family Archives - Page 12 of 14 - The Ten Thousand Hour Mama

Kiwi on the way!

March 11, 2015catherinemryan

2015 is shaping up to be a big year for us: We bought a house, Eric will finish his first full-time year of teaching and he’ll graduate with his teacher’s certificate and another master’s, and—drum roll—we’re expecting another little bug!

Kiwi, as we’ve taken to calling Baby #2 (Peeper Jr. just didn’t seem right!), is due mid-July—right after (but hopefully not on) Peeper’s second birthday. So far the pregnancy has gone very smoothly, as long as you don’t count feeling horribly ill for three months straight.

People keep asking me if being pregnant is different the second time around. The most striking difference, I’ve found, is that I got bigger way faster—I’m showing about a month sooner than I did with Peeper. I was also a bit sicker in the first trimester and felt more tired, but that could have been because I was busy running after a toddler and so couldn’t rest as much.

Now, at 21 weeks, I’m smack-dab in the middle of the pregnancy—and the second trimester honeymoon period. I find myself thinking, “What the hell were we thinking?” a lot less often these days. Not that we don’t want Kiwi 100%—it’s just that when your first child is a hot mess and you haven’t eaten anything that wasn’t beige in like two months and you are tired enough to lie down on the kitchen floor and never get up, the thought of adding a nurse-all-the-time, sleep-none-of-the-time newborn into the mix sounds like a lot of crazy. So I’m fully enjoying my in-between trimester. I love feeling Kiwi kick and can’t wait for the first time Peeper feels her little sister move. Sometimes Peeper waves hello at my belly, greeting Kiwi. And in the last week, she has taken to lying with her head on my growing bump as I rock her during wind-down time.

Peeper’s still too young to get that she will soon relinquish her only-child status, but I like to think that she and Kiwi are already forging their sister bond. My siblings and I grew up casting each other in elaborate make-believe games, arguing over whose turn it was to bring down the dirty laundry and relying on each other for pretty much everything. I can’t imagine life without them. And I can think of no better gift than to give Peeper a sibling.

20 months

March 6, 2015catherinemryan

Peeper’s jump from 19 to 20 months hit me hard.

I was in my hotel room while on a business trip when my mom emailed me a video of Peeper. Whereas Austin was foggy, rainy and cold, Portland had the kind of weather that just begged to be enjoyed outside. So Nana and Peeper had spent most of the day at the park near our house.

I clicked the video and watched as Peeper climbed a set of stairs, sat down at the top of the slide and zoomed down—all. by. herself. She looked so grown-up navigating the playground that the realization hit me like a two-ton steer: Peeper is big.

Maybe it took a little distance to gain the perspective that she has become such an independent toddler. Now, if you don’t have kids, the feat of sliding solo might not seem so impressive. But it wasn’t that long ago that Peeper was unsteady on her feet; a short time before that, I celebrated when she could sit up by herself. I can still feel that warm, floppy newborn weight in my arms from even before that.

What a contrast to today.

This 20-month-old Peeper doesn’t often let me forget that she’s leaving babyhood far in the dust. She runs down hills and climbs over big rocks, flashing me a triumphant smile when she gets to the top.

She works to get what she wants, too. When, for example, she asks for a song at dinner, I explain that I can’t exactly sing with my mouth full and that “Old MacDonald” will have to wait. “Sing a song,” she repeats. Then, “Mama sing a song. How about Dada sing a song? Sing a song right now. Sing a song meantime? How about sing a song!” She’s as focused as a border collie with a tennis ball.

She’s not all single-minded independence, though—at least not yet. She still snuggles on my lap and wants to be held. Even if her requests of “Up, Mama!” are exasperating while I’m trying to cobble together dinner, I’m grateful that she still craves closeness.

This is the back-and-forth she and I will navigate. One minute, she’ll be tromping around the playground without my help. Then the next minute, she’ll whoosh down the slide—into my arms.

Sunshine to melt your blizzard blues

January 28, 2015catherinemryan

Unless you’ve been taking a social media/news/talking to people cleanse, you’re all too aware that much of the country is dealing with the fallout from a major blizzard. Much of the Northeast is buried under two feet of snow, but here in Oregon, we’ve been enjoying our signature mellow weather.

Whether you’re digging out from under the blizzard or just bemoaning winter’s grey skies, here’s a little dose of sunshine to brighten your day, courtesy of Peeper and me.

[vimeo 117973629 w=500 h=281]

Sunshine Popper from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.

Toddler adventures: Portland Japanese Garden

January 14, 2015May 5, 2017catherinemryan

Raising a toddler is typically anything but meditative. But as Peeper and I wandered the Portland Japanese Garden, the serene space nudged me toward a more Zen mindset.

When Peeper wanted to tromp across a bridge over and over and over, I savored the extra time to admire the peaceful pond. When she plopped herself down to sift gravel through her fingers, I stared at the view of Mt. Hood.

She enjoyed the garden in her way, and I enjoyed it in mine. See: Visiting the Portland Japanese Garden was a lovely, restorative experience.

“A Japanese Garden is not only a place for the cultivation of trees and flowering shrubs, but one that provides secluded leisure, rest, repose, meditation, and sentimental pleasure… The Garden speaks to all the senses, not just to the mind alone.” —Takuma Tono, designer of the Portland Japanese Garden — “A Japanese Garden is not only a place for the cultivation of trees and flowering shrubs, but one that provides secluded leisure, rest, repose, meditation, and sentimental pleasure…
The Garden speaks to all the senses, not just to the mind alone.” —Takuma Tono, designer of the Portland Japanese Garden

In 2015, members of a bunch of Portland-area attractions can see the others in the alliance throughout the year. (Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of where you can go when.) We are members of the Oregon Zoo, so I wanted to check out January’s attraction—hence our adventure to the Portland Japanese Garden. Read more →

When failing at Christmas is the best Christmas yet

December 25, 2014catherinemryan

This Christmas we did not get a tree, and we did not hang stockings.

I haven’t yet bought a gift for anyone in my immediate family. (Sorry guys, they’ll come… eventually.)

I frosted precisely zero Christmas cookies.

I keep pinning, but let’s be real. I’ve crafted next to nothing.

There have been no chestnuts roasted on an open fire, sprinkles snitched or eggnog-flavored drinks drunk.

But that’s ok. That’s not what Christmas is about.

We have safely traveled to see relatives in far-flung places—and were reminded of the saintliness of strangers on the plane. (Exhibit A: Our seatmate who let Peeper play with his iPhone when she was this close to Meltdown City.)

We visited the Oregon Zoo and the Brookfield Zoo. (Peeper looked at me like, YOU NEVER TOLD ME THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE ZOO!)

Peeper learned important new words like “snowman” and “jingle.”

We visited family—including some new additions whom I hadn’t yet met, and many of whom had never met Peeper.

And Peeper has found her new calling as the Chicken Whisperer.

I’ll just go ahead and call this Christmas so far a success.

Merry Christmas, all!

Toddler-made Christmas gifts: Hand- (and foot-) painted picture frames

December 24, 2014catherinemryan

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a toddler-painted photo frame is worth a thousand hugs.

That’s why Peeper and I crafted this gift for her Grandma and Grandpa this Christmas.

When Eric and I were discussing what to give his parents this holiday, he mentioned that what they’d really want was a photo of Peeper. Eric’s mom is big into family lineage, and her walls are lined with pictures dating back to Great-great-great Uncle Obediah. (Seriously.)

So I dug out some cheapie Ikea frames that had been sitting empty for too long for me to admit here, and we got to work. This is a fantastic last-minute gift and would work well for any occasion (or, heck, a project for a kid’s birthday party!).

Really, the project is simple. I just took the white mats out of the frame, poured paint and let Peeper go all Picasso on them. If your kids are a little older, the craft will be a lit less messy. If you have toddlers, too, then here are a few tips: Read more →

Zoo lights with a toddler

December 16, 2014catherinemryan

Last weekend we hit up the Zoo Lights at Portland’s Oregon Zoo, an attraction that attracts thousands of families every year. It was our first time going, and I’d looked forward to it since we became zoo members in the summer.

Going with a toddler presented its own challenges, though. Peeper hasn’t cultivated the Christmas spirit and wonder yet, and she’s more interested in pushing her stroller than gazing at million-watt displays.

Despite the tears and the frustrations, I’m glad we went, and we’ll for sure go again next year—when Peeper will probably appreciate it more. If you’re still planning a trip to Zoo Lights with your toddler (and the event runs until January 4, so you have plenty of time), here are a few tidbits of advice to make the process a little smoother. Enjoy!

Go early. The zoo’s web site says the festivities don’t start til 5, but most lights are turned on closer to 4. It’ll take you a while to get through the lines anyway, and you’ll want to make it home before your tot has a too-close-to-bedtime meltdown in front of the penguin lights.

Do the train first. If you do get train tickets, get in line immediately. The queue soon becomes never-ending, and I wish you all the luck in the world if you try to get a squirmy toddler to be patient in those conditions.

Beware the train. Peeper is extremely sensitive to noise—the blender, the vacuum, even an electric razor. We didn’t scoot past the train quickly enough and when it blasted its choo-choo (no doubt delighting 99% of the other children), Peeper lost it. So if your little isn’t a fan of loud sounds, either, dart past the train as fast as you possibly can.

Reconsider your group plans. We had originally invited a few other families to join us at Zoo Lights, but in retrospect I’m glad they couldn’t make it. Peeper wandered in little circles in the middle of the pathway, and it would have been stressful to shepherd her to what everyone else wanted to see.

Find the Fragile Forest. There’s only so many lights a toddler’s attention span can handle. When you’ve passed that threshold, go to the Fragile Forest. When we went, we saw monkeys, giant fish, turtles and even a huge snake.

Bundle up. This is a tad obvious, but dress your toddler in lots of layers. Peeper wore fleece leggings beneath her pants and legwarmers; she wore a long-sleeved shirt, a sweater and a coat; and a hat and mittens. She stayed pretty toasty under all that and didn’t even look like Randy from A Christmas Story. Well, not too much, anyway.

Abandon all your expectations. My Facebook and Instagram feeds have been sparkly with friends’ family photos at Zoo Lights. I had my sights set on a Ryan Gregory family picture in the lights tunnel (wouldn’t that make a great Christmas card photo?). Yet when we got there, Peeper was in no mood to tolerate standing still, let alone smiling at a stranger. After a few attempts by a well-meaning gentleman, I gave up. We moved on, and despite not getting any decent photos of all of us together, we were all happier for it.

Of course this last piece of advice could be my parenting advice tattoo (or a bumper sticker that makes me millions!), it holds up especially well with toddlers at Zoo Lights. You don’t really know what they’ll be into and what they’ll completely ignore, so just roll with it.

Did you go to Zoo Lights? Any advice you’d share?

Searching for yetis

December 8, 2014catherinemryan

“Ye-ti! Ye-ti! Ye-ti! Ye-ti!” Peeper called. She let out a squeal-shriek that was nothing if not abominable. She peeked around trees.

She was searching for a yeti.

Still thankful

December 3, 2014catherinemryan

It seems a little late for a Thanksgiving post, but a) I was feeling under the weather over the holiday and didn’t much feel like writing, and b) gratitude doesn’t have an expiration date.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it’s the perfect time to reflect on the everyday blessings that are easy to take for granted in our busy lives. My family takes turn around the dinner table to say what we’re grateful for (usually while wearing a paper napkin on our head—a weird, inexplicable Ryan tradition).

Allow me, then, to pretend I’m wearing a napkin-hat and share a few things I marveled at over the holiday weekend. How—I mean how?—did I get so lucky? I am thankful for:

These photos were taken at Dorris Ranch, one of my favorite places on earth.

These goofballs. There is absolutely no one else I’d rather spend my days with.

Family. Half my siblings live on the opposite end of the country and spent Thanksgiving with friends at a cabin in upstate New York, but my younger sister and her hubby braved the holiday traffic from Seattle to stay with my parents.

I didn’t see my relatives often when I grew up, so I especially value the time Peeper gets to spend with her grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins. Plus, she’s always learning something from Auntie Amy—this time it was the best puddle-stomping techniques.

Grandpa Shempy joins Peeper for craft time.

Abundance. We have more than enough to meet our needs. Our plates are full, our homes warm, our needs met. We have medical care. We are safe. Our water is clean.

Beyond basic necessities, we are surrounded by those who love us. We also have the opportunity to love others. Is there anything better than that?

Growth. Now that I’m a mama, I get to see the world through Peeper’s eyes. She finds joy in everything—sprinting around her grandparents’ house, feeding Grandpa Shempy’s fish, picking up sticks, hugging Finn and chasing bubbles, to name a few. I, then, get to delight in the these things even more because of her toddler enthusiasm.

The world can feel depressing and cold, especially if you spend much time listening to the news. We could all use more wonder.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, too! What are you grateful for?

Family reunion

November 18, 2014catherinemryan

I recently took my first trip without Peeper. After 16 months of spending every day together, I headed up to Seattle for a business trip. It was a short jaunt—I was gone only one night—but, as I wrote earlier, I worried how she and I would handle the separation.

It felt good to be busy. Between meetings and visiting my sister and brother-in-law, I didn’t have much time to dwell on how much I missed Peeper. When I had a few minutes of down time, I walked around and stumbled across the adorable Once Upon a Time toy store in Queen Anne and of course bought her a little present.

That night, though, as I sat in the quiet hotel room, loneliness threatened to swallow me. The spacious room with its two queen beds, sitting room and kitchen that seemed so luxurious in the day felt yawning and empty in the dark.

The next morning, we videochatted. Seeing Peeper’s smiles filled up the hollow space inside me. Peeper kept peering over the top of the computer on her end, looking for me.

As I drove home later that day, I imagined our ecstatic reunion—like the tearful homecomings you see at the airport or veterans seeing their loved ones after coming back from war. (I know, I have a very healthy imagination.) Impatient, I cursed 5pm traffic and watched the clock, predicting what Peeper would be up to at that moment. Read more →