Cutie Ayar from Brenda's iPhone

Look at this cutie pie! It's a good ad for the iPhone, too! I have a lot of pics from Jacob's bday to post, but this made it up first. Thanks for sending it, Brenda!

Louise Renshaw Smith, 1913-2009

My grandma's obit was published today (January 25th) in the Seattle Times. It was written with my mom, Ann, her sister, Susan, and my grandma's good friend Sue Beyer. http://www.legacy.com/SeattleTimes/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=123225304.

Saturday, January 17th. My Grandma Smith died this morning at 5:12 AM. She was with her identical twin daughters, my Mom Ann and my Aunt Susie, who had stayed the night in the nursing home in order to be by Grandma's side. My Grandma fought for most everything her entire life. After her spinal cord accident at the age of 25, she fought to walk, and fought through the pain of using a cane and the social stigma of being handicapped for the rest of her life. Up until about four months ago she could still walk with a walker; since Halloween she had needed to use a wheel chair and had been increasingly dependent on others for getting around. But she fought hard for the bits of life she could still enjoy---all the way through to the end. Just two weeks ago when I was still in Port Townsend she was upset with me for failing to wake her up in time to watch a Husky basketball game!

To honor my Grandma on her 95th birthday I was able to adapt the autobiography she had written into a photobook form. It can be viewed (and purchased) at this address: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/362724/51074409bf8340638443382f78fe58ed
Fortunately, she was able to see that it was in its final form just days before she died.

Children's Museum preparing for the AFC Championship

We went to the Children's Museum today after going to Jean-Marc's bakery. I had read that the museum had real pro-football Steelers gear that kids could try on. Little did I realize that I liked trying the stuff on a lot more than the kids did! I really like the picture of Josh in the football helmet with the Obama t-shirt. It reminds me that at dinner the other night Jacob said, "you know what you would love, Mom? A Barack Obama football team." And he's right. Those are my two teams. The Steelers and Barack Obama. Josh looks great in both! Casey wasn't too sure about the helmet, or the Steelers's mascot, Steely McBeam. And Jacob was scared to death of the giant mascot. But he did like operating the museum's giant robot!

Jean-Marc Chatellier's

One of my best memories as a kids was when my parents would take me and my sister to get donuts. We used to go to a chain called Wenchell's. My dad would get bear claws, or apple fritters. I liked raised donuts with sugar or glaze. In any case, the best pastries in Pittsburgh, if not the whole wide world, are at Jean Marc Chatellier's baker in Millvale. There's not much left to Millvale. No mills, to be sure. There's a hobby store, a drugstore/pancake place, and Jean-Marc's bakery. We saw Jean-Marc today and he looked pretty thin, considering what he makes for a living! Jacob loves this place---we went a lot when I was pregnant with Casey. Today Jacob had a maple bar, and Casey had a chocolate croissant.

Cutie Kids After Christmas

My cousin Cindy gave Casey this darling "Elmo" hooded dress and pants. I photographed her in Josh's arms and on the floor with Jacob and Zarni! Thanks Cindy!

Playing with the Santa Toys

Santa brought Jacob just want he asked for Christmas. A "hot wheels" race track like the one he got last year (whose motor finally gave out after hundreds of car races). The coolest thing about this race track is that there are flags at the bottom that show you which car won the race after the cars shoot down the ramp! Casey got a stroller for her baby doll. She continues to spend hours a day with her doll, reading to her, rocking her, patting her, and singing her to sleep. What a sweetie!

Me Me G and Baby Ayar

Me Me G, which is Burmese for Great Grandmother, is seen here holding 5 week old baby Ayar (pronounced A-ya). While Ayar doesn't seem too thrilled with the situation, Me Me G seems to have her sense of humor in tact! Baby Ayar is mostly a very quiet and content little baby, except when she is hungry or cold or needs to be changed. At the same time Ayar always seems the most content when she's in mommy's or daddy's arms.

Snow in Port Hadlock

Before Christmas the entire Northwest was blanketed with tons of snow. Not only did it NOT melt in a few days (or in a few hours, as it used to when I was a young girl), but the snow kept piling on, in doses of 2 inches, and even 2 feet, a day. Port Hadlock didn't get as much snow as Seattle but there was still plenty for sledding and for a snowman, which Nana helped to build. Casey wasn't crazy about the snow, but Jacob was very enthusiastic!