Christmas Day, 2011

Well its been a while since I've gotten to write. But I got Stella and Monica and my sister and parents all bundled up and ready for a walk, then gave them the slip at the door. So now Eric and I are here on the red couch in Westport, sipping orange mandarin spice tea by the fire and tree... and its a really nice thing. Not "nice" that the group is gone, not at all. But to have a little down time, a little time to reflect...as I always like to do this time of year.

I can't believe how much our Littles have grown since last Christmas. They are wearing the same dresses they wore last year- for comparison. I'll see if I can get a shot of them together- a very difficult feat nowadays.

Now, what they are up to... climbing and moving and running and chasing and exploring. Mastering the stairs, climbing up into their high chairs, wrestling over toys (always wanting the one the other has, even if they have the *exact* same toy). They love riding on our shoulders "Ride? Ride?" and learning new words. Tree!! Tweet Tweet! Burr! (bird)! Kash-sha-sha (our dog). Boppa is both Grandma and Grampa. They love their aunt Amy, and talk about her all week until they get to see her. Amy! Amy! And... whenever we talk about their grandparents and aunts, they inevitably ask "Wor-wee"? (Rory, my folks' dog). They love playing with buckles and anything that has a cap, especially markers.

Stella now has the cutest little chuckle- literally the comic strip "Heh-heh". And when asking her if she wants something that she does indeed want, like "Do you want some food?" She says "OK!". When she has done something she is proud of or knows will make us happy, she squeaks until we notice. Like putting her hat on herself, or climbing up and sitting like a Big Girl in a grown-up's chair.

Monica is in constant motion when she is awake. If she wants something she sas "Peez!! PEEEEZ!!!" Her grandmother is teaching her how to put on her coat by putting it open on the ground, facing away, putting her hands in the sleeves and flipping it over her head. She wants to do it over and over, or... "agin! Agin!!" (again again!).

They have this communication that we don't quite understand, although we have heard it happens among twins... words that make sense to each other, but not to us. They say "Ah-NO! Ah-NO!". Maybe it means "I want the toy you're playing with" or "don't you wish you had this toy".

Eric and I are doing pretty well too. We love our community in Providence; somehow we found this incredible group of people to grow our kids with and grow into our thirties and almost forties with. We're part of a collaborative that busy raw milk from Connecticut and citrus from an organic farm in Florida- it feels good to walk our talk a little bit that way. I also have a women's circle of 7 that meets monthly to talk about life and push each other to live it more fully. We are all mothers, professionals, wives, friends, daughters, sisters, nieces, athletes, dreamers... and its amazing to have the space to talk about the challenges and blessings of all these roles.

I decided *not* to take a fulltime job at Brown, where I would've been the Associate Director of Research Innovations for the Office of the Vice President of Research. It would've been a big job; knitting together research collaborations across university departments and centers on topics in energy/environmental issues and population health. Hard to turn it down, really really. But also really wonderful to choose to spend more time with Stella and Monica. So a difficult decision, but luckily one that was really right and felt right as soon as I'd made it. Now I'm trying to make part-time work as a strategy consultant for non-profits and academic institutions; I've had 2 contracts so far and one more is in the works through AICU (Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of RI- the lobbying group for RI's private institutes of higher ed such as Brown and RISD). Its been neat- I'm thinking about developing more capacity for higher ed administration- maybe one day I'll be a dean of students? I've loved all my work with college students- especially this past summer when I had a crackerjack team of three Brown undergrads working on a fellowship I directed on social entrepreneurship. I miss seeing those amazing young-uns.

Eric is making great leaps and bounds in his professional career as well; publishing papers, teaching and writing grants. Although the current national public health funding situation is not very generous, his grants score well. He plays the academic game well, and is gaining the respect of his colleagues (not to mention his wife). I think his bigger accomplishments this year have to do with his practice of "applied buddhism"; which refers to being mindful of your own behavior and thoughts- it is witness consciousness of your life and how you behave within it. Its why he's such a peaceful, loving and careful dude. He was given a big honor this year; he was asked to be ordained in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and went to Blue Cliffs Monastery in New York (the Catskills) to be ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh himself. It means that he is committing himself to teaching others about mindfulness, and building a stronger community. As such, we have both been helping build a family sangha (sangha is a practice community) in Rhode Island. With our teacher and mentor, Joanne Friday, we are both learning a ton and feeling good about sharing this opportunity for personal "freedom" to our community. We hope it will become a community that Stella and Monica enjoy too- imagine having the tools of mindfulness as a little kid! We'll see how that goes.

I personally hope that my own practice of applied buddhism--mindfulness--will make me a better mother... here's to hoping.

Well, its time to go and make some fuffy (muffins). I hope everyone who reads this is doing well- we do miss those who we don't get to see in our little state of Rhode Island.

xoxo
Betsy

Re: Almost Christmas!!!

wow, Y'ALL have a ridiculously cute group!

On Tue, Dec 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM, Betsy Stubblefield Loucks <betsyruth@gmail.com> wrote:

;)





Thanks!

Betsy

(401) 580-8075
Sent from my mobile device.

Almost Christmas!!!

;)

Pumpkin cheesecake

We are doing just fine...

Christmas tree

Stella and Monica's first act of political activism

National Safer Chemicals Health Families campaign,
http://www.saferchemicals.org/

Amy n Stella at the Aquarium

See the fish above the flash...!

Stellie at the Aquarium

Joanne and Richard's bench

Gets a lot of use these days...

From da both of em

From Stellie-chick too!

Happy Halloween!

Dreaming of a white Halloween....?

Family resemblance

Stella looked at this photo and said "Monica?" nope! It's Aunt Amy! Amazing, no?

Momma ina woods

Birthday shot

38!!

Picked herself!

From her daddy's shoulder!

Apple picking!

...and sampling...

Stellie

Tomatoes!!

Monica

Stellie dancing

At the winery concert

Hat swap.

Happy trio

Eva n Stella

At the top of Rattlesnake.

New skills

Somebody climbed into her car seat!

Happy Stellie

Stella loves chewing on sticks.

Stella's first croissant

mmmmmm

--
_____________________
Elizabeth Stubblefield Loucks, MSc, MBA

betsyruth@gmail.com
Cell: 401-580-8075

Water play

Eric m girls at Frost House in Jay, VT

Love the woods.

Deep sea diver

Care of Anne (our nanny). Love it. She gets so proud of herself when she gets buckets on her head.

Summer begins!

One Year: check in

Stella: 29.5 inches tall (64%); 18lb 6 oz (11%)

Monica: 30 inches tall (79%); 18lbs 2 oz (9%)

Healthy. Hopefully Stella's skull fracture is healing fine.

Happy.

Standing, though not unasisted.

Talking, though we can't understand much of what they're saying. :)

Eating. Monica stopped nursing at 10.5 months. Stella still going strong.

Favorite activities: eating paper (especially books), pulling things out of boxes or off shelves, watching older children, clapping to music, playing peekaboo, twisting and turning to avoid diaper changes, and the PACIFIER GAME (stealing and giving the pacifier to/from each other).


The following photo is Dawn Loucks (Eric's mom). I thought I had posted it on the blog- guess I hadn't... doesn't she look like Monica? I guess Monica has a lot of Gillespie in her. :) The Stubblefield will probably show up later... :)

Happy Easter (again!)

From Monica!

Betsy

(401) 580-8075

Sent from my mobile device. 

Begin forwarded message:

From: Eric Loucks <eric_loucks@brown.edu>
Date: April 24, 2011 5:13:20 PM EDT
To: Betsy Stubblefield Loucks <betsyruth@gmail.com>
Subject: Monica

Sent from my mobile device

Happy Easter!

Stella at the ware's on Easter   

Thanks!

Betsy

(401) 580-8075

Sent from my mobile device. 

Begin forwarded message:

From: Eric Loucks <eric_loucks@brown.edu>
Date: April 24, 2011 4:50:55 PM EDT
To: Barry Loucks <medware@island.net>, Karen Chester <kchester@highspeedplus.com>, Betsy Stubblefield Loucks <betsyruth@gmail.com>
Subject: Stella meets lawn

Sent from my mobile device

Nap accomplis

Grandad and Monica

Curious

Stella

Sleepy

Monica

Monica and Nanna

At the winter farmers market.

Kate visits

The girls seemed to remember their first nanny, Kate, who was with us from when Monica and Stella were 5 weeks old to 18 or so weeks. Here they are 42 weeks (9 1/2 months).

photos from Jennifer Alkire

Our friend Jennifer Alkire (Masa's wife) took these *Great* shots of the girls just after Christmas up at Mount Washington on Vancouver Island. Despite appearances, she is not a professional photographer. The girls are both about 7 months old here. The last shot is of the four of us

at Qualicum Beach, where Erics parents have a little cabin. This was a self portrait; we won't blame Jenn for this one. :)

Monica at Rue de l'Espoir

Stella's first diner experience

Silhouettes... Can you tell who?

Baby A and her poppa.

Stella in winter attire

Monica in winter attire

Triple Decker

Stella on shoulders, Monica in bjorn, papa in the middle.

Stella-bear face

Monica behind Stella-bear at music class.

Stella-bear