tag:www.hairyalien.com,2006-01-02://2 2009-06-11T22:57:09Z Movable Type Pro 4.26 This is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site, subject to copyright and fair use. tag:www.hairyalien.com,2009://2.14276 2009-06-11T22:18:44Z 2009-06-11T22:57:09Z

It's something of a tradition for an older sibling to receive a gift "from" their new baby sibling upon the birth. I suppose the rite was started as a way for the parents to make the big brother or...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com It's something of a tradition for an older sibling to receive a gift "from" their new baby sibling upon the birth. I suppose the rite was started as a way for the parents to make the big brother or sister feel special amid all the hullabaloo over the baby, and perhaps a new toy would help keep the older child occupied in those first days as the parents readjusted to the "getting by on 2 hours of sleep" routine. I also like to think the gift is something of an olive branch extended by the parents on behalf of the baby to the older sibling; a way of communicating for the baby in rudimentary toddler-ese, "Look, kid, I am giving you this awesome new toy so please don't kill me in my sleep even though I am about to destroy life as you know it." Harper has developed something of a thing for penguins of late. It started with his enjoyment of watching the daily penguin feeding at the California Academy of Sciences, and was launched into mild obsession status by his love for the book 365 Penguins, which he would insist we (specifically, the ever-so-patient Byrne) read each time we visited our neighborhood bookstore. So, the baby will be giving him his own copy of the book as well as this pudgy little handknit penguin (I admit, I helped a bit with the knitting part). My hope is that 1) He'll love the gift, and perhaps even his baby sister as well, and 2) He won't immediately request 364 more penguins (this is a distinct possibility, as he is a lover of both large numbers and consistency). The pattern came from the Winter 2004 issue of Knitty, but I first spotted it in a Hail Mary search on Ravelry for a knit penguin patttern. It was an easy and quick knit that I was able to complete in leisurely spurts over a couple of weekends, and it just may have hooked me on knitting plush animals--I like that all the parts are worked separately and then seamed and stuffed, making these types of projects easy to pick up and put down as needed. I would have liked to use a more smushy, soft, and natural fiber, but I had a big skein of cheapo black acrylic yarn left over from some long-ago learning-to-crochet project, so I picked up some cheapo off white and gold to match and got going. In the end, I am thrilled with the results, and now the toy is imminently washable, a fact I am sure I will praise when Harper's sister ruins his life yet again by spitting up all over his (hopefully) beloved handknit penguin. P.S.: Please forgive the substandad photo, taken with my phone. I finished knitting this in a bit of late-pregnancy nesting panic, and it immediately went into my hospital bag, which immediately went into the back of the car to await the onset of labor. Ducks--or penguins as they were--must all be in a row at this point, lest I go a little more crazy.]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2009://2.14236 2009-05-10T17:32:41Z 2009-05-10T17:50:26Z

So many little reasons to feel big happiness this morning: My boys return home tonight, after their weekend away! I have an amazing mother and mothers-in-law and am supported, encouraged, and loved by such a wonderful network of women--all...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com So many little reasons to feel big happiness this morning:

1. My boys return home tonight, after their weekend away!
2. I have an amazing mother and mothers-in-law and am supported, encouraged, and loved by such a wonderful network of women--all of whom I celebrate today.
3. I have generous and loving neighbors, who knew I was alone today and delivered a plate of homemade challah French toast topped with fresh berries and whipped cream, and a mimosa with just enough Champagne. Almost as much as the delicious food, I appreciated the sight of a pajama-ed, morning-haired little one--something I was missing this morning.
4. I got to read a good chunk of the Sunday Times undisturbed over breakfast, and I have plans to read the rest of it this afternoon.
5. Perfect, warm farmer's market weather.
6. A jam-packed staycation for me that included lunches and dinners out with friends, shopping, a much-needed pedicure, a long walk, reading, knitting, a massage, yoga, crafting, hanging out in the garden, couch napping, and in-bed laptop movie-watching, plus plenty of time to do a major clean-out of the pantry and bathroom cupboards and catch up on bills and paperwork. The perfect combination of resting and nesting!

]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2009://2.14235 2009-05-07T21:36:36Z 2009-05-07T22:09:41Z

This weekend, Byrne took Harper to Austin for a visit and I decided to stay home to do some resting and nesting and enjoy some much-needed quiet alone time before Little Miss Reese comes waltzing into our lives. What do...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com This weekend, Byrne took Harper to Austin for a visit and I decided to stay home to do some resting and nesting and enjoy some much-needed quiet alone time before Little Miss Reese comes waltzing into our lives. What do I have planned? A whole lotta nothin'. Seriously. I have nothing against socializing, and there certainly are some friends I'd like to reconnect with this weekend if the opportunity arises. But a big part of this break for me is the liberation from a schedule for the first time in the last three years of my life. Spontaneity has been on a hiatus around here, and I am just now realizing how much I've really missed it. I'm out of practice. An already-emerging theme of this weekend has been re-learning how to slow down. At lunch today, I found myself initially fidgety. When my food arrived, my first instinct was to dive in and eat quickly. Part of that was due to the fact that I had been fasting since the night before for a blood draw, and I was ravenous. But also, I have become so accustomed to eating quickly while simultaneously taking care of someone else's needs. So I set my fork down, took a breath, sipped my drink, leaned back in my chair, and pulled out a book. I accepted a refill on my iced tea. When the waitress tried to clear my plate prematurely, I politely asked her to leave it so I could nibble some more. After lunch, I decided to browse the bookstore down the street. Again, I found myself rushing, quickly searching through my mental files for any books I've been meaning to check out. It took a few minutes of feeling mildly frantic before I realized: I don't need to be anywhere else right now. No one is hungry or tired or bored or asking to go home or to the park. I can linger. And linger I did, so long that I didn't realize my watch had stopped ticking and my parking meter was expired. Oops. Or was my ignorance to the passage of time all part of the lesson of these few precious days? My boys are off on an adventure together, and I am here alone, enjoying the quiet thrill that comes with relearning simple ways of being happy and free. So far, it has been the best Mother's Day gift I never knew I wanted. tag:www.hairyalien.com,2009://2.10738 2009-02-14T21:12:50Z 2009-02-14T21:23:52Z

May your day be sweet and filled with the kind of romance and treats that can only come straight from the heart....

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com May your day be sweet and filled with the kind of romance and treats that can only come straight from the heart.]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2009://2.10719 2009-02-02T01:04:23Z 2009-02-02T01:14:35Z

We don't know 'bout no bowl, but it was a definitely a super Sunday for a long walk/treasure hunt at the Albany Bulb....

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com We don't know 'bout no bowl, but it was a definitely a super Sunday for a long walk/treasure hunt at the Albany Bulb.]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2009://2.10712 2009-01-21T05:56:23Z 2009-01-21T07:00:26Z

There's nothing I can say about today's events that has not already been said many times and by many people. So I'll just share with you the story of our day, which was very special indeed. We decided Monday night...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com We decided Monday night that we simply could not stay home and watch the inauguration of our country's first African-American President on our couch behind shut doors. I wanted Harper to witness something of this day, and I knew that while he would never remember what was shown and said on television, he just might remember the excitement that so many people were feeling if he could see it in person. We woke up to a crisp, sunny morning, and after greeting one of our neighbors with shouts of shared joy, we set off for Berkeley to watch the inauguration broadcast on a giant video screen in Sproul Plaza. It was so moving for Byrne and me to witness history in a place of such historical and personal significance for us. The air was electric as students, faculty, and community members packed in tightly to listen with silence and respect (except for some collective cheering, and OK, occasional booing) to the morning's proceedings. I will never forget where I was and how I felt this morning, standing with my family surrounded by a sea of strangers--our family for that precious hour. May we all move forward with the same sense of inspiration we felt today, the same energy, focus, and determination to pull this country up and out and to help it reach its fullest promise. ]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2009://2.10699 2009-01-10T08:02:46Z 2009-01-10T08:03:30Z

So for several days I have been trying to compose a colossal holiday catch-up post with photos that I have to wrangle from two cameras and two computers, while simultaneously wrangling a crazy two-and-a-half-year-old, and I finally figured, hey, it's...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Reese Baby Number Two is on his or her merry way! The official due date is July 4, which we think would be a pretty awesome birthday to have, barbecues and explosives and all. You may wonder, isn't this less-than-ideal timing, with an unemployed husband and a tanking economy? Well, yes, back in October we were thrilled and a little scared to see a positive pregnancy test, and exactly two weeks later we were a little less thrilled and more scared when my husband's company cut him loose. But, as I suspect it always is when one prepares to welcome another life into the world, there is much to fear but also so much more to be joyful about. We have our health and the love and support of our family and friends, and we're going to have a sweet little baby. What could be better than that?]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10675 2008-11-26T22:13:23Z 2008-11-26T22:48:30Z

It's been a wonderful pre-holiday week in Austin, Texas, with mild fall weather, much family fun, and delicious food for days leading up to the grand finale, my sister-in-law's Oaxacan Thanksgiving feast tomorrow. I don't feel bad about dropping the...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com It's been a wonderful pre-holiday week in Austin, Texas, with mild fall weather, much family fun, and delicious food for days leading up to the grand finale, my sister-in-law's Oaxacan Thanksgiving feast tomorrow. I don't feel bad about dropping the ball on my daily posts these last few days: Every night finds me falling into a fluffily made antique bed and drifting into happy sleep as soon as my head hits the many pillows. There are some things to worry over as this year draws to a close, but we have so much more to be joyful about, so, onward! We give thanks. May tomorrow and the weeks ahead find you wrapped in gratitude and the warmth of family and friends. tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10674 2008-11-24T04:43:03Z 2008-11-24T04:34:04Z

The other day, I heard Harper stirring awake from his nap, so I wrapped up some work in our adjacent bedroom while he woke up. Suddenly I heard him bolt up in his crib and shout, "Turkeys! Get down!" What...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Our neighbor's turkeys had wandered over into our backyard, climbed up the two flights of stairs to our top deck, perched themselves on the railing, and couldn't figure out how to get down. They paced nervously back and forth despite Harper's clear instructions to "Jump down! Now!" Eventually all three sort of leapt/flew up to the roof. They are not the most intelligent animals. I think they sense that their days are numbered, and they're getting desperate. Still, I'll be a little sad to not see them anymore when we return from our long weekend. Happy Thanksgiving! ]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10673 2008-11-22T01:57:21Z 2008-11-22T04:55:50Z

The other night we staged a spontaneous photo shoot in the kitchen, courtesy of Photo Booth and its various fun-house effects. Once we got past our initial horrified reaction to seeing our child grotesquely deformed, hilarity ensued. We hadn't laughed...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Photo Booth and its various fun-house effects. Once we got past our initial horrified reaction to seeing our child grotesquely deformed, hilarity ensued. We hadn't laughed this hard in a long time. Never let it be said that I am vain. Wondering how Harper can be so ahead of the curve? It's his ginormous brain!: Byrne molding his child to conform with our family values: It's a good thing we found each another: And now, to scrub those disturbing images out of your brain, something cute: ]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10671 2008-11-21T07:48:50Z 2008-11-21T07:51:04Z

Some nights, even in November, there just isn't a blog post. Maybe tomorrow. In the meantime, you can read my 140-characters-or-less pearls of wisdom at Twitter....

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Twitter. ]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10670 2008-11-19T19:09:21Z 2008-11-19T22:24:09Z

It has its ups and downs. On the one hand, it's all, "No, no, no, no! No breffixed (breakfast)!" and "Waaahhh! Want a lollipop!" But then you also get early-morning snuggles accompanied by jokes like this: Knock, knock. Who's there?...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Knock, knock. Who's there? Banana. Banana who? Banana! I love you!]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10669 2008-11-18T15:45:16Z 2008-11-18T15:50:36Z

My son and I take a trip to our neighborhood branch of the Oakland Public Library every three weeks or so to load up on new books, since we read several a day and we've long since blown through my...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Oakland Public Library every three weeks or so to load up on new books, since we read several a day and we've long since blown through my large collection of children's titles. I always look for books that correspond with his admittedly eclectic interests, and I have been completely surprised by how successful I've been at finding just the thing. For example, several months back Harper developed a real affinity for signs. Traffic signs, construction signs, signs in the airport, signs identifying elevators and public restrooms. Our time in the car, on the bike, and with the stroller became a never-ending barrage of questions about signage: "What that sign is? What does it mean?" The next time we were at the library, I typed "traffic signs" into the online catalog on a whim and in the hopes of getting a break from identifying every sign we encountered. Lo and behold: When the Whole Foods Market opened in Oakland, Harper was very excited. He could care less about a pretty, well organized store with a great cheese counter, quality deli, fresh juice bar, or café with free WiFi. No, the real reason for going to Whole Foods is the elevator that takes customers from the rooftop parking lot to the store at street level. Likewise, when we went to Portland last summer, he was ambivalent about the great zoo, children's museum and parks--he would have been content to stay in the hotel and ride the elevator up and down four floors all week. The mission of our next trip to the library was to find a book about elevators. Eureka: Harper's newest obsession is Roman numerals. This definitely makes him an odd duck in the 2-and-a-half-year-old crowd, but he mastered the alphabet and numbers long ago, and when he saw Roman numeral chapter headings in a book we were reading at bedtime, he wanted to know what they meant. We explained, and then all he wanted to do was find the Roman numerals in the book every night. He started laying out his magnetic alphabet not in words, but in Roman numeral-like sequences, and asking us to translate. Yesterday at the library, we were browsing the shelves, not looking for anything in particular. I ended up in the single-subject area of the children's section, at the shelf with books about numbers and basic math. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this: Whether the credit goes to the breadth of the children's publishing industry or the collections of the Oakland Public Library, I say hooray for books! ]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10668 2008-11-17T22:39:55Z 2008-11-17T22:43:37Z

Let this be a warning to you, Trader Joe's shoppers. Do not buy these caramels. I repeat: Do not buy them. You will see them on the store shelves, tucked in with the rest of the seasonal treats, and...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Let this be a warning to you, Trader Joe's shoppers. Do not buy these caramels. I repeat: Do not buy them. You will see them on the store shelves, tucked in with the rest of the seasonal treats, and at first you will be charmed by their packaging. That font! Those colors! That sweet little lighthouse, like a beacon in the stormy night, drawing you nearer and nearer. You'll be all, I like dark chocolate. And sea salt. And caramel. You will think, just one of these will be a perfect, sweet little bite after dinner. But you will be wrong. Oh, so wrong. Just try eating one of these. I blame the lighthouse.]]> tag:www.hairyalien.com,2008://2.10667 2008-11-17T05:30:48Z 2008-11-17T05:38:40Z

Who is this little boy, and what has he done with my sweet, tiny baby?...

Arin http://www.hairyalien.com Who is this little boy, and what has he done with my sweet, tiny baby?]]>