Oh, yeah… we have a blog!
Could it be that the last Parker Jane update was at her first birthday? Shame on us, really. So much has happened and she has changed so much since then.
This Sunday she will be 15 months old!
PJ shares a birthday with George Harrison so i suppose having his hair is okay
This post is accompanied by an update to our flickr page. So much of what’s been going on can be seen in those photos.
Parker Jane went from cautious first steps just before her birthday to a full gallop - without knowing how to stop - in a matter of one month. Her mobility is astounding and she revels in her independence now. Just because she can, she’ll veer off in any direction at any given time. Accidents abound in our daily lives as a result.
the waves weren’t very good that day
She’s quite a talker theses days too, and will repeat words and expressions she likes. She picked up “ooo-wee!” and “okie-dokie” from her grammy last weekend. Her daily favorites are “apple”, “hi”, “bye”, “monkey”, “duck/y”, and “book/y”. The word I’m proudest of: “octopus” (sounds more like “oppu”, but she says it and points to the octopus in a couple of different books. It’s strange how prominent octopi are in kids books.)
too busy drinkin’ to talk
A month-and-a-half ago we experienced a banner moment in Parker Jane development: the death of the pacifier (or “plug” as we liked to call it). Parker Jane had developed a bit of a runny nose and was forced to breath predominately out of her mouth because of it. Breathing from the mouth hampered pacifier sucking, so while Parker Jane still clung to the comfort of the pacifier, her use during this time was greatly diminished. So we took the pacifier away. Not knowing what might happen, we waited for the longing cry, but it never came. Nor did it come the next day, or the next, and within 3-4 days we knew that the pacifier had become a thing of the past. In honor of the passing of our dear friend “plug”, we offer you this:
Just this evening we had a breakthrough. She said “poo-poo” then took her customary squat and did her business. This was worthy of a phone call to daddy on his way to work. We have brought out her training potty, and attempt to have her sit on it every day, but haven’t even begun to think about potty training. I think it’ll be obvious when she’s ready for that. In the meantime it’s just another thing to climb and stand on in the bathroom.
A large part of our daily lives with Parker Jane involve her bringing books for us to read to her. It is something we are very pleased with and love to encourage. She gets so much pleasure from perusing her book baskets and plopping down on our laps with her selection. She’s got a decent library growing, and somehow I still get a kick out of reading “Goodnight Sweet Butterflies” for the 300th time. But there are a few of those books… you know, the one she picks out and brings to you with gusto while you grimace and try to talk her out of it. The one that you hide underneath the sofa until she finds it the next day, whining and clawing to reach it, and then insisting you read it on the spot. Twice. We don’t have cable service which means we don’t have TV, and while Fantasia has been popped in the VCR a few times, Parker Jane has no interest in TV. When the time is right I’m sure we will introduce old Sesame Street episodes, old Disney Movies and of course the Beatles’ animated film Yellow Submarine. But for now, an annoying book Parker Jane is compelled to look at over and over still insights more imagination and interaction than Teletubbies, and we are happy to read it.
with a wagon and a bff like Shara, who needs t.v.
Parker Jane is by nature a very easy going and happy toddler. She is strong-willed and stubborn yet generous with her affection. Plush toys and our very forgiving cats cannot escape Parker Jane’s kisses. And she’s getting better at giving her mom and dad kisses, too (but only upon request). Strange - no longer a baby, but not yet a little girl. I love this stage as much as I’ve loved every other one. Her rapid development is a lot to keep up with, and we’re now challenged with the tricky task of discipline.
discipline, with a clown like this? we’ll see
As for me, I’m refocusing on my family and business in the wake of the LA Garden Show. It was really satisfying working within the show’s theme (”A Vision for Sustainability”) and creating a “green” space for all to see (and a theme I’d like to explore more in my future work). Leading up to the opening of the show and during the installation, I was struck by the whole process feeling reminiscent of preparing for one of my college photography exhibits. There was a similar energy of creation on that lawn, and though we were all doing our own work, it felt like a collaborative effort between all of the designers to put on the show. It was a very exciting, humbling, and affirming moment in my career.
front view of finished design
Rick spends four nights a week in South Pasadena serving California Cuisine to the rich and famous (actually, rich and demanding). In his spare time, Rick continues to write, build and create works of art; his current focus being the development of a small, independent literary press for publication of his written material as well as friends and other talented writers.
May 18, 2008 marked six years of marriage for Rick and I. While not always a walk in the park, our love for each other remains strong enough to topple any wall and hurdle any barrier. And moving forward with Parker Jane as a part of our family, this love will only grow.
holding hands is still magic, that’s why we still do it (PJ now included)
In case we neglect to post for another three months, I thought I might add here a three month projection for the Corbal Family. In June Parker Jane will be a flower girl in her Aunt Kristen’s wedding. What she’ll do when faced with a basket of petals then led down the aisle in front of 200 people, no one knows… but there’s a good chance that I’ll be carrying her. July will be hot and uncomfortable. Parker Jane will spend most of her time in just a diaper. In August we hope to spend a few weeks at the Casa Serena in the mountains and enjoy the simple life. That’s what I see on the horizon, so just go with that until you hear again from us again. But we’ll try very hard to stop in sooner.
love to all,
CF
