Pasta a la Pogo

Spencer had the best time making homemade spaghetti with Grandma and Grandpa. He helped every step of the way. First he mixed the dough.



Next he cranked the dough through the pasta maker, not once, but five times for each section of dough.



When the dough was thin enough, Spencer cranked it through the machine one last time to cut the dough into thin spaghetti noodles. It's definitely a job that requires more than one person - one person to do the cranking and one person to catch the noodles as they come through the machine.

The noodles were placed on a rack to dry. Eating homemade pasta definitely spoils you for the store-bought variety. Not only were the spaghetti noodles delicious, but Grandpa made his family meatball recipe. What a treat for our last evening in Milwaukee!

Christmas 2008

On Christmas Eve, Aunt Grace and Uncle Paul invited us over for a wonderful meal. It was nice to come in from the cold, sit by the fireplace and catch up with Great Grandma Harriet and our cousins.

Grandma and Grandpa were thrilled to be holding their grandson once again.



Spencer picked out a gift on Christmas morning. . .



And took his time carefully unwrapping the present.

Doctor Spencer makes house calls. He loves imaginative play so this dress up outfit was a big hit.

Next time we're all together, our family will have a new member.

Winter Wonderland

This year we enjoyed a white Christmas in Milwaukee. Spencer had a blast playing in the snow. Before he could go outside, he donned, in his words, "snow protection." Good thing for us that Grandma had arranged for boots, mittens, a hat and a snow suit just Spencer's size.

Catching snowflakes was a new experience for him.



Shoveling snow is fun when you're three years old.



But not as much fun as climbing up a big pile of snow and sliding down...



or sledding with Grandpa.



Spencer created a snowman with Daddy and Grandpa's assistance whom he named Frosty.

Posing with his grandparents in the snow.

Spencer makes his first ever snow angel.

Christmas with Nana

We celebrated Christmas early with Nana since we were traveling to Wisconsin for the holidays. Spencer had a great time helping Nana open her gifts.




He loved all his gifts, especially his wagon which was a gift from Aunt Bobbi. It will be perfect for riding in with his little brother next summer.

A Visit with Santa

Spencer had a chance to speak with Santa Claus when he visited our street. Every year, the police escort Santa through our neighborhood on a designated evening so that all the boys and girls can climb aboard his sleigh to tell Santa what they want for Christmas. Spencer requested a princess guitar. We'll soon find out what Santa brings when he comes down our chimney. Better leave out some milk and cookies.

Happy Holidays

Spencer's preschool had a holiday party on the last day of school for 2008. Spencer very intently worked on the art project involving glitter and glue. By the end, he was partially covered in glitter himself and looked quite festive.



Spencer loved listening to the parents sing Christmas carols. He liked "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and ringing his bell to "Jingle Bells."



The best part though may have been decorating holiday cookies. Spencer didn't take much time to admire his work because he promptly ate his cookie. Take my word for it, it looked scrumptious!

Round and Round the Carousel

Today was Spencer's friend Sophia's third birthday party. Her parents invited all of her family and friends to the Santa Monica pier and its historic carousel to celebrate. Tucked among all the horses and carriages on the merry-go-round is one, just one, rabbit. Say what you will about three-year olds but they ALL could pick out that one thing that was NOT like the others. Spencer and Sophia both took a turn riding the rabbit as well as the horses on the carousel.

It was another wonderful birthday celebration and, for Spencer, even MORE cake!

My First Scooter

Spencer took Aunt Bobbi's birthday gift out for a spin and was sure of three things: 1) kitties are afraid of my scooter (that's a direct quote, ladies and gentlemen) 2) my helmet has Thomas the Tank Engine on it, and 3) I don't want to fall off and hit a tree so please don't push me daddy.

Sugar High

With the cake was consumed and the party was winding down, Spencer decided to take one last jump in the magic castle jumper. Talk about bouncing off the walls...take a look at the video and then read the rest of this post.



Now what is Spencer saying as he runs around the bouncy house? "It's my leopard birthday. It's my leopard birthday," is about as close I can guess. In my book, that's right up there with "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" and "I am the Walrus."

I only managed to capture the scene with the camera after Spencer had run about seven laps. His friend Zach was running not far behind him BECAUSE...just after we entered the bouncy house, er "castle," I remarked on how they were running as fast as leopards. And they were off.

"I'm a leopard," one screamed. "No I'm a leopard!" the other one screamed. "We're leopards and we're running!" "We're leopards and we're chasing!" was heard soon after. "I'M (all caps) a leopard and chasing!" said one. "I'M (all caps) a person chasing leopards!" and on for four more laps. So, naturally, I had to get the camera. By the time I came back, Spencer was a leopard birthday. But luckily, his sugar-fueled-bouncy-house-lap-session had just about ended.

Rest assured, although it's hard to tell in the video, there was plenty of safety netting behind Spencer and Zach in the bouncy house. And nap / crash time was not long after...

Thanks to all our family and friends for being such a special part of a wonderful birthday celebration for Spencer. If you are having a birthday or special event, and need a leopard, a leopard-chasing-a-person, or a leopard-birthday, please feel free to contact Spencer to hear his very reasonable rates.

Happy Birthday Spencer!

Turning Three

Today we celebrated Spencer's third birthday! What better way to entertain a group of preschoolers than with a Magic Castle jumper? Spencer loved watching the jumper being inflated almost as much as he loved jumping inside.



We played Pin the Tail on the Donkey during a break in the jumping action.



Spencer loved his carrot cake. He needed a little help from Daddy to blow out all three candles.

Adventureplex

On Friday, Spencer's actual birthday, we celebrated with a trip to Adventureplex where Spencer played in the ball pit, climbed several levels of the play structure and slid down slides. "I want to stay all day. I want to sleep here," was his comment when it was time to go. I think that means he had fun. Happy Birthday Spencer!

The Birthday Crown

Spencer started the birthday celebrations a day early when he was presented with a birthday crown and treated to a rendition of "Happy Birthday" by all his school friends. At first he didn't know what to make of all the attention wondering if today was his actual birthday but he soon caught on. The homemade chocolate chip cookies were a big hit! Spencer loved wearing his birthday crown so much that he wore it the rest of the day.

The Painting

Blue. That's Spencer's favorite color lately. It's also the color he chose as the basis of his painting. At first he swirled the paint in a spiral which morphed into a cello and then the world, Spencer explained to me. Next he carefully unscrewed the top to the white paint jar and painted a white swatch next to the world that he told me was a statue. On top of the statue, he used bold strokes of red, birds he described. "See the wings Mommy."

Next came purple, followed by orange and turquoise, more statues, Spencer explained, statues like the Terra Cotta Warriors we saw this past August. The green paint represents the broken pieces he saw in the exhibit as do the yellow and the brown. "Why were they broken?" he wanted to know. I was amazed that these questions were percolating in his mind for so many months and wondered why he thought to ask them now. It was the first time Spencer had ever described his artistic process in such vivid detail, a moment of creation that was beautiful to watch and one that I will always treasure.

Oh Tannenbaum

Spencer and I had so much fun listening to Christmas carols and decorating the tree. I hung the most fragile high at the top while Spencer chose spots for the more durable ornaments down below. What a good team we make!

New Bed

Spencer has been going through many transitions this year: starting preschool, wearing underpants, finding out he's going to be a big brother. His latest transition has been from a crib to a bed. This video was taken this past weekend just after we finished assembling the bed. The crib has been removed from his room; Spencer now sleeps exclusively in his very own twin bed. He's becoming more independent by the day. Our little boy is growing up!

Tree Lighting

Tonight Spencer and I joined some friends to watch the lighting of the Christmas tree downtown. After an introduction by the mayor, a local elementary school sang carols such as "Jingle Bells" and "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth." Spencer patiently sat on my shoulders the entire time, watching the festivities and clapping at the appropriate intervals. Finally the moment arrived for the mayor to illuminate the 22-foot tree. Ooohhh! The tree looked beautiful. It was a fun way to participate in the community and get in the spirit of the holidays.

I couldn't stop thinking about next year's tree ceremony. Spencer probably won't be able to be on my shoulders, I'll be holding the baby. I hope that Mike will be able to join us next year so Spencer can be on his shoulders and still be able to see the magic moment when the lights come on. All the while I'm savoring this moment with him, I can't stop thinking about the future. It's bittersweet -- living in the moment, knowing it will never be the same again, but looking forward to the future.

Countdown to Christmas

One of the family traditions we've begun this year involves our recently purchased advent calendar. Each night, Spencer opens a door to reveal a hidden prize. The look of sheer delight that passes over his face is a joy to see. Only 21 more days until Christmas!

We're having a ....

The first question people tend to ask when they notice my belly is about the baby's gender. We didn't find out with our first pregnancy and would not have this time around except for the fact that we want to prepare Spencer as much as possible for the arrival of his new sibling. With that in mind, we won't keep you in suspense any longer. We recently had an ultrasound where the doctor gave us her best guess -- 98.9% sure of the gender of our baby. We shared the results with the grandparents first and waited until we felt sure ourselves. Well, without further ado (drum roll please) Spencer will soon have -- a little brother!

Growing Belly

I've reached the midway point in my pregnancy. Even though I've gained less weight overall than the first time around, you can't tell by the size of my belly! To go along with my expanding belly, I have a new haircut. No long locks for the baby to pull on.

Now that I'm showing, it seems so much more real not only to me but to Spencer. He spontaneously will mention the baby in my tummy, on occasion offering kisses or hugs to my belly. It's nice to see him so affectionate with his soon-to-be sibling.

Baker Man

Spencer loves bananas! Recently when we had some bananas that were past their prime, I decided to make some banana bread. Spencer was a big help, carefully pouring in all the ingredients. His favorite part was spinning the crank on the nut chopper. His second favorite part was licking the beaters at the end. The next morning we ate the banana bread toasted with butter and plain with cream cheese. Dee - licious!

Election Day 2008

On this historic election day, Mike and I waited almost an hour to cast our ballot along with our fellow citizens. It was nice to see so many people enthusiastic both about voting and about the outcome of the election. We brought Spencer with us to see the democratic process in action. His future, after all, and that of the country is at stake.

Fall Back

This morning, we told Spencer that we would soon be finding out if he was going to have a little brother or a little sister.

"Mommy," he said. "I think the new baby should be a little brother.'

"Really?"

"Yes," Spencer replied. "I really want a little brother. The next baby can be a little sister but I think this baby should be a little brother."

We'll be finding out soon enough...

Halloween 2008

Arrggh! Haunted houses don't scare me.



Mama, the Fishbowl, and Spencer, the Pirate, enjoy the Halloween party at preschool.



Spencer showing off his pirate swagger.

Carving Pumpkins

The night before Halloween means it's time to carve pumpkins. Daddy carved as Spencer watched, making sure Daddy's technique met his exacting specifications.



One final inspection. Happy Halloween!

Yogi Spencer

Today Spencer and I were treated to a mini-yoga session designed especially for children. Teacher Leslie ordinarily comes on Friday but given that this Friday is Halloween, she came today instead. The children sat on mats arranged in a circle. They, for the most part, followed the teacher's instructions which involved pretending to be an owl by turning their heads from side to side as well as traditional yoga moves modified for children such as downward dog, cobra, tree pose, etc. It was fun watching the kids practice their coordination and balance. Say Ohm!

Table For One

Today Spencer decided he wanted a table all his own for dinner. We obliged by bringing his kid-sized table from the spare room into the dining room where he sat to eat his dinner while Mike and I sat at the dining table. Spencer seemed to enjoy sitting in a chair as opposed to his booster seat.

Do You Smell Dessert?

During dinner tonight, Spencer pushed away his plate of peas claiming to be finished with his meal. "Do you smell dessert?" he asked sniffing the air with his nose. Mike and I glanced at each other not smelling anything. "What does it smell like?" we asked. "It smells like dessert," Spencer states. It dawned on us that he had seen us place a container of vanilla ice cream in our cart earlier in the day at the grocery store. I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Spencer smelling ice cream through the freezer door.

Eventually he finished his peas and was able to smell and taste the ice cream for real.

A Family Visit

We enjoyed a visit today from our cousins LisaMarie, Chris and Chandler who were in town for a conference in Orange County. It was great to see how much Chandler has grown in the past year. He walks now, quite quickly I might add, shoulders back, a boy on a mission. Although we didn't hear any actual words, Chandler makes it very clear what he wants / needs whether that's a particular toy or more food. We took the boys to our neighborhood park to expend some energy and then to dinner at a new, local macrobiotic restaurant where the food was not only healthy but delicious. We can't wait to see everyone again over the holidays!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Today marked the long awaited performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar at the Pepperdine Center for the Arts. I set out with Nana and Spencer for the drive to Malibu a bit later than anticipated. We were a few minutes behind schedule when four or five cars cut me off on the turn into Pepperdine. These cars, we learned from speaking to the security guard at the entrance gate, belonged to paparazzi hoping to train their lenses on Ben Affleck and his family on their way into the performance. We were getting a taste of what celebrities must encounter all the time.

Although we missed the first few minutes of the show, we quickly were captivated by the performance and ended up loving every minute of it. All the children in the room enthusiastically oohed and awed, clapped and talked about what was happening onstage. The performers used black light to create a magical experience for the audience. The puppets were beautifully crafted. The play was just long enough to entertain the children without losing their attention. After the show, the performers (a theater troupe hailing from Nova Scotia) came out to answer a few questions, explain how the puppets were created and show us how they made them move.

As we were waiting to meet up with our friends Pharida, John and Sadie, who should walk through the lobby but Ben Affleck, a very pregnant Jennifer Garner and their daughter. Living in Los Angeles, you never know when you might see someone famous. Today we hit the jackpot. Our celebrity encounters continued later at lunch in Malibu with Sadie and her parents when we noticed surfer Laird Hamilton dining at a table not far from ours. Our brush with celebrity was now complete.

X Marks the Spot

Spencer took a pen to his souvenir shirt from Paris today. "Mommy, I'm writing all over my shirt," I hear him announce from the other room. And so he had. I was more than a little upset as you can imagine. Spencer lately seems intent on testing the boundaries, prone to fits of defiance. I attribute this new attitude to his age, his growing awareness of my pregnancy and a reaction to missing his Daddy this week. As much as I try to remain calm, I don't always succeed even though I realize when I react strongly it only feeds the fire. Two-year-olds can be alternately infuriating and adorable creatures from one minute to the next. No one ever said parenting would be easy. I'm beginning to understand what they meant.

There's a Baby in Your Tummy

Although we've told Spencer about my pregnancy, it's only recently that he appears to realize what that means. Yesterday Spencer discovered an old pacifier in a drawer and immediately started pretending to be a baby. He even insisted on bringing the pacifier with him to preschool. By snack time, however, he was back to being a big kid. Spencer listened very intently when one of the older children asked me about my belly. I told the little girl that I had a baby growing in my tummy which led to the following conversation:

"I thought you had been eating too much food," says the little girl.

"No, I have a baby growing in my tummy. That's why my belly is getting big," I answered.

"I have a big belly," Spencer chimed in. "We both have big bellies, Mommy."

The conversation must have made an impact because tonight, for the first time, Spencer acknowledged that there's a baby growing inside me. He wanted to ensure that the new baby would receive his old pacifier, the one he had found the other day. I let him know that the baby still had some growing to do but assured him that one day, the baby would have a pacifier to suck. Spencer is going to make a great big brother.

Bubble Boy

It was bubblemania today at Spencer's preschool as the children were treated to a special bubble performance. In the process they learned what makes a bubble (air, water and soap), what makes a bubble pop (evaporation) and how no matter what kind of wand you use, a bubble always comes out a sphere. The highlight was watching each child stand inside his or her very own bubble. Spencer, who waited very patiently for his turn, was thrilled!

A Look Back

My cousin Sarah tagged me to participate in a meme (for those of you who like me had no idea what that means, click on Sarah's name for her post with the word's definition) showcasing the sixth photo in the sixth photo file on my computer.

The photo above shows Spencer at six weeks old, small enough to fit in a laundry hamper. Since we didn't know his gender until his birth, I had picked out this adorable onesie at Baby Gap telling myself that since it was white, it would be gender neutral. As soon as I put the onesie on him, I realized it had been meant for a girl. What can I say? Girl clothes are way cuter. Besides, Spencer doesn't seem to mind at this stage in his life.