Family P: Christmas Newsletter 2017

2017 got off to a fairly slow start with lots of snow days, hygge, and pho. The kids took turns in a constant rotation of flu, cold, and stomach bugs; but thankfully, looking back, all I really remember is extra snuggles and home time. Fern’s adventures at OHSU continued with our first appointment in the CDRC (Childhood Developmental Rehabilitation Center) and we added a wonderful physical therapist, Helga, to her team of providers.

In February, we completed our first hike as a family of 5, in near-freezing temperatures, at Silver Falls State Park. Olivia celebrated her birthday with a dozen or so preschool friends by way of a unicorn-themed birthday party at our house, complete with a rainbow cake, piñata, and lots of glitter. Dan was able to sneak away for a weekend stay-cation with “his dudes”, experiencing Portland through kid-free eyes.

In the Spring, we made our first “triangle trip” as a family of 5: Portland -> Dallas -> Orange County. Texas highlights included: a trip to the Dallas Arboretum with loads of pals, day trip to Ft. Worth to visit grandparents and a sweet new babe, some country-time with cousins and lots of filling up on salsa and Texas BBQ! Successful flights and juggling of 3 carseats and luggage for 5… California didn’t disappoint with always wonderful weather – Fern, especially, enjoyed loads of sunshine and tummy time in short sleeves! We made treks to Balboa and Laguna, rode by ferry and by boat, ate tacos at loco and walked on the pier. Gramma G treated Olivia to a special trip to the Magic Kingdom that she’s sure to say was the highlight of her year!

In April, we had big plans to make some of our first REAL home improvements (new carpet!) which were somewhat more complicated than we bargained for. Upon returning home from our two-week vacation, we spent a few days in our own beds only to be out again. The discovery of asbestos flooring (hidden beneath our current carpet) resulted in a two-week process of abatement, demo, and rescheduling installation. Living in a hotel room for two weeks with three kids five and under isn’t for the faint of heart! That said, Townes still celebrated his third year and the Easter Bunny managed to find us, in spite of the circumstances!

With fresh new carpet, in May we finally officially celebrated our little Townes man with a “pancake party” at home with a few of his close buds. Olivia danced around the Maypole wearing a crown of flowers at the May Day celebration at her preschool. For Memorial Day weekend, Papa G came for a quick visit and helped us check another project off the list: New stairs off the back of our house. We also managed hikes to Wachlella Falls in the Columbia River Gorge and a nature walk through the Redwoods at the Hoyt Arboretum.

As always, our plans to u-pick our way through summer went off without a hitch starting with strawberries in June. Trying our own hands at a green thumb, we planted, and successfully grew, several of our own veggies in our backyard garden this year. Olivia enjoyed her last few days of preschool and we kicked off summer with lots of playdates and splash pad adventures. Both kiddos are becoming great little hikers and enjoyed “Super Nature Adventures” to Tryon Creek State Park, Powell Butte Nature Park and Wapato Greenway on Sauvie Island. July was packed with summer concerts at Kruger Farms, more berries, and a week-long escape to Redmond/Bend with Gramma G. Come August, Mamaw brought Remie for a special cousin visit and we hiked our last hike in the Gorge as we knew it before a massive fire broke out, scorching most of our favorite trails. Olivia enjoyed her first summer day-camp at the South West Community Center Community Gardens and Townes at Woodhaven Preschool camp. We walked in our neighborhood “Multnomah Days” parade and enjoyed the Solar Eclipse at 98% totality from our backyard. The kids would say the highlight of our summer was the addition of 6 laying hens to our family and our official embarkation on an urban homestead journey. Affectionately named, Waffles, Oakie, Lay-A, Coconut, and Sam and Ella, they are slowly adjusting to their extra-snuggly handlers. Because many will ask, we get 5-6 eggs a day in the spring/summer and 2-3 in the winter.

September was a big month of change for us. All within its first week, Olivia started Kindergarten at the neighborhood elementary school, Townes started preschool at our sweet Waldorf-inspired co-op, and Fern turned one! We spent the bulk of the month adjusting to our new routine and pick-up/drop-off schedules but were nonetheless lucky to squeeze in some Auntie and Uncle time with all my siblings in town for a long weekend. My brother, Christopher, also settled in to a pretty consistent schedule at work leaving us looking forward to “Chip Fridays.” I am so thankful for his help ushering us in to the weekend each week and the kids adore having a fresh audience.

Gramma G made an extra trip in October and got to experience the cusp of Fall in the Pacific Northwest with some misty morning hikes and apple picking. We were lucky with plenty of dry weekends for a few family pumpkin adventures followed by one very soggy field trip to Bella Organics on Sauvie Island. On Halloween, with a ballerina, train engineer and sleepy little bumblebee, we enjoyed trick or treating with Olivia’s kinder pals. Favorite fall hikes included Hoyt Arboretum, Forest Park “Witches’ Castle” and a “leaf walk” at Laurelhurst Park.

November brought lots of germs and sick bugs to our house. Fern had her first febrile seizure, in Fernie fashion, sending us to the ER by ambulance and keeping us on our toes. Dan started a new job at Polysync – math, and self-driven cars is what he does. We welcomed the darker days with a celebration of light and giving with a sweet Waldorf tradition, a lantern walk through the forest, at Townes’s school. November was filled with long afternoons practicing reading fireside with hot apple cider and popcorn. We hosted Thanksgiving with Auntie B and Uncle Chip and enjoyed a fabulous ballet performance starring none other than Olivia Kate Pittman. We “opted outside” and selected our annual Noble Fir at a Christmas tree farm in Sherwood. Unfortunately, Friday also brought on Fern’s second and third seizures and we spent 24 hours in the ER running all sorts of tests. A black Friday indeed.

Thankfully, December brought unusually dry weather and we’ve been fortunate to enjoy lots of Christmas activities outside! Townes walked in his first spiral walk at Woodhaven, another wonderful Waldorf tradition. The children walk to the center of a spiral of evergreen branches where they light a candle, then retrace their steps back to their families. Singing and watching the light in the room grow was such a wonderful reminder of the light we carry within, and the importance of sharing it with others during this season. The days are extra short here; sunset on the solstice is at 4:29 pm! I’ve really come to enjoy the opportunity to spend extra time creating coziness and warmth at home. We’re still working our way through a long list of advent actives and looking forward to a solstice hike, the grotto lights, Peacock Lane, and spending lots of our hygge time with family and friends!

We are, again, so thankful for the enormous amount of support and love we’ve felt from our friends and family this year as we navigate through becoming a family of 5 and the ongoing FernieJourney. This has definitely been a year of growing deeper in many of our relationships and friendships (far and near) and we are profoundly grateful for our “village.” Our plans for next year include a summertime trip with friends to the San Juan Islands, celebrating both grandmas turning the big 6-0, some home improvements, and hopefully dipping our toes in the Pacific. Who knows, maybe 2018 will be the year we brave a campsite with kids?!

We sincerely hope that your holiday season is filled with love, light, and peace!

Dan

“I subsist on a steady diet of coffee, tacos, and math papers. After the tire fire that is our political predicament became inevitable, I took an interest in the political and economic philosophies of myriad leftists. The ones who resonated with me the most are the midcentury Critical Theorists and the Frankfurt School, and how could they not:

“I’ve been listening to the radio today, and it’s got me thinking about Adorno’s Dialectic of Enlightenment. Which could ultimately be reduced to: Capitalism gives us existential cavities, because we’re so broken at the end of a work day, we just want to consume cultural M&M’s. Wallace talks about this in Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself. Paraphrasing: if all you consume is this, you will die. In a meaningful way, you will die. But his assessment does not include the cause, only the symptom. It’s not about incremental fixes, filling those cavities, those holes in our souls, with the occasional square meal. It’s a complete change in diet. Art could save the world.” – From my own notes this year.

These inclinations lead to me joining up with the Democratic Socialists of America, and although time does not permit much activism, I at least make it to monthly meetings to get updates from the folks who do.

Because of our adventures with Fern, I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with the big kids just the three of us and our favorite outing is, and has been, Hopworks by way of Powell’s.”

Meg

On a first name basis with the Instacart and Prime-Now shoppers, I am super thankful for the multitude of grocery delivery options and am proud to say that it’s been months since I set foot in the grocery store with 3 kids in tow! Meal planning, Pinteresting and scouting fun stuff to do, is how I spend the few moments each morning before the kiddos wake up. On the board at Woodhaven, I’ve really enjoyed playing an integral role in directing our little Waldorf co-op. Cooking, cleaning and chauffeuring fill most of my days but I sincerely find so much joy in some of this mundanity. Watching our kids grow and change and helping them become good humans is the most rewarding work. Still dreaming of the day the yoga mat will stop collecting dust and showers are a more regular thing but for now I find pride in my ability to just be the glue that holds us together (with Dan, of course). Currently enjoying the research phase of all things urban homestead and look forward to lots of home projects in the near future.

Olivia

If you hadn’t guessed already, Olivia is really into ballet at the moment and we have plans to get her started in some classes this Spring. She is loving Kindergarten and is becoming an excellent writer and reader. She loves handling the chicken chores (at least the fun ones) and is an expert at both wrangling and snuggling. She’s an excellent conversationalist, never leaves without a big hug and is blowing our minds with how self-aware and empathic she is becoming. This year has brought a new-found confidence and level of independence that we’ve been waiting for. Olivia (mostly) appropriately dresses herself everyday for school, can whip up a personal batch of guacamole, and loves to fetch the mail from the mailbox solo. Her favorite foods are breakfast burritos and pho, just like her mama.

Townes

Townes is sweet and mild; such a snuggler. He has really blossomed in preschool and most days at pick-up can’t wait to tell me all about what he did, who he played with and what the snack was. On days home, he is quite the taskmaster and loves to help with laundry and dishes. Playing with trains, Magnatiles, animals, and marbles are his favorite solo activities. Anything with a button or switch and you can bet that this little dude wants to see what it will do. He’s a tinkerer and thinker – always wanting to understand how things work. While just barely on the growth chart, he’s a slender little fella who, like his Dayda, loves chicken tacos! One-on-One time with this little guy is priceless, he looks forward to Maplewood Coffee dates with mama and going to Powell’s with Dayda.

Fern

Fern is so sweet and easy going. Just happy to be held, to watch and wait for someone to engage her, she mostly qualifies as an “easy baby”. I am thankful that Fern’s story is just a tad bit different, as some of her developmental delays have really allowed me to soak up just a tiny bit more time with her in the infant stage. Now sitting unassisted, doing some standing, lots of clapping and smiling, she’s excelled so much with physical therapy and we couldn’t be more proud of how hard she’s working to overcome. In typical 1-year old fashion, she loves getting into everything, loves to play with anything she’s not allowed to and still puts everything in her mouth (including, but not limited to: faces, fingers, hair, and anything paper, plastic or resembling a wrapper.) She loves anything that makes sound and feels like such a big kid when her big brother and sister include her in their games! She loves guacamole, hummus, and chili and makes a huge mess at every meal. Always a positive force, she truly is the perfect completion of our family.

More Pictures Here:

Instagram // @mmoguu

Instagram // @pittman_

Facebook // Megan

Facebook // Daniel

Twitter // @pittma_

Family P: Pittman Family Christmas Newsletter 2014

Here we go again! Time to reflect on the last year… a year that flew by in the blink of an eye. Admittedly crazier than the last, we have lots to update y’all on this year. Before I launch in to the annual Family P recap, I’d like to thank YOU. Simply, for loving us. We are so very thankful for all of our friends and family who have supported us, celebrated with us, cared for us and been part of our journey through life. Although this “newsletter” is mostly for us – for our records and memories – We’d like to invite you to share in our reflection, celebration and thanks for the last year!

[JANUARY] Another new year rang in sunny Southern California. Where, somewhere along the way, we got the crazy idea to list our house for sale (thanks “Zestimate”!) So, upon arriving home, we met with a realtor, made some minor repairs and fixes, patched and painted, and put our “little yellow house” on the market. Not entirely sure what we were thinking (I was 6 months pregnant at the time!) but had complete confidence that everything would work out. Within 48 hours, we had 6 offers… in less than two weeks we were under contract and in need of a plan! Luckily, we negotiated a 30 day rental agreement with the buyer, allowing us a few weeks to house hunt… and hunt we did. Packing and house hunting. Two things that are NOT particularly fun for a toddler… or a pregnant gal, for that matter. [FEBRUARY] What is fun for a toddler? Scribbles and Dribbles! A Christmas gift from Papa G – Olivia and I joined a weekly toddler art class at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. With a move on the horizon, we decided to host a very low-key 2nd birthday party for Olivia at The Palaestra (toddler open gym). We also made the trek to Salt Lake City, UT to celebrate one of my childhood best friend’s marriage. Luckily Baby Pittman traveled safely tucked in mama’s belly and Olivia got to enjoy some snow play. {MARCH} Our rental term ended, we collected keys to our new home, and in the same weekend we packed up and moved across town. We traded our urban, somewhat hip, somewhat ‘hood, for an excellent elementary school, great neighbors, and more square footage. Uncle Chip came for a long visit and to help a very pregnant mama unpack and entertain our terrific toddler. [APRIL] Surprisingly still pregnant, Gramma G’s “baby P #2 arrival trip” came and went… at 40 weeks we were all anxious for the little guy to make his big arrival. Townes Randall Pittman was born, just one week late, April 17th 10:29AM, 7 pounds 4 ounces 19 3/4 inches. More about his big arrival earth side Here [MAY] Settling in as a family of four, we spent most weekends close to home. working on the house and adventuring in our new neighborhood. I gained confidence in my new role as “mom of two” and braved the park, zoo, and museum. (Thanks to many baby wearing devices, Daniel Tiger on the iPad, and lots of coffee.) Memaw and Pa made the trip out to Dallas to meet their newest great grand baby. [JUNE] The beginning of summer brought lots of time spent outdoors. Weekend adventures in Moss Park, patio-dining at our fav local spots, and neighborhood walks. Olivia continued at Emler Swim School – graduating to Advanced Water Babies, swimming 7 feet and holding her breath for 10 seconds! [JULY] One of the highlights of Olivia’s summer – seeing “the Booms” on Fourth of July! Close seconds, weekly swim dates at Gramma B’s with cousins and story-time at Church of the Incarnation. Lots of time spent staying cool – splash pads, sprinklers, and play dates. [AUGUST] The warmest month of the year took us on vacation with Family Gorham. Hipster San Antonio hot spots, river-walkin’ wearing babies, floating the river, IPAs in hand, we had a blast! Uncle Chip moved in for the month and quickly became Olivia’s BFF. [SEPTEMBER] Emerging from the 6-month fog, Townes graduated from newborn “blob” to “bouncing” baby – sitting up, smiling, and giggling. Olivia started at Ascension Day School, two days a week, giving Townes and I some one-on-one time. Gramma G made her annual “Fall” trip, complete with trek to Canton, the state fair and visit to the pumpkin village at the Dallas Arboretum. [OCTOBER] Welcomed Fall with a family weekend spent hiking in Beaver’s Creek, Oklahoma with Mawaw, The Rakowska & Kudrna Families. Papa G made a weekend “triangle trip” to Dallas to visit and indulged us in lots of kid-friendly dining and adventure. Adamant about her costume this year, Olivia trick or treated as a doctor, complete with little brother in tow – “Mr. Bones” AKA The X-Ray. [NOVEMBER] Spent a few weeks in CA for the Thanksgiving holiday, Enjoyed the wonderful So Cal weather, slack-lining at the beach, cruising the harbor, and of course a few days at Disneyland! We said adios to Townes precious gummy smile when he cut his first tooth. With lots of coaching, Townes officially mastered the art of crawling! [DECEMBER] Daniel left his job at VMware to pursue a new opportunity in the Pacific Northwest. MEANING…In the first few weeks of the new year, Family P will be relocating to Portland, Oregon! We couldn’t be more excited for new adventures in Stumptown… in fact, we heard Santa’s elves mention that some new camping gear might be making it’s way down our chimney. We’re incredibly thankful for the friends we’ve done life with here in Dallas, and will be sad to move away from our support system but excited to start the next chapter.

And what you’ve really been waiting for…. photo recap.

Jan 2014 Disneyland

Jan 2014 Disneyland

Feb 2014 Olivia’s 2nd Birthday Party

Packing Up the Sycamore House March 2014

March 2014 Packing Up the Sycamore House

March 2014 Moss Haven House

April 2014 Welcome Baby Townes!

April 2014 – Dallas Arboretum

May 2014 Brunch with Gramma G

May 2014 Olivia & Townes

June 2014 Father’s Day

June 2014 – Olivia & Townes

July 2014 Lake Highlands Fourth of July Parade

July 2014 Olivia & Dan

July 2014 Blueberry Picking

August 2014 San Antonio

August 2014

September 2014 Townes

Sept 2014 Olivia’s First Day of School

Oct 2014 Hiking in Beaver’s Creek Nat’l Park

Oct 2014

Oct 2014 Townes

Oct 2014 Dr. Olivia

November Thanksgiving in CA

Nov 2014

Dec 2014 Polar Express Grapevine

Townes – Sweetest little fella. Snuggle-master. Loves being worn. Squawks like a parrot. Has the most precious “slow-build” cry face you’ve ever seen, although it’s rare we get to see it. Nothing makes him giggle like his big sister can. Captivated by his “dayda’s” piano and guitar playing skills. Definitely learning to hold his own with his big sister who he is incredibly patient with. Not a fan of riding in his carseat and in the early stages of “I just want to get down!” Favorite things to play with include: keys, faces, leaves and sticks (definitely not toys.) The bathtub can turn any amount of crankiness around so sometimes we spend the bulk of “the witching hour” there.

Olivia – Terrific Two. Olivia is our little string bean skinny mini with a bigger personality than any toddler I know. She’s as sassy as she is smart making some days quite challenging. She’s incredibly perceptive and understands so much more than we give her credit for. Imaginary play frequently finds us coaching swimming lessons in the bathtub, feeding pretend babies or baking a “birthday (cake)”. Loves to get messy, wether it’s dirt, sand, or “hot cheese” (AKA Mac n Cheese). Favorite activities include: riding her trike to the “chickens” at the elementary school, going to the “jump jump” open gym and Dayda dates to Taco Joint and “the music store” (AKA Guitar Center). Contact: OKPittman@gmail.com

Dan – Tacos, Beer and computer-ing. Pretty much still accurately describes this guy. One of our favorite pasttimes is enjoying dining out at one of the few kid-friendly spots in Dallas, The Lot or Chicken Scratch. Nothing better than enjoying local craft beer and watching kiddos play in a giant sandbox! Bought his first pair of Chacos – specifically for spring adventures in the nature preserve across the street from our house. Adopted “Brother Gorham’s” team (Chelsea), and took up an interest in British Premiere League soccer. Spends the little free time that he has digging deeper into computer science and perfecting his slow brewed cup of coffee. Contact: danielscottt@gmail.com // Twitter @danielscottt

Meg – Chasing toddler, wearing baby. Most mornings are spent out of the house – even if it takes 3+ hours to get everyone out of PJs and in to the car. Surviving on “good” coffee (thanks to Dan who ensures that I’m caffeinated) and dry shampoo. Managing the family calendar, weekly meal planing and never ending piles of laundry. Escaping once in a blue moon for yoga, pinterest and blogging. Planning playdates and kid crafts and practicing the art of the “bento box”. Co sleeping, breastfeeding, attachment parenting, natural remedies… Gone back to my CA roots and become just a little bit of a hippie. Trying to live in the moment and enjoy staying home with my kiddos while they’re small. Contact: megan.gorham@gmail.com // Instagram @mmoguu

Family P: First Edition – Pittman Family Christmas Newsletter

The reality is… we’ve had a relatively (and wonderfully) quiet year. But here goes… The Pittman Family Christmas Newsletter: First Edition

[JANUARY] Kicked off the new year in Orange County with Family Gorham with a fun new tradition… BINGO + BEER – Not the most glamorous of celebrations but certainly the most fun you can have while your almost 1-year old is snoozing in the next room. Celebrated Daniel’s Great Grandpa’s life in DeLeon, Texas with family at the end of the month. [FEBRUARY] Olivia turned 1! We celebrated our little Valentine’s first birthday at our home, complete with family and friends, a plethora of pretty pink hearts and a “smash” cake. [MARCH] Spring brought the beginning of toddler-hood as Olivia started walking at around 13 months old. We found a new appreciation for the beginning of park season and lots of time spent at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. [APRIL] Showers and storms had us spending lots of indoor time at the Dallas World Aquarium. Officially kicked Dan out of his home office, freeing up some space for Olivia’s new playroom. Freshly painted and spruced-up, this multi-functional room also serves as our music room and landing spot for junk mail, catalogs and coupons. [MAY] Olivia’s Baby Dedication at our Church (Fellowship White Rock) fell on Mother’s Day weekend allowing us to spend the special day with our parents. Good friends, Justin and Cassie came to visit, indulging us in showing off Big D. [JUNE] Enjoyed all kinds of wonderful nature-centric activities during an early summer vacation with Family Gorham in Sedona, AZ. Our littlest fish started her first session of swim lessons at Emler Swim School. [JULY] Kicked-off summer with a 4th of July Bash at home welcoming the Texas heat. Rising temps found us frequenting the splash pad at Klyde Warren Park, enjoying popsicles in the backyard and dining al fresco at Chicken Scratch. [AUGUST] was HOT. HOT. HOT. We became the proud owners of a brand new A/C unit. Also, charter members of the new Perot Museum of Nature and Science, officially the best place to entertain a toddler indoors in Dallas. Ended the summer with an escape from the heat to beautiful sunny southern California to visit Gramma G and Papa. Olivia enjoyed her first trip to Disneyland and we shared some BIG news with the family. [SEPTEMBER] Announced to family and friends that we’re expecting Baby P #2 in April. First look sonograms and doctors appointments reveal a healthy and wiggly little nugget. Welcomed the opening of the Rory Meyer’s Children’s garden with frequent visits.[OCTOBER] Celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary and Daniel turned the big 3-0. Dressed as Ladybug girl, Olivia enjoyed trick-or-treating on Swiss Ave for the first time. [NOVEMBER] Enjoyed the cooling temps and change of seasons with frequent trips to the Pumpkin Village at the Dallas Arboretum. Revealed the gender of our newest little Pittman with friends and family – It’s a BOY! Then finally reclaiming energy lost during my first trimester, we hosted Thanksgiving for 9. [DECEMBER] Preparing our hearts and home for Christmas. Thanking God for a wonderful, mostly-calm year. Feeling blessed with a happy healthy and growing family.

Stone Brewery, Escondido, CA – January 2013

Olivia’s First Birthday Party – February 2013

Walking – March 2013

New Playroom – April 2013

Klyde Warren Park – May 2013

Sedona, AZ – June 2013

4th of July – July 2013

Dana Point, CA – August 2013

Rory Meyer’s Children’s Garden – September 2013

Halloween – October 2013

Dallas Arboretum – November 2013

White Rock Lake – December 2013

Dan – Computerist computering computer code at a computer company. Loves being ‘dayda’, collecting (but never actually reading) reading material, and consuming a healthy amount of beer and coffee. Also tacos. Contact: danielscottt@gmail.com // dpitt.me

Meg – Toddler chaser. Bun in the oven. Serial Membership Addict: Dallas Zoo, Arboretum, Perot Museum, State Parks, etc. Mastered the art of salsa and taco preparation. Relies heavily on Dry Shampoo, yoga pants and nap time. Contact: megan.gorham@gmail.com // megsmileu.com

Via – Goof ball. Chatter-Box. Mac & Cheese connoisseur. Car-napper. Calliou lover. Enjoys playing dress-up, being outside and trolling “the durch” (our 12-year old black lab – not pictured,) Pending Big Sister!