Sunday, January 15, 2006

Update from the home front

A lot has happened since I last posted. Gen is recovering from her back injury and is starting to feel a little bit back to normal. While her back is still painful, and she needs to spend quite a bit of time lying down, she is able to get around pretty well. She still has difficulty bending over and when she goes out for a walk she can only do a few blocks. However, we are all very grateful for the recovery that she is making and very thankful for all the friends and family who have supported us through this.

Violet is doing great. She is getting over the cold that she had and is growing by leaps and bounds. She has begun to find a real joy in listening to, and looking at, books. Presently her favorite books are "A Farmers Alphabet" (a gift from Jean and Cody in DC) and "We're Going on a Bear Hunt". She is also starting to use her hands more. Gripping rattles, shoving her whole hand into her mouth (and just this evening) noticing her feet and grabbing them. I like to have her in the Baby Bjorn while I do things around the house. She loves to just watch what is going on, never really liking to be sitting still. She is holding her head up with great strength and is constantly moving around to see what is going on around her. Her favorite place continues to be the changing table. She loves to stare at the mobile that Steve and Irene gave us. She laughs at the faces and shapes that hang above her. Smiling continues to be one of her favorite hobbies, which Gen and I fully support. Of course she likes to be outside and go for walks in the neighborhood. This gives her a chance to really check out the things that matter: trees, sky, clouds..and more clouds.

Please enjoy the pictures.


Fascinating, truly fascinating.


This is some good reading....


Hello world, I'm naked and lovin' it!


Big Smile


"This look always makes me laugh"-Rob


"Ain't I funky!?"


Q is for Quilt

Sunday, January 08, 2006


C'mon, you can't beat the size of those cheeks!!

From the early side of 2006

As some of you may know, Genevieve threw out her back this week. She has shown a lot of determination and grit as she has been mostly confined to her bed since Monday night. Although she has been up and about for short periods of time, she is still experiencing quite a bit of pain. We are getting a lot of love and support especially from Joan, Nick and Betty. The great benefit of having family close by was really revealed to us this week. We literally could not have made it through the past 5 days without them. They brought us food, helped care for Violet, ran to the drug store, helped clean, gave support to Gen while I was at work (and while I was home), hung out, brought over coffee, played games, and overall were just AMAZING parents/parent in laws. Joan has gone above and beyond, even staying overnight most of the weeknights to make sure we had the support we needed. We are very lucky to have such giving parents.

Of course when it rains, it pours. The day after Gen threw out her back both Violet and I came down with colds (Violets first official illness). Mine has been pretty short lived with the help of emergen-C packets and the fact that Violet has been putting in some long hours at night sleeping. On Thursday she put in a record breaking 7 and a half hour stretch (from 10:30 to 6), and has been sleeping close to 6 hours each night. Although the build up of snot in her nose and throat has been irritating her (and causing us to worry a little at night because she is SOOOO loud) she has been a pretty good sport about it. She seems to take most things in stride, which is such a wonderful quality to have in a little 10 and a half week old girl. She has been fully enjoying the extra attention of her grandparents, and they don't think it is that bad either.

Here are a few photos of her just hanging out today...enjoy.

(Here is the Dutch translation for all the family across the sea. Well actually several seas AND oceans if you are traveling west from Oregon)

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(Is hier de Nederlandse vertaling voor al familie over het overzees. Goed eigenlijk verscheidene overzees EN oceanen als u het westen van Oregon reist)

Aangezien sommigen van u kunnen het weten, verwondde Genevieve haar rug deze week. Zij heeft heel wat bepaling en gruis getoond aangezien zij meestal is beperkt tot haar bed sinds Maandag nacht. Hoewel zij op en ongeveer voor korte tijdspannes is geweest, ervaart zij nog vrij een weinig pijn. Wij krijgen heel wat liefde en steunen vooral van Joan, Nick en Betty. Het grote voordeel om familie werd te hebben dicht langs werkelijk geopenbaard aan ons deze week. Wij konden niet letterlijk het door de afgelopen 5 dagen zonder hen gemaakt hebben. Zij brachten ons voedsel, hielpen zorg voor Viooltje, liepen aan de drogisterij, hielpen schoon, gaven steun aan Gen terwijl ik op het werk was (en terwijl ik naar huis) was, ontspannen met ons, gebracht over koffie, speelden spelen, en globaal VERBAASDEN enkel ouders/ouder in wetten. Joan is hierboven gegaan en verder, zelfs blijvend nachtelijk de meeste weeknights om ervoor te zorgen hadden wij de steun die wij hebben gewenst. Wij zijn zeer gelukkig om dergelijke gevende ouders te hebben.

Natuurlijk wanneer het regent, giet het. De dag na Gen verwondde haar rug zowel Viooltje en ik kwam neer met koude (de eerste officiële ziekte van Viooltjes). De mijn is vrij kortstondig met behulp van pakketten "emergen-c" en het feit geweest dat het Viooltje sommige lange uren bij nachtslaap heeft aangebracht. Op Donderdag bracht zij een verslag 7 breken en een een half uurrek die aan (van 10:30 tot 6), en bijna 6 uren elke nacht heeft geslapen. Hoewel de opeenhoping van snot in haar neus en keel haar heeft geïrriteerd (en ons om zich een weinig bij nacht ertoe bewogen ongerust te maken omdat zij) zo luid is zij is zeer geduldig over het geweest. Zij schijnt om de meeste dingen in pas te nemen, die een dergelijke prachtige kwaliteit is om in een weinig 10 en een een half week oud meisje te hebben. Zij heeft volledig van de extra aandacht van haar grootouders genoten, en zij denken niet het dat slecht één van beiden is.

Hier zijn een paar foto's van haar die enkel uit vandaag van... genieten hangt


chillin' Posted by Picasa


she really is growing isn't she Posted by Picasa


What's happening? Posted by Picasa


A girl and her dog Posted by Picasa


"Grandfather, what a big tongue you have..." Posted by Picasa


Lounging about Posted by Picasa