The Tangerine Tree

More Snapshots...

2010-05-05T17:03:00.001-07:00

Florida Snapshots

2010-05-03T15:10:00.001-07:00

WE MISS YOU DAD!

Happy Birthday Gracie!

2009-08-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Nine Years Ago Today

2009-07-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

(actually it was yesterday--the computer wasn't cooperating...)

It was fun to look back at pictures of the rainy, hot Florida day and remember all the wonderful friends and family that surrounded us there.

I am so thankful for my handsome young groom and all the adventures, challenges and joys we have experienced together through the years.

Love you James!

Where did the time go?!

2009-06-20T18:58:00.001-07:00

Abby-9 months (Nov. 2007)

Gracie-almost 10 months (today)

Rub a Dub Dub...

2009-06-14T18:49:00.001-07:00

...Now there are two girls in the tub!

First Haircut

2009-06-14T18:37:00.001-07:00

For Abby's first haircut, we treated her to Crewcuts and Curls, a fun children's salon in Mystic.

She kept saying, "I'm so excited."

We explained what was going to happen...

she picked out her "car" chair...

...she got a neat aquarium cape...

...and the cutting began.

Gracie loved the play area.

All done!

As promised, the reward for sitting still was an ice cream cone at the Sea Swirl across the street.

Before and after shots-still some curls but a lot easier to work with.

First Beach Day

2009-04-26T18:25:00.001-07:00

Today was our first beach day of the season (and Gracie's first beach day ever).

Easter

2009-04-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Happy 1/2 Birthday Gracie

2009-02-25T18:36:00.001-08:00

In some ways it's hard to believe Gracie is six months old today. In other ways, it's hard to remember life without her (maybe that's because she still gets up several times a night and our brain cells are shot). She makes us smile many times a day, loves to be held and cuddle and her favorite thing to do is watch her big sister Abby dance, jump or sing.

She's a delight and we are so thankful for her.

Happy Birthday Abby!

2009-02-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

Frosty Cake--by request. Abby loves the snow!

Birthday Present--a dollhouse!

Birthday Trip to the Mystic Aquarium

2008-12-06T18:20:00.000-08:00

I am hopelessly behind in posting new pictures of life around here.

We've raked a million leaves as fall came and went in Connecticut.

We've enjoyed visits from Gma and Gpa Goodman and Uncle Geoff and Aunt Emily.

We've been to Lakeland to celebrate Grandmother's going to heaven. A special time with the entire Sligh family.

I am typing this post between frequent trips to rock/pacifier-replace/rock Gracie (2nd cold in two months) but I wanted to post pictures of our two little Gators tonight as we celebrate the SEC title and likely trip to the national championship game.

As you can see, both girls are growing and changing almost weekly...lots of fun!

Two Quick Pics

2008-10-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

I am very behind in posting pics of Gma Sligh's September visit and Fall fun during a recent visit from Gma and Gpa Goodman. I'll try to catch up this week, but will just post two quick and cute pictures of the girls from last weekend. As you can see, at 7 weeks old, Gracie has grown quite a bit. We're seeing some smiles, but haven't captured them on camera yet.

More to come soon...

Another New Friend

2008-09-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Abby loved having Daddy home for a couple of weeks because they got to do all kinds of exploring together. One day when they were outside in the yard, they found a fuzzy caterpillar, just like the Eric Carle classic. They found a jar and some nice green leaves, and the little guy lived on the mantle for a few days, under Abby's close watch. I thought these pictures were so cute as she kept a close eye on her new friend.

Unfortunately, old fuzzy caterpillar is "sleeping" now, but I am sure we'll find his successor or another critter like him, very soon.

Abby supervised dad as he chopped wood in the backyard. She also spends hours at the window looking in the backyard for "dee" (deer). Unfortunately, she is seldom rewarded for her careful watch, but we have seen our resident fawn and his mother from time to time.

After the chainsaw and ax were put away, Abby helped dad haul the wood (or sticks) to the woodpile. Thanks to James' hard work, we now have quite a woodpile and have already enjoyed two fires in the fireplace--Fall has arrived in Connecticut!

Gracie-Two Weeks Old

2008-09-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

Although she still looks tiny, Gracie is growing like a weed.

Check out the "post-feeding" belly. As James observed, Gracie kind of looks like a bowling pin after she eats.

Mommy and Gracie

Curled up with daddy...
Gracie is quite a cuddly little baby and we have enjoyed having her snuggle up on us and go to sleep.

Sleeping on the sofa (don't worry, I was sitting right there).

Above: A cute picture of the girls reading a story.
Below: What the scene really looked like, with the exception of a fraction of a second when the above picture was taken.

Adventures of the Big Sister

2008-09-23T10:43:00.001-07:00

With all the excitement of Gracie's arrival, Granma and Granpa did a good job of making sure Abby had some "adventures" of her own.

Special thanks to Aunt Annette and Uncle John for the thoughtful and delightful gifts that we were able to give to Abby during the first week of transition. She has about memorized the "big sister" books (and so has Granma) and loves her "puzzuh" too.

"Cows and Cones" is a nearby farm and ice cream stand that has been a favorite this summer. Abby got to look at the cows and pet the sheep and enjoy some "iceaceam" too.

Apple picking started at the local orchard over Labor Day, so Abby and Granpa picked apples and pears and raspberries for us to enjoy.

The last trip of the summer to Eastern Point Beach was a little chilly, but the sand was still fun.

Surprise from Granpa and First Week Photos

2008-09-23T10:31:00.001-07:00

On Saturday afternoon, two days after arriving home, I was taking a nap while Abby and Granma were playing. As I was getting up, James came in with the camera and showed me a cute picture he had just taken. It was a picture of Granpa (who was supposed to be in Lakeland watching the Gator game) reading Abby a story.

I couldn't figure out how that could happen, until I heard his voice. He had surprised all of us--mom included--and flew to Providence, then drove to our house and knocked on the door. Mom was so surprised she just stood there and didn't let him in at first!

It was a great surprise from start to finish, and we were so excited for him to meet little Gracie and get to play with Abby for a few days. We appreciate all of his plotting, planning and rearranging to come celebrate Gracie with us.

Here are more shots of "around the house" the first week.

As the second child, Gracie had to wait until she was a week and a half old to get her second bath. We kept meaning to get to it, just were a) too tired b) too preoccupied with Abby c) too hungry d) all of the above. Anyway, she was great for it and only cried because she was cold at the end...when she peed all down my shirt.

Gracie at one and a half weeks old (special thanks to the Farthings for the adorable burp cloths!)

At her one week appointment she was putting on an average of an ounce and a half a day, even despite voluminous amount of spit up. We are thankful for her healthy little body that gets stronger every day.

Anna Grace

2008-09-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, there's been no activity on the old tangerine tree since the "no news" post a month ago...

That's because Anna Grace "Gracie" joined us on August 25th. She weighed 6 lbs 11 oz and was 18.5 inches long. After some major contractions and progressing labor on Monday morning, mom took me to doctor who sent me on to the hospital, where the awesome doctors and nurses delivered Gracie via c-section less than two hours after arrival. Although it's a small hospital, I couldn't have asked for better care than we had here.

Here are a few pictures of D-Day and the following hospital stay. More pictures of weeks two and three coming soon...

Going in...clearly the drugs are working. Can't feel a thing. The crazy part about a c-section is that James and I discussed the Cards/Red Sox World Series with the doc and anesthesiologist while they delivered our baby.

Anna Grace with her daddy in the OR

It was so nice to get to bring her back to our room with us after delivery--safe and healthy.

Gracie's first bath

The big introduction. You'll see a Little People bus at Abby's feet. It was Gracie's gift to her (or peace offering or whatever). She liked it, but wasn't sure about the little bundle that was occupying her place on daddy's lap.

There's room for two...I guess.

Gramma and Gracie

By day 2, Abby would at least point and look at Gracie. It would be another few days before she would actually touch her.

First family picture(s)

Big yawn...

All dressed up to go home!

Going home...
(If this picture looks familiar, it's because the baby on the right was Abby, almost 18 months ago to the day!)

Welcome Home!

Abby is just realizing we actually brought the baby home.

Abby was glad to see Daddy and all ready to play ball again.

Gracie seemed glad to be home...

...and so was I. We are very thankful for a healthy baby girl and she has been a delight so far. Hope to post more pictures soon, between feeding, changing, and occasionally sleeping.

No News

2008-08-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

On our third trip to the Labor and Delivery Unit last night, we took this picture, thinking it would be the beginning of Baby G's baby book. Instead, it was another false alarm. Although contractions were two minutes apart and stronger that I would have preferred, I apparently have an "irritable uterus" which, among other factors, can be exacerbated by very active children in the womb. Check and check.

Anyway, I am living with contractions until other signs of labor start, or until the 28th, whichever comes first. Thankfully, mom has been here since my first night in the hospital on August 4th, lifting and playing with Abby, cleaning and being a general MVP of the year (and lifetime) before the baby even arrives.

In addition to practicing for her "big sister" duties, Abby had her 18 month check up today and topped the 20 pound mark, weighing in at 20lbs 12 oz. She reached the 5th percentile for weight, while remaining a solid 40th percentile for height. She's a busy little girl and often does not want to stop playing or running to eat, but the doc seems to think she's healthy and right on track, so we're thankful.

That's all from here...will try to rest up from another sleepless night at the hospital and will hopefully have some more exciting news soon!

Update from Here

2008-07-30T12:20:00.001-07:00

Things have pretty much quieted down to a routine around here, so, no new fun places or pictures to post for now. In fact, there may be somewhat of a drought until Baby G. arrives.

Speaking of Baby G, due to a "scheduling conflict" her delivery date has been pushed back to August 28th. Obviously the scheduling person isn't the one who is pregnant and she wasn't as sympathetic as I thought she should be when she matter-of-factly told me to wait two more days!

Oh well, it will be here soon enough.

Tent Time!

2008-07-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Goodman sent a beach tent for Abby this week. Although it would be really handy at the beach, we set it up in her room for a trial run and I think it's there to stay.

Doing a little "excitement" dance...

...and more smiles

...getting ready to run through the flaps for a little hide and seek. It's been a great spot for reading stories and mostly just her stuffed animals and daddy get invites to come inside. That's OK, it's a little tough for me to get my enormous belly down that low anyway...actually getting out again is the hardest part.

A Tour of "Around Here" Part 4

2008-07-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

This morning Abby came up to me with her swim diaper in her hand and said "beach" "beach" repeatedly. This is the spot she was referring to. It's Eastern Point Beach, our closest and most visited "beach." It's located just down the street from Pfizer, so Abby and I go at least once a week before we pick James up from work.

We went with Grandma Goodman the first week we were here. Grandma bought Abby her first "beach toy" set, which has been a big hit. Grandma showed Abby how to "pat, pat, pat" the sand into the molds to make fun shapes.

Abby learning to shovel sand.

Behind the beach is a playground with swings and slides--another fun spot.

More digging and shoveling with Grandma.

Instead of fireworks on the 4th, New London does fireworks on the 12th of July in conjunction with Sailfest. We went to Eastern Point to watch the fireworks from across the Thames River. It was a good spot to see the beautiful (and huge fireworks) but not close enough to scare Abby with the noise.

We had to go early to get a good viewing spot. We had a picnic and played on the playground while we waited.

Sunset over Long Island Sound...

Getting close to fireworks time--only two hours past Abby's bedtime. She hung in there like a champ and enjoyed the bright colors, although she kept "sniffing" them as if they were flowers...I guess they kind of look like big flowers.

A Tour of "Around Here" Part 3

2008-07-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Next stop...Noank, where you can get some great seafood and sit out by the marina and watch all the sailboats come and go. Abbott's and Costello's are about a block apart and serve up some giant lobster, scallops and crab cakes.

We checked out Abbott's (above)

...but ended up at Costello's. Matt entertained Abby with his lobster claws and we all enjoyed some delicious, fresh seafood (nice bib, mom).

Another fun spot is Olde Mistick Village, a collection of specialty shops and restaurants built around the historic area of Mystic (formerly Mistick). For the toddler among us, the best part of Olde Mistick is the ducks walking around and swimming in the ponds. In fact, Abby now says, "duck, duck" and flaps her arms as soon as we pull into the parking lot.

Marina, Mom, Abby and I visited one afternoon for some shopping and more importantly, some delicious ice cream. Abby is pointing out the giant grey goose that lives in the pond.

We visited Olde Mistick again later in the week with mom and dad for dinner at Ten Clams.

James and Abby were checking out the new baby ducks in the pond.

Abby looks like she's up to something..maybe plans to climb on the fence?!
By the way, her little seersucker "sea" outfit came from another favorite new spot Twice is Nice, a resale shop in Mystic. We got that outfit for $1!

A Tour of "Around Here" Part 2

2008-07-24T10:56:00.001-07:00

Although the Mystic River is beautiful, if you want to actually put your feet in some water, Harkness State Park is located about 30 minutes from our house on Long Island Sound and offers great sand and some cool water. We've visited three times already...

On the first visit, Abby needed a little refresher course on "waves" and "sand" since it has been awhile...

She picked it up quickly and was splashing and digging in no time.

On visit 2, Grandma Goodman showed Abby some neat shells

...and how to pack the sand to built a sand castle.

Dad and Grandma helped Abby get used to the chilly water with a few warm up "jumps."

Pretty water...

(And p.s., we may have gone a little bit overboard in the "sun protection" department on this visit, but we had to protect that pasty white Portland skin. Although we're still careful, she does has a little hint of a summer tan these days.)

Visit 3 was with the Slighs...

More fun in the sand...

...testing out the chilly water...

...and going for a little wade.
Eventually, Abby was soaking wet. The rest of us watched from the warmer, drier sand.

More stops coming soon...

A Tour of "Around Here" Part 1

2008-07-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

Now that you've seen our spot, we'll take a little tour of the area...

The U.S. Naval Submarine Base is located just down the road from our house. Although the base is closed to the public, you can go to the museum and tour the U.S.S. Nautilus, the first nuclear submarine, launched in 1954. Although the tour is enough to give anyone claustrophobia, it is remarkable how so many men lived in such tight quarters for months at a time. You can't help but walk away with a great appreciation for all the men and women that have, and continue to sacrifice time away from their families and friends to serve our country under the sea.

Next stop is Mystic, about 20 minutes from our house. The Mystic area is known throughout the Northeast for the Mystic Seaport Museum and Mystic Aquarium (haven't been to either yet), but in recent years, Mystic Pizza, a pizza joint with a 1988 movie named after it, has become one of the most visited spots on Main Street.

The Sligh and Goodman women visited Mystic Pizza for some delicious pizza in a fun atmosphere (of course, the movie is playing on a big screen in the restaurant).

Abby hasn't met a piece of pizza she didn't like--or didn't scarf down in a matter of minutes. That's our girl!

The Mystic downtown has a lot of cute specialty shops and a delicious ice cream shop, where Abby's first encountered the joys of ice cream (didn't get a picture). The Mystic River runs right through the middle of downtown and many beautiful sailboats dock in the marinas (behind the cute couple).

More stops coming soon...

Our New Spot

2008-07-22T17:10:00.000-07:00

Finally...here are a few pictures of the new place. As you'll see in the following pictures, we've enjoyed having Mom Goodman and the Slighs visit and we welcome visitors anytime (except for August 26--we're having a baby that day).

Here's the front of the house...

We've spent a lot of time in the front yard so far this summer...

Abby loves exploring and Aunt Marina showed her how to find the "hats" for the acorns, which keeps her quite busy these days.

James installed the hammock between two trees in the front--my parents found it is quite a peaceful spot.

Come on up the front sidewalk (It was turquoise t-shirt day, so we decided to take a picture).

The front hall with our official welcoming committee member...

The kitchen--serving up watermelon on the 4th of July.

The eating area (just across the counter from the kitchen). Abby decided she liked Granpa's Honey Bunches of Oats and actually sat in his lap in order to get some flakes from his bowl.

Here's the family room. Notice we've already had to put foam padding around the hearth because of several near disasters with a flying toddler head and body. And no, Grandpa, your cereal is not safe even if you take it to the living room to watch Breakfast at Wimbledon.

Here's another shot of the family room later in the day, as Granpa and Abby build towers and knock them down. You'll notice Wimbledon is still on--the longest men's singles final ever. Thank goodness for the fast forward button on the DVR.

The family room has a sliding glass door to the back deck. It's Sophie's favorite sleeping spot. On this day, Abby decided she'd try it out as a resting spot too--although she was there approximately 2.3 seconds before moving on.

The deck was a favorite spot for a picnic lunch with Grandma Goodman...she took the picture.

...and pool time on hot afternoons.

Abby even got Uncle Matt to join her one afternoon.

More pictures of Connecticut coming soon...

Saying Goodbye

2008-07-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lots of catching up to do since the last post, but we'll start with the end of one chapter...saying goodbye to Portland friends.

Abby, Nathan and Noelle had many fun mornings together, playing, reading, riding in the stroller...they have their own adventure to look forward to as they prepare for a new sister and a move to Bangladesh.

When you "camp out" in your house for a week, there aren't many places to sit. In addition to a temporary sitting spot, dad also entertained Abby with games of bowling and soccer in our big empty room. We appreciate the generosity of friends who loaned us air mattresses, sheets, a pack and play, car and cooler for the week, and we were very glad to see our "stuff" arrive safe and sound in Connecticut. Even the eggs that we accidentally left in the fridge made it here without breaking--although the little "stink bombs" have been discarded deep in the woods behind our house.

The Intown Play Group was a highlight of many weeks since Abby was born. As we have met new friends and watched playmates grow up together, we have many fond memories of our times at Urban Grind, the zoo, the park and many living rooms in between. We'll look forward to keeping up across the miles and seeing pictures of the many new little brothers and sisters who
will be arriving soon.

Abby being Abby

2008-05-15T18:59:00.001-07:00

Abby was being her usual entertaining self the other night and James was smart enough to grab the camera to document it...these are a few of the best ones. As you can see, she is not short on personality!

The Rest of the Week

2008-05-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

My best intentions for posting every day while James were gone only lasted until Tuesday...life got a little hectic. Anyway, these are a few more shots from the rest of the week.

How big is Abby? Not as big as a polar bear!

We got to go to the zoo one more time with some of Abby's friends (Ransom on left, Hayden on right). We'll miss not having a zoo less than 10 minutes away, but enjoyed each visit with friends.

Abby telling the black bear goodbye

On Sunday, James let me sleep in and Abby (and dad) made me my first homemade Mother's Day card. We took this shot as we were rushing out to church. Wanted to document Abby's cute dress and pigtails while they were still in. And for those of you who keep asking how big my belly is...as Abby would say, "so big."

Abby, Sam and Sophie

2008-05-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Abby loves to play with Sophie and today Sam I Am played too...perhaps against his will, but Abby and Sophie had fun.

My Shadow

2008-05-05T18:17:00.000-07:00

My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow--
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes goes so little that there's none of him at all.

Sunny Days

2008-05-05T18:10:00.000-07:00

We've had two short-sleeve-worthy days in a row, which is worth celebrating (and ending soon). Since dad is in Toronto this week, we're posting lots of pictures this week, so he can see what we've been doing.

We went to the park, and although the swings are always a big hit, exploring the grass and flowers was the highlight of this outing.

A Trip to the Zoo

2008-05-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we bundled up and headed to the zoo for the morning. Abby loved showing dad all the animals.

Here's a rare moment...Abby actually holding someone's hand (dad's, of course!)

Checking out the giraffes

The elephants were probably the favorite of the day.

Stopping to smell the flowers

Abby, what does the elephant say?

That's right!

I told you so!

No matter where we go, Abby usually picks up a stick of some sort...today was no exception.

p.s. a special thanks for the Farthing boys for the hand-me-down blue shoes worn on this outing...they are perfect for playing outside!

Fun Friday

2008-05-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

On Friday, we had not one, but two fun outings.

First, we met Hayden and Leslie at Indoor Park at the Community Center

Abby and Hayden shared the fire truck...

..then took off in their own little cars around the gym. It has been so fun to see these two girls grow up together over the past year and a half. We'll certainly miss our fun outings with Hayden and Leslie.

That night, dad joined us for "Free First Friday" at the Children's Museum. As you can see from the pictures, Abby was pretty tired, but did have fun doing some exploring.

The rubber pellets were fun to play in...and cover your legs with...and we're still finding them around the house!

Checking out the cool artwork--a collage of different colored objects, including pacifiers "frozen" in plexiglass. Talk about a good way to get toddler's attention!

Who doesn't love some fun water activities?!

Trying to catch the water is harder than it looks!

"Bee Bo!" (a.k.a this week's obsession)

2008-04-21T22:33:00.000-07:00

You might not know what "BEE BO!" means or maybe you've forgotten. It's just the tiny hippo way of saying...

BELLY BUTTON!

From The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boyton

Sisters

2008-04-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Do you think they look alike? We can't tell either, but we're excited that Abby will have a little sister! We would have been excited either way, but think having two little girls close in age will be fun (right Lori Snell?!)

Abby-26 weeks

Baby Girl Goodman #2 at 21 weeks

We are mostly glad that everything looks healthy and in the right place. We had a fetal cardiologist look at her heart and everything seems to be beating regularly and forming well. Lots to be thankful for!

Another shot of baby girl G

On the Move

2008-04-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the biggest reason for the blog silence this month has been the quick but exciting turn of events that has us packing our bags and moving to Connecticut in June.

Yes, that's right, from one coast to another...we don't do anything halfway.

James applied, interviewed for, was offered, and accepted a job with Pfizer, all in the span of about three weeks. He has been there twice, and Abby and I flew out over Easter to see Southeastern Connecticut. It's a cute little seaport area with lots of history and good views of the ocean. One of the most recognized nearby towns in Mystic, made famous by the movie "Mysic Pizza."

We are in the midst of planning another house hunting trip in May, putting our condo on the market, finding a doctor to deliver Baby G #2, and many, many, many other details that have to be taken care of in the next two months.

We are very excited about being in the same time zone and closer to family (Southwest Airlines has direct flights to DC, Tampa, and Nashville) and about the opportunities professionally for James. As a principle scientist in Pfizer's imaging department, he will be doing a lot of similar work to what he is doing now, only on the industry side instead of academia, meaning no grant writing, fund raising or general tenure-track stress.

So, if you've been planning to come see Oregon, can we interest you in a trip to beautiful Southern Connecticut? We'll be an hour and a half from Boston and two and a half hours from NYC. We'd love to have visitors, once we find a place to settle ourselves.

More to come...

Go KU!

2008-04-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

Abby has been practicing her cheers today to get ready for the big game tonight...Go KU!

A Few of My Favorite Things

2008-04-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty quiet on the blog front lately, but have still managed to snap a few pictures...
Here are a few highlights from the past month and a half...

The baby backpack that Abby loudly opposed the first try was a much bigger success on this President's Day hike. We stayed close to home, but it was a clear day and we could enjoy Mt. Hood from a distance.

Abby makes us laugh many times every day...especially when she puts on her "hat" and dances...hilarous!

Sometimes when I am working on the computer, Abby sits under the desk, then pops her head out to say peek-a-boo...or, if I am too booring, she plays peek-a-boo with her reflection in the oven door.

What used to be a great tub for party beverages has turned into a game of "Rub a dub dub, Abby's in the tub..."

...and what used to be a car seat box has turned into a great fort...thanks to daddy's creativity in adding a great door and window. We're pulling for one more pound and then Abby can sit in this car seat facing forward. It should make car trips much easier on all of us.

And, finally...we love visitors. Cousin (aunt) Katie came to visit on her trip west and we loved having her here and exploring Portland with her. Unfortunately, we were having too much fun to snap many pictures, but this is a cute one of Abby and Katie.

More pictures from birthday weekend...

2008-02-25T14:12:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon playing and going to the park. Here are some fun pictures from the day.

Eating leftover pasta tastes better with your sunglasses on...

Ian and Henry Farthing gave Abby a rocking horse for her birthday. She loves to ride it and to press the ears and hear it sing and neigh! It's very cute and was a big hit at the birthday party.

Again...even more fun in sunglasses.

We discovered a new park less than 1/2 mile from our house. Abby and I will definitely be frequenting it once the weather warms up.

With swings and slides...it's a great time!

And the bunny statue is fun to sit on too!

Abby's Birthday Party

2008-02-25T12:47:00.001-08:00

On Saturday we celebrated Abby's birthday with a few good friends. Here are pictures from the big event.
The decorations...

We had Dr. Seuss books around with balloons and pictures from Abby's 1st year playing on the digital picture frame.

The cake...

James masterfully carved a number 1 out of three layers of funfetti cake and iced and sprinkled it like a pro. He has been officially designated the birthday-cake-maker for all birthdays in our house.

The guests...photographed while eating mac and cheese, fruit and hot dogs.

Nathan and Noelle (and Anna)

Ransom

Hayden

Carter and Charlotte

...and the birthday girl.

The adults ate chicken pesto pasta, which is about the easiest recipe on earth, especially when you buy pre-made pesto. I made about three times too much, but we'll have leftovers for lunch all week.

Time for cake...

Abby wasn't quite sure about all the singing...

but she got into it eventually...

and apparently the light from the candle was blinding. Just wait until you're 30 baby! Now that's some blinding light!

She ate the cake and liked it OK, but didn't care for the icing at all. James tried to put some on her lip, and she looked at him like he was torturing her. The cake has been sitting on the counter since Saturday, and she has shown no interest in wanting any more. Guess she's her father's daughter...and now I can clean icing off two plates instead of just one!

Time for presents...

the pretty pink sunglasses from Hayden were a big hit...

Ransom especially liked them.

Nathan!

Sweet Charlotte and Gracielle

Hayden and Leslie

Abby in her birthday hat...formerly a tub of cookie dough.

The balloons were a big hit.

Abby had a great time with these good friends and their parents. We appreciate all of their friendship and support not just on her big day, but all year long!

Happy Birthday to You!

2008-02-22T13:00:00.000-08:00

As Dr. Seuss would say, today is Abby's "Day of All Days." We are so thankful for her little life and all the love and joy she has brought into our home this year.

We'll celebrate tomorrow with some cake and a few friends. Messy cake and icing pictures to come...

Abby's New Shirt

2008-02-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Abby got a new shirt while we were in DC.
You might have to click on the picture to see what it says...

She has no idea what she's in for on September 2nd. Hopefully, she will be able to share her vast 18 months of life experience with her new sister or brother when it arrives.

I have been feeling pretty terrible and am hoping to turn a corner at the 12 week mark next week. No complaints though-- we are very excited and thankful to see a strong heart beat and healthy little bean-like baby.

"Marvelous are your works, O God, and that my soul knows full well." Psalm 139:14

Geoff's Wedding

2008-02-13T10:03:00.000-08:00

James' brother Geoff got married to Emily last weekend in DC. It was a joyous time of celebration with family from all over North America.

Abby liked having Xaverie to explore the church with her during the rehearsal.

Abby and dad at the rehearsal dinner (and Aunt Lorna in the background)

The Wedding Party--even though this picture is out of focus, the black dresses and black suits with red scarves and ties looked stunning with the beautiful old church.

Christopher and Abby

The nieces and nephew with the happy couple...again, out of focus.
Xaverie was the flower girl and Christopher was an usher.

Hanging out with dad...it's past someone's nap time!

Abby fell asleep on Aunt Lorna during the reception (which NEVER happens) and kept sleeping right on through the celebration in her comfy car seat.

Introducing Geoff and Emily Goodman

Anyone know what happened to Geoff's car? Christopher?

Waving goodbye to Uncle Geoff and Aunt Emily

And they're off...to the car wash.

Misc.

2008-02-13T09:35:00.000-08:00

Here are a few snapshots from the last couple of weeks around the house...

This is Abby's birthday dress from Granma and Granpa Sligh...very cute!

One of Abby's favorite things to do is to pull ALL of the toys out of the toy box. We're still working on putting them back in.

Abby was getting tired about halfway through the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. It was too good a game to leave, so I actually ended up getting Abby to sit on my lap for about 5.5 minutes--far longer than usual. She did get upset with a few of my screams, but I tried to control myself...

Hanging out with dad...

Abby's new doll from Grandma and Grandpa Goodman...she mostly likes to poke her in the eyes, but we're working on that too...

Fun Day at the Portland Children's Museum

2008-02-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

My friend Leslie and I met at the Portland Children's Museum for a fun morning with the girls.

Fun toys in the baby area...

Going to "market" just like our mommies...

It's fun to watch Hayden and Abby walking around with each other...such big girls!

The "water area" looked lots of fun...something to look forward to when the girls are bigger...but the mosaic was fun to touch now.

Rubber pellets were also fun to feel and scoop into the bucket. And miraculously, none made it into the mouth!

At storytime, Abby was more interested in exploring than listening to the story...

The apple...

2008-01-27T21:51:00.000-08:00

...doesn't fall far from the tree. Abby was helping me unload the groceries and became immediately interested in the brown sugar (one of my favorite things on earth). She worked at getting the bag open with her teeth for quite some time, until I was afraid she was going to be successful and took it away from her, under much protest.

The thing is, she has no idea what she's missing...some day she'll taste the goodness in Granma's blond brownies.

11 months old

2008-01-27T21:39:00.000-08:00

Abby turned 11 months old when we were in Lakeland. Granma and Granpa enjoyed watching her take a few steps which turned into several and then many steps by the end of the week. She actually sat still long enough to listen to a few stories from Granma...who makes way better animal sounds than mom does.

Abby opened her birthday presents from Granma and Granpa early..and has enjoyed playing with them since we've been back. I'll post pictures of her cute little birthday dress soon as soon as I can chase her down.

I think I remember this routine from about a month ago...something about pulling the paper and finding a fun toy inside?!

A new toy for the favorite activity of the day...bathtime!

Abby likes putting everything in buckets, bags and cups...and then taking them out...and then putting them back in...and then taking them out. It's great fun!

Happy New Year

2008-01-15T22:03:00.000-08:00

If you're in the Sligh family, New Year's day only means one thing. Football. And that's about it. After a long day flying back to Portland on New Year's Eve, arriving in time to welcome in 2008, we were glad to sit on the couch all day and watch the bowl games...and actually the next few nights as well.

After a disappointing loss for the Gators...Abby could sport her KU gear that Grandma and Grandpa gave her and celebrate a victory.

Aunt Lorna gave Abby an adorable bathrobe. She loves how it feels and always crawls over to it and lies down on it and rubs her face on it. It's a big hit!

Goodman Christmas-Part 2

2008-01-14T10:08:00.000-08:00

In addition to family fun, we were able to see many friends during our visit. Highlights included our visit with the Vogels and Perkins. Jen and Lindsay and I have many fun memories from college days and it was so fun to be together again with our kiddos running/crawling around at our feet. Jen had some better pictures than these on her blog.

Jen, Jackson, Sarah and Abby--convenient how we hold them in front of us to hide the jelly bellies, huh?!

Abby felt free to take Shepherd's toys and put them in her mouth as if they were her own.

Jackson is a happy boy, all ready for bed...so cute!

All the cousins...Shepherd, Jackson and Eva playing together...what fun!

Speaking of cousins, in Kansas City we were able to play with James' cousins' children. This is Ashley and Abby, briefly together so I could snap a picture. It was very fun to meet all the new additions to the Goodman family since we were there last, and enjoy yummy a Goodman brunch.

Also while we were in Kansas City, the Farthing crew came over to Grandma and Grandpa Goodman's house for a play date. It was very fun to see them again and see how much they had grown, just since we saw them in October.

Joe and Henry...what you can't hear is Henry's adorable belly laugh about now.

Ian was walking like a champ and enjoying the freedom...Henry and Abby have lots to look forward to...they'll be there soon!

We loved seeing all of these friends and wish we could see them more often. We'll hope that our paths cross again soon, and will keep up with the blogs in the meantime.

Goodman Christmas - Part 1

2008-01-14T09:44:00.000-08:00

Finally...finally...new posts of old pictures. Our St. Louis Christmas was lots of fun with family and many friends. Here is part one from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day...

Christopher pulled Abby around in Uncle Geoff's old wagon. She loved it!

James giving Abby a quick piano lesson...on the same piano he practiced on many years ago.

We don't have ceiling fans at our house...Abby was mesmerized by them at Grandma and Grandpa's house--kept pointing and moving her finger around in a circle as seen in the picture above, and many other pictures from the visit.

Christmas morning Abby, Christopher and Xaverie wore their new pajamas from Great-Grandma and Grandpa down to open their stockings...

Abby loved the puppet in her stocking...

After breakfast and a nap, Abby was happy with daddy and ready to open presents...and, once again, pointing at everything...

Geoff and his new "State of the Union Suit" or "Cat in the Hat" suit, whichever you prefer.

Xaverie in her pretty new dress that she will wear as the flower girl in Geoff and Emily's wedding.

Abby loves her new bear from Geoff and Emily...she has slept with it every night since she got it, and probably will for years to come.

Abby showing Geoff and Emily her new book that "croaks" like a frog.

Abby practicing her walking with her new toy from Grandma and Grandpa.

James and Christopher in an intense Christmas afternoon game of chess...but not just any game of chess...Transformers chess!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! (We'll be gone until then)

Tunnel!

2007-12-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

Since we're headed to St. Louis for Christmas, we went ahead and gave Abby her Christmas gift from us--a tunnel from IKEA. After a brief pause, and a little coaxing from the other side, she started crawling through it...

again...

and again...

and again...

whew...it had it's intended effect. It wore her out.

Reflections from "Around Here"

2007-12-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

And we'll collect the moments one by one
I guess that's how the future's done
-Feist, Mushaboom

I like the above lines from one of my current favorite artists because it is so easy to just "count" the big events in life--holidays, birthdays, big trips, etc. and forget the everyday "moments" that happen on rainy, dreary days when the car's in the shop and there's nowhere to go.

I am learning to "live in the moment" instead of spending all my time re-living the last great trip or looking forward to the next one. This week I took a few pictures of our adventures "around here."

Abby is fascinated by all the "new toys" that come home from Costco and end up on the kitchen cart. (Mom, you can stop laughing about the number of boxes of ziploc bags I have--it was a great deal!) Anyway, the main reason I posted this picture was so you could see Abby's cute little ponytail. Her hair is getting long and ends up in her face. This one lasted about an hour, which is close to a record for us.

Abby playing with the soccer ball from Uncle Matt and Aunt Marina.

The rain stopped long enough to bundle up and walk across the street to the store for dinner ingredients. Abby could hardly move, but was cozy warm in her new hat and mittens.

One of Abby's favorite "around the house" games is chasing the cat. Most of the action shots were too blurry to post, but this one is funny because Abby thinks Sophie is behind the cart, but instead she sneaked around the bar and is behind her. I think this game lasted for about 15 minutes--great entertainment for all!

The IKEA tunnel has proven to be a favorite around here--especially when mom gets stuck halfway through while trying to get a good shot of Abby.

The best part about being home all day is getting to stay in your pajamas...and finding new "forts" to hide in or under.

Sligh Christmas

2007-12-14T13:05:00.000-08:00

Since our family will be apart for Christmas this year, we decided to have Christmas on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, while we were all together.

We had a delicious "Christmas" dinner with mom's signature steak and twice baked potatoes, and dad's birthday cake for dessert.

Quick Abby's in a good mood--let's take the Christmas pictures...

This picture did not make it into the Christmas cards, but I love how Abby and dad have the exact same expression, as Abby uses dad's hair for leverage.

It's hard to make a baby smile while you hold her. You end up looking like the one who drank a little too much eggnog at dinner...everyone else looks great!

After a nap, and a quick rendition of "open" and "close" with Uncle Matt, we were ready for the gift exchange.

One more family picture...

Mom has a tradition every year of giving us ornaments that signify something that happened this year, or something that fits with our personality or interest. I tried to post pictures of some of them here, but am having technical difficulties. Will try to add later...anyway, they were all very fitting and fun.

Abby got a cute alligator bath toy from Granpa...it winds up and swims around The Swamp, I mean, the bathtub.

...it quickly ended up in her mouth, like all of her other presents.

...the card with money for a "ball" from Matt and Marina...in the mouth.

The books from Granma and Granpa...in the mouth.

The new warm hat...on it's way to the mouth.

And the most fun part of it all...the wrapping paper! Although not pictured here, it also made it's way into the mouth in little wads that had to be fished out under much protest.

We adults exchanged gifts too, and enjoyed and appreciated each other's thoughtfulness and generosity. It is always fun, though, to see someone experience the beauty of the Christmas tree lights for the first time, to enjoy crinkling the paper between their little fingers, and exploring (and eating) new books and toys with new curiosity. We so appreciate Matt and Marina, Granma and Granpa making it a special time for all of us, but especially for little Abby.

More Florida Fun

2007-12-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

After Thanksgiving Day, there was much more fun to be had (and more blog entries to post!)

On Saturday, Janie came over to watch the Florida vs. Florida State game with the traditional wings and nacho fare, and was kind enough to pull for the Gators, even though she is a die-hard Hurricane. The Rauls stopped by as well on their way back to Ocala. Fun to see our good friends, although we always wish it could be for longer...

Janie and Abby Jane

"Who needs Beef's wings? The antenna cord tastes really great--you should try it!"

The Goodmans and the Rauls

Abby and Amy Caroline in April, at 2 1/2 months and 6 weeks, respectively.

Abby and Amy Caroline at 9 months and 8 months...crazy how fast they grow and change!

Abby inspecting the Christmas decorations...so many fun things to eat!

Matt and Marina--the cute newlyweds!

Granpa reading Abby her favorite "farm" book.

Abby loved having dad around all day long! How fun!

Sometimes stories sound better under the table--at least how Abby convinced Granma to get under the table with her!

Fun with the Fam

2007-12-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

Abby and I arrived in Lakeland a little early and had fun "just hanging out" with Granpa, Granma, Matt and Marina for a few days before the Thanksgiving festivities began.

Granpa and Abby spent lots of time at the "activity table" that Della Kate let us borrow for the week...I'm pretty sure we still have the alphabet song (in Spanish) running through our heads.

Uncle Matt helped out at bath time...it takes two people these days to keep the baby from escaping the tub!

The girls--Granma, Marina, Abby and Sarah went to the park for some "swing time".

Abby got to break out some "warm weather wear" that never made it out of the closet this summer in Portland. It's crazy that we can tromp through the snow in June on Mt. Hood , and wear shorts in November in Florida. Sometimes, it's nice to mix it up a little bit.

I brought out my stuffed animals from when I was little. Abby loved "Elphie" and his long trunk.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

We're on our way to Florida tomorrow. Since Abby's been crawling/pulling up more and sleeping less I haven't had time to post much, but hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving with friends and/or family.

We'll post pictures of the Sligh family happenings when we return.

Friends...

2007-11-16T18:56:00.000-08:00

Since I haven't taken any pictures around here this week, I'll share some pictures from our time at Urban Grind with a mom's group I am a part of. Urban Grind is a great coffee shop with even better playrooms (that's right 3 rooms fully stocked with newborn to preschool toys).

Anyway, this week there were just three of us with the three munchkins. Ransom turns one next week. (Happy Birthday, buddy!) Hayden was born in December and is near and dear to my heart because she has fallen asleep on me before, something my own daughter has only done once since leaving the hospital! Besides the kids crawling all over each other, it's always fun to hang out with Jerilee and Leslie who are a step or two ahead of me and can give me tips on "what to expect next."

In addition to her Joker-like smile in the above pictures, you'll see Abby's striped Baby Legs. They were a gift from a friend, and let me say, if you have a child two years old or under, these are the best invention ever, and can be spotted on kids' arms and legs all over town. Keep arms/legs warm and still have easy access to change diapers, keep feet barefoot for easier walking, protect knees while crawling...and just look cute. They're great. OK, enough advertisement for today...just keep them in mind when you're Christmas or baby shower shopping...

This One's for Aunt Janie

2007-11-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

Today was the final wearing of the adorable outfit Aunt Janie gave her namesake on their first meeting. It has been worn often over the past three months, but is getting a little snug. I got a little sentimental about having to pack it away, and snapped a few pictures of Abby after dinner.

In addition to the adorable outfit, you'll also notice:
1) There is drool all over the front of the cute jumper--she sprouted another bottom tooth today without us even knowing.

2) Abby has started clapping after meals, and just in general when she is happy. Although her meals usually consist of some mashing together of various fruits and veggies, it gives my self- esteem a little boost to get a round of applause after every meal!

Thanks again, Janie and we'll look forward to seeing you in just a couple of weeks!

Being Green

2007-10-31T21:48:00.001-07:00

In a state obsessed with being green, Abby fit right in. She was a frog for Halloween. She humored her mom and let me take a picture or two...

...then she was on the move...

It's hard to crawl with webbed feet..

...that's when the Aquaducks (see previous post) training comes in handy...

...although it's a little harder on dry land...

We stopped by a Halloween party with the neighborhood kids. Pizza for parents, puffs for kids.

Farthing Fun-Part 2

2007-10-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

More Farthing Fun...

We spent Monday afternoon in downtown Portland...in the playroom at Sip N Kranz and on the swings at Washington Park...Abby and Henry doubled up in one swing and Ian in the other.

...and back home for some quick shots of the Halloween costumes...

...and I mean quick. We got one picture of Henry the bear, Abby the frog and Ian the dragon before they were on the move.

Farthing Fun--Part 1

2007-10-31T09:08:00.001-07:00

Ian and Henry Farthing (of The Dukes of Lawrence fame) brought their parents out to Portland to visit for the weekend. It was lots of fun--and squeals, smiles and laughs--to have three 8-month-olds under one roof!

We marveled at how Joe and Sarah handle twins so well--so organized while having to be on top of their game at all times. With Abby in the mix, they got a glimpse of what life would be like with triplets--crazy!

Sarah, Ian and Henry reading the "peek-abo" book

Abby and Henry plotting how they are going to get all the books off the shelf.

Those crazy boys...

1:45 p.m. S.E. Portland: backseat of the Farthing-mobile leaving Stumptown Coffee Roasters

2:05 p.m. S.W. Portland: arrive home with three sleeping babies and two moms to transfer each to their respective beds. All went off without a hitch.

Dads on duty

Henry discovered the door stopper, which soon became a big hit for all three kids...and even the neighbor on the other side of the wall.

Sweet Sixteen

2007-10-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

We hit a couple of milestones this week...Abby turned 8 months old and tipped the scale to 16 pounds! She's now doubled her birth weight and then some.

I haven't posted in a while because I have been busy chasing Abby around the house. She is "army-crawling" all over the place. I hope to catch her on camera soon as she pursues Sophie the cat--it is quite funny, but I am usually running interference so I can't grab the camera...

She likes to pull up, but is still a little wobbly (notice my supporting foot in the above picture). It's hard to believe how quickly our newborn bundle has turned into a little girl. We won't think about how quickly time will fly until we celebrate the other Sweet Sixteen...

Swim Like a Fish

2007-10-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

The neighborhood community center pool has an "Aquaducks" swim class for 6-24 month olds. Dad and Abby are taking the class together--Mom and Gramma came along the first night to watch and snap a few pictures.

Watching the older kids in the water...

Getting excited to jump in soon...

All those toys and kids and one giant bathtub...looks like so much fun!

Getting used to the water with the other Aquaducks

Holding onto the side and kicking...Abby was holding herself up most of the time, but glad to see dad was right there behind her.

Floating...

Kicking with dad.
(Don't be alarmed--the baby in the foreground is not in danger. It's the instructor's doll)

More kicking...

Warm and cozy...

...and exhausted.

Gators, Gramma and More

2007-10-11T09:26:00.001-07:00

Here's Abby dressed in her Gator garb and ready for the big UF vs. LSU game on Saturday...

Gramma read her a cute Gator book to begin her education on Gator Nation...

Abby was all smiles through the first quarter. Unfortunately, the outcome of the game was not quite as happy...but a great effort by the orange and blue.

A Pair in Pink...

We went for a walk with Anna, Nathan and Noel around OHSU on Wednesday and snapped some pictures of the beautiful trees, ablaze in fall colors.

Just hanging out ...

Eagle Creek

2007-10-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

The title of this post could have been "Punch Bowl Falls" which we hear is really beautiful. We were planning to see it, while trying out our new (incredibly good deal) baby backpack on Saturday.

We happily hiked along Eagle Creek for a while, with beautiful scenery and tree branches that looked like "Grinch" fingers. Check out the size of the salmon and trout--unfortunately, most of them were dead.

Then Abby decided she didn't want to be confined to a backpack. Long story short, we made it about 1.5 miles in before the meltdown, then hiked 1.5 miles back out with a screaming passenger. It seemed like 20 miles.

As you can see, when we got back to the car, she was all smiles again...it just wasn't meant to be, I guess. Maybe we'll try some shorter hikes closer to home first, and try again another day.

Around the House

2007-10-01T21:03:00.000-07:00

Things are pretty quiet these days in PDX. The rain and chilly weather have come with October, but so far we are enjoying the pretty leaves, warm fireplace and the delicious Northwest-grown apples and pears.

Abby's moved up to the big tub and enjoys nightly "swim time" with the ducks...and showing them who's boss.

She's more curious than ever and especially loves hanging around with dad...and playing with his watch.

Florida!

2007-09-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

We had a fun, although quick, trip to Florida last weekend.

Abby did a great job for seven hours each way on the airplane--Our biggest challenge was keeping her from grabbing the hair of the lady in front of us. I found that diaper changes on the tray table go much more smoothly when you have four hands instead of two.

Abby and Amy Caroline got to "play" together--it was SO fun to see Amy again too! Amy Caroline showed Abby her almost-crawling moves. She's going to be scooting around all over Ocala in no time!

Uncle Matt and "new" Aunt Marina spent some time with "tropical lifesaver baby" Abby before heading to Gainesville for a spectacular display of football by the orange and blue. Go Gators!

On Sunday, we had a reception to honor the "happy couple."

To see the beautiful pictures of Matt and Marina's wedding, Click Here

Abby loved "just hanging around" with Granma and Granpa. They obviously enjoyed it too. We'll look forward to seeing Gramma again in October and heading back to Lakeland for Thanksgiving in just a couple of months!

Gorge-ous

2007-09-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

On Labor Day Weekend, we drove Historic Columbia River Highway through the Columbia Gorge. We stopped at the Vista House and took some pictures, then took a quick hike to one of the many waterfalls along the way.

We ended up in Hood River--a fun city by the Columbia which boasts some of the best windsurfing and kiteboarding in the world--and is home to the famed Full Sail Brewery.

Since then we've been sharing the stomach flu (Abby started it!), which is why it's been so long since there's been any activity on the old Tangerine Tree. We're all better now, and looking forward to our cross-country trek to Florida on Friday for the weekend (Thank goodness for SWA!)

Swinging!

2007-08-30T15:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of Abby on the swings for the first time at Washington Park. Although we could have fit three of her in the swing, she loved it. Now if we just had a picture of the funny faces daddy was making while he pushed her!

Teeth!

2007-08-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to get a good shot of Abby's new teeth. Today she was wearing her J&S Coffee t-shirt from Ian and Henry Farthing (thanks guys!) and I got some good shots of the pearly whites.

Six Months Old!

2007-08-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Abby's six month birthday. I attempted to make a documentary of "a day in the life of Abigail Jane," but only parents and maybe grandparents would be crazy enough to sit through it. For the rest of you, here are some snapshots of a day in the life of a six month old.

Good morning Abby...

Instead of staring up at the Baby Einstein characters, Abby prefers to sit up and look at the green guy eye to eye. She's gotten stable enough to sit by herself without me spotting her, which is very nice.

Bananas and avocados have never been sighted in our household due to James and my dislike of both their textures and tastes...until this week. Now we have to act like they are delicious and mash them up and feed them to the daughter that we love. She can't get enough of them.

Since the bottom teeth arrived, the drool volume has reached unprecedented levels (dark pink part of this outfit). We think the top set are on the way. I am moving on to formula. Enough said.

Still Lovin' the bath

The top rack of our dishwasher is no longer for our glasses. It has been taken over by bowls, bottles, teething toys, pacifiers and cups. In my book, it has now surpassed the bouncy seat as the MVP of our home.

Before Abby was born, my friend Jessica gave me some wise quotes on parenting to put around the house. These two are my favorites:

"When it comes to parenting, we crave mastery; however the art of parenting was never meant to be mastered. It was established to bring about uncertainty, joy, confusion, fear and hope."

-and-

"Feeling personally responsible to do everything right makes us feel anxious, and this anxiety screens out our awareness of God's love and care for our baby."

No need to wait until she's 13...

2007-08-06T14:49:00.001-07:00

See the remarkable power of in utero imaging to predict future social development (and temperament?)

Six months in utero

Five months old (and yes, we did have to stick her in the bathtub after this eating session!)

Baby Bliss

2007-08-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

Although being a baby can be tough at times, it has its advantages too...here are a few :

1. It is the ONLY time in your life when you look cute in jean shorts with elastic. For those stuck in the early 90s or Land's End catalogs, I repeat. It is the ONLY time jean shorts with elastic are cute.

2. You can have a comb-over and still get complimented on it daily.

3. You can go to the pool with mom, each sporting your "baby fat" bellies in your swimsuits. You spend the whole time fielding "oohs" and "ahhs" for the cute little tummy. Mom spends the whole time sucking in.

4. Going for a "power walk" means reclining, watching the world go by or taking a snooze...even on the hills.

Scenes from the Cereal Bowl

2007-07-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Abby turned five months old this week and we introduced her to the wonderful world of baby cereal--also useful as drywall paste and super glue. Here are a few shots of Sunday night dinner...

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

2007-07-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

Abby has learned to roll over from her back to her tummy, but once she gets there, she's stuck. We're trying to show her how fun it can be to play on her tummy, and hoping she'll learn to roll back over to her back soon. These were some cute pictures taken during our "rolling" lesson last weekend...

Summer Day at Seaside

2007-07-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

Actually, the temperatures were in the 60's, which made it perfect weather for some of the best clam chowder we'd ever had at Norma's in Seaside. If you're ever driving along the Oregon coast, it's a "must-stop" destination.

Abby dipped her toes in the Pacific Ocean, which was quite a bit colder than her previous experience in the Gulf of Mexico.

...ohh...cold...

...and the wave came in a little closer than expected for the cameraman (granpa)

Another Sligh family picture in front of a historical monument--this one was in honor of Lewis and Clark, seeing the Pacific for the first time here.

Mount St. Helens

2007-07-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

When you look at Mount St. Helens from Portland, it looks like a snow-covered cupcake instead of a devastating volcano. On our July 4th trip to the base of the mountain, we saw the utter devastation it caused for the area, and for many people who underestimated its power. It's amazing to see how much was destroyed and how much has grown back in the two decades since.

Summer Fun with the Slighs

2007-07-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad came out for a week of diaper changes, pacifier plugs, stories read, yummy food and "nap time relief" here are some of shots from around the house...

"Good Morning To You"

"Porch Time"

Two Favorite Books...

Yummy Toes...

Portland Beavers baseball game...and it didn't even rain or go extra innings...two Sligh baseball traditions.

Tolsons Visit

2007-07-17T14:01:00.001-07:00

The Tolson family came for a visit, after Clay completed the Ironman in Coeur d'Alene--and he was even able to walk and drive the next day! Amy and the kids were troopers, cheering him on throughout the race, and crossing the finish line with him.

It was so fun to see Tessa--all grown up and almost 3! John Tyler is a fun-loving eight month old and Abby had fun watching him.

I'll try to post the rest of the pictures soon, but for now these are some of the fun memories from our time with these good friends.

Four Months Old

2007-07-16T14:09:00.001-07:00

We had a few minutes before Abby's four month dr. appointment, so I snapped a few pictures in the Bumbo seat (we love our Bumbo, by the way).

The appointment was good--she's doing all the things a four month old typically does...drool, grab everything in sight, eat, sleep (when we're lucky) and fill her pants. She is tall (2ft 1 inch) and thin (12 lbs. 4 oz.). She is in the 75th percentile for height, but only the .8 percentile for weight. We're working on bulking her up before her next check up on the 28th, but the doc isn't concerned because she's so active, so we're sticking to the "mom juice" diet until further notice.

The Dr. Seuss pose...with green fuzzy feet.

She may not have been so happy, had she known she was on her way to get four shots!

note the continual stream of drool on her chin...

ready...set...let's go!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2007-07-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

Abby experienced her first baseball game on June 23rd--the mighty Portland Beavers (Padres AAA team) vs. the Colorado Springs Skysox. Here are a few snapshots of the night...

Dad bought Abby a commemorative bat (pink, of course).

Gotta have refreshments...they always taste better at the ballpark.

PGE Park has an infant/toddler suite...great place to feed/change/pacify the kiddos in the later innings...we lasted five innings--probably one of the first times either of us has left a game early.

one tired fan...fell asleep on the bus ride home.

Goodmans at Mt. Hood

2007-06-22T15:49:00.000-07:00

The entire Goodman family came to Oregon for summer vacation. It was fun to show them around Portland, and then head to a condo at Mt. Hood for a week of relaxation and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Although we had a few signature rainy days, the weather cooperated for the most part and Geoff finally got to see Mt. Hood--last time it was shrouded in clouds the whole time.

In between hikes, trips to the pool and delicious dinners, we had fun hanging out at the condo with the family. It was fun to get to introduce Abby to her cousins (Christopher and Xaverie) and her Uncle Geoff, Uncle Ian and Aunt Leda. Grandma and Grandpa Goodman were also excited to see how much she'd grown since the last visit.

We hiked to Mirror Lake for a beautiful view of Mt. Hood. James, Geoff and dad hiked up Tom, Dick and Harry Mtn. (yep, that's what it's called) to see a 360 degree view of several beautiful peaks--Ranier, Jefferson, Adams and Hood.

Abby took a nap while we hiked around in the snow at Timberline Lodge.

My nominee for Father of the Year...hiking on Mt. Hood with a pacifier in one hand, burp cloth in another, and a baby strapped to the front!

Geoff, Xaverie and Christopher playing in the snow on Mt. Hood...it's not for eating, Christopher!

We "fished for our dinner" at a local fish hatchery...we caught more rainbow trout than we could eat in about 45 minutes and didn't have to clean them--now that's fishing! Ian, dad and James made a delicious dinner of fried and smoked trout and then we had "trout cakes" with the leftovers--yum!

One advantage of being a baby...you get to ride instead of walk on the hikes...daddy took good care of Abby on the hike around Trilium Lake...kept her warm and dry despite yucky weather.

Xaverie was a very attentive and helpful cousin for "Baby Abby" during the week. Abby loved watching her play and looking at books with her.

Happy Birthday Dad/Grandpa! Thanks for having a birthday so we could eat Strawberry Cake!

There is some debate about the proper way to wear a Bumbo...

Christopher, Abby and Uncle Geoff watch a National Geographic special on sharks--maybe Abby will be the sharkiologist of the family.

Christopher and James in a heated battle of Othello.

Fun with Fans

2007-06-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

It's the little things...Abby was fascinated with the ceiling fans at Granma and Granpa's house...who needs toys, anyway?

Visit from the Royal 3

2007-06-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

Jed, Hannah and Isaiah Royal came to Portland for a visit the first week of June. They've had quite a year, and we were so excited to get to meet Isaiah and see how big he had gotten (Happy 1st Birthday, today!)

It was so fun to catch up and spend time with these great friends--we went to Hood River to watch the windsurfers and kiteboarders, then stopped by Multnomah Falls for a photo op. Isaiah and Abby had fun in the pool on the back deck. For those of you from STL, you may remember a picture of Jed and James in a similar kiddie pool just a few years ago--they let the kids have it this time!

The Royals are headed to Australia for a couple of years, so we wish them well, and thank them for making a stop in PDX for their summer vacation.

Old Friends, New Kids

2007-06-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

Just eight short years ago, Janna Levi and I were sharing a dorm room at Covenant College. We were in each other's weddings seven summers ago (happy anniversary, by the way) and they have been to seminary, then Thailand and now, two kids later are living in Sarasota. It was so fun to catch up on all the years and experiences in one morning. Now that they're back in Florida, we hope it won't be another seven years until we get together again! Abby is pictured here with Janna, Michael (blond) and Levi (bald) Mawhinney.

Abby's First Trip to Longboat Key

2007-06-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Longboat Key has been a Sligh Family destination for many Memorial Day weekends. This year, we carried on the tradition to another generation. Abby got to go put her feet in the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. She had fun in the pool with Mommy, Granpa, Uncle Steve, DK, Steph, Chris and Katie.

Wir verpassen Sie

2007-05-20T16:33:00.001-07:00

Hello to Daddy from Sarah and Abby...here's what we've been up to this week...We miss you!!

Taking a Sunday afternoon nap with Piglet...

Swimming at Aunt Nette's Pool (can't figure out how to rotate the picture) with Steph and Della Kate...

Goodmans Taking Off Again

2007-05-16T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Goodman family is preparing once again for more travels-- I have made more trips to the airport than to the grocery store in the last 6 weeks. James is going to give a talk at a conference in Berlin, but Abby and I decided to just go cross-country, rather than around the world. We are headed back to Lakeland to visit Gramma and Granpa Sligh. Abby's trying on her warm weather clothes to get ready for the trip, and enjoying some time with dad before we have to say goodbye for a little while.

Visit from Granpa Sligh

2007-05-16T11:51:00.000-07:00

Granpa Sligh came for a visit on his way to the LCS Sr. Trip in Seattle. We went for walks in the park, read familiar books (Richard Scarry) and sported the Gator gear to make him feel at home! It was very fun to have him here, and we'll be flying back to Lakeland with the seniors and him on Thursday...should be an adventure.

Bath Time!

2007-05-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

Abby loves the bath...here are a few shots of her as she anticipates getting in the water!

Travelin' Baby

2007-05-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

Five Things I've Learned While Flying With A Baby:

1. You DO have to take the baby out of the car seat to go through security, whether they are peaceful and sleeping or not.

1.5. You DON'T have to take the baby out of a sling or Baby Bjorn to go through security, making it the transportation mode of choice.

2. Many airlines allow someone to accompany a traveler all the way to the gate, if they have a "lap child" which is a big help in getting through security, etc.

2.5. If you do go by yourself, don't wear tie tennis shoes--too hard to untie, hold baby, collapse stroller, then tie while still holding baby, assemble stroller, etc.

3. Medela does not cover travel-related damage to breast pumps and airlines discourage you from checking them because they also will not be held responsible. Either carry it on board with you, or put it in a bigger suitcase with clothes around if for protection.

3.5. As you go through security, if you mention "breast" anything (pump, milk, bottles) to the male security personnel, they will move you through quickly, with a funny look on their face and no further questions asked. Perhaps the stressed out, pathetic look on your face also helps move the process along...

4. If you fly an airline with open-seating (Southwest), feeding your baby as the passengers board (or having the baby cry at the top of their lungs) ensures you get at least one open seat next to you. I've tried both (the 2nd scenario not on purpose) and it has worked on all eight flights I have flown so far.

5. There is no magic formula or strategy for getting your baby to sleep on a plane. Just when you think you've figured it out, they cry at the top of their lungs the next flight, just to remind you that you don't.

5.5. The liklihood of the baby having a blowout or throwing up is directly proportional to the amount of time you have to catch your plane, or the length of time still left on the flight. Changing a baby on the tray table is a skill they don't write up in the baby books, but it does work out OK.

Abby and Amy Caroline

2007-05-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

Abby and I were in St. Louis last week and got to meet Amy Caroline Rauls. She was born about four weeks after Abby, and Amy and I enjoyed sharing notes (and aches and pains) through our pregnancies and labor.

Amy Caroline is a sweet baby and we barely heard her make a peep during our two visits. Abby was a little more vocal, and showed her affection for Amy Caroline by a friendly little punch when we put them side by side...I still think they'll be great friends, and hopefully can play together on our visits to Florida.

Abby's Heart

2007-05-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Last week we had our follow-up visit to the Pediatric Cardiologist to check out Abby's heart issues (ASD and VSD) the specialists spotted at 21 weeks, and again 24 hours after she was born. At the exam, neither her doctor, nor the senior specialist on staff could spot any problem with her heartbeat, so they concluded the problems have been healed and no follow-up is necessary!

The docs had expected it to take 1-2 years...it took eight weeks. Among the questions asked, "Is she lethargic at all?" To which we answered a resounding "NO!" We are so thankful for her healthy heart and continue to enjoy her enthusiastic personality.

Abby Part 1-What a Week! (Feb 22-29)

2007-04-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

Abby's One Week Old!

That's one tired daddy...showing moral support during a late night feeding

Abby meets Gramma Sligh...hooray for help!

Time to go home...mom and dad were more excited about it than Abby was.

The Goodman Family
A long day...but worth it all.

"look at all that hair!"
Abigail Jane Goodman
born: 11:59 p.m.
7lbs. 7 oz.
20.5 inches

D-Day 9:00 a.m.

Portland Baby Shower

2007-02-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

Some of my new friends from Intown Church in Portland gave me a baby shower at Karen's house. It was fun to get to know the women better, while enjoying delicious brunch treats and cute baby girl presents. Linnea entertained us and gave me a preview of what is to come with her sparkly shoes and pretty fingernails.

Geoff's Visit--Snowboarding on Mt. Hood

2007-02-14T09:50:00.000-08:00

Geoff came out to see Portland and go snowboarding with James. The weather was rainy (yes, rain on the mountain) and a flat tire delayed the time on the slopes, but it was good to see him and hopefully he can come back sometime in better conditions.

Making Room for Baby G

2007-02-14T09:35:00.000-08:00

The guest room is now officially a baby room--who knew such little things could have so much "gear?" The crib is up and ready to go, and the diaper genie is in position and ready for duty. James stained the beautiful mahogony rocking chair for my Christmas/Birthday present. Now all we need is the baby!

Oregon Coast

2007-02-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

While mom and dad were visiting, we went to see the Oregon Coast--much colder than the Florida shores,but beautiful in a very different way. James ventured out into the water to get some great shots of sea life, including starfish and sea anemones. We had delicious seafood for dinner, topped off with way too much ice cream.