John on the home stretch
Katie about a kilometer from the finish
Meghan waiting for the runnersIf there's another race next month, they might just do it again.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Race the Base 5K
Today, John and Katie ran a 5 kilometer race. It took place on base in conjunction with a half marathon, a 10K and 3K races. It was John's first competitive race in almost 30 years and Katie's first one ever. All things considered, they did great! They both ran their personal best times at that distance ;^) It gave Katie a chance to see what a race is like before her first cross-country meet next Saturday.
John on the home stretch
Katie about a kilometer from the finish
Meghan waiting for the runners
If there's another race next month, they might just do it again.
John on the home stretchKatie about a kilometer from the finishMeghan waiting for the runnersIf there's another race next month, they might just do it again.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Pottery
The Arts & Crafts Center on base now offers homeschool art class on Friday mornings. This is great news for us because the class used to be held on Wednesdays, which was too disruptive to our school schedule. By Friday, we are finished (enough) with our work for the week and ready to venture out to activities.
This month, we have spent a joyful hour each week making pinch pots, coil pots, and slab pots (well, sushi plates from slabs). We have learned about kilns (not ovens), firing (not baking), and glazing with brightly-colored glazes.
Matthew, especially, has had a wonderful time. He has needed my direction during the class to keep him on task, but he is able to work with the clay, and results have been very satisfying. He loves that he has made dishes that he can really use.
Matthew's "Breakfast Set" of bowl, cup, and pitcher.
These are pinch pots, which he made and glazed, at least the first coat of each, himself.
Joseph also made a bowl and cup for his breakfast. His design was more considered. From his work, we learned an important lesson about glaze: you have to read the labels before painting it on because before firing, the colors are very different from afterward. Joseph thought he used the same blue glaze on the cup as he had used the week before on the bowl, but it turned out to be a much brighter blue. Still very attractive, but not matching. Thankfully, he's happy with the result anyway.
Joseph's cereal bowl and juice cup
Next week, we'll get our sushi plates and coil pots (pencil holders) out of the kiln. Then on to more pottery adventures in October. :-)
This month, we have spent a joyful hour each week making pinch pots, coil pots, and slab pots (well, sushi plates from slabs). We have learned about kilns (not ovens), firing (not baking), and glazing with brightly-colored glazes.
Matthew, especially, has had a wonderful time. He has needed my direction during the class to keep him on task, but he is able to work with the clay, and results have been very satisfying. He loves that he has made dishes that he can really use.
Matthew's "Breakfast Set" of bowl, cup, and pitcher.Joseph also made a bowl and cup for his breakfast. His design was more considered. From his work, we learned an important lesson about glaze: you have to read the labels before painting it on because before firing, the colors are very different from afterward. Joseph thought he used the same blue glaze on the cup as he had used the week before on the bowl, but it turned out to be a much brighter blue. Still very attractive, but not matching. Thankfully, he's happy with the result anyway.
Joseph's cereal bowl and juice cupWednesday, September 23, 2009
Tickles
While I was taking video of Meghan eating breakfast yesterday, Matthew sat down across the table with his breakfast. Meghan cast an adoring glance his way, and then pretended to tickle him. He responded by making tickling sounds and wiggling his fingers at her. Here it is with apologies for the shaky bit at the beginning. I was adjusting the camera angle to avoid showing you the pile of clutter on the kitchen counter. ;-) (password: tickle)
M Tickled Pink from John & Judith Riordon on Vimeo.
Breakfast
Meghan ate big-people oatmeal with peaches for the first time today.
(password: oatmeal)
I was so happy about her neatness--until lunchtime when she spread her yakisoba across her tray, her bib, and herself. She is still a 15-month-old, and luckily, her cuteness makes up for most of it. ;-)
(password: oatmeal)
M at Breakfast from John & Judith Riordon on Vimeo.
I was so happy about her neatness--until lunchtime when she spread her yakisoba across her tray, her bib, and herself. She is still a 15-month-old, and luckily, her cuteness makes up for most of it. ;-)
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
First haircut
Meghan's bangs have been in her eyes, so Katie and I decided it was time for her first haircut. I just trimmed her bangs a little, but it made her look much older.
She wasn't sad when I cut her hair, but she didn't want to stay in place to have her picture taken.
While we were playing beauty shop, we made some pigtails, too. She wouldn't let me do them until Katie had the brilliant idea of letting Meghan brush her hair while I brushed Meghan's.
Once we let her get down, she started dancing around. A new haircut dance?
Maybe it's the new pigtails dance.
Here she is later with the pigtails out. She has those cute curls in back all the time. Her whole head gets curly after her bath and on humid days, just like Katie's did.
She wasn't sad when I cut her hair, but she didn't want to stay in place to have her picture taken.
While we were playing beauty shop, we made some pigtails, too. She wouldn't let me do them until Katie had the brilliant idea of letting Meghan brush her hair while I brushed Meghan's.
Once we let her get down, she started dancing around. A new haircut dance?
Maybe it's the new pigtails dance.
Here she is later with the pigtails out. She has those cute curls in back all the time. Her whole head gets curly after her bath and on humid days, just like Katie's did.
Words, words, words
A Meghan update
At 15 1/2 months, this g irl seems to learn a new word every day, sometimes more than one. Some of her first words are already morphing into more recognizable sounds. I want to write them down before I forget the initial cuteness.
Her first word: mama I had to get one out of six, right? every other baby said dada first :-)
Soon after mama, she said dada--now dah-dee, not to be confused with dah-dee, which means doggy--these are homophones, only discernable through context or the pointed finger
Dog: used to be dah, now is dah-dee
She said something for rabbit this morning, and star, as she pointed at, and we talked about, her Miffy cup at breakfast. But she hasn't repeated it, so I'm not sure if she really knows them yet.
bay-bee: usually shrieked at top volume and accompanied by a finger pointing at a child who is anywhere from 0 to 3--also for lifelike dolls
dah-for dolls that look fake--kokeshi, her little pink teething doll
duy-rhyming with and meaning "guy" for plastic figures that the boys play with, plastic bath toy people, and wooden Plan City figures, although sometimes she calls those dah (doll)
Bah-this is bath, which she turns to me and says hopefully after every meal, hoping that it is time for her daily after-dinner dunking
wahh-this is wall. She points to it. We're not sure why walls are significant to her, but she knows the word.
chay-for chair, any chair, but usually means she wants to sit in one or someone else is sitting in one
chee-cheese
shih-fish (for the pets in our aquarium, a stuffed toy, or a picture of a fish, but usually not for her fish dinner unless we say it first)
eee-ahh-for cat, but she still mostly refers to all furry animals as dah-dee (see above) until told otherwise by the nearest family member
(grrrr--a roaring noise)-it's not exactly a word, but it's what she always uses for lions and reverts to for bears after we remind her that bears are not dogs
oww-for out, which she uses to mean "Pick me up," "Open this please," "Get me out of my chair," "I would like to go outdoors and play on my slide now," "Take off your watch/ring/bracelet and let me play with it," etc. in the same way that Matthew used to say "ope it"
boohhh-book. She loves books. Especially the ones with bay-bees and dah-dees (any animal) in them.
beeeee??? often accompanied by her version of the ASL sign--hand on heart--for please, always said in a very beguiling tone
nak-snack just like her cousin CJ
ay-eggs
doe-toast
She signs "eat" when she wants to eat (if she isn't pulling on my skirt and insistently saying "nak...nak"), but if she sees a picture of animals eating or a baby in a high chair, she says "eee"
She signs "drink" too, or else says "bup," for cup, when she wants a drink
For nurse, she signs and says "dih" I have absolutely no idea why.
A side note: she loves yakisoba, plain yogurt, most fruits and vegetables, cheese, eggs, and the cream cheese I spread on her morning toast. She is not particularly fond of toast itself, although she will come back and eat it for morning snack shortly after having left it at breakfast.
She is no longer a fan of baby cereal. This is most likely because I bought 3 boxes of organic baby cereal while we were home and carried them home in the suitcase because it is impossible to find here. Anyone on base need some baby cereal?
Names: She has a name for most everyone in the family
pah-pah-Patrick (and sometimes for photos of Tommy--sorry Tommy, you'll just have to get home and spend a little time with her to get your own name)
day-dee (used to be day-day)-Katie
doe-doe-Joseph
bo-bo-Matthew (we guess this is because Joseph calls him Buddy)
dee-dee-Jesus (for any crucifix, cross, or Biblical-looking male, and the Infant of Prague statue on our home altar, but that might be because he has a cross on his crown :-))
may-may-Mary (for Mary and most female figures in statues and holy pictures)
When we were home visiting, she also said "na-na" for Grandma R and "papapa" for (who else?) Papapa G, but it's hard to keep those when she doesn't see the person all the time. We're trying to help her remember by showing her lots of photos. Don't worry Grandmom, one of these days, she'll come up with a special name for you, too, just like Matthew did when he called you "wah-bom" :-)
Her favorite toys at the moment are
-Katie's old Corolle baby doll, which she kisses on the head. Much nicer than what I did to my first baby doll--dragging poor old Judy doll around by the hair.
-stacking cups and wood stacking blocks and cylinders
-anything that she can chew on--poor kid is getting four more teeth! (bottom pre-molars and canines--the top pre-molars came in at the end of July/beginning of August while we were on vacation.)
-anything Matthew is playing with. She really tries his patience.
-her slide. How she loves to climb!
A memory: Tonight when I took her out of the bath, she struggled and protested loudly, as she usually does. She never wants to get out of the tub. I wrapped her in her fluffy, white, angel towel and she snuggled into me for a second. And there in that moment of warm, damp, curly, pink, baby-bath-scented peace was something that made all the day's toddler activity and angst fade away. That is the moment to ponder in my heart. The moment when I remember the gift.
At 15 1/2 months, this g irl seems to learn a new word every day, sometimes more than one. Some of her first words are already morphing into more recognizable sounds. I want to write them down before I forget the initial cuteness.
Her first word: mama I had to get one out of six, right? every other baby said dada first :-)
Soon after mama, she said dada--now dah-dee, not to be confused with dah-dee, which means doggy--these are homophones, only discernable through context or the pointed finger
Dog: used to be dah, now is dah-dee
She said something for rabbit this morning, and star, as she pointed at, and we talked about, her Miffy cup at breakfast. But she hasn't repeated it, so I'm not sure if she really knows them yet.
bay-bee: usually shrieked at top volume and accompanied by a finger pointing at a child who is anywhere from 0 to 3--also for lifelike dolls
dah-for dolls that look fake--kokeshi, her little pink teething doll
duy-rhyming with and meaning "guy" for plastic figures that the boys play with, plastic bath toy people, and wooden Plan City figures, although sometimes she calls those dah (doll)
Bah-this is bath, which she turns to me and says hopefully after every meal, hoping that it is time for her daily after-dinner dunking
wahh-this is wall. She points to it. We're not sure why walls are significant to her, but she knows the word.
chay-for chair, any chair, but usually means she wants to sit in one or someone else is sitting in one
chee-cheese
shih-fish (for the pets in our aquarium, a stuffed toy, or a picture of a fish, but usually not for her fish dinner unless we say it first)
eee-ahh-for cat, but she still mostly refers to all furry animals as dah-dee (see above) until told otherwise by the nearest family member
(grrrr--a roaring noise)-it's not exactly a word, but it's what she always uses for lions and reverts to for bears after we remind her that bears are not dogs
oww-for out, which she uses to mean "Pick me up," "Open this please," "Get me out of my chair," "I would like to go outdoors and play on my slide now," "Take off your watch/ring/bracelet and let me play with it," etc. in the same way that Matthew used to say "ope it"
boohhh-book. She loves books. Especially the ones with bay-bees and dah-dees (any animal) in them.
beeeee??? often accompanied by her version of the ASL sign--hand on heart--for please, always said in a very beguiling tone
nak-snack just like her cousin CJ
ay-eggs
doe-toast
She signs "eat" when she wants to eat (if she isn't pulling on my skirt and insistently saying "nak...nak"), but if she sees a picture of animals eating or a baby in a high chair, she says "eee"
She signs "drink" too, or else says "bup," for cup, when she wants a drink
For nurse, she signs and says "dih" I have absolutely no idea why.
A side note: she loves yakisoba, plain yogurt, most fruits and vegetables, cheese, eggs, and the cream cheese I spread on her morning toast. She is not particularly fond of toast itself, although she will come back and eat it for morning snack shortly after having left it at breakfast.
She is no longer a fan of baby cereal. This is most likely because I bought 3 boxes of organic baby cereal while we were home and carried them home in the suitcase because it is impossible to find here. Anyone on base need some baby cereal?
Names: She has a name for most everyone in the family
pah-pah-Patrick (and sometimes for photos of Tommy--sorry Tommy, you'll just have to get home and spend a little time with her to get your own name)
day-dee (used to be day-day)-Katie
doe-doe-Joseph
bo-bo-Matthew (we guess this is because Joseph calls him Buddy)
dee-dee-Jesus (for any crucifix, cross, or Biblical-looking male, and the Infant of Prague statue on our home altar, but that might be because he has a cross on his crown :-))
may-may-Mary (for Mary and most female figures in statues and holy pictures)
When we were home visiting, she also said "na-na" for Grandma R and "papapa" for (who else?) Papapa G, but it's hard to keep those when she doesn't see the person all the time. We're trying to help her remember by showing her lots of photos. Don't worry Grandmom, one of these days, she'll come up with a special name for you, too, just like Matthew did when he called you "wah-bom" :-)
Her favorite toys at the moment are
-Katie's old Corolle baby doll, which she kisses on the head. Much nicer than what I did to my first baby doll--dragging poor old Judy doll around by the hair.
-stacking cups and wood stacking blocks and cylinders
-anything that she can chew on--poor kid is getting four more teeth! (bottom pre-molars and canines--the top pre-molars came in at the end of July/beginning of August while we were on vacation.)
-anything Matthew is playing with. She really tries his patience.
-her slide. How she loves to climb!
A memory: Tonight when I took her out of the bath, she struggled and protested loudly, as she usually does. She never wants to get out of the tub. I wrapped her in her fluffy, white, angel towel and she snuggled into me for a second. And there in that moment of warm, damp, curly, pink, baby-bath-scented peace was something that made all the day's toddler activity and angst fade away. That is the moment to ponder in my heart. The moment when I remember the gift.
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