a step towards self-awareness

Another developmental step today for Elijah!  He referred to himself by name.
"Ee-eye shoo!" he announced, pointing at his bare feet and then his shoes on the ground. Eli's shoes.  I've never officially heard him say his own name, so this was a sweet moment!

He's starting to become aware of names, too.  Elijah has made two little friends, twins, by the names of Ryan and Jamie.  He has no trouble with the name Ryan, but when I ask him to say Jamie, he laughs and says "Awww, Mama!"  Does he know my name's Jamie, but he calls me Mama?

Taos, NM

On Friday I had a meeting at the University of Colorado in Boulder, so we decided to make a trip out of it and drive the eight hours from Albuquerque up to Boulder with stops every few hours at sites along the way. Our first stop was a town located in northern New Mexico called Taos. Taos is an unusual location (as many places are in the southwest we’re discovering!) full of art galleries, museums, a 1000 year old pueblo listed as the first living World Heritage site, and good food. We visited Kit Carson’s home, the legendary trapper/explorer of the southwest. I’m always amazed to hear how people lived in those days and the sacrifices and trials they went through to live. Kit Carson was no exception. An interesting story about Kit was when the Civil War broke out some Confederate leaners in Taos wanted to fly the Confederate flag; however, Kit and some others were against it as they believed in the Union so strongly they nailed an American Flag to a pole and guarded it with their lives. So to this day Taos is only one of seven locations in the US where the flag is allowed to be flown continuously.

Following the Kit Carson museum we enjoyed a wonderful New Mexican lunch at a place called Orlando’s where Elijah succeeded in charming the whole dining room, while stuffing his face with chips and hot salsa.
Later on we visited the Taos Pueblo (this picture was borrowed from the internet as we were not allowed to take our camera in on the day we visited due to there being ceremonies).

The Pueblo is still a living community of the Taos tribe with ~ 200 members living in the homes you see above with many more living in modern accommodations outside the village area. The day we visited they were having religious ceremonies that involved many of them dressed in traditional attire, dancing, and chanting. It was an interesting experience to be there during that time. The Pueblo owns the mountain in the above picture and treats that area as sacred. The water that comes off of the mountain is the sole source of drinking water for the people who transport it to their homes in pales much the way it was done hundreds of years before.
On our way out of Taos we drove over the Rio Grande which has cut an ~700ft valley through the volcanic plane near Taos.


Shortly after the bridge we passed a bunch of very weird homes we later learned where called the Earthship community. Supposedly these homes are all ultra-eco-friendly community with passive solar hearting, solar powered, and virtually completely off the grid. (pictures borrowed from the web as we didn’t stop to take their picture.) They were pretty bizarre looking.

There’s no way we could put all we did on this trip in a single post, so coming soon look for the rest of our trip in future posts.

Elmo's everywhere!

After his recent appearance in the alphabet (H, I, J, K, Elmo, P...), Elmo has started to pop up everywhere.  Elijah is learning to say different parts of the body, and was delighted that on his arm he has an "Elmo!" (elbow.)  Then on a recent road trip, we supplied Elijah with all sorts of snacks (yes, bribes) to keep him happy.  Elijah was thrilled when we offered him Elmo Cookies (animal crackers, pronounced "Elmo Koo-kaa.")

For a little guy who has only seen Elmo on TV a few times, Elmo certainly has made an impression on him!

2010: Looking back

At the end of each year, David's family has a tradition of reflecting on the past year together.  They call it a "Vision Retreat," though I just more think of it as looking back so we can look forward.  My friend Ruthie encouraged me to post some of those things, and actually had questions that consolidated many of the things David and I discussed.  So here are a few reflections on 2010:

What was one goal you accomplished in 2010?
We decided where we would “go next” after David finished his post-doctorate.  This was a decision that has been in the background for years, and it was so relieving to finally see God’s direction when the time was right for decision.

What is your favorite memory of 2010?
I loved walking to the beach.  I must have gone to Singing Beach at least 3-4 times a week of all seasons of the year.  We brought many friends to the beach for wonderful times.  David and I had a special Saturday routine of walking to our favorite local coffee shop for breakfast, then on to the beach where Elijah would chase seagulls (and we would chase after him,) and we would look for sea glass or just watch the waves.

What is your least favorite memory of 2010?
One week before we moved, David was in Alaska for a rocket launch, and I was trying to pack up our apartment with a curious toddler (who “Took Out” almost as quickly as I “Put In.”)  Then I got the flu.  I was miserable, unable to get out of bed because of my fever, and with a high-energy little boy (and no baby gates, because David had already packed them up!)

I called up a neighbor I had only just met at MOPS, and she blessed me beyond belief by taking care of Elijah for 2 days while I basically slept.  Elijah had a blast with her two kids, and she told me later, “If I have a third child, it’s because of how well my kids got along with your little son!”  Which brings me to what I am most thankful for in 2010: the Body of Christ in action.

What was the best trip you took in 2010?
Surprising our family by coming home for Christmas!  Every single one of David’s 8 siblings (and families) were home, and because we almost weren’t able to make it, it was so special and meaningful to be with family, that we treasured every minute.

What was your favorite purchase in 2010?
Our house!  After years of tiny apartments, we can hardly believe that we own a beautiful three-bedroom home.  We no longer have to army-crawl out of Elijah’s room for fear of the floors creaking and waking him up.  We no longer hear our neighbors through a shared wall. (Our neighbor, Craig, was a fisherman who needed to wake up at 4 a.m.  If I didn’t wake up to his alarm clock, I would wake up to him walking down the stairs as the floor boards creaked so loudly!) Our new home is beautiful, and is across the street from a park with a nice green space for Elijah to play.

What was the best book you read in 2010?
Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child. I must have read every baby sleep book ever written! David actually forbade me from starting a sentence with, “This book says…”  I had no idea that “lack of sleep” would be the hardest parenting challenge to date, or how desperately I would be turning for advice in the area of baby sleep.  I also was totally unprepared for the “all-or-nothing” dogmatic tone most baby sleep books take, often with little-to-no research.  Most of the books left me feeling rotten, convinced our child would never sleep through the night, or would have sleep problems for the rest of his life (which would be all my fault.)  Our prayer request in our small group for most of 2010 was “for Elijah to sleep.” 

But like I said, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child was actually an extremely helpful, middle ground, balanced approach, written by a doctor who (gasp) studied sleep for 10 years before writing the book.  Though it was not well organized, it was helpful, and with its advice, Elijah, at 15 months of age started sleeping through the night.  I told David that this was what I was proudest of this year, that I could actually look back and feel proud of how we handled this challenge!

The other book I loved of this year was The Jesus Storybook Bible.  It’s a children’s book, and I urge every adult to read it!  I used this book in my Bible classes that I taught at the elementary school.  I love the poetic, beautiful language it uses to communicate God’s love for us, and how the stories of Jesus are echoed all throughout the Bible. 

What changed about you in 2010?
I started to feel like a mother.  And relax in that role.

What made you cry in 2010?
Leaving our home, dear friends, church, school and the ocean and moving to Albuquerque.  I’m still crying about this in 2011.  Moving was so hard for me.

What is one home project you accomplished in 2010?
We bought our first home!

Best meal of 2010?
Seafood chowder and fried clams at J. T. Farnhums in Ipswitch, overlooking the salt-marshes. Then driving over to Russell’s Orchard, smelling the tantalizing scent of apple cider donuts before we even stepped out of the car.  Eating the donuts, made fresh before our eyes with hot apple cider, while sitting outside, admiring the fall leaves and pumpkins… I think we did this meal a few times it was so utterly amazing.  Fall in New England at it’s best!

What made you want to scream in 2010?
Traffic.  It took nearly 2 hours to get to work when on off-rush hour it would only take 25 minutes.  Fortunately, on days I worked, David and I would commute together, with a mostly patient Elijah in the backseat.  David commuted 2-4 hours every day.

What was your verse of 2010? 

I memorized Philippians 3 and 4 this past year, the first time I have ever memorized such a large portion of Scripture.  These verses were especially meaningful this year as through my long nights up with Elijah, I would run over them in my mind.  These verses were so powerful to me:

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

first impressions of ABQ: the driving and the food

 

Picture from delish.com



great (New) Mexican food: We've been enjoying trying out different restaurants. When you go to eat at a New Mexican restaurant they ask "Red or green?" meaning the type of chile.  Both David and I already love the famous Hatch green chile. My favorite Mexican dish, the enchilada, just got so much better down here with the green chile... 



Picture from El Pinto restaurant



Even Elijah loves chips and salsa (go figure... he loves hummus, salsa, Pad Thai, and curried lentils, too... complicated and strong flavors for a little man.) And sopapillas...Fluffy fried dough that you drizzle with honey.  They come with your meal, and wow.  They melt in your mouth (and instantly put out any fire the chiles may have made there!)

Picture from ivyroad.blogspot.com

they don't know how to drive here, either: We are enjoying that there is so little traffic. Left turns are a delight, because often, there aren't many cars on the road. David comes home from work each day grinning at his 20 minute (or less) commute. But... it seems there are more accidents here, and serious ones, at that. We haven't quite figured out why, but I suspect it is because no one is on the lookout for other drivers. One of my favorite parts of driving in Boston (a city of crazy driving, mind you) was that most everyone was on the lookout for someone to do something stupid, so you were fairly safe. Here... I don't think people are fully paying attention. Also, no one uses a turn signal, though it's not the Boston "Sign of Weakness"... We think they're just not used to having other people on the road... you know, growing pains of the city.

first impressions of ABQ: the dirt and the view

We've traded the sand of the beach for sand of the desert: There is dust and dirt everywhere.  I laughed when a native New Mexican joked about the nickname of the state: "Land of Enchantment."  She turned to me and said "The Enchantment's really the dirt.  My husband sees it's windy outside and says 'Look, the Enchantment's blowing.'"

gorgeous view: Instead of the ocean, we look at the mountains every day.  Our view is spectacular-- looking over the valley and looking up to the mountains. When the sun hits the mountains just right, they just catch you by surprise, they are so beautiful.  Each night from our house we can watch as the light fades away and the lights of the city spread out before us.  It is truly spectacular.

weird weather: Yes, it does snow in ABQ, but it's usually the mornings, and it's gone by 3 p.m.  Storms fly through... hailing one minute, but 15 minutes later, a clear sky.  It's unseasonably cold right now at 32 degrees, but the sunrise and sunset are always clear and gorgeous.  When the sun goes down, though, it gets cold. 

lots of potential for hikes and trips: We're spending a lot of time settling in, but are taking advantage of our situation close to mountain for some great hikes.

botanical garden

On Saturday we set out in search of green.  We found it in the Botanical Garden.

The Children's Fantasy Garden was a big hit with Elijah.  I thought he would be intimidated by the enormous ants, bees and dragon, but he laughed in delight when he saw them, and wanted to climb on them.  Hopefully he doesn't ever run into actual 3-foot insects.  We fear he will show no caution.


Elijah spotted the extensive Garden Railroad, and climbed up on the fence to watch, announcing "Choo-choo!" to anyone who passed by.  He was very disappointed when the trains shut down at 4:30 p.m.  He adores trains.

We are looking forward to coming back here in the spring to see the gardens in full bloom, particularly the rose garden arbour.

When the sun sets in NM, it gets cold very quickly, so we only took a glimpse at the large Japanese garden, built in conjunction with ABQ's sister-city, Sasebo, Japan.  It was enough to see they nailed it!  Even the small details were perfect.  It was gorgeous.  Just like stepping back into Japan.

On our way out of the garden, we stepped into the Mediterranean green house to warm up.  As we breathed the warm, humid air, and admired the blooming flowers and green trees, I told David that if ever the brown of ABQ got to me, he could find me here in the greenhouse!

Jamie's Birthday: a sunset tram ride and a mysterious package

January 3, 2011

 Celebrating my birthday for the first time in Albuquerque turned out to be a wonderful, memorable experience!  We took a sunset tram ride up the Sandia mountains on the longest tram in the USA.  

I'm not going to lie.  I was a little scared!  Looking down...

But what a spectacular view of Albuquerque!

As the sun light faded away, the lights of the city began to sparkle across the Rio Grande valley. 

We ate in a New Mexican restaurant, thanks to Tim's thoughtful Christmas gift to us, enjoying the view, and the most amazing eggplant enchilada with black bean filling, topped with avocado-corn guacamole.  "Yum" doesn't begin to describe it.  I'll be back for more of that!  Anyone else want some? I know where to get it!

Then for the tradition... For the past two decades (long time, huh?) my brother Jeremy has made a treasure hunt for me for my birthday.  The tradition started with my unfortunate habit as a child to get sick on my birthday.  To cheer me up one year when we were kids, Jeremy designed a treasure hunt for me.  They started off sweet and simple ("Look under the piano bench,") but with each passing year, they took on greater skill and difficulty. I now require a team of advisors.

Jeremy has had me climbing ladders, using a metal detector in the snow to find a clue, consulting Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Tolkein, and Josephus, solving double-acrostics, often with the clues written as elaborate poems, sometimes rhyming, always clever.  One year I happened to be on a ski trip, and he arranged for my friends to each be holding clues for me to request from them!  Another year he was in Japan, it was a web-based search. But most years, as my birthday is so close to Christmas, we've been able to be together for the hunt. This year, I received a package in the mail, with birthday greetings in Morse code, binary code, and the famous "Dancing Men" cypher from Sherlock Holmes.  Inside were several notes written in cypher explaining how to use the enclosed decoder wheel. Amazing.

My gift was a book he thought I would enjoy called Ella Minnow Pea. (Read the title aloud... L, M, N, O, P... get it?) I laughed when I saw it because just that afternoon, I had a similar exchange with Elijah.

Elijah has started requesting songs at bedtime.  He'll crane his head up to look at me and say, "B-I-B-I-B-I" ("The B-I-B-L-E,") or "Me, Me, Me" ("Jesus Loves the Little Ones Like Me,") or the latest addition to our repertoire, thanks to cousins Sam, Dave, Renee and Isaiah, "Tractor Wheatie!" ("Tractor, Tractor Harvesting the Wheat.") The last couple of nights, however, Elijah has requested "Elmo."  I was puzzled, as we have never heard or sang an Elmo song. Then today at nap time, I was singing him the "A, B, Cs."  I got to the part "L, M, N, O, P" when Elijah grins and says in a satisfied voice, "Elmo." You know... "H, I, J, K, Elmo, P..."

So to receive a book that played, not only on the alphabet, but on those very letters, was too funny!

Christmas with the Vosses 2010

a photo journal

 

toddler talk

Elijah is now 19 months...  Full of energy, full of opinions, and though he has made amazing strides with comprehension and ability communicate, often gets frustrated when we don't "get it."  We've had more tears and tantrums lately because of this...

• -Can name backhoe, excavator, bulldozer, skidsteer, farm tractor, school bus, dump truck, tow truck, mail man, garbage truck... notice that his passion continues?  While reading an I-Spy board book with Elijah I asked, "Where's the bucket?"  The picture was a beach scene with a big bucket and shovel with sand, and way in the corner, a tiny tractor.  Elijah points right at the tractor's bucket, ignoring the large, central sand bucket.
•  -Expressing interest.  Elijah now can say (and shout) "I like..." (example: "I like choo-choo!"  "I like Da-da!") 
• -Plays with cars, trains, trucks, tractors... makes "Vroom, vroom!" noises 
• -Likes to go "Up-high!"
•  -Dump truck:  "Dump-it-down!"-fire: "awwa"-reminds us to pray at dinner (says "amen!"), or to turn the light off in the car when we get out-Points out family members and friends in photographs when named (sometimes says their names, too)  
• -Does not like it when I wear a jacket, hat or glasses.  In fact, he will say "Mama, no..." and pull at the jacket, hat or glasses until I take it off.  It doesn't bother him so much when Daddy wears those things, so not sure what to make of this. 
• -thoroughly enjoys the word "no."  Even if he wants something, he loves responding, "No," simply, and turning his nose up slightly at the offer. 
• -multi-lingual... or at least that's what we're claiming.  Calls his great-grandmother (my Nana)  "Ya-ya" which is Greek. (Cute note: he also continues to "sign" her name too, by clapping both hands on his face and putting his head at an angle, a little game they played when she visited a couple of months ago.)  The word "yes" for Elijah is "da," which is the word in Russian.  We're working on a few Japanese words, but as of yet, it's a no-go.  He did try his trainer chopsticks, though. 
• -waves "Hello!" to the mountains each morning when David takes him downstairs.  He likes waving at people and animals, too. 
• -Now insists on sleeping with his monkey ("Na-na") in one hand, and his little "boo-choo-choo" in the other.  It was a compromise.  I wouldn't let him go to sleep clutching the toothpaste tube with a picture of the train on it, so we settled on the little blue train.