tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6965512039593560672024-03-12T23:24:29.977-06:00On Pine HillIt's always an adventure...AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.comBlogger257125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-64804549344583551762016-01-26T20:10:00.000-07:002016-01-26T20:10:06.611-07:00Four month stats<br clear="left" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">At 4 months:</span><br />
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your child is 13.25 pounds, and that is<br /><b>at the 10th percentile</b> for weight.</div>
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your child is 24.5 inches, and that is<br /><b>at the 20th percentile</b> for height.</div>
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your child has a head circumference of 16.875 inches, and that is<br /><b>at the 55th percentile</b> for head circumference.</div>
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AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-84084677944309279882015-10-29T15:02:00.003-06:002015-10-29T16:02:36.255-06:00The Birth Story of Nathaniel TravisThis is the story of how Nathaniel, my third baby, entered the world, as told by his mama. He was born naturally at Swedish Medical Center, after a transfer from Mountain Midwifery Center, our fantastic freestanding birth center.<br />
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The facts: 3 days of intermittent early labor, 5.5 hours active labor. Transferred to hospital after meconium present in the amniotic fluid. No complications from meconium - APGARs of 8 and 9. 8lb 0oz, 19-1/2 inches of perfection. Born four hours before the equinox. Golden blonde hair like a halo.<br />
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<i>Tuesday, July 21 (30 Weeks, 4 days)</i><br />
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I started having intense, painful Braxton Hicks contractions. I freaked out a little bit. These continued pretty much until the end of my pregnancy. I assumed this meant that baby would come very early indeed, but it was not so. Mostly it was just annoying and exhausting. I spent much of the third trimester running from the chiropractor to the acupuncturist to the massage therapist trying to feel better.<br />
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<i>Saturday, September 19 (39 weeks, 1 day)</i><br />
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I was having timeable, crampy contractions about 3 minutes apart. They were very very mild - not painful at all. But they happened all day long. Finally I called the birth center in the afternoon, and after laying down and drinking water and "waiting-and-seeing," the midwife on call and I determined that I should go in to get checked. At the check, I was 1cm dilated, 0% effaced, and the baby was high and not engaged - the same as at my appointment a few days prior. So no new progress.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXPTYt0X-Bo/VgYQql7jFyI/AAAAAAABwhk/r-ivjlkayyU/s1600/IMG_1299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YXPTYt0X-Bo/VgYQql7jFyI/AAAAAAABwhk/r-ivjlkayyU/s400/IMG_1299.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last picture as a family of four</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last bump shot at 39+1</td></tr>
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T and I took the opportunity to grab a mattress run night and a final date-escape to the Hyatt Place Denver Tech Center just the two of us. It was very calming. <br />
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<i>Sunday, September 20 (39 weeks, 2 days)</i><br />
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Contractions had petered out overnight but they started back up again, regular, timeable and more intense than the previous day. They started to be a bit painful. I called the on-call midwife in the evening. I told her that I'm going to bed to get some rest, but I was sure I would see her later that night. I then slept through the night.<br />
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<i>Monday, September 21 (39 weeks, 3 days)</i><br />
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Contractions started up again mid-day, similar in timing and intensity to Sunday's. Determined not to overreact, I didn't call the midwife, instead waiting for them to get more intense and closer together. They never did.<br />
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<i>Tuesday, September 22 (39 weeks, 4 days)</i><br />
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Upon getting ready for the day, I lost my mucus plug around 730am. It came with brown blood. I would have preferred to see pink or red, because I wasn't convinced anything was actually happening after three days of teasing. But the timing did remind me of <a href="http://onpinehill.blogspot.com/2012/06/birth-story-of-clara-joy.html" target="_blank">Clara's birth</a>, and I was hopeful that it was finally time. <br />
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Knowing that it would probably be just another day like the previous three days, I went about my business. I had a chiropractic adjustment, got a pedicure, had an acupuncture session, and went to Costco. I had strong intermittent contractions starting around my acupuncture appointment, but they weren't in any sort of pattern. At Costco, I would pause in the aisles pushing my giant cart to let a contraction pass. <br />
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<i>4:30pm: </i>I get home from Costco in the late afternoon quite worn out. I sit down on the couch to take a break and expect the contractions to peter out. They don't. In fact they get stronger and I start timing them. They are intense enough that I need to breathe through them and get up and dance through them.<br />
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<i>5pm:</i> Travis arrives home from picking up the kids, and I tell him I think this is it. He needs to plan to go to the birth center sometime tonight. And I think we are going sooner than later, so he better hurry up and eat something. The contractions are strong enough that I feel like I want to vocalize a bit - this was a bit of a red flag for me, and I had been planning to make that the decision point for going in.<br />
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<i>5:50pm: </i> I call the on-call midwife, Tiffany. She tries to persuade me that it's still too early, but agrees to check me if I come in, and we can go from there. I ride down the canyon laying in the back of the Jeep in a pile of pillows. I have 4 contractions on the way. So much better than laboring in the front seat!<br />
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<i>7pm:</i> We arrive at the birth center. My check on arrival shows that I'm 3cm dilated, 50% effaced, baby engaged in pelvis, bag of waters protruding. I labor in the sling, and the contractions intensify. I'm singing, swaying my hips, groaning, breathing, doing horse lips. I feel like a warrior goddess medicine woman. The midwives mostly leave me alone because two other mamas are pushing. I am more than okay with this. In between contractions I get better acquainted with the student midwife and the doula on call. I feel like I totally know what I'm doing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warrior birth goddess medicine woman</td></tr>
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<i>8:30pm:</i> My waters break (SROM). I send Travis to tell them, smug that we didn't come in too early after all. The student midwife sees dark tinted fluid on the floor and says "meconium." On the next contraction, I pass more water along with a big glop of thick meconium - ew. They break the news that I need to go over to the hospital.<br />
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In some cases, meconium in the water means that the baby is in distress and needs out immediately. In other cases (like what would turn out to be mine) baby just gets impatient and can't wait to poop. Regardless of whether the baby is stressed or not, if there is meconium in the water, there is a danger of meconium aspiration that could cause breathing complications after birth. So between the "baby could be in distress" risk and the "danger of meconium aspiration" risk, meconium in the water is generally a case for hospital transfer.<br />
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They check me: I'm at 5cm dilated, 100% effaced. If I was at 8cm, they'd let me stay at the birth center and worry about potential transfer afterwards. But at 5cm... I'm moving fast and I'm a third time mom, but they don't know how fast labor will continue. I could stall. So we need to go.<br />
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I take the news well at first, take a deep breath, and tell myself I'm okay with this and I can do this. Everything will be okay. This is the best thing to make sure the baby is safe. They start to prepare me. The student midwife places a saline lock in my left arm, and I start to emotionally break down a little. The contractions are stronger and I wonder what I'll do without the sling. I'm kind of terrified they'll make me lay down, and I can't imagine laying down. I didn't write a birth plan because the birth center is the birth plan, so in between increasingly intense contractions, I start to mentally catalog all of the requests I need to make at the hospital. We request that the doula on call, Kari, come with us to the hospital, which is partially what she is there for. Since I'm progressing pretty fast and clearly in active labor, we'll take an ambulance instead of driving over. Midwife Tiffany says she's going to ride in the ambulance with me.<br />
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<i>9pm:</i> The ambulance is ready. I walk into the hall and there's a gurney set up. They are like, "We need you to lay down on that." I'm like, "Hell, no." I can't figure out how in the heck I'm going to lay down and get through contractions - it seems like torture. It takes a few contractions to get my gumption, but my rational mind prevails in convincing my primal mind that we really do need to do this, and I lay down on my side on the gurney. Tiffany climbs into the ambulance with me and holds my hand while we drive. Travis rides in the ambulance too, and does counterpressure on my back. Kari drives over to the hospital in her own car.<br />
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During the drive I can start to feel sacral/rectal pressure, which means "not yet but soon." I tell Tiffany the baby's in my butt. Tiffany requests the driver "go emergent," which is funny, because it's all of 4 blocks from the birth center to the hospital. They wheel me in through the ER and straight up to the L&D unit.<br />
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<i>9:15pm: </i>We arrive L&D. My check on arrival shows 6cm dilated. The nurses and deck doc introduce themselves. I jump off the bed as soon as I can and labor standing up next to the bed. They elevate the bed so I can prop my arms up on it. This works pretty well in the absence of the sling. In between contractions, I tell nurses and doc my "birth plan": I want to labor standing up or on hands and knees. I want delayed cord clamping. I want immediate skin-to-skin with baby, unless there are complications from meconium. Everyone is calm and accommodating. "Yes, we can do that. Yes, we know where you came from - we can do low-intervention birth."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laboring in the hospital supported by Midwife Tiffany and Doula Kari</td></tr>
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I labor standing up until I really feel him moving down in my butt, then Tiffany and Kari suggest getting up on the bed on my knees facing the back of the bed, which they elevate for me. I rest between surges laying forward. I start to roar - I know he's close. Tiffany holds the fetal monitor on my belly and tells me in my ear that she's not leaving me. Typically the birth center midwives have to leave once the patient is officially handed off to the hospital staff in a transfer situation. She says "You're so close," but I already know that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pushing. I also gave birth just like this.</td></tr>
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I'm in transition or pushing - it's hard to tell at that point, and a lab tech comes in to draw some blood. My hands are shaking so bad and my whole body is convulsing with the force of each surge. But okay, buddy, if you want to try and stick a needle in there, more power to you. He leans across my face to scan my ID bracelet and his scrubs brush my nose - they reek of cigarettes. I throw him out of the room: "Get him out of here! He stinks!" He yells over his shoulder while running away, "Sorry! I'll get someone else!" (Spoiler alert: no one else came.)<br />
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Just a couple surges later, baby drops fast again, and his head is right there. I'm still wearing my birth skirt, so I'm pretty sure no one can really see that he's crowning, so I yell "Ring of fire!" to alert everybody in the room that they have about 30 seconds. A nurse calls for the doc to come in. I'm still facing the back of the bed so I can't really see who is there or what is going on behind me. I'm just all business - I want him out. I push his head part way out, and then take that impossible pause for him to get his shoulders around. I pushed the rest of him out in one big effort at 1005pm. <br />
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They caught Nathaniel upside down and cleared the meconium, got him to cry out, then handed him to me between my legs. I know I make short cords, and Clara's cord broke after birth because I turned over in the tub as the midwife pulled her up out of the water. Not wanting to repeat that situation by making a sudden movement, I waited for instructions before I turned around on the bed. Once they passed him to me and I was clutching him to my chest, I flopped over to deliver the placenta. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just born</td></tr>
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Doc gently told me, even though it had only been a few minutes, that my placenta had already separated and the cord wasn't pulsing. He asked permission to go ahead and cut the cord. I felt very respected by the exchange. I took their urgency to mean they were nervous about my bleeding and wanted to get the placenta out and the uterus shrinking. Having hemorrhaged after Andrew's birth, I didn't really want to mess around, and knowing that those first minuts of delayed cord clamping are the most important ones, I agreed. Travis cut the cord. I delivered the placenta at 1009pm, and I reminded them that I wanted to keep it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy cuts the cord</td></tr>
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After that everything rapidly calmed down. Since Nate's vitals were great and there was no evidence of meconium aspiration, we were skin-to-skin for an hour before he got his exam. They respected that I didn't want him bathed and I was able to decline the eye ointment and the other post-birth interventions. Tiffany left shortly after birth after giving me a hug. Kari stayed with us until they moved us from the delivery room into the "Family Care" overnight room.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First picture with mom and dad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My amazing midwife</td></tr>
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I stayed overnight. The OB cleared me to leave at 7am. Our pediatricians have privileges at this hospital, so Nate got to see Dr. Joe the next day and get cleared for discharge that afternoon. <br />
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On the way home from the hospital, we stopped and bought a Dairy Queen ice cream cake. Travis had it decorated "Happy 0th Birthday, Nathaniel." When we got home, we had a birthday party.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting siblings</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big brother</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clara calls this "milking the baby."</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday cake</td></tr>
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There's a longer story that precedes this one, a story that doesn't really belong here. I will sum up for context. I came into this pregnancy feeling super confident about birth. Not only had I done birth twice before and had amazing experiences, but I had also gone through a significant personal transformation that resulted in my being more aligned with my own intuition than ever before. Coming from this place, we planned a home birth, despite our home being a slightly long 35 minutes from the nearest hospital in case of backup (not counting potential time to get an ambulance up and down our driveway). I saw a home birth midwife for prenatal care for the first half of my pregnancy, up to 25 weeks.<br />
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In the end, several things happened and it didn't work out with the home birth midwife. We joyfully and gratefully ended up back at Mountain Midwifery for prenatal care for the second half of pregnancy. At the time that we transferred care, Travis commented, "What if this is the time that we really need to be near the hospital?"<br />
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This whole pregnancy was rough for me. It was not as rough as many women have it, but compared to my previous pregnancies, which I have now discovered were relatively easy, this was rough. Having prodromal labor for three days was just the icing on the cake of it, but kind of summed up the irritating quality of the whole experience. <br />
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That said, once labor really and truly started, I felt like a pro. I was so happy to be in birth, to be doing the work, to be standing on the bricks. I felt like a goddess there, laboring in the sling, singing and mooing and knowing that my baby was coming and I was equal to this task. When my water broke, I smiled with knowing - yes, this is how it goes. This is how we do this. I am doing this.<br />
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When they said that we had to transfer to the hospital, it didn't even compute in my head. <br />
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Overall, it was absolutely the best possible transfer scenario I could have possibly envisioned. Everyone was safe, like a birth center birth with the security of hospital medical backup. Because everything was okay, I was able to get everything that was on my birth plan after all. My planned birth attendants were even able to stay with me through the birthing, even with the change of venue. It was a seamless experience.<br />
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But even though I rationally/intellectually know all that, and I am so, so happy with the experience I had, I am disappointed and sad that we had to transfer to the hospital. I cried in the first few days and some of the grief around it came up - that I didn't want to go to the hospital. I don't know if I'm finished processing all of it, but I'm trying to let myself feel the feelings without judgment, and without trying to convince myself that everything was okay.<br />
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It was also interesting just the difference in language used at the hospital than at the birth center. Obviously my individual needs and wishes for a natural, low-intervention experience were honored in the hospital, but it was evident that there was a intervention-heavy birth climate in place there.<br />
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I had no less than three nurses ask me "When is he going to be circumcised?" Not "Will he be circumcised?" but "when?" Nate was offered a pacifier for his hearing test without consulting me first. I mentioned to the nurse that Nate seemed to be having trouble latching on one side, but no offer of help or a lactation consultant was made.<br />
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In the rotating door of staff that came to my hospital room the next day, I had an anesthesiology person drop by to "check my epidural site." I told her I didn't have an epidural. She said, "Oh I know you don't have one right NOW. I mean the one you had for your childbirth." I was like... yeah... didn't have one. She stuttered, "So.. you... went natural? ALL natural? Um... okay... um... cute baby. Have a good day." I feel like I know plenty of people who go natural in the hospital, especially here in Colorado - why is this so shocking? And why can't they disguise their shock? It's so weird.<br />
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In the end, it was a wonderful birth experience. I am very glad that we were at the birth center originally, because transferring to the hospital from home was going to suck, and I would have had to do it because of the meconium present. I am very appreciative of the birth center births that I did have, and am even more convinced that out-of-hospital birth is best for me for low risk births. <br />
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And I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to give birth again. This is likely, barring divine intervention, my last time doing this. It has been so sweet to experience the awesome power of birth three times, and I'm struggling to find the words to express how much this has meant to me, and to my human experience. <br />
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For now I will say that I am super excited to continue to pursue adventure with my family in the next phase of our lives together. Onward!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathaniel "Nate" Travis</td></tr>
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<u>Links:</u><br />
<a href="http://onpinehill.blogspot.com/2011/05/birth-story-of-andrew-lee.html" target="_blank">Andrew's birth story</a><br />
<a href="http://onpinehill.blogspot.com/2012/06/birth-story-of-clara-joy.html" target="_blank">Clara's birth story</a><br />
<a href="http://onpinehill.blogspot.com/p/pregnancy-and-birth-resources.html" target="_blank">Birth Reading and Resources</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mountainmidwifery.com/home" target="_blank">Mountain Midwifery Center</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cocoonbirth.com/" target="_blank">Cocoon Birth, On-Call Doula Services</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Morning-Dew-Doula-Services-129571840555515/" target="_blank">Doula Kari Gallinger</a><br />
<a href="http://www.denverdivinedoula.com/" target="_blank">Misty Rauscher, Placenta Encapsulation</a><br />
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AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-39552968391808879212015-07-01T13:05:00.000-06:002015-07-01T13:05:20.877-06:003 year and 4 year growth updateThought I'd abandoned this blog, hadn't you? <br />
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For Miss Clara:<br />
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At 3 years:</div>
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your child is 34 pounds, and that is<br /><b>at the 79th percentile</b> for weight.</div>
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your child is 37.25 inches, and that is<br /><b>at the 54th percentile</b> for height.</div>
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For Mr. Andrew:<br />
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At 4 years and 2 months:</div>
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your child is 45 pounds, and that is<br /><b>at the 93rd percentile</b> for weight.</div>
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your child is 43.5 inches, and that is<br /><b>at the 94th percentile</b> for height.</div>
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-39179888249537908392014-09-02T11:02:00.000-06:002014-09-02T11:02:33.227-06:00DeathA small bird flew into a window and fell down right in front of Andrew and I as we were hanging clothes on the line. It chirped, twitched, and then was still. <br />
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I put her in a box. I checked to see if her tiny heart was still beating - maybe she was just unconscious. It wasn't. <br />
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I'm blessed to say that this was my first experience actually being present with another creature at its death. I'm a little shaken by it. <br />
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And how to explain to Andrew? "Why do things die?" he asked. Everything dies, I said, and I tried to explain the cycle of life. Things die, things are born. Leaves fall in the autumn and grow again in the spring. Our flowers fade and then we plant new ones. People and animals get old and then our bodies don't work so well anymore. And sometimes, we can get hurt so badly that we can't keep living. Her heart was beating while she flew, but then it stopped when she bonked her head so hard.<br />
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We looked at the bird as scientists: the way her wings fold up and expand, the shape of her beak for accessing seeds and insects, the curl of her claws. <br />
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We talked about respect, and saying goodbye.<br />
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We held a funeral. I dug a hole. I said a few words, about how pretty and sweet the bird had sung. I buried her. The kids put down large rocks and said "Goodbye, bird." We picked wildflowers to lay on her grave, "to remember," I said. <br />
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It was all I could do not to cry. AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-77068390468095641892014-07-22T23:22:00.002-06:002014-07-22T23:22:51.629-06:00Geneva Creek Camping and a HikeWe missed June on our quest to get in one night of camping a month, but July rewarded us for our effort. We had our best night of camping yet, by far. Somewhere around the end of dinner time (hot dogs and brats roasted on sticks and potatoes thrown into the coals), I had the brilliant idea that we should put the kids in a tent together. That way, they'd keep each other company, but wouldn't be disturbed by an adult coming in midway through the night. Previously we'd done a girls' tent and a boys' tent, but inevitably, the kids want to sleep *exactly in the middle* of the tent floor, which makes for an awkward night for the adults. <br />
Well, our leap of faith paid off. The kids curled up like a litter of puppies, and the nearly the first peep we heard from them was a yell of "I'm ready to stop sleeping!!" around 7am. <br />
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Amazing. We felt so good that we went on a 2 mile (round trip) hike into the Mt. Evans Wilderness. Both kids walked the WHOLE WAY. We identified flowers and trees, including the kids' first columbine sighting, crossed over log bridges, threw rocks and sticks in the creek, and discussed the ways in which a tree could fall over. <br />
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I sense that we may have crossed a threshold of outdoor adventure, and I am excited. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting beds together in the kids' tent</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potty in the woods</td></tr>
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After Andrew woke her up at 7, Clara actually asked to go back to bed -- and then did! She's her mama's (and Papa's) girl, that's for sure.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a girl in there</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew found this big mushroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Man and mushroom</td></tr>
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0Grant, CO, USA39.459962399999988 -105.66307339.447703399999988 -105.68324299999999 39.472221399999988 -105.642903tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-17449534046078753062014-06-24T15:54:00.000-06:002014-06-24T15:54:54.376-06:00Growth Stats, Age 2 and 3 yr EditionAndrew is 3 years old. He loves to build very elaborate castles out of any building material he can get his hands on. Highly creative. Highly frustrated when things fall over. He makes up his own songs. He plays pretend with cars and planes figures. He has some serious pre-reading skills. He dropped his nap a couple weeks ago. He now wears a sleek buzzed haircut, having lost all patience with the scissors.<br />
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At 3 years and 2 months:</div>
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your child is 38.5 pounds, and that is<br /><b>at the 92nd percentile</b> for weight.</div>
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your child is 40.25 inches, and that is<br /><b>at the 92nd percentile</b> for height.</div>
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Clara is 2 years old. She loves being "Mommy's helper" with cooking and cleaning. She is constantly singing, and loves to sing along to songs she knows. She took to daytime potty training like she'd been doing it her whole life. She's in the middle of transitioning to her big girl bed from her crib, and she said bye to the pacifier in the last few weeks. She refused to let me brush her long hair or put it up, but she loved the idea of a haircut, so she's rocking a cute crop. She's really good at snuggling.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">At 24 months:</span><br />
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your child is 28 pounds, and that is<br /><b>at the 66th percentile</b> for weight.</div>
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your child is 33.5 inches, and that is<br /><b>at the 37th percentile</b> for height.</div>
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your child has a head circumference of 20 inches, and that is<br /><b>at greater than the 97th percentile</b> for head circumference.</div>
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-24438382082142713912014-06-17T23:25:00.003-06:002014-06-17T23:25:24.574-06:00Clara's 2nd BirthdayAfter an exciting train trip to the Bahamas, Clara's birthday was pretty low key - just our family (plus Grandma and Grandpa) hanging out near home. In the morning we went to Tiny Town and treated ourselves to a train ride and an ice cream cones. We had a DQ ice cream cake after dinner. Two ice creams in one day had Clara pretty wired, which was quite amusing. <br />
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The kids had been practicing the "Happy Birthday" song all week, and Clara was running around saying, "Happy birthday to YOU! Happy birthday to YOU!"<br />
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The new big girl bike<br />
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Tiny Town fun with the grandparents.<br />
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Ice cream cake!<br />
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-57172680460742646462014-05-14T17:32:00.000-06:002014-05-20T21:32:37.329-06:00An End and A BeginningThere must be a reason that pregnancy is nine months long (or ten, depending on how you count). Nine months to gestate a new life, to process and come to terms with the change that's happening, the identity shift, the upheaval.<br />
<br />
Nine months ago (or ten, depending on how you count) a seed was planted in my head by a dear friend. This friend is intuitive and empathic, and she called out gifts that she saw in me that I wasn't currently using. It was actually kind of an offhand comment - little did my friend know that she set off such a firestorm in my heart. But in that moment, my entire life flashed before my eyes - various people who have spoken of these latent gifts to me when I was focused elsewhere and pretty much ignoring them.<br />
<br />
That comment sent me down a rabbit hole of self-doubt and then, ultimately, self-discovery. Who am I, really? What am I in this world to do? What if I'm not meant to be an engineer forever? What if I have done what I came to do in the realm of engineering? What if I have other latent gifts and passions, ones that can change the world in other ways than the advancement of scientific knowledge? If I won't be an engineer, then what will I be?<br />
<br />
I struggled. I wrestled. I <a href="http://www.mindmeister.com/" target="_blank">mind-mapped</a>. I <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AyurvedicPractitioner.Coach.SitaChopra" target="_blank">meditated</a>. I journaled. I prayed. I rambled on about it to friends. I rambled on about it to <a href="http://www.prolificliving.com/" target="_blank">mentors</a>. <a href="http://www.pinehilltravel.com/" target="_blank">I</a> <a href="http://www.strollerpacking.com/" target="_blank">started</a> <a href="http://www.lifearchitecting.com/" target="_blank">websites</a>. I joined <a href="http://leoniedawson.com/affiliate-redirect/?p=lifearchitecting&w=abla" target="_blank">masterminds</a>. I went through <a href="http://www.smartexitblueprint.com/join-us?ap_id=simpkins" target="_blank">programs</a>. I engaged <a href="http://www.passiondriven.me/" target="_blank">coaches</a> and <a href="http://www.salterhealing.com/" target="_blank">healers</a>. I embarked on a journey of intensive self-care. I got sick. I got better. I connected with God in a way that I haven't since I was a kid. I cried. I manifested. I set new goals. I envisioned the future life that I wanted. I rearranged things in my life and work multiple times in an attempt to make things better. I cried some more. (When you read this paragraph, you need to picture a video montage of me doing all these things with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3dojm2UvCA" target="_blank">Erin Shore by The Corrs</a> playing in the background.)<br />
<br />
And then, without warning, in the middle of this serious internal overhaul of myself, an opportunity presented itself. I was in transition between two jobs within the company, and it became apparent that instead of putting my head down and pushing through to the new role, the time was now. The opportunity that I had been looking for for transformation was here, though perhaps earlier than I had anticipated. Again, lots of tears, lots of struggle, lots of prayer and searching.<br />
<br />
And so tomorrow, May 15, 2014, will be my last day of employment as an engineer with Lockheed Martin. I will be three weeks shy of my 10 year anniversary with the company. It's been an amazing ride. I did modeling, simulation, and performance analysis for earth-observing radar satellite systems. I helped design NASA's next manned space vehicle. I spent a year in Houston working with astronauts on human interfaces for that vehicle. I <a href="http://stardustnext.jpl.nasa.gov/" target="_blank">flew a spacecraft past a comet</a> and I sent one <a href="http://missionjuno.swri.edu/" target="_blank">on its way to Jupiter</a>. (More video montage!) As this chapter of my life closes, I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunities that I've had, the massive amounts of knowledge I've gained, and the wonderful people I have met and worked with. Since the fear and sadness of making this transition started to pass, I have felt nothing but love and joy and thankfulness for this era of my life.<br />
<br />
And so it's the end.<br />
<br />
But then, it's also the beginning of something new. The next phase. Amy 2.0. Here are some things that are coming up next for me:<br />
<ul>
<li>Joy-filled stay-at-home-mom-hood with my amazing and hilarious kids.</li>
<li>Home organization, omg. </li>
<li>Travel. Hopefully lots of it. </li>
<li>Homeschooling</li>
<li>Continuing to explore entrepreneurship with the following ventures:</li>
<ul>
<li>Travel consulting through Pine Hill Travel (<a href="http://www.pinehilltravel.com/" target="_blank">web</a>/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pinehilltravel" target="_blank">facebook</a>)</li>
<li>Blogging about family travel at Stroller Packing (<a href="http://www.strollerpacking.com/" target="_blank">web</a>/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/strollerpacking" target="_blank">facebook</a>)</li>
<li>Transformational life coaching at Life Architecting (<a href="http://www.lifearchitecting.com/" target="_blank">web</a>/<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lifearchitecting" target="_blank">facebook</a>)</li>
</ul>
<li>Writing about:</li>
<ul>
<li>Holistic self-care</li>
<li>Goal setting and acheivement</li>
<li>Scientific principles applied to psychology, spirituality, and generally living life</li>
<li>Spirituality in general </li>
<li>Travel</li>
<li>Homeschooling, particularly math, science, and using travel to learn about the world </li>
</ul>
<li>Learning about: </li>
<ul>
<li>Ayurveda and Yoga</li>
<li>Latin and Spanish languages</li>
<li>Taking up the violin (yep, it's on my bucket list)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
The world is my oyster. I'm filled with delicious possibilities and passions new and old. <br />
<br />
It's scary and exciting and sad and joyful and just plain thrilling all at once.<br />
<br />
It has taken nine or ten months to gestate and birth this new life into the world, but it's my own new life. And I'm still a work in progress - still learning, still growing, still reserving the right to change my mind about all of it. May I never be stagnant. <br />
<br />
To end, a quote from Thoreau, who has always been my favorite since Mr. Johnson's 10th grade American Literature Class: "I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances
confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the
life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in
common hours. . . . In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of
the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be
solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness." So here I go. May it be true for me, and for all of us.<br />
<br />
(No, I'm not pregnant again. That was an analogy. Stop spreading rumors, silly goose.)AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-91825894813623025412014-05-12T15:37:00.002-06:002014-05-12T15:37:53.802-06:00Snow DayWe got about 18 inches of snow between Mother's Day and the day after, so needless to say we were snowed in and the nanny was snowed out. This meant I got to play in the snow! I had a new year's resolution to make a snow angel, so I can check that one off the list. <br />
<br />
We were hoping it would be wet May snow so that we could make a snowman. ("Do you want to build a snowman?") But alas, it was powder. <br />
<br />
We enjoyed sliding on the saucer down the top pitch of the driveway.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And hot chocolate afterwards</td></tr>
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You would think that after all this the kids would sleep like babies and yet... it seems to be a non-nap day for either of them, even my sleep fiend, Clara. Too bad for me!AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-80935645317031174552014-04-21T06:45:00.000-06:002014-05-13T06:46:29.717-06:00EasterWe narrowly avoided missing Easter due to sickness yet again. <br />
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We went down to the city for an overnight staycation and mattress run on Saturday night, so we joined our friends K, A, and Baby A for church at St. Andrew Wildflower in Highlands Ranch. The kids had such a great time at Sunday School that they were the last ones out of the room.<br />
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We headed home and put the kids for their nap which was when the Easter Bunny came. Unfortunately after nap, Andrew had a hard time waking up, and this spiraled into an epic meltdown about not wanting to wear pants. But we got there eventually and a good time was had by all.<br />
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-36124128448133236192014-03-05T22:48:00.000-07:002014-03-05T22:48:24.159-07:00Kind SoulTonight I cried a little - nothing serious, just a hard, emotional day.<br />
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Andrew followed me into my bedroom and said, "I'm sorry, mama. What can I do to make it better?"<br />
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I could hear the echo of my words in there - the compassion that I show to him when he is inexplicably upset was reflected back on me in waves. I bathed in it.<br />
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I sniffed and said, "I could use a hug."<br />
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He said, "Can I hug you in the bed? That would be good - to hug in the bed."<br />
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And he snuggled me gently in the fluffy duvet. <br />
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We're a true family - we hold each other up. Unbelievably blessed.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-65991368188098031242014-01-26T16:51:00.000-07:002014-01-26T18:54:12.168-07:00Pants IIAndrew just went to his dresser to fetch his own pants. Then with minimal help from me, he laid them out on the floor and put them on by himself.<br />
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I'm having a "he'll eventually be able to go to college" moment.<br />
<br />
(Of course, the reason he needed to go fetch new pants at 4:30 in the afternoon was because he was too involved in play to bother going to the potty. But you know. Baby steps.)<br />
<br />
He also performed his first Class III scramble up some awesome red rock (The Golden Pyramid) down at South Valley Park down the road here. So he had a big day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3RajPuhp1GuWKbdoXCbHQxxoKMowyTfRvi2F1d9FJBXQkbc2prDdJvGN4Bn2O0UzcDcQiWb4a_P0fkk_1ua0sypMGOSnnUzajmbDhxTUo5LeT_L8BTnnuV_6QQVtsOdcpk_8q5OwNkBQ/s1600/1780254_10100213566143538_1574775957_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG3RajPuhp1GuWKbdoXCbHQxxoKMowyTfRvi2F1d9FJBXQkbc2prDdJvGN4Bn2O0UzcDcQiWb4a_P0fkk_1ua0sypMGOSnnUzajmbDhxTUo5LeT_L8BTnnuV_6QQVtsOdcpk_8q5OwNkBQ/s1600/1780254_10100213566143538_1574775957_o.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
Incidentally, Clara made about 90% of this climb too - I just didn't feel comfortable with her on the summit pitch. They both were incredible, and I see much rock climbing and hiking in our future.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-81413545400811649622014-01-21T19:39:00.000-07:002014-01-22T19:44:14.396-07:00Pants<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Mama: I see that you must have gone potty. And you didn't put your pants back on.<br /> Andrew: Yeah. Sometimes big boys put their pants back on. And sometimes they don't.</span>AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-20921505907160135452014-01-05T19:49:00.000-07:002014-01-22T19:50:02.862-07:00#nbd<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Just a quiet Sunday afternoon with <a data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=703881&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A0%7D" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Travis</a>, installing a new hot water heater.</span>AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-11604032359189045182013-12-29T20:15:00.000-07:002013-12-29T20:15:58.632-07:00Clara's First 100 WordsIt took just over four months from one word to 100. The theme was "food," from "yogurt" to "cinnamon."<br />
<br />
At the risk of comparing my children, I think it's fascinating that though they said their first words at very different ages (17 months and 14 months respectively), it took them nearly the exact same amount of time to get to 100.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" style="font-family: arial,sans,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; table-layout: fixed;"><colgroup><col width="120"></col><col width="120"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8/23/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Bear</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">8/26/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">yogurt</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">9/5/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Ducky</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Mama</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Daddy</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Doggy</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Please</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Peek</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">eat</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">baby</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/12/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Socks</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/15/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">(Ba)nana</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">yuck (for diaper and trash)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">apple</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">ball</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">book</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/22/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Maggie</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/23/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">hot</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/24/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">jump</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/24/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">no</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">snack</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">hi</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">bye</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">night night</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">shoe</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">water (wa wa)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">bonk</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">truck</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">11/30/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">potty</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/1/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">sorry</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/1/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">star</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">meat</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">peek</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">stuck</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">plug</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/5/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">soup</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/5/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">step</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/5/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Papa</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/6/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">truck</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/7/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">dump</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/7/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">up</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/7/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">hat</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/8/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">blue</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/9/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">back</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/9/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">pop</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/10/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">zip</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">yeah</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">eyes</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">steak</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">hair</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">milk</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/12/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">outside</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/12/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">moon</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/13/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">shovel</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/13/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">hop</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/13/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">help</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/14/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">egg</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/14/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">strawberry</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/14/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">(avo)cado</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/14/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">butterfly</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/14/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">head</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/15/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">snow</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/15/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">owl</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/15/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">dark</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/15/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">Nana</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/15/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">bacon</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">fork</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">some</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/18/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">drink</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">hug</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/21/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">scissors</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/21/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">brush</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/21/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">sausage</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/21/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">tunnel</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/21/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">show</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/21/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">bubble</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">out</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">hand</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">walk</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">on</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">buckle</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">boot</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">snoopy</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">happy</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">toby (nana's dog)</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; border-left: 1px solid #ccc; border-right: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 0px 3px 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">eggs</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/26/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">happened</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/26/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">purple</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/26/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">slippers</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/26/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">sticker</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/26/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">juice</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; font-size: 100%; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;"></td><td style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; font-size: 100%; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">puppy</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/28/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">feet</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/28/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">phone</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/28/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">new</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/28/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">friend</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">dress</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">why</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">toys</td></tr>
<tr style="height: 17px;"><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; padding: 0px 3px; text-align: right; vertical-align: bottom;">12/29/2013</td><td style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; direction: ltr; padding: 0px 3px; vertical-align: bottom;">one</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-88041000606361372962013-12-21T18:32:00.000-07:002014-01-22T18:33:26.115-07:00Christmas at HomeWe begin our Christmas celebration at our home in Colorado, giving gifts between our immediate family. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The infamous candles</td></tr>
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-31094828299275981702013-12-20T14:18:00.001-07:002013-12-20T16:57:14.592-07:00Eighteen Month Stats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">At 18 months:</span><br />
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your child is 23.375 pounds, and that is<br />
<b>at the 34th percentile</b> for weight.</div>
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your child is 31 inches, and that is<br />
<b>at the 26th percentile</b> for height.</div>
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your child has a head circumference of 19 inches, and that is<br />
<b>at the 89th percentile</b> for head circumference.</div>
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AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-76079620056271892792013-12-19T18:20:00.000-07:002014-01-22T18:21:52.867-07:00Early DecemberThe first part of December was a delightful celebration of advent. It was really fun to have a kid old enough to understand just a little bit what a holiday was, and that it was Jesus' birthday, and why we give gifts. <br />
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Andrew didn't totally understand the gift giving thing, though. After Daddy took him out shopping one morning, he returned home after a strict discussion that gifts should be a surprise, and announced to me "Mama, we bought you candles!" The favor was returned a few days later with "Daddy, do you want to see the tools we got you?" Ah well. He certainly was full of joy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary, on a tractor</td></tr>
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We went to see Santa at the Big R up in Conifer, which was really great, because there was virtually no one there, so the pressure was low. Andrew didn't really know the process, although we've talked a little about who Santa is. When Santa asked "What do you want for Christmas?" Andrew gave him a confused look and changed the subject: "Did you know there's a cowboy hat on top of that Christmas tree?" They also had a discussion of some of the lawn equipment that was sitting outside the store.<br />
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Clara wasn't too sure of Santa at first, but agreed to sit on my lap and stare at him. <br />
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And then, of course, we had to try on some cowboy hats. As you do. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood piles ready for winter</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the Charlie Brown Christmas Special</td></tr>
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-42076296760284598432013-12-05T22:12:00.000-07:002013-12-05T22:12:00.927-07:00One Year Ankle ReportA year ago yesterday I fell down the stairs and broke my ankle - a trimalleolar fracture. <br />
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This morning I did the P90X Plyometrics workout, which is an hour of jump squats, jump lunges, and other generally high-impact stuff. <br />
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I had the thought back in March, after I started walking and at the beginning of physical therapy that I might never walk normally again. This was a silly, overly dramatic thought to have, and compared to the physical issues that some others have to deal with, this was a super easy recovery. Still the thought, the fear, was there, and I had no idea how I was going to get better. <br />
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But... I did get better.<br />
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And I strengthened and stretched.<br />
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And I lost over 30 pounds. <br />
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And now, I can only tell the difference between my ankles in a couple ways - balance postures in yoga and when hopping on one foot. <br />
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I'm so thankful for my health and recovery. I don't take my ability to walk or run or jump or stand in Tree Pose for granted. <br />
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-62612112811940660382013-12-02T17:58:00.000-07:002014-01-22T18:02:34.290-07:00Christmas Tree HuntWe had originally planned our Christmas Tree Hunt for the following Friday, but the weather forecast showed snow and a cold snap to the single digits... and below. So we scrambled to rearrange some work schedules and headed out to Pike National Forest on a mild Monday morning. It being a Monday, we missed Smokey the Bear (he only shows up on weekends), but we had the calm, quiet woods to ourselves. <br />
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The kids were really into the hunt, running from tree to tree and generally having a marvelous time being set free to roam.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We left Clara's mittens in the car, so she had to borrow Daddy's gloves</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrew helped with the sawing</td></tr>
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-41350823409665433332013-11-30T17:50:00.000-07:002014-01-22T17:51:19.284-07:00November HighlightsNovember was pretty quiet.<br />
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We took a quick trip to Boston and met online friends Shelley and Juniper. (Right after this picture was taken, Andrew closed our rental minivan door on Clara's thumb.)<br />
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We had a staycation down in Colorado Springs with Miss Maggie and Mr. Trey, and we went to visit the US Olympic Training Center. There also happened to be a fare mistake that weekend so we spent a large amount of effort booking travel for 2014...<br />
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We had a quiet Thanksgiving all to ourselves, and I discovered that it's the same amount of effort to cook fro four people as it is to cook for 15. It sure was yummy, though! <br />
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We prepared for advent by making a calendar of little presents to open each day. A large portion of these were the pieces of the Little People nativity scene.<br />
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And we celebrated Travis's birthday... along with an Ohio State win in THE GAME.<br />
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-65152384238957236222013-11-09T19:51:00.000-07:002014-01-22T19:51:45.201-07:00Gearhead<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Wearing
my climbing helmet around the house this evening at the request of my
son. This is the most action this helmet has seen in, oh.... about
three years.</span>AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-43315639274535067312013-10-31T16:34:00.000-06:002014-01-22T17:04:31.055-07:00HalloweenWe had a quiet Halloween. I took the kids to a costume party at a friend's house, but didn't end up with any pictures. Andrew was a (train) engineer and Clara was an elephant.<br />
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The majority of our festivities involved carving pumpkins. That's the best part anyway, right? We asked Andrew what shape the eyes and noses should be, so these were carved to spec.<br />
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-35896620237637112172013-10-27T21:17:00.000-06:002014-01-14T21:20:07.166-07:00October Highlights<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First snow</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; color: #37404e; line-height: 18px;">Throughout dinner, Andrew kept saying, "I love you, daddy," and "I want to give you a hug with my hands." Then he told me, "You should get the camera and take a picture of daddy and me." Can't argue with that...</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visitors</td></tr>
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<br />AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-696551203959356067.post-48273101008281439362013-10-18T17:20:00.000-06:002016-01-18T13:34:22.757-07:00Big Ships: Trip Data and RationaleThis trip originated in early April when Copa had a deal between NYC and
Montevideo, Uruguay for $400 round trip, bookable through end of
schedule. We had previously been to Uruguay, but only to Colonia, so it
was an appealing new destination at a great price. When we realized
that it was possible to add a stopover in Panama City for just $40 more,
it was a deal. We eventually booked our positioning flights on
United, to and from LaGuardia, knowing that we would need to do the
usual cross-Long-Island waltz between airports.<br />
<br />
For our hotel
night in New York, we were originally going to use a Radisson Free Night
cert at the Martinique in Manhattan, but when Priority Club (oops, I
mean IHG) launched the Big Win promotion and NYC was one of my two
target cities (along with Denver, go figure) we decided to stay near
LaGuardia at the Holiday Inn Express. Sure, the room was $200 (about
the going rate in the area), but we got back more than that in points
when it was all said and done (not really kidding).<br />
<br />
For our
lodging in Panama, we opted to stay the Country Inn and Suites by
Carlson since it is located next to the canal and would give the kids a
chance to watch some big ships. Plus, with my Gold status and credit
card benefits, we would be able to use 28K points for one night, and get
the next night free – a really good deal. We also expected a decent
chance at an upgrade, and sure enough, we were upgraded to a canal view
master suite, which was wonderful. This was easily the fanciest Country
Inn that we've ever been too and could probably pass as a Radisson. <br />
<br />
In
Montevideo, we also stayed at a Carlson property, the Radisson Victoria
Plaza. This time we used Free Night certificates that we had earned in
last year’s Stay One Get One promotion (stay at any Radisson in the US,
get a free night at any Radisson in North America – we’re still not
sure how they allowed these to be used in Uruguay, but hey, it’s not the
first time we’ve seen loyalty programs fail geography, so we’ve learned
not to question it!) We used three free nights in total, including the
night we arrived at 430AM and also the night we left at 11PM to go back
to the airport. So we were there for less than 48 hours, but somehow
used 3 nights of certs. (In reality, we weren’t too bothered by it
because the certs were expiring soon anyway, and we had acquired them at
a modest cost.) <br />
<br />
Just as in Panama, the hotel treated us as royalty, er, I mean like a diplomat, even assigning us an Ambassador Suite on the 21<sup>st</sup>
floor overlooking the harbor. It was very classic. Wood floors,
crystal chandeliers, dark wood furniture…. You name it, they made sure
that you felt like you had walked back into the 70’s, right down to the
welcoming faint cigarette smoke smell. But we couldn’t complain because
the sheer amount of space was awesome—probably close to 800 sq ft.
Breakfast was included, but based on our late arrival and change of time
zones, we never made it up in time for it. Parking was valet at $10
per day, but I was able to talk them out of it claiming that I thought
it should be waived for Gold members.<br />
<br />
For transportation, we
rented cars in both countries. In Panama, we thought it absolutely made
sense to rent a car because we knew that the hotel was about a $40 cab
ride away and then we’d want to go to the Canal. When we found a
mid-size SUV for about $100, it seemed like a no-brainer. And it was,
until they sprung the mandatory Panamanian taxes on us of about $40. At
that point, we probably broke even as compared to a cab, but with two
kiddos (and their car seats) there is a certain convenience to having
your own wheels. We don’t regret our decision. <br />
<br />
In Uruguay, we
knew the economics were less in our favor. We expected to arrive at
230AM, which would probably negate our ability to take the bus to the
city. And our research indicated that the taxi mafia is rather
unpredictable, with fares to the city ranging from $50-$80. So we again
rented a car, this time from Avis at $135, as they were the only agency
that stays open all night. The problem here was that car rental in
Montevideo is not a high-volume operation. There is one agent and he
both rents you the car (which takes forever) and then he goes out to the
parking lot to get the car and drive it up to the terminal for you.
(The procedure is the same at Panama City, but they have few more staff
so the operation scales a bit better.) The problem was that the agent
had just left to get someone a car before we got there, so we had to
wait for him to come back before we could even get started. I would
estimate that we blew ¾ of an hour getting a car, time that we could
have been sleeping! Interestingly, the car only had a half tank of gas
(slightly less actually) – the agent explained that there had been a
strike the day before so they couldn’t fill it up. Thus, I was to
return it with half a tank, something that is actually relatively hard
to do. (How do you tell the guy at the filling station that you only
want half a tank of gas??? Now try doing that in Spanish! In the end,
we estimated the MPG of the car and got pretty close. <br />
<br />
<br />
In
reality, we probably didn’t need the car as we didn’t use it for
anything other than getting to / from the hotel. Montevideo is quite
walkable and we really didn’t have time to leave the city. By the time
we got the parking waived, we might have broken even versus taking a
cab, but again, it was nice to buckle the car seats in once and be
done. <br />
<br />
Flying Copa was a bit of an adventure. The good side was
that we got upgraded on 3 of the 4 flights. The downside is that the
flight we didn’t get upgraded on turned out to be the worst debacle I’ve
ever experienced in air travel.AShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06678281244723250986noreply@blogger.com0