddy in Houston due this month had her 3rd on Tuesday. Congrats on that! I am in no rush for our second to arrive early, in some ways the anticipation is killer and thinking about other fresh babes in arms adds to it. Guess I should just go play with some newborns so I can remind myself why I’m in no rush 😉

Here are some shots of Cora lately. I haven’t been very good about taking many pictures. We’re busy I guess. That my camera is usually tucked somewhere I can’t find it and Cora moves too fast for me to capture. Go figure.

The warmer weather has had us wide open at the house, windows and doors to let the air through. Unfortunately, this also means bugs and poor Cora has the sweetest blood it would seem. The girl has been covered in bug bites. It was recommended that we give her vitamin B12. Anyone heard of this? Couldn’t find any good supporting information to back it up.