Archive of Postings
I thought that I'd archive the postings here. Previously I wasn't keep up with them (in one place at least), but it will make a good archive of the kids as they grow up.
17th April, 2008
Hi Everyone,
I'm finally catching up with the photos. Just need to do a few more pages to feel a bit 'caught up'. It is finally starting to feel more like Spring - we got the slide, etc out of the garage so we can use the back garden. Yes, Angus (Boris) does tend to eat the sand from the sand / water table. I think he'll grow out of it eventually.
Ailsa had her first ballet lesson the other day. I was wondering if it would be a chore to get her into the outfit (as she tends to protest when we put her in a dress)...but she enjoyed it. I made sure I got there early so she could see the earlier class all dressed up. She loved it so much in fact, that she tried to infiltrate the next class. Hey gymnastics lessons start up again next week. She's got so much energy, I just need to find ways to keep her busy. She's also loving a new show on Cbeebies called Louie - a cute cartoon that shows how to draw a specific thing in each episode (her new obsession).
Angus (Boris) is good....he's into everything and give a cheeky smile when you look at him and say 'no'. He loves the 'goodnight kisses' he gets from Ailsa and doesn't appear to be a fussy eater. We need to weigh them again, I think he weighs more than Ailsa right now - he's quite, um, solid.
Hopefully we'll have a chance this summer to fly to Boston and then drive to Texas (via DC, Tennessee, etc). More news on that as plans come together in the next few months.
Love,
Karen
7th March, 2008
Hi Everyone,
I'm playing catch-up with the site (I guess I got out of the habit when I didn't ahve the right software). . I have a ton of photos to go through and put the best ones up. The kids are doing well. Angus is up to 4 teeth, and is just getting over an ear infection (which didn't slow him down at all). He's always on the go, and will be walking soon (to think he's almost 9 months old). His new trick is to open the fridge - we have a small one. It goes something like this open - close - open - close - open -close - open....reach inside.....we're also into the opening of drawers as well (so have to watch for pinching of fingers)
I've just added the Ailsa on Pony and Angus at Christmas photos...and more to come in the next few days (hopefully).
We had a great night out for our anniversary. Paul's parents watched the kids (Angus didn't make a peep) while we went to see a film - Juno...go figure, we finally 'get away' from the kids for a night and we see a film about having a baby...(but it had just won an Oscar).
Ailsa is still loving her arts/crafts stuff and loves to 'play chase' - jump on mummy, etc. She still hates wearing dresses. I didn't put her in them when she was little as her crawling would have meant getting stuck on a lot of them.
January 17th, 2008
Hi, I took the kids to get weighed the other day. Yes, Angus is still around the 98% in weight (he's bigger than the average one year old boy at 7 months old). Angus 10.35 Kilos (22 pounds 12 ounces) and Ailsa was 13.52 Kilos (29 pounds 13 ounces)...not a huge difference between them. I think they'll be wearing the same clothes before you know it. I've scheduled them to get a chicken pox vaccine at the end of January. It isn't standard over here (like it is in the states), and it takes out the element of 'surprise' when it happens (as well as not being stuck at home with cranky itchy kids)...sure they still might get it, but odds are it would be more mild.
Angus is loving moving around...Ailsa not loving it so much...so for every day that that she is nice to 'the baby', she gets to watch 'Little Einsteins' after dinner (her favorite program). We don't get the disney channel (we get enough channels without having to pay anything), so I have all of the DVDs currently available.
Hopefully over the next week or so I will be able to get caught up on this site.
Oh - for those of you in the states - look for Top Gear on the BBC America channel, it is hilarious. You may also want to see if you can find some clips of Mock the Week online (shame that they aren't showing Mock the Week during the writers strike in the US).
Love,
Karen
December 31st 2007
Got some new software (Dreamweaver) installed following a PC crash that made it hard for me to update the site. I can code by hand, but just didn't have the time. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and are looking forward to a good evening tonight. We went up to Paul's parent's house and Ailsa got to 'help' everyone with their unwrapping. She'll be in for a shock next year when Angus (Boris) wants to help out as well. Angus is now crawling (rather than just pulling himself around) and got his first tooth about a week before Christmas (lower left incisor). Last night he backed down off the step from the playroom to the dining room and then used his hands to moved from one side of the step to the other...no sure if that counts as 'gliding', but we're going to classify it as such. He's desperate to be a 'big boy' and be able to do everything that Ailsa does.
We got some lovely cards - it is so important to keep up with everyone - at least technology makes it easier now that it was 'when I was a kid'. Everyone is scattered all over the place. I'll be getting a new laptop soon and will try to get it hooked up to Skype so that we can skype from the front room of an evening. I'll try to get one with a built in webcam.
In the next few weeks I'll try to get some time to update photos, and do a page about my mom soon.
Love,
Karen
October 30th, 2007
We've just gotten home from Texas and are still unpacking and trying to get used to the time difference. It has been a long 2 weeks and we want to thank everyone for their hugs, kind words and thoughts. The funeral was lovely, and I think the music I picked worked very well (thanks Liz and Loren for the suggestions). I'll be making a photo page of my mom soon. The principal of a school my mom recently taught at was able to attend - the principal's grandmother had been my mom's 5th grade teacher in Midlothian, TX. There was also a lovely memorial service at Ft. Benning (GA) where my mom had been working.
October 16th, 2007
We received the sad news of my mother's passing on Sunday, October 14th. While there is never a good time for something like this to happen, it is such a shame that she never got to come to London and meet Angus (Boris) this Christmas as planned. We're still in the process of arranging the funeral. The Midlothian Funeral Home (Midlothian, TX) will be taking care of arrangements (972) 723-9884. The funeral of Kathryn Ann McMillion will be taking place on Saturday, October 27th at 2 pm : 200 East Ave. E, Midlothian, Texas 76065 [map]. After the service we will go to a relative's house nearby. Everyone has been so wonderful and helpful as we try to sort everything out.
In lieu of flowers, we are asking for donations to Reading is Fundamental (RIF). This reflects my mom's love of literature and work in education (website).
Ocober 4th 2007
I still don't have a laptop - so not very good at e-mailing right now. We might get a server so that I can update the website more easily as well.
Ailsa has been asking for pink milk from watching 'Charlie and Lola', so I've been using food colouring. I need to get one with a dropper as I keep ending up with pink fingers when I use the current stuff we have.
Ailsa is about to move into one of our guest bedrooms to make room for Angus (Boris) in the smaller bedroom. We've put a gate up in the doorframe, so now the door can't close, but it will keep her in the room. She loves the big beds in the guest rooms - so we are hoping for a smooth transition. I'm tempted to get a giant wall map off the sky mall website for her new bedroom - then we could put photos of our friends on the map....and move a photo of Paul around when he's travelling.
We had our first 'night out' on Oct 1st. Paul and I went to see "A Disappearing Number" by Complicite (headed up by Simon McBurney). I try to see all their productions - they really take advantage of the medium of theatre - hard to describe, but it always seems to work (and doesn't come across as pretentious).
We've seem brilliant reviews fir the version of Macbeth that Patrick Stewart (Picard) is currently doing in London. The Evening Standard paper called it 'The Macbeth of a Lifetime' [reuters / .photos / in New York Spring 2008). We started to book tickets for us and Paul's parents - to trade babysitting - but the prices were 'huge' - Over a hundred pounds for a ticket in the stalls - Ouch!! Though I am still tempted to get myself a cheap ticket in the nose bleed section, just to see it.
We also have a 'monster' that lives in one of our sofas. Ailsa described him to me last night - in response to my questions I can tell you: It is a boy monster, - a nice monster - white, very tall.....and I think he looks suspiciously like a dinosaur skeleton we've recently seen. I asked if he had a name and she said yes, but I have yet to find out what it is. Not sure if he'll stick around, or if he was just 'passing through'.
Love,
Karen