The Bad News:
1. The river has gone down, but it's still pretty high (39.21' which is about .4' below the last record flood). It sounds like it could take several days for the water to go down to 36 feet, which is when some evacuation orders will start to be lifted
2. A blizzard is coming in. The biggest concern is that the wind could push against the dikes.
3. Moorhead (Fargo's sister city, where we live) built a "contingency dike" in case the main dike gives way. Our house, unfortunately, is between the river and the contingency dike.
The Good News:
1. We're all safe and doing fine! Sophia is sleeping better at night here at her grandparent's house and we're all starting to adjust to life here in Grand Forks.
2. So far our house is fine...we don't even have any "seepage" in our basement! Our neighbors have decided to stay with their home despite the evacuation orders, which is lucky for us because they've been able to check on our house!
3. The street flooding that was happening when we left hasn't gotten any worse around our house...in fact, there is aweful street flooding in our neighborhood, but we happen to be surrounded by two of the roads that aren't flooding very badly!
4. The weather here is cold, which means there is no snowmelt (we have about a foot of snow, with more on the way) going into the river.
5. We've been able to spend a lot of time with family here in Grand Forks:)
So, to sum it up, we're not out of danger, and things are still fairly stressful. I spend about 2 hours watching local news every morning! And of course it's hard to live 90 miles away from our own place...we just want to be home and have everything be normal! But we are cautiously optimistic. Fargo-Moorhead has done an amazing job, and they are still protecting the cities with the same energy and intensity as the day the flooding started. We're hopeful!
Next Comes 5!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
FLOOD NEWS
At 6:30am this morning (friday) we received a phone call to evacuate our home. We began packing immediately. By mid-morning my mom and dad-in law as well as Uncle Dan and cousin Tim arrived to help us move all of our belongings up from our basement, as well as move our packed items into two vehicles. By 12:00pm all of our belongings were on the ground floor, with everything that has value to us (that wasn't evacuating with us) placed up high. We used GIS flood maps provided by the city to determine which rooms will flood last, and moved most items to those rooms. At 12:15 we left our home with our cats and dogs and headed north. At that time the street beside our house was flooding. As we drove away we heard on the radio that our neighborhood was being issued a mandatory evacuation order, and that the river had just surpassed its highest level in 100 years of record keeping. We are very sad about leaving our home, but we are glad to be safe and that we've been able to rescue some of our most important things...like photo albums!
We piled all of our books on the highest shelves in the house!
Mayhem 
Sophia found flood prep exhausting!
Taking a break with Grandpa
A dike one block away from our home is giving way
That's our neighbor's shed out in the river
The street that runs along the west wall of our house was flooding when we left
The street one block away from our house when we left
Friday, March 20, 2009
A few more "milestones..."
*SOPHIA CAN CRAWL FORWARD!!! (When in a good mood and highly motivated) :)
*She now wears reusable diapers called "fuzzibunz"
*One of her favorite new games is to put her pacifier in my mouth and then take it out
*She LOVES mirrors! She gets really happy and excited in front of a mirror
*Sophia can wave "bye bye!"
*She now wears reusable diapers called "fuzzibunz"
*One of her favorite new games is to put her pacifier in my mouth and then take it out
*She LOVES mirrors! She gets really happy and excited in front of a mirror
*Sophia can wave "bye bye!"
Thursday, March 19, 2009
SOPHIA CAN CRAWL! FORWARD!!!
On Tuesday Sophia realized, for the first time, that she could try crawling forward to get to her toys! I took this video during her second ever attempt at crawling forward!
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Things She Carries
Yesterday afternoon I was getting a snack ready for myself and I was carrying Sophia in one arm. To keep her from slapping my orange juice and to make her more useful I gave her my string cheese to carry. I would have given her my bag of tortilla chips as well, but her other hand was already carrying a clothes hanger. It suddenly struck me as hilarious that my 8 month old was happily carrying around string cheese and a hanger, and then I realized that this is pretty cool. It wasn't very long ago that she couldn't be relied upon to carry something without dropping it!
This brings me to milestones, and I suspect I will keep coming back to this entry over the next few days as Sophia reminds me of all the new things she's capable of. Here are the first things that come to mind:
1. Sophia can grasp and hold just about anything!
2. Sophia can crawl (backwards)
3. Sophia can sit up endlessly, and her favorite thing to do is sit down with a bucket of toys
4. Sophia can sit on her own if she has plenty of toys...I can even completely leave the room!
5. If she's sucking on a pacifier and the option to nurse becomes available she now spits out her paci instead of waiting for me to remove it
6. Sophia cries out each morning when I leave the room to go to work, and I have to brace myself against this cry like one would brace against a very strong wing
7. She only cries out once or a few times, and then she falls asleep
8. Travis can get Sophia to sleep just by cuddling her
9. Sophia opens her mouth for her spoon when I'm feeding her (she likes Earth's Best brand of "summer vegetable dinner" and "butternut squash and corn")
10. Sophia loves teething biscuits
11. She has FOUR teeth--maybe 5
12. Sophia doesn't like me messing with her mouth anymore, and will mash her lips together and turn her head when I try to count her teeth!
13. My most favorite thing in the world is her laugh. Sophia laughs at silly faces, silly books, and she's very, very ticklish.
14. Sophia likes to stand up with some help
15. Sophia likes to chill with the cats and dogs and is learning to pet them nicely!
16. We're still working on "mumma" and "dadda" but I'm very sure she understands "mumma." (She yelled "mumma" the other day right as I left the room!)
17. Sophia likes juice from her sippy cup--she still gets most of it on her clothes, though
18. She takes bottles like a champ
More as I think of things...
This brings me to milestones, and I suspect I will keep coming back to this entry over the next few days as Sophia reminds me of all the new things she's capable of. Here are the first things that come to mind:
1. Sophia can grasp and hold just about anything!
2. Sophia can crawl (backwards)
3. Sophia can sit up endlessly, and her favorite thing to do is sit down with a bucket of toys
4. Sophia can sit on her own if she has plenty of toys...I can even completely leave the room!
5. If she's sucking on a pacifier and the option to nurse becomes available she now spits out her paci instead of waiting for me to remove it
6. Sophia cries out each morning when I leave the room to go to work, and I have to brace myself against this cry like one would brace against a very strong wing
7. She only cries out once or a few times, and then she falls asleep
8. Travis can get Sophia to sleep just by cuddling her
9. Sophia opens her mouth for her spoon when I'm feeding her (she likes Earth's Best brand of "summer vegetable dinner" and "butternut squash and corn")
10. Sophia loves teething biscuits
11. She has FOUR teeth--maybe 5
12. Sophia doesn't like me messing with her mouth anymore, and will mash her lips together and turn her head when I try to count her teeth!
13. My most favorite thing in the world is her laugh. Sophia laughs at silly faces, silly books, and she's very, very ticklish.
14. Sophia likes to stand up with some help
15. Sophia likes to chill with the cats and dogs and is learning to pet them nicely!
16. We're still working on "mumma" and "dadda" but I'm very sure she understands "mumma." (She yelled "mumma" the other day right as I left the room!)
17. Sophia likes juice from her sippy cup--she still gets most of it on her clothes, though
18. She takes bottles like a champ
More as I think of things...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
More Sophia and Suki!
Who would have guessed that surly, spoiled "Emporer Suki-san" would have adopted Sophia so happily?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Sophia's Songs
I thought it would be fun to share some of the little songs that Travis and I sing to Sophia. We're always making up new songs, but we have two that have remained constant since she was a newborn! (Plus, of course, all of the standard lullabies).
The following is the song that Travis improvised for Sophia (it's a spin-off of the "baby beluga" song):
Sophia, Sophia, queen of the sea
Sophia, Sophia, wouldn't it be
so fun to live in the deep blue sea
so fun to swim so wild and free
Sophia, Sophia queen of the sea!
Sophia and daddy! (or "mommy" if I'm singing it!)
The following is the song that I improvised for Sophia (it's a spin-off of a lullaby that my mom improvised for baby Schuyler!):
Sophia is my special girl
she's the best baby in all the world
mommy loves her every day
stay right here, don't go away
The following is the song that Travis improvised for Sophia (it's a spin-off of the "baby beluga" song):
Sophia, Sophia, queen of the sea
Sophia, Sophia, wouldn't it be
so fun to live in the deep blue sea
so fun to swim so wild and free
Sophia, Sophia queen of the sea!
Sophia and daddy! (or "mommy" if I'm singing it!)
The following is the song that I improvised for Sophia (it's a spin-off of a lullaby that my mom improvised for baby Schuyler!):
Sophia is my special girl
she's the best baby in all the world
mommy loves her every day
stay right here, don't go away
Monday, February 16, 2009
Practicing saying dadda!
At about 6.5 months Sophia started to say "mumma" and right before 7 months she started saying "Dadda!" She still seems a little vague on the meaning of the words, but we've noticed that she tends to say mumma when she's hungry or frustrated and says dadda when she's excited and playful. We're working with her a lot on these words, and I'm looking forward to a time (soon!) when she will use her first two words consistently.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
More thoughts on being a mom
Love didn't come right away. At first it was a fierce desire to protect this life. Being in charge of a human is such an incredible responsibility! I tackled it like any other responsibility in my life; with organization and research and a resolve to get an "A" in parenting. It's after those nights of her hand on my skin, after many soft sighs in her sleep, after the first time she smiled at me, that love filled me.
Being a mom gives life new nuances; new shades of meaning. I cry more, but it's never about myself. I used to cry when I was tired, or when I was frustrated, or when I was disappointed. Now I sob over every news story. I cried my heart out over the children in Gaza, who had stayed starving and dehydrated next to the bodies of their mothers for days. I cried over the story of the ex-pat in france who opens his home every Sunday to anyone who wants to come for dinner, just as a way to get people from all stripes of life together. I cry over those mailings from PETA and I cry about those mailings from The March of Dimes. Now I sob over every hint of tragedy and every instance of joy and triumph.
The state of our world devastates me. When people are unkind and disrespectful of each other it makes me sick. I can't understand how some are so cavalier about life; about the beautiful intertwining of nature and humanity and the intimate connections between us all.
The beauty in this world overwhelmes me. I am so overjoyed to discover with Sophia the texture of blankets, the coolness of the window, the interesting nature of cats.
Sophia gives me these gifts...a few days ago we were sitting together and she was examining the jade plant and I was thinking about work, about the laundry, what to make for dinner, when to start dinner, when to run on the treadmill, whether to let the dogs out, and how could I convince Sophia to play by herself for an hour or two or ten so I could get everything done, and then I looked down at her and I realized something. I realized that jade plants are amazing. They are beautiful and dark green and their leaves have such a lovely texture. I spent the next twenty minutes just marvelling at the jade plant, and at the event of my daughter discovering a jade plant.
Being a mom is no one thing, and it is no simple thing. It gives life the most wonderful details, and it is the best thing that I have ever experienced. Love came slowly, and I didn't notice how strongly it was there, woven through the fabric of everything, until I stopped pushing forward and took a moment to notice it. And there it was.
Being a mom gives life new nuances; new shades of meaning. I cry more, but it's never about myself. I used to cry when I was tired, or when I was frustrated, or when I was disappointed. Now I sob over every news story. I cried my heart out over the children in Gaza, who had stayed starving and dehydrated next to the bodies of their mothers for days. I cried over the story of the ex-pat in france who opens his home every Sunday to anyone who wants to come for dinner, just as a way to get people from all stripes of life together. I cry over those mailings from PETA and I cry about those mailings from The March of Dimes. Now I sob over every hint of tragedy and every instance of joy and triumph.
The state of our world devastates me. When people are unkind and disrespectful of each other it makes me sick. I can't understand how some are so cavalier about life; about the beautiful intertwining of nature and humanity and the intimate connections between us all.
The beauty in this world overwhelmes me. I am so overjoyed to discover with Sophia the texture of blankets, the coolness of the window, the interesting nature of cats.
Sophia gives me these gifts...a few days ago we were sitting together and she was examining the jade plant and I was thinking about work, about the laundry, what to make for dinner, when to start dinner, when to run on the treadmill, whether to let the dogs out, and how could I convince Sophia to play by herself for an hour or two or ten so I could get everything done, and then I looked down at her and I realized something. I realized that jade plants are amazing. They are beautiful and dark green and their leaves have such a lovely texture. I spent the next twenty minutes just marvelling at the jade plant, and at the event of my daughter discovering a jade plant.
Being a mom is no one thing, and it is no simple thing. It gives life the most wonderful details, and it is the best thing that I have ever experienced. Love came slowly, and I didn't notice how strongly it was there, woven through the fabric of everything, until I stopped pushing forward and took a moment to notice it. And there it was.
Friday, January 23, 2009
New Things All the Time...
Sophia can stand up by holding onto furniture for VERY brief periods of time! (like, 5-10 seconds)
At her Dr. appt last week the doctor said that, for all legal purposes, Sophia's eyes are blue and will likely remain this color. Travis is elated (he has blue eyes), but I would argue that the doctor is wrong and that her eyes are hazel (like mine). What do you think?
Sophia can sit up on her own now, for as long as she likes! (She's been doing this since the beginning of January). The dogs love her, and she loves them!
Of course we know of the love between Sophia and the cats! The pic of Suki and Sophia with the little baby gym thing has a cute story...usually Suki follows me everywhere. The other day he sat next to the baby gym while Sophia and I were playing. But, when I left to put the sheets on the bed (just across the way) Suki stayed put next to Sophia, and didn't leave her side until I came back! It's the first time he's picked her over me. :) They are so cute!
Sophia likes to sit up in her bath now and play with (or eat) her duckies. Such a big girl!
At her Dr. appt last week the doctor said that, for all legal purposes, Sophia's eyes are blue and will likely remain this color. Travis is elated (he has blue eyes), but I would argue that the doctor is wrong and that her eyes are hazel (like mine). What do you think?
Sophia can sit up on her own now, for as long as she likes! (She's been doing this since the beginning of January). The dogs love her, and she loves them!
Of course we know of the love between Sophia and the cats! The pic of Suki and Sophia with the little baby gym thing has a cute story...usually Suki follows me everywhere. The other day he sat next to the baby gym while Sophia and I were playing. But, when I left to put the sheets on the bed (just across the way) Suki stayed put next to Sophia, and didn't leave her side until I came back! It's the first time he's picked her over me. :) They are so cute!
Sophia likes to sit up in her bath now and play with (or eat) her duckies. Such a big girl!
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