Mmmm, Apples :)

The weather here in the northwest is really holding out for us - so we decided to seize the good fortune and head out to the "Fruit Loop" in the Hood River Valley for some apple picking. The girls were troopers for the long drive, which was worth it. We found a great farm and picked a whole bunch of apples. Afterwards, the girls played on the play fort there on the property. We finished it up with a nice lunch in town. All in all a very enjoyable outing!

More Photos of the Birthday Party

Caleigh Turns One!

Our dear sweet Caleigh turned one today... I can't believe its already that time; it seems like only yesterday I was pregnant with her. If her birth was any indication, Caleigh is an easygoing, light-hearted, mellow little girl. She just rolls with life without complaint. She is sometimes quite serious - getting this contemplative, observant look on her face - but make no mistake, she is a little comedian. She loves following her sister around and is not afraid of anything - I mean anything. She climbs on everything, hasn't found a cord or other safety hazard she isn't curious about, and started walking well before today.

She loves kitty cats, dogs, baby dolls and the Moon, Moon, Moon song. She says "Abba" for her sister Abby, "itty" for the kitty cat, and says "baby" clear as day. Though she still isn't a great sleeper, its made up for with her wonderful disposition.

To celebrate her first birthday we held a party at the Plumper Pumpkin Patch off Old Cornelius Pass Rd. She found a little pumpkin right away and didn't put it down the whole time, carrying it around the patch with her. She met the baby calf (who licked her) and the pigs - no pony ride this year (sorry C). She ate her cake with gusto, finishing by smearing icing on her little pumpkin and attempting to lick it off of that. It was a beautiful fall day for my little Caleigh-Boo.

More September Photos

September Photos

September was a busy month. Abby started preschool at the ABC Children's Academy. She attends 3 days a week and is loving teacher Debbie, Kimberly, and Pat. The things she is learning are invcredible. Already she is writing her own name, and comes home with new sign language every day.

Oregon football season started as well - We had 3 home games in September and tailgated a bunch. The girls even got into the act, sporting their green and yellow - GO DUCKS!!

Finally, there are just some photos of the girls doing their thing - I think they are starting to realize how fun it is to have a sister around to play with. They love to read books together, take walks, play at the park, and chase each other around the house. Caleigh has started taking lots of steps - 4-5 at a time. Walking can't be far off. Abby started ballet/tap classes at a real dance studio. She loves it and its a great outlet for her energy. We are very excited for next month - Caleigh turns 1!!!

More Camp Sherman Photos

Here are some more photos from our trip...

We heart Camp Sherman

In August the family headed to Camp Sherman, Oregon for a little R & R. We have been vacationing in this area (just 15 minutes West of Sisters) for about 6 years now and what is not to like?! Beautiful landscape, easy hikes for kids and parents, and the Lake Creek Lodge (with its famous baked pancake - yum!). Mimi and Papa (aka Dean's parents) and his brother Greg and wife Tina also joined us for a 4 day stay. I wish it had been longer! We took many visits to the "funny tree", watched our Uncle Greg fly-fish, played in the pool, and watched Caleigh perfect her early walking skills (she is so close!!). Here are a few photos :)

More August Photos...

I wanna be a supermodel...

At the end of July we were lucky to have our friend Malissa and her daughter Sabina visit us from Korea (they are part of our original mom's group that met when the girls were about 6 weeks old)... we hit the park for some fun in the sun, NW style. All of the sudden, one of the mom's says "the girls are requesting a photo." Yes, our little supermodels had lined themselves up on the wall of the fountain and were asking for us moms to snap their picture - look out Vogue!

We had a great day at the park - and Malissa's visit was too short (come home Mal, come home!). Abby crashed out when we got home.

Playing catch-up...

I haven't blogged in a long while, so now's time to play catch up... The end of July was pretty uneventful - lots of playing in the park, hanging out at Nana's pool. Caleigh went from standing up and slowly cruising to standing by herself and fast cruising - she keeps trying to take steps - I think it will happen before she turns 1. Her favorite word right now is Abba - for Abby. She just loves her sissy so much. Abby continues with her dance class and swimming - she is a voracious reader - memorizing books faster than we can read them... she has actually branched out in her eating for once, eating more of what I cook for the whole family instead of her staple foods of mac n' cheese and chicken nuggets. Caleigh, on the other hand, completely boycotted baby food - will only eat big girl food like turkey sandwiches, quesadillas, chicken nuggets - the kid is wise beyone her years (and growing up too fast!).... here are some photos for the end of July and beginning of August....

Ridin along in my automobile....

We got Caleigh a little pink push car today... she and Abby took to the streets to test out their hot wheels... Caleigh kept honking the horn and giggling and screaming for Abby. First up Hilton Head Terrace, next step Nascar...

Splish, Splash

Last month we started swim lessons for both girls at the community center. The last time we took on swimming, Abby was only 18 mos. old and hated it. So far we have had much better luck this time with her, and all the more reason to get Caleigh in the water early in her life.

Sisterly love...

Lately we've taken to strolling the hood in our wagon. I was walking along and turned around to catch this moment. Thankfully I had my camera with me to snap it up for posterity. With all the "this is my toy" and "mom, she pulled my hair" and caleigh screaming b/c Abby is "hugging" her (too hard), these moments of unprompted love make it all worth it.

Here's to the Red, White and Blue!

It's that time of year again - the nation's birthday - and my most dreaded holiday! The Fourth of July and I are frenimies... Don't get me wrong, I love my country and all that. What I don't particularly like is that we have day that gives abnoxious Americans license to blow things up until all hours of the night for fun. It wasn't always that way. There was a time that I loved this great excuse for a bbq - all the food and friends. When we lived in SoCal, you did the Fourth right - bbq and hang out and then go down to the beach to watch a great fireworks show. See fireworks are illegal in San Diego. Here in Oregon, however, not only are they not illegal, they have a roadside stand every 15 feet encouraging people to burn their money. Our current neighborhood is better than N. Portland - there, we could expect fireworks going for 2 weeks before, 2 weeks after and usually until 2-3am. Here in suburbia, we are tame - but the show still goes on until 11 or 12 and generally keeps both my kids awake - and not one bit happy about it either.

Ok - enough of my soapbox rant... to mark the day, we had the Fernstroms over (Tim, Robin, Natalie and Nolan) for a traditional bbq. Abigail got dressed in her red white and blue and Caleigh enjoyed having another baby to join her in her "baby jail" for playtime... it was a really nice relaxing day... too bad we had to move a screaming Caleigh from her bedroom into a pack n' play in our closet around 11 pm b/c she was awake and not going back to sleep with the sound of Bagdad outside her window... ahhh, maybe next year we'll go to Sunriver for the week - I hear they ban fireworks there :)

Playgroup comes to the Osterinks

We hosted playgroup this week - lots of wet and wild fun. The kids played in the new whale shaped pool, swang on the swings, and a good time was had by all. I don't usually have my camera around when our playgroup meets, yet we spend so much of our time with these kids (and their mommies) that its nice to finally post some shots of our gal pals (and a few boys now too). Abby has known these kids since she was 6 weeks old and its really getting cute to watch them play together like siblings or cousins because they just know each other so well.

Happy 8 months Caleigh!

Miss Caleigh Marie is eight months old today - hooray! As you can see by the pictures she is one wiggly worm. Caleigh has really developed a certain sense of humor. We love her crooked smile, and her snorty laugh (when she gets excited she starts breathing heavy - hyperventilating really - its comedy to watch her an Abby go at it).
She has 4 teeth (two top and two bottom) and the teething continues. Food is still an issue - the kids has jumped right over baby food and into solids - must be the older sibling. She sleeps through the night occasionally (oops, did I just jinx it? D****!). From crawling to pulling up, Caleigh wants to do everything the big kids can do, YIKES!